𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟣𝟣
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧⋆ ˚｡⋆
"𝖯𝖾𝗋𝖼𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗎𝗉-"

As Michelle walks to the diner door she sees Ares sit down. The trio quickly followed her in before they all sat down at the table with the war god. "Gimme a second, I'm just starting a fight on Twitter here. Nothing makes me happier than a good old-fashioned, burn-it-down fight." Ares said looking at his phone

"Ah. Okay, done." He said before the phone clattered on the table. Michelle's eyes were focused on the French fries and burgers. "So your quest.. is going to fail. Ask me how I know." Ares said looking at them "It isn't gonna fail." Percy said before Ares scoffed "Sure it is. For starters." Ares showed them his phone screen.

"Percy was always troubled, but I never thought he was capable of doing something like this." A man said on a news conference "Wh- who's that?" Grover asked looking at Percy "My stepdad. What's he doing - wait for it" Percy responded before the reporter started talking "And in addition to the destruction at the gateway arch. You believe he may also have had something to do with your wife's disappearance-"

"A kid that messed up? What wouldn't he do?" Gabe said "Wild, right? The FBI is already spreading your picture around." Ares said "It's a Camaro. I really- We loved that car... so much" Gabe whimpered

Michelle scoffed if you were going to tell a lie at least look nice telling it. "cut" Gabe's fake sobs or he's probably just sobbing and crying for his car. "I'm gonna kill him." Percy looked at Gabe on the phone with pure hatred "I knew I was gonna like you. But safe to say, the chances of you four idiots hitchhiking the rest of the way to L.A. without getting arrested are slim to none." Ares commented

"Why are you sitting here then? If you're supposed to be looking for the master bolt too, shouldn't you be out there looking for it?" Michelle looked at Ares

"Hm. There's no fear in you, is there? Doesn't matter, whether the bolt's retrieved or not, Zeus is going to war with Poseidon." The group looked at each other before Percy spoke up "No. The oracle said if we return the bolt, there wouldn't be a war."

Ares leaned Forward "Is that what she said? Or is gtg at what Chiron said she meant?.. yeah." Ares paused before speaking "You're new to the family, young one, so let me fill you in on how we work. See years before I was born, my grandpa Kronos ate my aunts and uncles. Yeah. Then my dad made him puke them back up, then chopped them into a million pieces and chucked 'em into a bottomless pit, so that kinda set the tone right outta the gate. Olympians fight. We betray. We backstab. We will push anyone down a flight of stairs to get ahead. And that's why I love my family so much. My dad knows he's not getting this bolt back with quests or goose chases. He knows there's a war coming. And in reality, I think he's okay with that. I think he feels it's just time for a war, so we're gonna have a war." Ares explained before he inhaled deeply

"Isn't that great?" ares said Michelle could see the veins popping out his forehead before reaching for a fry without Ares touching. "We're completing this quest. We're stopping this war." Percy declared "You said you can help so can you are not!" Michelle added looking at the god of war.

"Okay, so here it is. There's an amusement park up the road. I left my shield there. You get me my shield back, and I'll get you to the underworld by lunch tomorrow with a plan to invade Hade's palace." Ares explained before Annabeth spoke up "You left your shield? Like, forgot it on the merry-go-round?" Annabeth said shrugging her shoulders and making Michelle chuckle "Okay. The chirping was funny to me for a minute, but it is getting old." Annabeth raised her eyebrows at what ares said "So do we have a deal, or am I killing all four of you? So I can eat in peace?" Ares said in frustration "Okay" Percy responded

"Great. One catch. I really do need that shield back, so I'm gonna keep mini Athena and the satyr here as collateral so you don't run off." Ares said making Michelle sit upright

"no are you crazy!" Michelle and Annabeth said "Okay" Grover said making everyone look at him "No way we don't split up again" Percy shook his head "It's okay. Right, Annabeth." Grover said looking at the girl "No but- fine." Annabeth hesitated but ended up saying it was ok. "If he wanted to kill us, we'd be dead by now." Grover shrugged it off

"Can we just walk them to the door?" Grover said before Ares waved them off.

