Percy Found What?

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/24670168.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Categories: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other
Fandoms: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the
Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Magnus Chase and
the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan, The Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan,
The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick
Riordan, The Demigod Diaries - Rick Riordan
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Magnus
Chase/Alex Fierro, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Sadie Kane/Walt Stone,
Samirah al-Abbas & Zia Rashid, Annabeth Chase & Sadie Kane, Jason
Grace & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson, Nico di
Angelo & Jason Grace & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace,
Thalia Grace & Hazel Levesque, Nico di Angelo & Hazel Levesque,
Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Thalia Grace & Percy
Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace & Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson
& Hazel Levesque, Piper McLean & Leo Valdez, Percy Jackson &
Everyone, Clarisse La Rue/Chris Rodriguez, Annabeth Chase & Magnus
Chase, Percy Jackson & Clarisse La Rue, Samirah al-Abbas & Alex
Fierro, Magnus Chase & Percy Jackson & Carter Kane, Percy Jackson &
Carter Kane, Carter Kane & Sadie Kane, Jason Grace & Thalia Grace,
Clarisse La Rue & Will Solace, Annabeth Chase & Nico di Angelo &
Percy Jackson
Characters: Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson), Magnus Chase, Sadie
Kane, Carter Kane, Samirah al-Abbas, Leo Valdez, Chris Rodriguez,
Clarisse La Rue, Jasmine "Jaz" Anderson, Blitzen (Magnus Chase),
Hearthstone (Magnus Chase), Tyson (Percy Jackson), Hazel Levesque,
Frank Zhang, Will Solace, Nico di Angelo, Walt Stone, Zia Rashid, Piper
McLean, Jason Grace, Thalia Grace, Apollo (Percy Jackson), Rachel
Elizabeth Dare, Juniper (Percy Jackson), Grover Underwood, Calypso
(Percy Jackson), Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Alex Fierro
Additional Tags: Truth or Dare, Reading the Percy Jackson Books, Reading the Books,
characters read the books, Book: The Demigod Files (Percy Jackson),
Rick Riordan Demigod Universe | Riordanverse, Everyone Has Issues,
Percy Has Issues, Percy Jackson Needs a Hug, Children of the Big Three
(Percy Jackson), The Mist - Freeform
Language: English
Series: Part 5 of Percy Did What?
Collections: perseus jackson, Watch/Read The Series, Reacting to Canon
Stats: Published: 2020-06-11 Updated: 2024-02-19 Words: 52,872 Chapters:
20/?
 Percy Found What?
by TheImaginitiveBabbler

Summary

As the gathering of mythical worlds continues to watch Percy's life. This time more about
Percy's. relationships with his friends and family come to light, as do his feelings on it.
Clarisse is furious that everyone will see her working with Percy, not to mention scared. Piper
and Leo are tested when seeing their legendary older siblings in action. The Big Three Kids
go through an ordeal as a quest to the underworld brings back parts of the past from their
family, healed or not. Once again, Percy is at the center of it all playing the support and
backbone for his friends and the entire world. In the Fifth Book of Percy Did What? the
characters watch quests from The Demigod Files, bond more, and explore what it means to
be part of Percy's friends and family.

Notes

AN: The characters, words in bold and nothing of the PJO universe is mine. It all belongs to
RR. This is not for any profit and all of it is for the Fanfiction readers' enjoyment. This is
because I love the series and the characters and want to know how they'd react to everything.

See the end of the work for more notes

 Chapter 1: Girl Talk and Fashion Shows

Annabeth woke with a splutter. Immediately she stood up on guard to see Sadie, Thalia,
Rachel, Piper, and Reyna. Piper was holding a large cup and grinning. Sadie and Rachel high
fived across Annabeth's head as they laughed. Thalia and Reyna only wore sly smirks as
Annabeth glared at them all.

"What was that for?"

"You stayed up pretty late and we needed to wake you up," Rachel said simply with a shrug.

Thalia snorted. "Stayed up late is understating what happened, isn't it? I warned you and
Percy before."

Annabeth huffed as she pulled the wet shirt from the skin it clung to. "Nothing happened."

"That's your excuse every time."

Everyone turned to Piper with raised eyebrows and curious expressions. Sadie looked
between the bed and the other girl with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "What do you
mean, every time?"

"Just when they disappeared on the ship and—" Piper suddenly stopped speaking. "Spoilers, I
guess. But I'll finally get to see what actually happened."

"Like you've seen everything else," Annabeth grumbled and wiped some more water off with
another small cough. "Next time just don't throw it in my face."

"Why not? I thought you could breathe underwater considering how much time you and
Percy spend under there?" Thalia challenged.

More giggles erupted as Annabeth glared and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Did I
actually sleep in?"

She pushed her way through the other girls to the closet and grabbed some clothes and turned
back looking for an answer. Sadie, Rachel, and Thalia had made themselves comfortable on
the magician's own bed. Piper jumped onto Annabeth's as Reyna stayed towering over them
all. "I don't believe so. But most of us were already there beside yourself, Percy, Nico, Blitz,
and Tyson. As well as the fact several of us heard you come into the main room late last
night."

"For someone who's supposed to be good as stealth you're not as sly as you think," Rachel
agreed with Reyna.

Sadie rested her face in her hands as she leaned forward. "Either way we know now. So, tell
us, what's it like to kiss Percy?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes and walked towards the bathroom. "You know, I'm not the only one
here you can ask."

Rachel blanched as the other girls looked around bewildered. Piper frowned. "Don't try and
get out of this. We're not letting you le—"

BANG!

The door to the bathroom slammed to a close behind Annabeth leaving the rest of the girls
looking at each other. Sadie huffed. "Fine, then. So, Rachel or Reyna, which of you kissed
him?"

"Why do you ask us?" Reyna asked with slight amusement.

"Thalia is his cousin. I couldn't see him ever kissing Piper and she's with Jason. Also, I know
I haven't kissed him, but you've admitted to being attracted to him. And we know he and
Rachel had a thing."

"Had a thing," Rachel asked. "That's not exactly how I'd put it."

"How would you put it? Because you're obviously the one who kissed him."

Piper ignored the youngest girl's question with one of her own. "Better question, how did you
survive death by Annabeth?"

"I'm still not sure of that myself sometimes," Rachel shrugged. "As for the answer to Sadie's
question, it was—"

WHAM!

The door swung back open and a dressed Annabeth frowned down at Rachel. "You're not
answering that. Oracle, remember?"

"I can still talk about this stuff," Rachel shrugged.

"Just try and keep one thing private," Annabeth said as she headed to the main door. "Now
are you all coming back to breakfast or not?"

When the girls arrived at the dining hall everyone else was already there. Annabeth tried to
take the seat next to Percy and across from Hazel and Frank. But before she could sit Thalia
had slid into the seat. The three teens looked at the two girls questioningly, but Annabeth
stomped off and took a seat with Sam and Zia.

"Do I want to know what's happening?" asked a confused Percy.

"You're being punished."

"For what?"

"You know what. You were warned," Thalia said with a tsking sound.
Frank and Hazel exchanged looks. The daughter of Pluto's eyes widened in realization and
Frank just groaned. "Really? Again? I least I didn't catch you this time."

"Now I'm curious about what you guys keep alluding too," Thalia interrupted before Percy
could answer.

"Nothing. And we did nothing. Just talked. And kissed."

"Gross," Thalia gagged. "I really didn't need to hear that."

"Shut it."

"Please don't fight," Hazel asked. "Not now anyway."

"We're not actually fighting," Thalia said with wrinkled eyebrows.

"I know. But I want to hear when Nico's finally told his dare," Hazel said with a scheming
smile.

"Wait, you decided on it without me?" Thalia moaned ignoring her slight surprise at Hazel's
hidden side coming out.

"Yeah. When did that happen?" Percy agreed.

"When Thalia was getting Annabeth and you and Nico were still sleeping," Frank said.

"What is it?" Thalia demanded.

"You'll have to wait to hear with him," Hazel giggled. "I had a few good suggestions."

"The thing is none of them wanted to make him too upset." Frank shrugged, "Not that I do
either."

He got looks from the rest of the big three kids. Hazel patted his arm comfortingly. "I know
he scared you a little that time. But—"

"-More than a little!"

"But Nico wouldn't do anything to any of us."

Percy made a choking noise and after the second he took to compose himself looked at Hazel
incredulously. "Um… Wait for another quest or so to say that. But she's right. Nico wouldn't
do a thing to any of us. At least not purposely."

"Did you see those scenes with him when he was younger?" Thalia added.

"I can think my friends are scary," Frank said petulantly. "I'd say the same thing about Percy,
Leo, Jason, Annabeth, Reyna, and Piper at times."

"Not me?" Thalia and Hazel both said. They exchanged a look of surprise which turned into
large grins. Thalia held out her fist. After a moment of hesitation, Hazel bumped it.
"You too. But I know Hazel would never do anything to me," Frank said grabbing her hand.
Then he looked warily at Thalia. "I want to say the same thing for you, but I know if I make
you angry somehow, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in your way."

Thalia's eyes studied him for a moment and then she leaned back. "That's valid."

Frank shifted uneasily but slowly let himself at ease after a few seconds when Thalia hadn't
turned back to him. Instead, he watched the three cousins converse and eat in Percy and
Thalia's case. He'd sat through many meals with Percy, but it was always a somewhat
horrifying but entrancing sight watching him shovel so much food into his mouth.

Percy was just lifting another forkful to his mouth when Alex stood up pulling Magnus along
with him. The room looked to them and Alex grinned directing her gaze at Nico. "So, we've
decided our revenge."

"Revenge?"

"For that little dance," Alex explained. "So, we chose a fun dare."

"Now, really?" Nico groaned and slammed his head onto the table. "It's too early! I just want
to eat and go back to sleep."

"Not happening," Alex said cheerfully.

"You can go back to the room but only so Blitz can give you a makeover," Magnus agreed.

"What?" Nico yelped all the tiredness wiped off his face. "No. No way."

"You agreed to a dare."

"Not this."

"Just go," Will said with an eye roll.

"You're enjoying this too much," Nico accused as he was pushed toward the door.

"We all are."

"Don't worry," Hazel called with a slightly too sweet smile on her face. "We'll wait for you."

Nico stomped out of the room and Blitz got up and followed, though not before winking at
Will who wrinkled his brows. Everyone stared for a few seconds at the door and went back to
their food.

Hearth tapped Will's shoulder and started to sign. Will's face morphed into confusion and
then something else. "Sorry. I don't understand more than a few signs."

"Let me," Apollo intervened.

Hearth started to sign, and Apollo translated. "Nico won't be wearing anything too crazy or
colorful. Blitz wouldn't do that. And it wouldn't work with his skin tone."

Will looked both amused and worried. "I'm not responsible for any of my boyfriend's
actions."

"You actually think he'll hurt Blitz?" Magnus questioned.

"No way!" Will replied alarmed. "But he's not going to be happy."

Will was right. A few minutes later Nico's voice could be heard shouting from the hall. Blitz
walked in tugging Nico's arm but none of them could see the rest of Nico's body.

"I'm not walking in there like this!"

Jason and Percy walked over into the hall and there was a small chuckle heard as Nico was
pushed in. His two taller cousins high fived over his head as he glowered at them. Nico
looked very much the same in most ways. He still wore dark colors for the most part, but
Blitz had pulled together an outfit that was very 'Nico' and at the same time not him at all.

He wore a black shirt that said, 'I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.' Dark
skinny jeans hugged his legs nicely and some chains hung from their side. Over his shirt was
a khaki bomber jacket with various patches: skulls, several band logos, and some other
undecipherable things. A maroon, gray, and black plaid shirt was tied around his waist.

On his head was a beanie the same shade of gray as the plaid around his waist. There was a
single maroon stripe, lined by two black ones on the bottom. His feet were in maroon
converse. His skull ring and camp necklace were still there but there was more jewelry. A
silver dog tag with a bone charm and a sun attached hung around his neck. Around his wrists
were some black and brown leather cords.

Nico glared at everyone daring them to say something, but his eyes stopped at Will who was
staring. "Um… You look good. I like the beanie. And the necklace."

Nico looked down at his neck and fingered the sun charm, noticing it for the first time. "I
guess, it's not so horrible."

"Horrible?" Will choked. "You look great."

"Enjoy it while you can then," Nico grumbled. "It's too much."

"Bets on him wearing something like that again?" Jason asked Percy.

"No way. It's going to happen."

"Right now, I just want a camera," Thalia cackled.

"Already taken care of," promised Sadie. "Pics are sent to Annabeth."

"Phones for emergencies," Annabeth chided. "I told you how it works."
"This is an emergency."

"I'm not even going to argue," Annabeth muttered and marched off to join Sam and Zia again.

"Rude," Sadie said with an eye roll. Then she got up and grabbed Walt's hand "C'mon dear,
let's grab some good seats. I have a feeling today will be a little more fun."

"When is this ever fun?" Percy muttered as he lagged behind everyone else. Piper and Leo
both looked somber too as they followed the rest of their friends inside preparing themselves
for what might come.
 Chapter 2: Territorial Rights and Fights
Chapter Notes

AN: Seating order until I say it changes: Will, Calypso, Ella, Tyson, Blitz, Hearth,
Apollo, Carter, Magnus, Alex, Rachel, Reyna, Sam, Zia, Clarisse, Chris, Juniper,
Grover, Thalia, Jason, Percy, Nico, Walt, Sadie, Jaz, Hazel, Frank, Annabeth, Piper, and
Leo. BTW I wrote this before Corona, so the mention of sickness was unintentional.

Also, not my property in any way shape or form.

Once everyone got seated and stopped gawking at Nico (though there were still a lot of
glances were snuck at him) all eyes turned to Percy once again. He frowned and looked
around questioningly. “What?”

“What exactly will we be watching? You guys referenced several things and there’s also
supposedly a large final battle or big war,” Carter asked pointedly.

Annabeth’s eyes furrowed, “My guess—”

“—And she’s usually right,” Percy grinned at his glaring girlfriend.

“My guess is it’s everything it hasn’t shown. There’s at least one big thing I know happened
for sure and a little of what Percy told me, but I wasn’t there for. I’m as curious about that as
you are.”

“I told you what happened.”

“In like four words. I don’t get what it is with boys,” Annabeth grumbled. “I don’t know
who’s worse, you or my brothers.”

“Percy.”

Percy huffed and pouted at the majority of the rooms vote. “I really didn’t. You’ll see. I didn’t
do much.”

“Sure,” scoffed Leo.

“Just watch. There were at least two big things it missed. One was after my third quest and
the winter I met Nico. I don’t know why it skipped that, but it did. The other was during the
summer after we came back from the Labyrinth. I guess it wants to pair these things up or
something. And then a lot happened in between the Labyrinth and the final battle. There was
one larger side quest plus all the fights I had, not to mention all the personal things.”

“Your life is insane,” Will stated after a second where everyone just stared.

“You could say that to everyone here.”

“But you take it to another level.”

Percy didn’t answer and everyone looked to the middle of the room ready for everything to
start. Instead, they heard Alex clearing her throat. “Actually, we’re gonna take bets first.
Anyone think Annabeth and Percy are wrong about this?”

Magnus looked at her as if she was crazy, more so than usual that is. “You’re not serious.”

“I totally am.”

“You know you’re going to be wrong about that. And I know Annabeth. She’s usually right.”

“I know her too. I’ve been watching her life. I still want to take bets.”

“Alex,” Sam interrupted. “Though I hate to interrupt another important argument between
you and Magnus can’t you just take bets on something else?”

“Fine,” the einjeri sister grumbled as she settled back in between Rachel and Magnus. “I’ll
come up with something.”

“And no rigging it.”

“You take away all the fun parts about being Loki’s kid.”

“I feel like that should be a good thing,” Carter whispered to Magnus.

“Depends on which of them you ask.”

“This conversation should have stopped a while ago,” Reyna sighed. “Can we start? I’m
eager to see what your side of the war was actually like.”

“See? Reyna’s betting, we just go to the war.”

“That isn’t what I said.”

“I’m taking the bet.”

Reyna deemed it best to ignore her and looked readily at the scene rising in front of them.
Alex sighed, resigned to her bet not happening, and looked forward, ready for some more
action and amusement.

A bored Percy sat in a lab. He looked like he had in the last quest they’d watched, though
maybe his hair was a little messier and with a little less worry line.
“I was right,” Alex said triumphantly.

“Percy and Annabeth were right,” corrected Rachel.

“And so was I. I win.”

“No one actually made a bet.”

“I’ll get that money somehow.”

His attention was pulled aside by a bunch of screeching and squawking outside. Percy
picked up his beaker and looked out the window as he pretended to wash it out. In the
alley Clarisse stood in her denim jacket and combat boots, covered in feathers, slicing
away at the black birds. She bled over one eye and then one of the bird’s feathers
launched and hit her in the shoulder. She cursed and sliced at it again, but it flew away.

“It had to start with this?” Clarisse grumbled.

“You met up with Percy outside camp?” Will gaped.

“Not my choice.”

“You could have stayed out of it.”

“It was happening outside my school.”

“I was fine.”

“You needed help.”

“I’m fairly sure you already had this argument,” Annabeth interrupted. “So, can we move
on?”

Percy put the beaker down and raised his hand. He called his teacher, Mrs. White, and
put on a sick face and asked if he could go to the restroom. He felt like he was going to
puke. His teacher blanched and yelled for him to go.

“That is an amazing excuse,” Sadie declared. “I’m stealing it.”

“Fine with me.”

“Teachers try too hard to stop me from saving the world,” she shrugged.

“Because they think you’d be causing trouble when you leave,” Jaz smirked. “Not that you
usually aren’t.”

“Only for the enemies of the House of Life and Ma’at.”

“I’m kind of surprised your school hasn’t been attacked and that nothing has been noticed
with the amount of mythical activity swarming the place. Drew, Lacy, and at least five
Egyptian magicians?” Piper asked counting off on her finger.
“A lot more than five,” Carter corrected. “All the school-age kids but me.”

“And a lot more of them are going to run to the bathroom to throw up now apparently,”
muttered Piper. “It can’t work for everyone.”

“It’s school. There’s always some type of virus,” Annabeth reasoned. “It works better than
one would think.”

“Can we stop with the hypothetical sicknesses and move on?” asked Frank looking just a
little sick to the stomach himself.

Percy ran out the doors and pulled off the safety goggles, gloves, and lab apron on him
as he went. Then out came Riptide as he exited from the gym into the alley. Clarisse had
just hit a bird away like a baseball and it squawked as it hit the brick wall and fell into a
trash can.

“Nice hit,” whistled Magnus.

“If there wasn’t a wall in the way it would’ve been a home run,” Percy agreed.

“You play?”

“I watch. Play sometimes,” Percy shrugged. “But there never is time.”

“I watch too.”

“Right,” Percy’s eyes widened as he looked at Annabeth. Then he grimaced. “The cousin in
Red Sox territory.”

“And I’m guessing you’re all for the Yankees?”

“Yankees, Mets, any team from NYC works for me.”

“That rhymed,” pointed out Jason with a snort.

“Whatever,” Percy puffed and crossed his arms with a pout.

Percy yelled Clarisse’s name. She looked at him incredulously and said his name
questioningly before starting to ask what he was doing there. She was cut short by more
arrow feathers hitting the wall behind them.

“How were you not hit by any of those?” Will frowned.

“Not really sure,” Percy shrugged.

“They weren’t aiming to seriously injure.”

“But stabbing your shoulder is much better?” Chris asked his girlfriend.

“It was survivable. I could keep fighting.”

“Like you’d ever stop,” Grover muttered.

Percy said it was his school. Clarisse replied that was just her luck but stopped
complaining as she kept fighting. Percy uncapped Riptide and slashed at the birds while
deflecting their feathers. In another minute all the birds were just feathers on the
ground thanks to Percy and Clarisse’s violent swipes and hits.

“That was fast,” commented Calypso.

“They are two of Camp’s best warriors,” Grover responded. “Of course, it happened quickly.”

Both of them gasped for breath. Percy checked the scratches on his arm and pulled a
feather arrow out of one. He didn’t seem to think anything was too harmful but still,
they saw him pull out some ambrosia and share it with Clarisse. The girl growled she
didn’t need his help but still took the food.

“I thought you already learned that lesson?” asked Reyna with the raise of a brow. “Or did
the Sea of Monsters teach you nothing?”

“It was a matter of honor.”

Reyna sent her one quick look but didn’t reply knowing how serious such a thing was to any
war god’s child.

Once their cuts and bruises disappeared Clarisse sheathed her sword and brushed
herself off. She looked at Percy and said see you.

“Good luck with that happening,” Grover muttered.

“I was there,” Clarisse snapped. “So, shut it.”

“Percy just doesn’t let people go if he thinks they might need help.”

“It’s one of his more annoyingly endearing features,” Thalia agreed with the satyr.

“How’s it annoying?”

“Because some of us would like to work alone at times.”

“Sorry. Just trying to help.”

The entire room sighed at Percy’s answer and chorused, “We know!”

Percy yelled to hold on. She couldn’t just leave. Clarisse said of course she could. Percy
demanded to know what was going on. Why was she away from camp and why were the
birds after her? She moved to push him away, but he sidestepped, and she’d stumbled a
bit.

“He’s really not going to let it go,” Piper said in a sing-song voice.
Clarisse grumbled. “I know. The idiot has to get himself involved in all of my business.”

“Meaning she’s happy that he was there to help,” Chris translated. Clarisse pushed him in
response making him laugh.

“Piper’s right. Percy’s too fast and you need help,” pointed out Sam. “You’re not getting
away from him.”

Clarisse huffed again. “I know. I lived it.”

Percy said she just almost got killed at his school, making it his business.

“I’m not sure that’s how it works,” Walt frowned.

“It makes some sense,” Sadie argued.

“Doesn’t matter,” Jaz interrupted both of them. “Obviously, Percy’s involved now so we can
argue as much as we like but it won’t make a difference.”

Clarisse argued it didn’t. Percy just looked her in the eyes and said to let him help.
Clarisse took a breath and said her brothers were playing a prank on her.

“Wait, this is a prank?” Frank asked looking at Clarisse. “Aren’t arrow birds a bit too crazy
for a prank?”

“I don’t know. The Stolls poisoned that hunter’s shirt,” Hearth signed.

“And things get a lot crazier than that with pranks in Valhalla,” Magnus pointed out.

“But you guys can’t actually die there,” Carter argued. “So, I don’t think that counts.
Brooklyn House has had some pretty crazy prank wars too, but I don’t think there were ever
monsters.”

“This was a bit different than a normal prank,” Percy interrupted.

Everyone looked at him, but he didn’t give any more information. And most were too scared
to even look at the glaring Clarisse.

Percy asked which, naming a few like Sherman or Mark?

“Wait,” Piper frowned. “It’s not…”

“Don’t,” Annabeth said. “It’ll say in a minute.”

“But either way it’s not Sherman and Mark,” Leo agreed.

She said no sounding afraid. It was her immortal brothers. Phobos and Deimos.

“So, gods,” reasoned Magnus. “Again.”

“And because they’re immortal and powerful gods this isn’t a normal prank,” Alex agreed.
“Pretty much,” Percy shrugged.

“How often does stuff like this happen in your life?”

Percy looked at Frank in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I know you’ve been in two wars and stuff but how often do you end up running into gods
and monsters?”

“It depends,” Percy said thoughtfully. “When I first learned I was a half-blood it was only
every few months. I killed several that year. Then after our quest in the Sea of Monsters like a
dozen more. It got really bad after that winter. I killed at least twenty every month or so after
the Battle of the Labyrinth. Now is different. Good weeks are none, but bad ones are two at
least.”

“That’s not so unheard of for a child of the big three, especially one as powerful as you,”
Apollo frowned.

“Yeah, but what about gods? “Frank asked again.

“Maybe three or four a year outside a quest from Camp or Olympus. I mean I’m friendly with
some of them.”

“He spends one weekend a month in Atlantis,” Annabeth pointed out.

“Daddy likes having Percy there,” Tyson nodded.

“And that,” Thalia shook her head, “That’s not so normal.”

Percy and Clarisse sat on a bench. Percy asked if he had everything right, Clarisse took
her dad’s car for a joyride and it disappeared.

“A joyride?” Zia asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No. Not a joyride. Something Dad asked me to do. An important job,” Clarisse grumbled.

“What type of important job is driving a car?” Piper asked her.

“An important one,” Clarisse repeated forcefully.

Clarisse yelled it wasn’t a car! It was a war chariot and her dad told her to take it. It
was a test. She needed to bring it back by sunset.

“Why is the deadline always sunset?” Leo complained. “It gets annoying.”

“It is an auspicious time. Like sunrise, noon, midnight, and…”

Sadie interrupted Zia with a groan. “There’s no time to list them all.”

Jaz elbowed her gently with a small shake of her head. Sadie paid her no mind.
Percy said her brother’s carjacked her then. Clarisse corrected chariot-jacked. They
were his regular charioteers and they didn’t want anyone else to drive. They stole the
chariot and chased her off with the birds. Percy asked if they were pets of her dad's.
Clarisse nodded and said they guarded his temple. And if she didn’t find the
chariot. Her clenched fists shook as she bit her lips and squeezed her eyes. Percy looked at
her sympathetically and interrupted saying he’d help her.

“I thought that was pretty much already guaranteed?” Chris asked.

“I don’t know,” Percy shrugged.

“It’s not like I was going to be able to get rid of him,” Clarisse grunted.

“Which was a good thing,” Percy smirked.

“Yeah, right.”

“Why don’t we watch and see?” Will intervened.

Clarisse asked why would he? She wasn’t his friend.

“Aren’t you?” Frank asked confused. “Especially after what he did for you in the Sea of
Monsters.”

“We’re not friends,” Clarisse scowled.

“Let’s call it Frenemies,” Chris tried.

“Something like that,” Percy agreed.

“And if even if they weren’t some type of friends, it’s not like you wouldn’t help her anyway.
You’ve helped even your enemies before.”

Percy wrinkled his nose at Piper’s statement. “I guess.”

“They’re friends,” she concluded with a whisper to Leo who snickered.

Percy looked like he was at a loss for words. Then someone spoke in a teasing baby
voice. The guy was in jeans, a black shirt, a leather jacket, and wore a bandana over his
head. A knife stuck out from his belt and his eyes crackled with flames. He made a
pouting face saying, look. She’d been crying.

“I’m guessing that’s one of your brothers,” Sam asked.

“Wouldn’t call them that,” Clarisse mumbled.

Frank blanched. “Wait, would they be my brothers too?”

“And mine as well,” Piper told him. “But it’s not like we need to think of all our godly
relations as actual family.”
 Clarisse yelled Phobos’s name and called him a jerk, asking where the chariot was. He
smirked saying not to ask him, she lost it. She started to draw her sword with an insult
on her lips but Phobos disappeared and the sword hit a telephone pole.

“Why don’t the gods do that every time they fight a demigod?” Magnus asked.

“Honestly, no clue.”

“Because if they challenge us to a fight, we’re bound there till someone wins. But Clarisse
didn’t exactly challenge Phobos,” Apollo explained.

Phobos appeared laughing on the bench next to Percy. Within seconds he stopped
because Percy had uncapped Riptide and put it to his throat. Percy said he’d better
return the chariot before he got mad.

“Styx!” Chris shouted. “You know sometimes it’s easy to forget how scary you can be.”

“What?”

“You moved fast,” Carter agreed. “It’s terrifying.”

“I love it. Speed is a strength,” Alex grinned. “And so is being scary.”

“I’d rather not scare the people here though,” Percy muttered.

“They’re not scared of you,” Nico whispered back. “Not like that. I’d know.”

Percy frowned.

Phobos sneered and asked Clarisse who her boyfriend was? She had to have help
fighting battles now.

“Boyfriend?” Everyone spluttered. There was a silent moment of shock before most of the
room, excluding Percy and Clarisse burst into laughter.

“Holy Hera,” Grover bleated. “Could you even imagine that?”

“I don’t want to.”

“That’s gotta be one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard,” Leo snickered.

Clarisse argued he wasn’t her boyfriend or friend. It was Percy Jackson. Phobos’s
expression changed into surprise and a tinge of fear. He asked the Son of Poseidon?
Who made Ares angry? It was too good. Clarisse was hanging out with a sworn enemy.

“Your father’s enemies don’t have to be yours,” Reyna said.

“They’re not.”

“Eh.”
“And Phobos and Deimos aren’t people I agree with. They’re big –”

Chris cut her off by putting a hand over her mouth which Clarisse yanked away with a glare.

Clarisse yelled she wasn’t hanging out with him. Phobos’s eyes glowed red and Clarisse
screamed as she waved her hands through the air. She yelled please no as she swatted
the air around her.

“He makes you see things?” Hazel asked. “Like with mist?”

“Not exactly.”

“It’s more like getting in a person’s head,” Apollo explained.

Percy demanded to know what he was doing to her. Clarisse backed up swinging her
sword. Percy yelled to stop it and pushed his sword closer to Phobos’s throat, but the
god disappeared and appeared next to the telephone pole.

“Why didn’t he just do that earlier?”

“Who knows?”

Phobos told Percy not to get too excited. He was just showing Clarisse her fears. The
glow faded from his eyes and Clarisse collapsed glaring at Phobos, calling a creep and
vowing to get him.

“He shows you your fears?”

“Phobos. The root of Phobia,” Ella nodded.

“Both of them. Fear and Terror,” Annabeth agreed in reply to Magnus’s question.

Phobos turned toward Percy and asked what he feared? He’d find out. He always did.

Everyone looked curiously at that. Percy didn’t turn his eyes away from the scene in front of
them. His face showed nothing, as if he’d been turned into stone by Medusa.

Percy demanded he give the chariot back. He’d taken on Ares once. Phobos didn’t scare
him. Phobos laughed and said there wasn’t anything to fear but fear itself. That’s what
people said. Let him tell Percy a secret. If he wanted to find the chariot he could come
and get it. It was across the water. Where all the little wild animals live, the type of place
Percy belonged. With a snap of his fingers, Phobos disappeared in a cloud of yellow.
Percy helped Clarisse up and asked if she was ready for help now. She met his eyes and
there was a look of understanding.

“What kind of clue is that?” Blitz asked.

“An annoying one,” Apollo agreed.

“And he doesn’t have Annabeth there,” Carter agreed.

“Hey!”

“Percy can figure things out just fine without me, though most the time I’m a little faster.”

“Here you wouldn’t be,” Percy grinned. “When it comes to New York almost no one knows
as much as I do.”

“It’s scary how much he loves the city,” agreed Thalia.

“Because it’s the best place ever.”

“Thalia, don’t,” Grover begged.

“It’s a stinking hot mess, that’s what it is.”

“Don’t you dare insult my city.”

“What are you? Some kind of Superhero? My city?”

“Don’t.”

“Just stop it,” Nico groaned. “Can we move on and figure out where they’re supposed to be
going?”
 Chapter 3: Terror Targets Liberty's Hero
Chapter Notes

AN: Nothing belongs to me. Will be trying to post once a week, next week being an
exception as I will be away from my laptop.

Everyone looked at Percy. He rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I can tell you. There’s that thing
from the Fates stopping us, remember?”

“We could figure it out.”

“It’d be more fun to watch though,” Magnus replied to Carter’s statement. “I want to see if
Percy could actually figure stuff out.”

“Again, I know the city like the back of my hand. It has all the best places in the world.”

“You’re missing out then,” Magnus argued. “Boston’s pretty great, and the areas surrounding
it are even better. And that’s just this world.”

“We just stopped this argument,” Annabeth glared at her cousin. “Don’t start it again. I want
to finish this.”

Percy and Clarisse sat on the subway. Clarisse said they were minor gods, Phobos was
fear and Deimos was terror.

“What’s the difference?” Juniper asked with a tilt of the head.

Percy held up a finger in reply.

Percy asked what the difference was.

“Oh!” Juniper said surprised. “I guess I’ll do truth then.”

“Next break,” agreed Thalia.

Clarisse frowned and said she guessed it was that Deimos was bigger and uglier, better
at big groups. Phobos was personal, getting inside a person’s head.

“That makes sense,” Jaz said as she wrinkled her eyebrows. “I think.”

“It’s hard to get unless you meet them,” Percy said. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”

Percy asked if that was the word phobia came from. Clarisse grumbled that Phobos was
really proud of having all the phobias named after him. Percy asked why they didn’t
want her driving the chariot? Clarisse replied it was for Ares’ sons when they turned
fifteen. She was the first daughter in a long time.

“And the last one didn’t do so well,” Apollo remembered.

“So, it’s a sexist thing?” Piper frowned.

“Women are just as good at these things, or even better,” Sam said with a grin thinking of
planes.

“It’s just stupid,” Rachel snorted. “Barbaric and outdated.”

“This is where Egypt was smarter,” Zia said proudly. “We had women pharaohs.”

“Sparta respected women’s rights.”

“Not so much.”

“Women couldn’t learn in schools in Ancient Greece,” Ella nodded. “Now they can. Good for
Ella. Ella likes books.”

“Trust me,” Thalia said, “Artemis has tried to make it clear that women are a lot better than
men. And a lot of the gods are a lot fairer on the matter now. Still not fair enough,” she added
with a wicked grin. “But we’re gonna get there.”

“And right now, Clarisse will be the first to show us why,” Reyna nodded exchanging a
glance with the other girl. “There are reasons there is always a war goddess along with a war
god.”

Annabeth’s eyes gleamed. “The smarter one too.”

Percy said good for Clarisse. She said to tell that to Phobos and Deimos. They hated her
and she needed to get the chariot back to the temple. Percy asked where the temple was.
She said Pier 86. The intrepid.

“A ship?” Magnus asked.

“Aircraft carrier,” Clarisse corrected.

“Just right for a war god,” agreed Zia. Carter shivered thinking what Sobek, Set or even
Horus might want to do in a place like that.

Percy said they had four hours before sunset. Just enough time if they found the
chariot.

“If you find it,” Magnus pointed out.

“You still don’t know where it is,” Hearth signed.

“Give it a little bit.”

Clarisse asked what Phobos meant over the water? They were on an island. It could be
in any direction.

“So even less helpful,” groaned Sadie. “Why can’t anyone just tell these things up straight?”

“I wish,” Percy agreed.

Percy said Phobos had said something about wild animals. Little wild animals. Clarisse
asked if he meant a zoo? Percy nodded.

“Still not too helpful,” Grover said. “There are a lot of zoos in New York. Even not counting
Manhattan.”

