#I don't know why you guys keep asking me about Annabeth

[doevademe]

if u were Rick, what would you have dont story wise with Annabeth's character? What kinda arc would you make her go through ?

Okay, here's the thing, when you analyze Annabeth's character arc through PJO you get a girl who starts a bit rude and too proud for her own good, and she ends up... basically in the same place, only with a boyfriend (but it's okay that she's petulant and proud, because she's always right 🙄). Then in HoO I think her arc is about becoming even more unapologetic? Like, she starts being very codependent in her relationship, and by the end, she has decided she will never be apart from Percy ever again.

What I'm trying to get to is that she's a very static character. If I were writing her, I'd focus her arc on 2 things: seeing the positives in her flaws, but also recognizing them as flaws. Like, she talks about her hubris, but never actually does anything about it. It's just there as a character trait that doesn't do much except put her and the quest in danger sometimes because she refuses to yield (sphinx, her conflict with Hera).

She'd understand that her choices are sometimes driven by pride rather than intelligence, and try to tone down those moments, maybe even bond with someone who has the guts to tell her she's not thinking objectively, but egotistically (maybe Piper, Hazel, or Jason. Someone she can't just dismiss), but also realize that hey, being so proud means she's less likely to fall to despair, because she already believes she's the greatest. She can use her flaws to manipulate outcomes, to overcome people trying to make her less.

Her arc would be one of balance, how she can't be humble because it's not her, but she can be aware of her faults and try to learn to be better about them (i.e. learn that her actions hurt her loved ones, and take steps towards betterment).

[raphael-angele]

Nico Protection Squad

WARNING: Use of hateful slur

Nico, coming home from school with Percy: Hey, Reyna. Hey, Jason.

Reyna: Hey, Nico.

Jason: Hey, Buddy

Percy: Hey, guys. Uh, Nico, why don't you go to your room and rest. We need to talk.

Nico: Mkay. *leaves*

Percy: Make sure to do your homework, alright?

Nici: Uh huh!

Reyna: What happened?

Jason: Is he okay?

Percy: ...we need to call the team

---Later---

At one of their rooms:

Percy: Good day, everyone. I know it's late and it's unusual for me to call a meeting at this time but this is an emergency

Annabeth: But first, an attendance check. Annabeth? Here. Bianca?

Hazel: Oh, she comes back next week

Annabeth: Ok. Jason? Here. Thalia? Here. Percy? Here. Hazel? Here. Piper? Here. Reyna? Here. Will? Here. Grover? Here. Leo? Here. Frank? Here. And Mr. D? Present! Ok, that should be everyone. Take it away Percy

Percy, clearing his throat: Okay, I need you guys to swear that you will not go berserk right after this and you will remain seated until we have a plan.

Everyone:

Percy: So, I was picking up Nico from class. On the drive back, he...

Hazel: He what?

Percy: He...asked me what a faggot was.

Everyone:

Thalia: WHAT THE FUCK?!?!

Will: Is he okay?!

Hazel: Where did he even learn that from?!

Jason: Did someone call him that?!?!?

Reyna: WHO THE HELL WOULD CALL HIM THAT?!?!?

Leo: Every single douchebag in school, of course!

Piper: You think they'd learn their lesson after the first time

Percy: *gavels* Order! Order!

Grover: I think we're all missing the point here. How's Nico doing?

Percy: He's fine. I asked him where he knew the word from. He said someone was calling him that, a couple of students a year above him apparently.

Frank: What happened then?

Percy: I asked him if he knew their names. He didn't and he asked me again what it meant.

Will: What did you say?

Percy: I didn't answer. There was a McDonalds right there and I went for it. He took the bait and has been quiet for the whole car ride.

Grover: So...what do we do?

Leo: OH! *raises his hand* WE'LL SET THEIR LOCKERS ON FIRE!

Thalia: I think what Grover meant was what do we do for now? We don't know these guys, and we don't know how much it's affecting Nico.

Reyna: Thalia's right. We need to have a plan to protect Nico and catch these bastards.

Annabeth: Percy and I already thought about it.

Percy: Introducing the Pick up/Drop off Nico Chart. We each get a schedule of when to pick him up, and when to drop him off

Annabeth: And to make sure we catch these guys, we think it would be best to see Nico off to his classrooms or at least the building.

Thalia, raising her hand: Uhm-

Percy: Don't worry. We adjusted it for times you guys are away. Which is why we used magnets to represent us. See? I'm the water droplet, Annabeth's the owl, Grover's the goat, Leo's the fire, you're the tree, Hazel's the-

Annabeth: They get it, Percy. All in favor of the chart say aye

Everyone, raises their hand: Aye!

Leo: So how are we gonna get back at these guys?

Jason: We could tell them off to the dean

Percy: You'd suggest that, wouldn't you, Mr. Goody Two Shoes?

Piper: I can charmspeak them to do embarassing stuff

Percy: Eh, we need something more

Annabeth: I'm writing that one down, it sounds funny

Mr D.: I am the God of Insanity. I can just drive them crazy.

Annabeth: Mr. D, no.

Percy: Not a bad idea though. I'm writing it down.

Will: Wait. I think I figured out another problem

Percy: What is it, Will?

Will: Who tells Bianca?

Everyone:

Percy: ...all in favor of keeping this a secret from Bianca, say aye?

Everyone, terrified: Aye!

Will: Whu- Percy, no. Remember that time you didn't tell her about how you accidentally destoryed Nico's mythomagic cards and made him sad for nearly a month?

Percy: *shivers* I still get nightmares from that.

Annabeth: Fine. Who tells her?

Everyone: *looks at Reyna and Thalia*

Reyna: No

Thalia: Absolutely not.

Mr. D: Hang on. If Bianca is so terrifying, why not just give the guys to her?

Percy: Mr. D, although that's a tempting plan, there is no telling what Bianca will do to those guys if we let her get near them.

Mr. D: She can't be THAT scary.

Everyone: Yes, she can.

Percy: With what she did to me? She might as well have sent me to Tartarus!

Frank: Gods, what did she do to him?

Annabeth: She took away all the blue in our apartment and replaced them with orange.

Percy: It took a month before she put them back! There was no blue food for a month!

[pjo-tvs-version]

I know that no one asked but I just wanted to add my two cents to the current pjo era we are having right now...

First off, I love Rick and the books he has written but honestly tsast and wottg aren't some of his best works. That's not the problem because yeah not all books can be amazing but the problem is that they are his most recent ones. Cotg was better than these 2 but it too had it's drawbacks. Now I have this thing where if I like something then however bad it it, I try to make myself enjoy it. It's like a coping mechanism- delusion. But with wottg, I actually sat back and thought. Since when did I take a week to finish a pjo book? I am the person who finished Hoo in like less than a week and I took a week to finish wottg which took me aback. The characters were very oc. Grover was perhaps the only character close to his actual well character. I don't usually nitpick but like I had said in a post earlier, continuity and callbacks in a book series are what make them extremely enjoyable and small textual errors are like pricking needles to me.

My main issue was Annabeth and then Percy. Look in know in this fandom there are many Annabeth antis and that's fine, I accept that. But now the worst part is that what they have said about Annabeth is to some extent true in this current Annabeth version we have. Look Leah is great and I love her with all my heart but Rick please don't mingle both of them together. Let show cannon be separate and book cannon to itself. Let Annabeth in wottg be her book character like please. She has friends? Great! The main thing we know about her friends are that they think Percy isn't GOOD ENOUGH for her? Awful! She is the mom friend? Okay(though I personally believe it should be Grover but fine if people are okay with it this is just a personal opinion guys)! BUT that should not make Percy 'alley boy.'

This brings me to the second part. We love Percy and love his humor. Well I recently reread the Battle of the Labyrinth (don't ask why I don't know I just had the sudden urge to read it). He isn't very confident and does underestimate himself often but it wasn't taken this FAR. Every single next line was describing how Percy sucks at everything while Annabeth is here in all her perfect glory and believe it or not this is coming from me, who loves Annabeth. I love Percabeth because it's a balance. They balance off each other soo well. They both comfort each other. They both know that they are smart. They both know that the other person has flaws. But in wottg it's just downright annoying because the dynamic is just "ooh look my gf is soo amazing, totally flawless with no error and here is me who sucks at any and every thing possible." This isn't the Percy we know nor Annabeth nor Percabeth.

LET ANNABETH BE IMPERFECT! AND PLEASE GIVE PERCY THERAPY because he needs it. For the next book Rick please just hire a better editor because I am not going into the MISTAKES in these books. You can hire me if you want because I swear I can do a better job than your editor. Seriously literally any pjo fan would do a better job. Wottg felt like maybe the second draft of the work which required maybe 3 more drafts to be published. It felt like an unchecked fanfiction and believe me that I have seen better fanfictions on AO3. The pjo fandom is an extremely loyal fanbase which is an extremely cool thing. But the problem here is that people like m even though I didn't really enjoy wottg, I would still hope for a better sequel because gaaahhhh optimism. I am actually wary of the sequel to tsast but that's for another post.

Whew! Talking so negatively about something was a new experience for me because I absolutely love pjo and will always keep it close to my heart. Rick please for the sake of advertisement please don't publish uncooked gibberish because it actually breaks my heart too see the hate and for once I understand it. Anyway, wottg wasn't all that bad. To balance out this post, I'll make one on the portions I liked because there were a few moments that were worth reading. Extremely sorry for the scattered thoughts and the rant but thank you and have a great day everyone !

[floatyflowers]

Dark! Percy Jackson Reverse Harem x Reader|| Chapter Five

<<< Chapter Four

"My back hurts so bad right now"

"It must be the seats...There is no way this is what sacred smells like"

Percy whines, as all four of you sit in the back of the bus.

The blond boy feels bothered for not being able to sit beside you.

"We’re soldiers on a mission. It’s not a vacation." Annabeth shoots back.

You start scratching your back from the itchness and the pain.

"I will go to the bathroom in the store, be right back"

You announce and leave before they can say anything to you.

Percy stands up to follow you, but Annabeth forces him back in his seat.

"No, you will stay right there, I'm going to go check on her"

°°°

The moment Annabeth enters the toilet, she is shocked to see white wings on your back.

"Are those wings? And your eyes, they are red"

"Yes" you answer nervously.

"Oh...wow"

"I know, do you think I can fly with them?" you ask excitedly.

I mean it's every child's dream to have wings to fly.

And now you got the chance to do that.

"Your wings might cause a huge problem it will attract monsters"

"Don't worry, my dad gave me a music box to keep the monsters away"

You pull out the music box from your bag.

"Also, can humans see my wings?"

A woman enters the toilet after you ask that question.

She only washes her hands then walks out.

"No, they don't" Annabeth says after the woman leave.

"We need to leave, I sense that we are being followed by a monster"

You turn on the music box as a beautiful melody begins to play.

"This will keep us safe"

°°°

You and Annabeth walk into the bus with Annabeth shouting to the two boys to open the windows.

Percy only stares at you in surprise at your new appearance, then hurries off to break the window with Grover when he sees Mrs. Dodds.

As the passengers get off the bus when the driver announces emergency, one of the furies fly into the bus through the broken window.

The monster looks at you ready to approach you.

But the melody makes it scream in pain when it was close to touching you.

Annabeth takes her chance and throws her dagger at the fury, killing it as it turns into dust.

All four of you escape quickly.

°°°

"Hades has kidnapped your mother, (Y/n)"

Annabeth says, as you walk all together in the Satyr path.

"What? Why would he do that!" you exclaim, worried for your mother.

"Who told you that?" Percy inquires, looking at her in suspicion.

But before she could answer, Grover sniffs the air.

"Do you guys smell that?" 

"Grover, I’m not kidding..." Percy asserts.

"No, neither am I. Just shush."

"Hamburgers" you sigh at Grover, causing him to blush.

"I think you are just hungry, Grover"

"No, I'm not, somebody's making hamburgers in the middle of nowhere, on a satyr path. Whoever it is... they’re from our world."

°°°

You don't know what made you trust Percy and go inside Medusa's house along with Grover and Annabeth.

Probably because Mrs.Dodds is outside waiting to snatch you and Percy away.

"You're concerned I would hold a grudge against you simply because you are a daughter of Athena?"

You don't dare to look at Medusa even if she is hiding her eyes.

Medusa continues speaking to Annabeth.

"You shouldn’t be. We're not our parents after all. And you and I might have more in common than you think. Please, sit and eat."

Letting out a nervous breath after Medusa starts speaking to you.

"You must be the daughter of Calista, you look like her when she was your age."

Medusa notices that you are not looking at her, she could feel your fear.

"Your mother was a friend of mind, she visited me and told me about her encounters with the gods, poor thing, they wouldn't leave her"

"...They" you inquire.

"Your mother is the daughter of Nyx, her beauty attracted the attention of many gods including Poseidon, Hades, Apollo, Hermes, and Eros" 

Percy shivers at the thought that his father loved your mother.

Maybe he can succeed where his father failed.

"Your mother is an enchanteress not a demigod"

Grover jokes, but stops when Annabeth glares at him.

That must be why Hades kidnapped your mother.

Little do you know that you might up having a similar fate like your mother.

But with demigods instead.

Masterlist

[storywriter007]

Maybe You're Not Worth Fighting For - Percy Jackson x Fem!Reader

summary: in which y/n finds herself believing percy's lies after he tore her apart

author's note: lmk if you guys want a part 2 (it's this toxic bc i wrote it at 3 am help)

warnings: cursing, kissing, toxic relationship, arguing

genre: angst

word count: 882

-> heroes of olympus masterlist

✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒

"percy?" y/n asked, walking onto the deck of the argo ll. "what's going on?"

her voice was low and soft. her eyes were teary and pleading. her mind was confused. her heart was hurting.

he looked at her for a moment, without saying anything. and of course, it had to be with her. her with the curly blonde hair and gray eyes. it looked as if y/n had just walked in on an intimate conversation. one they can't talk about with anyone other than each-other. one that she shouldn't have walked in on.

annabeth looked back at him, giving him a sympathetic look. she turned to y/n, giving her a cold one before leaving the deck and back into the boat.

"nothing's going on, annabeth just wanted to talk." he said briefly. "about like quest stuff."

"she was just talking to you about the quest? outside, on the deck? at two in the morning? away form everyone?" she continued.

"yes." he said. "she didn't want it being everyone's business. big deal."

"percy." i pleaded.

"god y/n, why are you so difficult?" he asked. "can't you just trust your fucking boyfriend?"

she swallowed the lump in her throat to speak.

"i can't. because you don't make it possible for me." she said, trying to stay calm. "i would, if you didn't always hang out with her. if you didn't always choose her as a quest partner. if you didn't give her your sweatshirts. if you didn't always prioritize her needs. if you didn't act like you were her boyfriend, maybe i could trust you like mine."

"she's my best friend." he said, angrily. "and i'm not going to ditch my best friend."

"i love you." she said shakily. "and i accept that to keep you. but the way you treat her is the way i beg you to be treated."

tears spilled out from her eyes.

"i keep fighting for you percy but you just keep accepting defeat."

"maybe you're not worth fighting for."

maybe you're not worth fighting for.

"then who is?" she asked, softly.

"the girl who i always hang out with. the girl i always choose as my quest partner. the girl who gets my hoodies. the girl who's needs i prioritize." he said, angrily. "you're nothing next to her, get it through your fucking head."

y/n started crying silently to herself as every word left his mouth. how could he say this? why did he believe this? what was wrong with her that he hated her this much? percy stormed off angrily, leaving y/n alone with her tears and the stars.

✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒✧.⭒

y/n woke up the next morning to find percy sitting at the foot of her bed. it was still dark out. y/n sat up and searched for a clock.

"it's five in the morning." he answered for her, turning to meet her gaze.

"percy." she paused. "i really don't want to talk to you right now." she said, tears filling her eyes as she recalled what he said.

maybe you're not worth fighting for. maybe you're not worth fighting for. maybe you're not worth fighting for.

"i know and i'm sorry." he said, sympathetically. "i didn't mean anything i said last night. i was just pissed about the quest and i took it out on you. i'm sorry, i'm so sorry."

she just looked at him.

"you said i wasn't 'worth fighting for' and then went onto say 'you're nothing next to her' and told me to 'get it through your fucking head.'" she recalled. "and then you left me to cry. honestly, 'i'm sorry' fixes nothing."

tears fell from her eyes.

"don't cry." he pleaded.

"you didn't care last night, why the hell do you care now?" she asked, looking down.

"i deserve that. i'm sorry." he said.

she wiped her tears as percy grabbed her and pulled her closer to him. maybe, a little too close. she was forced to look up at him, since she was basically inches away from him.

why did she even stay with him? it's not like this was the first time they'd fought over annabeth. it's not like what they had was love (according to percy).

"i love you." he said softly. "and i'm sorry. i should've never said any of those things, i shouldn't have left, and i shouldn't have gotten mad at you."

liar, liar, liar. he doesn't mean any of this. y/n's brain yelled. but her heart was beating fast. his sea green eyes looked at her empathetically. his voice was sincere. and he held her so firmly. maybe he wasn't lying.

"i didn't mean any of those awful things i said, and i don't think they're true." he continued. "you have me praying to the gods everyday to keep you."

and he really hated those gods.

"i love you so much." he said, leaning down to meet her lips.

to her shame, y/n kissed him back just as passionately. his arms held her tight as her hands cupped his face. after a few seconds of intense kissing, she finally pulled back, resting her head on his shoulder.

"i'll do better." he said, kissing her head.

liar. you're going to do this again y/n's mind accepted.

[darkcrowprincess]

Percico thoughts:

*the day of Percy and Annabeths Wedding rehearsal*

Nico(in a nice Italian suit his father got him) running towards Jason sitting next to Leo, both of them sitting on a fancy fountain with cupids: Hide me!

Jason who was about to kiss Leo, takes out his sword looking for an enemy:*looks around* What?! Whats wrong?!

Leo looking at Nico: Dude you're blushing like a tomato, and is that *Leo with delight* a hickey on your neck?!

Nico with a slight dazed look in his eyes, as if all his dreams came true for one second, but reality came crashing back real hard and fast: Y-you need to hide me he's going to kill me!

Jason and Leo at the same time: Who?

Percy inside the building where the wedding rehearsal is: NICO DI ANGELO!

Jason and Leo as one turn their heads to the building confused.

Nico eyes go wide and fearful: Oh gods!

Percy voice loud and angry, the ground starts shaking slightly, the water in the fountain starts bubbling: NICO! Get your pale emo ass out here!

Nico runs to hide behind Jason(hes the tallest and has the most bulk to hide behind).

