Hey guys!
To all my Indian readers: Happy Diwali and Happy New Year! I know I am late but still. I wanted to update by 14th but some stuff happened and I couldn't finish the chapter by then.
For my update schedule, it basically gonna be something like this: One chapter a month, Two chapters a month if I'm lucky and One chapter in two months if I'm unlucky. I will still keep updating this in my profile too.
Please tell me if there are any mistakes! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Word count: 8153 (excluding A/N)
Chapter-3 Can Godzilla Even Wear Socks?
Annabeth was so tired after her the whole You-shouldn't-be-friends-with-sea-scum argument with her mother that she forgot that she had to talk to the Stoll brothers. And the worst part was that she only realized it after everyone was settled in for reading again.
'Guess I'll just have to talk to them later.' Annabeth thought as she said, "Does anyone else want to read?" I don't think I can with all those interruptions. She silently added.
"I'll read," Octavian said. He thought if he was the one reading, his chances of getting knocked out again would be reduced considerably.
Annabeth shrugged and passed along the book. As Octavian turned the page to the start of Chapter-2, the words turned from Greek to Latin. He opened his mouth to start reading but a bright light cut him off.
A groan sounded as the light cleared off.
"Holy Hera!" A red-haired girl cursed as she rubbed her back. "I didn't see that one coming."
"Hey, Rachel." Annabeth helped the girl up. "When are you from?"
Rachel gave Athena's daughter a weird look, no doubt wondering if she should hit Annabeth with a blue plastic brush in the eye to make sure the girl in front of her was the real Annabeth.
"What now?"
"What time are you from?" Annabeth elaborated patiently. "We're in past right now."
"The past." Rachel deadpanned. She was seriously considering slipping in her hairbrush ninja mode. Nailing someone in the eye would probably calm her down.
"Look around you," Annabeth advised.
The fact she was at Olympus didn't seem to faze her as she scanned the faces of all the gods, followed by demigods. But what did seem to faze her was the fact a certain blond was still alive.
Moving on instinct, she pulled out a blue plastic hairbrush from her doodle covered jeans and threw it straight at the certain blond. Before the scrawny blond had time to react, the brush hit him right in the eye making him drop the book he was holding and start rolling on the floor crying like a baby.
"Why are you alive?" Rachel asked, following her policy of 'attack first, ask later', the one she had learned from her demigod friends.
Her question went unanswered since Octavian the scrawny cry-baby was still crying his head off. But Rachel did not appreciate being ignored and whipped out another blue plastic hairbrush from her seemingly endless supply of them and brandished it as a weapon.
"Now we know when she's from." Thalia was grinning like every wish she ever had was coming true. Reyna sported a smug smile, her thoughts not unlike Thalia's.
"Yes, Valdez," Nico said before Leo got the first word out of his mouth. "She's from our time."
"Rachel," Annabeth said, her mouth twitching into a smile at the sight of their savior- the blue plastic hairbrush. "We're in past. He hasn't died yet."
"You weren't kidding," Rachel muttered.
While Annabeth briefed Rachel about everything that was going on, a piece of paper fluttered down in front of Apollo. He read it out loud.
Dear gods, goddesses, demigods, and legacies
You are not allowed to harm Rachel Elizabeth Dare in any manner, intentionally or unintentionally, mentally or physically. This is very strictly forbidden.
Fates
Gods looked down on Rachel Elizabeth Dare and wondered what was special about her that Fates sent a separate note when they had already prohibited them from harming the demigods.
As they looked down on demigods (and one crying legacy), they realized that none of the demigods had even heard what Apollo just read, they looked quite happy talking to the new arrival. They were ignoring them. Just like the last time.
Rude.
"So," Piper started, looking at the now sobbing blond. "I don't think he's going to read the chapter…"
"No kidding." Percy snorted. "RED's blue plastic brush hits can even incapacitate Titans."
"I remember that one." Annabeth grinned.
"A weaponized hairbrush," Leo muttered as his eyes lit up with excitement. "Awesome!"
Stoll brothers, while happy to see their mortal friend, were quite worried.
"Do you think she still has her future sight powers in this timeline?" Travis whispered.
"I hope not," Connor whispered back. "That could completely ruin our plans!"
"I'll read," Frank offered as he picked up the book scrawny blond had dropped and flipped the pages. "You guys finished the first chapter right?"
"Yup," Jason answered.
"Chapter- 2 Three Old Ladies Knit The Socks Of Death."
"What's up with the weird chapter titles?" Thalia raised an eyebrow at Percy.
"How am I supposed to know that?" Percy complained. "I didn't write the book!"
A few of the gods who paid attention to the 'three old ladies frowned.'
'It couldn't possibly be them, could it?' They thought.
I was used … weird experience,
"Occasional?" Rachel interrupted. "Weird things happen to you all the time."
"Yeah, but," Percy said. "This was before I knew I was a demigod."
but usually … over quickly.
This twenty four/seven hallucination … our maths teacher since Christmas.
"Those students probably did think that." Rachel said.
"It's mist, right?" Hazel asked.
"Yup," Thalia answered.
"The same thing happened to Leo and me," Piper remembered. "When we remembered all the fake memories of Jason."
"Yeah," Annabeth looked at Piper. "That was mist too."
Every so often I would … stare at me like I was psycho.
"You are a psycho, Kelp Head," Thalia grinned.
"Hey!" Percy exclaimed.
"No denial?" Thalia teased.
Frank decided to continue reading before a full-scale war could take place between the two cousins.
It got so I almost … had never existed.
"Almost?" Nico asked.
Almost.
"It was Grover, wasn't it?" Annabeth sigh.
Frank saved Percy from answering by reading the next line.
