A/N: Time for the annual THANK YOU's! :D
SO first of all, one big hug and a box of virtual cakes for our reviewers: celestialstarynight, Eris Potter-Charmed Child, and dawn54321.
Then here's one box of cookies each for our alerters and favoriters: dang3rOusbunnY956, WayToPretty, Proud Harmonian, 3214sammy, Melt your Heart, family111, DarwinRyan, x-Angelic-Demon-x, ilovepercyjackson'88, YamisFallenHikari2112, and SeaMoonlight Butterfly.
Percy woke up to see his room. Well, room isn't really the right word to describe it. It was 16 meter long and the ceiling was 9 meters high. One side of the wall was covered with a navy blue curtain but behind that was a glass wall which overlooked the skylines of New York. Rays of light were able to pass through the curtain and illuminated the room a bit. The walls were light blue with sea-green trimmings, with sea shells carved into it. The floor was covered by a carpet the same color as sand. This was his room… temporarily at least.
Percy sat up slowly and looked to his left to wake up Nico who was sharing the fantastic place with him. What he saw instead was a very badly made bed, as if someone tried to fix it while fighting a hellhound. Percy frowned. Nico was supposed to be sleeping. So where was he?
Percy unwillingly stood up from the soft, comfy bed and proceeded to the bathroom, doing his usual morning routine. After 20 minutes of bathing, tooth-brushing, hair combing and putting on clothes, the Savior of Olympus exited the bathroom. He put on his shoes before slipping out of the guestroom. Percy walked to the right, took the first left, passed three doors, took a right and ultimately stopped in his tracks. Why, you may ask? In front of him was the weirdest sight he had ever seen, and that's saying something.
Where the kitchen was, there were 11 tangled demigods on the floor, with flour, icing and cracked eggs on them. A few ways away, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Ares and Dionysus were in the same condition as the demigods only without the eggs. Hephaestus stood awkwardly to the side along with the Big Three. The 3 elder gods two were trying to hide smirks and smiles. On another side, Hestia and Demeter were trying to clean the counter while Hera was gazing at the tangled people with disapproval. Athena was sitting on a table, reading what seemed to be a classic novel, ignoring everyone around her.
Everyone was too busy to notice that Percy had arrived. He shrugged it off, not wanting to deal with it so early in the morning and went to the fridge at the right hand corner, near the counter where Demeter and Hestia were cleaning. He opened the fridge and took out a box full of chocolate cookies, and then he got a plate from the cupboard, filled it with cookies and heated it in the microwave for 1 minute and a half.
When it was over, he went to the now clean counter, grabbing a stool on the way and sat down, munching on a chocolate chip cookie. He was half-way through his fifth cookie when he noticed that it suddenly got quiet. He looked up and found everyone staring at him. The hero just blinked at them and munched on another cookie.
Percy held eye contact for what seemed to be ten minutes. Everyone in the room has a stare off with Percy until one by one, they all looked away. Percy inwardly smirked and swallowed the remainder of his cookie. Then he drank the glass of water which Hestia placed on the counter. Then Percy smiled.
"Good morning, everyone." He says cheerfully as if the last five minutes never happened. All the demigods grinned and said their own greetings.
Zeus and Athena checked the clock on the wall and shared a look.
"Alright, breakfast is over." Athena announced. "Aww!" Hermes and Apollo pouted. "But we haven't eaten yet!" The wisdom goddess rolled her eyes.
"Well now, if you had just sat down instead of causing a fight, you would have been able to eat." Hermes was about to retort when Zeus stopped him.
"That's enough Hermes. Alright, everyone to the throne room. We'll have light snacks prepared there seeing as this morning's breakfast was… disturbed."
Everyone nodded and started moving to the Throne Room. Once they were there, Will picked up the book which was placed on his chair and began but Demeter cut him off.
"Before we start, would it be possible to bring Persephone here? I do believe she deserves a break from the underworld." She said. Both Katie and Hades smiled at the thought of having Persephone there. Zeus looked at Athena who nodded her head in encouragement.
"Alright then, sister. Persephone may come. Hermes, if you will?" Hermes looked up, nodded and was about to rise from his throne when Hades interrupted.
"Actually, brother, I'll go." Without waiting for Zeus' approval, Hades blended into the shadows. Hermes blinked, nodded his head a couple of times and sat back on his throne, listening to his Ipod along with Apollo while waiting. A couple of minutes later, the shadows bended and retreated, revealing the forms of Hades and Persephone beside him. Persephone bowed at the gods.
"You requested for me, Lord Zeus?" Persephone asked. Demeter slipped off her throne and hugged her daughter. "Welcome back to Olympus, my dear." Persephone smiled and hugged back.
"Thank you, mother." Persephone nodded to the other gods, who nodded (or in Hermes' and Apollo's case, waved) back. Then she turned to the demigods butonly one particular half-blood caught her eye.
"Katie!" She exclaimed. Said demigoddess looked up from her rose. Katie's eyes widened and a grin was forming on her face. Then she surprised the gods by standing up and hugging Persephone.
"Hey there, Seph." The gods and demigods looked at each other. Seph? The two daughters of Demeter were chatting before Zeus cleared his throat. Katie blushed a deep red while Persephone looked sheepishly at the King of the gods.
Zeus made a throne made out of roses appear beside Hades', much to Demeter's dismay.
"Thank you, Lord Zeus." Persephone bowed to Zeus, winked at Katie, who let out another grin and sat beside her husband who took her hand into his.
Just Persephone's presence brought out a more vulnerable side to Hades. Now, he had his wife and son in the same room. The Lord of the dead couldn't have been happier at the moment. Will deemed it safe to start reading as no more interruptions would come.
I Play Pinochle with a Horse," Will read. The demigods and surprisingly Dionysus gave small chuckles.
"I'm guessing that's Chiron." Katie said. Percy smiled sheepishly at the floor.
"Ohh, centaur's not gonna like that!"
I had weird dreams full of barnyard animals.
Annabeth smiled amusedly. "That's a first."
"Indeed." Percy murmured. "Usually, my dreams are either happening right now or are prophetic. Sometimes I wonder if Apollo blessed me with it."
Thalia smirked. "If he did bless you, your arrows should at least hit the target, Perce. Instead, they hit something completely off course."
In response, Percy rolled his eyes. "I can't help it. All children of Poseidon are bad at archery."
"Not true." Athena interrupted. "There were few who did not inherit the trait. Heroes like Theseus and Orion were both exceptionally good with a bow, Orion, especially."
Nico and Thalia both smirked at Percy. "There goes your excuse."
Most of them wanted to kill me.
When DON'T they want to kill me? Most animals, other than the ones at camp, hate me!
The rest wanted food.
"That is truly weird." Persephone said. It was the first time she commented so all the gods and demigods were looking at her.
"What? Is something the matter?" All of them suddenly stopped staring and looked at something else.
"Nothing."
Persephone crossed her arms and huffed. Demeter smiled and gave her a small hug. Unfortunately, at the same time, Hades took Persephone's hand as well. The two ended up glaring at each other. Persephone sighed and sent a mental command to Will.
"Read!"
The son of Apollo's eyes widened and he began reading.
I must've woken up several times, but what I heard and saw made no sense, so I just passed out again.
"Wimp!" Ares and Clarisse shouted. Percy responded with an eye roll and a blast of water. He was kind enough to lessen the water for Clarisse but Ares was another story. He got blasted out of his seat and ended up on his bottom. Then he stood up and started to walk to Percy, his eyes smoldering with flames.
"Why you little-"
"Ares!" Hera said. The god immediately stopped in his tracks and looked at the Queen of the gods.
"But mother-" Hera glared at her son. "Sit down." Ares huffed and started sulking his way back to his throne.
"Yes, mommy."
The futures, the Big Three, the Quartet, Artemis and Athena were holding back laughs. Will leaned over to Clarisse and whispered.
"Your dad's being a baby right now." Clarisse groaned and put her face in her hands, causing Will to laugh.
"Don't remind me, Solace." Will laughed for a bit before continuing his job.
I remember lying in a soft bed, being spoon-fed something that tasted like butteredpopcorn, only it was pudding.
