Looking Up In The Sky, I Saw The Stars Were Brighter Now. They Made A Pattern I Had Never Noticed Before- A Gleaming Constellation That Looked A Lot Like A Girls Figure- A Girl With A Bow, Running Across The Sky. "let The World Honor You, My Huntress. Live Forever In The Stars.

-Rick Riordan

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Looking Up In The

Rick Riordan

Topic

Girl

Running

Stars

More From Rick Riordan

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

Fighting

Games

Giants

As An Author, I Don't Really Think Too Much About Being A Celebrity. It's Not Like Being A Movie Star Or A Tv Star. It's Not As If People Recognize Me When I Walk Down The Street. That Hardly Ever Happens, And It's Just As Well. But It Is Great When People Know My Books, When I Walk Through An Airport And See Them In The Bookstore, Or When I See Someone Reading A Book On A Plane Or On A Train, And It's Something I've Written. That's A Wonderful Feeling.

Stars

Book

Reading

Wait Just A Minute," Ares Growled. He Pointed At Thalia And Me. "these Two Are Dangerous. It'd Be Much Safer, While We've Got Them Here—" "ares," Poseidon Interrupted, "they Are Worthy Heroes. We Will Not Blast My Son To Bits." "nor My Daughter," Zeus Grumbled. "she Has Done Well.

Daughter

Hero

Son

What Colors Are The Eyes Of Anubis?" "brown...duh.

Eye

Color

Anubis

I Hoped They Couldn't Run Very Fast With Those Stubby Little Legs And Flippers, But They Waddled Along Pretty Well.

Running

Legs

Littles

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

Notebook

Nuts

Written

Come On," I Said. "i've Got Some Questions For Thoth. And Then I'm Going To Punch Him In The Beak.

Beaks

Said

Glad You're Back To Normal. The Makeup And The Dress Were A Lot More Intimidating Than The Dagger." "get Going, Sparky, Before I Skewer You." "sparky?

Makeup

Dresses

Daggers

The Real World Is Where The Monsters Are.

Life

Real

Monsters

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

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

Oh, Dear Hazel.” Aphrodite Folded Her Fan. “such Optimism, Yet You Have Heartrending Days Ahead Of You. Of Course War Is Coming. Love And War Always Go Together. They Are The Peaks Of Human Emotion! Evil And Good, Beauty And Ugliness.

War

Evil

Optimism

And In The Fountain Squatted A Giant Crab. I’m Not Talking ‘giant’ Like $7.99 All-you-can-eat Alaskan King Crab. I’m Talking ‘giant’ Like Bigger Than The Fountain.

Kings

Talking

Giants

We Choose To Believe In Ma'at. We Create Order Out Of Chaos, Beauty Out Of Ugly Randomness. That's What Egypt Is All About.

Believe

Egypt

Order

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

Percy Blinked. “so Your Brother Is A Winged Horse. But You’re Also My Half Brother, Which Means All The Flying Horses In The World Are My…you Know What? Lets’ Forget It.

Brother

Horse

Mean

Brother Dear,” I Said, “did Your Soul Leave Your Body While Amos Was Talking, Or Did You Actually Hear Him? Egyptian Gods Real. Red Lord Bad. Red Lord’s Birthday: Very Soon, Very Bad. House Of Life: Fussy Magicians Who Hate Our Family Because Dad Was A Bit Of A Rebel, Whom You Could Take A Lesson From. Which Leaves Us—just Us—with Dad Missing, An Evil God About To Destroy The World, And An Uncle Who Just Jumped Off The Building—and I Can’t Actually Blame Him.” I Took A Breath. [yes, Carter, I Do Have To Breathe Occasionally.]

Brother

Uncles

Dad

I Can't Summon Anymore Gas!" Leo Warned. The His Faced Turned Red. 'wow, That Came Out Wrong. I Mean The Burning Kind.

Mean

Burning

Wow

Apollo?” I Guessed… He Put A Finger To His Lips. “i’m Incognito. Call Me Fred.” A God Named Fred?

