It's finally here! RE: Percy Jackson and the Curse of Echidna. To old followers, welcome to this reboot. To new people, you don't need to read the original to understand this. So, RE: Percy Jackson and the Curse of Echidna. I still don't have a cover. However, I realized that the timeframe I gave people was, perhaps, a bit unrealistic, so I'm extending it until the beginning of the new year. You can get the full info on the "You-Create-the -Cover" contest on my page. So, if you've read the original, I would advise you read this one for a few reasons. 1) it's better. 2) there have been changes made to the canon of my story. 3) it'll give you something to hold you over until I end my hiatus on the Stolen Spellbook and reboot that one too.

So, without further ado, here you go.

RE: Percy Jackson and the Curse of Echidna

Chapter 1: Thalia Sits Next to Me in Homeroom

The end of the world started when Thalia showed up in homeroom. Up until that point, my day had been pretty normal. I had woken up at five forty-five, showered, changed, ate a bowl of cereal, and rode to school with Paul. I went to the office and got my locker assignment and schedule. I found my locker and taped a picture of Annabeth to the door, then set off for homeroom; I had Paul as my homeroom teacher.

Once I got there I took a random seat and waited for the bell to ring. At precisely seven o' clock the homeroom bell rang. Paul started about the normal, start-of-the-school-year business, introducing himself, handing out different forms, so on and so forth.

Finally, he got to roll call. "Abigail Bridges?"

"Here," said girl in the first row responded.

He did this for a bit and I lost interest, being ADHD and all. That was, until he called a name I recognized. "Thalia Grace?"

I snapped to attention. Thalia? There must be some mistake, I thought. I must've misheard him, that's all. Thalia can't be here.

Again he called, "Thalia Grace?"

Again I tried to convince myself that I had misheard him, and that was it was all in my head. Unfortunately, what happened next, proved my misheard theory wrong. The door to the classroom burst open, and in walked a girl with spiky black hair, electric blue eyes, black jeans, and a death to Barbie t-shirt. She wore a silver bracelet, but her silver tiara, marking her as Artemis's lieutenant, was gone. Thalia Grace really was here at Goode.

Somehow, I knew that the reason she was here could not be anything good (Ha, ha. Good, Goode. HA!). Thalia was here for a reason, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it was. It would probably just get me into a mess. I had just defeated Kronos a few weeks ago. I was tired of monster fighting. All I wanted to do was relax and, for once, maybe have a normal school year. Annabeth was going to school in the city to, which meant seeing her every once in a while would've been possible. Thalia, though, shattered my hopes for a normal school year.

Not that I wasn't pleased to see her. She was a good friend, and an excellent fighter. Though we'd had our differences in the past, since becoming the lieutenant of Artemis, we had gotten along much better than we used to.

"Sorry I'm late," Thalia was saying. "I'm Thalia, and I'm here."

"It's alright," Paul said, marking her off. "Um... take that seat next to Percy, he's the one back there in with the dark hair."

"Thank you," Thalia said. She nodded to Paul and went to the back of the room where I was sitting. I must have had a really stupid, surprised expression on my face, because when Thalia sat down she said, "You have no idea how much of a seaweed brain you look right now."

"Thalia," I said, "what are you doing here?"

"Well I-"

But she was interrupted by the intercom. A girl's voice came over the speakers. "Hello and good morning. It is Tuesday, September eighth, a wonderful day to start out the school year! I am Helen Kazam, your new school morning announcer!" Helen sounded just a bit too happy for a teenager at seven fifteen, but I didn't say anything. "Today's lunch is chicken casserole. It sounds like a delicious lunch!" I didn't agree. Last year on chicken casserole day, I could have sworn I saw mine move. "When teachers are done with role call, please bring your students to the auditorium. It's time to meet the new principal. Yay!" Woo-hoo, I thought sarcastically. That's something to get excited about. "Have a fantabulous day!"

Thalia raised her eyebrows. "Did she just say 'fantabulous'?"

I snorted. "I think so."

Paul finished roll call and we all headed towards the auditorium. It was a big, dimly lit room. There were three empty seats and a podium on the stage up front. The seats were like movie theater ones, except without the cup holders. Dang, I really like cup holders. Thalia and I sat next to each other in the back, where we could talk without being overheard.

"So," I said. "Did you come to recruit more hunters or what?"

"No," Thalia said. "Yesterday Camp Half-Blood received a list of undiscovered demigods and their parents. There were so many, Grover nearly fainted. The satyrs simply don't have the manpower –"

"Goatpower," I interrupted.

"– to get all of them without aid," Thalia said. "What you did, making the gods swear to claim their children, that was great. But it seems like they've decided to claim them all at once."

"I see," I said. "But where do the Hunters fit into all this?"

"They don't," Thalia said. "But I do. The other Hunters aren't huge fans of helping Camp Half-Blood out, as you know."

