A/N: I don't own the rights to any of the Percy Jackson series or it's characters. That right gaoes 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
Animorph Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse
Animorph Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth
Animorph Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Stolen Chariot
Animorph Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sword of Hades
Animorph Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Bronze Dragon
Rachel Makes a Bad Deal and Nico Shows Me His Past
Will Solace took command immediately after finding out what happened to Michael Yew and had half his siblings search for his missing siblings including Michael and the other half to go to the Plaza hotel to help the wounded. Annabeth had to convince me to leave the search and check on the other campers. I morphed into a horse as Annabeth climbed onto my back and I galloped toward the Plaza hotel.
Along the way, I noticed a lot of empty pedestals that usually held statues. Plan twenty-three seemed to be working. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.
It only took me five minutes to reach the Plaza-an old fashioned white stone hotel with a gabled blue roof sitting at the southeast corner of Central Park.
Tactically speaking, the Plaza wasn't the best place for headquarters. It wasn't the tallest building in town, or the most centrally located. Vut it had old-school style and had attracted a lot of famous demigods over the years, like the Beatles (each being sons of Apollo) and Alfred Hitchcock (son of Hermes).
I stopped at the fountain outside the hotel and Annabeth slid off my back. The statue at the top of the fountain called down, "Oh goody. More of you."
She was a life size bronze standing in the middle of a granite bowl. She wore only a bronze sheet around her legs, and she was holding a basket of metal fruit. I'd never paid her too much attention before. Then again, she'd never talked to me before.
"Are you supposed to be Demeter?" I asked.
A bronze apple sailed over my head.
"She's Pompona, the Roman goddess of plenty," Annabeth corrected.
"Everyone thinks I'm Demeter!" she complained. "Nobody cares ab ou the minor gods to know any better. If you cared about the minor gods, you wouldn't be losing this war! Three cheers for Morpheus and Hecate, I say!"
Annabet h and I just leather rant as we walked to the Hotel. Considering how unpredictable Automatons are, we didn't question why she wasn't helping the other statues.
I'd never actually been inside the Plaza. The lobby was impressive with chandeliers and the passed-out rich people, but we didn't pa y muc h attention. A couple of Hunters gave us directio ns to t he elevato r s, and we rode up t penthouse suites.
Demigods had completely taken over the top floors. Campers and Hunters were crashed out on sofas, washing up in bathrooms, ripping silk draperies to bandage their wounds, and helping themselves to snacks and sodas from the minibars. A couple of timber wolves were drinking out of toilets. I was relieved to see that many of my friends made it throu gh the night, but everybody looked beat up.
"Percy! Annabeth!" Beckendorf clapped us on the back. "Good to see you two made it."
"Yeah. I wish we could say the same about Michael Yew," I said.
"He's missing, presumably dead." Annabeth said.
Silena Beauregard gasped trying to hide her tears.
"I'm sure he died heroically and will achieve Elysium," Beckendorf reassured us. "Good news is from what we heard, t he enemy withdrew at sunrise. We're not sure, but we have look out at each bridge and tunnel. We're still waiting on word on Pollux and Castor with Grover."
"Thanks," I told him.
Will Solace and half of his siblings showed up and started checking th e wounded.
"We need Ares Cabin. Maybe I can go back and convince Clarisse to help us."
"Whoa, Silena. Even if you could get off the island, Clarisse is pretty stubborn. On ce s he gets angry-"
"I can take a pegasus," Silena argued. "Let me try."
I wasn't so sure. We need every camper on hand.
"I'm going too," Beckendorf said.
"Charlie, no. Cabin Nine needs you," Silena said.
'They'll be fine for a while. Besides I think its time to activate the dragon." Beckendorf said.
A cold chill went down my spine. Earlier this summer we uncovered an automaton dragon that use to guard the camp. We even activated it to save Beckendorf from Myrmekes and the dragon pretty much went beserk. We risked our lives even after dealing with the myrmekes just to turn it off. Beckendorf been working on reprogramming it, but he said it would take months.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Annabeth asked. "With Plan Twenty-Three we got enough automatons running around guarding the city."
"If Silena can 't convince Clarisse to help us out, we're going to need more strength anyways," Beckendorf said.
I hate to admit it, Beckendorf is right. I seen what that bronze dragon can do and it's powerful.
"All rig ht," I told them. "Go get us some help-whether it's from Ares Cabin or the dragon. Both if possible. Make sure your next in command knows."
Both nodded and left.
Will showed up next. "Percy, we're going to need medical supplies."