“Narrows it down a bit though.”

Percy frowned for a second then said Staten Island. They had a small zoo.

“Why there?”

“No one would look for them there,” Percy said. “Simple enough.”

Clarisse said maybe. It was the kind of out-of-the-way place the brothers liked. But if
they were wrong. Percy interrupted her and said they didn’t have time to be wrong.

“And somehow it’ll work out because Percy’s weird luck will hit again,” Thalia gestured
wildly.

“Not how it works.”

“Sure is.”

“Why don’t you go and ask Tyche for me? Or For-Tuna?”

“Fortuna,” the Romans corrected.

“Yeah. Her.”

The scene changed to Percy and Clarisse standing by the railing on a ferry as they
passed the Statue of Liberty.

“He modeled that on mom,” Annabeth smiled.

Clarisse groaned.

“What?” asked Frank from next to her.

“Bartholdi. The sculptor. He was a son of Athena. It’s supposed to look like her.”

Clarisse groaned louder. “I don’t get either of you.”

Everyone looked at her in confusion except Percy.

Percy looked at it with a small smile and said he modeled it on his mom.

“You remembered?”

“You know I listen when you talk. The hoover dam already proved that.”

“I just like knowing you care enough to pay attention.”

“It’s something you love,” Percy shrugged. “Simple enough.”

“Anyway, because you and Percy happen to be such an annoyingly perfect couple,” Clarisse
said with a sneer, “And have to remember everything the other person says you need to
choose a dare.”

“Why not truth?” Zia asked her.

“Because Annabeth doesn’t do truths,” Thalia replied.

“I do. But I don’t trust any of you guys enough to do that.”

“Rude,” Sadie, Leo, Percy, and Alex said at once in exaggerated tones.

“You know what I meant. I’ll do a dare.”

“So, we’ll figure one out with Juniper’s,” Grover nodded.

“You might want to wait on that,” Percy noted. “Just for a moment.”

“Why?” Annabeth demanded.

Percy gestured with a tilt of his head to the scene.

Clarisse frowned and asked who. Percy said the guy who made the Statue of Liberty,
Bartholdi. A son of Athena. Annabeth told him it was supposed to look like her.

“Almost word for word,” Piper said with an awed look. “Somehow Percabeth keeps upping
their status as the perfect couple.”

“Percawhat?”

“It’s what most of the Aphrodite cabin calls us,” Annabeth told him.

Piper rolled her eyes. “It’s annoying. They have ship names for everyone. Even the couples
that don’t exist.”

Curious and disturbed gazes turned her way. Thalia looked at Annabeth instead. “I’m going
to ignore that and ask why the two of you are like this?”

“I’m just going to point out we all did this at the Hoover Dam,” Grover reminded her. “Just a
side effect of spending a lot of time with Annabeth.”
“And at this point, no one spends more time with her than Percy,” Jason agreed with a nudge
to his friend.

“Why are we spending so much time on this? It’s funny but I’d rather watch the fight,” Alex
said loudly.

“She’s right,” Walt nodded.

“He is,” Alex corrected.

“Sorry.”

Clarisse rolled her eyes and said it was useless. If it didn’t help them fight it wasn’t
helpful.

“You know that’s not true,” Piper told her.

“For me it is. I don’t need any of this stuff distracting me from the simple things that mean
fighting. It makes more sense anyway.”

“But sometimes it is necessary to have information to win,” Reyna said with a raised brow.

“Doesn’t matter, I still win. I always do.”

There were several snorts from the Greeks and Romans. Clarisse glared at them all.

Then Percy opened his mouth to argue but the ferry shook, and everyone fell onto each
other. Percy and Clarisse pushed their way to the front of the boat.

“What is this?” Sadie pointed at the scene. “Titanic?”

“No,” Percy and Clarisse both yelled.

“Even if it was Percy would live,” mused Rachel. “Not going to drown, would he?”

“Even if he didn’t, he could have fit on the door,” Will said. “It would have worked.”

“I know,” Apollo sighed. “So tragic. What a masterpiece.”

“No way,” Carter said with a shake of his head. “We are not getting sidetracked with this
stuff again. Their boat obviously bumped into something so we’re going to watch and find
out what it is.”

The water bubbled and a sea serpent bigger than the boat came out of the bay. Grey
and green with a crocodile head with a guy in black armor and with a javelin. Clarisse
yelled Deimos’s name. He grinned and said hello to his sister, asking if he wanted to
play.

“No surprise,” Leo said with wide eyes, “But terror is absolutely terrifying.”

There were a few smiles and laughs.

Tourists screamed and ran as the monster roared. Percy yelled for him to leave them
alone. Deimos asked or what? Phobos had said he was a wimp. Anyway, he loved terror.
He lived on it.

“I guess that’s supposed to be scary, but it sounded kind of cheesy,” Nico noted.

Percy nodded. “Totally.”

“That thing is terrifying,” Apollo argued. “What are you two saying?”

“It’s gross looking and mean but I’m not sure that’s the same thing.”

“And it’s easier to think of the funny parts,” Percy agreed.

Deimos ordered the sea serpent to head butt the boat sending it backward and causing
alarms. People scrambled over each other to get away making Deimos laugh.

Hazel frowned. “Now he’s really done.”

“People need help,” Tyson agreed. “Percy won’t let them get hurt.”

“No one here would,” Percy said with confidence.

Percy grumbled that was it. He told Clarisse to grab on. She looked at him in surprise.
He said to grab onto his neck. They were going on a ride. “

“A piggyback? Really?” Magnus asked.

“That has to be one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever seen,” Thalia laughed.

“Not something I’d ever thought I’d see.”

Percy said one, two, three, jump! They jumped into the water which swirled around
them sending them flying straight toward the monster. Percy asked if Clarisse thought
she could tackle Deimos. She said she was on it. She just needed to be within three
meters. They hit the serpents as it opened its mouth. The water hit it on one side and
Clarisse jumped falling with Deimos into the ocean.

“Fighting a son of Poseidon in the water,” Grover said. “Definitely not the smartest thing to
do.”

“Like father like son, I guess,” Thalia noted. “Neither are too smart.”

“At least I have some of Poseidon’s stuff on my side,” Frank whispered to Hazel who gave
his hand a squeeze.

Percy leaped over the monster’s head and slashed at its neck, green blood spurting
everywhere as the serpent disappeared underneath the water. Percy dived after it and
looked to see that it was leaving. Clarisse surfaced and spluttered and coughed. Percy
swam over and grabbed her.
“That was fast,” noted Jason. “Faster than defeating any sea serpent I’ve fought.”

“Son of Poseidon,” Percy reminded him with a shrug. “I know how they work. They’re kind
of cowards and especially if you hit them in certain areas. I always have the advantage near
water.”

“Deimos took less time to chase away then Phobos too,” Frank pointed out. “He didn’t seem
to affect you that much.”

“He’s right. You just jumped at the sea serpent,” agreed Grover. “Not that doing something
like that is unusual for you.”

“Or Carter,” Sadie teased. Her brother blushed to everyone’s confusion as he rubbed his
shoulder. Two-headed snakes monsters were never good.

“Clarisse wasn’t as bothered by Deimos as much as Phobos either,” Rachel said with a
speculative look.

“That’s because there’s a difference between fear and terror,” Apollo told her.

Annabeth nodded. “It’s true. Deimos affects crowds, large groups of people. He can be scary,
terrifying but true heroes don’t get scared. They step forward to save everyone else.”

“Which everyone here would do,” Percy argued looking around. He leaned back and sighed.
“It’s harder with Phobos. He’s personal. He’s the fear that eats away at your insides and
weighs down on you. It’s harder to fight off. He gets inside your head.”

“Usually both are just annoying,” Clarisse grumbled, “But Phobos always was better at
getting at the heroes.”

Little fears had bloomed up again in the chests and memories of everyone in the room as they
remembered how those fears had changed them. Fear was powerful, it was easier to fight
terror. There was an uneasy quiet as the scene in front of them started again.

Percy asked if she got Deimos. Clarisse shook her head saying he disappeared as they
wrestled. But they’d see him and Phobos again.

“No quest is over that fast,” Reyna muttered.

“That’d be too easy,” agreed Thalia who had somehow read her lips.

Tourists ran around the ferry in a panic. Percy looked at it and then away as he
grabbed Clarisse’s arm. They sped away in the water as the sun started to move down
over the horizon.

“You’ll probably get there faster now,” Carter said. “With Percy using the water to get you
there.”

“Not as fast as traveling by Duat,” Sadie grinned.

“Or the World Tree.”

“Shadow Travel.”

“Either way they don’t have a lot of time. You like cutting it close,” Blitz frowned.

“We all do,” Walt agreed.

As they reached shore, Percy all dry and Clarisse dripping everywhere they headed
straight to look for a bus. The driver took one look at Clarisse and wouldn’t let them
on. She complained they’d never make it in time.

“Even Clarisse agrees. We always do everything at the last minute.”

“Not that we don’t try to finish earlier,” Piper joked.

Percy said jokingly to stop thinking that way, but he had a strain in his voice. The two
teens walked down Staten Island. Finally, they arrived before a sign that said Zoo. They
turned into the entrance and ignored the lady looking at them suspiciously at the ticket
booth.

“Gotta love quests in mortal settings,” Thalia muttered.

“Which is why we prefer to use magic or go to emptier areas,” Zia said with a sly smile.

Alex snorted, “That works. Or you could just let all the mortals ignore everything like we
do.”

“Not that we really ever have a choice about where our quests lead us,” Nico argued.

There was no argument to that. Will gave a somewhat halfhearted smile. “Hey, at least
they’re there.”

“Now they just have to find the Chariot.”

 Chapter 4: Sea Through Fear
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

“Question?” Jaz asked. “Does the mist really disguise something as big as a chariot?”

“It disguises monsters, doesn’t it?” pointed out Piper.

“Those are alive.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Hazel said.

“You’ll just see when we find it,” Percy promised.

Clarisse and Percy walked around the reptile house. Then Clarisse stopped and pointed
there it was, sitting between the petting zoo and sea otter pond, there was a large red
and gold chariot with four black horses, decorated with pictures of war and death. The
horses breathed fire out of their nose. On one of the horses' chests was a sign saying
Official Zoo vehicle.

“That’s all it takes for the mist to work?” Sadie asked. “A stupid sign? So, if I stick a sign
saying this is an ugly beast on Carter all the mortals will see him as an ugly beast?”

“Only because you have magic,” Zia reminded her. “Remember the bird and knife?”

Sadie grinned. “Fun.”

“I don’t know why it worked, it just did. Honestly, I don’t really understand the mist that
much. I think Annabeth, Hazel, and Thalia have the most sense of it if you want to question
them.”

“It’s just magic and distortion. People see what they want to,” Annabeth shrugged. “You all
have something similar. I’m not going into it at the moment.”

“Then I have a question! Fire breathing horses, flesh-eating horses, flying horses, underwater
horses, man horses, horses with lots of legs,” listed Alex. “What kind of horses aren’t there?”

Percy and Magnus both shrugged. “No clue. But they’re pretty awesome, aren’t they?
Though these aren’t my favorite, though the flesh-eating horses are still the worst.”

“You mean their smell was,” snorted Grover with a grimace.

“And the things they said. The gold eating one was pretty close though.”

Clarisse drew her sword and asked where Phobos and Deimos were. Percy gestured to
the horses and Percy scowled as the horse started to call him insulting names in return.
“And Arion and the flesh-eating horses were worse than this?” Nico asked.

“Arion’s language is a whole lot worse,” Percy said looking at Hazel apologetically. “I’ve
told you and you’ll probably hear it when I actually meet him, but he sure wasn’t nicer than
these guys.”

Hazel’s eyes widened and she frowned. “But he—”

“In reference to you he only says nice things, he hates Nico, Frank, and I the most,” Percy
said.

“Sorry,” Hazel apologized.

“Don’t apologize to him. Percy should. After all, Arion is his brother.”

“Not again.”

“It’s never going to leave you alone.”

Percy threw his face into his hands and groaned.

Clarisse said she’d get the reins because the horses knew her. She asked Percy to cover
her to which he agreed. She walked carefully toward the horses, freezing when a woman
and little girl passed by. The little girl jumped up excitedly and yelled Pony on fire.

“She can see through the mist?” Frank asked.

“Maybe,” Percy shrugged. “She’s young so it’s hard to tell. At least, I think from what I’ve
heard from my mother and what I’ve seen myself.”

“Chiron also told me a lot about this when I became the oracle. Younger people have an
easier time opening their minds, kids have bigger imaginations. They can see through the
mist easily. Sometimes it fades as they get older.”

Apollo nodded with Rachel’s statement. “Even those who always are able to see through the
mist sometimes don’t have the ability as much as they get older.”

“My mom said it’s a bit harder now, but even Paul has been able to see a little now. They
think my sister will definitely be able to see, just because she knows.”

“Right. So, this little girl, there’s no guarantee of her being able to see through the mist as she
gets older,” Apollo finished.

The girl’s mother said not to be silly. That was an official zoo vehicle. The little girl
protested but her mom pulled her away. Clarisse got closer to the chariot and when she
reached the horses reared up. They whinnied and breathed flames. Phobos and Deimos
appeared there in black armor. Both of their eyes glowed as they smiled.

“Of course, they were there the whole time,” Will sighed.
“Because it’s never that easy,” Leo agreed.

“Deimos is a lot scarier up close,” Piper noted.

“It’s always scarier when they’re up close and personal.”

Phobos yelled the hunt was on. Clarisse stumbled out of the way as he led the horses
straight toward Percy.

“Not Clarisse?”

“They don’t hate me as much as him, just jealous and angry Dad gave me a chance. Percy
defeated Dad and already made them look bad. They wouldn’t kill me, embarrass or hurt me,
sure. But Percy they’d cream.”

Percy ran, jumping over trashcans, fences as the Chariot charged through the stuff
behind him. Clarisse yelled for him to lookout. He landed in the middle of a rock in the
middle of an otter exhibit surrounded by water.

“Water, honestly, do these people never learn?”

“No,” Percy said honestly. “Not really.”

The water flew around the zoo putting out the flames. The horses were put out and
started to run confused. The otters chittered and barked at Percy who fled. Phobos
cursed trying to get the horses to follow Percy as he ran. Clarisse used the distraction to
jump on Deimos. They, along with his javelin, fell out of the chariot.

“That’s got to hurt.”

“One little chariot accident isn’t enough to hurt me.”

Phobos started to chase Percy as Clarisse and Deimos fought with their swords. Percy
ran towards the aquarium.

“Seriously,” Carter asked. “Why do they never learn not to attack you near water? It’s not
that hard. I figured it out after a little bit.”

“Only a little bit?” Percy teased.

Carter rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I didn’t get you pretty good as well.”

“I’m so excited to finally see this,” Sadie said rubbing her hands together. “Carter told me
nothing.”

Phobos yelled that he had something for Percy. Behind him the chariot melted with the
horses, turning itself into a tank with a large gun barrel. He yelled to say cheese. Percy
rolled to the side as the missile hit a kiosk filled with stuffed toys and plastic souvenirs
exploded. Percy dived into the aquarium as Phobos aimed his gun.
“Can water even help you against that?”

Percy grinned slyly at Magnus’s question. “I had to find out somehow.”

“Seriously, that thing is insanely powerful.”

The room was filled with tanks, with all types of fish and sea creatures yelling son of the
sea god as Percy passed.

“Do all of them do that?” Jason asked.

“Most. It gets pretty annoying. It’s always some type of name relating to my dad and some
praise. Others are just nice and don’t say anything.”

“I don’t get why nothing talks to us,” Thalia grumbled.

“Not sure you want them too. It can get annoying.”

Percy stood at the back of the aquarium and heard the vroom of an engine. Phobos
came in riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the one Percy had seen when he first met
Ares.

“The motorcycle is the chariot?” asked Frank surprised.

“Just another form of it. You’ve seen several.”

“The motorcycle was obviously magical the first time we saw it. It’s not like the gods like to
use more than their chosen vehicles, and we know they can take different forms, like Apollo’s
sun chariot.”

Phobos yelled hello loser as he pulled out his sword. He told him it was time to be
scared. Percy raised his sword and faced him but Phobos’s eyes glowed brighter.

“Does he think he can beat you in a fight? Even after you beat his father who’s obviously
better than him.”

“Phobos wins fights in different ways then Ares.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

Then suddenly the scene changed. He was at Camp Half-Blood. It was burning.
Everything was smoking or on fire. Some buildings were crumbled and a smoldering
ruin. All the campers and residents of camp were on their knees begging to Percy to
save them and make the choice. Percy didn’t move.

“What is this?”

“It’s how Phobos wins,” Clarisse says. “He paralyzes his victims with their worst fears.”

“Kind of like a Boggart.”

“What’s a Boggart?” Hazel asked with a frown.

Sadie took pity and explained. “They’re in Harry Potter.”

“I still don’t understand the big deal about it.”

Frank grabbed her hand and smiled. “You will. We’ll read it together. Sometime after this.”

Sadie started to remind them that they could probably get whatever they needed here but was
distracted by the question asked from several seats down.

“This is yours?” Chris asked Percy wide-eyed.

“It was.”

“You were scared of camp being destroyed? That was your worst fear?” Rachel asked.

“He was scared of the decision and the prophecy. The power to ruin or save everyone’s life.
Knowing that you’ll have to make a decision, that kind of decision is terrifying.”

Percy didn’t say anything to Thalia’s analyzation but one look at him said everything. He was
tense, nervous, and unmoving. His fists were clenched, from time to time some of his fingers
twitched.

Everyone stared at him, contemplating the fact this was Percy’s greatest fear. It wasn’t
shocking, given his fatal flaw. Thalia kept her eyes trained on him. She knew better than
anyone else where that fear came from. She had pretty much given it to him when she
became a hunter. Everyone else had no clue as to what that pressure meant.

Still, Percy’s fear made them wonder. How much must each loss have pained him? How
much did he feel responsible for? Thalia caught a glimpse of a dark shadow on Nico’s face.
Annabeth was observing it as well. Being Percy’s girlfriend, she understood more about him
than anyone else in the room. And she understood why the idea of Percy feeling responsible
for everyone troubled both his cousins so much. She knew there would be another talk with
all of them later.

“How do you snap out of that?” Jaz asked.

“Clarisse did because Percy was there to help her. Maybe she’ll help him,” Hazel theorized.

Clarisse snorted. “While I was busy with Deimos? Not likely.”

“Then how on earth did you snap out of it in time?” Blitz asked.

Percy didn’t answer or move. He still had that fear, though it was diminished by the others.
All fears of what would happen if he did the wrong thing, made the wrong choice if he lost
control; all things he was constantly reminded of while watching this.

His eyes become unfocused as he stared in one spot, his mind somewhere else altogether.
What would Phobos show him now? What would a boggart? Drowning in the misery of the
Cocytus, succumbing to that and letting the water overtake him. Letting his powers and his
feelings take over, hurting the people he loved, scaring them. Those images flashed through
his mind, then suddenly combined as something new started to repeat in his mind.

He couldn’t breathe. He was going to give in to the feeling of drowning but before he did, he
saw someone. Himself. He was smiling cruelly as he manipulated the water and forced it
down his doppelganger’s throat.

Nico seemed to notice this and grasped Percy’s shoulder. He looked questioningly into his
cousin’s eyes. Percy met his seeing the understanding.

This was the burden they faced with these world-altering powers, with the ability to destroy
and hurt… Nico looked at the fear in Percy’s eyes and saw his own. Their powers became
their greatest fears. He had been scared of the darkness for a long time before being able to
embrace it. Thalia was terrified of heights, and it seemed his older sister had been scared of
her death. Yet, this just helped remind them to keep it all under control, that is if it didn’t
drive them to do the opposite.

Then voices popped up, not pleading for their lives or Percy to make a choice but for
him to wake up. They called him son of the sea god and yelled it over again. Percy’s eyes
widened with an influx of power. Then he blinked and the scene disappeared and
Phobos’s blade was coming down, blocked just in time by Riptide.

Nico’s hand was still on Percy’s shoulder. He waited for a moment before taking a hand of
Percy’s shoulder, waiting for his breath to even again. Percy grinned shakily at him in
response. “Thanks.”

“You sure you’re good?”

Percy took a deep breath. He was feeling as if he’d been before, emerged in water. Yet it
wasn’t scary. It was comforting when he’d woken to the fishes’ shouts. He could stay afloat.
Their belief in him was what kept him that way. In exchange, he’d protected them. Only until
he put them in danger again.

After all, wasn’t this how Luke started? Scared for those he loved? Ready to take on the
world and the gods to protect them, then in doing so almost destroying it all. Percy was
suddenly remembering their final fight with Gaea. He’d almost been her tool of destruction
then, Perseus. The Destroyer.

He was shaken out of this thought by a question, though it stayed at the back of his mind.
Samirah was looking doubtfully at him. “The fish?”

“They’re useful at times. I wouldn’t have snapped out of it without them.”

“I will never understand your luck.”

Percy looked at Thalia slightly confused. “You think I do?”

“Still, that was just in time,” Grover said. “Otherwise you would have been toast.”
Percy swiped in a counterattack stabbing Phobos in the arm. His shirt was soaked with
golden ichor.

“Like I said,” Alex grinned. “He’s not even a good fighter.”

“All he has are the fears of others,” Clarisse agreed. “Neither of them are good.”

Phobos slashed back. Percy parried and pressed back slashing at his face, cutting his
cheek. He started to look afraid as he backed up. Percy kicked him so his back hit the
water fountain. He looked frightened up at Percy as his sword flew into the woman’s
restroom. Percy pulled him to face him.

“You made the god of fear afraid?” Nico asked.

“Talk about irony,” Thalia agreed.

“Honestly not that hard. He’s a coward.”

Percy said he had to disappear now and stay out of Clarisse’s way. He told him if he saw
him ever again he was going to be a scar in a more painful place. Phobos gulped and
said there would be a next time. He disappeared yellow vapor.

“Dude, you looked more terrifying than Deimos.”

“I think that’s supposed to be a compliment, but I don’t really like being scary.”

“You’re scary. It’s not a bad thing, you use it to protect your friends, to help people.”

Percy gave Clarisse an unsure look then turned away quickly.

Percy looked at the fish tanks and said thanks.

“That was nice of you.”

“They saved my life, didn’t they?”

Percy looked at Ares’s motorcycle and a slow grin came over his face.

“You wouldn’t,” Apollo said looking at Percy in interest.

“He would,” Grover and Annabeth said together.

“Seriously, what is with you and sitting on the gods' things?” Grover asked.

“What?” Several people asked with curious looks.

“Nothing bad,” Percy waved it off.

“Except for almost dying because of it.”

“What does that mean?” Jason demanded of Percy.

 “Nothing.”

“Seriously,” Apollo asked. “What other god’s things did you sit on?”

“He sat in your chariot.”

“Not that,” Apollo waved Magnus’s answer off, “Was it Hades’ stuff? Father’s?”

“You know I can’t answer that.”

“I just don’t understand why you could do something so idiotic,” Sam said with a shake of
his head.

“I do,” Rachel replied. “It’s because he’s Percy.”

Percy rode out of the aquarium, following the path of destruction. Animals ran wild,
eating others, and the food left from humans. Percy revved the engine and headed back
toward the petting zoo.

“What was driving that like?”

Percy looked at Blitz with a grin. “Exhilarating. Definitely stronger than any other vehicle
I’ve driven. You can feel it rush through you, giving you the power and strength itself. Not
that I’d ever drive Ares’ chariot again.”

Chapter End Notes

AN: Hi all. So, there’s been a lot of discourse on racism in Fandom lately. Not just that,
just the combat of any hate, bigotry and etc. I’m writing this now, long after I wrote
most of this series. I was given plenty of feedback on the way the girls responded with
what I thought was feminist but hurt people. Please, let me know if I’m doing something
wrong. I am female and come from a religion that has been discriminated against but
otherwise white and privileged. Please let me know how to correct my behavior and
writing so I don’t offend anyone.
 Chapter 5: Fighting Your Fears

Frank rubbed the back of his head and looked at Percy hesitantly. “Uh, you’re kind of going
to need to ride it if you’re going to finish helping Clarisse.”

“Where is Clarisse?” asked Juniper, looking at the girl two seats away. “I meant then, not
now.”

“Fighting Deimos,” Thalia answered for her. “Or she was.”

“You guys need to fix that and finish it. Getting to the Pier before sunset isn’t going to be
easy,” Carter noted.

“We always manage in time,” Jason said optimistically.

“Just in time,” Nico agreed.

“Us too,” Walt muttered. “Somehow.”

Clarisse and Deimos were in the goat area. Percy parked the motorcycle near the
petting zoo. He ran toward Clarisse who was on her knees in front of Deimos.

Every head in the room turned to Clarisse. She glared back at all of them daring them to say
something. It was Alex who dared to ask. “He’s showing you your fear. What is it?”

“You don’t have to tell them.”

Clarisse growled and shrugged Chris’s arm off her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter. They’ll see it
anyway.”

Deimos’ form shimmered. It smoked as it moved between his figure clothed in black
leather. Fire shone through his sunglasses as he raised his fist over Clarisse. He declared
she’d failed him again. He’d told her what would happen. She scrambled away pleading
for him to stop.

“Ares,” Piper said softly. “That’s your greatest fear.”

Clarisse just glowered at the scene in front of her.

“Why are you so scared of him? Surely even Ares wouldn’t hurt his children,” Reyna asked.

“He wouldn’t,” Frank agreed. “I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t.”

Percy frowned at the conversation. “Ares doesn’t harm his kids in any way as far as I know.
Clarisse still has her reasons. I’ve known that Ares wasn’t as supportive of his kids as my
father was for a long time. Since the Sea of Monsters. I’m not sure why it wasn’t shown but I
stumbled across Clarisse and Ares talking. It’s not Ares she’s scared of—”

“It’s failing him,” Will said in realization. He looked at Clarisse with surprise. Since the end
of the Titan War, Clarisse had worked to repair her relationship with the Apollo cabin. It had
resulted in a strange friendship between them. Will felt he knew Clarisse better than most by
now. And now he understood more than he ever thought he would.

She turned to him, the fear glimmered in her eyes for another moment. Her back stayed
straight and she continued to look ahead. The room was silent as they watched, waiting for
the rest of the scene to play out.

The illusion of Ares yelled Clarisse was a foolish girl. Percy screamed her name, it was
an illusion. She needed to stand up to him.

“So, all you need is someone to snap you out of it?” Jaz asked.

“Not exactly. It worked this time though,” Apollo answered her.

“It breaks the illusion,” Hazel wondered aloud. “Like with the mist. It fractures it and makes
it easier to see through.”

Deimos’s form of Ares flickered as he yelled he was the War god and Clarisse was a
worthless girl, whom he knew would fail him. Now she’d suffer his anger for doing so.

Clarisse shook with anger as she glared again at the scene in front of her. Chris put his hand
on her fist pushing it down. The red in her eyes dimmed but she still wore a hard look on her
face as the scene continued. Now everyone knew her true fear, or what it had once been.

Percy yelled to her, getting her attention. He told her to stand up to him. To get up. All
he was was talk. Clarisse stammered she couldn’t. Percy yelled she could. She was a
warrior. She needed to get up.

Clarisse suddenly stopped her glaring to look at Percy. Other’s could have sworn there was a
shy smile on her face, but no one said a word. However, after a second she resumed her
glaring at the scene. Percy was seen grinning at Jason and Nico as he nudged them excitedly,
bouncing in his seat.

Clarisse’s glare turned to him. He just grinned wider at her. There was a silent conversation
for a moment, then Clarisse groaned and turned her glaring back to the projection of her
brother.

Clarisse paused and stood up. Deimos yelled in Ares’ voice asking what she was doing
and demanding she beg for mercy. She took a shaky breath and gave a quiet but strong
no.

Next to her, Chris grabbed her hand with a proud grin. There were a few whistles and cheers
from the more daring. Clarisse’s back started to straighten from the slump she was in as
everyone in one way or another expressed their support or excitement.
She loved having Chris to cheer her on and support her. She’d always had her cabin. She and
Percy had their differences, but she knew at the end of the day he and the princess were her
friends. She supposed that meant everyone else here was also her friend. Maybe not like
Silena, never like Silena, but close enough.

Deimos bellowed a what? Clarisse raised her sword and said she was tired of being
scared of him. Deimos roared in rage and Clarisse blocked him as he struck. She
stumbled back. She gave a feral look and a small grin as she said he wasn’t Ares or even
a good fighter. He growled and attacked again. With a quick maneuver, she disarmed
him, leaving him vulnerable to be stabbed in the shoulder. Deimos yelped in pain.

The whole room erupted into cheers. For a few seconds Clarisse looked around in shock.
Then she smiled. Some of the older campers looked at her in shock but Clarisse basked in the
applause with pride.

“Guess only Ares’ demigod children are any good,” Will muttered.

“He’s not that good himself either,” Leo smirked.

Annabeth gave him a warning glance. “I wouldn’t say that. He’s a great fighter. Just not a
smart one.”

Clarisse’s glow of pride turned into a glower as her gaze turned to Annabeth. However, the
questions and continuing cheers drew her attention away after just a small second.

Deimos started to glow. Percy yelled at Clarisse to look a different way. Both turned
away as Deimos exploded into godly light.

In the room, everyone else turned away on reflex, all except Percy and Jason who looked at
each other in surprise. Percy just shrugged. He’d heard about Jason’s deadly experience with
Hera’s godly form. He didn’t know why he wasn’t scared of it himself anymore. It just didn’t
seem as terrifying after all he’d seen.

Slowly everyone else started to look back up. There were a few terrified and confused looks.
Others wore crazy grins on their faces. It took another few seconds for them all to calm
down. It was obvious that this was the end.

Percy and Clarisse were left alone with goats who were trying to eat their clothes. The
motorcycle was no longer next to them, but a horse-drawn chariot.

“You finished,” Juniper clapped happily. “You finished your quest.”

“Not his quest.”

“It was hers. And it wasn’t finished yet,” Percy agreed with a grumbling Clarisse.

“My quest was to drive the chariot and bring it back to Dad’s temple. Deimos and Phobos
were just there to stop me.”
Clarisse looked at Percy skeptically as she wiped her face. She sternly told him he
hadn’t seen that. He hadn’t seen any of it.

“I hate to break it to you,” Grover said warily, “But we’ve all seen it.”

“You’re done, goat boy.”

“Clarisse, stop—” Chris tried calming her.

“It’s your fault!” She yelled turning toward Percy. “Your fault anyone was seeing this. No
one needs to know any of this!”

Percy looked back at her in silence for a moment. “You’re right.”

Clarisse glared silently in response.

“She is. This stuff was all supposed to be private. My whole life is being shown to you guys.
I’m dealing with it. But that also means you guys are seeing other people’s private things.
You’re inadvertently seeing Clarisse’s private life.”

Percy paused for a second. “Did I use that word right Wise Girl?”

“You’ve actually been studying,” Annabeth said with an impressed look, though there was
the slight raising of an eyebrow.

Percy grinned knowing there were kisses in his future, but his face fell somber again quickly
remembering the topic at hand. “None of this leaves this place. No one brings it up unless
absolutely necessary. I promised Clarisse not to tell anyone. I tried to respect her privacy.”

He took a deep breath and looked around the room. “I tried to respect everyone’s privacy. For
some reason, the Fates won’t allow that. That doesn’t mean we can’t try to do it all the same.
Unless Clarisse gives you permission you won’t bring up her fear. You won’t bring up
Annabeth’s vision from the Sirens, or Nico and Minos or any of that stuff. Not without being
allowed by them.”

Percy sat down again with his arms crossed and a stormy look on his face. He wouldn’t say
anything about his life and his privacy. It wasn’t his anymore. He didn’t think it ever had
been. It wasn’t exactly fair, but he couldn’t complain here. Having his fears shown with
everything else didn’t seem as important as Clarisse being so vulnerable, or Nico’s struggle
and Calypso’s curse being suddenly shown to everyone.
 Chapter 6: Focus on Driving Over Water
Chapter Notes

AN: I want to thank all of you for your supportive messages and constant interest in the
story. I feel so bad for not having updated for all of you in so long. I had a very busy
semester and had very little time for writing and updating. I am so touched that all of
you have been so interested in my story. I hope you are all doing well, and staying safe.
Also, still haven't read Tower of Nero yet. So any questions mean no spoilers.

There was another few minutes of silence. Wary and hesitant glances moved from Clarisse to
Percy and back again. Both were still tense, but no more moves were made. Finally, Percy’s
chest moved as he exhaled in a deep breath and suddenly the scene started again.

Percy grinned at Clarisse and said she was great. Clarisse looked behind her at the sky
turning red. She turned back to Percy and told him to get in the chariot. They had a
long ride.

“Question, you’re on an island,” Magnus frowned. “Unless the chariot flies, you’re not
getting back to the pier. Not in time. Or does the Ferry take cars?”

“It doesn’t,” Chris said. Everyone looked at him. “My father’s Hermes, remember? Travel,
thievery, messengers? It’s just kind of stuff we know.”

Clarisse and Percy arrived by the Ferry on the chariot. And looked at it then each other.
Clarisse mumbled great. What could they do now. Ride across the Verrazano bridge?

“Seriously? How do you manage this stuff?” Carter asked. “You guys don’t have the Duat to
travel through. How do you even get all these places in time?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

Everyone looked at Percy as he spoke. He shrugged. “It just works out.”

“I’m not going to question it,” Carter said with an annoyed shake of his head.

Percy looked around and his eyes glistened. He told Clarisse they’d take the direct route.

“Direct route?” Annabeth asked with wide eyes. “Percy…”

“Wait….”

Clarisse turned to glare at him. “Did you even know you could do that? We had no time! You
could’ve made things so much worse.”
“What exactly did you do?” asked Jaz confused.

“Something crazy.”

“When isn’t that the best thing to do?” Sadie smiled slyly at Percy.

“Most of the time,” Carter and Annabeth said together. They exchanged exasperated looks
and head shakes.

Clarisse frowned and asked what he meant. Percy closed his eyes and told her to drive
straight ahead. Clarisse yelled and lashed the horses forward.

Everyone turned to look at Percy who stayed oblivious. It took Hearth signing a question for
him to answer. “Over water?”

“Yeah.”

“You can do that?” asked Apollo.

“Apparently.”

“So, you just dove in not knowing if you could?”

