Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or Camp Half-Blood or mythology. Rick does. Well, at least the characters and Camp Half-Blood.
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Chapter 21
He loved the Mist.
According to the L.A. news, the explosion at the Santa Monica beach had been caused when a crazy kidnapper fired a shotgun at a police car. He accidentally hit a gas main that had ruptured during the earthquake. This crazy kidnapper was the same man who had abducted Percy and two other adolescents in New York and brought them across the country on a ten-day odyssey of terror.
Poor little Percy Jackson wasn't an international criminal after all.
He'd caused a commotion on that Greyhound bus in New Jersey trying to get away from his captor (and afterward, witnesses would even swear they had seen the leather-clad man on the bus—"Why didn't I remember him before?"). The crazy man had caused the explosion in the St. Louis Arch. After all, no kid could've done that.
A concerned waitress in Denver had seen the man threatening his abductees outside her diner, gotten a friend to take a photo, and notified the police. Finally, brave Percy Jackson (he was beginning to like this kid) had stolen a gun from his captor in Los Angeles and battled him shotgun-to-rifle on the beach. Police had arrived just in time. But in the spectacular explosion, five police cars had been destroyed and the captor had fled. No fatalities had occurred. Percy Jackson and his two friends were safely in police custody.
The reporters fed them the whole story. They just nodded and acted tearful and exhausted and played victimized kids or the cameras.
"All I want," Percy said, choking back his tears, "is to head home to my father in New York. I had… I had to run away from my stepfather. He was always smoking and drinking and playing poker inside the apartment. He gave me this scar when I was five." Percy showed the camera a scar that ran along his back, one of the hallmarks of Gabe's child abuse. "After my mom died… he threatened me. He took my mother's apartment. He told me to leave and die on the streets. I—I want to thank each and every person in this beautiful city of Los Angeles for their wonderful support."
The police and reporters were so moved that they passed around the hat and raised money for three tickets on the next plane to New York.
Even with Thalia next to him, it was hard to force himself on board the flight.
Takeoff was a nightmare. Every spot of turbulence was scarier than a Greek monster. He didn't un-clench his hands from the armrests until they touched down safely at LaGuardia. To make matters worse, both Annabeth and Thalia were laughing at him.
The local press was waiting for the three of them outside security, but Annabeth managed to lure them away invisibly, saying, "They're over by the frozen yogurt! Come on!" before rejoining him and Thalia at baggage claim.
Percy tried to convince Thalia and Annabeth to head back to Half-Blood Hill and let Chiron know what had happened. But they protested, feeling like he would need help when they got to Olympus. Percy could only hope that the gods didn't kill his two friends.
Thirty minutes later, the three of them walked into the lobby of the Empire State Building.
They must've looked like homeless kids, with tattered clothes and scraped-up faces and arms. They also hadn't slept in at least twenty-four hours.
Percy went up to the guard at the front desk and said, "Six hundredth floor."
He was reading a huge book with a picture of a wizard on the front. Percy wasn't much into fantasy, but the book must've been good, because the guard took a while to look up. "No such floor, kiddo."
"Don't recognize me?"
The guard gave him a vacant smile. "Sorry?"
"Winter solstice," Percy prodded. "Big group of kids. Dangerous weapon inside this backpack that could destroy all five boroughs with one blast. Ring any bells?" He unzipped the backpack and showed it to the guard.
The guard looked inside at the metal cylinder, not getting what it was for a few seconds. Then his face went pale. "That isn't…"
"Yes, it is," Percy promised. "You want me to take it out and—?"
"No! No!" He scrambled out of his seat, fumbled around his desk for a key card, then handed it to the son of Poseidon. "Insert this in the security slot. Make sure no mortals are in the elevator with you."
This time, the elevator was much more spacious. Only three twelve-year-olds stood inside. When the doors closed, Percy slipped the key into the slot. The card disappeared and a new button appeared on the console, a red one that said 600.
He pressed it and waited for the elevator to rocket up.
The doors opened, and Percy caught his breath. He'd been up here before, and it hadn't changed since he last saw it; but he couldn't help but be amazed at the amazing city in the clouds. It was just so magnificent and beautiful and… breathtaking.
They climbed the steps to the throne room. This time, there were only five Olympians in the room. There was the king of the gods himself, Zeus; his brother, Poseidon; Olympus' wisest and greatest advisor and tactician, Athena; the god of archery and healing, Apollo; and Luke's dad, Hermes. All of them looked stunned when the three demigods entered, though Athena looked considerably less so. Expected of the level-headed goddess who probably despised him.
