Hey, it's me again. Thanks for all of the reviews! You guys rock! Anyways here is the new chapter. Speaking of which, 13 is my favorite number. Sorry, I just had to throw that out in honor of the 13th chapter and all.
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson. I wish I knew him though!
Annabeth speed-walked for about five minutes after the river incident with a hard expression on her face. She finally collapsed on a rock.
"Annabeth, is there something…" began Grover. He looked at Annabeth worriedly. It was really unlike her to lash out super angrily.
"I could have killed her…" mumbled Annabeth. "My anger. I couldn't… control it." whispered Annabeth as she buried her face in her hands. Grover put his hand on her shoulder while Nico just shuffled his feet awkwardly a few feet away from the scene.
"Annabeth," said Grover timidly. " Before you met Percy, A girl was picking on me. That got him really mad, so his power and anger got the better of him and he controlled the water dragging the mortal girl into a nearby fountain. The water grabbed her! Not him! Oh… What I mean is that maybe having the power of the ocean in you," Said Grover
"Or in your case, hanging around your neck" Nico piped up from his desolate corner.
Grover waited for Nico to finish interrupting before he continued. "When you possess the power of the ocean, maybe a side effect is anger problems." Grover suggested. Annabeth finally looked up.
"Yeah, that totally makes sense!" Annabeth declared as she stood up and brushed off her jeans.
"I really need to be careful, because a foolish move by a daughter of Athena… I'll just watch it." Annabeth said as the trio's long hike began once again.
Not too long after that, they arrived on the outskirts of Los Angeles, California. Also known as, the entrance to the Underworld. Annabeth and Grover knew the way to the entrance of the Underworld all too well. Since Nico was a son of Hades, he decided to remember the way there. Memories came back to Annabeth like a flood and she began twirling the necklace containing the sea power around her finger.
I will find you Percy. Just hang on. I'm almost there. thought Annabeth. Just then, in the middle of Los Angeles, a cool sea breeze swirled through Annabeth's long, wavy blond hair. Then, a voice whispered in her ear,
"Be careful."
Annabeth's gray eyes widened. She looked around as if to see someone or something behind her. Just asphalt and street signs.
"Percy?" she whispered.
"Did you say something, Annabeth?" Grover asked from in front of her. She had drifted to the back of the group.
"Huh?" Annabeth asked still puzzled by the voice.
"Man, you are becoming more and more like Percy every day!" said Nico. "No wonder you called him a seaweed brain." Nico mumbled.
Annabeth made sure that she wouldn't strangle Nico for that. Only she was allowed to call Percy unintelligent. But she didn't want to loose her cool again so she put her thoughts back to the strange voice. Just like that, they had arrived at DOA recording studios, the entrance the Underworld.
They walked through the deeply tinted black and bronze doors and the signs that were supposed to keep the living away. It definitely was not going to keep Annabeth away from getting Percy.
They passed the strange, pencil cactuses in the pots and the chairs filled with halfway visible people. The ghosts shifted nervously n their chairs, waiting to be let in to the Underworld.
Then, they saw the monster himself, Charon. He was dressed in the usual silk Italian suit with a black flower attached to the lapel.
"Well, godlings, back for more? Oh, and I saw your friend earlier. That time he really was dead!" Charon scoffed as he cackled. Annabeth tried not to kill that evil creature right there and then.
"We just want passage!" said Grover as he quickly set down some drachmas and headed towards the elevator.
"Wait a minute lad," Charon said.
"Uh, yes?" Grover asked s he turned around.
"Good luck!" Charon laughed as he tucked the drachmas in his expensive pocket.
They were rushed into the elevator by a bunch of ghosts and Charon closed the elevator doors behind him. Now, the elevator was a barge floating across the river Styx.
The boat rocked and swayed with the movement of the river and Nico looked as if he was going to be sick. The barge came to an abrupt halt and the ghosts started piling off the boat. Grover, Nico, and Annabeth brushed through the crowd.
As they neared Siberus, the enormous, almost invisible, three- headed dog was barking excitedly at Annabeth. She gave her monstrous friend a half smile and threw him a red rubber ball. Siberus yipped in joy as he took off after the rubber chew toy.
As they walked to the top of a hill covered in black grass, Annabeth could see Elysium. And it was gorgeous. Annabeth started running top speed now while Grover and Nico puffed behind.
"We… need…to stick… together!" gasped Nico as Annabeth pulled farther ahead.
"Annabeth wait! Slow down!" shouted Grover. But Annabeth was too ecstatic about seeing Percy and telling him that she loved him in person. In no time, they were at the gates of Elysium. They were pure gold and wonderful scents drifted through it.
"Food!" groaned Grover as he smelled the delectable scent of heavenly barbecue.
"Yeah, while we are here, can we… I don't know, take something to go! I, er, we're starving." said Nico as the sounds of music drifted to their ears when the door automatically opened.
Annabeth was too distracted to look at the scenery. She needed to find Percy. There! A fig tree by the lake! She was sure he would be there.
He was there in the dream anyway. thought Annabeth as she sprinted to the spot. She looked all around the tree, her smile fading like a spray tan.
"Percy?" she asked to the open air. He wasn't there. What happened next was unexplainable by Annabeth afterwards. She started to sob. Maybe that it was she was extremely tired, or sick of traveling, or starving, or she just really wanted to see Percy.
(My vote is on the last one.) She slid to the ground, put her face in her hands and let the tears flow.
"Hey Annabeth." she was about to tell Grover to buzz off and to go get the food on his own when she recognized that voice.
"Percy? Are you really there." Annabeth said as she looked up. Percy was there. His black hair swayed in his misty green eyes. She jumped up in spite of herself.
"PERCY!" shouted Annabeth as she tried to hug him. But, as the Fates have it, she just hugged air. Percy's form shimmered out. He reappeared not a fooot farther away. He looked slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry. I hate it when that happens." he replied sheepishly. Annabeth smiled in a melancholy way.
"It's ok. It won't happen again." said Annabeth confidentially. Percy looked at her skeptically. Annabeth reached for her shell necklace.
"Come on. Let's get Grover and Nico. I'm busting you out of here." said Annabeth.
"And how do you think we are going to do that?" Percy asked bluntly.
"A daughter of Athena always has a plan." Annabeth stated.
So, how was it? I'd seriously love to know. PLEASE tell me in a review! Yes, I know Charon has an accent! I just hate typing accents! I'm terrible at them! And sorry for using all caps on some words in this chapter. It is a pretty big chapter and I couldn't help myself! P.S. sorry for the deplorable grammar/spelling/ OCC characters. SO NOW REVIEW! (Please?)