Well. It's literally been a year since I last updated. Whoops? If it makes any of you feel better, I totally forgot about everything, and not just this. Seeing as it's currently two in the morning, and I've been working on this all day since I remembered this story, I'm going to have to save TT-TL for tomorrow, unfortunately. But rest assured that I will update it tomorrow, if any of you here read that, too.

I am much too exhausted to look at all of the reviews and PMs that I'm sure had piled up during my absence, so I will just give a general statement.

Here is an update. It is literally a year late. I can't believe it myself. No, I'm not dead. Still alive, here. 2016 was so awful I just couldn't find the drive to write for this, as I really didn't to let you, my audience, down with subpar and frankly depressive writing. I guess I just let myself and my love of writing drift further away from each other until I couldn't remember why I ever wanted to be an author. I'm so sorry, but I'm back now. Hopefully what happened doesn't happen again.

On with the story, since, y'know, you guys waited an actual year for it. Oh, my god.

DISCLAIMER: I, TheFourEyedWonder, do not own anything in this magnificent series. Percy Jackson does not belong to me and neither do the vast majority of the characters. I can only lay claim to some of them.

Chaos' Right Hand Woman

Chapter Seventeen: What Doesn't Kill Me Hurts a Hell of a Lot Anyways

-THIRD PERSON POV-

-CAMP MYTHS-

Jason stared in the mirror in his bathroom in the Counselor's Cabin, electric blue eyes narrowed in thought. Bravo reminded him so much of the sister he barely remembered. The few memories he had of Thalia matched up with the headstrong, defiant Commander of the Second Cohort. He wanted a chance to get to know her better, see if maybe she knew Thalia, and they were friends, and that was why they were so similar.

When Jason had learned that Thalia had been killed by Artemis because she had fallen in love, he went through a maelstrom of emotions – rage, bitterness, hatred, misery; you name it, he felt it. He had raged against Hera at first, blaming her for tearing Jason away from his sister in the first place. Sierra had been right, everybody held blame in their heart if a family member died unnaturally. He had hated Hera for years; he cruelly renounced her blessing to her face and took great pride in watching her façade crumble when he publicly assigned her blame for the death of his sister. Later, after he stopped his tantrum against the Gods, and especially her in particular, Jason found out that Hera really did blame herself for Thalia's death.

After that, they mourned together. Jason, for the sister he didn't get to know, and Hera for the step-daughter she had wrongfully hated for most of the young girl's short life.

Jason's eyes slid to the only picture of his sister he had left, sitting neatly in the corner of the mirror frame. Thalia was sitting on a picnic table at Camp Half-Blood, and her head was thrown back laughing. She was missing the telltale silver crown that marked her Lieutenant of Artemis. She looked carefree and happy. Percy was sitting next to her, hands flying through the air as she recounted some crazy tale and the wind had blown some of her curls into her face, partially blocking the large grin she was sporting. It was taken before Thalia became a Huntress, before she pledged her life to her, the bitch who'd killed her because she'd dared to have feelings. It was taken before Percy had to face Kronos, before she'd had to face Gaea, before she'd disappeared forever.

Two women Jason had loved with all of his heart, gone before he even got to fully know them.

Jason closed his eyes and walked out of the bathroom, sadness weighing on his mind. Omega had never given him an answer on whether Percy was in the Army, always having to run off and do something, stop some fight. He wondered if she was orchestrating them all so she wouldn't have to answer, he wondered if she was scared of telling them that she, too, had no clue where the woman had gone too.

And speaking of Omega, the poor woman had utterly crashed and burned after watching her sister die. Everyone had watched as she degenerated into someone who completely ignored anyone and everything around them. She went through the motions like a ghost; she wasn't there, her personality had disappeared, her laughs, her grins, her teasing her comrades – all of it was gone. Until the funeral. Omega had reignited with purpose, and that purpose was to give her little sister the best send-off anyone could have ever wished for.

