Alaster POV

That night was pretty miserable. We had to camp out in the woods, a hundred yards from the main road, in a marshy clearing that looked like it was used for parties.

We had taken some food and blankets from Aunty Em's but we didn't even try to light a fire. We had decided that I sleep in shifts. Percy volunteered to take the first watch.

I curled up in the blankets and I heard snoring almost directly after, either Annabeth or Grover was sleeping.

"Go ahead and sleep," I heard Percy say. "I'll wake you if there's trouble"

"It makes me sad, Percy"Grover's voice emerged.

"What does? The fact that you signed up for this stupid quest?"Percy said

"No. This makes me sad. And the sky. You can't even see the stars. They've polluted the sky. This is a terrible time to be a satyr" Grover said

"Oh, yeah. I guess you'd be an environmentalist" Percy said.

"Only a human wouldn't be. Your species is clogging up the world so fast...ah, never mind. It's useless to lecture a human. At the rate things are going, I'll never find Pan"

"Pam? Like the cooking spray?"

"Pan!" Grover cried out. "P-A-N. The great god Pan! What do you think I want a searcher's license for?"

"Tell me about the search, "Percy said

I blocked this out, honestly, I could care less about what Grover wants to do. Although I don't show it...I do harbor some resentment towards him, he was supposed to be a protector and he couldn't even help Thalia. She sacrificed herself, but he could've helped her in some way.

I started listening again when things got interesting.

"How are we going to get into the Underworld?"Percy asked. "I mean, what chance do we have against a god?"

"I don't know"Grover admitted. "But back at Medusa's, when you were searching her office? Annabeth was telling me—"

"Oh, I forgot. Annabeth will have a plan all figured out" Percy said

"Don't be so hard on her, Percy. She's had a tough life, but she's a good person. After all, she forgave me..."Grover's voice faltered and my hands clenched.

"What do you mean?"Percy asked. "Forgave you for what? Wait a minute, your first keeper job was five years ago. Annabeth has been at camp for five years. She wasn't...I mean your first assignment that went wrong—"

"Was the same assignment that he let my sister die"I said, sitting up and glaring. "It's his fault that I'm at this point in my life"

I stood up and walked towards Grover. "You're a failure, you know. I never outright said it but I never truly forgave you for what happened. I wanted to believe that you really couldn't do anything about it, but as time went on and as I thought about it more and more...it was the only thing I could ever think about. Now I fully know that it is your fault and you did nothing to help"

"Hey," Percy said, walking up to me. "Cut it out"

"You don't tell me what to do, Jackson. He deserves to know this. Honestly what kind of protector can't even save one kid? He's gonna be the reason this whole quest fails! Once a failure always a failure!"I yelled

"Why are you guys yelling?"Annabeth asked as she sat up.

"Tell your friend to calm down and apologize to Grover," Percy said. "He's calling him a failure. Tell him to say sorry or I'll make him"

"Really? What are you going to do about it, Seaweed Brain?"I said

Annabeth grabbed my wrist and glared at me. "Alaster"

"What?"I glared back. "It's true. He's responsible for what happened to Thalia! He could've done something or anything, he could've gotten help from others in the camp, he could've at least tried to run after her to bring her back"

"You know Thalia wouldn't have let him. She would have rather she died instead of him" Annabeth said

"You don't know what she'd want! You never knew her for as long as I did! He knows how much she meant to me!"I yelled

"You think she didn't mean anything to me! You think I don't know how it feels!"

"No, you don't know how it feels!"I yelled. "You were just some kid that we picked up! You didn't love her as I did! Your Dad never cared about you! You never had a family! You don't know how it feels to lose someone close to you as I did! So why don't you mind your own business!"

As I glared at her I could see her eyes become glossy. I withdrew my hand from her and bumped shoulders with her as I walked away. I didn't know where I was walking away too, but if it was away from there I'd be okay.

I didn't know how long I walked but I just felt so angry for some reason. Who were they to talk to me like they knew how it felt? I lost my sister, the only person who ever cared for me.

"Hey!"

I turned around and saw Percy. He shoved me and stumbled backward. I shoved him back.

"What's wrong with you?!"Percy yelled

"Nothing's wrong with me!"I yelled

"Yet you're starting fights with everyone! And having these random outbursts!"

"Get out of my face, Jackson!"

