Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Chapter 25: California Girl
On the Road
Percy's POV
It had been twenty-four hours since I spoke with Ares and Aphrodite, I stopped at a rest area and slept for a few hours before heading back on the road. I was just outside of Cheyenne Wyoming, I had about twelve hours to go before I reached California. I was getting a little tired so I turned on my radio, one thing about my car it has a killer sound system, killer in more ways than one. You see I could project sound levels that would turn your brain to jelly in a few seconds, but inside the car the sound quality was incredible it felt like you were sitting in the sound studio when the song was recorded. As I flipped through the channels suddenly "California Gurls" by Katy Perry came on the radio. I knew Annabeth hated this song, but in some ways it always reminded me of her, besides she's from California.
When the song finished I couldn't help, but think of Annabeth. I couldn't lose her, I needed her more than anything in my life and I would fight to keep her. The one nagging concern behind my quest was that Annabeth would turn down the chance to be immortal with me. I knew she would worry about our friends and her family, she would definitely have a problem not aging while they grew old and eventually died. Then the idea hit me. She would worry about her dad the most and I'm on my way to California, maybe I can stop by her house and speak with him. I knew if he was OK with her being immortal, maybe Annabeth would be as well. It was worth a shot while I was already out here. This idea somehow gave me new found energy as I drove on.
I stopped five hours later at another rest area and slept, my dreams were plagued with two subjects Annabeth and the Garden of Hesperides. Both did little to comfort me. I awoke still a little tired four hours later. I pulled back out on the road and continued on my way. I drove for another fifteen hours until I reached San Francisco. I used Tibby's computer navigation system to locate the Chase household. I pulled into the drive-way and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked terrible, I had bags under my eyes and my hair, which was still short from school was standing straight up in the air. I found an environmental control panel in the car and I pushed the water mist button, perfect for IMs and to refresh a weary son of Poseidon. The mist sprayed me in the face and I could feel my body lighten up and my skin tingle. I looked back into the mirror and the bags under my eyes were gone and my eyes looked more alive. I used the mist and somehow controlled my wild hair. I straightened up my clothes and walked towards the door of the house. It took me a few minutes as I tried to bring feeling back to my legs after driving for so long.
I rang the door bell and waited, it was about seven in the evening and I knew they had to be home. The door finally opened and standing before me was Annabeth's stepmother, her eyes grew wide when she figured out it was me.
"Percy, why are you here, is Annabeth alright?" Mrs. Chase asked worriedly. Annabeth and her stepmother had grown quite close over the past few years and I was glad. I knew she didn't like the demigod lifestyle, but she was resigned to the fact that Annabeth couldn't change who her mother was. Now for yours truly Mrs. Chase was always very nice to me and for some reason I suspected that Annabeth had talked way too much about me.
"Mrs. Chase, Annabeth is fine, I'm on a quest and I thought I'd stop by and visit." I kind of lied.
She gave me an amused glare. "I thought I told you to call me Helen" (AN: I like her name as Helen, so thank you to the story Demigods go to Highschool by DragoNick for the idea) Mrs. Chase or Helen said.
I gave her my patented crooked smile. "Sorry Helen, can I come in?" I asked. She opened the door fully and let me into the house. The boys must have been upstair or out with friends because the house was very quiet. Mr. Chase was sitting in his chair in the living room reading a book on Roman military tactics.
"Percy, so go to see you my boy, is everything OK, where's Annabeth?" He asked curiously.
"Mr. Chase, she's back at camp. I'm on a quest by myself and since I was nearby I thought I would stop and say hello." I said, hoping that I sounded more confident than I felt.
"Percy, we've all known each other for a long while now, what since you were fourteen. Please call me Frederick. I know there is more that you're not telling us." He said, he gave me a look that reminded me of Annabeth. I had to tell them sometime.
"Yes, there's more, its just hard to talk about." I said.
"Did you and Annabeth break up?" Helen asked.
"No, not exactly." I said.
"What does that mean?" Mr. Chase asked worriedly.
"I know you probably didn't here of the battle this summer between the gods and the remaining titans." I said. They both looked at me worriedly.
"It's OK we won, but something happened." I said.
"Go on, something happened to whom?" Frederick asked.
"To me and Theseus, we found out more about our mothers." I said. That interested both of them greatly now.
"You found out something about Sally?" Helen asked.
"Yes, I found out that she is a half blood." I said. They both looked at me wide eyed.
"Which parent?" Frederick asked.
"She found out her mother is Gaea." I said. Frederick sighed loudly and Helen just looked at him curiously.
"Frederick, what's the matter?" Helen asked.
"Percy's grandmother is the mother of the primordial gods and the titans. She was called the mother of all or as we mortals call her, mother nature." Frederick said.
"How does this impact Percy?" Helen asked. I knew by the look on Frederick's face that he suspected the answer, but he didn't give it up.
"Helen, as I have recently learned from my brother and Lord Zeus, I'm not a half blood like Annabeth, I'm much more than that. I'm three quarters of a god and there have only been a handful in all of history. You see every last one of these people including myself have been immortal." I said sadly. They both stared at me and I could tell that they were processing this information.
"Annabeth is not immortal." Helen said and Frederick nodded toward her in the affirmative.
"I'm afraid not, she is a mortal demigod. She would not want to marry an immortal even if its me." I said. They both looked at me sadly.
"There has to be a way for the two of you to be together." Helen said, I always suspected that she supported us, but she sounded like Aphrodite at the moment.
"There is a way, isn't there?" Frederick said. I can see why Athena fell for him, he is very smart and perceptive.