Percy finally comes out in a ocean blue suit, he looks handsome but also extremely pissed off. He looks like a god.

Percy finds Nico: Nico!

Nico yelps, and starts climbing up Jason body.

Jason: Stop! What are you doing?

Percy stomps towards them quickly, eyes an angry tsunami : You do not kiss people, especially engaged people!* Percy starts trying to hop up to try and pull Nico off of Jason. Cursing Jasons tall height* Then run off and hide as if nothing happened!

Leo laughing: Looks like more than kissing.

Nico: I'm sorry. I'm sorry!

Jason: Nico get down, Percy stop it! Your pulling on my suit. Leo? A little help here.

Leo just falls to the ground, holding his sides and keeps laughing.

Percy finally pulls Nico off of Jason, he olds him him by his suit jacket*not hurting him*. Holding all his weight that his toes barley touch the ground . He brings Nico's face so close to his they are nose to nose. Percy is still pissed off, but also blushing like Nico.

Percy: what where you thinking?

Nico: I'm sorry.

Percy: You were the one who said I wasn't your type!

Nico starts to struggle in Percy's arms: I know, please let me go!

Percy finally starts crying: I thought you hated me! Why do you always bring drama into my life?!

Jason and Leo both watch this, like its a telenovela. They gasp at this.

Nico finally gets pissed off, eyes glowing with the underworld in them: Excuse me!

Nico pushes out of Percys hold and starts slapping at his chest. Both Nico and Percy starts pushing at each other. Unknowingly getting closer and closer to the foutain.

Nico pissed off: I bring drama into your life! What about you Perseus Jackson! If you knew half the shit I've done to help you, to help everyone! Because all the fucking drama and tragedy you drag everyone around you into!

Jason: guys!

Percy getting close to his face: That is not my fault! I never asked you to do that. I never asked for any of this!

Nico getting in his face: No because you never ask for anything! You don't feel anything! Not unless someone else is telling you how you should feel. So excuse me if I was afraid of telling the great Percy Jackson how I feel!!

Jason: Guys!

Percy: Yeah well what do you have to fear now you little creep! Because I'm sure everyone can tell now!

Nico: I LOVE YOU OK! BUT NOW I THINK I HATE YOU!

Percy freezes, than starts shaking. He tackles Nico into the fountain: WELL I HATE AND LOVE YOU TOO!

They both fall into the fountain, start pushing at each other. Soon pushing turns into full on kissing and making out.

Jason: Oh gods

Leo: *in spanish* oh my gods!

Annabeth from inside the building: Percy where are you.

Leo and Jason panics: Oh no!!!

Percy and Nico are still making out in the fountain, lost in their own world.

(Don't like don't read. Post hate and I'll block you)

[demigodsanswer]

Ballet AU Drabble: Percy knows all about Annabeth's romantic history, now she wants to find out about his, and all the women in New York who are probably still fantasizing about his kind smile and pretty eyes and also his tongue.

Drabble got longer and spicier than I expected. Will probably post to ao3 soon. Set two weeks after chapter 12

Rating: M

~

They’d been going out for two weeks, and Percy had spent half of those nights at Annabeth's apartment. Tonight was one of them.

He was half on top of her already, kissing her lazily, one of his legs slotted between hers. They hadn't decided if they'd take things further yet, but the idea was tantalizing. It was their two week anniversary after all. It was a good reason to celebrate.

But Annabeth couldn't focus her mind on his gentle touch or the teasing thigh up between her bare legs. She had promised Percy that she would work on her jealous impulses (and she was), but tonight she was losing that battle.

"I talked to Katie Gardner today," she started, pulling away from the kiss.

~

Katie was in the second cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Hermia, and so she had been sharing all of Annabeth and Piper's rehearsals. On each five minute break, Katie and Piper went back to working out Piper's astrological birth chart. They'd offered to do Annabeths, but in her post-breakup months of soul searching she'd briefly dipped into crystals and astrology to no avail. She didn't like what the stars told her about herself, and the shiny rocks were too expensive for what they were -- shiny rocks.

Piper had been the one to suggest the figure out Percy's birth chart.

"He's a Leo," Annabeth and Katie said at the same time.

"I did his birth chart for him years ago," Katie said. "I don't remember his rising, but I remember he was a Cancer moon, because I was surprised at first," she looked at Annabeth, "but he really is very sensitive and sweet." It almost sounded like a Percy Jackson sales pitch, and Annabeth wanted to tell Katie that it was unnecessary. She was sold on Percy Jackson in every way. And he was the same with her. 

Annabeth just nodded. "Yeah," was all she managed to say.

Katie had gone on to explain -- either ignorant to Annabeth's bubbling jealousy or indifferent to it -- that she was so happy for Percy and her. "He's such a great guy," Katie said. And she would know. They'd gone out for six months a few years ago.

Logically, Annabeth knew Percy had been with other people. He was far too skilled to have been a virgin when they first slept together. But she hadn't thought about just how many company women he'd probably been with. How many of their mutual co-workers knew ... what she knew about her new boyfriend? His mouth alone … Christ. How many times would she have something like this conversation? Katie, thankfully,  politely didn't mention anything about Percy's skills in the bedroom.

"Why did you break up?" Annabeth asked. "If you don't mind ..."

Katie gestured with her hand as if to say it's not a problem. "We didn't have a lot in common. We had fun together, but when Nutcracker rolled around, we just didn't have enough incentive to keep seeing each other. Nothing dramatic." Annabeth didn't ask about the kinds of fun they had together. "But you two? You guys seem great together."

"A Cancer and Leo? Is that a good match?" Piper asked.

Katie nodded. "It's a lot of big feelings, but as long as you communicate, it should work out great."

Annabeth hated when the stupid stars were right.

~

"I talked to Katie Gardner today."

"Oh?" He asked. "Did she tell you anything embarrassing about me?"

"She told me you were a Cancer moon," Annabeth said.

Percy furrowed his brow. "What?"

"We were doing Zodiac birth charts," she said, trying to get back on topic, but Percy interrupted her before she could move on.

"Oh yeah, she was always super into those. Always seemed kind of dumb to me. No way the stars control who we are," he said. He kissed her again. "What's yours?"

"I'm a Cancer sun, Virgo moon, and Capricorn rising," she said, growing more and more frustrated and anxious to get to her point.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm an overly emotional control freak. Let's move on," she snapped at him.

Percy held back a laugh. "Yeah, see? Totally inaccurate." She rolled away from him, but he followed. "No, come back, I'm sorry. What did you and Katie talk about?"

Annabeth took a deep breath. "I didn't know you and her used to go out, is all."

There was a beat of silence between them.

"That was like four years ago," Percy confirmed. "Does it matter?"

"No, it ..." she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms, pushing her glasses up to her forehead as she did. When they settled back down in front of her eyes, she saw she'd smudged the lenses. "It doesn't matter. I'm not jealous of Katie -- and don't worry, I didn't say anything mean to her -- but how often should I expect to have that conversation?"

She was trying to approach this with some kind of grace, but she felt herself floundering.

"What sort of thing?" Percy asked.

"Look, you don't need to tell me if you don't want to, but you know how many other men I've slept with," really what singular other man I've slept with, but that didn't matter, "I was just wondering how many company women you've been with."

Percy smiled and kissed her forehead. "I don't mind telling you. Just company women or all of the women I've been with?"

Annabeth shrugged trying to act so casual about it. "Whatever you're comfortable with," she said. She was aiming for nonchalant, but she feared she was terribly chalant.

"I've gone out with technically two company girls. Katie and ... Piper," he said, "although Piper was just one date, and we barely kissed."

"You went out with Piper?" She asked.

"Yeah, but, you know that scene in Mean Girls where Janice and Damian kiss? It was a bit like that."

Annabeth almost laughed.

"Only two? Really?"

"Yeah, and then there was my girlfriend at SAB, Cally. I lost my virginity to her. She's a soloist out at PNB now. Haven't talked to her in years," he said. "And then there was Lily. She's a dancer on the Broadway side, and a friend of a friend. We went out for almost a year actually."

"What happened?" She asked.

"It was mutual. We weren't feeling it anymore. We broke up about a year ago. But she did pick up on the fact that I was getting feelings for someone else," he kissed her. "I told Lily it didn't matter. The woman I had a crush on was getting married, but that didn't help."

Annabeth laughed, realizing who he meant. "You're such a liar," she said.

Percy kissed her, a long, deep kiss that almost made her forget about their conversation. "I am not," he said. "It was 'Diamonds' rehearsals, and I," kiss, "couldn't," kiss, "stop," kiss, "thinking," kiss, "about you."

"What about me?" Annabeth asked.

Percy's hand slid down her side, toying at the waistband of her panties. 

"Where I'd take you out to dinner, what museums we'd go to, all the things we could dance together," he kissed her again as his hand slid under the fabric, "how I'd touch you, where I'd touch you," he slipped a finger inside her, curling it a little to find that spot that quickly had her seeing stars and coming apart in ways that turned Percy into a mad man. What little arousal she'd built up while kissing had been squashed by talks of his ex-girlfriends, but without much effort, Percy brought it back tenfold.

"Who ... who else?" she asked before she lost control of herself completely.

Percy stilled and slipped his finger out of her. "That's it," he said.

Annabeth shook her head. "No way."

"Way," he promised, moving to kiss her neck and collarbone.

"Three? You've only had sex with three women?" She asked.

"Four counting you," he said, his kisses moving up her neck to her jaw, "and we should count you, shouldn't we?" He asked, his fingers slipping back into her panties.

"Yes, but ..."

"But what?"

"How are you so ... good at it?" She asked.

Percy laughed. "I don't know, I just listen? I mean, for one thing Katie and Lily were bisexual, so if I was going to compete with women I needed to make a real effort. And I'm not kidding when I say Silena and Piper have given me so many tips over the years. When I started dating Katie, Silena pulled me aside -- middle of the day, fully sober -- and explained that when a woman said she was about to cum, it meant don't change anything about what you're doing. Don't go faster, deeper, harder. Just keep that pace."

So it was Silena to whom she owed a fruit basket.

"Alright," Annabeth said, "I believe you." He kissed her, smiling against her mouth as he finally got to continue touching her. "I don't know if I'll have anything to teach you for the next girl, though."

Percy frowned against her mouth, slowing his fingers but not stopping them or removing them.

"There's not going to be a next girl, Annabeth," he said. Her heart beat hard in her chest, and she couldn’t tell if she was thrilled and aroused or on the edge of panic at his words. 

"You don't get to possess me," she said.

"I'm not asking to possess you," he curled his fingers inside her, and she lifted her hips involuntarily, seeking him out. "I'm telling you that whatever you need, whatever you want, whatever will make you happy, I'll do it. Anything, Annabeth. Anything."

"I want ..." oh god, "I want," she was close already. She still had her goddamn panties on and she was close, "I want," her brain supplied a long list of dirty things she wanted from him in the moment, "I want," he was smirking. He knew he was going to make her soak her panties and her side of the bed, and he wanted her to do it. Well, if he was going to get what he wanted, then she was going to put him to the test, "I want the moon," she said with a smile.

He kissed her, his hard cock still in his boxers grinding up against her hip. "Alright gorgeous, I'll get it for you," he promised, before tipping her right over that blissful, toe-curling edge. 

~

Four days later, he handed her a light blue cardboard box with a bow on it.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's a present," he said. They were in her apartment again. He had planned to stay at his own place that night, but she’d woken up with her period that morning. She was cranky and her back hurt. So Percy had come over to keep her company. She was on the couch sewing more pointe shoes while he'd done the dishes. Annabeth hardly expected more gifts than not needing to touch wet food.

Annabeth opened it. It was a pair of earrings, silver with little dangling stones. Gray, iridescent, and familiar.

"Gray moonstones?" She asked. In her brief crystal phase, her moonstone had been her favorite.

"I've sent emails to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos about getting to the actual moon, but I don't know if they'll respond. So, I hope these are okay."

She pulled him in for a kiss by the front of his tee shirt.

"They're perfect," she said, tears already in her eyes. She started to take out the diamond studs she usually wore. "You know, moonstones are a sign of new beginnings? They support emotional stability, and inner growth?"

"Huh, you know, maybe all this," he held his hands out in front of him and wiggled his fingers as if to pantomime woo woo witchy shit "isn't so dumb after all."

"Oh no, it's complete nonsense," she said, clipping in the first earring. "But it's fun and pretty."

[starlightshadowsworld]

Jason: Wow you guys are really going the mile to find this Percy guy.

Annabeth: Of course we are, why wouldn't we?

Jason: Oh no, I don't mean that as a bad thing. I think it's sweet you guys care so much.

Clarisse: Speaking of do you know when the Roman army's gonna be knocking on our door to demand you back?

Jason: confused Why would they do that?

Annabeth: nods Yeah, I was gonna ask if you had any idea when or how your Camp will be arriving so we can make plans.

Jason: realisation Oh, no you've got it all wrong. No ones coming.

Clarisse: What, do we need to send em a message and tell em your here? You'd think they'd have figured it out by now.

Jason: Guys, no one at Camp Jupiter is looking for me. Nor do they care about bringing me back.

Annabeth: What?! What do you mean they're not looking for you?! I thought you're one of their leaders.

Jason: Exactly that, they're not going to be searching for me or anything like what you're doing. I am one of the leaders yes, but I'm also Jason Grace so that doesn't mean anything.

Annabeth: Explain. Now.

Jason: My Camp have wanted to get rid of me since the day I joined. I was a wild thing, trained by Lupa and I embody everything they hate the most.

The only reason they keep me around is because they don't want to piss off my father. But that hadn't stop the many attempts on my life.

Clarisse: Than why make you Praetor?

Jason: Oh that's simple, because than they own me.

Annabeth: Jason...

Jason: I can't leave, not on my own accord that is. I'd be executed for treason, despite being in charge.

It meant that I'd be the one leading them into the Titan war, I was never meant to survive it. They've been planning "an accident" for me for a while. This works in their favour.

Clarisse: I hate that your so fucking calm about this.

Jason: shrugs I'm used to it.

Annabeth: So if we handed you over in exchange for Percy... They'd imprison and or kill you...

Jason: Bingo.

Clarisse: And you were just going to let us do that?! What is wrong with you?!

Jason: Do you want the list? I'm bound by service, I'll have to return eventually. At least this way, I can help someone else.

Annabeth: Yeah, no we're figuring out a new plan. And a way to get you out of this bind.

Jason:... Why?

Annabeth: Because we're not Camp Jupiter, and we like you. We would search for you.

Clarisse: Yeah, you're all of our little brother now.

Jason: smile I've always wanted a family.

Annabeth: Speaking off... Let's not tell Thalia just yet, she might start a war.

Clarisse: I'd help her but I get it, peace and diplomacy and all that.

Annabeth: smirk Oh trust me, we're going to be having some serious words with Camp Jupiter.

Clarisse: grins See now you're speaking my language.

[abbofff]

Cat Distribution System is a bitch

masterlist

 I found Annabeth on the Arena along some few other campers. She was following their every move as they sparred. I kinda feel intimidated with how serious she is now, but I need to get this from my chest.

  — Annabeth, can we talk for a second? — I ask.

  She turns around surprised and she frowns at me.

  — Do you need something? — She asked.

  — N-no. I just- Can we talk somewhere more private? — She looked back at the kids, some where still sparring and others were pretending to do so to hear the conversation.

— Keep training, I'll be back. — She comanded, and everyone sighed in annoyance.

She signaled me somewhere far enough so nobody could hear.

— Go on now. — She crossed her arms over her chestplate, still wary.

— I wanted to say sorry for lashing out on you. I was... troubled and I lost it. You don't deserve that and I'm very sorry. —

  I started to pick on my nails from the nervousness. I never was a person of many friends and if she didn't want it to be after everything, I couldn't blame her; but I can't let her think that I hate her.

  — I know how hard it can be. — Annabeth sighed. I always knew that she knew. She had told me that she was an all year long camper but that her father lives in San Francisco. She didn't tell me the exact reason of why she never visited, but I know it's hard for her.

— I forgive you. — Her eyes softened softened.

 

  — I didn't meant what I said. About us not being friends. You have not been anything but wonderful to me and I would love to call you my friend if you would allow me. — I don't dare to move closer. I'm afraid of making this more awkward for her.

  Annabeth's eyes softened even more and she cleared her throat.

  — That would be... nice. — She said.

  I couldn't but help smile and she smirked.

  — Great! Uhm, cool. —

  Ok, so, when I met Percy everything went with the flow and didn't exactly ask each other if we were friends, we just kinda knew. So this situation right here is eating me inside. I have never felt more awkward in my entire life.

  — The sparring lesson ended a while ago but I teach the ones that need some extra help for a while longer. Do you want to join so you don't fall behind? — Annabeth asked.

— Yes, please. Thank you, Annabeth. — I smiled.

  — I'm sure you'll want to use the sword you got there. — She said with her eyes locked in my belt loop.

  — How do you know... It doesn't matter. I wouldn't be surprised if you just have the aegis hidden somewhere. Percy has- PERCY IS DEMIGOD. Luke's showing him around camp right now. Can you believe we fought for absolutely nothing? Sorry for that again. Anyways, he has a pen-sword thingy that when I saw for the first time I thought I was going nuts because he pulverized our algebra teacher but thats alright because she was a Fury in disguise. Not that I approve going around slaying old ladys without knowing that they are monsters but- why are you looking at me with that face? Oh, im yapping. Got it. Sorry. — This is why I had no friends.

  She chuckled.

  — Don't worry. It's seems that you two got quite the story. — Annabeth smiled.

  — Yeah. You should really meet him. He's a sweet guy. I'm sure you guys could be friends. —

  Annabeth thought about it for a second.

  — We'll see. Now, let's go with the others. I'll assign you a partner for practice. — We walked to where she was standing before and she analyzed the campers.

Her sight stopped on a girl with a pink handled sword and a boy who was about to pass out from exhaustion.

— Gabriel, you can go. — Annabeth said.

The boy smiled and ran before she could change her mind.

— Silena, this is Ada Williams. Ada, this is Silena Beuregard, daughter of Aprodithe. —

— Nice to meet you. — Silena raised her hand for me to shake.

— Nice to meet you too. — I shook her hand and smiled.

— I want you two to spar, just to see what Ada needs work with. — Annabeth said.

Visually, she was what you would expect from a typical Aprodithe kid. Her pink manicure was perfect, not chipped and not too long or too short. She had light make up on, just some gloss, foundation and rimmel. She was very pretty.

Silena nodded and put on her stance.

