AN: So, to start, I'm soooo sorry this is really late, but I was REALLY busy this past week with my family and school work. I have to focus on school since that is very important to me, so that comes first. I will try however to get these chapters updated sooner. Until then, enjoy this one and review! And thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and the oneshot, The Job Description. And if you haven't read the oneshot yet, it is about what Percy and Annabeth did and talked about the night before the left for the quest. It's kind of like a fluff/humor. I would really like it if you would read that…Well, enjoy chapter nine! By the way, I changed my name from JustinBieber96 to Loriginal. Because that's what I am, a Loriginal!!!


Previously in Chapter Eight:

"So…we have to go somewhere that is forbidden for you, since well, it is your quest," Annabeth figured.

"The skies?" I suggested.

"Hmm, maybe somewhere up there. Looks like we'll me paying Lord Zeus a visit tonight."

"Uh…great," I said unenthusiastically. And trust me, that's as excited as I got the rest of the night.

CHAPTER NINE – STARTING OFF THE QUEST

Annabeth and I were riding along in the white van driven by Argus while talking about the prophecy.

"Ok, so we know that we have to go somewhere outlawed. Which, for you, is in the skies. But…what is in the skies that would want to capture Poseidon? More importantly, who is in the skies and is strong enough to capture him?" Annabeth rambled. She had been talking the whole ride into the city and I felt a strong need to gag her.

I shook my head. "I don't know. But I'm sure Zeus would know."

Annabeth shrugged and looked out the window.

"We're here." Argus had turned to us, all of his eyes staring us down.

"Ok. Thank you Argus." Annabeth said as she opened her door and stepped out of the van. I scooted over in my seat and called out my thanks to Argus on the way out. My feet landed on the pavement next to Annabeth in front of the entrance to the Empire State Building.

I looked over at Annabeth and wrapped my arm around her waist. "Ready," I asked, nodding to the building's doors.

"Yep."

Annabeth and I walked into the Empire State Building and stopped at the front desk.

"Sixth hundredth floor," I demanded to the person at the desk.

"Yes sir. Right away Mr. Jackson." After I had saved Mt. Olympus this guy had stopped pretending like he didn't know what I was talking about. Ah, the gift of being a celebrity…kinda.

After the guy at the desk gave me the key for the elevator, Annabeth and I made our way to the very fast, motion sickening elevator ride. Once the key was inserted a red button appeared reading 600. I took a deep breath in to brace myself and then pushed the button. The elevator shot up and Annabeth and I soon found ourselves, pushed together, in the back of the elevator.

"Hehe, hi!" I said happily to her.

Annabeth hit me on the side of my head. "Shut up Seaweed Brain," she muttered. The elevators doors opened with a little ding to reveal Olympus in all of its glory.

Annabeth and I made our way along the path suspended six-hundred stories in the air above New York City. As we walked through the city of Olympus, all types of creatures including nymphs, Cyclopes, and demigods gave a small bow to us. In return we gave a small wave or smile.

"It's amazing how they treat us here…" Annabeth stated.

"Eh, you get used to it after a while."

Annabeth stopped and looked at me.

"What?" I asked naively.

"You are just so…conceited."

"I thought you said I was sexy!" I almost shouted.

"That too." Annabeth seemed to have said that to herself rather than to me.

"Good, it's nice to know you think that."

"Oh, well, ok. Thanks…I guess."

"And if it helps for you to know, I think your pretty darn cute sometimes. But you're always beautiful." Annabeth stopped.

"What, did I say something wrong?" I asked hesitantly.

"No." She pulled me in for a kiss right outside of the big palace. Her lips felt warm against mine but it also felt wet. She must have been crying….Annabeth soon pulled away. "You said everything right. You know, you might just be growing out of that name Seaweed Brain."

"Really?!" I asked surprised.

"No, but I still love you."

"As I love you, Wise Girl." I slipped my arm around Annabeth's waist as we climbed the steps up to the big palace. Once inside, we headed to the all familiar throne room.

I dropped my arm from around Annabeth's waist as we walked through the throne room. It was weird being here while my dad wasn't. Even though he has his own palace under the sea and he doesn't come here often, it's just weird how he isn't here after all of the times he usually was. All of the gods – besides Poseidon, Athena, and Hades – were in the throne room watching us as we made our way to Zeus spot. As we were walking, I spotted Aphrodite waving at Annabeth and I while giggling. She must have seen us get together on live tv in Olympus or something…Oh, wait! Where's Athena? Shoot, when she finds out that Annabeth and I are going out…well, I hope Annabeth will still like me, barbeque flavored.

When Annabeth and I reached Zeus we both kneeled down in front of him.

"Rise heroes," he informed.

"Lord Zeus," I greeted. He nodded. "We have come here today to address you upon the matter of my father Poseidon's disappearance."

"Continue," Zeus said.

"We are coming here because Annabeth and I are on a quest. The Oracle of Delphi has given me a prophecy, and I needed to ask you something about part of it. The first two lines of the prophecy say, Two shall travel to save the Sea God, Going to a place that is outlawed. Annabeth figured that because I was given the prophecy, the second line pertains to me. So, to find my father, I would have to go somewhere outlawed to me, which would be the skies. And I was wondering…if there were any other minor gods of the sky that could have captured my father…"

"No. There are no other gods of the sky that would be able to capture Poseidon. But…" Zeus stopped to thing.

"There is one, who I think may be powerful. But he is not a minor god, nor really a god."

"Who is it?" I tried to ask kindly, not to upset Zeus.

"Uranus, Titan God of the Sky." My eyes widened. Could Uranus have taken my dad?

"If you believe he has captured Poseidon, where do you think he is?"

"It is unknown. He could be anywhere. It was thought that he was long gone, but that we do not know of."

