Confession time: we bought ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal.
I know, I know. It was rude. But Grover was freaking me out, looking at us like we were dead man, muttering "Why does this always happen?" and "Why does it always have to he sixth grade?"
Naruto felt bad since he did not wanted to ditch Grover but i knew he was freaked out just like me
Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up, so we weren't surprised when, as soon as we got off the bus, he made us promise to wait for him, then made a beeline for the restroom. Instead of waiting, I got my suitcase, slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown.
"East One-hundred-and-fourth and First," I told the driver. once me and Naruto where inside he too had his luggage with him though i did not knew what was there nor did i wanted to ask .
A word about my mother, before you meet her.
Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world, which just proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.
The only good break she ever got was meeting my dad.
I don't have any memories of him, just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile. My mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad. She has no pictures.
See, they weren't married. She told me he was rich and important, and their relationship was a secret. Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important jour-ney, and he never came back.
Lost at sea, my mom told me. Not dead. Lost at sea.
i allways wandered about that since it was kind of odd even now it is but after meeting Naruto and Grover and what had happen to us i was starting to think that maybe there was more than what my mom allways told me about dad since hearing about him being lost at sea was kind of wierd but now it might had been also a small clue i still did not knew if i was really a demi god or even the son of the sea as Mrs Dodds told us while refering at me but i was begining to wander .
She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised me on her own. She never com-plained or got mad. Not even once. But I knew I wasn't an easy kid.
Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. When I was young, I nick-named him Smelly Gabe. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.
Between the two of us, we made my mom's life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, the way he and I got along ... well, when I came home is a good example.
I walked into our little apartment, hoping my mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet.
Naruto was not happy about this sure he told me he was just as messy and was not a fan of cleaning up but even he was seeing how bad things where looking since he was moving his lips and his nose was twiching .
Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, "So, you're home."
"Where's my mom?" i asked him not expecting to get an answere
"Working," he said. "You got any cash?"
That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?
Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift-store clothes. He had about three hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something.
He managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, but he stayed home most of the time. I don't know why he hadn't been fired long before. He just kept on collecting paychecks, spending the money on cigars that made me nauseous, and on beer, of course. Always beer. Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling funds. He called that our "guys secret." Meaning, if I told my mom, he would punch my lights out.
''hey is that what you are really supose to say to Percy after coming home and why are you dressed like this ah what ever i don't care ''
Percy gave me a look being surprised by my words the guy who Percy called smelly Gabe was exactly that and he was ugly very ugly as well .
''what was that you brat ,you should show some respect when referying to your elders and what is with that wierd outfit huh ? are you some kind of monk or what cause you look stupid '' Gabe said i decided to ignore him since he was not worth the troubel even Percy ignored the man though he was just as annoyed because of what he heard .
''what respect i don't know you and i don't have to respect you like you don't really respect me or Percy since it is obvious you are just a slug of a grown up who wants to live an easy life and make others miserable only so you can be happy ,what a disgusting person you are mr Gabe you are making me sick .
saying this shocked not only Percy but also Gabe and his smelly friends the man in question got up and he was not looking very good if it would had been any one else or if i would had been more younger i would had cower but now i was not since this man was nothing but a pig an ugly pig .
''what did you say to me you wierd brat are you making fun of me huh well maybe i should teach you some manners then '' the man said geting ready to strike me ,Percy was not looking good since he wanted to stop the man before he was about to hit me but i simply staide my ground .
the man was ready to strike but when his fist was about to conect to my face with a simple stare the man froze looking at me in dread and terror i did not knew what had happen since i did nothing but the man was clearly shaking and even backing away even Percy was curious not understanding what had happen though he liked seeing Gabe being scared .
''w what i in the w w world a a are y you ,y you f freak ''Gabe shouted at me making me frown but i was also curios since i did not understood what was wrong with him as i was about to answere him something strange happen .what that was i was not able to explain but i suddenly felt very warm as well as hot and wanting to do something anything i streached my hand out and from it flames came out that right away went twoards Gabe surounding him , the man was terefied seeing what had happen as where his friends .
Percy simply watched the scene with amazement not beliving what was going on all was alright but only the area where Gabe who was surounded by flames was burning and the flames where not any type of flames he had seen but they where black in color .
''what did you even did Naruto how did you managed to trap Gabe under that fier ''Percy asked wanting to know , i glanced at him being very confused .
