A/N (I recommend reading this): I'm going to MAKE THIS CLEAR. Just like I mention on my bio page about every other fanfiction I done: I DON'T OWN THE PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN SERIES or AND THE KANE CHRONICLES OR IT'S CHARACTERS as the rights goes to Rick Riordan. Also I suggest you guys start paying attention to the Author notes and my warnings that I left on EVERY chapter of EVERY story.

Sorry if this chapter is too much like the book.

This is a The Tales of version of the Percy Jackson and Kane Chronicles crossover and takes place after 'The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus part of the series. So if you haven't read them yet read before reading this story as stuff that happened in them will be mentioned:

The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: the Early Adventures
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: The Lightning Thief
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: The Sea of Monsters
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: The Titan's Curse
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: The Magical Labyrinth
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: the Stolen Chariot
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: the Sword of Hades
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: the Bronze Dragon
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: The Last Olympian
The Tales of the Son of Poseidon: the Staff of Hermes
The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero
The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The Quest for Buford
The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune
The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The Mark of Athena
The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The House of Hades
The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The Blood of Olympus
The Tales of Magicians and Demigods: The Son of Sobek
The Tales of Magicians and Demigods: The Staff of Serapis
The Tales of Magicians and Demigods: The Crown of Ptolemy

Also if you haven't got the chance feel free to read:

The Tales of Classical Mythology

A crossover with The Tales of series with my dictionary on Greek/Roman Mythology where The Tales of Percy Jackson tells his version of stories behind famous names in Greek and Roman Mythology.

And if you are a fan of Stephen King:

The Tales of the Heroes of the Stand

Which is basically a crossover of The Tales of series with one of Stephen King's best novels The Stand.

Lastly, any one who wants to do a Demigods and Olympian reads story using 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon' is allowed as long as you inform me about it.

My Ride to the Next Oracle has Arrived

The plague spread.

That was the price of our victory: a massive outbreak of hay fever. By nightfall, most of the campers were dizzy, groggy, and heavily congested, though I was pleased none of them sneezed their heads off, because we were running low on bandages and duct tape.

Will Solace and I spent the evening caring for the wounded. Will took the lead, which was fine with me; I was exhausted. Mostly I splinted arms, distributed cold medicine and tissues, and tried to keep Harley from stealing the infirmary's entire supply of smiley-face stickers, which he plastered all over his flamethrower. I was grateful for the distraction since it kept me from thinking too much about the day's painful events.

Sherman Yang graciously agreed not to kill Nico for tossing him out of his chariot, or me for damaging it, though I had the feeling the son of Ares was keeping his options for later.

Chiron supplied healing poultices for the most extreme cases of hay fever. This included Chiara Benvenuti, whose good luck had, for once, abandoned her. Strangely enough, Damien White got sick right after he learned that Chiara was sick. The two had cots next to each other in the infirmary, which I found suspicious, even though they kept sniping at each other whenever they knew they were being watched.

When I asked Ethan about his opinion, he just shrugged. "Demigods don't have to follow their godly parents' rivalry."

True.

Percy Jackson spent several hours recruiting whales and hippocampi to help him haul away the Colossus. He decided it would be easiest to tow it underwater to Poseidon's palace. Even if his dad does not use it as a garden statuary, Percy figured at least the Forges of the Cyclopes would appreciate the stock of celestial bronze for them to use to forge with. Either way the Colossus was gone, and I was glad for it.

Thanks to Will's healing and a hot dinner, the demigods Alabaster and I rescued from the woods quickly got back to full strength. (Paolo claimed it was because he waved a Brazilian-flag bandana over them, and I was not about to argue.)

As for the camp itself, the damage might have been much worse. The canoe dock could be rebuilt. The Colossus footstep craters could be repurposed into more monumental stuff for the gods.

The dining pavilion was a total loss, but Nyssa and Harley were confident that Annabeth Chase could redesign the place next time she was here. With luck, it would be rebuilt in time for the summer.

"I'll be sure to tell her when she comes home," Percy said. "Knowing her, she would start planning the moment I tell her."

The only other major damage was to the Demeter Cabin. I had not realized it during the battle, but the Colossus had managed to step on it before turning around for the beach. In retrospect, its path of destruction appeared almost purposeful, as if the automaton and waded ashore, stomped Cabin Four, and headed back out to sea.

Given what had happened with Meg McCaffrey, I had a tough time not seeing this as a bad omen. Miranda Gardiner and Billie Ng were given temporary bunks in the Hermes cabin, but for a long time that night they sat stunned among the smashed ruins of daisies popped up all around them from the chilly winter ground.

Despite my exhaustion, I slept fitfully. I did not mind Kayla and Austin constantly sneezing, or Will's gentle snoring. I did not even mind the hyacinths blooming in the windowsill, filling the room with their melancholy perfume. I even added the Laurel wreath I got at the grove (which had appeared on the bunk that night) next to the hyacinths. Now I know Daphne and the West winds forgive me, it felt right. The Arrow of Dodona stayed silent, hanging in my quiver on the wall, but I suspected it would have more annoying Shakespearean advice soon. I did not relish what it might telleth me about my future.

