Percy

I Negotiate with a Pyromaniac

"Oh, thank the gods! You're here!" Was what I heard the moment Annabeth, Clarisse and I descended to the ground of San Diego on our Pegasi. The moment I stepped onto the ground I was ambushed and hugged viciously by a teary-eyed satyr. "Whoa whoa whoa, little guy! No need to cry me a river here!" I said, pushing the blonde off of me I was got back on my feet, Clarisse giving a snicker behind me.

See, if it had been up to me, I would've come here with just Annabeth. But Chiron told me that since the half-blood was dangerous that we needed some firepower (not literally like the rogue demigod) and that's where Clarisse came in.

"Sorry, sorry." Jake backed off, ruffling his hair in embarrassment. "It's just, you have no idea how long I've been dealing with this kid. They're vicious, man!" The satyr threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "But now you guys are here, so I just got...overexcited." The blonde gave me a shy smile. "Thanks for helping out, man. I really appreciate it."

I was about to respond when Clarisse shoved past me. "Cut the sentimental bullshit. Tell me where this kid is so I can kick their ass!" The red head cracked her knuckles in anticipation. I scowled as I realized that this was how it would probably be the whole time she was there. "Can you show us where they are?" Annabeth finally said as she stepped forward, her Yankee baseball cap in hand. Jacob gave a worried nod, motioning for us to follow him as he headed down the street.

We had been walking for what seemed like centuries when the blonde told us to stop, peeking around the corner of the street before turning back to us. "Come look." He said quietly, giving us a gesture to peek around the corner with him. "There they are."

My eyes followed where the satyr was pointed until they came to rest upon a teenager, probably no older than I was who was sitting up against a motorcycle. They had a black hoodie, one which cast a shadow that almost completely hid their face, which was accompanied by sunglasses. They had dark grey pants, a black studded belt, and black boots on with fingerless leather gloves, one which held a shake that they were drinking while the other rested upon the seat on the cycle. Honestly, I thought they looked like a total punk, but I kept quiet considering how Clarisse and her siblings dressed just about the same way.

But what probably surprised me the most was that there was absolutely no one else on the street besides us. Was everyone avoiding this kid?

"That is a killer bike." Clarisse hummed, examining the completely black motorcycle from our make-shift cover. "Man, she's got to be an Ares kid. Only we have that good of taste." She laughed loudly, receiving a shush from Jacob. "Try and be calm; I need you to follow me."

I watched the demigod as we approached, following behind the satyr who led us right up to them. "Um, hi..." He started, holding out a hand for them to shake, which they didn't. The teenager tossed their drink into a nearby garbage can and pulled out what looked like a cell phone. I squinted to read the text as they typed something and held it up for us to see.

What the hell do you want? It read.

"Well...I uh...I told you that you needed to come with me, but you kept...you know, attacking me." Jake shifted his weight on his feet, er, concealed hooves, nervously. "You need to come to camp with us. The monsters will keep coming after you if you don't."

The phone was held up again. Fuck that. You're obviously insane.

"Listen, if you still don't believe me, than why can you control fire? Do you have a logical explanation for that?"

I'd rather believe in pyrokinesis than some crackpot theory that the Greek gods exist and that one of them is my real father.

"My dad is Poseidon." I interrupted, stepping forward. "And I can control water, and there are kids back at camp who can make plants grow and everything! It's all true!" I looked around the deserted street to verify no one was there before I gave a sharp whistle, Blackjack and two other Pegasi descending to the ground. "See? Greek mythology is real." I gave a reassuring point to Blackjack, who neighed in response.

The kid was silent for a moment before they had up a hand, a large flame igniting in the air above it, causing us and the horses to step back. The phone was held up once more for us to see. Just go away. I'm fine on my own; I don't need to be dragged off to some funny farm in Virginia for 'protection'.

"But you'll be safer there! Please, just come with us!" Annabeth pleaded, yelping as the flame grew larger, flaring angrily and hot sparks flying left and right, although the teenager seemed to be unaffected by the heat.

"Go away..." I heard them growl in a low voice, too low for me to tell their gender.

A wall of fire flared up from out of nowhere, creating a sort of barrier around the enigmatic demigod. Clarisse drew a small rod from out of her pocket, which extended into a spear. "Hold on! We've got to reason with them!" I interjected, stepping in front of the overly aggressive redhead. "Five minutes." She snarled as I turned back the half-blood who was surrounded by flames.

"Listen, I know you don't know who we are, and we don't know who you are, but we're just trying to help you!" I called out over the roar of the fire. I jerked as the flames immediately snuffed themselves out, revealing the demigod on their motorcycle, the engine revving as if they were about to drive off. They put their cell phone back into their pocket before fishing out a post-it note, scribbling something onto it before tossing the piece of paper at me.

How in the hell could you help me? My parents are dead, and I'm constantly attacked! I'm living in a broken down apartment with barely enough money and no family, and you expect me to just leave my home, my things, and what little of a life I have?

I took a deep breath, taking a step towards the teenager. "I might not be able to help you, but your brothers and sisters can."

I saw eyebrows raise from behind the sunglasses. "That's right; you have siblings. And they're all waiting for you back at camp." I took a few steps away from them, mounting Blackjack. "If you come with us, you can see them." I baited, watching as the demigod hesitantly got off their motorcycle, once again pulling out their cell phone. I saw Annabeth cross her fingers and Jake hide behind Clarisse for protection.

We all smiled as the half-blood held up the phone.

I'll go, but I want to bring my stuff; all of it.

I gave a victorious laugh, though I knew getting that motorcycle to camp would be a whole other story.