"Mom." The word came out of Annabeth's mouth before she could stop herself.
Athena looked at Annabeth and the faintest trace of a smile touched her lips before she turned back to glaring at Percy.
All the gods were standing in their giant godly forms in radically different attire.
Athena was wearing a classic Greek dress, the silk grey to match her eyes. Zeus wore a dark blue pinstriped suit, as if the head of a business meeting. Apollo wore cargo shorts and a white T-shirt with a bow slung around his shoulders and a quiver strapped to his back. Hermes was in a jogger's outfit with winged shoes just like the ones Luke had cursed. And Poseidon was in his Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.
Thalia poked Percy in the back, urging him to step forward.
Apollo turned to Zeus and opened his mouth, "Zeus, like I was saying, Ares just appeared with a huge wound in the back of his leg."
"Send him to a hospital then," snapped the king of the gods. "Just get that whiny god of war out of here."
"Of… of course." Apollo looked like he was going to flash out, but he just backed up and flopped down onto his throne. He stared at the approaching demigods the same way Annabeth stared at stuff in a museum.
Hermes looked like he was about to say something, but decided against it and backed down. He headed for his own throne.
Athena, Zeus and Poseidon were already seated in their thrones. The Sea God looked miserable, as if he'd just been in another pointless argument.
Percy went up to the head throne and knelt. "Uncle."
"I should have blasted you out of the sky for your impudence," Zeus grumbled.
"And risk destroying your own master bolt as well as sacrificing your daughter?" Poseidon asked calmly. "Let us hear him out, brother. And tell Athena it would be wise not to interfere with this."
Athena stared at Poseidon harshly but said nothing. She knew he was right.
Zeus grumbled some more. "I shall listen," he decided. "Then I shall make up my mind whether or not to cast this boy down from Olympus."
"You can't!" exclaimed Thalia. "He saved me. I won't let that happen."
"Thalia," Zeus warned. "I have every right to—"
"You kill Percy, I will make sure Poseidon kills me," Thalia growled. "Then you have no child of the Big Three left and you can all die when he rises against you."
Zeus clenched his jaw and looked at Percy expectantly.
"Tell your story, sea spawn," said the king of the gods.
Percy told Zeus everything, careful not to include any hints of the Titans. He took out the metal cylinder, which began sparking in the Sky God's presence, and laid it at the god's feet.
There was a long silence, broken only by the crackle on the hearth fire.
Zeus opened his palm. The lightning bolt flew into it. As he closed his fist, the metallic points flared with electricity until he was holding what looked more like the classic thunderbolt, a twenty-foot javelin of arcing, hissing energy that made the hairs on Percy's scalp rise.
"I sense the boy tells the truth," Zeus muttered. "But that Ares would do such a thing… it is most unlike him."
"He is proud and impulsive," Poseidon said. "It runs in the family."
"He doesn't tell everything," Athena interjected. All eyes turned to her. She continued to stare at the son of Poseidon. "Speak up, demigod. Tell them what you truly saw. Your true allegiance. Everything."
For a second, Percy hesitated. He glanced back at Thalia and Annabeth. They nodded and stepped forward to his sides. The fact that he could feel the presences at his side gave him confidence. Percy began telling Zeus and Poseidon of his resentment towards the Olympians and continued through until he reached the one name that brought the hammer down: Kronos.
A chill ran up Percy's spine.
Apollo looked ready to vomit, but Zeus held up his hand angrily. "Stop there, son of Poseidon. We will speak of this no more. I must go personally to purify this thunderbolt in the waters of Lemnos, to remove the human taint from its metal." He rose and looked at Percy. His expression softened just a fraction of a degree. "You have done me a service, boy. Few heroes could have accomplished as much."
"I had help, sir," Percy said. He put his hand on his friends' shoulders. "Annabeth Chase and Thalia—"
"Don't say my last name," growled Thalia.
"To show you my thanks, I shall spare your life. I do not trust you, Perseus Jackson. I do not like what you mean to the future of Olympus. But for the sake of peace in the family, and my daughter, I shall let you live."
"Do not presume to fly again. Do not let me find you here when I return. Otherwise you shall taste this bolt. And it shall be your last sensation."
He turned to Thalia. "You did well, daughter."
Thunder shook the palace. With a blinding flash of lightning, Zeus was gone.
"Your uncle," Poseidon sighed, "has always had a flair for dramatic exits. I think he would've done well as the god of theater."
