Prisoner of Ice and Stone

Chapter 7

Percy's POV:

Annabeth and I walked out of Stark tower together heading towards home. It had been a long day of answering hundreds of questions about demigods, the gods, and history from our point of view. Basically a bunch of stuff that I couldn't believe we were telling a couple of regular mortals. Though regular wasn't exactly the best way to describe these particular people. We pulled the mist from their eyes as part of a demonstration, and Peter had seemed thoroughly amazed by Riptide. He started muttering something about how he could add modifications to something or other that would allow a weapon to kill monsters, AND mortals. I decided to put Riptide away at that point. The silence stretched between us and I kept glancing at Annabeth. Her blonde hair had streaks of darker blonde in it that I didn't remember, and she had a few new scars. For the most part she looked the same though, and that made me feel a bit better about everything. Still I didn't really believe that she didn't like someone else. I mean come on I was hardly the man she deserved, and surely in all the time I'd been gone she'd realized that. Surely she's found someone better than me. Yet here she was walking with me as the sun set over New York City. She glanced over at me, and noticed my stare. I tried to look away, but Annabeth stopped me with a hand on my chin.

"Percy whats wrong?"

I shook my head and sent her the smile that I saved just for her.

"It's nothing. Doesn't matter."

Annabeth placed her hands on her hips, and stopped forcing me to stop to or leave her behind.

"Oh come on Seaweed Brain, you know that sort of thing never works on me, you're a terrible liar. Now tell me, what's wrong?"

I sighed and was about to respond, when we were attacked, again. Seriously couldn't the monsters leave us alone for one hour? I drew and uncapped Riptide and Annabeth pulled out her dagger. We stood back to back as we were surrounded by several dozen monsters. I gritted my teeth, there were too many of them! So I whistled, hoping she'd still come even after all these years. There was a startled scream from one of the monsters, as a massive black hellhound appeared atop of him her tail wagging. She barked and lunged toward me, pinning me to the ground with her massive body, and covering me with soggy dog kisses. I laughed and wrapped my arms around her neck.

"I missed you to Mrs. O'leary, can you give us a ride girl?"

Mrs. O'leary barked happily, and Annabeth and I hopped aboard the O'leary express. There was a strange cold rippling sensation and suddenly I found myself in the very middle of some very familiar woods. Mrs. O'leary bounded through the trees and toward the Big House, until at last we arrived Mrs. O'leary skidding the last several feet her tongue lolling in her mouth as her tail wagged back and forth. A familiar large shape with a small figure with bright red feathers atop its shoulder. The large shape turned and spotted me, and there was a loud cry of-

"BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And suddenly I was enveloped in the massive grip of my brother Tyson, and the itchy feathers of his girlfriend Ella. Tyson hadn't changed as much as the others, he was a bit bigger, but that was about it. I patted Tyson on the back, and let out a wheeze.

"I love you to buddy, but would you mind letting me breathe."

Tyson continued strangling me for a few seconds more, but then released me. Behind him I could see that Chiron had appeared on the porch, and that several campers had appeared from around the camp. I recognized some of them, but a lot of them were new faces, but they all had one thing in common. They all had curious looks on their faces. I was starting to feel unnerved by all their stares, and headed for Chiron smiling.

"It's been a while, did I miss anything big?"

Chiron laughed.

"That's putting it mildly Percy. Annabeth told us what happened, and I must say it's good to have you back young Perseus."

I laughed and wrapped him in a hug.

"It's good to be back, though I gotta say, that ice has made me a bit sloppy I'll need to work at it to get back to par."

Chiron nodded.

"You're always welcome here Percy. Now I'm guessing you came here for some reason other than to reunite with old friends."

I leaned back casually against the railing.

"Not really, we had to call Mrs. O'leary to get out of a bit of a situation, and she brought us here so I might as well hang around for a bit before I head back."

Chiron nodded, and opened his mouth to say something else, only to be cut off by an arch of flame arching across the sky behind him followed by a loud BOOM!