Chapter 2 POV Percy:
All that Glitters is a Golden Blanket
Disclaimer: I own only my own characters, but I wish I were amazing enough to own the Percy Jackson Universe.
Percy liked water, but even this was a bit too much. Water flooded the strawberry hills, lapping at the entrances of the cabins and white-capped waves could be seen in the dining pavilion. Water ran in a thousand different little streams as though the earth was crying. As Percy and Annabeth crested the hill up to Thalia's Pine Tree he saw what looked like a drowning camp. Rain still fell heavily, but even they could see what was missing. Pelus the Dragon was missing and so was the Golden Fleece. The branch in which the fleece was usually hung had been crack off leaving a bleeding dent in the tree. Sticky yellow sap ran down the trunk mixing with the rain water. A pained look crossed Annabeth's face. Percy knew how much the tree meant to her. It was a symbol of how she had gotten to camp with Thalia and Luke. Thalia had sacrificed herself to get her and Luke to safety. Thalia's father, Zeus, had turned her into a pine tree which protected the borders of the camp. Thalia was now a Hunter of Artemis, but her tree was still special. Both the fleece and Thalia's tree protected the boundaries of the camp from monster attacks and storms. Clearly that was not the case.
"Annabeth, we'll get the fleece back and the tree will heal."
Annabeth shot him a grateful look. "Thanks Percy. Now let's go help the campers.
Campers ran and slipped as they dashed to bail water out of their cabins and barricade more from coming in. Demeter's kids were growing thick underbrush around their cabin. Katie Gardener was making huge rain forest like leaves sprout out of the roof to redirect the water as far away from their cabin as possible. The leaves seemed to work like a drainage system. Annabeth dashed over to give leaf-architecture tips to Katie, suggesting the best way to move water away from her cabin. Percy left her to it and went over to his own cabin, which amazingly, was completely dry. Water flowed around the cabin as though hitting a waterproof shield. "Thanks dad," Percy murmured and turned to help with other cabins.
The other cabins didn't look like cabins anymore. They looked like miniature failed Noah's Arks. Percy went over to the cabin with the most trouble. Their Barbie doll style house was not very stable and the wood seemed to sway in the current forming around the house. Piper, the head counselor of the Aphrodite cabin was trying her best to rally her siblings. So far she was having little success as they mostly just screamed, clutching at their ruined hair, or held Gucci shoes about their heads. Michael and Lacy were trying their best to bail water with trash cans. Percy came over to help them, using his powers to try and divert the water around their cabin. Piper saw him and gave him a thumbs up. She waded toward him. Lipsticks of all shades, socks, and sparkly hair ties drifted around them. "Good to see you. Did you see the baby in the sky?"
"Yeah, Annabeth and I got some information that may help us figure out what in Hades is going on." Together they began to wade into the Aphrodite cabin. Percy trying his best to hold back the water. The pull in his gut was starting to build as he used his powers.
"Great, but for now let's focus on trying to save camp." Piper stuffed some shirts under the windows to try to keep more water from coming in.
Percy scrambled to find a solution that did not involve using his powers to push back all the water in camp. He had gotten really good at using his water powers. Much, much better as he could now drive to the beach by himself to practice, but even this much water was too much for him to control. Too many things were happening and there was something slightly foreign about it. As though the water falling from the sky, flooding the canoe lake and creeks was not under the gods' control. The roof groaned under the weight of all the rain that had collected at the top. If they didn't find solution soon, the whole place would collapse. The Aphrodite cabin was built to look pretty, not sturdy. Piper grabbed more shirts out of the trunks. Percy had only ever been in the Aphrodite cabin once, but it still astonished him how much junk the Aphrodite kids had. There was so many clothes, jewelry, posters of the latest hot actor, and baskets of perfume and makeup. Surely there was something here that could help them. No, not something, everything. An idea worthy of Annabeth popped into his head. If he could push all the water into a new current that ran in front, and down alongside the house in a 45-degree angle, then they could save the cabin. They would need get all this stuff together to form a barrier. He motioned Piper over and described his plan.
Piper turned to her siblings still running around with shoes over their heads. "Alright people. Grab the biggest, heaviest stuff you own. We need to make a barrier to save our cabin."
Her siblings stopped and stared at her in horror. "Our stuff?" Valentina said as though she had misheard.
"Of course how else are we going make a barrier?" Piper said grabbing a framed picture of her father, Tristan McLean posing as a Spartan warrior and tossed it toward the door. It fell with a heavy thud. "It's the only way to keep the water away from us and keep our cabin from completely flooding." Water started to creep up the steps of the cabin. Pressure started to build up in Percy's stomach to an almost painful level. Soon he would lose control and water would start to flood the rooms.
Lucy ditched her trash can and began to gather up her own things to help with the barricade. She and Michael had really started to support Piper after the Giant War. Drew on the other hand had still not changed her attitude. "My stuff is not going outside to get filthy. You may not care, McLean, but I have standards."
