Just Percy Chapter 4: Book 2 Part 3, a percy jackson and the olympians fanfic

Book 2 Part 3

A.N.

7 Weeks, soz 'exams'

Percy hated this, given it was nowhere near the animosity developed, during his prolonged out of body demigod dream experience, but having to write everything with water was a hassle and a half. He had quickly discovered some issues and found solutions, it was difficult to write in English and it is readable, so he used about half English and half ancient Greek this seemed to minimise dyslexia issues, making it more readable. Then there was being able to see it, commonly water is clear, this has another simple solution. Percy just ripples the water, by having it constantly move makes the water opaque.

All of that would be pointless, Percy never really liked having to communicate with text, but this morning he has come to a realisation that will fix that problem, and then just be a cool ability when he learns or develops a way to not be a guinea pig. Vibrations. He could not hear the first few things that Clarisse said when she arrived, because he was holding the head of the water body solidified. This safety measure to stop objects from impacting with his little rodent body, but it also stopped air movement and the sound waves carried by it. He was rendered completely deaf until the water was unsolidified.

By the time Annabeth had got to the ship, Percy had used the command word that he didn't know he knew, to get the ship to go but he had squeaked it out, so it was all the more impressive that it worked. And Percy had developed directing the sound ways through water so the girls didn't sound like they were speaking to him while they were underwater.

Being frustrated by not being capable of taking notes about Circe's island in his notebook, had Percy stay up all night, developing this skill of, talking with water. It was a complex way of vibrating water so that it created the correct soundwaves in the air to make audible and understandable English. Percy had given himself a headache already one from having the soundwaves way to high, once he got them to the right length he solidified his bubble and didn't unsolidified until he got some air movement like what the girls created, avoiding whatever the cacophony caused developing that air movement. This first sound was a 'k' after getting the rest short forms of the letters. Percy got on to the long forms "K." That was a bit difficult, but a piece of cake compared to doing two letter sounds there had to be two separate sound makers when using the 'sh' sound, one makes the initial 's' and the other does the drawn-out 'us'.

"Hi", the word came out a bit funny as it woke up the two girls on the lower deck.

There responses where a comprehensive "whaaat", from Annabeth.

An "errrrg", from Clarisse. Rumbling the sleep from her eye Clarisse became a bit more articulated, "what's going on?"

"Why are we awake?" Annabeth piled on the questioning.

"I can speak." The declaration came out a bit wobbly and was missing most to the vocal notes found when Percy normally speaks.

Yet Annabeth still replied, "Sh, Percy I was asleep." This reply was followed by her head falling back on the very old bet for just a moment, before she bolted upright, "PERCY?"

The angered shout properly woke Clarisse, who managed to trip herself up while getting out of the very old bed, face planted on the floor. "Why can we hear Percy?" the question was asked to Annabeth.

Percy figured now they were both properly up he could explain making water vibrate in a way that it creates the same air ripples as sound waves, walking down the stairs in his water body he began the explanation.

Percy finally finished explaining how air moving made a sound or some shit, Clarisse just yearned and said, "I get it." She then headed above deck, lies are not good but murdering a comrade is worse, and if she had listened to another minute of that babble, she just might. It was probably good that Percy didn't follower her up.

Clarisse spotted Annabeth at the front of the ship and made her way there, "What's going on up here?" Annabeth was at the steering wheel, fuck using the fancy name Percy calls it. She was hunched over a table with a lot of measuring equipment and a map.

"I'm trying to figure out where we should be going. But these maps are at least three hundred years old," Annabeth looked up at Clarisse. Annabeth looked sort of manic, "do you know what is most difficult about reading three hundred

years old? How much time had Percy wasted this morning, if Annabeth could work herself into a tizzy?

Before Clarisse could answer Annabeth answered herself, "the fact they are three hundred years old." After that outburst Annabeth put her head back down to the map, muttering and not looking two good, Clarisse tried to check the time by looking at the sun, it was maybe nine. So half an hour wasted by Percy or maybe an hour, it is difficult to judge time with the sun, she really needed to get herself a watch.

This was Percy's issue, and he would need to fix it, so with the best course of action decided, Clarisse yelled, "PERCY!"

If Clarisse would have known what would happen next, she would have adjusted course but as she lacked both social and mystical foresight she stayed on the course that she was on. As the guinea pig made its way on deck with a horrifying water body, Clarisse had an internal shudder.

What a discussing thing, he should just scamper around on the ground, or even being in a floating sphere of water would be better. That was when a stilted drone came from everywhere, a shiver ran up her spine even with such a nice sentiment as, "how can I help?"

Clarisse decided to figure what to do about the fact the voice was becoming less stilted every time she heard it, in favour of having a response to the question, "can you please help Annabeth with the old map?"

Percy did an exaggerated head turn to see Annabeth and then look back at her, Clarisse could not tell if he was giving her a death glare or a malicious grin. "What is the problem?"

"I can't tell where we are, the map is useless," Annabeth growled out.

Percy took one step forward and then another, he was pointing at the other side of the map to where Annabeth was looking, "we are here, I hope that you two don't actually think that I don't know where I said. Now I'm going to sleep I was up all night, you two take the ship and don't wake me up unless we get there or if it is an emergency that you two can't handle."

The water body walked off with the guinea pig in its head. It left a torn Annabeth between seething about Percy keeping the information to himself but jubilance over knowing their location, and a scheming Clarisse on how to get Percy back.

Annabeth didn't like logical arguments when they are used against her, why couldn't she go see the sirens, Clarisse said no. Given it was not that simple, the quest leader did have a few good logical arguments hence her frustration, 'Annabeth we can't go to the sirens. It is completely out of the way, pointless and very dangerous. And I can already tell you what you're a fatal flaw is like, just like any demi-god, it is that you are a half-god.'

