We'll start getting some action soon so look forward to that guys! And I hope you're all enjoying this because I know I am. Please do review.
They didn't find Grover that day- Rachel and Luke forced Percy to go back home from the park shortly before midnight- they'd went back out after they'd had dinner to look, with Luke and Leo tagging along to help, but they didn't have any actual luck.
And the next morning hadn't been very different- much to Percy's annoyance. After lunch Luke and Leo had headed back to camp- Leo wanted to finish up some of his latest designs- he wouldn't tell anyone what he was doing exactly but whatever it was he was excited over it, and Luke wanted to make sure everything at camp was okay and to check in on Beckendorf- at which Percy had told him to give him her best wishes.
Then she and Rachel had gone back to Central Park to look for the Satyr, and the two girls wandered through the trees, Percy reaching out desperately through the Empathy link- it was tingling just as it had been before- Grover was so so very close she could feel it- it was just- it was like he was in a deep sleep and he wasn't waking up.
After maybe half an hour of wandering through the trees Percy stopped, "Maybe if I try reaching out to him again?" it was almost a question, "I- I didn't try reaching out to him like that yesterday I was just trying to figure out where he was but maybe-"
"Try it." Rachel urged quickly, "It's better than nothing and it might help.
So Percy took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reaching out through the Empathy link.
Grover. She couldn't feel his emotions, just an annoying faint hum that told her he was close but little else. She scowled to herself when she didn't get a response.
Grover Underwood I swear I will maim you if you don't tell me you're okay!
Hmmm-hmmm.
It was a sleepy hum- Percy had heard it before, back when Grover had slept in her cabin with her and Annabeth after their first quest- it was his 'go away I don't wanna wake up yet' noise.
And an image almost popped into her mind- a giant elm tree deep in the woods, well off the main paths. Gnarled roots laced the ground, making a kind of bed. Lying in it with his arms crossed and his eyes closed was a satyr. Even if he wasn't entirely visible Percy was sure it was Grover. He was covered in twigs and leaves, like he'd been sleeping there a long time. The roots seemed to be shaping themselves around him, slowly pulling him into the earth.
Percy's eyes snapped open and she let out a gasp, stumbling slightly before she reached out, mentally shaking the link.
Grover! For Hades sake wake up!
Uhhhhhhnnn. G'way-
I will find a way to get you cursed so you can't eat enchilada's if you don't get your ass awake right now!
Percy felt the shock of him waking, she could almost see her friends eyes snapping open and she swayed, and Rachel grabbed her to steady her.
"Did it work?" Rachel's expression was hopeful "Please dear gods tell me that it worked."
"It worked." Percy let out a slow shaky breath, "He should be on his way I think."
A minute later, the tree next to them shivered. Grover fell out of the branches, right on his head.
Percy flew at him, throwing her arms around the Satyr, "Grover fucking Underwood I am gonna murder you for scaring us like that-"
"What- get offa me!" Grover flailed, but he was grinning as he did, managing to awkwardly reach up and rub the top of his head.
"Did you get hurt?"
"No, I'm fine." He rubbed his head. His horns had grown so much they poked an inch above his curly hair. "I was at the other end of the park. The dryads had this great idea of passing me through the trees to get me here. They don't understand height very well."
"Ugh!" Percy squeezed him tighter, "I don't even care- I missed you so much G-man you had us all so worried!"
"I haven't been gone that long." Grover laughed, "You're such a drama Queen Percy." he managed to squirm out of her grip and scramble to his hooves- and Percy felt a rush of pride as she stood up too.
He looked different than he had last time she'd seen him, he'd Grover had stopped trying to disguise himself as human. He never wore a cap or fake feet any more. He didn't even wear jeans, since he had furry goat legs from the waist down. His T-shirt had a picture from that book Where the Wild Things Are. It was covered with dirt and tree sap. His goatee looked fuller, almost manly (or goatly?), and he was taller than Percy now- and Percy was taller than she'd once been- she could match Annabeth's height now- though thankfully Rachel was still a little bit shorter than her- which meant Percy got to tease her red haired girlfriend about it- though it usually ended with Percy in pain from a kicked shin.
Once they were both standing Grover grinned, "I missed you! I miss camp. They don't serve very good enchiladas in the wilderness."
"Of course they don't goat boy." Percy shoved his shoulder, "Seriously what the Hades? Where've you been? You don't get to disappear for two freaking months and not get yelled at by me-"
"And I'm pretty sure Annabeth would be yelling at you too if she was here." Rachel offered up with a grin.
"Two-" Grover's face drained of color, his grin fading "What do you mean two months?"
"We haven't heard from you in two months- we've all been worried sick about you- Juniper's been going out of her mind with worry."
"Hold on." He looked up at the stars like he was trying to calculate his position. "What month is this?"
"August."
"That's impossible. It's June. I just lay down to take a nap and . . ." He grabbed Percy's arms. "I remember now! He knocked me out. Percy, we have to stop him!"
