A/N: Hi all! Sorry for the long wait, but here's the next chapter! I meant to get it up earlier, but my computer crashed and I lost basically the whole chapter and had to rewrite stuff from scratch. It was not fun. Anyways, here it is!

Also, I know a lot of you asked about the last chapter that went up for Halloween. That was just a little spooky story for Halloween, I won't really be continuing it. Just me having a little fun is all. It doesn't really take place in this story. Well, maybe ;)

Thanks for being patient with me! Hope everyone's holidays were FANTASTIC :)

~PercyJackson~

"Yeah, whatever's right," Connor said, standing up. "It's my turn to read this thing!" And he snatched it from Nico's hands.

"Hey," Nico protested.

"But it is," Connor said. "I know these things."

"Yeah, fine," Nico said, rolling his eyes as Connor skipped back to his seat and settled down, opening the book.

" Clarisse Blows Up Everything," Connor began. "Sounds about right."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clarisse growled.

"Oh, you know," Connor shrugged, attempting to not sick into the couch to get as far from her as possible.

Clarisse narrowed her eyes at him before turning to glare at Percy. "I rescue you and that's the thanks I get?"

"To be fair, you did shoot cannon balls at us first," Percy said.

"To kill the hydra you were stupidly failing against," Clarisse said.

"We would have figured it out," Percy said.

"Sure. And last time I checked you did water, not fire," Clarisse snapped.

"Enough!" Demeter snapped, glaring at the two bickering demigods. "What's done, is done. Stop fighting about it."

Both turned to glare at her but Connor started reading again, raising the book so his face was hidden. He hadn't meant to start an argument, but it had been pretty cool.

… muttered curses about Yankees.

"Was it creepy, being on that ship?" Hazel asked, her gaze on Percy and Annabeth. "Sounds like it would be creepy."

"It wasn't creepy," Clarisse said, rolling her eyes.

"It was creepy," Percy assured Hazel.

"You're just mad because they didn't like you," Annabeth said.

"It's not my fault they lost against a bunch of Yankees," Percy protested. "Besides, that was years ago."

"But they did lose against them," Annabeth pointed out. "That would make anyone mad. And it wasn't years ago for them."

"Sure, whatever," Percy grumbled before offering Hazel a smile. "It was still creepy."

"I'll give you that," Annabeth said.

"Hey!" Clarisse protested. "That ship was awesome."

"Admit it," Chris began, grinning at his girlfriend. "You just liked firing the cannons."

"Yeah, that was cool," Clarisse agreed.

… but my hunger overruled my fear.

"Why am I not surprised?" Thalia muttered, rolling her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Percy asked.

"That you can eat in any situation," Thalia said.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Percy said.

"Yes, well," Thalia began, before falling silent.

Percy smirked in triumph.

… "'Course not. My father did."

"Wow, you actually helped a child of yours?" Apollo asked Ares, wide eyed.

"Of course," Ares said, puffing up his chest. "After all, she's going to prove how awesome my kids are, which in turns proves how awesome I am."

"I see," Persephone said, staring at Ares.

"That's cool," Apollo said. "I didn't think we could interfere so blatantly with our children's lives."

Ares shrugged. "Who cares about that old rule?"

"Ares," Zeus growled.

"Don't see you protesting about it in the book," Ares said. "So no harm no foul."

"Right," Zeus muttered, still glaring at Ares. "We will talk on this later."

"Sure, whatever," Ares said, rolling his eyes.

… The captain stood behind her looking stiff and angry.

"I don't think he was all that happy to be serving you," Chris said, glancing at his girlfriend.

Clarisse shrugged. "Whatever, not like he could've done anything about it, anyway."

"Still, didn't it make you nervous?" Hazel spoke up, face reddening at Clarisse shot her a glare. "I mean, they weren't exactly loyal, right?"

"No, it didn't make me nervous," Clarisse scoffed at the idea. "If they served me, and served me well, they received the rest they longed for, so of course they were going to serve me and not cross me. It was the only way they could get what they wanted. Even if they didn't like it."

