Chapter Text

Time Itself; Chapter VI; Bulls, Trees, and Mothers

Description:

Time has been shifted; history rewritten. The Fates can feel their plans and designs failing for the first time in the entirety of the world. There is only one creature powerful enough to effect such change, Kronos stirs again, and from the depths of Tartarus he’ll change everything. Percy, Annabeth, and the rest of The Seven and their allies had finally caught their break, finally gotten a chance to have a semi-normal life, so why does it not seem to last, and why do they have two sets of memories inside their heads?

Disclaimer:

This is the first long form story I’m trying for Percy Jackson, I’ve seen a number of reading the book fanfics, and well I’m inspired to say the least. I do not own Percy Jackson & The Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus, I’ve ignored Trials of Apollo as I haven’t read them yet. Please don’t sue me!

Olympus Throne Room, Mount Olympus, Empire State Building 600th Floor [2005]  

“ We tore through the night along dark country roads… Every time there was a flash of lightning, I looked at Grover sitting next to me in the backseat and I wondered if I’d gone insane … The smell of a wet barnyard animal… ‘So, you and my mom… know each other?’ ” Percy gave off a sheepish grin as the other time travellers raised their eyebrows at him.

“I was twelve, foolish, and uneducated. What exactly did you expect?”

“As opposed to now that you’re a twenty-one year old foolish slightly more educated Demigod?” Thalia chuckled out as she smiled at Percy ’s furrowed brows and twisted lips.

“ Grover’s eyes flitted… ‘she knew I was watching you.’ ‘Watching me?’ ” A couple of the older Half-bloods looked over at Grover. 

“Okay, that might be disconcerting.” Grumbled the Satyr.

“‘ Keeping tabs on you… I am your friends.’ ‘Um… what are you, exactly?’ … ‘Goat!’ he cried. ”

Apollo stopped as laughter spilled from his lips, alongside most of the campers. Percy shrank into his shoulders with a good natured and frustrated chuckle.

“He’s lucky he got Grover, Hedge might have trampled him.”

“He certainly tried once. Probably shouldn’t have been so close to the water.” Percy let a smile break across his features at the pleasant memory of soaking the old Goat for grounding him on The Argo II. He shook it off before something darker could take its place.

“ ‘... There are satyrs who would trample you under hoof for such an insult!’ ‘Whoa. Wait. Satyrs. You mean like … Mr. Brunner’s myths?’ ‘Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth , Percy? Was Mrs. Dodds a myth?’ ‘So you admit there was a Mrs. Dodds!’ ”

“Honestly, I’m beginning to fear for your intelligence.” Athena narrowed her grey gaze on the pair of Percy’s . Annabeth stood like she’d been shot from a bow.

“Leave him alone Mother. You have no idea what we’ve been through. You have heard our titles but that doesn’t tell you the experience. Plus he knew nothing of the Greek world, what would you expect? Of course he’s going to ask questions that seem obvious.” Annabeth slowly lowered herself back next to Percy . She leaned into the raven haired boy, purposely she shot a look at Athena with her blank stare. A few of the other older Demigods struggled to fight their chuckles. The younger ones all looked mortified. 

“ ‘Of course.’ ‘Then why-’ ‘The less you knew, the fewer monsters you’d attract,’ ”

“So wait, the less I know the less monsters I attract. So why is it you would teach any of us about this world?” Percy looked at the Deities and Chiron. All of the adults paused, glanced at each other, and then all of them looked towards the younger Percy. 

“Are we all going to ignore that, to some extent, Percy is right?” Thalia turned and looked at the other time travellers.

“Well… even a broken clock is right twice a day.” Nico looked over at Thalia . 

“Hey!” Percy tried to turn and hit either of his two cousins, but with Annabeth in his arms he couldn’t. “I will get you back for that.”

“Ahem.” Every head turned towards Hera. She motioned towards Apollo. “Perhaps we should continue.”

