Percy looked around at all the silent campers, then raised his hand tentatively. Travis's face noticeably brightened when he saw Percy's hand. "Looks like we have our first contestant!" he said into his mic.
Annabeth gave Percy a strange look as he stood up, made his way to the stage and took the third mic. He smiled at the audience, then nodded at the deejay, none other than Will Solace. A pattern of what sounded like claps started pumping out of the speakers, quickly followed by a tune played by an unfamiliar instrument.
"So this is what you meant," Percy started singing, "when you said that you were spent. And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit," he pointed down, "right to the top," his finger moved up, then waggled, "don't hold back. Packin' my bags and givin' the old mortal life a rain check." He pointed to the audience: "I don't ever wanna let you down. I don't ever wanna leave this town. 'Cause after all," he shrugged, "Manhattan fell asleep that night."
Everyone laughed a little as the newer campers looked confused. "It's time to begin, isn't it?" Percy continued. "I get a little bit bigger but then, I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was. Now don't you understand that I'm never changing who I am!"
The clapping pattern from the beginning started again, and Percy started clapping and stomping to the beat. Everyone clapped with him as he kept singing, "So this is where you fell, and I am left to sell. The path to heaven runs through miles of cloud and hell, right to the top." He turned his head, then used his finger to push it back forward. "Don't look back. Turning to rags and giving immortality a rain check." He looked at Annabeth, who blushed as he smiled. "I don't ever wanna let you down," Percy sang. "I don't ever wanna leave this town. 'Cause after all, Olympus never sleeps at night."
Percy went into the chorus clapping with the rest of the campers. "It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little bit bigger but then, I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was. Now won't you understand that I'm never changing who I am."
The tempo slowed down, and Percy crouched until he was sitting on his heels with his head bent. "This road never looked so lonely. This house doesn't burn down slowly, to ashes, to ashes..." He started beating his fist on the stage floor to the beat of the song. "It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little big bigger but then, I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was, now don't you understand," he sings, starting to straighten his legs until he's standing up to sing, "that I'm never changing who I am.
"It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little bit bigger but then, I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was," he held the note, bringing it up, then back down. "Now don't you understand that I'm never changing who I am!"
The campers burst into applause, and Percy grinned and bowed.
"That was pretty awesome, Percy!" Travis said as he and his brother mounted the stage. "Judges? What are your thoughts?"
Carter Kane was staring at Percy as if inspecting him. Percy shifted his feet awkwardly. "Uh, hey. Long time no see, Carter."
Sadie elbowed Carter in the side, snapping him out of his trance. He cleared his throat. "That was cool; I love that song. Great performance..." He looked down at a piece of paper he had scribbled on. "Um... Nine out of ten from me."
A ripple of applause passed through the audience. Sadie leaned back in her chair, putting her feet on the desk and grinning widely. "That was brilliant! Imagine Dragons is my favorite American band, am I right?" She smiled at the audience, who responded with applause and shouts. "Anyway, love the song, and the fact that you're cute only helped the performance."
Onstage, Percy blushed a little, while in the audience Annabeth laughed to herself. Too bad, Sadie. He's mine.
"Anywho," Sadie rubbed her hands together, "loved it, amazing, call me, ten out of ten."
The audience laughed and applauded. Percy smiled gingerly at Sadie.
"Rick?" Travis prompted. The author, like Carter, was inspecting Percy with a wild but confused look in his eye. "Um, Mr. Riordan?" Travis walked over and waved his hand in front of the man's face. Finally he spoke.
"You... You can sing?" he asked Percy incredulously.
Percy chuckled nervously. "Um... I think so?"
"Wow." Rick scribbled on his pad, then looked up. "Oh, yeah, um, interesting song choice. Then again, it's not like I expected you'd get up and sing 'Under the Sea'-"
Percy's jaw dropped. "How did you know that's my favorite song?"
Connor laughed nervously. "So, Rick, what's your score?"
"Ten, I guess." He bent back over his pad, scribbling furiously.
Travis cleared his throat. "So, Calypso?"
Calypso smiled at Percy, who smiled back. "Hey, Calypso."
"Hello," Calypso said casually, clicking her pen. "Good job with that. The body percussion added a nice effect." She nodded. "Personally, I thought it was a great way to come into the mortal world, so nine from me."
The campers applauded, though mostly confused from the bit about being welcomed into the mortal world.
The Stolls smiled. "Nice job, Perce," Travis said. "Malcolm? Final score?"
The son of Athena, sitting on the edge of the stage, announced, "Thirty-eight out of forty; ninety-five percent!"
The campers erupted in applause and cheers as Percy handed his mic back to Travis and made his way back to his seat. Annabeth smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Nice job, Seaweed Brain."
Percy grinned. "Thanks."
++
So there we go! It actually took me a while to pick a song; I had most of one song typed then realized it didn't really make sense with Percy and that I couldn't have it as just a solo, so... Sorry.
Like I announced a few days ago, my family is taking a road trip... We're on the road as I type this. This leg will take about eleven hours, so I'll be in the car for a while. Yay... At least I have the entire first season of Doctor Who! :D
I'm bringing in the Romans in the next chapter, so be prepared; this'll be fun... :)
Yours in demigodishness and all that. Peace out!
Katia
