Book 2 part 1
Percy had some unanswered questions for the lotus eaters, he expected to be there for two or three days at most but each answer usually raised more questions, in turn, extending his stay, he needed a new notebook at one stage. Percy stayed there for about 8 months but only experienced about half because part of the deal for answering all the questions was he would sleep in the hotel.
For all the questions about how mystical powers work and interact, he also gained answers for questions he didn't even ask, William liked to explain things with anecdotes, reminding Percy of the chessmen in the park. But these anecdotes had the unexpected consequence of giving a semi-mortal perspective for the actions of the gods.
Percy wanted to say he was surprised, devastated, shocked and appalled by the actions of the gods, but he wasn't he actually sort of expected it. He quite like that saying 'the victors write the history books' and believed it wholeheartedly, the gods pick the winners, so it was just natural to assume that they were better in whatever story than real life.
Knowledge was not the only thing gained, his training in aura progressed rapidly, when he concentrated on it in, he could feel his aura and the way the hotel drew it away to power something or another. This helped him practise better than anything so far because he was able to sense where his own Aura flowed much better than if it was someone else's.
X
It should be noted at this point that the lotus eaters had a long and interesting past one of these less known parts was the council of five. Williams predecessor was not immune to the illnesses of old age, as a point of fact none of the lotus eaters has any immunity to illness. This meant in his old age that the previous elder began to lose his mental faculties, he made pour decisions hear and odd decisions there, in a rare bout of sanity he created the council of five, to overrule any pour or detrimental decision made by the elder.
The council where to obviously be made up of five and ones a century on there was to be a vote by all the eaters to see who was on the next council, the five with the most votes were made members of the council, essentially making it a popularity contest. When William took over the others were too excited about their new agency to disband the council, no matter how little agency it actually had, needing the entire council to unanimously agree to overrule the elder.
X
William was happy to answer the questions, he was just happy to have someone different to talk to about life, the rest of the eaters where able to go out and experience the world, but as the elder William had to be constantly present at the casino and was unable to interact with many people, other than the other eaters.
Percy's presence also gave him was also the ability to show off his vast amounts of mystical knowledge, he had not been all that secretive with his discovery's and conclusions, but no one had really cared to this point. There was also the whole swearing upon the river Styx that bound him to not attempt to capture Percy.
William Swore up a storm when another half-blood came around, he began threatening staff and harassing patrons. The blond had removed the hand of Piana before they found out, he was here to talk to Percy Jackson.
Pianna was security and thus felt she had the right to keep her original name, and she had. This gave her a lot of influence and she was currently on the council of five, she was actually the only one keeping them from voting Percy out, she was the only one that shared his curiosity, and felt the danger was less important than the potential knowledge gained.
Seeing the bleeding stump made William think that she was going to re-evaluate her stance.
X
Percy saw Luke grumbling at the bottom of the main staircase, Percy had recently watched a few documentaries about storytelling. He had made a mistake of asking Jane the resident film guru to what she meant when she described him as an 'anti-hero', 'what an antihero was and why am I one?' looking at Luke, Percy couldn't see him as an antagonist. Even if Chiron was being truthful, which Percy suspected was not the case.
It would have been about 7 months ago when he got an iris message from Chiron, Chiron told Percy that Luke was recruiting for a rebellion on Olympus. Luke had dragged a group of 5 other members of the Hermes cabin to the forest and recruited them to the rebellion.
Percy only knew the names 'Lou Ellen Blackstone' and 'Chris Rodriguez' from the list of five, and even then he could not dredge up more than a half-hearted, 'oh'. It was slightly surprised at the time but after putting the information into the category 'it is what it is', Percy easily could have believed that there was a rebellion if the information came from a semi-reliable source.
After thinking about it for a while, Percy was actually surprised that there was not a mention of rebellion as part of one of, 'William, I will not tell you my, true name's' anecdotes. From the way the Olympians acted, Percy could not imagine that they could keep all of the discontents down with fear for 3 millennia without an uprising now and again. William explained that he had never heard about any uprising, but suspected that if one did the gods would shut it down hard, and hush it up, not wanting it to get in others heads.
Percy thought that if this was the case it was rather inefficient of them they would be better off showing the failure of past rebellions, but then again he had not run an immortal Kingdom for the past 3 millennia, they probably knew what they were doing.
