A/N: PJOBookWorm: There probably isn't even enough space in an A/N to describe how sorry we are for taking more than four months to update without the A/N being longer than this chapter. We're extreme fail updaters and extremely sorry. If you're still reading despite our horrendous updates, thank you so much. We really hope you like this chapter.

Disclaimer: We're not even worthy to own the PJO series.

The Quest for the Golden Fleece

Chapter 6

From my many years at camp, I'd done my fair share of cabin inspections and could usually tell which cabins were naturally clean and which cabins had just scrambled to clean everything. Even if the inspections were every day, the campers would always manage to somehow mess up their cabins in between the time period. Every week when I checked the cabins, the cabins that had to scramble at the last minute to clean everything never looked the same. Well, they'd still have their furniture in the same places, but I could see the campers nervously shifting around in the cabin as if it wasn't theirs, but a hotel.

Before any inspections, the campers there would treat their un-cleaned cabin like a real home, which it was. But after it was cleaned, the cabin would be almost foreign to them, not having the same feel as home. Maybe that was why they were so eager to mess up their cabin again and get back the feeling of a comfortable, lived-in home.

Walking around camp, I suddenly knew how some of the campers felt during the cabin inspections. Camp still had the same scenery: the Big House, the twelve cabins, the strawberry fields, the dining pavilion, the stables, the sword arena, and all that. But it felt different. Not like the camp I had grown up in. And I desperately wanted to do anything to make camp right again.

On a regular day at camp, I always saw scenes that consisted of the Stoll brothers playing pranks on other campers, the Aphrodite girls obsessing over makeup, and Clarisse attempting to beat someone up. I saw half-bloods canoe racing, fighting, and doing all their training, but with enjoyment and excitement.

But as I scanned the grounds, I saw campers hurriedly preparing weapons and running messages. The usual smiles were replaced with grim faces. Even the Stoll brothers, who tried to cheer people up at first, started to frown. The campers weren't doing any training or events, just preparing weapons. The danger in the air and the melancholy attitudes of the campers were tangible.

I took in a sharp breath, hating to see my home like this. It wasn't home anymore. It was... My old home, before I ran away to camp, the one with my shouting stepmom and disappointed dad. I couldn't do anything there. I didn't like it there—not at all. All I did was go to school, come back, complete my measly portion of homework, and do my chores, trying to avoid the monsters attacking all the while. It was a bore of a routine. A routine I never liked. And I didn't like the way camp was, with Thalia's poisoned pine tree and Chiron possibly leaving.

Choking back tears at the last two facts I'd learned, I walked towards the Big House with Percy and Tyson following. Campers who were walking outside didn't welcome us back. They didn't smile at us. They didn't wave. They didn't look up. Only a few campers looked at us, and that was to do a double take at Tyson, which I couldn't blame them for.

Camp Half-Blood like this was so foreign. When I went back to my dad's house last summer, it was foreign to me, too. There was all the furniture I distinctly remembered, but the air was different. Instead of hating the foreign air, I embraced it. My parents were treating me well for once, caring for me.

But here, campers didn't look like they were enjoying camp at all, and they just marched on, hoisting weapons.

Tyson, the unobservant Cyclops, didn't seem to see what state camp was in. As we walked around, he spun his head around his neck, acting like a never-tiring bobblehead. He shot a fusillade of questions at Percy as he fervently studied his surroundings.

"Whasthat!" Tyson squealed, sticking his hand out towards the stables.

"The stables for pegasi," Percy replied. "The winged horses."

"Whasthat!" Tyson gushed, flinging his hand towards the...bathrooms.

"Um … those are the toilets," Percy said, scratching the back of his head.

Wait, had the Cyclops never seen or used a toilet before? I inched a little further away from him.

"Whasthat!" Tyson cried, this time pointing more sensibly at the cabins.

"The cabins for the campers," Percy explained. "If they don't know who your Olympian parent is, they put you in the Hermes cabin—that brown one over there—until you're determined. Then, once they know, they put you in your dad or mom's group."

Tyson stared open-mouthed at the cabins, then turned to Percy with a shine in his eyes. "You…have a cabin?"

"Number three," Percy said, pointing to his cabin.

"You live with friends in the cabin?" Tyson asked—was it hopefully?

I still had my suspicions about who Tyson's god parent was. All those questions Tyson was asking, did that mean he knew who his parent was, too? And that he wanted to learn more? I quickly shook my head to get rid of the thoughts. Even if I was right, there was no way that Tyson would even be claimed...was there?

"No. No, just me," Percy said uncomfortably, not wanting to mention that he technically shouldn't be in that cabin anyway as his birth broke the pact The Big Three made.

What was the aforementioned pact? Well, in the war between the gods and the titans that lasted for ten years, the gods beat Kronos, the evil Titan Lord of Time. His remains, sliced up in pieces, were thrown into the pit of Tartarus. All's well that ends well, right? Except Kronos was lying in Tartarus, slowly regaining power and plotting his revenge on Olympus. In the Great Prophecy, it was stated a half-blood from the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades) would make a big choice in deciding Olympus' future. The gods freaked out and the Big Three made a pact to no longer have demigod children.

