Hey guys, its been a bit since I last updated, but I'm proud to say I stayed up all Saturday night just to finish this chapter for you! I hope I've been keeping Percy and the others pretty much in character for you guys and I hope you are still enjoying the story even with my lagging updates, I'm hoping to get Sally's funeral in and more of my many plot points for you guys. Please REVIEW and give feedback!
Disclaimer, I do not own Percy Jackson all rights belong to Rick Riordan.
After the events of the game, he and Annabeth had only gotten closer. She was such a great friend and she was going to help him with all of the things he had to learn. He felt as if they were the closest people on the planet, and then his old friend Grover finally managed to hang out with him which made everything better. The Sayter had shown up after their loss at the games and asked the two demigods if they wanted to go for a walk before it was time for dinner. Grover and Annabeth seemed to have been fairly good friends too.
"I couldn't believe what I had seen on the dryad cams." The half-goat remarked. "Clarisse had been searching all over for you, she literately fed this guy to a Draken when he couldn't give her the right answer."
"Wait, she fed people to the monsters to find me?" Percy asked surprised by her actions. "And what are dryad cams?"
Annabeth smiled at Percy as they headed towards the bridge where Travis and Connor had taken him to on their night of the kitchen raid. "Yeah, we look over the battles to find out how we can improve, and it also deters anyone from getting overly violent during the game. The field is far too large to keep an eye on everyone."
Did feeding people to animatronics not count as overly violent?
"It also helps us Saytrs find badly injured campers to take to the Apollo tent just outside of the field."
Percy listened as Grover told them about a particularly nasty burn that a son of Hermes had received. They veered away from the bridge and towards an almost garden like area of Olympus. It had masses of olive trees and other plants that Percy couldn't seem to recognize, they had to have been godly or something. The sweet sent that some of them gave off made him tempted to eat some of their fruit, but he figured it'd be best to keep out of trouble. Though he couldn't promise that trouble wouldn't find him.
Just as Percy's thoughts started to steer away from his friends he felt something hit him on the back of the head. He rubbed the protesting area and look behind him. A teenage girl with brown skin and dark curly hair giggled at him before rushing into the tree. Percy blinked twice when she had disappeared, though he couldn't seem to wrap his mind around it. Grover pat him on the shoulder,
"You alright, dude?"
"Yeah" He said as he turned his attention from the olive tree. "Something just hit me on the back of the head."
"Those Dryads, it means they think your cute." Grover laughed. "Take it as a complement. I can't remember the last time...uh...never mind."
The satyr no longer looked happy. Percy heard a distinct sniff and could see his friends lower lip begin to quiver. He was surprised that Grover was getting so up set out of the blue. The son of Poseidon looked to Annabeth for help, but she just smiled sadly at their friend and gave him a hug. Percy wanted to ask what had changed Grover's happy mood, it seemed like the poor guy was really upset. The look on Annabeth's face told him it wasn't the time to ask.
"Dinner is going to start soon." Grover finally spoke. "We probably should head to the dining hall."
Percy had never really had a chance to eat in the dining hall yet, he spent most of his meals eating in his room. He was surprised to find that the dining hall was stuffed with hundreds and thousands of campers, somehow the room seemed to hold them all with ease. Annabeth grabbed his hand before he could get too distracted and dragged him to a table where other blond kids were sitting. Grover followed them glumly, obviously still sore about what he had been thinking of earlier.
"So this is your new boyfriend that you had been telling us about." one of the older blond boys smirked and reached out to shake Percy's hand. "How do you do? My name is Malcolm. Annie here is my baby sister."
Annabeth blushed, "He's not my boyfriend, Mal! And don't call me 'Annie'."
"Sure he isn't." her brother teased. "By the way we saw that you went out of your way to help our sister. Thank you."
"It was no problem." Percy said. "I couldn't just leave her like that."
Another blond, a girl, giggled at his answer, "Not exactally the brightest, but loyalty is a virtue. Maybe you can wise him up Annie-dear."
"You guys are worse than Silena!"
At this point Percy felt less apart of their conversation and more like its topic. He looked to see if Grover was taking part in this, but the half-goat seemed more preoccupied with twirling his thumbs and sighing sadly. Poor kid, whatever was upsetting him had to be pretty big to get the normally chipper guy down. Just as Percy was going to try and distract his old friend, Malcolm grabbed his arm.
