Part III

Triton looked at his father, and the king entered the room. Poseidon shook his head. "His tail will be fine, but he refuses to eat anything. He keeps throwing up his nectar and his ambrosia. He won't touch mortal food either."

Triton snarled lowly. "It was just a mortal. I don't see why he should fall apart because of one, little soul!"

Amphitrite sighed. "Triton, Percy has been raised to be a hero. He was raised to save the mortals. He wasn't raised to kill them."

Poseidon nodded sadly. "Sally made sure that Percy respected the lives of those around him. This evening's events went against everything that Percy was taught."

Triton sighed. "But he was saving me."

Amphitrite smiled at her son. "It is hard to understand, but Percy does not think that the man had any less reason to live than a demigod or a god. He would not wish death on anyone, even his own enemies."

Rolling his eyes, Triton shook his head. "Death is the only final solution. If you have an enemy, then they will not spare you or give you the same treatment."

Poseidon chuckled. "That is what makes the enemies different from the allies."

Pausing in thought, Triton had to agree. "I suppose, but nevertheless, the mortal was shooting me with that cursed shot gun. He wasn't even fighting me honorably. He was blasting away while I was struggling with his companion! And, they tried to grab Percy!"

Poseidon sighed. "Those men were poachers. Every country has them. Every country has evil men scattered throughout its population. They saw Percy's tail and decided to cash in on a merman. The novelty would have made them a pretty penny."

The door opened, and Percy slowly swam out. His tail was wrapped. It was still healing, since he couldn't, or wouldn't, take any godly medicine. "I…I want to go to camp."

Poseidon nodded. "Triton can take you."

Triton gingerly took Percy to his chariot. But Percy shook his head. "No. Get Tyson. He wants to visit his girlfriend, Ella."

Triton wrinkled his nose. "The harpy?"

He nodded. Triton shook his head. "I sometimes doubt my little brother's taste in women."

Percy chuckled and then hissed when he shifted his tail. "I…I know I seem weak willed right now. After all, killing a mortal isn't a big deal to you, but…I'm…"

Amphitrite smiled and gave her son a hug. "A hero. You were born to protect mortals. But you need to understand, Percy, sometimes, the monsters in this world aren't only Greek. Sometimes, there are monsters that have human skin."

"Who are we to decide who is a monster and who's not?"

"We don't decide." Percy looked confused. Triton sighed. "They decide for us. Those men did not know that I couldn't die. They were trying to kill me." Triton helped him to the chariot, waving to their parents as they left the room.

"You rammed their boat."

"They tried to yank you into their boat. Mernapping."

Percy's lips twitched into a faint smile. He sighed and leaned into his brother's chest. "I just…I killed a human being."

Triton nodded. "It's understandable to feel frightened at the thought of what you are capable of doing."

"No."

"What?" Triton raised an eyebrow in confusion and looked down at his brother.

"I don't feel frightened." Percy didn't look at his brother. "I don't feel sick because of fear or sadness." He looked into the dark water surrounding them. "I feel sick, because I don't have any guilt over my actions. I feel sick, because I don't regret killing that man." He looked at his hands. "But I know I should."

Triton took a deep breath. "Killing a human is easy. It's how you react to that death that is the hard part."

Percy frowned and then shook his head. "Killing is easy. What a thing to learn as an eighteen year old guy."

Triton snorted. "Yeah. Life sucks."

Tyson joined them with his own chariot. After fussing over Percy for a while, all three brothers left for Camp Half-Blood.

; D Thanks for all the support!

Hey guys! Look for Flirting from the Shadows! I'm posting another Princelet today. You all are so wonderful, that I'm giving you another in one week!

Ink…