I updated really quickly yay! I'm sorry if this chapter might be boring because it has a lot of explaining and stuff and sadly, it won't be as funny because this is a bit more serious kinda.

DISLAIMER: I do not own PJO

Tangled

Chapter 4: Explaining

"I think I'm in the dark for way too long here and I'm kind of shaky but at the same time glad we actually made it out there! You've got a lot of explaining to do." I threatened him with my frying pan.

After our close encounter with the Empousai and the explosion, it was already dark out. Percy led me to a clearing which I think he found it by accident but nonetheless, lucky. We camped out and built a fire.

"Okay, okay I'll tell you as soon as you put the frying pan down. I don't want to get hit by that again." Percy yelped. I hesitated but listened to him anyways. I motioned for him to sit down on the grass with me.

"Well, I'm listening." He sighed and looked at me right in the eyes with those sea green eyes.

"Annabeth, this might be a lot to take in but, I'm a demigod and what we encountered earlier in the restaurant, they were Empousai, a type of monster and the gods are real. You know like Zeus, Poseidon, Artemis and the other Olympians. So basically, these Greek mythologies are real and there are other monsters out there waiting to get their hands on demigod meat.

Our journey to Camp Half-Blood is really dangerous and I'm guessing you probably knew that already due to certain events. I don't want to risk your life more than I already had so if you want to turn back, now is the time to do it. We'll leave by sunrise tomorrow and I will escort you back to the tower."

I stared at him for quite a long time with my mouth opening and closing. I must've looked like a flailing fish. I grabbed my frying pan and hit him on the head with it.

"Ouch what the heck was that for? I just told you who I am and you hit me with that frying pan?" He exclaimed while clutching his head.

"That's what you get for telling me to back down! Are you implying that I am not capable? I sure am mister and I've proved it to you twice! First, remember when I knocked you out and tied you to the chair and even bargained with you and you even said yes? And second, I saved your life from the Empousai!" I countered.

"Yeah you're right. You'd probably kill any monsters that get in our way and thanks for saving me back there." Percy smiled and he looked cute.

Wait I said Percy Jackson is cute? That must be a mistake. I'm probably going insane from all the events that happened today. Yeah that must be it. I hit him in the head again.

"Okay I swear to the River of Styx that I did not do anything this time!"

"Well that's what you get for being all weird. Now you shall answer all my questions because I'm still kind of confused about what just happened, I mean, I've been dreaming that the gods were real and they are! That's a lot to take in for me... So tell me more about yourself like who's your parent, I mean on the god side?"

"My godly parent is Poseidon and my mom's name is Sally Jackson but she got married recently to my English teacher." Percy mused.

"That's pretty cool. What about me? Am I a demigod or something?" I asked suddenly feeling hopeful.

"I don't know, I mean you can be because the Mist didn't take any effect on you."

"I missed what?"

"No I mean like M-I-S-T it's sort of like a magical veil that twists a mortal's sight from seeing monsters, other 'mythical creatures' and supernatural events by replacing them with things that the mortal mind can understand and know. And the whole demigod thing, I really don't know, there's a chance that you can see through the Mist. Only a few mortals are given that gift."

"So I have no chances of being a demigod?" My shoulders slumped.

"Well, last summer, I made a pact with the Olympians that by the age of thirteen; a demigod must be claimed by his or her godly parent but that only happens when you get to Camp Half-Blood. So you never know, you may be a demigod." Percy offered.

"What's it like living in Camp Half-Blood?" I wondered.

"Well every day we get to do activities, there's the lake where the kids go canoeing and there are some river spirits there and the lava spewing climbing wall and the volleyball court and the Big House which is where the camp counsellors have meetings and Chiron and Dionysus lives there."

"Wait hold on, Dionysus as in the god, son of Zeus, Dionysus?"

"Yeah he's sentenced here on in the mortal world for a hundred years because he gambles and drinks too much. He can't go back to Olympus unless there is an urgent meeting. All he can drink in Camp Half-Blood is Diet Coke and he never gets my name right." Percy complained. I laughed and soon he joined in too.

"You know what? If I were a demigod, I would want my mom to be Athena but sadly, I already have a mom."

"Ah, the goddess of wisdom and war; she doesn't like me just because my father is Poseidon." Percy grumbled.

"Oh shut up Seaweed Brain, she doesn't like you because of all the seaweed that's stuck in your head. Goodnight and you better not make a sound because I would sure like to sleep!" I turned away from him and curled up into a ball trying to get as comfortable as I can.

"Seaweed Brain?" I heard Percy mutter to himself in disbelief.

