He Gave Me The Brochure. It Was About The Hunters Of Artemis. The Front Read, A Wise Choice For Your Future! Inside Were Pictures Of Young Maidens Doing Hunter Stuff, Chasing Monsters, Shooting Bows. There Were Captions Like: Health Benefits: Immortality And What It Means For You! And A Boy-free Tomorrow! "i Found That In Annabeth's Backpack," Grover Said. I Stared At Him. "i Don't Understand." "well, It Seems To Me… Maybe Annabeth Was Thinking About Joining." 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.

-Rick Riordan

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He Gave Me The

Rick Riordan

Topic

Wise

Mean

Boys

More From Rick Riordan

I Want To Build Some Thing Permanent.

Want

Permanent

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

Gods Forbid If She Ever Broke Up With Him. She'd Never Be Able To Visit The Sea Again Without Remembering Her Broken Heart. Annabeth About Percy

Heart

Sea

Broken

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

Leo: Rainbows. Very Macho. Annabeth: Butch Is Our Best Equestrian, He Gets Along Great With The Pegasi. Leo: Rainbows, Ponies... Butch: I'm Gonna Toss You Off This Chariot.

Rainbow

Ponies

Annabeth

One The Next Corner Stood A Cinder Block Restaurant With A Hand-painted Sign That Read Chicken & Waffles. There Was A Queue Of Twenty People Outside. “you Americans Have The Strangest Taste. What Planet Is This?

Block

Hands

People

I Love Teaching. I Love Working With Kids... Maybe Some Day I'll Go Back To The Classroom. I'm Not Ready To Say It'll Never Happen.

Teaching

Kids

Classroom

I Wasn't Aiming At The School Bus, But Of Course I Got Expelled Anyway.

School

Mythology

Bus

But (peresphone) Was Like, The Goddess Of Flowers." Grover Looked Offended. "springtime.

Flower

Springtime

Goddess

For The Rest Of My Life I Would Always Be Thinking About Her. She Would Always Be My Biggest What If. -perseus Jackson

Thinking

What If

Calypso

Um ,sorry. I Cant Read The Last Line." "fish. Have You Stolen Any Fish From The Holy Lakes?" "i Lived In Kansas..so ..no

Sorry

Lakes

Kansas

A Real Man's Weapon Is His Mind.

Real

Men

Mind

And Do You Know What A Full-fledged War Would Look Like, Percy?" "bad?" I Guessed. "imagine The World In Chaos. Nature At War With Itself. Olympians Forced To Choose Sides Between Zeus Amd Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions Dead. Western Civilization Turned Into A Battleground So Big It Will Make The Trojan War Look Like A Water-balloon Fight." "bad," I Repeated.

War

Fighting

Civilization

Zia," I Said, "that's A Goddess. She Defeated Bast. What Chance Do You Have?" Zia Held Up Her Staff And The Carved Lion's Head Burst Into Flames - A Small Red Fireball So Bright, It Lit The Entire Room. "i Am A Scribe In The House Of Life, Sadie Kane. I Am Trained To Fight Gods.

Fighting

Flames

House

I Concentrated Hard And Snapped My Fingers. "you Don't See The Sword," I Told The Girl. "it's Just A Ballpoint Pen." She Blinked. "um . . . No. It's A Sword, Weirdo.

Girl

Fingers

Weirdo

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

Blood

Looks

Half

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

We Tend To Think Of Divorced Or Complicated Families As A Modern Invention, And That Is Not At All True. You Only Have To Read The Greek Myths To See Broken Homes, Widows, Divorce, Stepchildren, Children Trying To Get Along With New Parents.

Children

Divorce

Home

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

You Sure You're Not A Roman, Annabeth? Or An Amazon?

Amazon

Annabeth

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

Luke Gazed At Annabeth. "you Knew. I Almost Killed You, But You Knew . . ." "shhh." Her Voice Trembled. "you Were A Hero At The End, Luke.

Hero

Voice

Annabeth

The Real Story Of The Fleece: There Were These Two Children Of Zeus, Cadmus And Europa, Okay? They Were About To Get Offered Up As Human Sacrifices, When They Prayed To Zeus To Save Them. So Zeus Sent This Magical Flying Ram With Golden Wool, Which Picked Them Up In Greece And Carried Them All The Way To Colchis In Asia Minor. Well, Actually It Carried Cadmus. Europa Fell Off And Died Along The Way, But That's Not Important." "it Was Probably Important To Her.

