Chapter 32: Bonus

Camp Half-Blood, Long Island

June 25th, 2129 AD

12:43 AM

Sofia had gone asleep a long time ago and without anything to do, Percy sat at the campfire, waiting for the sun to rise. He would join her in rest, but he hasn't been able to sleep for quite a few years now, his body doesn't require it anymore - he wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

As of right now, he decided it was a good thing. He enjoyed watching the flames flicker through the air, bringing warmth - or what he guessed was warmth - to the area around him. It's the little things like this that Perseus had started bringing his attention to.

Percy felt the log shift and looked to his right, he wasn't surprised when he saw the goddess of the Hearth sitting next to him.

"Hello Perseus, how has life treated you these past years?"

Percy smiled at the immortal in seven year old form. "It's been better. I think I actually have something to look forward to now."

As much as he hates the gods, he could never be mad at Hestia. She has never done him wrong, and never tried to abuse his power. If she wasn't already on the Olympian Council, he would've forced them to allow her a seat - she deserved it more than anyone."

Hestia smiled right back at the demigod. "I heard you have a new sister now. I suppose the injuries Ares acquired and the ruckus on Olympus last night had no correlation to that?"

He chuckled. "Oh they were definitely related. Ares got what he had coming, he's just lucky his kids weren't punished too."

Hestia gave him a wide eye look and Percy smirked. "My mom didn't raise a liar; you asked, I answered."

Hestia shrugged. "I suppose that is fair. How is your sister anyways, does she know what happened to her mother?

Percy gave a shrug of his own. "She hasn't asked - something I'm grateful for. I believe the kid is so caught up with her new life she doesn't have time to think about it."

Hestia nodded in agreement. "Tell me about the child, what is she like?"

A wide grin spread across his face. "She is, without a doubt, the cutest thing I have ever seen. She's always bouncing around and laughing, making snide remarks, not afraid to challenge anyone."

Hestia chuckled. "Reminds me of someone, hmm?"

Percy got a far away look in his eyes, "Once upon a time, maybe. Now? I'm not so sure. She's so innocent. Innocence left me when I was twelve."

"You do know that gods would go to her for quests and such - like they did to you not so long ago. The prospect of glory is too tempting to some, they would even go as far to ask a child to bring that glory to them."

Percy's eyes turned a dark shade of gold, "Let them try, it'll be the last thing they do."

The sky started rumbling and storm clouds moved across all of New York, striking thunder and pouring rain all across the state - a testament to Perseus' power.

In retrospect, Hestia should've seen that coming. She was just grateful the camp had magical boundaries to keep the downpour of rain out.

She and Perseus talked into the night, all the way until sunrise. Perseus was grateful for the company, he's usually alone during these late nights - Zoë is always sleeping.

Now, he walked to Cabin Three with a smile on his face as he went to go wake Sofia. The child had brought light into his life, bringing a side out of him he thought was lost a long time ago.

He walked into the cabin to find Sofia fast asleep, using Zoë as a pillow, soft snores coming out her mouth. He softly shook her awake and smiled as her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey sleepy head, you ready to get up?"

He got a mumbled "yeah" in response and went to open the chest at the front of her bed.

"What do you want to wear today Sofie?"

By now, Sofia was half-awake and joined Percy at his side, "I want to wear the blue one."

Percy smiled and looked the outfit over: a blue hoodie, black leggings and white running shoes. It was about as comfortable as you could get. He gave her the clothes and let her get changed in the bathroom.

As she changed, he shook Zoë awake. "Come on you lazy bum, it's time to get up."

With no response, he turned to more advanced tactics. "I'll take you to the Dining Pavilion with me - there's lots of food."

Zoe's eyes snapped open at the mention of food and Percy shook his head, not ignorant to the giggles coming from the open bathroom door.

"Come on Sofie, lets go get some food, I bet you're hungry."

He picked Sofia up and walked to the pavilion, Zoë hot on his heels. When he arrived, he realized that he was early and looked around at the empty area, it's only occupant being Chiron.

He waved to the centaur and sat down with Sofia at the Poseidon table. Soon enough, a wind nymph brought him two magical plates, cups, and a bone for Zoë - where they got the bone, he doesn't have the slightest notion.

