The Vow (Percy Jackson x Reader)

C h a p t e r T h r e e

[ S t u p i d  B i r d ]

I couldn't find Mitchell. I asked the cashier, the barista, the manager and the customer. Shit, I shouldn't have let him walk around. I took my dagger (still inside the bundle) and ran outside the café to find those two boys I saw earlier. Maybe they saw Mitchell or Mitchell was with them. I ran to every small road in New York. Finally, I found them with Mitchell.

They avoided the birds' metallic feather. They just ran? God, how stupid! Couldn't they just fend the feather? Ugh, boys this day! Mitchell was still holding his ice blended chocolate chip? Did he prefer the safety of iced drinks than his life? Ugh, kids these days!

I walked slowly, trying to sneak in. Those birds tossed more metallic feathers. Before they reached toward those stupid boys (include Mitchell), I stood up in front of them and dodged all the metallic feathers with my knife.

Trang! Trang! Trang! Trang! Trang! Trang!

That was weird, I could see where all the feathers came and dodged them easily. I didn't need to try hard, it felt like I had more speed than the velocity of the feathers itself. It happened so fast. All the birds stared at me confused, they couldn't believe I could defend myself really well.

"What are you guys waiting for?" I yelled back. "You have to attack them!"

"How?" a good looking Spanish boy squealed. "They keep attacking with those damn pointy feathers!"

"Take them to a small alley." I said. "Go to the residential area! I'm behind you guys! Now go!"

"Phoebe!" yelled Mitchell.

"I'm going to carry you okay little buddy!" the Spanish boy carried Mitchell in the back. While the other one just stood beside me.

"What are you doing? Run!"

"You haven't told me the plan!" a boy with sharp green eyes glared at me. "Leo bring him out of here!" he shouted referring to the Spanish boy. Leo nodded and ran.

AARRRRKKKKKK

I heard the bird shriek. Before I could see what happened, the green-eyed boy bumped into me. We hit an old garage door and crashed on the floor. My back and the nape of my neck hurt really bad. When I opened my eyes, the same green eyes looked at me with a worried expression. His two hands caged me or protected me to be exact from any ruins. Then it hit me, wasn't he the one in my dream that was telling me to run?

"You okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah!" I answered quickly. He moved from me and pulled me into a standing position.

"So what's the plan?"

ARRRKKKKK

Another shriek was heard.

"Mind if I explain while we're running?"

"I couldn't agree more." Because those birds had already chased us. Again. "Run!" he yelled.

"We have to cover their eyes with bedsheets or people's laundry, that's why I told you to go to the residential area. If they can't see then they can't attack properly. Do you see that house with a red chimney?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Why?"

"You take all the laundry. When the time is right, throw all the laundry right onto their faces. Use me as the decoy. I'll give you the signal!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I've defeated one of them before." I said quickly. "Come on, I'm getting out of breath."

"What's the signal?"

"Stupid bird!"

I pushed him when we ran off inside a small alley. The bird couldn't chase him because of the small place. This would do it! I hoped he did exactly as I ordered. I ran in a circle, just made enough time for him to set up the plan. I ran for about 5 minutes and ran back to a house with a red chimney.

Those metallic birds perched in the street lights. They looked satisfied, maybe because I looked so damn tired.

"Tired?"

"You talked?!!" I squealed in horror. "What did I eat when I was a kid?" I muttered. This was just too weird to be true.

"You will not survive this time." One of the birds said. "I can't wait to eat your flesh. This is an honor to eat royal meat like you. Especially a demi-god in the prophecy."

"Prophecy? What do you mean? Are you drunk?" I asked them while trying to extend more time.

"What kind of bird that can be drunk, you idiot?! Have you ever seen a bird in a bar and drink tequila before? No! We talked the truth!"

"Fine, fine," I sighed. "Come on, you said you want my flesh? I'm too tired to run anyway. Just eat me."

"As you wish." They gave a devilish smile. They flew toward me with speed.

"Stupid bird!!" I screamed as I put my hand above my head to shield me.

And everything went black. I wasn't dead. Yet. It was pitch black because my head was covered in someone else's sweater. The whole backyard was covered in laundries. Those metallic birds struggled to move because of all of the fabric.

"Attack!!" I shouted.

The Spanish and green-eyed boy jumped from the rooftop. The Spanish boy got a huge hammer than his body, he attacked the heads. The green-eyed boy attacked their bodies with his sword. They all turned into dust.

I sighed in relief. "Oh, God..." I stood up from the laundry ocean that smelled like sweat, fragrances, beer, and cigarettes combined.

We all stood there breathlessly. "Hey, great job." The Spanish boy gave a pat to my shoulder. "I'm Leo Valdez. You are?" he gave me his hand.

"Phoebe McGary." I shook his hand, still panting.

"I'm Percy Jackson."

"Hi, nice to meet you." I said to the green-eyed boy. "Where's Mitchell? That young boy you carried?" I asked Leo.

"Oh, he's in – "

"Phoebe!!!" Mitchell showed up from the back of the fence. He was holding his freakin' ice blended chocolate chip. Mitchell came and hid behind my back.

"...he's here." Leo completed.

"Is he your brother?" asked Percy.

"He is not my real brother. But he's just like a little brother to me."

Leo made an O with his mouth.

"Hey!!" someone yelled from inside the house. "You teenagers messed up my laundry! My wife will kill me if she sees this!!"

"RUN!!" Leo yelled.