I knew all too well. I remembered the intense and bitter rivalry in the game of capture the flag that we'd played back when I was 14. Since Thalia had taken over, the Hunters had been a little better, but there was only so much she could do to change their mind-set.

"So when I heard what was happening, I took a leave of absence from the Hunters in order to help where I was most needed," Thalia finished, glancing at me.

It took me a moment to work it out, but I realized she was talking about Goode. "Here? Why?"

"Because," Thalia said, "about fifty of the demigods on the list attend Goode. We have to get them out of here and safely to Camp Half-Blood."

I suddenly remembered some words that Paul had said during my freshman orientation, We get a lot of kids here with ADHD and dyslexia. "That doesn't sound so bad, though," I said. "We just find them, take them to camp, and done. Easy as pie."

Thalia didn't look so convinced, but I was sure of myself. It sounded as though Thalia had the list, so it was just a matter of finding the kids. It wasn't going to be a problem.

How wrong I was.

Two of the three seats on the stage were now occupied. In one sat the superintendent, in another the vice principal. The third chair was still empty. A girl stepped up onto the stage, going up to the microphone. She must have been new, because I didn't recognize her from last year. She had dark brown hair and was a little on the tall side. She wore blue jeans and a gray t-shirt with a picture of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Grover would have had a fit. Her eyes were, well I shouldn't have been able to tell their color from the back, but I could. They were yellow, and I could have sworn they were glowing. That made me nervous. Glowing eyes was not a normal thing. Most of the time, glowing eyes were a signal that the person was a monster or a god, or something else...

I exchanged looks with Thalia, and could tell that she was thinking the same thing. We turned our attention back to the stage. The girl spoke into the microphone. "Hello everyone, it's me, Helen! How excited are you for the new school year?" There were some mumbles. "I can't hear you! Louder!"

Suddenly I felt the urge to yell at the top of my lungs how excited I was, even though I wasn't that excited, but I held myself back. Everyone else though, did shout at the top of their lungs about how excited they were. Only Thalia and I refrained.

Now I knew something was up. Thalia knew too. Whoever that was had just manipulated the minds of the entire audience. I pulled out my deadly pen, Riptide, and tapped my knee. Thalia fiddled with her mace container, which I knew expanded into a spear. We were ready for a fight.

After the yelling and cheering died down, Helen continued. "That's awesome! I know that I'm looking forward to this school year too! Now, let me introduce our new principal, Mrs. E!"

Again I felt the urge to cheer, but I stopped myself. Again, everyone, but Thalia and I, cheered like maniacs. Then, onto the stage, stepped someone I hoped I would never see again, a fat woman in a dress and overlarge hat. With her, was a dog, a "chihuahua". I found myself looking at one of the first monsters I had ever faced, along with my first major defeat. Echidna was the new principal.

She approached the microphone and Helen stepped away. They said a few words, then Helen went and sat in the empty chair. Echidna turned towards the students. She caught my eye, and smiled darkly. Then she looked away and addressed the entire auditorium. "Hello, everyone. As Helen so well introduced me, I am Mrs. E."

"What's the E stand for?" some guy in the audience yelled.

"That's not important dear," she sounded sweet and kind, but there was also a hint of danger underneath the voice. The guy shut up. "As I was saying," Echidna continued. "I am Mrs. E, your new principal. I'm sure we'll all be the best of friends. I only ask one thing of you. That you all do as I say. Understood?" The dangerous tone was still in her voice, and I think that even through the Mist, these mortals could sense that she was not to be trifled with. "Now, you'll notice some new staff members throughout the building over the course of the year. Don't be worried, none of your favorite teachers will be fired. I am simply hiring more people. We have quite the surplus in our budget." That was a lie, and everyone should've known it, but at this point I doubted anyone did.

"I bet they're all going to be monsters," I muttered to Thalia.

She looked at me, confused. "What do you mean?"

I rolled my eyes. "Now who's the seaweed brain. That's Echidna. She probably found out about all the demigods here and is trying to kill them all."

"But-" Thalia said. "But – she, well, she works for Zeus. Why would she be here trying to take out these students?"

"I don't know," I muttered. "But I don't think she's working for your dad anymore. When I met her, she asked me why I continued to be a puppet of the gods. That doesn't sound like someone who works for the gods."

"Dad only spared her as a challenge to future heroes," Thalia muttered. "If she has turned against Zeus, then why is she still alive?"

I shrugged. "Maybe Zeus doesn't know yet. I don't know."

Echidna cleared her throat. "The two of you in the back, will come to my office after school today." Everyone turned towards us, and I felt my cheeks get slightly warm. I gritted my teeth. I'll be there, I thought. "Now," Echidna continued. "I was saying that I hope for test score to improve dramatically over the course of this school year. Goode will be the best school in the state. Again, I would like to thank the school-board for hiring me. It is an honor and a privilege to serve you as your new principal."

