A/N: Alright! Here it is, the first chapter in the second book! And it's extra long just for you! Also, just a reminder, I am NOT, nor will I EVER, post the entire book online. I did not create the wonderful works of art that are the Percy Jackson books and therefore do NOT have the rights to publish the book. So don't ask and don't complain or call me lazy. I respect Rick Riordan too much to plagiarize his works.
Thank you again for sticking with me, I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em!
~~PercyJackson~~
"When do you think we'll wake up?"
"Man, part of me doesn't want to."
"I know what you mean."
"All the same, we cannot continue dreaming."
"This is boring."
"Are you sure I can't have just one little-"
"No."
Conversations broke out around the room, demigods and gods alike standing and stretching as they talked.
Poseidon opened his mouth, prepared to ask Percy for a minute of his time, when a voice sounded throughout the room.
"Who says it's time to wake up?"
Heads snapped up at that voice, turning to glare at the owner.
"Hypnos," Zeus growled, gripping his master bolt.
"So," Hypnos said, drawing the word out. "You managed to finish reading about Perseus's first adventure."
Poseidon swung his trident at the dream god but Hypnos merely disappeared and reappeared on the other side of the room.
"Now, now," Hypnos chided. "That isn't very nice."
"End this now, Hypnos," Zeus commanded.
"I can't," Hypnos replied lightly.
"And why is that?" Poseidon asked.
"The wish has yet to be fulfilled completely. After all, they wanted to hear about Perseus's adventures. As in, the plural, more than one. You've only just begun." Hypnos studied his nails for a moment. "And it's a good thing dreams move at a faster pace. Otherwise we'd all be in trouble."
"How long have we been asleep?" Annabeth asked. She hadn't thought about how long they were taking. Things could get very bad if they spent too much time asleep.
"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head," Hypnos said, waving his hand. "You've only been out for about three minutes."
That was…shocking. It'd been closer to three days in the dream.
"It does not matter," Zeus said. "You will release us from this dream. Now."
"Hmmm," Hypnos replied, disappearing and reappearing next to the demigods. "Very well," he continued. His hand reached out towards Katie only to find Riptide pressed at his throat. Demeter let out a breath she hadn't realized had been stuck in her throat and Katie blinked once or twice in surprise. She wasn't quite sure why she was surprised, though. Percy was very protective of his friends and she was lucky enough to be counted among them.
"Touch any of my friends and I will kill you," Percy said softly. "God or not."
Hypnos blinked, having not even noticed Percy moving, before turning to look at Zeus. "Which little brat did you want to sacrifice, then?" Hypnos asked. "Because I'm going to make you choose."
All eyes fell on Zeus, who shifted under the glares. He opened his mouth, gaze catching Percy's, and felt a shiver of ice up his spine. He supposed he could always choose Poseidon's brat, but the look Thalia and Jason were giving him was clear: he couldn't choose anyone, especially Perseus, if he didn't want hell to rain down on Olympus.
"I will not choose," Zeus finally declared, causing most everyone to heave a sigh a relief as Hera spluttered in outrage.
"Dear, we cannot remain here!" Hera shouted.
Zeus waved his hand at her, ordering her to shut up. "No harm has come to us and this won't take long in the real world. What is a couple of minutes more, hm?"
"Very wise," Hypnos said, disappearing once more. In his place a book dropped to the ground with a loud thump.
Percy sighed, capping Riptide and returning the pen to his pocket.
"Thanks," Katie said, grinning at Percy, who shrugged and grinned back.
"Man, that was awesome!" Travis said, tackling Percy in a hug. "How can I ever thank you?"
"Ack!" Percy's strangled call sounded before he fell with a loud thump to the ground, Travis still on top of him.
"Perhaps you could not strangle him, idiot," Katie said, pulling her boyfriend off Percy. Travis grinned, spinning around to lock lips with his girlfriend while Percy clambered to his feet and brushed himself off before grinning at the kissing couple.
"I didn't even see him move when he pulled his sword on Hypnos," Leo said softly.
"Me either," Piper agreed. That had been a pretty impressive move.
"I could've done that," Jason muttered.
Thalia chuckled, patting her brother on the back. "I'm sure, kiddo," she said.
"Hey," Jason exclaimed, ducking away from his sister. "I'm older than you now!"