"Send the Stoll Brothers to get what you need." I said.
"Have Malcolm go with them if he's here to make sure its paid," Annabeth suggested.
"Right," Will left.
"Percy, I need to tell you something. It's been bothering me for a long time," Annabeth said once we were as alone as we can get. "You ask me why Hermes was mad at me."
"Yeah..." I said.
"Last year. Luke came to see me in San Francicso."
"In person?" I felt like she'd just hit me with a hammer. He came to your house?"
"This was before we went into the Labyrinth, before..." She faltered, but I knew what she meant: before he turned into Kronos. "He came under a flag of truce. He said he only wanted five minutes to talk. He looked scared, Percy. He told me Kronos was going to use him to take over the world. He said he wanted to run away, like the old days. He wanted me to come with him."
"But you didn't trust him."
"Of course not. I thought it was a trick. Plus... well, a lot of things had changed since the old days. I told Luke there was no way. Hermes was right. Maybe if I'd gone with him, I could've changed his mind. Or, or I had a knife. Luke was unarmed. I could've-"
"Kill him?" I said. "Even if you did, I'm sure Hermes would still be mad at you. Plus we don't really know when he swim in the Styx. For all you know he was already invincible."
"Maybe." Annabeth sighed. "Luke said Kronos would use him like a stepping stone. Those were his exact words. Kronos would use Luke and become even more powerful."
"He did that," I said. "He possessed Luke's body."
"But what if Luke's body is only a transition? What if Kronos has a plan to become even more powerful? I could've stopped him. The war is my fault."
Her story made me feel like I was back in the Styx, slowly dissolving. I remembered last summer, when the two-headed god, Janus, had warned Annabeth she would have to make a major choice-and that had happened after she saw Luke. Pan had also said something to her: You will play a great role, though it may not be the role you imagine.
I wanted to ask her about the vision Hestia had shown me, about her early days with Luke and Thalia. I knew it had something to do with my prophecy, but I didn't understand what.
That was when Castor showed up.
"Percy! Annabeth! We're back with Grover. But I think you two should talk to him." Castor told us.
...
Grover was having a snack in the living room as Pollux waited for us. He was dressed for battle in an armored shirt made from tree bark and twist ties, with his wooden cudgel and his reed pipes hanging from his belt.
The Demeter cabin had whipped up a whole buffet in the hotel kitchens-everything from pizza to pineapple ice cream. Unfortunately, Grover was eating the furniture. He already chewed the stuffing off a fancy chair and was now gnawing the armrest. Pollux looked relieved when he saw us.
"Dude," I said, "we're only borrowing this place."
"Blah-ha-ha!" he had stuffing all over his face. "Sorry, Percy. It's just... Louis the Sixteenth furniture. Delicious. Plus I always eat furniture when I get-"
"When you get nervous," I said. "We know."
"Sorry guys, Grover just started eating the furniture the moment we arrived," Pollux said. "Castor and I were hoping you two can calm him down."
"It's fine Pollux, go find your brother and get some rest," Annabeth told him.
"Thanks again, Pollux. You and Castor helped me alot," Grover said.
Pollux nodded and left.
"What's that about?" I asked.
"Well, I've been trying to mobilize the nature spirits like I said I would, but not all of them would listen. Then Castor and Pollux showed up on Mrs. O'Leary and got those that refuse to listen to me mobilized," Grover explained.
He told us about the skirmishes they'd seen. Mostly the y'd covering uptown, where we didn't have enough demigods. Hellhounds had appeared in all sorts of places, shadow traveling inside our lines, and the dryads and satyrs along with the twins had been fighting them off. A young dragon had appeared in Harlem, and a dozen wood nymphs died before the monster was finally defeated.
As Grover talked, Thalia and Bianca entered the room and pulled Annabeth aside for something before all three joined in to hear the rest of Grover's report-wich was getting worse and worse.
"We lost twenty satyrs against some giants at Fort Washington," he said his voice trembling. "Almost half my kinsmen. River spirits drowned the gian ts in the end but..."
"Percy, Thalia had me use the shield to check the bridges and tunnels. Kronos' forces are gathering, but they aren't leaving their position," Annabeth said. "There's something else." She looked at Thalia who nodded.
"One of my Hunters spotted a huge man in golden armor mustering an army on the Jersey shore," Thalia said. "I'm not sure who he is, but he's obviously a Titan. He radiates with power."
"Percy, could it be the Titan Nico showed to you?" Annabeth asked.
"Nico, what about my brother?" Bianca asked.
