discord . gg/fB4uMXhWF8 - Join my Discord server. (Remove the spaces)

After they had their breakfast, again. Percy and his son made their way into the throne room, everyone had taken a short break as the two father-son stuffed themselves. They seated down, and got ready to read the next chapter.

Percy nuzzled up against his wives, seemingly content at letting Annabeth's curls fall upon his face. His children, all curled up against the massive hellhound. With Danae, cradling little Catarina in her arms.

After Hermes, this time Aphrodite took the book and opened the chapter they had left at. She was about to start reading, when Athena spoke up.

"Wait," Athena interrupted, "I have a question."

A lot of people groaned as soon as the words left her mouth. Seriously, can't his woman ever not have any questions? Unlike the rest of them, Annabeth smiled and nodded at her mother, giving her the go ahead to ask for a question.

Athena smiled back and asked, "Do any of you have a Roman form?"

The past gods paid clear attention to this conversation. They all wanted to see how much of a difference between their alternate self could be.

Annabeth shook her head, "None of us do, except Percy." She answered remembering how much different Percy was in his Roman form, than his Greek form. Sure, now that they were all gods/goddesses the difference isn't what it used to be, but still he was a lot different.

Athena frowned, along with many others, "Why only him?" She asked, looking at Percy.

Percy straightened up as everyone looked at him at once. "My mother saw my father, Poseidon, in his entirety."

If possible, that just confused everyone more.

Seeing the blank looks on their faces, Percy continued, "Like, the mortals they see the gods in the form the gods want. If a god appears in his Greek form, their child would be a Greek demigod, and if a god appears in his Roman form, their child would be a Roman demigod. But my mother didn't see Poseidon in any of his forms. She saw him as what he was, a true god of the seas. Thus, making me both a Greek and a Roman."

"The others don't have an alternative Greek/Roman form, because they weren't born during the Roman era, and they favor their birth form more."

Everyone nodded as they understood this. That must be why he was so powerful, because he wasn't born of any of Poseidon's forms, instead the entire essence of the god flew through him. Even the people from the future didn't know that Percy was born from both Poseidon and Neptune.

"Can we see your Roman Persona?" Hestia asked, she wanted to see what was the difference between them. Obviously, they couldn't, because Rome did not exist yet, but maybe they can understand it better, if they see for themselves.

"Alright, but don't antagonize him. His anger is more refined when he is in his Roman form. We don't notice the difference anymore, as he is our husband and we all are familiar with his both forms. But you should make an effort to be nice with him. He is dangerous in both forms, but as a Roman, he would make sure to hurt you, if you step out of line." Reyna said. The past people all nodded.

Reyna turned to Percy and kissed him. She retreated from his mouth and called out his name, "Perseus."

The result was immediate, Percy's form started changing. His hair got longer, almost falling off his shoulders. He was wearing full battle armor; his muscles had grown more defined. He opened his eyes, and instead of sea green, they were bright gold.

He and Reyna both stood up, and he smiled looking at her, "My Queen." He kissed her cheek. He looked at his other wives and smiled at them. Before he turned around and stepped forward with Reyna by his side.

The mere presence of his drew power, unknowingly making the Gods/Goddesses flare their power, like he was pulling it out of their skin. In his right hand, his trident glowed in such might that the other weapons in the room shook.

Unlike Percy, Perseus wasn't subduing his aura, this was the power they held.

The gods shuddered as they felt his aura, laced with such power it sent a shock up their spine. They had been around many immortals, and the last they could say, they felt like this was in the presence of Gaea, a first generation Primordial. They could feel the shadows bent to his will, the ground rumbling. They were used to standing in front of powerful gods, so much so they had forgotten how the world followed them. But this god, he had them noticing his power.

Perseus noticed everyone staring at him, and he introduced himself. "I am Perseus, Slayer of Terra, the emperor of Rome, King of Kings." His voice was firm and strong, driving them into more wonder.

As soon as he spoke the immortals from the future stood up. His children, his friends all kneeled. Perseus was the same man as Percy, in his Roman form. He was a kind ruler, but he respected the old rules and decorum. They liked to show him the proper respect he deserved. They couldn't challenge his authority.

Perseus looked at the kneeling immortals and his children, and nodded. "Rise," he said, his voice regal and commanding. Awakening the spirit of battle and duty among them, that they always felt in his presence. His children smiled at their father; they couldn't spot much difference between their father's forms, neither did the both forms acted any differently to the kids.

"Lord Neptune," Perseus bowed to his father. He knew his father was Poseidon now, but he was a Roman, he couldn't forget his mother tongue, and the name they had for the gods.

He looked away from his father and his eyes landed on Zeus and Hera. The throne room was silent, the room was charged with the smell of Ocean and Ground. Like moments before a hurricane.

"Juno," His lips curled into disgust, "It's a shame Percy hasn't killed you yet. The vanity radiating from you, I have only felt it on your father before. You and your husband really did take every negative quality the Titan King had to offer."

"Really, the only people I have ever seen that have little regard for others, are your husband and your father. Percy should have just saved us a headache and smite you down, by now." He threatened casually and looked to her side, towards Zeus. He shook his head, like he wasn't even going to say anything.

Hera or Zeus couldn't even defend themselves, not against him. His golden eyes bored into them, reminded them both of Kronos. But something was different about his eyes, while Kronos' was filled with malice and cruelty. Perseus' was filled with authority and dominance; they couldn't lie or defend themselves against that.

The past people watched fascinated as Perseus talked, he was just oozing power and dominance. The fear that was dormant in their hearts for too long had awakened. The strange sense of danger that lurked around him, like he didn't belong here. Which in hindsight he didn't, he was a Roman standing amongst Greeks.

"Vesta," Perseus spoke with his eyes trained on Hestia. Even in her Greek form, there wasn't much difference in his wife. She was the kind, gentle and loving goddess she always was. His home in Rome thrived because of her.

Hestia smiled back, apart from being a stickler for rules and regulation, she could sense he was the same as Percy.

Perseus turned to Athena and smiled, "Minerva." He tried to keep the smile off his face, but Athena saw through it. His eyes had sparkled instantly as his eyes had landed on her.

Athena couldn't look away from his eyes. The golden eyes of his held wisdom, she had never found before, not in any books or scriptures. He had knowledge beyond his age, knowledge she wanted to get from him. He intrigued her to no end, she could tell he knew what she was thinking.

Perseus' eyes turned to Artemis and Zoe; swirls of emotions churned inside them. His eyes bore into their souls. A concoction of worry and fear settled over their heart, for what they didn't know. Just that they couldn't control it.