Percy was more than a bit sceptical that even all of camp half-blood could do anything at all against a god, with the enormous power difference between a half-blood and an Olympian. So it might not be all that difficult to run an Immortal kingdom when your subjects don't have much of a choice to obey or be cast down to Tartarus.
Percy's mental tangent was stopped when Luke said, "join me, together we will be able to destroy the gods." All Percy did be look at him like he was the idiot he was.
Rather than addressing the idiot, Percy walked past him heading outside, Percy had gotten used to the casino and the time dilation effect, he was hungry and was not going to sit inside the time dilation to do it. This forced Luke to follow Percy outside inadvertently saving Luke the worst of the time dilation effects. Percy stopped at a same outdoor table and chairs that he had all his talks with William at.
He took his customary seat, forcing Luke in the one usually used by William.
X
Luke sometimes felt that Cronus was a bit too disconnected from the world, when he said to use a note to distance Percy from the other campers Luke wondered how much more distant he could get, the answer is leaving camp.
But then Cronus wanted Luke to give Percy the join or die speech, Luke didn't think it would go over that well with the surly camper. And there were the 7 months of searching for the half-blood because he vanished off the face of the earth.
Luke had to create a map of monster activity and only after months of tracking and chasing down fake leads did he discover, it was the anomaly around Vegas that held Percy. yes, Luke understood the importance of having Percy on their side, but Cronus rushed actions had made it more difficult for Luke.
Luke was hoping this negligence was due to Cronus's discombobulated state and not the long-venerated cruelty he was known to treat both his minions and enemy's with
So after a bit of testing while recruiting Luke easily determined that a soft sell was a much better way to go, so he smiled pleasantly even as he took a seat across from the one demigod they needed on their side but was looking at him like he was being especially stupid. "No".
The blunt refusal held no Malice as he had come to expect when trying to recruit. He would have to do this carefully, "why do you defend them, what have they done to help you?" it was important to get them to realise that gods did not have their children's best interests at heart. The best way to get to that subject was questioned the interactions between the gods and the demi-gods or the lack of interactions for the demi-gods he was trying to recruit.
There was a tense moment where Percy didn't look like he was going to answer, "I don't, they defend them self's and magic items."
Luke took just as long to process the answers and found he could not disagree with the second answer; it would be great when the Titans could make magic items. "If you don't defend them, then fight with us!"
Luke got looked at like he was being especially idiotic, "No. as much as death is not a negative for me I still do not relish the idea of fighting a god, so I will have to pass."
Then it all clicked for Luke, Percy didn't know they had Cronus on their side, he wanted to curse. Cronus had fore bayed him from telling anyone about him, most new recruits came to him in the wide-eyed optimism of a bright new future they would hold in their hands. But it was different when trying to get people from the other side, most of them wanted the status quo to stay the same out of fear of change or fear of the wrath the gods have, and without Cronus as an equaliser most where to scared to face the all-powerful Olympians.
Most of them were angry with Luke for causing a rebellion making it necessary to fight eventually, but it appeared that Percy didn't even care, he started speaking again. "Look I get it, I'm fated to choose the fate of Olympus, you what me for the rebellion, but that prophecy is not guaranteed to be for me and a rebellion is a lot of effort. But on the flip side fighting a rebellion is also a lot of effort, not as much but still a lot. So I'm currently disinclined to fight either without major incentive. Thus I wish you the best of luck with toppling Olympus."
Luke wanted to say something to get the last word in before he teleported away but then thought that his exit didn't need any final words it was good all on its own.
After the micro amount of time it takes for the device to work, Luke appeared on a familiar hill, shivering from the moment where he was exposed to freezing temperatures.
Luke idly brushed off the tiny ice crystals that had formed during transport he fingered the vial of poison. He then noted the crack of daylight, that should be another 20 minutes away, maybe he had talked to Percy too long, he would have to hurry up now. What he was going to do marked the end in his mind, there was no turning back, there was no other option than Cronus.
The amount of relief that he now knew that he would no longer be plagued with thoughts of going back to the Olympians was astounding. It was a while ago that he had concluded the original plan had him threatening Percy with, 'death or join' at the end of the summer. Killing or subverting a child of prophecy would be counted as a point of no return, saving Luke 5 months of slowly increasing unsurely in Cronus, but that had not happened.
Now he was at the end of a different plan, Luke knew his master would be displeased with Percy not joining them, then the subsequent lack of immediate death on refusal. But Luke figured Cronus would be mollified with the information that of a successfully completed plan. In doing what he planned next he was killing another prophecy child, or if his master's vague hints were to come to fruition, laying the seeds for the subversion of another prophecy child. Making this his point of no return and subsequent lack of relief.
