ｔｈｅ ｂａｔｔｌｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｌａｂｙｒｉｎｔｈ

LUCIA HAD TRIED TO INSIST ON NO FUNERAL BUT NO ONE SEEMED TO LISTEN. Quickly she began to realize maybe it was the best course of action. Percy was off on a paradise island with a beautiful girl and the promise of immortality. He wasn't going to come back. Why subject everyone else to the painful reality that it's because he didn't want to?

The entire camp gathered in the amphitheater in the late afternoon,

Lucia sat at the front with Annabeth. It was agreed that each cabin would say a few words during the service. Annabeth was to conclude the funeral and burn his burial shroud since she was his closest living friend (that didn't currently resent him). The Aphrodite cabin designed and set up the burial shroud. Which was dangling near the fire in the center of the amphitheater. Lucia had talked Lee into doing what was supposed to be her speech at breakfast. It took some convincing and a lot of 'i'm fines' but he ultimately took up her offer.

  "Unfortunately, we must assume he is dead," Chiron announced. "After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked one of his best surviving friends to do the final honors." 

Lucia watched as Annabeth took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it aflame. As she turned to face the audience, she caught Lucia's eye.

Lucia held a straight face. Unfortunately, Annabeth was too logical and sensible to accept that Lucia knew he was alive.

Annabeth was grieving. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but she managed to say, "He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He ..."  Suddenly, her eyes fell on something behind Lucia. Her face went blood red. "He's right there!"

Heads turned. People gasped.

Lucia turned back and there he was. Her heart betrayed her mind in an instant, picking up in pace without her permission. But Lucia stayed frozen in her seat.

"Percy!" Beckendorf grinned. A bunch of other kids crowded around him and clapped him on the back. There were a few curses from the Ares cabin, but Clarisse just rolled her eyes, like she couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to survive. Chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him.

"Well," he sighed with obvious relief. "I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me—"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Annabeth interrupted, shoving aside the other campers. Lucia thought maybe she was going to punch him (she would have liked that), but instead, she hugged him fiercely. The other campers fell silent.

Annabeth seemed to realize she was making a scene and pushed him away. "I—we thought you were dead, Seaweed Brain!"

"I'm sorry," He said. "I got lost."

"LOST?" she yelled.

"Yeah." Lucia finally made her way into the crowd. "I'm sure you were real lost."

"Luz!" He beamed, stepping forward to possibly hug her, but Lucia couldn't stop the image flashing in her mind of him giving a similar smile to Calypso. She took a step back.

The campers all watched in silence.

"I'm glad you're alive." She said with finality "Welcome back."

Percy looked like she slapped him in the face

good.

"Annabeth, Lucia," Chiron interrupted. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

Without waiting for them to protest, he picked up The two girls and Percy as easily as if they were kittens, slung the three on his back, and galloped off toward the Big House.

☼

HE DIDNT TELL THEM THE WHOLE STORY. He didn't mention a single thing about Calypso. Lucia didn't know whether that made her angrier or relieved. She didn't know if she could handle him talking about it but a part of her wanted him to have the guts to tell her to her face that he spent two weeks on an island with a beautiful girl instead of coming back to his grieving friends. instead of coming back to her

He explained how he'd caused the explosion at Mount St. Helens and gotten blasted out of the volcano. He told them he'd been marooned on an island. Then Hephaestus found him and told him he could leave. A magic raft had carried him back to camp.

All that was true, but Lucia still felt an annoying itch.

She took her iPod out of her pocket.

"You've been gone two weeks." Annabeth's voice was steadier now, but she still looked pretty shaken up. "When I heard the explosion, I thought—"

"I know," He said. "I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth. I talked to Hephaestus."

"He told you the answer?" Lucia asked

Percy looked at her like he wanted to talk to her about a different topic. She avoided his eyes, finding sudden interest in her nails.

"Well, he sort of told me that I already knew. And I do. I understand now."

He told them his idea.

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Percy, that's crazy!"

Lucia scoffed,

Percy looked hurt "Luz, we have to"

Chiron sat back in his wheelchair and stroked his beard. "There is
precedent, however. Theseus had the help of Ariadne. Harriet Tubman, daughter of Hermes, used many mortals on her Underground Railroad for just this reason."

"But this is my quest," Annabeth said. "I need to lead it."

Lucia fiddled with her iPod, she now had one headphone in her ear. Volume low enough to listen to what's going on but high enough she wouldn't accidentally acknowledge the glances Percy threw her way. She kept scrolling through the songs despite not wanting to listen to anything in particular.

Chiron looked uncomfortable. "My dear, it is your quest. But you need help."

"And this is supposed to help? Please! It's wrong. It's cowardly. It's—"

"Hard to admit we need a mortal's help," Percy said. "But it's true."

Everyone turned to the sound of sparkling light. Lucia's iPod fell out of her hot hands with a thud.

"You're one to talk."  Lucia glared at him coldly. A big contrast to her usual warm persona. "You can't even admit the whole truth."