''i don't know Perce one moment i had this strange warm feeling like the next you saw what happen ''i explained not knowing how to express the fealing more better . Percy noded even if he was still confused .''can you pull it out '' he asked me i ponder on that since i did not knew how to do that so winging it i put my hand down while thinking about puting the black flames out ,it kind of worked since there was no more fier and smelly Gabe was free he was looking at me with a scared but hatfule glare not that i cared for his glare since i was used to this .
the man got back where he was ignoring what had happen as his friends did even if they kind of wispered lowely .
''thanks for this Naruto really ''i told him being honest since i did not wanted to get in troubel with my mom if she were to see that .
''ah don't mention it Perce it was my pleasure so you should make your self at home since this is your place '' i told him earning a nod from him but Gabe interupted even if he was on the couch .
''hang on brain boy you still own me some cash '' me and Percy glared at the man who even after what happen to him a few moments ago was still not leting my best friend alone demanding mony from him in a very rude way .
"I don't have any cash," I told him.
i agreed noding since i liked what Percy told the man but he was looking at us not being impressed as if he knew something we where trying to hide form him .
He raised a greasy eyebrow.
Gabe could sniff out money like a bloodhound, which was surprising, since his own smell should've covered up everything else.
"You took a taxi from the bus station," he said. Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change. Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?"
bought me and Naruto scowelled at Gabe since he was a jerk .
Eddie, the super of the apartment building, looked at me with a twinge of sympathy. "Come on, Gabe," he said. "The kid just got here."
"Am I right?" Gabe repeated.
Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas in harmony.
that was disgusting and me as well as Naruto wanted to gag at that my best friend was having enough of Gabe and he walked away ,watching him i did not blamed him since the guy was repulsive and annoying .
Fine," I said. I dug a wad of dollars out of my pocket and threw the money on the table. "I hope you lose."
"Your report card came, brain boy!" he shouted after me. "I wouldn't act so snooty!"
hearing that made me very mad that i wanted to puch that creep Naruto was not far from doing that for me since he was asking for it we ignored the creep and walked to my room where once we got in I slammed the door to my room, which really wasn't my room. During school months, it was Gabe's "study." He didn't study anything in there except old car magazines, but he loved shoving my stuff in the closet, leaving his muddy boots on my windowsill, and doing his best to make the place smell like his nasty cologne and cigars and stale beer.
I dropped my suitcase on the bed. Home sweet home.
''you were not kiding when you told me about this guy why the heck are you and your mom even put up with him really Percy if i were you i would tell your mom to drive him out from the house and let him rot some where .
i know that what i said was a bit well harsh but that man was really rubbing me off in a bad way since he was a pig and very repulsive as well as uncivilled i knew i was not the most civile person but at least i knew i had some small manners unlike that guy who was a creep .
''you are telling me i want that for years since that guy is a jerk and dose not deserve to be with some one like my mom .
Gabe's smell was almost worse than the nightmares about Mrs. Dodds, or the sound of that old fruit lady's shears snipping the yarn.
But as soon as I thought that, my legs felt weak. I remembered Grover's look of panic-how he'd made me promise I wouldn't go home without him. A sudden chill rolled through me. I felt like someone or something-was looking for me right now, maybe pounding its way up the stairs, growing long, horrible talons.
''hey are you ok , let me guess you are worried about Grover well we did ditched him after all but i would not be so worried cause he can handel himself '' Percy was surprised that i was kind of guessing about what he was thinking ,i knew he felt bad for Grover since i felt the same way .
''yeah you could say that i mean we did left him alone ,hey Naruto ? about this whole thing with us being uh demi gods are you really sure about this i mean trully sure ?
Naruto gave me a look since he kind of realised why i asked him that for i still had doubts about this whole thing about me being related to a god of all things .
''Perce trust me i get why you are like this heck i m feeling the same but you saw what happen when we where at Yancy the strange weather our cranky moods the fact that we are dyslexic as well as hyper active and can't even stand still the fact that we bought saw mythological beings that most humans should not and we were not crazy even if Mr Chiron wanted to make us .and not to mention what happen with smelly Gabe this is not normal so as much as i want to deny it like you do we really are these demi gods Perce i mean didn't you felt the strange conection as if something was so familiar and tingly to you but you could not explain ? well this is it this is why it's probably our conection to our parents as well as familly , you have conection to the Greek -Roman side and i have a conection to the Shinto side . it's wierd i know but this is how things are .
listening to Naruto and hearing him out i saw that he trully felt like i did but he also accepted this since i saw that he was in a way happy i could not blame him since this to me was wierd to think that gods where real and i was the son of one it was to much for me i sighed not wanting to think of this since it was to crazy and to much for me to handel .
''don't worry Perce i m with you ok i mean i feel the same way as you do '' i told him wanting to make him feel better he did crack a smile which was good since he did not needed to think about this whole demi gods thing .
