I

PANDA

I haven't had time to even eat. I've been on the run for the past few weeks. Every god and goddess and demigod was after me. I ran down an alley, empty and abandoned, just like me. I whipped around the corner. I dared myself to look back and I was relieved to see no one, but I didn't slow down. I saw a broken down and lonely house at the end of a street. It looked abandoned. So, I ran towards it. I kicked the door down and hid inside. My back slammed against the wall and I slumped down, panting.

The house was a small wooden one that must have been abandoned years ago, because the floorboard had holes and there was mold in every corner. Dust covered horribly ripped furniture. There was a small teddy bear hiding in a corner, missing tufts of fur and an eye. There was an eerie silence inside the house and before I knew it, I found myself bawling. I buried my tear-streaked face into my hands and sobbed. My throat clogged up and my chest felt like a snake was constricting it. My breaths came short and quick and I screamed into my hands, muffling the terrible sound of agony. I couldn't breathe.

The pain grew worse as I touched my lips. I closed my eyes and I saw Ryder's face; pale and lifeless. I licked my lips and I could taste him, his blood.

"Ryder," I whispered, before I broke out into another painful sob. I hadn't spoken his name since the day he died. I still felt his heart against mine, beating. I blamed myself. I blamed myself for everything. If I hadn't screwed up so badly, Ryder would still be alive. He'd still be breathing and laughing and smiling. I screamed again and pulled out the dagger that caused all the pain and sorrow. I saw my disheveled reflection. That couldn't be me. It didn't look like me; torn, battered and broken. But it was me. A murderer. My fingers gripped tightly around it the more I stared at it. I grasped the blade with my other hand and the angrier I got, the harder I squeezed. I stopped when a thin trail of blood trickled softly down my hand.

I dropped the blade and the noise echoed through the empty house. I clutched my hand and started to mindlessly rock back and forth. I was tired. But I didn't dare close my eyes. All I saw was Ryder.

There was a soft sound outside the door and I went on high alert, until I realized it was just a squirrel. I've been on edge since that day. I had barely escaped Olympus. Seconds after Zeus had died, other gods arrived, sensing his disappearance. Never guessing he would ever be vulnerable. It had only taken them another few seconds to register what had happened. They were ready to blast me to bits until Nico tackled me and shadow travelled, bringing Percy and I to safety. It didn't take them long to come after me with a vengeance. So I ran. I ran like a coward.

Percy and Nico, I guessed, were now in Camp Half Blood. I had left them, afraid they would also get hurt because of me. There was now a bounty on my head and they wanted me alive. Alive to make me suffer more than I already am and then cut my life short, like the ruthless gods they tend to be. The sun was setting now, casting ugly shadows inside the house, but it was safer than out there. I barely slept. I woke up every twenty minutes with terrible nightmares; mostly of Ryder.

When it was finally dawn, I quickly rummaged through the house looking for anything that could help me, but I found nothing except some dead rats and a broken kitchen knife. And I started moving. I couldn't stay in the same place for too long, because they would find me. They always did. I had tried leaving New York, but they somehow built some kind of force field around it and kept me trapped. I felt like a rabbit in hunting season. Scared, shaking and nowhere to run. I tried my best to stay in the forests, the few they had in New York and kept as much distance between me and Olympus. I didn't even dare go near camp.

I had been alone for an entire year in Europe, but now… I'd never felt so alone. I couldn't trust anyone. Any bystander could be a god or goddess or monster in disguise. I made my way into a forest. The trees were tall, but they were thick, so I could only see the sky through tiny gaps between the leaves. The wind picked up and it threw my hair into my face, but I didn't care. I kept walking, jumping at every drop of a leaf. I couldn't live like this forever. I just couldn't. After a few hours, I sat between the giant roots of a tree and rested. I hadn't eaten for a day or two and my tongue was dry.

I looked around and tried to think of my next move, but what could I do? I was trapped. Nowhere to go. No one to go to. So I sat there, and waited; waiting for something to happen.

I stared at ground, covered in dead leaves. I felt nothing. I was just there; just empty; my mind simply a blank. Until I heard a sound. I jumped up and pulled out the dagger. My breathing grew heavier as I whirled in circles, my eyes scanning the woods for whatever had made the sound, but I couldn't see anything. Then I heard it again, closer. It sounded like footsteps. Very heavy and big footsteps. My heart quickened and I figured it was another monster out for my blood. I started to hyperventilate as I spun in circles, looking for the creature.

Then, behind me, I heard something huge breathing and its hot breath brushed my skin. Trembling, I slowly turned around, expecting to see a terrible monster. And although it was a terrifying sight it was also comforting. It was Spyridon.

I took a step back anyways, not sure if he was going to chew me up for going back on my word and bringing the dagger to light in the worst way imaginable.

"Are you here for the bounty?" I asked, pointing the dagger towards him, more out of uncertainty than actual terror.

"No."

"Are you here to tell me what I did wrong? Because if you are, I'll just tell you now. I know what I did and I am paying highly for it."

"I am not here to make the situation worse. I am here to make it better child."

"How?" I asked softly, setting the dagger down and sliding it into my boot.

"Come with me." I was reluctant to follow, but he was the friendliest person/monster I've met. It was refreshing to know he didn't want to kill me. He lowered, extending his front limb. I climbed up and settled on his huge back.

