Percy

"I'm going to miss you Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, leaning in for a quick kiss on the cheek.

I brushed her blonde curly hair out of her face with my hand, pretending we were in a top tier Hollywood romance movie. Like LaLaLand or something. I'll admit, I've watched it about five times with Piper and cried the first four. I'm secure enough in my own masculinity to admit that! Anyway, I pulled her in for a hug. "I'll miss you too my Wise Girl," I whispered, burying my face in the curve of her neck. Her hair smelled faintly of cinnamon apple shampoo and dusty books.

Finally I let her go and walked away. I was halfway between my apartment and the Delphi Food Truck when I realized I was forgetting something. I stuck my hand into my bag and rummaged around for the bracelet I bought Annabeth.

Nico gave me the idea after he saw it on Pinterest so I went out and bought a set. Whenever Annabeth or I were thinking about each other we could send a subtle but sweet message to the other. With a tap the other bracelet would light up and vibrate. It was pretty high tech so I was praying that it wouldn't blow up when Annabeth put it on her wrist. Chiron assured me that it was safe for demigods but then again he also told me that the gods didn't have anything against me and look how that turned out. I was a veteran of two wars at 17.

"Annabeth!" By the time her name had slipped from my lips it was too late. She was already inside the food truck, sitting next to one of the Stolls while the other manned the wheel.

"Bye." I said sadly as I looked down at the gift wrapped in blue packaging. It even had a bow at the top.

I guess I'll just give it to her on Labor Day or whenever my first day off from school is.

I headed up the creaky stairs and knocked on the door. From where I stood I could smell what I guessed was cinnamon buns baking in the oven. Nothing had changed, everything seemed exactly the same as I had left it six months ago. Nothing changed, except me.

My mom opened the door and upon seeing that it was me, led me to the dinner table to have a feast in my honor. Blue food was everywhere.

Well, atleast that's what I expected. I was her favorite son after all and I had just come back from a war for crying out loud!

Instead I got this.

"PERSEUS JACKSON!" She yelled. "NINE MONTHS AND ALL I HEAR IS ONE PHONE CALL THAT YOU'RE ON A QUEST IN SOME DISTANT LAND! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I WAS! CHIRON TOLD ME YOU WERE IN GREECE! FIGHTING DIRTFACE! ANOTHER ONE! JUST GREAT! THE TITAN WAR WAS BETTER THAN THIS! AND YOUR NOSEBLEED ALMOST CAUSED THE END OF THE WORLD! IF YOU'D BEEN CAREFUL THAT OLD PIECE OF SCHIST WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN WOKEN UP! AND THEN YOU STAY AN EXTRA MONTH!"

I could tell she'd been practicing that, probably in the mirror. Maybe she even had Paul rate her and give her tips on how to seem more terrifying?

I couldn't wait any longer. I threw myself into her arms halfway between a very explicit description of Hera and where she can shove some things. I missed it, being held by my mom. One of the scariest thoughts I had on the Argo II was that I'd never see her again. We stood there for a while in the doorway, the neighbors must have thought we were crazy.

"Don't ever do that again Percy."

"I'm sorry."

She looked me in the eyes and smiled. "You should have told me you were coming, I would have made something for you. How about you go to your room and rest while I make your favorite? All right?"

"I'll help you mom." There was a lot to talk about and doing that while making blue cookies wasn't the worst way to get it all off my chest. After all, I loved blue food. While on the Argo II I even made a song. It was to the tune of Let it Go so please don't copyright me Disney.

Here goes

Blue foods everywhere on the menu tonight,

Not a trace of red, to be seen.

Cause blue food is for the occasion,

Of everyday.

Don't let them eat,

All the cookies.

Those are not yours cause I wanna eat them!

Blue cookies!

Blue cookies!

They're everywhere I see.

Blue cookies!

Blue cookies!

Annabeth would kiss me...

I don't care,

What everyone says.

Blue cookies are the best,

Red always bothered me anyway.

Wow! That was Apollo worthy. I should really become a singer. I could be like the new TayTay Swift! Or Justin Beaver! (Weird name right, who'd want to be a beaver! Oh, maybe Frank!)

I told my mom the whole story, everything that happened not leaving out any details. Well... maybe a few. After all, what happened behind closed doors on the Argo II was definitely not for my sweet mothers ears.

We had just taken the first batch out of the oven (lemme tell you, that smelled so good) when someone knocked on the door. Of course I couldn't even enjoy a single meal without interruptions. I didn't even want to think who it could have been, if the gods were playing another prank on me... My mom started to get up but I put up my hand. I should answer it, just in case it really was the gods playing tricks on me and sending some Gorgon's or other creepy monsters. Gorgon's would have been preferred to what I got.

