Status: Complete
Disclaimer: I don't own PJO.
(This is set in the summer of 2009)
This is the sequel to The Questers: The First Adventure. -I think we can all agree that I've lost my mind. 17:39, November 1, 2011 (UTC)
The sequel to this is...something amazing.
Part One[]
Quests and Mr. D[]
Ava looked at the Big House and sighed, how was she supposed to say this to Mr. D? Well, he'd be overjoyed, but Chiron wouldn't be... And why'd she have to tell them?
She walked towards the doors and groaned as Chiron opened them.
"Ah, hello young child. You wish to speak with me?"
"Uh, yeah. Mr. D, you." she muttered. Chiron nodded and called from him, minutes later Mr. D came lumbering in.
"What, you little brat?" he growled.
"Um, Michael, he sorta disappeared." Ava mumbled.
"Finally," Mr. D said, "I was waiting to get rid of that-."
"Hey!" Ava interrupted. Chiron looked wearily from Ava to Mr. D.
"Er, when did you find this out?"
"A few hours ago maybe." Ava replied.
"We'll need to send out a search party, perhaps the ones that went on the quest with him?" Ava hid a smile, she found it quite funny that they still assumed Zack had never left and Michael was on the quest.
"Okay.."
"Can I come, too?" this girl asked, she had dirty-blonde hair and looked about 13.
"Kyra, you cannot go." Mr. D said. Kyra mumbled something and Chiron sighed.
"Why do you want to go anyway? It isn't like you know him."
"Well, you'd need more than three people, and maybe Zack could go too?" Mr. D raised his eyebrows and sighed, "If it gets you all killed then wonderful. Off you go then to look for your nerdy friend."
Chiron sighed and nodded to Ava and Kyra. "Go and bring back Michael, if you succeed then perhaps you may be rewarded."
"Oh boy, more reasons for people to yell at me!" Ava replied sarcastically. Kyra gave her a weird look and headed towards the Apollo cabin.
"Hey, Kyra!" Ava called. Kyra stopped and looked at her.
"Yes?"
"Why do you really want to come with us?"
"Like I said, three people doesn't seem enough." she replied. Ava shrugged and walked away, though she knew Kyra was hiding something.
{C Natalie stared as Ava walked towards her.
"Well?"
"We can go on the quest, and it seems this girl named Kyra and Zack are going to."
"Who's Kyra?"
"The new camper." Ava replied.
"Oh." Ava tilted her head. "What?"
"Nothing." Natalie muttered. Ava shrugged and headed towards the Hades cabin. Natalie saw someone in the distance and stared at the figure for a while. It looked like a woman, and the strange part was that they had this veil covering her face. Natalie gasped, this was Medusa.
"But we killed you." she muttered. She had to warn Zack and Ava! She headed to the Hades cabin and knocked on the door. Nico came out. "Yes?" he asked.
"I need to speak with Ava." Natalie replied and Nico called for Ava. "Yes?" Ava asked.
"Medusa. She's back." Ava gaped at her. "But, that impossible for monsters to come back that quickly!"
"I know, we have to warn Zack." she said in a hushed voice and Ava nodded. They headed to the Ares cabin and knocked on the door. Zack answered and they explained to him what happened. He cursed when they told him about Medusa. "I was hoping we wouldn't have to kill her again." he muttered yet still looked glad there was a quest to find Michael.
"I figure we should head out as soon as we can." Natalie said and just then Kyra popped up next to Ava. Ava jumped. "How'd you get here so fast?" she exclaimed and Kyra stared at her. "Uh, never mind." Ava mumbled. Natalie turned back to the group. "Once we're all ready we will meet at Thalia's Pine." They all nodded in agreement and went to their cabins to get ready.
