The Sea's Daughter: The Lightning Thief.

Chapter 2: Demon Math Teachers.

Melinda's eye twitched for the tenth time as she spotted Nancy Bobofit throwing pieces of her lunch at Grover. From her position she got a great view of this all in the buses mirror, and could also see her brother was becoming as annoyed as she was.

"I'm gonna kill her," Melinda muttered, but Chiron with his horse hearing picked it up easily.

"Now Mel, you know you can't vaporize all the bullies."

Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Does cursing her count?"

Chiron smiled in amusement.

"Unfortunately, I believe so," he said.

She sighed.

"Fine, I'll just give her detention for a year."

Chiron's amused smile began to look more like a smirk as he stared at the young demigoddess.

"Now that you can do, or at least you could if the school year didn't end in a week," he reminded.

Melinda looked beside her to Chiron and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you do that to be funny or simply to ruin all my plans?"

Honestly, Melinda thought, he was worse than Hermione with his logic.

"I assure you," Chiron began. "I have no idea what you mean."

She snorted, not believing a word of it.

"Sure Mr. Brunner, sure," she said and stood from her seat. "I'll be back, I suppose. I'm going to go punish that little klepto-ginger."

By the time she got back to the end of the bus Grover was already pulling Percy down. Probably to stop a fight. She was painfully aware her brother was not going to be invited back to Yancy the following year and the Principle was keeping a annoyingly close watch on him.

"Ms. Bobofit," Melinda said, startling the girl. "Your lunch is not to used as a projectile, intelligitis?"

She finished the sentence in Latin (intelligitis meaning understand) causing the girl to go cross eyed as she thought. She sighed, shivering internally at the strong resemblance and reminder of Dudley, Nancy gave her.

"Go sit up front," Melinda ordered, pointing to where she'd been sitting with Chiron. "Now."

Nancy grumbled under her breath but left with little complaint. A second after that Melinda slid into Nancy's forgotten seat.

"Thanks Ms. Potter," Percy said, looking over his shoulder at the young assistant teacher.

Laughing, she nodded.

Percy had been surprised when Mr. Brunner had brought in Ms. Potter as their assistant Latin teacher. She didn't really look old enough and he'd learned quickly looks could be deceiving. She seemed to be better at Latin than Mr. Brunner at times.

She was also one of the only teachers to believe in him, and she explained when he'd had the nerve to ask why she did. She, like him, had dyslexia and ADHD, and that foreign languages were somewhat easier for her growing up than English was.

Sometimes Percy felt like he'd known Ms. Potter his whole life. Or that he'd at least seen her before. That was impossible though, her accent made it clear she was British and new to America.

"You can just call me Melinda," she said, drawing him from his thoughts and probably creepy staring. "I've told you all that before. Ms. Potter makes me sound old."

She wrinkled her nose and Percy couldn't help but smile.

Percy didn't think she looked old at all, he'd be surprised if she was twenty.

The bus jerked to a stop seconds later and Melinda stood up.

"Everyone off the bus," she called after Mr. Brunner and Mrs. Dodds were off the bus.

She stayed behind to see everyone off and pulled up the rear behind some him, some girl and Grover.

The museum wasn't that bad, and at least his favorite teachers were along for the trip. Mr. Brunner was an older guy which you might expect to see at a rock concert – though you most likely wouldn't seeing as his looks were completely deceiving to his personality.

He was wise, having a look in his eyes that made it appear like he was thousands of years old. You also wouldn't expect him to be a cool teacher, seeing as he was in a wheelchair but he was. Somedays he and Ms. Potter would dress up in roman armor and wield a sword to motivate them.

He had to admit, those tournament days were his favorite classes.

On the downside Mrs. Dodds was also there. Percy had hated math before Mrs. Dodds and he'd hated it even more now.

Mrs. Dodds was old and wore a leather jacket, and looked so mean she'd be the type to drive a Harley Davidson into their lockers.

It didn't help that she thought he was demon spawn, and was always looking for something he'd done wrong.

"Mr. Jackson," Mr. Brunner said, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Mr. Brunner," he acknowledged.

"Can you tell me what I was saying about Kronos and his roll in mythology?" Mr. Brunner asked and he blinked.

He thought back to all his classes in the past and tried to figure out the answer. He at least recalled who Kronos was.

"Kronos was the Titan Lord of Time and father to most the major Olympians. He ate his children, all but Zeus after hearing a prophecy that told of one of his children overthrowing him. Rhea tricked him into eating a rock and when Zeus was grown he came back and freed his siblings by making him barf them up..."

He was pretty sure that was all correct but he couldn't be positive.

Mr. Brunner looked both disappointed and proud.

