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Sigh, Percy's not mine.

Chapter 11: In which opening a door could potentially kill you.

Chiron was not a happy camper when I told him the news. He nodded like he knew it all along, but frowned as if his worst fears had been confirmed. The white tail swished back and forth in nervousness as he paced around the room, looking grim.

I fidgeted. I could tell he was in a serious thinking position.

"There's no helping it," he said finally. "Although you have not received any training, lack the reflexes necessary due to your repressed ADHD, and have barely practiced with your weapon, you will have to go as soon as possible."

I winced. I sounded really weak.

"As you suggested, Nico shall accompany you to China. I trust you have the knowledge and language skills that can, ah, keep you alive in that country." He took two satchels off the wall hooks that looked like sewed up potato sacks. He handed me one, and told me to give the other to Nico. I peeked inside, and saw some golden coins the size of election buttons, some ambrosia and nectar, a wad of cash, and a whistle.

"Thanks," I said, throwing it over my shoulder. I wasn't too sure what the whistle was for, but from the looks of it, it was important.

He nodded. "Send an Iris-message if trouble occurs. We shall do our best to help. Now run along and send your regards. You may be gone for a while." Chiron looked up at the sky outside, that was as bright and blue as ever. "Summer should start in two weeks," he murmured. "Time is running short. There are too many unknown things in this quest…"

"I know sir," I said quietly. "But if Auxo is missing for too long, the Gates won't hold up. Her sisters will have increased burdens on their shoulders, and crops will fail. I can do this. I have to do this."

I sounded more confident than I felt. My knees were knocking together so hard I was sure I was going to have bruises.

Chiron smiled at me and patted my shoulder. "That is the spirit of a true Greek warrior. May, I hope you can succeed in your quest."

I bowed. "Thanks again."

Lars was sad to see me leave. "I want to go with you!" he bleated, looking forlorn and so much like a dejected puppy that I was about to say yes.

"Lars, you know you can't go. I don't need to tell you that the prophecy isn't talking about you. It's just a hunch, but you feel it too, right?"

He pouted and scuffed his hooves on the ground. "Man, I know…but seriously May. You're with one of the most dangerous kids in camp. I don't feel right leaving you guys alone…"

"It'll be okay," I reassured him. I couldn't have Lars worrying on my behalf.

"Chillaxing is so hard for me right now. Here, take this, it'll take a load of worry off my shoulders." He passed me a tiny discus.

"Thanks Lars. I'll keep it safe."

"You don't even know what it does, do you?"

"…Not really."

"This baby gives you one free trip to any place of your choosing. It can't do the magic barrier places, like Olympus, but if it's mortal, it can send you there. Use it in case of emergencies, alright?"

"I will," I promised, taking the tiny disc from him and stuffing it the potato bag.

He nodded, almost getting a bit teary. "Aw man, my baby's growing up."

Nico had a brilliant (stupid) idea that he should come along as my mother's cousin's son thrice removed. I didn't care what he was as long as people didn't pickpocket him.

"You'd better watch out," I said. "They can steal anything. Put your bags in front, because the back is an easy target."

He had decided out method of travel would be through the Janus cabin. "They're the doorkeepers," he explained. "As soon as they manipulate space, the one door they draw will lead you to your destination. They only failed once, so it's a pretty good success rate."

I made the mistake of asking what happened when they failed.

"You can die," he said simply.

I knew we should've traveled by plane.

The Janus kids liked their doors. The cabin had so many, I wasn't even sure which one was the entrance. I was sorely tempted to open them, just to see what was behind them.

"It's this one," pointed out Nico.

There was a dark green door with a small "Welcome" mat put outside it. I dusted off my sneakers and rang the doorbell.

It took a while, but eventually someone answered it. His eyes opened in surprise. "Well, this is surprising," he said stiffly. "What would you like for me to help you with?"

"We have to go to China for a quest," I answered. "And we need your help."

