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Chapter 1: Monkey Boy.

Sometimes, when the mood was right, Athena would sneak out of her apartment trusting that her daughter wouldn't wake up. She'd slink to the basement of her musty apartment building and creak the ancient door open in the forgotten regions below.

He'd always be sitting there. His back hunched over the desk, his glasses perched on top of his head laying on his combed dark brown hair. Working late, or waiting for her. Either way Athena's heart always fluttered on seeing him. They would work together late into the night as two scientists trying to keep afloat in a critical world. Conducting undocumented experiments and working with disapproved materials.

Then he'd kiss her goodnight and they'd part in the lobby. He always took the stairs to get to his apartment. An endearing trait was what Athena thought of it now. Usually smiling like she was drunk, she'd slip under her covers and giggle girlishly at stolen kisses and loving remarks he lived to give her.

Annabeth never woke up during her night time visits. The kid slept like a rock. Or if she did wake up, Athena never knew.

It's strange how the highlights of her life happened in opposites times of the day. Annabeth during the sun hours while Ron after nightfall. Her daughter always found something to make Athena's day better. A flower, or a song or even just a crudely drawn picture of a butterfly that she could proudly hang on the fridge.

Ron would make her laugh or would just make her feel happier while being him as they discussed the possible experiments they could do to identify if their discovery worked. A hidden discovery for sure. Both Athena and Ron knew how earth shattering their work truly was.

Why else would they be working at night in the basement of a run down apartment building? Not illegal, that word meant they were criminals. Unaccepted. That's the word. Their work was unaccepted. Never to be ever released or mentioned outside the magical little lab they built up in the basement.

Athena was happy. Something that took her a long time to build up again. Her work made her happy, Annabeth made her happy, Ron made her happy. Her happiness was something she thought no one could take away from her.

Oh how she was wrong.

"Hide it." Ron rasped, blood seeping from bullet holes that dotted his chest sickeningly. "Hide it so well no- no one will find it. You can do that Athena."

The chem set, hundreds of dollars worth in equipment, was shattered and splintered around the room. Athena had come running as soon as she heard the gunshots. Someone knew about their discovery. Somebody didn't like their discovery.

"Don't leave me too." Athena whimpered as she tried to stop the flow of crimson blood with her shaking hands. To her dismay the dark substance oozed out between her fingers and silently dribbled to the floor.

Ron's white hand strained to brush her cheek. "You've got Annabeth. She'll keep you company. She- she's a smart girl." His usual sweet voice now dulled and raspy as his dry throat was like sandpaper against her ears.

The tears spilled over Athena's cheeks, mixing with the blood on his handsome face. For the first time his sleek brown hair looked ruffled while his gleaming black eyes had lost their special twinkle.

"Ron, Ron please. I need you. Annabeth needs you." She pleaded desperately. Her cries turning into painful sobs.

"No" Ron breathed painfully "You need each other, and you need to hide what we made. They'll kill you too if you don-"

"But Ron, you can make please ju-" Athena was cut off by Ron's cold lips surging up and meeting hers. Athena's heart swelled and fluttered while it broke in the most painful way. Athena's tears throbbed down her cheeks as he tried in vain to wipe them away. Moving his lips softly on hers he kept his hand on her wet cheek comfortingly. Her heart beat pressed against his weaker one.

"I love you" whispered against her lips, there eyes locked together.

"I love you more" Athena sobbed. Never had a statement wrung so true. Ron was a third of her world. The person who had pieced her back together when she had been broken and the man who showed her how to trust again. If this was goodbye then Athena knew that she would die everyday without him.

Ron carefully lowered himself back onto the browning bloodstained cement. His breathing was ragged, his limbs were quivering. A sick gurgling sound emitted from his mouth every time he drew a painful breath while Athena sat by him in heartbroken fear.

"I'll be- be waiting for yo- you and- and- just" Ron's eyes blanked. His hand grew slack from beside Athena's cheek. Death cutting off his final sentence.

For a whole minute she sat there in shock. Clutching to his still warm body, now nothing but a clump of cells about to decompose. And for that whole minute breath couldn't come to her lungs, almost like she couldn't breathe without him. Suddenly it all snapped.

Wails echoing up the vents drifted into the locked rooms of the frightened people hiding in there homes. Treacherous animalistic cries that echoed off the cold cement walls coming from a person emotionally ripped open all over again.

Athena left before cops had a chance find her. She didn't want to leave. Leave him. But she had responsibilities to attend to. Responsibilities she had taken on when she signed the birth certificate. Besides they just took two of the things that made her happy. Her work and Ron. Dear Ron. They were never going to get Annabeth. Ever.

She packed with tears streaming down her face and determination in her heart. Carefully she woke Annabeth.

"Where are we going?" asked the bleary eyed kid.

"Far away, just to hide. Don't worry" Athena answered while she tried to hide her pain filled eyes.

"What about Ron?" Annabeth yawned while rubbing her eyes with her fists.

"I'll meet him later."

"Why do you get to meet him later? why can't I?"

