OH, CHÉRIE!¹ percy jackson

002

❛002❜

THEY HAD A plan. was it really a plan? ivy was at least sure they had half of a plan. it was all percy's fault, there's nothing new there. after the brunette was able to find her friends, she realized how one token member was missing alongside the di angelo siblings. the plan would be complete if they knew what monster took them, that generated most of their problems. ivy wondered what in the hell went through the boy's mind when heading off to face a monster alone; she didn't have much time to curse percy's lack of critical thinking.

an invincible annabeth slammed into percy.

knocking not only the son of poseidon but the di angelos to the ground unexpectedly, they took dr thorn by surprise. the monster threw a volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over their heads. this gave ivy, thalia and grover a chance to advance from behind – thalia wielding her scary magic shield, aegis.

only the few people who have seen thalia charge into battle have known true fear. she uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that's not the scary part. her shield is modelled on one her dad zeus uses – also called aegis – a gift from athena. the shield has the head of the gorgon medusa moulded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone it's so horrible most people will panic and run at the sight of it.

even dr thorn winced and growled when he saw it.

thalia moved in with her spear. "for zeus!"

ivy thought dr thorn was a goner. thalia jabbed at his head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. his hand changed into an orange paw with enormous claws that sparked against thalia's shield as he slashed. if it hadn't been for aegis, thalia would've been sliced like a loaf of bread. as it was, she managed to roll backwards and land on her feet.

the loud sound of the helicopter was getting closer.

dr thorn launched another volley of missiles at thalia, and this time ivy could see how he did it. he had a tail – a leathery, scorpion-like tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. the missiles deflected off aegis, but the force of their impact knocked thalia down.

ivy sprang forward, grover following her actions. the daughter of aphrodite had kapsoura ready to fire, she notched arrow after arrow to the monster. she wished she could actually use her powers now, but it was night time, she couldn't summon light. (at least not yet, according to chiron.)

beside her grover put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play – a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. grass broke through the snow. within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping round dr horn's legs, entangling him. it made it an easy target for ivy, one of her arrows got him right ... down there.

sorry not sorry.

dr thorn roared and began to change. he grew larger until he was in his true form – his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. his leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions.

"a manticore!" annabeth said, now visible. her magical new york yankees cap had come off when she'd played as a bowling ball.

"who are you people?" bianca di angelo demanded. "and what is that?"

"a manticore?" nico gasped. "he's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!"

ivy didn't know what he was talking about, but she didn't have time to worry about it. the manticore clawed grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned towards them with a snarl.