I'm sorry, Annabeth

Annabeth XXVIII

He promised. 

He promised Annabeth that he would come back as himself. 

And he never broke promises. 

“Annabeth!” Piper ran into Poseidon’s cabin. Annabeth looked up from her book. 

“What’s happening, Piper? Why do you look so excited?” Annabeth asked calmly.

 
“It’s Percy!” Piper squealed happily. “He’s back!” 

Annabeth dropped her book onto the ground.

“He’s back?” 

“Yes!” Piper was jumping up and down. "Badly injured, though, but he looks really happy to come back!” 

“Are you sure it’s him?” Annabeth asked worriedly. 

“Of course.” Piper said. “Who else could it be?” 

Annabeth let out a sigh of relief. 

“No, it’s that. Nothing.” 

She wobbly stood up and walked out of the cabin. 

And there he was. 

Perseus Jackson. 

Maybe it was because Annabeth is the daughter of Athena, and being suspicious about things is normal, but she couldn’t help noticing that the colour of Percy’s eyes are a darker shade of green. And his smile. So… un-Percy-like. It looks… evil.  

“Missed me much?” Percy said, grinning in a way he never did. His body was bruised and battered, and she could see scars and wounds everywhere. His clothes were worn and tattered, and when the last time she saw him, Percy looked… tired. 

Everyone was looking at her. 

“Aww… What a reunion!” a demigod from the Aphrodite cabin awed. Her sisters sighed dramatically in agreement. 

Annabeth stepped forward. 

“Hi, Percy.” her voice was unsure. And Percy heard it. 

“I kept your promise.” he added. 

This boosted Annabeth’s confidence on him being the real Percy. 

She smiled. 

"That’s right.” 

She gave him a peck on the cheek. 

Annabeth looked at Percy’s face. 

And what happened next shocked her. 

Percy’s eyes suddenly changed into a bright shade of sea-green, and Percy doubled-down and groaned in pain. 

“Annabeth-“ Percy choked. “Please… k-“ 

“Ahem, sorry.” all of a sudden Percy stood up and brushed himself. “Uh… the pain… it was a bit overwhelming.” 

Annabeth frowned in suspicion as she helped support Percy into the Poseidon cabin. He sat on the bed. 

“Percy?” 

“Yes, Annabeth?” 

“Why won’t you look into my eyes?” 

Percy looked away nervously. 

“You know, Annabeth, I’m pretty tired…” 

“Don’t change the topic.” Annabeth snapped. 

“Oh come on, Annabeth Chase!” Percy stood up angrily. Then Annabeth got mad. 

“Percy, you never had called me by my full name!” she got out her knife. “Who are you?” she pointed it at Percy. “Percy wouldn’t say this. What have you done to Percy?” 

Percy smirked in a way Annabeth had never seen. 

“I had underestimated you, Athena girl.” he took out Riptide, and pointed it at her heart. “Maybe I should really use you after all… or should I just kill…” 

Suddenly, his eyes turned into the bright sea-green colour that Annabeth had grown to love, and Percy dropped onto the ground. He coughed and shook with pain. 

“Annabeth, take Riptide.” Percy gasped. “I’m giving it to you. Quick, I can’t resist him for long.” 

“Percy…” Annabeth took Riptide and turned it into pen form. “He used you, didn’t he?” she placed her hands onto his icy-cold face. He smiled and held onto them tightly. She moved her fingers, lightly touching his scars. Percy winced. 

“Gods, I’m sorry.” she removed her hands. Percy sighed. 

"But, you promised!" 

"I know, I'm so sorry, Annabeth." he held her hands tightly. 

Suddenly, his eyes turned dark.

“Ugh! Idiotic Poseidon scum!” ‘Percy' cursed, removing his hands on Annabeth's.  He grabbed a pen-knife from his pocket and tried throwing it at Annabeth’s heart, but Percy win over Kronos’s control just before he could throw the knife. The knife flew onto a wall and fell onto the ground. 

“Annabeth, there’s a way to finish him.” Percy groaned again in pain. “You have to…” 

Suddenly, Percy gave out a cry of pain. He collapsed onto the ground. After a second, he stood back up, but his eyes were dark again. 

“That’ll shut him up.” ‘Percy' said cheerfully. “Wouldn’t want him to tell you the secret of…” he faltered. “Never mind.” 

Annabeth slashed her own knife at ‘Percy’. 

“Stop it, you… you… rascal!” A few scars formed on ‘Percy’s' arms, but he didn’t even flinch.

 
“Oh, didn’t I mention this?” ‘Percy’ smirked again. “Only he feels the pain. It’s his body, anyway.” 

Annabeth stopped almost immediately. 

“What…?” tears were forming in her eyes. “Oh, Percy… I’m so sorry…” 

“Oh it doesn’t matter.” ‘Percy’ was still smirking. In the blink of an eye, ‘Percy’s’ hands were on Annabeth’s neck. 

She yelped, clawing on ‘Percy’s’ hands. ‘Percy’ laughed evilly. 

“Your memory is worse than I thought. Didn’t I say? Only he feels the pain.”  

The tears were falling down Annabeth’s cheeks. Never in her life had she felt so distressed. 

Help. she thought, desperately. 

Please. Help. 

Help me. 

Help Percy,

 
Stop all of this. 

Please.