𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗, 𝚔𝚒𝚍 - percy jackson x oc

003

III - NEW POWERS UNLOCKED

THE STARS WERE out tonight.

They had made it about a hundred yards away from where Percy had killed Medusa. The forest floor where they had made camp was littered with soda cans and wrappers.

Valeria laid on one of the blankets they had stolen from Aunty Em's. Her arms were crossed behind her head, her hair in a braid down her back so her curls would not get tangled while she slept.

Valeria was a firm believer in the fact that in everything you did, the stars were there to witness. Even when you could not see them, they were still burning brightly with their judgmental gaze.

Valeria wondered if her godly parent was watching. Wondered if they were proud of her.

"What are we looking at?" Percy suddenly whispered. Valeria jumped.

"Nothing," the girl said, turning away from him.

"Doesn't look like nothing," Percy countered.

"If you must know, I am looking at the stars," Valeria said.

"Aren't you positive, Little Miss Sunshine?" Percy sarcastically said. "You know, Camp Half-Blood was the first time I'd really seen them."

"I am sure Manhattan was not the best place to go star-gazing then?"

"Not at all."

"Well, I suppose I shall have to replan my star-gazing trip," she slightly joked.

Percy found himself chuckling, which was weird. Valeria wasn't funny. She was mean. Or at least, she usually was.

"That is Delphinus." She suddenly pointed to a constellation to her left. "Your father sent this dolphin to find the Nereid he wished to marry, Amphitrite."

"It kind of looks like you," Percy said in reference to the dolphin.

"Watch it."

"Yeah, yeah, okay."

The two heard a creak in a tree and looked up to find Grover sitting on a tree branch, staring at the litter covering the ground.

"It makes me sad," he commented sadly.

"What does?" Percy asked. "The fact that you signed up for this stupid quest?"

"No, this makes me sad." Grover pointed at the ground. "This is a terrible time to be a satyr."

"Oh, yeah. I guess you'd be an environmentalist."

"Only a human wouldn't be." Grover said with a glare. "Your species is clogging up the world so fast...ah, never mind. It's useless to lecture a human. At the rate things are going, I'll never find Pan."

"Pam? Like the cooking spray?"

Valeria shook her head as she rolled over and tried to fall asleep.

"Pan!" Grover exclaimed. "P-A-N! The great god pan! What do you think I want a searcher's license for?"

A breeze smelling of a better earth—fresh berries, blooming flowers, clean water—flowed through their clearing.

"Tell me about the search," Percy said as Valeria's eyes fluttered shut.

【☆】★【☆】

Valeria woke up to the sound of talking. She peaked an eye open and saw Grover speaking to a pink poodle.

"Grover...what are you doing?" Valeria asked.

"This is Gladiola," Grover introduced the dog. Valeria shrugged and said hello.