PERCY
˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀
Sen woke up a few hours later. Percy knew that because she woke him up. His head shot up and he blinked away the sleep as Sen smiled at him.
"You're alive."
"So are you." Percy blurted. Already, she was looking better. She was more colorful, more filled out. Percy saw a plate with some ambrosia on it. Sen must've eaten some to heal herself after... after. "Are you okay? Do you need something?"
"Annabeth." Sen spit out.
"Uh, well, I could probably go carry her, but not without her slicing my arm off."
Sen shook her head and looked away, her expression sad again. "No, I meant... I need to apologize. It..."
I was terrible to her, Sen's voice spoke. Percy shook his head and used his other hand to hold hers.
"She understands."
She doesn't. Sen replied. You didn't have to see it. What I did. And you never will.
And with that, Sen passed out again.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀
The next morning, Percy made sure Mrs. O'Leary had enough dog biscuits. He asked Beckendorf to keep an eye on her, which he didn't seem too happy about. Then he hiked over Half-Blood Hill and met Annabeth, Sen, and Argus on the road.
Annabeth didn't talk much in the van. Argus never spoke, probably because he had eyes all over his body, including- allegedly- at the tip of his tongue, and he didn't like to show that off.
Sen seemed to be the only one in a semi-decent mood. Literally overnight, she'd gained most of her weight and color back. Her hair was done in two high pigtails and looked much more full than it had yesterday. She seemed just about normal.
Mostly.
Every now and then, Percy would catch her zoning out again, completely unmoving, which was very unlike her. He'd typically pull her out of it- tap her, nudge her, say something- and she'd be okay again, but if it was silent for too long, her thousand-yard stare returned and she sat as still as Thalia's pine tree.
Percy hadn't been feeling very good about his dreams of Luke's army and Daedalus killing Minos for Aelia and the other sisters. But Annabeth looked queasy, as if she'd slept even worse than he had.
"Bad dreams?" Percy asked. It was the first he'd spoken to her this whole trip. Really, the only other sound this whole time had been Sen humming before she'd randomly level off and zone out again.
Annabeth shook her head. "An Iris-message from Eurytion."
Sen sat straight up. "Is he okay? Is Nico okay?"
"He left the ranch last night, heading back into the maze. Nico was gone before he woke up. Orthus tracked his scent as far as the cattle guard. Eurytion said he'd been hearing Nico talk to himself the last few nights. Only now he thinks Nico was talking with the ghost again, Minos."
"He's in danger." Percy said.
"We have to go back into the maze." Sen grimaced. Percy could tell she didn't want to. He'd been trying not to say it, or even think it.
But ever since the maze, Sen hadn't been right.
Annabeth said, "No kidding. Minos is one of the judges of the dead, but he's got a vicious streak a mile wide. I don't know what he wants with Nico, but-"
"That's not what I meant." Percy said. "I had this dream last night..." Percy told the girls about Luke, how he'd mentioned Quintus, and how his men had found a half-blood alone in the maze.
Sen was silent.
Annabeth's jaw clenched. "That's very, very bad."
Percy sighed. "So, what do we do?" Sen's eyes splintered off and Percy nudged her. They snapped back together and she took a deep breath.
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's a good thing you have a plan to guide us, huh?"
˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀
It was Saturday, and traffic was heavy going into the city. The demigods arrived at Percy's mom's apartment around noon. When she answered the door, she gave Percy a hug only a little less overwhelming than having a hellhound jump on you.
"I told them you were all right." Sally said, but she sounded like the weight of the sky had just been lifted off her shoulders- which, all of the demigods present knew what that felt like.
She sat them down at the kitchen table and insisted on feeding them her special blue chocolate-chip cookies while the demigods caught her up on the quest. As usual, Percy tried to water down the frightening parts (which was pretty much everything), but somehow that just made it sound more dangerous. As usual, Sen was not allowed to tell the story.
When Percy got to the part about Geryon and the stables, his mom pretended like she was going to strangle him. "I can't get him to clean his room, but he'll clean a hundred tons of horse manure out of some monster's stables?"
Sen smiled. "THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING!"
She laughed. It was nice to hear her laugh. It was a genuine one, and Percy doubted she'd had many of those. Even Annabeth smiled fondly at the sight of Sen laughing.