There was some half-hearted clapping as Helen came back up to the microphone. "Let's hear another big round of applause for Mrs. E!" Again, everyone instantly started clapping and cheering as loudly as they could. I was really unnerved now. What was going on? "Alright everyone, report to your first period class. Have a great day!"

Thalia and I waited until the crowds rushing for the doors had died down, before we headed off. "So," I said, trying to keep to normal conversation, "what do you have for first period?"

Thalia pulled out her schedule and squinted. "Um, I think that it says... Damn dyslexia. Um... physical education?"

I chuckled. "Not used to the whole school thing, huh?"

"Well I ran away when I was young, then I was trapped in a tree for like… I don't know, half a decade?"

"About."

"After that, it was camp, then Hunters. So no, I've not exactly had the time to get used to the whole school thing."

I decided to change the subject. "What do you think Echidna wants?"

"I don't know, but I think we'll have to show up, don't you?"

I nodded. "Just be ready to kick some ass when we get there."

Thalia smiled. "I'm always ready to kick some ass."

I smiled too. "See you later."

"Wait," Thalia said. "Which way's the gym?"

I pointed in the right direction. She nodded her thanks and headed off.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. I went to all of my classes, not paying attention to anything, of course. I ate a disgusting cafeteria lunch. I lost when we played dodge ball in gym. And I signed up for the school's swim team. What an unfair advantage for the other team, I thought, laughing manically inside my head. Finally the two o' clock dismissal bell rang. I started towards the principal's office, when I heard someone call from behind me, "Percy!"

It was Paul. I stopped and waited for him. When he caught up, he said, "I'm very disappointed that you got in trouble on your first day of school. What were you doing, who were you talking to?"

I sighed. "Look, Paul. I can't explain right now. I'll tell you and mom at home."

Paul nodded, as if that satisfied him. He really was a very cool guy. "Alright Percy, as soon as we get home. I'll wait for you out in the car."

"Thanks," I said. "See you in a bit." Paul walked off. I had wanted to explain to him right there that the new principal was a monster, but it didn't seem like the time.

Then a harsh voice came over the intercom. Echidna had dropped the sweet voice act apparently. "Percy Jackson, to the principal's office! Now!"

I sighed again, then set off down the hall. When I got to the main office, the secretary pointed me towards the door in the back. I walked over to it, then knocked. "Come in," Echidna called, resuming her sweet voice act.

Once I had opened the door and closed it behind me, I looked at the office. The room was dimly lit. Thalia sat in a chair facing the desk. Sitting behind the desk, was fat ol' Echidna herself. On her desk were lots of pictures, all of monsters. Her children I realized. Behind her hung a picture of her husband, Typhon. I remembered my first good look at him. He had been terrifying. He still was terrifying in picture form.

"Sit down," Echidna said harshly, once again dropping the sweet voice.

I sat in the chair next to Thalia. She was glaring angrily at Echidna. "What do you want Echidna? Why are you here? My father wouldn't have sent you here."

"No indeed," Echidna snarled. "I do not serve the Olympians anymore Miss Grace." Thalia gritted her teeth at the use of her last name. "I serve a new master. He promised me and my children free reign, to do whatever we want, whenever we want, to any heroes we wish, as long as we obey him. Zeus never gave me such freedom. I am here, because my master wants me here. And I obey, because of the promise of freedom."

"That and you probably want revenge on the gods for taking down your husband," I said.

Echidna snarled. "Listen, boy! Your father is the reason for that! If I could, I would tear him apart! But that job belongs to another."

"Who?" I asked.

"None of your business," she snapped.

"Who's your master anyway?" Thalia asked.

"None of your business!" Echidna snapped again.

"Why are we here?" Thalia asked. "Why aren't you attacking us? Too scared?"

Echidna smiled. "Well, the time is not right, is it? No, it is not the time for me to slay either of you. As for your other question, I just wanted to tell you that I know about your little list. I don't know the exact names of the students that are on that list, but I will find them, and kill them all. And when I've done that, when I've broken your spirit, then I'll kill you, too."

"You're wrong," I said. "We'll stop you."

Echidna smiled. "We'll see, my dear. As you know, I am the principal now. Do anything that I could find a reason to expel you for, then the school board won't stop me. Also, Chimera is here. You remember him, don't you?"

I grimaced. Of course I remembered Chimera.

"That is all," Echidna said.

Thalia and I left the office. "We can still do it," I said. "Echidna will make it harder for us, but we can still save them. All of them."

Thalia nodded grimly. "But we'll have to be careful and secretive about safely removing the demigods. I don't want to know what the inside of the Chimera looks like."

I nodded. "Echidna's going to be watching us closely now."

Thalia said, just as we stepped out of the building, "Looks like we'll have quite a few monsters to slay."

"Just like old times," I murmured.

Thalia laughed. "Just like old times."