There was a flash and a book landed on his hand.
"Ouch." He said and rubbed his arm
There was a note in the book.
'Read this before the last book
The Fates'
"Why couldn't they have just sent it before?" Chris grumbled and picked up the book
"Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot." He read out
"Oh this one." Clarisse said
"I guess." Percy said
I was in fifth-period science class… that's a situation I've been in before.
"What? When have you been attacked by possessed poultry?" Triton asked in amusement
"The birds we scared away with Chiron's music." Percy smirked
"They weren't possessed though." Annabeth said
"Sure looked like it. They were crazy." Percy said
Everybody snickered.
"I have good music." Chiron grumbled
"We just have different tastes Chiron." Percy said
Nobody else seemed to notice the commotion…She was hacking at a flock of black birds the size of ravens.
"Clarisse" Michael asked
Clarisse nodded.
Feathers stuck out of her clothes…A cut was bleeding over her left eye.
"Ouch." Ares said and clamped a hand over his left eye.
"Put some ambrosia on it." Will said
"It's not going to make a difference." Ares said
"Then at least put a bandage, you don't want to much blood loss." Will said
"I don't have a bandage." Ares said
Will grumbled and went over to Ares and quickly put a bandage.
As I watched, one of the birds shot a feather like an arrow, and it lodged in her shoulder.
"Ow." Ares said and rubbed his shoulder.
She cursed and sliced at the bird, but it flew away.
"Were you fine?" Ares asked Clarisse in worry
The demigods stared at him.
"I was okay, not great but fine." Clarisse said
Jason tilted his head at Percy and Nico who sighed.
"Uh Ares." Percy said
Ares looked at him.
Nico awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Jason said that we… well we can't change what Aphrodite did and nor can we change what Ares said. What's done is done and what you caused is caused. There's no point in holding a grudge. We aren't saying we forgive you or anything and nor are we forgetting because that's going to be hard but we're not going to dwell on it." Nico said
"We've come here to change not only you all but have better relations. This kind of stops it so we're not going to say anything to you but to Aphrodite" Percy said. Jason nudged him in the ribs.
"Fine to you or Aphrodite but we aren't going to forget it or forgive but we won't press on it and we aren't going to hold a grudge. Though if you say something like you did, it's gonna be much worse the next time." Percy said
Ares nodded.
Jason smiled at Percy and Nico.
"Well sir, looks your advice has been taken." Thalia grinned at Jason who grinned back.
Poseidon and Hades smiled at Percy and Nico, understanding what they did and said.
"I-I-I won't say anything like that again. I know I would've been affected if I would've thought I was back in the jar." Ares swallowed
Percy and Nico gave small smiles.
Clarisse and Frank shifted and gestured to Ares who grinned and sat with them.
"As for Aphrodite, you don't touch anybody we care about and we'll try to be peaceful." Percy said
Aphrodite swallowed and nodded vigorously.
Chris continued reading.
Unfortunately, I recognized the girl… She wouldn't last much longer.
"Thanks for the confidence." Clarisse grumbled
"You know it was hard." Percy said
Clarisse grumbled but nodded.
I did the only the thing I could… It will get you out of class faster than anything else.
The demigods burst out laughing.
"Thanks for the tip Perce." Rachel grinned
"Anytime." Percy grinned back
'Go!' Mrs White said…she was hitting a home run.
"Nicee." Leo grinned
"I'm not a baseball type of person." Clarisse said
"You like Soccer." Chris smiled
Clarisse smiled as well and nodded.
"What about a soccer match today night?" Connor asked
The demigods grinned wickedly.
"No powers." Percy said
The demigods shook their heads.
"You're playing too." Clarisse told her dad who smiled
"Sure." He said
"What about two matches? One is only demigods and one is demigods and gods?" Triton asked
The demigods shrugged.
"Okay." Tyson said
The bird squawked and spiraled away…but she was too busy fighting to complain much.
"Well what can I say, you have great luck." Percy smirked
"Haha sure Prissy." Clarisse said, though she as trying not to smile.
