I do not own Percy Jackson or the Kane Chronicles.

TJ's PoV.

I stared at him. As did everyone else but I didn't care about them right now. My brother just announced that our dad was the reason he couldn't come to Brooklyn House and that also meant that I couldn't stay there either. Maybe he was implying something else but I don't know. Emotions rolled throw me from disbelief to anger to dismay to confused and I can't tell what else. Behind us the lake started to swirl but I don't think anyone else noticed.

"So you're not going to come train with us then?" All my earlier hopes that he could help me were dashed.

"It would end badly if I did." He said carefully. "There's a bad history between dad's side and the House. History we shouldn't get into."

"Percy you are blood of the pharos and we can train you to use those powers. No one will object to that. But I think you're right about it being bad if anyone finds out about that history, whatever it is." Carter said to him. "I would like you to come train with us though. Perhaps we could put that history behind us." Percy thought about it for a moment and I held my breath waiting for his answer.

"I guess we could give it a try but I doubt that the House will think the same thing."

"Well, I think that is the best answer we're going to get out of him." Zia said. "One question though, where are you at with your element?"

"My element?" he asked a bit confused.

"Water. We saw you walking on the river yesterday and that type of stuff can only be done by a water elementalist and only the most powerful ones in the House can barely manage to do it and they have all had decades to learn. Yet you can do it at the age of eighteen. So what else can you do?"

"I'm seventeen actually and I keep finding out more about what my powers are capable of each year." Percy said and I had a feeling he knew exactly what he could do but didn't want any of us to know. That might be a problem latter on down the road.

"Have you had any training in magic before? Learning this stuff is dangerous and even more so when you're on your own." Jazz asked.

"Not with magic but I have had training." He replied.

"So who taught you to control your magic?" I asked him and I really wanted to know.

"Control isn't something someone can teach you, TJ. You have to learn it." What does that even mean?

"That makes no sense whatsoever." Julian stated and I was glad I wasn't the only one who didn't understand.

"Welcome to my life." Percy said as he laughed but it wasn't with humor.

"Can you show us something?" Alyssa piped up; I didn't even notice she was here.

"Not the best place for that." Zia told her. "Not with all these people around."

"Bet he can't even really do anything anyway." Nancy said and Percy grinned at her.

"Oh, Nancy have you forgotten what happened five years ago so soon?" As he said that I got the feeling he was totally planning something.

"No I haven't but I do think that you don't want us to know what you can do because you can't really do anything other than some fancy parlor tricks." She defended herself.

"Hey don't diss the parlor tricks. You don't know if they'll get you back." My brother was still grinning. That's when I noticed the bubble of water above Nancy's head and I had to hold back a laugh. One still managed to escape and Nancy turned to me.

"Oh, you think he's funny. Well I'll have you know…." Now I couldn't hold in the laughter and a just creaked up. Everyone stared at me but Percy who was still grinning at Nancy. "What?" she demanded and I pointed above her head. When she looked up the water fell on her and she was soaked from head to toe. The look on her face was priceless. The others were laughing as well.

"That was great. Was that you Percy?" Sadie asked he between laughs.

"Parlor tricks always get the funniest reactions." He grinned an evil like grin and I creaked up even more.

"You're a jokester aren't you? And a prankster I'm guessing as well?" Alyssa asked.

"Gotta have something to entertain yourself with." Just then the bell rang for the end of lunch.

"You know where you're going next TJ?" Jazz asked as we all gathered up our stuff. Nancy glared at Percy as she got her stuff and left still dripping wet. I pulled my schedule out of my bag and tried to read it, again. Stupid dyslexia. Finally I gave up trying to read it and handed it to her. "You're in choir with me. Let's go so we're not late."

"Really TJ, choir?" Percy asked like it was some sort of crime.

"I didn't pick my schedule." I told him as we started to follow Jazz. "What is choir anyways?"

"You have to sing." He said and I stopped in my tracks and Jazz looked back at me at my pause.

"Problem?" she asked concerned.

"I have to sing?" she laughed at me.

"Oh right you've never gone to school before. But yeah, you have to sing in choir." Both she and my brother laughed at my expression. "Don't worry, it's as a group so it's not as bad as singing by yourself." We continued walking.

"Have you really never been to school before?" Percy asked and I nodded.

"Yesterday was my first day. Before I had just been homeschooled. Except for preschool but after the first few months my parents pulled me out and kept me home ever since." I explained and I hoped he didn't ask why they pulled me out.

"Why'd they pull you out?" Jazz asked it instead. She had fallen into step beside us.

"Bullies." I whispered. No one ever really wants to admit that they were picked on but it was a lot more than that for me. "I didn't want go back to that and they didn't want me to either." Slender arms wrapped around me and I looked down at Jazz.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Those people don't know they missed out on the chance to have a good friend." She said then pulled away. "Now come on, we're late."

I know it was mean of me to do that to TJ but putting him in a choir class was simply irresistible.