Finally Together [Perlypso] - Sequel {COMPLETED}

Six- New York, New York

Percy

It wasn't hard to find Artemis. A 30 year old woman dressed in Greek hunting clothes glowing silver with a bow is not the common every day sight in Central Park.

Since she didn't have the hunters, she wasn't 12. I wasn't sure how to take that at first, but I decided I preferred it.

"So how is it?" Annabeth asked before I could.

"We've pinpointed their location. Naturally they're here in New York, because any chance they get to storm Olympus they'd take." She said. "They're hiding out and using the sewers as pathways and transportation-"

Call me immature, but I accidentally started gagging aloud. "Ew, ew, ew."

"Whatever Percy," Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Have you ever seen a New York sewer? Better yet smelled one?" I asked.

"Oh c'mon," Annabeth said. "Is this really the worse out of everything you've been through?"

"Yes," I gagged again. "I cleaned out horse stables once. Plus sewers are full of rats. And spiders, Annabeth-"

"Okay, enough." Annabeth interrupted me.

We turned back to Artemis to see her giving us a challenging look. Whatever she was thinking, she chose not to say it, and went back to giving us our briefing. "Unfortunately for you 2, then, we're going down in the sewers."

A bright flash erupted about 50 feet away from us. I turned to see Calypso.

"What is she doing here?" Annabeth asked annoyed.

Calypso approached. "Percy, Chiron told me to go with you guys so I could update him on the situation."

"We can do that ourselves," Annabeth said. "We don't need any help. 3 on a quest is enough."

Calypso's eyes seemed to grow angry.

Annabeth held her ground, however.

Pride was very stubborn.

"Well we're going into the sewers." Annabeth said. "Don't hold us up." Annabeth turned to Artemis. "Where's the entrance?"

"That's the unfortunate part..." Artemis said. "I can't completely navigate them. You know, some have dead ends or cages. I need-"

"Hazel." I said. "We need Hazel."

Artemis groaned, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Does she have to be Roman?"

I hadn't thought, it might mess with her form. "Just to be clear," I said. "I'm 100% Greek, and don't have a Roman form, right?"

"Right," Artemis said. "You're one of the lucky ones."

"Aha!" I said.

"However... they might recognize you, simply because you were part of their camp at one time." Artemis said.

"I'm fully Greek as well," Calypso broke in.

"You're a nymph." Annabeth said. "You know they have Roman nymphs too right?"

"Annabeth forgive me but we must stay on topic." Artemis said.

Annabeth and Calypso shared a passive aggressive, hidden glare.

Somehow, I knew this quest wasn't going to be so fun.

•••

Hazel arrived quickly, and we briefed her on the mission.

"Sewers," Hazel groaned. "I have to do this all the time in New Rome."

I decided that would be a worse chore than Stable cleaning.

"This way," she began walking through Central Park, towards the city. "We want the easiest way."

"Definitely," I agreed. Artemis and Annabeth stepped ahead of Calypso and I, following right after Hazel. Calypso and I stayed behind a few feet, talking between ourselves.

"She's not very happy," Calypso remarked.

"I agree," I said.

"I guess I could understand why," Calypso said. "If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do."

"Good thing you're not losing me then," I shrugged playfully.

"It's a good thing," Calypso agreed.

It took a lot of me not to lean in and kiss her. Forget the mission, forget Annabeth, forget all the horrible things I'd been through that time simply just couldn't heal, even if it was forever, just for a moment. Maybe it wasn't time doing any healing at all... maybe it was her. All her.

"I'm glad you came," I said. "What with Annabeth and all, I know it must be awkward."

Calypso shrugged. "She has her points. I would be missing you too if I were her."

Annabeth, in all her glory, ahead of us talking to Artemis about her building plans for Olympus, and for palaces and kingdoms and monuments. Annabeth, whom I'd spent so much tine with, whom I'd shared so much love with.

Maybe she did have her points. I had mine, too. When love burns bright, it always leaves behind charred remains... but it almost always leave behinds sizzling embers, too.

I would be lying if I said I didn't miss Annabeth at times, but the thing I had in front of me was better than those old memories. Sometimes, it was just hard for my heart to understand that.

"You won't ever have to miss me," I said, ignoring all my thoughts. "I'm here. Always."

Promises were so hollow in the mortal world. They always fell short, ran out of time. I wandered if this one would run out of time, since we had all of time at our disposal.

Calypso and I continued walking and talking, just like we used to on those nights at Ogygia. Nothing forced, all things shared, like best friends. That was the thing I loved most. The trust, the companionship.

Was I really lucky enough, to have this? For forever?

Finally, we found ourselves at a manhole in a less crowded area of Central Park. The group stops, taking me out of my thoughts. The thoughts of entering raw sewage and plumbing definitely brought Calypso and I out of our conversation quickly.

"This would be the easiest way," Hazel said as we approached her. "However, there will still be some... complications."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "Sewers.."

"Well," she said. "Alright. Let's get this show on the road. We'll have to work together to lift it, manhole covers weigh hundreds of-"

Nah. Artemis just zapped it.

Hazel stood, biting her lip. "My apologies."

"Lead the way," Artemis said.

Hazel jumped down into the darkness.