Apollo

Lips

Fingers

The Waiter Brought Fresh-baked Bread And Cheese, A Bottle Of Sparkling Water For Annabeth, And A Coke With Ice For Me (because I’m A Barbarian).

Ice

Water

Annabeth

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

Snacks

Sick

Jason

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

Mean

In Case You're Wondering, The Underside Of A Sheep Doesn't Smell That Great. Imagine A Winter Sweater That's Been Dragged Through The Mud And Left In The Laundry Hamper For A Week. Something Like That.

Winter

Sheep

Sweaters

Bring It On, Pinecone Face!

Faces

Twelve Minutes. I Can Give You That.

Giving

Twelve

Minutes

Rowww!” Bast Wailed. The Wrecking Ball Rolled Straight Over Her, But She Didn’t Appear Hurt. She Leaped Off And Pounced Aain. Her Knives Sliced Through The Metal Like Wet Clay. Within Seconds, The Wrecking Ball Was Reduced To A Mound Of Scraps. Bast Sheathed Her Blades. “safe Now.” “you Saved Us From A Metal Ball,” Sadie Said. “you Never Know,” Bast Said. “it Could’ve Been Hostile.

Hurt

Knives

Clay

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

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

Dad

Tears

Monsters

Everybody Loves To Show Up At The Party Once All The Hard Work Is Done.

Party

Hard Work

Done

That's What Being A Demigod Was All About, Not Quite Belonging In The Mortal World Or On Mount Olympus But Trying To Make Peace With Both Sides Of Their Nature.

Trying

Olympus

World

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

Talking

Giants

Annabeth

Why Didn’t You Sleep With The Headrest?” I Shrugged. “it Was Uncomfortable.” I Looked At Sadie For Support. “you Didn’t Use It, Did You?” Sadie Rolled Her Eyes. “well, Of Course I Did. It Was Obviously There For A Reason.

Sleep

Eye

Support You

I Never Thought I'd Get To See Rome," Hazel Said. "when I Was Alive, I Mean For The First Time, Mussolini Was In Charge. We Were At War." "mussolini?" Leo Frowned. "wasn't He Like Bff's With Hitler?" Hazel Stared At Him Like He Was An Alien. "bff's?" "never Mind." "i'd Love To See The Trevi Fountain," She Said. "there's A Fountain On Every Block," Leo Grumbled. "or The Spanish Steps," Hazel Said. "why Would You Come To Italy To See Spanosh Steps?" Leo Asked. "that's Like Going To China For Mexican Food, Isn't It?" "you're Hopeless," Hazel Complained. "so I've Been Told.

Block

War

Mean

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

Nico Danced Around Like He Needed To Use The Restroom. "does Zeus Really Have Lightning Bolts That Do Six Hundred Damage? Does He Get Extra Movement Points For—" "nico, Shut Up!" Bianca Put Her Hands To Her Face. "this Is Not Your Stupid Mythomagic Game, Okay? There Are No Gods!

Stupid

Hands

Games

I Stepped Forward. Call Me Old-fashioned, But I Wanted To Keep His Focus On Me And Not Annabeth. I Think It’s Polite For A Guy To Protect His Girlfriend From Instant Incineration.

Girlfriend

Thinking

Focus

Think About Isis,” Jaz Repeated. “and Sadie…there Is A Purpose. You Taught Us That. We Choose To Believe In Ma'at. We Create Order Out Of Chaos, Beauty And Meaning Out Of Ugly Randomness. That's What Egypt Is All About. That's Why Its Name, Its Ren, Has Endured For Millennia. Don't Despair. Otherwise Chaos Wins.

Believe

Winning

Thinking

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

Kissing

Underwater

Poseidon

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

Environment

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

Games

Fancy

Busy

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

Hazel: "there," She Said.the Official Building On Their Left Had A Single Word Etched On The Glass Doors: Amazon. "oh," Frank Said."uh, No, Hazel. That's A Modern Thing. They're A Company, Right? They Sell Stuff On The Internet. They're Not Actually Amazons." "unless..." Percy Walked Through The Doors.

