Annabeth POV---
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I sat at the war heads table, a table specifically for the leading commanders of the Greek and Roman armies, picking at my food. All around me there was chatter, debates about the newest movements of the Titan forces, strategies for dealing with the monsters, and a lot of talk about Percy.
"I believe we should give him a buddy, someone of my choosing to watch over him to make sure he doesn't kill us all." Octavian stated in a matter of fact tone, like he was born to be right all the time.
"Then who do you suggest Octavian?" Reyna asked, clearly annoyed from her subordinates actions.
"I think mark would be a good fit, he's strong and one our best fighters, if he tries anything mark'll stop him." Octavian replied, taking a bite of his steak.
"If we're giving him a buddy it'll have to be someone he can trust, someone he can at least feel comfortable around." Jason added in, drinking some kool aid.
"Jason does make a good point, we might scare him away sending a big threatening guy to watch him twenty four seven." Charles beckondorf added, cutting into his pork chops.
"Then who do you suggest we send in then?" Octavian asked annoyed, making me smile a bit.
"How bout annabeth?" Jason said, causing me to almost choke on my drink.
"What?!" I asked hurriedly, confused as to why he would suggest me.
"You two seem to have already built some sort of relationship, you two were playing in the lake earlier... Having fun... Which is something I haven't seen you do in like, forever." Jason stated, pointing his fork at me. "And you're a pretty untrustworthy person, it took you about a month to even respond to me outside of war room conversations, it took you about... Two days to have a full blown conversation with him." Jason said, Charlie then butted in.
"Sparky's got a point... If you can warm up to him THAT quickly, then he must be somethin special." Charlie stated, making me speechless. Sure I've had some.... Difficulties in socializing, but that was just because we were fighting a war... And maybe I don't trust people easily, but can you blame me? Last time I trusted someone I ended up putting the entire camp in danger, yeah... No thanks. But did a part of me tell me that Percy was trust worthy? Did a part of me feel like he would never betray me? Did a part of me feel like he was the nicest guy in the world, with a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts? Yes, of course. But I vowed to myself that I would never make that same mistake again, that I would never let anybody in again, and that I would always, ALWAYS rely on myself and myself only.
"Then it's settled, annabeth will be the new kids buddy, and will always be right beside him." Reyna said, finalizing the deal.
"Great..." I muttered, picking at my food miserably.
Percy POV
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You know, for a camp, this place wasn't very lively. Everyone had a neutral expression on their face as they picked away at their food, talking amongst each other occasionally, the Hermes table seemed to be making the most noise though. I currently sat away from the crowd, eating my lunch in peace with an empty cup by my side.
"Hey." Someone said behind me, causing me to turn around. He had a small beard of peach fuzz on his chin, a brown beenie, a orange camp half blood T-shirt, and a pair of goat legs.
"Um... Hi." I said looking him up and down, generally confused as to what he was doing here.
"You probably don't remember me, but we used to room together at Yancy academy." He said, making me search through my memories.
"I think I remember you... Grover, right?" I asked, getting a nod.
"That's me." He replied, leaning on the bench I was sitting on.
"It's been forever man, or at least long enough for you to grow goat legs..." I said, looking at his legs.
"Can I sit here?" He asked, I nodded. Grover sat down next to me, crossing his legs and looking in front of him.
"So... What's going on with you?" I asked, a little nervous.
"You mean other than a colossal war between the gods?" He said.
"I thought the war was between kronos and the gods?" I asked confused, Grover then sighed.
"That's how it started out, Olympus vs kronos." Grover said, saying that last part with a tired tone.
"What happened?" I asked, the mood then changed.
"Everything went to shit." Grover started. "The gods started blaming each other for the deaths of their children, Hermes got the blunt of it all, so they started arguing... They started fighting, so much that the mortal world was starting to feel the affect." Grover continued, a solemn look on his face. "Poseidon, Hestia, Athena, Artemis, and Apollo tried to hold things together.. In fear that was exactly what kronos wanted, Olympus torn apart... Next thing you know, the gods started to take sides, form alliances and such." Grover said. "Olympus is exactly what kronos wanted it to be, torn apart and on the brink of a civil war... Weakened, and everyone here... Well... They're weakened too, not operating at full strength because their parents aren't, and that puts us at a major disadvantage." Grover finished.
"Jeez... I knew things we're bad, but not that bad." I stated, looking at the ground.
"According to the prophecy things will only get worse." Grover stated.
"What prophecy?" I asked intrigued, and a little bit scared.
"Shortly after the gods took sides, our oracle delivered a prophecy...
The half blood child of sixteen,
His destiny rewritten from the seams,
With two years until the original prophecized event,
A power born to him with all intent,
They shall fix broken bonds,
Restore trust and fix wrongs,
Fight battles meant to kill everything and everyone,
A god-like power he will become,
But that power has a price,
He shall lose more than thought,
Save thyself he shall naught,
Balance brought, but peace not
Beware the half blood child of sixteen,
For his power is not what it seems" Grover replied, the entire prophecy burned into my mind. "It doesn't state that everything will get worse... But when prophesies like that are created, we can only assume that everything will get worse." Grover stated.
"Sounds rough." I said, Grover smiled.
"Imagine what it'd be like for the one the whole prophecies about." Grover said smiling, we then laughed a bit.
"I'd hate to be that guy." I said.
[.....]
"So what's the deal with you and annabeth? I heard some talk that you two are getting close." Grover said, a sly smirk on his face.
"Me and annabeth? Where'd you get that idea?" I asked, generally confused.
"Multiple eye witness accounts pin you two at the lake playing in the water." Grover said smugly, I think he's been watching to many cop shows lately.
"Nonsense... It was just an argument... Between two people, that lead to splashing.. And smiling from the defeat of our opponents, nothing more nothing less." I said with a straight face, denying everything about that situation. Besides, I just went through a bad break up, I'm not ready to date again.
"Dude." Grover said, looking at me with a serious face. "Annabeth NEVER. EVER. SMILES." he said, shaking my shoulders a bit. "She only smiles during our occasional capture the flag games cause she usually wins those, or whenever Thalia pays a visit-" Grover stated before I cut him off.
"Who's Thalia?" I asked, raising a brow.
"Doesn't matter... The point is, annabeth only smiles when she's having fun... Nobody, and I mean nobody, has made her smile like that without sharing some kind of history with her... unless you're on the rival side in capture the flag, and she just got done beating you up in the most humiliating way possible... Either way, you get the point." Grover said, letting go of my shoulders.
"Is it really that bad?" I asked, concerned.
"Oh it is..." Grover said crypticly. "It is..." He said finally, suddenly a bell went off. "Oh crap, I gotta go, see ya later percy." Grover said, bolting up and running towards the forest.
"Wonder what's got him in a hurry." Someone said behind me, turning to my left I saw annabeth resting her arms on the back of he bench.
"When did you get there?" I asked, blinking a few times.
"I've been here for a while, you just haven't noticed me." She said, I frowned and gave her a 'seriously' look.
"Mhmm... Sure." I said, not believing a word of that.
"Anyways, I've got some news." Annabeth said, turning to face me.
"And what pray tell, is that news?" I asked, slightly concerned for my well-being.
"I'm going to be your guardian." She said nonchalantly.
[Congratulations! You have received a (temporary)bodyguard/babysitter!
+no more free time to yourself
+a walking-talking library following you around and watching your every move
+infinite jump scares
+chance to befriend annabeth chase]
"What?" I asked in disbelief, the situation finally dawning upon me.
"WHAT?!"