Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 3 - The Fates

I followed Chiron down the halls of Yancy towards his office, pondering what happened on the roof. The water shouldn't have acted like that just because I was angry, it should take more effort. Even when I lost control, I was still aware that I was affecting the water. Today I hadn't even noticed.

Grover was still in Chiron's office, fidgeting uncomfortably. I guess Chiron kept him there to corroborate his story about the Greek gods. I sat patiently as Chiron explained the west and my role in mythology to me, expressing (hopefully) convincing disbelief whenever he said something particularly insane. I asked the usual questions here and there using my memories as a guide, after Chiron explained that he was a centaur and Grover a satyr. Unsurprisingly, the trainer of Heroes didn't tell me about the summer solstice deadline when I asked. Oh well, it wasn't like I didn't already know.

I knew that I didn't want anyone to figure out my little jaunt through time when it could result in Zeus incinerating me, but just because I didn't tell someone didn't mean that someone was going to figure it out. Chiron had trained demigods for centuries, he'd probably notice that I wasn't normal pretty quickly if I wasn't very, very careful, although in that respect I have an advantage since I know him and anyway, it wasn't like me being unusual was going to make him jump to the conclusion that I had travelled through time. The Fates, however, might already know, if my string had changed due to my temporal displacement. My one consolation there was that they never told anyone anything useful, they were far more likely to sit on the information and see what I would do than go blabbing to Zeus. Hades also might be able to figure it out because I died in Kronos's throne room, and I had no idea if he would be able to tell.

Other than that, satyrs could sense my emotions and might find it odd if I start feeling like I'm home again when I lay eyes on Camp for the (supposedly) first time, and Poseidon would probably notice my nightmares and wonder what caused them. Neither of those events on their own were particularly likely to lead to them figuring out my admittedly convoluted past, however, and so were of less concern.

Right on cue, I asked a question about demigods that sent Chiron into another round of explanations. His brief summary of the cabin system - and the unclaimed - revealed another problem to me.

If I was claimed during capture the flag like last time, I would be spending a week or so in Hermes cabin before that. They were going to notice my nightmares, and they'd probably tell Chiron, who would have questions for me. Something I wanted to avoid if at all possible. I placed the problem in the back of my mind, to be dealt with later. My head was spinning with everything that I had seen and thought of today. Frankly it was a miracle I hadn't snapped and started screaming at the sky or something equally stupid and pointless. I was beginning to feel like someone had stuffed cotton wool through my ears and into my head, so I set everything aside to be dealt with later.

Before long, all the questions I should have had as a newly informed demigod had been asked and answered, and Chiron stood out of his wheelchair to signal that he'd said all he was going to. He looked at me seriously before I had the chance to bolt. "Percy, I will need to talk to your mother about you attending camp, so I'll be travelling with you when term ends. Until then, get some rest. You have finals tomorrow." He held the door open in a clear dismissal and I walked out.

I made my way back to the dorm in a daze. It was surreal to be back here, it sort of felt like a demigod dream, but even those dreams weren't as realistic as this. I could feel the cool air moving against my skin, the pressure of my feet against the floor, the fabric of my shirt pressing against my skin. It was too real to be a trick or a trap or a dream. I was really here, seventeen years ago.

I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. No scars, no marks, no white streak in my hair ... just blank. An unpainted canvas. A clean slate. I was a child again, with my whole life ahead of me, and I was going to live it. I was going to destroy Kronos, and I was going to be the most cheeky, impudent, disobedient and disrespectful brat possible while doing so.

Because that was my strength. To play the fool to the world, to be so irritating everyone believed I would be killed in a week, to be underestimated. Hugely underestimated.

Besides, I owe Kronos a little payback for what he will try to inflict on this world. He will pay in anger and frustration. I will irritate him beyond belief, to the point where he is trying to tear his hair out. And it will help me beat him.

Because angry people make mistakes.

I smiled into the mirror, my old crooked smile, the one I hadn't had a reason to use in years. Only now, there was an edge to it, a hint of mischievousness that promised trouble.

