He’d Learned Years Ago It Was Better Not To Dwell Too Much On Who Was Related To Whom On The Godly Side Of Things. After Tyson The Cyclops Adopted Him As A Brother, Percy Decided That That Was About As Far As He Wanted To Extend The Family.

-Rick Riordan

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He’d Learned Years Ago

Rick Riordan

Topic

Brother

Godly

Years

More From Rick Riordan

The Way Leo Figured It, He Spent More Time Crashing Than He Did Flying. If There Was A Rewards Card For Frequent Crashers, He'd Be, Like, Double Platinum Level.

Flying

Cards

Levels

The Last Thing I Wanted To Do Was Blow Up Another School.

School

Blow

Lasts

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

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

I Wondered If She'd Ever Written On Her Notebook: Geb + Nut = True Love Or Mrs Geb.

Notebook

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Written

Percy: Don't I Get A Kiss For Luck? It's Kind Of A Tradition, Right? Annabeth: Come Back Alive, Seaweed Brain. Then We'll See.

Kissing

Luck

Brain

I Had Nightmares About What Poseidon Might Turn Me Into If I Were On The Verge Of Death-plankton Maybe." -percy Jackson

Might

Nightmare

Poseidon

Staplers--- Excellent Source Of Iron

Iron

Excellent

Source

They Know They’ve Won,” Carter Guessed. “they’re Making A Show Of It.” “yes,” Amos Said. “well, Let’s Blow Up The Boats Or Something!” I Said. Amos Looked At Me. “is That Your Strategy, Honestly?

Blow

Boat

Strategy

Nico Drank From The Chalice, Then Offered It To Jason. "you Asked Me About Trust, And Taking A Risk? Well, Here You Go, Son Of Jupiter. How Much Do You Trust Me?" Frank Wasn't Sure What Nico Was Talking About, But Jason Didn't Hesitate. He Took The Cup And Drank.

Son

Talking

Risk

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

Saws

Persons

Knowledge Isn't Always Good For You.

The Dead See What They Believe They Will See. So Do The Living. That Is The Secret.

Believe

Secret

I See Murky Visions Of Other Gods And Rival Magic." That Really Didn't Sound Good. "what Do You Mean?" I Asked. "what Other Gods?" "i Don't Know, Sadie. But Egypt Has Always Faced Challenges From Outside –– Magicians From Elsewhere, Even Gods From Elsewhere. Just Be Vigilant." ~ruby & Sadie Kane About...? Possibly Greeks?

Mean

Egypt

Challenges

Lacy Had Warned Me About Drew The First Day Of School. Apparently The Two Of Them Had Gone To Some Summer Camp Together––blah, Blah, I Didn't Really Listen To Teh Details––and Drew Had Been Just As Much A Tyrant There. ~sadie Kane, About Lacy And Drew Of Aphrodite Cabin.

Summer

School

Tyrants

Any Moment Now..." The Girl [calypso] Stared Out At The Water. No Magical Raft Appeared. "maybe It Got Stuck In A Traffic," Leo Said.

Girl

Water

Calypso

Whenever Percy Stopped By To See [annabeth], She Was So Lost In Thought That The Conversation Went Something Like This: Percy: 'hey, How's It Going?' Annabeth: 'uh, No Thanks.' Percy: 'okay...have You Eaten Anything Today?' Annabeth: 'i Think Leo Is On Duty. Ask Him.' Percy: 'so, My Hair Is On Fire.' Annabeth: 'okay, In A While.

Thinking

Fire

Hair

Oh You Two Look Delicious," Bast Said, Licking Her Lips. "no, No-er, I Mean Wonderful. Now, Off You Go!

Mean

Two

Looks

I Should Throw You Off This Building Minus The Flying Horse And See How Heroic You Sound On The Way Down.

Horse

Flying

Sound

I Gave Her My Deluxe I'll-kill-you-later Stare.

Staring

Poseidon Raised His Eyebrows As They Shook Hands. “blowfish, Did You Say?” "ah, No. Blofis, Actually.” "oh, I See,” Poseidon Said. “a Shame. I Quite Like Blowfish. I Am Poseidon.” "poseidon? That’s An Interesting Name.” "yes, I Like It. I’ve Gone By Other Names, But I Do Prefer Poseidon.” "like The God Of The Sea.” "very Much Like That, Yes.

Hands

Sea

Eyebrows

Relax," Chiron Told Me. "keep A Clear Head. And Remember, You May Be About To Prevent The Biggest War In Human History." "relax," I Said. "i'm Very Relaxed.

War

Clear Head

Remember You

Whats Up, Seaweed Brain?