“There wasn’t really time for anything else,” Percy said to Rachel’s question. She looked and
shared an unbelieving glance with Annabeth.

“You can do that though?”

“Yeah.”

“Since when?” asked Jason. The only person he’d heard of who could do something like that
was killed by the romans 2000 years ago on a cross.

“Since then.”

“It’s similar to what he did in the Titan war,” Grover muttered to Thalia.

“A whole chariot is different than just him.”

“This is Percy though. How different is this than anything else he does?”

Thalia just sighed. “One day he’s gonna…”

“Yeah, one day. Isn’t that why we’re here?”

Percy peered over at them curiously, raising an eyebrow in a questioning look.

“It’s nothing,” Grover said shrugging it off. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see
Annabeth was scribbling something down on the list she’d been keeping. He could feel how
uncomfortable Percy was with the scrutiny. His best friends and girlfriend joining in wouldn’t
help.
The horses raced over the waves, racing the sunset. The flames on the horses clashed
with the suns fiery colors, calming along with the sky as they reached the pier. The sky
had turned purple, and it was getting dim. The boat was a huge metal hunk filled with
fighter aircrafts. They parked the chariot on the ram and Percy jumped off.

In real life Percy stretched and yawned, “Oh, gods. I forgot how tiring that was.”

“I’ve seen you do more now,” pointed out Carter. He was interested just how much power
went into the things Percy did. Could he burn up like a magician? How much was too much?
What took the same amount of effort as snapping your fingers and what took the same as
running ten miles?

“This takes a little more energy.”

“Than a hurricane or cleaning the stables?”

“Maybe around the same.”

“How long was that ride?” Magnus interrupted.

“Um… ten minutes? I can’t think when I’m this tired.”

“I wasn’t aware you could think at all.”

Percy gaped at Nico with an offended look holding his hands to his chest like he’d had a
heart attack. “You would betray me like that? Really? I thought we’d been bonding.”

“There’s a reason several of your nicknames have to do with having a brain filled with ocean
stuff,” Nico said with an eyeroll. It was clear he didn’t mean any of it seriously. “You tend to
be oblivious.”

“How could you?”

“Percy, Nico,” Annabeth said sternly, as if threatening a punishment.

Both exchanged small smirks. “Annabeth!”

“Why do I even try?” she muttered under her breath. Nico had been hanging out more with
the two of them. He was like the extra annoying brother (for Percy) who teamed up against
her, or against him. It was a new and strange dynamic but much better than what they’d all
had before. “Let’s just finish this.”

Percy said he’d better leave before Ares came. Clarisse nodded. Percy would be dead in
a second. He nodded and gave a small smile offering congratulations. She’d passed her
driving test.

Chris started clapping, ignoring his girlfriend’s annoyed look. The rest of the room took it up.
It continued for a minute or so along with the laughter. Then Sam looked at Clarisse with a
furrowed brow.
“Does that mean you have your actual license?”

Clarisse huffed. “I wish. Had to get that separate. It’s a lot of work. And ADHD while
driving. Not the most fun.”

“I like driving. It helps me focus,” Percy argued.

“How many of you actually have your license?” Magnus asked. It was a bit frustrating
knowing he’d never get one, but he did get to do a lot more exciting stuff on a daily basis.
And there was driving to the death in Valhalla.

Annabeth, Percy, Piper, Jason, Thalia, Chris, Zia, Reyna, Rachel and Will raised their hands.
Then Apollo added his to the group after a minute.

“I have one for Lester Papadalous,” he clarified.

“Does being in the process of getting one count?” Carter asked.

“Why not?”

“I’m not old enough for an actual license. You have to be 17 in New York, but I’m working
on it.”

“We have other ways of transportation. We’re demigods. And don’t you guys have portals or
something? And I know how to drive if I need too,” Leo added in.

“True.”

Clarisse nodded her thanks. She grasped the reins tighter. She started to tell Percy, to ask
him, about what she was afraid of, how he saw it. Percy interrupted her. He said he
wouldn’t tell anyone.

Percy winced again. “Sorry.”

“Who cares? We’re already over it.”

She looked at Percy and asked if Phobos scared him. Percy paused and said yes. He saw
camp in flames. All his friends pleading for help and he didn’t know what to do. He
couldn’t move from fear. So, he knew how Clarisse felt.

“I always feel awkward watching these weird bonding moments in between you guys,”
Rachel said wriggling a little.

“What?”

“It just feels weird.”

“It’s weirder for us.”

She looked away and said she guessed she should say, but she couldn’t seem to get the
thank you out of her mouth. Percy told her not to mention it.

There was huffs and sighs from around the room. Everyone shook their head at Percy or gave
him another inspecting look. He didn’t seem to notice, or if he did, he thought it was directed
at Clarisse for not saying thank you.

“Guys leave her alone. It’s cool. I kind of jumped into her quest. Again.”

Clarisse scoffed trying to correct him but a nudge from Chris and a pleading look from
Grover stopped her for now.

Percy turned to walk away but Clarisse called his name. He turned and looked at her
confused. She started to stutter, about when he had that vision. With his friends in it.
Percy gave a small smile and told her she was one of them. She just couldn’t tell anyone.
Or he’d have to kill her. Clarisse smiled momentarily in response.

The second the scene collapsed, Leo made a face, his mouth in an oh, shape as he pointed and
bounced in his seat. With a naughty smirk he made his proclamation. “So, you are friends.”

“We aren’t!” Both Percy and Clarisse protested.

Annabeth and Chris gave resigned but amused looks. “Yes, they are.”

The resounding glare from their significant others was something they deftly ignored.

“The secrets out,” Will teased. “No denying it now.”

“Look who’s talking.”

“Not sure what you’re saying.”

“Clarisse would say the same thing about her friendship with your cabin. Not to mention, you
and Nico denied anything going on for at least two months!”

“Basically, we all don’t like admitting we’re friends,” Grover interrupted. “Seriously, we all
need help. Actually, not me. You guys need lots and lots of help.”

“Gee, thanks G-man.”

“What are best friends for?”

As the original campers squabbled the others in the room exchanged amused looks. At the
side Alex was trying to get Magnus to take bets with her. Sadie was encouraging Walt and
Jaz to do the same. Then suddenly a large rumble quieted the room, making everyone turn to
a blushing Tyson.

“It’s lunch time,” he said simply.

“Which means I get to help decide on Wise Girl’s dare.”

“And Juniper’s truth,” Grover added to Percy’s comment. Their girlfriends exchanged looks
as their boyfriends got up and high-fived, walking out to eat together. With some people
things would never change.
 An Idiotic Dare
Chapter Notes

Short Chapter this week. So sorry, will try and be faster and better about publishing.

Chapter 7: An Idiotic Dare

Lunch was interesting. At one end of the table was Juniper and Annabeth sitting across from
each other. At the other end were their boyfriends who also sat across from each other.
Juniper and Annabeth were taking the time to catch up and talk a little. Juniper also was
trying to talk to Clarisse, who sat next to her. Somehow her, Annabeth and Juniper had gotten
into debates about the best capture the flag games in camps history.

Next to Annabeth sat Walt, with Nico on his other side. Chris sat across from them and next
to his girlfriend. The schematics of a labyrinth, duat and shadow travel were discussed.
Somehow the topic turned to Underworld pets like Amit the Devourer or Cerberus and Mrs.
O’Leary.

On Nico’s other side was Reyna, who sat across from Calypso. Next to them were Apollo and
Blitz, then Thalia and Magnus next. Apollo and Calypso were telling Reyna about their
journey so far. Calypso talking about all the different things she’d tried, fighting techniques
included and Reyna making suggestions as she cut into the other two’s squabbling. Blitz had
eventually interrupted Apollo to talk about fashion and other similar things.

Next to them Thalia and Magnus were talking about Annabeth, mostly trying to come up
with a dare for her. On Magnus’s other side was Zia, Sam across from him diagonally. Both
of them conversed in Arabic. When Thalia and Magnus were bored enough, they tried
listening to their friends conversation. Magnus had been trying to learn Arabic, one way so
he wasn’t bored out of his mind during his immortality. Thalia had been taken with the
suggestion and demanded they teach her now too.

Jason sat next to Sam, across from Carter who sat with his girlfriend. Both were discussing
their pantheons and styles of leadership. Different history and favorite leaders were excitedly
compared, as well as the shared history of Rome and Egypt. Jason’s friendly personality was
somewhat strange to Carter, who was always a little shy and skeptical. But both were also
serious and contemplative, especially as they watched these memories.

Next were Hazel and Rachel. Both were talking more about painting, Rachel explaining more
about modern art and the museums Hazel should check out and where to get the best
supplies. She also insisted she introduce Hazel to some more modern music, as long as Hazel
showed her some good Jazz songs. She didn’t have enough in her library.

Beside them were Sadie and Jaz, just happy to talk as usual. Sadie had been getting annoyed
with Leo and Alex chattering beside them in Spanish and being unable to understand.
Luckily, Jaz was able to handle it when Sadie started to act up in annoyance. She really
wanted to know what her new good friend was saying and had almost cast a translation spell
when Jaz stopped her.

On Alex’s other side was Will, Tyson across from him. Tyson was happy to be sitting in
between his friend Leo, who he thought was funny and Ella. Between the two of them, Will
and Hearth there was a nice conversation, even with the strange way that Ella and Tyson
talked and Hearth’s signs. Will had learnt sign in the past and was excited for the chance to
practice. On Hearth’s other side Frank looked on curiously, sometimes trying to start up
conversation with Ella and Tyson.

Across from Frank, next to Ella was Piper. She’d sat next to Grover and Percy. Somehow
instead of something with meat, Percy had been made to eat vegetarian with his friends, and
both of them were eating blue food. In between a discussion about the best vegetarian foods,
and an eating contest Piper helped the boys come up with dares and truths for her friends.

Thalia had noticed eventually and walked over to add her and Magnus’s suggestions. Will
added one or two of his own for Juniper from nearby.

Lunch lasted a little longer than it usually had as several others disappeared. Reyna had taken
Calypso away to train for a little bit. Jason, Carter, Sam and Zia had joined them a little later.
All four of them switching off between each other to get a feel of different fighting styles.
Egyptian with Greek/Roman, Norse and Egyptian, Greek/Roman with the Norse, sometimes
with magic and powers. Sometimes just weapons.

Hazel and Rachel had left to another room, painting and drawing as they listened to a new
playlist. Everyone else stayed behind talking and eating more in the dining room. It was at
least another hour and a half before anyone found the need to get up and get the others so
they could move on.

When Annabeth returned with Reyna, Calypso, Jason, Sam, Carter and Zia returned, all
sweaty. Some were a little windblown or scorched, but all were laughing and smiling as they
returned. In contrast, Hazel and Rachel had paint all over them.

“What happened to you guys?” Percy asked curiously.

“Sam and Jason decided to do a fight midair. Then somehow Calypso got involved. Not sure
how,” Carter shrugged. “There was some training with fire too.”

“Sounds fun,” Percy grinned.

“It was,” Jason said as he bounced around excitedly. “We need to do that again. Why didn’t I
know you could fly?”
“Not just with powers,” Magnus said proudly from the table’s other end. “Sam’s getting her
pilot’s license.”

“Sick.”

“Sounds cool,” Percy agreed.

Hazel nodded. “If we could go in a plane it would be.”

“Next time this happens I want to see it to,” Magnus agreed with Jason’s previous statement.

“We all do,” Piper said with finality.

Rachel and Hazel had taken a seat back near Frank, Hearth, Ella and Tyson. Alex and Will
had moved closer and asked what pieces they had been working on. Just as Alex was about to
offer to teach them to work with some pottery the conversations stopped.

“Ready Juniper?” Piper asked sweetly.

“No,” Juniper squeaked. Piper’s chramspeak came on strong and all at once. “Not that I have
a choice.”

“Who would you want your godly parent to be?” Piper asked.

“Ooh. That’s not so bad. Demeter. Definitely Demeter, or Persephone if she had demigod
children.”

“Should have expected that,” Thalia muttered.

“It was kind of an obvious reply,” Will agreed.

“I’d want to keep my connection to nature and plants. And I’d get to help things grow still.
And I wouldn’t have to worry about that many monsters, probably.”

“Smart reply,” Annabeth mused.

“Oh no. You’re just trying to postpone the inevitable,” Thalia stated. “You need to do this
dare. Mostly for my amusement, maybe for some of yours.”

“I don’t know. I don’t think it might turn out completely well for either of us,” Percy said
warily.

“For all of us,” Magnus corrected.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow and gave them a curious look. “Then tell me.”

“Either speak in the negative or add idiot somewhere in every sentence until….” Thalia
paused. “Percy?”

“Until the first time she gives me a compliment in the next thing we watch.”
“Is that long?” Jaz asked looking at everyone confused.

“Is Annabeth usually complimentary?”

“Back then? Unless it was about architecture, no,” Grover stated. “So, which is it Annabeth?”

“The idiot thing is going to get annoying. But I’ll be harder to understand, and it’ll be harder
for me to say anything if I speak in the negative. So, I’ll do the idiot thing. So, idiots, can we
start and get this over with?”
 Chapter 8: Capture Their Hearts
Chapter Notes

AN: Wow, the idiot thing is really annoying. The seating order is as follows. Annabeth,
Piper, Leo, Frank, Grover, Tyson, Ella, Hearth, Will, Alex, Sadie, Jaz, Hazel, Rachel,
Jason, Carter, Sam, Zia, Thalia, Apollo, Magnus, Blitz, Reyna, Nico, Walt, Chris,
Clarisse, Juniper, and Calypso.

Chris and Clarisse had been talking, sitting together and ignoring most of everything else that
had been happening. As they got up to follow everyone else back to the viewing room there
was a yell. “Hey, idiot! Pause for a second.”

They turned to see Annabeth. Clarisse growled for a moment but stopped. “What? You going
to tell me that there’s more of my life that everyone’s going to see up there now?”

“Not now, idiot. Eventually.”

“Then what is it? I don’t want to be called idiot fifty more times, so finish fast.”

“I don’t want to be an idiot, so I need to tell you. Knowing what the fates have chosen to
show before, this is that game of capture the flag with Beckendorf, Silena and my idiot. As
well as the bronze dragon,” Annabeth paused for a second and sighed. “Idiot.”

Clarisse scanned her face for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, she nodded. “Thank
you. For the warning.”

“Of course, idiot.”

Everyone seated themselves much the same as they had at lunch. There were a few minor
changes. After discussion Annabeth and Percy had told Leo and Piper what was happening,
suggesting they sit with them, or at least nearby. Accommodating that others had shifted
around as well, waiting for a few minutes to make sure they were all comfortable to make
any noise so the next part of Percy’s story could begin.

Percy looked around fourteen years old. The same age he had been after the Battle of the
Labyrinth. Everyone was near the armory preparing for capture the flag. Blue was
Hephaestus’s strong burly kids, Apollo kids arming themselves with bows, the Hermes
kids with their devlilsh grins and looks. Percy also wore a blue helmet. With the red
feathered helmets prepping nearby were Aphrodite’s kids, the Ares’ cabin, the one son
Dionysus had left, Demeter’s kids and the flag holder’s the Athena cabin.

“A capture the flag game?” Reyna asked excited to once again view the Greek version of the
war games.

“A rare one, idiot,” Annabeth said with a grin.

Percy frowned and whispered to Tyson. “If she says it’s because I lost then—”

“Why?” interrupted Carter.

“There were a lot of reasons, idiot. Quite a few are probably spoilers,” Annabeth replied.

“The one that isn’t is that Ares and Athena were on the same team. That barely happens. The
Hephaestus cabin, with some of Beckendorf’s tricks, got the Ares flag the night before,”
Grover explained.

Annabeth walked up to Percy in her full armor with a mischievous grin greeting him
with a Seaweed Brain. Percy groaned and asked her to stop calling him that.

“I still think it’s cute,” Jaz beamed at them.

“Yeah. Now, maybe. Back then it was her way of calling me a Dumbass. I could call her Wise
Girl and Owl-head but they didn’t sound as good as Smartass and we have to be role models
as Cabin heads. So, no cursing.”

“Really?”

“It doesn’t always stick.”

Annabeth smirked and said he knew he loved it. She bumped into him but since she was
already in her full armor, he was pushed a little.

“Ow,” Percy grumbled. “You know that hurts.”

“Sorry, idiot.”

“I’ll forgive you. Only because you look really cute in your armor,” Percy said with shining
eyes. Annabeth gave him a similar look right back.

Annabeth spoke a little quieter and said they were going to crush his team tonight, so he
should pick a safe position. Like the right flank. That way she could make sure he
didn’t get too hurt.

“Reverse psychology,” Sadie said. “Smart.”

“Yeah,” Percy grumbled again. “Smart.”

“It’s more like reverse reverse psychology,” interjected Magnus. “Either way, I can’t believe
that you fell for it?”

“You’ll see.”

Percy said thanks sarcastically saying he was playing to win. She smiled saying she’d see
him on the battlefield. She turned and jogged back to her cabin who smiled and high
fived her. Percy stared after her with a dopey smile.

“Again,” groaned Magnus. “Obvious.”

From on either side of him Thalia and Sam exchanged glances screaming about the irony in
that statement.

“If you weren’t there, and experiencing this a second time,” Grover challenged, “You don’t
have a right to complain about it.”

“It was still obvious though,” Clarisse argued. “We all knew it.”

Beckendorf came over and smiled at Percy saying Annabeth liked him.

Clarisse raised an eyebrow as if to prove her point.

Percy groaned, well aware of how oblivious he was for several years. “We get it.”

“You didn’t,” Annabeth pointed out, then smirked. “Idiot.”

Percy mumbled sure. If it was for target practice.

“All of us do sometimes,” Thalia joked.

“Especially with guys who are oblivious to how much we like them,” Alex called from the
other side of the room.

Again, Thalia and Sam exchanged looks behind an ignorant Magnus’s back.

Beckendorf said girls always did that. If they were trying to kill you, then they were into
you. Percy said that made a lot of sense.

“Yeah,” Percy agreed. “Then you’d be saying half of the female monsters and goddesses and
stuff that have tried to kill me were into me. Like Gaea.”

“I don’t know dude,” Leo frowned. “She kind of was in a creepy way. To use your power as
her pawn at least.”

“And there were definitely several monsters who made flirty comments with you,” Piper
added.

“There were the Amazons too,” Hazel piped up.

Percy shivered. “I’m not going to think about that. Not going to think about it. Don’t think
about it. Don’t think about it.”

Beckendorf shrugged saying he knew about this stuff. He should be asking her to the
fireworks. Percy looked at him skeptically.

“What’s that look for?” Walt asked.

“Wait for it. Let’s just say I was a bit unsure how qualified Beckendorf was to give this kind
of advice.”

Beckendorf didn’t look back, his eyes had zone in on Silena Beauregard. Her long
black hair was tied up and her eyes flashed when they saw Beckendorf and Percy. She
smiled at them, calling Beckendorf, Charlie and wishing him luck before she joined
Annabeth. Percy patted him on the shoulder saying thanks for the advice. He was glad
to have a friend so wise about girls. Then he urged Beckendorf to come on and go into
the woods.

Everyone was laughing at both boys by the end of the scene. Both were obviously smitten
and had no thoughts besides the girls distracting them, especially from the game.

“I see what you mean,” Walt smiled.

“Yeah. Everyone knew he liked her since my first year of camp,” Percy smiled sadly. “They
were like fifteen then.”

“So, he was eighteen then,” noted Blitz.

“Yeah.”

“Beckendorf was the guy I went to for lots of advice. He was older and wiser,” Percy
shrugged. “And I knew I could trust him. I was a bit more skeptical about lots of people after
Luke. Beckendorf was just a person you trusted though.”

“Now you’re the guy everyone asks for advice,” Leo said.

“Just passing it on.” Percy’s eyes dropped down to where he was kneading his hands in his
lap. Though he shrugged nonchalantly, leaning his head to the side with a small grin, it
seemed strange. As if the two expressions were contradicting themselves. “And I wouldn’t
say that.”

“Really? We asked for advice about several things you’ve never had experience with,” Carter
noted.

“That’s different.”

“Charles Beckendorf was an awesome guy. He was probably my best friend at camp outside
of those here. He never judged me or anyone else for anything. He was dedicated and had so
much he wanted to do. Honestly, Leo you remind me of him a lot. You would have loved
each other.”
“Yeah,” Leo agreed quietly staring up at the projection of Beckendorf. “We would have.”

As they headed into the woods Percy told Beckendorf to go left. Annabeth had wanted
them to go right which meant she hadn’t wanted them to go left.

Everyone looked at Percy slightly disbelievingly. He groaned and hid his face in his hands.
Usually he was smarter than that. He tended to be good with figuring out plans and strategies,
it just wasn’t the case with Annabeth being his opponent. He just was blind with everything
when it was involved with her.

Beckendorf nodded and told Percy they should suit up. This stuff took a long time to
forge so Percy better not mess it up. Percy said you got it Captain. Beckendorf’s mouth
twitched as he grunted.

Leo was sketching and writing down all he saw with the armor Beckendorf had obviously
made. He was a bit thrown with the Captain comment. That was what he called himself. Had
Beckendorf liked or enjoyed a similar nickname….?

“What is that?” Blitz said looking back and forth at the armor then Percy almost maniacally.
“Camouflaging armor?”

“New idea for your shop?” Alex asked him.

“For sure.”

“It’s chameleon armor. It blends into the background. So, we’re pretty disguised but not
perfectly. Beckendorf had spent a while making this for both of us.”

“Just the two of you?” questioned Frank.

“Chameleon armor is tough. Two pairs is a lot of work,” Tyson frowned. “Beckendorf did
good. He always did.”

Will nodded, “And Percy and Beckendorf were the leaders of the team, that much was
unquestionable.”

Both crossed the creek. There was no noise in the distance and maybe a gleam of
something but no one around. Beckendorf whispered it was weird there was no border
guards. Percy guessed they were being over confident.

“Dude,” Carter frowned at him. “She has an invisibility cap. How could you forget that?”

A bunch of others groaned, wondering how they had also managed to forget that in the
moment.

“Too focused on other things I guess?”

“It sure worked better than your armor, idiot,” Annabeth grinned. “And I really hope you
know I wouldn’t forget border guards. Idiot.”
“Of course not. You’re the best strategist I’ve ever met. Which is why it set me off.”

“You know to trust your instincts,” Thalia chided him.

“You know I was a little less confident about all of that back then.”

The scene skipped and changed again. They were walking through the trees and
suddenly reached a clearing where there was a giant mountain of dirt. Beckendorf
gasped saying Holy Hephaestus the Ant Hill.

“Ant hill? What does that mean?” asked Hazel with a curious frown.

“They’re not that bad,” Apollo argued.

“Dad, this is where our opinions differ. Like a lot,” Will frowned.

“I mean I was mad at them when they took Meg too but now, we’re good,” Apollo shrugged.
“I mean, I think.”

“Does someone want to explain what the Ant Hill is?” Sam interrupted.
 Chapter 9: Prisoners
Chapter Notes

Hi guys, sorry it's been so long. I've started my first job, taken a lot of writing classes,
and just did not have time with my junior year of college to do much. I've also been
going through the story parts I've finished and updating it now that I've finished the
Tower of Nero. I promise to finish at least till TLO. Hopefully, I will be able to write
even more, but one thing at a time.

Percy sighed. “It’s exactly what it sounds like. An Ant hill. But the Ants are not just normal
ants. We call them the Myrmekes, which is the Greek word for ant anyway.”

“What do you mean not normal ants?” Jaz frowned and shivered. Next to her Sadie also
looked interested but extremely grossed out. Her brother had a similar expression where he
sat.

“They’re bigger. Like the size of a really big dog with large shells and they can snap at you.
They can be really dangerous.”

“Ants?” asked Magnus skeptically.

“Just watch.”

Ants started to march out of the tunnels. All were large and red with snapping pincers.
All were carrying things. Some carried tree trunks, some old metal pieces, one had a car
hood, and some had raw meat.

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Percy agreed. Around the room people were cringing and inching away from the
scene. Sadie and Carter seemed the most uncomfortable, the latter more than the former.

“You guys have an issue with this stuff?”

“Not so much ants. But yeah. They kind of bring up bad memories,” Carter said.

“He’s lying.” Sadie shook her head. “It’s Carter you should be scared for. He’s deathly afraid
of insects after a few scorpion incidents.”

“I’m pretty sure scorpions are arachnids,” Carter and Magnus both said.
“Don’t want to know why you both know that,” Alex grimaced. “But seriously. Those things
are both terrifying and awesome at once. Think I can do one?”

“Please no,” several people begged.

Beckendorf explained they loved shiny metal. Especially gold. His face squinted up in
envy. They had more of that than for Fort Knox.

“Oh man.”

“Don’t,” Hazel squeaked. “Please don’t.”

“I think you guys would be friends actually,” Apollo noted.

“How about no one tries and makes friends with them,” Grover suggested.

“Beckendorf seems like he wants to try,” Hearth signed. He carefully formed each letter of
Beckendorf’s name. He had no sign name for him or most of the others around.

“He wants to see the things they have,” Leo said eyes gleaming. “So do I.”

“No.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t get too.”

“Obviously if we’re watching this and talking about it you will,” Piper agreed.

Percy said not to even think about it. Beckendorf promised he wouldn’t. They should
get out while they could. Then he trailed off and his eyes widened.

“See?” Leo said. “You’re obviously not getting out of there for a while.”

“Leo, dude,” Chris asked. “Please, just be quiet and watch. You’ll want too.”

“What?”

“Chris is right. Just watch.”

Two ants dragged a huge hunk of metal, gold and bronze with wires. It rolled as they
dragged it and finally there was a face. It’s snout was the size of Percy, with a mouth
hanging open. It had gold and bronze scales and Ruby eyes.

Leo paused and looked back from Percy to the scene. “Yeah. You shouldn’t leave. You
should stay. Stay.”

“Why? What on earth is that thing?” asked Carter.

“That is no thing, my friend. That is a masterpiece named Festus.”

“To be fair, back then he didn’t have a name,” Percy pointed out.
“Shut up! Let’s watch you guys with Festus!”

Percy startled and said that’s a— Beckendorf stopped him and shushed him. Percy
tried again. Beckendorf interrupted again, saying that was a Dragon’s head. Yes. He
saw it. Beckendorf said if they got it to the hill then the other hands would help them.
They had to stop it.

“No offense but why is that a good idea?” asked Magnus. “Both the ants and the thing they’re
dragging look pretty dangerous.”

“They are.”

“He is.”

Every turned to look at Percy and Leo who had both answered. Jaz looked between them.
“Then why would you go towards it?”

“Because that’s what we always do?”

“Good point.”

Percy asked what and why? Beckendorf said it was a sign from Hephaestus and urged
him to come on!! He ran into the clearing. Percy sighed.

“A sign from Hephaestus? Is that another one of his automatons?” Blitzen asked interested.

“Not one of his, I mean not exactly,” Leo said bouncing up and down. Blitzen leaned in
looking more and more interested.

Percy got ready to step forward when a voice said surprise. It was recognizably
Annabeth’s, and his neck was tense.

“Annabeth?”

“She had her knife to my neck,” Percy’s voice came out raspy gasped rubbing at his neck.
He could feel the cold metal there right now. “If you can’t tell.”

Silena came out next with a drawn sword. She wore pink and red armor that matched
her clothes and makeup. She told Annabeth nice work. Percy’s sword disappeared. The
pen form of Riptide reappeared in Annabeth’s hand as she took off her cap and gave a
smug smile.

“Did you not notice Beckendorf running off after a bunch of giant ants?” Thalia asked with a
dramatic sigh. “I expect that from Percy and not you.”

“Hey!”

“Also, what is that armor?” asked Sadie.

“I actually approve.” Alex looked to Blitzen. “Think I could get something in pink and
green?”

“Already have a design,” Blitzen said looking up from a sketchbook.

Piper shrugged. “It’s not actually the worst armor someone in my cabin has worn. I kind of
like it.”

“How did Percy not see it though?” Sadie asked again. “It’s more visible than Carter’s
invisibility spell!”

Carter spluttered as he thought of a comeback.

“You’ll have to tell me more about that later,” Alex muttered to her.

Annabeth said boys were easy to follow. They were noisier than lovesick minotaurs.
Percy turned red.

“Probably because they are lovesick?” Clarisse groaned. “Seriously. Enough!”

“I don’t think we’re louder than a minotaur though,” Percy pointed out. “But Clarisse is right.
We both were a little lovesick.”

“A little?” Will asked him skeptically.

“A lot,” Percy amended.

“Just look how Percy’s blushing!” Jason chuckled.

“We all get it,” Percy groaned. “Moving on…”

Annabeth said Percy was their prisoner. Now they had to get Beckendorf.

“You still haven’t noticed?”

“Just watch,” Annabeth said as she pinched the bridge of her nose at Piper’s question.
“Idiot.”

Percy looked around startled then yelled Beckendorf’s name. The boy in person was
already halfway to the dragon. Percy told Annabeth to come on! She pulled his arm and
stopped him and asked where he thought he was going; he was a prisoner.

“A little too serious?”

“Idiot, it’s a battle situation,” Annabeth explained. “That practice needs to get done somehow.
If you think we’re bad ask Magnus what they do on Valhalla to practice.”

“Please don’t,” Magnus blanched.

“Please do!” Alex grinned wildly.

Percy told her to look. Annabeth looked into the clearing and cursed a her eyes
widened. Beckendorf was no longer hiding but attacking the ant. His sword bounced off
the ant’s back. It turned and snapped trying to get him. It bit his leg and he fell to the
ground as another ant sprayed goo in his face. There was a painful scream as
Beckendorf tried to get it out of his eyes.

“Oh my gods,” Piper said as she held her hand to her mouth.

“More like thank the gods,” Apollo muttered thanking himself and everyone else on the
Olympian council that the kids that had disappeared into the Grove of Dodona hadn’t gotten
hurt by the ants.

“What was that stuff?” asked Jaz, she made it her duty to know about all types of poisons.
That was the only way she could cure them. “And what happened to his leg.”

“I explained to Percy then,” Annabeth assured her. “Idiot.”

Percy tried to help but Annabeth held him back. She said no and shushed Silena as she
screamed for Charlie. Annabeth hissed not too. It was already too late.

“What are you talking about?” Jason asked. “He’s right there! You can save him if you go
now!”

“Already happened Jason,” Rachel reminded him. “Trust me, if anyone understands
confusing the past and the future it’s me.”

Percy asked what she was talking about. They had to.. He paused as he noticed the ants
dragging Beckendorf away before they could have done a thing.

“Hear that, Jason?” Thalia asked.

“Can I choose dare again?”

“Don’t see why not.”

“But I see what Annabeth meant now,” he said. “Those ants were way too fast. You would
have been taken too and no one would have known what happened.”

“Exactly, idiot.”

Silena yelled no and pushed past Annabeth saying she let them take Charlie. Annabeth
said there was no time to argue and yelled to come on.

“Didn’t you just say you couldn’t save him?” Blitz questioned her.

“Not by rushing the ants. Idiot. ”

“Then what are you running to?”

She ran toward the dragon head which had been left behind by the ants and grabbed
the wires to drag the head toward the woods. Percy asked what she was doing. What
about Beckendorf. Annabeth said to help her. Quickly before they got back. Silena
exclaimed oh my gods saying Annabeth was more worried about this junk instead of
Charlie.

“She has a point,” Magnus told his cousin.

“You know I’m obviously doing this for a reason,” Annabeth said with an eyeroll. “Idiot.”

“Trust her. That dragon head is something they need,” Leo grinned.

Annabeth spun her around and grasped her shoulders shaking her to get the message
in. She told Silena those were Myrmekes. Like fire ants but worse. They had poison bite
and sprayed acid. Then they communicated with other ants to swarm attackers. If
they’d helped Beckendorf they’d have been dragged away too. They’d need help to get
him back. She ordered Silena to grab something and pull.

“How’s a metal dragon head supposed to help?” Carter asked.

“It’s not just any metal dragon head,” Jason answered from beside him.

“He’s right.”

“We owe a lot to that dragon,” Apollo agreed.

Percy looked at her and with a determined look of trust decided to help her pull the
dragon away. They were far away when they finally collapsed in a sweaty mess while
breathing. Silena however was gasping because she was crying saying Charlie was
probably dead already.

Leo almost asked for a moment if this was it. The moment. Then he remembered all he heard
of Beckendorf dying for a major sacrifice. He knew that Beckendorf had dealt with Festus,
but the one moment wasn’t it. This couldn’t be it. His brother was a hero and this was just
one of his adventures, another great thing he was able to achieve before the end.

Annabeth said no. They wouldn’t kill him right away. There was a half hour. Percy
asked how she knew that.

“She’s Annabeth,” Grover looked at him. “What do you think?”

“I know. Stupid question.”

Annabeth said she’d read all about Myrmekes. They paralyze their prey so they can
soften them up before— Silena sobbed they had to save him.

“That’s not really helpful information,” Piper told her. “Remember, emotions are a thing
Annabeth.”

“Gee, thanks Piper. I hadn’t realized. Idiots.”

Annabeth told Silena they were going to save him but she needed to get a grip. There
was a way. Percy said to call the other campers or Chiron. Chiron would know what to
do.

Percy winced. He loved his mentor but he knew now that Chiron, like the gods didn’t have all
the answers. No matter how much he wanted him too. He also wasn’t always the most
sensitive about disappearance or deaths, having seen to many in his immortal life. Percy
didn’t want to think that some of his friends would end up like Actaeon, replaced by a straw
dummy. He would freak if Chiron had one of him too.

Annabeth shook her head and said it would be too late by the time they got the campers
who were scattered all back together. Even then they wouldn’t be strong enough to
invade the Ant hill.

“Really?”

“Maybe now,” Percy said.

Annabeth agreed. “The idiot is right. Back then we were a lot smaller camp. It’s different.”

Percy asked then what. Annabeth pointed at the dragon head. Percy frowned and said
okay. They were going to scare the ants with a big metal puppet. Annabeth rolled her
eyes and said it was an automaton.

“Is that any better than the ants?” asked Zia. “From what we’ve seen I wouldn’t believe so.”

“Depends on the Automaton,” said Clarisse. “This one’s in the middle, I guess. I hate it but I
don’t.”

“Like everything else around, you,” Percy said teasing you.

Percy asked so what. It was just a head. It was broken. Annabeth explained that it
wasn’t just any automaton, it was the bronze dragon. Hadn’t he heard the stories?

