012.


















✦ ༉‧₊˚⋆˚( ᵖᵉʳᶠᵉᶜᵗ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ )˚⁺✧₊˚.*♡

🍦— 012. meeting with the mortal.

















VIVI HADN'T SEEN SALLY JACKSON in so long. Last time, the older woman made a blueberry smoothie when Vivi came over to tell Percy that she was moving away. It was the last day she saw his face before arriving at the Camp Half-Blood and founding out that the famous demigod, son of the Big Three, the boy who held the sky to save his friend, actually was the shy, introverted, dyslexia Percy Jackson she knew since she was four. Time goes by so fast.

Vivi didn't worry about meeting Sally once again, what she was worrying ( or being annoyed ) was meeting the infamous mortal friend of Percy's, Rachel Elizabeth Dare; why did they have to know her middle name, Vivi doesn't know.

And so, Vivi currently found herself sitting in the window seat with Annabeth separating her and Percy. She was still feeling annoyed with the boy ( and jealous at how he started explaining who the mortal was ) that she didn't really wanna have conversation with him. Violeta went back to their new apartment, couple of blocks away from the center and Vivi wished she could just go there and forget about everything that happened for the past few months. 

"Bad dreams?" Percy asked Annabeth.

She shook her head. "An Iris-message from Eurytion."

"Eurytion! Is something wrong with Nico?"

"He left the ranch last night, heading back into the maze."

"What? Didn't Eurytion try to stop him?"

"Nico was gone before he woke up. Orthus tracked his scent as far as the cattle guard. Eurytion said he'd been hearing Nico talk to himself the last few nights. Only now he thinks Nico was talking with the ghost again, Minos."

"He's in danger," Percy said.

"No shit Sherlock," Vivi muttered.

"Minos is one of the judges of the dead," Annabeth continued, putting her hand on top of Vivi's knee and squeezed it, "but he's got a vicious streak a mile wide. I don't know what he wants with Nico, but ─ "

"That's not what I meant," Percy said. "I had this dream last night. . ."

Percy told them about Luke, how he'd mentioned Quintus, and how his men had found a half-blood alone in the maze.

Annabeth's jaw clenched. "That's very, very bad."

"Yeah, so what do we do?"

Vivi snorted, "Well, it's a good thing you have a plan to guide us, huh?"

It was Saturday, and traffic was heavy going into the city. They arrived at his Sally's apartment around noon. When she answered the door, Vivi remembered who much she used to adore the woman. Sally let out a breath of relief and gave Percy a bone-crushing hug that made his face squished.

"I told them you were all right," Percy's mom said, but she sounded like the weight of the sky had just been lifted off her shoulders. She gave Annabeth a hug before her eyes landed on Vivi and the girl could see gears working inside the woman's head, "I don't believe. . . I remember those eyes. . . Vivi?"

"Hello, Sally," Vivi smiled and the woman pulled the girl in a bit loose bone-crushing hug which Vivi returned with as much enthusiasm.

"Oh my! It's been so long!" Sally released her from a hug and took her face between her gentle hands, "You look so mature now, and beautiful! You haven't changed one bit since you were little. . . oh, were those the times! Percy still talks about you," she turned towards her son, "Why didn't you tell me Vivi was back in town."

"I just found out ─ "

" ─ oh, I'm so happy right now! Come, come in, I'mma make you that milkshake you used to love. . . do you still like it? . . . and I have some baked cookies, blue of course."  

Sally sat the three down at the kitchen table and insisted on them eating her special blue chocolate-chip cookies ( she made Vivi that blueberry milkshake ─ and yes, Vivi still likes it ) while they caught her up on the quest. When Percy got to the part about Geryon and the stables, Sally pretended like she was going to strangle him.

"I can't get him to clean his room, but he'll clean a hundred tons of horse manure out of some monster's stables?"

Vivi laughed. In the corner of her eye, she could see Percy watching her with a hopeful expression which she quickly dismissed. She made a deal with Travis to make the boy suffer as much as she could, but it was starting to get hard when he had that stupid pout on his face when looking at her direction.

"So," Sally said when Percy was done with the story, "you wrecked Alcatraz Island, made Mount St. Helens explode, and displaced half a million people, but at least you're safe."

That's the Sally Vivi knew, always looking on the bright side.

"Yep," Percy agreed. "That pretty much covers it."

"I wish Paul were here," she said, half to herself. "He wanted to talk to you."

Vivi didn't know who Paul was, but by Sally's expression she guessed that the person was someone close to her.