“ Grover said … ‘We hoped you’d think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize who you are.’ ” Apollo grimaced. It was never good when a Demigod started to learn what they were. For a child of The Big Three, this would be more than disastrous. “ ‘Who I-’ … The weird bellowing noise rose up again somewhere behind us, closer than before. ”

“You didn’t.” Persephone glared at her husband. Hades paused and looked over to her. Poseidon turned to his brother.

“What does Persephone speak of Hades.”

“Nothing Poseidon, it doesn’t matter.”

“No. It does matter, you released that beast after the boy? He was untrained, as if Allecto wasn’t bad enough, you doubled down!” Persephone crossed her arms over her chest. Hades huffed.

“He’s obviously fine!” He motioned to Percy .

“You’re right Lord Hades, I’m fine, but that wasn’t always the case. Plus what you did started a grudge I’ve been dealing with for longer than I’d like to admit.”

“If we could please get back to the matter at hand?” Hera glared down at her two siblings and her step-daughter. A grumble rumbled through the gathered Deities, but no one contested her. Apollo coughed, and turned back to the page.

“ Whatever was chasing us was still on our trail. ‘Percy… there’s too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you to safety.’ ” Dionysus rolled his eyes and looked straight at Sally.

“Foolish mortal, keeping them close is a great way to get the both of you killed.” Sally didn’t look away from The Wine God.

“Says one of the few Gods who keeps his word to his wife.” Dionysus’ eyes narrowed, but a sharp whistle drew his attention to the elder Percy.

“Keep looking at her like that and you’ll get a demonstration of how this book ends. First hand.” Annabeth squeezed Percy ’s shoulder, but he didn’t back down. Dionysus shook his head.

“ ‘Safety from what? Who’s after me?’ … ‘Oh, nobody much, … just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions.’ ” Everyone turned to look at Grover.

“I love you man, but not really your best moment.” Grover looked away from Percy .

“‘Grover!’ ‘SOrry, Mrs. Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?’” A chuckle echoed from the campers.

“Leave it to Grover to be kind in the middle of a life or death chase.”

“ I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening… I had no imagination. I could never dream up something this weird. ”

“I don’t know Kelphead, I think a number of campers who you’ve pranked might argue against that.” Thalia turned to her cousin. Percy shoved at her and Annabeth pushed her way in between them to cut it off.

“ My mom made a hard left. We swerved onto a narrower road, racing past darkened farmhouses and wooded hills and PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES signs on white picket fences. ”

“Camp Half-Blood!” Chorused the campers, it was the closest some of them would ever get to a home.

“ ‘Where are we going? … ‘The summer camp I told you about.’ My mother’s voice was tight; she was trying for my sake not to be scared. ‘The place your father wanted to send you.’ ‘The place you didn’t want me to go.’ ”

There was silence as The Gods and Goddesses looked at Sally. The woman held her son tight. Here among them she was truly an outsider. Wholly mortal as far as they knew and with a backbone that matched a Demigod to be here.

“ ‘Please, dear, … this is hard enough. Try to understand. You’re in danger.’ ‘Because some old ladies cut yarn.’ ”

“You know… when he says it like that, and with the knowledge he has… it does sound ridiculous.” The Stolls said in tandem. Luke huffed and rolled his eyes at the pair. They were most definitely not helping given the look on Amphitrite’s and Sally’s faces.

“ ‘Those weren’t old ladies … ‘Those were the Fates. Do you know what it means - the fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you’re about to… when someone’s about to die.’ ” Apollo raised his eyes and stared straight at Percy . Any other Demigod, of any other time, and they might have been scared. Percy , he wasn’t. He met Apollo’s gaze, and something seemed to click in Apollo’s mind. He nodded and turned back towards the book. The rest of the group wouldn’t be as easy to convince.

“Percy Jackson!” Thalia glared her cousin down, lightning lit up her electric eyes. “How long have you been sitting on that?”

