Percy took a step forward holding the girls weapons with his bare hands looking at the two seriously. The girls looked at him with an annoyed expression.
"You two will not kill each other" Percy said seriously.
"I don't take orders from a boy" Zoe snapped.
"Well you do now! Since I'm leading this quest I will not allow you two kill each other until I said so." Percy said sternly. The girls just looked at him surprise. "You two will stay out of each other. Let's just spend in the night in the woods. And about this head I'll deal with it later." Percy said seriously. The two girls just looked at him but they wisely nodded. The trio camped in the woods a hundred yards away from Medusa's lair.
Zoe decided that they sleep in shifts but Percy ignored her. Annabeth lay on the ground with her backpack using it as a pillow.
"Stay here. I'll just do something" Percy said hauling his backpack with him. Zoe looked at him confused.
"Wait , I'm not going to stay here with her." Zoe said gesturing to Annabeth who was snoring. "I'll come with you"
"I'm a boy" Percy said.
"Do you want her to die?" Zoe asked seriously.
"Fine , but whatever your going to see you will not tell it to anyone" He said. Zoe looked at him confused but grudgingly nodded. The two walked away from Annabeth leaving her there sleeping. Percy closed his eyes muttering some words she couldn't understand. Zoe look around feeling a warm breeze surrounding them. She cocked her head only to meet the Goddess of the Hearth smiling at the two them warmly.
Zoe bowed at her immediately while Percy hug her patron. Zoe's eyes widen when she saw Percy hugging a Maiden Goddess.
As Zoe recovered from her shock she pointedly looked at Hestia "Lady Hestia , what brings you here?"
"Perseus called for me" She replied
"What? Why?" Zoe asked utterly confused.
"Percy here is my champion." Hestia said making Zoe gasped "Anyway I came here to get Medusa's head. I don't want any of you to turn to stone and please Zoe don't try making fight with that daughter of Athena it's only a waste of time" Hestia said. Zoe just nodded numbly. Hestia took the head wrapped in a towel. She turned to Percy and looked at him sadly "Remember Perseus my gift from you. Don't lose it" She said before she erupted in flames. Percy looked confused but he hold the pen tightly in his pocket. Zoe just eyed Percy completely bewildered. Before she could ask more Percy started walking back at their camp where Annabeth's sleeping peacefully.
"You sleep first. I'll just watch you guys" Percy said turning back and climbing the nearest tree.
"How can I trust you that you will not do anything to us?" Zoe asked seriously.
"I swear on the River Styx that I'll not do any harmful things to the two of you other than stare while you sleep. Happy now?" Percy asked. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Zoe eyed completely confused on why she's letting a boy talk to her like that. But exhaustion captured her body and she let herself sleep and enter into a horrible dream.
Zoe found herself standing near the Camp's border. But she knew something's wrong in the camp , even though she don't like that insufferable camp she cannot deny the fact that most demigods lives will be in danger. She can see monsters that are freely passing the border. Demigods and other nature spirits are trying to fight the monsters that keeps on invading the camp. From the corner of her eye she saw Phoebe her other best friend besides from Artemis shooting arrows from a cyclopes. Zoe couldn't move or even talk as she watched in horror when a Cyclopes get a hold of Phoebe's bow and held her hand tightly. Phoebe tried to yank her hand away but the Cyclopes grip her hand tightly and the Cyclopes walked away from her view , before Zoe could react she woke up with a start.
"You okay? Your sweating" Percy said while eating a burgers.
"Yeah I'm good. Where's Chase? And where'd you get that food?" Zoe asked
"What do you want to eat?" Percy said ignoring her questions.
"Same as yours" Zoe said referring to his burgers and fries. Percy clapped his hands together and plate of burgers appeared in front of her. Zoe stumbled in shock making Percy chuckled.
"Relax , Hestia's champion here. She gave me the ability to make foods just like her" He said.
"Care to explain why are you Lady Hestia's champion?" Zoe asked. She really wanted to know about Percy's biography. He said he's not a son of Hades but he can shadow travel. He's Hestia's champion something that really didn't happen from the last millennia. To Zoe's surprise he wisely shook his head making Zoe frown.
"When the right time comes. I need to trust someone first , I believe you know that because you really don't trust boys. For now your winning yourself a trustworthy boy here." Percy said making Zoe stifled a laugh but she completely understands that you have to trust someone before you trust your secrets to them. "About Annabeth I don't know last night I saw her fidgeting something in my backpack but since I'm tired I just sleep and let her do what she wants. She organized that bag anyway" Percy continued.
"She's wasting our time , there's only 5 days left till the winter solstice. That girl keeps on slowing us down. If she don't return in ten minutes we'll leave her" Zoe said sternly. Percy gulped and nodded his head numbly. He must agree , first Annabeth leaves them when they're on the bus second because of her they ended up in Medusa's lair and now she's no where to be seen again. Percy tried to look at her shadow but to no avail Annabeth's no where to be seen.
After a minute Annabeth return with a grin crept on her face. Something on Annabeth's aura made Percy shiver.
"So let's go?" Annabeth said catching the attention of Percy and Zoe.
"Where have you been?" Zoe snapped.
"None of your business" Annabeth snapped back.
"I'm telling you these Chase , if you leave us again I wouldn't have a doubt to leave you too. Your the reason were slowing time to get that bolt." Zoe said seriously.
"What are you talking about?" Annabeth said angrily.