Luke stealthily got to the top of the hill, but just as he uncorked the poison, a semi-familiar but the unmistakable voice of Argus shouted. "stop that." Luke was so surprised that he dropped the bottle spilling half the poison everywhere and the half on the tree, his device activated automatically now the bottle was empty.
As he landed on Princess Andromeda Luke knew he had screwed up. He was not meant to get seen. Then only half the poison would mean that the tree would last twice as long, this was not good doubling the time the camp had.
Luke considered lying, but Cronus had already caught him out for that before. Near the start of the campaign, Luke had not killed a half-blood that got the 'join or die, speech, the kid refused and Luke let him leave. During his report to Cronus, he fabricated a storey where the half-blood didn't get away, just as the words were out of his mouth Cronus began the punishment for lying.
Maybe Luke could fake an injury, and get someone else to pass on the news. Cronus was not all too good at the practice of, 'not shooting the messenger'.
X
Percy was conflicted, firstly, dam that was cool. teleportation was one thing he wanted badly, all the good stuff he could do with it. Checking his mental catalogue of natural powers, herms hadn't had any kids with the reported ability to teleport, even how useful it would be as a secret power Percy would have thought that one of them would have come forward during the years.
This gave Percy some hope, maybe he could wrangle an amulet or something else just as arcane from a god that lets him teleport.
The secondary was the dishonesty. Wiliam was the reason Percy was semi-competent with reading the aura of a being. When William determined that Percy could actually sense Auras, William began to lie intermittently during his anecdotes, this tinged his Aura with dishonesty.
Percy found he was rather adept at this part of Aura sensing when comparing how a dismal he was at the rest of it. This part being reading auras, when it was first explained by William it confused Percy a bit. Whenever a mystical being feels something even subconsciously they project their feelings in there Aura.
And generally most of this is individual, everyone's aura is different when Anger is projected into it. But there are exceptions to this generality. Specifically in this case honesty and dishonesty, if William was actually correct the form honestly and dishonesty are regular across all beings, near the end of the conversation he just had with Luke, he was being dishonest.
Luke's actions agree with this analysis, Percy tried to get Luke to be truthful with him by offering a blunt but truthful piece of information. The way Luke left showed he was hiding something and didn't feel comfortable not sharing the information and continuing the conversation, it was all speculation on Percy's part. What is not speculation is Luke can teleport and Percy fucking wants it.
Percy sat there wondering if Zeus had been eavesdropping as usual and if he was slated to die or had Luke and the others found a way to hide from the site of the Olympians. Lost in thought Percy didn't notice William until he shook Percy.
"Hey, I don't know what that was. But that guy was neurotic. He cut off Piana's hand." Percy didn't need the overly dramatic way William put the bag on the table to understand. He was kicked out of the casino. William continued, "so what will you do now?"
"I will go back to New York. Deal with some paperwork. It's nearly summer, so probably head back to camp half-blood, find a way to teleport." Percy knew that the way he just casually brought up teleportation would interest William, and looking at him Percy could see the sudden conflict that was brewing in the leader, this just caused and internally smile at the successful manipulation.
Percy new William would want answers because his curiosity for curiosities sake could rival Athena, but unlike most of the population he didn't come with inpatients, he would work extra hard to get Percy cleared to come back. So Percy decided some explanation was in order, "Luke, the current rebellious demigod just teleported. I'm thinking it was a device, but could it be a herms power. God of travel and everything, I will find out what and any other mystical knowledge or at least try."
William just nodded, Percy was unsure if this was acceptance of the situation. Appreciation. mutual respect. a fuck you for baiting me like this. a good by. a good luck. Any or all of the above.
Percy nodded back, wondering how William would take it. Reflecting this was the problem when people acted the strong silent type. You could never know what they actually mean. Percy almost wanted to roll his eyes at himself, no matter how simple it would make it Percy knew that seeing his life as a story would eventually cause problems.
X
It is interesting how Aura projects feelings. And its deep connection to the culture of an individual while they are growing up. The culture a mystical being grows up in has an extremely dramatic effect on how the Aura projects its self, if William had taken careful note with large sample sizes, he would have found that the generation that usually born in the conformity right after a time of war are usually similar. This is because the conformity culture across the board is similar. Where if he were to take a sample from the generation born to the ones that consider them self's as free spirits, they would usually have nothing in similar.