Children

Real

Sacrifice

I Blinked The Sleep Out Of My Eyes And Realized My Head Was In Khufu’s Lap. The Baboon Was Foraging My Scalp For Munchies. “dude.” I Sat Up Groggily. “not Cool.” “but He Gave You A Lovely Hairdo,” Sadie Said. “agh-agh!” Khufu Agreed.

Sleep

Eye

Khufu

Curse Us Eh/i'll Make You Pay!/i Don't Want To Rhyme All Day!

Want

Pay

Rhyme

Leo Dropped Into The Pool And Approched The Cage. "hola, Tia. Little Bit Of Trouble?" She [hera] Crossed Her Arms And Sighed In Exasperation. "don't Inspect Me Like I'm One Of Your Machines, Leo Valdez. Get Me Out Of Here!

Machines

Arms

Littles

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

You Have To Read A Lot So You Know What Good Writing Looks Like And You Get Inspired. You Have To Write A Lot Because It's Like A Sport - You Have To Practice. And, Also, You Have To Persevere. Don't Give Up. I Got Rejected On My First Book, Like, 14 Times, But I Just Kept Going. So Believe In Yourself And Don't Give Up.

Sports

Giving Up

Book

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

It's Just Annabeth Mom Jeez!

Mom

Annabeth

Mark My Words, Nothing Smells Worse Than Burned Scorpion.

Smell

Scorpions

Mark

We Were Absolutely Destined To Meet Your Hot Sister

Hot

Destined

Leo Valdez

The Cafe Windows Wrapped All The Way Around The Observation Floor, Which Gave Us A Beautiful Panoramic View Of The Skeleton Army That Had Come To Kill Us.

Beautiful

Army

Skeletons

You're A Stalker With Hooves." "i Am Not! I Followed Her To The Big House And Hid In A Bush And Watched The Whole Thing.

House

Bigs

Grover

If I Had My Way," Dionysus Said, "i Would Cause Your Molecules To Erupt In Flames. We'd Sweep Up The Ashes And Be Done With A Lot Of Trouble. But Chiron Seems To Feel This Would Be Against My Mission At This Cursed Camp: To Keep You Little Brats Safe From Harm." "spontaneous Combustion Is A Form Of Harm, Mr. D," Chiron Put In. "nonsense," Dionysus Said. "boy Wouldn't Feel A Thing. Nevertheless, I've Agreed To Restrain Myself. I'm Thinking Of Turning You Into A Dolphin Instead, Sending You Back To Your Father.

Father

Boys

Thinking

Frank Stared At Her. "but You Throw Ding Dongs At Monsters." Iris Looked Horrified. "oh, They're Not Ding Dongs." She Rummaged Under The Counter And Brought Out A Package Of Chocolate Covered Cakes That Looked Exactly Like Ding Dongs. "these Are Gluten-free, No-sugar-added, Vitamin-enriched, Soy-free, Goat-milk-and-seaweed-based Cupcake Simulations." "all Natural!" Fleecy Chimed In. "i Stand Corrected." Frank Suddenly Felt As Queasy As Percy.

Cupcakes

Chocolate

Vitamins

He Warned Me The Greediest Wishes Cause The Greatest Sorrows.

Sorrow

Wish

Causes

I Can See The Stars Again M'lady.

Stars

I Can

Zoe Nightshade

Die Human, Die!! Die Nasty Polluting Person!!!!' Yelled Grover. I Turned Him So He Faced Me. He Kept On Clicking His Plastic Gun Towards Me As If I Was Part Of The Game.

Gun

Games

Nasty

Percy?" Annabeth Gripped His Arm. "oh, Bad," He Muttered. "bad. Bad." He Looked Across The Table At Frank And Hazel. "you Guys Remember Polybotes?" "the Giant Who Invaded Camp Jupiter," Hazel Said. "the Anti-poseidon You Whacked In The Head With A Terminus Statue. Yes, I Think I Remember

Thinking

Guy

Giants

I Tried To Tell Them That Things Would Be Okay, But I Didn't Believe It.

Believe

Would Be

Okay

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

The First Thing We Pulled Out Was A Lump Of White Gunk. “wax,” Carter Pronounced. “fascinating.

White

Firsts

Carter

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

Mean

Two

Looks

Keep A Demon Busy, I Thought. Right. Maybe He Fancies A Game Of Tiddlywinks.

Games

Fancy

Busy

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

War

Smart

Inevitable

Look, I Never Wanted To Be A Half-blood. Most Of The Time It Gets You Killed In Nasty, Dangerous Ways.

