An old friend

"Is it you?" I heard a voice... a girl voice. I felt something in my mouth... it was sort of like... pudding, but it tastes like popcorn... wish they had a chocolate one... I have a bit of a sweet tooth.

The girl from what I could see had blond curly hair... looks like the hair of a princess... no kidding. I groan a little as she sees me slowly fully waking up, she stops feeding me (doesn't sound right) and looks confused.

"What will happen at the summer solstice?" she asked leaving me slightly confused... the summer solstice? I mean... I've heard of it but what does she mean?

"H-Huh?" she looks around like if she didn't want anyone to overhear her as she looks back at me.

"What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!" what is she even talking about? I slightly look at her again... just to decide and pass out... maybe it's for the best...

Though definitely an hour later, I did wake up fully. I look to the side slightly, noticing I was actually laying down in a fowler bed, it was pretty cheap but still hood enough.

I looked around seeing my surroundings... I was in some kind of camp... wait... am I in Camp Half-Blood? I try to get up... but I was a bit weak still. I could actually feel the breeze, smelled like strawberry. I groan just to look and see table by my side, laying by it was my hat and guitar, but on top of it was a drink.

I recognize it... looks like mom's blueberry lemonade, it was purplish or more pink, I don't know... it even has the blueberries, the ice and a lemonade with it, and a red straw. I slightly moved my fingers to see if I could move them properly, luckily I could and I slowly grab the drink... the moment I tasted it... it tastes exactly like mom's... like if... she was... here...

The thought of that... that maybe this wasn't a dream... that mom might be... I slowly look down putting the glass back in the table and I slowly grab my guitar... it was a gift from her. I turn the guitar back seeing a message in the back...

"My heart to you, cowboy."

It was just those words that she told me when she gave me the guitar... I didn't even realize was tearing up... I hug the guitar... probably the only thing I have left of her.

"Hey, are you..." I heard that voice and I see Thomas wearing some weird armor but under it was an orange shirt which says CAMP HALF-BLOOD. Also he was revealing his goat legs and very hairy arms. I look down with shivering lips.

"Is she... is she..." I couldn't even end the comment as he walks by the fowler bed and shook his head.

"I should've reacted faster. Maybe if I reacted faster or didn't run, she would be here right now." I see Thomas reacting with such disappointment and sadness... all on himself as he shook his head. "This is all my fault, I screwed up big time."

I blinked a few times, slowly pulling Thomas to a much needed hug for both of us, yeah the hairy arms were kind of annoying but it was still needed for both of us.

"Is not your... fault." I told him trying to calm him but he shook his head.

"Yes it is. I was means to protect you, this... you being without your mom? That's not protecting! I just..." he sniffs and tries to clean his tears. "Because of me, I left you without a mother, how's your step father going to react? I screwed up... I screwed up..."

I kept hugging him as I pat his back a few times, trying to reassure him. I look outside still with puffy eyes... I can't... really blame Thomas for this, he was taking it already hard enough like if she was also his mother, though he did consider her the closest thing to one... and it wasn't fair that I blame him for this... I don't even want to cause it isn't.

I slowly separate from the hug as he signaled to the door.

"Hey, Chiron and Mr. D is waiting for you outside, come on." Thomas said slowly getting up, I put my hat on, also I see something where the guitar once was... a bag for it. I open it and put the guitar in the bag, strapping it on my back. I slowly walk outside last holding the blueberry lemonade glass... it was a bit hot here, but I saw something by the table just after getting up... the Minotaur horn.

I grab it and look at it... I clench it and walk outside. When I do, I see so much more of where I am.

I could see campfires, a giant fighting arena which looked Ancient Greek, many cabins... like eleven or twelve of them. The water was beautiful and I look back seeing people playing volleyball by a cliff plus a mansion also in another cliff, and the stairs also looked ancient. I see some people running around, even some of those Satyr's. The trees in this place, the water... it was clean and beautiful... and is much quieter here than in Queens.

I saw Thomas waiting as I drank my lemonade as he signaled me.

"Come on, we're going to the big house in the cliff." I looked at it and then the stairs... tons of stairs.

"Oh..." I groaned and started to follow Thomas who walked to the stairs but we both go in a slow pace. I saw many people but I looked back at the small cabins. "Why the cabins?"

Thomas looks back. "Those? Those are for the kids of their claimed gods. Twelve houses... twelve Olympians." He points them one by one. "Those two in the back... are for the King and Queen of the Gods. Then there's God of the Sea, Goddess of Harvest, God of War, Goddess of Wisdom, God of Light, Goddess of the Hunt, God of the Forge and Fire, Goddess of Love, The Messenger of the Gods and God of Wine... in that order."

