I don't own Percy Jackson or any brands you recognize.

Two things. A, this is not your average Percy Jackson, _ of Chaos story. B, it's set right after HOO.

I knew I was dreaming because there was that there-but-not-there feeling in my chest. I could feel my bed underneath my body and the covers half strewn off of the bed, but I was also standing upright.

I was in the middle of nowhere. And when I say that, I mean it literally. I wasn't floating, I knew that for certain. There was definitely something under my feet, but I couldn't see it. I couldn't see the clothes I was wearing, or any part of me, really. It was like standing up in a pool of darkness. I couldn't describe it. It wasn't the screen-goes-black thing you see in movie theatres, but actual swirling, living, creeping darkness.

I could feel it under my fingertips. It brushed against my back, sending shivers down my spine. It was creepy, not knowing where I was. I reached back in my back pocket for Riptide, my awesome Celestial Bronze sword, when I realized that I had no arm to reach back with. And then I panicked, looking around desperately to see where I was.

And there! It was so obvious that there was no way I could have missed her if I was actively paying attention before the moment. But in the middle of it all, there was a lady wearing a bedsheet.

Okay, it was a little fancier that a bedsheet. Like, one of those dresses movie stars wear to a premier. It was a really long piece of cloth that was tailored for someone to fit in it. It looked really uncomfortable, like you had to remain in a certain position in order to look like you actually knew what you were doing. Bedsheet Goddess was pulling it off perfectly, though. The dress-bedsheet was inky black, and there were dozens of planets and stars on it. The weird thing was, they all seemed to be moving.

It wasn't the oddest thing I've ever seen. I've met a man with two faces before, a wine dude forbidden to drink wine, and Gaea, whose only major talent seemed to be pissing people off. That and world destruction, but the minor details don't really matter.

I could tell she was a goddess. I've met a lot of godly beings in my life. They were all different, but all had the same dangerous I can kill you with a twitch of my finger glint to their eyes, and the same cocky air. Another given was the way she looked. Bedsheet Goddess was beautiful in the way all goddesses were beautiful, but there was something off-putting about her wild twitch of a smile. Her hair was inky black, darker than mine, and pooling over her shoulders. Her skin wasn't pale, but it wasn't as tanned as my complexion. Her eyes were as dark as her hair, with shiny glints in them.

How I saw her so well when I couldn't even see myself, I don't know. Bedsheet Goddess took a few step toward me, and like she was Moses and the darkness was the Red Sea, all of the dark parted. I could see my arms and my legs, and I had some feeling in them. I realized I was standing in a throne room, but it wasn't in Olympus. In fact, I'd never seen it before. But my attention was drawn back to Bedsheet Lady. She was about five feet away from me, not yet saying a word, and staring at me like I was some interesting specimen. I didn't know what to do. Hey, what's up? I have no idea who you are!

"That's a—um, useful ability, controlling all the dark stuff," I said, very smoothly. "I bet you're fun at parties."

Why, hello, voice. I thought I'd lost you for a second there. Now, where in Tartarus did that come from?

"Perseus Markus Jackson," she said slowly instead of responding, looking at the spot where Dream-Me was standing. Her words echoed around the room.

"That's not even my middle name."

Agh. Contradicting a god or goddess wasn't the smartest thing to do. Dream-Me was a little more bold than Actual-Me. I wasn't actually there. Therefore this lady wearing a piece of black tissue paper couldn't hurt me.

"Hey, lady," I said. "Not to be rude or anything, but can you tell me where I am? And who you are? And what the deal is with all the dark stuff?"

"You don't know who I am?" She sounded nearly disappointed.

"Nope."

"Not even the faintest...memory?"

"Not a clue." I wasn't sure where she was going with this.

Bedsheet Goddess sighed deeply. It was one of those deep, heavy sighs that caused your shoulders to move along with it. "Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected more."

I suddenly felt indignant, because she acting like me not knowing who she was, was all my fault. Well, I'm sorry, Bedsheet Goddess! I thought. I didn't know I was supposed to prepare for a pop quiz when I went to sleep! But because I was a nice guy, I racked my brain for any Annabeth-inspired fun facts about goddesses wearing bedsheets, but came up with nothing. "I guess you'll have to lower your expectations. Sorry," I said, just because it seemed like I should.

"It doesn't matter. That isn't why I summoned you here."

"Summoned me?" I repeated. "Last time I checked, I was still sleeping."

"A great danger is upon us," she said gravely.

"Heard that one before," I said without meaning to. "Please don't tell me it means what I think it means."

"Yes, Perseus Achilles Jackson."

"For the second time, that isn't my middle name." I felt weird hearing a hero's name in my name. I didn't want to take anyone's name. And was there really a need to say my full name after every dramatic statement this goddess made?

"Yes, I know," Bedsheet Goddess snapped. "I'm just trying it out."

"Why would you need to—"

"Quiet," she ordered with calm authority.

Another darkness thing swept out from nowhere and muffled my voice. Along with that, my breathing. I tried to breathe with little success. I stilled in fear, knowing that it wasn't okay to anger a goddess. She was getting the one wisecrack from vaporizing you look on her face. I had a feeling she would, too. She had an unsettling feel to her. I didn't know if she was even a Greek god. Her presence felt powerful, but old and foreign.