"In all seriousness Percy, we really do appreciate what you did for our sister." The older teen told him. "We all have, uh- sort of an arachnophobia I guess. So no matter who you turn out to be tomorrow, you will always have the trust and loyalty of the children of Athena."
Percy blinked, "Uh...thanks, man."
The children of Athena laughed at his response, but they eagerly offered the trio places to sit. In an instant, plates of food were being brought to them by the wind. Wind spirits to be more precise, Annabeth assured him that they didn't spill food on an unsuspecting camper too often. Percy ate like a starved man, who knew that fighting a giant robot spider would make one so hungry? Every so often Annabeth would look at him with her half-worried, half-disgusted scowl, but he couldn't bring himself to care too much.
"Hey I was meaning to ask you." Percy began after washing down his food with blue Coke-a-Cola. "Why do the tables all have names of the gods on them."
Annabeth smiled softly, "At Camp Half-blood we usually sat with our siblings for dinner, but at the Roman camp they sat with their cohorts or cabin mates. For the sake of everyone's sanity it was decided that you could sit where ever you want. Though the tables still have a god's or goddesses' name written on them out of respect, also siblings seem to gravitate to each other regardless."
"Makes sense."
Just as dinner was drawing to a close someone came behind him and covered his eyes. He could smell the familiar perfume and almost see her smile despite not being face to face with her. Despite how annoying he found it when she tried to play 'match-maker' with him and Annabeth, Percy couldn't help but grin at her presence. She giggled cutely and whispered in his ear, "Guess who."
"Hey Silena." Percy greeted. She freed his sight and scooted in between him and Annabeth. Annabeth was almost as red as a fire hydrant because of the action, Selena didn't seem to notice her 'intrusion'.
The daughter of Aphrodite flipped her hair over her shoulder and beamed brightly, "So I'm going to have to wake you early tomorrow. We have to make sure you look extra cute for when you meet my mother-and the other gods of course- I bet your dad would appreciate you dressing up for the occasion as well."
"Do you need my help?" Annabeth asked.
"No." Sliena dismissed the other girl easily. "He isn't your boyfriend after all, and besides I want him to myself tomorrow morning."
Suddenly Annabeth's face went from bright red to its normal coloring, "Oh, I see what you're trying to do. I'm not going to fall for it Pretty Girl, so you can forget it! See you tomorrow at the ceremony Percy. Goodnight."
Percy watched as his friend stormed out of the room, her siblings snickers following her as she went. He didn't understand what had just happened or what exactally Annabeth was implying that Silena was doing. Heck, he was still stuck on the fact the daughter of Aphrodite was going to wake him up early in the morning. Silena pouted for a moment towards the direction Annabeth had left, but soon her bubbly nature returned. She immediately offered to show Percy back to his room so he could get 'extra beauty sleep'. Percy didn't have time to protest when she grabbed his arm. He had just managed to say goodnight to poor Grover before he was dragged away.
The whole walk back to his room, Silena messed with his newly cut hair and tried to find the right 'style' for it. Every so often she'd curse at how wild and untamable it could be. He felt horrified when she tried to suggest that he let her wet it and put his hair in curlers before he went to bed to give his hair 'extra volume'. Percy was grateful when he saw his room come into sight. After repeatedly rejecting going to bed with any sort of object tangled in his hair, Silena finally let him go and get ready to sleep.
Come to me, Little Hero...Be a good boy and betray the gods, betray them all like they have you...I'm waiting...little prince...
Come to me...
Come to me...
Come to me...
Percy Jackson!
Percy woke with a yelp. For a brief moment he thought he was home and that his mom would come rushing in, demanding to know if he was okay. Then he remembered that he wasn't in fact home, he was in a room on Olympus. Percy tried to shove the voice from his dreams out of his head, but it kept a hold on him like a vice. He wasn't sure what to make of the dream, if it could be called that, it was like someone had been standing over his bed and whispering to him as he slept. The demigod shuddered violently.