"Why'd you even come on the quest if you were just going to act like this!"

"Hey! I didn't come on this quest for you!"

"Nobody asked you to go anywhere!"

"Listen,"Percy said sternly. "You're going to go back there and apologize to Annabeth and Grover"

I growled. "I don't have to do anything. I don't take orders from anyone who's my age! Especially not from someone who's a child of that Deep Sea Doofus Poseidon!"

Percy shoved me down to the ground. I got back up and uncapped my highlighter and pressed my ring. I pointed my spear and held up my shield. "You want a piece of me, Seaweed Brain?"

Percy uncapped his pen and it turned into a sword. Rain poured down heavily upon us as we glared daggers at one another. I noticed something about the rain though. The droplets were coming together, they were becoming bigger and bigger until it was like one humongous wave that was behind Percy.

"Come and get some, Lightning Mouth"Percy said

My eyes widened as the wave rushed at me and engulfed me. Water began to fill my lungs as I was thrown around the water like I was a ragdoll. I tried my best to escape but I couldn't. Eventually, though, all the water came to a stop.

I was completely drenched, I was on my knees coughing and throwing up water. Percy put his hand on my shoulder and I smacked it away.

"I'm sorry,"Percy said. "I didn't mean to do that"

"Yeah, right, "I said

"I'm serious. I don't know how I did that"He said.

"Whatever, "I said

"Listen,"Percy said. "I'll leave you alone for now. But you have to apologize to Grover and Annabeth"

I didn't respond as Percy walked away. I was now alone with my thoughts, thinking about if I should apologize, and what was wrong with what I said. I mean, what I said wasn't necessarily a lie, but I guess what I said did hurt their feelings. Even though what I said was kinda true...I guess it really wasn't the right thing to say.

I knew how sensitive Annabeth and Grover were about those topics and I used it against them to make them feel bad, I just felt so hateful for some reason, I wanted to make them feel how I felt. Sad, angry, and bitter.

I don't know how long I stayed here slumped up against a tree, but I finally left as my clothes started to get semi-dry. I walked all the way back only to find Percy and Annabeth asleep, but Grover was still up.

"Grover"I said

Grover jumped as if he was unsure of who I was for a moment, but he relaxed when he saw it was me. "Oh, hi"

I walked towards him and sat down across. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I said. I know how Thalia is a sore subject for you, and instead of trying to make you feel better I did the exact opposite. I tried to tear you down, make you feel bad about it. I shouldn't have done that, I was just so angry. I know that doesn't excuse my actions but I hope that you can forgive me sometime. It doesn't have to be now, tomorrow, heck it doesn't have to even be a year from now. But I hope you can eventually, and if you don't, I understand"

Grover nodded. "Thanks. I accept your apology. But I doubt Annabeth will so easily"

I nodded. "Yeah. That's going to be a lot of work"

"You should get some sleep"Grover said

"All right,"I said. I walked over to my blanket and curled up in it. "Grover. You're not a failure, the fact that you volunteered to come on this quest means that you're probably the bravest satyr ever"

I couldn't see if he was smiling, but I think he might've been. I soon fell asleep.

In my dream, I stood in a dark cavern before a gaping pit. Okay...this is different. This is way different for the other dreams that I've had. Gray mist creatures stirred around me, they tugged on my clothes, trying to pull me backwards, but I walked forward.

The pit yawned so wide and was so black that it appeared that nothing could ever be inside of it. It had to be bottomless if some sorts, but I felt a presence, it was chilling and cold, and evil.

The little hero, an amused voice echoed far down the darkness. Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do if the other fails

The voice was ancient—cold and heavy. It wrapped around me and began to pull me in.

They have misled you. Barter with me. I will give you whatever you want. Power, a High Status that even the gods can't surpass.

A shimmering image hovered over the void: my sister, Thalia before she was turned into the tree.

Help me rise, Son of Zeus The voice became hungrier And I can give you all you want and more. Your sister, power beyond the imagination of the gods, and much much more.

It was very tempting. I walked towards the image of my sister, as a twelve-year-old I was now the same size as her when she was twelve. I reached out to touch her but the image wavered.

"What do I have to do?"I asked

Bring me the bolt. Strike a blow against the treacherous gods. Gain your revenge against the Lord of the Dead for taking away your beloved sister.

Just as I was about to respond with a yes, Thalia mouthed something: No. Don't.

