MY MOTHER TEACHES ME BULLFIGHTING

Ares grins.

We tore through the night along...like from wool. The smell of a wet barnyard animal.

"Shag carpet pants." Travis snickered.

"Barnyard animal." Connor snickered.

All other demigods were also laughing.

Grover grumbled at them.

All I could think to say was, "So, you and my mom...in person. But she knew I was watching you."

"Stalker alert."

"I am not a stalker."

"Whatever helps you."

"A barnyard animal stalker."

"Stalker with hooves."

They all fell into giggles. And Grover's ears were red.

"Watching me?"

"Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend," he added hastily. "I am your friend."

"Percy has a stalker friend." Thalia said snickering.

"Urn ... what are you, exactly?"

"Wow no tack." Annabeth.

"That doesn't matter right now."

Leo rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't matter? From the waist down, my best friend is a donkey—"

Every demigods tried to hide they laughter into coughs.

"That's a wrong thing to say." Hermes said shaking his head.

Grover let out a sharp, throaty "Blaa-ha-ha!..."Goat!" he cried.

"What?"

"I'm a goat from the waist down."

"You just said it didn't matter." Thalia pointed out.

"You just said it didn't matter."

They all fell into giggles.

"Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you underhoof for such an insult!"

"He should be thank full he didn't said that to Coach Hegde." Clarisse said.

Jason, Piper and Leo shuddered at the thought. Others nodded.

"Whoa. Wait. Satyrs. You mean like ... Mr. Brunner's myths?"

"Not myths." Gwen said.

"Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth, Percy? Was Mrs. Dodds a myth?"

"So you admit there was a Mrs. Dodds!"

"That'snot important right now." Annabeth shocked her hear.

"It is because he thought he had imagined all that." Leo replied.

"Of course."

"Then why—"

"The less you knew, the fewer monsters you'd attract," Grover said, like that should be perfectly obvious.

"Not to him." Apollo said looking at Grover. Grover nodded.

"We put Mist over the humans...We have to get you to safety."

"That's true." Almost everyone said.

"Safety from what? Who's after... of his blood-thirstiest minions."

"Grover" everyone shouted.

"Grover!"

"Sorry, Mrs. Jackson. Could you...I could never dream up something this weird.

Everyone was biting their lips. Some were exited to know what had happened when Percy arrived at the Camp. Other wanted to see how he fought.

My mom made a hard left...YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES signs on white picket fences.

"Yes". "Nearly there."

"Where are we going?" I asked. "The summer camp I told you about." My mother's voice was tight; she was trying for my sake not to be scared. "The place your father wanted to send you."

"The place you didn't want me to go."

"Please, dear," my mother begged. "This is hard enough. Try to understand. You're in danger."

"Yes. Please"

"Because some old ladies cut yarn."

Everyone again remembered about that and winced.

"Those weren't old ladies," Grover said. "Those were the Fates. Do you know what it means—the fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you're about to ... when someone's about to die."

"Whoa. Don't say that."

"What!!!" Others said who didn't know what it meant.

"Whoa. You said 'you.'"

"No I didn't. I said 'someone.'"

"No you said you and changed to someone." Leo said. Leo couldn't understand how did he do that. To live knowing you will die anyway.

"You meant 'you.' As in me."

"I meant you, like 'someone.' Not you, you."

"I am confused." Frank said.

"Boys!" my mom said.

"Thank goodness for Sally." Thalia said.

"Boys" Artemis said.

She pulled the wheel hard to...mile. Please. Please. Please."

"Yes. Almost there." Poseidon said.

I didn't know where there was...human. She'd meant to kill me.

"Yes. She did!" Nico said gravely.

Then I thought about Mr. Brunner ... a jaw-rattling boom!, and our car exploded.

"ZEUS! If you hurt my son you will regret." Poseidon said in a firm and Calm voice. And glared daggers at him.

"You son's is fine." Zeus tried to reason but Poseidon face hardened. He gulped and looked at Ares to read. Ares looked disappointed at that.

I remember feeling weightless, like I was being crushed, fried, and hosed down all at the same time. I peeled my forehead off the back of the driver's seat and said, "Ow."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Percy!" my mom shouted.

"I'm okay... ." I tried...and rain was pouring in.Lightning.

Poseidon gritted his teeth. Zeus tried to shrunk in his place. Even if they were mortals Poseidon was the best of them all in combat and could inflict real damage.

That was the only explanation. We'd been blasted right off the road. Next to me in the backseat was a big motionless lump. "Grover!"

