Athena picked up the note and read it aloud.

"Dear demigods and Olympians,

We, the three fates, have sent these demigods back in time to hopefully change the future, and prevent many unnecessary deaths. They will be about some of your pasts, and some of your futures. These books that you will read will tell the future and you can help prevent many disastrous things from happening. And demigods, there is a price to be paid for this, specifically from one demigod.

Percy groaned. "Why do I have a feeling that it's going to be me."

But we believe that you would be willing to do this to have a chance at saving your friends. You will learn of the price when the time comes.

The Fates"

There was another flash of light and the first of the books were sitting in front of Athena.

"Well, I guess I'll read first."

Zeus snapped his fingers and a couple of couches materialized for the demigods to sit on. Nico, Thalia, and Clarisse. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover sat together on one. Connor, Travis, and Katie on another. Leo, Jason, and Piper. And then Will, Hazel, and Frank.

The immortals all shrunk down to normal height. Hera summoned some more couches and they all sat down in a circle.

"Everyone ready?" Apollo said wiggling his fingers.

Athena sighed and started reading.

I ACCIDENTALLY VAPORIZE MY PRE-ALGEBRA TEACHER

Everyone looked at Percy.

"How do you accidentally vaporize someone?" Leo asked.

"Very easily actually."

They looked at him for another moment and he shrugs. With that they turn their attention back to Athena.

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.

All the demigods nodded in agreement.

"Think the Lethe would help?" Percy chuckled a bit darkly.

"No." came Annabeth's and Nico's stern answer.

The gods and goddesses looked mildly upset and worried.

If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is:

"DUCK AND COVER!" Thalia yelled.

"Why?" Hermes asked confused.

"It's Percy's advice. It usually doesn't work." Nico added.

"Seems to work when we really need it too." Will says thinking of the second titan war.

"Thank you Will!" Percy exclaimed while the others nodded in agreement to Nico. He didn't seem upset though.

close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth and try to lead a normal life.

"That's surprisingly good advice seaweed brain." Annabeth said.

"Thanks, wise girl." Percy said. "Wish I'd followed it."

Thalia leaned over Clarisse and whacked his shoulder. "Stop."

Being a half-blood is dangerous.

"True." Clarisse said.

It's scary.

"That too." Jason added.

Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.

"You have no idea." Frank said.

Most of the demigods looked sad, as if they were remembering someone.

Percy and Annabeth's faces had paled slightly. The situation they were in described this perfectly.

If you're a normal kid… and they'll come for you.

"That's very dramatic." Aphrodite said.

Percy just shrugged.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

My name is Percy Jackson.

"No, I thought it was Potato Jellybean." Travis said.

"Or mayhaps Ping-Pong Jingle." Connor added.

Everyone looked at them before breaking into small chuckles. Hermes' sons indeed.

"You're both wrong its Peter Johnson." Dionysus said.

"You all are wrong. It's Prissy." Clarisse declares.

"Thanks guys." Percy says, not at all sounding like he meant it.

I'm twelve years old… troubled kids in upstate New York.

Am I a troubled kid?

A chorus of 'yes's' were heard from the demigods.

"Thanks." Percy said, crossing his arms.

"You're welcome." Jason smiled back.

Percy snorted.

Yeah. You could say that.

"... YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO AGREE!" Percy said to the book.

Everyone started at him.

"You're talking to a book." Demeter said.

"Yes, so?"

"You need cereal."

I could start at any point in my short miserable life to prove it,

"Surely it can't be that bad." Zeus sneers.

Percy barked out a laugh, looking at the ceiling. "You have no idea what I've been through."

The other demigods looked at him worriedly. Annabeth grabbed his hand, not caring who saw, and started rubbing her thumb across his knuckles. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"You have no idea what we all have been through."

There was a moment of silence before Athena started reading again, hoping to lessen the now tense atmosphere.

but things really started going bad … look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff.

"Sounds like fun." Annabeth and Athena said.

"It sounds like torture." The rest of the demigods, Apollo, Poseidon, and Hermes said.

"It was."

I know—it sounds like torture.

Laughter rang around the room.

Most Yancy field trips were.

But Mr. Brunner, our Latin teacher, was leading this trip, so I had hopes.

"I miss him." Percy whispers sadly.

