I (percy) Set Nico On Guard Duty With Beckendorf And The Stoll Brothers, Figuring He'd Be Safely Out Of The Way. ... "what's Happening?" Nico Demanded, Trying To Climb Up Next To Me.

-Rick Riordan

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I (percy) Set Nico

Rick Riordan

I (percy) Set Nico On Guard Duty With Beckendorf And The Stoll Brothers, Figuring He'd Be Safely Out Of The Way. ... "what's Happening?" Nico Demanded, Trying To Climb Up Next To Me.

Topic

Brother

Trying

Way

More From Rick Riordan

Think Positive Girl, Or The World Ends.

Girl

Thinking

Think Positive

You Seem To Be Clean," Terminus Decided. "do You Have Anything To Declare?" "yes," Percy Said. "i Declare This Is Stupid.

Stupid

Clean

Said

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

Cat

Thinking

Center Of The Universe

This Is The Wilderness School. 'where The Kids Are Animals

School

Kids

Animal

He Looked Like An Evil Male Model, Showing Off What The Fashionable College Age Villain Was Wearing To Harvard This Year.

College

Years

Evil

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

The Answer To Every Problem Involved Penguins

Answers

Penguins

Problem

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

I'll Show Them 'love Is Worthless,'" Silena Beauregard Grumbled As She Strapped On Her Armor. "i'll Pulverize Them!

Love Is

Armor

Shows

Listen, Frank Zhang Has Moves. He's Probably Gonna Turn Into A Kangaroo And Do Some Marsupial Jujitsu On Their Ugly Faces.

Moving

Kangaroos

Ugly

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

Rachel: You're A Half-blood, Too? Annabeth: Shhh! Just Announce It To The World, How About? Rachel: Okay. Hey, Everybody! These Two Aren't Human! They're Half Greek God!...they Don't Seem To Care.

Two

Blood

Greek

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

The Best People Have The Rottenest Luck

People

Luck

Tyson Dropped The Two Warriors He Was About To Tie Into A Knot And Jogged After Us. He Jumped On The Centaur's Back. 'dude!' The Centaur Groaned, Almost Buckling Under Tyson's Weight. 'do The Words "low-carb Diet" Mean Anything To You?

Mean

Warrior

Two

I Looked At Thalia. "you're Afraid Of Heights." Now That We Were Safely Down The Mountain, Her Eyes Had Their Usual Angry Look. "don't Be Stupid." That Explains Why You Freaked Out On Apollo's Bus. Why You Didn't Want To Talk About It." She Took A Deep Breath. Then She Brushed The Pine Needles Out Of Her Hair. "if You Tell Anyone, I Swear—" No, No," I Said. "that's Cool. It's Just… The Daughter Of Zeus, The Lord Of The Sky, Afraid Of Heights?

Daughter

Stupid

Eye

We Need A Shroud. A Shroud For The Son Of Hermes.

Son

Needs

Hermes

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

I Could Have Killed You.” “or I Could Have Killed You,” Percy Said. Jason Shrugged. “if There’d Been An Ocean In Kansas, Maybe.” “i Don’t Need An Ocean—” “boys,” Annabeth Interrupted, “i’m Sure You Both Would’ve Been Wonderful At Killing Each Other. But Right Now, You Need Some Rest.” Food First,” Percy Said. “please?

Ocean

Boys

Kansas

Why Does It Have To Be So Hard? Why Can't It Be A Happily-ever-after Ride-into-the-sunset Feeling All The Time?

Sunset

Feelings

Doe

Patterns Repeat Themselves In History

Patterns

Repeats

Thalia Had Been Turned Into A Pine Tree When She Was 12. Me... Well, I Was Doing My Best Not To Follow Her Example. I Had Nightmares About What Poseidon Might Turn Me Into If I Were Ever In The Verge Of Death—plankton, Maybe. Or A Floating Patch Of Kelp.

Tree

Might

Example

Stars," She Whispered. "i Can See The Stars Again, My Lady." A Tear Trickled Down Artemis's Cheek. "yes, My Brave One. They Are Beautiful Tonight." Stars," Zoe Repeated. Her Eyes Fixed On The Night Sky. And She Did Not Move Again.

