"Hey, Luke." Thalia said. "How are you here?" "Zeus fucked up and to right the wrong my mom revived Thalia for this quest." "Anyways, Precy I wanted to give you a gift for good luck."

He handed Precy a pair of sneakers, which looked pretty normal. They even smelled kind of normal.

Luke said, "Maia!"

White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling me so much, Precy dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up and disappeared.

"Awesome!" Grover said.

"Yeah, great can we get going now I like to get this over with." Naruto said.

"Hey, man," Precy said. "Thanks."

"Listen, Percy …" Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just … kill some monsters for me, okay?"

They shook hands. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns, then gave a good-bye hug to both Thalia and Annabeth, the latter looked like she might pass out.

After Luke was gone, Precy told her, "You're hyperventilating."

"Am not."

"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?"

"Oh … why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy when I can go out with the blonde?" She stomped down the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road.

Argus followed, jingling his car keys. Both Thalia and Naruto looked at each other before Thalia walked down the hill to go talk to Annabeth.

Precy picked up the flying shoes and had a sudden bad feeling. He looked at Chiron. "I won't be able to use these, will I?"

He shook his head. "Luke meant well, Percy. But taking to the air … that would not be wise for you."

He nodded, disappointed, but then got an idea. "Hey, Grover. You want a magic item?"

His eyes lit up. "Me?"

Pretty soon he'd laced the sneakers over his fake feet, and the world's first flying goat boy was ready for launch.

"Maia!" he shouted. He got off the ground okay, but then fell over sideways so his backpack dragged through the grass. The winged shoes kept bucking up and down like tiny broncos.

"Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need practice!"

"Aaaaa!" Grover went flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawn mower, heading toward the van with Naruto running after him.

Before Precy could follow, Chiron caught his arm. "I should have trained you better, Percy," he said. "If only I had more time. Heracules, Jason-they all got more training."

"That's okay. I just wish-" Precy stopped himself because he was about to sound like a brat. He was wishing his dad had given me a cool magic item to help on the quest, something as good as Luke's flying shoes, or Annabeth's invisible cap.

"What am I thinking?" Chiron cried. "I can't let you get away without this."

He pulled a pen from his coat pocket and handed it to Precy. It was an ordinary disposable ballpoint, black ink, removable cap. Probably cost thirty cents.

"Gee," Precy said. "Thanks."

"Percy, that's a gift from your father. I've kept it for years, not knowing you were who I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You are the one."

He remembered the field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, when he'd vaporized Mrs. Dodds. Chiron had thrown him a pen that turned into a sword. Could this be … ?

He took off the cap, and the pen grew longer and heavier in my hand. In half a second, He held a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a leather-wrapped grip, and a flat hilt riveted with gold studs. It was the first weapon that actually felt balanced in my hand.

"The sword has a long and tragic history that we need not go into," Chiron told me. "Its name is Anaklusmos."

"'Riptide,'" Hetranslated, surprised the Ancient Greek came so easily.

"Use it only for emergencies," Chiron said, "and only against monsters. No hero should harm mortals unless absolutely necessary, of course, but this sword wouldn't harm them in any case."

He looked at the wickedly sharp blade. "What do you mean it wouldn't harm mortals? How could it not?"

"The sword is celestial bronze. Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna, cooled in the River Lethe. It's deadly to monsters, to any creature from the Underworld, provided they don't kill you first. But the blade will pass through mortals like an illusion. They simply are not important enough for the blade to kill. And I should warn you: as a demigod, you can be killed by either celestial or normal weapons. You are twice as vulnerable."

"Good to know."

"Now recap the pen." He touched the pen cap to the sword tip and instantly Riptide shrank to a ballpoint pen again. He tucked it in his pocket, a little nervous, because he was famous for losing pens at school.

"You can't," Chiron said.

"Can't what?"

"Lose the pen," he said. "It is enchanted. It will always reappear in your pocket. Try it."

He was wary, but threw the pen as far as he could down the hill and watched it disappear in the grass.

"It may take a few moments," Chiron told me. "Now check your pocket."

Sure enough, the pen was there.

"Okay, that's extremely cool," He admitted. "But what if a mortal sees me pulling out a sword?"

Chiron smiled. "Mist is a powerful thing, Percy."

"Mist?"