This had a few odd conclusions, one up until about the 1960's a majority of the population didn't have anything in there auras to represent moral outrage, as a matter of fact, most still don't because children are protected from the information that would let them develop moral outrage in their aura, it just being everyday anger. The lying thing is explained in the same way, with the global mentality 'lying is bad', this means unless the being grew up with pathological liars for guardians they express dishonesty like the rest of the planet.
As a side note to this interesting information, unlike Apollo who looks into the depths of a person to determine the truth of things. His children just naturally read the honesty or dishonesty of the things Aura because this is so reliable, also they can't actually look into the depths of a person.
X
Percy didn't want to go back to camp and end up embroiled with whatever mysterious plot they had cooking up, so he didn't. He made his way back to New York as planned, he did the paperwork saying he was kicked out after a year of whatever school no need to draw interest then informed them he was going back to the summer camp. But then Percy stayed in New York, and with the mist, he had endless cash to burn.
Percy put another potted plant in his bag, he had no good reason for why he could need one real or imaginary, and he had thought on it extensively. There was a lot of junk and useless shit in the bag, Percy had actually begun to forget all of the random shit in there. It did make for reasonable comedy, Percy thought as he purposely tripped over another alley dweller.
Percy injected so much sincerity into his voice that it could make you cry, "My apologies." He gulped for effect while turning to his bag and pulling out clothes pegs. "Here let me make it up to you," Percy handed over the pegs eagerly anticipating the look of confusion after all Percy could not even remember where he got clothes pegs, it's not like anyone in New York actually has a clothesline to need clothes pegs.
But to Percy shock, there was a look of genuine joy on the victim. Then the dweller ripped open the plastic sealed package, in a show of strength that would make a strong man jealous. And put a peg over his nose, Percy followed that line of site to his face and found that he was a cyclops.
Percy wondered why he was less shocked he was looking at a cyclops than the Cyclops was not confused before. Percy put it down to his near constant, 'it is what it is' during the start of his stay at the Casino. After finding out about how they essentially steel people of the street to eat or power the hotel it was difficult for Percy. But he had so many unanswered questions and no physical or emotional stake in any of the trapped, so after months, it became automatic.
Percy could feel how much less it affected him because it was mystical rather than mundane. Deciding to look into the disparity later, Percy refocused on the situation. The Cyclops was very captivated by the peg on his nose, it has it's one eye focused on the peg, Percy sported a grin at this action. It would have been more joyful if Percy could not read between the lines, but he could because he had been somewhat expecting it.
The tension had been building since the fourth day when they're stopped being attacks. during the first three days, Percy had dealt with at least 19 Attacks. Between Percy's Aura and Water sensing he was always, three steps head during an attack easily taking down an enemy, there was the one close call where he had overestimated his sword skills, so pen sword was relegated to final blows only.
Then on the fourth day it all stopped, this predictably made Percy a bit jumpy and a lot more observant, so he got the message, 'time to move your Ass'. Even if it was wrapped in a cyclops that might have a learning deficiency, with the third peg that was going on his nose.
"Hi, I'm Percy, who are you?" Percy wondered if he was responsible for the cyclops in the ephemeral way he was responsible for Olympus, and thus could leave or was he responsible for the messenger in the same way that a messenger should not be shot.
"You are Percy, Tyson will follow." After that responds, Percy figured it was the second way.
Percy jumped the turn style not even bothering with a hand movement to enhance the mist distraction for the Guards. Then he snickered at Tyson just bending the metal out of his way, Percy never remembered having a good time with other eight-year-olds, but he was eight back then.
It was only after Tyson's jokes did Percy conclude that Tyson was comic relief.
"What did the taxi driver say when he lost his taxi?"
"I don't know Tyson."
"Where's my taxi."
Percy laughed rather loudly at that one, the levity was good after the months of seriousness from by the lotus eaters.
On the way to camp Percy found out that Tyson was concerned for all things. They stopped here and there helping out people, animals, you name it and Tyson would try to help. One time Tyson had Percy pull over the 'rented' car to move a rock out of the middle of the road so that it would not get crushed. Percy might have minded a bit more but found he could begrudge the waste of helping strangers if it took time away from being at camp.
So it was getting dark by the time they got to camp, Percy had a moment of shock from the hole in the big house, with the back end of a four-legged metal something sticking out. The moment passed quickly, Percy took in the scenario with his water sense, it was a mechanical bull probably malfunctioning from cabin nine.
