Percy was bewildered at Athena's response.

"I cannot blame you for your choice." 

Silence.

"What?" Percy found himself saying. Athena frowned impatiently.

"I cannot blame you for your choice." She repeated. "What you have done is wise. In fact, I do not even feel like defending my father in this." Zeus gasped.

"Daughter!" He stared at her. "How dare you...?" Percy whistled.

"Yes, yes I dare!" She spun around. "I am always defending you because you can't fend for yourself with your thick skull!"

"This is getting heated." His gaze wavered between Athena and Zeus.

"Daughter! Stop this at once!" Zeus shouted. 

"Stop acting as if you control me, father!" She turned to her father. "You have manipulated me enough! I am tired of this—this bullshit!" Chorused gasps rang throughout the throne room.

"Athena cursed?"

"Holy crap..."

"What the world has come to!"

"SILENCE!" Zeus roared. "My daughter, this is insane. I am not trying to control you—"

"YES YOU ARE!" Athena interrupted, fuming. "If it weren't for your big airhead and Mr. I-Flooded-Atlantis over there none of the World Wars would have happened, nor the second Titan War, nor most of the things that happened before! If you had kept your sense and listened to me and kept your thunder in your pants none of this would have happened!" Zeus was startled. "I am tired of your foolishness father. For once, listen to me and not that nonexistent braincell of yours so this can actually go as planned!" 

"Like daughter, like mother." Percy muttered under his breath, watching the whole thing unfold amusedly. "No wonder." Hermes tossed a bunch of popcorn in his mouth.

"This is better than watching Odysseus' showdown with Circe." He mumbled through a mouthful of popcorn.

"Give me some, cuz!" Apollo snatched a handful. Zeus ignored the two troublemakers and stood up, his Master Bolt clenched in his fist.

"Do not test my patience, Athena!" He growled. "I will not hesitate to shut your mouth!" Her eyes glowed with godly energy.

"I suggest you not to do so, Father." She said, her voice deadly calm. "After all, what kind of reputation would that bring you?" Zeus faltered a bit, his grip on his Master Bolt loosening.

"I do not care about reputation." He said after a long silence. "I do what is right for Olympus." Athena's face stayed cold and stony.

"Apollo, you know he is lying, correct?" 

Apollo didn't answer, paling a bit. 

Athena gritted her teeth. "Answer me! I will not let you get turned into a mortal once more."

"He's lying." The sun god blurted out, immediately turning red after speaking. "Sorry, dad." Zeus' body crackled with lightning.

"This is very entertaining." Hades said from his dark corner.

"Do not question my motives, daughter!" He was quickly losing patience.

"Then do not question my wisdom!" She shot back. "Your decision are unintelligent, despite being king of the gods! You care about nothing except yourself and what a decision would bring you! At least Perseus here is wise about not joining your side!" 

Percy nearly dropped his sword in shock. Athena defended him? Holy crap.

"Did she just defend my son?" Poseidon whispered. 

"Holy shit." Hermes and Apollo said at the same time. 

"Did you just defend me?" Percy asked shakily. She shot him a hard stare.

"Yes. At least you have more brain than my father. But do not think that I am on your side, Perseus." 

Zeus couldn't take it any more. He lunged forward, his Master Bolt crackling with energy. Athena quickly dodged and spun her spear in her hands, disarming her father with a quick movement.

"I do not want you to be hurt, father, but your rash decisions are hurting everyone. Including my daughter." She stepped away from him. "I hope my point is loud and clear."

Zeus got to his feet, looking humiliated and defeated as he summoned his Master Bolt back to his hand.

"Wait, but then you were defending Zeus about me being a traitor." Percy said. She glared at him.

"I suppose you have atoned for it, while my father thinks otherwise." She turned to Zeus. "Father, if you kill Perseus, it will spark another worldwide war. War is not always the answer."

"War is always the answer." Ares growled. "Pathetic. You didn't even fight father fairly!" Athena steadied herself with an icy scowl.