Blood

Looks

Half

But I've Never Even Been To Olympus! Zeus Is Crazy!" Chiron And Grover Glanced Nervously At The Sky. The Clouds Didn't Seem To Be Parting Around Us, As Grover Had Promised. They Were Rolling Straight Over Our Valley, Sealing Us In Like A Coffin Lid. Er, Percy ...?" Grover Said. "we Don't Use The C-word To Describe The Lord Of The Sky.

Crazy

Clouds

Sky

I, Horus, Son Of Osiris, Claim The Throne Of The Heavens As My Birthright!" He Shouted."what Was Once Mine Shall Be Mine Again.is There Anyone Who Would Challenge Me?" The Gods Flickered And Glowed. A Few Scowled. One Muttered Something That Sounded Like "cheese", Although That Could've Been My Imagination.

Son

Osiris

Imagination

Heroes!" Euryale Said With Disgust. "they Always Bring That Up, Just Like Our Mother! 'why Can't You Turn People To Stone? Your Sister Can Turn People To Stone.' Well, I'm Sorry To Disappoint You, Boy! That Was Medusa's Curse Alone. She Was The Most Hideous One In The Family. She Got All The Luck!" Stheno Looked Hurt. "mother Said I Was The Most Hideous.

Mother

Hurt

Sorry

You Teach Combat, I Guess.” Aphros Threw Up His Hands In Exasperation. “why Does Everyone Assume That?” Leo Glanced At The Massive Sword On The Fish-guy’s Back. “uh, I Don’t Know.

Hands

Guy

Doe

I Figure The World Is Basically A Machine. I Don't Know Who Made It, If It Was The Fates, Or The Gods, Or The Capital-g God Or Whatever. But It Chugs Along The Way It's Supposed To Most Of The Time. Sure, Little Pieces Break Off And Stuff Goes Haywire Once In A While, But Mostly... Things Happen For A Reason.

Fate

Break Off

Littles

My Face Felt Like My Normal Face, As If That Part Of Me Hadn’t Transformed Into A Bird. [fine, Sadie. Call Me The Carter-headed Chicken. Happy?]

Bird

Faces

Normal

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

A Telkhine Was Hunched Over A Console, But He Was So Involved With His Work, He Didn't Notice Us. He Was About Five Feet Tall, With Slick Black Seal Fur And Stubby Little Feet. He Had The Head Of A Doberman, But His Clawed Hands Were Almost Human. He Growled And Muttered As He Tapped On His Keyboard. Maybe He Was Messaging His Friends On Uglyface.com.

Hands

Feet

Black

If You Were A God, How Would You Like Being Called A Myth, An Old Story To Explain Lightning? What If I Told You, Perseus Jackson, That Someday People Would Call You A Myth, Just Created To Explain How Little Boys Can Get Over Losing Their Mothers?

Mother

Boys

People

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

Ah... Much Better" He Said. "backbiter, Luke Called It. An Appropriate Name. Now That It Is Reforged Comeplately, It Shall Indeed Bite Back

Names

Said

Bites

He Scowled At Jason. "and Please, I Don't Like Being Touched. Don't Ever Grab Me Again.

Jason

Hades

Please

June Smiled. "so What Will It Be? Safety, Or A Future Of Pain And Possibility?"

Pain

June

Safety

Hazel Blinked. “two Gods Had A Horse For A Kid?” “long Story.

Horse

Kids

Two

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

Percy, Meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy." I Stared At Annabeth, Figuring She'd Crack Up At This Practical Joke They Were Playing On Me, But She Looked Deadly Serious. "i'm Not Saying Hello To A Pink Poodle," I Said. "forget It." "percy," Annabeth Said. "i Said Hello To The Poodle. You Say Hello To The Poodle." The Poodle Growled. "i Said Hello To The Poodle.

Cracks

Annabeth

Poodles

So You Can't Live In Manhattan?' She Asked. Amos's Brow Furrowed As He Looked Across At The Empire State Building. 'manhattan Has Other Problems. Other Gods. It's Best We Stay Separate.

Manhattan

Empires

Problem

Why Won't You Drown?" He Wailed, Pummeling Me With His Fists. "i'm Poseidon's Son," I Said. "curse That Upstart! I Was Here First!

Son

Fists

Firsts

We’re Burning,” Sadie Pointed Out Helpfully. “noticed!” I Yelled Back.

Burning

Sadie

Teach You To Try Marrying Me, You Idiot!

Trying

Idiot

Teach

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

Love

Thinking

Brain

Hope," Frank Grumbled. "i'd Rather Have A Few Good Weasels.

Weasels

Frank

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

Hello!” The Girl In The Blood-red Dress Beamed At Leo. “are You Dionysus?” There Was Only One Answer To That. “yes!” Leo Yelped. “absolutely. I Am Dionysus.