I uncapped my pen, which grew into a metre-long bronze sword… it wasn't tipped with poison, I'd be okay.
"Ow." Poseidon muttered and rubbed his arm.
I took a bag of ambrosia out of my jacket, where I always kept it for emergencies, broke a piece in half and offered some to Clarisse.
"Thanks Percy." Clarisse said
Percy put a hand on his chest and gasped.
"You called me by my correct name. Sounds very weird, please just stick with Prissy." Percy said
Clarisse rolled her eyes.
"My pleasure Prissy." She said
Percy grinned.
'I don't need your help,' she muttered…I guess that's why you don't see many fat gods
A few people looked at Mr.D.
"I already showed you I look good." Dionysus said
They all shrugged.
Anyway, in a few seconds our cuts and bruises had disappeared.
The cuts and bruises of Ares and Poseidon vanished.
Will went to Ares and removed the bandage.
"All good." He said
Ares nodded.
Clarisse sheathed her sword…I just sidestepped and let her stumble past me.
Percy smirked and Clarisse glared half-heartedly.
'Come on,' I said…like she was in serious trouble.
"You're very observant Percy." Pollux said
"Thanks." Percy grinned
'It's my brothers,' she said…Clarisse had lots of siblings at Camp Half-Blood.
Everybody snickered.
"Hey hey hey, practically nobody except the 5 eldest gods can snicker." Lee laughed
The gods chuckled.
All of them picked on each other…'My immortal brothers. Phobos and Deimos.'
Ares frowned. Why was those two pranking another child of his? He guessed he would find out.
We sat on a bench at the park while Clarisse told me the story…chased me off with those stupid arrow-throwing birds.'
Ares frowned.
"That's harsh." Michael said
The demigods nodded.
"Pride and Hubris are their fatal flaws I think." Annabeth said
"Two fatal flaws?" Percy asked
"Sometimes a few people have two. Demigods normally don't. It's mostly immortals. Most of them have pride and/or hubris." Annabeth explained
"Oh okay. I don't really know about dad. All I know he's moody." Percy grinned
Poseidon chuckled.
"I have no idea myself." Poseidon said
"Is that good?" Percy asked
"We might find out in the reading." Poseidon shrugged
Percy nodded.
"You get your fatal flaws either from your parents. That's the most common case. Most Athena kids have hubris. Most Ares kids have pride. Hermes kids' vary. Sometimes your fatal flaws are developed by yourself which is rare. Sometimes they do go according to your parents but if you know the nature of your parents, you can tell who you get the flaw from. Luke's was pride but neither his mom nor his dad are prideful. Though his dad being a god might have some affect there. So it's more likely you somehow got a combined flaw or your mom and dad share the same flaw." Annabeth said
"Oh okay. We'll find out if it's combined or not during the reading." Percy said
Annabeth nodded.
"I get mine from dad." Nico said
Annabeth nodded.
"Mine I think is caring too much." Will said
"That could be the case. You do seem hit harder than quite some people during a death and especially as you're a doctor." Nico said
Will gave a small smile.
"Then who do you get it from?" Percy asked
"Dad I think. He's a doctor too and well he cares a lot about his loved ones. Especially his sister and mother. Now even Meg and his friend demigods or children." Will said
Apollo smiled.
"You're right." Reyna said
"I get mine from dad." Thalia said
.
"Me too." Jason said
"Power and temptation to deliberate." Thalia said
Everybody nodded.
Chris continued reading.
'Your dad's pets…Real hard.
Ares flinched.
"I won't hurt you." He said to Clarisse
"Nice to know. Thanks dad." She said
She scowled. 'Why would you? ...'Aw, look. I think she's been crying!'
The demigods gritted their teeth.
A teenage dude was leaning against a telephone pole…'You lost it,' he teased. 'Don't ask me.'
"That's taking it far." The Stolls frowned
Everybody nodded.
"Jerks." Annabeth said
'You little –'…her blade bit into the telephone pole.