I went through the next day in even more of a daze than last night. It had been so long since I was in Yancy that I almost got lost several times, even with the aid of my midnight wander the night before. I also had trouble remembering the names of most of the other students and teachers, with the exception of Grover, Chiron who was called Mr Brunner in school, and Nancy Bobofit.

I had trouble trying to dumb my answers down when it came to exams, especially Latin. I'd managed to scrape decent school grades in all my exams up until my sixteenth birthday, and I hadn't stopped learning just because Olympus fell and Kronos was out for my blood. This meant that no matter how hard I found tests when I was actually twelve, they seemed pathetically easy now. As I wasn't sure what my answers were originally, I probably did better than was really reasonable.

I heard Chiron calling me after my three hour Latin exam, but I pretended I didn't notice. I didn't need to be told I didn't belong at Yancy, again. No matter how true it was.

At the end of term I packed my bags, idly listening to the conversation flowing around me. I vaguely remembered being a bit bitter that they were rich juvenile delinquents while I was a nobody from a family of nobodies last time I heard all this fuss about cruises and camping trips. Now I had to stifle a snort at the idea. Nobodies indeed.

Chiron and I took the same Greyhound into the city, him under the excuse that he needed to talk to my mother. While he probably wasn't lying, he was also making sure that no monster killed me when I was unprotected, judging by the way his eyes kept taking in possible exits and threats. I sat on the edge of my seat, a little nervous. If things go the same way as last time, the bus would break down and I would see the fates. Did they know of my trip through time? If so, would they tell?

"Mr Brunner, what are Kindly Ones?" I asked, remembering that I didn't 'know' about them yet.

"Mrs Dodds was a Kindly One." Chiron said solemnly. "I'd tell you their names, but true names have power and I don't wish to call them here. Can you remember who, or rather what, the Lord of the Dead's enforcers are?"

I nodded mutely, trying to look as scared as possible. I should look into acting lessons, they could only help someone in my situation and my lying skills leave something to be desired.

Just then smoke started pouring from the dashboard and the bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs. The greyhound limped to the edge of the highway and the doors opened. "Out! Everyone out!" The driver called. We all filed onto the road and the driver started messing around in the bonnet, trying to fix whatever went wrong. I looked around for the three old ladies I knew were here and caught sight of them on the other side of the road. They were sat at a fruit stand looking at me piercingly, holding a rolled-up ball of electric-blue string which was linked to a pair of giant blue socks. The massive scissors were out, but weren't being held at the string. Interesting. They must know that something's different, or they would have done exactly the same thing as before.

Suddenly, I felt the burning desire to walk over to them. I took a step forward before Chiron grabbed my arm, pulling me back. He was gazing at the Fates sorrowfully, his face pale and sad. I gasped and hunched ever a little as I felt the yearning to go and talk to them increase.

"Mr Jackson, what's wrong?" Asked Chiron.

"I have to go over there." I said, taking another step towards them and ignoring Chiron's grip on my arm.

"Mr Jackson, I do not think that is a good idea." Chiron said, his grip on my arm not slackening even when I tried to pull away.

"Neither do I, but apparently I don't get a say." I pressed a hand to my head as the urge to go towards the Fates increased.

Chiron sighed sadly. "They are calling you." I nodded. "Yep. What are they?" I asked, playing up to my image of clueless new demigod.

"They are the Fates, child." Chiron let go of my arm, and I staggered a little from the sudden lack of pressure. "Please try not to antagonise them. They aren't likely to incinerate you, but they can make your life much more difficult." I nodded distractedly back at him as I made my way across the highway, ignoring the occasional beep I got for walking out into the road.

I stopped about a meter away from the fruit stand, watching the Fates silently as they examined me. "Percy Jackson." They said in unison. "Your arrival has greatly changed what might be, and also ... what has been, though in what way, it is hard to tell."

I cursed internally, my eyes flicking up towards the sky as if I would be able to see weather or not any of the gods are listening. Their laugh was gravelly as they noticed my panic. "Not to fear, Percy Jackson. Your past is your own, and no other may be privy to our conversation."

I relaxed a little and looked at them. "How much do you know about my past?" I asked.

