The Forbidden Child

Twenty-one

Percy's POV
He walked with his friends until Bob pointed to a spot under a very cracked up cliff that hung out far enough to where they could be hidden by it.

Bob laid Rachel down on the ground and the four of them stood around her. Percy looked at Annabeth and could tell she was trying to think of a way to wake her up. He knew she still felt guilty about all of this.

Annabeth took too long so Percy poked Rachel with his foot and yelled "Rachel!"

Her red head popped up with a start. "Ah!" She screamed as though waking from a nightmare. She looked around frantically until she saw Annabeth and Percy's faces. She sighed with relief. "You guys wouldn't believe the dream I just had. I was kidnapped by a kindly one and kept prisoner in a classroom and then I fell into Tartarus..." she glanced around and then let her head fall back onto the ground and started to cry. "It was all real." She mumbled as she covered her face with her hands.

Annabeth immediately got on her knees, scooped Rachel up, and cradled her in her arms. They rocked back and forth and Annabeth kept whispering "I'm so sorry".

"We're just glad your okay, Rachel." Percy said. She looked up at him with her bright green Oracle eyes and smiled.

"It's good to see you alive and okay too, Percy." She said.

Percy and Rachel were still good friends, but she and Annabeth were even closer. He didn't know what happened, but they all of the sudden seemed to put their petty fighting aside and became really good friends. All Annabeth told him was that life was too short (especially a demigods life) to worry about little things like drama.

Drew cleared his throat a little louder than necessary. Percy smirked. "This is my friend Drew, son of Hera." He told Rachel. He gave her a look on the Hera part that made her look up uneasily at Drew.

Rachel swallowed. "Hi, I'm Rachel, the Oracle of Delphi."

"Ahh, yeah. The oracle of Delphi. That's what I guessed. Everyone knows good old Delphi. I can see her in you. Yep." Drew stumbled through his words.

Rachel smirked at him and his face turned the color of her hair. Maybe it was just the heat of Tartarus reflecting on his face. Percy hoped so. He did not wanna have to tell him that she wasn't supposed to date being an Oracle and all.

"We need a plan to get out of here." Annabeth said standing up and then helping Rachel to her feet as well. Rachel instantly fell onto Annabeth with a gasp.

"Sorry," she said, "I haven't eaten in a while."

"It's okay." Annabeth consoled her. "Percy, food." She said sternly to him.

Percy quickly unzipped and riffled through the backpack pulling out out a granola bar and PB&J sandwich. He handed them both to Rachel and she inhaled them quickly.

Percy turned to Bob. "Rachel, this is Bob the good titan. The one Annabeth and I were telling you about."

"It's great to finally meet you, Bob." She smiled at him weakly.

A huge smile stretched across Bobs face. "Nice to meet you too, Rachel." He clapped excitedly.

"Bob, do you know how to get to the doors of death?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes, I do!" He said. His face fell, "But I don't know if I can go back there. Last time it did not end well for me. I got this!" He pointed to a long scar across his stomach.

Percy felt really bad for him. Bob sacrificed himself for them already. He couldn't ask him to do it again.

Percy glanced over at Annabeth and they came to a silent agreement. "That's okay, Bob." Percy told his friend. "We would never ask you to go back. Could you just give us directions?"

"Yes, of course!" Bob pointed behind him. "Keep going this way until you get to the rope bridge. Then go right until you reach the forest.
Be careful in the forest, it's a terrible place. Go straight through the forest until you reach the end. Do NOT take any alternate paths no matter what. Then go left until you reach the cliff. You'll have to find your way down it. Go straight until you reach the doors of death."

"Uh, are we gonna remember all that?" Drew asked. "Personally, I'm lost."

"Annabeth will. Her memory is usually spotless." Percy told him.

"Usually?" Drew questioned, seeming unsure.

Percy shrugged and turned to Bob. "We better get going. This is goodbye... for now." He said hopefully.

"Yes, friend. Goodbye for now." He smiled. "Goodbye friend Annabeth and friend Percy" He picked the two of them up and hugged each of them in one arm. "Goodbye new friends!" He said setting Annabeth and Percy down and patting Rachel and Drew on the heads. "Maybe I'll see you again someday!" He began to walk away and then turned back. "Percy, will you tell the stars I miss them too?"

"Sure thing, buddy." Percy smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, friend." With that Bob was gone.

Percy sighed as he watched his friend leave. He decided he would find a way for Bob to tell the stars he missed them himself, no matter what.

"Let's move." Annabeth said sadly.

The four traveled in the direction Bob told them. They walked for what seemed like forever when all of the sudden they heard a low growl behind them. Percy tuned quickly. He uncapped riptide.

Before them stood a manticore. It had the face of a person which was unsettling against its huge lion body. It's scorpion tail pointed threateningly towards them as the beast growled again; it look hungry.

Annabeth sprung forward, sliding underneath its stomach. She trust her dagger into its belly and it reared backward with a yelp.

Percy took the chance and went after it with Riptide. He sliced the head off and it fell to the ground with a disgusting thump before tuning into gold dust and disappearing along with the rest of its body.

Rachel's eyes were wide with fear as she clutched her hairbrush like a sword. "That was quick." She said relaxing.

"We make a pretty good team, Wise girl." I shrugged.

"Yeah, Seaweed Brain, I know." She rolled her eyes with a smile.

"I am sorry you didn't get to use your hairbrush, Rachel." Percy said as they started walking again. "I think if you can scare a titan with it you could take out a manticore." He smirked.

"It is my most useful weapon." She said proudly.

"You scared a titan with a hairbrush?" Drew asked.

"Yeah, long story." Annabeth told him.

The group was silent remembering the titans face when Rachel threw the brush at him as they continued on their path.

"Look!" Annabeth pointed ahead. "The rope bridge."

Percy groaned as he realized the rope bridge was over lava with sharp rocks at the bottom and the planks fell out of the bridge as it swayed back and forth.

Nothing could ever just be easy.

Heyyy readers! It's definitely been more than two weeks... sorry. Thanks to the person that reminded me to start writing! I'm so close to 4K; it's crazy. Anyway thanks for being amazing and keeping with this! I'm excited for where this story is going! Thanks for being awesome! Keep it up lol
- me :)