Piper narrowed her eyes. Since Percy had Annabeth to compare her to, he usually though Piper didn't look very scary. But the look in Piper's multicolored eyes now would have made Athena pause for a second. Drew shrunk back slightly. When Piper spoke, there was no trace of malice, but a sickeningly cheerful tone that was much creeper. "Then Drew, darling, you and everyone else will be sleep outside, because this cabin will collapse if you don't help. The water will flood the cabin and all your stuff will get wet anyway, and then I will personally down you in the creek."
Drew pulled a face then started getting out her chest of clothes out. Piper turned to the rest of her siblings. "Let's get going. The barricade won't make itself."
A girl Percy didn't recognize with hair and skin so pale she looked like a Luna Lovegood, muttered a prayer and pointed at her clothes which instantly became six times larger and inlaid with heavy stones.
"Brilliant idea Hanna! That will really add to the weight of the barricade. Everyone, make your clothes bigger and heavier. Let's show everyone how powerful the children of Aphrodite are with clothes," Piper shouted excitedly.
The barrier was coming out really well. Surprisingly the Aphrodite kids were good at working together when threatened with the idea of sleeping outdoors. Water lapped at the barrier and some of it got through, but most of it was diverted around the cabin. Piper looked at him impressed. Percy shrugged. He guessed Annabeth was rubbing off on him. As much as he dozed off during one of her lectures, some of her facts and strategical analysis had stuck with him. Percy turned to see who else needed his help when he spotted Chiron galloping over to him. His pelt was soaking and there was an air of weariness that he had seen during the wars.
"Percy, it's good to see you. Follow me if you please." Percy hurried after the centaur. His feet slipped a little in the mud. This was the longest storm the baby had created so far. His shoe was so caked in mud and soaked through, he feared he may have to throw them away. As they went Chiron updated him on the camp. Apparently the storms have been appearing within the borders since last week. Never as much as this but still a cause for concern. Usually not even weather was allowed in without permission from the camp director.
"Where is Mr. D?"
"He and Hermes have been sent to aid Apollo on his trip across the sky. Strange monsters and wind spirits have been attacking him."
"Like the green baby?" Percy asked, they had entered the forest.
Chiron sighed, "Yes, about that. Neither I nor Dionysus knows what that is. Dionysus has asked his father Zeus, but he has refused to speak on that matter.
Percy opened his mouth to something about that matter, when a figure hurtled out of the air and shoved him backwards. As he fell backwards into the swollen creek he caught sight of a buff girl with messy brown hair. She was holding her electric spear Maimer 2.0, or Laimer x2, as the campers call it behind her back. A scowl etched her face, but since she didn't try to impale him he figured she was secretly happy to see him.
Percy got up and realized that he was completely dry. The creek water was still under the gods control. However, he was starting to get wet again as the rain continued to come down. The tree offered some relief, but the they were swaying dangerously as the wind blew and the water loosened the earth. "What's up Clarisse?" He said cheerfully.
"Jackson, it's about time you got your butt down here. Where have you been this past week?"
"Trying to live a normal life."
Clarisse snorted. "Good luck with that Son of the Sea God." She turned to Chiron, "Have you updated him yet?"
Chiron shook his head, "Not fully. Why don't you show him the way and I'll meet you at the Big House when you are done?"
"If he can get it done," Clarisse said angrily. "We've tried almost everything."
"You'll figure something out. In the meantime, I need to check on Rachel." Chiron galloped away.
"What's happened to Rachel?" Percy asked as Clarisse started marching down the path alongside the creek.
Clarisse grimaced. "She was attacked four nights ago. Nobody saw who or what did it. She is still recovering. But you'll see her soon enough. She is stationed at the Big House. Apollo has been to see her but he was unable to do anything. Apollo and the Apollo cabin have been even more useless than usual. Somehow their powers have been weakened. Not that a bow and arrow have ever been real weapons." She hefted her spear proudly.
"Right...so why are we in theses woods?"
"You must have seen it as you came up the hill. The Golden Fleece isn't with Peleus."
"It's lost?!"
Clarisse pointed to a familiar looking clearing. It was the same clearing where he had broken Clarisse's first spear back when he first been to camp. The place where he had been claimed as Poseidon's son. "This is where are broke your spear, " Percy said without thinking.
Clarisse's scowl deepened and she jabbed at Percy with her spear. He dodged easily. "Watch it Jackson. I hear people can still live without a kidney."
Percy grinned. "Alright, so what are we doing here if not to relive fond memories?"
"Look over there, stupid." She pointed to a spot in the creek that was way deeper than he remembered. It was as though a pit had been put in the middle of the creek and then a couple of whirlpools placed around the pit. Wires, shovels, string, fishing hooks, and even a few broken construction cranes were on the banks of the creek or in the whirlpools. Percy was pretty sure the naiads were not going to be happy about all that litter.
"What's all that for?"
Percy saw Clarisse roll her eyes as if she couldn't believe how slow he was. "The Fleece is in there. We've been trying to get it out of the pit of days. The pit isn't very deep, but every time we go near it the whirlpools sweep everything away. We nearly lost Malcolm and Kayla in them. Luckily they are good swimmers and the naiads were able to help pull them to shore."
