This is my first Percy Jackson story, so don't hate me. My HG subscribers are probably yelling at me right now, but I'm so in love with Percy. The POV is 3rd person Omniscient. At the part with the table and Piper, I just imagine Effie Trinket going "That is Mahogany!" Oh, a classic hunger games moment.
I may have gotten the dates wrong, like when exactly they were on the open sea to Rome because they took a lot of pit stops in America. My friend has my MoA, so bear with me.
{WARNING!} I exaggerated a bit about Percy's love life. If you are uncomfortable with that, I suggest you leave now.
I loved writing this because I think it showed that Percy's relationship isn't perfect like a lot make it out to be. They have their lover spats like we all do. Well, not me, because I spend my life on Fan fiction and YouTube. *shrug*
"...east until we hit Rome." Percy says. The others tersely nod before relaying the daily information quota to Percy, Jason and Annabeth. The trio are the unspoken leaders out of the seven.
Piper speaks up first. "I looked in Katoptris and I saw something... weird. There was an island overflowing with food, and this strange figure throwing hams."
"Whats weird about delicious pork?" Leo asks.
Piper smiles at him before talking again. "I don't know. But this seemed...ominous. Deadly somehow."
"Deadly hams. I ran into some in Mexico." Coach Hedge mutters, to the amusement of Leo, who lightly chuckles.
Annabeth clears her throat. "Ok. My calculations are that we'll reach Rome in 2 days." Leo tries to interrupt but Annabeth cuts him off. "Yes Leo, I took in the account of a couple of monster attacks, just to be sure. You know how sidetracked we can get when we're in mortal danger."
Frank yawns before he begins. He had went to bed late the previous night, and the rest of the crew didn't look much better. "Last night, Percy and I skimmed the ocean a bit, looking for anything suspicious. We didn't find anything suspecting, but you never know. Those sea creatures are fast." And terrifying.
"Why were you in the water at all?" Hazel asks, concerned. Didn't he know that monsters ate delicious young demigods like him?
"Some hippocampi got my attention. I didn't know what they were doing here, in the older waters, so me and Frank decided to check it out.." Percy adds.
"They were'nt even scared. It was a bit... suspicious. There are some really gigantic creatures out there." Percy finishes, picking into his blue blueberry muffin.
Half the group sighs. It seems like every monster wants of piece of demigod. Every place they went, someone or something is after them. "No Percy! Don't eat the free samples at the food court! That advertizing woman is Echidna!" or "Leo! That chick you were just flirting with is an empousa!" Or possibly the surprising but ever so common "Ahhh! Karpoi in my cereal!" (how the spirits managed to jump ship, the world may never know). They've countered more creatures than they could count in the past three days.
Checking her breakfast for grain spirits, Annabeth thinks about the task at hand. They are already in the ancient sea of monsters, travelling to Rome, or Old Rome as the Camp Jupiter's call it. Somehow, they are supposed to defeat twin giants, and they need the help of a god to do that. The help of gods who, for the most part, don't want anything to do with them. On top of that, she has her own little mini quest, like a quest within a quest. She's required to do something no other child of Athena has ever accomplished. She's battled against the odds before, but never were they stacked this high. If none of her ancestors managed to locate this thing, who is to say she will? Hubris is her fatal flaw, so normally this would be in her element. But the line in the prophecy - Won through pain from a woven jail. Something tells Annabeth that it isn't her mother who weaves jails. Athena is much too smart for that.
Her Mother. Another factor repelling against her; more like propelling. Her mother is kind of guilt-tripping this quest on her, and it's working. To have anybody disappointed in Annabeth (Or worse, ashamed) totally weighs on her conscience. She has to do it. And somehow, she knows it is vital to their overall mission.
Nonetheless, Annabeth does what she usually does in times like these; dutifully covers her anxiety and fear with grim bravery and determination. Fear is contagious, and if the others see Annabeth tied up in knots, chaos might erupt.
"Jason?" Annabeth asks, trickling down the line. In a way, it's nice to have so many members during a quest. More people, more work gets done. Plus, they all have such a wide range of powers, so together they are nearly invincible.
Nearly.
He grabs Piper's hand across the table. "The wind spirits aren't communicating right now. I tried to get an iris message to Reyna, to try to delay the attack, but that's faulty too. Hazy, somehow. Something is affecting the air around here. I don't know what."
