Hailee's POV

The next morning I woke up to see Chiron and Percy moving his things to cabin three. "Hey," I called to Percy. "Yes?" He turned to look at me. "You're welcome to visit here anytime," I said with a smile. "Thanks, feel free to visit my cabin, it might be easier." He said before he walked out the door. I got up and got dressed for the day (The outfit above). I went to go meet up with Percy to teach him Ancient Greek. Annabeth would come around every now and then to "help" but really she was trying to figure out how he was going to get her on a quest. After his lessons, we met up with Luke for sword training. We were the only ones willing to train with him after the incident with the Ares campers. Luke and I pushed Percy harder than before. He would need to know how to defend himself now that everyone knows who his father is. "You're going to need all the training you can get," Luke said, as Percy and I were working with swords and flaming torches. "Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again, Fifty more repetitions." After training, we went our separate ways. I saw Percy around camp, but we didn't talk much.

I was sneaking through the shadows at camp when I saw Grover going into Percy's cabin. I snuck over as Grover went into the cabin. "Mr. D wants to see you." "Why?" "He wants to kill... I mean, I'd better let him tell you." Grover said. I followed the boys to the big house, I heard Percy ask Grover if they need an umbrella. "No," Grover said. "It never rains here unless we want it to." "What the heck is that, then?" Percy asks pointing towards the sky. "It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does." As we got to the big house I stayed in the shadows so I could hear their conversation. "Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up. "Our little celebrity." Percy waited. "Come closer," Mr. D said. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father." A net of lightning flashed across the clouds. Thunder shook the windows of the house. "Blah, Blah, Blah," Dionysus said. Chiron feigned intrust in his pinochle cards. Grover cowered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth. "If I had my way," Dionysus said, I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm." "Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in. "Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father." "Mr. D--" Chiron warned. "Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're smart at all, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice then what Chiron feels you must do." I sighed at Mr. D's antics. He picked up a playing card twisted it and it became a security pass. He snapped his fingers and the air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a hologram, then wind, then he was gone. I was now just hiding behind the stairs to tired to stay invisible, I moved slightly and the stair creaked. "Sit, Percy, please. And Grover. You may come out Hailee, I'm not sure how you got in but you might as well stay." I sighed as I walked out from behind the stairs to sit at the pinochle table with Percy and Grover.

"Tell me, Percy," Chiron said. "What did you make of the hellhound?" I looked at Percy and saw him shudder, I felt bad for him. "It scared me," He said. "If Hailee hadn't stabbed it I'd be dead." "You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done." "Done... with what?" "Your quest, of course. Will you except it?" I looked shocked at Chiron. "Um, sir," Percy said, "you haven't told me what it is yet." Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hardest part, the details," Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. It looked like the sky and the sea were boiling together. "Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said, "They're fighting over something valuable... something that was stolen, aren't they?" I looked confused as Chiron and Grover exchanged a look. Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?" I bet he's been having demigod dreams, I've only had a few myself. "The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Hailee," he looked at me, "she'd overheard something about a theft. And... I've also been having these dreams." "I knew it," Grover spoke my thoughts. "Hush, saytr," Chiron ordered. "But it's his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!" "Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his beard.

"Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt." I looked at Chiron shocked as Percy let out a nervous laugh. "A what?" "Do not take this lightly," I warned. "He's not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. He's talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives." They all looked at me completely shocked that I knew that. "What? I pay attention to class, plus I've done some research on the Big Three. It's my demigod curiosity." I defended. "Oh," Percy said. "It's Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers." "And it's missing?" "Stolen," Chiron said. "By who?" "By whom," Chiron corrected. "By you." Percy's mouth fell open. "At least"--Chiron held up a hand--"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' 'Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized the bolt was missing, take from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly--that is forbidden by the most ancient divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it." "But I didn't--" Percy began but was cut off by Chiron. "Patience and listen, child. Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now that Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could have easily snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."