“Well it technically took care of itself, it just took sometime. Hey also didn’t die so what’s the harm?” Percy shrugged at Thalia before she slugged his shoulder.

“One of these days you’re not gonna have some snark comeback and I can’t wait for it.” Apollo coughed into his hand. Attention fell back on him and he sent a smile back at everyone.

“ ‘Woah. You said ‘you.’ ‘No I didn’t… ‘Boys!’ ” The time travellers chuckled and Percy bowed his head. “ She pulled the wheel hard to the right, and I got a glimpse of a figure she’d swerved to avoid - a dark fluttering shape now lost behind us. ”

Percy groaned and held his stomach with one arm as he felt his insides lurch to the right. Annabeth leaned in close and tucked her forehead to his. The other Time Travellers all raised their eyebrows at him.

“ ‘What was that?’ … ‘Another mile. Please. Please. Please.’ ” Amphitrite tightened her grip on Sally. Aphrodite, Hera, and Hestia all cast sad looks towards the mortal woman. Dionysus huffed and rolled his eyes. Poseidon gripped the arms of his throne tightly. He knew Percy had made it through all this, but he’d also seen what had become of his son. Eventually one of these battles would end poorly. “ I didn’t know where there was… I thought about Mrs. Dodds and the moment when she’d changed into the thing with pointed teeth and leathery wings. My limbs went numb from delayed shock. She really hadn’t been human. She’d meant to kill me. ”

Thalia took a glance at the campers. Each of them looked ashen, their eyes flickered with memories. 

“Well it took you long enough Kelphead. Did you think Allecto just wanted to sit you down for an afternoon tea and discuss you’re punishment for dragging a girl into the fountain with a fiery Greek backdrop?” Percy turned ready to smack her, but he caught the same looks Thalia had. His lips split into a smile.

“Could you imagine? The head Kindly One sitting me down to talk about detention over tea? Oh she’d probably try to rip me apart for that one.” Nico chuckled, soon the other Big Three children all began to laugh. It rose spirits among the campers, but drew concern from the godly beings. Joking over Allecto was ill advised, even among deities.

“ Then I thought about Mr. Brunner… There was a blinding flash, a jaw-rattling boom! , and our car exploded. ”

“ZEUS!!” Bellowed Poseidon as he rose from his throne. Trident in hand. Every single one of the campers and time travellers clamped hands over their ears. Poseidon’s voice was like a crashing wave as it thundered across a beach.

“Are we going to stop like this every time brother?” Zeus rolled his eyes and faced his middle brother with his chin rested atop his fist. Poseidon narrowed his eyes.

“‘ Are we going to stop like this every time brother?’ ” He mimicked back. “And what reaction will you have when we learn of more things? What happens when it finally affects you oh mighty King of the Gods? Will you heed your own words and stay your hand or should I have another Golden Net at the ready?”

Zeus rose, and Hera interposed herself. Her look could have killed a lesser deity. Her lips twisted in a snarl.

“The both of you best shut your traps. I’ve had enough of your booming interruptions. We have agreed to waylay the least serious of transgressions, let us get through this. Because at this rate we are liable to be here for a thousand years. We’ve barely made a dent in this book and there are nine more! So sit back in your thrones and let us finish this before The Fates decide to intervene further.”

Poseidon grumbled but collapsed backwards. Amphitrite raised an eyebrow at him. The room heard what sounded like Poseidon muttering about how Hera always picked him. Hera rolled her eyes and shook her head. A wave of her hand had Apollo looking back at the book.

“So that’s what happened to the car?” Hazel looked at Percy wide eyed. “Zeus blew it up?”

The older Demigod just smiled at his cousin. A cheshire smile that would have made her skin crawl were she not a Daughter of Pluto.

