I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a long time, due to family issues.

Authors note: Due to certain demands, I will do my best to make this story funnier and keep the characters in character. Thanks to everybody who reviewed!

I stuffed the food in my mouth, almost choking in the process, and walked out of the mess hall. I could feel people's eyes on the back of my head as I rushed out. I didn't care at the moment. I just wanted to finish that chapter.

As I stepped into my cabin, my little brother, Scott, was sitting on his bunk, reading a magazine. I ignored him and walked over to my desk, got comfortable again, then opened up the book to were I marked it and continued were I left off.

….Some snickers from the group.

Behind me, Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend, "Like we're going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on our job applications, "Please explain why Kronos ate his kids."

"And why, Mr. Jackson," Mr. Brunner said "to paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?" "Busted" I said laughing"

"Busted", Grover, muttered. "Great minds think alike, even Goat minds" I said to the voice in my head. thinking of my best friend. I'm glad Percy found him. "Man I miss Grover," I said aloud. This time Scott did look up, gave me a confused look and continued in his reading.

"Shut up", Nancy hissed, her face even brighter then her hair. I laughed at the thought.

At least Nancy got packed, too. Mr. Brunner was the only one who ever caught her saying anything wrong. He had radar ears. "Yup, that's Chiron".

I thought about his question, and shrugged. "I don't know, sir."

"I see." Mr. Brunner looked disappointed. "Well, half credit, mar. Jackson, Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan's stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus… I shivered. …the darkest part of the Underworld. On that happy note, it's time for lunch. Mrs. Dodds, would you lead us back outside?"

The class drifted off, the girls holding their stomachs, the guys pushing each other around and acting like doofuses. "Hermes kids and Aphrodite's kids," I said, turning the page

Grover and I were about to follow when Mr. Brunner said, "Mr. Jackson."

I knew that was coming.

I told Grover to keep going. Then I turned toward Mr. Brunner. "Sir?"

Mr. Brunner had this look that wouldn't let you go-That is exactly what Chiron did. He scares me with his looks sometimes. -intense brown eyes that could've been a thousand years old and has seen everything. "That's because they are a thousand years old AND has seen everything." I said. Scott didn't look up from his magazine. "You must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Brunner told me.

"About the Titans?"

"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."

"Oh."

"What you learn from me," he said, "is vitally important. I was now starting to wonder who Percy's parent was. Could he be "Big Three" material? I didn't no.

"I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson. "Chiron, Chiron, Chiron, give the kid a break." I said. I knew he wouldn't and that Chiron would want the best from everybody, but it's a hope that almost everybody wants. I smiled.

I wanted to get angry, this guy pushed me so hard "ding, ding ding, we have a winner!" I said giggling. This time Scott looked up, rolled his eyes, and then looked back down on his magazine. I continued.

I mean, sure, it was kind of cool on tournament days, when he dressed up in a suit of Roman armor and shouted: "What ho!" and challenged us, sword point against chalk…This time I really laughed. To a point of tears. As I gathered myself together I read the rest of the paragraph. …, to run to the board and name every Greek and Roman person who ever lived, and their mother, and what god they worshipped. However, Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everybody else, despite the fact that I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder and I had never made above a C- in my life. No-he didn't exception me to be as good; he expected me to be better. And I just couldn't learn all those names and facts, much less spell them correctly. Typical Half-Blood genes. "Wait until he figures out he can read Ancient Greek," I thought to myself.

"I mumbled something about trying harder, while Mr.….I turned the page.

…Brunner took one long sad look at the stele, like he'd been at this girl's funeral.

"He probably was" He told me to go outside and eat my lunch.

The class gathered on the front step of the museum, where we could watch the foot traffic along Fifth Avenue.

Overheard, a huge story was brewing, with clouds blacker than I'd ever seen over the city. "Oh, I wonder why!" I exclaimed sarcastically. I figured it was global warming or something because the weather all across New York State had been weird since Christmas.Then it hit me, somebody had stolen Zeus master bolt… On the winter solstice! Why would Zeus think it was Percy? I asked myself.

We'd had massive snowstorms, flooding, and wildfires from lightning strikes. I wouldn't have been surprised if this was a hurricane blowing in.

Nobody else seemed to notice. Some of the guys were pelting pigeons with Lunchable crackers. Nancy Bobofit was trying to pickpocket something from a lady's purse, and of course, Mrs. Dodds was'

T seeing a thing.

Grover and I sat on the edge of the fountain, away from the others. We thought that maybe if we did that, everybody wouldn't know we were from that school-the school for loser freaks who couldn't make it elsewhere. "You don't give yourself enough credit." I said to the voice of Percy in my head.

"Detention?" Grover asked.

"Nah," I said. "Not from Brunner. I just wish he'd lay off me sometimes. I mean-I'm not a genius. I busted out laughing. I bet Grover's thinking "Well that eliminates one certain goddess" I smiled.