But Percy's birth broke the pact.

As we ventured nearer to the Big House, a sinking feeling came to my stomach, remembering Clarisse's words. Impending disaster drew nearer, hitting me like a sledgehammer.

I couldn't imagine Camp Half-Blood without Chiron. After running away from home, Chiron was the first true father figure I ever had. He cared for me and helped me so much; he truly made camp home. I couldn't bear to see him leave... He just couldn't leave. Especially not with the state camp was in. Let's face it: Mr. D wasn't a good leader of camp, and he needed Chiron. And so did everyone else.

We walked through the Big House and into Chiron's apartment, where 60's music was playing. Chiron was inside, packing his bags in his true centaur form, though he could also appear as a human in a wheelchair in the presence of mortals. As he shuffled around his near-empty apartment, I just stared in shock, all reality coming crashing down on me. Chiron was leaving, camp was in danger, Thalia's pine tree was poisoned, Grover was in trouble, and a Cyclops was right next to me.

"Pony!" the aforementioned Cyclops gushed, staring at Chiron in delight.

Chiron bristled. "I beg your pardon?"

Seeing Chiron's face and his brown hair and beard did it in for me. Not being able to hold it in anymore, I ran up and hugged him. "Chiron, what's happening? You're not … leaving?" I asked dolefully.

Instead of answering, Chiron ruffled my hair and smiled at me with that familiar, fatherly smile. "Hello, child. And Percy, my goodness. You've grown over the year!"

Despite Chiron's affable words—really, who was Chiron trying to fool?—Percy also looked upset and worried. He stuttered, "Clarisse said you were… you were…"

"Fired," Chiron finished for Percy, his eyes dark and sarcastic. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned!"

Just hearing someone say out loud that Thalia's pine tree was poisoned sent another set of chills shooting down my spine.

"Mr. D had to punish someone," Chiron said.

"Besides himself, you mean," Percy growled, voicing my thoughts.

My eyes narrowed. Mr. D couldn't even remember my name. Obviously, he'd blame someone who was clearly innocent. How could Chiron have poisoned Thalia's tree? He was the one who had been so concerned for Thalia's safety and had to get her to camp in time. I was pretty sure that while Chiron had been planning Thalia's coming to camp, Mr. D had been sitting there, drinking his Diet Coke and grumbling about wine-withdrawal and being punished and stuck as the director of camp.

"But this is crazy!" I exclaimed. Zeus was crazy to even believe Mr. D (though I would never say that out loud unless being struck by lightning suddenly sounded like an appealing adventure to me). "Chiron, you couldn't have had anything to do with poisoning Thalia's tree!"

"Nevertheless, some in Olympus do not trust me now, under the circumstances," Chiron said, staring off sadly.

"What circumstances?" Percy asked, confused.

Chiron's face darkened and he ignored Percy, instead continuing to pack up his things. "...under the circumstances." Wait. Slowly processing his words, I realized what circumstance Chiron was talking about.

What—just because Chiron was the son of him didn't mean Chiron supported him! One look and anyone could tell that! The Olympians—besides Athena, of course—definitely weren't known for being wise. Chiron would never even hurt a camper. He was not like Kronos.

As we stood in silence watching Chiron pack, Tyson continued to stare at Chiron in awe. "Pony?"

Offended, Chiron turned to Tyson and said, "My dear young Cyclops! I am a centaur."

"Chiron, what about the tree?" Percy asked. "What happened?"

The offended look melted off of Chiron's face, and he sighed and shook his head. "The poison used on Thalia's pine is something from the Underworld, Percy. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."

I tensed, hating to have Thalia's pine tree poisoned. She gave her life to save three lives, and now, someone had poisoned her. Someone deep in Tartarus. Guess which Titan was in the depths of Tartarus, slowly gaining power thanks to Luke?

"Then we know who's responsible!" Percy exclaimed. "Kro—"

"Do not invoke the titan lord's name, Percy. Especially not here, not now," Chiron said.

"But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus! This has to be his idea. He'd get Luke to do it, that traitor."

Luke. He couldn't do it. He would never poison Thalia's tree. He wouldn't. It was Thalia. Our friend. The one who fought alongside him. The one who saved him. He couldn't—wouldn't—do that to Thalia...would he?

"Perhaps. But I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree has only a few weeks of life left unless…" Chiron trailed off, looking thoughtful.

"Unless what?" I asked. I had to help. Not only for camp, but for Thalia, too.

"No," Chiron said, shaking his head as if to banish the idea from his mind. "A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago."

The gears turned in my head and I tried to come up with the item Chiron was talking about. "...magic...lost centuries ago." I ran through a list in my mind. To heal Thalia's pine tree, it would have to be...

"What is it?" Percy asked. "We'll go find it!" He clenched his fist, determined.

...the Golden Fleece.

But where was it now?

Chiron finished packing and turned off his music. When he turned to look at Percy, he had a dour look in his eyes. Placing his hands on Percy's shoulders, Chiron said, "Percy, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told your mother I did not want you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous."