But Grover couldn't fool me.
"Why am I not surprised?"
When I mentioned the … I knew he was lying.
"We really need to teach him how to lie." Travis shook his head mournfully.
"Yes. You absolutely do not hesitate while lying!" Connor mirrored his brother's action.
Gods were, yet again, dumbfounded by how easily the demigods were ignoring them. First, they had ignored them when Apollo read the note from Fates, and then they started reading not even bothering to see if gods were following. Not to mention, the red-haired girl had managed to weaponize a blue plastic hairbrush. She even had an impeccable aim with that thing.
Zeus cleared his throat, trying to get demigods' attention but much to his chagrin, he was completely ignored as Frank continued to read.
Something was going on … wake me up in a cold sweat.
"Demigod dreams." Piper winced.
The freak weather … help my mood.
A few of the gods raised their eyebrows.
One night, a thunderstorm … in my dorm room.
Many gods and demigods looked towards Zeus but none of them said anything.
A few days later, … fifty miles from Yancy Academy.
Poseidon shot Zeus an 'Are-You-Trying-To-Kill-My-Son?' look with narrowed eyes.
Zeus shot back an irritated 'How-Am-I-Supposed-To-Know?-It-Hasn't-Happened-Yet' look in return.
One of the current events … squalls in the Atlantic that year.
"Jeez!" Apollo exclaimed. "What has put both of you in such a bad mood?"
"It hasn't happened yet," Zeus said.
"Maybe," Athena said. "You'd know the answer if you had any brains, Apollo."
"Hey!" Apollo frowned. "Not all of us are Know It All's who prefer reading books over their social life!"
"Athena is right," Artemis said, checking one of her silver arrows. "If you had any brains you would have figured it out by now."
Ignoring Apollo's indignant 'Hey!' Hermes said, "Wait, you two know what has Zeus and Uncle Poseidon so steamed up?"
"Yes."
"You do?" Zeus repeated.
Hades stared at his brother. He had always wondered if they were related and now he was sure they weren't. No brother of his could be so stupid and hard of hearing.
"I am pretty sure I know the reason behind all the fuss." Poseidon scratched his chin.
"Sure." Athena snorted. "You asked your son, didn't you?"
"I did not!" Poseidon said.
"He did not!" Percy said.
"I don't think Old Barnacle Beard has enough brains to figure it out on his own."
"Hey!" Poseidon exclaimed. "I take offense to that!"
"It will come up in the book anyway," Demeter said, rolling her eyes. "So stop fighting."
Everyone looked at her in shock.
'Did she just say a sentence without cereal and grains in it?' Hades thought incredulously. 'Better yet, she can think about something other than cereal?'
Others were thinking along the same lines.
"Continue reading, sweetie." She turned towards Frank.
"Umm… sure." Frank obliged. 'But sweetie?'
I started feeling cranky … irritable most of the time.
"That's how you are most of the time." Rachel said, doodling some complex designs on her already doodle-covered jeans. "So, no difference."
"Am not!" Percy protested.
My grades … from Ds to Fs.
"Fs?!" Athena sounded scandalized. Annabeth raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry?" Percy chuckled nervously.
Athena gave Poseidon's son a dangerous glare.
I got into more fights with … the hallway in almost every class.
Annabeth sigh, "Seaweed Brain."
Finally, when our English teacher… study for spelling tests, I snapped.
"That isn't exactly a very good thing to ask a dyslexic kid." Piper frowned.
"Yeah." Leo agreed. "Not very encouraging."
"It was a school for troubled kids." Percy pointed out. "Putting up with us was more than what most of the teachers did."
Athena frowned. 'If teachers don't even try, how are children supposed to learn? Everyone should have access to quality education, even sea spawns.'
Frank noticed Octavian muttering things, things he did not like. He kicked him. Octavian passed out.
I called … an old sot.
Dionysus looked up from his magazine.
I wasn't even sure … but it sounded good.
"It means old drunk." Annabeth chuckled.
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Only you, Percy!" Thalia shook her head.
Athena, apparently, did not find this funny as her frown deepened.
'One should never disrespect their teacher!' Athena thought. 'And here I was thinking maybe that sea spawn deserved a chance!'
The headmaster sent my … back next year to Yancy Academy.
"That's not surprising." Hazel laughed.
'That's what you get for disrespecting your teachers.' Athena turned up her nose at Percy.
Fine, I told... Just fine.
I … homesick.
"Anyone would be homesick if they had a mother like yours!" Thalia said.
All those who ever met Sally agreed.
"I know." Percy grinned.
I wanted to be with my mom … his stupid poker parties.
"Aww." All the girls cooed (goddesses included, Thalia, Annabeth, and Reyna excluded).
"I thought you liked Paul?" Rachel raised an eyebrow. "And wasn't he an English teacher at Goode?"
"I do like Paul and he is an English teacher at Goode," Percy replied, frowning as he says the next part. "But that wasn't Paul the book is talking about."
"It isn't?"
But when Percy didn't reply, being busy glaring at the floor, Frank decided to continue reading. It would come up in the book anyway.
And yet, there … I'd miss at Yancy.
"Make up…" Travis started.
"Your mind…" Connor continued.
"Already!" They both finished together.
The view of the woods … Grover, who'd been a good friend
"That's a nice thing to say," Hazel said as Piper nodded in agreement.
Frank's lips twitched as he read the next few words, "You didn't let me finish the sentence."
even if he was … strange.
Annabeth, Thalia, and Nico facepalmed.
"Way to go, Jackson," Reyna said dryly.
I worried how … next year without me.
"He wouldn't have survived the next year without Tyson and us, would he?" Annabeth said thoughtfully.
