Birthright (Forgotten Daughter part 2)

Pegasus

"Ready?" Percy asked when he and Ali met behind the Poseidon cabin.

Ali shot him a cocky smile. "Always. You?"

He nodded curtly. "Come on. They're leaving."

They rushed through the trees to Half-blood Hill. They arrived just as one of camp's white vans pulled onto the road and sped away.

"There's no way we'll catch up with them on foot." Percy's shoulders slumped in defeat.

Out of the trees, a black Pegasus soared towards them and trotted to a stop beside Percy.

"Blackjack!" He stroked the flying horse's mane.

Ali stood there listening to half of the conversation. It could be really annoying when Percy talked to horses.

Finally, he looked at her. "Think you can carry two of us boy."

Blackjack whinnied like even the thought of it was tiring.

"Go." Ali urged. "You'll be faster with one rider."

"But..."

"I'll catch up." She interrupted. "Go, you need to be on this quest more than I do."

Percy gave a quick nod and mounted Blackjack. "See you out there." He took off.

The gust of wind whipped her stray hairs around her face. "Count on it, Water Boy."
* * *
Word traveled through camp that Mr. D had left the grounds. No one knew why, but Ali had her suspicions.

Whatever was really going on, this was her chance. She snuck into the stables and walked down the line of Pegasi. She stopped at a gray mare with variegated silver wings. Ali stretched out her hand and the horse nuzzled her palm.

"Hey there Luna." Ali stroked the pegasus' mane. "I need a favor."
                                *   *   *
Luna was by far the fastest Pegasus at camp, which was why no one ever rode her. She also wasn't great at following directions and got really excited whenever someone took her out. In all honesty, that was why Ali liked her so much. She was spirited.

The pair soared through the sky, diving and twirling after a little black smudge on the horizon that could only be Blackjack. They were gaining, but Ali didn't want to get too close. If she surprised Percy, he might fall off his Pegasus to his death.

When Percy finally landed, she followed suit, spiraling towards the ground. She could see the white camp van parked in front of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

She touched down next to Blackjack and Percy nearly jumped out of his skin. She laughed.

He heaved a long breath. "That was fast."

"Told you I'd catch up." She slid off of Luna's back and patted the Pegasus' neck.

Luna craned her neck to nuzzle Ali's shoulder.

Percy watched them, looking confused and amazed.

"Their in the museum?" Ali asked, snapping him back to reality.

He nodded. "Yep, if we..." He stopped, staring at a man wearing a trench coat and sunglasses. For a moment, Ali thought it was the bug-man who had chased her and Science Guy from Brooklyn, but thankfully it wasn't.

"Who's that?" She watched the man walk towards a different entrance to the museum.

"The manticore." Percy muttered.

Her heart skipped a beat. "You have to follow him."

He looked at her like she was crazy. "You have Annabeth's invisibility cap, right?" She waited for him to nod. "I'll watch the others. You find out what the Manticore is doing here."

He nodded, slipped Annabeth's Yankees cap onto his head, and disappeared.

Ali followed the others into the Air and Space museum. Sneaking passed security was easier than she'd expected. Before she opened the door, she snapped, triggering a sweet smelling breeze then walked right though. No one saw her, or no one cared. Either way, she made it through no problem.

She found the others wandering the museum arguing about something. It sounded like it had something to do with Grover's tracking spell.

Before she could really figure it out, Percy came charging through the doors towards the others, Yankees cap in hand. He ran right passed Ali without seeing her and plowed into Thalia. They both toppled into the seat of a plane.

There was a lot of yelling and questions, but it was drowned out by a metallic roar.

"Di immortales." Ali muttered as a Nemean Lion burst through the doors, eyes locked on Percy and the others. Apparently not seeing her, it dove over her head and landed a few feet from the others on the stairs.

The others struggled to hold it at bay, their weapons useless against its impenetrable hide.

Percy was jumping from exhibit to exhibit headed towards the floor below.

The lion followed, lashing at him with its wicked claws.

They finally reached the floor with Grover, Bianca, and Zoe still on the steps with Ali.

Percy ran into the gift shop while Thalia held off the monster. He returned carrying packets of... astronaut food? What was he supposed to do with that? He chucked the packets into the lion's mouth, making it roar.

Ali realized what he was doing. The lion's fur may have been impenetrable, but its insides weren't. She knocked a pair of arrows and aimed for its mouth. Bianca and Zoe each notched a shaft of their own. They let fly at the same moment, and four arrows stabbed into the top of the lion's mouth. Ali released a final pair of arrows before the beast collapsed, dissolving out of its pelt.

Grover and the Hunters jogged down to Percy and Thalia. Ali followed, careful not to get in their way. They still couldn't see her.

"That was amazing!" Grover commented. He was looking at Bianca and Zoe.

The Hunters looked at each other.

"We didn't fire all of those arrows." Zoe looked at Percy accusingly.

"Don't look at me." Percy raised his hands defensively. "I'm a terrible archer; and I was down here."

"Then who did?" Bianca wondered.

"That would be me." Ali snapped her fingers, signaling another breeze.

The others turned and gasped at her, like she'd grown bunny ears or something.

Thalia was the first to recover. "You can control the Mist?"

Ali shrugged. "Chiron was my personal tutor. I've been able to manipulate the Mist since I was nine."

"What are you doing here?" Zoe growled.

Ali faced the lieutenant. "Isn't it obvious? I'm helping."

"The prophecy tells of only five." Zoe protested.

"I don't care about the prophecy." Ali held. "And I'm not asking permission."

Zoe groaned. "So be it." She stalked towards the door.

Thalia clapped Ali on the back. "Welcome to the quest."

Suddenly, the sound of marching soldiers echoed through the halls.