Tharin's lullaby is the Kenny Loggins version just to give credit where due.
Sherman has been sitting outside of the forges all day. He tried to come inside and talk to Nyssa, but Harley kicked him out. As her brothers come and go, they all try to tell him he's wasting his time, but he waits. He's not expecting it when Hephaestus come out of the forges and stops to look at him.
"You the kid that tried to take advantage of my daughter?" the god asks gruffly.
"Sir," Sherman squeaks as he tries to get to his feet.
"I'll take that as a yes," the blacksmith says. Sherman is too stunned to say anything else. "Would you care to explain why you're sitting outside of my forge?"
"I...I was hoping that I could talk to Nyssa and apologize," Sherman says. "I didn't know she really liked me for real."
"Why would she have agreed to go out with you if she didn't like you?" the god asks.
"I don't know. Most girls don't like us boys from Ares," Sherman tells him.
"Wonder why?" Hephaestus says sarcastically. "If you didn't think she liked you, what made you think she would have sex with you?"
"Just to do it maybe."
"Look kid, I know what it's like to be a little lacking in the looks department," the god says.
"You're saying I'm ugly too?" Sherman says knowing most of the time girls are turned off by the Ares attitude not the looks.
"You are your father's son, but just because most girls don't like you doesn't mean you'll never find a girl that does. Of course, you blew it with my girl. She is never going to give you the time of day again," Hephaestus tells him. "You need to move on and learn from this experience, so I don't have to kill you. As much as I would like to do that, Mother would make me explain myself and that's just way more trouble than you're worth. We don't need another trial like the time your pops killed Uncle Poseidon's son for raping one of your sisters."
"I didn't rape her," Sherman quickly reminds Nyssa's father.
"No, but stalking is a crime in New York now," the god reminds him.
"I'm not stalking, I just wanted to tell her something," Sherman says.
"I'm sure no matter what it is she won't want to hear it. Now are you going to take my advice, or do I have to get your no good dad down here to deal with you?"
"Dad won't help you," Sherman says smartly.
"You might be surprised. Your pops owes me," Hephaestus tells him.
"Fine, I'll leave," Sherman says, "But it's a small camp. She'll have to talk to me some time."
"Just remember, if I have to come back, I won't come alone," the god warns. Sherman walks off leaving Nyssa's father standing at the door of the forge. "He's gone," he says indicating it is safe for his daughter to come out.
"Thanks Dad. Sorry to have to get you involved."
"That's what fathers are for. I might not be father of the year, but I can scare boys away from my daughter," he tells her. Nyssa smiles. "If he gives you any more trouble, you just let me know. I still think you should come back to Olympus with me. You might meet a little god you like."
"I like it here with my brothers," she says, "Thanks anyway."
Percy and Eurytion decide to take a walk out to the stables while the ladies fix dinner. "So did you warn them I was coming?" Percy asks with a grin.
"I told em," he confirms. "Don't know how they feel about it though. I don't have your ability to understand them."
"This your soybean field?" Percy asks as they walk past an empty field that looks like it's waiting for spring planting.
"That's it. Doing a descent business with it. Even get some orders from your Camp Half-Blood," Eurytion tells him.
"Let me guess, Lady Iris."
"Oh, she is my biggest customer, but not for camp. She uses soy in a lot of her products for R.O.F.L."
"Yeah, I know," Percy says having had some experience with those not-so-tasty treats. "Wow! Apollo's herd of cattle have like tripled."
"And that's not even all of them. He took about a hundred head with him when he left the last time. Said they were a gift for his little brother Hermes or something."
"We must be getting closer," Percy now says. "The smell is picking up." They walk up another hill and find the stables waiting just on the other side.
Hey, Seafood, one of the horses says with a grin. Heard you were coming back.
"Hi guys," Percy tells the horses. "You guys been living up to your end of the bargain?"
You bet, another horse says. Haven't eaten a single person since you left.
"So when I come back tomorrow to clean up this poop for Eurytion, we can move you out to that pasture and you'll be good?" Percy asks.
Better that then another salt-bath, a couple of horses say in unison.
Percy opens the gate and walks in with the horses as Eurytion follows him. "So they really are behaving?" he asks the rancher.
