Archive of Our Own

Work Text

“Don’t worry, it’s okay now!” The woman smiled down at him. “I’m Sally. I’ll be your mom from now on. And you can be Percy!” She bent down to hug the small boy. “I’ve waited so long for this…” She murmured. Kaneki always remembered those words, but never knew what they meant. He assumed it meant she had wanted to adopt for a while, but why him? Why take him from Japan and move him to America? He wasn’t that special. He was just a wimpy crybaby. That is until the last summer. But you already know that story. This is what happened after... For once, Percy hadn’t gotten kicked out of a school. It was almost June and they were on their last field trip of the year with their cranky math teacher and their possibly insane history teacher, Mr Brunner. Percy knew neither of the teachers were human, neither was his new friend, Grover. But they weren’t Ghouls either. He didn’t recognize their scents at all. Either way, Mrs. Dodd’s hates him for some reason. Maybe she could sense he was a Ghoul. But most people in America didn’t know about them, as the CCG tried to keep the news from breaking out across the world, causing a panic. He got good grades, so that wasn’t the problem. She loves Nancy Bobofit, though. Percy would love to tear out her organs one by one. It had been so long since he’d had fresh meat… he shook his head. Soon he’d be back in Tokyo, and suicides were more common and in more discreet areas. “Percy!” He was snapped out of his thoughts as Mr Bruner, along with the whole class, stared at him. “Oh, what?” The class snickered. “Will you please tell us what this picture represents?” He pointed to a picture Percy thankfully recognized. ‘I read a lot about mythology when I was younger, but if you fail when teachers put you on the spot it’s extremely embarrassing’. “It’s Kronos eating his kids.” He said. He raised an eyebrow, seemingly not satisfied. “He was the King Titan And was afraid of the prophecy that his children would usurp him so he ate his kids, but his wife hid the last baby and gave Kronos a rock. After that, Zeus came back and overthrew his father and had him barf up the other kids.” He elaborated. “That’s gross!” A girl behind him exclaimed. "Like we're going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on our job applications, 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.'" Nancy Bobofit whispered to her friends. “And why, Mr Jackson, does this matter in real life?” “Busted,” Grover says quietly. “I guess knowledge is always good to have. Like, if you go on jeapordy this could help you win.” Percy said. Mr Brunner looked disappointed, but nodded. “Half credit.” He told him. ‘Only half? I answered the question fine.’ He thought. Mr Brunner began to explain the story in more detail, and then the other kids shuffled off to lunch. “Mr. Jackson?” “Yes?” “You must learn to answer my question.” Percy felt his blood begun to boil. “I think I answered both questions perfectly fine using the knowledge I’ve learned on my own and what you’ve taught us in class.” "What you learn from me," he said, "is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson." Mr Brunner always had higher expectations for him than any other student. Even though his grades were above average for the school, Mr Brunner always expected more. He sat down with the other kids on the steps of the museum, pulling out a packet he was sent by Anteiku. Grover has always insisted he eat more, so he’d begun to bring his food to lunch once in a while. The only problem was getting it into the school. Grover eyed the meat warily. Percy knew he was vegan, but he wouldn’t survive without the meat at all, and he wasn’t risking his sanity for some random kid that kept following him around. He began to unwrap the package when Nancy Bobofit appeared with her little ‘gang’ and dumped her half eaten lunch on Grover’s lap. “Oops.” She said, grinning. This made Percy annoyed. She always did this shit. He hated people who just pushed others around. “Hey.” He said calmly. “Stop.” There was an intensity in his voice, but it wasn’t a furious one. “Oh, what are you gonna do?” She asked. Percy has no idea what happened, but he blinked and she was screaming. She had somehow fallen into a water fountain. Kids were whispering and Ms. Dodds appeared, her eyes holding a hellfire within them. “Now, honey,” She started. “Come with me.” “Wait!” Grover stood up quickly. “It was me! I pushed her!” She glared daggers at him. “I don’t think so, Mr Underwood.” Her voice was like ice. “But-“ Grover tried to argue. “You will stay here.” She turned to Percy. “Come. Now.” He followed her deep into the museum. He was either going to get a hell of a lecture, or she was planning on killing him. They ended up in the Greek and Roman section. They were the only ones there. "You've been giving us problems, honey.” She said. He nodded, the safe thing to do in this situation. "Did you really think you would get away with it?" He froze up for a moment. Did she know? “I’m not sure what you mean.” "We are not fools, Percy Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain." He didn’t say anything, waiting to hear what she would say next. “Well?” She demanded. He stayed silent, still. If it wasn’t ghoul related, he didn’t want to risk outing himself. “Your time is up.” She began to transform into some sort of demon. She grew huge, leathery wings and fangs. Percy has ripped off his eyepatch was about to release his Kagune when he heard a voice behind him. Mr Brunner was in the doorway holding… a pen? "What ho, Percy!" he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air. He caught it just as Mrs Dodds lunged at him, and the pen was suddenly a sword. He looked behind him to see if Mr Brunner was still there- he wasn’t. He threw the sword aside and grinned. Mrs Dodds was ready to lunge again, but was taken aback by the sword being thrown away. “Die, honey!” Percy released his kagune, stabbing Mrs Dodds in the heart. She screamed and exploded into a sort of yellow powder, leaving Percy alone. He grabbed his eyepatch and the sword, which was now a pen again, and left the room. When he got outside it was raining. Nancy glared at him. “I hope Mrs Kerr kicked your butt.” She sneered. “Who?” Perch asked. “Our teacher. Duh.” Nancy answered. Percy walked over to Grover, confused. “Hey, where’s Mrs Dodds go?” Grover wouldn’t look at him. The class heard thunder and rushed to the bus, Percy being the last one on. He tossed the pen to Mr Brunner before taking a seat next to Grover.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Percy has gotten used to weird things happening over the years, but not this type of weird. No one remembered Mrs Dodds at all, besides Grover. He claimed he didn’t but he was extremely easy to read. There was a tornado not to far away from Yancy Academy. The school was noting the unusual amount of planes that went down. His mind was a bit more scattered than usual, getting worse grades than usual. He decided he should try and talk to Mr Brunner about getting extra help in Latin, because he was having the most trouble in that subject. Endings and cases were not the easiest, especially when he was still learning English. “I’m worried about Percy, sir…” Grover was saying. Percy stopped walking. ‘Why is Grover in there?’ He thought. "... alone this summer," Grover was saying. "I mean, a Kindly One in the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too—" "We would only make matters worse by rushing him," Mr. Brunner said. "We need the boy to mature more." "But he may not have time. The summer solstice deadline— " "Will have to be resolved without him, Grover. Let him enjoy his ignorance while he still can." "Sir, he saw her... ." "His imagination," Mr. Brunner insisted. "The Mist over the students and staff will be enough to convince him of that." "Sir, I ... I can't fail in my duties again. You know what that would mean." "You haven't failed, Grover, I should have seen her for what she was. Now let's just worry about keeping Percy alive until next fall—" They must know. Neither of them smelled human, Percy should have known from the beginning. But why would they try to keep him alive? And what was the deal with that sword-pen? He slipped back into his dorms after a few minutes to find Grover studying his Latin notes like he’d been there for hours. "Hey," he said, bleary-eyed. "You going to be ready for this test?" Percy nodded. The next day, Percy has just finished his Latin exam when Mr Brunner called him back inside. “Percy, I wanted to let you know that some teachers are considering not letting you back into this school. Don’t be discouraged. It may be for the best.” “Why? My grades were almost perfect. There was one incident this whole year, and that was when Nancy got pushed into the pool. My mom will be kissed if I get kicked out of another school for no reason.” Percy retorted. "I mean ..." Mr. Brunner wheeled his chair back and forth, like he wasn't sure what to say. "This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time.” Percy was mad, to say the least. A matter of time? He must have noticed the look on Percy’s face, a look he was normally good at hiding, and said, "Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say ... you're not normal, Percy. That’s—" “I know I’m not normal, but my weirdness has gotten me more friends and family than I would find anywhere else. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.” Percy hissed. Mr Brunner looked taken aback, calling out to him, but Percy has already left. ‘Why did I do that?’ He thought. ‘An outburst like that definitely wasn’t normal. Maybe it’s just America.’ It was finally the day before summer break. Percy was ready to go back to Japan, back to being Kaneki. He’d see Hide, Touka, Hinami, and everyone else. He shoved his few belongings into his suitcase. He’s bring it home, pack for Japan, and be off within the next week. Other kids were joking around, saying they’d be in Switzerland or on a Caribbean Cruise. They had rich fathers and famous aunts. Percy could be classified as a sort of celebrity, but his blood relatives were nobodies. One asked him what he’d be doing for break. “I’ll be going back to Tokyo.” He said. The kids looked impressed, but ultimately ignored him. Grover and Percy had taken the same bus back into the city, so they could wait a little longer to say goodbye. Percy stared at his reflection in the window. He’d changed a lot. His white locks of hair were pretty obvious to everyone around him, but he’d stopped noticing it. It was just a part of him now, along with his Ghoul eyes. They used to scare him, but they were now a sign of comfort, of home. He couldn’t help but notice Grover nervously looking up and down the aisles the entire ride. “Looking for Kindly Ones?” He joked. Grover jumped. “W-what do you mean?” Percy confessed to listening in on Mr Brunner’s conversation the night before the exam. Grover seemed annoyed and frightened. “How much did you hear?” He asked, getting more serious than Percy thought possible from him. "Oh ... not much. What's the summer solstice deadline?" He winced. "Look, Percy ... I was just worried for you, see? I mean, hallucinating about demon math teachers ..." "Grover—" "And I was telling Mr. Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs. Dodds, and ..." "Grover, you're a really, really bad liar." I said. His ears turned pink. From his shirt pocket, he fished out a grubby business card. "Just take this, okay? In case you need me this summer. It read:~Grover UnderwoodKeeperHalf-Blood HillLong Island, New York(800) 009-0009~ Half blood. He knew. He really knew. “How did you hear about-“ “It’s my summer home. Just… call me if you need me.” Oh. Maybe it was just a hill. "Why would I need you?" Percy winced. He didn’t mean it to sound like that. “Look, the truth is… I sort of have to protect you.” “I’m perfectly able to protect myself. What do you even think you’re protecting me from?” As he said that, the bus made a grinding noise and black smoke poured out of the dashboard. The bus riders filed outside to a patch of country road. No one would know or care if anyone broke down here. On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand. Three old ladies were working it, knitting a huge pair of socks. They seemed to be staring directly at Percy. He looked over at Grover, who was horrified. “Tell me they aren’t looking at you. They are, aren’t they?” He whispered. “Yeah.” Percy answered. The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors—gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. Grover tried to push Percy into the bus, sweating. The middle one cut the yarn, and Percy could almost hear the snip from across the four lanes. The bus driver finally fixed the problem and told everyone to get back on. “Grover, those four ladies… are they sort of like Mrs Dodds?” His expression told Percy they were definitely worse. "Just tell me what you saw." "The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn." He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost—older. “You saw her snip the cord.” He said, looking as if he was about to faint. "This is not happening," Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. "I don't want this to be like the last time." Percy’s confusion was obvious now. "What last time?" “I don’t know how you made it past sixth grade.” He murmured. "Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me." Percy nodded. Grover breathed a sigh of relief. Percy, for the first time in a long time, had no idea what the enemy was.