Percy nods."That's what it was like in the ocean. Sort of, peaceful. That's usually not a way to describe monster infested waters? Monster infested waters, that were completely empty, by the way."
"You'll never believe this." Hazel says, worrying her curly brown hair with her hands; something Frank found extremely endearing. "The minerals under the ocean have exploded in size. Literally, overnight the sandbanks have become overly rich with minerals and valuable rocks."
"Festus hasn't picked up anything for the next square mile." Leo says, for hopes of not being left out. He wants to give in mysterious details too, though, it really isn't all that great a feat to have empty sea spanning on the sonar.
Annabeth, master strategist, tucks her blonde locks behind her hair. Percy notices that she hasn't brushed her hair in a while, something she never gets around to do when she's stressed for questionable apocalypses. Percy thinks it makes her more beautiful. "Something is interfering with us. It can't just be a coincidence that the ocean floor is embedded with an overflow of jewels, right when no undesirable creäture dares venture in the surrounding area, at the same time when the wind is tame."
"Maybe it's just the place that we're in? Like, you know how there can be rivers in the middle of the ocean? This is like, our paradise in the middle of the ocean." Leo says, surprisingly insightful and deep-thinking (at least trying to be), not like his usual joking. The others sit there stunned. The effect is broken when Leo adds "You know what would make it better? If this island is filled with food! Flying hams, here we come!" The group laughs.
All of a sudden, the ship lists drastically to port.
Leo and Frank fall off their chairs, landing in a heap at the end of the table atop the very unfortunate Coach Hedge, who has gone into full blown goat-battle mode underneath the two boys. Hazel shrieks and squats down to hold on to the sturdy mahogany table legs, her just eaten breakfast threatening to make a return. Jason is as still as a rock (going on very Roman about it, Annabeth can't help but think), bracing himself onto the edges, and Piper accidentally drives her knife into the deep chestnut-colored wood. Annabeth's Karpoi free cereal slides off the table and spills all over the hardwood floor. She almost falls, but Percy instinctively grasps the back of her t-shirt into his fist, preventing her from meeting the floor. His other hand flicks up, effectively uprighting the Argo ll.
"Lucky I screwed the table down." Leo thinks, scrambling to stand and rubbing his abused back (who knew satyr claws hurt so much?). "It's the little things in boat-making that make the difference. This table wouldn't detach if the ship was submerged in water! Huh, I wonder if I used the right measurements for the celestial bronze bolts..."
Once the slight swaying gives, she others swiftly get up, faces no longer weary but in battle mode. Over their initial surprise, no one hesitates to run up the stairs, Coach Hedge screaming for the Ballista the whole way.
Reaching the deck, the crew find it amazingly and miraculously empty, no car-sized talons or holes or anything. Leo rushes to the Captain's area, seeing that the sonar is still blank. They search the whole deck, and come up empty. Percy takes a very quick swim, bringing back no news. Why would the boat tip? Only a very, very powerful wave coud make them feel like the Titanic, or something supernatural. Everyone seems to agree on the latter.
Coach Hedge mumbles something about Iron Chef, and heads back to his quarters (Leo installed an alarm system to alert the satyr about incoming attacks). Percy goes to check the Pegasi stables, jut to ensure that an invasion wasn't occuring. After a minute following his leave, the others still confused, she shows up.
She departs from thin air. The air physically splits in half and out comes this beautiful...lady.
She has medium length absolutely gorgeous caramel colored hair, curled and cascading over her shoulders, held down by a leafy wreath wrapped in gold strands and some unidentifiable white flowers. She dons a creamy white sleeveless Greek style dress with a low circular neckline trimmed in gold. Her face appears timeless; Annabeth can't guess if she is 15 or 16 or 17. Her almond-shaped brown eyes hold an ancient sadness that makes Annabeth's heart ache just a bit, even this is her first encounter with the girl.
The girl seems demure, and shy, and makes you want to know her. She is possibly the most beautiful person Annabeth has ever met. She can't help but feel a blossom of jealousy, smoothing down her own unbrushed curls discreetly.
The woman looks around the group, studying each of them as if she is searching for someone.