India's shroud was a beautiful mosaic of those who had met her, and who had loved her. Jason had gotten choked up as he watched the archers shoot off the arrows towards India's boat, and as the flames caught. He'd cried when she ignited into flames, and he hadn't been the only one. Hazel had downright sobbed when Omega threw the flaming dagger with a marksman's aim. Only Frank had been holding her up from hitting the ground, and he hadn't looked any better.

Nico's eyes had been focused singularly on the shroud, and, despite his knowledge that her soul was lost forever, and she would not be going to the Underworld or anywhere like it, he couldn't help but whisper, "Ευλογώ ασφαλές πέρασμα σας, την Ινδία, πολεμιστής της καρδιάς," in memoriam of someone they barely knew, but had left an impact on them all the same. [AN: Probably incorrect translation: I bless your safe passage, India, warrior of heart.]

Leo didn't even look at the shroud once as his eyes had been completely centered on Omega. He watched as her hands had shook as she followed the path of the dagger, her eyes never straying until it had landed upon India's beautiful shroud. She'd then turned her head away and her shoulders shook with what everyone knew was a sob for her sister. After a moment of silence, she's turned towards the crowd that had gathered.

"I thank you," she had said, voice reverberating painfully along the coastline, "for witnessing the send-off of my sister, India Void. May her spirit be blessed with love and safe passage by all here." Nico had nodded his head in agreement, with the knowledge that he would not have been the only one wishing her a safe journey to wherever in the abyss her spirit had headed. "India Void was a gift to the world, and I thank Chaos for granting her a single chance at life, as she would have never received the opportunity to live without him. I thank him for giving me the chance to know her, and I thank you all for knowing her, and caring enough about her to attend." Omega turned away from the crowd and watched the boat carrying her dead sister drift further and further away, carried by the currents and protected by both Pontus and Thalassa, who prevented Poseidon from interfering with it.

Omega turning her back on the people present had signaled the end of the funeral, and the Counselor's watched as everyone left the beach in groups, pairs, and one by one, until only they and Omega, Bravo, and Oscar remained. The two Commanders sent them a look after hugging their Commander, and then they, too, filed out. It was obvious that Omega didn't know anyone remained. It was doubtful that she even noticed the hugs that her two most treasured friends had given her, as she was only paying attention to the burning shroud. As they watched, Omega fell down to her knees in the sand and cried.

Hazel ushered them out silently, all of them listening to the sound of a woman they had come to respect completely breaking down. When they got back to their cabin, after a long walk through a silent and mournful camp, so opposite of what they were used to, all of them looked worse for wear. They all had tear tracks and red eyes, and Hazel was still crying. Frank's shoulders were slumped as he sat down on the edge of the couch and looked forlornly down at the ground. Nico sagged into an armchair and put his face in his hands. Jason leaned up against the wall and rubbed his face before crossing his arms and resting his head against the wall, staring at the ceiling.

And Leo – Leo looked utterly defeated, his eyes tired and bloodshot. He ran his fingers through his hair repeatedly, mussing it up to the point where it looked like he'd been through a tornado. He tried to speak up but found that no sound would come out after opening and closing his mouth a few times, so he just frowned and shook his head, eyes downcast.

Hazel sniffed, breaking the silence a few minutes later. "She was good," she whispered. The group looked at her. "India," she offered needlessly. "She was good. I could feel it in her soul. She reminded me of Sally." No one needed clarification on which one that was. "She even kind of looked like her." Hazel mustered up a teary smile. "You know, kind eyes, warm smile?"

"Yeah," Leo muttered. "Like Percy."

The mood stuttered. Jason tried to say something to cheer up his best friend, but found that he came up empty-handed. "I miss her too," he said instead. "Gods, I didn't even know her that well and I thought she was the best person I would ever meet."

