𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 [Jason Grace]

97

𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 stood a walnut door with a bronze plaque:

ASCLEPIUS

MD, DMD, DME, DC, DVS, FAAN, OMG, EMT, TTYL, FRCP, ME, IOU, OD, OT, PHARMD, BAMF, RN, PHD, INC., SMH

Piper knocked. "Dr Asclepius?"

The door flew open. The man inside had a kindly smile, crinkles around his eyes, short salt-and-pepper hair and a well-trimmed beard. He wore a white lab coat over a business suit and a stethoscope around his neck— your stereotypical doctor outfit, except for one thing: Asclepius held a polished black staff with a live green python coiled around it.

Jason's heart lurched when he thought of Hipp the Giant with his healing spear.

The python on the staff regarded them with pale yellow eyes.

"Hello!" said Asclepius.

"Doctor." Piper's smile was so warm it would've melted a Boread. "We'd be so grateful for your help. We need the physician's cure."

Jason wasn't even her target, but Piper's charmspeak washed over him irresistibly. He would've done anything to help her get that cure. He would've gone to medical school, got twelve doctorate degrees and bought a large green python on a stick.

Asclepius put his hand over his heart. "Oh, my dear, I would be delighted to help."

Piper's smile wavered. "You would? I mean, of course you would."

"Come in! Come in!" Asclepius ushered them into his office.

Jason had begun to accept that no one was as helpful and nice as they seemed at first glance. Asclepius was so kind, Jason figured his office would be full of torture devices, but it looked like... well, a doctor's office: a big maple desk, bookshelves stuffed with medical books, and plastic organ models.

Asclepius took the big comfy doctor's chair and laid his staff and serpent across his desk. "Please, sit!"

Piper took a chair on the patients' side and Jason offered the other to Leo who refused, choosing instead to stand. So Jason lowered himself into the chair.

"So." Asclepius leaned back. "I can't tell you how nice it is to actually talk with patients. The last few thousand years, the paperwork has gotten out of control. Rush, rush, rush. Fill in forms. Deal with red tape. Not to mention the giant alabaster guardian who kills everyone in the waiting room. It takes all the fun out of medicine!"

"Yeah," Leo said. "Hygeia is kind of a downer."

Asclepius grinned. "My real daughter Hygeia isn't like that, I assure you. She's quite nice. At any rate, you did well reprogramming the statue. You have a surgeon's hands."

Jason shuddered. "Leo with a scalpel? Don't encourage him"

The doctor god chuckled. "Now, what seems to be the trouble?" He sat forward and peered at Jason. It felt like being a machine Leo was examining. A gentle shiver rolled through his body.

"Hmm... Imperial gold sword wound, but that's healed nicely. You've recently come back from Tartarus, that's got to put stress on your lungs, but I'm sure it's benign, you demigods do heal very quickly. No cancer, no heart problems. You're in good shape.

Jason blanched. "How did you—"

"Oh, of course!" Asclepius said. "You're a bit short-sighted! Simple fix."

He opened his drawer, whipped out a prescription pad and an eyeglasses case. He scribbled something on the pad, then handed the glasses and the script to Jason. "Keep the prescription for future reference, but these lenses should work. Try them on."