"No way," Thalia said. "I was still born first, so I'll always be older."
"So, we going to start reading, or what?" Ares growled, interrupting the small conversations that had broken out in the throne room once more.
"I think it wise we take a break before beginning the next adventure," Hestia suggested.
"Yes please," the demigods all chorused.
Ares looked as if he were about to protest before he met Percy's eyes. Percy offered him a smirk, cocking an eyebrow and Ares grinned in return.
"Good idea," he grunted, striding forward and grabbing Percy's shoulder. "Let's go, punk." And with that, he disappeared, taking Percy along with him.
Annabeth sighed, shaking her head, a frown on her face as the other demigods blinked in confusion.
"What just happened?" Hazel finally managed to ask, breaking the stunned silence.
"Percy and Ares just went off to spar," Annabeth said.
"I wanna see," Apollo whined. "Why did they have to leave?"
The ground around them shook for several second before settling once more.
"Probably so they didn't tear the throne room apart," Thalia answered dryly.
Poseidon sighed. He wouldn't mind seeing the fight for himself, but something told him being able to work his emotions out by pummeling Ares without an audience was exactly what his son needed. He vaguely wondered when his son had become so prone to violence.
"The rest of you go clean up and come to dinner," Hera ordered. "And for Hades' sake, change out of those accursed furry pants!"
"With pleasure," those in said furry pants muttered. They really did itch like crazy.
"I can't wait to get this makeup off," Annabeth muttered, walking with Piper towards their temporary quarters.
"Same here," Piper said.
"I kinda like these ears," Rachel said, tugging at a dog ear.
"You look cute in them," Hazel grinned.
"Thanks, you too," Rachel said, grinning as well. Hazel blushed, reaching up to tug on a bunny ear before turning to glance at Thalia.
"Say I look cute in these and I'll gut you from neck to navel," Thalia growled, looking for all the world like a hissing feline.
~PercyJackson~
"So punk, ready for a rematch?" Ares growled.
"You're on," Percy said, a smirk sliding across his face. Just because the story had ended and all his mixed up emotions were put aside, so to speak, didn't mean Percy didn't want to vent some of his frustrations about Gabe and life in general. And if Ares was willing to get his butt kicked, all the better in Percy's opinion.
"Then what are you waiting for?" Ares demanded, before leaping at Percy. Percy brought Riptide up, catching Ares' sword in a shower of sparks and pushing the war god away.
He wasn't going to hold back.
~PercyJackson~
"You holding up okay?" Thalia asked, settling next to Annabeth on the couch in the common room.
Annabeth rolled her eyes, turning her head to face Thalia. Her best friend had changed into light blue flannel pajama bottoms and a black t-shirt etched with a silver skull. Annabeth herself had chosen a pair of grey sweatpants with a dark blue t-shirt. It was so nice to get out of that dress and remove all that make up. Not to mention being able to wash her hair. Annabeth swore the next time someone dared her to dress up like a daughter of Aphrodite she was going to poke out their eyeballs.
"I'm fine, Thals," Annabeth said. "Everyone can quit acting like I'm not."
Thalia laughed. "Well, it's not every day you're forced to relive your past."
Annabeth snorted. "Not my past we're reliving."
"You're close enough to Percy it might as well be."
"I suppose so," Annabeth agreed with a smile.
"So, when do you think Kelp Head will be done with Ares?" Thalia asked. There was a shriek from the kitchen area, followed by the shattering of glass objects. Thalia and Annabeth turned their heads to see Piper, Hazel, and Rachel gaining up on Grover and Leo while Jason hovered in a corner and the two girls shook their heads.
Annabeth focused back on her conversation with Thalia with a shrug. "Who knows. I get this feeling he needed to blow off a lot of steam."
"I would to," Clarisse said, joining the two girls as Nico, Chris, Connor, Travis, and Will attempted to sneak into the kitchen without drawing the girls' wrath. "If I had to relive my life. Not to mention be reminded of a horrible step dad."
"True," Thalia said, tilting her head. "In fact, the more I think about that jerk, the more I want to hit someone."
"Yep," Katie said, falling over backwards on a couch to view the other girls upside down. "Makes me want to crack a few heads too."