“ ‘I remember feeling weightless… ‘Ow.’ ”

“Well you have to give Percy this, he’s certainly got comedic timing.” Malcolm piped up for one of the first times since all this had started. Annabeth nodded in time with most of the campers. Even Luke cracked a smile. The time travellers all had smiles that threatened to break into proper laughter yet again. It was a simpler time, they missed those days.

“ ‘Percy!’... Lightning. That was the only explanation. We’d been blasted right off the road. ” Apollo grumbled. Hermes shook his head. Artemis wouldn’t even look at Zeus. Athena seemed conflicted but also did not dare to show any signs of supporting their father. Dionysus was still lost in his cup. Ares and Hephestaus couldn’t be bothered yet. Though Ares at least leaned forward, the action having his attention for the moment. “ Next to me in the backseat was a big motionless lump… Then he groaned ‘Food,’ and I knew there was hope. ”

Hermes laughed alongside the other campers while Grover looked like he wanted to be anywhere else at that moment. Percy smiled brightly.

“Take it as a compliment, Grover. You definitely have always helped raise spirits, and trust me you got a lot better over the years.” Percy almost violently pushed away a memory that he did not want to think about, a fate Grover didn’t deserve.

“ ‘Percy,’... ‘we have to… In a flash of lightning, through the mud-spattered rear windshield, I saw a figure lumbering toward us on the shoulder of the road. The sight of it made my skin crawl… His top half was bulk and fuzzy. His upraised hands made it look like he had horns. ”

“And thus my first true fight would soon begin. Many other monsters lined up behind him ready to claim what he failed to time and time aga-” Percy was cut off by a shove. Piper glared at him. Hazel and Annabeth both nodded in time with each other.

“Must you make a joke about this?” Reyna had narrowed her eyes on him. Percy huffed.

“Look if we’re forced to read my life, I at least feel I should be allowed to crack jokes. If the rest of you don’t laugh, that’s all fair.” Thalia smirked at him alongside Nico .

“Kelphead I cannot wait to see what happens when you finally get properly humbled.” Percy answered her smirk with one of his own.

“Well it hasn’t happened yet!” Percy fought back against the chill that had overtaken him. Thankful for Annabeth’s hug and her warm arms around his body. He felt damp, like he was standing in the rain alongside his younger self.

“ I swallowed… My mother threw herself against the driver’s-side door. It was jammed shut in the mud. I tried mine. Stuck too. ” Poseidon had taken to staring at Hades and Zeus. His glares bearing the full weight of the ocean. Both appeared like they wanted nothing more than to disappear into their thrones. Poseidon was normally far more laid back, and his rage was often not long in the grand scheme. Right now it seemed unending and neither of the brothers wanted to risk a war with the sea. “ I looked up desperately at the hole in the roof… ‘Do you see that big tree?’ ”

Amphitrite squeezed the mortal, gently enough to not cause injury. Even Hera, Hestia, and Artemis looked on with a gleam in their eyes.

“I must say Sally, you certainly are without a doubt marvellous. I know of few Mortals, with or without The Sight, who would be as capable in situations half as intense.” Chiron said and bowed his head to her. The Campers turned and looked at her in awe. Sally’s cheeks went red. Percy , Annabeth , Thalia , and all the other time travellers just smiled at her.

“At least the best has arrived, it’s my turn to shine,” Thalia laughed as Percy and Annabeth shook their heads. The other time travellers all raised their eyebrows.

“ ‘What?’ ... White House Christmas tree-sized pine at the crest of the nearest hill. ” Zeus glanced away from everyone, and found his throne far more interesting to look at, especially as Hera fixed a soft glare on him. “ ‘That’s the property line,’ … ‘Don’t stop until you reach the door.’ ”

Sally caught Percy ’s eyes. He nodded to her, a small delicate smile on his lips as he tucked Annabeth ’s head to his chest. 

