I do not own PJO. All rights to the master cliffhanger Rick Riordan

Updated 05/03/2023

Chapter 10 - A friend that is Gained

Percy was ecstatic it had been too long since he had been at Camp Half-Blood and everything that had happened in the last few weeks was finally over. He's still new to all of this. Luckily Riptide was by his side in the moment he needed it.

Annabeth was a sight for him to see, his best friend and quest buddy was currently dancing her way round the arena in her usual strategic way. The poor Hermes camper could be seen struggling under her.. we'll say tutoring. It was barely a minute into the "friendly" (if that's what you can call it versing her) bout when he was disarmed and at the end of Annabeth's sword.

"Okay Guys, pay up. That'll be 1 drachma from everyone." Travis gleefully proclaimed.

"Why did all of you bet against Annabeth? She's the top fighter in Camp?" Percy asked.

Travis spun around to see his friend looking at the others with disbelief.

"Hey Perce. You see we all know Annabeth is going to win, so we were betting on how long he'd last. We bet that he wouldn't even last a minute. So now we can enjoy our spoils."

Percy shook his head and laughed before embracing Travis in a hug. "I missed you man. Where's Conner?"

"Well if I'm correct..." Travis started. But he was interrupted by a loud explosion from the other side of Camp. "Ah yes, that's him now." With that he dashed out of the arena to probably stop whoever it was trying to kill Conner for the prank they just pulled.

The rest of the campers followed him save Annabeth who had helped her opponent up before sending him on his way. There seemed to be a lot more compassion for her opponents than when he had faced her last time.

Normally, Percy would have joined Travis, but since it was his first day back at camp he decided he wanted to spend it catching up with Annabeth.

"So Seaweed Brain, do you want to go a couple of rounds?" Annabeth taunted. Her smile creeping up her face.

They never got around to that fight. It turns out that the explosion was not Travis and Conner's prank, instead it was the arrival of two metal bulls. They had somehow come through the barrier and were now charging through Camp Half-Blood. Percy ran out of the Arena and saw Clarisse and a group of campers about to get mauled by Bull Number 1 whilst Bull number 2 was rounding a corner to charge again. With Riptide out Percy charged towards the battle, he saw that Clarisse was right in the way of Bull Number 1 . He jumped and dragged her out of the way of the bull before she got gouged. But then he had a new problem. He was right in the path of Bull Number 2.

Tyson (whom Percy had met and befriended earlier in the year) ran up to him. Seemingly taking no caution to the big mechanical firebreathing bull that was now a mere 30 feet from him. Tyson stood his ground right in the way of the bull. As the bull Approached it let out a jet of fire preparing to incinerate the two of them. Percy Jumped out of the way. But Tyson stayed. The flame intensified as it got to Tyson and Percy thought his friend was a goner. But when the flames stopped bellowing. There stood Tyson much to Percy's bewilderment. Tyson grabbed the bull and crushed it's head. He kept hitting it until it resembled something close to an inside-out sock puppet.

Percy looked up to see Clarisse finishing off Bull Number 1. Then she turned and looked until she saw the Son of Poseidon and proceeded to march toward him, a deadly glare illuminating her face. '' Don't you EVER, EVER save me again!'' Clarisse yelled.

''Clarisse, you have wounded campers,'' Clarisse looked at Annabeth, who had just spoken, huffed, and then marched off to help get the wounded to the Apollo Campers at the Big House

''How did you..?'' Percy asked Tyson

''Have you not looked at him, like really looked at him? He's a cyclops'' Annabeth pointed at Tyson ''Look trough the mist Percy.''

Percy looked at Tyson a little harder to see past the mist. Sure enough through the mist Percy saw Tyson's two eyes join into a single eye.

''Wow...''

After the battle Percy and Annabeth helped get the wounded to the Big House after seeing to it that they were all taken care of the rest of the day passed by in a blur. Chiron, Tantalus, Thalia's tree, Tyson, It was all so much so quick. Percy's determination to help fix the problem only made it worse and more insulting when Clarisse was given the quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. She's a strong demigod but, the dream of Grover had come to Percy. If anyone should be going on the quest it should be him. It was late that night when Percy walked out to the porch area of his cabin where he pondered over the events of the day. Looking up at the stars, he was so much lost in thought that he didn't notice Tyson sit down beside him.

''Did I do bad today Brother?'' Tyson asked

Percy shook his head, ''You did great today Tyson. You managed to save the camp. A lot more than I have done today.'' Percy said a little disheartened.

''You did great today too Brother.'' Tyson said enthusiastically.

Percy looked at his new cyclops roommate. A smile forming on his face. He looked out towards the sea and then to the moon and thought to himself. 'I'm so grateful for the friend that has been gained.'

That's this Chapter. Let me know how you like it and if there's anything I can improve.