Disclaimer: PJO and HOO characters are not mine, they are Rick Riordan's. My characters are the descendants.
This chapter took me longer than I had planned, I'm sorry for the wait guys and I hope you enjoy it.
-T
A blanket of silence fell upon those who occupied the throne room as they looked at the Fates. The one in the middle snapped her fingers and a book appeared onto her open hand. The cover showed the back of a young boy as he looked upon the towering buildings, crashing waves surrounded him as he held a bronze sword in one of his hands that dipped in the water and a horn in the other.
The Fates opened their mouths in unison as they spoke as one, "This is the first book of many, as one book is finished we will deliver the next. Along your journey of reading these books, hopefully all of you will learn the meaning of family by learning about one another. Happy reading everyone." With a blinding light the Fates vanished, leaving the book floating in midair tauntingly.
Thalia walked over, plucking the book out of the air and looked expectantly at everyone as she put a hand on her hip sassily, "Well? Who wants to read first?"
Seeing as no one was willing to read, Piper hesitantly put a hand up, "I can read the first chapter and then we can pass it around after each chapter so all of us can have chance to read." Thalia nodded as she passed the book to Piper before walking over and sitting with Annabeth and the Jackson siblings. Seeing her mother sitting down, Catrina stood from her seat that she had shared with Bianca and sat down in front of her on the floor and leaned her head back onto Thalia's leg.
Piper waited for everyone to settle down before opening the book to the first page only to stare at it in complete shock before bursting in uncontrollable laughter. Jason looked at his girlfriend uneasily as everyone else in the room did as well. Seeing the looks she calmed down enough to read the title, slightly chuckling as she did so.
I ACCIDENTALLY VAPORIZED MY PRE-ALGEBRA TEACHER
The future demigods and descendants laughed along with Piper, now understanding. The hero's of old along with the Olympians could only look at them weirdly, not understanding what a pre-algebra teacher was and why it was funny.
Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.
The future demigods and descendants nodded while the hero's of old could not comprehend why anyone wouldn't want to be a hero and have the glory and fame of being one. The Olympians also didn't understand, being a hero, a child of the Gods was something they should be proud of.
If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is:
The future Greek demigods and the descendants who knew Percy listened intently, they could always go to him with anything and he would listen and give them good advice with just about everything. He listened and cared and helped them the best of his abilities. They could depend on him.
close this book right now. Believe what-ever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life.
Being a half-blood is dangerous.
Now all the demigods and descendants could agree on that, they all nodded as the Olympians look at their children worriedly.
It's scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.
Yes that was certainly true. The future demigods who fought in the war with Kronos looked down, remembering those lives that were lost.
If you're a normal kid, reading this because you think it's fiction, great. Read on. I envy you for being able to believe that none of this ever happened.
But if you recognize yourself in these pages-if you feel something stirring inside-stop reading immediately. You might be one of us. And once you know that, it's only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they'll come for you.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
"He didn't warn me."
"That's because he was busy saving your underworld ass Nico." Nico nodded solemnly, he remembered the events afterwards and the way he had treated Percy for a while.
"Who is this person who saved you? And what exactly was he saving you from?" Hades was worried for his future son, he may be the God of the Underworld and he just met Nico and Hazel but he cared about them. He was truly in debt to whoever saved Nico.
"I'll let the books answer both questions."
My name is Percy Jackson.
Hades nodded, he would remember that name.
Annie was shocked, so they were going to read about him, her future husband. She along with Luke listened intently.
Jason scooted forward in his seat as he and Leo listened intently. Piper had said the name breathlessly as if it were some secret. She along with Jason and Leo looked over at their new found friends. All looked down and reached out to Annabeth again as she choked out a sob.
Charles didn't really comprehend why his mother looked so young but he could see that she was in pain. Why? He didn't understand but didn't like it nonetheless. He hugged his mother and buried his face in the crook of her neck, "Ish ok mommy. I is here. I protect mommy."
Annabeth looked down at the sweet child and smiled through the tears. She'll be ok, she had a part of Percy and herself: Charles, Zoë, Luke, and Damson. And soon, her Percy would be here too. She nodded at Piper to continue as she held Charles closer.
I'm twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.
Am I a troubled kid?
"Yes!" Thalia and Nico yelled simultaneously.
"Oh my Gods Connor remember when we pranked the Ares cabin with Percy?"
Conner burst in laughter at the memory while nodding to his brother, "That was priceless!"
Clarisse also remembered that night, all that pink. She shivered at the memory and scowled, punching the Stoll's in the arm, smiling in satisfaction at the look of pain that crossed their faces.
Yeah. You could say that.
"Ha he admits it!"
I could start at any point in my short miserable life to prove it, but things really started going bad last May, when our sixth-grade class took a field trip to Manhattan- twenty-eight mental-case kids and two teachers on a yellow school bus, heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff.
I know-it sounds like torture.
Athena and Annie shook their heads appalled. This was supposed to be her daughters future husband? Annabeth shook her head but unlike Annie and her mother, she shook her head warmly.
"Him, he's going to be my husband?" Annie was mortified that someone could think such things about a museum.
Annabeth shook her head at her past self, "He may not like the same things we do but that's what we love about him. He can be so oblivious as stupid it's endearing. We love him because he stood by us when no one else did, he gets us through our hard days. We were truly in the dark until he came into our lives. So yes, he may not be the brightest knowledge wise but he is is knowledgeable about many things. We learned many things from him."
