Once Upon a Time…

A PJATO Fanfiction

©- Rick Riordan

By: xXxDaughterotheKingxXx


AN: The girls' dresses are on my profile, so check them out!

The Next Day

Annabeth

"ANNABETH!" Ugh, here we go again. I set down Silena's newly-washed, favorite, pink dress and ran up to Rachel's room.

"Yes?" I said, opening her door.

She crinkled her nose in disgust, throwing another dress at me. "I'll need you to was this one too." I nodded, walking out of the room. "Oh, and Annie?" Rachel said, causing me to freeze then turn around.

"You might as well give up on going to Prince Perseus's ball." she sneered. "As long as you live with me I'll make sure the Prince doesn't even know your name." I rolled my eyes, exiting Rachel's room.

"Annabeth!" Silena shrieked from inside her room. "Is my dress washed?"

I sighed. "Of course it is, Silena." I walked into her room, carefully handing her the poofy, pink dress.

Silena smiled lightly, accepting the dress. Unlike Rachel, she didn't completely hate me. "Thank you, Annabeth." I nodded, walking out of her room. Back to washing Rachel's dress.

That Night

I plopped down on our couch, utterly exhausted. Between my chores and Hera, Rachel, and Silena's extra jobs, I had no time at all to get ready for the Prince's ball.

So, of course, I wasn't going.

"The carriage is here, dears!" Hera called. Silena and Rachel squealed, gracefully walking down the stairway.

"Have fun tonight, Annie." Rachel sneered, smirking. She was wearing a long dark blue and gold dress. Her reddish brown hair curly, as usual.

Silena smiled sympathetically at me, looking beautiful in her long, poofy, pink gown. Her black hair was tied in a loose ponytail and curled slightly.

Hera crinkled her nose as she passed me, looking downright evil in her dark black and silver gown. Her raven black hair was tied into a tight bun.

"Goodbye, Annabeth, dear." she said, faking sympathy. "Maybe next ball." And with that, the three of them closed the door and headed to the carriage.

Of course, being the oh-so-tough-and-rebellious Annabeth Chase, you know, the one who didn't care about going to the ball, I ran outside to our courtyard, plopped down on a bench, and cried my heart out.

It wasn't fair. Why me, of all the girls in this kingdom? Why did I have to lose both my mother and my father, and why did I have to get stuck with Hera?

"Why are you crying?" an unfamiliar female voice asked. I looked up.

"Wh-who's there?" I asked shakily.

"I asked you first. Why. Are. You. Crying?" she asked again.

"Because of my step-mother." I answered. "Now it's your turn. Who's there?"

A teenager girl with shoulder length black hair and electric blue eyes stepped out of the shadows. She was wearing a long black and dark blue gown, along with black flats. She looked like a rebel princess, one of those girls who didn't care about anything. She also had a splash of freckles on her nose and under her eyes.

"Thalia Grace." the girl introduced. "Your fairy godmother."

"Fairy godmother?" I echoed suspiciously. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Thalia shook her head, sitting casually on the bench next to me. "A friend of mine, Nico di Angelo, hooked me up with the job. I died a few years back, and he'd died several decades ago. He was some big boss in my job, and he gave me this job."

"Okay…"

"Anyway," she continued. "I was assigned to you. And now, I'm here to help get you to the ball."

"You-you are?" I questioned.

Thalia nodded, a small smile on her face. "Hey, Percy needs a pretty wife like you. He also needs a wife to keep him in line."

"You know the Prince?" I asked, astonished.

Again, she nodded. "He's my cousin. His dad, Poseidon, is my dad, Zeus's, older brother."

"That's pretty cool." I said. Thalia smiled, nodding. She glanced at two mice that had just scampered into our courtyard.

"Perfect!" Thalia pulled a black stick out of her sleeve, pointed it at the mice, and they turned into horses.

"H-how did you do that?" I asked her incredulously.

"Magic, obviously." she answered, pointing her stick at a rat. It automatically turned into a smiling coachman. Thalia's eyes wandered to our pumpkin fields until she spotted the largest one in sight.

"That'll do for now." she muttered, pointing the stick at the pumpkin. It grew and grew and grew until it was the size of the carriage. It then transformed into a carriage.

"Hm, what am I missing?" Thalia pondered aloud.

"Footmen?" I suggested.

"Yes!" Thalia exclaimed, pointing her stick-thing at two lizards. They turned into footmen, of course.

"Hey, Thalia?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you like, teach me how to do that?" I asked curiously.

"Sorry, no can do, Annabeth." Thalia answered, looking me over. "Hm, time for a wardrobe change." She pointed her stick at me, and I watched in awe as my rags transformed into a beautiful blue and gold gown. My worn out shoes were changed into delicate glass slippers, and my blonde hair was tied messily into a bun with two strands hanging down.

"Perfecto!" Thalia exclaimed, grinning.

I smiled widely at her, before throwing my arms around her. "Oh, thank you, Thalia! How can I ever repay you?"

She smiled, returning the hug. "W-when you get married to Percy, t-tell him I don't blame him for what happened." she said softly.

I nodded, not understanding what she meant. "Alright, I will."

"Oh, and Annabeth?" Thalia said. I nodded. "There's one last thing you ought to know. All of my magic," She gestured to the transformed household items and animals. "Wears off at midnight. So, unless you want to be dancing with Percy in rags, I suggest you get home before midnight."

"Got it." I said in agreement.

Thalia smiled, her blue eyes sparkling. "Now off you go!"