PJO Victory Is Within (Annabeth Chase X Male Reader)

We take rides and slide down to our death

"To threaten Hades," Grover suggested. "To bribe or blackmail him into getting your mom back."

Percy whistled. "You have evil thoughts for a goat."

"Why, thank you."

"But the thing in the pit said it was waiting for two items and one other thing," Percy said "If the master bolt is one, what's the other?" That caught my attention 

Grover shook his head, clearly mystified

Annabeth knew something was up and she was just waiting for Percy to ask. I wanted to know as well, but seeing how she paled I bet it's not something good.

"You have an idea what might be in that pit, don't you?" Percy finally asked "I mean it isn't Hades?"

"Percy . . . let's not talk about it. Because if it isn't Hades . . . No. It has to be Hades."

Wasteland rolled by. We passed a sign that said CALIFORNIA STATE LINE, 12 MILES.

We rode in silence and the question was nagging my brain. I was waiting for Annabeth or Grover to bring it up, but that conversation had really killed the mood.

"Percy what did you mean by other thing?" I asked "What else have you forgotten to mention?" 

He contemplated for a second before taking a breath. "What ever this lord is, they know everything about you. . .From you arriving to camp, fighting, being claimed, and you joining me on the quest." he said looking clammy

Who the heck is keeping watch on me? Why are they keeping watch on me is more important.

"Are you sure they are referring to me Percy?" I asked

He nodded his head "They said something about Wings of Victory a gift from the dangerous goddess Nike. And I don't know anyone else on this team of ours who is a child of the goddess Nike and sprouted wings one day."

This quest somehow just gotten more difficult to process now. Also I never thought of the goddess Nike as dangerous, but it makes sense can you imagine how much you can do with the agility to always win? 

"The voice also called you something odd The heroes guide" he said. 

"That doesn't ring a bell, but what ever it is I make sure to keep at your side Percy." I said.

Something changed me during my time with these three. I only wanted to join Percy so I could be respected by the other camper. So I could live with them peacefully, but now. . . I will make sure to keep on my promise to Chiron. There are a bunch of set backs though, first we are running out of time. Second we aren't really sure where or who has the master bolt. And third I'm suddenly a new target for some weird voice in a pit? Yeah things are going just great.

At sunset, the taxi dropped us at the beach in Santa Monica. According to Percy It looked exactly the way L.A. beaches do in movies, only it smelled worse. I took his word, and he wasn't exactly wrong. The beaches did smell bad like old oil. New Jersey pier smelled like salt in the breeze with hotdogs and cotton candy. I think that last part was because the many stands of vendors.

We all walked down to the edge of the surf. 

"What now?" Annabeth asked.

Percy stood still looking out in the distance, the ocean was turning gold in the setting sun. Percy looked happy. Like really really happy. He stepped in the surf.

"Percy?" I asked "What are you doing?"

He kept walking, his waist gone, then his back gone

Annabeth called after him "You know how polluted that water is? There're all kinds of toxic—" Grover placed a hand on her shoulder.