Ch10

Ethan shifted under Mr. D's gaze, the god and Chiron both demanded to know all of what went on with Luke behind the scenes, and to say he was tense during the grilling was an understatement. "That's all that happened I swear. I didn't know he was going to attack Percy, he just told me he wanted to talk to Percy in private."

"That fool," Mr. D muttered as he cracked open another can of Diet Coke. "The Titan Lord is full of lies."

He looked down at the ground and flinched as he struggled to form words. "He always spoke about my mother being rightfully recognized along with the other minor gods and how the Olympians overlook them." His body shook as he stared at the ground. "He promised to bring her and the others recognition."

The atmosphere turned tense as Mr. D narrowed his gaze. "Olympus isn't easy to navigate boy, be careful with your words."

"Y-Yes sir." The hairs on his neck stood up as much as he would like to argue it he knew that Mr. D had no say in building new cabins and pissing off a god was never a good idea.

"Well Percy seems to forgive you," Chiron said calmly. "Everyone makes mistakes even heroes. You are excused."

"Thank you sir," he said softly before bowing to Mr. D.

As he exited the Big House he rubbed his eyes. Mother you finally claimed me but you still aren't respected here. His new cabin on the waters was a start but there was still a lot to do. I promise I'll make you proud.

Sitting by the firepit he noticed a familiar girl. "What happened?" She asked calmly.

"I didn't do it," He said softly. "Luke tricked me I swear."

The girl looked at him with her deep eyes and gently stroked the hearth. "It's ok let it all out."

Taking a deep breath a warm sensation washed over his body expelling the sorrow. He slowly recounted all that had happened with Luke, it came out easier than he thought. The entire time the girl prodded the hearth, slowly nodding as she listened.

When he finished the girl paused and turned to him. "You are never alone. I'm sure Percy treasures your friendship with him."

He slowly nodded. "I'm sorry but I never got your name."

The girl smiled as her eyes suddenly lit up.

Annabeth glared as she watched Percy Jackson who was having a good time with the children of Hecate, Grover, and that son of Nemesis whatever his name was.

Clenching her fists as she tried to focus on polishing her knife but her wounded pride couldn't be satisfied. I can't believe that stupid seaweed brain chose him over me. She glared at Alabaster Torrington as he chatted with Percy about something. Why would he even be friends with those people?

She was a daughter of Athena one of the most distinguished goddesses in the Greek pantheon. How could Percy have chosen someone else over her? Especially the child of a minor goddess. It still stung every time she saw him hang out with those people.

It should've been me. She fought back the sorrow and tears.

Her mother was Athena one of the most renowned goddesses in Olympus. Hecate? Nemesis? They were mere footnotes in Greek Mythology. Looking down at the new camp bead for the summer her blood boiled as she traced the trident and torch. I should've been on that quest. I trained harder than anyone here. How could he choose some nobody?

It stung her pride. The night Percy chose Alabaster she cried herself to sleep. How could she not be good enough? She was probably the smartest child of Athena in the Cabin and one of the most experienced campers. What could a mere child of Hecate know that she didn't?

Whatever. Seaweed brain would've probably held me back anyway. She trained here longer than he had and knew the myths better than most. When I get my chance to go on a quest I'll make sure to show him that Athena's wisdom beats Poseidon's strength any day.

Looking up at Alabaster's sister who was talking to Percy her heart hardened. Athena's wisdom is definitely better than Hecate's tricks. Deep down seeing Alabaster's sister with Percy made something inside of her boil in anger. I'm so much better than her.

It may have been the rivalry from their parents kicking in but the desire to show Percy how much better she was growing in her, pushing what part of her heart fluttered when she saw him down. One day he'll beg for my help and then I let him have it. I'll show him that I am so much better than some extras.

It was how most of the camp saw the unclaimed or children of the minor gods. Mere extras that filled the Hermes Cabin. Just watching Percy hang out with them and laugh with them hardened her heart. How could she not be good enough? She was so much better and prepared than they could even imagine.

I'll show them. I'll show them all what I can do in the future. She gripped her knife tightly, one day she'd be on her own quest and show that seaweed-brained son of Poseidon how to really complete a quest.

"Hey wise girl you done sulking?"

She looked up at Clarisse with her spear. "What do you want?"

Clarisse shrugged. "Just going out for a practice. You?"

"Just polishing my knife." She stood up and met the daughter of Ares' gaze. Strangely she didn't look like she was here to pick a fight.

"This summer was wild huh?" Clarisse leaned on her spear and looked towards Percy Jackson and the children of Hecate her brow furrowing. "That punk humiliated my father, I bet that punk Alabaster helped." She let out a low growl as she slammed her spear into the ground. "That magical freckled face punk will pay. I bet he used some tricks to win."

"Wouldn't surprise me," she muttered. Maybe he did hoodwink him? Percy Jackson didn't seem like the sharpest tool in the shed all it would take would be for someone to give him some candy and he'd probably listen to whatever they had to say.

Maybe he was tricked into taking him? It was a hopeful thought. Perhaps Percy really wanted to choose her and Alabaster tricked him?

"Anyway want to practice together?" Clarisse asked.

She did a double take. "Y-You want to train with me?"

Clarisse shrugged. "Why not?"

Looking into her eyes she felt a strange understanding. Clarisse's pride had been hurt by both Percy and Alabaster and she could tell she wanted to prove herself in the future.

"Fine lets go," she said.

Clarisse chuckled. "Well come on lets practice I could use the help?"

Her partners with Clarisse? It was almost laughable but she didn't want to be rude. "Sure why not, anything is possible these days." Besides I thought Percy would accept me who would've thought that he would say no. Taking a deep breath she fought the urge to think of him or how it stung that he chose someone else over her. It was better that way, she was a daughter of Athena and he was a son of Poseidon they couldn't be friends no matter what a part of her wanted to say.