“ ‘Mom, you’re coming too.’ Her face was pale, her eyes as sad as when she looked at the ocean. ” Apollo hesitated, his voice went quiet. This was something every deity in the room could understand. Wanting nothing more than to help and reassure your child… and only being able to lie or hope for the best. “ ‘No!’... ‘You are coming with me.’ ”

Piper placed a hand on Percy ’s shoulder, his tense and rigid shoulder. Thalia , Nico , and Hazel didn’t say a word, all just watched Percy . Annabeth was the only one brave enough to whisper in his ear. Sweet nothings that sadly did little to untense him. He could feel the earnestness of his past self, the fear.

The Deities all shared looks. Their gazes on the time travellers and themselves spoke volumes that words simply couldn’t express. Something which didn’t go unnoticed among the elder group of half-bloods.

“ ‘Help me carry Grover.’ … The man with the blanket on his head kept coming toward us, making his grunting snorting noises. As he got closer, I realized he couldn’t be holding a blanket over his head. ” Percy just waited for the jokes, but the campers didn’t say a word. Instead, almost like when he arrived, they stared at him with awe. “ Because his hands- huge meaty hands -were swinging at his sides. There was no blanket. Meaning the bulky, fuzzy mass that was too big to be his head… was his head. And the points that looked like horns… ”

“Hades, when this is over you had best run. Run back to your Underworld and do not dare to set foot near an ocean for a thousand years.” Poseidon turned his glare fully on his elder brother. The King of The Underworld turned to glance at his wife. Persephone just crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. Hades puffed out a breath and looked towards the floor.

“ ‘He doesn’t want us ,’... I got mad, then- mad at my mother, at Grover the goat, at the thing with horns that was lumbering toward us slowly and deliberately like, like a bull. ” 

“Here it comes, the patented Percy rage. Too many monsters have ended up on the wrong side of that.” Hazel laughed, but it died in her throat as Percy struggled to keep his face neutral, seemingly close to being actually angry. “ Percy everything okay?”

Annabeth waved her off and motioned for the continuation. Apollo looked at Percy , then back to the book.

“ I climbed across Grover… ‘We’re going together. Come on, Mom’ ‘I told you-’ ‘Mom! I am not leaving you. Help me with Grover.’ ” Percy seemed to simmer back to normal, but Reyna nodded beside the other time travellers.

“There’s the Percy Jackson I’ve come to know. Unwilling to leave those he cares about behind.” The campers couldn’t help the growing wonder. Percy was kept bundled up between Amphitrite and Sally, his face going beet red as he watched so many look upon his future self.

“ I didn’t wait for her answer… bulging biceps and triceps and a bunch of other ‘ceps, all stuffed like baseballs under vein-webbed skin. He wore no clothes except underwear- I mean, bright white Fruit of the Looms- ” Apollo busted out laughing along with Hermes and the campers. He took a few moments but got back to reading as Hera’s glare made his laughter dry up like Dionysus’ attempts to summon wine. “ Which would have looked funny, except that the top half of his body was so scary… ‘That’s-’ ‘Pasiphae’s Son.’ ”

Athena smiled at Sally. At least someone around the child had some kind of sense. Though she was becoming greatly concerned by the comfort her daughter, the elder one, found in Percy . She hoped that it wasn’t what she feared.

“ ‘I wish I’d known how badly they want to kill you.’ … ‘Don’t say his name,’ she warned. ‘Names have power.’ ”

“Sally told you that! I’ve told you that! Thalia ’s told you that! How many times are we going to have to tell you to get it through your skull? You shouldn’t just shout the name of every monster you find.” Annabeth glared at Percy , and the elder Percy looked crestfallen, like someone had stolen his blue cookies straight from his hands.

“Well I guess you’ll just have to tell me again, and again, and again… ya know, for the rest of our lives?” Percy looked at. Annabeth ’s cheeks brightened and her mouth opened and closed. Thalia burst out laughing as the other time travellers all joined in.

