ｔｈｅ　ｔｉｔａｎｓ　ｃｕｒｓｅ

"NECTAR CHECK, AMBROSIA CHECK, IPOD CHECK, HEADPHONES CHECK, EXTRA CLOTHES CHECK" Lucia thought out loud, sitting at the steps of the big house, she looked through the bag Lee and Aurora helped her pack.

"Bow?" Rory asked

Lucia held up the brown longbow in her right hand

"Quiver and arrows?"

Lucia grabbed the quiver of arrows from beside her and showed them to her older sister

"Check, check, check " Rory confirmed

"Here take these too" Lee handed her a pouch of drachmas and five midlength bronze daggers with silver and gold accents "Spartan throwing daggers"

"But I have the bow and arrows?" Lucia questioned "I dont know how to use these."

"Look where you want it to go ." Lee aired "...then throw."

"woah lee you're a genius" She faked an ethusiastic smile "I would have never guessed"

"See the more you know" he teased, then he took a step back and observed his sister, he zipped her backpack close and put it over her shoulders tightening the straps.  "You ready ?"

"As ready as I can be" She replied

Rory put a hand on her shoulder "You'll do great."

"Stay safe Lucia, "

Lucia gave them both a fake smile. It seemed to have been enough to reassure them she wasn't secretly being eaten alive with anxiety.  Lee nodded at her, wishing her luck one more time, before  walking away with Aurora.

Lucia sat at the bottom of the steps waiting for Thalia, Grover, and the Hunters. It was early and Lucia couldnt help but wish for more time to sleep especially since the sun wasn't even out yet.

"Lucia?" a low voice called from beside her

She turned "Ethan?what are you doing here? The sun isn't even out yet?"

"I was taking a walk. The hermes cabin can be suffocating no matter the time of day." He leaned against the handrail above her, his gaze fell down towards her full backpack. "I heard you were going on your first quest through the Stolls."his tone subtly changed "Congrats, that was quick"

"Thanks", Lucia responded politely "I didnt exactly ask for it."

"Still."  He emphasized  "Its impressive. alot of people want to be you right now"

"Hardly" She scoffed  "I was just at the right place at the right time..."

"Many people arent."

"Are you okay?" Lucia furrowed her eyebrows together before looking at Ethans dark eyes, they were gentle but deep down she saw bitterness.

"Yeah." He nodded  "Im sorry, you're just lucky thats all."

"I dont feel lucky" Lucia frowned "I feel like im going on a suicide mission"

"I wouldn't bet against you"

"You hardly know me" She pointed out "Everyone seems to be overestimating me lately"

"Well maybe you're just underestimating yourself?"

She stayed silent.

"Lucia!" Thalia marched over "Good, you're here already!"

Lucia stood, her thumbs hanging on to the straps of her black hand-me-down Jansport Superbreak.

"I'll see you around Golden girl" Ethan said "Good luck out there."

Lucia gave him a look of appreciation before stepping away "Thalia hey!"

"Hey!" Thalia stopped infront of her "They already started going up the hill, I came since I figured you wouldn't know how to get there"

"Thanks" Lucia nodded "Lead the way."

"Who was that?"  Thalia looked behind her to where Ethan had been standing 

"Ethan Nakamura..." Lucia recited his full name from memory "He's a friend."

"Well it's a good thing you're making friends." Thalia looked back at her  "Does percy know?"

Lucia felt her face flush "What does Percy have to do with it"

Thalia looked at Lucia suspiciously, she chuckled "Nothing. Forget I said anything. Come on"

The two girls walked side by side in friendly conversation, they hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia. Instead the tree was now guarded by a baby dragon with copper scales and yellow eyes named Peleus.  The Golden Fleece hung on one of the branches shimmering in the light.

"Did you feel anything?" Lucia asked in curiosity before reaching her hand out to pet the baby dragons scaly head. Peleus made something close to a purring sound before leaning into Lucias touch.

"No. I wasn't concious" She clarified "The last thing I remember was...dying. Then i woke up 7 years later"

Lucia said her goodbyes to Peleus before turning towards Thalia, she looked her, her ragged black hair and her black punk clothes, an old wool overcoat wrapped around her, she looked like some kind of huge raven, completely out of place in the white landscape. Lucia thought it was cool

"Im sorry" She started "I can't imagine how hard that is. even worse how confusing. if you ever need anything...well I do have super ears"

Thalia looked surprised, then she gave her a crooked smile "Come on we have a quest to get to"

Chiron was waiting for them in his wheelchair. Zoe and Bianca stood to one side, Grover stood not too far with a red handprint on his cheek.