Annabeth laughed at this. She had been a little worried her boyfriend was getting more violent than she remembered. But she supposed he did have a good reason to challenge Ares. And given the fact that neither could really harm the other, she supposed this was a good opportunity for Percy to get some things off his chest.
~PercyJackson~
A little more than four hours after they had decided on a break a sweaty, tired, but decidedly more relaxed Percy stumbled into the common room.
"I'm not dead yet!"
Percy blinked at the T.V. screen that had made that proclamation before turning his gaze on the room's occupants. Annabeth was snuggled under a blanket between Katie and Thalia, Hazel had her head resting on Piper's legs, her own legs thrown over the arm of the sofa she was resting on. Piper's head was resting on Rachel's shoulder and she was drooling slightly, not that Rachel, also asleep, noticed.
Connor, Travis, and Leo were all grouped on a couch, laughing madly at the T.V. Clarisse and Chris were occupying their own couch, both sound asleep. Jason was talking quietly with Frank and Grover. Nico and Will looked as if they were planning something, and by the evil smirks sent towards Travis, Connor, and Leo, it wasn't anything good.
Annabeth turned to see who had entered and her face broke out into a wide grin.
"I feel haapppyyy! I feel haaapppyy!"
"You're back," Annabeth said, speaking over the T.V. "How was the spar."
"Good," Percy said, glancing at the T.V. once more and wondering just what it was they were watching. Then again, maybe he didn't want to know…
"I can smell you from all the way over here, Kelp Head, go shower," Thalia commanded, throwing an arm around Annabeth. "I'll keep Annie company for a little while longer while you do."
Annabeth rolled her eyes but grinned at her best friend before making shooing motions at Percy. She knew Thalia wanted to spend more time with her. Despite being around camp for the past few months, she hadn't spent much time with her best friend, and even when they did spend time together Annabeth was more mopey than was probably fair to Thalia. But really, she did miss Percy and even Thalia couldn't keep her mind off her missing boyfriend for longer than an hour or two.
Now that she had spent plenty of time with Percy, would be spending more time with him too if they had another book to read, she figured she could spare some time to just hang with Thalia without the boy. Not that it was just her and Thalia, but still, it was the thought that counted, right?
"I feel so loved," Percy said, trekking into the boy's room and consequently their bathroom.
"Oh, grow up," Thalia said, turning her attention back on the movie they were watching. Once sure Percy was in the shower she turned to Annabeth. "He looks happier."
"He looks worn out," Annabeth said.
Thalia grinned. "I wonder how Ares feels."
~PercyJackson~
"Well," Hera said, sniffing imperiously and glaring at the gathering of motely demigods before her. "I hope you've all had a nice rest."
The group grinned, unrepentant about the fact that Hera had summoned them no less than eight times to the throne room. It was only when Poseidon and Zeus came to fetch them that they finally relented and returned.
Needless to say, Hera was not very happy with any of them. It didn't help that she found herself feeling personally offended by the fact that all the children were dressed in pajamas while in her presence. Had they no respect?
The answer to that, of course, was no, not for her. But Hera didn't realize that.
"They are here, dear," Zeus said wearily. "That is enough."
Hera hurumphed, but said nothing more, sweeping to her seat and settling down. "Very well," she said. "Dionysus, you will read next. No interruptions. I am sick of being in this dream."
"Who made you boss," Dionysus grumbled as he picked the book up off the floor. Hera glared at him but it was ignored. The demigods (and several of the gods) snickered.
"What did you do?" Poseidon whispered to his brother.
"Nothing," Zeus whispered back.
Poseidon snorted. "That is one bad case of PMS, then," he informed his brother.
Zeus rubbed at his forehead. "You have no idea."
Dionysus cleared his throat: "My Best Friend Shops for a Wedding Dress. Great, I can already tell this will be fun."
"Dionysus," Hera said, her tone warning.
"Yeah, yeah," Dionysus said.
"Why would your friend shop for a wedding dress?" Apollo asked, looking at Percy.
Grover groaned and Percy snickered.
Apollo grinned. "This will be fun."
"I was being sarcastic," Dionysus said, rolling his eyes.
"I wasn't," Apollo said.
"Boys!" Hera snapped.
"Of course, sorry, sorry," Dionysus said, waving the book around and not sounding sorry at all.
