Author's Note. This is my first story. First story of ever put up for people to read I mean. Your comments would be much appreciated.
Another Ruined Date
Okay, is it to much to ask for just one normal date, even when you're a demigod?
I mean seriously, there was the time Hermes showed up wanting Percy to retrieve his caduceus from a fire breathing giant, then there was the movie date interrupted by a certain hellhound fight, and not to mention the picnic with killer bees.
Now I find myself running for my life while Percy is trying to get a sea serpent under control. Of course, this isn't exactly easy, despite the fact that he is a son of Poseidon. This particular serpent happens to be the cetus, and served the Titans in the war this past summer. For those of you who don't know, the cetus was the monster that was sent to devour the princess Andromeda. The first Peruses killed the monster and saved the princess, but my Peruses seems to be having a bit more trouble. As soon as I get out of range of the splashing seas water I reach into my bag desperately searching for my travel jar of Greek fire. I've recently managed to make a case protecting the jar from any and every outside force. Even if I land on my bag and then get rolled over by a steam roller, the jar wouldn't break unless I took it out of the case.
"A little help here Annabeth would be great!" Percy yells over the screeches of the monster.
"I'm hurrying, Seaweed brain," I shout back. Grabbing the jar, I race back toward the struggling monster. "You might want to get out of range."
"What?" Percy asks, looking up from where he was stabbing the impenetrable shell of the cetus. "What are you going to do?"
No answer was necessary as his eyes widened as I pulled the jar from it's case. Abandoning his fight, he ran, weaving and dodging between the cetus' spikes. Knowing I can't wait another second, I send up a quick plea to the gods that Percy made it into the water as I throw the jar. It flies in a well calculated arc, hitting the monster square in the head. A high pitched screech rings out from the monster as the jar explodes in its face, the fire spreading down its body. I clutch my ears and wince. At last, in one burst of flames and dust the monster crumbles.
I uncover my ears and scan the harbor. There is no sign of life. The mortals had fled ages ago, terrified at what ever the mist made them see. But there is no sign of Percy.
"Percy!" I yell. "Percy!"
There is a splash not far from me, and Percy throws himself up onto the dock. Breathing a sigh of relief I race toward him. "Gods, Percy, you had me scared."
I freeze a few feet away from him, staring. There is a large wound in Percy's leg thatis oozing blood. Percy is shuddering, and worse, he's wet. Percy never gets wet unless he wills it. Something is wrong. Racing back, I grab my bag, and hurry back to his side.
"What happened?" I ask.
"Jumped... tail...caught me..." Percy mutters. I pull out the thermos of nectar I carry with me. The cetus' tail must have been poison, a simple wound wouldn't cause this much damage. I give Percy a small sip and then pour some on the wound. He grits his teeth, working hard not to cry out, I can tell. When I pour a smidge more on the wound he passes out. I bandage it as best I can. The wound isn't as bed, the nectar doing its work, but he should still be looked at by Chiron anyway. When Percy comes to, he moans, and asks what happened.
"The normal. A cetus spiked you when it interrupted our date," I say.
Percy groans. I hand him a square of Ambrosia, and wait as he slowly eats the godly food.
"Come on," I say, and I held him to his feet. He still can't put much weight on his leg, so I help him limp along. "Chiron should probably look at that when we get back to camp."
Back at camp, news quickly spreads of the cetus attack. Chiron whisks percy inside the big house and up to the infirmary. I wait outside, having to bear the glances of other campers as they pass by. At last Chiron and Percy reappear. Percy's leg is bandaged, and he isn't putting a lot of weight on it, plus he's pale, but he's standing.
"He's well enough to resume most camp activities, but nothing to strenuous," Chiron says. "I don't recommend swimming for a while, that cetus venom is out of your system, Percy, but it's sapped some of your strength."
"Thanks Chiron," percy says, and together we head for the mess hall. Dionysius barely aknowledges our existence, though he does call to percy as we walk in from the head table, "I see you've managed to survive yet again, Peter Johnson."
Percy just shakes his head, and remarks to me, "you'd think after all these years he'd actually remember my name."
"He's doing it on purpose you know," I reply. "Probably wants to pretend you haven't turned into a war hero who is unelected leader of camp."
After supper, percy feels to tired to join in camp fire, so I decide to walk him back to his cabin.
"So another ruined date," he says, a bit disappointed.
"Don't worry," I assure him. "I'm sure one of these days monsters will get tired of interrupting us." Percy laughs. We've reached his cabin now.
"Well, goodnight Annabeth."
"Goodnight Percy. Try again tomorrow night?"
"Sounds good."
The next day, Percy is gone.