Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. For everybody else, here's my gift to you for the time off I had for this holiday I was supposed to spend listening to my family arguing. I found this a much better use of my time. Recurring updates will proceed very soon in December, promise!

PJOPJOPJOPJO

Thalia read out in legitimate concern what on earth Percy had gotten up to Annabeth would have only given a passing mention to.

"Do they play dodgeball with you and the winner eats you?" Alex asked with something far to close to excitement.

"Are the balls made of human flesh?" Will demanded in disgust.

"You guys have some really twisted minds, and that part is not my fault!" Percy frowned at them.

"That sounds awesome," Will smiled, he hadn't been to a normal school since he was single digits, but this sounded exactly what he'd have in mind for it.

"It was better than most," Percy agreed.

"It's no wonder Percy approves of this place, he seems to fit right in," Thalia said innocently.

"Coming from someone who can't light up a Christmas tree," he rolled his eyes.

"Refusing to do it for your stupidity isn't the same as being unable to," she huffed.

"That's not an encouraged takeaway from that book," Alex frowned.

"I'm starting to wonder if the teachers are any brighter than the students," Magnus agreed. School wasn't for everyone, but that didn't mean they shouldn't be taught at all.

"Oh he's a joy of society," Will frowned, feeling personally affronted if he had stayed in the public school system, he probably would have ended up at places like this too. Being ADHD and dealing with monsters all your life was a very different kind of trouble than this fart knocker.

Percy frowned noticeably this time as his friend was mentioned again. He was sure of it, a stirring in his mind of something he was missing, more attachment to this name than just a passing friend, the same feeling he'd had about Luke...but not quite right. Just a gap where knowledge should be.

He waved Thalia on before anyone could ask, his headache was already returning and he'd rather just get to the answer than torment himself.

"Whoa," Magnus muttered in fascination. He'd missed school a lot, but fear of the system dragging him away from Boston had been what made him try living it rough on the streets first. Meeting Blitz and Hearth very soon after and helping him adjust made it bearable.

He still wanted to go find Annabeth when this was over, but had no real desire to live in New York, and only vague confidence he could stay at this camp. Maybe there was someplace in his hometown with this kind of program?

The Mist had fooled Percy before, Jason remembered, and there was no way after a description like that Tyson wasn't something. Perhaps another kind of monster luring him into a trap, one that was taking an oddly long time? He still couldn't get out of his head how no attacks had happened to him.

This wasn't a real surprise to anyone after he'd done the same thing last year in Grover. Percy was very handsome, he had a sharp wit but a laid back attitude and could have easily blended in with any popular kids at these fancy schools with skateboard tricks, at the very least if he couldn't tolerate their differences, fly somewhere in the middle.

He chose to be this person, again and again.

Unlike Alex, Magnus felt uneasy about the idea of meeting Percy's mom, he didn't need any ignorant concerned citizen getting him onto social services radar thank you. He was doing just fine on his own sleeping in the park...but the gesture she'd been kicking up a fuss at all surprised him in a way he wasn't used to, considering so many people looked right through him rather than caring at all.

Now Percy was just as convinced as all the other suspicious looks and frowns he was missing something too, and no stubborn headache urging him to drop it was going to change his mind this time, not after Luke. He was glaring at the book in Thalia's hands and wondering if he'd befriended a cannibal for a whole school year, but the feeling still wasn't right, even if he was now confident he was on the right track connecting one to the other.

Anger blossomed so clearly to Percy's face they all expected Sloan to never find his underwear again.

Whatever he couldn't remember about Tyson, one thing he did know of right now was the guy was his friend and he wouldn't let anyone talk that way about him!

They were pretty sure the headmaster didn't know Tyson existed until the Mist manipulated his mind into it, but Percy was still frustrated at the injustice of the situation.

"False hope makes a great placebo?" Will offered. At least he knew everything would be fine so he could say it with real confidence. Percy still looked uncertain but nodded a thanks at him.

"That's a joke, right?" Magnus was looking more appalled by the moment at this school. There had to be a better program for homeless kids than this!

"I didn't ask, it was definitely the only exam I ever entered with an actual hope of passing," Percy shrugged.

"I am now officially calling this school a hazard waste zone," Jason frowned.

Alex gasped theatrically. "Something actually school related?"

"We used crayons and I'm pretty sure some kid just drew a penis and still passed," Percy denied any such learning had been going on. No he hadn't tried to cheat off that idiot's test before realizing that...

"She didn't blow that one up without you did she?" Thalia grinned.

"I'd never forgive her," Percy scoffed.

