Chapter Text
Percy was making his way to another camp counselor meeting. I mean seriously this is the third time this week! The campers are going to start getting ideas, a specially the Hermes kids. We shouldn’t be leaving them alone like this… consecutively,but whatever- He made his way out of his cabin and past cabin two. He walked up to cabin one opening the door hoping to find that Jason had waited for him, but alas the cabin was empty.
He walked out being extra sure to lock the door behind him so none of the Hermes kids, that he knows are sneaking out of their cabins, won’t be able to get in. He was stopped by a few campers on his way asking for help, because summertime was starting they were getting a bunch of new campers. After helping a few kids with various things he made his way onto the big houses’ wraparound porch where he found his friends as well as Leo, Hazel, and Frank. Which was strange because those three aren’t counselors.
Hazel and Frank recently decided they would start spending more time at Camp Half-Blood, they’ve been here around four days now and will be staying for a few months. Leo has been living here since he saved Calypso, he just never challenged his siblings to become counselor.
Unlike Percy had first thought Leo and Calypso didn’t date. Leo eventually confessed to having read a bit of The Odyssey and knowing what she was like then made him uncomfortable with the idea of dating her. He also brought up the fact of her age, being and immortal goddess, whether time on Ogygia was weird of not she still spent a good amount of her life not trapped. Leo made some very good points, Annie was impressed at the level of non stupidity.
Annie explained that Chiron also asked those three to come because they were a part of the seven. Which seemed strange but whatever Chiron’s getting old. They all sort of filed into the big house and made their way to the meeting room, where the rest of the camp counselors were plus Connor but he counted as a counselor at this point.
“Ah finally the seven of you decide to join us,” Chiron spoke as they entered the room.
“Yes I’m sorry we’re late sir,” Annabeth replied quickly, “Percy was taking his sweet sweet time.”
Percy pouted at Annabeth and they all took their seats as Chiron continued, “I assume you’re all wondering why I called you all here, well don’t worry there’s no new prophesy.”
Many Audible sighs of relief echoed throughout the room. Chiron chuckled, “yes yes no worries, I did call you all here to speak about something very important though.”
Percy could almost visibly see the tension flood back into the room as he said that. “You all do realize you need to be a good influence for all these new campers,” and then the tension was replaced with annoyance. A lecture of course it happens every summer.
“As camp counselors and demigods from the prophesy of the seven you should be setting a good example for the campers,” he continued, “destructive pranks, toilets exploding, burning cabins, blowing things up, burning trees, raising the dead and calling apon souls to torment campers, hiding around, scaring campers, threatening campers, all of these things are unacceptable.”
Percy smiled apologetically at Chiron upon hearing ‘exploding toilets’. Percy’s eyes dart around the room hoping to catch the others reactions. He manages to catch Travis and Conner rolling their eyes, Leo slumping in his chair, and Nico clicking his tongue, he snorted amused by their response to being used as examples for everyone else. Playful glares we’re shot his way, he didn’t mind though, he trusted these people.
Chiron continued going over things that don’t really have to do with Percy as he won’t be sharing a cabin. Same old same old, again, we run over this every summer. We go over rules we know won’t be enforced and expectations that no one will live up to. Honestly it’s nice finally getting back into the hang of things, No crazy quests, maybe an occasional monster. It’s kinda refreshing though, no hoards of monsters just one. Percy is snapped out of his thoughts when someone PULLS HIS HAIR. Like come on, oh of course.
Piper snickered at his unamused expression, “come on you tall ass oaf everyone’s already left, Chiron wants to tell us something on the porch.”
“I’m not that tall, Frank is right outside,” Percy replied dramatically, the followed the warm skinned girl out the door.
Nine of them were gathered outside on the porch, ‘the seven’ along with Will and Nico.
“There you are Percy, yes all I wanted to tell you all was that Ms. Dare will be arriving here soon.”
Well that certainly lifted the mood. Rachel was visiting, which of course was great news. The rest of the seven along with Nico and Will have grown pretty close with Rachel. Percy really hopes she isn’t going to casually get a helicopter to fly her up here like last time, that was a mess. Deep down Percy still holds personal resentment towards the rich. Jason had showed him a picture of one of Piper’s dad’s mansions once it made him feel sick. Though he tends to ignore the feeling and just enjoy the time with his friends.
“When exactly will she be getting here sir?” Will questioned.
“She is already here William, she should be making her way down from her cave right now, as dinner is starting soon,” Will scrunched up his nose upon hearing his full name. Which he has told Chiron over and over again that he doesn’t like to be called. Chiron ignored his obvious show of distaste and went to go play pinochle with Mr. D.
“Hey! You guys talking about me?,” a familiar voice called out. Percy turned to the direction of the voice to see Rachel walking down the hill with her backpack slung over her shoulder and waving at us, he smiled returning the wave along with the others.
A laugh fell from Annabeth’s lips, “Yeah! We are, what are you going to do about it!”
“Nothing! I’m flattered,” Rachel said teasingly as she began jog over to us, “I brought a bunch of stuff, we could skip dinner and have a party in my cave?”
“Oh my gods yes,” Piper sighed, “you’re awesome, you know that.”
“Yes I do, and everyone’s invited! Well not everyone just you guys, you can invite people but like not the whole camp.”