"Oh grover" Lucia shook her head

"Lucia, Thalia" Chiron regarded them before focusing on the entirety of the group "There's no time to waste. You must start your quest now."

Lucia took a headcount, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Six shall go west to the goddess in chains so why was there only five.

Zoe caught sight of her, she looked to be trying to send her a message with her eyes almost pleading for her to not say anything. Lucia knew she could easily ignore her pleas and insist on them following the prophecy correctly but something stronger than her kept her quiet.

The group walked towards the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Zoe walked in front, jingling the car keys.

It had never even occurred to Lucia that Zoe would be driving. Zoe looked no older than Lucia herself. Then again, she was immortal. She wondered if she had a New York license, and if so, what her birth date said.

She stepped into the van finding a seat in the back next to Grover and Thalia, who sat between them. Lucia unwrapped her headphones and stuck one in her ear as 'Yellow by Coldplay' began to play.

Lucia stared out the window as the van revved on. Zoe then began to drive with Bianca in the passenger seat next to her. The van started disappearing down the farm road.

The sun then began to rise, Lucia watched in amazement as the sky swirled with oranges reds and yellows creating a glow that seeped through the window. Lucia held a hand out letting the rays fall on to her hand.  She thought back to Ethans words.

"Well maybe youre just underestimating yourself?"

☼

ZOE DROVE SOUTH LIKE A CRAZY PERSON, they were into Maryland before she finally pulled over at a rest stop. They entered a convenience store where Lucia stocked up on Garden Salsa Sun chips, water and gum. As well as portable hand warmers for everyone.

"Sun chips?" Bianca asked

"I never said I wasn't predictable" Lucia defended as the group checked out together

"Grover, are you sure?" Thalia asked grover as they all stepped out of the store.

"Well... pretty sure. Ninety-nine percent. Okay, eighty-five percent."

"And you did this with acorns?" Bianca asked, like she couldn't believe it.

Grover looked offended. "It's a time-honored tracking spell. I mean, I'm pretty sure I did it right."

"D.C. is about sixty miles from here," Bianca said. "Nico and I..." She frowned. "We used to live there. That's... that's strange. I'd forgotten."

"I dislike this," Zoe said. "We should go straight west. The prophecy said west."

"Oh, like your tracking skills are better?" Thalia growled.

Lucia sighed, knowing they were about to start arguing again

Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!"

"Oh, scullion You're calling me a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?"

"Both of you calm down!" Lucia yelled in frustration causing both of them to twist their face in discomfort, she guessed it came out alot louder than she intended.

"Sorry.." she lowered her voice before continuing "Zoe is right the prophecy said west but if Grover's tracking spell is telling us to go to D.C. we should go there. Prophecies aren't always a hundred-percent, at least thats what I've heard"

"Lucias right," Bianca said. "D.C. is our best bet."

Zoe didn't look convinced, but she nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Let us keep moving."

"You're going to get us arrested, driving," Thalia grumbled. "I look closer to sixteen than you do."

"Perhaps," Zoe snapped. "But I have been driving since automobiles were invented. Let us go."

They continued towards the Van but Lucia stood there, she gazed at the air to her right. She stared intently for a few beats. Her head tilted quizzically and she stepped forward. There was nothing in front of her but she still decided to reach out, when her hand passed through the air like normal, she snapped out of it.

"Going insane" she mumbled to herself before following behind the group

☼

THE VAN STARTED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN IT CROSSED the Potomac River into central Washington. Everybody got out. Grover pointed toward one of the big buildings lining the Mall. Thalia nodded, and the five of them trudged off into the cold wind..

Finally, Grover stopped in front of a big building that said NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM:THE SMITHSONIAN.

Thalia checked the door. It was open, but there weren't many people going in. Too cold, and school was out of session. They slipped inside and Lucia instantly went for her hand warmer.

The main part of the museum was one huge room with rockets and airplanes hanging from the ceiling. Three levels of balconies curled around, so you could look at the exhibits from all different heights. The place wasn't crowded, just a few families and a couple of tour groups of kids, probably doing one of those holiday school trips.

Lucia walked for a while with the group until they reached the top-floor balcony, she stopped in front of the Apollo space capsule. When she went to speak something came barreling at her, slammed into her and knocked her into the space capsule named after her father.

"AHH!"

Grover yelped in surprise.

Zoe and Bianca had arrows notched, aimed at the perpetrator. Their bows had just appeared out of nowhere.

Lucia got help from Thalia to steady herself, she thanked her quickly before looking at who sent her flying.

"Kelp head!" She grimaced "What the hades are you doing here!"

When Zoe realized who it was, she didn't seem anxious to lower her bow. "You! How dare you show thy face here?"

