Fragmented Trajectory (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction) A Continuation

Chapter 4:...and Into the Hell Fire!

"Alright, we're setting some ground rules. Number 1: There will be no referring to me as Katniss for the duration of this quest."

"Oh darn," Jasper sighs exasperatedly, slouching in his seat with the full weight of the world on his shoulders (according to Percy, it's an experience one would rather avoid, if at all possible), "you just ruined all the jokes I had in the works. How horrible of you." His eyebrows arch, letting me know just how much sarcasm he's managed to pack into as few words as possible.

Like I couldn't tell already by that superior tone of his. Yeah, that'll get all the chicks.

"Katniss?" Isaiah, seated amiably beside an ever-eye rolling Jasper, bounces in his seat, his smile so bright and sparkly-clean that I have to resist the urge to shade my eyes for fear of going blind. "I love the Hunger Games! But she definitely should have ended up with Gale; Peeta was way too soft for her."

"Really," I drawl, trying - and failing - to suppress the excitement bubbling up inside my chest at finding another Hunger Games fan (forget the fact that I hate being compared to Katniss Everdeen - the girl is badass), "you don't think she needs a little tenderness after all she's been through? And I think Gale would have never fought so hard to stay with her - he would have killed all the competitors then killed himself to keep her alive, instead of listening to her like Peeta did."

An oddly adorable pout pulls snuggly at Isaiah's lips, his eyes glimmering with what he percieves as my bad taste. "Not a chance," he says flippantly, actually flipping his hand at me. "If he'd wanted to be with her - and we all know he did - then he would have done everything he could to stay with her."

And at this, Jasper swivels in his seat, cocks one, incredulous brow, and asks, "Isaiah... are you gay?"

I nearly pitch over the seat (both the boys are behind me and I'm straining to continue the conversation by leaning precariously over my own seat), my hand moving of its own accord to smack Jasper across the face; but Isaiah's honest laughter brings me to a smoldering halt.

"No, no, I swear!" he assures us, flapping a hand around as though this will waft away all our doubts (and by now they're cropping up by the dozens). He smiles, head tilting to the side, dimples poking chubby dents in his cheeks. "Just a fan of true love. I think it's because of my dad; he never got over Iris. I mean, I didn't know it was Iris back then but it was... well, kinda obvious he was still hung up on her. My mom. He hasn't even dated anyone since, and I just... want that kind of love in my life, I guess."

...The ditsy puppy image is ferociously being flung out the grimy window of the Greyhound (Argus dropped us off at the bus stop and handed us plane tickets for California - we're totally Zeus approved!). Gods. That was sweet. So what if he's a tad less mindful of his surroundings than he should be? The kid's got heart. And in my book, that counts for a lot more than prowess on the battlefield.

Too bad for him the only thing a monster'll want to do with his hopeful heart is crush it into a bloody mess.

"Well then," I huff, spinning around in my seat so that I'm eye-level with the stained headrest in front of me. "Can we all agree not to call me Katniss? Because I have an arrow with your name on it if you refuse."

"You realize you're just adding fuel to the already immense and uncontrollable fire, right?"

"...Shut up, Barney."

"Do I even have to ask...?"

"You know, like a Barn Owl. For Athena. Her symbol. It works, I swear..."

"Uh guys." A bony finger taps gently at my shoulder, and I wrench my head around to look at Isaiah's friendly face. "We're kinda the center of attention right now, but I'm having fun, so keep going!"