Chapter 50 - Setting Off.

After the meeting, Kurayami went with Annabeth and spoke to her. "When we leave come with us. I feel you will be much more help as you are stronger than most people here."

Annabeth nodded. "But the group is full. How will I go?" Kurayami explained what the Stoll brothers did and she smiled. They both looked over at Percy who walked over who looked determined. "I have to go on the quest. Let me fight your pet."

Kurayami brought out Zhang who began to circle around Percy. Zhang coursed with black fire and white lightning and Percy should have chosen a place with water. A few campers saw this and all gathered around to see how Percy did against Zhang. Zhang charged and head-butted Percy sending him flying while shocking him with lightning..

Percy coughed as he felt his ribs crack and suddenly Zhang whipped him with his tail and that was the match. A few went to help Percy and his wounds were painful, but not crippiling. Zoe looked at Zhang as she had never hunted one. "What is it?" Kurayami patted Zhang while explaining Quillin's. She nodded and they began to prepare for the trip.

Kurayami returned to the Zeus cabin and he and Thalia spoke for the night. "Hey Kurayami, what is that golden aura the surrounds Annabeth when she fights?" He stood up and a dark purple and black aura surrounded him. It made Annabeth's look like a flicker and a dense pressure-assaulted her. He stopped and looked up.

"That is touki. It is using your own life force as a means of power. A touki user's lifeforce is so dense that it becomes visible." Thalia nodded as finding new powers was always interesting. "Would she be better on the quest than me?" He nodded. "Sadly yes, but I already got a way to sneak her out."

Thalli frowned. "Ignoring a prophecy is not good." He smiled. "Who said I ignored it." She was confused. He smiled and explained to her what the Stoll brothers did and the more she heard she was rolling in her bed out of pure laughter. She was even crying while holding her sides. "Let's see how those hunters like it." Nico was looking at her and was confused.

"Wait, what they do?" Kurayami explained they put something in the shirt and that it would leave Phobe totally incapable of going on the quest. Nico had a big grin as he hated the hunters "They deserve it." Kurayami began to go to sleep and a few hours later he felt Nico sneak out.

It was pitch black, but when Kurayami opened his eyes they reflected light like violet flashlights. Kurayamu turned into a shadow to follow Nico. Nico went towards cabin 8 while he had a big smile on his face. Kurayami thought he wanted to know what happened to Phoebe. When he got there he crouched as he heard Zoe and Bianca were talking.

Kurayami could hear well from quite the distance, but he saw Percy had borrowed/ stolen Annabeth's cap and turned invisible also to spy on the hunters. He saw Nico and tried to avoid him not give his cover.

Percy was coming up the steps behind Nico who didn't see him at all. Nico was behind a column, peeking around the corner, all his attention focused on the dining area. Percy was five feet away from him, and Percy was going to ask him what he was doing.

However, he suddenly noticed there were voices—two girls talking at one of the dining tables. Unless you had a good reason most people would not get up this early.

Kurayami focused on Zoe and Bianca. It sounded like they were arguing. "It cannot be cured, not quickly, at any rate" Bianca asked a question. "But how did it happen?" Zoe growled. "A foolish prank, those Stoll boys from the Hermes cabin. Centaur blood is like acid. Everyone knows that. They sprayed the inside of that Artemis Hunting Tour T-shirt with it."

"That's terrible!" Zoe nodded. "She will live, but she'll be bedridden for weeks with horrible hives. There is no way she can go. It's up to me… and thee." Bianca spoke up worried. "But the prophecy, If Phoebe can't go, we only have 5. We'll have to pick another."

"There is no time," Zoe said. "We must leave at first light. That's immediately. Besides, the prophecy said we would lose one."

"In the land without rain," Bianca said, "but that can't be here."

"It might be," Zoe said, though she didn't sound convinced. "The camp has magic borders. Nothing, not even the weather, is allowed in without permission. It could be a land without rain." Bianca still tried to be reasonable. "But—" However Zoe was adment.

"Bianca, hear me." Zoe's voice was strained. "I… I can't explain, but I have a sense that we should not pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worse than Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our 6th companion. And… I don't want to risk another Hunter."

Suddenly Kurayami patted her on the back and freaked her out. She pointed her bow at him and glared when she saw him. "Was thee spying on us?" Kurayami nodded. "Of course I was. I wanted to know what you would do when you saw what happened to Phoebe. Bianca covered her face in shock. "You knew?" He nodded. "I did. I guess Annabeth is coming."

Zoe growled, but grit her teeth. "Fine, she is strong and I see no problem. Leave us." Kurayami began to leave before passing by Nico and grabbing his arm. Nico followed him while Percy was clenching his fists as he wanted to go, but he was ignored by everyone. Biana saw Nico was watching and wanted to go talk to him, but she was scared of Kurayami.

Nico's shoulders sagged as he shifted from foot to foot. while walking sadly. "Hey, Kurayami. Can you look out for my sister?" Kurayami froze and looked back. "After what she did to you?" Nico looked down and nodded. "She is still my sister. Keep an eye on my sister! You have to. Please?"

"Nico—" Nico grabbed his coat. "Please Kurayami. She is the only family I have left. Even if I don't matter to her, she matters to me." Nico looked like he just used the last of his willpower and Kurayami patted him on the head. "I'll do my best. I promise that. Even If I have to unleash my balance breaker."