Annie stared at her older self in shock, she was so adamant in defending this Percy guy. "But what about Luke, he's here for us. I'd also like to know why you guys are so rude to him." She jutted her little chin definitely.
The future Greek demigods and Annabeth looked towards Luke who looked at them with anger and confusion, their eyes darkened as memories resurfaced, knowing that those blue eyes would turn gold. All Annabeth said was, "He won't be."
Piper looked around the room before clearing her throat awkwardly and continued the reading.
Most Yancy field trips were.
But Mr. Brunner, our Latin teacher, was leading this trip, so I had hopes.
Mr. Brunner was this middle-aged guy in a motorized wheelchair. He had thinning hair and a scruffy beard and a frayed tweed jacket, which always smelled like coffee.
The future Greek demigods looked towards Chi questionably, getting a slight nod of confirmation.
You wouldn't think he'd be cool, but he told stories and jokes and let us play games in class. He also had this awesome collection of Roman armor and weapons, so he was the only teacher whose class didn't put me to sleep.
I hoped the trip would be okay. At least, I hoped that for once I wouldn't get in trouble.
"He's always in trouble, he may not be looking for it but trouble always finds him." Those who knew Percy nodded along with Annabeth.
Boy, was I wrong.
See, bad things happen to me on field trips. Like at my fifth-grade school, when we went to the Saratoga battlefield, I had this accident with a Revolutionary War cannon. I wasn't aiming for the school bus, but of course I got expelled anyway.
Burst of joyful laughter rang throughout the throne room as the future demigods and descendants cried with mirth. The Olympians and ancient hero's couldn't understand what a war cannon was.
And before that, at my fourth-grade school, when we took a behind- the-scenes tour of the Marine World shark pool, I sort of hit the wrong lever on the catwalk and our class took an unplanned swim.
The laughter returned with a vengeance. The Stoll brothers of both the past and future simultaneously causing more laughter to erupt.
And the time before that... Well, you get the idea.
This trip, I was determined to be good.
All the way into the city, I put up with Nancy Bobofit, the freckly, redheaded kleptomaniac girl, hitting my best friend Grover in the back of the head with chunks of peanut butter-and-ketchup sandwich.
"What!" Thalia stood up angrily, Nico not to far behind as the rest of the future Greek demigods stayed seated but looked at the book with dark eyes.
Grover pulled Thalia and Nico back down and put a reassuring hand on their shoulders, "Guys calm down it's ok." He looked at each of his friends pointedly.
Grover was an easy target.
Many giggled at Grover's affronted look, "Oh gee, thanks Percy."
He was scrawny. He cried when he got frustrated. He must've been held back several grades, because he was the only sixth grader with acne and the start of a wispy beard on his chin. On top of all that, he was crippled. He had a note excusing him from PE for the rest of his life because he had some kind of muscular disease in his legs. He walked funny, like every step hurt him, but don't let that fool you. You should've seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.
Both the past and future demigods along with the descendants looked at Grover pointedly.
"What? It's enchiladas."
"Oh yes of course. It's ok for you to blow your cover for enchiladas goat boy." Thalia shook her head as she chuckled.
Octavian scowled at the Greeks, "What cover? He's just a faun, What use is he anyways."
The descendants looked at Octavian in surprise and confusion, the Octavian they knew was not like this. Aleta wouldn't have like this side of him.
The Greeks looked at him angrily as they stood up, Grover interrupted them before a war started between the the two groups, "First of all I am a satyr, not a faun. Secondly us satyr's go out into the mortal world and bring demigods to the safety of Camp."
"And thirdly, scarecrow, Grover is the Lord of Wild so don't think he isn't important." Thalia glared at Octavian with her thunderous blue eyes.
Reyna and Octavian looked at the Greeks in shock, fauns were lazy and just looked out for themselves.
Anyway, Nancy Bobofit was throwing wads of sandwich that stuck in his curly brown hair, and she knew I couldn't do anything back to her because I was already on probation. The headmaster had threatened me with death by in-school suspension if anything bad, embarrassing, or even mildly entertaining happened on this trip.
"I'm going to kill her," I mumbled.
Grover tried to calm me down. "It's okay. I like peanut butter."
"Yeah and so does Tyson but I doubt he'd like peanut butter thrown at his head!" Thalia was beyond pissed.
Nico shook his head and chuckled slightly, "Actually Tyson would be the only one who would like that."
" Who is Tyson? And what is peanut butter?" Poseidon inquired.
"Someone who really loves peanut butter." Thalia piped up helpfully.
Zoë interrupted her younger mother's, "Peanut butter is a paste of ground roasted peanuts my Lord."
He dodged another piece of Nancy's lunch.
"That's it." I started to get up, but Grover pulled me back to my seat.
"You're already on probation," he reminded me. "You know who'll get blamed if anything happens."
Looking back on it, I wish I'd decked Nancy Bobofit right then and there.
"He would hurt a maiden?! This is why men are scum." Artemis was outraged and so was Nightshade.
Thalia respected her Lady but no one talked crap about her cousin like that, "My Lady not to be disrespectful but you are wrong. Percy wouldn't hurt someone unless he had to, I personally hope he hurts this Nancy. If you haven't been listening she seems to be a bully and has bullied Grover and Percy, who doesn't care what happens to him, but Grover is his best friend and won't let that slide by. He's to loyal for his own good."
Artemis was shocked at the way her future Lieutenant defended a male of all things. Her fellow Olympians were also shocked at the way she had talked to a Goddesses. The past Greek demigods and Romans were flabbergasted themselves, how could she talk to a Goddesses like that? Annabeth shook her head at Thalia but appreciated the way she defended Percy who wasn't even here to defend himself.
