Usually, Sylvia was against stalking. Or, in this case, following people around. It was creepy and definitely unethical, immoral, and illegal. But when your enemy-but-also-not-enemy sneaks away from your quest party to talk to a cow-serpent thing, what else is one to do?

Fawkes? Sylvia looked down at the tiny phoenix hiding in her pocket. Are you seeing this? What the heck?

Fawkes's beady red eyes were staring down the cow-serpent as if it'd killed her entire family. Yes. That should not be here. This...this isn't good. At all.

And I'm assuming you're not allowed to tell me why? 

Her question was met with silence. Sylvia sighed and crept closer to Percy, who was standing at the north edge of the dam. He was talking to the cow-serpent, which was about thirty feet below him in the lake. When he looked around, most likely to check for anyone watching, she ducked behind a sign.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the creature.

"Moo!"

What's it saying?

Once again, Sylvia's question was met with silence. Stupid immortal rules. What was the point in having an all-knowing guardian angel phoenix if she wasn't allowed to tell her anything?

"How did you get here?" Percy asked, putting a hand on his hip like some worried mother.

Does he know it? Sylvia wondered.

I...I think so, Fawkes said. But...how? This isn't good. This is really, really bad, Sylvia.

It'd be nice if you could tell me why it was bad, instead of just telling me the same thing over and over again.

"I can't. My friends are inside." Percy gestured in the direction Thalia, Grover, Zoe, and Lux had left in.

At that, Sylvia had to refrain from asking, 'What friends?', as that would blow her cover. She was very, very tempted to, though.

Just then, Percy froze, as did Fawkes and Sylvia. As if in sync, they all turned to the east, where Sylvia's gut was telling her to check. There were two men walking toward them. They wore gray camouflage outfits that flickered over their skeletal bodies.

They passed through a group of kids, pushing them away and scaring them with their grinning skulls that vaguely reminded Sylvia of the emoji. 

Percy was still frozen, staring at the skeletons. Cursing herself, Sylvia darted out of her hiding spot, grabbed his wrist, and booked it for the visitor center. He didn't even question her presence, merely stumbling for a moment before allowing himself to be dragged.

They were almost to the stairs when Sylvia heard the sound of squealing tires. On the west side of the dam, a black van swerved to a stop in the middle of the road, nearly running into some old lesbian couple in the process. They were taking 'Bury your Gays' way too seriously, it seemed.

The van doors opened and more skeleton warriors piled out. They were surrounded.

"Shit," Sylvia muttered, backing up a bit. She glanced around, hoping an escape would just appear out of thin air.

It was Percy's turn to drag her, bolting down the stairs and through the museum entrance. The security guard at the metal detector yelled at them, probably because Sylvia's knives set it off, but they didn't stop.

Sylvia and Percy ran through the exhibits and ducked behind a tour group. Neither of them could see their friends, much to her dismay.

"Where's that damn snack bar?" she asked.

"I think you mean dam snack bar," Percy corrected, making her chuckle for a moment before she remembered who she was talking to and cut herself off.

"Stop!" the metal detector guy yelled.

There was no place to go but into an elevator with the tour group. Fun. They ducked inside just as the door closed, the security guy's face twisting into one of outrage as he was cut off from them.

"We'll be going down seven hundred feet," their tour guide said cheerfully. She was a park ranger, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and tinted glasses. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed that Percy and Sylvia were being chased. "Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks."

Seven hundred feet? Sylvia subconsciously tightened her grip on Percy's wrist, which she'd forgotten to let go of earlier. Her other hand was already shaking, and she felt as if her heart was sinking along with the elevator. 

Suddenly, the elevator felt too crowded, too small. She shrunk away from the rest of the people, making herself small in the corner. Her eyes were darting around, once again checking for any escapes that might pop out of thin air. Sylvia was fairly certain Percy was having a conversation with the tour guide, but she couldn't be sure because everything around her was blurred and just background noise.

"Is there another way out?" she blurted, interrupting their conversation. 

"It's a dead end. The only way out is the other elevator," the woman told her, which didn't help with her growing panic one bit. 

The doors opened, and Sylvia rushed to get out. Even if it was just to another place underground, it was better than being trapped in such a small place while also being underground. A small upgrade, but she'd take it. Percy was dragged behind her, most likely bewildered by her change in behaviour.

