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

018

XVIII - PICK ME, CHOOSE ME

"WHAT'S WRONG? And where is Darian?"

"Oh, dear," Mr. D said in a bored voice, "Not another one lost."

Mr. D surely stood out in his neon orange leopard-skin warm-up suit and his purple running shoes. A golden laurel wreath was tilted sideways on his curly black hair, which must have meant he had won the previous hand of cards.

"What do you mean?" Thalia asked. "Who else is lost?"

Just then, Grover trotted into the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red lines on his face that looked like a slap mark. "The Hunters are all moved in!"

Chiron frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film."

"But... Oh, right. Yes, sir."

"Orientation film?" Nico asked. "Is it G or PG? 'Cause Bianca is kinda strict—"

"It's PG-13," Grover said.

"Cool!" Nico happily followed him out of the room.

"Now," Chiron said to the three half-bloods, "perhaps you three should sit down and tell us the whole story."

When they were done, Chiron turned to Mr. D. "We should launch a search for Darian immediately."

"I shall go," Valeria volunteered herself. Thalia and Percy stayed quiet.

Mr. D sniffed. "Certainly not!"

"But, sir—"

Mr. D held up his hand. He had that purplish angry fire in his eyes that typically suggested that something bad and godly was going to happen if she did not shut up.

"From what you have told me," Mr. D said, "we have broken even on this escapade. We have, ah, regrettably lost Damien—"

"Darian."

"Yes, yes," he said. "And you procured a small annoying boy to replace him. So I see no point risking further half-bloods on a ridiculous rescue. The possibility is very great that this Damien girl is dead."

"Darian may be alive," Chiron said. "He's very resourceful. If...if our enemies have him, he will not give in."

"Possibly..." Valeria mused.

"In which case," said Mr. D, "I'm afraid he will have to be smart enough to escape on his own."

"But that is preposterous!" Valeria cried. "The lives of campers are not so easily disposable!"

Mr. D stifled a yawn. "I would have to disagree."

Valeria gave him a harsh glare, the fireplace flickering furiously. Thalia and Percy shared a look.

Just then, Nico burst into the room, followed by Grover.

"SO COOL!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're...you're a centaur!"