AN 9/5/15: I am terribly sorry this is a bit late, but it is a monster chapter, reaching only 6 words short of 7k (w/o the AN). I was debating cutting it in half but I decided to keep it a monster chapter. To Life is Anime 22 and Nyuko: I'm glad you have been enjoying it! As for your question, Anime, well, you may not like me. But rest assured, everything is carefully planned. Everything has a reason to my madness. Everything happens at a certain time for a reason that is important to the plot. Hang in there! I do apologize to you all though for this being a bit late, school started this week and a friend needed me yesterday, otherwise I would have made sure it was posted then. It is kinda sad to see this story coming to a close, but it has been a great journey. Don't worry, it isn't done yet though. Big chapter though, I am eager to hear your reactions!
I appeared in the shadow of a candy shop on the pier. I quickly bent down and looked around to assess the situation. All around me were the sounds of emergency vehicles and smoke was coming from the city. I was scanning the beach further down the pier's path when I froze. There, by the water a ways out, were four figures. Three my size, one a large man. Ares. I could recognize that bike and gear anywhere sadly.
Percy was battling him, sword versus sword. He was backed up into the surf, then I saw him shoot up on some water, catapulting over Ares and coming down with a slash. Ares managed to twist in time to block the strike though and literal sparks flashed when their blades clashed. I watched them have a quick exchange of blows as I weaved myself out of the tables and chairs that surrounded me, silently cursing the set up. As Percy tried to get under the god's guard he was kicked back, sent flying back: airborne at least twenty feet.
"Percy!" I screamed, shoving the last chair out of the way and took off. I dove over the pier's railing, gripping onto the floor boards and lowered myself down as far as I could before I dropped. It was painstakingly slowing down my pace. I wouldn't be much help if I broke anything by jumping headlong over it though. I landed in a sand dune and rolled, spitting sand away from my mouth. The shock in my ankles was nothing though when I got up and started running toward the fight.
Percy landed in a dune but he wasn't moving while he was still in my sight. The gloves are off you little piece of Minotaur merda. I refrained from yelling as I ran so I didn't alert Ares to my presence and activated my weapons.
I caught Annabeth yell something, pointing at a line of police cars that had assembled along the pier. I caught sight of a man pointing to the scene and another cop scrambling for his patrol car's radio.
Ares had made his way over to Percy and Percy was just barely keeping himself alive. I cursed for landing so far away from the fight. I cursed the sand for slowing me down so much too. If it was solid ground, with this boost of energy, I could probably send a chunk of it at the back of Ares's head- oh how I longed to do that.
I heard Percy cry out and I had a panicked flash of him on the ground, unmoving, Ares standing above him in my head. Luckily I was still close enough to the pier to be able to dive into the shadow of one of the pillars. I ran out of the shadow of Ares's motorcycle, right behind where Annabeth and Grover watched nervously.
Spectators had already gathered and I caught sight of something flying above. A cop was yelling at them through a megaphone to drop their guns, which I assumed was what they saw the swords as, and then Ares bellowed like a little kid in a fit.
"This is a private matter! Be gone!" He had waved his hand in the direction of the police and a wall of red flames swept over their cars. The people hardly had time to dive for cover before the cars exploded. Civilians had already scattered, their screams reaching all the way out here. Ares laughed at Percy, who was holding a cut on his arm. It didn't look too bad, but it had definitely nicked him.
"Hi again! Bye again!" I said as I ran past Annabeth and Grover, panting as I ran past them, chucking down my backpack as I went. They snapped their heads in my direction as I ran in between them but I was already gone.
Percy was managing to get Ares more toward the ocean, his point of power. Between a few nasty swings I ran up behind the pair and just as Ares feinted a swing, catching Percy off guard, my blade clanged off his sword, redirecting the hit. I skidded to a stop in the sand and ducked low, swiping at his legs with my knife as my sword blocked my head. He managed to step back in time to avoid his shins being sliced.
