Flashback of Chapter 22

I started to raise an eyebrow to confusion. "Um, did you just call your dog your son?" I asked and glance at Percy who suddenly looked nervous.

"Chimera, dear," The owner corrected. "Not a Chihuahua. It's an easy mistake to make."

She rolled up her denim sleeves, revealing that the skin of her arms was scaly and green.

When she smiled, I saw that her teeth were fangs. The pupils of her eyes were side-ways slits, like a reptile's. The Chihuahua barked louder, and with each bark, it grew. First to the size of a Doberman, then to a lion. The bark became a roar.

Uh oh...

‧̍̊˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙‧̍̊

I heard the little boy screamed. I watched as his parents pulled him back toward the exit, straight to the park ranger, who stood, paralysed and gaping at the monster.

Welp, not much of a ranger aren't you?

The Chimera was now so tall its back rubbed against the roof. It had the head of a lion with a blood-caked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent for a tail, a ten-foot-long diamondback growing right out of its shaggy behind. The rhinestone dog collar still hung around its neck, and the plate-sized dog tag was now easy to read: CHIMERA—RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS—IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL TARTARUS—EXT. 954.

I realized I hadn't even moved at all. I was ten feet away from the Chimera's bloody maw with Percy, and I knew that as soon as I moved, the creature would lunge. The snake lady made a hissing noise that might've been laughter. "Be honoured, Percy Jackson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my brood. For I am the Mother of Monsters-!"

"If you're the mother, who's the father?" I asked as I cut off her sentence which gave me an annoyed look from her. The Chimera's Lion head roared while the Snake head hissed at me. "Never talk back to me as I speak! As I said, I am the terrible Echidna!!" She announced and I sweat dropped, she really doesn't want to be interrupted, huh?

"Isn't that a type of ant eater though?" Percy asked and I sweat dropped again while Echidna howled, her reptilian face turning brown and green with rage. "I hate it when people say that! I hate Australia! Naming that ridiculous animal after me. For that, Percy Jackson, my son shall destroy you and your friend!" The Chimera charged, its lion's teeth gnashing. Percy and I managed to leap aside and dodge the bite.

We both ended up next to the family and the park ranger, who were all screaming now, trying to pry open the emergency exit doors.

I couldn't let them get hurt.

But before I could do anything, Percy uncapped his sword just like the time at the museum, and ran to the other side of the deck, and yelled, "Hey, Chihuahua!" The Chimera turned faster than I would've thought possible. Before Percy could swing my sword, it opened its mouth, emitting a stench like the world's largest barbecue pit, and shot a column of flame straight at him. But before that happened, I tackled Percy so we both didn't get burned.

Getting up, when I had tackled Percy away a moment before was a ragged hole in the side of the Arch, with melted metal steaming around the edges. 'Great,' I thought. 'A chimera just blowtorched a national monument.' I looked at Percy who also stood up, Riptide was now a shining bronze blade in his hands, and as the Chimera turned, Percy slashed at its neck.

When he did that, I decided to go towards the family and the Park Ranger, all of them looked scared.

Looking up, I saw a camera recording, I'll need to do something about that as well.

"Sorry about this," I said and sent them a smile which had lacked any warmth to the ones who noticed and feeling supernatural persuasion to flow through my voice. "But can you forget you ever saw all of this, We were never here and there was a mysterious accident, alright?" I whispered only to them.

Their eyes glazed over as they looked at me and agreed with a nod or two. "Thank you." I muttered lowly. "I think all of you need to sleep, fall down for a few minutes. You all must be tired."

I heard their acknowledgments and summoned a small but specially made dagger, clicking the small button on the hilt, I threw it to the camera. The dagger pierced it and sent a shockwave making it unable to record anything from today. That dagger was created by a particular servant, I suggested it to them and they agreed to that, knowing it'll be cool.

Turning around, I saw Percy backed into the hole in the wall. The Chimera advanced, growling, smoke curling from its lips. I looked at Echidna, who cackled. "They don't make heroes like they used to, eh, son?"

The monster growled. It seemed in no hurry to finish him off now that he looked beaten. "Percy!" I called and he looked at me, "You need to jump! There's water from down below! Just trust me!" I said and Echidna started to hiss, "She is correct, If you are the son of Poseidon. You would not fear water. Jump, Percy Jackson. Show me that water will not harm you. Jump and retrieve your sword. Prove your bloodline."

Percy looked at me again and I nodded to do it but he shook his head. "You have no faith," Echidna told Percy. "You do not trust the gods or even your friend. I cannot blame you, little coward. Better you die now. The gods are faithless. The poison is in your heart." Percy looked down, as if calculating on what would happen after he jumps.