"Coward." Reyna snorted
"Yep." Thalia said
"He can't stand and fight." Zoe shook her head
Phobos appeared on the bench next to me… I stuck Riptide's point against his throat.
Everybody snickered.
'You'd better return that chariot,' I told him…You have to get help fighting your battles now?'
Chris frowned as he read.
'He's not my boyfriend!' Clarisse tugged her sword…if she were being attacked by invisible bugs. 'Please, no!'
Ares yelled in the fear he felt, though he didn't know what the fear was. Clarisse looked worried.
The demigods growled.
"Fear." Annabeth said
"Tell me you hurt him." Chris said
"I did." Percy said
"Good job." Chris said
Ares scowled. He was going to be having a talk with his son.
'What are you doing to her?' I demanded…. 'I'm just showing her what she fears.'
"Fear isn't a fun thing you-" Castor hissed
"Babbling bumbling baboon." Connor supplied
"Not as a good of an insult but I'll use it." Castor said
"Still it is not used for fun." Chris growled
"I'm fine." Clarisse squeezed his hand
Chris sighed and continued.
The glow faded from his eyes…just the sort of place you belong.'
"If the world was full of jerks like him I'd happily live surrounded by animals. I'm used to satyrs anyway." Percy said
Grover grinned.
The demigods nodded.
He snapped his fingers and disappeared in a cloud of yellow vapor…I wanted to teach this guy a lesson.
"Don't we all?" Pollux growled
Everybody nodded.
"Percy used punks." Nico said
Percy shrugged.
I helped Clarisse up…All those phobias named after him. The jerk.'
"I have arachnophobia." Annabeth said
"Acrophobia." Thalia said
"Aerophobia I think. I'm not scared of my death or anything but I'm afraid to lose a loved one, though I know it's gonna happen and stuff so I don't have thanatophobia." Percy said
Hades nodded.
"Did you know there's a chronophobia which is a fear of time?" Jason asked
"I'm not scared of time but I'm so sure that this phobia is derived from Kronos." Percy said
"It is." Jason said
"I had Pyrophobia." Frank said
"Fear of fire?" Leo asked
Frank nodded.
"Did you know there is a phobia which is fear of peanut butter?" Triton asked
"People are scared of peanut butter?" Tyson frowned
"Some people." Triton said
"There is also a phobia which is fear of teenagers." Will said
"Luckily I don't have it." Chiron said
The demigods chuckled.
"There are also phobias of fear of long words, knees, figure 8." Will said
"That's unique." Annabeth said
Will nodded.
"Let's continue." Demeter said
Chris continued.
'So why don't they want you driving the chariot?'…I've got to get the chariot back to the temple.'
"Good for you Clarisse." Thalia smiled
Clarisse smiled.
"Got chariot-jacked but sure." She said
A few chuckles.
'Pier 86. The Intrepid.'…'Staten Island,' I said. 'They've got a small zoo.'
"Good job Percy." Grover smiled
Percy grinned.
'Maybe,' Clarisse said…That's what Annabeth told me, anyway.'
Annabeth grinned.
"Glad you listen." She said
"Some do slip in my head." Percy grinned
Everybody snickered.
Clarisse rolled her eyes…'If it doesn't help you fight, it's useless information.'
"If you need to run and you're near a monument then you should know where to go." Annabeth said
"Fair point." Clarisse said
I could've argued with her…'Leave them alone!' I yelled.
"What kind of people have fun in hurting people who don't deserve it?" Rachel grumbled
"Uh let me think… The god of terror." Percy said
Rachel rolled her eyes.
'Or what, son of the sea god?' Deimos sneered. 'My brother tells me you're a wimp!
"Dude I would love to see you go on combat with titans." Beckendorf snorted
"Or fight the god of war." Travis said
"Etc." Connor said
Everybody snickered.
Besides, I love terror. I live on terror!'… I steered us straight towards the monster.
"Nice one!" Triton cheered
Percy grinned.
'You think you can tackle Deimos?'…the serpent sank beneath the waves.
