Chapter 7: The Production Part 1

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Hephaestus: And Olympus TV presents...

Percy: I wish I could see this

Hephaestus: Oh! But you are! *Talks in a host way*

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Ok! This is where it's not Facebook. It is in book form. Percy Jackson is in 1st person. All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for the characters!

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"Let's meet our contestants today!" Hephaestus said while the gods and goddesses in the crowd

cheered. I sat nervous in my seat, unaware that I might get called. Hephaestus pulled out a magic bag. He pushed some buttons. The magic bag printed out 6 cards.

"Alright, demigods! You will be randomly chosen. There will be three demigods on each team. Let's begin with the first team!"

Annabeth and I exchanged glances. Any demigod could get chosen.

"Thalia Grace!" Hephaestus called. Thalia stood up and walked up to the brilliantly lit stage.

"I hope Jason won't be playing," I said to Annabeth.

"Yeah," she replied back.

"Annabeth Chase!" Hephaestus said. Annabeth awkwardly stood up blushing. Annabeth walked up to the stage. Hephaestus next to her was unaware that he was way taller than her. "Oops. Sorry," he said. He shrunk to human size.

"The last demigod for Team 1 is....Percy Jackson!" Ares groaned in his seat. I stood up and did just as Annabeth did. The stage was almost blinding.

"Oops. Well, I just will say the other team. Jason Grace, Nico di Angelo, and Drew Tanaka!" Hephaestus called.

"What?!" Drew shrieked.

"It's mandatory," Hephaestus replied.

"Uggh!" Drew screamed. Aphrodite shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She motioned for Drew to come to her. Drew reluctantly came over to her. Aphrodite whispered into Drew's ear. Drew turned pale. Ares chuckled, overhearing Aphrodite's message to Drew.

"Ok. I'm coming," Drew said. Drew walked up to the stage and stood beside Jason. Piper looked at her angrily from the crowd.

"We will choose also one god or goddess for each team. They may participate, but they cannot, by all means, use their powers. Some of the gods and goddesses groaned. "Contestants, you may whisper and choose. You have 30 seconds," Hephaestus explained. The clock set to 30 seconds.

"I think we should choose Athena," Annabeth said.

"Maybe, but definitely not my dad. Show off," Thalia said. The clock was down to 15 seconds.

"My dad would be great," I replied.

"Yes! We can do him!" Thalia announced.

"I don't know," Annabeth said still sure that her idea was good. Too late, I thought. The clock beeped. Time was up.

"Who did you choose, Team 1?" Hephaestus asked.

"Poseidon," we said in unison. Poseidon stood up surprised, but the smile on his face was proud. He winked at me and smiled. He looked at Zeus like: "How's that, 'Lord of the gods'?" Zeus just scowled.

"And you, Team 2?" Hephaestus asked.

"Ares," Jason said. Ares stood up.

"You're goin' down, Team 1," he said brusquely. He walked up to the stage like he'd just won an

award. Anger boiled inside of me, but I knew it was just the effect from Ares.

"You have a loser team. Try and win, punk," he said to me.

"I will. I can beat you again and kick your sorry butt," I fired back. He just grunted while Poseidon tried to get me off the subject.

"It's ok, Percy. We can beat them," Poseidon said.

"Think of a team name next," Hephaestus said. Annabeth, Thalia, Poseidon, and I huddled together.

"I like Poseido," Poseidon said.

"Let's think of something else," Annabeth suggested.

"How about Owl Sea Bolt?" Thalia said.

"That's not bad," I said.

"No! Even better! I can see it now: The Seahorses," Poseidon approved.

"Time's up!" Hephaestus said. "Team 1, what is your new name?"

"The Seahorses," Poseidon said proudly. People in the crowd laughed.

"And Team 2?" Hephaestus asked.

"Almighty Winners," Ares answered.

"Ok! Let's begin with the first round, right after these messages from our sponsers!"

"And we're back with the newest Olympus TV production!" Hephaestus said. There was a new set (Hephaestus's skills probably) where there were two desks on each side of the stage. A red buzzer was on the two desks and a podium was in between the desks. "Follow me, The Seahorses and Almighty Winners, please," Hephaestus motioned. Thalia, Poseidon, Annabeth, and I went to the right of the stage where our team banner was. Instead of The Seahorses it read: The Seascums. When Poseidon saw this, he became angry. I looked at the other team's banner. It read: Almighty Losers. I laughed out loud. It totally backfired on them. Well, for us too.

"This is an outrage!" Poseidon managed to say. Then he mumbled something like, "Sea scum? Hmmpf!"

