Percy Jackson, The Missing Hero.

14. A Family Reunion.

He'd expected that Blackjack wouldn't react well, but not once had he anticipated he would end up falling through the sky, getting ever closer to plunging into the ocean – something that would instantly alert his father to his presence. He cursed himself for thinking that the claim at the creek during the Capture the Flag game would be the biggest thing he had to worry about in relation to Poseidon discovering his identity, but his problem was about to get a whole lot bigger.

"BLACKJACK!" He couldn't help but scream as he fell, cloak flapping around him.

Suddenly, he stopped. He realised quickly, as he dangled above the ocean instead of landing in it, that Blackjack was holding the hood of his cloak in his teeth.

'Boss?'

'Was dropping me necessary?' Percy asked, trying to convey a sigh with his mind. 'Because I don't think it was.'

'You scared me, bossman!' Blackjack protested. 'You were the last person I was expecting, Deathboy came and told me that you'd disappeared. Spooked out everyone in the stable, but it was really nice that he told me.'

Percy knew a dig when he heard one. 'I'm sorry.' He apologised, knowing it was what his Pegasus wanted to hear. 'I didn't think I would be gone for so long, and I certainly didn't think I'd be going so far away.'

'Where did you go, man, I went with Deathboy one time when he was tryna' find you, but we couldn't find hide, hair, or feather of ya.' Blackjack huffed.

'Maybe we could go have this talk somewhere where I'm not dangling over the sea and hoping this cloak doesn't strangle me to death?' Percy suggested.

Then he heard the slight ripping sound that gave him a few seconds heads-up of what was about to happen.

"FUUUU-"

The water he fell into felt warm and thankfully didn't drench him, though he knew that it was the powers he had inherited from his father that he had to thank.

It then registered that he was in the ocean. In his father's domain. Which he had wanted to avoid even putting the tip of his pinky finger in for as long as possible. And here he was, up to his neck in the water.

'Oooops.' Blackjack had followed him down and was hovering the best he could a few feet above.

'Any sign of my dad?' Percy asked with a wince, looking at the water around him.

Then he frowned. Even he could see, in the decreasing light of the sunset, the water was changing colour. When he had been flying above it, it had looked far darker and choppier. Now it was lightening back to the turquoise he always associated with it, growing calmer as he kept himself afloat.

'Daddio is stood waiting on the beach.' Blackjack responded. 'Sorry boss, I think you're going to have to bite the doughnut with this one.'

Once he reached the shore, Blackjack dropped his cloak on his head, having fished it out from where it had floated away to. Instinctively, he drew the water from the fabric and allowed it to drop down onto the beach, pulling at it so it rested on his shoulders and the hood perched on his head. It was one of the ties that had ripped from one side of the cloak, he'd felt the pressure relieve from beneath his jaw before he dropped into the water, so it did not render the item useless. He'd just have to be careful in a strong breeze.

Realising that he had stalled long enough, he crossed the vibrant golden sands that had been dull and grey earlier to where Poseidon was stood, arms folded and waiting for him.