"Well, if it isn't your little friend. Going to hide behind her again, are we Jackson?" He spit into the sand. Behind me Percy was breathing heavily.
"Percy, water, now!"
"Where did you-"
"Damn it Percy, go!" I shoved him toward the water and covered his retreat. Ares must have noticed my new weapons because he sneered.
"Pick up some things in the Underworld, punk?"
"I figured Hades wouldn't notice them missing." I felt a tug in my gut and sand sprayed up into his eyes. I used that time to retreat into the water where Percy was, the waves oddly restrained against me.
"What the heck do you think you're doing, picking a fight with Ares?" I questioned harshly, kicking up some water with my sword to hit his arm and heal him. He spluttered but didn't get very wet.
"He had the Helm of Darkness, he wouldn't have let us go without a fight!"
Ares had recovered from the sand in his face and stalked toward us into the ocean. The ocean seemed to realize I was trying to protect Percy and didn't fight back against me as I went deeper.
Ares lunged and after a glance at each other we each took a side. It was almost like a dance, weaving between strikes, ducking behind each other, one of us striking high as the other low. Percy and I were in sync. I managed to get a hit off of Ares's sword arm, the black metal of my knife slicing his forearm as Percy kept the sword busy. Golden ichor oozed from the cut and fell into the ocean.
Ares roared in anger and kicked me backwards into the water with his combat boot. I landed a number of feet back, even with the water resistance splashing up around me. I couldn't tell which way was up and down as I went below the water, salt water filling my mouth as I gasped to get air. Let me tell you though, getting kicked in the ribs by the god of war? Not fun. I came up, coughing up water just in time to see Percy launch himself up on a wave, soar right over Ares, spin, and land. Ares managed to turn in time to block the feint but he wasn't able to block when Percy stabbed Riptide down into the water.
There was a deafening roar and the sea was literally blown back, leaving a wet circle of sand and a few floundering fish that were having a bad day fifty feet wide. Ichor flowed from the gash on his ankle and Ares had a murderous expression on his ugly face. My cut was like a paper cut compared to that stab. I continued to cough up more sea water. Ares started hobbled over to Percy and was about to raise his sword but something cut him off. It was like someone was blocking out the sun. All light and color faded away, sound going mute. A cold, heavy, and now familiar presence flowed over the beach, slowing time and dropping the temperature. It radiated a feeling that made you feel hopeless, but I was already familiar with it. Kronos.
The darkness lifted and Ares looked stunned. The wreckage of the police cars burned behind us. The crowds had long flocked to a safer part of the city and Grover and Annabeth stood on the beach in shock. Water flowed back around our feet, Ares's ichor dissipating into the tide.
He lowered his sword.
"You have made an enemy, godling." His burning eyes zeroed in on Percy. "You have sealed your fate. Every time you raise your blade in battle, every time you hope for success, you will feel my curse. Beware, Perseus Jackson. Beware." Then his body began to glow.
"Don't look!" I yelled as Annabeth did the same. I turned my head, shielding my eyes with my arm as Ares revealed his true form. One look and you would be a goner. Then the light faded. I coughed up more sea water, a metallic taste filling my mouth. I saw Percy look to me, then down to his feet. The tide had rolled out to reveal my father's helm. As I made my way to him he picked it up and handed it to me.
"Thanks." I croaked. It radiated Underworld magic in my hand, making a tingly feeling run up my arm. We walked back to Annabeth and Grover.
Before we could reach our destination though, the Furies descended on us, landing in our path. Alecto stepped forward.
"We saw the whole thing," she hissed, sending me a slight glare. Someone's grumpy. "So.. it was truly not you?" She asked Percy.
"Told you so." I tossed her the helm. "Return that for me, would you dearie?" I felt the corners of my mouth twitch up as I said that.
She scowled at me. "Wipe your mouth, Cooper." I swiped at my mouth and my hand came back slightly red. Joy.
"You try being kicked in the ribs by the war god, Alecto." I snapped back.
She sneered but looked back to Percy, running her forked tongue over her lips. "Live well, Percy Jackson. Become a true hero. Because if you do not, if you ever come into my clutches again.."
"Yeah, yeah. Just go already. Don't you have a talk to have with your boss, anyways?"
She cackled, ignoring me. Clearly enjoying the thought of getting the chance to kill Percy. She and her sisters rose into the air and fluttered away like bats into the smoke-filled Los Angeles sky.
"Psychopath." I muttered as she flew away.
We came up to Annabeth and Grover, my shoes squelching from the water and my whole person dripping wet. They were staring at us in amazement.
"That was so incredibly.." Grover started.
"Terrifying." Filled in Annabeth.
"Cool!" Grover corrected.
"No, that was incredible stupid. Percy, what the hell were you thinking, challenging Ares like that? Do you want to die? Trust me, that is not fun. You might be near the water, but that was near suicide! Now you've made him thoroughly pissed off at you and you can't always be near the ocean, or have friends around. You literally just got out of the Underworld, do you want to go back so quickly? Had we not been there, or that thing not have intervened.." I put away my weapons, thumped him hard on the head, and pulled him into a tight hug, despite my bruised ribs. I thought he would be killed for sure once I saw what was happening- picking a fight with the god of War. Even if said god is an idiot. If I lost him I didn't know what I would do. I released him and pushed him. "Don't you ever do something that idiotic again, you hear me? Or I will bring you back and kill you myself."
"Hey! I already told you he had the helm! He was the one who set us up. He said it himself that I was supposed to die in the Underworld. The prophecy was right, 'You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.' That was Ares."
"I don't care what the prophecy says for this one, Percy. You just started training like what, a month ago? Do you honestly think any of us could have held him long enough for all of us to get away if you got hurt? I will not lose you, Percy. Don't make me have to fight the god of War again, or any other god." What I didn't say was how I would have probably torn myself apart if something happened to him, or that I couldn't lose him too. I was not able to deal with another loss of that magnitude again. I felt Annabeth watching me, knowingly.
"Ally, I appreciate you coming to help, but I don't want you to get hurt either. What was that thing that stopped him though? Did you feel it too?"
Uneasy nods were his reply.
"It must have been the Furies overhead," Grover suggested. If only, them I can deal with. The only good thing that came of it was that it stopped Ares from killing Percy, and probably me too, since I would have tried killing him myself if he had. What I didn't like though was what the implications could be. He saved us, but for what reason? Then I caught Percy exchange a look with Annabeth. He knows. He reclaimed his backpack, double-checking that the bolt was still in it, and hoisted it over his shoulder. Annabeth offered me my bag and I gladly accepted.
"We have to get to New York," he said. "By tonight."
"That's impossible," Annabeth said. "Unless we-" No shadow traveling. Too many people, not across the country.
"Fly." Or that.
She stared at him. "Fly, like in an airplane, which you were warned never to do lest Zeus strike you out of the sky. While, might I add, carrying a weapon more destructive than a nuclear bomb?"
"Yeah, pretty much exactly that. Come on."
"Joy." I said.
Sometimes I really love the Mist, even if it could bite you hard sometimes. According to the L.A. news, between clips of the destruction of the earthquake, the explosion at Santa Monica beach had been caused when a crazy kidnapper fired his shotgun at a police car. He ended up hitting a gas main that had ruptured during the earthquake. That man was apparently the same one who had abducted us in New York and brought us on a cross country "Ten-day odyssey of terror." The only thing they really got right was the crazy part.
Poor little Percy wasn't an international criminal after all. How sad, I had my hopes up on that one, criminal by age twelve. That's the way to go. All he was trying to do was get away from his captor on the Greyhound in New Jersey, not bomb it. No child could have caused the explosion at the Arch either - No, no. That was the loony dude with the bad attitude. The concerned waitress in Denver had seen the man threatening his abductees outside her diner, gotten a friend to snap a picture, and sent it into the police. Finally, brave Percy Jackson and Allison Cooper (Percy was ginning by the time we had reached this point in the story while I rolled my eyes), had stolen a gun from their captor in Los Angeles and battled him in a firefight. Police arrived just in time to witness the fight. There were no fatalities, thank goodness. Now Percy Jackson, his sister, and two friends were safely in police custody.
The reporters basically spoon-fed us the entire thing and we just went with it, playing the part of victimized kids for the cameras. Gotta love good old-fashioned "News" drama and customs.
"All I want," Percy said as he choked back tears. "Is to see my loving stepfather again. Every time I saw him on TV, calling me a delinquent punk, I knew... somehow... we would be okay. And I know he would want to reward each and every person in this beautiful city of Los Angeles with a free major appliance from his store. Here's the phone number." I silently high-fived him under the table. The police and reporters were apparently so moved that they passed the hat and raised enough money for tickets on the next plane to New York. I could have used the Lotus card, but that may have raised questions.
In the down-time between the news reports and police, there was a kind of awkward air between us. The boys tried to ask me about what happened down in the Underworld now that there wasn't a crazy war god after us, or the Lord of the Dead, but Annabeth backed me up by saying once we got back to camp where there would be privacy we would talk. Now there was just the flight to stress about.
Takeoff was terrifying, and every nudge of turbulence the plane experienced made my heart hammer in my chest. I spent most of my time, eyes closed, stiff as a board, clutching onto Annabeth's hand and the seat. I wouldn't feel this nervous had I been on here with Nick, but that was impossible right now.
We split up at the taxi stand after we got out of the airport. I wanted to go with Percy to Olympus to make sure he stayed safe, but I would just be more of a liability had I gone. Annabeth, Grover and I parted ways with Percy to take the ride back to camp to inform Chiron about what happened. I still found myself tapping with pent up anxiety about Percy being alone on Olympus, but I tried to keep faith that Poseidon wouldn't let Percy be vaporized.
Upon our arrival back at camp all the campers exploded with questions. Chiron managed to hustle Annabeth and Grover into the Big House before they got too cornered while I shadow-traveled into the Big House living room. They told him where Percy was after a concerned look once they got to the top of the hill. Inside Chiron made us some tea and we settled into the living room. You might think, why is he making tea in the middle of the summer? Chiron was like that at times. I had snuck out while he was in the kitchen making it, excusing myself to use the restroom, and made my way to where he was.
Chiron was putting the water to a boil and pulling out mugs and other tea supplies when I entered. I walked in and leaned against the counter, playing with the bottom of my shirt. Luckily I had gotten to change clothes in the Police station to a pair from earlier in the quest that weren't soaking wet. My shoes still were damp though.
"So, they know." I finally said. Chiron looked at me and I knew he understood exactly what I was talking about.
"I thought as much. Once I saw your note I knew, with the destination of the quest, it would come out. Speaking of which, you are in trouble, Miss. Cooper. You cannot just run off, injured, onto a quest like that, no matter your experience." He said as he poured the water.
"I know.. I knew I just had to go. It was just this feeling, and if you honestly think I would let Percy go on a quest like that under those circumstances, you don't know me well enough by now. As for the injured part, I don't know what you're talking about." I said feigning innocence with a sly smile. I rolled up my sleeve and showed him where all the previous cuts had been, avoiding where the giant bruise had blossomed from where I was kicked. We didn't have any ambrosia or nectar left by that point but I had gotten worse. He rolled closer to take a better look.
"Well then, don't you have some tricks up your sleeve?"
"Ha ha." I said with a smile. A cliché dad type joke coming from him was nothing new. "But yeah, would you be able to sit down with us when Percy gets back, to talk about all of that with them? Annabeth already knows the story, but the boys don't. Also, I need to talk to you about something important later too, in private."
He rolled back to the mugs and placed the tea bags. "Of course I will, Allison. I do not believe that will be much of a problem, but you are still on meal cleanup duty for the next two weeks."
"Alright, fair enough. Thank you though, Chiron. I will see you back in the living room." I pushed off the counter and steered myself back into the living room. Annabeth and Grover were already sitting. Grover was at the end of the couch while Annabeth was next to him. I plopped down next to her and opened my backpack. I pulled out the new jacket I got at the Lotus and leaned back against the pillow, pulling my feet up and propped the jacket over me. It was nice to be in air conditioning, even if it made me feel cold at this point.
After a few minutes and the sound of cleanup in the kitchen, Chiron came back with four cups of tea. Steam curled off the mugs as he passed them out. I held mine and just let it sit in my hands for a bit to cool down.
"So, I believe this would be the time for catching up then, yes?"
Annabeth started the story of the quest off when they were waiting for the bus. I almost laughed aloud at the mention of Grover's mega eating habits and nestled further into the couch. I closed my eyes as I listened to her recall our adventure, adding bits and pieces here and there . Grover acted similarly in that regard too, adding his own narrations. I provided the story of the Arch after Annabeth and Grover had gone onto the elevator. I showed them the Chimera tooth and Chiron gave a little nod of approval at my technique. I didn't say much about what I did, Percy did most of the work anyway. I wouldn't have been able to get those people out had he not been keeping the Chimera busy, and I just finished what he had started.
"You haven't lost your touch much then, have you?" Chiron asked, probably sensing I wasn't saying the whole story.
I shrugged. "I guess not by a lot. Powers maybe a bit but fighting not as much. I guess after so much of it it's kind of hard to forget that kind of thing. Percy did most of the work though, I just helped."
"Allison, about that- how you called Hades 'Father', and then with your other reactions to stuff. You have been to camp before then, haven't you? Yes or no?" Grover asked, giving no room for maybe answers.
"Yes." I sighed.
"I knew it! You are awesome at fighting and stuff. But after what Hades said about that other kid of his brothers, and how you said 'Trust me, that's not fun.' when you mentioned dying to Percy, would I be right if I thought you were that girl from the story I told Percy that day at the dock? As far-fetched as that sounds, but with your weapons and you father, and some other stuff, it kinda points to that." I really underestimated him.
"Also yes, Grover." Chiron supplied for me. "But I believe that talk would be best to have once Percy arrives."
"Whoa.." Grover said with wide eyes under his breath. Then he must have remembered the ending to that story and looked at me sadly, but in a new light. "Oh, yeah. Of course. But just, wow."
"Let's get back to the story." Annabeth picked up, graciously putting aside that conversation for later. As she retold the story I found myself looking at the mirror on the wall. In the mirror was the slightest view of a large group of campers huddled around each other talking. Probably gossiping. I also saw a reflection of myself in the mirror. I looked, to put it lightly, worn. My hair, even with it tied back, was a mess and I had dirt and some dried blood on my face from Ares and the run-in with the pit. I looked paler too, and there was a bit of darkness around my eyes, but I put that off as the different lighting.
When Annabeth told Chiron about the Lotus, and how we got stuck there, I didn't feel like mentioning my experience there. I didn't feel as if I should mention Bianca or Nico, or the run-in with those boneheads. I had nearly fallen asleep by the time Annabeth got up to the fight with Ares.
"And then Allison and Percy started battling Ares together. You should have seen them Chiron, it was like they had fought a million times before together."
He nodded, impressed. "Did either of you get hurt?"
"Not really, Percy got a scratch but the ocean healed it up."
Annabeth scoffed. "Allison, you literally got Spartan Kicked by the god of war/patron god of Sparta."
I shot her a look. "All he did was push me back a bit."
"Yeah, with his combat boot. You were coughing up blood." She deadpanned as she rolled her eyes.
"Details, details. It was mostly sea water anyway."
Chiron sighed, exasperated. "I thought you said you weren't injured."
"No, what I said was that I didn't have the cuts from the hellhound. I never said I was uninjured, technically."
Chiron sighed again. "Did you at least have some ambrosia or nectar?"
"If I said yes, would I be in less trouble?" Annabeth slapped her hand to her face.
"You are just like Percy sometimes." She muttered.
Chiron pulled out something from his pocket and I realized it was a small piece of ambrosia. He tossed it across the table to me and I caught it, popping it in my mouth with a nod.
"Thanks Chiron. Anyway, I'm still walking so it's no big deal. Please continue with your captivating story Annabeth." She rolled her eyes against at me but complied. I was really tired, the toll from the quest starting to fully hit. I hadn't been on something like that in ages. There was still a slight buzz, surprisingly, left over from my father's energy, but my mind still felt like it was being dragged down. The warmth of the tea in my system was not helping me stay awake either.
"Chiron, can we take a nap or something while we wait for Percy to get back? We can talk more then, I'm beat." I asked as I set down my empty mug.
"If you want to, you may. You know where the spare room are, feel free to choose one of those. You will sleep better away from prying eyes and ears. I don't believe the couch would be suitable for three, either."
"Thanks, Chiron. Come on guys, let's sleep for a bit, I'm beat." I stood up, stretched slightly as to avoid the bruises, and slung my jacket over my shoulders. I grabbed my backpack and led the way into the hallway and to the back rooms. We branched off into separate spaces and I closed my door. I laid down my items and crawled into bed. I rolled under the warm covers and quickly fell asleep.
I had an odd dream filled with images of a statue of Gabe that had a horrified expression on. I am not ashamed to say it, but I actually found happiness in his terror. Then my dream tuned to flashes of what I could only imagine to be Kronos's rage over his failed plan. He was berating his servant for his errors, then went into saying how he must tie off the loose ends. I didn't like the sound of that.
I found myself back in the cavern that hosted the pit to Tartarus, the memory of almost falling in strongly in the forefront of my mind. I saw the now usual memories from my past, but not all were bad. They were of times when I came back from successful missions or trips, but nothing I hadn't seen before. I felt as if those bad types of memories now didn't have as much of a hold on me now that I had shared with Annabeth. Percy and Grover were on their way to knowing too. It was as if it couldn't harm me anymore, and I would fight back harder for it not to.
I woke to Annabeth shaking me awake. For a split second I tensed, ready for a fight after being on a quest for so long, only to remember where I was.
"Percy's back, come on!" She told me with excitement in her voice. I felt a wave of relief from knowing that he had made it back from Olympus in one piece. I quickly pushed the covers back and stood. I grabbed my jacket on my way out, slipping it on, and walked with Annabeth to the living room.
Through the entrance to the living room I saw Percy sitting on the couch with a bag at his feet. Chiron must have gotten him some lemonade because he was taking a long drink from a glass of it. Grover was already in the room and sitting on the chair to the side of the couch.
"Percy! You made it, what happened? How did it go? You didn't get hurt, did you?" I briskly walked over to him, crouched - ignoring my ribs, and held him at arm's length as I did a cursory look for any damage. Annabeth took a seat in the center of the couch as Percy began talking.
"Yeah, it went fine. I saw mom, she was back at home. Hades returned her. Gabe though.." His fist clenched and he said the name with more venom than usual. He told us about his last leg of the journey and his visit back home. I was happy my father had returned her but upon hearing what happened with Gabe I felt white hot anger. How could I not have seen it? I'm so stupid! Had I known sooner I would have ended his miserable existence, who knows what else I may not have caught? But what helped put me at more peace was my dream. I remembered his terrified stone face. I knew his fate and I would be sure to have my father set up something extra special for him when that time came. Going down there now and threatening him would only cause repercussions for Sally.
When Percy told us how my uncles reacted once he mentioned Kronos I caught Chiron's eyes. This is what I needed to talk to you about. He held up his hand in a slight 'later' gesture, and I nodded.
As Percy finished his story I grew slightly restless. Now comes the tough questions. Then, just as I had predicted:
"So, Ally. You said you would explain what happened in the Underworld once we got back to camp. Are you really his daughter, and how long have you known? I feel like I had a dream of you fighting a lot of stuff, it's getting clearer since we left the Lotus. Have you been secretly going on demigod missions or something? Why didn't you tell us? If you knew you were a demigod, then you must have realized I was one too, even before we came to camp." Percy was watching me closely now. "Why didn't you tell me? I thought we told each other everything." He looked almost betrayed.
"Percy, had you known who you were earlier, things would have been much worse. We generally try to let demigods live as long as they can safely without knowing." Chiron said to placate him.
"Percy, I wanted to tell you, I really did. But like Chiron said: It would have been a lot worse. Trust me. Two children of the Big Three attract a lot of attention. I had no weapons to protect us with, I couldn't just tell you. I wanted to let you live as long as you could without knowing. I know I always wished I could have gone longer without knowing. You don't want to come to camp until you have to. I was always looking out, but there were complications and only so much I could do on my own. You wouldn't have had a normal life, I wanted to protect you from all this for as long as I could. Once you learn about this stuff? There's no going back."
"Is that why you carried around that knife you used on Ms. Dodds? Speaking of which, where did that thing go?"
"Lost it on the quest. Anyways, that wasn't much good though because it was mortal steel, but it was better than nothing. It was the best I could get a hold of."
"Why couldn't you have just gotten something from camp? But wait, Grover said he has never seen you around came before we came." He hesitated, as if debating his next question. "Allison, in my dream I saw you- I saw you kill people. Have you really done that, or was that just a dream?"
I had to remind myself to breathe. Over the course of his initial story I had taken my original seat back on the couch so when he said that I found myself retreating further into the cushions, eyes squeezed shut for a moment. "Percy, if I have, do you honestly think I would have taken pleasure in it?"
He stumbled for words. "Well, no, but you didn't answer my question. Were you going around doing jobs for Hades, then? Was that what he meant by the last kid of one of his brothers had been sent down the easy way?"
"Percy-" Annabeth started to say but I cut her off.
"Annabeth, no. I have to be the one to tell him." I looked to Chiron for support and he sent me a reassuring nod. "Percy, I wasn't going on 'missions', nor did I come to camp. There would have been.. complications, if I had come to camp. Do you remember that story Grover told you that day we were at the docks after your first time on the climbing wall?"
Percy thought for a moment. "That story from World War II? About the daughter of Hades on our side? What about- wait, what are you saying?"
"That was me, Percy. My story."
"That was you? Whoa whoa whoa, wait. How is that even possible? That was like, at least fifty years ago." He asked, waving his hands as he spoke, as if pausing. I noticed Grover paying rapt attention, clearly wondering the same thing ever since I confirmed his suspicion.
"It's kind of a.. long story. But I was there, in your dream when we were in the truck going to Vegas; the one with the fighting he made you see. Those were past events, but only clips of them. Not the whole story by far. He wanted you to not trust me anymore, he's trying to get you to join him and single you out, Percy."
"Him. You mean Kronos?" A cold chill went through the air and Chiron's eyes flicked to the ground.
"Yeah, him. That last fight you saw.. well, that was what Grover's story was about"
"Oh man.. you mean, that's when, it, happened? But that's not right, you're here now. A-alive. I've known you all my life. You couldn't have, you couldn't have died?"
"You know how you and Sally have always wondered how I came to you so 'young' with the scars I have? The one on my arm and my stomach and back? Why I always went to wear a T-Shirt while swimming?"
"Well, yeah. But I always figured that was just, you."
I shook my head. "It's because I don't want people to ask questions. Those were from the last fight. The one on my arm? Sword slash from that 'older demigod' from the story."
"And the other?" He looked almost afraid to ask, and I couldn't blame him.
"What do you think? Try getting a sword rammed through you. Not so great for your health, now is it? That was the one that did it, you know. Those two never healed because those were from the last fight. I am guessing the Fates didn't see the point in leaving more than necessary so it was just those two scars left from the old me." Chiron was very interested in a loose thread in the chair next to him.