Hazel smiled sadly in remembrance of their old friend. It was basically a tradition that they would bring up Percy every time someone they knew died. "Hey Frank? Remember how when we were on our quest, whenever we ran into monsters, she would try to get all of them before they could get to us, regardless of the cost to herself?" She sniffed and tried a faltering grin. "The Canadians?"

"Oh Gods," he moaned, "it's been, what; 200 years since I've heard that one? Come up with some new material already." Frank shook his head in weak amusement.

"But it's a classic," Jason protested with a just as shaky smile. "Just like Arion's insult for you."

Nico mustered up a strained grin for that. "Ah yes," he said, "how could we forget about the Chinese-Canadian baby man in need of a trampling?"

Frank shook his head, a small, helpless smile on his lips. "Alright, alright, damn. Leo, help me out here."

Leo leaned back on the door. "Sorry baby man, you aren't getting any back-up from me." His smile was so close to reaching his eyes, but they all watched as it failed to meet its mark. "I'm gonna head to the forges. I'll see you guys later, alright?" He didn't wait for an answer and Jason listened as the door banged shut behind him, both in his memory and in real time.

"Whoa!" he yelled, backing up into the closed wooden door, shock in his eyes as Omega stood in front of him. It wasn't obvious if she was as startled as him, due to the hood that blocked most of her face, but he could see her mouth forming a little 'o' of surprise.

"Counselor Grace, I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I hadn't even knocked." Her lips settled into a flat line, and she raised her head to, he assumed, meet his gaze. "I have a question about the scheduling." She said. "I was wondering if you'd take over for me during my sword-fighting class. I have an old friend to meet up with, and I'd like to get it done sooner rather than later, in case of an attack."

Jason opened and closed his mouth before settling on a "Yeah, sure" and bidding her farewell as she headed towards the camp borders. He watched as she walked away and frowned when something niggled in the back of his mind. There was something so familiar about Omega, he just couldn't figure out what it was.

Oo-oO

Omega breathed out carefully when she saw the sign barely hanging off the wall. Auntie Em's Garden Emporium, she thought a bit sadly, you look a lot worse than the last time I saw you. She pushed the door open and winced slightly when it creaked. Loudly. "Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here? I could really use some help, if anyone is out there." Omega stepped fully into the shop. "I'm a little lost, and I figured, with the placement of this shop being in the middle of nowhere, you would have experience with lost travelers. I just need some help finding my way. Hello? Is – oh shit!" Omega froze as Medusa turned the corner and glared at her. Literally. She turned into stone. Well, she thought bitterly, that was my fault.

Omega concentrated on the rock around her and shattered it outwards, landing on her ass. "Damn, Emmy, you got a hell of a mean look." She laughed and stood up, brushing off the dust now covering her. "Shit, no wonder I found so many people trying to warn me off of coming here again." Omega paused, frowning. "Sorry about that, by the way," she said quietly. "I hadn't remembered. I would've never remembered if Chaos hadn't gotten involved. I would've just died and been reincarnated as another Persephone Jackson yet again."

"What are you talking about?" Sthenno spoke up from behind her and Omega almost fell on her ass again. She swirled around, eyes on the angry Gorgon in front of her. "How dare you come in here and mock us! Persephone Jackson is dead! She has been for a very long time, and I don't appreciate you trying to ruin our good memory of her."

Euryale appeared from around the corner, and she was also spitting with fury. Dammit! "We thought we had found her again two centuries ago, but it was another cruel trick of the Gods! The Persephone we knew would have never treated us so terribly! She would have never cut us into pieces. Unfortunately for you, we refuse to be tricked again, and as you've proven to be able to break out of Medusa's defenses, we'll have to take matters into our own hands," Eury smirked. "Or, more accurately," she held up her hands, "our own claws."

Oh shit, this is not going the way I wanted it to. Omega ducked under a powerful swipe by Sthenno, and was immediately forced to dive to the side to dodge an attack from Euryale. Omega leapt behind a statue of a random woman and silently apologized before pushing it onto Sthenno. The Gorgon shrieked with hatred as she struggled from under it. Omega was left facing Euryale, who looked even more vengeful than before, which was strange considering that she had once been the most peaceful of the three sisters.

