Heh, Percy is a little shit in this chapter, and Frank loves his new friend anyway. And Percy realises something kinda heartbreaking because it should have never been something she needed to realise but hey- mental health should be taken seriously.
Replies:
The Official Clarisse: I mean, there doesn't have to be a formal adoption, let's face it Sally's basically adopted Annabeth and Rachel too at this point, it's just unofficial.
Weirdhead: I mean, is it that much of a gamble for Percy? Either she lives, or she goes back to Elysium.
Undeath9087: Percy just there like 'Eh, live, die, I'm cool with either so lets get this party started'. And Frank and Hazel are rightfully horrified by that. And yes you will get a scene where Frank tells Annabeth and Rachel about this- which I love, because he's just so nice and he wants to help Percy and I love him. Though Annabeth and Rachel come out of that conversation ready to beat the shit out of someone. And I mean, I will say that's not the big traumatizing thing that'll happen to Percy.
PJ Fan 285: Percy deciding Ella's her new sister doesn't stop that- let's face it, Sally sees Annabeth and Rachel as basically her kids too and that doesn't mean that they can't be with Percy.

"Do we have a deal." Percy's voice cut through the silence, sharper than any knife.

Phineas grinned. "I swear on the River Styx to abide by the terms, just as you have described them. Frank Zhang, you're the descendant of an Argonaut. I trust your word. If I win, do you and your friend Hazel swear to leave me in peace, and not seek revenge?"

Frank's hands were clenched so tight Percy thought he might break his gold spear, but he managed to grumble, "I swear it on the River Styx."

"I also swear," Hazel said.

"Swear," Ella muttered. "'Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon.'"

Phineas laughed. "In that case, find me something to write with. Let's get started." Frank borrowed a napkin and a pen from a food truck vendor. Phineas scribbled something on the napkin and put it in his bathrobe pocket. "I swear this is the location of Alcyoneus's lair. Not that you'll live long enough to read
it."

Percy drew her sword and swept all the food off the picnic table. Phineas sat on one side. Percy sat on the other.

Phineas held out his hands. "Let me feel the vials."

Percy did, and she took a deep breath, staring out at the hills in the distance. Was she imagining it or could she see the face of a sleeping woman. She closed her eyes, she'd never prayed to an enemy before- she wondered if it would work.

Okay Gaea. Percy pushed her thoughts outwards, downwards, You want me to suffer for whatever I did to your son, right? I'm a pawn to you. You've got plans for me. You want to use me and then let your sons do whatever they want. Well fine, I'll play your stupid game. You can try and make me your pawn if you want. But if you want me to be your pawn you need me to survive right? I'm fine whatever way this goes, Elysium here I come if I die, Alaska here I come if I live. So who's more important. Me or my dumbass half brother?

Percy focused on Phineas again, in time to see him setting both vials on the table, resting one hand lightly on each.

A tremor passed through the ground—a mild earthquake, just strong enough to make Percy's teeth chatter. Ella cawed nervously and Percy could see Hazel and Frank tensing, they'd felt it too. Did they understand what it meant? The gamble Percy was taking? Probably not.

The vial on the left seemed to shake slightly more than the one on the right.

Phineas grinned wickedly. He closed his fingers around the left-hand vial. "You were a fool, Percy Jackson. I choose this one. Now we drink."

Percy took the vial on the right, surprised by how steady her hand felt. But then she wasn't bluffing- what was there to be scared of? It wasn't like she'd leave behind many people mourning, they'd already mourned. In fact her coming back would probably just cause them more upset.

She let out a breath, running her fingers through her hair with her free hand.

The old man raised his vial "A toast to the children of Neptune." together they uncorked the vials and drank.

Percy felt the pain instantly- her mouth tasted like gasoline and her throat burned as she doubled over and made a choking whimpering sound. And she could hear her friends panicking behind her, but she found herself smiling despite the pain. Because she remembered what the gorgons had told her. A painless death. She blinked back tears, from the pain and from relief- which didn't really make sense. She didn't care did she? Because- because she was tired. She was tired of being pushed around and used as a pawn, tired of being scared and confused, of not knowing who she was or her past.