"Diana, Zoe," He nodded at them, but found that they were looking at him worried. "What happened? Did someone say something to you?" He growled, if they had dared to say anything to them. They would pay.

Artemis and Zoe stayed silent, so Reyna whispered in his ears, "You threatened them, after they insinuated that you don't care about the kids."

Perseus visibly cringed at that, he looked at Zoe and Artemis, "Don't worry about it, we will probably forget it in the next hour or so. Just don't say things like that again."

Artemis and Zoe relaxed; they didn't want both his forms to threaten them.

Perseus turned to everyone else and spoke, "Well I am going to let my Greek counterpart come out now. Standing between so many Greeks, I feel out of place."

Reyna nodded and kissed his cheek, "Of course My lord."

Perseus smiled and closed his eyes. Within a moment of notice, Percy was back. He shuddered and retreated back his aura, "Whoa! Haven't let lose my powers like that for a while."

"Why do you hide your aura in this form, Son?" Amphitrite asked, she had never seen her husband hide his aura. He made sure to remind everyone that he was an elder god, and not be trifled with.

"You all felt the same need to bow or kneel right? I don't want everyone feeling like that all of the time." Percy yawned, as he got back to his seat. "Let's start the book alright?"

Everyone nodded and Aphrodite opened the book. I BECOME SUPREME LORD OF THE BATHROOM

Many raised their eyebrows, but stayed silent.

Once I got over the fact that my Latin teacher was a horse, we had a nice tour, though I was careful not to walk behind him. I'd done pooper-scooper patrol in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade a few times, and, I'm sorry, I did not trust Chiron's back end the way I trusted his front.

Chiron's mouth hung open as he looked at Percy incredulously. His face beet red from embarrassment, and he could see and hear his pupils snickering.

Percy blushed when Chiron glared at him, ignoring the laugh of Apollo and Hermes.

We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed to the minotaur horn I was carrying. Another said, "That's him."

Most of the campers were older than me. Their satyr friends were bigger than Grover… I wasn't normally shy, but the way they stared at me made me uncomfortable. I felt like they were expecting me to do a flip or something.

"Whoa can you do a flip dad?" Damon asked, amazed, not like his father was the most powerful god alive. That didn't matter to him. Now, if his father could do a flip, now that would be awesome.

Artemis smiled as her son acted like a kid. Until now, he was really calculated and on edge of everything.

Percy smiled and puffed out his chest, "Of course I can, do you think, I'm useless like your uncle Nico and Apollo." He boasted about his skills.

"HEY!" Shouted both Apollo and Nico in indignation. "We aren't useless," Apollo defended himself and Nico.

Artemis looked at him uncertainly, "You aren't? Well, I didn't know that." She teased, a smile of her own gracing her face. She specially felt happy when Apollo's smile lit up so wide, the sun outside glowed with force. She now noticed how their little banter makes her brother so happy.

"Ooh does the little emo god feel attacked?" Thalia awed, "Come here, I will let you eat at the kiddy table." She teased, her smile grew wider when she saw the shadows move, showing that he was getting pissed.

Silence followed Thalia's remark. Not a sound could be heard, except the son of Hades' growl.

1… 2… 3

Percy and everyone started laughing out loud, their laugh echoing inside the walls of the throne room. Even Will couldn't keep himself in check, and roared in laughter.

Nico was blushing head to toe, as everyone started laughing at him. He would get his revenge in Thalia. He was sure, when she least suspected it, he would embarrass her much, in front of her father and husband.

I looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot…when something caught my eye, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I got the distinct impression I was being watched.

"What is that?" Chiron asked, there were many things that could turn out to be. But everything he could think of was dangerous, and he didn't believe that he would ever put the kids in danger. So, what could it be?

No one answered him, as everyone was engrossed with the story too much. Meanwhile those who knew looked at Percy with wide eyes, so she had moved before for him?

"What's up there?" I asked Chiron.

He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."

"Somebody lives there?"

"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."

"He's deflecting, he is only telling the truth partially." Apollo commented and looked at Chiron, why would he lie about that? He could also feel that whatever was up there, was connected to him.

Chiron nodded, he too had guessed, that his future self was lying.

Percy shook his head as they turned to him, "We can't say. You will have to hear the story to learn more."

Apollo pouted, while Chiron nodded in understanding.

I got the feeling he was being truthful. But I was also sure something had moved that curtain. "Come along, Percy," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."

We walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe. Chiron told me the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus.

"It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."

"The strawberries take no effort, with Mr. D in camp, his and Lady Demeter's children looking after them. The field was never empty." Travis said.

"Right, trust my brother in this one, not even the kids of Demeter, have spent as much time in the fields as him." Connor teased, causing Percy, Chris and Castor to laugh loudly. Ignoring the glare, he was being shot by his brother.

"Why would he be there more than my children?" Demeter asked, frowning. She was the goddess of agriculture, and that meant her children had a natural love for the fields, and gardening.

Travis threatened Connor to shut his pie-hole, So Percy took it from there, "Well our boy Travis here," he motioned his hand towards him, "Has a really deep and spiritual love for gardening, or the Gardener should I say?"

The result was immediate as both Travis and Katie blushed. The reading was about the future war, not their love life, so why was it being discussed?

Demeter understood the implication, "Oh!" was all she said, before resorting back to glaring at Hades.

He said Mr. D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants… I watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire. I wondered if Grover could work that kind of magic with music. I wondered if he was still inside the farmhouse, getting chewed out by Mr. D.

"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?" I asked Chiron. "I mean ... he was a good protector. Really."

Grover smiled as he heard about Percy's concern. He hadn't known that Percy was worried about him from this much earlier. Through their empathy link, he had known how much their friendship meant to Percy.

"You're a good friend, Percy." Grover smiled at him.

"Right back at you, Goat boy." Percy smirked, knowing he didn't like being called that. As expected, Grover frowned, "I hate you," he mumbled, causing Percy to laugh.

Chiron sighed. He shed his tweed jacket and draped it over his horse's back like a saddle. "Grover has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill."

"But he did that!"

"Yes, he did," Many from the future shouted at once. What kind of stupid councils did the Satyrs have?

"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate . . . ah . . . fate of your mother. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."

"I haven't known you for long Grover," Pan said, "But trust me, you are one of the bravest Satyrs I have met. Even with the Minotaur at your tail, instead of running away you went to find your friend and warn him. That shows real courage on your part." He appraised him. Pride clearly visible in his eyes.

Grover smiled and blushed as his life-long idol praised him. He could see the approval in his lord's eyes.

I wanted to protest. None of what happened was Grover 's fault. I also felt really, really guilty. If I hadn't given Grover the slip at the bus station, he might not have gotten in trouble.

