A/N: HAHAHAHA! The intermittent chapter from the original fanfic made me smile so much! I didn't change from the original as I already loved it. I only swapped in Frank for little Percy because I thought he'd be the best replacement. His innocence resembles the original little Percy's innocence very well in my opinion. As you will notice as you read if you read the original fanfiction, I have decided to merge the intermittent chapter with this one. The intermittent chapter was below 2000 words so I thought Why not? Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: All characters and text in bold belong to Rick Riordan. Cover art is not mine.
2005 Annabeth, Grover, and Clarisse (normal): Annabeth (sometimes seen as Annie), Grover, Clarisse
2010 Annabeth, Grover, and Clarisse (Underlined): Annabeth, Grover, Clarisse
Thoughts are still italicized: Are Frank and I an item in the future? I guess he is kind of cute, with his babyface and all. Hazel blushed at her thoughts and fanned her faced in embarrassment.
Only two people remained in the throne room after everybody else went to mingle and then have lunch. Zeus was sitting on his throne with his head hanging low and a literal storm cloud crackling with lightning above his head. The Lord of the Skies was broken out of his depression when he felt a hand lay gently on his shoulder. He looked up with lidded eyes to see his oldest sibling looking at him with a tender but sad smile on her face.
"Are you here to lecture me, Hestia? If so, then get on with it." Zeus said grouchily.
Hestia rolled her eyes and bopped him on the head with her tiny fists. Zeus just glowered at her for a brief moment before slumping into his throne, seeming to age another ten years.
He waited for his older sister to say something, but when no words came, he spoke up, "You think I'm a terrible father, don't you?" Without even waiting for response, he continued, "Why am I even asking? I already know I am. I just struck out at my own children in a fit of rage."
Hestia moved to the front of Zeus and finally said, "You're right. Probably up there as one of the worst father's alive."
Zeus grimaced and somehow slumped even farther into his throne. He knew that she was just agreeing with him, but it still hurt coming from someone else's mouth.
"But," Hestia continued, making sure her brother's undivided attention was on her. "I'm pretty sure that this is one of the reasons why the Fates gathered us all here together."
"And why is that?" Zeus asked skeptically, still thinking that this whole process was just a waste of time.
Hestia sighed in exasperation. "You really are dimwitted brother. We're here to learn from our mistakes by reading these books. These books give us an opportunity to see life in the perspective of your children."
"The book is in the perspective of Poseidon's child though," Zeus argued.
"That may be so, but in the end, I'm sure most demigods think similarly to young Percy, including your own children."
Zeus put his chin into his palms while he thought over his sister's words. "And you think that by reading these books I can learn to be a better father?"
Hestia gave him a confident nod.
Zeus let out a sigh of resignation. "I suppose I should go and apologize to my children." He was prepared to find his children when he was pulled back into his seat by an angry Hestia.
"And what do you think apologizing to your children will help with!?" Hestia berated. "You can't apologize with words but with actions. Only then will your children realize that you do care. Understood!?" Zeus meekly nodded in affirmation.
"Good! Now you will stay here and reflect on your actions while I go and prepare lunch." Hestia marched out of the throne room, leaving behind a sort of miffed Zeus.
"When did I become so disrespected? I'm the King of Olympus so no one should be telling me what to do," Zeus grumbled unhappily.
"I heard that!" Hestia yelled, head popping back into the throne room. "I'm telling mother about everything by the way, bye!"
Zeus' eyes widened in horror but before he could beg for forgiveness, Hestia had already disappeared in a flash of fire, leaving Zeus to cry until he had no tears left to cry.
In a secluded garden on Olympus, a trio of almost identical looking blondies stood in a triangle with their arms crossed. Two of them were competing with the third in an intense staring contest to see who would break first.
"You will tell us all of your secrets," the oldest of the three demanded.
"And if I refuse?" The one being interrogated asked, making the oldest one clench and unclench her fists in agitation.
"I'm your mother, Annabeth Chase!"
Annabeth stared at her mother for a couple seconds, before she burst out laughing. "HAHA! Are you impersonating Darth Vader! I am you're father! HAHA!"
Athena glowered at her daughter as she rolled on the floor with laughter.
"This is getting us nowhere," the youngest said to Athena.
"I will not quit until I figure out the relationship between my daughter and that awful sea-spawn!"
The youngest, aka younger Annabeth, let out a tired sigh. They had been questioning her older self about her relationship with Percy for the past fifteen minutes to no avail and she was starting to lose patience.
After Annabeth finally gained control of her laughter, Annabeth asked, "Can you just tell me what our relationship is with Percy? You don't have to tell mom, but don't I at least deserve to know?"
Athena glared at her youngest daughter in betrayal until she saw her give her a wink. Athena "awww'd" in understanding before nodding for her daughter to continue with her plan.
Of course, how could Annabeth not notice their silent exchange with all of her years of experience of examining people before a fight. "Nice try little me, but you'll have to do better than that."
