The Trouble That Came with the Tide

Perseus -

Does being immortal still make me alive? I mean I had watched Pan fade, but he never really died. He was gone in essence, but not dead. So to be alive, must one be able to die?

These are the thoughts going through my head as I lay in my bed at Cabin 3. I knew I didn't belong there anymore, but I was meeting today with Annabeth (professionally of course) to discuss my palace. I didn't like calling it a palace. I mean my whole life has been either the cramped apartment on the Upper East Side or the smelly dorm rooms at whatever school that hadn't kicked me out yet. Then, of course, there was the cramped and smelly floor of Cabin 6 to the lonely bunks of Cabin 3. I mean I loved them all in there own ways. My apartment I would not trade it for the world. My mom paid for it with every hard earned cent she could get. I love her and respect her so much for it. And once the 'palace' is completed I am moving her and Paul in straight away. I'm thinking nothing flashy like I imagine Apollo's palace to be. I definitely want it overlooking the Sound. Close to camp, close enough to Olympus, and close to my domain. Maybe even Montauk for old times sake. Although old times did include us being chased by the Minotaur and my mom being kidnapped by the Lord of the Dead, but that's just a typical day.

Three meek knocks interrupted my thoughts. As I walked to the door I heard muffled arguing.

"I can't do this, Mel. He's a-" the boy said. When I opened the door his eyes went wide and he froze. He couldn't have been more than 10 years old. The girl he was with was probably a few years older and I recognized her, but I don't think she had fought in the Battle of Manhattan.

"Hello," I said. My eyes flickered from the girl's unimpressed gaze to the boy's shock (fear?).

"Lord Perseus," the boy sputtered. I shot them a friendly smile, but the boy only seemed to cower even more. The girl tapped her clipboard with her pencil. Inspection.

"We are here to inspect Poseidon's Cabin," the girl said.

"Of course. C'mon in," I welcomed. I stepped aside and the girl strutted in. Her black hair was pulled back into intricate braids and flip flops looking worn down. The boy scrambled past me to the girl's side. I snapped my fingers and my room went into order. My bed made itself. My clothes put back into their drawers. My six pack of coke pushed out of view under the bed. The girl's eyes narrowed. The boy's widened in wonder.

"What are your names?" I asked. I swore I heard the girl scoff under her breath.

"I'm Milo."

"I'm Percy." I grinned at him and he gave me a blushing smile back.

"We know." The girl's voice was sharp and Milo glared at her. "What?"

"Don't be rude," Milo said. She rolled her eyes and I laughed.

"It's alright, really. I don't need the whole 'Lord Perseus' stuff. Just Percy is good. What's your name?" I asked the girl again. She glanced once over at me, before looking back down at her inspection sheet. I thought (hoped) that her gaze was slightly less judgmental now.

"Well 'Just Percy', my name is Melissa. Milo's sister," she said. Her pencil tapping the clipboard again in a rhythmic sense.

"Full or half?"

"Half. Demeter kids," Melissa told me.

"Ah she's nice. Never voted to kill me," I said jokingly, but her expression hardened.

"I wouldn't know. She's never graced me with her presence," Melissa said. Percy nodded.

"I can give her a message if you want." I had never spoken to Demeter before, but she had never wronged me. And I knew the resentment Melissa was feeling all too well.

"And why would I want to talk to her when she has never wanted to talk to me. And why would I want your help. You're one of them."

"I know- I mean I used to be in your position too. All of us at camp are. Abandonment... it hurts. The only reason I ever met my father was because I kept being forced onto quests. The Gods really have voted on killing me or not. Multiple times. Luke hosted Kronos' soul because he felt abandoned and betrayed. A few days ago was the first time I ever hugged my dad. But I've come to realize that they care more than we realized. They can only interfere with our lives to an extent. I don't know Demeter well, but I know she's watching over you," I said. Milo was hugging Melissa. She looked like she wanted to cry, but she shrugged him off. She scribbled some words down on the paper and made for the door. She stopped short and turned to me.

"Tell her I'm sorry I missed the Battle of Manhattan." I gave her a confused glance, but she was already gone. Milo shuffled around the door. His eyes darting from me to the floor.

"I'll see you around, Milo." His grin lit up and he chased after his sister, leaving me to my own devices. My thoughts were much more troubled now than when I had woken up. Those were hypothetical. Now it was a real problem.

"Annabeth," I called out. I jogged to meet her by the volleyball courts. The campers gave me a wide berth and I supposed my troubled gaze was no help. Annabeth told me that I was sort of intimidating and I wasn't inclined to believe that because... well it's me. Percy Jackson. Now Lord Perseus, God of Blah blah blah.

"Hey."

"Can I reschedule our meeting for after dinner? I'm sorry but I really need to get to Olympus. I need to talk to them about something," I said. I hoped she would understand. This was important. Vital, really.

"Yes of course, but you know that you won't be able to talk to all of them though," Annabeth informed me.

"What do you mean?"

"They only meet altogether on the Solstices, remember? Lightning Bolt deadline and all that."

"Oh."

"What did you want to talk to them about so desperately?" Annabeth asked me. I reached for her hand and led her to the edge of the forest. She stood there, her calculating eyes staring into mine. Her hand entwined in mine. Her brow scrunched. Hair pulled up.

"Something bothered me about the way the war ended," I began. "Becoming a God, well it was selfish of me in a way. I wanted to protect you and my mom and Grover and Chiron. I wanted to save you from any pain I cause you all when I disappear or get injured or die. Personal loyalty, I guess. Your mom told me that it might cause me to bring down the world."

"You can't ask them to take away your immortality. Zeus would probably kill you on the spot."

"No, no. That's not it. I realized instead of my gift being immortality, I should've asked the gods to fix their mistakes."

"What do you mean? The gods wouldn't exactly take kindly to that," Annabeth said.

"Well the war only happened because Kronos had support, right? And yeah, some of that support were monsters and minor gods, but most of it were demigods. Demigods like- like Luke who felt slighted and abandoned and forgotten. And winning the war didn't change that. The war only killed people. It didn't change anything. I need to make the Gods see that. I need to help those kids. I promised Luke I would," I rambled. I knew I sounded unhinged. Annabeth grabbed my arm.

"I agree completely, but you need to wait for the council to be in session. And you are a young god. They won't like you bursting into the Throne Room and demanding that they undo their wrongs," Annabeth told him.

"I know but I have to say something! This- this cannot go on. I can't let it happen. I can't let them die anymore, Annabeth." My voice cracked as the words were choked out. Her hands caressed the sharp lines of my jaw. My sobs echoing in the air. My forehead falling to rest on her shoulder as she pulled me close. Her nimble fingers brushing through my hair.

"They won't die, Perce, they won't."

"How do you know?"

"They have you protecting them." Her voice was so soothing. I found myself almost believing her.

"What if I'm not enough?" I knew I sounded childish. I was supposed to be the God here. I was supposed to be protecting everyone, yet I was breaking down again. Crying again.

"You always have been for me."