"He'll get a second chance, won't he?"

Thalia sighed, "That was his second chance Kelp-Head."

Percy rolled his eyes, "I know that now sparkles, but back then I didn't."

"Sparkles?" Nico wheezed as he fell down the couch laughing, it was an odd scene to see the god of nightmares, laughing like a kid.

Thalia glared at him with such intensity, he decided to shut up. "OW," Percy shouted as he was slapped upside the head for that.

Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Graver's second chance, Percy. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age. . . ."

"How old is he?"

"Oh, twenty-eight."

"Chaos, you're old Grover, like a grandpa," Percy commented teasingly, his son nodding along with him. No matter if he was an Olympian now, teasing his best friend was always going to be fun.

Annabeth and Thalia smirked as they heard him, even after all these years of immortality, Percy and Grover still acted like immature children, and they loved that.

Grover's mouth hung open, before he smiled back, "You're calling me old? You're literally married to three millennia old goddesses. One of whom is the eldest god alive."

Percy smiled back as he heard his best friend's reply. "Technically I'm married to 4 millennia old goddesses. And Hestia isn't the eldest goddess alive, that would be Aphrodite." The goddess herself smiled; it wasn't usual for people to recognize her status as the eldest god.

"Wait what?" Damon asked surprised, Hestia was the eldest of the elder gods. How can Aphrodite be older than her? He looked at his father for an answer.

Percy smiled at his son and answered, "Hestia whilst maybe the eldest child of Kronos isn't the oldest God/Goddess. When the Titan King chopped his father into bits, one of his organs had ended up on the Ocean. Born from the blood of Ouranos and the waters of Pontus, Aphrodite was the first God/Goddess to exist. Seeing how the Titans ruled, she lived under the sea and protection of Pontus. She revealed herself after the Titanomachy was over, and the gods ruled."

The gods of the past nodded, happy that their history was preserved in time. They knew that time was the most powerful force out there, even immortals could run out of time. Their past so far forgotten; it was impossible to find them again. Even in their time, not many knew about Aphrodite's true age.

"What! And he's in sixth grade?"

"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."

"That's horrible."

"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career. ..."

"I can't imagine Uncle Grover doing anything else, aside from helping the environment." Penelope commented looking at Grover curiously.

It was true, as long as anyone had known Grover, he had always been the environmentalist, sure the other Satyrs and Nymphs were also invested in that. But no one cared about the wild as much as Grover.

"That's not fair," I said. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"

Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?" But I wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop. Something had occurred to me when Chiron talked about my mother's fate, as if he were intentionally avoiding the word death. The beginnings of an idea — a tiny, hopeful fire — started forming in my mind.

"Chiron," I said. "If the gods and Olympus and all that are real . . ."

"Yes, child?" "Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?"

"You're seriously not thinking about venturing to the underworld are you son?" Poseidon asked worriedly, sure Hades wasn't as cruel as Zeus towards his children. But still his brother liked his privacy, and didn't take it well when someone invaded his domain.

Hades himself growled from the back of his throat, "Don't come anywhere near my realm." He glared at Percy; his eyes filled with black fire to warn him.

Percy looked at Hades, almost glaring but with lesser intensity, "I will go anywhere I can for my mother," A strange fire burned in his eyes too, surprising the Lord of Dead to back off.

Poseidon leaned and whispered to Amphitrite, "Can't believe, he got one of my hard-headed brothers to back down."

Amphitrite nodded amazed herself, it was a known fact, that the big three were overgrown immortal child, that couldn't back down from any arguments.

Chiron's expression darkened. "Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now . . . until we know more ... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, Percy. Let's see the woods."

"You really need a lesson on how to change topics, Chiron. Even if you were bothered by something else, that was just pathetic." Hermes shook his head, it pained him to see people who can't even lie, or redirect a question properly.

His three children sighed, "Don't worry dad, we will teach him better, once we go back home."

Hermes flashed his sons a proud smile, and went back to listening to the book.

As we got closer, I realized how huge the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since the Native Americans. Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with what?" I asked. "Armed with what?"

"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"

"Seriously?" Athena deadpanned, "Didn't he tell you, that he doesn't know anything about our world? How would he have his own weapons?" Seriously, why were people missing so many obvious details? They weren't answering any of his questions, and instead were making him more confused.

Percy nodded like crazy, thanking Athena. No one ever told him anything, then acted like he was stupid for asking things in need.

Chiron blushed in embarrassment for his future self. The situation must be really dangerous for him to act like this, he couldn't believe how bad of a first impression he was giving.

"My own—?" "No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I'll visit the armory later."

I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armory, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued. We saw the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.

"Sword and spear fights?" I asked.

"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained. "Not lethal. Usually. Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall."

"Usually?" Uncharacteristically it was Zeus, who voiced the question. Why would the children be harmed during practice battles?

"Sometimes the children of Ares went overboard, and sent some kids to the infirmary," Annabeth shook her head, ``those thick-headed idiots were a nuisance. She had trouble controlling them before, but now as their queen she made sure to keep them in line.

Ares and Clarrise shrugged, like it wasn't of any disturbance to them. While Frank shook his head, he sometimes hated his siblings.

"Typical," Athena muttered, "Of course his children would be as stupid as him."

"What did you say?" Ares growled, fire burning in his eyes.

"Calm down, she isn't wrong, your children share your traits of impertinence," Zeus scolded his son, for which Athena and Artemis sent him thankful smiles.

Apollo, Hermes and Dionysus smiled widely, happy that the favorite son got told off too.

Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.

"What do you do when it rains?" I asked.

Chiron looked at me as if I'd gone a little weird. "We still have to eat, don't we?"…. And they were without doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.

"What do you mean bizarre?" Apollo asked, offended. He hadn't seen his cabin from the future, but he had a feeling it was going to be the best.

"Your cabin literally blinds people for a few seconds, with how bright it glows," Percy told him tiredly, remembering how the Apollo cabin used to flash the sleep off his eyes.

Artemis rolled her eyes, of course his brother would go overboard with his cabin. Apollo shrugged, like he couldn't find anything wrong with that. His cabin should show off his magnificence, after all he was the best god on Olympus.

Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right…dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).

In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about ten years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick. She looked cute, but also lonely. I made up a plan to talk to her later, she looked like she could use a friend. Something about her was drawing me to her.

Hestia blinked as she realized he was talking about her. Her cheeks tinted gold, no one ever notices her. To hear that the man she would marry, noticed her, when others didn't. Well, it made her heart swell up with emotions. She also couldn't deny the tiny spark of satisfaction she felt when she heard him call her cute.

