It's Not Percy Jackson Anymore

Three.

Yeeii! Another chapter! And not a year after the previous one!
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For the next few days it became a routine for them; waking up, breakfast, introduce Dante to as much people as it was possible without overwhelming him, Greek lessons with Annabeth and Percy and whoever else volunteered, lunch, teaching Dante the different monsters out there ("Honestly, Percy, after everything we have been through, it never occurred to you to do research on them? In case they come after you?" "You are giving me way to much credit, Annabeth. I learn it as they come to kill me and I try to stop them, and you know I've probably faced most of them."), training, dinner, and try to get as much as sleep as possible before starting all over again.

It helped, the monotony in the routine made life seem more normal, not like they had just walked out of the end of the world.

Sometimes, Dante would see the satyrs that arrived with a wistful expression before shaking his head and continue to work on whatever they were doing then. Percy couldn't quite place the why of it but he didn't ask any questions.

Chiron organised a bonfire in the Amphitheatre as a way to lift the spirits. Campers, satyrs and wood creatures alike were laughing and singing and dancing. Dante was nervously stammering, trying not to fall flat on his face while dancing with one girl of the Hephaestus' cabin that Percy didn't know very well as she had just arrived. As his older brother, Percy felt it was his duty to embarrass him but the sight of familiar red-headed nymph lead him astray.

"Juniper!" he greeted her. "How are you? Long time no see!"

She smiled, the tips of her mouth not quite reaching her eyes. "Hi, Percy, I'm good. Just... have you seen Grover? He was supposed to come back a couple of weeks ago. I'm starting to get worried something's happened."

"No, I'm sorry but you know that bringing half-bloods here sometimes takes a little longer than expected."

She sighed. "Yes, I know. It's just- he isn't answering my Iris Messages so I haven't heard anything since the last time we all talked. And even then he assured me that the boy had agreed to go with him but - you are right. Dante probably just chan-"

"What... what did you say?" Percy faltered.

"The boy's name? The one he was bringing? Dante Tymell or something like that," Juniper clarified. "You didn't manage to hear his name because you had classes to teach and had to go but we continued talking after you left."

Percy gulped feeling dizzy. "Do you mean Dante Thyllous?"

Juniper's eyes sparkled with recognition. "Yes! That! Don't tell Grover I forgot his name or he'll give me grieve. How did you know?"

"He... he died. They... they had only one eye and they ate him..."

"...I felt as if something had strucked me. It was... frightening and odd..."

Percy glanced briefly at a dancing Dante. His horrified expression was enough explanation for her as her face welled up with tears. Juniper tried to talk through her sudden ragged breathing, failing, she disappeared.

The noice from the instruments became a loud ringing to his ears. He didn't know what they were supposed to be singing anymore as the words were muffled to him. The laughing-ear-splitting sounds that were added to the chaos. His skin was tingling with it all.

Perhaps he walked to Annabeth amidst everything or perhaps it she who found him, but it only took the word Grover to fall out of his mouth for her to understand what was happening. Her hands flew to her mouth as her posture stiffened.