Surely Elysium would be better than that? A part of her had thought she wanted to be the one with the poison but- she was relieved. And wasn't that just a shock.

She wanted to live- she had so much that could go wrong, she was probably going to suffer a lot but she wanted to live.

As all of this crossed her mind she heard Hazel's almost sobbed, "Oh gods." and Ella chanting.

"Nope! Nope, nope, nope."

And she could see Phineas grinning in triumph, sitting up straighter, blinking his eyes in anticipation.

"Yes! Any moment now my sight will return."

And gods but did it have to hurt so much? It was agony, she felt like broken glass was working its way through her stomach into her intestines.

"Percy!" Frank was by her side Percy realised, gripping her shoulders, tears streaking down his cheeks- and suddenly his face was replaced with another face- blond hair, blue eyes, tears pouring down his cheeks, that scar- from defending her- the flash was gone as soon as it had come, "Gods Percy please you can't die." it was Frank, and she could see Hazel backing away, arms wrapped tightly around Ella, who's face was pressed into Hazel's shoulder. They were getting ready to run- they didn't realise.

"Not dying." Percy choked out, "Told me it was painless- the poison's painless-" she saw Frank's eyes widen, his gaze turning to look at Phineas- and as he did Percy's vision was clearing, no longer blurry in a sudden rush as Phineas hunched over like he'd been punched.

"You—you can't!" the old man wailed. "Gaea, you—you—"

He staggered to his feet and stumbled away from the table, clutching his stomach. "I'm too valuable!"

Steam came out of his mouth. A sickly yellow vapor rose from his ears, his beard, his blind eyes as Percy dragged herself to her feet, clinging to Frank.

"I guess she needs me more than you." her voice was shaky but ice cold.

"Unfair!" he screamed. "You tricked me! She was right! You're a deceitful who-"

He tried to claw the piece of paper out of his robe pocket, but his hands crumbled, his fingers turning to sand before he could even finish his words.

Percy watched, tilting her head back slightly. "No one tricked you. But I think Gaea wants revenge on me more than she wants you. And you made your
choice freely. And I will hold you to your oath."

The blind king wailed in agony. He turned in a circle, steaming and slowly disintegrating until there was nothing left but an old, stained bathrobe and a pair of
bunny slippers.

"Those," Frank said, "are the most disgusting spoils of war ever."

A woman's voice spoke in Percy's mind. "A gamble, Percy Jackson." It was a sleepy whisper, with just a hint of grudging admiration. "You forced me to choose, and you are more important to my plans than the old seer. But do not press your luck. When your death comes, I promise it will be much more painful than gorgon's blood. For what you did to my son you will suffer for a lifetime- I will let my sons have you first."

Hazel released Ella so that she could prod the robe with her sword. There was nothing underneath—no sign that Phineas was trying to re-form. She looked at Percy in awe. "That was either the bravest thing I've ever seen, or the stupidest."

Frank shook his head in disbelief. "Percy, how did you know? You were so confident he'd choose the poison."

"Gaea," Percy said. "She wants me to make it to Alaska. She thinks…I'm not sure. She thinks she can use me as part of her plan. She influenced Phineas to choose the wrong vial." she gave a bitter smile, "I was right about her Gaea really, really wants me to suffer.

Frank stared in horror at the remains of the old man. "Gaea would kill her own servant rather than you? That's what you were betting on?"

"Plans," Ella muttered. "Plans and plots. The lady in the ground. Big plans for Percy. Macrobiotic jerky for Ella." and Ella darted towards Percy, hugging her tightly, and Percy hugged her back.

"You can have all of the jerky Ella." she combed her fingers through Ella's hair gently, the harpy smiling brightly. "We're gonna keep you safe."

"And we're going to be discussing what you just did later." Frank was giving Percy a stern look, and her face flushed.

"Could we not? Listen why don't you grab the note?"

