Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own PJO. Boo hoo :(
Hi, people! This is Nikki saying in a cool announcer voice, "Now the moment you've all been waiting for….. A Love Story! The Sequel to the Betrayal!"...JUST KIDDING!! I gotta tell you guys something first. PLEEEEEAAASSSEE REVIEW!! I'm not gonna update until I get 5 more reviews on this story. kinda embarrassed Oh and, if anybody knows how to break stories up into chapters let me know. looks at feet I'm such an idiot. I wanna break my stories into chapters so, uh, PM me if you know. mumbles Stupid me. NOOOOOW, here's the story. Hope you like it!
KWOOSH!! I'd just pushed my girlfriend/ best friend, Annabeth into the lake.
"Seaweed Brain! I'd run if I were you!" she yelled with mock anger. She held her angry tone for about five seconds before she burst out in laughter. While I stood on the dock, playfully teasing her, she reached out and grabbed my leg. Next thing I knew... SPLASH! I landed face first in the shimmering mass of water.
I was planning on leaping in anyway but Annabeth had beat me to it. We were both laughing now. "Hey! What's going on?!" a voice yelled from the Amphitheater. Uh-oh. I knew that voice. Only one goat boy had that voice. Grover. Then as if on cue, my satyr friend, Grover Underwood came barreling across the meadow, down the dock and flung himself into the lake.
"Grovie! Wait for me!" a gentle voice called. Only Juniper would call Grover, Grovie. She ran into view, pumping her little legs as hard as she could, trying to keep up with Grover. Then she practically flew off the dock and made one of the smallest splashes I'd ever seen.
We were all laughing now. Just then, Clarisse and some of her Ares goonies came walking by. I was sure they were thinking that we were idiots. And we probably looked like it too. They laughed out loud at the sight of us. Suddenly, completely out of nowhere, I made one of stupidest decisions ever, and trust me I've had a lot of stupid moments.
I decided to pick on Clarisse a little bit. I willed a "bucketful" of water to silently rise out of the lake and dump itself on Clarisse's oversized head. I resisted the urge to let the tug in my gut continue to grow, to drown her and all of her little friends, but man was it hard! We all stifled our laughs as best as we could but aparently it wasn't good enough.
"Hey!" She whirled around. Her eyes focused on us. She scowled. "What are you laughing at, Punk?" Uh oh.Getting Clarisse mad is bad enough. I shivered at the thought, put on my brave face and said, "Get behind me." Grover and Juniper followed my instructions willingly, but Annabeth, as stubborn as ever stood her ground next to me, her bronze knife drawn.
"Oh! So you get your girlfriend to fight for you?" Clarisse snapped. That hit me square in the chest. She knew my weak points. But she also knew how to make me mad. Sorry, Clarisse. But you should have known a loooong time ago that you don't mess with my friends.
Her buff buddies stepped forward, ready to step in and supposedly kick Percy butt. It wasn't gonna happen. Really! They didn't get the chance. A white polished hoof stomped the ground in front of Clarisse with a bone shattering impact. "Clarisse," a stern voice said.
I looked up to see the only centaur in camp, Chiron. He continued, "I believe you are scheduled for Swords Practice right now, am I right?" My enemy blushed and mumbled, "Yes sir,"
"Then I suggest you go there very quickly or punishment will have to be implied." With a huff and one last I'm-gonna-hurt-you look from Clarisse, she and her buddies stalked off to the Arena.
Juniper, in one swift motion, leaped back onto the dock and raced over to Chiron, still sopping wet. She hit the ground and said, "Oh thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Then she remembered that we were still there. She cleared her throat, puffed out her tiny chest and walked away.
"All right. You may go now," Chiron's tone suggested that he was getting pretty annoyed. But his eyes were filled with worry. My friends and I were just about out of the lake when he said, "Percy, I need to speak with you." Dang it! I was so close to getting out free. He must have some sort of celebration. Pick on Percy and exclude him from the group to talk to him about some mystical mumbo jumbo day. Yeah, that seemed right.
I walked with him back to the Big House with one last pleading look to my friends. After a few minutes of silent walking, we arrived at the Big House's porch. I stepped through the door and moved out of the way for Chiron. Mr. D was sitting in his usual spot, playing pinochle with some poor satyr who obviously couldn't make ups or downs with the game.
Chiron cleared his throat and I realized that he was already halfway across a hallway. I put on an apologetic face and hurried after him. We came down the hallway and through a door that I recognized. The conference room. This was where the cabin leaders discussed war plans and blah blah blah.