Damson disliked it when people talked about his parents like that, "Are you saying that it's ok for a woman to hit a man but men can't hit women?"
"Of course." Artemis would not have anyone talk to her like that.
"I believe that woman should not be hit as it is disrespectful but in the right circumstances it might be needed. You say you stand for equality between men and women but you are quite a hypocrite," Artemis bristled as he went on, "how can there be equality when one gender can do something but the other can't? How can there be equality when you are just like other men, favoring your own gender rather than both? To see the opposite gender as, I believe you said scum, and the other as superiors. That is the same thinking as those men who says that men are a superior to woman. My father taught me that, he truly believes in equality."
A blanket of silence settled over the room. Artemis couldn't respond as her fellow Olympians pondered over Damson's words.
The demigods were quite shocked as well, they had never thought of it that way. The past male demigods minds went to Clarisse and how she was one of the best fighters at Camp but was excluded in many things because she was a girl. They suddenly felt shame.
The future demigods smiled warmly, of course that would be something Percy would say and teach to others. He was always fair and cared about everyone. Jason also pondered at the words that were spoken, his mind going to those days he sparred with Clarrise and loosing quite a handful of times.
All the woman in the room smiled brightly at Damson and quietly thanked Percy for raising and teaching his son the way he did.
In-school suspension would've been nothing compared to the mess I was about to get myself into.
Mr. Brunner led the museum tour.
He rode up front in his wheelchair, guiding us through the big echoey galleries, past marble statues and glass cases full of really old black-and-orange pottery.
It blew my mind that this stuff had survived for two thousand, three thousand years.
He gathered us around a thirteen-foot-tall stone col-umn with a big sphinx on the top, and started telling us how it was a grave marker, a stele, for a girl about our age. He told us about the carvings on the sides. I was trying to listen to what he had to say, because it was kind of interesting,
"Oh no! The Underworld is freezing over!"
but everybody around me was talking, and every time I told them to shut up, the other teacher chaperone, Mrs. Dodds, would give me the evil eye.
Mrs. Dodds was this little math teacher from Georgia who always wore a black leather jacket, even though she was fifty years old. She looked mean enough to ride a Harley right into your locker. She had come to Yancy halfway through the year, when our last math teacher had a nervous breakdown.
From her first day, Mrs. Dodds loved Nancy Bobofit and figured I was devil spawn.
Thalia laughed and sarcastically waved her hand around, "Nah, that's Nico. Get your facts straight!"
Nico tackled Thalia, causing both to fall on to the floor, fumbling to get an advantage over the other. "Take that back Pinecone Face!"
"Hey! Only Percy gets to call me that!"
The fight was unseen to many in the room and didn't know how to react. Annabeth sighed at the bickering cousins and lifted Charles off her lap before walking towards the two and stood over them with arms crossed.
Nico caught the sight of shoes in front of him and slowly looked up at the angry face of Annabeth. He elbowed in the direction of Thalia, accidentally hitting her in the face, "Ow! That was uncalled for Death Breath! What are you even looking at..." Thalia looked in the same direction and received her own death glare.
"Sit down both of you so we can finish the books. The faster that's done, the faster Percy will get here. Piper please continue." Thalia and Nico untangled themselves and had their heads down at the reminder of their missing cousin.
She would point her crooked finger at me and say, "Now, honey," real sweet, and I knew I was going to get after-school detention for a month.
One time, after she'd made me erase answers out of old math workbooks until midnight,
I told Grover I didn't think Mrs. Dodds was human. He looked at me, real seri-ous, and said, "You're absolutely right."
Annabeth looked appalled at him, "Grover!"
"Gah! I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking and it just came out!"
Mr. Brunner kept talking about Greek funeral art.
Finally, Nancy Bobofit snickered something about the naked guy on the stele, and I turned around and said, "Will you shut up?"
It came out louder than I meant it to.
"Of course Kelp Head."
The Olympians looked at one another as they raised their eyebrows at the nickname.
The whole group laughed. Mr. Brunner stopped his story.
"Mr. Jackson," he said, "did you have a comment?"
My face was totally red. I said, "No, sir."
Mr. Brunner pointed to one of the pictures on the stele. "Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?"
I looked at the carving, and felt a flush of relief, because I actually recognized it.
"That's Kronos eating his kids, right?"
The faces of the Olympian siblings who were actually eaten darkened as they remembered. The cold and the dark, the fear they felt and only having each other as warmth and company. They became so close and inseparable, what happened throughout the years?
"Yes," Mr. Brunner said, obviously not satisfied. "And he did this because ..."
"Well..." I racked my brain to remember. "Kronos was the king god, and-"
"What! How dare he!"
"Calm down husband, he seems to not know about our world."
"Well then if that's the case then he is oblivious, everyone knows about us."
Angered Thalia stood up and walked forward towards her father, lightning coming off of her in waves, "The mortals know about our world now but in the future no one does. There is a thing called the Mist that prevents them from seeing our world, only a few mortals are able to see through it. It's not Percy's fault, he doesn't know yet but he will. He will get it right."
"You defend this boy greatly future Lieutenant, is there something you are not saying?"
Thalia knew where Artemis' mind went to so she shook her head, "No, he is like a brother to me. He was the first one to ask if I was ok after I...came back. He was there for everyone at Camp."
Jason felt a sudden feeling in his chest, anger and jealousy filled him as he listened to his sister talk about Percy like that. He was her brother, not him.