"Okay, look. Don't talk to him- he'll wanna get you riled up, get in your guy's head and you can't let him!" Michelle explained before Annabeth spoke, "Michelle calm down I won't let him okay." Before Grover said "It's okay. Really. We know what we're doing. Go get the shield. We'll be here when you get back." Michelle hugged Annabeth tightly before hugging Grover "Okay bye." Michelle said as she and Percy walked out.

----

As Percy and Michelle walked down the road the sun had set and it was now dark. "Thanks for saving us. I'm still mad though but seriously I'm glad you're alive" Michelle said smiling slightly at Percy. He returned the half smile with a full smile before the pair stopped and looked at the park."This is really creepy..." Michelle muttered, "I haven't seen a lot of horror movies, but this seems like exactly the kind of place they'd suggest to avoid." Percy said before Michelle looked at him in confusion "I've never seen any kind of movie let alone a horror movie so I'll have to take your word for it." Percy looked at Michelle "Never? What do you mean "never" like, "never-never"?"

"Is there another kind?" Michelle asked as she walked looking at Percy "Well, if neither of us is dead in a few days, we really ought fix that. You're missing out you know?" Percy said stopping "Really you'd do that?" Michelle asked before Percy nodded looking at her "In the meantime, we should probably get this over with, though." Percy said walking into the gate "Wait, Percy, stop!." Michelle said but it was too late he already walked into it.

"Wait, what just happened," Percy asked looking up "Just stay still okay! Gimme a second" Michelle rushed out Michelle looked calm "In the mechanism there, that's celestial bronze." Percy looked at Michelle "Oh, fascinating. Michelle, what is happening right now?" Michelle shook her head "Hold on let me think!... Celestial bronze is what your sword is made of. If you're human, it'll pass right through you. If you're a monster or a demigod..." Michelle chose her words carefully before she realized something

"Well, what's it doing there" Percy questioned "That's a great question. It's safe to say, this is not just some amusement park. A god built this." Michelle answered

"What kind of god builds amusement parks?- Hephaestus" Percy asked before Michelle quickly answered, "Why would Hephaestus build an amusement park?" Percy said before Michelle smiled "Maybe he finds them amusing!" She laughed

"That's not funny right now, Michelle" Percy said freaking out "It is, and calm down. Look at that- that's cool" Percy looked at the distracted girl "Michelle!" Michelle looked at him "Relax I'm on it." She replied

"Just push through" Michelle looked at Percy with hesitation. "Push?" Percy asked "Yep..." she exhaled " 'Cause weren't you the one this morning who was all like, "The Fates say one of us is gonna die and we should take it really seriously?- Percy." Percy stammered before Michelle cut him off

"Yeah?" He looked at the girl. "Just push" Michelle stated as Percy pushed the gate the gears clanged something rung before Percy sighed "What was that?" Michelle walked through the gate "The machine isn't designed to hurt us. It's meant to scare us. It's a test." She looked at the counter "Hephaestus wanted to know any time one of us came poking around his playground."

Percy stated at Michele before looking at the counter "I guess now he knows." Michelle finished before the pair walked away

----

Michelle and Percy walked around the park until they stopped at the Thrill Ride o' Love "This family is a mess" Michelle shook her head as the ride lights flickered.

"Don't you even try to tell me not to be weird about this..." Michelle muttered loud enough for him to hear "I didn't say anything." Percy replied looking at Michelle who turned her head towards him making eye contact "I can feel you thinking it. This has to be where your mom and ares got caught. The shield has to be in there. We just gotta go get it..."

Percy sighed before speaking "Sure. Let's go check out the scary ghost ride. Why not?" Michelle rolled her eyes as the pair walked over to the boat there was a letter in it.

