'thoughts'

Prophecies

Son of the Moon

Chapter Four

-Annabeth-

"We need a quest to be issued." Lord Zeus said ominously, "My Master Bolt has been stolen.".

"But how Lord Zeus?" Chiron asked shocked, "I thought it was impossible for your bolt to be stolen as it is always on you?".

"Once every hundred years or so I, and several other gods, recharge our symbols of power so that they stay in peak condition. The process takes about a week and if it interrupted then it must be started anew. It was stolen during it's rejuvenation and only now has the theft been discovered." Zeus said angry.

"I volunteer for the quest." she said striding forward, eager for the opportunity to not only get a quest but to show up that upstart Jackson.

"I would also like to volunteer Grandfather," said upstart said bowing "I will find your master bolt and I will see it returned as well as the thief punished.".

"What did you have in mind for punishment?" Ares asked curiously.

"I think trying them up and giving them to my sisters as a new toy would be amusing." Perseus said and Luke began shivering at the thought.

Laughing Zeus said "I like your style Percy. Apollo, summon the oracle. She shall choose between this demigod and my grandson who shall lead the quest.".

Nodding Apollo snapped his fingers and the mummified corpse of the Oracle appeared in a flash of light. Opening it's mouth billowing green gas came out of it and examined the two of them before it settled in front of Percy, "Approach Seeker, and ask." the gaseous form intoned making her fume 'That is supposed to be my quest!' she thought angrily.

"Where may I find my grandfather's bolt?" Perseus asked seriously as he stared at the mist.

Slowly the mist took form as it appeared as a woman in ancient Greek clothing who began circling him as it said:

You shall go west, and face the god who has turned,

You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned,

You shall find the thief hidden among thy friends,

But all for naught, the war starts in the end.

There was dead silence until it was broken by Apollo saying "Well that doesn't sound good." Which made Lady Artemis roll her eyes in exasperation before the Oracle was flashed away.

"Alright Grandson," Zeus said looking at Perseus, "whom do you wish to bring with you on this quest?".

"I want Clarisse La Rue for starters," he said as the daughter of the war god grinned "I trust her to watch my back and she would never forgive me if I didn't let her come and kill some monsters.".

"I also have to look after you half-pint." Clarisse said grinning while Perseus pouted.

"Not short," Perseus muttered before continuing in a louder voice "And my second choice is Amanda Cooper, Daughter of Hermes.".

"Haha," Hermes laughed pointing at Apollo and Hephaestus "pay up!".

"You're gambling?" Zeus asked exasperated.

"We figured that Percy would get the quest so we made bets on who's children would go with him." Hermes shrugged before pocketing the Drachma's Apollo and Hephaestus handed over.

"Why would you choose her?!" I demanded, furious that I wasn't on the quest.

Raising an eyebrow Perseus said, "The Master Bolt was stolen and my theory is that it would take a thief to catch a thief so who better than the daughter of the god of thieves.".

"But you need someone with brains on this quest." she snapped back.

Glaring at her Perseus replied, "You honestly expected to come on this quest? You've been a pain in my ass since I got here spouting off nothing but Minatour Shit as you follow Castellan around like a lost puppy. I would also recommend you not insult me or my friends again daughter of Athena, I already don't like you and you don't want to make it worse.".

"Percy is right," Artemis said nodding before shrinking down to human size and pulling on Perseus' ear, "and what have I told you about that sort of language young man?".

"OW! OW! Mom let go please!" Perseus yelled as he was lifted up by his ear while Apollo and Hermes were laughing uproariously.

"Did your Uncles teach you that language?" Artemis demanded glaring at the two laughing gods who gulped and hid behind a chuckling Ares, "Or was it Ares and his soldiers cursing?", said soldier gulped and flashed out followed quickly by Apollo and Hermes. "Get back here!" Artemis yelled before she too flashed out.

Tuning towards Percy Amanda and Clarisse said "Your mom is awesome.".

"Rest up Grandson," Zeus said smirking "you will need it for tomorrow. And thanks for not ratting me out to your mother." before he flashed out followed by the rest of the council.

Eyes wide everyone turned to Perseus who shrugged, "Lord Zeus, the king of the gods, taught you swearing?" a son of Hermes, Connor, asked in awe.

"He met with me a few days ago to ask me something, he hit his foot and started cursing up a storm. It was hilarious." Perseus said shrugging.

"Now buzz off." Clarisse said glaring at the assembled demigods, "Little bro here needs his rest.".

"I had to pick the protective ones." Perseus muttered before Clarisse picked him up and sling him over her shoulder, "Ah come on!".