The six of them are stunned silent. It feels like, they lost their ambition to move on. They can see their goal clearly, and they know they want it, but why? Something tells Annabeth that this could be a trap, but she shushes it to the back of her mind, something she doesn't do frequently.
It is unsurprisingly brought to the forefront of her mind when Percy stumbles in.
"We're all good in the stables. Must've been noth-" Percy sounds embarrassingly loud in the midst of the rarely quiet crew. His short-lived oblivion breaks most of them out of their stupor, though Annabeth notices Leo is still drooling. Percy trails off when he notices the girl. He has a glint of recognition in his eye.
"Calypso?" he says, slow and question like.
Calypso. Now that the woman has a name, she is less appealing. Undoubtedly because Annabeth recognizes that name, and the implications that can come with a single word are staggering.
She gives a dazzling smile. "Percy!" And flings her arms around Annabeth's boyfriend's neck.
Leo, of course, immediately falls in love.
Hot girl shows up on board of his ship. The ship he craftily created and constructed. Her beautiful sandaled feet gracing his wooden planks, breathing in his air.
And of course, she goes for Percy.
Nobody wants Leo, crazy cowardly Leo, when they can have Percy. Handsome, brave Percy. For once he thanks the Gods that Percy has a girlfriend. He might actually have a chance.
If the girl detaches her limbs from their leader.
Percy is taken aback at the sudden invasion. He hugs her back though, shifting uncomfortable at the strong grip she has on him; she is a goddess after all. She smells enticingly of cinnamon, though.
Percy remembers what Annabeth used to always say, about him being oblivious to her feelings. So he releases Calypso after a couple of seconds, holding her at arm's length.
"What are you doing here?" He inquires.
She smiles softly. "To visit you of course."
Annabeth clears her throat. She doesn't like the way Calypso threw herself on Percy and she definitely doesn't appreciate how she is looking at him.
"Calypso, this is Annabeth. My girlfriend." He over-eagerly says. Annabeth is not deterred.
Calypso's wonder eyes land on Annabeth. She raises her eyebrows. "This is your Annabeth? The one you dreamt about?"
Half the group snickers. Percy is startled, he forgot he has an audience. "I didn't have dreams about her." He says embarrassingly. Seeing Annabeth's expression, he corrects himself. "At the time."
"Oh? Then why did you whisper her name in your sleep?" Calypso says, innocently. Percy blushes, his embarrassment multiplying eight-fold now.
Annabeth so helpfully intervenes. "Nice to meet you Calypso." She even manages a smile.
Calypso turns her attention back to Annabeth. "And you as well. I've heard a lot about you."
"Oh really? I've heard absolutely nothing about you." Annabeth says almost snidely, the smile never leaving her face, but has become more forced.
"So. Calypso. What have you been up to since your release? Been enjoying freedom?" Percy cuts in, also releasing Calypso. The last thing he needs is for Annabeth to get mad. Angry girlfriend does not equal happy him.
Her face lights up. "Why, it's been marvelous to be free of course. I've found the world has changed since the many millenia I've been, for lack of better terms, on Earth. It is very different. Then again, the world was a battlefield then." Still smiling happily at Percy. He glances at Annabeth and sees her jaw tense.
"Oh, uhh," Percy hastily looks around. "Let me introduce you to my friends."
He points the members of the crew out. "Leo, Piper, Hazel, Jason, Frank and, um... Annabeth, this is Calypso." They all pointedly look at him, but he just stares back, unknowingly as usual.
Jason speaks. "Calypso, sorry, we're all wondering exactly what you are."
"I don't understand." The goddess confusedly says.
He looks around at all the others before continuing. "Like, you know, demigod, human...monster. One of those. I'm guessing you are the reason for the strange occurences, meaning we can scratch out human. Not that humans live millenia, but with the other two, you never know."
"Jason! You're being rude." Piper chides him.
She is still confused. "Strange occurences?"
Piper steps in. "Some strange things have happened to us this morning. We can't communicate with anyone outside of the area, and all creatures seem to have vanished. Also, this area is teeming with rich resources. If you could please tell us what is going on, it would help us make better since of the situation." The charmspeak is on the high setting, soothing and calmigly prodding for the truth.
Calypso just smiles. "You speak with the voice of seduction. I, too know how powerful such a force can be."
