SERENDIPITY ~ A. Chase

viii ~ The Nemean Lion Gets a Nauseating Snack

༻ ─── •✧💢✧• ─── ༺

From up above on a pegasus named Blackjack, Percy watched the white camp van. He had lost them a few times but Percy knew his way around and could catch up easily.

Landing basically on top of the Chrysler Building, the son of Poseidon watched, thinking the van would pull into the bus station. It didn't.

"Where's Argus taking them?" Percy asked.

'Oh, Argus ain't driving, boss,' Blackjack informed. 'That girl is.'

"Which girl?"

'The Hunter girl. With the silver crown thing in her hair.'

"Zoë?"

'That's the one. Hey, look! There's a donut shop. Can we get something to go?'

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Back in the van, Cassie had a similar idea. "We should stop for food on the way."

Grover bleated in agreement. "Yeah, totally!"

"No. That would waste precious time. Does thee not want to find thy's maiden Annabeth."

"Of course she does Zoë, but stopping to eat will keep us from starving." Thalia snapped.

Zoë grumbled and Bianca looked between them all. "Maybe a little break won't hurt?" The di Angelo girl offered.

The lieutenant sighed. "Fine, one stop but not until we get farther."

Cassie and Thalia shared a look of success.

༻ ─── •✧💢✧• ─── ༺

As promised, they made a stop in Maryland. Zoë pulled over by some convenience store just as Blackjack almost collapsed on the building's roof.

The group got out of the van.

"Finally! I was ready to throw up." The daughter of Ares cheered.

Bianca looked a bit green in the face. Grover and Thalia were busy talking about... acorns? Cassie didn't wanna know.

"Well wouldst thee like to drive then?!" Zoë retorted.

"Yeah sure!" Cassie snagged the car keys and pushed the shop's door open.

Zoë's blank stare followed her every move before the lieutenant trailed after her. Thalia, Bianca, and Grover followed suit.

The daughter of Ares' eyes immediately went to the ICEE machine. She had to keep herself from running over there.

"Okay, any rules for shopping o' wise lieutenant?" Cassie quipped.

Zoë nodded, not picking up on the mocking. "Use the restrooms as fast as possible. Mortal bathrooms are... disgusting. Then grab a snack or two I suppose."

Everyone agreed and went their separate ways. Cassie and Thalia headed to the snack section first. The punk girl found some cherry sour straws and tossed them to Cassie.

The daughter of Ares caught them and pretending to dunk them into the cart. "Thanks Pinecone Face."

"Anytime Battle Lust."

Somehow, Cassie ended up in the shopping cart as Thalia ran down another aisle pushing it. They nearly hit a wall but thankfully Thalia turned.

The daughter of Zeus got her own chocolate bars and now the two were just goofing off.