The Lair[]
Michael stared at the hole from the cave. "I wonder where the others went. Maybe for help?" he said hopefully but his cheerfulness faded when a woman with a veil covering her face appeared. "Hello, Michael. What a nice surprise." Michael gulped. "And your friends seem to be on a quest to save you, isn't that nice? I'm sure there will be many surprises, no?" Michael shook his head. "You witch!" he yelled. The woman laughed. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, young child of Athena. Though you would look nicer as a statue." He gasped, this was Medusa!
"What are you planning for them?" he shouted.
"Many things, Michael, only time will tell." she replied and walked away, leaving the son of Athena mystified.
The Train Ride[]
Zack, Natalie, Ava, and Kyra headed out on their quest to find Michael, but after a few hours they still found nothing. "Natalie, where'd Michael disappear again?" Ava asked while sharpening her throwing knife. "The manticore's hideout near Mount Rushmore." she replied and scanned the horizon. "But I doubt he's be anywhere near there. It's just too obvious."
"Then where would he be?" Zack asked, slightly irritated nothing interesting had happened.
"I don't know!" Natalie replied and sighed.
"Ugh, we're never gonna figure this out!" Ava complained and kicked a tree. Kyra stared at her. "What? It strengthens my feet." Ava said and Kyra shook her head. Suddenly, she realized something. "Guys, hold up! Natalie, you said you saw Medusa in the distance, right?" Natalie nodded. "I get it, we'll follow where she was headed!" Kyra nodded. "Natalie, you're brilliant!"
"How? Kyra thought this up." but Natalie seemed a bit angry that she hadn't thought of the plan. "You noticed she was there when everyone else hadn't." Ava replied and stopped abusing the tree. "That's why we even figured out the plan." Zack nodded. "Well, come on guys, we gotta save Michael!" They grabbed their supplies and followed Natalie who was doing her best to retrace Medusa's path. "Here." she announced, "I saw her here, then she moved west."
"West?" Ava asked, puzzled. "Yes, west." Zack replied, "You know, the direction." Ava rolled her eyes. "I know what it is, but isn't west where the Empire State Building is, where Mount Olympus is? What if Medusa's going after that?" Natalie shook her head, "I doubt she'd have an army that quickly, but I see what you mean."
Ava grinned but no one seemed to notice her and she sighed. "Well, let's follow her tracks, what are we waiting for?" Kyra exclaimed. Natalie looked at her and shook her head . "Kyra, I remembered her stopping here."
They all looked where there might be a hole in the ground but saw nothing. "This is hopeless." Ava muttered and kicked a tree...again. "Would you stop that!" Zack demanded and Ava's eyes widened. "Sorry." she mumbled and ripped up some leaves instead. Everyone was looking at Natalie for a plan. "Maybe...he's underground." Ava said, breaking the silence. "It's worth a shot." Natalie replied and tested the ground. It felt hollow. "He might be here!" Kyra said and looked around for something. "Well? Anyone have a shovel?"
"Wait, we might cause the chamber to cave in." Zack said and Natalie nodded. "Yeah, then Michael would be lost forever." Kyra sighed. "For once I agree with you Ava, this is hopeless. Michael could be anywhere and we haven't found one clue." They all looked at her, but Natalie was staring off into the distance. "Guys, we've got company."
"Who?" Kyra asked.
"You don't wanna know." They looked at where Natalie was staring at and saw Medusa walking towards them. They all drew their weapons and Zack pinned Medusa down. Thankfully she still had her veil on he didn't turn to stone. "Where's Michael?" he growled and Medusa cursed in ancient Greek. "Curse you Demigods!" she muttered.
"Where is he?" Kyra repeated.
"Mount Tamalpais." she muttered and Zack jumped off her. He glared at her, "You better be telling the truth." he said and Medusa slunk away. "Well, that was convenient." Ava said.
They started heading in the direction of Mt. Tam. Natalie managed to get a train to San Francisco and the four of them boarded it. "Couldn't we have just shadow traveled there? Ava could take us." Kyra piped up and Ava raised her eyebrows. "If I was in the mood to faint I would gladly take you there." she said sarcastically and Natalie nodded. "Ava's right, we can't risk losing a quest member. Don't worry, though, we should get to San Francisco soon enough."
