Chapter 23: A Mother's Memories

A/N

Hey!

Update day! Hope you like this one!

Shoutout to Yoshi and Fox for helping with the fic.

Big thanks to E-luckArcher, Murph and MrMaruf for the beta and proof reading.

...

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or any of its characters.

x.x

Chapter 23: A Mother's Memories

~Camp~

It was late in the morning by the time Percy got up. He was still groggy as his eyes closed every now and then, wanting him to drift into the realm of Hypnos once again. Not intending to sleep any longer, Percy summoned some water and drank it, sighing in contentment as the feeling went away and his body filled with energy.

After breakfast, Percy was walking around camp, deep in thought as he recalled his time in the dungeon the day before. The most important takeaway was the fact that time in the dungeon went twice as fast compared to the normal world, but it did not feel like it. The dilution was quite strong there. He did not have to worry about the amount of time he spent inside due to this, but he still needed to make his body and stamina stronger.

He estimated it would take him at least 2 months to beat the dungeon at the pace he was going. However, he had a feeling that things weren't going to be as easy as he thought it would be. He might just be underestimating the dungeon, but it did give him the chance to become stronger, so he was going to grasp that opportunity.

He brought up his stats once again to look at the ones that he needed to work on, focusing on the ones that will be most useful.

...

STR : 26 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)

VIT : 20 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)

DEX : 20 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)

INT : 30 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)

WIS : 21 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)

...

Skills

...

Combat :

Sword Fighting (Level 20)

...

General :

Sneaking (Level 6)

Critical Strike (Level 7)

Mage Armor (Level 8)

Makarios tis Elpis (Level 3)

Battle Strategy (Level 7)

Bond Manipulation (Level 1) (Purple: Romance, Brown: Family, Red: Dislike/Hatred, Blue: Friends, Grey: Neutral)

...

Abilities :

Water Control (Level 21)

Water Manipulation (Level 16)

Blood Control (Level 5)

Ice Control (Level 8)

Ice Manipulation (Level 5)

Steam Control (Level 5)

Fire Control (Level 14)

Fire Manipulation (Level 11)

...

Out of all the abilities present, Percy needed almost all of them to become strong since they were useful in one way or another and thus, could not be overlooked. He then thought about the times he had spent with Athena and realised that he needed to prioritise some abilities for the worst case scenario.

One example, he could be captured. In such a situation, he'd of course be put in a cell with guards keeping an eye out. Now, how could he get rid of the guards? He could use Blood Control to stop the monster's hearts or use Bond Manipulation to make them fight amongst themselves.

Another option would be to use Ice Control and Ice Manipulation to create little daggers and kill the monsters with them. Although considering that he was the son of Poseidon, it was highly unlikely for Luke to keep him anywhere near water so this option was out of the books. This left two other ways to make his escape.

Out of the two, using Blood Control was easier. However, he did not want to limit his options. Something that Athena had ingrained in him during all these weeks.

Furthermore, Hestia told him that he needed to build a strong base in psychology if he wanted to use Bond Manaipulation effectively, which he would learn once he started reading the books she sent. While this was achievable, it would not be as effective.

Back to the topic, Sneaking and Critical Strike would be important for escaping. Moreover, Ice Control and Ice Manipulation would also come in handy for long-range kills.

Moving on to his best-case scenario, he would be in a one-on-one battle with Luke. Percy knew that he'd need all the help he could get in such a case. Moreover, his battle plan would vary based upon the terrain.

The prophecy was pretty vague, making it hard for the demigod to discern what kind of ability he would need since they'd be dependent upon the situation more than anything. It was a wild play, but he knew that he needed Sword Fighting (obviously) and Mage Armor combined with Battle Strategy since they'd be the main driving force in capturing Luke.

Any other abilities would be supplementary and would be there only to further aid him. Not to forget, Alecto and the Death Knight would be helpful in a pinch. They'd certainly make for great last-minute reinforcements. Thus, Percy decided to train all his abilities whenever he could whilst leveling up in the dungeon since he had a feeling that he would desperately need the added ability points and other bonuses if he wanted to survive.