Percy picked it up and smelled a beautiful scent he looked at Michelle. "Michelle, have you always been this beautiful?" Michelle quickly realized the letter was a love letter and had a love spell on it she snatched it outta his hand folding it up and shoving it in her pocket. Percy now looked confused "My head-" Percy touched his head which was now hurting.

"Don't say anything.. you picked up a love letter that had a love spell" Michelle said before trying to get in the boat

She almost slipped but Percy caught her. Michelle tensed at his touch.

Percy helped Michelle in the boat before getting in soon after the ride starts pulling them into the tunnel and upbeat music starts to play "What is love" The tunnel lights up on the wall "Wait I know this." Percy said looking at the things on the wall "What is it?" Michelle asked tilting her head

"It's Hephaestus's story." Percy said Michelle sat upright now actually paying attention "Rejected by Hera. Rejected by your mom. My mom told me these stories all the time. I remember this. She said-" Percy stopped making Michelle turn her head to look at him

"What?" Michelle asked "She said this is what the gods are like to each other. This is the kind of family they are." Percy said making Michelle frown a little "Why didn't you wanna say that just now?"

"She was trying to keep me away from you guys." Percy stated making Michelle's eyebrows rise "Maybe you were right. maybe she should have been preparing me better." Michelle shook her head "Don't say that- Maybe she was preparing you. So when you got to us, you'd be different than this." Percy made eye contact with Michelle not moving his eyes away from hers

The machinery powers down the lights fade. "Percy-" Michelle was cut off. They were flying fast downhill making them yell. It was like a roller coaster. It slowly stopped before they saw an island with Ares's shield.

"There it is. Ares's shield." Percy said before the pair looked in front of them and saw if they were on the boat anymore they would fall into a death trap.

"Jump!" Percy yelled "I can't swim-" Michelle got cut off by Percy pushing her into the water before jumping in after.

Now underwater Michelle fought the current she saw Percy and tried to reach out "Percy-" she said her voice muffled by the water she inhaled the water her vision going blurry.

She couldn't breathe her lungs were on fire she felt her body get tired. So she stopped and her eyes fluttered closed.

Percy reached out for Michelle before her eyes closed.
--

Michelle coughed up water making her eyes shoot up and turned on her stomach coughing nonstop before stopping breathing hard.

"You're awake thank-" Percy hugged Michelle tightly"

"What happened- Did you pull me out of there with that waterpower stuff?" Michelle looked at Percy in confusion "No?" Percy simply said confused himself "Did you just-" Michelle's eyebrow rose "I don't know. Maybe? I'm figuring this out as I go." Percy said

The pair stand up looking at the chair and statue in front of them "How are we supposed to get that thing down?" Percy asked Michelle looking at the statue and the chair "These things are connected somehow I just don't know. I know it's a machine but how do you start the machine?"

----

"It was a gift with a hidden purpose. Hephaestus offered it to Hera, but as soon as she sat in it she couldn't get up. All the gods tried but the machine was too smart. It was too strong. It was too much. Even for them. Finally, they said if Hephaestus let Hera free, Aphrodite would be his wife" Michelle looked at Percy as he talked before pushing her thoughts of him. She couldn't like him. "the chair is the bargain. One of us goes in, the other gets the shield."

"I'll go." Michelle tried to walk to the chair but Percy pulled her back "What? Wait a minute." Percy said "Whoever goes in, isn't coming out. That seems pretty clear Percy!" Michelle was now frustrated. "I know, that's why I said wait." He responded

"This isn't the arch Fish face! You're not pushing me into the stairwell again-" Michelle got cut off "Yes, I am." Michelle shook her head "I'm not gonna let you this time. It doesn't work that way."

"It's why you're here!" Percy blurted out "Excuse you?" Michelle looked at Percy "When I was choosing my team, I told Chiron I needed someone who wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice me if the quest required it. He agreed. That was you." Michelle shook her head she couldn't let him do this.

"You were right Michelle. I can't believe it but the fates were right. There's no getting around this. We dodged it at the arch, barely, but... maybe this isn't something you can dodge forever" Michelle couldn't believe him "The oracle chose you. The gods chose you!" Percy shook his head at the girl's words

"Stop! It isn't about that." Percy said before Michelle interrupted him "What could it possibly be about if isn't about that?"