"God?" Mr. Brunner asked.
"Titan," I corrected myself.
"Told you so." Thalia looked smug.
"And ... he didn't trust his kids, who were the gods. So, um, Kronos ate them, right? But his wife hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead. And later, when Zeus grew up, he tricked his dad, Kronos, into barfing up his brothers and sisters-"
"Eeew!" said one of the girls behind me.
"-and so there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans," I continued, "and the gods won."
Athena shook her head, astonished at the few words that summed up the Titan war.
Some snickers from the group.
Behind me, Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend, "Like we're going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on our job applications, 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.'"
The eaten siblings shivered again, the gapping mouth of that monster fresh in their minds.
The minds of the veterans of the War of Manhattan flashed to the scenes of war.
"And why, Mr. Jackson," Brunner said, "to paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"
"Busted," Grover muttered.
"Shut up," Nancy hissed, her face even brighter red than her hair.
At least Nancy got packed, too. Mr. Brunner was the only one who ever caught her saying anything wrong. He had radar ears.
Travis slumped over as if in agony, "Ugh! So many good pranks failed because of those ears."
Conner nodded as he rubbed his hands, looking out into space as if re-living a memory, "And so many times we had to do the dishes.." he shivered as he patted his brothers back.
Chi shook his head at the troublesome duo, "Well maybe if you didn't prank your fellow campers so much you two won't have to be on dish duty."
I thought about his question, and shrugged. "I don't know, sir."
"I see." Mr. Brunner looked disappointed. "Well, half credit, Mr. Jackson. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan's stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld. On that happy note, it's time for lunch.
Many blank stares from the Greek demigods were directed at Chi and Chiron.
Perseus noticed the looks, "Why are you looking at Chiron like that?"
Thalia looked at her ancient half brother with the same blank stare she had given Chi, "Um because Mr. Brunner is Chiron duh."
Now everyone was looking at the now blushing Chiron and Chi.
Mrs. Dodds, would you lead us back outside?"
The class drifted off, the girls holding their stomachs, the guys pushing each other around and acting like doo-fuses.
Thalia tolled her eyes, "Boys are doofuses, especially Death Breath." Artemis and Nightshade nodded along with her
"Hey!" Nico punched Thalia.
In retaliation Thalia smacked Nico upside the head, "Don't hit a lady!"
Nico suddenly had a smug look cross his face, "But your not a lady."
Angered Thalia tackled him to the floor again, knocking Catrina down along with them.
Annabeth shook her head again, "Sit down both of you!" Startled at the sudden interruption they looked up to see Annabeth's steely gray eyes. They scrambled up to their seats right away.
Grover and I were about to follow when Mr. Brunner said, "Mr. Jackson."
I knew that was coming.
I told Grover to keep going. Then I turned toward Mr. Brunner. "Sir?"
Mr. Brunner had this look that wouldn't let you go- intense brown eyes that could've been a thousand years old and had seen everything.
"You must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Brunner told me.
"About the Titans?"
"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."
"Oh."
"What you learn from me," he said, "is vitally impor-tant. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson."
I wanted to get angry, this guy pushed me so hard.
"Oh my boy, I was just trying to prepare you." Chi looked into space in sadness, memories of the pain and struggles he has and will endure.
The ancient demigods looked at Chi, surprised at the tone of fondness towards this demigod. He never showed such fondness towards anyone, he cared but he was never too attached. Chiron also looked at his future self, he seemed to have grown attached to another demigod and by the sadness in his tone...
I mean, sure, it was kind of cool on tournament days, when he dressed up in a suit of Roman armor and shouted: "What ho!'" and challenged us, sword-point against chalk, to run to the board and name every Greek and Roman per-son who had ever lived, and their mother, and what god they worshipped. But Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everybody else, despite the fact that I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder and I had never made above a C- in my life.
Athena was intrigued, "What is dyslexia and attention deficit disorder?"
Annie had only met her mother a handful of times, maybe if she impressed her enough she'll remember her later in the future, maybe have a better mother and daughter relationship. "Dyslexia is a disorder that involves difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols. Attention deficit disorder or more commonly known as ADD or ADHD is a behavioral disorder that includes symptoms of poor concentration, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Demigods have these symptoms as we are wired to read Greek, and as it seems Latin for the Romans. As for ADD or ADHD, it helps us in battle."
Athena soaked up the new information and nodded at her future daughter.
"Except me, I don't have dyslexia I am just lactose and I really like ice cream." Frank looked crestfallen.
Leo looked appalled at Frank, "Dude What! That's so sad, ice cream is like the holy grail of...anything!"
Confused again, Athena questioned what ice cream and lactose was only this time was answered by Annabeth, "Ice cream is a soft frozen food made with sweetened and flavored milk fat. Lactose is a component of milk and some other products such as ice cream. What Frank has is called lactose intolerance, the inability to digest lactose."
"Mhmm ice cream sounds amazing!" Apollo looked dreamingly into space.
"But brother, what if you are lactose intolerant?" Hermes inquired.
"Ugh I do hope I'm not."
Artemis shook at her head at the two as she muttered to herself, "Incompetent fools."
No-he didn't expect me to be as good; he expected me to be better.
"I just realized," Chiron interrupted, looking at his future self, "why are we making a house call exactly?"
"Because it is needed. Don't doubt him because of his appearance, I made that mistake the first time until I saw his potential, his loyalty."
Jason looked between the two Chiron's confused, "What's a House call?"