"Can we go now?" asked Apollo.
"Go ahead," Poseidon said with a wave of his hand. "Oh, and let Ares heal himself. He was being a coward. He deserved what he got."
Apollo nodded and flashed away with more blinding light. Hermes followed suit with a discreet nod.
Athena stood up and looked down on them. "The chariot was the only thing I worked with Poseidon on. Despite our rivalry, I am proud of what I accomplished. Be the horse, son of Poseidon. Still, I do not trust you with my daughter. Do not provoke me, otherwise I shall bring you a death more horrendous than anything Hades or my father can give you."
She erupted in a column of flames and disappeared.
"Drama runs through the family, I presume," admitted Poseidon.
"Father, you have to convince Zeus that Kronos is coming back," Percy demanded. "This isn't something he can just put aside. Some Olympians already know what is happening. Things… they're changing."
Poseidon shook his head. "Lord Zeus has closed discussion on this matter. He will not allow talk of Kronos. Many fear what might happen if that is true, but even the wisest, in Athena, fears him too much to think of his rise or not. It is debatable whether the Titan lord could rise from the pit. Most Olympians do not trust you, Perseus. They wish to see you as the enemy simply because you are my son. After all, the council is mostly composed of Zeus' children."
"You can't just ignore the problem!"
A faint smile played on the god's lips. "Obedience does not come naturally to you, does it?"
"No. I—I suppose not."
"I must take some blame for that, I suppose. The sea does not like to be restrained." He rose to his full height and took up his trident. Then he shimmered and became the size of a regular man, standing directly in front of him. "You must go, child. But first, I'd like to give you a present."
Poseidon took out a familiar looking box from thin air. Percy's breath hitched when he noticed it was the box containing Medusa's head.
"I believe there is some unfinished business," said Poseidon. "After all, there is a reason why your mother kicked Smelly Gabe out. I believe you know what I mean."
Percy grabbed the box tentatively. He was shaking, though he wasn't sure if it was out of joy, anger or sadness.
Poseidon turned to Thalia. "You've grown, daughter of Zeus. You must also beware your powers. Perhaps my son says he will protect you and will take on full responsibility of the prophecy. Perhaps he is right. Perhaps he is wrong. But you will have to make a decision yourself in the future. One that will determine your fate and future. You must decide whether it is worth it or not." Then he turned to Annabeth. "Your mother is quite the annoying woman, Miss Chase. Take your mother's words into account. Percy will bring you where you want, but it is your job, as the chariot rider, to guide him. However, despite the responsibility you feel toward him for his sharp tongue and lack of awareness, only he can choose his path. There is a difference between guiding and choosing."
With a warm smile, he turned to Percy. "You are a true son of the Sea God." And he dissipated with a cool ocean breeze.
Percy didn't even mind that his own father insulted him. There was a sense of fulfillment in making his father proud.
As the three of them walked back through the city of the gods, conversations stopped. The muses paused their concert. People and satyrs and naiads all turned toward them, their faces filled with respect and gratitude, and as he passed, they knelt, as if the trio were heroes.
Fifteen minutes later, still in a trance, he was back on the streets of Manhattan.
"That went okay," Annabeth said in relief. "Better than I thought."
Percy looked up into the sky and laughed. Both girls stared at him like he was crazy. After half a minute, he stopped and put his arms around their shoulders. "I'm just glad you guys are okay. That this whole quest is over. This was a million times worse than the Sea of Monsters."
"That we're okay?!" asked Annabeth incredulously. "All the threats were directed toward you, plus just a few hours ago you were fighting a god and almost died! You truly are crazy."
"You're the one that punched me," he accused.
"Because you're an idiot!"
"I survived, didn't I?"
"So annoying!"
"You hugged me, though. That means you can't think I'm that annoying." He smirked, eliciting a rather harsh look from the daughter of Athena.
She raised a fist threateningly, and he hid behind Thalia, laughing.
"You two are like kids," Thalia said, shaking her head. She turned to Percy. "But you did look pretty badass with Aegis. If you went into battle with it, you would be undefeatable. I swear it to you. I might lend it to you again someday."
"I'd be honoured," he said.
If there was anything Percy wanted more than anything right now, it was to feel like a normal kid. Not some teenage delinquent on the verge of being blasted to bits by an all-powerful sky god.
"Now come on. We gotta tell Chiron about this little adventure."
This chapter was rather short. I have nothing to say.
Thanks,
SharkAttack