"It wasn't exactly what I was saying or what I asked, but it's good enough." He looked pensive for a moment before nodding.

"You are right though, Kronos was the Titan Lord of Time and father to many of the major Olympians. He was also tricked into vomiting up his five children by Zeus and later was over thrown by his children and the Olympians as we know them came into being." Mr. Brunner smiled before continuing. "Half credit though for answering correctly."

"Teachers pet," Nancy hissed to her friends and Percy clinched his fist.

"Calm down Perce," Grover advised.

"Teachers pet, teachers pet..."

"Shut up," Percy hissed, turning around to glare his deadliest, I'll-kill-you-later glare at Nancy.

"Perseus," Mr. Brunner said, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Is there something you wish to share?"

"No," Percy said quickly.

"Pay attention Perseus, this will be important someday," he said and Percy frowned.

How could knowing about Kronos and others Greek gods help him in life?

Ms. Potter – Melinda he reminded himself – came forward next to take over where Mr. Brunner left off.

"Now we have over here statues of the major Olympians – Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. You'll notice Hades isn't exactly depicted as a statue, but more of a painting on what we'd look at as a vase. Does anyone know why that is?" she asked.

She was standing next to the bowl like vase which had black paintings with no distinguishing features to really be seen.

Nancy snorted.

"Who cares, when will this ever help us in life? No one is interested in knowing why Hades was never given a statue, maybe he was just really unattractive."

Percy was sure he heard Grover gulp and...bay like a goat? He shook his head, sure his ears were hearing things.

Ms. P—Melinda, and Mr. Brunner didn't look impressed with Nancy, and surprisingly neither did Mrs. Dodds.

"Ms. Bobofit, let's try to have a little respect," Melinda said coolly.

"Why bother, it's not like they're real."

Percy knew his eyes had widened at Nancy's daring to speak back to Ms. Melinda like that – he supposed if he couldn't get used to calling his teacher, assistant or not, by her first name than Ms. Melinda would have to be the compromise.

It seemed the other students were just as surprised by the amount of gasps.

"To the Greeks I am sure they were very real," Ms. Melinda retorted. "Let's try to keep that in mind. And Ms. Bobofit, please try to be more attentive not many can say they have detentions the last week of school, I'd hate for you to."

It was a thinly veiled threat, but it shut Nancy up.

Mr. Brunner checked the watch on his wrist and rolled his chair forward so he was standing slightly in front of Ms. Melinda.

"Well, I believe we've learned quite enough for now. Before lunch, let's recap," he began, smirking along with Ms. Melinda when there were some rather loud groans from certain students.

"As said earlier, the six gods defeated their father after a rather lengthy war called the Titanomachy, and sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the deepest, darkest part of the Underworld," he said this all as if he was telling them it would be cloudy with a chance of rain for the rest of the day.

"On that rather morbid note, it's time for lunch," Ms. Melinda said, clapping her hands together with a small smile. "Mrs. Dodds, would you lead us back outside?"

It was sort of surprising to Percy that Ms. Melinda had never liked Mrs. Dodds, she seemed to have the longest patience thread of anyone besides his mother.

But it was painfully obvious from the narrowed, slightly cold, green gaze she sent the math teacher that she didn't like Mrs. Dodds.

The class drifted off, following Mrs. Dodds who led them out while Ms. Melinda ushered those straddlers towards the leaving students.

As usual Grover and Percy were two of the last to follow, but before they could get far they were stopped by Ms. Melinda who placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Mr. Jackson," Ms. Melinda said, and he felt his stomach drop.

He hated disappointing Ms. Melinda and Mr. Brunner, seeing as they were the only two who believed he could accomplish anything, but he'd been in trouble enough to know what must be coming next.

Grover looked between the three, blinking and before Percy could tell his friend to go on ahead Ms. Melinda beat him to it.

"Come on Grover, I'll escort you out to the rest of the class," she said, placing a hand on the curly haired satyrs shoulder and urging him to head outside with her.

When Ms. Melinda and Grover were gone, he turned back to Mr. Brunner who had a very patient look on his face.

"Sir?"

"You did very well today, Percy, but you must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Brunner said.

"About the Titans and life?"

Mr. Brunner smiled.

"I see you were listening than. Exactly, about real life, and how your studies apply to it."

"Oh."

"What you learn from me, and Ms. Potter," he said, "is vitally important. I will accept only the best from you, Perseus Jackson."

Percy looked down, frowning deeply and wanting to get angry with him. He pushed him so hard, but so did Ms. Melinda at times. It was like they were trying to teach him something he wasn't grasping yet.

Something which might be important enough to save his life, but he didn't know how that could be. As far as he knew Latin couldn't save your life and neither could knowing all this stuff about Greek or Roman Mythology.