Everyone sighed.
"Oh Ambrosia… where would we be without you?" Percy said dramatically. Nico perked and smiled. "Where, you ask? You'd be in the underworld without it of course! Just think of all those wounds of yours which the ambrosia alone healed."
Percy thought for a moment before shrugging. "That is so true."
The futures laughed like it was nothing but the rest paled, most especially Poseidon.
The girl with curly blond hair hovered over me, smirking as she scraped drips off my chin with the spoon.
Immediately, Aphrodite and Silena squealed in delight. Athena was glaring at the floor while Poseidon remained stoic.
"This is just too cute! It's like Romeo and Juliet or Helen and Paris!" Aphrodite said giddily. Athena switched her glare from the floor to the love goddess.
"You will NOT mess with my daughter. Do you hear me, Aphrodite?"
Aphrodite rolled her eyes and waved it off like some fly.
When she saw my eyes open,
"You two fell in love!" Aphrodite shouted. Everyone else sighed while Percy and Annabeth blushed.
"We did not!" They said in unison, causing Aphrodite to scream like a fan girl. "They're in denial! It's just too cute!" Then she proceeded to jump in her seat.
Will sighed and checked the remaining pages for his chapter. "I'm not yet even half-way through the first page! Good gods…."
she asked, "What will happen at the summersolstice?"
Nico and Thalia stared at Annabeth like she was crazy. The rest looked at her and Percy in curiosity.
"What WILL happen at the Summer Solstice?" Athena asked. Percy only smirked at her. "You'll see." The goddess' face turned red form anger but she controlled herself. "I'll find out, demigod. Nothing can be kept from me."
Meanwhile, Nico and Thalia were still looking at Annabeth like she'd gone mad.
"I can't believe you asked him! That kelp head doesn't know ANYTHING!" Thalia whispered.
"Hey!" Percy cried indignantly. "I know things you never will, Grace." Thalia's eye twitched. Nico gulped. "Now guys…"
"Oh, using the last name now are we, Jackson?" Thalia goaded. Percy only smirked in reply. "What's it to you, Grace?"
Annabeth quickly shot Will a look. "Read or I will lose my patience and you do NOT want me to lose my patience."
Will only nodded and began reading, again.
I managed to croak, "What?"
All the futures smiled (including Percy). "The typical Percy answer."
"Percy answer?" Apollo asked. Thalia nodded. "Kelp Head here is so predictable that we already know what he's going to say in certain situations."
Apollo nodded in understanding when in reality, he didn't understand a single word.
She looked around, as if afraid someone would over hear. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!"
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, "I don't..."
Somebody knocked on the door, and the girl quickly filled my mouth with pudding.
All the girls smiled. "That is one way to shut a boy up. Although I do prefer turning them into jackalopes instead." Artemis stated. To this, all the boys rolled their eyes.
The next time I woke up, the girl was gone.
"Awww! He misses her already!" squealed Aphrodite. Percy and both Annabeths blushed while Athena was red with anger.
"He does not!" She said, gripping her throne so hard, cracks started forming. Then she turned to Percy.
"You will stay away from my daughter, do you hear me, Jackson?" Percy gulped and nodded his head.
A husky blond dude, like a surfer, stood in the corner of the bedroom keeping watch over me. He had blue eyes- at least a dozen of them- on his cheeks, his forehead, the backs of his hands.
Hera smiled. "Argus."
When I finally came around for good, there was nothing weird about my surroundings, except that they were nicer than I was used to. I was sitting in a deck chair on a huge porch, gazing across a meadow at green hills in the distance. The breeze smelled like strawberries.
At the mention of strawberries, Katie and Demeter smiled at each other. Travis was looking at Katie while Connor was jabbing his brother lightly in the ribs and mouthed You so like her!
Travis rolled his eyes and shoved his brother lightly. Yeah right, Connor.
There was a blanket over my legs, a pillow behind my neck. All that was great, but my mouth felt like a scorpion had been using it for a nest.
At this, Percy received many raised eyebrows. Poseidon leaned forward and asked "Son, how would you know how it feels to have a scorpion use your mouth as a nest?" The gods and the futures sighed while the past demigods looked a tad jealous at Percy but curious as well.
Percy sighed again and gave his dad a tired look. "Dad, chill. I can promise you that a scorpion has never used my mouth as its nest. It was just a reference or a comparison to how I was feeling at that moment."
Poseidon leaned back on his throne, obviously satisfied with his son's answer. Nico leaned over to Percy and whispered. "Perce, your dad is being way too over protective."
Percy sighed for what seemed to be the twentieth time that day.
My tongue was dry and nasty and every one of my teeth hurt.
Poseidon glanced at Percy again but said nothing.
Maybe I am being a little over protective…
"A little?" Zeus and Hades whispered to the sea god mentally. "Brother, you went so far as to make him stick his tongue out!"
Poseidon rolled his eyes mentally at his brothers. "Ok fine! I was being too overprotective. I can't help it!"
The god could feel a reply coming but was cut off by a certain Queen of the gods. "Will the three of you please be quiet? Some of us are actually trying to listen to the book and not to your petty arguments."
All this argument happened without the demigods noticing.
On the table next to me was a tall drink. It looked like iced apple juice, with a green straw and a paper parasol stuck through a maraschino cherry.
Athena and most of the goddesses frowned.
"I find it nerve-wracking that you make a dangerous liquid such as Nectar look like a tropical drink." Athena chastised. All the deities (except Ares and Dionysus) then proceeded to frown at the demigods as well.
The past demigods shifted guiltily in their seats while those form the future just shrugged it off.
"Well now, do you expect us to put a note beside it saying Hey there. This drink will heal you but too much of it could literally burn you up so be careful!" Thalia said, sarcasm dripping in her voice.
My hand was so weak I almost dropped the glass once I got my fingers around it.
Ares would have shouted out that Percy was weak but one glance at Poseidon and he thought better of it. He didn't want his immortal life to be cut short after all.
"Careful," a familiar voice said.
Grover was leaning against the porch railing, looking like he hadn't slept in a week.
"I'm betting he didn't sleep." Connor and Travis suddenly said, surprising everyone. They all forgot the twins and most of the demigods in the room were there.
Percy looked at the floor guiltily. Annabeth noticed and she shot him a small reassuring smile which went unnoticed by everyone except the young hero.
Under one arm, he cradled a shoe box. He was wearing blue jeans, Converse hi-tops and a bright orange T-shirt that said CAMP HALF-BLOOD. Just plain old Grover, not the goat boy.
The demigods snickered while Percy turned a light shade of red. Connor and Travis looked at each other before murmuring again. "Goat boy… Classic!"
So maybe I'd had a nightmare.
Percy sighed inwardly. If only…
Maybe my mom was okay.
The atmosphere in the room darkened again at the reminder of what happened to Sally Jackson. Persephone looked puzzled. She was not there after all to know the details of the previous chapter. She only got a vague summary of the events.
"What happened to her? His mom I mean." Demeter quietly explained what happened to her daughter who looked like she was on the verge of crying after finding out. Will waited until the goddess was composed before reading.
We were still on vacation, and we'd stopped here at this big house for some reason. And...
All the women in the room (except Clarisse) and Percy and Poseidon sniffed sadly. Oh if only…
Persephone dabbed a few tears from her eyes with the handkerchief Hades gave her. The rest of the females were being comforted by either their husbands, brothers or the person beside them.
"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."
Reverently, he placed the shoe box in my lap.
Nico's eyes widened slightly. He turned to Percy and mouthed is that it?
Percy grinned and nodded.
Inside was a black-and-white bull's horn, the base jagged from being broken off, the tip splattered with dried blood.
Percy got grins, nods, pats and some applause for this.
It hadn't been a nightmare.
Poseidon started sulking in his throne, forgetting the words of his son for a moment.
"The Minotaur," I said.
Everyone groaned at Percy. He rolled his eyes in response.
"I know, I know. Names have power so I shouldn't be throwing them around like that."
"Urn, Percy, it isn't a good idea-"
The hero of Olympus got whacked in the head by Annabeth. Not long later, she winced and cradled her hand gently as if it were broken. Percy smirked at her.
