"Percy!"

…

"Percy!"

…

"Persues!" someone was trying to wake me up, but who? and more importantly why?

I could feel my sore muscles from all of the training I had been through these last few days – sword fighting, climbing, running through the woods, fighting monsters, teaching sword fighting to the younger kids, reading… To be honest, I haven't done anything that wasn't physically draining so, there was no way the person trying to wake me up was going to succeed.

"Perseus … son, you have to wake up!" I could feel someone was shaking me. Whoever was doing this, should stop before I cut their head– … wait … son? … Why was this rude person calling me son? but before I could ask. Something extremely cold hit my face, it wasn't painful, but whoa it was cold.

My eyes snapped open, and I jumped out of my bed, while quickly uncapping Riptide and pointing it at the intruder's throat. "What in hade –"

"Easy, Percy, it's just me."

I blinked quickly and gasped in shock when my eyes got used to the dark. In front of me stood my dad, he was wearing a blue and green Hawaiian shirt with some black cargo pants, along with some golden flip-flops. He was looking at the tip of my sword that was pointing deadly at his throat with surprise (not fear), before he looked back at me and smiled. Wow, what the hell was the god of the sea, storm, horses … and … earthquakes doing in my room? Is it a quest? If so couldn't it wait until I woke up or wasn't wearing my Finding Dory pajama … wow, that's embarrassing … but anyways back to the most important question:

"What … What are you doing here?" I drew back my sword and sat down at the edge of my bed, looking at him while running my hand through my hair when I realized that it was wet – or more like my whole face and shirt was. "wait, did you –"

"Yes, I threw water at you, but it was only because you didn't wake up, I'm sorry," My dad said, actually looking sorry. "As to your first question, I'm here because I need to take you to Olympus. So, get dressed."

"Okay, give me five minutes." I nodded sleepily, while I stood up and started walking to the bathroom to get a towel, I could dry myself with. And search for any wearable clothes from the pile of dirty clothes I had thrown in there. But then suddenly my brain finally caught up with the last sentence my dad had said and abruptly stopped. "WHY AM I GOING TO OLYMP –" I screamed turning quickly around to face my dad, but then a firm hand clasped my mouth shut and blocked my loud voice. Which tobe honest freaked me out since it happened so fast, but then I remembered who was in the room with me.

"Shhhh, Percy, I don't want you to wake up the whole camp." My dad said, before giving me a reassuring smile and letting go of my mouth. "It's only a meeting. Nothing dangerous."

"Oh, okay," I said making it sound like it was a normal thing that my dad suddenly appeared in my room to take me to a meeting on Olympus and that it totally didn't freak me out … no forget it I was freaking out. The last time I had been there the gods had voted on if they would let me live or not, so no happy memories there. And hearing my dad say that it was nothing dangerous made me a bit uneasy. Not that I didn't trust him it was just the fact that he needed to assure me which made me concern. But of course, I didn't make my concern visible to my dad. I just turned my back to him before continuing my short trip to the bathroom.

When I returned from the bathroom drying my hair the best I could with the small blue towel I had found and carrying some clothes to wear under my arm. My dad was standing next to the windows examining the underwater plants that were sitting on the windowsill. His eyes were sparkling with pride when he touched a leaf of one of the plants.

I wish I could be that leaf, I thought while sitting down at the edge of the bed again, I somewhat wished my dad would look at me the same way he looked at that leaf.

I quickly changed from the loose pajama pants to some ripped blue jeans feeling a bit down and maybe a bit stupid since the stupid leaf had made me feel so jealous.

But then I suddenly saw the alarm clock sitting on my bedside table next to a half-empty glass of water.

"IT'S 1am!" I almost screamed at my father, who turned around quickly and looking at me confused, before noticing the clock on the bedside table.

"Oh, yeah … I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Percy," he said seriously. "but we gods don't really sleep so what time of the days it is doesn't really matter to us."