The guy rolled his eyes. His chin was slightly tilted up, like he was thought to be superior to us.

"My help?" he scoffed. "Well. That is certainly a spectacle, let me tell you. I normally don't bother with such things—"

His voice changed from haughtiness to a casual, lighthearted tone. A wide smile spread across his face, like he couldn't have been happier. "But I would be simply DEE-LIGHTED under this circumstance to help you folks! Come right on in, try not to touch too much stuff! We have a lot of doors, you know. Well, my father is Janus after all, so I suppose it's appropriate. And you need my help? Oh, I just feel so giddy when I think about helping others!" He kept chatting as he led us down corridors, up stairs, and through entranceways.

I glanced at Nico. 'Does this happen often?' I mouthed. He nodded. 'Janus kids have two personalities,' he mouthed back.

Oh. That would explain the change in tone.

"And right here," said the guy brightly, "Is the door creation room! Ta-dahhhh—" A sudden frown graced his features. "Why I'm attempting to help you is beyond me, you understand? I'll draw the door and give you advice, but that's it. Don't be expecting much more from me."

I nodded. "Thanks for your help so far. You've been great."

He pursed his lips. "Very well." Extending an arm, he stuck his hand through the air, and ripped it apart.

No really. He ripped apart the air. It was like there was a hidden door behind the space, and he had revealed it—a swirling mass of a kaleidoscope of colors. Looking at it made me dizzy.

"You'll enter through here," he said briskly. "And don't, under any circumstances, open any of the doors on the sides. Some things are hidden for a reason. I say, keep walking—"

"—And at the end of the hallway, you'll find the best door ever! It will absolutely positively lead you to China! Beijing to be exact, right? Well, I don't really know many streets and stuff, but I can at least pinpoint your location so you won't be floating in midair." He paused and wagged a finger. "Because that would be a big, problem if you guys fell—"

"—Which you will not, because I am the best at this sort of thing. So hurry up. Send an Iris message for transport back. I can only do long distance back and forth, can't transport you to places I don't know of, especially if you're out of my range. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah, yeah," said Nico, already stepping into the other dimension. "Just shut your trap."

"Excuse him," I said. "He's being difficult. Thanks for your help…?"

His face was happy again. "George is great! Call me George, and I'll be as chipper as a penny in pocket!"

"Alright," I laughed. "Thanks George. Hope to see you soon too."

"I suppose. With any luck, you won't die—and remember kiddos! Don't touch any doors!"

The moment I stepped through the portal, I wanted to touch the doors. Each one was different, kind of like the cabins at camp. I saw one shaped like the door of my house, and even got as far as reaching toward it before Nico grabbed my arm. "Remember when things go wrong?" he said, dragging me along without sparing the doors a second glance. "You die. Well, actually, you just get sucked into unknown dimensions, and are lost forever. So don't touch anything, got it?"

"Fine, fine," I grumbled. But I could see where the temptation would lie. It was like having presents put right in front of you, but you couldn't unwrap them to find what was inside. I saw Nico shift his eyes to one or two doors, but he kept going.

The path seemed endless. "When are we going to get there?" Nico yelled in aggravation. "I know it's on the other side of the world, but really?"

"Would you like some cheese with that whine? Come on. Big campers can walk a few miles without passing out."

"I'm not whining," he pouted, sticking his hands in his black skinny jeans (which he could totally pull off. Not many people could do it, but Nico rocked the look. Telling him would only inflate his ego more though, so I kept my mouth shut.)

"You're not whining, huh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Impossible."

"No, really!" he insisted, hitching up the potato-bag. "I am fully responsible and aware of my weaknesses. And whining is not one of them."

Weakness. That's right. The prophecy had mentioned something about a fatal flaw. I knew of some: Hubris, Anger, Naivety…

I had the eerie feeling mine would be revealed to me soon. Maybe, if I just opened a door…

"Gods! Don't do that!" Nico snapped, slapping my hand away from a doorhandle. I blinked. What was I thinking? "These doors hold the power of persuasion, they entice you. Don't give in, got it?"