Beautiful

Stars

Moving

I Got The Feeling Poseidon Really Didn't Know What To Think Of Me. He Didn't Know Whether He Was Happy To Have Me As A Son Or Not. In A Strange Way, I Was Glad That Poseidon Was So Distant. If He'd Tried To Apologize, Or Told Me He Love Me, Or Even Smiled. It Would've Felt Fake. Like Human Dad, Making Some Lame Excuse For Not Being Around. I Could Live With That. After All, I Wasn't Sure About Him Yet, Either.

Dad

Son

Thinking

You Promised You Would Protect Her Nico Said. He Might As Well Have Stabbed Me With A Rusty Dagger.it Would've Hurt Less Than Reminding Me Of My Promise.

Hurt

Promise

Daggers

I Should’ve Been Very Cross With Anubis. Kissing Me Without Permission—the Nerve!

Kissing

Anubis

Nerves

Sadie Kane Here. If You're Listening To This, Congratulations, You Survived Doomsday.

Congratulations

Listening

Sadie

It Was Almost Enough To Make Me Turn Vegetarian, Except For The Pesky Fact That I Loved Cheeseburgers.

Facts

Vegetarian

Enough

I (percy) Set Nico On Guard Duty With Beckendorf And The Stoll Brothers, Figuring He'd Be Safely Out Of The Way. ... "what's Happening?" Nico Demanded, Trying To Climb Up Next To Me.

Brother

Trying

Way

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

The Main Courtyard Was Filled With Warriors - Mermen With Fish Tails From The Waist Down And Human Bodies From The Waist Up, Except Their Skin Was Blue, Which I'd Never Known Before.some Were Tending The Wounded. Some Were Sharpening Spears And Swords. One Passed Us, Swimming In A Hurry. His Eyes Were Bright Green, Like That Stuff They Put In Glo-sticks, And His Teeth Were Shark Teeth. They Don't Show You Stuff Like That In "the Little Mermaid.

Eye

Warrior

Swimming

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

Environment

Back Up Shall We? When My Brother, The Crazy Chicken Warrior, Turned Into A Falcon And Went Up The Pyramid’s Chimney With His New Friend, The Fruit Bat, He Left Me Playing Nurse To Two Very Wounded People—which I Didn’t Appreciate, And Which I Wasn’t Particularly Good At.

Brother

Crazy

Warrior

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

Fighting

Time Flies

Adhd

Staying Silent, Staying Away From Him... That Was The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done.

Done

Silent

Hardest

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

I’ve Met Plenty Of Embarrassing Parents, But Kronos, The Evil Titan Lord Who Wanted To Destroy Western Civilization? Not The Kind Of Dad You Invited To School For Career Day.

Dad

School

Civilization

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

Annabeth's Voice Caught On The Word Friend. Percy Was A Lot More Than That. Even Boyfriend Really Didn't Cover It. They'd Been Through So Much Together, At This Point Percy Was Part Of Her--a Sometimes Annoying Part, Sure, But Definitely A Part She Could Not Live Without.

Voice

Together

Annabeth

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

The Sign Was Spray-painted In Arabic And English, Probably From Some Attempt By The Farmer To Sell His Wares In The Market. The English Read: Dates-best Price. Cold Bebsi. "bebsi?" I Asked. "pepsi," Walt Said. "i Read About It On The Internet. There's No 'p' In Arabic. Everyone Here Calls The Soda Bebsi." "so You Have To Have Bebsi With Your Bizza?" "brobably.

Pepsi

Soda

Cold

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

Hurt

Lied

Charlie

Desjardins Was Literally Fuming. His Tattered Robes Still Smoked From Battle. (carter Says I Shouldn’t Mention That His Pink Boxer Shorts Were Showing, But They Were!)

Battle

Boxers

Shorts

At First I Was Protecting You Two Because I Promised. Now Even If I Hadn't Promised, I Would. You Two Are Like Kittens To Me. I Won't Fail You Again." I'll Admit I Got A Lump In My Throat. I'd Never Been Called Someone's Kitten Before. Sadie Sniffled. She Brushed Something From Under Her Eye. "you're Not Going To Wash Us, Are You?

