I can't believe she trusts me enough to just let me go off on my own, Lux thought, glancing through the window at Sylvia. She just met me! For all she knows, I'm a serial killer.

They traipsed to the back of the store, paying attention to all the security cameras in their peripheral vision.

If anyone catches me, I'll be back to having no friends, they reminded themself as they passed the washrooms and went to the clothing aisle. And will be charged some sort of fee, probably. 

Lux went beside a large family full of screaming children, close enough to seem a part of their family to outsiders but not close enough for the family to notice, and grabbed a hoodie. They pretended to trip on one of the kids' feet, falling to the floor and quickly ripping the tag off the hoodie as they did so.

"Are you okay?" the kid who seemed to be the oldest--and most calm--asked, offering them a hand.

Lux forced their cheeks to flush. "Yeah, tha-ank you. So-so-sorr-sorry."

The child grinned and raked a hand through her blonde hair the exact same shade as Lux's. "I don't mind. What's your name? I'm Jaiden!"

"I'm Trix." Lux used the fake name they'd grown accustomed to telling people. "We-well, I-I have to go f-find my mom no-ow." Lux looked down and fidgeted with the dark green hoodie, quietly ripping off the sticker as they did so.

"Ok!" the way-too-friendly kid grinned. "See you!"

Lux waved, grabbing the hoodie with one hand and tying it around their waist in a one-handed knot they'd learned a couple years back.

It's almost too easy.

They walked to the family bathroom and went in, quickly closing the door behind them. Lux took the sweater off and grabbed their filthy sneaker, swiping it over the hoodie in a couple different places. The child of Apollo dusted their stolen hoodie a few times, made the dirt look a little more natural, and put it on.

Stop shaking, they ordered their hands. Of course, the stupid hands wouldn't listen. Typical.

This isn't your first time doing this, Lux reminded themself. You have no hoodie with you. Walmart makes, like, 30 or so billion dollars a year. You stealing a couple of things won't be the end of the world.

They grabbed a wad of paper towel and took a small knife that Sylvia gave them out of their shoe. Now just cover the ink tag with the toilet paper, cut it off with the knife, and... Lux smiled in relief as they successfully removed the one thing that had stopped them from stealing clothing many times before.

The child of Apollo carefully cut up the tag a few times, then hid it in more paper towel before throwing it in the trash.

Now I have pockets. They smiled and cleaned off the knife before putting it in the newly-acquired hoodie.

Lux left the bathroom and wandered over to their quest-mates, snagging a couple random things that could possibly be useful later off the shelves. Maybe Hermes is my father, and all this photokinesis stuff was just a nightmare.

As if on cue, their pinkie finger glowed a bit. Not much, but enough to make Lux sigh. Or not.

"Hey, Lux!" Thalia called, waving them over. "There you are! We're just checking out the stuff we got. Did you get anything?"

Lux shook their head. Tried to make themself believe it, even. But their stupid stomach felt too sick for them to really commit to the lie. Why does my conscience have to exist?

"We found out that in Cloudcroft, there isn't enough snow for skiing, this Walmart sells rubber rats for a dollar each, and there's no easy way in or out of town without a car," Bianca told them when they got closer.

"You could call for a taxi from Alamogordo," the--extremely pretty--clerk said doubtfully, moving her shiny black hair away from her--also extremely pretty--brown eyes. "That's down at the bottom of the mountains, but it would take at least an hour to get there. It'd most likely cost several hundred dollars, too."

The clerk looked very lonely as they left the store. Percy bought a rubber rat for some reason, but who was Lux to judge? They'd just stolen multiple items from that place.

They all headed back outside and stood close to the entrance.

"Wonderful," Thalia grumped. "I'm going to walk down the street and see if anyone in the other shops has any suggestions."

"But the clerk said---"

"I know," she told Percy. "I'm checking anyway."

Percy let her go. Lux understood her restlessness. All half-bloods had attention deficit problems because of their inborn battle reflexes, according to Chiron. They couldn't just stand and wait around. Thalia also seemed mad at Percy, which most likely didn't help her mood.

Bianca, Lux, and Percy stood together awkwardly for a moment before Lux spoke. "I-I'm going to check around fo-for anything that could help us."

They quickly walked away, sending Bianca an apologetic look for leaving her with only Percy for company.

Now what do I do? they wondered, only to spy Sylvia walking out of a Starbucks, a mystified huntress and a satyr with his knees knocking together right behind.