"Me too." Annabeth nods, putting her head on his shoulder.

Mr. Brunner was this middle-aged … whose class didn't put me to sleep.

"He sounds familiar." Leo said, thinking.

Percy smirked, knowing it was Chiron.

I hoped the trip would be okay. At least, I hoped that for once I wouldn't get in trouble.

"That's not happening." Thalia said.

Boy was I wrong.

"Point proven." Thalia said smugly.

"No one questioned you." Ares huffed.

"So?"

See, bad things happen to … I got expelled anyway.

Hermes, Apollo, Travis, Connor, and Leo were practically rolling on the floor.

"How?!" Hazel yelled.

Percy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just wanted to see if it was a real cannon. And the next thing I knew, the bus blew up."

"You really are something special." Katie said, staring at him.

"It's a gift."

And before that, … class took an unplanned swim.

"That sounds fun." Poseidon said.

"Of course, it does. You can't drown." Hades grumbled.

"And the sharks wouldn't hurt you." Zeus added.

And the time before that... Well, you get the idea.

"NO TELL US MORE!" Hermes yelled.

"Maybe later." Percy said.

Hermes nodded, satisfied.

This trip, I was determined to be good.

"Good luck with that Prissy." Clarisse says.

"Thanks." Percy deadpans.

Clarisse shoots him a grin.

"I will never understand y'all's relationship." Will says shaking his head.

All the way into the city… peanut butter-and-ketchup sandwich.

"That. Is disgusting." Aphrodite said wrinkling her nose.

There were nods of agreement around the room. It did sound disgusting.

"It was disgusting." Grover confirmed for everyone.

Grover was an easy target. … enchilada day in the cafeteria.

"Thank you, Percy." Grover says staring at his friend. "For that lovely description."

"You're very welcome G-man." Percy says with a smile.

Grover just chuckles and shakes his head. He couldn't stay mad at his best friend.

"Satyrs, always giving themselves away." Dionysus muttered, looking through his wine magazine.

"I wonder how we'll be described." Was the general thought around the room.

Anyway, Nancy Bobofit … entertaining happened on this trip.

"That's horrible. Nothing fun?" Leo asked.

"Nothing." Percy said.

Leo shuddered.

"I'm going to kill her… Grover pulled me back to my seat.

"Why'd you do that?" Ares asked.

"Didn't want him getting in trouble." Grover shrugged.

"Thanks for trying." Percy says

"Of course, it didn't work." Annabeth mutters, laying her head on Percy's shoulder.

"What else would you expect." Percy said kissing the top of her head.

"I'll fight her." Thalia said. "Give me an address."

"I think not." Grover smiles.

"You're already on probation," … right then and there.

"Why would you hit a girl?" Artemis asked.

"She was a bully." is all Percy said.

In-school suspension would've been nothing compared to the mess I was about to get myself into.

"When are you not in a mess." Will asks. "From all your stories and quests it seems you're always in a mess."

"I really am." Percy says. "One big perpetual mess with breaks."

"Sounds about right." Says everyone who knew him.

Poseidon didn't look optimistic about that prospect.

Mr. Brunner led the museum tour… two thousand, three thousand years.

"Longer." All the gods and goddesses said together.

Then they all looked at each other while their children laughed.

He gathered us around … Mrs. Dodds, would give me the evil eye.

"Hate teachers like that." Leo said.

"They really are horrible." Thalia agreed.

"Teachers are to be respected." Athena said aghast.

"Teachers exist to torture." Hermes said, agreeing with the teenagers.

Athena opened her mouth to argue but was cut off by Zeus.

"Keep reading, please." he said.

Mrs. Dodds was this little …teacher had a nervous breakdown.

Hades' eyes widened. I didn't. Did I really? Poseidon is going to kill me.

Nico knew who that was and shook his head. Good job Dad.

From her first day… after-school detention for a month.

All the demigods winced.

"That sounds horrible." Katie said.

"It is." Percy, Travis, Connor, and Leo said.

One time, after she'd made … "You're absolutely right."

"Could you be any more obvious Grover?" Thalia said, shaking her head.

Grover blushed.

Mr. Brunner kept talking … louder than I meant it to.

"It always does." Percy muttered.

Those sitting close to him heard him and laughed.

"Too true." The Stolls said.

