"Should we read this chapter and then have dinner?" Katie asked.
"That sounds like a good plan." Artemis agrees.
"Now who's reading this chapter?" Aphrodite asks, holding up the book.
"I'll read." Grover volunteers, taking the book from the goddess.
A God Buys us Cheeseburgers
"Which god?" Jason asks looking at the trio.
"You'll find out." Percy smirks.
The gods looked around wondering which one of them visited.
The next afternoon, …"We can't use phones, right?"
"You know how helpful that would be?" Will said.
"Extremely." Pretty much every demigod said.
"I'm not talking … to crash into the city.
"You have so many ocean and water metaphors." Hazel comments.
"I mean… son of the sea god." Percy says.
"True."
"Your father makes them all the time too." Hephaestus adds on.
Finally we found an empty … "The dining car wiped me out."
"Is every quest this hard?" Athena frowns.
"Usually harder." Thalia tells her. "These three have been lucky."
"You call this lucky?" Franks says astonished.
"For us, yeah." Grover says before continuing to read.
I fished out my last bit … FINE MIST. "I-M'ing."
"Instant messaging?" Frank asks.
"I forget that you guys don't use Iris messaging." Clarisse says.
"Instant messaging?"
Percy motioned between him and Frank with a grin.
"We don't have the same brain cell!" Frank laughs.
"Iris-messaging," Annabeth … same for half-bloods."
"And Fleecy!" Percy says happily.
"Who?" Connor asks.
"Someone we met on our quest." Hazel says. "Works with Iris I believe."
"Cool." Travis nods.
"You summon the goddess … "Drachma, please."
I handed it over.
"That sucks," Katie says. "Usually, the money lasts a little longer."
"Blown up bus." Percy says with a shrug.
She raised the coin over her head. "O goddess, accept our offering."
"What did Fleecy have you guys say?" Annabeth asks looking at Frank, Hazel, and Percy.
"Oh Fleecy, do me a solid." Frank tells her.
There were a few snickers.
"She's so cool." Apollo says.
She threw the drachma … something down in the meadow.
"Does anyone know what was happening?" Piper asks. "That doesn't seem right."
The demigods thought back before Katie started. "This was when the cabins started taking sides."
Clarisse grimaced. "My cabin helped start that. It got kind of ugly."
Will nodded. "We were busy in the infirmary till you guys got back."
"Sounds like things got pretty serious." Poseidon says.
"They did."
"Luke!" I called. …Are you guys okay?"
"Maybe he did actually care before the end of that summer." Annabeth sighed.
"I think he only cared for you." Percy whispered, a bit sadly.
Annabeth nodded. "You might be right, even if I hate to admit it."
Everyone who was not present for the first prophecy were curious. Who was Luke? And why did he have such an impact on the Greek demigods?
"What did this guy do?" Piper asks Katie quietly.
"You'll all find out eventually." Katie says. "It starts at the end of this summer."
Piper nods as Grover continues to read.
"We're ... uh ... fine," … Is Grover all right?"
"It was a bit more problematic than 'some issues." Will says remembering the campers who ended up in the infirmary.
"How problematic?" Hermes asks.
"No one died." Will says as a (vague) answer.
"I'm right here," …"Grover, come on!"
"What did you guys end up doing to that guy?" Percy asks, realizing they never told him.
Grover and Annabeth look to each other and laugh.
"Maybe one day you'll know." Annabeth tells him, still chuckling.
"What?" Grover said. …who summoned the hellhound.
"So he did." Thalia grumbled to herself.
"Do you know who did that?" Artemis asks.
"I think we find out at the end." Percy says.
Now the campers are …"Chiron will be sorry he missed you."
"It would have been nice for Chiron to be there." Grover interrupts himself.
Annabeth and Percy nods as he continues.
I told him pretty much everything, …"I wish I could be there,"
Percy snorted but didn't interrupt.
Luke told me. … You'd have to be invisible."
"It was so obvious looking back at these conversations." Clarisse says.
"Did he just blame Annabeth?" Leo asks.
"I think he did." Athena says a bit angrily. "I don't like this boy."
Hades sits up straighter. What does his helm have to do with anything that's happened?
We were both silent… little sister to me."
"It sounds like he's trying to cause in-fighting." Jason says.
The three look at each other.
"I'd hadn't thought of it that way." Percy says. "But you're probably right."
"I don't like this guy." Hazel says.
I wondered if …of the car wash.
"I really want to know what happened." Travis and Connor announce.
"Nope." Grover tells him.
"That for us to know and none of you to find out." Annabeth smirks.
"That's just cruel." Hermes and Apollo tell her.
"You'd better go see … Nobody will get turned into a pine tree if he just-"
"Thank you for not telling me that." Grover tells Percy.
