No matter how hard he tried, during the past 2 weeks, Percy couldn't get the video of a metahuman, which had been trending on Twitter out of his head. The clip, a minute and a half long, portrayed—either a demigod or a metahuman abusing their powers as an act of intimidation to the public. His face was covered completely by a black ski mask.
What worried Percy the most was that the metahuman's powers were so similar to his own. Control over bodies of water and even weather manipulation!
Percy shook his head, directing his thoughts onto the reason why he was in Toronto. It was Percabeth's anniversary day today. The day that Percy and Annabeth had found each other.
"Seaweed brain you ok?" Annabeth inquired. "You sure you don't miss all those sea animals that we left behind?" She teased smiling.
They were in downtown Toronto walking down the steps of Ripley's Aquarium of Canada. Percy had used his zoolingualism to urge the numerous schools of brightly coloured fish to put on a show for them.
They'd been all too eager after they'd sensed that he was a son of Poseidon. And families with young children and teens had shadowed them throughout the exhibits staring in astonishment at the tanks.
"You know what? I was starting to bond with them," Percy shrugged grinning.
They were holding hands.
Annabeth laughed swinging his arm up playfully.
The CN Tower loomed in front of them stretching impossibly high, its grey tip in the clear, cloudless sky. The weather was perfect, every so often he'd feel a gentle breeze.
Children wearing lime green shirts and shorts with the words Etobicoke summer camp slowly shuffled by them pointing at every skyscraper they saw, their camp counsellor trailing behind them.
"Maybe I should go back and speak to the staff, see if they can get a space for you."
Percy chuckled. "You'd just leave me back in there, wouldn't you?"
"Of course!" Annabeth giggled. "But maybe I suppose I might end up missing you just a tiny bit," she admitted reluctantly.
Percy stopped abruptly and pulled her in for a kiss. They kissed again, and stepped through the entrance of the CN Tower.
A line full of tourists starting from the entrance stretched through the lobby past 2 customer service desks to a hallway in the far left former of the lobby. On the other side of a reservations desk was a passageway for the express line. Percy gently led her in that direction.
"Oh!" Annabeth's face brightened.
Minutes later, they were in the glass-panelled elevator climbing up. A Hispanic family with young children was inside with them.
"Whoa!" One of the children, a girl who couldn't be more than 8 years old exclaimed. She pointed beneath them at the dozens of levels of shafts and steelwork.
Her Dad gave Percy and Annabeth a friendly but equally nervous smile.
Annabeth dug her nails into Percy's pal. Everyone let out a sigh of relief when they reached the top.
Percy waved down a worker who showed them to the 360° restaurant.
"You're treating me to lunch? That's sweet," Annabeth flashed him a disarming smile.
"This is nothing compared to the gift I'm gonna give you soon." Percy's heart raced. The diamond engagement ring weighed a ton in his pocket the instant he said that.
The floor-to-ceiling windows took the restaurant to a new dimension, showcasing countless rooftops of high-end high-rise residential condos and office buildings stretching on as far as the eye could see. Every few seconds the view changed as the ocean blue polished floor rotated at a speed that Percy barely noticed. The banquettes were turquoise and arched.
A hostess directed them to the 4 window tables Percy had reserved.
Annabeth's family, Percy's Mom, their friends; Tyson, Grover Leo, Hazel and a few more were already seated, leaving just one more table for them.
"Oooh!" Annabeth crooned. "A surprise party Percy! I love you." Annabeth put her hand over her heart as they approached their friends.
And at that point Percy just knew that within an hour he'd feel more elated than he'd ever felt in his entire life.