Girl

Blood

Dresses

Sanchez Looked At Me And We Locked Eyes A Second Too Long. There Was Nothing I Could Do About It. The Signal Went Out. A Moment Of Clear, Silent Hostility Passed Between Us As Hotly Charged And Unintentional As A Thousand-volt Arc Through A Squirrel.

Eye

Squirrels

Long

I Haven't Devoured A Soul In...what Month Is This? March?

Soul

Months

March

Sounds Like A Plan Worthy Of Athena.

Sound

Athena

Worthy

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

Hercules Used Noise! Brass Bells! He Scared Them Away With The Most Horrible Sound He Could-" Said Percy "percy... Chiron's Collection!

Sound

Annabeth

Bells

I Knew Dionysus Must've Filled It Out, Because He Stubbornly Insisted On Getting My Name Wrong: Dear _______peter Johnson__________.

Names

Dionysus

Dear

He Was Slumped Over, Blood Trickling From The Side Of His Mouth. I Shook His Furry Hip, Thinking, No! Even If You Are Half Barnyard Animal, You're My Best Friend And I Don't Want You To Die!

Animal

Thinking

Blood

My Eighth Grade Teacher, Mrs. Pabst, Had Done Her Master's Thesis On Tolkien. She Showed Me How The Trilogy Was Patterned After Norse Mythology. She Was Also The First Person To Encourage Me To Submit Stories For Publication. The Idea Of Writing A Fantasy Based On Myths Never Left Me, And Many Years Later, This Would Lead Me To Write Percy Jackson.

Teacher

Writing

Years

See, Bad Things Happen To Me On Field Trips. Like At My Fifth-grade School, When We Went To The Saratoga Battlefield, I Had This Accident With A Revolutionary War Cannon. I Wasn't Aiming For The School Bus, But Of Course I Got Expelled Anyway. - Percy Jackson

War

School

Fields

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

Blood

Orange

Wish

How Do I Defeat Apophis?” “i’m So Glad You Asked!” Thoth Beamed At Me With His Multicolored Eyes. “unfortunately, I Can’t Tell You.” I Glanced At Walt. “do You Want To Kill Him, Or Should I?

Eye

Want

Defeat

Bob Says Hello," He Told The Stars. The Argo Ii Sailed Into The Night.

Stars

Night

Bob

How Flattering,” I Grumbled. “my Soul Glows.

Soul

Flattering

My Soul

Everyone Hates Clowns," Otis Said. "even Other Clowns Hate Clowns.

Hate

Clown

Said

Stop!" He Yelled At The Others. "multigrain Fighting Is Not Allowed!

Fighting

Oh, By The Way…” Jason Glanced At Percy. “i Resigned My Office, Gave Frank A Field Promotion To Praetor. Unless You Want To Contest That Ruling.” Percy Grinned. “no Argument Here.” “praetor?” Hazel Stared At Frank. He Shrugged Uncomfortably. “well… Yeah. I Know It Seems Weird.” She Tried To Throw Her Arms Around Him, Then Winced As She Remembered Her Busted Ribs. She Settled For Kissing Him. “it Seems Perfect.” Leo Clapped Frank On The Shoulder. “way To Go, Zhang. Now You Can Order Octavian To Fall On His Sword.

Fall

Kissing

Order

He [death] Pulled A Pure-black Ipad From Thin Air. Death Tapped The Screen A Few Times And All Frank Could Think Was: Please Don't Let There Be An App For Reading Souls

Reading

Thinking

Air

I Have More Ideas Than I'll Ever Be Able To Write In Five Lifetimes.

Funny

Life

Humorous

Wisdom's Daughter Walks Alone, The Mark Of Athena Burns Through Rome.

Daughter

Rome

Athena

Go Chase A Donut. -percy Jackson.

Donuts

But Grover’s Voice Was Already Growing Fainter. ‘sweet Dreams. Don’t Let Me Die!

Dream

Sweet

Voice

I Past Another Telkhine, Who Was So Startled He Dropped His Lil' Demons Lunch Box. I Left Him Alive - Partly Because He Had A Cool Lunch Box.

Past

Lunch

Alive

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

Sound

Most Of Set’s Forces Were Running Towards Our Boat, Screaming And Throwing Rocks (which Tended To Fall Down And Hit Them, But No One Says Demons Are Bright).

Running

Fall

Rocks

The First Lesson Every Child Of Athena Learned: Mom Was The Best At Everything, And You Should Never, Ever Suggest Otherwise.