"So," Sally said when Percy was done with the story. "you wrecked Alcatraz Island, made Mount St. Helens explode, and displaced half a million people, but at least you're safe." That's Percy's mom, always looking on the bright side.
"Yep." Percy nodded. "That pretty much covers it."
"I wish Paul were here." She said, half to herself. "He wanted to talk to you."
Percy slumped. "Oh, right... the school."
So much had happened since then, Percy had almost forgotten about the high school orientation at Goode- the fact he'd left the band hall in flames, and his mom's boyfriend had last seen Percy jumping through a window like a fugitive.
"What did you tell him?" Percy asked as Sen wolfed out on blue cookies.
Sally shook her head. "What could I say? He knows something is different about you, Percy. He's a smart man. He believes that you're not a bad person. He doesn't know what's going on, but the school is pressuring him. After all, he got you admitted there. He needs to convince them the fire wasn't your fault. And since you ran away, that looks bad."
Annabeth was studying Percy. She looked pretty sympathetic. Percy knew she'd been in similar situations. It's never easy for a half-blood in the mortal world. Really, the most "normal" person here was probably Sen, but she didn't even know where the hell she came from. Percy eyed her down, almost trying to telepathically get her to say something about how crazy her life has been.
"At least it's not as bad as being a mom-killer and a Laotian terrorist." Sen nodded.
Sen wolfed out some more on blue cookies.
"I'll talk to him." Percy promised. "After we're done with the quest. I'll even tell him the truth if you want."
Sally put her hand on Percy's shoulder. "You would do that?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, he'll think we're crazy."
"He already thinks that."
"Then there's nothing to lose."
"Thank you, Percy. I'll tell him you'll be home..." She frowned. "When? What happens now?"
Annabeth broke her cookie in half. "Percy has this plan." She said it with such venom, Percy wanted to break her in half.
"Ooh, orange juice!" Sen grinned as she walked over to the fridge. Percy liked how she basically treated this apartment like it was her home, too. In a way, it was.
Reluctantly, Percy told Sally the plan.
She nodded slowly. "It sounds very dangerous. But it might work."
"You have the same abilities, don't you?" Percy asked. "You can see through the Mist."
Sally sighed. "Not so much now. When I was younger it was easier. But yes, I've always been able to see more than was good for me. It's one of the things that caught your father's attention, when we first met. Just be careful. Promise me you'll be safe."
"We'll try, Ms. Jackson." Annabeth said. "Keeping your son safe is a big job, though." She folded her arms and glared out the kitchen window.
Percy tried to contain his anger, but he felt his face heating up. He balled up his napkin so hard, his knuckles turned white, and he tried not to say anything. He looked to the ceiling, praying to every god he knew for the strength not to kill Annabeth Chase. He even prayed to Ares.
Sen stood behind Sally, and both were frowning.
"What's going on?" Sally asked. "Have you two been fighting?"
Nobody said anything.
"Geez, did someone try to kill the other while I was out?" Sen frowned.
Sally turned to her and took Sen's hand. "Oh, Sen. I'm so happy you're safe. They... They said you were sick."
Sick. So they hadn't told Sally about Sen's- er, condition.
Sen nodded. "I was. But I'm better now." She glared at Percy and Annabeth. "But this tension is making me feel a little nauseous."
"Well, it's Percy's fault."
"Ugh, shut up, Annabeth!"
"Don't tell me to-"
"HEY!" Sen slammed her hands down on the table hard enough to rattle the plates. Sally rubbed her temples. "Don't do that in front of Sally! Do that after we leave the apartment! Because then I'll have free mercy to kill you!"
Annabeth and Percy stayed silent. Percy could hear the pipes rumbling again.
"Please don't." Sen pleaded as she walked back over to the fridge. She opened it up and found some leftover alfredo pasta. She made her way to the microwave and began heating it up.
Sally sighed. It was almost like she could see what Annabeth and Percy were fighting about, which was a little ironic, since Percy didn't even know what the hell Annabeth's problem was. "Well, remember," Sally said. "Grover and Tyson are counting on you three."
