twenty one
vacation to paradise

PERCY WAS IN THE amphitheater. They were having their usual campfire but... that couldn't be right. He was on the quest in the labyrinth, right?

He glanced over, and to his surprise, he saw Annabeth sitting beside him, except she was way younger. She looked 12 (he'd never realized just how much older he'd gotten since then). He vaguely remembered the moment, almost like it was a memory— maybe it was. Since Percy was the only person in his cabin, he could sit with Annabeth and Grover; they were two of his only friends.

Sitting under their banner, Apollo cabin was finishing up one of their camp songs, like Down by the Acheolus. Apollo usually led their campfire songs (which made sense, cause of the whole god of music thing), which pretty much everyone enjoyed.

"Now who wants to go next?" Lee Fletcher called out once the song was finished.

Percy had almost forgotten Apollo cabin did this. They let someone choose to sing a song at the campfire. Usually, it was other Apollo kids, and very rarely someone else from another cabin. Percy remembered the time the Stoll Brothers did a screechy rendition of Under Pressure.

As soon as Lee spoke, the kids of Apollo cabin spoke over each other, pointing at each other before someone says one name and all the others agreed. They point to a dark-haired girl with a pale-yellow ribbon tied up in her hair.

"Lennon!"

Holy shit it's Lennon. Is what current Percy thinks (or dream Percy? But would 11-year-old him be dream Percy? He's not sure) as Lennon starts shaking her head.

Annabeth lets out an enthusiastic whoop and cups her hands around her mouth to say, "Yeah! Go, Lennon!" The girl in question shoots her a glare and Annabeth only laughs.

Percy watches as younger Lennon's eyes widen in horror, her cheeks flushing pink. The light of the fire made her glow in a mesmerizing way. Offhandedly, current Percy (he's decided to call himself that) thinks of how he'd always liked the ribbons in her hair. When he saw her again, he'd ask her about the ribbon.

Grover shot him a curious look, his brow raised. Young Percy must have thought something interesting that Grover picked up on the psychic link.

Soon there are hums of agreement from the other cabins and it's decided: Lennon's singing. She speaks with other siblings quickly, probably deciding on a song. She has a different guitar than the one she has now, Percy notices as she prepares to sing.

Percy can tell she doesn't like the attention. She may be a younger version of Lennon but she still furrowed her brows unsurely and bit the side of her cheek.

Lennon strums the first few notes on the guitar. They're slow and soft as she focuses on the song.

Here comes the sun,

Percy immediately recognizes the Beatles song. His mother used to sing it to him sometimes when he was younger.

Her voice doesn't sound as mature as it does now ( Percy's not sure if that's true, he's just heard Lennon say something like that before), but it still has the same warm feeling. Her voice is soft and floaty, wafting through the air, touching each person listening.

Yes, Percy remembers this. It was nearing the end of summer and Percy had always heard of Lennon from Annabeth but the daughter of Apollo wanted nothing to do with him. Every time she was hanging out with Annabeth, and he came near, she would find a way to be gone. It kinda made him sad because he wanted to know the girl Annabeth always talked about.

Younger him had been amazed by Lennon's talent, he still was now. Whenever she sang, she seemed to forget the entire world around her, like it was only her and the song. She seemed so at peace every time she sang, it kinda made her glow in a way. In all honesty, it was kind of mesmerizing to him.

Lennon ended the song and everyone clapped, her cabin mates cheering her on. Julian bumped her shoulder grinning to which she returned with an awkward smile. Percy watched all this with a faint smile on his face. Or, he would if this wasn't a dream.

Percy was standing outside the impala Lennon had picked out, moments after being yelled at by Thalia. Not a fun moment. He flexed his hand anxiously, scared he'd only get yelled at again. Finally, he mustered the courage to knock on the car's window.

"Can I come in?" He asked.

The brunette nodded and gestured to the front seat. He'd opened the door to hear her singing along to a song on the radio. Seeing the memory now, Current Percy knew the song was by Abba.

He slid into the front seat, in front of her. her, still a bit anxious. He was half expecting her to yell at him. He glanced at her awkwardly. "Nice singing,"

"Hmm? Oh, thank you,"

"You're welcome,"

The girl looked at him, "Thalia kicked you out of her car,"

"Yeah..." he had scratched the back of his neck. It wasn't much of a surprise, it was a very Thalia thing to do.

