Fall From Glory || A Percy Jackson story

Chapter 13: The Mission

A/N: Percy and Leo do not remember that last scene in this story. It was just a segue into a new story where I don't have to do a 6-chapter character introduction. I'll do a short prologue/summary at the beginning of the other story, which is still in the idea stage, but it won't influence this one. It'll be a different set of adventures.

I woke up calmly. I didn't jerk out of my bed. I wasn't in a cold sweat. I just sort of opened my eyes, and bam. I was awake.

Honestly, the experience was very unsettling.

I felt like there was something important that had happened overnight, something that maybe I just couldn't remember. So I got up and immediately started going about my day, in a desperate attempt to not remember. Unbelievably, even with my luck, it worked. Not an inkling of the memory, even when I inevitably got curious enough to try and recall. Nothing.

I finished getting ready for the day and went outside in my favorite Camp t-shirt, the one that was still impossibly in one piece even after all my adventures. It was the same one I'd worn for my first trek into the Underworld with Annabeth, somehow magically re-sized and repaired through the volcano and even Tartarus.

The only thing it hadn't repaired from was the Fates.

I took comfort in the feeling of Annabeth being near me, her scent clinging to the shirt even when I washed out all the sweat and grime and blood. I walked outside towards the dining pavilion, then looked at my shield-watch Tyson made for me and cursed. Apollo probably removed all the Mist now that I was back, and I was going to be late for work.

I sprinted up to Rachel's cave, straining for any rustle of clothing that might indicate I wasn't yet welcome.

"I still can't believe he finally just went for another redhead," Rachel grumbled, and Natasha snickered.

I blinked in surprise; out of all the things a master spy and an oracle could be talking about... I tripped over a root and skidded several yards on my face. And, guess what? Nobody was trying to hurt me, so Ares' blessing was worthless. I threw up a quick illusion with the Mist over my new facial injuries, and walked forward to knock on the wall next to the curtain over her cave.

The curtain flew open before I got there, Rachel looking out warily. "What was all that noise—oh. It's Percy," she said. She glanced behind me, and her mouth quirked up into a smirk.

I looked back and immediately blushed, ignoring the sting of cuts and scrapes and bruises. There was regular ground. Then there was a root. Then there was a trench in the ground, which led right to me.

"I think a Demeter kid took a hoe to this random, innocent piece of trail," I tried. "Gardeners are pretty weird."

Rachel burst into laughter, and Natasha poked her head out to see what all the fuss was about. An amused glimmer sparked in her emerald eyes, even though she didn't smile.

"Is there a reason you're visiting?" she asked.

"Yeah, actually. I need to get to work as Stark's bodyguard," I admitted. "I just wanted to let you know, and say that I'd be back soon so you didn't think I just left you here."

"Good to know," she said, surprised that I'd thought about it and even more surprised that I'd cared. "I'll see you later, maybe."

"Unless the Fates decide to—wait, they're dead." I smirked. "Never mind, I'll definitely be back at the end of the day."

I turned away and whistled a jaunty tune as I casually poured my heart and soul into going fast enough to get to work on time. Of course, I made it, barely. And, of course, everyone was mad at me for not being early. I wanted to protest with "Do you have any idea how busy I've been over the last thirty-six hours?" but I knew that would ruin the point of hiding my adventure in the first place.