Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians
AN: Over eight months since Percy left Camp Half Blood for Atlantis
Chapter 12: A New Lesson
Atlantis
Percy's POV
It has been over three months since the accident. I still can't remember anything, but Triton tells me that I must remember my combat training because I'm very good and that surprised him. I guess for someone who doesn't remember anything, it's hard to believe that with only a few months training I can beat my big immortal brother in sword fighting. Maybe Triton is on to something maybe I do remember some things. My only problem is that if I do remember then it is more like a reflex or an instinct, instead of a specific memory. I was torn away from my thoughts by a knock on my apartment door. I opened the door and saw my brother Triton standing before me, he smiled at me, but I could tell he was worried about something. I don't know how, but I have these little visions of insight every once in a while and right now I sense that Triton's worried about something.
"Hey Perce, Dad wants to see us." Triton said. Triton calls me Perce he says that was his name for me before the accident. I don't care really its nice that we were both close enough to have nicknames. Triton told me that I use to call him Tri.
"Tri are you alright, you seem worried about something?" I asked. I could sense a flash of surprise in Triton's eyes, but he hid it well.
"Well, I think dad has some news to tell us about your amnesia, there may be a way to reverse it. Let's go and find out." Triton said. I closed my door and followed him to our father's quarters. We walked down the long hallway that connected my apartment to the royal chambers. I still can't get over how beautiful Atlantis is. The windows along the corridor look out upon the depths of the ocean and I can see beautiful Hippocampi swimming and playing. We reached my fathers quarters and Triton knocked on the door. The door opened and my father stood before us. He was smiling broadly and wearing his usual multi-colored shirt and cream-colored shorts.
"My boys its good to see you come on in." Poseidon said as he motioned for us to come into his quarters. Triton and I sat on the couch and our father sat in a chair across from us. The royal chambers had white marble walls with a twenty-foot tall ceiling that was made of glass and showed the ocean surface above us. It was clearly daytime on the surface as I could see light streaming through the water above us.
"Dad, Triton says that you may have found a way to reverse my amnesia." I said hopefully. I gazed at my father to try to read his face. I could tell that he was anxious about something and that worried me.
"Well, yes my brother and some other Olympian gods have devised a plan to help you regain your memories." Poseidon said and I could tell that he wanted to tell me more.
"Dad is this plan dangerous, I sense that you want to tell me something?" I asked.
"Well, it's hard to hide anything from you. You level of perception has increased incredibly since the accident. You remind me of my daughter-in-law, she's very perceptive as well, but in a more calculative way." Poseidon said.
"So there is more to this plan than you're telling me." I said, Dad never told me about this daughter-in-law before. She certainly isn't married to Triton or Tyson. I must have another brother that I haven't met yet.
"Yes, there is son. How would like to take a trip to Mount Olympus? I think it is time that you met the rest or at least some of your Olympian family." Poseidon said.
"I would like that, don't get me wrong I love it here in Atlantis, but I have a sense that I'm not really meant to live here." I said contemplatively.
"You're right son, you're always welcome here, but your life is on the surface. If you're ready Triton and I will take you to Olympus." Poseidon said.
"Do I look alright to go?" I said. I wore a bluish green t-shirt and light blue jeans and the black sandals my dad gave me. I was wearing the bracelet that Tyson told me he gave me for my birthday and a necklace of a sailboat that I had been wearing since the accident, I never asked anyone about it, but it seemed important.
"You look fine son, hold on." Poseidon said as he grabbed a hold of my shoulder and Triton's. We disappeared in a blue-green mist.
Mount Olympus
It seemed like only a few seconds later we reappeared in a large white marble room with several large thrones lined up against the far wall. These thrones looked like giants sat in them. I did notice one person sitting on one of them and he had to be twelve feet in height. He looked a little younger than my father and had a dark beard and electric blue eyes. He was wearing a pin striped business suit. He smiled when he saw us, then he shrank to our size as he walked toward us. He shook my dad's hand and then looked towards Triton and I.
"Percy this is Zeus, king of the gods and your uncle." Poseidon said. I bowed my head towards my uncle and then I tried to read his expression. I could tell that he knew who I was, but I had a sense that he was worried about something.
"It is good to see you again Percy, I know that you don't remember me because of your accident." Zeus said sincerely.