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Percy ditched Grover as soon as possible. He wanted no part in whatever was happening. He just needed to get to Japan and see Hide. They would complain about school at Anteiku together, then he would get to see Touka and everyone else. Apparently Percy’s adoptive mom knew his birth father. He learned this last summer and was extremely angry. Apparently his mother wanted a child but couldn’t have one, so his dad found someone else that he knew would be able to take care of him, had a child with them, and then took off. Percy questioned why she couldn’t have adopted and left him be. She answered that she wanted the kid to be ‘special.’ She then married an asshole named Gabe Benson. He was an ass, more of an ass then most of his other relatives, besides his aunt. Percy walked through the front door. “Where’s Sally?” He asked, taking in the smell of cigar. “Working. Got any cash?” No welcome home, no ‘how was school?’ Just that. “My only cash is from Japan, for Japan.” Percy told him. “Fucking foreigner, what’d you pay the taxi guy with?” Percy glared. “I have $3 and you’re not getting any of it.” “Your report card came, brain boy, I wouldn’t act so snooty!” Percy scoffed, heading to his room. If Gabe has bothered to check his grades were just slightly above average. He decided against slamming the door unless he wanted another lecture later on. It was a mess. The room was all Gabe’s during the months that Percy was at school. He coughed as cigar smoke filled up his lungs. ‘It’s ok,’ He thought. ‘Japan is only a few days away.’ “Percy?” Sally knocked on the door to his room and opened it. "Oh, Percy." She hugged him, smiling. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!" From the other room, Gabe called, "Hey, Sally—how about some bean dip, huh?" Percy’s face shifted to one of concern. “You haven’t been working to much, right? Especially not for him.” He hissed the last word. Sally sighed. “Listen, I know you’re scared that I’ll end up like your birth mom, but I can handle it. And Gabe… he’s around for a reason, honey.” Her eyes held sadness but it was quickly replaced with joy. “I have a surprise! We’re going to the beach! Three nights in a cabin!” She was all smiles now. “But… what about Japan? Did you get plane tickets later than usual?” Percy asked. “Well…” She sat down on the bed, Percy following suit. “I don’t think it’d be a great idea to go this year. The other years I was worried about you being in a plane, but especially this year.” Percy was about to interject when Gabe appeared in the doorway. “I said I wanted dip.” He growled. “Sorry, we were talking about the trip.” “As long as he’s not spending hundreds of dollars in China or whatever. And you better not scratch my car.” Sally nodded. “Of course, honey.” She turned to Percy. “We’ll talk more at Montauk.” He stayed silent in the car. ‘First dad knew my mom would die, now I can’t go back to Anteiku.’ He thought angrily. Sally must have noticed the frustration on his face but decided not to say anything. Once Percy got there, Sally showed him all the blue food she had brought. He almost threw up. She expected him to eat all that? They were sitting on the beach when they finally struck up a full conversation. “Mom, I have to go back to Japan.” He said. “Percy, this day would have to come sooner or later. I honestly thought it would come much earlier, seeing as you’re… well, you, but it’s come now. You won’t be able to go anywhere much longer. I won’t even be able to see you, but…” Her face was sad, and her voice drifted off. “I can protect myself. You have no idea what’s happened in Japan, I’m not helpless anymore.” “Against these monsters you might be. I’m worried about you. I just wanted one more memory. Please give me that?” Percy sighed, reluctantly giving in. “Fine. But as soon as this trip is over we’re going to be talking about this again.” She nodded. Later that night, Sally was going off about Percy’s father. Percy wasn’t really listening, as he resented him, but he started after hearing something pretty strange. "I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," She said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy—the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it." "My father wanted me to go to a special school?" Percy asked. "Not a school," she said softly. "A summer camp." She smiled. “A… camp? Those are for, like, eight year olds whose parents want to ditch them.” “A special camp. I can’t go into detail, but… I think it’s finally time for you to go there.” ~~~ A hurricane. Long Island never has hurricanes at this time of year, but the roaring winds outside were definitely too strong to just be a normal storm. Percy heard a pounding at the door and rushed to open it. “Grover?” He asked, seeing his friend soaked outside. “Been searching all night.” He panted. “What were you thinking?” Sally looked terrified. “Grover, you have fucking goat legs.” Percy said calmly. “And I’m pretty sure not wearing pants could get you arrested.” “You’re taking this… pretty calmly… but we gotta go…” He was gasping for air and started running towards the car. More like trotting, but still. So Percy was right. He wasn’t human. And he wasn’t a ghoul. This was something that was really fucking strange.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“So. How do you two know each other?” Percy asked. “We haven’t met in person, but she knows I’ve been watching you.” Grover answered. “Ok, so now I have like 6 stalkers. Great.” “He’s not a stalker.” Sally said quickly, focused on the road. “He’s a protector.” “I don’t need someone protecting me.” Percy said. “I can do that myself.” “We don’t mean emotionally.” Grover added. “There are a lot of physical threats…” “I know. And I don’t care. I can protect myself.” “No, you don’t understand what you’re up against.” “Then tell me.” Percy’s voice was cold and intense as he stared at Grover. “I… the less you know the better. The fewer monsters you’d attract. We put Mist over the humans' eyes. We hoped you'd think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize who you are." He said like it was common knowledge. Percy glances backwards. Something was chasing them. “Percy, there’s too much to explain. He have to get you to safety.” “From what?” His voice began to show a lot of frustration. "Oh, nobody much," Grover said. "Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions." "Grover!" Sally exclaimed. "Sorry, Mrs. Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?" Sally made a hard left. “Great. Where are we going, then?” “The summer camp your dad wanted you to go to.” Her voice was sad yet intense. “Please understand, you’re going there to be safe.” “I told you, I’m fine on my own!” Percy’s voice rose. He was shouting now. “I can handle whatever monster is coming at me! I just want to go back to Japan!” The car swerved right, stopping Percy’s rant. He glanced behind him, but all he could make out was a dark figure. Sally was muttering, “Please, we’re almost there. Just another mile. Please, please, please.” With no warning, there was a sudden noise, and the car was in a ditch. “Percy!” She shouted. “I’m fine.” He said, looking next to him. Grover was slumped over, but still alive, as he was muttering something about food. “Climb out the passengers side!” She shouted over the thunder. “Do you see that big tree?” Percy nodded, climbing towards the seat. “That’s the property line. Get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don't look back. Yell for help. Don't stop until you reach the door." “You’re coming with me.” Her eyes held an ocean of sadness. “Percy, I-“ “I can’t let someone else die because of me. So come on.” Percy grabbed Grover and rushed outside. He glanced at the monster. Around 7 feet, bulging muscles, some animal head and he had only underwear on. Percy snickered at that before rushing up the muddy ditch. Then he realized, “Oh shit, that’s the Min-“ “Don’t say it’s name.” Sally hissed. “Names have power.” Percy watched the creature for a while before realizing it went by smell. It was sniffing around before setting its sights on Gabe’s car. ‘Not a scratch,’ he remembered, before the gas tank exploded. "Percy," Sally said. "When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way— directly sideways. He can't change directions very well once he's charging. Do you understand?" “You’ve been studying.” Percy noted. “I was… afraid this would happen earlier, so I read up on-“ There was a bellow of rage and the creature began charging towards Percy. Sally took Grover and split up. The creature kept charging at Percy, who focused on the creature's feet. At the last moment, he jumped to the side. “Percy, run! I can’t go any further! Run!” The creature wrapped its fists around her neck, and before he could react, poof… she was gone. “Mom!” Anger. Fear. Not again, not again. His fault. Kaneki released his Kagune, running at the bull-man. Grover was still lying on the ground, moaning, “Food, food.” Kaneki was hit with a billion emotions at once. Stab, stab, stab, stab… rip, rip, rip… the creature was screaming. Kaneki has tugged it’s horn off of its body. It was bloodied and there were holes in its body everywhere. It began to disintegrate, not like Sally, but like Mrs Dodds had. He looked over at Grover. “Cmon, buddy.” He picked him up and carried him to the property line, where a girl he didn’t know and ...Mr Brunner? were waiting. “He’s the one. He must be.” “Silence, Annabeth. Bring him in.” They insisted on taking him to the hospital. After a while go just staring at the ceiling, he felt himself slowly drifting off to sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Kaneki awoke to the blonde girl feeding some sort of liquid to him. It tasted like coffee… but it wasn’t. “No,” he mumbled, pushing her hand away. But it didn’t taste bad, so maybe…? “What was that?” He asked. "What will happen at the summer solstice?" “Huh?” Kaneki was wide awake now. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!" “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you-“ Someone knocked on the door. She shoved the not coffee into his mouth and rushed outside. Kaneki closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again. When he finally woke up for good he noticed his surroundings were nicer than he was used to. He was sitting on a deck chair looking at green meadows. Grover was leaning against the porch railing wearing an orange shirt that said “Camp Half Blood”. "You saved my life," Grover said. "I... well, the least I could do ... I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this." He handed Kaneki a shoe box. Kaneki opened it to see the horn he had ripped off of the monster. “How much do you remember?” He asked. “All of it, I think.” Kaneki replied. “Sally- my mom, is she really gone?” Grover looked away. “ダミット！ 二度とない” Kaneki exclaimed. "I'm sorry," Grover sniffled. "I'm a failure. I'm—I'm the worst satyr in the world." He stomped his foot so hard it came off. Literally, his foot came off, and only a hood was left. “Oh, Styx!” “It’s not your fault. I was supposed to be in Japan by now. None of this would have happened if I’d just left.” “Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you." "Did my mother ask you to protect me?" "No. But that's my job. I'm a keeper. At least... I was." Kaneki raised an eyebrow. “Here, have some of this.” It was that coffee thing again. But this time it tasted like human flesh. It wasn’t, so why did it taste like it? “Was it good?” Grover asked. Kaneki nodded. “What did it taste like?” “Uh… coffee. But it wasn’t- what was it?” ‘Touka will go crazy if I’d found a new food source.’ He thought. “It was ambrosia. But you can’t risk drinking anymore of it. Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting." They walked the length of the porch and Kaneki could have sworn he was on drugs. Besides the kids with the same orange shirts as Grover had, he saw horses with wings. Kids were practicing archery and sword fighting. Down at the end of the porch two men sat across from each other at a card table. The blonde girl who fed Kaneki earlier was leaning against the railing. The guy facing him was small and porky and wore a tacky tiger patterned Hawaiian shirt. “That’s Mr D, the camp director.” Grover muttered. “Be nice. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron... ." Kaneki finally noticed the wheelchair. It was strange of him not to pick up on these details earlier. There was so much to take in here he’d have to study the camp for days. "Ah, good, Percy," Mr Brunner said. "Now we have four for pinochle." Mr D looked annoyed and sighed. “I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half Blood. There, now don’t expect me to be glad to see you.” Kaneki nodded. “Thank you, sir.” Politeness was key. "Annabeth?" Mr. Brunner called to the blond girl. She came forward and Mr. Brunner introduced her to Kaneki. "This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now." Annabeth said, "Sure, Chiron." She looked to be around Kaneki’s age, deeply tanned and pretty athletic. Her curly blonde hair was in stark contrast to her intense gray eyes. She glared at Kaneki for a bit before sprinting off. “So, Chiron, you work here?” Grover has addressed him as Chiron, so Kaneki decided he would as well. "I must say, Percy, I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time. It was amazing luck that you hadn’t died already as well” “I just know how to fight well, sir.” “So you’ve fought the monsters off?” Chiron raised an eyebrow. “Well, not these new monsters. Back in Japan… well I’m not supposed to talk about it, but there’s a threat we all must learn to protect against.” Kaneki answered. "Grover," Mr. D said impatiently, "are you playing or not?" "Yes, sir!" Grover trembled as he took the fourth chair. Mr D eyed Kaneki. “You do know how to play pinochle?” He asked. “I apologize, sir. I don’t.” “Well, it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. I would expect all civilized young men to know the rules." “I’m sure he can learn.” Chiron interjected. “So are you bidding or not?” Mr D was a very impatient man, that much Kaneki could tell. He explained how you were to bid in the game. Kaneki caught in pretty quickly. "I'm afraid there's too much to tell," Chiron said. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient." Kaneki looked over, confused. “Orientation film?” "Well, Percy. You know your friend Grover is a satyr. You know"—he pointed to the horn in the shoe box—"that you have killed the Minotaur. No small feat, either, lad. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. Gods—the forces you call the Greek gods—are very much alive." Kaneki groaned. “Oh great.” Mr D shouted something about the game and Grover asked timidly, “Mr D, if you aren’t going to eat it, may I have the Diet Coke can?” “Hm? Oh, alright.” Grover bit a huge shard out of the empty aluminum can and chewed it mournfully. “So like the gods in Latin class, right?” Kaneki asked, resuming his conversation with Chiron. “Yes.” “So, Zeus, Hera, Apollo… those guys?” Mr D glared more intensely than before. He heard thunder in the distance though it was a cloudless day. “Young man. I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you." Kaneki was skeptical, but after a conversation (and demonstration by Mr D, who was apparently Dionysus) Kaneki believed them. Mr D left for a nap and Kaneki was told to go to Cabin 11. "Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been ... ah, grounded, I guess you would say, and he can't stand waiting another century before he's allowed to go back to Olympus." Chiron explained. “Mount Olympus. So there’s really a palace on top of there?” "Well now, there's Mount Olympus in Greece. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed used to be on Mount Olympus. It's still called Mount Olympus, out of respect to the old ways, but the palace moves, Percy, just as the gods do." “Oh. So they’re in America now?” “Exactly. The gods move with the heart of the west. They’re on the Empire State Building now.” Chiron stood up and he didn’t have… legs. He had a horse. Kaneki decided to halt with the questions. He could ask more later. His mind was fucked enough for a lifetime, thank you very much. “Now come, Percy Jackson. We must meet the other campers.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Chiron has taken Kaneki on a ‘grand tour’ of sorts to see the camp. The kids playing Volleyball seemed to recognize him, pointing and staring, mumbling about the Minotaur. Everyone was wearing that orange shirt. The strawberry fields looked pleasant enough. Chiron explained that it payed for the camp. They sold the strawberries fresh to restaurants all over the city. Kaneki wondered something the entire time, but kept quiet until they neared the end. “So if Olympus and stuff is real, is the Underworld real too?” Chiron’s face darkened. "Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now ... until we know more ... I would urge you to put that out of your mind." “Until we know more?” Kaneki questioned. “Come, Percy. Let us see the woods. They are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed." “Stocked with what?” “You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?" Kaneki tilted his head. “No, of course you don’t. I think a size seven will do. I’ll visit the armory later.” They want to a few more places before finally arriving at the cabins. They were arranged in a U shape, 12 of them, with two at the base and five on either side. Each building seemed to have its own personality in a way. 9 had smokestacks, 4 had tomato vines and a grass roof, 7 seemed to be made out of solid gold. Chiron dragged Kaneki to Number 11, where the blonde girl, Annabeth, was waiting. "Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?" She answered with a quick, “Yes, sir." before Chiron was off. Eleven looked the most normal out of all the cabins, it was just… old. The inside was packed. Sleeping bags were spread across the floor and the kids were staring. Kaneki could hardly think. “Percy Jackson, meet cabin 11.” Annabeth said flatly. "Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked. “Undetermined.” Annabeth answered. Everybody groaned. A guy who was a little older than the rest came forward. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there." The guy was around 19, tan, muscular. He seemed pretty laid back when most of the others seemed war-ready 24/7. “This is Luke. He’s your counselor for now.” Annabeth said. “You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers.” “Oh.” Kaneki said. He felt… dumb. Out of place. Again. “How long do I have to stay?” “Until your godly parent claims you.” “No I mean at the camp. When can I leave?” Everyone seemed surprised by this. “Come on, I’ll show you the volleyball court.” Annabeth hissed, tugging on my arm. “You have to do better, Jackson.” “I was just asking questions. I need to get back to Japan as soon as possible.” Kaneki said. She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one." "What's your problem? All I know is, I kill some bull guy—" "Don't talk like that!" Annabeth told him. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?" “What? You guys are hoping to fight? That life sucks! I know that! Killing all these monsters and shit is-“ “You can’t kill monsters. They don’t have souls. And fighting one does not make you an expert.” “I’m not talking about the Minotaur.” She crossed her arms. “Your math teacher then?” “No. Look, you’ve never been to Japan, so you don’t know this, but I’ve dedicated my life to helping fight the monsters there. Before you open your mouth you should know what youre talking about. I learned that a while ago.” She blinked. She seemed surprised but quickly went back to her hard demeanor. “Look, just… I’m gonna ask some questions so I know what I’m talking about now. Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there." "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or ... your parent." “My mom died in Japan from being overworked when I was young. Sally adopted me. Now she’s gone too. Those are my parents.” “I’m talking about your dad, stupid.” “He’s probably somewhere in Japan.” “No, he’s not. He’s a god. I can’t believe you haven’t figured that out already.” “How do you know? You don’t know anything about me.” "No?" She raised an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them. Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too. Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD—you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, Percy, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are." ‘Hm. Maybe the battle reflex thing explains how I got so good at fighting so fast.’ Kaneki thought. “That’s not even half of what has happened in my life.” “Well it’s true. Most of the kids here went through the same things you did. Life was tough for everyone. You aren’t a special snowflake, ok? Besides if you weren’t one of us you wouldn’t have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar.” “Wait, regular people can’t have that?” Touka would kill him out of jealousy if she knew. "The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a half-blood." Kaneki scoffed. ‘‘ More like a third blood. That’s why my scents so interesting then. It has some god shit in it.’ A husky voice yelled, “Hey! A newbie!” A girl was sauntering up with three lackeys following. They were all wearing camo jackets. "Clarisse," Annabeth sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?" "Sure, Miss Princess," She said. "So I can run you through with it Friday night." Annabeth shouted something in Greek, ''Erre es korakas!", which Kaneki somehow understood. After some more back and forth Clarisse turned to Kaneki. “Who’s this runt?” “Percy Jackson. Meet Clarisse, daughter of Ares.” She sneered. “We got an initiation for newbies, Prissy. Come on, I’ll show you.” “Clarisse-“ Annabeth tried to say. “Shut up, wise girl.” Kaneki decided the best thing to do was go quietly. Bullies like her usually tried to intimidate their prey in a secure area with no one else around. She tugged on his arm, which was extremely unnecessary, and took him to the bathroom. The girls bathroom, specifically. It smelled like ass, as good as a public restroom could smell. There was a line of toilets on one side and showers on the other. Clarisse and her friends were still giggling. “Like he’s big three material. He’s not even trying to fight!” Annabeth was standing in the corner, biting her fingers. Clarisse attempted to push Kaneki towards the toilet but he didn’t budge. He was starting to get annoyed. She was pushing really hard. He felt a tug in his stomach and the pipes began to rumble. Water shot out of the toilet and made an arc above Kaneki’s head. It sprayed straight into Clarisse's face, pushing her into her butt. He snickered at her. Her friends rushed to help, but water shot out of the other toilets, pushing them back as well. They ran out of the room angrily. The entire bathroom was now flooded and Annabeth hadn’t been spared. She was shaky. “How did you…” “I don’t know, but this will definitely help in Japan.” He murmured. The two walked outside where Clarisse was glaring. “You are dead, new boy. Got it? Dead.” Annabeth was staring in awe. “What?” Kaneki asked. “I think… I want you on my team for capture the flag.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Word of the bathroom incident spread like wildfire. People were pointing and murmuring all around the camp. Or maybe it was just Annabeth, who was soaked. She showed Kaneki a few more places, the metal shop, arts and crafts, the climbing wall, etc.
“Sorry about the toilets.” Kaneki said when they arrived at the lake. “Whatever.” She was obviously bothered, but didn’t want to say anything. “I’ll be training. Dinner’s at 7:30.”
“Just for the record, I didn’t mean to do whatever that was.” She looked at him skeptically. “You need to talk to the Oracle.”
“Who?”
“Not who, what. The Oracle. I’ll ask Chiron.” Kaneki sighed. He stared into the lake. Life sucked. America sucked. Japan sucked but was less boring and had some people that didn’t suck. “That’s it, I’m gonna leave.” Kaneki said. Annabeth frowned. "Don't you get it, Percy? You are home. This is the only safe place on earth for kids like us."
“Nowhere is safe. I'd rather be on an adventure then cooped up here. It’s in my nature.” Kaneki looked off into the distance. “For normal humans, Percy. We’re-“
“Don’t call me that. I’m supposed to be Kaneki now. I’m supposed to be with Hide and Touka and everyone else.”
“Kaneki. We’re only half human. Well… you know the other half. Your father isn’t dead, P- Kaneki. He’s one of the Olympians.”
