To really (guest)
Whoa there! Even though I enjoy informal tones and cussing as much as the next teenager, I would POLITELY suggest that lets PLEASE keep offensive language at the minimum. (No offense to you, I apologize in advance in case you feel offended.)
Also, to catspats31, thank you for reminding me that, I will surely make the necessary changes.
Me: okay, who will do the disclaimer this time ? The one who does it will get the blue chocolate chip cookies.
Percy: I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!
Annabeth: Are you telling me you read the hunger games ?
Everyone else *hugging each other frantically and crying and running around*
Thalia: oh my gods! Percy reading books ?! It's the end of the world!
Me: so you are the girl on fire...
Percy: No. More like the boy on water...
Me: whatever! Alright, Now we need a girl tribute!
Percy in his best scary stern Annabeth voice: I VOLUNTEER !
Annabeth: *smacks Percy on the head* I don't sound like that!
Me: whatever! LET THE ANNUAL 24TH DISCLAIMER BEGIN!!!
Lets see which tribute survives this disclaimer!
Percy: *summons a water tide on Annabeth. Suddenly realizes what he has done and goes pale*
Leo: oops
Travis: I feel sorry for you bro
Nico: I suggest that you leave the planet bro.
Percy: *in a low voice* I should be running right now, shouldn't I ?
Everyone else: wincing and noding with sympathy
Percy: *runs*
Annabeth: PERSEUS JACKSONN, you are SO DEAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Runs behind Percy*
Me: Well, who will do the disclaimer now?
Percy: *from somewhere in the background* HEEEEELLPPP!!!
Me: Fine, I'll do it myself. Rick Riordan owns these tributes. I don't.
Everyone else: nods sagely.
Somewhere in the background* OHMYGODS HEEELLPP!!!
Όλοι χαιρετίζω το Troll Riordan
Zebras in Las Vegas
"Chapter 16 - WE TAKE A ZEBRA TO VEGAS" Demeter read.
"Awesome!" Travis exclaimed.
"Cool!" Connor agreed.
"MMMMPPPPHHHHH!" Hera wailed.
"I want a Zebra too! Zebra for Zeus!" Zeus-girl yelled.
"I hope the Zebra had insurance..." Percy murmured.
The war god ... get yourself killed."
"I wonder what would've happened if Ares himself had gone to retrieve the shield." Percy smirked. Ares scowled.
"You knew it ... good on TV."
"Not just good. Awesome!" Travis exclaimed.
I shoved ... jerk."
"You're lucky it was me, kiddo. Any other Olympian would've turned you into a corpse for that." Ares grumbled.
Annabeth and Grover ... want your lousy-"
"You'd better take it." Ares grumbled. Ares didn't quite understand why his future-self hadn't turned Percy into a worm and fed him to one of his father's pet fishes. No god would have put up with those insults.
"I don't want anything from you." Percy muttered.
"Percy, you can't just refuse offerings from a god like that." Annie warned.
"Thank you, ... I'd gotten expelled.
Percy glared at Ares, who grinned wickedly. His grip on Annie's hand tightened and her hand turned pale. But she didn't pull it away. She would have to keep control on Percy's anger.
"Percy, he is trying to make you angry. Don't give him what he wants." Annie muttered. Percy nodded and looked down, away from Ares.
I looked back ... a picture of us.
"Oh, just great. Now you will have even more trouble with mortals..." Poseidon muttered.
Great, I thought. ... That's metamorphosis.
Athena gasped. "You know the word metamorphosis? You know it's meaning, and how to spell it?"
Several gods and demigods snickered at Ares's indignant expression.
Not death. ... Why?"
"Don't you get it? She's being kept hostage to control you." Athena told Percy.
"He was being affected by Lord Ares, mother." Annabeth explained.
"You need to ... from Cupid statues."
Poseidon groaned and put his head in his hands. Respect didn't come to Percy naturally, either. It was going to get him in trouble.
Behind his sunglasses, ... not smart, Percy."
"No shit, Sherlock." Thalia muttered.
"I don't care." ... not that god."