But Echidna was right: He was dying. If he's Poseidon's son, water might definitely heal him. "Percy," The said person looked at me "Trust in me, I'll be fine here" I pleaded. "Die, faithless one," Echidna rasped, and the Chimera sent a column of flame toward his face.

"Father, help me," Percy prayed and I yelled at him to go. He turned and jumped, clothes on fire, poison coursing through his veins, he has plummeted towards the river.

"Now to you." Echidna looked at me, looking behind, I could see the ranger and the family on the floor, sound asleep. Looking back, I asked "Aren't you suppose to only test Percy?" She laughed and grinned. "I could always defeat another potential hero," She spoke and the Chimera roared.

"Altria! Please come and save me!!" I yelled and Echidna laughed. "No one would save you now, child-!" She said and Chimera lunged at me so I started to dodge. The Chimera was about to send a column of flame when a ping was heard, we all looked at the elevator and saw someone I knew when the doors opened.

"When you said that you will shout for me, you did not mention any explosion happening before." Altria said with a paper bag on her hand, Chimera growled at her but Altria only glared coldly at it and summoned a black sword with glowing red designs engraved on it. "Who are you! You dare interrupt-" Echidna was cut off by her own shriek or pain when Altria moved in a flash and cut her whole hand. "Shut it, I only came for the child." The servant said and appeared right in front of me.

"Thanks," I said and stood up. The Chimera growled at us and was about to leap with extended claws until thunder boomed and crackled. Looking outside, thunderclouds appeared in the sky which made Echidna scoff "Times up, unfortunately. You're lucky that I, or my son didn't get to kill you, until then Mortal." She said and dissapeared in a golden dust with the Chimera. Looking behind me, the people were about to wake up. I could see some of their eyes about to open.

"Let's go," Altria said and gave me the paper bag then held my hand after un-summoning her sword. I thought that we would go down the elevator, but I was suddenly lifted up by the Saber in a bridal style "W-wait! What are you-!" I stuttered.

"If we get down by elevator we'll be questioned and be in danger. I doubt that the authorities won't be suspicious if we do that." She said and ran to the hole on the wall, "But-!"

"Hold on tight!" Altria said before jumping out of the structure. I closed my eyes shut, my hands holding onto Altria's neck while the bag of food that she gave me is being held. I tried not to scream as we fell what felt like hundreds of feet in the air.

Why Saber! Why!

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"Are you fine?" I heard Saber ask and I nodded rapidly as we landed on the ground. She let me get down from her and held my hand, "C'mon. Let's get back to the train, I think we have enough for today." She said and I nodded again, "O-okay." I said, still almost shocked on what had happened a few seconds ago.

At the very least, I think the police will be arriving right about now, trying to figure out who had blown a hole in the Arch. If they found me, Altria, or even Percy, Annabeth and Grover...they'd have some pretty questions.

Remembering now, I opened the paper bag to reveal two medium packs of thick-cut fries, a Whopper burger, a Can of coke, and some ketchup packets. Feeling famished, I grabbed the burger, unwrapped it, and took a big bite and hummed on how delicious it is, it's surprisingly a little warm even though this just fell with me.

While walking away from the arch, it looks like every emergency vehicle in St. Louis was surrounding the Arch with Police helicopters circled overhead. The crowd of onlookers reminded me of a big party celebration. Uniformed officers and news reporters were everywhere. I hope they're hiding, they might be in trouble, I and Altria might also be in trouble too. Since we also fell from the top of the arch.

We passed a reporter doing a news break, and I almost froze in my tracks when he said, "Percy Jackson. That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned that the boy who may have caused this explosion. It is believed so because the camera's below the entrance showed a person going to the Arch with the exact description of the young man. He is wanted by authorities for a serious New Jersey bus accident three days ago. The boy is believed to be traveling west. For our viewers at home, here is a photo of Percy Jackson."

"Altria, cover me." I said and hugged her by the waist and pointed an index finger at the news camera, I whispered a small spell and an electrical shock was sent out to the camera, making it smoke and static so it'll be unable to show Percy's picture that was held by the newscaster. Panicking the newscaster and crewmen. I also did the exact same thing to few of the other news cameras, no one would suspect two people hugging to do that.

Receiving a pat on the back(literally), I let go of the hug and smiled as we made it back to the Amtrak station without getting spotted. We got on board the train just before it pulled out for Denver. Going back tour original seats, I waved at Percy and the others who were surprised to see me.

After that I explained to Altria at what had happened before and after the Arch had a hole while eating my Burger King food.

The train trundled west as darkness fell, police lights still pulsing against the St. Louis skyline behind us as it rained softly.

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