I do not own, that would be Rick Riordan.
It has been almost six months since I have updated. I had a great holiday but had become unmotivated to write. I would open my story document planning to write but would be easily distracted and writers block hit.
This chapter is dedicated to my heart- if it was normal and not complicated I wouldn't be home on rest after surgery to repair/ replace a lead for my defibrillator. Expect another chapter soon.
I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, liked and followed this and my other stories as that has pushed me to get back into the story.
Chapter 28- Scoops Poop.
"All horses fawn over my Percy," said Poseidon, "It should be easy for him."
"It should have been but these horses didn't care that my father had created their species," replied Percy.
"What?" exclaimed Poseidon looking some what offended.
"They wanted us to both enter their stables so they could eat us," explained Percy.
"SEA FOOD," shouted Connor before cowering in his seat when he noticed the stormy look on Poseidon's face.
"Connor thinks like fresh-eating horses," said Percy with a laugh.
"Thanks Percy, we now have a new nickname for you," said Thalia with a grin.
"The field didn't smell any better the closer I got and flies swarmed around everywhere in the heat," said Percy ignoring Thalia and hoping everyone would forget the name.
"So glad it was you and not me," said Chris, "I hate cleaning the stables at camp."
"It is amazing how often the Hermes Campers are put on stable duty," said Will.
"Well if they stop causing trouble they wouldn't be punished," said Dionysus.
"We wouldn't be on stable duty if people would stop being CAUGHT," whispered Chris to the Stoll brothers but was heard by Rachael, Clarisse, Thalia and Will.
"I knew I could do the challenge," said Percy.
"Hercules did it, so you thought you could do it," said Hera offhandedly.
"Hercules used the river to clean out the stables. I am a son of Poseidon, I have control over water. I didn't think it would be as difficult as it was," said Percy.
"You weren't strong enough kid?" said Ares.
"What I didn't realise was how far the river was from the stables, about a kilometre and down hill," said Percy.
"Not too easy but, hopefully do able," said Hestia.
"I walked down to the river and waiting there was a girl. She had long brown hair braided with river grass. She had her arms crossed and looked stern," Percy informed the group.
"Who is she?" asked Katie.
"Sounds like a naiad," replied Demeter.
"The naiad told me NO. There was no way she was going to have her river used to clean the filthy stables again," said Percy.
"I would have imagined that she would happily help a son of Poseidon," said Hera looking surprised.
"Not this one. She said all we ocean god types thought ourselves so much more important than some little river but SHE wasn't going to be pushed around just because my Dad is Poseidon," said Percy.
"I have great respect for this naiad," said Athena as Poseidon sighed
"Freshwater territory- I really need to work on that relationship," he said.
"Hang on she cleaned out the stables for Hercules," exclaimed Thalia thinking that any alliances would be with the sea than the sky.
"Hercules was better looking than Percy," said Aphrodite.
"Don't worry, she said that it was the worst mistake she had ever made, to be convinced to do the cleaning favour for him," Percy informed the group.
"I can imagine that cleaning the stables turned the river into a sewage treatment plant. Pollution is not good for the river's ecosystem, tons of horse manure will kill the fish and cause havoc with the plants," said Rachael beginning a rant that all the demi-gods had heard.
"The naiad actually reminded me at the time about you, I think it was by the she talked," said Percy.
"Maybe we could introduce Rachel and this naiad to each other," said Katie.
"We introduced her to that nymph in Central Park," said Thalia.
"Apparently Rachel and the nymph talked for ages," said Connor.
"It wasn't that long. Who told you that information?" asked Rachel.
"Nico," admitted Connor.
"Who was at this meeting?" asked Demeter.
"It was Percy, Thalia and Nico," said Rachel.
"How did you, get invited to one of their family get togethers?" asked Annabeth a bit of jealousy showing. She had to beg both her boyfriend and Thalia to be included, and it wasn't often she was included.
"Family get togethers?" questioned Hera.
"Yes but it always ends up in some disaster," dobbed Will.
"It does not," shouted Nico, Thalia and Percy.
"You flooded a street last time you met up," pointed out Annabeth.