Brain

Seaweed

How Does It Taste?” Carter Wondered. Zia Smiled. “stick Out Your Tongue.” To Answer Carter’s Question, The Tattoo Tasted Like Burning Car Tires. “ugh.” I Spit A Blue Gob Of “order And Harmony” Into The Fountain.

Tattoo

Blue

Order

But Yes. Come, Faulty Dragon People. Follow Us.

Dragons

People

He Was Making A Brave Attempt, But Jason Could See The Sadness Lingering In His Eyes. Something Had Happened To Him... Something To Do With Calypso.

Sadness

Eye

Brave

Yay!” Tyson Went Around The Couches And Gave Everyone A Big Hug—even Octavian, Who Didn't Look Thrilled About It.

Hug

Yay

Looks

Be Careful Of Love. It'll Twist Your Brain Around And Leave You Thinking Up Is Down And Right Is Wrong.

Love

Thinking

Brain

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

Faces

Blame

Swear

And Yes,percy,of Course They Are Now In Our United States. Look At Your Symbol,the Eagle Of Zeus. Look At The Statue Of Prometheus In Rockefeller Center,the Greek Facades Of Our Government Builidings In Washington. I Defy You To Find Any American City Where The Olympians Are Not Proeminently Displayed, In Multiple Places. Like It Or Not-and Believe Me,plenty Of People Weren't Very Found Of Rome,either-america Is Now The Heart Of The Flame. It Is The Great Power Of The West.and So Olympus Is Here.and We Are Here.

Believe

Heart

Cities

You'd Think Getting Chopped Into A Million Pieces And Cast Into The Darkest Part Of The Underworld Would Give Him A Subtle Clue That Nobody Wanted Him Around.

Thinking

Giving

Pieces

When In Doubt, Start From The Top. -jason Grace

Grace

Doubt

Jason

Damien Vesper Didn't Plan On Killing Anyone Today

Today

Killing

Plans

A Real Man's Weapon Is His Mind.

Real

Men

Mind

Was That Amazing?” She Demanded. “that Was Amazing,” I Agreed. It’s Hard To Pull Off A Romantic Kiss When You’re Both Drenched In Muck, But We Gave It Our Best Shot.

Kissing

Shots

Romantic Kiss

Very Well! It Shall Be As You Say. But My Son, Pray This Works. I Am Praying. I'm Talking To You, Right? Oh...yes. Good Point. Amphitrite - Incoming!

Son

Talking

Praying

I’ll Leave You Guys To Get Acquainted. Somebody Show Leo To Dinner When It’s Time?” “i Got It,” One Of The Girls Said. Nyssa, Leo Remembered. She Wore Camo Pants, A Tank Top That Showed Off Her Buff Arms, And A Red Bandanna Over Her Mop Of Dark Hair. Except For The Smiley-face Band-aid On Her Chin, She Looked Like One Of Those Female Action Heroes, Like Any Second She Was Going To Grab A Machine Gun And Start Mowing Down Evil Aliens. “cool,” Leo Said. “i Always Wanted A Sister Who Could Beat Me Up.

Girl

Hero

Dark

Naturally, Coach Hedge Went Ballistic; But Percy Found It Hard To Take The Satyr Seriously Since He Was Barely Five Feet Tall. "never In My Life!" Coach Bellowed, Waving His Bat And Knocking Over A Plate Of Apples. "against The Rules! Irresponsible!" "coach," Annabeth Said, "it Was An Accident. We Were Talking, And We Fell Asleep." "besides," Percy Said, "you're Starting To Sound Like Terminus." Hedge Narrowed His Eyes. "is That An Insult, Jackson? 'cause I'll—i'll Terminus You, Buddy!

Eye

Talking

Apples

My Dear Young Cousin, If There's One Thing I've Learned Over The Eons, It's That You Can't Give Up On Your Family, No Matter How Tempting They Make It.

Family

Cousin

Giving Up

Part Of Their Problem Was Percy. He Fought Like A Demon, Whirling Through The Defender's Ranks In A Completely Unorthodox Style, Rolling Under Their Feet, Slashing With His Sword Instead Of Stabbing Like A Roman Would, Whacking Campers With The Flat Of His Blade, And Generally Causing Mass Panic.

Feet

Style

Panic

I Know, I'm An Idiot!" Leo Moaned. "a Brilliant Idiot, But Still An Idiot.

Brilliant

Idiot

Stills

Whoa, Boy, He Told Himself. Golden Rule For Demigods: Thou Shalt Not Hokey Pokey With Psychos.

Boys

Golden

Psycho

Green Grass Breaks Through Snow, Artemis Pleads For My Help, I Am So Cool.

