December 7th
When Annabeth first found out she had Thalia as her Secret Santa, she was happy. Thalia was her friend and they had gone through a lot together. She thought she knew exactly what she was going to buy but when Thalia came to her about her gift for Grover, she started to have second thoughts.
What if she didn't like it? What if she didn't really know her and Thalia would hate her for getting her a bad gift? What if she totally screwed up their friendship with one single gift?
So, there she was, at Camp Half-Blood for the weekend, sitting on her bed in her empty cabin, and trying not to panic too much. She had procrastinated for the first time in her life and was trying to figure out why she was so worked up about a stupid present.
She looked down at her homework that was due on Monday and at the sticky note she had put on one of her folders that said, 'plan day with the girls,' which she still hadn't done. She had wanted to get some of her stuff done that night but Percy had wanted to have a picnic by the beach so she would have to spend most of Sunday finishing up everything she needed on Monday. But, she also had plans to talk with Rachel too s she would probably stay up late again to get everything done.
No. She needed to get out of her cabin before she could stress herself out too much.
Annabeth put on her coat, hat, boots and gloves before stepping into the winter wonderland outside. Snow was falling onto the white ground and it made even the cabins that hadn't been decorated look festive. There were no campers during Christmas, everyone stayed with friends or family, so the snow was still fluffy and untouched. Although, that would all change when Leo, Jason, and Percy met up on Thursday.
Annabeth walked slowly through the crunching snow, breathing in the chilling and fresh air. Stress was common in her life and she had found that being outside where she wasn't confined and could breathe fresh air helped a lot. She walked pass all the cabins, towards the woods where she had come many times before.
The trees in the forest blocked the wind that been blowing in the clearing, and the pine trees created a roof over her head. It was silent as she walked except for the occasional cardinal call or twig snap and it seemed as if the world had paused, held it's breath, if only for a few moments.
"Annabeth Chase," a strong and almost booming voice called to her from behind.
With her fighting instincts, Annabeth turned and was facing her opponent with a dagger in her hand and crouched into a fighting stance, except, she remembered the creature in front of her. She had fought her in the Labyrinth, back when she was only fifteen, with Percy, Grover, and Tyson.
"We meet again," the Sphinx snarled.
"We do," Annabeth agreed, ready to defend herself. "How did you get in?"
"I want a rematch," the Sphinx told her, ignoring the question.
"Fine by me," Annabeth fired back. The Sphinx was bigger but she had gotten away before. Granted it was with Grover, Percy, and Tyson but she could handle herself.
"Perfect," the giant cat purred.
Suddenly, two podiums appeared. One in front of the Sphinx and one in front of Annabeth.
"It's time for. . . ANSWER THAT RIDDLE!" The Sphinx yelled to no one in particular. "Pass the test and you'll get a gift! Fail, and-"
"You'll eat me," Annabeth finished.
The Sphinx snarled a bit at Annabeth's comment.
"Yes," she said reluctantly. She sat up a straighter and put on a big smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
She fixed her hard set gaze right on Annabeth and started the show.
"What goes up but never down?"
Annabeth sighed. She had been hoping for a challenge but some things never seemed to change.
When she was fifteen, she would have yelled at the Sphinx again and demanded a more difficult question, but she was older now and instead just said, "Your age."
"Correct!" The Sphinx applauded. "How many countries are in the world?"
"195."
"Correct again! What did the fish say when he swam into a wall?"
"Dam."
"Correct!" the Sphinx's eyes sparkled. "Now, this last one is tricky."
Annabeth took a deep breath. The last few had been easy but there was still hope for the last one.
"What is. . . Nico's full name."
Annabeth had to try not to smack the cat woman.
"Niccolò Vincenzo di Angelo."
"Correct!" the Sphinx cheered. "You will now receive your prize !"
A box appeared in Annabeth's hands. It was small and when she opened it, she found a container of Play Dough inside.
"That is no ordinary Play Dough," the Sphinx said proudly. "It will become whatever you want it to be only once."
Annabeth looked down at the gift. For answering those questions? That did seem like an appropriate prize.
"Now," the Sphinx said to her. "Please fill out this paper."
A piece of paper appeared on the podium in front of her. It was a survey.
She looked at the first question on the paper, 'were these questions hard?' and below it were answers.
'yes'
'no'
'kind of'
Annabeth circled 'kind of'.
'Did the host ask the questions clearly?'
'yes'
'no'
'kind of'
Annabeth filled out the first page, and the second page when she realized there was a back.
"Thank you," the Sphinx said with a smile. Why did she keep smiling?
