Poseidon look at Polyphemus' Island dubiously.
The scent of magic is strong. No wonder many satyrs were lost here while searching for Pan. The Golden Fleece is working wonder, making the island not only beautiful but better that it once was.
Poseidon think Polyphemus originally kidnap his half-sibling to take care of the island because he's terrible at clean up and too lazy to do it himself. The luring satyr part was just bonus he got addicted to.
You spoil him too much! Neptune grouched. That brat needs serious discipline!
Poseidon grimaced, but nodded.
So. Where are the security?
That's when a deer showed up and causing the sheep to reveal their carnivorous nature. By surrounding the poor deer and by the time they leave, there was only clean white deer skeleton that fell into heap of bones.
Nevermind then.
The duo-turned-quartet has self-preservation to not chance their luck. Especially knowing how Percy is in love/hate relationship with Tyche. No. No braving their way through the sheep. They climb their way up through the cliff. Percy takes the last turn.
They arrived on the top just in time to see—
"Hmm, eat loudmouth girl now or wait for wedding feast? What does my bride think?"
Polyphemus was holding the Ares' daughter and asking his so-called bride, Percy's Satyr Protector.
Apparently, he was dumb enough to unable to discern male and female and now planned a shotgun wedding with Satyr.
Poseidon covers his face with his hands. Mortified beyond belief.
"Did you say bride? Who – Grover?"
"…please tell me one of you know how to remotely shut people's mouth." Chase half-begged half-growled.
"Unfortunately, no."
"Dammit."
"Alright. Here's the plan." The younger one muttered. "We split into two. Annabeth. Get invisible and grab the fleece. Me, Hylla, and Percy will see what we can do." She was fingering the pirate sword she must have requisite from the ship.
Huh. Isn't Ares once brag that his son become a Pirate? Who was it again? Blackbeard?
"Got it. Be safe. And…"
"And?"
"And if you need to distract him, say your name is Nobody."
"Nobody." The older one, Hylla?, mused. "Why?"
"That's the name Odysseus use, right before poking Polyphemus' eye blind." And with that, she put the cap over her head and (hopefully) run off to grab the fleece.
The quartet-down-to-Trio carefully climb their way down and take some space between the mouth of cave and their position. Split up.
When Polyphemus was prepared to drop the rock and seal the cave entrance…
"OI!" Hylla bellowed. "Oi! Looks who come back!"
Polyphemus stiffly turned his head around.
"Who said that?"
"Oh, you can't remember me? I'm hurt." Hylla mocks him. "It's me! Your old Friend!"
"Nobody!" His sister finished before moving away from their position.
"Nobody!" Polyphemus yelled back. "I remember you!"
"You just forget me, you big oaf! How can you remember Nobody?"
Hylla run to Percy. "Go to the cave. We keep him busy." She whispered.
Percy hesitates. "Will you be alright?"
"Please. He can't tell difference between male and female, much less two different female voices."
Poseidon believe it.
He had seen it with his own eyes.
"No. We'll keep him on his toes. Just pray he doesn't accidentally flatten your invisible friend in the process."
Percy hesitates, but nodded and run back to the cave.
It was a quick job cutting the rope and filling in the two, before they rushed.
He and Ares' daughter are going to join in the battle (Poseidon hope neither of his son is going to die by end of it), while the Satyr will run to the fleece, to the invisible Athena's daughter.
Both Roman twins are exhausted by the time it happens. Their outfit was drenched with sweats with how many times they had to dodge the hurling rocks. Poseidon can read Hylla mouthed something along the line of "out of shape".
They've been pampered in Circe's resort. Learning magic and become servant instead training as warrior as their birthright dictates. Neptune scorned. While Magic is useful, they now are out of shape. And that's not taking account of the earlier cliff-climbing activity.
It was good thing there are two of them instead of just one.
Indeed.
Percy approaches the younger one. "Rey, psst! Reyna!" He called for her to come. "I got a plan. Attack Plan Macedonia! You and Clarisse attack him from the flanks at either side. I hold his attention. Best case scenario, it works. Worst case, well, at least your sister got some breather. Hope Annabeth and Grover be back soon."
