Replies:

I loved the Hestia/Percy scene! It was nice! I feel like Hestia isnt appreciated enough! –LizCraft

Glad you liked it. Hestia is my favorite goddess. ;)

"Hestia's smile darkened" no no no, Hestia's smile does not darken. What is going on?! Also... I need Annabeth! You can't leave a cliffhanger like that! (Curse you JoshthePleb!) But at least it's not as bad as Rick Riordan's cliffhanger at the end of Mark of Athena(but luckily with that all the books were out by the time I read them XD) –ImpossibleThings12

Oh yes, yes, yes! Hestia's smile darkened, alright. Lol. Annabeth POV won't be back for a few chapters, unfortunately. But we'll see what's up next chapter… Don't worry about that cliff hanger. I got more planned coming. And the ending of this book might want to make you kill me. ;)

Also, I get why you can't tell me whether Luke is in this, but its torture! Anyway excellent writing (although I'm not sure if you want to trust my judgment, young as I am. But I like this.) please put up the next chapter soon! –ImpossibleThings12

Sorry about that, but thems' the breaks. You realize I don't know that your young right? For all I know your 85 years old. But thanks anyway! XD

wooooooooooooooo more percy! Annabeth can get stuffed! (tbh if this was a betrayal story, this is probably what she would be doing). That Hestia scene was awesome but stop doing the ominous foreshadowing every chapter. –Omega Alpha Hydra

Annabeth's gonna get stuffed alright… Just not the way your hoping. ;) (tbh, if this was a betrayal story, it wouldn't be Annabeth that would be doing the betraying…. *Smiles evilly*). Hestia is awesome, and I love foreshadowing, but I gotta work on making them more subtle, huh?

So you are the beta for Josh the Pleb, tell him to write faster. Now that I think about it, you need to write more chapters faster. Please? I'll give you a cookie. (::) –OrangeOreo

Yes, I am. We'll try about best, but writing is a hard and long process. Trust me, I think I already have too many cookies… *munch*

Wait…so Percy has to live his whole life again? Dam, also I'm guessing the villain in the story is Kronos, with Luke and his sword are(is?) the way it's gearing my mind. I'm also thinking Luke might be alive? Maybe not getting possessed by Kronos? I don't know, but keep up the good work man. –Contentkarma327

Yeaaaaaa….. No. I'm not going to write the ten books over again, xD. Can't say what I'm going to do, but just know I'll speed things up. Coincidentally, starting NOW! Huh, another guess for Kronos. Seems like the safe logical choice, right? :3 Luke…. Luke will have a role in this series. That much, I will confirm.

#HestiaFTW –Josh the Pleb

EVERYONE TWEET IT NOW! #HestiaFTW. Get it trending! :D

-Part One: Pressed-

Chapter 9: Percy

Last time with Percy:

Chiron smiled sadly. "The war was between the children of Zeus and Poseidon, and the Children of Hades. And like the war the mortal world fought, it had been equally, if not more devastating among demigods. The gods, horrified by the toll it had had on their children, made a pact. No more children of the big three. They were just simply too powerful. They could change the course of humanity in dangerous ways."

I looked back at Cabin one, trying to picture a war crazed Jason pound through the doors. I couldn't see it.

"So why the cabins," I asked instead.

"The cabins are just here for honorary reasons. That is the same with the goddesses Hera and Artemis. No children, yet we keep maintenance of the facilities… just in case."

There were double meanings to those words.

But I nodded, not seeing reason to interrupt. Chiron looked at the sky with a sigh, as if waiting for a list of instructions to fall down.

"Oh look," he finally said. "Annabeth is waiting for us."

LINEBREAK

Annabeth was waiting idly for us at the steps of cabin eleven when we came up to her. She looked up from one of her all-time favorite books: Junior Historian's Guide to Classical Architecture.

Written in ancient Greek – of course.

She looked me over critically, like she was still thinking of how much I drooled.

"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have Poetic Arts at noon. Would you take Percy from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin Eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing towards the crooked doorway. "Make yourself at home."

I stepped up the old steps and came up to the door which swung open slickly.

Out of all the cabins at Camp Half-Blood, this one was the one that most resembled your normal well-used cabin from an old ordinary summer camp – with the emphasis on old. The thresholds were worn down, the brown paint on the walls were peeling off, due to the summer heat.

The floorboards were all rugged and etched up with dried paint and remnants of scrapped off dry moss.

The cabin was packed. Maybe close to two dozen kids – both boys and girls – about thrice the amount the cabin was designed for. Sleeping bags were all sprawled around and about all over the floor. Where there wasn't sleeping bags, these were random items of junk, trash or pranking supplies.

The Hermes cabin was not known for its organization and tidiness.

Then again, I wasn't much to say.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. I will be seeing you at dinner."

With that, he galloped away towards the amphitheater.

I stood at the entrance looking awkwardly at my new cabin mates. They stared at me back, which further unnerved me. The Hermes cabin was NEVER quiet unless they were planning something. I felt their eyes sizing me up.

