The Lost Goddess

Chapter 107-Nervously Waiting

I turn to find Annabeth, I smile at her "hug?" I ask, she thinks about it, tapping her finger against her chin, mocking and joking me, she smiles and immediately rushes to hug the life out of me "you're back?" She whispers, but it sounded more like a question about if I was actually here "ya, I'm back" I answer "don't do that ever again, Pearl" she whispers "I will try my best, but you know how it is" I tell her, she chuckles "Percy, Annabeth, Pearl, come inside the big house, we must have a meeting" Chiron commands gently.

Percy's point of view
As we want the Big House, the intoxicating smell of hot chocolate filled my senses and the room, Pearl sits across from me on the long wooden table, next to Annabeth, the room filling with other important campers, Beckendorf, Silena Beaureguard, the Stoll brothers and Clarisse, I was surprised to see Clarisse back from her quest, especially when she didn't try pulverize me, she had a new scar on her chin and her dirty blonde hair had been cut ragged as if someone had attacked her with saftey scissors "I got news" she tells me "bad news". She adds, I show confusion, only for Chiron to lay a hand on my shoulder "I'll fill you in later" he whispers with forced happiness to make it seem like everything was ok "the important thing is you prevailed and you saved Pearl!" He exclaims to everyone, she smiles at me, mouthing 'thank you', I smile back at her, but for some reason, I found myself thinking about that girl I saw at Hoover Dam, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, her annyoing comments coming back in memorable waves, do you always kill people when they try to blow their nose?. She was the main reason I was still alive, like the many others that were mortal and helped us, if only I had a chance to explain to her who I was and what I am "Luke is alive" I say, answering a silent question "Pearl was right" I add "how do you know?" Annabeth and Pearl ask in fearful unison, I told them about what my dad said on Olympus "well" Annabeth sighs, shifting in her seat "the prophecy does say it will come when Percy is sixteen, so, at least we still have two years on our side to figure something out". Annabeth says "agreed" I agree, I got a gut feeling that when Annabeth said 'figure something out' she meant 'get Luke to change his ways', and I could see Pearl was agreeing with Annabeth's idea "now, Pearl, I have been informed from Hermes that you are the one filling the Ancient Prophecy, is this true?" Chiron asks me, she nods "did you know about the Ancient Prophecy?" She asks him "yes, I hoped that you wouldn't be the one to be taking this prophecy. I hoped that Percy would be the Child Of Blessings, but he is not" Chiron slumps "it's too late now" she tells him, giving him a smile that assured she was going to be ok "it's too late to change the past now" she adds, Chiron looks to the senior campers, all showing confusion, he explains to the about Pearl and how she is the Child Of Blessings, the one fulfilling the Ancient Prophecy "so now, we must help Pearl control and unleash her powers", everyone agrees with him "and Percy" he turns to me "if you are the child of the prophecy, then the second Titan was is upon us, the next strike will be here". He states "how do you know that?" I ask "why would he care about camp?" I ask, I practically feel the angry stares to my back "not that it isn't an amazing place to live" I add, flattering my home, I feel the stares back off a bit because gods use heros as their tools" he answers simply "destroy the tools, and the gods will be crippled, Luke's force will come here, Clarisse's news may help us figure out how they will attack but-" a knock from the door interrupted him, it was opened only to reveal Nico di Angelo. Huffing from the running he probably did, his cheeks res from the hitter cold, he smiles at first, but then looks around anxiously, he stared at everyone until he found Pearl's eyes "Pearl!" He exclaims happily, running over to her and hugging her, Pearl seemed surprised at first, but she immediately hugs back "hey, Nico" she greets with a warm smile, ruffling his hair, sadness flashing in her eyes for a second "where's my sister?" He asks, only to get dead silence, I stared at Chiron, not believing no one at camp had told him the news. But then I realized why they had done such an action, they were waiting for our return, so we could tell him in person, it may have been the last thing I wanted to do, but I owed it to Bianca, Pearl looks to me, I nod, both of us knowing what we had to do "Nico" Pearl finally breaks the stiff silence, her voice gentle "let's go for a walk" she tells him, he shows uncertainty of whether or not to trust her, but he smiles up at her "why?" He asks, taking her hand as he stood "we need to talk".

Pearl's point of view
We walk outside, walking to the dining pavilion, I held his hand as Percy gave Nico the news, only for him to take it in silence and with an emotionless expression, Percy then explained to him how it happened and that she sacrificed herself to save the quest, but the grip holding my habd only tightened "she wanted you to have this" Percy softly lays the figurine in Nico's palm, but, the sir grew and eery cold, silence and a low screaming wind blowing, boy of us anticipating what he would do next, nervously waiting.