Disclaimer: What did you think? Of course I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. =P

Author's Note: Sorry for being late. I needed a break.

Many thanks to those who reviewed, although I'm curious why no one would do me a favour and point out any spelling/grammar mistakes or awkward phrasing. -_-

However, I do go back once in a while to check for errors and correct them, but it's faster for a individual who has a Beta account to speed up the progress when they're reading the chapters.

Note: Frytrix and I are on good terms now. He was merely tired when he PMed me, so he was in a cranky mood and misunderstood. No need to hate on him anymore. =)

Shout out to Russia says hello: Thanks for your support! Everyone should thank her for getting me off my butt and write. ^_^

Shout out to sleepy (guest): I could have longer chapters, if you'd prefer a update once every six months. ;)

Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Enjoy Chapter 9!

Chapter 9:

Chiron had trained many heroes. Some of them were legends. Some were average. Most of them were forgotten in history.

Every one of his students, whether they be male or female, all had a different story of their own.

Each story was unique. A hero could come from a rich family or be dirt poor. Heroes could grow proud in their accomplishments or become humbled by their adventures.

The story of a hero may end well or finish with dismal results.

Yes, every hero had their own special story of struggles. However, the most... Unique story would be the tale of Perry and Percy Jackson.

Chiron had met young Perseus and Pericles under very unusual circumstances. After a long struggle and a lot of water splashing (Chiron swears that there was still water in his ears from that fateful day), Chiron managed to calm the children down enough to actually explain who he was and what he wanted.

It didn't take a lot to convince the twins to train with him. The children were eager to learn how to defend themselves. Not to say that the two trusted him at first. No, they were far from it.

Trust was something you had to work hard to earn from them. Percy and Perry were, is, and always will be the most paranoid individuals Chiron had ever met.

That did help the young warriors, though. Demigods needed to stay alert. If they let their guards down then they would die.

Percy and Perry almost never let their guards down.

As such, Chiron was not surprised when both addressed him without even looking at him. Both warriors were meditating peacefully on the outskirts of the camp's lake.

"Hello, Mentor." Percy and Perry almost whispered in unison, turning to their centaur teacher.

"Hello Perseus, Pericles." Chiron responded with a smile, sitting beside them.

The sun was setting; the warm light shined over the demigod camp. Red and orange colours consumed the sky.

All of the cabins were casting long shadows across the area. Even the strawberry fields, which were usually depressing in the winter, seemed to shine with new life.

It was beautiful.

"Such a marvelous sunset." Chiron remarked.

"Yes, Apollo seems to be in a good mood." Percy agreed with their teacher.

"Ha ha ha, indeed! Everyone seems to be in a better mood since his visit. I wonder why he decided to stay for so long. It's as if someone or someones sent him into a long guilt trip." Chiron gave his oldest living students a knowing look.

"Even gods need help at times. Of course, all we did was tell him what he needed to do. He was the one who did all of the hard work." Perry casually stated.

Chiron just laughed.

They soon fell into a comfortable silence. Teacher and students sat side by side. Three individuals who mutually respected one other letting time run by. Neither had any reason to hurry.

Nevertheless, the silence could not last forever.

"I do have to ask and please don't be offended, but why are you two doing here?" Chiron asked.

"...We made a promise. Multiple promises, in fact. Perry and I hope to complete them all at once. Staying here for a few days is a part of them. I suppose we will have to stay in our old cabin..." Percy grimaced at that last thought.

"You two actually made multiple promises? Usually you and Perry are more reluctant to give your word to someone." Chiron joked.

"Yes, but we made some exceptions. You know how hard it is for us to say no to women in need. Plus Nico just lost the only family member he had left... How could we ignore a kindred spirit?" Perry asked.

"Hmm. I guess you both have gotten soft in your old age, Percy, Perry." Chiron joked again.

"Ha ha ha!" Percy and Perry actually laughed at his remark. Finally, Percy sobered up as he wiped his dull green eyes.