Well, it does for me! Of course, I didn't say it out loud, but it was the truth. I had gone to sleep late yesterday so I must have gotten like two-three hours of sleep – at best. Which isn't that bad but … nightmares are kind of a big problem among us demigods, so two-three hours of sleep are sometimes luxury. So when you finally get your sleep and then are woken up this early for no reason, it seems like a waste of the desperately needed sleep.

"Percy!" My dad said offended and I looked at him confused. "I did not wake you up for no reason and I promise you that when the meeting is over you can sleep for as long as you want –"

"Wait, how did you –" I looked at him even more confused, before quickly realizing that gods could read minds. "ohh I see …"

But my father did not seem to care about my little revelation, since he just sent me an annoyed look "Could you please hurry up, son, I need to be at Olympus a bit earlier so I can talk to your uncle about something" he said turning back to the plants before silently sitting down on the cold floor.

My uncle? … ohh … no wait … Hades or Zeus …hmm, I guess it's Zeus since we're on our way to Olympus not the underworld, and Zeus is the king of Olympus so it would make sense. But what is it my dad wanted to talk about with Zeus? I was about to ask, but then I remembered that my father seem to be a little annoyed, so I decided it would be the best choice to just not to ask.

"Yeah, ok, I think I'm ready." I said once I finally had put on my old camp half-blood shirt.

My dad turned away from his precious underwater plants, and his eyes trailed over me slowly before his eyes settled on my shirt and he sent it an 'unapproved'-type of glance. "Don't you have anything else to wear?"

I looked at my shirt, seeing holes and bloodstains whole over it. "Well, I have some other camp half-blood shirts," I said. "but I don't think they are any better."

"Okey then …" he stood up and approached me slowly. "Ready?"

I stood up confused "Ready for what?"

But he didn't answer, he just smirked and placed a strong hand on each of my shoulders. And then suddenly he was gone, wait did he just leave me I thought a bit too early since a millisecond after that thought I was turned into water – or it felt like I was – before I was turned back into normal and was standing outside the throne room at Olympus and my dad who had been right in front of me before we had teleported was now on his way into the throne room.

I glanced a bit over Olympus, it was as beautiful as I remembered it, so golden … and … beautiful … and golden … wow, if Annabeth was hearing these descriptions, she would have been proud.

But now that I looked a bit closer, I could see that the streets were somewhat busier, than I could remember the last time I had been here. But that could be because I now was more used to the beauty of Olympus and therefore now noticed more details. hmm, I'm wondering what else I do not notice, Ithought before my thoughts were interrupted by my father.

"Percy, are you coming?" My dad said smiling. He had stopped walking and was leaning on one of the throne room doors. Wow, and now he's happy, I wonder if I have these kinds of mood swings?

"Yes, dad" I said sounding a bit excited, but when I was about to take my first step. Everything started to spin … or was I spinning … wow this is confusing. And on top of it all my vision started blurring before I lost my balance and fell on my stomach, which knocked the air out of me. What was going on? … and could anyone stop this before I throw up.

I felt warm hands touch both sides of my head. The hands became warmer and warmer, and I got some flashbacks from my first time talking to dad after I had returned the lightning bolt to Zeus, him giving me a sand dollar and basically flashbacks to every other moment with my dad. The only weird thing with these flashbacks was that in those flashbacks I could see myself sometimes, which meant that not every flashback was mine. And I had a feeling I knew who they belonged to, but then suddenly the flashbacks were gone, and I was lying on my back and could see everything normally again without everything spinning or being blurry.

"You good? How are you feeling?" My dad said leaning over me smiling, but with concern in his sea-green eyes.

"I … I feel a bit dizzy, but okay otherwise," I said trying to sit up when my dad gently pushed me back down again.

"I forgot this was your first time teleporting … this way," he said. "you should lie down for some time before standing up again."

"What about the meeting?" I asked a little concern.

"It does not start until another hour," he said standing up. "so, stay here. I need to talk to my brother, I will be back before the meeting starts."