"I'm sorry that I can't remember you sir, but it is an honor to meet you." I said.
"Well have a seat with your brother here in the guest gallery. The Olympian Council meeting will start in a few moments." Zeus said as he walked back to his throne and grew back to his large size. I watched as my father walked to another throne and grew to a similar size. Triton and I waited in the guest gallery for the other gods to appear. I was pretty nervous, but I had a sense that I had been here before. I guess that made sense.
Annabeth's POV
I was walking from my office to the throne room. I received an Iris Message from Triton this morning he told me that he, Poseidon and Percy would be coming to this morning's council meeting. He said that I should come as well, but that I should probably stay out of sight for now. As I approached the throne room I placed my invisibility cap on. I walked into the building and headed for the Olympian throne room. I walked into the throne room and I saw Zeus and Poseidon sitting on their thrones and then I glanced over at the visitor gallery and saw Triton and Percy. Percy's hair was even longer than the last time I saw him it was well passed his shoulder now. Even though all I could see was his back I could tell that his skin was paler than before. I guess you can't keep a tan if you stay underwater for eight months. Other than these changes he looked like the same Percy. I quietly made my way over to the visitor gallery and sat down about three rows behind Percy and Triton. I could still hear them if they spoke and I could hear the gods as well.
Hera, Ares and Aphrodite walked in. I saw Aphrodite smile at Percy, but I didn't see any reaction from Percy at all. I could tell that this greatly disappointed Aphrodite because she looked sad. Percy didn't remember Aphrodite either. Then I saw Percy lean over to say something to Triton.
"Why did that goddess smile at me?" Percy asked Triton.
"That's Aphrodite, she knows you." Triton said.
"She doesn't seem familiar to me." Percy said. Aphrodite wouldn't like that if she heard.
Hermes, Apollo, Hephaestus, Theseus and Athena walked in next and took their seats. Theseus and Athena when they saw Triton and Percy smiled and nodded their heads. I saw Percy lean over to Triton and say, "They look familiar especially the god that smiled at me."
Triton looked at Percy and I could see a small smile erupt on his face. "That's good because that is Theseus our brother." Triton said. Percy looked at Theseus again and then I could tell that he looked at Athena, she was holding Theseus's hand.
"Is that our sister-in-law?" Percy asked Triton.
"That's right her name is Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle strategy." Triton said.
"Percy nodded his head and said, "Wow, she has pretty eyes." I almost yelled out when Percy said that does he remember something, I thought? I could tell that Triton was happy about that as well.
"Well, I don't believe the remaining council members will be arriving for this meeting and we now have a quorum. I now call this council meeting into order." Zeus said.
"The only point of business on the agenda is from my daughter Athena. My dear you have the floor." Zeus said. Athena stood up from her throne and walked to the center of the room. She turned and looked back toward the other gods.
"We all know about the terrible accident that young Percy Jackson endured a few months ago. I have been working on a plan with Hephaestus, Apollo, Theseus, Poseidon and Zeus to try to restore Percy's memories. We have developed a plan that we believe will work, but it is extremely dangerous I'm afraid." Athena said. My heart sank when she said that the plan was extremely dangerous. I could hear the other gods whispering to each other.
"Go ahead Athena, continue." Zeus said.
"This plan builds on the 5th training lesson that we had devised for Percy. The fifth lesson was for Percy to take on a journey to the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean, a very long trip indeed from the Atlantic. The trench is the home of the greatest sea monster ever known, the Kraken. No one has ever been able to slay it, except in Hollywood movies that is." Athena said. I heard laughs from the other Olympians especially Ares.
"Now don't get me wrong, this mission was not to fight the Kraken, but was to confront fear and anger. It was the ultimate test to make sure the other lessons had worked. We know now that the other lessons have worked, but Percy has lost his memories and we have discovered a way to restore them. There is a cave very near the lair of the Kraken that houses an underwater spring. The waters of this spring unlike the River Lethe restore or unblock memories. Poseidon and Triton will complete Percy's training and then if he agrees he will go to the Marianas Trench and to the cave." Athena said.
"Alright is there any discussion of this lesson or adventure as I would call it." Zeus said.
"He will have to confront the Kraken, there is no way that beast will allow someone to get passed it's lair alive." Ares said. My heart sunk, Ares is right he won't be able to sneak passed that monster.