Grover was the one to answer him, "It's when Chiron goes outside the boarders of Camp to see a demigod himself. Only happens if it's a potentially extremely powerful half blood."
After the explanation, the Olympians looked at each other. Zeus became paranoid, what if this demigod wanted to take over Olympus?
And I just couldn't learn all those names and facts, much less spell them correctly.
"Ugh we feel you bro." The Stolls being dramatic feigning death, slumping down on their seats.
Xander and Carman patted their respective fathers as Crysanthe knelt in front of Travis and hugged him. "Ish ok daddy." Katie and Gardner couldn't help but awe at the cute sight, their hearts warming at the cute blush that surrounded Travis' cheeks as he awkwardly hugged his future 5 year old daughter.
I mumbled something about trying harder, while Mr. Brunner took one long sad look at the stele, like he'd been at this girl's funeral.
He told me to go outside and eat my lunch.
The class gathered on the front steps of the museum, where we could watch the foot traffic along Fifth Avenue.
Overhead, a huge storm was brewing, with clouds blacker than I'd ever seen over the city.
Many of the Olympians looked at Zeus who avoided their gaze, choosing to look at Skylar as she played with his beard.
I figured maybe it was global warming or something, because the weather all across New York state had been weird since Christmas. We'd had massive snow storms, flooding, wildfires from lightning strikes. I wouldn't have been surprised if this was a hurri-cane blowing in.
More looks were thrown towards the King of the Gods by everyone in the room now.
Nobody else seemed to notice. Some of the guys were pelting pigeons with Lunchables crackers. Nancy Bobofit was trying to pickpocket something from a lady's purse, and, of course, Mrs. Dodds wasn't seeing a thing.
Grover and I sat on the edge of the fountain, away from the others. We thought that maybe if we did that, everybody wouldn't know we were from that school-the school for loser freaks who couldn't make it elsewhere.
"Detention?" Grover asked.
"Nah," I said. "Not from Brunner. I just wish he'd lay off me sometimes. I mean-I'm not a genius."
Grover didn't say anything for a while. Then, when I thought he was going to give me some deep philosophical comment to make me feel better, he said, "Can I have your apple?"
Dumbfounded looks were shot at Grover and Underwood.
I didn't have much of an appetite, so I let him take it.
Thalia and Nico gave each other unbelieving looks, "He doesn't have an appetite? That's unheard of!" The exclamation had gotten nods of agreement from those who knew about Percy and his bottomless pit of a stomach.
I watched the stream of cabs going down Fifth Avenue, and thought about my mom's apartment, only a little ways uptown from where we sat. I hadn't seen her since Christmas. I wanted so bad to jump in a taxi and head home. She'd hug me and be glad to see me, but she'd be disappointed, too. She'd send me right back to Yancy, remind me that I had to try harder, even if this was my sixth school in six years and I was probably going to be kicked out again. I wouldn't be able to stand that sad look she'd give me.
Many awes from the women rang out through the throne room. Hera couldn't help but feel pride for this boy, to love his mother so much.
Hera looked at Hephaestus and Ares, "Why can't you be like that?"
"Because you threw me off a mountain!"
"Because you're cold. At least Percy's mother is loving."
Hera looked at them angered and shocked but then looked away saddened.
Mr. Brunner parked his wheelchair at the base of the handicapped ramp. He ate celery while he read a paperback novel. A red umbrella stuck up from the back of his chair, making it look like a motorized cafe table.
Leo stopped fidgeting with the contraption in his hands, "Oh I wanna build that!"
"We can build that together later if you'd like."
Leo looked over at Beckendorf in surprise but a grin stretched over his his face, "I'd really like that."
Hephaestus looked at his two boys and awkwardly intersected their conversation, "I'd like to participate with you boys, if you're ok with it." Leo and Beckendorf looked at each other, matching grins stretched across their faces as they nodded at him.
I was about to unwrap my sandwich when Nancy Bobofit appeared in front of me with her ugly friends-I guess she'd gotten tired of stealing from the tourists-and dumped her half-eaten lunch in Grover's lap.
The past and future demigods along with the descendants stood up angrily. Lightning shot from Thalia as she glared dangerously at the book in Piper's hands, "What! How dare that pig headed, slim eating mongrel. That little munge bucket of a snail better watch herself because I'm hunting her down!"
The lightning was dangerously close to those who sat ne'er her, Nico was actually shocked multiple times. Having enough he punched her in the arms, "Stop it! I'll help hunting her down but just stop!"
Thalia eventually looked at those around her and saw them covering their heads, "Oops sorry. Um go on Piper." Piper got up from her crouched position behind Jason who had shielded her. Reyna had seen the protective glint in Jason's eyes and couldn't help but feel angered.
"Oops." She grinned at me with her crooked teeth. Her freckles were orange, as if somebody had spray- painted her face with liquid Cheetos.
"Liquid Cheetos...he sure has some interesting comparisons."
Thalia patted Jason's back and nodded, "He sure does little bro, just wait till you meet him."
I tried to stay cool. The school counselor had told me a million times, "Count to ten, get control of your temper." But I was so mad my mind went blank. A wave roared in my ears.
The Olympians looked at one another and gave Poseidon an analyzing look. Athena on the other hand looked at Annabeth.
I don't remember touching her, but the next thing I knew, Nancy was sitting on her butt in the fountain, screaming, "Percy pushed me!"
Mrs. Dodds materialized next to us.
Some of the kids were whispering: "Did you see-"
"-the water-"
"-like it grabbed her-"
Athena was filled with rage, she stood from her throne as she launched herself towards Poseidon, arms outstretched and hands aimed for his throat, "Keep your son away from my daughter you sea scum!"