"Lux!" Sylvia grinned. "Just the person I was looking for! Could you help me carry these?"

That was when the child of Apollo notice that their sister's arms were full of various pastries and drinks. "Of course, Sylveon." They took a few bags.

The four walked back to Percy and Bianca--the latter giving Percy an outraged look.

Thalia isn't the only one who's acting strange, I guess. Lux glanced at Grover and Zoe, both of whom were staring at Sylvia.

"We should do the tracking spell," Zoe said, sipping a coffee. "Grover, do you have any acorns left?"

"Umm," Grover mumbled. He was chewing on a bran muffin, wrapper and all. "I think so. I just need to---"

He froze.

Sylvia and Percy both seemed to open their mouths to ask what was wrong, when a warm breeze rustled past, like a gust of springtime that had gotten lost in the middle of winter. Fresh air seasoned with windflowers and sunshine and everything else that made Lux feel happy. And something else--almost like a voice, trying to say something. A warning.

Zoe gasped. "Grover, thy cup."

Grover dropped his coffee cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds and flowers.

Not a typical Starbucks cup, Lux noted.

Suddenly, the birds peeled off the cup and flew away--a flock of tiny doves with plants in their mouths. Percy's rubber rat squeaked and scampered off his shoulder and into the trees--real fur, real whiskers.

Grover collapsed next to his coffee, almost tripping Lux. They all gathered around him and tried to wake him up. He groaned, his eyes fluttering.

"Hey!" Thalia called, running up from the street. "I just...what the fuck is wrong with Grover? Is he possessed?"

Lux was starting to think the same thing.

"I don't know," Sylvia said. "He just kind of collapsed."

"Uuuuuuuhhhhhhh," he groaned.

"Well, get him up!" Thalia cried. Lux noticed she had her spear in hand. She looked behind her as if she was being followed. "We have to get out of here."

***

They made it to the edge of the town before the first three skeleton warriors appeared. They stepped from the trees on either side of the road. Instead of gray or green camouflage, they were wearing blue New Mexico State Police uniforms, but they had the same transparent gray skin and soulless yellow eyes.

They drew their handguns. Thalia tapped her bracelet--none of the warriors were scared of Aegis, for some reason--Percy drew Riptide, and Fawkes swooped in and handed Sylvia Fiendfyre and Lux their crossbow. Lux wasn't sure what good any of their weapons would do against guns, though.

Zoe and Bianca grabbed their bows, but Bianca was having trouble because Grover kept swooning and leaning against her.

"Back up," Sylvia said, grabbing a arrow with green at its end. Lux remembered her telling them about those arrows. Apparently, they were gifts of pure sound that Apollo had given her.

They all started to listen to her--but then a rustling of branches was heard. Three more skeletons appeared on the road behind them.

We're surrounded.

Lux wondered how many other skeletons were hiding nearby. Percy had said there were a dozen or so.

One of the warriors raised a cell phone to his mouth and spoke into it.

Except he wasn't speaking. He made a single chattering, clicking sound before Sylvia let go of her bowstring. They all watched as the sonic arrow flew through the air and eventually hit its target: the phone. It shattered, and Lux covered their ears as the sound waves resonated throughout the area. Then they realized that the sound wouldn't really affect children of Apollo, anyway.

The skeletons had collapsed on the ground from the sonic blast, but were quickly rising again.

"It's near," Grover mumbled.

"It's here," Percy said, glaring at Sylvia and holding one of his ears. 

"No," Grover insisted. "The gift. The gift from the Wild."

Lux didn't know what he was talking about. What they did know, however, was that he was in no condition to walk, much less fight.

"We'll have to go one-on-one," Sylvia said.

"Six of them, six of us." Thalia nodded. "Maybe they'll ignore Grover that way."

"Agreed," said Zoe.

"The Wild!" Grover shrieked.

100% possessed, Lux thought.

The same warm wind as before blew through the canyon, rustling the trees, but Lux managed to keep their eyes on the skeletons.

Percy and Sylvia charged, Sylvia having replaced her bow with two knives.

The first skeleton fired at Lux as they shot an arrow--one that barely missed--at the second skeleton. Time slowed. Lux could feel its path. Lux shot a wall of pure light up around them instinctively. It bounced off the forcefield and clattered to the ground, the light disappeared as it did so.

Didn't know I could do that, they remarked.

The skeleton Percy attacked drew a baton, but he sliced off his arms at the elbow. Then he swung Riptide through its waist and cut it in half.

