Percy Jackson loved McDonalds- he simply had to go there at least once every week. Sure, blue food was great, but he seriously loved fries.

Percy's favourite McDonalds was the one where he could see Olympus, aka the Empire State Building, which the Titan Kronos tried to take over during the 'war', which had actually happened a week ago. Percy didn't remember ever having felt so terrified. He was one hundred percent sure that if not for his girlfriend Annabeth, he would not be alive right now.

As it was, he was eating fries at McDonalds with Annabeth and his other good friend, Thalia Grace.

It was as usual- they were talking about normal things like school, the gods, the war etc. Okay, maybe not so normal, but it was still not unusual.

Until, of course, that man arrived.

He bounded through the shop shouting, "THE HERO IS HERE!" then went and ordered four hamburgers, unaware that everyone was staring at him. He was wearing a bomber jacket, a blue shirt, black pants and he had rectangle glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. His hair was golden brown and had a funny cowlick- a clump of hair that defied gravity. His eyes were blue, like Percy's favourite color. He looked about 20 or 21, fresh from his teenage years, and he looked familiar to Percy.

He was followed by another blonde man who looked about 24 and an Asian girl who looked the same age as Percy.

"OIII! Alfie! Slow down lah!" the girl yelled, tackling the boy-with-the-cowlick. Her accent was very hard to place. "Do you even remember what we're here for, you git?" the man (who had abnormally thick eyebrows) snapped. From his accent, Percy figured he was British.

"Aw, Iggy, you're no fun! You go on ahead without me! I'll be there once I finish!" the boy-with-the-cowlick laughed annoyingly. "Plus, Mattie can fill me in, it's easy, he looks like me! No one will miss me for a few minutes!"

The Asian girl facepalmed. "That is just so out of character," she said. "How could the meeting start 'without the hero'?" she imitated the boy's voice.

Thalia prodded Percy, hard. "D'you think they realize everyone is staring at them?" she whispered to him. He was about to reply, but his mouth was full of burger. He didn't need to answer, though- someone else did for him.

"I don't think they do," a high, amused voice said from beside them. "But they're always like this."

It was a girl who looked the same age as Percy, her straight golden hair cropped to the chin. She was wearing a very 'old-school' magenta dress, which had a collar and everything, and she wore white stockings under brown shoes. There was a purple bow in her hair. Her eyes were large, innocent, and very green. Percy hated to admit it, but her looks could compete with Annabeth, who was easily the most beautiful girl on earth, in Percy's opinion.

The girl smiled at him, Thalia and Annabeth. "So you're Percy Jackson?" she asked a bit timidly, her voice soft and soothing.

"Yeah, why?" he answered without thinking. Gods, this is bad. What if she's some underworld creature in disguise?

But the girl didn't attack him or anything, she just laughed. "Mr. Ame-Alfred was bragging in the meeting abut how you saved New York," she smiled.

"Alfred?"

"Yes, the man in the bomber jacket," she nodded towards the man with the cowlick, now named Alfred. "War is terrible," the girl said sadly, her eyes suddenly looking old. "If Big Bruder hadn't... Can you tell me about the war?" she asked, watching the Asian girl take one of Alfred's fries and eat it. Alfred complained loudly, saying something about 'no taking things from the Hero'. The man with the thick eyebrows yelled at them for them to hurry.

Percy was about to tell her when he saw Annabeth shake her head slightly.

Percy shrugged at the girl, who just nodded absentmindedly. Since they had finished the conversation, she walked over to the arguing trio and greeting them with a smiled. "Mr Arthur, Mr Alfred, Miss Jia Qing," she spoke in her soft voice, her voice never wavering. "Big Bruder sent me to get you, since no one else volunteered."

Percy could almost laugh at the effect it gave.

Alfred's eyes widened. "Oh, sh*t, Swi-Vash is gonna kill me if we take too long! Why did it have to be you who came! The Hero can't die!" he wailed, rushing out of McDonalds and out into the sunny day. Arthur, the man with thick eyebrows rolled hi emerald eyes and followed Alfred out. Jia Qing, the girl, just laughed. "How did you get Switzy- I mean, Vash-to let you come and get us, Liecht?" she asked with a smile.

"I told him he'd get to shoot them if they refused to come or if I took too long (ten minutes)," the girl-now named Liecht-replied. 'Liecht' was probably a nickname. But one part confused Percy the most. Shoot? Like, with a gun?

Jia Qing grabbe Liecht's arm and dragged her out of McDonalds.

In the whole 'scene', the three new people had not noticed the whole of McDonalds had gone silent in watching them.

Now that the trio had left, the chatter resumed.

"What was that all about?" Annabeth finally spoke up, her expression confused.

Thalia shrugged, "Beats me. She said she knew about the war... so she must be a demigod?"

Percy shook his head. "I didn't recognize her. She's not from Camp Half-Blood, neither is Alfred, the guy with the bomber jacket."

Annabeth leaned forward, her grey eyes serious. "Did you see how she talked about war? It was like she had actually been in a war- a full blown war, not the Titan war. It was only for a brief second, but I could swear that she looked a thousand years older."

Percy nodded, surprised that he was so serious.

"Lets hope we won't need to fight another war to save the world," Annabeth said.

"And hope the world can save us? Or itself?" Thalia joked.

Annabeth grinned. Percy couldn't believe he had thought Liecht to be as pretty as Annabeth- Annabeth was definitely more beautiful.

"Exactly," she said.