Annabeth slammed open the door of the Big House and marched straight to Chirons office. Normally she would be distracted to learn about all the battle items heroes accumalated over the years but she couldn't help but think only about Percy. The closer she got to Chiron the more her anger flared, but the harder she resisted to keep it down.
"Chiron!" Annabeth said angrily as she stepped into his office. He was already there to intercept her.
"Have a seat, Annabeth" his voice automatically calmed her down. After living at camp for so long he knew how Annabeth operated. She was almost scared he could see what she was thinking already.
"Chiron, who is he? Where is he from? Wha-" Annabeth rambled off questions but Chiron interrupted her.
"Annabeth think. Relax. The answers to your questions are unclear, at least for the moment." He stood up and walked- or actually trotted- his lower half being a horse, over to the window. He continued, but lowered his voice. Annabeth almost thought he was talking to himself. "Of course this could be the start of big changes. The prophecy...no, it couldn't be that, not yet."
Annabeth knew what he was thinking. Growing up in this camp she knew almost all its secrets. "Chiron...you don't mean the Great Prophecy? It can't be him. He has no training!" Annabeths voice raised again, getting heated about Percy's growing importance.
"Annabeth, you have seen the signs. You know what he could mean to the gods, to this camp." Chiron moved back behind his desk and lowered his gaze to Annabeth. "Listen Annabeth, what I am about to say is of vital importance. You must swear not to reveal it to Percy until the time is right."
"But Chi-" Annabeth protested but Chiron persisted.
"Swear it. On the river Styx." Chiron ordered it. Annabeth was smart enough to know that she was a step away from receiving no information at all.
"I swear on the river Styx" Annabeth said hesitantly.
Chiron shrank back into his human form and the horses body switched to a wheelchair. "You know of the Great Prophecy as I'm sure. So I won't bother to repeat the lines here. Of course, my instincts may not be as sharp as they once were, but there may come a time when he must make a decision. A decision big enough to save or destroy everything that we have built." Annabeth almost never saw Chiron this concerned. She was used to his teachings in a sword fighting class not like this.
"But Chiron, how can you be certain he is the one the prophecy speaks of?" Annabeth asked, her mind thinking of all the ways this could play out.
"I suspect it will become clearer once he is claimed. If he is who I suspect, and before you ask I can not release my suspicions of his Godly side just yet, then he will be of much importance in the prophecy. Now Annabeth, if this is true you must be there every step of the way. To oversee everything. To ensure that the boy will not stray from his destiny. To protect him. As a daughter of Athena, you surely understand that we can not change the prophecy. We can only influence the key players. I am counting on you to be this influence."
Annabeth intently followed every word, weighing the ideas in her mind, maybe even thinking of ways out. Ever since she arrived at camp half blood she wanted her quest. But not this quest. "How can you expect me to do this? I...it's too big of a threat, Chiron. I don't know if I am capable." She shifted uncomfortably in her chair and lowered her voice, maybe so even the Gods couldn't hear her. "I can plan a battle, I can lead a cabin, I can do anything that takes brain and strategy, but this... This is not in my skill set, I can't logically predict the future and save him. Especially him, of all people."
Chiron respectfully listened to Annabeth, but as she continued he shook his head in disagreement. This time when he spoke, it wasn't about any theory, it was an order.
"You are not confined to one idea, Annabeth. Of course your mother deals specifically in ways of war, but you are not the same. You are the leader of this camp and perhaps you cannot see the role you play here, but that which you can't see doesn't mean it isn't there. Demigods look to you for guidance, even Luke." Annabeth couldn't believe anything Chiron said. Was she really this important? Even to Luke?
Her voice this time completely contrasted Chirons this time. For once in Annabeths life she was unsure if herself. "Luke...Luke was always the leader. He got me safely to camp with Thalia. He is the one who rescued me when I had no one."
"Think, Annabeth. Over all these years you must know that you were the one who kept Luke grounded. Luke is too easily swayed, but you are strong. You must be strong once again as you were when you first ran away. However, this time you are not alone.
Just as you must be with him every step of the way, I am confident that Percy will do the same. If he proves to be as strong as I predict, he will protect you just as you must do for him." Chiron stood and his legs grew back into a horse. He towered over Annabeth, forcing her to listen to his words. "You must do as I say, Annabeth."
