daylight | percy jackson

percy hates on architecture

"Goodluck with that one." Percy said sarcastically, and Aria punched him in the shoulder.

They walked through the city streets, eventually reaching the Gateway Arch National Park. The arch, stretching majestically into the sky, left the group in awe, and Aria couldn't deny that it was an especially beautiful building.

As they entered the museum beneath the arch, they walked around looking at  what Percy called, ye olde wagons, and other miscellaneous 1800's stuff.

Aria found it fascinating, but she saw Percy yawning out of the corner of her eye and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. Grover, being a satyr, seemed a little out of place in the human made museum, but he carried an air of curiosity nonetheless.

Percy, his eyes scanning the dimly lit surroundings, turned to Grover. "Can you smell anything down here?"

Grover replied quickly, "No. Not really. It's a bit stuffy, you know, being underground and all."

Percy nodded, his gaze lingering on a certain display. "You know, Annabeth, the gods have symbols of power, right?"

Annabeth, engrossed in studying an exhibition, looked up and nodded. "Of course, Percy. Each god has their own emblem that represents their domain."

"Well, Hade-"

Grover's eyes widened, and he hastily interrupted, "Uh, we're not supposed to say his name, especially out here."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Right, right. Okay so the man downstairs-"

Aria interrupted him again, "The man downstairs, really?"

"Is that not a fitting name? What would you have it be? Dude in the basement? Guy located beneath us?"

"Okay yeah nevermind the man downstairs is good."

Percy sighed, done with Aria's antics, "As I was saying, the symbol of his power is a helmet, right?"

Annabeth nodded, her curiosity piqued. "Yes, the helm of Darkness. It grants him invisibility and control over the shadows. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting. It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus. Why do you ask?"

"How do we know he's not here right now, watching us?" Percy said.

"We don't," Grover replied.

"Oh okay. That makes me feel ten times better!" Percy said sarcastically.

The group headed over to the elevator where they squeezed themselves in, Percy and Aria basically touching shoulders. As the doors closed, they found themselves sharing the limited space with a middle aged woman and her tiny chihuahua, who seemed unfazed by the commotion.

The elevator began its ascent, the dim light flickering as they rose through the towering structure of the gateway arch. The lady, eyeing the group with a hint of suspicion, finally spoke up.

"No parents?" she asked, a raised eyebrow punctuating her question.

Percy, always quick with a response, grinned awkwardly. "Well, you see, we're on a special school trip. Our teacher is waiting below."

Aria chimed in, "She's afraid of heights."

"Oh, poor lady," the woman sympathised, although she didn't look very sorry.

Meanwhile, the chihuahua in the woman's arms, a tiny creature with expressive, beady black eyes, started to growl. The woman quickly hushed him, saying, "Sonny, behave!"

"Is Sunny the dog's name?" Percy asked.

The woman shot Percy a quizzical look, as if the mere suggestion was preposterous. "No."