Percy raised an eyebrow, "you want to bet?"
Thalia smiled as she wrapped her hands around his neck sitting down on his lap, "what's the wager?"
Percy smiled, "I have been meaning to ask, do you have any plans for when summer vacation is over?"
Thalia looked surprised, "what does that have to do with anything?"
"Just tell me."
"Well, yeah. Annabeth invited me to go to her school."
Percy smile grew bigger, "then that's what I want. If I prove to you that I was actually paying attention to the cooking and not her boobs you will join my school instead."
Thalia looked surprised, "what?!"
Percy smiled, "yup."
"Percy...are you sure?"
The demigod nodded, "yeah. I don't want us to drift apart during the year, and well.....would being in the same school as me be something you're willing to stand?"
Thalia blinked with a vacant expression on her face, "oh my Gods you're serious."
Percy nodded, "yeah."
"A-are you sure? Won't you be irritated I'm spending so much time with you?"
Percy shrugged, "I don't know. But...I don't really think I can get mad at you for simply being there can I?"
Thalia smiled as she grabbed Percy in a tight hug, "yes you idiot!"
Percy chuckled, "relax, it's not like I'm asking you to marry me."
Thalia smiled, "yeah, I know. But I'm just so excited! You better win this beat mister or else I'm going to zap you so hard your hair will stand up on all ends like Einstein."
Percy smiled, "yes ma'am. Now come on, let's cook." Thalia got off Percy and the two went into the kitchen. Percy slowly tired to remember the recipes he had learnt, the Cheddar Cheese risotto and the Macaroni cheese.
Percy opened the fridge, it was filled with lots of different ingredients, it seemed Poseidon also like to cook food, or maybe the food just came with the boat and was somehow charmed to be fresh.
Percy took out all the ingredients for the Cheddar cheese risotto, surprisingly Percy found a bag of risotto rice inside the pantry.
"So what are you making?" Thalia asked him.
"Cheddar cheese risotto," Percy said as he put an apron on. It was blue, obviously, and had the words, 'King of Kitchen' written on it.
"Need help?"
"You offering?"
Thalia nodded, "sure, I know a thing or two."
Percy smiled, "great," Percy then took out a chopping board and a 2 leeks, "cut these into finely sliced pieces."
Thalia nodded as she put on a second apron, this one was pink and it had 'kiss the cook' written on the front. Thalia groaned at this, "switch with me."
Percy raised an eyebrow, "why?"
"Please."
"I think it makes you look cute."
"I will hurt you."
"Okay then," Percy didn't argue as they switched aprons. Percy looked down at his and smiled. Thalia had taken a knife out of the drawer when Percy tapped her on her shoulder, "read this," he said pointing at the words on his pink apron.
"Kiss the cook," Thalia said as Percy kissed her. The daughter of Zeus giggled as she broke the kiss, "you release the more you do things like that the longer it will take to get this done."
Percy shrugged, "I don't mind."
Thalia pushed him back, "get back to work Masterchef."
Percy smiled as he began to prepare the ingredients for the meal. He first took 1 tablespoon of butter and melted it along with some olive oil inside a medium-sized frying pan. As that was done Percy took out a bag of ready made vegetable stock and started to heat it up in the microwave.
After Thalia was done with the leaks Percy gave her 125 grams of cheddar cheese to shred while he added the leeks to the butter and oil. Percy needed them to boil together, so while he waited for that to happen he took out the stock, which was done and put in the risotto rice to heat up.
After the rice was ready Percy put it into the batter and leaks mixture and began stirring it nicely for a minute or so, until the rice became mixed in with butter, oil and leeks.
Percy then increased the heat as he added half a teaspoon of dijon mustard and some white wine to be absorbed into the mixture. Percy then started to ladle the mixture till all the ingredients started to mix in with each other. Percy smiled, the rice was coming out perfectly.
"I'm done with the cheese," Thalia said placing the shredded cheese next to Percy, "now what?"
"Now we stir and wait," Percy told her, "give it about 18 minutes and it should come out al dente."
"What does that mean?"
"I have no idea," Percy told her, "just something the cook used to described the finished product."
Thalia nodded as she leaned on the counter, "I'm surprised Percy. I didn't realise you knew how to cook."
Percy smiled, "I don't, well I didn't before."
Thalia raised an eyebrow, "what changed?"