"You mentioned their titles... wait... are the Greek Gods real... like... real, real?" I asked both enthusiastic and scared, which Thomas nods.

"Yeah... they actually do."

"And the titles... are their names also bound to the name thingy?"

"Yep, and to a greater level." he confirmed with me looking confused.

"So one of those twelve or... well....seven gods... is my father?"

"Well... one of the main seven or others that are not Olympians, though it's been a while since we have that." Thomas kept walking and me... I still followed.

It took like three minutes to get to the end. I didn't even feel tired as I hold the remaining lemonade and walked to the back of the house seeing a porch and I see three people there.

First one I definitely noticed was the girl... the same one who was feeding me that pudding, not the best I've eaten, she was leaning to the porch rail next to the other two. The other one was a man, small but porky, he had a red nose, big watery eyes and curly hair so black that almost looked purple. Then I saw the last one in a wheelchair... he looked familiar. He was in a wheelchair, had thinning brown hair and that scraggly beard... he looked like... Mr. Brunner?

"That's Mr. D, the one with curly hair, he is the director here so be polite, while the girl is Annabeth Chase. If I had to say, she one of the demigods who have been here the longest... she's the daughter of Athena." he whispered to me... he said the goddess' name without hesitation... I don't understand what's the problem now with saying it or not. "The other one is..."

"Brunner..." I said in shock, which Thomas looks back confused. "I took classes with him last year... in Yancy." I slowly walked forward seeing him. "Mr. Brunner!" I cried.

He looks and sees me, just to show a smile as the girl Annabeth also looked at my direction. I walked quickly towards him, passing by Mr. D and kneeling just to hug my old teacher who hugged back.

"It really is good to see you, Y/N. I heard of your mother's passing... I'm truly sorry." I broke the hug as I nodded smiling a little.

"Thank you. How long have you been... a part of this camp?" I asked confused as he laughed a little.

"Almost for my entire life, I devoted it to watch you and Percy." when he said the name "Percy", did he mean, Percy Jackson?

"P-Percy? As in... Percy Jackson?"

"Is there another Percy you know?" he kept his smile as I looked away... if he's here... does it mean Percy might be in the camp?

"Is Percy here?"

"Yes, arrived two days later than you, you've been asleep for five days, Y/N." when he said that... I was in shock... I've been asleep for five days?

"Five days? H-How?"

"After... your loss... your body seemingly gave up, Annabeth took care of you but it's like if your body was shutting down on its own... like if you were losing the will to live." I slowly looked down... I know why... it was because of mom's death that my body gave up... had to be.

I looked at Mr D who showed me his bloodshot eyes and just sighs heavily.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Just cause I said it doesn't mean I'll be nice." this guy looked alcoholic... jeez I already hated him.

"Huh... thanks, Mr... D..." I had a disgusted tone and groan under my breath when I looked away. "So... where's Percy?"

"Inside the house... you should wait till he wakes up, he also lost his mother." answered Brummer and it broke me... Sally was dead?

"S-Sally's dead?" I looked down, as I hear steps and look back... I see a kid, with messy jet black hair like mine and green eyes... it was him... Percy, along side another Satyr, but looking a bit younger than Thomas... so... Grover was a Satyr too? "Percy?"

Percy was a bit shock to see him as Y/N quickly walks and pulls Percy to a hug who quickly hugs back.

"I'm so sorry about Sally." I told him as I felt him nod.

"Thanks." we both separate and I hug Grover though bit shock he is a Satyr.

"Mr. Brunner!" I heard Percy cry after seeing him as Brunner gave him the same smile he gave me.

"Ah, good, Percy," he said. "Now we have five for pinochle. I'm pretty sure Y/N wouldn't want to play that."

I look at him confused as now it was Mr.D's turn to welcome Percy... if he does.

"Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp

Half-Blood. There. Now don't expect me to be glad to see you." Percy looked confused as he took a step away from him.

"Uh, thanks." said Percy not knowing how to feel about all this.

"Annabeth." called the teacher to the girl who we see walk to him. "Y/N already knows, but this is Annabeth. This young lady nursed you both to health. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on both Percy and Y/N's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."

Annabeth said, "Sure, Chiron."

Now looking at her better, she looked at my age, she is shorter, like three inches, and a whole lot more athletic-looking. With her deep tan and her curly blonde hair, she was almost exactly what I thought a stereotypical California girl would look like, except her eyes ruined the image. They were a startling grey, like storm clouds; very pretty, but intimidating, too, as if she were analyzing the best way to take me down in a fight... I would definitely last a few seconds.

