…So… disclaimer.
Me: I don't own PJO… or anything else I may happen to mention.
Ricky, Is, Ari, Connor, and Josh: It's good to be back.
Me: how have y'all been?
Josh: Good, I was casted as Peeta in The Hunger Games while you were gone.
Me: I know! I absolutely loved it!
Is: Fine. Grounded. You know.
Me: Well, you shouldn't be such a troublemaker!
Ari: I'm happy that you're continuing with my story!
Me: it may even be a trilogy.
Ricky: *pouts at not being able to answer first.* Hey!
Me: Right! Ricky, how are you?
Ricky: Great, but question. How do you have my phone number?
Me: I- I have no idea wh- what you're talking about! *thunder booms because of the oath that they swore in the previous story*
Ricky: You're lying!
Me: *grumbles* I got it from one of your friends.
*suspenseful music plays loudly*
…to be continued…
"Happy Birthday Ari!" my friends yelled as I walked into the dining pavilion. Everyone was here except Justin{1}. He and Chrys had had a nasty break up, and he moved to Hollywood to finally enjpy the fame. He wrote once a month, and he had sent me a birthday card in the mail that I had received two days ago.
"Aww, guys! You shouldn't have!" I smiled. My favorite foods was laid out on the Poseidon table. It was indeed my birthday: September fifteenth. School had been delayed until the twentieth, so everyone was still at camp. All the gifts were green, as was my cake. I gave everyone a hug and we tore into the food. They sang "Happy Birthday" and I blew out the fifteen candles. There was a total of six presents. I grabbed the closest one which was a small rectangle. It could have been a book, a video game, or a dvd. I tore off the paper and revealed an autographed copy of the movie "Never Say Never" with a sticky note on it. I read aloud
"Sorry I couldn't be there Ari, but I hope you enjoy my gift. See ya later 'biggest underwater fan'{2}- Justin" Chrys took it well, considering that she was in a new relationship. I grabbed the next gift, it was a box, a bit small. The tag read "From Percy" I opened it to find a box for a tiny little flip phone called a Pantech C3b. It was smaller that a credit card! But it was still a phone.
"Oh my gods! Thank you Percy!" I exclaimed, throwing my newly tanned arms around my brother's{3} neck.
"You're welcome, Ari," he laughed when I had released him. I took hold of the next present, it was from the Stolls. Ricky, by boyfriend looked weary. They were brothers; him, Travis and Connor. I brushed it off and ripped half of the paper off the box and blushed a deep crimson.
"And why would I need this?" I asked, holding the half unwrapped box of Trojan Ecstasy condoms. Everyone howled with laughter as Ricky's cheeks set aflame.
"Well, considering that we are Hermes kids, we know how the boys can get sometimes," travis started through his laughter.
"And we just want to make sure that you kids are safe, so we don't have to explain why one of our brothers was killed by the Savior of Olympus," Connor finished. I blushed at the thought they were suggesting.
"NOT funny guys," Ricky muttered. I would have blushed darker, but I came up with something. I threw the box at my brother.
"You and Annabeth need those more than me ad Ricky, Perce," I said as he caught them. Now he and Annabeth blushed as everyone laughed. Next I grabbed a box that seemed bigger than the majority of the gifts. The tag said "From Annabeth"
"Annabeth, you didn't have to get me anything!" I exclaimed in surprise of reading the tag.
"I know, I just hope you like it," she announced. Inside was an HP mini laptop.
"Aww, thanks Annabeth!" I squealed giving her a hug.
"How come we didn't get a hug? Our gift was clearly superior, because you and our little brother could enjoy it!" travis and connor whined. Then, their "little brother" who towered over them despite his age plowed into the youngest of the two. Conner and Ricky were a knot of limbs, profanities and hair before travis and I realized what was happening.
"Ricky!" I yelled, trying to get to the half brothers.
"Ari, stop," Percy said getting in front of me. I looked over his shoulder in time to see Ricky's left fist slam into Connor's cheek.
"Do you know what this is, idiot?" Ricky asked Connor, but Travis answered.