Silence filled the car, the only sound being the song on the radio. It was a bit awkward.

In the back seat, Lennon rested her head on the window. "Y'know I was mad at you,"

That was definitely not what he expected her to say. "What?"

"Back at the cliff, when you said I didn't understand what it felt like to have a friend go missing," A pang of guilt shot through the boy but Lennon was speaking before he even got a chance to say something. "But, I get it. You care about Beth too, and your emotions got the better of you,"

Percy resulted in silence. He tried to process what she was saying, remembering the exact moment he'd said it. Gods he was terrible.

"So, uh, congratulations, I guess, for getting me to forgive you without apologizing,"

"Um..."

Um? He was an idiot! He had said something terrible and instead of apologizing, he said um?

"No, you should be proud, it's a rare accomplishment,"

He wasn't paying attention to her words. All he could think about was how mean he'd been. Annabeth was her friend too and Percy had been too consumed in anger and guilt and fear that he'd taken it out on her. He'd never wanted to be the type of person who does that.

"I'm sorry. I know you already said you forgave me but... I am sorry. I shouldn't have said that,"

Lennon shook her head. "It's okay," the girl looked back out the window. Percy opened his mouth to apologize more but she spoke again. "Hey, that plan at the museum was really smart,"

Lennon just kept confusing him. "Thanks? I just..." he tried to muster an explanation. "I don't know where the idea came from."

The girl nodded, followed by a yawn. "You seem like one of those people who comes up with crazy— probably dangerous— plans in the heat of the moment,"

He blinked. "Thanks?" Percy feared he'd always be confused by Lennon.

"You're welcome," She smiled a bit. Percy hung onto that smile. He'd seen her smile before but never directed to him and never like that. He wished he could take a picture of her smile and frame it in his mind.

He glanced at the steering wheel in thought. Why had they never been friends before? She'd never liked to be around him but now here she was, smiling at him. He turned to her, to ask her that very question but the girl had fallen asleep.

When Percy opened his eyes, he was no longer within his memories of Lennon. He was almost disappointed by this fact. Instead, he was in a cave that glittered with crystals.

He sat up and looked down at his arms which were pinker than usual (as opposed to being terribly burned). He was wearing a white cotton T-shirt and drawstring pants. He calmed down when he realized both Riptide and the Stygian ice dog whistle were in his pocket.

With some difficulty, he stood up. He found himself in front of a mirror and the sight was not pretty. He was thinner than before and his hair was a complete mess, singed at the ends.

He ventured out of the cave, observing his surroundings. Eventually, he saw the same caramel-haired girl he'd seen after crash landing into the ocean. She'd said her name was Calypso. She seemed to be arguing with someone at the beach. Percy tried to wrack his brain for any myths about her but so far he was coming up empty.

He slowly walked to her with stiff legs. He looked down to keep his balance and when he looked up whoever Calypso was arguing with was gone.

"Well," she said, trying for a smile, "the sleeper finally wakes."

His voice croaked as he asked, "Who were you talking to?"

"Oh...just a messenger," she said. "How do you feel?"

"How long have I been out?"

"Time," Calypso mused. "Time is always difficult here. I honestly don't know, Percy."

"You know my name?"

"You talk in your sleep."

He grimaced. "Yeah. I've been told that before." By his best friend who made it her life's goal to bully him (it's okay because he tries to bully her back).

"Yes. Who is Lennon? You said her name a few times,"

"Oh, uh," For some reason, he was blushing. "One of my best friends. We were together when—wait, how did I get here? Where am I?"

Calypso glanced up at his hair. "Sorry, could I?"

He blinked. "Um, yeah?"

The girl reached up and attempted to smooth his hair down, much like his mother would do for him when he was younger.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I've just grown used to caring for you. As to how you got here, you fell from the sky. You landed in the water, just there." She pointed across the beach. "I do not know how you survived. The water seemed to cushion your fall. As to where you are, you are in Ogygia."

"Is that near Mount St. Helens?" he asked, still a bit jarred by everything.

Calypso let out a small restrained laugh. "It isn't near anything, brave one. Ogygia is my phantom island. It exists by itself, anywhere and nowhere. You can heal here in safety. Never fear."

"But my friends—"

"Lennon, Annabeth," she said. "And Grover and Tyson?"

"Yes!" He nodded. "I have to get back to them. They're in danger," Last time he'd seen Lennon, she was running towards Annabeth. Of course, that was after he'd kissed her. He ran a hand across his face. Gods, why would he do that?