"My nightmare started like this."
"Oh boy," Thalia said.
"Always a fun way to start off a book," Clarisse muttered.
"Not really, no," Chris said.
"Nightmares suck," Leo put in.
"I think we can all agree about that," Travis said.
"Hey, do you think this would be considered a nightmare?" Connor asked.
"No," Will said, then paused, thinking. "Wait…no. I don't think so. We're having too much fun."
"True," Katie grinned.
"My favorite part is annoying Hera," Annabeth put in. Percy chuckled beside her, glancing up to see the queen of the gods fuming in her seat and sending them death glares while Dionysus watched them idly.
"Are you quite done?" Dionysus asked. He didn't wait for an answer.
... I'd never been to Florida.
"How did I know that?" Percy asked.
"Because you're my son," Poseidon said proudly. "We have great directional sense, especially around water."
"Because of our link," Grover muttered to Percy quietly. "I knew where I was, so you knew where I was."
"Oooh," Percy said, before grinning at his dad.
… Yeah, I said hooves.
"Yeah, we heard you the first time," Apollo said.
"I'm just reading what is in the book," Dionysus pointed out. He sounded bored. Of course, he always sounded bored so maybe that wasn't such a big change for him.
"Why point it out again?" Hermes asked.
"In case you forgot about everything from the first book," Athena snapped.
"Or didn't read the first book in the first place," Poseidon pointed out.
"Who in their right mind would read a series of books out of order?" Athena demanded.
Poseidon grinned. Athena narrowed her eyes.
"Quit it, both of you," Zeus demanded, looking fearfully at his wife. "You are acting like children."
Poseidon stuck his tongue out at his brother while Athena rolled her eyes and focused back on Dionysus.
"Hmm? Are we ready to keep reading?" Dionysus asked, popping the tab on a diet coke and taking a sip.
… a quest no satyr had ever returned from.
"We know all this," Nico pointed out. "Ow, what was that for?"
"For being an idiot," Thalia said, rolling her eyes.
"Why?"
"Because, we're recapping the previous book."
"Why?"
"Because that's the way this book was written."
Why?"
"BECAUSE I SAID SO!" Thalia shouted.
Nico, Travis, Connor, Leo, Chris, and Will all broke out into giggles.
"I'm going to strangle them," Thalia said, rubbing her temples.
"I'll help," Katie and Annabeth piped up.
The giggling stopped and frantic motions were made towards Dionysus to keep reading.
... He was trying to get away from…something.
"That's descriptive," Aphrodite said, rolling her eyes as she continued to file her nails.
"That's about all I could make out," Percy pointed out.
"Learn better observational skills," Aphrodite said, shaking her nail file at Percy.
"Like you're one to talk," Artemis scoffed.
"What was that?" Aphrodite asked, eyes glinting dangerously.
"Just pointing out the fact that you aren't very observant," Artemis said, smiling sweetly.
"Listen up, Loveless," Aphrodite snapped. "I'll have you know I observe plenty. But Percy there should really be more observant. It's important to know why your best friend is shopping for a wedding dress."
"I rest my case," Artemis said.
"Now sis," Apollo began, only to shut up when Artemis hit him. "Maybe we should just keep reading."
... Have to warn them!
"Warn who?" Hera asked.
"Does this mean we can interrupt again?" Poseidon asked, twiddling his thumbs.
"What, no!" Hera snapped.
"But you just did," Hades pointed out.
"Everyone else already has," Hera snapped.
"I haven't," Persephone informed her.
"Besides, just because everyone else is doing it doesn't make it right," Ares said. "You taught me that."
"Nice one, A," Apollo and Hermes grinned, high fiving each other.
"Ugh, just, never mind," Hera sighed.
... The sign above the darkened display window read: ST. AUGUSTINE BRIDAL BOUTIQUE.
"That's rather convenient that the door had blown open," Jason said.
"I'm glad it had," Grover said. "Saved my life."
"Because you were able to buy your wedding dress?" Leo asked.
Grover opened his mouth to snap that that wasn't the reason, but sadly, it was. Well, sort of.
"It was rather convenient," Annabeth said, thinking about it. "Doors don't just blow open on their own."
"We'll count that in the good luck for our team column," Percy said.
