Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Author's Note: Okay, here is the new version of chapter 1. From now on, I'll just pute a tag on the beinning to let you know if it's new or not. Here it is:

REDO

Chapter 1

The next day, Mom drove me back to Camp. It seems I wasn't going to 9th grade this year after all. For once, I had actually been looking the tiniest bit forward to school…oh well. Tyson wasn't with me either. Dad had called him down for a special project that had to be started immediately. So it was just me.

The ride was uneventful, but I was jumpy thinking about Nico and my conversation.

Nico sat there, hungrily wolfing down the slice of cake I gave him. When he was finished, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and looked up at me somberly.

"You're not going to like my news, Percy."

"Doesn't matter. What's going on?"

"As you know, I've been in the Underworld, doing research, expanding my powers." He made a face. "Not fun. Anyway, the lawyer that came and got Bianca and I was my father. Speaking of him, he's impossible. Can't talk to him about anything. Too busy for his own son, I guess. Except this ring," he held out his hand. "Gave it to me for transportation, communication." He saw my questioning glance, but glared, and I knew the subject was off limits.

"So, what about the big plan?" I prodded.

He sighed. "It's just, it's too...absurd," he chuckled dryly. "Luke would hate it. Repeating history. You know how in the first war, the Gods cut up Kronos with his own scythe?"

"Yeah. So?"

He got up and started pacing. "Think, Percy. That scythe is the single most powerful object in the universe. What if we could get a hold of it? The titans would be sunk. It gets better, too. We actually might have a shot, because when (for once), my dad consented to talk, he said he wasn't sure, but he thinks that if the scythe is destroyed, Kronos might be too."

"How can Kronos be destroyed? He's immortal!"

"That scythe is his life source. Apparently, he used so much of his power trying to find it and restore it, that his soul is actually now in the scythe."

"Ok-ay. How could we destroy it?"

"As I said, I've been doing lots of research. As far as I know, it can not be fully destroyed. I think, and don't quote me on this, but I think, that if it was to be soaked in the River Styx, thought, it might freeze so severely that it would imprison Kronos's soul inside. But we would need all of the power of Olympus to even attempt such a thing."

"How would that help?"

"It would give the gods a few centuries or so to figure out something else. Dad said he would look into safer security for Tartarus, but don't expect too much."

Great. But out loud, I said. "That's...great Nico. Have you told Chiron yet?"

"I sent a message."

"Well we need to get to camp. Get this started."

"We?"

"Well, yeah. You have to be there."

"I have other things I need to look into. Time is running short. And you're the prophesy kid anyway. I'll come when I'm needed. As for now, I'm off."

"Do you need anything?

"No. Go to camp. I'll be seeing you soon, thought."

"How will you travel?"

"The ring, duh."

"Can it transport more than one person?"

He frowned. "I don't think that would be smart. Potentially painful." Nico climbed back out the window. Gray clouds started forming around him.

"Nico? If we destroy/freeze Kronos, will Luke...die?"

"Percy, he's as good as dead already. But yes, he will die." The clouds got thicker around him. "See you," he said, and vanished.

Was he insane? Did we really have to go that far? Was it possible? I dozed fitfully, but my dreams weren't pleasant.

As we rounded the final bend, I woke up. Half-Blood Hill was as green as ever, dandelions everywhere. Thalia's former tree stood tall with the fleece glinting in the sunlight. Peleus, the guard dragon was up and alert. He must have scented me already. It didn't look like a place that would be soon preparing for war, but that's what was going to happen. I hugged my Mom goodbye, and hiked up the hill.

Everything seemed to be normal. The Hermes cabin was up to something, as usual. The archery class was hitting (mostly) bulls-eyes. The kids riding the Pegasi were whooping as they played battle tag in the air. I could distantly hear the thoughts of the Pegasi complaining when the demigods would turn too sharply or insist on another barrel roll. I smiled.