Annabeth shook herself off, before looking back down at the map. After Percy left the information of their location plotting a course had been trivial, she had no explanation to the way Percy left the island. He left Circe's island at 60 degrees different to the island witch Annabeth figures hold the golden fleece, it does have an image of Polyphemus but then getting out of range of Circe's island, he just continued to head in a straight line. Almost like he just didn't know where the fleece was, and Annabeth could have believed that if he had not been the one to give her there position on the map in the first place.

All of this fruitless theorization was going nowhere so she focused back to the task at hand, she slightly adjusted the helm, it would let them catch a bit more wind. but it would also put them off Couse, the added speed would make up for it though. Annabeth found it was difficult to pot the best course with an old sale ship when you can't move the sale, but she was confident that she was doing alright under the circumstances.

Helm adjusted, Annabeth's mind began to wonder. How where they going to defeat Polyphemus, thinking about Odysseus she could use her cap to do a nobody routine. But Cyclops was smart and have excellent hearing, she should have asked the lady who told her the fleece was on Polyphemus island if she had any good ideas. Could they do a sneak operation, where Percy could just float out the fleece? How would they find it if was hidden, Grover would be useful, he could probably smell the nature magic from Miles around.

That got her thinking about Grover and made her wistful he was the only one left out of the four, sometimes it feels like it is just her. Thalia got herself turned in to a tree, Luke turned on them and poisoned the tree, and Grover finally left to find Pan. Annabeth was brought out of her memories by Clarisse shaking her shoulder, "is that it?"

She was pointing to the island on the starboard side, "yep." Annabeth answered with a bit of fake cheer, it got a look of, are you serious. There was stoic silence until the details of the island came in to view.

It was a beautiful sight, magnificent cliffs on one side, and a wonderful beach on the other, top with a few trees so large you could see them from this distance, backlit with an incredible sunset. The sight was a thing of fairy tales.

By the time they reached the ship, the sun was below the horizon, and the last light of dawn was fading.

"We need to discuss what to do next and we have to do it with Percy," Clarisse half questioned half stated.

"Unfortunately," Annabeth answered

They both had an uncomfortable walk to below deck, where they sat at one of the tables that were not rotting. The smell of must filled the air, the ship might have looked good but it hadn't survived the time well, Annabeth was honestly surprised with their luck it that had not fallen apart around them. There was a minute of silence, was Annabeth took this all in. it was broken with Clarisse belting out, "wake up, we 'here."

The next few moments entertained Annabeth immensely as Percy floundered to get out of the hammock he was sleeping in, right up to the point that the water body collapsed on its self. The water running all over the floor as it drained from the hammock was what happened before what could arguably be one of the cutest things ever, to be seen. It was guinea pig head poking over the side of the hammock, spiky water soaked hair, and the small gerbil face, that combined to make one of the most adorable things Annabeth had ever seen.

This increased the horror as the water body assembled it's self from the floor, seeing it in action was helpful to bring the atrocity back down to its earthly roots. It was just water even if it looked like a spectral monster with a guinea pig in its head.

The water thing made it's way over and took the third seat around the table, "So what is the plan?" this action was also a lot more humanising, the body's mouth moved as the words where created, to give the appearance that the water body was talking. The words where still stilted and awkward like this morning speech but, Annabeth figured it was just a cost of talking with water vibrations.

"So I figured since we just arrived at the island with the fleece, just as it turned night, Clarisse and I could get some sleep and Percy you could try a stealth operation." Annabeth then turned to directly face Percy, "more important than getting the fleece you can't be spotted, currently, our big advantage is the surprise. If you get nothing but the layout of the island then you have done well."

Annabeth was surprised that her ploy worked, listening to Clarisse all day Annabeth knew that she would be ok with it. Percy was a bit more difficult she reckoned she hit the perfect mixture between challenging and easy, he would be successful by just going up the mountain, playing to his more lazy acumen. But trying to get the fleece without being noticed, would stop him from getting bored, Annabeth honestly judged he could not do it, but the tactical advantage of knowing the battleground prier would be very valuable.

She smiled to herself as she climbed into one of the non-water soaked hammocks. Just because there where beds, when the ship was constructed, did not mean that the bed was any good, in actual fact it was not very comfortable, Annabeth had learnt that the hard way last night and was not going to make the same mistake.

When Annabeth saw the ghostly figure of Percy's water body on a bridge above a ravine, she contained the initial reaction to scream. It was worse than ever instead of just being a blob of off-putting distorted water, he was now a luminescent horror. The moonlight was reflected everywhere by him.

"what is going on?" Annabeth tried to whisper but no sound came out, that was a clue she didn't want. So she then tried to stop and look around but she just kept pace with Percy, that was another clue, this was not looking good. She was in a demigod dream, and not just a vague premonition of future conflict if Percy was on land as a hamster, it was right now or the future, if she could place bet witch it would be the present, but alas you can't in a demi-god dream.

She was proven correct as they got over the bridge, there was a tree across a large paddock, and the fleece was hanging in the top branch of the tree. What was more noticeable was the giant cyclops in the paddock, he had something over a bonfire that lit up the surrounding area, including what looked like equally giant sheep that were probably godly in one way or another.

What most impressed her was Percy the instant they were over the bridge he was no longer luminescent, somehow he had just stopped reflecting moonlight, there was a slight glow to him, but he was no brighter than any of his surroundings. Then he was just still, Annabeth waited for something to happen. Then she waited for anything to happen, it was a little while later she found she could wander around.

Leaving the inactive Percy behind, Annabeth ventured first to the fleece, it was amazing she could feel how it was increasing her vitality just through her demigod dream presents. She basked in it for some time before seeing the water tentacles that tried to interact with the fleece, but would just fail to hold together when they touched the fleece. When they stopped Annabeth went to the only other thing of interest in the paddock, Polyphemus.

