cymophobia | percy jackson

𝑥𝑖𝑖𝑖

On their second day on the train, the three demigods (and one satyr) passed through St. Louis. Ash grinned widely when she saw Annabeth craning her neck to stare at the Gateway Arch.

"I want to do that," she sighed.

"What?" Percy asked.

"Build something like that. You ever see the Parthenon, Percy?"

"Only in pictures."

"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."

Percy laughed, causing Ash to frown. "You? An architect?"

Annabeth's cheeks flushed, and Ash reached over to sling an arm around her shoulders. "Damn straight an architect."

"Yeah," the blonde glowered, "Athena expects her children to create things, not just tear them down, like a certain god of earthquakes I could mention."

Ash pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing deeply. Percy was silent, staring out the window at the churning brown waters of the Mississippi River below.

"Sorry," Annabeth said finally. "That was mean."

"Can't we work together a little?" Percy pleaded. "I mean, didn't Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?"

Annabeth thought for a little too long on that. "The chariot," Ash finally offered.

Annabeth nodded tentatively. "Right. My mom invented it, but Poseidon created horses out of the crests of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."

"Then we can cooperate too!" Percy said excitedly.

"I suppose," Annabeth muttered, watching as the Arch disappeared behind a hotel.

Ash clapped her hands together decisively. "That settles it! Best friends?"

Percy sent her a half-amused, half-annoyed look, while Annabeth just glared. The next 15 minutes were awkwardly silent as they pulled into the downtown Amtrak station. The intercom told them that there would be a three hour layover before departing for Denver.

Grover stretched. Before he was even fully awake, he said, "Food," making Ash and Percy snicker.

"Come on, goat boy," Annabeth said. "Sightseeing."

"Sightseeing?"

"The Gateway Arch," she explained. "This may be my only chance to ride to the top. Are you coming or not?"

Percy and Grover raised their eyebrows at each other. Ash rolled her eyes and stood, grabbing Percy by the wrist.

"Come on, Fish Face." Percy immediately complied.

Grover shrugged. "As long as there's a snack bar without monsters."

₪₪₪

In all honesty, the Gateway Arch was boring. But Annabeth kept it spicy by spouting interesting facts while Grover passed out jelly beans. Percy kept stealing all the blue ones, so Ash retaliated by taking all his red ones.

While they were standing in line for the elevator, Percy muttered to Grover, "Smell anything?"

Grover took his nose out of the candy bag long enough to sniff. "Underground," he said distastefully. "Underground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything."

Percy shifted uncomfortably. He felt like something was wrong, like they shouldn't be here.

"Guys," he said. "You know the gods' symbols of power?"