Despite this, Percy still felt like something was off with his plan and the prophecy in general. Shaking his head, he decided to have a word with Athena to run some plans with her and do other research if he needed to get anything worthwhile and have a chance at succeeding. He knew this quest was important and failure was unacceptable. So, he needed to be well prepared. With that in mind, Percy walked towards the Athena cabin to start working on his INT and WIS stats.

...

~A few days later~

...

Percy and Hestia were seated at the beach at midnight as the goddess was listening to Percy talk about the latest dungeon he had found as well as the training he had been undergoing both with Athena and alone. She was surprised to hear he could control blood. But then she thought it was expected since he was possibly the strongest demigod son of Poseidon to date. And given the fact that he was blessed by Fate itself, it wouldn't be too far off to assume that he'd learn other crazy abilities.

She had been quite happy with Percy's development in the past few months ever since he walked into camp. The boy then was a far cry from the person he was today. There were many visible changes in him from his gait to his demeanor. She knew that he would become a splendid man when he grew up... oops. She shouldn't have thought that.

'Of course, you didn't but then again, remember that we can hear each other's thoughts?' Vesta said from her mind. She really did not leave any opportunity when it came to teasing her about Percy. He had become quite a central topic for the two goddesses as they discussed things between themselves every now and then in order to sift through things and see where their relationship was going.

'Oh shut up. Let me spend the time with Percy,' Hestia snapped at her counterpart. While she enjoyed talking to her, she didn't want Vesta bothering her when she was spending time with her favorite demigod. Yes, she was being partial but he was her first champion ever, so she had all the right to be, something she never regretted.

She was snapped out of her internal monologue when she heard Percy calling out her name.

"So Hestia, do you want to go to the dungeon with me? You could teach me how to use Bond Manipulation, and see me use your other blessings in actual combat while giving some pointers as to where I can improve," Percy asked a little embarrassedly. He had asked the question on a whim and wasn't sure if a god/goddess would ever agree to something as mundane as a dungeon which was far below their strength, much less a former Olympian who was considered one of the strongest gods.

Hestia laughed warmly seeing his expression, "Of course I would come with you. It will be fun to spend the time in this dungeon. Maybe I could also blow off some steam," she said.

Percy's face lit up with excitement. This was going to be so much fun! He got to spend more time with his favorite goddess and as an added benefit, he'd learn more from her. This will be a really good day!

~A few hours later~

Remember the time he said that it was a really good day? Scratch that. It most certainly wasn't. The son of Sally completely forgot to account for the goddess' change in demeanor whenever it came to his training. She was sometimes far more ruthless than Athena, which was saying something considering how strict and particular the goddess of wisdom was.

Moreover, Percy had elected to start the dungeon from the first floor instead of continuing where he left off which was a bigger mistake on his behalf. Since there were fewer enemies to deal with, Hestia made him try out Bond Manipulation, which he failed spectacularly at. She had completely exhausted his MP a lot of times now and whenever he complained about a lack of it, she'd toss him a water bottle or nectar to immediately rejuvenate his lost strength. Damn Poseidon for being able to use water to recover and the gods for having such kind of food available at their beck and call.

Boom!

He turned his attention to see Hestia with her arm raised and an inferno raging in the middle of the room where the things once stood. There were ten enemies, but it didn't matter to the goddess since she practically took them all out on one hit. After looking at Percy train and having fun, Hestia, who had been reluctant to join in, finally relented. Needless to say, she was enjoying this experience as she released millennia of pent-up emotions in a safe space with no repercussions whatsoever.

She then turned to him with a large smile on her face and said, "This was an excellent idea, Percy! We should come here more often! Let's do this dungeon together. What do you say?"

Yep, she was enjoying it far too much. Looking at her smile and her eyes which were dancing with mirth made him easily falter for a second as he tried to get his thoughts back on track before he answered with a large smile to match her own, "Yes!"