"Neither would have Thalia." Percy nodded sagely.
Thalia rolled her eyes while Poseidon winced mentally as he imagined how his brother would react if he found out about Tyson.
I'd miss Latin class, too … faith that I could do well.
As exam week got … test I studied for.
"You studied?" All the demigods except for Annabeth asked, looking at Percy with surprise.
"At least you studied something." Annabeth looked proud of her boyfriend. Percy looked proud of himself too.
I hadn't forgotten what … but I'd started to believe him.
"Good," Poseidon muttered. "It will probably keep you alive." He hated the fact he had to use the word 'probably'.
"You can take something seriously?" Connor looked amazed.
"Anything other than Annabeth and blue cookies, that is." Travis looked equally amazed.
"Shut up." Percy pouted. Athena glared at Percy.
The evening before my final … Greek Mythology across my dorm room.
Annabeth and Athena looked scandalized.
"How dare you disrespect a book like that?!" Athena turned a murderous glare towards Percy.
Annabeth crossed her arms and turned towards her boyfriend, 'Well?' she seemed to ask as she raised her eyebrows.
Seeing Percy was about to become Blue-Percy-Kebab in the next few seconds, Frank quickly decided to continue reading.
Words had started swimming … as if they were riding skateboards.
Athena's glare lessened by a teeny-tiny degree. Annabeth sigh. Most of the demigods winced in empathy.
There was no way I … between Chiron and Charon,
"I'm sure you can remember that now," Annabeth said lightly.
"Sure." Percy agreed. "Meeting both of them helped."
"You meet Charon?" Hades looked at his brother's son sceptically.
"Yeah." Percy nodded. "He said that he wanted a pay rise."
Hades groaned.
or Polydictes … Polydeuces.
"And that."
And conjugating those Latin verbs? Forget it.
"But those are easy," Jason said, confused.
"No, it's not." Piper countered.
"I think it's a Roman thing." Hazel twisted a lock of her hair.
"A Roman thing?" A slurred voice asked.
Everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice, who was picking himself off of the floor. The said person had a giant purple bruise around his eyes. Rachel doubted he could see anything from his right eye, it was swollen shut.
"Oh, great," Piper said, disappointment lacing her voice. "You're up again."
"Wha- what's going on?" Octavian said in a daze.
"I think he has a concussion," Travis said.
"You really did a number on him this time, Rachel," Connor said.
"A weaponized hairbrush which can give concussion?" Leo scratched his chin. "Awesome!"
"Last I saw, he was crying on the floor," Reyna said. "When did he get a concussion?"
"Oh, that?" Frank rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I might have accidentally kicked his head earlier."
Everybody stared at him, the sweet, gentle, and big cuddly teddy bear-like Frank.
"What? He was spouting some nonsense about Hazel and Percy."
The room was suddenly filled with the sound of laughter and many aww's.
"So it was an accidental kick, huh?" Jason leaned forwards, wondering if he could improve Frank's 'accidental' kick so it could 'accidentally' kill- er… knock out Octavian.
"Absolutely." Frank grinned. "I was just about to start reading again when I noticed him saying something. I went to nudge him in the head to see if he was awake but that nudge accidentally turned into a kick."
A round of oh's and ah's arose.
"I see." Jason nodded as if Frank had just told him the ultimate secrete of the universe. He stood up and went over to Octavian and proceeded to kick him in the head. Hard. "Like this?"
"Yeah!" Frank nodded enthusiastically. "Just like that!"
"Ahem." Hades cleared his throat. "While this is amusing and all, can we start reading again? We have a long book ahead of us."
"And," Hera said. "Please do try to not knock out the boy throughout the book. Fates sent him here to read not sleep."
While many choruses of "Yes, Lord Hades." Were heard (much to Hades' satisfaction), Hera went completely ignored (much to the goddess' chagrin). It might just be that she told them not to hurt Octavian, which no demigod (and mortal) had any desire to follow, but Frank had a suspicion that the fact it was Hera who said this largely contributed to her words being ignored.
People love Hera just as much as they love Octavian. The only difference between them is Octavian is useless and helpless while Hera is the queen of goddesses and can turn her offender into a pile of ashes. Or send rampaging cows after them wherever they go, forcing them to run through cow poop to save their lives.
I paced the room … around inside my shirt.
I remembered Mr Brunner's … thousand-year-old eyes.
"You're observant," Apollo noted. "You just need to be more poetic. I feel a haiku coming on-"
"NO!" Every single occupant of the room yelled at the top of their lungs.
Apollo pouted.
I will accept … you, Percy Jackson.
I took a deep … mythology book.
"Good," Annabeth said. "Study."
"Annie, you do realize that you are talking to a book, right?" Thalia looked up from polishing her dagger.
Annabeth blushed at looked at Frank.
"Read." She ordered.
At least I could apologize … score on his exam.
"You could try to be a little more positive, you know?" Reyna commented.
I didn't want to leave … thinking I hadn't tried.
"That's better."
I walked downstairs to the … across the hallway floor.
I was three steps from the … asked a question.
A voice that was definitely … worried about Percy, sir.'
I froze.
"You're gonna eavesdrop, aren't you?" Leo asked.
"Yup." Percy grinned. "It's kind of difficult not to when your best friend is talking about you to a teacher."
"I can vouch for that!" A voice exclaimed from Hermes' pocket.
"No! Be quiet, George!" Another voice scolded George as Hermes sigh and pulled out a cell phone from his pocket.
"Hey George, Martha!" Percy greeted.
"It's nice to see you two again." Annabeth smiled.
"Hello Percy, Annabeth!" Martha greets back as George asks, "Do you have any rats? Guinea pig would do."
