A bit on the short side, but I didn't want this to drag into the rescue right away. I wanted to get some Annabeth time in here before Jason's rescue.

Sorry about the wait, though. I've been kinda busy what with being hit in the face with plot-bunnies by the Muses when it comes to Papi Version Two. I love both stories and will continue writing them, don't worry. It's just sometimes one story slaps me with plot and makes me write it down while the other takes the sidelines. I do that. Deal with it.

Hey! I wanna see what y'all think on shipping my OCs. :D

Espark/Marspie (Mark x Esperanza)

OR

Saspie (Sammy x Esperanza)

I have a plot figured out already, but I wanna see who all thinks which ship will sail :) Vote now! I'll try and keep a tally at the end of each chapter leading up to when it will be relevant.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize as canon. Kids are mine.


IX

MARK

Mark wasn't surprised to learn that one of his parents' keys would be next. After all, Tulio had specifically called him out.

He was not thrilled about the clue, however.

It wasn't like he hated his father. He would do anything for Jason.

Except one thing.

"Come here, Mark," Leo prompted, Annabeth leaning on his shoulder. "Jason's key hasn't lit up yet."

Mark walked over to the adults, nervous as all get-out. "Why me?"

Annabeth yawned. "After Leo told me about Bobby activating my key," she said tiredly. "I have a hunch you'll be the one who can activate Jason's…"

Mark looked over at Bobby. The 13-year-old was beaming proudly. Lacy was standing off to the side, looking highly annoyed.

"Careful, Bob," the legacy of Poseidon warned. "You already got Grandma's big head. Don't make it bigger."

"Lacy," Annabeth growled. "First of all: Don't insult Athena. Your grandmother can still strike you down. Secondly: Let your brother gloat for a day. He deserves it after tricking that Sphinx."

Mark blinked. Bobby took down a Sphinx? Well done, dude. Well done…

"And lastly," Annabeth continued. She yawned again. "I'm gonna go take a nap. Wake me up when it gets interesting…"

Leo and Lacy helped Annabeth downstairs. Bobby held out a golden key with the end shaped like a lightning bolt.

Mark nervously took it in his hand.

Instantly, it began to glow and hover. Words appeared above the key.

The son of Lightning is hard to get near,

So his legacy must face his greatest fear.

Mark nearly screamed. My greatest fear?

He knew he was going to have to face terrible heights to get to his father, no doubt about that. And it wasn't like there was another Jason Grace legacy running around anywhere. Mark was the one and only Grace child.

But how high will I have to go? he thought despairingly. I really don't want to have to climb up a mountain or anything…

The other legacies (Tulio—driving—and Lacy excluded) gathered around Mark and watched as the key began to point West. Mark gulped.

Bobby put a hand on his shoulder, which was hard because he was, like, a foot shorter than Mark. "Hey, don't worry," he comforted. "I'm sure you can face your fear."

Mark sighed. "I sure hope so," he said, though he didn't sound as confident as he might've wanted. "I'm gonna go back down to my room."

He handed the key to Esperanza. "Give this to Tulio," he told her, not even looking at her face.


Mark didn't go into his room right away. He decided to hide out in the mess hall instead. He told the plate to give him some tofu-chicken stir-fry—his favorite dish that his mom loved to make. Mark wasn't vegetarian like Piper, but he respected his mother's wishes and ate vegetarian around her when he could.

He picked at the vegetables on his plate.

Someone sat down next to him, causing him to jump. He turned his head and saw Annabeth sitting there. He didn't see Lacy or Leo, so Mark assumed they both had gone above once they knew the daughter of Athena was strong enough.

Annabeth smiled sadly. "So, what's on your mind, Sora?"

Mark smiled a little at his nickname. The adults mostly called him that to his face. Others around his age either didn't get the joke or just called him Mark. He liked it both ways.

"I'm just a little…nervous, that's all."

Annabeth's grey eyes didn't move. She merely cocked an eyebrow and said, "Tell me what Jason's key said."

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

She rolled her eyes. "I was going to, but then I noticed a certain legacy of Aphrodite sulking around. Plus, y'know, I'm kinda hungry."

To prove this, she pulled over a plate and made blue cupcakes appear. Why the Jackson family was so obsessed with blue food, Mark would never know. She munched on a cupcake, signaling with her hand for Mark to tell her the clue.

Mark sighed and conceded. "Well…it said 'The son of Lightning is hard to get near, so his legacy must face his greatest fear'…"

Annabeth swallowed. "So, obviously that means you facing your fear of heights."

Mark bowed his head. "Yeah…"

Annabeth giggled a little. "Don't be so ashamed of it. Thalia's scared of heights and she's a daughter of Zeus."

"But how does she deal with it as a Hunter? Wouldn't that mean she has to go up on mountains and stuff?"

"Well," the adult drawled. "I supposed if she has to be on a cliff or high place for a little bit, she just swallows that lump in her throat and deals with it. I remember when Jason said she was extremely nervous about going to Aeolus's palace, but she was still brave and crossed without too much problem—that is, until Leo melted the bridge, but that's a whole different reason to be afraid."

Mark smiled. He remembered that story, but he had never thought about his Aunt Thalia doing such a brave thing. He just paid attention to Leo melting the bridge with his body heat and Jason catching him and Piper while Thalia ran back.

"The point is," Annabeth said, "we all have that one fear that makes us freeze up. For me and Percy, it's losing each other. Right now, I'm worried about him, but I have to swallow that fear for the sake of Lacy and Bobby. I know Sammy Leo had to face his fear of the dark when it came time for him to visit Lupa."

Mark had forgotten the Roman was deathly afraid of the dark—another ironic fear, considering Sammy was a legacy of Pluto. Maybe it was because he was more Mars than Pluto or something…

"But how will I do it?" Mark pleaded. "How will I be able to face my fear of heights? I can't even get on a Ferris Wheel!"

Annabeth shrugged. "That's something only you can answer, Mark." She took another cupcake. "When the time comes, only you can face your fear. Jason won't do it for you. You must do it for him."

Mark nodded, still feeling defeated, yet oddly relieved. He liked talking to Mrs. Jackson. She was a great listener. "Okay," he said softly. "I just hope I don't have to climb on top of a huge mountain in order to save him."

Annabeth picked up her plate of blue cupcakes and started to walk away. Before she exited the mess hall, she turned and smiled. "I'm sure you won't have to climb a mountain, Sora…"


A/N: So, I'm gonna try and static the POV's. I don't want it to be just two per person. I don't want that kind of challenge, especially if it means trying to bend it while fighting writer's block. That's not how I roll. So, next will be Mark's third chapter :D Yipee!

Gosh Mark is such a whiny-baby, isn't he? :P