"Another ranger is waiting for you folks at the end of the corridor," the woman said. "And, you two?" She'd taken off her glasses. Her eyes were startlingly gray, like storm clouds. They were strangely familiar to Sylvia, as if she'd seen those eyes on a daily basis. "There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it."

The doors closed with the tour guide inside, leaving Percy and Sylvia to puzzle over her words. Except Sylvia didn't, choosing instead to try to steady her shallow breaths. She didn't get much of a chance, though, as the second elevator was opening, and she heard an unmistakable sound--the chattering of skeleton teeth

When she froze in place, Percy took the opportunity to drag her--again--toward the tour group, through a tunnel carved out of solid rock that didn't make her feel better at all. To Sylvia, it seemed to run forever. The walls were moist (Sylvia absolutely despised that word), and the air hummed with electricity and the roar of water. Eventually, they came out on a U-shaped balcony that overlooked a huge warehouse area. 

Fifty feet below, enormous turbines were running. It was a big room, but Sylvia didn't see any other exit, unless she wanted to jump into the turbines and get churned up to make electricity. When her other option was being stuck this far underground--with Percy as company, of all people--she was kind of tempted.

Another tour guide was talking over the microphone, telling tourists about water supplies in Nevada. Sylvia's heart was pounding, and her head throbbed. She prayed that her friends were okay, even though there was a good chance they'd already been captured. 

The pair worked their way around the crowd, trying not to be too obvious about it. At least, Percy tried. Sylvia was more focused on pushing down her growing panic than anything else. 

There was a hallway at the other side of the balcony, which Percy whispered something about possibly hiding in. Even with her racing thoughts, Sylvia managed to note how his hand was kept on Riptide the entire time. She did the same, prepared to summon her bow or throw a knife at any second. Fawkes was on high alert the entire time, trying to comfort Sylvia while also scanning for any potential threats.

By the time they got to the opposite side of the balcony, Sylvia's nerves had skyrocketed. Every time someone accidentally bumped into her, she jumped and apologized in French, then Ancient Greek--she hadn't even previously known the word for 'sorry', but it chose that time to pop into her brain--then English. 

They backed into the little hallway and watched the tunnel behind them. However, before she could fully gain her bearings, something tapped Sylvia's shoulder, causing her to jump once again and reach into her pocket.

It's not an enemy, Fawkes informed her as she turned around and prepared to grab a knife. 

She was right. Standing in front of them was a girl with reddish-brown hair and green eyes the same shade as Sylvia's. Before Sylvia could say anything to her, Percy whirled around and slashed the poor girl with Riptide. She yelped and dropped her hand from Sylvia's shoulder.

"Oh my god!" she cried. "Do you always kill people when they try to talk to you? I was just trying to ask her if she was okay!"

Was it that obvious? Sylvia frowned. I thought I was doing an okay job of hiding it. Percy didn't notice, anyways.

Percy is an oblivious dolt, Fawkes pointed out.

Percy's gaze trailed down to his sword, which had passed clean through the girl's body. "You're mortal!"

She looked at him as if he was the dumbest boy on Earth--which he was. "What's that supposed to mean? Of course I'm mortal! How did you get that sword past security?"

What the fuck? Sylvia's frown deepened. She can see through the Mist?

"I didn't--wait, you can see it's a sword?" Percy gaped at her.

The girl rolled her eyes. Sylvia absent-mindedly noted her big maroon Harvard sweatshirt and jeans that were covered in marker stains and little holes that were placed artistically through the fabric. She could already tell she was going to like this girl.

"Well, it's either a sword or one of those absolute monstrosities a dentist pulls out after telling you it won't hurt," she said. "And why didn't it hurt me? I mean, not that I'm complaining. Who are you? And whoa, what is that you're wearing? Is that made of lion fur?" She turned to face Sylvia. "And I forgot to ask you--are you okay? You looked like you were panicking or something. If you want, I have some fidget toys in my pocket."

She asked so many questions so fast, Sylvia just nodded and held her hand out for one. "Merc--or, um, thank you."