"Only to put out the fire that Thalia started with a lightning strike," said Percy in defence.
"It wasn't my fault… and it hid the crater Nico caused in the middle of the road," retorted Thalia as the demi-gods started laughing.
"So why did you put a crater in the middle of the road?" asked Hades looking down at his son. Nico thought for a minute then shrugged. "Don't know," he admitted.
"At least that time none of them ended up in the infirmary," said Will.
"So what did you and the nymph talk about?" asked Katie to Rachel.
"Her foliage, the trash problem and the rumour she had heard about redevelopment of the park," replied Rachel.
"They talked for hours and hours," exclaimed Nico.
"They talked for half an hour," said Percy.
"And you complained the whole time," said Thalia.
"I did not," said Nico.
"He was hungry and tired," said Percy "he had just shadow travelled from … Washington."
"At least it wasn't China," grumbled Nico.
"If it had been you would have been asleep," said Percy.
"That would have been better… none of his whining," pointed out Thalia as Rachel agreed.
"I think we should get back to the story," said Hestia quietly noting the pout developing on Nico's face.
"The naiad was ready for a fight, but despite her angry attitude I realised she was afraid of me," said Percy.
"Why would anyone be afraid of you?" scoffed Ares.
"She probably thought you would fight her for control of the river," said Athena.
"And that thought made me feel like a bully- a son of Poseidon throwing his weight around," said Percy.
"Which means he didn't fight her for control," said Clarisse with a sigh.
"What no fight? There is not enough fighting in this story," exclaimed Ares.
"There is plenty of fighting in this story," declared Hestia glaring at Ares who gulped knowing better than to retort.
"There is too much fighting in our stories," said Annabeth and all the demi-gods nodded in agreement.
"How did you clean the stables if you couldn't use the river?" asked Poseidon in wonderment, Athena was also interested in knowing.
"My friends were in danger and after explaining the situation, I admitted to the naiad that I didn't know what to do," said Percy.
"You keep referring to her as the naiad, didn't you ask for her name?" asked Demeter. Percy responded with a shake of his head but looked guilty.
"She told me to scoop up some dirt. When I looked at the handful there were tiny clumps of white rocks… shells, petrified shells," said Percy.
"What are shells doing in the middle of Texas?" asked Will.
"Millions of years ago, when only Gaea and Ouranos reigned that part of land was under water," explained Athena.
"There were seashell impressions in the limestone around us. The naiad stepped back into the water informing me that I was no different from her, that even when she was out of the water it was still within her, it was her life source," said Percy. "She then wished me luck with saving my friends and melted back into the water."
"How is water a life source?" asked Zeus "Air and oxygen are more important."
"Water makes up a large amount of the human body," said Will.
"Before another fight starts, can we see how Percy cleans the stable?" asked Hera.
"When I got back to the stables, someone had been and fed the horses as they were tearing into animal carcasses," said Percy.
"I thought the description of the stables before was bad, that mental image makes it even more disgusting," said Rachel.
"I looked at the handful of calcified sea shells in my hand and at the huge pile of dung in front of me; in frustration I threw the shells into the poop. I heard a sound like a balloon with a leak," said Percy. "Where I had thrown the shell a tiny spout of water was shooting out of the muck,"
"No way," said Zeus.
"I hesitantly told the waterspout to get bigger, and water shot a meter into the air and kept bubbling," said Percy.
"You created a waterspout in the middle of a Texas ranch," said Athena.
"It was a salt water waterspout," said Percy "I didn't really know what I was doing, but, I just pulled more of the shell fossils out of the dirt and ran around the stables throwing them into dung piles. Everywhere a shell landed a saltwater spring erupted."
"How did the horses react?" asked Connor.
"They wanted me to stop, as meat was good, baths were bad," said Percy.
"So the water washed down the hill to the river," said Rachel.
"No it wasn't washing out of the stables or flowing downhill, it simply bubbled around each spring and sank into the ground, taking the dung with it," said Percy.
"Wow," said the demi-gods.