"You're better at this than me. You just are... And you know it." Michelle shook her head she was overwhelmed with everything that was going on "Believe me, I wish there was another way this quest succeeds. I just don't see it." Percy finished before Michelle at the chair and back to him

Percy handed Michelle riptide. Percy walked to the chair before stopping "I need you to promise me something." Michelle looked at Percy "Im not leaving the underworld without your mom." Michelle said "Thank you. I was gonna say, when this quest is done, can you maybe swing back here and try to get me outta this thing?"

Michelle scoffed and tried to smile at Percy "you think you had to ask?" Percy smiled "Just making sure." Percy started walking to the chair "Percy wait.!" Percy looked at Michelle but she gave him a hug letting tears slip out of her eyes. Percy hugged her tightly and pulled away making eye contact with Michelle "can I?" Percy asked making Michelle laugh "of course" As Percy kissed Michelle he felt tears coming down Michelle's face

He pulled away before wiping her tears "it's gonna be okay.." Percy sat in the chair before the gears started moving "This is weird. It's... warm." Michelle saw the gold cover his shoes and his pants now covering him fast "This is a bad idea stand up!" Michelle reached out to pull him but when she touched the gold it burn her making her pull back she shook her head

"I can't." Percy said the gold now covering his upper body "This isn't funny Percy! Percy, stand up, I mean it!" Michelle begged him "it's okay." He said with tears in his eyes "I'm okay. I'm okay" Percy told himself. Michelle turned her head she couldn't watch

"I'm okay. Im-" percy stopped talking now fully covered in gold Michelle let out a sob she turned her head now facing the gold Percy "mom? Please mom- I can't mom." Michelle covered her mouth from letting another sob come out. Michelle shook her head the shield fell making her flinch a bit. She quickly looked around and found the gear she needed to find out how to get him out of the chair. No matter what.

She fell to her knees and tried to move the gears but they wouldn't budge "What would Annabeth do" she muttered knowing Annabeth would probably know what to do. The gears creak as Michelle tries to move them.

A door opens making Michelle's head snap toward to sound. "Can I help you?" the man said Michelle didn't reply she just continued to try and move the gears "Do you need some help finding your way out?" he played the flute making a ladder appear "So, off you go."

"I'm not leaving without him! So if you don't have anything that could possibly help me then leave" Michelle said still trying to move them "Yeah, that isn't how it really works. It's kind of a one-way sort of thing. It can't be undone."

"And how would you know?" Michelle asked now looking at the man "Because I built it." Michelle looked at the man before shaking her head. "I'm not leaving here without him. I mean it. And like I said before if you aren't going to help me, could you maybe leave me alone so I can focus?" Michelle said

"In spite of what my brother might've told you, I am not someone who'll be pushed around. I know your mother is disappointed in you. We both know how she is. But this is a lot. Even for her." Hephaestus said making Michelle stand up because she knew that he was talking about Athena "you walk outta here with that shield... and you're a hero. On your way to the greatest glory's. She'll be proud and you will be forgiven, and all will go back to being as it always has been, always will be... as it should be." He finished

"It isn't how it should! It isn't! Eat or eaten. Power and glory and nothing else matters. Ares is that way, Zeus is that way, My mother is that way! He isn't that way. He's better than that. Maybe I was that way once. But he showed me that I don't have to be that way! I won't be like all of you. I can't. And I just won't." Michelle's voice cracked and she felt tears prick in her eyes after she got done speaking she heard a flute play before the gears started moving

She ran to the front of the chair watching the gold come off Percy. Michelle's eyes widened as Percy pants and looks around. He got up "Some of us don't like being that way either." Hephaestus said before Percy got in front of Michelle looking at Hephaestus.

"You're a good kid, Michelle. I'll put in a good word with your moms for you." Hephaestus walks away

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