I remembered waking up once on a bed in the big house. Annabeth was sitting next to me with a bowl in her hand muttering something about seaweed brains.
"Anna- beth " I rasped weakly, I saw her eyes widen in shock and recognition. " wise girl."
"Percy?" she stroked my hair. " Do you know who I am?" she asked sounding hopefull
"pretty wise girl" I managed to say before I fainted again.
When I woke up I was sitting in a deck chair on the porch of the big house. There was a blanket on my legs, a pillow behind my neck. I wondered why I was feeling so tired. I was used to exerting myself far more than this.
" I was the reason you fainted and are tired we can't have you making Chiron suspicious about how a 12 year old was not exhausted after fighting the minotaur." Chronos said.
" And what about Annabeth? She seemed to recognize me? Did you bring her back in time too?." I asked. My heart beating faster. I tried not to think about it but I knew a 12 year old Annabeth was not the same one as mine and the idea of her not knowing me hurt.
" I got the idea when you fainted" Chronos admitted. " I thought it might be odd for you to date her otherwise."
" thank you" I said gratefully. I wanted to run around looking for my wise girl but I restrained myself.
" one more thing, I put a letter in your left pocket, to give to Chiron in your mothers handwriting, it says that your grandmother who died in a plane crash was the daughter of the roman god Apollo, to explain any idiotic mistakes about revealing the future we both know you will make. It says you sometimes get visions of the future but she tricked them into believing they were your imagination. And it says you are a son of Poseidon but to hide it until you are claimed. And that you know all this because she gave you a letter too, which is in your other pocket by the way. Also she is in the Montauk cabin for the next week, which she told Grover already. And just so you know Apollo knows the truth and will back your claim. I couldn't hide the truth from the sun, ya know"
"why are all your explanations so damn long" I asked him.
" Because, I like to hear myself talk and I can't waste your time since its frozen, but you can go back now"
There was a glass of nectar next to me. My hand was so weak I almost dropped it once I got my fingers around it.
"Careful" a familiar voice said.
Grover was leaning against the porch railing looking like hadn't slept in a week. He had a shoe box tucked under his arm. He was wearing blue jeans, converse high tops and a camp half-blood T-shirt.
I flashed him a small smile and lifted the glass to my lips, the taste if mymom's gooey chocolatey cookies filled my mouth, before I knew it the glass was drained, I felt energized.
"You saved my life," Grover said. "I... well, the least I could do ... I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this.
He placed the shoebox with the minotaur horn on my lap. It was black and white, the base jagged from being broken off, splattered with dried blood.
" the minotaur" I said
"Percy… its not a very good idea to-"
" my mom, where is she?" I cut in.
Grover brightened. " in the cabin we were staying at ."
"why isn't she here? She said she would be."
" Mortals cant go beyond camp boundries, even ones who can see through the mist like your mother." He explained.
"The mist" I said. " what-" crinkle. I shifted a little. Crinkle. Crinkle. Slowly I reached into my right pocket and take out a paper.
The letter. I opened and read it.
" who's the letter from perce? " Grover asked nervously.
" my mom. Grover. Mom and you are just pulling one over me right. I mean, I cant be a d-demigod, can I? Gods don't exist. That's just what people used as an excuse before science."
Grover took the glass from me gingerly and set it on the table." I think we should go, Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."
I followed him around the building to the front of the big house where Chiron and Mr. D were sit on the opposite sides of a table. And on the porch rail next to them was – Annabeth.
She was beautiful. Her blond hair flying with the gentle breeze. Her gray eyes sparkled happily. I fought to keep my expression neutral.
"this is Mr. D," Grover murmured to me. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron... ."
I did my best to sound confused and shocked. " Mr. Brunner? But…" a quick glance at Annabeth showed she was trying not to laugh.
"Ah, good, Percy," he said. "Now we have four for pinochle."
He offered me a chair to the right of Mr. D, who looked at me with bloodshot eyes and heaved a great sigh. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to CampHalf-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."
"Uh, thanks."
"Annabeth?" Mr. Brunner called to the blond girl
She came forward and Mr. Brunner introduced us. "This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."
Annabeth said, "Sure, Chiron."
She glanced at the minotaur horn in my hands, then back at a wink she said, "You drool when you sleep."
Then she sprinted off down the lawn, her blond hair flying behind her. Leaving me trying not to choke on my laughter as I stared after her.
"I must say, Percy," Chiron-Brunner broke in, "I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time."
"House call?"
"My year at YancyAcademy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. But Grover alerted me as soon as he met you. He sensed you were something special, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other Latin teacher to ... ah, take a leave of absence."
I tried to remember the beginning of the school year. It seemed like so long ago, but I did have a fuzzy memory of there being another Latin teacher my first week at Yancy. Then, without explanation, he had disappeared and Mr. Brunner had taken the class.
