Clockwork

26

"You'd been under the water for more than 24 hours! I thought something was wrong!" Hephaestus scolded. Percy sat on a chair at Hestia's dining table. He was in full armor as Hestia didn't know who he was, and he couldn't help but look down in shame as Hephaestus expressed his worry and anger in the form of a lecture that made Percy feel as though he was six and he took a cookie without asking.

Jasmine sat across from Percy with a blanket across her shoulders. She gave a weak smile when she noticed Percy looking at her and Percy frowned. "Jasmine? Are you sure you're alright?" Percy asked her for what seemed to be the fifth time since saving her from drowning.

"Yeah. I told you, Aphrodite got the bright idea to push me out of the workshop to get you to come up from the water. I guess I'm just a little shaken up." Jasmine said. She said the same thing every time he asked.

"You look pale, dear. I have a room with a bed in it and I think you should get some rest." Hestia said to Jasmine. Jasmine smiled thankfully at the goddess who led her away from the table.

When Hestia returned, Hephaestus had left and Percy was sitting at the table. Jasmine hadn't touched her food so he was wondering if Jasmine was really just shaken up.

"Clockwork?" Hestia said. "Milady?" Percy said. "I know you are still recovering from being submerged in water for so long, or at least the feeling of getting scolded by Hephaestus, but I was hoping you could retrieve someone. A direct descendant of Poseidon's, except my brother, has no clue where she might have come from. She could be a grandchild or a great-grandchild, but her control over water is too strong to be anything past that. I suspect she's a daughter of Triton, as that would explain her immense power." Hestia said.

"Maybe she remembers her parents herself. Who is she?" "Her name is Kai with no last name. She's roughly about 7 years of age. She lives in a foster home for demigods." Hestia said.

Under his helmet, Percy raised his eyebrows. "There's a foster care for demigods?"

"Not exactly, but the mortals who run the place have the Sight, and take in children until someone comes to retrieve them. I must warn you, these two mortals are skilled in combat. They'll attempt to kill you if they feel you are a threat." Hestia said.

"Who are the mortals?"

"Sally and Estelle Blofis."

"Don't they live in Alaska?" Percy asked.

Percy controlled his reaction to hearing his mother's and his sister's names after so long.

"Yes, but they take 'vacations' to New York every once in a while."

"Can't they bring the demigods to the camp?" Percy asked. He was going to accept, but he wanted to know why not just bring them to camp.

"The cabin used to shelter the demigods block the demigods very existence from monsters. The longer that demigod is in there, the stronger the scent is. She's been there for about a week. Her scent was already very strong, but the second Kai steps out of the cabin..."

"Monsters from miles around are going to come looking for her, and you probably have Mo-- Sally and Estelle to worry about. Kai and I will be on our own for a little while." Percy finished for her. Hestia nodded gravely.

Nevertheless, he accepted.

('.')(×_×)(*-_-*)

Hestia had pinpointed the spot exactly in front of the door to the cabin. It was a nice, quaint little cabin, and there was nothing that caused Percy alarm.

The second Percy knocked on the door he was on the ground with someone's knee digging painfully (to them) into his back and both hands confined behind his back. "Who the hell are you?" The woman on Percy's back spat venomously.

Percy instinctively rolled over, hearing a sickening crack. He didn't know if it was bone or metal that made that sound, but he threw the girl away from him before standing up. The girl got to her feet and crouched into a fighting stance. Percy stood straight with his normal calm demeanor, analyzing his opponent.

She was pretty young, probably in her late 20s. She had black hair and sky blue eyes. Her face looked extremely familiar.

Mom?

No... Sally has brown hair.

"Estelle?" Percy asked the girl. Estelle looked confused. "How do you know my name?" She asked.

Percy put his hands up to signal that he no longer wanted to fight as she was still in that fighting stance. "Lady Hestia sent me to retrieve the one you call Kai. They are protected by Sally and Estelle Blofis." Percy said.

She relaxed a little, but she still looked at him cautiously. "Who are you?" She asked. "My name is Clockwork and I'm the champion of Hephaestus, though I tend to lend the other Olympians a hand sometimes too."

Estelle accepted this, but she didn't invite Percy in. "Mom! We have someone who's here for Kai!" She called. The door of the cabin swung open-- wait how is Estelle out here was she just squatting in the bushes waiting, oh nevermind-- and a grey-haired woman stepped out. This woman was in her seventies and had a wooden cane carved with names.

Her frail frame looked to belong with a woman who was exhausted, tired of moving, but her eyes were as motherly and alive as he remembered.

It was his mom.

Upon seeing him, Sally's eyes widened.

For a moment, Percy felt like he was suffocating... Which was weird since he didn't have lungs. Did she recognize him?

But when she lifted her cane and it immediately turned into a shotgun, Percy was both relieved and surprised to realize that she did not recognize him.

She rested the shotgun across her shoulders. The gun wasn't pointed at Percy, and it was probably only there for intimidation purposes.

"I heard your conversation, Stella. Kai is ready, but you need to be ready the second she steps out of this cabin." Sally stated to Percy.

"In that case, I would like to meet her before leaving. May I come in?" Percy asked.

Percy found it funny that Sally turned from a protective guardian to a devoted host in half a second.

"Well, I suppose that won't do any harm. And I did just take a batch of cookies from the oven. It's settled, come in and meet her!"

That's the end of this part! What do you think? Is Sally's motherly intuition going to find Percy out? What do you think would happen if Sally found out about everything, from Percy's death to what's happening at the camp?

While writing this chapter and having Clockwork introduce himself, this popped into my head: My name is Connor. I am the Android sent by Cyberlife.

Anyone get that reference? Well Imma go now,
                      DemonsFromAbove