Penny Ranger and the Lightning Thief

Chapter XX: I Fight an Angry Chihuahua

Annabeth was enraptured as soon as we entered the underground museum that led to the elevator up to the Arch. She kept darting from one place to another, examining every exhibit. Occasionally she would share a random fact that she thought was particularly interesting with us.

I made an effort to listen to her. But it was difficult, let me tell you. She was so excited she had completely forgotten that I had not even a quarter of her knowledge of architecture and kept using terminology and expressions that, and it pains me to admit this, were way too advanced for me.

Still, it was more effort than what the boys were putting in. Grover and Percy were munching on a bag of sweets and muttering amongst themselves, paying absolutely no attention to Annabeth. But she was too happy to care.

At one point they stepped up to us.

"Guys, you know the gods' symbols of power, right?" Percy asked.

I felt tempted to give some sort of sarcastic reply, but I held my tongue. There was no point in igniting a new argument when we had just gotten Annabeth and Percy to finally cooperate.

"Yeah?"

"Well, Hade-"

"We're in a public place. You mean our friend downstairs?" Grover interrupted.

"Uhm, right. Our friend way downstairs. Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?" Percy asked.

"You mean the Helm of Darkness. Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting." Annabeth answered.

"He was there?"

"It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus. On the darkest day of the year." I explained.
"But if the stories are true, then the Helm is way more powerful than Annabeth's hat."

"It allows him to become darkness. He can melt into shadow or pass through walls. He can't be touched or seen or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think all rational creatures fear the dark?" Grover continued.

"But then... how do we know he's not here now?"

For once, Percy asked a good question. The problem was that there wasn't a good answer. As Annabeth, Grover and I looked at each other, we realized we were all thinking the same thing and shared a collective grimace.

"We don't." I answered.

"Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better." Percy replied with a very strong dose of sarcasm.
"Got any blue jelly beans left?"

We kept moving through the museum until we reached the elevator. Percy and I were particularly nervous about going inside. Percy's nervousness was due to just regular claustrophobia. He really didn't like tight spaces. Mine was due to the fact that I was a half-blood. I didn't like tight spaces because I had no space to defend myself with a sword, much less my bow. Still, I made the sacrifice for Annabeth. After all, I was the one who convinced the boys to follow her.

We were squished into the elevator along with a fat lady and her pet chihuahua. The little dog had a collar with fake diamonds, with a plaque my poor dyslexic eyes couldn't read.

It glared at us and began yapping angrily, particularly at Grover. Our satyr friend moved to place some space between him and the dog by standing behind Percy.

"No parents?" the lady asked, watching us with her beady eyes.

It unsettled me for some reason.

"They're below. Scared of heights." Annabeth said, jumping in before Percy could come up with something of the same caliber as 'circus orphans'.