"Wait how long has it been raining?"
"Four days. Ever since that stupid brat in the sky spat at the Thalia's tree and snapped off the branch holding the fleece."
Percy stared at her. "Spat?
"Yeah, it's spit is like acid. But it must take a lot of work to make because the rest of the tree was fine and the baby hasn't spit since."
"So I guess you've brought me here to get the fleece for you?" Percy looked at the filthy swirling water. He had swum in worse. The River Styx had been boiling and filled with the broken dreams of dead mortals. The River Cocytus had been filled with the tortured souls of the damned. However, he had no desire to swim in another swirling garbage patch.
Clarisse grinned at him. All of her teeth glittering in the gloom like a shark's. "Have fun Kelp Head."
"So why are you here? I'm guessing you're not to help me." Percy had a sneaking suspicion that she was only there to watch him get gutted by half a dozen fishing hooks.
"The TV in the Ares Cabin is full of water. This is the next best thing. Now get going." Clarisse looked way too pleased with this arrangement for Percy's liking.
"Once again used for someone's amusement," Percy grumbled. He walked carefully to the edge of the swollen creek. He peered down at the rushing water. He could feel the conflict in the water, one side fighting for the protection of the camp, the other for its destruction. It made his skin itch uncomfortably. "Father, protect me," Percy prayed and jumped into the creek.
If feeling the conflict from land was uncomfortable, it was nothing like being in the conflict. The waters raged around him in confusing currents. It took nearly all of his mental strength to keep dry. Usually when he was in his father's element he could stay dry without thinking about it. Not this time. His gut started to tighten again, as it always did when he had to draw on his powers. He scanned the murky water for the pit. It wasn't hard. The current around the pit was monstrous. Water was sucked into the pit and spat back out. The currents licked around edge of the pit, smashing against one another. There were also the most dangerous objects around the pit. Swords, spears, hooks, parts of heavy machinery were either floating in the water or embedded in the creek bottom or stuck out of the edges of the pit. Percy swam carefully, trying his best not to get impaled. The closer he got to the pit, the harder it became to move. Suddenly the water began to push against him trying to force him away. He put his hands out in front of him and imagined the water was curtain he just had to part. The creek obeyed, the currents changed to flow around him. As he approached the pit he could see that it was narrow, only about six feet across. Percy uncapped Riptide. A bronze glow filled the murky water as Riptide expanded from a pen to a large bronze sword. Holding the sword out in front of him he dove into the pit.
It was unnaturally dark in the pit. Only the bronze glow of his sword illuminated the way. He saw bits of wood stuck to the sides of the pit. Glass and other sharp objects poked out toward him as he swam down. About ten feet down the Golden Fleece glittered, surrounded by hooks and fishing lines. Percy cut some of the debris out of the way, sinking slowing to the bottom. It was so quiet compared to the raging storm above. He could still hear the swish of the currents fighting each other over him. But the water around him was eerily calm as he inched closer to the fleece. He stretched out his hand to grab the fleece. Immediately he knew something was wrong as his hand broke through several string-like obstacles. Fishing Lines that had been drifting harmlessly around him suddenly were wrapped around his arms, legs, torso, and throat, tying him to the walls of the pit. Thin jets of water rushed to protect him, trying to shove the lines away, but there were too many. Percy lay suspended, stretched out in the water, facing the Golden fleece only inches away. The fishing lines began to cut into his skin. Percy thrashed and the lines sank deeper into him. In the dim light of his sword he could see the red circles on his skin appearing. Taking deep breaths, Percy forced himself to calm down. Think. Think, think, think, you've been in worse situations. At least you can breathe underwater and can withstand pressure. This was a job only he could do, anyone else would have drowned. However, if he didn't get out of here soon, the fishing lines were going to cut off his limbs. He looked at Riptide in his hand. He knew he couldn't swing the sword; his arm was still attached to the wall. If he couldn't swing the sword maybe something else could. Percy dropped his sword. Using his mind, he directed the water to push and pull the sword toward the fishing lines to cut them.
It was slow boring work, taking up too much time. As he worked, one half of his brain worked on cutting the lines, and the other half on camp. He hoped that Camp Half-Blood wasn't underwater by the time he got back. He wondered how Annabeth was doing, and if she was as hungry as he was right now.
Finally, he was done. He felt proud that he hadn't cut himself in half with his own sword. He cut through the rest of the lines around the fleece and swum up to the surface. As soon as he broke the surface the fleece began to work its magic and the waters calmed. The clouds cleared and sun began to shine. The water around Percy welcomed him, healing his cuts and bruises.
He walked over to where Clarisse stood looking worried. "Miss me?"
She scowled at him, "No. But Annabeth just came over." Judging from her tone, Percy guessed that his girlfriend hadn't come over to see how he was doing. "She told me that once you rehang the fleece, you need get to the Big House as soon as possible."
Reader:
The Cat Boss (Guest): Thanks for your review! I wish I could do something like what you suggested, but alas I am basing this off a real Greek myth where there is a set number of eggs (hatchlings of Hera's).