I love showing actual changes and the development and progress that comes with a new figure. Not everything needs to be violent and deadly, compromise and peace can be a thing. I think the fault with many of the characters in PJ and many of the OCs is a tendency towards combat instead of change and conversation... yes it less actiony but it's also less interesting.

Just a thought.

"It really returns to you/.. very cool." Letting his hands roam over Percy's magical blade, in pen form naturally, he was amazed. "Percy, this, whatever it is, is way stronger then just that... I can feel serious power in this, like stronger then all of my magical artifacts by like a hundred. This is something incredible. Like just touching it... I could channel this." His eyes widened, he closed his eyes and focused and was amazed to feel magic flood into his body, more then he could safely handle and so he released it. " This is like my coin, I think it is made to empower you and your powers so long as it is touching you. At least, that is my theory. Alabaster would know better, obviously... this is just a guess since I can draw power from this."

Kindly, though reluctantly, he handed the pen back to Percy, who nodded happily and with some awe. "Can you really draw power from it?"

"Sure. My coin only works because it is designed to force power into my body, that's how a nobody without divine heritage like me can use magic."

"Your not a nobody! But I get it... it is the first sword to feel balanced in my hand."

"I think that's just a sign I am right, It's meant to feel that way. That's it's power, or at least that's my guess. Again I am a noob as magic." Turning to Grover, he gestured to the shoes on his feet. " I expect a chance to look into those."

Content they all stopped talking, enjoying the ride as tension started to return. It was an annoying feeling, but one Aaron figured would be typical of any group with such diverse people.

"So far so good," Percy told Annabeth. "Ten miles and not a single monster."

She gave him an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."

"Remind me again why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you."

"Could've fooled me."

She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look ... we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."

"Why?"

She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."

"They must really like olives."

"Oh, forget it."

"Aaron, why did they choose Olives over a Saltwater spring?" Aaron turned around, kind of confused why Percy asked him for anything when he literally said he would kill him for the safety of others just a few hours ago. " Wouldn't the water be a good resource?"

Smugly, Annabeth answered for him. "You can't drink Sea water, Seaweed brain. It's toxic to humans."

"And most other things, but if you can separate it then you get fresh water and salt which is used for a lot of great things." Aaron shrugged, turning to the back seat with a bored look. "Salt is vital to human life, in small quantities. You need it to have your heart beat. Salt can preserve meat, is used in medicinal cures and spell work. As for the Olive tree, well it provides food and oil and a lot of other things. It was a great gift... but why are you so proud of that Annabeth?" With what seemed like genuine curiosity he looked at Annabeth. "Athens was murder to women, they kept them intentionally malnourished and imprisoned them in the second floor where they were basically slaves. Now Sparta was a great city, powerful and mighty with respect towards men and women...sure they had slaves, but every place has it's problems."

'''

For the first time since he had come to Camp, Percy watched someone beast Annabeth in a battle of logic...

It was beautiful.

He was getting tired of her rudeness, her constant attitude. He hadn't done a damn thing to her and she was treating him like dog shit. It was grating to say the least.

Traffic slowed them down in Queens. By the time they got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain.

Argus dropped them off at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from Percy's mom and Gabe's apartment. Taped to a mailbox was a soggy flyer with Percy's picture on it: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?

Percy ripped it down before Annabeth, Aaron and Grover could notice. From the angry look on his brother's face, he knew he failed.

Argus unloaded their bags, made sure the kids got their bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch them as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Percy thought about how close his was to his old apartment. On a normal day, his mom would be home from the candy store by now. Smelly Gabe was probably up there right now, playing poker, not even missing her... or even his own son. Not that Aaron seemed to miss him, even slightly.

Grover shouldered his backpack. He gazed down the street in the direction the Son of Poseidon was looking. "You want to know why she married him, Percy?"

Percy stared at him. "Were you reading my mind or something?"

"Just your emotions." He shrugged. "Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?"

Percy nodded, wondering what else Grover might've forgot-ten to tell me.

"I'd like to know that as well." Aaron walked over to them, fixing a very curious look at Grover. "Pray tell, why would an amazing women like Sally get with a waste of abusive space like my father?

"Sally married Gabe for you, Percy. You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. The guy has this aura... Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him on you, and you haven't been near him for a week. Aaron was only around him for a few minutes and he already smells a little like him...but not much. He smells a lot more like your mom actually."

"Thanks," Percy aid. "Where's the nearest shower?"

Aaron's expressions shifted, Percy saw what he thought was a hint of jealousy in his step brother's eyes. "She really sounds wonderful, your mother. Putting up with my father all for you, your a very lucky person Percy."

"You should be grateful, Percy." Grover started. "Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy-if that makes you feel any better."

