𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒¹

𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑠

‧̍̊˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙‧̍̊

ASTORIA STANK AND SHE was pretty sure it was obvious. No one had been able to shower since they left camp, and the after-smell of a bath in the Hudson River made it worse.

"Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth suggested. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit."

"We can't use phones, right?"

"Well I can."

"I'm not talking about phones."

The four wandered through downtown for about half an hour after leaving the train, as Annabeth was intently searching for a place. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. Everywhere the kids turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at them, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city.

Finally, Annabeth found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. She veered toward the stall farthest from the street, with everyone else following in pursuit, keeping her eyes open for patrol cars. 'I really hope we don't get caught. I mean, four kids hanging out at a car wash without a car? Any cop would figure we were up to no good legality-wise.'

"What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked, as Grover took out a spray gun. Where he had retrieved it, Astoria has no idea, but whatever works, right?

"It's seventy-five cents," the satyr grumbled. "I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth?"

"Don't look at me," she said. "The dining car wiped me out?"

Grover looked at Astoria. She raised her hands up. "I've got nothing."

Percy fished out loose change from his pockets and managed to pass Grover a quarter. "Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arms get tired of pumping."

"I can pump instead," Astoria offered. That way she can listen to their conversation, and avoid being in Luke's view. After the little... kidnapping attempt, child endangerment to be exact, she'd rather not risk it. Grover handed her the plastic spray. He fed it the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST.

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked cluelessly.

"I-M'ing."

"Instant messaging?" Percy guessed. Astoria snorted at the misinterpretation.

"Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods."

"How generous," Astoria rejoiced lightly.

"You summon the goddess with a spray gun?"

Astoria pointed the nozzle at Percy and water hissed out in a thick white mist. "Let us know if you have an easier way to make a rainbow, kelp head." The light filtered through the vapor and broke into colors.

Annabeth sighed and held out her palm towards Percy, who was speechless. "Drachma, please." He handed it over, and the child of Athena raised the coin over her head. "O goddess, accept our offering." She threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared in a golden shimmer. "Half-Blood Hill," she requested.

For a moment nothing happened.

Then, the image of the Camp's strawberry fields and the Long Island Sound took shape in the mist. Astoria kept a steady, but quick pace in spraying. Their I-M was on the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to them at the railing was a sandy-haired guy in shorts and n orange tank top. He was holding a bronze sword and seemed to be staring intently at something down in the meadow. 'Oh great, it's-'