"Oh, right. The school." Percy said, "What did you tell him?"

Sally shook her head. "What could I say? He knows something is different about you, Percy. He's a smart man. He believes that you're not a bad person. He doesn't know what's going on, but the school is pressuring him. After all, he got you admitted there. He needs to convince them the fire wasn't your fault. And since you ran away, that looks bad."

Daughter of Hermes looked at her best friend with a pointed expression, 'Fire!' she mouthed. Annabeth shook her head and responded with, 'Just Percy being a dumbass.' and Vivi got the story.

"I'll talk to him," Percy promised. "After we're done with the quest. I'll even tell him the truth if you want."

Sally put her hand on his shoulder. "You would do that?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, he'll think we're crazy."

"He already thinks that."

"Then there's nothing to lose."

"Thank you, Percy. I'll tell him you'll be home. . ." she frowned. "When? What happens now?"

Annabeth broke her cookie in half. "Percy has this plan."

"Oh, yes, the plan." Vivi added in a sour tone. 

Reluctantly Percy told his mom. As Percy retold the plan Vivi had already heard and shouted at him for it ( she doesn't regret one bit ), the girl started getting more and more annoyed and jealous at the same time. Some kind of mortal will help them with this very important quest. Vivi doubt it.

Sally nodded slowly as she listened to the plan. "It sounds very dangerous. But it might work."

"You have the same abilities, don't you?" Percy asked. "You can see through the Mist."

His mom sighed. "Not so much now. When I was younger it was easier. But yes, I've always been able to see more than was good for me. It's one of the things that caught your father's attention, when we first met. Just be careful. Promise me you'll be safe."

"We'll try, Sally," Vivi said. "Keeping your son safe is a big job, though."

"Very hard job." Annabeth added, crossing her arms.

Vivi knew that the blonde was overprotective of her friends and Vivi understands that, she too, is protective of them, but Annabeth is on another level. Vivi also knew how hard the daughter of Athena was in making new friends, but when she did, she became this clingy person you can't get rid of and Vivi loves her for that.

Sally frowned. "What's going on with you two? Have you been fighting?"

"No, of course not," Vivi said with a very fake smile on her face, "But maybe your son shouldn't get marooned on the island with a beautiful sorceress and get himself blown up. You know, just an idea." the girl shrugged. 

"I. . . what!"

"Nothing, mum!" Percy said, glaring at Vivi for making Sally even more stressful. Vivi felt bad, but Percy was starting to get on her nerves.

"Well, call your friend and let's get this quest over with."



































Right, Vivi's day just couldn't have gotten weirder, but then again, they found Rachel Elizabeth Dare in front of the Marriott Marquis, completely painted in gold. And Vivi means her whole body ─ her face, her hair, her clothes, everything. She was standing like a statue with five other kids all painted metallic ─ copper, bronze, silver. They were frozen indifferent poses while tourists hustled past or stopped to stare. Some passersby threw money at the tarp on the sidewalk. The sign at Rachel's feet said, URBAN ART FOR KIDS, DONATIONS APPRECIATED.

Vivi, Annabeth and Percy stood there for like five minutes, staring at Rachel, but if she noticed them she didn't let on. Being ADHD and all, she could not have done that. Standing still that long would've driven the girl crazy.

"Can I, maybe, like, push her?" Vivi asked, looking at Annabeth.

"Yes, you can."

"No, you can't!"

Vivi huffed.

After another few minutes, a kid in silver walked up from the hotel taxi stand, where he'd been taking a break. He took a pose like he was lecturing the crowd, right next to Rachel. Rachel unfroze and stepped off the tarp.

"Hey, Percy." She grinned. "Good timing! Let's get some coffee."

They walked down to a place called the Java Moose on West 43rd. Rachel ordered an Espresso Extreme, the kind of stuff Grover would like. Annabeth and Percy got fruit smoothies, while Vivi ordered iced Americano, and they sat at a table right under the stuffed moose. Nobody even looked twice at Rachel in her golden outfit.

"So," she said, "it's Annabell and Vivi, right?"

"Annabeth," Annabeth corrected.

"It's actually Vivienne," Vivi said with a big, fake smile, "Only friends call me Vivi. Do you always dress in gold?"

"Not usually," Rachel said. "We're raising money for our group. We do volunteer art projects for elementary kids 'cause they're cutting art from the schools, you know? We do this once a month, take in about five hundred dollars on a good weekend. But I'm guessing you don't want to talk about that. You're a half-bloods, too?"