Calypso seemed like she was going to object to him leaving but she frowned when she saw his expression. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "I'm just thinking. I don't want to bother you,"

"Nonsense. I don't have much to do on this island. The least you could do is tell me your thoughts,"

Percy nodded slowly. "Well, I kissed my best friend,"

"Lennon?"

"Yeah,"

"Is that a bad thing?" She asked genuinely, interested to hear his words.

"No. Maybe? I don't know. The only reason I kissed her was to stop her from rambling. If I'd let her keep talking, she might've never gotten out of that forge we would've both been stuck in that explosion,"

Calypso hummed. "So you were trying to save her?"

"Yes. It didn't mean anything,"

"It didn't mean anything," the girl repeated.

"At least, I think it didn't. Lennon's just my best friend," He turned to Calypso. "Are kisses supposed to mean something?"

The girl frowned. "I am not sure. I don't think I am the best person to answer your question,"

Percy frowned, his brows furrowed in thought.

"This thinking is causing you distress," Calypso states. "You need to rest. You are no good to your friends until you heal."

"But—" He never finished his sentence because his knees buckled. He would've landed face-first in the gravel if Calypso hadn't caught him. She walked him back to a cushioned bench by the fountain and helped him lie down.

"I told you, you require rest," Calypso said matter-of-factly.

As he doze off, he couldn't help thinking of how Calypso reminded him a bit of Annabeth.

Time passed weirdly on Calypso's Island. The next time he woke up, he wasn't sure if it was the same night or many nights later. He'd found Calypso planting flowers.

She'd handed him a glowing flower, the clump of roots and dirt at its base felt warm in his hands. Calypso picked up her gardening spade and directed him to the edge of the garden, where she began to dig. She glanced over and noticed the way he was staring at the flowers.

"What's wrong?"

He stared at the glowing flowers in his hands, "They remind me of someone," He blinked and looked up. "What are they?"

"That's moonlace," Calypso explained. "It can only be planted at night."

Percy watched the silvery light flicker around the petals. "What does it do?"

"Do?" Calypso mused. "It doesn't really do anything, I suppose. It lives, it gives light, and it provides beauty. Does it have to do anything else?"

"I suppose not," Percy hummed. Then he thought for a moment. "I'd love to have to do nothing. No fighting homicidal monsters,"

Calypso took the flower from his hands as she said, "You fight monsters a lot?"

She had no idea. "Yeah, a lot,"

"You shouldn't have to live like that," Calypso said, planting the moonlace. She stepped back and surveyed her work. "I love my garden,"

"It's awesome," Percy agreed. He'd never been the gardening type but he could appreciate it's beauty. "Back home, my mom always wanted a garden."

"Why did she not plant one?"

"Well, we live in Manhattan. In an apartment."

"Manhattan? Apartment?"

He stared at her. "You don't know what I'm talking about, do you?"

"I fear not. I haven't left Ogygia in...a long time."

"Well, Manhattan's a big city, with not much gardening space."

Calypso frowned. "That is sad. Hermes visits from time to time. He tells me the world outside has changed greatly. I did not realize it had changed so much you cannot have gardens."

This made Percy sad. Calypso had missed so much of the world. "Why haven't you left your island?"

"It's not that easy," She gave him a bittersweet smile. "I am stuck here,"

He frowned. "How long have you been stuck here?"

"A few millennia, I believe," She sighed wistfully. "It is my punishment for supporting my father during the Titan war. I was just a little girl who didn't know any better,"

"And who... if you don't mind me asking, was your father?"

"Atlas,"

The word was painful for both of them.

"It isn't fair that you're punished for something your father did. I knew another daughter of Atlas. Her name was Zoë. She was one of the bravest people I've ever met."

"She was your friend?"

"Well not at first," He let out a small laugh, remembering how they'd been at odds. "But, yeah, she was,"

Calypso nodded contemplatively. "You seem like a good person to have as a friend,"

He glanced at her, "We are friends?"

"We are?" He nodded and Calypso had a smile that was happy but sad at the same time. "I've never really had a friend,"

Percy gave her a grin. "Well now you have one," He winced and Calypso frowned.

"What is wrong?"

"I think I'm just a bit dizzy,"

Calypso hummed. "You haven't healed yet. You should get more sleep," She ushered him back to the cave.