"I take offence to that!" Percy looked like someone had just eaten his last blue cookie in front of him and he wasn't allowed to kill that person.
"Hold on," Piper said, squinting at the cell in Hermes' hand. "Did that antenna just speak?"
"Cool!" Leo exclaimed. "A speaking antenna! Maybe I could add it to my weaponized hairbrush…"
"I am not an antenna, Valdez! McLean!" The antenna buzzed violently as it declared- "I am George and the other antenna is Martha."
"Umm… that's what I said- an antenna."
"I just said that I am not an antenna!"
"Alright," Hermes interrupted. "That's enough, George."
"Insolent brats," George grumbled.
"Do you want me to put you in the silent mode?"
"No!" Martha quickly intervened before George could say something rude. "We just arrived and wanted to let you know-"
"Just arrived?" Hermes raised his eyebrow. "You were both in my pocket the whole time!"
Gods watched the exchange between Hermes and his cell phone with differing emotions- amusement, confusion, and annoyance.
"Yes. That's what I was saying. We-" Martha was rudely cut off by her counterpart, George. "We are from the future."
A moment of pin-drop silence resided over the room as everyone burst into questions the very next second.
"How does that even work?" Hermes looked incredulously at his companions, now in their caduceus-snake form.
"When are you from?"
"Why did the gods send you here?"
"You really are snakes!"
"If you're future, what happened to George and Martha of this time?"
The last question made everyone pause and wonder.
'What happened to present George and Martha? Maybe, they went to the future in place of future Martha and George. Or they went somewhere else. Maybe, both of the beings combined and only the future George and Martha remained. What butterfly effects would that cause?' Annabeth and Athena's brain worked overtime as they tried to figure out ins and outs of time travel.
'Come to think of it,' Reyna mused. 'The timeline Frank, Hazel and I come from won't have any of us now. Wouldn't it affect the course of war?'
"Check your other pocket, Hermes," Martha advised. Hermes did and pulled out another cell phone. It was identical to the one the future George and Martha were in a few moments ago. The only difference being, both the snakes were snoring.
"Huh? How does this even work?" He repeated.
"They are the George and me of this time," Martha explained. "They will be in a sleep-like stasis as long as we are here."
"Is it because two identical beings cannot exist together in the same time plane?" Athena asked.
"What?" George's loud voice cut off whatever Martha was about to say. "We aren't the same! I'm older than that George and I like rats more than he does! Speaking of which, do you have any rats?"
Athena ignored George and looked at Martha. Clearly, Martha was the more levelheaded one out of the two.
"George is correct, Lady Athena," Martha said confirming what his counterpart just said. "We aren't exactly the same as present George and me. We are corresponding, to say. The same but not exactly identical."
"Is it because you have gone through different experiences that chanced you?" Annabeth asked.
"In a way, yes."
"What the Hera is going on?" Percy whispered to Thalia. The goddess named 'Hera' did not appreciate her name being used in a curse and directed a frown towards the son of Poseidon.
"I don't know," Thalia whispered back. "They lost me after 'what happened to present George and Martha'. Hold on, I'll ask Nico."
Thalia whisper asked the question to her other cousin who just gave a –"I was hoping you'd tell me that. I'll ask Reyna."
As Nico leaned over to ask Reyna the question of the hour, Annabeth finally noticed the game of Chinese whisper the demigods were playing. Being as smart as she is, Annabeth immediately understood that everything Hermes's two snakes explained to them went over their heads.
"Our life experiences and thinking pattern is what defines us. It is who we are. The more life challenges we go through, the more we mature and our thinking pattern changes. It is what we call 'growing up'." Annabeth tried to explain.
"Basically, all your thoughts, emotions, and actions summed up until this point is the present you." Annabeth, seeing their completely lost expressions, asked, "Would you say you are the same person you were five or six years ago?"
"No." A dozen demigods answered in unison.
Annabeth, looking satisfied, turned back towards George and Martha.
"So, why are present George and Martha in a stasis like that?" She asked.
"ENOUGH!" Zeus boomed before Martha could answer or George could even say 'rat'.
Everyone turned to look at the king of the gods.
"You can continue this chat of yours when we take another break. We know they are from the future and that is all we need to know right now." Zeus declared.
"Or maybe," Poseidon said casually. "You just don't understand a word of what they are saying."
"That's not it at all!" Zeus quickly said, a little too quickly. "I understood everything just fine. We are in the middle of a chapter."
"Are you sure that's what it is?" Hades picked up where Poseidon left.
Zeus sent his brothers a glare that was supposed to be intimidating but came off more as Like-You're-Any-Better!-You-Didn't Understand-Anything-Either!
"When are we…" Connor started.
"…taking the next break?" Travis ended.
They both needed to ask someone something.
"How about we take a lunch break after we read a few chapters?" Demeter suggested. "I'll prepare the cereal."
"Cereal for lunch?" Hazel asked confused. She looked at her boyfriend to ask if it was another 'modern' thing but Frank looked just as confused.
'It's a Demeter thing.' Nico mouthed to her.
"We'll take a lunch break after a few chapters." Hera agreed.
While Annabeth and Athena were disappointed that they could not get all their questions answered right then and there, the rest of the gods and demigods were relieved that they didn't have to go through a conversation that went over their heads again.
"Alright, but before we start reading again," Athena said. "Tell us when are you from."
"Same time from where your daughter is, Lady Athena," Martha replied.
"And another question," Annabeth quickly said before Frank could start reading again. "Why did you try to stop George from-"
"Wise Girl?" Percy interrupted. "How about you continue your trivia during lunch break?"
Jason and Leo looked at Percy with newfound respect. He had the guts to interrupt Annabeth Chase mid-question and tell her to save her questions for later, stepping in her way of the quest for knowledge.
