Artemis Smiled. "you Have Done Well, My Lieutenant. You Have Made Me Proud, And All Those Hunters Who Perished In My Service Will Never Be Forgotten. They Will Achieve Elysium, I Am Sure." She Glared Pointedly At Hades. He Shrugged. "probably." Artemis Glared At Him Some More. Okay," Hades Grumbled. "i'll Streamline Their Application Process.

-Rick Riordan

Please Wait....
Translating....

Artemis Smiled. "you Have

Rick Riordan

Topic

Elysium

Hunters

Done

More From Rick Riordan

Travis: The Aphrodite Kids Were Ripping Each Other’s Clothes And Throwing Lipstick And Jewellery. It Was Like A Rabid Herd Of Wild Bratz.

Kids

Clothes

Aphrodite

Hey, Moose!” I Screamed. The Set Animal Locked Its Glowing Eyes One Me. Well Done! Horus Said. Now We’ll Both Die With Honor! Shut Up, I Thought.

Eye

Animal

Glowing

Even Dionysus's Welcome-home Speech Wasn't Enough To Dampen My Spirits. "yes, Yes, So The Little Brat Didn't Get Himself Killed And Now He'll Have An Even Bigger Head. Well, Huzzah For That. In Other Announcements, There Will Be No Canoe Races This Saturday.

Home

Race

Speech

Can’t This Thing Go Any Faster?” Thalia Demanded. Zoe Glared At Her. “i Cannot Control Traffic.” You Both Sound Like My Mother,” I Said. Shut Up!” They Both Said In Union.

Mother

Sound

Unions

And It Was Pretty Much The Best Underwater Kiss Of All Time.

Kissing

Underwater

Poseidon

'you're Dionysus,' I Said. 'the God Of Wine.' Mr. D Rolled His Eyes. 'what Do They Say These Days, Grover? Do The Children Say "well Duh!"?' 'y-yes, Mr. D.' 'then, "well, Duh!" Percy Jackson. Did You Think I Was Aphrodite, Perhaps?' 'you're A God.' 'yes, Child.' 'a God. You.'

Children

Wine

Eye

Anyway. Leo Said, I Hope You've Got Your Worksheet, 'cause I Used Mine For Spit Wads Days Ago. Why Are You Looking At Me Like That? Somebody Draw On My Face Again?

Faces

Causes

Used

Is A Knife Evil? Only If The Wielder Is Evil.

Knives

Evil

Ifs

He Slung Off His Backpack. He'd Managed To Grab A Lot Of Supplies At The Napa Bargain Mart: A Portable Gps, Duct Tape, Lighter, Superglue, Water Bottle, Camping Roll, A Comfy Panda Pillow Pet (as Seen On Tv), And A Swiss Army Knife—pretty Much Every Tool A Modern Demigod Could Want.

Army

Gps

Knives

Now, You'll Have To Answer My Questions." "oh, Very Well," Set Said. "i Like Brazil For The World Cup. I'd Advise Investing In Platinum And Small-cap Funds. And Your Lucky Numbers This Week Are 2, 13--" "not Those Questions!" Menshikov Snapped.

Numbers

Lucky

Investing

To A Degree, The Greek And Roman Mythological Heroes Are Just The First Superheroes. They Appeal To Children For Much The Same Reason. These Gods And Heroes May Have Powers, But They Get Angry And They Do The Wrong Thing. They Are Human Too.

Children

Hero

Greek

Well That Was Sucktastic

Wells

The Best People Have The Rottenest Luck

People

Luck

A Real Man's Weapon Is His Mind.

Real

Men

Mind

I Don't Like You Two Going Off On You Won. Just Remember: Behave. If I Hear About Any Funny Business, I Will Ground You Until The Styx Freezes Over.

Two

Funny Business

Remember

I Couldn't Believe I'd Come This Far, Lost Tyson, Suffered Through So Much, Only To Fail - Stopped By A Big Stupid Monster In A Baby-blue Tuxedo Kilt. Nobody Was Going To Swat Down My Friends Like That! I Mean... Nobody, Not Nobody. Ah, You Know What I Mean.

Baby

Stupid

Believe

Writing Is Like A Sport - You Only Get Better If You Practice

Sports

Writing

Practice

Now, My Brethren!" Poseidon's Voice Was So Loud I Wasn't Sure If I Was Hearing It From The Smoke Image Or From All The Way Across Town. "strike For Olympus!

Voice

Way

Hearing

Grover: It’s A Very Sweet Love Story. I Get Misty-eyed Every Time I Play It. So Does Percy, But I Think That’s Because He’s Laughing At Me.

Sweet

Thinking

Play

So Mortals Tend To See Only What They Can Understand.

Mortals

When I Got Across, I Looked Back And Saw Tyson Giving Grover A Piggyback Ride (or Was It A Goatyback Ride?).

Giving

Saws

Tyson

I Think I Write For Reluctant Readers. Of Course I Want Everyone To Enjoy My Books, But If The Kids In The Back Row Who Normally Don't Pick Up A Book Are Engaged With What I'm Writing, Along With The Kids Who Are Big Readers Anyway, Then I Really Feel Like I've Done My Job.

Jobs

Book

Writing

I Tried Very Hard. But I Can't Help It. The Fates Are Cruel. They Sent You To Me, My Brave One, Knowing That You Would Break My Heart.

Heart

Fate

Knowing

Look, I Need To Tell You Something,' I Continued. The Words Came Stumbling Out Of Me. 'i Couldnt Stand It If...i Dont Want You To---' Percy?' She Said. 'you Look Like You're Going To Be Sick.' And That's How I Felt.

Sick

Needs

Looks

Oh, Did You Expect Me To Play Fair?" Cupid Laughed. "i Am The God Of Love. I Am Never Fair.