Ugh. Not this again.

"Well?!" Annabeth prompted. "Go on!"

I waved my hand at them – many I recognized.

"'Sup," I started. "Uh, My name's Percy. Percy Jackson."

"Regular or undetermined," someone from the back asked.

Annabeth prepared to answer, but I beat her to it.

"I'm undetermined."

Everyone groaned.

Then the oldest guy stepped forth with a big welcoming grin. "Now, now campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor right there."

He pointed at a small vacant corner.

The guy looked about nineteen, with short-cropped sandy hair and a slick but friendly smile.

Luke.

He wore an orange camp t-shirt, which he had ripped the sleeves off, cutoff sandals and a leather necklace that revealed his five long years at camp.

The only thing that ruined his easy going surfer look was the deep scar that ran right along his right cheek.

"This is Luke," Annabeth told me. Her voice had gone up an octave. I glanced a little peek at her face, and it was totally bright red and blushing.

I got instantly jealous.

She saw me loo, and her expression hardened. "He'll be your counselor for now."

"For now?"

"Until your determined," she answered me.

The campers all laughed.

"Come on," Annabeth told me. "I'll show you to the volleyball courts."

"Oh nice! Do you think they'll let me in a match?" I asked innocently as she dragged me outside. I could hear the entire cabin laugh behind me.

When we were a few feet away, Annabeth spun around and asked me: "Jackson. How do you know about being determined? I didn't see you getting the orientation film."

Should I tell her the truth?

I would be a lot easier if I did….

"Uh, Chiron explained part of it to me during our tour," I found myself lying through my teeth. I didn't want to lie to Annabeth of all people, but it was already too late.

"Your lying," Annabeth stared me down. That's the problem with being in anything with Annabeth. It was impossible to hide stuff from her. "How in Hades do you know everything?!"

"Umm," I mumbled, trying to quickly find a more plausible excuse. I looked down at my sneakers. "I had a dream."

Luckily, Annabeth seemed more satisfied with that answer.

I looked up, "That kinda sounds weird but-"

Annabeth stopped me right there.

"Actually, it's quite common for half-bloods to receive information through a dream."

"Half-Blood?

"Oh! Just another term for demigod," she waved off. "Demigod dreams are like a seventh sense – that is sixth being our battle reflexes. Our dreams aren't like mortal dreams. They serve an actual practical purpose. They're engineered to keep us alive. When we're asleep or unconscious, our minds sort of – are you listening?"

Yes, Professor Chase. Please, continue. Something about when we're sleeping?"

She rolled her eyes at me.

"Right. Anyway, when we're unconscious, our minds sort of wander. If there's anything important you need to know, per say a new great prophecy, and the beginning of the end of the world, it'll tell you."

I nodded, I've had too many of those types of dreams in my lifetime. Now most likely, I'd have to repeat them.

I still didn't have any clue what was happening but-

"But," Annabeth injected. "Rarely does a dream directly show or tell you exactly what you nee to know. They'll give hints, scenes etc. But it's for you to figure it out yourself."

"They don't make it easy for us, do they?"

She laughed. "No, they do not.

I looked at her. "So I'm really a son of a Greek god?"

I already knew the answer to that one.

She nodded. Remember that food I fed you this morning?"

My stomach rumbled.

Great timing…

She laughed once more, amused. She pokes my shirt. "Guess so. That was Ambrosia – food of the gods. Only immortals or ones with immortal blood can eat it."

"What happens when a mortal eats it?"

Annabeth sighed. "Let's just say – I wouldn't want to be the one that cleans the mess."

I stared down by the canoe lake. The naiads waved at us.

This time, I didn't bother waving back.

Annabeth was right. The naiads were horrible flirts.

"So…" Annabeth said. "Your mom's mortal?"

I nodded glumly. Annabeth realized what she had asked me and looked away ashamed. I wasn't sure who was suddenly more uncomfortable. Me or her.

"That leaves seven…" Annabeth muttered.

"So who's your godly parent?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Annabeth gleamed. "Cabin six."

"Meaning.?"

She straightened. "Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle."

I stared across the green towards cabin six. A group of about a dozen or so kids – all athletic looking with blonde hair were jogging single file out of their cabin.

A question that often bubbled in the back of my head resurfaced. It was a question that I found too stupid to ever ask Annabeth….

Confession time. I've had this particular question about Annabeth that's always bothered me. But I could never find a casual time to ask her it.

"Annabeth, can I ask you a question?"

"That is one, but sure," she replied, looking very unsure of what she had just agreed to.

"You don't have to answer this-"

"Yes. I have a belly button."

I looked at her for a fine moment before bursting out into laughter. You couldn't blame me for it. She glared at me, before looking around to make sure no one had hear her outburst.

I coughed, trying to withdraw my rude gesture. "Umm, Ah, no. I was going to ask you if Athena was blonde?"

Annabeth recoiled and narrowed her eyes. "Why – why would you ever think that?" She said in a menacing tone.

