Percy Jackson-

Classes start tomorrow. Now, that sucks worse than Apollo in hippie clothes doing the disco and singing Staying Alive.

Dyslexia and ADHD aren't good for mortal—sorry, muggle school. I doubt it will help in a magical school.

It certainly didn't help with the nightmares I've been having.

Not only do I have to worry about Gabe every night, I also have to deal with The Curses again.  Kronos.  Tartarus.  Gaea.  All of my worst foes.  My worst fears...I can't escape them.

The worst part is that I can't stay awake.  In the dead of the night, the darkness...the shadows...the silence.  If I stay awake, the images.  The memories.  The horror...it burns against my eyelids.  It hammers against my brain.  It lures me in, and it traps me there, in my past. I bang against the bars, and I try.  I try so hard...but I can't ever escape.  So I succumb to it.  I fall asleep.  And I feel it.  All of it.  Over.  And.  Over. 

I was still thinking about it.  It was still there.  So when Nico tapped me on the shoulder, and I immediately grabbed his wrist in an iron grip.  My eyes were stormy, and I looked away, exhaling.

"Uh, sorry."

"Sorry?" Nico asked.  "Sorry?  What the my Father was that?" He was angry, but his eyes knitted up in concern.

"Look, I said I am sorry, all right.  I was a little shaken up from my nightmare last night."

"How shaken up?"

"Look, It isn't a big deal," I clenched my jaw.

"What's a big deal?" Thalia asked, seemingly coming out of nowhere.

"Nothing!  Gods of Olympus!  Di Immortals, where the Hades did you even come from?" I asked her, obviously annoyed. 

"Whoa, what is up with you, Kelp Head? You are acting weird...er, I mean weirder than normal."

I gritted my teeth. "I'm going for a swim. Don't wait for me."

I could feel their eyes piercing my back, burning into the back of my head, bug still I jogged farther away from them, from my dreams, memories...from life. Keep running, just keep running.

I'm starting to sound a lot like Leo, and that seriously scares me, Sirius puns aside.

When I reached the lake, I was alone. Everyone was inside. I glared at my reflection in the water.

I could feel the scars, rippling in my chest like the lake. I could feel the pain, so if it were happening over and over again. As of it was happening now.

I closed my eyes and fought back the grief, the madness. I fought to control my body, to stop the power from taking over.

Because once that happened, I would be too far gone. I wouldn't be able to control it, or myself.

Maybe I was like a demigod version of the Incredible Hulk.

Next thing I know, I'll turn into a huge, green rage monster that likes to talk in third person and smash stuff.

Life just keeps getting weirder.

Or maybe it's just me that's getting weirder. It probably is.

My gaze was practically steel hitting the water.  I could feel the lake churning, responding to my anger.

Like the water, all the grief, the madness, the pain...it all washed away as I stared at the lake.  All that was left was the anger.  The rage. 

I sighed deeply, then I looked up towards the trees.  The Forbidden Forest.  But all those who know me, or pretty much any demigod know that to us, forbidding something is like an open invitation.

I jogged through the trees until I came to a clearing.  I was alone and could hear the silence.  Then I let everything go as I fell to the ground.

...

"Why, hello there.  Do you always sleep in the forest?"  I opened one eye and peered at the blonde girl with the misty and dreamy voice.

"Uh, no." I said.  I've been feeling really angry lately, but there was just something about her—her innocence, I guess.  It couldn't really be mad at her.

"Then why are you laying there?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.  She kind of reminded me of a confused puppy.  Not that poodle I said hi too.  Didn't like her very much.  I think she was a little rude, but that's just me. 

"I felt like it." I said.  "Why are you out here?  Isn't this the 'Forbidden Forest'?"

"Yes," the girl said.  "I'm not really supposed to be here, but it isn't very far in, and I wanted to visit the Thestrals."

I sat up and saw who she was talking about.  They were like Nico and I combined—skeletons and horses together.

My Lord.  Said a voice inside my head.  The Thestrals one by one started bowing to me.  It was a sight, that's for sure.  I bet if anyone else, and I don't mean the dreamy girl, saw this, they'd think they were pathological.

"They seem to like you.  You can see them, can't you."  It wasn't a question.  It was phrased like one, but she already knew the answer.  I had a feeling she was much wiser than she appeared.

"They are unique, that's for sure." She continued in a dreamy tone.  "I bet you've never seen winged horses before."

I almost laughed, but caught myself.  "Eh." Wasn't an answer, it wasn't not a response.

"My name is Luna." She said to me.  "Luna Lovegood."

"Percy Jackson," I said and shook her hand.  "It's nice to meet you."  It really was.  Something about her...I don't know.  It was refreshing.  She wasn't wearing robes or a tie, so I didn't know what house she was in.  If she was in Gryffindor, I'd have probably noticed her before today.  "What house are you in?"

"I'm in Ravenclaw.  You are in Gryffindor.  I've seen you around."

I nodded grimly.

"You look sad."

"I feel sad."

"Often things aren't as bad as we make them to be, you know.  People just bottle everything up most of the time, giving it nowhere to go but to explode.  Maybe you just need to let whatever it is out before it reaches that point." 

I nodded.  "But it is harder than that.  You make it sound simple."

Luna shrugged.  "Nothing is ever really what it seems.  Then perhaps nothing is ever really simple, too."

I smiled for the first time that day.  I was right.  She was wise.

We spend a few hours talking about Nargles and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.  We mingled with the baby Thestrals, and even though Luna didn't know this, Thestrals were actually really good conversationalists.

"Thank you, Luna.  You've opened my eyes quite a bit."

"It was interesting talking to you," she smiled in a happy-go-lucky sort of way.

We exited the forest and felt a twinge of regret as she skipped away.  She reminded me of a little sister.  Sort of lovable in a quirky sort of way.  But she was very smart.

"So Mr. Grumpy Swim Shorts has returned."  Thalia glared at me as I climbed through the portrait hole. 

"Where were you?" Ginny asked.

"He was probably talking with the Giant Squid." Nico shrugged.  "Not even Percy can be a happy oblivious Kelp Brained idiot all of the time."

"Octavian is always worse, though," Thalia pointed out.

"He's dead, though.  So it doesn't really matter anymore." Nico shrugged.

"The stuffed bears and pillow pets of the world are finally safe," I grinned. "Let's hope that blonde loser doesn't try to follow in his footsteps. One power hungry beanpole was enough, don't you think?"

The three of them stared at me, making me feel kind of self conscious.

"What?"

"Do you think that's him?" Thalia whispered loudly.

"Could be an evil clone," Nico narrowed his eyes.

"Maybe it is Hera messing with you guys again?" Ginny suggested.

The three of them turned to each other, making not-so-subtle guesses for my sudden change in attitude. None of them were remotely correct.

"Di Immortals," I muttered. "Everyone's a critic." Then louder I said, "you know, all of Piper's cabin has been talking about Thalico."

They heard me, but didn't pay me any attention. I have no doubt, if I continue, they will kill me.

"Which is Thalia and Nico's ship name. As in relationship name."

Thalia and Nico slowly turned.

"I think you guys are a cute couple." I smirked, knowing I had only seconds to live. "Bye!" That's when I ran for my life.

I spent the next few hours dodging Filch and running from my bloodthirsty, super powerful cousins because they teamed up to attempt to kill me.

I don't think I've ever had more fun in my life. They weren't nearly as amused as I was, though.