A/N: I don't own the rights to any of the Percy Jackson series or it's characters. That right goes to Rick Riordan. I also don't own the rights to Animorph including it's title.

I am, however, the person who posted 'The Tales of...' series.

This is not a crossover of the Percy Jackson series with the book/tv series Animorph, despite what you might think from the title. I just thought it be a proper name for the ability to turn into animals since that's why the tv/book series 'Animorph' was called that in the first place.

If you haven't read this yet, read:

Animorph Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Animorph Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters

I Held up the Sky as a Gorilla

The horrible thing was: I could see the family resemblance. Atlas had the same regal expression as Zoë, the same cold proud look in his eyes that Zoë sometimes got when she was mad, though on him it looked a thousand times more evil. He was all the things I'd originally disliked about Zoë, with none of the good I'd come to appreciate.

"Let Artemis go," Zoë demanded.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoë opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoë! I forbid you."

Artemis smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

I looked at Annabeth. She was desperately trying to tell me something. She motioned her head toward Luke. But all I could do was stare at her. I hadn't noticed before, but something about her had changed. Her blond hair was now streaked with gray.

"From holding the sky," Thalia muttered, as if she read my mind. "The weight should've killed her."

"I don't understand," I said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or it would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."

He approached us, studying Thalia and me. "So these are the best heroes of the ages, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," I said. "And let's see."

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."

"So you're another coward," I said.

Atlas' eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia.

"As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you."

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. If I didn't hate his his guts so much, I almost would've felt sorry for him. "Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"

He waved his hand, and next to us a pool of water appeared, a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus. I could imagine Bessie in that pool. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I was sure I could hear Bessie mooing.

Don't think about him! Suddenly Grover's voice was inside my mind-the empathy link. I could feel his emotions. He was on the verge of panic. I'm losing Bessie. Block the thoughts.

I tried to make my mind go blank. I tried to think about basketball players, skateboards, the different kinds of candy in my mom's shop. Anything but Bessie.

"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus," Luke persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."

"Luke..." Her voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?"

"Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!"

Thalia shook her head. "Free Annabeth. Let her go."

"If you join me," Luke promised, "it can be like old times. The three of us together. Fighting for a better world. Please, Thalia, if you don't agree..." His voice faltered. "It's my last chance. He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please."

I didn't know what he meant, but the fear in his voice sounded real enough. I believe that Luke was in danger.

His life depended on Thalia joining his cause. And I was afraid Thalia might believe it, too.

"Do not, Thalia," Zoë warned. "We must fight them."

Luke waved his hand again, and a fire appeared. A bronze brazier, just like the one at camp. A sacrificial flame.

Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, I saw images in the mist all around us: black marble walls rising, the ruins becoming whole, a terrible and beautiful palace rising around us, made a fear and shadow.

"We will raise Mount Othrys right here," Luke promised, in a voice so strained it was hardly his. "Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak."

He pointed toward the ocean, and my heart fell. Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where the Princess Andromeda was docked., was a great army. Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters, and half-bloods, hell hounds, harpies, and other things I couldn't even name. The whole ship must be emptied, because there were hundreds, many more than I'd seen on board last summer. And they were marching toward us in a few minutes, they would be here.

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Luke said. "Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself. All we need is your help."

I quickly summoned a jet of water from the pond and send it splashing at Thalia's head. This worked back in the pier, hopefully it will again.

"Thalia, snap out of it!" I shouted. "Whatever grudge you have against Zeus, you will take it out on the camp! Nico, Beckendorf, Silena, Travis, Connor-everyone back at camp! They're your friends too! You want to betray them like Luke did?"

Thalia's eyes hardened as she snapped out of it. "Thanks, Percy. I needed that."

With that, Thalia charged straight for Luke. The power of her shield was so great that his dragon-women bodyguards fled in panic, dropping the coffin. Leaving him alone. But despite his sickly appearance, Luke was still quick with his sword. He snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked. When his sword, backbiter, met Thalia's shield, a ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power.

As for me, I did the stupidest thing in my life, which is saying a lot. I attacked the Titan Lord Atlas.

He laughed as I approached. A huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted into full Greek battle armor. "Go on, then!"

"Percy!" Zoë sai. "Beware!"

I knew she was warning me about. Chiron had told me long ago: Immortals are constrained by ancient rules. But a hero can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as he as a nerve. Once I attacked, however, Atlas was free to attack back directly with all his might.

I dropped on all four and morphed into a full size African Elephant to give myself some more strength and power.

Sadly that wasn't enough as Atlas was still able to knock me aside with the shaft of his javelin before I was fully turned. I flew through the air and was slammed into a black wall. It wasn't Mist anymore. The palace was rising, brick by brick. It was becoming real.

"Fool!" Atlas screamed gleefully, swatting aside one of Zoë's arrows. "Did you think, simply because you could challenge that petty war god, that you can stand up to me?"

The mention of Ares sent a jolt through me. I shook off my daze as Atlas' Javelin's point slashed toward me like a scythe. I raised Riptide planning to cut off his weapon at the shaft, but my arm felt like lead. My sword suddenly weighed a ton.

