I still am not R. Riordan… or am I…. No seriously I'm not him so I own none of this

Ch2

Meetings and TOLKTSOD

Zeus: Poseidon, Hades I wish to speak to you privately about our children, yes Hades I know your two children aren't dead yet

They then left the room Hades nervous about this new revelation, once they were gone Amphitrite teleported out of the room Apollo, Persephone, and Triton close behind.

With the Big Three

Zeus: brothers we have to come up with a plan to deal with our children, we have an opportunity here that we have overlooked I believe.

Hades: What do you mean by that Zeus.

Zeus: the prophecy said that the hero that reaches 16 will make a choice that either destroys Olympus or saves it right.

Hades and Poseidon: Right

Poseidon: and if we could influence the choice we could end up giving ourselves a major advantage.

Hades: but to do that we have to be actual parents to our children right.

Zeus and Poseidon: Right

Zeus: so it's settled we'll raise our children either here on Olympus or at our separate domains, while they spend summer at Camp.

Poseidon: agreed

Hades: I'll agree if I get a cabin at Camp since I have two demi-gods to put there.

Zeus: fine and also I think that you and Hestia should have thrones up here since you two are also important, he spoke this last part as though he were a child that had to eat his veggies to get dessert, it was necessary but that didn't mean he had to like it.

Poseidon: I also think that we should allow other Gods and Goddesses to see their children as it will keep them loyal to Olympus as well.

Zeus: good idea Poseidon, anything else

Hades: yeah cabins for the minor gods, remember some Titans betrayed us for Kronos, we don't want to have that happen to us.

Zeus: good point, alright we'll announce these changes to the others after reading some more.

Poseidon: got it.

Hades: fine by me.

With that they went back into the main room only to be pleasantly surprised.

With Triton

I left the room right after my mother in order to find my half –brother in case she had decided to make a move while Father met with his brothers. After getting to his general location, I summoned up my own chariot currently in the form of a small limo and had it pull up right next to the sidewalk where a small seven year old child that looked a lot like both my father and me was walking home from school, I opened the door and used moisture from the air to form a rope that yanked him in and sat him down across from me, he looked both scared and amazed as we then drove off.

Percy: who are you, where are you taking me, and how did you do that?

He asked this all at about a million miles a minute causing me to smirk, I transformed back into my normal form before answering.

Triton: well Percy to answer your first question I am Triton a minor god and son of Poseidon, second answer is to Olympus, and the third is being me has its privileges.

Percy: Whoa you're a Greek God that's so cool, and the Son of Poseidon, wow he's my favorite out of all of them uh no offense.

Triton: not a problem, it's actually rather appropriate all things considering.

Percy: what do you mean sir?

Triton: Percy what do you know about your dad?

Percy: my mom says he left before I was born and that was lost at sea, but that he'd be proud of me.

Triton: well that's not exactly true, see he is usually at sea but he can never be lost at sea considering he rules it, want to take a guess as to who he is now Percy.

Percy: you mean my dad is Poseidon as in the God POSEIDON that's awesome.

Triton: yep, that also makes you my half-brother.

Percy: cool… but wait does your mom hate me because dad cheated on her with my mom, cause I know that people get mad when that happens, can you tell her I'm sorry I was born I don't want to make people mad or sad.

Triton: you don't have to be sorry Percy, hell even your mom is only partially to blame, cause if Poseidon told her who he was trust me when I say she couldn't resist him even if she wanted to, but I'll tell her what you said

With that they continued on their way to Olympus.

With Apollo

I took my Sun Chariot out of it's garage and turned off the headlights and drove to where I knew a certain group of demi-gods to be spending the night. I landed right in front of where they had set up their sleeping bags, he jumped out of the car and walked right over to Luke.

Apollo: howdy guys if you wouldn't mind hopping into the sun chariot we can get on our way to Olympus

Luke: Lord Apollo…

Thalia: Why…

Annabeth: come on guys don't stare at it, Olympus has got to be better than where we are now.

Let it be always known that Athena's children are indeed wise.