Mom

Daughter

Children

When He Pulled Away, He Smiled Kindly At Me. I Felt So Good, I'll Admit I Teared Up A Little. I Guess Until That Moment I Hadn't Allowed Myself To Realize Just How Terrified I Had Been The Last Few Days. "dad-" "shhh," He Said. "no Hero Is Above Fear, Percy. And You Have Risen Above Every Hero. Not Even Hercules-

Dad

Hero

Littles

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

P.s. You'll Have To Meet With Dan's Principal When You Get Back. He Got In Trouble For Doing Ninja Moves In Class. Don't Worry. This Happens All The Time.

Moving

Class

Worry

Tyson! Thank The Gods, Annabeth Is Hurt!" "you Thank The Gods That She Is Hurt?" He Asked, Puzzled.

Hurt

Annabeth

Tyson

It Takes Strength And Courage To Admit The Truth.

Courage

Honesty

One Basketball To Rule Them All,” Leo Muttered.

Basketball

"you Are Okay?" He Asked. "not Eaten By Monsters?" "not Even A Little Bit." I Showed Him That I Still Had Both Arms And Both Legs, And Tyson Clapped Happily. "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!" I Hoped He Didn't Mean All At The Same Time, But I Told Him Absolutely, We'd Have A Lot Of Fun This Summer.

Summer

Fun

Mean

Monsters,' Her Dad Said, A Tear Tracing His Cheek. 'i Live In A World Of Monsters.

Just Remember If We Get Caught, You're Deaf And I Don't Speak English.

Speak English

Remember

Deaf

I'm Not Good With Children," The God Confessed. "or People. Well, Any Organic Life Forms, Really.

Children

People

Form

I Stared At The River Far Below. "why Did You Park Us On The Mountain? Why Not Closer?" Bast Shrugged, As If This Hadn't Occurred To Her. "cats Like To Get As High Up As Possible. In Case We Have To Pounce On Something." "great," I Said. "so If We Have To Pounce, We're All Set.

Cat

Rivers

Mountain

Boys Are Usually Forbidden To Have Any Contact With The Hunters. The Last One To See This Camp..." She Looked At Zoe. "which One Was It?" That Boy In Colorado," Zoe Said. "you Turned Him Into A Jackalope." Ah, Yes." Artemis Nodded, Satisfied. "i Enjoy Making Jackalopes.

Boys

Hunters

Colorado

For Thousands Of Years, You Humans Have Been Throwing In Everything As You Come Across--hopes, Dreams, Wishes That Never Came True. Irresponsible Waste Management, If You Ask Me.

Dream

Years

Wish

Hercules,huh? Percy Frowned. "that Guy Was Like The Starbucks Of Ancient Greece. Everywhere You Turn--there He Is.

Guy

Ancient

Starbucks

Annabeth Thalia And I Hadn't Seen Each Other In Months But Between The Blizzard And The Thought Of What We Were About To Do We Were Too Nervous To Talk Much. Except For My Mom. She Talks More When She's Nervous. By The Time We Finally Got To Westover Hall It Was Getting Dark And She'd Told Annabeth And Thalia Every Embarrassing Baby Story There Was To Tell About Me.

Mom

Baby

Dark

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

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

Humor Was A Good Way To Hide The Pain.

Pain

Way

Court Jester

My Point Is That Love Is The Most Powerful Motivator In The World. It Spurs Mortals To Greatness. Their Noblest, Bravest Acts Are Done For Love.

Powerful

Greatness

Love Is

To Foreswear Romantic Love Forever. To Never Grow Up, Never Get Married. To Be Maiden Eternally.

Growing Up

Romantic Love

Forever

Don't Feel Bad, I'm Usually About To Die.

Death

Sorry

Mythology

Who Are You And Why Are You My Cat?

Cat

Monte Cristo

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

Water

Lasts

Changed

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

What Horrible Things Would You Have To Do In Your Life To Get Woven Into Hades's Underwear?

Underwear

Woven

Adhd

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

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

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.

Brother

Godly

Years

I Held Out A Lead Figurine Of Hades—the Little Mythomagic Statue Nico Had Abandoned When He Fled Camp Last Winter. Nico Hesitated. "i Don’t Play That Game Anymore. It’s For Kids." "it’s Got Four Thousand Attack Power," I Coaxed. "five Thousand," Nico Corrected. "but Only If Your Opponent Attacks First." I Smiled. "maybe It’s Okay To Still Be A Kid Once In A While.

Kids

Winter

Games

So...your Name Means Mr.underwear." -frank

Mean

Names

Underwear

Tell Me When It's Over " Thalia Said. Her Eyes Were Shut Tight. The Statue Was Holding On To Us So We Couldn't Fall But Still Thalia Clutched His Arm Like It Was The Most Important Thing In The World. "everything's Fine " I Promised. "are... Are We Very High " I Looked Down. Below Us A Range Of Snowy Mountains Zipped By. I Stretched Out My Foot And Kicked Snow Off One Of The Peaks. "nah " I Said. "not That High.

