✦ ༉‧₊˚⋆˚( ᵖᵉʳᶠᵉᶜᵗ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ )˚⁺✧₊˚.*♡

🍦— 018. end of the summer.

IT FELT SO WEIRD FOR the rest of the summer to be so normal.

The daily activities continued: archery, rock climbing, pegasus riding. They played capture the flag ( though they all avoided Zeus's Fist ), sang at the campfire and raced chariots and played practical jokes on the other cabins. Vivi spent time with her siblings and got to know the new girl, Freya, that was currently still unclaimed but happy she had people like herself around her.

Vivi and Percy spent some time around each other, making it up for the years they lost when Vivi moved away. Annabeth was also around the pair and both Vivi and Percy wanted to talk about Kronos, but that was a sensitive topic right now.

July passed, with fireworks on the beach on the Fourth. August turned so hot the strawberries started baking in the fields. Finally, the last day of camp arrived. The standard form letter appeared on Vivi's bed after breakfast, warning her that the cleaning harpies would devour her if she stayed past noon. Good to give someone nightmares.

At ten o'clock Vivi and Percy stood on the top of Half-Blood Hill, waiting for the camp van that would take them into the city. Percy'd made arrangements to leave Mrs. O'Leary at camp, where Chiron promised she'd be looked after. Tyson and Percy would take turns visiting her during the year. 

Annabeth said she'd arranged to stay at camp a little longer. She would tend to Chiron until his leg was fully recovered, and keep studying Daedalus's laptop, which had engrossed her for the last two months. Then she would head back to her father's place in San Francisco.

"There's a private school out there that I'll be going to," she said. "I'll probably hate it, but. . ." she shrugged.

"If you need a girls night," Vivi said, "Just Iris-message me."

"Be sure to get a lot of those," Annabeth said, "in the mean time, I'll keep my eyes open for. . ."

There it was again. Luke. She couldn't even say his name without opening up a huge box of hurt and worry and anger.

"Annabeth," Percy said. "What was the rest of the prophecy?"

She fixed her eyes on the woods in the distance, but she didn't say anything.

"You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze," Percy remembered. "The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise. We raised a lot of the dead. We saved Ethan Nakamura, who turned out to be a traitor. We raised the spirit of Pan, the lost one."

Annabeth shook her head like she wanted Percy to stop.

"Percy, stop it." Vivi said seeing the look on her best friend's face.

"You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand," the boy pressed on. "That wasn't Minos, like I'd thought. It was Nico. By choosing to be on our side, he saved us. And the child of Athena's final stand ─ that was Daedalus."

"Percy ─ "

"Destroy with a hero's final breath. That makes sense now. Daedalus died to destroy the Labyrinth. But what was the last ─ "

"And lose a love to worse than death." Annabeth had tears in her eyes. "That was the last line, Percy. Are you happy now?"

The sun seemed colder than it had a moment ago.

"Oh," Percy said. "So Luke ─ "

"Percy, I didn't know who the prophecy was talking about. I-I didn'tknow if . . ." she faltered helplessly. "Luke and I ─ f or years, he was the onlyone who really cared about me. I thought . . ."

Before she could continue, a sparkle of light appeared next to them, like someone had opened a gold curtain in the air. "You have nothing to apologize for, my dear."

Standing on the hill was a tall woman in a white dress, her dark hair braided over her shoulder. Vivi gritted her teeth.

"Hera," Annabeth said.

"Fucking great," Vivi muttered.

The goddess smiled. It was one of those fake smiles the person gives you when they know they are wrong but just don't want to accept that fact, "You found the answers, as I knew you would. Your quest was a success."

"A success?" Annabeth said. "Luke is gone. Daedalus is dead. Pan is dead. How is that ─ "

"Our family is safe," Hera insisted. "Those others are better gone, my dear. I am proud of you."

Percy balled my fists. "You're the one who paid Geryon to let us through the ranch, weren't you?"

Hera shrugged. Her dress shimmered in rainbow colors. "I wanted to speed you on your way."

"You awful woman," Vivi said and the goddess turned towards her, "You say you're the goddess of marriage and family, and yet you still threw your son off of Olympus, because he was ugly! What kind of mother does that!"

"Be careful what you say, Vivienne Wu." the goddess said coldly.

"And you didn't care about Nico." Vivi pressed on, "You were happy to see him turned over to the Titans."

"Oh, please." Hera waved her hand dismissively. "The son of Hades said it himself. No one wants him around. He does not belong."

"I want him, he's a cool kid and one of a kind," Vivi pointed out, "He singlehandedly summoned death to fight for him, and you say he's no use. It's you gods who are of no use. Only ever there when you need us."

Hera was glaring at her and if looks could kill, Vivi would be five feet underground by now, "I have underestimated you, daughter of Hermes. However, you will need gods to survive this world, so don't insult us because you're going to be needing us."

"Likely story." 

"Hephaestus was right," Percy growled. "You only care about your perfect family, not real people."

