Knitting Socks of Death:
Annabeth could only stare at the boy in front of her as he surveyed the room with a wary expression. There was no way she could forget that messy black hair that fell over those deep sea green eyes. But her heart felt like it was being torn in two. First, Percy disappeared for six months. Then, right before she could see him again, she was whisked away through time to this throne room, just so she could hear his thoughts and feelings, but not see him. Now, he was here standing in the doorway, and her heart raced. But… there was just one tiny problem…
He was ten.
She watched as Percy's observant eyes scanned the room, until they reached the thrones and they widened.
"Whoa," he said in his pre-pubescent voice that was so foreign and yet so familiar that Annabeth's heart ached. "Did I run into a meeting of Sasquatch Anonymous or something?"
The tension broke and the room burst into hysterics. That was just another thing that Annabeth loved about Percy. He could change the mood in a room just by calling out a single sentence.
Thalia and Nico stepped forward and briefly explained the Greek Gods and who the members of the room were. They saved Annabeth for last. Whether that was coincidental or not, she didn't know. And—honestly—she didn't care.
Percy's gaze traveled to each person as they were introduced. When it reached Annabeth, it lingered, and Annabeth held her breath. His brow furrowed, and his expression became unreadable.
In the background, she noticed Nico lean in and whisper loudly to Thalia, "I wonder what he will say…"
"Knowing Percy," she sighed. "It'll either be something stupid, or something extremely blunt."
Sure enough, when Percy finally spoke, his first words to Annabeth were, "You're pretty." She flushed.
The demigods burst into laughter, and Athena glared at the young son of Poseidon. When they caught their breath, Thalia and Nico leaned over and whispered something intelligible to a confused Percy. After a few moments, his eyes widened, and he blushed furiously, causing the room to erupt in a fresh round of laughter.
When the Stolls finished rolling on the floor, they all went to sit around the hearth. She shrugged, and went to sit next to him. He blushed, but said nothing, and took the book from Hazel.
The moment that Percy touched it, the pages turned black, and the writing into white English—the best situation for Dyslexic eyes. Percy blinked in surprise, "Cool."
"By the way," Travis raised his hand like he was in school, and Percy turned to face him. "Why are you taking all of this full stride?"
Thalia leaned forward. "I know him well enough to know what to say to make him understand."
"That," Percy added. "And stranger things have happened to me before."
Annabeth briefly explained what had happened in the last chapter. His observant and attentive eyes never left hers, and she shifted uncomfortably. When she finished, he nodded, turned to the book, and he was about to read, when Zeus said "Wait a minute!". He snapped his fingers, and thirteen average human-sized thrones appeared in a circle around the hearth. The gods turned to the size of normal humans and sat on the thrones. "Better" Zeus said, then ordered Percy to read.
"Chapter two: Three Old Ladies Knit the Socks of Death"
"This should be interesting," Nico sat up at the mention of "death.
I was used to ... I was psycho.
"That's because you arepsycho," Thalia muttered. Percy stuck his tongue out at her.
It got so ... Almost.
"Five drachmas says it's Grover," Travis called.
"No way, man," Conner shook his head. " No one'sstupid enough to take thatbet." Grover flushed and muttered something intelligible.
"Drachmas?" Frank asked. "They are the Greek coins, like Denarii. I used them with Percy during that Iris messaging thing." Hazel explained him.
"Percy trued to use Iris messanging?" Annabeth sat up, interested. "He tried to call you, even when his memories were only half returned. It didn't work." Hazel said. Annabeth's heart twisted. Percy had tried to call her even when he didn't have his memories. Just because of that upstart godess Hera! She looked at Hera. The Queen of Heavens looked bored, about to fall asleep, completely uninterested in the book. She restrained herself from marching upto her and slapping her on the face.
But Grover couldn't fool me.
"Figures," Nico chuckled. Grover blushed harder.
When I mentioned ... he was lying.
"Wow, Grover," Thalia shook her head. "If Kelp Headcan figure out when you're lying, then you must really suckat it."
Percy raised an eyebrow. "Kelp Head?"
Nico shrugged, " Everyone'sgot a nickname for you Perce. Get used to it."
Something was going ... in a cold sweat.
