Percy Jackson One-Shots

Percy's Mortal Friends

Ivan Stewart

I walked into Goode high school, heading to my small group of friends. Leah Winters, Gabriella Johnson, and Jack Gibson. It was the start of a new year. Another year without Percy Jackson, one of my old friends.

No one knew where he went, or if he was alive, he just disappeared. Our small group had asked Mr. Blofis, Percy's stepdad, where he had went, but Mr. Blofis only said Percy was dealing with 'family problems.'

We didn't believe one word. But now I was heading into my homeroom (coincidentally, I had the same teacher as last year, Dr. Boring, for homeroom). He's true to his last name, so he doesn't give us much freedom in the class-maybe the fact that we go to a school for troubled kids-but he does let us choose our own seats.

But the problem was, someone was in my seat. My seat's pretty good; out of Dr. Boring's view, in the shadows, and desks close by so I could easily copy on a test (don't give me that look). I couldn't tell who it was-probably some rich kid who can't even count to ten and got sent here by his equally stuck up parents-but it was slouching, as if trying to not be noticed. Nothing was really spectacular about the figure; a teal hoodie, denim jeans, and converse. I didn't realize the figure at first, but when Jack nudged me and pointed at the figure, I scowled. I wasn't territorial about my seat, but when it came to rich kids taking my seat, I got a little mad.

"Just find another seat," Gabriella said, glancing at the figure.

"But that's the best seat," I whined.

"But there's seats next to it," Leah pointed out. "Besides, we sat next to you last year. Just sit near the stupid desk, won't that be good?"

"Fine," I relented.

"Is it alright if we sit here?" Gabriella asked the figure.

He nodded, pushing the pencil to the top of the desk, letting it roll down to the bottom before pushing it back to the top. We all sat down, and Leah, the most talkative one, prepared to plunge into the depths of his deepest secrets, but Dr. Boring walked in, probably saving the guy's life.

"Settle down, settle down," Dr. Boring said, even though no one was really talking. "Roll call."

"Amelia Anderson?"

"Here."

"Mark Branch?"

"Here."

And it went on and on. Just a bunch of names. The name after my name shocked the whole class, though.

"Jack Gibson?"

"Here."

"Perseus Jackson?"

No one talked. We knew Mr. and Mrs. Blofis had probably enrolled him in case he was found, but it was honestly a sore spot for the whole school to not have the guy.

"It's Percy," the figure corrected in a voice I barely recognized anymore.

"Percy?" I demanded.

"Yeah?" the figure beside me asked, looking up and I saw sea-green eyes peeking out from underneath the hood; eyes I hadn't seen in eight months.

"Percy!" Gabriella yelped.

"What?" Percy demanded, oblivious to the fact that he went missing for eight months without a trace and we were worrying out of our minds.

"You're back, dude!" I grinned.

"I noticed."

"Class," Dr. Boring said in his usual monotone, "settle down. You can all talk with Mr. Jackson at break. Now, back to roll call. Harry Kindle?"

"Here."

Percy was going to be interrogated like never before at break.

__________________________

It was break time, but we couldn't find Percy. You could go outside, sit in the lunchroom, or hang out in a related arts room.

"Where's Percy?" I asked.

"Ivan," Leah sighed, exasperated. "Where did we meet everyday last year?"

"The pool?" I asked.

"Then maybe we should try the pool," Leah said, speaking slowly as if talking to a four year old.

"Shut up," I grumbled.

"Let's just go, guys," Jack interrupted, walking through the halls.

Percy Jackson was captain of the swim team during sophomore, and early junior, years. He could swim faster and longer than any other person he competed with, but after he went missing, the position of captain was given to Jessica Belle. Jessica was probably the best choice for swim captain, but she wasn't Percy Jackson. So I expected Percy to be swimming, talking to coach, or talking to Jessica about how she handled being captain.

He wasn't. Instead, he was sitting on the bleachers; his hood still up.

"Percy!" I called.

He glanced up. "Hey."

"Where've you been?" Gabriella cried out.

"I had some family problems," he replied vaguely.

"Why aren't you in the pool? Wait, are you going to take your place as captain back?" Jack asked.

Percy shook his head. "I don't want to be on the swim team anymore."

"What? Why?" Leah demanded.

"Because," Percy said stubbornly.

"Come on, Perce! Why aren't you talking to us?" Gabriella said. When Percy shrugged, she sighed and said, "Can you at least take off that hood?"

"I don't see why it's such a big deal," Percy muttered.

"Exactly! It's not a big deal! So take it off," Leah reasoned. He sighed and jerked off his hood.

His black hair had even more grey streaks. You could see scars littering his neck. His sea-green eyes, now that I could see them in the light, were shattered, as if he was half-insane.

"Happy?" he grumbled.

No one said anything. No one needed to. Percy got up and left.

He didn't talk to us for the rest of the day.

__________________________

A week later, Percy talked to us again.

"So where'd you disappear off to?" Jack asked.

"I had family problems in Greece and Rome." Percy's tone said that was his final answer.

"But-" Jack started to say but Leah cut him off.

"But that's okay. We're glad you're back."

And it was okay. Because Percy was okay. Sure, some days he was quieter, but it was still Percy.

__________________________

So there... idk. I was thinking the next chapter could be called Nightmare, and it would be one of Percy's friends-or another high schooler- discovering Percy had a bunch of nightmares from Tartarus. Yes, Percy and Annabeth did fall into Tartarus, but I have a different outlook on what happened (although I did enjoy House of Hades very much).

Btw, if this was unclear, the reason Percy's not on the swim again is because of the scars from Tartarus.

Tell me if you have an idea because I honestly only have two ideas for the story and I just used one.

Like it, hate it, love it? Tell me how I can make the story or future stories better.