When she was sure that I wasn't going to speak after, the darkness swept away. I gasped for breath. Evil Bedsheet Goddess smiled at me sweetly. "It would be in your best interests to not mock me, demigod."

I felt myself getting angry. I didn't like taking orders from anyone. Stiffly, I asked, "Who are you?"

"Questions and interruptions will be saved until after," she said, like she was giving a TED talk. "Now, where was I? Oh! Yes, the future of the entire universe is in your hands."

"Really?"

"No interruptions!" Bedsheet Goddess said sharply. Then she looked thoughtful. "I have been watching over you, Perseus Jackson."

At least now she's sticking to the name basics.

"You are a most curious demigod. A son of Poseidon, Savior of Olympus, Praetor of Rome for about two seconds before you gave it up— I suppose there are more, but I don't feel like going into detail. You are a natural leader. You have fought in war, and declined godhood. I could go on and on about your achievements, but let's just cut it right there. As I said, most curious."

I raised my hand to speak and didn't wait for her to approve of it. "That's really nice of you to say, but can I—"

"Can you just shut up for a second?" Bedsheet Goddess rolled her eyes in a very valley girl sort of way. "You demigods are only getting more and more impertinent over the centuries."

Rude.

"As I was saying before, about the great danger, we will need to prepare. We are only given a short amount of time before he inevitably comes. As much as I hate how the universe has become, I do not want to see it destroyed. You, Perseus, will need to stop him. You are a strong demigod. But in order for us to vanquish of him, you will need much, much more. Therefore, you shall become my Champion and gain awesome powers. Together, we shall prevail."

She paused like she was waiting for applause.

Slowly, I raised an eyebrow.

"Well?" she said impatiently. "It's a yes or no answer."

I mimed zipping my mouth shut and throwing away the key.

"Okay, okay, you can speak now."

"Who is 'he'?" I used air quotes. "Why is he so dangerous?"

"I cannot speak of his name. Names have—"

"Yes, I know. Power." I had heard it a thousand times before. "But I meant, what's he like? What makes him so dangerous?"

"He is. That is all you need to know. Questions for a later time," she brushed away. "Let's get back to awesome powers, Champion, yes?"

I kept quiet for a moment. "Okay. But before that— Can you answer me one question, honestly?"

"Anything, Perseus Jackson." Her eyes lit up, sensing I was about to agree.

"What will be the price, if I agree to this?"

"What makes you think there is a price?" Her words were careful, her eyes calculated.

"There's always a price." My thoughts flashed back to Beckendorf, Silena, Zoë, Luke, Bob. So many people who had died for the cause.

Her face dropped, and a nervous feeling started building inside my chest. "Why, you must tell no one you are training for this. You must give up your family and your friends. But understand, it is for a better cause. You'd be saving the world."

Fire lit up in my stomach. Away from Annabeth, away from my mom, it was impossible to imagine. "Then of course not! What kind of world would it be if I was old, gray, and lonely?"

"You would not be old and gray. Being my Champion would grant you immortality."

"Oh, that makes it so much better!" I snarked, suddenly feeling the urge to get up and strangle her. I was forgetting that this was an all-powerful goddess that I had just met. Despite this being a dream, I would probably die if she decided that she was having a bad day. "You do understand why I declined being a god, right? To stay with Annabeth! To stay with my friends!"

"So," she said coldly. "It's a no from you."

"You heard that right." I glared. "No. No freaking way. No. And just because, no. This is a dream, remember? It might be a demigod dream, but in the end I'm in my bed, and I'll wake up, and forget all of this has happened. I don't even know your name, or who you are."

"You have changed even more than I thought," Bedsheet Goddess muttered, giving me a dirty look. "Fine, fine. Blah, introductions. I am Lady Chaos, creator of the universe."

Still drawing a blank. "Right, whatever. Knowing your name doesn't make this any better! I have friends, I have family, I have a great girlfriend. I'm done with the whole demigod business. I'm done saving the world. Find another powerful demigod out there. There are plenty. But right now I just want to wake up and lead a normal life." I turned around and tried to stomp away, forgetting that it was a dream and I couldn't just go away.

Dark tendrils wrapped themselves around my feet.

"So what you're saying is, you would rather ignore the upcoming threat and watch as your friends and family die? Billions will die as an effect of your selfishness. You do not understand, Perseus Jackson. Only you can do this. Only you can save the world. You were destined for greatness, you must know that. Family and friends, even your Annabeth Chase, are nothing compared to the entire universe being wiped out. It is a small sacrifice, for what you could be."

I struggled. "Let me GO!"

"I am sorry I have to do this, Percy. One day you will understand." Bedsheet Lady was walking closer and closer, fingers outstretched.

"What the—"

I was still aware of my real-life surroundings. By the time she closed the space between us(not that way, gross) and touched my forehead, I was blindingly aware that I, Percy Jackson, was no longer residing in my bed.

Sorry if Chaos is a bit of a jerk here. She'll get better, I promise.

Review because it matters. :))