"Fine." Annabeth rolled eyes as Jason and Leo's respect for Percy shot even higher. He was probably the only mortal man alive who could say that to Annabeth and still walk away with all his limbs still attached to his body.
Athena narrowed her eyes and sent a killer glare towards Percy. The killer intent she was radiating did not go unnoticed by everyone else.
"Frank?" Percy chuckled nervously. Frank started reading before his friend could be killed by one goddess of wisdom.
I'm not usually an eavesdropper, … talking about you to an adult.
I inched closer.
'… alone this summer,' Grover … we know for sure, and they know too-'
We would only make … We need the boy to mature more.'
"We're still waiting for that," Thalia smirked.
"I'm plenty mature!" Percy protested.
"Sure."
"Hey!"
'But he may not have … summer solstice deadline-'
Will have to … resolved without him, Grover.
"As if it could." Annabeth rolled her eyes.
Let him enjoy … ignorance while he still can.'
"Well, I didn't exactly enjoy thinking I was going crazy hallucinating about killing math teachers that didn't exist," Percy said.
"They were doing that to protect you!" and "It was mist." Came rebukes from Annabeth and Thalia respectively.
"I know!" Percy put his hands in front of him to show his surrender and protect himself from any incoming arrows or daggers alike. "I didn't mean it like that!"
'Sir, he … her…'
'His imagination,' Mr Brunner … enough to convince him of that.'
Percy wisely decided to keep his mouth shut, he was sure he was going to get some free arrow and dagger wounds he did otherwise.
'Sir, I… I can't fail in my … know what that would mean.'
"You didn't fail before, G-Man," Thalia spoke softly. "It was my choice."
Zeus narrowed his eyes. "Is this the satyr who was supposed to be your protector, daughter?"
"Yeah," Thalia's voice suddenly had a cold and steely edge to it. "And what of it?"
"He let you die and-"
"It was my choice!" Thalia argued back passionately. "It wasn't his fault that I insisted we bring along Annie and Luke or the fact we were being chased by hordes of monsters."
Zeus turned to glare at his brother, to which Hades replied, "It isn't my fault you broke the oath."
"Yes, but those monsters would have killed my daughter too, Uncle." Athena's voice joined the conversation.
"And my son," Hermes added.
Hades stubbornly stayed silent as he turned his nose in the air. Poseidon was in no rush to join the conversation.
"It isn't Uncle H's fault," Percy said, frowning in Zeus' direction. "You send monsters to kill me too."
"Brother…" Poseidon says dangerously. His desire to not join the conversation evaporated the moment Percy said Zeus tries to kill him.
"I haven't done it yet!"
Poseidon's eye twitched as if to say Do-I-Look-Like-I-Care?
"Besides, you broke the oath too!" Zeus exclaimed.
"At least I didn't break it twice!"
"Both of you broke the oath and still blame me for being bitter?"
"And here I thought this fight was about me being turned into tree and Grover," Thalia said staring at the three fighting gods.
"Yeah," Percy said. "So did I."
"Now it is an ego contest," Annabeth noted. "None of them wants to back down."
The other Olympians, rather than looking annoyed and angry, looked resigned.
"Oh, sister." Artemis sigh.
"Not this again." Apollo groaned.
"Ugh… I need to change my makeup again but their fight is ruining my mood!" Aphrodite complained.
"Hey, Hephaestus. How's that machine that might make them fight like this less often coming along?" Hermes asked.
"I'm working on it." God of blacksmiths replied.
"Does this happen often?" Hazel asked bewildered.
"I'm afraid it does," Hestia answered.
Rachel and a few demigods winced in sympathy.
"Frank," Piper said, turning towards the son of Mars. "If you start reading now, they won't have any choice but to stop and listen, right?"
Frank blinked once, considering her friend's words but decided to leave the thinking part to the daughter of Athena as he turned towards Annabeth and asked- "Right?"
"Maybe." Annabeth shrugged. "Let's try it. What's the worst that can happen?"
"They incinerate Frank for interrupting their shouting contest?" Reyna suggested with a collected smile.
"Don't say that in such a calm manner!" Frank exclaimed.
"But they can't…" Travis started.
"Incinerate any of us!" Connor ended.
"Yeah, Fates said that they can't kill any of us remember?" Rachel said, doodling some blue hairbrushes on her jeans.
'One of these days, that blue plastic hairbrush is going to send a note of gratitude to Rachel…' Percy though.
"Well, as long as they don't try to kill me," Frank said. "I guess, I'll read."
'You haven't failed… said kindly.
True to Piper's prediction, the three elder gods stopped shouting as soon as they heard Frank.
"You haven't," Thalia said firmly.
"This isn't over yet." Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades said in unison, glaring at each other.
'I should have seen her … worry about keeping Percy alive until next autumn-'
"Easier said than done." Annabeth chuckled.
The mythology book dropped out of my hand and hit the floor with a thud.
"NOOOO!" The Stoll brothers cried.
"No! Never give away your position!" Travis exclaimed.
"That's like rule number 13 of Golden Set of Rules!" Connor exclaimed.
Hermes looked at his sons proudly.
"Sorry?" Percy was too confused to say anything else.
My heart hammering, I picked up the book and backed down the hall.
"Good." Connor sigh in relief.
"Never leave behind evidence." Travis nodded in approval. "Rule number 108."
"Seriously," Percy stared at them. "What's up with all these rules?"
"I thought," Frank said before the Stoll brothers could answer. "You all wanted me to read."
"We do!" Hazel smiled brightly. "Keep reading and they will have no choice but to stop talking!"
Frank smiled back.
A shadow slid across the lighted … looked suspiciously like an archer's bow.