Apollo, Hermes, and Hephaestus went to restrain her as Ares laughed, joyful that there was finally some action. Theseus looked at his father and then back to the book and then to his future niece and nephews In happiness. Orion on the other hand was indifferent as his eyes had glazed over as if someone was talking to him. Annie looked if into space, gaping in shock and repulse while her fellow past demigods looked at her.
Annabeth couldn't let her mother do this, her relationship with her mother was strained as it is with the curse she had given her but this...she won't allow it. "Mother calm down. Yes Percy is a son of Poseidon and yes we are together, I love him and he loves me so if you have a problem with that then keep it to yourself because he makes me happy." Many looked at her as if she was crazy, how could she talk to a Goddesses like that? Did she have a death wish?
"But why daughter? You are smart and beautiful, you could be with someone better for you, someone who isn't a sea scum."
Now angered Annabeth stood up, clutching the photograph close to her heart as tears streaked down her cheeks silently, "How dare you! You are my mother, you are supposed to want me to be happy, and guess what? He does! You shouldn't let your rivalry with Poseidon get between our happiness, that is between you two, do not pull us into your stupid arguments. You call yourself my mother but you were never there for me, so many people have abandoned me, and you know what? Percy has always stayed by my side, always. Every time he looks at me I know I'll be safe, as long as we're together. When we're not together it gets harder to breath because he is the air I breathe, he makes me want to live. He understands me more than anyone, more than I understand myself. He could always pull me back from the darkness and make me laugh, he never gave up on me when so many have. He doesn't understand when I talk to him about architecture but he makes a point to listen to me and I love him for it. He's mine and I'm his." By the end she was reduced to heart wrenching sobs as she lost her energy to stand and fell to her knees. Her future children knelt around her and hugged her.
Annabeths outburst had shocked the Olympians along with the ancient demigods, past demigods, the Romans, and the trio. Thalia, Nico and Grover joined in the Jackson hug as the rest of the future demigods surrounded them.
Castellan stood up and walked over, intending to hug and comfort Annabeth only to run straight into Travis, Conner and Chris, "Get back to your seat Castellan, she doesn't need you." The sneer that was directed at him chilled him to the bone, that sneer didn't look right on the usual happy go lucky face of his little brother Travis.
"Of course she needs me, she's crying her eyes out right now Travis. I don't know what the Hades happened in the future for you guys to have such a reaction to me but I don't give two shits, let me through." He tried pushing through only to be grabbed by Chris, his arm was twisted into his back and was pushed to the floor. Annie rushed forward and helped him to his feet as she glared at the three Hermes son's. T.S,C.S, and Rodriguez looked at their future selves in shock and anger at the treatment they showed Castellan
"Go back to your seat yourself or do you want me to help you?"
"What is wrong with you three? What is wrong with all of you?! Why are you treating him as if he's the worst person on earth?"
"Because he's a bad person. We suggest you chop down that high pedestal you put him on because you won't see his true intentions from that far away." Chris then then turned towards Castellan again, "We know and you're going to fail, now get back to your seat Castellan or I'll make you." Castellan looked up at him shocked but walked back to his seat as he looked at the crying Annabeth who hadn't witnessed the argument, her mind else where still clutching the photograph that no one but the future demigods had caught a glimpse of.
Athena snapped out of her shock as she slowly walked over to Annabeth as if she would be easily frightened and run away. She crouched in front of her and hugged her, "Oh my child, I'm sorry. I truly am. Please forgive me for those unthoughtful words. You are right child, I won't let my rivalry between Poseidon and I interfere with you and that sea sc...I mean Percy. Where is he anyways, I'd like to meet him."
"Yes, where is my future son?" Annabeth chocked our a sob as she drew into herself more.
Thalia seeing Annabeth unable to reply stepped forward, her own tears streaked her face silently, "He's gone. He has been missing for some time now."
"What do you mean he's missing! Where is my son!"
Thalia looked at Hera with a murderous glare, "He was taken from us."
Poseidon looked to who she glared at, his eyes met the sight of the Queen of the Olympus, "You! What did you do?!"
"This is about the future Poseidon, I do not know. I'm sure the books will tell us so do not me irrational."
"If he is hurt because of you dear sister..." Before any more arguments happened, Piper rushed to find the last place she read to read on, Annebeth already helped to get back to her seat.
I didn't know what they were talking about. All I knew was that I was in trouble again.
As soon as Mrs. Dodds was sure poor little Nancy was okay, promising to get her a new shirt at the museum gift shop, etc., etc., Mrs. Dodds turned on me. There was a tri-umphant fire in her eyes, as if I'd done something she'd been waiting for all semester. "Now, honey-"
"I know," I grumbled. "A month erasing workbooks."
Travis and Connor groaned, "Ugh Percy! I thought we taught you better than that!"
That wasn't the right thing to say.
"The Hades it was."
Nico punched Connor, "Stop using my fathers name!"
"Come with me," Mrs. Dodds said.
"Wait!" Grover yelped. "It was me. I pushed her."
I stared at him, stunned. I couldn't believe he was trying to cover for me.
Grover looked down, "I tried, I really did."
Nico patted him on the back, "You did what you could, it's ok."
Mrs. Dodds scared Grover to death.
She glared at him so hard his whiskery chin trembled.
"I don't think so, Mr. Underwood," she said.
"But-"
"You-will-stay-here."
Grover looked at me desperately.