Omega yelped in surprise when she was tackled from the side. Didn't see that coming, she groaned internally, looking up and seeing a lot of hissing snakes in her face.

"Sisters," Emmy said, voice nearing a whisper. "I wish to hear her out."

"What?!"

"Oh, you can't be serious, Medusa! You want to listen to another one of his children! The last one killed you. And if she's being truthful, it was her who did it!" Sthenno yelled as Euryale helped her from underneath the statue.

Omega lay very still and quiet on the floor beneath the Gorgon she had once called a best friend, and prayed to every Protogenoi she could think of that Emmy would hear her out. It seemed that they heard and heeded her call, as Emmy stood up and held out a hand, avoiding looking Omega in the face.

"Sit," the woman hissed unconsciously. "Be warned that if you try anything, I will let my sisters rip you into pieces."

Omega gulped. "No problem, I wouldn't dream of trying anything. Nothing at all." Quietly, she added a snarky, "Should've brought Tidal," as she followed Emmy into the back room of the Garden Emporium.

Soon after, she was seated on a marble bench, with the three sisters sitting on chairs in front of her. "Well?" Euryale snapped. "What are you waiting for? A written invitation?"

Omega fidgeted. "Well excuse me if I'm nervous," she argued back. "You aren't really welcoming anymore, Eury, and I'm not looking forward to being dismembered if I do or say something you take offense to!"

Euryale hissed her displeasure but allowed herself to be restrained by Emmy, who spoke next. "You claim to be Persephone Jackson, the daughter of Aphrodite?"

Omega nodded. "Yes," she said. "I do claim so," she paused and bit her lip in thought, "but I don't exactly go by that anymore. Not for at least a thousand years in Chaos time, though it would have only been 200 years in Earth time. This planet rotates a lot slower than most in the Universe."

"That's beyond the point," Sthenno glared, looking at her sister. "She is not telling us anything to prove her point. I say we just kill her."

Holy shit. Think, Omega, think! What could only I know about them? Emmy being in love with Tyson? No, I could've been told that. Come on, what small, insignificant detail would prove I'm being truthful?

"Emmy and I got mani-pedis on her last birthday before Athena cursed her and she chose blue nail polish because it was Tyson's favorite color!" Omega blurted before slapping herself in the forehead. "Oh, my Gods, out of everything I could have said I chose nail polish colors? Out of every secret we told each other, every single moment we shared, I chose mani-pedis. Gods of the Void, why did I pick that one?" Omega was so focused on being annoyed with herself she didn't notice that Emmy's snakes had gone completely silent, and that her eyes had gone wide. (Though if she had noticed the last one, she would have been a little too stony to appreciate what it meant.)

Euryale and Sthenno were staring at Omega in complete shock, but their gazes turned to Emmy as she stood up, shaking. "Seph?" her voice cracked with emotion, and Omega turned to look at her, avoiding her eyes, which were filling with tears. "Oh Persephone, please let it be you. Please don't be a trick from Athena." The woman held herself back from hugging Omega in fear of being hurt again.

"Oh Emmy," Omega sniffled, "I promise it's me. I'm so sorry!"

With that, the two old friends ran to each other and hugged for the first time in millennia. They couldn't stop themselves from falling to their knees as they clutched desperately at the other. Sthenno and Euryale could only watch as the two women cried on each other's shoulders.

