Percy was way too tired of sitting around in a car all day, but when they reached Los Angeles he felt much better. He had thought that as they got closer to their destination he would be terrified of everything that he would have to face when they went to the underworld, and at first he was, but then he caught a glimpse of the ocean.
Living in New York all his life, Percy had gotten used to seeing ocean and water everywhere, but it was a sight that he never got tired of. The sea always left him feeling breathless and calm. It brought thoughts of freedom and strength to his mind. It reminded him of his mom. It smelled like home.
When Percy mentioned that last bit in his excited ramblings about the ocean Luke rolled down all of the windows. It was a lot noisier, but Percy loved the smell of the sea. It almost made him forget that they were on their way to the underworld.
Luke had told Aries that he knew how to get to the underworld, and Percy trusted him. He was a little curious, but really excited, when Luke drove closer and closer to the ocean. Percy practically had his face pressed against the window as he watched the violent and high waves. During the drive he'd frequently been terrified of the harsh winds and waves. The times when he had slept most during the drive was when the storm had been at its absolute worst and Percy needed to block out the threat and noise.
As afraid as Percy was of the storm, he had nothing but fascination for the way that the ocean reacted to the bad weather. He knew that the ocean was probably really dangerous in this kind of weather, but Percy was too in awe to really be afraid of it. The waves looked far too cool for Percy to let his caution get the better of him.
Luke drove closer and closer to the ocean until he pulled up right next to a nearly abandoned beach. Percy could tell that this beach would be extremely crowded if it was nicer out, but the storm had chased off all the people. They almost had the entire beach to themselves.
Grover seemed reluctant to go out into the storm, but Luke dragged him out. Percy ignored the storm and ran towards the shore. Percy had taken his shoes off during the long drive, and he hadn't been bothered to put them back on when they stopped, so he just ran right up to the water and allowed the cold waves to wash over his feet. The chill made him shiver, but it felt really good. Being close to the ocean made everything feel better.
Percy just stood there for several minutes, taking in the sea. This was his dad's territory. Feeling so comfortable around the ocean was part of Percy's birthright. After everything Percy had heard from Luke about the gods, it felt weird for him to feel so naturally at ease in his dad's territory. Percy still didn't know how he felt about Poseidon.
"Hey, Perce," Luke came up to him and ruffled his hair. Because of the rain his hair was soaking wet and stuck all over the place thanks to Luke. "What's going through that head of yours?"
"I don't know," Percy muttered. "I've just always been drawn to the ocean, you know? And now I know it's because of my dad. I don't know if I care about him one way or another, but I'm still drawn to the ocean, you know? I still want to be near it."
"Just because your dad's the god of something doesn't mean that you're obligated to love or hate it," Luke said. "Just look at me. I couldn't care less about my dad, but I still love being on the road. It may have come from him, but it's still part of who I am."
Percy looked at Luke. "I didn't know you liked travelling."
"I get a little antsy if I'm in one place for too long." Luke said. "I never feel safe. When I'm on the move, anything that might have been after me is suddenly far behind me."
"But don't you live at Camp Half-Blood year round?" Percy asked.
"That's because it's still my home." Luke said. He chuckled darkly. "And Chiron is reluctant to let me leave for good. Unless campers have a plan and a place to go when they're not at camp, Chiron doesn't like them to be away from the safety of the camp."
"But you're an adult," Percy said. "And you've been at camp for so long. You'd be able to handle yourself just fine."
"That's what I've been trying to tell Chiron," Luke said. "I"ve been playing with a few ideas though, and hopefully I'll be out of there soon."
"What kind of plans do you have?" Percy asked. "Jobs? School?"
"I can't really imagine having a real job," Luke said. When Percy thought about Luke working in an office or store he couldn't help but chuckle. Luke would probably end up tearing the limbs off of anybody who dared to be rude to him in the way that people often were to struggling employees.
Luke looked thoughtful for a second. "Although...I really do like being there for demigods who have nobody else to turn to, but you have no idea how many demigods there are out there who don't even know about camp, or don't want to be at camp at all. They still deserve a safe place to go though, and if I can give that to them, be somebody they know they could count on in a way that they could never trust the gods, I would be happy."
"That's so cool," Percy muttered in quiet awe. "Like a foster home or homeless shelter just for demigods,"
"Except better," Luke said. "Safer." Luke put his hands in his pockets and sighed. "You know, just because I hate the gods doesn't mean you have to too. If you think you're drawn to the ocean because you want to have a connection with your dad, it might be worth a shot to try to talk to him. Who knows, maybe he'll even listen to you?"
Percy looked at Luke in shock. Had someone come along and possessed Luke? This was the last thing that Percy had expected to hear from him. "You want me to have a relationship with my dad?"
"I want you to see for yourself what the gods are like, not just take my word for it." Luke said. "And when we go down to the underworld, I don't want you to have any regrets."