"Get going, then! Good luck!" Nico grinned and Kurayami created a black knife. Nico took it and thought it was cool. "Be careful with that. That can destroy the soul of someone even you." Nico nodded. "I will keep it for when I need it."

As Annabeth was already packed Annabeth Thalia, Zoe, Bianca, Grover, and Kurayami were in the van. Normally Argus would drive, but like last time Kurayami drove and turned the lame van into a S.U.V. Zoe looked at Kurayami. "Which way?" Kurayami rolled down the window and Shin stuck his head to sniff. "Well, at least we have him."

Shin looked at Kurayami and barked. "He says go to Manhattan. Is everyone here." Zoe, Bianca, Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover were all here. "Well, them, let's go." He started up the engine and he drove off toward Manhattan. There was traffic so it took a while before they got to it. Kurayami knew that Percy had followed, but he didn't care.

Bianca wanted to talk to Kurayami, but she was deeply afraid of him. She knew he hated her, but she needed to know. "Kurayami. I need to talk to you." He moved the rearview mirror and squinted his eyes. "What?" She wanted to look away, but she didn't. "What did Nico tell you?" Kurayami thought about it and sighed. "Asked me to look out for you."

Grover was not one to keep quiet. "Ouch. That must hurt." Zoe glared at Grover who shut up. Bianca looked ready to cry, but she didn't. The rest of the ride was quiet as it was just too awkward to talk after that. Kurayami stopped at a convenience store as they wanted stuff to eat.

He just got himself an all-black coffee as he didn't like sweets. Grover just got some donuts. Thalia, Annabeth, Zoe, and Bianca all got snacks like hot dogs, donuts, coffee and sweets. As Kurayami drank his coffee Kurayami looked where Percy was.

Annabeth looked pissed. "What's wrong?" She gritted her teeth. "I can't find my cap. I am sure Percy stole it." Percy shivered as he had 'borrowed' her cap. In reality, he took it. Kurayami thought of a funny idea. "I think Percy stole it." Annabeth glared. "When I find him I will choke him to death." Percy shivered in fear while Kurayami thought it was hilarious.

Thalia asked Grover who looked at the ground with his acorns. "Grover, are you sure?" Grover nodded. "Well… pretty sure. Ninety-nine percent. Okay, eighty-five percent."Bianca asked like she couldn't believe it. "And you did this with acorns?" Grover looked offended. "It's a time-honored tracking spell. I mean, I'm pretty sure I did it right."

Kurayami looked at the acorns. "What was the spell for?" Grover explained. "We are tracking Artemis, so a place she went to." Shin barked in agreement. "D.C. is about sixty miles from here," Bianca said. "Nico and I…" She frowned. "We used to live there. That's… that's strange. I'd forgotten."

"I dislike this," Zoe said. "We should go straight west. The prophecy said west." Thalia growled in mocking. "Oh, like your tracking skills are better?" Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!"

"Oh, scullion You're calling me a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?" Grover spoke nervously. "Whoa, you two, come on. Not again!" Bianca gave her input. "Grover's right, D.C. is our best bet."

Zoe didn't look convinced, but she nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Let us keep moving." Kurayami got in the driver's seat with Shin sticking his head out of the truck. "Everyone in." They all got back in the S.U.V while Percy sighed as this new truck was great unlike the van from before. Soon they were in D.C following Grover and Shin's tracking.

Kurayami slowed the truck down as they crossed the Potomac River into central Washington. Kurayami felt that Percy landed and separated from Blackjack. "Hey, Kurayami." Kurayami looked in the rearview mirror to look at Thalia. "What is it?"

"So you got many fiances. Is there a reason?" Zoe grumbled about it being sick. "Well they all fell in love with me and in my culture, a harem is very common. They get their love and I get lovely wives for eternity."

To Thalia, it sounded better than what Zeus did as they all consented and agreed to it. Kurayami parked the truck on the side of the sidewalk and got out. They all got out and followed Shin who lead them towards one of the big buildings lining the Mall. Thalia nodded, and the 6 of them trudged off into the cold wind.

Percy followed them but stoped when he saw someone a block away, the door of a black sedan opened. A man with gray hair and a military buzz cut got out. He was wearing dark shades and a black overcoat. Now, maybe in Washington, you'd expected guys like that to be everywhere.

The guy took out his mobile phone and said something into it. Then he looked around like he was making sure the coast was clear and started walking down the Mall in the direction of the group. The worst of it was: when Percy saw him turned toward him. He was one of the guy's on Luke's side.

Percy followed him while the rest of the group stopped at a building that Shin and Grover agreed on. "The NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM. The Smithsonian!" Grover said aloud. Kurayami remembered this place as he killed someone in his past life. He smiled. "Brings back memories of being here." Annabeth looked over. "You have been here?"

Kurayamiu nodded. "I killed someone here." They all froze and looked at him. Bianca shivered. "Who?" He smiled. "Some rapist." The girls all felt it was justified, and Zoe agreed that killing him was right. Thalia checked the door to see if it was open, but there weren't many people going in. TIt was too cold, and school was out of session. They slipped inside where Kurayami would show why using beasts against him was not a good idea.