Hermes, on the other hand, was shaking his head at book-Grover. No one ever listens to the satyr…
"That's what they call him in the Greek myths, isn't it?" I demanded. "The Minotaur. Half man, half bull."
Another collective groan filled the room as Percy just sank lower in his seat.
"When will you learn?" Athena and both Annabeths said exasperatedly. Everyone chuckled at the mother-daughters duo, if you could count it as a duo.
Percy whispered n Annabeth ear. "Like mother, like daughter." Annabeth rolled her eyes and shoved him slightly. "Shut it, Seaweed Brain."
Grover shifted uncomfortably. "You've been out for two days. How much do you remember?"
"My mom. Is she really ..."
The atmosphere turned dark again. Hades especially kept quiet. He had figured out that he took Sally Jackson. "but what for? Why would I need a mortal?"
He looked down.
As did everyone else.
I stared across the meadow. There were groves of trees, a winding stream, acres of strawberries spread out under the blue sky. The valley was surrounded by rolling hills, and the tallest one, directly in front of us, was the one with the huge pine tree on top.
Thalia smiled at the mention of her tree.
Even that looked beautiful in the sunlight.
The huntress' smile immediately turned to a frown. "Are you saying my tree or in that time period- I am ugly, Kelp Head?" Sparks of electricity danced around in her palms as Percy gulped and vigorously shook his head.
"You'll see what I mean in the next few lines or so, Thals. Don't hit me with lightning! Then again… would it even hurt me?" he mumbled the last part so no one understood it.
Thalia sat back down and waited for Will to continue reading.
My mother was gone. The whole world should be black and cold. Nothing should look beautiful.
Apollo, Hermes, Will, Nico and nearly every other male in the room let out low whistles.
"I never knew you were that deep, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth said. Percy pouted. "I can be deep! There's just too many distractions and events that occur to prevent my deepness from showing."
Everyone was trying to force down laughter. "Your deepness, eh Perce? I don't think you've ever been deep… or poetic." Travis said. Percy was about to respond when Thalia and Nico suddenly bursted out laughing. That earned themselves multiple raised eyebrows.
"N-nothing… Just remembering what Percy did for A-" Nico quickly placed a hand on her mouth before shaking his head. He nodded slightly at Percy and Annabeth. Thalia looked at the two and saw that Percy's hand was reaching for Riptide while Annabeth had hers on the hilt of her dagger.
Thalia gulped and decided to remain quiet. Unfortunately for them, the gods are curious people so naturally, so are their children.
"What did Percy do for whom?" asked mini-Annabeth. Nico would have told them but one look at the couple beside him and he knew he wouldn't live if he did. Both he and Thalia shook their heads and turned to Percy. The son of Poseidon looked at the curious deities and half-bloods.
"What I did is strictly confidential unless you were there. What happened is for us to know and for you curious folks to never find out." He said in a tone that declared the matter closed and was to be never spoken of again.
"I'm sorry," Grover sniffled. "I'm a failure. I'm- I'm the worst satyr in the world."
The futures all sighed at that. Thalia shook her head in disappointment.
"When will the goat boy ever learn?"
"You can't really blame him Thals." Annabeth weakly replied, no conviction in her voice whatsoever. Thalia crossed her arms and let out an unlady-like snort.
"Whatever. But as soon as we get back, I'm beating the crap out of him. Honestly!"
He moaned, stomping his foot so hard it came off.
"Wait, what?" Everyone exclaimed. Will let out a small chuckle before continuing.
I mean, the Converse hi-top came off. The inside was filled with Styrofoam, except for a hoof-shaped hole.
Understanding crossed everyone's faces.
"Oh, Styx!" he mumbled.
Thunder rolled across the clear sky.
"Why was there thunder? Grover didn't disrespect anyone." Nico suddenly said. Most shrugged it off while Athena was thinking hard on it.
"I am assuming that he disrespected the great Lady Styx by nonchalantly throwing her name around." Percy rolled his eyes at the complicated answer. "Or he just cursed in Greek and you gods didn't like it." Athena's eye twitched. Annabeth sent her best friend a look.
Shut up now, Seaweed Brain.
As he struggled to get his hoof back in the fake foot, I thought, Well, that settles it.
Grover was a satyr.
All the demigods rolled their eyes.
"Oh gee no. He's a Cyclops." Mini-Annabeth said, sarcasm dripping in her voice. Percy sent her a small glare but she just swatted it away like a fly.
I was ready to bet that if I shaved his curly brown hair, I'd find tiny horns on his head.
Hermes, Connor and Travis all got that mischievous twinkle in their eyes. Katie glared at the two brothers and immediately pulled at each of their ears.
"You two are NOT going to shave Grover's hair and that's final." The two pouted. "But Katie!" the daughter of Demeter sent them a glare.
"Yes ma'am." Travis hurriedly said. Connor looked at his older brother in horror. "What has she done to you? I- I don't know you anymore!" He exclaimed dramatically, earning himself eye rolls and a smack, courtesy of Silena.
But I was too miserable to care that satyrs existed, or even Minotaurs. All that meant was my mom really had been squeezed into nothingness, dissolved into yellow light.
Hades, Persephone and Athena all frowned.
That is not a way for a mortal to die at the hands of the Minotaur. What's going on?
I was alone. An orphan. I would have to live with ... Smelly Gabe?
Poseidon growled threateningly and glared at the floor as if imagining Gabe was there.
"Never" The gods beside him wisely leaned away from the sea god.
No. That would never happen. I would live on the streets first.
Thalia and Nico snorted.
I would pretend I was seventeen and join the army.
This time Clarisse, both Annabeths, Athena and Demeter snorted.
"Punk, you would never get into the army." Clarisse said.
"Percy, as much as I care about you, you could never have joined the army when you were twelve. You were too scrawny and skinny." Annabeth exclaimed, a smirk on her face.
"You'd need more cereal before entering the army, boy." Demeter scolded. All the gods groaned. "Enough with the cereal, woman!" Hades yelled. It was a bad move on his part. Demeter glared at him so fiercely that the god of the underworld wanted to melt in the shadows.
"You need to take better care of my daughter, you good for nothing brother of mine. Just look at the condition of my darling kore! She's too thin and lanky during this time of the year." Persephone put her head in her hands while Hades just ignored the ranting goddess. The past demigods looked at this with surprised expressions while those from the future just shook their heads.
"She doesn't change much…" Nico shuddered, thinking about the times Demeter made him eat cereal. Percy, Thalia and Annabeth shuddered as well.
I'd do something.
Grover was still sniffling. The poor kid- poor goat, satyr, whatever- looked as if he expected to be hit.
"That satyr has a lack of self-confidence." Apollo stated. Artemis rolled her eyes. "Thank you for that obvious statement, Twiddle Dum." Apollo smiled a bright smile, literally. His teeth were so white it nearly blinded the demigods except Will and Beckendorf.
"Ack!" Nico yelled. "Turn off that light! I'm a child of the shadows. Me and light do NOT go together!" Apollo stopped the brilliantness of the smile and pouted.
"Some people just don't appreciate my brightness." All the gods rolled their eyes at the bad pun. Percy rubbed his eyes and spoke up. "You know Nico, that reminds me of the time when we got stuck in that white room thingy before coming here."
Nico blushed at all the stares he got. "I'm not a peppy person, people. Deal with it." Percy and Thalia exchanged sly smiles.
"Oh yeah? If I remember correctly, you were bouncing on your feet when you found out you were a demigod." Thalia said.
"And you asked me a hell of a lot of questions, ridiculous ones at that and I recall you blabbering about some game with dolls." Percy quipped.
"Those were action figures. NOT dolls!" Nico protested. He was red in the face after recalling his enthusiasm. Percy and Thalia still had the sly smiles on their faces.
"You didn't deny how you acted when you found out you were a demigod." The two said in unison. By that time, Nico was as red as a ripe strawberry. Everyone was snickering at the son of Hades.
"Shut up."
I said, "It wasn't your fault."
"You're too forgiving!" Artemis suddenly said a frown on her face. What she said caught most off guard.