He also discovered everyone was almost at the pavilion, must be dinner time. His stomach rumbled, Percy did a light jog so he would get there sooner not realising that Tyson was still standing at the top of the hill, struggling against the invisible barrier. It is easy to forget about comic relief.
Percy got to pavilion just in time to draw attention as a latecomer, it didn't take long for the campers unhappy grumbling to start. This grumbling stopped when Chiron replacement stood up, hold on when did Chiron get a replacement.
The replacement was gaunt and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, he was sitting where Chiron usually sat but it was the pre-dinner speech that Percy ignored, that proved the assumption correct. When Percy's eyes met Mr D's he got a mental command to talk after dinner.
Percy got to his second plate when Tyson entered the pavilion. A second later there was a chorus of Gasps, Screams and Shrieks, who knew half-bloods would not like Cyclops. Percy was confused he got Tyson to camp, Tyson was a mystical construct and would just know what to do, he had known he had to speak to Percy. But what would require him to come to the pavilion?
After the Chiron replacement got quiet he began the questioning, but instead of asking the Cyclops he pervades the campers, "who let this abomination in."
Percy replied with a raised hand as he took another bite of pizza.
"And why would you thing bring a cyclops into camp was a good idea?" The question was full of irritation and accompanied with wild hand gestures.
Percy answered with a bit of a snigger at the absurd gestures, "he was following me."
"I am Tantalus and you will not give me fool answers, why did you bring a dangerous monster into this camp."
Percy racked his brain for why the name was reminiscent as he repeated himself, "he was following me." But this time deadpan.
The newly revealed Tantalus looked down with a challenging expression, "would you let the Nemean lion in the camp if it was following you?" he asked it in the way people would ask 'would you jump off a bridge if your friends did?'
Percy replied how he did to them, 'jump off a bridge question.' "yes." Percy had always rationalised if he had friends and they jumped off a bridge they would have a good reason. And if the Nemean lion was following him it would have a reason.
As usual, when one of these rhetorical questions is answered differently from how is expected, it throws the questioner for a loop. Tantalus look like a lost person, this was apparently the queue for Dionysus to step in. "Now, Pepsi Jacksauce please explain what you expected to happen, this camp does not have the facility's to properly house a cyclops even a young one."
This flippant action got all of Percy's attention; his second skin even lost cohesion and soaked into his clothes. This attention let Percy figure out that Tantalus was the one who got cursed with an inability to eat, and from the flash of bitterness on Tantalus face and the amusement on Dionysus's. Percy also concluded that Dionysus liked needling him so it was most likely a misery loves company thing, he could not drink Alcohol so he gets someone who can't drink or eat anything.
Percy concluded that this is the exact sort of petty thing that Mr D did in most of his stories, so he used the one food pun off the top of his head, in a bid for time. Percy took a loud and crunchy bite of lettuce, as he masticated the vegetable slowly, Percy decided that procrastinating in hopes a solution will just appear is not a good strategy. maybe he should not have taken responsibility for letting Tyson or just assumed that there would only be minor problems when it was obviously divine presents that had them come in contact. "Letus take a minute to consider all of the information." Then Percy took another loud bite making it obviously procrastination, he got a lot of confused looks from the campers that bothered to pay attention to the big play.
Dionysus only had a look of confusion for a moment, it was another moment to check, Tantalus reaction of a murderous glare at Percy. Before the edges of his mouth moved to make a ghost of a smile.
Tantalus could be replaced with a frothing bull and no one would have noticed as he yelled incoherently, after a time he became Audible, "that is it you will have two weeks…"
He was abruptly cut off by a solution just appearing, a holographic trident was hovering above Tyson's head. Poseidon decided to claim Tyson. Percy wondered why Poseidon hadn't claimed earlier, as much as it would be nice to think that Poseidon was the god that tempered with Tyson to force the meeting, and he hadn't claimed the cyclopes out of a want not to expose that he was the one interfering and thus being seen negatively by Percy.
Percy couldn't bring himself to be so narcissistic, Percy had a hard time believing a god could somehow understand a person on that deep a level without ever interacting with the person even with all their power. And Percy was pretty sure that there were a million other more valid reasons why that he was not seeing. It might have just played to a potential preference for dramatic timing, and Percy was not prepared to argue for or against the validity of the potential preference. Being as he would probably choose his own partial preference for dramatic timing over Poseidon.