"There was a tugging sensation in my gut and the waterspouts exploded into the world largest car wash. The water shot six meters into the air, and the horses were sprayed with water from all directions. The mountains of poop melted like ice into the ground," said Percy.
"Wow," said the gods and goddesses looking at Percy in awe.
"The tugging sensation became more intense, painful even, but it was exhilarating, seeing all the water and knowing I was the cause. The water was sloshing everywhere, the horses were drenched and panicked and slipping over in the mud that had replaced the poop. The water was beginning to pool and make its way down the hill towards the river," explained Percy.
"You have to stop it, it can't go into the river," said Poseidon.
"The feeling in my gut was building but nothing happened first, I concentrated all my might into shutting off the force of the sea. I collapsed to my knees exhausted as that geysers shut down," replied Percy.
"Wow, he is strong," said Apollo to Hermes quietly.
"In front of me was a shiny clean horses stables, a field of wet salty mud and fifty horses that had been scoured so thoroughly that their coats gleamed," said Percy "They promised they wouldn't eat me if I gave them no more salty baths."
"No more baths and they wouldn't eat you, good deal," said Chris.
"That was a good deal, but I made a better deal than that. The horses promised they would only eat the food their handlers gave them from that moment on, no people. Otherwise, I threatened I would be back with more sea shells," said Percy as everyone laughed.
"Yes that is a better deal," said Hermes.
"Percy arrived back at the ranch house in time for the barbecue at sunset," said Annabeth.
"Tyson, Grover, Annabeth and Nico were tied up in the corner like rodeo animals.
"Rodeo animals?" questioned Artemis.
"Our ankles and wrists were roped together and our mouths were gagged," grumbled Nico.
"It was not much fun to hear Percy explain how he managed to clean the stables," said Annabeth.
"Eurytion and Geryon must have been happy, you go rid of that chore for a while," said Chris.
"Actually Geryon thought it would have been better if I had poisoned the naiad," said Percy.
"Really don't like this man, Apollo why do you use this ranch?" asked Artemis.
"Percy was doubled crossed- although he had made the deal to have us released if he cleaned the stables, he didn't get a binding oath," said Annabeth.
"Is that why you make people swear on the river Styx?" Thalia asked Percy who nodded.
"I drew my sword and Geryon decided I was beginning to annoy him," said Percy.
"He commanded Eurytion to kill him," Nico informed the group.
"You lasted longer than I thought," said Clarisse.
"I know he usually annoys the enemy quicker than that," said Thalia.
"Yes but they don't usually demand someone else to kill me, they usually try to kill me themselves," said Percy.
"Eurytion refused to kill you," pointed out Nico.
"Eurytion only refused because he was sick of doing Geryon's dirty work. Geryon would pick fights for no good reason and he was tired of dying for him," said Percy.
"Most un-Ares like thing I have heard from an offspring from the god of war," said Annabeth.
"Wouldn't it be that they were in Love?" asked Apollo.
"No… we all know love is stronger than war," said Percy.
"And the goddess of love is one of the only people who has some control over the god of war," pointed out Hades.
"Geryon threatened to fire Eurytion but then he wouldn't have to find someone else to feed his cattle," said Annabeth.
"Geryon picked up two carving knives and threw them at me, I managed to deflect one, the other impaled itself into a table," said Percy. "I went on the attack. Geryon defended himself with red-hot tongs and a barbecue fork. I quickly stabbed him right through the middle chest."
"That was a quick, easy fight," said Connor.
"That wasn't a fight!" exclaimed Ares with a grumble.
"Geryon however didn't disintegrate, like other monsters, he grimaced and was soon standing up as the stab wound started to heal," said Annabeth.
"What? How?" questioned the other demi-gods.
"He has the perfect backup system, he has three hearts," said Annabeth.
"Multiple body parts… I am sick of multiple body parts," grumbled Rachel.
"I jabbed Geryon in the left chest but he just laughed, so I struck him in the right stomach," said Percy.
"He laughed as you stabbed him?" asked Travis.
"I could have been sticking a sword into a teddy bear for all the reaction I got from him," said Percy.
"Yet he got Eurytion to do his fights," said Chris.