As she approached the bonfire, her gut started to turn with a bad feeling, it reminded her of when she was trapped in the house with that Cyclops that had captured, Thalia, Luke and Grover. She did free Thalia before he could eat them all, fucking cyclops. She got right but behind Polyphemus, that the feeling just got worse, it came to head when she stepped to the side and found something that woke her up gaging with genuine dread, the bonfire was Grover, slowly being turned on a spit roast.

Seeing it made Annabeth want to swear on the river stick, to kill that lumbering idiotic cyclops, but she was court up in a haze of panic. She had to save Grover, Percy was obviously not doing anything. She knew she woke up Clarisse, and only got her knife before speeding off the ship and up the mountain. Annabeth knew that it was a rough path on her bear feat, and she was certain she had never gone as fast in her life.

She didn't even stop for a second to catch her breath after the mountain dash, she just enduring the acing muscles as she bounded across the bridge, and persevered for the final sprint across the paddock to the bonfire. Where she would need to save her friend then fight a monster that completely outclassed her, she could just run away with Grover and let Percy deal with it.

Annabeth was so distracted by her inner thoughts, she didn't even notice that Percy was not at the end of the bridge. When she got there, what she did notice was the smell the paddock was full of the odder burnt hair makes, she was running out of time if Grover was on fire.

Polyphemus chewing and with how far the sound carried he must have had an open mouth. Annabeth heard this but she kept moving forward, Polyphemus could be eating anything. This hope sustained her until she saw the headless body of Grover.

That was when the haze of panic changed to a red haze a haze of rage, the raged cursed by a friend being murdered in front of your face. Annabeth charged in with reckless abandon, she slashed and kicked and bashed until the next thing she knew, Polyphemus was sprawled on his back, dazed and groaning, and she was standing above him, the tip of her knife pressed to his eye.

There was a moment where she saw what was true fear, or potentially remorse in Polyphemus eye, that was removed when his life was removed. Annabeth quickly stabbing down so far that her hand was a little covered with eye goo. But as all monsters do when they get a fatal wound, the gigantic Cyclops turned to dust.

As the haze cleared it opened Annabeth to the reality she didn't want to consider, Grover was dead. She curled into a ball next to the fire and grieved for her friend.

Percy bit into the gold wool, he gave a tug to make sure that his teeth were secured to it, then he heaved. His back arching with strain, his neck retracting, the wool stretched but didn't budge from the branch it was caught on. Percy tried to put more force but his front paw slipped, and everything else did as well. The wool rotated on the bit of the branch it was caught on, leaving Percy dangling from the tree by his teeth. He summoned a water body around himself, careful to not let any of the water touch the wool, it was worse than Ares's shield. Percy used the body to repositioned himself on the tree for what at least had to be the seventh attempt.

This went on and on, Percy trying to get enough force to move the wool but not to so he would not slip. It was probably around the twentieth failure when Clarisse showed up, "what are you doing?" the question was asked with irritation.

Percy formed some speaking orbs, and answered, "trying to get the wool. I thought you were meant to be asleep but Annabeth just killed the big cyclops."

Clarisse answered Percy's statement with a statement of her own, "Annabeth woke me up, and by the time I got here, she was in a fetal position by the fire crying."

Percy heedless of the fact he was still dangling, "so we know, she woke you up, she took on a monster that I wouldn't be able to take on. And then she cried, and is continuing to cry now." They both shared a shrug at the odd behaviour.

Percy summoned a water body around himself, careful to not let any of the water touch the wool, he used the body to repositioned himself on the tree but rather than do another attempt. He used the speaking orbs to ask, Clarisse who was watching in mild fascination, "help me get it down."

She looked at him like he was crazy, so to make it a touch more clear Percy created a water staircase up to the wool, "can this actually hold me?" she tapped it with her foot experimentally, Percy put a smidgen of extra effort into keeping the steps solid.

Percy made a smug, 'huun' sound that was incredibly difficult to do with water when Clarisse finally started to ascend the steps. Between Percy's stairs and Clarisse ability to use her arm and hand the fleece was an easy retrieve.

"Percy gets down here, I want to see if the fleece will heal the spell on you." Percy wondered if Clarrie thought that was not the first thing he tried when he was on the tree, but he yawned before he could argue, it had been a tiring night using his powers so much. So he just when to the ground with nobody, she would have to bend over to put the wool on him, it was a very unsatisfying form of payback.

The wool settled on Percy, as it took up all of his vision he felt different. Awake and rearing to go rather than the lackadaisical tiredness he was feeling, no transformation though but Percy felt so good he didn't mind. "So we back to the ship you get Annabeth and I will bring the wool." Percy felt a little hyper as he made a command that was rushed together, and vibrated at a hundred miles a minute.

Percy started on his plan, ignoring Clarisse's, "Hold up there." Until the wool was pulled off him, and the reinvigorating energy left as fast as it arrived, and with it a subtler and more sinister change. Percy only now noticed the small amount of satisfaction he got from the petty revenge of forcing Clarisse from bending down to retrieve the wool, he had not got any satisfaction from the knowledge from her bending down to put it on. The wool had stopped it, Percy did not like he that he didn't know what physiological manipulation was going on, he would have to keep some distance from the wool.

The duo made their way to the third member of their group in silence, Percy stifling another yawn as he wondered what if anything he should do about Clarrie's holding the wool. Percy took so long that by the time he had decided that it would all work out by its self, they were at the bonfire with Annabeth shaking and crying on the ground.

Clarisse showing a high amount of sympathy, tucked the wool around Annabeth and tried to help her. Percy just laid, in the grass and slept for the few hours they had till dawn.