I quickly pointed at her siblings.

"Just that you and all the Athena kids have blonde hair. Do you guys just all dye it for something? Or are all your dads' just blonde?" I asked in amusement.

This is it! The long awaited answer….

Annabeth looked at her siblings with a new found fascination as they made their way to the arena.

"I've-"

That's when a husky voice yelled from behind us: "Well! A newbie!"

Oh no.

I spun around. Clarisse was slauntering her way towards us. She had three of her biggest and buffest sister along with her – all ugly and mean looking. Their resemblance to Ares was uncanny.

"Clarisse," Annabeth sighed. "Why don't you polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess!" Clarisse said, "So I can run you through tomorrow night!"

"Erre es korakas!" Annabeth swore. My mind instantly translated it to "'Go to the Crows!' "You don't stand a chance!"

"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse sneered. But you could see the look in her eyes that she wasn't fully sure how well she was going to actually follow through on that threat. Then, she turned on me. "Who's the runt?"

"Percy Jackson," Annabeth said, "meet Clarisse, daughter of Ares."

I blinked. "Like… the war god?"

Clarisse sneered. "You have a problem with that, punk?"

"No," I said. Then, I lost my wits. "It explains the bad smell."

I shouldn't have said that.

Clarisse growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy."

"It's Perc–"

"Clarisse–" Annabeth tried.

"Stay out of it Wise Girl."

Annabeth looked pained, but stayed out of it.

That was the last time Annabeth would be listening to her.

I got ready to fight. Some part of me expected myself to get out those ninja moves I've learned over the years and kicked Clarisse in the shin, but as before, before I knew it, Clarisse had me by the neck and was dragging me towards the restrooms.

I kicked and punched, struggling to escape her grasp. But it was useless. She was easily out of my weight division.

We came to the girl's bathroom, with Clarisse's sisters and Annabeth in tow.

"Like he's 'big three material,' Clarisse said as she shoved me towards the nearest toilet. "Yeah, right. The minotaur probably fell over laughing because he was so stupid looking."

Original, Clarisse. How classy. Either way, her idiotic sisters snickered at the lame insults. Maybe they were wheezing from their own body odor.

Annabeth stood by the entry way – watching through her fingers.

Clarisse bent me over on my knees and started pushing my heat into the toilet bowl. It reeked like rusted pipes and other content you would normally find flushed down a latrine. I strained to keep my head up from above the mucky water.

I stared at my own thick reflection, thinking what was my next move.

Get dunked or dunk her.

I felt a strong tug in the pit of my chest, as if my heart had suddenly been lit aflame. The plumbing rumbled, pipes shuddered. Clarisse's grip on my hair loosened.

Then, it happened.

Water shot out of the toilet with a wave of waste along with it. It curved straight over my head, hitting Clarisse straight in the face so hard, she was pushed to the ground. The water only grew with intensity as it stayed on her like a spray from a very, very disgusting firehose.

She struggled, gasping. Her sisters started coming to help, but the other toilets exploded too.

Shrapnel flew in all directions. Somehow, none of it struck me.

The showers acted up too, and together all the fixtures smuttered the Ares girls, washing them out of the building past Annabeth.

Then, something new happened. The ground shook.

For a brief moment, I'd thought I had overloaded the plumbing system before I realized what this really was.

An earthquake.

I ran my way out, avoiding slipping and sliding on demigod waste, and pulled a stunned Annabeth with me out the building. Somehow, we made it out just in time, before the whole building collapsed.

The walls and roof fell straight down, and dust flew out with a whim.

The dust cleared, and what was left was a yucky pile of rubble and sewage spewing all over.

I got up, my legs shaking.

"Annabeth said, "How did you…"

I stared at the scene that I must've just caused. Oh crap. What have I done.

"Look, I – I don't," I began, trying to find the right words.

But then I noticed the girls weren't looking at me. They were staring at something above my head.

Schist….

"Percy," Annabeth stuttered, pointing. Her hair dripped.

By the time I looked up, the sign was already fading, but I could still make out the hologram of green light – spinning and gleaming.

A three tipped spear: My father's trident.

"Your father…" Annabeth murmured. "This is really not good.."

"It is determined," Chiron announced, surprising me.

I turned around, finding him and a crowd of very stunned looking demigods. One guy was naked, with only a towel around his waist and soap still in his hair.

They looked at me, and then began kneeling. Even Clarisse, though she didn't seem very happy about it.

"Hail, Perseus Jackson. Son, of the sea god."

OMERGERD! So last chapter, we reached 50 REVIEWS?!

I was so happy when I got that email, xD. Let's reach for a hundred next. :D

So this chapter, was kinda filler, kinda not. I honestly don't know. Looking back on it, I'm suspicious whether or not I was high while writing part of this…

But there you have it. It's an update.

Best Wishes and Happy Holidays, from a Junior Scribe of Camp Half Blood

~VCRx

(This chapter has not been betaed.)

[Last Edited: 4.18.2017]