TW: Being followed, brief mentions of a chase and a fight

Sylvia jumped out of the minivan, waved goodbye to Argus, and starting walking down the busy streets of Manhattan. She looked aroung, noting the different shops, the liquor store, and an extremely sketchy, weed-smelling place. She decided to stay away from that area.

She was about halfway to the car (it was 20-ish minutes away) when she heard footsteps directly behind her. Now, this isn't too unusual, but something in her gut told her to turn around immediately. She trusted her instincts and whipped her head around, slapping a hand that was reaching for the hair that was in a ponytail a moment before.

Frick. What do I do, who is this person? Where'd I put my knife? Please tell me I have a normal one on me...

The person (who she couldn't see because their face was covered by sunglasses, a mask, and a hood) let out a grunt of annoyance. Sylvia opened her mouth to scream, say anything, do anything to draw attention, when the person, too quickly for even her to realize what was happening, covered her mouth and shoved her into an abandoned alley that was conveniently nearby.

Nope. I know how this ends, and I won't let it happen.

Even with the knowledge that it was probably a trap, Sylvia elbowed the person in the gut, punched them in the nose, and ran further into the alley. She grabbed a steel knife from the pocket of her dark blue hoodie once she thought she was far enough away to stop, but was proven wrong when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

She froze, remembering the last time a hand grabbed her there. 

Maman.

She tried to do anything, to say anything, but found she couldn't move.

"Be a good girl and don't fight back," the person drawled in a low, dangerous voice. 

I--

The person moved, but before Sylvia could find out what they were going to do (she already knew, but whatever) she heard a voice. Singing. 

All I know, all I know, loving you is a losing game. 

The person's head snapped up, their sunglasses falling off. Their eyes looked dazed, as if in a trance.

How many pennies in the slot?

Huh, Sylvia thought. This is the song I listened to last. Arcade.

The person's hand fell off her shoulder, and they started walking away. Sylvia realized now was the time to run. She ran as quickly as possible to the car, jumping in the passenger seat after checking the windows to make sure Percy was in it. For some reason, he was in the back.

"Hello," Percy's mom greeted. "I'm Sally, Percy's mom. I'm assuming you're Sylvia?"

Oh, wow, she's really pretty. And seems nice. "Yeah, I'm Sylvia," she said between breaths.

"Why were you running?" Percy questioned.

"Gets me to places faster," Sylvia replied.

"Yeah, but isn't walking easier?"

Not when some creepy person is following you, and you don't know how long it'll be until they fall out of that trance, whatever that was.

"Meh. Why do you care?" she asked, purposely making her voice "slightly" rude.

"I don't! Also, why are you holding a steel knife?" he asked.

Does he really not know about this kind of stuff-

"So I can impale you if you annoy me enough, which you are very close to doing right now," Sylvia informed him, making Sally chuckle.

"Mom!" Percy whined. "Why are you taking her side? Plus, can't you use a celestial bronze weapon for that?"

"If I use a steel one, no one would suspect it's me, because they'd expect me to use a celestial bronze knife or arrow." Sylvia was thankful she could make things up on the dot like that.

"Why have you thought--" Percy started, but Sally interrupted.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Yep, Mrs. Jackson," Sylvia confirmed.

"Oh, just call me Sally," she said, shifting the gear to drive and hitting the gas pedal.

* * *

Two hours in and Sylvia already loved Sally Jackson more than her own mom, which was admittedly an easy amount of love to beat.

"Do you have any other family?" Sylvia asked when there was a lull in their conversation.

"No. My parents died in an airplane accident and my brother died of cancer shortly after we started college," Sally told her.

"Oh--I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Sylvia Apollogized (heh) immediately.

"No, it's okay," Sally reassured her. "I actually really like talking about them. Especially my brother. He used to have a saying: 'The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad if we got each other, and that's all we have, I'll be your brother and I'll hold your hand, you should know I'll be there for you.'"

