Disclaimer: I don't own, Rick Riordan owns the Percy Jackson series.
I know that BlackJack is a boy. However On page 230 of the Sea of Monsters the book says "I could understand her thoughts. She was calling...Luke some names so bad Chiron would've washed her muzzle out with saddle soap." So Rick changed the sex.
Thank you Shel12 for being my 200th Reviewer. I agree, Travis and Connor can NEVER find the paintball guns.
Previously: "Ohhh … can I call Chiron - Uncle?" asked Nico innocently.
Chapter 34: Back at Camp
"Only if you call Kronos Grandfather," said Percy.
"Okay," said Nico.
"You can invite him to Grandparent's day," said Percy sarcastically.
"Yeah, can you imagine the class when I introduce him as my evil grandfather Kronos, who wants to take over the world? That would be so cool," said Nico.
"Can you two stop it," asked Thalia.
"Why?"
"Because you have just reminded me that I'm a sibling to half the council of the gods," said Thalia.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Aunty Thalia," exclaimed Travis and Connor.
"I don't want to be an Aunt to my friends, especially those two," said Thalia after shocking the two sons of Hermes.
"Good point," said Nico and Percy together, as Travis and Connor were fed Ambrosia.
"We arrived back at Camp Half-blood just after Clarisse, thanks to the centaurs' travel powers," said Annabeth.
"The centaurs were disappointed when they met Dionysus. They had heard he threw some really wild parties but the wine god was in no mood to celebrate," said Percy.
"We had just been through a hard two weeks," said Travis.
"Yeah the arts and craft cabin had been burnt to the ground from an attack by a Draco Aionius," said Connor.
"Huh," said a confused Nico.
"It's Latin for a really big lizard with breath that blows stuff up," explained Percy.
"No it's not," said Athena.
"I like his definition better," said Apollo and Hermes.
"Everyone looked weary and battered as we all crowded around Thalia's tree. Clarisse placed the Golden Fleece on the lowest bough, and gradually the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green," explained Percy.
"We all cheered as there was no doubt that the Fleece's magic was seeping into the tree, said Annabeth.
"Chiron ordered a twenty-four/seven guard duty at least until he could find an appropriate monster to protect the Fleece," said Clarisse.
"Clarisse was carried down to the amphitheatre, where she was honoured with a laurel wreath and a lot of celebrating. Nobody payed Annabeth and I any attention, It was the best thank you as if anyone had admitted we had snuck out of camp they would have to expel us," said Percy.
"Damn, I didn't get rid of you," mumbled Dionysus.
"Around the campfire that night the Stoll brothers were telling a ghost story while we roasted marshmallows," said Percy.
"Oh I remember that story, the one with the evil king who was eaten alive by demonic breakfast pastries," said Travis "we may have been thinking of Tantalus."
"Clarisse also took that time to tell me that I wasn't off the hook with Ares because I had been cool once, she was still waiting to pulverize me," said Percy.
"All's right with the world," said Nico sighing.
"Chiron made the surprised announcement the next morning that the chariot races were back on," said Clarisse.
"Annabeth and I decided to team up, as Tyson wasn't too keen on the idea of getting back in the chariot," said Percy.
"We decided Percy would drive, and I would defend. Tyson would be pit crew and fixed up Athena's chariot and added a whole bunch of special modifications," said Annabeth.
"Special modifications, I thought the Athena's chariot had been perfected many times?" asked Poseidon. He was of course attacked by owls.
"The night before the race I stayed late at the stables, brushing our horses and talking to them, when someone behind me spoke," said Percy.
"And who was it this time?" asked Artemis.
"The same person as last time, except he was dressed in a postal carrier outfit and had a mailbag slung over his shoulder," said Percy.
"What happened to no interaction with the demi-gods?" shouted Zeus.
"I informed Lord Hermes that I did see Luke but I wasn't able to talk any sense into him. We tried the diplomatic approach and tried to kill each other in a duel to the death," explained Percy. "I also told Hermes that although he wanted Luke to come back, Luke had turned bad and feels like he had been abandoned by him."
"How have, you survived, I would have thought the gods would have killed you by now?" asked Thalia.
"I was waiting for Hermes to get mad and turn me into a rodent," said Percy.
"You didn't want that, not after the guinea pig incident," said Will.
"Hermes just sighed and asked if I ever feel abandoned by my father," said Percy. "I started to feel angry that my father had ignored me. I realised I did want recognition for the quest but not from the campers but from my father."
"Percy the hardest part of being a god is that you must often act indirectly, especially when it comes to your own children," said Poseidon.
"Lord Poseidon had been paying attention to you, he answered your prayers," said Rachel.
"I wonder if Poseidon brought Tyson and Percy together on purpose. I mean HOW many times has Tyson saved his LIFE," said Annabeth.
"Hermes hoped that one day Luke would realise that he had been paying attention to him and answering his prayers. Even if I felt like I hadn't succeeded or not, I had reminded Luke who he was," replied Percy.