  You would think that I would instinctively know how to perform a fighting stance but when Annabeth came closer, she just Shifu'ed my every move. Silena chuckled at my clumsiness.

Annabeth told us we were free to start and she stepped back to take a good view of everyone.

— I've heard about you. — Silena said when she charged at me, I blocked her and stepped back.

— What, exactly? — I ask her as she circled around me trying to catch me slacking.

She talked when our swords clashed.

— That you have been on two fights with Clarisse and then you two got locked in a cabin together for hours. — She said slyly, smirking.

I can even feel a blush creeping on my face. Shit. I can't think, I'm too flustered.

Silena took advantage of this, kicking my knee and pushing me on the ground. I fell on my butt and she lifted the tip op her sword to my face.

— Hey, not fair. — Silena rolled her eyes laughing and she offered her hand for me.

— Thought you would have it easy because im a Aphrodite kid? — She asked bitterly mocking.

— I thought you were just bad. How would I have it easy with an Aprodithe kid? Your mom led a war. I think she would have won it if anyone had listened to Cassandra, but that's Apollo's fault. —

Silena frowned and she chuckled bitterly.

— It really shows you are new around here. Gods change when the meaning of what they represent changes. You wouldn't think that the God of War still is a protector of women, do you? —

I thought of Clarisse and what she had said to me.

My mom told me the story of Ares, Hera's favorite son and possible one of the least horrible gods. He had been the defendant in the first murder trial in history because he had killed a son of Poseidon for raping his daughter, something no male God ever did for their daughters.

I thought that Clarisse put pressure on herself because she was his father's pride and joy but if Ares had lost that part of himself and all that was left was war I couldn’t blame Clarisse for her doings.

Silena took an answer out of my silence and went back to her fighting stance.

— Come on now, don't let me distract you just now. —

I gave a deep breath and got to the fighting stance Annabeth taught me. I charged first, the blow between our swords almost sends hers flying away. I was quick to hit her sword again, I wanted to hit the tip of it so it would move out of they way and I could touch her neck but it took me some tries because I kept hitting the middle of her sword. I finally land a precise blow and did as I had planed.

Selina raised her hands in surrender and rolled her eyes.

— I think I know who I'll assign the most difficult pegasus to next class. — Silena smirked and I chuckled.

— Thank you, Silena. Everyone can go prep for lunch now! — Annabeth said when she got closer, and every kid cheered and walked away.

— Bye, Ada. I'll see you around. — Silena said as she walked away.

— Bye, Silena. —

— You won't go just yet, Ada.— The Athena girl said when I sheathed my sword.  

  — I'll spar with you now. — She said.

  — Don't you think that it's embarrassing how many times I ended up in the infirmary these two days? I'm afraid Will is going to see me again and kick me out. — Annabeth rolled her eyes at me.

  — Your attacks are fast but not precise. You need to be ready for any monster attack. Not every monster is as flawed and dumb as a lestrygonian or a dracanae. —

  — How do you know I faced them? — Annabeth's body stiffened for a moment.

  — I know Grover, he told me what happened. — She didn't looked at my eyes.

  The memory of the name that Grover screamed to me last night appeared on my head. He was so worked up last night, like if it was a nightmare he has go trought before; because he did.

  — He was... your satyr protector? — I asked. I focused in sounding chill, I didn't want her to think I didn't trust her.

  — He was. —

  — Yeah, I guessed so. I get why you didn't told me, its ok. I know him, he's a nice person and Im glad that he was there for Percy. — I smirked at her.

  The corner of her lips curled up for a second until she cleared her throat.

  — Are you ready? — Annabeth got on her stance.

  — Not really. — I chuckled and she charged at me.

  I barely managed to dodge and block her attacks. They were almost perfect, she was aiming for my weak spots with precise and fast movements.

  On a risky move, I succeeded to make her drop her sword. I smiled with pride and lifted the tip my sword to point her neck (with a lot distance tho; I dont wanna kill somebody).

  — Never underestimate your opponents. — She said to quickly put on her Yankees cap and dissappear.

  — Annabeth, what the fuck? — I asked turning around trying to cover all of my sides.

  Of course her attacks with her sword were just "almost perfect", it's not her preferred weapon. She had a dagger at her hip all the time and now she was going to stab me with it.

  Annabeth is scary. Her steps were impossible for me to hear, hell, i couldn't even hear her armor moving. I was getting nervous, exactly was she was looking for. I calmed down by taking a few deep breaths.

  I could feel the wind hitting my skin and everything in the Arena that stood in it's way.

  Annabeth approached me from behind silently, mistaken that I was completely helpless. The wind bouncing off her skin gave her away and I looked over my shoulder at her when I decided she was close enough.

  — I can see you. — I felt her movements stop and quickly fully turned my body to her to push her to the ground with my shoulder and knock her cap away.

  She fell to the ground with a thump and I kicked her dagger off her hand. I aimed my sword to her and she looked at me gobsmacked.

  — How? — She asked.

  I smiled and offered my hand.

  — Nivir indiristimiti yir ippinints — I responded at her offended face.

  — You are bluffing. I don't know how you did it but it wont work next time. — She went to get her cap and I went for her dagger.

  — You are contradicting yourself, my friend. — I say when I hand her her weapon.

  — Stop mocking me, lighthead. — She threatened but the smile on her face gave her away.

  — Wha- Wow, nicknames stage friendship. Alright, whoie. —

  — Whoie. Seriously? — Annabeth asked.

  — I saw a bunch of your mom's little flying rats yesterday. You really look alike. — She punched me on my shoulder and rolled her eyes.

  — Come on, lighthead, enough rest. Let's see you on proper battle. — She said "proper" harsher than the rest of the sentence, of course.

  I know that Annabeth is going trought the trouble of teaching me not only because she is a super nice person but because she likes the challenge of putting her skills at test and Im starting to see why myself.

  It was a beautiful day to train. Zeus wasn't pissed off and you could clearly see Apollo doing his daily journey, not the mention the chirping of birds and the owls hooting. The last part is weird because it broad daylight, but knowing that the Arena is one of Athena's spaces I guess that her sacred animal wants to know what's going on here. I prefer encountering an owl than a wild boar tho, so I'm not complaining.

Now with her dagger in hand, Annabeth put her stance back on and I followed suit.

  The sound of the horn got to our ears and we dropped our weapons in annoyance.

  — Come on, whoie. — I say offering my arm for her to interwine and she did.

  — Let's stop by my cabin first. I need to get out of this thing. —

I entered Annabeth's cabin and waited for her as she got her armor off and placed it where the ones of her siblings where.

I took the moment to see the cabin well now that it's daylight. It is the neatest place that I have ever seen, like Pinterest level. I focused on the bed where Annabeth put her cap on and picking under her pillow there was a Polaroid of her as a kid and a Doberman .

  — Not to be nosy but you are a dobie girl? — I asked.

  Annabeth turned to look at me and saw what I was looking. She came over and smirk as she grabbed the picture.

  — I'm a Collie lover because they are fluffy and smart but Zeus was the nicest boy ever. — 

  — That's an accurate name for a dog. — I said and Annabeth restrained a laugh.

  — We made sure to neuter him. - Now I restrained a laugh. Im not eager to be struck by lightning again anytime soon. 

  — We didn't picked his name. When I was 4, I wanted a dog and when my dad took me to the shelter I saw that Zeus was going to be sacrificed for biting and after an hour of crying we took him home. This was on his first month of training school. He was a sweetheart. — She caressed the picture with her tumb and saved it on a book.

  — I'm sorry for you loss. —

  — It's ok. We had the greatest time together. — The tone of her voice dropped.

  I got up from her bed and gave her a hug. Annabeth hugged me back and she let out a single quiet sob. She broke the hug quickly.

  — Let's go, we are going to be late for lunch. — She started to make her way out of the cabin and I followed close behind. 

  — Why is everyone flashing blue cloths at the Ares kids? — I asked Annabeth when we were getting closer to the dining hall.

  — The blue team won Capture the Flag thanks to my plan. That's why Clarisse is specially angry these days. Wouldn't be surprised if next Friday she brakes someone's bones to get the flag. — She smiled with pride.

  — That's a little extreme, don't you think? — Annabeth stopped walking and looked directly into my eyes. 

  — It's a warfare game that prepares us for whats out there and you need to be smart and ruthless if you want to win the real thing. Thats one of the few things we agree on. Besides, we banned maiming and killing, theres nothing that the Apollo cabin cant take care of. — She started to walk again, leading the way. 

— Delightful. —

  ㅤׄ͜✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡✧ׅ͡

  When I we were finally on the dining hall, I looked at Hermes table and noticed Percy sitting next to Luke. Also, there was no sight of Aaron, I think it was rude of me to not had say goodbye but I didn't even saw him leave.

I said goodbye to Annabeth to go sit next to Percy but I decided to approach him from behind to scare him. 

— Buh! — I taped his shoulders, he flinched and turned around with an angry look that he had never given me before. 

— Oh, it's you. — His eyes softened completely.

— I thought i was going to be trown in the mud again. - He said, taking a bite of his food. 

— Again? What do you mean again? — I just left his side for a bit more than an hour and I had left him with bloody Luke.

— That girl from the Ares cabin, I think. Luke made her walk away before she actually punched me or something. — Percy shrugged, I couldn’t help but frown. 

  I looked at Clarisse's table, she was chuckling about something with the minions she called half-siblings. She met my eyes and she had her cocky eyes and a smirk. Then she noticed at Percy, her face shifted into disgust and scoffed to later allow me to see only the back of her head.  

— I wouldn't worry, Percy. Ada is friends with Clarisse. — Percy looked at me like if I had grown two more heads. 

— I would rather die. — I made both of the boys laugh. 

— Well, then maybe you can join us on trying to find some glory. — Luke said, Percy sighed in defeat. 

— Beg you pardon? — 

— Luke told me that when demigods get glory, nobody messes with them and they get noticed. So I wanted to try to find something that im good at so my dad claims me. —

I looked at Luke and he gave me a "go with the flow" nod. 

— I'm all free, let's do this thing. — I say, moving Percy by the shoulders, cheering him up. 

The first thing I did when we got back to the cabin was fall to my knees on my sleeping bag and lay in it with my face buried on my backpack. My whole body was exhausted, we tried everything until darkness arrived and no shiny sign appeared above our heads.

Percy was remarcable at swordfighting, learning fast and adapting to Lukes moves. I decided to sit that one out, the heart attack I almost got from watching Annabeth turn invisible still haunted me. We even tried archery again but with Lee Fletcher and Michael Yew's guidence now, I shot bullseye and Percy almost shot me. 

  I lifted my head a little bit and saw Percy on my left sitting crossleg on his sleeping bag, staring at his hands while they picked on his shoelaces. He didn't say a word on the walk back and now he was still suffering on silence. I sat up and grabbed one of Percys hands, making him look at me. 

— The most probable thing is that your dad is solving some godly issue and can't reach out right now. The important thing is that you are safe here and we are together. —

— He doesn't get to ignore me after what happened. I killed the Minotaur last night. What will it take for him to claim me? — His voice sounded angry and sad. 

— Percy- —

— Clarisse doesn't believe me and I have the horn and everything. What if my dad is just as stupid? —

— Percy, Clarisse can go fuck off. I saw you stab him and im sure your dad is just as proud as I am. I know how bad it sucks but we need to be patient. — I squeezed his hand to ground him and he sighed again. 

— How are you dealing with all of this? — He asked, grabbing my other hand. 

When I was younger, it used to hurt not having him around. Especially when my classmates talked about how they were their daddy's princesses. I used to think that I was missing something but I got older and learned how shitty a dad can be. Sometimes I felt like I dodged a bullet.

Now, to make things even worse, he was a god. To be honest, I don't know what that makes me. There were many demigods heroes but many more lived unnoticed. Maybe I'll end up living how I have lived to my fathers eyes: Irrelevant. Maybe that was for the best.

— I lived trought twelve Fathers Day and many Father-Daugther dances. I don't need him for me to know who I am. Neither do you. — Percy pulled me for a hug. 

— Thank you for everything that you've done for me, sis. — He said on the crook of my neck and hugged me tight. 

— Thank you too, bro. —

We broke up the hug and Luke walked to us.

— Hey guys, the camp fire is going to start soon. You should get ready if you want to be there. — He said. We thanked him and he left to chat with Chris.

— Do you want to go? — Percy asked.

— Nah, I'm just going to take a shower and get some sleep. You should go with Luke and the others. Just do me the favor of listen to people so we can discuss all the tea over tea tomorrow morning. — Percy rolled his eyes.

— Maybe you are Helios daughter. You know, the gossiper. —

— Helios is a titan. —

— Again with mansplainig. Don't you have to go shower? You smell so bad im gonna puke all over you. —

— Ew, Percy, you are gross. — I push him to the ground as I got up and we laugh.

I got off my long shower and I could still hear the laughter coming from the camp fire. I gather my clothes and my towel in a tote bag and leave the showers.

— HELP! —

My heart dropped at the far scream. The despair in it wasn't what got me dropping everything and running to the woods, it was that that voice belongs to Annabeth.

The screams continued and they got louder and closer as I entered the woods area. I encountered a cave where the screams echoed and I entered without hesitation.

— ANNABETH. — I called as I ran trought the caves long entrance.

— ADARA. — She screamed, it came from way deep.

I only stopped because I got to the end of the cave. It was a round space with no way out or in other than the way I come from.

The openings on the roof let in the dim light of the moon, being the only way to see here.

It was dead silent.

I felt my brooch on the pocket of my shorts and unsheathed the sword.

— ANNABETH. — My scream echoed on the rock and nobody answered.

From within the shadows in front of me, a figure emerged growling. It was a lion, a giant one.

I gripped my sword tighter, bracing for was going to happen.

The lion made a deep, guttural roar and jump at me with his claws aiming for my head. I rolled to the side and slashed his front paw with my sword. It only made it angrier, not a scratch on the beast.

— ANNABETH, RUN AWAY! — Her silence was terrifying me. I didn't know if she was invisible or dead.

With every attempt to dig its claws into me, I would either block its paw or roll away.

It's so dark and cold here. I don't know how no one showed up yet. Annabeth's screams were loud and the camp fire was closer to the woods than the showers. I don't even know if Annabeth is injured or went to get help.

I feel so powerless and scared but I can't let my emotions take over. I needed to help my friend.

I decided to take deep breaths before the lion can feel I'm quivering.

I know the myth of the Nemean Lion. I know it can die but I'm not even half as strong as Heracles. I couldn’t choke him and his skin is impenetrable.

His skin is impenetrable. It can be killed.

He shows me all his set of teeth when he tries to bite me. I need to take action or he will tire me down and kill us.

I charge at him taking a claw on my left arm just below my shoulder, it tears my skin but my grip on my sword doesn't falter. I go face to face with the beast, he opens his jaw to bite my head off but I stick my sword deep into his throat.

The lion turns to dust leaving a cape where he stood.

— Annabeth? — I asked in the darkness.

My left arm went limp and I could feel the blood drops staining my leg. I used the light of my sword to see the corners of the cave but it was all empty.

I turn to the exit, desesperate to get out of here but I feel very dizzy, my legs are starting to become jelly and I was deep into the woods, far away from the part of them were the most dangerous threat was a humiliated nymph.

I grab the cape and place it on my shoulders so I wouldn't be a easy dinner for the monster that comes to finish me off.

I get out and the feeling of the sky above me relieved me. The fresh air allowed me to think clearly and I begin to stumble to the cabins.

— ANNABETH. — I kept calling for ger until my voice started to sound hoarse from all the shouting and I still didn't get an answer.

I could smell and see the big smoke come out of the camp fire but I couldn't continue walking, I felt so lightheaded.

Ha.

I dropped to my knees and my sword slipped out of my hand. I saw my left arm, the four claw mark was deeper and larger than I thought, my arm seemed like a slices of ham and from the wound down it was all red.

I cursed myself for not saving my ambrosia bag on my shorts and leave it on the tote bag instead.

I feel so upset, scared and angry. I don't know what happened to Annabeth or what will happen to me. My vision is blurry and my ears are buzzing.

Thunder began to roar in the sky and the wind picked up. I raised my eyes to the sky and felt the need for it. I could feel the charges filling the air and the despairing distance between the cumulonimbus and me.

In a desesperate move, I raised my hand to try to touch the sky followed by a tug on my gut, the voltage raised and lightning strucked me.

It felt like drinking hundreds of energy drinks without having a heart attack and instead feeling like you'd been to a spa. The energy not only healed my pain, it also made me feel better rested than I have ever felt.

I let the energy ran trought my body for a few minutes with my eyes closed, drinking in the feeling until I remembered my duty.

The voltage dropped and my bliss died down.

I opened my eyes and saw Chiron and almost all campers in front of me, ten meters away.

Amongst all the campers I noticed Annabeth, unharmed, and she seemed to be expecting something. Then I saw Luke who had a stone face and a hand on my scared brother. I even noticed Clarisse and her angry face.

I stood up in surprise and the centaur was the first to approach me.

— Ada- — Chiron interrupted his talking and walking.

He looked above my head with worried eyes and cleared his throat, putting himself together, to then look at my eyes.

— You have been claimed by Zeus, Thunderbringer, Lightning wielder, King of Gods. Adara Williams, daughter of Zeus. —

[sleepyycapybara]

Guys PT 1 is on my other account @peanutpermit read it before this one it has everything, like warnings, and well PT 1

Extra warning for this chapter

Literally like 2 swear words

Pt2❤❤

Annabeth pov

And he collapsed

I saw his eyes close, he wasn't breathing.

I was already crawling towards him, then I saw Artemis limping to us before I passed out.

I woke up 3 days later in the CHB infirmary with Percy in a bed next to me. Will Solace, and Grover are in the room whispering I don't think they see me yet.

I try to stretch my shoulders, its a routine every morning when I wake up.

"AHHHH, FUCKK!" I yell out in pain

What the freak had I been lifting my whole body is in excruciating pain after I moved even a touch.

"Annabeth are you okay?" Grover was right by my side now along with Will

"Yeah it just feels like I lifted 27 semi-trucks yesterday, without a break!" I grumble "My whole body hurts!"

"Annabeth do you not remember?" Will Solace whispered "You held up the sky..Your lucky you weren't Percy."

My eyes snap close as I remember holding the sky but I still can't remember anything else, until...OH NO, PERCY

My eyes snap open again with me screaming "PERCY!" I practically snap my head over to Percy.

"Annabeth did the memory shot work?" Will asked

"I REMEMBER EVERYTHING!"