Outside stood the weirdest people I've ever met, and that's saying something! A bushy man resembling Gandalf stood in the doorway. Maybe they were twins? Behind him stood three kids. One had red hair and freckles littering his face, the other, a girl, had big bushy brown hair and wide brown eyes that seemed to be observing my every move. The third, well all I can say is he looked like a mix between me and Nico, except with glasses. Mini Pernico. I think I saw a tag like that on Tumblr but I never ventured further.

Gandalf was the first to speak, "Does Perseus Jackson live here?" Uh oh. This was obviously the gods doing, it had Zeus' fingerprints all over it!

"No this is Perry Johnson."

"Really? Because that's not what I was told-"

Immediately I reached for Riptide but didn't uncap it yet. "Who sent you?" I asked. "I know you're here to kill me, blah blah blah so get on with it, but please, before you depart for Tartarus, tell me what other great and powerful entity I have to deal with." I couldn't seem to catch a break.

The three kids immediately whipped out sticks (wow, I'm so scared!) but Gandalf's look alike waved them away.

"We're not here to fight, we just want to talk." He said. Something about his voice was calming but I wasn't ready to take any chances. Old grandpa or not, if I found out he was part of another plot to inconvenience me orchestrated by the gods themselves, it would be on sight for ol' Gandalf here.

"Why should I believe that you're not another one sent to kill me?" I sighed, raising an eyebrow.

"Why would we want to kill you?" Asked the brunette. The confusion on her face was genuine.No monster could be such a great actress. Unless they took theatre. In that case I retract my earlier statement.

"Come on in, take a seat."

I decided to play nice after accusing them of trying to murder me. Atleast I didn't uncap Riptide you know. They probably took me for a lunatic, but better a lunatic than a lunatic with a sword. That stuff could get you arrested.

"Mom! We have guests!" I yelled into the kitchen before taking a seat and offering them cookies.

Gandalf happily took one, but the three younger children didn't want any. So you're really gonna refuse my baking? I see the type of person you are.

"They're not poisonous, see." I said stuffing one in my mouth. I said it as a joke but I came to realize that they might have actually thought I was trying to poison them. That was a good start. Anyway, cautiously they took one and started nibbling at it, eyes widening in surprise.

"This is actually really good." Said the red head.

I smirked. If I had taken the deal that the gods had offered me at the end of the Battle of Manhattan I would have for sure become the god of baking. I would use my godly powers to strike down anyone who didn't preheat their oven before putting stuff in it.

My mom finally came into the living room. For a moment I had thought she took the fire escape and left me to fend for myself. She wiped the floor off her hands on her apron before reaching her hand out to Gandalf, "Good evening, I'm Sally Blofis. And you are?"

"Good evening Sally, my name is Albus Dumbledore and these are my students, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. The Harry kid looked at me as if I should know him but when I didn't show any recognition, he looked relieved. Maybe he was a serial killer?

"We're here to talk about Percy's grandfather." He continued.

I choked on my cookie. Not a good way to die considering what I've been through. "What do you mean?" I asked warily. "It's been two years since he's finally been killed."

Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at me with big eyes and then I noticed that I said something wrong. "Wait, you didn't mean my fathers side did you?" Old grandpa shook his head.

Oops. Tough luck.

"What do you mean finally been killed? Why are you happy about it and who killed him?" Asked Ron. Detective much? Sherlock would have deducted all of this by now.

I looked at my mother and she gave me the you-do-what's-best-for-you mixed with the your-fault-kid look. Deep down I knew that I was loved but sometimes her facial expressions made me doubt it.

"To answer your question, the police killed him because he killed lots of innocent lives and planned to take over the world." I said, ignoring the gasping coming from the three musketeers. Maybe less 'taking over the world' would have worked on their small mortal minds but it didn't matter. The mist would cover up their confusion any second now anyway.

But what I said was a little true, ish. I didn't lie about the killing innocent lives and planning to take over the world part. But the police, they didn't even know about the whole fiasco in New York.

"To get to the point, we're here to talk about your mothers side." Said Gandalf.

"What about Jim?" Asked my mom, confused. Jim died in a plane crash a while back.

"Jim isn't your real father, just bear with me." Answered Santa. "I know this may sound like a fib but we are wizards from the wizarding world." The three little pigs looked at me, probably expecting a reaction like OMG wizards! No way! Stop lying!

Instead they got, "Can my family get any weirder?"

They looked at me strangely but then Gandalf continued, "In our world, just like in your world, there are good and bad wizards. Your father Sally, was a dark wizard. His name was Voldemort. (I laughed at this, receiving a glare from my mom) He killed lots of people until Harry here stopped him 14 years ago. He met up with another witch," he said pointing at my mother, "That was before he turned evil. Your grandmother escaped to America, where she married Jim Jackson and your mother was born as a squib, a child born to a wizarding family with no magical capabilities. Then you were born and we've seen extreme potential in you."

