Run | TMR X PJO [ Editing ]

I'm Done Trying To Live My Life As a Test Subject

The sun shone through cracks in the Homestead, causing Annabeth's eyes to flutter open delicately much like a butterfly's wings would flap. Despite the grogginess that overcame her at that moment, she still managed to sit up as quietly as she could manage. A few of the other early birds were of course up already, but they paid her no attention as she slipped outside silently without a word. Thalia and Kathy of course were already lounging around by the Doors, hidden by the shade, the Keeper's shock of red hair being the only thing that stood out. Whilst Aris' pack was hidden by the Bloodhouse (she shuddered at the thought of even coming near the place), hers was cleverly stashed behind some boards in the Homestead itself. It took some tugging and a few muffled curses before she was able to extract the dusty pack out of the crevice she shoved it into, the bag being full of a ton of goodies they might need for the suicide mission.

It was only natural that both Thalia and Kathy would tell her off for not getting up earlier than themselves, and she braced herself for their biting remarks and sharp tone. If anything, she had gotten up before Aris did, which wasn't too much of an achievement nonetheless. "Look, I'm here, so you don't have to critique my punctuality," she whisper-yelled.

Kathy raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't going to anyways, Annie."

"I told you not to call me that," she insisted. Annabeth did not say anything else but instead sat down on Thalia's left, away from where the Keeper was.

"Whatever you say Annie," she replied with a nonchalant shrug. Kathy later pointed a finger at the direction of the Bloodhouse. "Looks like your boyfriend is up."

Annabeth let out a small cry of protest. "He isn't my boyfriend."

"Saw you kissing a while back," she reminded with a slightly sadistic grin. "Are you friends with benefits then?"

That only made her expression even more disgusted, Annabeth throwing her hands up angrily. "I-I don't know where we stand!"

Thalia had remained unusually quiet during the whole conversation—suspicious at best—and decided to chime in at that very moment. "Kathy, leave the poor fetus alone." Annabeth felt extremely grateful towards her until she added a, "Can't you see she's sexually frustrated?"

Never had she felt so betrayed by a friend.

"It's not like that," she said defensively.

The two of them were relentless and refused to let the topic go, even with Aris rapidly approaching them. "Then what is it like then?" Thalia asked all too innocently.

"Yeah, you gotta tell us," the Keeper chimed in. Her grin was all too Chesire Cat-like, as if she had won the lottery or something. "Annie, spill the beans about him already."

"Spill the beans a bout who?" It was Aris. He looked so out of place, his pack slung over his shoulder, bed-hair tousled and messy.

This was the perfect opportunity to escape their prying questions, Annabeth figured. She stood up quickly and linked her arm with Aris', dragging him towards the Doors without a second thought. Of course, it sent Thalia and Kathy into a fit of laughter, giggling to themselves while trailing behind them. They didn't even have to say anything to each other before diving into the Maze, where they knew hid the Griever Tunnel.

Running without talking should have been a normal thing for Annabeth, being a Runner that did this job almost every single day. Really, her mouth shouldn't have been itching to talk at all, but it did. Five minutes in and all she wanted to do was strike up a conversation with one of them—any would do as long as she talked about anything. She held her tongue, however, and they found themselves at the very place that they had stood before not too long ago. Of course, it was Thalia's first time, and they were reluctant to tell her much about the place despite her curious questions.

"It's a bunch of klunk in there," Kathy snarled, her laser gun already whipped out from seemingly out of nowhere.

Both Aris and Annabeth nodded before enlarging theirs, a trick they had learned a few days prior. "I wouldn't say a bunch of klunk," she shrugged. "But it's sure dangerous in there."

"And why are we going back into that place if it's dangerous," Aris shivered—he still was a tad traumatized from being knocked out by those two scientists, one of which had been Annabeth's father.

It was Kathy who replied to his question. "I hate the Glade and I wanna get out. Simple as that."

"And why do you hate the Glade so much," he persisted. "It's not too bad, really!"

"I've been here much longer than you have, and I'm done with trying to live my life as a test subject," was all she said. The air seemed to have gone cold, the Keeper now giving the boy a cold shoulder. Annabeth knew better than to provoke her further. It was best not to poke a fuming lion. Even Thalia knew that the Keeper was about to blow—for once she didn't chime in with some witty remark.

Previously, they had dived towards a corner when they had seen a Griever approach, a wonderful tactic in their opinion. Of course, that had resulted in them being kidnapped and knocked out of course, but they really didn't know how to open it without a Griever around.

Annabeth had another idea, however, and it involved blasting the door to smithereens. Kathy—always the violent one—agreed loudly, already loading up her blaster. It took Thalia a minute to explain to them that being discreet was a lot more important. The thing was, the two of them both had a thing for disregarding authority.

They raised them at the same time, pretending to accidentally smash the wall to pieces, revealing the familiar dark corridor ahead.

"Whoops," they said sheepishly, no shame at all.

It looked like 'whoops' didn't even come close to covering the mess they made.

A voice came from the depths of the Tunnel, one that Annabeth recognized right off. "Ah, there you are. We were wondering when you would show up. Next time, mind not destroying the entrance?"

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