With Persephone

I walked into the Lotus Hotel in Las Vegas deciding to grab my step children and bring them up to Olympus so that hopefully Zeus would blast them out of existence, after locating their room I went up there only to find an eleven year old girl reading a children's book to a young boy who was laying in a bed playing with some card and figurine set, I smiled before turning both of them into potted plants the girl a daisy and the boy a dandelion I sat down next to the pots and read the girls mind. Since they already knew of the Gods I merely teleported their things to the Underworld and after picking them up teleported back to Olympus, perhaps these two would make okay stepchildren.

With Amphitrite

I teleported to where I had found the mortal wench to be, finding myself in a dirty apartment where the woman known as Sally was currently being beat by some ugly mortal, I acted on instinct drawing out all the moisture from the man's body leaving him an empty husk. Sally gasped and tried to get up and run away from me but I caught her and forced her to sit down at the small kitchen table, I looked her over she was definitely good looking for a mortal woman and a quick examination of her mind showed me why my husband enjoyed her company so much. I started thinking about an idea I had come up with just after Poseidon's last affair but had initially thought was not worth the trouble, I had thought of allowing Poseidon to keep one with the stipulation that he spend more time with me thus allowing me to get more time with him while having something to distract him should I want some time for myself. She smiled at the wench which seemed to scare her even more.

Amphitrite: well I suppose we should be off.

Before she could say anything I teleported the both of us to Olympus.

Back at Olympus

To say the Big Three were surprised at their guests was an understatement, Poseidon immediately ran to his family and first embraced both his sons in a hug before, which Percy enthusiastically returned before turning to Amphitrite and Sally and kissing them both, when he noticed Sally's bruises he immediately healed them before looking at Amphitrite who mouthed that she would tell him later. He conjured two more chairs next to his throne so that Sally sat to Amphitrite's left and Percy to Triton's right.

Zeus, Athena, and Hermes embraced their children though Luke tried to get away with a handshake Hermes just pulled him into a bear hug and conjured a seat for him at his right, Zeus and Athena doing the same for Annabeth.

Persephone turned the two siblings back to normal and Hades gave her a kiss before like his brother hugging both his children at once, he then conjured up a chair to Persephone's right and another to his left.

Zeus: well it appears that they beat us to the punch brothers, now for our guests, we received several books from the future in the point of view of young Perseus Jackson, now I believe we are on the second chapter, Poseidon would you mind reading.

Poseidon: of course not brother

"Three Old Ladies Knit the Socks of Death,"

I was used to the occasional weird experience, but usually they were over quickly.

This twenty-four/seven hallucination was more than I could handle. For the rest of the school year, the entire campus seemed to be playing some kind of trick on me. The students acted as if they were completely and totally convinced that Mrs. Kerr—a perky blond woman whom I'd never seen in my life until she got on our bus at the end of the field trip—had been our pre-algebra teacher since Christmas.

Luke: that's the Mist for you sometimes your best friend other times a pain in the-

Hermes: Lucas Pan Castellan I'd better not hear any foul language from you

Luke: I was going to say neck

Hermes: sure you were

Every so often I would spring a Mrs. Dodds reference on somebody, just to see if I could trip them up, but they would stare at me like I was psycho.

Athena: nope just an idiot

Guess who got water dumped on them.

It got so I almost believed them—Mrs. Dodds had never existed.

Artemis: humph I bet girls don't let the mist affect them after their first monster.

Everyone either rolled their eyes or nodded in agreement.

Almost.

But Grover couldn't fool me.

Said satyr was looking a bit sheepish from his spot next to Dionysus.

When I mentioned the name Dodds to him, he would hesitate, and then claim she didn't exist. But I knew he was lying.

Hermes: Luke when you get to Camp you and your siblings should teach them to lie better.

Luke: aye aye dad

Dionysus: no messing with my satyrs

Something was going on. Something had happened at the museum.

Athena: ding ding ding you win a prize

Apollo: no fair I wanted a prize

Artemis: there is no prize you dope

Apollo and Percy: no fair

I didn't have much time to think about it during the days, but at night, visions of Mrs. Dodds with talons and leathery wings would wake me up in a cold sweat.

