Beyond the Shining Lights (Percy Jackson Barbie's Mariposa AU)

Chapter 3

The next morning, Annabeth awoke to frantic knocking on her window. Annabeth looked over at her window to see Antonio frantically knocking on her bedroom window.

"Antonio?" Annabeth asked cautiously, flying over to her window and opening it up. Antonio quickly flew inside her room, triumphantly holding up her book. "You left this last night."

"I was wondering where that went." Annabeth said thankfully, grabbing the book and putting it on her bed. She then gave Antonio a confused look. "Okay, how'd you find my house?"

"Annabeth, can you open your door?" Annabeth heard her father yell.

"Eh... In a minute." Annabeth responded, sounding tired.

"I promise I'll explain everything, but can I hide in here somewhere?" Antonio asked, panicked.

"Annabeth, it's the royal guard. They're requesting that you open your door!" Her mother yelled.

"Gimmie a minute! Making myself look presentable!" Annabeth yelled, panicked, as she turned her attention back to Antonio. "What did you do!?"

"Again, I promise I'll explain, but I need a place to hide."

Annabeth looked around her room, pointing to the curved overhang. "Up there. I'll try to distract them."

Antonio nodded as he flew up there, palace guards flooding into Annabeth's room.

"Sorry for the intrusion, ma'am, but have you seen Prince Perseus?" One of the guards asked.

"No... Why?" Annabeth asked, cautiously looking up at the spot where Antonio was hiding.

"He was seen in this area recently, so we thought you might've seen him. Sorry once again for the intrusion." The guard said as they took a quick look around Annabeth's room, then flew outside.

As soon as the guards were gone, Magnus walked into the room, a suspicious look on his face. "Never seen you up this early."

"I had you guys and the royal guard knocking on my door. Of course I'm up early." Annabeth said, arms crossed. "Now don't you have a job to get to? I'd much rather get ready in peace."

"Fine." Magnus said, flying out of Annabeth's room and closing the door. Once she heard the other doors close, she looked at Antonio's hiding spot.

"Come on out, Antonio, or should I call you Prince Perseus?"

Perseus nervously flew out of his hiding spot, laughing uneasily. "Uh... You figured that out, huh?"

"Wasn't hard, especially when they mentioned that you were seen in the neighborhood." Annabeth said, shaking her head. "I can't believe that I just harbored a royal enemy. At least that explains why you knew where to find me. You looked up the royal records, right?"

"Yeah... You're pretty smart, aren't cha?" Perseus asked, sitting on Annabeth's bed.

"Why are you here, Perseus?" Annabeth asked, crossing her arms.

"Please call me Percy."

"I'm waiting for an answer..."

"My father's sick." Percy started out.

"Sick how?"

"I think it's ilios."

"As in, the poison in this book?" Annabeth said, walking over to her bed and grabbing her copy of The Tale of Antonio Andreas. "This book right here? The book we bonded over last night? The book where Antonio Andrea's has to leave Halfling, his home town, to go get the antidote to save his wife who was poisoned from ilios?"