She looks at the Minotaur horn in my hand... and also's... Percy? He has one too? There's more than one Minotaur?

She looks at Percy also looking at the horn as she was about to walk away.

To Percy. "You drool in your sleep," then to me. "and you snore way too much."

Okay, what? So my buddy shuts down and I was still snoring? Never judge a book by its cover, I mean... she is beautiful... but I don't really like her personality... what a joy. I just see her sprint off letting her hair fly... what a beau... No! No... remember how she treated you, she just said "I snore way too much."

Percy and I look at Brummer confused due to how she called him.

"So your name is... Chiron?" I asked trying to answer both me and Percy's confusion.

"That's right. Brummer was more of a pseudonym"

"Huh, okay." I said with a little smile as Percy looks at Mr. D.

"And Mr D... does that stand for something?" he asked him making him stop shuffling his cards.

He looks at both of us, mostly him for his comment. "Young man, names are powerful things. You don't just go around using them for no reason."

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

"I must say, both of you," Chiron said. "I'm glad to see you two 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."

I asked Chiron. "House call?"

"My year at Yancy Academy, to instruct you both. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. But Grover alerted me as soon as he met both of you. He sensed you two were something special, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other Latin teacher to... ah, take a leave of absence. Sadly... I had no official way to look at you, Y/N. You got into fight for so many reasons, all of them because of your hate to bullying and pain... luckily Thomas was there to watch over you, that I'm glad."

I looked at Thomas who had a shy smile, one that I definitely picked up from and looked away. Percy seconds later asks another question to Chiron.

"You came to Yancy Academy just to teach us?" he asked.

Chiron nodded. "Honestly, I wasn't sure about you two at first. We contacted both your mothers, let them know we were keeping an eye on you two in case either of you were ready for Camp Half-Blood. But you still had so much to learn... both of you. Nevertheless, you both made it here alive, and that's always the first test."

"Mom... knew about you?" I asked him just to see him nod in regret.

"Yes... she did."

"Grover." Mr. D said impatiently. "Are you playing or not?"

"Yes, sir." I heard grover speak and Mr. D looked then at Thomas.

"Thomas?"

"Y-Yes, sir." the two were saying sir, like... why? He then eyed Percy suspiciously.

"You do know how to play pinochle?" he asked Percy.

"I'm afraid not." he said.

"I'm afraid not, sir." said Mr. D.

"Sir." Percy repeated with a feared tone, me... I was also a bit afraid of all this, luckily he didn't ask me but still... who is he? And why is he like this? Why is a drunk Hawaiian shirt guy is director here?

"Well," he told Percy. "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 the boy can learn, maybe Y/N too." Chiron said.

"Maybe I'll do when we two learn where we actually are. Tommy already told me a few stuff of this place, but why do we have to be here? Why did you go to Yancy for the two of us?"

Mr. D snorted at my comment. "I asked the same question."

Every time a card landed on Grover or Thomas, they flinched... don't know why. Chiron gave Percy and I, a sympathetic smile that I remember.

"Percy." said Chiron. "Did she tell you nothing?"

"She said... She told me she was afraid to send me here, even though my father had wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I probably couldn't leave. She wanted to keep me close to her."

"Typical." said Mr. D. "That's how they usually get killed. Young man, are you bidding or not?"

"What?" asked Percy, though he was just sort of focused on his game, I look at Chiron sighing.

"How much don't we know?"

"Too much. I'm afraid there's too much to tell," Chiron said. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient."

"Orientation film?" Percy asked though that left me scratching my head.

"No." Chiron decides. "Well, Percy, Y/N. You two know Grover and Thomas are both satyr's. You two know-" points at the Minotaur horns. "-that you have killed a 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."

I swear Percy was in utter shock... me? I was half shocked, Thomas already told me but hearing Chiron say it... it is true... they ARE real.

"Wait, so other pantheons: Norse, Roman, Egyptian, Aztec, they're all real?" I asked Chiron who nods as I smirk with my mouth wide open.

"They all are."

"Oh, a royal marriage. Trick! Trick!" I heard Mr. D say as he tallied up his points.

"Mr. D," Grover asked timidly." if you're not gonna eat it, could I have your Diet Coke can?"

"Eh? Oh, all right." Mr. D gives Grover his coke can which Grover bit a huge chard out of the empty aluminum can and chewed it mournfully, which Thomas chuckled a little.

"Wait." I heard Percy tell Chiron. "You're telling me there's such a thing as God?"