"Err… not be rude, my lady, but isn't being forgiving a good thing?" Thalia asked rather uncertainly. Artemis' frown deepened. "Not on a boy, it is not."
The gods all sighed. When will her hatred for men diminish?
"Yes, it was. I was supposed toprotectyou."
"Did my mother ask you to protect me?"
"No. But that's my job. I'm a keeper. At least... I was."
"But why ..." I suddenly felt dizzy, my vision swimming.
Poseidon smiled at the water reference again. Some just rolled their eyes while others ignored it.
"Don't strain yourself," Grover said. "Here." He helped me hold my glass and put the straw to my lips.
I recoiled at the taste,
"What? Why?" Apollo all but yelled at the son of Poseidon. Percy motioned for Will to continue and said "Wait for it…"
because I was expecting apple juice.
"Ahh."Came the original response of the sun god.
It wasn't that at all. It was chocolate-chip cookies. Liquid cookies.
"I don't think liquid choco-chip cookies would taste good, Percy." Katie said worriedly. Silena, Persephone and Demeter all nodded in agreement.
And not just any cookies- my mom's homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies,
"Oh man! That would taste awesome!" Nico and Thalia yelled. They got weird looks from the aforementioned females. Poseidon and Percy got dreamy looks on their faces.
"It did." This got raised eyebrows next. Annabeth rolled her eyes and began the explanation.
"Ms. Jackson- or as she wants us to call her, Sally's cookies are one the best things in the world of culinary arts. It beats any five-star restaurant any day."
All the futures and Poseidon suddenly drifted off, thinking about the cookies. Will decided to read before they start drooling.
my mom's homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies, buttery and hot, with the chips still melting.
Practically all the males and a few females could taste it. The description itself was mouth-watering.
"when we find time, can we please go to Ms. Ja- I mean- Sally's apartment? PLEASE? I can't take it anymore with all the mention of the food she makes." Thalia whined in her seat. All the futures pouted at the gods. Not just any pout, too. The future demigods did the puppy-dog pout to which the gods had to admit was cute and irresistible. Zeus squirmed a bit in his seat at the pleading look on Thalia'sfaceas well as the threatening glare from his brother.
The god of the skies could read the message clearly. Let them go or you will suffer through so much pain that you will wish father had eaten you instead of the rock.
Zeus shivered slightly. He may not admit it out loud but his brother was scary. He looked one last time at the pouting demigods and relented.
"Alright already! You can go visit." The king of the gods said, crossing his arms childishly afterwards.
The demigods high-fived each other before settling down.
Drinking it, my whole body felt warm and good, full of energy. My grief didn't go away, but I felt as if my mom had just brushed her hand against my cheek, given me a cookie the way she used to when I was small, and told me everything was going to be okay.
"Awww!" The females in the room (minus Clarisse) cooed. Aphrodite and Silena let out small sniffles. "That is so cute!" Even Hera was nodding her head in agreement. "That's how mothers should act… but then… who am I to talk? I don't even take care of MY family."
Zeus took his wife's hand into his and gave her a small smile as if to say It's okay. Hera smiled in return and proceeded to listen to the reading.
Before I knew it, I'd drained the glass. I stared into it, sure I'd just had a warm drink, but the ice cubes hadn't even melted.
"The wonders of a godly drink." Apollo and Hermes said in unison.
"Was it good?" Grover asked.
I nodded.
"What did it taste like?" He sounded so wistful, I felt guilty.
"You ALWAYS feel guilty about the smallest of things Kelp Head." Thalia said.
"Yeah." Nico quipped. "You even apologize for things way out of your control!" Annabeth nodded in agreement. This made Percy pout sadly.
"What is this, Pick-on-Percy month?" He asked angrily.
"Yes." The three demigods deadpanned. This caught everyone's attention. "What now?" Percy asked in disbelief.
"We said yes."
"yes to… what again?"
"Yes to the pick-on-Percy month of course."
"Wait a minute, you're telling me there's such a thing as Pick-on-Percy month… I don't believe you!" Annabeth, Thalia and Nico rolled their eyes.
"well believe it Seaweed Brain. Chiron even marked it on the calendar in the rec room." Annabeth said. Percy's expression was priceless. "How come I don't see it?"
"Becausseee…" "It would ruin the fun…." "DUH!"
Percy groaned in defeat. "I give up!" All of this was being watched in amusement by the demigods and recorded by the gods for Hephaestus TV.
"Sorry," I said. "I should've let you taste."
"NO!" Yelled Athena, both Annabeths, Katie, Silena and Hermes. Annabeth whacked Percy in the head. "You idiot!"
"I'm so sorry! IN my defense, I didn't even know what would happen." Percy weakly argued.
"You never know, Fish Face."
"HEY!"
His eyes got wide. "No! That's not what I meant. I just... wondered."
"So…" Connor started. "What would happen if a satyr were to drink Nectar?" Travis finished. The females all face-palmed while some males shook their heads at the twins and at those other males who didn't know.
"Well, if satyrs were to drink Nectar, which is the food of the gods…" Annabeth trailed off. "Then they would disintegrate like if a mortal would drink it." Mini-Annabeth finished. The two smiled at each other. However, their small victory was short lived when they got interrupted by a certain son of Poseidon.
"Wait, aren't satyrs, according to the dictionary, woodland deities which would sort of make them part god?" Everyone paused to think about it but none came up with an answer.
"Well?" Percy pressed. Everyone looked at Athena and the two Annabeths. Mini-Annabeth shook her head in defeat. Annabeth shrugged. "Don't look at me." That left Athena whose hand was on her chin, deep in thought. The wisdom goddess sighed in frustration. Then she took a deep breath and looked at Percy straight in the eye.
"I…I… don't know…." Ultimate silence was heard in the room as Athena spoke those last three words. The gods looked at Athena in disbelief then at Percy who's mouth was hanging open.
"I beg your pardon, Lady Athena, but… what?" Athena's eyes flashed angrily. She grit her teeth and spoke the words again. "I said, I don't know."
Apollo, Hermes, the Big Three and the futures all let out low whistles. "That's got to be a first." Hermes whispered to Apollo. "Athena, the great wisdom goddess Athena doesn't know the answer! The world must be ending. And to be asked the question by a son of Poseidon nonetheless!"
"Err…" Will decided to spare the goddess from embarrassment so he decided to read on.
"Chocolate-chip cookies," I said. "My mom's. Homemade."
He sighed. "And how do you feel?"
"Like I could throw Nancy Bobofit a hundred yards."
"Is that good?" Hestia asked. Most people jumped at the sound of her voice. They had, once again, forgotten she was there. Poseidon leaned toward her with a guilty look on his face.
"Sorry, sister but it seems we have forgotten about you again." He said. Hestia just smiled and waved it off like it was nothing. "it's fine. So anyway, IS it good?"
Percy grinned. "For me? Nancy?Ehh… not so much." This comment was soon accompanied by snickers all around the room.
"That's good," he said. "That's good. I don't think you could risk drinking any more of that stuff"
"What do you mean?"
He took the empty glass from me gingerly, as if it were dynamite, and set it back on the table. "Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."
"Oh look! The brat get to meet me." The god of wine suddenly said. Again, people jumped at the sound of his voice.
"you were listening?" Connor asked in disbelief. Dionysus scoffed. "As if I would listen to this. Don't make assumptions, Cole." Hermes glared at the god of wine.
"His name is Connor."
"Whatever."
The demigods sighed. Mr. D will never change.
The porch wrapped all the way around the farmhouse.
My legs felt wobbly, trying to walk that far. Grover offered to carry the Minotaur horn, but I held on to it. I'd paid for that souvenir the hard way. I wasn't going to let it go.
Ares and Clarisse nodded at this.
As we came around the opposite end of the house, I caught my breath.
"Because you saw Annabeth?" Aphrodite asked, a sly smile on her face. Percy couldn't respond and neither could Annabeth. Both of them were red in the face out of embarrassment. Athena on the other hand, was ready to get out a spear and impale the love goddess with it.