"Annabeth" Percy sighed "Please don't go anywhere without us again , I don't know your reasons why you keep on going by yourself and I don't have a plan to know it. But we only have a few days before the solstice. We're still far away from Los Angeles. So if you don't mind we gotta go." Annabeth nodded but still glaring at Zoe she don't know why her blood boils whenever she talk to Zoe.
"We have to walk a mile or two there's a station there and it leaves in the afternoon" Percy said while walking. The two girls just followed him still glaring at each other. When the trio arrives they already aboard the the station. They spent two days on the Amtrak train going west. Their whole ride was peaceful because of Percy. Whenever one of the girls would start a fight he would jump in the way and get their weapons. He had received a slapped from both girls for touching them the worst was Zoe.
When Annabeth had drifted in her dreamland Percy slipped next to Zoe while the latter just raised an eyebrow.
"Can I ask?" Percy said.
"Your already asking" Zoe said back
"Touche. So ah.. back at the woods when your sleeping what dream did you have? I mean you keep on frowning. Something bad's going in the trip?" He asked warily
Zoe sighed she didn't want to share her dreams but there's something in Percy's eyes that made her to do it. "I dreamed about the camp. Monsters keep on invading it. And my best friend Phoebe someone took her... I don't really know if it's true but something's telling that the Camp is in danger" Zoe said exasperated.
"What happen to the border.. Ahm we'll find a way to know if it's true. Later let's talk to Chiron I'll IM him if you want" He said. But Percy himself was worried about the Camp it's his first time there and he don't want to see demigods suffering or mostly killed by monsters.
Annabeth wake up after an hour. She saw the Gateway Arch and she's looking at it sadly. They pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The intercom told them that they have a three-hour layover before departing for Denver.
Annabeth tugged Percy and Zoe's hand dragging them outside the station.
"HEY! What in the name of Olympus are you doing?" Zoe yelled.
"You said you don't want me to leave you guys. So you'll go with me." Annabeth said back.
"And what are we going to do?" Percy asked
"Sightseeing pea brain"
"I don't have time for that. Let's just wait here" Zoe said loosing from the grip of Annabeth's hand.
"Fine. I'll go there alone." Annabeth huffed indignantly. Percy and Zoe exchange looks and sighed.
"Fine. We're just going to ride it to the top and we'll return here" Percy said while Zoe nod grudgingly.
They went to the Arch about a mile away from the station. Zoe was irritated of Annabeth's lecture about the Arch she keeps on looking for distraction but Annabeth's voice was like a megaphone to her ears. The trio entered the elevator with a fat lady with chihuahua on it's tow. The fat lady has beady eyes; pointy coffee stained teeth , a floppy denim hat and a dress that bulged so much. The fat lady looked at Percy with fear in her eyes. She can feel the presence of Percy was powerful compared to a normal demigod. The trio arrived at the top of the Arch. Annabeth just keep on telling how she would have built the same things but with bigger windows and see through floors while Zoe keep on groaning and eyeing the fat woman. Percy kept on looking at the fat woman , something on her presence made him nervous.
The observation deck would be closing for a few minutes. Annabeth loaded herself quickly in the elevator and closed the elevator before Zoe could hopped in.
"What is wrong with her?" Zoe yelled.
"Hey hey. We'll just ride the next okay? Annabeth's getting weird every second" Percy said quite dissapointed at Annabeth's attitude. The two of them waited for the next elevator to come up. They didn't notice that the fat woman is approaching them.
The fat woman smiled at the two them which they returned quickly. Zoe popped her eyes out when she saw the fat woman's tongue was the shape of a fork.
She cocked her head if Percy saw that too but Percy's eyes were fixed on the elevator. Zoe tugged Percy's arm dragging him at the corner.
"Wait.. what are you doing? The elevator..." Zoe clumped her hand at Percy's mouth and looked a him deadly serious.
"We're gonna die here. Did you see? The fat woman's tongue is shape as a fork? And that dog of her's something's wrong with it. Think of something for us to get out of here" Zoe hissed.
Before Percy could reply the Chihuahua yapped at Percy loudly.
"Ma'am your dog's barking at me" Percy said nervously. The fat woman just gave Percy a creepy smile.
"Chimera dear not dog" The fat woman said making Zoe stumbled at her spot.
"C..chimera? Th..that means yo..your E..Echidna? Mother of Monsters?" Zoe squeaked
"Yes dear. It's really an honor to kill a huntress and a powerful demigod. I believe your name is Zoe Nightshade right?" Echidna said gesturing her hand at Zoe's direction. "What about you demigod? What's your name?" She hissed at Percy.
"It's none of you business fat woman" Percy barked making Echidna's eyes flame in anger.
Percy held Zoe's arm and dragged her back at the elevator but Echidna's laughing at them.
"Are you stupid? You just made her mad" Zoe hissed "What now?"
"My dear huntress looked out the window , can you see that river? It will save you dear just jump." Echidna growled.
"Your insane" Percy glared at her" She's a huntress how can she survive jumping in a hundred feet building with only a small river to land on" Percy argued with her.
"Ah , you don't trust the gods eh? You little cowards. Then just die now young ones. I would love to see my son eat your head out. Going on a quest without trusting each other? That's new. This huntress here is not what you think." Echidna laughed.
"Perseus do you trust me?" Zoe whispered making Percy frown at her and curious of what Echidna said. "I can shad..." The chimera sent a column of fire at their direction but Percy didn't decipher what just happened. Zoe tugged her hands with his and dragged him outside the window with their clothes on fire.
A;N : Again sorry for the grammar guys. Still studying English and now I'm back at Korea... Argh! Can't help it , I'm not that good in English. Sorry! :D