"You will one day Chickpea. But hopefully in a really long time."

"But why?"

-{:O:}-

The sparkling blue glittered like rippling glass.

The multicolored patches of coral were vibrant and very visible in the crystal water. Waves of liquidity bright blue clashed with fluffy white foam and surged against the rough black rocks of the coast. A girl, petite in size, weaved through rocky terrain, her bright plastic green bucket clanking against her side as she walked. Occasionally she would stop and observe the mysteries preserved in sea pools.

Delicately she plucked up a curly brown shell and examined every inch of it. Satisfied with her find she added it to the filling bucket. The brown leather bound book was undoubtedly the most precious thing in there.

The never ceasing wind stirred up her hair and tugged at her t-shirt as she walked.

Her hair looked like woven sunlight harnessed into two loose braids that now and then she'd flick over her shoulder with a type of mild annoyance. Soft grey eyes rimmed with storms gleamed in deep seriousness to find that perfect shell. Only a seven year old could be so determined and serious in finding something of that value.

Her eyes wandered over the crevices and indents in the rough minerals her bare feet had long been accustomed to. Finally her orbs seemed to give up and contented on gazing deep out into the puffed white blots of clouds that framed the deep ocean. She let her fingers twiddle with the stringy ends of her well used jean shorts while a common ache throbbed in her heart.

She felt homesick.

This place was currently her least favorite place. She would probably hate it even more if she knew the actual name of the place.

The wind stroked against her face like a soft paint brush rustling the deep tangled jungle behind her. Taking a deep breath of sea air she turned her back on the glistening ocean and maneuvered up the coast carefully as to not spill her precious shells.

Her eyes skimmed the varying green forest dotted with palm trees for the worn path. Her sharp eyes always found it but something distracted her this time.

A misplaced patch of black flagged her eyes to it. Before she could get a better look it ducked back.

It must have been an animal. For a hare breadth of a minute she stood there searching in the wide leaves with her eyes. Her natural curiosity took over and she ran after it as fast as her young legs would take her.

The thing obviously aware of the situation bolted into the jungle.

The girl tried to keep up but the unidentified black thing was nimbly, jumping over fallen trunks and stroking through the forest floor using all the bushes to an advantage. The girl didn't get so much as a glimpse accept a dot of black.

She burst out onto the last scene she'd seen the thing breathing heavily. Disappointingly there wasn't a bird in sight. The animal must have shimmied down a hole by now. She sighed and looked up at the trees for any evidence of the mysterious creature.

If her eyes were trained then she would've spotted a pair of wild sea green eyes gazing back from the trees with the same intense curiosity that had provoked her to chase in the first place. The figure clutched the tree harder refusing to be seen but not being able to help wanting to look on at the girl observing this little patch of forest.

She huffed a final time and turned indignantly, following the path of broken stems and trampled plants she had created in attempt to quench her inquisitiveness.

Her mind soon wrote off the strange event as just a monkey, and she was soon skipping off along the familiar worn path. As she got closer she greeted more and more people coming down from the path. She skirted beside one of the marshy rice fields grown by the villagers.

She arrived on the outskirts of a small village beside the beach. A fishing village if you will. The people very traditional, many refusing electricity and internet service some of the big city workers had put up. Her family's house was right in the heart, looking just like most of the primitive looking but sturdy brown flaky houses. She pushed passed long strands of wooden beads that hung as a kind of door.

"Annabeth" her mother called from the other room. "Annabeth is that you?"

the girl put her bucket on the table "Yes Mom" she answered before crawling up onto the chair.

Athena Chase marched into the room wearing what appeared to be casual clothing. Something she would have never worn back in New York. Annabeth had noticed a few other changes in her mother. Tanner skin, a few grey hairs but most prominently was the hollow cheeks and the dark circles collecting under her usually chirpy eyes. Annabeth didn't bring it up though. She knew she wouldn't get a straight or honest answer.

Athena perched her glasses on the end of her nose and admired her daughter "You find any good shells today?"

Annabeth nodded enthusiastically "Mostly turret and Neptunea Angulatas though."

Athena smiled warmly "find anything else?"

"Ya I think I saw a monkey, are their any Geoldi's Marmosets here? or maybe a sub species of Colobus?"

Athena tapped her chin thoughtfully "No." She decided.

Annabeth scratched her freckled nose "Maybe it's a unknown species."

"That's possible" Athena nodded "Now go wash up, lunch will be soon."

Annabeth just nodded.

-{:oOo:}-

Annabeth moved her feet in the smooth water. The back of her neck prickled as she paced in the water cautiously. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was unaware of something.

White and black striped fish skirted around her toes mindlessly and occasionally pecked at her toes. The soft sand sifted under her feet creating vaporous murky clouds, billowing and sinking in the ruffled push and pull of the waves. Her eyes immediately scanned for any good shells even though she had left her bucket at home. Besides the sands on the beach hardly held any shells.

The corner of her eye picked up a trace of interest. A black shaggy patch in the endless green in the jungle beyond the sand.