Making sure no one was listening Annabeth and I told Bianca Thalia and Grover about how Nico had volunteered himself as our spy when he showed me a memory in a dream of him overhearing the Titans. I had my doubts Thalia Bianca nor Grover were our spy nor I doubt any of the Hunters were a spy. I also told them about what Hades revealed during Nico's and my time in his palace.
"Right now, Nico is trying to get what he can out of Hades. I told him if he learn anything to report to me through dreams," I told them. I didn't add the fact Nico was also trying to get Hades to join the war, as I don't think it would help an y sharing that.
"Let's hope he succeeds. Father can be as stubborn as Zeus if not more." Bianca said.
"Meantime we've sealed off the subway tunnels into Manhattan," Thalia reported. "My best trappers took care of it. Also it seems like the enemy is waiting for tonight to attack. I think Luke"-she caught herself-"I mean Kronos needs time to regenerate after each fight. He's still not comfortable with his new form. It's taking a lot of his power to slow time around the city."
Grover nodded. "Most of his forces are more powerful at night, too. But they'll be back after sundown."
"Any word form the gods?" Annabeth asked.
Thalia shook her head. "I know Lady Artemis would be here if she could. Athena, too. But Zeus has ordered them to stay at his side. The last I heard Typhon was destroying the Ohio River Valley. She should reach the Appalachian Mountains by midday."
"So at best," I said. "We've got another two days before he arrives."
"I been thinking of something else," Annabeth said. "The way Kronos showed up at the Williamsburg Bridge, like he knew Percy and I were going there." She turned to Thalia. "Did you guys have any trouble at the Lincoln's tunnel?"
"No." Thalia said. "We were expecting a heavy attack but we were hardly hit."
Annabeth sighed. "I was afraid of that. I think Kronos had shifted his forces, possibly to our weak points. As if he knew."
"Like he had information," I said. "The spy."
"What spy?" THalia demanded.
I told her about the silver charm Kronos had shown me, the communication device.
"So our enemy has a spy in our ranks to," Thalia said. "That's very bad."
"It could be anyone," Bianca said. "At least of the campers-no offense."
"None taken. I was thinking it was a safe bet that none of the Hunters could be our spy anyways," I admitted.
"Or any of Ares Cabin," Annabeth said. "They stayed back at camp. No way they could have known our set up."
"Which meant Clarisse and her siblings can't be our spy," I groaned.
"Why are they back at camp?" Grover asked.
Annabeth explained about the flying chariot and the argument Apollo and Ares Cabin had over claims of it and when Chiron settled it, it made things worse.
"Michael said he gave the chariot to Clarisse to try and get her to rejoin the war, but failed." I said. "Now Silena and Beckendorf are on their way back to camp to try and convince her. If not Beckendorf plans to reactivate an automaton dragon we found and bring it here to fight with us."
"An automaton dragon?" THalia asked.
"A guardian that use to protect the camp before it disappeared until earlier this summer," Annabeth said. "I think it's safe to say the Dionysus Twins are safe too. Percy send them off to help Grover before assigning the rest of the cabins. Even if they could have informed Kronos about the parks and uptown, no way they knew about where the other cabins went."
"Either way, we need to keep fighting," I said as I turned to the other campers who were pretending not to listen. "We can't obsessed about this spy. If we're suspicious of each other, we just tear ourselves apart. You guys were awesome last night. I couldn't ask for a braver army. Let's set up a rotation for the watches. Rest up while you can. We've got a long night ahead of us."
The demigods mumbled in agreement. They went their separate ways to sleep or eat or repair their weapons."
"Percy, you too,": Thalia said. "We'll keep an eye on things. Go lie down. We need you in good shape for tonight."
I didn't argue too hard. I found the nearest bedroom and crashed on the canopied bed. I thought I was too wired to sleep, but my eyes closed almost immediately.
I was hoping word from Nico, but I first dreamed of Rachel Elizabeth Dare.
She was walking along a white sand beach. She wore a swimsuit with a T-shirt wrapped around her waist. Her shoulders and face sunburned.
She knelt and began writing in the surf with her fingers. I tried to make out the letters. I thought my dyslexia was acting up until I realized she was writing in Ancient Greek.
That was impossible. The dream had to be false.
Rachel finished writing a few words and muttered, "What in the world?"
I can read Greek, but I only recognized one word before the sea washed it away: _. My name: Perseus.
Rachel stood abruptly and backed away from the surf.
"Oh, gods," she said. "That's what it means."
She turned and ran, kicking up sand as she raced back to her family's villa.