She smiled at her future husband, who was looking at her and smiling. Percy hated how people had basically ignored her in the presence of other gods. Just because she was peaceful, doesn't mean that she was any less powerful.

Danae smiled too, listening to the first time her father saw her mother.

"You saw her?" Poseidon asked surprised, it wasn't usual for mortals to notice Hestia's presence. Even in the presence of immortals, she was always ignored, he made sure to talk to her every once in a while, but still he too made the mistake of ignoring her sometimes.

"Of course, I saw her, how could anyone ignore her? She looked so cute," Percy winked at Hestia, making her face glow golden even more. In the future she had gotten used to his compliments, but this time, it was all new to her.

The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleum… Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.

"Zeus and Hera?" I guessed. "Correct," Chiron said. "Their cabins look empty."

"As it should be," Hera hissed, looking at Zeus. It broke her heart, every time he would go out and sleep with other women. She instantly knew, and every time it gave her pain unlike anything. Maybe she had always been vain, but Zeus' infidelity had poisoned her even more.

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."

Okay. So each cabin had a different god, like a mascot. Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. But why would some be empty? I stopped in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.

Poseidon sat up straighter as he heard about his cabin. His smile widened, he wanted to hear about his cabin, and Percy's reaction to it. If he had any say in the matter, he would've made his cabin comfortable for his children, not like Zeus. He would prefer his children comfortable, then showing off his magnificence.

It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. I peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that… There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. The place felt so sad and lonely, I was glad when Chiron put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Come along, Percy."

Poseidon frowned as soon as the last part was read. "Why is my cabin empty? And why does it feel like no one has lived there in decades?" He couldn't understand what had happened, his children always thrived in their natural habitat, and from the way the cabin was described. He was sure that he had himself helped in the making of his cabin.

Zeus nodded too, "Why is my cabin empty also?" He didn't want to say it in front of Hera, but usually his cabin was filled with his children. Same with Poseidon.

Percy looked at his wives and thought if he should answer or not. Seeing Thalia's slight nod, he turned to the gods. "I can't disclose everything, but something occurs in the future, which had the sons of Kronos swear on Styx, to not have any more demigod children. Thalia and I were the first demigods born in decades."

Just like that everyone fell into deep silence. How bad were things in the future, that the big three would swear something so serious? Sure, they can break the oath on Styx, but there was always a price to pay. They shuddered thinking about how much Styx could make their lives miserable, if she wanted.

"So, the oath is broken after your birth?" Poseidon asked, glancing at Amphitrite, to see if she was angry, when he was assured that she wasn't he continued. "Does that mean my cabin isn't empty anymore?"

Percy shook his head, "My kids use it to sleep in sometime, or if they want to play with the sea creatures." His four children all nodded with their father.

Poseidon smiled, of course his cabin was open for his grandchildren, "What about my other kids?" He asked cringing, when he felt Amphitrite's glare on him.

Percy smiled, "Well, after Lady Amphitrite had adopted me, even though it hurt her to see the result of your infidelity. You finally stopped cheating on her, and became more loyal to her. And when I was made God, as you know I'm the God of Loyalty, you swore upon my name to remain faithful to her forever."

Poseidon's eyes widened as suddenly he was pushed back against the couch, his wife straddling his waist, and kissing him passionately. He hadn't felt Amphitrite show him love like that in forever. Not wanting to let the chance go away, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed back.

When the King and Queen of the seas separated, they looked on to find that everyone was watching them amusedly. Except their two sons, both of whom look terrified.

"Eew…" Both Triton and Percy commented. "I didn't come here from the future to see my parents make out like a couple of teenagers." Percy shuddered, trying to forget the sight he just witnessed. He would need to wash his eyeballs with soap to forget that.

Poseidon and Amphitrite both deeply blushed as they saw their sons. Amphitrite had forgotten about everyone's presence when she heard her husband's oath. She was unable to control herself.

Hera felt incredibly jealous of Amphitrite, she could only hope that Zeus would show her the same faithfulness as Poseidon did for his wife.

Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers. Number five was bright red — a real nasty paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists…a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALFBLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on me and gave me an evil sneer. She reminded me of Nancy Bobofit, though the camper girl was much bigger and tougher looking, and her hair was long and stringy, and brown instead of red.

"Seriously Prissy?" Clarisse growled, "that's the description you have for me?" Her hands itched to her spear, she wanted to skewer the punk so badly.

Percy rolled his eyes as he heard her. They weren't enemies anymore, they were good friends, but for the sake of drama, acted like they hated each other. "Hey! Be thankful, that was one of the better descriptions I have for people in this book."

Clarisse grunted and looked away, knowing the punk, he really would've had worse descriptions for people he didn't like. Her father for example.

I kept walking, trying to stay clear of Chiron's hooves. "We haven't seen any other centaurs," I observed. "No," said Chiron sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."

"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really . . ."

He smiled down at me. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."

Everyone rolled their eyes as they saw Heracles boast his chest out in arrogance. Even in the future, Chiron introduced himself by his name. He was his star student.

Thalia decided that she had to take the pitiful god down a notch. "Well now Chiron introduces himself as the trainer of Percy Jackson, and I think it has a nice ring to it."

As her intention, Heracles bristled in anger and jealousy. He was the star student Chiron always boasted about, the anger coursing through him for Percy was unfathomable. Like his father, he couldn't see others get praised, in his place. His anger was also directed at Thalia, he would really like to deal with her, after the spar with Percy.

"But, shouldn't you be dead?"

"That just took a complete turn," Nico laughed, Percy was the most oblivious and blunt person he had ever met. Even among the realm of dead, none shared his talent of being blunt at the worst time, and worse ways.

Chiron himself looked amused as he watched Percy, he could feel it through his immortal experience, that he would have fun training Percy. With his obvious powerful traits, and his talent to speak without thinking. He would make many gods, want to smite him down. It was going to be exhausting, but enjoyable either way training him.

"Percy," Annabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I really wish that you thought about your words before you spoke." She had been by his side longer than most, she knew it wasn't the first time he was going to speak the wrong things in the wrong place.

Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him. "I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can 't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish . . . and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."

Everyone from the future that had the fortunate opportunity to train under Chiron smiled, "You would always be needed Chiron. Never doubt that." Annabeth assured him, he was her father figure for the longest time, she would always need him.

The heroes from the past smiled, and agreed. In the world of gods, Chiron was the best, he looked after them like they were his own kids.

Chiron smiled as he heard his pupil's love and gratitude for him.

"Plus, you are a full immortal in the future, so we don't have to worry about that, anymore," Thalia informed, surprising everyone, upon their curious gaze, she explained, "Percy turned him into a full immortal, so he could always look after the demigods."