“I don’t care. That doesn’t change my opinion.”
“You should. You’re a demigod! That’s pretty amazing!”
“Annabeth, who’s your godly parent?”
“Cabin six.” Kaneki clutched his hair in annoyance. “That doesn’t tell me anything.”
“Athena. Wisdom.”
“Ok. So if you have so much wisdom and smarts then you’ll know enough to let me leave.”
“You can’t! And you’re undetermined, and if you’re the one then leaving will give us a lot of problems!”
“So make me determined or whatever and let me go.”
“That’s.. not how it works. The gods are busy. They have a lot of kids and they don't always ... Well, sometimes they don't care about us, Percy. They ignore us."
“Kaneki.” He corrected. “So I’m stuck here until someone claims me? This system is shit.”
“You’ll have to stay after that, too, depending on who your parent is. Trust me. You won’t survive out there. Gods know how you made it this far.”
“So apparently monsters can’t get in here? Like, Greek monsters?” She shook her head. “Not unless they’re intentionally summoned.”
“Why would they be summoned?”
“Practical fights, practical jokes. Point is, the borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. From the outside, mortals look into the valley and see nothing unusual, just a strawberry farm."
“I’m guessing you’re a year rounder.” She nodded, pulling out a necklace. “Been here since I was seven. Every August, on the last day of summer session, you get a bead for surviving another year. I've been here longer than most of the counselors, and they're all in college."
“So wait. Could I just walk out of here if I wanted to?”
“It would be suicide, but technically you could. Only with Mr D or Chiron’s permission. But they wouldn't give permission until the end of the summer session unless ..." Kaneki raised an eyebrow. "Unless?"
"You were granted a quest. But that hardly ever happens. The last time ..." Her voice trailed off. ‘So if I get a quest I can get outta here.’ “Let’s change the subject. Earlier you said something about the Summer Solstice?”
"So you do know something?" She asked. "Well... no. Back at my old school, I overheard Grover and Chiron talking about it. Grover mentioned the summer solstice. He said something like we didn't have much time, because of the deadline. What did that mean?" She clenched her fists. "I wish I knew. Chiron and the satyrs, they know, but they won't tell me. Something is wrong in Olympus, something pretty major. Last time I was there, everything seemed so normal."
“Wait, you went to Olympus?” She sighed, as if she’d explained this a hundred times. “Yes, it was a field trip. "Right after we visited," Annabeth continued, "the weather got weird, as if the gods had started fighting. A couple of times since, I've overheard satyrs talking. The best I can figure out is that something important was stolen. And if it isn't returned by summer solstice, there's going to be trouble. When you came, I was hoping ... I mean— Athena can get along with just about anybody, except for Ares. And of course she's got the rivalry with Poseidon. But, I mean, aside from that, I thought we could work together. I thought you might know something." Kaneki shook his head. “If I knew I’d tell you so we could get a quest and I could leave.”
“I really need a quest too, so…” She looked away. “Go catch up with your cabin. I’ll see you later.” She watched Kaneki run off, tracing her finger against the pier.
Back at cabin 11, everyone was horsing around and talking excitedly. Kaneki studies the kids faces, noticing their similar features. Sharp noses, upturned eyebrows, mischievous smiles… Teachers would call these kids ‘the troublemakers.’ He walked over to his spot on the floor and sat down. The counselor, Luke, walked over to him. "Found you a sleeping bag," he said. "And here, I stole you some toiletries from the camp store." Luke had the Hermes resemblance as well, but it was marred by a scar on his face. “Thanks.”
“No prob.” He sat down next to him, pushing his back against the wall. “Tough first day?”
“I guess. I don’t even want to be here.” That’s what he said about the ghouls too, he thought. “That’s how we all started. It doesn’t really get easier, the whole godly parent thing.” His voice was bitter as he said the last part. He seemed pretty easy going at first, but the guy obviously had some pent up resentment. “So, your dad’s Hermes?” He pulled out a switchblade and scraped some mud off of his show. “Yeah. Hermes.”
“You ever meet him?” Kaneki asked.
“Once.” He looked up, smiling forcefully. "Don't worry about it, Percy. The campers here, they're mostly good people. After all, we're extended family, right? We take care of each other."
“I understand that.” Kaneki thought of his home back at Anteiku. His adventures off without them. Hide. Speaking of Hide, he should call him soon. Tell him he’ll be a little late. “Annabeth, earlier. She said I should talk to the Oracle. What’s that all about?” Luke folded his knife. “I hate prophecies.”
“Prophecies?” His face twitched around the scar. "Let's just say I messed things up for everybody else. The last two years, ever since my trip to the Garden of the Hesperides went sour, Chiron hasn't allowed any more quests. Annabeth's been dying to get out into the world. She pestered Chiron so much he finally told her he already knew her fate. He'd had a prophecy from the Oracle. He wouldn't tell her the whole thing, but he said Annabeth wasn't destined to go on a quest yet. She had to wait until... somebody special came to the camp."
"Somebody special?" Kaneki questioned. "Don't worry about it, kid," Luke said. "Annabeth wants to think every new camper who comes through here is the omen she's been waiting for. Now, come on, it's dinnertime." As he said that, a horn blew in the distance. “Eleven, fall in!” Luke shouted. Dinner. Yet another reason Kaneki was eager to leave. For one, people would notice the amount he ate every night. For another, if he got too hungry, well… that wouldn’t turn out great for him.
Around a hundred campers and a few dozen satyrs, wood nymphs, and naiads showed for dinner. Everyone sat at their own table. Clarisse was behind Kaneki at the obnoxious Ares table. After a minute, Chiron pounced a good against the ground and everyone fell silent. “To the gods!” ‘Wonder what the gods ever did for us,’ Kaneki wondered as everyone else raised their glasses, repeating Chiron.
The wood nymphs came out with platters of fruits and barbecue. Kaneki noticed his glass was empty. "Speak to it. Whatever you want—nonalcoholic, of course." Luke said.
“Coffee.” Kaneki said. The glass filled with coffee as Luke gave him a look. “I really like coffee.” He explained quietly. Luke shrugged. “Here ya go.” He handed him some barbecue. “Come on.” Everyone was heading towards a fire and dropping some of their meal into it. Luke murmured in his ear, "Burnt offerings for the gods. They like the smell." Luke approached the fire, said “Hermes”, and dropped a roll in. Kaneki was next. He panicked for a second- what god should he sacrifice to? ‘Whoever you are,’ he thought, ‘please tell me so I can get outta here.’ He dropped some food in. To his surprise, the smoke didn’t smell like smoke at all. It was a nice smell.
Chiron stomped again and Mr. D got up with a huge sigh. "Yes, I suppose I'd better say hello to all you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels." A bunch of ugly cheering rose from the Ares table. "Personally," Mr. D continued, "I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Peter Johnson.” Chiron murmured something. "Er, Percy Jackson," Mr. D corrected. "That's right. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on."
Everyone cheered happily. Kaneki didn’t pay much attention to the sing along. He was thinking of ways to get a quest. If he left the camp he could catch a plane to California, and from there get a flight to Japan. Maybe he wouldn’t have to come back to America. His mom was gone, his only family was in Japan. He only stayed in the country for his mom anyway.
After the horn blew the cabins headed off to bed. Kaneki lay on the sleeping bag, grasping the minotaur horn. Hide would freak seeing something like that. He should call him soon, actually. Let him know he’ll be late. He drifted off to sleep thinking of home.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The routine got boring very quickly. By now Kaneki usually had more excitement. He had spent a day in California, and was about to get on a plane where life would be action packed and insane. He guessed getting lessons from Satyrs could count as exciting, but really it was just glorified schooling. He was pretty good at most of the outdoor activities, especially wrestling. The senior campers were watching him usually, attempting to determine who his father was. He was strong like the Ares kids, but there was no physical resemblance and he wasn’t as impulsive. Luke told him he could be a Hermes kid, jack of all trades and master of none kind of person, but he was only trying to make him feel better. Kaneki surprised himself with canoeing skills he never knew about. He was beginning to get restless. Though the camp was homey, he needed to get away. It was suffocating to be trapped, unable to go anywhere. The Hermes kids would whisper about his night terrors, about how little he ate, about his eyepatch about his scars. Some were frightened of him, some laughed, some spread gossip. Thursday afternoon, the third day, Kaneki had his first sword fighting lesson with Luke as Cabin 11’s instructor. He supposed this could come in handy if, for whatever reason, he couldn’t use his kagune. They started with stabbing and slashing, pretty standard stuff. None of the blades he used felt right, but you didn’t always get to fight with a weapon of your choice. He moved on to dueling in pairs, partnering with Luke. "Good luck," one of the campers told him. "Luke's the best swordsman in the last three hundred years." “I don’t think it’ll be to hard.” Kaneki said. The camper shrugged. Kaneki learned more moves as the duel went on. Luke looked a bit frustrated and a bit impressed. Kaneki hadn’t been hit yet. He had stopped yelling out tips a while ago. “I think we should take a break.” Luke commented. The two had hit each other a few times. It was a mostly equal battle. Though, they were both going easy on the other. Luke with his sword skills, Kaneki with, well, everything else. Luke has poured ice water on his head, which seemed like a good idea, so Kaneki did the same. It was boiling hot out. He instantly felt better. The sword suddenly felt less awkward in his hands. "Okay, everybody circle up!" Luke ordered. "If Percy doesn't mind, I want to give you a little demo." Kaneki nodded, stepping up next to Luke. The kids smirked around them, ready to watch Luke best Kaneki’s ass. He told everybody he was going to demonstrate a disarming technique: how to twist the enemy's blade with the flat of your own sword so that he had no choice but to drop his weapon. "This is difficult," he stressed. "I've had it used against me. No laughing at Percy, now. Most swordsmen have to work years to master this technique." He demonstrated the move in slow motion and, sure enough, the sword clattered out of his hand. Kaneki watched intently. That would be so useful when fighting the CCG agents. "Now in real time," he said, after Kaneki retrieved his weapon. "We keep sparring until one of us pulls it off. Ready, Percy?" Kaneki nodded. He felt… charged up? Like he had just had a feast after months of starvation. He tried the disarming maneuver. He wasn’t exactly sure what had happened. He heard ‘clang’, and Luke’s sword rattled against the stones. The tip of his nose was an inch away from his undefined chest. The campers were silent. Kaneki instinctively put a hand to his eye before remembering he was wearing his eyepatch. He started to lower his sword but stopped. You don’t stop before finishing a battle, even in training. Luke was stunned, silent. For a slight moment Kaneki saw his eyes shift. Calculating, measuring his strength, before they bounced back. “By the gods Percy, show me that again!” Kaneki agreed after a round of insisting by Luke. He had been able to do it, but not as quickly and with ease as the first time. “I wonder what you could do with a balanced sword…” Luke looked at Kaneki with a newfound interest. Kaneki could see some sort of plan or calculating in his eyes again. Luke was hiding something, it seemed. The next day Kaneki found himself sitting by the lake with Grover. “So, what about the four empty cabins?” Kaneki asked. "Number eight, the silver one, belongs to Artemis," he said. "She vowed to be a maiden forever. So of course, no kids. The cabin is, you know, honorary. If she didn't have one, she'd be mad." “And the others? The Big Three, I’m guessing?” Grover