"I didn't think it would be helpful." Percy tells him. "We didn't need any other stress."
But the mist was gone, … "What happened, Percy? What did Luke say?"
"You were like a ghost." Annabeth tells him. "We thought something bad had happened."
"Not much," … drinking malts and sodas.
"That sounds so good right now." Ares says.
The trio in the quest laughed.
"What?" Ares demands.
"Oh nothing." Percy says. "Just ironic."
"We're eating after this chapter." Aphrodite says patting the war god's hand.
Finally the waitress … to pay for it?"
The demigods wince. These interactions sucked.
Grover's lower lip quivered. …ready to pass out from hunger.
"These quests need to be made easier somehow." Apollo frowns. "None of this is healthy."
"Quests have never been easy that's the point." Zeus tells him.
"They're children." Apollo deadpans. "The heroes of old were not children."
I was trying to think … well, Caucasian human skin.
The romans look vaguely disgusted. Mars was just a bit different.
"You should really change your bike up a bit." Hephaestus says, mindlessly tinkering. "Makes it hard to repair."
Ares sneers at him.
The guy on the bike …from many, many fights.
"That is nothing like Mars." Frank says.
"How would you know?" Jason asks. "The gods never come to camp."
"They did for this one over there." Frank says motioning to Percy.
Percy winks at him. "I'm just special that way."
The weird thing was, I felt like I'd seen his face somewhere before.
As he walked into the diner, … Annabeth against the window.
"Why are you there?" Zeus demands.
"How should I know?" Ares says. "This hasn't happened yet."
He looked up at the waitress, … Who did this guy think he was?
Percy felt that same anger rising up in him, his body started to feel hot from it. He clenched his hands to keep some semblance of control.
Annabeth stroked his knuckles. "It's okay." She whispers.
Percy just nods, not trusting what could come out of his mouth. Ares always made him so angry.
"He's scary when he's angry." Leo whispers.
"Too true." Nico nods.
He gave me a wicked ... "What's it to you?"
Percy closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. His hands shaking in effort to keep himself calm.
Thalia leans over. "If you need to go, we can go fight."
Percy nods, eyes still closed. Thalia was the only one who could keep up with an angry Percy.
Ares frowned. He may have an effect on those around him, but it wasn't this strong usually.
Annabeth's eyes flashed …the ones from cabin five.
"You're Clarisse's dad," I said. "Ares, god of war."
"Problem?" Clarisse asks.
Percy sends her a glare and she backs down. It was very apparent that this was not the time.
Ares grinned and took … I got a little proposition for you."
"This can't be good." Demeter says.
Everyone waited for her to finish with some cereal comment, but it didn't come.
Grover continued after a minute of silence.
The waitress came back … "Problem, sweetheart?"
"You can't just threaten mortals." Athena tells him.
Ares smirks. "Watch me."
The waitress swallowed, … people with a knife."
Athena looks mildly horrified to have the same thought as a son of Poseidon.
Annabeth covered her snort with a fake cough.
Ares laughed. "..."Why don't you go back and get it yourself?"
"Percy." Poseidon warns.
"This is nothing new." Nico says. "Definitely not the first god he taunts."
"Mental." Jason mutters. "Absolutely mental."
The fire in his eye … to give him the satisfaction.
Percy let out a sharp breath.
"Perce?" Thalia asks.
Percy shakes his head. He had control, for now.
"We're not interested," … corpses on the battlefield.
"Thals." Percy says shakily, the same images flooding his mind again.
Thalia stands up and drags him out of the room.
Annabeth watches them worriedly but knows that Thalia won't let him get too hurt.
"I'll check on them later." Will tells her.
Annabeth nods and sits back again.
"I know all about your … thank for your little quest."
"Oh my gods." Annabeth says putting her head in her hands. "It's so obvious."
Grover nods, letting out a laugh of disbelief.
"Thanks," I grumbled. …e on our own."
"You were not." Hermes points out.
"Yeah, right. No money. …"My mom?"
"That's a low blow." Aphrodite says.
Ares just grumbles and sinks in his seat. He didn't like it when Aphrodite told him off.
He grinned. "… almost like he was nervous.
Ares shoots up again. "I don't get nervous."
Annabeth and Grover look at each other. This was going to be interesting.
"You're lucky you met me, … Ares was gone.
There was a distant clattering.
Leo let out a snort. "Guess it happens even when he isn't in the room."
Grover decided to wait a few minutes to see if the two would reemerge. Sure enough, two minutes later Percy and Thalia reenter the room. Both were sporting the beginnings of bruises and Percy was limping slightly.
Will goes to move towards them but Percy shakes his head. "I'll be fine till we're done."
Will sits down hesitantly while Percy sits next to Annabeth.
Grover watches him for a moment before starting again.