Glasses

Doors

Amazon

Lord Bacchus, Do You Remember Me? I Helped You With That Missing Leopard In Sonoma." Bacchus Scratched His Stubbly Chin. "ah... Yes. John Green." "jason Grace." "whatever," The God Said.

Missing

Grace

Jason

Percy: The Heka-what? Annabeth: The Hundred-handed Ones. They Called Them That Because... Well, They Had A Hundred Hands. They Were The Elder Brothers Of The Cyclopes. Tyson: Very Powerful. Wonderful! As Tall As The Sky. So Strong They Can Break Mountains! Percy: Cool. Unless You're A Mountain.

Strong

Brother

Powerful

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

The Cyclopes Growled, "i Don't See Very Well Since The Last Hero Poked My Eye Out, But You're... No... Lady... Cyclopes!

Hero

Eye

Lasts

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

Anubis Frowned. He Locked His Very Nice Eyes With Mine. “you’re Not Dead.” “no,” I Said. “though We’re Trying Awfully Hard.

Nice

Eye

Trying

Spontaneous Combustion Is A Form Of Harm, Mr. D," Chiron Put In.

Spontaneous

Form

Harm

When She Kissed Me, I Had The Feeling My Brain Was Melting Right Through My Body.

Feelings

Brain

Annabeth

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

Girl

Feet

Giants

Everything Happens For A Reason, Sadie, Even Bad Things.

Everything Happens For A Reason

Sadie

Bad Things

What Are You Thinking? Nothing. I Mean...a Lot Of Things. Kind Of All At Once.

Mean

Thinking

Kind

I Think The More You Understand Myths, The More You Understand The Roots Of Our Culture And The More Things Will Resonate. Do You Have To Know Them? No, But Certainly It Is Nice To Recognise How Deeply These Things Are Embedded In Our Literature, Our Art.

Art

Nice

Thinking

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

Girl

Espresso

Guy

You Speak Horse?" Hazel Asked. "speaking To Horses Is A Poseidon Thing," Percy Said. "uh, I Mean A Neptune Thing." "then You And Arion Should Get Along Fine," Hazel Said. "he's A Son Of Neptune Too." Percy Turned Pale. "excuse Me?

Horse

Mean

Son

Not Inmune To Engines Huh? Boo-yah!! -leo

Engines

Thank Ra!” She Exclaimed. “yeah, I’m Alive.” “no, I Almost Jumped In After You. I Hate The Water!

Hate

Water

Alive

Oh No." I Said Panic Rising In My Chest. "no, No, No, Somebody Get A Can Opener. I've Got A God In My Head!!

Rising

Panic

Said

She (annabeth) Put Her Hand On My Spine, And My Skin Tingled. I (percy) Moved Her Fingers To The One Spot That Grounded Me To My Mortal Life. A Thousand Volts Of Electricity Seemed To Arc Through My Body.

Hands

Skins

Body

And Please God, Grant Me The Wisdom To Remember That I Am Writing For Children, Not Golden Stickers.

Children

Writing

Golden

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

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

Orange

Freckles

Faces

A Little Slower, Sweetheart. Cape Cod Is Freezing Over.

Capes

Littles

Cape Cod

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

Sick

Needs

Looks

As We Rose Over The Rooftops I Caught My Breath-well, If You Can Catch Your Breath Underwater.

Rose

Underwater

Rooftops

How Did You Die?" "we Er....drowned In A Bathtub." "all Three Of You?" "it Was A Big Bathtub.

Three

Bigs

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

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

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

Eye

Sight

Eagles

How Do You Have Five Children In A Row, Each On A Different Say?” “they’re Gods,” Carter Said. “they Can Do Stuff Like That.

Children

Different

Stuff

Before I Could Lose My Courage, I Said, "don't I Get A Kiss For Luck? It's Kind Of A Tradition, Right?" I Figured She Would Punch Me. Instead, She Drew Her Knife And Stared At The Army Marching Toward Us. "come Back Alive, Seaweed Brain. Then, We'll See.

