Jake D.

"Um, Dad not to be rude or anything, but what the hell."

Yeah, you try getting a sword as a birthday gift and not reacting that way.

"Oh yes dad, I love the sword and the cloak. Now, when is the X-box arriving from aunt Madeline?" Emphasis on the mad. If someone tells me that they reacted this way, I will laugh at their face.

Back to the sword, when I looked at my dad he seemed depressed. I don't know why, call me crazy I'm just going out on a limb here, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that he didn't want to tell me whatever it is.

With a resigned sigh, he said, "Jake, just pick up the sword." "But-"

"Please, just pick up the sword." '

Curious to why he was insisting I should pick up a weapon that can kill someone, but starting to think, "hey who cares," I picked it up and yelped in shock

Images started flying by me.

I was at a battlefield. There were thousands of people surrounding me, looking to me as if I was their Leader. Suddenly I spoke, "This is the dawn of a new day. We will either change this kingdom, or die trying. No longer shall this Tyrant reign over us. We will have our freedom!" Every one cheered.

I dropped the sword.

"Dad what the hell was that!" I was shocked out of my mind. I had just seen something over a thousand years old.

"That Jake is part of your heritage. Before you protest, saying 'what do you friggin mean my heritage,' let me explain something. Have you ever seen anything that no one around you can see? Has something ever happened that you can't explain logically? Have I ever given you cryptic answers to something strange before?"

I was about to say no, when I realized, "wait a minute hell yeah this has happened all the time!" I motioned for him to continue.

"Jake, I am going to ask you a simple question. Do you remember all of those Greek myths I read to you when you were younger?" I nodded so he continued, "You remember the gods, Zeus and the others, correct?"

"Yes, I do; but what does that have to do with anything.

"Just look at the wall, so I will need you to look at that wall."

Confused at where this was going, I just looked at the wall. 5 seconds later, I could see a darker spot on the wall then the rest of it. It started getting bigger, and a couple others appeared. I could start making out shapes in the wall, a nose, two eyes, and so on. Then, all of a sudden the creatures fully appeared, three giant puppies. That's right, not monsters, but puppies.

This day just kept getting weirder and weirder.

The puppies just kept wagging their tails and looked like they didn't have a care in the world. When they barked, the whole room shook.

"Now Jake, are you willing to listen to what I have to say?"

I don't know about you guys, but this was just getting weirder and weirder for me, so I let him say whatever the hell he wanted at this point.

"Well, as I was saying do you remember how the gods were always having affairs with mortals? (I nodded) And how heroes were produced from these affairs?" This was getting stranger and stranger, so I said. "Yes, but what does that have to do with the fact that there are 3 humongous dogs in the room?"

He replied, "I was getting to that. Boy you sure get your impatience from your mother." At this point he is starting to mutter to himself, "How did Chiron explain this."

He sighed, muttered an exasperated fine, and said, "Well, since the Greek gods were gods, they should never die. That's why they are gods. Arrogant gods yes, but gods all the same."

I was shocked at what he was implying. "So let me get this straight," I said, "you are telling me my 'powers' came from a Greek god, that I am somehow half human half god?"

He responds, "Well in the long run yes, but-"

"That's just great! Really, it is amazing to know that my dad has gone crazy, thinking that I am part god, and that these puppies are somehow from a myth, and that the Obama health care reform had no hidden twists, and that the Earthquake/Tidal Wave/Nuclear Meltdown is all thanks to Godzilla. And that-"

"Ah, I see you don't need my help anymore, so I will just be going then."

I whipped my head around to see what the voice was. It looked like it was a small man, pudgy, around mid 40's, and looked like he was a textbook description of a recovering alcoholic.

My dad sighed in relief, "Thank the gods. Jake this is Mr. D. He is going to help explain this to you."

"Well madness is my specialty," smirked Mr. D., "and you, boy, are all forms of crazy."

"Shut it wine dude; you're here to help, not to antagonize him before he gets to camp." said my dad. I watched this verbal exchange go back and forth like a ping-pong match. I cleared my throat, "Ahem. Not to be rude but who the hell are you."

"Well hell is really more your fathers domain, but if you are to ignorant to listen to your own father than, I will repeat. My name is Mr. D and I am the director at the camp you will be going to."

My dad rolled his eyes, "Ignore him, his bark is worse than his bite. He really isn't mean; he just wants the campers to think that. This way the gods will think he shows no favoritism. Also, this way the campers will dislike him generally, and not pay any attention to where he is while he is watching them."

"Anyway, he is here to help me prove that the gods are real."

"Oh gee, how is he going to do that," I said dripping with sarcasm, "Is the camp director going to ask me how I feel."

"Nope, I am going to do this." And as soon as he was done saying that, vines starting sprouting out of the ground and grapes starting growing on them as fast as possible, and a leopard jumped over it.

So when encountered with these strange things happening, I did what any normal American would do, I passed out. On the way to passing out I heard my dad say this, "That was a bit over dramatic, but I think he got the point."


When I started coming to, the first thing that I felt was something that felt like a very moist, scratchy but soft towel being repeatedly rubbed over my face. When I opened my eyes, it turned out to be the only one giant puppy that was left.


A/N: since Hades' Winged Shadow gave away the answer in the reviews, I will have a different contest for you people. You have to answer the question before time runs out. If I have six apple pies in my hand, and You have 43 blue berry muffins in your hand, and Chuck Norris is holding an elephant, then... WHAT'S TWO PLUS TWO! 5, 4, 3, 2...

No but really, the easy question to get your character into the story, what are the puppies of death?