Howdy everyone! I hope y'all are all having a wonderful day so far. As you can see, I'm back with Chapter 2! Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed last chapter... seriously, I did not expect such immediate feedback! And as to answer some of your questions, this story will have 9 chapters (hmm...interesting. 9 chapters, 9 months of pregnancy, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!) and I plan to update every Monday until I finish. Sound good? Excellent! I'll hush now, and thank you in advance for reading; I hope you enjoy it! :)

Annabeth had expected Percy to drag his feet on getting ready to go, but he got ready in record-timing, throwing on some clothes and downing some cereal faster than Grover headed for the cafeteria on enchilada day at lunch (or so she'd been told by her husband).

"So why are we going to see Rachel?" Percy asked as they trudged up a hill overlooking the amphitheater. Nearby, the Athena Parthenos stood guard against opposing outside forces, the ivory skin of the statue standing out against its gold toga like a person who'd been cooped up indoors too long. The hill leading to the Oracle's cave was a steep incline, but the two demigods hardly noticed it; as many years as they'd been battling monsters, completing quests, and saving the world's butt, a tough climb was the lowest item on their list of concerns, and besides, they didn't even feel the burn in their calves anymore.

"You'll see," was all Annabeth said in reply, just as they reached the mouth of the cave.

Percy paused at the door, uncertain whether it would be rude to just enter without knocking.

As if reading his mind, Annabeth nudged him. "Go ahead. Rachel's expecting us."

He gave her a look of mild surprise, before parting the blue curtains and passing through into Rachel Elizabeth Dare's Quirky Cave of Wonders.

As always, both demigods found their breath being taken away as their eyes panned around the room, taking in the exquisite detail found on the walls of the cave. Elaborate murals coated the walls in fine layers of paint, some detailing historical events, events that were to happen in the future, or events that likely never happened and never would. Still other images displayed art more personal to Rachel herself, like her favorite book, music and movie quotes. Everything about it really was breath-taking.

"Hey, you two!" cried a voice, and almost as if by magic, a woman with flaming red hair appeared in the center of the room, her arms extended in welcome. With her green eyes glittering like emeralds and her faint freckles rippling with her smile, she teased, "Don't you know it's rude not to knock?"

"Hey, Rachel," grinned Annabeth, and the two stepped forward to hug each other like two old friends. (Which they were, ever since Percy had no longer been a common interest of the two girls in that way.) Likewise, Percy greeted the red-haired woman with a warm smile and hug, and there was no awkward tension between the three of them like there had been when they were young teenagers.

"Well Rachel," said Percy after the three had commenced with the usual light banter and conversation, "Annabeth forced me to wake up early on a Saturday morning and walk up a very steep hill, so there'd better be a good reason why we're here."

The two girls shared a secretive smile, with Rachel replying, "I'd say there is," as she handed him a shiny object from a pocket of her paint-splattered jeans.

He groaned as he looked at it. "Not another clue!" he complained, though there was an eager smile on his face when he read it.

You're many things,

But one you're not,

Is good at archery

And a dead-eye shot

Percy stared at the paper in confusion. "You want me to do what with this, exactly?"

Annabeth let out a huff and rolled her eyes. "You use it to figure out where to go next, Seaweed Brain."

His eyes grew wide as he feigned shock. "How am I supposed to figure where to go from this? It doesn't even make sense!"

"Hey!" Rachel protested indignantly. "I wrote that clue!"

"Well then it's me who should be offended," retaliated Percy. "You basically said I stink at archery."

She shrugged. "You know it's true. You do."

Annabeth giggled, and her husband glared at her. "What are you laughing about, Wise Girl? I bet you didn't write any of the clues, did you?"

His answer was another shrug. "Not my fault Rachel's better at poetry than me. But at least I don't embarrass myself every time I practice at the archery range!"

Percy's eyes widened, and a smug smile overtook his face. "Thank you, Wise Girl."

She blinked slowly. "For what?"

"You just gave me the answer to this clue, and the next location." Handing the clue to Annabeth like she was his maid, he tossed her another smug look before he skipping - actually skipping - out of the cave. He shouted "See ya later, RED!" at Rachel, who just waved to the happy couple as they exited the room, one of them happy and self-satisfied, the other brooding and annoyed.

"Come on, Wise Girl!" shouted Percy as he raced ahead. "You're slowin' me down!"

"I swear," she muttered to herself as she chased after him, "this is the last time I ever let you drink caffeinated coffee."

Sorry that this one's a little bit shorter, but I originally wrote this story as a one-shot, but when it got to be too big I decided to break it up into chapters. For that reason, the chapters might slightly vary in length, but now at least you know why. Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you again next Monday with another update! PLEASE REVIEW! :)

And have a lovely day!

Love,

~Princess Andromeda II