"Yes. Read The Iliad. It's full of references to the stuff. Whenever divine or monstrous elements mix with the mortal world, they generate Mist, which obscures the vision of humans. You will see things just as they are, being a half-blood, but humans will interpret things quite differently. Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go to fit things into their version of reality."

He put Riptide back in his pocket.

For the first time, the quest felt real. He was actually leaving Half-Blood Hill. He was heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cell phone. (Chiron said cell phones were traceable by monsters; if they used one, it would be worse than sending up a flare.) I had no weapon stronger than a sword to fight off monsters and reach the Land of the Dead.

"Chiron …" He said. "When you say the gods are immortal… I mean, there was a time before them, right?"

"Four ages before them, actually. The Time of the Titans was the Fourth Age, sometimes called the Golden Age, which is definitely a misnomer. This, the time of Western civilization and the rule of Zeus, is the Fifth Age."

"So what was it like … before the gods?"

Chiron pursed his lips. "Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals. Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge. But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born."

"But the gods can't die now, right? I mean, as long as Western civilization is alive, they're alive. So … even if I failed, nothing could happen so bad it would mess up everything, right?"

Chiron gave me a melancholy smile. "No one knows how long the Age of the West will last, Percy. The gods are immortal, yes. But then, so were the Titans. They still exist, locked away in their various prisons, forced to endure endless pain and punishment, reduced in power, but still very much alive. May the Fates forbid that the gods should ever suffer such a doom, or that we should ever return to the darkness and chaos of the past. All we can do, child, is follow our destiny."

"Our destiny … assuming we know what that is."

"Relax," Chiron told him. "Keep a clear head. And remember, you may be about to prevent the biggest war in human history."

"Relax," Precy said. "I'm very relaxed."

When he got to the bottom of the hill, he looked back. Under the pine tree that used to be Thalia, Chiron was now standing in full horse-man form, holding his bow high in salute. Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur.

Argus drove us out of the countryside and into western Long Island. It felt weird to be on a highway again for Precy; Annabeth and Grover sitting next to him with Naruto sitting in front row holding Thalia's hand as if they were normal carpoolers. After two weeks at Half-Blood Hill, the real world seemed like a fantasy to Precy. He found himself staring at every McDonald's, every kid in the back of his parents' car, every billboard and shopping mall.

"So far so good," Precy told Annabeth. "Ten miles and not a single monster."

She gave him an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."

"Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you."

"Could've fooled me." She folded her cap of invisibility.

"Look … we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."

"Why?"

She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."

"They must really like olives."

"Oh, forget it."

"Now, if she'd invented pizza-that I could understand."

"I said, forget it!" Annabeth said chanings seats with Naruto.

In the front seat, Argus smiled. He didn't say anything, but one blue eye on the back of his neck winked at Precy.

Traffic slowed us down in Queens. By the time we got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain.

"Annabeth, staying postive and calm under any situation is the key to every battle strategy." Thalia said.

"I know, I want this quest to be over." Annabeth said to her older sister figure.

Argus dropped them at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from Precy's mom and Gabe's apartment.

Taped to a mailbox was a soggy flyer with Precy's picture on it: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?

He ripped it down before anyone could notice.

Argus unloaded their bags, made sure they got the bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Grover shouldered his backpack. He gazed down the street in the direction Precy was looking. "You want to know why she married him, Percy?"

Precy stared at him. "Were you reading my mind or something?"

"Just your emotions." He shrugged. "Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?"

Precy nodded, wondering what else Grover might've forgotten to tell him.

"Your mom married Gabe for you," Grover told me. "You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. The guy has this aura…. Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him on you, and you haven't been near him for a week."

"Thanks," Precy said. "Where's the nearest shower?"

"You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod." Naruto said.

"I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago." Grover said.

"Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy-if that makes you feel any better." Thalia said.

It didn't, but he forced himself not to show it.

'I'll see her again,' he thought. 'She isn't gone.'

He wondered if Grover could still read his emotions, as mixed up as they were. He was glad that Naruto, Thalia, Grover and Annabeth were with him, but he felt guilty that he hadn't been straight with them. He hadn't told them the real reason I'd said yes to this crazy quest.

The truth was, he didn't care about retrieving Zeus's lightning bolt, or saving the world, or even helping his father out of trouble. The more he thought about it, he resented Poseidon for never visiting him, never helping his mom, never even sending a lousy child-support check.

'He'd only claimed me because he needed a job done.'