''yeah thanks Naruto it's just all this is so wierd i never expected something like this and i just don't know how to deal with it .''saying that was really good since it made me feel a bit better for i did not felt like i had something wrapped around my body to wear me down .
''hey it's ok but you know you simply don't have to think about it i mean that is how i deal with it so what if we are these demi gods so. that dose not mean that we are wierd it simply means that we are diferent and have a diferent life than a normal person but we are still normal .
that made me feel better since Naruto had a point despite what had happen to me till now i did try to have a normal life even if wierd stuff happen around me .
suddenly we where interupted when i heard my mom's voice "Percy?"
She opened the bedroom door, and my fears melted.
My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room. Her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt. She's got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair, but I never think of her as old. When she looks at me, it's like she's seeing all the good things about me, none of the bad. I've never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Gabe
"Oh, Percy."She hugged me tight. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"
Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She'd brought me a huge bag of "free samples," the way she always did when I came home.
''oh Percy who is your friend ?'' my mom asked now looking twoards Naruto observing his outfit .
''uh hello my Name is Naruto Uzumaki ,nice to meet you ma'am '' i said being a bit embarest since the lady was kind of nice even if she was a bit old she did not look that old from my perspective .
''ah it's nice to meet you ,pardon me but your name sounds Japanese are you perhaps from Japan ?'' she asked me i did not know how to answere at that since i was not actually from this world but thinking a bit of something i decided to respond .
''uh yeah i lived in a small village till now but my mom brought me to the city as well as the country to study here ''i said being a bit troughtfule but not that much since it was true that my mom had broght me here but the rest well it was not really true .
''oh is that so ? well i think your mom must probably had been a very special woman seeing how she sent you here all on your own ,pardone me but the outfit you are wearing it looks very intersting can i say that it is special since it's glowing .
me and Percy did not expected that we looked at each other not knowing what to say since this was wierd i was reking my brain on what to even say but nothing came to mind .
''don't worry i did not meant this in a bad way it was just an observation nothing more '' at that i noded saying nothing since i did not knew what to even say i glanced twoards Percy hoping he might have an answere but even he was lost .
We sat together on the edge of the bed. While I attacked the blueberry sour strings, she ran her hand through my hair and demanded to know everything I hadn't put in my letters. She didn't mention anything about my getting expelled. She didn't seem to care about that. But was I okay? Was her little boy doing all right?
I told her she was smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her
Naruto was laughing as well geting some candy also though the moment was ruined when from the other room Gabe yelled ''Hey, Sally-how about some bean dip, huh?"
i grith my theeth while Naruto was frowning not liking the tone of smelly Gabe .
My mom is the nicest lady in the world. She should've been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Gabe.
For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy. I told her I wasn't too down about the expulsion. I'd lasted almost the whole year this time. I'd made some new friends. I'd done pretty well in Latin. And honestly, the fights hadn't been as bad as the headmaster said. I liked Yancy Academy. I really did. I put such a good spin on the year, I almost convinced myself. I started chok-ing up, thinking about Grover and Mr. Brunner. Even Nancy Bobofit suddenly didn't seem so bad.
Until that trip to the museum ...
"What?" my mom asked. Her eyes tugged at my con-science, trying to pull out the secrets. "Did something scare you?"
bought me and Naruto said nothing since i did not wanted to worry my mom ,and Naruto wanted to keep this a secret something i was greatfule to him .
''no mom ''
I felt bad lying. I wanted to tell her about Mrs. Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I thought it would sound stupid. Naruto agreed but he also considered silently that maybe we should tell her i did not knew how to think about that for i did not wanted to worry her .
She pursed her lips. She knew I was holding back, but she didn't push me.
"I have a surprise for you," she said. "We're going to the beach."
My eyes widened. "Montauk?"
"Three nights-same cabin." my mom told me geting me excited about this i glanced at my best friend wanderying if he wanted to come too he looked unsure but also he did not deny this .
"When?" i asked her already wanting to go since i enjoyed going there for it was amazing
She smiled. "As soon as I get changed."
I couldn't believe it. My mom and I hadn't been to Montauk the last two summers, because Gabe said there wasn't enough money.
''can Naruto come too i mean if you are not against this'' i asked my mom not wanting to bother her to much she glanced at the two of us and responded .
''sure i don't see why not let me get changed and we will go '' hearing this i was very excited since i was going to go with my mom and my second best friend he did not opose to this since he felt a bit intersted too .
Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, "Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?"
we bought wanted to puch him but I met my mom's eyes and I understood she was offering me a deal: be nice to Gabe for a little while. Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk. Then we would get out of here.