"Can you tell us what happened to Percy? Artemis told us that he passed out after screaming something but she hit her head and that's all she remembered with Percy after she woke up."

"Before Artemis got us back to camp, Percy, he, he..." I had to tell them but the words wouldn't come out

I started hyperventilating

"Okay why don't you just rest for now Annabeth."

I try too sleep but I can't stop crying, I keep thinking about what happened, and how he fought for me...

I soon drift off to sleep

10 days later Percy just woke up

Percys pov

I wake up and without even moving I feel pain shooting through my whole body with out thinking I-

"AHHHH, FUCKK." -yelled that

I feel the whole sky's weight on me again crushing me but when I look up there is nothing on me

I see people rush in after hearing me yell and lets see here,

Will,

Grover,

And Annabeth!!

Im so glad she's safe. (aww I love dorky lovey seaweed brain❤❤)

while im laying down I feel my eye twitch again

"Oh my GODS if this eye doesn't stop twitching im going make Zeus carry the sky!" I ment it to be funny but with all the pain I felt in my eye, it came out with a sob.

Only one of my eyes though, the twitching one

"Oh, hey Wise Girl, why do you have a gray streak in your hair and I don't? I mean don't I get a cool souvenir from holding the sky?"

My eye is now only tricking tears now

Everybody except Annabeth had their jaw on the floor

"Did she not tell you? I literally killed Atlas with the sky on my shoulders, and standing up."

Nobody moved

"Umm that's why I'm in severe pain? And can't move?"

Will was the first to snap out of it

"H-how are you not...d-dead? Even gods can't hold the sky up standing, they would die of pressure."

"I don't know but can somebody give me some ambrosia? I kinda am, in, pain?like a lot? Oh wait, nvm im hooked up to this nector."

The tube went into my arm because I couldn't drink it in my small coma

I stopped everything moving, talking, thinking, and functioning.

My eyes widen everybody crowds around me, Annabeth looking into my twitching eye.

Annabeth's pov

I look into Percy's eye to see gray spreading from the top to bottom after like 20 seconds his whole eye is gray

Tbh I have no motivation left for this story so im not gonna write a pt.3 sorry?

Umm if you see any mistakes no you didn't 👀

Lazy bc I made this at 1:37 and ended at 1:54 A.M all just get the creative thoughts late at night/early in the morning

Gn my aquatic animals!🐳🐬🐟🐡🐙🦀🐠

[cabinofimagines]

Netflix & Chills —(Platonic!Everyone xGN!Reader)

A/N: I DID NOT FORGET TO POST I WAS JUST TOO BUSY TODAY OK? -Danny Warnings: None! Words: 615

"...And that's how I found out Lit still lives here," you finish the story while Jason nods beside you solemnly.

"Man, I didn't know Lit wanted to be an active participant, he would've been a great help when we got stuck fighting—"

You shake your head urgently, the last thing you want is to scare everyone by making them think there are killing automatons threatening to get loose.

"So everyone's got their costumes already?" You ask the group to change the subject.

"Oh, I do," Annabeth smiles proudly.

Percy groans. "She doesn't wanna tell me what she planned and I'm honestly kind of offended that she left me out of it this year."

"Must be something big, then. Calypso made it?"

"Nah, she was busy getting the stuff needed to host here," Leo brushes it off.

"Wasn't that your job?"

"My job was the decorations and snacks. She got the entertainment and chairs job."

"So the hardest part."

"Hardly, Calypso works at a summer camp nearby and she made friends with the music teacher, and he's part of a band or something so she already had half her part done the moment she got it."

"Cool," Reyna sighs and stretches. "But I still think you guys won't outdo Camp Jupiter's week-long celebration."

"Well, unfortunately, we're just three people," you raise a brow. "Camp Jupiter had their entire population helping out."

"Can we please not go there again?" Thalia groans. "Let's watch the movie!"

Jason grabs the TV remote and is about to press play when a loud screeching noise comes from the hallway. You sit up stiffly and lock eyes with Leo, listening intently.

"What was that?" Annabeth frowns.

"The piping," Leo lies promptly.

"Maybe. Probably."

"Hey, guys—"

You and Leo scream before realizing it's Lit again, his sword scratching the hard floor while he struggles to hold it under a bunch of huge fluffy pillows. He stops and looks slightly ashamed.

"Sorry. I just came to bring you these for the people that are seated on the floor."

"Ah, thanks, man!" Leo gets up to help him. "Hey, why don't you stay? There's plenty of room in here and we could use some help eating all this food."

Lit hesitates and you pat his arm. "Sorry we screamed, we're watching scary movies and you caught us off guard."

"I keep doing that," he grumbles, then sighs and shrugs. "Yeah, okay, I don't have anything better to do."

You take Leo to the side while Lit settles between Reyna and Jason.

"Dude, we gotta fix this FNAF situation."

Leo stares at you making a face. "How the hell did you manage to pronounce that?"

"Focus!" You snap your fingers. "The killer robots, Leo!"

"Dude, they're trapped," he dismisses your concern. "I'll take care of it after the party."

You would like to urge him to do it before the place is packed with people, especially if mortals are scheduled to come and entertain, but at the same time, you think that saying it will jinx things, and the last thing you want is to make a mess of things.

"Fine," You look at the pitch-dark hallway to your left with concern, knowing somewhere down the path there is a room welded shut with a dozen murderous robots doing gods know what to themselves. You try not to, but the image of them merging and becoming some kind of cursed Voltron passes through your mind.

"It'll be fine, Y/N, don't worry," Leo winks at you, lightly nudging you forward so you sit down again. When you move, you miss Leo's expression of deep unease as he stares down the same hall you were looking into.

[andromythical]

PJO EP 5 SPOILERS

PERCABETH HUG PERCABETH HUG PERCABETH HUG "so.. you're not as dead as we thought you'd be." "surprise." Grover and percy friendship the one and only. "I'm the last person to realise this aren't I." "...yeah." jsjsjhshwwuaja "why are you being weird with me again, I thought we weren't doing that anymore." "I'm not being weird with you" god they really are twelve years old. I am like five minutes in and this is is already my favourite episode. THE MOTORBIKE SOUNDS IN THE BACKGROUND AND THEN ARES APPEARING OH MY GODDD "beg pardon??" Grover my son. Also ares' coat?? I need it. "Because I'm doing exactly the same thing as you." I'm foaming at the mouth I'm going feral. "gimme a second I'm just starting a fight on twitter here" oh I love him (he's an awful person) GABE ON THE NEWS SCENE GABE ON THE NEWS SCENE!!!!!!!! Ares telling Percy about the family gossip 😭😭 "so we're gonna have a war!! Ain't it great??" why do I like ares in this... Oh okay nevermind!!!! Stop I've been pronouncing satyr the same as satire for my entire life.. shoutout to the wardrobe department they chose perfectly. WATERLAND!!!!!! ohh my god ohhh my god oh. my. god. THATS HOW YOU PRONOUNCE HEPHAESTUS??? "It's a little funny... Oh look at that, that's cool!!!" Annabeth <3 THIS IS THE GROVER & ARES SCENE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT????? "satyrs are children of nature. nature is brutal." THIS SCENE IS INSANE I LOVE IT SO MUCH!?!?!? chewing on the bars of my enclosure?!? THE TUNNEL OF LOVE!!! also knows as the thrill ride of love I guess??? WHAT IS LOVE??? BABY DON'T HURT ME, DONT HURT ME, NO MORE!! this is a fever dream. "she was trying to keep my away from you guys- BABY DONT HURT ME!" I think I'm going insane. oh so this is what it meant by thrill ride. PERCYS POWERS OH MY GOD. "did you just???" "I don't know, maybe" god he has no clue. MORE ARES + GROVER SCENES!! "I hate kids, all of em. I hate my own kids." Mars wouldn't say the same about frank would he 🤨. GROVERS SO STRATEGIC WHATT?? I need more Grover edits with clips of what he said as the intro. THIS IS NOT A DRILL I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL: SEAWEED BRAIN USAGE!!! "I'm not leaving the underworld without your mom." ohhh <333 "You think you had to ask?" "Just making sure." Percabeth crumbs!!! oh my god walker/percy looks like he's gone through HELL. HEPHAESTUS OH MY GODS HES HERE. "It isn't how it should be! [...] Eat or be eaten!! Power and glory and nothing else matters! Ares is that way, ZEUS is that way! My mother is that way!! He isn't that way! [....] I won't be like all of you. I just wont." annabeth my girllll "some of us don't like being that way either. You're a good kid, annabeth, I'll put in a good word with your mom for you" oh.. oh... why am I tearing up... THE ANIMAL TRUCK!! LOTUS CASINO WITH HERMES NEXT EPISODE ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I'm so excited. THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGG this is way too long I'm sorry 😭😭. "I know who stole the master bolt." YES GROVER YOU ABSOLUTE MASTERMIND

[othernicknameisgaslighter]

The Clay Girl - I see dead people

(Cross posted on Wattpad and AO3)

Prev - Next Chapter

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“You guys are my best friends.” Grover stopped. The three of them turned around to look at the satyr as rain started to pour. “Little weird that I forgot a lot more stuff than you guys did… Wonder what that's about.”

“We weren't alone.” Annabeth paused before meeting Grover's gaze, “It's easy to forget what's important when you're alone.”

Percy frowned, looking at Odyssa, who seemed deep in thought. Her hair was matted from the rain as she stared at the violent waves washing onto the shore. 

He crept his hand into hers, squeezing it to wake her up from her dazed state. Odyssa looked up, squeezing Percy’s hand back with a smile. Alone. That was the reason why she forgot… Because she felt alone…

“I think I gotta go meet my dad now,” Percy said as thunder rumbled loudly. “What do I say to him?” He asked.

“You’ll know.” Annabeth smiled.

Percy reluctantly let go of Odyssa’s hand and walked towards the water. “Hey, Perce!” Odyssa yelled. He turned back to look at her, spotting a smile that shone through the stormy sky like the moon. “We'll be right here waiting for you!”

He gave a thumbs up and a smile as well before going into the water, the violent waves now lapping softly against the sandy shore. Odyssa let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding as Percy disappeared before Annabeth nudged her.

“I’m sorry for… Earlier. That thing about your sister.” She said quietly.

“It’s fine, honestly.” Odyssa flexed the hand that Hermes touched, “I needed a wake-up call. I’ve gotta remember why I’m doing this in the first place.”

_____________________________________________________

Percy walked into “Crusty’s WaterBed store” with suspicion. Annabeth and Odyssa had filled him in earlier and with his newfound knowledge, he was on high alert.

“Welcome, weary traveler! Come on in and take a load off. These beds will change your…” Crusty, a balding old man in a tacky suit, pursed his lips at Percy’s arrival, “Life. Well… Hello there. Missing our mommy, are we?”

“I know who you are. You’re Procrustes. Son of Poseidon, and murderer of travelers.” Percy announced, and Crusty’s eye twitched.

“Crusty, please.” He corrected through gritted teeth as he strutted over to Percy, “And you… You’ve got Dad’s eyes.” Percy backed away slightly. “Take a load off. Relax for a minute.”

“The beds are a trap. That’s how you do it. How you murder your guests.” Percy frowned, not taking his guard down in the slightest.

“I do?” Crusty asked, feigning innocence.

“I know there’s a secret passage to the Underworld here. I know you were left here to guard it… But I need you to let me through. Please?” Well, at least he was trying to be polite about it.

Crusty thought for a moment before going straight back into salesman mode, “In addition to being incredibly comfortable, these beds are great for your self-confidence!”

“I’m really not interested-”

“They show you how to fit. Fitting’s not easy for guys like us, am I right?” Crusty asked and Percy’s eyes flickered to the ground. Crusty walked up to Percy, “Our parents make it so hard. Stretching us and twisting us and hacking off pieces to make us seem more like them. Anywho… These beds take all that away.”

Crusty smacked the bed hard, making it wobble and jiggle. “With these beds, you just… Fit. Try it. I think you'll feel much better.” He smiled.

“You first,” Percy said and all of a sudden, Crusty was smacked onto the bed. The blanket constricted around him as he struggled against his killing machine.

Annabeth uncapped herself, turning to Percy. “You okay?” She asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He muttered.

“You won't save her. You won't be the first to try bringing someone back from the Underworld. You won’t be the first to fail.” Crusty yelled and Percy frowned.

“Hey! You're lucky we're letting you keep your head, dummy. Don't push it.” Annabeth defended.

Grover opened the door hesitantly as Odyssa entered the room, “Great, I’m back here again…” She muttered.

“Is that… Odyssa Carson, I see?” Crusty managed to say through his squirming.

“Creston.” She said as she held up her dagger to him.

“Trying to bring back your sister again as well? You demigods don’t know how to q-”

“You mention her again and I’ll do more than I did last time!” Odyssa threatened, crossing her arms as she tossed a searing glare over to Crusty. Percy frowned, slightly confused, what did she mean by last time?

“Last time? Do you mean that you were here before?” Percy asked and Odyssa looked away

“It was a short quest. Nothing important.” She muttered. Annabeth bit the inside of her cheek before breaking the tension. She knew Odyssa didn’t like to talk about it, so she didn’t.

“Where’s the entrance?” Annabeth asked.

“Oh, please, like I’d tell-”

An ethereal ringing chimed through as Odyssa raised an arrow at him, “The entrance?” She asked. Crusty whimpered.

“I-in my office!” He shouted. The four of them went to the back, Odyssa still holding up her bow and arrow as Grover opened the door with the “DO NOT ENTER” sign on it.

Percy was still confused, had Odyssa come to bring back her sister from the Underworld? How did she die? When did Odyssa even have a sister?! “Are we sure this is the right way?” Percy asked. He decided it was a safer question to ask.

The door creaked open, the wind howling as a foul smell filled Odyssa’s nose. Grover waved the air around him, coughing as he stepped back, “It’s either the realm of the dead, or someone left a carton of milk in there in the 1990s.”

“It could be both.” Odyssa considered.

“Why would you want it to be both?” Grover shrugged.

“I never said that, just thought it could be a possibility.” She coughed at the pungent smell that seemed to somehow reach her taste buds.

Annabeth looked around Crusty’s office before grabbing a squeaky red ball and handing it to Grover, “Better?”

“Much.” He said after a few squeezes.

“If we get into trouble…” Percy looked between the three of them before holding up five pearls, “… These are our tickets out.”

“No one's turning back till we all come back,” Annabeth said.

“No one comes back.” Crusty mocked and Annabeth rolled her eyes.

“Dude! Don’t make Dessa come out there and shoot you in the eye!” She yelled and Odyssa chuckled dryly. She was still on edge from what Crusty said.

“We have no idea what's down there,” Percy said, Grover clutching onto the red ball. “I just think it's safer if I'm not holding them all.”

“Just give one to each of us. Grover has his pockets, me and Annabeth have our bags. You can hold the other one with you just in case.” Odyssa said. “If we get split up, we can use them.”

Odyssa took one from Percy’s hand, Annabeth and Grover following as they both pocketed theirs. “Let’s go get your mom.” Annabeth nudged Percy.

Annabeth and Grover went ahead as Odyssa followed before Percy nudged her shoulder, “Hey, you good? Crusty really seemed to get on your nerves.” He said and Odyssa swallowed.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Just had some bad memories come up over the past few days.” She said with a slight smile, “Didn’t think it’d affect me that much.”

“Well, if we make it out alive, we could talk?” He suggested and Odyssa smiled slightly.

“And I’ll finally meet your mom.” She said, “But, yeah… Talking would be nice.”

“Percy, Dessa! C’mon.” Grover whispered to them and the two quickly caught up to Annabeth and him.

As they exited the long hallway into the Underworld, Grover closed the hatch to the wooden door leading down. Odyssa glanced at Percy, “What about you? You alright?” She asked quietly and Percy nodded.

“Just thinking about some stuff too.” He said.

“Well, talking after this seems like it’ll help the both of us.” Odyssa smiled, nudging Percy’s arm slightly as he smiled at her as well.

The Underworld was a dark and desolate place. Stalagmites shot up from the ground, piercing anyone if they fell from any given height. The sky was like black veins on a white sheet of paper, bold and lumpy.

They hid behind a large, protruding stalagmite as they spotted a dark stone wall amidst the misty fog. “Not in Kansas,” Percy muttered.

Annabeth turned around, slightly confused, “Hey, focus. We left Kansas four days ago.”

“Yeah. No, it's a…”

“It’s a movie reference, Anna.” Odyssa whispered, “Wizard of Oz stuff.”

Annabeth sighed, “Still. Focus.”

“Guys, is that who I think it is?” Grover asked, redirecting their attention to a figure in the distance. The squeaking was loud through the silence, making Odyssa stand on the edge with her dagger out.

“Charon, the boatman, taking new arrivals across the River Styx.” Annabeth realized, “Which means that over there is the main gate… Let's go. Maybe we can get there first.”

“Yeah.” Grover stood up, the ball still squeaking excessively. 

“Why don't you let me hang onto that for now?” Annabeth held out her hand to which Grover placed the red ball.

Odyssa reached into her bag carefully to pull out a harder blue ball, “This one doesn’t squeak.” She said and Grover sent her a thankful look before going back to squeezing it.

“Come on,” Annabeth said and walked over to the end of the long line. Disrespectfully, they cut through the line, Percy apologizing now and then. 

Unlike the four, the people were isolated and alone even with people crammed against them. They were in their own worlds… It was like a personification of what Odyssa felt when her emotions didn’t catch up to her. “This seems so wrong,” Grover said.

“Nah. Only suckers wait in line.” Percy said and Odyssa snorted, “You know, you should really spend some time in the city with me. I think you’d learn a lot.”

“I don’t think we need Grover yelling “I’m walking here” next summer,” Odyssa said as she squeezed through a couple of people.

Suddenly, a hooded figure stood in front of them. “You're not dead.”

“I mean… We're all dying… To some extent.” Percy hesitated to say and Odyssa mentally face-palmed once again. Goddammit Percy…

“And you didn't pay to cross.” Charon sighed.

“Wait! We- we can pay! We can pay!” Grover panicked and opened Percy’s backpack to pull out the bag of drachmas.

“Here. Drachmas.” He handed them out as Odyssa placed her own pile. Percy shot her a confused look to which she shrugged.

Charon whistled an almost inaudible whistle as Percy frowned, “You can buy a new whistle.”

Suddenly, a low growl could be heard as giant footsteps approached them. Cerberus. Cerberus barked and roared, thrashing around before spotting the four and starting to run towards them.

