Chapter three!

Enjoy!

I had not expected this. I had been leaving camp at night, and had already said goodbye to my friends, when I saw someone stab Thalia's pine.

I gave chase, and threw Riptide(Anaklusmos) at the figure. It pinned the man to a nearby tree. The tree's spirit came out, yelling curses in Greek out at me.

"Sorry," I told the wood nymph. She humphed, and I looked at the figure.

"LUKE?"

The blonde son of Hermes grimaced.

"Hey Perce... Uh.. How's it hanging," he said. I growled, and my growl seemed to echo.

No, wait... That's a pack of hellhounds.

Luke saw a chance as I turned, and stabbed me with Riptide, before vanishing with the monsters.

He left a parting sentence.

"The gods are done for, Percy. It's time the Titans came back into power." I stood, ate a bite of ambrosia I carried on me, and checked on Thalia's tree. Other than the dark red sap coming out, the tree looked fine. The dagger used was dry, as if no liquids had touched it for ages.

Two things sucked now that I had left camp.

I couldn't train, and I hadn't talked to anybody in a long time. Thalia and I couldn't talk over such a long distance.

Currently, I was at a school called Meriweather. I'd changed a bit in the last year. My hair was down to my shoulders, still black with auburn tips, and I had a scene tattooed on the side of my head.

It was an owl, clutching a trident, near a moon that was near storm clouds. On the base of my neck, I had a skull with a dagger in it's mouth.

I was wearing a light amount of black eyeliner, and black nailpolish. On my left hand was a ring with a wave theme and an emerald trident inlay.

My birthday gift from dad.

I idly noticed the now empty gym, bar me, a trio of bullies, and a cyclops named Tyson.

Tyson was my friend.

Shut up. I can have a quarter ton of cyclops as a friend if I want.

He followed me home one day, literally.

I heard fire crackling, and looked up, just in time to dodge a flaming metal ball.

"Chill," I said, before forming fifteen icicles, and firing five of them at each monster that had appeared. I missed two, but the one in the back wasn't very bright, and became dust.

A fiery dodgeball hit Tyson, but I knew he'd be fine.

He's a Cyclops. Immune to fire, and all that.

Which is why he threw the bronze fireball back, and both Joe Bob and his companion became a pile of dust.

I looked at the air behind the second monster, and found a faint distortion, or an invisible girl.

"Chase," I said. She took off her cap, and smirked.

"Jackson," she replied, walking up to me.

I smirked back, and leaned down and kissed the shorter girl shortly on the lips.

I was in an open relationship with Chase. Have been since I left camp.

We weren't dating, but we DID do things couples often did. Like kiss, make out, watch films, etcetera.

She and Clarisse and Grover were my friends at Camp. But she was a friend with a few more benefits than a friend.

Then I realized something. Chase was AT MY SCHOOL. Where three monsters had just died, and the blame would be pinned on me, again.

"What the fuck're you doin' here," I asked her, a slight frown on my face.

"Something's happened to Thalia's tree. You gotta come now," she said. I grimaced.

"Damn it.." She looked at me, and I knew she knew I knew something.

"When I left, I caught Luke stabbing the tree. But I checked the dagger! It hadn't been near any liquids in ages! A poison wouldn't have been strong enough to last that long," I told her.

"Just com-Percy, behind you!" She rushed, but I snatched her knife from her hand, and closed it.

"He's harmless. I found him having demigod problems. And when I prayed to dad about it, he Claimed him. I know you don't trust monsters, Pellet Brains, but I trust him. Besides. He's just a baby. We could train him! Pet monsters," I said. Chase sighed, and I flicked an ice cube down her shirt when she turned her head to the side in defiance.

"JACKSON!" I laughed, and grabbed my bag, and stuffed it in my locker, before I ditched school with a Cyclops and an angry partner behind me.

I love camp. It provides me with surprises out the ass.

Last summer? I got attacked by the Minotaur. The horn was in a glass trophy case in my cabin, safe from theft.

This summer? A duo of Colchis Bulls.

The magical borders were down, allowing them in.

"Tyson, stop them," I said. Tyson charged the bronze bulls, and grabbed them by a horn. Fire scorched his clothes, but I knew he was fine.

Then he slammed them together, surprising even me. Their backs hit the gears, and they shredded themselves.