Chiron thanked Percy with a simple bow of his head. Percy wanted to say that he shouldn't bow to him, but after he had gotten godhood, he understood decorum better. He was the God of Authority, he wouldn't force anyone to bow to him, but he wouldn't deny it either.

I thought about being a teacher for three thousand years. It wouldn't have made my Top Ten Things to Wish For list.

"Doesn't it ever get boring?"

"No, no," he said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."

"Why depressing?"

Before anyone could say anything, Percy raised his hand and silenced them at once. He knew why the job was depressing, to watch the people you helped grow up, trained, and treated as family, die. It was depressing.

He had seen far more death and destruction, then one should in their lifetime. No one knew why the job was depressing, more than him and Chiron. And now, he was the kind of them, he had to watch them grow old and die, fall in battle for eternity.

Annabeth sensing his predicament, slipped her hand onto his. Same with Piper, his other wives also showed him that they were here for him. He smiled back, and motioned for Aphrodite to read.

Chiron seemed to turn hard of hearing again. "Oh, look," he said. "Annabeth is waiting for us."

The blond girl I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven. When we reached her, she looked me over critically, like she was still thinking about how much I drooled. I tried to see what she was reading… like those in an architecture book.

"She is such an Architecture nerd, she got it as a domain." Percy laughed, causing Nico, Leo, and the Stolls to laugh along with him. Annabeth's face was red and he had to duck in order to avoid the punch thrown at his face.

Everyone seemed amused as they watched Percy defend himself from Annabeth's wrath. Those who knew him had soft smiles on their faces, even after being married for more than a decade by now, and being together for longer, they still acted like best friends first.

"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?" "Yes, sir." "Cabin eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."

Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old. The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway was one of those doctor's symbols, a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. What did they call it . . .? A caduceus. Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds.

Hermes frowned hearing about his cabin, all the others were described as unique, and beautiful, "Why is my cabin like that?" He asked, already having a hint. If he knew his family, and he knew them pretty well, they were the reason for it.

Percy's canines popped out of his mouth as he answered, "Because the Olympians were too busy to properly claim their children. The minor gods didn't have any cabins, so their children stayed in your cabin too. So, the unclaimed demigods were pushed to live in your cabin, because you are the patron of travelers. For decades, the unclaimed demigods lived in your cabin like sheep in a barn."

"The situation was so worse, that even Hermes' children had to sleep on the floor, in their own cabin. Because the gods were too busy fucking around then to claim their children." Annabeth hissed, she had lived in the camp for years, and had seen how the Cabin 11 children suffered because of the lack of care from their parents.

Hermes turned to his family and shouted, "You couldn't even take the time out of your day to claim your children. It takes just a snap of your fingers to claim your children. Because of your lack of responsibilities, even your children had to suffer along with mine." His face was disgusted from the lack of care they had for their own children.

Hestia looked down as she heard them, she was the Goddess of Family, it pained her to see how the gods could ignore their own family.

"What do you want us to do, leave our work to go claim them. We don't have time for that," Ares countered back, sitting on his couch with Aphrodite, who looked disgusted as she heard him.

"What work do you have other than playing with your dick, and acting like a spoiled brat?" Thalia asked her half-brother. Out of all her vast number of siblings, Ares and Heracles were the one she hated the most.

Ares stood up in outrage as he heard her. His eyes glowing with red fire, a sword appeared in his hand as he stepped forward in her direction. "What did you just call me?"

He couldn't go far as shadows wrapped around him. Holding him back as tendrils of shadows coiled around his neck and wrists. Courtesy of one Nico Di Angelo.

Percy stood up calmly as he stepped forward towards Ares, "Stand down Nico," he ordered, and the son of Hades complied with his King's order. The shadows disappeared, and Ares moved forward again. The red aura showing his bloodlust, meant that he wasn't in the right mind to know who he was going against.

Suddenly, he started choking and his sword dropped. He clutched his neck like a lifeline, as he dropped to his knee.

Percy smiled as he reached toward him, "How does it feel to be powerless?" He asked for no answer.

None of the gods could move as fear crept up their heart, as they saw the ease Percy had dropped Ares with. The God of War, in his knees as he choked on his own breath. "I could end your suffering, with the snap of my fingers, but it takes too much time, and I have to tend to my work." Percy smiled dangerously; he wasn't the kind little boy he once was. He knew now that the only way to treat fire was with fire.

Ares couldn't say anything. He looked at Percy for mercy, who finally let him go. He grabbed Ares' head and made him look at him. "Never come against my wife again, or I will show you war and blood, the kind that will have you scared of your own domain." He said and went back to sit with his wives, and smiled at his children who were all looking at him. They weren't afraid of him, knowing that their dad only got angry when someone he cared about was threatened.

Sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor. It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center. Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner." He galloped away toward the archery range.

I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at me, sizing me up. I knew this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools. "Well?" Annabeth prompted. "Go on."

So naturally I tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of myself.

Everyone from the future laughed loudly, that was Percy alright. They laughed and teased him, while the people from the past were still scared and shocked to laugh about it.

There were some snickers

from the campers, but none of them said anything. Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked. I didn't know what to say, but Annabeth said, "Undetermined."

Everybody groaned. A guy who was a little older than the rest came forward. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."

As soon as it was read, a deep growling was heard. They turned to look at Percy, his eyes were glowing gold for some reason, and his canines had enlarged, in short, he looked murderous. His expression, it was the same as when Zeus had hurt his child.

Annabeth and Thalia winced; they knew how much Percy hated him. How much everyone compared Percy to him, this would bring all the bad memories he had forgotten, right back.

The guy was about nineteen, and he looked pretty cool. He was tall and muscular, with short- cropped sandy hair and a friendly smile… like an old knife slash.

I don't know why, but immediately I felt apprehensive of this guy, something about his expression was wrong. The smile on his face was comforting, but it just looked cruel to me. The look of hatred in his eyes made me shudder. I had lived with Gabe for a long time, I had known how to see through a façade.

"You could see it at first glance?" Annabeth asked softly, she had long ago forgotten the belief that Luke was good. She had accepted the fact that the boy she once looked up to, was never the same when they arrived at camp. The fall of Thalia, and the quest to retrieve the golden apples, something had happened to Luke then, he had changed.

Everyone who knew Luke personally were startled, it took one look for Percy to see what they were unable to see for years.

Percy stayed silent; this was the one thing he hadn't gotten over it yet. His hatred for Luke Castellan still remained. If they were going to read these books, he would have to own up to his past.

"This is Luke," Annabeth said, and her voice sounded different somehow. I glanced over and could've sworn she was blushing.

