"With every choice we make, we literally create a world. History branches in two, creating one Earth where we made the choice, and a second where we didn't."

-Owlman, on the nature of the multiverse.

In the depths of Tartarus, about one year ago

A lone man walked across the plains of the pit. He was thin, but still had muscles. He was tall, only slightly hunched because of the effects of the prison. His clothes had rips in them and were splattered with blood.

His eyes were haunted, the irises slightly broken. He trudged across the plains with the air of a broken man. A few monsters skirted along the outskirts of his position, but none dared to approach.

The man had no visible weapons on him, but he had an aura that screamed "danger."

This man was known by only one name by the inhabitants of Tartarus. Perseus Jackson.

He was walking towards a door, of sorts. It wasn't exactly a door, but it was an exit. He stood in front of it for a moment, as if debating whether or not to use it.

After several minutes, he made his choice. He stepped through the door, and out of the pit. He arrived in New York and soon found the date.

It had only been 24 years since he had left.

Somewhere in America, present

Jamie was hiding in her closet. Her father had been taking the "happy juice" again, and he was no longer happy. She heard crashes and clangs as he threw plates and dropped pans.

He was shouting for her, blaming her for her mother's death. He was getting closer. When he found her, he would hit her again. Just as he was about to find her, someone knocked on the door.

Jamie heard her father turn to the door. "GO AWAY!" He shouted, still very drunk. The visitor knocked again. Jamie's father stomped to the door. She heard him rip it open and start to yell at the visitor, but before he could she heard a slam, followed by a scream of pain.

A moment later, she heard her father beg for his life. He didn't beg long. She heard the visitor walk towards her. She curled into herself as if that would make it better. She squeezed her eyes shut as the door opened.

"Hey, are you okay?" It was a man's voice. The voice was kind and seemed to genuinely care if she was ok or not. She slowly opened her eyes.

The man wore a brown hooded trench coat over what looked like some kind of leather armor. His eyes were sea green and the iris's had fire red running through them, seeming to fill in gaps.

"U-um, I guess?" She stammered. He smiled warmly, then noticed the poorly hidden bruises on her arms. He held out his hand. She flinched.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, I won't hurt you." For some reason, Jamie believed him. She slowly reached her hand out. He took it gently in his hands and blew on it. A warmth spread through her, and the bruises faded away.

She stared at her arms in amazement. "How did you do that?" She asked in wonder.

He grinned. "I know magic." He made some jazz hands for added effect. Jamie giggled.

She seemed to catch herself. "My teacher told me not to talk to strangers."

He pulled off his hood, revealing messy, raven-black hair, and held out a hand. "Well, let's not be strangers then. I'm Percy."

She hesitated before taking his hand. "Jamie."

He smiled. "Nice to meet you, Jamie. Do you want something to eat?"

She thought about it, then nodded. "Alright, what do you want?"

She thought some more. "Mac 'n' cheese."

He chuckled and waved his hand. A bowl of mac and cheese appeared on the floor in front of Jamie. She looked at it in wonder. He gestured for her to eat. She tentatively took the fork and brought it to her mouth.

She moaned. "Sho good," she said with food in her mouth.

Percy chuckled again. "Chew with your mouth closed please." Jamie blushed and closed her mouth.

After a few minutes, she gathered the courage to ask him the question that had been bothering her since Percy had arrived. "Why are you here?"

He looked at her for a moment before explaining. "I am a… messenger, of sorts. I go around the country and pick up demigods that others miss."

Jamie frowned. "Demigods?"

Percy patiently explained everything about the world of greek mythology. Her mom was a goddess, monsters would come to kill her soon, and there were a lot more people like her.

He answered all of her questions to the best of his ability.

"Who is your mom?"

"A lovely mortal named Sally."

"Mortal?"

"Someone not born into the greek world."

The questions went on for about fifteen minutes before Percy held up a hand. "Alright, no more questions. If you have more, you can ask people whenever you get to your destination."

"What destination?" Jamie asked. She cringed. "Sorry."

Percy waved her off. "No, that was my bad. Anyway, yes, your destination. I'm a messenger, remember?"

She nodded. "Alright, you have three options: Camp Half-Blood, Camp Jupiter/New Rome, or the Hunters of Artemis. Can you read?" She nodded. "Good. Here's a pamphlet. Read through it, ask any questions you'd like, and make your decision."

She read through the pamphlet, occasionally asking questions like "What's New Rome?" or "What's Maidenhood?" He answered all without complaint.

When she was done, she gave the pamphlet back to him. While she had been reading, he had pulled out a tablet. He was doing something on it, but Jamie couldn't tell what.

He looked up. "Alright, a couple of things before we leave. One: do you have anything here you want to take with you." Jamie thought about it. There wasn't really anything in this house she cared about. She shook her head.

