Chapter 1

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Annabeth

Annabeth Chase closed the front door of her house, and raced to the family room, where her brother Bobby was playing with his new LEGO set, a gift from his sister. He looked up at her, grinning. "Annabeth!" He cried, his toys forgotten. He dashed over, wrapping his sister in a bone-crushing hug. Annabeth returned the hug, happily.

"I hope you never have to go on a quest again." He said, his voice muffled by Annabeth's shirt.

"Me too, Bobby, me too." Annabeth said, tears of joy sliding down her face. Just then, she felt his grip slacken. "Bobby?" She looked down at her brother, and found a pile of ash in her hands. "Bobby?!" She raced to the kitchen, where two piles of ashes lay.

Horror filling her, she bounded upstairs two at a time, into her father's office, and watched helplessly as Frederick Chase dissolved into dust. Tears filled her eyes, as her eyes fixated on the ash that had once been her father.

She collapsed, and sobbed, utterly alone.

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Tony

Tony Stark had just returned to Earth after the Blip, when he received a phone call. Sighing, he picked it up.

"Hello, this is the U.S. department of childcare. We recently discovered that your brother, Frederick Chase, was among the Vanished, and he currently has an orphaned daughter." A cool, female voice said.

Tony was shocked, and felt sympathy for his niece. "Could I apply as her guardian?" He inquired.

"Yes. Ms. Chase currently lives in San Francisco, so if you could fly out there to fill out some forms to have her care transferred to you sometime this week, that would be great."

"Great. I'll head over right away." Tony hung up, and texted Happy to prepare the Quinjet.

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Annabeth

A man named Tony Stark, who was apparently her uncle, picked her up, saying he was now her guardian. She packed her belongings, being sure that Tony wouldn't notice her drakon-blade sword, or her new Celestial Bronze dagger.

She boarded his private plane, which he insisted on calling the "Quinjet" She was silent until Tony asked her a question, as they flew over Kansas. "So, Annabeth, what kind of career do you want to have when you grow up?"

"An architect." Annabeth replied, not once glancing his way.

Those were the only words he got out of her the whole flight to the Avengers compound. She could tell Tony felt awkward, and decided to break the silence. "So," She began, as they walked across the grounds. "how come I've never met you?"

Tony shrugged. "After my father divorced your grandmother, I never saw the Chases much, once or twice. So I guess they never thought to tell you."

He led her inside, and Annabeth stiffened at the sight of the elevator, which bore a resemblance to the Doors of Death. Putting aside her discomfort, she stepped inside, followed by he opened the door to her room, Annabeth stood in awe of the architecture.

There was a domed skylight in the center of the room, and a small atrium under it, reminding her of Magnus's hotel room. There was also a white marble columned archway leading to a bedroom, which had a small silver chandelier in the center. He bed was a large bunk, but instead of a bottom bunk, the space below was occupied by a gray beanbag, and a large mahogany desk, with fairy lights weaved all over. There was also a large reading alcove with a large window, giving her a breathtaking view of the grounds.

She opened the bathroom door, which had marble tiles and counters, as well as a bathtub and shower. she exited the bathroom and opened the final door, which was a humongous walk-in closet, bigger than her living room at her old home. It was filled with hanging space and cabinets and drawers, all made of mahogany wood.

Tony's voice drifted through the closet, "Do you like it?" Annabeth nodded, gesturing to the atrium.

"That reminds me of my cousin."

"How so?"

"He loves nature, and has an atrium in his room."

Tony cleared his throat. "Happy should be coming up with your bags soon. When you finish unpacking, meet me in the kitchen to meet your roommates and learn the ground rules." He left, closing the door behind him.

Annabeth was about to pull out a drachma when Happy burst in with her bags. "Here's your bags, Ms. Chase."

Annabeth quickly slipped the coin into her pocket, forcing a smile. "Thanks, but you can call me Annabeth."

Happy smiled. "Well then, Annabeth, I'll leave you to unpack. He left, and Annabeth quickly locked the door, and pulled out a drachma, running the sink with water and shining her small prism at it.

"O' Fleecy, do me a solid. Show me Percy Jackson at Camp Half-Blood." She tossed the coin into the fountain, and Percy's face appeared.

"Annabeth! Thank the gods you're okay!" Percy shouted, barely audible over the terrified screams of demigods behind him. "Half of the demigods and gods vanished to dust!"

Annabeth stiffened. "The same happened to my family. She fought back tears as she asked, with a lump in her throat, "Who else?"

"Leo, Grover, Rachel, Harley, Will, Nico, Dakota, Piper, Zeus, Hades, Hera, Poseidon, Dionysus, Ares, and Aphrodite, plus countless minor gods and campers. The Furies are handling Underworld things, which makes me really, really uneager to die. Triton and Amphitrite are handling the ocean, and the remaining Olympians elected Athena, Hestia, and Artemis joint leaders, since they're the only ones with any sense left on the council."

Annabeth felt tears rolling down her cheeks. "My Uncle Tony Stark adopted me, and I'm living somewhere on the Hudson."

"Are you coming to Goode?"

"I'll try, but I haven't talked to Tony about it yet."

Percy blew her a kiss. "Later, Wise Girl. Oh, and at least Queen Cow-Poop, Ms. I'll-Make-Your-Love-Life-Miserable, and I'm-Such-A-Stupid-God-Of-War got dusted." He laughed.

Annabeth smiled. "See you around, Seaweed Brain." She waved her hand through the image and cut the connection.

She put all of her things away, her clothes taking up a tenth of the closet space. She put all of her architecture books on the desk, as well as her pencils and plans for Olympus. She hid her pouch of drachmas in her desk drawer, and tossed her Yankees cap on the beanbag. She slipped her dagger under her pillow, and slid her drakon-bone sword under a drawer half-filled with clothes.

She sighed. "Time to meet the neighbors."


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