-X-

I was standing in front of a big blue house. Oh my gods, this must be what Percy was talking about, The Big House. I looked around. Camp Half-Blood was completely deserted because it was already dark out. Good no one is out there; I might as well take a look around inside. It wouldn't hurt me to do so right? I slowly opened the door which made a loud creak. Nice going Annabeth. Be a little louder than that... I mentally slapped myself. Now's not the time to be arguing with myself. The house was pretty nice inside, it smelled of hot chocolate and s'mores and oddly enough, there were vines all around the living room bursting with red grapes. There was a warm fire crackling and there was a stuffed head of a leopard, or so I thought, on top of the fireplace. I swear to the gods I saw it move.

I was about to take a closer look at the leopard when I heard voices and the door slowly opened to show two men- well I guess one and half of the other man were walking towards me or where the old, worn out leather couches. I squeaked in panic and hid behind one of the couches. I looked around the corner where I can see the two talking.

"I just came back from Olympus. Zeus is not happy and I mean like grumpier than usual. Poseidon was pretty mad too. Tension was rising amongst the other Olympians too as if they were about to decide which god to side on." Explained a short man with a red nose which kinda made him look a little like Rudolph, and his hair was really black, it almost looks like it is purple. He had watery, bloodshot eyes from I'm guessing, way too much drinking. He was wearing a leopard spotted Hawaiian shirt and purple running shoes.

Talk about a horrible fashion taste and choices...

The other man, well I shouldn't say that, he's a Centaur, interrupted my thoughts when he replied, "Zeus is accusing Poseidon that his son stole Zeus' master lightning bolt? Has he not seen the boy's heroic actions? He would never do something like that."

"Chiron, you're biased; you like Peter Johnson..." For some reason I can still see Chiron and I'm guessing, Dionysus, talking but I couldn't hear them anymore.

It's as if I'm getting pulled away by an invisible force. It took me a moment to realize the scene was changing.

Now I'm in a dark place. There's a musty smell in the air and it's getting a little bit chilly. I wrapped my arms around me and started to walk towards the light. This place is giving me the creeps.

"The plan is working sir, I overheard the conversation in the Big House and Dionysus is saying the Olympians are following Zeus and Poseidon's lead and are turning against each other." A smooth voice reported. Suddenly I heard hisses that gave me chills down my spine.

"The good news is, the boy isn't informed yet because he's still on a quest. The bad news is, she's gone. I'm sending some of my servants to look for her. It will be horrible when she finally uncovers the secret and reunites with her." I heard hisses when the female voice mentioned the mysterious woman.

Who were they talking about? And why does the woman's voice sound so familiar? It's making my head spin.

"Perfect oh and try to find that girl as soon as possible. We don't want another distraction to the golden plan." This voice gave me goose bumps, the voice was metallic and gave me the creeps but that's not new. This whole place makes me really uncomfortable.

The scene suddenly changed and I could no longer move. Horrified I looked down. My legs are made of stone and there were spiders getting closer to me. I screamed at the top of my lungs for help but when I looked up, I saw Medusa and no, not my mother, Medusa as in the gorgon. I looked in her eyes.

Medusa was cackling loudly.

"Oh you poor thing, so useless you are, Annabeth."

"Annabeth..."

"ANNABETH!"

I woke up with a start. Cold sweat was pouring down my face.

"Hey, are you okay?" Percy asked surprisingly softly. He reached up to touch my forehead which made me flush.

"Yeah I'm fine geez." I pushed his hand away and tried to stop the blush.

"You were muttering in your sleep and you screamed which woke me up. That doesn't seem okay to me." He countered.

"Oh, well I was dreaming of spiders and I have arachnophobia." I said sheepishly.

Percy looked at me, still unsure if I was okay or not but decided to let it slide.

"Well we have to go right now. The earlier we get to Camp Half-Blood the better right?"

-X-

"So tell me more about yourself." Percy announced getting bored of not talking.

I thought about telling Percy about my dream but something is holding me back.

"Well, I've been stuck in the tower for sixteen years and then you came. And I'm obsessed with Greek mythology too. Oh and I taught myself how to speak and read Ancient Greek." I stated proudly. Percy was about to say something but I cut him off, "And I'm smarter than you, that's for sure."

"Hey! I'm not that dumb!" Percy glared at me which made me laugh.

"You have seaweed for a brain." I teased. Percy stuck his tongue out.

"So, a mortal who can see through the Mist... I know someone who can see through the Mist too." He mused.

"Really? Who is he?"

"Oh no, she's a girl. We met like around two years ago in the city and then we met again in my newest school. Oh and she saved me with a plastic blue comb. That part was pretty funny." Percy unconsciously grinned.