And I remembered Ares' warning, spoken on the beach in Los Angeles so long ago: When you need it most, your sword will fail you.

With no other choice I turned into a tortoise and retreated in my shell. Sadly the Javelin hit my shell in an angle that send me skidding across the ground spinning and slammed into the ground.

I morphed back to human form, shaking off the dizziness and noticed I was at the feet of Artemis, still straining under the weight of the sky.

"Run, boy," she told me. "You must run!"

Atlas was taking his time coming toward me. My sword was gone, I dropped it when I turned into a tortoise. It could still reappear in my pocket, but what good that would do if I can't lift the thing. Luke and Thalia were fighting like demons, lightning crackling around them. Annabeth was on the ground, desperately struggling to free her hands.

"Die, little hero," Atlas said.

He raised his javelin to impale me.

"No!" Zoë yelled, and a volley of silver arrows sprouted from the armpit chink in Atlas' armor.

"ARGH!" He bellowed and turned toward his daughter.

I thought of going elephant again, when I remember the prophecy: The Titan's Curse must one withstand. With that in mind I realized how I can help beat Atlas: by freeing Artemis.

"The sky," I told the goddess. "Give it to me."

"No, boy," Artemis said. Her forehead was beaded with metallic sweat like quicksilver. "You don't know what you're asking. It will crush you!"

"Annabeth took it!"

"She barely survived. SHe had the spirit of a true huntress. YOu will not last so long."

"I don't need to last long, just long enough for you to trick Atlas into taking it back," I said. I took out Riptide and slashed through her chains. It was actually lighter now since I wasn't using it against Atlas. Then I stepped next to her and my body and muscles expanded as hair sprouted all over my body as I turned into a fully grown silverback western lowland gorilla, hoping its strength can at least help me buy time. I braced myself holding my hands-and touched the cold heavy clouds. For a moment, Artemis and I bore the weight together. It was the heaviest thing I'd ever felt, as if I were being crushed under a thousand trucks. Even as a gorilla it took all my will power to maintain form and hold the sky.

Then Artemis slipped out from under the burden, and I held it alone causing every muscle in my body to turn to fire. My bones felt like they were melting. I wanted to scream, but I didn't have the strength to open my mouth. I began to sink, lower, and lower to the ground, the sky crushing me.

Fight back! Grover's voice said inside my head. Don't give up.

I concentrated on breathing and reminded myself it won't be for long. Just until Artemis can get Atlas to take my place.

My vision turned fuzzy. Everything tinged in red. I caught glimpses of the battle, but I wasn't sure if I was seeing clearly. There was Atlas in full battle armor, jabbing with his javelin, laughing insanely as he fought. And Artemis, a blur of silver. She had two wicked hunting knives, each as long as her arm, and she slashed wildly at the Titan, dodging and leaping with unbelievable grace. She seemed to change form as she maneuvered. SHe was a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, a falcon. If I wasn't a shapeshifter myself I would think it was all part of my fever brain. Zoë shot arrows at her father, aiming for chinks in his armor. He roared in pain each time one found its mark, but they affected him like bee stings. He just madder and kept fighting.

Thalia and Luke went spear on sword, lightning still flashing around them. Thalia pressed Luke back with the aura of her shield. Even he was not immune to it. He retreated, wincing and growling in frustration.

"Yield!" Thalia yelled. "You never could beat me, Luke."

He bared his teeth. "We'll see, my old friend."

For those who don't know, even gorillas sweat, and I was sweating from the pain of holding the sky at this time. My shoulders would've screamed in agony if they could. I felt like the vertebrae in my spine were being welded together by blowtorch. I'm actually amaze I was able to maintain gorilla form this long.

Atlas advanced, pressing Artemis. SHe was fast, but his strength was unstoppable. His javelin slammed into the earth where Artemis had been a split second before, and a fissure opened in the rocks. He leaped over it and kept pursuing her. SHe was leading him back toward me.

Get ready, she spoke in my mind.

If I could respond I would but even in Gorilla form I can't even grunt.

"You fight well for a girl," Atlas laughed. "But you are no match for me."

He feinted with the tip of his javelin and Artemis dodged. I saw the trick coming. Atlas' javelin swept around and knocked Artemis' legs off the ground. She fell, and Atlas brought up his javelin tip for the kill.

"No!" Zoë screamed. She leaped between her father and Artemis and shot an arrow straight into the Titan's forehead, where it lodged like a unicorn's horn. Atlas bellowed in rage. He swept aside his daughter with the back of his hand sending her flying into the black rocks.

I wanted to shout her name, run to her aid, but I couldn't speak or move. I couldn't even see where Zoë had landed. Then Atlas turned on Artemis with a look of triumph in his face. Artemis seemed to be wounded. She didn't get up.

"The first blood in a new war," Atlas gloated. And he stabbed downward.

As fast as thought, Artemis grabbed his javelin shaft. It hit the earth right next to her and she pulled backward, using the Javelin like a lever,kicking the Titan Lord and sending him flying over her. I saw him coming down on top of me and I realized what would happen. I prayed to Poseidon for a little more energy for one last shapeshift as I loosen my grip on the sky, and let Atlas slammed into me, letting myself be pushed out of the way. I don't know how but I manage to morph from gorilla down into an armadillo as I rolled up into ball and roll the rest of the way.