Kissing

Army

Knives

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

Two

Different

Use

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

Die, Enemies Of Ra!" Sekhemet Yelled. "perish In Agony!" "she's Almost As Annoying As You," I Told Horus. "impossible," Horus Said. "no One Bests Horus.

Agony

Enemy

Impossible

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

Girl

Falling In Love

Heart

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

Shut Up

Horus

You Can't Call A Ninja Lord Dweeb.

Ninja

Lord

Wow. When He Started Looking Back On The War With Kronos As The Good Old Days--that Was Sad.

War

Wow

Old Days

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

Brave

Hades

House Of Hades

Also ... The Plan Sounded Exactly Like The Sneaky, Twisted, Ridiculously Annoying And Noble Sort Of Thing Leo Valdez Would Do.

Noble

Annoying

Sneaky

Jason Always Tried To Build A Good Relationship With His Team. He'd Learned The Hard Way That If Somebody Was Going To Have Your Back In A Fight, It Was Better If You Found Some Common Ground And Trusted Each Other. But Nico Wasn't Easy To Figure Out.

Team

Fighting

Good Relationship

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

Smell

Annabeth

Said

Young People Don't Always Do What They're Told, But If They Can Pull It Off And Do Something Wonderful, Sometimes They Escape Punishment.

Children

Punishment

People

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

Weasels

Frank

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

Brother

Son

Looks

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

Kissing

Anubis

Nerves

All Right Cupcakes Listen Up!

Cupcakes

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

Feel Better

Building

Made

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

Believe

Secret

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

I Tried To Think Of Something To Say. Excuse Me? Hello? Marry Me? Anything Would Have Done.

Thinking

Done

Hello

You Mix Greek And Roman, You Know What You Get? You Get Bam!

Greek

Knows

Then Something Occurred To Me. "get Closer," I Told Blackjack. He Whinnied In Protest. "just Within Shouting Distance," I Said. "i Need To Talk To The Statue." Now I'm Sure You've Lost It, Boss, Blackjack Said

Distance

Boss

Needs

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

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

Trantulus Casually Roasted A Marshmallow And Reached Out For It But The Marshmallow Commited Sucide And Dived Into The Flames.

Flames

Marshmallow

Caught In A Bad Romance. Whoaaa-oh-ooooh!" Nellie Wailed Along To The Xm Radio Blaring From The Enormous Speakers. "can I Uncover My Ears Now?" Dan Called From The Back, Where He Was Reclined Across The Leather Seat. "has Nellie Stopped Her Lady Gag Me Impression?

Romance

Ears

Radio

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

Rude

Mouths

Daedalus

Thoth's Beak! You Are Impossibley Stubborn." "yeah, It's A Gift.

Stubborn

Yeah

Beaks

Who Are You And Why Are You My Cat?

Cat

Monte Cristo

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

Erre Es Korakas, Blinky!" Dionysus Cursed. "i Will Have Your Soul!

Soul

Dionysus

Cursed

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

School

Kids

Animal

Me? I Slept Like The Dead, Which I Hoped Wasn’t A Sign Of Things To Come.

I Apologize For Apologizing." "thank You.

Apologizing

I Apologize

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

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

School

Blow

Lasts

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

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

Nice

Fire

Breathing

Coach Hedge Grumbled As He Tended Their Wounds. “how Come I Never Get Invited On These Violent Trips?

Violent

Coaches

Invited

Honestly, I Thought I Was Going To Be A Kite Forever, Suffocating Inside A Little Feathery Prison. And He Had The Nerve To Make Fun!