"Take a seat, Percy," Chiron's tone was deadly serious, unlike the last time we spoke alone. "I have been picking up signs, and they are not good." He cleared his throat like he didn't knwo what to say. "Percy, you have know idea how hard it is to say this." Another deep breath later, my "teacher" spoke again. "Krono's army is getting stronger. I don't know how they plan to get in but I know this: They are gaining forces. Kronos is even more powerful than before. His army is coming. And he's leading it."
My eyes widened. I stood up abruptly. "What?!" Chiron took a shaky breath and said, "You heard right, my boy. I'm afraid the Titan Lord's attack will only be short weeks from now."
"I've gotta go tell Annabeth! She can help!" I said. "Wait, Percy." His voice had turned soft and it was kind of creeping me out. "You must first Iris Message your mother. She will want to know what is happening." I nodded, my most solemn face plastered to my head.
With that, I turned and ran off to my cabin. The saltwater fountain had been fixed by now so it was ready with lots of mist. I dug a golden drachma out from my pocket and tossed it into the mist. "O, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering," The drachma disappeared into the dissolving wetness and I said, "Sally Jackson. Upper East Side, Manhattan."
I watched as my mother's face came into view. She was in the kitchen, probably making dinner or something; I couldn't tell. "Mom," I said. She spun around, obviously startled. When she saw it was me, a shaky breath of relief escaped her throat. "Percy!" Mom came walking towards her side of the mist. Then her eyes grew wide.
"Percy, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice full of concern. I took a deep breath and said, "Mom, Kronos' army is coming. He's leading it." I could've sworn her eyes widened to the size of a baseball. "Chiron and Mr. D are doing their best at Camp. They won't let his army win." I hesitated then continued. "And neither will I."
My mom took a long silent breath. "Thank you for telling me, Percy." Then her playful tone returned. "Mothers have to know these things, right?" I smiled. Then I heard a voice behind me say, "Percy? Is that you?"
"Sorry, mom. I gotta go." I turned around and saw Annabeth running towards me. "Okay. I love you honey." She was about to wipe her hand through the mist when I said, "Mom, wait." I looked directly into her eyes and said, "I won't let you down. I will come back alive." With that, I swished my hand through the mist and my mom's solemn face disappeared.
Annabeth came to a screeching halt right next to me. She smiled, still breathing heavily. Finally finding her voice, she said, "Your mom?" I nodded. "What did Chiron want?" I hesitated. I knew I should tell her, about Kronos' army, about my fear, and everything else. I knew I shouldn't stop. I could tell her now. It would be much easier to share this new burden.
"Kronos is coming." I said, but it only came out in a whisper. Annabeth turned her head, kind of like what dogs do when they see something funny. "What?" I took a deep breath.
"I said, Kronos is coming." I repeated, a little louder this time. But just loud enough for her to hear. Her eyes widened in fear, but then she caught herself and reclaimed her brave expression. Lips pressed together, she nodded. I stepped over and looked straight at her.
I could tell she was thinking about my enemy, Luke. He had supposedly been my friend at one time, but that was before Kronos had taken over his body. Annabeth slipped her hand into mine and we walked off back to our cabins.
Later that night, all I could think about was Kronos and Annabeth. I knew she still loved Luke and something about that bothered me. But I didn't know what. I also knew I had more important things to think about than my love life. Kronos' attack was just weeks away. I had to do something.
These thoughts went on for about a half an hour before I finally changed into my pajamas and layed down in my bed. I sat up, watching as Tyson snored himself to sleep. Annabeth. There were the thoughts again. They kept coming, over and over and over until I couldn't take it. I hid my head under my sea green pillow and squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe that would help...I yawned and burrowed farther down in the soft sheets of my bed. Then I drifted quietly into my Dreamland. Or as I call it, Nightmareland.
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I was at the Amphitheater. But it somehow had a different look to it. I didn't know how or why but I knew it did. I looked around. Everything looked the same. The flat wooden benches; the large fire pit with a ring of stones around it; even the gray concrete walls that surrounded me. Then I saw the sky. That's when I noticed a problem.
It was an creepy blackish blue color and there were no clouds that I could see. That wasn't even the worst part. A large purple vortex spun itself around in the sky, like a funnel cloud that hadn't touched the ground. Fog swirled so close to the ground, I had to squint to see across the building.
Then a frightening, girly scream came from outside. Grover. No doubt about it. I stood up, eager to help my furry friend. In a sudden surge of panic, I checked my pocket for my pen. There it was, as always. I sighed a deep sigh and ran out off the Amphitheater.
I saw him cornered by a dozen of Lastrygonian giants in front of the Hephaestus cabin. Then he noticed me.
"Per-r-r-rcy!" That was his I'm-really-freaked-out-so-come-help-me-out voice. But the thing that really surprised me was the fact that the giants seemed to be more toying with him, than trying to eat him like they usually did.