"Hold on tight," he said, as he extended his giant black wings and broke through the trees. I held on for dear life as we soared hundreds of feet into the air.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked.

"Many years ago, I also made a mistake. I was stupid and the cause for the chaos of today."

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely confused.

"No one was there to help me and I will be dammed once more if I will stand by and let a massacre happen again when I can help stop it."

"Once more?" Spyridon stayed silent for several seconds.

"Do you know the story of how the dagger came to be?" he asked sadly. I knew the story. The only thing I didn't know was who the man was.

"Yeah?"

"I am its creator."

I stayed silent, not really knowing what to say. The greedy old man who had, many years ago, created the deadliest weapon in the world was now the dragon who protected it.

"I don't understand."

"My punishment for creating the dagger was to protect it in this hideous form. My curse."

I didn't say anything else. I just stayed unmoving on his back as he glided through the sky, his wings creating a slow woosh every time he flapped them. For the first time in weeks, I could relax. I didn't have to worry about monsters or gods attacking me. I was safe. Finally. Spyridon leaned to the right, turning over a small creak. He arrived at a giant clearing and slowly set us down. I pulled my legs up and slid down his tail and onto the floor. I stood up, brushing the dirt off my pants and looked around.

"Why are we here?" He threw his long dragon chin in a direction and when I turned, two figures emerged from the shadows. At first I panicked. It was a trap. The dragon was bringing me for the bounty, but every muscle in me loosened when I saw two familiar and very comforting faces.

"You didn't think you were alone in this, did you?" Percy asked with a small half smile as he strode up to me, Nico walking next to him.

"You may be wanted for murder, but that doesn't mean we'll turn our back on you. Even if the gods asked us to," Nico added with a warm smile. I was overflowed with joy for the first time in a long time. Percy stood only a few feet away from me. He opened up his arms.

"Well? Aren't you going to say hi to me?" he asked. I chuckled softly and ran towards him, wrapping him up in a hug. He closed his waiting arms around me and I nuzzled my face into his chest. His cheek was on the top of my head as he rubbed my back.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, as he hugged me tighter. I took a quick breath as I remembered the day everything went south. Percy had done nothing, but he couldn't help but apologize. I knew he would be blaming himself for letting us get in harm's way, even if he couldn't have done anything about it. I interlocked my fingers behind his back and resisted the urge to start crying again. I'd never felt safer in my life, because nothing was safer than Percy's arms. He didn't say anything else, he just held me. When I realized I held him long enough, I let go, but I kept my hands on him. I wanted to feel him, because I wanted to make sure he was there. I needed him like an anchor. He passed his fingers across my cheek and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, looking straight in my eyes. I bit my lip.

"Fine," I answered, but my voice cracked. I wasn't fine. I was far from it. My chest suddenly ached and I slumped to the ground and curled up into a small ball; wrapping my arms around my legs.

"It's okay," Nico said, as he knelt next to me. Percy knelt on the other side of me. They both had their hands on my shoulders and I felt like I had my own fortress. My own fort against danger.

"Ryder is in Elysium," Nico said, rubbing his fingers on my shoulder. I bit my lip, but that didn't stop the tears that fell at the mention of his name. I quickly wiped them away, but Percy saw them. He sat down and pulled me into his lap and cradled me like a baby. He slowly rocked back and forth as I quietly sobbed, trying to regain my strength; my façade that I was fine, but it wasn't working. Ryder's death hit me harder than anything else had. Percy ran his fingers through my matted hair. Nico frowned, one corner of his lips pulled back and his eyes lowered as he stood up and left to speak with Spyridon.

"You were right," I whispered. Percy looked down at me.

"About what?"

"About Zeus striking first and asking questions later." Percy sighed.

"It's going to get better Panda. I promise," he said, holding me tighter. I stayed quiet for a few minutes.

"Is everyone after me?" I asked, grabbing hold of his t-shirt and wrapping it in my fingers, for moral support.

"Not everyone," he said. "Not Annabeth or Grover. Not Chiron." I felt comforted knowing that some people still had my back even after the chaos I've caused. I sighed and breathed in Percy's sea scent. It comforted me, took me back to the days that were actually less complicated. I missed the ocean. I had tried to reach it before, hoping for some sanctuary, but the gods knew too well, and they barred me from every reaching it. My life was turning into a living hell. Percy rested his chin on my head and I pulled in closer to him. He slowly rocked back and forth, which was lulling me to sleep. And then he started singing, softly.

He was singing a song mom used to sing to us when we were little.

"You are my sunshine… My only sunshine… You make me happy… When skies are gray… You'll never know dear… How much I love you… Please don't take my sunshine away…" I closed my eyes and focused on the sound of his voice. Wishing things were better and hoping someday they will be, but I felt that whatever happened, there would be a painful price to pay.

I'll let you guys know now that there'll be more Panda chapters in this story than the last. Mostly because, well, she's more of the main protagonist than the other one. I'll try my best to get as much as Percy in there, but no promises. Hope that's not a big deal. So, like always, please tell me what you guys think about the chapter. Constructive criticism if it needs any :) When this story is over, I'd like to reach at least 50 reviews. Thanks in advance to anyone who reviews! Thanks :) (also let me know of spelling errors, thanks!) I say thanks too much XD