Fun

Forever

Nerves

Dejardins Was So Stunned, He Momentarily Forgot How To Speak English. "ce N'est Pas Possible. On Ne Pourrait Pas-

Speak English

Speak

Stunned

Can You Surf Really Well, Then?" I Looked At Grover, Who Was Trying Hard Not To Laugh. "jeez, Nico," I Said. "i've Never Really Tried." He Went On Asking Questions. Did I Fight A Lot With Thalia, Since She Was A Daughter Of Zeus? (i Didn't Answer That One.) If Annabeth's Mother Was Athena, The Goddess Of Wisdom, Then Why Didn't Annabeth Know Better Than To Fall Off A Cliff? (i Tried Not To Strangle Nico For Asking That One.) Was Annabeth My Girlfriend? (at This Point, I Was Ready To Stick The Kid In A Meat-flavored Sack And Throw Him To The Wolves.)

Daughter

Mother

Girlfriend

I Gave Her A Smile That I Hoped Conveyed Something Like: Hey, You Know I’m On Your Side. Gods Are Such Jerks! But What Can You Do? Probably My Expression Actually Conveyed: It’s Not My Fault! Please Do Not Kill Me!

Expression

Your Side

Hey

Just Keep Moving! We're Almost There." "almost Where?" Juno Chuckled. "all Roads Lead There Child. You Should Know That" "detention?" Percy Asked. "rome, Child, The Old Woman Said. "rome

Children

Moving

Rome

I'm The Son Of Jupiter, I'm A Child Of Rome, Consul To Demigods, Praetor Of The First Legion. I Slew The Trojan Sea Monster, I Toppled The Black Throne Of Kronos, And Destroyed Titan Krios With My Own Hand. And Now I'm Going To Destroy You Porphyrion, And Feed You To Your Own Wolves." "wow, Dude," Leo Muttered, "you Been Eating Red Meat?

Children

Son

Rome

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

We'de Have To Get In And Get Out The Hard Way; And If We Made A Mistake, There Was No Telling What Sort Of Curse We'de Unleash: Monster Guardians, Plagues, Fires, Exploding Donkeys(don't Laugh; They're Bad News).

Mistake

Fire

Laughing

You Remind Me Of Myself ” Bes Continued “back When I Was A Young Dwarf. You Got A Stubborn Streak. When It Comes To Girl Problems You’re Clueless.

Girl

Clueless

Dwarves

Would Grandmother Scold Him? Would She Say, “frank! Thank The Gods, You've Come. I'm Surrounded By Monsters.” More Likely She'd Scold Him, Or Mistake Them For Intruders And Chase Them Off With A Frying Pan.

Mistake

Grandmother

Monsters

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

Congratulations

Listening

Sadie

As For Me, I Did The Stupidest Thing In My Life, Which Is Saying A Lot. I Attacked The Titan Lord Atlas.

Atlas

Lord

Stupidest

Our Camels Plodded Along. Katrina Tried To Kiss, Or Possibly Spit On Hindenburg, And Hindenburg Farted In Response. I Found This A Depressing Commentary On Boy-girl Relationships.

Girl

Depressing

Kissing

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

Go Chase A Donut. -percy Jackson.

Donuts

The Most Dangerous Flaws Are Those Which Are Good In Moderation.

Flaws

Moderation

Dangerous

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

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

I Could Hear Hopefulness In Her Voice, But Also Doubt. She Was Waiting For Me To Admit The Obvious: I'd Forgotten. I Was Toast. I Was Boyfriend Roadkill. Just Because I Forgot, You Shouldn't Take That As A Sign I Didn't Care About Annabeth. Seriously, The Last Month With Her Had Been Awesome. I Was The Luckiest Demigod Ever. But A Special Dinner... When Had I Mentioned That? Maybe I'd Said It After Annabeth Kissed Me, Which Had Sort Of Sent Me Into A Fog. Maybe A Greek Gos Had Disguised Himself As Me As And Made Her That Promise As A Prank. Or Maybe I Was Just A Rotten Boyfriend.

Fog

Voice

Waiting

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

Leo: I'm Almost Out Of Gas! Woah, That Came Out Wrong. I Meant The Burning Kind!

Burning

Kind

Gas

The Metal Blade Hit Her Shoulder And Passed Cleanthrough Her Body As If She Were Made Of Water. Hisss!