Hades: at least someone has a proper fear of them.

The freak weather continued, which didn't help my mood. One night, a thunderstorm blew out the windows in my dorm room. A few days later, the biggest tornado ever spotted in the Hudson Valley touched down only fifty miles from Yancy Academy. One of the current events we studied in social studies class was the unusual number of small planes that had gone down in sudden squalls in the Atlantic that year.

Now everyone stared at Zeus and Poseidon who were currently looking at interesting spots on their shoes.

I started feeling cranky and irritable most of the time. My grades slipped from Ds to Fs.

I got into more fights with Nancy Bobofit and her friends. I was sent out into the hallway in almost every class.

Ares: very good little cuz.

Poseidon: no that is not good behavior Percy

Percy: yes dad

Finally, when our English teacher, Mr. Nicoll, asked me for the millionth time why I was too lazy to study for spelling tests, I snapped. I called him an old sot.

Sally: Perseus Michael Jackson (sorry couldn't resist) you do not call people that

Percy: yes mom… stupid book

I wasn't even sure what it meant, but it sounded good.

Athena: here's a synonym for it Dionysus

Now instead of water she was covered in a pile of grapes

The headmaster sent my mom a letter the following week, making it official: I would not be invited back next year to Yancy Academy.

Fine, I told myself. Just fine.

I was homesick.

I wanted to be with my mom in our little apartment on the Upper East Side, even if I had to go to public school and put up with my obnoxious stepfather and his stupid poker parties.

Amphitrite: well I solve that problem easily

Percy: no more smelly Gabe

Amphitrite just gave him a smile.

And yet... there were things I'd miss at Yancy. The view of the woods outside my dorm window, the Hudson River in the distance, the smell of pine trees. I'd miss Grover, who'd been a good friend, even if he was a little strange.

Grover: really feeling the love here

Percy: sorry Grover

I worried how he'd survive next year without me.

Grover: my guess is I won't be there but thanks anyway

I'd miss Latin class, too—Mr. Brunner's crazy tournament days and his faith that I could do well.

As exam week got closer, Latin was the only test I studied for.

Athena: go figure

I hadn't forgotten what Mr. Brunner had told me about this subject being life-and-death for me. I wasn't sure why, but I'd started to believe him.

The evening before my final, I got so frustrated I threw the Cambridge Guide to Greek Mythology across my dorm room.

Athena and Annabeth just gasped and curled up in the fetal position muttering to themselves.

Words had started swimming off the page, circling my head, the letters doing one-eighties as if they were riding skateboards. There was no way I was going to remember the difference between Chiron and Charon,

or Polydictes and Polydeuces. And conjugating those Latin verbs? Forget it.

Hades: it's very simple nephew, one is a trainer of heroes, the other is an annoying ferry man that doesn't know when to stop asking for a raise.

Sally: Percy what do you say to your Uncle for his help with Latin

Percy: thanks Uncle Hades.

Hades: it was my pleasure, nephew

or Polydictes and Polydeuces. And conjugating those Latin verbs? Forget it.

All the demi-gods present save Annabeth nodded in agreement.

I paced the room, feeling like ants were crawling around inside my shirt.

I remembered Mr. Brunner's serious expression, his thousand-year-old eyes. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson.

I took a deep breath. I picked up the mythology book.

I'd never asked a teacher for help before.

Athena: and how is that working out for you?

Percy: not well ma'am

Athena: I thought as such.

Maybe if I talked to Mr. Brunner, he could give me some pointers. At least I could apologize for the big fat F I was about to score on his exam. I didn't want to leave Yancy Academy with him thinking I hadn't tried.

Ares: that's the spirit kid, quitting is for weaklings.

I walked downstairs to the faculty offices. Most of them were dark and empty, but Mr. Brunner's door was ajar, light from his window stretching across the hallway floor.

I was three steps from the door handle when I heard voices inside the office. Mr. Brunner asked a question. A voice that was definitely Grover's said,

"... worried about Percy, sir."