"Now I just need a signature."
A paper appeared floating in front of her. She tried to grab it but it moved backwards.
"Don't touch," the Sphinx advised. "Just sign."
Annabeth looked back up at the giant cat and noticed that her eyes seemed to gleam something sinister. She cautiously picked up her pencil that had been turned into a pen and made herself look like she was signing the paper. Instead of actually doing that though, she read the paper.
'Eternal Service To The Sphinx! You get paid not dying a day! You'll look over tests and quizzes! If you do not sign this-'
"What is taking so long?"
Annabeth looked back up at the Sphinx. She wanted Annabeth to serve her eternally and was trying to trick her. She needed a plan to not upset her and get away.
"Um, on second thought," Annabeth said, thinking fast.
"What is it?" the Sphinx asked, looking down at her.
"Well, I'm going to be late for an appointment with Chiron," Annabeth lied easily.
"Then just sign the papers!" the Sphinx said crossly.
"Chiron wouldn't like that there is a Sphinx in his camp," Annabeth was a little bit grasping at straws but she needed something to bribe her with. "If you let me go meet with him right now, I won't tell him you are here."
The Sphinx growled. "You have to sign the paper."
Annabeth sighed. She would have to try and fight her way out.
"No."
At Annabeth's one word, there was a dizzying feeling and Annabeth felt like she was shadow traveling. When the feeling stopped, Annabeth was standing on the other side of the field, where the Sphinx had sat and the cat woman had taken her spot too.
A piece of paper appeared in front of Annabeth. She read the tiny black words and almost gasped.
"Welcome! Because you didn't sign the paper, you are now the owner of this game, ANSWER THAT RIDDLE!"
She owned the Sphinx's game show?
"No!!!" the Sphinx on the other side of the podium cried. "You have stolen my game!"
"I didn't do anything!" Annabeth shouted, fed up with everything.
"You answered my questions and did my survey but you didn't sign the paper!" the Sphinx explained in a wail.
Annabeth ran her fingers through her hair. How could this day go so wrong?
"There has to be a way to undo this," Annabeth insisted.
"Yes," the Sphinx looked up with hope fliting in her eyes.
"How?" Annabeth inquired, leaning forward and over the podium.
"If I answer one out of four questions correctly," the Sphinx explained, "and I complete the pamphlet."
"That's good," Annabeth said, mostly to herself. "Let's do that."
The Sphinx perked up at Annabeth's willingness to help.
"But," Annabeth took back, realizing what power she had now. "You have to swear on the Styx that you'll let me go, free of charge."
"I swear it on the Styx!" the Sphinx said immediately and thunder boomed in the distance.
"Alright," Annabeth took a breath. "What is this camp called?"
"Camp Godlings!" the Sphinx tried.
It took every ounce of patients, every smidge of self control she had, to not walk over a slap some sense into the head of the cat lady.
"No," Annabeth said quietly, trying to smile encouragingly. "What is two plus two?"
"Sixteen!" the Sphinx called.
Annabeth groaned. "What is the capital of Montana?"
"Montana City!"
Do you even want your job?! Annabeth wanted to yell. She needed something easy, something so easy a toddler would be able to answer it correctly. She looked around for inspiration and a gust of wind blew through the forest, making Annabeth pull her coat around tighter.
Wait, Annabeth thought, I can use that.
"What is. . ." Annabeth took a deep breath. Moment of truth.
"The color of my coat?"
"Blue!" the Sphinx yelled.
Annabeth looked down at her coat. It was a purply-blue periwinkle but 'blue' was close enough.
"Yes!" Annabeth exclaimed. Finally.
"Hurray!" the Sphinx cheered. Suddenly, Annabeth saw a paper appear in front of her. The big cat took the pencil in her mouth and answered the question.
"Done!" the Sphinx cried. "And I am not signing that."
The cursed paper that had popped up above her disappeared and Annabeth felt the shadow traveling pulling sensation again.
She squeezed her eyes tight, waiting for the feeling to stop. When it did, she opened her eyes to see she was still in the forest, but she was alone this time.
Annabeth looked around, scanning the trees for any sign of the Sphinx but she was gone. She eventually gave up on trying to catch the beast and decided to walk back to her cabin. She put her hands in her coat and they fell on a container. Annabeth pulled it out and in her hand was the Play Dough. It must have been put in her pocket somehow during the game.
She looked around again, wanting to find some explanation to anything that had happened but there was nothing. Just trees and snow.
Annabeth took a breath to steady herself and clear her mind. Then she turned and walked towards the cabins.