"Emmy, I am so sorry for what happened. I never really got to tell you this before, but Poseidon is a fucking asshole of a man, and an even worse father." Emmy laughed wetly and pulled away from Omega. Apparently, the tears in her eyes were enough barrier to stop the Gorgon from turning Omega into stone as she looked into her friend's eyes for the first time in lifetimes, and she took advantage of the situation, trying to memorize the color of Omega's eyes. "He unclaimed me because of some snotty bastard who didn't want to share the spotlight. He took everything from me, and I ended up having to be saved by Ouranos, who brought me to the City of the Light, and to the Protogenoi who chose me and Tidal to be his champions. He gave me all of my memories of my past lives, and everyone I had ever been and loved. I haven't been to Earth again until now." Omega hesitated and deliberated on whether she should tell her friend the next part. She didn't want to startle her, or put unnecessary pressure on her. "I'm not here a party, though," she said quietly, carefully, making sure to watch Sthenno and Euryale in the background as well as the sister in her arms. "Something really bad is happening. It isn't something I wanted to be the background for our reunion."

"You speak of the war Erebus and Nyx have declared on the Gods." Sthenno said, joining the two on the ground. Euryale landed on the other side of Emmy a moment later.

"We have heard of it, Persephone. We have already been visited by the two Protogenoi. They have warned us of fighting against them, and informed us of exactly what they would do to us if they saw us rebelling against them." Eury's voice was much kinder than minutes before.

"Of course," Sthenno continued, "they don't expect us to go against them. To fight opposite them would be to fight with the Gods, the very Immortals us 'Monsters' hate the most. The odds of that are quite astronomical."

"The odds of me fighting opposite the Gods is astronomical as well," Omega said sadly. "I will not go against my people, my soldiers, my family."

Emmy frowned. "You just said that your father threw you away. Who is on Olympus that you love so immeasurably?"

"I wasn't speaking of on Olympus, but I do have a select few up there that I do deeply care for. Hera, Hades, Hestia, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hecate, Morpheus, Iris, Nike, Nemesis – I do not wish harm to befall them. But they weren't who I was referring to when I spoke of those I cannot go against."

"Then who can you not abandon?" Euryale asked quietly. "Who is of such importance to you that you will risk your life to save them?"

"I feel like there's a lot you guys are missing out on. Let me tell you what's happened since I was last on Earth."

Oo-oO

Bravo frowned as she looked around the Dining Pavilion, her eyes searching out for someone who was quite obviously not there. "Has anyone seen Omega?" she asked the people at the Head Table behind her. "I haven't seen hide or hair of her all day. I'm worried she's relapsing." Bravo turned to share a worried glance with Oscar. "She isn't very good at dealing with emotions, especially not negative ones."

Jason opened his mouth to tell her what Omega had told him, but he was beaten to actually speaking by a mock-insulted voice from Bravo's right. "I take offense to that, I'll have you know." The Counselor's and the rest of the 'Crew' nearly snapped their necks turning their heads to see Omega. The Commander in question was standing there like nothing had occurred. "What? You all look so shocked to see me. I told Commander Grace I was going to visit an old friend today." Everyone turned to frown at Jason.

"She interrupted before I could tell you that!" he protested his innocence. "Besides that, I assumed she'd told you before telling me. She only told me because she had to ask if I would take her place co-teaching the sword-fighting lesson today."

The Commanders and Lieutenants turned to frown at their Commander. "Omega," Foxtrot began with narrowed eyes, "why did you not inform us of your plans to reconnect with an old acquaintance?"

"Yeah," Frank said, "especially when you told your soldiers they couldn't speak to anyone from their past. What makes you immune to the rules?" The other Counselors' interested looks did more to make Omega frown than her friends' suspicion.

"I didn't go to be 'immune from the rules', as you put it, Counselor Zhang," Omega said angrily. "I went to actually try to make us some enemies in this damn war. It doesn't matter how many soldiers I bring over from the Chaos Galaxy if Erebus and Nyx outnumber us ten to one!"

Frank winced. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of hypocrisy, I was just wondering why meeting with an old friend would be so important to miss an entire day of training."

Omega frowned at Frank, still stinging from his comment. "It's fine, Counselor Zhang. No harm done. The friend I visited turned out to be three old friends; three dangerously powerful and angry friends, but three friends I managed to convince not to join Erebus and Nyx. It is yet to be seen whether or not they will aid us further, but just knowing that Medusa and her sisters aren't soldiers on the other side is enough for me as of now."