Annabeth, without thinking, swiveled her head in the direction. Long plumed colorful birds hopped and flitted about the trees randomly while the black dot disappeared into the foliage.

Hesitantly she took a step in the direction her curiosity wanted her to go. No, it would just run away again.

Thinking differently this time Annabeth acted almost as though she hadn't seen the intriguing black. Strolling along with the water up to her knees she kept a concealed eye focus on the area.

The black thing creeped back up again. Annabeth could make out some skin colored mass below the black mop.

She concluded that doing an experiment would be best for her to find out exactly what was watching her.

Annabeth continued to stroll down the beach admiring the green hills of Islands a little in the distance. She glanced back inconspicuously and sure enough the thing had relocated to follow her.

Now she needed to bait it out.

Grappling with her pocket she pulled out her shiny purple camera her mom had given her for her fourth birthday. The drawstring had snapped and faded stickers clung to the camera like it was life or death. Which was impressive seeing how this camera was also used underwater.

Annabeth pretended to absent mindedly place it on the sand and slowly wandered off.

She fiddled at the outskirts of the forest before diving in and hiding in the broad leaves.

If it was a monkey it should be attracted to anything shiny.

A twig snapped and the bushes parted making. To Annabeth's utter surprise a boy tentatively stepped out onto the open beach looking warily around him.

Moving like a leopard he bolted over to her camera and crouched beside it. His ebony hair tussled in the ocean breeze as he examined the shiny purple box.

Annabeth's anger swelled into a small bubble swirling in her chest. No stranger could touch her camera.

With a yell Annabeth ran out onto the scene and before the boy even had a chance to look up she tackled him to the ground.

The boy fought back and they rolled and grappled throwing up white sand. Using a tricky technique the boy flipped her over and pinned her to the ground. Annabeth scowled up at him "I only want my camera back" she growled.

The strange boy looked puzzled "But you left it" he stated

Annabeth snorted "Because I thought you were a monkey."

"What? I'm not a monkey!"

"Well obviously."

The boy looked at her with earnest sea gemmed eyes. His expertly tousled black strands and his white t-shirt smudged with dirt made him look like a jungle child. Instead of shorts he had on a pair of sky blue swim trunks lined with white. He sat on her looking down with deep curiosity.

"Why were you watching me?" she demanded while squirming a bit under his hold.

"I wasn't watching you" he lied.

Annabeth scowled deeply "Liar."

"I was not!"

"Yes you were I saw you!" Annabeth revealed triumphantly

"Than why didn't you say anything!"

"Because I thought you were a monkey!"

"Oh" he answered intelligently.

"Could you get off me? I'm getting sand in my hair" Annabeth wriggled.

"Oh ya." he said apologetically and complied.

Annabeth shook the sand out of her golden braids and brushed it off her sun kissed skin. She sat up and put her hands on her knees while the boy crouched beside her.

"Now why were you watching me?" Annabeth inquired again leaning in closer so their eyes met directly.

The boy rubbed the back of his neck "Well I… You see…"

"Stop babbling, just give me an answer." She impatiently ordered.

"I've never see other kids my age so I was just curious." He blurted out then covered his mouth as if he had revealed the worlds darkest secret.

Annabeth narrowed her stormy eyes "How old are you?" she asked suspiciously.

The boy rubbed the back of his neck, their eyes never wavering from each other.

"Seven" he answered clearly.

"Hey I'm that old" Annabeth beamed. "What's your name?"

The boy shrank back "I'm not supposed to give my name to strangers."

"I see" Annabeth answered seriously "Well I'm Annabeth, Now that you know my name and that we're the same age that doesn't make us strangers anymore."

The boy tilted his head to the side as to figure out her logic. He shrugged "Well I guess that's alright" he decided "I'm Percy."

"What's your last name?" she urged.

Percy frowned "But you didn't give your last name." He pointed out.

Annabeth rolled her eyes "Girls last names don't matter half as much as boys last names. Don't you know anything?"

"Why not?"

"Because girls get rid of their last names when they marry a boy" she stated matter of factly.

"Oh" Percy answered looking a bit dumbfounded.

"So?"

"So what?"

Annabeth almost did a facepalm "So what's your last name?"

"Ohhh it's Jackson." He finally said.

"Percy Jackson." She repeated like she was road testing it on her tongue.

Annabeth nodded in approval "I like it." She decided.

Percy smiled for the first time at her. Smiled genuinely back. Happy to finally have someone to at least talk to.

It would've started to get awkward after that.

Thankfully the harmonious call of the conch shell rolled over the hills and out onto the ocean.

Annabeth looked up at the sun for time and blanked "I need to get home, it's almost suppertime." She yelled as she ran down the beach.

"Wait!" Percy called "Can I see you again?"

Annabeth paused "Yes!" she decided. "Meet me here after breakfast tomorrow!" With that she bolted for the jungle heading toward the village.

Alright. Give me your thoughts :) Good bad what?

Also after every chapter there will be a trivia question on the PJO books. See how well you can answer.

Trivia: What weird battle cry did Tyson say in The Last Olympian?