Clarisse slit the throat of the last sheep a, wheezing 'Bleat' was the last noise it made, probably trying to warn its brethren. Clarris moves to the ravine, and sits leaning on one of the bridges anchor poles, she watched as the pink haze in the sky moved to reveal the sun. She knew she could feel that the sheep were killer sheep or some such mystical bullshit. And there was no way she was going to fight them if she had a choice about it. Definitively not with a nonexistent Percy and a distort Annabeth. Clarisse could be honest with herself about this and figured, it was a bit of blowing off some anger over Grover's death, this was her quest she should have been able to save him.

As a demigod, Clarisse had gotten desensitised to the actual loss of life, but she had also avoided losing any family and close friend. Clarisse wouldn't personally count Grover as a close-friend so killing the sheep she gotten stronger emotions out of her system. But she knew Annabeth considered Grover to be a close-friend if not family. She was distraught over it a ball of despair just lying there unresponsive. She was just a liability in a fight, then there was Percy no longer hamster form, judging from his reaction a few hours ago he was not prepared to turn back to a human.

Percy left to the ship to get some clothes and had not returned, the feeling of not quite right sheep, the lack of a Percy and a distort Annabeth, is what galvanized her to start the killing she soon found adequate justification. The island was dying without the fleece, giving the sheep quick and painless deaths was much more humane than letting them starve to death.

Clarisse relaxed as she watched the sun come over the horizon, it is odd to think that there is an immortal being that is responsible for something that is described as a certainty. 'the sun will rise in the morning'.

A short while later there where some soft footfalls coming from behind her, 'hi Annabeth.' Clarisse greeted without turning around, she turned to see the expected site of a red and tier stained face there were twigs and leaves all through her hair. Just a ruffled appearance from head to toe. 'How are you doing, ready to go?' it came out a little more brusk than Clarisse intended.

Annabeth did not appear affected by the abruptness, simply answering with a nod. The trip back to the ship was just one long awkward silence, they got there to thankfully find a fully clothed Percy pottering around the ship.

Trying to get away from the awkwardness on the way down Clarisse decided to strike up a conversation with Percy 'where did you get clothes? I know that there are some on the ship but there are not any that where clean, they were all old and dirty. The sort you would expect to find on a three-hundred-year-old pirate ship.'

'My bag, there is some spare clothes.' percy answered boredly. The was the sound of the sea and the exertions of Clarisse helping Annabeth on bored, "so where are the fleeces?"

"Well, um you see…" Clarisse answer trailed of the same as her going back inland.

Annabeth did her best death glare at him, she knew it was Percy's fault, yer it was Polyphemus that killed Grover but if Percy was not such a time wasting shit head then she would have had time to save Grover. Percy didn't react to her death glare if he had not wasted time leaving Circe's island if he had kept Clarisse's ship together. He didn't even care about his own brother's disappearance from Circe's island, Tyson was a cyclops but still, if he didn't care about what happened to Tyson why would he care about Grover life.

"What's up?" Percy asked

Annabeth just keeps death glaring the reason she was unable to save Grover.

"You have been staring at me for a little while, it is creepy. If you don't need anything I will go back.'

Annabeth ignored the implied question, the only thing that could help her was if Percy would suffer the way she was suffering now. Teach him some compassion.

He turned his back, Annabeth was considering the logistics of an attack, he had shown something of a mystical sixth sense. It would be best to start an attack from range, this attack would disable him from concentrating on attacking her with water as she came in for a melee fight. This fancy helped Annabeth stay where she was until Clarisse got back with a blanket that was covering her when she woke up.

"So are we ready to go?" Percy asked a with what was obviously growing impatient.

When Clarisse answered, "no" in a clear ploy to get an arise out of him. Annabeth was excited at what as sure to be some comeuppance to Percy, it, unfortunately, didn't happen. He looked at Clarisse with some exhaustion, then the ship set sail the sounds of the sea filling the empty silence.

Annabeth spent the time imagining how Clarisse would have torn apart an angry Percy, it would have proved to be entertaining antics.

Tyson was having a good time with the fish horse he had named Rainbow, they had swum around the entire sea of monsters. There were all sorts of monsters that he had seen on the shores as Rainbow swam past.

They finally got an island where Rainbow pulled ashore, this island was not looking too good and gave Tyson an uncomfortable feeling there were no monsters on the beach so that is where Tyson stayed, the sun moved across the sky as Tyson fiddling with a few odds and ends he had picked up while on Clarisse ship trying to get them to fit in to his shield watch. Making mystical things was hard and Tyson wished that he had the old tools Beckendorf had given him as an honorary part of cabin nine. But he had lost his bag when the island sunk, the island that everybody had disappeared on.

As night fell Tyson began to grow concerned, what was going on, there was a rainbow. But without any way to deal with these worries Tyson felt as though he was back on the streets. Making a sleeping area with piles of sand the leaves he found on the beach, Tyson settled in of what was going to be an uncomfortable sleep.

The next day started well, it didn't rain so Tyson didn't have the worst sleep of his life this positivity continued with the return of Rainbow with his bag, the fish horse must have left to go get it such a good fish horse.

Tyson shared some of the food that was not soggy with rainbow, he got the sandwiches that were in watertight bags, and while looking for his tools found a bag of the gold coins, having the coins, and the fish horse named rainbow reminded him of the way to talk to people with rainbows.

Tyson flipped the coin into the rainbow that was coming off the splashes rainbow was making as it ate the crackers that Tyson had given it. after the first step Tyson flubbed the summoning, "iris goddess can you call Percy Jackson in the sea of monsters". Luckily for Tyson iris was the forgiving sort and let the message through, you don't build good customer rapport by being a stick in the mud.