"I understand sir," he said. "I'll try harder."

Mr. Brunner gave him an almost sympathetic looked and nodded.

"I know, now head on out for lunch. I'll be behind you shortly."

Percy nodded and turned, walking out of the museum to where he could see Grover sitting on the edge of a fountain.

He could clearly see Ms. Melinda had been talking to Grover and when she saw him she smiled and said something to Grover he couldn't hear by the time he was in hearing range.

"Sure thing, Melinda," Grover said, nodding.

It made him wonder what had been said, and it had always amazed him that Grover could so calmly call Ms. Melinda by her first name. As if they'd been friends their whole life.

"Percy," Ms. Melinda greeted. "You two have a good lunch, I think I should go see what Mr. Brunner is up to."

Percy didn't pay much attention as she left, and pulled his lunch out almost on autopilot. Thinking of what Mr. Brunner had told him about being the best and finding the answer to his questions about the Titans and gods.

"Did you get in trouble?" Grover asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Nah, not with Brunner," Percy said, and for a split second he looked in his teachers direction to see him with a book in his lap and conversing with Ms. Melinda about something. "He just wanted to talk about the lesson."

xXx

"He's grasping the concept better now," Melinda said, as she joined Chiron who had a book out along with the table which attached to his wheelchair somehow.

Chiron sat his book down and nodded.

"I noticed as much, I believe extra help you bring into the class is to thank for that," Chiron said. "He's a smart boy though, just a little..."

Melinda smirked.

"Slow at times?" she suggested and Chiron sighed.

"I'd rather not call anyone slow, but considering your relation I suppose you can get away with it."

Melinda chuckled and nodded.

There was an comfortable silence for about a minute, and Melinda had pulled out a bag of chips and a sandwich for her lunch.

Her eyes landing on Mrs. Dodds who was prowling around like a predator, watching the students but mostly her eyes trained on Percy, and Melinda at times.

"She's a monster isn't she?" Melinda asked, frowning.

Chiron looked up from his book and celery stick to where Mrs. Dodds was and sighed.

"I believe so," he said. "I can't be sure though. Isn't it the belief of all students that their teachers are monsters or evil?"

Melinda snorted.

"I've had evil teachers before, she reminds me of a strange mix of Umbitch and Snape," she said, and Chiron raised an eyebrow.

"Snape was my potions professor for most the time at Hogwarts, Umbridge was a Ministry employed wretch. Both died during the war," Melinda said.

She recalled Snape's death with some sadness, he hadn't always been the cold bitter man he'd become.

Umbridge's death on the other hand had made her want to kiss the Death Eater responsible, but she'd settled for sending the Death Eater to Azkaban with the others who'd survived the war.

"I see," Chiron said and turned back to his book. "We'll keep an eye on Mrs. Dodds, Melinda. Don't worry so much, I've heard it causes wrinkles."

Melinda snorted but sat on the bench a bit behind Chiron's chair and crossed her legs. She opened her lunch and began to eat, keeping part of her attention on Percy and Grover, though she trusted Grover to protect Percy as well as he could.

A few minutes later Melinda was startled by the sound of a wave and her head snapped up in time to see water from the fountain serge forward like a fist – though badly shaped – and grab Nancy.

For what reason she couldn't be sure but knowing the little girls mean streak she had deserved it.

"Oh no," Melinda gasped, seeing Mrs. Dodds heading for Percy like a shark to blood.

Chiron looked up shortly, his eyes narrowing and then over to Melinda.

"We can't interfere yet," Chiron said. "She won't hurt him here, to public. She'll take him somewhere more private."

Melinda frowned.

"And that didn't sound even a little wrong," Melinda muttered sarcastically. "I have to go hel – "

"No," Chiron interrupted. "This is his test Melinda, you've had your own after all. You must understand we mustn't interfere yet."

Melinda sighed and sat back down, gritting her teeth and pretending not to have seen when Grover glanced over with wide, frightened eyes.

She waited until her brother and Mrs. Dodds were inside to stand up sharply.

"I have to do something," Melinda said, no longer being able to stop herself.

Chiron nodded, seeing Grover start to run over despite his disguise.

"Transform and follow that way," Chiron said. "The mist might not be strong enough to make him forget seeing you if you go like you are."

Melinda frowned but nodded and took off inside the museum, and in mid jog jump slightly and transformed into her animagus form.

She was an adult white Gyrfalcon and rather large though that species was always the largest of the Falcon family.

She tried to be discrete as she flew towards the room they'd left with the Greek and Roman stuff and flew up high to land on a larger statue or more like stele with what appeared to be dedications to Hades.