Percy took a deep breath. He hadn't thought much about trying to talk to his dad, at least not since leaving camp. While at camp Percy had felt extremely lonely, and that loneliness had come because of who his dad was. It was tough to deal with, but Percy had thought that it might have been a little easier if he had some kind of relationship with his dad. Right now, they were practically strangers, and Percy didn't appreciate being judged and cast aside because of the actions of somebody he didn't know anything about.
Luke gave Percy a gentle push towards the water. "Go ahead. Check out the ocean. I'll wait right here for you."
Percy still wasn't sure if he wanted to try to talk to his dad, but it wasn't often that he got to see the ocean so close, and he hadn't really done much with water since being claimed by Poseidon. Percy knew that he had water powers, but he didn't know exactly what he could do. At camp he'd been too busy learning general demigod skills to really figure out just how far his control of the water went. He wanted to know just what he could do.
Percy walked into the water and let the waves crash over him. He felt like he should be knocked over by the force of the waves, but somehow he kept his balance. Percy walked until the water was up to his chest. He then waited until just before a wave that was large enough to go over his head hit him, and he dove straight into it.
The ocean was in chaos under water, but a different kind of chaos than the waves on the surface. The water felt both cold and warm around him. He could feel the water swirling around him. He imagined if he was a normal person he would be tossed and turned all over the place, and maybe even be pulled out into the sea. Because of his influence of the water, it left him alone. Percy was able to just sit on the ocean floor and let the tide wash around him.
Percy closed his eyes and just felt the water around him. He didn't think he could feel his dad's presence, but he didn't mind. While it would be nice to be acknowledged by his dad, Percy felt like if he actually had the chance to talk to his dad it would be really bittersweet, and Percy didn't want his moment in the water to be ruined. He felt at peace now, and he didn't want to do anything to change that.
Percy was so content that he lost track of time. He was probably sitting there for a few minutes before he realized that he didn't feel the suffocating burning of running out of air. He had no issue breathing at all. Percy was able to breath under water. Percy didn't feel like this was a new development, but he'd never noticed it before. He had gone swimming as much as he possibly could as a kid. How could he have not noticed something like this?
Percy remembered when he was younger his mom would never let him swim unless she was watching him. She would pull him out of the water whenever he was under for more than thirty seconds, when Percy still felt like he could hold his breath for much longer. Before, Percy had thought that she had just been overly protective, but now he wondered if it was because she suspected he could do something like this. She had wanted to protect him from the knowledge of his powers.
Percy sighed and leaned back until he was laying on the ocean floor. He watched the surface of the water above him. A few more minutes later Percy felt a change in the water. He could sense some power here.
"My lord," Percy heard a woman's voice say. He sat up and turned to see a beautiful woman with flowing hair coming towards him. For a moment Percy thought that it was his mom, but she felt incredibly different. This woman had an aura about her.
"Who are you?" Percy asked. His voice sounded muffled and distant through the water, but the woman seemed to understand him just fine. She gave him a gentle smile.
"I am a Nereid, one of your father's loyal attendents." The woman said. Percy had never met an ocean nymph before, but he was more concerned about what else she had said.
"My father," Percy felt both impressed and annoyed. "Did he send you?" The Nereid nodded. "Why couldn't he have just come for himself?"
The Nereid's smile became sad and sympathetic. "There are old laws that forbid the gods from directly interfering in the lives of their children. This is especially true for Poseidon and his brothers."
Chiron had said similar things before, but Percy didn't buy it. Luke and other kids at camp had met and talked to their godly parents. Zeus had bothered to turn Thalia into a tree when she'd been dying. It was obvious to Percy that the gods could find a way to get around that dumb rule, Poseidon just couldn't be bothered to try.
"Do not despise your father, young lord," The Nereid said. "He has done far more for you than you will ever know."
"And I'm just expected to take your word for it?" Percy asked. If Poseidon had ever done anything for Percy, he wanted to know about it. How else was he supposed to trust that his dad did actually care?"
"He has sent me to give you a gift that you will need for your quest," The nereid held out her hand and offered three pearls to Percy. He reluctantly accepted them. "What belongs to the sea always returns to the sea." Percy knew she was talking about the pearls, but he couldn't help but get the feeling that she was also referring to him.
A part of him felt comforted by that. He had always associated the sea with home. It was a nice thought to know that no matter where he went and what he did, the sea would always be there to take him back. However, Percy couldn't help but wonder if the Nereid's words were a threat. That she was saying that as a son of Poseidon, he belonged to him and would never be able to escape from that.
Percy knew that probably wasn't what she meant, but he was angry and bitter, and he was seeing the worst in everything.
Still, she'd said that Percy would need these pearls, and as conflicted as Percy felt they were still a gift from his father, the only gift that Percy had received directly from him. Despite how much Percy was frustrated with his dad, and how he had never felt the need to have his dad in his life, because his mom had always been more than enough, he couldn't help but long for even the smallest bit of attention.