"Want to show everyone how it's done?" She asked, swinging her spear in her hands threateningly. Ares didn't answer, shrinking back into his throne at the murderous glint in her eyes.

"Your daughter is a disgrace." Zeus hissed. "That was a mistake."

 "My daughter might have been foolish to take your side, but at least she has considerable wisdom and strategy."

The little respect towards Athena Percy had evaporated.

"I can't say the feeling's mutual." He muttered, sheathing Sicarius. "I thought you voted for me to be cast into Tartarus!" 

"That was a mistake." She admitted, sounding as if she was pained to say it. "I won't make it again." 

"Am I dreaming?" Hermes breathed. "Pinch me." Apollo yanked his ear.

"Ouch!"

"Stop it, you two!" Hera yelled. Percy smirked.

"I'm going to be leaving now." He eyed the fighting Olympians slyly. "My job here is done." And with that, he disappeared.

He was going to have to go into hiding.

Line break sponsored by the souls of my readers dying more than when they read Uncle Rick's TBM which doesn't exist but still

(from Jaymoonjaybriar) 

At Camp Half-Blood, one week later—

Nico, Will, Clarisse, Chris, Annabeth, Piper, Jason, Leo, Calypso, and the Chaos Commanders were all gathered in the Big House with Chiron, arguing across the ping-pong table.

"You're saying that Percy appeared in your cabin—"

"And tried to apologize—"

"And then you stabbed him in the gut—"

"—that killed him?!" Nico cried. "How could you?" Annabeth huffed.

"It was for the best." She dismissed it. "He would've killed us all sooner or later." Will glared at her while Nico buried his face into his chest.

"You monster." He whispered. "How could you? After all you've done to him—after he saved us from Kronos—you reward him with death?" Chiron was silent.

"He killed my brother, Max." Annabeth argued. "My mother saw it. He's a murderer, and he betrayed our trust!" Clarisse raised an eyebrow, leaning against her chair.

"Sounds a lot like you." She said calmly, unlike her usual violent mood. 

"I followed the gods' word!"

"And the gods have lost their minds." She shot back. "Percy was proved to be innocent after throwing Kronos into the Sea of Chaos."

"I would pay to watch that, but Percy isn't even here anymore." Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wish he didn't have to go through all that." 

"We need him for the war!" Jason exclaimed. "And... also to be my bro." Piper elbowed him playfully.

"You wouldn't think like that, Annabeth." Leo's hair caught fire. "He was your boyfriend. You should at least forgive him." She pursed her lips.

"He made me go through what Luke did." She snapped, ignoring the hurt look on Luke's face. "I've had enough with that." 

"Don't think you haven't caused any pain yourself, Not-So-Wise Girl." A voice came from the shadows. "I know exactly what your motive is." Annabeth gaped as a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows.

"'Sup, my bro." He did finger guns towards Jason, who was too shocked to do anything. 

"How long were you there?" Clarisse demanded, going a bit red. Chris gave her a gentle squeeze on the hand to reassure her. The lower part of Percy's face contorted into an insane smile.

"Long enough to know what everyone thinks of me." He leaned against the wall, glaring at Annabeth. "You thought I was dead, huh? Great going."

"I killed you, didn't I?" She managed to speak.

"And I saw your ghost!" Nico added, looking terrified. Percy chuckled.

"I just wanted to have a little fun, that's all." He said, sounding amused. Will exchanged looks with his boyfriend nervously.

"We all thought you were dead." Beckendorf murmured, hurt lacing his words. 

"Funny, that's exactly what the Olympians said." He stood up, eyeing Chiron warily. "Hello, Chiron. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Chiron nodded, sober.

"It has, child." He whispered. "It certainly has."

"Why are you here?" Zoe asked softly.

" I have something to tell Annabeth." Percy beckoned her closer, discreetly putting his hand on his sword. She stood up, defiance in her eyes. "No one can hear." She stepped a bit closer, suspicious. He bent down to her level until his mouth was right next to her ear.

"What do you want?" Annabeth hissed. His lips quirked upward into a smile, almost malicious.

"Your life."