ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀ ʙɪᴛᴇꜱ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀᴄᴀʙᴇᴛʜ/ꜱᴏʟᴀɴɢᴇʟᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ

xᴠ ᴘᴇʀᴄʏ | ᴀɴ ᴏʟᴅ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ: ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ

Percy's invited to stay for another round of pool and more catching up, but he's not feeling it.

Nico teases him, saying he's just embarrassed after such a horrible loss to Frank, but Percy's honestly tired and ready to unpack. Plus, he has to check on his mom. She laid down for a nap when Percy helped her get situated in her room, but the chances of her wandering off to look for more old friends are pretty good.

Then he hears a pounding sound coming from around the corner.

Percy's mom is around the corner! Oh, gods, he should never have left her alone.

For the first time since landing in New Rome, and for the first time in a while, if he really thinks about it, Percy uncaps Riptide.

He rounds the corner, ready to strike.

"Woah! What a reunion!" Rachel Elizabeth Dare shouts. "And after ten years! Wow, you haven't changed a bit! Still ready to attack me on sight! Hi, Percy! Hi, Riptide!"

Percy sighs in relief. "Gods, Rachel! Good to see ya!"

Rachel leans down and begins to collect her fallen luggage. Colored pencils spill all over the carpet.

"Let me help you. It's my fault after all. I've been on edge lately," Percy says.

Rachel clutches a pencil pouch close to her chest and drops her voice to a stage whisper. "Is it because of Annabeth?"

Percy's breath hitches at yet another mention of his... ex... girlfriend. Even in thought, it's hard to get in the habit of calling her what she really is to him now. "Among other things," he answers.

"That's valid," says Rachel. "I didn't mean to put you over that edge; it's just a little hard to get these doors open, especially carrying all my suitcases."

"I noticed the doors were a little hard to open when I was helping my mom get settled," Percy says. "I can try to help if you want."

"Thanks, Percy! Gee, it's like a family reunion. The whole gang's here! You, Leo, Annabeth... actually that's everyone I've seen so far, so maybe it's not so much of a reunion. Not yet, anyway. The wedding's going to be something else!"

Percy misses Rachel. It's funny. After finishing art school, she moved back to New York, not that far away from his apartment, yet they hadn't made the effort to reconnect. Percy has never exactly regretted choosing Annabeth over Rachel, but sometimes he does wonder how things would have turned out if they dated. Would they have lasted?

Percy wiggles the key around for a second, and then Rachel's door pops open.

"Open Sesame!" he says, turning on the lights.

"Thanks so much!" Rachel enters the room, but she doesn't watch where she's stepping, and she falls over a shaggy rug.

"Woah!" Percy catches her from behind.

She turns back to face him, but it's not Rachel looking at him. Well, not exactly, anyway.

It's the Oracle of Delphi, and she's got something to say.

She's not a saint and she's not what you think- she's an actress

She is yelling at a bridesmaid, somewhere back inside a room wearing a gown shaped like a pastry

This is surely not what you thought it would be

Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things

This love is glowing in the dark

But the monsters turned out to be just trees, and when the sun came up you were looking at me

Now Percy hasn't heard a prophecy in a while, so his interpretation skills might be a little rusty, but that might have been the most confusing prophecy he's ever heard. The lines sound pieced together; like they're talking about completely different things, and the way that the Oracle sang them throws him off even more. He needs to write this down immediately.

But first, he needs to let go of Rachel.

Her eyes are wide. "Thanks for rescuing me, but I think I'm okay now. I don't need to reenact kissing you for old times' sake or anything."

"Oh, sure." Percy eases her onto her feet.

"Are you okay?" asks Rachel. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm alright," says Percy. "Quick question though?"

"Go for it." Rachel opens a suitcase on the bed and starts unpacking art supplies.

"Did you even pack clothes and stuff?"

"They're in the suitcase that's still in the hallway."

"Shoot, that wasn't my question," Percy says. "I mean, have you had a prophecy in a while?"

"Nope. Kind of weird. I thought I'd have the next Great Prophecy by now, but I guess no news is good news?"

"Yeah," Percy agrees.

No news would have been good news.

Now Percy might have a wedding to save.