chapter 16: percy jackson

Hoa woke up alone. The spot beside her was empty, ruffled sheets in Nico's place. He was nowhere to be found.

So I was ditched. Fantastic.

She looked at the nightstand, spotting a note telling her to go downstairs for breakfast. Hurriedly, she speed-walked to the bathroom and did her skincare, rushing down afterward.

Nico was still dressed in his black linen attire, sitting at a table and eating nothing. He sent a curt nod her way, as if last night never existed. He greeted her and showed her the breakfast options: scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, breakfast sausage, and chocolate chip pancakes with syrup. She took a little bit of everything, sitting down next to Nico with his empty plate.

Hoa frowned. "Nico, you need to eat something."

He sighed. "No, I don't."

"Yes you do."

"No."

"Please, Neeks? You look so pale and skinny. That can't be healthy." Hoa begged, placing her eggs and breakfast sausage onto his plate. "Here, take some of my food, I'll get more later."

Warily, Nico took a nibble out of some egg but refused to eat more.

"Nico di Angelo, stuff some shit into your mouth before I make you."

He locked eyes with her as he stuffed a little more egg into his mouth.

She sighed. "Please? For me?"

He sighed, cutting up sausages with his knife and finally eating properly. Hoa wolfed down the rest of her food, happily eating her food. "Damn, these pancakes are so fluffy."

Nico finished, putting his plate on the table. Hoa grabbed it along with hers, going over to the sink and putting it inside with some other dishes.

Hoa went upstairs to brush her teeth, getting ready to start what would hopefully not be an eventful day.

~•~•~

Today was eventful.

Hoa and Nico were outside chatting casually, and when they stepped through the glass doors for the porch, a certain son of Poseidon stood there, along with Annabeth, Grover and Tyson. They all looked worn out and tired, but thankfully alive.

Nico stepped through, not noticing them for a second. "Geryon, I won't wait for—"

And then he froze, eyes wide as he drew his sword.

Geryon snarled. "Put that away, Mr. di Angelo. I ain't gonna have my guests killing each other."

"But that's—"

"Percy Jackson. Annabeth Chase. And a couple of their monster friends. Yes, I know."

"Monster friends?" Grover said, frowning.

Hoa grinned. "Hi, guys! What's up? What did I miss?"

Nico grabbed her hand and pulled back. "Hoa," he said, gritting his teeth. "You're not going near them."

"That man is wearing three shirts," Tyson said, like he just noticed this.

"They let my sister die!" His voice trembled with rage. "They're here to kill me! And Hoa!"

"Nico, we're not here to kill you." Percy raised his hands, which were clear of Riptide, his sword. "What happened to Bianca was—"

"Don't speak her name! You're not worthy to even talk about her!"

"Nico." Her voice was calm as she wrenched her hand from Nico's grip. "They're fine. They won't hurt us."

His eyes fixated on her, trying to sense why she was so calm as she walked over to Annabeth and gave her a big hug. "I missed you, Raggedy Ann."

She rolled her eyes at her. "Missed you too, Flower."

They laughed at each other before she turned to Grover, doing their secret handshake. "Hi, G-Dog."

He rolled her eyes. "Rice farmer."

"Farm animal."

"Go back to where you came from."

"Go back to the pasture with the rabbits."

He gasped dramatically. "Not the rabbits!"

She rolled eyes at him while he laughed, tears coming out their eyes. They hugged, Grover tugging at her shirt tightly. "Don't you ever do that again," he said, stepping on her foot with his hoof. Luckily, his shoe and fake foot was on.

"Hey!"

"Come on, I know it didn't hurt you."

She stayed silent, before responding. "No, it didn't."

Hoa turned to Tyson and dapped him up. "Hi, big guy," she said smiling.

She turned to Percy, reaching up and flicking his forehead. "Seaweed brain," she said, smiling.

"Oh, come on!"

Hoa returned back to Nico, who was glaring intensely at Percy while practicing swings with his sword. The green-eyed boy shifted nervously.