Grover gave another shriek and I yelled, "Hey!" The Lastrygonians turned around, though they kept one eye on their original prey. One looked to the others, gave some sort of grunt which I figured was some freaky Canadian language, and took off towards me; his tree trunk club raised. I turned and ran like my life depended on it. It wasn't too hard to pretend in this situation.
When I saw the terrible battle that was layed out before my eyes, I stopped dead in my tracks. I saw the entire Apollo cabin attackinig some telekhines. It looked like the seal things were winning. Farther to the right, Clarisse and the Ares cabin were in a Phalanx formation. A Cyclops holding a giant boulder was running towards them. When it's face was in view I gasped. The Cyclops was Polyphemus.
Athena's kids were battling...the Hydra?! I thought I'd killed it years ago! Then it hit me. Duh! Monsters reform! Percy, you idiot!
"UGH!" I grunted in pain as a rough surface flung me into the air. A thick wetness soaked through my shirt. Blood! I knew I would not survive this fall. My sight went blurry. But I could make out Annabeth fighting, sword to sword, with an enemy half-blood.
THUD!! A sickening crack could be heard all throughout Camp as I hit the ground. Annabeth turned around, curious. Her eyes widened. "Percy!" She came running to me. Polyphemus stomped in her path. "Ha ha! I finally found Nobody!" The last thing I saw was the Cyclops picking her up and tossing her to the wind. Using to rest off my strength, I howled, "NOOOOOOO!" Then everything went black.
Suddenly, the scene shifted. A familiar place. A dark cave; a deep, almost endless pit; and a deathly silence. Then a deep, booming voice that I knew all too well, spoke. "Well, Half-Blood. Now that you have seen your fate, are you ready to accept my offer?" The voice sounded more like a command than a question.
Before I felt like I was in complete control, but now I couldn't move; I couldn't talk. That feeling is torture to a kid with ADHD. "There is no point in fighting, son of Poseidon. You will not win." The Lord of Time continued to speak. Suddenly, a shock went down my limbs and I was able to move. I shook off the tingle and ran faster than I ever had.
"Run, little Half-Blood. You will not be able to hide for much longer!" Kronos' cold laughter filled the cavern as I ran through the endless Tunnel of Torture.
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I woke up in a cold sweat. I checked to make sure all my limbs were intact. They were, just as I had hoped. I hopped out of bed and dressed in my usual; my Camp Half-Blood T-Shirt and jeans. I headed to the Sword Arena. That place always centered me somehow.
I ran across the early morning dew sprinkled meadow, and before I knew it, I was standing in the middle of the Arena. Mrs. O'Leary looked up. Her tail thumped against the ground and I felt the impact all the way across the stadium. "Hey, girl!" I called and tossed her a giant dog bone. Not as heavy as you'd think.
"Percy?" A voice said from one of the darker corners of the Arena. A human form with blond hair stepped out from the shadows. Annabeth. I took a step towards her. "Yep. That would be me." She smiled and jogged over to me, petting Mrs. O'Leary on her way.
"I was just thinking," she said. Uh oh. Whenever Annabeth thinks it usually results in a Percykabob. I shuddered and put on a fake quizzical face. "About your prophecy! Man, sometimes I wonder if there is nothing but seaweed in that head of yours!" she said teasingly. My eyes widened unintentionally. My prophecy! I'd almost forgotten about it! It still wasn't complete! (A/N: Thx 2 Shorty and KG 4 reminding me!!)
"Let me know if I've got it right." I nodded and she continued. "One is lost; a prophecy clear?" She looked at me and I gestured for her to go on. "To save the world, you need friends dear. Obstacles will come your way. But friends will come to save the day?"
"Continue," I was making a fool of my self; acting like a boring college professer or that dude with the puffy cheeks and a funny looking cat that I figured would look like a drowned rat if it got wet. "An old love lost; a new one found. Campers finally safe and sound."
I adverted her gaze. I knew what was coming. "I think I almost have it figured out! The one that is lost is Nico and Chiron's prophecy is clear now. It also says that you'll need friends to save the world, so that means Grover and I will be helping you. I'm guessing the obstacles will be Kronos' temptations as always. And this is the last part I understand. I think that Angela.." She said my old "girlfriend's" name like it was some sort of terrible deadly disease. "..is the old love." She stepped closer to me. "And I'm the new."
I raised an eyebrow, not able to tell if she was kidding or not. Her eyes had that same ice cold steeliness that I was attracted to in the first place. The face in front of me was impossible to read. So I did the only thing I could. I smiled and kissed her softly on the lips.
We pulled apart and she grinned. "Come on, Seaweed Brain. Breakfast time." I stood up and offered her my hand. She took it and we walked to the Dining Pavilion, hand in hand.
