VIDEO GAMES! (p. jackson) (#1)

- seven

LACY, OF COURSE, WAS THE ONE SENT TO WAKE THEM.

She found Rose and Percy tangled together in a mess of limbs. Percy had let Rose borrow a hoodie, and she'd pulled the hood over her eyes to shield them from the light. Percy had simply tossed one arm over his face, and the other around Rose.

Lacy shook Rose, who groaned and went, "Not now."

"Thalia says you guys need to get up."

She moved the hood off her face at the sound of her sister's voice and sat up. "Where's my armor?"

"On the floor. Do you need help?"

"...yeah."

Lacy helped her out of bed, then into her armor. She left as Eose peered in Annabeth's shield. There was an army marching towards Central Park. She swore.

Rose leaned over Percy, about to wake him up, and he shot up so fast he banged his head on her shield.

"Ow!"

"Sorry!" Rose was standing over him. "I was just about to wake you."

He rubbed his head, where he'd hit her shield. He looked worried.

"Percy?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said. "What are you doing in armor? You should be resting."

"Oh, I'm fine," she said, though she still looked pale. She was barely moving her right arm. "That nectar and ambrosia fixed me up."

"uh-huh. you can't seriously go out and fight."

she offered him her good hand and helped him up. she tried to ignore the throbbing in her left arm. outside, the sky was purple and red.

"you're going to need every person you have," she said. "i just looked in annabeth's shield. there's an army—"

"heading south into central park," he said. "yeah, i know."

he told her about his dream.

"do you think ethan suspects about your weak spot?" she asked.

"i don't know," he admitted. "he didn't tell kronos anything, but if he figures it out—"

"we can't let him."

"i'll hit him harder next time," he suggested. "any idea what surprise kronos was talking about?"

she shook her head. "i didn't see anything in the shield, but i don't like surprises."

"agreed."

"so," she said, "are you going to argue about me coming along?"

"nah. you'd just beat me up."

she managed a laugh. percy grabbed his sword, and they went to rally the troops.

thalia and the head counselors were waiting for them at the reservoir. the lights of the city were blinking on at twilight. most of them were must have been on automatic timers. streetlamps glowed around the shore of the lake, making the water and trees look even spookier.

"they're coming," thalia confirmed, pointing north with a silver arrow. "one of my scouts just reported they've crossed the harlem river. there was no way to hold them back. the army..." she shrugged. "it's huge."

"we'll hold them at the park," percy said. "grover, you ready?"

he nodded. "as ready as we'll ever be. if my nature spirits can stop them anywhere, this is the place."

"yes, we will!" said another voice. a very old, fat satyr pushed through the crowd, stumbling over his own spear. he was dressed in wood-bark armor that only covered half of his belly.