"Best horses on the ranch," Eurytion answers as Percy bends over and picks up a hand full dirt to make sure there are still plenty of seashells, which there are.
"This isn't anywhere near as bad as the last time," Percy says standing back up and looking around.
"It hasn't been thousands of years since it was cleaned this time. I also try to come scoop some of it out when it gets too bad. "Since the horses let me in now without eating me."
Is that Percy Jackson, a female horse says inside his head. Bring him here. Let him see my baby.
"Do you have a baby horse?" Percy asks out loud.
"Born yesterday," both Eurytion and one of the male horses answer at the same time. The rancher then leads him farther into the stables.
"Look at you little one," Percy says with a smile as he kneels down to get a closer look.
Say hello, the momma horse says nudging her baby with her nose.
Hi, a tiny female voice says shyly.
"You are adorable. I'll have to bring Annabeth and the kids down to see you," he says then holds his hand out. "May I pet you?" he asks not wanting to assume it will be okay.
Yes, Lord Percy, you may, Momma Flesh-eating Horse says.
"You're so soft," he says a little surprised. "Will she be able to move when we clean tomorrow? I wouldn't want to spray her."
She can walk now, her momma says. Moving out for the cleaning won't be a problem.
"Well, we should get back to the house, but I'll be back tomorrow morning to get your home here all cleaned up again," Percy tells them as he stands.
See you tomorrow, Seafood, the original horse that spoke to him says with a chuckle.
"She cries a lot," Tharin says looking down into the crib his niece is lying in.
"She's a baby," Drew says trying to soothe Callista by gently rubbing her belly.
"Why doesn't she just tell us what she wants?" the young centaur asks.
"Because she doesn't talk. She's a baby," Drew explains.
"I talked when I was a baby," he points out.
"You were different," she says ruffling the blue hair on top of his head.
"Can I try," he asks reaching his hand into the crib.
"Just be gentle," Drew says then moves her hand out of the way.
Tharin starts gently running his hand down Callista's belly and starts singing.
"Hush-a-by, Don't you cry
Go to sleep my little baby
When you wake, you shall have
All the pretty little ponies
In your bed, Momma said
Baby's riding off to dreamland
One by one they've begun
Dance and prance for little baby
Blacks and bays, dapples and grays
Running in the night
When you wake, you shall have
All the pretty little ponies
Can you see the little ponies
Shine before your eyes
All the pretty little ponies
Gonna be there when you arise
Hush-a-by, Don't you cry
Go to sleep my little baby
When you wake you shall have
All the pretty little horses"
"You got her to sleep," Drew whispers as she smiles at Tharin who smiles proudly at his accomplishment. The two of them quietly slip out of the nursery in the big house where Drew and Butch are still staying.
"Where did you learn that song?" she asks as they come back into the living room where Butch, Iris and Chiron are sitting together.
"Butch sang it to me a few times," he says which really surprises her because she's never even heard Butch hum let alone sing.
"Since when do you sing?" Drew asks sitting next to her boyfriend.
"Don't," he says looking at his little brother like he's betrayed him.
"Butch has a beautiful voice," Iris says.
"Don't either," Butch says again now giving his mother the same look.
"I want to hear," Drew says putting her arms around his neck.
"Well you can't, because I don't," he says gruffly. Just as Leo and Crystal come walking into the big house.
"Mom!" Leo shouts, "Come quick!"
Iris immediately gets up to go she what he wants. "Leo, what is it?" the goddess asks.
"The baby," he says standing with his arms around Crystal trying to support here. "I think something is happening. She says she's burning up from the inside."
Butch, who has joined his mom and sister, grabs Crystal in his arms and carries her to the closest sick room while Iris and Leo follow. "Did you contact Eileithyia?" the goddess asks feeling her daughter's forehead.
"She's in China with Anastasia for some kind of training. I messaged Artemis. She said she's on her way, but she's halfway around the world since it's night," Leo answers.
"I'm calling Apollo," Iris says then opens her hand for a rainbow as Chiron also enters the room.
"Do you feel like you're in labor?" the centaur asks.
"No," Crystal answers. "I feel like the baby is on fire or something and I'm being cooked from the inside out."
"That is not good," Chiron says.
"You think?" Leo says sarcastically.
"Leo," Crystal says unhappy of her husband's rudeness.