Eye

Two

Firsts

Back From When They Watched Black And White Tv And Hunted Dinosaurs.

Black And White

Dinosaurs

Tvs

Great. I've Made A Friend.

Made

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

Love

Annabeth

Alive

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

The Others Strapped Themselves Below - Except For Coach Hedge, Who Insisted On Clinging To The Forward Rail, Yelling, "yeah! Bring It On, Lake!

Lakes

Yelling

Yeah

So," Annabeth Said, "are You Going To Argue About Me Coming Along?" "nah. You'd Just Beat Me Up." Percy Said. She Managed A Laugh, Which Was Good To Hear

Laughing

Annabeth

Arguing

You Know How Hard It Is To Feel Like An Extreme Falcon-headed Combat Machine When Somebody Calls You "chicken Man"?

Men

Machines

Chickens

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

Cereal

Spoons

Breakfast

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

Mean

The House Is In The House" Chapter 38

House

Chapters

Which Meant His Only Assets Were One Whiny Imprisoned Goddess, One Sort-of-girlfriend With A Dagger, And Leo, Who Apparently Thought He Could Defeat The Armies Of Darkness With Breath Mints.

Girlfriend

Army

Darkness

I Stick Closely To The Structure Of The Myths. I May Have Some Fun With The Mythology By Changing The Environment To Modern-day, But The Structure Of The Myths, The Monsters, The Relationships Of The Gods - None Of That Is Made Up.

Fun

Monsters

May

"aphrodite," She Said. "venus?" Hazel Asked In Amazement. "mom," Piper Said, With No Enthusiasm.

Mom

Venus

Enthusiasm

All I Could Think Of Was That The Teachers Must've Found The Illegal Stash Of Candy I'd Been Selling Out Of My Dorms Room. Or Maybe They'd Realized I Got My Essay On Tom Sawyer From The Internet Without Ever Reading The Book And Now They Were Going To Take Away My Grade. Or Worse, They Were Going To Make Me Read The Book.

Teacher

Book

Reading

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

Faces

You..." The Centaur's Eyes Flared Like A Cornered Animal's. "you Should Be Dead.

Eye

Animal

Centaurs

Percy, We're Going To Polyphemus' Island! Polyphemus Is An S-i-k...a C-y-k..." She Stamped Her Foot In Frustration. As Smart As She Was, Annabeth Was Dyslexic, Too. We Could've Been There All Night While She Tried To Spell Cyclops. "you Know What I Mean!

Smart

Mean

Frustration

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

Pain

June

Safety

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

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

My Goal In The Classroom Was Always To Make Sure They Were Having So Much Fun That They Didn't Realize They Were Learning.

Fun

Goal

Realizing

Sadie Got Up And Kissed Amos On The Forehead. “leave It To Us, Uncle. I’ve Got A Plan.” “that,” I Said, “sounds Like Very Bad News.

Uncles

Sound

News

Imagine Jumping Into A Pit Of Boiling Acid. Now Multiply That Pain Times Fifty." -percy

Pain

Jumping

Pits

I'm Afraid Not." Hades Sighed. "my Son Here Convinced Me That Perhaps I Should Prioritize My List Of Enemies." He Glared At Me With Distaste. "as Much As I Dislike Certain Upstart Demigods, It Would Not Do For Olympus To Fall. I Would Miss Bickering With My Siblings. And If There Is One Thing We Agree On - It Is That You Were A Terrible Father.

Father

Sibling

Fall

Now Fight Me! For Today Thee House Of Hades Will Be Called The Saviors Of Olympus.

Fighting

House

Olympus

Zoe Readied Her Arrows. Grover Lifted His Pipes. Thalia Raised Her Shield And I Noticed A Tear Running Down Her Cheek. Suddenly It Occurred To Me: This Had Happened To Her Before.she Had Been Cornered On Half- Blood Hill. She'd Willingly Given Her Life For Her Friends. But This Time She Couldn't Save Us.

