[Third Person's PoV]
As they entered the forest to cover their scent, Percy couldn't help but ask, "I'm sorry, but do we really smell that bad? Why haven't I been attacked by monsters before?"
Grover was the first to respond, "Actually, there's a reason for that. It's the same reason why your mother was with someone like Gabe."
"Who's Gabe?" Clarisse asked, her curiosity piqued.
"My stepdad," Percy muttered. "He's real nasty. I don't understand why my mom even got with him."
"I was just about to explain that," Grover said. "She's with him for you, Percy. Gabe is so disgusting that his odor masks yours, making it difficult for monsters to detect you. Not to mention, the supernatural really doesn't like his smell either."
Percy stared at Grover in shock, nearly tearing up. 'Just how much has she sacrificed for my sake…' he thought.
"The more I learn about you, Perseus Jackson, the more I realize how much your mother really loves you," Lucian added with a low whistle.
Percy looked at Lucian in confusion. "Why did you just use my full name like that?"
"Because your name itself is a sign of your mother's wishes and love for you," Lucian explained.
Percy and the others looked at Lucian, unsure of what he meant. "What do you mean? What does my name have to do with anything?"
"As you know, your name comes from the hero of Ancient Greece who slayed Medusa," Lucian began.
"Yeah…?" Percy nodded, still not fully understanding, "Was my mother's hope of me slaying her again or something?"
"Perseus was the only hero in Greek mythology who had a 'happily ever after' following his adventures, unlike others who met tragic ends—Achilles, Hercules, even Jason. Names have power, as we've discussed many times. Your mother probably named you Perseus in the hopes that you, too, would have a happy ending," Lucian explained, leaving everyone stunned.
"Are you sure you aren't reading too much into this?" Thalia asked, raising an eyebrow.
Before Lucian could respond, they heard a small sniffle. Turning toward the sound, they saw Percy wiping his eyes. "That sounds like something my mother would do… She was smart like that," he said, his voice quivering slightly.
Grover sympathetically patted Percy's back.
"Nice going, Lucian. You made him cry," Clarisse teased.
"I'm not crying. It's just the rain that got in my eyes," Percy said defensively.
Everyone glanced up at the shadow umbrella Lucian had created, then turned back to Percy with knowing looks.
Percy started to blush from the attention, but his stomach growled loudly, breaking the tension. "I used too much energy fighting those monsters," Percy said, patting his stomach.
"I always carry snacks with me—" Lucian began, but Clarisse interrupted as she spotted something in the distance.
"Hey, look, what's that over there?" she asked, pointing to a building with a large red neon sign flashing in the dark.
Percy squinted, trying to read the sign. "Uhhh… What does that say?"
"Here," Lucian said, reaching into his shadow and handing him a pair of glasses.
Percy looked at him with a straight expression. "I'm dyslexic, not blind."
"HAHAHA!" Lucian couldn't help but burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "I made the exact same joke when my mother gave them to me." He shoved the glasses onto Percy's face.
"Ouch," Percy muttered as the letters on the neon sign rearranged themselves into order. "Where were you my whole life? Do you know how much easier it would have been with you around?" Percy exclaimed, holding onto Lucian and reading the sign aloud. "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium… Can I keep these?"
"What part of 'they're from my mother' did you not understand?" Lucian said, taking them back. "But I'll lend them to you when you need them."
Clarisse sniffed the air as the rain stopped and the sun began to rise, illuminating their surroundings. "Does anyone else smell burgers?"
"Perhaps it's a snack bar," Annabeth guessed.
Lucian and Thalia exchanged a look, a smile passing between them.
"Shall we go? We could use the break and the energy," Percy suggested.
"I'm down," Clarisse said, taking the lead with Percy right behind her.
"A quick stop isn't a bad idea," Annabeth agreed as she and Grover followed.
"I hope they have vegetarian options," Grover said, trotting along.
Thalia and Lucian brought up the rear. "It reminds me of our trip to Europe," Thalia smiled.
"Heh, I was thinking the same thing," Lucian replied.
As they entered the Emporium, they were greeted by realistic statues, some depicting mythical creatures, supernatural beings, and even ordinary humans. The detail was incredible, and each statue seemed almost alive.
Grover wandered over to one of the statues, sculpted in the likeness of a satyr. "Hey, this one looks like my Uncle Ferdinand! Ba-hahaha, it even has the same mole he had on his chin by his lips. That's so cool."
Lucian immediately activated his future sight to check for any danger, but he only gained a perplexed expression. *What the hell?* he thought.
As they ventured deeper into the Emporium, Clarisse cupped her mouth and called out, "Hello? Is anyone there!?"
A voice responded from the garden in the back. "Oh? What's this? I wasn't expecting any visitors…"
They heard footsteps approaching. Thalia leaned over to Lucian and whispered, "So, which old lady are we going to meet now?"
"You're going to be surprised, I'll tell you that much," Lucian muttered back, still grappling with his confusion.
A woman emerged from the garden, and she was one of the most beautiful women Lucian had ever seen. This only added to his confusion. Lucian wasn't easily impressed—his mother Medea was striking, his stepmother was beautiful, he was practically engaged to Artemis by the three fates, who, despite hating men, was undeniably attractive. He had even met Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, Hecate, his teacher, is a definition of dark mystic beauty, and not to mention he had come face to face with the true appearances of the three Fates.
The woman had long pink hair that cascaded down to her waist, a black dress draped elegantly over her figure, and glasses that framed her striking grey eyes.
(Image)
*Seriously, what the fuck is going on? Who is she!?* Lucian thought to himself, his confusion mirrored by the others, who were almost as captivated and intimidated by her presence.
Lucian, more accustomed to beautiful women, was the first to move. "Sorry to have intruded. We smelled food and saw the sign and assumed this was a snack bar of some sort."
The woman giggled, a sound like beautiful chimes. "Ah, that was my breakfast you were smelling. But don't worry, I don't mind. In fact, why don't you children join me? It's been so long since I've had visitors, and you all look like you could use the rest."
They exchanged looks, communicating silently about what the best course of action would be. Clarisse shrugged, taking it upon herself to answer, "Sure, we wouldn't mind."
The woman clasped her hands together. "Lovely! Let me go set up some more." She skipped off to the side, where the delicious smell continued to waft through the air.
"Okay, who the hell is this goddess!?" Lucian asked, looking at everyone in confusion, still lost as to who this woman could be.
"Hehehehe!"
They heard amused laughter from where the woman had disappeared, prompting them to huddle together and whisper.
"There's no doubt she's part of the supernatural world, right?" Annabeth asked, glancing around.
"Isn't that obvious? She's as beautiful as my mother, and I don't say that lightly," Lucian replied seriously, earning a few looks.
"So, should we just book it?" Percy suggested. "I mean, so far, the supernatural has been trying to kill us one way or another. Why would she be any different?"
"Because she's beautiful," Lucian said with a thumbs up and a serious expression.
"Fair point, I'm in," Percy nodded in agreement.
Grover crossed his arms, nodding. "I don't see anything wrong with that statement."
The girls exchanged looks of disgust.
"Well, she hasn't done anything to warrant suspicion, so I say we wing it," Clarisse said. "If she does something, we'll be able to react on time and act accordingly." Thalia and Annabeth nodded in agreement.
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