"What do you mean by the Fates?" This was news to Annabeth too.
"Do you remember when we saw the Fates coming home from Yancy?" The boys nodded while Annabeth looked like she was going to jump me after this to ask about it. "Did you notice their second knitting project?"
"What second knitting project?"
"Well there as a second one, dark purple. Anyway, what Atropos showed me, it makes me think that they are the reason why I am here - Dad thinks so too."
"But, the story said you did, um, go. Right? That did happen?"
"Yeah."
"What exactly happened though? All the story says is that an older camper was involved."
Chiron met my eyes and gave me a nod. I knew he was telling me that it was up to me to decide if I wanted them to know.
I sighed. "I went out with some other campers to help do a job for the camp. It was basically to take out this monster hoard we had gotten wind of that was heading our way before it put the younger campers at risk. I was among those who went, along with my friend Nick, and his older brother Chester." I scowled as I said the name. It put a sour taste in my mouth even all these years later.
"Was that the boy from the photo you had, Nick? Was he your boyfriend or something?"
I let out a laugh despite the heavy situation. "No, Nick was not my boyfriend. We were best friends. We grew up together, but no, we were not a couple. We found out we were demigods when we were nine and got some help coming to camp. Our mothers were only able to help us so much though. Nick, he was a son of Zeus, so I know what I'm talking about when I say two kids of the Big Three attract a lot of monsters. It is a long way from Colorado to here. We crossed paths with an older brother of his on our way here. He helped us, but he was obsessed with the war. That was Chester. You wanted to know what happened in the last fight?"
Percy and Grover didn't look so sure now, but I continued anyway.
"He thought I was spying for the enemy, Chester - like I would ever help those things. You would think that failed mission the year before would have made him think 'Oh hey, if the just barely got back alive like that after being MIA for weeks, she couldn't be on their side. They wouldn't hold one of their own people.' Well, he was an idiot. After his initial attack on me didn't work, he got me distracted with a monster and got to Nick. He was going to kill Nick. Chester? That was who my father mentioned in the Underworld. I do admit, sending that rock at his head was satisfying, but anyway, after I got Nick away from him, that was what you saw. Kronos didn't show you what happened to me after, just Chester's end. We took each other out, but he was gone instantly, I wasn't. They couldn't heal me, but I was okay with what was happening. I had saved Nick, so I was content. I wasn't much older than we are now- fourteen. What hurt most though was seeing his face as I was going."
I found myself angrily glaring into space, fist clenched. I was angry with myself for letting any of that happen in the first place. I couldn't imagine what Nick must have gone though, having to bring my body back to camp, igniting the pyre, coming back home without me. I still didn't know what happened after that to him. Knowing what I did know now, we were only maybe a year away from the end of the war by that point. Everything was gone after that one damned mission. I couldn't even see my mom or Nick in the Underworld once they were gone because I wasn't there.
I felt a pair of warm arms wrap around my and a hand rub off my cheeks. My shoulders were rigid but I made myself relax and lean into Percy, pulling my arms around him as well. We stayed like that for a while, saying nothing but just being there.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know, but you don't have to be alone anymore." He said from his spot over my shoulder.
Later, after another round of tea, Percy seemed to realize something.
"Hey, Ally, does this mean that all those games where we pretended to be pirates and swordfight you did on purpose?"
"Maybe? It helped though, didn't it?" I laughed nervously.
"Well then. I see how it is. You were prepping me for all this. You smart little.. well I guess those games came in handy. I'm not completely useless with a sword now, at least. A bit of a jumpstart. Still, that was devious."
"It worked though." I shrugged. "You aren't bad with cannons either you know." I grinned.
"What? Hey, that was an accident! I didn't-"
"Percy, you took out a dracaenae without even knowing it, dude. That's just awesome. It was a killer shot." By now Annabeth and Grover were laughing and Annabeth explained what a dracaenae was between breaths. Even Chiron was smiling at our antics.
"I did that?" His face just made me laugh even harder.
Reactions?