“Is this another of the really old camp stories everyone is supposed to hear but doesn’t?”
asked Jason.

“But in this case, we heard the story.”

“True,” Leo agreed. “But it was more like we got it out of people by force.”

Percy looked at her confused. Silena’s eyes widened and said the old guardian. That was
just a legend.

“Like Atlantis,” Jason said to Percy.

“We get it,” Percy said with an eyeroll. “You are right though. Our entire life is legends. It’s
better to assume most of them are steeped in a bit of reality.”

“Wish it was that easy,” Sadie sighed.

“Trust me, I know.” He was sitting here with people involved in the mythologies of three
different pantheons. Those were just the ones he had already seen, but there were likely more.
All those myths and legends came from somewhere, and those that hadn’t might have been
brought to life by belief.

Percy said whoa and asked what old guardian. Annabeth explained before Thalia’s tree,
before the camp had magic boundaries to keep out monsters the counsellors found ways
to protect themselves. The most famous was the bronze dragon which was built by the
Hephaestus cabin with their father’s blessing. It kept camp protected for over a decade
until fifteen years ago when it disappeared into the woods.

“A hell of lot longer than a decade,” Leo corrected under his breath.

“How do you not know if it exists if it only happened fifteen years ago?” asked Magnus.

“Almost everyone here didn’t know about Thalia’s tree which was a lot more recent,” Percy
pointed out. “This stuff just gets forgotten about when there’s new stories. And a lot of the
time in the past there were no longer people around who knew about it. Demigods weren’t
around for long. Remember? And the people who were around didn’t want to talk about that
stuff.”
 Chapter 10: It’s All About the Head
Chapter Notes

AN: First, I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long. I kind of wanted to go back and do some
editing before I posted. It was just also a hard time for me during COVID. It's my senior
year at University, and there's a lot going on in my life. Thank G-d, everything is okay. I
just didn't have the time to take a breath and post until now.

That brought down the mood in the room. It was so deathly quiet for a few moments that it
seemed there was something in the room. The scene didn’t start again for a few moments
again.

Percy asked if she really thought this was its head? Annabeth said it had to be. The
Myrmekes probably dug it up and thought it was precious metal but couldn’t take the
whole thing, so they probably chewed it apart. The body couldn’t be far.

“It’s crazy how you figure this stuff out.”

“Daughter of Athena, idiot,” Annabeth said proudly to Frank. She blushed when she realized
who she was talking too. Somehow, she felt worse calling him idiot than others. Probably
because Frank was the one everyone acknowledged as a giant teddy bear. He wasn’t an idiot
in the sense that Percy, Leo or Magnus were. “Sorry.”

Percy said if they chewed it apart it was useless. Annabeth said not necessarily. They
could reassemble it and could activate it. Silena caught on and said then it could help
them rescue Charlie!

“That’s risky.”

“What plan of ours isn’t?” Percy asked with a pointed look at Samirah. “I’m sure you guys
have had the same issue plenty of times.”

“Nothing as risky as yours,” Samirah protested weakly. At least none of hers had been.
Magnus was a different story.

Percy said to hold up. It was a lot of it. If they found it, if they could reactivate it, if they
did it in time, if it would help them. Annabeth had said it disappeared fifteen years ago.

“He’s right. Plus, you’re running out of time really fast. Reassembling the dragon will take a
while as well, especially when you have to drag the head there as well,” Thalia told
Annabeth.

“Trust me, idiot. I know, I calculated the possibilities.”

“Of course, you did. But still…”

“Idiot. It already happened Thalia,” Annabeth reminded her with a small eye roll.

Annabeth nodded and said some people say it’s motor wore out and so it deactivated
itself. Others said it went haywire. But no one knew. Percy looked at her and asked she
wanted to reassemble a haywire dragon.

“That’s your plan?” asked Reyna surprised.

“A lot of the times it’s the plans you’d expect Percy to come up with that are actually
Annabeth’s,” Grover groaned. “Not that his plans are always great either. It’s just sometimes
Annabeth has the crazy daring ones and Percy is the rational one. It’s no wonder with all
these flips and flops that you two drove me over the edge a long time ago.”

“Love you too, Bro,” Percy grinned at him.

Annabeth said they had to try. It was Beckendorf’s only hope. And it had to be a sign
from Hephaestus. The dragon would want to help one of his kids. And Beckendorf
would want them to try.

“You make it sound like he’s already dead,” said Chris somberly.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Annabeth said. She dropped her voice under her breath.
“Idiot.”

“Just not fun to think about.”

Percy sighed and said alright. They should go find a headless dragon. They followed the
path of the dragon’s head had made when it was dragged in the mud by the ants. The
scene skipped them wandering around. Annabeth gasped saying di immortales!

“You found it?” asked Blitz excitedly.

“How long did it take you?” Walt said. “There’s not a lot of time left for him. Is there? And
you still have to reconnect the dragon somehow and get it back in time.”

“They managed,” Nico assured him. “I mean we’ve seen the proof, and even before that I’ve
seen that they always come out well somehow.”

There was a large crater were a piece of metal with wires sticking out of the end was
lodged in the dirt. Percy assumed it was the dragon’s neck and asked if the ants made
that crater.

“No,” Calypso frowned. “It looks familiar. Something crashed into it. The same thing
happened to my dining table.”

Leo gave her a blinding grin accompanied by finger guns. Calypso rolled her eyes at her
boyfriend and sighed. “What I mean is something large and flaming crashed into it.”
Annabeth shook her head and said it looked more like a meteor blast. Silena said it
must have been Hephaestus who unearthed it. He wanted them to find it.

Hazel nodded. “The way it’s caved in and everything, there’s no way that was just dug up.
You guys are probably right.”

“Not probably,” Apollo said. “Definitely.”

“What I don’t get is why you guys didn’t find Bunker Nine?” Piper asked. “It’s very close,
isn’t it?”

“Like right there,” agreed Leo, he paused and shrugged. “I guess it wasn’t time yet or some
nonsense.”

“Hey! There’s a lot of things around there,” Percy said defensively.

“Wolves, monsters, Maenads at the right time of year, the geysers, the Grove of Dodona
apparently, and a bunch of other stuff we haven’t discovered, idiots that demigods are”
Annabeth listed on her fingers.

“Do you think it’s all related? The Myrmekes burrowing could have disturbed the Grove, not
to mention the activity from Festus and in Bunker Nine. Right?” Rachel asked looking
around.

“You might be right. Not that it matters now. The Grove is restored, and no one was
permanently harmed.”

Percy told them to come on. They should reconnect this bad boy. They pushed the
dragon’s head, so it fell down clanging against the neck in front of them. They looked at
the wires helplessly. Annabeth grabbed them and cursed in ancient Greek. She looked at
the others and said they needed Beckendorf. He could do it in seconds.

“Not seconds,” Leo corrected. “It takes even me a while to work on Festus. And to reconnect
his head?”

“It’s a pretty complicated piece of machinery. I really want a better look at it sometime,”
Blitz said leaning forward.

Leo grinned, “If we ever make it to Boston, then sure.”

Percy asked her confused saying her mom was the goddess of inventors. Couldn’t she do
it? Annabeth glared at him and said it was different, she had good ideas, but she wasn’t
good at mechanics.

“Not true!”

There was noise of protest from half of the room. Percy shook his head. “She likes to pretend.
And she’s gotten better since this, and since she got the laptop.”
Thalia nodded. “I’ve seen you design and build things yourself. And one is a big part of the
other.”

“It’s true. Annabeth is really the only one I trusted to control the Argo II besides me. And I
even let her fiddle with the Archimedes sphere once or twice.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m good with this stuff. Like I said, ideas and mechanics are different. I’m
even a bit of an idiot there.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t do it at all,” Grover groaned. “Between you and Percy and self-
confidence…”

“Look who’s talking,” Annabeth said with an eye roll. “Idiots. My fatal flaw is hubris. Self-
confidence isn’t really my issue.”

Percy looked at her and said if he was going to pick one person to reattach his head it
would be her. Silena and Annabeth turned to him surprised. He started to blush. Then
Silena sniffed an aww and wiped her eyes saying he was so sweet.

“You guys are disgusting,” Nico said again.

“You don’t get to talk,” Thalia mimed barfing.

“It was sweet though,” Hazel smiled at her two older friends.

“And it’s true,” Percy grinned. “No offense to all of you but there’s no one I trust more than
Annabeth.”

“We know.”

“I mean besides the actual people who work with medical stuff here I think I’d ask her if that
happened to me too,” Thalia said, suddenly looking a lot more serious.

“I still really don’t know what to make of these idiots’ compliments,” Annabeth said with a
mock thoughtful look. “But I’ll take them.”

“Wait, isn’t your dare done?” Sadie asked.

“No, idiot,” Annabeth said with a groan. “It’s getting annoying but it’s not until I compliment
Percy. The opposite is what just happened.”

Annabeth blushed too. She told Silena to shut up and give her the dagger. Silena did
and Annabeth used it as a screwdriver to open panels in the dragon’s neck. She looked
at it nervously and said here went nothing. She started to put together the wires.

“This is taking too long,” Jaz said nervously. “Much longer than a half hour.”

“Not so much. It seems that way, but we still had time,” Percy assured her.

“Only five or ten minutes, idiot. I’m not that fast.”

“Great,” Magnus said. “That’s assuring.”

“Idiot,” Annabeth said again.

Annabeth worked on the wires for a while. At one point the dragon moved, spitting oil
on her. After a long time, Annabeth stood up and took a breath. She was covered in
mud and scraped up. There was still a streak of oil on her forehead.

“The oil thing,” Calypso winced. “I don’t like when he does that.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“It is after you started to mix his oil with your hot sauce,” Piper said accusingly. “It got in my
face once.”

“Okay, I can see there might be a bit of a problem…”

“A bit?”

“I’ll try and fix it again, but it’s one of his more charming quirks,” Leo said as he put his
hands up as if surrendering.

Annabeth said she thought it was done. Silena looked at her and said she thinks?

“Not reassuring.”

“Idiots,” Annabeth spitted viperously. “I already said I wasn’t sure if I could do it at all.”

“Obviously you did,” Jason reminded her. “Or we wouldn’t have Festus running around.”

Percy said it had to be done. They were out of time. He asked how they started it? Was
there an ignition switch or something?

“He’s not a car,” Leo yelped.

“This was a long time ago! And the way he is turned on isn’t much better.”

“I mean that was only when I still had to turn him on,” Leo shared a secret grin with Piper.
“And I didn’t design him.”

Annabeth pointed at the eyes and said they turned clockwise. She guessed they had to
rotate them. Percy agreed if someone tried to twist his eyeballs he’d wake up. Then he
asked what if it went crazy on them. Annabeth replied then they were dead. Percy said
great. He was psyched.

“Like this is any crazier than most of the other things you’ve done,” Nico told him.

“It kind of is,” Percy said. “Usually I don’t put together the thing that can kill me. It’s getting
into a fight with an opponent that I don’t know how to beat. Like jumping right into the Ant
hill.”
“Thank the gods Annabeth was there,” Reyna said with her eyes raised to the ceiling.

Both of them grabbed an eye turning it. Then both backed up, going so fast they tripped
over each other as the dragon’s mouth opened. It’s head turned to them and it’s ears
steamed as it started to try and get up. Then it realized it couldn’t move. It looked
confused and coked it’s head to look at the dirt, realizing it was buried. It moved several
times until the dirt around it cracked. Dirt flew everywhere. The dragon pulled itself up
and shook off the dirt. Percy, Annabeth and Silena were splattered with dirt. The
dragon was covered in it, had wires loose but otherwise it looked to be in good
conditions. It shook again and looked up to the sky and blew fire up into it.

“It moves,” said Zia amazed.

“And it’s not trying to kill you,” Carter added equally in awe. “I guess it didn’t go haywire.
But it doesn’t seem like it was broken either.”

“I wouldn’t say any of that yet.”

Percy said in a cracked voice that it still worked. The dragon turned and looked right at
him. It’s eyes looked right at him and moved its nose right to him. Percy’s hand moved
to riptide.

“Oh,” Carter said.

“If Festus was gonna kill you, how aren’t you dead?” Leo asked him amazed.

“Because killing me wasn’t his main function,” Percy shrugged.

“Because he’s Percy,” Annabeth answered at the same time. “Idiot.”

Silena yelled for the dragon to stop. She swallowed and shifted nervously saying they’d
woken it up to defend the camp. Did it remember? That was his job. The dragon tilted
it’s head as if thinking.

“Could she charmspeak?” Piper asked looking between Percy and Annabeth.

“I don’t actually know,” Percy frowned.

“Weakly. She didn’t use it often. And it was never as strong as yours and Drew’s.”

“You forgot something,” Sadie reminded her.

Annabeth grimaced and looked up at the ceiling in exasperation. “Fine! Idiot.”

Silena continued saying that Charles Beckendorf was a son of Hephaestus and he was in
trouble. He’d been taken by Myrmekes and needed he dragon’s help. The dragon’s neck
straightened, and it shook again sending more mud everywhere. The dragon looked
around and Annabeth eyes glinted as she said they needed to show it. She drew her
sword and yelled to the dragon to come on. It was this way to the son of Hephaestus. As
they climbed out of the pit she yelled for Hephaestus. They charged with the giant
dragon right behind them, steaming as it did.

“You guys look insane,” Will said.

“Who’s saying they aren’t?” Clarisse grumbled. “Not that it matters. Silena did it.”

“You mean they did it,” Grover bleated. “Annabeth helped.”

“What about me?”

“You didn’t really do anything,” Grover said to Percy. The latter put his hands over his heart
and fell backward, in. over-exaggerated hurt. There were a few reactions before Calypso
rolled her eyes and pulled him up.
 Chapter 11: Shiny, Bright and Sparkling Is Never Good
Chapter Notes

Hi all, so sorry for taking so long. I was doing rereads! As a writer, when I look back I
get mad at myself for all I forgot to include. For example, Piper should have made
comments about sacrificing to Phobos and Deimos in BOO. So, I'm trying to edit the
chapters I've written but have not yet posted. Luckily, I'm far enough to post for you
now! Thanks again for all the love and support.

Sam ignored all of this conversation, more focused on an important point. “The Dragon’s
working! And it’s going to help you.”

“Because like Percy said,” Leo grinned. “It’s the Dragon’s main function. Protecting the kids
of Hephaestus. Protecting Camp.”

“He always does,” agreed Jason.

“Jake wouldn’t really agree. It took him until you guys took off in the Argo II to heal
completely,” Will pointed out.

“Mason’s fine,” Leo waved it off. “And Festus loves him,”

“You just refuse to say a bad thing about your dragon,” Percy said with an eyeroll.

“Because he’s my fire breathing and flying metal dragon!” Leo said as if it was obvious.

When they reached the clearing the dragon sped up its eyes glowing brighter. The
dragon smashed several Myrmekes under its feet. Many of them scattered confused.

“It’s working!” Apollo said almost in surprise.

“That was fast,” agreed Frank next to him. Then he sighed, “Wait. I kind of just jinxed it,
didn’t I?”

“Yeah, buddy. You did,” Percy laughed at him.

The ants started to swarm over the dragon, several of them poured forward. A lot of
them retreated them when the dragon spit fire but more came out of the ant hill as the
dragon continued to fight.
“You plan wasn’t for the dragon to break you in,” Sam realized. “It was a distraction.”

“As much as I say that kids of Athena always have a plan, I don’t always. It makes me feel
like an idiot. But yes, at that moment my plan became to distract them.”

Annabeth told them to go inside while the ants and dragon were fighting. Silena ran
forward first, past the ants which ignored them. They went into the dark maze of
tunnels and muddy, gooey rooms filled with ant shells and other gunk. Riptide lit the
way as they continued forward.

“Ugh,” Percy gagged. “I forgot about that. Of all of Poseidon’s rotting seaweed! It’s almost
as bad as the stables.”

“Really?” asked Grover. “Because—”

“The idiot said almost. Nothing was really as bad as those stables,” Annabeth interrupted.
Even the sulfur smell of Tartarus hadn’t been as bad after a few hours.

“What is all that stuff?”

“Left over gunk from larvae and their rotting food,” Percy said gagging again.

Annabeth pointed telling them to look. In the side room were more goo, and inside them
larvae. In the center of the room was a large pile of gold, gems, and other shiny magic
metals, like helmets, swords and musical instruments.

“That might be more gold than Midas’s house,” Leo gaped.

“And that’s saying something,” Jason winced. “We should know by now that shiny and pretty
places aren’t usually good.”

Percy snapped as if having a revelation. “Moana guys. The giant hermit crab, he traps people
by being shiny. I learnt that lesson after Medusa, as least I think I did.”

Annabeth said that was only one room. There were a lot more nurseries and all were
decorated with treasure.

“A whole lot more gold than Midas’s house,” Piper agreed.

Silena insisted it wasn’t important. They had to find Beckendorf.

“Finally, one of my siblings has their priorities in order,” Piper whispered to Leo.

“I kind of want to stop and look at all of that myself.”

“As I said one of my siblings. Honorary or not.” She rolled her eyes as Leo shot her a
blinding grin. Olympian gods, she had missed him.

As they continued through the tunnels, they reached a cavern full of old meat, bones,
old camp food and at the bottom of one was Beckendorf who was looking like garbage
in his camouflage armor.

“And the smell just got worse,” Percy groaned.

“That’s disgusting,” Jaz agreed turning a similar shade to Percy.

Silena ran right over to Beckendorf calling out his name. He looked at her relived and
thanked the gods saying his legs had been paralyzed.

Everyone in the room winced. That was not something that you would want to happen in the
middle of a situation like this. They’d all been injured or exhausted in battle but being
paralyzed was a whole different situation.

Annabeth assured them it would wear off. They had to get him out of here. She told
Percy to take his other side.

“Not you?” Jason asked. “You’d be stronger than Silena.”

“She wouldn’t let go of Beckendorf. Idiots,” Annabeth thought almost tearing up as the
couple entered her mind. Especially in those last few months.

Together they made their way back through the tunnels. Sounds of roaring fire, metal
and the ants got louder as they moved. Beckendorf asked what was happening out
there. Then he tensed and asked if they reactivated the dragon.

“So that’s why he was rogue?” Leo asked looking between Percy and Annabeth. “Because
the two of you?”

“Kind of.”

“Idiot. I wouldn’t say that,” Annabeth argued. “He was shut down once before, and he might
have gone rogue then. We knew that when we restarted him, remember?”

Percy said he was afraid they did, but it seemed like the only way. Beckendorf argued
they couldn’t just turn on an automaton. Not without calibrating the motor, running
diagnostics. Now there was no telling what it would do. They had to get out of there.

“Aren’t you already getting out of there?” Walt asked.

“Not fast enough, they aren’t,” Clarisse grumbled. “Stupid Beckendorf.”

“Clarisse,” Chris hushed her.

“I know. But Silena—”

“Was a hero,” Chris finished. “Just look at her here!”

They were trying to decide which tunnel to take next when there was an explosion. The
dirt crashed on them and the dragon smashed the ants as he shook around. Percy yelled
to come on as they tried to scramble out of the dirt and ran down the side of the hill.
“That’s absolutely insane,” Carter said wide-eyed. “Get away.”

“No can do.”

“But there’s the dragon! And the ants!”

“Trust me, I know. We were in danger. And we were trying to go, weren’t we?”

The Myrmekes spit acid all over the dragon which stomped and snapped. But the ants
were overwhelming it. Now confident the dragon was no longer a threat some of the
ants turned on the demigods.

“Oh gods,” Calypso gasped. “But Festus….”

“If he couldn’t fight them, how could you?” Hazel agreed.

“We couldn’t. At least not like him. But hey, we’re alright, aren’t we?”

Percy, still supporting Beckendorf slashed the head right off one. Annabeth stabbed
another in its feelers. Beckendorf said he thought he could walk, letting go of the friends
holding onto him and falling on his face. Silena yelled his name and helped him forward
as Percy and Annabeth killed more of the ants, blocking them from biting them and
spitting acid. Percy’s sneakers were smoking as they made it to the crater.

Percy stomped his foot, as if trying to stop a fire under it. But he couldn’t do a thing and it
wasn’t the worst feeling he’d endured while watching his quests. Meanwhile everyone else
was cheering them on, Leo watching his half-brother and dragon nervously.

The dragon tripped as acid covered it’s side. Silena cried they couldn’t let it die.
Beckendorf said it was too risky with its wiring. Silena pleaded with him saying it saved
his life. Could she do it for her? Beckendorf, whose face was bright red and looked
weak struggled to stand. He told his friends to get ready to run.

“Thank you, Silena,” Leo yelled. “Pipes, your sister was awesome.”

“I can see.”

“She saved Festus.”

“More like she persuaded your brother too,” Piper grinned at him. “Just as heroic as you.”

He yelled at the dragon to activate it’s emergency defense beta. The dragon turned
toward Beckendorf and stopped struggling as its eyes glowed.

“Wait,” Leo frowned. “What does that mean?”

Percy rubbed at his arm where his hairs were standing at end. “You’re about to get a bit of a
shock.”

Annabeth groaned and sent him a glare.

Electricity came off of the dragon’s skin exploding several ants. Many of them burnt to
a crisp, falling over. The rest that were still alive ran back into the parts of the hill still
standing trying to get away from the electricity.

“He can do that?” Leo asked. “You guys knew Festus could do that and didn’t tell me?”

“There were more important things to focus on,” Annabeth reminded him. “Unlike you idiots
I also remember Festus wasn’t a full body during most of our quest.”

“I think we just forgot, there were a lot of other things happening between then and when we
were on our quest,” Percy pointed out. “And we have Jason if we want lightning storms,”

“That’s more of Thalia’s thing,” Jason shrugged. “I can do it but I’m better with the winds.”

“I need to search Bunker Nine again,” Leo announced. “And have a talk with Festus. And
Chiron! And Dad! If he can do that, what else can he do?”

“I’ll leave that to you to find out,” Percy said. “I don’t really want to find out.”

The dragon roared happily then it turned on them. Beckendorf told them that now they
should run. They yelled for help as they ran in the other direction.

The room looked at the scene then Percy and Annabeth before Hazel started to giggle. The
room followed her into fits of laughter as they looked at the four demigods running wildly.
Percy and Annabeth looked both amused and exasperated as everyone around them laughed.
 Chapter 12: The Fun Part

Once they calmed down it was Blitz that frowned. “Wait, you say the dragon’s still around.”

“Yep,” Leo grinned. “We were flying on him before we got zapped here by the fates.”

“Isn’t that kind of dangerous? It’s a beautiful piece of machinery but it seems to be turning on
people every other minute. And how on earth are you flying on that thing, it has no wings.”

“It didn’t,” Leo agreed. “Until I attached them.”

Piper nodded. “He also fixed the whole going crazy and turning on people problem.”

“Because I recalibrated it and did the diagnostics. Unlike some people here.”

“Vlacas! Idiot! There wasn’t any time!” Annabeth yelled at him. “And I already told you, I’m
no mechanic.”

“Whatever,” Leo pouted.

Annabeth yelled asking how to stop it. Beckendorf said they shouldn’t even have turned
it on. Automatons go wild after a few years. Percy yelled back that, that was good to
know, but how did they turn it off?

A few chuckles and laughs filled the room. Percy shrugged. “Hey, it was a good question,
and he didn’t really give an answer.”

“True,” Rachel said from where she sat. “It’s just the way you phrased it.”

Beckendorf looked around and saw a bunch of rocks. Beckendorf told his friends to run
around near the base of the cliff. They should distract the dragon and keep it occupied.

“Um, did he even see what that thing can do? Does he want you all to get fried like those
ants?” Apollo yelped looking at Percy and Annabeth in alarm.

“Idiot, what else were we going to do? Run until we led him to the rest of the campers?
That’s the only way to get out of a situation like this.”

Apollo shook his head. “I really disagree.”

Percy chuckled. “Who has more experience on this quest thing and being mortal, me and
Annabeth or you?”

“Annabeth and I,” corrected his girlfriend. “Grammar, idiot.”

“You guys,” Apollo agreed. “But I still think I have the better methods.”
“I kind of agree with him sometimes,” Grover said. “I mean, you guys are my best friends,
but I’d rather not have to fight everything we come across.”

“Gee, thanks Grover.”

Silena asked what Beckendorf was going to do. He promised they’d see and yelled at
her to go. He ducked behind a tree. Percy looked right at the dragon full of determination.
He started to wave riptide around over his head and yelled the dragon calling him lizard
lips and telling him his breath smelled like gasoline.

“It still does,” Piper wrinkled her nose, scrunching her eyes as if she could smell it at the
moment. “With the addition of tabasco and all the other hottest things Leo could find.”

“Do you want to deal with an underpowered and cranky Festus?” Leo asked her daringly.
“No? Then let me feed him.”

“You don’t need to feed him those chips you like from Rome either,” Calypso scoffed. “Or
those things you say are like you? Flaming hot?”

“You feed him Cheetos now too?” asked Chris incredulously.

“And Hot tamales when we have to hold him over for a while. They dissolve inside his
mouth, but the taste stays for a while.”

“Dude, you have some issues.”

“Like you don’t either?” Leo challenged Percy next to him.

The dragon somehow started to look angrier. It’s nostrils spewed smoke, as it ran
toward Percy. Annabeth grabbed his hand, making him look at her in surprise and blush.
She yelled at him to run, pulling him along and the dragon followed.

“Percy, really? You’re ogling her mid-battle?” Nico asked him.

“Um, have you ever seen Annabeth fight?” Percy said defensively. “It’s hot. Her eyes get all
stormy and intense, and she just ….”

“That’s enough, idiot.”

Percy grinned at her and shook his head in amazement. “It’s just scarily beautiful. It’s not like
none of you guys don’t stare at your girlfriends or boyfriends when they fight.”

Everyone in the room who was dating someone or who had dated someone for a while had
the decency to look abashed, though one or two of them may have grinned (Alex was one.)

Annabeth yelled that they had to hold it there. All three of them raised their swords.
The dragon stopped suddenly as it reached them. It tilted it’s head and after a second
sent out a burst of fire. The three demigods scattered. Above them Beckendorf was
inching onto the cliff, watching carefully. Percy caught his eyes and steeled himself.
“Um, what’s the plan here?” asked Magnus.

“Same thing that Carter tried when he told us about that two headed snake thing,” Percy said
to the alarm of all the Egyptians.

“Which one? Cause there were a few, but if you’re talking about the one, I think you’re
talking about then you guys are even stupider than I thought.”

Percy looked at Sadie and held his chest in offence. “Hey, I thought you were all for running
in with no plan and no idea what to do?”

“Oh, I am. It’s much better than being bored to death with one. But even without a plan I
don’t do stupid things like that.”

“That wasn’t my part of the plan,” Percy argued. “At least not this time.”

“Ah, so you got to do the fun part.”

“What the in the nine worlds are you two talking about?” Blitz asked looking between them.

“The fun part, the distraction,” Sadie grinned. “But if any of you want reminding of what we
said about some of the things Carter and I have done, then ask after. You’ll probably
remember after you see what the big guy is gonna do there.”

“Wait, Sadie,” Zia interrupted looking at her boyfriend. “Do you think there might be a way
to show our memory of the event later? And the part after, in Cairo?”

Carter groaned. “No.”

“You’re thinking like a Pensieve in Harry Potter,” Frank thought. “Hazel might be able to do
something like that.”

“It’d be a similar magic to the Hall of Memories or Ages back in the First Nome,” Zia
nodded.

“Discuss it later,” Thalia advised. “This thing is almost done, and I want it over with now.”

Percy charged with a battle cry and slashed Riptide downwards as he dove towards the
dragon. A talon came off of its foot, making the dragon look at him confused. Then it
opened its mouth.

“You’re the one who did that to him?” asked Leo. “Because that was the only thing that
wasn’t normal wear and tear or a Hephaestus camper’s trap. The only blade mark.”

“What else was I supposed to do?”

“Aim for the head?” suggested Alex.

“No one is hurting Festus,” Leo told her angrily.

“It was just a suggestion.”

“For something that already happened,” Hazel said breaking up the argument.

Annabeth yelled his name in warning. Percy stayed still and told her just another
second. She yelled his name again and the dragon reared back ready to strike.
Beckendorf jumped forward and on to the dragon’s neck. It reared back again, shaking
and try to get Beckendorf off of itself.

“So that’s what you meant by doing what Carter did,” Annabeth remembered. “He told us
about that snake monster who poisoned him.”

“This was the thing about the secret name you guys explained?” Will asked. “The healing
technique?”

“That’s not really what it is, but essentially yes, at that moment,” Jaz agreed.

Beckendorf held on tight. He looked at the dragon closely and pulled out a panel at its
neck, then pulled on some wires. The dragon froze and it’s eyes turned off. It stood still,
like a statue.

“Wait,” Jason asked frowning. “Then how did it turn back on when we got to camp?”

“I actually don’t know,” Annabeth replied with a frown. She facepalmed. “Now I’m the
idiot.”

Piper elbowed her and when Annabeth met her eyes Piper raised an eyebrow in reply.
Annabeth huffed and pushed her friend in retaliation. Leo decided to be safe and scooted
away from both of them. “You were right about Beckendorf.”

“About what?”

“That I would have liked him. That he was smart, and one of the best heroes out there.” Leo
grinned but it didn’t have its usual warmth and mischief. “That thing with the control panel,
genius. He knew what he was doing, and he wouldn’t have even had time to get a good look
at Festus’s mechanics.”

“I really wish you could have met him.”

“I guess that’s the good part of this thing,” Leo said. “It’s giving us a chance to see the other
heroes who don’t get talked about enough. For all the things you and I did with great
prophecies, the others are just as important.”

“Sometimes I think they’re even more important,” Percy agreed.

Beckendorf slid down from the dragon and collapsed as he gasped for breath. Silena
called his name and hugged him giving him a big kiss on the cheek saying that he did it!

“Were they dating yet at this point?” asked Piper.

“Not officially,” Annabeth explained. “As most the airheaded idiots in your cabin would say.
They were a thing but hadn’t made it established.”

“Either way, everyone knew both of them were off limits,” Clarisse snorted. “Like the two of
you.”

Annabeth came over and squeezed Percy’s shoulder asking if he was okay. Percy said he
was fine, or at least he guessed. Annabeth said that he was great. Percy agreed she was
as well and asked what they should do with the automaton.

“That counts as you complimenting him.”

“So, I can stop calling everyone idiot?” Annabeth asked Grover, sighing in relief. “Not that I
don’t enjoy it at moments, but it was getting a little annoying.”

“A little?” Magnus asked her incredulously. She grinned back at him, and Magnus felt the
need to glare, but just shook his head after a moment. Having Annabeth back in his life was
worth all this craziness.

Beckendorf looked to be thinking, as he wiped his forehead. Silena was looking at his
injuries which was distracting him. He frowned and the after a moment said he didn’t
know. Maybe they could fix it, it could take months, but they could get it to guard the
camp.

“And what happens if you can’t fix it?” asked Reyna.

“At that point, after the Labyrinth, we needed all the help guarding camp we could get,” Will
told her. “So, fixing the dragon wasn’t a bad idea.”

“But it could still go crazy and hurt everyone,” Blitz said with a stern look, almost sure he
was right.

“Ehh, not too badly. Everyone who was hurt, well, it wasn’t too badly. I mean Jake was as
excited by Festus as the rest of us by the time we took off on the Argo.”

“What does not being hurt too badly consist of?” asked Sam suspiciously.

“You know, full body cast and wheelchair. He was fine.”

“You and everyone else have very different definitions of fine,” Percy told Leo.

Percy said that was worth trying. Beckendorf asked if they’d seen the treasure in the
ant hill. It could really help them. All the magic weapons and armor. Silena’s eyes
widened in agreement as she said the necklaces and bracelets too. Percy shuddered and
said that was an adventure for later. It would take an army of demigods to get close.

“More like a now mortal god and some music,” Apollo said puffing out his chest. In his
Lester Papaldalous form it just looked foolish.

“You didn’t bring back the treasure,” Nico reminded him.

“But I got close to it,” Apollo bragged.

“We’ll just bring Hazel over,” Leo said looking at the Roman demigod. “Miss Metal detector
can get the good stuff and replace it.”

“I’m not really sure.”

“You’re due for a visit when all of this is done anyway,” Nico told her. “And it’d be a good
way to learn more control over that part of your powers. Not that you don’t already.”

“I can try.”

Beckendorf said maybe. But it was an awesome treasure. Silena looked at the dragon,
and then at Beckendorf telling him that him jumping on the dragon was the bravest
thing she ever saw. Beckendorf blushed and swallowed stuttering until he managed to
ask if she would go to the fireworks with him.

“I thought you said they were already a thing?” asked Frank.

“Yeah, but it’s not official until the fireworks. When you come with someone to the fireworks
that means its real,” Will answered. “We had fireworks after the war, when Camp was finally
fixed and rebuilt. We couldn’t during the actual fourth of July that year. It was right after you
guys left.”

“Which was when he and Nico became a thing,” Thalia muttered.

Silena said of course, calling Beckendorf a big dummy, saying she thought he’d never
ask. Beckendorf was looking happy and said they should get back. Capture the flag was
probably over. Percy kicked off his shoe and pulled off his sock, the acid had soaked into
it. Percy leaned against Annabeth and they limped through the woods, behind Silena
and Beckendorf who held hands in front of them.

“Why does it hurt now?” Percy complained rubbing his throbbing foot.

“Because the adrenaline rush wore off? You can bare it.”

“You take such good care of me,” Percy replied to Annabeth sarcastically.

“After that one time when you were sick? I’m never taking care of you again.”

“Wow. Thanks.”

Percy was looking pretty awkward as they walked . Annabeth said to him that what
Beckendorf had done, it wasn’t the bravest thing she had seen.

“What of all the crazy things you two have done on your quests would be?” Piper asked her
curiously.

“I think I’ll save that for myself.”

Percy asked what she meant as they stumbled into a creek.

He stopped rubbing his foot and sighed. “Wow. Water. Cold, fresh, amazing water. Why
didn’t you just let me stay in there?”

“You know why.”

“So, the whole thing was a distraction tactic?” Percy asked her probingly.

“I’m not telling.”

“Please?”

“I’ve already told you several times, I won’t be telling you a thing.”

She told him that he stood up to the dragon so Beckendorf could jump on it. That was
brave. Percy challenged it was probably more like stupidity.