"Somebody from Hephaestus Cabin, lead Tyson to the forges. Tyson, take the metal. You're going to be working with the forges. CAMP, THIS IS TYSON! DON'T JUDGE, BECAUSE SOME OF YOU HAVE A FACE ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE! HE'S A CYCLOPS, AND HE IS OUR FRIEND! I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE MORE PET MONSTERS IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE," I said, yelling the last bit.

Things went smoothly after that. Sometimes, being one of the best was good.

I officially hated this guy.

"Tantalus! Shut up," I snapped. I'd just spent five minutes listening to him complaining, and had decided enough was enough. Tantalus was an asshole from Tartaros, who REALLY should've stayed! Chiron had been exiled from camp because Thalia's Tree was poisoned, and Tantalus was his replacement.

I walked up to him, slammed his face into the Head Table, and froze it there.

"Try licking," Dionysus suggested as I walked off. His tongue stuck to the ice, because I made the ice freeze his saliva glands.

"Mr. D! Control your pet brother," I called out to him, before heading to Athena's cabin, and knocking on the door.

"Yes?" It was one Chase's brothers.

"Can I get a list of items known for healing, and a location, in order of strongest at the top to weakest at the bottom," I asked. The boy nodded.

"I'll have it by tonight. Greek or English?"

"Greek. How much?"

"Ten." I handed the boy ten drachmae. Grover, Chase, and I split the loot from last summer as equally as we could. So we each got 300D.

I nodded at him, and went to my cabin.

Clarisse was waiting by the door.

"Come in," I said, stepping aside once I was inside:

"Why the Tartaros did you let a gods damned CYCLOPS follow you here, Jackson?"

"He's a demi-monster. Half god, half cyclops. Personally, Dad must have been on some serious shit when he met his momma." Clarisse went into a rant, and this went on for a while.

Now. I have morals. I won't hit a girl unless she's trying to kill me. Rants not included.

So I did the next best thing.

I shut my friend up...

By planting a kiss on her lips. My heart sped up, and I felt a little different than when I kissed Chase. Like, warm and fuzzy different.

"Claire? Shut up," I said. She was dazed and punched me in the gut. I doubled over.

"Asshole," she said. I smirked, and straightened. It hurt, but not as much as she thought.

"You were ram-" She reversed the tables, and shut ME up with a kiss.

And then Chase walked in.

"Huh. Moving fast, Jackson," she said, kicking the door shut behind her.

"She was ranting. I can't hit her for ranting. Only when we're training," I said.

"Wait, you two-," Clarisse asked.

"Friends with minimal benefits," was Chase's short reply.

"You care, and you know it," I shot at her. She smiled, and I relaxed, and sat on my couch.

"And YOU are just a big softie," she retorted, planting a kiss on my lips.

This was us. I wouldn't change it for the world.

"I had one of your brothers begin writing a list of healing items. I'm really just going to pick the strongest one, and ask Dionysus to issue a quest. Hell. Claire here could lead it, but I'll be damned if I let my summer home get fucked up by an asshole with daddy issues." Chase glared at me, and I sighed.

"Our opinions differ. I haven't known Castellan anywhere NEAR as long as you have, Chase," I told her.

Clarisse looked at me oddly, before spotting the ink on my skin.

"You have a tattoo, Sawdust," she said bluntly.

"I have a fair few." I pulled the collar of my shirt down to show her the skull and dagger. She nodded appreciatively.

"Any others?" I smirked at her.

"What an odd to ask me to take my shirt off, Claire." She blushed, much to Chase's amusement.

"But no, I don't have anymore. Mom didn't agree to these until I told her I was honoring the gods so I could stay alive a little longer." We stayed in my cabin, talking for a while, when a rock hit my window.

I looked out the cabin window to see Tantalus and Chase's brother coming towards us. It was sundown, and I think Tantalus was angry.

"JACKSON! GET OUT HERE," Tantalus yelled.

I sighed.

"Marcus, you got the list," I asked, ignoring Tantalus. He nodded, and I took it when he offered it. Tantalus snatched it from me, but I saw the top line already.

Golden Fleece, Sea of Monsters.

With the cyclops that the Odysseus guy killed.

"Tantalus, piss off, before I hurt you," I said, taking the list back, and shoving him to the ground.

Gods, that man needed some food. Such a shame he CAN'T GET ANY! Zing!

I felt smug at that juvenile inside joke, so I just HAD to say it.

