The Quest to save Apollo

Chapter 4 - Seaweed Brain

Percy's POV

Percy lay on his bed staring directly above at the top bunk. Annabeth rested her head on his chest and took slow breaths, Percy found it quite comforting to hear Annabeth's rhythmical breaths. Percy's arms were wrapped around her protectively but he felt a sense of incompleteness there was something missing but he couldn't quite tell what. Annabeth mumbled something in her sleep and Percy smiled. College was great in New Rome it was pretty much like normal college except he didn't have to deal with monsters like he would outside of Rome. There were crazy parties, lots of classes and probably the best? Annabeth could sneak in easily. "Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked groggy.

"Right here."

"Hmmm..." She said stretching, the sun caught her blonde curls perfectly. Gods what time was it? Had they over slept it looked like noon out but that was impossible.

"I could stay here forever." She said pulling herself up so she could see his face, she frowned, "How long have you been up?"

"Long enough," Percy smiled mischievously "to hear you snore."

"Shut up!" She stood up and grabbed her duffle bag out of his wardrobe and pulled some fresh clothes out. "Well?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to change." She said crossing her arms.

"Why?" Percy pouted.

"I have classes today." Percy pulled his covers over his head blocking out the sun and Annabeth.

"Can you not skip?" Percy asked his voice probably muffled through the quilt. He heard shuffling as Annabeth changed her clothes.

"No I can't skip you know how passionate I am about my work." Percy let out a groan, it was beginning to get hot under his covers.

"So what are you doing since you have a free day?" She asked.

"I dunno maybe go see Hazel and Frank it's been a while."

"For you maybe Seaweed Brain but I saw them yesterday."

"I know while I was trapped in school." Percy made a help me I'm trapped face but Annabeth couldn't see him but Annabeth knew him so well she probably knew what he was doing. She chuckled lightly. "You're so immature for a seventeen year old."

"Said the eighteen year old?" Just over a year ago they had saved the world from the earth mother and her stupid egotistical giants.

"Right you can come up now." Annabeth said, Percy pulled off the covers and messed his hair up even more than it already was. Annabeth wore some dark jeans, a strapless t-shirt and a nice cardigan over the top to keep her warm she also had some very stylish flipflops. of cause she still had her leather necklace with all her beads and the coral keyring Percy had given her when they first started dating. Percy liked how when she used to get nervous she would finger her beads but now she fiddled with the coral keyring somehow that made Percy all warm and fuzzy inside. She'd brushed her hair so it wasn't as crazy but Annabeth's hair was amazing anytime whether that be just waking up or her not touching it for weeks straight while on a quest, maybe all demigods hair was like that Percy thought about his hair and how it always looked good. Annabeth snapped him from his thoughts as she leant over and gave him a long goodbye kiss. "I'll see you later Seaweed Brain." She said walking out the door.

"Not if I see you first!" Percy called after her but she'd gone.

Percy had gotten up and got dressed in some casual jeans and a plain purple t-shirt. He left a note on his side for his roommate Doug to find warning him if he stole any of Percy's things he would personally kill him. Doug was a son of Hermes or Mercury and he was a good little thief the best he'd seen, he actually reminded Percy of Luke they both had the same short sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes but Doug was quite short about 5''5 and he looked more childish then Luke. Percy found it hard to believe the guy was seventeen he probably stole a birth certificate from someone.

Percy made his way down the cobbled street of New Rome, he'd called ahead and told Hazel and Frank to meet him at the coffee shop not far from college. He settled at a small round table outside to enjoy the summer heat. He saw Hazel first she wore armour as though she had just come back from a war game. Percy gave her a small squeeze and sat back down. "So what's been happening?" Percy asked Hazel after ordering her a drink.

"Nothing really," Percy sensed a but coming on "but the sun." Percy looked at it again something was really wrong.

"It's moving so slow across the sky." Percy said.

"Apollo is probably drunk or something so he's taking it slow." Hazel dismissed.

"Maybe..." Percy let the word linger. He looked at Hazel her golden eyes were an almost perfect match to her imperial gold plated armour. They made small talk until Frank appeared wearing his camp clothes usually he was supposed to wear a toga but he liked to go casual when out with friends. Frank's hand slipped into Hazel's as though they were made for each other. "Hey Percy."

"Hey big man Frank." Frank blushed slightly as though he was embarrassed by the remark. "Why were you late?"

"There was a meeting about the whole sun situation and all the Apollo children were kicking up a storm."

"The Greek's?"

"Ugh mostly." Percy smiled slightly it was completely stupid but he just loved how the Greek's were so different to the Roman's, these guys talked out issues in a huge hall with people in togas when the Greek's just had their important meetings around a ping-pong table, classic.

They talked some more until Frank got called away. "I want to go check outside anyway." Percy said standing up to hug them goodbye.

"Be careful." Hazel warned kissing him on his cheek.

"Aren't I always?"

"Is that a trick question?" she asked sarcastically before saying goodbye. Percy made his way out of New Rome and made his way to the beach, he wanted to maybe communicate with some of the nature spirits or his father if possible to see what was happening.

Percy didn't even get in the water. The sand blew in his face obscuring his vision for a moment and then a very tired Nico Di Angelo collapsed in the sand in front of him. There was more than one body and on Nico's chest was a blonde mop of messy hair. "No, no, no, no, no, I do not like shadow travel." Wait Percy recognised that voice, was that Will Solace? What were these two doing here? "Umm guys?" Nico lifted his head to look at Percy he lifted Will and sat him looking towards the sea. "What's wrong?" it was kind of an over used question within the demigod community but oh well. Nico led him a few steps from Will so they were just out of ear shot. "Will's blind."

"What?" Percy blurted.

"Shhhh," Nico scolded "I think it was some sort of ancient curse." Nico explained.

"Okay but I can't heal him." Percy didn't mean to be rude but he had no healing powers whatsoever unless it was himself in water but other than that they'd have better luck with a lump of rock. Nico scowled.

" I know but when you and Annabeth were in Tartarus you said Annabeth got cursed with blindness from that Calypso curse." Percy shuddered remembering Annabeth's heart broken plea why did you leave me Percy?

"Yeah okay?"

"How did you cure her blindness."

"Nico it won't work it was Bob the Titan, all the Titans are in Tartarus and even if there was one they might not be able to heal like Bob." Percy explained. Nico cursed in Ancient Greek. "Wait..." Percy remembered one Titan that was still on earth but he was still cursed with a huge burden but even so Will needed his sight back. "There's still one Titan on this earth."