Kyra sighed and looked out the window. Natalie looked at a map she managed to pick up and Ava fell asleep, much to everyone's annoyance. Zack kept switching weapons on his wii remote to give himself something to do and Natalie starting marking things on the map. Kyra broke the silence, "At least we're on the trail to find Michael." she told everyone but they didn't reply. She went back to staring out the window and once again there was silence. Ava muttered something in her sleep and Kyra looked at her, frowning, before turning back to the window.
Finally, after a few hours, the questers (minus Ava) started talking about the quest. Natalie told them about the places she had marked as possible places Michael could be if Medusa was lying and suggested on how they should get there. Kyra and Zack were arguing about they shouldn't have trusted Medusa. Ava woke up to them arguing and commented on how this was a "dysfunctional group" and stared out the window. Kyra and Zack continued arguing until Natalie told them to shut up so she could concentrate and once again the group was overcome with silence. Kyra got out her iPod and Ava swore because she forgot hers in the cabin. Natalie continued studying the map and Zack resumed switching weapons. Ava started to hum some Three Days Grace song to pass the time and found a piece of paper and a pencil so decided to draw. In short, the time they were awake was very uneventful.
Finally, after a few days the train stopped at San Francisco and they all scrambled to get out. Thus they began their journey to Mt. Tam.
Part Two[]
The Not-So-Amazing Adventure[]
Natalie found a taxi and they somehow clambered in while the driver looked amazed on why four minors were wandering around the streets. "Where to, miss?" he asked Natalie. "Mount Tamalpais." she ordered and shoved him more than enough mortal money so he wouldn't refuse. He took it greedily and drove off. Being cramped in the back, the questers all were uncomfortable. Natalie began looking at her map again and Ava nervously tapped on the door while Kyra listened to music. Zack tried not to dwell on the fact that he was stuck between two girls. He cursed in Ancient Greek and all three of the girls pretended not to hear, hoping the driver didn't notice.
When the taxi ride finally ended they all quickly got put and thanked the driver who sped off. "Well, now what?" Ava asked Natalie but a noise answered her instead. It was the Minotaur and a number of other monsters. Ava let out a string of colorful words and got her throwing knives out. The other questers did the same and Ava said "I hope the Underworld is nice" which proved how optimistic she was.
Back In the Lair[]
Michael sat in the lair, shivering. Medusa only gave him food and water occasionally. "Hmm, is seems your puny friends haven't come to save you, maybe my friends shall take care of them." she mused and Michael glared at her. "Why are you doing this? We haven't done anything to you!" he shouted at her but she shook her head. Even behind her veil Michael could tell she was smiling. "How little you know, son of Athena." she said and walked out, the stone rolling behind her. They'll still come, Michael thought, I know they will.
Back At Mt. Tam...[]
Natalie took out her sword, Scar, and Zack got his swords out. They both slashed at the monsters while Kyra and Ava took them out from afar. Yet the monsters kept coming; stopping them from advancing. "Ava, some help?" Natalie shouted while slicing a hellhound. Ava quickly summoned some skeleton soldiers, looking drained afterwards, and kept attacking monsters. Not before long, however, Kyra ran out of arrows and Ava had to resort to her sword. Even Natalie and Zack were getting tired. Finally, the monsters thinned and Zack and Natalie took the rest out while Kyra and Ava retrieved their weapons.
They stood on the verge of going farther into Mt. Tam, covered in monster dust and breathing heavily. "Now we have to look for Michael." Kyra said and they all nodded in agreement except Ava. "Michael isn't here." Ava told them and the others turned to her. "I don't know why, but I can tell." Natalie nodded, "You must sense life-aura's, right?" she asked Ava and she shrugged. "I guess, maybe that's it."
"But what do we do now?" Zack asked Natalie, "We have no leads."
