Four Tries Left
Percy was seriously tired of floating.
He used to love the feeling. Like when he was suspended in water. But now? It meant he failed. He failed to keep Annabeth safe.
He failed her again.
He wasn't as scared as before. He knew he'd wake up and have his arms around her. There'd be nothing separating them this time. Nothing.
"You imbecile" A voice echoed through his mind and he opened his eyes, staring into the blazing grey ones. The woman in front of him breathed heavily as she stood, not floated. Her greek gowns billowed around her feet, and a knife was strapped to her side, a war helmet under her arm. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders and Percy realized how much Annabeth looked like her mother. They were practically twins, minus the hair.
"You're almost out of turns," Athena said steely, watching the boy closely. The shadows around him rippled.
"Wha- where am I? Why are you here?" Percy asked, looking at the goddess. He didn't even bother to say 'Mistress' or anything, he was too confused at the moment.
Athena rolled her eyes, "Three chances I have given you. And still, my daughter lies dead. You'd think that her boyfriend would be more careful in protecting her. Especially one who claims to love her." Athena spat, her grip on her war helmet tightening. Percy blinked.
"I- I do love her!" Was all he said, taken aback by the insults, "I'm trying, it's just-"
"You're easily outwitted, even by the lowest of the low."
"Lowest of the low?" Percy asked immediately, hoping to find out who had killed Annabeth. Athena's eyes narrowed, but he could see worry in them.
"There is no time to explain. You will have to figure it out yourself. You have four more tries, including this one, to save my daughter. Or you will wake up with her dead, and her killer will get away." Athena said hurriedly, but with the same serious tone. As she talked, the room seemed to spin, Percy started feeling dizzy, and he tried to get out a couple of words.
"Who? Tell me who! So I can find him!" It came out as a scream as Athena bobbed in and out of his vision.
"He hates us! Names are power! You mustn't-"
And she was gone, and Percy lay on his bed, Annabeth at his side.
///
This would be the last time. He would save Annabeth. He would find her killer, and he would destroy him.
Percy immediately stood when he woke up, making up a plan. They'd go to Piper and Jason's, where his friends could help him protect Annabeth. He'd tell them he was expecting a monster attack, and that it'd be brutal. Actually, better not tell them that. Annabeth's killer would show up, and Percy would cut off his head.
As he paced around the room, Annabeth woke up, bleary eyed as she blinked at him, "Percy? What're you-"
"Who all hates Athena?" Percy rushed out. Annabeth looked at him incredulously.
"Is that a joke? Lots of people hate Athena, Percy." Annabeth said slowly. Percy ran his fingers through his hair, then put on his shoes.
"I'm calling Jason and Piper. We're going to hang out with them today, okay?"
"Percy, I have to work-"
"Please? It's important." He was so distressed at the idea he had a limited amount of time to save her that he couldn't even do the 'wounded seal' face properly. Annabeth sighed, rubbing at her eyes.
"Fine, Percy. But-" He had already shoved his shoe on and was now looking for a new shirt.
"Better get dressed, Wise Girl." He said, slight relief in his voice. Annabeth stood slowly and took her clothes. Percy went in the kitchen to make some toast, and kept an ear out for Annabeth. He was afraid that she might disappear. Percy continued to make breakfast and to call Piper and Jason.
"Annabeth?" Percy slashed through his Iris message he had going with Jason. He heard a muffled reply, then Annabeth walked into the kitchen with her shoes in one hand.
"Why is this so important?" She asked. Percy turned, as to not show her the desperate look in his eyes.
"Just to celebrate. Y'know. Graduating." He wished that was it. He wished that the biggest thing on his mind was school, and not the fate of his entire world. Sure, the earth might not be in danger, but Annabeth was. And that was the worse thing he could imagine.
"Right." Annabeth answered, and he heard her leave the room. Percy leaned against the counter heavily, taking deep breaths. He could practically feel how upset Annabeth would be with him. For not telling her, first off, and secondly, because he was prancing off trying to save her.