"Shhh!" Annabeth said, looking around. "Just announce it to the world, how about?"

"Okay." Rachel stood up and said really loud, "Hey, everybody! These three aren't human! They're half Greek god!"

Nobody even looked over.

Rachel shrugged and sat down. "They don't seem to care."

"Tā mā de fánrén ( Fucking mortal )." Vivi muttered.

"That's not fucking funny," Annabeth said. "This isn't a joke, mortal girl."

"Hold it, you three," Percy said. "Just calm down."

"I'm calm," Rachel insisted. "Every time I'm around you, some monster attacks us. What's to be nervous about?"

"Welcome to our world." Vivi said, swirling the straw of her drink in the cup and taking a sip.

"Look," Percy said. "I'm sorry about the band room. I hope they didn't kick you out or anything."

"Nah. They asked me a lot of questions about you. I played dumb."

"Was it hard?" Annabeth asked.

It looked like Annabeth, too, took a dislike towards the mortal.

"Okay, stop!" Percy intervened. "Rachel, we've got a problem. And we need your help."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Annabeth and Vivi. "You need my help?"

Annabeth stirred her straw in her smoothie. "Yeah," she said sullenly. "Maybe."

Percy told Rachel about the Labyrinth, and how they needed to find Daedalus. He told her what had happened the last few times they'd gone in. Vivi didn't listen to the story she heard several times by now, instead, she opted to stealing Annabeth's smoothie. Daughter of Athena tried to take it back but with no luck as Vivi raised it above and away from the blonde. 

"So you want me to guide you," she said. "Through a place I've never been."

"You can see through the Mist," Percy said. "Just like Ariadne. I'm betting you can see the right path. The Labyrinth won't be able to fool you as easily."

"And if you're wrong?"

"Then we'll get lost. Either way, it'll be dangerous. Very, very dangerous."

"I could die?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you said monsters don't care about mortals. That sword of yours ─ "

"Yeah," Percy said. "Celestial bronze doesn't hurt mortals. Most monsters would ignore you. But Luke. . . he doesn't care. He'll use mortals, demigods, monsters, whatever. And he'll kill anyone who gets in his way."

"Nice guy," Rachel said.

"He's under the influence of a Titan," Annabeth said defensively. "He's been deceived."

Vivi sipped on her coffee quietly ─ that was the topic she didn't want to get involved in. Sure he is her brother, but even if Vivi hated ( not hated, but close ) Hermes for leaving her and her mother all alone, she more hated the one god who invented that rule.

Rachel looked back and forth between Annabeth and Percy. "Okay," she said. "I'm in."

Vivi looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

"Hey, my summer was going to be boring. This is the best offer I've gotten yet. So what do I look for?"

"We have to find an entrance to the Labyrinth," Annabeth said. "There's an entrance at Camp Half-Blood, but you can't go there. It's off-limits to mortals."

"Okay. What does an entrance to the Labyrinth look like?"

"It could be anything," Annabeth said. "A section of wall. A boulder. A doorway. A sewer entrance. But it would have the mark of Daedalus on it. A Greek L, glowing in blue."

"Like this?" Rachel drew the symbol Delta in water on their table.

"That's it," Annabeth said. "You know Greek?"

"No," Rachel said. She pulled a big blue plastic hairbrush from her pocket and started brushing the gold out of her hair. "Let me get changed. You'd better come with me to the Marriott."

"Why?" Annabeth asked.

"Because there's an entrance like that in the hotel basement, where we store our costumes. It's got the mark of Daedalus."








































The metal door was half hidden behind a laundry bin full of dirty hotel towels. Vivi didn't see anything strange about it, but Rachel showed them where to look, and she recognized the faint blue symbol etched in the metal.

"It hasn't been used in a long time," Annabeth said.

"I tried to open it once," Rachel said, "just out of curiosity. It's rusted shut."

"No." Annabeth stepped forward. "It just needs the touch of a half-blood."

Sure enough, as soon as Annabeth put her hand on the mark, it glowed blue. The metal door unsealed and creaked open, revealing a dark staircase leading down.

"Wow." Rachel looked calm, but Vivi couldn't tell if she was pretending or not. She'd changed into a ratty Museum of Modern Art T-shirt and her regular marker-colored jeans, her blue plastic hairbrush sticking out of her pocket. Her red hair was tied back, but she still had flecks of gold in it, and traces of the gold glitter on her face. "So. . . after you?"

"You're the guide," Vivi said. "Lead on."

