The Nature of a Demigod

Tooth for a Tooth

[Y/N's POV]

I started out of the bathroom to scout ahead. I got the go ahead from Percy, since this was his quest really. Annabeth was the only one who seemed to have a problem, kicking me in the shin and exclaiming, "We just talked about this!" I hopped in pain on one foot, grabbing onto my throbbing leg.

Meanwhile, Annabeth pulled out her invisibility cap and said she was going instead. We had a bit of a back and forth, about hypocrisy. Eventually, we agreed that it was far too dangerous for either of us to go alone.

Either we all went together, or nobody went.

"Nobody!" Tyson voted. "Please?"

I patted him on the back and we all started walking. In the end, he did follow us, gnawing on his massive fingernails to calm his nerves. We took a few minutes back at our cabins to grab our things. And there was a silent agreement, that no matter what happened, we weren't spending another night on this cruise ship. Not even if the shuffleboard tournament paid a few million dollars.

I fastened my new sword's scabbard around my back and tightened the armor on my arms. I massaged some of the scars from my last bout with Luke, and quickly stretched my legs.

Hopefully I can escape this thing without any more broken bones. We've only got so much nectar and ambrosia, and I'd rather save that for a life or death situation. And a broken leg isn't really that. Maybe a hundred and seventy years ago, but not today.

Percy and Annabeth searched through their bags, rearranging the items so that the magical thermos full of the winds and Hermes' vitamins would be readily available. Tyson seemed willing to carry all of the bags, so we draped them over his shoulder, like a pack mule.

I felt bad that he was doing all of the heavy lifting, but the fact that he also threw me over his shoulder to show me I was being foolish alleviated all my worries. This was like carrying a blanket for him.

After he put me down, we snuck around through the ship, following the invisible Annabeth's recon and the ship's maps. Every time we heard footsteps, all four of us ducked and hid, even though we only ever saw the glossy eyed ship inhabitants. As we came up another flight of stairs, entering deck thirteen, Annabeth hissed "Hide!"

She shoved Tyson and Percy into a dark alcove, and grabbed my arm and yanked me inside of a supply closet. We heard a couple of people pass by, speaking with inflection in their voices, not like the droning zombie passengers milling about, thoughtlessly.

"You see that Aethiopian drakon in the cargo hold?" one of them said. The other laughed. "Yeah, it's awesome." The voice sounded somewhat familiar, and I got the idea I should recognize it right off the bat.

Annabeth still had her invisibility cap on, but she squeezed my upper arm tightly, probably leaving marks in the skin. It genuinely hurt, and it took a lot of my willpower to not shout in pain. I bit down on my knuckles, keeping the cries of pain inside somehow.

"I hear they got two more coming," the familiar voice said. "They keep arriving at this rate, oh, man. No contest!" The voices faded down the corridor.

"That was Chris Rodriguez!" Annabeth took off her cap and turned visible. "You remember, from Cabin Eleven." That got me thinking for a moment. Chris... CHRIS! I have no idea who Chris is.

After looking down at Annabeth's worried expression, and searching my brain for a bit, I vaguely recalled Chris. He was one of the kids stuck in the Hermes Cabin because he wasn't claimed. I guess he hadn't been at camp this summer. "Why is there another halfblood on board the ship?" I wondered in a whisper. "I'm not sure, but whatever the reason is, it's not good." Annabeth said, shaking her head, worriedly.