She sighs before continuing. "Very well. I have dwelled for many millenia in the land of Ogygia, an island that knows no time and place. I'm afraid the effect of Ogygia hasn't worn off yet, so wherever I go the land frees itself of any impurities. Those minerals have a healing effect, for whenever a hero came to Ogygia he was in dire need of help."
"And the air travel?" Jason eagerly inquires.
"That was no air travel, son of Jupiter. For you would have sensed me coming, would you not?" She asks rhetorically. "Ogygia wasn't exactly in this world. It was just on the outskirts of it, where no boat or plane could ever travel. Thus the fates have given me the power to travel like such." She laughs, a beautiful tinkling sound. "I misjudged my landing the first time, causing this vessel to turn. I must say I'm sorry."
"I take it you're not a demigod?" Frank asks.
"Pretty lady." Leo breathes.
"No, I am merely goddess." She even makes the fact that she is a powerful immortal being seem humble.
"Pretty goddess lady." Leo now mumbles.
She turns back to Percy and smiles up at him. "My Percy, you've gotten so much more taller. And handsome too." She continues to smile at him endearingly. "Percy here saved me from the condemned life in Ogygia. He rescued me by defeating the evil titan Kronos. I shall be eternally grateful."
"Why, Calypso, I belive it was you who saved me." Percy says good-naturedly. He is so nice to everyone and is generally happy to see Calypso so.. carefree. On Ogygia, she was reserved and shy and almost hesitant. Like she didn't want to get attached, for obvious reasons.
Now she is still some of those things, but she is more radiant, positively beaming. And she speaks with an archaic diction not unlike Zoe Nightshade. He is happy that she's happy, not from a romantic point of view, but from a good Samaritan one.
"Are you living on Olympus now?" Percy asks. Annabeth highly doubts that. She definitely would've remembered seeing Calypso on Olympus.
"I fear what the others may think of me. Immortals have a long memory.I have not gone to Olympus." Her face is grim. "Lady Hestia has understood. I live neither here or there, but have subconsciously designated my hearth to be on the revitalizing waters and springs near the sea of monsters."
"So you're Bohemian now?"
She laughs again. "In a way, yes." She is silent for a moment before speaking again. "Perseus Jackson, I have heard from the ears of many that you have gone missing. Some have even proclaimed you dead. Expect a few visits on this voyage, for there are a number of us who have not forgotten the marvelous deeds you have accomplished for our sake."
Percy looks embarrassed. "Honestly, I didn't do anything that impressive alone. I had the hel-"
She holds her hand up, cutting it off. "Nonetheless. I'm trying to prepare you. Others may not have as much as a... smooth... landing as I had."
Leo starts laughing. Calypso lands her brown eyes on him, smiling warmly, and he chokes on dry air.
Percy rolls his eyes. Stupid Leo.
The air shifts and wavers then, like the image on one of those holographic picture cards. It happens so fast, Percy thinks he imagines it, until he sees the others rubbing their eyes, incredulous.
Calypso looks grave. "That's the Fates' warning. They've forbidden me to spend any longer than a few minutes with anyone I've fallen in love with prior to my release." She sighs.
Percy internally groans. Why did she have to mention that one little detail? He was so close, so close. The others just stand in short lived confusion, but he knows Annabeth isn't deterred. He also knows when the whole group realizes because Piper lets out a soft gasp.
She gives a small smile and holds out her hand. At first he thinks she wants him to take it, and that there's no way he'd do that. But then, in a flash, a small vial of light blue liquid appears in her palm.
"This is special cleansing water from Ogygia. Not only will it heal you, being son of the sea-god, but it can also help your friends too. Even mortals."
She hands it to him, and he studies it carefully. "How do I use it?" No point in trying to deny a helpful gift.
"Whatever the instance calls for." Is all she says, and he knows it's one of those figure-it-out-for-yourself type of gifts, usually ones that don't seem like much a present at all, and offer no consolation. This is different though, this is from Ogygia. This is from Calypso.
He looks up. "Thanks." He says carefully.
She shrugs. She pulls him in for another hug before pushing off. Calypso grabs his face and kisses one of his flaming red cheeks, then backs up a few feet.
"Farewell, Perseus." Then, with a shift of reality, she is gone.