The view changed from Rainbow splashing around to Percy sitting in a fold out camp chair in front of an old-timey ship's steering wheel. "Hi, Brother." Tyson took Percy's surprised face as a face of surprised joy.

"Hi Tyson what's up, you going missing gave us quite the scare." Percy gave Tyson a smile. Tyson recounted his adventure with a rainbow to Percy. "So now I'm on this island, do you think you could pick me up."

"Of course buddy, but I don't know where you are. I haven't seen any island's with snake lady monsters on the sand bit's or the tree people either." there were a few moments where they considered this. " I have an idea are there any flares in your pack?" Tyson began to search and discovered water logged flares that would not work but more difficult Rainbow had stopped splashing, the fish horse had disappeared again.

Tyson finished off the rest of the dry food as he made a plan, it was simple. One, create a water sprayer that would create a mist for a rainbow. Two, continue the conversation with Percy. He got to it, making a water mister was easier than he predicted having the tools was an enormous help. The first try at the mister was a failure, the chamber to hold the water had a hole in it so the water just leaked out.

While repairing the hole rainbow showed up with the ship he had seen Percy on, the fish horse must have gone to go get them. Tyson ran to the ship he scrambled to the top deck to find his brother and gave him a hug.

Percy didn't sound too good with a "Hey Tyson." it came out a breathy and wheezy.

Putting his brother down Tyson looked into his eyes, "Are you ok, you don't sound too good."

"Tyson I'm fine, no one sounds good when they can't breathe." Tyson continued to stare long past the point of acceptability, into the territory of awkward, then further to uncomfortable. Percy not actually made uncomfortable found this to be rather entertaining and, in the second minute he could no longer hold in his laughter.

Percy was having a good adventure, he got a magical item and had the experience of turning in a guinea pig. It was odd that the enchanted necklace helping him hide his sent got changed with him, something to look at in future. And everyone was safe Annabeth would probably disagree on the account of Grover but Percy didn't count him. Grover was on a voluntary quest to find the pan and he was just another casualty of the 100% mortality rate of Satyr who had gone on that quest, a different one form finding the wool.

According to his nautical scenes, they were going to make land on the Florida coast by early evening, they had made a plan to send Clarisse off with a bag of cash the herms had put in Tyson's go bag. percy had already removed the one form Annabeth. There are times when mist made cash just doesn't work, but those are few and far between but no doubt that real cash would be usefully in one of those situations happen.

Percy had asked Clarisse to come over when he learnt that she had not already planned what she was going to ask for. Clarisse made her way over and, Percy jumped straight into why he had called her over. "Clarisse you need to figure out what you are going to ask for."

"What?" was the ever so eloquent reply

"When you show the Wool to whoever you show it to you need to know what you are planning on asking for. A weapon, a magic weapon, a shield, a magic shield. how are these things magic? these are all things you need to figure out while remembering that if you ask for too much they will most likely give you nothing,"

the girl walked away in contemplation over valuable information not even giving thanks to the person who supplied the information, one might wonder how Percy gained such wisdom about negotiation with gods. that wisdom is mainly derived from second-hand accounts in mythology, and legitimised by the two times he had actually negotiated with gods.

Luke was confused, slightly scared and growing angry, why didn't Percy Annabeth and they cyclops not have the fleece. What would Cronus do to luke if he could not get the lord of time the fleece and how could he possibly be responsible for Grover's death, he could hear Annabeth's mutters?

Personally luke didn't like his options, they had boarded that ship that came out of the sea of monsters when it made land. Annabeth put up a fight and had killed a few fell hounds before she was subdued. The brothers took care of the Cyclops, the big guy was out cold. luke was tempted to just kill it and get the treat out of the way.

But there was Percy luke when to get the son of the sea himself but was met with no resistance, Percy had not even taken out his sword, the kid just had a mischievous grin one of the ones that were all over cabin twelve just before a big prank. The worst bit was that Luke could not tell if it was an act or not, did Percy actually have something up his sleeve or was it just to make luke unsure, either way, it was keeping the cyclops alive.

Luke could not keep this Mexican standoff happening all day long, so he proposed a challenge to Annabeth with the way she was looking at him and the occasional "Grover murder" mutter under her breath. There was no way she would turn down, a 1v1 challenge maybe he could even get her to explain what she meant, how would she know if Grover was dead if the satyr and gone off to find Pan.

"I challenge you if I win then you tell me where the fleece is hidden if you win I let you go." The challenge was accompanied by luke drawing his sword and pointing it at Annabeth. In combat that is an awful move to make but it has a good spectacle and combat had not started yet. annabeth still took the opportunity to attack, diving forward with her dagger. It was a fast paced match Annabeth was relentless from the start luke was on the back foot from the get-go, the longer reach of the sword was a hindrance defending against a dagger, and he never even had a chance to get a shield. The only thing that kept him alive was his superb footwork and excellent swordsmanship.

Like anything Annabeth eventually slipped up she started to talk being as she was in the clear lead. "when you got to Polyphemus island Grover was dead by a few hours. The fucking cyclops had killed him." This shocked luke for a sec, Grover the one that took him Thalia and Annabeth to camp was dead. "If you had not stopped us I could have arrived in time to save him." Annabeth then actually stabbed him just under the right clavicle disabling his sword arm, however, this made her weaponless.

Luke was successfully able to push through the agonizing pain and use his sword to pin Annabeth, even though he was using his off arm. "Now, surrender and tell me where the fleece is." luke asked through gritted teeth trying to ignore the pain from a danger to the stab wound.

"Never, you murdered Grover." Annabeth tries to spit on him, but from under sword point, it didn't work too well.

Luke turned to Percy and pretended, "I will kill her if you don't tell me."

