poison tree ✴︎ - perseus jackson

013. hermes deluxe isn't deluxe.

  𝐎𝐊𝐀𝐘, 𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐎 pick pocket the god of thieves, Hope will admit. But if Hermes wasn't going to help them willingly, then pick pocketing was the only solution Hope had came up with if they wanted to survive this quest from her father's wrath.

  Percy went running past people, bumping into them and pushing past as he received glares, making his way to the entrance of the casino, where he found Hope and Annabeth, looking out at the doors.

  "We have a big problem." He said, going in between the girls. "I know it's seems like we've only been here for like 20 minutes but it's already Thursday." Both the girls looked at him, confusion in their eyes. "We've been here for days. Time moves differently here. Faster. Every second in here is like minutes outside."

"So Hermes let us sit at that table this whole time, knowing we don't have time to waste." Hope said, Annabeth looking at the two. Third wheel at its finest.

"Yes."

"Not like I felt bad, but I feel great after stealing his keys." Hope said, bringing up Hermes's keys. Annabeth smiled lightly, thinking, Luke taught her well.

"Exactly." Percy said, completely glossing over that Hope stole from the god of thieves before he realized what she said, raising his eyebrows as he looked back at the girl. "Wait, what? How'd you do that?"

"That's something you don't need to know. All I did was pick his pockets after I left." Hope explained, raising the keys up.

"You picked Hermes's pocket? You stole from the god of thieves?" Percy asked, the girl clutching the keys again.

"Yes? It isn't ideal, I know. But we are running out of time. Look, all we need to do is find the car that belongs to these keys, then it'll transport us instantly to anywhere we need to go. We still have time to finish this quest before the solstice, if we hurry." Hope said.

"Hermes told me something else. The reason we can't feel time passing is because of the lotus fruit." Percy explained.

"None of ate the lotus fruit, right?" Annabeth asked, joining the conversation.

Hope shook her head, turning back to Percy.

"They pump it into the air." Percy said, causing Annabeth to raise her eyebrows and Hope just look at him blankly.

"Well that's just stupid." Hope admitted, causing Percy to roll his eyes.

"You think everything's stupid." Percy stated, now causing Hope to roll her eyes.

"Because almost everything is—" Hope said, but Annabeth cut them off.

"Guys! Focus!" She shouted slightly, the two looking at her, muttering a sorry before Percy continued.

"Right. It makes you forget. Hermes reminded me there was something we needed to do before we could leave." Percy said, looking as if he was trying to remember as Hope pulled a confused face, her brain starting to feel fuzzy.

"Grover." Annabeth said, Percy looking at the girl confused.

"Who's Grover?" Percy asked.