A/N

Well. Hi! Um. I wrote this for a contest... So here you go... To anyone reading Forgotten I am so sorry! I have the next chapter half written out and I'll try to update soon.

Disclaimer: Do I look like Uncle Rick to you?

REVISED 12/28/13

I yawn looking at the brightening morning sky, still tired from keeping watch half the night. Pulling my hair up into a loose ponytail, I stumble to my feet. I step over Percy, careful not to jostle him, and go under Grover's tree.

"Grover!" I stage-whisper and start throwing little pebbles at his sleeping form.

"Huh...uh... Annabeth?" Grover sleepily asks as he sits up.

"Yeah. Time to wake up," I say quietly, trying not to wake the boy behind me. Grover and I had both agreed last night to let him sleep as much as he can.

"I'm going to get breakfast," I say turning towards Auntie Em's. "You can go explore or something," I call out over my shoulder while I trudge out of the clearing to the creepy emporium.

After a few minuets of brisk walking I reach the building.

I don't know why, but I get the feeling I should not tread lightly alone. I slip behind the snack bar and grab a few bags of chips and some drinks.

Soon as I can I'm back at the campsite.

The sight that meets me is not what I expected. Grover is sitting cross-legged on the ground with a poodle in his lap. A dirty, fuzzy, pink poodle.

I just stand there staring until Grover says, "Annabeth, say hello to Gladiola."

"I am not greeting a poodle," I say crossing my arms.

"Just please say hello to him," Grover pleads. "I found him in the woods and we started talking. He says he ran away from his family and they posted a $200 reward. He doesn't really want to go home, but he says he willing to help."

"Fine. Hello Gladiola," I huff out.

Looking behind me, I see Percy still sleeping, drooling in his sleeping bag. Some things never change. Stepping over him once again, I reach down and start shaking his shoulder.

"Wake up! Wake up!" I say trying to rouse the boy. Finally, after a lot of shaking, Percy's sea green eyes open blearily.

"Well," I say. "The zombie lives." I can see Percy shaking a bit. Hm. Wonder what that's about.

"How long was I asleep?" he asks.

I chuckle internally as I say, "Long enough for me to cook breakfast." I toss him a bag of the nacho flavored chips I stole. "And Grover went exploring. Look, he found a friend."

Percy just blinked at the poodle until it suddenly yipped at him.

Out of the blue Grover says, "No, he's not."

Obviously startled, Percy asks,"Are you... talking to that thing?" Gladiola growled at the son of Poseidon.

"This thing," Grover practically growls himself, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."

As a true tribute to the nickname I bestowed upon him, Percy asks,"You can talk to animals?"

Grover, ignoring the stupid question, says, "Percy meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy."

Percy stares up at me and says, "I'm not saying hello to a pink poodle. Forget it."

Percy is still looking at me so I say, "Percy. I said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle."

The pink dog once again growls at the Sea Prince. Finally, Percy says a grudging hello to the pink poodle. Thank the Gods.