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Percy XXIX

"Percy XXIX," Will read.

PERCY WAS NOT FEELING THE LOVE.

"The four-chaptered point-of views aren't helping either." Percy admitted with a sigh.

Bad enough he'd been run out of Atlanta by evil sea gods.

Remembering the aquarium, Percy cringed.

Then he had failed to stop a giant shrimp attack on the Argo II.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Percy refused to make eye contact with anyone.

Then-

Percy groaned in frustration. "Of course there's more. Why wouldn't there be?"

Annabeth encouragingly squeezed his hand.

the ichthyocentaurs, Chiron's brothers, hadn't even wanted to meet him.

Huffing, Percy impatiently tapped his foot.

Leo bounced his rubber band ball.

After all that, they had arrived at the Pillars of Hercules, and Percy had to stay aboard ship while Jason the Big Shot visited his half brother. Hercules, the most famous demigod of all time, and Percy didn't get to meet him either.

"To be fair, that wasn't much of a family reunion." Thalia said, resting her head in her hand.

Percy was frowning at the paragraph's choice of wording. He didn't like how it sounded like he actually wanted to meet Hercules. Was it possible he forgot what the hero had done to Zöe? But how could he have forgotten something that had drastically changed his friend's life?

I must've meant it some other way. I wouldn't have forgotten about Zöe after my memories have been restored. Percy thought, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach.

Okay, sure, from what Piper said afterward, Hercules was a jerk,

'From what Piper said'? He's always been a jerk, why am I acting like I never knew this? Percy thought, making a noise of annoyance.

but still...Percy was getting kind of tired of staying aboard ship and pacing the deck.

That, Present-Day Percy agreed with.

Annabeth sighed.

"You're not pacing around the deck, you've been a big help. Without you and Frank, I wouldn't have been able to find the map in Charleston."

"And kept the ship afloat while Hazel, Frank, and I were gone." Leo supplied, kicking his ball around with his foot.

"Yeah," Percy begrudgingly admitted. He did do those things, but it still didn't feel enough. He was the son of Poseidon and he's already experienced sailing to the great unknown when he was traveling the Sea of Monsters! He should be better than this! More prepared.

He bit back a sigh as Will kept reading.

...To make matters worse, Annabeth had been distant ever since they had left Charleston. She spent most of her time in her cabin, studying the bronze map she'd retrieved from Fort Sumter, or looking up information on Daedalus's laptop.

"You know why I'm being distant..." Annabeth muttered to Percy. With her free hand, she played with her necklace.

"I know," he agreed, but he still didn't feel happy about it. He wished she gave him and the others more ways to help her. She might have to walk alone to fight this spider lady, but Percy could at least help with the research.