JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW, I HAVE DECIDED THAT I'LL REPLY TO MEMBER REVIEWS USING P.M. AND GUEST REVIEWS AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER. PLEASE GIVE YOURSELVES A NAME IF YOU ARE GUESTS THOUGH, IT'LL BE EASIER TO REPLY! THIS CHAPTER IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS SO HERE YOU GO!

DISCLAIMER-ALL THE CHARACTERS BELONG TO RICK RIORDAN AND HIS PUBLISHER BUDDIES. IF YOU SAY OTHERWISE I SHALL VIRTUAL SLAP YOU. THIS IS NOT MY PROPERTY!

"Never take candy from strangers. It's dangerous."

-Our world's mom's.

PERCY'S POV-

"Tyson open up."

I heard a shuffling noise behind the door, and knowing that Tyson was coming, I pulled my hood up even higher in an attempt to hide my bruised up face.

The door swung open a crack and Tyson peeked outside. "Why's your face all covered up? You're not that unattractive."

"Very funny." I rolled my eyes under my hood. "Just let me in."

Tyson stepped aside and shut the door when I went through. I laid myself facedown on the bed and groaned. The adrenaline or whatever was making my pain bearable must've worn off because only now did I really feel the full impact of Gabe's punches.

Tyson jabbed me on the side of the stomach and I flinched. "You don't want mom to find out about this do you?"

I shook my head.

"Why not?" Tyson's voice sounded shaky. "Does this have to do with that promise you made me? About telling me the reason you're nice to Gabe?"

"Yeah." My voice cracked slightly, and I groaned again. This wasn't the right time for puberty to come knocking.

"Tell me the reason. You made a promise, might as well keep it now."

I rolled over onto my back and blocked Tyson's view of my face. "He made me swear I wouldn't tell."

"Who did? Gabe?" I felt Tyson sit beside me on the bed.

I nodded. "Four years ago, I found out that Gabe was beating mom. You were almost five and I was eight, like you are now." The images from that day went through my head. "She was trying to hide it, but I saw her flinch every time he got near her. I would hear mom crying through the bedroom door, and I wouldn't be able to do anything."

I sneaked a peek at Tyson and saw that he was staring off into space with pursed lips. I sighed and continued. "I went up in Gabe's face about it when you and mom were grocery shopping one day. He laughed at me when I tried threatening him, but finally agreed to take me as his secret slave. I'd do everything he asked without question and he would be able to beat me if I didn't obey everything he said to do."

"So this has been going on for almost four years?" Tyson's voice was strangely hushed.

"Yeah, and it'll stay like that for six more. I'll have to decide what to do by then."

"No it won't."

I instantly tensed. "What do you mean 'no it won't'?"

"I mean, were going to tell mom-"

"No were not-"

"She's going to leave Gabe-"

"She says she can't-"

"And everything's going to be okay."

"Nothing's going to be okay!" I sat up so fast; Tyson almost fell off the bed. "We can't tell her! We can't tell anyone! Don't you know what'll happen if we do!?"

"We'll all be happy!" Tyson was getting angry.

"No we won't! We'll all end up like this!" I yanked off my hood and showed Tyson what Gabe and his idiot friends had done. Based on the way Tyson's face paled, I knew I must've looked worse than I thought. "It hurts me more to see you guys unhappy than to be hurt physically or verbally."

A few minutes of Tyson's gaping passed until he finally decided to talk. "How will you hide that from mom?"

I smiled knowing that Tyson had agreed not to tell. "We'll do what girls do when they have pimples." I got up and grabbed a box from my drawer. I turned around and opened it for Tyson to see.

"Make-up?" He said.

I nodded.

XXXXXXXXXX LINE BREAK XXXXXXXXXXX

"Good morning!" I wrapped an arm around my mom's shoulder. "Who's the most amazing women in the whole wide world?"

My mom laughed. "What's got you in such a good mood?"