Percy wasn't even blushing as the others chuckled lightly his little twelve-year-old crush was on display right there, he was smiling to fondly at the photo and wishing he had one of her now no matter how many more memories he collected of her, or better the real thing already! She likely would have already speed read through all of this assigned reading without them and helped figure out how to get them out of here by now.

Percy joined in the laugh that time, he was sure he'd still claim that while she was saving his life.

"I hope he's the victim of the cannibals," Nico grumbled, even if he didn't mean it, this guy deserved a good scare.

"Unless he's secretly the cannibal," Will frowned oddly at him.

'I either found the cannibals, or some very strange southerners,' Hearth signed.

'I told you TV stereotyped that stuff,' Magnus scolded.

"So it was Chiron who really deserved that blue breakfast for finally giving you advice you'd follow," Alex said.

"I might split my waffles with him," he huffed, man was that advice hard to follow even in a flashback instead of letting his imagination make another chipped tooth.

The invisible presence Percy had felt this morning on top of this unknown female voice had them all pretty convinced now it might be Annabeth running from cannibals, and Percy was fidgeting nervously in his seat as he waited to hear what was coming already. Matt Sloan could throw all the spit wads he wanted and could never come close to being a real threat.

"So did Hades, I don't like his odds," Nico scoffed.

"How dare you deny anybody that treat," Alex looked wounded at him.

"I will buy you those gym clothes so you can run around New York as an oxymoron," Percy scoffed.

"Thank you," Alex nodded, clearly finding this fair compensation that Percy still wouldn't be joining.

Percy felt such a high surge of protection it surprised him, but it was why he still wouldn't hesitate to guard whatever door Tyson asked him to no matter how annoying it was. The guy needed someone, and even if he got stabbed in the back for it again, he would do what he could to help until then.

"This school breaks all the traditions, even the overweight gym teacher," Alex snorted.

"This is not better," Percy sighed.

"Maybe he does it in the weight room too and he and Tyson are conspiring against you," Jason grinned.

"Someone needs to check to make sure he's getting enough oxygen," Percy rolled his eyes.

"Is he the world's biggest satyr?" Magnus asked, but he already knew that made no sense. That was just the only other person who had mentioned smells before.

Just because Tyson had waited so long to do anything to Percy didn't rule him out as some monster yet, but their concern was starting to shift away from the idea as he'd just warned Percy about something. Luke had played nice too, who's to say Tyson wasn't about to throw Percy to the cannibals, or was one himself scouting him out.

"I didn't know you've been to a circus," Alex chuckled.

"The hell?" Magnus asked in concern.

"Don't tell me you've never snuck into the back of a circus tent while trying to run away with them," he frowned.

"Never was a dream of mine, and now it won't be," Magnus responded, fighting back the urge more every moment to ask for every detail of Alex's strange life.

"I always knew it was only cannibals and idiots who watched those stupid shows," Thalia scowled why that would be funny to anyone while Percy rubbed his gut, a rather concerning gesture as he had the power to kill them all.

"Can you teach them that too?" Alex asked in fasciation as she watched Magnus, like he'd know just because they also knew sign language.

"If I meet one I'll ask," he promised.

"First gorilla's, now ducks, somebody's definitely been to the zoo," Will frowned.

"Wait, you mean the monsters have actual names instead of just...their names, shit, wait," Magnus looked really embarrassed now as he wondered if Medusa's name had been Molly or something.

"Some do, some have nicknames," Nico waved off, "depends on how specific you want to get here. Pretty sure you could call this guy Bob Joe and he'd still eat you, so I wouldn't worry about it to much."

"Percy, I think you have a fan club," Jason said as he wondered how these monsters knew his name.

"I'll file harassment charges as soon as the police believe me," Percy groaned.

"You know, I started to believe that when they magically threw rubber balls to hard, but sure, the smell might have been a tip off too," Nico rolled his eyes. He was still getting used to the idea Percy hadn't simply slain them all the moment he realized something was wrong.

'Why do monsters get all the cool magic,' Hearth frowned.

'We've been locked in enough rooms for a lifetime already, you'll live without,' Magnus needlessly waved his hand about at the end to emphasis his point.

"Is Laistrygonian Greek for cannibal?" Jason asked with intrigue.

"I'm just glad I'm not the one reading," Percy checked over Thalia's shoulder to see that for himself, "because I can't even pronounce that."

"So the proper chapter title should have been I Play Fire Wielding Dodgeball with Cannibals," Will sighed.

"That didn't help at all," Percy reminded.

"What did you want him to do?" Thalia demanded as if asking for his sanity.

