See you at the bottom…

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan has all rights to the PJO series.

Chiron's tour was probably really interesting once you could get your mind around the fact that you were in an immortal city, suspended thousands of feet above New York.

I tried hard to pay attention but there was always something nagging me in the back of my mind telling me that it would be my fault when Kronos destroyed this place. Curse him for tricking me into that oath.

So basically, the whole time Chiron told us of the history of Mount Olympus, I was zoning out. It took Annabeth snapping her fingers in front of my face to bring me to reality.

"Luke! Are you in there? Anyone home? I swear you get so distant sometimes!" Annabeth seemed to take it personally that I wasn't paying attention.

"Yeah? No, sorry, I was listening." I shook my head and tried to clear the fog from my eyes for Annabeth's sake.

"Okay, so what was the last thing Chiron told us?" She tapped her toe expectantly.

"Uh…" I stammered uselessly.

Annabeth sighed and started to lecture me. "That's what I thought. How can you not find this fascinating? Isn't it completely incredible that we're standing in the home of the gods that has lasted thousands of…?"

I started spacing out again.

That's right, Luke. Mount Olympus is nothing special. There won't be any problem in getting rid of it.

"Wait a second! Are you purposely making me bored? Do you have that power? Gods, you're so annoying!" Kronos was clouding my thoughts so I'd have nothing to miss about this place.

"Well jeez, Luke! You don't have to be so mean!" Annabeth stamped her foot. It took me a few seconds to realize that she'd thought that I'd been talking to her.

"No, I wasn't talking to you! Um… is there any chance you could forget that I'd ever said that?" My poor attempt to cover up that mistake was, of course, fruitless. Annabeth stormed away.

"Thanks a lot, Kronos. Did you know you ruin everything?"

I've been told. That may be the reason that I'm in Tartarus.

The rest of the campers had gotten far ahead and were peeking inside of a gleaming amphitheater. I had to sprint to catch up with them.

Although I was angry with him, I had to follow Kronos's orders and make sure that everyone did a ton of walking.

At the end of the tour, when Chiron asked if there was anything we wanted to go back and see again, I made everyone walk across the city again to see one shrine. Then I had the campers walk to a certain gift shop that was quite far from the hotel.

Annabeth still wouldn't speak to me the whole time but I could tell that she was having a rough time being so stubborn. Ever since my quest, she's been pretty soft on me so she was out of practice on being mad.

Finally, while we were having some time before bed to just hang out in the hotel, Annabeth gave in and walked over to me.

"Hey," she said without looking at me. "I'm sorry I got so mad at you before. It's just… you've been acting real weird lately. What's up with you? You can tell me." Her big pleading gray eyes were almost impossible to lie to.

I slid down the wall that I had been leaning against so that I was now sitting on the floor. Annabeth did the same. "I really couldn't tell you. Even if I wanted to. There's just so much that I don't understand anymore. I'm sorry." I sighed and studied my sore feet.

Annabeth's stare was a cross between longing and a glare. She knew I wasn't telling her everything but she could tell that I wasn't lying either. She just pursed her lips and nodded. "Okay, but if you want to talk about it, I'm listening." Annabeth got up and walked over to her cabin mates.

Banging my head against the wall never makes anything better but I tried it anyways. No effect. Then I noticed two twin figures walking towards me.

"Luke! We brought cards! Are you game?" Travis was standing next to his brother holding a new pack of playing cards.

"You know we'll destroy you in poker! You won't stand a chance," Connor added while swinging a white tube sock that was obviously filled with change.

Nothing like a little sibling rivalry to make you feel yourself again. "Oh no, I'll murder both of you. You must've forgotten that I beat you three times in row last time we played." I ruffled through my suitcase, carefully hiding Backbiter, until I pulled out a plastic Tupperware container that was almost full of quarters and drachmas.

Despite Chiron's scolding, we played well into the night. Chiron even tried to get Dionysus to stop us but he just ended up joining in. By one o'clock, all of the campers—plus Mr. D—were playing poker.

It wasn't until about one thirty when I realized that Kronos had planned this. I hadn't packed my container of coins and it was in my bag. Kronos must've put Chiron under a spell too because he gave in way quicker than he usually would have.

I knew that Kronos wanted everyone tired and I knew that a bunch of sleepy campers would make my job easier but I didn't wasn't the kids enchanted by him so I declared that after one last round, everyone would be off to bed.

Most kids were too exhausted to complain and the little ones hadn't gotten poker in the first place so they went happily to their sleeping bags.

After that immense card game, I had probably made about ten bucks which wasn't bad considering I was a bit off my game at the end.

Still, I couldn't decide if I was angry with Kronos right now. He had made me ten dollars and made my crime spree a little less difficult but he had charmed the whole camp. In the end I decided that I was still mad at him. The bad overpowered the good.

It is finished! Yay and all that stuff! And now, I have a little contest for you:

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What I look for in a good review/PM: At least one piece of CC; A few bits of praise; and a suggestion on my writing style, not on the story. Good luck and remember: even if you don't enter the contest you can still review!

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