Untameable Seas

Summary:

Semi - AU. Percy is a homeless half-blood, who was forced to run away from home when he was five, and has been sleeping rough ever since. When Grover and Annabeth find him, he won't trust anyone, and definitely doesn't want to come to this 'camp' with them. Will they ever gain his trust? Told in Annabeth's POV. Set during The Lightning Thief.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT, repeat DO NOT own anything you recognise. I only contribute the plot. Full credit to Rick Riordan for the amazing series!

Chapter 1

I saw Grover yesterday for the first time in months. He'd been posted at Yancy Academy, a school for 'troubled' kids in upstate New York. Apparently there wasn't a single half-blood there, which was actually a surprise considering half-bloods definitely count as 'troubled'. He was supposed to transfer at the end of the year, but suddenly he'd appeared back at camp, demanding to speak to Chiron. Looks like he'd finally found something.

Wait, I should probably back up.

My name's Annabeth Chase. I'm twelve years old. I live at Camp Half-Blood, the only safe place in the world for people like me.

Who are we? Half-bloods, otherwise known as demigods. Half mortal, and half Olympian god.

No, I'm not insane, or delusional. The Greek Gods exist, they always have. They're immortal, so when Greece fell, they couldn't die, could they? They just moved around. And now they're in America, and still up to their ancient habits of falling in love with mortals, and producing demigods.

So my mom's Athena. Goddess of wisdom, battle strategy and the useful arts. I don't talk about my mortal family. They don't want me anyway – I ran away when I was seven, and have lived at Camp Half-Blood ever since.

Anyway, that's the crash course on my life. But back to Grover.

See, he's actually a satyr (half man, half goat). His job is to go out into the mortal world and search for other demigods, and bring them safely to camp. This means that him turning up out of the blue like this, demanding to speak to Chiron, is a Big Deal. It probably means he's found someone.

Chiron? He's the activities director at camp. Yes, the same Chiron that trained all the Ancient Greek heroes. He's immortal. And a centaur – which means you try to avoid his rear end.

I saw Grover when he came out of the Big House, and ran over.

'Hey, Grover! What are you doing back? Thought you were supposed to be at school?'

He looked up. 'Hey Annabeth,'

'So, why are you here? Have you found someone? Could they be the –'

Grover cut me off. 'Annabeth, slow down. I don't know. I only saw him for a few minutes, then came straight here.'

I latched onto the information. Hey, I'm not a daughter of the wisdom goddess for nothing!

'So he's powerful? If it only took you a few minutes to tell? Grover, tell me. Could he be the one?'

Grover looked me straight in the eyes. He seemed... afraid.

'He looked stronger than anything I've seen before'.

'But is-'

'Annabeth!' He interrupted exasperatedly. 'I don't know, okay?'

That shut me up. But only for a few minutes. My brain was working at a million miles an hour, processing all the information. Then what he'd said before actually hit me.

'Wait, Grover. You mean he's even stronger than... Thalia?' I asked.

See, Thalia was one of my best friends. I met her and Luke, a son of Hermes, when I was on the run. They became my new family. She was a daughter of Zeus, the king of the gods. So she was really powerful, and strong. But when we reached Half-Blood Hill, the boundary to camp, she told us to run while she distracted the army of monsters.

Yeah, we were popular with the uglies. Unfortunately, the gods weren't the only immortal beings that came to America. All the ancient monsters and demons? They're real too, and really want to kill us demigods.

Anyway, Grover, who had been sent to guide us three to camp, listened to her. He took me and Luke through the camp boundaries, and left Thalia to fight a hundred or so monsters, alone.

She was an awesome fighter, but there were just too many monsters for even her. Eventually, her dad, Zeus, took pity on her as she was dying and turned her into a pine tree. That's fatherly love for you, right? Her tree's still here– it marks the boundary to camp.

Basically, she's a daughter of Zeus. To be as or more powerful than her, this mystery guy must be a son of one of the Big Three – Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades. Which means he must be the one!

I suddenly remembered I had asked Grover a question, and looked up to see what he would say. He was chewing on his lip, the way he always does when he gets nervous.

'Grover?'

'He might be. I don't know, Annabeth. He just reminded me so much of her...'

I knew not to push him anymore. He blamed himself for what happened to Thalia, and it looked like be about to cry.

'That's okay, Grover. What did Chiron say?'

He shook himself out of his thoughts.

'Oh, he wants me to talk to him. You know, get him to come here with me. But...'