"Yep. You don't want me as your enemy. You can never beat me." Ares grumbled. Those who knew the truth just smirked ( I mean, except for Clarisse). Percy opened his mouth for another witty comeback but Annie put her hand on his mouth and motioned Demeter to continue reading.
"Hey, guys," ... pan of kitty litter.
Several people wrinkled their noses at the sound of that. Apollo gagged.
The trailer was ... his white fur.
"THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!" Artemis yelled. "I am going to track the whole organization of those petty mortals, turn them into wild pigs, and then run them over with my chariot!"
"Yes, my lady. We will hunt them down. All of them." Thalia gritted her teeth.
"I will help, sis." Apollo volunteered.
"I haven't gone hunting since ages. I will join, too." Athena agreed.
"And don't forget me." Poseidon grumbled.
Dionysus and Hermes nodded.
"And me!" Ares exclaimed. "I will gut them with my wicked swords and-"
"And I will make sure they get some good punishments in the Fields of Punishment." Hades mused.
Several demigods also muttered in agreement.
"Thank you everyone!" Grover wiped a fake tear from his eyes.
"This is kindness?" ... in for night.
"Good..." Artemis nodded in approval.
Grover curled up ... for the gods.
"Don't worry. You'll get used to it." Chris put his head down and muttered.
"I hate to think like that, but it's true." Thalia grumbled.
"Yep." Leo nodded. "We're just sources of entertainment, and to do the dirty chores of gods on Earth. Nothing else. I wonder why we help them." Leo nodded.
"We didn't even realize it. Well, now that you put it like that..." Apollo's voice trailed off.
"This is why Luke helped Kronos." Hermes muttered in a low voice, so only the gods could hear him.
"Well, atleast I am good with my son." Poseidon smiled at Percy, who smiled back.
"He's right." Hestia spoke up. "And this is why the fates have sent these books for us to read. For us to understand from the demigod children's point of view, and make it better for them, atleast in this universe."
The gods nodded in agreement.
"Hey," Annabeth said... water park, Percy."
"Yeah. I am sorry." Annie muttered.
"You keep forgetting that we haven't even done this yet. And you don't need to be sorry. It's okay." Percy said.
Annabeth smiled fondly, as she remembered the day. That was the first time she had properly talked with Percy. Now she longed for the Percy from her universe. Frank and Hazel had assured her that Percy had not forgotten her, he had not found a new girlfriend, and that he really missed her and was waiting for her. But nothing would make her feel better till she saw Percy in front of her, with her own eyes. She took out the photo of Percy that Frank had given to her and looked at it longingly. She wanted to just get over with all of this and go find her stupid Seaweed Brain already. But she would have to wait more. It was frustrating.
On top of that, her memories of the day when Athena had basically disowned her were starting to get fresh. It seemed to her that the Fates had wiped her memories of that day, but now her memories were returning. She had decided to not to mention it to anyone to prevent the possibilities of war between the Greeks and Romans, but she knew that soon sometime she would have to face this problem.
"That's okay."... weaving contest, right?
"She was too proud. No mortal should be able to challenge the gods and get away with it." Athena grumbled.
Annabeth nodded. ... creepy little things.
"So that is why a whole army of spiders came to attack you..." Percy murmured.
Anyway, I owe ... I said.
"Such a Percy answer." Thalia said.
"And everyone likes you for that." Chris told Percy, who just shrugged.
"Yep." Nico nodded, popping the p.
"Besides, ... wasn't I?"
Everyone laughed.
Annabeth and I ... the daughter of Zeus."
Zeus-girl frowned at this. Was he supposed to have a daughter. Was she a she or a he? This was really confusing.
He nodded glumly.... wasn't it?"
Annie, Annabeth, Thalia and Luke smiled fondly as they remembered those days. They had been on a run, fighting their way everyday and struggling to survive. It wasn't very good back then, but now those days were like the good old days.
She put down ... Grover found us."
The four winced as they remembered what was to come next.
"I was supposed ... a little quicker ..."
Grover put his head in his hands guiltily.
"Hey. I am alive because of you. You have nothing to regret. Besides, we brought Thalia back later on." Annabeth told him softly.