Annabeth stomped her feet in frustration. "If you don't tell me, then…then!"
"Then what?" Annabeth goaded.
"I'll tell everyone that you pee'd your bed until you were 10!" Annabeth exclaimed.
Annabeth gaped in horror as her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "You wouldn't! Were the same person!"
Annabeth blushed in realization but she was too stubborn to give up. "So, what!? I can handle the shame if it means learning the truth!"
"If you tell everyone that, then I'll tell Luke that you have a blanket of Link that you snuggle with at night. And that even you plastered a picture of Luke's face over Link's!" Annabeth argued back, dealing a critical hit to Annabeth's ego.
Annabeth's face was as red as a cherry tomato by this point. "You shameless skank!"
Annabeth gasped at the audacity of her insult. "Oh yeah! Well, you're a hopeless simp!"
"You're a blonde ape!"
"You're a snot nosed brat!"
"You're-"
"You're-"
Meanwhile, hidden in some bushes, Connor and Travis Stoll alongside a wide-eyed Frank, were watching the two Annabeths argue.
"And this, Frank, is why we told you all woman are crazy," the Stoll brothers explained to Frank. Frank nodded along, completely agreeing with the two brother's assessment of woman.
"Especially be wary of Katie, the daughter of Demeter," Travis said.
"She's the craziest of them all." Connor finished.
Frank was about to nod his head in understanding when he felt a sudden chill make his hair stand on end. He slowly looked behind him to see a looming brunette giving the Stoll brothers a stare that promised death. He poked the Stoll brothers, interrupting them from the revenge pranks that they had been planning on committing to the current threat that was standing right behind them.
The Stoll's turned around to instantly pale in fright. "Hi…" The two managed to squeak out.
"It seems you two haven't learned your lesson yet," Katie said unimpressed.
"Don't listen to what these imbeciles tell you, Frank." Katie said with a freakishly sweet smile, making Frank shiver and nod his head quickly.
"Good," she said happily, grabbing the Stoll's by the ears and dragging them away, presumably to a painful death.
Frank sat frozen for a couple moments longer before gaining the courage to leave his hiding spot.
Woman really are crazy, Frank thought to himself.
After escaping from mini-Annabeth and her mother, Annabeth made her way to a secluded pond where she had promised to meet Percy. She arrived to see Percy already there, smiling at the fish swimming in the water. She was momentarily to stunned at the sight of his side-profile to move, and when she recovered, Percy was already looking at her with a smirk.
"Do you find me that handsome?" Percy teased.
"Of course, I think you're very handsome," Annabeth replied truthfully, seeing no reason to hide her admiration for her boyfriend's looks.
Percy turned a light pink and chuckled happily. "I can almost never win against you, Wise Girl. You sure do know how to make a man happy."
Annabeth smirked and sat down beside him on the bench. "Not any man. I've just learned over time how to make you happy."
Percy laughed and pulled her into a deep kiss. When he finally pulled away, Annabeth's face was flushed and her eyes were glazed over. Percy smirked. "I might not be as good with words as you are, but I've always let my actions speak louder than words."
Annabeth's eyes cleared and she blushed red in embarrassment. "You're so shameless! How do I put up with you?"
"Because you love me?" Percy asked cheekily.
Annabeth huffed and flicked him on the forehead. "Don't get so full of yourself, Seaweed Brain. Anyways, it's time for serious talk."
Percy stopped laughing and looked her seriously in the eyes. "Right, the price."
"Mhm," Annabeth nodded. "It seems that you will be reliving your life as we read."
"It seems so. Sucks, right?" Percy joked half-heartedly.
Annabeth frowned at Percy. "This is no time for jokes. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Percy asked. If Annabeth didn't know him any better then should would've believed him. Percy sighed in resignation when he saw her giving him an unwavering stare that seemed to burn straight into his soul. "Alright, I'm a bit afraid I admit, but there's no point in being scared. I have you after all, I'll get through this."
"We should at least tell everyone else…"
"No," Percy denied as quickly as she had offered. "I'd like to keep this between just us for as long as we can. I don't want anybody to pity me. Now let's go eat lunch, I'm starving." Percy got up and started walking, only to stop and tell her to hurry up.
Annabeth sighed in fond resignation but accepted that there was no changing Percy's mind when he wanted to be stubborn.
The rest of the afternoon was much of the same everywhere else on Olympus and finally lunch came and after eating, everyone went back to the throne room to continue the reading.
"Who will read next?" Hestia addressed the room.
"I will," Zeus spoke up.
The whole room went quiet and stared at him in disbelief, much to the Lord of the skies chagrin. "Don't look at me like that, I have decided to actively participate in this reading to see if it's worth my time," he said in faux haughtiness, trying to cover up his embarrassment.
"Well then get on with it," Hades said in impatience.
Zeus glowered at him but didn't say anything back as his first attempt at change. "My Mother Teaches Me Bullfighting," Zeus read.