“That’s not false,” Grover agreed.

“Hey!”

“You know it’s true. You said so before.”

“I thought you were supposed to be my best friend G-man.”

“I’m leaving complimenting you to Annabeth.”

Annabeth said he was a brave guy. He should just take the compliment. It wasn’t that
hard. Their eyes met, they leaned in closer together. Percy said, he guessed Silena and
Beckendorf were going to the fireworks together. Annabeth agreed.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” cheered Sadie starting off a cheer around the room. The only one not
cheering, besides Percy and Annabeth, was Clarisse.

“I swear, if they kissed again and none of us knew, those punks are gonna get it,” she
grumbled under her breath.

“You care too much for someone who pretends not to care at all,” Chris said wrapping an arm
around her shoulder, or as far as he could around it. He wasn’t scared to admit his girlfriend
was more buff than him.

“Don’t you dare say that out loud,” she challenged him.

“I think everyone might already know.”

Percy continued, saying about that—in mid-sentence he was interrupted by three of the
kids from the Athena cabin bursting out of the bushes with a grin.

“Now? Really?” Nico asked.

“We were almost all saved a lot of pain,” Will agreed. “A second more and he would have
asked her.”

“It would have been official,” Juniper nodded.

“Guys, we’re together now, for almost a year in a half.”

“Which you weren’t around for part of.”

“We’re together,” Percy said again. “That’s all that matters.”

One of the campers cheered Annabeth’s name, telling her good job. They could get
these two to jail. Percy stared and asked about the game, it wasn’t over? The Athena
camper laughed and said not yet, but now that he was captured, soon.

“I don’t understand. It was a long time. The game is over,” Tyson frowned.

“I wish, buddy.”

“It seems like longer than it was,” Hearth signed.

“A half hour,” Ella bobbed her head in agreement. “Mymerke poison lasts a half hour.”

“And they got to him before that,” Rachel translated. “Plus, all that time chasing the dragon
and it chasing them.”

“And there were pauses when we spoke,” Jason pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his
nose. “So, it’s a lot shorter than it seems.”

Beckendorf protested and said they were sidetracked by the dragon and the ant hill
attacking them. An Athena guy looked at him as if he was lying and told Annabeth she
did a job distracting them. It worked perfectly. Did she want them to take over now?
With a grin Annabeth moved away. Percy almost collapsed in relief looking back
towards their teams side of the creek then she pointed her dagger at him. She said she
and Silena could do it. She said to move it.

“I mean, you really do need to see all this stuff to believe it,” Juniper frowned. “I’ve heard all
the stories. We nymphs like something to do, we can’t really leave camp for long, and gossip
is good. But I understand why he didn’t believe you.”

“I’m more confused by the inference that Annabeth had planned all of this as a distraction.
How did any of that work out perfectly?” Walt asked her.

“I keep saying, if it shows, maybe I’ll share the secret. Unless that happens, none of you are
getting it out of me.”

“I just like that Percy thought you were gonna let him go,” Nico laughed.

“As if,” Thalia agreed. “It’s Annabeth and they’re playing capture the flag. And trust me. She
can get as competitive as me and Percy.”
“Almost like Nike at times,” agreed Percy whispering to Leo. “Which is terrifying.”

“I don’t like remembering that,” Leo agreed, “But you’re right. Not to mention she’s
terrifying to begin with.”

Percy stared at her and asked if she’d planned this, the entire thing, to keep them out of
the game. She rolled her eyes and asked how she could have planned it. The dragon,
ants and everything else. She couldn’t have figured that out ahead of time. Percy looked
at her skeptically as she and Silena exchanged glances, holding back laughter.

“What are you guys laughing about?” Grover asked. “You almost died!”

“That’d be part of the secret.”

“You think I’d tell Percy?” Grover complained.

“We all know how good you are at keeping things from him.”

“Not like you,” Percy said to her, jokingly. “I still don’t know the truth about this, and it’s
been like three years.”

Annabeth’s eyes glinted as everyone turned to look at her. “What?”

Percy tried and failed to think of an insult, protesting with Beckendorf as they were led
to jail. When she put them there, she looked at Percy asking if she’d see him at the
fireworks.

“Why is she always the one to take initiative?” questioned Jaz.

“Because he’s Percy and he’s oblivious,” Rachel shrugged. “Any other obvious questions I
can answer?”

“I tried!” Percy protested. “Then we were ambushed!”

“Just admit it,” Rachel told him. “You need a lot of prodding to make a move.”

“What does that mean?” Hazel asked her. “You’re not just talking about Annabeth, are you?”

“Can’t tell you that. I’m the oracle. I tell pieces of the future. Not the past,” Rachel winked.

Percy gaped as Annabeth disappeared with a wink. He hadn’t answered. He gulped and
looked at Beckendorf asking if she’d just asked him out. Beckendorf shrugged saying
who knew with girls. Give him a haywire dragon any day.

“Agreed,” Leo said. Many of the men in the room looked the same way. Then Leo frowned,
not just from the glare Calypso was glaring at him. “Wait, that’s it?”

“For that little side quest, yeah.”

“How did you not realize she was asking you out?” Piper demanded.
“She’s Annabeth! She thrives on being cryptic!”

“That wasn’t cryptic,” Annabeth told him.

“Cryptic is not telling any of us if you planned that or not,” Magnus protested looking at her
seriously. “I’m your cousin. Tell me at least.”

“No way, butthead.”

“Mature.”

“She planned it. Or something like it. Never bet against Annabeth,” Thalia interjected.

“No, she and Silena were probably just going to distract the boys with the whole fireworks
thing,” Will argued.

“Like they’d do that. Even Princess is better than that. And Silena wouldn’t have resorted to
that for something stupid like that either,” Clarisse grunted.

“Can’t you just tell us?” Jason turned to ask Annabeth, but she had disappeared.

“Great. She doesn’t have her hat, does she?” asked Grover.

“Honestly man, no clue.”

 Chapter 13: Some Siblings Have Serious Conversations

As everyone headed to bed, too tired to even consider dinner, they debated whether Annabeth
had planned the whole thing or not. The theories of how she had were outlandish, but not that
much crazier than anything else they’d seen so far. Annabeth had disappeared completely. Or
so it seemed.

Thalia had found her passed out on her bed, still invisible. The only reason she had been able
to tell was because of the small wrinkles caused by Annabeth’s weight. She was pretty sure
no one else had been able to tell, except Sadie, who smirked at Thalia when she left the room.
The daughter of Zeus had been more focused on Percy who looked at her questioningly, only
relaxing when Thalia nodded.

It was cute to see how they interacted but worrying how much Percy changed when he didn’t
know where Annabeth was, or if was she was okay. She was happy he at least trusted her
with knowing Annabeth’s state of mind. The little girl she’d first met might have grown up,
but she was very much the same in most the ways that mattered. Right now, she knew
Annabeth just needed a break, some time to be alone and cope with everything again.

As she walked by everyone’s rooms to return to the common area, she saw several people
already occupying themselves with something new. Blitz was hard at work with Tyson in the
forge, Ella was chattering away at Hearth, who she didn’t seem to mind couldn’t hear her.
Alex and Rachel were working clay, she could tell from the strong scent of clay from the
room, plus some upbeat Spanish music. Back in the common area, she smirked at seeing
Hazel cuddle against a transformed Frank, in the form of a sloth bear (Thank you Artemis for
an encyclopedic knowledge of every creature on earth). She was reading the first Harry Potter
book aloud quietly, something she remembered them talking about when the dorks had
decided to sort everyone into houses.

Thalia approached quietly, taking a spot beside her brother where he stood with a worried
expression. His focus was on his girlfriend and best-friend, who were whispering quietly to
each other, not having moved after they watched the last scene.

“What’s up?”

Jason shook his head. “They’re too quiet. Leo’s never this silent, not unless it’s really bad,
and Piper might not be as loud, but together, the two of them are never quiet. I think watching
the Capture the Flag game stirred up more feelings they didn’t know they had about older
siblings they’ve never met.”

Thalia laughed bitterly. “Yeah, I get that.”

Jason looked at her questioningly, then sighed sadly. “Me and you. We got lucky.”
“I didn’t know that then,” Thalia shrugged, “Annabeth has some theories about what else we
might be watching. I think I mentioned the little trip to the underworld I took with our
cousins.”

“Something about mom’s mania?” Jason remembered, having recounted his own experience
with their mother’s spirit to his older sister. He hadn’t thought he’d be getting even more
depressed, but Thalia’s angry huff somehow made him feel worse.

“That too,” Thalia agreed, studying her brother’s face. While it was usually expressive, her
brother’s face was as stiff as one of Medusa’s statues now. “Do you know where we could
talk privately?”

Jason nodded, leading Thalia back down the long hallway, and into the room he shared with
Frank and Grover. The room was mostly the same as when they had first gotten here, but
now, it actually looked lived in. This was evidenced by the blueprints, diagrams, and
notebooks lined up neatly on her brother’s bed, and the fletching station and scattered tourist
pamphlets on Frank’s desk. There was still a roman rigidity and sense of organization, but it
was clear this was a place where the boys were comfortable.

Catching Thalia staring at Frank’s pamphlets, Json chuckled. “I don’t really understand it
either. Frank likes reading them, though. Each new place Percy visits on one of his quests,
one appears. It’s actually kind of funny.”

He sat down on his desk chair gesturing for her to sit on the bed as he did. The sweeping
motion knocked several things off his desk. Thalia knelt down to help her brother pick them
up and laughed when the first thing he reached for was a stapler. “I hope you aren’t going to
eat that.

“No, I’m not,” Jason said with a fond eyeroll. “If it’s just mom’s ghost, I can handle it. I’ve
already dealt with her Mania, this should be easy compared to that.”

“Like I said, it’s not just that. Watching these just keeps reminding me just how much I
missed once I left, once I became a tree. I love being a hunter, but I hate what I’ve had to give
up.”

They sat in silence for a moment, both not looking up at the other’s face. “Tell me, about
Mom, about us, about everything. Don’t leave anything out this time. You don’t need to
protect me. I want to know.”

He could feel the charge of static coming off his sister as she seemed to reminiscence. The
one time they’d talked about this had been their reunions, when he saw her again after
thirteen years at Pikes Peak and after defeating Gaea. Neither of them had been able to have
the long talk they should have. Thalia’s other visits to camp were dedicated to getting to
know her brother, and vice versa. “Okay. I’ll tell you. But Mom was complicated, and so is
talking about her.”

Jason gave her a pressing look. Thalia sighed. “Mom weas never a healthy person, at least
from what I know. She lived off attention and was always doing some publicity stunt to put
her on the front page.”
“And she was upset when Jupiter stopped giving it to her,” Jason said, knowing that at least
from their previous talks.

“Mom wasn’t meant to have a kid, especially not with a god. She needed constant support
and affirmation. She couldn’t manage without it. The only time I ever saw her close to happy
was when Jupiter started to visit. Then it got much worth when she left.”

Jason looked down, trying to hide how upset he was by this. It hadn’t been easy hearing it the
first time, but now was even worse. “We weren’t enough for her.”

Thalia shook her head sadly. “She loved us, but it was superficial. I think she put up with us
because of that need for attention. We were her connection to Dad. The proof she had
attracted the attention of the king of the gods. It was more of a ‘let’s show off my adorable
children’ and then forgetting the responsibility. Before you were born, she kept me with her
on set, or just sent me off with a nanny.”

“And after I was born?” Jason asked tentatively. There was part of the answer he knew, so he
was surprised when Thalia smiled, even though she was wiping away a tear.

“Mom was so happy when you were born. She quit acting while she was pregnant, and
Jupiter kept coming around for a few months. You were pretty much the perfect baby. You
barely cried, plus you were adorable, so it was easy for her to show you off. I remember you
being passed around, and mom preening at the attention she got for it. I don’t know what
happened to all that cuteness, probably sapped away by the Romans.”

Jason laughed and batted away his sister’s hand from trying to ruffle his hair. He quickly
sobered up again, fixing onto his sister’s identical electric blue eyes with his. “But—?”

“Jupiter left. She wanted him to stay, and that just couldn’t happen. She kept asking for more
and more. At first he was happy to shower her in gifts. I remember all the necklaces, jewelry,
purses, and other junk. Then it got bigger. She wanted to go to Olympus, to be beautiful and
young for longer, and even to be immortal, Zeus’s Queen. Dad doesn’t like trouble that much.
And Mom was getting to be a handful.”

Jason frowned. “Why did he even come to her in the first place? As Zeus or Jupiter?”

He was answered with a snort, and a scornful observation. “She had those qualities Dad likes,
pretty, exciting and all that. Why men like that stuff is above me.”

Jason rolled his eyes at his sister’s hunter attitude, but pressed further. “So then why did he
come back?”

“I don’t really know. Mom was never home before that, I think she might have made him
jealous. She was went out a lot, and there were always random guys she brought back home
after.”

Thalia sighed at Jason’s skeptical look. “I really don’t know why he came back. Maybe he
was jealous. Maybe he wanted to check on me. That doesn’t answer why he came back as
Jupiter. All I know is it made it plenty worse when he left.”
Jason scowled. “I always thought Dad and I just didn’t have any relationship because he was
the king of the gods. But no demigod does. Dad makes the rules, and he wants everyone else
to keep them so he has to too. I just wish other gods, our parents could be more like…”

“Like Percy’s,” Thalia agreed. “You’ve seen Poseidon briefly. He’s been nice enough to me
in the past. Aunt Sally and Paul, well, you’ve met them. Percy deserves that. And you’ve
met Aunt Sally, if only a few times. She likes to adopt demigods who need her.”

Jason smiled, looking at the picture of Percy with Paul and Sally at their wedding on Percy’s
nightstand and frowned. “I’m excited to get to know her better. I just wish we could have a
home like that.”

Thalia huffed. “The gods don’t often care what they leave behind. I’ve learnt the only
demigods with good relationships with their mortal parents are the ones who accept that the
gods aren’t going t stay. The nice part is over, now they have a kid, a half-god, to deal with.”

Jason clenched his fist, trying to resist punching something. “And Mom couldn’t deal with
it.”

“No. She had no job, stopped auditioning, she thought Jupiter would keep her living in
luxury. She would go out, get drunk, high and come back screaming to the sky for him to
come back. The nannies quit, and it was just me and you. I wasn’t a kid who liked to dress up
or do any of that girly stuff, and I reminded her of Dad. I was more trouble than I was worth.
Mom still doted on you, though, even if she didn’t do much to take care of you. She thought
maybe Zeus would realize his mistake. She had given him the perfect son. After all, he’d
complained enough about Ares, Apollo, Mr. D and Hephaestus. It was a medieval way of
thinking, but she thought it would get him to make her immortal.”

“Because she had me?” Jason asked wide-eyed. “That’s insane. I mean, Dad’s a god. The
king of the gods. After millennia things aren’t going to change because…”

“I know. But like I said. She wasn’t exactly well. It got worse as the monsters started to come
after me.”

“Monsters,” Jason stated slowly. Everyone talked about the monsters. He’d only had trouble
with them on quests. Probably the perks of growing up at Camp Jupiter. “What was that
like?”

“Terrifying. I was starting to understand Dad wasn’t normal, or even human. I found a
weapon in one of Mom’s piles of gifts and started to take it everywhere. I learned to protect
myself. I’d been on my own most of my life, and this wasn’t really different. Then finally
Mom noticed the monsters. She blamed me for bringing you to their notice, blamed Hera for
it, said she was jealous of her, of her perfect son.”

Jason gulped as he remembered what happened next. “But she still gave me away.”

“I can’t tell you why. I know she dragged me away. I was furious, I kicked, bit, hit and used
everything I had. But she left. I called the police the second we got home. That made her
worse. She barely managed to talk herself out of it, and never forgave me for that. She was
never happy with me, and then it just got worse. She didn’t have you anymore. No perfect
son to show her worth to Zeus. Her youth was leaving, and no one seemed to think she was
special anymore. So she started to drink more, leave more, until finally I had enough. You
weren’t there, so there wasn’t anything to stay for.”

Jason gripped her hand, remembering how the rest of the story went form there. “And you
died. Then she crashed. And all those things that were getting worse took over, becoming her
mania.”

Thalia wiped her face and nodded. “Pretty much. I ran away, and the idea of getting to camp
alone was terrifying. Dad had mentioned it, and that was enough for me to go off of, but I
decided I had to go somewhere else first. I headed north.”

“The Bay Area?” Jason asked as his sinking heart started to fill back up with hope, lifting it
up, like a balloon with some helium that wasn’t exactly full.

“I looked around the entire Wolf House, I called your name and stayed for at least two days,
fought off a monster or two, before Hera showed up and told me you were gone and I would
never be able to find you.”

Jason gripped her hand as the static coursed between the two of them, as thick and powerful
as the blood in their veins. “But you did. We found each other.”

Thalia gave choked on her tears, laughing bitterly. “We did, but we never had a normal
childhood. I spent two years on my own on the run, until I met Luke in that Dragon’s cave in
Charleston. I was supposed to be the daughter of Zeus, but I was all alone. I finally was
starting to feel better when I met Luke and Annabeth, they also were runaways whose parents
couldn’t deal with them anymore. Even then, I never stopped thinking about you.”

“Why? You had Annabeth and Luke, didn’t you?” Jason asked.

Thalia shoved him, “You know why, you dork. You’re my brother. I didn’t just go replacing
you with the first blond I found.”

Jason grumbled. “You found two.”

“I could barely look at Annabeth somedays, she was seven years old, and you would be
almost six. I was sure you would be just as tough as she was. Then, after I woke up from the
tree, I met Percy. A son of the big three.” She looked over at Jason, feeling the currents of
electricity grow. “Percy and Annabeth are family. I won’t argue with that, but I was never
trying to replace you. I was reminded of you everywhere I went, but with them, I wondered
all the time if you would be like them if you’d had the chance to grow up. I thought you were
dead. In fact, the entire time we were in Asphodel on this quest…”

Jason had been holding back tears until now but hugged his sister as they both quieted their
sobs. “Hey. You found me. Not in Asphodel, or even close. I was miles above and away.”

“Up, up and away,” Thalia snorted.

“Wow. You aren’t usually so cheesy.”

“You wouldn’t know,” Thalia grinned, shoving Jason again and giving him a little zap. “But
you’re right. I found you. I’m just sorry it took so long. And that I stopped looking so soon.”

“No, you wouldn’t have been able to find me,” Jason told her seriously, reaching for her
hand. “I barely remembered you, and I was in New Rome. You couldn’t have fund it without
knowing where it is. And you just said you were looking for me, even in Asphodel.”

“I got so focused on finding myself, avoiding the prophecy, when I knew you had to be alive.
I didn’t want to believe otherwise, and I only considered it a few times, counting this trip to
Erebos. I lost so much time as a tree, when we met again you were already my age,” Thalia
said in a tone of disbelief. She unclasped her hand from Jason’s, putting her hands on his
cheeks and pulling his face to look at her. “Jason, I know how hard it is, being a child of
Zeus, Jupiter, or whatever you want to call him. There’s the pressure to be the leader, and
you’ve never felt like you belong. It took me longer than I’d like to realize that I didn’t have
to be what everyone wanted me to be. I can be scared of heights, even though my dad rules
the sky. I don’t have to be perfect. I felt like I had to keep running from my past to do that,
but we don’t. I knew at Camp Jupiter you grew up with a lot of expectations on you as well.
And I’m happy you’ve started to find yourself as well. Just promise me you won’t run from
everything like I did. You stay true to yourself and face it.”

Jason nodded, putting his hands over her and looking at her solemnly, “I promise.”

“Good,” Thalia said, “Now, I want to hear about these projects and I’ll tell you more about
everything. The good parts. Deal?”

Jason grinned. All his life he felt he’d had no family. Over the last year he learned he always
had. Not just the Romans and Camp Jupiter but Thalia and the others. It wasn’t something he
was used too, being looked after instead of leading and taking care of, but he was getting
used to it pretty fast. Even when Thalia jokingly made a huge deal of making sure he got into
PJs, brushed his teeth and tucked him in before he reminded her he was physically older.
She’d shocked him for that.

Grover and Frank were in the doorway. They backed away fast from Thalia, then laughed at
Jason (whose hair was sticking up) until he threatened a shock to them, or worse. After
seeing Percy’s glare so much, his wolf glare wasn’t working on everyone else very well. It
wasn’t even as close to being scary or intimidating.

Percy watched Thalia and Jason leave. He hope the talk worked. Both of them needed it.
Once again he was aware how lucky he was when it came to his family. The only one it
seemed. And soon he would be getting a little sibling. Silena and Beckendorf hadn’t even
been able to meet theirs. He knew that’s what Piper and Leo were talking about. Most of the
other people were drifting out, Frank and Grover were the last to leave, letting him know they
would hang out in the boy’s common area until they saw Thalia leave. The entire time Leo
and Piper kept talking.

After at least a half-hour, forever to an ADHD demigod, Percy made a decision. With a sigh
he steeled himself as he walked over, interrupting the whispers of the two younger demigods.
Both looked up at him, neither willing to show much on their faces. Percy sat down and
rubbed his hands over his face. “After all of that, we should probably have another talk.
Hearing things, then actually seeing it… Oh gods, when did I become a therapist!”

Leo laughed and Piper rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, because you might be the most messed
up of all of us..”

“Trust me, I know. Not like you can trust most real therapists anyway.”

“They always turn out to be monsters for us,” Leo agreed as he grabbed another piece of
something from his belt adding it to the small thing he was fiddling with in his hands.

Percy stared at it for a minute, all the gears and pieces, then looked at Piper who seemed to be
staring right into his soul. “I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I’m so sorry. I tried to save them. I
should have. You would have loved them. They would have loved you. You guys are so much
alike, except you’re not dating.”

Piper and Leo pulled almost identical faces of disgust. Percy gave a half-hearted snicker in
response. “A lot of your siblings can do similar things, but you guys… it’s just so much
more. Beckendorf would fiddle with things like that and give little gifts to campers or come
up with an idea and rush to the forge. He was a lot quieter, almost always serious, but he was
the only other person I knew who got so completely consumed by his projects.

“Silena, she knew what emotions meant, like you Piper. She could look right at a person and
know what they were feeling, what they needed, how to talk to them. She made a lot of us
realize our emotions were legitimate. It was okay to be sad, angry, happy, anything at times
you felt you shouldn’t.”

Piper smiled sadly. “Good. I don’t think she got it through your girlfriend’s head though.”

“I said most of us, right? And she got there partway. Just needed you to finish the job,” Percy
agreed. “You’re a lot fiercer than her, at least at first sight. She was so gentle, kind, and
soothing. I guess that’s what your charmspeak does. Otherwise, you can be pretty tough,
sarcastic and sassy even. But when the people you love are threatened… you guys had
identical reactions. It’s amazing.”

“I wish I could have met her,” Piper voiced for the millionth time.

“I know. I do too,” Percy said. “We’ll have to settle for me telling you about them though.
Hearing about them from those that knew them. I can’t say exactly how you feel. I’ve never
felt that way. I had no older siblings, but I still want to help.”

Leo nodded. “Thanks, dude. I just wasn’t expecting all of that. You know when I saw it… I
knew Festus and him had a connection but….”

“It’s a lot to take in. That’s why I’m here. To talk, to tell you more of what I can.”

Percy looked again at the little thing in Leo’s hand. “Beckendorf would disappear for a while,
just like you. Just start working and keep going until he thought his creations were perfect.
He was a bit different, because he was pretty quiet, whereas you never shut up.”

“Dude,” Leo gasped clutching his heart. “That hurts.”

Percy’s mouth twitched at the corner. “It’s true. He was quiet. A few observations, maybe
plans or questions. But when he wanted to be heard, he was. You have the same gift. You
seem to disappear from time to time, but when you have something to say, something to stand
up for, you’re at the front line, at the center of everyone’s attention.”

“Are you sure I’m the one that can read people?” Piper asked.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think lately. It’s not like I haven’t seen most of this before.”

“What else?” Leo asked suddenly, leaning closer to Percy.

“Well, Beckendorf was just like you in that he was the most loyal and dependable person I
knew. You’re the same. There’s no better type of friend.”

“There isn’t,” agreed Piper.

Percy nodded but got somber again quickly. “I mean, both of you are even good at sacrificing
yourself. The thing is, Beckendorf didn’t…. he didn’t come back.”

A hush fell over the three of them. Piper gripping Leo’s hands as he looked at Percy, who was
crying, more openly than most of them had ever seen him do. “I tried; you know. I wish it
was me. But he put everyone before himself. I’ve never met two people who loved so
intensely.”

“I have.”

Percy looked up at her with a questioning eyebrow, telling her he didn’t believe her. “Not like
them. There’s so much more…”

“We have all night,” Leo reminded him. “What about some stories?”

Percy smiled sadly. “Right. So, stories. How about the Golden Mango?”

“But after, you have to tell me more about Festus. You’ve been holding out on us. A lot.”

Percy didn’t say it but was thinking of how Jason had said the same thing. There was a reason
he didn’t talk. It hurt. It put him in the center of attention. But if other people needed him to
talk, then he would.
 Chapter 14: The Big Three Have Family Time!

The conversation lasted long into the night, or early morning depending on how one looked
at it. Either way, Percy was still exhausted, which wasn’t a good thing considering what was
coming next. He could tell Annabeth wasn’t going to hold it all together much longer as well.
People were still pestering her this morning about her capture the flag set up but she wouldn’t
give an answer.

She gave him a sympathetic look when he walked in, messy hair, a little drool, SpongeBob
sweatpants and sweatshirt. It was subconsciously decided that morning, Annabeth knew.
Subconscious but still strategic, showing Percy wasn’t a scary all powerful person, but a
normal mess of a demigod. He still drooled in his sleep.

“You know, we really should set up some type of capture the flag,” Annabeth said as
someone asked her again how she had done it. “It’d be fun with all the people here.”

“Only if I get to crush you,” Clarisse yelled from further down the table.

“And if I get to lead the team,” Thalia pitched in.

“All of us against the boys?” suggested Piper. “It would be interesting.”

“Too easy.”

“Reyna has a point. We’ll figure out a way to divide the teams when we actually decide to do
this.”

“And definitely not now,” giggled Jaz looking at Percy as he drowned his pancakes again.

The other person looking at him right now was Nico. He remembered what was probably
coming next all too well. And Percy had done some things that were insane, even for him.
He’d also been seriously injured as it was happening. Then there was Iapetus. Percy and
Annabeth had apologized and thanked him way too many times after the war. Seeing all of
this would bring up bad memories for all of them.

Memories were also an issue. Too many of them had lost theirs, and seeing Iapetus and his?
There were too many triggers. And the Fates still didn’t give them a complete idea of why
they were here.

Still, at the moment everyone was enjoying themselves. Most seemed to be tired and just
waking up. The most energy was coming from where Blitz, Tyson and Leo were huddled
together as Leo waved his arms wildly gesturing to a napkin with scribbles on the table. It
was pretty obvious they were still stuck on Festus, and still might be trying to improve him,
as Leo had never stopped tinkering with his dragon companion.
 The other people, those who were awake, were milling around in their own quiet
conversations, eating slowly and taking time to relax. Looking around again Nico saw more
people had arrived while he was in his own thoughts. The only people missing now were
Hazel and Jason.

“Frank?”

“Yeah?” Frank looked up from where he was talking about archery tactics in capture the flag
with Will and Apollo.

“You seen Hazel and Jason?”

“Jason was still asleep, but I haven’t seen Hazel. Do you think they’re okay?” Frank asked in
concern as he looked around wildly once more to check they weren’t there. He started to get
up, but Nico stopped him.

“I’ve got it.”

Percy, who was barely even alert, seemed to have a way to sense when his friends were
troubled. He looked up from his food as Nico was walking away to give him a questioning
glance.

“No Hazel or Jason,” Nico mouthed.

Percy frowned. “Need help?”

Nico shook his head and left leaving Percy to look at an equally concerned Thalia. The two
Romans should be up. Their harsh training had them almost programmed. If Percy, who had
been with the Romans for barely a week, was able to get up then so should the other two. So,
something was seriously wrong.

When he got to Hazel’s door he knocked twice and waited for an answer. After repeating that
three times he opened the door himself. The bed in her part of the room was neatly made and
Hazel’s art supplies were put away. Nico frowned again before deciding to check Jason’s
room before trying to find Hazel again.

To his surprise Hazel and Jason were together in the room, leaving Nico puzzled. Neither of
them had been close, though both were the only Roman Big Three demigods. Hazel had
arrived at Camp Jupiter shortly before Jason had been taken by Hera. Before the quest he was
only a figure to look up too. Even after their time on the Argo, neither were as close as one
might expect. They’d learnt more about each other here than they ever knew before. After all,
their only other time to get to know each other had been while fighting a giant turtle named
Molly.

“Nico?” Hazel asked surprised.

“You guys didn’t get to breakfast. And you weren’t in your room.”

“I came to see if Frank was here. I was thinking because you said today might be….”
Nico understood immediately. Hazel was still scared about being reclaimed by the dead and
her memories in the Fields of Asphodel. He knew Jason and Thalia had been talking about
their mother’s Mania last night, which must have been the reason the son of Jupiter was still
in his room. The usually positive demigod seemed to be in the opposite mood right now. He
looked to be as much of a mess as Percy.

“You think you’ll be okay? Both of you?”

“You were,” Hazel told him. “So, I guess we’ll be too.”

“I was because I had Percy and Thalia. And you have all of us too.”

Jason sat up from where he was sitting on his elbows next to Hazel. He looked at Nico and
smiled softly but sadly. “We’ll be fine. I was just thinking again how different it would all be
if we’d all been together before.”

“We can’t change the past.”

“But you, Percy and Thalia seem to be super close, you have all these inside jokes and know
so much about each other.”

“You do to,” Nico reminded him.

“Not like you guys. I mean I didn’t know Hazel that well before this. And I’m still learning
more about her.”

“And I’m still learning about all of my cousins,” agreed Nico. “Neither Percy nor Thalia
knew I was gay. They had no clue about a lot of the things happening with me. I did know
they were there to support me though, and they loved me too, even if didn’t know everything
about each other.”

“It’s what that word Leo uses…. FOMO,” Hazel snapped.

“Yeah. That.”

“We all have that. And you shouldn’t, most the times we meet up we all almost die, and even
then, we fought. Maybe that’s one of the reasons we’re here. So, the five of us can grow
closer and figure that all out.”

“I’m not sure that’s a great reason to do all of this,” Jason gestured as he stood up.

“Doesn’t matter,” Nico said with crossed arms. “Now are you two coming or not?”

“Just let me get dressed.”

“No time. Percy’s there in sweatpants anyway.”

“But—”

“Nope,” Nico said grabbing both their arms and shadow traveling. “Now go eat.”
Everyone had to wait for the two Romans to finish eating, but neither were feeling
particularly hungry. It wasn’t long before they were heading into the other room. Though not
a lot of the Greeks were feeling particularly cheerful Percy noticed a frown on Annabeth’s
face.

“What’s wrong?”

“You’re sure it’s showing your quest to the underworld next?”

“I don’t remember anything else really important happening. Or maybe they’ll show
everything. I was running missions all of that year.”

“But do you think they’ll show something that wasn’t part of those missions or quests? Like
when Nico was at your birthday last year?”

Percy paused. “You’re thinking of the wedding, aren’t you?”

“What wedding?” Piper asked overhearing.

“Oh gods,” Thalia snickered. “I do hope they show that.”

“In hindsight I guess it was kind of funny,” Percy shrugged. “Now come on! I demand Big
Three Cousin Cuddling.”

He was immediately met with disgusted expressions, but his cousins shook their heads and
sat next to him anyway. Annabeth squeezed between Percy and Thalia to watch as well. From
what Percy had told her, what was coming next would feel better if they were all together.

The scene opened on an auditorium full of children hunched over desks. Rachel’s bright
red frizzy hair was eye catching at the front of the room. Percy could be seen frowning
with concentration as he tried to write.

“Finals?” Sadie groaned. “Why are we watching you take Finals.”

“I doubt we’re watching Percy take a test. Especially, when he has an allowance for extra
time. It would take forever,” Grover told them.

“I’m not arguing with that. Plus, if we watched it, I’m sure Annabeth would be nagging at me
for every little thing I did wrong.” Percy looked smug for barely a second when Annabeth
shoved him, so he toppled off balance, and onto the ground.

The door burst open and Mrs. O’Leary stood on the stage running in circles and
stepping on the sets and props for the Christmas play. Percy stiffened and looked
around. Everyone looked up, mostly laughing but a few people cooed and called the dog
cute.

The room was filled with snickers as well there. Samira looked at Percy understandingly, as if
commiserating about all the times demigod/mythological life had interrupted school and
normal life.
“So, Mrs. O’Leary got you out of a test? Did you like summon her or something?” Alex
asked not paying any attention to her sister. “It’s a pretty good distraction.”

“I did not, though I am always happy to see her,” Percy replied. Having two pets who lived at
Camp was hard. Luckily both of his pets could travel, and fast, making it easy to see them
when he wanted to.

“I doubt we’d be watching this if it was just about Percy’s dog appearing in an exam,” Zia
pointed out.

“True.”

The teacher fidgeted with his glasses and asked whose poodle it was. Percy sighed with a
slump. Percy got up and said it was his poodle, apologizing, because it must’ve followed
them there. The tune of ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’ was being whistled by someone
making more laughter.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Not that funny, wise guy.”

Percy nudged her. “Really Wise Girl?”

All he got in reply was a groan. Meanwhile, while some where still snickering Rachel was
still in all out laughter. “I forgot about Dr. Boring.”

“Your teacher? Was he really that boring?” Hazel asked curiously.

Both former Goode students laughed before explaining that was his real name. Rachel turned
silent for a moment. “Wow. You looked so nervous. Don’t worry, I think we were the only
ones who saw her.”

“Agreed. I don’t know how though. Mrs. O’Leary is harder to hide than most of the disasters
I cause. She’s the only reason I was able to completely convince Paul about the truth.”

Dr. Boring scolded the students and Percy for having a poodle. Mrs. O’Leary
interrupted him with a bark, turning in a circle as she wagged her tail.

“Do I need more proof?” Percy said with a gesture making everyone laugh.

Percy told the teacher he’d get the dog out, he was done anyway. Percy closed his test
and ran forward trying to catch Mrs. O’Leary as she ran for the exit, teasing calls
following them out as well. Percy chased Mrs. O’Leary out of the school and through
the city.