Thus, Percy had found a partner to do the dungeon with. He did not have to worry too much about dying now since he had a goddess by his side to help out with things. Hestia refrained from intervening unless the situation was extremely dire. How would he learn if he had someone help him through everything? Little did they know that the dungeon would be beneficial in more ways than one for them.

...

~Approximately 1.5 months later, mid-August~

...

Percy had been training non-stop ever since the prophecy was issued. His days consisted of spending time with the Athena cabin, learning more about the Greek world as well as studying for his school. Moreover, Athena had expanded his scope of training and now included wisdom and battle strategy as part of his regimen along with his standard workouts and diet that she had prescribed. Apart from this, Percy had been training with Hestia in Bond Manipulation and the other abilities that he got from her in the dungeon and outside. The two had gotten even closer now that they shared more experiences.

As for the dungeon, the demigod had managed to reach Floor 60, which was far lower than his first estimate. After clearing Floor 19, boss floors had started popping up at every interval of 20 floors and so far Percy had cleared 3 of them with the goddess barely helping him. He could understand her perspective when it came to him becoming stronger and thus, didn't push the matter. Speaking of which, he was currently on a three-day break from training since he had been working himself to the bone non-stop until Hestia had put her foot down on this matter and even managed to convince Athena to lay off him for the time being. The goddess of wisdom didn't suspect anything as she chalked it up to Hestia being herself and looking after her family which was half the truth.

Percy was currently walking around the camp, bored out of his mind since he did not have anything to do. Most of the campers had already left to go back to their mortal lives whilst a select few stayed on as year-round campers. He had been so caught up in his training and focused on his goal that he had completely disregarded everything else hence his current predicament.

Just as he was walking around, a thought struck him. He had never visited his mother after the events in the Underworld. He had taken up Hecate's word that she was safe and happy but did not even enquire more about it. What kind of a son was he? His mind made up, the demigod first decided to speak to Hecate and ask about his mother's current location after which he'd ask Chiron to let him go from camp, something he knew that his trainer would not deny.

He then walked to his cabin, created a rainbow using the sunlight seeping in through the windows, and asked for Hecate. After a minute or so, the goddess' face came into view.

She was just the same as Percy remembered her to be, even wearing the same clothes. Did she ever change or something?

"Well?" Hecate asked snapping the demigod out of his thoughts.

"Lady Hecate," Percy said as he bowed. "I hope I am not disturbing you right now."

"No need to be so formal with me, just Hecate is fine and no, you aren't. I assume this is about your mother?" the goddess asked, making Percy smile a bit. She was as perceptive as ever.

"Yes, can you please give me her current location?"

"No need," the goddess of magic replied. Before Percy could respond, his world suddenly turned upside down momentarily until his feet touched the surface once again.

The demigod looked around to find himself in an upper-scale building considering how well the lobby was decorated. He was standing in front of a particular door which he assumed led to his mom's apartment. He silently sent a prayer of thanks to the goddess and rang the bell, waiting for the door to be answered. As soon as Sally opened the door and saw Percy, she moved at speeds that he thought were virtually impossible and brought him into a bone-crushing hug.

"My baby," Sally cooed as she hugged him tightly and ruffled his hair.

"Hey mom," Percy replied with a huge smile on his face as he returned the hug.

The two were locked in an embrace for a few minutes until Sally eventually let go and ushered her son inside the place and started talking about all the events after her time in the Underworld. She knew that when it came to her safety and her in general, Percy would always prioritize her over himself and would be adamant until she relented. Thus, she decided to lay off her son for the time being and proceeded to talk about her experience.

After being whisked away by Hecate, she had been teleported to a hotel room where she had stayed there for a while with everything already paid for in full. At first, she was far too shaken to do anything until eventually she calmed down and left the experience behind her.

She had to admit that spending time with Persephone had been quite refreshing and a far cry from the way Poseidon described other gods and goddesses. After a few days, once she was better, she had found a parcel waiting in her room with a letter and a key, telling her about her new apartment while being signed with just the letter 'H'. She had been confused at first and thought that it had been a mistake when another letter arrived the following day.