“ The pine tree was still too far away… ‘Shhh,’ ‘Mom, what’s he doing? Doesn’t he see us?’ ” Athena huffed.

“Honestly he has such terrible eyesight and with that storm raging I’m amazed he can even track you by smell. I wonder if someone did something to help him out.” On the other side of the room Hades was cutting his hand across his throat and glaring at his niece. Poseidon’s unyielding glare grew deeper and the water around his throne churned like the ocean under a hurricane.

“ ‘His sight and hearing are terrible… He picked up Gabe’s Camaro by the torn roof, the chassis creaking and groaning. He raised the car over his head and threw it down the road. It slammed into the wet asphalt and skidded in a shower of sparks for about half a mile before coming to a stop. The gas tank exploded. ”

“It got struck by lightning, crashed, thrown, and blown up. No wonder no one has seen this car.” Hazel smirked at Percy .

“Still not half of what Gabe deserved.” His mutter made it to Annabeth , and she squeezed his hand.

“ Not a scratch, I remembered Gabe saying. Oops… ‘When he sees us, he’ll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way- directly sideways. He can’t change directions very well once he’s charging. Do you understand?’ ‘How do you know all this?’ ” Athena’s gaze examined Sally Jackson, nearly at the same time as Hermes and Apollo. Poseidon and Amphitrite glimmered with pride. Sally was without a doubt one of the toughest mortals in existence. Intelligent and always prepared, doing whatever she could to keep her child alive.

Thalia grimaced. She’d never begrudge her cousin this, but she wished her mother had been able to do that, even if only at a fraction of what Sally was able. That said there was a set of memories in her mind that she wouldn’t trade for anything, of how Sally would always take care of her and The Hunters when they were in the area.

“ ‘I’ve been worried about an attack for a long time… I was selfish, keeping you near me.’ ” Amphitrite squeezed Sally’s shoulder.

“Every mother wants to keep their child close, it was not selfish, just hard to let go.”

“ ‘Keeping me near you?... My mother must’ve been exhausted, but she shouldered Grover. ‘Go, Percy! Separate! Remember what I said!’ ” Percy ’s face tightened and he rubbed at his injured leg. Percy looked at his mom in awe, and Sally’s blush returned in full force. “ I didn’t want to split up, but I had the feeling she was right- it was our only chance… The fear in my stomach made me want to bolt, but that wouldn’t work. I could never outrun this thing. So I held my ground, and at the last moment, I jumped to the side. ” Reyna ’s whistle drew near everyone’s attention, and she turned a beaming gaze onto Percy .

“Standing your ground against Pasiphae’s Son. Few who could do that at our age, let alone twelve. Percy you may be the bravest Demigod among all Half-bloods.” Reyna ’s eyes twinkled as the unspoken words followed. Because that a top every other of your achievements is nigh on unthinkable .

“ Reyna don’t inflate his ego, however will I live with him if his ego grows at all.” Annabeth somehow manages with a straight face. Percy morphs into a mock look of offence. Thalia , Nico , and Hazel all began to laugh. Memories competed within their minds, of times they had all spent together just like this, while others within their minds tried to drag them all down into the dark. They shook it off, they kept their spirits high, at least as much as they could.

“ The bull-man stormed past like a freight train, then bellowed with frustration and turned, but not toward me this time, toward my mother, who was setting Grover down in the grass… eyeing my mother, who was now retreating slowly downhill, back toward the road, trying to lead the monster away from Grover. ” Poseidon’s throne went entirely still, not a single molecule of water could move. Amphitrite’s gaze locked with Hades. The King of The Underworld didn’t say a word. Amphitrite was not Hera, nor was she Persephone. Everything Hades’ actions had wrought were leading to one wrong move meaning the difference between war or peace with the sea. “ ‘Run, Percy!’... But I just stood there, frozen in fear, as the monster charged her. She tried to sidestep, as she’d told me to do, but the monster had learned his lesson. His hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck as she tried to get away… Then, with an angry roar, the monster closed his fists around my mother’s neck, and she dissolved before my eyes, melting into light, a shimmering golden form, as if she were a holographic projection. A blinding flash, and she was simply… gone. ”

Sally laid a hand on Amphitrite’s arm. The water jerked back to life. Amphitrite went wide eyed as she turned herself towards Sally.

