TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< BLACK BEAUTY >

"For once, I agree with the goth." Pandora sent Dionysus at angry look. "We must destroy the boy, into a pulp." Percy almost on call walked into the room followed by timid Grover. Pandora sent him a harsh look but didn't move from her spot.

"If I had my way boy," Dionysus greeted Percy as he moved further into the room, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames." He spat shuffling through another set of cards, "However, Chiron seems to feel it would be against my mission to keep you little brats safe from harm."

"Burning Percy Jackson alive is a form of harm, Mr D." Pandora huffed, still not taking her eyes of Percy, as if he would pull the bolt out at any minute.

"Nonsense! Boy wouldn't feel a thing, nevertheless I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into. dolphin instead sending you back to your father," Pandora snickered, while Chiron warned the god again.

"Oh all right! There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus stood, Pandora furrowing her brows, "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back. I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand." Pandora even felt fear from Dionysus's words.

"..And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible option than what Chiron feels you must do." Pandora jolted forward furiously as Dionysus disappeared.

"You can't be serious Chiron! Him, you're sending him!" She was silenced as Chiron waved a hand, Pandora clenching her jaw.
She had been the in the office for over an hour attempting to defend her. More her father.

She had just been in the underworld and nobody believed Hades didn't have the bolt.
Percy turned out to be innocent, but denying Pandora's right to retrieve the bolt from her father herself.

"We will continue this conversation later Miss Walker." She bit back the urge to incinerate the room, her last name a horrid one at that, "Take some time to breathe Pandora before you return to your friends." He didn't finish his sentence as she stormed past Jackson.

She didn't return to her cabin that evening. She felt Percy Jackson had flipped the story, it was her father that stole the bolt not his. She swung her sword murdering another stuffed training doll.

With the absence of Reaper she couldn't help but feel unguarded. Every swing she looked behind her expecting to see the great beast.. just to see the ground.

Cursing as she butchered more training dolls she knew she'd be scolded for tomorrow, angry tears wet her cheeks. Finally she had begun to fit in and she was to be seen the enemy again. Evil.

"Angry death, my god." She swung in Clarisse's direction missing her completely as Clarisse stepped out of the way, "Missed me." The sword she was swinging was almost too heavy for her, someone else's sword she had picked up.

"Leave." The sword met the ground again and Pandora crouched leaning on the metal as she caught her breath, "I don't need to hear whatever you think you have to say."
She fell back on her feet dropping the sword to her side.

"I know what it's like to be treated like the enemy." She stood swinging her fist instead, Clarisse grabbing her wrist. With a swift move dumping Pandora to the floor.

She groaned in frustration, attempting to lurch forward again stopped by Clarisse's firm grip on her shoulder, pinning her to the ground, "Let me go Clarisse." She spat, hardly a match for Clarisse's strength.

"You're spiralling- Stop!" Pandora gave up laying flat across the ground, "You're sins aren't your fathers death." Pandora shoved Clarisse off her bed pulling herself to her feet.

She wiped her nose on her sleeve as her tears had long since dried, "He didn't steal it.. but neither did Percy, somethings wrong." Luke had been shutting down her paranoia for weeks, at least Clarisse would listen.

"I know." The head strong girl opposite sighed, "Something's different. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a war! Imagine the glory." She puffed her chest out, "But I don't think it was your father that wants to start it." Pandora was relieved finally someone was listening.

"Clarisse there's something i have to tell you-

"Pandora!" Luke called from outside the amphitheater, poking his head inside. Once again silenced Clarisse took her leave, muttering a small goodbye as she left, "Hey!Where've been?" They hadn't had a chance to talk since Luke pulling her away from Percy.

"Here as you can see Castellan." A small smile tugged at her lips, bending down to retrieve the training sword again.

"Murdering dolls I can see." She ignored his words twisting the sword in her fingers. She was teasing him, he knew. He couldn't help himself as he retrieved his own training sword holding it towards her, "Give it your best princess." She took a step forward, missing Luke as he stepped out the way with ease.

He had analysed her fighting technique often. She typically let her emotions get in the way and she was reckless. Aiming to harm never to disarm. With a swift movement, he knocked the sword from her hand.

Her hands fell to her sides as she looked down in defeat. He felt bad instantly dropping his sword, rushing to her aid.
Suddenly, her hand pressed forward gripping his wrist tightly as her fingertips begin to heat up.

"Pandora!" He scolded with a laugh, the temperature not even enough to burn but increasing.

"Admit it! I'm stronger than you, a hundred times over Castellan." Her grip tightened as she smirked triumphantly. He kept a tight lipped smile even when the burning sensation brought him down to one knee.

"Admit it Luke." She sang a soft inhale indicating it had begun to burn.

"Fine! Fine, you're better than me!" He strained and she released him with a laugh.
She didn't expect his extended leg, tripping her as she met the ground.

"Asshole." She cursed even as he pulled her towards him tilting her chin towards him. Before she could protest he leaned in pressing his lips to hers as she gripped his camp shirt.

His fingers tangled with her hair as he fell back from his knees. He groaned softly finally Pandora pulling away breathless.
"Listen Pans, about-", He held his tongue a moment, struggling to be out with it, "About Reaper, Jerry's- he's rather torn up- nobody knew it was him." Tensing in her grip she shuffled back slightly.

"He was bewitched, nothing anyone could've done to stop it." She clenched her jaw, before using his limbs to pull herself up. He mumbled in protest but it was too late as she dusted herself off, "Doesn't get you off the hook Castellan, you're still an asshole."

"Wouldn't expect any different princess." Pulling himself to his feet, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Let's get you some food hm?" The pair headed back to the mess hall, Pandora not as relaxed as the teen beside her.