Broken And Betrayed

ONE

Percy sat on the beach near camp, looking out at the sea and letting it calm him. It had been a couple months since the Giant War with Gaia, and to be honest? He was just about ready to have some down time.

Just then he spotted Clarisse walking towards him out of the treeline. Percy rolled his eyes and got up, already knowing that he would be wanted for something.

But wait.

Was that happiness on Clarisse's face?

"Prissy! You'll never believe what's happened!" She yelled.

"You okay, Clarisse? You actually look happy for once. Plus, you somehow forgot to call me 'Punk'." Percy answered, confused.

She rolled her eyes. "Prissy does fine, idiot. Anyway, apparently Zeus and Poseidon just admitted to having more kids outside of their oath, how about that, huh? Chiron wants you up at the Big House. Like, now."

Dammit, Percy realised, it had been the sadistic Ares version of happiness he'd seen on her face. Quite normal, really.

"Punk?"

"Oh yeah, coming," Percy groaned as he was pulled out of his thoughts and off of the ground.

Once Clarisse was gone, Percy took one last look at the calming view. "No rest for the wicked, eh?" He said to nobody in particular.

To get back to camp he decided to try a new trick he'd been practicing a little. He closed his eyes, and pictured all the molecules in his body turning into water vapour and speeding to the Big House, where they'd reform into his body.

After a few seconds he opened his eyes...

Only to find himself with his arm somehow formed around a tree branch, and said branch's nymph staring at him and tapping her foot in disapproval.

"Sorry, sorry," He grumbled as he managed to travel again to a few metres away and heal his arm using the vapour in the air. "Yeah, I'm getting better at these vapour tricks," He said happily, after looking up to find himself almost at the Big House and ahead of Clarisse, who was looking at him in bewilderment as she wondered how the hell he'd gotten there so fast.

"Mmm, I still think the shadows are better if I'm being honest." Nico's voice said from beside him suddenly.

"I don't see myself ending up in China every other day, do I?" Percy retorted.

Yeah, that shut him up real quick.

Percy and Nico strolled side by side to the Big House, chatting away.

Or at least, Percy chatted. Nico kinda just listened and grunted at appropriate parts.

Once they were there, Chiron trotted up to them with his kind smile. "Ah there you are m'boy, we have lots to discuss."

Mr D's annoying voice came out from behind the centaur. "What's there to discuss. I want to sleep, or play pinochle. I will win soon, Chiron."

Chiron just rolled his eyes. "Boys, come on, there is an IM open with Olympus right now. I believe Annabeth, Katie and the Stolls are already there."

Sure enough, when they walked in, their friends and the other head counselors as well were there. Annabeth came up and kissed Percy on the cheek.

"Have you heard the news? Apparently-"

"Yeah yeah, they couldn't keep it in their pants, what a surprise huh." Percy was irritated with the two gods already.

"Oh no," Nico said suddenly. Everyone turned to him, and he cringed away from the attention, but said, "My father will be beyond pissed when he finds out. He kept his oath and they broke it multiple times."