Unexpected

Chapter 1

Annabeth was in the park, enjoying the sunshine on her face with her boyfriend next to her when her day started to suck. After a whole summer of adventures too save the world and near death experiences, all she wanted was the world to cut her some slack. She had been debative with Percy on wether they should buy ice-creams at the ice-cream truck or get doughnuts when Percy had jumped to his feet and said :

'Did you hear that ?'

'Hear what ?' she asked.

'Here it is. Don't you hear it ?'

Annabeth could hear it, all right. It sounded like a car being torn into two pieces by a very violent giant. She jumped to her feet, wondering what she had done to the world to hate her so bad. Percy took Riptide out of his pocket in pen form. It didn't look that intimidating, but when he uncapped it, it turned into a three feet long Celestial bronze sword.

They jogged towards the sound of the ripping car, Percy with Riptide in his hand and Annabeth with a Lakonian drakon tooth (it was an excellent sword). As they got closer, the sound became louder and when they turned on the next street, Annabeth got a real look at the cause of the noise. Clawing at a car, was a huge lion, about 10 feet tall, with a weird tail made of spikes. When the beast turned over, as if it had sensed their presence, Annabeth realised with horror that it had a woman's face.

'Demigods,' the lion-woman said her face lighting up as if she'd gotten a huge present.'Excellent. You'll make such little fine feasts.' She licked her lips and crouched like a cat before jumping.

'Wait, wait wait !' Annabeth interfered.'Can we have a few last words, please ?'

'Last words ?' the monster asked, clearly confused.

'Well yeah. That's what people do when they're about to die, you know,' Percy jumped in.

'All right. You have two minutes and no more,' the she-lion chuckled.

'So generous,' Annabeth mumbled. Percy could see Annabeth trying to find a plan and get them safe out of this place.

'So,' Percy started.'A few things I'll miss when I'll be gone. Ice-creams, Annabeth, my mom, my friends, blue coke, and um, the beach, and, um, pizza, and uh-'

'Enough !' the she-lion interrupted. ' I think I'll kill you now' She crouched, her muscled tensed and-

'Wait !'Annabeth shouted.'You're a Manticore !'

'A what now ? A what mint coke ?' Percy asked.

The Manticore sniffed at the two demigods.'A Manticore, boy. Spelled m-a-n-t-i-c-o-r-e. Well, if you were as smart at this one,' she pointed her head in the direction where Annabeth was standing.' You'd know.'

'See.' Annabeth was smiling, now.' We could be, i dont know, maybe friends. If you just wait a minute, I have something t show you.' She turned her back on th Manticore and opened her backpack. But the she-lion apparently didn't like to wait and all Annabeth heard was a shout of warning from Percy, she turned around, just in time to see the Manticore jump on her. Then, she hit her head and the world went black.