Annabeth cringed at the title of the chapter, remembering how Percy stumbled into camp, one foot in death's door, and how unempathetic she had been towards him in the beginning. She looked at Percy and saw him absentmindedly fiddling with his thumbs. She assumed he was taking a trip down memory lane and knew that this chapter was going to be really rough on him.
We tore through…foot on the gas.
Ares let out an impressed whistle. "Now that's my type of driving. I wouldn't mind getting it on with a woman like that," he said with a sleazy smirk which quickly fell when he felt multiple glares on him from gods and demigods alike.
"Why don't you just marry your stupid motorbike since you seem to like woman that drive recklessly so much?" Hephaestus asked Ares.
Ares eyes brightened at the idea and he started panting and muttering, "Oh yes, my little Alexa," which was apparently the name of his most prized Harley motorcycle.
The general consensus in the room was to get as far away from Ares disgusting behavior as possible.
Every time there was…of shag-carpet pants.
Grover let out an irritated bleat, "How many times do I have to tell you that they're not pants!?"
Percy raised his hands in an attempt to show he had learned his mistake. "I'll remember that from now on G-man, scouts honor."
"Hah! Yeah, right! You have never even been a part of the Boy Scouts! Scouts honor my ass! You can't fool me!"
Percy gave his best friend a guilty smile now that he had been caught trying to fool him. "Well, no promises that I'll remember. They still look like shag-carpet pants to me."
Grover glared at Percy and chucked a tin can at his head.
But, no, the smell…a wet barnyard animal.
"I'm not a barnyard animal!" Little Grover yelled in indignation. "Don't compare me to those domesticated goats!"
All I could think to say was, "So, you and my mom…know each other?"
Silence pervaded the room as everyone's eyes turned to stare at Percy.
"What!?" Percy demanded. "I think that would be a very valid question for the situation!"
"Only a head full of seaweed would ask that in this sort of situation!" Annabeth snarked. Percy glared at the younger version of his girlfriend. "You're such a bratty 12-year-old!"
"Hey!" Annabeth smacked Percy with an iron fist. "That's me right there you're talking to."
"It's true though…" Percy grumbled, leading to the odd trio arguing some more.
"Were we really that bad?" One of the enforcers asked the one beside them.
"Definitely."
"You're still that bad," a different enforcer joked, earning multiple giggles from the others.
The two looked at each other and shrugged, "Well, you're not wrong."
Grover's eyes flitted to…I was watching you."
Percy gave Grover a weird look. "What?" Grover asked grouchily, still peeved about being compared to a barnyard animal.
"Stalker on hooves…" Percy said, much to the amusement of the listening crowd.
Grover's face turned beet red from embarrassment and hid his face into his hands. "How many more times am I going to be embarrassed in this book?" He asked nobody.
"Watching me?" …best friend is a donkey-"
Grover shot up from his seat with his curly hair shading his lowered eyes.
Connor and Travis came over and placed a bouquet of flowers at Percy's feet. They looked at Percy mournfully and pat him on both shoulders. "We may not have known you very long but it was fun while it lasted. May you rest in peace."
Percy laughed nervously and looked to the older Grover for help. "Hey G-man…we're all cool, right? Do your best friend a favor and call off mini-you for me. Please?"
Grover pretended that he didn't hear him and picked at his ear. "Huh, what was that?" He mumbled. "Must've just been the wind…Anyways! Go get him mini me! Avenge me! The plebian human has trampled on our honor one too many times!"
Mini Grover let out a roar, or an angry bleat in his case, and tackled Percy to the ground. At least that's how it would've gone if Percy didn't have five years of rigorous swords training under his belt while mini-Grover was a twig. Percy just stuck his arm out and held Grover back at arm's reach.
"Let me at you! This is unfair!" Little Grover complained while wildly swinging his arms at Percy in frustration.
The whole room burst into laughter and only calmed down when Grover had run out of energy to swing his arms any longer.
Grover let out a…said it didn't matter."
"Percy's not wrong," Nico said. "If it mattered then don't see it doesn't in the first place."
Both Grovers glared at him in a huff. "I hate you all," Grover complained.
"Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you under hoof for such an insult!"
Jason, Leo, and Piper nodded along to that.
"So true," Leo commented. "Coach hedge would've made us run laps while trying to dodge wrenches shot out of a cannon. I would know because it's happened before."
"Whoa. Wait. Satyrs…there was a Mrs. Dodds!"
"You're still hung up on that at a time like that?" Little Annabeth asked. "You really are a seaweed brain."
"Can you really blame him though?" Beckendorf countered. "Up until this point, everyone else around him had been treating him like he's insane. It must have been a huge relief to see that someone had finally acknowledged that he hadn't actually gone insane."
Percy looked at the son of Hephaestus with teary eyes. "Someone who understands me! A man after my own heart!" Percy exclaimed, dramatically putting his hand over his heart.
Beckendorf chuckled softly at his antics. "I like this guy," he whispered to Silena. "I hope he gets to camp soon. I can't wait to meet him."