"I'm sorry Master Chiron. I'm just scared," Leo apologizes.
"No need to apologize," his teacher says as Apollo now steps into the room.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the god says strolling over to Crystal. He gives a look up and down Crystal then says, "I believe that baby will have to come out."
"What's wrong?" Leo asks. "It's not time yet."
"You do that fire thing don't you?" Apollo asks looking at Leo.
"Yeah."
"So does your boy I'm afraid," the god says.
"You mean he's burning her up?" Leo asks in shock.
"I need everyone out of the room," Apollo says not answering, "Except for you my dear," he continues looking down at Crystal. "You can stay too Papa," he tells Leo, "Oh, and Iris I might need your assistance."
"Yes, anything," Iris says shooing Chiron and Butch from the room.
"Would you let Daddy know," Crystal calls out to Chiron.
"And Hephaestus," Leo adds.
"That I can do," the centaur says then closes the door.
"So we have to do a c-section or something?" Crystal asks sounding scared.
"Or something," Apollo says putting his hand on Cryestal's belly. He starts to chant in ancient Greek and suddenly Crystal feels the baby working its way out.
"Ow, OW, OW!," she say getting a little louder each time.
"Can't you give her something?" Leo shouts.
"Give her your hand," the god tells him.
Now it's Leo's turn to shout ow while she's squeezing his fingers together. It takes all he's got not to light them on fire, so she'll let go. Apollo continues to chant and after about 20 minutes of Leo and Crystal both screaming in pain, the baby presents itself.
"There we are little one," Iris says as she tries to wrap a blanket around the newborn. Of course, he quickly sets it on fire.
"Daddy, maybe you should take him," Apollo says looking at Leo who is all but freaking out.
Leo takes his son in his arms and cuddles him softly saying, "Flame off little buddy." It takes a few minutes, but eventually he gets the baby to turn his pilot light off. "That's my boy," Leo says kissing his baby's forehead.
"What are you doing here?" Artemis asks when she pops into the room.
"Hey Sis," he says giving her a wink. "You weren't around, and I am a doctor. She's not cooling down."
"What happened?" Artemis asks.
"Johnny Flame there decided to light up before he was born," her brother explains.
"Crystal," Artemis says turning back to her patient, but Crystal's eyes are now closed, and she doesn't answer.
"We need something to cool her down. Quickly," Apollo decides. "Anybody at camp do that?"
"No," Iris says, "Well if her father is here." Iris quickly leaves the room to see if Andy has arrived from Olympus. She comes back into the room a minute or so later with Azure on his hip.
"Crystal!" he says setting one daughter down to rush to the other.
"We need to cool her down quickly. A hyperborean would be nice, but..." Apollo explains.
"Khione," Andy says thinking of one of his ex's. "She could do that. Iris..." He doesn't even have to finish the thought before the goddess has provided him a rainbow to make the call.
"Andy, I didn't expect...Is Azure alright?" the snow goddess asks with concern.
"Yes, she fine. Khione, it's Crystal. There was a problem with the baby. We need you immediately," Andy tells her.
"Me?" she says sounding totally surprised.
"I don't have time to explain, can you just come to Camp Half-Blood, like right now?" he begs.
"Give me my daughter back," she says, "And I'll come."
"Khione," Iris snaps upset at the use of her daughter as a bargaining chip.
"Khione, you know I can't do that. Please don't make me give up one daughter to save the other," he cries.
"Find your own ice machine then," Khione says and ends the message.
"Daddy," Azure now says tugging on her daddy's hand. "I can make cold."
"You can," Andy asks a bit surprised. Azure nods then takes a deep breath and starts to blow on her sister Crystal. I tiny bit of ice starts to form around Crystal's body.
"It's good, but I think it needs to be quicker," Apollo says, "But don't stop," he quickly tells Azure.
"Who else can make ice?" Iris asks.
"What about that Egyptian kid? What was his name, Felix?" Leo asks remember one of Carter's trainees has an unusual talent for a desert religion. "Mom, find Travis," he says knowing if anyone can reach Brooklyn House quickly it would be him.
"How will we get him inside the boundary?" Iris questions.
"If he'll come, I'll send Nike to get him. She's in the living room," Andy says wanting his ex to hurry up.