Percy opened his mouth to speak

"No!" She commanded. Percy flinched. She stood up from her chair and pointed a menacing finger toward him. "You don't get to speak you ass! You have been gone for two weeks! two weeks! You don't get to act like you're not single-handedly the most egotistical and insensitive person on this planet. And now you want to come here all high and mighty and intrude on Annabeth's quest! Do you expect us to ignore what you made us go through? What you made me go through! what about Sally?! Did you think about your mother at all? Do you know what's it like to have to break the news to your best friend's mom that your friend might be dead? Annabeth hasn't slept! Tyson and Grover are still missing, we have no idea if they're okay or even alive! Juniper's leaves have been turning yellow from how bad she's been worrying. All because what? you wanted to stay on your stupid paradise island with your immortal girlfriend Calypso—

Percy leaned forward. A deep frown on his face. "Luz, wait, I can ex. . ." 

"My name is Lucia!" Tears involuntarily sprung to her eyes. "And guess what! you should have just stayed!"

She stormed out of the room. Only getting to hear Annabeth yell out "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!"

Lucia felt overwhelmed. She kept walking and walking until she found herself in the woods near Zeus' fist she found a small clearing and plopped down with a huff. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Shouldn't you be at the big house?" Lucia turned to see Lee walking towards her, quiver slung over his shoulder. He scooted down next to her.

She huffed turning towards him "Why are boys, such huge idiots."

"The mystery of life." Lee shrugged "What did Percy do? I can  make him speak in only rhyming couplets for a whole week if you need little sis."

Lucia looked up at Lee. A half-hearted laugh fell from her lips."As tempting as that offer is I'm going to have to say no for the sake of everyone else...How did you know I meant Percy."

Lee looked at her, he laughed "There is no one else you would mean"

"Mmm," Lucia argued, "I don't know about that Michael can be pretty dumb."

"Touché little sis" Lee nodded "But Michael isn't the reason you're sad. I thought it was because He was gone but today you started acting weird. And now that he's come back you aren't jumping off the walls. so spill."

"He wants us to go into the city," Lucia said. "He said he'll call this mortal girl to help on Annabeth's quest."

"That's not it."

Lucia continued "The mortal girl is really annoying."

"Lucia." Lee deadpanned

Lucia huffed "Fine. He kissed me."

"Was he that bad at it?" Lee raised an eyebrow

"No!" Lucia became embarrassed "That's not. That's not it at all. It was actually good..."

"Then what's the problem? He's alive! " Lee exclaimed "Stop being so sad go make out."

"Lee!" Lucia blushed, she smacked his arm "It's not that simple. Plus as my older brother shouldn't you be telling me not to do that!"

"If it makes you smile again then so be it. I'll save the overprotective brother act for someone I don't trust with you"

Lucia stared down at the grass

Lee stopped teasing, "Lu, What happened?"

Lucia sniffled "I've been praying for him to come back all week for answers to where he was...but... last night. I saw. In a dream. I saw him with a girl—Calypso. The nymph from Ogygia. A goddess...I know he has feelings for her. She was so beautiful... I don't compare at all to what he was offered."

"Hey." Lee scolded "Don't do that. Dont compare. Plus it doesn't matter how beautiful she is have you seen the way he looks at you?."

"No. I've seen the way he looks at her" Lucia countered

"But he came back. Like Odysseus did for Penelope."

"But did Percy want to? Or did he have to?" Lucia thought out loud " All Odysseus wanted was to come back to his wife because the war was over. This war has only just begun. His reasons for coming back can have nothing to do with me. He has lives to save he's prophesied to be a hero... It's not that I wish he came back solely for me that would be unrealistic and dumb but what if deep down he wanted to stay with her? What if he wants to go back after he's saved the world? What if meeting her has completely killed whatever could have been? What if kissing me meant nothing? Every single second he chose to stay was a second he wasn't here with me. Was a second he chose he didn't want to be here. I don't think I can get over that. I can't stop thinking about it. It hurts. I'm— I'm—heartbroken Lee."

Lee stayed silent, he seemed to be at a loss for words.

"The only way you'll know anything for sure  is if you talk to him."

"I can't. I look at him and I just feel bitter. I even yelled at him in the big house before storming off here ." Lucia laughed, blinking away tears "I was so upset I just blew up." Lucia frowned "Gods I'm the idiot."

"No." Lee shook his head "You're not. You're allowed to say what you feel Lucia. "

Lucia thought back to living with her stepmom, if she was angry she'd get called mean. If she was sad, she'd get called dramatic. If she was happy... well she wasn't home. Every time she tried to express her emotions she was immediately shut down. Now she had so many emotions built up inside her with nowhere to put them. But there was her older brother, telling her that if she needed to feel to feel.

Lee wrapped his arms around his Sister and held her as she burst into tears.

It was a silent way to show that no matter what: He would always be there for her.

"Let it out." Lee rubbed at her back "Let it all out."

It was exactly what Lucia needed at that moment. But for some reason, there was a terrible awful feeling that told her it wouldn't last as long as she hoped.... and that.. that only made her cry harder.