"I know." Percy and Annabeth said at the same time. They sent each other a death glare, but froze when Sen appeared behind them. She put her hands on either sides of their heads, and clunked them together.
"OW!"
"SEN, WHAT THE-"
"Thank you for all your help, Sally." Sen grinned sweetly.
Sally smiled. "Percy, you'd better use the phone in the hall. Good luck."
Percy was relieved to get out of the kitchen, even though he was nervous about what he was about to do. He went to the phone and placed the call. The number had washed off his hand a long time ago, but that was okay. Without meaning to, he'd memorized it.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀
The demigods arranged a meeting in Times Square. They found Rachel Elizabeth Dare in front of the Marriott Marquis, and she was completely painted gold- her face, her hair, her clothes- everything. She looked like she'd been touched by King Midas. She was standing like a statue with five other kids all painted metallic- copper, bronze, silver. They were frozen in different poses while tourists hustled past or stopped to stare. Some passerby threw money at the tarp on the sidewalk.
The sign at Rachel's feet said, URBAN ART FOR KIDS, DONATIONS APPRECIATED.
"Automaton?" Sen questioned as she tilted her head.
"No, redhead." Annabeth said spitefully. Percy kind of wished Sen could clunk Annabeth's head again. Maybe into a sharp spike or something.
Annabeth, Sen, and Percy stood there for like five minutes, staring at Rachel, but if she noticed them, she didn't let on. She didn't move or even blink that Percy could see. Being ADHD and all, Percy could not have done that. Standing still that long would've driven him crazy. It was weird to see Rachel in gold, too. She looked like a statue of somebody famous, an actress or something. Only her eyes were normal green.
"Maybe if we push her over." Annabeth suggested.
Percy thought that was a little mean, but Rachel didn't respond.
"Man, I wonder what kind of paint this is." Sen remarked. "Hopefully it doesn't damage her hair. She's got pretty hair."
"Disagree." Annabeth muttered.
"Annabeth, would you chill?" Percy whispered.
After another few minutes, a kid in silver walked up from the hotel taxi stand, where he'd been taking a break. He took a pose like he was lecturing the crowd, right next to Rachel. Rachel unfroze and stepped off the tarp.
"Hey, Percy." She grinned. "Good timing! Let's get some coffee."
Sen frowned a little bit. Percy remembered that Sen had met Rachel too, and he felt a little bad that Rachel kind of blew her off.
The demigods walked down to a place called the Java Moose on West 43rd. Rachel ordered an Espresso Extreme, the kind of stuff Grover would like. Sen ordered a latte. Annabeth and Percy got fruit smoothies and they sat at a table right under the stuffed moose. Nobody even looked twice at Rachel in her golden outfit.
"So," She said. "it's Annabell, right?"
"Annabeth." Annabeth glowered.
"Um, I'm here, too." Sen said softly.
Rachel seemed to notice Sen for the first time. "Oh, hi. You never told me your name."
Percy blinked. "Um, I told you her name. This is Sen."
"Oh." Rachel looked at Sen. "Your hair is different."
Sen started zoning out again. It was like she was seeing through Rachel. This time, Annabeth nudged Sen and brought her back. Rachel frowned and quickly looked away as Sen silently sipped her coffee.
"Do you always dress in gold?" Annabeth asked pointedly.
"Not usually." Rachel said. "We're raising money for our group. We do volunteer art projects for elementary kids 'cause they're cutting art from the schools, you know? We do this once a month, take in about five hundred dollars on a good weekend. But I'm guessing you don't want to talk about that. You're a half-blood, too?"
"Shh!" Annabeth said, looking around. Even Sen looked a little nervous. "Just announce it to the world, how about?"
"Okay." Rachel stood up and said really loud, "Hey, everybody! These three aren't human! They're half Greek god!"
Sen surprised Percy as she reached up and yanked Rachel back in her seat. "Shut up! You're gonna alert every monster in the tri-state area!"
But nobody even looked over.
Rachel shrugged. "They don't seem to care."
Sen didn't look very good. She was bouncy and nervous, agitated. She was looked around like she was scared or something.
"What is it? Do you sense something?" Annabeth asked nervously.
"No." Sen said. "Yes? I don't know."
"That's not very definitive." Rachel remarked. "And what do you mean sense something? You got a monster radar?"