"Tantalus, you're much too thin. You should eat more. Oh wait. FOOD AVOIDS YOUR UGLY ASS, YOU COCK SUCKER!" Satisfied, I walked back to my cabin, and closed the door.

"Hey. Who's up for a trip to the Sea of Monsters," I said to the girls, as I held up the list.

I had a weird as all Hades dream that night.

Grover was in Miami, and was being chased by a blind cyclops. Where did he hide? A wedding store.

When the cyclops grabbed him, Grover panicked, and took a page from my book: Lie like a motherfucker.

"Wait! I'm not a Satyr, I'm a female cyclops! I'm wearing Goat Perfume," he said. I facepalmed.

Lamest lie EVER! Of all time.

The cyclops sniffed Grover. Or rather, his own hand just above Grover.

"You tiny."

"I was cursed by a goddess. Now I'm stuck in a small body."

The blind and apparently super stupid cyclops believed him.

"You come, and be wife. We have big feast, and wed!" Grover was carried off, and looked DIRECTLY AT ME.

Help, he mouthed. I nodded, and the dream faded.

I woke up, sometime around midnight, so I looked up to the moon, and began to pray.

"Lady Artemis, my friend, Grover, is a Satyr trying to find Pan. I just had a dream he was kidnapped by a blind cyclops, and I feel like I need to go and help him. I know Dionysus won't sanction a quest, so will you? I'll toss in any spoil I find, barring the Fleece if I get there before Clarisse, and another favor." I hope this works, I thought to myself.

The moon twinkled, and Lady Artemis' voice was in my head.

'I sanction Perseus Jackson and two companions to go on a quest to save Grover Underwood. And I'll hold you that, Perseus Jackson.' I bowed my head to the moon, and jumped off my roof, before packing myself a bag of things, and knicking a fair amount of nectar and ambrosia from the camp shop, leaving fifty drachmae on the counter.

Tyson was sleeping in the forges when I found him.

"Tyson, wake up buddy. We're going to go save a friend of mine," I said quietly, as I shook him. He opened his eye.

"Big brother? We go save big brother friend," he said. I nodded.

"Let's get Chase, and we'll be on our way."

Stealth and Cyclops are non-compatible items, I learned. He was large, and loud.

But we managed to get Chase, and we were leaving when Dionysus stopped us as we passed the Big House.

"And WHERE are you off to, Jackson, Chase," he said.

"Lady Artemis sanctioned us a quest. Look, I need you to sanction a quest for Clarisse tomorrow at breakfast. We can save the camp, you get the glory for thinking of the idea, and Ares can get glory for his daughter leading a quest. Think about. Your dad might even shorten your punishment," I said.

Mr. D looked thoughtful, and nodded.

"Where to, and why?"

"The Sea of Monsters, to reclaim the Golden Fleece," I said. Dionysus gave me a deadpan look.

"I'm going to the same island, to save a friend from being married to a cyclops. I'll be near enough water that I can assist in getting them to the island safe enough, and back, should I survive."

"Very well.. Do not claim credit, and I'll let you go." I nodded.

"I, Camp Director Dionysus, expel Perseus Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Tyson from Camp Half-Blood until such a time they return, after they complete their quest."

And then we were sent to the outside of the camp, where Chase said a sentence in Greek, and a taxi appeared, with three old lady sisters in the front.

"Get in," they said, and we did so.

"Miami," I told the driver.

"Long Distance. Just how we like it," she said.

After a while, we got dumped in Daytona, because all I had was a Lotus Casino Card. The Grey Sisters, unfortunately, didn't accept credit.

"I hope you have a car crash," I said as they kicked us out. I sighed, and looked at the beach, and saw a man trying to fix his boat.

"Guys, come on. There's a shock at the docks," I said.

My companions followed me, and I approached the man. He was tall, blonde, and had short hair. Blue eyes were focused intently on the boat.

"You have something caught in the far left propeller, and the engine doesn't have enough fuel to start," I said to him.

"Thanks, Percy. Care to swim down and get it out while I refuel," he asked. I nodded, and jumped in the water.

As I looked on the propellers, I found a backpack strap caught in it.

I took it in my hands, and tugged it free. The bag came loose without too much of a fight.

I came back up to the surface as soon as I could. The fish were starting to pester me with their rambling.

"Thanks. You'll want to keep what's inside. Hey, while you're here, you might want to go visit that yacht," the man said.

"I'll try, Lord Hermes. If it's too late, I'll do what I can to stop Kronos from killing him," I told him. He smiled softly.