"Wait a minute," Annabeth pointed at Geryon. "How do you know our names?"

The three-bodied man winked. "I make it my business to keep informed, darlin'. People come to the ranch from time to time. Everyone needs something from the Geryon. Now, Mr. di Angelo, put that ugly sword away before I have Eurytion take it from you."

Eurytion sighed, but he hefted his club. At his feet, Orthus growled.

Nico hesitated, but reluctantly sheathed his sword. "If you come near me, Percy, I'll summon help. You don't want to see my helpers, I promise."

"I believe you," Percy said.

Geryon patted Nico's shoulder, to which he flinched and stepped back. "There, we've all made nice. Now come along, folks. I want to give you a tour of the ranch."

~•~•~

Geryon had a trolley thing like the ones around the mall—the ones that toddlers hop on and wave when they pass by. It was painted black and white in a cowhide pattern. The driver's car had a set of longhorns stuck to the hood, and the horn sounded like a cowbell.

Hoa figured this was how he tortures people. He embarrasses them to death by riding around in a moo-mobile.

Nico sat in the very back, probably so he could keep an eye on Percy's group. She sat beside him, trying to squeeze her way in the cramped cart as there was no space left. Eurytion crawled in front of them with his spiked club and pulled his cowboy hat over his eyes like he was going to take a nap. Orthus jumped in the front with Geryon and began barking happily in two-part harmony. Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, and Percy took the middle seats.

"We have a huge operation!" Geryon boasted as the moo-mobile lurched forwards. "Horses and cattle mostly, but all sorts of exotic varieties too."

They came over a hill and Annabeth gasped. "Hippalektryons? I thought they were extinct!"

At the bottom of the hill was a fenced-in pasture with a dozen of the weirdest animals Hoa had ever seen. Each had the front half of a horse and the back half of  a rooster. Their rear feet were huge yellow claws. They had feathery tails and red wings. As she watched, two of them got in a fight over a pile of seed. They reared up on their back legs and whinnied and flapped their wings at each other until the smaller one galloped away, its rear bird legs putting a little hop in its step.

"Rooster ponies," Tyson said in amazement. "Do they lay eggs?"

"Once a year!" Geryon grinned in the rearview mirror. "Very much in demand for omelettes."

"That's horrible!" Annabeth frowned. "They must be an endangered species!"

"That's crazy," Hoa spoke up. "Why would you do that? You only have twelve, and instead of saving their eggs to make more and repopulate the species, you sell them to make omelettes?"

Geryon waved his hand. "Gold is gold, darlings. And you haven't tasted the omelettes."

"That's not right," Grover muttered, but Geryon kept narrating the tour.

"Now, over here," he said, "we have our fire-breathing horses, which you may have seen on your way in. They're bred for war, naturally."

"What war?" Percy asked.

Geryon grinned slyly. "Oh, whichever one comes along. And over yonder, of course, are our prized red cows."

Sure enough, hundreds of the cherry-colored cattle were grazing the side of a hill.

"So many," Grover said.

"Yes, well, Apollo is too busy to see them," Geryon explained, "so he subcontracts them to us. We breed them vigorously because there's such a demand."

"For what?" Percy asked.

Geryon looked at Grover. "Meat, of course! Armies have to eat."

What the fuck. "How could you?!" she blurted.

"You kill the sacred cows of the sun god for hamburger meat?" Percy asked.

"Was that the breakfast sausage that I gave to Nico this morning?" Hoa asked.

"That's against the ancient laws!" Grover cried.

"Oh, don't get so worked up, satyr. " Said Geryon. "They're just animals."

"Just animals!"

"Yes, and if Apollo cared, I'm sure he would tell us."

Percy muttered something under his breath.

Nico sat forwards. "I don't care about any of this, Geryon. You were supposed to provide us shelter, and this isn't it!"

"All in good time, Mr. di Angelo. Look over here, some of my exotic game."

The next field was ringed in barbed wire. The whole area was crawling with giant scorpions.

"Triple G Ranch," Percy recalled. "Your mark was on the crates at camp. Quintus got his scorpions from you."