Believing that Percy was behind this, she relented and visited the place only to find that it was furnished with a wardrobe set up for her and Percy, along with all necessary commodities in place, making her tear up at the amount of kindness shown by the unknown god/goddess.

Since then, she had settled in better and was visited by Persephone on one occasion, greatly surprising her. She had never expected that the goddess would actually drop by to spend time with her. That day had been particularly fun as Persephone described her time as a goddess and narrated several funny instances from the past. The two had now become friends and occasionally, Persephone would Iris Message her to ask after her and chat in general which she too reciprocated, albeit rarely since Sally did not want to trouble the goddess.

Moving on, Sally had also started attending university again to complete her degree, something that she had been wanting to do for ages, making Percy smile. Even though the budget had been tight she was content with how things were. However, it seemed like her son would not have it that way since the moment Percy heard about this predicament of hers, he emptied out his inventory and dumped $35,000 on the table that he had gotten from quests and dungeons. His mother tried to refuse but it was all in vain when Percy's resolve did not buckle an inch, making her sigh and relent. She did thank him profusely which he dismissed saying that it was all for her. Following that, she was now at home currently since she had a few days off from college.

"Now, what have you been up to since then? And you'd better not leave out anything," Sally told her son sternly who nodded knowing that there were no slipping things past his mother.

Percy then started recalling his time spent at Olympus, more specifically, the meeting with the gods. He had wanted to omit the part where Zeus threatened him but one look from her made him spout everything that had occurred and, as expected, she blew up the moment he mentioned that particular instance. However, she calmed down when Percy told her about Poseidon being there for him and ensuring his safety. He informed her about the quest, the prophecy, and how he had been training for it ever since he returned from Olympus. One detail he ensured to leave out was the skeleton who had almost killed him in the forest that day.

Except for that, he also told her how Hestia had become his patron and recalled almost every single instance he had with her from the talks to the training to the dungeon runs that the two had been doing as well as the blessings she had given him. Sally, for her part, couldn't be happier and more shocked at the turn of events. She was shocked that a goddess, who never had a champion ever, chose her son as her first one and couldn't be prouder or happier. But, out of all this, there was one thought that still nagged her.

"What does the prophecy even imply, Percy?" Sally asked with concern evident in her voice and face.

"I don't know mom. I tried my best to figure it out along with Hestia but I can't understand anything. Lady Athena has been working on it now and I don't think she has found anything yet that might give any clues otherwise she would've told me about it."

Sally hummed in thought as she took in the events that her son had gone through ever since he had entered this world. It was still surreal to believe that her son, who before had been afraid and lacked confidence, was now sitting in front of her – stronger, happier, and more confident than ever. He had also started growing out of his scrawny frame, something that she was grateful for. However, what concerned her the most was what was going inside his head and how he was taking everything.

No twelve-year-old could ever come out unscathed from the haunting experiences Percy had undergone in this short period of time; from being hunted by the Minotaur, meeting Medusa, facing off against the Chimera, entering the Underworld, meeting the king of the gods, his father and now training for another prophecy with next to no break in between to enjoy his life as a kid.

It just seemed as though his entire childhood had been snatched away from him and replaced with one hardship after another, not giving the boy any time to recover or think for himself. She decided on trying to speak to Hestia since she was the most likely person that can offer some insight. Plus, she was the person that spent the most time with her son. On any other day, she would've been reluctant to disturb a deity for trivial things but Sally had always prioritized and treasured her son more than anyone or anything else in this world and as such, was ready to go to the ends of the earth for him.

By the time they were done talking, it was already late in the evening since there was months' worth of events the two had to narrate. By now, both of them were starving, having not eaten anything throughout the day, too engrossed in what the other had to say.

"What do you want to eat Percy? I will cook it for you," Sally said as she walked towards the kitchen ready to cook whatever her son desired.

"No need mom, remember I can summon food?" Percy asked with a grin. "Besides, you're tired, I don't want you to overwork yourself. You can cook something for me in the morning."

