Apollo was moving about the infirmary early the next morning, around 5am, when a groan caught his attention. Quickly looking over the five (Will had fallen asleep around two in the morning) demigods in his care he realized that Percy was waking up.
He walked over, careful to not disturb the other sleeping children, and stopped at Percy's bedside.
"Shh, it's alright Percy." Apollo comforts as Percy's face scrunches in pain. He was waking up earlier than expected and the burns were still rough.
"Hurts." Percy gets out before wincing in pain.
"I know it does." Apollo says. He says a pain-relieving blessing and places his hands gently on Percy's chest.
Percy relaxes slightly as some of the pain ebbs away. "Th'nks. Wha' happn'd?"
Apollo chuckles. "Jason fried you a bit after you broke his arm and collar bone."
"Oops." Percy says, eyes closing again.
"Go back to sleep, the burns should be gone by breakfast."
Percy nods and falls back into sleep.
"That medicine seems to be working." Poseidon says as he walks in. "He hasn't dreamed once."
"I'm just glad we managed to get him to drink some last night. But it seems to make him more drowsy." Apollo notes.
"He probably needs the sleep." Poseidon says. "It sounds like he hasn't had a good sleep in a long time."
Apollo just nods, watching over the kids.
"They're okay now." Poseidon says. "You can go catch a nap before breakfast."
Apollo runs a hand over his face. "I shouldn't be this tired. I've dealt with worse for longer."
Poseidon places a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "You've been using your powers consistently for a few days now. Plus, we're all getting attached to these kids, the stress of these injuries isn't helping."
"From what I've learned it's not going to get any better."
"We'll just have to keep them from fighting each other in between then."
Apollo laughs and nods. "I think I'll go take that power nap."
"I'll watch them, go." Poseidon says. He watches as Apollo walks out and then settles into a chair where he can see all the children.
Three hours later the other demigods peek their heads in to check on their friends.
"How are they doing?" Annabeth asks, walking towards Percy's side. "They look much better."
Poseidon nods. "They should be waking up any moment now."
As he said it Nico groaned and rolled over before sitting up. "Wha'?"
"Mornin' corpse breath." Thalia says as she struts over. "How's the head?"
"Doesn't hurt actually." Nico says looking around.
To his right Hazel was also sitting up and across from him Jason was coming to as well.
"You guys really did a number on each other." Kaite says, sitting by Hazel's side.
"It was fun." Nico says, "Until sparky over there threw me into a wall."
"Least your right side ain't broke." Jason groans, also sitting up.
"Ain't?" Leo laughs. "You're not awake yet."
Jason just shakes his head and yawns into his hand. "Least it doesn't hurt anymore." He looks around. "How's Percy?" he asks guiltily.
"He'll be alright Jason." Poseidon says softly. "Everyone knows it was an accident. He should be waking up any minute now."
"'M awake." Percy says as Annabeth helps him sit up. "You pack a punch superman."
"Think you can make it to breakfast?" Frank asks, still worried about his friend.
Percy nods. "Just sore, nothing actually hurts anymore." He yawns. "Tired still too."
"That was the medicine Apollo, Hermes, and Will cooked up. Knocked you out good." Poseidon tells him.
"Speaking of." Connor smirks. "Someone needs to wake Will up."
Travis also grins and walks quietly towards Will's bed. Just as he's about to pounce, Will's eyes shoot open and grabs Travis' wrist.
"Don't you dare Stoll."
Travis yelps and jumps backwards.
Will sits up and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. "Try harder next time." He chuckles. "Come on y'all breakfast awaits."
Carefully, but loudly, the demigods make their way towards the kitchen to eat, Poseidon following behind them smiling amusedly.
About an hour later everyone was filing into the throne room.
"Who's reading next?" Hazel asks, picking up the book from where she'd left it in her seat the night before.
"I will!" Travis volunteers, grabbing the book.
"Never thought I'd see the day." Katie teases.
Travis just sticks out his tongue and opens to the next chapter as everyone gets settled into their usual spots.
17 WE SHOP FOR WATER BEDS
"Oh my gosh I forgot about this." Grover laughs.
"It's only funny in hindsight." Annabeth says. "Percy was taking too long.