Betray the gods? Percy frowned, maybe they weren't that good, but he didn't think he could betray them because he'd also be betraying Annabeth, Grover, Silena, all of the people he had met on Olympus. Even his own mom to some extent. She wouldn't have fallen in love with one if she didn't see something special in them. Percy shook his head and tried to fall back to sleep. Thankfully he didn't have anymore voices whispering in his head, but all too soon Silena, the ever beautiful demigoddess she was, barged into his room.
She scowled when she saw his weary face, "I told you to get some beauty sleep, Percy. It looks like you went out to fight Clarisse again."
"Sorry, I...didn't sleep very well." Percy explained trying not to be cranky with the girl.
"Nightmare?" Silena asked softly. He nodded, "It's fine Percy, we all get them. I'm just sorry you don't have anyone around to help you."
Percy gave a rueful laugh and without thinking sighed, "For half a second I had thought my mom would come bursting in...but...anyway what exactally are you going to do to me?"
The first thing Silena did was pull him close and give him a hug. It was more than a friendship hug, but it was in no way romantic. She held him as if he were a child, years younger than herself. Percy could feel her hands cupping the back of his head and neck protectively, her whole being providing him with a warmth he hadn't felt since his mom had last hugged him. He could feel his throat catch but he quickly swallowed the lump before it could cause an outward reaction. Percy buried his face into Silena's shoulder and ruefully aloud himself to accept her comfort.
She then began to play with the hair on the back of his head a little, spurring him back into reality. Silena smiled brightly at him and he couldn't help but give her a soft smile back. He found it hard to believe that Silena had become so close of a friend that he could be comfortable with her being almost a motherly, or big sister presence. Her lack of subtlety had seemed to win his friendship.
"So I was thinking that we leave your hair how it is because wild and messy is cute." Silena began and then pulled some clothing from a bag she had set by his bed. "I almost wanted to put you in a tux, but I figured that you'd appreciate normal clothing so put this on."
Without giving him time to talk she had already shoved him into the bathroom to clean up and change. In no time he was out and dressed in the clothing Silena had chosen. He was wearing lightly colored blue jeans and a dark grey T-shirt with a black jacket that went over it. He frowned for a moment when he realized that she wasn't trying to justify her choice by saying that it popped his eye color or something. Silena smiled like an evil mastermind whose plan had just come to fruition.
"It's perfect, just perfect."
As soon as the daughter of Aphrodite had put the finishing touches on her 'master piece', she took Percy by the arm and led him to the throne room. She'd ask him about his dream and asked if he had anything out of the ordinary. Percy wasn't sure what would count as 'ordinary' in the demigod world, all he knew was that it was scary to think about the voice that beckoned for him. Silena assured him it was alright if his dream scared him while she tried to start another war with his unruly hair. Despite what she had said earlier that morning, she still seemed determined to make it do what she commanded.
By the time they arrived at the throne room doors, Percy was almost positive his hair was sticking on end from her constant prodding.
"I give up." She sighed.
"Well you kind of have to." Percy pointed at the doors, "we're here, aren't we?"
Suddenly the doors swung open and Percy was blinded by a harsh light. Percy could see some curious demigods peaking at them from the risers that were on either side of the door door. Apparently everyone had to be at the ceremony for his godly parent to be announced. Silena expertly grabbed him by the arm and led him to the center of the room. The son of Poseidon was shocked to see twelve monumentally sized thrones, but only eleven were filled with giant men and women. He couldn't have hoped to know who each of them were, though he some how knew that the one in the shorts and Hawaiian shirt was his dad. Percy tried to read the large man's expression though to Percy it was like trying to read cursive. Silena tugged on his arm and pointed out the prettiest goddess in the room.
"That's my mom." She smiled and waved for her mother's attention.
The goddess's reaction was instantaneous. She gave a familiar squeak of joy and shrank in a puff of pink smoke to meet him and her daughter. Percy felt his cheeks turn red when Aphrodite had grabbed his face and inspected him thoroughly. She looked like many different women at once, at one time like his mom, and then like some news anchor he had liked, another time like Rachel Dare from his high school, and then like a certain daughter of Athena he knew. The blond hair and grey eyes seemed to stick with her for a long time.
"This boy is so cute!" the goddess shrieked and hugged him. Percy could hear snickers or whistles of agreement coming from somel of the demigods behind him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was my own child. Heck, maybe he has some love Goddess genes in him somewhere. So which of you manly men created such a beautiful boy?"