Could having comic relief disrupt his introvertedness, Percy assumed not. So was with little cause for concern when Percy loudly stated, "come here, bro." Tyson joyfully bounded over and joined Percy for dinner.
It was after Percy showed Tyson where they would sleep did he make his way to the big house and a Mr D who probably wanted to play some Pinochle. He was proven correct as the cards were already laid out perky decided not to cheat this game there was no Chiron distraction and there was potential that Mr D had memorised the laid out cards and it was a trap to catch him cheating.
Almost the entire conversation during the game was Mr D fishing for information about the lotus eaters, Percy told everything that was inconsequential but rebuffed any question about anything William asked him to keep confidential. In return, Percy learnt about why the gods didn't take any action, against a place that kidnaps mortals. Apparently, everyone needed time manipulation from time to time and with Cronus out of the picture they were the only reliable time manipulators.
After an enlightening talk to Mr, D Percy headed back to his cabin. That night got no sleep Percy could not believe that the pair of earplugs he got could not block the sound of snoring from Tyson and there was no place to charge the noise cancelling headphones. He was wrong there was a problem with having the comic relief around twenty-four seven, Percy spent that night contemplating any other problems and making advanced plans and solutions.
This had him breaking into the Athena cabin and having all their books about cyclops temporally seized. They were not very happy that they had to wake up but Percy was sure they would get over it.
X
Charles Beckendorf considered himself a helpful and friendly person, he was a bit dubious about the Percy character, the guy seemed a bit unstable. This was why when, the clearly most powerful demigod in camp demanded, "Charles your good with the forge I have a new student, for you or one of your cabin members." He didn't reply with an objection.
The raven-haired intruder stepped to the side as if revealing a great price, Beckendorf had seen the Cyclops immediately after opening the door and already put the clues together. This was another reason he had not objected, he would refuse to take anyone who was not genuinely interested. But if someone was genuinely interested then he would teach them all he could and it was well known that cyclops have great forging potential.
X
Percy when back to his cabin to sleep now the snoring machine was off his hands, he would have liked to give the Cyclops to the Athena cabin to help with tycoons lack of general knowledge, this could lead to extremely hilarious hijinks thus comic relief, the hijinks was not worth the risk. But unfortunately, they continued there death glares all through lunch.
Percy ended sleeping the day away, he had not had a really nice sleep since the casino, not that the camp beds were all that good, just better than hotel ones.
He woke up to a knock on the door, refusing to get out of the warm comfy bed he used some solid form water manipulation to open the door, "yes" he answered craning his neck to see that it was Clarisse at the door.
She entered taking a seat that he dragged from the other side of the room to his bedside, "I got a quest." Percy waited for her to expand, she just sat there.
In order to continue the stunted conversation and eventually get back to sleep, Percy asked, "So?"
"I need more people on the quest." Percy thought that he knew where this was going, but he also thought that Clarisse knew him better than making this request. So in the past time of optimistic folk everywhere he hoped his sleep was not disturbed by what he currently suspected it was disrupted by.
Rather then complete alienation, Percy went with a polite-ish, "good luck."
The way she stuck around after a murmur of thanks Percy considered the impolite options he had at this point. Maybe a, 'fuck off' but that was a lot of escalation, but she had woke him up. Before he could rationalize the escalation, Clarisse spoke up, "would you come on the quest?"
She barely got the words out before Percy scowled, "no."
She had a semi-involuntary, "Why?" it sounded somewhat winey to Percy.
He looked her straight in the eye for the next four words, "I don't want to." he lay back on, looking up at the bottom of the bed above him, "I find, I care for little else other than gaining understanding of the mystical world, and this quest will not help me."
Percy continued on, if she decided that they needed to fight then it would diminish any chance of going back to sleep. "As you are the leader of the quest then you get to ask the council for whatever, and I get nothing." Percy gave her a grin seeing that her train of thought had changed and now she was thinking about potentially great rewards. "Personally I would request a new electric spear your last one burnt down in the forest fire didn't it."
X
Clarisse was not sure if she felt the need to vomit from excitement or fear she was going on a one-woman quest to save the camp. She still felt the need to remind her father, "The prophecy says, that I will fail without friends." Her dad did not look happy as he stared through the iris message.
"I guess that you will just have to be good friends with your shipmates, I was going to wait till tomorrow, but it seems you have forced my hand, there will be a ship to transport you tomorrow morning." He changed his demeanour making this next bit a command, "you will not bring any other campers."
