Pip had ended up following these three new strangers into a really weird taxi made out of smoke and driven by three old women who shared one eye. The Gray Ladies or something like that. The girl, whose name was Annabeth, explained to Pip that she was a demigod, or halfblood as she called it. Her mom was apparently a Greek Goddess.

"What is this," Pip demanded, fidgeting with her mom's ring that somehow turned back into a ring when the pressed down on the A burnt into the base of the dagger, "some sort of cult or something?"

The blonde kid named Percy sighed, "Let me guess, you've been kicked out of almost every school you've been to for reasons you can't even explain."

"Well just a few. I've been at Meriwether for two years now," Pip admitted, "But my last school I got kicked out for bribing my teacher to switch my grade. All I did was ask him to bump my D to a C and he did!"

"Okay, well you have ADHD, and maybe dyslexia too, right?" Percy suggested.

Pip nodded, "what does that have to do with anything?" Pip never told anyone about her ADHD and definitely not about her dyslexia.

"The ADHD helps you out in battles and your brain is hard wired to Ancient Greek, that's why you have dyslexia," Annabeth told her, fiddling with a ring around her necklace.

"I'm not a halfblood!" Pip tried to convince them, "You guys are insane! Can I just go home? My dad's going to get worried."

Pip knew that wasn't true. Ever since she got arrested for shoplifting a few years back, he stopped caring. He always said that if she didn't care about her life then neither would he. Pip didn't even shoplift. She asked a worker at the Apple store for an Iphone and he just gave it to her... for free. Then she was accused for stealing. She wasn't even allowed to have a phone anyways. She didn't really know why she asked for one. Maybe she was hoping if she got it herself, her dad would have to let her keep it.

"Penelope," Percy started.

"It's Pip, not Penelope," She corrected.

"Right, Pip, it takes a while to get used to," He continued, "I mean, I just found out about my dad last summer. I'm still getting used to the fact that I can breathe underwater."

"Prove it," Pip demanded.

"What?"

"If the greek gods are really real and you're really the son of fucking Poseidon, then when we get out of this horrible taxi, stay underwater for like ten minutes."

"I'm not going to do that," His ocean green eyes were filled with annoyance.

"Fine," Pip decided, "Then I'm going back to Meriwether and blaming the whole fire on you. I'm very good at convincing people."

"You can't go back," Annabeth told her, her silver eyes sparkling in the sun that was peeping through the smoky windows. If they even were actually windows; Pip couldn't tell.

"Why's that? You don't want your little boyfriend to get arrested?" The two young teens both turned the color of tomatoes.

"No, because you'll get yourself killed, that's why," Annabeth said. She was really starting to get on Pip's nerves. Why'd she have to be so matter-of-fact all the time? "Once you know what you are, they start to figure it out too. They'll hunt you down. Without the proper training that you'd get at camp, you'll die."

She still wasn't convinced, "I think I'll take those chances, thank you very much."

"You are so insufferable."

"Oh hell no," Pip wasn't going to let this slide, "You three basically kidnap me, tell me my mom is some celestial being or something, then tell me they're going to kill me... who even is they?!

"How do you expect me to believe you! I am not insufferable for not believing you!"

"Y'know what, you'll believe us when we get there and get to the big house, trust me," Annabeth sighed.

Pip had to see this through. If Annabeth was being like this, it better have been for a good reason. "Fine."

"Good."

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Sorry that this chapter is so short it's kind of filler but also introduces something kind of important later on (you'll know what i mean eventually). Camp will be in the next chapter i promise it'll be fun 🤍

first published: feb. 5, 2024 • 735 words