Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.

Being a half-blood is dangerous. It's scary.

Most of the time it gets you killed, in painful, nasty ways.

If you think you might be one of us, my advice is

turn away while you still can,

because once you know what you are…

they'll sense it too and they'll come for you.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

My name is Percy Jackson. I'm twelve years old.

Am I a troubled kid?

Yeah, you could say that.

Bad grades, bullies, all the normal stuff.

And then there's some other stuff.

Some stuff that's… maybe not so normal.

That's me, back in second grade. Why was I up there?

I saw something.

At least… I could have sworn I saw something.

When you say you something like that,

you wind up in this guy's office.

Good news, he's saying there's nothing to worry about.

It's all in my imagination,

but if it happens again, make sure to tell someone.

It happened again.

These impossible things that felt like they walked

right out of the stories my mom always told me.

So real one minute, and then the next…

What a loser.

Hey, fellas, wanna come hear about the imaginary stuff I see?

It's not a thing you wanna be saying, to anyone,

so I didn't.

Then… something changed.

I met Grover.

We had a lot in common.

Only he--

Mm-mm.

And not just because we were both at the bottom of the food chain.

And you know what?

It felt good to talk about these things with Grover.

I could almost believe they were imaginary.

Weird, but harmless.

Until the day that changed, too.

Until the day one of them decided to come for me.

What you see here, they are not fictions.

They are not fantasies.

What you see here are the truest and deepest parts of yourselves.

Friends…

the gods…

the monsters, the heroes

you see here in this room

are reminders of what we are capable of.

Now, on your worksheets,

I want you to choose one of the subjects you see here

and describe it.

Not just how it looks…

but how it makes you feel.

Hmm? Okay, come on.

What do you see?

Perseus…

that's me.

Mm-hmm, that's who you're named after.

Is that why you named me after him?

Because he was a hero?

What makes you think he was a hero?

Because he kills monsters.

And what makes you think that she was a monster?

Mom…

Not everyone who looks like a hero is a hero,

and not everyone who looks like a monster is a monster.

I named you after him because when he was a very little boy,

he and his mother were placed in a wooden chest

and cast out into the sea by a very angry king.

Alone, afraid. And at night, his mother would whisper in his ear,

"Hold fast, Perseus."

"Brave the storm that was made to break us for we are unbreakable

"as long as we have each other."

And against all odds,

he managed to find his way to a happy ending.

Percy?

Mom?

I'm right here, sweetie! Mommy's here!

Mr. Jackson,

you will learn to control yourself, do you understand me?

-Me? -Do you understand me?

He can't help it, Mrs. Dodds. Percy's special.

That's enough.

Pay them no mind.

When you're ready to hear

what the gods have in store for you, they'll tell you.

I believe in you.

And I believe you'll be needing this.

Hmm?

Hang on to that.

'Tis a mighty instrument.

There are all sorts of schools of thought about what drives that kind of bullying.

Childhood trauma, feelings of inadequacy…

Look, I get that Nancy has issues,

I'm just getting tired of her taking them out on me.

I feel like… maybe it's time to do something about it.

You could make an appointment to see Mr. Kane.

-He's really good at talking-- -I was thinking more like shoving Nancy

in the nearest dumpster.

Oh.

Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

No, if there's one thing I know about bullies,

it is that you should never, ever stand up to them.

That doesn't sound right.

Look…

I know this place is hard for people like us.

But we're not gonna be here forever.

There are better places out there.

Oops.

Percy…

No, don't!

Percy pushed me!

-Nancy, are you okay? -He just pushed Nancy!

There you are.

We're not fools, Percy Jackson.

Mrs. Dodds, you okay?

It was only a matter of time before we found you.

Where is it, half-blood?

Where is it?

-Is he okay? -Is he dead?

Give him some room, please.

What happened?

Where's Mrs. Dodds?

I didn't do anything to him!

-He pushed me. -Everyone, go back to your lunches.

It's all right. Percy just needs a moment, that's all.

I don't understand. Didn't anyone just see that?

Where's Mrs. Dodds?

Percy, there's no one here by that name.

All right, class, let's move along. Let's go. Finish your lunch.

The truth… can be so very hard to determine…

but in this case, the truth seems very hard to deny.

Mr. Jackson,

a number of your classmates saw you and Mr. Underwood

arguing with Ms. Bobofit,

yet you have offered no explanation for how she ended up in that fountain,

other than, uh…

"I didn't touch Nancy."

Now, isn't there anything else you'd like to say for yourself?

I didn't touch Nancy.

Okay.

Mr. Underwood? Do you have anything to add?

Yes.

I do.

Go on.

Percy had told me earlier in the day that he wanted to get back at Nancy

-for all she'd done to us. -Grover?

And he isn't being truthful about what happened at the fountain.

-Grover! -Excuse me.

Are you saying you saw Mr. Jackson assault Ms. Bobofit?

Yes,

I did.

None of this is easy.

Not for you,

not for any of us.

I'm very concerned about you, Percy.

I saw what happened at the museum.

I didn't touch Nancy.

I know you didn't.

At least, I know you think you didn't.

Do you want to tell me what you think did happen?

You can tell me. I might just understand.

You wanna bet?

Percy…

I've seen a lot of young people go through this sort of thing in my time,

but of all of them, I suspect that…

you might have the most difficult journey.

I suspect you are special.

-So much more so than you know. -Just… stop.

Okay? I don't need any more stories

about how special I don't realize I am.

They aren't helping.

This is my ride. I'm going home.

There's nothing wrong with the plumbing in this building.

Maybe you should see a doctor.

How do you know I'm not a doctor, huh?

Have you considered eating more fruit?

Hey! I eat plenty of fruit. Have you considered eating more fruit?

Oh! Hello, Percy.

Hey, Eddie, sorry about that.

I'm walking out, you're walking in. I should be apologizing to you.

W--Hell, hello.

Welcome home, genius.

Is my mom home from work?

Oh, is that all you got to say to me? Huh?

-After failing out of school? -I didn't fail out of school.

Your principal called, and that's what he said.

He said you got kicked out.

They called Mom's cell.

-You answer Mom's cell? -I answer whatever's ringing.

So, what'd you get kicked out for, hmm?

He said I attacked a kid on a field trip.

Okay.

All right, if… But still, if you're gonna live under my roof,

-you gotta live by my rules. -Your roof?

-My mom is the only one employed here. -Excuse me?

I have a job. What does it look like I'm doing right now?

Losing at imaginary poker.