Hypnotised (Piper McLean x OC)

Memories

I don't know why I decided to go with these demigods. Plenty had come to Medea's shop and I'd never helped them before.

I was sat between the girl, Piper and the shorter boy, Leo, who was in charge of directing the dragon, I think they called him Festus.

I half expected to fall through the dragon while we were flying, simply from nerves.

I didn't know these people. Medea had been taking care of me for years now, yes, she threw the occasional tantrum but she never hurt me, she never allowed anyone to hurt me and I'd just let complete strangers kill her.

I felt someone lay a hand on my arm and I jumped. "Are you okay?" Piper asked softly.

I glanced down at her hand and nodded. "I- I'm fine. Just not sure what to do."

Piper frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Where am I supposed to go? Medea has protected me since..." I frowned. "I don't remember." I muttered.

Piper glanced back at the blonde boy seated behind her, Jason. "When you say you don't remember, do you have gaps in your memory?"

I nodded slightly. "I remember flashes of my old friends but before I met Medea is... murky. I have very short-term memory, Medea told me I was just forgetful."

Piper frowned. "Do you remember the Titan War?"

An image flashed before my eyes. A throne room. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Luke- but was it Luke? A pain formed in my head and a ringing started in my ears.

"No." I mumbled. "I'm not supposed to remember, Medea said trying to remember was dangerous."

"Lottie." Piper said, her voice cut through the ringing. I looked up at her.

She squeezed my arm. "You don't have to remember just yet. Just wait for it to come to you, we can talk about it again once we're on land."

I tilted my head and nodded.

Piper sent me a small smile and looked around me to Leo. "How are you feeling?"

Leo shrugged. "Not bad for a brainwashed zombie."

"It wasn't your fault." I cut in.

They turned to me. "Medea has done the same to thousands of demigods, you're lucky you had Piper."

"Do you not try and help them?" Jason frowned.

I looked down. "It is difficult when they are all brainwashed because they never leave Medea's side, I can't openly help them escape in front of Medea. You had Piper, I could help because she wasn't fooled by Medea."

"What does she do to them?" Piper asked.

"She kills them, feeds them to her sun dragons, sells their clothes and other belongings and then moves onto the next few who stumble into her shop."

Piper blinked. "Oh." She managed in a small voice.

"It's a bit sad really, one sun dragon is a lot nicer than the other and usually doesn't want to eat the demigods. The other usually bullies him into it." I frowned. "I don't like bullies. Percy said always stand up to bullies."

Piper squeezed my arm again. "You remember Percy?"

I nodded slowly. "He was my friend." The word sounded strange in my mouth. "Friend." I muttered. Another image flashed across my vision. Percy, Annabeth and Grover, we were at Camp. Camp. The pain began in my head again.

"Lottie." Piper called. "Lottie, you're doing the flickery thing again. How do you stop?"

"Medea said the flickering was punishment for trying to remember. She said our patron put it in place to stop me from being impertinent like... like I used to be." I frowned. "Like I used to be." I repeated.