Chapter Text
Everyone was ecstatic to see Percy. Chiron kept the quest secret from everyone until he saw the horses coming. Sally admitted to breaking the speed limit a few times on the way to camp (but she was going 75 the whole way). Even she didn't know Percy was back until we crossed the boundary line on flying horseback. She almost tackled me and Percy when she tried to hug us.
People actually speak to me now, which is cool, I guess. It beats everyone being afraid of me. And if they are afraid of me, it's because of the way Hermes cabin has suddenly dedicated a cult to me for bringing Percy back. I know a few of them really are Hermes' kids, but if you ask me, they're a little too serious about this "shipping" thing. I'm still not sure what it means, but it sounds terrifying.
It turns out Annabeth rode one of Mrs. O'Leary's puppies to see Bob when we first entered the Underworld to rescue Percy. She told me this last week after her meeting with the Underworld Architecture Council. I got to name one of the puppies, too. Meet Harrison Ford and his sisters Nikephoros, Danger, and Bobbie.
Speaking of Bob, he's getting better. I don't know what Hephaestus cabin has been up to, but three of their campers have been in the infirmary with mild amnesia. Something tells me they'll have an antidote for Lethe poisoning within the next few months, especially with Leo and Calypso heading the dev team.
Hazel visited camp about a week ago to teach me how to ride Trómos without falling off. I think I'm getting pretty good at it. Hazel says it's cheating to shadow travel to the end of the course when we race, but she always moves the finish line with the Mist anyway, so I figure it's fair enough. Besides, there's no way Trómos could outrun Arion.
Jason continues to turn heads everywhere he goes. Whether it's because he's a Roman or because I'm usually hanging off his arm when he's in camp is another story. As counsellor of Cabin One, he's always been a pretty popular guy. But now he also counsels the kids who are-- well, like us. For some reason, Butch and his mom Iris also volunteer as counselors. But really, you'd be surprised at the number of new campers who are more worried that they like someone than they are that one of their parents is a god.
Piper got me a new jacket. Imitation leather (the dryads and satyrs would have had a fit otherwise). It says "GHOST KING" on the back in silver studs. It also has several skulls. I've been repeatedly assured that this is incredibly cool. Piper's also thrilled that Jason and I are, and I quote, "an item now". Apparently she and Frank have been betting on it ever since Jason decided to trust me at the House of Hades. I don't know exactly what the bet was-- actually, I'm afraid to ask. All I know is that she won.
Percy really did plant Persephone's trees-- all twenty of them, one for each cabin. Besides that, well, he's as clueless as always. Sometimes I catch myself staring at him for too long, or wondering what it would be like if things had gone differently. I don't think I'll ever truly get over him. But can you really blame me? I mean, you never forget the first guy you saved the world with.