Percy Jackson and The Illusion of Time

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒫𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒾𝒸𝑒𝒹 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝒞𝒽𝒾𝓇𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑜𝓇 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒾𝑔 𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝐵𝑒𝒸𝓀𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑜𝓇𝒻. Charlie who should have been dead, who Percy knew was dead. But, instead of being buried - lost at sea-  he was lounging on a picnic table tinkering away at some weird contraption that Percy couldn't even pretend to understand.

He felt his heart seize up - a deep sadness overcoming him when he thought of the older councilor who had perished all those years ago on the Princess Andromeda.

The boy had been his friend and was one of the first campers lost during the titan's war. It still haunted him. Every single time he closed his eyes he could see the ship blowing up with Charlie along with it.

"Percy," Chiron said. "This is camp-half blood. A refuge for demigods. You know what demi-gods are, yes? You remember from our lessons?"

Percy nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the young camper. "Yeah. Children of the gods. But what does that have to do with me?" Honestly, Percy missed his calling as an actor.

"Percy," Chiron said, as serious as could be. "While your mother is a human - your father is a god."

"A god?" he asked. "What? Like Jesus?"

"No," Chiron said, laughing warmly and deeply, "But, Jesus was a demigod. A son of Zeus, if I remember correctly."

"Oh," Percy said, acting as dumb as humanly possible. "Well...which one is my father then. I'd like to talk to him.

Chiron looked solemnly at Percy like he was already planning his funeral. He wondered if the man already knew who his father was. It would have made everything easier and saved him a lot of time if the Centaur just told him.

"Percy," Chiron said. "It's not a simple matter unfortunately. The gods don't always claim their children."

"Well, that's stupid," Percy snapped. "The least they can do is pay their child support."

Chiron's face grew grim, years of worry suddenly appearing on his face all at once. "Those are dangerous words Percy."

He shrugged his shoulders. "The most honest and truthful of words usually are."

"Percy," Chiron said, shaking his head.  "Follow me. I have someone I think you'd like to see."

They walked on the porch of the big house, the wood creaking as they moved. He looked back at Charlie who sat on the bench so much younger, and so much happier than Percy had ever known him to be. What he wouldn't do to save him this time around.

He was surprised how wobbly his legs were with every step he took. His small body was still reeling from the attack with the minotaur and that small issue with him dying.

In the distance he could see the glittering water, the Greek architecture and cabins. Home, he was back home. No matter what time he was in camp half-blood would always be his home.

All of the pain in his body went away the moment he saw the sight of Mr. D playing pinnacle with Grover.

Grover looked like he was losing terribly. His hair was in disarray, and he was picking at his nails under the table. It was a habit he had grown out of after the war.

"Grover!" Percy yelled when he saw his best friend walking towards them. Without thinking, he ran towards the satyr throwing his arms around him, in the biggest hug he'd ever given the kid. Grover was holding a shoe box, and he almost dropped it when Percy launched himself at him.