Running

Blood

Arrows

She Led Him Past The Engine Room, Which Looked Like A Very Dangerous, Mechanized Jungle Gym, With Pipes And Pistons And Tubes Jutting From A Central Bronze Sphere. Cables Resembling Giant Metal Noodles Snaked Across The Floor And Ran Up The Walls. “how Does That Thing Even Work?” Percy Asked. “no Idea,” Annabeth Said. “and I’m The Only One Besides Leo Who Can Operate It.” “that’s Reassuring.” “it Should Be Fine. It’s Only Threatened To Blow Up Once.” “you’re Kidding, I Hope.” She Smiled. “come On.

Wall

Blow

Past

Now, Now," Bast Said. "it's Not So Bad." "right," I Said. "we're Stuck In Washington, D.c. We Have Two Days To Make It To Arizona And Stop A God We Don't Know How To Stop. And If We Can't, We'll Never See Our Dad Or Amos Again, And The World Might End." "that's The Spirit!" Bast Said Brightly. "now, Let's Have A Picnic.

Dad

Two

World

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

Stars

Night

Bob

The Real World Is Where The Monsters Are.

Life

Real

Monsters

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

Sea

Monsters

Lightning

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

Snacks

Needs

Bars

See You On The Other Side. -percy Jackson

Sides

We Walked On The Beach, Fed Blue Corn Ships To The Seagulls, And Munched On Blue Jelly Beans, Blue Saltwater Taffy And All The Other Free Samples My Mom Brought Home From Work. I Guess I Should Explain The Blue Food. See, Gabe Had Once Told My Mom There Was No Such Thing. They Had This Fight, Which Seemed Like A Really Small Thing At The Time. But Ever Since, My Mom Went Out Of Her Way To Eat Blue. She Baked Blue Birthday Cakes. She Mixed Blueberry Smoothies. She Bought Blue-corn Tortilla Chips And Brought Home Blue Candy From The Shop.

Mom

Beach

Home

Agh-uhh!” The Baboon Grunted. He Turned And Waddled Up The Stairs. Unfortunately, The Lakers Jersey Didn’t Completely Cover His Multicolored Rear.

Lakers

Jersey

Baboons

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

Frank Zhang! I, Jason Grace, Praetor Of The Twelfth Legion Fulminata, Give You My Final Order: I Resign My Post And Give You Emergency Field Promotion To Praetor, With The Full Powers Of That Rank. Take Command Of This Legion!

Order

Giving

Grace

It's Natural To Feel Fear. All Great Warriors Are Afraid. Only The Stupid And The Delusional Are Not.

Stupid

Warrior

Natural

Love Is No Game! It Is No Flowery Softness! It Is Hard Work- It Demands Everything From You- Especially The Truth. Only Then Does It Yield Results.

Hard Work

Love Is

Yield

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

The Telkine Growled And Muttered As He Tapped On His Keyboard. Maybe He Was Messaging His Friends On Uglyface.com

Keyboards

"bloated!" He Cried. The Corresponding Hieroglyph Flew Through The Air, Bursting Against A Demon's Chest In A Spray Of Light. Instantly, The Demon Swelled Like A Water Balloon And Rolled Screaming Down The Pyramid. "flat!" Thoth Blasted Another Demon, Who Collapsed And Shriveled Into A Monster-shaped Doormat. "intestinal Problems!" Thoth Yelled. The Poor Demon Who Got Zapped With That One Turned Green And Doubled Over.

Pyramids

Light

Air

Your Head Is Full Of Kelp.

You Are One Freaking Awesome Baboon.

Baboons

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

I Didn't Understand How. But The Toilets Had Responded To Me. I Had Become One With The Plumbing.

Toilets

Plumbing

We’re Staying Together,” He Promised. “you’re Not Getting Away From Me. Never Again.” Only Then Did She Understand What Would Happen. A One-way Trip. A Very Hard Fall. ”as Long As We’re Together,” She Said. She Heard Nico And Hazel Still Screaming For Help. She Saw Sunlight Far, Far Above- Maybe The Last Sunlight She Would Ever See. Then Percy Let Go Of His Ledge, And Together, Holding Hands, He And Annabeth Fell Into The Endless Darkness.