“RUN!” Odyssa yelled and they all broke off into a sprint. ‘Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!’ She thought as she tugged on her necklace and pulled out her bow and arrow.

The giant monstrous dog caught up to Grover, effectively taking him into its mouth. Whether he was dead or not, they didn’t know for sure. 

“RUN! I’ll buy you some time!” Odyssa yelled as she pointed an arrow toward Cerberus and shot at its forehead.

“PERCY, DESSA! That way!” Annabeth pointed and Percy and Odyssa ran as fast as they could in the direction Annabeth pointed to.

It roared even louder, pawing at the spot the arrow pierced as the four, now three, ran as fast as they could. A muffled bark echoed before Percy and Odyssa stopped as Cerberus had suddenly gone silent.

“You got my back?” Percy asked and Odyssa nodded.

“You’ve got mine?” Percy nodded as he brandished his sword and Odyssa aimed her arrow, their backs against each other as they waited for the dog to appear.

A whimper made its way through the fog as Cerberus’s face was suddenly… Happy? It turned its neck to reveal Annabeth, scratching at the dog's neck. It panted with a grin before yawning and falling asleep.

“It’s kinda cute,” Odyssa said as she snapped her bow and arrow back into a necklace.

“Seriously? That thing just tried to kill us!” Percy exclaimed.

“Right, um, correction, it’s kinda cute when it’s not trying to kill you.” Odyssa grinned and Percy sighed.

Grover fell out of the dog's mouth with a groan, drenched from head to toe with dog spit. “You… Are a bad… bad dog!” He managed to say, holding up his arms.

“You okay, Grover?”

“Aside from almost getting eaten alive and getting dog slobber all over me… Yeah, I think I’m good.” He sighed.

“Guys! I can't hold this forever.” Annabeth strained a shout from Cerberus’s neck.

“Can you fly us up there with your shoes?” Percy asked Grover, who looked up at the ominously tall wall before looking back at Percy.

“You can do this. One at a time. Take Percy first.” Annabeth suggested and Grover looked to Odyssa, who nodded.

“I’ll be down here to watch Annabeth.” She gave a smile to which Grover smiled back slightly.

“Maia.” The satyr said, holding Percy’s hands as he flew up to the wall. A flapping noise could be heard before Grover came back down and grabbed Odyssa’s hands next.

The hazel-eyed girl landed next to Percy as she stumbled a bit from the height, clinging onto the spike next to her with harsh breathing. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to recover from running from Cerberus.” She said.

“Yeah, same… That was a workout all on its own.” Percy nodded.

After a while, Annabeth didn’t seem to show up. Unlike Percy, Odyssa seemed to immediately panic. “ANNABETH!” She shouted as loud as she could before catching a red ball in her hands.

Suddenly, Cerberus jumped up, its mouth gaping open and its sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light. Odyssa yelped, backing away with a gasp as it fell back down to the ground. Odyssa breathed harshly, wiping dog slobber from her face as she looked over the edge to see Annabeth.

“Help me!” Odyssa said, grabbing onto Annabeth’s arms to pull her up as Percy helped her.

Annabeth held out her hand, to which Odyssa placed the red ball, and threw it into the River Styx. A barking could be heard down below as they watched Cerberus yelp happily to chase the red ball.

“How did you do that?” Percy asked.

“My father had a dog when I was little. I guess I remember the tricks.” Annabeth smiled slightly and Odyssa gave her a tight squeeze. She knew how much she missed her father.

“I don’t think I can ever see dogs the same way again.” Odyssa let out a breath, turning to see a ginormous stalagmite in the distance. “Hades’s Castle…” She muttered. Odyssa never got this far into the Underworld, she quit two days after searching the long line of people for her sister.

“That's where he'll be keeping the master bolt.” Annabeth said before turning to Percy, “And your mom.”

“Oh, no.” Grover suddenly said.

“What?”

“My pearl. I lost the pearl.” He panicked, “I think it's… It's in the dog. What are we gonna do?”

“I don't know.” Annabeth admitted, “But if we don't move, it is not gonna matter… C’mon.” She said, Odyssa behind her as they walked down from the enormous wall.

As they finally got to the ground and entered the dark forest, Grover spoke up, “We can't ignore this.”

“Stop.” Percy snapped.

“It's just math. The four of us, plus your mom, is five people, and only four pearls. Someone is staying behind and it should really be me.” Grover said. Odyssa whipped around.

“We’re not leaving you, or Annabeth, or Percy, or his mom behind!” Odyssa snapped, breathing heavily as Annabeth and Percy turned around.

“Dessa…” Grover walked over to Odyssa. She jerked her head away, staring at the ground and trying not to break down.

Percy handed Grover his second pearl. “After we get the bolt and stop this war, you guys are leaving. With my mom.”

“No…” Odyssa said, “No, we’re not leaving without you either.”

“Wait, wait, wait, Percy!” Grover shouted after him as he walked faster and faster through the forest. “What about you?”

“Quests aren't linear, right? I'll figure something out-” Percy stopped as a haunting face stared back at him. Soulless eyes and pale, something dead and unfamiliar. “Sorry.”

“They can't hear you,” Annabeth said quietly.

“They?” Grover repeated as he looked around wearily.

The four of them looked around as they saw more of the haunting figures scattered around the forest. Fear clutched onto Odyssa’s heart, guilt settled in her stomach, and dread filled her lungs. 

She felt herself starting to fade to emotionless again with the overwhelming feelings bursting out like firecrackers. Slowly, she felt more and more numb, faded, and lost like the people sent here.

Annabeth walked over to the figure, lifting the tattered piece of cloth to reveal… Roots. “This must be Asphodel.” She said, “I read a book about this place.”

“Are those… Roots?” Grover asked quietly.

Annabeth stood up, looking at the figure's face, “Souls here are bound by regret. Haunted by choices they made in life…” She looked back at them, “Or never made.”

A loud roaring echoed through the forest as Grover and Percy ran. Annabeth’s feet were rooted to the ground and so were Odyssa’s. “We’re stuck.” Odyssa breathed out and chuckled dryly, “We’re gonna die!” She yelled and the vine crept up her ankle. Odyssa tugged at it along with Annabeth.

“Odyssa! Annabeth!” Percy shouted as they found Odyssa trying to cut Annabeth’s roots.

“We’ve got a major problem, guys!” Odyssa said as she tried to slice through the thick branches.

“How did this happen?” Percy asked and Grover looked at Annabeth.

“It's some kind of regret, right?” He asked, “But what would you have to regret?”

Annabeth thought for a moment before shaking her head, “It's okay. Go. We’ll distract the dog and buy you guys some time.” She said.

“We’re gonna be alright, I’ve still got my pearl…” Odyssa said.

“The pearl only works for one person, Odyssa,” Grover said and Odyssa clenched onto the round jewel in her pocket. The satyr widened his eyes, “No…”

“We’re not leaving without you,” Percy said as he tried to tug off Odyssa’s vines and Grover tried to tug at Annabeth's.

Odyssa placed her hand on Percy’s, “I’ll be alright, Perce.” She smiled, “I… I think I’ll be okay. I trust your dad… You can do this without me.

Percy’s hand trembled and Odyssa hugged him tightly, “I swear if you die I’m going to Zeus himself.” She whispered before letting go.

“Yeah…” Percy said.

“Go!” Annabeth shouted as they ran through the forest. Suddenly, as Cerberus edged closer to them, Odyssa held Annabeth’s hand, throwing the pearl to the ground and a white flash surrounded them. Odyssa felt her eyelids feel heavier before she finally closed them.

[halothenthehorns]

Chapter 16: A TITAN BRINGS ME A PRESENT

Jason read the new chapter with each word causing a stronger feeling of bad in him. He kept wondering how this was going to get worse and did not appreciate the answers.

"Is it Kronos with a Nuclear bomb?" Alex asked with interest.

"Oceanus with an apology to your dad and an explanation," Jason sighed.

"World peace?" Magnus asked without any hope.

Thalia couldn't help but laugh. It was the opposite of that.

We could see the white flag from half a mile away. It was as big as a soccer field, carried by a thirty-foot-tall giant with bright blue skin and icy gray hair.

"Yeah, but according to Percy's own girlfriend, Percy can't read for shit," Alex was all for instigating. "So I don't see why even that would stop him from setting them all on fire for starters."

"I've grown since then Alex," Percy said in a prim voice. "Matured, stopped being so impulsive."

"Since yesterday?" She asked in disappointment.

"Since I decided Annabeth would be pissed if I didn't hear this out," he shrugged, tapping the side of his head.

"Fair enough," Alex didn't bother to question the fact that Annabeth would still scare the living daylights out of Percy with one arm behind her back.

"A Hyperborean," Thalia said. "The giants of the north. It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful."

"You've met them?" I said.

"Mmm. There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball fight with those guys."

"First time I've ever heard Thalia say that," Jason chuckled.

"Don't worry, you'll never make that list," she grinned, making Jason sigh in defeat already his sister was going to dump snow down his shirt at the first available chance.

As the giant got closer, I could see three human-size envoys with him: a half-blood in armor, an empousa demon with a black dress and flaming hair, and a tall man in a tuxedo. The empousa held the tux dude's arm, so they looked like a couple on their way to a Broadway show or something— except for her flaming hair and fangs.

"Don't know what you're on about Percy," Magnus chuckled, "those two would be the talk of the runway."

"The talk of the runaway," Percy rolled his eyes.

The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground. The swings and ball courts were empty. The only sound was the fountain on Umpire Rock.

I looked at Grover. "The tux dude is the Titan?"

"I would have believed it was any of them by this point," Will shrugged, his money would be on the giant.

"The treacherous one in a tuxedo, remember?" Alex shook her head with interest. "I was expecting some kind of double cross to show up for Percy's benefit by now to be honest. Why's he on their side if another titan would call him treacherous?"

"Maybe ram face guy really wanted to be the god of tuxedos but got beat out by him," Percy shrugged without much care what politics went on between these guys.

He nodded nervously. "He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits."

Jason usually felt all eyes on him as he read, but as the words poured out of his own confused mouth, he felt the way they grew in intensity same as his own for those baffling sentences being said as a negative.

I stared at him. "You're scared of bunnies?"

"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless satyrs!"

"I have, so many questions," Magnus put his palms down in his lap, causing a slight slap noise to make his point.

"Get in line," Jason agreed as his mind began going haywire on what that food chain was like.

Thalia coughed.

"You do like Grover better than me," Percy accused. She'd never once tried to poorly muffle her laugh in here.

"I was trying not to join those bullying rabbits and be better than that Percy," she said saintly.

Percy was to busy planning in his head how to buy bunny ears and glue them to her head in revenge while keeping Grover away to listen.

"What?" Grover demanded.

"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later," I said.

"Leporiphobia," Jason offered.

"Why do you know that?" Percy asked in concern. "Why is there even a word for fear of rabbits?!" He knew what phobia meant and he could use context clues. "They don't attack people for that to be a thing!"

"Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes Percy," Alex said seriously, before she broke into a grin and said, "like Jason, poor thing was clearly mauled by a dictionary at some point in his life."

"Ha, ha, ha," Jason rolled his eyes. Honestly, it would be nice to know why such random things came to mind.

"Here they come."

The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human—about seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered his eyes, but what really caught my attention was the skin on his face. It was covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal— a really, really mad hamster, maybe.

"Percy's nightmares of turning back into that guinea pig finally make a great real-time influence," Thalia chuckled.

Percy felt rather robbed these books were only from his perspective as he frowned at her. He just knew she had to have embarrassing dreams about tea parties with Barbies he'd never get the chance to mock her for.

The only reason he didn't say any of that now was because, he kind of wished that one were true himself.

"Percy Jackson," he said in a silky voice. "It's a great honor."

"Thanks," Percy couldn't make that sound any more sarcastic if he tried.

His lady friend the empousa hissed at me. She'd probably heard how I'd destroyed two of her sisters last summer.

"I'm over here hoping that's why Tux guy said it was an honor to meet you," Alex nodded.

"I think Percy has a bit of a fat head, thinking all monsters know him," Thalia rolled her eyes.

"Probably safer for him to just assume all monsters have a personal grudge against him," Magnus shrugged.

"My dear," Tux Dude said to her. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?"

She released his arm and drifted over to a park bench.

I glanced at the armed demigod behind Tux Dude. I hadn't recognized him in his new helmet, but it was my old backstabbing buddy Ethan Nakamura.

"This is the worst white-flag party I've ever heard in my life!" Jason looked offended at whoever had approved this strategy. "They sent a monster and the guy who tried to kill Annabeth! Kronos had to have known you wouldn't fall for this!"

"Oh, I'm sure that was the point," Annabeth sighed. Kronos knew not to underestimate Percy again by this point, not after the cruise ship incident. He'd sent distractions to keep Percy on edge.

His nose looked like a squashed tomato from our fight on the Williamsburg Bridge. That made me feel better.

Well they hadn't needed that descriptor. Percy looked devilishly pleased.

"Hey, Ethan," I said. "You're looking good."

Ethan glared at me.

"Really Perce, flirting with someone else at a time like this?" Annabeth sighed.

Percy spluttered and only managed, "but-tomato-" but as usual was pretty toothless when it came to her.

"To business." Tux Dude extended his hand. "I am Prometheus."

I was too surprised to shake. "The fire-stealer guy? The chained-to-the-rock-with-the-vultures guy?"

Percy blew imaginary dust off his knuckles and rubbed them on his shirt as he looked around like he was awaiting applause.

"You actually remembered his name and what he was famous for," Will was the only one who couldn't make that sound sarcastic. "Showing off that C+ years later too, good work."

Annabeth brushed her fingers fondly through his hair and couldn't wait until they got back to the surface to show him he'd actually been doing even better in his recent studies. Percy was thoroughly distracted by the attention and had no clue what happened for the next several moments.

Prometheus winced. He touched the scratches on his face. "Please, don't mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity."

"Hard to believe nobody could convince this guy to be on Zeus's side," Nico said drolly.

"I want to know if he was granted Titan hood, like, after he got off the rock, or was he one when this happened," Magnus frowned.

"You can't be granted Titan hood," Annabeth shook her head. "The Titan's are specifically children of Geae and Oranus, but Titan is applied rather broadly to a large percentage of the divine family and their offspring. The Titans are all gods but not all of the gods are Titans."

Magnus considered for a moment before deciding not to press that further. He wasn't sure he wanted a better explanation.

"But—"

"How did I get free? Hercules did that, eons ago. So you see, I have a soft spot for heroes. Some of you can be quite civilized."

"He used a terrible example," Thalia scowled. If he'd thought bringing up that half-brother would soften her up he'd been hilariously off track.

"Unlike the company you keep," I noticed.

I was looking at Ethan, but Prometheus apparently thought I meant the empousa.

"Is he blind?" Jason raised a brow.

"He certainly couldn't see his own ass fumbling this," Thalia smirked.

"Oh, demons aren't so bad," he said. "You just have to keep them well fed.

"On what?" Magnus rolled his eyes. "I doubt they take blood bank donations, or possibly subsist on cranberry juice."

"Organic free-range half-bloods," Will nodded, "it's supposedly better for them."

Now, Percy Jackson, let us parley."

"Getting piratey up in here," Alex nodded in approval. Nico grinned along and was as grateful as ever he hadn't been dogging Percy's every step. He might have had the same thoughts at the time and been much less cool about it.

"And look, here's a zombie dude, kind of," Percy rolled his eyes. "Plus the tux! This is all somehow your fault Alex, I can just feel it in my bones."*

"And I haven't received a single phone call up to this point of you complaining to me about it," she grinned. "For shame Percy, I had more faith in you."

"Trust me, won't happen again," he chuckled.

He waved me toward a picnic table and we sat down. Thalia and Grover stood behind me.

The blue giant propped his white flag against a tree and began absently playing on the playground. He stepped on the monkey bars and crushed them, but he didn't seem angry. He just frowned and said, "Uhoh."

Then he stepped in the fountain and broke the concrete bowl in half. "Uh-oh." The water froze where his foot touched it. A bunch of stuffed animals hung from his belt—the huge kind you get for grand prizes at an arcade. He reminded me of Tyson, and the idea of fighting him made me sad.

Between this and his now understandable hesitation against hell hounds, Annabeth bit her lip with worry what would have happened had Percy been lost out in the world in his amnesiac state like this. He had so many enemies who would exploit this.

Prometheus sat forward and laced his fingers. He looked earnest, kindly, and wise.

"Crud, they sent a grandpa kind of guy," Will sighed. Percy might have been in trouble falling for this.

"If he starts yammering on about fishing and polishing his teeth, I'll ditch him easy," Percy shrugged.

"Percy, your position is weak. You know you can't stop another assault."

"We'll see."

Prometheus looked pained, like he really cared what happened to me. "Percy, I'm the Titan of forethought. I know what's going to happen."

"Also the Titan of crafty counsel," Grover put in. "Emphasis on crafty."

"Well that's just not fair, having both under his banner," Magnus sighed.

"Fair? Fair!" Percy let out a pitiable laugh that word even still came out around here.

Prometheus shrugged. "True enough, satyr. But I supported the gods in the last war. I told Kronos: 'You don't have the strength. You'll lose.' And I was right. So you see, I know how to pick the winning side. This time, I'm backing Kronos."

"Eh, statistically someone had to jump sides and was only right half the time," Annabeth grumbled.

Percy looked to her nervously, but relaxed a bit to see and feel she wasn't tensing and getting to stressed about this. It helped to keep his own mood soothed every time.

"Because Zeus chained you to a rock," I guessed.

"Yeah," Nico drew that out mildly. "That moment where you can't blame them kind of annoys me."

"I power through it for my family," Will nodded sadly. He'd wandered that medical tent more than once wondering who the spy was after losing another brother, but as he'd treated the unmistakable sword wounds he couldn't help but notice he didn't recognize more kids that kept showing up and looking into their faces with the horrible thoughts of why the damage had been done more than who had done it. One to many names had gone unasked. One to many kids who hadn't been there at the start of the fight with them, but had managed to make it back home.

"Partly, yes. I won't deny I want revenge. But that's not the only reason I'm supporting Kronos. It's the wisest choice. I'm here because I thought you might listen to reason."

"The same Percy Jackson I know?" Thalia demanded, picking at her ear. "Man, this guy really came in with nothing." She was hoping by playing off her nonchalance now it would gloss over when Percy's stupid, annoying ability to pick up on her later would inevitably show itself as her last name was truly exposed.

She glanced at Jason and swallowed hard. He probably wasn't going to appreciate that.