Play

Cupid

Hades

Nico, You Can Do This," Jason Said. "it Might Be Embarrassing, But It's For The Scepter." Nico Didn't Look Convinced. In Fact He Looked Like He Was Going To Be Sick. But He Squared His Shoulders And Nodded. "you're Right. I- I'm Not Afraid Of A Love God." Favonius Beamed. "excellent! Would You Like A Snack Before You Go?

Snacks

Sick

Jason

You Assume That It Has To Be A Male God Who Finds A Human Female Attractive? How Sexist Is That?

Males

Female

Assuming

Stand Your Ground!" Stheno Yelled. "i've Got Free Samples!

Stand Your Ground

Sample

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

I'm Just A Kid, Chiron," I Said Miserably. "what Good Is One Lousy Hero Against Something Like Kronos?" Chiron Managed A Smile. '"what Good Is One Lousy Hero'? Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Said Something Like That To Me Once, Just Before He Single-handedly Changed The Course Of Your Civil War.

War

Hero

Kids

Hope Survives Best At The Hearth.

Pandora

Hestia

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

I’d Been To The British Museum Before. In Fact I’ve Been In More Museums Than I Like To Admit—it Makes Me Sound Like A Total Geek. [that’s Sadie In The Background, Yelling I Am A Total Geek. Thanks, Sis.]

Museums

Yelling

Sound

You’re That Lady,” Leo Said. “the One Who Was Named After Caribbean Music.” Her Eyes Glinted Murderously. “caribbean Music.” “yeah. Reggae?” Leo Shook His Head. “merengue? Hold On, I’ll Get It.” He Snapped His Fingers. “calypso!

Eye

Calypso

Reggae

Annabeth’s Shoulders Ached. The Elevator’s Easy-listening Music Didn’t Help. If All Monsters Had To Hear That Song About Liking Piña Coladas And Getting Caught In The Rain, No Wonder They Were In The Mood For Carnage When They Reached The Mortal World.

Song

Rain

Listening

Keep Climbing,' He Told Himself. 'cheeseburgers,' His Stomach Replied. 'shut Up,' He Thought. 'with Fries,' His Stomach Complained.

Climbing

Shut Up

Stomach

Look, I Didn't Want To Be A Half-blood.

Blood

Looks

Half

A Tinkerer,” Snapped Pasiphaë. “even Worse. I Knew Daedalus. His Inventions Brought Me Nothing But Trouble.” Leo Blinked. “daedalus…like, The Daedalus? Well, Then, You Should Know All About Us Tinkerers. We’re More Into Fixing, Building, Occasionally Sticking Wads Of Oilcloth In The Mouths Of Rude Ladies—

Rude

Mouths

Daedalus

I Am Committed To Writing Appropriate Books For The Middle Grades. This Means No Bad Language, No Gratuitous Or Explicit Violence, And No Sexual Content Beyond What You Might Find In A Pg-rated Movie – Expressions Of Who Likes Whom, Holding Hands, And Perhaps The Occasional Kiss. The Idea That We Should Treat Sexual Orientation Itself As An Adults-only Topic, However, Is Absurd. Non-heterosexual Children Exist. To Pretend They Do Not, To Fail To Recognize That They Have Needs For Support And Validation Like Any Child, Would Be Bad Teaching, Bad Writing, And Bad Citizenship.

Children

Book

Teaching

Look, Ladies, We've Been Over This. I Don't Even Remember Killing Medusa. I Don't Remember Anything! Can't We Just Call A Truce And Talk About Your Weekly Specials?" Stheno Gave Her Sister A Pouty Look, Which Was Hard To Do With Giant Bronze Tusks. "can We?

Medusa

Giants

Looks

Did You Bring Me A Rat?" "he Has No Time For Rats, George." "no Time For Rats? That's Just Sad.

Rats

Families Are Messy. Immortal Families Are Eternally Messy. Sometimes The Best We Can Do Is To Remind Each Other That We're Related For Better Or For Worse...and Try To Keep The Maiming And Killing To A Minimum.

Family

Home

Trying

We Stepped Back And Looked At The King Of The Gods, Slumped In His Chair Snoring, And Cradling His Crook Like A Teddy Bear. I Placed The War Flail Across His Lap, Hoping It Might Make A Difference—maybe Complete His Powers Or Something. No Such Luck. "sick Weasels," Ra Muttered. "behold," Sadie Said Bitterly. "the Glorious Ra.

Kings

War

Differences

I'd Like To Say I Took The News Well. The Truth Was, I Wanted To Strangle The Hunters Of Artemis One Eternal Maiden At A Time. --percy Jackson

Hunters

News

Maidens

Rachel: They Asked Me A Lot Of Questions About You. I Played Dumb. Annabeth: Was It Hard?

Dumb

Annabeth

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

A Person's Shadow Stood For His Legacy, His Impact On The World. Some People Cast Hardly Any Shadow At All. Some Cast Long, Deep Shadows That Endured For Centuries.

Impact

Long

People

I Would've Hit The Water Hard, But At The Last Second I Changed Into A Falcon. ~carter Kane

Water

Lasts

Changed

She Deserved At Least One Person Who Saw Her And Knew How Good She Was.

Saws

Persons

We’re On The Moon,” Sadie Murmured. “el Paso, Texas,” Bast Corrected.

Moon

Texas

Sadie

I Prefer To Be The Noisiest Thing In My Environment Thank You Very Much.

Environment

You Can Do This" I Murmured. "you Are My Brother. I Love You. All The Embarrassing Bits, All The Annoying Bits, Which I Imagine Is Most Of You--a Thousand Zias Might Run Away From You If They Knew The Truth. But I Won't. I'll Still Be Here.

Running

Brother

Love You

Leo Felt Trapped. He’d Once Been Stuck In A Cave On Top Of Pikes Peak, Surrounded By A Pack Of Werewolves. Another Time He’d Been Stuck In An Abandoned Factory With A Family Of Evil Cyclopes. But This — Standing In An Open Clearing With A Dozen Pretty Girls — Was Much Worse.

