AN 6/19/15: Thanks for reading. I hope this chapter gives you a little more insight on some of Allison's conflicts. I might release the next chapter sooner but I do like posting on Fridays - Sundays.
The next morning Percy was moved to cabin three. He had the cabin all to himself but I could tell he was lonely. He would visit me in the infirmary a couple times a day, or on the porch of the Big House, and we would just sit and talk really. He would ask me how I was feeling, I would say okay. I would ask how his day was going, he would reply that it was going okay too.
Percy was being singled out though, and that ticked me off. Campers had started avoiding him. Nobody mentioned the hellhound to us, but I knew they were talking about it behind our backs. Percy and I agreed that that hound had sent two messages; one was that he was the Son of Poseidon, and two; monsters would stop at nothing to kill him.
Percy got one-on-one sword training with Luke and he was pushing him too hard. I wanted to be able to supervise his lesson to make sure Luke didn't go too overboard but Chiron had limited me to staying just around the Big House. Clarisse and her cabin were a bit grumpy to say the least after what happened during the game and I had made sure to tell Chiron about their stunt. They had earned their cabin a new list of chores.
One morning Percy came storming into the infirmary, clutching a crumpled up newspaper in his hand. He threw it down on my bedside table and pulled up a chair. I read through the paper and knew I had just another person on my list of people to sort out (it was comprised out of the a large majority of Ares cabin). Someone was messing with him, and if I found out who, Chiron would be the least of their worries, injuries be damned.
Percy then told me about a disturbing dream he had the night before. It was eerily similar to the dream I had on the night of the Minotaur attack. All that really changed was that there was no voice and the setting was different, but still the ocean. I thought back to what that voice had said, taunting me, saying that I couldn't save my loved ones and how I could be of use to it. I refused to be "of use" to anything that had chained me up, killed Nick in my dreams, and or hinted about being the cause of my death.
Grover soon came in and said that Dionysus wanted to see him. Nothing good would come of that encounter so I persuaded Percy to help me come with him. I had to ask Chiron about what Grover mentioned by the lake, the pact of the Big Three and about Ruthie, the Oracle from my time. I had so many unanswered questions. Over Long Island Sound the sky was hazy, a curtain of rain coming in our direction. Percy asked if we needed an umbrella, Grover nervously reassured him but it felt like he was more reassuring himself. This storm was coming at us head on, bearing down on the valley that Camp resided in.
We walked up the front porch of the Big House to find Dionysus playing pinochle at the table with Chiron and two invisible opponents.
"Well, well," he said, his gaze never leaving the game. "Our little celebrity and his friend."
We paused hesitantly, not daring to come any closer to the god unless invited, Dionysus was clearly in a mood. "Come closer, and don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father." A net of lightning flashed across the clouds, thunder rattling the windows of the house.
"Blah, blah, blah." Chiron was feigning interest in his cards while Grover cowered by the railing.
"If I had it my way, I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble." I scowled and realized I was fingering my bracelet. I had left the sword I had somewhat claimed since the game back at my bed in the infirmary. Chiron shot me a warning look and I stopped, leaning back against the railing to help ease the tenseness in my muscles. "But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this infernal camp; to keep you brats safe from harm."
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D."
"Nonsense," Dionysus argued. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself; I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead and sending you back to your father."
"Mr. D-"
"Oh, all right, no dolphins." He relented. "There is one more option, but it is deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, the invisible player's cards dropped. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Mr. Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's the much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do." Dionysus then picked up a card, making like it was a security pass. He snapped his fingers and all that was left was the smell of fresh-pressed grapes.
Chiron smiled at us, laying down his cards, but it was strained. I used to see that kind of smile very frequently back in the day, the war on and missions going out being the key causes.
"Sit, Percy, Allison please. You too, Grover." We did, Percy helping me ease myself into a chair, then sitting down himself.
