ꜰᴏᴏʟꜱ ɢᴏʟᴅ|ᴘ.ᴊ|②

-PROLOGUE-

"Night is never as dark as when one refuses to shine a lantern to see."

-J. Drew Lanham.

     Percy Jackson was a lot of things: A boy, for starters. His long hair sometimes got his gender mixed up as a kid. But he was also a warrior, resilient, strong minded, and strong hearted. 

     All up until it truly counted. 

     Camp starts in two days and the nerves have finally gotten to him. He was trying to be strong. Really, really trying. He promised himself he wouldn't let that old hope come back to bite and yet, here it was, clawing at his chest to get to the organ inside of it. 

     Sally had just gone inside to use the bathroom. She'd dragged the boy to an ice cream parlor to help ease his anxiety. But now, as he sits with a book of matches in hand and mint chip ice cream melting in a glass, Sally's plan has failed. She told her son over and over again to just wait and see. That camp was only a few days away and all his questions would be answered when he got there. 

     "But who else could've convinced Zeus?" He countered. 

     Sally shrugged, still managing a smile. "Maybe he realized it's not in anyone's best interest," she said. 

     "It has to be her, mom. She's the only one I know the Gods would listen to. It has to be her." 

     It felt stupid, really. Over the course of the school year, Percy had forced himself to forget about everything that happened. It was for the better, for some real peace of mind and it worked. He focused on his grades and made a few school friends, and Annabeth had even visited during one of his breaks. 

     Guilt bubbles in his stomach when he thinks about the daughter of Athena. She would be furious if she knew what he was about to do. 

     Percy strikes the match anyway, eyes shutting briefly before he drops the flamed stick in the glass. Smoke emits, a single line flowing up. A gust of hot wind hits the back of his neck, humidity trailing up his spine. A cloud of black shoots around him and stops at the other side of the table. 

     Black curls bounce as they make contact with the chair. Her hair is much longer now, reaching waist length. Her eyes are kinder. Softer. Their deep brown burns into Percy's sea-green ones. As his heart thuds in his ears, Percy takes her in full. 

     She looked the same and yet, so different. As if there were only remnants of the girl she used to be. Of who they used to be. 

     "You look different," he voices. 

     "In a good way?" 

     Percy nods. "Yeah. You look healthy. Happy, even." 

     There's a short pause before she speaks up again.