Girl

Evil

Caves

So Few People Did Good In Their Lives. It Was Depressing.

Depressing

People

'are You Guys Busy?' Juniper Asked. 'well,' I Said, 'we're In The Middle Of This Game Against A Bunch Of Monsters And We're Trying Not To Die.' 'we're Not Busy,' Annabeth Said.

Games

Guy

Trying

And Now, Anubis, I Find You In This Den Of Iniquity, This Morass Of Questionable Behavior, This...this--' 'school?

School

Anubis

Behavior

Aphrodite: Pfft. That's Not The Point. Follow Your Heart. Percy: But... I Don't Know Where It's Going. My Heart, I Mean.

Heart

Mean

Aphrodite

Piper Bit Her Lip. The Last Thing She Wanted To Do Was Check Katopris For More Terrifying Images. 'i've Tried,'she Said.'the Dagger Doesn't Always Show What I Want To See. In Fact,it Hardly Ever Does' 'please,'percy Said.'try Again.' He Pleaded With Those Sea-green Eyes, Like A Cute Baby Seal That Needed Help.piper Wondered How Annabeth Ever Won An Argument With This Guy. 'fine,'she Sighed,and Drew Her Dagger

Cute

Baby

Eye

Is That Me?,' Leo Said. 'like Me--having This Dream--looking At Me Having A Dream?

Dream

Said

Hephaestus

Just Tell Me, Percy, Do You Still Have The Birthday Gift I Gave You Last Summer?" I Nodded And Pulled Out My Camp Necklace. It Had A Bead For Every Summer I'd Been At Camp Half-blood, But Since Last Year I'd Also Kept A Sand Dollar On The Cord. My Father Had Given It To Me For My Fifteenth Birthday. He'd Told Me I Would Know When To "spend It," But So Far I Hadn't Figured Out What He Meant. All I Knew That It Didn't Fit The Vending Machines In The School Cafeteria.

Summer

Father

School

They're Lares. House Gods." "house Gods," Percy Said. "like...smaller Than Real Gods, But Larger Than Apartment Gods?

Real

House

Said

It's Hard To Know What [literature] Will End Up Being Timeless And What Will Be Something That Doesn't Translate Into The Future, Especially With The Way We're Evolving Since Our Culture Is Changing So Fast.

Culture

Literature

Way

Leo Scratched His Head. “well I Dunno About Enchiladas-“ “enceladus,” Piper Corrected. “whatever. But Old Potty Face Mentioned Another Name. Porpoise Fear, Or Something?” “porphyrion?” Piper Asked. ”he Was The Giant King, I Think.

Kings

Thinking

Names

The Olympians Were A Reminder That There Was Always Someone Better Than You, So You Shouldn't Get A Big Head.

Bigs

Reminders

Big Heads

Many Of The Best Traps Are Simple. You Just Have To Think About It, And Hope Your Victim Doesn't.

Simple

Thinking

Victim

That Really Was Not Fun, Though. Well, The Hitting-her-with-a-stick Part, That Was Fun. But Crashing Into A Concrete Bear? Not Fun.

Fun

Hitting

Bears

Thalia Blushed. "hi, Lord Apollo." Zeus's Girl, Yes? Makes You My Half Sister. Used To Be A Tree, Didn't You? Glad You're Back. I Hate It When Pretty Girls Turn Into Trees. Man, I Remember One Time—

Girl

Hate

Men

Terminus Sniffed. “i Guard Borders. I Don’t Kill Giants. It’s Not In My Job Description.

Jobs

Giants

Borders

Now, I Figured That The Built-up Gas In Most Boys' Locker Rooms Was Enough To Cause An Explosion, So I Wasn't Surprised When The Flaming Dodgeball Ignited A Huge Whooooooom!

Boys

Dodgeball

Lockers

The World Was Collapsing, And The Only Thing That Really Mattered To Me Was That She Was Alive.

Love

Annabeth

Alive

Aphros Nodded, A Glint Of Pride In His Eyes. “we Have Trained All The Famous Mer-heroes! Name A Famous Mer-hero, And We Have Trained Him Or Her!” “oh, Sure,” Leo Said. “like…um, The Little Mermaid?” Aphros Frowned. “who? No! Like Triton, Glaucus, Weissmuller, And Bill!” “oh. ”leo Had No Idea Who Any Of Those People Were. “you Trained Bill? Impressive.

Hero

Eye

Pride

A Guy In Greek Armor Drew His Sword And Charged, But Slipped In A Puddle Of Pina Colada.

Guy

Greek

Puddles

At The Rear Of The Bus, The Driver Wrenched A Big Chunk Of Smoking Metal Out Of The Engine Compartment. The Bus Shuddered, And The Engine Roared Back To Life. The Passengers Cheered. Darn Right!" Yelled The Driver. He Slapped The Bus With His Hat. "everybody Get Back On Board!

Smoking

Boards

Hats

I Have Strong Feelings For You, I Just Haven't Decided If Their Positive Or Negitive Yet.a

Strong

Feelings

Havens

Even When She Looked Scared, She Had A Lot Of Guts.

Scared

Guts

Words Are The Source Of All Power. And Names Are More Than Just A Collection Of Letters.

Names

Letters

Source

We Speak With One Voice,” Walt Said. “especially On This Matter. No One Hurts Sadie Kane.

Hurt

Voice

Matter

Leo Fell In Love With Every Girl He Saw-as Long As She Was Completely Out Of His League.

Girl

Long

League

You Are One Freaking Awesome Baboon.

Baboons

Maybe That's Why He Had Started To Fear Suffocation. It Wasn't So Much Drowning In The Earth Or Sea But The Feeling That He Was Sinking Into Too Many Expectations, Literally Getting In Over His Head. Wow...when He Started Having Thoughts Like That, He Knew He'd Been Spending Too Much Time With Annabeth.