"Are you sure honey?"

"Yes mom, now come on."

Once they were finished with dinner, Percy was washing the dishes using a skill he never thought he'd ever use again.

...

Skill Activated!

Cleaning Dishes

...

"You'd better be staying here for the night Percy. I am NOT going to allow you to go back to camp so late in the night," Sally said from her seat at the table.

"I am on a break for 3 days right now, I don't think Chiron would mind if I visited you for a short period."

"He better not be, otherwise, I am going to give him a piece of my mind. It has been way too long since I got to spend time with you."

Soon Percy was done with the dishes and after spending a bit more time with his mom, Percy retired to his bedroom for the night, intent on getting as much sleep as he could for the next 3 days. Even though he needed less sleep nowadays, it didn't mean that he didn't like sleeping. Quite the opposite in fact. He was happy to find a whole wardrobe for him with clothes that fit him perfectly. Seems like whoever had arranged this for his mom had kept all things in mind including the fact that Percy would be staying here since his room was decorated in a manner that he couldn't help but appreciate.

...

~Sally~

...

Sally was in her bedroom currently with a rainbow summoned.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering and show me, Hestia, most likely on Olympus or Camp Half-Blood."

The rainbow shimmered for a bit as the call connected until the face of a girl came into view. She looked 12 years old with her flaming eyes being the most distinctive feature on her face. Even as a kid, the goddess in front of her looked regal and beautiful as befitting someone of her stature.

"Lady Hestia," Sally said with a bow as she addressed the goddess in front of her.

"Hmm... Sally Jackson, Percy's mother I presume?" Hestia asked.

"Yes, my lady. I hope I am not disturbing you at this hour."

"No need to be so formal Sally. Besides, you're family and I always have time for family. I believe Percy has informed you about him being my champion and there's something bothering you hence you decided to IM me."

"Yes Lady Hestia, there has been something bothering me ever since I spoke to Percy today."

"Please Sally, just Hestia is fine. I think this conversation is best done face to face. I will just be there shortly," Hestia said as she closed the video call and almost immediately teleported outside the apartment.

She knocked and waited for a second until Sally opened the door and ushered the goddess to the dining table where the two sat.

"Thank you for taking the time to come and meet me, Hestia," Sally said gratefully.

"No need for formalities Sally. Now, what was it that you wanted to discuss?"

"It is about Percy's mental health. I know that the things he has gone through are far from ideal and too much for anyone let alone a twelve-year-old. How has he been coping? Is there anything that I need to know? Percy told me that you two spend a lot of time together so you're the best person I could ask about him."

Hearing the question, Hestia smiled warmly at Sally. Poseidon had been right about one thing, Sally was truly a queen amongst women.

"Don't worry about him, Sally. I have been taking care of him in your absence. At first, Percy was reclusive and kept his thoughts to himself but slowly and steadily he has been opening up and sharing things with me. I agree that the mental strain is too much for anyone to bear but Percy has been able to endure it quite well and, if anything, grows stronger and looks at every obstacle as another opportunity to grow. To become strong, he must have a strong will and a strong will comes from a strong mind. That means feeling all his emotions and letting them flow instead of piling them all up on the inside. I have been ensuring that he follows this whenever I speak to him."

This caused Sally to breathe out a sigh of relief as she visibly relaxed.

"Do you think he'll be fine in the next quest?"

"I cannot say what awaits him since I too have been quite stumped trying to figure out what the prophecy means. There is one thing that I would like you to remember – not everything that has been prophesied comes to pass. A prophecy is merely an event or a series of events that are most likely to occur out of many more alternate realities of an event. There have been times where what has been prophesied never came to pass. Thus, it is merely a chance."

Hestia continued, "Apart from this, I have been personally training him with the powers he got as my champion, not to mention Athena herself has been monitoring Percy's growth ever since he came back from Olympus. She is the best possible person right now who can get the ideal results since she combines both knowledge and warfare which, when used appropriately, is a deadly combination. But I digress, the point is, we're ensuring that Percy is trained well and able to protect himself when the time comes. Moreover, I have made him promise that if he is ever in grave danger, he will inform me immediately so that I can be there for him. So stop worrying so much!"

"A mother can't help but worry for her child. But anyway, thank you so much for everything Hestia. I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I am for you to look after my baby. Please keep watching over him," Sally said as she moved to embrace the goddess due to the sheer gratitude she was feeling towards her.

Hestia was initially surprised by this gesture but quickly returned it as she smiled and said, "I will."

'We always will,' Vesta said within Hestia's mind which the latter agreed to immediately.

"That reminds me, it's Percy's birthday day after tomorrow. Have you planned anything yet?" Hestia asked Sally suddenly.

"Oh no. I didn't since I wasn't sure whether Percy would be here or not."

"I don't think he needs much, except to spend time with his loved ones. However, I have a gift from both of us which should be ready tomorrow. Meanwhile, can you get the other decorations done?"

"I will. I do have another idea though. We can go to Montauk to celebrate Percy's birthday since he has always loved that place."

"I remember him mentioning this," Hestia said with a smile. "Let's do it there then."

"Can you try asking Poseidon to come as well?" Sally asked, making Hestia's smile drop almost immediately.

"I don't know whether he will be willing to come."

'Why? Did something happen between Percy and Poseidon?" Sally asked, fearing for the worst. Hestia sighed since this was something that she was hoping to avoid.

"Sally, as the goddess of family, I am able to see and manipulate bonds, a power that Percy possesses as well. While training Percy in it, I happened to glance at the bond between the two and there's no way to put it except Percy's love and bond for Poseidon has been waning. It already was earlier, but ever since Poseidon claimed Percy as his son, the bond has been degrading at an accelerated rate. Despite what Percy told his father on Olympus, he holds next to no hope for Poseidon to make any effort for the two of you."

Sally's mouth was agape as she tried to process what she just heard. Before she could say anything, Hestia proceeded.

"I did have a word with Poseidon a while back and explained everything to him. He understood the situation and gave me his word that he will start working on their bond. However, I have not heard from him ever since. I will not go about reminding him since this is his responsibility as a father. I will invite him to Percy's birthday but beyond that, I will not be helping him now."

"Might I ask, why will you not Hestia? As a goddess of family, wouldn't it be against your beliefs?" Sally asked, trying to grasp for anything that could salvage the situation.

"Yes, but as a goddess of family, I have to ensure that each member of the family is happy and biased as it may be, Percy's happiness is something that I will prioritize over that of others. As such, if Poseidon makes Percy suffer more, I will sever the bond myself. It is better for Percy to not have a father than someone who takes no action despite knowing what his son went through. I've even made Poseidon experience a part of the pain Percy felt ever since he entered this world. Despite knowing that, if this is his way of trying to make things better, Percy is better off without him," Vesta said, having taken control briefly.

Hestia always had a soft heart, not wanting others to get hurt, which meant that she couldn't be blunt. Vesta, as a protector of Rome, had learned that a strong hand was needed when the situation called for it. Moreover, being more militaristic and serious made her blunt and her actions swift.

'I will leave it to you now,' Vesta said as she switched with Hestia.

Teardrops started rolling down Sally's eyes upon hearing everything. This was not something that she ever had in mind. Percy and Poseidon were important to her, especially her son who mattered to her more than anyone else. To see them at such crossroads, did she do something wrong whilst raising Percy? One thought after another raged in her head each worse than the previous.

Seeing her state, Hestia brought the woman into a warm hug as she infused hope into her being.

"Don't worry too much about things Sally. One thing that I know about my brother after spending all these millennia with him is that he really cares for his family and would go to the ends of the universe for them. If anything, I am sure he is trying to find out ways to make it up to Percy and will come up with something. Knowing how much he loves you and Percy, it will be impossible for him not to do anything. The situation is too delicate for us to try and influence it. The best we can do is to let things flow and see how they turn out. So calm down, we still need to plan a party for Percy. Alright?"