Percy's mom was gone. She was the only parent he had ever known, and he didn't know if he would ever see her again. He may have never cared about his dad until recently, but Percy couldn't handle the thought of not having any parents at all. It was terrifying. If there was even the smallest possibility that Poseidon would give Percy attention or affection, he was going to latch onto that hope. If he couldn't have his mom, then Percy needed his dad.
Percy stared at the pearls and clenched his fist tightly around them. He appreciated them, and despised them at the same time. He appreciated the attention from his dad, but he hated how little it was. It just wasn't enough.
Percy sighed and slipped the pearls into his pocket. He brushed his fingers against his lighter that was still in the pocket. Percy had so many thoughts running through his head, but the only clear thought that came to him was his curiosity about whether the lighter would still work. He would think that the lighter would be ruined, but Percy was able to breathe, and that wasn't supposed to happen underwater either. Maybe whatever was protecting Percy from drowning was also protecting the lighter.
Percy gave the Nereid a stiff smile. "Thank you." He still felt conflicted and frustrated, but that wasn't her fault. The Nereid seemed really nice, and Percy didn't want to project his frustrations with his dad onto her. She didn't deserve that.
"Be strong and brave, my young lord," The Nereid said. "Your uncle can be scary and intimidating when he wants to be, but he's still family. He and Poseidon have a decent relationship with each other. Unless you find Hades in a particularly bad mood, he may let you live long enough to explain your story."
"Well, that's reassuring," Percy said. He had no idea if Hades and Poseidon's 'decent relationship' meant that they actually got along with each other, or if it just meant that they only sometimes wanted to kill each other. Percy didn't think he wanted to know. "I'll try to watch my tongue." Percy hated censoring himself and what he wanted to say, but after so many years of living under Gabe Ugliano's thumb he had learned how to watch what he said, at least for a bit.
If he could watch himself for Gabe, he could do it for the Lord of the Dead.
"You'll do well, young one," The Nereid brushed Percy's hair behind his ear, though it didn't stay very well. Percy appreciated the gesture though. It reminded him of his mom. "Your companions are waiting for you."
Percy was slightly alarmed when he realized just how long he had been underwater for. Luke probably knew that he was fine, but Percy didn't doubt that Grover was panicking. Percy got to his feet and pushed off of the ocean floor to swim up to the surface. He hadn't been that far out into the ocean when he'd first sat down, but after several minutes the water must have pulled him further out because Percy actually had to swim up to break the surface, and he was much further from the shore than he had started.
The waves were strong and crashed over Percy. He didn't resist it. He just submerged himself again and swam as he let the waves push him towards the shore. It was rough and a little scary, but whenever Percy felt like he was too out of control and felt ready to panic, the waters softened. The ocean was his father's realm and Percy's domain. The waters wouldn't hurt him.
As soon as Percy got close enough to the shore that he was able to stand up without fear of being knocked over Grover ran out to greet him. Grover ran into him with so much force that he lost his balance and both of them were sent sprawling.
"Don't just disappear like that," Grover scolded once they were no longer spattering and struggling to get back to their feet. Luke laughed as they returned to the shore.
"How'd it go?" Luke asked.
"My dad sent a Nereid to talk to me," Percy said. "He couldn't be bothered to come himself though."
"Typical," Luke rolled his eyes. "What'd she have to say?"
"She gave me some pearls and said that Hades might not kill me right away," Percy said.
"How useful," Luke said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and annoyance. Percy felt some of his own stress and annoyance lighten. It was comforting to know that his friend was as bothered about this as he was.
"Are the gods always this stressful and annoyingly cryptic?" Percy asked. He hadn't even talked with Poseidon today, but he was still tired of interacting with the gods.
"In my experience, yes," Luke said. "On that note, who's ready to go to the underworld to talk to another self-important god?"
"Not me," Percy sighed. "Let's just get this over with."
"Then let's get to DOA Recording Studios," Luke gave a very small bow and gestured dramatically to the car. "Your chariot awaits, little hero,"
"Shut up," Percy gave Luke a shove. Luke just chuckled and gave him a shove in return, nearly knocking Percy over again. Percy waited until Luke walked past him before he tackled him and jumped on his back. Luke stumbled slightly, but quickly recovered and latched his arms around Percy's legs to keep him from getting off or falling. Luke ran towards the car, racing Grover as Percy squirmed and tugged as much as he could to throw Luke off.
It was dumb and silly, and more fun than it had any right to be. Percy had way too much fun. Because Percy had spent the vast majority of the past six years going to strict boarding schools, and any time he was at home he was expected to follow his dumb step-father's rules, he hadn't had a lot of chances to mess around and do silly things like this. Percy imagined that Luke, who had to grow up way too quickly, hadn't had very many stupid fun moments either.
Maybe they should be more serious. They were on their way to the underworld, and none of them expected Hades to treat them civilly and fairly. They should be getting ready for a fight or coming up with a strategy, but none of them wanted to do that. They didn't get a lot of chances to goof off, and Percy doubted they would have very many more opportunities for a while after this. He wanted to enjoy this while it lasted. He would worry about the underworld when they got there. Until then, Percy was going to take advantage of every second he got.