He summoned blue waffles, coffee, blue eggs and a plethora of bacon for Zoë. Sofia tried to copy his meal, but he didn't let her. "Coffee is going to stunt your growth."

He summoned orange juice in her cup and tossed a few strips of bacon for his wolf before he started eating. The food still doesn't taste like anything, but he would feel bad if Sofia ate alone.

As Percy dug into his food, he felt a weight press down onto his right arm. He looked over and saw Sofia out cold, gripping his arm tightly and using it as a pillow of sorts.

He should've seen this coming, it wasn't likely an eight year old would be used to waking up at the crack of dawn. He didn't complain either way.

As she slept, he picked at his food and pondered what he would do today. He could take her to Manhattan and let her run rampant there, eventually going up to Olympus. Or he could take her to see her father in Atlantis - picking fights with mermen seemed to be the type of thing she'd like.

As demigods made their way into the pavilion, the noise they made followed, bringing Sofia out of her sleep.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and started picking at her now cold waffles. Suddenly, a golden flash of light illuminated the area around them. When the light died down, the goddess Nike could be seen.

"Demigods! I bring a prospect of victory and battle to one among your ranks!"

Percy immediately stood up and Zoë started growling.

"Sofia Beech, daughter of Poseidon has been chosen to fight in her father's name! She will go-"

Nike was cut off by a lightning bolt hitting her, sending her flying into a pillar.

"I warned you gods. Sofia. Is. Off. Limits." With each word, he brought down another bolt of thunder upon the Goddess of Victory.

Percy was shaking with fury. Even countless years later, he still remembered the pain he had gone through during those quests. The sleepless nights and starving mornings. The wounds that covered his body from head to toe.

The only thing keeping his powers in check is the looming threat of harming Sofia by accident.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out Riptide. He uncapped the legendary Celestial Bronze blade and went to finish off Nike when she flashed away.

He looked up to the heavens and his eyes resembled the hundreds of bolts of lightning dancing across the dark sky. "This is my final warning."

Percy didn't feel the need to say anymore, like his father, he doesn't make empty threats.

He took a few deep breaths and went back to the table where Sofia was waiting for him. The entire Dining Pavilion was deathly silent. He didn't look at her when he sat down, not wanting to see what she could be thinking of him after that. When he sat, chatter filled the area, likely talking about what had happened.

Suddenly, he felt two little arms wrapped around his waist. "It's okay Percy, everyone gets angry sometimes."

Percy took in a deep sigh of relief. "Come on Sofie, I want to take you to the city. Maybe you can see Olympus while we're there."

Sofia pulled away and her eyes lit up, the past events already forgotten. "Whoa! We can see Olympus? Is dad going to be there? Who made Olympus? What do they do up there?"

Percy was sure she would've asked questions all day until he cut her off. "Yes Sofia we can go to Olympus. In fact, we can go there right now."

Percy got up and motioned for Sofia to follow. He would be going to Manhattan, that was a guarantee, but he wanted Chiron's permission first. He could leave whether the centaur liked it or not, but he still held a large amount of respect for the trainer of heroes.

Chiron noticed them approaching their table. "Let me guess, you tempted young Sofia here with seeing Olympus and now you want my permission."

Perseus stared at Chiron with his mouth agape. "What- how?"

Chiron laughed at him. "Please Perseus, you were once my student - I know all of your old habits. Yes you may go, I have to talk to the campers anyways."

Percy smiled at Chiron, it's nice to know that some things never change.

"Come on Sofie, we're going to New York."

-0-

Manhattan, New York

June 25th, 2129 AD

6:18 PM

After a day of exploring Manhattan, Percy walked into the Empire State Building, hand in hand with Sofia. He was grateful that they shared many of the same looks from their father, it stops any mortals from questioning why a twenty-two year old was holding hands with a child.

He walked up to Alexander at the front desk. "I'm making a trip upstairs."

Alex handed him a keycard. "You know the drill, sir. If I may ask, business or casual?"

"For me, purely business."

He noticed Sofia looking around the room. "Another child of your father?"

