DRESSˏˋ°•*⁀➷ || p. jackson

four

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

pip and annabeth, along with many other of the camp's best warriors, stood in a circle around the outside of the breakfast pavillion, the chairs and tables lazily pushed to the side.

"the oracle has confirmed what we expected," chiron began. "that this quest will proceed toward the underworld, where you will confront the god who has rebelled against his brothers."

"hades." percy answered.

"the entrance to hades' domain lies under the city of los angeles, thos is where you will journey to. time is short," chiron explained. "i have selected our most compelling candidates, from which you will choose three to join you on this quest and ensure that we succeed."

"pippa and annabeth." percy said firmly, his mind made up. he had made up his mind the night before of who he wanted along with him.

pip stood up a little taller, noticing all the eyes which darted between her and annabeth.

"customarily, one waits to at least hear a name or two before choosing," chiron said.

"this thing- zeus's master bolt, we need to get it back, right?"

"yes."

"and it's gonna be hard to get, yes?"

"extrodinarily," chiron said warily.

"and if the mission required someone to push me down a flight of stairs and someone to go along with it, laugh, then help me up, for it to succeed... you'd want people who won't hesitate when they do it?" percy explained. his argument seemed pretty solid (and accurate) to pip, who would most definitly laugh if he got pushed down a flight of stairs by annabeth. and of course she would help him after.

"the first and second quest-mates shall be pippa chanson and annabeth chase," chiron annouced.

**

"grover?" pippa exclaimed excitedly, happy to see that he was joining her.

"hi pip!" he waved, also glad she was there.

the two had become good friends due to their shared love for music. often, they had played together for camp talent shows, grover on his reed pipes and pip on her cello. last year they had performed 'funky town' by lipps inc and won first place.

"she's really gonna miss the tree, huh?" percy said, looking over at annabeth.

"when annabeth first arrived here with thalia and luke, they were being chased by monsters- agents of hades, sisters." grover told him.

"furies," percy responded. "mrs dodds?"

"yes! one was our algebra teacher, alecto."

pip listened as grover continued explaining.

"thalia turned back to fight to buy her friends some time. her satyr protecter tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen," pip's eyebrows furrowed- grover was thalia's satyr protector, why hadn't he told percy? "so at the last moment... zeus intervened to save her life and... changed her form."

"the most powerful being in the universe's best idea to save his daughter's life... was to turn her into a tree?"

pip glared at him.

"she was the bravest demigod i ever knew," annabeth joined the group, also glaring at percy. "she fought valiantly, and she met a hero's fate."

"she met a pinecone's fate."

pip's face twisted into a look of judgement, one that read 'dude, what the hell?'

"forbidden children are always in danger, even the strongest ones, even thalia," annabeth continued, ignoring percy's remark. "and you are not thalia. do exactly as pip and i say, and maybe you survive this. are we clear?"