Percy wrapped the toast in paper towels, walking in the living room where Annabeth was tying her shoelaces. She smiled at him slightly when he sat the food next to her, but then she looked worried again.
"There's something else, Percy. I know there is," She said quietly, "What's going on? Tell me."
Percy considered it, he knew she'd figure out something was up eventually, but then he shook his head and smiled.
"Nothing's wrong," He inwardly cringed. He hated lying to Annabeth. "Come on, Wise Girl, let's get going." She stood and he wrapped his arms around her, everything else dissolving away because now he knew. She was here. She wasn't dead. He could keep her from dying.
"I love you." He said softly.
"Love you too, Seaweed Brain."
///
They got to Jason and Piper's new apartment at ten, walking up the steps with their hands intwined.
Piper and Jason were on the third floor, and their apartment was still cluttered with boxes, but it was good for now. Percy was sure that whoever had killed Annabeth would do whatever just to get to her again, and maybe the dude wouldn't be interested in breaking into apartments.
Still, the image of Gabe in the front seat of a car was burned into Percy's mind. It couldn't be him. He was the epitome of mortal. But, how did he play into it? And how was he up and walking when Percy's mother had turned him to stone?
"Percy?" Annabeth asked as they sat on Piper and Jason's couch. He snapped out of it, realizing that he was blankly staring out of the window.
"I'm okay." He said reassuringly. Annabeth didn't look convinced, but nodded and turned back to her conversation with Jason and Piper.
It was three hours later that Percy started getting anxious. He and Annabeth were still sitting on the couch, watching a movie with Jason and Piper. It was Thor 2, and so far Jason had rolled his eyes around a thousand times.
A sound came from the window and Percy whirled around, looking out at the buildings that were framed by the window.
"Did you hear that?" Percy asked quietly. Jason turned off the TV and pulled the blanket off of him and Piper. Annabeth placed a hand on her knife.
Scrape... Scrape... And there it was again. Like fingernails against a chalkboard. Percy stood and uncapped Riptide, and Jason pulled out his sword. Piper unsheathed her dagger. Annabeth didn't move, instead kept her hand on the hilt of her knife as she waited.
Crash! The window shafted and Percy shifted into a fighting position, watching as silence settled over the room. Annabeth's eyes were stormy, and he knew she was trying to think of a plan.
And just like that, a large being jumped in the window, it's cloven hooves scratching against the floor. It's spine showed through coarse, brown fur, and it's cold black eyes were trained on a point just behind Percy. It didn't have teeth, instead, a sharp, bony ridge that looked like it could slice through steel. Surprisingly, it looked like a hyena crossed with a lion. A dirty brown mane wrapped around its neck.
"Oh my gods." Annabeth gasped, and Percy glanced at her. Her eyes shone with fear. Well, that wasn't good, "Crocotta." She whispered.
The 'Crocotta' laughed, it's hooves scratching the hardwood floor. "Yes," It spoke with a human voice, which was creepy enough, not even counting the rest of the sentence, "I could smell a demigod a mile away. Especially such powerful ones... In the same room."
Yeah, that was kinda stupid on Percy's part.
"What do you want?" Jason asked, stepping up to stand beside Percy. The Crocotta laughed, slinking backwards slightly, then forwards, then backwards. It's lips were forever pulled back in a grin.
"Easy. To kill. I was told to wait for..." It's head tilted sideways, "He can wait. Dinner first. Let's start with..." And his eyes flocked to Annabeth with excitement, "The target."
He was so fast and strong, as he battled into Percy's chest, that the Son of Posiedon couldn't even lift his sword in time. The Crocotta pushed him over with such force that he toppled backwards into the TV.
Annabeth, luckily, dodged to the side, rolling over the couch as the Crocotta's sharp teeth snapped at her. Piper swung her dagger blindly, but it glanced off of the Crocotta's fur.