"It must have been an archer's bow," Annabeth confirmed. "Chiron-"
"Chiron is an archer." Dionysus interrupted the daughter of Athena. "Of course, it was an archer's bow."
"I think," Percy said. "Chiron is the only name Mr. D can get right."
"What was that, Potato Janitor?"
"Potato… Janitor?" Percy didn't know if he should laugh or be horrified at the absurdly worn name the god of wine gave him. Others, however, had no such confusions and were laughing their heads off.
"P-p-pot-potato Jani- janitor!" Thalia was clutching her stomach and had tears running down her cheeks.
"Are you trying to get my name wrong?" Percy settled on being horrified.
"Eh?" Dionysus went back to his magazine. "What are you talking about?"
Before Percy could say something that was sure to tick off Dionysus, Frank started reading.
I opened the nearest door … slipped inside.
A few seconds later I heard … in front of the glass, then moved on.
A bead of sweat … down my neck.
Somewhere in the hallway … haven't been right since the winter solstice.
'Mine neither,' Grover … could have sworn…'
"I'm surprised that Grover didn't smell you." Nico frowned.
"Yeah." Thalia agreed. "Children of big three have a strong scent."
"So I've heard," Annabeth muttered with a faraway look in her eyes.
"We smell like buttered bread," Percy said with a small sad smile.
Everyone stared at him as if he had just yelled I-Hate-Blue-Cookies!
Frank continued reading when neither of them elaborated.
'Go back to the dorm … long day of exams tomorrow.
All the demigods winced at the horror brought by the word 'exams'.
'Don't remind me.'
The lights went … for what seemed like forever.
Finally, I slipped out into the hallway … studying his Latin exam notes like he'd been there all night.
"That's how you do it." Connor looked proud.
"Maybe his case isn't as bad as we thought after all." Travis looked thoughtful.
"I wonder what would have happened if they had found out about Percy eavesdropping." Hazel mused.
'Hey,' he said … ready for this test?'
I didn't answer.
'You look awful. … Is everything okay?'
'Just… tired.'
I turned so he couldn't read my expression … getting ready for bed.
"But that won't work, will it?" Nico asked. "Percy and Grover have an empathy link."
"Empathy link?" Leo asked.
"It's a special connection between a person and a satyr," Annabeth explains. "They can communicate through dreams and can feel what each other is feeling."
"They can communicate?" Piper raised an eyebrow. "That's pretty handy."
Jason imagined having an empathy link with Coach Hedge. He imagined having urges to call everyone he sees cupcakes and bash their heads with a club.
"Uh-huh." Percy agreed. "But they have to be close for the link to be formed. And if one of them dies the other will either die too or fall in a coma."
"Oh."
Jason imagined dying because Coach Hedge died doing a wrong roundhouse kick. He did not like the idea of having an empathy link with Coach Hedge.
"Now back to my question," Nico said impatiently.
"We didn't have the empathy link back then," Percy answered. "He created it when he was kidnaped by Polyphemus and needed to tell us where he was."
"Poly- who now?" Leo looked up from his weaponized hairbrush.
"Polyphemus," Percy repeated.
"Polyphemus?" Poseidon looked quite surprised.
"Yeah. Long story." Percy scratched the back of his neck. "I'm sure it will come up in the book."
Frank took this as his cue to read.
I didn't understand what I'd heard … believe I'd imagined the whole thing.
"I'd be surprised if you did," Annabeth muttered under her breath but Percy heard her anyway. He pouted.
But one thing was clear: Grover and Mr Brunner were talking about me … thought I was in some kind of danger.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Thalia snickered.
"That's all you got from that conversation?" Rachel raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't know anything about gods back then." Percy defended himself.
The next afternoon, as I was leaving the three-hour Latin exam
"Three-hour?!" Almost every single demigod shrieked.
"That sounds horrible." Rachel looked at Percy with sympathy.
"Don't all of you have a standard three-hour exam too?" Piper asked.
"Well, most of us don't go to school," Nico answered.
"You don't go to school?" Athena looked like someone had put a magic lock on her library and she couldn't enter it anymore.
"Yeah," Thalia said. "Only ones here with real school experience is Percy, Annabeth, Piper, and Leo. The rest of us are either from different time periods or year rounder at Camp."
Percy subtlety motioned Frank to continue reading before Athena could launch into another Importance-of-Education lecture.
my eyes swimming with all … Mr Brunner called me back inside.
For a moment, I was worried he'd found out about my eavesdropping … that didn't seem to be the problem.
'Percy,' he said ... It's… it's for the best.'
His tone was kind … made sarcastic little kissing motions with her lips.
"I don't like that girl," Annabeth said shrewdly.
"Neither do I." Rachel agreed.
I mumbled, 'Okay, sir.'
"You can be polite?" Thalia looked surprised.
"Yeah." Percy raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
"Then how come you still piss off every single god you meet?" Nico asked.
"It's a gift," Percy answered proudly.
"That it is," Thalia grinned.
"Do I even want to know?" Poseidon asked.
"Trust me," Annabeth said. "You don't."
'I mean…' Mr Brunner wheeled his … isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time.'
"Wow." Travis deadpanned. "He's bad at this."
"We need to work with Chiron too," Connor said.
My eyes stung.
Here was my favourite teacher … he was telling me I was destined to get kicked out.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it like that," Poseidon said.
"I know," Percy said. "But at that time, it sounded pretty harsh."
'Right,' I … trembling.
'No, no … you're not normal, Percy. That's nothing to be-'
'Thanks … for reminding me.'
'Percy-'
But I … already gone.
"He's not bad at this," Travis said. "He's awfully terrible at pep talks."
