Chapter 3

When Sally Jackson says, invite a guy over that guy gets invited. He gets invited so hard that he will never be invited anywhere else with such flair and determination.

And Octavian didn't get the cheap treatment. There was no difference to her between Percy's kinda sorta friends and people he claimed as family.

By the time they left La casa De Jackson everyone was family. Sally Jackson just had that effect on people. Had she ever chosen to adress Olympus she would've had numerous godly cousins within seconds, half of them on speed dial, with many plans for brunches and at least 18 invites to Girls' day. Sally Jackson was her own superpower. Percy had been saying that for years.

Octavian realized it half a minute into the dinner he'd been dragged to. He'd seen gods and misguidedly allied with earth itself, yet Sally Jackson was the most powerful being he had ever encountered.

"Hello Octavian, I'm Percy's mom, Sally. " She'd greeted pleasantly. His shock continued through the night. Even his beloved Rachel had despised him at first. Sally Jackson was the first person to ever immediately accept him. As the pleasantries continued he attempted to understand how that was possible. He thought about his eyes, the creepy defining feature people always noticed first. Yet she had looked him in the eyes and accepted him.

After a dinner and dessert that left nothing to be desired, as well as the explanation of blue food- which made Octavian want to augur Gabe Ugliano into a pile of stuffing- Percy pulled him into his little bedroom.

"I wrote down some things-" He started hesitantly.

"Percy I've solved our problems. All we have to do is be your mom. " Percy laughed.

"I've been trying for years. She's pretty amazing isn't she? "

"Yeah, wow. I wish my mom was like that. I thought your dad was the one you got your powers from but I was wrong. "

"Unfortunately no one is like her. Sorry dude. "

"I've given up on my mom anyway..." For a second both were silent.

"How do you mess up when you've got a mom like that? " Octavian asked.

"Well, parents don't define you. I try to be like her but sometimes I can't. Between powers and impulsiveness I'm just a mess. "

"Powers shouldn't define a person either. Your mom is spectacular. She could probably kill the president and be applauded for it. By the president. That's power. Yet she controls it. Your problem I think is letting your powers control you. You give in to things because you know you can. You overreact because you know you're able to. " Octavian flinched instinctively. People rarely listened to him. But Percy was listening.

"So Octavian, what's your problem? " Octavian froze for a second.

"I guess I let other people define me." He said morosely.

"You know. The fates mess around with people's lives. Weave one life into another- to make the whole thing stronger. " Percy spoke slowly to comfort his new friend.

"I'm beginning to suspect that our lives were weaved together. It sounds crazy and way too cheesy but I think we were meant to help each other. " Octavian looked up.

"You're like her, Percy Jackson. " He said, studying a guy guy he would've never thought of as friend. Percy blinked.

"What? "

"Your mom. She's pretty great. I didn't think I'd ever say it, but so are you. " Percy gaped.

"See? You're already helping me. That's exactly what I needed to hear. Now you gonna let me help you? "

"I don't know. "

"No one becomes hero by themselves. "

"No," He agreed,

"You need least one person to think you're a hero. " In his mind he saw the little cookie medal. You're my hero, that Vanellope had given to Ralph.

"You have that. " Percy assured.

"Yeah she's pretty spectacular. " He thought fondly of Rachel.

"Oh yeah. Her too."

That night the moon was half full and Octavian couldn't sleep. Percy thought that he was a hero and a truly good entity existed. All was almost right with the world. Maybe there was actually someone worth aspiring to be with. And now maybe there was someone who would help him fight Octavian 1.0.

And if anyone knew about fighting things that person was Percy Jackson. He'd fought enough monsters, and was still fighting his own demons, even now.