Instead of flying back to Camp, Percy first made Blackjack land at the ice cream place Percy mentioned to Annabeth earlier. She put up a fight and thought it would be better if they returned quickly because they still didn't know who or what did that to his car. Annabeth knew, especially living in the world she did, that any kind of monster could do the same to them if they didn't keep their guards up. Although she had a collected façade, Percy could tell she was still a little wary about that whole situation. However, Percy managed to convince her with a kiss, ultimately silencing her.
Because the area that they were in was mountainous, Annabeth sat on a hill behind the ice cream place. Although Blackjack said he didn't want to be "babysat", Annabeth wouldn't move. Blackjack lay in the long grass behind her. He wouldn't settle for eating any of the grass, though.
Annabeth smiled once she saw her boyfriend trekking up the small hill. She went down to help him, she thought he would trip and spill all of the ice cream if she didn't. Percy can be graceful during battle, but little life tasks were a whole other aspect. She took her sugar cone from his grasp and his hand in her free one. She made sure to lead him up the hill. Before Percy sat down, he tossed Blackjack an apple. He hurriedly gobbled it up. Annabeth raised an eyebrow at him but all Percy said was:
"Don't worry: I didn't cause any suspicion or anything." Annabeth smirked and nodded before she licked some of her ice cream. Annabeth loved the fact that Percy could answer her with merely one look.
The two sat in silence for a little, studying at the rocky border that seemed to protect this area. Annabeth's eyes looked down and saw other families enjoying ice cream as well. Some sat at a couple of picnic tables while others decided to sit in their car. Annabeth heard them all chattering happily. Annabeth chewed on her bottom lip; she suddenly didn't have an appetite for ice cream anymore. Once Percy looked at her, his eyebrows scrunched together and moved closer to her, his hand covering the one that rested in the grass.
"Hey, I know that look," He said and officially picked up her hand. "What's wrong?" Annabeth met his gaze.
"I don't know," She sighed, looking hopeless. "It's just seeing all of those families. . ." She drifted off; she couldn't find any more words to describe what she felt. They were all mixed up inside of her brain like letters sometimes were: they weren't structured and orderly enough for her to understand them. Percy frowned and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pressing a kiss on her temple.
"Come on, WiseGirl," He muttered into her ear. He was trying to assuage to pain he knew she felt. "It's your birthday. Smile for me." Annabeth did smile at his comment, but it wasn't to her full capacity of smiling. She looked up at him, her small smile unbroken.
"Thanks, Seaweed Brain." Percy smiled with her and leaned forward to kiss her. However, he was interrupted. Typical turn of events. The demigod's heads snapped up once they heard screaming and tumult coming from below them. Percy saw that even Blackjack got to his hooves.
"What's going on, boss?" Blackjack asked inside Percy's head. Percy didn't have enough to answer him because of what he saw. His hand automatically reached into his pocket and produced Riptide. Annabeth quickly unsheathed her other most important object in her life: her knife.
Below them, the Minotaur roared in blind anger and frustration. It flung tables and cars, looking for both of them, Percy guessed. The innocent people ran around and from the infamous monster. The Minotaur bellowed again when he didn't find the demigods he smelled. However, once a big gust of wind past, its head snapped up and found the targets it was looking for. Although it couldn't maliciously smile like other monsters could, Percy could tell that it was smiling when it yelled victoriously. Annabeth nudged her boyfriend and regular battle partner.
"I still don't know how you beat him the first time, Perce, but we're going to do it my way." Annabeth whipped out her cap, bundling it in her fist. "Keep it distracted: I'll wound it, distracting it further. Because you two are the best of buddies, you can kill it." Percy nodded once before Annabeth disappeared from him.
The Minotaur was now halfway up the hill. Percy didn't notice, but it had slipped a couple times in some of the muddier parts of the hill. If it weren't without Annabeth, Percy would've been in the same position as the monster. The Minotaur seemed to growl when it fell again. Percy smirked.
"Hey, Beefbrain!" He yelled tauntingly. "Come and get me!" The Minotaur's nostrils flared with challenge. It suddenly gathered its strength and charged up the hill. Percy backed up to the top of the hill. From the corner of his eye, he saw Blackjack fly around in the sky. Percy dodged the Minotaur's fist by somersaulting out of the way. Percy felt the ground vibrate underneath him from the Minotaur's latest move. Percy got to his feet; he knew the bronze glint of his most prized weapon distracted the monster for a second. He took the second and slashed the creature's arm. It roared into Percy's face, sending him back a bit. Percy wiped his forehead from the Minotaur's spit; he had a disgusting look on his face.
"Okay, WiseGirl. You can make a fatal blow anytime now. . ." Percy said to no one, although he knew his invisible girlfriend heard him. Percy's hesitant gaze met the Minotaur's as it swung again at him. However, this time, it stopped midway, its eyes wide. It roared before it fell to the ground. Percy took this as a sign from Annabeth to kill the creature. Because it was on its knees, its head spinning from the wound, Percy ran Riptide into its heart.
The Minotaur roared before it crumbled into a large pile of yellow dust. Annabeth disregarded this pile by walking through it to get to her boyfriend. This movement caused the dust to go into the wind and make it fly away from where they were. Percy smiled and capped Riptide; he placed it back into his pocket. Percy felt Blackjack's wings causing other gusts as wind as he landed.
"I saw that entire fight, boss," Blackjack said. "And even from the sky it was well executed." Percy cracked a grin and petted his trusty steed's mane.
"It would've been better if you decided to join in, Blackjack." The pegasus's eyes seemed to widen before he shook his head, letting out a neigh of protest.
"You know I'm more of a cheerleader, boss." Percy chuckled and looked back at his girlfriend. She looked like she normally did except for the fact that her pupils were still dilated from the post-adrenaline of battle. Her ponytail had come loose; it rested against the nape of her neck. Percy could also see that on her cheeks, some sweat was muddied with the dust. She had her arms crossed as she surveyed the grounds. Percy also spied some extraneous dust clinging to her shorts and shirt.
Once Annabeth finally met his gaze, a small but hesitant smile bloomed onto her lips. She pushed a couple of curls from her face, some self-consciousness coursing through her.
"What is it?" She asked him. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Percy approached her and took one of her hands before kissing the back.
"I just can't believe how beautiful you look right now." Percy smiled genuinely but Annabeth smirked, her eyes inaudibly laughing with amusement.
"And I can't believe how cheesy you can be sometimes, Seaweed Brain." She brushed past him in order to climb onto Blackjack. Percy quickly followed suit: he knew that if he kept her any longer, she would lose her patience.
Percy got one last glance at the area beneath the hill before Blackjack officially took off. He knew that this would happen, but some news reporters were already on the scene, explaining to the mortals their clouded version of what really happened. Before they were totally out of earshot, Percy could make out the words "rampant bear".
"Wrong animal," Percy thought to himself as they soared through the clouds.