All the demigods turned to him looking concerned.

He was slumped over, blood...and I don't want you to die!

Everyone snickered. "Half barnyard animal." Travis said in between his laughs and everyone dissolve into laugher.

Then he groaned "Food," and I knew there was hope.

Even more laughter.

"Percy," my mother said, "we have to ..." Her voice faltered.

Laughter died down just as it came.

I looked back. In a flash of lightning...hands made it look like he had horns.

Those how didn't know which monster he fought were looking scared.

I swallowed hard. "Who is—"

"Percy," my mother said... edges were sizzling and smoking.

Everyone was holding their breaths.

"Climb out the passenger's side!" my mother told me... Christmas tree-sized pine at the crest of the nearest hill.

"Christmas tree." Travis snickered looking at Thalia.

"That's the property line," my mom said. "Get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don't look back. Yell for help. Don't stop until you reach the door."

"He won't leave her behind." Nico said softly. Others were nodding to go.

"Mom, you're coming too."

"She can't." Poseidon sighed sadly.

Her face was pale, her eyes as sad as when she looked at the ocean. "No!" I shouted. "You are coming with me. Help me carry Grover."

Ares tched.

"Food!" Grover moaned, a little...head. And the points that looked like horns ...

"Minotaur". Apollo whispered.

"He doesn't want us," my mother told me. "He wants you. Besides, I can't cross the property line."

"She is right." Aphrodite said.

"But..."

"We don't have time, Percy. Go. Please."

"He won't ever leave her." Annabeth said. Hera nodded in approval.

I got mad, then—mad at my... "We're going together. Come on, Mom."

All the seven smiled softly.

"I told you—"

"Mom! I am not leaving you...mom hadn't come to my aid.

"He is loyal." Artemis said. Than she made a face like she couldn't believe what she said.

All the demigods nodded happily. They looked at each other and smiled knowingly. They all were alive because of Percy's stubbornness and loyalty.

Together, we draped Grover's...the Looms—which would've looked funny,

Everyone laughed at the image. Poseidon looked at Hades in amusement even if he was angry. "Did you got him out of bed just to kill my kid." Hades looked at Poseidon he saw the look between amusement and angry and just shrugged and relaxed a bit.

except that the top half of his body was so scary. Coarse brown hair started at about his belly button and got thicker as it reached his shoulders.

They calmed down again.

His neck was a mass of muscle...he couldn't be real.

"Oh but he is." Will said sadly as he remembered the battle of Manhattan and looked at Michael.

I blinked the rain out of my eyes. "That's—"

"Pasiphae's son," my mother said. "I wish I'd known how badly they want to kill you."

Gods raised an eyebrow at the mortal woman's intelligence.

"But he's the Min—"

"Don't say his name," she warned. "Names have power."

"Oh when would he learn that." Thalia said in amusement.

The pine tree was still way too far—a...we were only about fifty feet away.

"Just get there." Apollo said frustrated.

"Food?" Grover moaned. "Shhh," I told him. "Mom, what's he doing? Doesn't he see us?"

"No he can't." All the demigods said.

"His sight and hearing are terrible," she said. "He goes by smell. But he'll figure out where we are soon enough."

Everyone blinked at that.

As if on cue, the bull-man bellowed...remembered Gabe saying.

"Oops." Leo, Travis and Connor said." Others were too happy that the car got smashed.

Oops. "Percy," my mom said. "When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way— directly sideways. He can't change directions very well once he's charging. Do you understand?"

"Oh that's what the title meant."

"She knows a lot about the myths."

"How do you know all this?"

"Yeah how does she." Poseidon asked.

"She knew who you were. And learned all about Greek mythology as much as she could to help Percy if she ever needed to. She told us that once." Annabeth explained. Poseidon nodded.

"I've been worried about an attack for a long time. I should have expected this. I was selfish, keeping you near me."

"Sally is anything but selfish."

"No. She is just a mother." Artemis and Aphrodite said at the same time. They looked at each other and their glaring match started again.

"Keeping me near you? But—" Another bellow of rage, and the bull-man started tromping uphill. He'd smelled us.

"Oh no!"

The pine tree was only a few...seconds and he'd be on top of us.

Poseidon was on the edge of his seat.

My mother must've been exhausted, but she shouldered Grover. "Go, Percy! Separate! Remember what I said."

Everyone nodded.

I didn't want to split up, but I had...He reeked like rotten meat.

Everyone wrinkled their noses in disgust.

He lowered his head and charged...at the last moment, I jumped to the side.