Fall

Eye

Feet

Imagine Your Body Replaced By Dust And Vapor, And Having A Tingly Feeling In Your Stomach Without Even Having A Stomach. Imagine Having To Concentrate Just To Keep Yourself From Dispersing Into Nothing. I Got So Angry, A Flash Of Lightning Crackled Inside Me. “don’t Be That Way,” Amos Chuckled. “it’s Only For A Few Minutes.

Dust

Feelings

Body

I Am Never, Ever, Going To Make Things Easy For You, Seaweed Brain. Get Used To It.

Brain

Annabeth

Easy

Percy Imagined What That Would Be Like: Getting An Apartment In This Tiny Replica Of Rome, Protected By The Legion And Terminus The Ocd Border God. He Imagined Holding Hands With Annabeth At A Cafe. Maybe When They Were Older, Watching Their Own Kid Chase Seagulls Across The Forum.

Kids

Rome

Hands

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

Mean

Blessing

Appreciate

Maybe It’s The Other Way Around,” Jason Suggested. “maybe People With Special Gifts Show Up When Bad Things Are Happening Because That’s When They’re Needed Most.

People

Special

Jason

I’m The God Of Funerals. I Know Every Death Custom In The World—how To Die Properly, How To Prepare The Body And Soul For The Afterlife. I Live For Death.” “you Must Be Fun At Parties,” I Said.

Fun

Party

Afterlife

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

Mean

Doe

Needs

What I Did Next Was So Impulsive And Dangerous I Should've Been Named Adhd Poster Child Of The Year.

Children

Years

It Was A Crazy Idea. But, As Usual, That’s All Percy Had.

Crazy

Ideas

Usual

Life Is Only Precious Because It Ends, Kid. Take It From A God. You Mortals Don't Know How Lucky You Are

Kids

Lucky

Life Is

I Disobeyed Ra's Wishes, And So He Ordered My Onw Father, Shu-" "hang On," I Said. "shoe?" "s-h-u," She Said. "the God Of The Wind." "on." I Wished These Gods Had Names That Wearn't Common Household Objects. "go On, Please.

Father

Wind

Names

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

No Doubt Carter Would Describe The Underground City In Excruciating Detail, With Exact Measurements Of Each Room, Boring History On Every Statue And Hieroglyph, And Background Notes On The Construction Of The Magical Headquarters Of The House Of Life. I Will Spare You That Pain. It's Big. It's Full Of Magic. It's Underground. There. Sorted.

Pain

Cities

House

Percy Pushed On His Side Furiously And The Crack Closed. His Eyes Blazed With Anger. She Hoped He Wasn’t Mad At Her, But If He Was She Couldn’t Blame Him. If It Keeps Him Going, She Thought, Then Let Him Be Angry.

Eye

Mad

Cracks

Yeah, Well,” Nico Said, “not Giving People A Second Thought…that Can Be Dangerous.

People

Giving

Yeah

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

Morning

Sorry

Waiting

The Truth Is Harsh." Anubis Said. "spirits Come To The Hall Of Judgement All The Time, And They Cannot Let Go Of Their Lies. They Deny Their Faults, Their True Feelings, Their Mistakes.......right Up Until Ammit Devours Their Souls For Eternity. It Takes Strength And Courage To Admit The Truth.

Letting Go

Mistake

Lying

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

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

Cat

Thinking

Center Of The Universe

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

I Felt Like One Of Apollo's Sacred Cows- Slow, Dumb, And Bright Red.

Dumb

Apollo

Cows

May The Gods Be With You

May

God Is With You

Paul Patted Mrs. O'leary's Snout. The Living Room Shook —boom, Boom, Boom—which Either Meant A Swat Team Was Breaking Down The Door Or Mrs. O'leary Was Wagging Her Tail. I Couldn't Help But Smile.

Team

Doors

Rooms

I Suppose With So Many Things Suddenly Getting Better, The Things That Were Still Missing Hurt Even Worse.

Hurt

Missing

Get Better

Ella, Just Stay Here. Stay Safe." "safe," Ella Repeated. "ella Likes Being Safe. Safety In Numbers. Safety Deposit Boxes. Ella Will Go With Tyson." "what?" Percy Said. "oh... Fine, Whatever. Just Don't Get Hurt. And Mrs. O'leary—" "rooof." "how Do You Feel About Pulling A Chariot?