tensed. "No. One of them, number two, is Hera's," he said. "That's another honorary thing. She's the goddess of marriage, so of course she wouldn't go around having affairs with mortals. That's her husband's job. When we say the Big Three, we mean the three powerful brothers, the sons of Kronos." “So, I’m guessing Hades is the one without a cabin?” Grover nodded. “He doesn't have a throne on Olympus, either. He sort of does his own thing down in the Underworld. If he did have a cabin here ..." Grover shuddered. "Well, it wouldn't be pleasant. Let's leave it at that." "But Zeus and Poseidon—they both had, like, a bazillion kids in the myths. Why are their cabins empty?" Grover shifted his hooves uncomfortably. "About sixty years ago, after World War II, the Big Three agreed they wouldn't sire any more heroes. Their children were just too powerful. They were affecting the course of human events too much, causing too much carnage. World War II, you know, that was basically a fight between the sons of Zeus and Poseidon on one side, and the sons of Hades on the other. The winning side, Zeus and Poseidon, made Hades swear an oath with them: no more affairs with mortal women. They all swore on the River Styx." Thunder boomed. “So the brothers kept their word. No kids.” Grover's face darkened. "Seventeen years ago, Zeus fell off the wagon. There was this TV starlet with a big fluffy eighties hairdo—he just couldn't help himself. When their child was born, a little girl named Thalia .. . well, the River Styx is serious about promises. Zeus himself got off easy because he's immortal, but he brought a terrible fate on his daughter." He went on to explain the story of Thalia, the pine tree on top of the hill. “So, Satyrs. Do you guys just follow half bloods around?” "Not always. We go undercover to a lot of schools. We try to sniff out the half-bloods who have the makings of great heroes. If we find one with a very strong aura, like a child of the Big Three, we alert Chiron. He tries to keep an eye on them, since they could cause really huge problems." “And you found me.” Kaneki said, sadness in his voice. If he had just been at a different place, he would have avoided this problem. "I didn't... Oh, listen, don't think like that. If you were—you know—you'd never ever be allowed a quest, and I'd never get my license. You're probably a child of Hermes. Or maybe even one of the minor gods, like Nemesis, the god of revenge. Don't worry, okay?" “But what if I wanted a quest?” He stared at Kaneki as if he was insane. “That’s suicide, Percy.” He managed to say after a moment. “No one would WANT that.” “I can’t stay here.” Kaneki said, looking out across the lake. “I need to be out, free.” He felt a gust of wind blow his hair back. “To be trapped in a place with no choice of leaving or staying… it brings back a lot of bad memories.” Grover looked uncomfortable so Kaneki dropped the subject. That night, there was more excitement than usual. It was the night of capture the flag. Campers yelled and cheered as Annabeth and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner. It was ten feet long, glistening grey, with a barn owl painted above an olive tree. From the opposite side of the pavilion, Clarisse and her buddies ran in with another banner, of identical size, but gaudy red, painted with a bloody spear and a boar's head. "Those are the flags?" Kaneki asked "Yeah." Luke answered. "Ares and Athena always lead the teams?" "Not always," he said. "But often." “Whose side are we on?” A sly grin crept onto his face. "We've made a temporary alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares. And you are going to help." Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble. "Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!" He spread his hands, and the tables were suddenly covered with equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, oxhide shields coated in metal. A real battle. Luke handed Kaneki a few bulky items. They weren’t ideal for Kaneki’s situation. It was better for him to be light on his feet, not much armor, perhaps a small weapon or two since he couldn’t use his kagune. “Blue team, forward!” Annabeth shouted. She explained to Kaneki what his role was before leaving him alone by the creek. He felt like an idiot. He began sorting through his items while he had the time, listening closely in case someone tried to creep up on him. He left most of the bulk hidden in a bush, keeping the helmet and a few other things so he could be recognized as a Blue Team member. He felt like an idiot, and he was missing all the action. He heard something. He spun around quickly, getting ready for a fight. Someone was stalking him. On the other side of the creek, the underbrush exploded. Five Ares warriors came yelling and screaming out of the dark. "Cream the punk!" Clarisse screamed. Clarisse brandished a huge spear while the others held the standard bronze swords. He sidestepped the first guys swing, but soon found himself surrounded. Clarisse thrust her spear at him which he easily deflected with his shield. But he found his arm numb a few seconds later. Electric. Her stupid spear was electric. He was shocked by that revelation long enough to be pushed back by Clarisse's spear. Now both arms were numb. ‘God, you’re so weak, Kaneki.’ The voice in his head teased. ‘If you can’t go up against a few kids, you won’t stand a chance against anyone back at home.’ “You’re the one who made our cabin look stupid.” “You do that on your own anyway.” Kaneki shot back. It was then Kaneki wished he hadn’t thrown away his armor. He was numb, and on the ground. He let his guard gown, and three of them were coming at him at once. Blood. It wasn’t a lot, but these… amateurs had managed to wound him. They rolled him into the creek, laughing. His eyepatch fell off, drifting down the stream. The spear was in the attack and Kaneki’s whole body felt numb. He couldn’t move it. Why? Why had he let his guard down? Why was he at this camp still? Why did he half to be a half blood? Why was he so weak? But suddenly, the water seemed to… wake him up? He didn’t feel numb anymore, somehow. His cut healed almost immediately, even though he hadn’t eaten any food for a while. He fought off the first four with ease, throwing his sword away after one or two of them. His strength had returned. His senses were heightened. Clarisse charged with the spear, Kaneki snapping it in half quickly. She screamed. “You idiot! Fucking freak!” He ignored her, sending her tumbling into the creek. Then he heard yelling from somewhere else. Luke was racing towards the boundary line, flag in hand. “It was a trick!” Clarisse roared. But it was to late to do anything. They had already won. “Not bad, Hero.” Annabeth said. The air shimmered and she suddenly appeared. “Where’d you learn to fight like that?” “That? That wasn’t really a fight.” Kaneki said quietly. “Just a… scuffle.” Annabeth rolled her eyes. “You didn’t answer my question.” Kaneki stared for a second. Perhaps she had only seen the fight from behind, but his eye was definitely black and red during his fight with the Ares kids. “Japan. But that fight felt weird.” Annabeth ignored the last part. “Damn, is Japan really that violent?” “Sometimes.” She pointed to his arm. “How’d you do that?” Oh. The cut. He shrugged. “It just… I mean, I’m a fast healer but that’s ridiculous. It’s like it just evaporated.” Annabeth looked him up and down as if she had a sudden realization. “Step out of the water, Percy.” He obliged, immediately feeling the numbness come back. The arm wasn’t bleeding as much as before but there was still some blood trickling down his arm. “Oh Styx.” She cursed. “That’s not good. I didn’t want… I assumed it would be Zeus…” The conversation was cut short when the two heard a canine growl. A howl ripped through the forest. The campers’ cheering died instantly. Chiron said something along the lines of “Stand ready!” in Greek. Annabeth drew her sword. On the rocks above the two kids stood a black and red hound the size of a rhino. It’s eyes were like lava and it had fangs like daggers. “Percy, run!” Annabeth yelled. She tried to step in front of him, but the hound was to fast. It leaped over her, and just as it hit him, there was a cascade of arrows appearing in the monsters neck. It fell, dead. "Di immortales!" Annabeth said. "That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't ... they're not supposed to ..." "Someone summoned it," Chiron said. "Someone inside the camp." Luke came over, banner forgotten, glory gone. Clarisse yelled, "It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!" "Be quiet, child," Chiron told her. The body of the hellhound melted into the ground beneath their feet. “You’re wounded.” The shock was wearing off. Kaneki could feel the warmth of blood soaking his torso. “Percy, get in the water.” Annabeth commanded. “It’ll heal. I’m fine.” Kaneki would rather not make a spectacle of himself in front of Chiron and Luke. “No, you’re not! Chiron, watch this.” He stepped back into the creek. Practically the whole camp was here now. As soon as the water hit, the cuts on his chest instantly closed up. The camp gasped, staring at something above his head. “Percy…” Annabeth pointed. It was almost gone, but he could make out a green shimmering trident. “Your father. This is really not good.” “It is determined.” Chiron announced. "Poseidon. Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Kaneki was moved to Cabin 3 the next morning. He didn’t have to share with anyone. He had plenty of room to do whatever. He got to pick his own activities. “Lights Out” was whenever he wanted it. He was excited to call Hide. He didn’t really care that phones would put them in danger or whatever. But there was no bars. It was sort of lonely, but then again, no one was there to see his nightmares. And he was used to being lonely in America. But everyone was still talking behind his back. They avoided him like he was the plague. Not to mention that everyone was on edge because a hellhound invaded a camp that was supposed to be safe. His lessons became a one-on-one class with Luke after Cabin 11 heard about his fight with the Ares kids. That was easier. Kaneki had the whole place to move around, which suited his fighting style better. "You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised. "Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty more repetitions." Annabeth still taught him Greek every morning but she seemed… distracted. After lessons, she would walk away muttering to herself: "Quest ... Poseidon? ... Dirty rotten ... Got to make a plan ..." One morning, she asked Kaneki, “Why do you still wear the eyepatch? I saw it fall off and you still have an eye.” “My eye was damaged in Japan. It could get infected.” It wasn’t the best lie but it would do. Other than that day, she would scowl and get even more irritated if he talked. Even Clarisse kept her distance. Once, someone dropped a newspaper in front of his door.<>BOY AND MOTHER STILL MISSING AFTER FREAK CAR ACCIDENTBY EILEEN SMYTHE Sally Jackson and son Percy are still missing one week after their mysterious disappearance. The family's badly burned '78 Camaro was discovered last Saturday on a north Long Island road with the roof ripped off and the front axle broken. The car had flipped and skidded for several hundred feet before exploding.Mother and son had gone for a weekend vacation to Montauk, but left hastily, under mysterious circumstances. Small traces of blood were found in the car and near the scene of the wreck, but there were no other signs of the missing Jacksons. Residents in the rural area reported seeing nothing unusual around the time of the accident.Ms. Jackson's husband, Gabe Ugliano, claims that his stepson, Percy Jackson, is a troubled child who has been kicked out of numerous boarding schools and has expressed violent tendencies in the past.Police would not say whether son Percy is a suspect in his mother's disappearance, but they have not ruled out foul play. Below are recent pictures of Sally Jackson and Percy. Police urge anyone with information to call the following toll-free crime-stoppers hotline.<> The phone number was circled in black. Kaneki crumpled up the paper and threw it on the ground. It was yet another reminder that, no matter what, he couldn’t protect everyone. “Lights out.” He said to himself, laying down. His dream that night was… strange, to say the least. It started out pretty normal. “1000… 993… 986…” When he looked up, the setting changed. He was on a beach, watching a storm brew. About a hundred yards away, two men were fighting. They looked like TV wrestlers. Besides the Greek tunics they were wearing. Every time they hit one another, the sky darkened. The shackled were gone. Kaneki stood up. He felt compelled to stop it. It needed to stop. But the wind pushed him back every time got close. “Give it back, give it back!” One was yelling. The ground shook and laughter came from beneath the earth. “Come down, little hero.” It coaxed. Falling, falling, falling. Then he woke up. Thunder was booming outside, but no beach. No men fighting. Just the rainclouds. Grover ran in looking worried. “Mr D wants to see you.” Kaneki got dressed quickly, following Grover to see the camp director. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on my first day. Chiron sat across the table in his fake wheelchair. Two invisible opponents were playing with them. “Well, well, well. Our little celebrity. 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 outside. Everyone was tense. "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 at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do." He picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it turned into a plastic rectangle. Kaneki had to stare for a minute before realizing it was a security pass. He snapped his fingers and the air seemed to bend around him until poof. He was gone. Chiron smiled at Kaneki, but it looked tired and strained. “Sit, Percy. Please. And Grover.” They did. Chiron laid his cards out on the table, a winning hand. “Tell me, Percy. What did you make of the hellhound?” Kaneki didn’t exactly know. He decided to be honest, let his mind take over. “It was different than what you usually see. It’s a wild animal, basically. That can be less frightening, but also more at the same time. It came out of nowhere with no clear direction. It doesn’t have a clear pattern that you can spot. But if I had expected it, I think it would be easy to beat.” Chiron nodded. “You’ll meet worse, Percy. Far worse before you’re done.” “Done with what?” "Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?" “Yes.” Kaneki said quickly. Finally. A quest. He’d be free, far away. His only tie to this place was long gone. He could stay in Japan forever. Grover and Chiron exchanged a look. “The details will be hard to explain…” Kaneki didn’t care. He wasn’t paying attention to them. “Zeus and Poseidon are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. A lightning bolt.” “A… what?” “Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives." “Oh.” Was all Kaneki could say to that. “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." “Who stole it?” “You. You stole it. At least-“ He 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 his master bolt was missing, taken 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 of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it." “That’s insane. I didn’t even know these guys existed until a week ago.” Kaneki argued. "Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "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 Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief." “This is fucking crazy. Zeus is crazy.” Thunder. "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...." “I haven’t stolen anything. Swear on the gods or whatever.” “Percy, you must find the bolt, or else I fear the worst will happen. 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." “You have a strangely calm reaction to this.” Grover commented. “Do I?” Kaneki felt more expressive than he normally is, but maybe that’s just him. “I believe I know where the bolt is. 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." Kaneki nodded. Chiron led him to the attic. The air was warm and sticky, the smell of rotting wood hanging in the air. Another smell Kaneki knew all too well was the smell of reptiles. He had absolutely no idea why there were reptiles in an old, rotting attic in a supposedly safe and protected camp, but what made sense at all in this place? Greek mythology came alive in the attic. So much junk was in there, none was fake. It was almost intoxicating. A shriveled female corpse sat on a wooden tripod. It was wearing beads and tie dye for some reason, and as Kaneki got closer he noticed her glassy, marble-like eyes. She sat up on her stool and opened her mouth, green mist pouting out of it. He heard a voice in his head, seemingly fouling around his brain. ‘I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty python. Approach, seeker, and ask.’ Kaneki wanted to turn around. He didn’t want to face his Greek Destiny or whatever it was. But he wouldn’t be able to go on the quest otherwise. “What is my destiny?” An illusion appeared. Gabe and his buddies playing poker. “You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.” Gabe said in the voice of the Oracle. “You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned.” Said the guy on the right. “You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend.” Said the one on the left. “And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.” Said the last. The figures began to dissolve in green mist. The tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth. She reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of mementos. Kaneki went back to see Chiron. “Well?” He asked. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen." Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!" "What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "This is important." Kaneki thought for a moment. “She… she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned." “Anything else?” Chiron seemed unsatisfied with the answer. Kaneki didn’t really want to explain that a friend would betray him and what matters most would be lost, so he shook his head and kept his mouth shut. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass." Kaneki got the sense that Chiron knew he was holding back information, but neither pressed on. “Who is the god in the west?” He attempted to change the subject. "Ah, think, Percy," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?” “Someone else who wanted to take over.” Kaneki realized. "Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken." “You mean Hades?” Kaneki asked pointedly. “The Lord of the Dead is a possibility, but we must not point fingers so hastily.” Kaneki knew Chiron blamed him. He just didn’t want to say it. Grover, though, seemed surprised by this. “Woah, wait. What?” He asked. "A Fury came after Percy," Chiron reminded him. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades." "Yes, but—but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a son of Poseidon... ." "A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest." "But a quest to ..." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year." "Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth." Grover was trembling in fear. Conflict burned in Kaneki’s stomach. He was supposed to protect his friends in Japan, but if this was really true wouldn’t they suffer because he didn’t go on the quest? But still, his dad knew his mother was going to die. He had no contact with him for years, and now he wanted him to solve his mess? "So wait. I'm supposed go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead." "Check," Chiron said. "Find the most powerful weapon in the universe." "Check." "And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days." "That's about right." Grover looked weak. “If you don’t want to go, I can handle it. I prefer to do these things alone anyway. I can call my own backup if I really need it, but-“ “No.” Grover interrupted. “Satyrs and underground places don’t go well together, but… you saved my life, Percy. It’s my duty to go on this quest with you.” Kaneki smiled weakly. “Thank you, Grover.” “The entrance is on Los Angeles right now. So you had better get going soon.” Chiron said. “Ok, so I just need to get a plane ticket and-“ “No!” Grover yelled. “Percy, what in the gods are you thinking?!” “What? I fly near there every year. I go to Chicago to board to Japan. What’s the big deal.” “I can’t believe you haven’t died yet.” Grover muttered. “Percy, think. You are the son of the sea god.” Chiron was talking as if he was explaining something to a small child. Your father’s rival is Zeus, god of the sky. You’re in Zeus’ domain. Especially now, when tension is high as can be. How have you not died yet?” Kaneki thought for a moment. Perhaps the scent of being a ghoul overrode the demigod part? Well, Grover had still detected him… Kaneki honestly had no idea. “So we travel overland then.” “Exactly.” Chiron said. “Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help." The air behind Chiron shimmered. Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket. "I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up." “I suppose you have a plan, then?” Kaneki asked. Her cheeks went red. “Do you want my help or not?” “I could care less.” The others took it as sarcasm. It wasn’t. “This afternoon you shall take a bus to Manhattan. After that, you are on your own. Rain was pouring in the meadows that weren’t supposed to have violent weather. "No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It didn’t take Kaneki long to pack. He took an extra change of clothes, his mask(which he had forgot he had before finding it crumpled in his hoodie), his toothbrush, and his cell phone. The camp had given him $100, which wouldn’t buy much, and 20 gold drachmas. The coins were pretty big and had the Empire State Building printed on one side and a god on the other. Chiron said they would come in handy for non-mortal transactions. Kaneki wasn’t expecting many of those. But you never know. He was given a canteen of nectar and a few ambrosia squares. Annabeth got some too. It was only for emergencies, they were told. Annabeth has brought her magic Yankees cap, a book written in Ancient Greek, and a bronze knife. Grover wore his fake feet and a green cap. His backpack was filled with scrap metal and apples. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes. He only knew 2 songs and they sounded awful. Kaneki was a little worried about the backpack color- bright orange. If they had to sneak around it would be very obvious where they were. Chiron was waiting for them in his wheelchair. Someone else was waiting beside him. “This is Argus,” Chiron explained. “He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things.” Luke ran up behind them. For some reason he was carrying a pair of basketball shoes. “Hey!" he panted. "Glad I caught you." Annabeth blushed. She always did when he was around. Just wanted to say good luck. And I thought ... um, maybe you could use these.” He handed Kaneki the sneakers. “Uh… thanks?” Luke smirked. “Hang on, watch this. Maia!” The shoes suddenly sprouted wings. They flapped around for a bit before folding back into the sides of the shoe. Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days...." His expression turned sad. “Thank you.” Kaneki didn’t really know what to say. "Listen, Percy ..." Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just ... kill some monsters for me, okay?" Kaneki and Luke shook hands. Grover got a pat and Annabeth was hugged. She looked like she was about to pass out. As soon as Luke left, Kaneki told her, “You’re hyperventilating.” “Am not.” She insisted. "You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?” Kaneki asked. “Oh... why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?” She stomped to the SUV. Argus followed. Kaneki was about to follow, when Chiron put a hand on his arm. “You won’t be able to use those.” He was talking about the shoes. Kaneki nodded. It was just extra weight for him if he couldn’t wear them, so… “Grover.” He tossed Grover the shoes. His eyes lit up. “Me?” He asked, surprised. Kaneki nodded. Grover tried to use them, but wasn’t very good. “I’ll practice.” He said joyfully. Before Kaneki could leave, Chiron stopped him again. "I should have trained you better, Percy," he said. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason—they all got more training." Kaneki wanted to tell him that he didn’t train him at all, but that would just make him angry. “It’s ok. I got enough.” "What am I thinking?" Chiron cried. "I can't let you get away without this." He handed Kaneki a pen. It was a pretty normal pen with a removable ballpoint cap. A very familiar pen, at that. “Percy, that's a gift from your father. I've kept it for years, not knowing you were who I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You are the one." Kaneki uncapped the one to make sure. A blade shimmered in the sunlight. Chiron said something Kaneki wasn’t paying attention to, but he did pick out something. “Riptide.” He repeated. The name of the sword. "Use it only for emergencies," Chiron said, "and only against monsters. No hero should harm mortals unless absolutely necessary, of course, but this sword wouldn't harm them in any case." Mortals… would it harm Ghouls? Or just Mythological creatures? “Now, recap the pen.” Kaneki obliged. “You can’t lose it. Throw it, far as you can.” Kaneki was skeptical, but decided to throw it anyway. Sure enough, it appeared back in his pocket a few moments later. After giving Kaneki a few more pointers, he finally went to the bottom of the hill. He hopped into the car. Annabeth and Grover were waiting already. They waved out the window, looking back at the camp sadly, but ready. Argus drove them out of the countryside and into Long Island. It felt strange at first. He was back on a highway, and Annabeth and Grover seemed like normal carpoolers, when of course they were far from that as possible. Kaneki decided it would be best to make conversation- it would be a long trip. “So, no monsters yet.” He commented. “From what Chiron said it seems like they’d be all over us by now.” She looked irritated. “It’s bad luck to talk that that, seaweed brain.” Kaneki raised an eyebrow. “Someone’s cranky. Or maybe you just hate me.” “I don’t hate you.” She scoffed. “We’re just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals." “And that’s supposed to affect how you feel about everyone else? Whether or not your parents approved of them?” “I don’t know, I just-“ She leaked back into the car, cutting herself off. “Why do they hate each other anyway? Isn’t like four thousand years enough time to settle a grudge?” "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her." “Isn’t that just normal god stuff? Like, Hers doesn’t hate Zeus and he did… all that.” He was careful not to anger the thunder or whatever. “Just forget it!” Annabeth scoffed. Kaneki decided to leave it at that. He didn’t want to get particularly close to these people, and they obviously didn’t care about him. Traffic slowed them down a bit in Queens. When they got to Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain. They were dropped at the Greyhound Station, and Kaneki noticed a flyer near them. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY? It asked, a picture of him beneath the question. He ripped the poster down, hoping the others didn’t notice. Argus helped get their bags before heading off. ‘Guess we’re on our own now.’ Kaneki now noticed how close they were to his mom’s place. Gabe was probably happy he had the place all to himself. How he’d love to tear that man limb from limb… He was pulled from his thoughts by Grover. “Do you want to know why she married him?” He asked. Kaneki jumped. “What? How did you…?” “I was reading your emotions. Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?" Kaneki nodded. "Your mom married Gabe for you," Grover told me. "You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. The guy has this aura…. Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him on you, and you haven't been near him for a week." “Thanks," he said. "Where's the nearest shower?" "You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy—if that makes you feel any better." Kaneki really thought about that for a moment. She really loved him that much. He could only think of one other person who would really go that far for him. He had to get away from the group, call him as soon as possible. Just to hear his voice, even. He needed him. “You really miss her. I can’t imagine.” Kaneki looked back at Grover, confused. “Your mom. I can feel it.” “Oh. I wasn’t… I wasn’t thinking about her.” Kaneki admitted. “Oh. Who?” Kaneki sighed in annoyance. Of course he’d want to hear. He tried to word it carefully. “Someone who has travelled through hell and back for me. Someone who I love but haven’t seen since August. I hardly ever get to see…” he stopped. He shouldn’t have said that much. “I bet she’s amazing for you to think that highly of her. Are you two… you know, a thing?” “He,” Kaneki put extra emphasis on the word, pausing for a second, “is my boyfriend.” Grover made an O shape with his mouth. “Oh. That’s tough that you haven’t seen him. I wish we could use phones, dude. You could’ve called him.” Kaneki planned on calling him either way, but didn’t tell Grover that. The rain kept pouring down. When the bus finally came, Grover sniffed around at something. He seemed… tense. “What is it?” Kaneki asked. “I don’t know. Could be nothing.” From his body language, Kaneki could tell that it definitely wasn’t nothing. He stepped onto the bus, looking around wearily. Nothing so far. He was comfortable in his seat when he saw a familiar face. It was older and more withered, but it was definitely Miss Dodds. Behind her cane two more ladies with the same face. They sat right behind the driver making an X with their legs. "All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!" "It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows." "They don't open," Grover moaned. "A back exit?" she suggested. There was none. Once the bus got into the tunnel, there was no rain. It was eerily quiet. It would be almost calming without the presence of the three ladies. Suddenly, Miss Dodds got up. “I need to use the restroom.” She announced. The other sisters chimed in, saying the same things. “I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat." "What?" Kaneki asked. "You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away." "But you—" Kaneki was cut off. "There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering." His ghoul smell masked that for a while, he thought, but he wasn’t going to argue. He creeped to the front of the bus, holding his breath. He was about to leave when he heard screaming. The ladies had transformed into their Fury forms, bat wings and all. They were asking where it was. The bolt, Kaneki guessed, was what they wanted. “He's not here!" Annabeth yelled. "He's gone!" The ladies did not like that answer. They raised their whips. On impulse, Kaneki grabbed the drivers wheel and swerved the car left. After a while of insane driving, it seemed as if the car was heading towards the Hudson River. “Fuck.” He cursed under his breath. He grabbed the emergency break, wincing as it lurched him forward. The bus had crashed into a cluster of trees. Everyone yelled as they rushed off the bus. When the furies regained their balance, they lashed their whips angrily. Annabeth waved her knife and yelled in Greek, Grover threw tin cans. Kaneki ripped the hat off his head. “Hey!” He shouted. The furies turned, glaring at him. Miss Dodd’s stalked up the aisle like she was a lizard about to eat its prey. “Perseus Jackson. You have offended the gods. You shall die." Annabeth nodded down, referring to his sword-pen. Kaneki uncapped the pen unveiling Riptide. The furies hesitated. They obviously didn’t like seeing the sword. “Submit now," Miss Dodds hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal torment." “Percy! Look out!” Miss Dodds lashed her whip angrily. Kaneki knocked the Fury on the left with Riptide's hilt and she toppled backwards. He sliced the Fury on the right, who instantly evaporated. “Zeus will destroy you! Hades will have your soul!" Miss Dodds screeched. “Braccas meas vescimini!"Kaneki wasn’t sure where the Latin came from. Just a Demigod thing, he guessed. Thunder shook the bus violently. Grover yelled to everyone to get out, run. Once everyone was outside, Grover yelped. “Our bags! We left our-“ He didn’t get to finish. A loud BOOM was heard behind the crowd. There was an awful screech from the bus. “Run! She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Kaneki had managed to grab his bag, but he was the only one. His bag held the most important supplies so it worked out fine. Annabeth wanted to check it, but Kaneki grabbed it from her. He claimed he didn’t want her to see his underwear. If she saw the cell phone and mask she’d freak out. So there they were, alone in New Jersey. Grover was shivering, muttering to himself. “Three Kindly Ones. All three at once." The explosion still rang in their ears, but they were still running. The farther, the better. “We lost our bags, Percy. If you hadn’t decided to jump in-“ “What, and get killed?” Annabeth scowled. "You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would've been fine." “Sliced like sandwich bread,” Grover added, “but fine.” "Shut up, goat boy," said Annabeth. The trio sloshed though the muddy ground, Grover mourning his tin cans. Annabeth finally turned to Kaneki. “Look, I..." Her voice faltered. "I appreciate your coming back for us, okay? That was really brave." Kaneki nodded. “It's just that if you died ... aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world." “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that.” Kaneki said quietly. He didn’t want to disturb the pleasant silence. The thunderstorm had finally let up, and the sticky air was nice to breath. The world was shrouded in darkness, a look Kaneki was used to. He may argue he worked better in the night. They walked for a bit in silence, besides Grover’s complaints. “So,” Kaneki started, “You haven’t left camp since you were seven?” “No. Only short field trips. My dad… It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood is my home." She was rushing her words, as if she believed if she didn’t get them out now she never would. “At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not." There was a big of doubt in her voice, nervousness. “You’re pretty good with that knife.” Kaneki pointed out. He saw her smile through the darkness. “You know, maybe I should tell you ... Something funny back on the bus ..." She was interrupted by a loud noise. “Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried. "If I could just remember a 'find path' song, we could get out of these woods!" The tune sounded suspiciously like Hillary Duff. After a few more miles of waking, they came across a bright neon sign. The writing was bright red and in cursive. Kaneki couldn’t read it, neither could Annabeth. “Aunty Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium.” Grover translated. There were two gnomes in front of the entrance door, true to the name. Annabeth must have been extremely hungry, because she crossed the street drooling. The smell of burgers hung in the air. Kaneki was almost gagging. He wanted to throw up. “Hey…” Grover started. “The lights are on inside. Maybe it’s open.” Annabeth pointed out. “This place is weird.” Grover commented warily. Kaneki agreed. There were a shitload of statues. The detail was creepily realistic, too realistic. “Bla-ha-ha!" Grover bleated. "Looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!" Annabeth walked up to the warehouse door, but before she could knock Grover stopped her. “Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters." “Your nose is clogged up from the Furies," Annabeth told him. "All I smell is burgers. Aren't you hungry?" Grover scoffed. “I’m a vegetarian.” He huffed angrily. The door creaked open. Standing there was a tall woman who wore a veil over her head and a long black gown. “Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?" She asked. "They're ... um ..." Annabeth started to say. “We’re orphans.” Kaneki said. Annabeth was clearly awful under pressure, and Kaneki didn’t want her to starve. “Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area." The kids thanked her, heading inside. The warehouse was filled with even more statues. Kaneki grimaced at some of their faces. They were horrified. He had a feeling, this just didn’t sit right with him, and Grover obviously agreed. Once they got to the dining hall, Aunty Em motioned for them to sit down. “Uh, we don’t have any money, ma’am.” Grover said reluctantly. Annabeth glared, knowing the contents of Kaneki’s backpack. “No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans." "Thank you, ma'am," Annabeth said. Aunty Em stiffened for a moment, but she relaxed quickly. "Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. "You have such beautiful gray eyes, child." Even more started to go off in Kaneki’s Head. How did she know her name? Grover and Kaneki exchanges glances, but Annabeth seemed to not notice anything was wrong. Kaneki and Grover picked at the food on their plate. Annabeth greedily slurped a shake and munched in a burger. Grover seemed to notice the disgusted look Kaneki had on his face. He shared the same one. “What’s that hissing noise?” Grover asked Aunty Em. “Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover." “I take vitamins. For my ears.” Kaneki kicked him under the table. That was the stupidest thing he’d ever heard. “That's admirable," she said. "But please, relax." “So, you make these statues?” Kaneki asked. Conversation, small talk, people let their guard down. She may reveal something important. “Oh, yes. Once upon a time, I had two sisters to help me in the business, but they have passed on, and Aunty Em is alone. I have only my