A/N: So, I finally found the notebook this was in and managed to type it up. I'm going to take a break from this to work on my Hiccelsa story, cause I'm drawing a blank on how to continue in a non-overused way. I'm also still trying to decide on a pairing, so any help on that would be great. Thanks for reading!

Why don't I feel anything?

Percy hadn't moved from his spot by the Phlegethon since the thought had come to him. Why didn't he feel anything over Annabeth's death? She was his girlfriend. He loved her. He was supposed to feel something from her death.

Right?

Well, at least he had a while to think about it. At the very least until the gods sent someone to get him, which was taking an abnormally long time. Not that he knew how long it usually took the council to get someone out of Tartarus. It just seemed like they could reverse fake-Zeus/possessed-Zeus' decision fairly quickly, send Hermes, and get him out pretty quickly. His thoughts soon turned back to Annabeth's death.

"Why don't I feel anything?"

Percy was halfway to his feet, his hand in his pocket for Riptide before two thoughts hit him. One: Riptide was gone, presumably still in Dirt Face's, well, dirt face. Second, he had accidentally spoken aloud. His voice sounded foreign, cracking from either disuse or the heat of the Pit. Probably both.

"Huh, so all those monsters, all those battles, all those deaths, all that pain. And I go crazy from being alone for what, a day?"

After a long contemplation of his descent into insanity, Percy was jerked out of his thoughts by a loud whistling sound, like a bomb dropping in a movie. He turned and looked back up towards where he had landed to see a shape falling from the inky blackness to land with a very loud thud and a very large cloud of dust.

Percy whirled around to grab a last drink from the river before turning and, grimacing from the taste, starting off towards the cliff.

LINE BREAK

I'm back, miss me?

Percy swore as his foot slipped and dangled by both hands, his feet scrabbling for purchase on the painful, sharp, hot, and altogether unhelpful cliff.

What the Hades- GAIA!

Yes? Her voice asked, practically dripping innocence.

I thought I got rid of you! Percy scowled at the rock in front of him, as though blaming it for all his troubles.

Oh, you silly boy. Gaia's voice, her amusement clear, echoed in his head. You'll never be rid of me. I'm actually not supposed to be able to leave your head. But I was called away on… business.

This just made Percy angry. What, were you called away by the Let's Screw Up Percy Jackson's Life Committee or something?

Actually, you're not far off.

Percy almost fell off the cliff. Again. Wait, you mean there are actually people intentionally trying to screw up my life!? He couldn't believe it.

Oh please, Perseus, you should have learned this from that silly camp. Everything is predestined, remember? The Three Fates that watch over all you silly little humans? Your string of life they watch over?

So the fates are out to screw with my life? Just great.

I never said that.

Percy was starting to get angrier, and he wanted nothing more than to punch Gaia in the face. Unfortunately, as she was sharing his head, that would mean hitting his own face. He settled for a deeper scowl and insults.

So I guess they also predicted that you'd get killed and have to hide IN MY HEAD.

Gaia hesitated, and Percy could almost see her miffed look. No, they didn't exactly expect that… Although Ana- her voice cut off, as though she was about to say something she shouldn't.

Ana? Who's Ana?

No one.

Tell me.

No.

You were answering all my questions earlier.

Yes, well, why do you think I had to go to that meeting?

Wait, you were serious about that?

I think that I've been far too helpful to someone who almost killed me.

It's not my fault you tried to take over the world.

Nope, it's the fates', remember?

You're kidding, right? You can't just blame everything you do on fate. Er, the fates.

Either works, Perseus. And for the record? Yes I can.

No you can't, everyone is responsible for their own actions. Otherwise there wouldn't be three different places in the Underworld. There would just be Asphodel.

When did you become a philosopher?

Percy thought about it, but his anger was making it hard to concentrate. But his brain, probably from the malnourishment and the fire drinking and the fall into Tartarus finally snapped. He began to break down laughing, barely able to hold onto the cliff face.

Through his bout of insane laughter, his cloudy mind faintly heard Gaia's voice say something along the lines of "Oh great, my host is a complete nut-job."

LINEBREAK

The figures sat in a pitch-black room, their thrones were arranged in a V formation with the throne at the apex empty. The power that the beings were releasing was enough to vaporize any lesser being in a matter of seconds. However, the tension in the room was palpable, and the figures shifted uneasily in their thrones.

"What is the matter, sister? What could not have waited for the next meeting?"

"I'm… nervous. I don't think that your plan is working."

"Nonsense, we all voted and agreed that this was the best plan available. I understand that you believed this solution unnecessary, but-"

"But I promised to go through with it. Yes, I know, and I don't intend on backing out. However…"

"However?"

"I don't think he's… responding well."

That single statement caused an uproar in the room. Several of the figures swore in long-forgotten languages, while the others yelled at the being that had brought the news, calling the being a liar. Finally, the one who had spoken quieted them down.

"Quiet! All of you! Yes, I know that you don't believe me, but you have to understand, we might be pushing him too hard."

"Gaia, do I have to remind you of what we discussed previously? We cannot allow ourselves to get too attached to young Perseus. Once we've completed our task-"

"We'll have him back, I know. But… But what if we're doing it wrong?"

"We're running out of time, you know this. We've tried going slowly in the past and it hasn't worked. So we-"

"Decided to speed up the process." Interrupted one of the quiet figures who had stayed out of the conversation. "Yes, we all know this. However, if he is truly… failing, perhaps we have the wrong hero."

"Impossible." Interrupted another. "I have seen where that boy's future lays. My daughters have seen it too, and they concurred that this must happen. We cannot rebuild what is not broken down. In order for his destiny to be achieved, Percy Jackson must be broken."