Hurt

Numbers

Safety

Mr. D," Grover Asked Timidly, "if You're Not Going To Eat It, Could I Have Your Diet Coke Can?

Coke

Grover

Diets

I Was Wondering How You Got All That Out Of A Single Moooooo

Wonder

Feel The Wrath Of Wheat!

Wrath

Wheat

Feels

All I Could Think To Say Was, "the Lakers Are My Home Team!

Team

Home

Thinking

That’s Us,” He Said. “those Five Nuts Right There.” Which One Is Me?” I Asked. The Little Deformed One,” Zoe Suggested. Oh, Shut Up.

Nuts

Littles

Acorns

After My Bad Experience As A Kite, I Simply Refused To Go About As A Glowing Sadie-headed Chicken. That’s Fine For Carter, But I Have Standards.

Glowing

Kites

Chickens

She Had To Go On This Quest. The Fate Of The World Might Depend On It. But Part Of Him Wanted To Say: Forget The World. He Didn’t Want To Be Without Her.

Fate

Goes On

World

Our Secret Weapon, Khione! We're Not Just A Bunch Of Demigods. We're A Team.

Team

Secret

Weapons

Even The Gods Couldn't Devise A Fates So Twisted.

Fate

Twisted

And If I Was Humming "happy Birthday" And Smiling Stupidly As I Fled For My Life—well, That Was Nobody's Business, Was It?

Humming

Wells

Ifs

In Person, If Possible, Anubis Was Even More Drop-dead Gorgeous. [oh . . . Ha, Ha. I Didn't Catch The Pun, But Thank You, Carter. God Of The Dead, Drop-dead Gorgeous. Yes, Hilarious. Now, May I Continue?]

Anubis

May

Drop Dead Gorgeous

Someday, You Will Make An Excellent Guardian Ba.” “thanks,” I Muttered. “can’t Wait To Be Poultry Forever.

Waiting

Forever

Poultry

I Sat Up In Bed. "what Did He Say?" Tyson Groaned, Still Half Asleep. He Was Lying Facedown On The Couch, His Feet So Far Over The Edge They Were In The Bathroom. "the Happy Man Said...bowling Practice?" I Hoped He Was Right, But Then There Was An Urgent Knock On The Suite's Interior Door. Annabeth Stuck Her Head In--her Blonde Hair In A Rat's Nest. "disembowling Practice?

Lying

Men

Feet

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

Annabeth’s Hand Slipped Into Mine. Under Different Circumstances I Would’ve Been Embarrassed, But Here In The Dark I Was Glad To Know Where She Was. It Was About The Only Thing I Was Sure Of.

Dark

Hands

Different

All Right, Cupcakes. You Are About To See The Grand Canyon. Try Not To Break It. The Skywalk Can Hold The Weight Of Seventy Jumbo Jets, To You Featherweights Should Be Safe Out There. If Possible, Try To Avoid Pushing Each Other Over The Edge, As That Would Cause Me Extra Paperwork.

Cupcakes

Trying

Pushing Each Other

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

Fighting

Games

Giants

Some Risks Are Worth Taking, Even If It Means Losing A Life.

Mean

Risk

Losing

The Eidolons Started Pounding On The Door. 'who Is It?' Leo Called. 'valdez!' 'valdez Who?

Doors

Hey! Guy With Scary Eyes?" Madison Called Out. "you Know What A Moose Does When Someone Insults Her Family?" Ivan Raised His Eyebrows. "she Does This." Madison Crouched Down And Charged Ivan. Her Head Hit Him In The Stomach.

Eye

Guy

Scary

[hazel] Hissed In Frustration. 'i Hate Eidolons. I Thought Piper Made Them Promise To Stay Away.' 'oh...' Frank Said, Like He'd Just Had His Own Daily Happy Thought. 'piper Made Them Promise To Stay Off The Ship And Not Possess Any Of Us. But If They Followed Us, And Used Other Bodies To Attack Us, Then They're Not Technically Breaking Their Vow...' 'great,' Leo Muttered. 'eidolons Who Are Also Lawyers. Now I Really Want To Kill Them.

Hate

Frustration

Promise

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

Apparently, Word Of The Chicken Man Incident Hadn’t Spread Quite Yet.

Men

Incidents

Chickens

I'm A Teacher Still, But With A Much Larger Classroom.

Teacher

Attitude

Teaching

Thankfully,two Old Friends Stood Next To The Throne. Horus Wore Full Battle Armor And A Khopesh Sword At His Side.is Kohl-lined Eyes-one Gold, One Silver-were As Piercing As Ever. At His Side Stood Isis In A Shimmering White Gown, With Wings Of Light. "welcome," Horus Said. "um, Hi," I Said. "he Has A Way With Words," Isis Muttered, Which Made Sadie Snort.

