Au where Annabeth joins the Hunters at the end of TTC, and suddenly, Camp looks to Percy. There is no daughter of Zeus, no strategist that's been there since seven, no Luke. But there's a son of Poseidon who's been on three quests, held the sky, been to Hades and returned. War is coming, they all know that now, and every army needs its general.
And Percy is angry. Angry, because he's just a kid and yet the gods were willing to murder him. Angry, because the Olympians are no parents. Angry, because everyone is choosing between evil and worse, between the Gods and Kronos.
He stays at Camp, he teaches them to fight, he teaches them to hide, to trick monsters, to manipulate and stall for time. He knows about the Labirynth, knows that Clarisse will refuse to go, knows that once they find the entrance that likely hides in Camp it will be him who goes in. The Gods want him dead, by sending him on a quest, the blood technically isn't on their hands, and like hell will he let anyone else die.
He stops giving offerings to the gods at dinner, and when Chiron tries toasting he gets interupted by a righteous young boy.
"To Camp Halfblood. To us demigods. To Mr D for healing Chris Rodriguez. If the others want honour, they need to help us prepare for war first."
He does go into the Labirynth, and when he meets Ethan Nakamura, he keeps his head up high.
"I do not fight for any God who uses us cannon fodder. I fight for demigods who deserve better."
So many more demigods of Kronos deflect back, because Percy Jackson is who they want as their patron. Someone who genuinely cares, who will change things, they all chose the Titan because there were no alternatives before.
In Manhattan, as soon as Luke Castellan dies, killing his parasite, the armies don't go back to rest. They gather at Olympus and they do not wait for rewards. They demand what they want.
The ground trembles beneath Empire State. The Gods only have as much power as they are believed to have, and Camp Halfblood believes in Percy Jackson. They will not respect any God who does not give it back.
Perseus Jackson gives back so much more than he is given, so when they finally go home with promises of claimings and cabins, it's him they burn food for at dinner. Him, they pray to when in danger. Percy does not get rewarded ascension as he does in canon, but he doesn't need to, because his people give it to him regardless.