"You tried to kill him," pointed Will.
"Hermes told me that families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related, for better or worse … and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum," said Percy. All the gods had shocked looks on their faces.
"I'm glad someone listens to me," said a voice from over near the hearth.
"Hermes gave me the delivery he was there to make. It was a sea-blue envelope that I could tell was from my father," said Percy.
"POSEIDON. You know it is against the rules," shouted Zeus.
"I wanted the letter to say so much, tell me I had done a good job in obtaining the Fleece, explain Tyson or apologise for not talking to me sooner," said Percy raising his eyebrows. "Except the letter said BRACE YOURSELF."
"Two words," said a stunned Katie.
"Who goes to the trouble of writing a letter, and writes two words," said Chris.
"Uncle P, it would have taken you longer to address the envelope," said Hermes.
"Brace yourself for what?" asked Lord Hades.
"The next day was the chariot race," said Annabeth. "Tyson had done a great job with the Chariot, and we also had two javelins that had three buttons on the shaft that did different things."
"Tyson gave me a wrist watch. It was what he had been tinkering on all summer. He was upset that he hadn't finished it in time for the trip. He told me if I needed protection during the race to press the button," said Percy.
"Oh that so that's how you got that watch," said Connor.
"Yes, and how long did you take for you to stop trying to steal it?" asked Percy.
"That was when Tyson told me that I was just what he asked Poseidon for. A friend," said Percy.
"Oh that's so CUTE," Aphrodite squealed.
"So they were brought together for a reason," said Annabeth.
"Percy got into the chariot just before Chiron blew the starting signal. We shot down the track and we had to hold on tightly. We took the first turn a full chariot-length ahead of Clarisse," said Annabeth.
"Only because I was busy trying to fight off a javelin attack from the Hermes chariot," retorted Clarisse.
"Annabeth managed to knock away a lead-weight net that would entangle both of us. It was thrown by the Apollo chariot coming up on our flank," said Percy.
"Before I could rearm myself the Apollo warrior threw a javelin into our right wheel. It shattered but not before snapping some of our spokes but somehow we kept going," said Annabeth.
"We were now neck and neck with the Apollo chariot with the Hephaestus coming up close behind," said Percy.
"I was falling behind with the Hermes chariot. We were riding side by side as I and Connor were sword on javelin," said Clarisse.
"The Apollo camper was very confident, so I picked up the second javelin, a risk since we still had one full lap to go. I threw it at the driver catching him in the chest, knocking him against his team-mate sending both out of their chariot in a backwards somersault," said Annabeth.
"Yes and their horses came charging at us in the crowd," said Katie "The horses made their way back to the stables dragging their upside chariot that had flipped over."
"The Hephaestus team was still gaining on us as we thundered into our final lap. Steel cables wrapped around our back rail and the Hephaestus winch system begun pulling us backwards as they pulled them forward," said Annabeth.
"Great chariot," said Hephaestus loving his children's ideas.
"Annabeth hacked at the cables with her dagger but they were unable to be cut. Annabeth and I switched places and I slashed the cables with my sword, said Percy.
"We lurched forward but the Hephaestus chariot pulled up beside us and Beckendorf drew his sword slashing at us," said Annabeth.
"That was when they threw a parting gift. A leather pouch flew into our chariot and begun billowing green smoke," said Percy.
"Greek fire," said Athena going pale.
"I couldn't get rid of it, as the Hephaestus chariot was alongside us and I was busy trying to protect Annabeth from being sliced. Then I remembered Tyson's watch and pressed the button. The watch instantly changed and I found myself holding a round war shield," said Percy.
"Cool," said Chris "where is it?"
"That's part of another story," replied Percy.
"Beckendorf's blade shattered against the shield. I then used the shield to knock him in the chest sending him flying out of the chariot. The Greek fire was shooting sparks; I flipped the leather pouch with the tip of my sword. The firebomb dislodged and flew into the Hephaestus chariot at the driver's feet," said Percy.
"The driver made the split second decision that was the right choice and dived out of the chariot which then careened away and exploded," said Annabeth.
"The metal horses short circuited and turned dragging the burning wreckage towards us, causing Clarisse and us to swerve out of the way," said Travis.
"That was when Percy and I pulled over the finish line," said Annabeth.
"We celebrated, telling everyone that we only succeeded due to my Baby Brother Tyson," said Percy.
"Oh how Sweet," shrieked Aphrodite
"And then Annabeth kissed Percy," said Travis. The room was filled by Aphrodite's squeals.
"ON THE CHEEK," shouted Annabeth, as fear marred her and Percy's faces. The majority of the room was looking at Athena waiting to see what she would do. Athena sighed she didn't like the fact that her daughter had initiated the kiss.
"So what happened next?" asked Athena trying to move on.
"We were bestowed with our laurel wreaths for winning," said Annabeth.
A/N: One short chapter to go.
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