ODD ONE OUT [ hazel levesque ]

What's a better bonding experience then tracking a monster

MARIAH AND ANNABETH had lost the thorny monster guy. They'd finally hit the ground, after falling for so long. That was pretty painful. And once they'd both stood up from doing a belly flop into the ground, the monster was gone.

Mariah had absolutely no idea where they were, and it seemed nor did Annabeth. But did that stop the feisty blonde from trying to follow the monster. Nope!

So that's what they were doing now. The two had been walking for about an hour now, going to gods knows where, and they hadn't said a single word to each other. Mostly because they had been trying to save their energy. But Mariah was bored. And if they were going to be stuck in this situation together, might as well make the most of it.

"Your Annabeth, right?"

The blonde narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Yes, Annabeth Chase. How did you know that?"

Mariah shrugged. "When we fell off the cliff your boyfriend yelled out that name."

Annabeth glared at Mariah. Although there was a dusty rose colour that covered her cheeks at the mention of that guy. "He's not my boyfriend. He's just a really annoying friend."

"What's his name?"

"Percy Jackson."

Mariah thought for a second. Then looking at Annabeth with a small smirk crossing over her face. "Well I think you two would make a cute couple. I mean, your ship name would be Percabeth. It's perfect."

"Shut up. Besides, I don't even know you. So you can't just make that assumption about us."

Mariah rolled her eyes and stuck her hand out to Annabeth. "Mariah Woods, daughter of Apollo, Hunter of Artemis, at your service." 

Annabeth shook it, hesitantly at first. Mariah smiled, satisfied. "There we go. Now we aren't complete strangers. Therefore, I can now make those assumptions about you two."

Annabeth looked like she wanted to strangle her. But before she could get yelled at, the brunette jumped in first. "Anyway, so who's your godly parent?" 

"Athena."

Mariah was slightly annoyed in herself that she hadn't figured that out already. For Annabeth looked a little like a few of the Hunters who were daughters of Athena. And she was so determined and very logical. It made perfect sense.

"Your a Hunter of Artemis, right?" Mariah nodded, wondering where this conversation was going to go.

"Would you say it's worth joining?" 

Mariah took a double take. Annabeth was thinking of joining the Hunters! "No no no. Do not join. It's horrible. Do yourself a favour and never join!"

Annabeth looked shocked by her answer. "Did you forgot your a Hunter?"

"Exactly. Don't repeat my mistake. The Hunters of Artemis, yes some parts can be very enjoyable, but mostly it's not. It's like one big cult. For example, you have to put up with stupid stuffy Zoe. That's torture. She criticises your every move and it's a nightmare. There's lots of pressure to be the perfect Hunter, get everything right. When in reality, that's not humanly possible. Another thing is immortality. It might seem appealing, but it's not. I should of died in the 1900's, but here I am, in the agony that's called life. And then there's giving up men. I don't have a problem with that honestly, romantically, I mean. But you can't even have a Platonical relationship with a male. That is what I think is ridiculous. So please, do yourself a favour and don't join."

"Then why did you join?"

"Because it was 1912, freezing cold in London. I had no home, no money and no food. So when they gave me that offer, I didn't really have another choice."

At this point their conversation sort of died off there. For they were both pretty tired from walking so much.

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ANNABETH AND MARIAH were on a dark hillside, shrouded in fog. It almost seemed like the Underworld, since you couldn't see the sky above—just a close, heavy darkness, as if they were in a cave.

Both girls struggled up the hill. Old broken Greek columns of black marble were scattered around, as though something had blasted a huge building to rums.

"Thorn!" Annabeth cried. "Where are you? Why did you bring us here?" She scrambled over a section of broken wall and came to the crest of the hill.

She gasped.

Standing in front of them was a tall male with shaggy blonde hair and a scar. Annabeth obviously knew him. And he was in pain.

He was crumpled on the rocky ground, trying to rise. The blackness seemed to be thicker around him, fog swirling hungrily. His clothes were in tatters and his face was scratched and drenched with sweat,

"Annabeth!" he called. "Help me! Please!"

She ran forward. Mariah wanted to hold Annabeth back. She knew something back was going to happen. But Annabeth was too quick. She ran after her, watching out  just in case something went wrong.

Annabeth had tears in her eyes. She reached down like she wanted to touch his face, but at the last second she hesitated.

"Luke, What happened?" she asked.

Ok so his name is Luke, he's still going to trick her or something.

"They left me here," Luke groaned. "Please. It's killing me."

It was hard to see what was wrong with him. He seemed to be struggling against some invisible curse, as though the fog were squeezing him to death.

"Why should I trust you?" Annabeth asked. Her voice was filled with hurt.

"You shouldn't," Luke said. "I've been terrible to you. But if you don't help me, I'll die."

Then the darkness above Luke began to crumble, like a cavern roof in an earthquake. Huge chunks of black rock began falling. Annabeth rushed in just as a crack appeared, and the whole ceiling dropped. She held it somehow—tons of rock. She kept it from collapsing on her and Luke just with her own strength. It was impossible. She shouldn't have been able to do that.

Luke rolled free, gasping. "Thanks," he managed.

"Help me hold it," Annabeth groaned.

Luke caught his breath. His face was covered in grime and sweat. He rose unsteadily.

"I knew I could count on you." He began to walk away as the trembling blackness threatened to crush Annabeth.

"HELP ME!" she pleaded,

"Oh, don't worry," Luke said. "Your help is on the way. It's all part of the plan. In the meantime, try not to die."

Mariah wanted to run after him, screaming at him for tricking Annabeth that way. But there was no time. Mariah ran and slipped under the small crack until she was next to Annabeth, now struggling to hold whatever they were holding up.

The ceiling of darkness began to crumble again, pushing Annabeth and Mariah against the ground. 

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