"Yes, we do." Natalie told him and took out her map of the United States. On it were various places that were marked and labeled. "I marked possible place Michael might be," she explained, "just in case we were wrong about Mt. Tam., which we were. I think we should go to Mount Rushmore, it isn't likely, but it's worth a shot." They all looked at Natalie and nodded in agreement. "But how will we get there?" Kyra asked.
"We'll have to stay at a hotel for now, we're all too worn out." Natalie told her.
The questers began to pack what they had and started to walk to a hotel, looking out for monsters.
Part Three[]
The Part Without a Sufficient Name[]
The group checked into a hotel for two rooms, once for the girls and one for Zack. When Kyra and Ava reached the room they started talking about Harry Potter. Natalie ignored them and once again looked over her map, muttering to herself. In the other room Zack kept flipping through channels on the TV without much success.
Each one of the questers were restless and wanted to find Michael, for all they knew the more time they wasted added to the risk that they would never find him.
The Next Day...
The Questers met in front of the hotel, already had having breakfast, and Natalie began to explain to them where they would go if Mount Rushmore was unsuccessful, which she thought it might possibly be.
"So, basically, we're going to run around the Unites States nonstop?" Ava asked.
Natalie nodded. "Yes."
"Sounds fun."
"Hey, look! A bookstore!" Ava announced, well aware that no one was actually listening to her. The group was on a train again, and despite everyone's complainants they all had to agree it was the fastest way to get there besides flying.
Kyra was listening to music with her eyes closed, occasionally humming to the songs. Ava was next to her and on the window side. She was staring intently outside, looking for bookstores.
Zack and Natalie were sitting opposite from them. Natalie was looking at her map, obviously wanting to do something productive, and Zack was reading something.
"Ava, no one really cares," Kyra told her, opening one eye.
"I care. And it gives me something to do." Ava replied. Kyra rolled her eyes and went back to listening to her song.
"Kyra does have a point." Natalie added, her eyes still on the map. "Could you find something quieter to do?"
"Sure, mom." Ava muttered while taking out a piece of paper and folding it into a paper airplane.
Zack easily ignored them.
A few hours passed and both Kyra and Ava fell asleep. The sky was growing darker outside and even Natalie was growing weary. They needed to find Michael soon or he may never be found at all.
After awhile Natalie fell asleep and Zack muttered something about having to travel with three girls.
When the sky began to lighten outside, Zack had fallen asleep and both Ava and Natalie were awake, discussing Micheal's disappearance.
"It has been awhile..." Ava mused, forgetting the fact that Michael was Natalie's younger brother.
"I'm not giving up hope on my little brother, Ava. He's strong, he won't have died." Natalie told her.
"Oh, right... Sorry." Ava mumbled sheepishly. She went back to drawing something on a piece of paper. It looked like a piece of celery that mutated and grew an 80's hairstyle and a French mustache. She started humming to herself as she drew while Natalie read a book. Though she kept turning back to her map for reference. After awhile Ava grew silent and looked as if she was in deep thought. She started mumbling things to herself and eventually just stared out the window. When Kyra and Zack woke up she finally spoke up.
"Have you guys ever wondered what it would be like if you weren't who you were?" she asked timidly, which was strange. "Like, what if I was a daughter of Aphrodite-" she shuddered at this "-,Kyra was a daughter of Nyx or something, Natalie was a daughter of Ares, and Zack was flat out mortal?"
"Why am I mortal?" he asked.
"That's the easy life." she replied. "You wouldn't have to worry about dying, or having a god curse you so you turned into a cabbage. But my point is what if we all were different? I would be a Barbie, Kyra would be all dark, Natalie would be...not as intelligent, and Zack would be Zack without the bad a** aura that surrounds him."
"Bad a** aura?" Zack questioned, his eyebrows raised.
"It's true." Ava replied, blushing slightly. Natalie stared at her then nodded slowly. "I see what you mean, and who we are kind of brought us together."