"I was on my way, honey," she told Gabe. "We were just talking about the trip."
Gabe's eyes got small. "The trip? You mean you were serious about that?"
"I knew it," I muttered. "He won't let us go."
"Of course he will," my mom said evenly. "Your step-father is just worried about money. That's all. Besides," she added, "Gabriel won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works."
Gabe softened a bit. "So this money for your trip ... it comes out of your clothes budget, right?"
"Yes, honey," my mother said.
"And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back."
"We'll be very careful." Gabe scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip ... And maybe if the kid apolo-gizes for interrupting my poker game."
Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing soprano for a week.
But my mom's eyes wao- rned me not to make him mad.
Naruto glancing at the two of us had a grin even if small i did not knew what he was up too but anything was better if it were to shut up gabe .
Why did she put up with this guy? I wanted to scream. Why did she care what he thought?
"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now."
''uh hum i mean after all you wouldn't like to lose to your friends do you i mean who knows what they might do while you are gone maybe they could i don't know pull something over you and make you lose your mony i mean you would not like that would you ? don't you think so Percy ?''
Naruto said continuing from where i left off i did not knew what he was up to but he was quite good since he was not only sarcastic but he was in fact shrewed since he was tricking Gabe i did not knew how good he was at this but there was no sound from out side my door .it lasted for a few moments when .
"Yeah, whatever," he decided.
He went back to his game.
right away we bought laughed at that since it was very funny .
"Thank you, Percy," my mom said. "Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about... whatever you've forgot-ten to tell me, okay?"
For a moment, I thought I saw anxiety in her eyes-the same fear I'd seen in Grover during the bus ride-as if my mom too felt an odd chill in the air.
But then her smile returned, and I figured I must have been mistaken. She ruffled my hair and went to make Gabe his seven-layer dip.
Naruto who saw the moment snikered at me but i did not mind that since i did not care since i felt glad that i was home and be able to see my mom again .
''do you think she might know something ? ''Naruto asked me and i did not knew what to say to him since it seemed a bit odd but i had that strange feeling that maybe she might know more than she would like to tell .
''who knows maybe i don't know do you think we should tell her ?'' Naruto was thinking about this since he saw the way my mom looked at me ,''well i think we should i mean she might be worried but if she some how knows something then i think it will be better but if you wont tell her then i get it cause why do you want to worry her i know i wouldn't want that ''
i was glad when Naruto told me that since i felt the same since i did not want to tell my mom what happen with Mrs Dodds or the fact that i just learned that i was a demi god and some how i knew about dad as wierd as this was .
An hour later we were ready to leave.
Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom's bags to the car. He kept griping and groaning about losing her cooking-and more impor-tant, his '78 Camaro-for the whole weekend.
"Not a scratch on this car, brain boy ,wierd brat '' he warned us as we loaded our bags ."Not one little scratch."
Like 'we'd be the ones driving .bought me and Naruto where twelve . But that didn't matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as pooped on his paint job, he'd find a way to blame me.
Watching him lumber back toward the apartment build-ing, I got so mad I did something I can't explain. As Gabe reached the doorway, I made the hand gesture I'd seen Grover make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over my heart, then a shoving movement toward Gabe. The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the stair-case as if he'd been shot from a cannon. Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but we didn't stay long enough to find out.
Naruto laughed seeing that though he looked at me for a few moments not understanding what had happen but he shrugged it off . that was wierd but i didn't care so the two of us went to the camaro .
once we got inside i told my mom to step on it .
Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded cur-tains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.
I loved the place.
We'd been going there since I was a baby. My mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her. It was the place where she'd met my dad.
As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the color of the sea.
We got there at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine. We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.
i started to explain to Naruto this whole thing with blue food since he was confused .
See, Gabe had once told my mom there was no such thing. They had this fight, which seemed like a really small thing at the time. But ever since, my mom went out of her way to eat blue food. She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop. This-along with keeping her maiden name, Jackson, rather than call-ing herself Mrs. Ugliano-was proof that she wasn't totally suckered by Gabe. She did have a rebellious streak, like me.
my best friend smiled after hearing my small story and he liked how my mom put Gabe in his place .
after that we spent the rest of the day on the beach doing all sorts of things .
When it got dark, we made a fire. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Mom told me stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash. She told me about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop.
Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask about what was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk-my father. Mom's eyes went all misty. I figured she would tell me the same things she always did, but I never got tired of hearing them.
Naruto was intrigued wanting to listen as well .
"He was kind, Percy," she said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes."
