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Annabeth XVII

"Annabeth XVII," Demeter read.

Annabeth sighed as Percy shot her another apologetic look.

ANNABETH WAS TRYING TO CHEER UP HAZEL, regaling her with Percy's greatest Seaweed Brain moments,

Annabeth couldn't help but give the faintest smile at that.

"Of course you would." Percy groaned, making a big show of rolling his eyes.

"What? It'll help Hazel take her mind off things." she replied in mock innocence, bumping her shoulder against his.

when Frank stumbled down the hall and burst into her cabin.

"Where's Leo?" he gasped. "Take off! Take off!"

"If that didn't cause any questions, I don't know what will." Annabeth said. 

Both girls shot to their feet.

"Where's Percy?" Annabeth demanded. 

"Of course that's the first thing she asks." Aphrodite giggled.

Annabeth suppressed the urge to sigh.

"And the goat?"

"The goat has a name." Clarisse said, eyes narrowing at the daughter of Athena.

"She's just still upset that Coach Hedge grounded her." Travis said with a snicker.

"It's not everyday, Annabeth gets stopped from going a quest." Connor added.

Frank grabbed his knees, trying to breathe. His clothes were stiff and damp, like they'd been washed in pure starch. "On deck. They're fine. We're being followed!"

Annabeth pushed past him and took the stairs three at a time, Hazel right behind her and Frank trailing, still gasping for air. 

"How are you this out of breath?" Ares grumbled.

"He did have to run up the tallest hill in Atlanta." Aphrodite reminded.

"Excuses." the god huffed. "My children could've done it without breaking a sweat." 

Percy and Hedge lay on the deck, looking exhausted. Hedge was missing his shoes. He grinned at the sky, muttering, "Awesome. Awesome."

"At least someone had fun." Percy said, playfully rolling his eyes.

Percy was covered with nicks and scratches, like he'd jumped through a window. 

"I wish that was what happened..." Percy sighed. Almost being a main attraction at an aquarium... Out of all the things that could happen to me as a demigod, I never thought something like that.

He shuddered in disgust.

He didn't say anything, but he grasped Annabeth's hand weakly as if to say, Be right with you, as soon as the world stops spinning.

Will frowned. Poseidon and Annabeth tensed.

"Are you okay?" Nico couldn't help but ask.

"I'm fine, probably just tired from using my powers... And all that running." Percy added as an afterthought. He turned to Leo. "Did we run all the way back to the ship? Or did Frank transform into a giant bird and fly us half-way there?"

Rocking his chair back, Leo shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, never bothered to ask. I think you ran."

Geez, no wonder I'm tired. We had to take a car to get to that aquarium. the son of Poseidon grimaced.