Sea

Expectations

Feelings

We Are Servants Of Ma’at—order And Justice. We Don’t Kill Our Enemies For Things They Might Do In The Future.

Order

Justice

Enemy

Swords Can’t Solve Every Problem.

Problem

Solve

Mark Of Athena

Maybe Love Was No Match For Ice...but Piper Had Used It To Wake A Metal Dragon. Mortals Did Superhuman Feats In The Name Of Love All The Time. Mothers Lifted Cars To Save Their Children. And Piper Was More Than Just A Mortal. She Was A Demigod. A Hero. The Ice Melted On Her Blade. Her Arm Steamed Under Khione's Grip. 'still Underestimating Me,' Piper Told The Goddess. 'you Really Need To Work On That.

Mother

Children

Hero

Once I Saw Desjardins’ House, I Hated Him Even More. It Was A Huge Mansion On The Other Side Of The Tuileries, On The Rue Des Pyramids. “pyramids Road?” Sadie Said. “obvious, Much?” “maybe He Couldn’t Find A Place On Stupid Evil Magician Street,” I Suggested.

Stupid

Pyramids

Evil

Eat Bitter, Taste Sweet

Sweet

Taste

Bitter

Kronos Would Be 10 Times More Powerful. His Very Presence Would Incinerate You. And Once He Achieves This He Will Empower The Other Titans. They Are Weak, Compared To What They Soon Will Become, Unless You Can Stop Them, The World Will Fall, The Gods Will Die, And I Will Never Achieve A Perfect Score On This Stupid Machine.

Powerful

Stupid

Fall

He Remembered His Home Now, And That Gave Him New Determination To Succeed. He Was Fighting For Two Camps Now -- Two Families.

Determination

Home

Fighting

"anybody Have Money?" Frank Checked His Pockets. "three Denarii From Camp Jupiter. Five Dollars Canadian." Hedge Patted His Gym Shorts And Pulled Out What He Found. "three Quarters, Two Dimes, A Rubber Band And - Score! A Piece Of Celery." He Started Munching On The Celery, Eyeing The Change And The Rubber Band Like They Might Be Next.

Two

Pockets

Jupiter

There Were A Lot Of Answers I Might've Given, From "i Knew That" To "liar!" To "yeah Right, And I'm Zeus." - Percy, After Quintus Says That He Is Daedalus

Liars

Answers

Daedalus

Eat Bitter, Taste Sweet," Frank Said. "i Hate That Proverb." "but It's True. What Do They Call It These Days---no Pain, No Gain? Same Concept. You Do The Easy Thing, The Appealing Thing, The Peaceful Thing, Mostly It Turns Out Sour In The End. But If You Take The Hard Path---ah, That's How You Reap The Sweet Rewards. Duty. Sacrifice. They Mean Something.

Sweet

Pain

Hate

You Drool When You Sleep.

Sleep

Annabeth

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

I Do Not Know How Much They See Through The Mist. I Doubt It Would Matter To Them If They Knew The Truth. Sometimes Mortals Can Be More Horrible Than Monsters.

Doubt

Monsters

Matter

Holy Mother!" "hmph. More Like Holy Father. I'd Think You'd Know The Difference." -hephaetus

Mother

Father

Thinking

The Wind Blowing Through My Ripped Clothes Was So Cold That I Felt Like A Percysicle.

Wind

Clothes

Cold

You Said Your Mom Is The Goddess Of Balance," I Reminded Him. "the Minor Gods Deserve Better, Ethan, But Total Destruction Isn't Balance. Kronos Doesn't Build. He Only Destroys.

Mom

Deserve Better

Balance

I've Always Liked The Idea That Writing Is A Form Of Travel. And I Started My Writing Career As A Mystery Novelist For Adults.

Writing

Careers

Ideas

When Luke Had Descended Into The River Styx, He Would've Had To Focus On Something Important That Would Hold Him To His Mortal Life. Otherwise He Would've Dissolved. I Had Seen Annabeth, And I Had A Feeling He Had Too. He Had Pictured That Scene Hestia Showed Me—of Himself In The Good Old Days With Thalia And Annabeth, When He Promised They Would Be A Family. Hurting Annabeth In Battle Had Shocked Him Into Remembering That Promise. It Had Allowed His Mortal Conscience To Take Over Again, And Defeat Kronos. His Weak Spot—his Achilles Heel—had Saved Us All

Hurt

Rivers

Focus

Their Goal Was In Sight. They Had A Titan With A Very Loud Kitten On Their Side. That Had To Count For Something.

Sight

Goal

Sides

There," Zoë Suggested."by The Embarcadero Building." "good Thinking," Chuck Said. "me And Hank Can Blend In With The Pigeons." We All Looked At Him. "kidding," He Said. "sheesh, Can't A Statues Have A Sense Of Humor?

Thinking

Pigeons

Sense Of Humor

Indeed, "hera Said. ―porphyrion, The Strongest Of His Kind. Gaea Needed A Great Deal Of Power To Raise Him Again —my Power. For Weeks I‘ve Grown Weaker As My Essence Was Used To Grow Him A New Form." ―so You‘re Like A Heat Lamp,"leo Guessed. ―or Fertilizer.

Essence

Lamps

Gaea

As A Magician, You Must Think About Chaos And Order. Those Are The Two Forces That Control The Universe.

Thinking

Order

Two

I Guess We're Even,sadie.first,walt And I Rushed Off To Save You In London.then,you And Walt Rushed Off To Save Me.the Only One Who Got Shafted On Both Deals Was Walt.poor Guy Gets Hauled All Over The World Pulling Us Out Of Trouble

Guy

World

London

Now-what’s Our Game Plan?” Coach Hedge Belched. He’d Already Had Three Espressos And A Plate Of Doughnuts, Along With Two Napkins And Another Flower From The Vase On The Table. He Would’ve Eaten The Silverware, Except Piper Had Slapped His Hand. “climb The Mountain,” Hedge Said. “kill Everything Except Piper’s Dad. Leave.” “thank You General Eisenhower,” Jason Grumbles.