"You came to Yancy just to teach me?" I asked.
Chiron nodded. "Honestly, I wasn't sure about you at first. We contacted your mother, let her know we were keeping an eye on you in case you were ready for CampHalf-Blood. But you still had so much to learn. Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that's always the first test."
"Grover," Mr. D said impatiently, "are you playing or not?"
"Yes, sir!" Grover trembled as he took the fourth chair, though I didn't know why he should be so afraid of a pudgy little man in a tiger-print Hawaiian shirt.
"You do know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D eyed me suspiciously.
" Yes sir" I said.
" Good " Mr. D sounded reluctantly impressed. " it is along with pac-man and gladiator fighting, one of the greatest games ever created by humans . I would expect all civilised men to know it."
He dealt the cards, Grover flinched everytime one landed in his pile. Chiron looked at me seriously , " are you okay Percy? You don't seem even the tiniest bit ruffled at being here."
I looked at him. " Grover… explained some things. And my mom left me a letter explaining something." Chiron frowned. " actually, she left one for you too" I handed him his letter.
Chiron read the letter, his eyes widened. He cleared his throat. " this is quite, perplexing."
" She wrote that this might be a problem." I agreed.
Chiron raised his eyebrow " She told you? "
" Everything except which one my dad was. She said she wanted to give him a chance to claim me on his own."
" what exactly is going on Chiron?" Mr. D questioned.
" apparently percy here aside from being a demigod is also a legacy of Apollo. His mother believes he has the sight. It certainly explains why he is so calm at the moment."
"Joy" Mr. D muttered sarcastically.
" oh look I won" he brightened considerably.
" actually not quite" Chiron set down a straight and tallied his points.
"blast it" cursed the God. he rose, Grover rose too. "I think I will take a nap, afterwards we will discuss Grover's performance. And you" he turned towards me. " you made an immpression, try to make it last." He swept into the big house.
Grover whimpered before following. Chiron smiled.
Will Grover be okay?" I asked Chiron.
Chiron nodded, though he looked a bit troubled. "Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been ... ah, grounded, I guess you would say, and he can't stand waiting another century before he's allowed to go back to Olympus."
"MountOlympus," I said. "You're telling me there really is a palace there?"
"Well now, there's MountOlympus in Greece. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed used to be on MountOlympus. It's still called MountOlympus, out of respect to the old ways, but the palace moves, Percy, just as the gods do."
"You mean the Greek gods are here? Like ... in America?"
"Well, certainly. The gods move with the heart of the West."
"The what?"
"Come now, Percy. What you call 'Western civilization.' Do you think it's just an abstract concept? No, it's a living force. A collective consciousness that has burned bright for thousands of years. The gods are part of it. You might even say they are the source of it, or at least, they are tied so tightly to it that they couldn't possibly fade, not unless all of Western civilization were obliterated. The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know—or as I hope you know, since you passed my course—the heart of the fire moved to Rome, and so did the gods. Oh, different names, perhaps—Jupiter for Zeus, Venus for Aphrodite, and so on—but the same forces, the same gods."
" but, they are different right. Otherwise there would be no need for Camp J-"
"Percy, that fact is not very widely known. And that is how we prefer it, to prevent wars. Please try to keep that aspect of your heritage discreet. And yes, their personalities change with their names. Some gods do not exist in the other forms, in fact and some loose a lot of power and importance, for example, Athena is revered but Minerva is shunned, so Athena is stronger than Minerva even though they are the same. Think of it as a split personality, sort of an alter ego."
And then he rose from his wheelchair, revealing his animal front.
What a relief," the centaur said. "I'd been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come, Percy Jackson. Let's meet the other campers."
The tour went similar to my original one as I tried to sound curious about the various things. Thankfully, Chiron did not ask for his sword back and I did not bring up the topic again.
At the end Chiron and I stop in front of Cabin eleven where Annabeth is waiting for us. She flashes us a brilliant smile.
" Annabeth, I have an archery class right now. Would you please take Percy from here."
" yes sir."
Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.
"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner."
He galloped away toward the archery range.
I stepped inside.
Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven.
"Regular or undetermined?" Connor asked.
Annabeth said, "Undetermined."
Everybody groaned.
A guy who was a little older than the rest came forward. Luke. a flurry of emotions went through me – anger, sadness, pity, guilt. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."
"This is Luke," Annabeth said, and her voice sounded different . i glanced over, her expression mirrored my emotions. "He's your counselor for now."
Come on," Annabeth told me. " I'll show you the volleyball pit" She grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside.
She led me through the woods and we stopped in front of a huge boulder. " Bunker 9" I said with a smile. Lighting a small match she had in her pocket for whatever reason, she pressed it against the stone.
The carven opened and she pushed me inside. Before I could react besides balancing myself, she pushed me against the wall and kissed me.