"Inanimate objects can persuade you. Don't touch anything. Got it."

"Good. I swear, if I wasn't here, you'd probably be in some desolate area of Mars right now or something."

I grumbled something about know-it-alls, and then the rainbow dimension shook.

The doors began falling and tipping over, splintering and snapping into pieces. The colors started whirling eerily fast, almost like a hallucination. I was getting very nauseous. "What's going on?" I yelled.

Nico looked alarmed. "The tunnel's falling apart. We've got to make a run for it, or we'll be stuck here forever!"

That was not a happy thought. We started sprinting as the hallway began collapsing behind us. I sneaked a look back, and saw a pit of darkness. I decided not to look back after that.

My breath was catching in my throat, making it painful to breathe with each lungful of air. Nico looked fine, like he was used to running away from collapsing tunnels that would suck him down into their murky depths. But as quickly as we ran, the darkness got faster, until it was almost at my heels.

"Where is the door?" I panted, growing impatient.

"I really have no idea, we should've gotten there by now," Nico answered, his breath getting shallow as well.

Let me tell you—there is nothing scarier than having a black hole chasing you down a rainbow hallway with no way to escape. The worst part was, there were doors everywhere…except they could lock you up in a dimension forever. So ironic.

Then, I saw salvation. An oriental door that was at the end of the corridor, that could only lead to Beijing, China. "There it is!" I yelled excitedly, all weariness forgotten.

"Finally," grumbled Nico. "I was getting sick of running."

With a running leap and bound, I grabbed the handle and pulled.

It was locked.

I yanked harder, even propping my foot against it. "It's not budging," I said through gritted teeth.

Nico grabbed the handle too. "You're too weak! Let me do it."

It still didn't move.

"Will you hurry up?" I yelled hysterically. The black hole was catching up, and it was not looking any prettier. Nico struggled, but the door was stuck. "I'm going to die," I whispered to myself. "I'm going to die." Then, as an added afterthought, "Hey, gods and goddesses up there, if you want to save Olympus, help us open this stinking door! Please."

Nothing happened. There were only a few entrances left standing, and the one that led to China was still stubbornly closed. "You know what? Forget this," I hissed. "I'll bust this open with my ninja abilities!"

…Is what I wanted to say. But I just ended up screaming.

"You're not helping!" yelled Nico, sweat beading on his forehead.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do!" I said frantically. "I have no upper-body strength or anything!"

"No kidding."

"We're going to die! Holy Hera we're going to die!"

We were so dead. Dead to the max.

"Open, please," I pleaded in a last ditch attempt. "Please, please, please…"

"Well finally," a voice grumbled. "I was getting tired of waiting for you to ask. Really now, how would you guys liked it if people just tried to yank you open? Really. No chivalry or respect whatsoever."

The door was talking to me.

Nico's face resembled a smashed pumpkin. He was so surprised his eyes were as big as golf balls.

"You need to escape from the darkness, do you not? Well, come in. Hurry up now, or you'll be destroyed," huffed the door. There was the click of a lock unlatching, and the Beijing door swung open.

"Thank you," I said in awe, stepping through the threshold. How often do you get to meet talking inanimate objects?

"Yeah," echoed Nico. "You're awesome. Sorry for uh…violating your personal space."

"Mhm. You youngsters are forgiven. Run along now."

It closed shut, leaving us on a street with Asian people on bikes and taxis disobeying every traffic law known to man. The air was terrible, muggy and damp, and there was litter everywhere on the streets. Buildings stretched upwards, touching the cloudy sky while kids leaving school chattered to their friends.

I grinned. "Welcome to Beijing."

SURPRISEEE didn't see that door thing coming, did you? HA

The creative genius is a wonderful thing.

****PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check my profile for a new idea I've been generating :)

R&R for an awesome next chapter :)