AN: Hey guys so first off I want to apologise for not updating, I had every intention of writing this last month but then my laptop decided it was going to go and break. Luckily I have a new one now and it seems to be working better than the other one anyway.
So anyway, just a side note if any of you are on tumblr my username is merlinthegryffindor so if you're ever wondering about an update or have any questions or suggestions or even just want to talk, feel free to PM me and I promise I will answer.
I hope you like this chapter and please let me know what you think. Reviews motivate me.
Disclaimer: I do not own the PJO or HoO series. All rights belong to Rick Riordan.
16. I Go Down With the Ship Leo read, pausing only for a moment before plowing on- fingers tapping an unknown rhythm on the books cover.
"You'd think he'd run out of rocks," I muttered.
''Considering there's most likely an island full of them, I think not'' Katie pointed out, leaning back onto Travis.
"Swim for it!" Grover said.
He and Clarisse plunged into the surf. Annabeth hung on to Clarisse's neck and tried to paddle with one hand, the wet Fleece weighing her down.
''Always focused on Annabeth'' Aphrodite swooned dramatically and Percy just smiled, briefly glancing down to the girl in question.
But the monster's attention wasn't on the Fleece.
"You, young Cyclops!" Polyphemus roared. "Traitor to your kind!"
Poseidon frowned, staring at the book- he should have done something about Polyphemus centuries ago.
Tyson froze.
"Don't listen to him!" I pleaded. "Come on."
I pulled Tyson's arm, but I might as well have been pulling a mountain. He turned and faced the older Cyclops. "I am not a traitor."
''No he wasn't'' Annabeth muttered softly, knowing that when they got back to their own time she would have a lot of apologies to give the younger boy- despite them having made up years ago.
"You serve mortals!" Polyphemus shouted. "Thieving humans!"
Polyphemus threw his first boulder. Tyson swatted it aside with his fist.
"Not a traitor," Tyson said. "And you are not my kind."
"Death or victory!" Polyphemus charged into the surf, but his foot was still wounded. He immediately stumbled and fell on his face. That would've been funny, except he started to get up again, spitting salt water and growling.
"Percy!" Clarisse yelled. "Come on!"
They were almost to the ship with the Fleece. If I could just keep the monster distracted a little longer ...
"Go," Tyson told me. "I will hold Big Ugly."
"No! He'll kill you." I'd already lost Tyson once. I wasn't going to lose him again. "We'll fight him together."
"Together," Tyson agreed.
The smile on Poseidon's face was nothing but pride for both of his sons, his heart swelling in his chest even as a sliver of worry lodged itself in his mind.
I drew my sword.
Polyphemus advanced carefully, limping worse than ever. But there was nothing wrong with his throwing arm. He chucked his second boulder. I dove to one side, but I still would've been squashed if Tyson's fist hadn't blasted the rock to rubble.
I willed the sea to rise. A twenty-foot wave surged up, lifting me on its crest. I rode toward the Cyclops and kicked him in the eye, leaping over his head as the water blasted him onto the beach.
''It's a wonder really that he didn't realise you were Poseidon's son sooner'' Jason commented to no one in particular.
''Well to be honest he wasn't that bright'' Percy said without malice, nodding at the younger boy.
"Destroy you!" Polyphemus spluttered. "Fleece stealer!"
"You stole the Fleece!" I yelled. "You've been using it to lure satyrs to their deaths!"
"So? Satyrs good eating!"
"The Fleece should be used to heal! It belongs to the children of the gods!"
"I am a child of the gods!" Polyphemus swiped at me, but I sidestepped. "Father Poseidon, curse this thief!" He was blinking hard now, like he could barely see, and I realized he was targeting by the sound of my voice.
"Poseidon won't curse me," I said, backing up as the Cyclops grabbed air. "I'm his son, too. He won't play favorites."
Poseidon fidgeted in his chair, deigning not to mention that yes he would absolutely have played favourites if Tyson or Percy would have asked for his help. The looks his brothers gave him meant that they too knew exactly what he would have done.
Polyphemus roared. He ripped an olive tree out of the side of the cliff and smashed it where I'd been standing a moment before. "Humans not the same! Nasty, tricky, lying!"
''Says him!''
Grover was helping Annabeth aboard the ship. Clarisse was waving frantically at me, telling me to come on.
Tyson worked his way around Polyphemus, trying to get behind him.
"Young one!" the older Cyclops called. "Where are you? Help me!"
Tyson stopped.
"You weren't raised right!" Polyphemus wailed, shaking his olive tree club. "Poor orphaned brother! Help me!"
No one moved. No sound but the ocean and my own heartbeat. Then Tyson stepped forward, raising his hands defensively. "Don't fight, Cyclops brother. Put down the—"
Polyphemus spun toward his voice.
"Tyson!" I shouted.
The tree struck him with such force it would've flattened me into a Percy pizza with extra olives. Tyson flew backward, plowing a trench in the sand. Polyphemus charged after him, but I shouted, "No!" and lunged as far as I could with Riptide. I'd hoped to sting Polyphemus in the back of the thigh, but I managed to leap a little bit higher.
''That's because you're always doing the impossible'' Apollo said, fiddling with some sunglasses that had appeared form nowhere- and gaze straying to the white knuckled grip his uncle had on the chair.
''Not always'' Percy muttered and the snicker Annabeth made against his skin made him shiver.
"Blaaaaah!" Polyphemus bleated just like his sheep, and swung at me with his tree.
I dove, but still got raked across the back by a dozen jagged branches. I was bleeding and bruised and exhausted. The guinea pig inside me wanted to bolt. But I swallowed down my fear.
''Does that ever go away?'' Hermes asked, leaning forward.
''What? The guinea pig?'' the demigod clarified, noticing thee few interested looks hew was getting. The god nodded.