Naruto was surprised hearing this his expresion sudenly changed and was glancing at me as well as my mom as if he had figured something out he glanced for a brif second twoards the sea and his eyes had a strange glance as if he finally had something put toghether he then looked at the two of us again this time having a grin on his face that confused the two of us not geting what was wrong with him .
''oh is that so ,so you mean to say that Percy's dad looks exactly like him ? well then this is quite obvious then if he indeed has black hair and green eyes and also enjoyes the sea this could not be more perfect since this means that percy is his son ,so you actually met the sea god then Mrs Jakson ? and it was in this place ? i wander how that was for the two of you but since Perce here is already your son i guess things went quite fine if you know what i mean .
we bought remained quite stunned after hearing what my best friend said i was staring at my mom in shock wanderying if she really did meet with dad and he was trully a god .even if she did not say a thing since she was still gawking at Naruto in shock her expresion did told me that what my best friend was true , i was not expecting this nor could even belive that my dad was a god and he was the sea god none the less this was very crazy .
though after the shock passed my mom had a long misty expresion that change quite fast to an embarest one since a small blush was seen on her cheeks and she became a bit flustered .
''how did you know about that i mean i never even told Percy ,you are quite sharp you know well i should not tell you boys this but yes Percy your dad is the god of the sea which makes you his son and a very powerfule demi god i m sorry for hiding this from you but i could not tell you the trough since this life is so dangerous i learned about Greek History and what i know is not good since there are plenty of dangers boys dangers i do not want you too to face .
we bought remained stunned at what my mom said her expresion turned sad and she looked like she was about to cry i did not knew how to feel about this since for once i was shocked and even hurt that mom lied to me but on the other hand if what she said to the two of us was real then i could understand her decision even if it did not make me feel any better .
''so it is true then well at least you did what you thought it was best but i guess it was not to much or even about to last after what happen to me and Percy while we where at Yancy .
i told Mrs Jackson and she gave us a look wanting to know what had happen there Percy stared at me since he did not liked that i spealled the beans and spoke about what happen but i simply thought it could be said after revealing such a thing .
''what are you talking about Naruto what happen to you boys while you were at Yancy ?''Mrs Jakson asked the two of us i wandered if i should continue since i did not want to make Percy mad and he was reluctant to talk about this so we bought decided to drop it even if it was not really right .
''it's nothing mom /Mrs Jakson don't worry about it '' we bought told her but she gave us a stare that was not really making me and Percy feel better since it was the stare that said 'i don't belive you so you should tell the trough 'but we did not cave in so a sigh was given by Mrs Jakson seeing we did not want to come forth with the details .
''fine boys if you don't want to talk alright but you should tell me about what happen later ok '' she told us and we noded .
after that Mom /Mrs Jakson fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud."
I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years.
Naruto was silent observing my expresion he probably knew how i was feeling even if he said nothing .
"How old was I?" I asked. "I mean ... when he left?"
She watched the flames. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin."
"But... he knew me as a baby." i asked wanting to tell that to my mom
''uh Perce maybe he did or maybe not i mean he is a god after all so maybe he is very busy but he could have watch over you from either the sea or you know the sky ''i said since i did not knew how to make heads or tails out of this situation since it was wierd .
bought Percy and Mrs Jakson gave me looks though a bit surprised the two did pondere a bit on that Percy more than his mom since he was thinking about this at least .
''No, honey. well maybe he did and could do even now as your friend Naruto said .He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born .''
I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember ... something about my father. A warm glow. A smile.
I had always assumed he knew me as a baby. My mom had never said it outright, but still, I'd felt it must be true. Now, to be told that he'd never even seen me ...
''hey come on Percy maybe your dad had his reasons they might not be good reasons but who knows maybe he was forced to leave you know i mean only he knows this .
i said trying to think about this since it was at least something even if it was not much ,this made me think about my mom and why did she had to leave me for twelve years in a way i was very glad that she told me she was my mom and that she was also a goddes but on the other had i still did not knew how to feel about this since she left me for so long when she could had been there for me ,i did not want to be a brat thinking like this but it kind of hurt thinking that she was in a way alive and was unabel to come to me i was allways wandered if she even loved me but i knew this was silly for if she didn't then she would had not have me in the first place .
in the end i simply chose to try and trust in my mom and wait till she will tell me more about why she could not be in my life till now instead of out right hate her maybe she probably wanted to be in my life but could not since she was a goddes and she probably wanted to not make things more worst for me , it was a thought even if i did not liked it since what did it had to do with any thing in the first place since if she wanted she could had watch over me and be with me when ever she would had liked .
i sighed deciding to gaze at the sky even if it was dark .