Percy groaned, 'should I tell her? Yeah...she deserves to know. Maybe not the whole truth, but something.'
"I have a special ability," Percy confessed, "it's called photographic reflexes."
Thalia rolled her eyes, "at this point I'm not even surprised anymore at the things you can do. So what's this one? Can you like remember things you have seen once?"
Percy chuckled, "kind of. I don't actually remember something I see, but I can go a step beyond that and actually mimick the skill. In fact that's how I got so good at handling a spear, by watching you."
Thalia was surprised, "so you can pick up a new skill just by watching someone do it?"
Percy nodded, "yeah."
"Holy shit!" Thalia said out loud, "that is so cool! And totally cheating, but so cool!"
Percy smiled, "thanks, and I do have limits you know. I can't mimic more than one person. So if I see somebody play the piano I will copy that skill, but I am only as good at it as the person who I copied it from."
"So...if you copied your spear handling skills from me...why aren't we equally matched?"
Percy shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I think it's because I'm not used to the skill. It's like this, imagine I'm going for a driver's test, and the only thing I did to prepare for it was learn from books and other references and never once did I touch an actual car. Now imagine how I would be on the day of the test. I would know everything, what to do, how to park, how to stir, everything. But I would have no practical experience."
Thalia nodded, "so the reason we aren't equals is because your not yet used to handling a spear, right?"
Percy nodded, "yup."
"So wait, you said that your cooking skills had something to do with this photographic reflexes skill of yours."
Percy nodded, "yeah, it seems that I don't have to physically see that person do something to learn the skill from them, so I ended up copying Nigella's skill in the kitchen."
"Holy shit!" Thalia screamed out louder, "Percy, do you have any idea what this could mean?!"
Percy nodded, "yeah. I could learn any skill, any time just from sitting on the couch watching TV."
"Then why aren't you a multi talented genius already?"
Percy chuckled, "to be honest I didn't know I could do that until just now."
Thalia nodded, "okay, but this is still amazing news! Shit Percy if I had a power like that it would really help with my training."
Percy nodded as he continued to stir the rice, 'could she? Leo has powers similar to me, and the Fates did mention once that I could share this power with other people...hmm maybe later. Right now we are going into a dangerous situation and if I tell her about my Gaming powers it could break the trust we have. I'll tell her the truth when we get to camp, the whole truth.'
Percy felt excited and nervous, for the first time he wanted to tell someone about his gaming powers. He asked himself over and over whether he trusted Thalia, whether she could keep his secret. And now, instead of getting jealous or angry that Percy has this power and she doesn't she laughed it off.
'I truly am the luckiest guy in the world,' Percy told himself.
Soon the rice was ready and Thalia quickly added the cheese into the rice. Percy let the cheese melt into the rice as Thalia quickly brought two plates to eat in.
Percy took the pan off the heat and slowly stirred the rice putting down heaping servings on both plates.
"We need something to drink with this," Thalia said opening and looking into the fridge.
Percy turned around and got a great view of Thalia's tight ass as she bent down and into the fridge. 'I forgot how big and firm this thing is,' Percy told himself as he started to feel his dick growing harder form the sight.
'NO!' Percy yelled out slamming down Gamer's mind, 'we are having a nice moment right now! I will not ruin it by getting a boner!'
Percy sighed as he finally got his body under control again. Thalia, now with a bottle of orange juice in hand, closed the fordge door and looked surprised, "ah, are you okay Sweetheart?"
Percy nodded, "I'm fine," Percy then blinked, "wait...did you call me sweetheart?"
Thalia blushed as she turned away from him, "we need cups!"
Percy smiled, "Thalia," Percy approached her and turned her around. He pressed up close as Thalia bent backwards, "did you call me sweetheart?"
"It kind of slipped out," Thalia admitted.
"You know what?" Percy said closing the distance between the two of slowly, "I kind of liked it."
They were inches apart, Percy could feel Thalia's warm breath on his lips. Thier lips were almost touching when suddenly a voice sounded out.
"Ah hm."
Percy and Thalia jumped as they reached for their weapon drawing it out in one quick motion. They turned to see where the noise came from and looked surprised as they saw Poseidon standing there next to the couch.
"Dad?" Percy asked as he lowered Riptide, "what are you doing here?"
"I came to personally wish you good luck Percy," Poseidon frowned as he looked at Thalia and Percy, "though a better question is what you two were doing."