"Percy suddenly ran into the house, leaving us tied up in the corner," said Nico.
"He wanted us safe, a hot coal almost hit me in the face," said Annabeth knowing her boyfriends thinking.
"I ran into the living room, its walls contained Geryon's hunting trophies and his weapon display collection," Percy informed the group.
"What trophies did he have?" asked Artemis.
"Stuffed deer, dragon heads and my head was going to go next to the grizzly bear," said Percy. "I then got a crazy idea and dropped Riptide."
"You never drop your weapon," shouted Ares and Athena.
"I grabbed another weapon from the wall," admitted Percy.
"What is better than your own sword?" asked Athena.
"Percy mentioned crazy idea and his crazy ideas seem to work," pointed out Apollo.
"He mentioned a weapon collection, the crazy thing would be for Percy to grab a bow and arrow," said Thalia.
"Agreed, he is the worst archery shot in the whole at camp," said Will.
"We all hate when we have archery practice with the Poseidon cabin," said Connor.
"What else was I suppose to do, I couldn't win the fight with a sword. I grabbed the bow and prayed to Artemis and Apollo hoping that they would take pity on me and grant me this one shot," said Percy.
"Good idea to pray to the twin gods of Archery- with your record you definitely need it," said Annabeth.
"Percy always misses the targets, sometimes almost killing others with a stray arrow," said Will.
"I'm improving," said Percy.
"No you are NOT," said Clarisse.
"Not almost killing, someone, each session is an improvement," said Percy with a pout.
"Yes it is an improvement, however, since you haven't made it past a week yet, we will not be awarding you the improvement title," said Will.
"Anyway Geryon charged me. I shot my arrow into his side before he could turn after sidestepping him," said Percy. "The arrow passed through his right side and exited out his left side chest."
"Thank the gods, they are the only reason that arrow was so successful," said Will.
"Geryon was shocked stuttering about how he was told I couldn't shoot," said Percy.
"Who told him that?" asked Hera interrupting Percy.
"Geryon turned a sickly shade of green before collapsing and crumbling into sand," said Percy.
"Percy came and untied us before stoking up the barbeque and burning offering to the gods," said Annabeth.
"You owe us one," said Apollo.
"Actually I don't," whispered Percy but decided to wait for the story to reveal the truth.
"We found out that Geryon would take a hundred years to reform," said Nico.
"Eurytion admitted that he wasn't happy that he chose immortality when his dad offered it as he was now stuck at the ranch and sort of tied to Geryon," said Annabeth.
"I encouraged him to take care of the animals, be nice to them. Maybe stop selling them for food and to stop dealing with the Titans," said Percy.
"I think he liked the idea of Geryon working for him, the next time he got back," pointed out Nico.
"Eurytion announced that he would let us leave the ranch, although he couldn't shed light on who paid for our safe passage, he thought it may have been to fool Percy," Annabeth informed the group.
"I enquired after the Titans and if they had been informed about Nico," said Percy.
"Thankfully they hadn't," said Nico.
"I wanted to keep Nico safe but Nico wouldn't trust me as I got Bianca killed," said Percy.
"I was young and needed to blame someone," said Nico.
"I informed Nico that Kronos would want to capture him and would do anything to get him on his side," said Annabeth.
"I didn't want to be on anyone's side," announced Nico.
"But we know what Luke could offer you to make you change your mind," said Annabeth.
"Nico was certain that he would bring Bianca back, by a soul for a soul," said Percy.
"Percy informed Nico that Bianca wouldn't want to be brought back like that," said Annabeth.
"How would you know what she would have wanted? You hardly knew her," asked Hades.
"Because I realised that she was the one sending me the Iris-Messages, she had been trying to help me protect him by informing me what he was up to," admitted Percy.
"The dead Iris-Messaging, that's impossible," exclaimed Demeter looking towards Hades.
"Maybe being my daughter gives Bianca more abilities in death," said Hades with a shrug.
"It was decided that we would call the dead. We used a hole dug for a septic tank and root beer," said Percy.
Thank you for reading. Review Please and there will be another update soon.
Again thank you to everyone who has continued to follow this story/ series.