“Where’s she leading you?”

“Really, Jaz? You know I can’t tell you that.”

Percy yelled for her to slow down and asked where she was going. People looked at him
and Mrs. O’Leary weirdly as she stopped, turning to bark, urging Percy on. She
disappeared over a fence and into snow covered bushes. Percy, shivering in just a t-shirt
and pants, made a noise of complaint as he followed. On the other side Mrs. O’Leary
was in a clearing, sniffing the ground. Percy looked around warily, taking out Riptide.

“Good idea,” Jason noted.

“The whole thing is kind of creepy,” Apollo agreed from next to his half-brother. “Even if the
hellhound is yours.”

“Very creepy.” Juniper cuddled into Grover’s side. She didn’t like Mrs. O’Leary usually, and
especially any of this.

Mrs. O’Leary looked up, making Percy ask her what was wrong. Nearby the bushes
rustled.

“Creepy.” Several people said in a sing-song voice at once.

Piper rolled her eyes. “Like that makes it any better.”

A deer colored solid gold, that shined with brihtness, jumped out of the bushes. Mrs.
O’Leary looked at it hungrily.

Everyone stared at it in awe. Apollo, on the other hand, bit his lip. That deer was one of his
sister’s sacred animals. Did she need Percy’s help for some reason?

“What is that? It’s beautiful.”

Once someone had interpreted Hearth’s signs, they all turned to Percy for answers. He
frowned. “I’m actually not the best person to answer that question.” Then he brightened
looking at Hearth. “Hey! Think you could teach me some sign language? I want to be able to
understand your comments.”

Hearth brightened as well, as much as an already bright elf can, and nodded. Then signed
again, “What about my question?”

“It’s—” Apollo tried then frowned when he couldn’t answer.

“It’ll explain in a minute.”

The bushes rustled again, and out jumped a girl in a silver parka, with an arrow
notched on her bow. Percy raised his sword and the girl turned her aim on him, then
frowned saying his name surprised.

“I thought you guys were done attacking each other,” Chris said half-jokingly.

Percy shrugged. “We’re demigods. If we aren’t on the defense, we’ll end up dead. I wasn’t
sure what was coming out of the bushes. I had to be ready, didn’t I?”

“Still took you way too long to recognize each other,” Clarisse snorted. “You need to work on
your reaction time.”
“Like we’re the slow ones here.”

Percy yelped her name in surprise too and asked what she was doing there. She rolled
her eyes as she told him she was following the deer. One of Artemis’s sacred animals.
She thought it was some type of sign. She looked at Mrs. O’leary, hand still on her bow,
and asked what a hellhound was doing there.

“Wow. You guys really don’t see each other much at all, do you?” Walt asked.

“Not until after this. Now we talk like once a month.”

“If Kelp Head over there isn’t up to something else so he can save the world.”

“It’s not like I want to. In the great words of Star-Lord, it’s only because

‘I’m one of the idiots that live here.’”

“You really like that movie,” Apollo noted.

“It’s funny,” he shrugged.

Thalia was turning to Hearth to answer his previous question. “That’s the Ceryneinan Hind,
there’s a story with Hercules, but the main thing is her brothers and sisters pull Artemis’s
chariot. This one stays in the wild and will not be harmed. She shows up as a sign from the
goddess sometimes.”

Percy explained she was his pet, then yelled at Mrs. O’Leary to stop her from sniffing
the deer. The deer didn’t seem to mind, butting her in return. They started to chase
each other around.

“Aww.”

“My dog is the cutest. I know.”

“She’s actually kind of terrifying,” Frank told him.

“Mrs. O’Leary is cute,” Tyson pouted. “Mrs. O’Leary is the best at fetch, and cuddling…”

“And we’ll talk about Mrs. O’Leary more later,” Leo promised patting Tyson’s arm
comfortingly. “You know I’ve never met her.”

“You should,” Tyson nodded sagely. “Mrs. O’Leary is fun.”

“We’ll put it on the list.”

Thalia told Percy that none of this was a coincidence, him being at the same place as her
right now.

“Kronos? Another ploy for one of the kids of the Big Three?” Magnus asked.

“That’s we were thinking. Makes sense we were on guard like that now, huh?”
Percy groaned that some god was messing with them, Thalia agreed that was likely.
Percy commented it was still good to see her. She smiled, still wary, and said if they got
out alive they’d get cheeseburgers. Then she asked how Annabeth was.

“Don’t you talk to her?”

“Not as much as I’d like too,” Thalia admitted. “Plus, I was trying to get him to say
something, like they’d be dating in secret, or find out what might finally get them together.”

“So, you don’t care about Annabeth?” Percy asked. “Rude.”

“Wow,” Annabeth said sarcastically. “I’m heartbroken.”

“The cheeseburger thing was real though.”

“Official food of the kids of the Big Three,” Percy grinned.

“Wait, Big Three. Shouldn’t Nico be there?” Carter asked.

“Wait for it….”

The clearing grew dark. The deer disappeared; Mrs. O’Leary barked frantically. Both
demigods stood ready, back to back, as it grew darker. A boy fell on the floor muttering
an ow and stood up to brush off his aviator jacket.

“See? There he is.”

Percy asked his name in surprise. Thalia looked at him, and as if to make sure asked if
he was Bianca’s little brother making Nico scowl.

“Is that all you knew him as?” Hazel demanded.

“I was much closer to Bianca at the time. We’d been on a quest together. Now that’s very
different,” Thalia shrugged. “I’m not gonna apologize, even though I was kind of rude. All I
knew is that he was a child of Hades and wasn’t on Kronos’ side.”

“Word about my father spread fast,” Nico noted grumpily. “Should have realized with the
increase in monsters and other mythical interest.”

Nico asked grumpily why they brought him there. He’d been in a New Orleans
graveyard, and the next minute… he looked around confused before asking if this was
New York and what the hell he was doing there.

“I love New Orleans.”

Everyone turned to the three people who had spoken, Hazel, Nico and Walt. “It’s a place that
celebrates death. Makes sense.” The latter shrugged. “Which graveyard were you in?”

Nico started to answer but Leo reached over and put a hand over his mouth. “Uh uh uh. Talk
creepy death stuff later, not in front of all of us.”
Nico narrowed his eyes and a second later Leo squealed shaking his hand. “Ew! He licked
my hand.”

“You guys aren’t doing another dare? Because that seems like a personality swap,” Blitz
muttered to Leo.

Leo pointed his finger and shook it at Nico, “That was all him. Pure evil. I would never do
that.” He raised his hands in the air in a sign of surrender.

“Yes, you would.” All of the seven answered at once.

“Anyway, why’d you think they brought you there?” Jason asked Nico.

“I was just learning to shadow travel and tended to anchor near places with meaning, or
people who needed my help. Or even were just thinking of me.”

Percy assured him they didn’t bring him there. He looked nervous as he said they were
brought there. All three of them.

“Not good.”

“Not good at all.”

Nico ordered Percy to explain what he was talking about. Percy pointed out they were
children of the big three. Thalia gasped, saying it was the prophecy, and Kronos, before
trailing off, leaving all three of them staring at each other nervously.

“You didn’t already figure that out?”

“Hey! I was just taking a test,” Percy said defensively, “My brain was fried.”

“I was in a different state, and shadow traveling.”

“Chasing a deer. For several hours.”

“Okay, your excuses work for once,” Annabeth rescinded her scolding.

Mrs. O’Leary barked and jumped away as the ground rumbled. Nico pulled out his
sword, but he, Percy and Thalia were already disappearing into darkness.

Percy and Nico exchanged glances. Percy was actually feeling it, the falling, in the dark and
cold. So much like Tartarus. He gripped Annabeth’s hand, but kept his eyes on Nico who got
darker and paler all at once. As much attention as was on them now, it was about to be
quadrupled.
 Chapter 15: A Visit to Nico’s Stepmother’s Garden
Chapter Notes

Happy Birthday Percy Jackson!!! I'm finished with my reread, to make sure I have
everything I want in my outline. It's coming together guys. Sorry for the long wait.

Luckily, not many people had noticed the looks on the faces of the three survivors of Tartarus
in the room. It was the other big three kids, and those that had seen Percy and Annabeth fall
into the pit that saw faces growing even paler than before. Yet, they were unable to do
anything. The best person who could comfort the survivors was themselves.

Thalia sighed in relief anyway when she saw Annabeth’s tension relieve itself as Percy
squeezed her hand. She knew this was going to be as hard for them as it was for her. She
wasn’t the only one who’s secrets were being revealed. She looked over at Nico who was
lying on Hazel’s shoulder (while sharing looks with Will across the room.) Yes, the five kids
of the big three and their friends were a bit broken but getting fixed piece by piece.

Everyone else was still focused on the scene of the falling trio in front of them. Any tension
still in the room was removed by the loud echoing snort. “It looks like a cartoon.”

“It’s not,” Carter rolled his eyes.

“Obviously,” Sadie imitated her brother (to his annoyance) by rolling her eyes. “But it looks
like it. One of those Saturday morning ones we used to watch. They’re going to have that real
cliché thing happen in a minute. You know the one. They’re all screaming and falling and
then they’re just standing there fine. Still screaming of course.”

“This is real life though,” her brother reminded her again.

“She does have a point,” Magnus told him. “I mean, how much of our lives seem like cartoon
or movie clichés? And don’t make me take the time to list them all.”

Carter sighed with a shrug as he watched the fall continue in front of him for mere seconds
before his sister was jumping up and down in her seat. “Ha! I told you. I’m right. See?”

Nico, Thalia and Percy were standing in a dark garden with shimmering flowers
screaming as loud as they could.

“Fine, you’re right,” Carter conceded.

“So, we live in a cartoon?” Hazel asked.

“Or some other type of cliché storytelling device,” Rachel said from next to her. She’d heard
this conversation before and was planning to shut it down before it went any further. Not that
she could stop the gears already churning in Annabeth’s brain.

Thalia asked where they were, and Percy said after a second he’d been there before.
Nico scowled as he picked up a pomegranate.

“The underworld again,” sighed Grover.

Percy looked at him strangely. “Um, dude. You already knew that, right?”

“Yeah, just the pomegranate. Only the Underworld makes ones that juicy,” Grover moaned. It
quickly turned into a groan when Juniper elbowed him to bring him back down to earth (or in
this case back up).

“Right. Underworld, pomegranates. That’s a thing,” Walt said. “But that’s not what would’ve
clued me in.”

“So, what would’ve oh great death god?” Chris teased his new friend. “If not the
pomegranates?”

“The gloominess? And caves? And we saw trees like that before in Percy’s first quest?” Walt
replied. “Not like it has anything to do with being Anubis’ host.”

“Sure,” Carter drawled, as Sadie snickered behind her boyfriend.

Nico noted it was Persephone’s garden and warned his companions not to eat anything.

“Sorry, what’s with the face? Evil stepmom? Is that another cliché we’re going to be seeing?”
Piper asked.

“And the pomegranate thing, explain that again, please?” Jaz agreed.

Jaz’s question was met with answers from all sides by the scholars of the room or those who
just knew the myth. It took a minute for it to become quiet enough so she could hear the
answer from a single person.

Meanwhile, the big three kids were talking about the whole evil stepmom thing. All were in
agreement that Thalia and Jason had it the worst with Hera. It was Persephone and Amphrite
that were the debate. Thalia and Annabeth recounted Percy’s complaints when first meeting
his stepmother, to which the son of Poseidon became defensive.

“I like Amphitrite. We get along now. She makes me cookies when I visit,” Percy informed
his cousins.

“Now though,” Jason pointed out. “And your half-sister didn’t seem to have such a great
opinion of you either.”

“Yeah, but siblings are a different thing,” Nico reminded him. “We’re talking stepmoms.
Hazel hasn’t had issues with her yet, but she turned me into a dandelion. Plus, this whole
adventure.”

“So, Percy has the best family life at the moment,” Thalia declared. “Again.”

Percy squirmed uncomfortably. “Only because of you guys. And you know how much my
mom loves all of you, so can we not….”

Hazel patted his arm. “Don’t worry. I think they’re finished explaining the whole thing to Jaz
and anyone else who didn’t know anyway.”

Thalia turned aiming her bow and yelled heads up to her distracted cousins. She was
focused on a woman in a pale dress of many faded colors. Her voice matched her dress
as she introduced herself as the aforementioned stepmother and welcomed them.

“So, I guess she looks like that in winter,” Jaz said. “When she’s with Hades, right?”

“Yeah. She’s a bit brighter, a little well…. For lack of better words, she’s more alive in the
summer.”

Nico squashed the pomegranate under his boot. And asked how come she had the nerve
to welcome him after last time. Percy looked at him warily and tried to say his name
warningly. Persephone interrupted him saying it was all right. They’d only had a small
family fight.

“Wait,” Frank asked. “I know I heard something about the second part before. But Percy, did
you just try and make someone else be respectful to a god?”

Percy threw up his arms in exasperation. “C’mon! You’ve all already seen I can be respectful.
Maybe I got a little less forgiving after a god kidnapped me and took away my memory, but I
usually like to give people some type of chance at first.”

“Still weird to see,” agreed Hazel. “Now Nico is the one stopping you from saying anything
offensive.”

“Was… I was,” Nico said. “I don’t really care anymore.”

“Do you care enough to tell us what the fight was?” Leo asked with a grin. “The whole story
please.”

“Shut up and you’ll hear it anyway.”

Nico exclaimed it wasn’t little. She’d turned him into a dandelion.

Nico blushed as the whole room started to laugh at the image of the usually sullen or broody
boy as a dandelion. Thalia contained a smirk to give him a comforting look of understanding
on the matter of being turned into a plant.

“May I ask, why a dandelion? What was this fight about that made such a thing necessary?”
“Reyna, she’s a goddess. I don’t really have any good answers. I think it’s pretty much just
the fact I exist that made her do it.”

Reyna nodded skeptically but didn’t press further.

Persephone continued and said she was welcoming them to her garden . Thalia lowered
her bow and asked if she’d sent the gold deer. Persephone agreed saying she sent that, a
shadow for nico and the hellhound. Percy asked if she controlled Mrs. O’Leary.
Persephone said that she was a hellhound and a therefore of the underworld. All the
was needed was the suggestion in her mind to lead him to the park and bring the three
of them together.

“I get how she can do the shadows or the hellhound, but how’d she get to the deer?” Percy
asked looking at Apollo. “You should know.”

“Honestly, no clue. Sometimes we can do stuff like that and sometimes we can’t.”

Rachel looked around recalling earlier conversations. “No straight answers here, are there?”

“Says the oracle.”

Percy asked why and Persephone explained that Hades had a problem and if they knew
what was good for them they’d help. She led them to a balcony where they were offered
food and drink (all left untouched.) Persephone bemoaned she couldn’t greet them
properly, like if it was spring.

“So does she have living versions of those servants when she’s with Demeter?” Will asked
loudly starling everyone. He shrinked back. “Sorry, I said that out loud, didn’t I? I really hate
ADHD sometimes.”

“And again. No straight answers,” Rachel said gesturing to the room as a whole.

She stopped and said it didn’t matter because Hades was her husband and she’d do
anything for him. This time she needed their help, fast for Hades’s sword.

“Sword?” Apollo asked. “What sword?”

“Hades doesn’t use a sword. None of the big three do,” Clarisse agreed. “Not that it wouldn’t
be cool. That kind of weapon would be so destructive.”

“That’s not a good thing.”

“And only as destructive as any other of the gods weapons,” Nico said defensively.
“Depending on how they choose to use them.”

“Still, what sword?” Apollo repeated knowing full well he’d have his question answered by
the scene they were watching in front of them.

Nico said that his dad didn’t use a sword, but a staff and his helm of terror. Persephone
corrected that was past tense which made Thalia sit up alert. How could he forge a new
symbol of power without the permission of Zeus?

Apollo frowned and turned to the children of the big three. “Dad doesn’t know about this.
Does he? You knew and didn’t say anything.”

“There were a few more pieces to take into consideration,” Thalia said.

Persephone conjured an image of skeletons smithing an iron blade. She explained

Hades had to be ready for the coming war with the titans. Thalia protested that it
wouldn’t be allowed. Zeus and Poseidon would say it unbalanced their power sharing
agreement. Persephone said that it would make Hades equal to them. Hades didn’t
want anything from his brothers but knew they wouldn’t give him this, so he did it in
secret.

Apollo’s frown grew. “I’m still not completely on board with all of this.”

“It was like two or three years ago, so you don’t need to be.”

Percy still watched the image above the table and pointed as something was inserted
into the hilt. He asked if that was a key. Nico startled and asked if it was the keys of
Hades.

“Not good,” Apollo murmured. “Not good at all.”

“Could you shut up and let us get this over with?” asked a frustrated Thalia.

Thalia asked what the keys of hades were. Nico explained they could lock or unlock
death according to legend. Persephone said it was true. Percy asked how you locked or
unlocked death. Persephone said it was exactly like it sounded. It could release or
imprison a soul in the underworld.

“So, they’re keys to the doors of death?” Jason looked to Nico.

“They’re what?” Percy turned to his younger cousins. “Is that true?”

“I don’t know. Maybe? I thought they were legend before all of this.”

“But they’re not. And after this the doors of death became unlocked,” Annabeth said. “And
this whole thing might have put that into motion.”

“It also put closing them into motion,” Percy said trying and failing to keep his mind of an
old friend. “So, we don’t need to think too much about it.”

“It’s Annabeth. That’s kind of impossible.”

Nico started to say if one of the keys was in the sword. Persephone interrupted and
finished that the wielder could raise the dead, or kill anything with just a touch of the
blade. They all looked at each other silently for a moment before Percy said it was
wicked sword. Thalia thought it would make Hades unstoppable.
“So why didn’t you say anything?” Apollo asked again.

“Because he didn’t use it for anything bad,” Thalia said. “And it’s not finished. Wait until the
end before bothering me about it.”

“Fine,” Apollo pouted.

Persephone agreed that was why they had to get it back.

“He lost the sword?” Jason asked turning between his sister and cousins.

“Not exactly.”

“But it’s gone,” Jason tried again. “Right?”

“Yeah. Now can you watch or do I have to have Piper charmspeak you into doing it.”

Jason settled back into his seat all while still exchanging mock glares with his sister and
Percy.

Percy repeated what she said. Persephone explained that the blade was stolen as it was
almost finished. She didn’t know how but possibly a demigod servant of Kronos. And if
the blade fell into Titan hands. Thalia interrupted her saying it was her fault that
Kronos probably already had it. She allowed the sword to be stolen. Persephone replied
by turning Thalia’s bow and arrow into plants and giving her a warning that even
though she was Zeus’s daughter and Artemis’ lieutenant but this was Persephone’s
home. Thalia slowly and angrily asked for her bow back. She was acquiesced with a
wave.

“Okay, so if it was gone it was obviously the Titans but why a demigod?” Leo asked.

“Remember the first quest,” Calypso reminded him. “Only a demigod can steal an item of
power.”

“So, was it Luke again?”

“He’s Kronos at the moment, so no,” Chris answered.

“Oh. Right.”

Persephone told them to sit and listen. The sword hasn’t left yet. The other keys were
used to shut everything down. Nothing would get in or out and he was doing all he could
to locate the thief.

The three who were on the quest tried hard not to snort or make other derisive noises as they
shared glances under Annabeth’s annoyed glare.

“So why do they need you?” Samirah asked. “If the god is locking down the realm, then
there’s not much they can do that the god and his servants can’t, right?”
“Yes. In most cases,” agreed Thalia. “This was a bit different though.”

Thalia asked why they were needed.

“As if we needed more proof of the similarities between you two,” Annabeth said.

“Not so much. After all, Thalia doesn’t like heights or flying. Samirah does though,” Jason
said. “We’re on for that race, right?”

“It would be interesting,” Samirah said slyly. “Fine. We’ll race at some point. I cannot
promise one now.”

Blitz stopped himself from sidetracking them further by replying to Hearth’s comment on
how often they talked about random things that had nothing to do with what they were
watching at the moment. Though it would be funny if he had.

Persephone explained that looking for the sword couldn’t be common knowledge. They
locked everything down but didn’t say why and no one could know why. The blade
couldn’t be known about until it was finished and so they couldn’t know it was missing.

“That doesn’t make sense,” Reyna said with furrowed eyebrows. “I thought Hades was using
all of his resources?”

“Look, just watch if you want an explanation. It’s not like I understand the woman at all,”
Nico said in annoyance.

“Nico was the one to explain if I remember,” Thalia said. “So it’s not like he’s getting out of
answering your question.”

“No,” Percy whispered. “He kind of is.”

Nico said that if Hades’ servants knew there was trouble they might desert him to join
the other side. Persephone moved on and said that the thief had to be a demigod. Even
Kronos had to follow the rules about an immortal stealing directly from another. There
was still a demigod here somewhere and to catch him they needed three demigods.

The three who had been on the quest could tell that everyone was sensing something wrong
with the situation, unlike them at the moment under the stress of the situation. Yet if they
tried to explain it was likely the fates would stop them from spoiling anything like before.

“I still think this whole thing is fishy,” Apollo said.

“I agree. It’s just stupid excuses for a stupid battle plan. What’s really happening here?”

Percy looked to his other cousins behind him and sighed. “Look Clarisse, I wish I could tell
you. But if I try then—”

“I still don’t understand that. Or any of this. Why am I here again?” Clarisse grumbled
leaning onto Chris’ shoulder.
Percy asked why them?

Everyone looked at him incredulously. He rolled his eyes and shrugged. In hindsight it was
obvious. The three kids of the big three were the most powerful demigods at the time.

Persephone explained that it was because they were the kids of the big three and it
would show that their fathers could unite and shouldn’t protest Hades’ new weapon
because their children trusted him. Thalia protested that they didn’t trust him. Percy
agreed and said why should they do stuff for Hades? Or give him a super weapon? He
looked to Nico for assurance.

“Don’t say anything!” Percy said defensively as all of his friends gave him a look. “I know. I
would do the same thing as him for my dad.”

Grover looked at him strangely. “You kind of did, or something similar? Either way, as scary
and as bad as Hades is, it’s better than the Titans. Just do it. And having the Big Three united
wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

Percy sighed. “Yeah. It’s just not the way it should happen. It shouldn’t have to be because of
a thief or a war or some grand action.”

Nico didn’t reply so Percy prompted him again. After another second Nico said he had
to do it. Hades was his dad. Thalia protested that there was no way Nico could think this
was a good idea. Nico looked at her incredulously saying it wouldn’t be better in
Kronos’s hands.

“See?”

“No one argued,” Thalia said to Grover. “We get it. You’re right. You are the one here with
the most common sense most of the time. Get over it.”

“I will when you start listening to my advice,” Grover grumbled.

Percy and Nico looked at each other. “We do listen to you.”

“Sometimes,” Nico interjected.

Grover looked at the two boys he’d played protector too and sighed, deciding it would just be
better to give up at the moment and just keep watching.

Persephone told them time was going. The thief would be looking for a way out. Percy
frowned saying the realm was locked. Persephone said no prison, even the underworld
was inescapable. The sword had to be found before it left the underworld.

“Are there really that many ways to get out of the underworld?” Leo asked looking at the two
underworld experts in the room. Then he frowned as he focused on Hazel. “I mean, I know it
was different with the doors of death open. The proof is sitting right here. But could you do
that stuff even now?”
Nico took a deep breath. “Look, I just don’t want to get into that right now. Yes, there are
ways to get out of the underworld. That doesn’t necessarily mean alive. You could be
haunting or anything else. If you wanna have a long in-depth conversation about it, well we’ll
see how I’m feeling about talking about all of this.”

Thalia asked even if they wanted to how could they find the thief.

“Yeah. The underworld is huge,” agreed Annabeth. “And I don’t think I ever got that part of
the story.”

“It wasn’t such an important detail,” Percy told her. “And obviously there’s going to be an
answer.”

In answer to Thalia’s question a yellow flower appeared in a pot on the table.

Persephone said it would guide them. Percy asked if it was a magic carnation? The
goddess of spring told them the flower would face the thief and the petals would fall if
the demigod got closer to escaping. A petal turned and fell just then.

Frank looked at the Greek big three kids. “So like Beauty and the Beast?”

“Pretty much.”

“Where is that in Beauty in the Beast?” Hazel asked her boyfriend.

“The Disney movie,” he told her. “It’s on your list of culture to catch up on.”

Hazel gave a small oh as others laughed at the cute moment and the comparison of the
Beast’s flower to this ugly yellow carnation. Hazel hid her face in Frank’s shoulder, or fur as
he turned into a giant St. Bernard to cuddle with her.

Persephone said when all the petals fell the flower was dead and the thief was gone so
they’d have failed.

“So exactly like Beauty and the Beast,” Piper decided.

“We already established that,” Thalia said. “Can we move on yet?”

“When you do. It’s your quest after all?”

Percy and Thalia looked at each other unsure. Then Percy turned to look at Nico whose
face was set in determination. Percy’s face hardened then as well as he turned to
Persephone.

Nico nudged Percy’s leg forcing his cousin to meet his eyes for a moment as he
communicated his thanks for taking the quest with him and helping his misunderstood father,
even when they didn’t have the best relationship. Percy nodded but his face stayed still and
hard to read. All Nico could tell was that if he needed his cousin, he’d be there.

Percy gave a condition if they did this Hades had to swear on the Styx never to use the
sword against the gods.
“How is it possible that many times you forget to make such ultimatums? One should always
get an agreement that both sides can be bound by. It is the first rule when dealing with gods,”
Zia said sternly.

“I’m usually more focused on other things,” Percy shrugged. He didn’t want to blame his
ADHD, but he had a feeling that was a factor as well. And it wasn’t like the gods always
stuck to their word with these things anyway. The consequences weren’t as severe for them
as for others.

Persephone said she wasn’t Hades, but she was sure he would do this as payment. Then
another petal fell. Percy turned to Thalia who still looked unsure. He smirked as he
asked if he could hold the flower while she beat up the thief. She sighed and agreed they
should go catch the jerk.

“Is that really all it took?” Reyna raised an eyebrow at Thalia. The hunter shrugged.

“I wasn’t going to let these two idiots go off alone.” She smirked as her comment got two
identical protests from her cousins.

Annabeth nodded in agreement as well but looked at Thalia. “Still, if there was a way to get
you to do things for people, well, I think Percy might have found it.”

Jason snorted. “Percy found it? I think she’s always been like that. It’s protect or attack. Or
both.”

“And is there a problem with that?” Thalia asked her eyes sparkling with mirth as her brother
grinned at her. “How would I get you to do stuff? Just ask? And then you’d listen like the
good little Roman brother you are.”

Jason tried to wrestle her off as she mussed his hair which had gotten almost as shaggy as
Percy’s. She zapped him in return and pulled his head into a crook of her elbow. Electricity
flew from her knuckles as she gave him a noogie, making up for some of the years of sibling
torture they’d missed.
 Chapter 16: Thalia Goes Searching for Ghosts
Chapter Notes

AN: Sorry I've been MIA. Between graduating college, starting grad school and a full
time job, it's been hard to find the time. I'm so happy I have so many dedicated
followers, and will try and finish!

Thalia kept Jason in a hold as she teased him, even as he continued to squirm and attempt to
escape. Many were laughing or rolling their eyes at the interaction between the siblings.
Finally, Annabeth decided enough was enough, it was time to move on. She reached over to
pull Thalia’s arm off Jason, only to receive a shock.

“That was my warning,” Thalia said wiggling her eyebrows. “You try again, and I’ll tell
everyone that story about Delaware.”

Annabeth’s eyes widened and she backed off. Percy’s brows furrowed as he looked between
his girlfriend and older cousin. “Delaware?”

“No,” Annabeth said resolutely.

He threw her an upset puppy dog glance, but stopped, wincing as he put his arms up in
surrender. Thalia was left with Jason squeezed beside her, and there was no argument to be
brooked. The daughter of Zeus had established she had plenty of ammo on most the
demigods around her, and she proved it by showing everyone about how easy it was to get
her brother to do something. After all, he was as eager to please as a golden retriever.

Strangely enough, in this situation, Grover wasn’t trying to get everyone to behave (maybe
because he was just as scared of Thalia as everyone else), instead he continued to prolong
their small break by starting new conversations and talking as long as he could so the scene
in front of them didn’t start.

When asked why, Grover shrugged. “It’s the underworld. They’re obviously unhappy with
this. Why not try and keep them from reliving it? If I was there, I wouldn’t have let them get
into this situation in the first place. Underground, bad. Underworld, a lot worse.”

Reyna scoffed. “You, from what we have seen, would claim you are protecting them but let
them take charge and don’t stop any of the idiocy they always find themselves involved in.”

Protests came from the big three corner. Reyna ignored Nico’s glare as she sat down by his
side establishing herself as a protector, as Grover did the same on the other side near Percy
and Thalia. Both shared looks over their friends’ heads.
Thalia reached over, finally letting go of her brother, and there was the smell of burning fur.
Grover bleated, and jumped up in shock, literally. Thalia waved a crackling finger at him
when he started to complain. Percy just shook his head beside him as quiet fell and the scene
started. “Just forget it, G-man. She’s insufferable.”

The three demigods trudged through asphodel, which looked as dead as ever with black
trees, yellow grass and wandering souls looking lost as they looked for some purpose.
They walked in a line, with Nico in front waving his sword to part the souls, then Percy
holding the flower, and lastly a grumbling Thalia.

“Wow,” Will said. “I thought the underworld couldn’t get any glummer and grumpier.”

Nico grunted. “You’re a jerk. And it was Thalia’s fault anyway. She was the grumpy one.”

“True,” Percy nodded.

Thalia rolled her eyes at both of them. “I had a good reason.”

Both her cousins replied to that sarcastically. “Sure.”

“Boys,” she groaned again as the scene continued.

Percy asked if Persephone was uptight. Nico replied it was always that way, she hated
him. Percy pushed to ask why he was included in the quest. Nico was quiet for a moment
then said it was probably his dads idea. Percy frowned.

“Sorry,” Percy told him.

“It’s fine. I’m happier that it wasn’t,” Nico shrugged. “And Dad and I have worked things
out. Mostly. Kind of.”

“As much as two emotionally constipated people like you can,” Percy agreed. “Wow, that’s a
gross image. I never thought of it like that before.”

Annabeth reached over to flick him. “Focus, you ADHD puppy.”

“Sorry.”

The scene didn’t start playing then. Grover was looking at Percy and frowning in a similar
fashion to the way the Percy in the past scene was doing. He looked and sighed. “So, what
were you thinking?”

“What?” Percy asked surprised. “I didn’t do anything.”

Thalia snorted, “Yes, you did.”

Ignoring both of them, Grover shook his head. “It’s that expression. It’s when Percy has some
suspicion or doesn’t trust something. He makes that face.”
There were some murmurs of understanding and laughs as Percy tried to say he didn’t make
such a face, Annabeth did. Her thinking face.

“You make that face.”

“Nope,” Percy said obstinately.

“Whether or not you were making that face, any idea what you might have been thinking at
the moment?” interrupted Rachel. “That’s what Grover was trying to ask. Wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Grover said sighing in relief. “Thank you.”

Percy frowned making a similar expression, though it wasn’t quite the same. “I don’t know.
Maybe that Hades wasn’t there? I think that was it.”

Everyone’s eyes widened and looked toward the big three kids for answers. It was Hazel that
spoke, biting her lip. “I guess. Pluto usually likes doing these things in person. Unless he
can’t for some reason. Maybe that’s it.”

Jason squeezed her shoulder, having heard about Pluto’s refusal to talk to his daughter for her
own good. “Maybe,” he agreed.

Nico led them on. Thalia commented he was good with zombies. She’d have to bring
him the next time she went shopping.

That got some laughs. Nico was scowling and stared her down as if daring her to try and
bring him to a mall. She grinned in response as if making a promise. Across the room Reyna
observed this stark difference from the tense Thalia in the scene, who was gripping her
weapon. If only she could find a way to do that as well, like the Greeks.

Percy had slowed down to walk beside Thalia and was observing her. After another
moment of silence, he spoke asking how immortality was.

“Great ice breaker,” scoffed Apollo.

“Hey!”

Thalia shrugged. They had been close at that point, but not as much as they were currently. It
made sense to ask such a thing, as he hadn’t really seen her or talked with her at all since, she
had taken the hunter’s oath. Now she saw him at least four or five times a year. That was
when quests and monsters didn’t get in the way.

Thalia explained that it wasn’t totally being immortal, just until someone killed them.

Alex hummed. “Almost the opposite of us then.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can be killed in Valhalla, but outside we’re deader than we used to be,” Magnus
explained.
Leo raised his hand as everyone stared. “Sorry, but could we just take a moment to think
about how that sentence sounded?”

“You literally came back to life,” Piper reminded him. “You don’t get to talk.”

“Moving on from all the death stuff, please!” Jaz asked desperately.

Percy said always a danger. She agreed looking around. Percy looked worriedly and
spoke in a low voice as she did. He told her that if she was looking for Bianca then she
was in Elysium for a hero’s death. Thalia growled that she knew then sighed, saying it
wasn’t that but that, then she stopped herself telling him it didn’t matter. Percy frowned
but nodded.

“Sorry,” he murmured to her.

“It’s fine.”

Piper observed them from across the room. Nico seemed to say something to Percy, probably
a thanks for being considerate about bringing up Bianca, even if he’d moved on for the most
part. Of all the people sitting there it wasn’t Thalia that looked shook up by the scene, but
Jason and Hazel. She could guess why Hazel would feel that way, hearing about her sister
and thinking about her own time in Asphodel. Not Jason though. He shouldn’t have been so
upset besides a little empathy for his sister, Piper thought.

“Who were you looking for?” she finally asked Thalia. “You’re looking at the ghosts.”

“I was looking at our surroundings. We’re on a quest, someone needs to be looking out for
danger,” Thalia deflected.

“You’re looking at their faces,” combatted Sadie.

She huffed with a grimace. “Look, this thing is already going into my private life enough.
Can’t you just leave it alone?”

“Your mother?” Grover asked in concern. “I thought that you had moved on from that.”

Thalia got up and stormed out of the room. There was a burst of static electricity as she did,
making the hair of most of the people in the room stand on end. There was some angry
stomping noises and a large slam as a door must have been swung shut.

Several people tried to get up to go get her, all of the big three kids and Annabeth, for
example. Grover reached out to stop them. “No. She was pushed. If she needs to talk, she’ll
talk.”