Water

Body

Blades

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

Bird

Dodo Bird

Said

I Grabbed A Pair Of Glowing Red Legs.

Glowing

Legs

Red

Sometimes Things Don't End Okay.

Sometimes

Ends

Okay

The Set Animal’s Jaws Were Pried Open So Fast That It Yelped And Let Go Of My Arm. I Stood, Now Encased In A Magical Barrier Twice My Normal Size, And Kicked Leroy Into A Wall. Good! Said Horus. Now Dispatch The Beast To The Netherworld! Quiet Man. I’m Doing All The Work.

Letting Go

Wall

Animal

That Perseus Always Won. That's Why My Momhad Named Me After Him, Even If He Was Son Of Zeus Ann I Was Son Of Posidon. The Original Perseus Was One Of The Only Heros In The Greek Myths Who Got A Happy Ending. The Others Died-betrayed, Mauled, Mutilated, Poisoned, Or Cursed By The Gods. My Mom Hoped I Would Inherit Perseus's Luck. Judging By How My Life Was Going So Far, I Wasn't Too Optimistic.

Mom

Hero

Optimistic

I’m A Cat. I Respect The Sanctity Of Sleep.

Sleep

Cat

Sanctity

You Began Your Journey Here As A Pup. Now You Must Find Your Way Back. A New Quest, A New Start.

Journey

Pups

New Start

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

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

Knives

Evil

Ifs

The Last Time I'd Seen The Minotaur, He'd Been Wearing Nothing But His Tighty Whities. I Don't Know Why. Maybe He'd Been Shaken Out Of Bed To Chase Me.

Bed

Lasts

Minotaur

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

Stupid

Warrior

Natural

Good Job On Percy Jackson I Read All Of Them 8 Times And Have Listened 42 Times And Still Not Bored Thanks.

Jobs

Bored

Thanks

Don't Get Starry-eyed About Somebody You Can't Have, Especially If It Blinds You To Somebody Who's Really Important.

Important

Ifs

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

Monsters

Texting

Internet

"all Roads Lead There Child. You Should Know That." "detention?"

Children

Should

Just Keep Moving

What Did He Say?" Hazel Asked. "with The Cussing Removed? He Said He Can Get Us To The Top," Percy Replied.

Said

Have You Ever Noticed How Parents Can Go From The Most Wonderful People In The World To Totally Embarrassing In Three Seconds?

Relationship

People

Parent

Percy’d Heard Stories About Amputees Who Had Phantom Pains Where Their Missing Legs And Arms Used To Be. That’s How His Mind Felt—like His Missing Memories Were Aching.

Pain

Memories

Missing

I Am Praetor Of The Legion," Reyna Said. "i Judge This To Be In The Best Interest Of Rome." "to Get Yourself Killed? To Break Our Oldest Laws And Travel To The Ancient Lands? How Will You Even Find Their Ship, Assuming You Survive The Journey?" [octavian] "i Will Find Them," Reyna Said.

Journey

Rome

Law

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

Hot

Tools

Belts

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

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

Heart

Fate

Knowing

I Pressed Play And Started Up Chiron's Favorite--the All-time Greatest Hits Of Dean Martin. Suddenly The Air Was Filled With Violins And A Bunch Of Guys Moaning In Italian. The Demon Pigeons Went Nuts. They Started Flying In Circles, Running Into Each Other Like They Wanted To Bash Their Own Brains Out.

Running

Italian

Air

Just Sit Tight. Reinforcements Should Be Here Soon. Hopefully Nothing Happens Before-" Lightning Crackled Overhead. The Wind Picked Up With A Vengeance. Worksheets Flew Into The Grand Canyon, And The Entire Bridge Shuddered. Kids Screamed, Stumbling And Grabbing The Rails. "i Had To Say Something," Hedge Grumbled. He Bellowed Into His Megaphone: "everyone Inside! The Cow Says Moo! Off The Skywalk!" "i Thought You Said This Thing Was Stable!" Jason Shouted Over The Wind. "under Normal Circumstances," Hedge Agreed, "which These Aren't.