“I’m fairly sure that my son, the older one, would not be sitting in the room with his Uncle so amicably if I died.” Only Chiron and the other time travellers noted how Percy struggled to keep even breathing, practically frozen with his eyes forward. It seemed as if Percy was there, in that moment with his younger self.

“ ‘No!’ Anger replaced my fear. Newfound strength buried in my limbs- the same rush of energy I’d gotten when Mrs. Dodds gre talons… I stripped off my red rain jacket. ‘Hey!’... ‘Hey, stupid! Ground Beef!’ ” The campers barely suppressed laughter while Piper shook silently at the name. Percy looked ready for murder however. “ ‘Raaaarrrrr!’... I had an idea- a stupid idea, but better than no idea at all. ”

“ Percy had a stupid idea?” Nico laughed. Thalia was already bent over, her chest heaved as she fought to get air in her lungs. Reyna , Piper , and Hazel all smiled and hid laughs behind their hands. Annabeth chuckled by squeezed his hand. Percy looked away from the other time travellers. Annabeth raised her eyebrows at the interaction. Luke finally broke his most recent silence with a brief chuckle.

“ I put my back to the big pine tree and waved my red jacket in front of the bull-man, ” Thalia ’s eyes narrowed as she got control of herself and turned towards Percy .

“ Percy please tell me you’re not about to use me the way I think you’re about to use me?” Percy didn’t mean Thalia ’s eyes.

“ Thinking I’d jump out of the way at the last moment… My legs tensed. I couldn’t jump sideways, so I leaped straight up, kicking off from the creature’s head, using it as a springboard, turning in midair, and landing on his neck. ” Apollo’s jaw dropped. Ares finally fully leaned in, a near manic smile on his face. “ How did I do that? … the monster’s head slammed into the tree and the impact nearly knocked my teeth out. ”

Thalia grunted in pain as the air burst from her lungs and she sucked in breath after breath. Apollo rose quickly. He crossed the distance between himself and his half-sister. His hands took on a golden yellow glow as he passed them in front of her stomach. Thalia coughed a few more times, but as she got her breathing under control Apollo’s face twisted.

“There’s nothing physically wrong with you. It’s like you just got punched in the stomach.” Thalia hissed and rubbed at her abdomen.

“Yeah well it feels more like I got hit by a freight train, eh Kelphead?” Percy grimaced.

“Well how was I supposed to know you were the tree?” The campers all shared confused looks. Namely on how Thalia was the tree but also not. Chiron’s eyes narrowed on the time travellers. The Mist seemed thick, overly so upon them. He got brief flashes through it, but whoever had put it over them had done a good job.

“Apollo, let us finish the chapter. If there is nothing you can do for her, hopefully that might aid her.” Athena stared at her half-sister, her words quick and to the point, Apollo’s worrying was not likely to make any change. The God of Medicine huffed but returned to his throne and picked up where he left off, his eyes watched Thalia , like a hawk.

“ The bull-man staggered around, trying to shake me… but I was starting to realize that this thing had only one gear: forward. ”

“Now that isn’t a surprise. Old Ground Beef only goes forward, every other direction is just him being a lucky stumblind mess.” Annabeth’s brows curled together.

“But why though?”

“It could be a learned habit, or it could be because of how top heavy he is. Not much didn’t run away from him and his bulk and head definitely lends itself to forward momentum,” Annabeth hypothesised. Athena’s lips parted, ready to share her own piece when Hera glared at her, ending the conversation.

