Hello my lovelies, I'm in a good mood today so I hope you all enjoy this chapter, in which Percy and Clarisse are total badasses and can work together if there's a need for them to. Also, everyone is gonna love Nico okay? Because Nico is loveable and I would fight anyone for him.

Percy and Annabeth stayed sat like that for what felt like hours and yet at the same time somehow felt like minutes before Percy's attention was drawn away by distant sounds of shouting.

For a second Percy wondered if it was campers fighting, but then her eye was caught by some figures in the distance beneath them moving up the road that led to camp.

Percy slapped Annabeth's arm, scrambling away from the blonde as she rushed to her feet.

She could see four little blobs in the distance-and behind them were multiple other blobs chasing them, getting closer.

Percy cursed loudly in ancient Greek. "Annabeth! Go alert border patrol!"

"On it!" Percy could hear her best friend scrambling to her feet as Percy pulled Riptide from her pocket and uncapped the sword as she sprinted down the hill-and as she did she drew closer to the distant figures they became clearer. Nico was at the front of the group-he looked pale but he wasn't on the verge of passing out which was good, and he had Will by his side, the blond son of Apollo gripping the son of Hades arm and pulling him with him, both of them clutching their swords tightly as they sprinted.

Kayla and Clarisse were bringing up the rear, Kayla shooting arrow after arrow at the following monsters and Clarisse had her spear at the ready, they were both moving backwards, clearly ready to defend Will and Nico from the monsters.

And there were far more monsters than Percy would like.

There were two humanish looking monster with twin serpent trunks instead of legs that were moving in a strange walking slither-Percy was sure she should know what they were called-Annabeth would almost certainly be able to tell her.

There was also a Cyclops-bigger than Tyson but not as big as Polyphemus, probably a teen by Cyclops standards since Percy knew Tyson was still considered a baby.

And to make matters worse there the familiar birds in the sky heading towards Camp, Stymphalian birds. Honestly three run ins with them in one lifetime? That was just annoying. Percy flicked her locket open, armor forming around her as it always did.

She reached them roughly halfway, and Nico pulled away from Will to throw his arms around Percy. "Percy! I was so scared! How did you get away did you use your powers did-"

"I'm okay Nico." Percy said quickly, squeezing him tightly before pulling back, "As are the others. We managed to escape, it's okay. Now you get to Camp and you put the Golden Fleece on Thalia's tree."

"Right-" Nico staggered slightly and then Will was there again, grabbing his arm.

"I've got him Percy! We'll get there."

"Look after him Will." Percy planted a hand on top of the son of Apollo's head. "Get him there no matter what"

"I promise." then Will was dragging Nico away from Percy and up the hill.

Then Percy was turning her back on them and sprinting down the hill towards Clarisse and Kayla, the ginger and green haired girl looked scared but determined and Percy felt a rush of affection-her brother clearly knew how to pick his friends, and the monsters had reached the two girls by the time Percy arrived and joined the fray-she arrived as Clarisse thrust her spear through one of the snake ladies chest, and she disintegrated as Clarisse ripped it out-but at that point the Cyclops was scooping up a large rock, clearly planning on throwing it at Clarisse and Percy called out a warning, launching herself at the bigger girl and knocking her off her feet just in time-the boulder would have hit the back of Clarisse's head otherwise and killed her.

Clarisse grunted at the impact, cursing loudly, "What the-"

"Cyclops was gonna throw a boulder, would've killed you."

Clarisse hesitated before- "Thanks." Then they were both getting to their feet and Percy blocked the other snake lady from attacking Kayla, who was shooting at the Stympalian birds which were getting closer and closer. "I'll take the Cyclops." and Clarisse was running at the Cyclops as Percy managed to slice the head off of the second snake lady.

Then there was a high pitched whistle like sound that seemed to stun the birds above them, and Kayla let out a relieved gasp, "That was Will."

"Go! Kayla go catch up with Will and Nico! Clarisse and I will take care of the Cyclops!" Since Kayla had used Will's whistle as an opportunity to shoot down the majority of the birds.

Percy turned her head to look towards Clarisse, who was running back and forth to avoid the Cyclops getting a clear shot.

As Kayla sprinted towards Will and Nico, who were a fair distance up the hill now Percy rushed towards Clarisse, who glanced back at her and gave a small nod.

They might not be friends but Clarisse clearly knew they'd stand a better chance working together so she called out, "You distract it!"

"That's my specialty." Percy grinned before calling out, "Hey! Hey one eye! Guess what, I kicked your big brother Polyphemus' ass! How does that feel you overgrown baby!"

The Cyclops turned towards her, letting out a roar as it rushed towards her. "You die human!"

"Oooh, so witty, I've heard scarier threats from two year olds." she ducked under a swinging fist, sprinting towards him and slashing his leg-and as she did she saw Clarisse making a running jump and managing to push herself high enough to grab the monsters shoulder, jabbing her spear into it's neck, blood spurting out from the wound in a way that made Percy wince, and then Clarisse pulled her spear out and stabbed it in again, and again and the monster bellowed in pain and on the third stab of Clarisse's spear it disintegrated.

Percy dropped her sword, surging forward to half catch the daughter of Ares, both of them hitting the ground hard-Percy grunting at the impact.

That kinda winded her.

"Shit are you okay Jackson?" Clarisse rolled off her, "Thanks, for helping take down the Cyclops."

"My pleasure." Percy turned her head, and her eyes widened in horror because there was something flying over their heads towards Nico, Will and Kayla.

It was a Pegasus-a black one and- "No." Percy let out a panicked noise, "Alabaster must have sent them they work for him." it was the bear people-the two monsters looked like they were weighing down the poor Pegasus massively-it was barely able to fly but she was sure that it was too scared to give up and stop.