Life on Calypso's island was calming. Percy couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so at peace. Sometimes, deep in his mind, his thoughts would betray him and he'd wonder what would happen if he stayed there. Then he remembers his friends and the incoming war. He couldn't just hide away and leave.

Still, it was nice to have Calypso as a friend. She told him about her life on the island, though that always seemed to get sad. He'd tell her about his life too, about his friends.

"And so this is what friends do?" Calypso asked one night as they had dinner by the beach. "Tell each other about their life?"

"Yeah. Like me and Grover we—" he paused. "Actually, we have a psychic link so we pretty much know what's going on. Annabeth too, I think we both know a lot about the other,"

"So we're not really friends?"

Percy shook his head. "No! We are. We just haven't gotten a chance to learn everything about the other. Like Lennon. I haven't known her for that long, but honestly, it feels like I've known her all my life,"

"I suppose I wouldn't know. Everyone leaves my island before I can know them as well as you know you're friends," Calypso hummed. "Tell me about her,"

"Lennon?" Calypso nodded. "She's really cool. She's a daughter of Apollo so she's an amazing singer," As he said that he remembered the dream he'd had of her.

"She seems like a good person to know,"

"She is," Percy agreed, smiling sadly.

Calypso observed him. "You miss her dearly,"

Percy opened his mouth to respond but was distracted by a glow on the horizon. It got brighter and brighter until he could see a column of fire moving across the surface of the water, coming toward them.

Percy stood, reaching for my sword. "What is that?"

Calypso sighed. "A visitor."

As the column of fire reached the beach. Calypso stood and bowed to it formally. The flames dissipated, and standing before us was a tall man in gray overalls and a metal leg brace, his beard and hair smoldering with fire.

"Lord Hephaestus," Calypso said. "This is a rare honor."

The fire god grunted. "Calypso. Beautiful as always. Would you excuse us, please, my dear? I need to have a word with our young Percy Jackson."

Calypso left and Hephaestus sat down clumsily at the dinner table, ordering a Pepsi. The invisible servant brought him one, opened it too suddenly, and sprayed soda all over the god's work clothes. Hephaestus roared and spat a few curses and swatted the can away.

"Stupid servants," he muttered. "Good automatons are what she needs. They never act up!"

"Hephaestus," Percy said, "what's going on? Are Annabeth and Lennon—"

"They're fine," he said. "Those two are resourceful girls. They found their way back, and told me the whole story. They're both worried sick, you know."

Percy frowned. "You haven't told her I'm okay?"

"That's not for me to say," Hephaestus said. "Everyone thinks you're dead. I had to be sure you were coming back before I started telling everyone where you were."

"What do you mean?" He asked confusedly. "Of course, I'm coming back!"

Hephaestus studied him skeptically before fishing something out of his pocket—a metal disk the size of an iPod. He clicked a button and it expanded into a miniature bronze TV. On the screen was news footage of Mount St. Helens, a huge plume of fire and ash trailing into the sky.

"Still uncertain about further eruptions," the newscaster was saying. "Authorities have ordered the evacuation of almost half a million people as a precaution. Meanwhile, ash has fallen as far away as Lake Tahoe and Vancouver, and the entire Mount St. Helens area is closed to traffic within a hundred-mile radius. While no deaths have been reported, minor injuries and illnesses include—"

Hephaestus switched it off. "You caused quite an explosion."

He stared at the blank bronze screen. Half a million people evacuated? Injuries. Illness. What had he done? He hadn't meant to cause so much damage.

"The telekhines were scattered," the god told him. "Some vaporized. Some got away, no doubt. I don't think they'll be using my forge any time soon. On the other hand, neither will I. the explosion caused Typon to stir in his sleep. We'll have to wait and see—"

"I couldn't release him, could I? I mean, I'm not that powerful!"

The god grunted. "Not that powerful, eh? Could have fooled me. You're the son of the Earthshaker, lad. You don't know your own strength."

That's the last thing he wanted him to say. Percy knew hadn't been in control of himself in that mountain. He'd released so much energy he'd almost vaporized himself. He'd practically drained the life from himself. Now he's finding out he'd nearly destroyed the Northwest U.S. and almost woken the most horrible monster ever imprisoned by the gods. Maybe he was too dangerous. Maybe it was safer for his friends to think he was dead.

"What about Grover and Tyson?"