Clarisse nodded. "Our parents don't get along but I'm sure we can find some common ground."

"War needs wisdom if victory is to be assured," She said as she grabbed a spear.

Clarisse laughed. "True but nothing can be achieved without strength."

Lunging at Clarisse the daughter of Ares countered with her own strikes. She blocked Clarisse's strikes and the two exchanged blows. As the sun began to set she looked into Clarisse's eyes and felt a strange sense of respect she never thought she would admit she had for the daughter of Ares. We both love this camp. Turning around she watched as Percy laughed with those people and her heart hardened. They're mere extras.

Percy found himself in the ruins of a castle. Stone and rocks lay all over the place as the light came in from a broken window. "Where am I?"

"Just a training area." He turned around and saw Alabaster with his golden sword in hand. "This is in your dreams but you'll still gain the experience from here."

Alabaster stepped forward and another person with blonde hair stepped behind him. He was older and had a stronger build and had the same eye color as Alabaster but his gaze wasn't too friendly. "You met my brother Balthazar."

"Y-Yeah you were with the other children of Hecate," he said.

Balthazar folded his arms. "Our mother asked that we train you. We'll make sure you know the basics of the mist."

The blond haired son of Hecate snapped his fingers and a green fog immediately filled the area. His senses were on edge he looked around.

"The mist is a powerful tool," Alabaster said a green aura enveloped him. "It not only distorts visions and creates memories but it can also distort the fabric of reality."

Alabaster snapped his finger and suddenly he found himself in a hall of mirrors looking at various reflections of himself. His heart raced as he looked and saw nothing book green smoke around him.

"Concentrate and feel the mist," Balthazar said. "Only then can you learn to break through it."

Alright I got this. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes. His heart raced in his chest as he felt the cool touch of the mist around him, he felt it swirl around his fingers and dance around his body.

"Hold out your hand and try making a ball of mist," Alabaster said.

He nodded and did what he was told. Holding his palm out he felt the mist and tried to think of a ball of green smoke. A small tingle passed through his body as he took a few deep breaths. The mist felt cold yet gave off an other worldly vibe. His hand tingled as a cool energy began to pour into it.

Cracking open his eyes he saw a messy shape of mist in his hand. He frowned and concentrated on making it into the shape of a ball. A tingle passed through him as he focused harder, yet the misty ball only quivered before disappearing.

"Damn," he muttered.

"Don't worry you'll get the hang of it," Alabaster said as he appeared in front of him with his brother at his side. "The mist takes time to fully master, especially for other demigods."

"But as a child of Poseidon you should learn a bit faster," Balthazar said. "Anyway some days we'll do mist work and the others swordsmanship."

He nodded. "Sounds good." Reaching into his pocket he still felt Riptide and held it tightly.

"Despite being in a dream you'll still gain the muscle memory from it," Alabaster said as he gripped his sword. "Are you ready?"

He took out Riptide and uncapped it. "Yeah lets do this." With that Alabaster came at him and their swords met.

Grover carefully made his way through the woods. The scent is strong, such a strong wild presence could it be Pan?

He froze and took it in. It smelled of the wild like fresh plants and animals running free from human contact. The scent had been going stronger since he entered Florida and his heart was filled with anticipation for what was up ahead. Could this be it? Am I close to solving the quest most satyr had dreamed of? Pan I'll find you.

As he went south into Florida the scent got stronger, there was no questioning the pure scent of nature. It was strong very strong despite being highly populated with human development he could still smell it. Something is here I can feel it. This powerful scent of nature, it must be him.

Yet as he approached Daytona Beach he froze as he felt Hecate's presence. Do not fall for the obvious. Her voice echoed in his head and reverberated throughout his body.

He froze and looked up at the road ahead, the scent was getting stronger yet Hecate's words weighed on his mind and heart. Thinking of her clues and the blessing she gave him he stopped and thought of his current situation.

It could be him. Yet the sense of unease grew inside of him. He took out the torch Hecate had given him and pressed the button in the middle. A flame came out but unlike its usual green, it was bright red signaling danger. As he held the torch out the flame flickered into a red arrow pointing southward. There was danger up ahead.

But why would such a powerful scent go unnoticed and ignored for a long time? Unless something else was causing it?

As he watched the road and contemplated Hecate's words his unease grew. Such an obvious scent. He looked up at the road ahead of him, other satyrs most likely would've come through here why hadn't there been any news from them?

He shook his head. It could be a trap or something worse, I should go elsewhere. With that, he turned back around. Whatever that smell is I highly doubt it is Pan or anything friendly.

Looking down at the torch the light turned into a small green arrow pointing westward. Well Hecate is the goddess of paths so I might as well trust her.

He turned around and immediately headed towards a bus station. He took the next ticket out of Florida, he didn't know where in the west he would go but he wouldn't let that stop him from finding Pan.

I'll find you Pan I swear on it.

AN: Hope you all enjoyed this first part. Reminder that this isn't a bashing fic but lets just say Annabeth and Percy will have a different relationship in this story but you'll all have to see how it plays out. Personally, I'm not going to put a lot of focus on shipping for any character but won't rule it out of the question.

This story will focus on Percy's relationship with both Alabaster and Ethan (along with Lou) with the issue of the minor gods being more present. In canon, I always wished that they showed more of how the children of minor gods were treated at camp and had the issue explored a bit more. Personally it wouldn't surprise me if the children of minor gods and the unclaimed were picked on by others.

It'll be a while before I put the next chapter since I am revising the next section. In the meantime please like, follow, and review.