Percy Jackson X Male Oc Book #1

Chapter 16

ASH POV
Ares was waiting for us in the dinner parking lot. "Well, well," he said. "You didn't get yourself killed." I glared at him. "You knew it was a trap," Percy said. Ares gave Percy a wicked grin. "Bet the crippled black smith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. You looked good on TV." That was the last straw before I knew it I was walking toward the god. He turned to me and leaned down to my height and looked me in the eyes. "What are you going to do? Hit me?" He asked taungly. I balled my fits, feeling a slight tingle in my fingers. I lifted my arm, brought my first back, and swung it as hard as I could. Ares stood there for a second before sanding up straight. "You have a nice left hook, punk." Percy then shoved his shield at him. "You're a jerk." I looked over to see that the others were in shock. I mean I just punched the god of war in the face and Percy called him a jerk. I looked over to see the back of a truck swing open. I guess that's our ride west. I then turned back to see Ares hand Percy a backpack. "I don't want your lousy-", Percy said. "Thank you lord Ares," Grover interrupted, giving him his best red-alert look. "Thanks a lot." Percy also thanked him through clenched teeth. "Ash, you should apologize for punching Ares in the face." Annabeth said in a waring tone. "Why should I? He said 'what are you going to do, hit me?' So he was asking for it." Grover gave me a pleading look. I sighed before turning to Ares and said, "I'm sorry for punching your face." He gave me a smirk that made me wish I punched him harder. "Apology accepted." He said in a harsh tone.

I looked over to the dinner to see there were only a few people. The waitress that served us was watching nervously out the window. She then dragged a cook out to see. She then said something to him. This is not good. He held a disposable camera and took a picture. Grate, even more attention then we already have. I turned my attention back to the parking lot to see that Ares was gone. Annabeth said, "That was not smart, Percy, Ash." "I don't care." Percy said. "You don't want a god as your enemy. Especially not that god." "Hey, guys," Grover said. "I hate to interrupt, but..." He pointed toward the diner. The last two customers were paying their check. They were two men in identical black coveralls, with a white logo on their backs. "If we are taking the zoo express," Grover said, "we need to hurry."

I didn't want to, but it was all we had. We ran across the street and climbed into the back of the truck, closing the doors behind us. The first thing I noticed was the smell. It was gross. The trailer was dark inside until Percy uncapped Riptide. The sword cast a faint bronze light over everything. The scene in front of me was sad. In the filthy cages were three of the saddest animals I've ever seen: a zebra, a male albino lion, and some type of antelope that I've never seen before. Someone has given the lion a sack of turnips. The zebra and the antelope both had a Styrofoam tray of hamburger meat. The zebra's mane was matted with gum, the antelope had a silver birthday balloon tied to one of his horns. The lion was probably the saddest to look at, he was pacing around on soiled blankets, in the cage that was way too small for him, panting from the heat of the trailer.

3RD PERSON
"This is kindness" Grover yelled. "Humane zoo transport?" Grover probably would have gone back outside and beat the truckers with his reed pipes. Percy and Ash would have helped him but the truck's engine roared to life. They were forced to sit down. The group huddles in the corner on some mildewed feed sacks, trying to ignore the smell, heat, and flies. Grover was talking to the animals but they just looked at him sadly. Annabeth wanted to barke them out right now and Percy pointed out that wouldn't do much at the moment. Ash found a water jug and refilled their bowls, Percy used Riptide to swap the mixed up food. Grover calmed the antelope, Mason gently kept the animal pinned in case it starts to freak out. Annabeth used her knife to cut the balloon off his horn. She wanted to cut the gum out of the zebra's mane, but they decided that it was risky with the truck bumping around.

They had Grover tell the animals they would help more in the morning. They then settled in for the night. Grover curled up on a turnip sack; Annabeth opened the bag of oreos and her and Mason were eating some; Ash was finding a way to entertain the animals with magic; Percy was trying to cheer himself up. "Hey," Annabeth said, "I'm sorry for freaking out back at the water park." "That's ok" Percy said. "It's just..." She shuddered. "Spiders." "Because of the Arachne story", Percy guessed. "She got turned into a spider for challenging your mom to a weaving contest, right?" Annabeth nodded. " Arachen's children have been taking revenge on the children of Athena ever since. If there's a spider within a mile of me, it'll find me. I hate creepy little things. Anyway, I owe all of you."