"Must have meant my twin brother," Percy nodded his agreement with a chuckle. "Peter Jefferson, long lost kid raised by, I don't know, whoever my Roman parent is."

"Haha," Jason said dryly, but the joke still gave him an uncomfortable twinge of a headache. He tried concentrating on the feeling, knowing he shouldn't but so damn tired of only having just gotten his last name back yesterday while Percy was two days away from practically being caught up with his life.

All he got for his troubles was the vague name Shen Lun, which meant nothing to him, and starbursts behind his eyes until he gave up and looked around to see his efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.

Since he hadn't been making any noise however, they'd been sitting there quietly letting him sort himself out. It meant more than he knew how to put into words they even noticed as he shook himself and tried to move on, studying his hands in embarrassment he even had to do that, and still catching Percy's little nod of understanding.

He drew a map on the table with his finger. Wherever he touched, golden lines appeared, glowing on the concrete.

Annabeth frowned with minor annoyance how useful that must be, how he probably didn't have a document with a million undo commands in it that haunted him, or an Olympus sized trashcan worth of ideas he'd scrapped.

"This is Manhattan. We have armies here, here, here, and here. We know your numbers. We outnumber you twenty to one."

"Your spy has been keeping you posted," I guessed.

Prometheus smiled apologetically.

"Punch him in the face!" Alex looked like she was seething already she couldn't be doing that to this pompous prick. She despised false niceties, no matter how well they were dressed, and she wasn't buying a word of this as she imagined those scars around his lips.

"It was pretty tempting," Percy admitted, he was surprised the idea hadn't crossed his mind yet...and was sort of relieved the book hadn't blatantly acknowledged he'd been a little taken in with this approach. That smile reminded him to much of his mom apologizing she had to pick up an extra shift this weekend while Gabe belched in the background.

"At any rate, our forces are growing daily. Tonight, Kronos will attack. You will be overwhelmed. You've fought bravely, but there's just no way you can hold all of Manhattan. You'll be forced to retreat to the Empire State Building. There you'll be destroyed. I have seen this. It will happen."

Nobody needed Percy to fill in the gaps of Rachel's painting that sat on the edge of their mind half this battle. They'd assumed it was the wrong army. It didn't seem possible the prophetic power of a Titan and Rachel's vision could both be wrong...

I thought about the picture Rachel had drawn in my dreams—an army at the base of the Empire State Building. I remembered the words of the young girl Oracle in my dream: I foresee the future. I cannot change it. Prometheus spoke with such certainty it was hard not to believe him.

"I won't let it happen," I said.

Percy's confidence made Annabeth smile. The feeling of his arm around her that she wanted to believe she'd never lose again. The kind of feeling that made her think she'd made the right choice slamming the door in Luke's face that day, because it had all worked out.

Prometheus brushed a speck off his tux lapel. "Understand, Percy. You are refighting the Trojan War here. Patterns repeat themselves in history.

"Yeah, but Percy doesn't repeat himself," Thalia chuckled with great swagger and confidence what she'd been thinking at the time. "They can throw all the regenerating monsters they want to at us and he'll call all of them something other than ground beef I'm sure."

"Thanks Thals, couldn't have done this without you," Percy chuckled. He meant in here, this room. She'd truly been the best of friends to him.

At the time he was very grateful she actually had more restraint than he ever did, he hadn't needed that kind of distraction right now.

They reappear just as monsters do. A great siege. Two armies. The only difference is, this time you are defending. You are Troy. And you know what happened to the Trojans, don't you?"

"So you're going to cram a wooden horse into the elevator at the Empire State Building?" I asked. "Good luck."

"Aw Percy, always so thoughtful, wishing them luck on their endeavors," Will chuckled.

"I'm actually trying to imagine it and what order the Titans would get in," Alex stroked her hair back from her face with glee. "Would Kronos demand to get in first and be squashed, forcing him to get out last; or, would he get in last and be in the horse's ass to get out first?"

The others laughed, but Annabeth sighed. She didn't know what exactly they pictured, but she still saw Luke crammed into that with Titans, his eyes flashing from gold to blue and back.

Prometheus smiled. "Troy was completely destroyed, Percy. You don't want that to happen here. Stand down, and New York will be spared.

"Just New York?" Jason raised a brow skeptically. "Will he leave your island floating and go about ripping the rest of the planet and throwing it into outer space?"

"I think that might upset the moon or something, I sure wouldn't recommend it," Percy nodded like Jason had made an excellent point.

Your forces will be granted amnesty. I will personally assure your safety.

"Even if he swore it on the River Styx and his own mother I wouldn't buy that until I did a certain bridge," Magnus said. Annabeth was afraid her cousin would go blind from rolling his eyes that hard.

Let Kronos take Olympus. Who cares? Typhon will destroy the gods anyway."

"Right," I said. "And I'm supposed to believe Kronos would spare the city."

"All he wants is Olympus," Prometheus promised. "The might of the gods is tied to their seats of power. You saw what happened to Poseidon once his undersea palace was attacked."

I winced, remembering how old and decrepit my father looked.

"Mentioning that is really the way I'd plan on winning over your trust," Nico grumbled. He was hitting them where it hurt, taking them down and throwing other problems in their face. Perfect tactics to keep their focus elsewhere.

"Yes," Prometheus said sadly. "I know that was hard for you. When Kronos destroys Olympus, the gods will fade. They will become so weak they will be easily defeated. Kronos would rather do this while Typhon has the Olympians distracted in the west. Much easier. Fewer lives lost.

"Easier, yes. Fewer lives lost?" Will made a deep scathing noise. Nico nodded in complete agreement. He wasn't a walking death sensus or anything, but he also hadn't needed Percy's dreams to tell him the continental destruction that 'storm' was causing. He'd been in the Underworld watching the incoming spirits.

But make no mistake, the best you can do is slow us down. The day after tomorrow, Typhon arrives in New York, and you will have no chance at all. The gods and Mount Olympus will still be destroyed, but it will be much messier. Much, much worse for you and your city. Either way, the Titans will rule."

Thalia pounded her fist on the table. "I serve Artemis. The Hunters will fight to our last breath. Percy, you're not seriously going to listen to this slimeball, are you?"

Percy had been doing a much better job in here hiding how discouraging this little speech had been getting to him. Thalia had seen it then though, a painfully familiar look on their trek across the states when he thought no one was watching. He'd fidget with his necklace or his pen as the troubled thoughts stayed buried but his attention began diverting to all the ways this could go the worst.

I figured Prometheus was going to blast her, but he just smiled. "Your courage does you credit, Thalia Grace."

Thalia stiffened. "That's my mother's surname. I don't use it."

She sighed and met Jason's confused stare. She'd called him her little brother and meant it, but his choice to see their mother as their connection wasn't her preference. She'd never deny her last name again if that's what he wished to go by though, the one good thing Beryl had done for her life.

Thalia visibly winced she still wouldn't have gotten the chance to tell Jason at her own speed either, as he rubbed the back of his head with a crazy smile like he'd gotten a sugar rush again, hearing that out loud. He would have known. She should have remembered this exact exchange was coming much sooner and told him herself.

"Sorry," she whispered again, just for him.

"It's okay," he promised, smile dimming only a bit as he looked at her, but there all the same. It turned cheeky real quick as he threw a look at Percy. "I've already accepted he makes everyone's life chaotic, he just can't resist."

Percy gave an exaggerated sigh and huffed in his beanbag without protest. If they wanted to bond over antagonizing him, well, that was nothing new. And he was happy for them.

"As you wish," Prometheus said casually, but I could tell he'd gotten under her skin. I'd never even heard Thalia's last name before. Somehow it made her seem almost normal. Less mysterious and powerful.

"Like Beyonce," Magnus added oh so helpfully.

Thalia chuckled and popped the collar of her hoodie, making it fluff behind her like a bird's feathers before it settled back, but they could tell it was posturing. She didn't regret a word of that, she was devout to Artimes and was still struggling in her mind how to bring up the possibility she might not want to stay with her forever now as she'd once vowed...Artemis had a brother too though, surely she'd understand...

"At any rate," the Titan said, "you need not be my enemy. I have always been a helper of mankind."

"That's a load of Minotaur dung," Thalia said.

"That is one big pile of shit," Nico said.**

"And I meant every shovelful," she nodded.

"When mankind first sacrificed to the gods, you tricked them into giving you the best portion. You gave us fire to annoy the gods, not because you cared about us."

Prometheus shook his head. "You don't understand. I helped shape your nature."

Will had always taken to wanting to understand both sides of a standoff, he hoped in genuinely trying to connect where they came from he could help form a better bridge than what had nearly broken his own at camp with the Apollo and Ares strife.

This was one of those moments where he worried his kind heart would be played for a fool. He wanted to believe Prometheus had been on Kronos's side to help mediate this fight, but he also couldn't deny to himself this was just the kind of deception he'd fall for, deliberating what to do to long in the interest of what was best for everyone.

He knew the choice Percy had made and didn't begrudge him this, he just worried at himself what he would have done.

A wiggling lump of clay appeared in his hands. He fashioned it into a little doll with legs and arms.

The lump man didn't have any eyes, but it groped around the table, stumbling over Prometheus's fingers.

Alex found herself begrudgingly impressed at the display there, and very annoyed at herself for it. A quick mold to help get your point across, the inherent blindness she felt most people had of the world. Gods she wanted to see this with her own eyes and then shove it down Prometheus's throat.

"I have been whispering in man's ear since the beginning of your existence.

Magnus rubbed his ear in disgust at the idea.

I represent your curiosity, your sense of exploration, your inventiveness.

That would be all the things she loved most about humanity too, Annabeth scowled. She usually associated those things with her mother, the sense that tied into her ability to craft and build and never want to stop looking for a better way to do things.

Help me save you, Percy. Do this, and I will give mankind a new gift—a new revelation that will move you as far forward as fire did. You can't make that kind of advance under the gods. They would never allow it. But this could be a new golden age for you. Or . . ."

He made a fist and smashed the clay man into a pancake.

"Is it deep space exploration, because we're already getting there mostly on our own," Percy frowned. He still wanted the others to think he hadn't been taken in by this as much as he really had been. Like his previous wish for Annabeth was here with a white flag. A god, actually offering to help them. He'd even showed all the strings attached to it.

"I hope it's teleportation, I thought we'd be much closer to that by now," Annabeth nodded along, happily indulging the show he was putting on nobody was falling for but she fully supported.

The blue giant rumbled, "Uh-oh." Over at the park bench, the empousa bared her fangs in a smile.

"Soooooo indicative, really speaking volumes in here with so little said, except he won't shut up," Jason scowled. He was all for parlay and finding solutions without war, but would not have been surprised any word now for Percy's temper to snap and draw his sword. He'd have backed him up if he were there.

"Percy, you know the Titans and their offspring are not all bad," Prometheus said. "You've met Calypso."

"That's the example he goes with?" Will seemed in awe of this bad move. "The girl who's imprisoned and made Percy question why the gods do- no, wait. Now that I said it out loud that made sense."

"It's okay bud, I have those moments too," Percy grinned.

My face felt hot. "That's different."

"How? Much like me, she did nothing wrong, and yet she was exiled forever simply because she was Atlas's daughter. We are not your enemies. Don't let the worst happen," he pleaded. "We offer you peace."

Moments like this gave Will the conflicting feeling of wishing he could read minds. It was invasive and wrong, of course, but gods would he have used it on Prometheus to hear the real truth. Of the actual story with no myth, legend, or hype around the facts of what happened to Calypso, and indeed anyone accused of a crime.

I looked at Ethan Nakamura. "You must hate this."

Nico was still personally shocked Percy hadn't ripped out his vocal cords yet to let him speak again at all. It's not like that would kill him, but there was a chance the ambrosia wouldn't heal that so much as just keep him alive without regrowing something vital to life...

"I don't know what you mean."

"If we took this deal, you wouldn't get revenge. You wouldn't get to kill us all. Isn't that what you want?"

Magnus's mind spun back to that first time Percy had met him though. He'd never actually said why he was trying to join Luke's side, he'd been very unfriendly to the guys saving his life, and apparently just run right back to the people who would have cheered while he died.

There was a tiny grain of admirability to someone willing to die for their cause, but that kind of half-blind dedication had nearly gotten Annabeth killed so it made this more pitiable no matter what his real reasoning behind all this.

His good eye flared.

"Nobody assumed the bad one shot fireworks out Percy," Alex said in the kind of way where she might have been hoping it did though.

"All I want is respect, Jackson. The gods never gave me that. You wanted me to go to your stupid camp, spend my time crammed into the Hermes cabin because I'm not important? Not even recognized?"

Nico could own one very solid fact about his good standing on Percy's side, and it was that he'd never been tempted to join Luke's side.

He couldn't stop a little sigh of unease though there was a real chance it was just because he'd never had a conversation with the guy. If Luke had ever tried to win him over with this speech though? The exact grievance he still had to this day about recognition for living outside of the 'main gods.' Not to mention his stellar inability to pick up on who was untrustworthy.

Yeah, odds weren't in his favor.

He sounded just like Luke when he'd tried to kill me in the woods at camp four years ago. The memory made my hand ache where the pit scorpion had stung me.

Percy flexed his hand now and looked down at his smooth palm, finally with the understanding of it all. The betrayal and horror of someone he'd thought of as a friend doing this to him never had visible scars he was still having trouble making sense of.

"Your mom's the goddess of revenge," I told Ethan. "We should respect that?"

Jason glanced at Percy and pursed up his lips without saying anything. He'd had a growing sense lately that he might sympathize with someone like Ethan a lot more than he'd ever have admitted to himself until he had nothing else to reflect on. He knew Percy didn't mean it so harshly in never acknowledging such gods who weren't all awesome and stood for pizza shouldn't ever be spoken of, but Percy had only spent a few days in the Hermes cabin before he was hoisted into the great light of being a child of the Big Three.

Somewhere in the recesses of his thoughts, memories Jason could do no more than follow on instinct, he knew he had always lived a similar way...and he was starting to wonder how much he'd resent going back to it.

"Nemesis stands for balance! When people have too much good luck, she tears them down."

"Which is why she took your eye?"

"It was payment," he growled. "In exchange, she swore to me that one day I would tip the balance of power. I would bring the minor gods respect. An eye was a small price to pay."

Thalia swallowed the snide comment it had cost him much more than that. The fool had died in the end. His payment had cost him everything...but she gave a small, proud smile to Percy he had gotten his reward in the end too. His mother had kept her word.

"Great mom."

"Percy would know," Annabeth said sullenly. She might not have been there, but she imagined the inflection in Ethan's voice a little to perfectly. The balance of respect and fear in your godly parent expecting all of that from their child.

"At least she keeps her word, unlike the Olympians. She always pays her debts—good or evil."

"Yeah," I said. "So I saved your life, and you repaid me by raising Kronos. That's fair."

Annabeth had the most mixed feelings about that in history, but the logical part of her did understand it in the greater scheme of the Fates. This had to happen eventually, the Great Prophecy ordained it. If it wasn't her Luke and Percy, it would have been someone else's family torn apart by this war just as had happened to the Trojans before. Nemises had played a part in this just as Posideon had against tipping the scales against Typhoon.

But gods the cost felt like she'd been strung into a spiderweb she'd never been able to escape from as she still sat pinned in place by it all.

Ethan grabbed the hilt of his sword, but Prometheus stopped him.

"Now, now," the Titan said. "We're on a diplomatic mission."

"Good of him to remember that," Nico grumbled. It wouldn't have gone well for them otherwise, considering Percy could have blasted them all to Australia whenever he wanted.

Prometheus studied me as if trying to understand my anger. Then he nodded like he'd just picked a thought from my brain.

Percy looked newly frustrated at somebody trying to pick apart his anger. Never in his history had he ever felt better by somebody telling him to calm down. He could be distracted from it, he could redirect it where it needed to go, sometimes he even managed when one of his friends reminded him he was going to far to reign it in, but none of that usually helped the initial problem.

Prometheus annoyingly reminded him of Chiron right then. The kind of adult who'd ever bothered to take the time to understand why he was angry and how best to solve the problem that didn't involve throwing textbooks.

"It bothers you what happened to Luke," he decided. "Hestia didn't show you the full story. Perhaps if you understood . . ."

The Titan reached out.

Thalia cried a warning, but before I could react, Prometheus's index finger touched my forehead.

Alex sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in deep frustration. Gods if that wasn't the perfect display of the god's arrogance! Hestia had shown Percy the part of the memory she'd felt was important, now Prometheus was doing the same. Nobody had stopped to ask Percy if he wanted these memories beamed into his head!

Suddenly I was back in May Castellan's living room. Candles flickered on the fireplace mantel, reflected in the mirrors along the walls. Through the kitchen doorway I could see Thalia sitting at the table while Ms. Castellan bandaged her wounded leg. Seven-year-old Annabeth sat next to her, playing with a Medusa beanbag toy.

It had apparently been one of her better days, Thalia grimaced with distaste at the vivid memory of how strongly she'd smelled like burnt cookies. She'd rambled on about being a traveling nurse and all the baby stories about Luke seamlessly, which was how she'd caught Hermes' attention and looked right at Thalia with actual coherence in her blue eyes the entire time, which had freaked Thalia out nearly as much as if they'd turned green. An adult caring about her well-being had never happened before.

The home had been a first for Annabeth too. The first time she'd ever been given such an awesome toy to play with, the kind that had lore behind it and she could imagine defeating all by herself one day. Oh she had no idea, she snorted now at the improbable foreshadowing. Luke's mom hadn't once muttered under her breath about any trouble she might cause or even frowned in her direction. Only smiled as she asked if she wanted another cookie, not one of her half-brothers.

Granted, the cookie had been burnt, and she could feel the unease in the room. It hadn't been a warm, welcoming place. She preferred sleeping in their laps every night by a mile.

Hermes and Luke stood apart in the living room.

The god's face looked liquid in the candlelight, like he couldn't decide what shape to adopt. He was dressed in a navy blue jogging outfit with winged Reeboks.

Jason managed an awkward grin. Some part of him finally liked that description, this distance. The fear and vastness of not conforming to one mold with this rare appearance to one of the legions- his brain hard glitched back to what he was actually saying as he shook his head at what he'd spoken rather than what his brain kept expecting to hear.

"Why show yourself now?" Luke demanded. His shoulders were tense, as if he expected a fight.

Percy managed the awkwardest of smiles, the pithy comment floating to mind of how he wasn't the only one ready and willing to take on the gods, but he restrained himself. He hated when others compared him to Luke, he certainly wasn't going to do it himself.