"Don't get angry," Hephaestus said. "Some god or goddess just wanted to have some fun. We will still start." By that time, I was sitting by Annabeth and Poseidon. Annabeth was close to the buzzer ready to hit it. She was in her comfort zone: smartness.

"First, Let's begin with the first question! We are on the brain challenge!" Hephaestus explained. "There will be 5 questions! You will either have to write it or say it. There will be some tricks, but that isn't until later!"

Annabeth turned to me, "I got this."

"But remember," Hephaestus said, "Every team mate has to answer." That's when I got nervous. Despite Annabeth's dyslexia and ADHD, she was still smart. I was not. Ares yelled in frusteration. I hoped my dad was smart.

"Dad, what do you know the best?" I asked.

"I'm good at oceanography!" he answered.

"Ok," I said. "We can do this."

"Is everyone ready?" Hephaestus asked.

"Yes," Jason said.

"Let's begin!" Hephaestus said while he walked. His metal brace squeaked every step he took. Hephaestus held up host cards. First question. You will need your writing pads."

"But...We don't have any writing pads," Drew smirked. Just as quick as she said it, writing pads appeared on our desks. Annabeth took ours and got a stylus from a drawer in the desk.

"Here we go! First question! Why do we have seasons?" Hephaestus challenged. Annabeth started to write as fast as she could. She pressed the button on the tablet that read done. It then disappeared in a flash. Drew looked from across the room straight at me if saying, "I know all your secrets."

"And we have received all the answers! Annabeth answered first, but that means she doesn't win! If you both get them right then we'll move on to a physical challenge!" Hephaestus explained. Ares grunted and mumbled to Jason something like: "We can cheat. Give me the tablet again and again. I can do the physical challenge." Apparently, Hephaestus overheard them too and looked at Ares coldly.

"Also, NO breaking the rules. Punishments will happen. On the happy note, popcorn is almost ready. So, after this section, popcorn is for sale!" The gods and goddesses nodded in approval.

"Annabeth Chase! Your response read: We have seasons because Persephone ate seven seeds of a pomegranate from the Underworld. So, she has to spend seven months in the Underworld while Demeter is in despair. That's when there's winter and fall. When Persephone is with Demeter, they rejoice. That means spring and summer are here. Good job!" I beamed at Annabeth. She was pretty darn smart.

"Good job, Annabeth!" Thalia praised.

"Thanks!" Annabeth said.

"Now, the Almighty Losers have answered. Jason apparently answered. It says: Ceres grieves for Proserpine for 7 months when Proserpine is in the Underworld. Why this happened is because Proserpine ate 7 seeds of a pomegranate in the Underworld. The other 5 months is summer and spring where Ceres is reunited with her daughter. Correct both of you!" Hephaestus read. Ares stood up ready to do the physical challenge.

"I'm ready," Ares said confidentally.

"But no! Only Jason and Annabeth can do it!" Hephaestus explained. "As thick-headed as you are, I thought you would get that."

"Well," Ares grumbled. The fire in his eyes seemed to glow a litte bigger through his sunglasses.

"Come up, Annabeth and Jason," Hephaestus commanded. Annabeth and Jason walked toward Hephaestus. He pushed a button and a new obstacle course was set up. Annabeth gulped down her nervousness and walked towards the start line. "Since you submitted yours first, you have the right to go first." The sign that told her to go was a traffic light. Annabeth raced through the obstacle course fighting fake mechanical monsters as she went.

"You can do it!" Athena cheered.

"Go Annabeth!" I shouted. Athena glared at me. I shrunk down in my seat a little. When Annabeth got out, her time was 5:28.6 seconds. She came back to her seat panting and gave me a thumbs-up. It was Jason's turn. The traffic light was green and he raced through the obstacle course fast as lightening. (Ha ha) When he was done, his time was 6:01.2.

"Annabeth wins a point for The Seascums!" Hephaestus announced. I was beginning to think he was the goofball that had changed our team names.

As the brain challenge flew by, the score was 3-2. Our team was winning. I had to say, I did pretty well for my answer, but it was wrong. Athena had glared and scowled at me like I was a week old dirty gym socks.

"Next is the cooking challenge! With a random pick from the bag, they will start with the cooking challenge. Stand back everyone," Hephaestus cautioned. We left the brain challenge set and it automatically changed into a cooking kitchen. Hephaestus pushed the randomize button on his bag and it printed out two cards. "Nico and Percy! You will be representing your team! You will be able to pick one god or goddess to taste test your food." The gods and goddesses in the crowd moaned.

