The Silent Guardian: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Anthony's Pov

It's been a few weeks since I was found out by Annabeth and Thalia, and the consequences of going rogue and becoming a spy without Chiron's knowledge was a talking to and then a full worried breakdown by the centaur. But the reactions from the campers were a different story, I was looked at with suspicion, and the few that didn't looked at me with hatred in their eyes.

I knew it was going to come to this, but I'd do it all over again, if it meant that no one else had to go through what I did. Their hate was not as bad as the sadness and worry in the eyes of my brothers and sisters in cabin six. They weren't mad that I became a spy, and killed demigods to prove my loyalty, even though they were still pretty mad at that. 

They weren't at the fact that I left without a word, to any of them, and only found out about it through Percy. They found out their kind, quiet, brother went and joined the Titan army. Only for them to find out I wasn't really rebelling against Olympus, and that I was a spy for Olympus, relaying battle plans, locations, and enemy spies. Even though they were pretty pissed at me about that too.

They were worried about me showing up out of nowhere, bags under my eyes, looking like a simple breeze could knock me down. Then acting like nothing happened to me, that I didn't return with more ptsd and depression than a Vietnam veteran, and that I don't cope with terrible suicide jokes and fake smiles to reassure that I'm okay.

That I stay out late, only returning from the training grounds with dark circles, bleeding hands, and scars all over, before collapsing on my bed like it's nothing, and then wake up to do the same thing. I was never good with dealing with my trauma, and I usually buried it deep, hoping it wouldn't surface if I just focus on working myself until I was dead.

But it didn't work, and every time I would wake up screaming, the others had to deal with my shit until I calmed down. So, they forced me to go to Chiron, and ask him for advice, even ask Mr.D if he could help. So, here I was, being dragged from the collar of my shirt, with Annabeth looking annoyed as hell.

The campers around us looked like they couldn't decide between laughing hysterically or staring at us like we were going mental. And by the quiet sounds of giggles and snickers in the crowd watching us, I knew which won out. I sighed, looking up at Annabeth before asking," Can I please ask why are you dragging me like this?"

She looked at me, intimidating grey eyes looking at me with a pericing look, before Annabeth said," because if I let you go on your own, you'd probably ignore our advice and immediately go to the training grounds," with a sigh she released me. She let my head hit the ground, after a minute I nursed my head, before getting up and begrudgingly following after her, into the big house.

Chiron's Pov 

It was a normal day, I was beating Lord Dionysus at pachinko, before Annabeth came in, I looked over to see her with an annoyed face, with a sheepish Anthony behind her, before she said," I don't care how you do it, just make sure you knock some sense into him before he becomes another Percy that I have to look after,"

Anthony looked at her, eyes twitching, while Lord Dionysus chuckled, I couldn't help but smile. Before ushering her to leave before gesturing Anthony to sit down. He did, looking at me, a smile formed that didn't reach his eyes, and dark, cloudy grey pools soullessly looked at me.

I sighed for a moment, I saw these symptoms many a time before, but it never gets easier seeing it in younger and younger faces. He looked like a veteran who came back from war, a shell of boy he used to be, now just a broken young man, who pushes himself in training and pain to forget it all.

But he was gifted an eidetic memory if I remember correctly, so he's just overloading his painful memories with physical exhaustion and pain. Which is a dangerous path to be on, since overdoing it could lead to death. I looked at the young boy for a moment, before he fled to become a spy for Olympus, Anthony was a kind child, quite too. 

He must've changed after Thalia's death, since Annabeth told me of a time, when he was a passionate talker, and a joker at times. Then I thought of something that may be able to help with the boy's mental state, so, I made him stand up and walk with me around camp for a bit.

He followed wordlessly, before his curiosity got the better than him and asked me," Chiron?" I looked at him before saying," Yes, Anthony, is there any problem?"

He shook his head, saying," No there isn't," I then raised an eyebrow, knowing what he was going to ask but letting him say anyways when I replied with," Then what seems to be your confusion, or question?" 

A small smile settled on my face when a child like fascination appeared in Anthony eyes before asking me," Why are we walking around the camp? And is there a reason for it? And if this is supposed to help knock some sense into me, I don't know how,"

He was spouting question after question, the son of Athena looking more like the boy Annabeth always talked about, than the husk that was left after becoming a spy. I then calmly put my hand on his shoulder, he stopped his muttering of questions and looked at me with his full attention.

His dark grey's clearing, light once again returning to his eyes, before I said," We did this to finally let your mind wonder, not inward, but outward," He looked at me with confusion. I continued saying," You walk around this world, but you're really not here are you? You're in that beautiful and dangerous thing called your mind,"

His eyes widened before looking at me for a second, before invisible dots that only he could connect before a small smile graced his face. I then said," You're in your mind so much that you wonder to a dark place, without realizing the walls you built up to protect you are now hurting you,"

Tears just came falling down his face, I knew what he really needed wasn't a hug, even though a warm hug gets the job done most of the time. What he really needed right now was turning his problems into simpler blocks that he could digest, and someone to guide him through.

So I did just that, we walked, him listening to his problems in a way he could rationalize them, before coming to terms with it, then internalizing the problem so that he can break from his mental chains. What I learned over the years is that, only the person dealing with it in a healthy way, with people around them to pick them up when they fall, will lead them out of their personal Underworld.

It wasn't going to break on day one, but he has his foot in the door, and the only way when you hit rock bottom is up. So, I said my goodbyes to the boy. Waking up the next day, to see him interact with his brothers and sisters, a small smile on his face, a small one, but a genuine one.

I then see Annabeth, she looked at me, mouthing a small," thank you," with a smile on her face. I smiled back, mouthing a," you're welcome," before going back into the big house. He was going to be fine, he might fall here and there, but knowing Annabeth, she'll be there to save him. With my job done, I should look at those gods damned paperwork.