"Yes sir, I asked the oracle, how to make a demigod immortal?" I said. They both stared at me completely in suspense. "She said that I would need to find a golden apple in the Garden of the Hesperides."
"Hera's apples?" Frederick said.
"Yes, Hera gave her blessing, I can take one apple to make Annabeth immortal." I said.
"You came here to see what we think of this?" Frederick asked.
"You see I didn't tell Annabeth where I was going because you know she would try to stop me. The prophecy from the oracle was for me alone. This is my quest and no one can intervene. I know she will worry about both of you and what you would think of her being immortal?" I stated. They both stared at each other for a minute or two, I was getting pretty nervous when they both smiled at me.
"Percy my boy, we know that Annabeth loves you more than anything and if she has to become immortal to be with you then you both have our blessing." Frederick said as Helen put her arm around his waist. A feeling of relief washed over me and I'm sure the color in my face returned quickly.
"Thank you very much." I said as I stood up to leave.
"Going so soon?" Helen asked.
"I'm sorry, but the garden is on the big island of Hawaii. If I'm ever to get this quest complete I need to be on my way." I said. They both stood up and quickly gave me a hug.
"Percy, we both know that you'll succeed, but just in case, good luck son." Frederick said.
"Thank you both so much. I suspect that Annabeth will IM both of you soon, if you would please let her know that I love her and that I will never give up." I said as I walked out of the house and headed for Tibby. I have one shot at success and I planned to make the most of it.
Camp Half Blood
Annabeth's POV
I awoke the next morning still sore from the sword practice with Luke. Actually I practiced with Luke, Thalia, Nico and Chris. I beat all of them except Luke, but he just barely won. I took a hot shower and I felt a lot better. I put on the usual camp clothes a t-shirt, shorts and my pair of old converse. I walked to the mess hall and met all my friends at the Poseidon table as I sat down for breakfast.
"Annie, you're looking well, how did you sleep?" Thalia asked.
"I slept fine mom, you're acting all motherly, should I be afraid?" I asked sarcastically.
"I can't worry about my best friend?" Thalia asked. I just smiled and held her hand.
"Sure you can, thank you for being a good friend Thals." I said. Everyone smiled at us, but suddenly we heard several people yelling at each other. We all stood up and ran outside to see the Stoll brothers on one side and the twins of Themis, Moira and Kyra. I noticed that the two girls had some kind of red stuff in their hair. I realized when I saw the evil glare in Thalia's eyes that it was jello. Thalia was still pissed when they used the jello against the huntresses that one time during capture the flag.
"These two little bastards are going to get it." Moira said. Kyra tapped her bracelet and it turned into a five foot spear.
"I'm going to shove this so far up their ..." Kyra started to say.
"Children, break this up. Connor and Travis, you will apologize to these young ladies." Chiron said as he stood in between the four.
"Chiron, it was only a joke." Travis said. Chiron gave him the death glare.
"Alright, I'm sorry." Travis said. He looked at his brother and Connor just stared between Travis and Chiron.
"I apologize too." Connor said. Kyra and Moira just looked at the two sons of Hermes like they were two pieces of meat that needed to be fried.
"Chiron I still want to beat them senseless." Kyra said.
"I'm sorry child I cannot allow that, but I can ensure you that they are punished properly." Chiron said as he motioned for the Stoll brothers to follow him, they both followed and I had to laugh at the worried looks on their faces. Chiron had a punishment in mind and since they were already on kitchen duty it must be a good one.
Thalia and I walked over to Kyra and Moira. "We're sorry that they played that stupid prank on both of you." I said as Thalia smiled from behind me.
Kyra and Moira both looked at us warily at first, but then I extended my hand, Kyra looked at it closely and then she took my hand in hers and shook it.
"My name is Annabeth daughter of Athena and this is my good friend Thalia, daughter of Zeus." I said. They both looked at us as if they recognized our names.
"I'm Kyra and this is Moira my twin sister, we are daughters of Themis." Kyra said proudly. Moira looked at me closely. "You're the girlfriend of one of the dioscuri aren't you?" Moira said.
"Yes, Percy Jackson is my boyfriend." I said with sadness in my voice. Thalia put a hand on my shoulder. Moira and Kyra just stared at me curiously.
"Yes, none of us have seen him for a while, where is he?" Kyra asked.
"He's on a quest." Thalia said quickly trying to get off the subject of Percy.
"By himself, isn't that unusual?" Moira asked.
"It is, but he has gone on solo quests before." I said.
"Why such the interest in the dioscuri?" Thalia asked.
"They're not just the dioscuri, they are the supreme dioscuri. They are sons of Poseidon and grandchildren of Gaea. The prophecy that predicted they're arrival has been known to the titans since before the first titan war." Moira stated. I never knew they were that important. "Well it was nice to meet both of you, but we have to go to training., take care." Thalia and I waved goodbye to them, they were nice, but a little too fixated on the dioscuri.
"Thalia, I'll see you later I have some drawings for Olympus to work on." I said.
Thalia just rolled her eyes. "Go ahead brain finish your designs." Thalia said as she walked toward the Hades cabin, probably to have a make out session with Nico. I walked to my cabin and walked into my room and closed the door. I pulled out Daedalus's laptop and started drawing. I heard someone clear their throat from behind me. I turned and looked behind me to see my father in the window of an Iris message. I didn't even know he knew how to do Iris Messaging.
"Hello, my dear how are you?" My dad said. I guess I have to tell him now.
AN: Another filler chapter, I promise more action in the next chapter.