"I should be the one saying that to you, Mentor." The teen wore a small smile.

The three then continued to laugh at themselves and their old age. Such joy could not last long for them, however.

"We have felt the change in the Mist... As well as heard the stories from the past few years..." Percy was now dead serious. Both had their usual neutrality was back in full force. "War is on the horizon again."

"Yes, it is." Chiron sighed.

"...The prophecy will soon come true. I trust that you have trained the tree girl properly." Percy addressed his teacher.

"Yes, she will make the right decision. We can only pray now." Chiron answered.

"Praying to the gods will not help. They will eliminate any demigod who can potentially hurt them... Or at least try." Percy's voice faded off.

Chiron remained silent.

"The tree girl will most likely be the individual from the prophecy. But we can not assume anything. She may not be the so called chosen one. At least not yet." Percy said.

"...What are you implying Percy?" Chiron asked.

"Mentor, why would I imply anything? If I suspected anything, I would just tell you. You are my teacher." Percy was staring into his teacher's eyes. " I was just saying that life if fragile. She may die before they turn sixteen, or she may just stop aging before then like we did."

However, Perry decided to speak up. "Chiron, you also should remember Percy and I turned immortal when we were sixteen, almost seventeen. If one of us somehow loses our immortality, we could automatically take her place."

Chiron said nothing, contemplating all the possibilities.

"Dinner approaches doesn't it? I suppose that we will need to eat. You never know when you will need energy. I do hope that this will not create too much of a fiasco." Percy simply stated.

"The Hunters along with you? Your hopes may just be crushed." Chiron remarked. He was glad that their lighter mood was back.

"Probably. Oh, by the way, Mentor." Percy said as he and Perry began to walk away.

"Yes?" Chiron asked.

"They are called the Big Three for a reason. Do not think that Lord Hades will just sit around and let the prophecy go to someone else's child. He may try something. Take it as a warning."

They did not look back to see the shock on their teacher's face.

Annabeth had a hard past twenty-four hours. She had been sent on a mission, saved by strangers, forced to deal with Artemis, a rebellious Thalia who was captured, man-hating Hunters, and Apollo.

That was before she even reached the camp. Then Annabeth had to deal with all the other problems in her life.

Nico was depressed. Mr. D was being an ass. Chiron refused to answer any questions she had for him. Bianca had joined the Hunters.

She was really thinking about joining them as well.

Yeah, today sucked for her. It was almost over, though. What could happen now to make her day worse?

"Hello, Annabeth Chase." Percy said as he took a seat next to her... At her mother's table. Her siblings stared at him in shock.

Damn. She just had to ask.

"Um... hey Percy." Annabeth responded meekly, half of nervousness, half of infatuation for the powerful warrior.

Why did he come now? Couldn't she just eat in peace for once? Especially after yesterday's events.

Percy said nothing after Annabeth's greeting. He just began eating.

Annabeth thought that this was a bit rude. Perry sat at the Poseidon's table nearby, ignoring the watchful eyes of the other campers as he dug into his fried shrimp.

It had become very silent in the Dining Hall.

Annabeth didn't say anything, though. Commenting on their rudeness would only be very hypocritical.

She sighed and continued to eat herself. It was still silent, but the daughter of Athena used this opportunity to assess his guest and his brother.

Percy and Perry had taken off their leather jackets. Both now only wore a orange Camp Half-Blood shirt with tight black jeans. Annabeth could not help noticing that the twins also had to be very muscular.

Most Demigods were very fit, but those two seemed to have a body you would see on Greek statues. The statues that depicted the gods. Annabeth found it very distracting to be around them.

The weirdest thing about Percy, though, were his tattoos. On his right arm was a long chain that started on top of his right hand that then wrapped around his arm until it was covered by his sleeve.

His left arm was more simple. The word JACKSON ran down on the top of his forearm.