Break Through

Snow

Green

Your Destiny Grows Clearer, Jason Grace. When The Choice Comes Again- Storm Or Fire- Remember Me. And Do Not Despair.

Destiny

Fire

Choices

Piper Patted His Shoulder. “trust Me, Valdez. Beautiful People Never Lie.

Beautiful

Lying

People

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

Real

House

Said

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

Kids, If Anything, Are Harder To Write For Because They Are A More Discerning Audience. They Will Not Stay With You If You Go Off On A Tangent Or If You Give Them Extraneous Information That Doesn't Serve The Story. You Really Have To Tell A Tight Story. You Have To Give Them Humor And Suspense And Believable Characters. All Those Things That Adults Want Too, But You Have To Be Really On Your Game When You're Writing For Kids.

Writing

Character

Kids

Piper Gripped His Hand And Followed Him, “if I Fall, You’re Catching Me.” “uh, Sure.” Jason Hoped He Wasn’t Blushing. Leo Stepped Out Next. “you’re Catching Me, Too, Superman. But I Ain’t Holding Your Hand.

Fall

Hands

Jason

You Put The Set Animal In Your Locker? Do You Know How Much Strength That Requires?” “yeah,” I Said. “i Was There.

Animal

Lockers

Yeah

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

Friendly

You, Sir, Are A Ray Of Sunshine. -percy Jackson

Sunshine

Rays

Ray Of Sunshine

Being A Hero Doesn’t Mean You’re Invincible. It Just Means That You’re Brave Enough To Stand Up And Do What’s Needed.

Hero

Mean

Brave

Nice Creepy Reptile,” Frank Said, Very Aware Of The Driftwood In His Coat Pocket. “nice Poisonous, Fire-breathing Reptile.

Nice

Fire

Breathing

Just Because You Don't See Me Doesn't Mean I Wasn't There

Mean

Big Brothers Are The Ones Who Are Supposed To Pull Their Punches. Little Sisters—well, We Should Be Able To Hit As Hard As We Like, Shouldn’t We?

Brother

Little Sister

Littles

I'll Succeed,' Hazel Promised. 'and Hecate? I'm Not Choosing One Of Your Paths. I'm Making My Own.

Succeed

Path

Choosing One

I Don't Think About Being Famous, Really. Being An Author, I Don't Generally Get Stopped As I Walk Down The Street. It's Not Like Being A Movie Star.

Stars

Thinking

Movie Star

Think Long And Hard About How You Proceed, Nico Di Angelo. You Cannot Lie To Cupid. If You Let Your Anger Rule You... Well, Your Fate Will Be Even Sadder Then Mine.

Lying

Fate

Thinking

Just Because I'm Native American Doesn't Mean I Can Track Furniture Through The Wilderness." She Deepened Her Voice: "'yes, Kemosabe. A Three-legged Table Passed This Way An Hour Ago.' Heck, I Don’t Know.

Native American

Mean

Voice

Safety From What? Who's After Me?" Oh, Nobody Much," Grover Said, Obviously Still Miffed About The Donkey Comment. "just The Lord Of The Dead And A Few Of His Blood-thirstiest Minions.

Blood

Safety

Lord

Fairness Does Not Mean Everyone Gets The Same. Fairness Means Everyone Gets What They Need.

Mean

Doe

Needs

Together We Made Our Way Down To The Street Level. Neither Of Us Said A Word. The Music Was Awful--neil Diamond Or Something. I Should've Made That Part Of My Gift Form The Gods: Better Elevator Tunes.

Together

Tunes

Levels

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

You're Cute When You're Worried, Your Eyebrows Get All Scrunched Together.

Cute

Eyebrows

Together

Right," Sadie Said. "and Set Will Just Stand There Calmly While I Read Him To Death.

Sadie

Said

If Anybody Felt Worse Than I Did, It Was Amos. I Had Just Enough Magic To Turn Myself Into A Falcon And Him Into A Hamster (hey, I Was Rushed!)

Magic

Hey

Enough

I Thought Maybe He Was Seeing Another Tree. - Juniper

Tree

Seeing

I've Found Peace Here At The Co-op. You Could Stay With Us, If You Want. Become A Roflcopter.

Want

Found

Ifs

So What If They Were In Tartarus? So What If They Stood A Slim Chance Of Surviving? He Was So Glad That They Were Together, He Had The Ridiculous Urge To Smile.

