When there's a raging storm that runs for 3 days, New York's time-zone kind of stops. Not like the Kronos time-stopping thing- more like everything comes to a holt, and most people don't bother getting out of bed and doing day to day activities. Annabeth and I had planned to be those people, until Chiron insisted that I come home right away through a very patchy iris message.
"Are you serious? We can't get anywhere in this traffic- the Brooklyn bridge is completely backed up." She said, and I sighed.
"I can't just ignore Chiron. He said it was an emergency." I said, grabbing an apple from the table, taking a bite.
"You're right- maybe you could take Blackjack?" she said seriously, already making a plan for me to get home.
"Yeah but he won't like it." I said, walking out the front door. "Blackjack- do me a solid I need you." I thought to myself, and partially said out loud. It took a few minutes for the familiar shape of my favorite Pegasus to appear out of the grey sky. He landed in front of me, taking a bite out of the apple I had been hoping to finish.
'Hey Boss- is this an emergency because I would much rather be home-'
"It's an emergency." I said, jumping on him, as he sighed before doing a weird hopping thing on his feet.
'Figures' he muttered, which I chose to ignore. 'So I guess it'll be camp half blood, considering they can't live a day with you?'
"That's right." I said, looking around for Annabeth who stood in the kitchen. "Hey Annabeth- I'm leaving." I yelled. Her head poked up, and she did a little run out to come say good bye.
"I didn't realize you were leaving now. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, or as soon as the traffics died down." She said, crossing her arms.
"Sounds good- unless Blackjack feels like making a return trip to pick you up?" I said, and at the sound of it, Blackjack began backing away. I laughed before he turned around and flew off into the clouds. Seeing New York from the skies is usually an amazing sight to behold, only today, it looked like a grey mess. Everywhere I looked cars where stuck in a grid lock, bumper to bumper. I don't think Annabeth would make it back in a week's time, let alone tomorrow.
When I got to camp half-blood however, most people were just tired and in a bit of a daze. Jason greeted me at the entrance, and from the look on his face, things already didn't look great.
"Hey Percy." He said, rushing to get me to Chiron.
"Jason- what's going on?" I asked, following him through crowds of half-bloods.
"Um- there's been just a slight hick up at Camp Jupiter- you'll see." He said, pulling me in a different direction. Instead of taking me to Chiron's office like I thought he was planning, he pulled me towards the Apollo cabin. When Jason opened the door, an immediate stench washed over the place. Jason and I both put a hand over our noses, while most of the people in the cabin simply wore masks or plugs. Hazel sat crookedly, leaning over a small table which held what looked like a piece of someone's diner (after digestion). Upon further examination however, I noticed it had wings- a bird. Hazel looked up at me, and relief washed over her face. She got up and flung her arms around me.
"Percy- thank the gods!" she said, and I took another look around the busy room. Chiron was in his wheel chair, I'm guessing so he didn't take up half the room with his horse legs.
"Hazel- why is everyone standing around a bird?" I asked and she took a step back, a tear pouring down her face.
"It's not a bird- it's-"
"Frank" I muttered, suddenly making a connection.
"He can't turn back human- we're trying to figure out why, but he's been stuck like this for days." She said. Chiron wheeled himself over to me, holding a hand out to shake.
"It seems Mr. Zhang was flying over camp Jupiter to get to a meeting he arranged with Reyna, when he somehow managed to get himself caught in some plastic- then presumably smell in the sewers." Chiron said, as the bird on the table gave a flap of its wings. "If he changes into human form, he'll choke, and the plastic is not coming off, meaning for the time being, he's stuck." Chiron continued. I stood there for a minute, confused. It was just a piece of plastic- why couldn't anyone cut it? Or, why couldn't he just transform into something tiny and crawl out?
It was as if Hazel had read his mind when she stated, "It's not just that he would choke if he transformed into something small. He can't transform- he physically can't." Hazel explained, as Percy nodded.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Percy asked, and it was as if the moment of truth had come.
"Percy- while Franks gone, there is no Praetor at camp Jupiter…" Jason started.
"What about Reyna?" I asked, and everyone looked away.
"Reyna's missing. Her and Frank seemed to have a fight about something and they had arranged a meeting to talk about the problem, when this happened. We believe she thinks this is her fault." Chiron said, and I swallowed. How had so much happened in so little time.
"So you want me to go in both their places at Camp Jupiter?" I asked and everyone held their breaths. "Why can't Jason go?" I asked and everyone sighed.
"I accepted a quest from Jupiter with Piper. It's simple but may take some time. I can't really say no now." He said, and a quiet murmur arose from the crowd of ten people in the room.
"So I'll be in New Rome filling in as Praetor?" I asked, and Hazel laughed.
"God's help New Rome." She said.
"God's help me- wait till Annabeth hears, and I'll be the one missing.
Hazel decided she couldn't leave Frank alone at Camp Half blood, but she did lend me a Drachma to tell Annabeth. I walked out to the lake, creating a soft mist which led to a rainbow. I flipped my Drachma into the lake before thinking deeply 'Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering.' Before saying Annabeth's name. Almost immediately her face appeared reading a book I bought her for her birthday 'Architects, the untold story'. She looked up just in time to see me.
"Percy- what was the emergency?" she asked, straightening up and patting down her hair.
"It's Frank- he's changed form into a bird and can't get out. Reyna's involved and now there are no praetors at Camp Jupiter. They were looking for someone to fill in the position but everyone's busy, meaning-"
"Lucky you…" she murmured.
"I don't have to do it though- if you don't want me to." I said, slightly hoping she would beg me to stay.
"No- of course you have to. What about Reyna- is she ok?" she asked, a tad bitter. If I know anything, it's that Annabeth and Reyna are a recipe for disaster, particularly because they are so alike/
"She was in a fight with Frank before it happened and now she thinks it's all her fault. She's disappeared into the blue. She'll turn up though. "I said, not knowing just hoping.
"Well I'll go look for her." Annabeth said, getting up and stretching.
"No- are you crazy? You can't go on some crazy quest now." I said, looking at her growing stomach.
"If you're saying that just because I'm pregnant, I swear I'm going to kill someone." She said, and I don't doubt it.
"Look- if you go on a mission now that's fine, but just promise me you'll be careful. I doubt any monsters will back off from someone just because she's pregnant. "
"Percy if you had any idea how boring wedding planning really is, you'd be trying to find Reyna too." She said.
"Fine- just be careful." I said, knowing I'd later come to regret saying it.
"You too seaweed brain."