Warning: Certain ancient Greek names matches words use of foul language but no foul language was intentionally used. Also if you haven't read them yet read 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Early Adventures' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse' and 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Magical Labyrinth' as well as the one shots 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Stolen Chariot' The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Sword of Hades', and The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Bronze Dragon' before reading this story as stuff that happened in them will be mentioned. Lastly, any one who wants to do a Demigods and Olympian reads story using 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon' is allowed as long as you inform me about it.

Time after the Meeting

After the meeting Silena had thanked me for requesting pardons for those that joined Kronos. Although I didn't bring it up, Silena was another reason I asked for a pardon. Sure she turned double agent during the war, but I doubt some of the gods would have saw it that way.

Annabeth and I were on our way out when I spotted Hermes in a side of a courtyard of the palace. He was staring at an Iris-message in the mist of a fountain.

I glanced at Annabeth. "I'll meet you at the elevator."

"You sure?" Then she studied my face. "Yeah, you're sure."

Hermes didn't seem to notice me approach. The Iris-message images were going so fast I could hardly understand them. Mortal newscast from all over the country flashed by: the scenes of Typhon's destruction, the wreckage our battle had left across Manhattan, the president doing a news conference, the mayor of New York, some army vehicles riding down the Avenue of the Americas.

"Amazing," Hermes murmured. He turned toward me. "Three thousand years, and I will never get over the power of the Mist… and mortal's ignorance."

"Most mortals," I said, "Not all of them are fooled by the Mist after all."

Hermes nodded, "That's true."

Hermes looked at the Iris-message. "Look at them. They've already decided Typhon was a freak series of storms. Don't I wish. They haven't figured out how all the statues in Lower Manhattan got remove from their pedestals and hacked to pieces. They keep showing a shot of Susan B. Anthony strangling Fredrick Douglas. But I imagine they'll even come up with a logical explanation for that."

"How bad is the city?"

Hermes shrugged. "Surprisingly, not too bad. The mortals are shaken, of course. But this is New York. I've ever seen such resilient bunch of humans. I imagine they'll be back to normal in a few weeks; and of course I'll be helping as messenger of the gods. "

He sound bitter. George and Martha curled around caduceus, but they were silent, which made me think that Hermes was really really angry.

"If it makes you feel better, Luke was as much as a brother to me as Tyson and Briares are now, and Luke felt the same for me and Annabeth," I said, "and I think that's what helped Luke make the decision in the end: to save Olympus—to save you."

I thought I might have pushed it by bringing that up but Hermes nodded.

"Percy, I have a list of children I want you to find. There's a boy in Wisconsin. Two girls in Los Angeles. A few others. Will you see that they get to camp?"

"I swear on the River of Styx," I said.

The sky boomed with thunder.

…

Another god was waiting for me on the way to Olympus. Athena stood in the middle of the road with her arms crossed and the look on her face that reminded me of Annabeth when she had something serious to say, which in this case might not be good on my behalf. She changed out of her armor, into jeans and white blouse, but she didn't look any less warlike. Her gray eyes blazed.

"Well, Percy," she said. "You will stay mortal."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I would know your reasons."

"I want to be a regular guy. I want to grow up. Maybe try for Swim Meet captain since I haven't been expelled from Goode yet," I said, "Plus I thought I should keep some of my oaths while I had the opportunity."

"And my daughter?" Athena asked.

"I couldn't leave her," I admitted, my throat dry. "Or Grover, or any of my friends at camp."

"Spare me," Athena stepped close to me, and I could feel her aura of power making my skin itch. "I once warned you, Percy Jackson, that you should be wise on the oaths you made, and you proven to have done just that. But if you put my daughter in harms way. I won't give you another benefit of the doubt."

Just to prove her point, she erupted in a column of flame, charring the front of my shirt and bits of my armor.

…

Annabeth was waiting for me at the elevator. "Why do you smell like smoke?"

"Long story," I said. Together we made our way down to the street level. Neither of us said a word. The music was awful—Neil Diamond or something.

When we got into the lobby, I found my mother and Paul arguing with the bald security guy, who'd returned to his post. Ethan Nakamura was standing next to them like honored guard. I realized he was the only one who didn't come up to Olympus, probably didn't want to be killed.

"I'm telling you," my mom yelled, "we have to go up! My son—" Then she saw me and her eyes widened. "Percy!"

She hugged the breath out of me.

"Your friend told us about the blue flag," she said pointing at Ethan, "But then you didn't come down."

"She was getting a bit anxious," Paul said drily.

"That's an understatement," Ethan said.

"I'm all right," I promised as my mom hugged Annabeth. "Everything's okay now."

"Well, if you excuse me, I got places to go," Ethan said turning to leave.

"Are you going back to Camp?" I asked.

"I doubt it. The gods most likely won't be forgiving to us who joined Kronos," Ethan said.

"Actually, the gods made an oath to forgive all demigods that changed sides," I said. "But if you really want to stay an outcast, I guess you'll have to miss your mother's cabin being built."

That stopped Ethan cold before he turned to me. "You're joking right?"

"No, I'm not." I said, "Nemesis, Hecate, Hebe—all the minor gods with demigod children will have cabins built as well as those that don't will have kids—or at least some kind of monument."

"It's true," Annabeth said, "Even Hades will get one for Nico to stay in."

Ethan seemed thoughtful for a bit. "Well I guess I can stay for a bit—to make sure my mom gets a proper cabin I mean."

After that I was about to relax. Everything was back to normal—well sort of. Annabeth and I were okay. My mom and Paul survived. Olympus was saved.

But the life of a demigods is never so easy. Just then Nico ran in from the street, and his face told me something was wrong.

"It's Rachel," he said. "I just ran into her down on 32nd street."

Annabeth frowned. "What she's done this time?"

"It's where she's gone," Nico said. "I told her she would die if she tried, but she insisted. She just took Blackjack and is heading to camp."

I didn't know if I should be angry or amazed that Rachel took my Pegasus. "She's going to follow her destiny." I said. "We better head back to camp."