Clarisse guessed it was a good thing Percy turned her down in his own odd way even if he was the most powerful demigod, she had a feeling that he would be there anyway, despite his declaration to not care.
X
Percy wondered if he was stretching too much when he answered in his monotone drawl, "I would tell you to eat shit but.." he struggled, "well you know." He had spent the last few days memorising food puns and using them as often as he could around Tantalus. In return the new head of activity's punished Percy in any way he could, this was rather ineffective.
When Percy was meant to show up and help the harpy's clean up, he just didn't show. As Mr D was not going to force Percy and Tantalus couldn't force him, so it didn't really matter what the guy wanted.
Tantalus did get Poseidon cabin banned from some race, this was a sort of relief to Percy. He knew he would have pawned all of the work on Tyson even though it probably would not end well. Percy knew he would have done it anyway. After talking to Tyson about it, it was also good for the big guy, he had become an honorary member of cabin 9 and would help them, Percy was excited about when they would pull the bull from the big house, it would be incredible if Tyson could ride the thing.
As Tantalus went on a diatribe about the nutrients found in feces, that would hold up breakfast another hour, and potently make everyone puke. Percy idly wondered what his objective was. Well other than delight in the misery of the children that could not start breakfast without the criminals say so. It was not like there could be any further escalation, the previous member of the fields of punishment couldn't do anything but wordplay without Percy escalating first, and Percy was just not willing to escalate. Percy decided that he didn't actually need to listen to the inane dribble coming from the guy's mouth, so Percy set up his camping stuff and started cooking some bacon and eggs during, the angry diatribe.
X
It was dark and Percy was heading back to his cabin from the lake it was already past curfew, Percy didn't believe any of the staff would eat the campers. Last year he figured it couldn't be true, he had slept on the roof of cabin 11 last year so that means that sleeping on the roof of the cabin is not out of bounds or the harpies was a fabrication. This knowledge or the idea he could kill them if it came down to it and it was not a fabrication, didn't waylay his fear of a death by a flock of bird lady's.
Percy was considering the horror of death by bird lady, when the lake nymphs river yes it was meant to be ironic, no he didn't know why, "So?" she must have asked a question.
"Um, can you please repeat that?" Percy asked in his most apologetic voice
"You are required at the sea." Percy wondered how she ended with 'So', the first time she asked as he made his way over to the beach. He decided it didn't really matter as he found a being that was sucking in more mystical energy than Dionysus but dressed up as a casual jogger.
Percy stopped himself from snapping 'what you want', dealing with anything of this much power would mean that he would soon be expected to put an effort in something, that had a low potential to be pleasant, so he asked the same question just with some more eloquence "how can I help?"
The godly being turned and replied, "help me, help the family."
X
Herms new he had a soft spot for family, it actually sometimes appeared as a fatal flaw in his children as, unconditional forgiveness. So he knew it was Luke's best chance if his son saw the prophesied one working for the gods then, he might just stop this foolish rebellion before he died. If the other reason this was all happening turned out to be true, then that it really was not worth contemplating.
"How. Why, What do you expect. And your name, there are a lot of you Olympians, I wouldn't want to insult with the wrong guess." Herms understood the implications, even if the demi-god didn't, fully comprehend how his actions would be read. It was a simple trade of information in preparation for a larger trade. It would establish tentative trust, as well as signalling that he wanted something to do with herms Olympian status, or maybe that was reading too deeply.
None of that was a reason not to answer the questions, herms did have a moment of hesitation when he wondered. how the demigod knew he was a god."I wish you to get aboard a ship still fairly close called the princess Andromeda. Then you will find Luke's cabin aboard, you will try to convince him to come back to his family. This is because the family is the most important. To be honest I don't expect you to convince him. but make sure he knows, the family will always be welcomed home with open arms."
"if Luke is aboard a ship, is it full of monsters?" Herms fidgeted at that he had no idea how the demi-god came to that conclusion, it is not like he was a child of Athena. And anyone who was just asking to go confronts a ship full of monsters was not going to be happy with the requester.
"Teleportation, I what to be able to go anywhere any time. I want to know if one of the potential powers of your children is teleportation." Herms was expecting Percy to be a little less blunt, but as he considered the improbable request he found the bluntness refreshing.
