The Troubled Guardian ON HOLD

Chapter 16: Friendly Conversation

Let's Get right into it! 

3rd Person

"Y-your Percy...aren't you?" 

Annabeth was sobbing on his chest,  apologies flying. Apparently, she blamed herself just as much as Thalia. 

Once he pulled her off of him, his ears were assaulted by her apologies, which before had been muffled. 

"Percy...*SOB*...I-I so s-*HICCUP*orry, I-Its all my f-fault"  (A/N apologies if that was hard to read) 

Artemis looked on in pity, Percy awkwardly patted her back, looked at Damien for help. Damien got the message and took Annebth, who immediately started clinging to him. 

Damien being a little more stable, began the discussion. 

"Percy...where have you been? Why...why are you Alkiviadis?"

Percy sighed and went into his story once again, just without the memory orb. As soon as he got to Tartarus Annebeth was once again clinging to him, she to had experienced that place, of course not as extremely as Percy had, but she still had been there.

He finished with the Council meeting and traveling with the hunt. He skipped Artemis and his personal moments, but Annabeth noted the small blush on both of their cheeks, a light black and gold respectively. 

(A/N I remember making Percy have a black blush due to his blood color...I can' find it...but I'm sure it's there, and it's cool. Edit: Found it, I wrote it in Chapter 13!)

"So...why did you tell us this Percy...why?" 

"Well one, I trust you, and I need someone I can trust in a point of command. Artemis may be of the highest rank, she is rarely involved in military affairs, so having her ask around or collect information would be suspicious. I also kinda missed my friends...hopefully, I can get everyone in on the secret...also Frank and Hazel are old!?"

Annabeth giggled, "Yup, they're in their 80s, but as you saw, they don't look a day over 55! OH! They had kids! And Grandkids, Oh you just have to meet Percy Jr.!" 

Percy looked baffled, Artemis giggled a bit, "P-Percy Jr.?!" 

"Yeah...he is Hazel and Franks youngest Grandkid, Jack Perseus Zhang, we call him Percy Jr. he's only two!" Annabeth seemed very energetic now that they were out of the sad topics of conversation. 

Artemis saw that the conversation was getting off the rails. 

"Annabeth, we need your help, we think it unsafe to bring Percy in, as Alkiviadis...without making sure to round up any spies. We need some people close to investigate all likely candidates. Damien could help" 

Damien was shocked "But...but why? Why do you trust me? Either of you?" 

Percy and Artemis said in sync "Cause Annabeth trusts you" startling everyone in the room, including themselves. 

'Freaky...' Damien mumbled under his breathe. "Well...Percy...Lady Artemis, I am thankful for your trust, and I don't take it lightly" 

"How about we walk around, and maybe you can fill me in on the personal lives of all our friends as we go?" Percy shifted into his wolf form. 

As they walked to Annabeth and Damien's quarters, Annebeth talked about everyone's personal lives, with Damien adding in some stuff here and there. 

Apparently, Jason and Piper had-had over ten children, all of which immortal minor gods, Damien had joked that Zeus was running out of titles for them. Hazel and Frank had gotten married a couple of years after Percy disappeared the first time and had three kids, and now had seven grandkids. Leo and Calypso had one little girl, she had been born only recently, and Leo spoiled her rotten. 

Nico had been with Will for a while, but a year ago Nico had gone missing on a mission in the Underworld. It infuriated Hades that he couldn't find his son in his own domain. Annabeth and Damien hadn't had any children, as they had been happy just looking after their friend's children, and Being Aunty Annabeth and Uncle Damien. 

While concerned for Nico, Percy was truly happy for all his friends, surprisingly, no bitterness was harbored at Damien. 

'With that kiss, I'd be surprised if you did, Why? When your frolicking with that goddess, what's next, you--' Percy sighed a little, a few years ago Darius had observed a few high schoolers playing basketball. He had learned an infinite amount of curse words and dark jokes. Before then it used t be fun to keep him in his head, he would help with combat tactics and other things, now he just mocked him.

As they walked they came across the same unit of soldiers in the exo-suit like armor. Very high tech, and extremely cool.

Upon seeing them Annabeth stopped and stared, before continuing on, accept she had begun to explain the troops. 

"Most deployed troops were called back into Anpathio, we needed to resupply them and send reinforcements to New Athens and Rome. The two cities have been getting more and more attacks. Those troops in the exo-suits are a part of the Omega Squadron. A squad formed in your honor, Percy..." 

Percy's wolf head turned to stare at Annabeth in shock. "Remember that group of demi-gods you had been training before your first disappearance?" Percy did, he had wanted more people to know his more advanced combat style, so he had started an 'Advanced Swordsplay' unit. Just for him to teach. They had been extremely talented, absorbing his teachings like sponges.

"That's them...they became their own special forces group, did so well they were all granted partial-immortality and the best gear available. They have never had a death in their team, and they have never failed a mission...well besides their main goal which is to find you, but they obviously haven't" One soldier who had blue markings on their armor took off the helmet and looked at them, and saluted. 

Percy recognized her, dark skin, reddish hair, that was Rebbeca Daniels daughter of Bia, the goddess of violence, he had taught her how to control her natural violent nature and funnel it into her swordplay and other things. They had become close...but since when did she cut her hair short?!

"Oh, you remember Rebbeca? She is the leader, one of the most skilled troopers in the Greco-Roman military. 

Passing the troops they made it to Annabeth and Damiens's house, entering they came into the living room, there were two areas towards the back, on one he saw tonnes of blueprints and computers running different schematics, and on the other was a to of art stuff. Damien chuckled "Yeah...um the one with the drawings and paint is my workspace, and Obviously you know which one is Annabeth's" 

Percy inwardly chuckled, 'Of course I do, I lived with her for years!' transforming and once again removing his helmet he sat down on a chair and accepted some tea Damien had offered. 

Let more discussion commence. 

Well, there we go, chapter 16 done! Also quick tidbit, I have been reading some of my past chapters and I've realized that I have been misspelling Alkiviadis a LOT. While Alkiviadis is a complex name, I still named my character that, so it's kinda embarrassing. So if certain chapters appear to have changed, it is because I went and fixed the name (and probably found some typos along the way).

Also recently this story passed 4,000 reads! Chapter 1 has over 300 unique readers! Thank You all so much, I know my updating pattern is...well non-existent, but the fact that you guys are still here means a lot! 

Another announcement, this profile is almost at 10 followers! So while I don't really promote it often, follow and star...please?

Lol. 

See ya next Chapter! 

-RambunctiousCat

(Also as I keep saying, this story is getting harder to write and, a full confession I have almost ten chapters awaiting upload for A Spider's Tale If you're bored please go over there and check it out! As I upload two chapters per week there won't be much of a wait. #add)