"Which means you'll be hit with a whole ton of bad luck here soon," Thalia grumbled.
"I knew my quest was doomed to failure for some reason," Clarisse muttered, so quiet only those closest to her could hear.
… like a skunk that's been living off Mexican food.
"Again, you describe things in the strangest ways," Rachel informed Percy.
Percy shrugged. "It's accurate, you have to admit that."
"That's true," Annabeth said.
"But it's only about a thousand times worse," Grover said, wrinkling his nose.
"For you, G-man, but we don't have super smellers," Percy said.
"Which sometimes is really unfair. There are some nasty smells in the world."
Percy and several others laughed at this.
... a monstrous voice bellowed: "MIIIIINE!"
"Sounds like you're in trouble," Dionysus drawled, looking up from the book and feeling slightly uncomfortable at the thought that one of his satyrs was in danger and nothing could be done.
"Oh, come on D, it's just a dream," Apollo said.
"Have you not been paying attention," Athena asked.
"Knowing my brother, no, he hasn't," Artemis muttered under her breath.
"Demigod dreams are more than just dreams," Athena continued, not having heard Artemis.
"Oh, right," Apollo said. "Demigod dreams suck."
"Yes!" all the demigods in the room chorused. "We know."
… flicker across the glass-a humanlike shape.
"You really should learn to be more observant," Hades drawled.
"Especially as a demigod out in the real world," Poseidon said, mourning the fact that his son seemed oblivious to what could obviously be a threat.
Annabeth laughed, causing several people to look at her. She shrugged, not sure she could it explain it. Percy wouldn't be Percy if he wasn't oblivious to certain things and more than aware of others. After all, it made things interesting.
"Don't laugh at me," Percy pouted at his girlfriend, who smiled at him and pecked him on the lips.
"Just laughing at one of the reasons I love you," she said softly in his ear.
"Not sure if I should be flattered or offended at that."
"Both," Annabeth laughed.
… there couldn't have been anyone out there.
"It was something bad, I just know it," Leo said.
This caused Percy to laugh, smothering it quickly when Annabeth smacked him. Everyone else in the room looked rather confused but the couple just grinned at each other, Annabeth muttering something along the lines of 'that's not true' while Percy pointed out that it kinda was before both turned innocent looks on those watching them.
"It's not like we can tell you," Annabeth said, rolling her eyes.
Athena's eyes narrowed at her daughter, the inkling of just what, or rather who, that shadow was forming in her mind.
She didn't like thinking that her daughter was peeking in on a boy at such a young age. Especially if said boy was sea spawn.
… I hadn't used Riptide for so long.
"Something tells me that he'd still be able to kick most anyone's butt with it, though," Hazel quipped quietly to Frank.
"No kidding," Frank said. He really did appreciate Percy's fighting prowess, which was completely unorthodox, rather unnerving, and tended to work out great. Well, great for Percy and his allies, at least.
… taken out her china cabinet.
"You took out her china cabinet?" Katie asked.
"I was still learning," Percy pouted.
"Face it," Annabeth said. "You were horrible with a javelin. Still aren't the best with it."
"I'm surprised she didn't ban swinging deadly weapons in the house from the start," Will said. "My mom did."
Percy shrugged. "I told her I needed the practice."
"Yeah, after you started swinging said deadly weapons around and breaking china cabinets," Annabeth laughed.
"Better to ask forgiveness than ask permission," Percy said.
Annabeth shook her head at that, a fond smile on her face. The other demigods shrugged. Seemed like a policy they mostly lived by themselves.
The gods, well, they were a little flabbergasted.
… The dream couldn't have been real.
"Thanks, I feel so loved," Grover remarked.
Percy rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out at Grover, who replied in kind.
"What are you, four?" Thalia asked, whacking the back of Grover's head.
"He started it," Grover complained, rubbing at his head.
"I can't reach him," Thalia said. "Annie, would you mind?"
"Hey, ow!" Percy exclaimed, turning eyes that spoke of betrayal on his girlfriend. "Really, you'd choose her over me?"
Annabeth scoffed and shook her head.
"Why does it still surprise you, Kelp Head?" Thalia asked, grinning. "Girl code rules them all."
"It's still not fair," Percy muttered, pouting.
