After Hebe restores Percy, Annabeth, and Grover to their proper ages, the three sit with her at Hebe Jeebies while she gives them their next lead. Hebe says they must go to a farmers’ market in front of Lincoln Center on Saturday, where Iris will be selling crystals, incense, and other wares. Hebe insists she did not steal Zeus’s chalice and points out that Iris is the only other former divine cupbearer, making Iris the next person they must question.

Annabeth treats Hebe cautiously and secures permission for the trio to leave in peace. Grover asks Hebe not to reveal the chalice situation, and Hebe agrees only because she wants to see Ganymede fail. She warns that if the demigods offend Iris as badly as they offended Hebe, Iris may punish them even more severely.

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover leave the arcade under the unnerving gaze of staff, customers, and chickens. Back in Times Square, the three split up: Annabeth heads to SODNYC, Grover returns toward Camp Half-Blood, and Percy walks to the Upper East Side. Percy is relieved to be a teenager again, but the experience of being turned into a helpless eight-year-old leaves him shaken.

That night, Percy sits on the fire escape instead of doing homework and reflects on his anxiety. Although the chalice quest seems smaller than his past world-ending missions, it feels just as dangerous because Percy is close to graduation and a possible new life in California. His mother, Sally, joins him and listens as Percy tells her about being de-aged by Hebe.

Sally reassures Percy that he was never helpless, even as a child, and reminds him that fear and doubt are normal, especially for demigods. Her pride and comfort help Percy regain his confidence. Afterward, Percy does the dishes, finishes his homework, and sleeps better than he has in a long time.