"Uh..." Percy felt himself dumfounded by the woman. He wasn't exactally sure why all of the girls he had been meeting were referring to him as cute or handsome, and now beautiful?
"Aphrodite, please, you know this isn't how we conduct this ceremony!" The god in the center groaned. "Take your seat!"
The love goddess huffed in an annoyed tone, "Fine, Zeus, I'll play by your rules, but I am going to claim him if no one else does."
"Now." Zeus began and cleared his throat. "you've already met Aphrodite. I am Zeus, King of the gods."
"More like the king of drama, brother." Poseidon teased and sent a secrete glance to Percy, almost as if he were trying to make the teen smile. Percy would begrudgingly admit that he did a little. "I am Poseidon, lord of the seas and many other titles that I won't bore you with right now."
One of the younger looking goddesses scowled at him before speaking, "I am Artemis, goddess of the hunt and moon, boy. This moron next to me is my twin brother Apollo."
"Hey, little sis, I wanted to do my own intro to the little dude." Apollo protested indignantly, Percy hadn't expected the Sun God to be like a surfer dude or something. "And you didn't even give him my title as the god of awesomeness and other cool stuff, like poems."
"I am not your little sister." Artemis growled and wacked him. "We're twins, we are the same age. Also, please don't try to recite your annoying poems during the boy's ceremony."
Another god, who didn't look like much of a god laughed at the two, "Hey, kid, I'm Hermes the messenger god, I'm pretty sure you're acquainted with my sons Travis and Connor."
"Yo Perce!" Said twins called from behind him. Percy figured it would be best not to turn his back to the gods to address them.
"Despite what Aphrodite said, if your father doesn't claim you I'd be happy for you to be apart of my group." The Stoll twins cheered at that comment and called for Percy to 'join the dark side' because of some sweet treat or other.
The demigod half thought Poseidon bristled at all comments given by Hermes and his sons, but than again it may have been Percy's imagination. He learned the names of the remaining gods and goddesses. Hephaestus the forge god, Hera the goddess of marriage, Dionysus god of wine who seemed less than thrilled to meet him, Athena goddess of wisdom and Annabeth's mom, and Demeter goddess of wheat and harvest. Percy wondered about the last chair, the empty one, but he figured that it was better not to mention the white elephant in the room.
"So, boy," Zeus bellowed. "Who are you?"
Percy knew it was best if he bowed, even if he felt silly and stupid for doing it, "I am Percy Jackson, my mother was Sally Jackson."
"Do you know who your immortal parent is, Percy?" Zeus spat. Percy briefly wondered if the god was bothered by his name. "Well, speak up."
Percy slowly looked at the god, he didn't really think he could be respectful for too long, but for his sake he tried to sound as respectful as he could when he spoke, "Yes, lord Zeus, I've known who my father was since the day my mother was murdered by her husband."
The demigod almost felt as if everyone in the room had leaned forward. Percy figured that it was rude of him to tip toe around admitting his parentage, but his goal wasn't to be subtle in the slightest. Percy wanted to hear Poseidon say for himself that he was in fact his son. He didn't want to be accepted by his dad because Poseidon was told he couldn't just drop his unwanted child off onto another god's lap. If Poseidon didn't want to claim him, he won't say anything.
"So are you going to tell us who he is child?" Hera asked in an annoyed tone.
"No my lady." Percy admitted, biting back any anger in his voice. "I want him to come forth and claim me. If he doesn't, I'll gladly take Hermes or Aphrodite up on their offer."
The son of Poseidon could feel Zeus's anger and annoyance at what he probably thought was a game to Percy. "Just tell us who he is, boy!"
"If my father won't come forward and claim me then he doesn't want me. And I can understand that. I'm not much more than a poor boy who hasn't had a brake once in his life. If he doesn't come forward and claim me, then I could live with knowing he just never cared about me, though I don't think I could forgive him for making my mom into another conquest to be won." Percy began. "My mom used to go on and on about how great of a man he was, she'd tell me that he loved me and her too. I only want to know if the man that she'd tell me about was real or if he was just a myth like he had always been."