Letting Go

Fall

Hands

Wha-what?" Her Eyes Fluttered Open. "nothing," I Shouted. "we're Being Followed By A Slaying Machine. Go Back To Sleep.

Sleep

Eye

Machines

I Want To Build Some Thing Permanent.

Want

Permanent

Don't Underestimate Camp Half-blood.

Blood

Half

Underestimate

Well," I Said. "if You Need Me, I'll Be Outside, Playing With Sharp Objects.

Needs

Said

Wells

The Feast Of Fortuna Had Nothing To Do With Tuna, Which Was Fine With Percy.

Tuna

Fine

Fortuna

Weapons Are Allowed. Dirty Tricks Are Expected. But Try Not To Kill Anybody!” Tantalus Smiled At Us Like We Were All Naughty Children. “any Killing Will Result In Harsh Punishment. No S’mores At The Campfire For A Week! Now Ready Your Chariots!

Children

Dirty

Naughty

The World Will Fall, The Gods Will Die, And I Will Never Achieve A Perfect Score On This Stupid Machine. -dionysus

Stupid

Fall

Perfect

Plus, Humor Ws A Good Way To Hide The Pain. And If That Didn't Work, There Was Always Plan B. Run Aaway. Over And Over.

Running

Pain

Way

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

Sorry

Sight

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

The Wood Nymph Instructors Left Me In The Dust. They Told Me Not To Worry About It. They'd Had Centuries Of Practice Running Away From Lovesick Gods. But Still, It Was A Little Humiliating To Be Slower Than A Tree.

Running

Dust

Practice

Menshikov Wants To See The Old Gold Swallowed By Apophis. He Wants To See The World Plunged Into Darkness And Chaos. He Is Quite Insane. "oh." [great Response, I Know. But What Do You Say To A Story Like That?]

Darkness

Insane

Gold

Happy Birthday!' I Yelled, 'now, Shut Up!

Shut Up

Horus

Percy Is The Most Powerful Demigod I've Ever Met. No Offense To You Guys But It's True.

Powerful

Guy

Demigods

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

Funny

Life

Humorous

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

I Heard Amos Yell, “for Brooklyn!” It Was An Odd Battle Cry.

Battle

Brooklyn

Cry

Remake The World, A Little At A Time, Each In Your Own Corner Of The World.

World

Littles

Remakes

Dreams Like A Podcast, Downloading Truth In My Ears. They Tell Me Cool Stuff." "apollo?" I Guess, Because I Figured Nobody Else Could Make A Haiku That Bad. He Put His Finger To His Lips. "i'm Incognito. Call Me Fred." "a God Named Fred?

Dream

Apollo

Ears

Seriously, Who Curses You With Their Dying Breath And Says, I Hope Your Eye Twitches!

Eye

Dying

Curse

A Battle Can Be Won Before It's Ever Fought By Choosing The Right Ground.

Battle

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

Names

Letters

Source

I Remembered The Myth About Andromeda And How She Had Been Chained To A Rock By Her Own Parents As A Sacrifice To A Sea Monster. Maybe She'd Gotten Too Many F's On Her Report Card Or Something.

Sacrifice

Rocks

Sea

Leo Frowned At The Giant's Spire. "can't We Blow It Up Or Something?" "without Me, You Do Not Have The Power," Hera Said. "you Might As Well Try To Destroy A Mountain." "done That Once Today," Jason Said.

Blow

Trying

Mountain

I Held Out The Painting Of The Cat And The Snake. “it’s A Cat And A Snake,” Thoth Said. Thank You, God Of Wisdom. You Placed It For Us To Find, Didn’t You? You’re Trying To Give Us Some Sort Of Clue.” “who, Me?” Just Kill Him, Horus Said. Shut Up, I Said. At Least Kill The Guitar.

Cat

Guitar

Snakes

Sadie," He Said Forlornly, "when You Become A Parent, You May Understand This. One Of My Hardest Jobs As A Father, One Of My Greatest Duties, Was To Realize That My Own Dreams, My Own Goals And Wishes, Are Secondary To My Children's.