"Uh-huh." His brother agreed.
On the last day … clothes into my suitcase.
The other guys were joking around … Their daddies were executives, or ambassadors, or celebrities.
I was a nobody,
"No, you're not," Annabeth said with a knowing smile.
"Yup," Percy replied with the cheeky version of that same smile. "That you."
"How dare you call my daughter a nobody, you sea scum?!" Athena yelled.
"Calm down, mom," Annabeth rolled her eyes. "It's just an inside joke."
"Why do you have 'inside jokes' with that sea scum?" Athena demanded.
"His name is Percy and I already told you," Annabeth said. "We're friends and friends have inside jokes."
She turned towards Frank and before Athena could say anything, said- "Frank, read."
from a family of nobodies.
"How dare you call us nobodies, boy?" Zeus thundered.
"I didn't know about dad back then," Percy said, yelping as Thalia grabbed his ear.
"Your mom is not a nobody." She said. "She is the most amazing woman in the world. Got that?"
"Ow! I already know that, Thalia!" Percy exclaimed. "Leave my ear alone!"
Poseidon looked happy. Even his brother's daughter liked Sally.
'She truly is a queen among women.' He thought.
They asked me what I'd be … told them I was going back to the city.
What I didn't tell them was that I'd … spend my free time worrying about where I'd go to school in the autumn.
Poseidon frowned. He had no idea that it was this hard for his son.
'Oh,' one … guys said. 'That's cool.'
They went back … as if I'd never existed.
"Rude," Hazel commented.
Gods stared at them. Hadn't they been doing the same thing whenever a new demigods come along? They had no room to say that!
The only person I dreaded saying goodbye to was Grover … I didn't have to.
He'd booked a ticket to Manhattan … together again, heading into the city.
During the whole bus ride, Grover kept glancing nervously down the aisle … I'd always assumed he was worried about getting teased.
But there was nobody … tease him on the Greyhound.
"You're observant," Piper repeated what Apollo had said earlier.
Finally I couldn't … stand it any more.
I said, 'Looking … Kindly Ones?'
Thalia, Annabeth, and Rachel chuckled.
"That must have given him a heart attack!"
"No! No!" Stoll brothers wailed. "Don't say that! Now, he'll know you eavesdropped!"
Grover nearly jumped … what do you mean?'
I confessed about eavesdropping … the night before the exam.
"NO! Why did you confess?" Stoll brothers cried. "You broke rule number 15, dammit!"
Grover's … much did you hear?'
'Oh… not much … summer-solstice deadline?'
He winced. 'Look, Percy … hallucinating about demon maths teachers…'
'Grover-'
'And I was telling … there was no such person as Mrs Dodds, and…'
"He's a really, really bad liar," Travis said.
"His case is as severe as we had first thought," Connor said seriously.
"Yeah, we have a lot of work to do when we get back."
'Grover … a really, really bad liar.'
Travis and Percy high fived.
"All pranksters think alike," Connor said sagely.
His … turned pink.
From his shirt pocket … In case you need me this summer.'
The card was in fancy script … murder on my dyslexic eyes,
"Why is it in a fancy script?" Poseidon frowned at the god of wine.
"'Cause, it's fun watching those brats try to read it with their dyslexia," Dionysus said, looking up from his magazine.
"You're supposed to be helping them, Dionysus," Athena said. "Not making their lives even more difficult."
"Eh?"
"You will change those cards to Greek as soon as you go back to camp," Zeus ordered.
Dionysus huffed, "Fine, whatever."
but I finally …something like:
Grover Underwood, Keeper
…
(800)009-0009
'What's Half-'
'Don't say it aloud! … That's my, um… summer address.'
My heart sank … his family might be as rich as the others at Yancy.
'Okay … So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion.'
He nodded … or if you need me.'
'Why would I need you … harsher than I meant it too.
"So meant it to come out harsh?" Thalia raised her eyebrow.
"What?" Percy exclaimed. "No! I didn't mean it like that."
Grover blushed … the truth is, I- I kind of have to protect you.'
Everyone who had met Grover before, facepalmed.
All year long, I'd gotten in fights keeping bullies … lost sleep worrying that he'd get beaten up next year without me.
"You're a good friend." Rachel patted Percy's back.
And here he was acting … he was the one who defended me.
'Grover … what exactly are you protecting me from?'
There was a huge grinding noise … whole bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs.
"I don't even want to imagine how that smells like," Piper said.
"Another monster?" Hazel asked.
"Nope." Percy winced as he realized what was coming next. He never told anyone about it, after all.
The driver cursed … to the side of the highway.
After a few minutes clanking around … filed outside with everybody else.
We were on a stretch of country road … On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand.
The stuff on sale looked really good… jugs of cider in a claw-foot tub full of ice.
There were … just three old ladies
Everybody's color drained right from their face.
sitting in rocking chairs … knitting the biggest pair of socks I'd ever seen.
"Don't tell me…" Annabeth didn't finish the sentence but everyone understood what she was saying.
I mean these socks … they were clearly socks.
"Kelp Head," Thalia said, her face white as a sheet. "Are they…?"
Percy didn't answer.
"Son?" Poseidon tried.
"Yes," Percy sigh. "They are Fates."
"Well," Athena said. "The chapter's title makes sense now."
Annabeth sucked in a breath. "How come you never told me?"
"Well, back then I didn't think much of it and later I just didn't want anyone to worry."
"But-"
"I'm fine, Wise Girl."
The lady on the right knitted one of them … the left knitted the other. The lady in the middle held an enormous basket of electric-blue yarn.
"Percy, please tell me you did not see them cut the string." Poseidon looked horrified.
Percy felt miserable as he remembered whose string they had cut.