The weight of the sky dropped onto Atlas back, almost smashing him flat until he managed to get to his knees, struggling to get out from under the crushing weight of the sky. But it was too late.

"Noooooo!" he bellowed so hard it shook the mountain. "Not again!"

Atlas was trapped under his old burden.

With no more strength left, I change back to human form as my body felt like it was burning up.

Thalia backed Luke to the edge of the cliff still they fought on, next to the golden coffin. Thalia had tears in her eyes. Luke had a bloody slash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat.

He lunged at Thalia and she slammed him with her shield. Luke's sword spun out of his hands and clattered to the rocks. Thalia put her spear point to his throat.

For a moment, there was silence.

"Well?" Luke asked. He tried to hide it bout I cold hear fear in his voice.

Thalia trembled with fury.

Behind her, Annabeth came scrambling, finally free from her bonds. Her face was bruised and streak with dirt. "Don't kill him!"

"He's a traitor," Thalia said. "A traitor!"

In my daze, I realized that Artemis was no longer with me. She had run toward the black rocks where Zoë had fallen.

"We'll bring Luke back," Annabeth pleaded. "To Olympus. He... He'll be useful. We can use him to convince the gods of Kronos' rising."

"Is that what you want, Thalia?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?"

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate grab for her spear.

"No!" Annabeth shouted. But it was too late. Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

"Luke!" Annabeth screamed.

I manage to crawl to the cliff's edge with the others. Bellow us, the army from the Princess Andromeda had stopped in amazement. They were staring at Luke's broken form on the rocks. Despite how much I hated him, I couldn't stand to see it. I wanted to believe he was still alive, but that was impossible for him. The fall was fifty feet at least, and he wasn't moving.

One of the giants looked up and growled, "Kill them."

Thalia was stiff with grief, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Then there was a strange buzzing noise. A Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky.

"Get away from my daughter!" Dr. Chase called down and his machine guns burst to life, pepperoing the army with bullets causing the monsters as they scattered.

"Dad?" yelled Annabeth in disbelief.

"Run!" he called back, his voice growing fainter as the biplane continue shooting at the army.

This shook Thalia out of her grief as she and Annabeth helped me get up and run. We ran for the rocks, ignoring the curses and threats of Atlas as we passed.

"Artemis!" I yelled.

The goddess looked up, her face almost grief stricken as Thalia's. Zoë lay in the goddess' arms. She was breathing. Her eyes were open. But still...

"The wound is poisoned," Artemis said.

"Atlas poisoned her?" I asked.

"No," the goddess said. "Not Atlas."

She showed us the wound in Zoë's side. I'd almost forgotten her scrape with Ladon the dragon. THe bite was much worse than Zoë had let on. I could barely look at te wound. SHe had charged into battle against her father with a cut already sapping her strength.

"The stars," Zoë murmured. "I cannot see them."

"Nectar and ambrosia," I said. "Come on! We have to get her some."

No one moved. Grief hung in the air. The sound of monsters bellowing in pain from Dr. Chase's assault broke Artemis out of it for a moment. She stared up at the antique plane, which was now banking around for another strafe. A fiew giants threw Javelins and one flew straight between the wing of the plane, but the machine gun blazed. It was then I realize two things about Dr. Chase: He must've gotten hold of celestial bronze to fashioned into bullets, and he might have the ability to see through the Mist too.

"That's... my dad!" Annabeth said in amazement

"A brave man," Artemis said grudging approval. "Come. We must get Zoë away from here."

She raised her hunting horn to her lips and its clear sound echoed down the valley of Marin. Zoë's eyes were fluttering.

"Hang in there!" I told her.

Just then, the moonlight brightened and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by the most beautiful deer I had ever seen. It landed right next to us.

"Get in," Artemis said.

Annabeth helped Thalia get me on board then she helped Artemis with Zoë. We wrapped Zoë in a blanket as Artemis pulled the reins of the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air.

"Like Santa Clause's sleigh," I murmured, still in pain.

Artemis took time to look back at me. "Indeed, young half-blood. And where do you think that legend came from?"

Seeing us safely away, Dr. Chase turned his biplane and followed us like an honor guard.

Behind us, the army of Kronos roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of Mount Tamalpais, but the loudest sound was the voice of Atlas, bellowing curses against the gods as he struggle under the weight of the sky.

Animal Fact: Silverback Gorillas which is the alpha male of a group of gorillas, can lift 4,000 lbs (1,810 kg) and 27 times their own body weight. That and like most other apes have hands similar to humans along with the thumb and dexterous feet is why I choose the Gorilla form for Percy to hold up the sky. Plus most animals that are considered to be stronger than gorillas in terms of how many times their bodyweight they can lift are insects, more precisely: 1. Dung Beetle, 2 Rhinoceros Beetle, and 3. Leaf Cutter Ant. So, um, yeah, I had to go with a Gorilla form on this one.