She pounded up the porch steps, breathing hard. Her father looked up from his Wall Street Journal.
"Dad." Rachel marched up to him. "We have to go back."
Her dad's mouth twitched, like he was trying to remember how to smile. "Back? We just got here."
"There's trouble in New York. Percy's in danger."
"Did he call you?"
"No... not exactly. But I know. It's a feeling."
Mr Dare folded his newspaper. "Your mother and I have been looking forward to this vacation for a long time."
"No you haven't! You both hate the beach! You're just too stubborn to admit it."
"Now, Rachel-"
"I'm telling you something is wrong in New York! Have you had any calls since we got here?"
Her father frowned. "No... but it is the weekend, in the middle of the summer."
"You always get calls," Rachel said. "You've got to admit that's strange."
Her father hesitated. "We can't just leave. We've spent a lot of money."
"New York in danger. Percy needs me. I have to deliver a message. It's life and death." Rachel said before sighing. "Dad... let me go, and I'll make a deal with you."
Mr. Dare sat forward. Deals were something he understood. "I'm listening."
"Clarion Ladies Academy. I'll, I'll go there in the fall. I won't even complain. But you have to get me back to New York right now."
He was silent for a long time. Then he opened his phone and made a call.
"Douglas? Prep the plan? We're leaving for New York. Something important has come up. Yes... immediately."
Rachel flung her arms around him, and her father seemed surprised., like she'd never hugged him before.
"I'll make it up to you, Dad!"
He smiled, but his expression was chilly. He studied her like he wasn't seeing his daughter-just the young lady he wanted her to be, once Clarion Academygot through with her.
A chill went down my spine as I realize whatever Rachel's message was, it must be of grave importance for her to risk sacrificing who she is.
"Yes, Rachel," he agreed. "You most certainly will.
Then I was yanked out of the dream.
"I don't know if this is of any help, but I need to share this with someone." I heard Nico said as my dream shifted to more of a memory.
Now I was Nico di Angelo alone in the gardens of Hades. He'd just dug a hole in one of Persephone's flower beds, which I didn't figure would make the queen happy.
He poured a goblet of wine into the hole and began to chant. "Let the dead taste again. Let them rise and take this offering. Maria di Angelo, show yourself!"
An image formed. It was a scene rather than a single ghost. In the mist, I saw Nico and Bianca as little children, playing in the lobby of an elegant hotel, chasing each other around marble columns.
A woman sat on a nearby sofa. She wore a black dress, gloves, and a black veil hat like a star from the old 1940s movie. She had Bianca's smile and Nico's eye shape.
I can't help but remember when Melinoe showed Nico his mother's form and I got to say, the ghost goddess was accurate despite the fact Nico didn't remember her. I wonder if she uses images of actual ghost for her forms or something.
On a chair next to her sat a large oily man in a black pinstripe suit. With a shock, I realized it was Hades. He was leaning toward the woman, using his hands as he talked, like he was agitated.
"Please, my dear," he said. "You must come to the Underworld. I don't care what Persephone thinks! I can keep you safe there."
"No, my love." She spoke with Italian accent. "Raise our children in the land of the dead? I will not do this."
"Maria, listen to me. The war in Europe has turned the other gods against me. The prophecy has been made. My children are no longer safe. Poseidon and Zeus have forced me into agreement. None of us are to have demigod children again."
'But you already have Nico and Bianca. Surely-"
"No! The prophecy warns of a child who turns sixteen. Zeus has decreed that the children I currently have must be turned over to Camp Half-Blood for proper training, but I know what he means. At best they'll be watched, imprisoned, turned against their father. Even more likely, he will not take a chance. He won't allow my demigod children turn sixteen. He'll find a way to destroy them, and I won't risk that!"
"Certamente," Maria said. "We will stay together. Zeus is un imbecile."
I couldn't help admiring her courage, but Hades glanced nervously at the ceiling. "Maria, please. I told you, Zeus gave me a deadline of last week to turn over the children. His wrath will be horrible, and I cannot hide you forever. As long as you are with the children, you are in danger too."
Maria smiled, and again it was creepy how much she looked like her daughter. "You are a god, my love. You will protect us. But I will not take Nico and Bianca to the Underworld."
Hades wrung his hands. "Then there is another option. I know a place in the desert where time stands still. I could send the children there, just for a while,for their own safety, and we could be together. I will build you a golden palace by the Styx."
Maria di Angelo laughed gently. "You are a kind man, my love. A generous man. The other gods should see you as I do, and they would not fear you so., But Nico and Bianca need their mother. Besides, they are only children. The gods wouldn't really hurt them."