ASH POV
I smiled at what Annabeth said and turned my attention to them. "We're a team, remember?" Percy said. "Besides,Grover did the fancy flying." I thought Grover was asleep but he mumbled, "I was pretty amazing, wasn't I?" "Hey what about me and Ash?" Mason asked in a teasing tone. "Ash did more than you with that predicted budle." Percy said. Mason shrugged his shoulders and said, "True." Annabeth then turned to me. "When you punched Ares that was brave and stupid but mainly brave. She said. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure it left a bruise." Grover piped up for the conure. The complaints cause me to blush a little. Annabeth pulled apart an oreo and handed half to Percy then broke a small piece off her half and handed it to me. Percy doing the same with Mason. "In the Iris message... did Luke really say nothing?" Percy thought for a second. "Luke said you and him go way back. He also said Grover wouldn't fail this time. Nobody would turn into a pine tree."

It was hard to read Annabeth and Grovers's expressions. "I should've told you the truth from the beginning." Grover's voice trembled. "I thought if you two knew what a failure I was, you wouldn't want me along." "You were the satyr that tried to rescue Thalia, the daughter of Zeus." Percy said. He nobed. "And the other half-bloods Thalia befriended, the ones who got safely to camp..." Percy and I looked over to Annabet. "That was you and Luke, wasn't it?" Percy asked her. "Like you said, Percy, a seven-year-old half-blood wouldn't have made it very far alone. Athena guided me toward help. Thalia was twelve. Luke was fourteen. They'd both run away from home, like me. They were happy to take me with them. They were amazing monster-fighters, even without training. We traveled north Virginia without any real plans, fending off monsters for about two weeks before Grover found us."

3RD PERSON
Grover picked up the story where Annabeth left off. "I was supposed to escort Thalia to camp," he said, sniffing. "Only Thalia. I had strict orders for Chiron: don't do anything that would slow down the rescue. We knew Hades was after her, see, but I couldn't just leave Luke and Annabeth by themselves. I thought... I thought I could lead all three of them to safety. It was my fault the Kindly Ones caught up with us. I froze. I got scared on the way back to camp and took some wrong turns. If I'd been a little quicker..." "Stop it," Annabeth said. "No one blames you. Thalia didn't blame you either." "She sacrificed herself to save us," he said miserably. "Her death was my fault. The Council of Cloven Elders said so." "Because you wouldn't leave two other half-bloods behind?" Percy said. "That's not fair." "Percy's right," Annabeth said. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for you, Grover. Neither would Luke. We don't care what the council says."

Grover kept sniffing. "It's just my luck. I'm the lamest satyr ever, and I find the two possibly three most powerful half-bloods of the century, Thalia, Percy, and maybe Ash." "You're not lame," Annabeth instead. "You've got more courage than any satyr I've ever seen. Name one other who would go to the Underworld. I bet Percy and Ash are really glad you're here right now." She kicked Percy in the shin. "Yeah," he said. "It's no luck you found Thalia, me, and possibly Ash, Grover. You've got the biggest heart of any satyr ever. You're a natural searcher. That's why you'll be the one to find Pan." "Percy and Annabeth are right, Grover." Ash finally said. "Yeah. You're a lot braver than the satyr that was sent to get me. It took a week for him to finally talk to me." Mason said with a smirk. Grover then fell asleep.

ASH POV
Annabeth turned to me. "Why didn't you run away?" She asked me. "I've tried. You can even ask Percy." I leaned my head against the wall of the truck. "The first time I tried was when I was four. That didn't end well but I didn't give up. No. I tried every year on my birthday until this year. I would always make it to the same spot before being dragged back."

The others were silent. "Why did Grover say I was possibly one of the most powerful half-bloods of the century?" I asked. "Well Hecate has magic in every element, even the dead. Some might say she is even more powerful than Zuse." Annabeth said. I fell asleep. The next time I woke up I was standing next to the pit. "Come on little demigod." A voice said coming up from the pit. "Join my side and your mother will get the respect she deserves. I glared down. "No. I can get my mom's respect on my own. I don't need help, especially yours." The voice let out a chilling laugh. That got louder and louder.