I froze.

I'm not usually an eavesdropper, but I dare you to try not listening if you hear your best friend talking about you to an adult.

Thalia: I'd definitely lose that dare.

I inched closer.

"... alone this summer," Grover was saying. "I mean, a Kindly One in the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too—"

"We would only make matters worse by rushing him," Mr. Brunner said. "We need the boy to mature more."

Artemis: you're in for a long wait then.

"But he may not have time. The summer solstice dead line— "

"Will have to be resolved without him, Grover. Let him enjoy his ignorance while he still can."

"Sir, he saw her... ."

"His imagination," Mr. Brunner insisted. "The Mist over the students and staff will be enough to convince him of that."

"Sir, I ... I can't fail in my duties again."

Grover: wait again oh no that means that one or all of you are going to…

Thalia: Grover stop we can change this besides you might have failed a different one than us.

Grover: thanks Thalia, sorry

Thalia: there's no need to be sorry Grover.

Grover's voice was choked with emotion. "You know what that would mean."

"You haven't failed, Grover," Mr. Brunner said kindly. "I should have seen her for what she was. Now let's just worry about keeping Percy alive until next fall—"

Triton: well that's optimistic

The mythology book dropped out of my hand and hit the floor with a thud.

Hermes: no no no I suppose Luke that lying and sneaking lessons will be necessary for all campers outside Hermes cabin, if this is what we're dealing with.

Mr. Brunner went silent.

My heart hammering, I picked up the book and backed down the hall.

A shadow slid across the lighted glass of Brunner's office door, the shadow of something much taller than my wheelchair-bound teacher, holding something that looked suspiciously like an archer's bow.

I opened the nearest door and slipped inside.

A few seconds later I heard a slow clop-clop-clop, like muffled wood blocks, then a sound like an animal snuffling right outside my door. A large, dark shape paused in front of the glass, and then moved on.

Zeus: what was he doing in horse form, if he'd been seen by someone other than Percy… I'll have to speak to him about lax secrecy standards

A bead of sweat trickled down my neck.

Somewhere in the hallway, Mr. Brunner spoke. "Nothing," he murmured. "My nerves haven't been right since the winter solstice."

"Mine neither," Grover said. "But I could have sworn ..."

"Go back to the dorm," Mr. Brunner told him. "You've got a long day of exams tomorrow."

"Don't remind me."

The lights went out in Mr. Brunner's office.

I waited in the dark for what seemed like forever.

Finally, I slipped out into the hallway and made my way back up to the dorm.

Grover was lying on his bed, studying his Latin exam notes like he'd been there all night.

"Hey," he said, bleary-eyed. "You going to be ready for this test?"

I didn't answer.

"You look awful." He frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Just... tired."

I turned so he couldn't read my expression,

Luke: satyrs can read your emotions anyways, trust me I know.

and started getting ready for bed.

I didn't understand what I'd heard downstairs. I wanted to believe I'd imagined the whole thing.

But one thing was clear: Grover and Mr. Brunner were talking about me behind my back. They thought I was in some kind of danger.

Percy: danger

Triton: hey don't worry Percy with my training you'll be able to handle almost anything.

The next afternoon, as I was leaving the three-hour Latin exam,

Every demi-god as well as some Gods protested vehemently against such a thing as a three hour exam.

my eyes swimming with all the Greek and Roman names I'd misspelled, Mr. Brunner called me back inside.

For a moment, I was worried he'd found out about my eavesdropping the night before, but that didn't seem to be the problem.

"Percy," he said. "Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy. It's ... it's for the best."

His tone was kind, but the words still embarrassed me. Even though he was speaking quietly, the other kids finishing the test could hear. Nancy Bobofit smirked at me and made sarcastic little kissing motions with her lips.

I mumbled, "Okay, sir."

"I mean ..." Mr. Brunner wheeled his chair back and forth, like he wasn't sure what to say. "This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time."

Dionysus: Chiron you really need to learn to give better pep talks

Apollo: don't you hate children though

Dionysus: I hate having to run a camp full of them not the kids themselves, doesn't help that I have no booze.

