𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗗 ⋆━━⋆ percy jackson

𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢. mr.d just wants pizza

THEY SCRAMBLED to the end of the pier. The five hid behind a little kiosk filled with souvenir crystals, wind chimes and dream catchers and stuff like that, glittering in the sunlight.

There was a water fountain next to them. Down below, a bunch of sea lions were sunning themselves on the rocks.

The whole of San Francisco Bay spread out before them: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the green hills and fog beyond that to the north.

A picture-perfect moment, except for the fact that they were about to die and the world was going to end.

"Go over the side!" Zoë told Percy. "You can escape in the sea, Percy. Call on thy father for help. Maybe you can save the Ophiotaurus."

She was right, he had to, one of them had to get out.

"Zoë is right," said Cassie. "You have to leave."

"I won't leave you guys," He said. "We fight together."

"You have to get word to camp!" Grover said. "At least let them know what's going on!"

Then Cassie noticed the crystals making rainbows in the sunlight. There was a drinking fountain next to me...

"Get word to camp," Cassie muttered. "Good idea."

She uncapped Kairos and slashed off the top of the water fountain. Water burst out of the busted pipe and sprayed all over them.

Thalia gasped as the water hit her. The fog seemed to clear from her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

But Grover understood. He was already fishing around in his pockets for a coin. He threw a golden drachma into the rainbows created by the mist and yelled, "O goddess, accept my offering!"

The mist rippled.

"Camp Half-Blood!" Cassie said.

And there, shimmering in the Mist right next to them was Mr. D, wearing his leopard-skin jogging suit and rummaging through the refrigerator.

He looked up lazily. "Do you mind?"

"Where's Chiron!" Percy shouted.

"How rude." Mr. D took a swig from a jug of grape juice. "Is that how you say hello?"

"Hello," Cassie said. "We're about to die!"

Mr. D considered that. Behind them, footsteps and shouting -the manticore's troops were closing in.

"About to die," Mr. D mused. "How exciting. I'm afraid Chiron isn't here. Would you like me to take a message?"

Percy looked at them. "We're dead."

Thalia gripped her spear. She looked like her old angry self again. "Then we'll die fighting."

"How noble," Mr. D said, stifling a yawn. "So what is the problem, exactly?"

Percy told him about the Ophiotaurus.

"Mmm." He studied the contents of the fridge. "So that's it. I see."

"You don't even care!" He screamed. "You'd just as soon watch us die!"

"Let's see. I think I'm in the mood for pizza tonight."

The manticore screamed, "There!" And we were surrounded. Two of the guards stood behind him.

The other two appeared on the roofs of the pier shops above them.

The manticore threw off his coat and transformed into his true self, his lion claws extended and his spiky tail bristling with poison barbs.

"Excellent," he said. He glanced at the apparition in the mist and snorted.