It was Annabeth's idea.
Annabeth lightly slapped Percy's shoulder, still mindful of last nights injuries. "Don't blame this on me!"
"It was you!" Percy defends himself, laughing.
She loaded …casino debit cards?"
"Will this actually work?" Hermes asks curiously.
"Yup." Percy says.
"Cool."
Annabeth asked. … came up next to the dollar sign.
"Whoa." Leo says. "I need me one of those."
"Honestly I wonder if we could get a few for camp." Katie says. "For quests and such."
The demigods looked thoughtful.
"That's not a half bad idea." Clarisse says.
"It's just getting them." Athena points out. "You'd have to go into the casino. Who's going to pull you out?"
"That's a good point." Annabeth says. "We'll have to talk with Chiron."
The cigar fell … Your Highness?"
"Your Highness?" Thalia laughs.
"Bow, peasant." Annabeth says, also laughing.
Everyone else was joining, glad to laugh after a few tense chapters.
"The Santa Monica … the Mojave Desert.
"That's not safe." Hera sniffs.
"We did have a quest to finish." Annabeth snarks back.
The demigods looked at her in shock, except the ones who knew how Annabeth felt about the goddess.
"That's my girl." Percy says smiling, kissing the top of Annabeth's head.
Travis continues reading before Hera could say anything else.
On the road, we ...circuited my memory.
"It tends to do that." Athena says.
I couldn't recall … sounded quite right.
"I wish I had remembered." Percy says. "Might have made things easier."
"It might not have though." Thalia says. "Things still would have happened."
"That throne room … feel like a god's voice."
Percy shivered at the thought of the pit. He pulled Annabeth closer to him as he felt her do the same.
Thalia rubbed Nico's shoulder comfortingly at the mention of the pit as well.
The gods observed quietly, trying to put the pieces together.
Annabeth's eyes … something went wrong-"
"You had suspicions." Clarisse states.
"I did." Annabeth nods. "I didn't want to be right."
"Like what?" … the Underworld?"
There was silence in the room.
"Something isn't adding up." Jason says. "Somethings not right with this quest."
"To threaten Hades," … getting your mom back."
"Dang Grover." Connor says. "Evil."
Grover just shrugs with a grin.
I whistled. "You have evil thoughts for a goat."
"NO!" Connor cries out. "Percy's taking us one by one."
"One brain cell between the three of us." Percy says motioning between him, Frank, and Connor.
"Why, thank you…what's the other?"
Hades internally groans. He has a feeling his helm has something to do with this. He knew there was a reason it was mentioned earlier.
Grover shook his …No. It has to be Hades."
"Things would have been so much easier." Annabeth sighs.
The older Greek demigods nodded.
Wasteland rolled by. … something even more dangerous.
Apollo looked Percy over. He was showing slight affinity for seer abilities. But from where they came from, he didn't quite know yet. He was going to have to pay closer attention. Talk to Poseidon as well.
The problem was: … pass and war would begin.
"You guys are really on a time crunch." Hazel says. "I have no idea how you managed this."
"Honestly we don't either." Grover says. "It really just didn't slow down from here."
"The answer is … that enough times.
"We all have." Travis interrupts himself.
"The absolute worst." Leo adds.
The cab sped west. … for the perfect wave.
"It's not all it's made out to be." Piper says, thinking of where she used to live.
Grover, Annabeth, …looking out at a different sea.
"It's a crazy feeling when quests take you across country." Clarisse says. "The world becomes much bigger."
"Tell me about it." Hazel and Frank say.
"Especially now." Piper says, thinking about how they were in Europe in the present.
How could there … of someone that powerful?
There was a moment of silence.
"That crazy." Leo says.
I stepped into … "What are you doing?"
"It would have been nice for you to tell us what you were doing." Grover deadpans.
Percy rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry G-man."
I kept walking, …streams swirling together.
"That's so cool." Hermes says.
"It really is." Percy says, thinking of the sea. He'd been gone from it for so long.
"I wonder if there's some way for other to see what you do." Katie says. "That would be a fun exercise for training."
Poseidon and Percy looked thoughtful. Maybe there was a way.