statues. This is why I make them, you see. They are my company." Annabeth had stopped eating. She sat forward and said, "Two sisters?" "It's a terrible story," Aunty Em said. "Not one for children, really. You see, Annabeth, a bad woman was jealous of me, long ago, when I was young. I had a... a boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible accident. My sisters stayed by me. They shared my bad fortune as long as they could, but eventually they passed on. They faded away. I alone have survived, but at a price. Such a price." “Percy?” Annabeth has finally noticed something was up. “Maybe we should go.” Her voice had tensed up. Grover nervously chewed the wax paper underneath the fries. “Such beautiful gray eyes," Aunty Em told Annabeth again. "My, yes, it has been a long time since I've seen gray eyes like those." Annabeth backed away, frightened. “We really need to go.” She insisted. “Please, dears," Aunty Em pleaded. "I so rarely get to be with children. Before you go, won't you at least sit for a pose?" "A pose?" Annabeth asked warily. "A photograph. I will use it to model a new statue set. Children are so popular, you see. Everyone loves children." Annabeth shifted her weight from foot to foot. "I don't think we can, ma'am. Come on, Percy.” Aunty Em was annoyed now. “Come on, children, no harm.” Grover and Annabeth followed her, for some reason, to the back room. “Now," she said, "I'll just position you correctly. The young girl in the middle, I think, and the two young gentlemen on either side. Oh, young boy, do you mind taking that eyepatch off, if only for the photo?” She didn’t wait for an answer, grabbing it. "Not much light for a photo," Kaneki remarked, annoyed. "Oh, enough," Aunty Em said. "Enough for us to see each other, yes?" “Where's your camera?" Grover asked. Aunty Em stepped back, as if to admire the shot. "Now, the face is the most difficult. Can you smile for me please, everyone? A large smile?" Grover glanced at the cement satyr next to him, and mumbled, "That sure does look like Uncle Ferdinand." "Grover," Aunty Em chastised, "look this way, dear." She still had no camera in her hands. Annabeth mumbled, “Percy.” "I will just be a moment," Aunty Em said. "You know, I can't see you very well in this cursed veil...." "Percy, something's wrong," Annabeth insisted. Kaneki have her a look. “You think?” He remarked sarcastically. "Wrong?" Aunty Em said, reaching up to undo the wrap around her head. "Not at all, dear. I have such noble company tonight. What could be wrong?" "That is Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover gasped. "Look away from her!" Annabeth shouted. She whipped her Yankees cap onto her head and vanished. Her invisible hands pushed Grover and Kaneki off the bench. In an instant, she had grabbed hold of Kaneki’s throat. His eyes were shut tight, but he heard a hissing coming from her head. Medusa, he thought to himself. “Such a pity to destroy a handsome young face," she told me soothingly. "Stay with me, Percy. All you have to do is look up." He flipped her the bird. She scowled. “The Gray-Eyed One did this to me, Percy. Annabeth's mother, the cursed Athena, turned me from a beautiful woman into this." “Don't listen to her!" Annabeth's voice shouted, somewhere in the statuary. "Run, Percy!" "Silence!" Medusa snarled. Then her voice modulated back to a comforting purr. "You see why I must destroy the girl, Percy. She is my enemy's daughter. I shall crush her statue to dust. But you, dear Percy, you need not suffer." Suffering. He had suffered, truly suffered, before. This was nothing. “Do you really want to help the gods?" Medusa asked. "Do you understand what awaits you on this foolish quest, Percy? What will happen if you reach the Underworld? Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue. Less pain. Less pain." He had gone through worse. Pain was just an accessory to the entirety of his being. This wasn’t pain, no, this was a minor annoyance at most. “Percy!” He heard Grover yell. “Duck!” There was a THWACK! and Medusa roared with rage. “You miserable satyr," she snarled. "I'll add you to my collection!" "That was for Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover yelled back. “Percy, you have to cut her head off.” Annabeth said. She grabbed a green gazing ball from a nearby pedestal. "A polished shield would be better." She studied the sphere critically. "The convexity will cause some distortion. The reflection's size should be off by a factor of—“ She paused. “Look at her through the glass, never in the eye.” She tossed the ball to Kaneki. He ran off, following the hissing sounds from the monster’s hair. After a moment, he saw her in the glass. Kaneki charged with his sword and glass. It would be so much easier to use his kagune, but it wouldn’t be a good idea. Not for the purposes of Annabeth and Grover finding out, but for anyone. The CCG would know he was in America. He wouldn’t be safe there anymore. “You wouldn't harm an old woman, Percy," she crooned. "I know you wouldn't." “Well, first of all, I would.” She lunged. He slashed upwards with his sword, and with one last hiss she disintegrated. Grover made gagging sounds. Annabeth draped the head in black cloth. It was dripping green ooze. "Are you okay?" she asked Kaneki, her voice trembling. He nodded. Grover managed a shaky grin. “That really was not fun, though. Well, the hitting-her-with-a-stick part, that was fun. But crashing into a concrete bear? Not fun." After a while of talking about the events at the table they (Annabeth) had ate at, Kaneki decided to check her office. He found $20, a few gold drachmas, along with the address of the underworld. He decided to deliver the head to Mount Olympus after seeing her delivery book. He thought for a moment before writing the name. “Ken Kaneki.” He finally decided. Let them question it. The name was his now. When he got back, Annabeth was already scheming. “Come on. We need a new plan.” She said dejected.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

That night, they camped out in the woods, a while away from the main road. The ground was littered with remnants of a party of sorts. Soda cans, fast food wrappers, those sorts of things. Kaneki walked behind a tree and checked the phone. Still no reception. They had taken some blankets and other supplies from Aunty Em's, but didn’t light a fire. It’d attract attention. They had decided to sleep in shifts as well. Kaneki took the first one. Annabeth immediately curled up onto the blanket, falling fast asleep. Grover looked up at the sky, upset. “You can sleep, y'know.” Kaneki pointed out. He sighed. “Yeah, I guess. It just makes me sad. The pollution. You can even see the stars.” Kaneki nodded sympathetically. “In Japan, I saw the stars every night. It was beautiful.” Grover looked skeptical. “Every night?” “I was outside a lot.” He didn’t elaborate. Grover dropped it. “You know, your species is clogging up the world so fast.” His voice suddenly took on an angry tone. “Never mind. It’s useless to lecture a human.” Kaneki almost scoffed. “At this rate, I’ll never find Pan…” Kaneki decided to humor him a bit. “Pam? The cooking spray?” Grover obviously didn’t get the joke. “No, you idiot! Pan! P-A-N! The great god Pan! What do you think I want a searcher's license for?" “Tell me about the search.” Kaneki asked, intrigued. Grover looked at him cautiously, as if he believed he wasn’t serious. "The God of Wild Places disappeared two thousand years ago," he told me. "A sailor off the coast of Ephesos heard a mysterious voice crying out from the shore, 'Tell them that the great god Pan has died!' When humans heard the news, they believed it. They've been pillaging Pan's kingdom ever since. But for the satyrs, Pan was our lord and master. He protected us and the wild places of the earth. We refuse to believe that he died. In every generation, the bravest satyrs pledge their lives to finding Pan. They search the earth, exploring all the wildest places, hoping to find where he is hidden, and wake him from his sleep." “And you want to be a searcher." "It's my life's dream," he said. "My father was a searcher. And my Uncle Ferdinand ... the statue you saw back there—" "Oh, right, sorry." Grover shook his head. "Uncle Ferdinand knew the risks. So did my dad. But I'll succeed. I'll be the first searcher to return alive." “The first?” Grover took his reed pipes out of his pocket. "No searcher has ever come back. Once they set out, they disappear. They're never seen alive again. Do you think I can do it?” He asked nervously. “I do. I know what it’s like to be the first. It’s scary, but exhilarating. You feel alone, but… also like you belong.” He snapped out of his daze quickly. “Nevermind, I… it’s probably way different or you.” “Actually, yeah. That’s pretty accurate. How do you…?” “I don’t want to talk about it.” Grover studied his face for a second. “The eyepatch. Why did you wear it?” “It was injured in a fight.” “It seems fine to me.” Kaneki turned away, annoyed. “So, how are we going to get to the underworld?” He asked, trying to change the subject. “Percy, you can’t just-“ “Grover.” His voice was menacing, but tired. It seemed as if he was telling him, “Just drop it.” “I don’t know how. Annabeth has a plan, I think.” Kaneki snorted. “Of course she does.” "Don't be so hard on her, Percy. She's had a tough life, but she's a good person. After all, she forgave me...." His voice faltered. “What was that?” The look in Grover’s eyes told him not to press on. “Actually, forget it. I didn’t tell you anything, so why would you want to tell me?” “I just- I can’t talk about it. But as I was saying, back at Medusa's, Annabeth and I agreed there's something strange going on with this quest. Something isn't what it seems." “Oh really? I’m getting blamed for stealing a goddamn thunderbolt. How would I even do that?” “That's not what I mean," Grover said. "The Fur—The Kindly Ones were sort of holding back. Like Mrs. Dodds at Yancy Academy ... why did she wait so long to try to kill you? Then on the bus, they just weren't as aggressive as they could've been." “I got that feeling too. It was almost too easy to just… and without even…” Kaneki started to mutter to himself a bit, leaving out bits and phrases before Grover snapped him back to reality. “They were asking where it was.” He said. “Yeah. About the bolt.” “What if we've misunderstood something about this quest, and we only have nine days to find the master bolt...." He looked to Kaneki, who just shrugged in response. “Whatever. If things get really ugly, I have a trick up my sleeve.” Grover groaned. “Do I even want to know? Don’t tell me you have another stink bug.” Kaneki chuckled. “No, don’t worry. It’s not another stink bug.” “I can’t sleep. I’ll take first watch.” Kaneki protested, but Grover’s mind was made up. “Fine. Just wake me up first if anything happens, k?” Grover nodded. He began to play something in his pan flute, Mozart no. 12. Kaneki was asleep quickly. Too bad he didn’t get any rest. He was standing in a dark cavern, spirits of the dead clawing at him, trying to drag him down with them. Kaneki pushed forwards to the very end of the chasm. ‘The little hero’, an amused voice echoed far down in the darkness. ‘Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do.’ The voice was deep and cold, ancient and heavy. ‘They have misled you, boy,’ it said. ‘Barter with me. I will give you what you want.’ An image hovered above the void. Sally. She was frozen in the moment she had disappeared. Kaneki turned away. “I don’t need her. She’s gone. You can’t trick me.” The voice seemed to scream along with the spirits, angrily spitting out words. The spirits desperate to break free, screaming ‘No! Wake!’ His eyes opened. The sun was glaring down on him. "Well," Annabeth said, "the zombie lives." Kaneki glared at Grover. “You didn’t wake me up.” But He was preoccupied with… a poodle. Annabeth tossed Kaneki some food that he ignored. Grover was… talking. To a poodle. A pink poodle. “Percy! This is Gladolia. Gladolia, meet Percy.” “Uh. Hi, Gladolia.” He waved awkwardly. ‘I haven’t felt this weird since I first met Hinami… and she was literally eating a corpse.’ Grover explained that he'd come across Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up a conversation. The poodle had run away from a rich local family, who'd posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't really want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover. Guess the poodle can read signs then. "So we turn in Gladiola," Annabeth explained in her best strategy voice, "we get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple." She pointed to the train tracks near the group. “There's an Amtrak station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon."