A Simple Sob Story

by Firestar'sniece

When Percy and the gang have a rough day with their godly family, they blame the big three for starting the problems to begin with. In a claim towards Triton that the big three don't have enough compassion to even cry, a challenge is given to see who can make the big three tear up during the nightly on stage performance.

I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus.

(Percy Point of View)

There was peace for the Romans and Greeks now that the war with Gaea was over. As Percy sat with his Greek and Roman friends, the two camps rebuilt side by side so that it was easy to access each other, Jason along with his sister Thalia came running up the field. "Chiron wants us," he informed his friends, leaning with his hands on his knees as we was out of breath. His elder sister smirked as she saw this, she seemingly more in shape than he was. "In fact all the campers, Greek and Roman, are coming. Something about an announcement."

Percy perked up at this. He had a good idea of what it was about as his father had practically hinted to him about a visit from of the gods to their children. It was supposed to be a "family day at camp". All in all, Percy was grateful that the gods had mellowed out and were willing to spend more time with their mortal families instead of ignoring them, no matter what the so called "ancient laws" said. And it seemed to be making things better. Then again it was the ancient laws that had kept the Greeks and Romans separate for a long time, and as both camps proved they could get along the gods were more willing to go against the "ancient laws". "Perhaps not all of them were correct," his father had said.

Percy stared at Jason who was still trying to catch his breath. 'Rule number one,' Percy thought. 'Never race against a hunter of Artemis.'

But Thalia seemed to enjoy her 'superiority' to him in this regard. "What's the matter, brother?" she teased him when he finally finished his out of breath speech. "Roman out of breath?"

He turned to her, grinning. "You wish!" Together, the two of them raced away, Thalia clearly winning as she was a hunter of Artemis.

Annabeth turned to Percy and Grover, who was chewing something up, looked to him also. "What was that about?" Annabeth wondered.

Percy exchanged a look with Nico, Hazel, Frank, and Clarisse. They all seemed to know about it to. Apparently, Hades/Pluto and Ares/Mars must have informed their children as well. Percy suspected as much because the Ares cabin could be seen talking in hushed whispers only to stop when they saw someone coming, and those with Mars heritage, be it legacy or demigod seemed to whisper with the Ares cabin. With a look at his cousin, Percy knew that the Hades/Pluto cabin was in the know as well.

Percy grinned brightly and Clarisse smirked when she saw that he knew. "I guess we'll have to wait to find out!"

(A few minutes later)

(Percy Point of View)

Chiron trotted in front of everyone, Greek and Roman. "As some of you know," he began, casting a pointed look at Nico, Hazel, Percy, and the Ares/Mars kids. "Because some of your godly parents seemed to have informed you and thus spoiled the surprise, your godly parents AND godly family will be arriving to spend the time with you. They will be with you in all your activities throughout the day, and tonight the Apollo cabin has decided to host a performance contest. You will be able to perform any talent, all be it within reason and clean, in front of them."

Immediately hushed whispers of excited anticipation broke out and Annabeth turned to Nico and Percy. "You guys knew?" she asked somewhat angrily.

"Yep!" Percy admitted proudly, but at the thought of his godly brother coming he groaned somewhat within himself. He wondered how that would turn out, though at least he was on good terms with his step mother, Queen Amphitrite. "Though I didn't know that the rest of my godly family would be required to come," he admitted quietly.

Just then a flash came and it was so bright that everyone had to look away. Seconds later, after the light died down, they could see the gods and goddesses there to spend time with their family.

Percy picked his family out of the crowd, his father, Poseidon, his step mother, Queen Amphitrite, and his godly half brother Triton who for some reason was frowning slightly. He did not appear to enjoy the fact that he had to be here, as if it was beneath him to be at a mortal camp.

Poseidon and his family approached Percy. Percy immediately showed his manners and gave each of them an individual bow, first his father, then his step mother, then his brother. The last thing he wanted was to start off on the wrong note, or the wrong tune for that matter; besides, he had to set an example for his younger brother Tyson. Tyson followed suit, mimicking Percy.

"So," Poseidon began, somewhat awkwardly after Percy greeted them. "Where to?"

Percy eyed them all awkwardly as well. This was clearly new to all of them. "Um..." he murmured softly, not sure what to do. "This way I guess?"

(Some time later, slightly before lunch)

(Percy Point of View)

Percy enjoyed having his father present, and to his surprise he found himself enjoying his step mother's presence. She had warmed up to him, and Percy was grateful that she was trying. She didn't seem to be angry with him any more, unlike the first time she met him. The only problem seemed to be that Triton never commented whenever Percy asked a question, he never once responded to any invitation to shoot a bow beside him, and over all his brother seemed to ignore him and Tyson, not really trying at being brotherly, despite Percy's frustrating attempts to be nice, and Tyson's over all niceness.

And so Triton had walked off some time later, complaining that he was bored, despite Percy and Tyson's attempts to include him. Shortly after he wandered off, Amphitrite gazed into the distance, and after smiling at Percy she to excused herself to find Triton and "talk to him", as she had put it. "Don't worry," Percy's step mother had assured both brothers, but mainly Percy since Triton didn't usually have a problem with Tyson. "I'm sure he'll warm up to you soon."

Percy sighed and Poseidon placed a hand on his shoulder after she departed. "Things will come together," he tried to reassure his son. "You never know, sometimes its the oddest and strangest things that bring us together."

Percy nodded and took a deep breath. "Want another go?" Tyson asked Percy and Percy politely smiled and shook his head. "Actually I need to be somewhere," he lied quickly, wanting to be alone for now. "I made some promises."

Poseidon raised an eyebrow at this but before he could ask Percy placed his bow on the table where the rest of the bows were and zipped off.

Some time later Percy found himself sitting at the dining tables, looking somewhat rejected as he sipped on some hot chocolate. His day had been a disaster in his opinion. Annabeth, from the distance, seemed to see him, and to his surprise she was alone, her Yankees cap in her hand. She sat down beside him. "Bad day?" she asked him?

Percy put his cup down. "You have no idea," he murmured softly, not even looking at her. But he noticed her look seemed to mimic his, as if she was having a bad time also.

Suddenly there was a frustrated voice in the distance and as it got closer Percy could tell it was Thalia.

"And here I thought he was over it!" she seemed to be shouting and as Percy turned around he saw Jason beside her.

"Well at least dad wasn't half as bad as Hera!" Jason complained.

"Well at least Hera's not even our blood family! My own father has the guts to say I should never have become a hunter of Artemis! Instead of seeing that I'm happy there, he has to complain, saying I'm 'missing out on a lot of things, lot of experiences' and what not!"

"Yeah!" Jason put in, clearly miffed as well. At that moment they seemed to notice Percy and Annabeth and they walked over.

"Bad day?" Percy asked.

"You have no idea," Jason practically growled and Percy looked up as both of the siblings sat down. Just then Jason seemed to notice that they seemed to be having problems to, so he announced, "Is this officially the table of the rejected now?"

Percy nodded.

"What happened?" Jason asked aloud, facing Annabeth first. It was the simple ladies first rule that he used to his advantage when he wanted to.

Annabeth took a deep breath. "Mom let out a comment about me and Percy's relationship not being to her liking."

Percy raised his eyebrows at this. That was not a surprise. "And you?" Thalia asked Percy.

The boy sighed. "My half brother hates me. You?"

"Dad doesn't like me being a hunter," Thalia practically growled.

Upon looking at Jason the guy let out a sigh. He must not have wanted to announce his problems, but he relented because everyone else did and because they were his friends. "Hera got complaining that I'm the worst champion she's ever had."

This took Percy by surprise. "After all you've done for her?" he incredulously asked.

"I know!" Jason complained. He muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'ungrateful idiot' but Percy couldn't be sure. He let out a sigh.

Just then Nico and Hazel stormed past, but when they saw Percy and the others they backed up and sat down. They must have caught their frustrated feelings as well.

"Dad problems?" Thalia asked.

"You have no idea," Nico growled. "He went all out on me again on how Bianca was the better role model."

"And when I tried to show him my improved archery skills that Frank has been helping me with, he just said I needed to try harder!" Hazel complained, the ire showing like flames in her eyes.

As they were talking the rest of the seven, and Clarisse seemed to arrive. They all seemed to be complaining about their godly parents or their godly siblings giving them all sorts of problems. Clarisse and Frank were in a discussion of something unfair Ares/Mars had said to them, something about how he expected more from them and them to be better even though they had done a lot already (Ares didn't seem pleased with what they had already accomplished and was pushing them to do more), and Leo was going off on how Hephaestus ignored him while praising his other siblings. Piper was complaining about how Aphrodite, her mother, had tried to force her fashion craze on her, and when Piper refused she seemed to get the entire cabin to laugh at her for being a 'silly no good with no fashion sense'.

"I tell you!" Piper complained. "They say that they want to spend more time with us, and this is how we get treated?"

"I know!" went up the complaints and everyone immediately started exchanging their stories.

"Well you know how this all started to begin with," Nico growled and everyone turned to face him. "The Big Three. All the problems started from them because their the leaders of the gods and the parents of most of them."

Percy wanted to shout, "Hey!", especially since he seemed to have the better of the parents, but as he thought on it, Poseidon had merely ignored what was happening and hadn't tried to do anything about it, he merely "sympathized" after the incident without trying to correct Triton. It had been Amphitrite, his wife, who had stepped in to do something about it, going after Triton to confront him. Suddenly Percy couldn't help but partially agree.

"You know what?" Thalia shouted. "I don't think that they even have compassion at all on us! And if they do, they don't show it! And we've given them our all!"

"Yeah!" a lot of shouts sounded from around the small group at the table.

"And I don't even think they can cry!" Jason added while a lot of agreement went on with his statement. "Crying is a sign of compassion sometimes!"

The group was so into their discussion that they didn't notice a figure come up behind them. "Who can't cry?" a voice came up and immediately everyone froze.

Percy turned around and there, looking at the group was his half brother Triton. Percy groaned inwardly. Now he showed up? And also at a time that really wasn't the best?

"Who can't cry?" Triton asked again. He suddenly seemed very interested and Percy wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not.

"Um, the big three," Nico stuttered out, clearly in shock still that he was there, that he had snuck up on them unawares. What else had he heard?

Triton seemed to frown at this. "I'm sure father can cry." When he saw Percy raising his eyebrows skeptically he added, "Don't forget I know father better than you. I've been around him longer."

"So you say!" Jason piped up. "But the big three? Can they really be moved to that much compassion?"

"Sure!" Triton shrugged simply as of if it was nothing.

"So you say!" Thalia dangerously accused. "But we want proof, cousin!"

"Yeah!" shouts went around the table. But this suddenly got Percy and Nico, as they both exchanged a look, an idea. Apollo did say they were having performances tonight...

"Let's put it to the test!" Nico suggested, grinning evilly.

"I think we can get them to cry!" Percy smiled, for once feeling happy that day. At the skeptical looks, Percy continued, "There is a competition tonight. You can use whatever means you want to try to get them to cry."

They all started complaining again. "Nah! Not going to work!"

So much were they not entertaining the idea that Nico blurted out, "And we'll each give thirty drachma to whoever can get all of the big three to cry!"

"What!" went shouted protests and Percy was the first to shout this. But at a pitiful look from Nico and a sudden thought of inspiration Percy added, "And if we can't get them to cry I'll pay everyone thirty drachma each!"

Immediately everyone went silent, and Triton, who had leaned forward, whispered, "You'll what?! Are you crazy?!"

"Got a problem with that?" Percy raised an eyebrow at him. "After all, if we lose, I have to pay you."

Triton scoffed and folded his arms. "Father will cry if he loses someone close to him, but not for a mere performance! That and I highly doubt you can get Lord Hades and Lord Zeus to cry."

Percy smirked and folded his arms, staring challengingly back. "Bring it on brother. I can get all three of them to cry!"

Triton waved his hands and immediately hot chocolate appeared. He took a drink out of it then said, "If you can get all three of them to cry, I'll pay you three hundred drachma for each of the big three that cries."

Percy smirked and held out his hand. "Deal." The brothers shook on it, Triton looking sure like he would win.

(Later that night)

(Percy Point of View)

All of them immediately began to make their preparations, each going off to practice a skit or work on a stunt, with Nico encouraging them, "And don't forget! You can use any means necessary to make them cry!"

They all seemed to be working hard, that is everyone except for Percy Jackson. As Triton walked by, he saw Percy reading the Iliad in ancient Greek, and the brother frowned. "Not that I'm trying to lose or anything," Triton walked over, talking slowly. "But shouldn't you be preparing for whatever big act your going to put on instead of just sitting here reading?" He sat down after that, but to his surprise Percy never put the book down.

"I'm all set. I just signed up along with everyone else at our table." Percy said this while never putting his book down, his eyes glued.

"But shouldn't you be preparing?" Triton asked, clearly not impressed with Percy's supposedly laid back attitude. "You're going to lose if you keep this up!"

But Percy merely grinned smugly, to Triton's surprise. The book was still to his face, but not enough to obscure it. "Nah! I'm good!"