“ Meanwhile, Grover started groaning in the grass… I thought about how he had squeezed the life out of my mother, made her disappear in a flash of light, and rage filled me like high-octane fuel. I got both hands around one horn and I pulled backward with all my might. ”

“No way the kid is that strong, not even one of my kids could do that,” Ares clucked, his eyes blazing behind his sunglasses. Percy grimaced and turned away refusing to even look at The God of War.

“ The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then- snap! … Without thinking, I rolled to one side and came up kneeling. As the monster barreled past, I drove the broken horn straight into his side, right up under his furry rib cage. ” You could have heard a pin drop. Every single one of the time travellers stared at Percy , everyone except Annabeth who had seen the whole thing in person. 

“You killed Pasiphae’s Son with his own horn? No weapons, no training, at twelve years old you used his own horn in a manoeuvre at least three hundred people could not pull off without some considerable practice and a lot of luck.” Percy gave a weak smile to Reyna . “ Hazel , the next time we see Percy after all this please remind me that he should be doing most of the sword fighting training in place of some of our teachers.”

“You got it boss!” Hazel made an exaggerated American salute with a bright smile on her face. But the look didn’t fully reach her eyes despite her enthusiastic delivery. They all remembered what had happened at Camp Half-Blood. Too many of the most experienced Legionnaires and Heroes had soaked Half-Blood Hill red. Percy had to be removed from most training positions, he was too valuable on the battlefield after those losses.

“ The bull-man roared in agony… The rain had stopped. The storm still rumbled, but only in the distance. ” Zeus glowered. His daughter died upon that hill, but Poseidon’s forbidden child was allowed to live. The only reason he did not smite the boy, both versions, at this moment was three fold. The first was The Fates, they had interfered and messing with their designs always had a price. Second was his daughter, alive and standing before him even if she was in the garb of Artemis’ Hunters. Third was the risk of war. Poseidon was one of the only Immortals capable of waging a war across the word against both the sky and world beneath. Poseidon was dangerously close to declaring war and Amphitrite looked ready to summon her sisters to aid. Zeus would not start that war right now, he hated to admit it, but most likely he’d lose and end up in another golden net. “ I smelled like livestock and my knees were shaking… The last thing I remember is collapsing on a wooden porch, looking up at a ceiling fan circling above me. ”

“You brought Grover the rest of the way after that?” The campers looked on in awe, Percy ’s strength certainly had their attention. Percy ’s lips pulled tight and he avoided the looks from the campers. Something that Chiron focused on.

“ Moths flying around yellow light… a pretty girl, her blond hair curled like a princess’s. They both looked down at me, and the girl said, ‘He’s the one. He must be.’ ‘Silence, Annabeth,’ the man said. ‘He’s still conscious. Bring him inside.’ ” Annabeth turned to face Percy , who now looked absolutely beet red.

“Pretty girl, bond hair curled like a princess? Percy evidence says you thought I was a pretty princess back when we were twelve.” Percy tried to escape her non-existent gaze, but that was difficult when they were tucked into each other.

“Well I didn’t know you then, you were pretty… mean to me Wise Girl.” Annabeth ’s jaw dropped. She punched him softly on the shoulder.

“Says the Seaweed Brain. You wouldn’t have made it three steps, let alone across the country without me thank you very much.” He laughed, light and melodious.

“You’re right Wise Girl, guess I’ll just have to keep you around.” Annabeth threw her head back and laughed. 

“Oh I’m sticking around alright. You don’t get a choice.” The time travellers looked keen to hold back, their faces alight with no doubt hundreds of jokes to be lobbed at the pair. For the moment though they seemed content to let Percy and Annabeth to tease each other. Athena, Poseidon, Amphitrite, and Sally all watched. 

“That’s the end of the chapter.” Apollo looked around. Hermes held out a hand. The half-brothers exchanged the book and Hermes leaned back into his throne.

“ Chapter Five - I play Pinochle With a Horse. ”