Hazel choked on her lemonade. "Medusa and her sisters are your old friends?!" Her voice was much more high pitched than normal and sounded a little strangled. Frank rubbed her back absentmindedly, his eyes just as wide.

Sierra slapped her face with both hands and shook her head. "I refuse to listen to this." she said. Echo's mouth was hung open, but he didn't look to be trying to use it to speak anytime soon.

Tango stared at Omega in shock. "Didn't she try to kill you last time you were on Earth?" he asked in disbelief. Omega left it to Gamma to explain that one, and turned to everyone else.

Bravo and Oscar were both grinning. "Of course, you managed to become friends with Medusa in one of your lives. Of course," Oscar laughed and turned to Bravo. "What do you think, Brave? Did our Omega also manage to befriend the Hydra? Oh no, I got it, you're buddies with Arachne." He and Bravo cracked up and Omega rolled her eyes.

Yankee threw his spoon at them before turning to Omega with a slightly pleading expression. "Please tell me you're not friends with Arachne." he begged.

Omega grinned at his distraught expression and decided to leave him hanging as she turned away. Actually, she wasn't friends with Arachne, but every 'Monster' deserved a chance. Who knows, maybe they'd get along. They both had a strong hatred of Athena, that could serve as their first common link. Yankee's "Noooo" was drowned out by Leo laughing.

Omega's eyes were drawn to him instantly, and her tunneled until she could see only him. He was grinning and even though his eyes were closed currently, Omega could tell that they, even if only for this moment, looked exactly like she remembered from before. Leo opened them and Omega's breath caught in her throat, her vision blurring with tears. She knew the expression he was wearing; the cocky, lopsided grin, and the bright, joyful eyes shining out at her. It was from her Leo. The one she had loved before she'd been thrown into Chaos' Galaxy and the crazy whirlwind of terrifying missions that followed it. Unable to stop herself, for one brief, shining moment, Omega pretended they were in the forges below Camp Half-Blood, and she gave him a dazzling grin in return, one she hadn't used since she had last seen him. For the one moment, it was just her and Leo, and everything was just fine.

Oo-oO

Unnoticed by those at the Head Table, a lone daughter of Aphrodite plotted. Her eyes could easily see through the cloak worn by Omega. She saw someone who used to consider her a best friend, someone who had trusted her with everything she trusted the others with.

That trust would soon come around to bite her in the ass.

Piper McLean was nothing if not a woman with a grudge, and the reappearance of her old "friend" had completely ruined her world as she'd known it. She and Drew were in command, leading from behind the completely and pathetically malleable Justin Calloway. Justin was desperate to be known as a Hero, and Piper had easily recognized that. His desperation made him the perfect subject for Piper and Drew to sink their Charmspeak into. That he was a son of Poseidon made him all the better for their role for him. After the true disappointment his sister Desiree had been – they had barely gotten started with the poor girl before she ran off the Huntresses, somehow recognizing that they would block the daughters of Aphrodite – Piper and Drew were delighted with how quickly they turned Justin over to them. Piper did not take happily to that little sea bitch running away with her tail between her legs before they could have her ruin Jackson. The last time a Huntress had crossed her, Piper had gotten Artemis herself to dispose of the little wretch.

Thalia Grace was a clever girl, and she would have quickly made sure to plop herself into her Jason's life, reducing the effect that Piper would have on him. Piper couldn't have that, and made sure to drunken her mother up a bit before squealing out some bull on how it was so romantic that the Lieutenant of Artemis was in love with a man, even though it was forbidden. Her mother, ever so idiotic and idealistic, had predictably run off to the Goddess of the Wild and blabbed all about Thalia Grace's little love interest. The girl didn't last past that day. But unfortunately, the death of his sister caused Jason to lash out, and Piper barely kept her hold on him before he slipped from his leash at the end of the war.