"I'm sorry, did you just say fifty thousand liters?" Leo asked
"Very sure I did." Chris said
"Brilliant!" Triton grinned
"That's insane." Connor said
"It's Percy." Annabeth snorted
Percy grinned.
I dived underwater and watched as it retreated to the open sea…the bus driver wouldn't let us on the bus.
"Mean." Hestia said
"His bus would get wet." Clarisse shrugged
'We'll never make it in time,' she sighed…I had enough cash to get us inside.
"Luckily." Connor said
We walked around the reptile house…OFFICIAL ZOO VEHICLE.
Ares scowled.
"My chariot is not a zoo vehicle." He grumbled
Everybody snickered.
'Where are Phobos and Deimos?' Clarisse muttered…He called me some names I can't repeat.
Everybody laughed.
"Where do they get the language from?" Hazel asked
"They're Ares' horses." Percy snorted
Everybody laughed harder.
'I'll try to get the reins,' Clarisse said… grabbed her hand and they kept walking.
"She can see through the mist. The girl I mean." Rachel said
Percy nodded.
Clarisse got closer to the chariot…like I needed somebody to tell me that.
"How is she calling you the correct name?" Leo asked
Percy grinned.
"From her, I prefer Prissy." He grinned
Everybody chuckled.
I jumped and landed on a rock island in the middle of the otter exhibit…before I had crazed sea mammals after me too.
Everybody snickered.
I ran as Phobos cursed and tried to get his horses under control…disposable cameras in every direction.
The sea gang gritted their teeth.
I wanted to surround myself with water… It's great when you're a celebrity to squids.
They chuckled now.
"You're a celebrity to all sea animals." Triton grinned
Percy grinned.
I stopped at the back of the aquarium and listened…occurred to me that it was just another form of his war chariot.
"Is it actually human skin?" Frank asked
"No." Ares assured him.
The demigods sighed in relief.
'Hello, loser,' Phobos said…choice that would save or destroy Mount Olympus.
Poseidon was shaking in fear. Percy ran a hand on his face and helped his dad.
"Just an illusion. It's just an illusion." Percy said, he didn't know if his dad was seeing his image and feeling his fear or was he seeing his own fear. Percy decided he didn't want to find out.
Now the moment was here…What if I did the wrong thing?
The Greek demigods sighed.
"Of course you won't." Chris said
Percy nodded.
Then I heard the voices of the aquarium fish…Phobos was showing me my deepest fear.
Everybody nodded.
The Sea gang managed small smiles.
I blinked and saw Phobos's blade… blocked the blow just before it cut me in two.
Poseidon came out of the fear.
The sea gang sighed in relief.
I counterattacked and stabbed Phobos in the arm. Golden ichor, the blood of the gods, soaked through his shirt.
"Ow." Ares said
"Bandage again." Will sighed
He went and bandaged Ares' arm.
Phobos growled and slashed at me…The fear god looked afraid.
Ares groaned. His sons were going to get a lot of training for the next couple of decades maybe even centuries.
"YEAH GO PERCY!" The Stolls cheered
Percy chuckled.
"You're kind of showing him his fear. Just a bit though but seeing his fatal flaw I think that being defeated his one of his fears." Annabeth smiled
Percy grinned.
Finally I kicked him backwards against the water fountain…bigger scar in a much more painful place!'
"You tell him Percy." Leo grinned
"How long did that fight last?" Ares asked
"Almost two minutes." Percy said
Ares groaned. Yes, his sons were getting training for the next few centuries.
He gulped. 'There will be a next time, Jackson!'…And he dissolved into yellow vapor.
Will removed Ares' bandage and went back.
I turned towards the fish exhibits. 'Thanks, guys.'
The sea gang chuckled.
"Many won't bother with it." Poseidon said
"They helped me." Percy said
They smiled.
"If I remember Nico said thank you to either ghosts or skeletons." Reyna chuckled
Nico nodded.
"Nice of you two." She said to Percy and Nico
They smiled.
Then I looked at Ares's motorcycle…rode out of the aquarium to help Clarisse.
