Sorry, I've been meaning to update for a while, but I just got to be too lazy and kept forgetting, then my parents took my computer away cause I was falling behind in my math class, but I got it back now, which is good cause I hate going without my computer.

Chapter 11

They ran through the forest, trying to get as far away as possible. The monster may have been dead, but they didn't want to attract more by staying near there. It was dark out now, and even Triton was tired. They had been going for a couple hours now.

There was silence between them, even though they had long since stopped running and gasping for breath. The only sound was the dead leaves under their feet and Grover's goat braying.

Finally, Percy couldn't take it anymore. The silence was starting to drag on him. "I'm hungry." The others just looked at him in annoyance.

"We're all hungry, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said.

"Well, I just felt the need to—wait. What did you call me?"

She smirked. "Seaweed Brain." Triton was snickering, thinking his brother would finally understand why he shouldn't like a daughter of Athena. Plus, he was glad that she hadn't given the name to him. It just didn't fit him and all of his awesomeness.

Percy glared at her. "And what is that supposed to mean, Wise Girl?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because your brain is full of seaweed." She shrugged. "Don't worry, Theesay. You won't be left out for long. I'm thinking ... Fish Tail."

Triton traded laughing at Percy for glaring at Annabeth. Percy burst out laughing. She had no idea how right she was.

"And do you have a reason for that one?" Triton ground out between clenched teeth.

She shrugged again. "When you were sitting in the creek last night, it looked like you had a fish tail."

Triton cringed. He hadn't realized that he had let his ocean form show through slightly. He really should control that better. Of course, he was surprised anyone had noticed.

Percy started to laugh even harder. "Dude, you should see your face."

Triton glared at him. Without thinking, he held out his hand and a powerful blast of saltwater shot out, hitting Percy in the chest and sending him flying backwards. Only after did he realize that he really shouldn't have done that. He had just given the daughter of Athena the clue she needed to accuse them of being different. And he knew that she would never give it up before she got her answers.

Percy got up, glaring at him. "That is completely unfair!"

"Oh, well." Too late. Triton couldn't take back what he had done, might as well roll with it.

"Hey! We shouldn't fight with each other," Grover said. The two brothers glanced over at him. Had he really not seen what Triton had done? There wasn't even a stream anywhere near them.

But Annabeth seemed to get it, if her astonished expression was anything to go by. "Who are you?"

"Well," Percy began. "I'm Percy—"

"I know that! But you two obviously haven't told us the entire story. It isn't possible that you just found out who you were if you can do that. Who. Are. You?"

Triton smirked at her. "Don't you know that it's very bad for your health to anger a god?"

Percy snorted. "Hate to break it to you, Triton, but you aren't one of the major gods."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Annabeth and Grover were staring at them with wide eyes, practically frozen where they stood.

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked tentatively. Almost as if she we afraid of the answer.

"I am Triton, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. Percy is who he says he is, except he's known since he was seven who he was and his experiences are different than what we told you."

Annabeth looked astonished. "What about the Ancient Laws? No god can live with their child. And I doubt they allow their godly brother to go on a quest with them."

Triton shrugged. "Those were tossed out when Zeus allowed Dad to take Percy with him when he found him."

Percy wasn't sure, but he thought he saw envy in Annabeth's eyes. "But why did he ask in the first place? What about your mother, Percy?"

Percy's eyes hardened, dark, forbidden memories invading his mind. "Never speak of her!" His fists and teeth clenched, trying to ward off the memories that he had thought he had locked away long ago.

Annabeth stepped away from him. "What's wrong with you?"

"Um … maybe we should talk about something else," Triton suggested, worried about his brother.

"No! I want to know," Annabeth said, waiting for Percy to answer her.

"That woman was that worst possible mother ever. I never did anything to make her hate me, other than live." Percy clenched his eyes closed, not wanting to see what was hidden behind his eyes, but finding at it was impossible to keep them open.

The mad woman that had supposedly been his mother hid there, screaming at him, cursing his father. Hitting him, throwing things at him.

Triton wrapped his brother into a hug, wanting to get him out of whatever hole he had fallen into. Annabeth came over as well, seeing that Percy was in pain. Grover was the last one to walk over, but he was just as concerned as the other two.

Finally, Percy opened his eyes again, grateful that they wanted to help him. They were the closest friends he had ever had. The ones in the ocean weren't all that close to him. They acted like he was their prince most of the time. Grover and Annabeth didn't care who he was, they just wanted him to be alright.

Triton made a cup of water appear in his hand and gave it to him. He drank it all in practically one gulp, feeling energy flow through it.

"Was that saltwater?" Annabeth asked, wrinkling her nose at the thought of what it had tasted like.

Percy grinned at her. "What? Don't like the taste of saltwater?"

"No!"

A gigantic pit stood before him. The shadow of a person stood beside him, but, even so, Percy couldn't tell who it was. The person's voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where he'd heard it before.

"The plan is in motion. They have sent out a quest."

"Excellent!" the familiar pit voice boasted. "The two most powerful demigods will soon be mine, along with two of the most powerful weapons. With them combined, Zeus and his Olympians won't stand a chance."

"But, my Lord, there was something weird about the sons of Poseidon. They both seemed as if they were hiding something, one more than the other."

"That doesn't matter. They will do just fine. You just do your job—"

Somebody was shaking Percy pretty hard, he even considered dumping water on him just to see if it would work. When Percy finally opened his eyes, Triton was standing over him with an amused expression.

"About time you woke up."

Percy glared at him, then sat up. "You try having freaky dreams that tell you you're playing into a trap."

He froze. "What?"

"Where's Grover and Annabeth?" Percy asked, looking around the clearing they had stopped in, avoiding the question for the moment.

Triton looked irritated at being ignored, but answered him anyway. "They want ahead to try and find something to eat. Are you going to tell me your dream?"

Percy nodded. "I think that they should hear it too."

The minor sea god sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this. He pointed towards the way that the other two had gone, and they started walking. Triton kept trying to get information out of his brother, but he would always evade him.

Finally, they broke through the trees and saw a little store with a bunch of statues strewn around. Some looked happy, like they were taking a picture. Others had looks of horror on their faces.

"Why does this seem familiar?" Triton mused.

The sight seemed familiar for some reason, but Triton couldn't recall why. They silently walked into the building, not wanting to announce themselves to any waiting monsters.

"Come, dears. Let's get you some food so you can go back to your friends."

The voice came from the other side of the door way they had just been about to go through. They froze on with side of the doorway. Silently poking their heads through the door, Percy saw his friends sitting at a picnic table with dazed expressions. In front of them was a wrinkled old lady with a veil over her head and a vague Middle Eastern look.

"Medusa," Triton cursed.