A/N: Here's chapter 6. I don't actually have chapter 7 yet, but I'm working on it.

Reviews:

Dragonlilo (4): Thanks! I know it wasn't that strange. I kind of forgot that I implied they would meet Chronos in the title, so... oops. They will start speaking modern speech gradually, because they have to try and fit in. I mean, if you suddenly moved somewhere else you wouldn't be able to learn the new language immediately.

Dragonlilo (5): LOL you get two responses. That's funny that you got the fifth chapter just as you were reviewing the fourth. It's kind of like you knew I was about to update so you started reading just then. Stalker. Thanks, though, Stalker Dragon! (See what I did, cause of your username, yeah...)

YoungJay: Thanks! I'm glad that I managed to write something different. I don't plan on not updating, but they will slow down a lot because I start school on Tuesday. Sucks. Oh, I'm awesome? Really? I think you might be kidding. :)

CowGurlStrong: I think that spacing out during class/church/sometime I'm supposed to be playing attention is when I come up with all my stories. Thanks! :) - Sadie (I can't believe I haven't signed the response with my name yet like you've been doing. I'm going to have to step it up on the funnies. - Sadie)

Disclaimer: :P Don't rub it in my face. I have yet to accept the truth that I don't own Percy Jackson.

Zoe and Percy started in the direction of a pathway lines by these metal fences that served no purpose. If the modern mortals were so stupid they needed to have a fence lining the path to keep them in like animals, then there really was no hope for the future (A/N: I had so much fun writing that line, you have no idea). Zoe and Percy ducked under the fence and onto the path. It was made of these rocks pushed together in a strange formation, which made Percy wonder how sane these mortals were. Zoe glanced at the fence with distaste and voiced Percy's thoughts,

"Do these mortals need to be kept in like animals?"

Percy laughed, but it was restrained. The two teens were out of their element in this strange world. They had no idea how the mortals spoke, or how they lived. Neither of them had seen animals around, so how did the mortals survive with no food?

Percy and Zoe tensed when they heard steps coming down the path. Both instinctively reached for their weapons on their backs, but they weren't there. Zoe was about to pull the hourglass charm on her bracelet but Percy grabbed her wrist. She glanced up, their eyes speaking to each other again,

Percy: Do not draw thy knives. A mortal is coming, I believe.

Zoe: I second that. Be ready. Be careful.

Finally Percy broke eye contact to stare down the pathway. Zoe followed his gaze, each still tensed with worry. Finally, a woman came into sight after rounding a corner. She held an infant in her arms, and she was pushing a strange contraption. It seemed to be a chair with a table attached to it on wheels. Percy narrowed his eyes at the contraption, and Zoe muttered to him,

"What is that?"

Percy shook his head before turning to the woman who was approaching. She was about to walk right past them when Zoe called out,

"Please, may we speak with thee for a moment, dear lady?"

The woman turned, confused. Her eyes widened when she saw two teenagers with ragged, camouflage clothing on. She looked puzzled,

"What? Oh, um, sure. What do you want me for?"

Both Zoe and Percy looked perplexed. Zoe was thinking hard, trying to figure out what the woman had said. Oum sure. What did oum mean and why did she substitute 'thee' with 'u'. It was all very strange. Zoe eventually said,

"We mean to ask if…"

Zoe trailed off, unsure of her next move. She eventually just continued,

"We mean to ask if u could tell us where the…"

Zoe stopped talking again, because she forgot where they meant to go. She grimaced and glanced at Percy, trying to will him to take over. He noticed her glance and continued,

"The Empire State Building is?"

The woman nodded, clearly troubled and perplexed. She hugged the infant closer to her, and said,

"I can do that. It's very near to here."

She shifted the infant gently and pointed to a tall object above the trees,

"There it is. Just go to that building."

Zoe and Percy blinked at the giant structure. It was tall and menacing, nothing like they had ever seen before. It tapered away to a point at the top, ending with a pole sticking up. There were these bright oil lamps that glared rather than lit up the night. Seeing as it was about midday, according to the sun, the glaring oil lamps weren't helping. Zoe suddenly remembered the woman still waiting there.

"We thank…"

Zoe trailed off again, before smirking, "We thank u, kind soul. May the Gods have mercy on u."

The woman looked frightened. She fingered with the infant's swaddle, which was shaped strangely. Instead of a cloth wrapped around it, the infant had on a sort of shirt with pants combined with little covers for the feet. It had a strange cloth over its head, a soft helmet like object. Though it seemed to be more of an upside down bowl on the infant's head. The woman just nodded and hurried off.

