Prologue 2: The Fleece's Magic Works Too Well[1]

(Andi)

Gosh golly gee, I was lonely.[2] Grover and I were sitting outside by a small pool of water.[3] He was swearing his loyalty to me, but I was barely paying attention as I looked into my reflection.

I had long shiny honey colored hair with a slight curl at the bottom. My long lashes and perfect eyebrows were a slightly darker color. They framed my azure colored eyes which were sky blue. I also had full red lips, a cute freckled nose and a curvy body with big breasts that looked great in my orange camp shirt and cutoff jeans.

I smiled sadly at myself.

I knew Grover meant well with his praise and I was glad that I had been able to save him, the camp and the golden fleece, but I hadn't been able to save Luke.[4] And that was what mattered. Grover just didn't understand how hard it was to be me.

Instead he said, praisingly, "Ever since we started our empathy link, I feel so different. Like I'm part of a bigger whole. This is what I was searching for. I was a fool to obsess over Pan when I had already met you. You're perfection Andi."[5]

"That's real swell, Grover," I said, distractedly.

Grover was still complimenting me an hour later when I left to go to talk to Chiron. Chiron told me that he was ready to begin my advanced mist manipulation lessons but even that didn't cheer me up.

I went back to my cabin to stare up at the huge statue of Zeus, Lord of the Skies and King of the Gods that was inside of it.

"Oh Daddy, what should I do?"

The statue immediately shone with a bright gold light and became Daddy, Zeus, Lord of the Skies and King of the Gods.[6] Daddy hugged me and asked, concernedly, "What's wrong honey?"[7]

As if he didn't know. Gods could be so absentminded. "Luke is gone," I said, remindingly.[8]

"Oh…him," Zeus pulled away and looked deeply into my azure orbs. "I never liked that boy."

"You don't like any boys," I said, pointedly.

"They're all horny monsters, I should know," Zeus said fiercely. "Anyway, you're too young to be dating. You should enjoy camp. Make some female friends."

I sighed. Most girls didn't like me. I had no idea why. The one time I had thought that I had made a female friend, Annabeth, it hadn't turned out well at all.[9]

Daddy tried again. "Or maybe, you should spend some more time with me. Plenty to do in Olympus."

I shook my head. I couldn't leave camp, especially with Luke still missing. It wouldn't be right. "Maybe later, Daddy, after the prophecy," I said, sadly.

Zeus frowned sadly. "Well alright, if you say so. But you'll let me know if you change your mind."

"Of course," I said, bravely.

Daddy smiled happily. "That's my girl. Now I know you think you miss Luke, but honestly, honey, there are plenty more interesting people to hang out with. The guy was kind of a downer."

I nodded and pretended to listen as Daddy complained about Luke's "flaws" and why he thought I shouldn't involve myself with that "tainted" mortal. Daddy claimed he had grander plans for me and what not. And that someday when he was ready, I might get a boyfriend.

Meanwhile I remembered how great Luke was. His golden skin, blonde hair, and that winning smile, it was almost too much for a girl to take. Though he hadn't smiled much after Annabeth left. I had dragged him on that quest to retrieve Grover partially to help him get over her. And now he was just gone and it was all my fault. Nico promised that he wasn't dead, but I wanted more.[10] I wanted Luke safe and sound and with me.

"Andi," Daddy said, sharply and I looked up sharply.

He was frowning, disapprovingly.

"Sorry Daddy," I said, contritely.

"I can see that the boy's disappearance still bothers you," he said, gently, "He's really not worth it, but if it'll make you feel better, I'll ask Hermes to do another search."

I nodded and dutifully thanked him. They had search before. But maybe this time they'd find something? It worried me that not even the gods could find Luke.

Daddy distracted me from my thoughts by leaning in and giving me another hug. "Anything for my favorite daughter," he whispered into my ear, "Stay strong."

Then he released me and I was staring at a stone statue again.

I sighed. Not even the king of the gods could bring back my best friend. Gods, I missed Luke.

The rest of the day, I felt the same loneliness until it was finally time for bed, but even though I was dead tired, I didn't sleep well. I had the dream again.[11] The one where all around me angry voices shouted and shrieked like harpies.

How could you get rid of Luke!

Nico is not hot until after he goes to the underworld. Also, he's gay?

Why wasn't Annabeth in this one?

I am so disappointed the last one held so much promise.

Andi's a total Mary Sue…Mary Sue... Mary…[12]

Later that night, I awoke to the sound of someone banging on my door. "Coming," I said, sleepily as I got out of bed.

The person didn't wait. The door flew open and Grover was standing there.

"Yes?" I asked, trying to stay civil even though it was like 5 in the morning.

"Andi!" he stammered. "Nico…on the hill…he…"

The look in his eyes told me something was very wrong. Nico had been on guard duty last night to protect the Fleece. If something had happened… no, not again, I couldn't bear it.

"Come on," I said, urgently as I ran past him and out the door. Grover followed me as we headed to the front of the camp. I listened as he wheezed out, "he's lying there…just lying there…"

Grover wasn't making any sense.

"Is Nico alright?" I asked, intensely.