What If

Together

Slim

Kinzie Smiled Smugly. “you Admire Our Base Of Operations? Yes, Our Distribution System Is Worldwide. It Took Many Years And Most Of Our Fortune To Build. Now, Finally, We’re Turning A Profit. The Mortals Don’t Realize They Are Funding The Amazon Kingdom. Soon, We’ll Be Richer Than Any Mortal Nation. Then—when The Weak Mortals Depend On Us For Everything—the Revolution Will Begin!” “what Are You Going To Do?” Frank Grumbled. “cancel Free Shipping?

Years

Amazon

Kingdoms

Frank Imitated The Voice Of Vitellius: 'they're Wimps! Back In My Day, We Died All The Time, And We Liked It!

Voice

Wimps

Frank

Nothing Lasts Forever. But The Thing Is, You Can Reuse Some. Use Your Mind. - Leo's Mother, The Lost Hero

Mother

Hero

Forever

I Like Both Greek And Egyptian. More Greek Stories Have Survived, So We Know More About Them. They've Always Been My Favorite. On The Other Hand, I Like The Egyptian Stories Because They're Not As Commonly Known And They Have An Exotic Flavour.

Hands

Greek

Stories

Tyson Was Still Staring At Chiron In Amazement. He Whimpered Like He Wanted To Pat Chiron's Flank But Was Afraid To Come Closer. "pony?

Ponies

Tyson

Staring

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

Rats

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

Are You The Cursed Kid Nemesis Mentioned?" Leo Asked. "but You're A Girl." "you're A Girl," Said The Girl. "excuse Me?

Girl

Kids

Excuse

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

Leo Waited While The Fish Centaur Put Away His Supplies. Aphros's Lobster-claw Horns Kept Swimming Around In His Thick Hair, And Leo Had To Resist The Urge To Try And Rescue Them.

Swimming

Hair

Trying

Sorry,no Thanks,if I Was Going To Die It Could Wait Until Tomorrow Morning.

Morning

Sorry

Waiting

Go Chase A Donut. -percy Jackson.

Donuts

Then There Was Nico Di Angelo. Dang, That Kid Gave Leo The Freaky-deakies. He Sat Back In His Leather Aviator Jacket, His Black T-shirt And Jeans, That Wicked Silver Skull Ring On His Finger, And The Stygian Sword At His Side. His Tufts Of Black Hair Struck Up In Curls Like Baby Bat Wings. His Eyes Were Sad And Kind Of Empty, As If He’d Stared Into The Depths Of Tartarus—which He Had.

Baby

Kids

Eye

All Da Ladies Love Leo!!

Lady Love

Annabeth Laced Her Fingers Through His. In The Light Of His Bronze Sword, Her Face Was Beautiful. 'we're Together,' She Reminded Him. 'we'll Get Through This.

Beautiful

Light

Together

People Usually Asked Her If She Had A Belly Button. Of Course She Had A Belly Button. She Couldn't Explain How. She Didn't Really Want To Know.

People

Buttons

Want

Annabeth: Hey, Seaweed Brain. Percy: Will You Stop Calling Me That? Annabeth: You Know You Love It.

Brain

Annabeth

Hey

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

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

Ptah? Son Of Ptooey? What Is He God Of Spitting? I Asked

Son

It's Just Annabeth Mom Jeez!

Mom

Annabeth

Your Mom Is A Rainbow Goddess?" "you Got A Problem With That?" "no, No. Rainbows. Very Macho.

Mom

Rainbow

Problem

Seven Half-bloods Shall Answer The Call To Storm Or Fire The World Must Fall An Oath To Keep With A Final Breath And Foes Bear Arms To The Doors Of Death

Fall

Fire

Doors

Makes Us Appreciate Blessing, Not Be Greedy And Mean And Fat Like Polyphemus.

Mean

Blessing

Appreciate

Can We Just Call Them Storm Spirits?” Leo Asked. “venti Makes Them Sound Like Evil Espresso Drinks.

Espresso

Evil

Storm

For An Absurd Moment, I Wondered If Ammit Devoured The Hearts Of Wicked Cows, And If He Liked The Beefy Taste. - Carter Kane

Heart

Wicked

Cows

Why Can't You Place A Blessing Like That On Us?" I Asked. "it Only Works On Wild Animals." "so It Would Only Affect Percy," Annabeth Reasoned. "hey!" I Protested.

Animal

Blessing

Annabeth

True Success Requires Sacrifice.

Sacrifice

True Success

That Was Hera. Her Majesty, The Loose Cannon.

Majesty

Cannons

Hera

I'm Gonna Be Percy Jackson When I Grow Up," She Told Hazel Solemnly. Hazel Smiled And Ruffled Her Hair. "that's A Good Thing To Be, Julia." "although," Frank Said. "frank Zhang Would Be Good Too.