"I'm kind of finding it hard to believe this is Camp Halfblood's biggest hero," Jason said.
"You're not the only one," Piper said.
"I know," Leo grinned. "Isn't it awesome?"
... Surely even I couldn't mess that up.
"You really know how to set yourself up, don't you?" Hermes asked, sounding curious.
"I don't know what you mean," Percy said.
Apollo laughed. "Everyone knows the number one rule of the world," he stated.
"Don't think nothing can go wrong unless you want all the crap to hit the fan," Artemis said.
"Exactly," Apollo and Hermes said, nodding. Everyone else was just a little stunned at the fact that Artemis seemed to be on the same wavelength as the other two. It was a little – read a lot – surreal.
As usual, I didn't have a clue how wrong I was.
"And now you see my point," Hermes said.
"I love foreshadowing," Apollo said.
"I don't," Poseidon muttered, wondering just what kind of trouble his son was about to be dumped into.
... Little miracles like that.
"I think you passing is a little more than a little miracle," Clarisse said.
"Hey, I've passed before," Percy said. "And it's not my fault."
Clarisse paused at that, before nodding. "Yeah, I'll give you that."
"Percy," Travis said, sounding awed as he made his way over to Poseidon's son and held out his hand. "Can I shake your hand?"
"Why?" Percy asked, a little nervously. This was Travis after all, and he was known for his tricks, being a son of Hermes and all.
"Because, I've never seen Clarisse back down like that to anyone and I want to shake the hand of the man who-OW!"
Travis turned to glare at Clarisse, who had just thrown a couch cushion at his head.
Percy stifled a snort, shook Travis's hand, and stuck his tongue out at Clarisse, who returned the gesture in kind.
"Just what have we gotten ourselves into?" Frank bemoaned, longing for the simple days in New Rome where the worst he had to deal with was the teasing everyone gave his company.
... She dried her hands and sat down across from me. "School, or …"
Poseidon smiled. "She knows you well," he said.
"Sometimes I think she knows me better than I know myself," Percy said, a pang going through his chest. He missed his mother fiercely, wanted to see her so badly, but that was impossible right now. When he woke up from this dream, he'd forget about her and he wasn't sure when he'd remember, wasn't sure when he'd make it back to her.
Poseidon watched the sorrow and loneliness flash through his son's eyes, watched as Annabeth offered his hand a squeeze and a kiss on his cheek before whispering in his ear, and wondered just what his son's current situation was like. Especially since it didn't seem as though his son had seen his mother in quite a while.
His heart ached at that. Maybe he didn't want to know what was happening.
… but my mom knew all about Grover.
"I'd be upset if she didn't," Grover said. "She's the best, ever!"
Percy grinned. "She sure is."
"I think it's wonderful that you can confide in your mother," Hera announced. "More children should follow that example."
"Most children don't have a mother as wonderful as Sally seems to be," Hephaestus grumbled, startling everyone. He'd been quiet for quite a while, and for him to come out and say something like that, it was a little out of character.
"I'll agree with that," Ares said, the first to get over his shock. He knew Hephaestus had a snarky side in there somewhere.
... I'll take you and Tyson to Rockefeller Center-to that skateboard shop you like."
"Oh man, something's up," Connor said.
"Bribery at its max," Travis agreed. "Something is definitely up."
"Who's Tyson?" Hazel asked, confused.
"You'll learn," Annabeth assure her with a smile.
"Why would your mom be bribing you?" Leo asked.
"She's hiding something," Piper said, long since used to the tricks of parents that wanted to keep their children in the dark about something or another that they thought was dangerous or worrisome. Her dad tended to pull it quite often, when he was around to care, that is.
"What?" Jason asked.
"You'll learned," Percy said, echoing Annabeth.
… I got a message from Chiron last night."
"That's never good," Katie said with a frown, trying to remember what was happening back then.
"Great, this is-" Thalia glanced at Percy, then Annabeth. Both nodded in confirmation. "Darn, I thought I still had some time before I was dragged into this," Thalia sighed.
"What?" Jason asked, sounding thoroughly confused.
Thalia waved him off. "Sorry, not like I can say," she offered with a sympathetic smile when her brother scowled.
"I hate feeling like I have no idea what is happening," Jason muttered.