"Of course." "Then why-"
"You really are slow sea spawn," Athena said condescendingly. "You should know things like this." Annabeth nodded her head in agreement, while Annabeth glared at the two, tallying up another reason why she shouldn't tell the two about her relationship with Percy.
"Shut it, Owl Face," Poseidon demanded angrily. "My son is completely new to our world, so I won't hear you say another degrading thing about my son's lack of knowledge of things that he had no way of knowing about."
Before Athena could retort back, Annabeth said, "I apologize Lord Poseidon on my mother's behalf. My mom just doesn't understand that some demigod children are completely blind about the mythological world before coming to camp. I am ashamed to say that I was the same, but I know better now."
Poseidon once again felt impressed by this daughter of Athena. There have been very few, if any, children of Athena that could reign in their pride to admit when they were wrong. He had been observing the girl and how much she seemed to care about his favorite son, and finally felt that Percy was in capable hands in the future.
Athena wanted to argue but Zeus, seeing the tell-tale signs of one his daughter's rants incoming, quickly continued reading.
"The less you knew, the…to realize who you are."
"Knowing Percy, he definitely did not realize who he was," Nico said in all seriousness. The demigods who knew Percy well laughed in agreement.
"I don't think the mist was the best option in this scenario, Chiron," Hecate stated in an uninterested and monotone voice.
Chiron tilted his head in thought. "You're not wrong milady. Using the mist here seemed to be more detrimental than helpful. I should probably just take Percy straight to camp and explain everything there when the time comes."
"That would be kidnapping!" All the demigods exclaimed.
"I suppose so," Chiron said, but didn't seem too inclined to agree.
"Who I – wait a minute, what…was still on our trail.
Poseidon couldn't help tensing in his chair and wished for Zeus to read faster. He needed to know that his son and ex-lover were going to be okay.
"Percy," my mom said, "there's too much…miffed about the donkey comment.
Thalia looked at Grover in exasperation. "Really Grover? You're pettier than the children of Aphrodite." Grover avoided her gaze and mumbled an embarrassed apology.
"Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions."
"Grover!" All the demigods yelled. Grover sunk into his chair, trying his best to turn invisible.
Poseidon meanwhile glared daggers at his older brother. If it wasn't for the rules and the enforcers, then he would've been trying to strangle the life out of Hades for trying to harm his son. Hades turned pleading eyes to Zeus, begging him to continue the reading. How was he supposed to know why he was trying to kill Percy? He hated to admit it, but he sorta liked the kid so far and didn't really want to see him dead.
"Grover!" "Sorry, Mrs. Jackson. Could you…dream up something this weird.
Percy scoffed. "Yeah right, I haven't had a normal dream since I was twelve. I really didn't realize how lucky I was back then."
My mom made a hard left… "Where are we going?" I asked.
"Home," the Greek demigods answered with warm smiles on their faces. The Romans leaned forward, some interested and others wary, about what their rival camp would look like. Octavian had a wild glint in his eyes, probably already thinking up strategies to attack then 'enemy' camp.
"The summer camp I told you about." …my sake not to be scared.
"Your mother is very brave," Artemis said to Percy. "If she was still a maiden then I would've tried to recruit her for my hunt."
Percy sent a beaming smile to the Goddess of the Moon, happy that she acknowledged how amazing his mom is.
"The place your father…you, like 'someone.' Not you, you."
"What just happened?" Rachel asked, her eyes spinning. "That was so confusing. Did you mean 'you' or 'someone'."
The 2010 Greek demigods all gave Rachel blank looks. "You can't talk, Rachel. All you do is speak in riddles." Will said.
Rachel scratched the back of her head meekly, "That's true. But it's not my fault that whenever I get hijacked, I can only speak in riddles."
The people not in the know about Rachel's special abilities looked at them in confusion.
"Spoilers," Annabeth told them.
"But to answer your question, Rachel," Jason started. "He definitely meant 'you'."
"HA! I told you!" Percy yelled in triumph, apparently having won an argument with Grover.
"Boys!" my mom said… "What was that?" I asked.
"That's what I'd like to know," Poseidon said, still giving Hades a dark look.
"We're almost there," my mother…anticipating, wanting us to arrive.
Many of the listeners unknowingly found themselves on the edge of their seats, wanting Percy to arrive at camp safe and sound.
The side effects of the book were also kicking back in and Percy's face had gone pale. He was rocking back and forward in his chair anxiously, and he probably would've uncapped Riptide instinctually if it wasn't for Annabeth comforting him.
Outside, nothing but…She'd meant to kill me.
"Finally starting to understand the predicament you're in, huh Kelp Head," Thalia teased Percy, albeit a bit tensely because of nervousness for her cousin and close friend.
Percy smiled wanly at Thalia, understanding that she was trying to ease the anxiousness in his heart.
Then I thought about…and our car exploded.