Still blushing, he screws up his eyes and turn around. He hadn't noticed how quiet his friends had gotten, and is frightened of what Annabeth might think. It wasn't cheating... right?
To his utter relief, the others were already on their way back to the dining area, thanks to Piper's stellar distraction skills.
He really does need to thank her though.
Back at the rehashed breakfast, things are definitely awkward. Leo still appears to be dazed, Hazel looks scandalized. Frank seems embarrassed, Piper looks surprised, Jason is neutral (that is to be expected) and Annabeth looks, well, like Annabeth. Meaning a million things are going through her brain right now, but the main thing is- what just happened?
Percy is very sheepish, picking at his second bright blue muffin. The others have managed small talk, and are seemingly willing to put the morning's 'visit' in the past and just forget about it. Probably the first and only time they would like to not linger on the presence of an immortal and what it could mean to their quest.
Annabeth is the first to address the elephant in the room. "She's beautiful Percy."
Percy groans. "Do we have to go through this again?"
She turns to him sharply. "Actually, I don't think we've talked about this, so there is no 'again'. So yes, we do need to talk about this.
"What is there to talk about? Calypso showed up, bestowed a precious gift to me, left, and that's it."
"It is so not it! And since when was something from her precious?"
"It is when it is the rarest thing on earth! And could save our lives!"
The others, sensing where this is heading, try to get up to leave. Annabeth stops them. "Oh no, you're not going anywhere. Mister Popular here is not ruining someones breakfast over something stupid!"
They reluctantly sit down, not wanting to be at the table, yet not wanting to deal with the wrath of a certain angry blonde either.
She turns back to Percy, fuming. "You know, I don't exactly like the way she was looking at you."
"What, like the person who released her from an eternal prison, forever doomed to helping lost heroes?"
"No, like she wanted to be a bit more than friends."
He snorts, losing all apprehension now. "Well I think that was pretty obvious. What gave it away, the confession or the fact that she gave me what could be the last piece of the only home she ever had?"
"Did you love her?"
Percy deflates and begins picking at his muffin again. "It doesn't really matter."
"Answer me. Did. You. Love. Her?"
He sighs and says in a quiet little voice. "At a time. Maybe."
"Bb-but," He is quick to recover, before she does something rash, like drive her knife between his eyes. "That was a long time ago, and it can't even compare to what I feel for you."
"Awww." Piper murmurs quietly, stroking Jason's hand underneath the mahogany. She might be the toughest daughter of Aphrodite out there (A/N Second to Silena of course!), but her mother is still the goddess of love. She has her moments she's sure her mom would loiter on and tease her about later.
Piper may have done some unintentional charmspeak on Annabeth when she mumbled, because next thing she knows, the blonde is smiling and gives Percy a hug.
In her forgiving state, she pulls back and gives Percy a peck on the cheek, mindful of the spectators. Turning back to her fresh cereal, she is back to normal conversation.
"You know, you were the first, last, and only person I've kissed."'
"Really?" He asks, a disbelieving lilt to his voice.
"Well, yeah. Some tried but no, I haven't with anyone else."
"Wow." He bites into a found blueberry..
A couple moments later Annabeth interrupts his conquests. "You know, now would be the time to say 'you were my first, last and only kiss too Annabeth'." She says, in a poor imitation of his voice.
He clears his throat. "Uhmm, you were the first... and last person I've kissed Annabeth."
"What happened to the only?"
He shrugs in his oblivious way. "What happened to it?"
And just like that the charm is gone. "Who else have you been locking lips with?"
He grimaces. "Do you really need a list?"
She crosses her arms over her chest. "You know, it would be fine to just answer my question."
Percy sighs. "Are we really going to do this? Right here, right now?" He says, indicating with a swipe of his fingers to the other members of the quest, who were watching the disaster fallout, eyes travelling back and forth like spectators at a tennis match.
She raises her eyebrows in response.
He sighs again, deciding to get this over with. Does this happen to everyone? He hopes he's not the only guy.
"Uhhmm. Ok. One...two.." Percy starts counting on his fingers, eyebrows furrowed. "Only three. Well, two and a half actually. No, well, three and a half, counting you. See, not that bad." He looks pretty darned pleased wth himself.
"Three people! Percy!" She exclaims, hitting him in the chest. She honestly thought it would be less.
