Chapter 3: The Calm Before the Storm

Zoë's P.O.V

I chuckled lightly, "That we do, Renée," I began, "take a seat and we'll run you up to speed as fast as possible before these two exploded with anxiety."

The daughter of Aphrodite sighed before taking a seat by her stage sister, "You can start now."

I sighed before leaping head-first into the explanation, "You last saw us the day we all went into the training dimension hosted by End right?"

"Yes," Renée began, "Sammy was alive and you had told Lin and me how she came back as well as proving that it was her."

I sighed in relief, "So we went into that dimension after saying our goodbyes and finding out some things that End had tried to keep from us."

"And what would that be," Pippa asked speaking for the first time since she saw the mist form of Sammy sitting on the bunk bed across from her

"That I would be trapped in Naomi's head for eternity," my girlfriend began, "previously I wouldn't have been able to do this but the Fates allowed it after finally realizing he wasn't the real Chaos. Zoë and I just recently discovered that I can talk to her in her head just as I can talk to Naomi."

Renée furrowed her brow, "What are your limitations," she asked, "is it similar to when Annabeth was in Zoë's head and Calypso in yours?"

Sammy nodded, "It is exactly like that," she began, "we believe that Zoë and I have that connection because I was hosting my mother's consciousness that she now hosts."

'Speaking of which,' an impatient Titaness spoke in my head and I bit my lip

'Right, sorry Cal,' I said before imagining a mist form of Calypso basing it off of the picture that she showed me. "There," I said with a sigh as light shown in brown eyes

"Thank you, Jackson," Calypso muttered, "what these two are explaining is true."

"Thank you," Renée answered before turning to me, "does that mean that Sammy is?"

My adoptive mother let the question hang in the air before I nodded, biting my lip, "That's correct," I began, "even though her consciousness is in her sister, Sammy is dead. Her shroud burning is supposed to be tonight while our training goes through two days before we head west to get Cal and the Olympians weapons."

I felt a cold hand thread her fingers through mine, giving it a squeeze of reassurance, "You know I will do whatever it takes to get out of this punishment, Jackson."

I smiled as I rubbed my hand on the back of her mist hand, "I know," I began, "at least we have that gift from Chaos."

"You met the real Chaos," the two demigods asked in shock bringing me back to the present

I sighed, "Yes," I began, "she helped Nico bring us back from the dimension that End had us in. She gave us a gift where Sammy and I can see each other and spend time with each other, probably considering the fact we are each other's anchors."

Pippa nodded, "What did you two talk about that needs all of us here?"

I bit my lip before glancing at Sammy who nodded, "It was an idea that I had to keep every legacy here safe."

"How," about half the room asked as the other half either glared or listened intently

I sighed, "Achilles Curse," I began but was interrupted by my father

"No," he began, "what are the chances of you having a PTSD attack from that?"

"I understand your concern, Percy," Sammy began, "but even though I may feel the pain I won't have the chance of falling into a PTSD attack. I will be in their heads calming her down, you keep an eye on Annabeth in case she feels that pain. It's either that or having my sister grumbling because she's put on the sidelines trying to protect me and nobody wants a pissed-off Valdez as much as nobody wants a pissed-off Annabeth."

Silence fell in the room once Sammy finished, "We can't just have Zoë and Naomi be the only ones getting the Achilles Curse," Nico muttered, "And where would the spot be?"

I bit my lip as I met my fathers' sea-green eyes, "I hope you're not taking any notes from me, my spot wasn't one of the greatest of places."

I chuckled, "It wasn't," I agreed, "that's why we're taking an idea from Kronos when he made Luke get the curse."

"He would know that you choose that," Annabeth began as she glanced between the two of us

"Zoë was the person to bring this up," Sammy began, "we suggest the opposite armpit. He may think that we went for the same place as he did with his last host but he won't know if we did the same armpit."

Annabeth bit her lip before nodding in agreement, "Do you two remember which armpit Luke stabbed himself in?"

I looked at the daughter of Hades who asked the question just as my father answered

"Below his left armpit."

"One thing's for sure I don't want you two dying because you nicked yourself while shaving so go about the armpit rather than below," Calypso suggested

I bit my lip before nodding just as Nico spoke, "I can't take both of you with me so it's going to have to be one of you at a time."

Silence fell between us as I glanced at Naomi, I was about to offer when Pippa spoke

"I'll help you," she said, "not only am I sure that Renée is going with you for this but I am sure that I want to help as much as I can."

"Even if it means using your powers," Nico asked and she nodded as Renée eyed me

"Why are you looking at me like that," I asked, arching an eyebrow, a part of me going on the defensive, something that I was used to doing at the foster homes with some of the narcissistic foster parents. "It wasn't my idea this time," I added glancing at Sammy who shifted in her seat as the mist form of her flickered. "I think you should go back in Naomi's head," I said to her as she met my eyes. "I don't think dad can hold on to your form for much longer."

She nodded, "I'll talk to you through the link," she said and I nodded before the light faded from her mist eyes before the mist form disappeared completely

"Well now I can't glare at her for the idea," Renée grumbled as Calypso turned to me, "just know I don't want to carry dead bodies out of the Styx."

I chuckled softly as I directed my gaze to the mother of my girlfriend, "I'll be helping her calm you down and keep you from a PTSD attack. I don't see how she won't be having one but we will work together."

I nodded, "Thank you, Cal," I began before wincing, "she somehow can smack me upside the head with this link. Get back in my head so I can dispel the mist form and she doesn't smack me again."

"So, when will we be doing this," Nico asked as I watched him take into account everyone he and his half-sister were taking to the Styx

I was ready to go now but Sammy kept me from suggesting it by speaking in my head

'I want to talk to you about something,' she had said which sparked worry, 'once you establish a time to go pull Naomi aside.'

I bit my lip, "We can go in about an hour or hour and a half so everyone is prepared," I began. "Bring us back here when we're ready, you two have the time to discuss who is teleporting to and who is teleporting back."

Pippa and Nico smiled, "Thanks Zoë," they said as Renée nodded

"Naomi," I began as she spun her head in my direction, "come with me."