I went over to the table and ruffled Tyson's hair. "Nothing, I just feel great this morning! I feel like I might as well enjoy my mood right now before something bad happens to spoil it later. What's for breakfast?"

"Oatmeal with fruit on the side." My mom grabbed another banana and started chopping. "Why do you think something bad will happen?"

"Because, mother dearest, I have a saying."

"And what is this saying, oh wise son of mine?" My mom replied, in a matching tone.

I cleared my throat. "If you have a terrible morning, you will probably have a terrible day. If you have a great morning, you will most definitely have a terrible day."

"That doesn't sound cheerful." Said Tyson.

My mom set two bowls of oatmeal in front of Tyson and I. "No it does not."

"Don't question it." I replied.

"I won't." My mom stated. "Just finish your meal before Gabe wakes up. I don't want him bothering you."

At the mention of Gabe, Tyson stiffened.

"Is something wrong honey?" Mom had noticed Tyson's reaction.

I kicked him under the table, and he relaxed. "Nothing. I don't like Gabe, is all."

My mom gave Tyson a sad smile. "Someday it'll get better."

"I know." Tyson replied in a hushed voice, before starting to eat.

When we were both finished, mom gave us each a kiss goodbye on our foreheads. We left with enough time to walk, but still heard the sound of Gabe waking up and bossing our mom around before we shut the door.

"Someday it'll get better", she had said, but I don't believe it.

XXXXXXXX LINE BREAK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

GROVER'S POV-

"That's the boss's son?"

"Yes Grover." The person speaking on the other end of the earpiece sounded exasperated. "We've been over this."

"But can you really see him from where you are?" I tried to get a better view of the black-haired boy from behind his hiding place in the bushes. "Maybe you mistook him for someone else."

"I have a closer view of him than you do, and just look at him! It's so obvious that he's the one!"

I took a moment to better analyze the boy known as "Percy" who was dropping off a light-brown haired child at an elementary school with a huge grin on his face.

Now that I actually took a good look at him, I could see the similarities between him and the boss. This boy had the same eyes, smile, and even the same way of carrying himself as Po-him.

"Now do you see it?!"

"Yes Juniper, he's a spitting image." I replied.

"Why don't you just call the kid by his name?"

I adjusted my way of crouching and frowned. "It feels wrong to call him by his name with no problem when he's about to be used by everyone around him. I feel like I should at least give him the right to introduce himself."

"Oh Grover, you're such a sweetie! He's not-" Juniper fell abruptly silent. "-Staying still!"

"What?" I glanced at the spot the boy had been a few minutes ago and saw that he was almost a block away.

I cursed.

"Watch your language and go after him!"

I was already on it, darting from cover to cover. In a matter of seconds I was exactly two yards behind Percy. I jumped out of the shadows and tried to act casual.

I was wearing some cargo shorts and a green "recycle today" shirt with a black messenger pack hanging across my shoulder. The usual eco-friendly style.

"I caught up to him. Bye Juni." I whispered, before I clicked off.

I took a deep breath before jogging up to the boy in front of me. "Hey, wait up!"

XXXXXXXXXX LINE BREAK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

PERCY'S POV-

I turned around at the sound of someone calling me and saw a nerdy looking boy running towards me. I stood there, waiting, until he was right in front of me.

"Hi!" The poor chump was out of breath. "Nice weather we're having don't you think?"

I looked up and saw grey cloudy skies as proof that the weather was soon going to get rough. I glanced back at the red-faced boy.

"I don't….think so…" I replied.

"Ah, everybody thinks grey skies means bad weather, but it's mother-nature you know? It's never bad!"

"Uh-huh." I was curious as to what this person's point was.

"Oh, I'm Grover." The recently nameless boy stuck out his hand, and I shook it. "I must be freaking you out a bit, right?"

"A little, but I shouldn't judge since, after all, I am the town freak." I smiled. "My name's Percy."

"Cool." Grover nodded absently. "Er-this might seem odd, but can I ask you for a favor?"