"Okay. Two: no technology. It would draw monsters to you like moths to a flame." She looked at his hands. He followed her gaze. "While in somebody's home, even one as toxic as this one, I have certain privileges, like using technology and summoning food."

Jamie guessed that made sense. Kind of. "Three: you don't need to make your decision now. This is a big decision, so I'm gonna bring you back to my camp and let you sleep on it. Before we go, however, there's something I need to do."

He got up and went into the kitchen. She heard shuffling, followed by the back door opening and closing. A few minutes later, the back door opened again and the smell of something burning entered the house.

He stopped in the doorway. His hood was up now. "Come on, let's go." As they left the house, Jamie turned and looked back. She thought she would feel sad that she was leaving, but she didn't. She didn't really feel much of anything.

She turned back around and continued walking. She slipped her hand into Percy's. He squeezed it reassuringly. It didn't take long to reach his campsite. It was a little inside the woods near her house.

It wasn't big. A tent, a chair, and a small fire were the only things there. He waved his hand and another chair appeared next to the first. He sat in the first chair and motioned for her to sit in the other.

She did and they talked for a while. Percy had lots of stories to tell. They were also really funny. He told Jamie about the beginning of the universe, the golden age of cannibalism, and the first titan war.

Without her noticing, she relaxed for the first time in years. Her eyelids started to droop. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

The next day

When Jamie opened her eyes, she was greeted with the wall of a tent. She sat upright and looked around. She was in Percy's tent, but it looked bigger on the inside than the outside.

Percy was not inside, but she heard someone moving around outside, so she assumed that was him. She slowly got up and got ready. She had put a lot of thought into what happened next, so she knew what she wanted to do.

He was cleaning up the camp when she walked out of the tent. "Have you made your decision?" He asked.

She nodded. "The hunters."

Percy grimaced. "Is something wrong?" She asked frantically.

He shook his head. "No, it's just annoying to get into the hunter's camp. They don't like men in their camp. Or anywhere, for that matter."

Her eyes widened. "All of them?"

He shook his head again. "No. Most of them have had bad experiences with males. Some of them have let those experiences warp their view of all males. Not all of them though. The lieutenant has several male cousins she is pretty close to."

He got to his feet and packed up the tent. He put it all in a satchel and put it on. He looked at her. "You ready to go?" She nodded. They set off together, hand in hand.

They walked in silence for a moment before Percy spoke. "Oh! Almost forgot." he stopped walking and kneeled down in front of her. "If you're ever at camp Half-Blood, look for a son of Zeus named Marcus."

Jamie frowned. "Why?"

His face darkened. "For the last few months, the gods and their children have been trying to find me, see who I am and where my allegiances lie. I don't want that, so I ask all the children I save to not tell anyone.

Marcus is the most avid of these searchers. He inherited all of his father's worst traits. The last person I brought to camp was a boy named Daniel. Marcus forced Daniel to swear on the river Styx to tell him everything about me and… he didn't." Percy Sighed. "He died a week later."

Jamie's eyes were wide. "What? How?"

He took a deep breath. "Oaths made on the river Styx are binding. If you break it, the goddess Styx will make you regret it. Daniel's whole time at camp was miserable. I didn't take anyone directly to Camp Half-Blood for a while after that. I also make sure to tell them about oaths on the Styx."

He looked her straight in the eyes. "Never make one unless you are sure that you can keep it, okay?" She nodded. He sighed. "Good."

Jamie frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"

He smirked. "Because when you see him, I want you to kick him in the nards."

Her frown deepened. "Nards?"

Percy chuckled. "His penis."

"Oh." she let that sink in for a moment. Then she started giggling. It was contagious, so Percy started laughing as well.

When they finally collected themselves, Percy spoke again. "Alright, that was good, but we have somewhere to go. Close your eyes and hold onto my hand tightly please."

Jamie frowned. "Why?"

"Because things are about to get hot."

She did as he asked. A moment later, just like he said, the air grew scorching hot. When the heat died down, she opened her eyes. They were no longer on a forest trail. Now, they were in a forest clearing with noticeably different trees.

Percy let go of her hand and pointed. "About half a mile that way is the hunter's camp. When you get there, ask for Thalia and give her this." He handed her a folded piece of paper.

"Okay, but why?"

"Because it will get you in. When you get there, please don't tell anyone about me, especially Thalia."

"Why?"

He looked away. "Because… I'm not ready. I don't want anyone to know who I am."

"Why?" Jamie was getting tired of asking that.

"I have my reasons. Now, get going." He gave her a warm smile and a small push. She hesitated, then started walking. She looked over her shoulder and saw him watching her go. When she looked back again, he was gone.