My eyes stung.

Ares: wimp

By now there was at least six inches of water on most of the floor.

Here was my favorite teacher, in front of the class, telling me I couldn't handle it. After saying he believed in me all year, now he was telling me I was destined to get kicked out.

"Right," I said, trembling.

"No, no," Mr. Brunner said. "Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say ... you're not normal, Percy. That's nothing to be—"

"Thanks," I blurted. "Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me."

"Percy—"

But I was already gone.

On the last day of the term, I shoved my clothes into my suitcase.

The other guys were joking around, talking about their vacation plans. One of them was going on a hiking trip to Switzerland. Another was cruising the Caribbean for a month. They were juvenile delinquents, like me, but they were rich juvenile delinquents. Their daddies were executives, or ambassadors, or celebrities. I was a nobody, from a family of nobodies.

Percy: I stand corrected

They asked me what I'd be doing this summer and I told them I was going back to the city.

What I didn't tell them was that I'd have to get a summer job walking dogs or selling magazine subscriptions, and spend my free time worrying about where I'd go to school in the fall.

"Oh," one of the guys said. "That's cool."

They went back to their conversation as if I'd never existed.

Nico: they're jerks

Bianca: and snobs

The only person I dreaded saying good-bye to was Grover, but as it turned out, I didn't have to. He'd booked a ticket to Manhattan on the same Greyhound as I had, so there we were, together again, heading into the city.

During the whole bus ride, Grover kept glancing nervously down the aisle, watching the other passengers. It occurred to me that he'd always acted nervous and fidgety when we left Yancy, as if he expected something bad to happen.

Before, I'd always assumed he was worried about getting teased. But there was nobody to tease him on the Greyhound.

Finally I couldn't stand it anymore.

I said, "Looking for Kindly Ones?"

Apollo started laughing: now he's probably jump out of seat in shock

Grover nearly jumped out of his seat. "Wha—what do you mean?"

I confessed about eavesdropping on him and Mr. Brunner the night before the exam.

Grover's eye twitched. "How much did you hear?"

"Oh ... not much. What's the summer solstice dead-line?"

He winced. "Look, Percy ... I was just worried for you, see? I mean, hallucinating about demon math teachers …"

"Grover—"

"And I was telling Mr. Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs. Dodds, and ..."

"Grover, you're a really, really bad liar."

Luke: don't worry Grover therapy can and will solve this problem of yours.

His ears turned pink.

From his shirt pocket, he fished out a grubby business card. "Just take this, okay? In case you need me this summer.

The card was in fancy script, which was murder on my dyslexic eyes, but I finally made out something like:

Grover Underwood

Keeper

Half-Blood Hill

Long Island, New York

(800) 009-0009

Percy: um Mr. Dionysus

Dionysus: yes

Percy why is it in a fancy script when most of us are dyslexic

Dionysus: because it amuses me to see you try and read it.

Percy: oh… thanks

Dionysus: not a problem Patrick.

"What's Half—"

"Don't say it aloud!" he yelped. "That's my, um ... summer address."

My heart sank. Grover had a summer home. I'd never considered that his family might be as rich as the others at Yancy.

"Okay," I said glumly. "So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion."

He nodded. "Or...or if you need me."

"Why would I need you?"

It came out harsher than I meant it to.

Grover blushed right down to his Adam's apple. "Look, Percy, the truth is, I—I kind of have to protect you."

I stared at him.

All year long, I'd gotten in fights, keeping bullies away from him. I'd lost sleep worrying that he'd get beaten up next year without me.

Hera: you could all learn from him

She said this looking around the room as if daring someone to disagree.

And here he was acting like he was the one who defended me.

"Grover," I said, "What exactly are you protecting me from?"

There was a huge grinding noise under our feet. Black smoke poured from the dashboard and the whole bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs.

Aphrodite: yuck

The driver cursed and steered the Greyhound over to the side of the highway.

After a few minutes clanking around in the engine compartment, the driver announced that we'd all have to get off. Grover and I filed outside with everybody else.

