୨⎯ The Daughter of Ares ⎯ ୧ ☾P. JACKSON x FEM OC☽

18. Stealing Hermes's keys 💀

AS A FEW MINUTES PASSED, possibly about, like, 2 minutes, the kids reached a certain place where there was energetic music playing

"So, a big wave comes and washes the boy back onto the beach. So the lady falls to her knees. She looks up at the sky, and she says... "He's wearing a hat!'"

The group who the man was telling the story was to laughed, as the trio approached the man.

"Hey, demigods! Welcome!" The man said as he looked at the trio, having a great mood as little kids do when they're with their friends.

"We were sent to find you." Annabeth said after a few minutes of hesitation.

"Well, you found me." Hermes responded, smiling. "Come join us. You kids know how to play craps?"

"Look, we don't really have a lot of time." Erika said, "We need your help to -"

"I know what you need my help for." Hermes responded, looking at Erika. "You want my help to sneak into the Underworld."

"Wow." Percy commented, "You're a very good guesser."

"I exist beyond space and time, kid." Hermes added. "Why do you think they put me in charge of delivering the mail? Look, you're not the first demigods to ask and, trust me, you won't be the first demigods to walk away disappointed. So you might as well at least play a little - "

"We're friends of Luke's." Annabeth stated as Hermes walked towards the three, Erika just pulled Percy back.

Hermes stayed quiet before he said, "Yeah." The demigods could LITERALLY SEE the sadness in his eyes. "Okay." Hermes added before they were teleported to somewhere else. "Time and space are easy kids." Hermes added before he took a seat. "Parenting is... something else entirely. Have a seat."

The kids sat down, Erika being at the corner because it's the most comfier seat, "I remember you two." Hermes said as he looked at the girls. "You were there. Last time I saw Luke."

"Yes." Annabeth responded. "We saw you argue. I heard what he said. That what happened to his mom was your fault. That it was all your fault. That he hated you." Annabeth said softly, hoping she wouldn't upset Hermes.

"Help us get to the Underworld." Erika asked, looking at Hermes. "Help us retrieve Zeus's master bolt from Hades, and he'll see that you care."

Hermes pressed his lips together for a brief second while saying, "There is a way into the Underworld. A secret way. I've helped others find it before. And do you know what happens every time? I mean, every single time. You don't want my help."

"No, we actually kind of do." Percy added as Hermes took a sip of a drink that came out of nowhere. Hermes placed the drink on the table before saying,

"I was warned to stay away from Luke and his mother. Warned that no matter how much I tried to help, I would just make things worse. And I went anyway. And it wasn't just awful for Luke. It was awful for all of us. Do you know what that feels like? To be so close to someone to love, knowing neither of you any any choice but to keep hurting each other?" Hermes asked as he rested his elbows on the table. "I know you do. And you." Hermes added as he tapped on Erika and Percy's arms. (Bro got two arms yk )

When Hermes touched Erika's arm, Erika zoned out for a minute.

"Peach." A voice with Georgian accent said to the little Erika.

"Yeah mom?"

"We gotta move, again." The woman said, picking up a blonde little baby as a mixed girl grabbed her hand.

"Where is Gill?" A man, Ares, asked as he barged in the house, carrying little Erika.

"JAIL. Ares. This place ain't safe anymore." The woman responded.

"Come on, I'm dropping you guys to texas." He said, the little Erika held onto Ares tightly as she slowly closed her eyes, and Erika was zoned back. Erika's breath rose as she held onto her sword necklace tightly.

"Should I remind you, too?" Hermes asked Annabeth, looking at Annabeth. Annabeth pulled her hand away before Hermes could touch it.

"I remember just fine." She said, looking at Hermes. Hermes leaned back as she asked, "Are you gonna help us or not?"

Hermes took a drink again before he leaned back on his seat. "I don't wanna get involved anymore. It's just told north worth it. I'm sorry."

"Then this was all just a waste of time." Erika stated, looking at Hermes. "And we don't have time to waste."

By that, Annabeth just got up so Erika could leave. The two girls walked away as Hermes said, "They're right to be angry. It isn't fair. None of it is."

"Thanks." Percy said. "That's super helpful." He added sarcastically. Before he got up, Hermes said something.

"It was your father who warned me to stay away. Said it was awful watching you struggle and feel powerless to stop it. But that sometimes... that's what parenting is."

Percy's gaze wasn't at Hermes but on the table, "I was supposed to see him." He said, "He said he'd meet me in Santa Monica. Why would he say that if he thinks it'll make things worse?"

Hermes sighed, "It is... very hard for a god to feel powerless. I guess we're all just doing the best we can." Percy stared at the god before saying, "Makes you feel any better, it won't be much use now anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Percy asked as he had stood up from his chair to look at Hermes. Hermes didn't respond, he just looked at his watch before looking at Percy.

After few minutes, Percy found himself running through the people, only to reach the gate where Erika and Annabeth were. "We have a huge problem." He commented. "I know it seems like we've been here for like 20 minutes, but it's already Thursday. We've been here for days." Percy said as Erika's eyes widened and Annabeth's facial turned into worry. "Time moves differently here. Faster. Every second in here is like minutes outside."

"Hermes let us sit at that table the whole time, knowing the clock was running out on our quest." Erika mentioned, looking at Percy and Annabeth.

"Then I feel a lot bigger about having stolen his keys." Annabeth said as Erika just tried to not smile.

"Exactly." Percy said, before realising what Annabeth just said. Annabeth raised the keys to show it to Percy.

"You picked Hermes's pocket?" Percy asked in concern as he stared at Annabeth.

"She's multi-talented." Erika responded, "Now, all we have to do is find his car and it'll instantly transport us anywhere we wanna go. We still have time to finish this quest before the solstice, if we hurry.

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

"We didn't eat any lotus fruit." Annabeth said.

"They pump it into the air." Percy responded. "It makes you forget." He added as Annabeth's eyes raised and Erika started looking around. "Hermes reminded me that there was something wrong needed to do before we could leave."