Dream

Jobs

Children

My Mother Says Looking Is The Nature Of Wisdom.

Mother

Imitation Is Flattery

Flattery

Imitation

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.

Wise

Mean

Boys

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

And Now, Sis. Transportation For The Hunters, You Say? Good Timing. I Was Just About Ready To Roll." These Demigods Will Also Need A Ride," Artemis Said, Pointing To Us. "some Of Chiron's Campers." No Problem!" Apollo Checked Us Out. "let's See... Thalia, Right? I've Heard All About You.". Thalia Blushed. "hi, Lord Apollo." Zues's Girl. Yes? Makes You My Half Sister. Used To Be A Tree Didn't You? Glad Your Back. I Hate It When Pretty Girls Get Turned Into Trees. Man, I Remeber One Time-

Girl

Hate

Men

Dealing With Any Man Means Dealing With Multiple Personalities.

Mean

Men

Personality

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

Succeed

Path

Choosing One

Poseidon Held Out His Arms And Gave Me A Hug. I Realized, A Little Embarrassed, That I'd Never Actually Hugged My Dad Before. He Was Warm—like A Regular Human—and He Smelled Of A Salty Beach And Fresh Sea Air.

Beach

Dad

Sea

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

Once He'd Even Reprogrammed The Electronic Billboards In Time Square To Read: All Da Ladies Luv Leo... Accidentally, Of Course.

Squares

Times Square

Billboards

Hey, Ugly!" Annabeth Yelled. I Hoped She Was Talking To The Giant, Not Me.

Talking

Giants

Annabeth

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

Race You To The Road?" I Said. "you Are So Going To Lose." She (annabeth) Took Off Down Half-blood Hill And I Sprinted After Her. For Once, I Didn't Look Back.

Race

Blood

Annabeth

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

He Was The Class Clown, The Court Jester, Because He'd Learn Early That If You Cracked Jokes And Pretended You Weren't Scared, You Usually Didn't Get Beat Up. Even The Baddest Gangster Kids Would Tolerate You, Keep You Around For Laughs. Plus, Humor Was A Good Way To Hide The Pain

Pain

Kids

Class

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

Mean

Doe

Needs

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

Depressing

People

His Lion And Hippo Legs Twitched. I Wondered If Netherworld Monsters Dreamed Of Chasing Rabbits.

Monsters

Rabbits

Lions

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

Christmas In The Underworld Was Not My Idea. If I'd Known What Was Coming, I Would've Called In Sick. I Could've Avoided An Army Of Demons, A Fight With A Titan, And A Trick That Almost Got My Friends And Me Cast Into Eternal Darkness. But No, I Had To Take My Stupid English Exam.

Stupid

Fighting

Army

Facinating." He Broke Into A Wide Grin. "i've Discovered Something, Khufu. This Is Not Memphis, Egypt." Khufu Gave Me A Sideways Look, And I Could Swear His Expression Meant, Duh. "i've Also Discovered A New Form Of Magic Called Blues Music," The Man Continued. "and Barbecue. Yes, You Must Try Barbecue.

Men

Khufu

Egypt

I Imagined Having That Bronzed Dragon In Our Fight Against The Titan Lord Kronos. His Monsters Would Think Twice About Attacking Camp If They Have To Face That Thing. On The Other Hand, If The Dragon Decided To Go Berserk Again And Attack The Campers-that Would Pretty Much Stink.

Fighting

Thinking

Dragons

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

We Got An Expression Ride Back To The Palace Of Hades. Nico Sent Word Ahead, Thanks To Some Ghost He Summoned Out Of The Ground, And Within A Few Minutes The Three Furies Themselves Arrived To Ferry Us Back. They Weren't Thrilled About Lugging Bob The Titan, Too, But I Didn't Have The Heart To Leave Him Behind, Especially After He Noticed My Shoulder Wound, Said, "owie", And Healed It With A Touch.

Heart

Expression

Three

Leo Could Run Pretty Fast When Someone Was Trying To Kill Him. Sadly, He’d Had A Lot Of Practice.

