PERCY
He knew that something was wrong the instant that he had that dream. Percy just knew it. Well, it was either that or Annabeth did something wrong while attempting to make blue cookies (which sounded just as realistic).
In his dream, Percy took a little trip down to his dad's domain, where he was a little bit more than a year ago after blowing up the Princess Andromeda and losing consciousness. It looked about the same as he remembered: explosions everywhere and scary-looking mermen who looked nothing like the ones you saw in The Little Mermaid.
He saw his dad looking in the same form as he did last time he was here: old and tired, with bags under his eyes but still with that same fiery twinkle in his sea-green eyes. He was waving around his trident and yelling orders in ancient Greek.
In the meantime, another explosion directly next to Percy directed his attention away from Poseidon. The loud noise was from Tyson, who was waving around his special giant stick and yelling: "Peanut butter!"
All the other Cyclopes followed their leader and repeated "Peanut butter" before charging into the battle with their spears, swords, and shields against an enemy who looked like a giant blob of dust and strange green glowing.
"This is bothersome," Percy heard Poseidon muttering. His father turned to look at Percy directly, as if he really was there. "I am in dire need of your help, my son," Poseidon said in a worn-out voice. "We could actually need all the help we can get."
"But Dad I—" Before Percy could even finish his sentence, his father's domain blurred into black and the last thing that he could see was the serious look on Poseidon's face.
"And that's why I need to go, Annabeth," Percy said after explaining to her all the details of his dream. "And no offense or anything, but I think it's really best if you just stay here."
"Well, why can't I go?" Annabeth retorted. "If your dad said that he needs all the help he can get, why come with you and help kick some monster's butt?"
Percy sighed. "It's not that I doubt you," he said in an almost whiny voice. "I don't. Like not ever. But Annabeth, you don't understand. The water pressure down there could probably kill you. I can't just pop a magical bubble up for you because there's no telling if it would hold or not and…" He gave her a soft look. "I don't want to risk losing you again."
"And you won't. I promise," Annabeth said as she patted his hand reassuringly. "If it really bothers you, then I guess I won't pester you about going to Poseidon's domain."
"Thanks, Annabeth. You're awesome."
She kissed him. "I know I am."
"I'll see you in a week," he promised. "I'll be back before you know it, Wise Girl. It'll be like I never even left. I swear."
"Yeah, you better, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said.
With a smirk, Percy began swimming into the lake. Once he got deep enough, he swam down until he saw some naiads who cheerfully guided him towards Poseidon's domain.
There was obviously magic surrounding the whole place because Percy got there in what felt a little less than an hour or so, which was obviously a little off. There was no way that Percy could get to that part of the ocean so quickly, even if he was a demigod.
The first welcoming sight that Percy saw the second he step foot in his father's domain was his half-brother Tyson's big grin and even bigger hugs.
"Agh!" Percy squirmed against his brother's embrace. "Gee, Tyson. You sure have gotten a lot more giant since the last time I saw you, huh?"
"Brother!" he cried. "You are here! Daddy needs all the help he can get. The big monster Oceanus is back and he's stronger than last time."
"Oceanus?" Percy asked. "You mean that old monster guy who destroyed Dad's game room? He's back?"
Tyson nodded. "He was never destroyed in the first place, brother," he told Percy. "Oceanus went away after Daddy helped you guys win the Titan War last summer. But the big monster only went back to hiding somewhere."
"Oh…" Percy looked around for Poseidon. "Where's Dad anyways? I thought he sent for me. I had this dream where he told me—"
"Ah, Percy you're here."
The voice made him spin around to meet Poseidon, who looked just as aged and tiresome as he did the last time Percy was here, only this time, he looked even more worn out and weary.
"Dad," Percy said as he stepped forward. "You called? I mean, it was a dream, but I heard that you needed help and…"
"Yes, Percy," Poseidon replied. "Thank you so much for answering that distress call. I'm afraid we have big trouble in these waters. Chaos has gotten much worse, I'm afraid, and it has made the enemy stronger." He waved his glowing trident over to the battle scene which looked just about everywhere.
Greek fire, which also burned underwater, was all over the place, spilled over houses and glowing and rising above the swirling octopus-like blob that Percy assumed was Oceanus. Several spears and swords where scattered on the floor, as if the mer-people wielding them were wacked out of the way.
In the condition the rest of the city looked, it wouldn't surprise Percy if that really was what happened. It didn't really help ease his nerves about the whole 'kicking monster butt' he was going for.
"Okay…," he began with a nervous gulp. "So what am I supposed to do? It's not like I can just snap my fingers or wack Oceanus in the head with Riptide, can I?
Poseidon shook his head. "I don't think that would help our case," he continued. "Even our best forgers"—his father gave Tyson an apologetic glance—"could not make celestial bronze, or any kind of powerful metal in general, that could successfully conquer Oceanus."
"And my stick keeps breaking," Tyson inserted. "It's a good thing Zeus blessed it so I can keep getting new ones, but it won't help beat the big monster. We need something else. Right, Daddy?"
"Yes, Tyson," Poseidon said with a nod. "That is where you come in, Percy."
"I know I want to help, Dad," he replied. "But I thought I would be beating up like smaller monsters like dracanae or empousai but you're actually asking me to take on Oceanus? Head on? Just like 'I knew you well, Percy, now see ya'?"
"No, no, you've got it all wrong," Poseidon replied. "You are a demigod of extraordinary capabilities. You have been in two Great Prophecies and survived death almost as much times as I can count my many lives. You have aided in the defeat of Kronos, gone through an endless path of monsters, and also turned down immortality to be with your friends. Making us swear on the River Styx to grant you all these requests of claiming a demigod before the age of eleven.
"The point is," he continued. "You have done exemplary things for a half-blood of your young age, Percy. And above all that, you have extreme loyalty, strength, and you are also my son."
For a moment, Percy was speechless. It wasn't really every day that he got to hear Poseidon actually say something nice about him to him once… Actually, he doesn't think that he's heard Poseidon say something like that in a while. It was nice hearing that come out of his dad, with him being a god and all.
"Well," Percy began. "What should I do first?"
Four months passed quickly. While Percy remembered that he promised Annabeth he would come back in a week, time didn't flow right down in Poseidon's domain, and Percy was a little busy with trying to keep Oceanus at bay.
He guessed it was a pretty good day, and Oceanus's attacks were kinda dying down, so Percy thought it was a good time to go and explain to Annabeth some things and tell her a very important decision he made and thought about for a long time now.
"Hey, Dad?" Percy asked as he walked up to Poseidon. "I'll be right back, but I really need to go back to Camp. Just for a little bit. I need to tell Annabeth something. I – I need to tell her that I'm—you know—staying here from now on."
Poseidon's eyes softened and he gave his son an almost apologetic look. "I'm sorry you have to be separated from her, Percy. I truly am. To be parted from someone you love is the most painful thing anyone can ever experience."
Percy's heart dropped. He didn't want to break the news to Annabeth at first. Maybe send Tyson to do it, since Tyson would stay a little while for Ella, but this was different. This was Annabeth, for crying out loud. Besides, she would probably hate him forever if he wasn't the one to break the news to her himself.
"I'll be back in an hour," he told Poseidon.
He swam off and prepared his best poker face for Annabeth. He'd delivered plenty bad news before, but Percy was sure that this would be the most devastating. Maybe even worse than Tartarus.
Percy just hoped that Annabeth would be okay.