"Exactly. And if we were different-"
"Everyone would avoid you." Kyra finished jokingly.
"I wouldn't blame them." Ava replied. Slowly their discussion came to an end and Ava looked like she had something else she wanted to say but didn't say anything about it.
Old Friends[]
The Questers finally reached Mount Rushmore and they started looking for something that would probably lead to a ditch. Of course, they didn't find anything. "Maybe we shouldn't have came to Mount Rushmore." Natale admitted. The others silently agreed with her except Ava who realized something. "Wait, wasn't the manticore house around here?" she asked Natalie who paused.
Zack answered her instead. "Yeah, I think it was. Why?"
"Michael jumped down the hole, right? So he couldn't be far."
"But the hole led to Kronos's lair." Natalie reminded her.
"Maybe he was just saying that." she replied. Natalie smiled slightly. "Maybe you're right."
"I hope so." Kyra murmured. Together they looked for the house but Zack stopped. "Guys, do you get the feeling that we aren't alone?"
"Actually, just the opposite." Ava replied which wasn't much help. "No, I feel it too. I think we're being watched." Natalie agreed. She got out Scar just in case and Zack took out his Wii remote. Ava stood there, slowly stepping back. "Maybe you're right...but maybe it isn't just monsters." she said warily. Kyra looked at her and opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again. Ava slowly got out her sword. It looked out of place from the celestial bronze weapons with its black blade.
There was a slithering close by and Medusa appeared, clad with sunglasses and a turban.
"Hello, demigods." She wrinkled her nose. "Death mixed with donkey is not a nice odor." Ava scowled but stood where she was. Michael, She mouthed to Natalie who had turned to her. Natalie nodded slightly and Ava slowly walked away.
"It really is a shame you missed out on all the fun I had with your little brother, Natalie. He made a wonderful captive, though he could be a little less whiny." she went on. None of them moved. "Too bad you all have a rather large destiny surrounding you. Oh, and I suppose that daughter of Hades helps. You really should be better about how you go about rescuing someone. That filth can handle herself, but I really would have chosen someone better."
"So sad. She doesn't even know how useless she is. At least you all know that." She smiled sweetly. An arrow sailed through the air and it her straight through the head.
Finding the House[]
Ava ran towards the manitcore house, wishing she had Natalie with her. She would know what to do. She couldn't just jump down there without a plan. She shouldn't even jump down there at all. It would be extremely stupid.
She walked opened the door that led to the one-roomed house. She half-expected a monster to leap out at her but nothing did. She walked to where the hole in the ground was an paused. They were counting on her for once. Natalie especially. But soon they would forget about that. Ava couldn't do anything amazing. She didn't have intelligence like Natalie, or amazing fighting skills like Zack. Even Kyra had a better attitude than her.
She was just the complainer. The one that got on everyone's nerves. The best she could do was raise the dead so they didn't die.
She held a breath and closed her eyes. "I can't believe I'm doing this." she muttered and jumped in the hole.
Beginning a Battle[]
Medusa turned into dust right when a small army appeared behind her. Zack swore and activated his Wii blades. They transformed into swords. Natalie watched as the monsters filed into a sloppy line. Kyra drew another arrow and notched it in her bow. They couldn't take them out alone.
Zack lunged at the nearest monster, a hell hound, and he easily sliced it through.
"I wish we had help." Natalie muttered. "Where is she?"
A Small Reunion[]
Ava landed near a small shape who looked familiar. "Michael!" she shouted and he turned towards her. "Ava! How did you get here?" he asked.
"I jumped." she replied and swore. "Now there's no way back." she muttered.
"There is, actually." Michael replied. "There's a stone that acts as a doorway."
