𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 | ᵖᵉʳᶜʸ ʲᵃᶜᵏˢᵒⁿ

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘹

"What is it?" Enid inquired as she and Percy descended into the basement, spotting Grover and Annabeth fixated on a statue.

"Uncle Ferdinand," he whispered softly, his gaze fixed on the now-stone figure. Enid and Percy stood close behind Annabeth as they approached.

"Oh, no," Percy murmured, his brow furrowing in concern.

"I'm so sorry, Grover," Enid offered sympathetically.

"This is as far as he got on his quest," Grover explained with a heavy heart. "We aren't even to Trenton, but look at him. He's not like the others. He... he doesn't look afraid."

Annabeth sighed, her eyes drifting downward as she felt a pang of sorrow. Grover cleared his throat and composed himself. "You used the, um, you used the head to get rid of Alecto?"

"Yeah," Percy said softly, looking at Grover with empathy.

Grover's sigh of relief was accompanied by a nod. "Good. That was the right move," After a moment of silence, Grover wiped away his tears. "Uh, we probably should get going. It'll be dark soon."

Percy gave a solemn nod, his gaze shifting to Medusa's severed head. "But what are we gonna do with the head?" he pondered aloud. "I just took down a fury with it, and I wasn't even trying. We can't just leave it for someone to find. Leave the hat on and bury it in the basement, that oughta keep it safe."

Enid and the boys glanced at Annabeth, seeking her approval of Percy's suggestion. With a nonchalant shrug, she responded, "Sure. Now, can we talk about the bigger issue here?"

"What bigger issue?" Percy inquired, his brows furrowing in confusion as he looked between Enid and Annabeth, wondering what else could be on their minds amidst the chaos of their current situation.

"You could have saved your mother. That's what she said to you like you discussed it already. Is your mother still alive?" Annabeth demanded, her voice betraying a hint of frustration, as she probed Percy for answers, clearly perturbed by his apparent omission of this crucial information.

"She's with Hades." Percy then quickly added, his words tinged with a hint of sarcasm, "But i appreciate your concern."

"Guys, just please stop." Grover attempted to intervene, his gaze still fixed sadly on the statue of his uncle. Enid, sensing his distress, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, silently offering him support in his moment of sorrow.

Annabeth's tone was laced with frustration as she confronted Percy, her eyebrows furrowed in disapproval. "Oh, I'm concerned. What are you even doing on this quest? And why did I have to hear about this from Medusa?"

Enid watched the tense exchange between Annabeth and Percy, feeling the atmosphere grow heavy with their unresolved tension. Sensing the need to diffuse the situation, she stepped forward and interjected, "Guys, let's focus on the quest."

"Okay, while we're at it. "You should have accepted my offer?" What's that about do you think? And why did we have to hear it from Alecto?" He couldn't help but feel frustrated by the sudden revelations and the way information seemed to be coming from unexpected sources.

"Enough!" Grover's voice rang out, cutting through the tension as he addressed Percy. "The hat was a gift from her mother. It's the only thing she's ever possessed that connectq them. That oughta matter to you."

"Okay, but how are we gonna make sure this thing is safe?" Percy asked, his expression a blend of caution and curiosity.

"I'm not up to that yet," Grover said, turning towards Annabeth. "And you, really? His mom's alive. Can you imagine how confusing that must be for him? Feeling like he may have to choose between the fate of the world and the fate of the only person who's ever cared about him?"