FAVOURITE IDIOT || P.J

7

"Grover went exploring. Look, he found a friend." Annabeth told.

The fuzzy thing was an unnaturally pink animal. A pink poodle, to be exact.

The poodle yapped at Percy suspiciously. Grover said, "No, he's not."

Percy blinked, "Are you...talking to that thing?"

The poodle growled, "This thing" Grover warned, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."

"You can talk to animals?"

Grover ignored his question, "Guys, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Y/n and Percy."

Y/n stood up and walked over to Grover, sitting down next to him petting the pink poodle, "Aww. Hi Gladiola, you're so cute." The dog nudged his head on Y/n's hand, rubbing it in comfort.

Grover looks to the brunette smiling, "He likes you."

"I'm not saying hello to the pink poodle." Percy said, "Forget it."

"Percy," Annabeth said, "We said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle."

The poodle growled and he said hello.

Grover explained how he'd come across Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up a conversation. The poodle had run away from a rich local family, who'd posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't really want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.

"How does Gladiola know about the reward?" Percy asked.

"He reads the signs, duh." Grover acted as if that was something natural.

"Of course," Percy said, "Silly me."

"So we turn in Gladiola," Annabeth explained in her best strategy voice, "we get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."

"Not another bus." Y/n said warily.

"No." Percy agreed.

Annabeth pointed downhill, toward train tracks Y/n hadn't been able to see last night, "There's an Amtrak stationed half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the west bound train leaves at noon"

Y/n stood up, "Off we go then."

𓋼𓍊𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊

THE GROUP SPENT TWO DAYS ON THE AMTRAK TRAIN, HEADING WEST THROUGH HILLS AND OVER RIVERS.

They hadn't been attacked once but Y/n's guard was still up. No one relaxed. Their ears were sharp just in case anything happens.

Y/n and Percy had to keep their profile low because there were pictures of them splattered on the front pages of East-Coast newspapers. The Trenton Register-News showed a photo taken by a tourist the day they got off the Greyhound bus.

Y/n had a tiny rip on her shirt and Percy held a wild look in his eyes. His sword was a metallic blur in his hands.

"Don't worry," Annabeth told them, "Mortal police could never find us."

"And plus, I can always tell them to ignore us." Y/n held a delinquent spark in her eyes.

Their reward money for returning Gladiola had only been enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. They couldn't get berths in the sleeper car so they dozed off in their seats.

Y/n sat near the window looking out. Percy was asleep until he woke up drooling. Annabeth had dozed off, her head laying on Grover's shoulder where he shuffled around until his fake foot fell off. Percy and Y/n had to stick it back on before any other passengers noticed.