Do-over (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

6. The Kindly Ones aren't even kind

In a few seconds, Grover was fitted with his new flying shoes and was speeding down the hill, the shoes dragging him along behind them.

'Practice!' Chiron called after him. 'You just need practice!'

I watched smiling as Grover picked himself up and climbed into the SUV rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. I was about to follow him but a hand stopped me.

'I should have trained you better, Percy,' he said with a pained look on his face. 'If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason - they all got more training.'

I internally cringed at the name Hercules. After finding out what he did to Zoë, I stopped looking up to him like I used to when I was a kid. Well, a younger kid.

'I don't mind,' I said nonchalantly. What Chiron didn't know was that he had already trained me for four years. That should be more than enough training for one lousy quest. 'It won't matter how much training I get. A quest is all about luck, isn't it?'

Chiron nodded gravely, 'I'm afraid so. Contrary to popular belief, nobody can properly prepare for a quest.'

'Just my luck,' I grumbled. 'I just wish I have a weapon that fits me, you know?'

'What am I thinking?' Chiron said facepalming. 'I can't let you get away without this.'

My eyes went wide when he pulled a familiar pen from his pocket. I resisted the urge to snatch it right out of Chiron's hand. I missed Riptide. These past few days without it was torturous.

'This isn't...' I acted before slowly removing the cap off the black pen. I smiled as the pen transformed into the beautiful Celestial Bronze sword I knew and loved.

'This was a gift from your father, Percy,' Chiron said with a faraway look in his eyes, like he was remembering the day my father arrived at camp to deliver a pen. 'I've kept it for years, not knowing you were who I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You are the one.'

I involuntarily winced. I didn't want to be "the One". I didn't ask to be "the One". Yet, the Fates decided to make me their play toy and had chosen to involve me in literally anything that involved the Greek world. I didn't choose to be the one to decide the fate of Olympus.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Those thoughts didn't belong in my head. Sooner or later, those thoughts would be converted into hatred for the gods. I didn't want that. I didn't want to end up like Luke.

'The sword has a long and tragic history that we need not get into,' A mental picture of Zoë popped into my head. 'Its name is Anaklusmos.'

'Riptide,' I breathed. I ran my thumb along the engraving on the base of the sword. I tuned out Chiron's long lecture about the proper use of godly weapons and just stared at the sword I've been using for years, the sword that saved my life more times than I could count.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in the back row of the white SUV squished between Grover and Annabeth. I was twirling Riptide between my fingers, just like I did in order to quell my ADHD. Annabeth was leaning against the car door as far away from me as possible. A book about architecture was open on her lap as she stared out the window.

I wanted to talk to her but the way she was acting made me reconsider.

Argus drove in silence all the way to the Greyhound Station. The whole trip consisted of Grover nervously tapping his fingers on his lap and Annabeth avoiding me. I tried not to think about Gabe but being so close to my old apartment didn't do me any favours.

I willed myself wet from the pouring rain that had started coming down when we arrived in Manhattan. We got our tickets and waited for our bus. Annabeth had started reading again and Grover was chewing on a tin can.