"All these years I've been calling to you, praying you'd show up, and nothing. You left me with her." He pointed toward the kitchen like he couldn't bear to look at his mother, much less say her name.

Thalia knew that feeling all to well. She'd never even said her mother's name out loud since she came out of that tree, she hated her too deeply.

Percy just kept blinking slowly, not able to understand a word. She envied that look of confusion and sorrow on his face as he caught a glimpse of this broken family while he'd fought for his own.

"Luke, do not dishonor her," Hermes warned. "Your mother did the best she could.

The worst part was, Alex believed that. She'd been mentally incapable of handling that child, no true 'fault' at her feet except a broken system that had given her no support. She wasn't a bad person, she just hadn't been a good mother. Something Adrian had once said of his own mother never able to side with him over his father now bleeding into her ears she wished she could shake loose.

As for me, I could not interfere with your path. The children of the gods must find their own way."

If he meant that as some kind of explanation, it was a tired one, Will sighed. He'd heard that around Camp from the older kids, the ones that didn't live very long after passing such wisdom on. He heard it from Chiron, every time another kid went missing. He didn't know when exactly he'd grown numb to hearing that and accepted it as fact himself, but knowing now it had been the root of all Luke's grievance and the start to a war costing him both his brothers, it sounded as flimsy as the first time all over again.

"So it was for my own good. Growing up on the streets, fending for myself, fighting monsters."

"You're my son," Hermes said. "I knew you had the ability. When I was only a baby, I crawled from my cradle and set out for—"

Magnus looked like he was going to be sick. That was his response to his son growing up on the streets fighting monsters?! That he'd been able to do a bunch of stuff as a god!?

He'd preferred his ignorant bubble where Hermes had just, never known or bothered to keep track of this particular son. Indifference was something Magnus knew every day.

Instead, he'd long since learned there were two kinds of parents. The kind that had been through it and didn't want their kids to suffer the same, and the kind that expected their kids to go through exactly the same to know their pain. The second were nearly always the ones he met. His mom made him a rare exception on the streets of Boston.

"I'm not a god! Just once, you could've said something. You could've helped when"—he took an unsteady breath, lowering his voice so no one in the kitchen could overhear—"when she was having one of her fits, shaking me and saying crazy things about my fate. When I used to hide in the closet so she wouldn't find me with those . . . those glowing eyes. Did you even care that I was scared? Did you even know when I finally ran away?"

Nico never would have expected his dysfunctional relationship with his dad would ever sound better than any of the other kids at Camp, but man was he stunned to be wrong right now. Hades had been a vague yet constant presence in his life, disapproving, harsh, unloving, but at least noticed what he was doing the majority of the time. He'd even let slip once about who Minos's replacement had been when he went on sabbatical, which had given Nico the suspicion he not only knew he left his post but where he'd been while that was happening.

The fact that Luke, pre cursor to Kronos, face of all evil, had asked that with all his heart at the same age Nico was now, sat strangely in his mind.

In the kitchen, Ms. Castellan chattered aimlessly, pouring Kool-Aid for Thalia and Annabeth as she told them stories about Luke as a baby.

The parallels between that and their car ride with Ms. Jackson had not been lost on either girl as Percy had sat red-faced and miserable up that snowy mountain, as they exchanged looks now. Annabeth might have been to young to take in the full scope of that situation back then, but the tone of Sally's voice as she'd joyfully spoken with love of her son had risen that memory from the ashes.

Thalia rubbed her bandaged leg nervously. Annabeth glanced into the living room and held up a burned cookie for Luke to see. She mouthed, Can we go now?

"Luke, I care very much," Hermes said slowly, "but gods must not interfere directly in mortal affairs. It is one of our Ancient Laws.

The flash of anger that burned through Percy surprised him. It wasn't the usual kind where he'd cuss out the gods and call them all cowards for using this as a scapegoat to ignore their kids.

No, it was the kind he used to turn his enemies into dust and walk towards his next challenge. Something about this anger had a resolution buried in his mind he couldn't wait to find the source of.

Especially when your destiny . . ." His voice trailed off. He stared at the candles as if remembering something unpleasant.

"Something to do with the fire of the library of Alexandria? Or that time Notre Dame was on fire- no, wait, that one was a movie," Alex shook her head at herself. "No wait, yes it did happen! Crap, I'm getting my stuff mixed up."

"We might need another break after this one," Magnus agreed. They all felt like they were being punched by the god of emotion every new moment of Percy's life lately.

"What?" Luke asked. "What about my destiny?"

"You should not have come back," Hermes muttered. "It only upsets you both. However, I see now that you are getting too old to be on the run without help.

"I need the godly version of CPS so bad right now," Jason muttered under his breath. He was pretty confident he hadn't had the best childhood either, but somehow a godly parent acknowledging their child was getting to old to live on the streets and it wasn't cute anymore to see him struggling was a layer of insulting that burned painfully to hear he might have felt a little to personally.

I'll speak with Chiron at Camp Half-Blood and ask him to send a satyr to collect you."

"Teleport him there!" Percy stormed like he hadn't been able to do strapped into this in his own head. "He's the god of travels! If any of them could get away with that, it would be him!"

Annabeth didn't have the heart to shush him as a reminder, to promise him it would all be okay because it hadn't been, to do anything but bite back a sob and rest against his side once more. Percy being angry on Luke's behalf, to understand him as she did and be on his side was what she'd always wanted. Of course the twisted way she'd been given this was at the lowest of moments in his life.

"We're doing fine without your help," Luke growled. "Now, what were you saying about my destiny?"

The wings on Hermes's Reeboks fluttered restlessly. He studied his son like he was trying to memorize his face, and suddenly a cold feeling washed through me. I realized Hermes knew what May Castellan's mutterings meant. I wasn't sure how, but looking at his face I was absolutely certain. Hermes understood what would happen to Luke someday, how he would turn evil.

The gods having the slight power of foresight was not news, but to hear it so specifically on this of all half-bloods shook them. Maybe Hermes was the secret traitor to Camp all along and he wanted this all to come about, the downfall of his own brethren. Alex didn't know the how or why, but she'd instantly believe it as easily as Hades sitting back and doing nothing for them as well.

"Could, Hermes have even done anything to stop this?" Magnus asked quietly, haltingly, like he was whispering at someone's funeral. "When the big three swore off having kids, that obviously didn't stop the prophecy. Even if Hermes does know..." he trailed off uncomfortably. Hermes hadn't struck him as arrogant enough to change it, just resigned.

"I don't know," Annabeth murmured back, her voice just as hoarse. The kind of question she'd wanted to lob in his face when he'd kissed his son's forehead goodbye, when he couldn't even convince Luke he had loved him. Would any of it have made a difference? Would it have just made the whole thing worse as Luke slipped away anyways?

"My son," he said, "I'm the god of travelers, the god of loads. If I know anything, I know that you must walk your own path, even though it tears my heart."

"You don't love me."

Alex shook her head slowly at how miserable a feeling that was, to say it and believe it right to your parent's face. She didn't know if Hermes was going to deny it, but she knew Luke wouldn't believe him.

"I promise I . . . I do love you.

Jason wished that the hesitation in his voice had been because of him, because he had no clear idea how to say that to someone and mean it. He knew he loved his sister, but even that was clouded with frustration.

He wasn't going to stop and show the book around with pride it was clearly Hermes hesitating over those words. To fathom why was too deep.

Go to camp. I will see that you get a quest soon. Perhaps you can defeat the Hydra, or steal the apples of Hesperides. You will get a chance to be a great hero before . . ."

"Before what?" Luke's voice was trembling now.

A useless quest that he'd loathed from start to finish, Annabeth's lip was trembling with unshed tears now. A moment of triumph as he'd come back throwing the apple into the lake and storming into his cabin and locking it with blood still seeping from the bandages like a scarlet beacon. He'd never taken a moment to bask in his victory with them, her, and after he'd shouted at Chiron what had happened two days later when he'd finally come out nobody had ever spoken of it again.

He'd gone quiet, after that. The Stolls had promised her he was actually sleeping again. The root of that change hadn't even crossed her mind until it was far to late.

Had Kronos been whispering to him along his path, like he had Percy? Lying to him that nothing he did mattered, that everyone would forget about him and betray him?

"What did my mom see that made her like this? What's going to happen to me? If you love me, tell me."

Love wasn't supposed to be conditional, some part of Magnus wanted to scold Luke for this. But frankly, this entire dysfunctional family just needed to stay far away from each other. Maybe if Hermes had never been there for Luke to confront all of his hateful feelings out, Kronos never would have had any solid proof to drag Luke in.

Hermes's expression tightened. "I cannot."

"Then you don't care!" Luke yelled.

"I do wonder if it was another ancient shit law that made Hermes decide that, or even better, if he'd known that was what Luke was going to say no matter what he said and he just bulldozed into it," Alex sounded so scathing, like that Medusa toy had been laughing in the background.

Nobody had a response for her, though Magnus looked at her like he was admiring she was nuts as usual.

In the kitchen, the talking died abruptly.

"Luke?" May Castellan called. "Is that you? Is my boy all right?"

Luke turned to hide his face, but I could see the tears in his eyes.

Did she ask that every time she came out of one of her fits? Had she ever been in the right mental capacity to ask that? Nobody would ever know the answer to that except for Luke.

"I'm fine. I have a new family. I don't need either of you."

A part of Nico was vaguely surprised not to hear, 'I don't need any of you,' but he knew it was because his brain kept trying to fast-track to this moment, where Luke had made that look on Thalia and Annabeth's face something nobody ever wanted to see. The heartbreak, the failure, the rejection he'd soon leave them with too.

"I'm your father," Hermes insisted.

"A father is supposed to be around. I've never even met you. Thalia, Annabeth, come on! We're leaving!"

"My boy, don't go!" May Castellan called after him. "I have your lunch ready!"

Luke stormed out the door, Thalia and Annabeth scrambling after him. May Castellan tried to follow, but Hermes held her back.

The only decent thing he'd ever done for his son, Percy scowled. The same god that had once lashed out at Annabeth for never doing enough to stop Luke, would have to finally admit to his face when he next confronted him that he hadn't forced Luke to stay and talk this through.

As the screen door slammed, May collapsed in Hermes's arms and began to shake. Her eyes opened—glowing green—and she clutched desperately at Hermes's shoulders.

"My son," she hissed in a dry voice. "Danger. Terrible fate!"

"I know, my love," Hermes said sadly. "Believe me, I know."

The image faded.

A part of Annabeth wanted to yell at Percy for having seen that. Wanted to erase this from his mind again because at least then she could burn these books with a clear conscience so no record of this would ever have to exist and she could go back and tell her own mind it had just been a bad dream. Gods, the part of her that had hated Percy, been afraid that Percy cared about everyone but her were really trying to drown her today.

Prometheus pulled his hand away from my forehead.

"Percy?" Thalia asked. "What . . . what was that?"

I realized I was clammy with sweat.

"That, was a dam mess," Thalia said darkly.

Percy felt drunk as he started laughing, and couldn't make himself stop for a long time. Gods their life felt like one mess right after the other, and the gods were at the center of all of it, every time. The good and the bad.

Prometheus nodded sympathetically. "Appalling, isn't it? The gods know what is to come, and yet they do nothing, even for their children. How long did it take for them to tell you your prophecy, Percy Jackson? Don't you think your father knows what will happen to you?"

Percy did what he always had, looked to Annabeth for the answer.

She just looked back at him, her deep gray eyes had finally let the tears fall, a pattern on his shirt he hadn't noticed. She thought the answer was yes.

I was too stunned to answer.

"Perrrcy," Grover warned, "he's playing with your mind. Trying to make you angry."

Grover could read emotions, so he probably knew Prometheus was succeeding.

Alex had always admired Percy's anger and the way he used it to such great effect. She wished he'd use that anger now to break Promehteus's nose. She knew it wouldn't have any long-term effects, it would just make her feel better.

Thalia hadn't needed an emotional reader-satyr-empathy link to tell her that. She'd been furious right along with Percy. This Titan was lucky he hadn't shown up wearing a top hat because she wouldn't have been able to decide where to shove it and probably settled for all of the holes.

"Do you really blame your friend Luke?" the Titan asked me. "And what about you, Percy? Will you be controlled by your fate? Kronos offers you a much better deal."

I clenched my fists. As much as I hated what Prometheus had shown me, I hated Kronos a lot more.

"Hmm, yes, prioritizing your anger in order of importance. I'm going to remember this next time one of you mocks me for making lists of pro's and con's on a situation," Jason nodded emperically.

"I won't even turn it into spitballs this time," Percy nodded.

"I'll give you a deal. Tell Kronos to call off his attack, leave Luke Castellan's body, and return to the pits of Tartarus. Then maybe I won't have to destroy him."

Annabeth jerked upright to look him in the eyes so fast he'd be spitting her hair out of his mouth for weeks. He was pretty sure a few strands had flossed his teeth.

"You-" her voice broke, but she was smiling at him with such a tender expression of joy he really didn't care.

"Yeah, of course I asked," he shrugged like it was nothing. Like the thought would never not cross his mind to just tell Kronos to jump back into Tartarus no matter what form he was in.

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek and hugged him so tight that the only thought running through his head was which god he should tell to get out of so-in-so's body next.

The empousa snarled. Her hair erupted in fresh flames, but Prometheus just sighed.

"If you change your mind," he said, "I have a gift for you."

"Burn it," Magnus said at once. His mind at once on Hermes's gifts. They had been helpful...but now he was questioning all over again everything Hermes had done that might have just been a way to push Luke further down the path he was on faster, sending Percy along with the message the god himself admitted would do no good!

A Greek vase appeared on the table. It was about three feet high and a foot wide, glazed with blackand-white geometric designs. The ceramic lid was fastened with a leather harness.

Grover whimpered when he saw it.

"Geometric designs can be very intimidating if you're not accustomed to seeing them," Thalia nodded in mock understanding. Her blood had chilled to the bone when she'd seen it too.

Thalia gasped. "That's not—"

"Yes," Prometheus said. "You recognize it."

Looking at the jar, I felt a strange sense of fear, but I had no idea why.

"This belonged to my sister-in-law," Prometheus explained. "Pandora."

"The, music streaming service god-"

"Nope, just stop," Percy shook his head. "Even I know this one Alex."

"Darn," she sighed, always a lost moment when she couldn't laugh with Percy about which Greek myth he forgot this time.

A lump formed in my throat. "As in Pandora's box?"

Prometheus shook his head. "I don't know how this box business got started. It was never a box. It was a pithos, a storage jar. I suppose Pandora's pithos doesn't have the same ring to it,

"I entirely disagree!" Annabeth sniffed. "Pandora's Pithos has an excellent ring to it, and it's historically accurate, and-"

Percy kissed her temple and patted her arm, causing her to release a grumpy sigh but file that one away for later on a PowerPoint she'd force the rest of the camp to sit through.

but never mind that. Yes, she did open this jar, which contained most of the demons that now haunt mankind—fear, death, hunger, sickness."

"Don't forget me," the empousa purred.

"Indeed," Prometheus conceded. "The first empousa was also trapped in this jar, released by Pandora.

"Great, real awesome lady, I think I preferred whatever music god Alex was fixing to create," Magnus sighed.

"Music streaming lady," Alex said, "she'd never dare overtake Apollo of course, but with the right offering, she gives you the best playlist for any situation-"

"Alex," Thalia groaned.

"Fine," she huffed.

But what I find curious about the story—Pandora always gets the blame. She is punished for being curious. The gods would have you believe that this is the lesson: mankind should not explore. They should not ask questions. They should do what they are told. In truth, Percy, this jar was a trap designed by Zeus and the other gods. It was revenge on me and my entire family—my poor simple brother Epimetheus and his wife Pandora. The gods knew she would open the jar. They were willing to punish the entire race of humanity along with us."

"I'm getting, Eve bit the apple and we're ashamed of being naked vibes from this," Magnus admitted.

"Doesn't surprise me, most religions have several cross-overs. Apple, phythos, snake, Kronos, minor details," Percy nodded in agreement while Annabeth gave him an aggrieved look for calling all that a minor detail.

I thought about my dream of Hades and Maria di Angelo. Zeus had destroyed an entire hotel to eliminate two demigod children—just to save his own skin, because he was scared of a prophecy. He'd killed an innocent woman and probably hadn't lost any sleep over it. Hades was no better. He wasn't powerful enough to take his revenge on Zeus, so he cursed the Oracle, dooming a young girl to a horrible fate. And Hermes . . . why had he abandoned Luke? Why hadn't he at least warned Luke, or tried to raise him better so he wouldn't turn evil?

Maybe Prometheus was toying with my mind.

Prometheus didn't have to make up any of that stuff though. The worst lies were wrapped around truths, the seeds of doubt and strife ready to bloom. Will swallowed stubbornly though Percy had made the right choice.

Anybody could be shown at their worst if all that was shown was one side of Jason's list.

But what if he's right? part of me wondered. How are the gods any better than the Titans?

"The Titans don't have the classy ability to turn people into animals though, from what I've heard," Alex said as if this were a very important distinction. Somehow in the god's favor. Whatever floated her boat.

Prometheus tapped the lid of Pandora's jar. "Only one spirit remained inside when Pandora opened it."

"Hope," I said.

"C+," Percy mock whispered again with pride, but there was no enthusiasm in the brag as usual. Gods it had been a lifetime ago since he'd sat at that desk and pummeled his brain to remember any of the studying he'd tried to soak in the night before. When Mrs. Dodd's trying to kill him had been his biggest worry in life.

Not holding all of humanity's hope in a pithos!

Prometheus looked pleased. "Very good, Percy. Elpis, the Spirit of Hope, would not abandon humanity. Hope does not leave without being given permission. She can only be released by a child of man."

The Titan slid the jar across the table.

"I give you this as a reminder of what the gods are like," he said.

"The gods have never turned themselves into a jar," Will said blithely. "My dad would never be a geometric pattern! Bubbles, maybe, or a rainbow, but never that."

"You keep that cheer alive Will, someone has to," Jason chuckled.

"Keep Elpis, if you wish. But if you decide that you have seen enough destruction, enough futile suffering, then open the jar. Let Elpis go. Give up Hope, and I will know that you are surrendering. I promise Kronos will be lenient. He will spare the survivors."

The survivors, Percy was still scowling. Like they would experience some unique horror that would go down in history books.

Instead of Kronos waiting twenty-four hours to fulfill his promise of letting them live and then hunt them for sport out of boredom.

I stared at the jar and got a very bad feeling. I figured Pandora had been completely ADHD, like me. I could never leave things alone. I didn't like temptation. What if this was my choice? Maybe the prophecy all came down to my keeping this jar closed or opening it.