"That seems kind of…" Hazel trailed off, face still red. "Never mind."

"Mean," Percy piped up, grinning at Hazel. "Yeah, I agree."

"Yeah, well, nobody asked you, Prissy," Clarisse growled.

Hazel offered Percy a thankful smile, glad he had directed Clarisse's anger away from her. She wasn't sure what to make of Ares's daughter. She was so different from sweet and gentle Frank.

Percy shrugged. "They didn't have to," he said, responding to Clarisse. "I tend to give my opinions whether they're wanted to not."

"That's true," Thalia stated dryly. "And it causes the rest of us a lot of problems along the way."

"No kidding," Annabeth murmured, nudging her boyfriend with an elbow.

"Hey!" Percy protested, looking at her. She grinned at him and he slumped back into his seat. "Whatever."

… I'll blow him out of the water."

"That's my girl," Ares said proudly.

"I do not think a small ship like the one your daughter is on will be powerful enough to go up against a retrofitted cruise ship full of monsters and win," Athena stated.

"You don't know that," Ares growled. "Besides, cruise ships aren't meant for battle."

Athena rolled her eyes but said no more on the matter. Clarisse shifted uncomfortably, because she knew the goddess of wisdom was right, but seeing her father root for her felt…nice.

"I'm glad you didn't blow it out of the water," Chris muttered in Clarisse's ear. "Might not have been too pleasant for me if you had."

"Shut up," Clarisse whispered back, but she was grinning.

... To protect the camp."

Frank frowned at his sort of sister. Even if she was quite a jerk and seemed to be favored by an idiot like Tantalus, her cabin mates, her family, should not have left her on her own. It seemed like an extremely stupid thing to do. Not to mention quests were meant for three man teams. She needed to suck up her pride and accept the help she was being offered.

"The camp really did need the protection," Percy pointed out.

"Shut up," Clarisse muttered. "I was an idiot back then, okay?"

"Just back then?" Percy asked, eyes sparkling with mischief and a smile tugging at his lips.

"Ugh, you're so annoying," Clarisse complained.

… "What did the Oracle tell you?"

"The Oracle is never wrong," Apollo pointed out.

"It should be," Ares growled. "My kids don't mess up just cause some hyped up mummy tells them they will."

Rachel's mouth opened in protest only to find she couldn't make a sound. Sighing, she slumped back on the couch.

Apollo frowns at Ares. "The Oracle is a person," he stated. "And she is never wrong."

"Whatever," Ares growled, rolling his eyes.

"What did the Oracle tell you?" Frank asked, turning to Clarisse.

"None of your business," Clarisse snapped. "Besides, not like I could tell you, even if I wanted to."

"Oh, right," Frank said, shrinking slightly away from his sister. Probably not a good thing to poke at her when she was so angry.

… show them how we deal with enemy spies."

"You're such a generous host," Thalia said, rolling her eyes.

"Stuff it, Pinecone Face," Clarisse said. "They're lucky I was that nice. Butting into my quest, requiring me to rescue them. Please."

"We are grateful for the help with the hydra," Annabeth said. "But you could be more thankful for the help we gave you."

"Yeah, sure," Clarisse snorted.

… "Oh, no. I-I wasn't-"

"Well, it was nice knowing you, Gregor," Dionysus said, flipping a page of his magazine.

"Ah, come on, D, you're worried about him," Apollo said.

"Yeah, I mean, his cover was just blown," Hermes said. "And no offense, but you can't lie to save your life."

"I'm not worried about him," Dionysus growled, pulling the magazine in front of his face. "But you better come out of this okay. And he is lying to save his life."

Grover smiled at that.

… who'd come to the island looking for Pan.

"This Cyclopes sounds crazy," Piper said, wrinkling her nose. "Why would you want so many sheep collectables?"

"That's what you got out of that description?" Leo asked. "You're not, say, worried about all the bones?"