I felt something … the void was right there.
Most of the room shivered.
"That's mildly terrifying." Thalia says. "No thank you."
"I love it." Percy says a bit wisfully.
"It is quite cool." Poseidon says, thinking of his realm.
The surface … to the bottom of the Pacific.
"You can go to the bottom." Poseidon says.
Percy nods. "I've been before."
Then I saw something … sea horse she was riding.
"I want to see one." Piper says. "It sounds beautiful."
She dismounted. … with great interest."
"That's kind of creepy." Connor says. "That seems like a lot of pressure."
Percy shrugs. "I never thought about it too hard."
"How long have you been watching him brother?" Hades asks Poseidon.
"Since he was born." Poseidon says, then frowns. "Unfortunately, we couldn't see much outside of the ocean and rivers. Water based creatures cannot last long outside of the water."
Suddenly I remembered … not show such favoritism."
Zeus scoffs. "Seems like it hasn't stopped you anyway."
"Even to their own … flashed in her palm.
"Only three?" Jason asks curiously. "But if you're getting your mom, don't you need four?"
"'Fail to save what matters most in the end'." Percy says.
There were nods of understanding from the group.
"I know you journey …"Urn ... no, ma'am."
"Well, now we do." Percy whispers to himself a bit darkly.
Annabeth holds his hand gently, leaning into his side.
"Ah, but you … future for you,
Apollo looks to Percy sharply. That's right, he's the next big three child to turn sixteen. The Great Prophecy. This poor kid he thought to himself.
should you survive … Good luck, Percy Jackson."
Hades rolls his eyes. People always made him out to be so dramatic. I mean he was sometimes but still.
"And yet he let us out like, four times." Percy laughs.
"What!?" Hades asks, looking over.
"Stories for another time." Percy says, still chuckling.
She summoned …, and then she was gone.
Probably not the best idea lately Percy thinks to himself.
He avoids Thalia's eyes as she stares him down as if she knew what he was thinking.
I wanted to …"They were free."
"No such thing." Hephaestus says, hand idly creating something.
"We are well aware." Most of the demigods said.
The gods grimaced.
"No." She shook …actor or something?"
"What do you come up with this time?" Nico laughs. "Another circus caravan?"
"Nah this is when his luck kicks in." Will says.
"Uh ... I'm a …That explains it."
"Told you." Will says.
"Not bad kelp head." Thalia says. "Not bad at all."
We thanked him … alleys to avoid cop cars.
"Smart move." Clarisse says. "Getting picked up now would not be good."
I froze in front …, patting his hand.
Artemis sniffs. "Disgusting man."
"Truly." Aphrodite agrees.
Most everyone was nodding along in agreement.
A fake tear …, my grief counselor,
There were snorts across the room. Yeah. Counselor. Sure.
I'd be a wreck. … trouble talking about it."
"His wife or his car?" Athena asks disgusted.
"Probably his car." Percy says bitterly. He hated that Gabe was being brought up so much lately. Luckily he wasn't in the picture after this summer.
"There you have it, … hole in the appliance-store window.
Percy took a deep breath as the past anger briefly washed over him. He wouldn't have to worry about this after this book, he just had to remember that.
It got dark, and … he wasn't stupid.
"That's true." Clarisse says. "New York is actually fun if you know where to go."
"We should all go exploring someday." Travis says.
Katie looks at him incredulously, "And attract every monster in the northeast?"
"Never mind." Travis grimaces. "Not a good idea."
"That's what I thought."
L.A. wasn't like that…"Hey, you."
"Don't tell me you stopped." Thalia groans.
Percy pretends to lock his lips and she groaned again, along with a few others.
Like an idiot, I stopped.
"Idiot is right." Thalia says.
"We were fine." Percy says.
"For about five minutes." Annabeth deadpans.
"Your idea wise girl." Percy teases, smiling at her.
Before I knew it, …mistake of swinging.
"Bruh." Nico says looking at Percy.
"I got nothing for that one." Percy says laughing.
"You just manage to find trouble everywhere." Hermes says.
The kid yelped. But he … CRSTUY'S WATRE BDE ALPACE.
"That sounds disgusting." Hazel says, her nose crinkled.
