the weight of the world [a pjo fanfic]

chapter fifteen.

"P-percy left?" Leo stuttered. "What do you mean?"

"He just... got up and ran out of camp." Hazel's hands were shaking and Frank mutely looked at Piper.

"Shit. What the Tartarus do we do now?" She tugged at her braid in stress.

"It's fine, Piper-" Jason was cut off. "Jason! It's not fine! You-" she stabbed him in the chest with a finger- "all of you know that we aren't anything without Percy. We're nothing."

"No. We are the Seven. We can survive a betrayal, Piper. We're all strong with or without him. We can defeat monsters without him." She hugged Piper and the daughter of Aphrodite gulped, hugging her back. "Right."

"We can do it without him."

"What do we do?" Hazel muttered.

"Live." Frank sighed. "Am... am I the only one that feels a little guilty about being so mean to him? I mean, do we even know if he was trying to protect us or not?" He said, unconvincingly. Jason's nostrils flared and he panicked.

"Frank! Shut the hell up! He almost killed me!"

"O-okay! I'm s-sorry, Jason, I was just w-wondering!" He flinched, shielding his face. Jason didn't realize that he was holding a lightning bolt in his hand. He set it down and apologized. "Sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

Piper grabbed Jason's arm. "I feel so unprepared without him. Maybe we can take a look at-"

"A look at your dagger."

"Right." Piper pulled out Katoptris and focused on it. It showed a vision of Percy standing at the camp borders, holding out Riptide, an uncertain look on his face. Piper gasped and nearly dropped Katoptris. "He's coming. He's coming back to camp. What do we do?"

"Calm down, Piper. He doesn't look like he's looking for a fight. We should just get him to leave again."

"Okay. Okay." Internally, Jason was freaking out just as much as Piper was. What if they accepted him again? He'd be able to spill everything.

He had to take advantage of this time.

Meanwhile, Percy was continuing his journey over the sea to meet his friends that wanted nothing to do with him. He had high hopes, but only because he didn't want to believe that they didn't want to see him. Poor Percy, trying to convince himself that his friends would understand.

--

After days of travelling, his hunger paining him to the point where he felt that he was unable to walk, Percy arrived at the border. He was nervous, but ready to collapse. He stood behind a tree, wringing his hands. What did I do wrong?

With the confidence he got from those few words, he stepped into the border.

"He's here." Piper was standing at the side, pointing Katoptris at him. "P-piper?"

"Don't move an inch." Percy felt dizzy and black spots dotted his vision. "Piper, I-"

"Shut up. Leave, Percy. We want nothing to do with you." That was the last thing he heard before he fell onto the ground, unconscious. "What? Percy." Piper nudged him with her foot. He didn't respond. Hazel grabbed his arms from behind and flipped him around, inspecting his face. "He's knocked out."

"Oh my gods, look at how gaunt he is. No wonder."

"Should we get him some food?"

"Yeah. We can't just leave him here, right?" She said, conflicted.

"Let's bring him to the infirmary. I'll go get some food."

--

"A friend of all is a friend to none." Percy heard a voice behind him. Wait. Am I dreaming?

"Yes. I'm using a mind link." Ukulwa was speaking to him.

"How are you talking to me?"

"Through a mind link. I cast a spell on you before you left."

"Oh. Right." Percy felt numb.

"Did they accept you?"

"What? Who?"

"Your friends." Percy cringed. "Uh, not exactly. But I passed out before I could ask any more."

"I can tell. I was expecting the mind link to open at night, but I was surprised to see it open now."

"...Yeah."

They stood in silent darkness.

"Come back to me, Perseus."

"I will, as soon as I wake up.

"Thank you, Ukulwa."