'What is it?'

He exhaled in a huff, shaking his head like a... goat.

'I don't think it's going to be as simple as that.'

'Why not?' I asked.

'He's... angry. He doesn't have anyone. I think he's on the run.'

'Like us?'

He just nodded. 'I saw him getting picked on by some of the school bullies. But he just snapped when they said something about his family. There were eight of them, and he just... took them apart!'

My eyes widened of their own accord. 'What?'

'Oh, not literally. But he was incredible. He didn't even use a weapon! And it was so precise, he didn't spill any blood, and he had them all on the ground within a minute!'

I'll admit, I was impressed. Even I couldn't beat that many in less than a minute, and I'd been trained by the best for the last five years. This kid had had no training, no help, and had probably had to teach himself how to survive. Clearly he had taught himself well.

'Okay, so he can fight.' I said slowly, refusing to show any reaction. 'But that's just like Thalia, Luke and I. You got us here.'

That was clearly not the thing to say. His lower lip started trembling.

'Oh no, Grover! Don't cry! I just meant – you can't blame yourself for that!'

He took a few deep breaths and calmed down. He blinked away the moisture in his eyes and stared at me.

'I know you didn't mean it like that, Annabeth. It's fine.'

'So...' I began carefully, 'What did you mean, 'it won't be that simple'? What's different?'

Grover paused for a moment to think.

'He's seen too much. I don't think he trusts anyone, because he's been alone for most of his life.'

'I'm guessing you got this from reading his emotions, not him shouting his life story at you whilst beating up the bullies'.

Thankfully, that produced a smile.

'Yeah. His emotions were so... controlled though. I could barely get anything at first. But when he snapped, it was like a dam had burst. A rushing torrent of hurt, and anger, and hatred. Burning hatred.'

His eyes looked haunted, as if this guy's messed up mind was going to give him nightmares. He clearly didn't want to go back on his own.

Suddenly, a light bulb went on in my mind. I smiled as the idea took shape.

'Hey, Grover. If you want, I'll ask Chiron if I can go with you. Two heads are better than one, right?'

His face lit up. It made me smile even wider, knowing he liked the idea.

'Gods, Annabeth, could you? That would be so much better...' But then his smile dropped. 'Will Chiron let you, though? He never has before.'

I frowned, it was true. I had been here longer than almost anyone, but Chiron still thought I was too young to go on any quests.

'I'll convince him. It's not like it's going to be that dangerous, he's just another half-blood.' Who might be the most powerful we've ever seen...

But I didn't say that to Grover. He looked so grateful.

We said our goodbyes, and I promised to tell him the result as soon as Chiron let me go.

I strode down to the Big House as soon as Grover walked away. I didn't want to delay it, I'd just get nervous.

I could hear Grover in my head, 'Annabeth, nervous? Don't make me laugh'. But when it came to Chiron, I was. He was like a father to me, and I didn't want to make him angry. One of my worst fears was that I would disappoint him.

So anyway, I found Chiron in his office. The walls are covered in all these photos and articles about demigods he's trained. I recognised a few faces - some from history, some who I lived with. He was staring at the wall sadly, as if we were all already dead.

Not an encouraging start.

'Chiron?' I said quietly, which seemed to jolt him out of his stupor. He turned and smiled kindly at me, but I could see he was trying to hide something.

'What is it, Annabeth? Something on your mind?'

'I...' I stared at the wall, 'What were you doing?'

He looked surprised, but quickly covered it up. 'Just... thinking,' he said vaguely, and gestured at me to sit down. 'Was there something you wanted to talk about?'

I knew I should ask about the trip, for Grover, but I hated it when he kept things from me.

'What were you thinking about? The Great Prophecy?' I asked. Only one thing ever got him this miserable.

He looked at me sternly. 'Don't worry about it Annabeth, I'm sure it's nothing.'

'But-'

'Just leave it, Annabeth. What did you come here to ask me?' He said, slightly impatiently. Not angry – Chiron never gets angry with me – but just a little irritated. I was irritated too – he was hiding something!

But instead of pushing him, I just huffed and returned to what my original purpose here was.

'I was talking to Grover earlier,' I began. Chiron nodded, but his eyes were hard. I had the feeling he knew what I was going to ask. 'Well, this half-blood he's found, he didn't want to go alone to bring him back, because he thinks this one is really powerful, and angry, so I-'

'So you want to go with him.' Chiron finished for me. Yep, he'd known all right. I just nodded.