"So what you're trying to tell me is that I'm a wizard." I said and Gandalf nodded. I just sighed and turned to my mother, "Just when I thought my life was already too messed up." She laughed and the Harry kid glared at me, what was his problem? He must be going through it. I could sympathize with that. Truly. I gave the bitchest stares when I was going through a rough time too, just ask my boy Jason.

"You're taking it surprisingly well." Said the ginger, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Like I said, my family is already messed up."

Santa cleared his throat, "So, we're here to take Percy to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. He needs to be kept safe now that Voldemort might try to get him."

I couldn't help laughing. They wanted me to go to school. And one called Pigswart! Not to mention they wanted to keep me safe! This was hilarious.

"Fine." I said, pulling myself together, "I'll attend this PigFarts under one condition."

"What is it?" Santa asked.

"You cast some kind of protective barrier around my mother and step-father. I don't want them to get hurt."

Gandalf's face immediately light up with happiness. "Perseus Jackson, you really are a wonderful person. Your camp director told me a lot of wonderful things about you."

"Just Percy please." I said. "So, I'll go pack my stuff."

To say I was shocked was an understatement. The wizard thing seemed normal but the fact that this guy, Albus, knew Chiron came as a total surprise. Chiron wasn't the kinda guy to horse paddle all the way across the Atlantic Ocean only to befriend a hippie.

I locked my door, took out a drachma and formed a rainbow. Well I didn't literally form the rainbow, more like made the water form the rainbow but that's beyond the point.

"Oh Iris goddess of rainbows, accept my offering." I said throwing the drachma at the wonderland of skittles, after a moment I said, "Chiron Camp-Half Blood."

A shimmering image of the centaur appeared. He was having a conversation with a satyr but when he saw me he dismissed him. Poor guy, I didn't want to seem more important than him.

"Ah Percy, already calling after an hour."

"Well, seems like I got myself in some trouble. Well, to be exact I didn't get myself in trouble, more like trouble found me." I sighed. Why does this always happen?

"Tell me about it." Said Chiron, taking a seat in his wheelchair. So, I told him about the wizards.

"Percy, I'm sure Dumbledore will explain more throughly but your mission is to protect Harry. I know that you just got from war but this is a piece of cake compared to Gaea and Kronos. I want you to watch over Harry. But remember, the most important thing is that you let Harry fight the final battle. He's destined to die in the end for Voldemort to vanish. There's a twist though, and you'll have to find out about that yourself." You shoulda said spoiler alert or something.

He swiped through the connection leaving me dumbfounded. Sometimes I hated immortals. Correction, most of the time. They always dumped a bunch of information on you and then left you alone to pick up the pieces. You're immortal, it wouldn't be wasting much of your precious time if you just explained stuff to me.

I threw in another coin, "Oh Fleecy show me a solid. Annabeth Chase."

And here she was, beautiful as ever. She was sitting on her bed reading a book about norse mythology. How would I know that if I'm dyslexic you ask. It was in Greek. Now that I think about it; it kinda funny. A Norse book, in Greek. No one. Just me? Okay.

"Oh, hey SeaweedBrain. I was about to call, I need to tell you something."

Immediately my heart stopped. Was something wrong? Annabeth looked sad? Should I tell Dumbledore I'm not going and check on Annabeth instead?

"Fire away." I told her. Even though I was in a hurry, I couldn't not listen to Annabeth. That broke every good boyfriend code Piper warned me about.

She took a breath, "So, my uncle from my dads family just called. I hate him so much. He comes telling my dad that my aunt died two years ago and my cousin Magnus has been living on the streets ever since." She clutched her fists, I could see anger in her eyes. "I'm going to Boston to find him. I just can't believe he didn't tell anyone for two years! And Magnus has been living on the streets! How could he not tell us!"

"It's okay WiseGirl. Take a breath. You'll find him, and as for your uncle he's a piece of schist. When you find Magnus, do you think I could meet him?"

She smiled, "Sure SeaweedBrain. You'll like him, he's a lot like you. What did you call for?"

And so I told her about Gandalf and the three little pigs, how they wanted me to attend their school and about what Chiron told me.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you but it sounds bad for the wizards. Sure you could probably take out Voldemort quickly but I think there's a prophecy involved."

She stopped.

"I need to go Percy, promise me you'll be alright and keep yourself out of trouble."

"I'll try but trouble always finds me." I said laughing.

I swiped through the connection and quickly packed a little bag filled with things that I don't usually take to Camp, like mortal money.

I came out into the living room where my other bags were, still packed from my time at Camp Half-Blood. Ron, Hermione and Harry were talking in hushed voices but when I came in, they stopped. Probably talking about me.

"So, how are we going to get to this PigFarts?" I asked, casually.

"Apparation." Said Rumbleroar. "It's like teleportation."

Just then, my monster radar went off. And it went crazy. I heard footsteps outside the door and turned to my mother with horror, "Gorgons!"