Percy huffed and sat back against the couch, causing Annabeth to roll her eyes and hit him in the back of his head. They were married now, and Olympians, yet he was still acting like an angsty teenage boy.

Although it wasn't all his fault, for their earlier years, she had defended Luke so much that Percy believed that she had loved him. It was after they got together that she explained to him that it was just a hero worship, that as she grew older, her feelings became much clearer to her.

She had told Percy that it was him, it was always going to be him, but still the idiot was acting like this, "Seriously, you're jealous? While you have 9 wives in total?

Aphrodite giggled as she heard that, she looked at them gleefully, "Ooh do I sense a love triangle?" She asked hopefully, wishing that there was enough drama to please her.

Unexpectedly, a stream of water splashed her face, wiping all the makeup off. "Keep your nose out of my love life, and don't think about adding more torment that you already have in my life." Percy growled. The love goddess had already toyed with his love life more than enough, he didn't want her poking her nose at their business.

Aphrodite nodded rapidly, she didn't want a repeat telecast of what happened to Ares, be done to her too.

Satisfied, Percy backed down, and winked at Aphrodite, to show that it was all okay, and not to be afraid of him. Seeing his smile, Aphrodite smiled back and started reading again.

She saw me looking, and her expression hardened again. "He's your counselor for now." "For now?" I asked.

"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given me. I had nothing to put there… Just the Minotaur's horn. I thought about setting that down, but then I remembered that Hermes was also the god of thieves.

"Dammit," Hermes, and the Stolls cursed at the same time. That Minotaur horn was one of a kind, if they had gotten their hands on it, it would've been so good. They wouldn't steal it off, but definitely show it around.

Artemis' hand subconsciously started tracing the Minotaur horn, her future husband had given her. It was very valuable, and personal to him. Yet, he had still given her the horn, without any hesitation. She looked at him, and he had his eyes closed, a small smile on his face, as his head rested on Annabeth's shoulder.

There was something undeniably cute about that.

I looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they were waiting for a chance to pick my pockets.

"How long will I be here?" I asked. "Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?" The campers all laughed.

"Come on," Annabeth told me. "I'll show you the volleyball court." "I've already seen it."

"Come on." She grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside.

"So, she was controlling you, since the first day, eh Perce?" Leo laughed, making many of friends start laughing.

Annabeth glared at Leo with such intensity that he shivered. He didn't know how Percy could see those eyes and not run away screaming. She was scary as a demigod, and as a goddess, she was downright terrifying.

I could hear the kids of cabin eleven laughing behind me. When we were a few feet away, Annabeth said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."

"What?" She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one."

"What's your problem?" I was getting angry now. "All I know is, I kill some bull guy — "

"Don't talk like that!" Annabeth told me. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?" "To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?"

"All hail, the Queen of demigods," Thalia shouted, "How did you get the domain of intelligence Annie?"

Annabeth blushed head to toe, as everyone turned to her at once. It wasn't her fault that her perception of everything was different, she had been stuck inside the camp for years. She wanted to get out, and see the world so much that she had forgotten why they were there. Her priorities were a little mixed up.

"Leave her alone, she just wanted to see the world outside." Percy said and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. She was so cute back then, getting frustrated every other minute, of course he was annoyed back then. But now that he loved her, all of her quips, and taunts seemed endearing.

Annabeth smiled as she melted into his embrace, smiling softly as she realized that they would read, just how deeply they had fallen in love with each other, over the course of the years.

I shook my head. "Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories . . "Yes." "Then there's only one." "Yes."

"And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So . . ."

"Monsters don't die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don't die."

"I have been fighting monsters, just as long as anybody here, and that even had me confused," Clarisse shook her head, a soft smile appeared at her face, even though she tried to hide it. "Can't blame prissy for being stupid, if that's the kind of answers he got from you."

Annabeth glared at the daughter of war for her comment, but it wasn't effective with Percy laughing behind her. She huffed and sat back against his chest, she would get her revenge on him later.

"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."

"They don't have souls, like you and me. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually, they re- form."

I thought about Mrs. Dodds. "You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword — "

"Accidently?" Athena asked, raising her eyebrows, weapons were in her nature. But even her own children couldn't have taken down the fury like that. It was no accident, but his instincts that had kicked in, at his need of survival.

"Still can't believe that the brat killed my fury at one go." Hades whispered to Persephone, clearly still upset about the incident, even though it happens in the future.

"The Fur ... I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."

"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?" "You talk in your sleep."

"First you personally ask permission to look after him, and then you watch him sleep?" Leo asked laughing, "I don't know if that's sweet or creepy."

Annabeth mentally sent a lot of torture images at Percy's mind, who winced, "Ow," He complained rubbing his head.

He looked on to Annabeth in terror, she was giving him the sweet smile she always did, the one that spoke, 'You're utterly fucked now, Seaweed Brain.'

"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"

Annabeth glanced nervously at the ground, as if she expected it to open up and swallow her. "You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."

"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?"

"Probably not, my little brother likes to showcase his might, every few seconds. You know to overcompensate." Poseidon laughed, sending his two godly sons and Hades on a laughing fit.

Hades was roaring loudly with laughter as he looked on to Zeus' face, purple with rage. His hand flickering with lightning.

Lightning flashed outside, and thunder boomed.

"See, overcompensation," Poseidon smirked, motioning his hands toward his brother. This time even Zeus' own children couldn't control their laughter, as they laughed at their father's rage filled expression.

I sounded whiny, even to myself, but right then I didn't care. "Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."

I pointed to the first few cabins, and Annabeth turned pale. "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or . . . your parents."

She stared at me, waiting for me to get it.

"That is a stupid rule you know, that the kids can't sleep on other cabins. How you separate them based on their parentage." Reyna spoke up, her face calm and calculated.

"The cabins are made for the children of specific gods, it's tradition. They are made for our children, and only our children can stay in them." Zeus replied haughtily, who was she to ask a question like that? To question their tradition, did she seriously think that he was going to just let anyone stay in his cabin.

"Those traditions are as ridiculous and stupid as you are," Reyna countered back, looking the King of Gods directly in the eyes. Her people in Rome thrived because they were treated based on their merits, not by their birth or class.

Zeus' nostril flared as he looked at her threateningly, the smell of ozone permeated the room, as lightning flickered in his hands. But the smell of oceans, subdued it, the dark sky above, covering the earth in a dark night, it was enough to remind him of the warning of fates, and the situation with Ares a few moments ago. He looked at Percy's eyes, who was staring right back at him, daring him to say another word, or make a move against his wife.

Thankfully, the King of Gods, had some sense of self-preservation, and backed down.

