✔︎ PERFECT WORLD ━━━━━ p. jackson¹

003.

It was around late afternoon when they finally arrived and around forty of them piled out of the vans. Vivi exited right behind Annabeth and her eyes immediately landed on Percy. He looked a bit on edge ( that was for sure ), but there was something different from him, but she couldn't quite exactly tell. He was still very attractive, so it wasn't a physical difference, but something has definitely changed about him.

Vivi walked up to Percy, with Annabeth following behind, butterflies circling her stomach as she smiled, but he continued to stare at her with the most oddest expression she'd seen.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Aquaboy?"

"Huh?" Percy spoke, completely dumbfounded.

"You're looking at me funny," she smiled. "Like you've never seen me before."

"Um, no, no," Percy mumbled and couched, before he quickly turned to the rest of them, "But uh, thanks for coming, everybody. Uh, Chiron, after you."

But Chiron shook his head. "I came to wish you luck, my boy. But I make it a point never to visit Olympus unless I am summoned."

"But you're our leader."

He smiled. "I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same as being your leader. I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother centaurs to help. Meanwhile, you called the campers here, Percy. You are the leader."

Percy wanted to protest, but everybody was looking at him expectantly, even Vivi and Annabeth. He was the one the prophecy was about. And even if she knew how Percy never liked the spotlight, he was still their leader, he was the one who would leave them to victory.

The boy took a deep breath. "Okay, like I told Vivi and Annabeth on the phone, something bad is going to happen by tonight. Some kind of trap. We've got to get an audience with Zeus and convince him to defend the city. Remember, we can't take no for an answer."

Percy asked Argus to watch Mrs. O'Leary, which neither of them looked happy about.

Chiron shook my hand. "You'll do well, Percy. Just remember your strengths and beware your weaknesses." 

Percy nodded and tried to give Chiron a confident smile. He then turned to the rest of the demigods, "Let's go."

A security guard was sitting behind the desk in the lobby, reading a big black book with a flower on the cover. He glanced up when they all filed in with our weapons and armor clanking.

"School group? We're about to close up."

"No," Percy said. "Six-hundredth floor."

The guard checked them out. His eyes were pale blue and his head was completely bald. Vivi couldn't tell if he was human or not, but he seemed to notice their weapons, so she guess he wasn't fooled by the Mist.

"There is no six-hundredth floor, kid." he said it like it was a required line he didn't believe. "Move along."

Percy leaned across the desk ( why was that so attractive! ). "Forty demigods attract an awful lot of monsters. You really want us hanging out in your lobby?"

The guard thought about that. Then he hit a buzzer and the security gate swung open. "Make it quick."

"You don't want us going through the metal detectors," Percy added.

"Um, no," he agreed. "Elevator on the right. I guess you know the way."

Percy tossed him a golden drachma and they marched ill rough.