Dear Reader [1]

03 - I Remind A Horse About Child Protection

'The day I have a conversation with the gods is the day I get claimed'

Percy waited for someone to speak after he decided to take the quest. "Well? When do we leave?" He asked them. Chiron looked at Corey, who was clenching her fists tightly and looking at a plant with venom in her eyes. "Cordelia, will you show Percy to the Oracle?" Chiron asked her, but Corey didn't respond. Grover tapped her shoulder, making the half-blood flinch. "Sorry...what?" Corey asked them, her whole body shifted as she looked at the centaur still dazed from whatever was running in her head.

"The Oracle" Chiron told her gently,

Corey nodded before smiling at Percy, "Come on Sea Pup, follow me" She told him walking to a different door in the room. Percy looked back at Grover who also nodded before walking up to Corey. She opened the door which led to a hallway with a connecting staircase. Pictures hung on every wall, some looking old and others more recent. There were paintings that got older the further up the staircase.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked Corey as they reached the top floor of the Big House. Corey turned to him, her eyes still red from the crying she had done moments ago. "I'm fine Sea Pup, now you need to go up these steps. Only the Oracle can determine if this quest is a necessary one" Corey changed the topic as she pulled the string that hung on the ceiling.

Once the attic was opened, Corey stepped back for Percy to go up. Percy stood on the first step, taking a moment before turning to Corey. "You'll be here when I get back?" He asked her. "I'm not going anywhere, I swear" She answered as she fixed his hair slightly.

~Ψ~

Percy, Corey, Chiron and Mr D stood in the Pavilion, campers selected by Chiron surrounding them. "You shall go west and face the god who has turned. And you shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned" Chiron repeated the prophecy that Percy was told by the Oracle of Delph. "The Oracle has confirmed what we expected, that this quest will proceed toward the Underworld, where you will confront the god who has rebelled against his brothers. Hades" Chiron explained.

"Way to set the mood Chiron" Corey coughed into her hand. Chiron only shook his head at her comment. "The entrance to Hades's domain lies under the city of Los Angeles. This is where you will journey to. Time is short. I have selected our most compelling candidates, from which you will choose two to join you on this quest and ensure that we succeed" Chiron looked at the campers that have the best chances in helping with this quest. But before he could introduce them as options, Percy spoke without missing a beat. "Annabeth" He chose without hesitation or doubt.

Corey saw how Annabeth's eyes lit up at the chance of a quest, knowing from Percy's rants about how Annabeth was stalking him and why that she'd been at camp since she was seven and has been waiting for a quest since. "Customarily, one waits to at least hear a name or two before choosing. Are you sure you don't wanna hear more?" Chiron suggested, knowing how impulsive a half-blood could be.

"This thing, Zeus's master bolt, we need to get it back, right?" Percy asked him. "Yes" Chiron answered. " And it's gonna be hard to get, yes?" Percy asked him again. Corey snickered at him, "You have no idea" She told him while Chiron kept his answer simple, "Extraordinarily".

"And if the mission required someone to push me down a flight of stairs for it to succeed... you'd want someone who won't hesitate when they do it" Percy explained to him. Chiron seemed to agree with his choice and nodded. "The first quest-mate shall be Annabeth Chase!" Chiron announced it to everyone officially. But as he then questioned Percy about his second quest mate, Corey left the pavilion quietly away from everyone's gaze.

"Grover" She heard Percy answer before disappearing from everyone's eye.

~Ψ~

Corey rummaged through the drawers under a dark wood desk. Shuffling papers and moving journals. "Where are they?" She mutters to herself, slamming the drawer close. She opened another drawer, sticking her hand in without looking. She hissed in pain, looking in to see she pricked her finger off a very sharp nail.