"Tell me, Percy. What did you make of the hellhound?" I saw him suppress a slight shudder.
"It scared me," he said. "If you hadn't taken care of it, Allison and I would be dead."
"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you are done."
"Chiron," I warned, not liking his tone. "What are you getting at? Why would it be just Percy? If he is going somewhere I am not letting him go alone." Chiron looked at me, taking in my bandaged appearance. There had been no magic water healing for me. I heard the slight sound of something on the wood, turning my head slightly to hear it better, but it stopped as suddenly and quietly as it had started.
"Allison, I know you want to keep him safe, but at the moment you cannot go, it would be very unsafe for your heath to let you go out." I scowled, I could go out if I needed to, just pack me some ambrosia and nectar and I'll be set. I had lived off of far less before and I could do the same now. There was no way I would let Percy go out on his own.
"Out? Out where?" Percy asked.
"Your quest of course. Should you accept it." I saw Grover crossing his fingers to my side. I then realized that this must be his second chance to prove himself, after what he mentioned at the lake.
"Um, sir. You haven't told me what it is yet."
Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."
Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. It looked as if the sky and sea were boiling together, almost like my dream.
"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy guessed. "They're fighting over something valuable.. something that was stolen, aren't they?" Chiron and Grover exchanged looks. Spot on. Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair.
"How did you know that?"
He looked embarrassed but explained his reasoning, mentioning his dreams.
"I knew it," Grover exclaimed.
"Hush." Chiron ordered.
"But it's his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"
"Only the Oracle can determine that." Chiron stroked his beard. "Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something very valuable that was stolen. To be precise: the master bolt." Chiron, I swear if you are doing what I think you're doing.. I stared into his old eyes, pleading with him not to do this.
"The what?" Percy laughed nervously.
"Do not take this lightly, Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."
Percy paled. "Oh."
"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes in the Titan War. The bolt that sheared the top off of Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt. It packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers." The air seemed to grow colder at the mention of the Titan. I felt a cold niggling in the back of my head.
"And its missing?"
"Stolen,"
"By who?"
"By whom," Chiron corrected, that teacher still in him. "By you." My mouth dropped. He really just said that..
"At least"-Chiron held up a hand-"that's what Zeus thinks." He went on to explain about the winter solstice meeting and Zeus's theories about Poseidon. At one point I tried to butt in but was cut off by Percy calling Zeus crazy. That's just one select word I can use to describe him. They all glanced up at the sky nervously, the storm wasn't parting around the valley. It was rolling straight over us, sealing us in.
"Er, Percy...?" Grover cautioned. "We don't use c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."
"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam." Leave it to Chiron to remember that type of information. He looked at us as if he really expected us to remember that. But the idea of Percy of all people stealing the King of the Gods symbol of power was such an unfathomable idea. Percy, who could barely sneak into my candy stash without my noticing, being blamed for this.
"Something about a golden net?" Percy guessed. "Poseidon and Hera, and a few other gods.. they like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him go until he promised to be a better ruler, right?" So much for that.
"Correct, and Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt, he took great offence to the accusation. The two have been at each other's throats threatening war for months. Now you've come along-the proverbial last straw."
"But I'm just a kid."
"Percy, do you really think they care about that? All demigods are basically 'just kids', and you've heard about the different things they have had to go through in the past. What makes you think this time is any different? Demigods hardly ever get to live a long life." I said darkly, not meeting their eyes, anger bubbling up. I saw Chiron send me a mournful look but didn't say anything. I found myself playing with my bracelet even more, it unlatched and lose in my hand. I felt like I had to use it, hoping that I could somehow fix the situation by a simple fight.
"Percy," Grover cut in. "If you were Zeus, and you already thought you were being plotted against, to be overthrown, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he has fathered another mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"
That reminded me that I really needed to talk with Chiron about that, he had conveniently left that bit of information out when he had been catching me up. "Chiron, what-" He cut me off. I was getting a bit tired of constantly being interrupted.