"Well, yes, of course," Piper said, blushing and casting an apologetic look towards Grover.

Grover shrugged. "He was crazy. Probably still is."

"He's still alive?" Jason asked, glancing between Grover, Percy, and Annabeth. All three shrugged in return. "Right," Jason muttered. "Remind me never to go to that island."

… The Golden Fleece.

"I can't believe you actually found the one thing that you needed to save the camp," Athena muttered. "The probabilities alone on that happening are just…"

"Astronomical?" Percy asked. "But even something that doesn't seem possible can happen every once in a while."

Athena frowned at him. "I suppose."

"That island sounds like a dream," Hazel said. "Uh, except for the Cyclopes."

"That's what hundreds of years with The Golden Fleece does," Dionysus pointed out.

"I guess that's true," Hazel agreed, nodding.

… up a wicked set of bronze shears.

"Uh," Connor paused, glancing at Grover.

"It's fine," Grover assured him.

Connor continued to frown, glancing at Percy for reassurance.

"It's fine," Percy confirmed.

"Okay, I guess…"

Katie rolled her eyes. "He's obviously still alive, so the shears must be for something else."

"Oh, right," Connor said. "Well, I'll just…" And he held the book up once more.

... Finish wedding train by tomorrow!"

"You just lost a whole lot of time," Persephone stated, glancing worriedly at the demigods.

"He could always just marry the guy," Apollo pointed out.

"The only thing that is keeping him from being eaten is the veil," Athena pointed out. "Which that Cyclopes is expecting to remove after the wedding."

"True," Apollo said. "Dude, that sucks. You are in so much trouble."

"Yeah, your rescue hasn't even reached the Sea of Monsters yet," Ares put in helpfully.

"He can still stall," Dionysus pointed out. "After all, Polyphemus is an idiot."

…sheep grazing peacefully in the meadows.

"Yeah, grazing peacefully," Percy mumbled darkly, earning him odd looks from those around them.

"They weren't that bad," Annabeth said. "Which is what I would say, if it weren't a lie."

"I'd be more worried about the Cyclopes, not the little sheep," Leo said.

"Well, there was that worry too," Percy agreed.

… dankness of the Cyclops's cave.

"Worst days of my life," Grover said, shuddering. "I hate being underground."

"I'm with you there," Chris said, wrinkling his nose. "It's not pleasant."

Leo shrugged, glancing over at the two. "I don't really mind it all that much."

"Well, you're crazy," Grover said.

"Granted," Leo continued. "I wouldn't like being trapped in a smelly cave prepping a wedding train in an attempt to save myself from being eaten by a Cyclopes."

"I don't think anyone would like that situation," Piper pointed out.

"True," Jason agreed with a nod.

… "The entrance to what?"

"Did you really have to ask?" Annabeth asked.

Percy shrugged. "I'd just woken up, it took a while to get my head on straight."

"Something tells me you'd have to ask even if you had your head on straight," Thalia said, Nico snickering next to her. Percy stuck his tongue out at them.

Clarisse sunk deeper into the couch she was on. She remembered this bit and she knew exactly where she was. At least no one had witnessed that. She raised a hand unconsciously to her cheek and suppressed a shudder.

… peered down into the boiler deck.

Clarisse tensed, shooting a glare at Percy, who shifted uncomfortably, but glared right back. Percy wanted Clarisse to yell at him, he wanted to pick a fight.

"Huh, wonder what you're doing there," Apollo said, glancing at Ares.

"Obviously, I'm assuring that my daughter doesn't mess things up," Ares said.

"Somehow, that doesn't sound like a good thing," Hermes said, frowning.

Clarisse scowled and looked away from the whole group. It didn't seem like her confrontation had gone unnoticed after all.

… Ares, the god of war.

"You're not my favorite either, punk," Ares growled.

"Well, I did say you were my least favorite," Percy snapped back.