"Take them to the locker rooms, I couldn't do both at once," Percy said in a deadly calm voice.

"When was the first time?" Alex asked casually, as if anybody would have doubts by this point he'd thrown one of his own around.

"I'm sure he's done it on a few street corners," Percy reminded.

"These guys bring new meaning to the word takeout I never wanted," Will shivered.

"Food, killing, sounds like an all purpose date," Thalia chuckled.

"So that's why you don't date anymore," Percy frowned.

"Here's a suggestion," Alex began in what he clearly thought was a helpful tone of voice, "see if you can rebind the magic to always appear behind your ear."

"I'm sure Chiron will get right on that," Percy resisted the urge to stick his pen into Alex's ear now to show just how wrong that could go. Chiron's advice pays off again, dammit.

"Percy, you are never defenseless," Thalia told him bracingly, this guy could make hurricanes appear in the middle of the desert if he tried hard enough. She had to follow that up with a healthy reminder to his ego though, "your face scares them plenty."

"How did I get this far without your help Thalia," he rolled his eyes.

"You weren't kidding when you said he was the most useful guy on your team," Magnus still felt like he was playing catch up in comparison to the others, struggling to imagine Tyson catching them by the time they'd been vaporized by their own weapons.

"A shame, bet you could make a good business model off that necessity otherwise," Jason smirked.

"I'm more disappointed realizing they didn't leave a spoil of war behind," Alex grumbled.

"I finally understand what people mean about crazy in New York," Magnus said, "if this is the gym, what happens at the bus stops?"

"You still wouldn't believe me if I told you," Percy promised.

"Annabeth used you as bait in that capture the flag game," Thalia reminded, "I think you just don't take these games seriously enough."

"Yes, I'm the problem here," Percy scowled.

"There's that sentence we all know and loath," Will groaned.

"It's only the second book," Nico unhelpfully agreed, "how many times can he say that before it wears off?"

"I'm thinking never," Thalia already promised.

"That pyro thing may not have been a joke," Magnus said, "we can now add school to the list of things you've blown up."

"I will burn that list if you keep adding to it," Percy assured.

"I think this one might even count as an atomic bomb more than that lightning bolt," Alex was waving his hand in front of his face at just the idea.

"Does that count as an out?" Jason asked. "You're out if you catch it, right?"

"I'm sure he'll head home thanks to the rules," Percy mock agreed.

"Does that mean Tyson successfully defeated all of them without your help at all," Nico added, seeming just as bewildered as everyone else what was up with this guy even though he knew better.

"Hey, I-" but Percy stopped himself as he realized Nico was right and instead turned in concern back to the book to see if Tyson was okay.

The last giant clearly disagreed with Jason's ruling and wasn't going anywhere, and Percy was tossing his pen from hand to hand in frustration of just sitting here remembering this happening to him.

"Easy money says that dog is a fluff butt that prefers tenderloins," Alex offered his hand out for their imaginary bets.

"No Alex, you may not bring a dog in here when Percy kills its owner," Thalia sighed in exhaustion.

"You guys are no fun," he grumbled.

"That's going to be on your gravestone one day," Thalia said to the ceiling.

"Hopefully I'll at least be wearing my own pants and die with some dignity," Percy didn't seem concerned about the right part there as far as she was concerned.

"I have found your invisible friend," Thalia smiled in relief.

"At least I only had the one to worry about today," Percy said with the exact same expression.

Percy thought she'd never looked more beautiful in his mind as he ached to find out what had happened and launch a million questions at her. What had happened with her father, did she know what was going on at camp, how stupid had those shorts made him look?

"I'm in love," Percy fanned his face dramatically for that entrance.

"She does know how to make an impact," Thalia agreed fondly.

"Girl swoops in, solves every problem you were currently having, and vanishes right back away," Will laughed. "She might be an angel."

"Hands off Solace," Percy still had a bemused smile on his face as he agreed with all of that.

Nico watched the exchange with an annoyed little frown, did everybody on the planet besides him have a crush on Annabeth?

"Annabeth needs to come back and dish out a few more punches," Alex blustered for Percy getting the blame saving all of their lives.

"I'm just hoping she explains what she's doing there before the half-point of the book this time," Magnus frowned anxiously what his cousin was really up to, and why she'd been so testy with Tyson when he'd just saved Percy's life. What else was there to be worried about now the cannibals were gone?

"You always know how to make an exit," Thalia smiled without concern as she tossed the book to Nico without asking this time.

"Between me and Annabeth's grand entrances, where could we go wrong from there?" Percy agreed.