Dad

Flower

Hands

I Should've Blown More Stuff Up." -coach Gleeson Hedge

Stuff

Should

Coaches

And I Could Always Set Coach Hedge On Fire,” Leo Volunteered. “then He Can Be Fire.” The Thought Of A Blazing Satyr Screaming, “die, Scumbag!” As He Attacked Gaea Was Almost Enough To Make Piper Laugh— Almost.

Fire

Laughing

Gaea

I Headed Towards The Mountain, Which Was An Almost Irresistible Beacon To My Storm Self. It Glowed With Heat, Pressure, And Turbulence—everything A Little Dust Devil Like Me Could Want.

Self

Dust

Storm

Oh, My Dear! I’m Afraid You’ve Mistaken Me For Someone Else! My Name Is Rhea Silvia. I Was The Mother To Romulus And Remus, Thousands Of Years Ago. But You’re So Kind To Think I Look As Young As The 1950s.

Mother

Thinking

Years

Poison!" Grover Yelped. "don't Let Those Things Touch You Or..." "or We'll Die?" I Guessed. "well...after You Shrivel Slowly To Dust, Yes." "let's Avoid The Swords," I Decided.

Dust

Poison

Wells

I Know You'll Do What's Best For Annabeth." "how Can You Be Sure?" "because She'd Do The Same For You.

Annabeth

Knows

Akmon Squealed With Delight. “i Knew You Were As Smart As Hercules! I Will Call You Black Bottom, The Sequel!

Smart

Black

Delight

Hold Up," Leo Said. "you Guys Lost A Dragon? A Real Full Size Dragon?

Real

Dragons

Guy

Waitress!" Hedge Called. "six Double Espressos, And Whatever These Guys Want. Put It On The Girl's Tab.

Girl

Espresso

Guy

It Is A Costly Thing, Looking On The True Face Of Love.

Faces

Hestia Shook Her Head. "i Am Here Because When All Else Fails, When All The Other Mighty Gods Have Gone Off To War, I Am All That's Left. Home. Hearth. I Am The Last Olympian

War

Home

Gone

Tyson," I Said "we're Turning Around!" Going The Wrong Way?" He Asked. Always," I Grumbled, But I Steered The Chariot Towards The Stands.

Way

Said

Tyson

But I Felt As If I’d Just Been Photoshopped Out Of My Own Book Cover. And If There Was One Thing I Wasn’t Used To, It Was Being Ignored

Book

Being Ignored

Used

Oh, Hazel Is Awesome," Don Said. "she's So Nice! All The Other Campers Are Like 'go Away Don.' But She's Like 'please Go Away, Don.' I Love Her!

Nice

Going Away

Said

It Was One Of Those And So They Died/the End Stories, That Made Us Demigods Feels All Warm And Fuzzy Inside.-percy

Stories

Fuzzy

Demigods

June Cackled With Delight, Muttering, "whoops!" As A Car Almost Killed Them.

June

Car

Delight

Mythologically Speaking, If There's Anything I Hate Worse Than Trios Of Old Ladies, It's Bulls. Last Summer, I Fought The Minotaur On Top Of Half-blood Hill. This Time What I Saw Up There Was Even Worse: Two Bulls. And Not Just Regular Bulls - Bronze Ones The Size Of Elephants. And Even That Wasn't Bad Enough. Naturally They Had To Breathe Fire, Too.

Summer

Hate

Fire

I Missed Him So Much I Would Sometimes Turn To Tell Him Something Before I Forgot He Was Gone. In Spite Of All That, And All The Emotion Boiling Around Inside Me, All I Could Think Of To Say Was: “you’re Blue.

Thinking

Blue

Gone

Jason Muttered "and I Saw Something...really Terrible." "that Was Hera," Thalia Grumbled, "her Majesty, The Loose Cannon." "that's It, Thalia Grace," Said The Goddess. "i Will Turn You Into And Aardvark, So Help Me-" "stop It, You Two," Piper Said. Amazingly, They Both Shut Up.

Two

Grace

Jason

Now, Sorry About That Kill-on-sight Business.

Sorry

Sight

As For My Brothers,' Zeus Said, 'we Are Thankful -' He Cleared His Throat, Like The Words Were Hard To Get Out - 'erm, Thankful For The Aid Of Hades.' The Lord Of The Dead Nodded. He Had A Smug Look On His Face, But I Figure He'd Earned The Right. He Patted His Son Nico On The Shoulders, And Nico Looked Happier Than I'd Ever Seen Him.

Brother

Son

Looks

Hey Grover! Thorn's Kidnapping Us! He's A Poisonous Spike-throwing Maniac! Help!

Hey

Helping

Throwing

He Warned Me The Greediest Wishes Cause The Greatest Sorrows.

Sorrow

Wish

Causes

I Hadn't Seen My Dad Get Violent Since The Great Spatula Incident, And I Wasn't Anxious To See A Repeat Of That.

Dad

Violent

Spatulas

Jason Scratched His Head. "you Named Him Festus? You Know That In Latin, ‘festus’ Means ‘happy’? You Want Us To Ride Off To Save The World On Happy The Dragon?

Latin

Mean

Dragons

Chaos Is Impatient. It's Random. And Above All It's Selfish. It Tears Down Everything Just For The Sake Of Change, Feeding On Itself In Constant Hunger. But Chaos Can Also Be Appealing. It Tempts You To Believe That Nothing Matters Except What You Want.

Selfish

Believe

Tears

I Can't Promise That Every Child With Learning Differences Will Become A Novelist, But I Do Think All Children Can Become Lifelong Readers.