"Well, now," Chiron said. "God – capital G, God. That's a different matter altogether. We shouldn't deal with the metaphysical."

"Metaphysical? But you were just talking about-" I stopped Percy from talking more.

"He means plural gods, the ones that control the forces of nature, God of the Sky, War, Wisdom, those types."

"Exactly that." Chiron said. "The gods we talk about are great beings that control the forces of nature and human endeavours: the immortal gods of Olympus. That's a smaller matter."

"Smaller!" Percy said.

"Yes, quite. The gods we discussed in Latin class."

"Zeu-" I stopped Percy from saying his name... just in case something went wrong, he looked at me confused as I shook my head.

"Names and power, Percy." I took my hand off his mouth realizing what I meant, just for him to look at Chiron.

"But they're stories. They're – myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science."

"Trust me, I haven't even truly accepted that but seeing a half man-half goat already tells me they might-"

"Science!" Mr. D cuts me off which actually scares me and Percy. "And tell me, Perseus Jackson-"

I saw Percy flinch... and I was in shock... his name is Perseus? Like the hero Perseus?

"-what will people think of your "science" two thousand years from now?" Mr. D continued. "Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo jumbo. That's what. Oh, I love mortals – they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they've come so˜o˜o far. And have they, Chiron? Look at these boys and tell me."

I looked rather worry and confused with the fact, Mr. D called us mortals... like of he wasn't... one. Grover shuffled his cards while eating the aluminum and Thomas waiting but he wasn't even looking at Mr. D and both were extremely quiet.

"Percy," Chiron said, "you may choose to believe or not, but the fact is that immortal means immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all time?"

Percy seemed controversial about all this, me? Sort of but... I wasn't liking this camp at all.

"You mean... no matter if people believe in you or not?" I asked.

"Exactly." Chiron said. "If either of you were gods, how would you like being called a myth, an old story to explain lightning? What if I told you two, Perseus Jackson, Y/N Galanis, that someday people would call you both myths, just created to explain how little boys can get over losing their mothers?

That sounded like an insult, he was trying to make us angry... compared to Percy, I've always had a short temper, can that be part of my god powers?

"I wouldn't like it. But I don't believe in gods."

"Oh, you'd better." Mr. D murmured. "Before one of them incinerates you both."

"Please sir, both have already lost their mothers. They're both in shock." Thomas said trying to defend us.

"A lucky thing, too." Mr D grumbled, playing a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys who don't even believe!"

He waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, as if sunlight had bent, momentarily, and woven the air into glass. The goblet was them filled with red wine... how did he do that?

Both mine and Percy's jaw dropped, but Chiron hardly looked up.

"Mr. D," Chiron said. "your restrictions."

Mr. D looked at the wine and feigned surprised.

"Dear me." He looked at the sky and yelled. "Old habits! Sorry."

There was thunder in the sky, but there were no clouds.

Mr. D waved his hand again, and the wineglass changed into a fresh can of Diet Coke. He sighed unhappily, popped the top of the soda, and went back to his card game.

Chiron winked at us. "Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits.

"A wood... what now?" I asked confused with Percy also confused.

"Yes." Mr D confessed. "Father loves to punish me. The first time, Prohibition. Ghastly! Absolutely horrid ten years! The second time – well, she really was pretty, and I couldn't stay away – the second time, he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you. "Be a better influence," he told me. "Work with youths rather than tearing them down." Ha! Absolutely unfair."

Mr. D was whining like a kid, which... doesn't fig him at all.

"And..." Percy stammered. "your father is..."

"Di immortales, Chiron," Mr D said. "I thought you taught this boy the basics. My father is Zeus, of course."

Zeus? Wait... wine powers, the D on Mr. D... sonova... this man is Dionysus.

"You're Dionysus! The wine god!"

Mr. D or his true name, Dionysus rolled his eyes. "What do they say, these days, Grover? Do the children say, "Well, duh!"?"

"Y-Yes, Mr. D."

"Then, "Well, duh!" Y/N L/N. Did you think I was Aphrodite, perhaps?"

"You're a god." said Percy trying to analyze the fact.

"Yes, child."

"A god. You?" Percy asked bit shocked.

"Yeah, I actually expected something more impressive or menacing." I said not very amused anymore... I mean... he doesn't look like a god.

He turned to look at us straight on, and I saw a kind of purplish fire in his eyes, a hint that this whiny, plump little man was only showing me the tiniest bit of his true nature. I saw visions of grape vines choking unbelievers to death, drunken warriors insane with battle lust, sailors screaming as their hands turned to flippers, their faces elongating into dolphin snouts. I knew that if I or Percy pushed him, Mr. D would show us worse things. He would plant a disease in my brain that would leave me wearing a straitjacket in a rubber room for the rest of my life.