"Yep. You stop blaming yourself. It was my choice." Thalia told him.
"Thanks." Grover brayed. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Right."
"Stop it," ... Thalia and Percy."
"Not only two." Nico grinned at Grover.
"And that's not because of your bad luck. That's because you were the best satyr of all."
Grover nodded in thanks.
"You're not lame," ... in the shin.
"I don't think the kick was needed." Percy muttered. Annabeth grinned sheepishly. Grover gave a small laugh.
"Yeah," I said, ... he'd fallen sleep.
Several snickers. Grover blushed and grinned sheepishly.
"How does he ... strategic thoughts.
"Actually, I was just lost in memories." Annabeth said, fingering the coral pendant on her necklace that Percy had given her.
"That pine-tree ... a weird summer..."
"It really was." Clarisse smirked. "I hope that day doesn't come again. Fighting a pack of hellhounds would be better than that summer."
Annie, who was from the summer of that prom night, frowned. She didn't know what that night would mean for her, and she didn't like the sound of it.
She tried to imagine Chiron and Mr.D in clothing for a prom. The thought wasn't very exciting. Also, when she thought about prom, Luke wasn't the first person that came to her mind. Annie blushed at the thought and looked at Percy, who wore a confused expression on his face. She sighed.
"And the ... your father's?"
"And that's Percy's habit of butting into other people's business."
"That was probably the first time I started considering Percy as a friend." Annabeth smiled fondly at the memory. Annie looked at Percy from the corner of her eyes, who was staring at Hestia's hearth. She had already developed a good friendship with Percy, and she would have to do it again when she would be twelve, as she would lose her memories. She didn't like that.
"That's none of your-... self-inflicted pain."
"It's not like that." Annabeth told Annie. "It's gotten far better. They have accepted me as family."
Annie nodded. Probably she should give the Frederick from her universe a try.
"You shouldn't ... letter or something."
"That was some good advice." Annabeth sighed.
"Thanks for the ... Athena versus Poseidon?"
"Most probably yes." Poseidon nodded, eyeing Athena suspiciously, who was glaring at him.
"I still think that can change. The book is here to teach us that." Hestia spoke.
Athena huffed and stopped glaring at Poseidon. Poseidon stopped eyeing Athena with a sigh.
She put her head ..."Why?"
"Are you really so stupid?" Annie asked Percy. Percy pouted.
"Because you're my friend, ...nightmare started
"Oh, no. Percy's nightmares." Nico muttered.
out as something ... stupid, are you?
"He is." Thalia smirked. Percy poked his tongue out at her, who replied in kind.
Pick up your ... across her nose.
"And what am I doing in your dream?" Thalia asked.
Percy shrugged.
"Don't you remember. His dreams are highly prophetic, and highly vivid. He's probably getting hints of the future." Nico spoke.
Somehow, I knew ... dream-self thought.
"Of course I am right." Thalia smirked.
I'm going back ... a great chasm.
"And now, he's eavesdropping on his enemies, as usual." Nico murmured.
Percy Jackson, ... I see.
"What exchange?" Hazel asked to no one in particular.
"I guess we'll find out." Frank sighed. Annabeth nodded.
I was back ... somewhere else.
Zeus-girl gave a frightened squeal and went to hide behind Hestia. Everyone else in the throne room tensed.
And he suspects ... as the rest.
Luke shrunk more into his seat and groaned. Others looked at him with sympathy or distaste. Mostly sympathy.
I looked over, ... Excellent.
Suddenlt with a bright flash appeared the TV screen the Fates had sent.
The fates have decided to add more effects to the throne room so that everyone can feel what the boy feels. Thank you.
The throne room darkened and everything was suddenly cold, just the way it had been in Percy's dream. Everyone got a small glimpse of the fear and darkness that Percy had been experiencing in the dream. The gods shuddered and shivered as they started to understand things more from Percy's point of view.
Coach Hedge woke from his sleep yelling "DIIEEE!!!", Then grunted and sat comfortably on his couch. Dionysus too woke up with a grunt, then started yawning, though he didn't go back to sleep.