The whole group laughed… Kronos eating his kids, right?"

Said gods shuddered.

"That was not a pleasant experience." Demeter said.

What the gods didn't notice is that most of the Greek demigods also shuddered. Kronos was a taboo subject to be brought up around camp, at least for now. No one liked reliving those memories, even if it seemed they were going to in the near future.

"Yes," Mr. Brunner said… the king god, and—"

"God!?" exclaimed the gods.

"God?" Mr. Brunner asked.

"Titan,"

"That's better." Zeus said, nodding his head.

Poseidon leaned over to Apollo and Hermes. "God of Drama." he whispered. Apollo had to cover his mouth to muffle his laugh. Hermes didn't care.

"What's so funny?" Zeus asked.

"Oh nothing, my theatrical god." Hermes said.

Now everyone was laughing while Zeus pouted on the couch.

"He's the king?" Hazel whispered to Frank.

I corrected myself…"Eeew!" said one of the girls behind me.

Piper, Hazel, Katie and Aphrodite looked sick.

"Yes ew." Hazel said.

"—and so, there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans," I continued, "and the gods won."

"You just summed up years of fighting in." Athena started, then counted the words. "In fifteen words."

"Yup."

Some snickers from the group… does this matter in real life?"

"Busted." Frank, Ares, and Hermes said.

"Busted," Grover muttered.

Again, there was laughing.

"You all sound like me." Percy smiles.

"The horror!" Nico exclaims.

Percy threw a pillow at him, which he caught and held on to, sticking his tongue out. Percy huffed with a smile.

"Shut up," Nancy hissed, …He had radar ears.

"I mean he is part horse." Will says.

I thought about his …would you lead us back outside?"

"Happy note?" Hephaestus asked.

"Yes, happy." Hades replied.

Everyone stared at him.

"What?"

The class drifted off, the girls holding their stomachs, the guys pushing each other around and acting like doofuses.

"Like always." Artemis said.

"Heeeey." all the males in the room said.

Artemis just raised her eyebrows at them.

Grover and I were about … had seen everything.

"Seriously! Why is he so familiar!" Leo asked.

All the people who knew looked to each other and started laughing.

"What?" Leo asked oblivious.

"Nothing." Annabeth said through her chuckles. "Please keep reading mother."

"You must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Brunner told me.

"About the Titans?"

"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."

"Oh they apply all right." Percy mutters.

Annabeth held his hand gently. Athena watched her daughter for a minutes before deciding now was not the time.

"Oh."… this guy pushed me so hard.

"That's so you don't die when attacked by monster." Poseidon said.

"Yeah, I know." Percy said. "Just sucked at the time."

I mean, sure, …and what god they worshipped.

"That's impossible!" The demigods said.

"Especially 'cause everyone names were always spelled so weirdly." Travis says.

"I mean you're not wrong." Katie agrees after a moment.

But Mr. Brunner … much less spell them correctly.

"It's not that hard." Athena said.

"You don't have dyslexia." Piper said, "It's easier for you."

All the other demigods nodded in agreement.

"Speak for yourselves." Frank says.

"Lactose intolerant." Leo mutters. "Why couldn't I be lactose intolerant instead."

"Well, I certainly know the differences now." Percy says after a thought.

Annabeth and Grover, remembering their first quest, nodded with a laugh. "We sure do."

I mumbled … at this girl's funeral.

"He probably was." Hephaestus says.

He told me to go outside …foot traffic along Fifth Avenue.

"That's boring." Ares said.

"We had nothing better to do." Percy said.

Overhead, a huge storm was brewing… a hurricane blowing in.

"I wonder what has you two at each other's throats." Aphrodite said pointing to Zeus and Poseidon.

They just shrugged. "How are we supposed to know?"

Nobody else seemed to notice. … from a lady's purse,

"One on yours?" Apollo asked Hermes.

"It said TRYING to pickpocket. If she was mine, she'd have done it by now." Hermes said.

and, of course, Mrs. …I'm not a genius."

All the demigods snorted.

"Ain't that the truth." Clarisse laughed.

Grover didn't say anything … "Can I have your apple?"

"Typical satyr." Dionysus said, finishing his magazine.

"Is he actually paying attention?" Jason whispered.

"No idea." Piper said.