Growing Up

Hair

Would Be

Please, Percy...change Your Clothes. You Smell Like You've Been Run Over By An Electric Horse.

Running

Horse

Smell

Coach Hedge Grunted Like He Was Pleased To Have An Excuse. He Unclipped The Megaphone From His Belt And Continued Giving Directions, But His Voice Came Out Like Darth Vader's. The Kids Cracked Up. The Coach Tried Again, But This Time The Megaphone Blared: "the Cow Says Moo!

Kids

Voice

Giving

Leo's Biggest Surprise: One Look From Jason, And All Three Of Them Knew The Game Plan. When Had That Happened, That They Could Read Each Other So Well?

Games

Jason

Three

That's Because We Keep Weapons Int The Attic, Silly Boy. Do You Think This Is The First Time Monsters Have Attacked Our Family?" "weapons," Frank Grumbled. "right. I've Never Handled Weapons Before." Grandmother's Nostrils Flared. "was That Sarcasm, Fai Zhang?" "yes, Grandmother." "good. There May Be Hope For You Yet.

Silly

Grandmother

Sarcasm

I Sat Up And The Blankets Fell Away.i Looked Down And Found I Was Wearing Pokemon Pajamas. "sadie,"i Said,"i'm Going To Kill You." She Batted Her Eyes Innocently."but The Street Merchant Gave Us A Very Good Deal On Those.walt Said They Would Fit You." Walt Raised His Hand."don't Blame Me,man.i Tried To Stick Up For You." Bes Snorted,then Did A Pretty Good Imitation Of Walt's Voice:"at Least Get The Extra-large Ones With Pikachu.

Eye

Men

Hands

Nico's Voice Was Like Broken Glass. "i- I Wasn't In Love With Annabeth." "you Were Jealous Of Her," Jason Said. "that's Why You Didn't Want To Be Around Her. Especially Why You Don't Want To Be Around... Him. It Makes Total Sense.

Jealous

Glasses

Voice

The Princess Andromeda?" "went Ka-boom.

Princess

Andromeda

Oh, Lord. I Was Beginning To Think Like Neith. Soon I'd Be Huddled In An Underground Bunker Eating Army Rations And Cackling As I Sewed Together The Pockets Of All The Boys Who'd Jilted Me.

Army

Boys

Thinking

Beckendorf, Whose Legs Were Now Working Fine (nothing Like Being Chased By A Huge Monster To Get Your Body Back In Order) Shook His Head And Gasped For Breath. “you Shouldn’t Have Turned It On! It’s Unstable! After A Few Years, Automatons Go Wild!

Running

Order

Years

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

Monsters

Texting

Internet

You Can’t Control Every Contingency. You Have To Accept That. Let It Scare You. Trust That It’ll Be Okay Anyway.

Scare

Accepting

Okay

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

Mom

Helpful

Clean

That Was So Completely Unfair That I Told Tantalus To Go Chase A Donut, Which Didn't Help His Mood.

Helping

Mood

Unfair

I Want Some Time Without You Organic Life Forms.

Want

Form

Without You

Annabeth, Thank Goodness, Would Be Staying In New York. She'd Gotten Permission From Her Parents To Attend A Boarding School In The City So She Could Be Close To Olympus And Oversee The Rebuilding Efforts. "and Close To Me?" I Asked. "well, Someone's Got A Big Sense Of His Own Importance." But She Laced Her Fingers Through Mine. I Remembered What She'd Told Me In New York, About Building Something Permanent, And I Thought—just Maybe—we Were Off To A Good Start.

New York

School

Cities

So Mortals Tend To See Only What They Can Understand.

Mortals

The Truth Hit Him. Jason Wasn't Quite Roman Anymore. His Time At Camp Half-blood Had Changed Him. Reyna Had Recognized That. Apparently, So Did The Undead Legionnaires. If Jason No Longer Gave Off The Right Sort Of Vibe, Or Aura Of A Roman Leader.

Blood

Leader

Jason

The Baboon Is Driving,” I Noted. “should I Be Worried?

Driving

Worried

Baboons

Yeah, Well. I Don’t Try To Be Awesome. It Just Comes Natural.

Trying

Natural

Yeah

Annabeth's Face, Her Blond Hair And Gray Eyes, The Way She Laughed, Threw Her Arms Around Him, And Gave Him A Kiss Whenever He Did Something Stupid. She Must Have Kissed Me A Lot, Percy Thought.

Stupid

Eye

Kissing

You Promised, Seaweed Brain. We Would Not Get Separated! Ever Again!

Brain

Annabeth

Hades

But Annabeth Knew That People Saw What They Wanted To See. They Didn’t Need The Mist To Warp Their Perceptions.