"Got – got it."
"Jackson. You owe me so many answers!"
"Later. HEY!" Percy called out when Polyphemus was about to throw a boulder he rips from the ground (what is he now? An Ourae?) "Hey you! Just how stupid are you! Can't you see your target—oh wait! You can't!"
He was already running elsewhere.
"GRRRAAAHHH!"
Polyphemus rages, punching his chest like a gorilla before barreling towards Percy, while the girls did their best in harming Polyphemus. Stab here, slash over there, a jab with spear at soles of the feet. Percy swings his sword in deadly arc. Knowing that a three-thousand years old Cyclopes is much harder to kill than your average monster and thus he did not hold anything back.
Hylla let out a war cry as she launches forward with a makeshift javelin that struck Polyphemus in the eye. Polyphemus let out a painful howl.
Poseidon winced at the damage his older son received, but Neptune is positively thrilled and cheering them on.
"Guys!" The Satyr called. "We get it!"
The carnivorous sheep are on their heels. Smelling fresh meat.
Time to retreat then.
But Polyphemus has one last trick in his sleeves: Crocodile Tears.
Poseidon and Neptune both groaned as Percy fell into the act. The groan turned into growl and threats when Polyphemus use it to snag Percy and about to eat him. Only stopped by a boulder logged into Polyphemus' throat, causing him to drop Percy as he tries to get the boulder out.
"Tyson!"
It was truly heartwarming to see at least one non-human child of his is not a monster that was hellbent on eating or killing his own half-brother.
Poseidon know that Tyson survived. But Percy don't, until the proof was in front of his eyes. And so, the reunion was heart-warming amidst the chaos.
The four demigods-one satyr-and one Cyclops meet at the sandy beach with the Fleece on hand. Percy is calling for the Ship and when it appears on their line of sight—
SPLAAAAAASSSHHH!
A boulder would have flattened them if it lands a few feet more.
"You would think he run out of rocks."
"Swim for it!"
The group jumped into the water and begin to swim for their life.
"You, young Cyclops!" Polyphemus roared. "Traitor to your kind!"
Neptune gnashed his teeth in anger and Poseidon find himself agreeing.
This is a new low.
"You stole the Fleece! You've been using it to lure satyrs to their deaths!"
"So? Satyrs good eating!"
"The Fleece should be used to heal! It belongs to the children of the gods!"
"I am a child of the gods!" Polyphemus swiped, frustrated. "Father Poseidon, curse this thief!"
"No." Denied Poseidon and Neptune. "Not going to happen." The Grecian Sea God shook his head with a frown.
You are no child of mine and you will not harm my child. Neptune added.
"Poseidon won't curse me!" Percy shouted, "Because I am Child of the Sea God! Also! Triton tell me this: You Are the Second Worst Half-Brother I have, Right after Antaeus! So, any Divine Help you wanna ask, Forget It because it won't happen!"
Yes.
Here's the thing about Poseidon: he plays favoritism. Subtle, but he does. And between his first demigod child in decades (one that he has a lot of emotional attachment to) with a son that had fell out of favor (due the terrible behavior), it was obvious which one he favors more.
(Neptune even more so. He lacks Poseidon's parental love to Polyphemus and Percy is his first Demigod Children in long, long time.
He'll gladly murder the older Cyclops and destroy the whole island for Percy.)
Polyphemus' face is red with rage and humiliation.
He grabs whatever he can get his hand on and start throwing things haphazardly. Some are it miss the ship entirely, but the splash generates waves that mess with the sailing. Some… landed too close to the ship for comfort.
"You throw like a—mmph!"
Reyna covers the Ares' Daughter's mouth.
"I don't know about you but I don't fancy retracing Ullysses' steps." She hissed. "We still have journey home to think and I'm not swimming across an entire ocean."
Poseidon nodded. Smart child.
That's Roman for you.
Yeah yeah.
The group watch in silence as Polyphemus rages. Swearing vengeances and curses to "Nobody".
Without someone alarmed Polyphemus of the ship's general location, they manage to sailed away safely.
Now, all that is left is passing the entrance, the way they come or the Rocks, and back to Atlantic Sea. Back to the States.
