Penny Ranger and the Lightning Thief

Chapter XII: I Accept a Suicide Mission

After Percy disappeared up into the attic, Chiron turned to me.

"Now, you're probably wondering why I asked you to come as well, right Penny?" he asked.

"You want me to go on the quest with Percy, right?" I guessed.

Chiron nodded.

"Yes, but probably not for the reasons you think."

I frowned in confusion (I've been doing that a lot, haven't I).

"What do you mean?"

"Percy is not the only one Zeus is after. He's after you as well."

I was surprised. It made absolutely no sense. Zeus had never had anything against Apollo as far as I was aware.

"What? Why? What does he think I did?" I asked, trying to figure out what I was being accused of.

"As you just heard, Zeus is afraid Poseidon might overthrow him. Your arrival has surprised him, and not in a good way. He believes you helped Percy sneak into Olympus and steal the bolt." Chiron explained.

"That makes no sense! Even if I had been in Olympus, which I haven't, why would I have helped steal the bolt? Apollo hasn't had any quarrels with Zeus." I argued.

"You're right, Apollo has no clear reason to side with Poseidon or to steal the master bolt. But like I, said Zeus is paranoid. And Apollo did side with Poseidon when the Olympians first challenged Zeus's rule. Of course, he has denied your involvement repeatedly. But Zeus is completely convinced that he has found the culprits and will not listen to reason." Chiron explained.

"So I have to help Percy retrieve the bolt in order to clear my name and avoid being blasted to bits." I said.

"Pretty much." Grover confirmed.

I groaned as I pinched my nose in frustration. Why did I always have to get dragged into Percy's messes? Don't get me wrong, I would have gladly helped him out with his quest. But I really didn't need an angry god after me.

"Alright, I will go." I decided.

"Go where?"

I turned around to see Percy coming down from the attic. He looked terrified, and I mean even more than before. He was pale as a ghost and looked as though he had actually seen one.

"Percy. What did the Oracle tell you?" I asked, avoiding his question.

He didn't seem to notice and just sat down.

"She said I would retrieve what was stolen." he said simply.

"That's great!" Grover replied with happiness.

However, I knew Percy was hiding something, he wouldn't look this worried it the Oracle had simply given him a confirmation of success. Chiron seemed to agree with me.

"What did the Oracle say exactly? This is important." Chiron inquired, leaning forward in his chair as he did so.

"She... she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."

"I knew it!" Grover exclaimed.

He was very optimistic.

"Anything else?" Chiron insisted.

"No, that's about it."

Percy was lying. He looked far too pale and scared for the prophecy to have been just that. But if whatever the rest of the prophecy was had scared him, I probably didn't want to know what it was.