"You sound kind of prejudice against us pure humans Grover."

That sparked some sputters from his best friend, leaving Percy to stew in his emotions as the rain kept coming down.

Eventually the group got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack with one of Grover's apples. Aaron stayed out of it, making a point of keeping his hands close to his sword locked bracelet with a very paranoid look in his eyes that left Percy feeling kind of bad. Annabeth was unbelievable. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever. Percy didn't do too bad, personally.

''''

It was hard to like Grover when he ate the apple Percy and Annabeth were complacent enough to play Hackysack with, it was the kind of annoying thing that fit the meek boy, but honestly it was a good thing as finally they were not distracted. Nobody seemed willing to keep their gaurd up but him. With all of his focus he looked at damn near everything, pushing the Mist away as best he could. He refused to let anything or anyone sneak up on him.

He was pretty sure his point, even if he hadn't stated it, came to life as the bus came. Grover, with the typically amazing Satyr senses, started sniffing the air with a very confused look on his dull face.

"What is it?" Percy asked, his face sort of worried but mostly at ease.

"I don't know," Grover said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."

That did little to ease Aaron's nerves, and apparently Percy's as finally his brother seemed worried. Oddly the most experienced one of them, Annabeth, didn't seem to notice anything and just marched into the back of the bus with the lot of them. Unlike the others, he kept his bag on his lap, having too many bad experiences with local transport to trust it to them.

"Percy." Annabeth's voice was like a whip, and he realized that she had seen something that unnerved her.

Immediately his eyes went up and he saw another being that warped the world around him. She oozed magic, as did the two older ladies behind her, only it wasn't cold but hot. Like the fire's of hell, just as tainted and harsh, radiating towards him even from the front of the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. Her face was cracked into a devilish, hateful grin that seemed to leave Percy white faced and afraid.

Whatever they were, Percy had fought them before... which left only one option, there was only one other monster bar the Minotaur that Percy had fought was...

"A Fury..." He whispered the word, caught by the realization that two other old ladies that looked identical and oozed just as magic walked onto the bus. "Three of them, all three... we are so screwed."

Aaron knew that it would be hard to face the Furies, they were spirits and goddess of vengeance crafted from the blood of Ouranos when it touched the skin of Gaia. They were creatures feared by everyone, Alabaster had refused to call them by name even as did countless others in Mythology. They had to be devastatingly powerful.

'Why only three, there were more then in the myths... damn it, that doesn't matter. Let's focus on survival. I just wish I knew more about them, anything to give me some sort of weakness to exploit, any advantage at all would be welcome.'

"She didn't stay dead long," Percy's voice quivered, fear present as he spoke to Annabeth. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," Grover whimpered, coward that he was. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?" she suggested.

"There isn't one, this place is a death trap." Aaron cursed whoever made the damn bus, now that he was looking he was sure this damn thing was breaking so many Safety codes. " Osha would have a field day with this thing... Annabeth, Percy, we have to be careful. We can't risk all of these people, they have no idea what is at stake here."

"Don't you think I know that?" Annabeth hissed at him.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around... Will they?" Percy turned to them, confusion and hope in his eyes.

"Percy I can see them, others can learn but most of mortals can't. They will see whatever the Mist let's them see. Could be them killing us or whatever is easier for them to comprehend." They entered the Lincoln tunnel, leaving the bus quiet beyond the soft patter of rain outside the tunnel.

That was when the lady got up, the first and most intimidating of the Furies. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the restroom."

"So do I," said the second sister.

"So do I," said the third sister.

They all started coming down the aisle, moving like a pack of heynas ready to rip something apart. If they had started cackling he wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest.

"I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."

"Good idea, his scent might be overwhelming" Staring at Annabeth, hoping this kind of brilliance would stay around. "Hurry out Percy, while they are focused on us. Your the important one, this is your quest. It's okay, if your the one they are after they'll leave us alone I think."

Percy looked ready to argue, but he obeyed and vanished the moment the hat touched his head. There was a moment, when a Fury looked at Percy, but ignored whatever they sensed as they moved past him, eyes fixing on the rest of the group. They gasped for a moment, then wailed loudly before turning their voices into a growl.

"Where is he, we are not here to fight." The first Fury's voice was cold, bored. It caught Aaron by surprise. " We heard you made your oath, that the Boy did not steal the Bolt... that means he is innocent. We are not here to hurt him, merely question him."

"He's not here!" Annabeth said. "He's gone!" It was clear she missed what they said, but it didn't matter as Annabeth drew her bronze knife.

Grover, in a stupid act, grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it. Aaron knew he would be the first to die if anything happened, who brought cans to a fight against Goddess Monsters? Idiot! Did he bring no weapons?