Percy yelped and clutched his head. His ears were wringing. So far, the price had only been affecting him emotionally and this was the first time he had been affected physically. Annabeth started to unintentionally freak out. She thought she had been prepared to see Percy in pain, but she was totally wrong. Seeing him like this made her heart clench and her blood freeze over.
No! Snap out of it! Annabeth internally screamed at herself. Percy needs you right now and you'll be of no help like this. Deep breaths, Annabeth, deep breaths. She inhaled and exhaled one last time and felt her self calming down.
"Are you okay, Percy?" She asked, slowly stroking his back. Percy nodded through clenched teeth and gave her a thumbs up.
Apollo had noticed something was wrong with Percy from the moment he yelped. He could tell the boy was hurting but he didn't understand how or why. Apollo walked up to the couple and asked, "Do you need a doctor?"
Annabeth's eyes lit up. She thought maybe Apollo could heal him and Percy wouldn't have to completely relive all of his painful experience. "Please try, Lord Apollo."
Apollo smiled brightly at the daughter of Athena and gave her a wink. "Anything for such a pretty lady."
"Don't flirt with my girlfriend," Percy growled through gritted teeth.
Apollo laughed and gave his little cousin a thumbs up. "You're a feisty one! I like it!" Percy paled considerably -Annabeth didn't know if it was from the pain or from Apollo's flirting- and groaned loudly.
Apollo felt Percy's pulse and frowned. "I can't heal him. It's not like his symptoms are anything I haven't seen before. So, why can't I heal him?" Apollo said in annoyance. Annabeth let out an audible sigh as her hopes were crushed.
"What's wrong with my son?" Poseidon asked.
"I'm not sure, uncle P." Apollo said. "Do you have any idea little girlie?"
Annabeth looked at Percy and mentally apologized. He had asked her earlier today not to mention this to anyone, but his health came first. "Yeah, Percy and I figured out last chapter what the 'price' was that the Fates mentioned in their letter. It seems that Percy is going to completely relive his experiences from the books, both physically and mentally."
Poseidon looked at his son in horror. "That's just cruel."
Percy grunted from his chair and managed to sit up. "I'll be fine," he managed to tell them. "I've gone through the pain once already; a second time is nothing. Not like we can do anything about it anyways, so no point in fretting over it."
The occupants in the room looked at each other at a loss of what to say. Thalia spoke first. "What're we sitting around for? You heard the man. Let's get reading."
Percy sent his cousin a grateful glance. He knew that she did that of his sake because she also hated when people pitied her. He also wasn't mad at Annabeth either because she told them out of necessity.
"You didn't tell me this! You just said that price was having to remember all of the experiences, not that you'd actually relive them!" An enforcer glared at her companion with hurt in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, love. I knew you would refuse to accept if I told you the truth."
"Of course, I wouldn't be able to accept! I love you so much! You're my other half! Seeing you in pain makes me feel pain worse than anything else in the world!"
The enforcer's companion looked at her with sad eyes. "I know, but there was no other way. I couldn't allow you or anyone else take on this burden. I'm doing this for our future, our future children, and our children's future children. I'm doing this for a safer world."
"I know! And I get it! This is so like you and I shouldn't be surprised! But, it's not fair! You've done enough already!" She screamed through her sobs. "You'll have to relive that place again. I…I don't know how I'm going to handle seeing that."
Her companion sighed and wrapped her in his arms, letting her bawl into his chest. "I know we'll be fine. I'm certain because we are together, and nothing is impossible when we are together. We've done the impossible once already. There is no reason we can't do it a second time."
The enforcer didn't stop crying, but she grabbed on to his collar and smashed a passionate kiss onto his lips. "As long as you never leave me."
"Never. That's a promise."
I remember feeling weightless…all at the same time.
The listeners blanched at this and looked at Percy in pity.
"This is much worse than I remember it being," Percy groaned in pain. "I can't wait until I'm actually crushed, fried, and hosed down in the future."
"All three of those actually happened to you!?" Poseidon exclaimed.
Percy winced. "Yeah, but I'm alive here now, aren't I? So, no sweat."
I peeled my forehead off…was the only explanation.
"Zeussssss!" Poseidon roared. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to throttle both of his brothers so badly for putting his son through this, but was hindered by the rules set by the Fates. All he could do was cry bitter tears and wonder why his brothers felt the need to harm his son. In the end, he just slumped back onto his throne in exhaustion and waved at his younger brother to continue before he lost his marbles. Zeus and Hades looked at each other, surprised to find shame in each other's irises. They quickly looked away and mumbled apologies too quiet for others to hear.
We'd been blasted right off…and I don't want you to die!
"I'm not half-barnyard animal," Grover complained, but still gave Percy a smile of thanks for being a good friend.
Percy gave him a thumbs up, which Grover immediately understood the meaning to: anytime, bro. I've got your back.
Then he groaned "Food," and I knew there was hope.
Laughter broke the tense atmosphere.
"Classic Grover," Thalia said with a nostalgic smile.
"You just had to ruin it, Perce," Grover mumbled in embarrassment.
"Sorry G-man, but you know it's true. Food is your holy grail."
"Percy," my mother said…made it look like he had horns.
Poseidon paled even further; a puddle of sea water formed at his feet. Hades scrunched his eyes in confusion. He obviously knew what monster it was. He just didn't understand why he'd first send a fury after the boy and then this monster of all things. Hades might not like his brother's children but he didn't hate them enough for something like this. The only time he'd done something similar was for the daughter of Zeus, and that's only because Zeus had killed his woman in cold blood. Poseidon had done nothing of the sort, so he was really struggling to figure out his own motives for wanting the boy dead.
I swallowed hard…the crest of the nearest hill.
"That's me!" Thalia said.
The demigods not in the know looked at her weirdly. "What's you?" Jason asked her.
"The MOO!" Thalia turned red in embarrassment. "I forgot, spoilers."
Jason looked at her in concern but just shrugged when he realized he'd learn nothing else from staring.
"That's the property line," my mom said… "Mom, you're coming too."
"She won't be able to, Peter," Dionysus said unempathetically.
"Thanks for the information, but I know that now. Would've been nice to know back then," Percy snarked, once again feeling the affects from the book causing him to feel anxious.
Her face was pale…Help me carry Grover."
Just like the ocean, Athena appraised. Stubborn and unyielding.
"Food!" Grover moaned, a little louder…And the points that looked like horns…
By this point, Poseidon's brain had short-circuited, with literal steam coming out of his ears. The once proud and mighty God of Storms, was now just a catatonic mess, mumbling incoherently.
Annabeth looked at Poseidon in concern and then leaned over to Thalia and Nico. "If this is how he reacts only after Percy's first two monsters, then I'm worried about how he'll react for all the others we haven't seen yet."
Nico and Thalia nodded in agreement; Afterall, they couldn't even count on one hand how many times Percy had almost died.
"Go fix him," Zeus told Dionysus, gesturing towards Poseidon. "I'm going to continue reading."
"He doesn't want us," my mother told me…have time, Percy. Go. Please."
Those that knew Percy shook their heads. "Percy never leaves behind those he cares about," Thalia stated with some respect in her voice.
"He'd go to Tartarus and back for his loved ones," Nico agreed, not realizing how accurate he was.
One of the enforcers gripped tightly on to the one beside them. "It's alright," the other comforted. "We're not there anymore, we're together, and for good this time."
I got mad, then – mad at my mother…Help me with Grover."
Athena narrowed her eyes at the sea spawn. His fatal flaw is almost undoubtedly personal loyalty, she thought to herself. That makes him dangerous. I'll have to keep a close eye on him…and find a way to get him away from my daughter.
I didn't wait for her answer…hadn't come to my aid.
"You calling me fat?" Grover joked.
"Yeah," Percy joked back, huffing for breath. "It's no wonder after eating all those cheese enchiladas."
Together, we draped Grover's arms over…couldn't get from an electric sharpener.
The whole room went silent, and all eyes turned to Percy.
"What the Hades-" Connor started. (Don't use my name as a curse, Hades grumbled in the background)
"Was that description-" Travis finished.
"That monster sounds disgusting," Silena said. "Did you have to describe it in such detail."
"It is quite the apt description though…" Nico pointed out.
"You've seen that thing before?" Clarisse asked in excitement.
"Once," Nico said. "It's just as described, except when I saw it there were no Fruit of the Looms."
"Ahhhh…" Leo murmured sadly. "That was the best part though."
"What was the monster?" Younger Annabeth asked.
"If you'd all stop talking and let me read then you'd find out soon, so everyone be quiet," Zeus demanded.
I recognized the monster, all right…"Names have power."
"Something that Percy refuses to go to this day," Annabeth said in resignation.
Poseidon, who had just gained his bearings, groaned into his palms. "Son, you will be the end of me," he said to Percy.
"Annabeth's not much better," Percy told Athena so that the topic would shift away from him.
He was too busy dreading about what was about to happen to deal with his dad's fretting.
The pine tree was still…"Food?" Grover moaned.
"Not the time Goat Boy," Thalia berated jokingly. "Your love for food is going to get you killed one day."
Grover just sighed, already numb to the embarrassment of the chapter. He didn't even have any more tin cans to help.
"Shhh," I told him…figure out where we are soon enough.
Athena turned a skeptical eye on Poseidon. "This woman is way too smart for you. You didn't force her into being with you, did you?"
Poseidon gave her a look of anger and disgust. "Of course not! Our feelings for each other were pure! If it wasn't for the laws, then I would've made her into more!"
Athena looked taken aback by Poseidon's outburst, but refused to believe that a woman as smart as Sally would willingly love this type of man.
As if on cue, the bull-man…Not a scratch, I remembered Gabe saying. Oops.
Percy cracked a smile and found some comfort that at least something good happened on that trip.
"Persassy strikes back!" Chris exclaimed. Even Luke smiled for the first time throughout the entire reading.