"You don't know my family," Hadse said darkly. "Please Maria, I can't lose you."
She touched his lips with her fingers. "You will not lose me. Wait for me while I get my purse. Watch the children."
She kissed the lord of the dead and rose form the sofa. Hades watched her walk upstairs as if her every step away caused him pain.
A moment later, he tensed. The children stopped playing as if they sensed something too.
"No!" Hades said. But even his godly powers were too slow. He only had time to erect a wall of black energy around the children before the hotel exploded.
The force was so violent, the entire mist image dissolved.
When it came into focus again, I saw Hades kneeling in the ruins, holding the broken form of Maria di Angelo. Fires still burned all around him. Lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder rumbled.
Little Nico and Bianca stared at their mother uncomprehendingly. The Fury Alecto appeared behind them, hissing and flapping her leathery wings. The children didn't seem to notice her.
"Zeus!" Hades shook his fist at the sky. "I will crush you for this! I will bring her back!"
"My lord, you cannot," Alecto warned. "You of all immortals must respect the laws of death."
Hades glowed with rage. I thought he would show his true form and vaporize his own children, but at the last moment he seemed to regain control.
"Take them," he told Alecto, choking back a sob. "Wash their memories clean in the Lethe and bring them to the Lotus Hotel. Zeus will nor harm them there as long as they don't remember who I am."
"As you wish, my lord," Alecto said. "And the woman's body?"
"Take her as well," he said bitterly. "Give her the ancient rites."
Alecto, the children, and Maria's body dissolved into the shadows, leaving Hades alone in the ruins.
"I warned you," a new voice said.
Hades turned. A girl in a multicolored dress stood by the smoldering remains of the sofa. She had short black hair and sad eyes. She was no more than twelve. I didn't know her, but she looked strangely familiar.
"You dare come here?" Hades growled. "I should blast you to dust!"
"You cannot,": the girl said. "The power of Delphi protects me."
With a chill, I realized I was looking at the Oracle of Delphi, back when she was alive and young. Somehow, seeing her like this was even spookier than seeing her as a mummy.
"You've killed the woman I loved!" Hades roared. "Your prophecy brought us to this!"
He loomed over the girl, but she didn't flinch.
"Zeus ordained the explosion to destroy the children," she said, "because you defied his will. I had nothing to do with it. And I did warn you to hide them sooner."
"I couldn't! Maria would not let me! Besides, they were innocent."
'Nevertheless, they are your children, which makes them dangerous. Even if you put them away in the Lotus Hotel, you only delay the problem. Nico and Bianca will never be able to rejoin the world lest they turn sixteen."
"Because of your so-called Great Prophecy. And you have forced me into an oath to have no other children. You have left me with nothing!"
"I foresee the future," the girl said. "I cannot change it."
Black fire lit the god's eyes, and I knew something bad was coming. I want to tell at the girl to hide and run.
"Then, Oracle, hear the words of Hades," he growled. "Perhaps I cannot bring Maria back. Nor can I bring you an early death. But your soul is still mortal, and I can curse you."
The girl's eyes widened. "You would not-"
"I swear," Hades said, "as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labor under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. You will never rest in peace. No other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle's spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you!"
The girl screamed, and the Misty image was blasted to shreds. Nico fell to his knees in Persephone's garden, his face white with shock. Sanding in front of him was the real Hades, towering in his black robes and scowling down at his son.
"And just what," he asked Nico, "do you think you're doing?"
A black explosion filled my dreams and I woke tossing and turning. Annabeth was next to me waking me.
"Percy," Annbeth said. "We got visitors."
I sat up, disoriented. The bed was too comfortable.
"Visitors?" I said.
Annabeth nodded. A Titan wants to see you."
That woke me up. "The golden one?"
"No. I think this is a different one than the ones Nico showed you. He came under a flag of truce," Annabeth said. "He has a message from Kronos."
A/N: I choose Hermes for Hithcock because he didn't always interested in horror or film making. I did a bit of research since Percy said in the original book Hitcock was a famous demigod that once visit the plaza to see who to be Hitchcock's immortal parent and it turn out he was once interested in geography, maps, railrays, tram and bus time tables and once wanted to be an engineer. Itt wasn't until after World War I he took an interest in creative writing which led to his true callling. And since Jack London son of Mercury ended up being a writer himself, and Hitchcock's former interest to make him son of Hermes.
As for the Beetles each being sons of Apollo, I don't think I need to explain that.