I was about to say something like No wait! Don't leave me! but it was too late because the second I blinked he was no longer beside me.

I've been lying here for about half an hour and to be honest my back was starting to hurt. But every time I tried to stand up my head either began to hurt again or I felt like throwing up. So, I closed my eyes tightly and hoped it would be over soon.

"You okay, kiddo?" someone said, after an eternity of me laying on the cold concrete.

"I'm clearly not okay!" I shouted annoyed at what I thought was another annoying satyr or nymph. "So go away!"

I heard someone sigh before silently sitting down beside me. "Now is that a way to talk to a god?"

My eyes snapped open, and I sat up abruptly, when I finally recognized the voice. "Apollo?"

"Yes, that's me!" Apollo said sitting right beside me looking at me curiously. "What are you doing here? Where's your dad?"

"I'm lying here since my dad left me here … and since I can't stand up without wanting to throw up or feeling like I'm in a washing machine or something." I groaned before laying back down again. "and … hmm … I think my dad is talking to Zeus or that was what he told me. He also promised to return before the meeting started, but judging by the fact that you are here, it has already started…"

"no, no it hasn't. I'm just a little early … or I'm usually pretty early." Apollo said looking at the sky. "and your dad still has ten minutes left on him."

I closed my eyes again exhausted, feeling Apollo lean over me a bit.

"Do you want me to help you with the nausea?" he whispered into my ear.

My eyes snapped open for the second time. "You can do that?"

"Of course," Apollo laughed, but looked a bit offended. "I'm Apollo, god of healing." he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I looked at him a bit dumbfounded before I almost yelled at him. "Well then … YES! Please! I feel awful so please help!"

Apollo chuckled and placed a finger on my forehead and then all the nausea and dizziness was gone like it had never been there.

"There you go." Apollo announced.

I blinked at him amused and sat up slowly, afraid of the whole world-spinning coming back, but to my relief it didn't. I looked at Apollo again, now that my vision wasn't all blurry, I could see that he was wearing a white polo shirt with some blue cropped pants and some expensive-looking leather sandals.

"Thanks," I said simply, but I knew that apollo understood how grateful I really was.

"No problem," Apollo smiled brightly and helped me stand up. "I couldn't just leave my nephew alone to suffer here, your dad should be more careful when he is teleporting with you. After all, this whole meeting is kinda just about your safety so –"

"Wait what! The meeting is about me? … why? … what did I do? … my safety? … wait, I'm in danger? Or no forget that, that's a really stupid question I am always in danger –"

My mumbling had been stopped by Apollo putting a finger in front of my lips. "Shhh –" he interrupted me. "Yes, the meeting is about you. Why else do think you are here? And hasn't your dad already told you about it? … or since you ask, I guess he didn't, but don't worry you will know all about it soon … and yes you are in danger … or I don't think I'm supposed to tell you that yet, but I can tell you that we have a solution to this problem. So don't worry."

They had a solution … now I'm worried. Normally if the gods had a solution to a problem involving me it meant something along the lines of … let us say … killing me.

"Calm down, Percy. We are not going to kill you." Apollo calmed me down, placing his hand on my shoulder firmly. "C'mon, Poseidon junior. Let us find your father, shall we?" he said guiding me towards the throne room.

"Yeah okay," I said uncertain, following him like a toddler at a very dramatically slow pace.

The throne room seemed quiet and empty when we entered it, until I saw my dad and my uncle talking quietly to each other in the middle of the room. It seemed like they were arguing about something, but I couldn't hear what they were saying until I was like twenty feet away from them.

They were talking about wanting to avenge someone, but I didn't understand everything since they were talking in ancient Greek … and boy, they were talking fast! It was like they had no time to lose, which was kind of a weird thing since they were immortal and had an eternity.

Apollo came up with a suggestion of killing someone, but before he could say much, he was rejected by Zeus angrily.