"Good to know I'm not at the bottom of his crap pile," Dionysus muttered, causing Apollo and Hermes to snicker.

… my sons take this quest."

"Ares!" Aphrodite snapped, glaring at the god of war. "Don't be so rude."

"What? She's gotta know that she can't mess up."

"I doubt what you're telling her is helping," Aphrodite glared. "Children need to be shown love and encouragement, not beratings and threats."

"Wow, for once I agree with her," Annabeth muttered.

"Beratings is not a word," Athena pointed out.

Ares scoffed. "Whatever. You don't get to tell me how to interact with my kids."

"You should not be interacting with them at all," Zeus growled. "According to the rules-"

"The rules are stupid," Ares cut him off. "I mean, look where it got Hermes."

Hermes scowled at that, but sighed, hanging his head. "He has a point."

"I will not hear of this," Zeus said. "The rules are put in place-"

"In place to keep our children from-"

"ENOUGH!"

The room fell silent, all attention turning to Hestia as she sat near the crackling flames.

"I do not like the way you are arguing," Hestia said, glaring at each of the gods in turn. "So you will do so no more."

The gods all fell silent. Connor cleared his throat. "Right, well. I'll just…yeah." And he started to read once more.

… only a figure in the steam, Clarisse flinched.

"YOU DID NOT!" Aphrodite shrieked, her voice piercing everyone's eardrums and making them all flinch.

"Not like I can hurt her," Ares growled. "I'm only a figure in the steam, as is shown."

"And I'm fine," Clarisse said, although she was rather pale.

Chris squeezed her hand and she pulled away, glaring at him.

"I am," she insisted. "I don't need anyone."

"Okay, then," Percy said. "Let's move on, shall we?"

… Annabeth asked me. "Another dream?"

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Annabeth asked.

"Wasn't really a good time," Percy said. "And I wasn't quite sure what to make of it."

"And it was none of your business," Clarisse growled.

"Yeah," Percy shrugged. "Sorry about that."

"You have a nasty habit of poking your nose where it doesn't belong," Clarisse mumbled, but said no more.

... I tried not to look at her.

"You didn't do a very good job of it," Annabeth muttered. "I was wondering what was up with all your little worried and alarmed glances at her."

"Yeah, you were acting really weird," Clarisse said. "Not that I cared."

"Of course not," Percy said. "And I did try not to."

"I know, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, kissing his cheek. "It's good to know you care."

Clarisse scoffed and gagged.

… any mortal ship should've been able to travel.

"Well duh, it's not a mortal ship," Ares said. "OW!"

"You don't get to talk," Aphrodite scolded.

"That doesn't give you the right to-OW!"

"What did I just say?"

"Your mom's kinda cool when she's angry," Leo whispered to Piper.

"Yeah," Piper said.

"Just another reason to keep in mind that we shouldn't piss you off," Jason grinned, tugging on a lock of Piper's hair and causing her to flush.

The engine groaned as we increased speed.

"That is not a good thing," Leo pointed out.

"You are putting too much strain on the pistons," Poseidon pointed out.

"I don't care," Clarisse said. "The ship can handle it."

"Except it couldn't," Percy muttered.

"Shut up," Clarisse scowled.

… "No," Clarisse said. "Charybdis."

"Why are you going that way?" Poseidon asked, casting a worried glance at his son.

"It's the only way into the Sea of Monsters," Clarisse pointed out.

Poseidon groaned. "It is not," he said. "There are other ways."

"Just as dangerous," Apollo put in helpfully.

"There are safer ways than charging head first into danger," Athena chided.

"Oh, give the kid a break," Ares said. "She's doing fine."

"You don't get to talk," Aphrodite snapped at him.

… "You are crazy," Annabeth decided.

"Since when was that an unknown?" Thalia asked, smirking at Clarisse.

"Hey, I don't have to take that crap," Clarisse growled.

"Sure, sure," Thalia said. "But you are crazy."

