Percy Jackson: the Winter Gamer

Ares wasn't exactly the most talkative God. Instead of engaging with Alex, he was tapping away at his phone, probably starting beef online or whatever a god of war does in his free time. He didn't even bother observing him, if he couldn't observe Chiron, why would he be able to observe a literal god? Luckily, it didn't take Pergy and Annabeth too long and they soon returned, shield in arm. They looked worse for wear, Annabeth in particular looked, well, shaken up.

"Well, well, well, you didn't get yourself killed" Ares slow clapped.

"You knew it was a trap", Percy glared.

"A trap?" Alexander asked.

"Hephaestus set up a trap to catch Ares, we were live streamed to all of Olympus, whilst mechanical spiders tried to eat our faces", Percy explained.

"I missed quite the adventure, didn't I?", Alexander chuckled before pulling them into a hug, "I'm glad you made it out alive"

"Bet that crippled Blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. You looked good on TV", he pulled up the video feed on his phone. So that was what he had been so fascinated with, at his phone.

"You are a jerk", Percy grumbled as Ares took the shield, which transformed into a bullet proof vest right in front of them.

"See that truck over there? That's your ride, take you straight to LA, with a stop at Vegas", he pointed at a truck just outside the diner 'Kindness International: humane zoo transport, warning: live, wild animals'

"You are kidding", Percy deadpanned.

"Free ride west, punk, stop complaining and here is a little something for doing the job", he threw a nylon backpack at Percy as the truck door opened for them to get inside. There were clothes in there, a little cash and an opened pack of Oreo's.

"I don't want you lousy-"

"Thank you lord Ares", Alexander cut him off, pushing the backpack in Percy's arms.

"You owe me one more thing, the information about my mother that you promised", Percy gritted his teeth, he was angry, so angry…

"She isn't dead"

"What?" Percy looked… hopeful?

"I mean she was taken away from the Minotaur before she could die. She was turned into a shower of gold, right? That's metamorphosis, not death. She is being kept", Ares explained playing with his combat knife.

"Kept? Why would she be kept?" Percy looked confused.

Hades rolled his flame eyes, "you really know nothing, do you? Why would anyone keep hostages in a war if not to control someone else"

"I'm not being controlled", he sounded… uncertain.

"Oh yeah? See you around kid"

"You are pretty smug, lord Ares, for someone who runs away from Cupid statues"

Annabeth looked about ready to tear Percy a new one and Alexander wasn't better. He valued honesty but this was just plain stupid on Percy's part.

"We will meet again, Percy Jackson. Next time you are in a fight, watch your back", Ares walked off to his giant motorcycle and drove off.

Annabeth huffed, "that was not smart…"

"I don't care"

"You don't want a god as your enemy, especially not that god", Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows, "the truck is about to leave, if we want to catch that ride, we need to go now"

The three of them climbed in, closing the doors behind them. The inside was dark and smelly, like a petting zoo. Percy had drawn Riptide, its bronze surface illuminated the dark interior. The animals were in cages, much too small for them. The lion was even fed turnips, "kindness international my arse", Alexander grumbled, "help me get these guys some proper food, guys, I think I saw some food stuffs in the back there"

He took out his own sword, using its glow to navigate between the cages. They quickly found the food and water, giving it to the caged animals, they seemed to appreciate it.

"Hey", Annabeth turned to Percy, "I'm sorry for freaking out back at the water park, Percy"

"It's okay", Percy opened the half eaten Oreo's and munched down on them.

"It's just… spiders", she shuddered.

"Right, the first spider was cursed into that form by Athena, wasn't she?" Alexander's eyes had now adjusted to the darkness, able to see Annabeth nodding, "I guess that means all Spiders must hate you and your siblings, right?"

"If there is a spider within a mile of me, it'll find me and try to eat me. I'm just happy we don't live in Australia", she shook her head, "let's not talk about this anymore, anyways, Percy, I owe you one"

"We three are a team, aren't we? Of course I'd help you"

After a while, Alexander turned to Annabeth, "you were one of the demigods travelling with Thalia, you and Luke, right? I guess that bead of the pine tree is to symbolise her sacrifice?"

"Yeah, she saved us that day", Annabeth carcassed the beads on her necklace, "every August, the camp counselors pick the most important event of the summer and they paint it on a bead. I've got Thalia's pine tree, a centaur in a prom dress- now that was a weird summer…"

"And the college ring is your father's?", Percy asked, eyeing the gold ring that hung on her necklace.

"That is none of your- yes, yes it is", she admitted.

"You don't have to tell us…"

"No, it's okay", she took a shaky breath, "my dad sent it to me folded up in a letter, two summers ago. The ring was, like, his main keepsake from Athena. He wouldn't have gotten through his doctoral program at Harvard without her… that's a long story. Anyway, he said he wanted me to have it. He apologised for being a jerk, said he loved me and missed me. He wanted me to come live with him"

"That doesn't sound too bad"

"Yeah, the problem was, I believed him. I tried tk go home for that school year but my stepmom was the same as ever. She didn't want her kids put in danger by living with a freak. Monsters attacked. We argued. I didn't even make it through winter break, I called Chiron and came right back to Camp Half Blood"

"You think you'll ever try to live with your dad again? Just because your stepmom is bad, doesn't mean you have to stay away, look at my stepdad, Gabe is the worst and I still want to see my mom", Percy asked.

"Please, I'm not into self inflicted pain", she looked down at the ground, not meeting either of their eyes.

"Don't give up, maybe start with a letter", Alexander said, "I can't relate really, my mom is single but I couldn't imagine never seeing her again"

"My father made his choice about who he wants to live with", she said coldly