Her eyes turned dangerously bright. "Watch yourself, son of Poseidon. I guided you more than you know in the maze. I was at your side when you faced Geryon. I let your arrow fly straight. I sent you to Calypso's island. I opened the way to the Titan's mountain. Annabeth, my dear, surely you see how I've helped. I would welcome a sacrifice for my efforts."

Annabeth stood still as a statue. She could've said thank you. She could've promised to throw some barbecue on the brazier for Hera and forget the whole thing. But she clenched her jaw stubbornly. She looked just the way she had when she'd faced the Sphinx ─ like she wasn't going to accept an easy answer, even if it got her in serious trouble.

"Vivi and Percy are right." she turned her back on the goddess. "You're the one who doesn't belong, Queen Hera. So next time, thanks . . . but no thanks."

Hera's sneer was worse than an empousa's. Her form began to glow. "You will regret this insult, Annabeth. You will regret this very much."

Vivi turned away as the goddess turned into her true divine form and disappeared in a blaze of light. The hilltop was peaceful again. Over at the pine tree, Peleus the dragon dozed under the Golden Fleece as if nothing had happened.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth told the boy. "I-I should get back. I'll keep in touch. And, let's not talk about this anymore."

"Listen, Annabeth ─ "

Then Argus honked his horn down at the road.

"You'd better getting going," Annabeth said. "Take care, Seaweed Brain. I'll Iris-message you later, V."

She jogged down the hill. Vivi watched her until she reached the cabins. 

"Well," Percy begun, "Shall we?"

"After you, kind sir." Vivi teased.

The boy fanned himself, "How generous of you, ma'am."

Two days later was Percy's birthday.

His mom threw him a small party at their apartment. Paul Blofis came over, but that was okay because Chiron had manipulated the Mist to convince everyone at Goode High School that Percy had nothing to do with the band room explosion. Now Paul and the other witnesses were convinced that Kelli had been a crazy, firebomb-throwing cheerleader, while Percy had simply been an innocent bystander who'd panicked and ran from the scene. He would still be allowed to start as a freshman at Goode next month. If he wanted to keep his record of getting kicked out of school every year, he'd have to try harder.

Tyson came to his party, too, and Sally baked two extra blue cakes just for him, and she made sure to make blueberry milkshake for the girl who was sitting next to the birthday boy. Vivi laughed as Percy told her what really happened at Goode High School. The girl was a bit too excited ( but don't tell that to Percy ) when he invited her to his birthday party while the two were walking around Manhattan after Argus dropped them off. So, here she is.

Percy was just getting ready to blow out the candles when the doorbell rang. 

His mom frowned. "Who could that be?"

Sally opened the door and gasped and Vivi couldn't help but mirror her reaction. It was Percy's dad. He was wearing Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt and Birkenstocks. His black beard was neatly trimmed and his sea-green eyes twinkled. He wore a battered cap decorated with fishing lures. It said NEPTUNE'S LUCKY FISHING HAT.

"Pos ─ " his mother stopped herself. She was blushing right to the roots of her hair. "Um, hello."

"Hello, Sally," Poseidon said. "You look as beautiful as ever. May I come in?"

His mother made a squeaking sound that might've been either "Yes" or "Help."

Poseidon took it as a yes and came in. Paul was looking back and forth between them, trying to read our expressions. Finally he stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Paul Blofis."

Poseidon raised his eyebrows as they shook hands. "Blowfish, did you say?"

"Ah, no. Blofis, actually."

"Oh, I see," Poseidon said. "A shame. I quite like blow-fish. I am Poseidon."

"Poseidon? That's an interesting name."

"Yes, I like it. I've gone by other names, but I do prefer Poseidon."

"Like the god of the sea."

"Very much like that, yes."

"Well!" Sally interrupted. "Um, we're so glad you could drop by. Paul, this is Percy's father."

"Ah." Paul nodded, though he didn't look real pleased. "I see."

Poseidon smiled at Percy. "There you are, my boy. And Tyson, hello, son!"

"Daddy!" Tyson bounded across the room and gave Poseidon a big hug, which almost knocked off his fishing hat.

Paul's jaw dropped. He stared at my mom. "Tyson is . . ."

"Not mine," she promised. "It's a long story."

"I couldn't miss Percy's fifteenth birthday," Poseidon said. "Why, if this were Sparta, Percy would be a man today!"

"That's true," Paul said. "I used to teach ancient history."

Poseidon's eyes twinkled. "That's me. Ancient history." his eyes landed on Vivi who was sitting next to Percy, "Ah, you must be Vivienne, daughter of ─ "

"Amelia!" Vivi said quickly, covering the fact that god of the sea had almost reveled to mortal who her godly parent is, "Yes, yes, Amelia Wu, daughter of Violeta Wu. You would know her."

"Yes," Poseidon said, a smile on his face, "Well, Sally, Paul, Tyson, Vivienne. . . would you mind if I borrowed Percy for just a moment?"