We must've been on the north shore of Long Island, because on this side of the house, the valley marched all the way up to the water, which glittered about a mile in the distance. Between here and there, I simply couldn't process everything I was seeing.
All the demigods smiled. Camp…
The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like ancient Greek architecture,
Bothe Annabeths rolled their eyes. "It IS Ancient Greek architecture."
"I know."
an open-air pavilion, an amphitheater, a circular arena except that they all looked brand new, their white marble columns sparkling in the sun. In a nearby sandpit, a dozen high school-age kids and satyrs played volleyball.
Hermes and surprisingly, Dionysus smiled at that one.
Canoes glided across a small lake.
This time, Percy and Poseidon grinned.
Kids in bright orange T-shirts like Grover's were chasing each other around a cluster of cabins nestled in the woods. Some shot targets at an archery range.
Now it was the Twin Archers plus Will and Thalia who were grinning.
Others rode horses down a wooded trail, and, unless I was hallucinating, some of their horses had wings.
"Nope. You weren't hallucinating. Those are, in fact, wings." Silena confirmed. She was after all, camp's best equestrian.
Down at the end of the porch, two men sat across from each other at a card table. The blond-haired girl who'd spoon-fed me popcorn-flavored pudding was leaning on the porch rail next to them.
Both Annabeth huffed indignantly at being called "the blond girl". Will read the next lines and hesitated a bit but continued so as not to cause a disruption.
The man facing me was small, but porky.
Some glances were thrown at the god of wine, who's left eye was twitching. Will swallowed his own saliva before carrying on.
He had a red nose, big watery eyes, and curly hair so black it was almost purple. He looked like those paintings of baby angels- what do you call them, hubbubs? No, cherubs. That's it. He looked like a cherub who'd turned middle-aged in a trailer park.
By this time, Dionysus was very red in the face with anger, the only thing holding him back was a glare from Poseidon and a slight movement of the pointy trident.
Hermes leaned over the armrest of his throne and whispered to Apollo. "If you actually think about it, it's pretty accurate, don't you think?"
Apollo had to cover his mouth with his hand to prevent himself from laughing. The demigods gave chuckles here and there but were afraid of what Mr. D could do to them… not that he would try.
He wore a tiger-pattern Hawaiian shirt, and he would've fit right in at one of Gabe's poker parties,
Dionysus suddenly leaped to his feet, anger getting the best of him. "That is IT Perseus Jackson. That right there is the final insult!" Percy's face drained of color as grape vines suddenly wrapped around his throat, cutting off the air supply to his lungs. The demigods cried out in surprise, as well as the gods. Hermes moved to help Percy. Poseidon leaped for Dionysus but was held back by Zeus and Hestia. The god of wine himself was being held back by the Twin Archers.
"Dionysus! Let my son out of your grape vines or I swear you will wish you had never been born." He roared. Hestia gripped his arm tighter as did Zeus. Hermes and Annabeth were trying to cut the vines but were unsuccessful. By then, Percy was turning blue.
"RIPTIDE! Use Riptide Percy!" Thalia shouted. Percy reached for his sword, uncapped it and swung at the vine attached to the floor. The sword was able to cut through the vine, loosening it enough to make Percy breath. Annabeth and Hermes slowly pulled at the vines. Once he was free of it, Percy let out a few chocked coughs.
Poseidon was at his son's side in an instant, checking for wounds. Luckily, there wasn't any. The gods then glared at Dionysus who seemed to have just realized what he had done. Zeus shot his son a look.
"That is enough. Dionysus, we will discuss your punishment for this later." Dionysus nodded and slowly, Artemis and Apollo let him go. Then he sat down on his seat.
"Lord Zeus, there isn't any need for punishments." Percy said after his coughing fit. "It was my fault in the first place. I should have been more respectful in my- err- thoughts and descriptions of others." There was silence in the room as Percy bowed to Dionysus. "I'm… sorry, Mr.D."
Everyone shifted their gaze to the god of wine who looked semi-conflicted. Then he sighed and through clenched teeth, he said "I'm sorry too. I let my anger get the best of me."
Percy nodded and returned to his seat, his hand still around his throat though. Annabeth took his other hand into hers and gave him a sad smile.
Katie picked up the book from the floor and handed it to Will, who flipped it to the correct page and continued reading.
except I got the feeling this guy could've out-gambled even my step-father.
Dionysus grumbled under his breath. "Anyone can outsmart that piece of trash."
"That's Mr. D," Grover murmured to me. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper,
Both Annabeths raised an eyebrow at that. "Just a camper?"
but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron..."
Everyone smiled at the mention of the old teacher.
He pointed at the guy whose back was to me.
First, I realized he was sitting in the wheelchair. Then I recognized the tweed jacket, the thinning brown hair, the scraggly beard.
"Mr. Brunner!" I cried.
"Only you Seaweed Brain." Annabeth said. "Didn't you hear Grover just call him Chiron?" The hero of Olympus looked at the daughter of Athena sheepishly then he smiled at her. "In my defense, Wise Girl, I had known Chiron more as Mr. Brunner for nearly a year so naturally I'd call him that. I think anyone would." The demigods and some of the deities as well looked unconvinced. This only made Percy sigh.
"I am not explaining that. Just continue with the reading."
The Latin teacher turned and smiled at me. His eyes had that mischievous glint they sometimes got in class when he pulled a pop quiz and made all the multiple choice answersB.
The Big Three, the Quartet and the futures all grinned at that. Actually scratch that, everyone was amused.
"That's so cool!" Connor stated. "I know! Why couldn't our teacher do that?" Travis supplied. Katie just shook her head at them. "You dolts. Chiron is your teacher. Just not the same as those of the mortals."
"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 Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."
Dionysus received a look from the king of the gods. "Didn't I send you there to behave and learn from the demigods?" Dionysus nodded his head and squeaked out a small "yes"
Zeus' eye twitched but for now, he ignored the god of wine who sighed in relief.
"Uh, thanks." I scooted a little farther away from him because,ifthere was one thing I had learned from living with Gabe,
"You learned something from that pig?" Hera said incredulously. Percy looked like he was thinking for a moment before nodding. Almost all the demigods' and goddesses' jaws dropped to the floor. "What could you possibly learn from that poor excuse of a mortal?" Athena asked angrily.
The son of Poseidon looked at the floor. "He taught me, although without his knowing it, that even the worst of humans have a role in this world." Percy smiled sadly while the rest pondered over his words. Will forgot he was supposed to read until Beckendorf tapped his shoulder and pointed to the book in his hands.
it was how to tell when an adult has been hitting the happy juice. If Mr. D was a stranger to alcohol, I was a satyr.
Many smiled at the comparison.
"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."
At the mention of their cabin, Hermes and the Stolls let out a small cheer.
Annabeth said, "Sure, Chiron."
She was probably my age, maybe a couple of inches taller, and a whole lot more athletic looking.
Annabeth smirked. "Back then? I was way more athletic looking than you." Percy pouted while everyone else snickered and/or giggled.
With her deep tan and her curly blond hair, she was almost exactly what I thought a stereotypical California girl would look like,
Athena and mini-Annabeth raised an eyebrow at this. "Stereotypical?"
except her eyes ruined the image.
The aforementioned two were then joined by the future Annabeth and at the same time, the three glared at the son of Poseidon who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Ruined the image, eh Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked. Percy smiled uncertainly. "Err… no?"
Annabeth glared at him for another five seconds before looking away. "You're lucky you're cute." She whispered, causing Percy to blush slightly. Athena's glare deepened at this but mini0Annabeth just looked confused.
They were startling gray, like storm clouds; pretty, but intimidating, too, as if she were analyzing the best way to take me down in a fight.
All the demigods (minus the two daughters of Athena) frowned at that. "Was there ever a time when Annabeth's eyes weren't like that?" Nico asked. Thalia tried to hold in her laughter as Percy nodded, remembering the scene all too well.
"Tell us!" everyone prompted except Annabeth herself (from the future that is). Percy winked at his girlfriend. Then he place a finger on his smiling lips and tilted his head in such a way that he looked like a cute child with a big secret. In this case he was a cute teenager with a sworn secret.