Children

Thinking

Differences

I'm Stupid," Leo Mumbled. "pi Would Expand Outward, Because It's Infinite." He Reversed The Order Of The Numbers, Starting In The Center And Working Toward The Edge. When He Aligned The Last Ring, Something Inside The Sphere Clicked. The Door Swung Open. Leo Beamed At His Friends. "that, Good People, Is How We Do Things In Leo World. Come On In!" "i Hate Leo World," Frank Muttered. Hazel Laughed.

Hate

Stupid

Doors

Hello, Hazel Levesque.

Hello

Hazel Levesque

Leo Valdez

Destroy Them Later?" Cal Offered, Which Was Probably As Close To Friendly As He Ever Got.

Friendly

Knowledge Isn't Always Good For You.

Never Seen Jason Fly Before," Percy Grumbled. "he Looks Like A Blond Superman

Jason

Looks

Humans See What They Want To See.

Ignorance

Knowing

Perspective

You Know How Teachers Tell You The Magic Word Is 'please'? That's Not True. The Magic Word Is 'puke'. It Will Get You Out Of Class Faster Than Anything Else.

Teacher

Class

Magic

Back In Khufu's Day I Knew A Magician Who Parted The Nile Just So He Could Climb To The Bottom And Retrieve A Girl's Necklace. Then There Was That Israelite Fellow, Mickey." "moses?" "yeah, Him.

Girl

Khufu

Necklaces

That’s Narmer With The Spoon,” I Guessed. “angry Because The Other Bloke Stole His Breakfast Cereal?

Cereal

Spoons

Breakfast

I Have Lightning And Wind Powers," Jason Reminded Him. "piper Can Turn Beautiful And Charm People Into Giving Her Bmws. You're No More A Freak Than We Are. And, Hey, Maybe You Can Fly, Too. Like Jump Off A Building And Yell 'flame On!'" Leo Snorted. "if I Did That, You Would See A Flaming Kid Falling To His Death, And I Would Be Yelling Something A Little Stronger Than 'flame On!

Beautiful

Fall

Kids

But... You're Still Getting Married?" Grover Sounded Hurt. "who's The Bride?" Ploypemus Looked Toward The Boiling Pot. Clarisse Made A Strangled Sound. "oh, No! You Can't Be Serious. I'm Not-

Hurt

Sound

Serious

Yay!' He Said. 'now We Can Eat Peanut Butter Sandwiches And Ride Fish Ponies! We Can Fight Monsters And See Annabeth And Make Things Go Boom!

Fighting

Monsters

Peanut Butter

Then There Were The Shabti, Magical Figurines That Were Supposed To Come To Life When Summoned. A Few Months Ago, I’d Fallen For A Girl Named Zia Rashid, Who’d Turned Out To Be A Shabti. Falling In Love For The First Time Had Been Hard Enough. But When The Girl You Like Turns Out To Be Ceramic And Cracks To Pieces Before Your Eyes—well, It Gives “breaking Your Heart” A New Meaning.

Girl

Falling In Love

Heart

No, No, I Never Mess Around.

Mess

Like Some Helpful Person (hi, Mom) Has Tried To "'clean'" It, And Suddenly You Can't Find Anything?

Mom

Helpful

Clean

I Try Very Hard To Be Annoying. Don’t Insult My Ability To Annoy.

Trying

Insult

Annoying

I Don’t Define Myself By The Boys Who May Or May Not Like Me.

Boys

May

Like Me

Never Bet Against A Cat.

Cat

Percy!” He Bellowed. He Dropped His Broom And Ran At Me. If You’ve Never Been Charged By An Enthusiastic Cyclops Wearing A Flowered Apron And Rubber Cleaning Gloves, I’m Telling You, It’ll Wake You Up Quick.

Wakes You

Gloves

Rubber

Fighting Giants Was One Thing. Bacchus Making Into A Game Was Something Else.

Fighting

Games

Giants

Do You Think Me Cruel?” Neith Asked. “oh, Yes, I Collect The Pockets Of My Enemies.” “horrifying,” I Said. “i Didn’t Know Demons Had Pockets.” “oh, Yes.” Neith Glanced In Either Direction, Apparently To Be Sure No One Was Eavesdropping. “you Just Have To Know Where To Look.

Thinking

Enemy

Pockets

We Did All The Standard Camp Numbers: "down By The Aegean," "i Am My Own Great-great-great-great Grandpa," "this Land Is Minos's Land.

Land

Numbers

Grandpa

What? You Run? Coward! Stand Still And Die!” Percy Had No Intention Of Doing That.

Running

Coward

Intention

Hazel!” He Yelled. “that Box! Open It!” She Hesitated, Then Saw The Box He Meant. Te Label Read Warning. Do Not Open. “open It!” Leo Yelled Again.

Labels

Warning

Saws

Most Helmsmen Would’ve Been Satisfied With A Pilot’s Wheel Or A Tiller. Leo Had Also Installed A Keyboard, Monitor, Aviation Controls From A Learjet, A Dubstep Soundboard, And Motion-control Sensors From A Nintendo Wii. He Could Turn The Ship By Pulling On The Throttle, Fire Weapons By Sampling An Album, Or Raise Sails By Shaking His Wii Controllers Really Fast. Even By Demigod Standards, Leo Was Seriously Adhd.

Fire

Wii

Nintendo

The Minotaur Unstrapped His Axe And Swung It Around. It Was Beautiful In A Harsh I’m~going~togut~you~like~a~fish Kind Of Way. Each Of Its Twin Blades Was Shaped Like An Omega: Ω—the Last Letter Of The Greek Alphabet. Maybe That Was Because The Axe Would Be The Last Thing His Victims Ever Saw

Beautiful

Greek

Letters

And You, Percy, Are My Favorite Son.

Son

My Favorite

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

So, Destroy?" Cal Asked. Clearly, The Conversation Was Giving His Two Brain Cells A Serious Workout.