Running

Practice

Trying

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

If There Were Ever Any Half-bloods Who Needed To Worry About That, It Was Thalia And Me. I Wondered If Maybe I Should've Sent Poseidon That Seashell Pattern Tie For Father's Day After All. --percy Jackson

Father

Blood

Ties

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

There Will Be Guards,” Bast Said. “and Traps. And Alarms. You Can Bet The House Is Heavily Charmed To Keep Out Gods.” “magicians Can Do That?” I Asked. I Imagined A Big Can Of Pesticide Labeled God-away.

House

Alarms

Pesticides

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

Charlie …" Silena’s Eyes Were A Million Miles Away. "see Charlie.

Eye

Miles

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

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

Even Little Herley, Who Couldn't Have Been More Than Eight, Looked Like He Could Go Six Rounds With Chuck Norris Without Breaking A Sweat.

Eight

Sweat

Littles

Great," Percy Said. "seven Of Us Against Hercules." "and A Satyr!" Hedge Added. "we Can Take Him.

Seven

Said

Satyrs

The Vulture Nekhbet, Who'd One Possessed My Gran (long Story); The Crocodile Sobek, Who'd Tried To Kill My Cat (longer Story); And The Lion Goddess Sekhmet, Whom We'd Once Vanished In Hot Sauce ( Don't Even Ask) - Page 9

Cat

Long

Hot Sauce

I Don't Deserve You." "you're Not Allowed To Say That." "why Not?" "it's A Breakup Line. Unless You're Breaking Up-" Jason Leaned Over And Kissed Her. The Colors Of The Roman Afternoon Suddenly Seemed Sharper, As It The World Had Switched To High Definition. "no Breakups," He Promised. "i May Have Busted My Head A Few Times, But I'm Not That Stupid.

Breakup

Stupid

Color

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

Meat!" He Said Scornfully. "i'm A Vegetarian." You Eat Cheese Enchiladas And Aluminum Cans," I Reminded Him. Those Are Vegetables.

Vegetables

Meat

Aluminum Cans

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 Grabbed A Pair Of Glowing Red Legs.

Glowing

Legs

Red

I Sailed On The Cold Air Currents Above The Rooftops Of Paris. I Could See The River, The Louvre Museum, The Gardens And Palaces. And A Mouse-yum. Hang On, Carter, I Thought. Not Hunting Mice.

Garden

Hunting

Museums

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

Thalia's Shoulders Relaxed. "i Owe You One." "two." "one And A Half," Thalia Said. She Smiled, And For A Second, I Remembered That I Actually Liked Her When She Wasn't Yelling At Me.

Yelling

Two

Half

Tell You What," I Said. "after The Testing After The Demon Days, When Things Settle Down -" "things Won't Settle Down." "- I'm Going To Take You To The Mall." She Blinked. "the Mall? For What Reason?" "to Hang Out," I Said. "we'll Get Some Hamburgers. See A Movie." Zia Hesitated. "is This What You'd Call A 'date'?" My Expression Must Have Been Priceless, Because Zia Actually Cracked A Smile. "you Look Like A Cow Hit With A Shovel.

Expression

Looks

Hamburgers

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

"cool" Leo Said. "i Always Wanted A Sister Who Could Beat Me Up."

Beats

Said

Wanted

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

Well . . . Sure Good To Be Together Again. Arguing. Almost Dying. Abject Terror. Oh, Look. It's Our Floor.

Together Again

Dying

Looks

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

Thinking

Rocks

Ran

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

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

I Will Deny I Ever Said This, Of Course, But The Gods Need Heroes. They Always Have. Otherwise We Would Not Keep You Annoying Little Brats Around." I Feel So Wanted. Thanks.

Hero

Needs

Littles

You Mean A Bad Heel?" I Said. "couldn't I Just, Like, Wear Something Besides Sandals? No Offense." -percy

Mean

Sandals

Said

Nico, I've Seen A Lot Of Brave Things. But What You Just Did? That Was Maybe The Bravest.