Annabeth shuddered. "You'll have worse dreams."
Percy paled considerably, and Annabeth slid a reassuring arm around him, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. He may have been ten, but he was stillPercy. He could make her melt into a puddle just by glancing her way, and giving her his troublemaker grin that had become so endearing.
The freak weather ... Atlantic that year.
"What are you two fighting about thistime?" Hera sighed in exasperation, and Zeus and Poseidon shrugged.
I started feeling ... from Ds to Fs.
Athena glared at Percy, who shrugged, uncaring.
I got into more fights ... an old sot.
Annabeth giggled, and Piper, Leo, and Jason stared at her in shock. She never smiled, let alone giggled. They had always wondered how Percy could like someone so cold and distant and unnerving. Now, they realized that she was just like that because he was gone.
I wasn't even sure what it meant, but it sounded good.
"It means an old drunk," Annabeth giggled again, and the confused members of the group chuckled.
The headmaster ... Just fine.
"Geez, Perce," Nico shook his head, and Percy glanced up from the book. "You're even sarcastic in your thoughts."
Percy shrugged. "Why be sunshiny and optimistic, when you can take others people's minds off of annoyances through sarcasm?"
Nico opened his mouth to protest, then shut it again. "Touché."
Percy chuckled and turned back to the book.
I was homesick.
"Wimp," Ares muttered. He immediately got a mouthful of saltwater.
Percy didn't know how to react to this. Percy's dad had never shown care for him. He had let his mother be stuck with Smelly Gabe. Sure, Thalia had said that his dad never showed up because gods were strictly not allowed to show care for their children, as it might cause problems, but it wasn't enough. But Percy figured that he would want to be on good terms woth his father, even if he didn't care about him, yet. "Thanks." He managed. Poseidon smiled.
I wanted to be ... stupid poker parties.
Poseidon's hands clenched into fists, and he looked like he was ready to rip the book into pieces.
Okay.Percy thought. So maybe my dad really cares?Percy decided to lighten the mood.
"Note to self," Percy called out. "Get Dad and Gabe alone in the same room together, then find life insurance papers to give to Mom." The group erupted in laughter, and Poseidon flushed and unclenched his fists.
And yet... smell of pine trees.
Artemis and Grover nodded approvingly at his love of natural beauties.
I'd miss Grover, who'd been a good friend,
Grover smiled at that.
even if he was a little strange.
The smile instantly disappeared, and he glared at Percy, who shifted uncomfortably and kept his eyes on the book.
I worried how he'd ... to believe him.
"Smart boy," Athena muttered.
The evening ... my dorm room.
Athena gasped in outrage at the mistreatment of the book.
Words had ... were riding skateboards.
"Look out!" Travis held up his hands like Frankenstein. "It's The Night of the Skateboarding Letters!" Several demigods chuckled, the rest just rolled their eyes. Katie smacked Travis upside the head.
There was ... Chiron and Charon,
"Well," Annabeth glanced over at Percy. "You know now…" Percy and his father paled, wondering how he would have met Charon.
or Polydictes ... Forget it.
Hazel, Frank, and Jason rolled their eyes. "That's easy," Jason muttered.
I paced ... my shirt.
The Stolls shuddered. "I feel bad for you, man," Travis said.
Percy glanced up, "How do you know what that feels like?"
"Prank gone bad. Let's leave it at that."
Several people wrinkled their noses in distaste.
I remembered Mr. Brunner's ... for help before.
"That probably explains your terrible grades," Athena grumbled. Percy shrugged.
Maybe if I talked ... thinking I hadn't tried.
"Aww," Aphrodite smiled sweetly, and all of the male demigods stared. "You want to impress Chiron! Isn't that cute?"
Percy just sat there with his mouth open, like the other guys. When Annabeth nudged him, her face tinged with annoyance, his only response was, "Uhh?"
" Read,Seaweed Brain," Annabeth glared at him. Percy took one look at Annabeth's death stare, and snapped out of his stupor. Quickly, he turned back to the book. Several older Greek demigods snickered.
I walked downstairs ... usually an eavesdropper,
Several half-bloods scoffed. "Well, he wasn't beforehe knew who he was…" Grover put in.
but I dare ... to an adult.