Workout

Cells

Two

The Pinecone Is A Fearsome Tool Of Destruction! -bacchus

Tools

Destruction

Bacchus

Kids Are Baby Goats. They're Cute And They Have Redeeming Social Value. You Are Definitely Not Kids.

Cute

Baby

Kids

You Can Tell The Future?' 'more Like The Future Mugs Me From Time To Time.' Rachel Said 'i Speak Prophecies. The Oracle Spirit Kind Of Hijacks Me Once In A While, And Speaks Important Stuff That Doesn't Make Any Sense To Anybody. But Yeah, The Prophecies Tell The Future.

Important

Oracles

Stuff

I Could Always See Myself Being A Teacher. I Remember Sitting In Class As A Kid, Listening To The Teacher And Thinking, You Know, I'm Pretty Sure I Could Explain That A Little Bit Better.

Teacher

Kids

Thinking

Until She Met The Exploding Statue, Annabeth Thought She Was Prepared For Anything.

Annabeth

Athena

Mets

I Don't Feel That Way Anymore," Nico Muttered. "i Mean... I Gave Up On Percy. I Was Young And Impressionable, And I- I Don't..." His Voice Cracked, And Jason Could Tell The Guy Was About To Get Teary-eyed. Whether Nico Had Really Given Up On Percy Or Not, Jason Couldn't Imagine What It Had Been Like For Nico All Those Years, Keeping A Secret That Would've Been Unthinkable To Share In The 1940s, Denying Who He Was, Feeling Completely Alone- Even More Isolated Than Other Demigods. "nico," He Said Gently, "i've Seen A Lot Of Brave Things. But What You Did? That Was Maybe The Bravest.

Mean

Years

Voice

It's First Owner...well, Things Didn't Turn Out Too Well For Her. Her Name Was Helena.' Piper Let That Sink In. "wait, You Mean The Helena? Helena Of Troy?' Annabeth Nodded. "and It's Just Sitting In Your Toolshed?

Mean

Names

Waiting

I'm So Glad You're Here," Aphrodite Said. "war Is Coming. Bloodshed Is Inevitable. So There's Really Only One Thing To Do." "uh... And That Is?" Annabeth Ventured. "why, Have Tea And Chat, Obviously

War

Tea

Annabeth

You Set Us Up!” “no! I Swear—” Her Face Fell. “mel. Mel Must’ve Told Him.” “right,” I Grumbled. “blame Mel.

Faces

Blame

Swear

Always, Always Have A Plan

Plans

Tyson Charged At The Cyclops Leader, Ma Gasket, Her Chain-mail Dress Spattered With Mud And Decorated With Broken Spears. She Gawked At Tyson And Started To Say, “who—?” 463/508 Tyson Hit Her In The Head So Hard, She Spun In A Circle And Landed On Her Rump. “bad Cyclops Lady!” He Bell Owed. “general Tyson Says Go Away!” He Hit Her Again, And Ma Gasket Broke Into Dust.

Dust

Circles

Broken

Love Was The Most Savage Monster Of All.

Monsters

Savages

Six Minus Six Is Zero. Spears Are Good For Subtraction Ella Said

Zero

Six

Subtraction

I Plucked A Ruby Off The Nearest Plant And Threw It At Hades.

Rubies

Plant

Hades

He Also Didn't Mind Piper's Using Him For A Pillow. She Had A Cute Way Of Breathing When She Slept - Inhaling Through The Nose, Exhaling With A Little Puff Through The Mouth. He Was Also Disappointed When She Woke Up.

Cute

Breathing

Mind

Two U.s. Marine Skeletons Guarded The Doors. They Grinned Down At Us, Rocket-propelled Grenade Launchers Held Across Their Chests. "you Know," Grover Mumbled, "i Bet Hades Doesn't Have Trouble With Door-to-door Salesman.

Marine

Skeletons

Doors

Yes,' She Said. 'the Great Prophecy Has Begun.' Pandemonium Broke Out.

Broke

Said

Pandemonium

It's Not Bad Enough I Am Exiled? It's Not Bad Enough You Take Away The Few Good Heroes I'm Allowed To Meet? You Think It's Funny To Send Me This This ― This Charbroiled Runt Of A Boy To Ruin My Tranquility? This Is Not Funny! Take Him Back!

Hero

Boys

Thinking

Festus Just Detected A Large Group Of Eagles Behind Us—long-range Radar, Still Not In Sight.” Piper Leaned Over The Console. “are You Sure They’re Roman?” Leo Rolled His Eyes. “no, Pipes. It Could Be A Random Group Of Giant Eagles Flying In Perfect Formation. Of Course They’re Roman!

Eye

Sight

Eagles

The Wand Ricocheted Through The Swarm, Thumping Six, Seven, Eight Of The Little Monsters Before Returning To Carter’s Hand. “not Bad,” I Said. “keep It Up!

Eight

Hands

Monsters

I Looked Across The River To Manhattan. It Was A Great View. When Sadie And I Had First Arrived At Brooklyn House, Amos Had Told Us That Magicians Tried To Stay Out Of Manhattan. He Said Manhattan Had Other Problems--whatever That Meant. And Sometimes When I Looked Across The Water, I Could Swear I Was Seeing Things. Sadie Laughed About It, But Once I Thought I Saw A Flying Horse. Probably Just The Mansion's Magic Barriers Causing Optical Illusions, But Still, It Was Weird.

Horse

Views

Rivers

I Got Ready For Bed And Crawled In. The Covers Were Comfortable And Warm, But The Pillow Was Just Too Weird. It Gave Me Neck Cramps, So I Put It On The Floor And Went To Sleep Without It. My First Big Mistake.

Mistake

Sleep

Bed

At The Feast Of Fortune, She'll Awaken, And The Demigods Will Be Cut Down Like-- Like---" "like Our Low Prices At Bargain Mart!" Stheno Suggested.