I might've thought … must love to mess with people's emotions.
Ares shakes his head. "It just happens whenever I'm around. Though you seem especially susceptible."
"Only you." Nico snorts.
Percy shrugs. "It tracks with everything else."
That was his power-cranking … "Forget Ares. Let's just go."
"Not a wise idea." Athena says.
"We can't," Annabeth said. … "Why does he need us?"
"You need to take better care of yourself." Thalia frowns.
Percy shrugs.
Will frowns. "How many times have you eaten on this quest? I only remember two."
Percy nods. "Sounds about right." Annabeth and Grover reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"That's not good." Will states, still frowning.
Percy shrugs.
"Maybe it's a problem … bow to wisdom sometimes."
"Watch it." Ares points at her.
"But this water park ... … we'll have to find out."
"How bad is this event?" Poseidon asks.
"Honestly it was probably the best part of this quest." Annabeth answers. "Even with the spiders."
"This is one hell of a quest." Thalia says knowing that a statement like that from Annabeth meant a lot.
The sun was sinking … WAT R A D.
Hermes snorts. "Wat-rad."
The main gate was … what she looks like."
Aphrodite smiles at him. "Excuse me?"
"Nothing m'lady." Percy says. Aphrodite had a bit of his respect. Just a bit.
"Percy," Annabeth … is very temperamental."
Aphrodite just smiled at Annabeth, who shuddered.
"You don't want to … Echidna?"
Piper looked at Percy. "How you're alive astounds me."
"Honestly same." Percy says.
"Those comments are really disconcerting." Athena says. "Surely it can't be that bad."
"Have you not seen what's happened in just this first quest?" Dionysus says, making everyone in the room jump. He'd been so quiet.
"Didn't think he was paying attention." Hades mutters.
Dionysus frowns behind his, new, magazine. Despite what other believed, he did care just a small amount about the brats.
"No, Aphrodite," … I said. "Hephaestus."
Hephaestus looked sad for a moment before he schooled his expression to look neutral. He did love Aphrodite but there was nothing that he could do about it.
"What's your point?" …"You guys coming?"
The demigods laughed.
"Grover that was amazing." Connor tells him.
Grover blushed and stuttered a 'thank you' before he continued reading.
Annabeth and I had to climb …, Where's My Swimsuit?
"Those are amazing names." Apollo says, Hermes nodding in agreement next to him.
"They're childish." Artemis retorts.
"Exactly."
No monsters came to get us. ..."Watch me."
"Jackpot!" Travis shouted, fist pumping in the air.
"It's always fun when you find a place like that and get to stock up." Katie says. "Doesn't happen often."
She snatched an entire row …the defunct theme park.
"I wish I had a picture." Nico laughs.
"So do we." Leo laughs from another couch.
We continued searching …Aphrodite's husband?"
"Thanks for caring." Hephaestus tells Percy. "But it's useless."
A few of the other gods frowned. Did this genuinely affect the other god? He never let on.
"Well, you know," …"She likes bikers."
Hades snorted. "Something like that."
Ares shrugged and threw an arm around Aphrodite. It worked for him.
"Whatever." …out-of-the-way places, like ..."
"It's good entertainment." The blacksmith says.
"Highest rating on TV." Apollo nods.
She stopped, looking straight ahead. "Like that."
"I don't like this." Athena says.
"It ends fine mother." Annabeth tells her.
In front of us was an … Ares's shield, a polished circle of bronze.
Jason tenses. "Too easy."
"It's never good when it's easy." Thalia agrees.
"This is too easy…"Eta. I wonder ..."
"Oh dear." Hephaestus says. "This should be interesting."
"That's one word for it." Percy nods.
"Terrifying is another." Annabeth grumbles.
Percy chuckles and pulls her into a side hug.
"Grover," I said, …, or really nothing?"
"Sorry about that." Percy says.
"It's okay Perce." Grover says. "It was years ago."
Percy shrugs. "Still."
Grover looked hurt. … backup, in case something goes wrong."
"So glad I listened to you." Grover says. "We would have been screwed."
"What happens?" Poseidon asks.
"Oh, nothing much." Percy shrugs. "Just giant mechanical spiders."
"That were meant for gods." Frank points out. "You are not gods."
Percy waves a hand. "It was fine."
Thalia and Nico frowned. They didn't like how flippant Percy was being about what's happened.
Grover puffed up his chest a little. "Sure. But what could go wrong?"
"Final last words." Travis and Connor say.
"I don't know. …What if somebody saw me?"
"Four. Years." Nico laments. "How did you guys survive four years of this."
"Who's going to see you?" …boys always messed things up.
Artemis nods. "It's true."
"Not as true as you may believe." Thalia says. "Especially about this boy in particular."