"Oh really?" Clarisse said. "I can think of many things you and Kelp Head have done over the years that are crazier."

"Hey!" Percy put in. "I was staying out of this argument."

"And I dragged you in," Clarisse said.

"I didn't want to be," Percy groaned.

"Too bad, and you're on my side," Thalia said, grinning triumphantly.

"I hate it when I'm on your side," Percy grumbled.

"You want to be on Clarisse's side?" Thalia asked.

"I hate that more," Percy said.

… train our guns on her, and blow her to Tartarus!"

"Yep, you're crazy," Katie said.

"Yes!" Thalia cheered. "I've got another one on my side."

"So, I have all the people I need on my side," Clarisse said.

"That's right," Chris said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Ugh," Thalia groaned. "Don't turn into Percy and Annabeth, please."

"We aren't that bad," Annabeth shouted, glaring at her best friend.

Everyone else shared a glance and Percy chuckled softly, placing a kiss on his cheek.

… were buffeted by ten-foot waves.

"Why do I feel like this is going to end badly?" Hermes said.

"Probably because it will," Apollo said.

"You don't know that," Ares said.

"I do," Poseidon groaned.

"He is right," Athena said. "You cannot kill Charybdis just by blasting her with cannons."

"Why not?" Ares asked.

"What did I say about talking?" Aphrodite glared.

Ares grumbled, sinking into his throne. "I thought it was a valid question."

"You always think your questions are valid," Aphrodite huffed.

A uneasy silence fell and Connor cleared his throat, casting an anxious glance at Percy and Annabeth.

"Oh, just read," Clarisse growled.

... Neither thought made me feel any better.

"Neither thought would make me feel any better either," Jason said.

"Yeah," Leo nodded. "It's not very fun being in that position."

"I agree," Piper said.

"It sucks," all the other demigods chorused.

… You've done it before."

"Smart," Demeter praised.

"Impossible," Poseidon groaned. "Charybdis is just too powerful."

"That doesn't sound good," Persephone said.

"It's not," Athena said.

"I really, really hate this," Apollo said. Hermes nodded in agreement.

... We were in the whirlpool.

"Well, this just went from bad to worse," Katie said.

Travis nodded, but he was pressing his lips together tightly, clutching at Katie's hand as if she could save him from some unforeseen fate.

"What?" Katie asked, glancing at her boyfriend in confusion.

Travis looked over at Connor, who was grinning at his brother from over the top of the book.

"Cosmic toilet," Connor burst out in laughter, Travis not far behind, rolling off the couch in his glee.

"What?" Katie asked as the boys continued to laugh.

"Oh gods," Travis said, still rolling on the floor. "They're stuck in a cosmic toilet flush!" and he broke down into laughter once more.

"You are so immature," Katie groaned, rolling her eyes.

Leo let out an eep before more chuckles followed.

"Really?" Piper asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Leo laughed, nodding his head. Will soon followed suite and even Nico began to chuckle.

"They're in danger!" Katie said.

"From a cosmic toilet!" Leo burst out. Jason and Chris and Grover all joined in the laughter. Annabeth felt her own lips twitch and she glanced at Percy to see him grinning as well. Sure, they were in deep doo doo, but it was funny.

"You sure have a way to think of things," Annabeth said with a chuckled, pressing a kiss to Percy's cheek.

"Makes life more interesting," Percy said.

"That's for sure," Thalia said. She was giggling herself, but Percy was sure it was more because Nico was making a fool of himself rather than finding the cosmic toilet flush all that funny.

The gods all stared at their children in disbelief.

"We've all agreed that the children are crazy, right?" Zeus asked.

Several of the gods nodded. Apollo and Hermes started laughing outright with the children.

"They are too," Dionysus said dryly, motioning to the cackling gods.

The other gods all nodded. They watched as the kids slowly calmed down and regained control of their breathing. Finally, Connor retrieved the book from where he'd dropped it and opened back up to he page they were on.

"Whew, yeah," Connor said, still grinning. "That was fun."