Annabeths mouth turned dry, she couldn't get any words out. A part of her wanted to be furious at Chiron for forcing this on her, but the other side, her pride, wouldn't back down. "I will." She stood and made her way towards the door. Annabeth couldn't get out of this. She knew Chiron just as he knew her, and he would never stop asking if she refused to do what he asked.
Just before leaving the room Chiron spoke again, "And Annabeth, go visit Percy. He is going to need nectar and ambrosia when he wakes up."
As she closed the door, Chiron returned behind his desk and smiled at her. Annabeths confidence flooded back. She walked down the hallway towards the room Percy was staying, her heart pounded. Annabeth thought of it as a test. It was the only way she could keep herself calm, to plan out every step, to think before she acted.
The door loomed above her. It felt like the first time she set foot on Olympus, overwhelming but exciting. Then deep down, terrifying. She pushed opened the door, entering the room and moving forward to her destiny.
Annabeth slid into the room and sat quietly in a chair as far away from the bed as possible. She couldn't help but laugh at the boy laying there. He was completely knocked, hair messed up, mouth hanging wide open, like he just fell a sleep after staying up all night. The blankets were bunched up in a corner almost like he'd been thrashing around in his sleep. Nightmares. Annabeth could never admit it, but she felt bad for him. She got the nightmares too. Ever since she ran away they kept coming, every night, always. Once Luke found her it got better. Then, at camp, they almost faded totally, but the feeling was still there. The feeling of terror, that even once you wake up you realize the monsters in your dreams are real. Once you wake up it doesn't just go away. Maybe she would be able to relate when he woke up.
Okay, get it together Annabeth. You can't do this, you can't feel bad for him, you can't be attached to him.
She hated him, right? Annabeth needed to hate him, to be rational about the situation and keep him safe. The promise to Chiron meant everything. Annabeth knew that this wasn't about her feelings or just the camp, it was about the world, the gods. This was her newest battle strategy. To distance herself from Percy and be objective and if that meant hating him, then that's what she would have to do.
Percy rolled over in his sleep and mumbled something that Annabeth couldn't hear. His hair fell messily over his eyes and every few minutes he would make a little snort. Every time he did it Annabeth's heart fluttered. The harder she tried to hate every second of sitting there the more she couldn't help but find more little quirks in his chaos. His hand twitched, probably the ADHD kicking in even in his sleep. He rolled over again and this time he moaned with pain.
Annabeth's reaction shouldn't have been as fast as she was. She hated him...
She rushed over to the bedside table and grabbed a small square of Ambrosia. She pulled up the chair to the edge of the bed, sitting down to wait for Percy to wake up. She found herself staring at him as his eyes flickered open. They met. Annabeth blushed and looked towards the floor. Her hand shot out to give the Ambrosia to Percy and accidentally hit him in the chest.
"Owwww!" He screamed louder than he should have for the moment. "I'd rather take that bull on again, rather than you!"
Annabeth glared at him, taking apart every piece of him with her mind, wanting to tear him apart.
Of course, add sarcastic to the growing list of things I hate about Percy. Annabeth thought, as she shoved the ambrosia square at him again this time on purpose.
"It's called a Minotaur" Annabeth said through gritted teeth trying to restrain herself from hitting him. Come on what was in his brain, dust and cobwebs, she thought even though he was just as clueless as she was when she ran away.
Percy looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, hesitantly reaching for the snack. "Umm, yeah minataurous Rex, or whatever should go after you next time." He laughed and took a bite of the ambrosia. "Oh my god! That's delicious, what is t?" He continued to talk even though crumbs flew out of his mouth spraying Annabeth with every syllable.
Annabeth returned the same furrowed eyebrow glance as she wiped crumbs off herself. "Well, oh my gods, plural, actually," pointing to the treat she continued, " that's ambrosia, it's what demigods eat to heal you"
Studying him as he ate, Annabeth saw that he didn't hold anything back with being disgusting, just shoveled it in. On his third ambrosia square he stopped like he had a crazy revelation. "Wait...gods? And demigods?" He asked.
Barely waiting for a answer, he shoved more food into his face. "Yes Godss, you'll figure it out" Annabeth let him stay confused, but he seemed to distracted with eating that he didn't care. "And you might wanna slow down, eating too much will kill you, only a little heals"
"Yeah, so much good it's going to do healing with you punching me, I mean who even are you anyway" it was so sarcastic Annabeth wanted to scream.