Seeing as the tension had disappeared, Travis spoke, "Anyways, Percy was never one to follow rules. When he was claimed, as the son of Poseidon, and got himself a cabin. He sneaked the little kids from our cabin out, so they could sleep with him in the Poseidon cabin, on proper beds, and could get a goodnight sleep."

His brothers Connor and Chris nodded, they had seen Percy come in at night, after Chiron was asleep and take the little kids away, the next day the kids would be really energetic. Not like usual, when they looked exhausted, because they had to shrink themselves in the floor or beds, to make more rooms for others.

Everyone looked surprised by what Travis had said. Even the people from the future who had arrived, didn't know about any of this. Not Annabeth, nor Thalia, they turned to look at Percy who was smiling softly.

Poseidon looked at his son and asked, "You let others sleep in your cabin?"

"If my father, an Olympian, the king of the seas, was so petty that he would smite little children for sleeping in his cabins. Then I didn't want to be the son of that person," Percy shrugged, like it was the easiest decision he had ever made.

"But my mother had always told me about how kind my father was. She always used to tell me the stories about the Great god Poseidon, whose way was just and kind, sure he had done some horrific things, but the good outweighed the bad. I had hoped that you were one of the good ones." Percy smiled as he looked at his father.

His words spread tranquility among the room, making soft smiles appear on the gods' faces. To hear of the trust and respect he had for his father, it was satisfying. Sure, their children loved them too, but they did it because they were supposed to, or because they were afraid to say or do otherwise.

The hunters, Artemis, Zoe, Athena and Hestia, these were the ones with the most beautiful and content smiles on their faces. A person's personality can be seen by how he treats others. And Percy seemed to be a god among men, a true King, and they hadn't even started the books properly. Just how much was this one man going to surprise them?

"And I am happy to say that my father never disappointed me. When he found out that I was letting the little kids sleep in my cabin, he teleported some new beds in the cabin. So, the children can be even more comfortable." Percy said and the smile he gave Poseidon was one that was filled with pride and respect.

Poseidon himself smiled, happy that he looked out for not only his kid, but also others'. Amphitrite squeezed his hands to show her love and support for him. His children all looked at him with love and endearment.

But what shocked Poseidon was, when every single immoral demigod and Grover, stood up and bowed to him in respect. He closed his eyes, as he felt the eternal gratitude they had for him, seep into his thoughts.

Zeus looked at his brother through pained eyes, he had always hated how Poseidon was loved by everyone. Even his own children preferred the sea god over him. That was the reason why he was always afraid, and paranoid of Poseidon. Because, if the sea god wanted, he could take his throne easily. But now, when he saw that they loved him because of who he was, well, he started thinking how he could be more like Poseidon.

"My mom is Sally Jackson," I said. "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to."

"I'm sorry about your mom, Percy. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad." "He's dead. I never knew him."

Annabeth sighed. Clearly, she'd had this conversation before with other kids. "Your father's not dead, Percy." "How can you say that? You know him?" "No, of course not."

Annabeth smiled and answered, "Well, maybe not back then. But now when we are all having family dinner, Percy is cooking with Lady Amphitrite. Dad and I usually go to the game room and play some games. Last time we beat Triton's record, and he was not happy." She chuckled remembering that day clearly.

Everyone seemed really interested in her story, some more so than others. "Did you just call me dad?" Poseidon asked, raising his eyebrows. He didn't mind, in fact he quite liked it. He was just surprised.

Annabeth nodded, "I never really had much of a father figure growing up, and only Chiron was the one who looked after me like a dad. So, after I got married to Percy, I accidently called you a dad, and you liked it. After that, I got used to calling you dad."

Poseidon smiled and sat back, while Athena frowned. There it was again, what was wrong with Annabeth's mortal father, for her to look for a father figure at others.

"Then how can you say — " "Because I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us." "You don't know anything about me."

"No?" She raised an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."

"How—" "Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."

"So let me look at this clearly," Apollo cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. Annabeth immediately groaned, knowing whatever Apollo had to say, would be mortifying for her.

"You took it upon yourself to look after him, and care for him while he was injured." Apollo made his first point, his smile threatening to break free.

Hermes and his sons started taking down notes, "Check."

"He woke up to you feeding him, while you were hovering over him." He made his second point. Now even Percy was smiling widely at him, as did most of the gods.

"Check."

"You told him that he was drooling in his sleep, meaning you watched him sleep." Apollo continued, enjoying how bright gold, the goddess from the future, was blushing in embarrassment.

"Check."

"Now you are telling him that you know everything about him, from his problems to personal life." Apollo concluded his point.

"Check."

"You sound like a deranged stalker," Apollo said, and everyone started laughing. Their laugh resonated around the room, as the Queen of demigods spluttered and blushed.

"Damn Annabeth, I should've filed a restraining order against you." Percy laughed, looking at her through amused eyes. She could see that even if he was teasing her, the love for her was still shining through them.

"I'm going to kill you, after this reading today, Apollo," Annabeth threatened, making Apollo pale, after all hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn.

I tried to swallow my embarrassment. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign… That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek… Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."

"You sound like . . . you went through the same thing?"

"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar." "Ambrosia and nectar."

"Yes, Ambrosia and Nectar, good stuff," Apollo and Hermes commented as they summoned some for themselves. They looked at each other and downed them. "Aah, hits the spot."

Everyone rolled their eyes at the two immature gods. Meanwhile their children laughed.

"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would 've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a half-blood."

A half-blood. I was reeling with so many questions I didn't know where to start.

Then a husky voice yelled, "Well! A newbie!"

"Oh Gods," Clarisse groaned, as she hid her face in her hands. Now everyone would learn about that incident, and would tease her.

The Stolls had already started cracking up, remembering the event perfectly well. Meanwhile, Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulder, trying his very best to not laugh at her misfortune.

I looked over. The big girl from the ugly red cabin was sauntering toward us. She had three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.

"Clarisse," Annabeth sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess," the big girl said. "So I can run you through with it Friday night." "Erre es korakas!" Annabeth said,

"Annabeth," Athena gasps and looks at her daughter with wide eyes.

Annabeth blushes and looks down to hide from the incredulous looks she was getting from everyone.

which I somehow understood was Greek for 'Go to the crows!' though I had a feeling it was a worse curse than it sounded. "You don't stand a chance."

"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse said, but her eye twitched. Perhaps she wasn't sure she could follow through on the threat. She turned toward me. "Who's this little runt?"

"Percy Jackson," Annabeth said, "meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares." I blinked. "Like ... the war god?"

Clarisse sneered. "You got a problem with that?" "No," I said, recovering my wits. "It explains the bad smell."