"Wow. That's...beautiful. And I should know; my papa--my père--my...dad, that's the word, is Apollo."

Percy snickered at her sentence, most likely the way she forgot the word "dad."

Sylvia glared at Percy. "Learning a second language isn't easy, you know. I'd like to see you try." As he opened his mouth to say something she continued. "And not Ancient Greek, because all demigods' *cough cough* Romans *cough cough* minds are hardwired for that, as you should know by now."

"Your first language was French?" Sally asked, her soft brown eyes shining with curiosity.

Sylvia nodded. "I lived in France 'til I was six. Started learning English when I was seven."

"Cool," Sally said. "Do you have any other family?"

Sylvia's hand clenched slightly, unnoticeably. I have a crappy mom I'd replace with you in a heartbeat. "I have my half-sister on the mortal side, Clarisse. She's a daughter of Ares. Then I have my half-brothers: Austin, Will, Lee, and Michael, and my half-sisters: Kayla and Wren, and a half-sibling, Lux. Lux just arrived at camp yesterday, but I already love them so much."

Sally nodded, and they continued to talk about family back and forth for a while.

* * *

"What?" Sylvia said after her, Thalia, and Annabeth stopped laughing. "He was five when he told the aquarium to free the sharks?"

"Yep," Sally confirmed, chuckling a bit. She'd spent the past 3 hours telling the girls about every single one of Percy's embarrassing-child stories.

"Oh shut up," Percy grumbled. "Not like you've never done anything embarrassing in your life. Like right now, for example, bringing your bow right out in the open for when we get in the school. Just for all the mortals who can see through the Mist to view."

"Actually, I have a plan for that," Sylvia informed him. 

"Oh really?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "And what is that plan?"

In response, Sylvia just closed her eyes, furrowed her eyebrows, and prayed.

Papa, you told me I could receive my birthday gift as late as I want, since I'm fifteen and it's a special number or something. Please don't fail me now.

She opened her eyes and felt a rush of heat, then all the songs she knew (which were way too many) started playing in her head at once. She cried out in pain at how loud it was, and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. A moment later, the songs stopped and there was a tap at the window. She looked out and her eyes widened.

A phoenix. A real-live phoenix. Is this his type of joke, since I used to live in Phoenix? 

I sure hope I wasn't sent as a joke, something said, and Sylvia jumped. "Who's there?"

Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia all looked at her confusedly.

"Okay," Percy said after a moment. "What the fuck just happened?"

"Language!" Sally said immediately.

I'd like to be let in, please, the voice requested, and Sylvia realized the phoenix was talking to her.

"I--Sally, I know it's snowing, and there's a lot of sleet, but can I open the window for a second?" Sylvia asked.

Sally nodded.

Sylvia rolled down the window, and the phoenix immediately swooped in. She closed the window as quickly as possible.

"I...that's a living phoenix," Annabeth breathed.

I need Fiendfyre, the phoenix said.

Why?

To answer your prayer.

Sylvia took off her bow and quiver, and watched in amazement as the phoenix touched them both, shrunk itself and both items, and turned back to normal size, leaving the bow, quiver, and arrows as mini-weapons.

I assume you can turn them to normal size later? she questioned.

Of course, the phoenix replied. Also, your father said I'm supposed to help you with basically everything, so I'm sort of your pet now. Except don't you dare ever call me that.

Okay, okay. What's your name? And your pronouns?

You're supposed to name me, apparently, and she/her.

Okay. I guess I'll name you Fawkes, if you're okay with that.

That's an...okay name, she admitted.

Perfect!

"Once again, can someone please explain what the fu-frick just happened?" Percy asked

Sorry if the start of this is sorta slow.

Another double update. Whoa.

I Apollogize (heh again) if the start seemed unrealistic. Something like that has (thankfully) never happened to me, so I don't really know how someone would react if that happened.

Cya later!

-Eevee