''is there a problem Naruto you seem deep in thought for a few moments '' Mrs Jakson said while looking twoards me i tried to hide what i was thinking about but seeing the concerned look i simply could not lie about what i was feeling at the moment since this meaning what i told to Percy about his dad i also often wander about it my self almost my whole life since i was alone till now .
''ah it's nothing much you know it's just what i said to Percy it kind of make me wander as well about this whole thing with my mom since she too is a goddes and a very important one she told me this herself but i wander about this since i was alone my hole life till she contacted me ,i mean why now why couldn't she do that right after i was born i mean i know that she did died after i was born but if she is alive since she is a goddes then why did she waited why now of all times did she contacted me .she did told me that she will tell me more but why so much secrets what can be so worst that she can't tell me now , i just don't know ,in a way i m happy she finally contacted me but on the other hand having to wait it seems so wrong i mean is it so bad if she where to be with me dispite what she is i really don't care if she is a goddes i just want her in my life ,maybe she has her reasons but what could they be what could it be so important than me her own son .
as i let out this load i simply felt sad as well as angry that my mom could not be with me i tried to understand her reasons of why she was doing this why she could not be with me but it was simply hard to finally learn that i had some one in my life but i could not trully see or even talk to face to face .
''i m so sorry Naruto you must had a hard life didn't you how sad to be left alone but no one took care of you ?'' Mrs Jakson who had a sad face asked while looking at me even Percy was very surprised by all this and felt kind of bad too .
''no i had no one i live in an orphanage but i was trown out at the age of two if it would had not been for the old man who is the leader of our village i don't know what would had happen to me ''.
that shocked Percy and Mrs Jakson bought where mad after hearing that though Mrs Jakson was more mad than Percy who looked at me with a sad expresion i smiled since i did not wished to bring the mood down more than it was .
''what? y you must be joking right ? y you where trown out at the age of two ,two what kind of people no monsters would do that to a child i can't belive this you poor thing no wander you are acting like this being left alone it must been so hard for you left alone to fend for your self .
i said nothing since it was true though i did chukel a bit but it was an empty gesture for the people who did that where simply monsters who hated my very being for having a monster sealed inside me it was kind of ironic to be hated by people and now hear about them being called monsters when i had one too .
''don't worry i managed since the leader of our village looked after me though he did not had much time but i will have words with him since he lied to me about my parents since i think no i bet he knew them i don't know how much but he definitly knew them and he lied straight to my face when he knew i wanted to learn more about them i hope he will have a very good reason for what he did cause if not then i will kick his ass and demand that he will tell me why he lied to me when he could had told me the trough .
bought Mrs Jakson and Percy stared at me hearing me out even if they where a bit glad hearing what i said in the begining that change again to shocked expresions when i blurted all that out about the old man and how he lied about my parents i thought at first he did not really knew them but after meeting my mom and she told me about my dad even if i did not knew that much about him or who he was i knew that the old man knew about my parents and this hurt as well as made me mad since he lied to me for years and i belived him not question him so much but now i wanted to have words and i was going to get them one way or another even if had to beat the crap out of the man for that .
''Naruto are you alright cause you kind of look as if you want to hurt some one ,i hope you will not despite what had happen to you violence is not trully the answere i m sorry to hear about this as well but you must keep in mind that there are two sides to a story like you said regurding the matter of your mother as well as Percy's father they had their reason's for doing what they did and i for one do not regret anything despite having a hard life i m glad to have Percy in my life and i bet that your mother dose too so don't try to look out for a fight no mater agaisnt who it might be since it is not right i know it sounds silly but what point will be there in hurting some one else ,even if they might have hurt you back you hurt them and they will hurt you as well and this simply leads to conflict that can never end .
hearing the words bought me and Percy where very surprised by the wisdome that Mrs Jakson had since the way she was talking was as if she might had experiance this but chose to endure it instead of fight back through violence even if that most of the times was good and a solution as much as i hated to admit Mrs Jakson had a point since i did knew how it was to hurt others and be hurt back as well and it was not very preaty but some times i felt that it was necesary if at least to defend either one self or some one close to you .
''don't worry Mrs Jakson i promise i wont beside maybe the old man had a reason for what he did but if he wont talk i will make him since i have my ways and there is no way in hell i will let him get away with it after lying to me for years ''
i told the older woman being serios Percy was amazed by my words as well as attitude since he never thought that i would talk like this and even say that i would want to force answeres out of some one who was older than me but i felt like i had to do that since i felt like i needed to know why i was lied to by some one i liked .