None of this made sense to Hoa, but a spark of recognition appeared in Geryon's eyes. "Quintus..." he mused. "Short gray hair, muscular, swordsman?"

"Yeah."

"Never heard of him," Geryon said. "Now, over here are my prize stables! You must see them."

She didn't need to see them because as soon as they got within three hundred yards, Hoa could smell them. Near the banks of a green river was a horse corral the size of a football field. Stables lined one side of it. About a hundred horses were milling around in the muck—horse poop. It was the most disgusting thing she'd ever seen, like a poop blizzard had come through and dumped four feet of shit overnight. The horses were really gross from wading through it, and the stables were just as bad. It reeked unbelievably—worse than the garbage boats on the East River.

Even Nico gagged. "What is that?"

"My stables!" Geryon said. "Well, actually they belong to Aegeas, but we watch over them for a small monthly fee. Aren't they lovely?"

"That's disgusting!" Annabeth and Hoa said at the same time.

"Lots of poop," Tyson observed.

"How can you keep animals like that?" Grover protested.

"Y'all gettin' on my nerves," Geryon said. "These are flesh-eating horses, see? They like these conditions."

"Plus, you're too cheap to have them cleaned," Eurytion mumbled from under his hat.

"Quiet!" Geryon snapped. "All right, perhaps the stables are a bit challenging to clean. Perhaps they do make me nauseous when the wind blows the wrong way. But so what? My clients still pay me well."

"What clients?" Percy demanded.

"Oh, you'd be surprised how many people will pay for a flesh-eating horse. They make great garbage disposals. Wonderful way to terrify your enemies. Great at birthday parties! We rent them out all the time."

"You're a monster," Annabeth decided.

Geryon stopped the moo-mobile and turned to look back at her. "What gave it away? Was it the three bodies?"

"You have to let these animals go," Grover said. "It's not right!"

"And the clients you keep talking about," Annabeth said. "You work with Kronos, don't you? You're supplying the Titan Army with horses, food, whatever they need."

Geryon shrugged, which was very weird since he had three sets of shoulders. It looked like he was doing the wave all by himself. "I work with anyone who has gold, young lady. I'm a businessman. And I sell them anything I have to offer."

He climbed out of the moo-mobile and strolled towards the stables as if enjoying the fresh air. It would've been a nice view, with the river and the trees and hills and all, except for the quagmire of horse muck.

Nico got out of the back car with Hoa and stormed over to Geryon. The cowherd Eurytion wasn't as sleepy as he looked. He hefted his club and walked after Nico.

"I came here for shelter, Geryon," Nico said. "And you haven't answered me."

"Mmm." Geryon examined a cactus. His left arm reached over and scratched his middle chest. "Yes, you'll get your shelter again, all right."

"My ghost told me you could help. He said you could guide us to the soul we need."

"Wait a second," Percy said. "I thought I was the soul you wanted."

Nico looked at him like he was crazy. "You? Why would I want you? Bianca's soul is worth a thousand of yours!"

Hoa stepped in before Nico could continue. "Geryon, our ghost has told us about how you could help him find the soul that we're looking for. Are you able to help or should we leave?"

"Oh, I imagine I could," the rancher said. "Your ghost friend, by the way, where is he?"

Nico looked uneasy. "He can't form in broad daylight. It's hard for him. But he's around somewhere."

Geryon smiled. "I'm sure. Minos likes to disappear when things get... difficult."

"Minos?" Percy sounded incredulous, terrified, even. "You mean that evil king? That's the ghost who's been giving you advice? Hoa, you're okay with this?"

She side-glared Nico before answering. "No," Hoa said. "I'm not, but it's not like—"

"It's none of your business, Percy!" Nico interrupted as he turned back to Geryon. "And what do you mean about things getting difficult?"

The three-bodied man sighed. "Well, you see, Nico—can I call you Nico?"

"No."

"You see, Nico, Luke Castellan is offering very good money for half-bloods. Especially powerful half-bloods. And I'm sure when he learns about your little secret, who you really are, he'll pay very, very well indeed."