I thought for a minute about things that I have heard about Uranus. Where could he be…?

"Thank you Lord Zeus for helping us." I bowed to him as Annabeth did the same and then left when Zeus nodded is head.

Annabeth and I walked in silence back to the elevator, ignoring everyone in the city along the way. Along the way I was deep in thought, and once I looked up, Annabeth and I were already standing on the sidewalk in New York.

"Where do we go?" I asked Annabeth.

"I don't know. Let's go somewhere to eat lunch while we think." Annabeth smiled and I held out my hand. Annabeth placed her hand in mine and intertwined our fingers as we walked down the street to a little diner for dinner. (Which by the way, I was pretty surprised it had gotten so late.)

A little bell rang over our heads as Annabeth and I walked into the diner, soon to be served by a perky sixteen year old girl. And how did I know she was sixteen, you may have asked. Well, she happens to be in my grade at Goode and has had a little thing for me ever since the first day of school in freshman year.

"Heyyy, Percy!" she called out. I think her name was Lucy…or was it Claire…or Andrea???

"Hi," I said blandly.

"How many?" she asked with a smile on her face and blinking about twice as much as needed.

"Two."

"Right this way then," she said animatedly.

Annabeth and I followed…let's say Lucy to our table. Along the way I had pulled Annabeth closer to me, hoping…Lucy would get the point.

Once we were seated, Annabeth across from me, Lucy pursed her lips and then said hastily, "I'll be right back!" Lucy rushed away towards the hostess' podium to retrieve her writing pad she had left.

"She's a – um – weird one…" Annabeth said running her fingers through her hair.

I rolled my eyes. "She never leaves me alone. Sorry, I didn't know she worked here," I apologized.

"It's ok." Annabeth took my hand from across the table smiling as she looked into my eyes.

"Ok," Lucy said once she came back. She was eyeing Annabeth and the way our hands were outstretched to each other from across the table. She turned to me first. "What would you like to drink?"

"I'll have a blue Cherry Coke."

"Sorry…?"

"Oh, haha, I mean, I'll have a Cherry Coke."

"Ok." Lucy scribbled something down on her pad and turned to Annabeth next. "You?"

"I'll have a Pepsi."

"I'll be right back with that and then I'll take your order." Lucy then left towards the kitchens.

"Hungry?" I asked Annabeth.

"Yeah. I haven't eaten anything all day."

"Same. Well, I'm thinking of getting the chicken strip thingy-mcbobbers…" Annabeth laughed and I frowned playfully.

"Well, they have really good fries here so…" I said.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah."

"Why are you acting so weird?"

"I'm just waiting for Lucy – or whatever her name is – to take our order so I know she isn't listening in or anything."

"Oh, well, I think I'm going to get a burger. So…yeah." Awkward. Just then Lucy came back our drinks in hand.

"Here you go." She smiled at me as she gave Annabeth and I our drinks. Even more awkward.

"Ok, so what would you like?"

"I'll have the burger and fries," Annabeth ordered.

"And I'll have the chicken strips and fries."

"Ok," Lucy said after she finished writing down our order, "I'll be back with that as soon as it's finished."

I rolled my eyes. "Finally, maybe she'll be gone for a while." Annabeth laughed. I squeezed her hand that was still placed in mine.

"So, where do you think we have to go? Where would Uranus be? Mount Tamalpais?"

"I don't think he would be up there. That's just where Atlas and the sky were. But…"

"But what?" I asked engrossed in the conversation now.

"I think I may know where he could be," Annabeth said.

"Where?"

"Well, I remember learning from camp that there was this one place where all the titans stayed." I raised my eyebrows questioningly. "Mount Othrys."

That name sounded familiar. "Where is that?"

"Greece." Annabeth pursed her lips.

"How are we supposed to get there? I can't fly, the Pegasi can't travel that far, and it would be too long of a distance to sail even with my powers."

"I don't know how we would get there."

"Are you sure he would be there?"

"I don't know," Annabeth answered.

"Wait!" I said. I think I was coming onto something. Going to a place that is outlawed, the prophecy said. I am outlawed from the skies…but…I got it!

"Annabeth you were wrong! I know where we have to go!" Annabeth let go of my hand and sat forward to better hear me explain.

"I am supposed to go somewhere where we are outlawed, which is the skies—"

"Yes Seaweed Brain, we already established that this morning."

"Yes, but we do need to go to Mount Tamalpais. That is the point where the sky and earth meet." A look in Annabeth's eyes told me that it was now clear to her.

"Gosh Seaweed Brain! You're a genius!" Annabeth exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know!" Annabeth reached over and hit me on the arm.

I gave a small laugh. "Well, aren't you an abusive girlfriend."

Lucy came with our food within the next few minutes and it was gone before we knew it. I looked at the check that was left on the table and paid the right amount from the money given to us from camp and added in a small tip.

"Come on," I said to Annabeth. I put my arm around her waist and led her out onto the busy sidewalks of New York, deeply breathing in the air I knew familiarly.

"Now how do we get there?" I murmured.

"You can take a ride from me." Annabeth and I instantly looked up to see Apollo's sports car parallel parked along the road. We walked closer to him, but made sure to bow to him first.

"Need a lift?" he asked.

"That would great, Lord Apollo!" Annabeth said enthusiastically.

"Hop in," he told us getting into the driver's side. Annabeth and I squeezed into the car and soon enough, we were headed to Mount Tamalpais. Hopefully, we would be able to save my dad from whoever was waiting there for us.


AN: Ok, so that was chapter nine! How was it??? Sorry for the mistakes, I didn't have time to check it. So, I have decided that we are nearing the end to this story. There will be at least three more chapters since I need to finish the prophecy, then it'll be all over :( Until next time…R&R!

~Cassandra

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