A Demigod's Tale of Tears and Joy I A Percy Jackson Fanfic

Chapter 1: Adopted

Elle's POV

My life sucked until my mom died. I guess that's a morbid way to put it, but a true one.

Now my life just sucks less. 

It all started when Natalie Sue Greyson died in her sleep. She always slept in, so I had made breakfast and bought the week's groceries while she "stayed home". I got back to our little house to be pulled away from the tiny home by neighbors who explained what had happened. My mom was anxious and quiet. She hardly had panic attacks, but still she died from a nighttime one.

 Although I wasn't happy or anything remotely like that, I did feel a tiny freedom open up. I was more of a parent than she was often times. Working at the coffee shop down the street to make ends meet, buying groceries, helping her cook and clean. I loved her for giving me life, but she was also a struggling craftswoman who couldn't make a proper living off of sculptures and knitted sweaters at her little roadside stand. Now I could be free of all that.

Then I realized I would be alone now. No one would want a Greyson. I'd live in the streets. I would be kicked out of Camp Jupiter entirely. My mom's dad, my grandfather, helped storm the camp with cyclopses fourty years ago, and people turned their noses up at us real quick. My best hope was to run away, or so I thought. But luckily I didn't.

I stayed at a neighbor's house for six days. I know word got around about the orphaned Greyson, but no one sent anything until I was there for almost a week. Aparently, a Greek couple wanted to adopt me. I figured they couldn't be terrible. And the next day they were ready. I was handed off to a messenger, some blond guy on a pegasus. The people I was staying with where happy to get rid of me. I took a backpack with some fresh clothes, my mother's old pen with a magic white flower that gives you a sweet nectar (not the godly drink, a sweet sort of honey) when you suck the petals, and a little knitted lilac blanket my mom made for me when I was a toddler. I put on my plain black backpack, steadied myself on the horse, and prepared to fly across America all the way to New York.

We ended up at a brick row house in Queens. It was tall, three stories, but not very long. I knew the basics of the Greek spells and things, so I figured mortals could't see the flying horse. The guy walked to the door and knocked. I, naturally, followed. A woman in her late twenties opened the door. I saw her arm held a bronze dagger almost out of view, but besides that she looked normal. She wore jeans and a navy t-shirt. Her curly blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she was very tan and pretty athletic. I got a little closer and noticed her startling gray eyes. She relaxed when she saw who we were, and smiled. "Oh, Elle. Come in. You can come too, Kayden." she said. "Naw, it's okay. I gotta get Rosie here back to camp. See ya around, Annabeth." he replied. Kayden got on his flying horse with ease and left as I followed the woman, Annabeth, inside.

 The living room was very clean, mostly white with gray, green, and blue hints here and there. I noticed a shelf with an old, browning horn on it, and little owls and tridents here and there in the room. On the couch sat a man, her same age, with messy jet black hair and an almost olive complexion. He wore jeans and a blue hoodie. The man had eyes the color of sea glass, and when he smiled, as he did when he saw me, his grin was kind but yet had hints of a smirk. "Hi Elle. I'm Percy, and this is my wife Annabeth. And you are our new daughter."

It was interesting, that first conversation. Turns out, my dad was a Greek god. The spirits in New Rome found me weird for as long as I can remember, so I suppose I always knew something was up with me deep down. My mom was 1/4 god, so that makes me 5/8 god. A little more god than most, but generally the same sort of demigod deal. Oh, and I was adopted by some pretty famous half bloods too, Percy and Annabeth Jackson. I had heard the stories, but they were not as famous as you might think. Still a big deal though, and I was in a small way proud to be their daughter. Anyway, we decided I would go to Camp Half Blood during my summers, but stay with them during the school year. I would attend mortal school in New York, and live a pretty normal life. I would start at Pine View Middle School next week, after I got settled in. It was two months until summer, and I was excited to join the camp I finally belonged at. I was ready for my life to change into something new and exciting.

Percy went to go make lunch, and Annabeth took me upstairs and showed me my room. It was a little small, painted a light mint green, and honestly beautiful. The bed was the type that was a bunk bed with a desk on the bottom instead of another bed, and that bed looked like a comfortable dream with a mint green and white polka dots comforter. The desk underneath looked so lovely I WANTED to study here. It even had a really nice computer on it. In one corner of the room there was a big bookshelf with all sorts of books on it and one of those fluffy beanbags chairs. One wall was occupied mainly with a long closet and a mirror hung at the perfect height. There was even art on the walls. Clearly, Annabeth had decked the place out to be a twelve year old's dream. I sure loved it, even if I didn't totally love mint.

Once Annabeth left me alone to savor my new room, I took a second to study myself in the mirror. I have olive skin and really dark brown hair. My family had Mercury, er, Hermes in our past, so I have his sharp nose and slightly mischevious smile. My best feature is my big brown eyes. They are the color of milk chocolate, smooth and creamy. They twinkle when I'm happy, but get really cute and babyish when I cry, the sort of eyes that make you pity their owner. I positively love my eyes. 

Percy called for me to come to lunch, and I followed. I went right downstairs and ate the sandwiches and chips Percy made for lunch. According to him, he'd mess up anything more complicated. They were actually really good though, and I decided that was just a solid, delicious family meal. 

I was pretty tiered from riding all night from California, so I went up to my room to take a nap. As I fell asleep, I wept for my mother the last time. Then I decided to keep on looking ahead and That is what finally put me to sleep.