She saw her brother being rather unsure as Mrs. Dodds talked and she caught most the conversation.

She wasn't sure if it was Zeus or Hades doing, but she didn't think Zeus had any control when it came to furies and she could now see the family resemblance between the one she'd faced in early May and this one.

"Die honey!" Mrs. Dodds cried, her true form revealed.

Melinda let out a loud cry and swooped down, her claws ready to slash and swipe at the fury. She was able to distract Mrs. Dodds and give her brother time to scrambled away.

Melinda cried out and crashed to the ground as Mrs. Dodds was able to swipe her left wing, her white feathers slowly becoming red from the blood.

She hit the ground just as Chiron rolled in, a pen in his hand which he promptly threw at Percy.

"What ho!" Chiron called as he tossed the pen to Percy.

Melinda slowly shifted back to human form, no longer able to take the pain of holding her animagus form while injured.

She heard Percy gasp as she slowly stood, holding her left arm which had a gash from her shoulder to her forearm, and the pen in his hand transformed into a long bronze sword.

Riptide, Melinda realized. The sword Chiron used on tournament days and that he'd told her belonged to her brother once he knew who he was.

Chiron was the only one very much aware Percy was her brother and the son of Poseidon, and most likely the prophecy child.

"Alright, Melinda?" Chiron asked, his eyes looking to her bleeding arm with concern.

She groaned.

"Nothing some ambrosia wont cure," she said.

Chiron fished a small cube from a baggy in his jacket and handed it to her as Percy slashed his sword through Mrs. Dodds and she dissolved like a sandcastle set up next to a large powerful fan.

She noticed he handled the sword like a natural as she swallowed the ambrosia and her arm slowly healed. Leaving on a faint scar.

It was only as Chiron worked the mist on the area and her brother that she realized she could have used her pearl to heal herself.

It didn't mater really and she'd always been hesitant to use her Pearl's water too often.

Not long after she, Chiron and Grover had went back outside to their former positions Percy exited the museum looking confused.

He looked even more confused when he came up to her and Chiron and couldn't find the wound on her arm anymore.

Not even the shirt was damaged anymore thanks to a small repairing spell and another to clean away the blood.

"Ah, that would be my pen. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mr. Jackson," Chiron said, taking the pen Percy held out for him.

It looked as if her brother hadn't even realized he still had it.

"Mr. Brunner," he began. "Where is Mrs. Dodds?"

Chiron gave him a very well practiced look of confusion, and concern. Melinda tried to mirror his expression as best she could.

"Who?" he asked.

"The pre-algebra teacher,"

Melinda exchanged looks with Chiron and than she stepped forward a bit, placing a concerned hand on Percy's shoulder.

"Percy, there is no Mrs. Dodds, as far as I've known there hasn't ever been one. Are you feeling alright? Maybe you should sit down."

Percy blinked and than sighed.

"I guess," he said. "I was wrong."

xXx

Percy hadn't counted on eavesdropping on Mr. Brunner, Grover and Ms. Melinda talking. He'd simply been coming to ask for help, knowing he had final exams tomorrow and than they'd be leaving Yancy the next day for home.

He hadn't even counted on Ms. Melinda being at the school. As far as he knew she went home for the weekends and most the time everyday after lessons.

He thought she probably lived close by.

But when it became apparent that Grover and Mr. Brunner – who had been talking when he'd arrived – had been discussing him he couldn't bring himself to leave.

Instead he leaned closer to listened, startled when Ms. Melinda joined the conversation.

"I understand you want to tell him, but it's too dangerous," Brunner said, looking at the woman before him.

Ms. Melinda sighed.

"It's more dangerous not knowing, believe me."

Mr. Brunner gave her an understanding, sympathetic look that Percy didn't understand.

"I'm sorry, Melinda, but now isn't the time. Soon, but not now. Let him hold onto his ignorance and innocence for a while longer, doesn't he deserve that much?"

Ms. Melinda held what seemed to be a pained look in her sea green eyes, nearly the same shade and color as his he realized, but it was hard to see through the cracked door.

"It's nearly the Summer Solstice," she said. "He has to know before then. I can't always be there to help him despite this job. Neither can you."

Mr. Brunner nodded.

"Fair enough, but we still need him to mature some more and to keep him alive until – "

Percy's eyes widened than and he dropped his book, alerting the ones inside to his presence. Grabbing his book he made his way down the hall, and hide inside a closet.

He noticed Brunner's shadow pass by, though it looked more like a horses shadow than a man in a wheelchair.

"I must have been mistaken," he heard Brunner say and walk away.

Percy didn't leave for a few more minutes, but once he did his thoughts didn't wonder far from what he'd heard.