"I can detect souls." Sen explained. "Monsters, gods, mortals, demigods. Annabeth, it's like it's all around. It-" She frowned. "It's the Labyrinth."
"Uh, the Labyrinth is a maze, not a monster." Rachel frowned.
"That's not funny." Annabeth said. "This isn't a joke, mortal girl. This is serious."
"Hold it, you two." Percy said, trying to ignore his nervousness. "Just calm down."
"I'm calm." Rachel insisted. "Every time I'm around you, some monster attacks us. What's to be nervous about?"
"Well, you announcing our lineage probably won't up your chances of safety." Sen muttered as she sipped her coffee.
Percy stared at her. Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?
Sen didn't answer.
"Look." Percy said. "I'm really sorry about the band room. I hope they didn't kick you out or anything."
"Nah. They asked me a lot of questions about you. I played dumb."
"Was it hard?" Annabeth asked.
"Okay, stop!" Percy said as Sen choked on her latte. Annabeth helped her clean up the coffee. "Rachel, we've got a problem. And we need your help."
Rachel narrowed her eyes at Annabeth. "You need my help?"
Annabeth stirred her straw in her smoothie. "Yeah." She said suddenly. "Maybe."
"Can we hurry up?" Sen pleaded. "It's close, and there's a bunch of scary shit in there, and I don't wanna go crazy."
Percy told Rachel about the Labyrinth, and how they needed to find Daedalus. He told her what had happened the last few times they'd gone in.
"So you want me to guide you." Rachel said. "Through a place I've never been."
"You can see through the Mist." Percy said. "Just like Ariadne. I'm betting you can see the right path. The Labyrinth won't be able to fool you as easily."
"And if you're wrong?"
"You'll either go crazy or die a horrible death!" Sen said all too happily.
"That's enough." Percy frowned as he took away the coffee. "We'll just get lost. We found our way out before. It just takes a while. Either way, it'll be dangerous. Very, very dangerous."
"I could die?"
"Yeah."
"I thought you said monsters don't care about mortals. That sword of yours-"
"Yeah." Percy said. "Celestial bronze doesn't hurt mortals. Most monsters would ignore you. But Luke... he doesn't care. He'll use mortals, demigods, monsters, whatever. And he'll kill anyone who gets in his way."
"You could also suffocate." Sen said. "Or starve to death. Or kill yourself. Or die of dehydration."
Percy wanted to break her in half, too.
"Nice guy." Rachel said. She eyed Sen down. "Can all of that really happen?"
"Yep." Sen yoinked her latte back and went to town. "Might just go crazy and never be the same when you get out. Happened to my buddy Chris."
"Are you crazy?"
"Watch it." Annabeth growled.
"Not crazy." Sen said. "Anxious! Agitated! I want to get this quest done."
Percy felt nervousness climbing in his throat.
Rachel looked back and forth between the demigods. "Okay." She said. "I'm in."
Percy blinked. He hadn't figured it would be so easy. "Are you sure?"
"Hey, my summer was going to be boring. This is the best offer I've gotten yet. So what do I look for?" Rachel asked.
"We have to find an entrance to the Labyrinth." Annabeth said. "There's an entrance at Camp Half-Blood, but you can't go there. It's off-limits to mortals."
She said mortals like it was some sort of terrible condition, but Rachel just nodded. "Okay. What does an entrance to the Labyrinth look like?"
"It could be anything." Annabeth said. "A section of wall. A boulder. A doorway. A sewer entrance. But it would have the mark of Daedalus on it. A Greek ∆, glowing in blue."
"Like this?" Rachel drew the symbol Delta in water on the table.
"That's it." Annabeth breathed. "You know Greek?"
"No." Rachel said. She pulled a big blue plastic hairbrush from her pocket and started brushing the gold out of her hair. "Let me get changed. You'd better come with me to the Marriott."
"Why?" Annabeth frowned.
"What is Marriott?" Sen questioned. She paused. "No. Answer Annabeth's."
"Because there's an entrance like that in the hotel basement, where we store our costumes. It's got the mark of Daedalus."
˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀
annabeth saying "was it hard" is literally one of the funniest things she has ever done in all of the books