"Sorry, but my lips are sealed." He said. Everyone pouted all except mini-Annabeth and Athena.
She glanced at the minotaur horn in my hands, then back at me. I imagined she was going to say,You killed a minotaur!orWow, you're so awesome!or something like that.
The demigods all laughed at Percy no matter how hard they tried not to. Some were clutching their stomachs while others fell off their seats and are now rolling on the floor.
"Oh my gods!""AHAHA!" "I can't believe you actually thought about that, Kelp-for-Brains!" "There's no way in Hades that I'd say that, Seaweed brain." "This is GOLD!"
The gods watched all of this in amusement and some had laughter shining in their eyes.
Instead she said, "You drool when you sleep."
This caused another round of laughter but this time, everyone was laughing. Most were on the floor now and gasping for air.
"T-those were…" Thalia gasped.
"Your first words…" Nico choked out. The two of them fell back on the floor and in unison they said "To each other!"
Percy and Annabeth stopped laughing at this and started blushing.
Then she sprinted off down the lawn, her blond hair flying behind her.
Aphrodite smirked. "I am so loving this! Just wait till I get really into your love life, young Percy."
Percy grimaced. "I don't need to wait anymore really. I've already had my fair share of complications."
"So," I said, anxious to change the subject. "You, uh, work here, Mr. Brunner?"
"Not Mr. Brunner," the ex-Mr. Brunner said. "I'm afraid that was a pseudonym. You may call me Chiron."
"Okay." Totally confused, I looked at the director. "And Mr. D ... does that stand for something?"
Many people inwardly sighed.
Mr. D stopped shuffling the cards. He looked at me like I'd just belched loudly.
The demigods snickered at this again while Dionysus looked offended.
"Young man, names are powerful things. You don't just go around using them for no reason."
"And yet you go ahead and throw them around! Honestly Percy. Mr. D told you that." Annabeth would have continued ranting had she not been lightly zapped by Thalia. "Annie, you know it's useless to tell him so, don't waste your energy."
Annabeth knew her best friend was right.
"Oh. Right. Sorry."
"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 Yancy Academy, 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."
Hestia frowned. "I wonder what Chiron told the mortal." She said out loud. Everyone looked at Percy who shook his head and shrugged. "They don't tell students why teacher 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.
"So the ego enlarges." Artemis stated. "Good job, Chiron. Very good job." Sarcasm was very obvious in her voice but most just ignored it.
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 Camp Half-Blood. But you still had so much to learn. Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that's always the first test."
Thalia sighed and stared at the floor. "That's the one test I couldn't afford to fail but did." The mood suddenly turned melancholic. Thalia received a pat on the shoulder and a short hug not long afterwards.
"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.
Dionysus cleared his throat and gave Percy a warning look. Poseidon then gave Dionysus a warning look, causing the god of wine to back down.
"Youdoknow how to play pinochle?" Mr. D eyed me suspiciously.
"I'm afraid not," I said.
"I'm afraid not,sir," he said.
"Sir," I repeated. I was liking the camp director less and less.
All the demigods suddenly found things in the room interesting. Will found the pages of the book so intriguing that he hid himself in them. Most stared at the floor, the ceiling, the walls, their shoes but some of the really interesting ones came from Percy, Nico and Thalia.
Percy looked at his dad's shoes- or rather- flip flops and wondered how they don't look the slightest bit worn out.
Nico looked at Hades' robe and saw the dead spirits trying to escape. He involuntarily gave a small shiver as he saw them look at him and smile evilly.
Thalia was staring at her dad's pin-stripe suit and marveled at how it didn't have a single wrinkle in it.
All this happened while Dionysus was glaring at them. Will continued reading seeing as his was close to the book.
"Well," he told me, "it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. I would expect all civilizedyoung men to know the rules."
Travis and Connor suddenly looked at Dionysus.
"What?" He all but yelled. The two brothers looked at him seriously. "With all due respect, Mr. D, but do you, perhaps know about the rules of the game of football or baseball?" Dionysus frowned. "Why would I need to know that?"
The two brothers smirked at him. "Then it appears…" "you are not civilized enough for the twenty-first century."
Mr. D just huffed childishly.
"I'm sure the boy can learn," Chiron said.
"Please," I said, "what is this place? What am I doing here? Mr. Brun—Chiron- why would you go to Yancy Academy just to teach me?"
Mr. D snorted. "I asked the same question."
Demeter and Persephone hit Dionysus with a handful of cereal and a cookie. "Be nice."
The camp director dealt the cards. Grover flinched every time one landed in his pile.
Chiron smiled at me sympathetically, the way he used to in Latin class, as if to let me know that no matter what my average was,Iwas his star student. He expectedmeto have the right answer.
"Chiron expects that from ALL his students." Silena said, smiling. She loved Chiron like a second father, just like Annabeth does.
"Percy," he said. "Did your mother tell you nothing?'
"She said ..." I remembered her sad eyes, looking out over the sea. "She told me she was afraid to send me here, even though my father had wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I probably couldn't leave. She wanted to keep me close to her."
"Typical," Mr. D said. "That's how they usually get killed. Young man, are you bidding or not?"
"What?" I asked.
He explained, impatiently, how you bid in pinochle, and so I did.
"I'm afraid there's too much to tell," Chiron said. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient."
"Well, no wonder you were so stupid!" Annabeth suddenly exclaimed. This was followed by an indignant "Hey!" The demigods all had various expressions. Nico's was horrified; Thalia's was curious; Will's, Beckendorf's and the Stolls' were happily grinning; Silena and Katie looked a bit queasy while both Annabeths and Clarisse were trying not to laugh.
"how could you not have seen it? That film was one of the best PG-13 films that I've seen!"
"Oh man. I remember that film."
"Yeah. I loved the first part."
"What was it again?"
"You know, the one that says, 'Monsters and gods are well alive and are amongst us.' Then after that, the voice says 'that's why if you think your life has been crazy till now, you're 100% wrong!"
"I never liked that film. It had too much blood in it."
"WHAT? Nothing can have too much blood in it. Especially when it's recorded!"
They would have all continued had Zeus not cleared his throat. The kids all looked at the gods sheepishly and in unison, they said "Sorry."
"Orientation film?" I asked.
"The BEST film made for demigods!" The Stolls said. Soon they found themselves on the floor, passed out, with hand prints on their faces.
"No," Chiron decided. "Well, Percy. You know your friend Grover is a satyr. You know-" he pointed to the horn in the shoe box- "that you have killed the Minotaur. No small feat, either, lad. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. Gods- the forces you call the Greek gods- are very much alive."
Many of the deities looked smug at this while the demigods just rolled their eyes.
I stared at the others around the table.
I waited for somebody to yell,Not!
"NOT!" yelled the Quartet. Percy and Annabeth rolled their eyes at the Stolls while Artemis and Demeter did the same for Hermes and Apollo.
But all I got was Mr. D yelling, "Oh, a royal marriage. Trick! Trick!" He cackled as he tallied up his points.
Dionysus looked hopeful. Very hopeful. "Perhaps I could finally beat that old centaur!" He whispered under his breath. Unfortunately, the person beside him, who happened to be Hermes, heard him and gave a chuckle.
He won't be beating Chiron anytime soon.
"Mr. D," Grover asked timidly, "if you're not going to eat it, could I have your Diet Coke can?"
"Eh? Oh, all right."
"You're being nice?" Artemis said astonishingly. This made Dionysus grumble. "I can be nice… when I want to be to them."
Grover bit a huge shard out of the empty aluminum can and chewed it mournfully.
"How do you chew mournfully?" Apollo asked. "Do you take a bite then cry?"
Athena sighed along with many others.
"Apollo, it just means Grover was eating sadly, as in, not enthusiastic."
"Wait," I told Chiron. "You're telling me there's such a thing as god."
Cue in the face palms.
"Well, now," Chiron said. "God- capitalG, God. That's a different matter altogether. We shan't deal with the metaphysical."
"Metaphysical?" Connor asked. Annabeth was going to answer when Percy beat her to it.
"In short, Connor, metaphysical is something supernatural or something that can't be seen or something that has no proof.
