Ciao amici. Welcome. I wrote this because I don't like how people hate on Rachel. So this is a tribute to the Oracle. REVIEW PLEASE.

Driving along East 81st street I couldn't help to be exited. This was the first time my parents ever let me go to a public school and not one of those stupid, snooty private schools that I've been going to since kindergarten. I looked out the window and saw kids parents pulling up with their kids, it made me a little sad that neither of my parents have ever driven me to school. I tried to forget that thought and let my mind wander. I began to think about art, and school, but my mind eventually came to that kid I met last winter. Percy Gottago. I don't know who he is, but I know he knows something about the things I see and I will find him again, something in my gut tells that I will.

"We're here Miss Dare." My driver Edger said.

"Thank you Edger."

"My pleasure Miss." I stepped out of the car. I noticed a few people staring at me for coming out of a limo, but I ignored them. I opened my bag to get out the map I got in the mail. I searched for about five minuets before I realized that I left it at home. Dammit, how am I supposed to find the gym now? I spotted a guy with salt and pepper hair who looked like an actor, but was obviously a teacher.

"Excuse me," I said. "but do you know how to get to the gym?"

"Yes, you go down the main hall, and its the first turn on the left." He said.

"Thank you."

"No problem, I'm Paul Blofis by the way, welcome to Goode." Blow fish?

"I'm Rachel, thanks again." I said. I turned around to go when I saw a kid with jet black hair stepping out of a blue car. He looks so familiar, but I can't seem to recall a memory of him. H turned around and I saw his face. I almost gasped, it couldn't be, no way. He poked his head in the car window for a moment, and then started making his way toward the side entrance. I would have followed him, but I was carried away by a mob of students. I made my way to the gym, I could probably see him there. As I walked down the halls, I noticed a lot of stupid signs and posters on the wall with things like Welcome Freshmen. I walked in and scanned the crowd for jet black hair. The principal started saying things about the school that no one really cared about, but I was to focused on finding this guy to listen. I spotted someone sitting in the fifth row. He was looking around like something was going to pop out and eat him. I walked over and took a seat behind him. This was him for sure. I grabbed his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered/yelled. He whipped his head around and looked at me with a shocked expression.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," He said. I was a little shocked myself that he remembered my name.

"And you're Percy somebody. I didn't get your full name last December when you tried to kill me." I said. I'm still amaze that his sword didn't kill me, but it went through me.

"Look, I wasn't—I didn't—What are you doing here?" He said. What does he think I'm doing here.

"Same as you, I guess. Orientation." I said.

"You live in New York?" He asked.

"What, you thought I lived at Hoover Dam?" I asked. I can't believe that were going to the same school together, I mean, I never thought of him as a regular teenager. Not that I thought about hi, he just crossed my mind every once in a while.

"Hey, shut up." Some guy behind us said. "The cheerleaders are talking."

"Hi, guys!" Some overly happy teen girl said. "My name is Tammi, and this is, like, Kelli." I turned to see who was talking. When I saw her I let out a yelp. They were horrible, how am I supposed to live when I see things like this. It was some kind of vampire, and I'm not talking about the sparkly ones form twilight, I mean a thing with red eyes, pale skin, a metal leg, and hooves ? I would have laughed if I wasn't so scared.

"Run," I told Percy. "Now."

"Why?" I didn't answer, I just got up and ran out of the gym. I kept running until I came to the band room. I didn't stop to make sure that Percy was following me. I crouched down behind a bongo. A few seconds later Percy came in.

"Get over here!" I said. "Keep your head down!" He looked like it was a stupid idea to hide behind a bongo. "Did they follow you?" I asked.

"You mean the cheerleaders?" He asked, I nodded. I felt a spark of hope, maybe I'm not the only one who sees these things.

"I don't think so," He said. "What are they? What did you see?" I looked at him in fear, what if he doesn't believe me? He'll think I'm crazy and I'll be sent to a mental hospital.

"You...you wouldn't believe me." I said.

"Oh, yeah I would," He said. "I know you can see through the mist." The mist? What's the mist? I'm pretty sure anyone can see through mist. Maybe I'm not the crazy one.

"The what?"

"The mist. It's...well, it's like this veil that hides the way things really are. Some mortals are born with the ability to see through it. Like you." Did, he just call me a mortal?