I didn't have much of an appetite,

"That's a first." Thalia snorted.

"No he sucked at taking care of himself that one winter." Grover said.

"Y'know what? You're absolutely right." Thalia says.

"Percy." Annabeth scolded him slightly.

"You were gone." Is all Percy said.

so, I let him take it…she'd be disappointed, too.

"Mama's boy." Ares sneered.

"Yeah, I am. I love my mom. Got a problem with that?" Percy asked, glaring at the god of war.

Ares's sneer dropped, "Nope. None at all."

The other gods looked mildly shocked that Ares had backed down so quickly. After a moment Athena kept reading.

She'd send me right …sad look she'd give me.

"Six?" Will asked.

"Yeah." Percy confirms.

"I think the most I'd ever heard of was four." Will says.

"I went to five but that was over seven years." Travis says.

"I just stopped going." Thalia says, Nico and Hazel nodding along. Can't really go to school when you're locked in time or dead.

Mr. Brunner parked … motorized cafe table.

Leo and Hephaestus started thinking of ways to actually make these motorized cafe tables.

I was about to …half-eaten lunch in Grover's lap.

All of Grover's friends gritted their teeth. They didn't like this Nancy.

"Oops." She … liquid Cheetos.

"She needs help and a makeover as soon as possible." Aphrodite said.

Usually Piper didn't agree with her mom, but she did this time.

I tried to stay cool. …A wave roared in my ears.

"You didn't hurt her, did you?" Hazel asked.

"No." Percy smirked. "She just got a little wet."

The people who knew the story chuckled a bit while everyone looked confused.

I don't remember touching …"—like it grabbed her—"

"Cooool." Leo said.

Poseidon smiled. His son was powerful, and he hadn't even known about his power then.

The other gods had a similar thought, but a different ending. If the child was this powerful what did that mean for them?

I didn't know what … "A month erasing workbooks."

Hermes gasped, "Never. Under any circumstances. Guess your punishment."

"Why?" Frank and Jason asked.

"It makes it worse." Hermes replied.

"That's the first rule!" Connor exclaimed.

"Even I knew that." Will says. "And I don't actually get in trouble all that often."

That wasn't the right … "It was me. I pushed her."

"That was very brave of you." Annabeth said.

Grover blushed.

"Too bad it didn't work." Percy said.

Grover bleated and whacked Percy's shoulder, who was laughing.

I stared at him…"But—"

"You're a good friend." Aphrodite says.

"The best." Percy nods.

Grover blushed. "Thanks."

"You—will—stay—here."…I gave her my deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare.

"What does that look like?" The gods asked.

Nico's, and practically anyone whose been in battle with Percy, eyes widened.

"You don't want to know." Nico said.

"It can't be that bad." Demeter said.

Percy smiled, then gave the gods that glare. They could have sworn that the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. Then Percy stopped.

"Yeah. It was that bad." Hades said.

The demigods just nodded.

"We warned you." Will shrugs.

Then I turned to …How'd she get there so fast?

"Monster." Poseidon groaned.

"Yup." Percy said.

I have moments like …my brain misinterpreting things.

"Nope. That's not it." Annabeth said.

"Although that sucks." Leo says.

I wasn't so sure.

"He realizes it!" Thalia said, throwing her arms up.

"For once he's not oblivious!" Nico adds.

"Feeling the love." Percy says with a smile.

I went after Mrs. Dodds…absorbed in his novel.

Everyone groaned. That was just great.

Dionysus had stopped reading his magazine to listen to the story, not that anyone noticed. Whether he liked it or not, or showed it, he cared for the brats.

I looked back up. … Nancy at the gift shop.

"Is it ever that easy?" Leo asked.

The gods looked a bit guilty at that. They didn't like the dangerous lives their children had to lead.

But apparently that wasn't the plan.

"It never is." Percy grumbled.

Poseidon started at him. "What does that mean?"

"Oh nothing." Percy said, motioning for Athena to continue reading.

No one liked the sound of that.

I followed her deeper …the gallery was empty.

"That's creepy." Hazel said.

Mrs. Dodds … like growling.

"Monster." all the demigods said.

Even without the noise… "Yes, ma'am."

"HOLD THE PHONE!" Thalia yelled.

Athena looked at her. "What?"

