Beginning of a New Spring (MHA/PJO crossover)

Chapter 40

Ophelia could handle herself well when it came to fighting monsters. She didn't have the most experience, not like many of them did unless they were granted a quest, but she had her fair share of fighting them when she traveled with Nico and fought in the war. But she wasn't alone, and add in the fact that one was a five-year-old kid and the other a mortal who had no clue what he was up against was something she had not factored into being a problem when the Nomu attacked. She couldn’t guarantee their safety while fighting against whatever monster wanted to kill her. 

Everything pointed to hand fetishes doing, from pissing him off at USJ and showing the other side of her powers to the feeling of being followed, and now the Nomu attacks where she was interning. It didn’t make sense for them to show up now, of all times, when they were being confronted by others indirectly. They had a year to make themselves known, but they didn’t, and it made more questions she didn’t have the time to ponder over at that moment. 

“Half-blood?” Kei questioned, confusion laced in his voice. 

The figure stepped out from the shadows in the alley, making Kei take a step back. Ophelia’s muscles tensed as she peered up at the familiar laistrygonian giant’s eight-foot frame, clothed in ripped jeans and a stained dark blue shirt too tight for his build. No matter how many years passed, she wouldn’t be able to forget a monster's face that dragged her and Nico through the Labyrinth when Minos tricked Nico back into it with lies about Percy getting hurt. She had her doubts then but didn’t voice them hard enough against her own worries. It wasn’t as if Nico would have listened either; he had guilt weighing him down for everything he said to Percy. She could only pray she got them all out of the situation in one piece. 

The laistrygonian tilted its head sideways with a wicked smile as it peered down at Kei, holding his sword pointed at the laistrygonian. Her heart sank to her stomach as growls came from behind the laistrygonian. She hoped they were a couple of stray dogs who didn’t like the presence of the laistrygonian. 

“Kei, back up,” she pleaded, tugging his wrist she still held in a tight grip. 

Kei shook his head, not bothering to glance back at her. “If you don’t want to be detained, you won't take another step forward.” 

“Puny mortals. You would make a good meal for appetizer.” 

Ophelia pulled Kei back as the laistrygonian raised an arm with a flaming ball and threw it where they stood. Vines shot up from the ground creating a shield as she yanked the two to the side, knowing her vines would only lessen the damage. She clenched her jaw as her skin scraped across the ground as they slid across the ground as the ball exploded, Touma safely tucked in her arms to prevent him from getting hurt. 

“What was that?” Kei coughed as he sat up, staring at where they once stood with a bewildered expression. 

Debris and dust settled from the crater the ball left in its wake as smoke rose. Touma shook in her arms as he clung to her, staring at the hole with wide eyes. She could see the shadows shift behind the laistrygonian but thought better of bringing it up at that moment. 

She grumbled profanities in Ancient Greek while she pulled herself up and tucked Touma behind her. “It’s a laistrygonian or Canadian. I need you to take Touma back to Edgeshot. I'll catch up with you later."

“I’m not leaving you, Ophelia. Did you not just hear what he said?!” 

Kei took a step forward, not taking his eyes off the monster. It pained her to know he wouldn’t understand their words were a regular occurrence that they didn’t phase her anymore. Being told they would die from a monster was a typical Tuesday for them; they became numb to it.