"What?" He looks scared for a moment. "This was all before you, of course. Absolutely."
"Their names?" She asks between clenched teeth.
He scratches the side of his neck, uncomfortable. On a good day this would be endearing to her. "Uhm, ahhh, Rachel and I only kissed once. She initiated it of course."
"You and Rachel?" Leo interrupts. "I thought she wasn't allowed to date?" He knows because he hit on her when he first came to camp and got it all explained to him from some Aphrodite girls who pitied him.
Frank and Hazel are confused to whom they are talking about, but Piper, Leo and Jason look shocked.
"This was before she became oracle. Back when she was just Rachel Elizabeth Dare, student at Goode High school. Not Rachel Dare, the scary prophetess." Percy explains.
"How soon?" Annabeth asks. The first one she isn't surprised, she knows him and Rachel have a history together. She just feels a little betrayed. She cried a few times in the arms of a girl who embraced her AWOL boyfriend.
He understands immediately what she means. "About a week before the Battle of Manhattan." His voice gets squeaky on Manhattan.
She looks like she can rip his head off with her bare hands, feed it to Mrs. O Leary, and not feel a prick of remorse.
"So let me get this straight." She says in a deadly low voice. "You kissed Rachel, she suddenly turned off-limits, and you came after me for your second choice."
"Ouch." Jason mutters.
"No, No! Of course not. Like I said, Rachel kissed me. I definitely wasn't thinking about romance at a time like that. And I didn't date her because of the oracle thing, and... you know."
"Enlighten me."
"Well, we had a thing. And I really liked you."
"Awww." This time it's Hazel who coos, so it does nothing to improve Annabeth's mood.
"Continue." Annabeth says in a no nonsense tone.
"Uhh, the half count was for Calypso. It was just a goodbye peck sort of thing."
"Oh, I see, you had to makeout with someone in order for it to count as a full kiss. What does that say about you and Rachel?"
Why does his girlfriend have to be such a brainiac?
He coughs. "Well, we didnt make out or anything, but it definitely wasn't a peck."
She doesn't say anything.
He sighs. "The last one was just a fling I had with a Nereid."
"What do you mean, a fling?"
He shrugs. "We were friends for a while, and she tried to turn it into something more, but it didn't work out." He grows suddenly. "So there you have it. Do you want my autobiography too? Or maybe the name of the last person who even flirted with me. Though I'm sure you know, because Annabeth knows everything." He says in a spiteful tone.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. Just nothing." He is abruptly tired, very tired.
She narrows her eyes. "You know, call me when you decide to stop being a jerk." She pushes back from the table, and storms out the dining area, presumably to vent.
After an awkward beat of silence, Leo simply states "Wow, that was actually better than I thought it would go."
"Whaddaya mean?" Hazel asks. She may be a 40's kid but even in her time period that would've been considered awful.
"No weapons used, they rarely raised their voice. Annabeth looked like she wanted to kill you a couple of times, but all in all, a good one."
Percy blows out air. "I'm glad she didn't ask me how many girls kissed my cheek, or else we would've been here all day. But at the rate she was going, she probably would get mad if a girl even looked at me."
"Dude, you're a stud." Leo says in awe.
Percy snorts. "I hardly think so. In my short 16 ¾ years of living, I kissed 4 girls?" He stands quickly, his entire disposition changing. "I'm going to go talk to her."
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Piper asks.
"Because I would be mad with jealousy if the same thing happened to her. And now I feel bad." He says guiltily, without waiting for anyone to reply, he jogs out, heading straight for her cabin.
"That was... explosive. He didn't even date that many compared to some." Jason says.
Piper raises an eyebrow. "Compared to some? Do you mean you?" Her voice has an edge.
Leo digs at his oatmeal, and looks up to the manual clock he keeps over the port door. It's still early morning. At the rate these conversations and visitations are going, he's going to be holding the couples back so they won't kill each other by lunch.
It's the few times like these he is happy to be single.
If you're interested, I'm going to be doing a couple follow up one-shots on those visit's Calypso mentioned. They correspond with this story , so look out for the second installment of the We All Love Percy Jackson series of one-shots. I'm not saying anything but, next one will have more info on that Nereid who was mentioned... hint hint wink wink.
What do you think? Love it, hate it? Let me know.