We were on a stretch of country road—no place you'd notice if you didn't break down there. On our side of the highway was nothing but maple trees and litter from passing cars. On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand.

Demeter: yum, fruit

The stuff on sale looked really good: heaping boxes of blood red cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider in a claw-foot tub full of ice. There were no customers, just three old ladies sitting in rocking chairs in the shade of a maple tree, knitting the biggest pair of socks I'd ever seen.

Zeus: the Fates

I mean these socks were the size of sweaters, but they were clearly socks. The lady on the right knitted one of them. The lady on the left knitted the other. The lady in the middle held an enormous basket of electric-blue yarn.

All three women looked ancient, with pale faces wrinkled like fruit leather, silver hair tied back in white bandannas, bony arms sticking out of bleached cotton dresses.

A collective shudder ran across the room at the description.

The weirdest thing was, they seemed to be looking right at me.

Poseidon: no no no

I looked over at Grover to say something about this and saw that the blood had drained from his face. His nose was twitching.

"Grover?" I said. "Hey, man—"

"Tell me they're not looking at you. They are, aren't they?"

Grover just gulped thinking of how badly this was going to turn out.

"Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those socks would fit me?"

Hermes: this is no time for jokes child.

Percy now seemed to realize that he was in a lot of danger as he scooted closer to Triton.

"Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all."

The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors—gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears.

Everyone was now listening on the edge of their seats and it was so quiet nothing was stirring, not even a mouse.

I heard Grover catch his breath.

"We're getting on the bus," he told me. "Come on."

Poseidon: listen to Grover Percy

"What?" I said. "It's a thousand degrees in there."

"Come on!'" He pried open the door and climbed inside, but I stayed back.

Poseidon: Perseus Jackson get on that bus this instant

Across the road, the old ladies were still watching me. The middle one cut the yarn, and I swear I could hear that snip across four lanes of traffic.

Everyone caught their breath

Her two friends balled up the electric-blue socks, leaving me wondering who they could possibly be for—Sasquatch or Godzilla.

At the rear of the bus, the driver wrenched a big chunk of smoking metal out of the engine compartment. The bus shuddered, and the engine roared back to life.

The passengers cheered.

"Darn right!" yelled the driver. He slapped the bus with his hat. "Everybody back on board!"

Once we got going, I started feeling feverish, as if I'd caught the flu.

Grover didn't look much better. He was shivering and his teeth were chattering.

"Grover?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you not telling me?"

Zeus: a lot of things

He dabbed his forehead with his shirt sleeve. "Percy, what did you see back at the fruit stand?"

"You mean the old ladies? What is it about them, man? They're not like ... Mrs. Dodds, are they?"

Hades: worse, much worse

His expression was hard to read, but I got the feeling that the fruit-stand ladies were something much, much worse than Mrs. Dodds. He said, "Just tell me what you saw."

"The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn."

He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost—older.

He said, "You saw her snip the cord."

"Yeah. So?" But even as I said it, I knew it was a big deal.

"This is not happening," Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. "I don't want this to be like the last time."

"What last time?"

"Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth."

"Grover," I said, because he was really starting to scare me. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me."

This seemed like a strange request to me, but I promised he could.

Grover: something tells me he won't keep it.

"Is this like a superstition or something?" I asked.

No answer.

"Grover—that snipping of the yarn. Does that mean somebody is going to die?"

Again everyone shivered.

He looked at me mournfully, like he was already picking the kind of flowers I'd like best on my coffin.

Grover: I probably was

Athena: I'll read next if that's alright

Poseidon passed her the book without a word he was so nervous.

Zeus: Actually I believe we'll have to pick up tomorrow as I believe that some of our guests have stayed up far too late.

Indeed Percy, Annabeth, and Nico were currently sleeping in their seats, without waking them up their parents picked them up and along with everyone else teleported to their palaces for a good nights sleep.

Next chapter will be an interlude with the families, and GULHP should be up by the end of the week hopefully

Please continue to review and thank you to those who have already reviewed