As she started to spin the ring the girl had given her, her head--ironically--stopped spinning. However, with her newfound calm, many questions arose. She can see through the Mist? Even to me, Percy's lion fur just looks like a brown coat. Why's she being so nice?

"Ooh, are you French?" The girl tilted her head to the side. "That'd make sense; you're cute."

Heat rushed to Sylvia's face. "I--uh--"

Suddenly, Percy made a face as if he were constipated and snapped his fingers. "You don't see a sword. It's just a ballpoint pen."

Is he trying to manipulate the Mist? With no practice whatsoever? Sylvia let out a slightly hysterical, disbelieving laugh, but stopped when he scowled at her. 

"Um...no. It's a sword, weirdo. You see a sword, right?" She asked Sylvia. "And...is that a bird in your pocket?"

Sylvia reflexively put a hand in her pocket, hiding Fawkes. "I...no?"

"Who are you?" Percy demanded, saving Sylvia from more questions.

She huffed indignantly. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Now, are you going to my questions or should I scream for security?"

"No!" Sylvia rushed, subconsciously spinning the fidget ring again.

I can't even remember half the questions she asked, and the other half I don't know the answers to. Is there a way out of this?

Probably not, Fawkes said helpfully.

"What she means," Percy added hastily, earning a scowl from the blonde, "is we're kinda in a hurry. We're in trouble."

"In a hurry or in trouble?"

"Both," Sylvia said.

Rachel looked over Sylvia's shoulder and her eyes widened. "Bathroom!"

"What?" Percy asked.

"Bathroom! Behind me! Now!"

In any other situation, Sylvia would've protested against going into a bathroom alone with Percy, but she heard the familiar clattering of teeth and didn't hesitate, once again grabbing Percy's wrist. They slipped inside the boys' bathroom and left Rachel Elizabeth Dare standing outside. She vaguely wondered if it was cowardly of them, then decided against it. The skeletons wouldn't hurt a mortal, and she was close enough to attempt to stop them if they tried.

The clattering, hissing sounds of skeletons neared, and Sylvia shrunk back. She summoned her bow and notched an arrow, aiming at the door. Beside her, Percy's grip tightened on Riptide. Both of them were breathing heavily, though they were trying to be quiet about it.

"Oh my god! Did you see those kids? It's about time you got here," she said, voice muffled by the closed door. "They tried to kill me! One of them had a sword, for god's sake. You security guys let a sword-swinging lunatic inside a national landmark? I mean, jeez! They ram that way toward those turbine thingies. I think they went over the side or something? Maybe they fell."

The skeletons chattered excitedly, running off. 

Rachel opened the door. "All clear. But you'd better hurry."

She looked as shaken as Sylvia. Her face was gray and sweaty, a sharp contrast to her previous flushed cheeks.

Fawkes peeked around the corner, causing Rachel to gasp. The skeletons are running toward the other end of the balcony. The way to the elevator is clear.

"We owe you one, Rachel." Sylvia gave her a soft smile, though she was certain it looked more like a grimace because her nerves were all over the place.

"What are those things? And that bird? They look like--"

"Skeletons? A phoenix?" Sylvia asked.

She nodded uneasily, taking out another fidget toy and playing with it. 

"Do yourself a favour and forget about it. And us," Percy said.

"Forget you tried to kill me? Forget that you're on the verge of a panic attack?"

"Yes," Sylvia said. "To both of those."

"But who are you?"

"Sylvia--" she started to say, then the skeletons turned around.

"Gotta go!" Percy ran toward the elevator, Sylvia in tow. 

"What kind of name is Sylvia Gotta-go?" Rachel muttered as the two disappeared into the elevator.

Word count: 2.4k

Slightly edited (aka only Grammarly again because I didn't feel like manually going over it so if there are any mistakes blame it on Grammarly and not me)

I'm so sorry that my updating schedule is so bad T-T I promise I'll do my best to update more often 

Also, 20k reads?? That's freaking amazing, thank you all so much!!

Anyways, how is everyone? Have you had enough water/food/sleep? If not, please go to that<3

QOTD: What's your love language?

A: Quality time, which is annoying because I'm also very introverted and get tired if I socialize for too long (or for any amount of time really)

Anyways, I need to go update my Lego Ninjago fic because I've neglected it for like a month lmao

Love y'all

~Aspen<3