“Maybe not to any of you,” Jason said as he pushed Grover’s hand off his shoulder.
Especially because he was the one that kept pressing. Jason knew the satyr had done it out of
concern, but his sister had wanted to be left alone. “But she will to me.”

Everyone watched as he left. Percy and Annabeth exchanged glances with Grover full of
concern. Nico frowned as well. There were a few moments of silence as the group who had
tried to go after Thalia remained standing looking at the door.

“I know she doesn’t like to talk about the past,” Annabeth said, “But that was…”

“Don’t worry. I was thinking it too. I was sure she was looking for her mother. Grover was
wrong. She might be over it now, but not then.”

Grover coughed. “Should we really be talking about her when she’s not here?”

Percy rolled his eyes in response. “It’s not like you guys haven’t been talking about me this
whole time. Isn’t that what the Fates wanted?”

Grover bleated. “Well, it sucks.”

“Yeah, it does.”

There was quiet for another moment, an awkward silence as every tried to figure out what to
do until Jason returned with his sister. Hazel was trying to pat down her hair, which was
curlier and puffier than ever. Next to her Leo was snickering as he pulled it and watched it
spring, which got him hit by both Hazel and Calypso.

“Jason.”

“What?” Frank asked looking at Piper.

“She was looking for Jason. The first time we met her, she said she thought Jason was dead.”

“Ironic,” Apollo pointed out. “Considering she was the one who was really dead.”

Will whacked him to point out it wasn’t the time. Everyone else was looking at the door
again where the two siblings had departed from.

In another room Thalia was punching something and cursing over and over, not to mention
ripping up magazine covers featuring her mother. When Jason came in they were blown
away in a storm, though some had been exploded to pieces with lightning. He sat next to her
and waited for her to speak.

“I hate her.”

“We already talked about Mom and all of this,” Jason said softly. “We just have to move on
from it.”

She shook her head. “I’m not upset about mom. I told you that entire time in Asphodel I was
looking for you. It’s her fault! Hers and Hera’s!”

“But I’m here now.”

Her head snapped up as their electric blue eyes met. “Now. What about then?”
Jason looked at her confused. She pulled down on her jacket as she spoke, looking back
down so she didn’t look at him. “I think if I’d known you were alive it might have been
different.”

“Of course, it would have been.”

“I mean that you wouldn’t be older than me right now,” she said. She pointed to her circlet.
“I’m the Lieutenant of the Hunt. I’m immortal. I made that choice because the people I loved
had others to take care of them, my family didn’t need me.”

Jason zapped her, more of a pinch to his sister. “Of course, they do! Annabeth idolizes you.
She’s the one who told me about you when I lost my memory, and after I first met you, I kept
asking her about you. She wasn’t really happy about it. She was still looking for Percy.”

“Exactly,” Thalia reasoned. “She has Percy.”

“Who needs you too. He has to act as the eldest, the protector most of the time for our family.
I think it’s nice for him knowing he has you on his side. I know it helps me.”

She sent a burst of lightning and screamed again startling Jason as he stood back in
confusion. She looked at him sadly. There was another moment before she reached up to him,
running her hand through his hair. The height difference was ridiculous, but she made him
feel smaller, and he leaned into the comfort it gave.

“I missed this. All of this. What if I miss more? Or all of it again? I’m over mom being a
terrible mother, but not over the fact she gave you up. I’ll never be over that.”

Jason pulled his sister into a hug as he tried to put all the words he couldn’t find into the
strength of the embrace. He could feel her tears on his shirt. There was more electricity in the
air now and the wind picked up. He wouldn’t tell Thalia, but he thought they might be
floating. As she started to calm, they lowered to the floor.

Thalia cleared away a tear. “You tell no one about this, all right?”

Jason shrugged. “Sure.”

“I was the one who saw you in diapers. You better be sure.”

“Fine.”

“None of this ever happened,” Thalia stated again. “And that goes for everyone when we go
back.”

Jason grinned and winked. “What are you even talking about?”

“Wow. See? If you weren’t taken you never would have become such a dork.”

He shoved her a little and she laughed, as the siblings turned into a wrestling match on the
floor of the hall outside the viewing room.
 Sissyy Almost Gets Squashed
Chapter Notes

AN: Hi, I know I’ve been MIA. I’ve been really busy, and wanted to go through all the
new books to make sure I’m up to date on the Riordanverse. To make it up to all you
loyal followers, I am going to post several chapters. I hope this helps!

Inside all of the other viewers were trying to figure out how they felt about the situation.
“Look,” Nico decided. “It’s none of our business. The Fates may be showing us a lot, but we
shouldn’t be prying further than we need to. I mean, I know it’s kind of sucked for me and
everyone else too. I wouldn’t want to come back to everyone talking about me.”

“What do you want to do then?” Reyna asked him. “None of us know how long we might be
waiting for them to return.”

The room filled back up with conversation as everyone gave their ideas, from more dueling,
sparring, arts and truths or dares. There was watching another movie which was shot down
very quickly, and Hearth suggested they do some arts in crafts which prompted the next idea.

“Um… I’m not very good at arts and crafts. I’d really like to know what you’re saying
though,” Jaz asked. “I think it would be useful, especially if I ever have a deaf patient or—”

“It’s a great idea,” Magnus grinned. “Hearth’s a really good teacher. Between him, Blitz and I
we can all teach you.”

Percy’s eyes brightened as he watched everyone split up and say what they wanted to learn to
say first.

When Thalia and Jason returned to the room, the others were learning their name signs. Each
included the sign language letter of their first initial and a sign for a different descriptor of the
person. The demigods were having fun putting these signs together with the first ones they’d
learnt, the ASL curse words and the good ol’ fashioned ‘flipping the bird’ to curse at one
another.

Clarisse was moving her hand held horizontally, near her chin, with a feral grin as it moved a
little downward and away to create an insult meaning a female dog. Before she’d added
Piper’s sign name, a P, two fingers held out from a fist, and apart like scissors, then the sign
for feathers, pinching at the hair with an index and thumb then pulling out.

Of course, Piper responded in an equal manner, signing ‘dumbass.’ Jason and Thalia looked
at each other confused, especially when the entire room looked at them in silence with
blinding grins and waving their hands in a few motions. Later Jason would learn these were
their name signs. A J, a pinky drawing the letter in the air and the sign for tall, a hand with
palm down, moving up to show something getting taller.

Thalia’s was silver, pointing at the earlobe, moving it away and forming the fist (thumb
uncovered) letter S and shaking it, then a T, a fist with the index finger being the only one
covering the thumb.

Eventually, after they learnt a few more signs and caught Thalia and Jason up, the demigods,
magicians and room full of mythical people sat back down.

The scene started back up exactly where it had stopped, with Thalia snapping at Percy. She
looked at him apologetically, in the same way she did in the scene in front of them as it
started to play.

He apologized first for not thinking.

“When are you?” asked Alex.

“Shut up!” Samirah shushed her.

She looked at him and stopped frowning saying it was okay. They should just get this
over with. As she spoke a petal fell off the flower that Percy held.

“It’s going fast,” commented Carter looking at Nico. “How long does it take to get in and out
of your underworld?”

“Depends.”

“It’s not like ours,” Walt explained. “There are no different houses and hours. It’s more like
when you pop in to visit your parents or Sunny Acres.”

“So, almost like a Duat portal.”

“Something like that.”

Percy looked at them as they spoke and saw that most of the room looked just as confused as
he did. He resolved that they needed to review what exactly went on in the lives of Sadie,
Carter, the Egyptians, Magnus, Alex, Sam and their whole mess in Boston.

As they continued to walk the area got darker, which didn’t seem possible. The three
demigods jumped a small stream of lava and walked toward the sound of screams and
bad music.

“The hell part of hell,” Rachel grimaced. “Wow. What luck you guys have.”

“No comment.”

“Is music seriously a punishment?”

Nico shrugged. “For some people. When a person deserves the fields of punishment the
furies cater a new punishment just for them. Tantalus, the guy with the food in Percy’s second
quest was one of them. You’re gonna meet at least one other.”

The flower turned toward a hill on the left. Percy directed his cousins there, all three of
them were covered in ash, blending in with the surroundings. There was a bunch of
curses, some thudding, and a strange noise kind of like creaking. Thalia grimaced
asking if it was who she thought it was. Nico said he was afraid so, the expert on
cheating death. Then he walked to the top of the hill.

Everyone turned to Nico for an explanation, except of course those who were knowledgeable
in Greek mythology and the underworld and knew just who the son of Hades spoke of. The
guy was Thanatos’s worse nightmare. He was what Hazel was, but a lot more guilty, and with
a few more deaths and lives included.

On the other side of the hill was a guy in loincloth with pot belly hanging over the side.
He kicked at a boulder screaming he wouldn’t do it then cursed in several languages.

Thalia reached for Jason’s ear. Percy looked between Hazel and Nico. Both his young
innocent little cousins. Nico had already covered Hazel’s ears, so Percy reached for his.
When he tried Nico looked around to glare at him, but Percy grabbed him and turned his head
straight again.

“Technically he’s older than you,” Will reminded Percy. “And he’s definitely heard and said
worse.”

“Shush. Little ears,” Thalia scolded as Percy stuck his tongue out in response. Annabeth
rolled her eyes wondering once again why the younger ones in the family were much more
mature. Circumstances, she supposed.

The man marched away angrily from the boulder but was pulled back like by a bungee
cord. He started to bang his head on the boulder saying all, right then cursing it more.
Then he said that was the last time. Understood?

“Who is this guy and why is he talking to a rock?” asked Leo.

Walt raised an eyebrow. “That’s the Moses thing. Isn’t it?”

“You’re thinking of something else. That was Moses hitting the rock,” Apollo said. “Instead
of talking to it.”

“This conversation has made no sense at all,” declared Sadie. “So, move on and explain who
this guy is.”

“Nico will in a few moments. Keep watching. It’s not like I had anything but the vaguest clue
about all of this either.”

Nico told the other two demigods to go now while the man was in between attempts.
Nico called Sisyphus’s name as they walked down the hill. The man looked up and hid
behind the rock saying he wasn’t going to be fooled with those disguises, he knew they
were the furies.

Everyone looked between the three Greek Big Three cousins and laughed. The idea of the
Furies disguised like the mismatched bunch was hilarious. They shared a little resemblance,
but the difference was still there, especially with how they were dressed in the scene in front
of them.

Percy shivered. “Ugh. Now I’m thinking of old grumpy ladies in my body.”

“Not a good feeling,” Carter recalled.

“Just being around her isn’t a good feeling,” Sadie scowled. The three of them ignored the
looks from around the room. Grover raised an eyebrow. “You’re not talking about Mrs.
Dodds anymore, are you?”

“There’s enough similarities, but no. Not her.”

Percy insisted that they weren’t the furies. They just wanted to talk. The old man
shrieked that it was time to go away. Flowers wouldn’t help, and it was too late for
apologies. Thalia tried to insist again they just wanted to talk. The man ran putting his
hands over his ears and screaming la-la he wasn’t listening. They chased him around the
boulder until Thalia caught him by the hair.

“Who knew the Field of Punishment could be funny?” Chris snickered at the cartoonish
scene.

“Because it’s not,” Thalia grumbled. “The guy deserved it and the place is literally hell.”

“Again. Can someone please explain what’s happening here,” insisted Jaz. “I’m not sure I
really understand your underworld.”

“Really?” asked Apollo. “Because it’s not that complicated. Like at all. It makes more sense
than a feather of truth and a thing devouring souls. That part just sounds like Harry Potter.”

“Hey,” Sadie protested. She made a mock hurt face as she glared at Apollo. “Don’t talk about
my Poochiekins like that!”

“I really want to see what this Ammit looks like,” Piper whispered to Frank. “I get the Mrs.
O’Leary as a pet. But a crocodile dog thing? And she calls it Poochiekins? Is that supposed to
be ironic?”

“I don’t know,” Frank shrugged. Every time he thought his life couldn’t get any crazier it
proved him wrong. Still, it wasn’t like Percy’s. Just being his friend was enough chaos.

The man wailed and said to stop it. He had rocks to move. Thalia offered to move his
rocks if he shut up and talked to the other two demigods. Sisyphus stopped his wailing
and kicking, repeating her offer. She retorted that it was better than looking at him. She
told Percy and Nico to be fast.
“Quick. The Quick Brown Fox jumped over the Lazy Dog,” Ella recited. “Lazy and Quick.
Sisyphus and Field of Punishments.”

“Ella?” Hazel asked carefully. “What are you talking about?”

“Lazy Sisyphus. Ella is quick. Too fast for Phineas. Too fast. Quick,” Ella repeated.

Tyson wrapped an arm around her. After another concerned glance from Hazel the room
refocused, and the scenes moved on.

Thalia pushed her shoulder against the rock, moving it slowly up the hill. Sisyphus
looked between Percy and Nico and then reached out and pinched Percy’s nose.

Percy rubbed his nose, conjuring water from a nearby cup to wash it. “It feels gross.” He
explained to the questioning looks as he scowled.

Sisyphus looked at him wide eyed. Saying they weren’t furies, but then what was the
flower for? Percy explained the flower was there to help them find a person they were
looking for. Sisyphus scowled and cursed Persephone’s name. He knew it was one of her
tracking devices. He bragged that he’d fooled her once. He’d fooled them all. Percy
looked at Nico and asked for a translation. Nico explained and repeated the tale of
Sisyphus. He insisted on calling Sisyphus, Sissy.

“Sorry,” frowned Zia. “But chained death? How can one chain death?”

Reyna shook her head in amusement. “You would be surprised.”

“Just explain please,” Carter asked.

Nico huffed. “I just did.”

“More detail,” Carter said then turned to Annabeth. “Do you mind? It seems important to the
story.”

She shrugged. “I’ll just hit the main points. That so-called Sissy is one of Aeolus’s sons. He
was a king of Corinth. Homer wrote about him in the Iliad. He had the idea to chain
Thanatos, the god of death.”

“Isn’t Hades the god of death?” asked a very confused Jaz.

“God of the Underworld,” Nico said with a headshake. “It’s like Osiris and Anubis, one is in
charge of the logistics of running the place, the other the practices of death and ushering them
into the Underworld.”

“Okay,” Magnus said shrugging off the reference to the Egyptians gods he didn’t understand.
“But why chain Thanatos?”

Annabeth quickly spoke up before anyone else could start another tangent in their
conversation. “Without Death collecting souls, humans can’t die. Their souls can’t be brought
down to the underworld. They just roam free, and even can go back to their bodies.”
“So., he cheated death,” Zia nodded. “Like Setne.”

“Exactly like that.”

“Great,” Sadie said with a sarcastic eyeroll.

Sisyphus refused and said no but Nico continued. He talked about how Persephone let
Sisy here go.

Everyone immediately turned to where the Big Three children “Ares eventually freed
Thanatos. But Sisyphus’s backup plan was in place. Merope, his wife never did the funeral
rights. He was never buried. So, when he went to Persephone, she let him go back to the
world to haunt his wife.”

“Why?”

“Persephone can be pretty sympathetic to heroes and humans. Orpheus for one,” Apollo said.

“Yeah,” Percy agreed. “It’s only her husband’s children or those who’ve wronged her she
doesn’t like. She did try and help me once after this. Kind of.”

“She was doing that to piss off her mom and my dad,” Nico said with an eye roll.

“I don’t think that’s it. She’s sympathetic. Remember?”

“She’s my stepmom,” Nico retorted with a snort. “I would know.”

Sisyphus bragged how he’d stayed alive for thirty more years. Meanwhile, Thalia
looked at them and urged them to hurry up from halfway up the hill.

Annabeth smirked at the two boys. “Either way. When Sisyphus died again it was final and
he was given this punishment. Better?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Percy asked Sisyphus if rolling up the boulder was his punishment and if it was worth
it. Sisyphus said it was just for a while, when he finished, he would bust out and
everyone would be sorry.

“Yeah,” Walt agreed. “I see the Setne thing again. Except somehow Setne is more stylish.”

“That’s saying something,” Annabeth muttered under her breath.

Nico asked how he’d get out of the underworld while it was locked down. Sisyphus
grinned and said that’s what the other person asked. Percy and Nico exchanged look.
Percy asked if someone else had asked for his advice. Sisyphus said that he was an
angry young man. He wasn’t polite and he held a sword to his throat and didn’t roll the
boulder at all. Nico asked what he told him and who he was? Sisyphus looked up at
Thalia who was almost at the top of the hill. Sisyphus said that the guy carried a large
package in a black cloth. He suggested they wait while he goes to look.
“Does he really think you’re going to fall for that?” asked Clarisse. “Even Prissy’s not that
stupid.”

“How is it that he escaped death?” Samira said at the same time.

Both of the boys shrugged.

“He did tell you the important thing, though,” pointed out Calypso. “He has the thing. The
sword and keys.”

“Yeah.”

Percy demanded to know what he told the thief. Sisyphus insisted he couldn’t
remember. Nico took out his sword which steamed with the cold air of stygian iron. He
said Sisyphus should try harder. Sisyphus winced and asked what kind of person had a
sword like that. Nico grinned ferally and said a son of Hades and demanded an answer.
Sisyphus’s looked deathlier than before when he answered saying that he told the thief
to go to Melinoe. She always had a way out. Nico lowered his sword.

“Okay,” Piper declared loudly. “Now that we’ve established that the two of you are terrifying,
who is Melinoe?” Nico and Percy turned to her and she sighed. “Right. I’ll see.”

“I’m just scared to see why Nico reacted that way when she was mentioned,” Juniper
shivered against Grover’s side. She hated the Underworld. And now she had to watch these
guys go through it again.

Nico asked what this demigod looked like. Sisyphus said he had a mouth and nose.

Hazel frowned. “That’s very descriptive.”

“Wait for it….” Percy gestured.

Sisyphus continued saying he had one eye and –then Percy interrupted repeating the
last part and asking if he had an eyepatch.

“The guy from the Labyrinth?” Hazel asked. “Nemesis’s son?”

Percy nodded.

Sisyphus said maybe. He also had hair on his head. Then he gasped saying there he was.
They turned and Sisyphus ran yelling he was free before he was pulled back by the
invisible bungee. Nico and Percy grabbed him again and pulled him back up the hill
while he cursed them and swore to never help them. Then he told them to go to Hades.

“They’re already there,” Thalia said with an eyeroll.

“Did he forget about that whole thing?” Alex again had to wonder how someone could be
that stupid. “This guy was supposed to be some kind of trickster? Disgrace.”

Nico muttered they were already there.

“Wow,” Leo said.

“You must be related.” He received two matching glares, and a slap on the back of the head
by Calypso.

Thalia yelled incoming as the boulder bounced down the hill toward them. Percy swore
a little as he and Nico jumped out of the way. Sisyphus was taken down by the boulder
but managed to stop it before it fell all the way down.

“Indiana Jones,” Magnus grinned. “Classic.”

Leo grinned and said. “Which is your favorite?”

“Just don’t say Crystal Skull,” Sadie begged.

“Harrison Ford is just as cool in real life by the way,” Piper explained. “I met him at one of
Dad’s thing once.”

Another conversation was happening at the same time, confusing everyone who was part of
neither and both conversations.

“How did he stop that boulder? There’s no way he’s that strong.”

“He’s been doing it for thousands of years,” Nico responded. “He just can. It’s his job. His
eternity.”

“Wow. Morbid.”

“It’s the Underworld. What were you expecting?”

Annabeth frowned and ignored the entire conversation looking at Percy. She leaned in to
whisper to him. “Did you realize you were cursing in Latin and Greek?”

“Yeah,” Percy shrugged. “But I’ve always learned curse words in a language first. It’s just a
thing people do. It’s not that unusual.”

Annabeth decided to put the argument away for now and watched as Magnus, Alex, Sadie,
Carter, Leo and Piper discussed booby traps, movie clichés and giant boulders.

“Guys, can we just finish this scene?” Percy asked aware she was still studying him. “I want
to get this all over with. I’m sure Thalia and Nico feel the same.”

“Nah, I’m fine delaying the next part.”

“Keep talking. What’s Indiana Jones?”

Rachel looked at both of them. “First, we’re having a movie night. Second, now that you
guys said all of that we absolutely have to move on.”

“Please don’t,” Thalia asked.

“You’d rather watch yourself be crushed by a boulder?” asked Grover concerned.

“It’s not me getting crushed anymore,” Thalia shrugged, unbothered by the idea of Sisyphus
getting squashed.

“Just shut up and play the thing,” Apollo shouted.

Sisyphus held the boulder and asked for them to take it again. He couldn’t hold it.
Thalia gasped not again. He was on his own. Sisyphus cursed and they left. Nico led
them to Melinoe’s cave. Percy told them that they were looking for Ethan Nakamura,
the one who freed Kronos. Nico said he remembered. But if they were looking for
Melinoe they had other problems.

“Again, who’s Melinoe?” asked Frank.

“An underworld deity,” Nico answered simply.

“That’s helpful.”

Behind them Sisyphus kept cursing at his rock, promising it was the last time. Thalia
shivered. Percy asked if she was alright? She said she guessed. It was just scary. When
she got to the top, she thought she’d done it. She thought it was easy, but then it rolled
away, and she wanted to try again. Cause she thought she could do it this time. She
looked back at the Hill. Percy frowned and said the sooner they left the better.

Apollo frowned then turned to Nico and Thalia. “I don’t understand. That curse is Sisyphus’s.
How did it effect you like that?”

“I don’t know, and I just want to move on. I’m not going to be stuck in the same place
forever doing the same task,” she argued. Percy bit the inside of his cheek on hearing that
wanting to tell her that’s exactly what immortality was, and what life with the Hunters
sounded like. At the same time, he knew that wasn’t what she meant. Life with the Hunters
still offered enough variety for her, but for how long? Focusing on these thoughts he almost
missed Nico’s answer.

“Curses like that can suck you in. It’s a punishment for interfering with underworld matters.
Eventually the person would be found, and maybe taken away. Or they’d start a fight when
Sisyphus remembers the only way, he can leave is completing the task. One of them would
want to push and it would compel them to do it forever.”

Piper frowned. “I still don’t think someone like Thalia would be so susceptible to that type of
thing.”

“Maybe,” Nico shrugged. “It depends on the person. Thalia can be rather single-minded, no
offense. She’s stubborn enough to keep going even when she knows she can’t do something.
It probably picked up on that. It played with her pride and frustration at almost being able to
complete the task but never getting all the way there. It’s not exactly nice but it works for the
Fields of Punishment.”
“Thanks for the psychoanalysis,” Thalia sneered.

Nico’s face fell. Percy shook his head in warning with an understanding look. At the moment
it was better to just let Thalia be. There was little they could do. Their family had always had
tension. This quest had changed how they viewed that but viewing this quest may change
how they acted about it now. Especially when everyone else was there watching them.
 Chapter 18: More Pain for Percy, Yay!!1

Jason watched the scene unfolding between Nico and his sister unfolding. He had heard what
Nico said and knew it was true. He had seen the same things in himself pretty often. Still,
others pointing it out must hurt. He hadn’t been put under the microscope yet, but it was
bound to happen. For now, he just wanted to watch how his cousins and sister interacted
before he met them. There was something he’d missed out on there, flaws and all.

He moved a little to be in between his sister and Nico along with Percy and Hazel. Will had
scooted between Apollo to sit near his boyfriend who was looking confused about what to
say to the sullen Thalia. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to let them stew like this?”

Percy nodded looking a bit wary himself. “They’ll get over it soon with everything else that
happens. It’s just them getting antsy as the harder parts start to get closer.”

“So just sit and watch?”

Percy shrugged. “It’s really all we can do. Can’t say I’m complaining. It’s actually kind of a
break from having to save the day, even if I’m watching myself save the day in the past.”

“Dude.”

“Bro.”

“Can you both shut it so we can move on?” Nico grumbled.

“C’mon little bro. We’re here for you.”

“I’m not your brother, nor am I that much younger than you.”

“You’re still a squirt and if you keep acting younger then you’ll be treated younger,” Percy
said sagely.

“Says you,” Nico snorted.

“I happen to have a presence of authority.”

“And idiocy.”

“That hurt, baby bro,” Percy said pouting, falling back and putting his hand to his heart as if
he had been shot.

Nico rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. Percy caught the word whatever, but it
seemed to have lightened the mood a little, so he didn’t really care so much. They’d need it
before it all got much grimmer.

The scene seemed to skip. Three more petals were missing from the flower. They were
walking toward a grey hill when Percy asked who Melinoe was. Nico responded it was a
long and scary story. Percy turned with a raised eyebrow, but Thalia ducked and told
them to draw their weapons.

“It’s Melinoe. Isn’t it?” Hearth signed.

Thalia shook her head. “Believe it or not. It isn’t. We had a few more fun obstacles first.”

“Fun? That’s what you call it?” Percy asked her incredulously.

“Do you want me to call it what it was? Scary, deadly and dangerous?”

“I mean that just describes our lives,” Percy agreed. He let out a deep breath and slumped.
“So why not?”

There were some frowns from people feeling like they should be less nonchalant about the
whole situation.

Percy held Riptide in one hand while he held the flowerpot in another. Nico took out his
sword as Thalia drew and readied an arrow. Percy asked her what was wrong. She
wasn’t looking around, but her head was turning and searching. On cue her eyes
widened, and several daemons appeared.

“You could hear them?” Sadie asked Thalia in surprise. “Because they just appeared out of
nowhere.”

“One of the skills I got when I became a Hunter. Along with some agility, strength and etc.
Hearing and listening are important parts of the hunt after all.”

“I wish I had known you when I met Neith,” Sadie muttered.

“Who?”

“Our goddess of the hunt. Apocalypse prepper and jelly baby fearer/lover. It might be both at
this point. I’m not exactly sure.”

“Full story later please.”

“But of course!” Sadie said exaggerating her British accent, and finishing with a little bow.

The batlike female creatures swirled around them. Nico called them Keres. Percy asked
what and he explained they were battlefield spirits feeding on death. Thalia said
wonderful.

“Do you know anything about the stuff you face?” Carter asked Percy. He couldn’t imagine
facing any of this stuff without his previous knowledge on Egyptology.

“Sometimes. Depends on what it is. This is just minor underworld stuff. So, it’s not like I
needed to know it. Plus, if I knew all this stuff, I wouldn’t be getting explanations and you
guys wouldn’t be able to watch them. You’d be left clueless.”
Carter shook his head. “No more than you. We’d just have to ask someone here. It’s not like
we’ve gotten explanations every time.”

“Still...”

“Percy don’t try and make him agree with your reasoning,” Annabeth said with exasperated
fondness. They all knew her boyfriend was quite smart, there were just things he didn’t know
about, but nobody knew everything. Anyway, the way he explained it wasn’t working. “We
both know it doesn’t make sense.”

“Fine.”

Nico ordered the daemons back calling on his power as the son of hades. In response the
spirits hissed like snakes and foamed at the mouth while looking at the weapons. One
snarled Hades would be defeated, and they’d get freedom under their new master’s
rule. Nico blinked in surprised and said new master? Nico was so surprised when the
daemon attacked that he couldn’t defend. Luckily Thalia shot it in the face, and it
disintegrated.

“You must not have had much experience with spirits not bowing to your command at that
point,” Reyna observed with twinkling eyes at Nico. “I know you are well aware of that fact
now.”

“Minos didn’t listen to me.”

“Yet he still fell under your control,” Reyna reminded the younger demigod.

“Yeah. Okay. I guess it was like Percy with those flesh-eating horses. It just never happened
before.”

“Do you know now which you have reign over and which you cannot control?”

“A little, but for the most part it’s just wariness as I try on sight.”

Reyna sighed. She turned to Annabeth. “I think we should take some time to get a
comprehensive look at everyone’s powers. I feel like we all might be missing something
about each other.”

Annabeth nodded. “A good idea. The small displays and the scenes aren’t the same. I’ll start
compiling what we already know.”

“Great more science and studies,” Percy huffed. “I’m not just the entertainment, but also a
lab rat?”

“You’re forgetting that’s what we all are,” Rachel reminded him. “You should be used to this
by now.”

“You’d think,” Percy muttered harshly under his breath.

The other Keres attacked. Thalia no longer able to fight at a distance took out her
knives. The three were seamless, Percy ducking under Nico’s sword so he could cut a
Daemon in two. Percy slicing and jabbing and killing three or four as more came.

Frank frowned as he watched the fight. Everyone else was applauding the seamless
technique between the three. There was just something about Percy’s style at the moment that
made him frown. Between the Argo II crew they’d decided that the Greeks were more likely
to slash and swing swords. The Romans used more precise jabbing and stabbing movement.
In Leo’s words, ‘Greeks fight slashy-slashy, and Romans fight stabby-stabby.’

Percy was using both techniques. It was strange. Frank had always noticed that the older
demigod didn’t fight like a Roman. That was clear from the moment they met. Now it
seemed he didn’t exactly fight like a Greek either. It was more of a combination of both. He
filed the info aside to talk to Annabeth about.

One of the Keres yelled that Iapetus would crush them. Percy asked who but then
stabbed her.

“Questioning something and killing it before you receive an answer is an interesting

technique,” Sam smirked.

“I get it. I think it was more important to defend myself at the moment then interrogate the
things attacking us.”

“Perhaps you could defend while you get them to talk,” she suggested kindly.

“I’m more of a one thing at a time kind of person,” Percy said simply.

“We all know that was a total lie. That’s literally the opposite of every person with ADD or
ADHD,” Grover chuckled.

“What do you know?”

“I’ve spent most of my life disguising myself to help demigods like that. I think that’s good
enough.”

Percy just covered his eyes and sighed. It didn’t seem like he could put this part off for much
longer. “Right.”

Nico cut through some more of the Keres, who were absorbed into his sword as he did
it. Thalia was flipping and kicking the demons, spinning like a tornado as she stabbed
one and stabbed another behind her without looking. Another cried for the mortals to
die in pain. Percy tried to raise his sword in defense but was clawed on his shoulder. It
tore through the shirt through some of his skin. There was a huge gash on his shoulder.
Nico kicked the monster and killed it.

In real life Percy looked as pained as he had in the past. He was clutching his shoulder as he
curled up on his right side. Apollo and Will looked at him in concern, but Nico kept them
away. “We treated him as best as we could. You both should know that an injury from a
Keres isn’t a normal cut. And it’s part of the whole vision quest thing.”

Will frowned. “But the Keres inflict a lot of pain. We must be able to do something right
now.”

“No,” Percy moaned as he pushed up a little to look at them. “Just keep watching. When it’s
over I’ll be fine. We just need to finish.”

Annabeth looked pleadingly at Thalia and Nico. She hadn’t known about this part of their
mini quest. “How much longer?”

“A while. It’s best to just get through it as best as we can with no breaks,” Thalia said. “And
with what happens next I realize interruptions are probably going to happen.”

“Now I’m even more worried,” Jaz protested as she came over to see if she could help. “You
can’t tell me that when he’s just lying there hurt.”

“It’s all you can do,” Percy said again, trying to keep the pain out of his voice. No one missed
his voice was a bit sterner than usual. “Just watch.”

Thalia begged Percy to hold still but she was obviously trying not to cry. Nico uncovered
it and Percy screamed in pain.

In real life, Percy screamed in the same manner. Nico cringed. “I had to clean it and remove
the shirt pieces from the wound. I’m sorry.”

“You were helping it’s fine,” Annabeth said, cringing as Percy squeezed her hand and bit
back another howl of pain.

Nico said he would pour nectar on it and did so.

Percy relaxed a little. “Better.”

He passed out a moment later to everyone’s surprise except for Thalia and Nico. Thalia
frowned and made sure Percy was positioned comfortably. She squeezed his shoulder and
looked at the rest of the room.

“He’ll do that a few times.” She said with a pained expression, which quickly spread around
the circle.

Nico and Thalia dressed his wound. It went dark and lit up again a few times until
finally Percy was sitting up against a rock with a bandaged shoulder being fed ambrosia
by Thalia.

“How much did you have to feed him?” Will asked.

“More than I wanted to,” responded Thalia gravely. “I kept thinking he would burn up, but
we couldn’t do anything else.”
Percy shook his head, pulling himself up a little. “You could have left. You could have
finished the quest without me.”

“Which would’ve been impossible, and you know it,” Thalia answered. She turned to him,
adopting a strict voice. “Now lie back down. It’s bad enough what you did back then. At least
don’t strain yourself more than you have to now.”

“I still don’t think that’s how it works.”

“Just listen!” Thalia said calling in her powers as the oldest.

Percy asked about the Keres. Thalia explained they were gone for the moment, but he’d
worried them. For now, it seemed like he’d be fine.

“Thank the gods,” sighed Piper with relief.

“Wait a moment,” Apollo said somberly. Because though he hadn’t been mortal for long he
knew well enough there was always a catch.

Nico held the flower with only five petals left. He looked around warily before facing
Percy and telling him the Keres would be back. The wound was infected. The Keres
were spirits of disease and pestilence. They did what they could to slow infection, but
the only thing that could heal it was godly power. He trailed off turning paler.

The entire room was almost as pale. Percy rolled his eyes and grunted as he sat up. “I’m fine.
Right here, remember?”

“How though? Where did you find a god down there? It seems unlikely you’ll get back to
Father and Persephone in time. And would they even help you?” Hazel asked concerned.
“Nico is right about the Keres. Their wounds are quick to kill.”

“Again, I’m fine. The sooner you all watch the sooner it’s over!”

Percy argued he’d be fine and sat up. Thalia warned him to do it slowly. He needed rest
before he could move. Percy said there was no time. One of the Daemons had talked
about Iapetus. Percy remembered he was a titan.

Calypso looked startled at that. “I’m surprised you remember such a thing.”

“Yeah. Since when?” Jason demanded.

“I already told you! I know stuff like that!” Percy frowned. “I’m injured. Stop being mean to
me.”

Jason huffed but turned back to watch.

Thalia explained Iapetus was Kronos’s brother and Atlas’s father. He was the titan of
the West. He was Iapetus because he was the piercer and he was supposed still be down
in Tartarus with his brothers.
Clarisse grumbled. “And we all know how well that’s lasted.”

“And with help from the keys,” reasoned Reyna, “they might be able to work around such a
thing.”

