Our train pulled into the station, and as soon as the doors, opened Annabeth grabbed both mine and Peter's wrist dragging us off the train. Now, I don't like being dragged so the first thing I did when we were finally off the train and onto to the platform, was stop using my legs and it brought her to a stop.

She turned and glared at me, "Come on Percy, I want to see the arch" she whined

"I know, but that is no reason to rip my arm out of its socket" I said, "I'm completely willing to go but just slow down, the arch is literally less than a block away"

She looked at me like I committed one of the greatest offenses one can commit, but dropped it because I was right. "Can we eat before we get there" Peter asked

"You just ate on the Train, so no" I said, "and we should have enough money to go due what Annabeth wants to do, and have enough for another meal on the train" I stated, not wanting to deal, with his complaining"

"Well can we watch the cardinals or some other sporting event then, be" Peter started

"Cardinals are out of town this week. The other teams are either out of season or not of much interest to watch" I said, because I don't even want to watch these 'sports', because is it really a sport if you there isn't blood involved on a regular basis. Oh and to keep Annabeth from killing him.

She lead us down the street, and to the information and tickets booth for the arch, where I bought us the tickets to head up to the top. Which will be in a couple of hours, and the last group to head up before they close for the day. "Ok we can either explore the area around the park for a little while or we can play some games if I have any in my bag." I said

Surprisingly they both wanted to go with the game, of which I only had a hacky sack. Which we started to mess around with just keeping it off the ground to distract our ADHD.

Peter dropped the ball about 10 minutes ago and we decided he was out, and Annabeth and I started back up on our own, but it was getting more and more aggressive towards the end. Which happened now as our group was called up for the tour of the arch.

I barely had enough time to grab my bag and the hacky sack, before Annabeth was dragging Peter and I to the admissions, so we could go to the top of the arch.

When we were there I noticed a few families, a group of teenage guys who were acting like idiots, pushing and shoving each other, and an elderly lady with her chihuahua. The families, that were there, looked at the group of teens like they were being a nuisance, which I don't disagree with.

We got on the elevator to go up and Annabeth and I were conversing, mainly her speaking about the arch and its history. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Peter was talking with the elderly lady, which I was growing suspicious of, as something is off about her, she smells too human, like way to human, while having a different aura than that of a human. Even her dog seemed a little suspicious, since I can't hear him speaking, even if it was incoherent it would be less suspicious.

We were up there and Annabeth was running around taking in each of the different viewing ports. While I was just following her so, we wouldn't get completely separated. I will say I found her curiosity amusing, but also slightly worrying as she was forgoing her personal safety with all the strangers around.

I forget how long we were up there but one of the guides said that they were starting to close and he wanted people to start boarding to head down. After people were clearing out I told Annabeth and Peter to let the family leave that was up there with us. Which left us, the tour guide, the old lady, and her dog that was up there, waiting for an elevator to arrive to take us down.

"I know sonny. They do make hard prey" the old lady said and I realized that it was likely Echidna and one of her many many kids. Annabeth grew a look of why do we have to be demigods, probably connecting the dots, while Peter still looked slightly clueless.

Suddenly the Chihuahua transformed into the Chimera, the old lady turned into a human snake hybrid where she kept her head, for the most part, and became scaly with fangs, a split tongue much like a snake's, and slit eyes replaced the seemingly normal ones. "Hello Echidna, Chimera, oh and by the way Chimera if you want the dog disguise to work you might want to learn how to at least speak in a way I can understand" I stated trying to be friendly. Echidna tends to stay more to herself and independent, but mom says she has occasionally done things for the Olympians.

Annabeth looked at me, like she was trying to figure out what the heck I was doing. She quickly stopped that in favor of think of a plan to beat the Chimera and Echidna. "So, polite. Such a shame I'll have to kill you son of Artemis" Echidna sneered

"But why, you don't have to kill me" I complained

"Lord Zeus has put a large reward out for if someone else can return his bolt to him, and you are standing with the supposed thief"

"Fair enough" I replied, and she ordered the Chimera to attack us.

I quickly ducked and dodge a strike from the snake tail, while Annabeth had to tackle Peter out of the way of a fireball. 'I forgot it could do that' I thought. "Hey Echidna, I have a quick question did it hurt to give birth to all of your children" I asked

She looked mad at that, "of course it hurt hasn't your mother and uncle told the story of Leto giving birth to them" She responded angrily

"Yes, but Leto was also cursed to not give birth to them on grounded land. So I was just curious, especially with the odd shapes of your children" I said dodging another attempt from the snake tail to kill me and cutting that head off in the process. "Annabeth the Chimera won't grow back a head or two if I cut one off right" I asked

"We don't know. It wasn't done to the original Chimera" she responded over, Echidna's screeching, which answered my question.

Echidna started fighting Annabeth and I herself which left Peter to deal with a goat head and lion head from the chimera. I took up the distracting of Echidna with my knives, while hopefully allowing Annabeth to sneak an attack on an unprotected flank to kill her, but with the confined space I wasn't so sure that it would work.

I was doing well surviving Echidna's onslaught of attacks and she walked right by Annabeth ignoring her. I think she was mad I cut off one of her child's three heads. However, that mistake was all Annabeth need to come up behind her and stab her in the back before quickly slicing her throat as well, which allowed me to get a couple of strikes on her and we killed her.

Annabeth was about to celebrate the fact that we tag teamed the mother of monsters and won but it was delayed by a loud explosion coming from the other side, and the fine addition of a new hole in the arch. I heard screams, which I could only assuming was Peter's and I assume that he either jumped out of the new hole or was blasted out.

The Chimera turned its focus on us, and just realized that its mother was missing. Which caused a fire ball to come our way. I only had enough time to push Annabeth out of the way before the fire ball hit me and sent me flying into one of the walls which left a dent in it.

I got back up and saw that Annabeth was dodging the Lion's head and not allowing for the goat one to get a clear shot on her. I brought out my bow and started firing at the Goat's head hoping to either kill it or distract it , while giving Annabeth the chance to take out the lion's head.

She did that a couple of minutes later, finally cutting into the jugulars of the Lion's head. I would have been proud of her if I didn't have to absorb 4 fire balls that melted my arrows, and did I mention that absorbing fire is much more painful than getting hit into the wall by one of those fireballs. However, the number of arrows I fired at the goat's head finally became to much for the goat to survive and The chimera, was defeated.

"How...how did you survive you were hit with one of the fireballs" Annabeth stated in shock

"I'll tell you but you must swear not to tell anyone" I responded, and she made an oath on the styx not to tell anyone without permission. "Hestia made me her champion a few years ago, but prior to that she only blessed me as to help hide me from a certain paranoid god" I stated, vaguely, but there was still some thunder rumbling in the distance. "and said paranoid god just found out I think"

"Percy I think it is the paranoid part that has him mad not the other thing" She said in which there was another round of thunder

"You know what maybe it's both" we said together and laughed as this time there was no thunder.

We went to the tour guide, and shook him awake acting like the scared kids we should be. I guess I forgot to tell he passed out after the first fireball from the Chimera.