"Usually I would take you up on that offer, she thinks that I'm also responsible for Grover death. but I want to know what type of poison you used on the tree, then I will tell you where the wool is." Percy still had that cocky grin.

"Fleece, it is a fleece, not wool. I used poison from a scorpion of Tartarus." the pain from the stab was getting worse, luke was having trouble focusing.

"I wonder if when Clarisse gets to camp with the wool if it can heal the tree?" then there was the while of an arrow and everything went quiet until there was a thud as the arrow hit its mark, the brother monster that was subduing Tysons left arm.

Then there was an arrow that hit the dagger in Luke's shoulder, there was searing pain for a split second, then everything went black.

It was complete and utter horse shit, why the fuck could centaurs move thousands of miles a second. percy just knew that Chiron would not explain it to him, and it would be a minor miracle if he could sober one of the other centaurs up enough to get an explanation out of it. Complete and utter horse shit.

Annabeth had tried to re-invigorate the camps distrust with Percy, it had died down with the lack of Percy being at camp to do things that are distrustful. She had ended up blaming him for Grover's death, this made it a no-win scenario, Clarisse came back with the wool, no one would have noticed his, Tyson and Annabeth return if it was not also the return of Chiron.

Other than that everything had been going well, the loss of Tantalus was an unforeseen consequence of using Tyson mist maker, to have an iris message to the council of the gods chamber and another one with Mr.D. who could have predicted that clearings Chiron's name, so he would come and fight luke, would make him camp director again.

With that source of puny entertainment back in the fields of punishment, the camp became less puny Mr D was also a bit less willing to hang out after Percy told him about how Luke had a sarcophagus with Cronus in it. The wine god didn't seem to like his grandfather's name beings uttered.

On the fifth day back at camp, Percy was growing a disdain for the gold wool he had spent his days back at the camp 'guarding' the wool. Percy had learnt that it reduces the negativity or increases the positivity with the way a person who is in contact with the wool perceives the world. It doesn't affect people that are not in contact with it, then the change to the person's optimism vs pessimism scale is variable. Percy was still trying to determine the variables, and Tyson was to busy doing his crafting thing to be an observable test subject, Percy didn't want to ask anyone else he, could not trust them to not whistleblow that he was not actually guarding the wool after Annabeth's shenanigans. The lack of observable test subject meant that he was trying to measure his own mental changes, while they were occurring. That is not a recipe for success.

Every day has continually failed to get the variable's Percy spent his nights considered going to Europe, and researching the logistics of it. There were a lot of mysteries hinted at in the subtext of his more serious conversations with Mr.D and it seemed that Europe was the place with the answers. A week-long boat ride didn't sound appealing compared to a 7-hour flight, Percy had considered using his abilities to fly over there but was a long way without landmarks, Way too easy to get lost, for Percy's peace of mind. There was also Chiron to contend with, last time he was unable to do anything about Percy going off to the Lotus hotel, but as Greece was a restricted area Chiron could try and force him to return by telling the gods that he was going to Greece.

Going to Europe now was risky, he could just wait till the end of camp when Chiron doesn't care, and he could just take the boat ride, 9 mounts to figure out the secrets of Europe, what's a week on a board a ship.

They had about a week back and from the quest, it was that night when Percy learnt about how there was a chariot race, he had missed the event. He was 'guarding' the wool, some would say that he may have become a little obsessed with trying to measure the level of mental trickery at play, some would be wrong. Then he learnt of cabin 2's victory all one after another, Tyson told Percy how he had teamed up with cabin five, he had rebuilt the chariot from the last game and cabin five road it to victory. Clarisse had smashed the competition with the magic shield that she got from the quest, it was electric to match her spear.

"Sound like you had fun bro." Tyson gave Percy a big smile, they were in one of the bunk beds so Tyson had to lean over the top bunk too.

Still with a big smile on his face Tyson informed Percy, "Tomorrow I'm going to the forges in Atlantis." Percy guested that was good news from the way Tyson said it. It would definitely be a place to visit.

It was the next morning and time for Tyson to leave, he had got a job in forges of Poseidon's domain. As Tyson as leaving he gave Percy a watch that he had created, "Here brother I want you to have this."

"Thanks." Percy thanked as he put the watch on, he was not usually one for things on his skin, there was is water layer, his second skin between himself and the clothing he was wearing. The watch was surprisingly comfortable considering it didn't leave room for his second skin and there was mystical power coming off it that suggested it was a magic item that made it a timekeeping device as well as a space warping shield.

Later that day Tyson leaving had made Percy any he had no progress deciphering the variables affecting the wool there was nothing in the natural environment he had noticed even correlated with the effect of the wool, and actually measuring your own demeanour is a fool game. These two factors forced Percy to re-evaluate if he could be bothered to get the answered he wanted about the wool, or if the risks with a trip to Europe were worthwhile.

Again Percy came to the same conclusion the risks were too much, just because his half-brother was making progress in the world doesn't change the conditions of his situation.

This worked out for the best a few days later, he had been trying to test the mental effects of the wool with animals, it is difficult to tell the mentality of animals. Given blackjack was a good help, the pegasus decided it owed Percy a life debt. The pegasus had help Percy find out nothing about how the wool works but was entertaining while they tried.

Percy had decided to take today off and just guard, he needed to get his head on straight. Last night Percy had stayed up late and manipulating the size, shape and density of his mystical aura, have a magical neckless specifically designed to aid with that was of immeasurable help. It was this morning that he agreed to be on Clarisse team to capture the flag, at least he had refused to use his water manipulation and only left him with his mediocre sword skills. So Percy just spent the day relaxing, he got out his folding camping chair from the enchanted bag and a plate with a glass from the dining pavilion for food and drink. Usually, he would only get a glass having breakfast and dinner but only drink during the day, but today was a relaxing day so he got both.