"Would you like to test me, children?" he asked quietly.

"N-No... I'm fine-we're fine... sir." I said covering for Percy and I quickly.

The fire he had died a little. He turned back to his card game. "I believe I win."

"Not quite." Chiron said. He set down a straight, tallied the points, and said, "The game goes to me."

I thought Mr. D was going to vaporize Chiron right out of the wheelchair, just sighed through his nose, as if he were used to being beaten by my old teacher. He got up, and Grover with Thomas rose, too.

"I'm tired." Mr. D said. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, Thomas, we need to talk, again, about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."

Grover and Thomas' faces beaded with sweat as Grover said. "Y-Yes, sir."

Mr. D turned to us. "Cabin eleven, both of you. And mind your manners."

He swept to the farmhouse, Grover and Thomas following miserably.

"Will Grover and Thomas be okay?" Percy asked to Chiron.

Chiron nodded, though a bit troubled. "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."

"Mount Olympus?" I asked shocked. "So Mount Olympus is real? Like... the home to the gods?"

"Yes, not to be confused with the Mount Olympus in Greece, two different things." Chiron said. "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, Y/N, just as the gods do."

"You mean the Greek gods are here? Like... in America?" Percy asked trying to believe all of this.

"Well, certainly. The gods move with their heart of the West."

"The what?" that put Percy in much confusion just like me.

"Come now, you two. What you call "Western civilization". Do you think it's just an abstract concept? No, it's a living force. A collective consciousness that has burned bright for thousands of years. The gods are part of it. You might even say they are the source of it, or at least, they are tied so tightly to it that they couldn't possibly fade, not unless all of Western civilization were obliterated. The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know – or as I hope you know, since you passed my course – the heart of the fire moved to Rome, and so did the gods. Oh, different names, perhaps – Jupiter for Zeus, Venus for Aphrodite, and so on – but the same forces, the same gods." Chiron confirmed.

"So you're saying the Roman Gods and Greek Gods are not cousins or relatives... they're the same gods? Just different names?" I asked him which Chiron nodded.

"Now you're catching on."

"So what happened... they died?" Percy asked.

"Died? No. Did the West die? The gods simply moved, to Germany, to France, to Spain, for a while. Wherever the flame was brightest, the gods were there. They spent several centuries in England. All you need to do is look at the architecture. People do not forget the gods. Every place they've ruled, for the last three thousand years, you can see them in paintings, in statues, on the most important buildings. And yes, Percy, of course they are now in your United States. Look at your symbol, the eagle of Zeus. Look at the statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center, the Greek facades of your government buildings in Washington. I defy you to find any American city where the Olympians are not prominently displayed in multiple places. Like it or not – and believe me, plenty of people weren't very fond of Rome, either – America is now the heart of the flame. It is the great power of the West. And so Olympus is here. And we are here."

Everything Chiron said, it was too much to handle, especially the fact that Percy and I seemed to be included on Chiron's we, as if we were part of some club.

"Then who are you, really? Who... Who are we supposed to be?" I asked him for both mine and Percy's sake.

Chiron smile. He shifted his weight as if he were going to get up his wheel chair, but he is paralyzed down... it's impossible unless out of nowhere he is also a satyr.

"Who are you two." he mused. "Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? But for now, we should get you both a bunk in cabin eleven. There will be new friends to meet. And plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, there will be toasted marshmallows at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore them."

He DID get off his wheel chair which completely froze me... but when the blanket he had on his legs fell, his legs didn't move. His waist kept getting longer, rising above his belt. At first, it looked like a very long white velvet underwear, but as he kept rising out of the wheelchair, taller than any man, I realized that wasn't an underwear, it was the front of an animal, and the wheelchair was more of a container, a way to hide his legs... or... hooves, this was some sorcery crap, the legs were fake, from his waist down, his body was part animal like a satyr, only it wasn't a goat... but part horse. My old teacher, one of the best I've ever had was a DAMN CENTAUR!

"What a relief. I'd been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come, Percy Jackson, Y/N Galanis. Let's meet the other campers."

I can't help it man! Every time I read Chiron's dialogue, I read it with Pierce Brosnan's voice, present voice. Pierce did play Chiron in live action, but I hear present Pierce Brosnan with his very wise voice in the background. Either way, this time, the chapter is even longer, above 5,000 words. Hope you enjoyed it, vote for it, leave a comment of you want, to leave your opinion or what should I improve and later.