Realizing he was the only person who could stop violence, he raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Percy's here, just hidden. Swear on Styx you mean no harm?"

The Front Fury nodded. " I swear on the River Styx we mean no harm." Thunder rippled above them, then she sat down as did her sisters. "As I said, we are here to talk... well now we are. We were sent to retrieve what had been stolen before, however things have changed."

They exited the tunnel, just in time for Percy to reappear, hand holding his sword in it's pen form. "What do you want to talk about?""

The women took a deep breathe. "Lord Hades did not trust that anyone would care, so he said nothing... but this one, he changed everything." Aaron realized then that she was pointing at him with one of her crooked claws. "Your defense of our Lord, your passionate words against the insults and accusations towards him made Lord Hades realize that perhaps his situation was not as unbearable as he thought. The Masterbolt is not the only thing that is missing."

Aaron swayed, the world turning around him as he considered what she just said. " The Helm is missing... " The sheer magnitude of that mere thought was more then he could handle. He had to sit down. "Your telling me two, two of the Weapons belonging to the Big Three are just in the Wind? Bouncing around in who know who's hands?"

The Fury nodded. looking displeased and even a tiny bit afraid. "That is precisely why we request that if and when you find the Helm and Masterbolt, your return the Helm to Hades. You, as an Acolyte of Hecate, have the power to tap into the power of the Underworld. You can draw on Hecate's power to summon Hades or Us. It would be difficult, but you have that power."

The others looked at him, but it was Annabeth that questioned him. "Can you really summon a god?" Her tone was suspicious and he found it irritating.

"Any of us can, any Witch can. There are many, many ways to do it. Some demand the god come, forces their hands but that take supplies and power I just don't have. My spell would be more a suggestion stronger then a prayer, turns up my call to an eleven... so to speak. I have never cast it, but I technically can...as can the child of any God, technically. But since I draw from Hecate, an Underworld Goddess, my call would be louder down there. So yes, I can."

The Fury turned to Percy. "Your Mother had been returned to your home, Hades pays his debts." She turned back to Aaron. " Hades pays all of his debts, so long as you return the Helm, you will always have a place in the Underworld as if you were born of Hecate's womb and not just her heart."

His heart ached for a moment, the suggestion that he would be welcomed somewhere by a god was... well uplifting didn't express just how touching it was. " Thank you, and thank him."

Percy leaned forward. "My mom, she's okay?"

"Yes, Our Lord merely took her as he thought you stole the Helm. He knows you've never even been to Olympus, he is not evil boy, he sees where he did wrong and seeks to repair the damage. It is his way, he is the Great Judge not a Hypocrite."

A little smug that it was his actions that prevented a major battle, Aaron turned his full attention to the Furies. "Is there anything we should know about the Helm or this quest that you can tell us?"

"Two things, the force blocking our senses has to be quite powerful. One of the reasons Zeus suspected Poseidon was not merely their history but his power, he would have the means to block our sensor and spells. Even Hades' magic would be neutralized by Poseidon's. Even with two Divine Symbols of Power in his hands, that is the power he wields as Lord of the Seas." Her gaze shifted, turning outward.

"So, whomever we are up against, the God who has turned, they have to be incredibly powerful... lovely, but it does narrow it down. What else?"

"As you know, Hecate is a Goddess of Prophecy. Before we came here, she told us that you should have fled us, into the woods. Your destiny points that way, that much is clear to her... " She waved her hand, causing the bus to stop with a halt and intense magic to swirl about the air." I have manipulated the Mist to cover your movements for now, go into the woods and follow your destiny. " The Furies shared a look, before nodding at Percy. "Become a great Hero, Percy Jackson, for if you don't... if you ever come across my claws again..." Laughing, she vanished in a swirl of shadow, taking her sisters with her.

"We need to leave." Annabeth was the first to speak up. "Before the Mist fades. "

They all ran off of the bus, after collecting their things, and just managed to enter the woods before bus loudly restarted.

"""

Soon after entering the forest that the Furies directed, their shoes sloshed across mushy ground, through nasty twisted trees that smelled like sour laundry. Aaron, still high on his laurels, turned to Grover. "Where is your weapon? Tin cans, seriously? No wonder they don't think you are ready to become a searcher. You need taking this seriously or your going to get killed."

Grover cringed, eyes pained and sad. "I brought my pipes."

"No dagger, sword or even a club? Can you even use your pipes?"

"I know a few songs... "

"Then why nothing else? I brought magic, arrows, a sword and shield, and healing supplies. I came prepared... what did the rest of you bring? Percy just brought a sword, no other weapons or even a shield. Annabeth you at least have your hat and that dagger but no backups of any kind. If I didn't bring healing supplies, would the rest of you even thought about it?"