"Ah, that is," Thalia stammered before turning to Percy, "tell him Percy."
Percy glared at Thalia and hissed, "why do I have to?"
"He's your dad," she hissed back.
Percy sighed and turned to Poseidon, "well you see dad, when a guy and a girl like each other very much-"
Thalia hit him upside the head, "-I don't think that's what he meant!"
Percy rubbed his head, "well what else am I supposed to say?!"
"I don't know! Anything else but that!"
"Well if you think you can do better then why don't you give it a try?!"
"He's your dad!"
"You used that excuse last time!"
Poseidon chuckled loudly surprising both Thalia and Percy, "you two are just like me and Sally."
Percy blinked, "what?"
Poseidon smiled, "yes, it's true. Sally and I used to fight all the time, but we never meant anything by it, we just liked to rile the other one up, it was our way to keeping things interesting. And it seems you found someone with whom you can do just that."
Percy sighed, "dad I can explain-"
"-No need," Poseidon said walking up to the kitchen counter, "it's kind of a self-explanatory situation."
Percy rubbed his neck, "yeah, I suppose it is. Look dad I know it's stupid and dangerous to date a daughter of Zeus bu-"
"-It's not just that Percy," Poseidon interrupted his son, "she is a powerful demigod in her own right, and your strength could put you on par with Hercules himself. You both are powerful demigods, if people knew you two were together they would be all the more afraid of you and would constantly try to break you two up."
"That's ridiculous," Thalia said, "who would want to break us up?"
"Your father," Poseidon narrowed his eyes, "I came here directly from an emergency meeting in Olympus. I told them about how you two found Alcyoneus, alive and how you were both going to fight him."
"How did they take it?" Percy asked.
Poseidon pinched his nose, "how do you think? They lost their minds. A few Gods were alright, like Athena, Artemis and Hermes, they kept calm and accepted my word heck even Ares seemed to accept it. But the others claimed that you were lying and that you were drowning in you own power. Some believe you had tricked Thalia into this mission where you intend to..... kill her in order to become the prophecy child yourself."
Percy looked horrified, "I wouldn't never do that!"
Poseidon sighed, "I tried to tell them that, even a few of the Gods who you helped out chipped in. We finally managed to convince the other Gods not rush to judgment and wait and see."
Thalia narrowed her eyes, "tell me the truth Lord Poseidon, was it a few of the Gods, or just one God?"
Poseidon looked nervous, "w-what do you mean?"
"I'm asking you whether my dad told all those things."
Poseidon shook his head, "no."
Lie detected!
"You're lying," Thalia declared, Percy was surprised she knew Poseidon was lying.
"No I am not," Poseidon tried to defend himself.
"Yes, you are. You have same lying face as Percy," Thalia said.
Poseidon sighed in disappointment but smiled, "I am glad you and my son are close enough for you to know his different faces," he sighed again, "sadly, yes. Zeus was the one who became paranoid. But you have to understand, during the first Giant war Olympus almost fell, for Zeus that was a few of his darkest days as a leader. Thousands died on his watch, and he would rather not admit that they are returning."
"That's stupid," Thalia spat out,"if he really is feeling guilty about all the people who died because of these Giants then he shouldn't try and deny their existence, he should grab his lightning bolts and hunt these things down!"
Percy nodded, "she's right. I get why Zeus doesn't want to admit they are coming back, it's irrational, but I get it. But at the same time his actions are ridiculous, I would never hurt Thalia," Percy held her hand tightly, "I care too much about her."
Poseidon sighed, "this is too much to deal with right now. Look, I'm going back to Atlantis, I just came here to tell you to bring Alcyoneus back alive. Zeus needs to see him to believe it. We might just have to fight both the Giants and the Titans this time around, and we can't afford to have a civil war breaking out within our ranks."
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Bring Alcyoneus to Olympus, alive!
Reward,
100,000 Exp
Skill disk— Level 10
Failure,
Zeus will become paranoid and will kill you the first chance he gets.
Do you accept?
YES/NO?
Percy sighed at the new quest, "I originally planned to not even fight the guy. I just wanted to go in, use my super speed, find the Eagle and get out. Do you really think we have a chance to capture him?"
Poseidon nodded, "yes. I am very aware of just how powerful you are Percy. I know you can do this. But," the God turned to Thalia, "you will need all the help you can get."