Hephaestus shook his head. "No word, I'm afraid. I suppose the labyrinth has them."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

The god winced. "Don't ever ask an old cripple for advice, lad. If you decide to leave this place—and I don't say what's right or wrong—then I promised you an answer to your quest. I promised you the way to Daedalus. Well now, here's the thing. It has nothing to do with Ariadne's string. Not really. Sure, the string work. That's what the Titan's army will be after. But the best way through the maze...Theseus had the princess's help. And the princess was a regular mortal. Not a drop of god blood in her. But she was clever, and she could see, lad. She could see very clearly. So what I'm saying—I think you know how to navigate the maze."

It clicked. Why hadn't he seen it before? Hera had been right. The answer was there all the time. "Yeah. Yeah, I know."

"Then you'll need to decide whether or not you're leaving."

"I..." He wanted to say yes. Of course, he would. But the words stuck in his throat. He thought of how peaceful it was on Ogyia. How there are no monsters or cause for him to worry. What if he left everything behind?

"Don't decide yet," Hephaestus advised. "Wait until daybreak. Daybreak is a good time for decisions."

"Will Daedalus even help us?" He asked. "I mean, if he gives Luke a way to navigate the Labyrinth, we're dead. I saw dreams about...Daedalus killed his nephew. He turned bitter and angry and—"

"It isn't easy being a brilliant inventor," Hephaestus rumbled. "Always alone. Always misunderstood. Easy to turn bitter, and make horrible mistakes. People are more difficult to work with than machines. And when you break a person, he can't be fixed."

Hephaestus brushed the last drops of Pepsi off his work clothes.

"Daedalus started well enough. He helped Princess Ariadne and Theseus because he felt sorry for them. He tried to do a good deed. And everything in his life went bad because of it. Was that fair?" The god shrugged. "I don't know if Daedalus will help you, lad, but don't judge someone until you've stood at his forge and worked with his hammer, eh?"

"I'll—I'll try."

Hephaestus stood. "Goodbye, lad. You did well, destroying the telekhines. I'll always remember you for that."

It sounded very final, that goodbye. Then he erupted into a column of flame, and the fire moved over the water, heading back to the world outside.

Percy walked along the beach for hours in thought. He finally came back to the meadow at maybe four or five in the morning. Calypso was still in her garden, tending the flowers by starlight. Her moonlace glowed silver, and the other plants responded to the magic, glowing red and yellow, and blue.

"He has ordered you to return," Calypso guessed.

"Well, not ordered. He gave me a choice."

Her eyes met his. "I promised I would not offer."

"Offer what?"

"For you to stay."

"Stay," He said. "Like...forever?"

"You would be immortal on this island," she said quietly. "You would never age or die. You could leave the fight to others, Percy Jackson. You could escape your prophecy."

He stared at her, stunned. "Just like that?"

She nodded. "Just like that."

"But...my friends."

"Am I not your friend?" Calypso asked desperately.

Percy winced at her words.

Calypso sighed, looking down at her palms and wiping them on her dress. Staining the pristine white with black splotches of dirt. "I am sorry. It's just, I've never really had a friend on this Island,"

"But I thought you said other heroes have come here before,"

There was a sad look on her face. "That is my curse. Every thousand years or so, the gods allow a hero to wash up on my shores, someone who needs my help. I tend to him but it is never random. The Fates make sure that the sort of hero they send is someone that can never stay,"

Percy takes in her words.

She takes a heavy breath before continuing. "I am cursed to fall in love with every hero who graces my shores,"

Percy blinked. "Me?"

Calypso shook her head. "You have been sent here but... you're different. You've become my friend, a better friend than any other hero who has come before you. Somehow that makes the idea of you leaving hurt even more. I don't want to lose my first real friend,"

Percy doesn't know how to respond.

"You could stay with me, Percy,"

He stares at the horizon. He could stay there for Calypso. He could escape the prophecy and live peacefully. But, every time he thought that far all he could think about was the life he was leaving behind. He didn't want to leave Calypso alone but he also couldn't do that to his other friends.

So with a sad look, he shook his head. "I can't,"

She looked down sadly.

"I would never do anything to hurt you," Percy said, "but my friends need me. I know how to help them now. I have to get back."

Calypso picked a flower from her garden—a sprig of silver moonlace. Its glow faded as the sunrise came up. Daybreak is a good time for decisions, Hephaestus had said. Calypso tucked the flower into his T-shirt pocket.