"You and I will be great friends," Leo said to Percy. "The snark bros!"
Zeus was looking at the joking demigods and thought for the first time that maybe they're not so unlikable after all. He still refused to admit that he also cracked a smile of amusement. Nope! That would never happen.
"Percy," my mom said…Do you understand?"
"I like this woman more and more," Ares said amorously.
Percy glared at the War god to which he actually flinched a little, before recovering and stared back tauntingly.
Hera could only shake her head in disappointment. Her son was supposed to be above mortals but here he is having a stare off with one.
"How do you know all this?" …keeping you near me."
"Not selfish, she was just doing the same any mother would've," Hera corrected.
"Hypocrite," Hephaestus muttered for the third time this reading, too quiet for his mother to hear. And many of the other demigods agreed. Only a good mother would do that, and how many of them actually had good mothers? Below half, that's for sure.
"Keeping me near you? But –" … and Grover wasn't getting any lighter.
Grover muttered another apology, which Percy promptly waved off, as the tension in the room kept growing.
The bull-man closed in… He reeked like rotten meat.
Percy gagged. "Gods this guy stinks! Has this guy never taken a shower in his life?"
He lowered his head…stomach made me want to bolt,
"Wuss," Ares taunted, promptly receiving a blast of salt water to the face from his uncle.
But that wouldn't work…setting Grover down in the grass.
"NO!" Poseidon gasped in horror and Percy looked down sadly, clenching his fists in anger. Annabeth hugged Percy's slightly trembling body to her chest, giving him what little comfort she could offer.
We'd reached the crest…We'd never make it.
"Come on, come on, come one," Poseidon whispered desperately over and over again, rocking back and forwards on the edge of his throne in nervousness.
The bull-man grunted, pawing the ground… "I can't go any farther. Run!"
Percy let out a choked sob from Annabeth's arms. This hurt so much more than any physical pain the book could send at him. He never thought he'd have to relive one of the worst moments in his life. He clutched onto Annabeth's shirt like she was his life-line, making sure she was still there. Annabeth looked into his eyes and saw all his fears and insecurities that were asking her if she was going to disappear as well.
She had to bite her lip to keep herself from crying. "I'm here, Percy." She whispered to Percy and rocked him back and forwards. Some might say that she was treating him like a kid, but at this moment he needed someone to be a mother figure to him and she was going to be that person.
But I just stood there… as she tried to get away.
Percy let out a silent scream of distress, too choked up for any noise to escape his throat. Poseidon seemed to age ten years, grey hairs mixing into his usual pitch-black hair. Even most of the gods, for their usual lack of care about mortal lives, felt saddened by this turn of events.
He lifted her as she…and she was simply…gone.
Percy started bawling into Annabeth's shoulder, just like he had done most nights when he had thought his mother was done all those years ago.
"It's okay," Annabeth comforted Percy. "Everything will be okay, I promise." Nico and Thalia came over and wrapped their cousin and Annabeth into a big group hug, wishing that they could take Percy's place at the moment.
"She really died…" Leo said, not quite able to believe it. All he could think of was how Sally had reminded him so much of his own mother. Now it felt like he was watching his mother die right in front of his eyes all over again.
Athena, meanwhile, had noticed something that struck her as odd. "Mortals don't disappear into a golden light when they die. That looked like metamorphosis to me. Someone took her."
Poseidon's, along with the rest of the god's, eyes widened in sudden realization at Athena's words. "You're right!" Poseidon exclaimed in sudden jubilation. "She could still be alive!"
"Don't forget that at the beginning Thalia told us that my hunters had used Sally's house as a base of sorts and that she was basically a surrogate mother for the Greek demigods. Which means someone took her away." Artemis reminded them, giving the lord of the dead a look, since he was the one who sent the Minotaur.
Hades raised his hands in surrender. "Like I've said, I don't know why my future self is doing what he's doing, but I'm sure I have my reasons," he meekly said.
Poseidon growled at his older brother but to everyone's surprise, Percy stopped him from starting a fight. "Uncle Hades is right, father. He did have a good reason for everything he did. I was just caught in the crossfire as was my mother. It will all be explained later."
"No!" Anger replaced my fear…when Mrs. Dodds grew talons.
"Ground beef is fucked now!" Nico yelled, remembering how powerful Percy was when he was angry for being tricked into going into the underworld.
"Language, Nico," Persephone admonished her step-son while Hazel fanned her face and talked about washing his mouth out with soap.
The bull-man bore down on…him dissolve too. I couldn't allow that.
"You're the best friend a goat could ask for," Grover said in all sincerity.
"That's what friends are for," Percy said with a smile.
I stripped off my red rain jacket.
Aphrodite whistled, "Take it off, love." But Percy heard nothing because Annabeth had already covered his ears.
"Mom…" Piper complained. "Stop hitting on my friend's boyfriend."