People

Perception

Needs

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

Sports

Writing

Practice

Twelve Minutes. I Can Give You That.

Giving

Twelve

Minutes

Mrs. O' Leary Is My Pet. I Couldn't Let You Stick A Sword In Her Rump, Now, Could I? That Might've Scared Her.

Pet

Might

Sticks

Getting Something And Having The Wits To Use It...those Are Two Different Things.

Two

Different

Use

A Giant Vulture With A Girl Hanging From Its Feet Tends To Attract Attention.

Girl

Feet

Giants

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

Jason

Looks

Ah, Mastery Of The Five Elements!" "is That The One We Want?" I Asked. "no, But A Good One. How To Tame The Five Essential Elements Of The Universe - Earth, Air, Water, Fire, And Cheese!" "cheese?

Fire

Air

Water

I'm Dylan. I'm So Cool. I Want To Date Myself, But I Don't Know How! You Want To Date Me Instead? You're So Lucky!

Lucky

Want

Dylan

The Future For Commander Tool Belt Was Not Looking So Hot.

Hot

Tools

Belts

Nobody Welcomes A War - Not If They're Smart. But War Finds Everyone Sooner Or Later. It's Inevitable.

War

Smart

Inevitable

Are You Kidding?" She Looked At Me As If I'd Just Dropped From The Moon. Her Cheeks Were Bright Red. "what's The Problem Now?" I Demanded. "me, Go With You To The...the 'thrill Ride Of Love'? How Embarrassing Is That? What If Somebody Saw Me?" "who's Going To See You?" But My Face Was Burning Now, Too. Leave It To A Girl To Make Everything Complicated. "fine," I Told Her. "i'll Do It Myself." But When I Started Down The Side Of The Pool, She Followed Me, Muttering About How Boys Always Messed Things Up.

Girl

Boys

Moon

Besides, You're A Cat. It's Your Nature To Think You're The Center Of The Universe.

Cat

Thinking

Center Of The Universe

I Held Out My Dad’s Magic Box And Let It O, Sure It Would Smash To The Floor. Instead, The Box Disappeared. “cool,” I Said. “sure You I Can Get It Back?” “no,” Bast Said. “now Come On!

Dad

Magic

Boxes

I Try Not To Think. It Interferes With Being Nuts" - Leo Valdez

Thinking

Nuts

Trying

Don't Decide Yet," Hephaestus Advised. "wait Until Daybreak. Daybreak Is A Good Time For Decisions.

Decision

Waiting

Good Times

She Whirled When The Monster Was Almost On Top Of Her. I Thought The Thing In Her Hands Was An Umbrella Until She Cranked The Pump And The Shotgun Blast Blew The Giant Twenty Feet Backwards, Right Into Nico's Sword. "nice One," Paul Said. "when Did You Learn To Fire A Shotgun?" I Demanded. My Mom Blew The Hair Out Of Her Face. "about Two Seconds Ago. Percy, We'll Be Fine. Go!

Mom

Nice

Fire

When I Write, I'm Still Imagining A Kid Reading It On Paper. I Read E-books When I Travel, But In General I Still Prefer Holding An Old-fashioned Book In My Hands. There's A Special, Tactile Experience.

Book

Reading

Writing

Just My Luck, On Top Of Everything Else I Had To Take Baboon Medicine.

Medicine

Luck

Baboons

Where Are You Taking Us?" Nico Said. "you Should Be Honored, My Boy. You Will Have The Opportunity To Join A Great Army! Just Like That Silly Game You Play With Cards And Dolls." "they're Not Dolls! They're Figurines! And You Can Take Your Great Army And—

Silly

Army

Boys

But Beauty Is About Finding The Right Fit, The Most Natural Fit, To Be Perfect, You Have To Feel Perfect About Yourself --- Avoid Trying To Be Something You're Not. For A Goddess, That's Especially Hard. We Can Change So Easily. -aphrodite

Perfect

Trying

Fit

Leo Valdez Deserved A Special Punishment," She [khione] Said. "i Have Sent Him To A Place From Which He Can Never Return.

Punishment

Special

Return

You'd Think He'd Ran Out Off Rocks," I Muttered

Thinking

Rocks

Ran

I Woke To A Bucket Of Ice Water In My Face. “sadie! Get Up,” Zia Said. “god!” I Yelled. “was That Necessary?” “no,” Admitted Zia.

Ice Water

Buckets

Faces

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

Grover Started To Sniffle And I Figured If I Didn't Cheer Him Up He'd Either Start Bawling Or Chewing Up My Mattress. He Tends To Eat Household Objects Whenever He Gets Upset.

