Snowfall

Retro

"How do they expect me to get to Camp Jupiter in so little time?" Thalia groaned, plopping herself down at the Poseidon table for dinner.

"Did Jason ask for your help with something again?" Percy asked, not looking up from his plate. This had happened before.

"Yes. Apparently, there's a monster camp in the area again. He asked for me to come and try and figure out why they keep popping up instead of just defeating them over and over again." She sighed. "I guess my ex-hunter status does make me the go-to for stealth missions."

"Why can't Artemis just drop you off like the last few times?" Percy questioned.

"Zeus figured out what she was doing and banned it," Thalia answered. "I need to 'find my own transportation.' He recommended plane, but we all know that isn't happening."

"When has Artemis ever followed the rules? Why would she now?" Percy continued.

"Must've been threatened with something big," Thalia said. "Can't think of any other reason."

"Why not have me transport you?" Percy suggested. Thalia looked at him in confusion.

"How? By water?"

"Nope," Percy said, popping the p. "Pegasi."

Thalia's face went paper white. "No! Absolutely not. I refuse to go up into the sky."

"You need to learn to get over your fear at some point," Percy pointed out. "Why not with someone who knows what they're doing?"

"And how could you catch me?" Thalia demanded, raising an eyebrow.

"I could catch you with water, for one," Percy said. "And pegasi can dive faster than you can fall."

Thalia was silent for a minute. "Fine," she finally murmured. "I'll do it."

Percy brightened. "Great! When should we leave?"

"Is it better to fly at night or day?" Thalia asked instead.

Percy frowned. "If you want stealth, then night. If not, either works."

"Then let's go after dinner," Thalia decided. "That alright?"

"That's fine," Percy said. "I'm done, anyway. Meet me at the stables."

"Will do," Thalia said, hopping off the bench and out of the pavilion.

As promised, Thalia met Percy at the stables maybe ten minutes after leaving the pavilion. Blackjack was already standing beside his owner, nudging at Percy's shoulder. He lightly pushed the pegasus's muzzle away and beckoned Thalia over. "You can decide who you want to ride," he told her.

The pegasi stuck their heads out when she entered, eyeing her curiously. Multiple nickered at Percy. "She needs a ride to Camp Jupiter," Percy said. "Who's willing?"

A few pegasi backed into their stalls, some yawning as if to prove that they were too tired. "Alright," Percy began. "Do you have any preferences?"

"A pegasus that won't be bothered by me gripping onto it for dear life," Thalia said immediately. Percy looked up. Two pegasi bobbed their heads, the others backing out.

She approached a brown one with a white mane. "That's Jaki," Percy said. "She's a mare that doesn't have much stamina but can fly fast. The other one's a mare named Geneva, who has a good amount of both stamina and speed."

Jaki shook her large head, whinnying loudly and kicking the stable door. Geneva snorted with displeasure, stretching her head out towards Thalia. "I think I'll take this girl," Thalia said, moving over to Geneva and stroking her large forehead. The mare sighed heavily. Jaki kicked the door again.

"Get her out and we can go whenever you're ready," Percy said, backing out of the stables to mount Blackjack. Thalia unlocked the stall door, opening it wide enough for Geneva's bulk to get through. The pegasus followed her out of the stables, showing no signs of discomfort when Thalia vaulted onto her back.

"Good?" Percy asked, his hand lightly gripping Blackjack's mane with the other holding onto one of the strings to his drawstring bag.

"I think so," Thalia replied nervously, using both hands to hold Geneva's white mane. The pegasi began to trot, moving away into more open space before speeding up to a gallop. Thalia closed her eyes and clutched onto Geneva tightly as the pegasi jumped into the air, wings unfolding and lifting them up higher and higher.

She heard Percy whoop as they shot up at incredible speeds and hesitantly opened her eyes. They were already level with the clouds due to the amazing feat of pegasi speed. The world zoomed by beneath them so quickly Thalia's eyes couldn't take it in all at once. Geneva whickered quietly, turning her head to look at Thalia.

"She's asking if you're doing okay," Percy shouted from ahead.

Thalia smiled. "I'm okay," she said shakily. "I'm fine." Geneva nodded and turned back to look at where she was going. Not like she needed to, there wasn't anything else up here.

They flew for maybe an hour, Thalia spending the time trying to relax and not hurt Geneva. It seemed that Percy was finally done debating with Blackjack about what she thought was the maximum range of pegasi flight, though she couldn't be sure. "This is boring," he announced out of the blue.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Thalia challenged.

Percy smirked. "Geneva, if you could please." Geneva snorted in response and Percy grinned. "You ready, Thals?"

"For what?" She asked.

"You're ready," Percy decided. "Let's go!" And then he fell.

Thalia screamed as she felt Geneva flip upside down, Thalia falling from her back. She screamed, flailing wildly as she tried to do something. She felt a tap on her arm and turned best she could to see Percy smiling at her despite the quickly approaching ground. She gripped onto him for dear life, probably suffocating him before his body could go splat.

Just as she thought she was going to die, she felt herself slam into something hard. Blackjack had swooped beneath them and Percy had angled them just right so that they landed perfectly. Thalia didn't dare let go of Percy, gripping his shoulders tightly and pressing her face into his chest.

"You're fine," Percy tried to reassure her. "Nothing happened."

"We almost died!" Thalia cried in frustration. "Why would you do that?"

"We were never in any danger," Percy soothed. "I had it all under control."

Thalia took deep breaths, feeling her heartbeat begin to slow and her grip on Percy relax. She let out one final sigh and let all the tension out of her body. "I'm ready to get back on Geneva."

"Good." Thalia shifted away from Percy, noticing that her back was up against Blackjack's neck. Geneva swooped in beside them, going so close that her wing was between Blackjack's forelegs and hind legs.

"Hop down," Percy said. "You'll be fine." Thalia carefully swung one leg over Blackjack's back and then slipped off, landing between Geneva's wings. "See! That wasn't so bad!"

"I swear I'll get you for that, Jackson," Thalia growled, adjusting to a more comfortable position.

Percy just laughed. That bastard.