But this wasn't really my sister, this was just an image, how would she know what Thalia would want. She'd want me to bring her back, no matter what the cost...right?

No. She wouldn't want this. She wouldn't want me to betray everyone else just to bring her back to life. How would I even know that I could trust whoever this thing was?

The image of Thalia began to fade. The thing in the pit tightened it's grip around me, although I couldn't see it. I then realized that it wasn't pulling me in. It was pulling itself out.

Yes, good, it murmured. Good.

Wake! the dead whispered. Wake!

I realized, someone was shaking me. My eyes opened and squinted at the daylight.

"Well,"Annabeth said. "the zombies live"

I was shaking from my dream. I could feel the grip of the monster around my chest.

"How long were we asleep"Percy said, he was trembling just how I was. Did he have the same dream I had?

"Long enough for me to cook breakfast"Annabeth tossed Percy and I bags of nacho-flavored corn chips from Aunty Em's snack bar. But while Percy caught his in his hands, mines smacked me straight in the face. "And Grover went exploring. Look, he found a friend"

It took me a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the daylight but I finally saw what Grover was doing. He was sitting cross-legged on a blanket with something fuzzy in his lap, a dirty, unnaturally pink stuffed animal. No...it was a pink poodle.

The poodle tapped at Percy. Grover said, "No, he's not"

Percy blinked. "Are you...talking to that thing?"

The poodle growled.

"This thing,"Grover warned, "is our ticket West. Be nice to him"

"You can talk to animals?"

Grover ignored the question. "Percy, Alaster, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy and Alaster"

"Gladiola's a girl name"I said

Gladiola yapped at me. Grover said, "He says you're very closed-minded"

"Hello, Gladiola"I said

"I'm not saying hello to a pink poodle,"Percy said. "Forget it"

"Percy,"Annabeth said. "I said hello to the poodle. Alaster said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle"

Gladiola growled.

Percy looked at Gladiola. "Hello, poodle"

Grover began to explain that he found Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up a conversation. The poodle had run away from a rich family, who'd posted a 200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.

"How does Gladiola know about the reward?"Percy asked

"He read the signs,"Grover said. "Duh."

"Of course,"Percy said. "Silly me"

"So we turn in Gladiola"Annabeth explained in her best strategy voice, "we get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."

I thought about the dream I had—the whispering voices of the dead, the thing in the chasm, and Thalia's face wavering.

"Not another bus,"Percy said warily.

"No,"Annabeth agreed.

"Most definitely"I said.

Annabeth pointed downhill, toward train tracks. "There's an Amtrak station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon"

We spent a total of two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain. I tried my absolute best to talk to Annabeth and apologize for what I said. But she never gave me a chance to.

We weren't attacked at all through those two days, but I would've had us been stack and have Annabeth speak to me than not have her talk to me at all.

Our reward money for returning Gladiola was only enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver.

"So,"Annbeth asked Percy, once we'd gotten Grover's sneaker readjusted. "Who wants your help?"

"What do you mean?"Percy asked

"When you were asleep just now, you mumbled, 'I won't help you.' Who were you dreaming about?"

Percy told Annabeth about the voice in the pit, it was almost like the dream I had.

Annabeth stayed quiet for a while. "That doesn't sound like Hades. He always appears on a black throne, and he never laughs"

"He offered my mother in trade. Who else could do that?"

"I guess...if he meant, 'Help me rise from the Underworld.' If he wants way with the Olympians. But why ask you to bring him the master bolt if he already has it?"

Annabeth readjusted Grover's cap so it covered his horns. "Percy, you can't barter with Hades. You know that, right? He's deceitful, heartless, and greedy. I don't care if his Kindly Ones weren't as aggressive this time—"

"This time?"Percy asked. "You mean you've run into them before"

My fingers crept up to my white bead painted with the image of a pine tree on my necklace. I spoke, "Let's just say that we don't have a lot of love for Hades"

"You can't be tempted to make a deal for your mom."Annabeth said

"What would you do if it was your dad and your mom?"Percy asked

"That's easy,"Annabeth said. "I'd leave him to rot"

"Honestly I'd beg the Kindly Ones to torture her as far as they can"I said

"You're not serious?"

