FOTIA - percy jackson

𝟎𝟏𝟎; fire in a rainstorm

Chiron was waiting for them in his wheelchair. Next to him stood the surfer-looking head of security. Argus. Chiron introduced him then informed the group that he would drive them to the city and "keep an eye on things".

Footsteps could be heard from behind him. Luke camps running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball shoes. He panted heavily, obviously having run up the hill. "Hey! Glad I caught you."

Annabeth blushed, the way she always did when Luke was around, Loralai smirked at her witfully. "I just wanted to say good luck," Luke told Percy. "And I thought... um, maybe you could use these."

The sneakers Luke handed him looked normal, they even smelled kind of normal. Loralai knew better, waiting for Luke's queue. As if reading her mind, Luke yelled, "Maia!"

White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, starting Percy so much that he dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings gave up, folding in and disappearing.

"Awesome!" Grover exclaimed. Luke smiled and clarified, "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days..." His expression turned sad.

Percy was speechless, he didn't think that Luke would have come to say goodbye. He'd been worried that he might resent me for getting so much attention the last few days. Yet, Luke surprised him with a magic gift... the boy turned as red as Annabeth. "Hey, man," Percy said. "Thanks."

Luke looked uncomfortable. "Listen Percy... A lot of people are riding on you. So just... kill some monsters for me, okay?"

The two boys shared a handshake. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns. He then approached Loralai, giving her a hug. Loralai patted him on the back and they parted. "Bye, bro." Luke smiled at her before hugging Annabeth. The blonde looked like she was about to pass out.

After Luke was gone, Loralai whispered to Annabeth, "You're hyper-ventilating." Annabeth huffed. "Am not." Loralai laughed.

Overhearing their conversation, Percy asked, "You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?" The two girls glared at his eavesdropping, Percy blinked at their aggression.

"Ugh... why does it have to be you that we have to go on a quest on," Loralai complained under her breath, stomping down alongside Annabeth to the other side of the hill, where a white SUV was waiting on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed, jingling his care keys.

Loralai and Annabeth waited by the car as Grover was given Percy's shoes. Soon enough, the world's first goat boy was ready for launch. "Maia!" He shouted, lifting up from the ground quite elegantly.

But then, he fell over sideways, his orange backpack sliding through the grass. "Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need–"

"Aaa!" Grover bleated, flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawn mower, heading towards the van.

When Grover landed beside them, the girls were quick to unlace his shoes, giggling as they slid them off his fake-feet. Grover's face was bright red as he dusted himself off. "Thanks, guys," he managed.

Loralai leaned on the van, impatiently twirling her braids around her finger.

Percy tossed a pen down the hill. Her eyes widened. "What is he even doing?" She questioned, genuinely concerned as to why Percy seemed to be so angry with a pen.

Annabeth followed her best-friend's eyes, the pen had now turned into a sword. The girls jumped in surprise at the shine of the blade. "Oh."

Soon enough, they all hopped in the van, leaving Camp-Half blood far in the distance.