"It's okay, man," I told him. "Thanks for trying."
"Honey," Mrs. Dodds barked at me. "Now."
Nancy Bobofit smirked.
I gave her my deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare.
Those who were in the war in Manhattan shivered, which was noticed by everyone.
"Ha I doubt it is as scary as mine." Ares boasted.
Hades shook his head, "No mine is scarier."
Nico shook his head at them both, "No, it is much worse. If like looks could kill..."
Will intercepted, "Actually it did. While the Apollo cabin were in their positions on the bridge and Annabeth had gotten hurt, he was so angry. Some of the monsters had gotten so scared that they either jumped off the bridge or killed themselves."
Athena was intrigued, "Why would the Apollo cabin need to be in a position where there are seems to be multiple monsters? How did my daughter get hurt?"
Will blushed as he was put into the spotlight as the Olympians along with the ancient demigods, past demigods and the Romans looked at him, "Um I'll let the books answer those questions for you Lady Athena, it will come up later on."
Then I turned to face Mrs. Dodds, but she wasn't there. She was standing at the museum entrance, way at the top of the steps, gesturing impatiently at me to come on.
How'd she get there so fast?
Poseidon leaned forward in worry as did most of the occupants in the room, all already knowing that she was a monster. Grover and Chi were the only ones who actually knew Percy's first monster he in countered.
I have moments like that a lot, when my brain falls asleep or something, and the next thing I know I've missed something, as if a puzzle piece fell out of the universe and left me staring at the blank place behind it. The school counselor told me this was part of the ADHD, my brain misinterpreting things.
I wasn't so sure.
I went after Mrs. Dodds.
"No son! Don't go!"
Halfway up the steps, I glanced back at Grover. He was looking pale, cutting his eyes between me and Mr. Brunner, like he wanted Mr. Brunner to notice what was going on, but Mr. Brunner was absorbed in his novel.
Everyone looked at Chi, including his past self. "Yes I admit, I should have payed more attention."
I looked back up. Mrs. Dodds had disappeared again. She was now inside the building, at the end of the entrance hall.
Okay, I thought. She's going to make me buy a new shirt for Nancy at the gift shop.
"I doubt it bro."
But apparently that wasn't the plan.
I followed her deeper into the museum. When I finally caught up to her, we were back in the Greek and Roman section.
Except for us, the gallery was empty.
Mrs. Dodds stood with her arms crossed in front of a big marble frieze of the Greek gods. She was making this weird noise in her throat, like growling.
Poseidon gripped his throne so hard it started to tremble, cracks appeared as it was gripped harder.
Even without the noise, I would've been nervous. It's weird being alone with a teacher, especially Mrs. Dodds. Something about the way she looked at the frieze, as if she wanted to pulverize it...
"You've been giving us problems, honey," she said.
I did the safe thing.
"Pfft that's a first."
That statement caused Poseidon's fear to grow. He didn't understand why he was acting like this, he cared for his demigod children but he tried to not get too attached because it would hurt to much when they would eventually die. So why is he acting like this? Why was he so scared for his future child? Maybe it was because of those grandchildren of his who sat a few feet away from him, it seemed to make it all so real.
Charles seeing his grandfather look so worried, he waddled over and climbed up on to his lap using his robes as to pull himself up, "Ish ok gwampa, daddy ish tough." Charles had grabbed Poseidon's face with his chubby hands and looked at him so seriously that he couldn't help but smile at him.
"Yes my child, of course." Poseidon wrapped Charles in a warm hug as he settled down in his lap.
I said, "Yes, ma'am."
She tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket. "Did you really think you would get away with it?"
The look in her eyes was beyond mad. It was evil.
She's a teacher, I thought nervously. It's not like she's going to hurt me.
Nico shook his head, "He was so naive."
Thalia gave him an incredulous look, "Excuse you but don't you remember when we found you?"
Nico blushed and covered Thalia's mouth before she sprouted anything else only to yank his hand away, "You licked me!"
"Then don't cover my mouth!"
I said, "I'll-I'll try harder, ma'am."
Thunder shook the building.
"We are not fools, Percy Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain."
I didn't know what she was talking about.
All I could think of was that the teachers must've found the illegal stash of candy I'd been selling out of my dorm room.
Both sets of the Stoll brothers along with Chris and Leo laughed, falling to the floor.
Or maybe they'd realized I got my essay on Tom Sawyer from the Internet without ever reading the book and now they were going to take away my grade. Or worse, they were going to make me read the book.
The laughter now spread throughout the room as Athena only shook her head but kept her mouth shut as she saw Annabeth shake her head with fondness, quietly chuckling along with everyone.
"Well?" she demanded.
"Ma'am, I don't..."
"Your time is up," she hissed.
Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow like barbecue coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings. She wasn't human. She was a shriveled hag with bat wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs, and she was about to slice me to ribbons.
Poseidon picked Charles up and sat him on Zeus's lap before launching himself at Hades, tackling him to the floor. "You dare send a fury after my son?!"
Apollo, Hermes, and Hephaestus tried to pull him off of Hades with no avail. Hestia stepped forward and put a hand on Poseidon's shoulder, "Brother calm down, he seems to have made it alive. If he hadn't then I doubt he could have children. Now please stop chocking Hades."
Poseidon released him with an angry growl and nodded at Hestia. He picked Charles back up and settled down on his throne with him.
The Romans watched how protective Poseidon had been over Percy and as awed and jealous. The past demigods had the same feelings as the Romans, they believed that the Gods didn't care about their children but maybe Poseidon was the only exception...