On screen the trio reasoned the same thing. Nico explained that it might be able to draw
people out of Tartarus. They couldn’t let it happen. Thalia reminded them they still
didn’t know who was trying to do this. Percy replied the half-blood working for Kronos
was likely Ethan. He’d already recruited some of Hades’s servants by promising chaos
and evil. Nico agreed they were right because his father liked balance. If Kronos
appointed his brother, they wouldn’t reign in the violent spirits. Nico said both the
Keres and Melinoe would like if Iapetus was in charge.

“So, you know the goal. Great. Now actually go stop them.”

“If you hadn’t said anything we might have!” Nico yelled back.

“Are you gonna explain who Melinoe is?”

“If you watch, sure.”

Percy reminded him they still didn’t know who Melinoe was. Nico explained she was the
goddess of ghosts. The ones who were on earth. She terrified mortals every night after
coming up from the underworld.

“So, she’s Ethan’s way out,” Chris decided. “It’s a good plan. A bribe and an escape.”

“Yeah. Good for them,” agreed Alex sarcastically.

Percy reasoned she was the path to the upper world. Nico said it probably wouldn’t be
blocked. Most the time people wouldn’t even go through her cave. But if this guy was
brave enough—Thalia interrupted that he could escape the underworld with the sword
for Kronos. Percy agreed saying then Kronos would use the sword to get his brothers
from Tartarus, putting them in bigger trouble.

“Which we already knew,” Leo said. “Speed this thing up!”

“We can’t.”

“So, I’ll shut up then,” Leo said pretending to zip his mouth.

Percy tried to get up and swayed dangerously doing so. Thalia grabbed Percy saying he
wasn’t in any condition to do such things. Before she could finish her sentence, he
interrupted saying he had to be. Another petal fell off leaving for. He told them to give
him the plant so they could find Melinoe.

“That took way too long,” Annabeth said looking between the rest of the room. “No more
talking. None!”
“It’s fine,” Percy told her looking a little green around the gills. He knew it would be
impossible to stop conversation. It was impossible. He would be in incredible pain and on the
verge of death, but the Fates wouldn’t let their spell kill him. He was sure of that, at least.
 Chapter 19: Percy Interrupts the Flow

The entire room was trying not to look worriedly at Percy. A few of them were thinking again
of the thread the fates had cut in the beginning of their viewing. Percy kept coming
dangerously close to dying. Was that why they were here? The Fates warning made it seem
like he was reaching the last of his nine lives. Annabeth fidgeted with the notepad in her
hands and tried to think. She looked at all the things they’d written down and still, it seemed
nothing was completely bringing it together.

Luckily the rest of the room was listening to her and stayed quiet. The next scene could play
without issue and then Percy would be fine. That was all they needed. She didn’t know what
she would do otherwise. Hearing the name Iapetus had been enough, but Percy’s death would
be plenty worse. She gave him a weak smile as the scene played in front of them.

It was torture to watch him struggle to walk along.

Nico and Thalia kept looking back to check on him but each time he waved them away.
Nico kept twisting his ring, and each time he did bones started to move, and ghouls got a
little stronger around them.

“I’m not sitting around you if you ever fidget with that ring if that’s what happens,” Piper
said to the sullen boy.

Nico shrugged. “Depends on where I am. I’ve had this ring for years, even if I only started
wearing it when I was in the Labyrinth, and it only did that in some places.”

“Wait, you didn’t get it with your whole dark, death vibe outfit in some type of collection at
Hot Topic?” Alex said gesturing to Nico onscreen.

He rolled his eyes. “Bianca gave it to me when we got out of the Casino. I had a bit of a
pirate obsession, loved the whole skull and crossbones thing. But even if I played with it in
my pocket, it never did anything until after she died.”

Percy hadn’t heard any of this. He squeezed Annabeth’s shoulder. “Hey.”

She immediately pretended she was less worried. “What is it?”

“Don’t worry. I was fine. I was thinking about good things. That’s what we did after the fall.
It’s what I did here. Hopelessness is the worst thing to have. I just thought about basketball,
and the next game I would watch. I thought about Mom and Paul and decorating for
Christmas.”

The scene didn’t stop as Percy whispered to Annabeth of the things he’d found comfort in.
The three demigods kept walking in the past, but Percy kept talking in the now. He told her
about how he was thinking of going to Central Park in the snow. Of how he had been
planning his weekend at camp to have some fun in between the war planning. Maybe they
could use a snowball fight as training? As he knew the walk in the past was reaching the end
he spoke of his favorite thought.

“I thought about you. How we talked over Iris message. With you it was all normal. That was
all I wanted. And I missed you so much. No one else listened to me the way you did. I just
kept thinking about how that one conversation went and how it ended. We were talking about
Mom’s wedding to Paul.”

“And I found out that Rachel was coming,” she remembered. “I asked why you needed me
there if you already had friends there. I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry,” he told her lying back into her lap. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath
he repeated, “Don’t worry.”

Percy was swaying on his feet as they walked. It was obvious he wasn’t paying attention
until Nico said Uh-Oh. In front of them was a fast and narrow river with inky black
water. It wasn’t far across, but too far to jump across. Nico cursed and said it was the
Lethe. They’d never make it across.

“Yeah,” agreed Jason. “That will be an issue.”

“The Lethe?”

“The River of Memory,” explained Annabeth to the Egyptians and Norse/Vikings. “When
souls choose to be reborn, they go there to wipe away their past lives.”

“So, no swimming across,” guessed Alex. “Not even Percy. Even when he has control of
water.”

“Underworld rivers are different,” Nico said. “It’s exactly water.”

Percy murmured under his breath. “Still liquid though.”

Only Piper noticed the way Annabeth had paled, and clenched Percy’s hand a bit tighter, even
though she was across the room.

“It looks like some type of border, an end,” Walt noted. “Is that your border?”

“Not exactly. Parts of the Lethe do separate Elysium from the rest of the Underworld. But the
Underworld is not exactly a land with lines and borders,” Nico said pointedly. “You should
know.”

Walt nodded in a stoic understanding. Though Aaru was also an underworld, it had gates that
closed as the hours came and went. Using other entrances allowed it to extend into the Duat,
which was a very fluid place, unlike Erebos, which seemed to be set in one place, like the
stone it was made of.

Percy said there had to be a way across. Thalia bent down for a better look, but Nico
reminded her to be careful. If she was touched by one drop she’d forget herself. Thalia
noted she knew this place. Luke had told her about it and how the souls came her to be
reborn. Nico agreed it was like being a newborn baby.

“So, you’re repeating what we already know,” Leo groaned. “What’s the point in that?”

“Maybe we didn’t know it then?” Percy said in a weak voice. “Let’s just move on.”

Thalia suggested shooting an arrow as an anchor for rope to cross.

Everyone turned to Thalia. She sighed, knowing exactly what they were thinking and rolled
her eyes. “Stupid idea. Even some of Hephaestus’s rope wouldn’t work.”

Nico asked if she really wanted to trust her weight on lines that weren’t tied securely.
Thalia agreed he was right, and it only worked in the movies. She asked if they could
summon dead people to help.

“I’m really starting to wonder what goes on in your head,” Sadie announced. “Not that you
haven’t proved absolutely brilliant before. It’s just, what would dead people do?”

“I don’t know. Find us a way across? Form a bridge?”

“No. Not stable,” Tyson argued. “Would collapse.”

“It was just an idea.”

Reyna frowned. “The only option seems to be going around.”

“Which means they will not,” Calypso said with an amused shake of the head.

Nico said that he could try but they’d only appear on their side of the river. Running
water was a barrier. The dead couldn’t cross.

Zia nodded. “Water acts as an obstacle, especially for those not tethered to the mortal world.
Like the gods.”

“Your gods can’t cross rivers?” Percy asked.

“Not without an anchor or host,” Zia explained. “Magic flows faster through the rivers. It is
easier to get swept back into the Duat. It seems your gods have more of a presence in the
material world. Ours cannot stay there without help.”

Annabeth made a humming noise as she thought. “I wonder why. Would monsters get swept
back to Tartarus if we did that?”

“We’ve seen monsters cross bridges before,” Will said darkly.

“But they also prove good places to make a stand,” Frank argued. “Maybe there is something
to it.”
Clarisse grumbled. “Who makes all these rules? Fighting used to be simpler before you all
began overanalyzing it.”

Carter narrowed his eyes thinking of order, Ma’at and Chaos. It was a constant to all of them,
with the Fates. Something that controlled even the gods. He made a note to ask someone
about the Greek and Norse versions of these things. There was also the fact that water made
magic harder to control, it rushed, made things unstable. Percy was on the verge of both those
things.

Percy winced and asked what kind of stupid rule that was. Nico said defensively he
hadn’t made it up. He looked at Percy worriedly saying the older boy looked terrible
and should sit.

Nico winced as he looked at Percy now. Percy gave him a weak grin. “Hey, at least I get to sit
down now.”

“It’s not going to help.”

“I know,” Percy said bitingly. He hated that he kept snapping at people, but he hated being
told what he already knew. Giving false comforts never helped in these situations. He tried to
ignore the concerned looks in everyone’s eyes as they wondered what Percy and Nico had
been talking about.

Percy said he couldn’t sit down. They needed him for this.

Hazel’s eyes widened. “You didn’t.”

“Hazel…” Percy replied carefully, as if approaching a startled animal. “I—”

“Percy did what he always does,” Nico interrupted, putting a hand on Percy’s shoulder. He
turned to his sister. “He saved the day, and the quest.”

Hazel’s eyes shone and Percy squirmed which made him bite back another yelp as he was
reminded of the no longer existent but still hurting injury. He didn’t want this hero worship or
to be lauded. It was just liquid. He was the son of Poseidon. Liquid was what he did.

Thalia asked what for. He could barely stand. Percy replied it was water. He could
control it by redirecting the flow for long enough so they could cross. Nico said he’d feel
safer with the arrow idea.

The room erupted into shouts, except for Percy, Nico and Thalia. Hazel was biting her lip as
she looked at them. Obviously, Percy had done it, but he was injured. And redirecting water’s
flow was a much harder task than breaking pipes, making waves or bubbles. Especially with
an Underworld river, which she hadn’t even realized he could control.

“Quiet!” Percy yelled, keeping one hand on his shoulder as he pushed himself up. He batted
away Annabeth’s offer of a hand up, and “Like I said, it’s water. I took care of it. Now can we
watch?”

“No.”
Percy looked at Jaz, usually quiet and sweet, in confusion. “What?”

“You’re injured.”

“Right! So, we should move on, so I stop being injured!”

Magnus looked at Percy carefully. “I think we’ve all realized that using powers can strain
injuries. And I know you are on a different level with powers, but this seems new.”

“It’s an underworld river,” agreed Grover with his eyes trying and failing to meet Percy’s. He
knew Percy well, better than almost everyone but Annabeth. Yet, he hadn’t known this. It was
almost unheard of, no matter how powerful Percy was.

His best friend continued to look away. “You don’t know I did any of this yet.”

“That just implicates you more,” Chris said carefully.

Percy huffed in response and strained to sit up completely from Annabeth’s lap. “Look, we
all just have to watch this. I can’t say anything about it until after we do. It all happened and
there’s no stopping it.”

Everyone looked at him with pity which made him even more uncomfortable. He lied back
down and grabbed Annabeth’s hand bracing himself for the things he knew were coming.

Percy stumbled over to the river. He looked unsure as he warned the others to stand
back.

“There’s no way it worked,” Juniper whispered to Rachel. “Right?”

“It’s Percy. I don’t think any of us are really sure of what he can or can’t do.”

Both girls looked at the boy that they were sure they knew well with worry and confusion. He
was playing with Annabeth’s fingers as everyone else watched, obviously trying to distract
himself.

Percy’s expression intensified as he used his powers. The water bubbled. He studied it
carefully trying to decide what to do then muttered here went nothing. He lifted his
arms carefully.

Percy growled as his shoulder burned. Annabeth tried not to wince as he squeezed her
fingers. She ran her other hand through his hair, trying to calm some of the tension she could
see in the eyes he was clenching closed.

The river rose up and down in an arc. Then it was a tunnel almost twenty feet high,
with the space for two people to walk together through it. Thalia and Nico gaped at
Percy as he urged them to go because he couldn’t hold it for long. Thalia and Nico
scrambled across. The elder climbed the banks and helped the younger up before
looking across at their cousin who was swaying again and yelling at him to come and
walk.
“How?”

“Whaaa-?” Percy muttered dazedly.

“Finish the scene,” Annabeth yelled. “No talking.”

Percy shook as he walked, almost falling face first. The water shook with him. He called
he couldn’t make it. Thalia called that he could. They needed him.

“Understatement.” Nico snorted earning him a snack from Thalia who was looking at Percy
worriedly in both the now and then.

Hazel frowned even more, and elbowed Jason, who looked at her questioningly, then at their
siblings. He sighed. He’d hadn’t heard what Nico said, but he could guess. They all needed
each other to succeed. He knows he wouldn’t have to succeeded in a lot of things without
Percy’s help, and he know Percy had needed his help a few times too.

Then Percy fell. Thalia screamed as the water crashed down.

The room was overtaken in a gasp. Everyone looked at Percy who was shaky and pale. He
met the stares carefully, twisting with a sardonic grin. “Yeah?”

“How?” asked Chris gaping at him.

“I don’t know,” Percy shrugged. “I think I’m done for now though.”

“What?” asked Jason looking at his cousin confused. Percy answered by collapsing onto
Annabeth’s lap. Immediately, Will, Apollo, Jas and Magnus rushed over, but before they
could reach for Percy, Nico grabbed his boyfriend’s hand.

“You can’t do anything. He’ll be fine. We just need to keep watching.”

“M’ kay,” Percy agreed, softly.

Jaz frowned. “This isn’t when he lost his memories? Maybe he’s confused.”

Hazel opened her mouth and then closed it, annoyed. “I hate not being able to answer that.”

“None of us can say anything about what we haven’t seen yet, or about what we don’t know
already know, remember?” Annabeth reminded them.

“That’s what she was asking,” snickered Alex. “Do you?”

“Very funny,” Magnus said rolling his eyes.

It was only darkness.

“I don’t get it. We’re seeing what’s happening to you and all we see is darkness. Obviously,
you couldn’t hold the river anymore. So, you must’ve blacked out or lost your memory,”
pointed out Carter.
Thalia knowing her cousin wasn’t going to answer sighed. “He came out of the river dry.
That’s one of his powers.”

Percy was clutching his shoulder and curled up. “Yeah. That’s it. I’m going to sleep now.
Kay?”

Annabeth ran the hand he wasn’t gripping through his hair. “I’m sorry Seaweed Brain, I need
to stay. Let me just explain to them. They won’t be able move on to anything until it’s done.”

“Mm-hmm,” Percy nodded with a groan.

“Will, can you take him to his room?” she asked carefully. She turned to Grover. “And you
better go to, Goat Boy.”

“Yeah,” Grover said walking over and lifting Percy up with Will. “Come on, Perce. Let’s get
you comfy so you can rest.”
 Chapter 20: Frank Starts to Peel Apart Percy
Chapter Notes

AN: I'm so sorry for the very long hiatus. I am trying to be better. I've just been going
back and editing, and as new content is released, I need to edit more to make it seem
true to canon. I'm gonna try and keep things to a better pace, it's just been hard between
working full time and taking classes at night. Thanks again for all the love and support!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Chapter 20: Frank Starts to Peel Apart Percy

As they left, Magnus turned to his cousin. “Are you sure it wouldn’t be better to just
continue?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. This quest is a bit longer I think, right?”

Thalia nodded. “It’ll take a while.”

“Good. I need to explain anyway.”

“Explain what?” asked Leo looking at her confused. “The water dude stayed dry. That’s
normal.”

Apollo shook his head. “Not exactly. Uncle P and Dad used to like talking about the war on
better days. One thing the gods had to do was go down to Tartarus and the underworld to get
allies.”

“They freed us the elder ones from Kampe,” Tyson agreed sagely. “Zeus had a bolt. Even
Kampe could not withstand it.”

Apollo pointed. “Right. That. But to get to Kampe and where she had them imprisoned, they
had to go across a good part of the underworld. Hades was there to guide them of course, but
even Hades can’t cross the five rivers without being affected in some way.”

“But Poseidon was there,” realized Jason. “He could control the rivers.”

“Yes,” Annabeth agreed. “But even for Poseidon an underworld river is not an easy thing to
control. His power is over the oceans and salt water. It extends slightly to fresh water but
even that takes more effort.”
This statement was met with more confusion. Carter looked at Percy and thought about their
first meeting and compared what he’d seen and heard to the other water gods he’d met.
“Percy’s done that though. We’ve seen it. All of us.”

Apollo made a shrugging gesture. “Posiedon’s kids have control of water. All of them to most
extents at least. But we’ve seen how Uncle P’s powers vary. Storms, earthquakes, tides, water
and all that.”

“Shapeshifting,” Frank added. “There was that.”

“Right. And some of Poseidon’s kids have more power over one thing than another. Percy
has the most range I’ve seen, and most strength and control. He doesn’t have shapeshifting
like Frank, but he has everything else. Most children of Poseidon could control fresh water,
maybe make it into a ball or a trickle. Pulling it upstream like Percy did before is different.
And controlling an underworld river is unheard of for any demigod. Only Poseidon and other
gods with control over the water and rivers have shown themselves able to do it.”

Magnus scowled at Percy. “So, we were right. He strained himself. If even freshwater is
harder and underworld rivers are supposed to be impossible, he must have…”

“Blacked out,” Nico confirmed. “He should have died. I’m still not sure how he didn’t. I
could feel the life force leaving him. I’m pretty sure it was just sheer stubbornness keeping
him alive.”

“I’m not sure how he did any of that,” agreed Thalia. “Apollo and Annabeth are right. An
underworld river is a whole different level. I thought I dreamed it for a while. I guess it took
seeing it twice to believe it.”

“Try three times,” muttered Nico.

Jason, Hazel, Apollo,and Thalia swiveled at the barely heard words. Apollo looked between
Nico and Thalia strangely. “What?”

“Percy has done it more than once,” Nico finally sighed. “I’ve seen it.”

“When?” demanded Thalia. “When did you guys have another underworld quest where you
saw him do that? Once is an anomaly, twice is…”

“More than twice,” Annabeth argued. “I’ve seen it too.”

No one asked her where. The haunted look on her face was enough to explain where Percy
had done such a thing. Even if they did, the vague clues they were getting were enough to
piece it together. Asking more would mean the fates making it impossible to talk and say
anything more to answer.

“You weren’t there together?” Apollo asked clueless as ever. “Are you sure you’re not talking
about the same thing?”

“No,” both answered shortly.

Piper interrupted. “Okay, so now we know that Percy has done another impossible thing at
least three times. Did it happen before this and we just missed it or did…”?

Grover coughed. “I think I know when Nico’s talking about. That was the only time I knew
they went to the underworld just the two of them.”

“How many times has he even gone down there?” asked Sadie astounded. It seemed much
different than popping in to visit her mom and dad. The rest of the room turned to the Big
Three again, and Annabeth who sat with them. Jason and Hazel looked to their older siblings.
Thalia just shrugged and turned to Nico.

“I don’t know. I had an idea, but I could be wrong.”

Annabeth sighed as she nodded. “I don’t really know either. Percy doesn’t tell me everything.
You all must’ve realized that by now. He doesn’t think everything he’s done is as important
as we do.”

She turned her steely gaze to meet all their eyes. “We’ve been brought here because of him.
That’s something we all know, but for Percy…. Percy doesn’t see all that he’s done the same
way we do. He’s a hero, the greatest in my opinion, no offense to anyone here. But it’s been
forced on him, and it’s just that… Percy is…”

Annabeth took a moment to collect herself as clenched her fist, imagining Percy’s hand in
hers. The feeling of him beside her, of what she was doing this for gave her strength. The
even and exact tone she spoke in made it clear that she was being perfectly serious, and no
one should question her as she finally continued. “Percy is a hero, but Percy is also a normal
person. He just wants to be a teenager. You all need to remember he’s still your friend. He
doesn’t like when people think of him differently. And it’s not like he’s stupid, contrary to the
nickname he realizes what it means when you see everything he’s done. Still, he’s the same
Percy you knew before you saw all of this, and you need to treat him the same.”

She stopped for a moment, to do something she barely ever did, plead . “Please, just
remember that.”

She got up and walked out towards the hall of bedrooms. As she was about to leave, Juniper
called out. “Wait, shouldn’t we finish?”

“I thought we needed to watch so Percy wouldn’t be hurt anymore?” Blitz added. “I know
even though I’m one of the adults here, I’m not in charge, but I don’t think we should be
stopping if it hurts anyone.”

“I don’t think it will,” Annabeth said softly “We should break for a half hour.”

“She’s right. He’ll sleep,” Apollo agreed getting up as well. “I want a break. Could use some
time to just relax, you know?”

Thalia looked at Nico who nodded. “A half hour then. Got it?”
With some last looks at each other the room dispersed. Most headed off to think and relieve
tension in their own way. Blitz, Leo and Tyson were in the forge working away. Several other
workspaces had appeared, so people didn’t have to completely to retreat their rooms.
Included was an art studio, where Alex was throwing a pot on her pottery wheel. Across from
each other, Hazel and Rachel were sitting and drawing as they let their minds wander.
Though Hazel disappeared to find Jason again after barely five minutes.

A similar room with several soundproof areas had appeared nearby. Piper had watched
curiously as Chris sat at the drums. Apollo was strumming away at a guitar in another area.
She thought about taking one of the rooms and going to sing. It was hard to find a way to
unwind, especially when you were so in tune with other’s emotions. She sighed and stood
back up to see what else there was to do.

Hearth was playing pinball for some reason next door, his score rapidly rising. Nearby,
Grover was having fun playing a forest saving game.

The gym was full as well. Jaz was doing stretches and working on some parallel bars, as
Clarisse started taking out a few dummies.

Magnus had disappeared down a hall where Piper had got a glimpse of a trail and some trees.
It was near a garden area where Calypso and Juniper were working together.

Others also seemed undecided on what to do. Carter had looked at a basketball court for a
moment before walking off. Piper saw him join with Walt a moment later to sit and play
some Egyptian game reminiscent of chess.

Several others, taken the chance to be alone and were in their rooms without anyone else.
Sadie, for example, had was blasting some of her music. She’d taken out her staff and blasted
some plates but then decided it felt better to just throw them as she stomped around. Samira
was simply praying as she did when she could in their breaks. It was a way to refocus and
remember what was important.

Piper passed the kitchen when she saw Reyna at the long table sitting across from Zia.

“Sahlab?”

“What?”

“It is a drink,” Zia explained. “Reyna and I are trying each other’s favorites. I prefer this to
her hot chocolate.”

“It’s made of Orchids,” Reyna said. “Zia likes hers with nuts and cinnamon. I believe it is
more of a hot melted frozen yogurt than a drink.”

“Sure,” Piper agreed. “Why not?”

She listened carefully as they talked. The conversation had turned to spices and favorite
cultural foods. Piper was happy to contribute to this as well, suddenly craving Grandpa Tom’s
black bean soup.
The Big Three kids had headed towards the bedrooms. After checking up on Percy, Nico had
walked off a while ago with Will. Jason had quickly found Hazel and pulled her aside. He
had pulled her into a hug reasoning he needed one more than she did right now. There was
more to come, and their family had went through it all without them. Being the two Romans
of the family was something that bonded them in a strange way.

Thalia had stayed with Annabeth and Percy as a comfort as they sat in silence. It was clear if
they needed to talk, she was there. Percy was fast asleep though.

Fifteen minutes in Ella fluttered in with a book in her claws followed by a smaller bird which
transformed into Frank. He looked between Annabeth and Thalia and turned pink. “Sorry. I
didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“No problem. I’m gonna get a snack,” Thalia said as she walked out saluting them.

Annabeth looked between Frank and Ella, leading them to the room that connected the boys
bedrooms so they could leave Percy in quiet. “What is it?”

Frank sat clumsily. “I noticed something when Percy was fighting the Keres.”

“Swords. Fighting. Swordsmanship. Broadsword. Shortsword,” Ella started to squawk.

“Thanks Ella,” Frank agreed with her. “She knows so much I thought she could help. There’s
a difference in Greek and Roman training. It effects the way we fight. I used to think that was
the case with Percy. He stood out at Camp Jupiter for fighting like a Greek.”

Annabeth hummed. “There’s a reason for that though. We use different weapons and
strategies.”

“Gladius. Pugio. Spatha. Pilums. Roman swords and weapons,” Ella listed. “Xiphos, Doru,
Kopis, Falcata. Machaira.”

“Right. Riptide is the first one of those. A Xiphos.”

Annabeth raised an eyebrow; this wasn’t exactly new information. The Xiphos had a long-
standing place in Greek weaponry, mostly as soldiers’ secondary weapons as opposed to
spears like the Doru.

Frank sighed. He’d come to Annabeth for a reason. She was the daughter of a war goddess,
she knew her weapons, fighting styles and of course, knew Percy’s style best. But perhaps,
this was a weakness in this case. She knew him too well to see something she hadn’t noticed
before. “It sounds stupid saying it out loud. But Percy has instinctively found himself fighting
like both a Greek and Roman. He’s creating a style that’s completely his own.”

“What do you mean?”

Frank grabbed the book Ella had in her claws and flipped it open. He pointed at the diagram
of the one-handed Xiphos fighter, slashing and thrusting with the double-edged blade.
“Xiphos are made to slash. Roman short swords are for stabbing. Our longer swords are for
slashing, like Hazel’s spatha. They’re weighed so that downward cuts work well as attacks.
Leaf shaped blades work better for that then stabbing.”

Annabeth looked intrigued and picked up the book flipping through the pages. “That’s the
nature of the weapon though. It’s also why we’re better solo fighters. No offense.”

“Depends,” Frank shrugged though he had little argument. Slashing allowed more variable
attacks and the ability to take more enemies out with one movement. It was more
unpredictable then regimented like Roman fighting. The use of a Xiphos was meant for
secondary weaponry. It was only used after a spear broke. When an army soldier took the
Xiphos out it was because their formations were scattered. The soldier was on his own. There
wasn’t much training involved in the use of it. This was what had developed the Greek’s
unruly and independent style.

“What I was saying was that Percy found a way to wield it outside the ordinary. Usually, it’s
kept far from the body for the wielder’s safety as well as reaching attacks. You guys are
confident fighters, trained to read your enemies movements. You do all kinds of things we’re
told not to do.”

“Acrobatics, somersault, flat of the blade whack, sweeping legs out,” Ella agreed.

“That’s not a thing in swordfighting,” Frank argued about the last one.

Annabeth shook her head in amusement. “You know that’s not true.”

“Anyway, the point is Percy has learnt to use the Xiphos for much more than the normal
person would.”

“He’s always been an instinctive fighter,” Annabeth said before listing her own examples,
starting with him killing a Fury without any training. She knew her boyfriend was a great
swordsman. It was something she was quite proud of. He’d shown his ability from the
beginning, and she knew now he was much better than Luke had ever been.

“But he’s honed it into more than instinct. He’s found the perfect angle to stab with a leaf
shaped blade. In the more recent things, we’ve watched he’s jabbed as much as slashed and
swung.”

Frank then turned to another page. He pointed to a Greek warrior going through a series of
moves with sword in hand, moving from one stance to another. “This is like a Karate Kata.
We learn similar things in Camp Jupiter, but I was surprised to learn the Greeks had
something like this. After all, we’re supposed to be more disciplined.”

“The Pyrrhichios.” Annabeth thumbed her own sword. “We all learn it at some point, but
then train with our preferred weapons more.”

“Right. Either way, that teaches the Greek technique of reaching attacks, far from the body.
Percy does that but he also gets in close like a Roman to parry and stab. He’s able to fight
like a knife fighter with a sword. Maybe because he’s be so influenced by you? It’s not so
normal. ”
“You are over exaggerating the difference in our fighting styles a little,” Annabeth pointed
out to Frank. She flipped through the book for a moment and looked up at him. “I’m denying
Percy is skilled fighter with a unique style, but a lot of us had have to adapt our own styles.
It’s not unusual when we’re fighting new people and things in new environments all the
time.”

“You have a point there. But Percy does more. He fights sometimes like he has a gladius. In
formation there’s no fear of being stabbed. You’re shoulder to shoulder. It limits your reach
and keeps the sword closer to the body.”

“Probably because of the Achilles curse. He didn’t have to be afraid of getting hurt then.”

“Maybe. But I saw that even before. When Percy fought Luke, he’s fought like a Roman.
There’s the other part of legion training. You were right about the need to adapt. It’s using
your opponent’s weakness against them. Percy always does that. If he can’t outlast someone,
he outsmarts them. That’s legion training.”

“It’s instinct and common sense.”

“No. Percy usually relies on his speed and agility. He uses that to his advantage and putting
all that together is deadly. But he also fights defensively, parrying and blocking when he
needs to, like a Roman. Better than just slashing wildly.”

“Hey!”

“When Percy fought Luke after your quest in the Sea of Monsters he stayed far when Luke
got in close. When Luke moved Percy found ways to corner him and fight. He uses both
tactics without being taught the Roman one. I’m just wondering why he never fought like that
at Camp Jupiter.”

“Because it was easier for him to work against legionnaires fighting like a Greek.”

There was silence for another minute, besides Ella taking the book back from Annabeth and
reading on her own.

“Percy almost fights like he is using a spatha, able to vary between far and close reaches and
using the heavier weight for slashing vs. the stabbing. Or like he’s using a Kopis.”

Annabeth snapped. “That’s it. Riptide’s a little more versatile than a Kopis being double-
edged. But Kopis are used for both types of maneuvering unlike a Xiphos.”

“Kopis are also used more as an axe than a sword though. Percy uses Riptide in an axe-like
fashion, but most the time he uses swordsmanship and not axemanship. You’re right though.
Percy doesn’t just use Riptide as a sword like it’s meant too, but an axe and I’ve even seen
him use it like a throwing knife.”

Annabeth remembered Percy fighting with a Kopis against Setne. He’d disliked the weight of
the weapon but used it well. Now she was thinking it was always because he fought like he
used one. “So, he’s using his weapon like it’s versatile. I still don’t think that’s so strange. We
all adapt our own fighting styles.”

Frank sighed and rubbed his face. He grabbed the book again. “I know, but then Ella said
something when I sat beside her during one of those fights. I’ve been thinking since.”

Annabeth glanced at Ella who looked up from her book. “Ufberth.”

“Something Norse?”

Frank nodded. He explained how the Ufberth was developed from a Spatha and for the most
part used a similar style. However, they also used shields as offense, and used their swords to
hook them. It was barely swung if possible.

“So, more axe-like usage?”

“Something in between.”

Annabeth nodded and then sighed. “Okay. I see where you’re going. He’s adapted to Roman,
Norse, Greek and even Egyptian fighting styles.”

“Exactly.”

“You’re right, but it could also be coincidence,” Annabeth said finally. “I’ll keep a closer
watch. Don’t forget, Athena is also a war goddess. I know fighting just as well as anything
else.”

“I know,” Frank said eyeing her sword. “I just wanted to bring it up to you. Thought you
should know. Percy’s powerful. He has a strange connection and it’s the reason we’re all
here. I could be looking to far into it with his swordsmanship, but I also think I might be not
looking hard enough.”

Annabeth put her hand on his shoulder with a soft smile. “You’re doing great, Frank. I don’t
think I would have thought about it. Maybe I’m just too used to fighting besides Percy to
notice. We’ll have to run some tests if we have time. I’ll try and read more on the different
fighting styles. I’d be happy to have some help though.”

“No problem,” Frank said sincerely opening the door back into Percy’s room for her. He
looked down at the still sleeping Percy. “Will he be okay? All of this is a bit crazy. Percy’s
done a lot but having a microscope on it can’t be good for him. Reliving all of this might
even be worse for him than the first time.”

“You’re right, but like you said before, we’re here for a reason,” Annabeth said brushing
Percy’s hair out his eyes with her fingers. She played a little with his fingers in her other
hand. “Percy is the strongest person I know. All of us are here for him, to understand how we
can help him just as much as he’s helped all of us. I think we wouldn’t be watching all of this
stuff if we didn’t need to be part of this as well.”

“I just can’t believe how much he’s done, and we haven’t even watched half of it. How does
he bear it? All that pressure?” Frank asked. “I’ve been Praetor for less than a year and I feel
 like I might go crazy sometimes. I’m not even leading during war, at least, not anymore. How
does he do it?”

“You’ll have to ask him.” Annabeth’s steely gaze met Frank’s questioning brown eyes. Once
again, she was reminded of a teddy bear. She smiled softly at him then reached out to squeeze
his shoulder again. “I know Percy wouldn’t be able to do it all without you or the rest of us.
But he still keeps a lot of it in. Maybe after all this he can let it out a little. We just need to
stay supportive when he does.”

There was another moment of silence as Frank looked at the couple. He rubbed his head
nervously as Annabeth smiled again. “Go eat, Frank. Maybe get me something too. One of
those lemon bars? Better hurry though. After all, we should start watching again soon. I can’t
let Percy sleep forever.”

“He might if you let him,” Frank said with a twitch of the lips. He looked at the Harpy beside
him. “C’mon, Ella. Let’s go. We’ll put this stuff away and then go get everyone else.”

Annabeth watched the two of them go. She tried to keep her mind off the topic Frank had
brought up. ADD made it hard to stay away from things deemed forbidden. She barely
noticed the two leaving until Frank stumbled. She looked up then and smile again. The boy
was looking more like the one she first met, a chubby and loveable ball of nerves, even
though he might be a bit taller. It hid all the muscle and strength underneath, but his heart was
always the same. Above all, Frank cared. As he straightened up, she called his name.
“Frank?”

She waited a moment for him to turn then gave a rare but genuine smile. “Thank you.”

He nodded with a smile that matched before jogging out. Annabeth turned back down
towards Percy, kissing his forehead and squeezing his hand again as she took comfort on the
little bit of peace, she could gleam on his sleeping but still slightly pained face. If there was
any reason for any of this, to pull through all they’d gone through, Percy would be at the
center of it.

Chapter End Notes

AN: Points if you can find the quote from an animated tv show by frank.
End Notes

AN: Two Things

Firstly, Thanks to Sire Pixels from A03 for Nico's dare. I changed it a little, but I hope it still
works! Always looking for more truths or dares.

Also, please let me know if you'd like me to continue with my original parts? I can or can't do
it depending on what you want. Original pieces could include telling Paul about the mythical
world, Paul & Sally's wedding with teenage demigod drama, and a lot of BAMF Percy on
missions between BTLO and TLO. I want your opinion!

Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!