Whoa!" Percy said, landing Blackjack. "Y-You sure this is the right place?"
He noticed Grover peeking on some nymphs.
"W-What's the matter, little guy? You stuck?" Percy pulled him out.
"Whoa! Hey, butt out, buddy! - Ugh!" Grover said.
The girls started to run.
"Girls! Stop! Stop! Come back! Come back, come back!"
They transformed into trees.
"Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa! Oh, nymphs!. They can't keep their hands off me. - Hey! What's the matter? You never seen a satyr before?"
'Uh, no. Can you help us?" Percy said. "We're looking for someone called Grover Underwood."
"Call me Grover." Grover said.
"Grover!" Percy shook his hand.
"Ow!" Grover said.
"Boy, am I glad to meet you!" Percy said. "I'm Percy, and this is Blackjack."
Blackjack licked him.
"Animals. Disgusting." Grover said.
"I need your help. I want to become a hero, a true hero." Percy said.
"Sorry, kid. Can't help ya." Grover said.
"Uh, sorry. Why not?" Percy said.
"Two words: I am retired." Grover said.
"Look, I gotta do this." Percy said. "Haven't you ever had a dream...something you wanted so bad you'd do anything?"
"Kid, come inside. I want to show you somethin'." Grover said, leading him into his cave. "Watch it! That was part of the mast of the "Argo"."
"The "Argo"?" Percy asked.
"Yeah." Grover said. "Who do you think taught Jason how to sail? Cleopatra? I trained all those would-be heroes. Odysseus, Theseus. A lot of "yeuseus". And every single one of those bums let me down...flatter than a discus. None of 'em could go the distance. And then there was Achilles. Now there was a guy who had it all...the build, the foot speed. He could jab. He could take a hit. He could keep on comin'. But that "furshlugginer" heel of his! He barely gets nicked there once and kaboom! He's history. Yeah, I had a dream once. I dreamed I was gonna train the greatest hero there ever was. So great, the gods would hang a picture of him in the stars...all across the sky...and people would say, "That's Grover's boy." That's right. Eh, but dreams are for rookies. A guy can only take so much disappointment.
"But I'm different than those other guys, Grover." Percy said. "I can go the distance. Come on. I'll show ya."
"Jeez. You don't give up, do ya?" Grover said.
"Watch this." Percy said. He threw a giant discus and threw up his hands causing a great wave to catch it and skip it across the ocean.
"Holy Hera." Grover said. "You know, maybe if I... No! Snap out of it! I'm too old to get mixed up in this stuff again.
"But if I don't become a true hero..." Percy said. "I'll never be able to rejoin my father Poseidon."
"Hold it. Poseidon is your father, right?" Grover said.
"Uh-huh." Percy said.
"Poseidon, the big guy. He's your daddy." Grover said. "Mr Trident Pants! Read me a book, would ya, Da-Da? Poseidon! "Once upon a time...""
"It's the truth!" Percy said.
"Please!" Grover said. "Hmph. There is absolutely no way I'm gonna help you kid."
Suddenly a wave overtook him and swept him out to sea.
When Grover paddled back and coughed onto the shore he looked up.
"Fine fine. I believe you, Poseidon's son? I guess I'll teach you to be a hero."