She pats his arm comfortingly. "Then come to the beach, my friend. And we will send you on your way."

At the beach, they were met with a raft that was a ten-foot square of logs lashed together with a pole for a mast and a simple white linen sail. It didn't look like it would be very seaworthy, or lakeworthy.

"This will take you wherever you desire," Calypso promised. "It is quite safe."

Despite everything, he looked at it unconvinced. "Are you sure it's safe?"

She laughed at that and for a second it felt like they weren't saying goodbye. But then her laugh faded into a sad silence.

"Maybe I can visit you," He said.

She shook her head. "No man ever finds Ogygia twice, Percy. When you leave, I will never see you again."

"When I could get back, maybe I can ask the gods to release you from your island," he said hopefully.

"Maybe," though her tone suggested she didn't believe her words. "Just remember me. Plant a garden in Manhattan for me, will you?" Calypso asked with a bittersweet smile.

"I promise." He hugged her and she returned it. Then she pat his shoulder and gestured towards the raft. He stepped onto the raft and immediately it began to sail from the shore.

He felt terrible for leaving Calypso but, surprisingly, he didn't regret it. He had to help his friends at camp.

Within minutes the island of Ogygia was lost in the mist. He was sailing alone over the water toward the sunrise. Then he told the raft what to do. "Camp Half-Blood. Sail me home,"

Hours later, Percy's raft washed up at Camp Half-Blood. He had no idea how he got there. At some point, the lake water just changed to salt water. The familiar shoreline of Long Island appeared up ahead, and a couple of friendly great white sharks surfaced and steered him toward the beach.

When he landed he had furrowed his brows in confusion. The camp seemed deserted. It was late afternoon, but the archery range was empty. The climbing wall poured lava and rumbled all by itself. Pavilion: nothing. Cabins: all vacant. Then he noticed smoke rising from the amphitheater. Too early for a campfire, and they definitely weren't roasting marshmallows. Percy ran toward it.

Before he even got there he heard Chiron making an announcement. When he realized what Chiron was saying, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"—assume he is dead," Chiron said. "After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked his closest surviving friends to do the final honors."

He came up on the back of the amphitheater. Nobody noticed him. They were all looking forward to Lennon and Annabeth. They were holding hands as Annabeth took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it on the flames. They were burning his shroud.

Annabeth glanced at Lennon and the brunette nodded. She took a shaky breath and glanced out at the crowd.

"I didn't know Percy as long as I wish I could but in the time I knew him, he became my closest friend. We've—" she stumbled over her words. "We've lost one of the most loyal and caring people I know and—" Lennon stopped.

It hurt Percy's heart to see her near tears. Despite the sadness in her voice, Lennon stood strongly. It was so Lennon it hurt.

"I'll miss him dearly," Lennon finished, stepping back to let Annabeth speak. She even gave the blonde a small smile. Percy couldn't help but smile. Lennon would always be Lennon.

Annabeth turned to face the audience. Her eyes were puffy from crying, "He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He..." Then her eyes locked on his. Her look of confusion spread to surprise and then to relief.

Lennon looked at her worriedly saying something before pointing straight at him.

"He's right there!"

Heads turned and people gasped.

"Percy!" Beckendorf grinned. A bunch of other kids crowded around him and clapped him on the back. Clarisse just rolled her eyes, like she couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to survive.

Julian, Lennon's brother, bumped his shoulder with a grin. "Welcome back,"

Chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him.

"Well," he sighed with obvious relief. "I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me—"

Annabeth walked up with a scoff. She pulled him into a hug, saying, "Where have you been?" She let go. "We thought you were dead idiot,"

She gave him one of her usual glares but he could see the tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he paused. He was too ashamed to say he had left Calypso behind. He noticed Lennon standing silently beside Chiron, watching him. He sent her a smile that she didn't return. "I got lost,"

Whatever he said had made Lennon snap. He had never seen Lennon so angry as she stomped towards him. "You got lost?! For two weeks?" She yelled.

Percy blinked, shrinking back. He did not expect to return to an angry Lennon. She was always confusing him.

"Lennon," Chiron said before she yelled even more. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

AUTHORS NOTE:
here's a long chapter to make up for how short last chapter was. also entirely in percy's pov how funnnn.
anywho, don't forget to comment and vote or i'll kill off ur fav characters... jkjk