Grover didn't say anything for a while. Then, when I thought he was going to give me some deep philosophical comment to make me feel better, he said, "Can I have your apple?" "Wow, Grover, your such a GOOD friend!" I said sarcastically. Grover would say that to somebody that he hated or loved.

I didn't have much of an appetite, so I let him take it. I turned the page.

I watched the stream of cabs going down Fifth Avenue, and thought about my mom's apartment, only a little ways uptown from where we sat. I hadn't seen her since Christmas. I wanted so bad to jump in a taxi and head home. She'd hug me and e glad to see me, but she'd be disappointed, too. Shed send me right back to Yancy, remind me that I had to try harder, even if this was my sixth school in six years and iw as probably going to be kicked out again. I wouldn't be able to stand that sad look she'd give me. I was starting to get jealous of Percy's mom. She was everything I wished my dad was. Just not the mom part.

Mr. Brunner parked his wheelchair at the base of the handicapped ramp. He ate celery while he read a paperback novel. A red umbrella stuck up from the back of his chair, making it look like a motorized café table.

I was about to unwrap my sandwich when Nancy Bobofit appeared in front of me with her ugly friends-I guess she'd gotten tired of stealing from the tourists-"The mortal Clarisse" I said in disgust.-and dumped her half-eaten lunch in Grover's lap. "Oh that little…*More Thunder* Sorry" I said looking up at the sky. Scott looked up at me after hearing the thunder, set his magazine on his bed and walked briskly out of the cabin. I ignored him and continued. "Oops." She grinned at me with her crooked teeth. Her feclkes were range, as if somebody had spry-painted her face with liquid Cheetos. I smiled.

I tried to stay cool. The school counselor had told me a million times, "Count to ten, get control of your temper."

But I was so mad my mind went blank. A wave roared in my ears. Wait a second, I thought to myself. "Wave. Water. Ocean. Poseidon!" "I bet he shows his powers and his "teacher" attacks." I said aloud.

I don't remember touching her, but the next thing I knew, Nancy was sitting on her butt in the fountain, screaming, "Percy pushed me!"

Mrs. Dodd's materialized next to us. I bite my lip as I turned the page.

Some of the kids were whispering: "Did you see-"

"-the water-"

"-like it grabbed her-" Grover is going to have a hard time getting this kid to camp, I can tell. I mumbled, remembering Thalia.

I didn't know what they were talking about. Al I knew was that I was in trouble again. "Sounds like a typical demigod." I said. "Oh WAIT! I don't know what happens. Chiron won't let me leave. I continued.

As soon as Mrs. Dodd's was sure poor little Nancy was okay, prohibiting to et her a new shirt at the museum gift shop, et., etc., Mrs. Dodd turned on me. There was a triumphant fire in her eyes, as if I'd done something she'd been waiting for all semester. "She was, dummy" I mumbled.

"Now, Hunny-"

"I know", I grumbled. "A month erasing workbooks."

That wasn't the right thing to say. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Come with me, "Mrs. Dodd's said.

"Wait!" Grover yelped. "It was me. I pushed her." "Keep trying Grover!" I said excitedly.

I stared at him, stunned. I couldn't believe he was trying to cover for me. Mrs. Dodd's scared Grover to death. "Wait. Satyrs hate death. Underworld. Hades. Fu…" I stopped myself. Oh gods! Poor Percy!

She glared at him so hard his whiskery chin trembled.

"I don't think so, Mr. Underwood," she said.

"But-"

"You-will-stay-here."

Grover looked at me desperately.

"It's okay, man," I told him. "Thanks for trying." `

"Honey," Mrs. Dodds barked at me. "Now."

I bit my lip even harder. Nancy Bobofit smirked.

I gave her my deluxe I'll-Kill-You-Later stare. Then I turned to face Mrs. Dodds, but she wasn't there. She was standing at the museum entrance, way at the top of the steps, gesturing impatiently at me to come on.

How'd she get there so fast? My lip started to bleed now, I could taste the salt in my blood. I slanted my eyes to the other page.

I have moments like that a lot, when my brain falls asleep or something and the next thing I know I've missed something, as if a puzzle piece fell our of the universe and left me staring at the blank place behind it. The school counselor told me this was part of the ADHD, my brain misinterpreting things.

I wasn't so sure. I smiled, then frowned when I tasted the blood again.

I went after Mrs. Dodds.

Halfway up the steps, I glanced back at Grover, Eh was looking pale, cutting his eyes between me and Mrs. Brunner. Like he wanted Mr. Brunner to notice what was going on, but Mr. Brunner was absorbed in his novel. "Good job Chiron" I mumbled. I missed Chiron, life at camp was not fun with Mr. D. (Sorry guys, I messed up, Chiron is not at camp in the 1+2 chapters, my badJ)

I looked back up. Mrs. Dodds had disappeared again. She was now inside the building, at the end of the entrance hall.

Okay, I though. She's going to make me buy a new shirt for Nancy at the gift shop. If only were you so lucky I thought out loud.

But apparently that wasn't the plan. I bit my lip again and a chunk of skin came into my mouth.

