-3- Kissing Sunshine *Percy Jackson*

Why me!

      We stood around waiting for sunrise? I really never wanted it to come. Apollo had only met his daughter once she was bubbly and overexcited....but now she was gone along with two other daughters leaving him with half the daughters he had. "When he comes do not look at leat noy until he parks" Artemis advised. Parks?

     Suddenly there was a sudden burst of light and warmth in the horizon. When I saw the others had turned I did the same. The light and heat intensified until I felt my winter boots were going to melt off. When the heat and light died down I opened my eyes.I couldn't believe it there in a perfect circle of new wet green grass was MY car or at least the car I wanted. A red convertible Maserati Spyder. It was so awesome it glowed. But then I realized it was glowing because the metal was burning hot.

      The driver got out of the car smiling with teeth that if they were any whiter he'd be able to blind us without the car/chariot whatever. He had outdoorsy good looks with blonde hair, blue eyes. He was wearing jeans, a sleeveless t-shirt and loafers.

"Woah Apollo's hot" Thalia muttered 

"Agreed" Annabeth whispers 

"He is the sun god" I say stupidly 

"Not what I meant" Thalia mutters

      I had a feeling a look of discust washed over my face. Apollo? Apollo is Thalia's brother...but I've learned with our crazy family it doesn't quite work like a normal bunch of cousins. Apollo also happens tojbe the father of Annabeth's boyfriend bleck!

     "Little sister!" Apollo called "How you been? You never write you never call I was getting worried!" Artemis sighed "I am fine...and I am not your little sister" she snapped "Hey I was born first" he argued "We're twins how many millennia do we have to..." "So what's up" Apollo interupted "I see you brought the girls with you need some tips on archery?" "Actually I have some hunting to do ALONE so I need you to escort my companions to Camp Half-Blood" Artemis explained "Sure sis" Apollo said raising his hand in a stop everything motion "I feel a haiku coming up!" he announced causing the hunters to groan

"Green grass breaks through snow. 

Artemis pleads for my help. 

I am so cool"

     He grinned at us waiting for applause "That last line was only 4 syllables" Artemis sighed causng Apollo to frown. "Was it?" he asked "How bout I am so big-headed?" Artemis suggested "No thats 6" Apollo started muttering to himself and Zoë turned to us.

    "Lord Apollo has been going through a haiku stage every since he visited Japan. Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limmerick if I had to hear one more poem that started with 'There once was a goddess from Sparta'..." "I got it! I am so awesome" Apollo announced bowing.

     "So sis you need transportation for the hunters?" he asked "Some demi-gods will also need rides. Some of Chiron's campers" Artemis informed "Oh ok" he said inspecting us "Annabeth right? Athena's girl?" he said causing her to blush "Aren't you Zander's girlfriend?" he asked "Yes sir" she answered "And Thalia Zeus' girl makes you MY half-sister didn't you used to be a tree. Glad your back I hate it when pretty girls turn to trees. I remember this one time...well anyways. Percy Jackson" he said staring at me which kinda creeped me out "Aren't you a thing with my Tor Tor now?" he asked I couldn't respond caused by the lump in my throat "Wait if you and goat boy are here should Toria be here?" he asked. Everyone looked at me to explain. Why me! "Uh sir you see we were battling a manticore and well when he tried to attack some of us Victoria jumped on his back and well...he fell off that cliff" I said pointing to the cliff. It was dead silent I was a little scared I knew when the gods came across strong emotions they could lose it and fry up an entire highschool. Apollo's face hardened and his grin was wiped straight off "What are you saying..." he asked I guess hoping the answer wasn't 'I'm sorry your daughter died' "I'm sorry Lord Apollo but your daughter Victoria is dead" Zoë said I stared at her. Hearing someone straight out say it stung I sat on a nearby log and watched Apollo try to tell us it wasn't true.

      At this point he was in hysterics "No no it's a prank a really sick prank....Victoria's alive I feel it" he muttered talking with his hands a lot "Brother please you should get going I am sorry but your daughter is gone" Artemis said "No I know! I'm her father she's alive I-I can feel it!" he said I really did want to believe him. And I did but deep down I didn't.

         Eventually they did get Apollo to turn his car into a bus and he unhappily picked a guest driver which happened to be Thalia. We loaded and Thalia turned pale...he hands got clammy around the steering wheel too. "Um I dunn" she muttered "Relax how old are you?" Apollo asked "Um I don't know" she answered "Um your 19 turning 20 in a week trust me prophecy teller I know things" "Ok nice and easy" he tried to explain but he was really out of here. He seemed distant off in a far off place. Thalia started the car and pulled the sterring wheel so hard I fell back and crashed into Grover. "Uh a little slower" Apollo commanded "Ok we need to veer left so jerk left" Apollo commanded she turned the wheel and I crashed to the other side of the bus "Um ok other left" he suggested "Ah a little slower Cape Cod is freezing over" Apollo panicked. At this rate with all this I had a feeling Apollo wouldn't be long in getting a godly heart attack. The bus picthed and now we were heading straight towards the Atlantic Ocean at 1000 miles per hour. The New England coast was only to our east! Apollo who was thrown to the back of the bus started to make his way back "Take the wheel!" Grover pleaded "It's fine she's just......WOAH" he shouted I looked down and saw what he saw. What used to be snow covered New England was starting to burst into flames "Jerk back!" I screamed "Long Island there...slow down!" he muttered I panicked when Camp Half-Blood got closer and closer "Brake!" we all screamed she slammed on the brake causing the bus to pitch upwards in a 45 degree angle. FLOOOOSH. We landed in the lake with steam billowing. "So um let's go check on what we destroyed" Apollo muttered