-Percy-

"Are you ready to go young Percy?" the aged centaur Chiron asked as he walked up beside him.

"Of course Chiron," he smirked "I'm doing this for Gramps. Also he promised some very cool rewards for me, Clarisse, and Amanda that we get when we return.". Before Chiron could reply he heard the sound of a person running up and, turning, he saw the annoying daughter of Athena Annabeth, "What do you want now?" I ask exasperated.

"I am coming on this quest whether you like it or not so you will have to kick one of the others out." she said arrogantly while giving him a glare that he guessed she thought to be intimidating.

"No," I reply and inwardly chuckle at her look of surprise "I trust Clarisse and Amanda, I get along with Clarisse and Amanda, I respect Clarisse and Amana. I don't trust you, I don't get along with you, and I definitely don't respect you.".

Just as I finish Clarisse and Amanda walk up with their packs over their shoulders smirking at the daughter of Athena. "Hey little buddy." Amanda said clapping me on the shoulder as she walked up.

"I am not little!" I exclaim only for my two companions to laugh.

"Well good luck to you all." Chiron said smiling as he placed a hand on Annabeth's shoulder to prevent her from trying to leave.

"Thank you Chiron." I reply, nodding my head in respect.

After that the three of us climbed into the van with Argus and drove into the city where we booked a greyhound bus to take us west. After a few minutes Amanda asked "Hey Percy do you know where we're supposed to be going?".

At the questions Clarisse looked at him in interest clearly wanting to know as well so he cleared his throat and said "Well Grandpa thinks the bolt is in the Underworld.".

"What?" Clarisse asked shocked, "Why would it be there?".

"Well Hades has had to deal with a lot from his brothers," he explained "Grandpa broke the oath with Thalia and Poseidon technically broke the oath when he conceived me even if he is not my father. Hades was the one who was forced into the oath and he is the only one who didn't technically break it. Grandpa thinks that Hades has a demigod loyal to him steal the bolt but I guess we'll find out.".

"Well I guess that makes sense." Amanda admitted.

Before either of them could continue Clarisse said "Heads up guys we've got a monster alert.".

Looking up he saw an eight foot Cyclops walking onto the bus looking around until it saw the three of them. "Shit this is bad." Amanda muttered beside him.

"No duh Cooper there's a Cyclops on the bus." Clarisse grimaced as the beast slowly started moving.

"No not that. I heard it mutter that it was sent by Poseidon to capture Percy and bring him to Atlantis and force Percy to accept being his son." Amanda snapped worried.

"Hell no." he snarled and snapped his fingers manipulating the mist so that the mortals thought they saw a gun on his hip. As the mortal passengers started screaming and the driver stopped the bus he shot the Cyclops with an arrow from his bow and saw it dissolve into dust.

"What's going on?" the driver demanded looking wildly about, "Where did the guy with the gun go?".

Snapping his fingers he manipulated the mist as much as he could and said "That man was a terrorist that my team and I have been hunting down for several months and we had a tip off that we would run into him soon. He fled off into the woods after I shot him in the shoulder but we have an extraction team there to capture him," he paused and pressed his finger to his ear as if he was listening to an ear piece "and that was confirmation, he has been apprehended. You may carry on with the rest of your trip once we are off.".

The people on the bus started cheering and shaking their hands as they made their way off the bus. The second they were in the woods and out of sight he dropped to his knees and started panting. "Percy what's wrong?" Clarisse demanded catching him "And why did the people back there believe three eleven year old kids were government agents?".

"I manipulated the mist so they thought the Cyclops was a man with a gun and then again to convince them he ran off into the woods and that we looked to be in our thirties instead of eleven. It takes a lot of energy to that much manipulation though so I need to rest for a minute." he said as he caught his breath.

"That's impressive little bro." Amanda said smirking "Could come in handy later.".

"Let's keep going." he said once he felt rested enough, "There's a train station in the next town where we can get tickets going west. I have enough cash to get us to Denver.".

"Then let's go." Clarisse said pulling him to his feet.

After a few minutes of walking they stopped when they smelled burgers and other greasy foods cooking, "Hamburgers." the three said at the same time and picked up the pace until they saw a building with a cursive neon sign in front and a bunch of concrete statues.

"Do you know what the sign says?" Clarisse asked squinting, trying to read through her dyslexia.

"It says 'Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium'." I say immediately which got me strange looks from my companions. "What?" I demand at their staring.

"Aren't you dyslexic?" Amanda asked confused.

"My mom gave me her blessing when she was little which got rid of that." I said shrugging as they nodded.

"Talk later, get food now." Clarisse said and she walked up and knocked on the door to the Garden Gnome Emporium.