The middle Fate - Atropos, if I've got my mythology right - tilted her head to the side. "You reached the age of sixteen, but the Great Prophecy remained unfulfilled. Many demigods died. The Lord of Time won by default. You were sent back by the Lord of Time, creating two universes. Beyond that, we know nothing."

I nodded slowly. "Will I still be the Child of the Great Prophecy?"

They nodded. "Yes. It is what you came back for, is it not?"

"Among other things." I ran a hand through my hair distractedly. "I want to be able to save the others who died before the Great Prophecies completion. Also, I need a way to travel between worlds so I can help the Olympians and the Last Alliance."

"That might be arranged." They said slowly. "But there'll be a price."

"Isn't there always?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and a slightly nostalgic smile.

They chuckled. "There is a domain that has been unclaimed for eons. We believe you would be able to claim it. It would allow you to travel between worlds."

I gaped at them. "You mean like a god, domain." I said.

"Of course." They replied smoothly.

I resisted the urge to start pacing. "Why do you want me to be a god? What do you get out of it?"

"That domain borders ours. Because it has gone untended for so long, we have been forced to deal with some of the duties ourselves. If you become the god of that domain, we won't have to deal with it any more."

"I can't until I'm sixteen, otherwise I won't be able to fulfil the Great Prophecy." I pointed out. "I need to be able to travel between worlds before then."

"We will sort out your travel arrangements until you become a god." They said. "But you must become a god on your sixteenth birthday, and if you die before then, you will be transformed upon your death."

I hesitated. "What about being able to save people who died before my sixteenth birthday? I want to be able to save them too."

They stared at me for a minute as though measuring me, before inclining their heads. "Very well. We will give you the freedom to act independently of Fate, to change things as you will. But be warned, although this means you could cause a life to be saved, you could also cause a life to be lost. We will also get you transportation to the world you come from. In return, you will one day become a god and take up duties that we would otherwise have to deal with. You will do this either on your sixteenth birthday after the conclusion of the Great Prophecy or upon your death, should your life end prematurely. Do we have an accord?"

The words hung in the air between us, their weight almost tangible as I weighed up my options. "We do." I decided. The air around us became thick with power, with the sense of a promise made, and I got the feeling what I had just agreed to was more binding than swearing on the river Styx. The thought should have scared me, but instead I felt comforted. Even if I died, I would still be able to help them, even if from afar. They would still have a chance.

The power convulsed around me, and I found myself on my knees. The middle Fate stood in front of me and hung a locket around my neck. "This is the symbol of your freedom from Fate. It will not come off of your neck until your death, and cannot be used to strangle you." She then placed her bony hand on my head and my scalp began to tingle briefly. "A reminder of your past, and your promise." Finally, she knelt down so she was level with me and placed her hands on my temples. "A gift to you, to help you find your path," she said, and a moment later I gasped breathlessly as all my childhood memories rushed to the forefront of my mind with amazing clarity. Everything I lived until I was sixteen years old replayed itself in front of my eyes.

The Fate removed her hands from my head and I slumped down immediately. Moving quickly, the Fates packed up the blue string - Luke's string - and began to shut the fruit stand down. "Your mind is now protected." The Fates informed me as they were packing up. "The gods and to some extent satyrs, will only be able to read the parts of your mind that are not related to your time travel. It will be like those parts of your mind aren't there to those who look inside your head. This includes any emotions a satyr might read. As for your dimension-travel device, it will be ready in a couple of months. It takes time to put together something so powerful." Then, as though they were never there, they were gone.

I got up off my knees slowly, feeling off-balance. That hadn't gone like I expected it to. Granted, I have no idea what I expected, but whatever I expected, it wasn't that. Still feeling out of it, I staggered back across the highway, nearly getting run over in the process, to re-join Chiron.

"Mr Jackson, are you alright?" Chiron asked worriedly as I came up beside him. "Fine." I said bemusedly. "I'm fine."

"Your hair now has a streak of white in it." He pointed out.

"It does?" I yelped, running my fingers through my fringe and pulling it down into my eyes. Sure enough, the white streak in my hair was back, the one I'd got when I was Hyperion's plaything. "Huh."