I shifted guiltily, being the one who brought Percy to camp. But camp was in trouble and I wasn't going to fight without Seaweed Brain.

"But now that you are here, stay here," Chiron commanded. "Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave."

"Why? I want to do something!" Percy cried, and I tacitly agreed with him. "I can't just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be—"

"Overrun by monsters," Chiron finished. "Yes, I fear so. But you must not let yourself be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer! He almost took your life."

Percy grimaced, and I could tell that he wanted to do something, as did I.

Last summer when Percy, Grover, and I went on the quest for Zeus' missing master bolt, Kronos planned to drag Percy down to Tartarus, using cursed flying shoes that Luke, the traitor, gave Percy, and kill him. Luckily, the plan failed. But when we came back to camp, Luke, following Kronos, tried again to kill Percy. Percy was weak and would have died if we hadn't found him and Chiron hadn't healed him right then and there.

Remembering last summer made tears surface in my eyes. Before that summer, I had thought that Luke was my friend, my brother, a nice and caring person. He'd helped so much and cared for me so much when I ran away. But then, last summer, he turned to the dark side, siding with Kronos. And now... Now the symbol of Thalia's bravery was fading fast and camp just wasn't camp anymore. And now Grover was in danger and Chiron was leaving. Just like that, I was losing everyone who had taken care of me the most after I ran away.

It seemed too surreal to me, and I tried to blink back my tears. A tear trickled down my cheek and Chiron brushed it away. "Stay with Percy, child. Keep him safe. The prophecy—remember it!"

"I-I will." I stuttered, already running through lines of the prophecy I remembered in my head.

"Um …" Percy said. "Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has me in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell me about?"

I shifted nervously on one foot and looked at Chiron, who also wasn't answering. It was forbidden for Percy to know the Great Prophecy before the time came.

"Right," Percy muttered after a moment of silence, sulking. "Just checking."

It's for your own good, Seaweed Brain. He just needed to train at camp for now. Train at camp... Oh, gods no. A few days before Percy had come to camp, I had had a conversation with Chiron a few days before in which he told me more about his job.

"Chiron …" I said tearfully. "You told me the gods made you immortal only so long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp—"

Chiron cut me off and didn't answer my question. Instead, he said urgently, "Swear you will do your best to keep Percy from danger. Swear upon the River Styx."

Chiron had a look in his eyes that I hadn't seen often in his eyes before: fear. This had to be serious. If someone swore upon the River Styx, that person couldn't break the pact or he or she would be severely punished. Of course I'd do my best to protect Percy. But the River Styx... Swearing upon it was big. I had never done it before.

"I-I swear it upon the River Styx," I stuttered. Thunder boomed outside.

"Very well," Chiron looked a bit more pacified. He adjusted a more upbeat tone in his voice. "Perhaps my name will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I will go to visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved … one way or another."

This was it. Chiron... He was really leaving. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't imagine camp without Chiron, someone who helped me train, took care of me, and listened to me ever since I was little. Tears welled in my eyes and I stifled a sob. Chiron patted my shoulder and said, "There, now, child. I must entrust your safety to Mr. D and the new activities director. We must hope … well, perhaps they won't destroy the camp quite as quickly as I fear."

"Who is this Tantalus guy, anyway?" Percy demanded. "Where does he get off taking your job?"

Tantalus again... The name sounded familiar, and I definitely wasn't getting a good vibe from it.

The conch horn bellowed through the valley, signaling dinner. But right now, I, with tears streaming down my face, wasn't very hungry.

"Go. You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your mother, Percy, and let her know you're safe. No doubt she'll be worried by now. Just remember my warning! You are in grave danger. Do not think for a moment that the titan lord has forgotten you!" Chiron warned.

And before we had a chance to ask Chiron what he meant, he turned and clopped down the halls. Watching him become smaller and smaller before disappearing, I remembered all he had done for me, and more tears dripped down my face.

Tyson cried after Chiron, "Pony! Don't go!"

When Chiron didn't obey Tyson, Tyson burst into tears as well. I stiffened. Why was he crying? Who did he think he was? Sure, my thoughts were childish and petulant, but Tyson didn't even know Chiron.

"I-It'll be okay, guys," Percy said half-heartedly. "Things will be okay."

But judging by his tone, it seemed like even Percy himself didn't believe in what he was saying. I tried to push the nagging voice saying, No, they won't, out of my head, but I couldn't. How could I believe that? Everything was falling to pieces and hope seemed to be a small light far from our reach.

As my gaze lingered on the spot Chiron had disappeared from, my tears splattered to the ground and I wondered what we were going to do now.

A/N: PJOBookWorm: Right now, I'm kind of functioning on only four hours of sleep, so that's good, yeah? Anyway, now that fanfiction's deciding to make a ton of upgrades, we can add a book cover to this story. Does anyone have any suggestions for what to make the book cover? We're open to hear your ideas!

Carameltootsieroll: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed chapter 6! It was kinda emotional, wasn't it? Tell us what you think of it! Please don't forget to click that review button! :)