"Who are you going to kill?" I looked confused between Apollo and Zeus.

Apollo looked a bit surprised by the fact of me understanding what they were saying. But Zeus just sent Apollo an annoyed this-is-your-fault kind of look. Before turning to me with an analyzing stare. "It's good to know that you are getting better at greek."

"Thanks," I said blushing a bit, and looked down, studying the shiny golden floor.

My dad who seemed to just now notice that I was in the room, smirked. "To bad that us gods can talk in any language we want."

So to speak, the rest of the conversation was in either French or Spanish … or any other language I didn't really know.

After some time, I lost my interest in the conversation and was about to fall asleep leaning my whole weight against Apollo's hand, which he had kept on my shoulder. But then I felt someone's arms hug me from behind, and pulling me closer when I flinched by the sudden touch. "Buenos días, Perseus" someone mumbled into my ear.

I looked up and was met by some sparkling blue eyes and a cheerful smile.

"Hello, Lord Hermes." I said looking up at him.

"Hi," he said silently, trying not to interrupt the conversation between Apollo, Zeus and my father. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to not fall asleep, while listening to them talk in a language I don't understand," I whined.

Hermes laughed and let go of me. "Must be terrible."

"It is!" I whined a bit louder, but he just laughed harder.

So, I turned around so I could face him and saw that all the gods except Poseidon, Apollo, Hermes, and Zeus were sitting in their thrones chilling and waiting for the meeting to begin. I looked a bit questioning at Hermes. "Has the meeting begun?" I hissed quietly.

He nodded. "Yes, it has or actually it has very long time ago, but the almighty Zeus and Poseidon must have their private quarrel before the meeting. Right?" He looked at Zeus and Poseidon. And they both stopped talking and sent Hermes a glare before growing to the same size as the rest of the gods in the throne room and sitting down in their thrones.

"Well, if you all are so eager to begin," Zeus said. "I declare that the meeting has officially begun."

Hermes and Apollo patted me on the shoulder comforting, before returning to their thrones. Which meant that I was left alone in the middle of the throne room. Wow, this is a bit scary I thought to myself and felt some chills going through my spine.

"Perseus Jackson, the council has been informed that our father, Kronos has shown quite a big interest in you." Zeus said and his voice rumbled through the room.

"What kind of interest?" I asked worried.

This time my father spoke. "We don't know yet, but we think they are trying to capture you and turn you against us."

I stared at my dad stupidly, before starting to laugh. Are they stupid or something? I thought to myself. My reaction resulted in the gods giving me extremely confused stares as to why I was laughing at it like it was some kind of a joke.

I looked up at Zeus who was staring at me strangely, and I realized that he didn't understand how stupidly obvious everything sounded. "Well, No shit Sherlock!" I laughed at him. "It's kind of obvious if you didn't know. I'm turning sixteen in five months, and you all know the prophecy; shall reach sixteen against all odds … bla blaa … A single choice shall end his days … I think it was something like that … Olympus to preserve or raze... so it isn't that weird that they are trying to capture me and turn me against you. I decide the rise or fall of Olympus so… I'm sorry if you guys hadn't realized that yet." I said and looked around the room feeling like a scientist explaining a crazy theory to some five-year-olds. And for once I didn't feel so small in the room, regardless of the gods being much larger than me.

But my confidence was short-lived when I heard rumbling of thunder and lightning outside and I quickly turned to Zeus who was clearly angry.

"Don't think so highly of yourself, boy. Of course, we saw that there might be a little problem there, but we didn't think he would try so extremely hard," Zeus said in a dark voice. "Ares encountered a large group of monsters close to the Queensboro Bridge heading to where you live."

"And when was that?" I asked stressed. If monsters were heading to my apartment… it meant that mom was in danger!

Ares laughed the panic growing inside me. "It doesn't matter. I have taken care of it and I'm quite sure that they won't be a problem for at least the next five decades." he laughed and then laughed a bit louder at the last part.