Zoe and Percy glanced at each other before Percy said, "Well, that was… interesting."

Zoe nodded before imitating the woman, "Oum sure. What do u want me for?"

Percy laughed, "Did thou see what the infant was wearing? A bowl on its head?"

Zoe laughed along side him, "And the glaring oil lamps on that contraption."

Both turned to stare up at their destination. The forbidding building was partially covered, or so they thought, by the trees. If the stupid plants surrounding the path could be called trees, that is. After a sigh, Zoe set off down the path with Percy hurrying after her.

After a long time, the two heroes finally found themselves in front of the large, forbidding, Empire State Building. It was even taller when closer, as if it grew when the heroes sought it out. Percy also couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them try to figure out everything, such as when the bright oil lamp turns green somehow, one was supposed to cross the dark path. And wait on the lighter gray path until all the strange chariots came by. The chariots in this century looked ridiculous. Where were the stallions? And why in Hades were there four wheels? They seemed to be moving faster than regular chariots, which just pushed Percy's suspicion that the chariots were living monsters.

Zoe glanced at Percy as if to say, 'Are thee ready?'. Percy nodded and, on instinct, grabbed her hand. A blush spread over both their cheeks, and both were well aware of the contact. Zoe raised an eyebrow at Percy who said,

"Be careful. I do not understand anything about this new civilization. Where are the horses?"

Zoe nodded, though her thoughts were clearly elsewhere. Did Percy want her mind addled when they met with the Gods? Zoe shook her head gently and pulled her hand away from Percy. No point in trying to decipher that now when there were more pressing matters on hand. Zoe strode confidently in the building ahead of Percy, who just watched her go for a second. His face had a mixture of disappointment, confusion, and worry written all over it. He bit his lip, not understanding why Zoe had stormed off like that. Sure, she hadn't really stormed off, but still. Did Zoe really not feel the way he did? But she must have seen the cliff in the images! Maybe she didn't want to get attached to him in case she… died like in the images. Maybe she didn't want to hurt him even more by her death. Percy clenched his jaw. No matter what she thought, Zoe the former Hesperide was not going to die. Not if he still lived. Percy knew this was a bad idea even before he said it, but he said it anyway. After muttering a prayer to his father, he spoke aloud,

"Zoe, I swear on the River Styx that I will never let you die."

Thunder boomed and sealed the oath. Before Percy could ponder what he had done, Zoe poked her head through the doors. She looked slightly worried and confused, and her cheeks still had a pink tint to them. She spoke softly,

"Percy, what troubles thee? Are thee ready?"

Percy just shook his head, "Nothing troubles me, Zoe. I am ready."

Zoe seemed to think for a moment before sticking out her hand to Percy. Percy raised an eyebrow at her before taking her hand. Zoe smirked and pulled him inside with all her strength. Percy's eyes widened in surprise before he figured out when happened. After pulling him, Zoe had stepped back quickly to not be caught in the line of fire. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't fast enough. Percy barreled into her quite on accident, and they rolled for a few seconds before stopping. Percy ended up on top of Zoe, looking angry. Then all anger washed from his face as it turned red from embarrassment. Zoe's face was red as well, and she scooted away and stood up. Mortified, Zoe held out a hand to Percy to help him up. He took it gratefully and stood up. Then he smirked at Zoe and turned to the mortals. He bowed and said,

"I beg for thy apologies. It was simply a misunderstanding."

The mortals looked confused at his word choice, but Percy and Zoe turned to the man behind the desk before they could say anything. Percy leaned in close and whispered,

"We seek entry to the six hundredth floor."

The doorman scoffed at him, annoyed, "First you kids cause a ruckus then want to go to a floor that doesn't exist? I think not."

Zoe stepped closer and showed him her bracelet, and Percy held up his wrist beside hers. The man paled as he recognized the symbol and the power behind the bracelet. He nodded mutely as he handed them a tiny piece of papyrus, but it was thinner and smoother than papyrus. Zoe took the card and slipped it into her satchel. They turned to go before turning back in unison. Percy asked, "How do we get to the 'sixth hundredth floor'? We were told to ask…"

Percy smirked at Zoe, "u."

The doorman raised an eyebrow before pointing to the metal doors.

"Go near those doors and find a button-"

Zoe glanced at Percy confused, "Button?"

The doorman sighed, "Yes. A button is a circular, raised, piece of metal that you press to activate. Press the button near the doors. The doors will open. Step inside. Find a slot near the rows of buttons. Put the card in the slot. Another button will appear. Press that."

The two nodded and started towards the machine.