"My dad's resented me since the day I was born, Percy,"Annabeth said. "He never wanted a baby. When he got me, he asked Athena to take me back and raise me on Olympus because he was too busy with his work. She wasn't happy about that. She told him heroes had to be raised by their mortal parent"

"But how...I mean, I guess you weren't born in a hospital..."

"I appeared on my father's doorstep, in a golden cradle, carried down from Olympus by Zephyr the West Wind. You'd think my dad would remember that as a miracle, right? Like, maybe he'd take some digital photos or something. But he always talked about my arrival as if it were the most inconvenient thing that had ever happened to him. When I was five he got married and totally forgot about Athena. He got a 'regular' mortal wife, and had two 'regular' mortal kids, and tried to pretend I didn't exist"

"My mom was a terrible person. She was shallow, didn't even care about her own children. She was an actress. She was selfish, always craving attention, she was an alcoholic. After she met my dad her ego grew even more, like there was nobody in the world that could top her. But when my dad left she couldn't accept it and it just made her an even worse person.

My dad came back twice, the first time was when Thalia came along and the second time was when I came. This new guy then came along that my Mom started dating. And then my little brother came along. Long story short, it's my mother's fault that my brother isn't here anymore"

Annabeth and Percy were looking at me, Annabeth had never heard of this before which could explain why she was acting surprised.

"That's...terrible"Annabeth said

"Yeah man...I can't even imagine what you went through"Percy said

"It's whatever. That past is behind me. She's dead now and I could care less how she died as long as she's being punished for what she did"I said

"My mom married a really awful guy. Grover said she did it to protect me, to hide me in the scent of a human family. Maybe that's what your dad was thinking, Annabeth"

"He doesn't care about me,"she said. "His wife—my stepmom—treated me like a freak. She wouldn't let me play with her children. My dad went along with her. Whenever something dangerous happened—you know, something with monsters—they would both look at me resentfully, like, 'How dare you put our family at risk.' Finally, I took the hint. I wasn't wanted. I ran away."

"How old were you?"

"Same age when I started camp. Seven"

"But...you couldn't have gotten all the way to Half-Blood Hill by yourself"

"Not alone, no. Athena watched over me, guided me toward help. I made a couple of unexpected friends who took care of me, for a short time, anyway"

Percy stopped asking questions.

Toward the end of the second day in the train, it was June 13, eight days before the summer solstice, we passed through some golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis.

I watched Percy and Annabeth as they talked, Annabeth talked about wanting to be an architect.

I stood up and looked outside and saw an airplane flying through the sky. "I want to do that"

"Hmm?"They both said

"I want to be a pilot"I said

"Really?"Percy asked

"Why?"Annabeth asked

"I never really knew. It just came to me one day. I guess the thought of going to all these different states and countries practically for free, making some memorable memories along the way really interests me"I said

We pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The intercom told us we'd have a three-hour layover before departing for Denver.

Grover stretched. Before he was even fully awake, he said, "Food."

"Come on, goat boy,"Annabeth said. "Sightseeing."

"Sightseeing?"

"The Gateway Arch,"she said. "This mag be my only chance to rise to the top. Are you coming or not?"

Grover, Percy, and I exchanged looks. We couldn't just let Annabeth go alone though. "All right"

Grover shrugged. "As long as there's a snack bar without monsters"

The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't that long. We threaded our way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s.

It wasn't all that interesting but Annabeth kept telling us facts about how the Arch was built, and Grove kept passing Percy and I jelly beans.

"Guys,"Percy said. "You know the gods' symbols of power?"

I nodded as Annabeth says "Yeah?"

"Well, Hade—"

Grover cleared his throat. "We're in a public place...You mean our friend downstairs?"

"Um, right,"Percy said. "Our friend way downstairs. Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"

"You mean the Helm of Darkness"I said. "That's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting"

"He was there?"Percy asked

Annabeth nodded. "It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus—the darkest day of the year. But his helm is a lot more powerful than my invisibility hat, if what I've heard is true..."

"It allows him to become darkness,"I said. "He can melt into shadow or pass through walls. He can't be touched, or seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think some people fear the dark?"

"But then...how do we know he's not here right now, watching us?"Percy asked

Annabeth, Grover, and I exchanged looks.

"We don't"Grover said

"Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better,"Percy said. "Got any blue jelly beans left?"

The three of us were shoehorned into the car with a big fat lady and her dog, a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar. Why does a dog need a rhinestone collar anyway?

