Apparently, I'm Dead

Chapter Thirty-Six

PERCY

Here we go again.

Okay, look. I know that's a rude thing to say when faced with a person. My mom raised me right. But manners fly out the window because last time I saw this guy, he waited as thousands of people judged the way that I died, then told me my father had traded me away in a game of poker with an awful powerpoint. Seriously, my teachers at Goode probably would have given him a grade that I got on my last test in English. It was on some Shakespeare play. You should be able to gather enough information from that.

Also, he's a god. I feel like that's a good enough reason to be annoyed at someone's existence.

So, yeah. Not exactly thrilled to see him again, but what can you do?

"Sit, sit!" Odin gestures at some chairs that were not there before. His tone sounds inviting, but it's an order, not a request.

So obviously, we all sit down, on pain of smiting.

Odin waves a hand, and the screen that projected the deaths of the einherji appears back on the wall. A slideshow titled "Rewards for Heroes!" pops up. I groan and flop my head onto the table. This is going to take forever.

"So, let us begin..." preaches Odin.

I must admit, I was in and out of sleep for most of this. It was incredibly boring. I did hear, during one of the times that I was half awake, that T.J. got a new musket, but he decided to keep his old one as well. I think that I also heard something about Blitz getting some sort of bow tie? Not gonna lie, that kind of confused me.

Alex shakes me awake, and when I blearily ask why, he says, "Magnus is getting rewarded now."

I smirk sleepily at him. "That's sweet."

Alex blushes and smacks me playfully, but when Odin starts speaking, he turns towards his significant other and stares at Magnus with lovestruck eyes.

"Son of Frey!" Odin booms. Frey seems pleased that his son has been introduced like that. Magnus seems... less so, though not altogether unhappy.

He stands, a bit self-consciously. I let out a whoop of encouragement, which causes him to send me a small smile.

"Magnus Chase," Odin declares "You helped bring in Loki on a silver platter, which was very impressive. For your contribution to the survival of mankind, I offer you the gift of a visit with your mother."

Magnus's mouth drops open. "But-how? I thought Hel was the one in charge of the dead. My mom- how did you- what?"

"Hel can be... easily convinced," Odin says simply.

Magnus doesn't look his gift horse in the mouth. He sits down, beaming from ear to ear. From the little I've heard about his mom, she sounds a lot like mine– absolutely amazing and perfect in almost every way. I smile too, happy for him.

As the rest of Floor 19 cheers for Magnus, I lean in to Alex. "What did you and Sam get?"

He scoffs, but I can tell he's excited about the gifts. "They don't like us much around here–Loki's kids and all– and they've given us rewards before, so it was generic stuff. I got some magic clay that I can shape into weapons, and Sam got a model plane called the Valkyrie that can turn into a flying horse."

"That doesn't sound generic to me."

"Shut up, Percy," Alex laughs, "I'm trying to keep up my cynical persona here."

I'm about to respond when my name is called. "Perseu-"

I groan. "My gods, I've already told you! It's Percy!"

Odin gives me a stink eye, but acquiesces. "Percy Jackson, then. Stand and receive your reward."

I stand, as requested. Odin clears his throat. "Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. You were also instrumental in the capture of Loki. For that, we offer you a transfer to Elysium."

"Seriously?" I cry in shock. "I get to go to Elysium? Just like that?"

"Yes, just like that."

I whip around to see if Magnus, Sam, and Alex share my shock. They give me weak grins and thumbs ups, supporting me through some sort of hesitation. I feel my brow furrow. "Just a moment, Od- Lord Odin."

I hurry over to the other demigods. "What is it?"

"Nothing!" Magnus says. "This is great! You should accept it!" He is so obviously faking that it makes me want to laugh. I raise an eyebrow at him and he deflates. "It's just... Are we ever going to see you again?"

My eyes widen. I hadn't even thought about that! I've grown to trust and love these people, these friends. And now I'll have to leave them behind? I won't lie, for the chance to go to Elysium and see all my fallen friends and Annabeth, I'd probably do it, but I don't want to just leave this community. And Annabeth hasn't seen Magnus in years!

It would be really nice if I could do both.

It would be really nice if I didn't have to leave one group of friends for another.

It would be really nice if I could somehow... move between afterlives.

That's it. That's what I want as my reward.

I stride back to the end of the table and plant myself in front of Odin. "I decline. That's not what I want."

His face is blank. "That's... not what you want?"

"No."

"What else could you possibly want?" Odin cries incredulously.

"I want both. I want to be able to see Annabeth and Beckendorf and Silena. But I also want to be able to see Magnus and Sam and Alex. It's not fair to make me choose one when you were the one who made me come here and get attached to them in the first place."

There is clear hesitation in Odin's gaze, and if he was Zeus, I would have been smited- smote?- already. But Odin seems more level-headed and less trigger-happy than Zeus is, so he gives my request some thought and then realizes it's reasonable, given that I just helped save the world.

"Fine. If that's what you want, you can have it." 

Thanks,

ATOTALMUSICALNERD