Percy Jackson

Waking up to a hellhound attacking our camp was a great way to set up the rest of my day.

Or, honestly, my dreams set up my day because I got to watch another episode of What's Happening On Mount Othyrs, and let's just say that if Annabeth talks to any of us after this is over, we'll be lucky.

The hellhound was just the cherry on top.

We took an Amtrak after we got some breakfast from a local bakery, and since we'd be on the train overnight we were able to get a room in the sleeping car. Or, two rooms, because it only sleeps four to a room and the hunters also would die if they shared a room with a non-girl.

Phoebe seems to be really nice, but Zoë still gets on my nerves and I seem to get on hers all the time.

So once we got in the car, the hunters said they were going to scout the train and Thalia and Grover said they were getting food, so I took it as a chance to call my parents.

After all, if Chiron or Mr. D randomly decide to check and see if I am actually at home like I said I told be, it'd be good for them to know that they should lie rather than panic about where I am.

I can't wait to go home after all of this is over.

"Wh— hi, kiddo!" Dad said, noticing the call first since it was facing towards him but away from Mom as both of them were sitting at the table, probably eating lunch. "How's it going? Everything okay at ca..."

His voice drifted, but only for a second.

"You're not at camp." He realized. "Where... Are you?"

"I'm not," I confirmed for my parents as my mom turned around to see me, looking worried. "I'm alright, though, I promise. I'm currently on an Amtrak train heading towards California— the Bay area specifically. Annabeth and Luke are both like... Sort of being held hostage— well, Annabeth more than Luke because Atlas is sided with Kronos so I doubt he'll actually hurt him more than he's already hurt, but those two are there and so is Artemis and um... Oh! I'm not alone. That's probably really important."

"You're not alone?" Mom asked again.

I nodded.

"The others aren't in the room with me now— but it's a 6 person quest." I reassured my parents. "Grover and Thalia are with, along with 3 Hunters, one of which is one of the demigods we just recruited, so..."

"Hunters?" Dad asked me. "Who else, besides the new recruit?"

"Um, a girl named Phoebe— I don't know her last name." I insisted. "And then their Lieutenant, Zoë Nightshade."

"Oh, I know those two!" Dad responded which... I guess the Hunters are immortal, so it makes sense, but I didn't think they actually lived that long. "Phoebe's close to my age— I remember when she joined. Zoë... Is old."

"Old?"

"She was born well before World War II, I just remember that she was older than Grandpa." He explained, which made sense if she's Artemis' right hand woman. "I don't remember much else about her, but I don't think she's a regular demigod? If she tolerates you long enough to have a conversation, maybe she'll tell you. We only spoke during counsel meetings, which wasn't often. She's... Not fond of men."

"I'm pretty sure the only reason she's tolerating me and Grover is because we're gay," I agreed with my dad. "And because I've also had dreams or visions or whatever that is kind of important to the quest. But speaking of that, um..."

I looked down, then back up at my parents.

"So maybe, perhaps, it's a possibility that I wasn't actually issued on this quest," I admitted, watching my parents try to conceal the fact that I just took another year off of their life by saying that. "But I'm already multiple states over because somebody— probably Atlas or Kronos or whoever, decided that I needed to know what was happening and not anybody issued on the quest. Also, because Annabeth is like, being held hostage. And Luke."

"O...Kay." Mom said slowly. "I'm glad that you're doing what you think is right to do, but are you sure it's also the thing that's good for you right now? I know it's hard to separate those things, but I'd hate to see you in the hospital after this done."

I smiled, and although it didn't go all the way to my eyes, I still tried.

"I'll be okay," I promised her, as empty as it was because I don't know what will happen on this quest. "It's just another quest, right? It's appreciate it if you didn't tell Chiron or Grandpa D about me being here, though, because it... Well, I'll explain why when we get back, okay? Just try not to worry and finish getting stuff ready for the party. I'll be home before you know it."

"Percy, we're your parents," Dad reminded me. "It's our job to worry about you— and your friends. But if you suddenly decide that you need to come home, just let us know and we'll make sure it's paid for. Stay... Well, as safe as you can."

I smiled, this time a little more genuinely.

"Will do, Dad. I'll talk to you guys soon."