Theseus has been watching his father react uncharacteristically, the way he seemed to show great protectiveness towards Percy who he had not met. He was quite jealous but didn't let it get to him, maybe his father cared about him too.
Thalia shook her head and looked at Grover, "Wait I thought the Minotaur was his first monster."
"No, the Minotaur is his second monster."
Jason was astonished and a little bit intimidated, this was the guy he was to replace? The guy who faced a Fury as his first monster at the age of twelve. Him."
Then things got even stranger.
Mr. Brunner, who'd been out in front of the museum a minute before, wheeled his chair into the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen in his hand.
"What ho, Percy!" he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air.
"What is a pen? Is it a weapon? It had better be destructive, this book is boring."
Aphrodite shook her head at her lover, why was she with him again? Nevertheless she took of he sandals and threw them at him, hitting him right in between his brows. "Not everything is about war Ares."
Piper and Beuregaurd had never seen this side of their mother, they loved it. They giggled at the indifferent look she gave Ares as he looked at her with a mix of shock and anger.
Mrs. Dodds lunged at me.
With a yelp, I dodged and felt talons slash the air next to my ear. I snatched the ballpoint pen out of the air, but when it hit my hand, it wasn't a pen anymore. It was a sword-Mr. Brunner's bronze sword, which he always used on tournament day.
Mrs. Dodds spun toward me with a murderous look in her eyes.
My knees were jelly. My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped the sword.
"Wimp."
Aphrodite reaches down for he sandals again only to realize she had used them the first time. Hephaestus lightly tapped her shoulders and shyly gave her a hammer. Aphrodite's eyes lit up as she looked at the hammer and back to her husband, enthusiastically taking it from him and threw it at an unsuspecting Ares. Aphrodite then turned back to her husband and kissed his cheeks, "Thank you dear."
She snarled, "Die, honey!"
And she flew straight at me.
Absolute terror ran through my body. I did the only thing that came naturally: I swung the sword.
"Naturally?" Those who didn't know Percy looked at the book incredulously and gave a questioning look to the future Greek demigods.
"Percy is the best swordsman in millenniums. Trust us, you do not want to get into a fight with him, you'll lose." Grover explained.
"Ha I doubt he could best me, in the God of War." Grover and Annabeth looked at each other before looking back at him, simultaneously laughing.
"What's so funny huh?"
Clarisse slightly blushed embarrassingly knowing what it was about, "Dad cool it, let's just continue on with the reading." La Rue looked at her older self in shock, how could she talk to their father like that? They were terrified of him.
Piper hastily continued with the reading before Ares could say anything.
The metal blade hit her shoulder and passed clean through her body as if she were made of water. Hisss!
Mrs. Dodds was a sand castle in a power fan. She exploded into yellow powder, vaporized on the spot, leaving nothing but the smell of sulfur and a dying screech and a chill of evil in the air, as if those two glowing red eyes were still watching me.
The shock caused many to become deathly quiet, suffocating the room.
"How can that be? My Fury's are powerful, the boy has no training and has no idea about our world, to kill a Fury in one swing is unheard of."
"Trust me dad, the Fury's aren't the worst he's faced." Nico's statement caused Poseidon to hug Charles with one arm as he gripped his throne with his other hand.
Jason was definitely intimidated, way more than just a little bit. The guy defeated a Fury with one swing which was apparently natural for him to even with no training.
I was alone.
There was a ballpoint pen in my hand.
Mr. Brunner wasn't there. Nobody was there but me.
My hands were still trembling. My lunch must've been contaminated with magic mushrooms or some-thing.
Had I imagined the whole thing?
Thalia shook her head, "No cousin."
I went back outside.
It had started to rain.
Grover was sitting by the fountain, a museum map tented over his head. Nancy Bobofit was still standing there, soaked from her swim in the fountain, grumbling to her ugly friends. When she saw me, she said, "I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt."
The Olympians and ancient demigods questioned the future, not understanding what was going on. Seeing as Carmen was a descendant of Hecate, she was the one to explain, "Before we had mentioned the Mist, when things happen in our world the Mist does its job to make sure the mortals don't know anything about our world. The Mist is powerful and can affect demigods and Gods alike, it only happens when it is intended for us."
The Olympians and ancient demigods nodded their understanding as Piper continued.
I said, "Who?"
"Our teacher. Duh!"
I blinked. We had no teacher named Mrs. Kerr. I asked Nancy what she was talking about.
She just rolled her eyes and turned away.
I asked Grover where Mrs. Dodds was.
He said, "Who?"
But he paused first, and he wouldn't look at me, so I thought he was messing with me.
Thalia looked incredulous, "Grover!"
"Gah I'm sorry! Don't hit me!"
"Not funny, man," I told him. "This is serious."
Thunder boomed overhead.
I saw Mr. Brunner sitting under his red umbrella, read-ing his book, as if he'd never moved.
I went over to him.
He looked up, a little distracted. "Ah, that would be my pen. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mr. Jackson."
I handed Mr. Brunner his pen. I hadn't even realized I was still holding it.
"Sir," I said, "where's Mrs. Dodds?"
He stared at me blankly. "Who?"
"The other chaperone. Mrs. Dodds. The pre-algebra teacher."
He frowned and sat forward, looking mildly concerned. "Percy, there is no Mrs. Dodds on this trip. As far as I know, there has never been a Mrs. Dodds at Yancy Academy. Are you feeling all right?"
Piper closed the book, "Well who shall read next?"