Ms Athena is a slave driver when it comes to studying. I don't really mind it so much since I'm learning so much, but I do enjoy sleep too.

She had given me multiple different books on every topic under the sun to read; from science to pre-calculus. A lot of it was above my grade, and I struggled to understand it, but she had a lot of patience and went through all of it with me.

She'd also given me some simple worksheets to go through; English spelling ones and Maths multiplication tables. I knew that they were helping me, but I was now having my days full of studying with barely any time to play. I shouldn't complain though- a goddess was tutoring me in school and all I had to give up was my free time.

My favourite subject nowadays is biology! The idea that everything has water in it is so interesting; I wonder if one day I'll be able to control blood or maybe draw water out of leaves?

Ms Athena was amused at my love of marine biology, and when she asked why, I panicked and told her it's because my dad was a fisherman. She went quiet for a bit after that.

oOo

I finished my 'homework' last night, and I was looking forward to a swim in the Hudson.

I've been practising swimming; ducking under the water, racing up and down the river, trying to go faster and faster. Even more impressive, I've timed myself swimming from my special secret spot in the Hudson all the way up to the Statue of Liberty and back, and I did it in two hours!

Another thing I noticed; I can hunt fish! Well, that's a bit obvious, but when I go underwater and I start racing, sometimes I feel like turning to chase down the fish instead. When that instinct starts, my fingers go kinda webbed? It's weird but I turn almost half fish and my teeth get sharper! It's so cool!

I've hunted down some fish in the Hudson, mostly Bass, but I've only taken a single bite out of them before spitting it out. They taste nasty! Like pollution and too metallic for just copper blood.

I hope that if I go out past the Harbour, into the actual Ocean, I might be able to find fresh fish that are actually really tasty to eat.

oOo

This morning, I got up really early (at 6am!), and snuck out as soon as mom left for her first work shift before the sun rose. Getting into the actual ocean and back might take a long while - not counting the time I have to take to go hunt my fish lunch.

The sun had barely risen over the horizon when I got to my spot in the Hudson.

The familiar Catfish and a few newer Bass swam up to greet me, 'My Lord!- Early aren't you?- The sun's barely up!- Hi princeling'

"Hello," I call. I drop my backpack on the shore and shoulder my empty messenger bag which I'll be using to collect anything interesting in. "I'm early because I want to swim for longer today."

'Commendable- You woke me up- It's weird that you aren't always swimming- He's a land dweller, of course he isn't always swimming- Have fun princeling!'

I laughed and waded into the river, "Thank you, have a nice day!"

I dove under the water to hear their last few, 'Goodbye!- Bye- You too!'

oOo

It took over an hour for me to get to New York Harbour according to the plastic watch on my wrist.

The Upper Bay was as fascinating as always with it's sunken wrecks and multiple skeletons. Fish swam around in schools; darting around and weaving into shipwrecks. There were a few human skeletons that I think are so cool! Maybe there's even some pirate ships here?

I had fun exploring the wrecks in the bay, my finds were amazing! I found a lost pearl necklace, two diamond rings, and an old gun that George Washington might've used - it was that old! I pocketed them all in my bag- they might sell really well.

A few of the fish came up to speak to me, politely introducing themselves to their prince, and I greeted them back. A few others - the kind that I noticed weren't really intelligent- swam straight by. Those kinds of fish can barely communicate anything other than their base emotions and instincts, and I find them the best to hunt.

I managed to hunt and eat three anchovies as a light snack, but then I had to move on.

I had spent a full hour in the bay - it was now 8:30am - and I haven't even gotten to the Lower Bay yet!

oOo

It took another hour to get to the Lower Bay. It would have taken longer, but the sea currents helped me get past Staten Island faster.

The Lower Bay had even more shipwrecks than the Upper Bay, and some here were way more intact! I found an old submarine that I had a bit of difficulty opening with my webbed fingers, but the inside was so sick! It looks like it came from World War Two or something and there was German written on the walls. I grabbed some coins I found in a bunk.

I also found a weird skeleton in the bay. A passing sunfish called it a 'broken horse', but I'm pretty sure that from the very long neck, it's either a giraffe or a brontosaurus. Neither make sense to me as to why they would be at the bottom of the bay - but I accepted it with a shrug.

A Silver Hake tried to bite me when I swam by, so I bit it. It didn't taste as good as the anchovies, but it was definitely a sight better than the fish in the Hudson. All the marine life ignored me after that, and I tried to not feel hurt by it.