But that was a different story. And Piper had learned from it. After giving Justin a little love and attention, Piper and Drew didn't even need to use their Charmspeak. The fool really believed that he was something special, that he was someone even better than Persephone Jackson, a better hero than the girl who had saved Olympus, not once, but twice. It was so pathetic it was laughable.

The knowledge that he had a special power from his mother's side was just icing on the cake for the two daughters of Aphrodite. His mother was descended from the Roman Apollo, and it was well known that Apollo could not tell what he thought was a lie. Anything he believed to be true, if spoken, would convince everyone else that it was true as well. It was the most powerful gift a descendant of Apollo could receive. One that the God made sure to warn all of his children about, whether they would ever have the ability themselves or not. Unfortunately for him, and most of Olympus, he had neglected to think of Legacies when he chose to warn his children.

There was only one downfall to Piper and Drew's plan. Justin wasn't strong enough to convince everyone they needed on their side by themselves, and like hell was anyone on the great Persephone Jackson's side ever going to listen to them ever again. Piper had made a rookie mistake when she forgot to use her Charmspeak on Jason that one day. A rookie mistake she would ever make again.

Instead, Piper turned to alternative methods to get Persephone's friends to turn against her. And oh, did she ever strike a goldmine in the Hecate cabin. After slow and deliberate planning, Piper lured poor little Danny Trent to a secret clearing in the woods and used her Charmspeak to ensure he would only listen to her. She had him go back to the Hecate Cabin and make her a potion that would turn even the staunchest supporter of Jackson against her. To make sure that it worked properly, Piper waited for an opportune moment to use it on Annabeth Chase. She was Jackson's best friend; if there was anybody who supported Jackson more than Chase, Piper would be hard-pressed to find them, especially since the girl's parents had died.

Piper slipped the potion into Chase's ambrosia when the girl wasn't looking, and was delighted when she was allowed to approach the daughter of Athena without being attacked. "Say, Annabeth," Piper purred dangerously, "what would you say if I told you that Persephone Jackson was the personification of the Devil?"

Annabeth scoffed and turned her head in disgust and Piper almost screamed in frustration. The damn potion didn't work! "I, for one," Annabeth spoke, turning back to Piper with eyes that gleamed with malice, "would tell you that Jackson is a lot worse than the Devil."

The world turned upside down for Piper McLean that day as all of her plans unraveled neatly and efficiently after that. She would be at the forefront of the future.

But, unfortunately, Persephone Jackson would not.

Here it was. The terribly long awaited seventeenth chapter of this wreck of a story. Anyways, wow. Damn. A year?! Huh. Shit. I'm back now?

God, last year SUCKED. 2016 was definitely not my year, as you saw by the complete and total lack of any and all updates on literally anything I've been working on here. Even the baby stories I have on my laptop that I haven't transferred to FFN have been neglected. Though, sometime in the year, I met up with my friend Lauren, you should remember her as the person I frequently called my muse in previous Author's Notes. We spent the whole trip writing fanfiction if I remember correctly. For some odd reason, though, I made an account on Archive of Our Own for it. I'm foureyedme over there, but I don't have anything on my profile expect for the stories I wrote while in Lauren's company.

I'm afraid my muse has changed to my other best friend, Dan, as I haven't really spoken to Lauren since I saw her then, which is tragically disappointing as she is very important to me. Anyways, while I writing this, Dan gave me a kick in the ass and told me that since I made you all wait a year for it, this chapter better be pretty damn good. I'd like to think that it is, but that could be called author bias.

Anyways, thanks for sticking with me if you're still here, and if you'd like, when I've finally finished with this damn story, I can post it and TT-TL over on Archive of Our Own, if you prefer that over FFN.

Signing off for hopefully not another year,

TheFourEyedWonder

(I am still not over it being a whole goddamn year. A YEAR?! Holy fuck.)