Brave

Hades

House Of Hades

She Grabbed His Face And Pulled Him Into A Kiss, Which Effectively Shut Him Up.

Kissing

Faces

Hades

So, Yeah. Our Cat Was A Goddess. What Else Is New?

Cat

Goddess

Yeah

My Girlfriend: Sophomore Honors Student, Demigod, And — Oh, Yeah — Head Architect For Redesigning The Palace Of The Gods On Mount Olympus In Her Spare Time.

Girlfriend

Honor

Olympus

I'll Let You And Zia Have Some Quality Time," She Told Me. "just The Two Of You And Your Coat.

Two

Quality

Coats

I Hoped I Wasn't Blushing. It Was Bad Enough I Had To Depend On My Mom To Drive Me To My Battles.

Mom

Battle

Enough

I Have To Be Careful. My Readers Are Very Detail-oriented, And If I Make A Mistake They'll Call Me On It.

Mistake

Details

Call Me

Whoa," Connor Stoll Said. "back Up. Zoom In Right There." "what?" Annabeth Said Nervously. "you See Invaders?" "no, Right There—dylan's Candy Bar." Connor Grinned At His Brother. "dude, It's Open. And Everyone Is Asleep. Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?" "connor!" Katie Gardner Scolded. She Sounded Like Her Mother, Demeter. "this Is Serious. You Are Not Going To Loot A Candy Store In The Middle Of A War!" "sorry," Connor Muttered, But He Didn't Sound Very Ashamed.

Mother

Brother

Sorry

And Togheter, Holding Hands, He And Annabeth Fell Into The Endless Darkness

Hands

Darkness

Annabeth

You Both Should Feel Honored.” “right, Very Honored,” I Said. “always Wanted To Be Possessed!

Should

Said

Feels

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

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

Waiting

Forever

Poultry

Gods Tend To Be Selfish. Even When They're Helpful, They Always Have Their Own Motives. That's Why You Have To Be Careful About Trusting Them.

Selfish

Helpful

Be Careful

I Turned To Dionysus. "you Cured Him?" "madness Is My Specialty. It Was Quite Simple." "but...you Did Something Nice. Why?" He Raised And Eyebrow. "i Am Nice! I Simple Ooze Niceness, Perry Johansson. Haven't You Noticed?

Nice

Simple

Eyebrows

I Knew There Was A Reason I Didnt Turn You Into A Banana Slug." Leonid'd Eyes Widened. "no Banana Slug! Please!" "it Was A Compliement, Silly. Forbidden Is Good! Sadie Likes Forbidden!

Silly

Eye

Slugs

People Of Earth, I Come In Peace!

People

Earth

No Matter How Many Times Percy Killed Them And Watched Them Crumble To Powder, They Just Kept Re-forming Like Large Evil Dust Bunnies.

Dust

Evil

Bunnies

If You're Heading Downtown From Centeral Park, My Advice Is To Take The Subway. Flying Pigs Are Faster But Way More Dangerous

Pigs

Advice

Flying

Annabeth Realized That If Six Of Them Went On These Two Quests, It Would Leave Percy Alone On The Ship With Coach Hedge, Which Was Maybe Not A Situation A Caring Girlfriend Should Put Him In. Nor Was She Eager To Let Percy Out Of Her Sight Again—not After They’d Been Apart For So Many Months.

Girlfriend

Caring

Sight

Almost Everything Strange Washes Up Near Miami.

Miami

Strange

Sea Of Monsters

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

Bird

Dodo Bird

Said

Let The World Honor You, My Huntress. Live Forever In The Stars.

Stars

Forever

Honor

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

Doughboy," I Said. "what Is This Scroll?" "a Spell Lost In Time!" He Pronounced. "ancient Words Of Tremendous Power!" "well?" I Demanded. "does It Tell How To Defeat Set?" "better! The Title Reads: The Book Of Summoning Fruit Bats!

Book

Bats

Titles

Death Has More In Common With Love Than You Might Imagine.

Might

Common

Imagine

Die,human! Die, Silly Polluting Nasty Person!

Silly

Nasty

Humans

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

Percy Was Not Feeling The Love.

Feelings

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

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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