"What-" Percy let out a startled noise, "What- who?" she asked quickly, "Slow down a second what's going on?" He took a deep breath. "I was . . . I was walking in the woods up by Harlem Meer. And I felt this tremble in the ground, like something powerful was near."
"Since when have you been able to sense stuff like that?" Percy asked curiously.
"Since Pan." Grover admitted, "I can feel when something is wrong in nature. It's like my ears and eyes are sharper when I'm in the Wild. Anyway, I started following the scent. This man in a long black coat was walking through the park, and I noticed he didn't cast a shadow. Middle of a sunny day, and he cast no shadow. He kind of shimmered as he moved."
"Like a mirage?" Rachel suggested.
Percy's brows furrowed, "Mirage- isn't that like- when something looks real but it isn't."
"Basically yeah." Rachel nodded, "What happened then Grover?"
"It was weird." Grover shook his head, a very worried look on his face, "When he passed them they'd just pass out- they just curled up and went to sleep and as soon as he was gone they woke up again-"
"Okay- okay that's weird." Percy's voice was very tight and nervous. "That doesn't sound good-" her mind flicked to the prophecy.
And see the world in endless sleep. And now a man who made people sleep just by walking past was in her city.
"Percy?" Percy was pulled from her thoughts by Rachel's questioning voice and she shook her head slightly.
"Sorry- just- what happened next Grover?"
"I followed the guy. He kept looking up at the buildings around the park like he was making estimates or something. This lady jogger ran by, and she curled up on the sidewalk and started snoring. The guy in black put his hand on her forehead like he was checking her temperature. Then he kept walking. By this time, I knew he was a monster or something even worse. I followed him into this grove, to the base of a big elm tree. I was about to summon some dryads to help me capture him when he turned and..."
Grover swallowed. "Percy, his face. I couldn't make out his face because it kept shifting. Just looking at him made me sleepy. I said, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'Just having a look around. You should always scout a battlefield before the battle.' I said something really smart like, 'This forest is under my protection. You won't start any battles here!' And he laughed. He said, 'You're lucky I'm saving my energy for the main event, little satyr. I'll just grant you a short nap. Pleasant dreams.' And that's the last thing I remember."
Percy felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach She wasn't sure who this guy was but he had to be working for Kronos.
"You've been asleep for two months." Percy's voice sounded distant even to her own ears. "Grover-I don't know who the man was- we need to IM Annabeth."
"We really do." Rachel looked almost as worried as Percy was. "She'll know who this guy is."
"What do you think he's planning?" Grover's voice was worried and Percy swallowed hard, running her fingers through her hair.
"It's part of the prophecy." She saw Grover pale and Rachel tense beside her. "And see the world in endless sleep."
"What-"
"He's going to put Manhattan to sleep or something." Percy realised, "He's going to put all the mortals to sleep-" she felt like she was going to collapse with fear. It was happening- it was starting and she was going to die soon- she'd reach sixteen and she'd die. "And they're going to attack Olympus while the gods are fighting Typhon- he's on the the way to the city- my dad is busy in Atlantis fighting Oceanus and uncle Hades is dealing with trouble in his own realm- he said he'd help but I don't know if he'll be able to come. Hopefully Nico can come though- he's down there helping his dad with some stuff at the moment but he'll be back as soon as he can."
"Which-" Grover swallowed hard, "Which means that Olympus is totally undefended-"
"Not for long." Percy let out a slow shaky breath, "We need to IM camp as soon as possible."
"Percy-"
"We're going to have to hold Olympus when the attack comes." Percy grabbed Rachel's hand, "We need to get back home now-"
"Oh gods." Grover looked sick, "Oh gods this is really it it's really happening- but what about camp we can't leave it undefended-"
"We won't. Anyone under the age of twelve and anyone who doesn't want to fight Kronos' army can stay and defend camp. I know a few people will have to stay in camp."
Beckendorf could be in charge- even with his arm the way it was he would be able to give orders on how to set up traps and things- camp would be safe- that was incredibly important to Percy. It was a second home to her. She didn't want to see it destroyed.
Together they almost ran all the way back to the Jackson-Blofis residence- Percy let them all in, dragging Rachel with her, with Grover just a couple of steps behind.
At the loud noise of their entrance Paul poked his head into the hallway from the kitchen. "Kids?" his voice was worried, "What's going on- oh and who's that-"
"This is Grover-"
"Grover's here?" that was Sally's voice and a moment later she was stepping out from the kitchen into the hall. "Oh Grover! Sweetheart you've had us all worried-"
"Percy said." Grover gave a tight smile, "I'm sorry Mrs Blofis- it's-"
"We need to IM camp." Percy's expression was grim, "Mom, I want you to promise you'll stay here and safe for me for- until it's all over-"
"Percy honey what-"
"It's going to start soon and I want everyone safe-"
"I'll stay and look after them." Rachel promised "If we're not all asleep."
"Asleep?"
"There's a man- a god maybe, he put Grover to sleep. He mentioned preparing for something bigger-"
"Oh gods." Sally paled, "Go, go call camp. We'll be careful sweetheart. Do what you have to do."