By the time I finished exploring another wreck, my watch said it was nearly 11am and I still had a way to go until I reached the main Atlantic Ocean.

I had to sadly wave goodbye to the pretty wrecks in the Bay, but I comforted myself with the fact that the ocean probably had even cooler stuff.

oOo

I may have messed up.

Right, so, it took me an hour and a half for me to swim all the way out into the Atlantic. I met some very nice and polite Dolphins who took me to the nearest reef, which took another 45 minutes. The reef was very nice, but then another Dolphin swam up and got really shocked when he saw me and swam off to alert someone.

That's the part where I messed up.

The other Dolphin told the rest of them to not let me out of their sight because I'm the son of Poseidon (which they hadn't noticed until they were told), and they obeyed unquestionably. I tried to excuse myself but they stayed firm that I couldn't leave.

It's now nearly 2pm, I haven't eaten anything since I left the Lower Bay, and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to get home before Mom realises I'm gone.

"Excuse me," I interrupt the chattering pod. Fiddling with one of my finds, a small piece of pottery, I speak up. "I'm kinda hungry, and my Mom has dinner at home - may I please leave?" I tried to phrase it like a command, but my nervousness got a hold of me.

'No can do, my Prince! Delphin said you have to stay here, we can catch some fish for you!'

Great. Now I can't even do my own hunting!

I was hungry, so I agreed. "Can I have a Striped Bass? Or maybe some Tuna?"

One of the younger members of the pod came back with a dead Bass for me.

"Thank you," I said politely. I may be being held hostage by them, but Mom taught me how to use my manners.

The Bass tasted much better than what the Hudson had to offer, and I got blood all down my chin. Mhmm, I love the fish here, I should totally swim out to the ocean more often- they're hiding all the best snacks down here.

I side-eye the pod. Or maybe not. Why are they holding me here? Are they going to alert someone of me being here? I hope not, I don't think I'd be able to escape if that happens.

Someone is approaching the pod.

I quickly wipe the remains of the Bass from my face and duck down into the reef to hide. The coral and anemones hide my form, though not as well as I wish, so I have to curl up tight to avoid being spotted.

The person approaching was a merman! He had two tails, long black hair tied back, and his skin was a light green shade. He looked like he was around 20 or so years old, and was wearing pretty, pearl decorated, blue clothes.

The merman was being led by the Dolphin named 'Delphin' from earlier. "This way My Prince! I had them keep him here!"

Prince? But I'm the sea prince? Unless…

I peak out from between the coral. The merman's my brother Triton. They must have gone to tell him that his little brother is wandering around the Atlantic by himself.

"Here? Where is he?" Triton frowns down at the pod.

The Dolphin elders glance at each other. "He's hiding in the coral, my Prince. We think he's scared and confused as to what's happening," one of them answers.

I wanted to curse them for giving out my location, but I kept quiet and shrunk back even more into the reef.

Don't see me, please don't see me, please let me go home! Was my internal mantra.

But the universe didn't seem to care that I was hiding from him.

He swam down closer to my hiding spot. Gingerly he brushed the sea anemone hiding me, aside.

We made eye contact and I shrank back away from him.

"A brother," he gasped breathlessly. He seemed shocked to see me, as if I wasn't supposed to exist at all.

"As I thought." Came a mutter from Delphin, he floated over to see me from over Triton's shoulder. "He's very young too."

Triton's face softened at that. "Hello, little one." He crooned down at me, "What are you doing so far from your home on land?"

My heart was racing, my eyes darting around for an exit- but the only way out was blocked by my brother.

"I just wanted to go exploring," I murmured softly. My arms curled even tighter around my legs. "I didn't mean to go so far. I want my Mom."

I want Mom to hug me and make all my problems disappear. I want Ms Athena to help me to figure out the smart thing to do. I want to go home.

"It's okay," he told me. "I'm Triton, you brother. I'll help you find your Mom. What's your name?"

He outstretched a hand to me. I looked at it for a few seconds, before slowly taking it.

"My name is Percy Jackson."

A/N

So, the plot starts! Triton has met his little brother, and, if you know your greek mythos, you know that Athena killed Triton's daughter Pallas. Uh oh.

Also, just a fyi, this story will be updating daily this month, but chapter 25 onwards will be once a week if I can. This is because I have my October-November exams and I don't want to deal with actually writing new content each week unless I run out of prewritten stuff.