Its bones unknit and crashed to the asphalt in a heap. Almost immediately, they began to move, reassembling themselves. 

Lux ducked as the skeleton that had shot at her earlier aimed again. Out of the corner of their eye, they saw Fawkes burst into flame, which rained on all six of the skeletons and nearly hit Thalia. The phoenix reappeared moments later, glowing.

"Fawkes!" Lux called, somehow knowing just what to do. The majestic bird turned, and Lux could've sworn she grinned as she landed on their shoulder. The glowing phoenix spread her wings and Lux did the same with their arms, closing their eyes and letting their reflexes take over.

It must've worked, because, when they opened their eyes a moment later, two of the skeletons had caught on fire and were slowly disintegrating. Sylvia cheered and Percy let out a whoop. Bianca stabbed her skeleton, and it erupted into flame.

"How did you do that?" Zoe asked over a crashing sound in the forest to their left, like a bulldozer. Maybe the skeleton had managed to call for reinforcements before Sylvia broke its cell phone.

"I don't know." Bianca shrugged. "Lucky stab?"

Two skeletons shot Percy in the back.

"Percy!" Sylvia screamed.

He landed facedown in the street, only to immediately stand up again, his face covered in dirt.

A bulletproof coat. Lux grinned as they looked at the Nemean Lion's fur. Nice.

Bianca tried to stab the next skeleton, but it was wary of her now. The three remaining skeletons were wary of her now. They pressed the group back, keeping them at baton's length.

"Plan?" Percy asked as they all retreated.

"Lux? Fawkes?" Sylvia asked. 

Lux closed their eyes and concentrated, but nothing happened. Well, other than their hair turning a shade brighter. Even that was enough to make their knees weak. "I think I used up my energy."

Fawkes nodded in agreement and cawed something.

"She can't die and be reborn again until tomorrow," Sylvia translated. She grabbed a throwing knife out of her pocket.

Lux copied her movement, drawing the knife out of their pocket, albeit slower.

The trees behind the skeletons were shivering. Branches cracked.

"A gift," Grover muttered.

And then, with a mighty roar, the largest pig Lux had ever seen came crashing into the road. It was a wild boar, thirty feet high, with a snotty pink snout and tusks the size of canoes. Its back bristled with brown hair, and its eyes were wild and angry.

"REEEEEEET!" it squealed, raking the skeletons away with its tusks. The force was so great, they went flying over the trees and into the side of the mountain, where they smashed to pieces, thigh bones and arm bones twirling every which way.

Then the pig turned on the questers.

Thalia raised her spear and Sylvia aimed Fiendfyre, but Grover yelled, "Don't kill it!"

Definitely possessed. Lux watched Sylvia and Thalia lower their weapons.

The boar grunted and pawed the ground, ready to charge.

"That's the Erymanthian Boar," Zoe said, trying to stay calm. "I do not think anyone could kill it."

"It's a gift!" Grover cheered. "A blessing from the wild!"

The boar REEEEEEEEEEETed again and swung its tusk. Zoe and Bianca dove out of the way. Percy pushed Grover so we wouldn't get launched into the mountain like a--probably decapitated--missile.

"Yeah, I feel blessed!" Percy yelled. "Scatter!"

Sylvia looked like she didn't want to run, just because Percy was the one who told them to, but then the boar charged directly at her. Suddenly, she didn't seem to mind doing what Percy said.

They all ran in different directions, momentarily confusing the overgrown pig.

"It wants to kill us!" Thalia said.

"Of course." Grover rolled his eyes. "It's wild!

"How exactly is it a blessing, then?" Bianca questioned.

It seemed like a fair question to Lux, but the boar didn't seem to like being talked about that way. It charged the new huntress. She was faster than Lux had realized. She rolled out of the way of its hooves and came up behind the beast. It lashed out with its tusks and pulverized the WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT sign.

"Keep moving!" Zoe ordered. She and Bianca ran in opposite directions. 

Grover danced around the boar, playing his pipes while the boar snorted and tried to gouge them.

If I pretended to be dead, would it go after me because I'm an easy meal, or would it ignore me because the others are distracting it? Lux wondered. They decided they didn't want to find out, though.

The boar turned on Thalia, Sylvia, and Percy, making Lux realize that their sibling was no longer beside them. The daughter of Zeus made the mistake of raising Aegis. The Medusa head made the boar squeal in outrage. Maybe it looked too much like its girlfriend or something. Whatever the reason, it charged at the trio.