Kids

Wind

Bridges

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

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

Cat

Thinking

Center Of The Universe

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

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

Identify The Moral Dilemma Driving The Novel. The Successful Novel Will Haunt A Reader Because It Deals With Some Ethical Or Moral Dilemma That Makes The Reader Wonder What He Or She Would Do In The Protagonist's Place.

Successful

Moral

Driving

Frank Tugged Again With No Luck. Even Hazel Was Trying Not To Laugh. Frank Grimaced With Concentration. Suddenly, He Disappeared. On The Deck Where He’d Been Standing, A Green Iguana Crouched Next To An Empty Set Of Chinese Handcuffs. “well Done, Frank Zhang,” Leo Said Dryly, Doing His Impression Of Chiron The Centaur. “that Is Exactly How People Beat Chinese Handcuffs. They Turn Into Iguanas.

Iguanas

Laughing

People

I Tell Aspiring Writers That You Have To Find What You Must Write. When You Find It, You Will Know, Because The Subject Matter Won’t Let You Go. It’s Not Enough To Write Simply Because You Think It Would Be Neat To Be Published. You Have To Be Compelled To Write. If You’re Not, Nothing Else That You Do Matters.

Writing

Thinking

Would Be

He Was Dressed Just Like On Tv, With Lots Of Silver Chains And Bracelets, Ripped Jeans, And A Black Muscle Shirt (which Was Kind Of Stupid, Since He Didn't Have Any Muscles).

Stupid

Jeans

Black

He Had No Idea Where The Stereotype Of Dumb Giggly Blondes Came From. Ever Since He'd Met Annabeth At The Grand Canyon Last Winter,when She'd Marched Toward Him With That Give Me Percy Jackson Or I’ll Kill You Expression, Leo Had Thought Of Blondes As Much Too Smart And Much Too Dangerous.

Smart

Winter

Expression

Percy Yelled. "what's Going- Gah! Shrimpzilla!

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 Not Easy. I Got Lots Of Rejections When I First Started Out. If You Want To Write, You Have To Believe In Yourself And Not Give Up. You Have To Do Your Best To Practice And Get Better.

Giving Up

Believe

Writing

No One Can Hate You With More Intensity Than Someone Who Used To Love You.

Love

Relationship

Hate

It Is," I Said. "and It's Not Even Difficult. But I Need Your Promise On The River Styx." "what?" Dionysus Cried. "you Don't Trust Us?" "someone Once Told Me," I Said, Looking At Hades, "you Should Always Get A Solemn Oath." Hades Shrugged. "guilty.

Rivers

Promise

Needs

Frank Didn’t Drop You On Purpose,” She Said. “he’s Not Like That. He’s Just A Little Clumsy Sometimes.” “oops,” Leo Said, In His Best Frank Zhang Voice. “dropped Leo Into A Squad Of Enemy Soldiers. Dang It!

Squad

Voice

Soldier

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

Sounds Like A Plan Worthy Of Athena.

Sound

Athena

Worthy

Her Perfume Was A Mixture Of Roses And Tear Gas.

Rose

Tears

Mixtures

Liz Cleared Her Throat. "isn't There A More Polite Term We're Supposed To Use Nowadays? Like....little Person, Or Vertically Challenged,or-" "i'm Not Going To Call Myself The God Of Vertically Challenged People," Bes Grumbled. "i'm A Dwarf!

Dwarves

People

Liz

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

Dream

Said

Hephaestus

If I'm Going To Survive, It Won't Be Because I Have A Lion-skin Cloak. I'm Not Hercules.

Skins

Lions

Cloaks

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

Hazel Frowned. "why That One?" "you Don't See The Ghost?" Frank Asked. "ghost?" Nico Asked. Okay... If Frank Was Seeing A Ghost That The Underworld Kids Couldn't See, Something Was Definitely Wrong.