Annabeth understood why he put his name on his arm but the chain seemed weird... Wait! On his palm was what looked like a miniature blade.

Maybe that sword he had earlier just turned in to a tattoo? Weirder things had happened.

"It is always good to look for potential threats, but now you're just staring." Percy commented in-between bites.

Annabeth had the decency to blush. She quickly looked down at the table. Then she noticed Percy's food.

Percy was eating fish, with a bunch of fruit and vegetables. However, that was not what drew Annabeth's attention. What confused her was the fact that all of Percy's food was blue.

"Why is your food all blue?" Annabeth asked. She wasn't embarrassed to ask, since Percy was sitting at her mother's table for no reason after all.

But Percy actually smirked and said, "It is an inside joke and my favorite color is blue. Perry doesn't have the same tastes, but he tolerates it." He pointed to his brother.

"Oh..." Annabeth remarked.

As they ate, Annabeth noticed the many eyes on Percy, Perry, and herself. Almost all the tables were looking at them.

Most of them were whispering and pointing.

Chiron and Mr. D were not though, which was weird considering the rules about sitting at the right tables. The Hunters continued all of the campers.

"Your wondering why I am sitting here and Perry there aren't you?" Percy addressed the question on almost everyone's mind.

"What?" Annabeth was surprised that Percy actually mentioned it. She assumed that she would have to bring it up herself.

"You and everyone else question why I sit at this table, while Perry sits at the Poseidon table." Percy re-stated monotonously.

"Well, yes. I do at least. So why are you two sitting where you both are?" Annabeth asked.

"Well, the first would be to eat," Perry spoke up, having finished eating his shrimp. Annabeth rolled her eyes at this. "Second, there are rules about which table we can sit at."

"Yeah! You need to sit at your parent's table." Annabeth used her authority voice. These guys, no matter how strong they are, were not above the rules.

"That is what I am doing." Perry's voice was neutral as he said this. "Percy can sit at your mother's table because she owes him. A lot. Although, he's technically supposed to sit here as well."

"Oh..." Annabeth's brain took a minute to process this. "Wait! That means..."

"Yes, Annabeth, we are both sons of Poseidon." Percy finished for her. "And we both have been for a very long time."

There was silence. Obviously, the other tables heard this statement.

"Oh, by the way, don't worry about that prophecy crap. We were already sixteen before The Great Prophecy was first stated." Perry chuckled.

Then the Dining Hall erupted into chaos.

Thalia was nervous. She had the right to be. So much had happened in one day.

Driving the sun was torture. Dealing with the Hunters was frustrating. Learning that Perry and Percy Jackson, the newest badasses at camp, were the sons of Poseidon turned out to be just... Terrible.

After this day, all she wanted to do was go to her cabin and sleep for a very long time. That would have to wait, though.

Right now she needed to have her questions answered.

So despite her nerves and fatigue, Thalia walked right up to the twins.

Percy, at the moment, was sitting by the campfire while Perry sat across from him. Usually, by now, the fire was to be put out. Chiron probably made an exception because they were there. The whole water control thing probably put the centaur's mind at ease.

"Greetings Tree Girl." Both nodded to their cousin in unison. Their eyes never left the fire once.

"Um... Yeah. What's up?" Thalia did not like that new nickname. "Don't call me that, okay?"

"If that is what you wish, Thalia Grace." Percy responded.

Thalia did not like her last name much either, but beggars did not get to be choosers.

Thalia sat down beside Percy. Like him, she sat on the ground. Percy looked up for a brief second, and at that moment she felt his approval of said action.

Thalia did not understand why he approved of her sitting on the ground, but she did not comment on it.

"I wanted to ask you two about what you both did on the sun chariot." Thalia was never good at beating around the bush. Neither seemed to care though. In fact, Percy gave her the same look as before.

"You want to know how and why we helped you with your fear of heights." Percy seemed to read her mind as he looked into her eyes. Even had his dual coloured eyes trained on her. Thalia now had their full attention.