"Crusty's Water Bed Palace?" …them," Grover panted.
"What did you find though?" Athena asks. "If the past if evidence, you don't just seem to enter somewhere and not find something."
A voice behind us … move fast if he needed to.
Poseidon grimaces, recognizing the description of one of his descendants. It could be worse he thought though.
His suit might've … couldn't even count them.
"Gross." Piper and Aphrodite say together.
"It was an eyesore for sure." Grover says.
"I'm Crusty," … Yes, you are.
The room burst into laughter.
"You need to start saying these thoughts out loud." Leo gasps.
It took a few minutes, but Travis finally managed to start reading again.
"Sorry to barge in," …emperor-of-the-universe-size.
"Those sounds so comfortable." Connor says. "I want one."
"No you don't." Percy, Annabeth, and Grover all say instantly.
"Why?" Connor asks.
"It'll explain in a second." Annabeth says.
"This is my most … "Oh, you guys! This is cool."
"Stupid satyr." Dionysus says to himself.
"Grover really?" Thalia asks.
Grover blushed. "I wasn't really thinking."
"Hmm," Crusty said, … fingers. "Ergo!"
"Oh dear." Athena says, realizing who this was.
"Seriously you guys have some really bad luck." Frank says.
"I really don't know how we get anything done." Percy tells him.
"Sheer dumb luck." Annabeth says.
Ropes sprang from …"N-not c-cool a-at all!"
"Travis, you don't need to do the stuttering." Katie says, smacking him in the back of the head.
The giant looked at Annabeth, … around the back of my neck.
Percy rubbed his neck at the phantom sensation.
"Whoa, kid. Don't worry. …Got to make them fit."
There were winces all around.
"That's not good." Hermes says.
Annabeth and Grover … friends from both ends.
"Y'know, there was a small moment that felt really good." Grover says. "Cracked my whole back."
Everyone just stared at him.
"What?:
"Don't worry," Crusty …Crusty, is it?" I asked.
"You know more than you let on." Athena says, eyeing the son of Poseidon.
Percy just grins at her.
"Legally, it's Procrustes…It's got a good ring to it."
"What are you doing?" Hera asks. "Your friends are in danger."
No one answers her so Travis continues.
His eyes lit up. … loosen on my neck.
Percy rubbed his neck again. This was really annoying. At least he didn't get hurt here. This time anyway.
"I tell my customers … "What are you doing?"
"You of all people, Annie, should have gotten it." Thalia says.
"I was kind of being stretched to death." Annabeth says flatly.
"Don't mind her," I told Procrustes. "She's impossible."
"I could have punched you then." Annabeth says.
"I'm glad you didn't." Percy says back, smiling at her.
Annabeth rolls his eyes and kisses him quickly.
The giant laughed. "… hangs over on either end."
Ares nodded. He knew where the boy was taking this. He didn't want to admit that it was a smart idea.
Percy saw him and winked making Ares glower back.
"Ah," I said, … like a strangled goose.
"You need to move faster." Demeter comments for the first time in a while. A few people jumped remembering she was there. There was a quiet mutter about cereal and all was back to normal.
"So, Crusty ..." I said, …I snapped my fingers. "Ergo."
"Get em!" Nico shouts.
"I love reverse psychology." Katie says. "It works almost every time."
Ropes lashed …. "A few simple adjustments ..."
There were a few chuckles around the room. It was always just a little bit funny when monsters got outsmarted.
I had no qualms … Crusty stopped making offers.
"Nice." Apollo says nodding.
"Efficient." Ares grumbles.
I cut the ropes …taller," I said.
Annabeth smacked Percy on the shoulder.
"Hey!" Percy exclaims.
"I didn't have the energy at the time." Annabeth smiles at him.
"Fair." Percy looks to Grover. "Don't you dare."
Grover slowly lowered his hand with a pout.
"Very funny," Annabeth … right underneath with a map.
"Handy." Hades says. "Of course my address is plastered on his wall."
"Come on," I told … "It's only a block from here."
"That's it!" Travis says, closing the book with a snap. "Who next?"
Demeter raised her hand. "I'll read."
Travis hands the book over and gets settled in.