It was just as the sun was setting when a girl coalesced into existence, she had her legs crossed and hands on her chest she looked like she was dead or sleeping and a shake of her shoulders would be the difference between tragedy and jubilation. The girl had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance runner, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes were black, a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a dark leather jacket.

Then it was sometime later when Percy finished, used all of the mystical sensing abilities in his repertoire to see if this was some sort of monster attack, there was or is probably some monster that could teleport and disguise it's left self as a person. He determined to the best of his knowledge this girl was genuine and was taking in enough mystical energy to go blow for blow in a fight with him.

Percy leaned down to shake her shoulder, it was reacted to with open eyes. So at least tragedy was avoided, now to find out if the electric blue eyes mean jubilation. With the best grin he had Percy it trodded himself, "Hi I'm Percy, appearing outside a magic camp probably has an epic story of woe and misadventure, I would love to hear it."

Thalia had gained consciousness some time ago, while on the streets before luke or Annabeth when in an unfamiliar place she had learnt how to fake unconsciousness. What she could determine was she was on a grassy slope, there were crickets and the smell of food, that was it. Next was trying to remember what happened last, there was a battle Grover Annabeth and Luke got to safety. Then she felt a light grip on her shoulder it was a gentle shake the jig was up, she opened her eyes looking like an upside-down grin, "Hi I'm Percy, appearing outside a magic camp probably has an epic story of woe and misadventure, I would love to hear it." Magic camp, epic story, woe and misadventure. Thalia stood up remembering everything was this kid joking with her, she was just in a battle, the joker stayed sitting obviously not bothered by having to look up.

A plate was extended to her, "would you like some food?", this kid was obviously messing with her the plate was empty. The grin lost its sharpness, the kid took an audible breath "Look, it's magic you just wish food on the plate and it appears, just like you did. Burger," a burger appeared on the plate, and thalia's stomach rumbled, it had been some time since her last proper meal. Then he catapulted the burger over his shoulder with a quick arm movement, he was a solitary moment of horror then the kid continued, "Margherita pizza." that went over his shoulder too.

This time the plate was offered Thalia took it and got a grilled cheese, after eating it she had another. "Would you like a drink." he offered a cup with the same ability she just had water. Thalia handed back the plate and cup, Percy to them back while standing up and walking to a bag that was leaning on the tree behind her. As he put the cup and plate down next to the bag he gestures to the chair he had vacated, she took the seat it was really comfortable for a camping chair. Percy stated digging around one hand in the bag, "Now your feed and watered can I please get your story I'm starting to think you're mute." he did some shapes with his free hand.

"You know sign-language?" thalia's voice was hoarse with underuse how long had she been out since the battle, how had she survived. "Ha," Percy removed another camping chair that could not be able to fit in the bag, probably magic. He set it up and took the set, "No I don't, I just figured if you were mute you would get mad at the butchery of faking and at least try and communicate." Thalia could not help a smile at the ridiculous plan.

"Well I'm Thalia Grace and to answer your original question, I do have an epic story but I don't think I'm up to telling it right now." Percy's looked shocked at thalia's name, with a much more hesitation, "The Thalia Grace that sacrificed herself so Luke Castellan, Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase could get to safety?" Thalia nodded, that was correct it was the last thing she remembered, "and then for her sacrifice, Zeus turned her into a tree!" It was Thalia's turn to be shocked, 'she was a tree' she knew it was true even if it didn't make sense.

"So you where a tree, we put the golden fleece on the tree, it's healing properties heal the tree and then healed you into existence?" Percy was looking uneasy over the explanation.

"It sounds mad, but it makes sense in a greek mythology sort of way. So how long have I been a tree?" Thalia was getting bored of this conversation they should do something, dam ADHD.

"Six or Seven years, I never really got dates." Thalia didn't want to think about that.

"So what is there to do around here, Grover always talked about how fun this place was. Where is the gang?" Thalia jumped out of the seat, as Percy took a ponderous second.

"I don't know where they are you will need to go to the big house and talk to the half horseman, as for things to do that depends on your interests, you should really go to the big house tree girl." He stood us standing next to her and pointed to the only building that looked like a house.

"I will be here, make sure to come and visit." They shared a smile and Thalia made her way to the big house only six or seven late.

Talking to the 'half horseman 'like Percy called him or Chiron as everyone else does. Revealed some unsavoury events that had happened in her absence, Luke's turning, Grover's death.

What might have been the worst was how Annabeth had changed, Thalia still remembered a cute nine-year-old, Annabeth was not a cute nine-year-old she was an angsty teen that had got outcast for misconstruing Grover's death.

What happened to her friends was horrible, but not a constant grin of her patients the hero worship was quite literally the death of her patients by a thousand comments. "You such an inspiration.", "I don't think I could have done what you did.", it went on and on and on. She was used for the example of the perfect modern-day demigod. Never having had the time to fuck up and sacrificing your life for your friends can't get much better than that.

The only good part of her days where when she spent time with Percy, they would just sit talk and have a good time, he was over the top enough to be entertaining but not enough to be annoying. And actively tried to not have expectations, so people would more likely feel like they should not have expectations of him in return, it was great to just hang out away from the rest of the camp.

They had begun to eat at the Zuse table, being kids of the big three stopped most arguments from Chiron, and Percy being able to entertain Mr.D by doing it stopped the rest.

Thalia had been awake about a month, but now had made a plan, they were going to get the dragon for the wool, no fleece it is the golden fleece. It was going to arrive today and Thalia was a bit concerned that Percy was going to leave if he was not tied down with guarding the fleece, apparently he left part way through summer last year, if he did it again she then would be starved for company. The campers were mostly over there hero worship and nice to her, but other than Percy she had not made any friends and is going to electrocute the next one that tells her about how virtues she is.