At sunrise, I rose quietly, took my bow and quiver and combat ukulele, and hiked to the summit of Half-Blood Hill. The guardian dragon, Peleus, did not recognize me. When I came too close to the Golden Fleece, he hissed, so I had to sit some distance away at the foot of the Athena Parthenos.

I did not mind being recognized. Now, I did not want to be Apollo. All the destruction I saw below me… it was my fault. I had been blind and complacent. I had allowed the emperors of Rome, including one of my own descendants, to rise to power in the shadows. I had let my once-great network of Oracles collapse until even Delphi was lost. I had almost caused the death of Camp Half-Blood itself.

And Meg McCaffrey… Oh, Meg, where were you?

Do what you need to do, she told me. That is my final order.

Her order had been vague enough to allow me to pursue her. We were bound together now. What I needed to do was find her. I wondered if Meg had phrased her order that way on purpose, or if that was just dreaming on my part.

I gazed up at the serene alabaster face of Athena. In real life, she did not look so pale or aloof—well, not most of the time, anyway. I pondered why the sculptor, Phidias, had chosen to make her look so unapproachable, and whether Athena approved. We gods often debated how much humans could change our very nature simply by the way they pictured us or imagined us. During the eighteenth century, for instance, I could not escape the white powdered wig, no matter how hard I tried. Among immortals, our reliance on humans was an uncomfortable subject.

I deserved my present form. After my carelessness and foolishness, humanity should see me as nothing but Lester Papadopoulos.

I heaved a sigh. "Athena, what would you do in my place? Something wise and practical, I suppose."

I did not need the wisdom goddess to tell me what I must do. I should leave Camp Half-Blood at once before the campers woke. They had taken me in to protect me, and I had nearly gotten them all killed. Sure, I am a demigod now, and even I am aware that means sacrifices and death if not of me then of others. But because I am a demigod now, I came to realize I do not want that anymore. I want to prevent as many deaths as possible.

Sure, I wanted to stay with Will, Kayla, Austin—my mortal children. Maybe while I am here, I can still claim my kids by simply recognizing them the way I recognized Will, Austin, and Kayla when I meet them as they cross camp borders. I can help Harley put smiley faces on his flamethrower. I wanted to flirt with Chiara and steal her away from Damien… or steal Damien away from Chiara, I was not sure yet. I want to help Percy keep his promise and build all those shrines and Monuments he and Annabeth planned for all the minor gods (after praying to other gods besides myself, I came to understand why showing thanks and recognition to those gods and their challenging work is important). I wanted to improve my music and archery through that strange activity known as practice. I wanted to have a home.

Leave, I told myself. Hurry.

Because I was coward, I waited too long. Below me, the cabin lights flickered on. Campers appeared from their doorways. Sherman Yang began his morning stretches. Harley jogged around the green, holding his Leo Valdez beacon high.

At last, a pair of familiar figures spotted me. They approached from different directions—the Big House and Cabin Three—hiking up the hill to see me: Rachel Dare and Percy Jackson.

…

"I know what you're thinking," Rachel said. "Don't do it."

I feigned surprise. "Can you read my mind, Miss Dare?"

"I don't need to. I know you, Lord Apollo."

A week ago, the idea would have made me laugh. A mortal could not know me. I had lived for millennia. Merely looking upon my true form would have vaporized any human. Now, though, Rachel's words seemed perfectly reasonable. With Lester Papadopoulos, what you saw was what you got. There really was not much to know.

"Don't call me Lord," I sighed. "I am just a mortal teenage demigod."

Percy leaned on Peleus who was coiled around Thalia tree. I am not surprise Peleus recognize Percy much less let him near the Golden Fleece. "I used to think if you're a demigod you belong here. Then I got to know the Hunters of Artemis, the Amazons, and been to Camp Jupiter, and I came to realize demigods belong wherever they feel welcome and at home."

"That's true for humans," I agreed. "You change and grow and mature. Gods do not."

Percy faced me. "You sure about that? You seem pretty different."

He meant that as a compliment, but I did not find his words reassuring. If I were becoming more fully human, that was hardly a cause for celebration True, I had mustered a few godly powers at important moments—a burst of divine power in my sonic whistle and divine strength freeing the hostages, a hay fever arrow against the Colossus—but I could not rely on those abilities. I did not even understand how I had summoned them. The fact that I had limits with the powers I do have, and that I could not be sure where those limits were…Well, that made me feel much more like Lester Papadopoulos than Apollo.

"The other Oracles must be found and secured," I said. "I cannot do that unless I leave Camp Half-Blood. And I cannot risk anyone else's life."

"What about Alabaster?" Percy asked. "I heard you two became quite a team. He even helped you convince the Myrmekes Queen to give us access to her nest and her children's goo for Myrmekes gunk."

That is true. In fact, I could not help but noticed yesterday that Alabaster seemed less tense and angry as he supplied the needed potions when he was around me. But I got the feeling he was only meant to help me free the Grove of Dodona.