''After a while it just sort of faded into the background, but sometimes I still feel it.''
Polyphemus swung the tree again, but this time I was ready. I grabbed a branch as it passed, ignoring the pain in my hands as I was jerked skyward, and let the Cyclops lift me into the air.
At the top of the arc I let go and fell straight against the giant's face—landing with both feet on his already damaged eye.
''You truly are the best swordsman'' Luke said- much to Percy's surprise.
''I wouldn't say-.''
''Son'' Poseidon said, giving Percy a significant look ''you are.'' Maybe it was the way his father looked at him or even the tone of voice, but Percy found himself without the need to argue.
Polyphemus yowled in pain. Tyson tackled him, pulling him down. I landed next to them— sword in hand, within striking distance of the monster's heart. But I locked eyes with Tyson, and I knew I couldn't do it. It just wasn't right.
''And that'' Artemis spoke up, an odd softness in her eyes as she stared at Percy ''is what makes you a better hero than any that have become before you.''
Percy blushed, ignoring the astonished look Apollo was aiming at his twin and bowed his head ''thank you milady.''
Artemis only smiled, much to Athena's displeasure.
"Let him go," I told Tyson. "Run."
With one last mighty effort, Tyson pushed the cursing older Cyclops away, and we ran for the surf.
"I will smash you.'" Polyphemus yelled, doubling over in pain. His enormous hands cupped over his eye.
Tyson and I plunged into the waves.
"Where are you?" Polyphemus screamed. He picked up his tree club and threw it into the water. It splashed off to our right.
I summoned up a current to carry us, and we started gaining speed. I was beginning to think we might make it to the ship, when Clarisse shouted from the deck, "Yeah, Jackson! In your face, Cyclops!"
Clarisse ran a hand over her face; internally wincing.
Shut up, I wanted to yell.
"Rarrr!" Polyphemus picked up a boulder. He threw it toward the sound of Clarisse's voice, but it fell short, narrowly missing Tyson and me.
"Yeah, yeah!" Clarisse taunted. "You throw like a wimp! Teach you to try marrying me, you idiot!"
''Sorry'' she apologised, ''I didn't realise he would be able to throw that far.''
''It's ok.''
"Clarisse!" I yelled, unable to stand it. "Shut up!"
Too late. Polyphemus threw another boulder, and this time I watched helplessly as it sailed over my head and crashed through the hull of the Queen Anne's Revenge.
You wouldn't believe how fast a ship can sink. The Queen Anne's Revenge creaked and groaned and listed forward like it was going down a playground slide.
I cursed, willing the sea to push us faster, but the ship's masts were already going under.
"Dive!" I told Tyson. And as another rock sailed over our heads, we plunged underwater.
My friends were sinking fast, trying to swim, without luck, in the bubbly trail of the ship's wreckage.
Poseidon sank back into his seat, worry filling him and idly wondering why his son hadn't asked for his help.
Not many people realize that when a ship goes down, it acts like a sinkhole, pulling down everything around it. Clarisse was a strong swimmer, but even she wasn't making any progress. Grover frantically kicked with his hooves. Annabeth was hanging on to the Fleece, which flashed in the water like a wave of new pennies.
Percy tightened his arms around the blonde briefly pressing his face into her hair to remind himself that she was fine, that they were all fine.
I swam toward them, knowing that I might not have the strength to pull my friends out. Worse, pieces of timber were swirling around them; none of my power with water would help if I got whacked on the head by a beam.
We need help, I thought.
Yes. Tyson's voice, loud and clear in my head.
I looked over at him, startled. I'd heard Nereids and other water spirits speak to me underwater before, but it never occurred to me ... Tyson was a son of Poseidon. We could communicate with each other.
''Gods, why are your powers so cool?'' Connor whined and Hermes looked at him mock wounded.
Rainbow, Tyson said.
I nodded, then closed my eyes and concentrated, adding my voice to Tyson's: RAINBOW! We need you!
Immediately, shapes shimmered in the darkness below—three horses with fish tails, galloping upward faster than dolphins. Rainbow and his friends glanced in our direction and seemed to read our thoughts. They whisked into the wreckage, and a moment later burst upward in a cloud of bubbles—Grover, Annabeth, and Clarisse each clinging to the neck of a hippocampus.
''Oh thank gods'' Piper breathed and Apollo laughed.
''You're welcome.''
Rainbow, the largest, had Clarisse. He raced over to us and allowed Tyson to grab hold of his mane. His friend who bore Annabeth did the same for me.
We broke the surface of the water and raced away from Polyphemus's island. Behind us, I could hear the Cyclops roaring in triumph, "I did it! I finally sank Nobody!"
I hoped he never found out he was wrong.
We skimmed across the sea as the island shrank to a dot and then disappeared.
"Did it," Annabeth muttered in exhaustion. "We ..."
She slumped against the neck of the hippocampus and instantly fell asleep.
I didn't know how far the hippocampi could take us. I didn't know where we were going. I just propped up Annabeth so she wouldn't fall off, covered her in the Golden Fleece that we'd been through so much to get, and said a silent prayer of thanks.
Which reminded me ... I still owed the gods a debt.
"You're a genius," I told Annabeth quietly.
''Thanks seaweed brain'' the blonde said, kissing his cheek.
''You're welcome wise girl.''
Then I put my head against the Fleece, and before I knew it, I was asleep, too.
''That's it'' Leo said dramatically, ''who among us will accept the challenge?''
Hades rolled his eyes, plucking the book from the Leo's hand with ease and settling back into his chair.
17. We Get a Surprise on Miami Beach he read.
AN: So that's the end, hope you liked it and please let me know what you think. And like I said feel free to talk to me on tumblr any time if you want to know about updates or anything.
Not many chapters left now..