Eye

Light

Isis

All We Can Do, Child, Is Follow Our Destiny.

Children

Destiny

Our Destiny

Doesn't Miss Many Meals, Does He?" Zeus Muttered. "tyson, For Your Bravery In The War, And For Leading The Cyclopes, You Are Appointed A General I. The Armies Of Olympus. You Shall Henceforth Lead You Breathren Into War Whenever Required By The Gods. And You Shall Have A New...um...what Kind Of Weapon Would You Like? A Sword? An Axe?" "stick!" Tyson Said, Showing His Broken Club. "very Well," Zeus Said. "we Will Grant You A New, Er, Stick. The Best Stick That May Be Found." "hooray!

War

Army

Broken

Percy," My Father Said, "what Exactly Do You Mean?" "kronos Couldn't Have Risen If It Hadn't Been For A Lot Of Demigods Who Felt Abandoned By Their Parents," I Said. "they Felt Angry, Resentful, And Unloved, And They Had A Good Reason.

Father

Mean

Parent

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

So I Took Her Hand, And I Don't Know What Everybody Else Heard, But To Me It Sounded Like A Slow Dance: A Little Sad, But Maybe A Little Hopeful, Too.

Hands

Hopeful

Littles

Afterward, I Had The Last Laugh. I Made An Air Bubble At The Bottom Of The Lake. Our Friends Kept Waiting For Us To Come Up, But Hey-when You Are The Son Of Poseidon, You Don't Have To Hurry. And It Was Pretty Much The Best Underwater Kiss Of All Time.

Love

Cute

Son

Since Percy’d Lost His Memory,his Whole Life Was One Big Fillin-the-blank. He Was____________________, From____________________. He Felt Like ____________________, And If The Monsters Caught Him, He’d Be____________________.

Memories

Monsters

Lost

My Name Is Zia Rashid.” She Tilted Her Head As If Listening. Right On Cue, The Entire Building Rumbled. Dust Sprinkled From The Ceiling, And The Slithering Sounds Of Scorpion Doubled In Volume Behind Us. “and Right Now,” Zia Continued, Sounding A Bit Disappointed, “i Must Save Your Miserable Lives.

Dust

Names

Listening

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

This Is Buford,” Leo Announced. “you Name Your Furniture?” Frank Asked.

Names

Furniture

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

Her Freckles Were Orange, As If Somebody Had Spray-painted Her Face With Liquid Cheetos.

Orange

Freckles

Faces

Annabeth:my Fatal Flaw. That's What The Sirens Showed Me. My Fatal Flaw Is Hubris. Percy: The Brown Stuff They Spread On Veggie Sandwiches? Annabeth:no, Seaweed Brain. That's Hummus. Hubris Is Worse. Percy: What Could Be Worse Than Hummus? Annabeth: Hubris Means Deadly Pride, Percy. Thinking You Can Do Things Better Than Anyone Else... Even The Gods.

Mean

Pride

Thinking

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

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

The Name Says It All. That's Where Dad (hades) Tries Out His New Punishment Ideas, But He Says The Traditional Ones Still Work Best: The Lava Flows, The Minefields Full Of Exploding Surprises, Burning At The Stake, Running Naked Through Cactus Patches... You Name It, We've Got It Here - Nico Di Angelo

Running

Dad

Punishment

Set Screamed Something In Ancient Egyptian. I Was Fairly Sure It Wasn’t A Compliment. “i Will Rend Your Limbs From Their Sockets!” He Shouted. “i Will—” “die?” Carter Suggested.

Compliment

Ancient

Egyptian

Yours In Demigodishness, And All That. Peace Out!

Leo Valdez

Freak Is Easily Spooked. Flesh-eating Monsters Tend To Scare Him Away. So Do Fireworks, Clowns, And The Smell Of Sadie's Weird British Ribena Drink. (can't Blame Him On That Last One. Sadie Grew Up In London And Developed Some Pretty Strange Tastes.

Flesh Eating

Smell

Scare

Hermes Has Threatened Me With Slow Mail. Lousy Internet Service And A Horrible Stock Market If I Publish This Story. I Hope He Is Just Bluffing.

Stories

Mail

Internet

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

Hurt

Voice

Matter

"it's Him," I Said. "typhon." I Was Seriously Hoping Chiron Would Say Something Good, Like No, That's Our Huge Friend Leroy! He's Going To Help Us!

Helping

Said

Huge

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

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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