𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲.

Fish on Fish fight

The statues flew them down to the Embarcadero Building, scaring a homeless man as they did, he ran off screaming something about metal angels from mars.

They said their goodbyes and the angels flew off to party with some other statues. Now they were stood again Lilia realised she had no idea what they were going to do next.

They'd made it to the west coast, Artemis was here somewhere, and Annabeth to hopefully. But they had no idea where to find them and the summer solstice was the next day.

After a brief discussion they decided they needed to figure out what the mystery monster was. The monster was supposed to find them  on this quest but still, there was no sign of it.

"But how?" Percy asked.

"Nereus." Grover said.

"What?" He looked confused.

"Isn't that what Apollo told you to do? Find Nereus?" Lilia raised an eyebrow.

Now he remembered, he nodded. "The old man of the sea, I'm supposed to find him and force him to tell us what he knows. But how do I find him?"

Zoe made a face. "Old Nereus, eh?"

"You know him?" Thalia asked.

My mother was a water goddess. Yes, I know him. Unfortunately, he is never very hard to find, just follow the smell." She said.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked.

"Come," she said without enthusiasm. "I will show thee."

➳

Zoë dragged them to goodwill, and with in five minutes had dressed Percy in a ragged flannel shirt and jeans three sizes too big, bright red sneakers, and a floppy rainbow hat.

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

Zoe nodded with satisfaction. "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, Zoe 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," Zoe 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." He grumbled looking displeased. "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," Lilia said. She picked something off the back of my shirt a big clump of fuzz that came from who-knows-where. "Eww. On second thought... I don't want your back. But we'll be rooting for you."

Grover gave him a big thumbs-up.

Percy walked away mumbling about how they were such good friends.

Lilia rolled her eyes and sat down, the others followed.

"How long will this take?" She sighed. She didn't like waiting around, she fidgeted with her rings and tapped her feet.