"You aren't the only one," Leo said. Piper, Hazel, and Frank nodded.
"Not the only one at all," Poseidon agreed, receiving agreeing nods from the rest of the gods.
... We might have to postpone."
"How can the camp not be safe?" Zeus demanded. "It's the safest place possible."
"Doesn't seem that way to me," Dionysus drawled. The gods all cast him incredulous looks and he shrugged. "You stock the forest with monsters and run the brats through obstacle courses that could kill them."
"That's…true," Athena said. She'd never thought of it like that.
"But it's for training purposes, so they are ready to face any dangers," Zeus declared. "And they are protected against the strongest of the monsters."
"Still," Dionysus said. "It seems Perry did just fine for the school year while not residing in camp."
"That's true," Percy said. "Up until the last day."
Zeus glowered. "Camp is still the best place for our children," he declared.
"Hmm," Dionysus hummed, looking back down at the book and reading the next line.
"Postpone? Mom, how could it not be safe? I'm a half-blood! It's like the only safe place on earth for me!"
"Apparently Perry agrees with you," Dionysus finished.
Zeus smiled smugly.
"But it's not the only safe place," Hazel muttered.
"Didn't know about the other one," Percy said softly, so the gods couldn't hear.
"I guess that's true," Hazel agreed.
... Everything happened so suddenly."
"What's happened?" Poseidon demanded.
"And why won't anyone answer this boy's questions?" Artemis asked, sounding extremely frustrated by the fact.
"Thank you," Percy said. "Finally. Someone gets it." Years of always asking and never receiving a straight answer was enough to drive anyone insane, especially when no one really realized they were doing it.
"If you'd let me read, we'd find out," Dionysus said.
"Well, we'll most like find out what's going on at the camp," Apollo said. "I don't think we'll ever know why no one likes giving Percy direct answers."
Several people (gods and demigods alike) snickered at this while Percy pouted and sighed. It seemed to be just a fact of life for him.
... You should go. Tyson will be waiting."
"Who's Tyson?" Hermes asked, repeating Hazel's question.
"We'll find out, obviously," Athena bit out.
"Does it really even matter?" Hera snapped. She thought she had told everyone there would be no interruptions during this reading. She should've known better. "He's probably just some mortal friend Perseus has made."
"Probably," Percy said with a grin.
... "We'll talk this afternoon, dear. I'll explain as much as I can."
"Again, no answer for the boy," Artemis said, aggrieved.
"It is pretty worrying that Sally won't say what is wrong," Poseidon said, frowning to himself.
"I'm sure she has good intentions," Aphrodite said, sounding oddly reassuring. "After all, you can tell how much she loves the boy."
"I'm right here, you know," Percy grumbled as most everyone else stared at Aphrodite. Sometimes they forgot that she's the goddess of love and that love doesn't necessarily equate romance (although Aphrodite herself focuses on that the most). No doubt she knows more about motherly love than even Hera.
Of course, knowing Hera, that's not too hard to believe. Everyone is pretty sure Artemis knows more about motherly love than Hera.
… In fact, I wouldn't be seeing home for a long, long time.
"More foreshadowing, goodie," Dionysus drawled before setting the book down.
"Is that the end of the chapter?" Hera asked, sounding hopeful.
"No," Dionysus drawled. "But I'm bored. Someone else can read."
"You will finish the chapter," Hera snapped.
Dionysus glowered. "It's too troublesome," he complained.
"I don't care," Hera snapped again.
Scowling, Dionysus picked up the book once more.
… Then it rippled and vanished.
"There, happy?" Dionysus asked, snapping the book shut.
"That's all you had left to read?" Hera shrieked, furious that Dionysus wouldn't have even read that much more.
"Yes," Dionysus said, popping the tab on a new Diet Coke can and taking a swig. "And now this book is no longer my problem." With that, he threw the book on the floor.
"Dionysus!" Athena shouted, sounding rather horrified at his treatment of the book.
"Sorry, sorry," Dionysus said, not sounding sorry in the least.
Poseidon chuckled, glancing around the room. For a chapter about his son's life, it wasn't too bad. Even if there was some foreshadowing that was in no way comforting.
"Who'll read next?" Poseidon asked, breaking the silence that had descended on the room.