Hermes put his cellphone into his pocket and started listening carefully. The mood of Percy's dream was now being experienced by everyone.
Truly, my lord, ... Crooked One.
"Ha! It wasn't me!" Hades exclaimed. Then his expression turned pale as realization dawned upon him. "Oh, wait! No...no, no, no! It'd better be me than him!" Hades shook his head.
But was it really necessary... into my hands
"No..." Zeus girl whimpered and clutched her lightning bolt tightly, which had morphed into a pink little plastic knife.
Athena frowned. "A second item. Something else has also been stolen..."
She turned to Annabeth to confirm her fears. Annabeth nodded. Poseidon gripped his trident tightly.
... but wait. ... freezing me in place.
The room's temperature dropped further and darkness grew. The pressure suddenly increased in the room, as if the room were at the bottom of the ocean. The only warmth was now coming from Hestia's hearth, and the radiance of the gods.
"Demeter!" Poseidon groaned. "Continue reading."
Blast his ... unpredictable.
Poseidon grinned at Athena. "See? Being unpredictable is good against enemies."
Athena opened her mouth to comeback with a witty reply, but then decided to let Demeter continue, because of the condition of the room. And maybe because she didn't have an argument against what Poseidon had said. Maybe.
The boy brought ... turned back on me.
A few demigods groaned.
So ... you wish ... scene changed.
The room gave a sigh of relief as the darkness and coldness and pressure lifted a little bit. A little bit.
I was standing ..., her arms outstretched.
Sally's image appeared on the TV screen, just as it had been in Percy's dream. Percy groaned. Annie gripped his hand tighter. Annabeth pulled him in her lap and comforted him.
I tried to ... into my scalp.
Everyone in the room winced. Fortunately, nobody got to experience the pain.
The evil ... with a start.
Everyone gave a sigh of relief as the room returned to it's normal. "Dude," Leo said with a shaky voice. "I hate your dreams." "Who doesn't?" Percy muttered
Grover was shaking ... and disappeared.
Annie grinned at Percy, who stuck his tongue out at her.
Grover and I ... roared in indignation.
"I swear I am going to hunt down that mortal and his company or organization or whatever it is." Artemis grumbled.
"Yeah, yeah, ... downright murderous.
Jason shifted a bit away from Grover, who had a same look on his face right now. Coach Hedge seemed like he was ready to go ballistic.
The trucker threw ... stunned to react.
"Oh yes." Poseidon nodded and grinned. "You can talk to horses, pegasi, and sea-creatures. They will treat you like royalty." "I can see the family resemblance between you and horses." Thalia muttered. "Hey!" Percy protested indignantly.
There was a loud knock, ... knock, knock.
"It was you?" Percy asked Annabeth. She nodded with a grin. It had been fun.
Outside, Eddie yelled, ... I could understand it?
"Yep." Poseidon nodded.
The zebra said, ... the zebra's cage.
"Good." Artemis nodded with approval. "Now only if the satyr can bless them..."
The zebra burst ... in Las Vegas.
"Cool!" The Stolls exclaimed. "Awesome!" Leo agreed. Percy was now really starting to wonder where the heck his future self was.
"I want to do that to!" Zeus-girl jumped up and down on her throne excitedly. "I want to ride Vegas on a Zebra!"
Several people snorted at the mental image of that.
Maurice and Eddie ... on wild animals."
"So it will work only on Percy" Annie snickered. Percy poked his tongue out at her and she giggled.
"So it would ... Lotus Hotel and Casino.
"Oh, no" Poseidon groaned.
"Three hungry and lost demigods in Vegas. Of course they were going to end up in thatplace." Athena said.
"It's that place isn't it?" Thalia asked Annabeth.
"No way!" Nico shouted. He gave Annabeth a questioning look. Annabeth just nodded. "I hate that place." Nico muttered. Hades winced. Will patted Nico on the back.
"Oh, yes!" Apollo grinned.
"Best place to have fun!" Hermes exclaimed.
"My, I haven't been there since ages. I need to go see what new upgrades and games they have added. Only if father would allow me to." Dionysus grumbled.
