Sun kissed - Apollo.

24: Annabeth does obedience school.

"Hey Phoebus?"

"Yes, little Shark?" I heard the relief in his voice.

"I think i've grown a few inches." I bemuse to him.

I can feel the frown across his face. "How did you manage that?"

I snicker softly as i look at my brother breaking off a piece of a bed, while i had decided to wait just outside, i couldn't stay in there. "Well, i made friends with Procrustes and got to test out his beds." I tell him. "It was very, how do i say it, excruciatingly fun. His beds stretch people out until they're six feet."

"But are you okay?" He asks me worried.

"Besides dislocating a spine and breaking a water bed. Yes, i'm okay." I tell him.

I could tell he didn't like my way of brushing it off. "No lasting damage?"

"No, i don't think so. I healed myself with water."i told him. I could do with a hug right now, from someone that is an adult and i know will make me feel better. "Just a bit homesick, wish i had my mom to go back to. Going into a casino and then getting stretched out isn't my idea of fun. But anyways, all part of the quest i guess."

I could tell that Apollo sighed. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, little Starfish. Next time we see each other, you'll get a big hug. But for now, say hi to my uncle, will you?"

"Will do." I tell him.

🔱🍓🌻🌞

We stood in the shadows of Valencia Boulevard, looking up at gold letters etched in black marble: DOA RECORDING STUDIOS.

Underneath, stenciled on the glass doors: NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING.

It was almost midnight, but the lobby was brightly lit and full of people. Behind the security desk sat a tough-looking guard with sunglasses and an earpiece.

Percy turned to our friends. "Okay. You remember the plan."

"The plan," Grover gulped. "Yeah. I love the plan."

Annabeth said, "What happens if the plan doesn't work?"

"Don't think negative." I said. "We got this."

"Right," she said. "We're entering the Land of the Dead, and I shouldn't think negative."

Percy took the pearls out of his pocket, the four milky spheres the Nereid had given us in Santa Monica. They didn't seem like much of a backup in case something went wrong.

Annabeth put her hand on Percy's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Percy. You're right, we'll make it. It'll be fine."

She gave Grover a nudge.

"Oh, right!" he chimed in. "We got this far. We'll find the master bolt and save your mom. No problem."
I looked at them both, and felt really grateful. Only a few minutes before, Percy had almost gotten them stretched to death on deluxe water beds, and now they were trying to be brave for my and Percy's sake, trying to make us feel better.

He slipped the pearls back in his pocket. "Let's whup some Underworld butt."

"And make friends with Cerberus." I said.

Which got a a couple of weird looks. I shrug my shoulders and go ahead. We walked inside the DOA lobby.

Muzak played softly on hidden speakers. The carpet and walls were steel gray. Pencil cactuses grew in the corners like skeleton hands. The furniture was black leather, and every seat was taken. There were people sitting on couches, people standing up, people staring out the windows or waiting for the elevator. Nobody moved, or talked, or did much of anything. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see them all just fine, but if I focused on any one of them in particular, they started looking ... transparent. I could see right through their bodies.