Even though Sally wanted to deny what Hestia said, she knew that the goddess was right and what she suggested was the best course of action.

The two then spoke for a little while until it was time for Hestia to go. She bid Sally farewell and promised to meet her for Percy's birthday.

...

~Montauk, Next Day~

...

Percy was at the cabin in Montauk where Sally had decided to take him first thing in the morning as soon as she gave him his birthday greeting. Due to the training and upcoming prophecy, he had forgotten about his birthday and was pleasantly surprised when Sally had baked his favorite cookies for him first thing in the morning.

The two had then spent the rest of the day at the beach relaxing, catching up, and having a good time in general. It truly was one of the best days Percy had after a long time. He did not realize how much he missed this until he actually felt it once again. To be carefree and enjoy life with no looming prophecies, no training to avoid being killed. Nothing.

He was currently walking towards the cabin where his mom was setting up dinner. However, as soon as he entered, he was greeted by a familiar sight that brought a huge smile to his face. He quickly ran over to the girl standing beside Sally and took her in a tight hug making the girl laugh at his antics.

"Happy Birthday my champion," Hestia whispered in Percy's ear whilst returning his hug.

"Percy, is that how you treat a goddess?" Sally admonished her son, making him chuckle.

"Relax mom, Hestia doesn't mind. She's really cool with all these things."

"He's right Sally, I don't mind it at all. In fact, it makes me happy to see the love my champion has for me," Hestia said with a smile just as Percy released her from the hug.

The three were interrupted from their conversation when they heard knocking on the door, making their heads turn towards the source of the noise, only to be greeted by a familiar figure.

"Poseidon," Hestia and Sally greeted.

"Dad."

'The tides,....'

x.x

Note: I didn't show the increase in stats of Percy on purpose. The thing is that this chapter and the next are important for character development which is dependent on the quest and other future events that we have planned out. If I put in the stats upgrades, I'd be adding words unnecessarily and taking the focus off the story right now. The change in stats will be made available as soon as this part is done.

...

Percy's Stats

Perseus Jackson

Species : Demigod (gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)

Title : Son of Poseidon

Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. Blessed by Elpis, the spirit of hope, he has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes. He is also Hestia's champion which grants him control over fire and lets him summon meals.

...

Level - 17

Exp – 5,696 / 7,290

...

HP : 950 / 950 (+ 2,000)

MP : 1,050 / 1,050 (+ 2,000)

...

STR : 26 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)

VIT : 20 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)

DEX : 20 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)

INT : 30 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)

WIS : 21 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)

LUC : 26 (Bonus : +14% chance of better loot)

Points : 22

Money : $37,200 / D520

...

Status : Demigod

...

Skills

...

Combat :

Sword Fighting (Level 20)

...

Inherited :

Ancient Greek (Max)

Tongue of the Old Times (Max)

Modern English (Level 35)

Swimming (Level 11 - 13 km/hr)

Breathe Underwater (Max)

Akachan Shiru no Me (Max)

Running (Level 10 - 40 km / hr)

Storms (Level 4)

Earth Shaker (Level 3)

...

General :

Observe (Level 4)

Sneaking (Level 6)

Critical Strike (Level 7)

Mark of the Furies (Level 8)

Mage Armor (Level 8)

Summon Meals (Max)

Makarios tis Elpis (Level 3)

Battle Strategy (Level 7)

Bond Manipulation (Level 1) (Purple: Romance, Brown: Family, Red: Dislike/Hatred, Blue: Friends, Grey: Neutral)

...

Chores :

Cleaning Dishes (Max)

...

Passive :

Gamer's Mind (Max)

Son of the Sea God (Gives +20 STR, VIT & DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)

Battle Instincts (Max)

Champion of Hestia (to be declared)

...

Abilities :

Water Control (Level 21)

Water Manipulation (Level 16)

Blood Control (Level 5)

Dimension Create (Max)

Ice Control (Level 8)

Ice Manipulation (Level 5)

Steam Control (Level 5)

Fire Control (Level 14)

Fire Manipulation (Level 11)