All he cared about was his mom. Hades had taken her unfairly, and Hades was going to give her back.

'You will be betrayed by one who calls you a friend,' the Oracle whispered in his mind. 'You willfail to save what matters most in the end.'

"Shut up," he told it.

The rain kept coming down.

They got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack that Naruto pulled out his backpack. Annabeth, Thalia and Naruto were unbelievable. They could bounce the sack off their knees, their elbows, their shoulders. Precy wasn't too bad him himself.

The game ended when I tossed the Sack towards Naruto's chest as it bonced off him and kicked up in the air asas he bounced it of ten times before grabbed and turned it into a golden apple and threw it towards Grover's mouth. In one mega goat bite, our Hacky Sack disappeared-core, stem, and all.

Grover blushed. He tried to apologize, but Annabeth and Precy were too busy cracking up.

"Don't worry Grover, I knew your were hungry." Naruto said with a smile only to a kiss on the lips from Thalia.

Precy, Grover and Annabeth was shocked.

"Sorry, love but I couldn't resist." Thalia said burrying her head in his chest.

Finally the bus came. As they stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air like he smelled his favorite school cafeteria delicacy-enchiladas.

"What is it?" Precy asked.

"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."

But he could tell it wasn't nothing. He started looking over his shoulder, too.

He was relieved when they finally got on board and found seats together in the back of the bus. They stowed away their backpacks. Annabeth kept slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh. Thalia was messing with her watch. Naruto hid something under the sleeves of his jacket. As the last passengers got on, Annabeth clamped her hands onto Thalia's and Naruto's knees.

"Precy." Annabeth whispered.

An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Ms. Dobbs." Naruto heard Percy say.

Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise they looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds-same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers.

They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.

The bus pulled out of the station, and we headed through the slick streets of Manhattan.

"She didn't stay dead long," Precy said, trying to keep his voice from quivering. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said.

"Which you're obviously not." Thalia said.

"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Naruto said, taking Annabeth's hat.

"The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows." Annabeth said.

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?" she suggested.

There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, They were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Precy said. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminded me. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"

She thought about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof … ?"

We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.

Mrs. Dodds got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the rest-room."

"So do I," said Megaera.

"So do I," said Tisiphone.

They all started coming down the aisle. "I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?"

"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can sneak pass them." Annabeth said.

"Naruto took it." Thalia said.

"Why would he-" Annabeth said.

The four looked up to see all three Furies coming towards the before chains preiced them before turning into dust as the bus came out of the tunnel only for it get rammed sending Naruto flying out of side window.

Naruto saw a blurry musclebound demon with four massive arms and a porcelain, doll-like "face" that is actually the covering to its quad-lipped, viciously fanged mouth.

Naruto layed on the pavement bleeding as the Imprisoner charged at him before hitting him and sending him flying into the air only hit to the ground hard.

Naruto got to knees only for the demon to hit hard sending him flying down the road. The Imprisoner charged once agin as two lighting bolts hit it making fly over Naruto.

Thalia stood holding her pistols only to collapse. Naruto watched her go down in slow motion as his heard his heart beat pulse in his ears. He fought through the pain as he appeared next to Thalia.

"Naruto, how did I do?" Thalia asked.

"You did wonderful, Hime." Naruto said.

"Promise, you'll put this beast down."

"I promise." Naruto said.

He walked towards the waiting Imprisoner. He pulled at small brown pill 1 tossed it his mouth. His wounds healed as glass and rock fell from his body as purple smoke came off him. Summoning his chains. The Imprisoner charged Naruto jump over the demon throwing his chains the wrapped around the demon. Yanking on the chains the demon flew into the air. He pulled out two over size .22 mm canon pistols. 2

"You fucked with the wrong people." Naruto said shooting the Imprisoner with several bullets as the tore through it's flesh before falling to the ground in ashes leaving behind porcelain mask.

Naruto walked over and pick it up tossed in his bag. He picked up Thalia when he spotted Precy Annabeth and Grover running out with the last of passengers before the bus exploded.

The four demigods and Satyr ran into woods as the rain poured down leaving the flaming bus behind them.

-TBC-

1. Soldier Pill like Kiba gives Akamaru for his beast Mimicry only to give active his demon aura like Dante's Demon Trigger.

2. The Guns where the Good Samaritan from Hellboy.

Sorry if the fights scenes where short but I hope you enjoyed it anyway.