Chapter Text
I could feel the bass of the music in my bones as I drove. Some unnamed hyper pop artist was blasting as the road disappeared behind me. I needed to tone out the bird brain's comments out of my head. That sandy bastard was stuck in my gosh dang mind like a parasite. My non floppy ear was pinned back angrily as i quietly grumbled to myself. I hated letting people get to me, I wasn't good with social stuff all my smarts went to logic and math type problems. My anger only rises when someone cuts me off in traffic, I try to push back a growl as my grip tightens on the wheel. I was very good at following the rules of the road but I would be lying if I said I didn't get extremely pissed off when people acted stupid wile driving. It didn't take long to realize that I didn't want to go home, the idea of going back to that empty house with people that feel more like strangers then parents made my heart drop. I didn't have school the next day anyways so my parents wouldn't care. I knew my way around this town well enough to know where I could stay the night and get food. Food would be nice to make me feel better.
I sat in an empty parting lot with some snacks and a doughnut, I was always a bit of a sweet tooth so I indulged. As I sat and snacked my anger started to fade and I had to try hard not to hit my head against my steering wheel. God I was so stupid. What if that sandy guy wasn't starring at me and he just normally looks pissed off, or what if he was just pissed off and I made it worse? I let out a low growl in annoyance. Why did I even say that, it was just plane rude. I can sit and take rude comments and plane harassment at school but as soon as someone I don't even know just glares at me I suddenly fight back? Gods social stuff is hard. I was right, the snacks did help cool my temper and made me think. I could use my smarts to help me figure out the mastery of the maps.
As I drove I was thinking. The first question is to why it chose us. That one is kinda obvious, the fact that we all had marks of the gods makes it easy to figure out that the maps were specifically for us and we didn't accidentally stumble upon it. Second question why, it was obvious that the maps were given to all of us. That meant there was a person who organized it all. Maybe entertainment, something evil, or the Gods? The Gods seamed the most reasonable but something pushed me away from that idea. This whole situation was far to dark feeling for the work of the Gods. So entertainment or evil. Third question is how, the maps where given by a random person I've never seen before and the other three said that they were also given by random people that felt like death. So they all felt like death. That is my main lead, they weren't normal strangers but maybe controlled by someone or something. I can't help but remember the blank cold eyes that happened to the lion man and the way Jackson mocked me saying I possessed him. Maybe he was right, I didn't posses him but someone else did. If someone has that power they must be quite strong. It's weird though, if powers are given from the mark the person has what mark would give someone that power? The first thing that comes to mind is some sort of bug or parasite but that doesn't really make sense. Any mark that would be considered a bug or an organism is either really rare or unable to appear though and if someone had the ability of mind control it's a high chance they would be kept under watch or the cops would not let them control random people. It's a high chance that the mind control isn't a power from a mark but something else. My mind immediately goes to some sort of poised or drug, that wouldn't be able to explain the feeling of death but it could explain the glazed over eyes and the out of it way they moved, griffin did say that his was able to fight off a group of attackers and some drugs can make people irrationally strong. If it is a drug it is less likely to be a full mind control but more of a suggestion and the person feels they need to complete it for some reason.
The theory's and ideas raced through my head as I pulled into a motel, I have been to the place before. Even though cost wasn't a worry I liked to go to this motel instead of a hotel when I didn't wanna go home. The place felt more comfortable and less fake like my house, also it wasn't to big and that was comforting. It didn't take long for me to get a room and get ready to curl up for bed.
I was back on the road, almost at the empty gas's station I found the others at yesterday. The sun was still rising over the stores and other building and it makes me realize how early it truly is. I couldn't sleep very well, it wasn't the motel but it was just that I wasn't tried, my brain raced with new ideas about the problems. I've always hated not having answers and I was excited to solve this puzzle. Green stood out to me as I see holly against the warm golden glow of the morning sun. I park the car happy that I wasn't the only person that decided to come back, also the idea of hanging out with a royal especially the daughter that is never seen excited me a bit.
"Hey princess!" I call out as I leave my car. She turns calmly and listens as the sounds of rustling bags cuts through the air.
"Did you bring stuff?" She asks calmly tails flicking against the cool wind. I nodded quietly as I carried the bags over.
"Oh uh yea I did, I thought that if everyone comes back it could be nice to have some snacks." The awkwardness is strong in my voice as I remember that she wouldn't be able to see my nod. Gosh this would be hard to get used to. "Well do you think the other two will come back?"
"I guess we will have to wait and see" she hums in response. "Um are their any seats here?" She asks trying to mask the fact that she is clearly overwhelmed by not having her surroundings memorized.
"Yep just over here" I quickly guide her over to the seats to wait for Griffin and Dusk. I didn't mind helping her, I liked being helpful and if we were going to go on adventures I would try and remember to help out.
It didn't take long before the duo was spotted walking up to us. The Princess shifted in her seat towards the sound. The griffin boy was yapping loudly to the dragonborn looking girl and not paying attention to his surroundings. The maroon haired girl stopped walking when she spotted us. I watched in pure joy as Griffin continued walking not noticing that she had stopped and walks up into the sign for the gas station. He let out a squeak that I can only compare to a puppy's whine. I started chuckling despite myself. Holly elbowed me in the gut to shut me up and Griffin whirled around to stare daggers into my skull. Dusk interrupted our dispute by waving a hand in my face. "Hey! Earth to the wet dog!" Dusk smirks when I swat her hand away. "So, do I have your attention now?" I scowl but don't speak. The dragon takes that as she wants and paces over to pull Griffin closer to the group. Griffin, who is still acting like a pouting toddler sidles up to the group and standing close to Holly.
"now that we are all here I can explain some of the things I've figured out." I huff giving my attention to the entire group. "I've figured out that the people that have given us the maps must have been under some sort of drug that made them easily suggestible and irrationally strong hence why they had glazed over eyes and weird strength. Also there must be someone behind this trying to get us to do or find something with these maps most likely because we are all marked by the gods. their is also a high chance that this is illegal or done from one person because if who ever was caught drugging civilians and they must have stalked us to find us all so they would be in big trouble if caught." I explain.
"How did you figure that out?" The first one to speak up was griffin, giving me a wide eyed empty headed stare.
"I used my brain for more than two second to think about it, you numb brained cockatoo." I can't help but retort back at him. He huffs in annoyance before getting distracted by something and I turn my attention back to everyone else. "Still knowing all this do you guys think we should still follow the maps?" I ask trying to make sure everyone is on the same page.
"Yea I don't really care I still wanna follow them." Dusk shrugs, her face a mask of indifference. Before I can say anything back a loud sound rings out.