"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!" Percy exclaimed. "Welp, that was a mistake." I sighed as Grover and Chiron looked at the sky. The storm was getting worse and the clouds had rolled over the valley. "Er, Percy...?" Grover said. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky." "Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam....." He looked at Percy and I knew he had expected Percy to tell him the answer to said question. After a moment Percy spoke, "Something about a golden net? Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods... they like trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?" "Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back in forth for months, threatening war. And now you've come along--the proverbial last straw." "But I'm just a kid!" "Percy," I cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you.... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?" "But I didn't do anything. Poseidon--my dad--he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?" Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hesta would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has flammed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like Percy?"

"Bad?" he questioned causing me to give him a look. "Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight." "Bad," he repeated. "And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath." I looked at Percy with sympathy, ever since I found out my father was Hades, I have been in fear of Zeus and Poseidon finding out. Outside it started to rain, the Volleyball players stopped their game looking shocked at the sky. "So, I have to find the stupid bolt," Percy said. "And return it to Zeus." "What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property." "If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?" Percy asked. "I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago... well, some of the lines make sense to me now. But before I can say more you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle." "Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?" Percy questioned. "Because if I did you would be too afraid to accept the challenge." Well, I think I know where Percy has to go. I thought. Percy swallowed. "Good reason," "You agree then?" Chiron asked. Percy looked to Grover and I and we both nodded. "All right," Percy said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin." "Then it's time for you to consult the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more." Percy left us to go to the Oracle.

"Can I go on the quest?" I turned to Chiron once Percy was gone. "I don't think that would be wise," Grover said causing me to send him a glare. "I agree with Grover, Hailee. You are unclaimed and therefore can't quite reach your full potential. Plus, I need you to help me keep an eye on the camp." If he only knew that I was claimed. "I can help Percy, I have been at this camp longer than almost anyone else. I am ready for this, I promise." I pleaded. "I am sorry Ms. Edwards, but my decision is final." I got up and ran to cabin eleven, but I decided to go to the woods instead. I could feel myself heating up and I looked down to see the grass yellowing. I sat down and started to breathe when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Luke. "Um, your eyes are again," He said as he carefully sat next to me. "Remember to breathe," I gave him a look. "Your looks are definitely more terrifying like this," Luke laughed softly. That brought a slight smile to my face. I took a few deep breaths and felt better. "Here," Luke said handing me some ambrosia. I took a bite and smiled as I tasted freshly baked scratch brownies, like the ones my mom used to make for me. "Thank you," I smiled. Luke was like the older brother I never had. "You're looking back to normal, let's go to the cabin," he said as he stood up. I followed after him. When we got to the cabin I went and got changed because I was soaked by the rain. Once I changed I grabbed my iPod then put my headphones in and drifted to sleep. I fell into a demigod dream, I looked around and saw Percy and the Oracle in the attic of the big house. I watched as Percy studied the Oracle, then I heard a voice in my head. I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask. "What is my destiny?" Percy asked. The mist coming from the Oracleswirled and there were four men I didn't know sitting at a poker table, I watched as Percy clenched his fist. The first man with a raspy voice said: You shall go west, and face the god who has turned. The next guy on the right looked up and said: You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned. The third guy threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend. The last guy delivered a line that made me shiver: You shall fail to save what matters most, in the end. I immediately shot awake. I knew I had to go on that quest, that first line meant Percy had to see my father, and if he is involved I know that it's not going to be good. Plus, there is a reason I had that dream.

Percy walked into cabin eleven and came over to my bed. "Can we talk in my cabin?" "Yeah," I said as I put on my shoes and followed him to cabin three. Once we got there I sat down, "What's up?" I asked looking at a scared looking Percy. "I have to go to the Underworld--" "I know, I had what I call a demigod dream about your Oracle meeting," I said plainly. "I want you to come on the quest." "To bad for you Chiron already told me no." I acted uninterested. "Look, you snuck into the big house, somehow," He said, "so you should be able to sneak out of camp." "I was using the shadows to keep myself invisible." I sighed, "Who all is going on the Quest?" "Grover, Annabeth, and I. If you'll go meet us at the bus terminal in Manhattan." I wasn't too excited to learn that Anna would be there, she hates me but they all knew about my father, so that makes it easier for me to go. "I'll help you," I told Percy before I went back to cabin eleven to pack my necessities.