Perseus Jackson: Old Timing Hero

Chapter 2.

Third Person

"Hello, I'm glad you've arrived saf-P-Perseus?" Was Chiron's reaction.  The resident campers had no idea why the old Horse-Man was acting this way.  After all, they had never even heard of him.  How important could he be?

"Old friend," Perseus nodded his head respectfully at his old mentor.

"Old?" Chiron snorted indigently.  The daughters of Zeus and Ares, although didn't always see eye to eye, exchanged wide-eyed looks.  Who was this Horse-Man? Their Horse-Dude never acted like this.

"I know, right!" Apollo nodded.  "What's what I said.  Where does he get off, calling us old?"

Perseus grinned and rolled his eyes at his old friends.  "You guys are older than me."

"Only by a few millennium!" Apollo cried.  "We aren't old!"

"Who'd of thought?" Perseus directed this to the satyr, who looked like he was going into cardiac arrest.  "An Immortal god gets offended at being called old."

The satyr bleated a little, but shrunk down at the look he got from the Sun god.

"Well, it's been fun...I really have missed you, man."

"You as  well.  Next time, I'll make contact within a century or two." Perseus smirked, and the two superpowers shook hands.

"The Sun's gotta lot of road to run before setting, so I better go.  Find my sister," He whispered, his eyes dropped in concern.  An emotion Perseus knew the blond god rarely showed.

Perseus nodded seriously.  "Am I Perseus, or am I Perseus?"

"That's right.  Never doubt the Improbable Man."

"Odds never do seem to like me much."

"Yes, well, you always have made it out with all your limbs, so you must be doing something right."

With a final wave, the Sun god was gone.

Then, Perseus turned, and the smile was completely wiped from his face.  "Come, my old mentor.  We have much to discuss."  His eyes were narrowed, and his mouth was set in a straight line.  "And you'd better come along, Zoe.  It's important."

...

"What do you think they're talking about?"

"A way to bring Annabeth back, if they know what's good for them," Thalia said through gritted teeth.

Clarisse looked at Thalia, and nodded.  She didn't say anything.  Being the daughter of Ares meant you had a lot to live up to.  It also meant that your father terrified you, and you learned not to show caring to others soon enough.  Ares made sure all his children learned that lesson.

"That guy...I mean Perseus...he seems legit.  I think he'll help us."

"You trust him?"

"I think he is a good guy.  I don't think he's a wimp like all the other pansies in this place.  I never said that I trust him." Thalia pursed her lips, and nodded.  Whether the reason for it was because she was insulted, or because she agreed...who knows?

There was a pregnant pause.  "She...she's my best friend.  My sister.  I promised I'd protect her...especially after Luke..."  Thalia looked like she was trying to swallow a mini sun chariot.  Her eyes were down and unfocused.

The daughter of the War god looked panicked for a moment.  She knew how to beat people up, not cheer them up.  "Er...look, I don't really like to admit this...but Princess is tough.  She'll be all right."

"I hope so." Thalia muttered under her breath.  The two demigods sat in silence by the ocean, waiting for something...waiting for anything.

...

"So, spit it out.  You owe me the truth.  Where in the world have you been?" Zoe demanded as soon as the door to the Big House closed behind her.

Perseus closed his eyes and grimaced.  Perseus was either fun and carefree or serious and lethal.  The look of pure pain and uncertainty on his face didn't suit him.  Zoe's mouth opened slightly.  She and Chiron glanced at each other.

"Not the time.  Not the place.  I'm sorry.  You are like my sister...you deserve an explanation, I know that...I do...but there are more important matters that demand our attention at the moment."

Zoe looked slightly ashamed that she had forgotten her Mistress...if even for a moment when she was in danger.

"Right," Chiron seemed to finally get over his shock of seeing Perseus.  "We need to help Artemis."

"Got herself in a bit of a snag," Perseus agreed.  "And the daughter of Athena.  We need to save them."

"A quest?" Chiron asked, already knowing the answer.

"A quest," Perseus confirmed.  Perseus got a far off look on his face.  Chiron, silently musing to himself, didn't notice.  Zoe, however, alert and observant as always, did.

"...Perseus...what exactly do you know?"

A glazed look of pain crossed his eyes.  Then, Perseus shook his head.  "Too much.  I know way too much.  The quest...it is yours.  Arty's new recruit, that eager Satyr, the daughter of Zeus, and, well, yours truly will accompany you."

"No more Hunters?" Zoe asked, her brow furrowing.  Chiron looked at Perseus intently.

"Sorry.  I know what I know.  That's all there is to it." 

Zoe looked a little annoyed, but nodded in understanding.  "When do we leave?"

Perseus looked at her.  His gaze was softer than normal.  His heart clenched.  "In two days.  And it needs to be completed by the Winter Solstice.  Otherwise...well...you know, bad stuff."

...

Perseus hacked at the dummies expertly, the way only a true master could.  He cut through them faster than a viper, and hacked them into pieces in the blink of an eye.  

He was so focused, so in the zone, when he sensed a presence behind him, he spun around and hi.s sword was at the daughter of Zeus' neck before she could blink.

Perseus was still for a moment, but then recognition flashed in his eyes.  Thalia stared up at him, completely still, her eyes wide.

"Shouldn't sneak up on people." Perseus muttered, capping his sword.

"S-sorry," Thalia stuttered.  "I just..."

"You wanted to ask about your friend.  The daughter of Athena.  Annabeth Chase, yes?"

Thalia swallowed and nodded, frowning.

"I should've...I mean...if it weren't for..." Thalia looked on the verge of a panic attack. 

"Calm yourself.  Nothing can change the past.  Trust me, I know what it feels like to have regrets...but there is only one way to move.  And that is forward."  Perseus grinned slightly.  "And you better shape up.  Prepare yourself.  If you want to come along on a quest to rescue Artemis and Annabeth in a couple of days, you need to be ready."

A grateful smile made its way across Thalia's face, and she grinned.  "Thank you."

Perseus turned to leave, but before he did, he said something that Thalia that left her completely stunned.

"Don't worry about it.  After all...us kids of the Big Three need to stick together.  Ain't that right, cousin?"