"I'll let the book answer."
'Electric blue?' Nico thought.
All three women looked ancient …bony arms sticking out of bleached cotton dresses.
"It's them," Apollo muttered.
"Why would they appear in front of you?" Zeus asked.
The weirdest thing … looking right at me.
I looked over at Grover … blood had drained from his face. His nose was twitching.
'Grover? … Hey, man-'
'Tell me … They are, aren't they?'
'Yeah. Weird … think those socks would fit me?'
"No time to be joking, Percy!" Annabeth scolded.
'Not funny, … Not funny at all.'
'Yes,' Everyone in the room thought. 'Not funny at all.'
The old lady in the middle … huge pair of scissors- gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears.
"No, no, no." Most of the gods and demigods muttered under their breath like a mantra. Annabeth clutched Percy's hand like it was her only lifeline.
I heard … catch his breath.
'We're getting on the bus … Come on.'
'What … thousand degrees in there.'
"Just go with him, Kelp Head." Thalia didn't seem to care that she was talking to the book.
'Come on! ... climbed inside, but I stayed back.
"Don't do that!" Rachel swatted Percy oh his head with a blue plastic hairbrush.
"Ouch!" Percy winced. "It's already happened for me, RED!"
Across the road, the old ladies were still watching me. The middle one cut the yarn, … I could hear that snip across four lanes of traffic.
"Oh gods," Annabeth squeezed Percy's hand harder, making it turn blue at the fingertips. "No, no, no. It can't be happening."
"Don't worry," Percy said. "It wasn't my thread."
"It wasn't yours?" Annabeth's eyes widened as her brain jumped into action.
Nico and Annabeth reached the conclusion at the same time.
"Blue?" Annabeth looked miserable.
"It's him, isn't it?" Nico asked.
"Yeah."
Thalia's eyes widened. "You mean…?"
Percy nodded.
"I see." Rachel said.
Others looked on as they communicated with half-formed phrases and nods.
'As long as it wasn't his.' Poseidon sigh in relief. Almost everyone else was thinking the same thing.
'If it wasn't his, whose was it?' Athena thought.
Her two friends balled up the electric-blue socks … wondering who they could possibly be for – Sasquatch or Godzilla.
"How can you joke around at such a scary time?" Hazel demanded.
Octavian, who had just woken up to hear about the Fates and cutting the yarn part, looked giddy. Because he was such a stupid and slow creature, he had not realized Percy said that the yarn they cut wasn't his.
At the rear of the bus … and the engine roared back to life.
The passengers cheered.
'Darn right! … Everybody back on board!'
Once we got going … feeling feverish, as if I'd caught the flu.
"I thought you said the thread wasn't yours!" Poseidon exclaimed.
"It wasn't!" Percy said.
Grover didn't look much better … shivering and his teeth were chattering.
'Grover?'
'Yeah?'
'What are … not telling me?'
"Everything," Leo said.
He dabbed his forehead … what did you see back at the fruit stand?'
'You mean the old ladies? … They're not like… Mrs Dodds, are they?'
"No," Jason said. "They are someone even worse."
His expression was hard to read … much worse than Mrs Dodds.
'He truly is observant.' Athena noticed.
He said … what you saw.'
'The middle one … cut the yarn.'
He closed his eyes and made a gesture … something else, something almost- older.
'Maybe, he isn't so dumb after all.' Athena thought.
He said … snip the cord.'
'Yeah. So?' … I knew it was a big deal.
"Oh, it's a big deal all right." Frank interrupted himself.
'This is not happening … I don't want this to be like the last time.'
"It won't," Thalia said with a sad smile.
'What last time?'
'Always sixth … never get past sixth.'
"That must have been disturbing," Reyna said.
"Creepy." Percy agreed.
'Grover,' I said ... 'What are you talking about?'
"You should be scared, punk." Area said in a gruff voice. "Fates don't appear in front of you every day."
'Let me walk you home … bus station. Promise me.'
This seemed like a strange … I promised he could.
'Is this like a superstition … I asked.
"Far from superstition." Hades muttered lowly.
No answer.
'Grover- that snipping … mean somebody is going to die?'
"If you had even a little bit of brains in there, where did it go during our quests?" Annabeth rapped Percy's forehead.
"I didn't need to use it." Percy smiled. "I had you with me."
"Seaweed Brain." Annabeth rolled her eyes.
Aphrodite squealed. Athena gave Percy a murder glare. If looks could kill, he would be dead by now.
"Stop flirting, you two," Thalia said.
"DON'T YOU DARE FLIRT WITH MY DAUGHTER!" Athena looked ready to kill one son of Poseidon.
Percy put his hands up in surrender. Frank continued reading.
He looked at me mournfully … picking the kind of flowers I'd like best on my coffin.
"That's the end of the chapter." Frank closed the book. "Who wants to read next?"
"You don't want to continue reading?" Annabeth asked innocently.
"Hades, no! I don't!" Frank exclaimed. "Not with all those interruptions!"
"Ahem!" Hades cleared his throat.
"Zhang." Nico glared at Frank and Hazel pouted at her boyfriend.
"Sorry, Sorry!" Frank quickly backtracked. "I mean- Hera, no."
"Excuse me!?" Hera's eye twitched.
Annabeth, Thalia, Rachel, and Percy looked smug.
"I'll read." A voice sounded.
Everyone looked at the owner of the voice with surprise.
You might have noticed that I am putting a lot of attention to time travel and stuff. That's cause it's an important part. I have plans for ending and it is not the cliche thing.
Please review and tell me what you think of the chapter.
Who do you think spoke at the last?
Also please tell me one thing, is the length of the chapter alright? Longer? Shorter?
Until next time!