We started going up, inside the Arch. I'd never been in an elevator that went in a curve, and my stomach wasn't too happy about it.

"No parents?"The fat lady asked

She had beady eyes; pointy, coffee-stained teeth; a floppy denim hat, and a denim dress that bulged so much, she looked like a blue-jean blimp.

"They're below"Annabeth told her. "Scared of heights"

"My big sister's down there too"I said, "she's scared of heights as well"

It wasn't really a lie, Thalia was scared of heights.

"Oh, the poor darlings."

The Chihuahua growled. The woman said, "Now, now, sonny. Behave."

The dog had beady eyes like its owner, intelligent and vicious.

Percy said, "Sonny. Is that his name?"

"No"

Okay...I don't want to think about how that could possibly work.

At the top of the Arch, I felt great being six hundred feet in the air. I felt more powerful. Annabeth kept talking about structural supports, and how she would've made the windows bigger, and designed a see-through floor.

After a little while Percy steered, Annabeth, Grover, and I walked toward the exit. I ran into the elevator before another person could get into it. Grover and Annabeth got into the elevator with me and another random person.

The park ranger said, "Next car, sir"

"We'll get out,"Annabeth said. "We'll wait with you"

Percy said, "Naw, it's okay. I'll see you guys at the bottom.

I was unsure, having Percy up here alone in the air while Zeus thinks he stole the bolt was not a very good idea. But before I could say anything the door slid shut.

As the elevator went down, I took this moment to try and apologize to Annabeth. "Annabeth. I want to apologize for what I said back at Aunty Em's. I shouldn't have said those things, I know how your family is a touchy subject for you and I used it against you to make you feel bad. I shouldn't have done that and I apologize for doing so"

Annabeth nodded but didn't speak to me. A few moments later we were off the elevator.

A few moments later...

"Hey...where's Percy?"I asked

"Yeah, shouldn't he be here by now?"Grover asked

BOOM!

Part of the Arch exploded. I jumped back, I looked through the air just in time to see Percy jump.

"He jumped off the Arch!"I yelled

The three of us ran, it seemed as though Percy would land towards the water. But he wouldn't be able to survive it, right?

I had to try and do something. I reached out my hand to try and slow down Percy's fall. I tried my hardest, I focused as hard as I could.

SPLASH!

Percy landed in the Mississippi River with a large splash. Oh gods, please don't be dead, please don't be dead, please don't be dead.

But about five minutes later Percy emerged from the River completely dry.

"Perrr-cy!"Grover bleated and bear hugged Percy. "We thought you'd gone to Hades the hard way!"

"We can't leave you alone for five minutes! What happened?"Annabeth said

"I sort of fell"

"Yeah, we can see that"I said

"Gangway!"A cop shouted. The crowd parted, and a couple of paramedics hustled out, rolling a woman in a stretcher. The woman was saying, "And then this huge dog, this huge fire-breathing Chihuahua—!"

"Okay, ma'am"The paramedic said. "Just calm down. Your family is fine. The medication is starting to kick in"

"I'm not crazy! This boy jumped out of the hole and the monster disappeared"She stared at our direction and her eyes caught Percy. "There be is! That's the boy's

Percy turned and pulled Annabeth, Grover, and I after him and we disappeared into the crowd.

"What's going on?"Annabeth demanded. "Was she talking about the Chihuahua on the elevator?"

Percy told them the whole story of how the old fat lady was a monster called Echidna and the Chihuahua was actually a Chimera, the high-dive act, and a woman underwater.

"Whoa", said Grover. "We've got to get you to Santa Monica! You can't ignore a summons from your dad"

Before Annabeth or anyone can say anything , we passed another reporter doing a news break. "Percy Jackson. That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned that the boy who may have caused this explosion fits the description of a young man wanted by authorities for a serious New Jersey bus accident three days ago. And the boy is believed to be traveling west. For our viewers at home, here is a photo of Percy Jackson"

We ducked around the news van and slipped into a valley.

"First things first"Percy told Grover. "We've got to get out of town!"

We later made it back to the Amtrak station without getting spotted. We got on board the train just before it pulled out for Denver. The train trundled west as darkness fell, police lights still pulsing against the St. Louis skyline behind us.

Okay, before we end. To those worrying about how old Alaster is. He's Twelve and was born on October 15th, so technically he's younger than Percy.