the lakes 𖥻 PJO

vi. boy troubles

Percy and Grover were tasked with Oracle clean-up, and no one really felt like helping them. Angela felt bad, but Percy had waved her off. She'd never seen Percy aim his strength at anything other than a monster.

It was stupid, but it had scared her. Seeing him, and Thalia too, fighting each other like that. She felt quite honestly a little pathetic. She'd fought hydras and her own friends made her hands shake?

It was getting late, but she couldn't exactly go to sleep. She was exhausted, her mind moving at a million miles a second. Her hands were quivering, and her breath was short, but no one even gave them a second glance.

The Oracle had issued Zoë a quest. She'd given a prophecy. That wasn't something that happened every day, though it had been happening with increased regularity the past few years. Angela herself had only gone on one, well, technically two. One of them wasn't really hers, they'd hijacked Clarisse's quest.

Mr D called a council of cabin leaders, which was definitely rare when it came to quests. Usually, only one person heard the prophecy, then they chose their three companions. But this quest called for six. That was dangerous, demigods travelling in groups any larger than three. Six was practically unheard of.

Angela herself wasn't a cabin leader, but she was also the only person in Cabin Four present, so she was there in lieu of Katie. Thalia was head of Zeus, obviously, Charles Beckendorf of Hephaestus, the Stoll brothers of Hermes and Silena of Aphrodite. Angela sat down on the crackling leather couch, peeling at the material. Silena placed a comforting hand on her elbow.

Percy and Grover were retrieved from the attic, much to the chagrin of practically everyone else in the room, and Zoë attended as well, both as the receiver of the prophecy and a representative of the Hunters. She brought Bianca di Angelo with her as sort of a second in command.

All of the Ares campers were in the infirmary after the game of capture the flag, so that left Chiron and Mr D to round out the group.

"This is pointless," Zoë started off.

Grover had something equally helpful to contribute. "Cheeze Whiz!" He reached forward to the snacks provided and scooped up a handful of crackers and pingpong balls and spraying them with the stuff indescriminately. They were just as delicious to Grover.

"There is no time for talk," Zoë ignored him. "Our goddess needs us. The Hunters must leave immediately."

"And go where?" Chiron challenged.

"West!" Bianca piped up. It had only been a few days since she'd joined the Hunters, and she already looked really different. Her dark hair was braided intricately, and her skin glowed a steady subdued silver, just like the rest of the Hunters. "You heard the prophecy. Six shall go west to the goddess in chains. We can get six hunters and go."

Angela was glad that Bianca had settled in so quickly with her new allies, but she also felt a pang in her chest at the thought of Nico and how quickly she'd abandoned him.