"Percy, you can do well," Thalia encouraged.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"Who do you choose, Percy to taste test?" Hephaestus asked.

"I choose-er-Apollo?" I answered.

"Yeah!" Apollo shouted from the audience. Artemis groaned as he stepped over her. He ran up to the stage.

"And you, Nico?" Hephaestus questioned.

"Hades," Nico answered. Hades looked startled as he stood up and went to the stage.

"You will be making any dish of your choice that describes the god's powers. Example: Poseidon would be clam chowder. Recipes will be in the magic drawer. Just ask for the recipe. You CANNOT use the direct recipe. You have to make twists and turns in it. There will be a lie detector. Go," Hephaestus said. The clock was reset to one hour. The gods and goddesses stood up to go get popcorn. We couldn't take a break. We still had to work.

I rushed to my cooking cubicle. Apollo. Apollo. What kind of food represents him? I thought as I started to get deep into thought. Fine. Just fine. I'll make a version of Sunchips, I thought. I went up to the drawer and spoke my recipe. To my surprise, it was just like Leo's tool belt. It gave me whatever I wanted. I took the recipe and got to work. Apparently, Nico had just gotten his idea at the same time I did. All I heard him say was cake, so I knew he wasn't trying to copy me.

My ingredients had magically appeared on my table. I looked at the first step. As the clock raced by, I was almost done. I had changed the recipe just a little. When I got the chips out of the oven, they smelled delicious. The clock beeped and warned us that 60 seconds remained on the clock. I quickly got a bowl for the chips and sat down, exhausted. By 30 seconds, Nico's area smelled delicious and I couldn't help but peer over to see what he was doing. He apparently was almost done because he set it up beautifully and sat down. The clock beeped down to zero. All of the appliances and magic items shut off. The gods and goddesses appeared in their seats eating popcorn.

"We're back! Percy, explain your food and how it's like Apollo's powers," Hephaestus said. I brought out the bowl for everyone to see.

"This is my food. I made Sunchips. Get it?" I stammered, embarrassed.

"And it's...blue?" Hephaestus asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Compliments of my mom. You said to make twists and turns, so I did," I replied.

"Exactly right! Let's see what Apollo thinks." Suddenly, a desk appeared out of nowhere. Apollo sat in the chair. The food appeared on the desk. He tried it.

"This is good!" he exclaimed, scarfing down the rest. Artemis looked at him with disgust. I heaved a sigh of relief. The lie detector on Apollo beeped and told Hephaestus he was telling the truth.

"On a scale from 1-10, it is based on the originality of the name," Hephaestus explained. "What do you think, Apollo?"

"For the Sunchips, I'd say about a 6," he replied. My heart started to beat faster. A six?!

"And for the tastiness?" Hephaestus questioned.

"Umm...About an 8. Good job, Percy. That was superb," Apollo said.

"Thanks," I managed to say. Annabeth looked at me with pride even though I probably lost. I learned one valuable lesson. Don't even pick Apollo to judge you. Him judging = losing.

"Nico! You're next! Explain," Hephaestus said. Nico smiled like he had an evil plan.

"What I made was devil's food cake. I thought that this would be perfect because my dad rules the Underworld," Nico explained. Persephone snorted out loud. The gods and goddesses laughed. Hades looked like that was the best joke he'd ever heard. He was cracking up.

"Interesting! Let's have Hades see if this is a good cake," Hephaestus said. Hades sat in the chair Apollo sat in. The food appeared to him. He started to eat it.

"Yummy! Amazing design also, Nico," Hades praised. The lie detector detected he told the truth.

"What about originality for the name, Hades?" Hephaestus asked.

"I say a 9.9," Hades answered. My heart sunk. I was sure I had lost. The lie detector told he wasn't lying.

"What about taste?"

"Now I give that a ten," he answered. He wasn't lying or cheating.

"That gives Nico a 19.9 and Percy a 14," Hephaestus announced. My face turned completely red. Thalia looked at me like I was crazy. I sulked back to my chair beside Poseidon.

"The winner for this round is the Almighty Losers!" Hephaestus clapped with the gods and goddesses.

"You did amazing," Poseidon said to me.

"Thanks," I said disappointed.

"I would love some blue food next time I visit you and Sally," he praised.

"Yep. My speciality," I managed to say.

"The score is 3-3! We have a tie! More challenges are coming up right after this!" Hephaestus said as he smiled.

READ NEXT CHAPTER TO CONTINUE TO PART 2