"That's none of your concern" Annabeth replied, but still Percy seemed uninterested. How could someone be so clueless, so totally unlike me? she thought. It only made her hate him more.
Grabbing Annabeth's arm, Percy's head swayed and his eyes started to droop. "I think...I might...tired" Percy trailed off mumbling nonsense as his eyes closed. She cradled his head and layed it down onto the pillow. His mouth was wide open again, drool coming down the side of his face. Quietly, she pulled the blanket up to cover his torso and wiped the rest of the crumbs off the bed.
"How am I supposed to protect you if you can't even hold your head up for more than five seconds?" She asked herself while standing up and heading back out the door she came in. One last glance back gave her a glimpse of Percy's dark hair crazily covering his face again. She laughed, "He is just chaos," then she walked out of the big house leaving him to get the rest he needed.
The sun was almost straight over head as she walked out into the porch. Chiron and Mr.D sat. Mr.D had always looked like those baby Angels in paintings, cherubs, but weirdly middle aged. And she never understood the Hawaiian shirts, must be a God thing. They both say around a small white table with cards in theirs hands. Chiron turned and made eye contact with Annabeth that she didn't break. "Ahh, Annabeth, join us. I trust everything went well with Percy." Gesturing to the chair as he said it, Chiron beckoned her over.
"As well as it could have considering I'm dealing with a stupid, chaotic, narcoleptic mess of a demigod, yeah it went great..." The chair creaked giving way under her wait, but she trusted they would hold after all these years.
Mr.D stared as if he was talking to the cards in his hand and sighed, "Ahh, see Chiron, at least someone understands how worthless these demigods are. I never should have signed up for this job, if Zeus hadn't forced me I-"
"Now Dionysus, you were assigned to look after these demigods, don't patronize them yet." Chiron rearranged one of his cards seemingly organizing his next move. "As for you Annabeth, Percy isn't as bad as he seems, just give it a chance. You of all people should know not to make judgement without all the information."
Annabeth gazed over to the strawberry fields and breathed in the fresh, sweet scent coming off of them. She wasn't afraid to be sassy to Mr.D, but Chiron was a different story. "Sorry, sir" she apologized but really wanted to rant how much she despised this boy.
Mr.D played a card into the table and Chiron laughed a triumphant laugh as he set his hand down. "Trump! Good try, Dionysus, better luck next time." He laughed pulling in the golden drachmas they bet on the game.
"Don't forget, Chiron, an immortal God can take you on any day." He threatened to spite the old man.
"Maybe in your good days, Mr.D" Chiron chided. The conversation still seemed light hearted and fun like two brothers in a friendly competition. Then like a fire reignited in his mind, Chiron turned back to Annabeth with a glint in his eyes, "as for the boy, Annabeth. Give it time"
There was so much meaning in that simply line, but Annabeth pushed it aside as Chiron being a crazy old crook, not wanting to believe that the boy sleeping inside wasn't totally an idiot.
Just as they finished counting all the winnings, Grover pounded up the hill clanking with the sound of tin cans in his pockets. The furry legs limped as he ran to meet them on the porch. "Just here to check on my boy Percy" he panted as he stumbled past them into the big house. Moments later he came back out with a confused looking boy hung on his arm.
Grover introduced everyone to Percy with a smile on his face the whole time. "So yeah that's Annabeth, she's been here longer than anyone" he said, taking a bite out of a tin coca cola can.
Chiron told Annabeth something about setting up a cabin, but she was too distracted with the minataur horn in Percy's hand to hear. Instead she said, "You drool when you sleep." Immediately after her cheeks flushed bright red but she turned and ran towards the cabins before anyone noticed. It takes a lot to fluster a daughter of Athena.
Oh gods. Oh my gods, what is wrong with me? Annabeth thought, beating herself up from not keeping it together. She just said the first thing that came to her mouth. No thought. Was that what Percy was doing to her? Basically turning her brain to mush.
Her hand slid through her hair pushing it back and retting it into a ponytail, almost wanting to put her invisibility hat on. To get away. Or maybe just so she wouldn't show her weakness in front of Percy.
No. It's perfectly fine. I am fine. If anything he has more flaws than me, if anything she was at least smarter.
Before long the rows of cabins lay in front of annabeth, with campers roaming around, laughing, obviously not struggling with hating you hate someone. Not that Annabeth hated hating him...but maybe wanting to think she did.