"You rode my chariot?" Ares asked a little angrily
"No choice" Percy shrugged
"Percy rode the war chariot. That's lit." Travis whined
Connor nodded.
I had no trouble finding her…smoking with anger as he raised his fist over Clarisse.
Ares' jaw hit the ground. His son was using his form to terrorize his daughter? Deimos was in for some trouble.
Clarisse grimaced.
'You failed me again!' the war god bellowed… She had to overcome it for herself.
Ares couldn't find words for himself. He knew that he did wrong things in the sea of monsters but being his daughter's worst fear was unimaginable. It hurt him a lot to know this.
"Clarisse I-?" He tried
"It's all good dad. You're not my worst fear anymore." Clarisse said
"I'm still a fear?" he asked in a worried voice
"No." Clarisse said
Ares nodded and took a shaky breath.
"Percy's right. You have to overcome it yourself but he can help with words." Silena said
'Clarisse!' I said…Very quietly, she said, 'No.'
The demigods cheered.
"YEAH CLARISSE!" The Stolls cheered
"You tell him!" Silena smiled
"Great job. I'm proud of you." Ares said to Clarisse
Clarisse smiled at him and the campers.
'WHAT?'…'I'm tired of being scared of you.'
Everybody smiled.
'You're not Ares,' Clarisse said…not deep, but enough to hurt even a godling.
Ares gave a grunt of pain.
"How many bandages?" Will groaned
Everybody chuckled.
"Let it be, it'll be fine in some time." Ares said
Will nodded.
He yowled in pain and began to glow… which were tugging at our clothes, looking for snacks.
Everybody snickered.
Ares' wound went away.
The motorcycle had turned back into a horse-drawn chariot…I grinned. 'You were great.'
A few chuckles.
She glanced at the sky…Then I got an idea. 'We'll take the direct route.'
"Over the water?" Travis asked in amazement.
Percy nodded.
Clarisse frowned. 'What do you mean?'…tops of the waves straight across New York Harbor.
Everybody looked at Percy in awe.
"That was amazing!" Triton said in amazement
"Definitely. You kept the sea which can't be easily restrained, solid." Poseidon said
Percy blushed under the praised and gave a shy smile.
We arrived at Pier 86 just as the sunset was fading to purple…hardest things I'd ever done. I was exhausted.
"Makes sense." Amphitrite said
'I'd better get out of here before Ares arrives,' I said…'I won't tell anybody.'
"Well they found out." Thalia said
"I was going to say something else though." Clarisse said
"What did you want to say?" Percy asked
"I wanted to know if-if you were afraid of your dad too." Clarisse said, biting her lip
Poseidon looked at Percy.
"I wasn't scared but same as you all I think, I wanted to make him proud." Percy said, not looking at Poseidon
Clarisse nodded.
"You did make me proud." He said to Percy
Percy smiled.
"Were any of you scared of us?" Hermes asked
"Wrong place to ask the question." Clarisse muttered
"At a time." Nico admitted
"Me." Jason said
"Me too." Thalia admitted
"A little." Frank admitted
"Very little." Hazel said
Ares winced. So did Hades.
"This was all past. We aren't scared anymore." Nico assured them all
They nodded.
Ares gave a side hug to Clarisse and Frank which did surprise them but they accepted it.
Hades gave side hugs to Hazel and Nico and they grinned.
Zeus stared at Jason and Thalia.
Poseidon hugged Percy, Triton and Tyson.
She looked at me uncomfortably…Or I'd have to kill you.'
Everybody chuckled.
Clarisse and Percy smiled at each other.
"So this is the reason why Percy and you were so friendly." Beckendorf said to Clarisse
"We weren't very friendly but an improvement." Clarisse said
Percy nodded.
Everybody smiled.
A faint smile flickered across her face…I was ready to go home.
"Done." Chris said
"This was shorter than the last one." Dakota said
Everybody nodded.
"We'll start the last book after a break." Chiron said
The demigods shared glances and went outside with their parents.