What do you say when your father who virtually disowned you in everything but words and said, quote, 'he's probably guilty' when you're on trial for something you didn't do walks up to you and just stares? Percy needed help. He didn't want to break the awkward silence that had settled over the group, but Annabeth and Athena didn't seem like they were going to speak anytime soon. After all, their situation was quite similar to Percy and Poseidon's.

"Can we help you two?" Percy finally asked after a minute of intense staring. Annabeth slipped her hand into his. Poseidon shifted awkwardly and Athena raised her head, sending Percy a stare that he couldn't decipher. He was surprised that Athena wasn't glaring and shouting that he'd 'taken her daughter' and shit.

"I'm sorry." Athena's voice was even. Percy's brow furrowed and Annabeth's hand fisted in his own. "That we never noticed the pain you were both in. That we acted like everything was okay when it wasn't."

Percy didn't know how to react. Athena─Athena─seemed to be the only person who realised the pain they were going through was more than just a tantrum. It was traumatic and they never would've healed surrounded by people who preferred to see them as happy, even if they weren't actually as outgoing as they appeared. Two wars did that to a person. "Thank you," Percy quietly said. It was ironic that Athena was the one apologising. She didn't even interact with them after the war. That wasn't to say that she didn't watch over Annabeth, though.

"We have to go," Annabeth said. She dragged her eyes away from Athena. Percy nodded, squeezing her hand reassuringly. Annabeth's death like grip slackened.

As they turned to leave, Poseidon finally moved. "Percy─" He hesitantly stopped.

"We have to talk with them, don't we?" Annabeth asked, sighing, her eyes filled with pain. Percy didn't answer. Annabeth let go of his hand, walking off to the side. Athena followed her after a strained second. Percy was left alone with his father. He turned around.

"Percy." Poseidon looked at him sadly. "I'm─" Poseidon cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. For every─everything." Poseidon's voice broke midway through the sentence. Percy flinched. He'd never heard Poseidon sound so vulnerable. "I should've known. That you were innocent. I should've known. I should've known." Percy couldn't bear to hear Poseidon like this. He threw his arms around Poseidon, tears glistening in his eyes.

Percy hadn't forgiven Poseidon. But it was a step towards pardon.

Poseidon looked at Annabeth. "You love her." Percy nodded. "Follow me, then. I have something that you might want to give her."


Thalia grabbed Annabeth's arm. "Okay, so I know that we were meant to tell camp the truth, but Nico and I came up with a plan to mess with everybody. Clarisse is already making sure everybody is in the arena so you can't say no."

Annabeth refrained from smiling. Classic Thalia. Besides, she needed a laugh.

"What's your plan?"


It was an all around normal night at the campfire as songs were sung and jokes were made. The Stolls were reprimanded for attempting a prank on Clarisse and Percy talked with his friends.

"So, what's up?" Jason asked awkwardly. Rachel, Piper, Jason and Grover looked at him as if he were a bomb set to explode. They still thought that an Eidolon was inhabiting Percy.

"Nothing much." He looked around. Nico was helping Hazel enter the arena. She leaned heavily on his arm and Will stood at her other side, ready to grab her if the need arose. "What happened to Hazel?" Percy asked, feigning ignorance. Nico filled Percy and Annabeth in when they'd explained the Eidolon that was in him.

"She─" Rachel looked at the other three. They shrugged. "Fell…" she finished lamely. Percy rolled his eyes. No way would anybody fall for that lie.

"I'm gonna go see if they need help." Percy made it to the campfire before he stopped, presumably to tie his shoes. He looked up, subtly nodding at Nico who made a hand signal at Thalia, who would then alert Annabeth that it was showtime.

Lo and behold, a small silver pocket knife landed three inches from his hand. He narrowed his eyes. Annabeth was really trying to fuck with everybody, wasn't she?

Percy grabbed the pocket knife, feeling the gaze of certain campers who were trained enough to see the weapon. He reached for Riptide as Annabeth ripped off her hat. Those who recognised her reached for their weapons and pushed the younger campers behind them.

Percy's sword transformed just in time to catch her swing. Percy smirked, catching the glittering mirth in her eyes. Silence reigned throughout the arena. Percy parried her blows, pushing Annabeth back. She rolled her eyes, rolling to the side so that she was now behind him.

Percy threw the pocket knife at her─purposefully missing─and used her moment of distraction to slash. She blocked.

With every punch, kick and stab, Percy found himself getting amused. Neither of them had actually hurt the other, deliberately avoiding the other's weak spots. This was a purely theatrical fight, after all.

Percy used a certain disarming technique he'd learned a long time ago, from Luke. Annabeth's drakon bone sword flew from her hand, clattering to the ground loudly. But the fight wasn't over yet. Annabeth resorted to using her fists, grabbing a throwing knife from her hip.

"When did you get those?" Percy asked, deflecting one with his knife.

"About ten minutes ago." Annabeth threw another three. One grazed his arm. Percy felt blood trickle down to his hand. Annabeth paused, watching him in concern. "Are you─" Percy shook his head, grinning. Annabeth sighed in relief, getting back into a battle stance. They attacked each other with a renewed vigour, although Annabeth avoided attacked his left side.


"Thank the gods," Jason groaned as Percy walked towards Nico and Hazel, crouching down near the campfire to tie his shoes. "It's just so weird! I don't know what we're meant to do with him!"

"It's awkward," Rachel agreed. "I mean, he looks like Percy, and he talks like Percy, but Percy's possessed. I─"

As if in slow motion, a knife landed beside Percy. Jason's eyes widened, reaching for his coin. Piper pulled out Katropis and Rachel drew back beside Grover. Jason could only gape as Annabeth appeared, flinging her hat to the side.

"That's Annabeth." Piper whispered, stumbling back. "That's Annabeth!"

"What the fuck?" Jason asked, summing up what they were all thinking. Percy and Annabeth started to fight, though it seemed more like a dance than a fight.

Jason wanted to react but he couldn't. Here was Annabeth─Annabeth Chase, the Traitor of Olympus─alive and fighting Percy, who was possessed by an Eidolon. He couldn't comprehend it.

Annabeth threw one of her knives and Jason saw the trickle of blood going down his hand. Annabeth paused, looking with Percy as if she was worried.

"What?" Piper asked. "She's… not attacking?"

Rachel bit her lip, looking at Grover. "She still loves him," Rachel said.

"Not surprising." Grover said, not looking away from the fight. "Why do you think will win?"

"Annabeth's smarter but Percy's physically stronger. They've both been gone for three years so they both have probably improved at fighting," Rachel said.

"And Percy could use his water powers. Wait─can Eidolons take advantage of a person's power?"

Jason blinked at the two. "Are you guys arguing over who'll win?"

Rachel looked at him, unashamed. "Yes."

Jason paid attention to the fight. It didn't seem like it was going to end anytime soon.