"He will have to be trained to sneak passed the creature and he will have to do it twice." Hermes said. Can that be done, there must be something that Poseidon or Triton knows that I don't?
"Triton and I will train Percy in what he needs to know and he will have enough weapons to allow him to pass the Kraken's lair." Poseidon said. I guess he does know something.
"This is Percy's life and it is his decision. He does not have to do this if he doesn't want to." Theseus said.
"Theseus is right it is Percy's decision. Percy please approach the council." Zeus said. I looked at Percy, he stood up and I could tell that he was taller than when he left camp. He was taller than Theseus now, how could he be taller than his twin? That was an interesting question. I could tell by the looks on Athena and Theseus's faces that they wondered the same thing. Percy walked up to the council and stood before them.
"Percy I know you don't remember us, but we all know you and we will accept your decision. You can deny this mission and no one will think ill of you." Zeus said.
"Lord Zeus, members of the council. I want to thank all of you for trying to help me. I know that my choices are to live with my amnesia and hope it corrects itself on its own or conduct this mission and pray that the waters in that cave work. Over these past few months I have struggled to figure out who I am and what my purpose is in this life. I know that I'm missing important parts of my life. I can feel it, but I don't know what they are or whom they are. I don't care about the danger, I want my life back and that's it. Therefore, I accept this mission." Percy said, I never heard Percy sound so lost, but so analytical at the same time. He has changed some and it's not just the memory loss, I thought.
"Percy, we wish you luck on your mission." Zeus said reassuringly. Percy walked back to his seat next to Triton it was the first time that I had seen his eyes. They were the beautiful green that I loved, but they were also piercing now, like he was analyzing the world around him. In many ways it reminded me of my mom's gaze, but instead of intellectually analyzing, Percy's were like he was looking into your soul. Like his gaze could read what you thought and felt. It was a striking difference, but one that took my breath away. He stared toward my direction and for an instant I thought he could see me, but he just continued walking and sat down next to Triton. Then Percy leaned over to Triton and said, "Do you feel like we are being watched?" Triton just looked at him with a surprise look. "Yeah, by the gods sitting up there Perce." Triton said.
"No not them like someone is looking at us someone you can't see." Percy said. He could sense my presence, but how?
"This place is probably under surveillance." Triton said. Percy nodded as if that was it.
"Alright, with that settled this meeting is adjourned." Zeus said and most of the gods left the throne room, except Poseidon, Theseus and Athena. The three of them stepped down from their thrones and shrank to human size. They walked over to where Percy and Triton were sitting. Athena and Theseus hugged Triton and then they approached Percy. I could tell it was awkward for them. They wanted to hug him, but Percy just put out his hand to greet them.
"A pleasure to meet you Lord Theseus and Lady Athena." Percy said. Theseus shook his hand and then Athena did the same.
"It's good to see you again little brother." Theseus said, I could tell it was killing him that Percy didn't recognize him.
"Don't be mad about the mission it was the only thing we could come up with." Athena said.
"I'm not mad, thank you for trying to help me." Percy said sincerely. My mom smiled at him and I could see the sadness in her eyes when he didn't recognize her.
"Dad, I guess we need to get back to prepare for this mission." Percy said. He looked like he was ready to go. I thought it was awkward for us, but I can only imagine how Percy must feel.
"Sure son, let's go." Poseidon held onto both Triton's and Percy's shoulders and they disappeared in a blue-green mist. Once they were gone I took off my cap. I had tears rolling down my cheeks. I didn't get to say anything to him. My mom saw me and ran over to me and engulfed me in a hug.
"Annabeth, why did you come here?" Athena asked.
"I had to see him, but I didn't know what to say so I stayed invisible." I said sadly.
Theseus walked over to me and hugged me to. "Percy will get through this I know he will." Theseus said.
"I hope so, but this mission is so dangerous I don't know if I have any hope left." I said.
"Percy can do it. We all know how strong he is if anyone can do this it is him. He didn't give up and neither should we." Athena said. My mom was right. How can I give up when Percy hadn't? I will pray for him every night and hope that he returns to me.
I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Just to let everyone know in the myths Perseus (the son of Zeus) did not fight the Kraken he fought a creature called Cetus the sea serpent. So I guess Athena is right Hollywood made up that whole Kraken fight for the Clash of the Titans, there weren't even any Titans in that movie either.