𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 ༄ ᴘercy ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴ

even the cows can kill

Zoë led away from the dock and towards the town, where all the shops were.

We stopped outside a Goodwills drop box. Immediately a look of horror crossed Percy's face, and I internally smiled at his misfortune as Zoë led him away with a box of ugly clothes.

A couple minutes later and he returned, decked out in an ugly ripped red flannel and jeans that were way too big for him. He had sneakers that were just as red as the flannel and just as big as his jeans paired with a little floppy hat. I stifled a laugh as Thalia chuckled loudly.

"Oh, yeah," Grover said, trying not to bust out laughing, "you look completely inconspicuous now."

Zoë nodded with satisfaction, a little smirk on her face. "A typical male vagrant."

"Thanks a lot," He grumbled. "Why am I doing this again?"

"I told thee. To blend in."

She led the way back down to the waterfront. After a long time spent searching the docks, Zoë finally stopped in her tracks. She pointed down a pier where a bunch of homeless guys were huddled together in blankets, waiting for the soup kitchen to open for lunch.

"He will be down there somewhere," Zoë said. "He never travels very far from the water. He likes to sun himself during the day."

"How do I know which one is him?" Percy asked.

"Sneak up," she said. "Act homeless. You will know him. He will smell… different."

"Great. And once I find him?"

"Grab him," she said. "And hold on. He will try anything to get rid of thee. Whatever he does, do not let go. Force him to tell thee about the monster."

"We've got your back," Thalia said. She then picked something off the back of his shirt - a big clump of fuzz that came from who-knows-where. I winced in disgust.

"Eww. On second thought… I don't want your back. But we'll be rooting for you." She told him.

"Good luck." was all I said, giving him two thumbs up, before wandering over to where Thalia had gone to sit to watch.

Grover gave him a high five and followed us moment later.

Percy stared at us leave, an unhappy and slightly embarrassed look on his face. Then he turned and left for the dock. He pulled his hat down and began stumbling drunkenly. He looked like an idiot. Thalia outright laughed besides me, looking like she was having the time of her life.

Everyone else on the pier glared at him and scowled as he walked past them all, as if he had done something personal to all of them. Grover cracked a smile and Thalia was still cackling.

Percy approached an old man at the very end of the pier, before collapsing into a sitting position, legs sprawled out.

Then he tensed, almost imperceptibly.

Then he jumped the old man.

And then the old man was jumping him.

"AHHHHH." Nereus screamed as he tried to squeeze Percy to his death. "Help me!" he screamed as Percy writhed beneath him.

My hand instinctively went to my sword. "Should we-"

"Nah, he's good." Thalia responded, looking at the scene giddily.

"That's a crime!" one of the other homeless guys yelled. "Kid rolling an old man like that!"

As if on cue, Percy rolled - straight down the pier until his head crashed into a pole. Zoë burst into laughter. Percy was still, looking a little dazed as the old man above him slackened his grip, looking to get away.