I followed her deeper into the museum. When I finally caught up to her, we were back in the Greek and Roman section.

Except for us, the gallery was empty.

Mrs. Dodds stood with her arms crossed in front of a big marble frieze of the Greek gods She was making this weird noise in her throat, like growling. "Run Percy, Run"! I yelled at the book.

Even without the noise, I would've been nervous. It's weird being alone with a teacher, especially Mrs. Dodds. Something about the way she looked at the frieze, as if she wanted to pulverize it… "That's just disrespectful of the gods "Mrs. Dodds" I said her name in discuss, then turned the page.

"You've been giving us problems, honey," she said.

I did the safe thing. I said "Yes, ma'am."

She tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket. "Did you really thing you could get away with it?"

The look in her eyes was beyond mad. It was evil. That because SHE is evil! I screamed at the voice of Percy in my head.

She's a teacher, I thought nervously. It's not like she's going to hurt me. I bit my lip harder. I thought my teeth were going to puncture a hole in it.

I said, "I'll—I'll try harder, ma'am."

Thunder shook the building.

"We are not fools, Percy Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain" "He doesn't even no what your talking about! I screamed out loud this time.

I didn't know what she was talking about.

All I could think of was that the teachers must've found the illegal stash of candy I'd been selling out of my dorm room. Or maybe they'd realized I got my essay on Tom Sawyer from the Internet without even reading the book and now they were going to take away my grade. Or worse, they were going to make me read the book. Grover! Any time now! I thought and continued.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Ma'am, I don't…"

"Your time is up," she hissed.

Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow like barbecue coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings. She wasn't human. "No! It's a Halloween costume! I exclaimed sarcastically" She was a shriveled hag with bad wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs, and she was about to slice me to ribbons.

Then things got stranger.

Mr. Brunner, who'd been out in front of the museum a minute before, wheeled his chair into the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen in his hand

"What ho, Percy"! He shouted, and tossed the pen through the air.

Mrs. Dodds lunged at me. More blood gushed from my lower lip.

With a yelp, I dodged and felt talons slash the air next to my ear. I snatched the ballpoint pen out of the air, but when it hit my hand, it wasn't a pen anymore. It was a sword—Mr. Brunner's bronze sword, which he always used on tournament day. I gasped.

Mrs. Dodds spun toward me with a murderous look in her eyes.

My knees were jelly. My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped the sword

She snarled, "Die, honey"!

And she flew straight at me

Absolute terror ran through my body. I did the only thing that came naturally: I swung the sword. I couldn't help but smile. Its only chapter two, he'll survive.

The metal lade hit her shoulder and passed clean through her body as if she were made of water. Hisss!

Mrs. Dodds was a sand castle in a power fan. She exploded into yellow powder, vaporized on the sop, leaving nothing but the smell of sulfur and a dying screech and a chill of evil in the air, as if those tow glowing red eyes were still watching me. I shivered.

I was alone.

There was a ballpoint pen in my hand.

Mr. Brunner wasn't there. Nobody was there but me.

My hands were still trembling. My lunch must've been contaminated with magic…. I smiled and tried to suck the blood out of my lip….mushrooms or something.

Had I imagined the whole thing?

I went back outside.

It had started to rain.

Grover was sitting by the fountain, a museum map tented over his head. Nancy Bobofit was still standing there, soaked from her swim in the fountain, grumbling to her ugly friends. When she saw me, she said, "I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt."

I said, "Who?"

"Our teacher. Duh!"

I blinked. We had no teacher named Mrs. Kerr. I asked Nancy what she was talking about. "That mist just covers up everything"! I said loudly.

She just rolled her eyes and turned away.

I asked Grover where Mrs. Dodds was.

He said, "Who?"

But he paused first, and he wouldn't look at me, so I thought he was messing with me.

"Well, good job Grover!" I exclaimed sarcastically.

"Not funny, man," I told him. "This is serious."

Thunder boomed overhead. I gulped air.

I saw Mr. Brunner sitting under his red umbrella, reading his book, as if he'd never moved.

I went over to him.

He looked up, a little distracted. "Ah, that would be my pen. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mr. Jackson." I couldn't help but smile. Typical Chiron.

I handed it over. I hadn't even realized I was still holding it.

"Sir," I said, "where's Mrs. Dodds?"

He stared at me blankly. "Who?"

"The other chaperone. Mrs. Dodds. The pre-algebra teacher."

He frowned and sat forward, looking mildly concerned. "Percy, there is no Mrs. Dodds on this trip. As far as I know, there has never been a Mrs. Dodd's at Yancy Academy. Are you feeling all right?"

I couldn't help but wonder if this was happening right now. I threw the thought to the back of my mind, looked at the second chapter and gasped.

"Three old ladies knit the socks of death

Thank you everybody who liked and reviewed my chapters…and for the one person who didn't like them. Well…good for you. Again, I'm sorry I haven't posted but I've been having family problems but its better now and I should be able to update a lot faster….!

!~Ol'McAmando!~