apollo

Artemis grit her teeth. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood." "Sure Sis!" then he raised his hands in a "stop everything" gesture. "I feel a haiku comIng on." The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they'd met Apollo before. He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically. "Green grass breaks through snow.Artemis pleads for my help. I am so awesome.

This brings to mind an expression I coined ages ago: A peach a day keeps the plague spirits away!'Percy sneezed. 'I though it was apples and doctors.'The karpos hissed.'Or peaches,' Percy said. 'Peaches work too.''Peaches,' agrees the karpos.Percy wiped his nose. 'Not criticizing, but why is her grooting?

But Percy Jackson has always been reliable. You have nothing to fear. Besides, he likes me. I taught him everything he knows.__he frowned. __ou did?__ found her innocence somewhat charming. So many obvious things she did not know. __f course. Now let__ go up.

Oh, why does college have to happen to perfectly good people?

Nosoi?_ Percy planted his feet in a fighting stance. __ou know, I keep thinking, I have now killed every single thing in Greek mythology. But the list never seems to end.___ou haven__ killed me yet,_ I noted.__on__ tempt me.

I__l be back with the sandwiches,_ she said. __ut I had some leftover seven-layer dip.___um._ Percy dug in with a tortilla chip. __he__ kinda famous for this, guys.__ally ruffled his hair. __here__ guacamole, sour cream, refried beans, salsa____even layers?_ I looked up in wonder. __ou knew seven is my sacred number? You invented this for me?__ally wiped her hands on her apron. __ell, actually, I can__ take credit____ou are too modest!_ I tried some of the dip. It tasted almost as good as ambrosia nachos. __ou will have immortal fame for this, Sally Jackson!

Python opened his eyes. "What do you want?""To sing you songs about my awesomeness!""Oh, please. Just kill me now.""Okay!" Apollo drew his bow and shot the snake between the eyes. Then he sang a song about his awesomeness.

Headache!" Zeus bellowed. "Bad. bad headache!"As if to prove his point, the lord of the universe slammed his face into his pancakes, which demolished the pancakes and the plate and put a crack in the table, but did nothing for his headache."Aspirin?" Apollo suggested. (he was the god of healing)"Nice cup og tea?" Hestia suggested"I could split your skull open," offered Hephaestus, the blacksmith god"Hephaestus!" Hera cried. "Don't talk to your father that way!""What?" Hephaestus demanded "Clearly he's got a problem in there. I could open up the hood and take a look. Might relieve the pressure. Besides, he's immortal. It won't kill him

You do understand that I must find a way to return to Olympus,_ I said. __his will probably involve many harrowing trials with a high chance of death. Can you turn down such glory?___eah, I__ pretty sure I can. Sorry.__ pursed my lips. It always disappointed me when mortals put themselves first and failed to see the big picture__he importance of putting me first__ut I had to remind myself that this young man had helped me out on many previous occasions

We were ten feet away when we triggered the First Law of Percy Jackson

Meg turned and gazed out the rear windshield, probably checking for any shiny blobs pursuing us. __t least we__e not being____on__ say it,_ Percy warned.Meg huffed. __ou don__ know what I was going to____ou were going to say, __t least we__e not being followed,__ Percy said. __hat__l jinx us. Immediately we__l notice that we are being followed. Then we__l end up in a big battle that totals my family car and probably destroys the whole freeway. Then we__l have to run all the way to camp.__eg__ eyes widened. __ou can tell the future?_"Don__ need to._ Percy changed lanes to one that was crawling slightly less slowly. ____e just done this a lot.

Percy grunted. __robably something to do with that creep Octavian. Maybe he was so bad at telling the future that he broke Apollo__ powers.

I see you like to study,_ I said. __ell done.__ercy snorted. __ hate to study. I__e been guaranteed admission with a full scholarship to New Rome University, but they__e still requiring me to pass all my high school courses and score well on the SAT. Can you believe that? Not to mention I have to pass the DSTOMP.___he what?_ Meg asked.__n exam for Roman demigods,_ I told her. __he Demigod Standard Test of Mad Powers.__ercy frowned. __hat__ what it stands for?___ should know. I wrote the music and poetry analysis sections.___ will never forgive you for that,_ Percy said.

Hermes smiled. "I knew a boy once ... oh, younger than you by far. A mere baby, re

Kronos couldn't have risen if it hadn't been for a lot of demigods who felt abandoned by their parents," I said. "They felt angry, resentful, and unloved, and they had a good reason."Zeus's royal nostrils flared. "You dare accuse-""No more undetermined children," I said. "I want you to promise to claim your children-all your demigod children-by the time they turn thirteen. They won't be left out in the world on their own at the mercy of monsters. I want them claimed and brought to camp so they can be trained right, and survive." "Now, wait just a moment," Apollo said, but I was on a roll."And the minor gods," I said. "Nemesis, Hecate, Morpheus, Janus, Hebe--they all deserve a general amnesty and a place at Camp Half-Blood. Their children shouldn't be ignored. Calypso and the other peaceful Titan-kind should be pardoned too. And H

I've got this." Apollo stepped forward. His fiery armor was so bright it was hard to look at, and his matching Ray-Bans and perfect smile made him look like a male model for battle gear. "God of medicine, at your service."He passed his hand over Annabeth's face and spoke an incantation. Immediately the bruises faded. Her cuts and scars disappeared. Her arm straightened, and she sighed in her sleep.Apollo grinned. "She'll be fine in a few minutes. Just enough time for me to compose a poem about our victory: 'Apollo and his friends save Olympus.' Good, eh?"Thanks, Apollo," I said. "I'll, um, let you handle the poetry.

I looked at Thalia. "You're afraid of heights."Now that we were safely down the mountain, her eyes had their usual angry look. "Don't be stupid."That explains why you freaked out on Apollo's bus. Why you didn't want to talk about it."She took a deep breath. Then she brushed the pine needles out of her hair. "If you tell anyone, I swear_"No, no," I said. "That's cool. It's just_ the daughter of Zeus, the Lord of the Sky, afraid of heights?

Different elevator music was playing since my last visit-that old disco song "Stayin' Alive." A terrifying image flashed through my mind of Apollo in bell-bottom pants and a slinky silk shirt.