"But how are you going to impress them if you're just sitting here reading?"

Percy looked up at this. "Are you trying to spy on me? As they say, a magician never reveals their secrets. I can use any means necessary, and I'm prepared."

Triton looked Percy up and down, clearly unimpressed. "If you say so," he murmured, looking at Percy like he was crazy. Then Triton got up and left.

(Later that day)

(Percy Point of View)

Everyone was now sitting down, the gods sitting with each other, and the demigods sitting together, Greek and Roman mixed together. All those who had made the bet were sitting together and were going to perform one after the other directly. They would be performing while everyone ate.

When Triton saw the crowd he stopped by. "Not that I want to say this," he smirked. "But good luck!" But when he spotted his brother he gave him a confused frown. "You especially Percy. You're especially going to need it." But to his surprise Percy merely smirked, looking smug.

Chiron led a round of introductions, and as the first few performances of the Apollo kids went by, the kids got anxious for their turns to come up.

After that a confused Chiron stepped forward. "And much to my surprise, more than the Apollo kids have volunteered. May we introduce our next performer, Piper!"

Piper's idea was a performance of soldier giving her all to her country, only to fall in battle. But when she reached the part where she was supposed to "die" for her country, she accidentally slipped and fell off the stage. Much to her embarrassment she was laughed at. The big three looked at her blankly.

Clarisse went next. She marched around, waving a flag, giving a speech about how it was wonderful to die for a good cause. The big three clapped, but they didn't seem impressed.

Next was Thalia. She gave a performance in which a young girl wanted to be more but was prevented by her tyrant father and the girl eventually committed suicide. Everyone from the reject table knew that Thalia was alluding to her father secretly in the play as a kind of revenge and pay back, but unfortunately her father seemed to catch on and rolled his eyes, not even paying attention to the play after that.

Frank tried a comedy skit and it had no effect. Apparently he thought he could get them to cry that way. Then Jason stood up and gave a bow and performed the Roman national anthem. Still there was no effect.

Nico and Hazel went up next, performing a Romeo and Juliet where Romeo and Juliet turned on each other and killed each other in revenge. But all this got was Zeus asking Hades if his kids were crazy and much to everyone's frustration a brief fight broke out between them for that comment. Poseidon merely looked away as they fought, acting as if nothing was happening between his brothers.

Things were looking down, but then Leo came up and for the oddest of reasons he looked nervous. "He-he," he grinned nervously. "Please, no one be angry at me for what I'm about to do," he nervously announced, but before anyone could respond he ran over and kicked Hades you-know-where who suddenly sang like there was no yesterday. The big three stared from their brother to Leo in shock, and their irritation bordering on anger.

Everybody froze, especially the people from the reject table. That was his big idea to get the big three to cry?!

Leo himself was frozen like he knew he was in trouble. "Okay," he muttered out loud. "That didn't turn out like I thought it would!"

Hades, who had now recovered, had a look of pure anger on his face. "Uh-oh," Nico murmured aloud and he and Hazel looked away. "Dad's mad, and whenever Dad's mad, that's not good!"

"Why you little!" Hades shouted, standing up, never finishing the sentence as the ground shook and immediately undead skeletons appeared who proceeded to chase Leo. An unimpressed Poseidon shot some water hardly at Leo (who keeled over before getting up and running), for he evidently thought that the boy needed to learn a lesson. Zeus shot lightning bolts from the sky at the retreating Leo, pure anger actually evident on his face (though nowhere near as much as on Hades), and he seemed only to be attacking because he thought it was the greatest disrespect that Leo had showed and felt Leo needed to be punished for it.

Everyone at the reject table immediately burst into chatter. "Well that was lame," Thalia rolled her eyes.

"Seriously!" Frank sighed. "That's his idea? He should have expected as much! I mean, I know we said we could do anything to get the big three to cry, but seriously? That is just not right to do that to a god!"

Percy joined the conversation briefly as well, but as he looked back towards the gods he couldn't help but see Triton snickering at Leo's lame attempt, much to Queen Amphitrite's dissatisfaction. Queen Amphitrite apparently didn't know what was going on and was seemed to be scolding Triton for laughing at the incident.

After the confused chatter Chiron trotted up again and looked around. "Well," he began awkwardly from embarrassment. "I can assure everyone that we will definitely be talking to Leo and will not let him get away with it." He glanced out in the distance where Leo was still running away from the skeletons. Apparently Hades was still angry and had decided to not return them to the underworld yet.