Cheer

Upset

Chewing

There’s Nothing Here,” Carter Said. “what Do You Want?” I Asked. “we’ve Got Wax, Some Toilet Papyrus, An Ugly Statue.

Toilets

Ugly

Want

There!" Apollo Pointed. "long Island, Dead Ahead. Let's Slow Down, Dear. 'dead' Is Only An Expression.

Islands

Expression

Long

I Was Five Steps Away When He Called, "perseus." I Turned. There Was A Different Light In His Eyes, A Fiery Kind Of Pride. "you Did Well, Perseus. Do Not Misunderstand Me. Whatever Else You Do, Know That You Are Mine. You Are A True Son Of The Sea God.

Eye

Pride

Son

If Possible, Try To Avoid Pushing Each Other Over The Edge, As That Would Cause Me Extra Paperwork.

Trying

Pushing Each Other

Causes

He Understood How Dangerous Oaths Could Be. But Leo Didn't Care. "i'm Coming Back For You, Calypso," He Said To The Night Wind. "i Swear It On The River Styx.

Night

Wind

Rivers

I Apologize For Apologizing." "thank You.

Apologizing

I Apologize

I Can't Get Through The Year Without Getting Kicked Out Or Blowing Something Up.

Years

Through The Years

I Can

What If It Lines Up Like It Did In The Trojan War ... Athena Versus Poseidon?" "i Don't Know. But I Just Know That I'll Be Fighting Next To You." "why?" "because You're My Friend, Seaweed Brain. Any More Stupid Questions?

War

Stupid

Fighting

Red Cattle," Annabeth Said. "the Cattle Of The Sun." "what?" I [percy] Asked. "they're Sacred To Apollo." "holy Cows?

Cows

Red

Sun

I Am Your Friend Bob!

Bob

Mr. D, Wearing His Leopard-skin Jogging Suit And Rummaging Through The Refrigerator. He Looked Up Lazily. "do You Mind?" Where's Chiron!" I Shouted. How Rude." Mr. D Took A Swig From A Jug Of Grape Juice. "is That How You Say Hello?" Hello," I Amended. "we're About To Die! Where's Chiron?

Rude

Mind

Skins

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

It's Hard To Enjoy Practical Jokes When Your Whole Life Feels Like One.

Life

Humorous

Enjoy

Amos Stopped Before The Entrance, Which Was The Size Of A Garage Door—a Dark Heavy Square Of Timber With No Visible Handle Or Lock. “carter After You.” “um, How Do I—” “how Do You Think?” Great Another Mystery. I Was About To Suggest We Ram Amos’s Head Against It And See If That Worked.

Dark

Thinking

Squares

You Might As Well Ask An Artist To Explain His Art, Or Ask A Poet To Explain His Poem. It Defeats The Purpose. The Meaning Is Only Clear Thorough The Search.

Art

Creativity

Purpose

Great, I Thought. We Just Blowtorched A National Monument.

Monument

I Have Moments Like That Alot, When My Brain Falls Asleep Or Something, And The Next Thing I Know I've Missed Something, As If A Puzzle Piece Fell Out Of The Universe And Left Me Staring At The Blank Place Behind It. -- Percy Jackson

Fall

Brain

Pieces

He Told Me He Wouldn't Hurt... Charlie. He Lied To Me.

Hurt

Lied

Charlie

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

"monkey Bars," Annabeth Said. "i'm Great At These." She Leaped Onto To The First Rung And Started Swinging Her Way Across. She Was Scared Of Tiny Spiders, But Not Of Plummeting To Her Death From A Set Of Monkey Bars. Go Figure.

Annabeth

Monkeys

Way

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

She Decided She'd Rather Die In Some Less Memorable Way- Maybe Falling Down The Stairs, Or Going Peacefully In Her Sleep At The Age Eighty, After A Nice Quiet Life With Percy.yes, That Sounded Good.

Nice

Fall

Memorable

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

That's It, Cupcake. You're Going Down.

Cupcakes

As In All Abercrombie's Books, Friends Turn Out To Be Enemies, Enemies Turn Out To Be Friends; The Line Between Good And Evil Is Murky Indeed; And Nothing Goes Quite As We Expect. With Eye-popping Plot Twists And Rollicking Good Action, Half A King Is Definitely A Full Adventure.

Kings

Book

Adventure

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

Grover Didn't Say Anything For Awhile. Then, When I Thought He Was Going To Give Me Some Deep Philosophical Comment To Make Me Feel Better, He Said, "can I Have Your Apple?

Philosophical

Feel Better

Apples

No, No, I Never Mess Around.

