The Persephone Plot- A Percy Jackson Story

Rachel Gives a Prophecy

Darcey's P.O.V.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" a deep voice crows: Nico di Angelo, one of my best friends...who's about to feel my sword shoved through his chest.. I grope around for my bronze sword that I usually keep right next to my bed, wrap my fingers around it, and spring out of bed, pinning Nico against the wall. He grins at my snarl-contorted face and gingerly pushes the blade away from this throat.

"Someone's in a mood, now isn't she?" another male voice says behind me. Zack Smith, one of the hottest guys at our camp, surveys me with a slight smirk.

"What do you want?" I growl, unhappy that these two morons woke me up.

"Chiron said to meet at Rachel's place after breakfast with someone else," Zack says coolly, examining the doorframe of the Athena cabin nonchalantly. Yes--Athena as in the goddess...she's my mother. My name is Darcey Johansson, 16-year-old demigod daughter of Athena. Zack is a son of Apollo, and Nico is a Hades. Still seething, I point to the door, which the boys scurry out of. I roll my eyes and walk into the bathroom, surveying myself in the mirror. I was one of the first Athena kids to not have honey-blonde hair. I have the trademark Athena eyes, stormy grey, and chocolate-colored hair that curls. After I make my face presentable and pull on my cutoffs, camp shirt, and black Converse, I head down to the dining hall to eat with the rest of my brothers and sisters, who had left my sleeping self alone, thank the gods.. The Aphrodite girls walk out of their cabin , and I immediately feel out of place. Most of the girls are naturally skinny, and I feel fat next to them with my curvy body. Looking down, I rush ahead to avoid the awkwardness.

"Ah, the Aphrodite girls," I hear Zack say somewhere to my right. I look over, and he's shirtless, trying to show off. I roll my eyes and turn back around as the daughters of Aphrodite giggle.

"Darcey!" someone yells behind me. Josh Martin, a Hephaestus camper with blonde hair, is running up behind me. He's one of the only good-looking guys in his cabin, and I've been crushing on him since I got to camp. Josh is a year older than me, and has an amazing personality as well as looks. I flash him a smile, and he picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder. Being a son of Hephaestus, he's extremely strong and can carry practically anybody or anything, including me.

"Josh! Put me down!" I say, hanging hopelessly over his left shoulder while he laughs. I growl at him and he sets me down in front of him once we get to the dining hall. I glare at him and cross my arms over my chest.. "Josh Hunter Martin..."

"C'mon, Darcey, loosen up a bit," he replies with a smile. The rest of our friends join us: Storm, a beautiful Aphrodite girl; Mercy, a daughter of Apollo; Callie, the daughter of Hades; Maya, the daughter of Nemesis; Jett, the daughter of the winter god, Boreas; Nico and Zack.

"Well, hello," Mercy says with her French accent, "What's for breakfast?" We all shrug and head in to eat, separating to sit with our different tables.. After Chiron gives the blessing, Naiads and Dryads walk our with plates heaped with bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, sausages, and much, much more. I notice that they have some non-meat foods for Mercy, who's a vegetarian.. We all get up and scrape our foods into the fire pit as an offering for the gods, like usual.. I scarf my food down, eager to see what Rachel, our Oracle, needs.

"Slow down, Darcey," my younger sister Evangeline says incredulously. I shake my head and continue to eat like a dog.

"Gotta go!" I say once I'm done and bolt over to the Apollo table, where Zack and Storm are already waiting. We all dash out excitedly, only to run straight into Chiron the Centaur, our trainer.

"Excited, are we?" he says kindly, his palmino flank quivering. We all nod and he chuckles, leading us to Rachel's house.

Now, Rachel's house isn't exactly a house. It's this awesome hangout place by the lake, equipped with everything a 20-year-old needs to keep herself entertained. It has all of her art supplies, plus a game system, flat-screen TV with surround-sound, a radio system, foosball and ping-pong tables, some really awesome couches, and a bed and bathroom in the next room. We knock softly on the door and enter to see Rachel messing with the TV.

"Hey, guys," she says when she looks up. Her wild red hair is tied back with a bandana, and there's paint all over her jeans.

"Hey, Rachel. Chiron said to see you," I say with a smile since Zack and Storm are giggling behind me.

"Yeah, I think--oh, no. It's starting," Rachel says, her normally amber-colored eyes turning a glowing green color; she's about to give a quest.

"Three shall begin the Quest of the End,

To seek the Goddess of the Flowers again.

Six shall assist to finish the plot,

And the battle will be well-fought.

The nine with be together until the last breath,

Hence, this ends with death.

The Quest of the End starts in the Death Lord's land of reign,

And shall be finished on the earth with pain.

This prophecy begins today,

Go, now, and seek where the dead do lay."

Rachel's eyes stop glowing and return to their normal color, and she looks exhausted. Zack, Storm, and I look at each other; We've just been given a prophecy. I clear my throat and say, "Rachel...you just gave us a prophecy."

"Did I?" Rachel looks confused; she can never remember anything she says. It's a good thing I remember what she says so I can write it down.

"Yeah, um, bye, Rachel," Storm says while we all give her quick hugs and leave Rachel confused and dazed.

__________________

"Here you are," says Chiron as he hands me a backpack filled with snacks, money, and golden drachma. We all changed into our quest clothes and had gotten our weapons. I run my fingers across the edge of my sword and sling the pack over my back.

"Thank you," I say while hugging him gratefully. After hugging him, I give all of my friends farewell hugs. Josh is the last in line. I look at him for a moment and wrap my arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe because he's so tall. Josh wraps his arms around my waist.

"Be careful," he mumbles in my ear. I nod and give him a smile while taking car keys from Chiron.

"Use the black truck," Chiron says with a nod. Zack, Storm, and I set out in an old black Toyota with two hundred dollars, drachma, and the Quest of the End still echoing in our minds.