"You did that at Hoover Dam." I said. "You called me mortal. Like your not." His face changed. He looked mad, but not a me, more like, at himself.

"Tell me." I begged. "You know what it means. All these horrible things I see?" I started to sound desperate, but hey, I am desperate. His face became more relaxed.

"Look, this is going to sound weird. Do you know anything about Greek myths?" He asked.

"Like...the Minotaur and the Hydra?"

"Yeah, just try not to sat those names when I'm around, okay?"

"And the Furies," I said, getting more comfortable with the situation. "And the Sirens, and—" He cut me off.

"Okay." He looked around like he did in the gym, as if he was expecting a Greek monster to come out and eat him. I started to hear the tour groups coming our way, we don't have much time to talk about this.

"All those monsters," He said. "all the Greek gods—they're real." With just that one sentence I felt a wave of relief wash over me, as if a large weight was lifted of my shoulders.

"I knew it!" Okay, maybe I didn't know it, but I did know that the things I was seeing are real. "You don't know how hard it's been," I said. "For years I thought I was going crazy. I couldn't tell anybody. I couldn't—" I narrowed my eyes. Why does he know about all this. I mean if he can see the same things I do, than how come I never knew about any of this. "Waite. Who are you? I mean really?

"I'm not a monster."

"Well, I know that. I could see if you were. You look like...you. But you're not human are you?" I really hope that he isn't an alien, but I know for sure that he is not human. He swallowed, and had a look on his face as if he was trying to find the words to explain what he is.

"I'm a half-blood." He said. "I'm half human."

"And half what?" Just then the doors burst open. I turned and saw the two vampire things. I felt the color drain from my face.

"There you are, Percy Jackson," Tammi said. "It's time for your orientation." If this hadn't been a life threatening situation I would have laughed at the cheesy line she just used.

"They're horrible!" I said, coming back to reality.

"What do they really look like?" Percy asked. I tried to speak, but my mouth couldn't form the words.

"Oh forget her." Tammi said, flashing Percy a brilliant smile. She started walking toward us. Kelli stayed at the door, blocking our escape. Percy looked dazed, he was staring a Tammi, I wanted to scream at him that this was not the time nor the place to be checking out girls!

"Percy," I tried to snap him out of his daze.

"Uhhh?" He replied. Tammi moved closer and held out her pom-poms like she wanted Percy to run into her arms.

"Percy!" I yelled. "Snap out of it!" He moved his hand to his pocket and took out a pen A pen! Seriously, how is he going to kill them with a pen. Suddenly

I remembered something he said to me at Hoover Dam. You don't see a sword. It's just a ballpoint pen. Could a sword really be disguised as a pen? He took off the cap and it extended into a three foot long sword. I guess that answers my question. Tammi looked at the sword in disgust.

"Oh come on," She said. "You don't need that. How about a kiss instead?" Percy got that dazed look again. I had to do something. I pinched his arm.

"Percy, she wants to bite you!" I yelled. "Look at her." Why can't he see it?

"She's just jealous." Tammi said and looked toward Kelli. "May I, mistress?" Kelli licked her lips hungrily.

"Go ahead, Tammi. You're doing fine." Tammi stepped forward, but Percy pointed the tip of his sword at her.

"Get back." He said. She snarled.

"Freshmen," She said, like it was the most insulting thing she could think of. "This is our school, half-blood. We feed on whom we choose!" Oh god. Have they really been killing people at this school? How has no one noticed the missing kids? I looked at Percy, he had a shocked look on his face. I could only hope that he was really starting to see her.

"A vampire!" He stammered. Maybe now he won't be distracted by her beauty, since he can finally see her. He looked over her, but his eyes stopped at he legs, well not legs, more like a robot part and a donkey hoof. "Uhh, a vampire with—"

"Don't mention the legs!" She snapped. "It's rude to make fun!" Oh, so I guess it's completely polite to drink someone's blood? Tammi started to move forward with her robot/donkey legs. I wanted to laugh because she still had her cheer leading uniform and pom-poms on, but her face scared me to much.

"A vampire, you say?" Kelli laughed. "That silly legend was based on us, you fool. We are empousai, servants of Hecate." Hecate? I never really studied Greek mythology, but I think she was either the goddess of youth or magic. I think I'm gonna go with magic, based on her...creatively designed minions.

