Chapter Text
They were all astounded by the tale. Clarisse and Annabeth backing him up helped most believe his version of events, but Percy could understand their confusion. He wouldn’t have believed it himself if he hadn’t lived through it. Eventually, between himself, Annabeth, Will, Clarisse and Chiron, they got the camp to believe their tale and begin to make plans for the upcoming fight.
As soon as he was back at his cabin, Percy had Iris messaged his mom, who was confused as to how he was at Camp as he’d been in their flat when he’d been taken. He explained as much as he could, and she promised that she and Paul would stay out of the center of the city. Percy wasn’t sure he believed her. She would want to help him, and it would kill him if she lost her life in that endeavor.
Next, he had prayed to his father and Apollo, letting them know he was safe and making preparations for the future, hoping desperately they had their memories back or it would be a very awkward prayer.
Thankfully, Grover had been brought back with them and not sent back into his slumber, so he immediately went back out to continue gathering nature spirits to their cause.
The whole camp had been lifted by the news that they had future knowledge that would aid in defeating Kronos, but Percy was still worried. He still had to bathe in the Styx. He wanted Apollo. He wanted his father. He missed the comfort they both provided. Clearly his few weeks away had spoiled him. He'd always wanted his dad's attention, to make him proud, but now he knew what it felt like to have that all the time, it hurt to not see him every day.
He knew they were both busy, but he wanted nothing more than to hear their assurance that he could do this. Instead, he had the Hephaestus cabin making several dozen traps that could be placed later and everyone else was preparing for the biggest fight of their lives. He had people relying on him to end this as soon as possible.
Grover and Will led the healing lessons while they put together all the supplies they possibly could. All the cabin leaders made sure every single camper attended their lessons. Side missions had been cut down and they focused only on the most important so they could have the majority of campers at camp training.
Percy made sure to feed the same information to Silena, and therefore Kronos, as he had been fed before. Of course, the first thing to fix was his mission with Beckendorf. The Princess Andromeda needed to be taken out. So, Silena was informed of the date and time of the attack in a Councilor meeting, but he and Beckendorf made separate plans. They would attack three days before Kronos expected them to.
Chiron had pointed out that providing Kronos with false information would mean he knew they had discovered his spy and would be unlikely to believe any false information going forwards. However, he fully agreed that saving Beckendorf’s life was more important.
On the day after their return, Leo had made contact, and they had promised to fetch him as soon as possible. Nobody could be spared until Kronos was defeated, no matter how useful Leo would be. Beckendorf was determined to send a satyr as soon as it was feasible though.
Piper was the same. She’d made contact the day after Leo, saying that her dad had given permission for her to head to Camp Half-Blood. She would fly to Manhattan and make her way to Camp Half-Blood from there. Unlike Leo, she would make it to camp in time for the upcoming battle.
To make things better, the Hunters of Artemis turned up one afternoon.
"How are you?" Thalia asked, the second she spotted him.
"I'm..."
"If you dare say fine..." she threatened.
Percy laughed. It was good to laugh. There hadn't been enough opportunities since they got back. "I'm surviving." She nodded.
Percy spent his time training in both fighting and healing. He mostly tried to hone his hurricane powers and healing others with the water. Summoning hurricanes was easier, but he could heal very minor injuries on other people with the sea by the end of the week.
He had wanted to call his father, but knowing how the battle was going, the last thing he wanted was to provide a distraction. Even if Poseidon had told him to use the phone, he was reluctant. Instead he just hoped his quick prayer would be enough until the battle was over. As for Apollo, he was fighting Typhon himself and could even less afford a distraction.
There was no more fighting over the chariot, though the Ares cabin had been quite disgruntled over Clarisse's change of heart, allowing the Apollo cabin to keep it. Instead she had her cabinmates drilling everyone as thoroughly as possible. They knew some of the monsters that they would be facing and the Athena cabin made sure everyone had the best information they could.
Around midday on the day before Percy and Beckendorf were scheduled to leave, Piper had arrived at Camp and had been claimed almost immediately. Silena and Drew had made her welcome in their cabin, and she had thrown herself into battle plans, despite having not been an active part of battle herself. Most of the Aphrodite cabin were thrilled with the new addition, though they were concerned about a new demigod joining at this time until it was explained that Piper already had some training. Both Silena and Drew had been thrilled to be reunited with their sister, and pleased she had made it there safely.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Percy asked Beckendorf the night before their planned raid. "Someone else could come with me."
"Na, this is our mission. If the worst does happen to me then we know it's just my time. And it won't be your fault. Or Silena's. Or anybodies. No matter how much prep we do, people are gonna die," Beckendorf heaved a sigh. "But we can't let that stop us doing what needs to be done."
"You're right," admitted Percy reluctantly. "But they were expecting us for days in the book, what if our trick isn't enough?"
"Then we face it as it happens. Things have already changed. Things won't happen like they did in the book and we can't rely on that completely."
"I know, that doesn't stop me worrying though."
"I didn't think it would," Beckendorf grinned. "Now come on, call Blackjack and let's go. I'll race ya." Percy smiled and whistled for his friend.