''you are quite stuborn but i can't blame you i mean being lied your hole life i can understand the feeling ''Mrs Jakson glanced at Percy who was taken aback by her look since she kind of had expected for him to lash at her or something it was good that he did not since that would had been very bad from him since Mrs Jakson was a very nice lady and Percy was trully loving her .
i saw Percy who was a bit embarest look thoughtfule as well as a bit angry probably because he was thinking about his dad who was in his mind not there for him making him feel that he had abandone him .i felt bad for Percy since he really wanted to have his dad in his life like i wanted to have my mom but like me he could not and was forced to accept this it was kind of sad and with how him and his mom where living i was even more understanding since if Mr Poseidon would had been in their lives more then bought Percy and Mrs Jakson would had lived better lives than having to put up with that ugly guy .
"Are you going to send me away again?" I asked her. "To another boarding school?"
She pulled a marshmallow from the fire. while we where watching her .
"I don't know, honey." Her voice was heavy. "I think ... I think we'll have to do something."
''why cause you don't want me around ''
My mom's eyes welled with tears. She took my hand, squeezed it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I-I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away."
I was looking at the scene being a bit jelous of my best friend seeing how close he and Mrs Jakson where in a way he was lucky even if he did not liked this wierd situation .
Her words reminded me as well as Percy of what Mr Brunner who was in fact Chiron himself telling the two of us that it was for the best to leave Yancy .
"Because I'm not normal," I said.
at the words i winch a bit since Percy sounded a bit harsh and he was making Mrs Jakson feel bad for this i wanted to tell him that he was wrong but Mrs Jakson decided to speak .
''"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe."
bought me and Percy wandered about that thinking back at the strange events that had happen while we were there the strange weather patterns the fact that Mrs Dodds turned out to be a fury who wanted to have my best friend for break feast for she was blaming him for a theft that he did not comited and even worst it could be that even i would be with out my desier to be held responsable just because the king lost his boom stick and had nothing better to do than blame others like a five year old brat who lost his toy .
well it was a very powerfule toy but even so to act the way he probably dose only becuase his symbole of power is gone showes how much of a brat he is i did not even wanted to imagine but i thought that maybe the guy loved that thing so much he probably even sleept with it like how a kid would with his favorite blanket or even stuff toy .
i even thought about that and it was so hilarious that i began to laugh for it was to funny .bought Mrs Jakson and Percy where gaving me odd looks but i could not stop since this was so amazingly funny to think about that guy considerying his symbole of power to be similar to a toy or blanket that he would probably need and since he did not had it he was trowing a tantrum wanting it back .
''why are you luaghing did you thought of something funny ?'' Mrs Jakson asked with a curious gaze even Percy felt the same wanting to know .
''ah sorry about that but i kind of thought about something and it is funny '' i replied not wanting to elaborate now earning looks that clearly showed they wanted to know more but i did not wanted to tell so the two gave up even if Percy was not really over this and wanted to know what was so funny seeing that he was not really over it i thought about telling him when we will be alone in the cabin .
"Safe from what?"
She met my eyes, and a flood of memories came back to me-all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to me, some of which I'd tried to forget.
seeing Percy like this i sighed a bit since he seemed like he was not paying that much attention even with what i had told him about when i revealed what we where to him but it was understandable since this was wierd till far so who could have even belive anyway .
still Percy now had a far away look probably thining about something even if he did not said it out loud .
During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked me on the playground. When the teachers threatened to call the police, he went away growling, but no one believed me when I told them that under his broad-brimmed hat, the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his head.
Before that-a really early memory. I was in preschool, and a teacher accidentally put me down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into. My mom screamed when she came to pick me up and found me playing with a limp, scaly rope I'd somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands.
In every single school, something creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move.
I knew I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds at the art museum, about my weird hallucination that I was about to slice my math teacher into dust with a sword. But I couldn't make myself tell her. I had a strange feeling the news would end our trip to Montauk, and I didn't want that.
"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," my mom said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy-the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it."
hearing this from Mrs Jakson was intriguing since it was the same thing that my mom said and even Mr Brunner not to mention that even Grover showed us his card that had that strange typo about this so called camp so this meant that this must be the same camp that had been talked about to me and even Percy .
''wait a bit this special place it wouldn't happen to be by accident a summer camp would it ?'' saying that i recive a glance from Mrs Jakson who was shocked her eyes being wide open that made me realise that i was right .
''hang on my father wanted me to go to a special camp ?'' i asked my mom since i did heard Naruto talk about this and even Grover gave us this wierd card that i had with me .
