The Lost Goddess

Chapter 81-Hope

With one last smile, Grover jumps into the water, the Ophiotaurus swimming freely and gracefully in the water next to him, Grover taking a big load of air for the long water journey, they both dive, the waters hands dragging them deeper and deeper until their swimming figures melted away and into the waters, hoping that Percy's dad would consider breathing for the poor satyr that had to hold his breath the whole way of his journey, silence takes us all over, worry already coming to us for our dear friend.

Percy's point of view
"We need to get to my sister's garden" Zoe tells us, focusing back to the task that needed more attention than the friend that would most likely drown if my dad wasn't feeling generous today "but we need a car if we are to make it there before sundown, which happens in half an hour" she tells us, we all start thinking on what to do "we could always 'borrow' a car since we literally have no one to help us?" Zoe suggests, making all of our eyes widen at such a suggestion, we had done a lot of mischievous actions, but never going that far. "Wait!" Thalia exclaims, fainting all of our attention, she rummages through her backpack "there is someone who can help us, just let me find the address" she informs us "who?" I ask, confusion lacing my tone, Thalia pulls out a crumpled piece of notebook paper "professor Chase, Annabeth's dad" she answers, immediately doubt and nervousness takes over my senses, knowing that talking to the dad of the girl I once liked would be a bad idea "you think he will help us?" I ask "hopefully?" She answers, but she didn't sound sure.
(Time skip, because why not?)
We knocked on the door of a decent sized house, one that looked ancient, yet so new at the same time, moments of silence from the closed door pasted before it actually opened, revealing the man that looked super young for his age, a small and stubbled beard prickling his chin, he had the same golden hair as his daughter, but, his eyes, if anything, were even more intimidating, they weren't the stormy gray Annabeth had, but a piecing and pure brown, he wore glasses that sat at the bridge of his nose and an old fashioned aviator's cap. "Hello, are you delivering my airplanes?" He asks, we all share a look of confusion "um, no sir" I answer him "drat, I need some more Sopwith Camels" he sighs in frustration "uh, right" I smile my best, since I had no idea what he was talking about "sir, we're friends of Annabeth" I tell him, his eyes fill with concern and worry just at those words "Annabeth? Is she alright? Is she safe? Is she..." He could produce those words that would soon make him break, so, I finished the sentence, except with words of assurance. "She is alright, she's safe back at camp" I answer his worry, he sighs in relief "but we need your help" Thalia adds, his eyes show the slightest bit of concern "of course, come in, any friends of Annabeth's are welcome" he invites us in, we walk in and meet Annabeth's stepmother and stepbrothers, who have us smiles and treated us already as part of their family "why don't you guys eat and discuss what matters after?" Annabeth's stepmother suggests. We all nod enthusiastically, out stomachs being empty since I stopped our last meal because of the skeletons, once we all ate till our stomachs were full, we spent the rest of our time at the table talking and explaining, telling them everything, but by the time we finished our story and explanation, the sun began to set, slowly but surely getting ready to kiss the horizon, making our time run out, we had less than half an hour to save Pearl and Artemis, so, quickly, we pile into a VW convertible. I went in the back alone while Zoe and Thalia went up front, feeling like a kid again since I hardly never sat in the back, my eyes staring out the window as the car drove off, my eyes watching the beautiful danger right above the horizon, and from what I could see, time slowly running out "can't this thing go any faster?!" Thalia demands "I can't control traffic" Zoe snaps, I stifle a laugh, making both their attention go to me "you both sound like my mom" I tell them "shut up!" they snap in unison. I hold up my hands in defense, not wanting to start an argument when I knew it wouldn't end well since they were both really stressed out, Zoe manages to get us out of the heavy traffic that the Golden Gate Bridge held at this time of day, by the time we made it out of the freeway, the sun was barely kissing the ocean of the horizon, the road that we drove on was getting narrower and narrower as we sped down it, but that didn't stop Zoe, which worried me since steep ravines surrounded our sides. My nose picks up an interesting aroma "why does it smell like cough drops?" I ask "eucalyptus trees" Zoe answers "you mean the stuff that koalas eat?" I ask and try to correct "not just koalas, monsters love to just devour those poor leaves, especially dragons too" Zoe tells me "dragons eat that stuff too?" I ask "trust me, if you had dragon breath, you would eat eucalyptus trees too" she tells me, the car fell silent, since I decided to stop asking unimportant questions and just keep my eyes open for a boat sailing in the distance on the beautiful cristine waters. My eyes just stare at the sun as it sets down beautifully in the horizon, cutting our time even more shortly than it ever was before, never had I seen such a beautiful sight turn into one that would soon end our hope and time, a sight that would be our victory, or our pain, a sight that would enchant, or destroy, the reds, oranges, yellows, blues, purples and pinks mixing so dangerously beautiful in the sky, a small yellow orb floating right above the sea, the sea mirroring the beautiful sight, creating and giving me what I needed, hope.