Aphrodite waved her off. "I'm not actually planning on taking him. But that doesn't mean I can't admire him. He is quite the stud after all," she said giving Annabeth a knowing wink. Annabeth glared at her and mouthed: he's mine.
"Hey!" I screamed…"Hey, stupid! Ground beef!"
"You really need to work on your insults, Prissy," Clarisse snarked.
Percy just rolled his eyes and ignored her, deeming the younger version of Clarisse unworthy of his sass. If he started arguing with her now, he'd most likely explode in anger with how the book was affecting his emotions at the moment.
"Raaaarrrr!" The monster turned toward me, shaking his meaty fists. I had an idea –
"Oh no," Thalia whispered in horror.
"What?" Annabeth asked.
"Percy's plans suck."
A stupid idea,
Thalia let out a sigh of relief.
"Now what?" Annabeth asked.
"His stupid plans usually work."
Annabeth gawked at Thalia. "That makes no sense!"
"It does for Percy," Thalia told her bluntly.
"I'm right here you know," Percy complained.
But better than no idea at all…turning midair, and landing on his neck.
"How'd you do that!?" Jason exclaimed in astonishment. Percy was too busy glaring at the book to respond. His eyes looked wild and somewhat scary, as if the minotaur was right in front of him. Jason gulped. "Forget I asked," he said meekly.
I didn't have time to figure it out…impact nearly knocked my teeth out.
"Oof," Percy grunted. "That hurt."
"That hurt you? What about me?" Thalia complained much everyone's confusion. "Don't look at me like I'm crazy," she said grouchily. "O forget it, just think of it as a lunatic's rambling by all means."
"Ya know sis," Jason said. "You're kinda weird."
"Hissssshhh!"
"Did you just hiss at me?"
"Graaawwwwrrr!"
Zeus frowned at his children's less than noble byplay but decided that if he wanted to be a good father, he should just let them do their thing, so before they could be any more embarrassing, he continued reading.
The bull-man staggered…and I pulled backward with all my might.
"Like you could manage that," Ares scoffed.
The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then – snap!
Ares' mouth gaped open. Poseidon looked smugly at the other gods, his expression pretty much saying: See that! That's my son! He's so strong at the young age of 12!
Zeus was waging an internal war between his paranoia and his logic. His paranoia was telling him that he should smite the boy here and now for being too strong; while his logic was telling him that the fates are having us read from his perspective for a reason, meaning Percy is important to Olympus. He took a deep breath, pushed the paranoia to the back of his mind, and let his logic win for maybe the first time in his rule.
The bull-man screamed…The monster was gone.
After snapping out of his stupor, Ares reappraised the boy in front of him. "With his own horn. Not bad boy. Maybe you're not so bad after all."
The demigods that knew about Ares' and Percy's mutual hatred, couldn't help but do a spit take.
"Am I hearing things?" Thalia asked Nico and Annabeth.
"I'm…not sure," Nico hesitated.
"No, we definitely heard correctly," Annabeth said in disbelief. "Ares actually just complimented Percy."
"It's the end of the world," Nico and Thalia said dramatically.
The rain had stopped…toward the lights of the farmhouse.
Zoe was more and more impressed with this boy named Percy. His love for his mother aside, his selflessness and loyalty towards his friends put him heads and toes above any other males she had met before. Maybe, just maybe, she thought, Percy could be a good ally or even a friend to have.
I was crying, calling for my mother…her blond hair curled like a princess's.
"Why thank you," Annabeth said flirtatiously to Percy. Even Annie blushed a little, recognizing herself as the one Percy called pretty.
Percy blushed and mumbled out, "You really were pretty though," making both Annabeths blush shyly and in the case of the younger one, she found herself surprisingly happy at his compliment.
She shook her head to clear it of any unwanted thoughts and 'humphed', "Don't think complimenting me will get you anywhere, seaweed brain."
They both looked down at me, and the girl said, "He's the one. He must be."
"Awwww," Aphrodite cooed and Thalia nudged Annabeth teasingly, "Yeah he's the one, mwah mwah."
"O shut it," Annabeth grumbled, but she was too shy at the moment to put any bite behind her words. "That's not what I meant."
"Silence, Annabeth," the man said. "He's still conscious. Bring him inside."
"That's the end of the chapter," Zeus finished.
"Thank the gods," Connor said.
"That chapter was a roller coaster of emotions," Travis agreed.
A crack suddenly appeared in the throne room and two of the enforcers that had left at some point in time came stumbling out of it. They fell onto the floor, one straddled on top of the other, kissing each other passionately. Everybody stared at them in disbelief.
*Awkward silence ensues*
"…Why is there a third you?" Percy asked Annabeth.
Annabeth was blushing scarlet and turned to stare at her boyfriend with watery eyes. "That's the thing you're worried about!?"
A/N: WOOOO! Two of the enforcers have been revealed in the most awkward way possible! Rejoice!
Question: Out of all the abilities that we know, which demigod power would you want the most? (Flying, controlling water or flames, super intelligence, etc)
Edited March 12th, 2022
