RED ¹ / Percy Jackson !

10

"LOVERBOY'S HAVING A NIGHTMARE."Blake told her two friends,montioning to Percy who was laying down against the tree,his head moving left and right as sweat trickled down his forehead.

Viviene was the first up and making her way towards him. She shook him lightly until his eyes snapped open.

"Well,"She said, "the zombie lives." And she got up and walked back to where Blake was sat. She leaned against the tree,her knees drawn up to her chest.

"How long was I asleep?"Percy asked,still shaking from the nightmare.

"Long enough for me to cook breakfast." Annabeth tossed him a bag of nacho-flavored corn chips from Aunty Em's snack bar. "And Grover went exploring. Look, he found a friend."

Grover was sitting cross-legged on a blanket with something fuzzy in his lap, a dirty, unnaturally pink poodle.

The poodle yapped at him uspiciously.

"No, he's not."Grover said.

"Are you ... talking to that thing?"

The poodle growled.

"This thing," Grover warned, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."

"You can talk to animals?"

"Percy, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy."Grover ignored the question.

Percy stared at Annabeth, figuring she'd crack up at this practical joke they were playing on Percy, but she looked deadly serious.Percy looked towards Vivian who stared at him with her usual glare.

"I'm not saying hello to a pink poodle," Percy said. "Forget it."

"Percy," Annabeth said. "I said hello to the poodle.Viviane said hello to the poodle. Blake said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle."

The poodle growled.

Percy said hello to the poodle.

Grover explained that he'd come across Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up aconversation. The poodle had run away from a rich local family, who'd posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't really want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.

"How does Gladiola know about the reward?" Percy asked.

"He read the signs," Grover said. "Duh."

"Of course," he said. "Silly me."

"So we turn in Gladiola," Annabeth explained in her best strategy voice, "we get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."

"Not another bus," Percy said warily.

"No," Annabeth agreed.She pointed downhill. "There's an Amtrak station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon."

***

As a child,Viviene used to believe in love and happy endings.

But once she learned the truth about her parents,she seemed to forget all about hapiness and love.

Viviene never seeked hapiness. She seeked praise from others,respect from others. She seeked for everything but love and hapiness.

Viviene got angry easily. You could say hi to her in a weird tone and she'd punch you in the face.

She liked to say hapiness crawled into her life because it's had enough of being ignored.

Blake 'crawled into her life.

Blake,daughter of Apollo. A yapper,a smiley,flirty girl is best friends with Viviane,the daughter of Ares. A fighter,a cold warrior and a girl with a glare almost always on her face.

Viviane ignored hapiness and love,so they forced their way into her life every few years.

Viviane seemed drawn to Percy
for some reason. She was scared for him back on the bus,she wanted to beat him to a pulp for taking off the cap and jumping into the fight instead of leaving them there.

He could've died.

She didn't know why she cared,all she knew was that she did. No matter how hard she glared at him and bickered with him,in battle those emotions poured out and couldn't be covered.

Now Viviene stared at Percy who was leaning against the tree,talking to Grover.

She really needed to have a talk with her stepmother.

"I'll be back soon."Viviene told the girls,her gaze travelling from Percy to Blake and Annie. "Going to try speaking to my mom."

"Good luck,Viv."Blake squeezed her hand before letting her walk away. Viviane walked off,deeper into the woods until she reached a hill.

Vivane kneeled on the hill,putting her hands into a praying manner.

A light shone brightly and Viviane brough her head up,narrowing her eyes. Viviane got up so she stood in front of the Goddess.

"Mother."Viviane bowed her head.

Aphrodite stood in front of her and Viviane took notice of how her look changed. She had sea-green eyes,and Viviane swore she had already seen them on someone. She wore blue jeans and a white blouse,her hair was curled and blonde.

"Viviane "Aphrodite smiled."To what do I owe the pleasure of being summoned?I must admit,it's been long since someone's summoned me."

"I wanted to talk to you,you stopped visiting my dreams."

"You've been handling things well on your own."Aphrodite said with a small smile."I am proud of you,you know?"

"Thank,mom."Viviene smiled slightly."One out of two."

"He is too,Viviene."Aphrodite frowned sadly."He just has a weird way of showing it to us."

"A very weird way."She nodded,agreeing.

"But I have a feeling you didn't summon me to talk about Ares"Aphrodite now wore a teasing smile. Viviene blushed."Yes,as always
I am right."

"We always bicker. He hates me,I can see it in his eyes. But then again,we're opposites so how could we make it work?During battle,I look out for him,I get scared when he throws himself into the battle...But,after?He just annoys me and it's all so confusing."

"I cannot tell you what I have planned for you two."

"I just want advice."Viviene said."No prophecies,no explaining why you want me and him together-I need your advice. Mother advice,not Aphrodite's advice."

"Don't push him away."Aphrodite said."You can trust him.I know that it's hard,you are your fathers daughter after all. You don't have to do anything special,take small steps if you want to.'

"So,let him in?'Viv asked."In any way I want?Even if it means punching him after we bicker?"

"Yes dear"She laughed,nodding."As long as you clean his wound after."Aphrodite winked at her.