•••

I'd like to personally give a shout-out to the two headed snake guy who didn't attack us that day— he's a real one.

That night, I was too restless to fall asleep, so I decided to go get something from the snack cart, which is exactly where I found Zoë Nightshade.

Zoë was sitting at a booth in the food cart that was otherwise empty (there seemed to be a worker coming in and out but that was it), looking out the window as the night rolled by.

Initially, Zoë jumped upon hearing the door open and close, but when she saw me and relaxed, I was almost honored.

"What are you doing awake at this hour?" Zoë asked as I took a piece of pumpkin break from the cart and walked over to her, sitting across from her. "We're on a train, there's no use for somebody to stay up on watch."

"I could ask you the same thing." I insisted. "I just couldn't sleep— figured I'd stretch my legs before trying again. What about you? Why are you up?"

The huntress looked out the window, stole a glance at me, then returned her gaze outside.

"Soaking it all in." She admitted. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Uh, sure."

"Have you heard of the Great Prophecy?"

I fought a groan.

"I... Yeah. I'm familiar with it."

"How does it feel?" She asked, not looking at me.

I ate a piece of the pumpkin bread, wondering how I could answer that.

According to Gabe, Zoë has been around for longer than the Great Prophecy has, and I'm sure she'll be around long enough to forget I ever existed.

I don't get it.

It seems sad. To live so long and have nobody by your side to make it just a little bit more bearable.

Not even in a romantic way, just... A partner. Platonically.

Then again, as lieutenant, I suppose that's what Artemis would be to Zoë.

"I uh... I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're asking." I admitted, catching her smirk at that. "How does what feel? Knowing the prophecy?"

"Knowing that you exist within such a limited amount of time." She corrected me, which... Was the pleasant reminder I needed this December night. "because you'll die, right? When the prophecy unravels?"

I looked down.

"It's... Probably. Yeah."

Why does she care about my life?

"How do you do it?" Zoë Nightshade asked, and it was then that I realized her expression was more wistful than it was wise. "Your lives are so fragile, and yet you still demanded on coming with us. Your time is only getting shorter. So why risk it even more?"

"Why?" I repeated back, and the hunteress nodded.

For a moment, I wondered how to answer the question. It's not that I didn't have an answer, there were just... Too many answers. Too many reasons.

"I... I don't know. There's a lot of reasons." I started. "but this... Isn't about me. Whoever is sending me the visions— probably Atlas, I guess wants me to be involved, but this isn't about me. This is about the fact that two of my closest friends are missing and also there's a brand new demigod on this quest and I..."

"You what? Did you not go on a quest within weeks of beginning training?"

I could hear the judgement in her voice, assuming I was holding Bianca to a double standard. Or really, that I didn't think she was as good.

But that was far from the case.

"Did I? Yeah, sure, but it wasn't willingly." I explained, which had her attention as the words fell out of me faster and faster. "I went on the quest because my mom was being held captive in the Underworld— it had nothing to do with my dad. I shouldn't have survived that quest— I didn't want to survive that quest. I jumped out of the St. Louis Arch on a whim that I could maybe jump into the river and it'd still probably kill me and then it didn't and I fought a god thinking I'd probably lose and then I didn't and I... I got my mom back and my dad even sobered up, but I was miserable and I'm still..."

Losing my voice, I swallowed.

She doesn't care, the voice in my head reminded me. Why did you just tell her all of that?

"Miserable?" She suggested.

I nodded, not looking directly at her.

"The point is that I don't know what Bianca's been through and I don't know what it's like in her brain— maybe she's perfectly stable, I don't know." I tried to summarize. "But being a child of the Big Three and being sent on a quest so soon... Plus, Nico is so worried about something happening to her so I said I'd keep an eye on her— not that she can't fire an arrow at anything that I couldn't slash with my sword, but... It's more about the promise to him than worrying about her abilities and..." I tried to take a breathe, but found myself unable to, "...then there's the whole thing with Annabeth and Luke getting kidnapped but they had a falling out and it's going to be a mess and Artemis is also there, obviously, which creates a different issue because a titan managed to contain a goddess and if I turn sixteen in a year and a half than there's probably something else going on and..."

Zoë put her hand on top of mine, an action so jarring it caused me to flinch.