"How will we move it?" she asked him. Then she got an idea. "Wait. Nico told me that being a child of Hades we could control the earth. I've tried it but I've always failed. Maybe this time it will work." She walked over to the stone and closed her eyes. The boulder moved slightly but then stopped. Her opened her eyes and sighed. "At least I tried." she muttered and looked up at the hole above them. They obviously couldn't escape through that. "We can't just wait here. Medusa probably called a bunch of other monsters over by now." she muttered then stared at the boulder again. "I'm going to try again." she told him and he nodded and stepped back. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out as if to strengthen her senses. The boulder moved just enough for a small person to squeeze through. "Can you make it?" Ava asked as she opened one eye. Michael stared at it for awhile then nodded. "I think so." he replied then walked towards the boulder. He slowly put his head through and pushed himself out. Ava swallowed and walked slowly towards the boulder as if she was afraid it would go back to its original position. She stuck her head through with some difficultly and then stuck pushed her way out using her hands. She just barely made it before the boulder closed completely. She stopped and grinned at Michael. "It's nice to have you back." she told him and he smiled. "Nice to see you again too."
They both ran to find and exit which ended up being a rope ladder, They heard faint fighting from it. Michael climbed up first then Ava. When they were back on normal ground they saw a small battle in the distance.
"I hope we're winning." Ava mumbled.
The Extremely Short Battle[]
However, despite what Ava thought and hoped, they weren't winning. In fact they were losing. Badly. She and Michael ran over to them and got their weapons out in the process. She summoned some skeleton warriors and had them attack the monsters.
Kyra was shooting down monsters left and right while Zack and Natalie slashed at them. Michael appeared close by which caused Natalie to smile. Some skeleton warriors started to make their way towards them, also slashing at monsters. A rather loud swear broke out and Kyra frowned as she saw Ava who had a long, deep cut on her left arm. Then she realized Ava used her left arm more than anything. Kyra shot a monster who had leaped at the daughter of Hades. Her eyes widened as she turned around, awkwardly holding a throwing knife in her right hand. She murmured something that was probably another swear and started to clumsily throw her knives at the monsters. They started to thin out and soon only a few remained which Kyra took care of easily. They all sighed with relief, Ava more so than anyone else. Natalie walked up to her and looked at the wound. "What cut you?" she asked.
"I don't know." Ava admitted and found her baggie of ambrosia she kept with her. She tore off a small piece and swallowed it. "Oh gods that was disgusting. It tasted amazing but the texture does not go with it." she muttered and the wound started to heal. Natalie turned around and gave her little brother a hug. "How'd you get out? It must have led to a cave of some sort!" Natalie asked, finally pulling away. Michael looked at Ava and smiled. "Ava helped. She moved the boulder that blocked the entrance."
"Barely." Ava muttered but smiled all the same.
Back At Camp[]
Once the group was at camp they started their training again. They climbing on the lava wall, practiced archery, watched and participated in sword fights at the arena, and canoed in the canoe lake.
Kyra and Ava were talking and eating cookies that the Stoll brothers probably stole from some bakery. Natalie joined them soon after but refused to eat the cookies. "But they're amazing!" Ava protested.
"They were stolen, Ava!" Natalie replied, her eyes widening at if she couldn't believe her.
"That's what makes them better." Ava replied. "Anyway, what we you saying?"
"All those monsters we fought couldn't have been a coincidence. They knew we were going to be there. Someone, like Kronos, was watching us."
"That's creepy. And stalker-ish." Kyra said. Ava nodded. "Have you told Michael and Zack about it?"
"They already know." Natalie replied. "Michael and I talked over it with each other."
"Oh. Wait, are we going to tell Chiron or Mr. D?" Kyra asked. Natalie nodded. "We have to, but in the meantime I think we should really talk this over."
"And eat stolen cookies." Ava added and Natalie sighed. Kyra just rolled her eyes and watched as the satyrs chased after the tree nymphs. "I feel sorry for the satyrs. They always have to chase after them." she commented. "Yeah, they do." Ava agreed. There was a faraway look in her eyes that Kyra thought was strange.
"I can't wait for winter." Ava suddenly blurted out. "I bet this camp would be beautiful then."