This plan will hope to kill both birds, yesterday morning she had challenged the winners of last week making her the head of the opposing team, then last night she had kept Percy up late last night so he would be tired this breakfast, a tired Percy would agree to be on her team for Capture The Flag even if the next game is five days away, what a thrill taking control over a person in such a way. The next bit is to have their two-person team defeat the rest of the camp she had seen Percy fight but she also knew what he had done on the most recent quest he had a lot more potential then what he sues in capture the flag, losing too two people should remove the rest of the hero worship from the camp.

Percy plopped himself on the table next to Thalia, "Percy you on my capture the flag team." Thalia used her most commanding voice, over the last month she discovered half wake Percy will do almost anything he is told to. He will do it badly if you don't correct him as he does it, ", ok" the answer was punctuated with a yawn in the way of sleepy people around the world.

Percy was surprised with how ok he was with this, she had created an elaborate plan to make sure the way going to do what he had planned on doing. He thought the needlessness of it would draw a negative emotional reaction but the elaborate plan was more sympathetic than anything, having a real friend with another demigod is nice. Being friend with gods and Lotus eats is good but there is a fundamental difference in perspective while dealing with the thing that lives for millennia and centuries.

Percy shot another jet of water at Thalia this one had no force but socked her, "I was actually planning on staying here for the rest of summer so that there is a better chance of getting to Europe that way."

Thalia faked a shot of lighting Percy feel for it stepping right into the path of her spear, the tip grazing his hand and knocking the sword away, "you're planning on going to Europe without me?" She gave Percy a challenging look thinking she finally got the upper hand in the sparring match. Percy gave a genuine grin, "Oh the despair. You're a bit better, but you still need to work on your situational awareness."

After the first time Percy used blood control to win and the pass out, it was a banned ability. But on the condition, Thalia can't mess with his nervous system when she figures out how to control small amounts of electricity over a long distance. Of course, the water that has soaked through clothes works just as well at incapacitating her. Walking over to retrieve pen sword, "I figured if you wanted to come you would invite yourself along."

Percy was surprised how enjoyable capture the flag was when you care about the outcome and your winning. He had just solidified a dome of water around the flag and himself nothing could get in. Percy was doing some great multitasking he, knocked out the challenges that got close to the dome with his floating ball of solidified water, he would reckon he had knocked out about thirty, thirty-five so far defence was going great, he had got Clarisse in the initial attacking party and now most of the better fighters. Someone had got to the dome it was an Ares kid with a magic armour that resisted the force of the solidified water ball but there was nothing stopping his knockout by asphyxiation. The defence was simple enough that he could also help Thalia.

Thalia was fighting what felt like a never ending the stream of campers, stab, block, slash, 43 rolls, reverse parry 'knock them out with the end of the spear that's headless,' 44 and repeat 45, repeat 46 47, repeat 48. Luckily they were not the skilful fighters, Demeter, Apollo and Aphrodite kids, it seemed their plan was to overwhelm with numbers but, Percy was doing his part perfectly the water barriers above, to the sides and behind meant that every fight was a 1v1. The barriers were also blocking arrow fire, the Apollo kids had come down from the trees and joined the 1v1 fights.

64, Thalia final got a break from the torrent of advisors, she took some deep breaths, regained her bearings, judging by which way a majority of attackers came from the flag was probably over the hill, she began a slow and methodical trek up the hill who knows what sort of traps cabin nine had in store. Nothing was in store it meant cabin nine was so confident that they didn't even bother to lay tarps out.

Thalia reached the flag and there was the one challenge she was not prepared to face Annabeth, Thalia didn't know if she could do this fight, Annabeth was the only other person she was connected to at camp, they had travelled across the contrary running for their lives, it makes strong bonds. She would have asked Annabeth to on her team if she thought that the girl could hold herself back from attacking Percy.

Annabeth probably figured that all out and that why is the only one here guarding the flag, Thalia finally stopped about ten paces away, "well fuck I guess that you're not going to surrender."

Percy was pleasantly surprised, and it is not like he was not going to object. But to kiss while surrounded by the knocked out victims of team Treewater, was a bit distasteful. This, in theory, was meant to simulate a battle for life and death so it could be argued that they were surrounded by the dead. Then again it's not like Thalia would care with the high of victory she has at the moment.

Chiron re-examined his notes from his investigating, he was having trouble believing how this worked out. He had been alive a few thousand years having a very powerful kid of the big three was not uncommon, it saw a rarity to have a kid would be less powerful. Then being as they are demigods being a benchmark for good mental activity is not part of the job description, being abandoned by a parent at birth usually causes problems. So having multiple powerful demigods is not out of the ordinary, it is actually the more the better because having lots of them keeps them in line fear of the others, 'If I can what could my siblings do if they gang up on me.'

When the pack to not have kids was made it was a surprisingly easy change from camp with kids of the big three to a camp with no kids of the big three. But when you get two not quite right kids of the big three and no one to keep them in check apparently you have them take on the whole camp and win, this was the start of the investigating.

Chiron found himself appreciating Percy just a little bit for the kid downplaying his abilities in the past games, but this made it all that much worse. The two were not just out of line as individuals, they were out of line as a pair, feeding into each other's less desirable tendencies, Percy would continually encourage Thalia to do whatever she wanted without regard for anything else. And unless Thalia wants different he spends all his experiencing the world through mystical powers letting his physical for being dragged around by Thalia to whatever she wanted to do and she barely forcing him to experience the world around him.

A.N.

Congrats to first who explains why it took a week and a half of Thalia to appear, not 3 days (Canon).