"It can't be killed!" Percy heard Annabeth scream, "Run!"
Let me tell you, when Annabeth Chase told you it was no use and to run...
You'd better run like Aphrodite during Black Friday at Forever 21.
Percy grabbed her wrist as the Crocotta chomped at her again, racing towards the window with his heart hammering. He jumped out of the window and pulled her with him onto the fire escape and they clambered down, hearing the beast chase after them as Piper and Jason flew out of another window.
Percy jumped the last few steps and turned just in time to see Annabeth duck, the creature barreling at her then flipping onto the sidewalk.
Annabeth cursed. Like, mortal curses, which meant that this was bad. "We could never out run it now!" She said under her breath. Mortals looked at them hesitantly.
The hyena thing charged her, but she stepped aside. Still, it's fur brushed against her skin and she shivered, watching as it turned. The alley it was in was dark, and suddenly it paused, it's lion ears twitching.
"This has been quite fun." A voice said from the shadows. Rage blinded Percy, and he stepped forward. The Crocotta screeched a warning.
"My, my, how lucky we are. These two are so foolish, they cannot even fight a Crocotta!" The voice said. Annabeth's pride kicked in.
"There's no way to kill a Crocotta." She objected. The voice scoffed.
"Of course there is. Are you sure you're a daughter of Athena?" Rage settled over Annabeth immediately, and the man seemed to giggle slightly at her discomfort.
He shifted and Percy could see half of his figure. His chest was partially bare, the rest covered in a red toga. In his hand was a staff, topped with what looked like a puppet's head. And his long dark hair went to his shoulders, his caramel eyes roving over the two. His face was lean, but not exactly handsome.
"Who are you?" Annabeth asked, scrunching her eyebrows together. The man laughed heartily, shaking his head.
"Like I would tell you that." He practically purred, glancing at the Crocotta who had started to circle around Percy and Annabeth. It pushed them forward and Percy slashed at his head, making it growl.
"Can I kill this one?"
"Not yet." The man said. Now Percy and Annabeth were completely in the alley, covered in shadows. No one would notice or care. They'd probably think that it was just a couple of kids up to no good. Call the police? Maybe. But that wouldn't help.
"Hmm, I've been waiting to kill you for so long." The man walked forward, his bare feet against the dirty alley way. His eyes were trained on Annabeth.
Percy tried slashing at him, stupidly. Before his sword could connect with the jerk's face, he felt blazing pain in his leg and pitched forward, crying out. The Crocotta had bitten him, and he felt it's teeth go deep into his calf. Riptide clattered from his hand.
Annabeth dodged out of the man's way, her knife hitting it shoulder and sinking in to the hilt automatically. He cried out, and the Crocotta snapped at Percy so he wouldn't get up. It wasn't like he could, anyway, the pain was unbearable. He knew it had gone straight to the bone. Now he could only watch in terror as golden Ichor flowed from the man's shoulders. The caramel eyes lit up with anger.
It was obvious who'd win that fight, but Percy still prayed Annabeth would slice the man- no, god into pieces. But he spun around, and Annabeth's knife was still buried into his shoulder.
He hit her on the head with the cane/walking stick/staff thing. She didn't fall though, even if it looked like she should have fallen unconscious. She still fought, grabbing a can from the alley and throwing it at him. Sardine juice splattered all over his face.
And that was the last straw. The pain was making everything foggy as Percy cried out. The god raised his staff and sent the sharp point straight through Annabeth's abdomen.
She fell limp onto the pavement and Percy tried to crawl to her, but he couldn't. His leg felt like it would fall off. The god crouched so he was level with Percy, and smirked.
"Who are you?" Percy gasped through the rage and pain. The man smiled.
"How about you call me Mo? Or is that too long of a name for you?"
Mo raised his staff, and struck Percy's head with it, puppet head figurine first.
Percy fell unconscious.