"Nope," Conner chuckled. "I'd lose that bet for sure."
I inched closer. ... mature more."
"That's going to take a while," Nico joked. Then—mysteriously—he gulped and shivered in fear.
All eyes followed his gaze, and they also shivered at what they saw.
Hades kept his eyes on Percy, but he leaned over and whispered to the closest person: Katie. "Is thathis I'll-Kill-You-Later stare?"
Katie gulped. "Uh-huh. That is ten-year-old Percy's kill-you-later stare. Imagine that stare from sixteen-year-old Percy..." Katie shuddered.
"But he may ... solstice deadline-"
"Summer solstice deadline?" Athena turned to the demigods for an explanation, but all of those who knew the answer didn't say a word. Thalia gestured for Percy to continue.
"Will have to ... convince him of that."
"Not with Groveron the job!" Connor said Grover's name like he was a superhero from a comic book. Eye rolls and chuckles passed through the room. Katie punched him in the arm, and Aphrodite glanced at them with interest.
"Sir, I ... would mean."
"You neverfailed, Grover!" Thalia insisted. "That was mychoice!"
"Wait, what?" Zeus stared wide-eyed between Thalia and Grover, both of whom refused to speak.
"You haven't failed, ... floor with a thud.
Conner groaned, "Rule number seven: Nevergive away your position."
Mr. Brunner ... down the hall.
"At least he cleaned up the evidence," Travis muttered. "That's rule number eight."
A shadow slid ... an archer's bow.
"Why is he in full form?" Rachel asked.
Grover shrugged. "He gets cramps. And he'd better be ready in his full-form if it were a monster."
I opened the ... the winter solstice."
"What happened at the Winter Solstice?" Athena asked. She hated not knowing.
"Mine neither," ... Don't remind me."
Grover grimaced. "One of the worstparts of being a protector…"
The lights went ... turned so he couldn't read my expression,
"Won't work," Dionysus yawned. "He can read your emotions."
Everyone stared at him. "You're paying attention?" Annabeth asked.
"Of course not, Annabelle! Why would you think that?"
and started getting ... three-hour Latin exam,
"THREE HOURS?" Even Annabeth looked disgusted.
my eyes swimming ... It's for the best."
Several demigods winced. Chiron wasn't good at pep-talks.
"Uh-oh…" Annabeth muttered.
"What?" Poseidon looked at her curiously.
"Percy's going to take it the wrong way and storm out."
Percy wondered how Annabeth knew him so well. On the other hand, what Thalia had told him explained that.
His tone was kind... matter of time."
"Jeez," Nico grimaced. "Chiron sucksat pep talks…"
My eyes stung.... was already gone.
Percy glanced over at her. "How did you know I was going to do that? As near as I can tell, you don't know me yet…"
Annabeth smiled, "I just know you thatwell, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it."
Percy flushed and looked back down at the book.
On the last day ... rich juvenile delinquents.
"I hate rich juvenile delinquent punks." Clarisse grumbled. Chris patted her on the back. Everyone turned to look at her with surprise. "What?" She yelled. "I've been to school too!"
Their daddies ... a family of nobodies.
"Uncle P's a nobody?" Apollo stared incredulously at the sea god, who sighed.
"No," Annabeth smirked. "But his sonis Nobody…"
Grover and Clarisse cracked up, and the others stared at them weirdly.
"Inside joke," was all Grover said.
They asked me ... school in the fall.
Hera sighed sympathetically.
"Oh," ... I'd never existed.
Thalia muttered a few choice words, and the others glared at the book.
The only person ... heading into the city.
"What a coincidence," Conner said sarcastically.
During the whole ... him on the Greyhound.
"You seriously need acting lessons, Grover." Chris muttered.
Finally I couldn't ... for Kindly Ones?"
"Nearly gave me a heart attack," Grover muttered as the others snickered.
Grover nearly jumped ... before the exam.
"Rule number fourteen," Conner shook his head disapprovingly. " Neveradmit your doings. Unless extremely necessary."
Grover's eye twitched... summer solstice deadline?"
"So… the whole thing," Will laughed.
He winced... really bad liar."
"Agreed," muttered every half-blood in the room. Grover turned the color of cherries.