"Nico? No…he's…"

Before Grover could finish Chiron galloped up from behind us. The centaur scooped me up. Suddenly, I was riding him and we were racing towards the camp entrance, leaving Grover behind with all the other campers who were just getting up. Everyone it seemed knew something was going on.

"Chiron, what-"

But Chiron was muttering to himself. "Curse the titans," Chiron muttered under his breath. "They have tricked us again, given themselves another chance to control the prophecy."

I tried again. "Chiron. What is going on?" I asked.

"The Fleece," he said, worriedly. "The Fleece did its work too well." He gestured ahead of us. We were just past Half-Blood Hill. A small crowd had started to gather by Ocean's River. I expected to see the Fleece gone, but it was still there, floating on the clear blue surface of the saltwater river and glittering in the morning light like the river's own personal sun.[13]

Chiron pushed our way to the front, shouting for people to make way. There at the riverbank was a boy. He was soaking wet and lying unconscious. Another boy in Greek armor was kneeling next to him.

I felt hope surge up in me like a balloon. Was the boy lying there Luke? Maybe Daddy had finally found him and pulled some strings. I squinted but between the fleece and the morning light, it was super bright out. I had to get a closer look.

I leapt off of the centaur. I ran toward the unconscious boy. Chiron said: "Andi, wait!"

I didn't listen. The boy in Greek armor moved aside and from his glower I knew it was Nico. The balloon of hope expanded as I looked down at the unconscious boy.

And then the balloon popped. I sank to the ground. It wasn't Luke.

I sniffled and tried not to cry. For a moment there I had been so jazzed and hopeful, but I couldn't break down again. This strange boy needed me. I put my hand on his forehead. His skin was clammy and his fingertips were tinged blue with cold.

"He needs nectar and ambrosia," I said trying to keep my voice steady. The crowd just stared at me and I frowned at them. I was keeping it together, why couldn't they?

"Now!" I said forcefully with all the power I could muster.

Instantly, several boys rushed to obey. That was better.

I lifted the boy's head into my lap and stared at him. He had messy black hair, olive skin, and classical features. Not anyone I'd call traditionally handsome and he was a bit short, but still.[14] He had lovely lips, so full. They trembled with cold like the rest of him and I wondered whether I should give him mouth to mouth. It wouldn't be so bad with those lips. I bent over to get closer to them when suddenly the boy launched up and coughed.

He nearly took my head off as I lurched to avoid him. Then he fell back on my lap with so much force that it hurt.

I winced. Never mind about the lips, I decided. I glared at the boy, and found that his eyes were open. His irises were a soft sea green.

He stared up at me in bewilderment "Who—" but then he was coughing again and I helped him sit up. As he tried to get the water out of his system, I said "My name's Andi. You're safe now."

"Bathtub…" he wheezed in response.

I patted his back. He must be delirious. "It's alright," I said, comfortingly.

"I was drowning."

"You're okay now," I said, assuredly. "Can you tell me what your name is?"

The boy stared at me with those green eyes and then it all clicked. I understood what the Golden Fleece quest had really been about. It was all done it to ensure this moment—another chance to control the prophecy.

The boy opened his mouth and we both ended up talking at the same time.

"I'm Peter Johnson," he said as I said, "The Son of Poseidon."[15]

Footnotes

[1] This chapter title should be familiar. It's the title of the epilogue chapter of PJO Sea of Monsters.

[2] We start as we mean to go on. Say hello to our Mary Sue everyone.

[3] I'm not sure where in camp they are supposed to be right now. There are no small ponds that I can think of in the canon, but I guess the authors wanted to do that iconic "Look at my reflection and describe myself scene" again. I assume they're doing this ironically this time…but…this has happened at the start of every single story in this series, so it could also just be here for consistency.

[4] For ease of understanding, just switch Luke and Annabeth's canon roles in your mind. Annabeth was the betrayer in Lightning Thief and is the older of the two. Luke was Andi's companion and love interest during Lightning Thief. He was lost during the Scylla encounter in Sea of Monsters.

[5] I realize that "praisingly" isn't a real word but I kept it in because this is just how Andi thinks.

[6] I've always imagined this was done Disney Hercules style.

[7] Yeah. Andi and Zeus have an unusually close relationship. It's been like this ever since she was claimed.

[8] Yes, I also realize that "remindedly" isn't a real word but again I kept it in because this is just how Andi thinks.

[9] See footnote 4.

[10] Yes. Nico is already at camp. Andi saved him and Bianca from the Lotus Hotel in Lightning Thief.

[11] This is the first time Andi has mentioned having dreams like this in the entire series. So, I assume she started having these dreams between the end of Sea of Monsters and this epilogue/prologue chapter.

[12] This seems important, but it doesn't really amount to much in this story. All the same, I didn't have the heart to scrap this dream sequence. I think it foreshadows how the authors intended to end this series. More on that later.

[13] Instead of Thalia's tree, this version of camp has Ocean's River. It's a salt water river that encircles the camp like a moat.

[14] I'm going to contradict Andi. The girl's standards are too high. He sounds plenty cute if you ask me, but I think Andi is saying this because Peter is a "normal" kid instead of a perfect book character.

[15] Next chapter we will be with Peter. Each chapter we switch perspectives. Also, I know there was a lot of footnotes this chapter. It won't always be like this. I promise.