They only managed to stay ahead of it because they ran uphill, and they could dodge in and out of the trees while the boar had to plow through them. Lux, Bianca, Zoe, and Grover followed them.

On the other side of the hill, there was an old stretch of rusty, frosted train tracks, half-buried in the snow.

Sylvia shouted something, then grabbed the other two demigods' arms and dragged them along the rails while the boar roared behind them, slipping and sliding as it tried to navigate the steep hillside. Lux was faring much better than the beast. Being from Canada, they were used to ice and snow and 3-season-long winter. Grover, however, was slipping every few seconds, dragging the child of Apollo down with him. Both his and the boar's hooves just were not made for that type of thing.

Lux looked ahead of everyone. There was a covered tunnel. Past that, an old trestle bridge spanning a gorge.

"Follow me!" Percy yelled.

Thalia slowed down--Lux didn't really know why--but Sylvia pulled her along and she reluctantly followed. Behind them, a ten-million-kilogram pig tank was knocking down pine trees and crushing boulders under its hooves as it chased them.

The three ran into the tunnel, out of Lux's sight. They could hear Thalia scream, "No!"

"Quick! Don't stop!" Zoe yelled at the remaining demigods, having almost caught up to the tunnel. Grover was somewhere behind them and Bianca was right beside Lux.

Lux half-sprinted, half-rolled down a stretch of hill, regretting not stealing a waterproof jacket. They could feel a pen they stole fall out of their pocket.

Lux heard a mighty squeal, then a huge POOOOOOOOF! as they neared Zoe. 

"What was that?" Bianca asked.

"I'm goi-going to guess the boar," Lux replied, following Zoe into the tunnel.

A thump was heard from behind, then heavy panting. After a moment, Grover emerged from the snow, completely drenched. "Do you know where they went?" he asked between heaves.

"Somewhere down there." Zoe pointed.

"Hellooooooo?" Grover called, moving to the front of the group.

"Down here!" Thalia shouted after a few moments of silence.

A few minutes later, they all met up (after Grover fell in snowbanks five and a half more times---don't ask). The questers stood watching the wild blessing struggle in the snow.

"A gift from the Wild," Grover said, though he now looked agitated.

"I agree," Zoe said. "We must use it."

"Hold up." Sylvia frowned. "Explain to me why this is a blessing. It just tried to murder us--and got closer than most non-blessed monsters ever have."

Grover looked over, distracted. "It's our ride west. Do you have any idea how fast this boar can travel?"

"Not really." Sylvia shrugged.

Grover crossed his arms. "Reaaallly fast."

"Fun," Percy commented. "Like...pig cowboys."

Grover nodded, uncrossing his arms. "We need to get aboard. I wish...I wish I had more time to look around. But it's gone now."

"What's gone?"

Grover didn't seem to hear Thalia. He walked over to the boar and jumped onto its back. Already, the boar was starting to make some headway through the drift. Once it broke free, there'd be no stopping it. Grover took out his pipes. He started playing a snappy tune, which Sylvia hummed along to while staring into space, and tossed an apple in front of the pig. The apple floated and spun right above the boar's head, and it went nuts, straining to get it.

"Wow," Grover muttered. "That was a lot easier than usual."

"Automatic steering." Thalia grinned. "Great."

She trudged over and jumped on behind Grover, which still left plenty of room for the rest of them.

Zoe, Lux, and Bianca walked toward the boar.

"Wait a second," Percy said. "Do you know what Grover's talking about--this wild blessing?"

"Of course," Zoe said. "Did you not feel it in the wind? It was so strong...I never thought I would sense that presence again."

"What presence?" Lux risked asking.

She stared at them like they were an idiot, making them flinch. Sylvia glared at the maiden and Fawkes flew in front of them, as if protecting the preteen.

"The Lord of the Wild, of course. Just for a moment, in the arrival of the boar, I felt the presence of Pan."

Word count: 3.1k :O

Half-edited but mostly not lmao

Sorry, I kinda didn't update for forever again

And by that, I mean almost exactly a month

But here ya go!

Making Lux steal pained me sm ngl. They're my innocent lil baby

QOTD: Do you have any headcanons ab any of my characters? If so, what? (If anyone has any rlly good suggestions I might make a scene ab it)

A: Basically anything I say ab this is canon cuz I'm the author, so liek yk

Anygays, cya later!

Love y'all

-Aspen <333