𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐧 || Percy Jackson

Six

Aurora didn't think this day would come so soon.

She thought she'd have more time to prepare to tell her friends what she'd been keeping to herself. But tonight she had a lot of explaining to do.

"Three Kindly Ones. All three at once." Grover shakily broke the silence, the three of them following Aurora as she walked ahead.

"Come on. The further we get, the better it'll be." She said, ignoring the stares burning into the back of her head. She wanted to wait until they were safe to spill, and she wanted them to respect that.

"All our money was back there. Our food and clothes." Percy glumly said. "Everything."

"Well, maybe if you had listened to me-"

"What?! And let you all die?!" Percy snapped, Aurora stopping and turning as she balled her fists up.

"We weren't going to die! They were safe behind me, all you had to do was leave. The. Bus!" She jabbed him every word. "But no, you wanted to play hero and instead gave them an advantage!"

"This is my quest, isn't it?"

"So because it's your quest you can act recklessly?" Aurora snapped, glaring at him. "You could have died!"

"So could you!"

"THEY CAN'T HURT ME!" Aurora snapped her mouth shut, stepping back as her body shook in anger. She wanted to explode. "I need a moment."

"Guys, don't push her." Grover mumbled as Aurora walked ahead, Percy and Annabeth looking at him in disbelief. "If the Kindly Ones can't hurt her, then there's a chance..."

Tell Hades we'll see him soon. Her words rang loudly in their ears. Aurora spoke like she knew him.

"Gods..." Annabeth whispered, goosebumps raising on her body. "She's died before."

Aurora covered her mouth as she cried, not wanting them to hear as she was plagued with memories from that day. Grover caught up to her, pulling her into a side hug as he mumbled about his reeds still working.

"Do you remember the song?" She sniffled, Grover frowning a bit and shaking his head. "It's fine, I'll get us out of here."

"I feel bad now." Percy muttered, kicking a stick. Aurora rummaged through her bag, handing them snack bars.

"There's only four and they were supposed to be for emergencies because they're not filling at all, but it'll be nice to have something in your system." She didn't look at either of them, turning back around as soon as they took the bars.

When they were surrounded by darkness, Aurora glowed enough for them to follow her. Grover stayed next to her, cracking jokes to lift her mood a bit more. Everytime she either smiled or laughed, she glowed a bit brighter.

Up ahead they caught sight of neon lights, the group walking a bit faster. Aurora tightened her grip on her bag straps the closer she got, warning bells sounding in her head.

ATNYU MES GDERAN GOMEN MEPROIUM

"What the heck does that say?" Aurora's mind was working a mile a minute, the sentence slowly stringing together in her mind as the letters continued shifting as if they were trying to confuse her more.

"Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium." Grover and Aurora spoke up, Percy looking at her in shock.

"She likes word puzzles." Annabeth said before the smell of burgers and fries hit their noses, putting Aurora and Grover even more on edge.

"Hey..." Grover warningly said when Percy crossed the street.

"The lights are on inside." Annabeth spoke up, following him. "Maybe it's open."