The Life After Tartarus

Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Jason

I'll admit. I sort of hated Olympus. It was beautiful and everything but I felt left out. The way Percy was just able to talk to every god and goddess with no problem. It didn't matter if the memories he had with them were good or bad. Even though the gods acted like they hated him they really didn't.

I was happy to see Thalia again. And I finally met my dad. I wasn't really sure what to expect. I always pictured meeting Jupiter as well I don't know disciplined? But this was Zeus. And Zeus was a different person.

"Hey Jason! Great to see you again little bro."

I smiled. "Technically I'm older now. 16 remember. Now I can drive."

Thalia made a face like she remembered an old memory. "Yea the first time I drove a car was Apollo's sun chariot. We just recruited Nico and Bianca joined the hunters. Apollo insisted I drive but I hated it. I'm scared of heights."

"Well that was the sun chariot. This is a normal car that you drive on the ground."

"Well mom died in a car crash... Besides I don't have time to drive a car. There are lots of monsters to hunt down."

I thought about that. Thalia would be here talking to some other kid just like this long after I'm gone. And she'll still look the same.

"Are the other hunters here?" I asked.

She nodded. "Lady Artemis thought it was best to postpone our hunting to help with the war. We all have our separate rooms. Guys on one side of the hallway and girls on the other. Of course the hunters have a whole other hallway. 4 hallways from your's actually."

"Do they think guys are contagious or something?"

"No but they really only know Percy. They are a little nicer to him but they still they keep their distance. Besides you and Frank and roman and we're supposed to be natural enemies. And well Leo... I don't know."

"That's a great way to describe me! But I think bad boy supreme is more suitable." Leo said coming in between me and Thalia. He's grown a little taller and more muscular after working in the forges at camp. But the same mix of excitement and sadness stays in his eyes.

"Olympus is great! I wonder where the forges are here! It would be so nice to be in a forge again! Who knows maybe I can help my dad with something!"

He was so excited it made me kind of jealous. Was I going to be able to spend time with my dad? Thalia looked at me. If she saw the jealousy in my face she didn't say anything. She looked back at Leo.

"Ok Leo so maybe you aren't that bad." She laughed. "You should ask Annabeth. She constructed Olympus again. And it seems like everything she rebuilt is rebuilt here."

"I haven't seen Percy or Annabeth since the meeting." I said.

"I think they're talking to their parents. You know about Tartarus." Leo said in an almost whisper.

After that he walked away probably looking for the forges. Thalia led me to my room quietly.

"Thalia. Are you okay?" I asked.

"I... Well I didn't know Percy and Annabeth fell until the meeting. I feel like I'm a bad friend." She said.

"For what?"

"I've known Annabeth since she was 7. When we ran around with Luke she was vulnerable. She admired him. Then I died. When I came back I lost Luke and then a few months later I lost Annabeth. Percy was my best friend but also my worst enemy. I guess it was the same for him. It happens I think between children of the big three. Or maybe it's only Greeks. You and Percy don't seem like you guys hate each other. It was different for Percy and Nico. Nico hated Percy and then he forgave him but then he turned Percy in to Hades. Then he redeemed himself when he got hades to fight in the war. The point is when Annabeth was gone I was never there. And Percy was always there to help me. He was there for Annabeth when I couldn't be."

I clenched my fists. What she said about nico wasn't true and it was getting harder to keep it from Percy. I but my lip and managed to nod.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you my problems. You guys have got enough to worry about. Besides you should take Leo's advice. Explore Olympus. I need to check on the hunters."

She smiled and left. I decided to look for piper. She's wasn't in her room. I decided to just walk around. I saw a sword arena and Percy was there. Annabeth was sitting in a chair near him. They appeared to be talking... Or Annabeth was talking. Percy seemed to be concentrating on killing the straw dummy. I walked closer to go say hi.

"Percy I'm telling you my mom is just being protective..." They noticed me and stopped talking. "Oh um sorry. I could go. Just wanted to say hi."

"It's ok you can stay. We were just finished with our conversation." Percy said. Annabeth glared at him and walked off.

"Um I don't even want to know. Anyways how is it being in Olympus since the war?"

Percy shrugged. "Nothing really the only difference is that this time they aren't voting to kill me. Instead Annabeth took that offer. How's meeting your dad?"

Percy continued to practice while I answered. "I dunno. It was ok. I didn't really know what to expect but I guess I'm happy I met him. Was that how it was like when you met your dad?"
Percy stopped practicing and looked at me. He was drenched in sweat but he looked more healthier then before. His scars were almost gone.

"No. I talked to my dad after my first quest. Everyone blamed me for taking Zeus' master bolt when really it was Luke."

"Luke? The dead guy? I have a picture of him, Thalia, and Annabeth in Zeus' cabin."

"Yea they used to adventure together. Anyways Luke ended up betraying us and joined Kronos Army but he ended up being the hero in the end."

"You weren't mad?"

"Of course I was mad. He acted like my friend. But not only that. Annabeth kept believing that Luke was still good. So naturally we got into fights about it all the time. Then Annabeth ended up being right. My anger for Luke subsided. He was a hero. He saved Olympus. Anyways back to my dad. I came to Camp when I was 12. Before that my mom talked about my dad. I was always angry at him. He left my mom with a horrible guy. Then before I went to camp I saw my mom get killed in front of the Minotaur right in front of me. Only later I learned she was being held captive in the underworld. I accepted the quest not because of my dad. I could care less of what happened to him at the time. I only wanted to save my mom. Then I met Poseidon. It was ok. I didn't know what to think of him but he didn't know what to think of me and I think that helped a little."

"What happened to your stepdad?"

Percy smiled. "Oh my mom turned him into a statue and sold him."

I was shocked. I decided not to ask. Then the horn blew signaling Dinner. Percy's stomach growled. "Oh man. You haven't tasted Olympian food Grace. Let's go"