Nico drew his sword, but Eurytion knocked it out of his hand. Orthus pounced on Percy's chest and growled, their faces inches apart. Hoa grabbed Nico's hand and pulled him back, drawing her dagger, but that got slapped down like Nico's sword.

"I would stay in the car, all of you," Geryon warned. "Or Orthus will tear Mr. Jackson's throat out. Now, Eurytion, if you would be so kind, secure Nico and Flower Girl."

"Fuck you! I'm not a fucking flow—"

The cowherd spit into the grass between his feet. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, you fool!"

Eurytion looked bored, but he wrapped a huge arm around the two and lifted them up like a wrestler.

"Deepest apologies," he muttered.

"Pick up the sword, too," Geryon said with clear distaste. "There's nothing I hate worse than Stygian Iron. The dagger too, collect all their weapons."

Eurytion picked up the sword and dagger, careful not to touch the blades.

"Now," Geryon said cheerfully. "we've had the tour. Let's go back to the lodge, have some lunch, and send an Iris-message to our friends in the Titan Army."

"You fiend!" Annabeth cried.

"Fucking hell, dude! We paid you for fucking shelter! Does this seem like shelter to you?" Hoa shouted. "A one star review is generous for you!"

Geryon smiled at Annabeth. "Don't worry, my dear. Once I've delivered Mr. di Angelo and Ms. Pham, you and your party can go. I don't interfere with quests. Besides, I've been paid well, to give you safe passage, which does not, I'm afraid, include Mister and Miss here."

"What happened to our fucking shelter?"

"Paid by whom?" Annabeth said. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind you, darlin'," Geryon said. "Let's be off, shall we?"

"Wait!"

Percy cried out one final plea, and it got Geryon's attention. Orthus growled, making Percy stay perfectly still so the two-headed dog wouldn't tear his throat out. "Geryon, you said you're a businessman. Make me a deal."

Geryon narrowed his eyes. "What sort of deal? Do you have gold?"

"I've got something better. Barter."

"But Mr. Jackson, you've got nothing."

"You could have him clean the stables," Eurytion suggested innocently.

"I'll do it!" Percy said quickly. "If I fail, you get all of us. Trade us all to Luke for gold."

"Assuming the horses don't eat you," Geryon observed.

"Either way, you get my friends," he said. "But if I succeed, you've got to let all of us go, including Nico and Hoa."

"No!" Nico screamed. "Don't do me any favor—mmph!"

Hoa clamped her hand over his mouth. "Percy, beat this bitch up!"

"No! Don't do anything for m—"

She shot him a glare. "Nico di Angelo. I am still biologically older than you, so when I shut your mouth, you better shut the hell up. You have no idea what the Titan Army will do to you. We'd be better off dead."

Nico glared at her but relented.

Geryon chuckled. "Percy Jackson, those stables haven't been cleaned in a thousand years... though it's true I might be able to sell more stable space if all that poop was cleared away."

"So what have you got to lose?"

The rancher hesitated. "All right, I'll accept your offer, but you have to get it done by sunset. If you fail, your friends get sold, and I get rich."

"Deal."

He nodded. "I'm going to take your friends with me, back to the lodge. We'll wait for you there."

Eurytion whistled and Orthus came and sat on Annabeth's lap, making her yelp. They all knew that Tyson and Grover wouldn't do anything as long as Annabeth was a hostage.

Percy and Annabeth whispered to each other before everyone left Percy and headed off to the house.

"Sunset," Geryon reminded him. "No later." He laughed.

The vehicle rumbled off back towards the lodge, leaving the green-eyed boy behind.

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hi im madi, your loyal author ♥️

i cant with this, i want them together asap ;-;

also, hoa and grover have a buddy relationship, theyre awesome

NEW BOOK! its a jax x reader and is from the tadc fandom (the amazing digital circus). go check it out!

also 73 views? yayy :)

anyways

how was the chapter?

also, what are some questions of your own?

anyways, tysm for reading this crappy book! 😃