''yes a summer camp ''
My head was spinning. Why would my dad-who hadn't even stayed around long enough to see me born- talk to my mom about a summer camp? And if it was so important, why hadn't she ever mentioned it before?
i glanced at Percy and saw that he was very confused his face clearly showing questions that he had reguding the camp and for a good reason too .
"I'm sorry, Percy," she said, seeing the look in my eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I-I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."
"For good? But if it's only a summer camp ..." i said while looking at my mom not understanding why was she acting like this .
''hm this is intriguing so you want to say that if we where to go to that place we might never leave from there ,well this sucks but we might be able to leave somehow '' i told them since i did not want to stay in a camp that i never even saw in my life not being abel to even leave .
Mrs Jakson turned toward the fire, and I knew from her expres-sion that if we asked her any more questions she would start to cry.
after we where done and went to bed me and Percy had a strange dream that was very vivid
It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful ani-mals, a white horse and a golden eagle, were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagles wings. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuck-led somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder
it was very wierd to see this but i saw Percy trying to run towards the two wanting to stop them i on the other hand remained still and watched as Percy was trying desperatly to stop the two beutifule animals from killing each other . as i was watching and also hearing the earth rumbel with a dark chukel i observed a strange raven that was flying around observing the fight as well as Percy trying to stop the two .
the strange raven landed after a nother hover on my shoulder i was a bit startelled but not very afraid i glanced at the raven and observed that it was very beutifule the most amazing and extraordinary thing that got my attention where it's eyes ,it was strange but they where a beutifule gold color as if i was staring in to the very sun it self .
the raven tiltead it head and gave me a light peck that made me laugh since it looked more like i was tickelled by it so i wanted to tell the raven to stop it .
it was kind of strange but i did not dislike this feeling i hoped that i could have more time with this strange raven that was kind of familiar to me but me and Percy awoke right away with a startel.
Outside, it really was storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.
With the next thunderclap Mrs Jakson wake up standing her eyes where open wide and she said
''"Hurricane." .
me and Percy knew this was kind of crazy since Percy told me that long island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seemed to have for-gotten. Over the roar of the wind we bought heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made our hair stand up .Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice-someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door.
Mrs Jakson /My mother sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock.
Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn't... he wasn't exactly Grover.
"Searching all night," he gasped. "What were you thinking?"
we bought looked a bit sheepish hearing the words but this was very wierd seeing Grover like this cause me and Percy did not expected something of this magnitude from our crippelled friend at least now a few things where explained about him .
Mrs Jakson /My mother looked at us in terror -not scared of Grover, but of why he'd come.
"Percy,Naruto '' she said, shouting to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"
me after hearing that had an embarest face since i did not think that this will happen seeing as this was already out of the bag i had no qualm of trying to hid what happen to me and Percy at school or rather what happen at the museum or when we meet the fate sisters .
I was frozen, looking at Grover. I couldn't understand what I was seeing.
"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he yelled. "It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"
Grover looked at us .Percy was shocked that he understood him while me i had no clue what the heck did he just said as i was about to talk ,Mrs Jakson who was not happy about this gave us a very stern look showing she was very upset and wanted answeres , i had to hand it to her for a very nice and sweet lady Mrs Jakson could be very imposing and scary when she wished to but not that me and Percy could blame her since she did not knew what had happen and now this was sprung out of the blue .
I was too shocked to register that he'd just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I'd understood him perfectly. I was too shocked to wonder how Grover had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night. Because Grover didn't have his pants on-and where his legs should be ... where his legs should be ...
Naruto was very surprised as well but he was straingely taking things a bit better than me for he was not freaking out or at least i thought he wasn't since he looked quite calm .
My mom /Mrs Jakson looked at us sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before ''Percy Naruto tell me now ''
we bought were nervous and gluped since my mom /Mrs Jakson was looking very mad at us and we could not stand that look since it was scary .
I stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds, and my mom stared at me, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning.
while i told her about the fury Alecto who attacked Percy and was about to have him for lunch had i not intervened telling Mrs Jakson why the fury was after the two of us in the first place .
her face became deathly pale and she was shaking after hearing this from the two of us she was more scared with what i told her about me and Percy about being blamed for a theft we did not even comitted but where acused of unjustily .
She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, ''Get to the car. all of you go ''
Grover ran for the Camaro-but he wasn't running, exactly. He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to me. I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked.
Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves.
Naruto had a small grin on his face after seeing this this made me look wierdly at him since this was not the time for a joke but in a small way he had a small point since this was funny as wierd and odd as it was we all made it to the camaro and left the cabin still in the dead of the night not knowing what was about to come after us or why .