Mess

Amy, Dan, And Nellie Were Sitting At A Table In A Conference Room, Examining Reproductions Of Franklin Documents-some So Rare, The Librarians Told Her, The Only Copies Existed In Paris. "yeah, Here's A Rare Grocery List," Dan Muttered. "wow.

Paris

Sitting

Amy

She'd Also Called Me Brave...unless She Was Talking To The Catfish.

Talking

Brave

Catfish

If You've Seen A Crab's Mouth, All Foamy And Gross With Whiskers And Snapping Bits, You Can Imagine This One Didn't Look Any Better Blown Up To Billboard Size.

Looks

Mouths

Size

Her Name Badge Read: Hello! My Name Is Die, Demigod Scum!

Names

Scum

Hello

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

Hurt

Voice

Matter

Nothing Like Adhd And A Good Fight To The Death To Make Time Fly

Fighting

Time Flies

Adhd

She Stared At Me. "fly, ;ole, In An Airplane, Which You Were Warned Never To Do Lest Zeus Strike You Out Of The Sky, And Carrying A Weapon That Has More Destructive Power Than A Nuclear Bomb?" "yeah," I Said. "pretty Much Exactly Like That.

Airplane

Sky

Nuclear

I Need To Use The Dam Bathroom, I Need To Use The Dam Snack Bar, I Want A Dam Tee-shirt.

Snacks

Needs

Bars

Okay," Annabeth Said. "what Exactly Do You Smell?" "something Bad," Tyson Answered. "great," Annabeth Grumbled. "that Clears It Up.

Smell

Annabeth

Said

No!" Leo Yelled. "uhhh," Nico Groaned From The Floor. "piper!" Jason Cried. "monkey!" Frank Yelled. "not Monkeys," Hazel Grumbled. "i Think Those Are Dwarfs." "stealing My Stuff!" Leo Yelled, And Ran For The Stairs.

Thinking

Jason

Monkeys

You Dropped This," He Said, Totally Poker-faced.

Annabeth

Said

Leo Couldn't Help Smiling. "that Could Be Fun." "fun" She Said Unhappily. "blue Elephants." "blue Elephants." "kiss Me You Fool." "you Fool.

Fun

Kissing

Blue

His Hair Was Permed And Gelled Like A New Jersey Girl's On Homecoming Night. Percy Jackson

Girl

Night

Hair

Travis: I Didn’t Know They Made Permanent Makeup. I Looked Like A Clown For A Month. Connor: Yeah. They Put A Curse On Me So That No Matter What I Wore, My Clothes Were Two Sizes Too Small And I Felt Like A Geek. Travis: You Are A Geek.

Makeup

Clothes

Two

You Have A Humming Dodo Bird," I Said Stupidly.

Bird

Dodo Bird

Said

God Alert!" Blackjack Yelled. "it's The Wine Dude! Mr. D Sighed In Exasperation. "the Next Person, Or Horse, Who Calls Me The 'wine Dude' Will End Up In A Bottle Of Merlot!

Horse

Wine

Bottles

There Was Tyson Moving Into The Poseidon Cabin, Giggling To Himself Every Fifteen Seconds And Saying, "percy Is My Brother?" Like He'd Just Won The Lottery. Aw, Tyson," I'd Say. "it's Not That Simple.

Brother

Moving

Simple

Dakota's Head Was Stuck In His Toga. He Staggered Around Olike A Kool-aid-stained Ghost. "um," Percy Said, "should I Wear My Bed Sheets?

Bed

Togas

Ghost

Here's A Tip, Alyconeus. Next Time You Choose The Biggest State For Your Home, Don't Set Up Base In The Part That's Only 10 Miles Wide. Welcome To Canada, Idiot.

Home

Canada

Grand Buildings Made Her Feel Better--maybe Because Being In A Place So Permanent Made Her Feel More Permanent.

Feel Better

Building

Made

Maybe Being Home Schooled, Carter Didn’t Realize That “test” Is Normally A Bad Thing.

Home

Tests

Realizing

Sometimes Small Things Can Become Very Large, Indeed.

Sometimes

Dionysus

Small Things

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

Zero

Six

Subtraction

Your Uncle," Poseidon Sighed, "has Always Had A Flair For Dramatic Exits. I Think He Would've Done Well As The God Of Theater.

Uncles

Thinking

Done

Cacus.” I’d Had Years Of Practice Looking Dumb When People Threw Out Greek Names I Didn’t Know. It’s A Skill Of Mine. Annabeth Keeps Telling Me To Read A Book Of Greek Myths, But I Don’t See The Need. It’s Easier Just To Have Folks Explain Stuff.

Book

Years

Practice

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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