Percy nodded and Alex started laughing. "May the gods have mercy on this world - I thought one of you was bad."

Percy laughed with him and headed towards the elevator, he was glad they finally got rid of the old desk man.

He decided to give Sofia a warning beforehand. "I tried to change the music in here, but Apollo seems to be really keen on singing all of these songs - I'm not entirely sure of what the new playlist consists of."

He inserted the keycard and pressed the button to the six-hundredth floor. As the doors closed, the horrid music started playing. It was Apollo rapping to some new age songs that Percy couldn't identify, but judging from Sofia's reaction, it wasn't good.

"Isn't he the God of Music, why is he so bad?"

Percy shrugged. "He's the God of Music, not the God of Singing. I don't think he knows the difference."

Finally, the elevator doors opened, and Sofia let out a gasp of awe. "Whoa! This is Olympus? Why is everything so white?"

"The Greeks really liked their marble. Come on, there's someone waiting for you."

Percy took her to the throne room, answering her questions the whole way there.

They reached the giant set of double doors and Percy saw a man waiting for them outside, wearing his usual attire of Hawaiian shirts and fishing shorts.

Poseidon greeted him warmly. "Hello Perseus, you haven't called in quite some time. How is everything?"

Percy gave his father a hug. "I've been better. I believe someone is eager to talk to you."

Poseidon's eyes twinkled. "Ah yes." He got on his knee and looked to Sofia. "How are you little one?"

Sofia looked indecisive for a second before she tried to crush Poseidon in a hug, making the Lord of the Seas chuckle.

"Come with me Sofia." He started walking with her away from the throne room. "I believe Perseus has a meeting he needs to attend."

Percy waved Sofia goodbye and waited until they were out of eyesight before he summoned his armour. He had warned the gods, that was strike two.

He felt the familiar weight of the black metal shroud his body and, with scythe in hand, he opened the throne room doors.

"Ah Poseidon, now that you're back-" Zeus froze when he saw that it wasn't Poseidon who was rejoining their meeting.

Percy walked around the room in silence, staring each god and goddess down. Occasionally, he would slam his scythe into the ground, making Ares flinch.

He stopped in the center and pointed his weapon at each person seated. "I warned all of you. Sofia Beech was not to be bothered - her name wasn't supposed to reach any of your mouths."

Hera foolishly responded. "What's the big deal anyways? She's just a demigod."

Perseus snapped towards her, white light emitting from his body. "Did I say you could speak?"

"Don't test my anger Hera." He spat the name out of his mouth like it was poison. "I have allowed for this council - for Mount Olympus - to exist. If I so choose, this entire city will be reduced to rubble, and every shred of the mist will be torn away."

With each word he spoke, his anger increased. "Olympus is only standing because of the demigods. You gods haven't fought a real battle since you first stormed Othrys - getting pummeled by a storm giant and having my father save you doesn't count."

He started walking around the room once more, occasionally releasing waves of his power, forcing the gods against the back of their thrones. "Your powers are exaggerated. Your egos are inflated. The very thrones you sit on were built upon lies and deceit. You. Are. Weak.

He slammed his scythe into the ground, freezing the gods where they sat. "I had slain countless creatures in the depths of Tartarus. Species more ancient than the Titans. Monster which have lived longer than your reign. Ancient beasts as tall as skyscrapers. Some of these monsters were able to fly. Some swam in the waters of the River Archeron. Others walked on land. Do you know what they all had in common?"

Percy waited for a response he knew he wouldn't get. "They all died by my hands."

"The only reason this pantheon still stands is that there are few who I still call friends." He gave a nod to the mentioned people and released them from the time spell.

Artemis, Apollo, Hermes and Hephaestus were able to move again. Hestia would've been released as well if she was in the throne room - Perseus believed she was off getting to know Sofia with his father.

"My patience is not to be tested. If any immortal so much as looks at my sister the wrong way, this mountain will fall."

For demonstration, Perseus called an earthquake that shook the throne room to its core, throwing pieces of debris everywhere. "Do I make myself clear?"

He nodded and turned around. "Meeting adjourned."

Percy walked outside and slammed the doors shut behind him. His armour melted back into his necklace and he started making his way to one of the many gardens on Olympus.