"At least you know there aren't pickles inside," Alex offered.

"I'm over here worried Percy's just going to, like, start picking at it," Magnus sighed. "He's going to push the edge of the lid to see how sturdy it is, and then rotate it, and scrape against that leather until it's worn thin, and just keep pushing his luck until, whoops, it fell off."

Percy rubbed the back of his neck without denying a word of that being a very plausible thing to happen.

"I don't want the thing," I growled.

"Too late," Prometheus said. "The gift is given. It cannot be taken back."

"Well it's not my fault he didn't keep the receipt!" Percy huffed.

"Talk about a regift," Nico agreed.

He stood. The empousa came forward and slipped her arm through his.

"Morrain!" Prometheus called to the blue giant. "We are leaving. Get your flag."

"Uh-oh," the giant said.

"Third time's the charm," Jason muttered with no self-restraint.

"I liked it better when you were counting old ladies," Percy sighed.

"We will see you soon, Percy Jackson," Prometheus promised. "One way or another."

Ethan Nakamura gave me one last hateful look. Then the truce party turned and strolled up the lane through Central Park, like it was just a regular sunny Sunday afternoon.

Percy's blood was still boiling at that exchange. He'd envisioned in his mind throwing Riptide at their exposed backs, at storming after them to get this over with Kronos already, to chuck that stupid pithos into the nearest manhole.

He'd done none of that as he felt Thalia and Grover exchange a look behind him, and all he'd wanted to do was hurry back to Annabeth's side for what little time they might have left.

PJOPJOPJOPJO

*Prometheus's smooth-talking does remind me of Loki, the basis of this joke

**No Nico has not seen Jurassic Park, yet, but you bet your drachma Will's going to show that to him after they're done binging Star Wars and Marvel, and he's going to love it all

[twoidiotwriters1]

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: Your honor I love this man -Danny Words: 2,001 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Safe and Sound' -by Graham Colton

LV: I've Had a Vision (I'm Delusional)

"That thing is really red," Percy comments once they get upstairs. "I wonder if it's cherry-flavored."

"Why don't you swim over and find out?" Annabeth smirks.

"How about no."

"Get married already." Ara snorts and turns to Frank. "So what did you find out?"

"According to my Pylos cousins," he starts, "the chained god we're looking for in Sparta is my dad... uh, I mean Ares, not Mars. Apparently, the Spartans kept a statue of him chained up in their city so the spirit of war would never leave them."

"Oo-kay," Leo places an arm around Ara's waist. "The Spartans were freaks. Of course, we've got Victory tied up downstairs, so I guess we can't talk."

"The Spartans were quite vicious when it came to how they trained their warriors—I wouldn't be surprised if they thought chaining Ares was like, saying they had the upper hand in battle," Ara comments.

Jason leans on the railing and winces. "On to Sparta, then. But how does a chained god's heartbeat help us find a cure for dying?"

"Piper said something about visions in her blade," Hazel mentions. Everyone turns to the girl, but she's scowling at Jason's injury, not listening to their conversation. "Piper?" Hazel repeats.

"Sorry, what?"

"I was asking you about the visions. You told me you'd seen some stuff in your dagger blade?"

"Uh... right." Piper brings out the blade. Everyone throws nervous glances at Ara, and that doesn't feel endearing in the least. "I, um... I don't see anything right now. But one vision kept popping up. Annabeth, Ara, and I are exploring some ruins—"

"Ruins!" Leo pipes in, letting go of Ara and rubbing his hands like a fly. "Now we're talking. How many ruins can there be in Greece?"

"Quiet, Leo," Annabeth scolds him. "Piper, do you think it was Sparta?"

"Maybe. Anyway... suddenly we're in this dark place like a cave. We're staring at this bronze warrior statue. In the vision I touch the statue's face and flames start swirling around us. That's all I saw."

"Flames." Frank makes a face. "I don't like that vision."

"Me neither," Percy mumbles, eyes on the sea serpent. "If the statue engulfs people in fire, we should send Leo."

"I love you too, man." He scoffs. "I didn't keep the Polaroid, you know? No need to threaten me."

"You know what I mean. You're immune. Or, heck, give me some of those nice water grenades Ara designed and I'll go. Ares and I have tangled before."

Ara clicks her tongue and shakes her head, deep in thought. "No one said we had to fight him, you bubble-head. For all we know he might need saving..."

"Does Ares sound like a helpless god to you?"

"It does when he's chained," Ara argues.

"If Piper saw us three going after the statue, then that's who should go," Annabeth stops their bickering. "We'll be all right. There's always a way to survive."

"Not always," Hazel reminds them.

"Gee, guys, we can't all be depressed!" Ara scolds them with sarcasm. "Mom said it's my turn with the saddies!"

"I'm the one that's dying," Leo retorts in the same way.

"Which reminds me," Frank shows them the vial of poison. "What about this stuff? After the House of Hades, I kind of hoped we were done drinking poison."

"That's just one ingredient," Ara shrugs. "We might get to mix it with, dunno, some cherry-flavored coke?" She smirks at Percy. "You know, in the past, some people used to consume poison in small amounts to build resistance to it. Maybe it's the same."

Everyone turns to Annabeth and she shrugs. "Do I look like I'd know that sort of useless info? Ara's the one with the weird death interests."

"Don't worry guys, I'll figure it out," she smiles at the group.

"Not by testing it," Percy argues.

"I'll read a book."

"You can read?"

Ara reaches to punch him and Frank steps in to keep them away from each other.

"Store the poison securely in the hold," Annabeth continues while the siblings bicker. "For now, that's all we can do. Once we figure out this chained god situation, we'll head to the island of Delos."

"The curse of Delos," Hazel sighs. "That sounds fun."

"Hopefully Apollo will be there," Annabeth keeps talking still deep in thought. "Delos was his home island. He's the god of medicine. He should be able to advise us."

"I volunteer for that quest too," Ara says, trying to sound casual.

Leo immediately protests. "No way!"

"What? You can't stop me from looking at my favorite god from up close!"

"No, I agree with Leo on this one, you should stay here," Percy teases her. "Unless you still want to become her muse?"

Leo looks at her with worry. "You're not a kid anymore, what if he tries to woo you?"

"That's not why I'm going!" Ara blushes. "Listen, he still thinks I'm his biggest fan, right? If I ask him to help, give a few compliments, I bet he'll cave easier."

"Something tells me he'll cave to more than that," Leo mutters and Percy nods dramatically.

"We're derailing!" Ara huffs, getting redder.

The sea serpent blows out steam, distracting her brother. "Cherry has figured out we're not a dragon. Maybe we should take to the air for a while?"

"Airborne it is! Festus, do the honors!" As the ship rises, Leo checks out the monitors. "We should reach Sparta by morning—And remember to come by the mess hall tonight, folks, 'cause Chef Leo is making his famous three-alarm tofu tacos!"

Everyone scatters and Ara leans on the control board, nudging Leo's side. "You're not really that worried about Apollo, right?"

"Why would I? You're just like, madly in love with him since always," he punches buttons with unnecessary force.

Ara sighs. "You've been touchy today," she gently grabs his shoulder. "Please, tell me what's bothering you."

Leo looks up at her with annoyance. "What is your problem, huh? Isn't it enough to have me wrapped around your finger, you have to know every thought that crosses my mind?"

Ara holds back a grin. "I'm sorry... It's just that I, like Piper, had a vision. Except my vision is more like female intuition rooted in the fact that I'm in love with you and can tell when you're unhappy."

Leo turns away to operate the Archimedes Sphere. "Nothing important..." he mumbles, but Ara hears it.

"Hey, none of that," she frowns, circling his frame to face him. "You know better." The boy seems in a terrible mood, and Ara knows she's running out of time to fix things between them. "How about a spa night after dinner?"

Silence.

"Just the two of us?" He mumbles something in response, staring at the monitors with a pout. Ara smiles. "And you can stay the whole night."

"You had me at spa night, doll," he looks up with a sort of enthusiastic grin that lacks his usual energy. "Thank you."

Ara kisses his forehead gently. "It's your turn to lean on me."

Despite having a fun night with Leo, she still didn't get much sleep. Her eyes open at four in the morning and after that, she can't stop the noise in her head, so she slips out of Leo's embrace and makes her way to the showers.

Ara can be extremely tired before bed and still wake up too early to be considered a healthy rest. Most times she's lucky enough to not feel tired throughout the day, but this morning is not one of those. Her eyes feel puffy even after the shower, her head hurts, and as she watches Leo's peaceful expression pressed against her pillow, she has to suppress the urge to throw a hairbrush at him out of envy—and also because he was the reason why she stayed up so late.

No one is awake, so she eats alone in the Mess Hall, then spends an hour dozing off on the table trying to review their trajectory, jumping out of her seat every time something creaks or her muscles spasm. She considers going back and cuddling up against Leo but then he walks in, hair all over the place and eyes sleepy.

"You abandoned me."

"I couldn't sleep," she grumbles. "I feel like crap and it's all your fault."

Leo walks past her and gives her a light kiss, sniffing the top of her head. "At least you don't smell like it," he jokes, still having that sleepy voice Ara loves to hear.

He hands her a cup of dark coffee. Leo doesn't like it but Ara does, and even though a normal cup does nothing for her, a heavily charged espresso makes her brain jumpstart better than most things.

Leo sits down and grabs a bag of Fonzies, but Ara takes it away and places an apple in his hand instead. "You know," he moves his chair to face her, taking a bite from the fruit. "You do this to me a lot. I wake up and you're gone."

Ara takes a sip of her coffee and grimaces, then coughs a little. "Not on purpose. I don't know, maybe my body isn't used to sharing small beds," she suggests, rubbing her eyes.

"So your body doesn't want me near?" Ara glares at him but then realizes he's smirking. "Just teasing, sunshine," he bites the apple and winks at her, leaving his seat. "Finish your coffee, I'll check how long 'til we get to Sparta."

Ara wants to kill Percy after he explodes all the pipes in the Argo II—she also gets a little bit anxious after hearing Piper's dream, but spending a whole afternoon smelling like a toilet after his whoopsie isn't fun, so Leo takes the boy downstairs to repair the water system as punishment.

Once on the ground, and after walking for like half an hour, Piper and Annabeth find some ominous holes and conclude that they must jump in them, so the day is officially ruined. 

Ara stifles a yawn. "Am I allowed to jump in first or am I still not reliable?"

"They weren't doing this before..." Annabeth approaches the pits and examines them, her eyes are still puffy from the crisis she had five minutes ago. 

Ara doesn't want to think too much about it, but the older girl told them about that scary moment when Percy tortured the goddess of Misery, and Ara isn't surprised, her brother has shown before he's very capable of being callous, but Annabeth hasn't been paying as much attention to that side of Percy as Ara has.

"There doesn't seem to be any pattern. The timing, the color, the height of the fire... I don't get it."

"Did we activate them somehow?" Piper stands next to Ara. "Maybe that surge of fear you felt on the hill... Uh, I mean we all felt."

"All I feel is tired," Ara mumbles, yawning again.

"There must be some kind of mechanism..." Annabeth insists. "A pressure plate, a proximity alarm."

Ara shakes her head. "Don't feel any of that. Just steam and fire coming out at random moments. Could be some kind of uh..." She waves a hand vaguely. "Nature stuff."

"No." Piper glares at one of the geysers. "It's none of that, it's emotional."

"How can fire pits be emotional?" Annabeth asks with annoyance.

Piper reaches out with her hand over the hole, then retreats when a bunch of flames comes out of it. "Piper!" Annabeth yanks both girls back. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I was feeling. What we want is down there," Piper gets to work. "These pits are the way in. I'll have to jump."

"Are you crazy? Even if you don't get stuck in the tube, you have no idea how deep it is."

"You're right."

"You'll be burned alive!"

"Possibly." Piper takes off her sword and throws it into the pit. "I'll let you know if it's safe. Wait for my word."

"Ara!" Annabeth turns to her scowling. "Tell her something!"

"I mean, if you die, Jason will let himself die too so he can be with you," Ara shrugs and rubs her eyes. "However you feel about that, act accordingly." Piper gives her a dry laugh, and then she jumps. A few seconds later, enormous flames come out, and Ara winces. "Damn, maybe she wants him dead..."

Annabeth's voice trembles. "Piper?"

"Yeah!" The girl replies, sounding way below. "Tell Jason he still has to recover!"

Ara sighs. "Alright, my turn."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

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[airbendling]

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

My thoughts during and after the first two episodes.

Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers!

Disclaimer: This is unedited. The story is still unfolding and this is just my opinion as a long time fan, recently graduated film major, and a storyteller.

I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher

"Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood." AAAA A A AA AAAAAA. I am so hype for this.

"Hey fellas, wanna come hear about the imaginary things I see? Not a thing you want to be saying. To anyone."

The doodles in his notebook! So sweet. And he plays Mythomagic... I'm reeling. Can't wait to meet Nico though I know it's years away.

Percy's very quiet without his narration and such. Wish we had more of it throughout the episode.

His signature and it not fitting in the name box on his worksheet is a nice touch.

Percy owns this emoji 🤨

His friendship with Grover is everything. Swapping sandwich fixings without a second thought, the genuine smiles. I'm loving it.

That Ms. Dodds transformation was clean though I wish she was more threatening.

The insistence of the line "I didn't touch Nancy" caught me off guard. Simply, "I didn't push her." Would've sounded more natural.

Love the Jackson sass in Sally, but I'd prefer more from Gabe. He wasn't angry and irrational enough, not gross enough, he conceded to Sally too quickly. If This guy got turned to stone by the severed head of Medusa I'd just feel kinda bad for him.

I was really hoping for the "Not a scratch on this car, brain boy." and Percy's "Like I'd be the one driving 🙄"

The word vomit from Sally was a little much but Percy's Jesus line was gold.

"You are singular." Just kinda took me out of the moment. Odd wording in such an emotional beat.

I hear all my film professors screaming in my head. Why did Percy stop running when his Mom was fighting the Minotaur? He started, then just stood there and watched. Run, Percy, run!

This moment would have a lot more impact if he was running to her when she disappeared.

His battle with the Minotaur, the lack of music until he rips off the horn, well done. Very well done.

Stunning end credits art!

I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom

I'm so happy they're keeping the chapter titles for the episodes.

Okay why was the "You drool when you sleep" so ominous and random. Like it was filmed and edited as an afterthought just to check the "Iconic Line" box without understanding why it's iconic. It's funny cause he's thinking she's gonna say how cool he is or whatever. Then she says "You drool when you sleep." and runs off. Real 12-year-old energy there.

Grover's nervous energy I know and love. Aryan is killing it!

"I think my dad must be around here somewhere. I don't know how to ask for him. I don't even know his name. But I think I should see him, I think I really need that right now. Can you help me?" ...What is this?

Dionysus trying to trick him into thinking he's his father was funny but Percy actually believing it...? Would've loved that inner commentary in this moment.

The Camp Half-Blood grounds looks so barren and underdeveloped to me. The cabin area is wonderful though.

I was so scared that tree nymph with Grover was Thalia. I think this only character design I'm not a fan of so far. Her eyes felt uncanny and too human. Maybe a bit more color variation in her face bark(?) or some kind of framing, textural detail.

Yes! They're including weird demigod dreams!

I'm loving the portrayal of Luke by Charles Bushnell. He's caring, understanding, laidback. The masterful cold delivery of "Hermes is my father," but brushing it off like the Cool Guy he is, "But that doesn't matter, we're all on the same team here."

His arc is going to be devastating.

Oh and Percy's message to his mom, so happy to report he's actually making friends but he's talking about Luke and Chris Rodriguez.

Devastating.

Percy: Hey guys! Can't sleep huh?

This line and the cutaway was utter perfection.

ANNABETH!! !! !!!!!!! My beloved.

Never thought "Sunshine" would be a nickname for Percy Jackson.

Aww Annabeth fixing his crooked armor.

Great Capture the Flag battle scene! Dynamic and interesting. Nice fight choreography.

Percy: No maiming. That's like, the one rule?

Clarisse: Yeah I guess I'll lose dessert privileges for a while. 😌😁I'll live.

Loving it.

Luke's utter shock after Percy getting claimed. Ooohhohoooo.

The Poseidon cabin was a jumpscare. The outside is a little... on the nose. Like, make it look Greek, paint it blue, slap a Trident symbol on there, done. And all the hanging bones and stuff? I mean, sure, I guess. The cabins were so fun and unique in the books.

More "singular" usage by important characters. Is there a reason for this?

Amazing Dionysus casting. Truly.

Final thoughts...

Let's start with some positives.

The set design, production design, and costume design are remarkable. With a handful of exceptions, overall, it looks gorgeous, especially with the A+ cinematography and lighting. Gorgeous!!

The porch of the Big House with the stained glass was an phenomenal choice. I love it so much.

The action is well-paced and dynamic, keeping the fight scenes interesting and believable.

And the acting is wonderful despite the writing.

Oh, the writing... Yeah, I don't like it.

It doesn't do justice to the actors or the characters.

Walker is naturally funny. Watch him in anything, any interview ever. The kid played alongside Ryan Reynolds as a younger version of him. Dare I say he outshined Ryan himself in The Adam Project.

Percy narrated everything, for five whole books. And them some. We know this kid. He's funny. He's observant, sarcastic, imaginative, impulsive, a bit clueless, but sweet.

I think regular or even occassional voiceover commentary from Percy would be gamechanging. I mean that with my whole heart and soul. If I could change one thing about the whole series it would be this.

Walker could really shine but I feel like his dialogue is lacking. And sometimes just a bit odd. Like, who talks like that? (There's my professors again). Sounds kinda AI-generated to me. (not speculating, I think it's just bad writing.)

There was a lot of great lines, don't get me wrong. But I think overall, everyone's dialogue is coming up short. The PJO we know is clever and fun and I don't think it reflects that well at all.

Percy Jackson is one of the most popular series ever with a very distinct style that makes it stand out from other YA fiction stories. I feel like more could've been done to preserve those vibes and translate them to the screen.

Movie/show adaptations of books are often hit-or-misses. I think the PJ fandom has always been so passionate about getting it right is because of that distinct style.

Rick is there. They have a phenomenal cast. It's good, but it could have been extraordinary. It could have been groundbreaking. But they settled.

There were many, many moments I saw could have been instantly improved but the smallest change. But they settled.

All this to say... I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised, and I'm not mad.

When the rest of the episodes come out, I think it'll come together to be a decent adaptation and a fun show. I'm staying positive.