The stairs led down to a large brick tunnel. It was so dark Vivi couldn't see two feet in front of them, but they all had restocked on flashlights. As soon as they switched them on, Rachel yelped. A skeleton was grinning at them. It wasn't human. It was huge, for one thing ─ at least ten feet tall. It had been strung up, chained by its wrists and ankles so it made a kind of giant X over the tunnel. But what really sent a shiver down the girl's back was the single black eye socket in the center of its skull.

"A Cyclops," Annabeth said. "It's very old. It's not. . . anybody we know."

It wasn't Tyson, she meant. 

Rachel swallowed. "You have a friend who's a Cyclops?"

"Tyson," Percy said. "My half brother."

"Your half brother?"

"Hopefully we'll find him down here," he said. "And Grover. He's a satyr."

"Oh." her voice was small. "Well then, we'd better keep moving."

She stepped under the skeleton's left arm and kept walking. The three exchanged looks. Annabeth shrugged. They followed Rachel deeper into the maze. After fifty feet the group came to a crossroads. Ahead, the brick tunnel continued. To the right, the walls were made of ancient marble slabs. To the left, the tunnel was dirt and tree roots.

Percy pointed left. "That looks like the tunnel Tyson and Grover took."

Annabeth frowned. "Yeah, but the architecture to the right ─ those old stones ─ that's more likely to lead to an ancient part of the maze, toward Daedalus's workshop."

"We need to go straight," Rachel said.

"I'm sorry?" Vivi asked.

"That's the least likely choice," Annabeth said.

"You don't see it?" Rachel asked. "Look at the floor."

Vivi saw nothing except well-worn bricks and mud.

"There's a brightness there," Rachel insisted. "Very faint. But forward is the correct way. To the left, farther down the tunnel, those tree roots are moving like feelers. I don't like that. To the right, there's a trap about twenty feet down. Holes in the walls, maybe for spikes. I don't think we should risk it."

"Okay. Forward."

"You believe her?" Annabeth asked.

Vivi shrugged.

"Yeah," Percy said. "Don't you?"

Annabeth looked like she wanted to argue, but she waved at Rachel to lead on. Vivi glared at Percy and looped her arm with Annabeth's; the blonde pulling her closer. They kept walking down the brick corridor. It twisted and turned, but there were no more side tunnels. They seemed to be angling down, heading deeper underground.

"No traps?" Percy asked anxiously.

"Nothing." Rachel knit her eyebrows. "Should it be this easy?"

"I don't know," he said. "It never was before."

"So, Rachel," Annabeth said, "where are you from, exactly?"

"Brooklyn," she said.

"Aren't your parents going to be worried if you're out late?"

Rachel exhaled. "Not likely. I could be gone a week and they'd never notice."

"Why not?" Vivi asked.

For the first time, Vivi didn't sound as sarcastic. She may not have trouble with parents, but Annabeth did. Before Rachel could answer, there was a creaking noise in front of them, like huge doors opening.

"What was that?" Annabeth asked.

"I don't know," Rachel said. "Metal hinges."

"Oh, that's very helpful. I mean, what is it?"

Then Percy heard heavy footsteps shaking the corridor ─ coming toward us.

"Run?"

"Run,"

They turned and fled the way they'd come, but the group didn't make it twenty feet before they ran straight into some old friends. Two dracaenae ─ snake women in Greek armor ─ leveled their javelins at their chests. Standing between them was Kelli, the empousa cheerleader.

"Well, well," Kelli said.

Percy uncapped Riptide, Vivi pulled off her bracelet and her dagger appeared, and Annabeth pulled her knife; but before they could blink, Kelli pounced on Rachel. Her hand turned into a claw and she spun Rachel around, holding her tight with her talons at Rachel's neck.

"Taking your little mortal pet for a walk?" Kelli asked me. "They're such fragile things. So easy to break!"

Behind them, the footsteps came closer. A huge form appeared out of the gloom ─ an eight-foot-tall Laistrygonian giant with red eyes and fangs. The giant licked his lips when he saw them. "Can I eat them?"

"No," Kelli said. "Your master will want these. They will provide a great deal of entertainment." She smiled at Percy. "Now march, half-bloods. Or you all die here, starting with the mortal girl."













niki speaks!

i got a chance to update while watching
heartstopper rn. . .
and i'm in love with all of them already!

kind of nervous and excited for
the party today¿
( it's after midnight here, so idk )
love the outfit i've picked and going to
take so many photos in it!

that's really it. i have two tests this week
cuz they think we don't need
a holiday, but whatever.

have a nice day/night!
bye!

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