Project Percy (Kotlc Meets Percy Jackson)

Chapter 24

"Good morning, prodigies," Magnate Frederick said during orientation the next morning. "Everyone ready for another exciting day?"

"Hey, check it out," Leo whispered. He pointed to the meter on his plain blue nexus. "I finally passed the halfway point."

"Really?" He tried to be excited for Leo, but he hadn't even reached the one-third point.

"Yep. Not much further till I can have my own Pathfinder. Maybe I'll even get my nexus off younger than Annabeth! Man, that'd be awesome. I'd love to see Owl Head's face if a Valdez broke her precious record."

"Owl Head?"

"You know, 'cause her family crest is an owl."

"We are now four weeks away from midterms," Magnate Frederick interrupted. "For those of you worried you won't be able to score the required seventy-five percent to pass, I recommend seeing Lady Hecate in the tutoring center."

"Maybe you should sign up for elementalism tutoring," Leo whispered. "Not sure you'll pass without it."

His tone was teasing, but the words hit a nerve. Percy was barely scraping by in elementalism, and that was with Lady Alecto shouting instructions across the room. He couldn't imagine how hard it would be on his own. And he had Mars to consider. He was probably waiting for Percy to fail his midterms.

Everything in him shrank at the idea of needing a tutor. He wasn't used to struggling with his grades.

"That's it for today," Magnate Frederick finished.

"Ugh, what is that?" Percy gagged and glared at the silver strip on his locker.

Leo looked a little green. "I think it's reekrod. Apollo must have picked the flavor today."

"Remind me to yell at him the next time I see him."

"Planning another visit to the Healing Center?" Clarisse called. "Going to make it a habit?"

"I'll send you to the Healing Center," Percy threatened.

Jason, who was standing a few lockers away, gave his locker the tiniest lick and shrugged. "He's done worse."

"Yeah, well, I'm taking all my books with me now," Percy said.

"Ooh, good idea," Leo agreed, reaching for the rest of his books. He grabbed a small silver box and tore it open. "Here, have a Prattle to get rid of the taste."

For once Leo had a good taste in candy. It was sweet and chewy, like caramel mixed with peanut butter and filled with cream.

"What pin did you get?" Jason asked as he wandered over. Leo didn't look happy to be so close to one of Annabeth's close friends, but he obediently pulled out a small velvet pouch, like a Cracker Jack prize.

He removed a tiny silver horse with a glittering black mane.

Jason gasped. "A Prattles' unicorn? Please tell me you're willing to trade."

"Maybe." His eyes darted to Percy. "Unless you want it?"

"I don't have any to trade?"

"You don't have any Prattles' pins?"

"Nope." Percy hated how out of touch he was.

"I think Percy should have it." Leo placed the pin in his hand. "You owe me some rare pins."

Percy examined the little horse, amazed by the detail. The back had a tiny digital screen that read: #122 OF 185. "What's the number mean?"

"There's one pin for every creature alive on the planet - that we know of. Right now, there are only one hundred and eighty-five unicorns, so that pin is super-rare."

"It is," Jason said, obvious bitterness in his voice. He pulled out a small bag in his locker and riffled through it. "I'll offer you five murcats, two phoenixes, three griffins and an imp for that unicorn."

Leo scoffed. "That's plain robbery."

"Four phoenixes."

"Deal," Percy said, although from the gleeful look on Jason's face and the horrified one on Leo's, he'd made a mistake.

He studied the murcat pin. It did indeed look like Davy Jones. Then he looked at the griffin. It was shaped like a lion with wings and a beaked nose, but that was about all the similarities it had with the griffin statue he'd seen in the Met. It was covered in dull red feathers, and its claws were yellow and curved upwards.

"Oh, Percy, before I forget," Jason said, poking his head back in to the conversation. "Annabeth wanted to see if you'll come over to Viric Ridge after school."

Leo looked seriously annoyed, but Percy ignored him. "Sure."

"Great. See you there."