"As long as it doesn't involve anything that'll get me killed, sure." I responded.

"Hopefully not."

"What?"

"I'm joking!" Grover chuckled nervously. "I just wanted to ask if you could sample some organic hazelnut chocolate?"

"Organic-"

"Chocolate, yah." Grover took out a rectangle shaped object wrapped in aluminum. "I'm trying to convince my school to sell hazelnut chocolate instead of whatever junk it is they're selling. I made it myself and I'm trying to get people to sign a petition if they think it's good. Hopefully I'll get enough signatures." Grover stuck out the aluminum chocolate bar. "So, um, can you?"

I gave the organic treat a suspicious look, and then looked up at Grover's pleading face. "Sure."

I grabbed the chocolate bar and unwrapped it.

"Tell me how it tastes." Grover requested.

I nodded and took a bite. The commonly known childhood phrase, don't take candy from strangers, popped into my head, but I ignored it and swallowed. Grover didn't look much like a kidnapper. My eyes widened. "It tastes pretty good!"

"Yeah? Should I add anything else?" Grover questioned.

I took another bite. "No! It tastes really great how it is now! Do you mind if I finish it? This thing is amazing!"

"No you can have it all."

Grover started looking around nervously, but I didn't mind it too much. I couldn't stop eating the chocolate, even though I felt like I should. It probably would've been best if I had.

Grover tapped something on his ear and started to act as if he was speaking to someone. I looked around and saw no one else around, but I couldn't be sure that we were totally alone. I felt strangely uncoordinated.

"Whooo are youuu talkin' tooo?" Even to me, my voice sounded slurred.

"No one. Finish the hazelnut." Replied Grover urgently.

I made an attempt to raise the candy bar up to my mouth, but I dropped it due to my arms feeling like lead. I rubbed my eyes vigorously and tried to focus on something. Anything.

Instead of feeling better, my vision started to blur and I would've fallen flat on my face, had not something caught me before I fell. I groaned.

"He can hardly stand June. I need some help." That was Grover's voice, somewhere in the distance. Why did he sound as if we were in a tunnel?

"I know you're in charge of taking care of the Tyson kid, but-" I jabbed my elbow into what I was sure had to be Grover's stomach. "Ow!"

I felt Grover let his grip on me go, and I fell on my back.

"Come on, Percy! You have to get up!" Calloused hands tried to pull me lift me off the ground, but I struggled, even as the world around me spun.

"Don't be like this!"

"Leave….Tysonnn alonnee!" I felt myself drifting off, but managed to kick Grover in what I hoped was his family jewels with the last ounce of strength I had, before feeling a sharp pain in my shoulder.

"Sorry man, I need you to cooperate. Whether you mean to or not."

By now, I was sure that the pain in my shoulder was a needlepoint injecting a knockout drug into my system. No matter what I tried, I could no longer stay awake. Giving in to the sleep, I closed my eyes and let go.

"Sorry." Whispered a silent voice. "I'm so, so sorry."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX END OF CHAPTER XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

SO THAT WAS THE END OF THE CHAPTER! WHEN I WROTE THIS I KIND OF IMAGINED GROVER AS SOME CREEPY PEDO IN A TRENCH COAT GIVING PERCY SOME CANDY. PLEASE EXCUSE MY HYPERACTIVE IMAGINATION.

REVIEW REPLIES-

CODEX: SOMETHING BAD JUST DID :P

GUEST: 1. THEY ARE HUMANS IN THIS STORY. MAYBE. I MIGHT ADD A LITTLE TWIST THAT I HAVE IN MIND. 2. PERCY, ANNABETH, THALIA, AND NICO ARE ALL 12. BIANCA IS 16. TYSON IS 8. ALL OTHER AGES SHALL BE MENTIONED LATER ON. 3.) I JUST WENT ON RANDOM WEBSITES LIKE WIKIHOW AND STUFF FOR STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS.

GUEST: I'LL KEEP ON WRITING :D