"Yes, well, let us keep reading, shall we?" Hera demanded. She did not look like she had enjoyed the children's moment of insanity at all.

"Sure," Connor said, shrugging. "But I'm pretty sure I'm the one reading. You're just listening."

Hera looked outraged at that, moving to stand, but was halted by Zeus' hand on hers. "Calm yourself," Zeus said. "And let us continue."

Hera shot her husband a venomous look but settled back down.

…She's going to blow!"

"Tyson called it," Jason said.

"Man, I love that guy," Leo said. "He really knows his stuff."

Hephaestus nodded, eyes not leaving his current project of nuts and bolts. The Cyclopes were always good with machinery. He liked them.

"They can fix it though, right?" Piper asked.

"Not if it's already catching people on fire," Leo said. "You'd have to have someone fireproof to be able to fix it then."

"Tyson is," Jason pointed out.

"But he wouldn't want to be in the boiler room if it did blow," Leo said. "It's too dangerous."

"Well, they are getting sucked into the cosmic toilet," Jason said. "I can't imagine it would get much worse."

"It can get worse," Leo said. "Trust me."

"I don't like the sound of that," Piper muttered.

… "Prepare yourself for death."

"Such a cheerful thought," Dionysus drawled.

"No it's not," Hermes said, frowning.

"I think he was being sarcastic," Apollo said.

"How do you know, he sounds the same as he always does," Hermes said.

"Because he's always sarcastic," Apollo said.

"Good point," Hermes said. He turned to the children, eyes landing on Percy, Annabeth, and Clarisse. "You're all screwed."

"How did you get out of it?" Persephone asked, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"How about let's read and we'll find out," Athena snapped, glaring at the flower goddess before turning her gaze back on her daughter to reassure herself she was alright.

… "I will fix it. Be right back."

"Uh," Leo said, raising his hand and causing Connor to pause once more. "He will be right back, right? He fixes it, right?"

Percy, Annabeth, and Clarisse all shared a quick look with each other, grimacing.

"Oh," Leo said. They didn't have to say anything, even if they could. That look spoke volumes.

"This sucks," Jason said.

"Stupid cosmic toilet," Will muttered with a glare. He knew they all came out of this okay, but the situation still sucked.

… floating garbage stuck between them.

"Worst braces job ever," Percy muttered. "Ow, hey," he protested as Annabeth smacked him.

"Shut up," she said, but she was smiling. "Why do you do that?"

"Cause it's funny?" Percy said. "Also, if you hadn't noticed, my brain tends to focus on random things during intense situations."

"We've noticed," Thalia said. "Believe me. We've all noticed."

"How you're still alive when you can't seem to concentrate is beyond me," Rachel said, grinning. "But we've noticed."

"Thanks," Percy said dryly.

... "Fire!" Clarisse ordered.

"That won't do anything," Athena said.

"Sure it will," Ares said, grinning. "Blew that monster to bits."

Athena shook her head. "It's too late. They are going to be sucked in or blown up. Charybdis cannot be killed with simple guns and cannons. You will just make her mad."

"Listen," Ares growled. "I know my weaponry. This will work."

"I really don't think it will," Poseidon mused.

Clarisse sunk down in her seat, shaking her head in both disbelief and humiliation. She really had been an idiot back then.

"Don't worry," Percy said, catching sight of her face. She glanced at him softly, her glare turning venomous. She did not need his pity right now. "You're still at idiot."

Clarisse stared at him a moment, completely ignoring the stares of the others around her. Her lips twitched up in a grin before she laughed. "Thanks for that," she said. Percy grinned right back.

"They're all doomed," Dionysus muttered, shaking his head and turning his attention back to his magazine.

… pulling away from the mouth.

"Woo! Go Tyson!" Chris, Travis, and Connor cheered. Several other faces relaxed, relief feeling their eyes.

"I love that Cyclopes," Thalia said.

"You do?" Grover asked, looking as though all his dreams had been crushed.