I blinked at Ares, wondering if I should thank him, but I ended up promising myself that I would thank him … hmm … someday later.

Then I turned back to Zeus. "I'm thankful you are telling me this, but I don't understand why you couldn't just write a letter or something about this … why do I need to be here?"

This time Athena was the one to answer. "you see, son of Poseidon. We – or mostly me – have found a solution to this problem." I remembered Apollo mentioning something about a solution.

"And what is the solution?"

Athena smiled at me, but Zeus was the one to speak. "The solution is that you will be under the protection of us." Zeus said, not even bothering to look at me.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means that you from now on are to always stay with at least one god – preferably with an Olympian – so we can protect you from any danger from our father."

"But –" I was about to protest, but Zeus wasn't done.

"You will live with your dad in his palace."

"But –"

"And you are not allowed to leave the palace unless you're going to Olympus or another place where you are well protected and with a god. We have also come to the conclusion that we will not allow you to spend any more time on Camp half-blood, since we do not desire you to endanger our children more than they already are."

"That's just crazy – " I was to protest once more, but it didn't seem like Zeus cared much since he just blatantly interrupted me again.

"These rules will apply until you are sixteen." he said and patted a golden eagle that sat close to his shoulder on the throne. Before looking questioning at me like to say; and you were saying?

I opened and closed my mouth a few times in shock before answering. "No!"

"No?" he asked amused, his blue eyes never leaving mine.

"I don't need your protection!" I said and stepped back when my dad flashed in front of me.

"Son," My dad said while gently placing a hand on my shoulder, but I quickly pulled away.

"No," I said again, my voice started sounding hysterical. "I don't need any protection from you. I am able to take care of myself thank you!"

"Percy, I know you think you can protect yourself, but there are forces much more powerful than you. After all, you are just a demigod." My dad said calmly. I don't think he realized how hurtful it sounded to me. Just a demigod? Is that what my dad thought of me?

"And it's only for a few months, until you are sixteen –" my dad tried comforting me.

"Yeah, I know!" I said sounding angrier this time. "But did you miss the a-single-choice-shall-end-his-days-part of the prophecy? I will probably be dead after those few months … and they might be the last I have to live." I could now feel tears running down my cheeks. "So sorry, but I think I want to spend them with my family and friends." With that I turned around and ran out of the room.

I heard my father shouting No don't do that. I have this! to someone, but I didn't bother looking back at who he was shouting to or what he meant. I just ran … ran as fast as I could through the busy streets of Olympus. I bumped into some people and shouted "sorry!" to a satyr that I by accident pushed to the ground while running.

But then I finally reached the elevator, and stop to breathe a little, before pressing the button and waiting for the door to open. C'mon, open up, open up, I thought while anxiously tapping my foot, which of course led to people stop some feet from me, and start staring at me like they had never seen a demigod before. They kept asking each other stuff like who is that? Isn't that the son of Poseidon?

When the door finally open I almost jumped into it before quickly selecting my wanted floor. And the door closed again slowly, and I sat down in one of the corners close to the door, waiting for the elevator to reach the first floor.

While listening to the terrible elevator music I finally got time to think about what I had done and what I was doing. What am I doing? Running from the gods? How can I be so stupid? I wrapped my arms around my knees tightly, begging for the elevator to go faster. Go faster …. Go faster… But where would I go?I can't go home or back to camp since it would be the first place, they would look for me. And how is it I came to the conclusion that I could just run away from the gods?

But before I could think further on that, I heard a pling from the elevator and the doors opened. I quickly stood up and was about to sprint away from the elevator. But the same second I stepped out of the elevator someone grabbed my arm, of course by instinct I tried to get away but when I turned around to see who it was, I immediately stopped. In front of me stood my dad, but to my surprise he didn't look extremely angry. Don't get me wrong he didn't look happy, but I but he wasn't in the I'm-going-to-kill-you-mood, which was in a way comforting.

"And where do you think you're going, son?"