Cutting

Lows

Fortune

Lightning Thief Was Good But The Sea Of Monsters Is Better And Has More Action!

Sea

Monsters

Lightning

We'd Spent Maybe Ten Minutes Together, During Which Time I'd Accidentally Swung A Sword At Her, She'd Saved My Life, And I'd Run Away Chased By A Band Of Supernatural Killing Machines. You Know, Your Typical Chance Meeting.

Running

Together

Band

Blackjack," Percy Said, "this Is Piper And Jason. They're Friends." The Horse Nickered. "uh, Maybe Later," Percy Answered. Piper Had Heard That Percy Could Speak To Horses, Being The Son Of The Horse Lord Poseidon, But She'd Never Seen It In Action. "what Does Blackjack Want?" She Asked. "donuts," Percy Said. "always Donuts.

Horse

Son

Olympus

I May Be Biased, But I Think Jackals Are Cute And Cuddly, Even If They Were Known For Digging Up Graves In Ancient Egypt.

Cute

Thinking

Egypt

A Tiny Dark Object Came Sailing Out Of The Window And Landed At The Giant's Feet. Polybotes Yelled, "grenade!" He Covered His Face. His Troops Hit The Ground. When The Thing Did Not Explode, Polybotes Bent Down Cautiously And Picked It Up. He Roared In Outrage. "a Ding Dong? You Dare Insult Me With A Ding Dong?" He Threw The Cake Back At The Shop, And It Vaporized In The Light.

Dark

Feet

Light

Like Water Leaking Through A Dam," Said Piper. "yeah," Smiled Percy. "we've Got A Dam Hole." "what?" Piper Asked. "nothing," He Said. "inside Joke.

Water

Dams

Pipers

I Was Wishing I'd Bought Some Of That Camp Half Blood Orange Thermal Underwear..." ?!?!

Blood

Orange

Wish

Khufu Carefully Picked Out Everything That Ended With-o—doritos, Oreos, And Some Chunks Of Meat. Buffalo? Armadillo? I Was Scared To Even Ask.

Khufu

Meat

Oreos

It'll Be Dangerous," Nyssa Warned Him. "hardship, Monsters, Terrible Suffering. Possibly None Of You Will Come Back Alive." "oh." Suddenly Leo Didn't Look So Excited. Then He Remembered Everyone Was Watching. "i Mean... Oh, Cool! Suffering? I Love Suffering! Let's Do This.

Mean

Suffering

Monsters

Oh My God, I Am So Awesome!" Leo Bellowed. "so Awesome!" Echo Yelled Back. "he Is Funny," A Nymph Ventured. "and Cute, In A Scrawny Way," Another Said. "scrawny?" Leo Asked. "baby I Invented Scrawny. Scrawny Is The New Sizzling Hot.

Cute

Baby

Nymphs

The Forge Looked Like A Steam-powered Locomotive Had Smashed Into The Greek Parthenon And They Had Fused Together.

Greek

Together

Steam

Shut Up, Me" Leo Said Out Loud. "what?" Piper Asked. "nothing," He Said. "long Night. I Think I'm Hallucinating. It's Cool.

Night

Thinking

Long

So, You Wrecked Alcatraz Island, Made Mount St. Helens Explode, And Displaced Half A Million People, But At Least You're Safe." "yep, That Pretty Much Covers It.

Islands

People

Alcatraz

Wonderful, Annabeth Thought. Her Own Mother, The Most Levelheaded Olympian, Was Reduced To A Raving, Vicious Scatterbrain In A Subway Station. And, Of All The Gods Who Might Help Them, The Only Ones Not Affected By The Greek-roman Schism Seemed To Be Aphrodite, Nemesis And Dionysus. Love, Revenge, Wine. Very Helpful.

Mother

Revenge

Wine

Teach You To Try Marrying Me, You Idiot!

Trying

Idiot

Teach

But Not Like This: Not With The House Just An Afterimage, And My Mom A Spirit, And My Dad...recycled." "carter Kane, Chapter 41

Mom

Dad

House

So Why Are We Practicing This, Anyway?" Percy Asked. "do You Guys Spend A Lot Of Time Laying Siege To Fortified Cities?

Cities

Guy

Siege

Back When I Taught Middle School And Wrote Adult Mysteries, My Students Often Asked Me Why I Wasn't Writing For Kids. I Never Had A Good Answer For Them. It Took Me A Long Time To Realize They Were Right.

Writing

School

Kids

Texting, Even Browsing The Internet - All These Things Can Attract Monsters.

Monsters

Texting

Internet

Amos Clapped His Hands. “khufu!” I Thought He’d Sneezed, Because Khufu Is A Weird Name, But Then A Little Dude About Three Feet Tall With Gold Fur And A Purple Shirt Came Clambering Down The Stairs. It Took Me A Second To Realize It Was A Baboon Wearing An L.a. Lakers Jersey.

Khufu

Hands

Names

Her Secret Fear? Maybe She Didn't Tried Hard Enough.

Secret

Enough

Hard

He Dropped The Rest Of The Cokes Into The Grave And Pulled Out A White Paper Bag Decorated With Cartoons. I Hadn’t Seen One In Years, But I Recognized It — A Mcdonald’s Happy Meal. He Turned It Upside Down And Shook The Fries And Hamburger Into The Grave. “in My Day, We Used Animal Blood,” The Ghost Mumbled. “it’s Perfectly Good Enough. They Can’t Taste The Difference.” “i Will Treat Them With Respect,” Nico Said. “at Least Let Me Keep The Toy,” The Ghost Said.

Animal

White

Differences

Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.

2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.

2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.

2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.

3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.

3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.

3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.

4. Proper Usage of Quotes

4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.

4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.

4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.

5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.

5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.

6. Quotes in Different Contexts

6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.

6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.

7. Punctuation and Formatting

Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:

Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.

Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.

Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.

8. Ethical Considerations

Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes

Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.

Conclusion

Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.

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