There was silence as even Annabeth seemed unable to respond and so they sloshed away in the mud, enduring the reek of the monstrously gross Hudson River.

After a few minutes, Annabeth spoke up, "I never thought about it..."

"You brought a book in case you were bored, how arrogant was that? Is the Furies had fought us, we might have died or been seriously injured. I can only heal minor wounds, scrapes and bruises, that sort of thing. Do you expect this to be easy, have you even bothered to read the Myths? How many people suffer and die no matter how well trained and powerful they are. Hell that's just what they include in the myths, who knows what other injuries are masked through the years and the glory ridden pages of stories."

Grover moved over to him and sighed. " Your right, I am sorry... I just... we aren't really taught combat, the Satyrs. Some do but most of us... we aren't taught it." He turned away, eyes sad and shamed. "I didn't want to be a burden."

Sighing, he couldn't stay angry at Grover. He wasn't sure why, maybe it was his pitiful expression or the fact that he seemed genuinely contrite... "It's okay, I just... it's stressful and I let it get the better of me. Let's just learn from this and do better. Learn a weapon, anything that would fit with you. A club, a sword, bow and arrows... anything that makes you less of a burden. If your not great at magic then have other tricks."

"I can do that... "

Percy, the least experienced of them sighed. "What would you suggest, I mean I just started learning how to use a sword and I am awful with a bow. What else should I have brought?"

"Your the only one that is exempt from my yelling, this is all new to you."

Annabeth turned, scowling with hurt pride. "And what about me?"

"Your child of a war goddess, trained for years at Camp and have studied the Myths. You should be the most prepared oh wise one."

She turned bright red but before she could retaliate with any remark, Grover barked out. "What's that?" They all turned towards where he was looking and saw a very odd sight. It wasn't very large but it had a large neon sign on it that illuminated the air and the two tiny statues around it.

"Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium... what kind of place is this?" He turned to Percy and immediately noticed his step brother's face had changed. He seemed mellow, soft and almost tired.

"That smells amazing. Fried Food, can't you smell it Aaron?"

"Not at all..." He shared a look with Grover, just as Percy and Annabeth crossed the road towards the shop, neither even looking in either direction. "This is weird, right?"

"Very."

Together they chased after their fellow questers, standing just a little back just in case something went wrong.

The front lot was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, even a cement satyr playing the pipes, which gave Grover the creeps.

"Bla-ha-ha!" he bleated. "Looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!"

As one, they reached the warehouse door, and somehow Percy and Annabeth didn't seem to notice the weird feeling in the air. How uncomfortable, creepy and unsure the place was. Having a hundred eyes on them, stone or not, was unnerving... and it reminded him of someone, he just couldn't pinpoint what.

"Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters."

"Your nose is clogged up from the Furies," Annabeth told him. "All I smell is burgers. Aren't you hungry?"

"Meat!" he said scornfully. "I'm a vegetarian."

"I am sure you were eating a can the first time I saw you?" Turning to Grover, he frowned. 'Wouldn't Annabeth know that he wasn't a meat eater... and wouldn't she know that his nose is good. He smelled the Furies before they came on the Bus. So much for being wise, Daughter of Athena.'

"Those are vegetables. Come on. Let's leave. These statues are ... looking at me."

Then the door creaked open, and standing in front of us was a tall Middle Eastern woman, wearing a long black gown that covered everything but her hands, and her head was completely veiled. It was almost like a hijab or burka, only a finer material then one usually saw, thinner too. Her eyes glinted behind a curtain of black gauze, looking at them with an odd passion. Her coffee-colored hands looked old, but well-manicured and elegant, giving off an aura of power and propriety.

For some reason, maybe due to how unnerved Grover was, he felt terrified of her. He knew well enough that the Mist could hide so much, so seeing anyone covering themselves in a burqa only added to that fear. He knew that whatever she was, human or not, he would not trust her. Why trust someone who hid their face?

Her accent sounded vaguely Middle Eastern, too. She said, "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"

"They're ... um ..." Annabeth started to say.

Aaron, having experience with duping adults while on the streets, stepped forward with a sad face. " We are homeless Ma'am, and were just in a terrible bus accident. We were afraid that the cops would send us back to our parents." He faked a sob, turning away with tears in his eyes. "Please, let us stay and get dry from the rain... and relax from the accident. We will be off shortly."

She gasped. "Oh, never... you poor children. Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."

As one they thanked her and went inside, with Annabeth smiling at him from the back and Percy looking at him with shock. He just winked at them, happy that one of his actual skills had come in handy. Victory or not however, he kept his hands close to his weapons, just willing to Lady to attack. The Furies and Hecate sent there for a reason, the reality of danger was actually quite high here but he would be ready.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was so much fun to write. I love showing the actual changes.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.