Burning Water - HOO - Leo Valdez x OC

(Still Leo's POV)

 "Ahhhggggggh!" He yelled. I saw Jason leap to his feet and heard Madi startle awake.

"Coach is awake." I said, though it was unnecessary. Hedge was capering around on his furry hind-quarters, swinging his club around and yelling "Die!" as he smashed the tea set, whacked sofas, and charged the throne.

"Coach!" Jason yelled. Hedge turned, breathing hard. His eyes were wild. The satyr was still wearing his orange polo shirt and his coach's whistle. But now his horns were clearly visible above his curly hair, and his beefy (ohmigods help-) hindquarters were definitely all goat.

"You're the new kid." Hedge said, lowering his club as he looked at Jason. "Jason."

"Valdez, McLean, Dane–"

"Jackson, actually." Madi corrected.

"What's going on?" Coach continued, "We were at the Grand Canyon. The anemoi thuellai were attacking and–" He zeroed in on the storm spirit cage, and his eye went back to DEFCON 1. "Die!"

"Woah, Coach!" I stepped in his path. Bad idea on my part but still brave because he's about 6 inches shorter than me. Meaning he's only an inch or two shorter than Madi.

"It's okay, they're locked up." Madi reassured him, sitting up and had a small bite of ambrosia. "We just sprang you from the other cage," I added.

"Cage? Cage? What's going on? Just because I'm a satyr doesn't mean I can't have you doing plank push-ups Valdez and Dane!"

"One, it's Jackson." Madi corrected, "And two, I'm hurt."

Jason cleared his throat. "Coach—Gleeson—um, whatever you want us to call you. You saved us at the Grand Canyon. You were totally brave."

"Of course I was!"

"The extraction team came and took us to Camp Half-Blood." Madi said.

"We thought we'd lost you." Jason continued, "Then we got word the storm spirits had taken you to their–um, operator, Medea."

"That witch! Wait—that's impossible. She's mortal. She's dead."

"Yeah well," I said, "somehow she got not dead anymore."

"Then we killed her again." Madi added with a small smile.

Hedge nodded, his eyes narrowing. "So! You were sent on a dangerous quest to rescue me. Excellent!" Madi looked at Piper like, Do you wanna tell him? Or should I?

"Um." Piper got to her feet, holding out her hands so Coach wouldn't attack her. "Actually, Glee—can I still call you Coach Hedge? Gleeson seems wrong. We're on a quest for something else. We found you by accident." Piper explained.

"Oh." Coach's spirits seemed to deflate, but only for a second. Then I saw his eyes light up again. "But there are no accidents! Not on quests. This was meant to happen! So, this is the witch's lair, eh? Why is everything gold?"

"Gold." I saw Jason look around. My breath caught in my throat along with Piper's and Madi's. Everything here but us was solid gold.

"Nice," I said. "No wonder they got so much security."

"Uh, Coach. This isn't Medea's place. We blew it up." Madi said, crossing her arms over her chest only wincing slightly at the pain.

"It's destiny, cupcakes!" Hedge insisted, ignoring my best friend's statement. "I'm meant to protect you. What's the quest?"

"Can we put him back in the cage?" Madi whispered to me. I laughed until we heard a door open at the far end of the room. A pudgy man in a white bathrobe stepped out with a golden toothbrush in his mouth. He had a white beard and one of those long, old-fashioned sleeping caps pressed down over his white hair. He froze when he saw us, Madi waved awkwardly with a cute, sheepish smile on her face. The toothbrush fell out of his mouth.

The stranger glanced into the room behind him and called, "Son? Lit, come out here, please. There are strange people in the throne room." Coach Hedge did the obvious thing. He raised his club and shouted, "Die!" 

It took all four of us to hold Hedge back.

"Woah, Coach!" Jason said. "Bring it down a few notches." Suddenly, a younger man charged into the room. I assume this must be Lit, the old guy's son. He was in pajama pants with a sleeveless T-shirt that said CORNHUSKERS, and he held a sword that looked like it could husk a lot of things besides corn. Not to mention, he was jacked, his ripped arms were covered in scars, and his face. Well, his face was framed by curly dark hair, it would've been handsome if it wasn't also slicked up. Then again, I'm also straight so I would never find this guy attractive. Madi's the only good looking girl I'll ever be in love with. Anyway, I noticed that Lit immediately zeroed in on Jason, as if he was the biggest threat. Lit stalked towards him, swinging his sword over head.

"Hold on!" Piper stepped forward, trying for her best calming voice. "This is just a misunderstanding! Everything's fine." Lit then stopped in his tracks, but still looked wary. What didn't help was that Coach was screaming,

"I'll get them! Don't worry!"

Madi sighed, and tried to stand. She stumbled and I caught her.

"Careful, Corazón." I whispered in her ear. I wrapped an arm around her waist and my free hand wrapped her arm around my shoulder so she could stand.

"Coach," Jason pleaded. "they might be friendly. Besides, we're trespassing in their house."

"Thank you!" said the old man in the bathrobe. "Now, who are you and why are you here?"

"Let's put all our weapons down." Piper said. "Coach, you first."

Coach clenched his jaw. "Just one thwack?"

"No." Piper said.

"What about a compromise? I'll kill them first, and if it turns out they were friendly, I'll apologize."

"No!" Piper insisted.

"Coach, they have gold, meaning they have money, meaning that the guy with the sword could run you through and still have the money to get rid of your body!" Madi exclaimed tiredly. She slouched and I tried to help her stand.

"Meh." Coach Hedge lowered his club. I notice Piper give Lit a friendly smile as if to say sorry. Madi nudged me and that's when I noticed Jason's jealousy. Lit huffed and sheathed his sword.

"You speak well, girl—fortunately for your friends, or I would've run them through." Lit speaks.

"Appreciate it," I said. "I try not to get run through before lunchtime." I noticed that Madi was losing consciousness. "And I appreciate that you didn't run my girlfriend through." I smile forcefully. Ignoring the shocked looks on my friends faces I kneel as Madi slumps down. The old man in the bathrobe sighed, kicking the teapot that Hedge had smashed.

"Well, since you're here. Please, sit down."

Lit frowned. "Your Majesty—"

"No, no, it's fine, Lit." The old man said. "New land, new customs. They may sit in my presence. After all, they're seen me in my nightclothes. No sense observing formalities." He tried his best to smile, though it seemed a little forced. "Welcome to my humble home.

I am King Midas"

Back into it YUH! I know it's on hold and all, but it will be taking me a good long while to update it with my book being read by my brother. (Which I can't stress enough lol). Sorry if this chapter sucks. BYEeeeeEEEEeeeEEEeeeeEEE