The Ambassador of the Gods

2. Percy Jackson and The One That Happens Without Him

-- 1st July 2008 --

Percy was trying to convince Chiron that since the Hermes cabin had set up the feathers-tar prank that had turned into the feathers-tar incident at Capture the Flag this morning, it was theirs and not his team's fault that half the forest was covered in tar and much more than half was still dusted with feathers like first snow had decided to come half a year early.

He was pretty sure he was winning the argument.

"Besides," Percy prompted, "Didn't you say we should try to get spirits up again? If that wasn't distracting, nothing is."

The Battle of the Labyrinth had only happened three days ago, and until today a thick fog of misery had still been hanging over the camp.

Chiron looked irritated by this line of argument. Percy could see him winding up, but was saved by Mr. D, the (unwilling) camp director and god Dionysus, appearing behind Chiron and holding an off-white scroll. Percy noticed the god of wine didn't look as disgruntled as he had been since his son, Castor, had died in the battle.

Instead, he looked just a tiny tiny bit worried, which was actually much worse.

"I am stealing Chiron from you, Perry," he informed Percy. "Go run off now. You were losing the argument anyway."

Mr. D showed Chiron the label on the side. Percy thought he glimpsed the seal of Olympus on the scroll: Annabeth had been walking him through all the things she'd discovered on Daedalus's laptop for the past few days, and even Percy had to admit some of it was pretty cool. That seal, though, meant it was a message from Olympus and hand-delivered by Hermes, and those couldn't be common.

"Ah," Chiron said finally, after enough time to read the little bit of writing more than once. "I see. Well, good talk, Percy. I completely agree. I hear Annabeth is looking for you. Why don't you go find her?"

Percy frowned. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

Chiron looked diplomatic.

"Yes, he is," interrupted Mr. D, before he could start. "No one has time for you, Penelope. Now shoo." He glared at Percy still straining to read the label on the scroll.

Percy looked up to see Mr. D's purple eyes glancing momentarily with power. "Shoo."

Percy reluctantly turned and started walking away. He hadn't managed to read anything, being dyslexic (Why did Olympus insist on cursive?) so on the other side of the path he pretended to kneel down to tie his shoelaces and glanced back. They had moved around the side of the Big House and were talking in low tones, Chiron with his brows furrowed and Mr. D with absolute nonchalance.

Chiron said something tense to Mr. D, who shrugged and tossed the scroll aside. It landed on the grass.

Awesome. If Percy could double back after they'd left--

Mr. D stared across the path at him, glared, and snapped his fingers. Percy thought for a moment that Mr. D was going to turn him into a strawberry vine or make him go mad (Yeah, it seemed harsh, but you never knew what a god was going to do) but all that happened was the scroll went up in flames.

That wasn't great either, actually.

Dionysus glared and pointed at the pile of ash then at Percy, like You're next.

Percy took a moment to seriously reconsider his priorities.

In the end, he made a show of leaving hastily while Mr. D glared him out of sight. He wouldn't get to know what was on that scroll, but it was better than life as a berry vine.