"Percy," a voice called to me.

My eyes snapped open as I groggily opened my eyes and looked into my mother's eyes in disbelief.

She was alive.

Her hair was the same brown haired colour, and there were a few grey streaks and her face almost broke out in a smile.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?" She was humming as she worked in the kitchen cooking something.

I realized where we were, this was the pig sty of Smelly Gabe. There was even that trash bag in the corner I had named Eddie Jr, if I squinted and turned my head to the side I felt like I saw him, Smelly Gabe and the rest of his buddies.

I turned back to my mom, it felt like I was watching through the lenses of a telescope. She looked younger, and had a much more livelier expression than when she lowered into the grou-I shook his head.

"Percy are alright?"

I looked to her, and smiled. She seemed a bit worried but smiled back seeing that nothing was wrong.

'Yes, nothing was wrong. You're only hallucinating,' I convinced myself, 'this is a dream.'

"Percy you're going to be late," she scolded.

"For what?" I couldn't remember what I could possibly be late for.

"Alright, if you want to play it like that, I think a raincheck on Montauk should be fine," her eyes full of mirth as she tried and failed to keep herself from smiling.

I suddenly didn't care it was a dream, "No! Please, I'll go, wherever you want."

My mom smirked, she knew Montauk was my weakness. It had been the last weakness he could remember having. My fatal flaw having not being one after what had happened.

I finally remembered why this all seemed familiar. This was the holiday he had come to check up on his mom. The last day before he had to go back to Yancy Academy. Why was I reliving my memories? Was I dying?

Or was I really here? I didn't dare hope.

I was probably dead. Was this Elysium? My mom deserved to be there. But then how was I here? I didn't deserve to be in Elysium.

My mom handed me some money, my backpack and beat up suit case.

"Don't forget to write," she said her eyes had a hint of sadness to them.

I couldn't go, I had to stay here with my mom.

But all I could say was, "I won't forget."

I felt like I was using up the time we had, like there was some penalty for staying and talking to her.

In a trance, I got onto the bus. I was on my way to Yancy Academy, and watched the scenary pass by, same bland buildings, same colourful advertisements, same city. Nothing was burning or in ruins.

It was just as I remembered. A weird cylinder shaped building with a giant upside down bowl stuck on top. There were trees nearby and I could already smell the familiar scent of pine.

There were no storms, no monsters, no goats, or centaurs. Maybe my other life had been a dream?

I took comfort in that thought.

Until I looked into the eyes of the man sitting across from me.

I was suddenly pulled in and the world disappeared. I reappeared for an instant in this void as a wind tunnel of voices rushed by.

I could barely make out what they were saying before I was assaulted by his memories.

There was one thing I caught from all of it.

Fraud.

Suddenly, I was sitting in the bus and everyone looked just as I had seen them.

I hadn't noticed it before, but the man wore two gold watches but his suit was frayed and his cuffs were scuffed. He looked like a hobo in suit. Like someone who was trying to blend in.

Fraud.

He stole money. I didn't know what to do, because this guy wasn't doing it for himself, he had a family on the verge of starvation and he couldn't find any jobs so he had to turn to crime or they would all fall to poverty. I couldn't just turn him in, especially since I could sympathize with him.

I turned the other way.

It took a bit of doing but I got to 5 more people before I felt exhausted. Somehow, I could look into the pasts of others. I didn't know how to feel about that as it reminded me of- Kronos!

Going back in time and seeing the pasts of others, that was Kronos' power!

But then why did I have it? I tried to remember what had happened during our fight, but it was incredibly fuzzy. All I could remember about the fight was an explosion but nothing else. My memories also seemed to have holes in it, like a capsizing ship.

I shook my head, and decided it was better to focus on the here and now. The bus stopped and I got off.

'Yeah, the here and now,' I thought and headed towards Yancy Academy.