Sharpening their arrows and stringing bows, the Apollo cabin waved at Annabeth. Some were singing songs, but the mood didn't fit for Annabeth. She quickly passed by as Clarisse caught her by the back of her t-shirt.
"Hey, Chase!" Clarisse yelled. Annabeth whirled around, rolling her eyes. What could it possibly be now?
The wisdom in her stopped Annabeth from flipping Clarisse and holding a dagger to her throat, she was already annoyed with Percy, she didn't want another fight one her hands. "What is it, Clarisse? I have to get the Hermes cabin prepped for Percy and I just don't have time for this."
To be honest, Annabeth's attitude played a little over the top. She seemed to be always concentrating on keeping the emotions down today. Clarissa followed along with her tone, "Very sorry to bother you, your highness. And anyway it's about that, since Percy's the new guy were giving you the Hermes cabin for capture the flag."
A sigh that didn't seem like Annabeth's voice came out of her. It started off glad, but quickly u turned. She cleared her throat trying to brush it off like nothing happened, "We-um-well Athena always will have the better strategy either way, even with a bunch of dimwits on our side. As long as the can hold a sword." Hopefully Percy can get at least sword fighting down, then they would have a chance.
Clarisse stared back at Annabeth, raising her eyebrows. She hesitated as she spoke, "Yeah...whatever you say, Chase." Then she turned heading toward the barbed wire, sloppy blood red cabin where the rest of the Ares kids lounged sharpening swords, almost mirroring the Apollos. Just before she got out of war shot, Annabeth vaguely heard her mumble, "-crazy. I thought child of Athena were supposed to have their heads on straight...hephaestatus can help with that."
Even in front of Clarisse...Gods, this day just gets better and better.
The Hermes cabin was buzzing, of course with all its campers it should be. As she got closer Chiron and Percy found their way next to her. She made a quick glance at Percy, his eyes were darting everywhere, trying to take in all the surroundings, but he looked worried. Annabeth could relate.
Once inside, which apparently seemed hard enough for Percy, who tripped before saying a word. Then caught Annabeth's eye and blushed, but she couldn't help laughing. It was funny how literally he couldn't even walk straight. Almost a cute puppy, barely being able to walk yet, figuring things out as he went, but still completely clueless.
No, it's not cute. Back to hating. He's just a useless demigod. She thought, but couldn't stop thinking about his green eyes glancing back at her.
After the little trip up, the Cabin welcomed him, even though they didn't necessarily like undetermineds. They all groaned at the thought, but Annabeth shot Luke a concerned look. He got the message ordered the campers to clean bunks or whatever it is they do. Many of them didn't take notice of Percy after that, they were too busy fighting, stealing, not cleaning their bunks.
Annabeth nudged Percy. She was a little taller than him, which made her more confident about herself. "Let me show you the volleyball courts" she said. More to get him out of there- not that she cared- but he looked uncomfortable, he didn't belong.
As they walked, they talked about Percy coming to camp, what it meant. She let him ask questions and tried to fill him in as much as she could. The more she talked to him, the more comfortable it got. Of course, everyonce in a while he couldn't get the information Annabeth was telling him through his thick skull. She laughed. Her eyes glinting as she looked back at him.
He might not be the smartest, but maybe he is the corniest, sassiest, demigod I've ever met. She laughed again at the thought. Almost a relief that someone wasn't so serious all the time. Maybe it's just what she needed.
To their right, Annabeth saw Clarisse again. Her eyes were targeted straight for Percy. Instinctively, she found herself back to Percy, guarding him from her. However, Percy squeezed persistently around her everything she moved. Just take a hint, dude. Don't mess with her. She thought, but again he was clueless.
The fight was inevitable, but not the plumbing in the toilets shooting up into clarisses face. Even when she held him down and he flailed the water just burst everywhere. She's never seen anything like it.
New thoughts resurfaced in Annabeth's mind. Her talk with Chiron. The prophecy. The one. She didn't want to believe it, but there was too much power in him. Percy was looking at her intently, maybe mocking what she was doing to him. But she didn't stop, she studied him like a book. Forming a picture in her mind of how he could be the one.
"What? Do I have toilet paper on my shoe?" He asked.
Annabeth held back a grin, "No, but I want you on my team for capture the flag." Of course, she was forced with him anyway, but he didn't know that.
More thoughts whirred in her head. Maybe he isn't as useless as I thought. She would just have to wait for the game of capture the flag and see.