His ears turned ...
Long Island, New York
(800) 009-000)
Athena turned to Dionysus. "Why is it in such a fancy script?"
The wine god shrugged. "It's funny to watch them try to read it…"
"What's Half-"... would I need you?"
"Harsh…" Demeter commented.
It came out ... I meant it to.
"Well," Hera sighed. "At least he regretted it."
Grover blushed ... next year without me.
Aphrodite cooed at that. "That's him." Annabeth said. "Worrying more about his friends than himself." All the other demigods nodded in agreement.
And here he ... side of the highway.
"Monsters?" Artemis asked Grover. He just shook his head.
After a few minutes ... from passing cars.
Grover's eyes flared at that.
On the other side, ... I'd ever seen.
Annabeth sucked in a deep breath. Percy had never told her about this, so she had no idea what was coming, and was worried. The gods frowned. The three Fates...? Or Furies? Or the Three Grey Sisters? What were they doing there? "Why are they there?" Demeter asked. "I think you'll see if you let him read the book. I want to be done with this." Hera grumbled.
I mean these socks ... electric-blue yarn.
"No…" Annabeth started to shiver. "Oh, please no…"
All three women ... bleached cotton dresses.
"NO!" Annabeth shrieked. "He saw the Fates!" A gasp rang out throughout the room, and Percy paled. Poseidon stared worriedly at his son, and the demigods motioned frantically for Percy to continue.
Athena, however, was staring wide-eyed at her favorite daughter. She had solved the puzzle, and was horrified by the completed picture.
The weirdest thing ... right at me.
Annabeth whimpered, and subconsciously pulled Percy onto her cross-legged lap. He didn't complain, sensing that she needed the comfort that he was alive and well, and simply continued to read, ignoring the stares from the demigods.
I looked over ... would fit me?"
Half-hearted chuckling rang out in an attempt to lighten the mood. It didn't work
"Not funny, Percy. ... catch his breath.
Annabeth tightened her arms around Percy's waist, and she buried her face in his raven-black hair. She gave a small, muffled cry, and the other demigods glanced at her sympathetically.
"We're getting on ... degrees in there."
"Please go," Annabeth whispered, though she knew that he wouldn't.
"Come on!" ... but I stayed back.
"Idiot," Rachel muttered.
Across the road, ... lanes of traffic.
Annabeth whimpered, and the half-bloods stared mournfully down at their shoes.
Her two friends ... Sasquatch or Godzilla.
Annabeth let out a small giggle. She lifted her head and smiled at Percy, whose face had turned a deep shade of crimson. "Leave it to you to make a joke in the face of death," she sighed.
Percy smiled sheepishly, "Sorry?"
At the rear ... passengers cheered.
"Of course it works now…" Poseidon muttered.
"Darn right!" ... worse than Mrs. Dodds.
Hestia nodded. "You're right, Athena. He isquite observant."
Percy flushed, but Athena was too busy glaring at the Sea Spawn and her daughter's closeness to pay attention.
He said, "... something almost-older.
"Yup," Will called. "Observant."
"Funny, isn't it?" Thalia added. "How he picks up on the small things, but not the really big obvioussignals… What do you think, Annabeth?"
Annabeth and Percy flushed, and he slid off of her lap.
He said, ... get past sixth. "
"Dude," Leo called. "You are freaking him out."
"Grover," I ... I promised he could.
"Some promise," Grover scoffed.
"Is this like ... is going to die?"
"He certainly knows how to understand the signs" Chris murmured.
He looked ... my coffin.
"Knowing Grover, he probably was…" Annabeth sighed.
"That's the end of the chapter." Percy held up the book.
"Hold up," Athena held up her hand, signaling for Percy to wait. "I'd like my daughter to be a little bit honest with me."
"Um…" Annabeth's mind went into overdrive, trying to find a way out of this. "Honest about what?"
"Oh, don't try to lie to the Goddess of Wisdom, Annabeth," Athena sighed in frustration. Then she turned to Percy, and he shrank down under her icy cold gaze. "Daughter, you're dating the Sea Spawn, aren't you?"
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Question of the chapter: What is the one thing that happened in Riordanverse that you want to change?