Wow this girl must mean a lot to him. I tried to ignore the slight pang in my chest. What the heck Annabeth? Pull yourself together, you barely know him.

"Anyways, I couldn't stop thinking about your dagger. Can I see it?" Percy asked.

I nodded and took the dagger from my makeshift bag. He examined the dagger. It had a faint glow.

"How is it Celestial Bronze? You've never been to Camp Half-Blood. I'll talk to Leo about it..." He muttered.

"I don't get it- what's so great about Celestial Bronze?" I asked suddenly confused.

I remembered the answer.

"Oh wait don't answer that, Celestial Bronze is mined by the Cyclopes from Mount Olympus and they shape the ore by tempering the metal in Mount Etna and cooling it in the River Lethe. Am I correct?" I asked while smirking.

"Sometimes I feel you just do that to make me look stupid and to show off." Percy complained. I smacked his arm.

"But yeah you're absolutely right... I think. The metal is deadly only to gods, monsters and demigods but it doesn't affect mortals."

"I'm not even kidding, every time you ask me a question and I answer it, I feel quite intelligent." Percy puffed his chest out while smirking.

"You wish, Seaweed Brain."

"You really do know how to deflate a man's ego, Annabeth." He replied dryly.

Percy suddenly stops which made me bump into him.

"What's wrong?" I whispered. He pointed at the sky. I couldn't see anything at first but I suddenly saw something. I squinted- it was an eagle, a golden eagle. Suddenly there were five of them circling the sky above us.

Percy retrieved a pen from his pocket and slowly uncapped it. The pen turned into a double-edged sword that was about three feet long, a leather-wrapped grip and a flat hilt riveted with gold studs and just like my knife, it had the faint bronze glow.

"So your pen turns into a sword huh?"

"Yeah sorry, I didn't tell you that. It's called Riptide but Anaklusmos in Ancient Greece." He smiled playfully.

We heard the sound of horses clopping. We turned around and saw a golden chariot and following were three other chariots but not as grand as the first one. A girl about the same age as us, sixteen, stepped out of the chariot with two metal greyhounds following behind her. One was silver and the other gold and they were growling at us. The girl was clad in full battle Roman armor with the purple toga draped over her armor and many medals pinned on her toga. She wielded a golden spear and had an SPQR tattoo with four bar lines like a barcode or something and a crossed sword and torch.

"That's Reyna, the praetor of the Roman Camp, I promise I'll explain everything later..."

"If we make it out alive." I finished.

Behind her were other Roman soldiers lined up with their swords and spears pointed at us. We heard someone scrambling to get to the front. A scrawny guy with blonde hair and blue eyes that written "I'm insane" and pale skin. He wore a white toga over his purple shirt and jeans. He wielded a ceremonial knife and oddly enough, with teddy bears hung on his belt.

I felt sorry for the fate of those teddy bears...

"That's Octavian, he's not exactly friendly with the Greeks and thinks all of us are his enemies and he's a teddy bear killer." Percy added.

"Get him, he's the one who stole Jupiter's original lightning bolt!" Octavian screamed. The Roman warriors hesitated but advanced towards us.

"Stop, lower your weapons!" Reyna commanded and walked towards Percy.

"Reyna, what's going on? What do you mean, I stole the lightning bolt?" Reyna narrowed her eyes.

"Do not lie Percy, Lord Jupiter's master lightning bolt has been stolen, were you not informed in Camp Half-Blood?" Her greyhounds started growling at us.

"I swear on the River Styx that I didn't do anything with the lightning bolt, much less steal it!" Percy retorted. The dogs stopped growling.

"You're telling the truth. But the Romans have spoken. I tried stalling them because I knew you didn't do it... They will come after you no matter what and I will be the lead. I do not want any war between the Greeks and the Romans because I feel there will be something horrible that will happen any time now. I will give you guys a head start so Percy and..."

"Annabeth, my name's Annabeth."

Reyna raised her eyebrow and looked at Percy.

"She's a mortal who can see through the Mist."

"That's interesting... Percy and Annabeth choose where you go and tread carefully. The next time we meet, it will be on the battlefield. You better find the lightning bolt." Reyna warned and at that she raised her spear and aimed for Percy's head but Percy deflected that blow easily.

"Thank you." Percy said before sprinting towards the bridge. I looked back and saw Reyna smiled and just like that it was gone.

She raised her spear again and said,

"Don't let them get away, find them!"

So again, what did you guys think? Did I disappoint? Please review, review, and review because I want to know where I go wrong and where I should improve. Until next time :3