By the end of his explanation, Annabeth, Nico and Thalia were looking at him in horror. He just shrugged it off. "
"That's what happens when you get strapped to a chair and thrown into a waiting Cabin 6 for 8 hours. I felt like I was gonna go crazy!" He grumbled. Many were looking at him in curiosity but like before, he didn't say anything.
"Metaphysical? But you were just talking about-"
"Ah, gods, plural, as in, great beings that control the forces of nature and human endeavors: the immortal gods of Olympus. That's a smaller matter."
All the gods then raised an eyebrow at the book.
"So, Chiron…" Apollo began. Hermes was smirking for some reason.
"I can see that to you, we're a smaller matter."
"Smaller?"
"Yes, quite. The gods we discussed in Latin class."
"Zeus," I said. "Hera. Apollo. You mean them."
"Yes! I was mentioned." The sun god yelled then high-fived Hermes.
Athena smirked. I find it amusing that he mentions the king of the gods and not his father.
Even Zeus was smirking at his brother. Poseidon only rolled his eyes and motioned for Will to continue.
And there it was again- distant thunder on a cloud less day.
"Young man," said Mr. D, "I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you."
The futures snorted. "As if he'd listen." Thalia scoffed.
"So you were already warned by a god and you still didn't listen." Nico said in amusement. Poseidon paled at the thought of the possibilities of what his son did in the future.
"But they're stories," I said. "They're- myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science."
This time, all the gods minus Dionysus groaned.
"great. Now Dionysus is gonna start a rant again." Hades whispered angrily at Poseidon. The sea god only sighed and nodded his head sadly.
"Science!" Mr. D scoffed.
The demigods sighed this time.
"And the rant begins."
"And tell me, Perseus Jackson"-I flinched when he said my real name, which I never told anybody-
"Perseus Jackson, Perseus Jackson" Nico and Thalia chanted. This made many smile and laugh. Connor and Travis soon joined in.
"Ok people. Settle down now." Percy called. "We don't have all day you know."
It took a while but eventually people did calm down.
"what will people think of your 'science' two thousand years from now?" Mr. D continued. "Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo jumbo. That's what. Oh, I love mortals- they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they've comeso-o-ofar. And have they, Chiron? Look at this boy and tell me."
I wasn't liking Mr. D much, but there was something about the way he called me mortal, as if... he wasn't.
More face palms were done at this.
It was enough to put a lump in my throat, to suggest why Grover was dutifully minding his cards, chewing his soda can, and keeping his mouth shut.
"Percy," Chiron said, "you may choose to believe or not, but the fact is thatimmortalmeans immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all time?"
Percy smiled slightly and looked at his friends. "Yes, yes I can." His friends (the futures) all smiled at him in joy. The gods were confused by then.
"Does that mean that Jackson's immortal?" Clarisse and Ares asked in unison. Percy laughed lightly but shook his head.
"Gods, no."
I was about to answer, off the top of my head, that it sounded like a pretty good deal, but the tone of Chiron's voice made me hesitate.
"You mean, whether people believed in you or not," I said.
"Exactly," Chiron agreed. "If you were a god, how would you like being called a myth,
"I'm not a god, but here we are, reading my so-called myth." Percy thought.
an old story to explain lightning? What if I told you, Perseus Jackson, that someday people would callyoua myth, just created to explain how little boys can get over losing their mothers?"
The males all let out low whistles. Even Thalia and Clarisse.
"Low blow Chiron. Low blow."
My heart pounded. He was trying to make me angry for some reason, but I wasn't going to let him.
Athena nodded. Good. Control your anger.
I said, "I wouldn't like it. But I don't believe in gods."
"Oh, you'd better," Mr. D murmured. "Before one of them incinerates you."
Poseidon's grip on his trident tightened as he glared at the immortals in the room.
"Try it and I'll be the one doing the incinerating."
Poseidon didn't see it, but Percy flashed him a smile and happiness could be seen clearly in his eyes. He cares…
The demigods smiled at each other. Percy deserves this. Loving parents and a happy life.
Grover said, "P-please, sir. He's just lost his mother. He's in shock."
"A lucky thing, too," Mr. D grumbled, playing a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys who don't even believe.'"
He waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, as if the sunlight had bent, momentarily, and woven the air into glass. The goblet filled itself with red wine.
Dionysus paled and sneaked a glance at Zeus who was twitching.
"Dionysus…" He trailed off warningly. The god of wine hid behind one of his magazines in fear.
My jaw dropped, but Chiron hardly looked up.
"Chiron's not one to be surprised by such actions, Percy." Katie murmured. Percy smiled but sighed before it. "I know Katie. I know."
The daughter of Demeter blushed. "Just saying." Travis saw the blush and started scowling at the son of Poseidon. This was not left unnoticed by a handful of people.
"Mr. D," he warned, "your restrictions."
Mr. D looked at the wine and feigned surprise.
"Dear me." He looked at the sky and yelled, "Old habits! Sorry!"
Zeus was not pleased by the end of this. "Dionysus, you're forgetting that you are in the midst of a punishment."
Mentioned god gulped and hastily bowed to Zeus as best as he could while sitting. "Yes, father. It won't happen again… hopefully."
More thunder.
Mr. D waved his hand again and the wineglass changed into a fresh can of Diet Coke. He sighed unhappily, popped the top of the soda, and went back to his card game.
Chiron winked at me. "Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits."
Zeus grumbled. "Apparently, he doesn't know what off-limits mean."
"A wood nymph," I repeated, still staring at the Diet Coke can like it was from outer space.
Dionysus rolled his eyes. "It's not that hard to get used to, Patil."
"It's Percy."
"Whatever Peter."
Let's just say that not long later, Dionysus was blasted by a small geyser right in the face.
"Yes," Mr. D confessed. "Father loves to punish me.
"I do not." Cried the king of the gods. Dionysus raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Then how come when Artemis or Hermes or heck, even Apollo do something wrong they just get a scolding? Apollo disobeys you more than I do!" Dionysus stopped himself before he got on his father's nerves. Zeus, on the other hand, was reflecting.
Do I really love to punish him? What he said is true.
No. I am right. He needs to be punished because I clearly stated that the nymph was off-limits.
But still…Gah! I can't believe this! I'm arguing with myself. What has gotten into me?
The first time, Prohibition. Ghastly! Absolutely horrid ten years! The second time- well, she really was pretty, and I couldn't stay away- the second time, he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you. 'Be a better influence,' he told me. 'Work with youths rather than tearing them down.' Ha.' Absolutely unfair."
Everyone expected Zeus to say something but he just kept quiet, still thinking about his actions.
Mr. D sounded about six years old, like a pouting little kid.
Many of the past demigods became nervous. You do NOT compare an immortal, especially a god, to a six year old kid.
"And ..." I stammered, "your father is ..."
Before anyone could comment further, Percy spoke. "I know, I know. I'm slow. Excuse me for being new to things."
"Di immortales,Chiron," Mr. D said. "I thought you taught this boy the basics. My father is Zeus, of course."
I ran through D names from Greek mythology. Wine. The skin of a tiger. The satyrs that all seemed to work here. The way Grover cringed, as if Mr. D were his master.
"Hmm… master… I like that." Dionysus mused. He was then glared at by Hermes.
"My son's satyrs are not there to be your servants, Dionysus." The god just waved it off like it was nothing.
"You're Dionysus," I said. "The god of wine."
Mr. D rolled his eyes. "What do they say, these days, Grover? Do the children say, 'Well, duh!'?"
"We don't say that." All the demigods said.
"Y-yes, Mr. D."
"Then, well, duh! Percy Jackson. Did you think I was Aphrodite, perhaps?"
Aphrodite and Silena gave an indignant huff. "I resent that! Besides, you'd need help if you want to be as pretty as me." She then made a mirror appear and started dabbing on some lip gloss. Dionysus only leaned away.
"No thanks."
"You're a god."
"Yes, child."
"A god. You."
"We still have trouble believing it sometimes Perce." Hermes said all while smirking at the wine god.
"HEY!"