"Percy actually said Ma'am?" Nico asked.

Athena looked at the page and nodded. "Yes."

The two pretended to faint.

"Oh, shut up you two." Percy laughed.

Thalia and Nico climbed off the floor and settled back on the couch. The gods just looked at the in amusement as Athena continued.

She tugged on the cuffs … I thought nervously.

Percy started fighting in his seat, eyes darting around the room. Annabeth frowned and looked at him. He nodded, he was okay.

It's not like she's going to hurt me.

"Oh the naivety." Clarisse says.

I said, "I'll—I'll try harder, ma'am."

Thunder shook the building.

All the gods looked at Zeus.

"What?" he asked.

"We are not fools…what she was talking about.

"Of course, you don't." Clarisse joked.

Percy just shrugged. Annabeth, sensing a bit of distress, moved closer to him. He smiled down at her and some of the tenseness left him.

All I could think of … make me read the book.

"It's a good book." Athena and Annabeth said.

All the other gods/goddesses and demigods didn't look at them.

Athena huffed and kept reading.

"Well?" she demanded.…she was about to slice me to ribbons.

"YOU SENT A FURY AFTER MY SON!?" Poseidon yelled, getting ready to fight Hades.

Hades was hiding behind the couch he was sitting on.

"Behold. The mighty god of the underworld." Nico said, shaking his head. Hazel looked mildly embarrassed at her father's actions.

"Dad I'm fine, sitting right here," Percy said.

Poseidon glared at Hades for a second more, looked over and nodded and sat back down albeit slightly more tense than before.

Then things got even stranger.…Mrs. Dodds lunged at me.

"DODGE!" Poseidon, Hermes, Apollo, and the demigods yelled.

"Right here!" Percy yelled back.

With a yelp… tournament day.

"Cool." Leo whispers to himself.

Mrs. Dodds spun toward me with a murderous look in her eyes.

My knees were jelly.

Percy shifted slightly; his legs felt weird. Must be from thinking about something he hadn't in a long time.

My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped the sword.

He tightened his hands to his knees. Why were they shaking now? He wasn't in any danger.

Annabeth looked at him confused. "You alright?"

"Yeah." Percy whispered, pulling her to his side.

She snarled, "Die, honey!"…Absolute terror ran through my body.

Percy's pulse picked up and his breath hitched. Why did he feel like he did all those years ago? He knew he had nothing to fear at the moment, but his brain didn't acknowledge that. Annabeth looked concerned as she felt his heartbeat rise.

"I'm fine wise girl." Percy assured her.

Poseidon watched his son carefully, noticing the strange reactions. Could this have something to do with the price mentioned in the letter?

I did the only thing that came naturally: I swung the sword.

"That's natural?" Frank asked.

"Yup," Percy replied.

The metal blade hit her … were still watching me.

Everyone shivered.

Percy resisted the urge to look over his shoulder.

I was alone.…My hands were still trembling.

Percy tightened his hold on Annabeth slightly. He was slowly figuring out what this price might be. And he wasn't happy about it.

My lunch must've been contaminated with magic mushrooms or something.

Hermes and Apollo got this look on their face.

"No," Artemis said.

The two sunk down on the couch and pouted.

Had I imagined the whole thing?

"No." Everyone said.

I went back outside.

It had started to rain.

Grover was sitting …Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt."

"Who?" Ares asked.

I said, "Who?"

Everyone laughed as Ares and Percy glared at each other.

"Our teacher. Duh!"… where Mrs. Dodds was.

"Oh goat boy can't lie." Thalia teases.

"He's gotten better at it." Percy says.

Grover bleated. "Only when necessary!"

He said, "Who?"

But he paused first, and he wouldn't look at me, so I thought he was messing with me.

"He needs lying lessons," Hermes muttered.

"Yes, they do." Dionysus agreed, shocking everyone.

"We're right on it." Connor and Travis said, writing it down in a small notebook.

"Not funny, man…utensil in the future, Mr. Jackson."

"Now Chiron can lie," Hermes said.

I handed Mr. Brunner his pen. … Are you feeling all right?"

"Alright, that's the chapter," Athena said, closing the book. "Who's reading next?"

"I will," Thalia said.

Athena handed the book to the girl.

"This should be fun." She said smirking at Percy, who groaned.