Zeus-girl gave him a sheepish grin, then frowned at her current condition. Who was she, again? Or was she a he?
"What place is it?" Leo asked.
"You'll see." Hermes replied.
The entrance was ... guy was normal.
"They are usually demigod children of minor gods or pure-sighted mortals hired for work. But Sometimes it can be normal mortals too." Hermes said.
One look at him, ... you can imagine.
"Definitely whoa." Chris said.
"You got free entry to a five-star hotel just like that?" Leo asked Annabeth incredulously.
"All demigods can get free entry, I think. But that's not a good thing." Annabeth said.
A few other demigods frowned. Why would that not be a good thing?
"Hey!" a bellhop said. .... Enjoy your stay."
"Awesome!" The Stolls exclaimed.
"After our war with Queen Dirt-Face, I am going to that place." Leo shouted.
Athena furrowed her eyebrows. "Queen Dirt-Face? You don't mean..."
"You are not going to that place till we know whether it's safe or not." Piper told Leo firmly. Leo pouted.
"It's safe but..." Annabeth trailed off.
"I don't like to think about that place. I am never going back." Grover said. Nico nodded in agreement.
"But- OW!," Connor started to argue but shut up when he received a whack on his head from Katie.
We took the ... beds with feather pillows.
"We never realized those water beds were from Crusty's" Grover muttered shivering. "Who?" Leo asked. Grover just shook his head.
A big-screen ... Absolutely sweet."
"This is it. I am paying that place a visit." Leo said. Piper whacked him on the head. He pouted.
There were clothes ... a little strange.
"Hmm. That is a bit strange. I agree." Chris murmured.
"Maybe they specially selected clothes their size..." Leo suggested hopefully. "It isnt that strange."
I threw Ares's ... the hotel store.
Ares scowled.
I took a shower, ... had in a long time.
"Too bad they don't keep cereal. I'll tell them to include it in the menu." Demeter murmured.
In the back ... it could wait.
"You have more than five days for your quest. Surely you are allowed to relax for atleast one day." Jason muttered in agreement.
I came out ... National Geographic Channel.
" Seriously?" All the demigos turned to look at Annabeth, along with Hermes, Apollo, and a few other gods. She gave them a sheepish grin.
"All those stations... Are you insane?"
"Yep. Most probably." Percy nodded. He quickly shut his mouth and looked away as the two Annabeths turned to glare at him.
"It's interesting.... this place."
"I hate that place." Grover disagreed with himself.
Without his even ... back down again.
"That wasn't supposed to happen." Hermes said with a frown.
"So what now... I said.
"Boys" Piper shook her head. "Hey! Just because you've got no taste for fun doesn't mean we can't enjoy a bit. We deserved a break!" Percy yelled indignantly. "It hasn't even happened to you yet." Jason told him.
I couldn't remember ... FBI sharpshooter.
"Man. I wish I were there with you..." Travis said dreamily.
"We could have had so much fun." Connor added.
"We can go to that place for a date." Chris muttered to Clarisse.
"I like the idea." She nodded.
"I am gonna take Festus to that place for a ride." Leo said with finality in his voice.
"We'll join you. " Hermes said.
"And I'll make sure you manage to get out of there after five or six days." Apollo nodded.
"What do you mean 'manage to get out of there'?" Frank asked with a frown.
Nobody replied.
I saw Grover ... shoot the rednecks.
"I'd like to try that game, my lady." Thalia requested. "You've got good taste, satyr. I think I will try that game if the Hunt ever goes to Las Vegas." Artemis said. Grover bowed. Coach Hedge nodded in approval. "I would like to see that place, too." He murmured. "Probably take Mellie there for a date."
I saw Annabeth ... Annabeth loved it.
Athena nodded in approval, but Leo spoke up. "You really don't know how to have fun. I wonder how Percy puts up with you." "Yes. You are really lucky you got Percy." Chris murmured. Annabeth glared murder at him, and he squirmed behind Piper.
"I don't think that way about you." Percy muttered, then realized everyone had heard it and blushed. Annie nodded in thanks, though her face was bright red too. "Percy is probably the only person other than Athena and her children who can understand Annabeth's definition of fun." Thalia said.