"Percy!" Grover said. "Thank goodness."

Zoe and Lucia glared at him, he blushed. "I mean, um, gosh. You're not supposed to be here!"

"Luke," He said, trying to catch his breath. "He's here."

The anger in Thalia's eyes immediately melted. She put her hand on her silver bracelet. "Where?"

Percy revealed that he had been following them. He then went off explaining that Dr Thorn, Luke and someone called The general had been doing the same. 

"The General is here?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."

"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors—"

"What?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"

"Twelve," He said. "And that's not all. That guy, the General, he said he was sending something, a 'playmate,' to distract you over here. A monster."

Thalia and Grover exchanged looks.

"We were following Artemis's trail," Grover said. "I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent... She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet."

"Zoe," Bianca said nervously, "if it is the General—"
"It cannot be!" Zoe snapped. "Percy must have seen an Iris-message or some other illusion."

"Zoe he's not lying" Lucia defended

Zoe took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Lucia didn't know why she was taking it so personally, or how she knew this General guy, but she figured she didn't want to talk about it right now. "If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors," she said, "we have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible... We must leave now."

"Good idea," He said. He reached out towards where Lucia stood.

"I was not including thee, boy," Zoe blocked him. "You are not part of this quest."

"Hey, I'm trying to save your lives!"

"You shouldn't have come, Percy," Thalia said grimly. "But you're here now. Come on. Let's get back to the van."

"That is not thy decision!" Zoe snapped.

Thalia scowled at her. "You're not the boss here, Zoe. I don't care how old you are!You're still a conceited little brat!"

"You never had any wisdom when it came to boys," Zoe growled. "You never could leave them behind!"

Thalia looked like she was about to hit Zoe. Then everyone froze, They heard a growl so loud it echoed in Lucias skull. Lucia had never heard anything like it.

Below them, a few adults screamed. A little kid's voice screeched with delight: "Kitty!"

Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur.

"The Nemean Lion," Thalia said. "Don't move."

Lucia held on tighter to her bow

The lion roared so loud it parted Lucias hair. Its fangs gleamed like stainless steel.

"Separate on my mark," Zoe said. "Try to keep it distracted."
"Until when?" Grover asked.

"Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!"

Lucia grabbed an arrow and notched it to her bow. With Bianca and Zoe she climbed the Apollo capsule and started  firing arrows, one after another, all shattering harmlessly against the lions metallic fur. The lion swiped the capsule and tipped it on its side, spilling them off the back.

"Lucia!"

Someone yelled her name but she didn't have time to think about it, she helped Zoe and Bianca up before running back into the action.

Percy had uncapped Riptide and rolled to the left. Grover played a frantic, horrible tune, and the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled. "ROOOAAAR!"

"Hi-yah!" Thalia said. "Back!"

The lion growled and clawed the air, but it retreated as if the shield were a blazing fire.

For a second, Lucia thought Thalia had it under control. Then, She saw the lion crouching, its leg muscles tensing. Lucia knew the lion was going to pounce.

"Hey!" She yelled. The lion looked disoriented for a few seconds but it caught itself quickly.  It turned towards her menacingly.

Before she could do anything Percy charged at the beast. He slashed with Riptide, a good strike to the flank that should've cut the monster into Meow Mix, but the blade just clanged against its fur in a burst of sparks.

The lion raked him with its claws, ripping off a chunk of his coat. He backed against the railing. It sprang at him, one thousand pounds of monster, and He had no choice but to turn and jump.

He jumped and landed on the wing of an old-fashioned silver airplane, which pitched and almost spilled him to the floor, three stories below.

Even though she knew it was useless Lucia fired two arrows that whizzed past his head. The arrows bumped off the lion as he jumped onto the aircraft, and the cords holding the plane began to groan.

The lion swiped at him, and he dropped onto the next exhibit, a weird-looking spacecraft with blades like a helicopter. The lion roared.

"Lucia!" He shouted. "Target the mouth!"

Lucia didnt question him. She knew its fur was completely invulnerable, if Percy thought It could be striked it in the mouth, she was going to trust him.

Lucia ran up the stairs and began firing at the lions mouth.

The monster lunged. Percy dropped from the spaceship onto the top of a floor exhibit, a huge model of the earth. He slid down Russia and dropped off the equator.

The Nemean Lion growled and steadied itself on the spacecraft, but its weight was too much. One of the cords snapped. As the display swung down like a pendulum, the lion leaped off onto the model earth's North Pole.

"Grover!" He yelled. "Clear the area!"

