After Time

Ten

Percy

I was in the arena when she arrived. I was sparring with one of the other kids who were there, a son of Hephaestus I think. "Good fight," he grunted as I pointed Cross Current at his throat. I shook his hand and gave him a thumbs-up. I never caught his name.

"Percy, my boy" Quintus interrupted, "Master Chiron wishes to speak to you." I nodded and made my way to the Big House. I didn't know why Quintus called the centaur that, but I didn't pay any mind to it.

When I arrived at the Big House I became enraged, but I didn't show it. Chiron was sitting on the porch in his wheelchair. Sitting across from him was Annabeth Chase. I sat down and glared at the girl. 'Where are my siblings?'

She looked at me sadly, tears leaking from her eyes. "Percy," Chiron said gently, "Tyson and Grover are missing." I cringed, "As is Andromeda."

"It's my fault," Annabeth said before I could glare at him, "I left her behind. Hephaestus told us to investigate Mount St. Helens. There were telkhines, and Andy told me to leave and that she would follow me. She said she had a plan but- the mountain exploded and she never came back."

I whirled on Chiron, 'How do I get my sister back?'

He looked at me sadly as tears leaked from my eyes. After a look from Chiron, Annabeth quietly walked off toward the cabins. I glared at her back as she left. "I am sorry, my boy. You are going through a lot, but resenting Annabeth will not help."

'How do I get my sister back?' I repeated. He placed his hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. Where is Tyson?

"I do not know, my boy."

I ran off as the tears started leaking faster. I sprinted past the cabins and toward the sea. I dove beneath the waves and shot off, unsure of where I was going The water was as welcoming as it always was, but I barely noticed.

I let the currents carry me for at least two hours. At one point I swam next to a group of sea turtles, or a Great White Shark. I had no real destination in mind, I only wanted to be away from Camp.

"Hey, old friend," said a voice beside me. My friend and mentor, Nerites, was swimming just outside the current, his fishtail flicking, leading up to his deep blue skin. The son of Nereus was at least as old as Aphrodite, perhaps older, but he preferred to take the form of a fourteen-year-old. He was incredibly handsome, and the light that made it through the surface of the water bounced off his face in beautiful rays. "Been a while, eh?"

He was right, It had been almost 8 months since I had seen him last. I moved out of the current, but he continued swimming. I sped up to meet him, 'Hello, friend. What has brought you here?'

"You," he replied simply. Warmth flew down my face. If he noticed, he didn't say anything. "I missed my friend, and your dad sent me."

I looked at him curiously, 'Why?' I signed. I figured it was about Andy. Was he here to tell me she was... oh gods. Please... no...

"You can stop panicking, friend, Andromeda is alive." I let out a breath of relief. "Whether or not you'll see her again... I don't want to think about that. She's somewhere safe." He tried to assure. It didn't work.

'Where?'

"I can't tell you directly," he sighed deeply. "You've been there, I think." He raised an eyebrow. "Met that nice girl..." My eyes widened. He was teasing me, but I wondered what would happen if Andy stayed on Ogygia. If it was possible to blush and pale at the same time, then I did then.

I closed my eyes and let myself sink to the seafloor. 'I don't know what to do, N-A-R-Y'.  Nicknames are hard with sign language.

He sat next to me on the moist sand. "What's wrong, Pal?" I winced at his chosen nickname. Pal-zoned, yikes.