A/N: Heya ladies and germs I'm back again! Like I said some things will be changed to suit the story needs, so no Geyron's farm. Don't worry I will drag Nico into the fun cause you can't hate Nico. Anyway onto the chapter! Shorter one this time but I'll work o it for the next. don't forget ta review peeps!

Disclaimer: Am I Rick? No? Then I don't own PJO/HOO or anything else I reference.

Chapter 12: Follow the Bone Strewn Brick Road

Percy had just gotten the prophecy from the Oracle and he was not happy about being the center of another quest. It just didn't sit well with him. True it was for the sake of camp but he was just not up for it. Obviously he chose Annabeth to come with him but he also had Grover with him, which made him feel marginally better. He knew Noir was supposed to tag along too but he was being his typical self and was likely goofing off somewhere, which he would very much so like to join in on.

"It's just a rather fairly eventful walk man, no need to be so serious."

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover leapt a yard in the air from where they were standing as Noir just appeared. Sitting indian style…upside down…mid-air at head height. He simply grinned at the trio. Annabeth scowled and Percy and Grover accepted his fist bump with a chuckle. This promptly got them slapped for their troubles while Noir took up to giggling.

"Ouch woman! I need that arm! Besides why didn't you slap him too?" Percy gestured wildly to Noir who was floating as if on a lounge chair, legs crossed and arms behind his head, grinning broadly at their interaction.

"Cause she liked having an excuse to touch you pretty boy." Both Annabeth and Percy spluttered something fierce as Noir blatantly laughed at them. "C'mon love birds, we gotta get a move on. ~On the road again!~"

Noir did in fact sing the whole way, thankfully he swapped to something in a different language that tickled at Percy's mind with familiarity. He didn't know why, more than likely his connection to the sea through his father, but it clicked that he was singing in Atlantian. It was an uplifting melody that matched with his slightly bass voice, the resonance shook their bodies with ease as they fell into a comfortable walking pace. They reached Zeus's Fist quickly enough, but not without a couple of Naiads joining Noir's impromptu jam session. Not that they were complaining, but seriously the guy was easy to be jealous of. Percy was trying his hardest not to acknowledge Annabeth staring at him. He told himself it was because she didn't know too much about him, gods she hated not knowing, but the light blush that painted her cheeks said otherwise. It ended up taking all his will power not to growl at him when he tossed a saucy smile over his shoulder.

It was almost a blessing that it was nigh impossible to see once Noir blinked them down into the tunnel. That was short lived as Noir held up his palm, and in a burst of platinum he was holding a tinier, plushier version of the massive wolf they had first seen with the Hunt. The wolf took up residence on Noir's head were he lit up his body with glowing runes, filling the tunnel with light. Looking quite pleased with himself, the wolf yawned and went to sleep.

"Lazy pup." Noir said warmly. The pup for his part simply swished his tails back and forth happily. "Well then, onwards we go children. We gotta go get us a glorified ball of string- and I'm not allowed to lead the way. Completely forgot about that." He scrunched up his eyes before he disappeared and Percy felt a weight on his head. Noir was in tiny plush wolf form lying on his head!

"Wake me when there's something to slay, I want a nap!" There was no time for the quest mates to protest as some of the runes faded, dimming the corridor. They presumed his presence had retreated into the wolf for now and decided perhaps it was for the best. Demi-god scent already attracted monsters, they didn't need to find out what a deity older than the universe's creator reeled in.

-Labyrinth Line Breaks, Line Break Liquidly and Languishly-

They had been walking aimlessly for the past half hour not exactly sure what they were heading towards, with no sense of direction. After Annabeth's plan of following the left wall failed spectacularly when it disappeared, they figure it was best to wing it. As it turned out winging it sucked. They came to a large open room displaying both Greek and Roman paintings. The pillars were cut from marble but were stained and mottled, whilst the depictions were faded and unclear.

That wasn't the problem. The problem was a massive Scorpion thing sitting upside down on the ceiling. It had the lower half of a full bodied scorpion, except where the mouth would be was a torso. The torso was humanoid and muscled but had four massive pincers that extended from the shoulder instead of hands. His face was grotesque. He had no nose or mouth that could be defined and beady black eyes were scattered about a bald head. They soon found out it did in fact have a mouth when it dropped from the ceiling and landed perfectly on its feet. Snapping six toothy pincers at them it hissed revealing a maw filled with needle like teeth, dripping black goo. Two enormous tails proudly put themselves on display behind it, as they raised well above the 12 foot tall behemoth.

"You gotta be freaking kidding me…" Percy was quite proud he didn't piss himself when it lunged. He and Annabeth both jumped backwards drawing weapons and praying to whatever gods they could think of to see them through this safely. Turns out it was unnecessary when a resounding crunch was heard and the creature wailed as its lower half was crushed. A flash of white striations preceded another crunch as a second pair of jaws slammed shut around the beast. Its pincers were left flailing wildly outside of the massive mouth before the jaws clamped down harder and all movement ceased.

Percy and Annabeth were stock still as they stared down the biggest crocodile/alligator thing they'd ever seen. Its silver teeth shimmered in the dim light and it's iridescent black skin made it all the more intimidating. 4 eyes peered at them before they closed and the beast sunk into its own shadow.

"Friggin hate arachnids. I'm fine with anything with six legs and millipedes, don't get me wrong. But centipedes and Arachnids? Ugh! I swear I'm investing in a flame thrower…"

They watched as Noir's human form walked passed them. "If these idiots keep messing with the set course I might get to run wild sooner than later. Oh well not my problem I suppose. Now c'mon kids it's lunch time!" He clapped his hands summoning a blanket and sandwiches before he sat down.

"Dinner guest in 3…2…1…0." He looked quite smug when Hera flashed and took in the questers plus Noir sitting on a picnic blanket shivering in fright, save Noir of course. He simply smiled warmly, "Impeccable timing my dear. Now chicken salad or Ham and Cheese?"

-Anti-Arachnid Line Breaks are in fact equipped with Flame Throwers-

The impromptu picnic went well enough. Hera delivered cryptic advice about how Percy already knew how to navigate the Labyrinth and flashed away after enjoying a chicken salad sandwich and glass of remarkably well brewed tea. Noir suggested that they settle down for the night while he would keep watch. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover held no protest. Too many thoughts were spinning through the demi-gods heads and they prayed for a rest filled night. To their surprise they got it and were awakened to the snap of flames as Noir cooked bacon on a skillet. He had already set out 3 plates of toast and scrambled eggs with milk to boot. One glass was even blue for Percy. Of course he had to swap Grover's bacon and eggs for tin cans and enchiladas but he didn't seem too annoyed.

After they kept walking for a bit they came to a cross road in the tunnel.

"Hold up a second…something smells off. It smells like the wild coming from the right, but it smells of machinery from the left." Noir paused before clapping his hand together, materializing Tyson next to him. The cyclops looked confused for a second before smiling and crushing Percy and Annabeth in a hug.

"Tyson I need you to accompany Grover down that path" Noir grabbed Percy and Annabeth, "These two potatoes are coming with me." With no time to protest a wall slammed down between them and another behind each group. There was only one option. Both squads took confidence in Noir's instructions and began walking forward. As they continued down the tunnel, passing the odd skeleton, they hoped there were no more surprises in store for them.

Unfortunate they didn't account for exploding platypuses…