Percy Jackson and the Armies of Chaos ~ Complete

His Planet

I feel like I'm better at writing short stories than I am at writing full stories like this. So the next thing I write is going to be a collection of short stories.

Alkaios's POV

The beach was cold and windy, the waves lapping at the shore, casting clouds of mist over the pale sand. But instead of the calls of whales and the cries of gulls, I heard... Crying?

I rounded the corner, and saw a girl crouching in the sand.

She was easily recognizable, from her choppy braid to her tan skin.

She had her arms wrapped around her legs, her head braced against her knees. Water was staining her boots, but she didn't notice.

She tilted her head to the side, one kaleidoscope eye staring at me.

"Piper," I said coolly, my hands in my pockets.

She looked away, towards the ocean. "You used to call me Pipes."

I crouched down next to her. Out of everyone, Piper was the one who betrayed me the least.

"That was a long, long time ago."

"It was, but what changed? Really, Percy, what changed?"

She had some nerve calling me that. "Everything. Me, you. The rest of the seven."

The mist cooled my face, and I saw it mingle with the tears caressing Piper's cheeks.

"Why were you out here crying?" I said, not wanting to let this unspoken truce die out.

"Because of change."

"What?"

"Percy, you were one of my best friends. And then you were gone. Did you think about how hard that was for us?"

"You deserved it."

"That doesn't take the pain away."

I paused. "What are you trying to tell me here?"

"Be more lenient with them," Piper begged. "They feel so guilty, Annabeth is going over the edge."

"That doesn't matter to me." I said, standing up and brushing off my clothes.

I walked away, leaving her in the dark.

In the morning

"The attack is halted." Era announced. "Our contacts in the other galaxies decided to fight the approaching army, and they were successful. The planet is safe for the time being."

"A retreating period," I mused, leaning back in my chair. "We could use this to our advantage."

"What do you propose?" Asked Annabeth. I did my best to ignore her, and I blocked the conversation that I had with Piper the night before out of my mind. But even so, I could see that she was right. Annabeth had hollows under her eyes, and her hair was dull and matted.

But that wasn't my concern.

"I think we should take the fight to him."

Instant protest.

"His planet-"

"His army, he's so powerful-"

"We couldn't possibly take him!"

"Who said you were going? I'm talking about a small party, five at most. An assassination attempt."

"A small, concentrated attack." Murmured Era. "You know, that just might work."

"Who would even go?" Asked Jason.

"Me, Era, Annabeth... Maybe Will Solace."

Again, instant protest.

"Why them?"

"Why not me?"

"I can help!"

"You just picked yourself because you want to be in the middle of things!"

"Can't you see, this is why he didn't pick you!" Jason stood up, the Praetor that he once was. "You want your own glory, your fame. He picked himself because he specializes in assassination, Era because of her brute power, Annabeth because of her intelligence, and Will because of his medical skills. He wouldn't have picked himself, but he realized that he was important. That's the kind of person he is, so stop begging because it's not going to happen!"

"I do not require your assistance," I said sourly. "But you have a point. You're coming with us. Leadership skills and communication."

"Then it is decided. A small party will travel to Order's planet to assassinate him. Meeting over."

I stood to leave, but then someone called out, "How will you even get there? He's like, a million light years away."

I smiled, for the first time in front of these people. A smile without anger or malice in it. "We have a spaceship."