He turned to look at me straight on, and I saw a kind of purplish fire in his eyes, a hint that this whiny, plump little man was only showing me the tiniest bit of his true nature.
Most of the demigods wanted to know what he was shown and leaned forward in their seats in anticipation.
I saw visions of grape vines choking unbelievers to death,
A few of the past demigods winced.
drunken warriors insane with battle lust,
Ares and Clarisse grinned at that one.
sailors screaming as their hands turned to flippers, their faces elongating into dolphin snouts.
Now all of the kids paled.
I knew that if I pushed him, Mr. D would show me worse things. He would plant a disease in my brain that would leave me wearing a strait-jacket in a rubber room for the rest of my life.
Poseidon growled and glared at Dionysus. "He wouldn't dare." The camp director buried himself behind his magazine again where a squeak was heard.
"Would you like to test me, child?" he said quietly.
"No. No, sir."
The fire died a little. He turned back to his card game. "I believe I win."
"YES!" came the sudden shout from Dionysus. He got up from his throne and started dancing around the room. "FINALLY! After years and years, centuries even! I finally bet the old centaur!" He continued to make a fool of himself while the rest snickered quietly. Hermes and the Stolls were taping it for future use. Some of the goddess wondered if they should stop the poor god from further embarrassment.
Annabeth leaned towards Percy and whispered. "He shouldn't get TOO happy. Chiron hasn't tallied his points yet."
Percy rolled his eyes for the millionth time that day and responded. "Let him live out a few seconds of ignorance. I don't want to be strangled to death by grape vines."
Will watched his camp director before effectively cutting him off with the next line.
"Not quite, Mr. D," Chiron said. He set down a straight, tallied the points, and said, "The game goes to me."
Dionysus stopped dancing and looked at the book in disbelief. "Could you read that again, Wonky?"
Will paled, ignored the wrong name (again) and did as he was told. He read the line again. Silence reigned as all eyes were at the god of madness.
They waited for the inevitable.
.
.
.
"NOOOO! My game! So close! I was so close." Dionysus wept on the ground like a little kid who broke his toy. "Why? WHY? Just one game! All I ask is to win ONE game! Is that too much to ask for?" He screamed at the ceiling. Thunder rumbled uncertainly. The god trudged towards his throne, an aura of depression surrounding him. Hestia teleported beside him and patted his arm awkwardly.
"There there, Dio. You'll get your chance one day." Dionysus nodded and stopped sobbing when Will started to read again.
Hermes and Apollo snickered at the god being called "Dio".
I thought Mr. D was going to vaporize Chiron right out of his wheelchair, but he just sighed through his nose, as if he were used to being beaten by the Latin teacher. He got up, and Grover rose, too.
"I'm tired," Mr. D said. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, we need to talk,again,about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."
Grover's face beaded with sweat. "Y-yes, sir."
Demeter frowned along with Hera, Persephone and Artemis. "Poor satyr."
Mr. D turned to me. "Cabin eleven, Percy Jackson. And mind your manners."
Annabeth snorted in an un-lady-like way. "His manners…"
He swept into the farmhouse, Grover following miserably.
"Will Grover be okay?" I asked Chiron.
The goddesses all shot warm smiles at Percy who just sunk in his chair.
"You are truly a nice friend, Perseus." Hestia said, back in her hearth again. Percy blushed and nodded. "Thanks."
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."
"Mount Olympus," I said. "You're telling me there really is a palace there?"
Will stopped reading and looked at everyone. "OK. No one comment. This is a LONG explanation which I do not want to have delayed." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Well now, there's Mount Olympus in Greece. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed used to be on Mount Olympus. It's still called Mount Olympus, 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 ... inAmerica?"
Nico so desperately wanted to say "No, in Japan!" but kept his mouth shut.
"Well, certainly. The gods move with the heart of the West."
"The what?"
Athena opened her mouth to say something but stopped at the look Apollo gave her.
"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.
All the gods nodded in agreement.
The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know- or as I hope you know, since you passed my course-
Percy grinned at that. "I passed!"
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."
"And then they died."
Many of the people in the room had to bit their tongues to stop themselves from commenting. It was quite a struggle.
"Died? No. Did the West die? The gods simply moved, to Germany, to France, to Spain, for a while. Wherever the flame was brightest, the gods were there. They spent several centuries in England. All you need to do is look at the architecture.
People do not forget the gods. Every place they've ruled, for the last three thousand years, you can see them in paintings, in statues, on the most important buildings. And yes, Percy, of course they are now in your United States. Look at your symbol, the eagle of Zeus.
Zeus looked smug about it, earning himself eye rolls from his siblings.
Look at the statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center, the Greek facades of your government buildings in Washington. I defy you to find any American city where the Olympians are not prominently displayed in multiple places. Like it or not- and believe me, plenty of people weren't very fond of Rome, either- America is now the heart of the flame. It is the great power of the West. And so Olympus is here. And we are here."
Athena and both Annabeths nodded. "Couldn't have said it better myself" was what they thought.
It was all too much, especially the fact thatIseemed to be included in Chiron'swe,as if I were part of some club.
Will looked up. "You can comment again. Chapter's nearly over anyways."
To his surprise, no one did.
"Who are you, Chiron? Who ... who am I?"
"That I one cliché question, Percy." Aphrodite said, looking up from her mirror. Nico looked thoughtful while she said this.
"If I were to answer that, I'd say you are Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson, slayer of Titans and monsters, Savior of Olympus and a total Seaweed Brain!"
Many snickered at the last one but Percy only grinned.
Chiron smiled. He shifted his weight as if he were going to get up out of his wheelchair, but I knew that was impossible. He was paralyzed from the waist down.
Cue in eye rolls from the gods.
"Who are you?" he mused. "Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? But for now, we should get you a bunk in cabin eleven. There will be new friends to 'meet. And plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, there will be smores at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore chocolate."
All the campers snorted.
"I don't think adore is the right word for Chiron when it comes to chocolate." Beckendorf said.
"it's more of an obsession." Will stated.
"An unhealthy obsession." Demeter cut in. "Chocolate makes you fat."
She was interrupted by Hermes and Apollo. "It doesn't matter! Chocolate is one of the best sweets in the world!." Then they started drooling over chocolate.
And then he did rise from his wheelchair. But there was something odd about the way he did it. His blanket fell away from his legs, but the legs didn't move. His waist kept getting longer, rising above his belt. At first, I thought he was wearing very long, white velvet underwear,
Everyone grinned at that.
"That's a first." Poseidon stated. A lot of people nodded in agreement.
but as he kept rising out of the chair, taller than any man, I realized that the velvet underwear wasn't underwear; it was the front of an animal, muscle and sinew under coarse white fur. And the wheelchair wasn't a chair.
"huh? How could it not be a chair when it's called a wheelchair?" Travis asked. Katie sighed and smacked him over the head.
It was some kind of container, an enormous box on wheels, and it must've been magic, because there's no way it could've held all of him.
"It is magic." Hephaestus said. "I created the thing so I should know."
A leg came out, long and knobby-kneed, with a huge polished hoof. Then another front leg, then hindquarters, and then the box was empty, nothing but a metal shell with a couple of fake human legs attached.
"That's kind of disturbing if you think about it." Hera suddenly said.
I stared at the horse who had just sprung from the wheelchair: a huge white stallion. But where its neck should be was the upper body of my Latin teacher, smoothly grafted to the horse's trunk.
"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."
Will sighed and handed the book to Silena. "DONE! turn, Sil." Silena blushed at being called Sil, one which wasn't left unnoticed by Beckedorf. He felt a wrench in his chest and stopped for a moment.
"What the heck was that?"
Aphrodite looked at the two in understanding. "Oh Charles, if only you knew…Well, you would have known if me and my daughter didn't chicken out yesterday. One day, we'll tell you. You and Hephaestus both."
Silena took the book and flipped it to the next page. She looked at everyone to see if they were ready. They all nodded and so she began.
"Chapter six: I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom"
A/N: So, how was it? Good, Bad, Weird, Acceptable? If it seemed like I focused on different characters all throughout the chapter, I'm sorry if you didn't like it. I'll try to do better in the next chapter.~Demi