"Percy Jackson." Zoë Nightshade addressed me, the use of both names freaking me out a little. "You need to breathe."

"You're touching my hand." I said, which was really stupid and I immediately wanted to shoot myself for saying it. Fall on my sword. "Why are you touching my hand?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Because I've seen enough of my sisters have panic attacks to tell when somebody is going to have one, and you're anxiety on two feet right now." She informed me, which was far from new. "I worried that without physical contact, I'd completely lose you to an attack. Can I see your sword?"

"Can..." I slowly echoed, grabbing riptide from my pocket with my free hand. "I mean sure, but why... Why? You have your own weapons."

"I just want to make sure you don't..."

But whatever Zoë was going to say, it never fully came out as she looked at the pen now sitting on the table.

Slowly, she moved her hand from over mine to hovering over Riptide.

"Where did you get this from?"

I shrugged.

"Chiron gave it to me before my first quest, why?"

Placing her hand down onto the pen, it transformed from the shitty 79¢ pen into an old hair pin that was made of black stone and had a crescent moon on it.

"It— did you just change my sword into a hairpin?"

She smiled.

"Breathe, it will be a pen when you hold it next." Zoë insisted, but I wasn't convinced. "It simply recognizes me, so it changes it's shape to reflect that."

"It... What?"

"Anaklusmos used to be my sword, millennia ago," but she told me this as casually as you would tell a friend you guys had the same teacher a year apart from each other. "My sister's and I— biological sisters, were all trained to fight with a variety of weapons. Because we were female, however, it was controversial, so one of my sisters charmed our weapons to be disguised. I wore a hair pin every day, so it made sense."

Did Chiron steal her sword when she visited the last time before this visit?

"Oh!" I said, suddenly feeling guilty for having the sword. "then why do I have it now? I'm so sorry, I didn't know it belonged to anyone else— you can have it back."

The huntress chuckled.

"No, no, no, I don't want to keep it anymore," she promised me. "I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't hurt yourself while we sat here. I gave Anaklusmos to another a millennia ago, Percy, shortly before joining Lady Artemis and her hunt. It no longer belongs to me— it is yours."

I looked hesitantly at the hairpin.

"Are... Are you sure? Because I do have a spare knife that I keep with me just in case, so I can always use that if we get in a fight."

She put riptide back in my hands, causing it to return to it's form that I'm used to— a shitty ballpoint pen.

"Anaklusmos is yours, Percy." Zoë repeated. "When I was young, I gifted Anaklusmos to somebody that was near and dear to my heart— somebody that I loved. But it... It costed me my family. I was exiled when they found out that I had helped him. His... His quest succeeded, but like a typical man, he gave me no credit and completely wrote me out of the story. I joined Artemis not long after. Eventually, Chiron was in possession of Anaklusmos and insisted that he'd only pass it on once there was another hero worthy of wielding it."

"Another hero?" I asked out loud. "But I'm not..."

She placed her hands over mine once more.

"Yes, Percy Jackson, you are." She informed me. "I'm unsure what Olympus thinks of you— Lady Artemis does not always agree with the majority of the Pantheon. But wield Anaklusmos proudly knowing this: for over two thousand years, I have stood firm next to Lady Artemis. In those two thousand years, I have assumed the same out of all of you male heroes— that you were all selfish and greedy, even if you were acting or fighting for a bigger cause."

Artemis' Lieutenant paused, taking s breath.

"I've have met generation after generation of heroes, Percy Jackson, and you are the first hero that I have seen a difference in." She informed me before letting go of my hands, allowing me to soak the information in. She stood. "I don't know if you'll be the hero in the Great Prophecy, Percy— if it will truly be your last day to walk upon this earth. But if it is, remember that you are proof that change is possible, and if anything is going to scare our parents, it's the ability to change."

She looked at me.

"Will you be okay if I leave for the sleeping cabin?"

I nodded my head.

"Then I'll take your word for it. Sleep well, whenever you are about to, Jackson. I'll see you tomorrow."

I waved a goodbye, looking back out the window as her statement repeated in my mind.

You are proof of change. Zoë's voice echoed. And if anything is going to scare our parents, it's the ability to change.

Hopefully she remains that encouraging when she learns about what kind of change I'm hoping to bring to Olympus 20 months from now.