At that moment the driver yelled triumphantly as he pulled a blackened piece of metal out of the engine. "Everyone back on board!" He shouted. "We're up and running!" We climbed on and the bus started moving again. I stared out of the window, content to just bask in the surreal experience. Chiron, however, was more than a little curious and concerned.

"Mr Jackson, what did they tell you?" Chiron asked.

I fingered the white lock in my hair. "They said that this was a reminder." I said. My hand drifted down to the locket I had been given. "They said that this was a symbol of my freedom from Fate."

"Freedom from Fate." Chiron whispered, looking rattled. "Are you sure that's what they said?"

I nodded solemnly. Chiron looked away, clearly thinking about something important. I left him alone to think, returning to my own thoughts. This deal with Fate gave me another advantage, aside from foreknowledge. Slowly but steadily, I was stacking the decks in my favour. Kronos wouldn't know what hit him.

The bus slowed as it reached our stop, and I led Chiron off the vehicle and towards my mom's apartment.

The Gods of Olympus watched with a mixture of curiosity, worry, and boredom as the twelve-year-old was called to talk to the Fates. Athena watched the gods rather than the screen, finding their reactions far more telling. Zeus was glaring at everything with venom, and had been since the child's display of power over water on the roof late last night. Poseidon, on the other hand, was doing an excellent job of appearing bored, except for his hands which were clenched far too tightly around the armrests of his throne. Dionysus, Hephaestus, Artemis, Hera, Demeter and Ares were bored. Hermes was looking at the scene with a mixture of pain and defeat, knowing Percy Jackson's potential role in his son's life. Apollo was staring at the scene intensely, his gift of foresight as the god of prophecies undoubtedly showing him something interesting. Aphrodite was planning something for the heroes love life.

Zeus growled, frustrated with their inability to hear anything that was being said. "What do they find so fascinating about your brat, brother?"

"I would advise you not to call my son a brat, brother." Poseidon replied, the picture of calm. Only the slight tensing of his body gave away his anger. Zeus, of course, didn't notice.

"You call him your son? You haven't even claimed him." Zeus scoffed.

"Claiming him will heighten his demigod scent." Poseidon replied. "I will wait until he is in Camp Half-Blood, till he is beyond the reach of monsters, before exposing him to such danger."

"Or maybe," Zeus began, "that is simply an excuse so you don't have to claim the brat yet, because you don't want him. Simply an unwanted side effect of having an affair."

Poseidon's eyes flashed and he stood to his full height, Zeus mirroring his actions. "I care about my son, brother."

"Well unless your thief of a son returns my bolt -" was as far as the King of the Gods got before Poseidon grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the ground. "You will not harm him." Poseidon seethed, recognising the threat Zeus was going to issue.

"Hey, look, Percy's audience with the Fates is over." Apollo said from his throne in an attempt to break them apart. Poseidon let go reluctantly, returning his attention to his son, watching in concern as Percy staggered back across the highway, apparently in shock. Athena briefly watched the boy as he made his way back to Chiron in one of his disguises before continuing to watch the other gods.

"We have sound again." Hermes noted absently as Chiron and Percy's voice became audible.

"Why?" Dionysus groaned. "I'm going to have to listen to the brat enough when he gets to Camp."

"They said that this was a reminder." The boy on screen said, referring to the new streak of white in his hair. His hand crept down to the locket resting on his chest, and Apollo let out a startled gasp. "They said that this was a symbol of my freedom from Fate."

The room exploded into murmurs as the Olympians debated the meaning of what the boy said, with four exceptions. Apollo, who was trying to focus on the future, Zeus, who was sat silently glaring into space, Poseidon who was doing the same but with worry for his son rather than anger, and Athena, who surveyed the chaos around her without really paying attention.

Whoever the boy was, and whatever he might grow up to do, Athena had the feeling it was going to be interesting. Perhaps she should keep a closer eye on the son of the sea god. There was always the chance that he wouldn't turn out like his father, after all.

I compressed the first and second chapters into one, for anyone who was confused, because the second chapter was really short. That makes this the third, originally fourth, but now the third chapter.

Please, please review. It seriously makes my day when people review, even when it's only, like, three words long.

Enjoy the chapter, Shib. :)