Thalia shot him a glare. "Not like that, idiot," she snapped.

Grover chuckled slightly, rubbing the back of his head. "Right," he said.

... Water washed over Charybdis.

A collective relieved breath was exhaled around the room.

"That is nothing to celebrate," Poseidon said, voice grim as he glanced at his son. Really, the boy got in more trouble than any other child of his before him.

"Of course it is," Ares said. "Now they can lay into the beast all they want and blow her to bits."

Poseidon shook his head. This was not good. Not good at all.

… opposite side of the strait.

"Not good," Apollo said.

"Not at all," Hermes said. Both were frowning, glancing over at the three demigods before them for reassurance. They came out of this alive. The question, though, was how.

"It wasn't fun either," Annabeth muttered, extremely grateful the book didn't describe how sick she had felt while they'd been tossed about on the wave and spun wildly.

Percy nodded in agreement. "And it just keeps getting better," he muttered softly to himself, knowing exactly where this was going.

… "No!" Clarisse yelled.

"Don't be an idiot, girl," Zeus growled at Clarisse before turning his smoldering gaze on Ares. "This is your fault."

"MY fault?" Ares asked. "How in the worl-ack! Would you quit throwing shoes at me!"

"It is your fault," Aphrodite said, sniffing. "You're the one who threatened and beat your own daughter. I'm ashamed of you."

"Told you he was no good," Hephaestus muttered.

"Leave my baby alone," Hera snapped, glaring at Aphrodite.

"I'm not your baby," Ares growled.

"This is devolving quickly, isn't it?" Percy commented lightly, watching as the gods began to throw more insults towards each other.

"You could say that," Annabeth said. "Wish we had some popcorn."

"Ooh, that would be fun," Percy agreed, grinning.

Thunder shook the whole of the room, lightning crackling above them and causing hair to stand on end.

"I'm uh," Connor began, glancing uneasily up at the ceiling. "Just going to finish reading this…now…"

… a flash of teeth and scales.

"Well, this officially sucks," Apollo said. Tension was still crackling in the air, literally, but the gods had all fallen silent, turning to listen to the story.

"No kidding," Hermes said. "They have zero luck with this whole questing gig, don't they?"

"You can say that again," Artemis said. "I cannot believe they had survived as long as they have."

… "I can't leave Tyson!"

"You really don't have a choice," Thalia pointed out. "Besides, he'll be fine. He's fireproof, remember?"

"That doesn't mean I was going to leave him," Percy said.

"That loyalty will get you killed," Athena pointed out.

"Hasn't killed me yet," Percy growled.

"Which is surprising," Athena replied glibly.

"I think it's admirable," Aphrodite said. "Such a roma-"

"No one wants to hear what you think," Persephone said, rolling her eyes.

"Excuse me?" Aphrodite asked.

"You heard her," Hades said. "I don't think she needs to repeat herself."

"She wouldn't know romance if it hit her in the face," Aphrodite spat.

"She's more romantic than you'll ever be," Hades growled. "Why, do you have any-"

"I don't want to hear that!" Demeter shrieked.

"QUIET! ALL OF YOU!" Hestia roared. Silence fell between the gods, all staring at the roaring fireplace. "Thank you," Hestia said, softer this time. "Let us continue, shall we. No more fighting. There's no sense to it."

... "The heat will kill you!"

"I'm going to guess he doesn't listen," Thalia said.

"Percy never listens, it's not that hard of a guess," Nico said.

"Hey, I listen," Percy protested.

I didn't listen.

"Not this time,"Thalia said, snickering.

"Well, yeah, but I couldn't just leave Tyson," Percy said, turning pleading eyes on Annabeth.

"I know," Annabeth said softly. Thalia and Nico fell silent.

… the CSS Birmingham exploded below me.

"That's not good," Hermes said.

"No kidding," Apollo said.

Poseidon and Athena were white faced, glancing at their children. Even Ares looked shocked.