"Mmmm." Tammi stepped closer to Percy. "Dark magic formed us from us from animal, bronze, and ghost! We exist to feed on the blood of young men. Now come on, give me that kiss!" She showed her fangs, as if it was supposed to make her look hot. She started to move closer and closer to Percy. I had to do something, so I picked up a snare drum and threw it at the monster's head. She hissed as she swatted the drum away from he face. She looked at we with hate in her eyes, no it wasn't just hate. It was blood lust. I picked up a xylophone and threw it at her. She knocked it away and hissed at me.

"I don't usually kill girls, but for you, mortal, I'll make an exception. Your eyesight is a little too good!" She lunged at me. I thought I was dead, I shut my eyes and braced myself for death.

"No!" I heard Percy yell. I opened my eyes to see Percy swinging his sword at Tammi. She tried to dodge it, but the blade made contact with her chest and exploded into gold dust, which rained all over me.

"Gross!" I said while coughing.

"Monsters do that." He said. "Sorry."

"You killed my trainee!" Kelli shrieked. "You need a lesson in school spirit, half-blood!" Oh my god...or is it gods? Whatever, but will she just drop the damn cheerleader act! I looked at Percy, he had the same look when Tammi revealed her true form to him, I'm guessing Kelli just did the same thing.

"I am senior empousia," she growled. "No hero has bested me I a thousand years."

""Yeah?" Percy said. "Then you're over do!" Kelli mover with a lot more speed than Tammi. She dodged Percy's first attack and rolled over by some brass instruments and knocked over a row of them. Some came near me so I scrambled out of the way. Percy stepped between me and the monster. Kelli began to circle us, she kept on looking at me and the sword.

"Such a pretty little blade." She said. "What a shame it stands between us." She gave Percy a charming smile and he looked like he was trying to focus on the monster a lot more. Voices came from down the hall. The tour groups would be here any minuet, I hope Percy can kill her quickly.

"Excellent!" Kelli said with an evil smile. "We're about to have company!" She picked up a tuba and threw it at us. The hall became quiet, like the tour groups were trying to hear where the noise came from.

"Percy!" Kelli said, pretending to be scared. "Why did you throw that?" Kelli picked up more instruments and threw the to the ground.

"Stop it!" Percy yelled. Footsteps came running down the hall toward the band room, toward us.

"Time to greet our visitors!" Kelli said with glee. She ran for the doors. Percy came at her with his sword, I knew what Kelli was trying to do, apparently Percy didn't.

"Percy, don't!" I shouted to try and stop him. Kelli flung open the doors and there stood a bunch of scared looking students and the Blow fish guy with a shocked look on his face. Percy had his sword raised and before he could put it down Kelli turned toward him with a false look of horror.

"Oh no, please!" Percy's blade was already in motion. Just before the sword hit her she burst into flames causing the room to set fire. I had a feeling that, that wasn't the last of her.

"Percy?" Mr. Blow fish said, stunned. "What have you done?" Screams and flames filled the hall. We had to get out of their.

"You have to get out of here." I told Percy. He took a look around, observing the chaos. He turned around and jumped through a hole in the wall.

"What happened here?" Mr. Blow fish asked me.

"Um," I said. "the cheerleaders exploded into flames." I turned and jumped through the hole and ran after Percy. I turned into an ally and saw Percy with some blond girl.

"Percy, wait up" I yelled. The blond looked at me and then up at the smoke coming from the school.

"What did you do this time, and who is this?" The blond said with a frown on her face. This time? What, does he do these kind of things often?

"Oh," He said"Rachel—Annabeth. Annabeth—Rachel. Um, she's a friend. I guess." Hmm, so I guess to him, a friend is someone you swing a sword at, never see them for months and then save their lives.

"Hi," I said to Annabeth. I turned to Percy. "You are in so much trouble. And you still owe me an explanation!" I heard police sirens coming down the street.

"Percy," Annabeth said with ice in her voice. "We should go." There is no way I'm letting him go without an explanation.

"But I want to know more about half-Bloods," I protested "And monsters. And this stuff about the gods." I saw his face, and his look told me that he had to leave now. I grabbed his hand and scribbled my number on his arm, and noticing the glare Annabeth gave me from the corner of my eye. "You're going to call me and explain, okay? You owe me that. Now get going." I said.

"But—"

"I'll make up some story," I said. "I'll tell them it wasn't your fault. Just go!" I turned around and ran down the ally, knowing that my life will never be the same.

FIN