There was a long silence in the room, it was agonizing for Percy to be kneeling on the floor like an idiot trying to invoke a response from his supposed father. Percy bit his lip and looked to the cream colored marble floor. He hated making himself seem so vulnerable, he hated feeling as if he were everything people told him he was. Eventually the quiet was like a ringing in his ear, too annoying and antagonizing to listen too.
"I see..." Percy muttered evenly and got to his feet without looking up. "If you will excuse me..."
The son of P- could he even be known as the son of Poseidon when the man didn't even want to claim him? Percy began to stride from the center of the room and retreat to the door. Silena was standing by the edge of the risers almost looking like she was about to cry, to cry for him. The teen could almost sense Annabeth's eyes staring at him from above. Percy couldn't bring himself to listen to the gasps that erupted through out the room or to hear the sound of water rushing through the air like a whip.
"Perseus." Poseidon said his full first name and rested his hand on the teen's shoulder. "Please forgive my hesitance to claim you, especially when you would probably prefer your mother over me at any given moment. Your mother wasn't just a 'conquest'. I loved her more than I had any other mortal, I will never be able to find a finer woman than Sally Jackson. And Percy, you are my son, I will always love you too. I haven't had a mortal child in a long time, so I'm kind of rusty on the ethics."
"So you are going to admit I'm your son?" Percy couldn't hide the surprise that was in his voice. He turned to face his father, Poseidon smiled and for a moment Percy felt as if he were looking into a mirror many years in the future.
"Yes." The sea god gave a small chuckle. More gasp erupted when a green image, a trident, appeared over the young demigod's head. "You know when you were talking back to my dear brother, your uncle, you reminded me of your mother. It seems as if you got her fire, didn't you? To think you were just an infant when I last saw you."
"So you are claiming the boy." There was a certain dangerous tone that was in Zeus's voice that made the hairs on Percy's arms stand on end.
"Yes brother, and before you try to order my son's execution, may I remind you that you had broken the oath two times to my mere one." Poseidon growled. "In fact one of your children is sitting in this very room."
Athena spoke up, "He has a point father both boys are too dangerous. But to destroy one means you must destroy the other."
"Mother!" Percy heard Annabeth's appalled voice.
Zeus scowled down at the son of Poseidon. "Very well Percy Jackson, you may live, but it would do you well to stay on my good side."
With those final words, the god of the sky disappeared in a flash of light and a crack of lightning. The other gods followed suit, muttering something about the sky god's usual dramatics. Aphrodite smiled and gave the sea god a thumbs up before proofing away. Percy could briefly hear the demigods chattering excitably as they too stood to leave the room.
Poseidon laughed, "Well, we know she approves. I'm sure the only Olympians you should be concerned about are my brother and Athena, Percy. The others are a lot more accepting."
"Thanks for the advice." Percy looked down awkwardly at their shoes. He was wearing sneakers that Silena had gotten him and his dad was wearing sandals that were strapped on with Velcro. The sight was almost laughable to the teen. How could he make their first meeting any less awkward? Percy hadn't thought he would have gotten as far as he did with the whole process.
"One more bit of advice," Poseidon whispered to him. "You may want to apologize to the daughter of Athena that you are so infatuated with for not telling her who your father was."
Just as Percy was going to argue with his dad and set the record strait that he was not in love with Annabeth, someone grabbed Percy by the collar of the shirt. He didn't even get a chance to struggle as they dragged him away. He stumbled uselessly as his captor pulled him farther and farther from Poseidon.
"Sorry, lord Poseidon, borrowing him for a bit." Annabeth called without looking behind herself. Percy wasn't able to see the expression on her face. In that single moment Percy was more scared for his life than he had ever been. He reached out pleadingly for Silena who just smirked and waved goodbye at him. So much for their bonding moment earlier that morning. She was literally letting him be dragged to his death.
I know that it may have gotten a little bit out of character towards the end, but we all know Poseidon is a cool god. And with Jason around he won't have to 'apologize' too much to his brother for his 'mistake'. I will show more father son awkwardness later on, for now Annabeth has insisted that she chew Percy out for lying the whole time :) Will she avoid him? or accept him? Any way I hope you enjoyed this extra long chapter. Please review and tell me what you thought.