"Phew."

The bull-man stormed past like a freight train, then bellowed with...never make it.

"Just go." Few of the people said.

"He won't ever leave anyone behind. Especially his mother and best friend." Reyna said.

The bull-man grunted, pawing the... "I can't go any farther. Run!"

Other nodded sadly.

But I just stood there, frozen in...kicking and pummeling the air.

Everyone was horrified. And held their breath. They tried to stay calm telling themselves that she is alive and fine. Leo was staringinto space and couldn't move.

"Mom!" She caught my eyes, managed...and she was simply ... gone.

Poseidon anger went up. But nodded at Hades at least she wasn't dead. Others who didn't know that were in disbelief and were ready to cry.

"No!" Anger replaced my fear. Newfound strength burned in my limbs—the same rush of energy I'd gotten when Mrs. Dodds grew talons.

"Uh uho. Percy is angry." Few of the demigods said. Gods looked confused.

The bull-man bore down on Grover,..."Hey, stupid! Ground beef!"

"His insults need work." Clarisse said. Even though she was also concerned. But didn't showed it.

"Raaaarrrrr!" The monster turned toward me, shaking his meaty fists.I had an idea

Everyone perked up.

—a stupid idea, but better than no idea at all.

Everyone nodded. Demigods looked even more interested they knew it would work. Gods were shaking their head at the foolish action. They were thinking that someone must've come to the rescue to save the kid.

I put my back to the big pine tree and waved my red jacket in front of the bull-man, thinking I'd jump out of the way at the last moment.

Clarisse raised her eyebrow and looked interested. She wanted to know how he did it. Yes she knew he defeated him but she never knew how.

But it didn't happen like that.

"Of course." Grover Said. Other nodded.

The bull-man charged too fast, his arms out to grab me whichever way I tried to dodge.

Gods were waiting for someone to come and help.

Time slowed down.

Everyone's eyes brightened.

My legs tensed. I couldn't jump...turning in midair, and landing on his neck.

Gods mouths dropped open. Demigods were also shocked. Sure they have seen Percy fight before. Fight Titans, giants, hundreds of monsters alone. But this was a twelve year old kid.

How did I do that? I didn't have time to figure it out. A millisecond later, the monster's head slammed into the tree and the impact nearly knocked my teeth out.

Apollo and Will winced. Ares was also surprised about how he could do that.

The bull-man staggered around...realize that this thing had only one gear: forward.

Everyone nodded. "He is more observant than i thought." Annabeth said to Thalia who nodded. "I mean i know he is. But I didn't think he was back than."

Meanwhile, Grover started...off. "Food!" Grover moaned.

"Please be quite." Everyone whispered.

The bull-man wheeled toward him... me like high-octane fuel.

Every demigod waited for this moment.

I got both hands around one horn and I pulled backward with all my might.

"He won't be able to do that." Athena said.

The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then—snap!

Now again everyone was taken back by surprise.

The bull-man screamed and flung me through the air. I landed flat on my back in the grass. My head smacked against a rock.

Everyone who had their heads knocked on hard surfaces winced.(Meaning everyone)

When I sat up, my vision was blurry, but I had a horn in my hands, a ragged bone weapon the size of a knife. The monster charged.

Poseidon was full on worried mood now.

Without thinking, I rolled to one side and came up kneeling. As the monster barreled past, I drove the broken horn straight into his side, right up under his furry rib cage.

Demigods let a shout of delight. Gods looked at each other.

The bull-man roared in agony...same way Mrs. Dodds had burst apart.

"Yes!!" Demigods and Apollo with Hermes shouted.

The monster was gone. The rain...felt like it was splitting open.

"He might have a concussion." Apollo mumbled.

I was weak and scared and trembling...toward the lights of the farmhouse.

Everyone sighed in relief. He was safe now. Poseidon relaxed into the sofa.

I was crying, calling for my mother, but I held on to Grover—I wasn't going to let him go.

"He is a good friend." Artemis said softly.

The last thing I remember is collapsing...her blond hair curled like a princess's.

Annabeth blushed as all the demigods looked at her.

They both looked down at me, and the girl said, "He's the one. He must be."

"Yes he is the one. Isn't he." Travis snickered.

"Silence, Annabeth," the man said. "He's still conscious. Bring him inside."

Athena looked at her daughter with a raised eyebrow. "You will see what i meant later." Annabeth said to Athena. Who nodded and didn't liked her daughter so close with the sea spawn.

"I'll read next." Aphrodite said. Ares passed the book to her.