Franak nodded and did as he was told, quickly pulling the note out, "It say Hubbard Glacier, does that mean anything to you guys?"

"I know it." Hazel nodded, a determined look on her face, "It's pretty famous but... well we've got a long way to go."

In the trees around the parking lot the other harpies were overcoming their shock and squawking with excitement. They flew at the nearest food trucks, diving through the service windows and raiding the kitchens. Cooks shouted in many languages. Trucks shook back and forth. Feathers and food boxes flew everywhere.

"We'd better get back to the boat," Percy said. "We're running out of time."

And so the trio turned quartet headed back to the boat quickly, Ella still cuddled into Percy's side.

It didn't take them too long to reach the boat- and Percy quickly showed Ella to the bedroom, the little harpie babbling on happily- most of what she said didn't make much sense- but she was happy, that was enough for Percy- and when Frank grabbed her arm and started dragging her above deck Hazel gave a small nod- a signal that she'd keep an eye on Ella to make sure she settled down okay, before she gave in and let the son of Mars drag her onto the deck.

They sat down on the plush benches, Percy looking away from her friend.

There was a long uncomfortable silence before Frank spoke.

"What the fuck was that Percy?" his voice was horrified, "Do you- you risked everything- you risked everything on the bet that Gaea hates you enough and wants to use you enough that she'd choose to save you over Phineas?"

"Uh, yep, sounds about right." Percy popped the P on the yep, giving Frank her most innocent grin, "I mean, it worked right-"

"Percy there has to have been another way-"

"There wasn't Frank-"

"You could have died!" Frank didn't seem to yell much, so having him yell the words, seeing the anger in his expression made Percy falter. "You could have died Percy don't you care?"

"I-" Percy hesitated- and something in her expression made Frank lean back, a wounded look on his face.

"Oh gods Percy-"

"I-" Percy's throat felt dry and she turned her head away, unable to meet her friends gaze. "I'm tired." she said after a very long moment, "I'm so tired. Ever since I woke up with Lupa I've been fighting, fighting to prove myself, fighting to survive, fighting to remember. And- and then Hazel told me that I was dead- and- people keep saying things that just don't- about Saturn- about me. And I'm- I think I was probably happier in Elysium." she admitted the words faintly/

"At least there I didn't have the weight of the world on my shoulders. At least there I knew who I was and I knew it was over so- so yeah. I won't lie Frank. I didn't care if I died- A part of me thought it was what I wanted I mean- gods I know I have a family out there but they think I'm dead. They've mourned me. They've probably moved on what if they don't need me anymore? What if I don't- what if they don't have room for me anymore? It's not like I remember anything yet." she could feel her eyes burning with tears. "Can you blame me? I was so tired of it all Frank- I'm tired of-" she was cut off by Frank pulling her into a tight hug, and Percy pressed her face into Frank's shoulder, letting her tears fall as the taller teen hugged her.

And she realised with a start that she hadn't had anyone just hold her like this and comfort her since she'd woken up with Lupa.

She gripped at Frank's tee as she let herself cry, and Frank rested his chin on the top of her head. "You're such an idiot Percy. If your family don't need you anymore then that's their loss." his voice was firm as he squeezed her tightly, "Don't you dare think you don't belong anywhere because you were dead
though. You belong here with us just like Hazel does. You're our friend Percy. Hazel and mine- also Ella totally needs you okay? No trying to get yourself killed. And you can talk to us you know."

"I- I don't want to die." Percy's voice was muffled. "I thought I did but I was relieved." she managed to lift her head, "I was relieved when I realised I was gonna survive. I don't want to die. Not at the moment anyway-"

"Good." Frank loosened the hug. "Now don't be stupid again. Or I'll give you another bear hug-"

"Okay- so is there a cliff or something nearby?"

"Why?"

So I can go be stupid-" Percy yelped when Frank tugged her ear lightly, and she found herself laughing at the look on the other teens face- and yeah. Maybe things weren't perfect, but they could be a lot worse.