Percy blushed lightly and didn't look at her. "Thals."
"I'm not wrong." Thalia tells him.
We reached the boat. …favorite people: themselves.
The room was silent before snickers broke it. A second later most people were laughing. Ares looked angry while Aphrodite just picked at her nails. It wasn't a false statement.
I picked up the scarf. …and let's get out of here."
"I'm pretty sure I saw that scarf in the Big House." Thalia says.
"Yeah, it's there." Annabeth confirms.
The moment I touched the shield, …A trip wire.
"And it begins." Hephaestus says putting his tinkering project away.
"Wait," …Eta. This is a trap."
"Obviously." Clarisse says.
"We weren't that bright on our first quest." Percy says.
Noise erupted all … main strands, making a net.
"A classic." Apollo nods.
"You all were okay right?" Piper asks.
"Didn't even get hurt that bad. Just bruising." Annabeth tells her. "Like I said, probably the best part of the quest."
"We have to get out," …around his hands.
"Yeah, don't touch it." Hephaestus says. "Especially because you are mortal. It was made for gods after all."
The Cupids' heads popped open. …Fifty-nine seconds, fifty-eight ..."
"Oh my gods." Thalia laughs. "I bet that was so entertaining."
Clarisse grins. "I hear that there's a recording of it somewhere at camp."
"Where?!" Percy exclaims.
Clarise just laughs and motions for Grover to continue.
"Hephaestus!" Annabeth screamed. …Annabeth screamed.
"Freaking spiders." Annabeth mutters. "I'm so tired of spiders."
Percy gives her a small kiss on the top of her head. "I'll kill them all for you."
Annabeth smiles.
It was an army of wind-up … her back toward the boat.
Athena nods. She may not like the boy but he was protecting her daughter.
The things were coming … And we weren't gods.
"How'd you guys get out?" Leo asks.
"You're about to find out." Percy tells him. "It was probably very entertaining."
Annabeth and I …Think, I told myself. Think.
"This should be good." Clarisse says. "Prissy's luck just isn't that good."
Hazel makes a noise. "His luck usually kicks in at some point."
Clarisse nods. It really does.
The Tunnel of Love entrance …the ride's water come from?
"Smart." Poseidon says. "This is the best place for this to happen."
"It really was." Percy nods.
Then I saw them: … I had to get us out of there.
"What about the net?" Frank asks.
"Didn't really think of that at that exact moment." Percy says. "We just needed out."
Grover was in the controller's … Water exploded out of the pipes.
There was laughter from almost everyone in the room. What a way to start an episode.
"I can't wait to see this." Apollo says.
"Neither can I." Hermes nods. "I bet the ratings were amazing."
"We never did find that out." Grover says to the other two.
"We'll look when we get home." Annabeth says.
It roared into the pool, …rocketed through into the darkness.
There was a collective breath of relief. They had avoided the net. That was a good thing.
Annabeth and I held …Valentine's Day stuff.
"Disgusting." Thalia says.
"It was very cheesy." Percy says.
Then we were … the other cracked in half.
"That is a problem." Katie frowns.
"Percy actually had a good idea for this one." Annabeth says.
"I have good ideas!"
"Unfasten your seat belt… With luck, we would land in the pool.
"That is…" Athena starts. "an actual good idea."
She looked like she didn't want to admit it.
"I told you!" Percy exclaims.
"Your allowance for the year." Nico snorts.
Annabeth seemed to understand. … "On your mark!"
"That's kind of cute." Katie says.
"Your definition of cute is whack." Travis tells her.
She hesitated ... hesitated ... and down toward solid asphalt.
Everyone winced.
"Not fun." Jason says. "Not fun at all."
"You can fly." Leo says,
Jason blushes.
Something grabbed me from behind.
Annabeth yelled, "Ouch!"
Grover!
"Yeah G-Man!" Nico shouts.
"Wooo!" Thalia cheers.
Grover blushes but smiles. He loves his friends.
In midair, he had … Ares's shield was still on my arm.
"Badass." Leo says.
"It is, isn't it." Percy chuckles.
"Not that badass." Ares grumbles.
Once we caught our breath, …"Thank you! Good night!"
"Percy!" Thalia exclaims. "That's amazing. I cannot believe you did that."
"I'm not surprised." Clarisse says. "It's so like him."
Even a few of the gods were chuckling. This demigod was surprisingly entertaining.
The Cupids turned back … ratings had been any good.
"I'm sure they were." Hephaestus says, pulling his little machine back out.
I hated being teased. I hated being tricked. …"We need to have a little talk with Ares."
"Alright dinner time." Hera says.
There were cheers and everyone left for the kitchen.
"Thalia, Percy." Will calls.
There were two identical groans but the two walked over to the healer knowing the drill.