He sat down on a bench and took in the world around him; watching the leaves rustle in the wind, feeling the light fall onto him, hearing the water flow through a small stream. It immediately calmed him down. To Percy, nature all felt serene to him - nearly everything did nowadays. Unfortunately, it was interrupted by the sound of muffled footsteps.

"Hello Artemis, I assume they sent you to broker a peace. You gods never had talked to me without wanting something before."

Artemis froze in her tracks, her facade already gone. "Your instincts are correct, as usual. But that's not entirely why I'm here."

Percy sighed, they always wanted something from him. "Go on."

"I am curious. Why is it that you hate the gods so keenly, and what prevents me from joining that hatred - I certainly haven't been the nicest person."

He took a deep breath, taking in one last piece of silence before his anger could return. "The answer to your first question is simple: you're gods."

At Artemis' confused expression, he continued. "You were born strong. You never had to practice your abilities or learn something new. Anything you ever needed was a snap of your fingers away. You never had to suffer through starvation or poverty - wondering when your next meal will come or how you'll get it.

"You never had pressure put on you by others, pressure to be better than everyone else. You never felt anguish or agony. You never had to feel your friend dying in your arms, wanting nothing more but to save them, but knowing there was nothing you could do. To see the light leave their eyes as they took their last breath, fear being the last thing you saw in their eyes.

"You never had a sense of duty, to feel the need to give something everything you had, then give it even more. You never sacrificed anything in your life - people sacrificed for you."

Percy gave Artemis time to think what he said over, judging by the looks of it, she would need it.

"To answer your second question, I'm not entirely sure." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Perhaps I'm grateful for your blessing so long ago, it allows me to see the world in a different view. Maybe it's that you've kept Thalia alive for so long, my cousin is one of the few people I still talk to - the few who understand me. I truly don't know."

Percy gave a dry chuckle. "You know, before I had met Sofia, I had nearly made a deal of my own. It was with an old friend of mine, someone I had met down in Tartarus. He pitied me, he knew what I went through - what I still go through. He offered me a way out of this life, to finally be able to lay down my weapons and rest.

He ignored the concerned look he got from Artemis. "As you can see, I've held off on the deal, but now, I don't know if I can make it. I look into Sofia's eyes and I see life. I see happiness that is only caused by the innocence of youth. But behind that facade, I see a little girl. A little girl that wants a family; to have a father, a brother and mother. A little girl who's only family has been me. A little girl who wants to wake up and everything is just a bad dream. "

He shook his head. "I can't leave her alone, and quite frankly, I don't think I would want to. Without her, I wouldn't have a purpose, I would just be aimlessly wandering the world, searching for something that would never be found.

He took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is, I would like for Sofia to join the Hunters. Take her under your wing, train her so she may be able to enjoy the world as I once did."

Artemis was stunned. "But… but you hate the gods. Why would you leave your little sister in the care of me?"

Percy slowly shook his head and looked to the golden sunset, he hadn't realized how much time had passed. "I won't always be there for her. She'll need people besides me. At one point, everyone's time is up - even mine. May that day come peacefully."

With each passing word, Artemis became more confused. "Forgive me if I am wrong, but I don't believe anything is able to kill you. You can live forever."

"Live forever," he mused, "what a curse that would be. Time is like chocolate, small amounts can be enjoyed, but if you have too much you'll get sick. I have lived longer than your entire council combined - and that's lowballing it. The years of solitude and loneliness that comes with age is something I would never wish upon my worst enemy."

He smiled and watched the world freeze around him as the sky was painted a million different colors. "Do me one thing Artemis: if she asks, take her into your hunt. Let her be surrounded with people she can call family. Don't leave her a hero's fate. That is my burden, and mine alone.

Artemis looked around in awe at the world around her. Trees were frozen. Birds had been suspended mid air. Everything was still.

"This is how I see the world."

Artemis turned away from the world and saw Percy walking towards a bouncing Sofia and chuckling Sea God.

When Sofia saw him, she immediately sprinted and hopped into his arms, animatedly chatting about what she and her father had done.

Artemis stared at the trio as they walked away, having been left with more questions than answers