Hello! Sorry for the wait…CHRISTMAS! Hope you had fun, whatever you celebrate.

A stunned silence follows my revelation. Then everyone starts talking at once.

"But that's—"
"There's absolutely no way—"
"Why do we—"
"That's impossible—"
"Don't we—"
"Can't I—"
"I want to—"
"I'm—"
"That's—"
"You're—"
"QUIET!" Percy shouts at all of them. "The fish's done!"

Everyone stares at him, then at me. I've got my hands over my ears, taking deep breaths because they're right in my ears.

"Take some fish!" Percy barks. "Give me a bite first, then you can eat it! Then questions—one at a time."
Everyone starts doing what they're told, looking ashamed and slightly scared. Except Percy. He stays by my side, rubbing my back and eating fish.

"Okay," He says finally, after everyone's seated with their fish. "Piper. Ask a question."
She bites her cheek. "Um, well…how do I activate my power?"
I shrug. "I'm not sure, exactly. You'll need it sometime, need it badly, and it will come. That's how most of them come."
She nods. Percy points to Jason.

"I don't believe you."
"How?" I laugh. "What part of what we just did don't you believe?"
He hesitates, clearly thinking. "Well…I get that we just did it…but…how?"
"Gods," I say. "They're supremely powerful, and they pass down some of their powers to us."
Leo clears his throat. "Uh, how exactly do you know all this?"
"No idea," I snap. "I heard a voice, and then I knew. I'm going to find out who the voice belonged to, though."
"How is my power associated with Hades—Pluto?" Hazel asks.

"Well, the metal thing-Pluto is god of everything below the earth. Mostly minerals. You can also find, create, and collapse tunnels. As for the illusion thing—I think you're the choosen hero of the goddess of magic."
"What animals can I turn into?" Frank questions.

"No idea. Try some different things."
"We're just smart?" Malcom asks me.
"And fighters. But yeah, we change the least."
They're quiet after that. "Percy?"
"Nothing."
"Reyna?"

"No thanks."

"Alright. I'm going to get some rest, and I suggest that you all do the same. We're leaving in the morning."

Ignoring their looks, I get up and walk over to a large tree, with very wide, strong branches—wide enough that two people can lay side by side. I climb up a little bit, lay down some leaves and grasses, and settle in to it. Closing my eyes, I fight back the tears that come—from the yells of my friends, the fear from earlier, and just not knowing what's happening or what's going to. I breath, faster and faster, until a rustle below me makes me stop, open my eyes, and peer down. A familiar smile greets me, and then I'm being held.

"It's okay. They're going to talk a bit more. It's just me and you," he murmurs. "Do you want to talk?"
I bite my lip, clenching my hands in his shirt. "I just—I have so many questions, so many things unanswered."
"Like what?"
"Like—where are we? Who was the voice we heard? What's happening now, and what's going to happen next? Why do I have to understand everything? Why me?"
Percy holds me tighter, and I bury my face in his shoulder as he rubs my back.

"Annabeth, I can't answer any of your questions—except for one." He leans back, holding my chin, making me look right at him. His expression is firm. "Why you? Because you're the strongest, the smartest. You're our leader."
"I'm not," I choke out.

"You are," He says firmly. "We'll answer all of your questions, in time. You have to be patient."
"I hate being patient."
"So do I. Sometimes we have to do hard things to succeed."
"Ugh."

"My father taught me that," He continues, still rubbing my back. I nestle into him, listening to his voice. "Because I'm going to be king someday. You know what my mother said?"
"What?"
"Always have a strong woman by your side. Then the things you do won't have to be so hard."
I smile.

"And the things I do are already easier."
I breath out onto his shirt. "Thanks."
"I love you, Annabeth."
"I love you, too," I whisper, feeling sleep coming.

He says something else, but I don't hear it. I'm too far gone.

Okay, not the most satisfactory of chapters or the longest, but I wanted to get it up. Please review!