"Later, Allison." He shushed. I clenched my fist around my bracelet. He was just writing me off.
"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon-my dad-he didn't really have the master bolt stolen, did he?"
Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style, but the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice; June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology by that same date for being called a thief. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter, even Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?"
I closed my eyes and gripped the seat of my chair, letting out a deep breath, feeling myself pale and stomach drop. There can't be another one, one was enough. I felt like I could never catch a break, I've already had to deal with one World War, even dying. Now there are threats of war between the gods?
"Imagine a war in chaos, nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battle ground so big it would make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight." I held my stomach slightly with one hand, old memories resurfacing. I felt like I was going to be sick. I looked down at the floor, focusing on the wood grain, lost in thought and body numb.
My brain came back to the present as Percy agreed to go on this suicide mission. Chiron sent him up the attic to consult the Oracle. So many emotions were raging in my head, then they boiled over once I thought of Percy getting involved in all this, possibly killed.
"Chiron, tell me about the Oath." I said flatly, leaving no room for debate in my voice. I needed to know all the facts. He sighed but reluctantly told me about it, even mentioning something about a prophecy.
"So there's a prophecy about it then? Well isn't that just great! If there are no Big Three kids, then what happened to N-" He frustratingly cut me off again.
"Allison, I do not believe now is the right time to discuss this. Percy will go on his quest and-"
I felt my anger starting to boil up. I stood abruptly, facing Chiron, not caring if Grover was right there or that my injuries were jarred by the sudden motion. On the contrary the sting actually did me good, it made me more grounded to the present.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Chiron? You're sending him on a suicide mission! You know it is near impossible, he just got here. I have to protect him, but then you send him off on this stupid quest? He is only in the sixth grade, Chiron. Don't you think enough has already happened?" My voice lowered and broke slightly on those last words. I felt the shadows starting to react to my emotions.
"Allison, I know this is a very difficult situation, but this is the only possible solution I can foresee to let us have a chance of stopping this war before it begins. I will not have you go out in the state you are in though." He told me, a warning tone in his voice, casting a glance to Grover.
"I have to protect him, Chiron. Don't you understand that? It can't happen again. But now you send him on this mission to die?" Chiron grabbed my wrist and held it firm.
"Allison-" He started, but I cut him off.
"No, Chiron, don't. " I said harshly, jerking my wrist away. Tears started to well up. I had to protect him, he was all I had now aside from Sally, but she was gone. My old life was long gone. Nick was easily dead by now, my mother, if she was even still alive, growing every closer to death's door and out of reach. I couldn't let there be another war, not after last time. I had to make a difference, I refused to let Percy know what that life was like. I had to be here for a reason, it couldn't just be a fluke after what Atropos had shown me.
"Um... what are you guys talking about? Are you okay, Allison?" Grover looked completely lost and bewildered. He would have no clue what Chiron and I were talking about, but of course he never could know.
"Allison, enough of this." Chiron's face had hardened, telling me to not continue. I felt so frustrated with him, with everything. I thought this time around would be different, but apparently not. Now all this was happening. I realized the shadows were now pooling around my feet but luckily Grover didn't seem to notice.
"Do you want to get another camper killed, Chiron?" I hissed. "To turn out li-" He cut me off.
"Allison, this is the end of it." I could see the hurt in his eyes. That may have been a low blow but I was just so angry and overwhelmed to the point of not caring anymore. I took a deep breath, hands shaking, trying to calm myself down. Grover was here, I couldn't lose control no matter how badly I wanted to. He was a friend but if I said anymore things would get around, as it was I had let out a lot. I tore off my necklace, gripping it with my bracelet and forcefully put them on the table, shoving them at Chiron.
"Thing's will never change, will they? You might as well keep these, Chiron, I have no use for them now." I turned sharply and made my way back to my place in the infirmary, leaving a very confused satyr and sad centaur in my wake.
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