"Wow." Thalia thought. "Their eyes look like ones from old war veterans."

Thalia did not blush. No sir. The heat from the fire was just heating up her face.

"Yep, you guessed it. Mostly I just want to know how you and Perry could possibly use the mist in such a way." Thalia admitted.

Percy was silent for a few seconds. Thalia understood that he wanted to word his answer right, so she stayed patient.

"We always have had a natural affinity with the Mist." Percy finally spoke. "Perry and I could always use it to help benefit our struggle to survive. It saved us far more times than once."

Percy paused for a moment and then continued.

"You have to understand that we have lived for a very long time. Please don't ask how." Percy's sea-green eyes narrowed for a moment.

"During this time, we learned a lot about the Mist. How it works and what it is. I do not wish to go into details, but we even learned how to actually change how individuals feel. Perry and I could even totally change a person's personality if we wanted to." He finished.

"Of course, there are restrictions." Perry finally talked for the first time since she came to the campfire. "While controlling mortals in such a way is easy, demigods and monsters are a lot harder. If we wanted to, we could change someone, but it is difficult and if the individual we're influencing fights back, then it is nearly impossible."

"When you were driving the sun chariot, you were very stressed. You might have accidentally hurt someone, so we decided to step in." The teen continued. "We used the mist to suppress your fear and give you courage. It was very easy because you were so willing to change at that moment. If you fought it then it would not have worked."

There was another brief pause. However, this time, it was a comfortable silence as Thalia digested all the information.

"But Perry and I did not take away your fear altogether. That would cause emotional scarring. But now it is my turn to ask a question. Why are you afraid of heights, Thalia Grace?" Percy broke the silence as he questioned.

Thalia could tell that Percy did not give a damn if she answered or not. He did not care, but he was forced to help and so he deserved an explanation.

"I don't know really, I just have it. It's weird. It would be like you being afraid of water." Thalia answered truthfully.

"...Do you trust your father?" Perry asked quietly.

"What?" Thalia was surprised.

"You don't, do you?" Perry's hybrid eyes seemed to pierce into her soul. "You do not trust your father. You fear that he does not love you and that he will betray you. Why this is, I do not know. Your past is not for me to investigate. But I do know that your fear of your father stems into your fear of heights. As long as you do not trust Zeus, you will continue to have a fear of falling."

Thalia was stunned. She never thought about it that way.

Percy then stood up with Perry and put out the fire.

"Come Miss Grace, we will walk you to your cabin." Percy helped Thalia off the ground and escorted her to her cabin.

"I don't need anyone to protect me." Thalia snapped at them.

"Yes, but letting a young woman walk at night alone would be rude. Even if she can protect herself. I do not doubt your skills or the camp's protection, I am just doing what I believe is right." Perry replied solemnly.

Thalia said nothing after this.

The two soon arrived at Zeus's cabin. When they arrived, Perry nodded his head towards her and said, "Try to sleep well, Thalia Grace. May your dreams remain peaceful."

Then Percy muttered to himself, "I suppose I will need to sleep tonight. It has been a few days."

Before they turned away, Thalia spoke up. "You act as if you do not care, but you still help others. You scolded Apollo, you promised to train Nico tomorrow, and you even helped me with my emotional problems. Why Percy?"

Percy looked away from her. For a moment he looked up at the sky, then at the Big House, and finally he turned back to her.

"I help others because I know in my mind that it is right. Even if my heart doesn't anymore. Luckily, my idiotic brother keeps me in check." He punched Perry's shoulder lightly, who gave him a knowing smile in return.

Both brothers then turned as they began to walk away.

"Goodnight, Thalia Grace."

Author's Note: Whew, that was tiring. =o

From the looks of school, I may not be able to update as frequent. I'm so overdue in my Biology and Physics homework... -_-

Either way, remember to read and review! =)

See you all next chapter!