I'm not sure ... something was wrong.
"What was wrong? You're just enjoying a break, thats it." Katie talked to nobody in particular.
Probably, it was ... on homecoming night.
"Who wears such clothes anymore?" Frank asked nobody in particular. Hazel's eyes widened in realization and she sent Nico a questioning. Nico nodded.
We played a ... better and better."
"Groovy?" Leo asked.
Groovy?
Cue the snickers.
Later, while ... that way before.
"He probably hadn't" Nico muttered. All the other demigods frowned.
He said his ... about it. "1977."
"Okay. The dude's got to be kidding." Leo mumbled.
"No," I said, ... it was 1985.
"Well, I have to admit that's weird." Jason agreed.
Another guy told ... World War III.
"I don't want to cause WWIII." Hades groaned. "Thank gods you remembered." Nico muttered. "I almost forgot everything." Again, some other demigods frowned.
I found Annabeth ... response.
"That's so unlike her." Katie said eyeing Annabeth. "She's always alert and attentive."
I shook her. ... place is a trap."
"Ohkay. Now that you put it like that..." Leo trailed off. Then his eyes lit up. "But Apollo said he will get me out of there.."
"Leo. This Apollo is not from our universe. If you really want to go, you would have to ask the Apollo from our universe." Piper reminded him. Leo pouted.
She didn't respond ... few more minutes."
"That's totallyunlike Annabeth." Piper said. "So it's like you got soaddicted to the place and games and stuff that you don't remember anything else. Right?" Percy asked Annabeth. She nodded.
"Annabeth, there are ... a better place?"
"Try something else. You need to get her out of the spell." Athena muttered.
I grabbed her wrist ... and hit me,
"Ouch." Percy muttered. Annabeth gave him a sheepish grin.
but nobody else ... Large, hairy spiders."
Leo stiffled a laugh. "Well, that outta work."
"Percy definitely knows how to catch Annabeth's attention." Thalia teased. Annabeth just smiled at the memory.
That jarred her. ...Grover!"
"Yes." Coach Hedge agreed, pumping his fist into his palm. "Die! Nasty polluting humans! Garbage throwing, nature-destroying meat-eaters!" He stood up and started to take out his baseball bat but Piper pulled him back. "Sit quietly and listen, Coach." She spoke with charmspeak in her voice.
He turned the ... from the screen.
"What did you do to catch his attention? Remind him of Pan? Bought him a plate of enchiladas?" Percy asked.
I looked at Annabeth, ... a new level! No!"
"I think the enchiladas would've worked better..." Grover murmured as others snickered.
The Lotus bellhop ... Disco Darrin forever.
All the demigods who had been thinking about going to the place shuddered.
"On second thoughts..." Travis muttered.
"Let's not go there...". Connor finished.
"I'd love to be in that place, but forever?No, thanks." Leo agreed.
Grover reached for the card, ... real bed for once...
"No...trust your instincts. Don't turn back." Athena warned.
Then we burst ... down the sidewalk.
"Thank goodness." Poseidon murmured.
It felt like afternoon, ... problems to worry about.
"The backpack was magical." Athena observed with narrowed eyes. "Why would Ares give them a magical backpack. It's not like the backpack contained anything important..."
I ran to the ... Lotus Casino for five days.
"What the heck." Leo yelled.
"MMMPPPPHHHHHH!!!" Hera agreed.
"That's why you should not go to that place without immortals. Only immortals can get out of there after a bit of fun. It was a good thing that Percy was observant enough to understand that something was wrong. And his fatal flaw, his loyalty to his mother, helped him get out of that place. No other mortal would have been able to get out without help." Poseidon explained with a proud smile. Percy beamed.
Annie poked him on the head. "Don't get big-headed." She reminded him as he pouted.
We had only ... our quest.
"Well, that sucks. It really sucks to be you, punk." Clarisse spoke.
"Can we get some food now? I am hungry." Percy asked. Annie sighed amd rolled her eyes. Everyone else nodded in agreement.