Glory of Hera [On hold]

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIII: 3rd PoV
"Where exactly are we going?" Bianca asked for about the eighth time....that hour. Percy and Zoë had quietly discussed where they were heading, Mount Tam, and decided that it was best to keep her former life private.

"Will you shut up girl. I know where we're going!" The amount of malice Zoë put into the word girl rivaled the tone she used when saying boy, if not quite as bad. Needless to say, Bianca and Zoë had not hit it off.

So far, Zoë was finding the quest much less annoying then she had thought. Though Bianca certainly tried her patience, she didn't mind Percy or Lou, and Nico had yet to do anything wrong.

"I think you're lost."

"Bianca, I've told you several times, Zoë knows where we're going." Percy interjected, attempting and failing at keeping the peace. He had no idea why she was acting that way.

Zoë knew, but she didn't think she was the one in the wrong. She had nonchalantly offered Bianca a position in the hunt, and offhandedly suggested that every boy she'd ever met would one day betray her trust, even her brother.

Needless to say, Bianca hadn't accepted. She had instead opted to insult Zoë whenever the opportunity presented itself. Such as criticizing her navigation abilities.

They were only in Indiana and they were already biting each other's heads off. It was driving the normal patient Lou up the wall. While Percy and Nico were actively trying to get the two to stop, the daughter of Hecate was simply letting it play out, knowing better than to get in the middle of two girls fighting.

But she'd had enough. "Okay you two, shut it! Feather brain and the princess know where we're going. You can fight all you want, just not when I'm around." After her outburst, Lou had promptly curled up in the backseat and fallen asleep. The other two continued arguing, just quieter.

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Nothing extremely interesting happened until they all reached Chicago. Percy had insisted they stopped, citing deep-dish pizza as his reasoning. After they had eaten their fill, Zoë had dragged them to the Natural History museum.

While the others meandered from exhibit to exhibit, Nico wandered outside, where he was met with a strange sight. There was a miter cycle gang of sorts, entirely filled with monsters.

There leader, a weird lion hybrid, addressed them. "You know our orders! We've received a message from the general and his accomplice, the questing demigods are in this very building. Go do what you all do best, wreak havoc. And afterwards, we stop at the food court for some celebratory French fries!"

"FOR FRIES!" Came the deafening battle cry. Nico sprinted back inside and up the stairs, taking a sharp right, he found his friends in the gift shop. "Monsters...general...coming.." He banged breathlessly.

"How close?" Zoë asked, she had bristled at the word general. Nico shrugged unhelpfully. "Run?" Percy suggested. They all nodded and practically flew to the main entrance, where a hoard of monsters were waiting.

"Well, shit."

And with those wise words from Lou, both parties attacked. The monster who had lead them earlier began to shoot thorns from his tail. "A manticore!" Zoë shouted out it warning, "Careful of the spikes."

"No, really?" Bianca sarcastically replied, shooting arrows from her bow as fast as possible.

"This isn't time for jokes, just focus so nothing happened to any of us!" Lou shrilly yelled.

Before anyone could respond with a comment, rude or otherwise, Nico let out a yelping cry as a spike pierced his shoulder. "Nico!" His sister cried out, before rushing to his aide, leaving Lou to cover the two of them as Percy and Zoë fought with other monsters in closer quarters.

A weird fanged creature that Lou couldn't put a name to lunged at her. An empousa! That was it. Just as Lou victoriously realized she wasn't terrible at remembering Greek mythology, the empousa grabbed her and knocked her unconscious.

"Lou!" Percy called hopelessly from across the room. And then, oddly, the hoard retreated...still holding Lou Ellen captive.

"Until we meet again, puny demigods." The manticore leered before disappearing in a flash, along with all the other monsters.

Bianca guiltily searched Percy's face. She knew just as well as the rest of them that if she hadn't stopped fighting Lou might still be there. Sensing the tension, Nico sweetly piped up.

"Don't worry, we'll find her."

Percy laughed humorlessly. "Did you hear the prophecy? A death and a falsity will occur before the quest has reached its end." He quoted it grimly.

And without saying another word he stalked off to their car. The ride back would surely be one of sorrow and silence.

A/N: Hey guys! The account 
_TessBlack_ was super nice and just decided to make us a book cover. It doesn't have Marri's username,but I'm going to put whether or not we use it up to you all.

In other news, Peeves has entered the Nanowrimo writing contest so our updating schedule may be a bit messed up (not that it isn't already :/ ) but as soon as November's over we'll be back to writing this.

Thanks again @_TessBlack_
Marri and Peeves