And down by the beach…what was that? I jogged over, and hid in the shadows, trying to get a peak. The Aphrodite cabin and the Hephaestus cabin were building something together. It looked like a large platform, maybe big enough to hold 120 standing half-bloods (there are about 140 at camp), with stairs and a stage. Silena and Beckendorf seemed to be in charge, giving orders and tips to the rest of the crew. I might have approached them, when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Percy! When did you get here?"

"Hey, G-Man. Long time no see!"

We slapped hi-fives. I hadn't seen him since last summer. He filled me in on what he had been doing, and it was pretty cool. He's been sending brigade after brigade of satyrs out to save and defend what little of the wild they can find. They have an official map, and at last count, they had found a little over 200 wild places. It depressed me. I mean, it was great they found anything at all, and the work they'd done was awesome. But to know that so little of the wild remained…it was sad. I swore to myself that when this insanity was over, I would work harder to help Grover.

We wandered around camp for a while, and it was a good experience. Even with Nico's crazy plan hanging over me like the sword of Damocles, it was good to reacquaint myself with the sensations of home. Everything was fine, until we reached the beach. Peering out over the ocean, what at first looked like sunshine on water was now identifiable as the glint of honey-blonde hair. Oh Gods. Annabeth.

I wasn't really sure where I stood with her. I mean, I know she was angry at me at first, but it wasn't like she was openly glaring. But ever since the "Battle of the Labyrinth" quest was over, she had been distant. Avoiding me. And it wasn't like I wasn't avoiding her too. I knew that she was hurt, but I just didn't quite know how to say I was sorry, or to comfort her. The few times I'd tried hadn't ended very well. We had e-mailed every so often over the summer, but even the e-mails seemed remote. This was made worse by the fact that I just couldn't stop thinking about her. Every time my mind wandered, it always went to her. It was awkward, to say the least. Despite all that, I decided to go say hi. She'd kill me if I were here without even speaking to her.

I wanted to try out at neat little trick I'd found over the summer. Hopefully it'd work. I went and kneeled where the tide came in, submerging my face. Since I can breathe underwater, this wasn't a problem. Barely raising my voice above normal, I called out,

"Hey, Annabeth."

I got the reaction I was hoping for. Her head popped out of the water, looking about wildly. When she spotted me, her face had a look of complete bafflement. I grinned, and motioned for her to go back under.

"Hey. Neat trick, huh?"

She surfaced again, smiled back, and waved while she swam to shore. She came out of the water dripping, and I handed her the towel I assumed was her's. She was wearing a dark blue racer suit that looked great on her. The first thing she said was,

"How come you didn't tell me you were coming to camp?"

"Dunno," I shrugged, "But it's good to see you again."

She smiled hesitantly. "You too, Percy. How did you do that voice-in-the-water thing?"

"Oh, that. Apparently, I can project my voice underwater. Found out about a month ago when I shouted to Tyson underwater. Nearly busted his eardrums, and mine too. The water amps up your voice."

She laughed, and I hadn't realized how much I'd missed her till then. Still, it bugged me. She seemed kind of reserved, secluded. Protecting herself. From me? Why?

"Do you know what the Hephaestus and Aphrodite cabins are building?"

"Uh…" her voice changed, set at a nervous pitch. "Um, not sure exactly. Have you talked to Chiron yet?"

I realized she was trying to change the subject, but I let it slide.

"Oh crap, no. I was looking for him when…"

"Right," she said, looking distant. O Zeu. Not again. Hesitantly, I started,

"Is everything okay? You're acting weird."

"What?" She tried at a light-hearted smile, but it came out forced. "I am?"

"Never mind."

"Okay."

I was really uncomfortable now. We had never been this guarded around each other before.

"I'll see you soon then, Seaweed Brain," she said, then drifted off. I stared. Not even the invocation of my now fondly used nickname could change my judgment.

There was something wrong with her, or I'm a Cyclops. I've seen her in every mood, but never before has she been so…spacey. Like she's not really there, her mind is a million miles off. I don't have to tell you how wrong that is. Grover gave me a tired, bittersweet smile.

"Don't worry," was all he said. "Go see Chiron."