Herms thought about the first part of the request he didn't have the power to give the child unlimited teleportation or any teleportation for that matter, he couldn't even pressure hades to bless the child with shadow travel. He did know of items that would let the user teleport but they were lost during the Titan war. The theory of the other part of the request was interesting
In theory one of his kids could get a demigod copy of godly teleportation, or any demigod for that matter but it was a non-starter because there was too much power involved for a demigod to replicate it even if they had the ability. Gods had to go into their godly form to do the teleportation and some of the weaker minor gods couldn't even get enough power to teleport. There where hades kids that could replicate shadow travel but it was not like he had his individual travel type, so he couldn't imagine one of his children getting something that didn't exist, he did find it odd that the god of travellers didn't have an individual teleportation ability but there was nothing for it.
"No, I can't help and No, not unless they became a minor god." Herms let the child think the information over and sat there quietly dealing with some new emails that just came in, he had got three done when Percy gave a hesitant tap on his shoulder.
"How about Aura control, if I'm to go through a monster-infested ship it would be nice to hide my aura." Herms didn't want to argue with that, there could be a point that demigods need to face their own challenges that were the entire point of the ancient laws, but how could you ask someone who didn't want to fight, to fight without being the bag guy so what was giving a way to avoid the violence.
Herms did a few quick chants the demi-gods neckless glowed, it might have been breaking the Ancient laws if he made the neckless automatically suppress the child's aura, but herms figured it would be ok he gave the neckless the ability to suppress Aura but the demigod would need to use the ability rather than it happening automatically.
It was not really like the council would complain, they did give him consent to attempt his plan that would return his. He was surprised that he got the backing from Apollo and Athena when he suggested the plan, those two barely ever agreed on anything. Herms really hoped his son could be pulled from his path and figured he didn't what to consider the alternative if his son was not in control.
They sat there for a minute as Herms considered potential repercussions of giving Percy a magical item, He was surprised how quickly the demigod picked up the use of the enchanted neckless, the kid of Poseidon must have been very proficient with Aura sensing, no wonder why he was spotted so easily, the suggested companions where arriving. "Well it is time for me to head off, places to be people to meet, just keep in mind the help is well-intentioned."
From what Herms learnt of Percy, the kid would have ended up blaming the two demigods for everything that went wrong on the quest, he personally would have sent the kid alone but the council dictated it must happen this way. He vanished leaving Percy with a rapidly forming scowl, it was when he got back to his palace on Olympus and got back to work did Martha think it was a good time to remind him that he still had the vitamins and wind, good thing there was enough supply's for three in the cyclops's bag.
X
Annabeth had figured out it must be a godly ruse because when she and Tyson arrived at the beach there was a flash that had the world looking like it was daytime for a second, "I will just solidify water and the three of us will travel to the ship on It." Percy answered the unasked question as he walked up to them and took a pack from Tyson.
Annabeth didn't trust Percy, he didn't act at all like a demigod he was friends with Dionysus and actively refused to care about anything. So to have him hear informing her and Tyson that the immediate objective is the ship, was out of character for Percy. This meant that the god had convinced him to do something or other, Annabeth suspected it was to help Clarisse with her quest.
But Annabeth's problem was she didn't know how Percy was convinced, it was payment then he would probably be professional about it, but if he was threatened in to it then she and Tyson would take full blame in his mind for what forced in to the situation, knowing Percy, he would probably blame them for everything anyway. So Annabeth felt reasonable for asking a simple question to judge his mood, "how do we know you will not soak us."
Annabeth idly noted that Tyson had begun talking to the ocean as Percy got a look saying that soaking them was a great idea. Annabeth was outraged with herself for giving Percy an idea, "it will be faster than swimming, the ship is already getting away."
Annabeth was half congratulatory to Percy for successfully avoiding the question, and half pissed off because she knew the second he could without jeopardizing the mission, was the second she would be soaked. The fact he was not already considering something that had him roll his eyes at the lame suggestion meant that he was at least taking this seriously.
Annabeth was forming a plan that would get him to back into a corner and promise not to soak her, his promises probably meant nothing but a bit of hesitation, but if he hesitated for a second then that was another second he was not wet. There was a splash, Annabeth was shocked in a stunned state, "all nice and drenched, ready to go?"
Just as they got to the water, two hippocampi appeared out of the surf, Tyson got on the big one saying, "thank you, daddy." Annabeth could see Percy role his eyes as she got on the smaller hippocampus. Percy just began to float in the air following as the mythical beasts headed out to see, she silently raged that he was able to fly and she couldn't, why did the asshole get all the abilities.
A.N.
Part two up relatively soon.