And to make things worse the remainder of the Stymphlian birds were speeding towards Nico, Will and Kayla.

"We'll never reach them in time!"

"Unless you knock those monsters off the Pegasus' back-"

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

Clarisse sprinted a short distance away before crouching and cupping her hands together, "They're too slow because of how heavy they are-run and jump-"

"I-" Percy hesitated before giving a sharp nod and sprinting towards Clarisse, planting her foot in the other girls hands, and then she leapt upwards as Clarisse used all of her strength to push Percy upwards, sending the daughter of Poseidon soaring into the air towards the Pegasus and the two monsters on it's back.

Sure enough Clarisse had been right-the monsters were moving slow enough that she managed to catch up with them and collide with the monsters.

Her arms were outstretched as she hit them, hooking one each around the bear twins necks, knocking them off of the Pegasus, dropping to the ground hard-and Percy cried out as they fell, and the Pegasus wheeled around now that it was free of it's burden, and it swept towards her teeth catching the back of Percy's tshirt.

If it hadn't been for the fact that the bear twins twisted and grabbed onto her he probably would have been able to catch her mid fall, all it was he was dragged downwards too by the force of it.

Percy gritted her teeth, forcing back her terror as she headed towards the ground.

At least he slowed the fall somewhat, and Clarisse was there ready with her spear, stabbing it through one of the bear twins shoulders, which made it release Percy, though the second one managed to keep it's grip on her, claws raking down her arms, and Percy gritted her teeth to force back a scream as the Pegasus let go of her shirt and wheeled around to kick the twin that was ripping her arms to shreds and his hooves smacked against the monsters head, knocking it away from her.

"Yo! Boss Lady you need a hand?" and Percy resisted the urge to laugh hysterically as she rolled away from the bear twin, turning her head to look towards Clarisse, who was fending off bear twin two.

Then her gaze flicked towards Nico and the others, who were being attacked by the birds-the remaining ones must have had reinforcements on the way.

"Clarisse! Get to Nico, Will and Kayla!" Percy screamed the words, shaking her head, "The Pegasus-"

"Name's Blackjack boss!"

"Blackjack and I'll take care of the twins you make sure my baby brother and his friends get that Fleece to Camp."

Clarisse faltered, "But Jackson you could be killed-"

"And my brother's being attacked by a hoard of Stymphalian birds-" and there were more and more coming now it was infuriating, she knew back up would be coming but still they needed help now, "He has the Fleece. Get him up there please-"

Clarisse stared at Percy for a beat before giving a small nod, a gleam of respect in her eyes before she took off towards Nico, Will and Kayla.

Then it was just Percy and Blackjack fighting the twins, her sword flashing as she spun and sliced and ducked and dodged, ignoring the slick blood coating her arms as she did, eyes almost glowing with fury, and Blackjack was fighting too, wheeling around above their heads and kicking them hard before flying up out of reach.

It was all happening incredibly fast but it felt like a lifetime as she fought the twins-without Blackjacks help she'd have probably been screwed, as it was the only thing stopping her from getting sliced open into a thousand pieces was the armor, though she'd be bruised she was sure.

Then she heard yelling from the hill and she glanced back-There were a bunch of campers at the top of the hill, Apollo kids shooting down the birds as Will whistled, and Annabeth had the boombox once more to confuse them-then she saw Luke, wings of his shoes flapping as he sped down the hill, slicing birds out of the air as he raced towards her to help her fight.

Percy let out a relieved gasp before she was knocked off her feet by one of the twins-who tried to yank her armor off, claws scraping her belly just beneath it as she slashed it his arm and Blackjack kicked the arm at the same time and she rolled away, cursing loudly, then Luke reached them, slicing one of the bear twins heads off midair as he lunged for Percy.

"Sephie! Get up." and Percy did, since the still living bear guy had turned on Luke and was trying to slice him out of the air with his claws, though Luke was flying just out of reach.

Percy took the chance, leaping at the monster from behind and slicing it's head off before spinning around in time to see that the others had reached the top of the hill.

Percy let out a relieved laugh "Blackjack can I-"

"Hop on Boss." he lowered himself and Percy leapt onto his back, and Luke flew beside them as they sped towards the hill-where the last of the birds were being dispatched or fleeing from the loud terrible music-and as Percy and Luke reached the peak of the Hill Luke was shrugging the jacket off-and as he did it transformed into a familiar golden fleece, and Nico staggered forward, reaching the tree and stretching up, Clarisse grabbing the back of his shirt and helping lift him just slightly so that he could drape it over the lowest branch of the tree.

The moment he did it the sunlight seemed to brighten, the clouds almost seeming to disappear. A cool breeze rustled in the branches and rippled through the grass, all the way into the valley. Everything came into sharper focus—the smell of the strawberry fields, the sound of the waves on the beach.

Gradually, the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green.

Everybody cheered. It was happening slowly, but there could be no doubt—the Fleece's magic was seeping into the tree, filling it with new power and expelling the poison.

Percy caught Annabeth's gaze from above-the tears glinting in her best friends eyes, the wide smile on her lips.

Thalia's tree was going to make it.

Then Percy's gaze moved to Nico, who had a wide proud smile spread across his lips as Clarisse patted his back hard, nearly making him stumble, and Will and Kayla were cheering, Will flinging an arm around Nico's shoulder and drawing the son of Hades close as Kayla danced around them.

The good mood was infectious, joyful, and Percy knew that no matter what else happened Nico would always be a hero in the eyes of Camp Half-blood.