Author's Note: (Author's notes. Nuff said) Here we go again, another chapter. I'm so wrapped up in another fic that I haven't posted yet, and I've been writing too much of that, and not enough of this, so I'm going to bunker down and write this one. Here you go!

Idiot. Moron. Brainless. These words could all describe Percy at the moment. Everyone was worried about how stupid he was being, but what was he thinking? I'll tell you what, nothing. It's not what you think. This isn't just an insult. You'll see.

Annabeth was worried, but also angry as Hades, and she was sick of being out of the loop on what was going on with her friends. Disease or no, she still deserved to know. She decided she wouldn't take it anymore. She'd find them, even if they fed to the harpies for trying.

That's why when she found out about Thalia and Nico leaving too, she went from furious to atomic explosion.

She found Chiron pacing the porch of the big house, worrying his head off. She found it suspicious how easily she found him, I mean, the last few weeks, he had been as scarce as Percy having something smart to say. Why was he just waiting there all of the sudden?

"Chiron? Chiron, I need to see Thalia and Nico. Could you let them off just for a couple minutes? Please?" Annabeth pleaded, adding a pout and puppy-dog eyes.

Chiron jumped back. He had been so deep in thought, he hadn't heard her come up. "Oh, Annabeth. You startled me. Now, what was it you wanted?"

Mr. D groaned, "Ugh. She blabbed on and on, but the point of it is she wants to see the lil' brat and brat-ette. Though she didn't ask for the sea brat, which means the initial thrill of dating ol' fish beard's son has worn off. Either that or he did something bad. Bad kisser, that's my guess."

Annabeth stopped herself from telling him he was an awesomekisser, because, well, she was going to tell Dionysus about Percy's kissing.

"So, you're looking for Thalia and Nico as well?" Chiron asked.

"Wait, what's with the, 'as well'? You don't know where they are?"

"Well, they left to find Percy, then-"

"THOSE IDIOTS!" Annabeth screamed. "I NEVER SAW THE FAMILY RESEMBLANCE SO CLEARLY! ALL THREE OF THEM, IDIOTS! A BUNCH OF MORONIC, ASININE, IDIOTS! ARRRRRGGHHHHHHH! I mean, I already knew Percy had no mental capacity for anything other than swords and seaweed, but I never thought Thalia and Nico followed his dimwitted example! And if you think they're in danger now, just wait until I drag their mindless ***es back! " In other words, she was mad.

Chiron was incredibly lost. "Annabeth, dear, calm down. What's happened?"

And so Annabeth went on to explain about the letter, and what she knew Nico and Thalia must've done.

"Oh dear ... this is disastrous. They don't have much time left before it starts killing them. And others. Are you absolutely sure that's what Thalia and Nico did? They could just as well be in camp." Chiron knew that wasn't true, because he knew them.

"I'm positive." Annabeth's voice was shaking, and she wasn't sure if it was from the blinding rage, or the mind-numbing worry. "What exactly happens to them?"

"I don't know for sure. They have 76 hours at the most."

"The most? Oh Gods, you mean, even now they could already be dieing?"

Chiron nodded remorsefully. "It would start small, but grow more violent as the day goes on until ..."

"THE DAY?" Annabeth was in hysterics. "Wh-what about all that stuff you said, like they'd have to have 30 attacks-"

"I may not have been as clear on the time it takes as I should have, but it was only so you wouldn't worry. You children all had problems of your own, and-"

"SO I WOULDN'T WORRY?" That ship had sailed.

"Annabeth, please-"

"THEY'RE GOING TO DIE, CHIRON! THEY'RE GOING TO DIE!"

In other words, it didn't matter if they were in their element or not. They had (at the most) 76 hours to live.

Through terrible sobs into Chiron's breast plate, Annabeth managed, "W-we've gotta do something ... Pl-please ... Anything ..."

Chiron had a near impossible decision at hand, but he didn't have time to waste. "Annabeth. There is possibly a way that might save them."

"WHAT? Then, let's go, we've got-"

"But there is a catch." Chiron continued. "There is possibly a way to save them, but it more likely could turn them into ... monsters."

"What?"

"Not in the literal sense. There is a procedure that could has the possibility of instantly curing them, but a 95% percent chance of making their powers permanently in control. Like they are when they have the attacks, but there's no turning back. We would lose them forever, and unleash a calamity upon the world. They would be unrecognisable, and become more animal than human."

Silence filled the air. Annabeth's ear's buzzed, head ached, and mind fought the urge to shut down completely.

But Mr. D actually laughed. "Finally! Something interesti-"

"Shut up Dionysus ..." Annabeth mumbled numbly.

"Excuse me? Did I hear this urchant correctly? Did she-"

"She meant nothing by it, Dionysus. Besides, remember that if you harmed another God's child, it would be cause for great stir among-"

"I know, I know!" Mr. D growled. "But everything is cause for great stir. Everything!" Lightning flashed on a sunny day. Now you know why mortals created the term heat lightning. "Oh, shouldn't you be turning your dieing daughter back into some sort of plant-life?"

The sky lit up and thunder boomed at a defining pitch.

"... Chiron ... let's do it. The procedure, I mean." Annabeth confirmed shakily. "If there's any chance at all ... it's a chance worth taking."

Chiron hesitated, but nodded in agreement. "Iris message them. Get their attention in some way or another, I need to prepare. And let the Gods help us all."

Alright, I'm not sure how many chapters there are left, but the end is in sight. Hooray! Don't get me wrong it's okay, but the quality of my writing in this story, and my inability to make everything fit together is making this somewhere below mediocre, compared to other fics. But hey, it's just my first one. Keep in mind, I've had no experience and my vocabulary is lacking. There's a lot of room for improvement, in summery. Oh, and by the way, no, I haven't forgotten about Jerry, or explaining who Thalia kissed, it's just ... there's been no opportunity for explanation. It should all make sense by the end, and if I leave out something, you can sue me.

P.S. Cupcakes make me smile. Just thought you'd like to know.