"And now," Chiron continued. "Onto business. Our next performer is Annabeth."

Annabeth surprisingly performed swan lake, but once again there was no tears from any of the eyes of the big three. In fact, Hades still looked miffed from Leo's 'performance'. Annabeth sat down, disappointed.

Percy seemed to disappear briefly after that and shortly later he reappeared. No one had time to ask him what that was about as Chiron was now on the stage and going to announce his name. Everyone assumed that he was looking for Leo though. The food was going to be served and Chiron announced, "And now, as we eat, our final performance will be by Percy Jackson."

Percy walked onto the stage. "Hey!" he began. He sat on the stool that he brought from backstage. "Okay, so I'm going to tell about my life in story format; that will be my performance."

Everyone groaned and rolled their eyes, their soup now in front of them and they began eating. "And then there was that time in sixth grade when Nancy Bobofit..." Percy's droning and whining performance voice sounded in the background, but everyone ignored him, not wanting to hear his "sob story" knowing that he would lose also. Annabeth laid her head on the table, greatly embarrassed at what her boyfriend was doing. But as she lay down she seemed to notice something was missing. Immediately she began checking herself. "What?! Where is it?!"

"What is it?" Thalia asked, but Annabeth merely shrugged.

"Never mind."

"Well," Jason shrugged, glancing up at Percy who was still performing his sob story. "I guess that means we get paid."

Then, after a few more minutes of Percy's performance, it happened. Nico glanced over at the big three and gasped. Everyone else looked up and also gasped. Tears were actively streaming down the eyes of all the big three and an amazed Triton was staring at his father and uncles. From the looks of it they had been crying a long time now. But they hadn't been crying when Annabeth had ended her performance, nor for the beginning couple minutes of Percy's performance. But here they were, tears actively streaming down their eyes as they ate their soup, watching Percy's performance intently.

"How!" Annabeth gasped, briefly forgetting her missing items.

"And then there was that time at Goode High..." Percy's droning voice went on in the background and everyone stared at him in amazement.

"He did it!" Nico murmured in surprise and awe. "How did he do it?"

Leo seemed to return at that moment, all banged up but alive, and everyone could only guess that when Hades started crying the skeletons returned to the earth. "What!" he gasped when he saw Percy performing and the big three crying. "How..."

"Don't know..." Frank curiously responded. "I guess the big three do have feelings after all."

"Guess so," Nico grumbled with Hazel nodding her head in agreement, soup in her mouth.

At that moment Percy ended his performance and Chiron trotted up, looking at Percy like he was mentally disturbed. "Well," the centaur announced, still looking at a for-some-reason grinning Percy. "Awkward, but interesting detail of one's life and abuses endured. And thankfully, especially with what's happened tonight, that is all for the performances." Chiron trotted off.

The campers got up, getting ready to go for the night, and the gods and goddesses appeared to be ready to leave, giving their children and siblings their final farewells. During this Percy walked over to the reject table, a big grin on his face. "All right everyone, pay up!" he smirked and held his hand at the ready.

Triton chose that moment to walk behind Percy and spun him around, looking somewhat angry but also impressed. He pointed one long finger at him and announced, "You've got a lot of explaining to do!"

Percy smirked back. "Going to back down on the deal? I was aloud to do anything to get them to cry and they cried. Now you agreed that if they cried you would owe me three hundred drachma for each of the big three."

Triton rolled his eyes and sighed, taking a sack out of his hidden pocket in his pants and practically slapping it into Percy's. "It appears that I underestimated you," the god muttered in annoyance and Percy smiled, adding the drachmas that his friends had given him to the bag of drachmas that Triton had given him. Percy didn't bother to check if Triton had given him the amount agreed but he really didn't care anyways. He was merely smug about winning the competition. Besides, he knew that Triton was honorable and most likely he had paid the full amount.

"Okay," Annabeth walked up to him the others behind her. Triton went by her side also wanting to see what Percy had to say. "You owe us an explanation on how you did it!" She and the others folded their arms and Percy shrugged.

"Any means necessary, remember?" he replied.

But they didn't seem impressed and only looked at him more expectantly. But to their surprise Percy merely smirked more, grinning mischievously. He pulled out Annabeth's invisible Yankee's cap (whose expression immediately changed to outrage that he had it), and he grinned broadly.

"I loaded their soup with a lot of intensely strong onions."

Please take the time to review if you are reading this. Reviewing is a courtesy!