"HAHAHAHA," Apollo and Hermes started laughing loudly, and fell from their couches. They didn't even try to get up, enjoying the floor, and laughing at their brother's face.

"You know he does smell funny," Damon commented, wrinkling his nose.

Before anyone could say anything, Percy chastised him, "Son, what have I taught you about angering other gods." Seriously, being a father was too hard sometimes.

Damon looked at his father right in the eyes, "How to. You have taught me how to anger the other gods. Just last week, you and Hermes were teaching me how to steal Uncle Apollo's sacred cows."

Percy's eyes widened as he turned to everyone, who looked at him either smirking or exasperatedly. Apollo was glaring at Hermes, who was having a hard time hiding his smile.

His wives all looked at Percy tiredly, even the ones from the past. They shook their heads at his childishness.

Instead, Reyna turned to her step-son. "You are not to partake in any of your father's pranks, am I understood?" She said strictly, scolding him.

Damon sighed and nodded his head, "Yes mom." Reyna smiled and sent him a soft smile.

Artemis smiled at her son's obvious sadness at not being able to participate in pranks with his father. He was just too cute, for her, she wanted to get to know him.

Clarisse growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy."

"Percy." "Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."

"Clarisse — " Annabeth tried to say. "Stay out of it, wise girl."

Everyone from the future gasped at once, they turned to look at Percy, "You got that from Clarisse?" Thalia asked wide eyed.

Percy nodded, "Seaweed Brain and Wise-girl were supposed to be taunting or insulting, but as we learned about each other and grew closer, it became more of our term of endearment for each other."

Annabeth looked pained, but she did stay out of it, and I didn't really want her help. I was the new kid. I had to earn my own rep.

I handed Annabeth my minotaur horn and got ready to fight, but before I knew it… that if this place belonged to the gods, they should've been able to afford classier johns.

"Really Percy? That's what you were thinking about?" Annabeth asked tiredly, she had been worried out of her mind, that Clarisse was going to hurt him. She didn't know why, but she was worried for him. And all the while the only thing in his mind was, that the toilets were dirty? God, he was such an idiot.

Everyone else laughed as they heard about the inner thoughts of Percy Jackson. ADHD was something they all knew, but this was another level. Shaking their head, they turned to Aphrodite who started reading.

Clarisse 's friends were all laughing, and I was trying to find the strength I'd used to fight the Minotaur, but it just wasn't there.

"Like he's 'Big Three' material," Clarisse said as she pushed me toward one of the toilets. "Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking."

Her friends snickered. Annabeth stood in the corner, watching through her fingers.

"I was not watching through my fingers," Annabeth defended himself, turning to look at Percy huffing.

"I saw you myself peeking princess," Clarisse rolled her eyes, she was about to be embarrassed in front of everyone for getting hosed with toilet water, and she was embarrassed about seeing through her fingers.

Clarisse bent me over on my knees and started pushing my head toward the toilet bowl. It reeked like rusted pipes and, well, like what goes into toilets. I strained to keep my head up. I was looking at the scummy water, thinking, I will not go into that. I won't.

The same kind of sensation washed over me that I had felt last night, I felt connected to the water around me, like they were waiting for my command.

Every sea related deity had a smile on their faces, as they heard about Percy's power. They could feel the water around them at all times, and it was the greatest thing ever.

Then something happened. I felt a tug in the pit of my stomach. I heard the plumbing rumble, the pipes shudder. Clarisse 's grip on my hair loosened. Water shot out of the toilet… The water stayed on her like the spray from a fire hose, pushing her backward into a shower stall.

A loud yelp was heard that interrupted the reading, when they turned towards the voice, it was Ares. The war god was drenched from head to toe, his long shoulder long hair, all wet and stuck to his face. His eyes were glaring holes at the head of Percy, but everyone else was laughing at his misery. He looked like a deranged cat.

Clarisse hid her face behind her hands, embarrassed, but thankful that the attention was off her. Chris was patting her shoulder, to comfort her, though the shit eating grain on his face showed that he was enjoying her embarrassment.

She struggled, gasping, and her friends started coming toward her. But then the other toilets exploded, too, and six more streams of toilet water blasted them back…The entire bathroom was flooded. Annabeth hadn't been spared. She was dripping wet, but she hadn't been pushed out the door. She was standing in exactly the same place, staring at me in shock.

Percy gulped when the glaring eyes of Athena landed on him. Those gray eyes, that he loved so much, staring at him like she wanted to rip his soul out. He hurried off and waved his hand, drying her off. He mouthed 'sorry' to her, causing her to smirk. He realized that she was enjoying his fear of her.

I looked down and realized I was sitting in the only dry spot in the whole room. There was a circle of dry floor around me. I didn't have one drop of water on my clothes. Nothing.

Poseidon smirked at his son's display of power, "That is some serious skills son, and you haven't even learned of your parentage yet." He knew that Percy's skill was growing up to a level that would make the other gods fear him a little, but he also knew that as long as he was standing, no one would dare touch him.

"He's good at it because he eats his grains," Demeter commented and looked at Percy smiling. He looked like someone who eats his meal right, and lots of grains. She started telling all the importance of eating grains, and ranting about the variety of them.

Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus groaned at her rant about the grains, they were getting tired of it, while Hera and Hestia snickered at the look on their faces.

The demigods finally saw that even though the gods might be high and mighty, at the end of the day, they were too siblings, and often acted like it. It made them see the gods in a new light.

I stood up, my legs shaky. Annabeth said, "How did you . . ." "I don't know."

We walked to the door. Outside, Clarisse and her friends were sprawled… camouflage jacket was sopping and she smelled like sewage. She gave me a look of absolute hatred.

"You are dead, new boy. You are totally dead."

I probably should have let it go, but I said, "You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth."

Everyone started laughing at Clarisse now even the more stoic gods had smiles on their faces. It seemed that Percy had inherited his father's stubbornness and recklessness too.

Her friends had to hold her back. They dragged her toward cabin five, while the other campers made way to avoid her flailing feet.

Annabeth stared at me. I couldn't tell whether she was just grossed out or angry at me for dousing her.

"What?" I demanded. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking," she said, "that I want you on my team for capture the flag."

"Ah yes," Percy looked ugly at Annabeth, "The Plan."

"Get over it, it's been decades." Annabeth shot back rolling her eyes, Percy could be a little childish about these things.

"What are you two talking about?" Poseidon asked worriedly, if going by his son's reaction was something, he was going to get hurt and it wouldn't be pretty.

"Nothing, let's just get the next chapter over with, my hands are itching for a spar." Percy commented and closed his eyes.