Penny Ranger and the Lightning Thief

Chapter IX: Percy Gets Even More Confused

Annabeth and I showed Percy around a bit more, doing our best to avoid the stares. I assumed it was mainly because Annabeth and I were still wearing the same completely soaked clothes from the toilet incident. We finished next to the lake.

"I've got training to do. Dinner's at seven thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall." Annabeth told him dryly.

"I've got an archery lesson to get to as well. See you around Percy."

I felt a bit bad about leaving him alone after what had just happened, but I really needed to change my clothes.

"Annabeth, Penny, I'm sorry about the toilets."

He actually looked sorry, which only made me feel worse about leaving him alone.

"Whatever." Annabeth said, probably hoping to forget that incident as quickly as possible.

"It wasn't my fault."

Both Annabeth and I looked at him skeptically. I was still pretty new at this, but even I knew that toilets didn't erupt by themselves. I got the feeling Percy knew that too.

"You need to talk to the Oracle." Annabeth told him.

"Who?" Percy asked in confusion.

"Not who. What. I'll ask Chiron." Annabeth clarified.

It really didn't make anything any clearer. In fact, Percy seemed even more confused than before. He looked at me questioningly, probably expecting me to explain what Annabeth refused to. Except I had no idea what the Oracle was either. I had heard about it before and knew it was how people who went on a quest got their prophecies, but I didn't know how. So I was forced to settle for a shrug.

Defeated, Percy glanced over to the lake. There were a couple of naiads beneath the surface waving at him. He waved back nervously.

"You shouldn't encourage them, Percy. Naiads are terrible flirts." I warned him.

It was true. I had been at camp for a little over a month and I had already witnessed three newcomers getting tricked by naiads.

"Naiads. That's it, I want to go home." Percy said, looking at Annabeth and I as if daring us to stop him.

I sighed. After all the times I had been forced to explain this to him, I was starting to feel like a broken record.

"Percy, you are home. This is the only safe place for kids like us." I told him.

"You mean mentally disturbed kids?"

"She means not human. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human." Annabeth said.

"Half-human and half-what?" Percy asked.

"I think you know, Percy." I replied.

He stayed silent for a few seconds before answering.

"God. Half-god."

Finally! Finally he understood it.

"Your father isn't dead, Percy. Just like my father isn't dead either. They're both Olympians."

"That's... crazy."

"Is it? What's the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they've changed their habits over the last few millennia?" Annabeth questioned.

"But those are just..."

Percy hesitated before he could finish, but if I had to guess, I'd say he was about to say 'stories'.