"You give new meaning to the phrase 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire,' Peter," Dionysus muttered.

"This is hardly the time to be joking," Artemis scolded.

Dionysus shrugged. "They all survive. Somehow."

Everyone fell silent at that. It was true.

… assuming they got away from Scylla.

"So, not very good odds," Chris said, turning to frown in worry at his girlfriend.

Clarisse rolled her eyes, inside secretly pleased at his show of concern. "Oh please, we're fine. Kelp Head just over worries about everything."

"He isn't wrong though," Poseidon said. He seemed to have regained some color to his face, but he still looked slightly nauseated at the predicament his sons and Athena's daughter were in. He was ever worried for Ares' daughter, rude as she was. The one consolation in all this wreckage was the knowledge that the explosion wouldn't kill Tyson. Probably.

"Yeah, yeah, we were in danger of being sucked down or grabbed by Scylla," Clarisse muttered. "But it didn't happen. Now shut up, I want to know what happens next."

"You don't know?" Chris asked. Curious eyes turned on Clarisse, who shrugged. "I was in a different boat from Annabeth," she pointed out.

… propelling me across the ocean.

Hermes frowned a little at that. "It is dangerous to let too much out at once," he said. "But, I guess, considering the circumstances, it had to be done," he conceded.

"And a good thing too," Clarisse said. "I think that got us all out of the danger zone."

"You're welcome," Annabeth said, grinning cheekily at Clarisse.

"I wasn't thanking you," Clarisse grumbled.

… hadn't been the son of the Sea God.

"Ugh," Percy said, head jerking to the side in an attempt to lessen a blow that wasn't happening. He leaned forward after, nausea rising up in him as he whole body lit aflame with pain, his head the worst. Everything was going dark and the sounds around him were fading out like a cassette tape failure.

Poseidon made to rise but resisted the urge to check on his son. He just had to tell himself that Percy was okay. That Percy was going to be okay.

Annabeth frowned, reaching out to touch him before thinking better of it. She glared at Connor, who buried his face back in the book, fumbling over the next words in his haste to finish the chapter.

The last thing I remembered was sinking in a burning sea, knowing that

Tyson was gone forever, and wishing I were able to drown.

"Well, that's a happy ending to that chapter," Hermes drawled as Connor slammed the book shut as if to emphasize the fact that the chapter was over.

The rest of the group was frowning at Percy, who was slowly sitting up, moving as though afraid the pain would return if he did anything too fast.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't a very pleasant experience," Percy muttered. He sighed, leaning back and gripping Annabeth's hand. "Even less so the second time."

"Sorry about that," Annabeth said, squeezing his hand. She remembered being so frightened when she saw Percy drop out of the sky like a stone and hit the water hard. She'd been so afraid that he'd been killed in all the chaos.

Percy grinned at her and shook his head. "You saved us all," he said. "Nothing to be sorry for."

Annabeth chuckled and shook her head. "Sure, sure," she said.

"Well," Hera said, standing up and smoothing the fabric of her dress down. "I do believe dinner is in order."

"Ah, come on," Hermes whined.

"It's a cliff hanger," Apollo said.

"Literally," Hermes said.

"Well, almost," Apollo corrected. Both began laughing at the joke.

"And it shall continue to be so for a while longer," Hera snapped. "It is time for dinner now."

"Oh good," Percy said, standing up and stretching before offering a hand to Annabeth. "I'm getting hungry."

"You're always hungry," Annabeth muttered, accepting his hand and allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"Except when the two of you are macking," Travis pointed out.

"Really didn't need to hear that," Thalia said, shoving at Travis as she headed out of the throne room.

"What? It's the truth," Travis said, glancing at his girlfriend for back up.

"It might be," Katie agreed, following the group as they made their way from the throne room. "But we don't need to hear about it."

Travis frowned, but shrugged, catching the eye of his grinning brother. "Whatever," he said. "Let's get some food."

"Right there with you," Connor said.