'You want to go with Grover, to fetch this demigod,' I nodded again. 'Out in the mortal world.' he finished. I nodded again, but didn't meet his eyes.

'Annabeth, you know how I feel about you leaving...' he began, and I knew he was going to refuse. I stood up, my eyes burning.

'Because you don't think I'm good enough! Because you think, even though I've had more experience than most of this camp put together, I'm too young! Well I'm not, Chiron. You need to let me out sometime!'

I felt guilty for the outburst, but I wasn't going to concede the point. I believed everything I'd said.

Chiron just looked at me sadly, and it was then – looking into his eyes, those eyes that had seen so much - that I realised he'd seen a lot of demigods come and go, and more had left than come back. I suddenly understood why he'd not wanted me to leave. It wasn't that he thought I wasn't good enough – he just didn't want to lose another camper.

I sat down again. 'I still want to go,' I muttered.

Chiron sighed, 'I know you do, and I know you are capable of handling yourself Annabeth. I just don't want to put you in danger'.

'But Grover needs me there! And it won't be that dangerous, it's just a retrieval mission,' I said, looking up at him hopefully.

He looked into my eyes for a long time, as if searching my mind for the truth. Then finally, slowly, he nodded.

'Very well. I know I won't be able to convince you otherwise on this one.'

I jumped out of my seat again, but this time in happiness, and disbelief.

'What? You're really going to let me go?' I asked, shocked.

He laughed at my expression. 'Yes,' he said, and shooed me away with his hands. 'Now go pack, before I change my mind'.

I ran out of there, and went straight to the canoe lake, where I'd said I'd meet Grover. He was sitting on the bank, dangling his furry legs in the water. I think he'd assumed Chiron would say no, because he was staring dejectedly at the surface of the lake, and every so often kicking one of his legs out angrily.

I walked up to sit beside him. I didn't say anything at first, and it took Grover a while to actually notice me sitting right beside him.

He suddenly jumped, pulling his legs out of the water and standing in one movement. Soaking me in the process.

'Grover!' I shouted, water dripping from my clothes.

'Oh gods, Annabeth, I'm so sorry,' he said, and kept mumbling under his breath, and promising to get me a new shirt, and so on.

'Grover, stop. I'm fine. It's only water, it'll wash out.'

That seemed to reassure him for a bit.

'Oh, okay then. That's alright.' Then his eyes widened. 'Wait Annabeth, did you talk to Chiron? What did he say?'

I smiled at him mischievously, 'He said yes! I can come with you!'

His eyes, if it were possible, got even wider. I worried absently whether they would fall out. Blame the ADHD. Most demigods have it. It makes us fidgety and inattentive, but also saves our lives on the battlefield – when our reflexes sharpen by about a hundred times.

We have dyslexia too. It's another demigod thing – we find it difficult to read, the words just spin off the page when we try to concentrate. That's because our minds are hardwired for Ancient Greek, not English.

'Really?' Grover exclaimed, shaking me out of my thoughts, 'I thought – but that's... Annabeth, that's great! We need to pack, and get supplies, and...'

He rambled on excitedly, and I just laughed and let him drag me back up to the cabins. There's one for each of the twelve Olympian gods. Mine's number six – for Athena. Duh.

I cut Grover off as we reached my door, and stopped him following me in 'Actually Grover, first I need to change out of these,' I pointed out, gesturing to my sodden clothes.

He stuttered a bit, and blushed. He's so shy.

'Oh, of course. Yeah, you do that. I'll just, um... wait out here. Yeah, I'll wait for you,' he mumbled.

'I'll come get you when I'm done,' I told him, and lightly pushed him away from the door. 'Don't go anywhere!' I called as I walked into my cabin.

This was it. I was leaving Camp Half-Blood for the first time since I had first arrived – as a scared, nervous seven-year old, crying as I saw my best friend turned into a Christmas decoration.

Now I was going out into the mortal world as an independent, strong twelve-year-old, who had been training to do this for five years. I was ready.

This time, nothing will stop me.

AN: I know this chapter isn't particularly thrilling, but I needed to set everything up. I wanted this to be like an alternative to the Lightning Thief. So... good idea/bad idea? I bet you can all guess who our mystery guy is... especially seeing as it's in the summary ;) Apologies if anyone's OOC - it was difficult trying to write as a twelve-year-old Annabeth! Next chapter will me up soon - Annabeth and Grover meet our mystery man! Reviews appreciated :D

SarcasticPerson.