"Thank you, Percy. I'll see you at the end of the week." Then he vanished.

"Chase, Tyson, that was Hermes. Guess who's on that Yacht?"

The yacht wasn't my best idea, in retrospect. I was now sitting in a brig, with Chase and Tyson across from me.

"Chase! Get the bag." I sat in a sieza position, and began to literally rock the boat.

My iPod went on full blast, and I blared a Five Finger Death Punch song, Mama Said Knock You Out.

The first head bang lurched the boat in time with my head.

And then a splash I barely didn't hear, and a commotion as loud as my music.

Riptide appeared in my pocket, and I freed myself.

Idiots forgot to add any godly metals to the bars.

Doing the same with Chase and Tyson, we immediately ran up the stairs, while I pulled out a red thermos. It had a label on it.

"Caution: Four Winds. Huh."

A slow hand clap made us turn. An icicle was in my hands in an instant.

"Congratulations on making it out, demigods. I admit. That was a clever trick, Perseus Jackson. It's unfortunate I had begun to possess Castellan this week." I saw Luke, and grimaced.

His hair and eye were bright golden. He spoke in an ancient voice, and his own was an undertone.

"Grandfather," I said. And then the battle began.

Six icicles flew to him, but melted as he reversed the time around them.

Well, now he was covered in water.

I threw my hands out, and forced all the water I could to shoot a giant fist into the sky.

"You missed," he said, as it came back down a few tens of feet from the boat.

I smirked, and forced the giant waves to come to us faster, hiding ice blades inside it.

The wave wrecked the ship.

I felt myself get thrown into the water, and sighed.

"Hey, Kronos! You, sir, are dumber than before," I yelled. He looked at me, and realized what had happened.

I saw Tyson shoving a golden coffin onto a a group of monsters, and my eyes met his eye.

"You have two sons of Poseidon in the middle of the sea!" The water supported me, as I stood on it. A column collected around my feet, as I focussed on my newest ability.

My dad is the storm bringer. My uncle wanted this guy dead.

A hurricane formed above me, and I froze the rain. Hail and wind pelted the boat, and the ocean swallowed it whole, after a bolt of lightning made it explode.

A film of gold dust covered a small boat, with much more blanketing the ocean, and I saw Chase and Tyson in it.

"Go on ahead. I'll follow, and help us get there faster," I said, as I swam to them, and grabbed the side of the boat.

I was in the water. I felt like I could do anything.

We'd ran into Clarisse the day after that.

"You've been busy, Blade," she said, as I was pulled out of the water, and onto the battleship.

"Fuck... You... Claire..." I passed out, on a wooden deck, surrounded by skeletons.

"Get Percy up! Tyson, get the engines fixed! Fire starboard cannons!" A loud boom shook me awake, and I shot out of the bed I was in, rushing outside as fast as I could.

A giant snake head fell below the waters, into a giant whirlpool.

"Charybdis," I said. I did something insane next, and took a running leap off the ship, and over the whirlpool.

Or, that was what I wanted to happen. Would've looked cool as shit..

But instead, I ran, and jumped, and was buffeted forward my a splash as another snake head whacked me from behind.

As I hit the water, I realized I had just done something three times as stupid as I had thought it was. I was wet, and sinking.

I wasn't in the territory of Poseidon anymore. I was on Oceanus' turf.

I lifted the water around the ship, and got it over Charybdis. But a current pushed it, and the propellors ripped off.

"Lord Oceanus, you know Kronos will lose this war," I murmured to the water as the battleship exploded.

The sea shook in laughter, and a current pulled me further under the waves.

"Kronos was always fated to lose, son of Poseidon. However, I am entitled to my own war, against Poseidon," the sea spoke. I saw a man form in front of me, with a merman's tail, and deep blue scales. His eyes and hair were the same, the deepest ocean blue I'd ever seen, and his skin was tan, like mine. A deep blue goatee was on his face. He was holding a trident, which I found ironic.

"A trident. What is it with us water boys, and our tridents," I asked myself.

"I wielded it long before your father and you, and my grandson, Triton." Oceanys charged me, and I was grateful I could still breathe underwater.

Because I panicked like a squirrel who'd lost all the nuts he'd collected for the winter.

Cut!

I'll be working hard on this one. It was so close to being done before Remus left, and I intend to finish at least the first half of the Percy Jackson books.

No guarantee with the Romans...