Frederick Chase, as it turned out, was a rather nice man.
In fairness, his situation was very understandable. He was a man of science, dedicated to his work- when suddenly a woman who he likely hadn't spoken to in months- one who he may have even loved- suddenly had a child dropped off on his doorstep and left the message 'this is your kid, take care of her.'
And from there, he suddenly had to put his life on hold as he focused on raising a child. Then, he found a new love and started a family- except now he had a blot in the family. A daughter who didn't get along with her stepmother, and a stepmother who wanted to push away what she saw as the 'source' of her problems.
Even though he loved Annabeth, what could he do? He had to choose between his marriage or his daughter. In the end, he chose his marriage. And so, Annabeth ran away.
In retrospect, I didn't blame her father for the choices he made. He was given a near impossible choice and chose the wrong option. No matter what option he chose, he would have chosen wrong given his situation. Monster attacks, a difficult daughter, a difficult wife, chaotic children all around.
Still, the family were nice enough to us once we came and spoke about Annabeth. Frederick clearly wanted to go with us, but it wasn't possible- at least as far as everyone else knew. The Garden wasn't a place that ordinary mortals were supposed to go.
We were having a perfectly pleasant drive, driving through the Mist... It was right as we were on the verge of entering the Garden that the issues started.
Thalia's eyes suddenly widened. "Everyone out of the car, now!" She exclaimed.
Knowing what was coming, I tackled Penny out of the back seat and onto the ground as Thalia and Zoe leapt from the VW that we'd borrowed from Frederick.
BOOM!
Lightning flashed, obliterating the car in an instant and sending shrapnel flying everywhere. I hit the button on Penny's wrist hard, using her shield to block the debris from hitting and killing us both.
Penny swallowed and she looked at me. "You... You saved my life."
"Yes, I did," I nodded at her, taking a deep breath as the two of us stood up and hurried over to Thalia.
We both recoiled at the sight of Aegis out, the snarling and horrific visage of Medusa staring back at us and making us both flinch at the sight- because Gods that was one hideous face.
Thalia slowly lowered her shield, breathing heavily. She looked a little pale, and angry. She glared up at the sky accusingly, no doubt thinking it was Zeus.
"It wasn't him," I told Thalia. "If it was him, don't you think he'd have already blasted the General? This place is protected; it was definitely the Titans trying to convince you to change your mind."
Thalia looked at me, her blue eyes sparkling with fury... Before she took a deep breath and nodded. "I know," she grumbled. "But still... It pisses me off."
"Do you know where Zoe is?" Penny asked.
"3 o'clock," Tez informed me helpfully.
I turned my head to the side and saw Zoe laying on the ground, groaning in pain... Without a shield, she'd taken a beating from the Debris. Not a lot, but enough that she was hurt.
I led the two of them over to her. Penny fed her a square of Ambrosia, while Thalia helped her stand.
Zoe took a deep breath. "My thanks," she told us. "We are very close now... We must keep quiet, lest we wake Ladon," she pointed. "It's that way."
We all walked together and stepped through the mist.
We made it out the other side, the fog clearing up. We were still on the side of a mountain, but the road had become dirt, and the grass was thicker. The sun setting in the distance let off an absolutely stunning scene across the sea. The summit swirled with storm clouds and power.
There was only a single path to the top- in front of us. Leading through a lush meadow garden of shadows and twilight.
The Garden of the Hesperides.
The garden was beautiful, there could be no question about that. But compared to the center piece, the entire garden was essentially worthless.
Standing tall, perfectly in sight, was a five story tall apple tree, every bough glimmering with golden apples... Actual golden apples, looking as though they were made of solid gold. The evening reflected off of them, making them appear to be even more beautiful and appetising...
And the fragrance?
It filled the garden with a delectable, near irresistible scent. There was no question that a single bite of the apples would be the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted in my life.
"The apples of immortality," Thalia murmured almost reverently. "Zeus's wedding gift to Hera."
Alas, the path to and around the apples was guarded.
It was a genuine beast, with a thick and sturdy body glimmering with copper scales. It had a hundred heads, as if that many deadly pythons had fused into one. Currently, it was fast asleep. Its hundred heads all lay on the ground lazily, curled up like a mound of spaghetti.
Then, the shadows moved- and gave way to peerless beauty accompanied by eerie singing.
Four figures shimmered into being... Four women who looked like varying older versions of Zoe. All of them- like Zoe- were absolutely gorgeous, stunning even. With caramel skin and silky black hair that tumbled loose around their shoulders, there could be no question of who they were.
The Hesperides- the Daughters of Atlas.
"Sisters," Zoe spoke, her eyes looking at them with a mixture of pain and longing.
"We do not see any sister," one of the sisters said coldly. "We see only three demigods and a Hunter. All of whom shall soon die."
"Nobody is going to die," Penny growled as she stepped forward.
The girls all studied Penny, all of their expressions bored.
"Penelope Jackson," one spoke.
"Yes," another mused. "I don't see why she is a threat."
"Who said I was a threat?" Penny frowned.
The first- the oldest- looked back at the Mountain, towards the peak. "They fear thee. They are unhappy that this one has not yet killed thee."
She pointed at Thalia.
"Tempting," Thalia snorted. "But she's a friend, so politely go fuck yourself."
"There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus. Only enemies. Go back."
"That's not what your mother said last night," I snarked.
Zoe hit my shoulder. "Their mother is my mother too," she growled.
I paused. "... I know what I said."
"You are insufferable," Zoe sighed, exasperated.
"Is this thy newest lover?" One of them sneered. "Thy taste has gotten worse- the God of Strength at least had a nice figure."
Zoe looked offended at the implication and my smile twitched. "Thems fighting words, bitch."
The girl smirked. "Thou would dare approach? Be not a fool. We have only to raise our voices, and Ladon will wake."
"Ladon will not hurt me," Zoe said confidently.
"No? And what about thy so-called friends?"
Zoe's eyes narrowed... And then, she raised her voice. "Ladon! Wake!"
The dragon stirred, and the four girls yelped and scattered. "Art thou mad!?" The leader nearly exclaimed in shock.
"Thou never had any courage, sister. That is thy problem."
Ladon slowly groaned, writhing in place as he began to awaken. The hundred heads whipped around, tongues flickering and tasting the air.
Zoe took a step forward, her arms raised.
"Zoe, don't," Thalia told her. "You're not a Hesperide anymore. He'll kill you!"
"Ladon is trained to protect the tree," Zoe shook her head. "Skirt around the edges of the garden. Go up the mountain. As long as I am the bigger threat, he should ignore thee."
"Should isn't exactly reassuring," Penny told her.
"It is the only way," she hissed. "Even the four of us together could not fight him."
Ladon slowly opened his hundred mouths, hisses filling the air. His breath hit my nose, smelling like acid. It made my skin crawl, and my eyes began to burn and fill with tears... Disgusting.
I followed Thalia in going left, while Penny went to the right. Zoe walked straight...
Unseen to everyone, my shadow slowly extended and connected to Ladon's.
"It's me, my little dragon," Zoe spoke in the warmest voice I'd heard from her. "Zoe has come back."
Ladon shifted forward and then back. Some of the mouths closed, others kept hissing. The dragon seemed almost confused, as if he recognised Zoe- but it had been so long that he couldn't recognise her.
The eldest Hesperide whispered, "Thou art a fool."
"I used to feed thee by hand," Zoe continued, cooing softly as she approached the golden tree. "Do you still like lamb's meat?"
The dragon's eyes glinted.
I used the opportunity as a card materialised in my hand, and I lifted it. I did not speak nor use my Duel Disk, instead channelling my power into the card in order to activate it.
Swing of Memories.
The light of the sunset became more intense, a child's swing now hanging from one of the trees. The sisters noticed, but both Zoe and Ladon were focused on one another.
The swing began to sway back and forth, and images began to appear... Images of Zoe and Ladon during their time in the Garden together. How Zoe would tend to Ladon even when he was a young dragon, caring for him day and night. How she was the only one who would cuddle together with him among her sisters, feeding him by hand and caring for him.
Ladon's two-hundred eyes lit up with joy as the memories returned in full force. It leaned forwards, and its hundred heads began to nuzzle and coo as it welcomed Zoe back. It recognised her, acknowledged her as family without hesitation.
Tears filled Zoe's eyes as she slowly lifted her hands, slowly stroking and patting each head individually. "I missed you," she whispered in a slightly hoarse voice.
"Impossible..." One of the sisters whispered. "How... How can this be possible? What is happening?"
"Is Morpheus interfering somehow?" Another gasped. "Perhaps Iris?"
I just smirked... My shadow slowly crept up the back of the tree, where Ladon was far too distracted to see. It touched an apple, dragging it into my inventory, before moving onto another...
Only when Ladon's heads began to stop seeking attention from Zoe did my shadow retreat... But I had managed to gather twenty golden apples of immortality in my Inventory.
That alone made everything about this trip worth it.
We made it out of the Garden safely... Zoe followed us not long after, but she looked a little lighter. Not stressed or trying to hide her pain from Ladon's attack. Part of her looked even... Relieved.
"I can't believe that worked," Penny admitted to Zoe as we contineud to climb up the side of the mountain.
"Truthfully?" Zoe shook her head. "Nor can I... But, when I approached Ladon... I suddenly felt as though I were reliving all my moments with him... And I felt as though he were experiencing the same thing. He recognised me, and allowed me to pass."
Thalia was quiet for a moment and then looked at me. "Yuno."
I just smirked and lifted up Swing of Memories. "Okay, maybe I interfered a little bit."
Penny and Zoe both looked at me in surprise, and then at the card.
"Swing... Of... Memories?" Penny questioned, struggling to read the name of the card.
"Along with being able to command monsters, I can also craft traps, create domains, and even cast spells," I told them. "This spell is the Swing of Memories... As you might guess, it allows one to remember fond or treasured memories from their past. Even ones long since forgotten can be recalled. And the effect is even more powerful if you are with another who treasures those same memories."
I looked at Zoe. "Ladon must truly care for you, Zoe. Otherwise, this spell would never have worked."
Zoe remained silent for a moment and then wiped her eyes to stop the tears from flowing. "Thank you..." She whispered.
I just nodded, and we continued to climb up the side of the mountain.
Finally, at the top, we found them. Ruins. Blocks of black granite and marble as big as houses. Broken columns littered the area, along with statues of bronze that looked like they'd been melted.
The Ruins of Mt Othrys. The stronghold of the Titans before the Gods toppled them from their thrones.
We were almost at the end.