Kids

Ghost

Hades

A Vampire!" I Stammered. Then I Noticed Her Legs. Below The Cheerleader Skirt, Her Left Leg Was Brown And Shaggy With A Donkey's Hoof. Her Right Leg Was Shaped Like A Human Leg Was It Was Made Of Bronze. "uhh, A Vampire With-" "don't Mention The Legs!" Tammi Snapped. "it's Rude To Make Fun.

Fun

Rude

Vampire

Good Luck, Boss. Don't Let'em Turn You Into Horse Meat! (blackjack)

Horse

Good Luck

Boss

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

But Annabeth Just Smiled And Put Us In Jail. As She Was Heading Back To The Front Line, She Turned And Winked. "see You At The Fireworks?" She Didn't Even Wait For My Answer Before Darting Off Into The Woods. I Looked At Beckendorf. "did She Just...ask Me Out?" He Shrugged, Completely Disgusted. "who Knows With Girls? Give Me A Haywire Dragon, Any Day." So We Sat Together And Waited While The Girls Won The Game.

Girl

Jail

Dragons

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

Right Before The Game, She Strolled Up To Me. "hey, Seaweed Brain." "will You Stop Calling Me That?" She Knows I Hate That Name, Mostly Because I Never Have A Good Comeback. She's The Daughter Of Athena, Which Doesn't Give Me A Lot Of Ammunition. I Mean, "owl-head" And "wise Girl" Are Kind Of Lame Insults.

Girl

Wise

Daughter

Don't Stay In One Place Too Long. It Was The Only Way To Stay Ahead Of The Sadness.

Sadness

Long

Way

After The Satyrs Filed In To Dinner, The Hermes Cabin Brought Up The Rear. They Were Always The Biggest Cabin. Last Summer It Had Been Led By Luke, The Guy Who Fought With Thalia And Annabeth On Top Of Half-blood Hill. For A While, Before Poseidon Had Claimed Me, I'd Lodged In The Hermes Cabin. Luke Had Befriended Me...and Then He'd Tried To Kill Me.

Summer

Blood

Guy

Then She Did Something That Really Surprised Me. She Blinked Back Tears And Put Out Her Arms. I Stepped Forward And Hugged Her. Butterflies Started Turning My Stomach Into A Mosh Pit. "hey, It's... It's Okay." I Patted Her Back. I Was Aware Of Everything In The Room. I Felt Like I Could Read The Tiniest Print On Any Book On The Shelves. Annabeth's Hair Smelled Like Lemon Soap. She Was Shivering.

Book

Butterfly

Hair

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

Numbers

Lucky

Investing

My Glowing Form Was So Heavy, Its Feet Sank Into The Top Of The Tank. “sekhmet!” I Yelled. The Lioness Whirled And Snarled, Trying To Locate My Voice. “up Here, Kitty!” I Called. She Spotted Me And Her Ears Went Back. “horus?” ‘unless You Know Another Guy With A Falcon Head.

Glowing

Voice

Feet

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

Thinking

Nuts

Trying

I Didn't Answer, But, Please - Nothing Is Obvious With Boys. For Such Simple Creatures, They Are Quite Baffling.

Boys

Simple

Answers

That's Me. Ancient History." [poseidon To Paul]

Ancient

Poseidon

Ancient History

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

School

Mythology

Bus

I Can Try To Disable It," I Said, "but If I Mess Up, This Whole Apartment Is Going To Fill With Gas. We'll Die." Thalia Swallowed. " I Trust You. Just... Don't Mess It Up.

Trying

I Trust You

Said

Gods Have Great Power, But Only Humans Have Creativity, The Power To Change History.

Creativity

Great Power

Humans

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

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

Islands

People

Alcatraz

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

Two Hundred Romans, And No One’s Got A Pen? Never Mind!" He Slung His M16 Onto His Back And Pulled Out A Hand Grenade. There Were Many Screaming Romans. Then The Hand Grenade Morphed Into A Ballpoint Pen, And Mars Began To Write. Frank Looked At Percy With Wide Eyes. He Mouthed: Can Your Sword Do Grenade Form? Percy Mouthed Back, No. Shut Up.

Writing

Eye

Hands

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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