He put his arm around Percy and steered him into the kitchen. The boy looked back and Vivi who gave him thumbs up and a reassuring smile, although she was scared and curious why Poseidon visited his son.

Poseidon disappeared from the kitchen and it took a little work from Vivi, Percy and Sally to convince Paul that Poseidon had left via the fire escape, but since people can't vanish into thin air, he had no choice but to believe it.

They ate blue cake and ice cream until they couldn't eat anymore. Then played a bunch of cheesy party games like charades and Monopoly. Tyson didn't get charades. He kept shouting out the answer he was trying to mime, but it turned out he was really good at Monopoly. He knocked Percy out of the game in the first five rounds, then Vivi right after and started bankrupting Sally and Paul.

Percy extended his hand towards Vivi, "Come on."

She took it without hesitation and he led her into his bedroom. Vivi made sure t grab her gift for the boy. He set an uneaten slice of blue cake on his dresser, then took off his Camp Half-Blood necklace and laid it on the windowsill. There were three beads on Percy's necklace, representing my three summers at camp ─ a trident, the Golden Fleece, and the latest: an intricate maze, symbolizing the Battle of the Labyrinth, as the campers had started to call it. Vivi only had the last one.

"Here," Vivi said, handing him the wrapped box, "I don't know if you would like it."

"Anything from you I'm sure I'll like," Percy said and unwrapped the small box. He took the small object from the inside and inspected it. It was a ring, a metal ring with wave symbol embroidered in it.

"It's not much, but," Vivi said and held her hand up. She had the same metal ring on her pointer finger, among many other rings, but hers had wings on it, "Now, we're matching."

Percy smiled and put the ring on, "I like it ─ no, I love it!"

Vivi swears her heart fluttered.

"Good, cuz they don't do refunds."

The boy laughed and patted his pockets and emptied out his stuff ─ Riptide, a Kleenex, the apartment key and a small clipping of a plant wrapped in a cloth. Percy opened the window and stepped onto the fire escape and Vivi followed him. He planted the dried sprig of the plant carefully in the dirt and sprinkled a little nectar on it.

"What you got there?" Vivi asked, putting her head on his shoulder. It fit perfectly.

"Moonlace," Percy said, "I got it from Calypso's garden." it was the first time he mentioned the sorceresses' name, "I promised her I would plant a garden in Manhattan."

Vivi nodded. Nothing happened at first. Then, as they watched, a tiny silver plant sprang out of the soil ─ a baby moonlace, glowing in the warm summer night.

"Nice plant," a voice said.

Vivi squealed and Percy jumped. Nico di Angelo was standing on the fire escape right next to them. He'd just appeared there.

"Nico!" Vivi said excitedly and threw herself onto the younger boy, hugging the life out of him. 

She was angry at him when he disappeared without a trace after the battle, only leaving her a note what he was looking for. Somehow, and they both don't know how, the pair cared for each other like brother and sister. Vivi took a role of a older sister Nico needed in his life, but she knew that Bianca was still the real older sister in his life. Still, Nico made sure to let Vivi know he was grateful for her, especially during the battle when she didn't leave his side.

"Hi, V," Nico said, patting the girl's head, still awkward about psychical touch, "Hey, Percy, didn't meant to scare you."

"That's ─ that's okay. I mean . . . What are you doing here?"

He'd grown about an inch taller over the last couple of months. His hair was a shaggy black mess. He wore a black T-shirt, black jeans, and a new silver ring shaped like a skull. His Stygian iron sword hung at his side.

"I've done some exploring," he said. "Thought you'd like to know, Daedalus got his punishment." 

"You saw him?"

Nico nodded. "Minos wanted to boil him in cheese fondue for eternity, but my father had other ideas. Daedalus will be building overpasses and exit ramps in Asphodel for all time. It'll help ease the traffic congestion. Truthfully, I think the old guy is pretty happy with that. He's still building. Still creating. And he gets to see his son and Perdix on the weekends."

"That's good."

Nico tapped at his silver ring. "But that's not the real reason I've come. I've found out some things. I want to make you an offer." 

"What?"

"The way to beat Luke," he said. "If I'm right, it's the only way you'll stand a chance."

Percy took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm listening."

Nico, however, looked apologetically at Vivi, "I'm sorry, Vee, but you can't know what I'm going to tell him."

"Oh," was all that Vivi said, "It's okay, don't worry." she smiled, "I'll go then. Granny is probably finishing her shift, so I'll wait for her in front of the hospital."

"You sure, Bibi?" Percy asked.

The girl smiled, "Don't worry about me."

"I'm always going to be worrying about you."

Butterflies appeared in her stomach. Vivi wondered just how long would she be able to keep them from exploding for the certain son of Poseidon.

niki speaks!

and act i is finished!!
i can't believe it's the end of the
battle of the labyrinth,
i had so much fun creating vivi and her story.

i can't wait for act ii for u all to see
i love the last olympian book!
be ready to have your heart broken :)

anyway, have a nice day/night!
bye!