PROLOGUE: CURSE OF THE ROSE

"The storm doesn't seem to be letting up," Grover whispers, his voice just barely heard over the blistering winds and strong rainfall. Thunder roars throughout the mansion, and Grover flinches immediately – boy, was he never going to get used to thunderstorms.

Percy is seated at the window sill, his silhouette dark and mysterious with every flash of lightning. Grover watches as he simply shrugs. "I don't mind it."

"Oh, you probably don't, but I do," Grover huffs, folding his arms across his chest, "I hate storms."

"You know," a new voice speaks up, and Grover nearly screams (luckily he doesn't, thank the Gods), "I find it funny how you actually enjoy storms, rather than despise them, considering your past, Perce."

The said man gazes out the window, scanning the outer scenery. The trees dance rather violently in the winds, and the branches seem to be nearly cracking at the force of the simple rain drops like they're rain pellets. A bitter smile stretches across Percy's lips, though Grover couldn't see.

But it's not like he needed to see it; he knew what was going through Percy's mind at the moment.

"Pedro, be careful," Sally whispered, laying a gentle hand on her husband's forearm as they drove through the storm slowly and steadily. Percy was in the backseat, nervously gazing out the window.

"Are you sure, you shouldn't pull over, Dad?" Percy asked, twiddling his thumbs timidly. They were heading back to the mansion after a long day out shopping (courtesy of his mother), and though they were anticipating a thunderstorm, they weren't expecting it to be this bad.

"Trust me, Percy," Pedro snuck a glance at his son through the rearview mirror, sending him a playful wink, "your father can handle this."

A car sped past, and Pedro jerked the wheel over to the side from reflex, causing Sally to let out a squeak.

"Uh huh," Sally laughed, but it wasn't the usual fun laugh. It was more of a…scared laugh. "The way the car swerved just then, begs to differ. Pull over, now, Pedro."

"Okay, okay, fine," Pedro let out a huff, "I admit I'm not as skilled as I originally thought."

Signaling over to the right, Pedro slowly switched lanes, glancing back every now and then. It was all going pretty smoothly, surprisingly, and Percy finally managed to relax in his seat momentarily. Knowing his father had this all under control calmed him down. Not much, but it helped.

But of course, not everything followed through with their plans.

The squealing of tires made Percy jump in his seat – they weren't the ones causing it, right?

So who?

Percy looked back.

Oh, fuck.

An ear-ripping scream escaped somebody's lips; whether it was his or his mother's, it didn't matter. What mattered was that a car was heading towards them at top speed with no signs of stopping because the fucking roads were slick with precipitation.

All Percy remembered was that the impact was painful.

Searing pain shot through his body.

Then it went all black.

Thalia approaches Percy with slow steps, Grover watching from the sidelines. He didn't dare interject into whatever was about to happen – it was going to be a cousin to cousin talk. Grover, a simple close family friend, had no place in this talk.

"You got to let it all go, Perce," Thalia says. A flash of lightning illuminates the room for a moment, exposing her violet highlight in her pitch black hair. Smokey eyeliner lines her eyes, giving her a more intimidating look.

(She's actually not all that intimidating, but Grover doesn't dare to say that aloud.)

"No can do," Percy shakes his head, "it's all her fault I'm alone now. If she hadn't suggested such a reckless thing, then maybe everything would be okay."

Thalia sighs, shaking her head. "You say that every day."

"All the more proof I won't change my mind, Thalia."

"Juniper, is that you?" Grover stands from his seat and approaches the said girl with swift footsteps, "did you need anything?"

Juniper's eyes flicker over to the cousins, before landing back on Grover. Her brown hair has been tied up in a ponytail, and when she smiles a little, it sends Grover's heart into a gymnastics routine.

"Um, there's a lady at the door," Juniper replies, her voice soft and sweet, "she requests to meet with Percy."

Grover nearly screams (again) when Percy suddenly appears beside him, his hand landing on his shoulder briefly. He smiles at Juniper, his green eyes practically glowing in the dark.

"Makes me feel special," Percy says, and Grover rolls his eyes. "Be back in a minute."

-:- -:- -:-

"Must you be the owner?"

Percy feels his heart reluctantly sink at the sight of the old lady on the front porch of the mansion. Her wrinkly, sagging skin hung off hideously of her frail bones, and a dark hood hid away her graying hairs away from Percy's sight. Good – it's not like Percy wanted to see that anyway.

When Juniper had said lady, Percy was expecting a more…younger woman, delicate and beautiful.

Not…her.

"I am," Percy leans against the doorframe casually, "may I help you?"

The old lady nods her head. "Oh, yes, if you would so very please! It's storming out here, as you can see, and an old lady like me cannot afford to be wandering about out here. If you could be a kind gentleman and allow me to stay the night that would be wonderful."

Percy has to refrain from snorting. As if.

"My apologies," Percy smoothly responds, "but I can't do that. I have things to do and places to be, you wouldn't want to stay in a big, empty mansion like this."

"Oh, but I would," the old lady insists, "for it's better than any other shelter I have come across."

The urge to laugh in her face and to slam the door is far too tempting, but Percy manages to resist.

"Like I said," he smirks, "I can't."

And he closes the door.

(For the record, he didn't slam the door.)

The old lady frowns at the rather large, looming doors. What a rude boy. She turns around and steps out into the rain, muttering curses at the wretched boy.

As the rain made contact with her face, her skin began to sizzle. Smoke arouse from her body, her skin practically searing off.

Until the frail old woman was gone, replaced with a beautiful enchantress.

"Fool," she hisses, "heart of ice that is. If he believes he's going to go through life with that attitude, he's wrong."

With a wave of her hand, a rose in a glass casing along with a note appeared on the porch behind her.

And with that, she marches off.

-:- -:- -:-

Dearest,

I place this delicate rose in your care. Do not lose it, do not destroy it, and do not do anything wretched with it, for your fate depends on it. How so, you may ask?

You turned away a poor old woman, begging for shelter, because you wished she was a beautiful young lady. You, have lots to learn. So I will teach you, my darling.

Every night from now on, your true form will overtake you. The form you desperately hide within yourself, and wish nobody will see. What form it is, I'm afraid I cannot tell. You will have to discover that on your own.

However, there is a way to prevent this.

If you learn to love, and be loved in return, this so-called 'curse' will be lifted. If you do not, I'm afraid you will stay as your true form, forever.

And yes, there is a time limit.

Until the final petal falls.

Farewell,
the Enchantress

Guess whose back! It's me! From my forever long hiatus!

Updates will be kind of slow, I apologize, but school's kind of heavy right now. Just decided to post this because I honestly couldn't stand the other one.

Reviews are always welcome~