"It's a purity ring…" he trailed off.
"Whoa! You're a virgin?" Connor exclaimed with disbelief. Everyone now turned towards the three brothers, but Ricky glanced at me.
"Yeah, do you have a problem with that?" he said calmly.
"Um, yes! You are not a member of the Hermes cabin!" the Stolls announced to him at the same time.
"It's a disgrace to the family!" Travis confirmed. Ricky looked down, embarrassed.
"I think it's honorable," I announced, appalled by the Stoll brothers' way of thinking. I walked up to Ricky, stood on my tippy toes, and kissed his neck. The height difference was immense, so even standing as tall as I could, he would have still had to lean down to meet my lips with his. Plus, Ricky astonishingly, wasn't one for PDA.
"Well, not that this love fest isn't adorable, but can you open my gift next?" Is, my sister of sorts{4} deadpanned. She tossed the present at me as she spoke. It was a tiny box, I opened it to reveal my favorite nail polish! I had run out!
"Thanks Is, I was out," I thanked her, giving her a half hug. The fifth gift was delicately wrapped in seaweed, and I knew it had to be from Klaia, my gaurdian. I unwrapped the beautiful shell, and held it up to my ear.
"Hello kori{5}," Klaia's voice spoke. I gasped.
"Mama?{6}" I asked into the shell, as everyone looked at me like I was crazy.
"Yes darling," my gaurdian's voice bubbled "This shell is for you, so that we may keep in touch while you stay with your mother."
"Thank you Mama, this is a wonderful gift!" I said to her, happy for her effort.
"It may also be used to speak with your naiad friends in the lake at camp," she announced.
"Truly?" I wondered.
"Of course, kori!" she laughed.
"Oh thank you Mama! Thank you!" I said, before hearing her hang up.
"So, what is it?" Percy was the one to ask me.
"Oh! It's wonderful Percy! It's a shell-phone from Mama! From Klaia, the Neried! I can keep in touch with her, Aysu, Mesi, and Nilofer while I'm with you, Mom, and Paul!" I sang. A 'light bulb' look passed over everyone's face as an
"Oh," was chorused.
"One left," Kat {7} announced. It must have been from Ricky, he hadn't given me a present yet… I tore the paper off of the small box, opened it, and saw a key ring with a single key, and a heart charm on it. Underneath, was the tag, the gift indeed was from Ricky.
"What's the key to sweetheart?" I asked giving him a look.
"Call for Midnight, she knows the way," Ricky told me. So I called my Pegasus. Soon, the smaller of the only two pure black Pegasi{8] I knew flew in.
"Hey girl, how's the b-day going?" Midnight asked me.
"Good! Ricky has a surprise for me, he said you know where to go," I told her. She whinnied.
"He's right about that! Both of y'all get on," she said. We did, and she took us to a duplex in downtown New York.
"Try the key on the right side," Ricky said, barely a whisper. I did, and the front door unlocked. I walked into the living room and sat down.
"Where are we?" I wondered aloud, clearly amazed, and slightly confused about this house, and the key that had unlocked the door.
"This is where I live, this is my home," Ricky announced, sounding proud and sad at the same time.
So, I hope that this was a good first chapter, and that you all think this idea is neat, comment, review, subscribe!
~FG
1 Remember, in the first story, Justin Bieber is Ari's friend, and a son of Apollo.
2 That's another referance to the first story, where Justin quizzes Ari on her knowledge of him.
3 Ari's parents are Sally Jackson (Blofis) and Posiedon, so she's Percy's full sister, remember?
4 Remember how close they are? Well, they consider each other family now, not just best friends.
5 "Daughter" in Greek. Klaia raised Ari, remember?
6 Sally is "Mom" and Klaia is "Mama" ok?
7 You remember the daughter of Morpheus right? Well, she's back, along with most from the other story as well.
8 So obviously Blackjack is one, but do you all remember the black mare that Percy rescued from the Princess Andromeda too? Well, let's just say, she came to CHB too, and Ari's Pegasus, Midnight.