"He still has work to do here," I said. "Rhea requested him herself to protect Dodona, and as long as the emperors are still around, it's not completely safe."

Rachel sat by my side. "You sound certain. Did you get a prophecy from the grove?"

I shuddered. "I fear so."

Rachel cupped her hands on her knees. "Kayla said you were talking to an arrow yesterday. I'm guessing it's wood from Dodona?"

"Wait, that arrow was made from Dodona? Like the Main Head-mast of the original Argo?" Percy asked.

"Yeah. The arrow talks too, giving random advice. He's quite annoying." I spoke.

The arrow buzzed in my quiver.

"At any rate, I got the prophecy from the grove," I continued. "I must leave the camp. The Triumvirate means to have all the ancient Oracles. I must stop them. Once I have defeated the former emperors… only then will I be able to face my old enemy Python and free the Oracle of Delphi. After that… if I survive… perhaps Zeus will restore me to Olympus."

Rachel tugged at a strand of her hair. "You know it's too dangerous to do all that alone, right?"

"Listen to her," Percy urged. "I don't know much about the Roman Emperors—if I could contact Reyna to get some historical background on all the emperors to figure out the other two immortal emperors."

"Actually, it's just up to Diocletian," I pointed out. "Every emperor from Constantine and after don't count since they ditch the Olympians for Christian belief."

"My point is," Percy said, "even if we know who you are up against Chiron informed me about Nero and his company. No way you can take on that power on your own."

"I'll go," Rachel said.

I shook my head. "Your ties to me and Delphi already puts you at risk. According to Rhea, the Emperors already has site on Ella just because she memorized the Sibylline books. I would not be surprise they have plans for you as well. Besides, I need you and Miranda Gardiner to stay here and study the Grove of Dodona. For now, it is our only source of prophecy. And since our communication problem have not gone away, learning to use the grove's power is even more critical.

Rachel tried to hide it, but I could see her disappointment in the lines around her mouth. "What about Meg?" she asked. "You'll try to find her, won't you?"

She might as well have plunged the Arrow of Dodona into my chest. I gazed at the woods—that hazy green expanse that had swallowed young McCaffrey. For a moment, I felt like Nero. I wanted to burn the whole place down.

"I will try," I said, "but Meg doesn't want to be found. She's under the influence of her stepfather."

Percy fingered one of his clay beads—the fourth one with the image of the empire state building. "There was a time I thought I lost my brother—Luke Castellan—to Kronos once. But I learned not to give up hope on your friends and family. You two are bound together, and as long as the Fates have a say in it, I'm sure you two will be reunited."

That seemed like good words of advice. Hopeless, but good.

"I—I hope you're right," I said.

Rachel patted my hand. "Tell me the prophecy you heard in the grove."

I took a shaky breath. I did not want to speak the words. I was afraid they might wake the grove and drown us in a cacophony of prophecies, bad jokes, and infomercials. But I recited the lines:

There once was a god named Apollo
Who plunged in a cave blue and hollow
Upon a three-seater
The bronze fire-eater
Was forced death and madness to swallow"

Rachel covered her mouth. "A limerick?"

Percy winced. "I see why Zoë was grateful you got out of that phase."

"I know," I wailed. "I'm doomed!"

"Wait." Percy's eyes suddenly started glittering. "Those lines… do they mean what I think?"

"Well," I said, "the blue cave refers to the Oracle of Trophonius. It was a…an extremely dangerous ancient Oracle."

"No," Percy said. "The other lines. Three-seater, bronze fire-eater, yadda yadda."

"Oh. I have no clue about those."

"Harley's beacon." Percy laughed, though I could not understand why he was so pleased. "He said you gave it a tuning adjustment. That did the trick."

Rachel squinted at him. "Percy, what are you…" Her expression went slack. "Oh. Oh."

"Were there any other lines?" Percy urged. "Except for the limerick?"

"Several," I admitted. "Just bits and pieces I didn't understand. The fall of the sun; the final verse. Um, Indiana, banana. Happiness approaches. Something about pages burning."

Percy shot up. "Where's Archimedes Sphere? If we are right, it will be going off—hopefully soon."

"In Cabin Nine," Rachel said. "Ever since communications was cut, it stopped working. Nyssa been trying to fix it, but—"

As she said that, there was a blaring sound down at the valley. We shot up and look only to see Nyssa coming out of Cabin Nine with a bronze sphere.

"What's going on?" I asked loudly.

"Archimedes Sphere supposed to alert someone another sphere reaches certain vicinity of it, I'm guessing Nyssa and Harley tune up the volume of the alert trying to fix it," Percy explained. He noticed a confused look on my face. "Happiness approaches. Happy is a name in the English version." Then he looked up at the sky and a grin spread across his face. "Yep. Apollo, your escort is here."

I followed his gaze. Spiraling down from the clouds was a large, winged creature that glinted of Celestial bronze. On its back were two human-size figures.

Their descent was silent compare to the Archimedes sphere, but in my mind a joyous fanfare of Valdezinator music proclaimed the good news.

Leo and Calypso had returned.