“We know what you meant Rachel, don’t worry,” Hazel reassured her.
“Good to know. Well? Bon voyage everyone, let’s go!”
“Rachel that is not what that means,” Nico reminded her, cringing a bit from the misuse.
We all talked and joked as we made our way up to her cave. At some point Frank turned into a rat and scared the ever loving shit out of Piper. Leo almost died laughing, literally, he fell right on his face, which made Nico laugh at him.
Percy was the one to scare Jason so bad he screamed like a five year old boy. He had snuck up behind Jason and blew into his ear. This time Piper and Nico joined Leo in practically dying laughing. Percy had to clamp his hand to his mouth to keep himself from laughing.
Eventually they made it up to her cave. Everyone made themselves comfortable and Rachel, bless her, brought out enough junk food to feed an army of Oompa Loompas. We probably looked like a rabid pack of animals, lunging forward grabbing the food we wanted, though we would probably end up sharing anyway.
This was it… this is the perfect moment. No one will suspect anything… “We should watch Moana,” Percy announced.
A chorus of groans echoed through the room. “Absolutely not, we’ve watched it about… I don’t know five hundred times,” Annabeth said sternly.
“Pleaseeeeeeee!”
We ended up putting on the princess and the frog… Dam it. It’s fine I’ll get my revenge. Never mind I forgot this movie was so good.
Everyone got comfortable watching the movie on the large TV that Rachel somehow got installed… into a cave… Hazel and Frank were sitting together cuddling and doing couple stuff, as were Piper and Annie. Leo and Nico were sitting together singing all the songs as loudly as possible. Will was over to the side a bit talking with Rachel as she painted. Jason was sitting with Percy, he wasn’t leaning on him or holding him while they yelled songs. Somewhere deep down he wished Jason was resting on his shoulder too or at least yelling the songs with him. Percy felt his face grow a bit hot. As bros, like Leo and Nico, obviously.
“Have you been having visions lately Rach?” Will asked watching her canvas curiously as she painted.
“Well yeah, I mean of course I get visions all the time,” she replied drawing the other’s attention a bit away from the movie, “None of them are super important, though I do know a lot of things I shouldn’t.”
“Oh my gods spill. Right now,” Piper pleaded.
“Nuh uh, my lips are sealed,” she said turning around and sipping her mouth shut.
“Let’s play truth or dare,” Piper said quickly, “Rachel truth or dare!”
Percy snickered as he heard Annabeth sigh at her girlfriends shenanigans.
“Fine if you insist, truth,” Rachel answered knowing exactly what Piper was doing.
“Tell us the truth and spill the tea right this instant, Aphrodite cabin gossip isn’t as good as you think,” Piper replied excitedly.
At this point everyone was more invested in this conversation than the movie, and had gathered around where Rachel was painting. Forming an absolutely terrifyingly deformed semicircle. Rachel quickly put her things down and sat down in the middle.
“Well first Piper, I know that you and Annabeth went on a date last weekend, and so did Frank and Hazel,” she recalled.
“Oh my godssssss, Rachel quit teasing, I need good gossip so bad!”
There was a moment of silence, hesitation even, before she replied bluntly.
“Leo and Nico are dating,” what?, “they have been for months now.”
“Wait a DAMN minute,” Leo said in shock, “You guys didn’t know!?”
“NO?!”
Nico snickered, “Damn, that’s embarrassing. Like really embarrassing, we were super obvious about it.”
“Wow Pipes, you don’t even notice when your best friend is in a relationship, wow,” Leo pouted teasingly.
Percy couldn’t help but laugh when he saw Piper’s face. She looked like she was suppressing laughter, disappointed, and in shock at the same time it was great. Oh and Hazel looked so determined to give a shovel talk.
“OH MY GODS I SEE IT NOW, ALL THE SIGNS I JUST IGNORED THEM,” Piper exclaimed quite aggressively, “BUT I WAS LIKE ‘awwww look at that, Leo’s finally making new friends!’ HOW COULD I BE SO STUPID.”
Piper let her head fall into her hands out of self pity as Annabeth rubbed her back comfortingly. On the other hand Will had his hand over his mouth trying to muffle his laughter, Frank was trying so hard not to laugh snot shot out his nose, Percy and Jason were on the floor, laughing, and Hazel had forgotten completely about shovel talking Leo.
“Ok, gods, come on Rachel tell us something we don’t know,” Nico sputtered out still laughing.
That’s when it happened. Rachel opened her mouth to say something and she froze. Her eyes and mouth started to spill green smoke. Everyone was suddenly dead silent, pure terror looming over the room. The smoke spread throughout the cave and the eerie voice of the oracle spoke;
A new reign may begin; Olympus glowing surrounded by flames,
A bitter reminder of how history repeats.
Now eight half-bloods shall answer the call,
Two will decide whether Olympus should fall.
The betrayal of friends will be devastating,
For whom should they be trusting.
There will no journey traveling wise,
The longer they wait the less they have time.
Search the camps they must act soon,
To be sure they don’t make it to Olympus by the next full moon.
The smoke was gone, it was dead quiet except for the sounds of the princess and the frog still playing in the background.
Percy broke the silence, horrified, his voice breaking.
“What.”