Groups of kids were running around screaming. Grover tried to corral them away from the monster just as the other cord on the spaceship snapped and the exhibit crashed to the floor. Thalia dropped off the second-floor railing and landed across from Percy, on the other side of the globe. The lion regarded them both, trying to decide which of them to kill first.

Zoe and Bianca were above them, bows ready, but they kept having to move around to get a good angle.

"No clear shot!" Zoe yelled.  "Get it to open its mouth more!"

The lion snarled from the top of the globe..

"Hi-yah!" Thalia pointed her spear and a spidery arc of blue electricity shot out, zapping the lion in the tail.

"ROOOOOOOAR!" The lion turned and pounced. Thalia rolled out of its way, holding up Aegis to keep the monster at bay, and Percy ran for the gift shop.

"This is not the time for souvenirs!" Lucia yelled.

Zoe, Lucia and Bianca were showering arrows on the monster, but it was no good. The lion seemed to know better than to open its mouth too much. It snapped at Thalia, slashing with its claws. It even kept its eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

Thalia jabbed at the monster and backed up. The lion pressed her.

"Percy," she called, "whatever you're going to do—"

The lion roared and swatted her like a cat toy, sending her flying into the side of a Titan rocket. Her head hit the metal and she slid to the floor.

"Hey!" Percy yelled at the lion. He hurled Riptide like a throwing knife. It bounced off the lion's side, but that was enough to get the monster's attention. It turned toward him and snarled.

He charged, and as the lion leaped to intercept him, Percy chunked a space food pouch into its maw

The lion's eyes got wide and it gagged like a cat with a hairball.

"Get ready!" He yelled.

Behind Lucia, She could hear people screaming. Grover was playing another horrible song on his pipes.

she'll talk to him about that later

Percy scrambled away from the lion. It managed to choke down the space food packet and looked at him with pure hate.

"Snack time!" He yelled.

The lion made the mistake of roaring at Percy, and he threw more food down its throat. Fortunately, he had always been a pretty good pitcher, even though baseball wasn't his game. Before the lion could stop gagging, He shot in three more silver packages

The lion's eyes bugged. It opened its mouth wide and reared up on its back paws, trying to get away from him.

"Now!" He yelled.

Immediately, Lucia fired arrows with Bianca and Zoe that pierced the lion's maw—two, four, six. The lion thrashed wildly, turned, and fell backward. And then it was still.

Alarms wailed throughout the museum. People were flocking to the exits. Security guards were running around in a panic with no idea what was going on.

Grover knelt at Thalia's side and helped her up. She seemed okay, just a little dazed. Zoe and Bianca dropped from the balcony and landed next to Percy. Lucia decided to take the stairs.

Zoe eyed him cautiously. "That was... an interesting strategy."

"Hey, it worked."

She didn't argue.

The lion seemed to be melting, the way Ethan told Lucia dead monsters did. It felt so surreal to watch it happen in front of her.

The lion dwindled away until there was nothing left but its glittering fur coat, and even that seemed to be shrinking to the size of a normal lion's pelt.

"Take it," Zoe told Percy.

He stared at her. "What, the lion's fur? Isn't that, like, an animal rights violation or something?"

"It is a spoil of war," she told him. "It is rightly thine."

"You three killed it," He said.

She shook her head, almost smiling. "I think thy ice-cream sandwich did that. Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. Take the fur."

He lifted it up. As he watched, the pelt shifted and changed into a coat—a full-length golden-brown duster. "Not exactly my style," He murmured.

"Do all monsters turn into stylish coats?"

Thalia laughed at Lucia and shook her head in response

"We have to get out of here," Grover said. "The security guards won't stay confused for long."

Lucia noticed how strange it was that the guards hadn't rushed forward to arrest them. They were scrambling in all directions except theirs, like they were madly searching for something. A few were running into the walls or each other.

"You did that?" Lucia asked Grover.

He nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "A minor confusion song. I played some Barry Manilow. It works every time. But it'll only last a few seconds."

"That's awesome." Lucia complimented "But we're going to have to have a serious talk about your music taste"

"Not again" Grover groaned

"The security guards are not our biggest worry," Zoe focused back. "Look."

Through the glass walls of the museum, They could see a group of men walking across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits.

"Go," He said. "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them."

"Shut up." Lucia shook her head in refusal "You're crazy if you think i'm leaving you to be hunted"

His lips curved up but she continued

"...The prophecy said it would be six. This would be a way to complete that part of the prophecy"

He didnt seem to be happy with her reasoning

Zoe agreed. "We go together."

He stared at her. "But, you said—"

"You are part of this quest now," Zoe said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. You are the sixth quest member. And we are not leaving anyone behind."