(A/N: So here is Chapter 9, folks! Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews and follows.)
Chapter 9: The Conversation
(Percy's POV)
It was a good day today, perfect for sword fighting. It wasn't too sunny, too windy and too cloudy. It was perfect.
Instead, I went to the infirmary, but before I could get there, I saw Chiron and Nico di Angelo go out. Chiron saw me and looked at me sadly. I knew that something is wrong. I went to them.
"Nico!" I said. "What brings you here?"
"Annabeth's pulse." he answered.
"What? Come again?"
"Annabeth's pulse." Nico repeated.
"What about her pulse?"
"It's slowing down, Percy."
I almost sobbed. "Ch… Ch… Chiron? Is th… th… this… tru… true?"
He nodded. "Yes, Percy," he said sadly, "she might die."
"WHAT?" I shook my head. "No! No! No!" I entered and a curtain covered her bed. I opened it and there she was, lying on the bed. She was so pale.
"Annabeth!" I shook her. It didn't work. "WISE GIRL!" I sobbed. "Wake up, Wise Girl! I'm sorry!" I was so focused on her, I didn't even notice Chiron.
"You did this, Percy?!"
"I'm very sorry, Chiron, but it was an accident."
"You've got some explaining to do, young man!" He held me by the ear and he said to Nico, "Call the nurse. Say to her to feed Annabeth some nectar and ambrosia." Nico nodded and we went outside the infirmary and to the side of the Big House. The grass was tall here, and there was a hidden door that led to Chiron's office. He put me down on a comfy chair and he nodded to me. "Explain."
I explained everything, beginning from the part where Malcolm was hit and blah blah blah. And finally, I finished.
"Did you notice, Percy, that the ones you had hit were the children of Athena?"
"No… but… I— ."
Chiron cut me and asked me again. "And you accuse—ah—yourself?"
"Yes, uh, kinda, but—!"
"Did you ever ask yourself if this was your father's work?"
"So you're saying, Chiron, my dad did it?"
"Poseidon and Athena are enemies, right?"
"Yeah, but—!"
He cut me off again! "Maybe, Poseidon did this to Athena's children for revenge."
"NO! I did that to someone, too, on purpose."
"You did the stretching thingy?"
"Yes!"
"But why wasn't it in the 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' novels and films?"
"SERIOUSLY? What's that?"
"A film based on your adventures…"
"What?" I asked. "But, seriously, don't blame my father. I know it's me. It was an accident."
Chiron froze. "Chiron? Hello?" I waved my hand in the air and he moved again.
"Athena. She told me something." Chiron said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It wasn't Poseidon." he answered.
"Thank the gods!" I said in relief.
"But you get punishment for hurting her children."
"What punishment?"
"You sit at the back row when campfire, but away from the Athena cabin, for a month."
"Okay. That's okay with me."
"And no dessert for a week,"
"NOOOOO!"
"That's your punishment."
"But—!"
"For now, Percy, we shall call everyone who Annabeth holds dear."
"Even the mortals?"
"Sadly, no. We don't want to give her mortal friends and father a heart attack."
"So, even Athena, too?"
"Yes." Chiron led me out of his office and he blew his conch horn.
It was Jason Grace who went out first; then Tyson; then the Demeter kids (headed by Katie Gardner and Miranda Gardiner); then Clarisse, Sherman, Mark, Pragus and the other campers of the Ares cabin (except for Gervine and Marco); Malcolm, Fille, and the other Athena kids (except for Darius); Will Solace, Austin, Kayla and the other Apollo kids; then Leo Valdez, Jake Mason, Nyssa, Shane, little Harley, Christopher and the other Hephaestus kids; Piper McLean, Drew, Mitchell, Lacy, and the other Aphrodite kids; Travis and Connor and Chris and the other Hermes kids; Pollux (Dionysus); Butch and the other Iris kids; Clovis (who is half-asleep) and the other Hypnos kids; the Nemesis, Nike, Hebe and Tyche kids; and last but not the least Lou Ellen, Alabaster and the Hecate kids.
Then with a faint poof! sound, Nico was beside me but he ran next to Pollux. "Please proceed to the amphitheater." Chiron said sadly.
Everyone started murmuring among themselves, and headed to the amphitheater. We have to pass the thin creek, so everyone just jumped, but little Harley needed help and Nyssa carried her. Finally, everyone settled down and sat in their seats.
"Uh, Chiron? Why is campfire today early?" someone from the Apollo cabin shouted.
"This is not campfire." He shook his head sadly. "Please wait a moment."
He galloped off and after twenty minutes, I guess, Grover Underwood and the other satyrs came. Then he mouthed the words, "Where's Annabeth?" I just shook my head sadly. He mouthed again, "She's dead?" And I mouthed, "I don't know."
Juniper appeared with a bunch of Naiads and Dryads. Grover ran to Juniper and they hugged. Then the Hunters of Artemis came. Thalia Grace, Phoebe and a bunch of other 'silver' girls ran swiftly and they sat near the front. Argus appeared and sat beside Grover. Rachel Dare arrived and sat near the front. Mr. D also appeared and he muttered, "Poor Annie Bell." And finally, Athena came and she was crying. She went near Malcolm and sat beside him.
Chiron galloped and he was at the center. "May I please call Lady Athena and Lord Dionysus to come to the front?" Athena rose, still crying and walked to the center, with Mr. D.
Then Clarisse la Rue stood up, "I'm very sorry, Chiron, but why are we here?" Most nodded in agreement.
"We are here to pray for Annabeth Chase." Chiron announced and everyone murmured among themselves. Athena cried a little louder. Mr. D muttered, "Poor Annie Bell." again.
"What happened to her?" Darius asked and Malcolm began crying.
"She was—ah—blasted by water." Chiron said and everyone shot me an evil look.
"She can't be dead, right?" Thalia asked, who was suddenly sobbing.
"That's why we're going to pray for her." Chiron said.
"But, like I said, her pulse is only slowing down." Nico said and when Athena heard that, she began crying again.
"My daughter! My daughter! It's your fault, Jackson!" Athena cried.
"I'm very sorry! It was an accident, right, Malcolm?" I shouted. Instead of Malcolm, Chiron answered. "Yes. It is an accident, Athena."
"Let's start the program, shall we?" Chiron asked.