Sea Green Eyes

Chapter 38

While her friends marvelled at her, the dolphin men all dropped their weapons, a few escaping into the water as Cressida began to speak and her voice changed. It was deeper and it radiated power.

"WHO DARES INTERRUPT MY DAUGHTER'S VOYAGE?!" she bellowed, hovering over the middle of the deck as her fire danced around her. "WHO DARES TOUCH HER AND HER FRIENDS?! WHO DARES ENCOUNTER MY WRATH!"

Most of the dolphins fled, diving back into the ocean before Cressida flourished her hand and Frank was forced forward.

"Watch what happens to those who dare underestimate the power of madness! The power of Dionysus! Watch as I turn one of yours into a mad dolphin!" she continued and thanks to some forward planning where she planted a few facts into Frank's brain, like what she wanted him to do and that her fire was harmless and completely for show, her plan worked very well.

As her fire encased his body, Frank began to grab his throat. "Oh, no," he said like he was reading from a teleprompter. "I am turning into a crazy dolphin. Please forgive me, Lord Dionysus."

He began to change, his nose elongating into a snout, his skin becoming sleek and grey. He fell to the deck as a dolphin, his tail thumping against the boards.

The pirate crew disbanded in terror, chattering and clicking as they dropped their weapons, forgot the captives, ignored Chrysaor's orders, and jumped overboard, Cressida shooting out a few more columns of fire. In the confusion, Annabeth moved quickly to cut the bonds on Hazel, Piper, and Coach Hedge as Cressida landed back on the deck, her fire going out as they turned on the Golden Boy.

Within seconds, Chrysaor was alone and surrounded. Percy and his friends had no weapons except for Annabeth's knife, Cressida's thyrsus and Hedge's hooves, but the murderous looks on their faces evidently convinced the golden warrior he was doomed. He backed to the edge of the rail.

"This isn't over, Jackson," Chrysaor growled. "I will have my revenge—"

"Booooring," Cressida droned. "You know, if you're going to be stealing from people and kidnapping them, you need to get better at the one-liners. It's how you get them to fear you," she explained before Frank began to change form. "For example."

And an eight-hundred-pound grizzly bear roared behind her as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You picked the wrong ship to pillage."

Frank sideswiped Chrysaor and raked the golden mask off his helmet. Chrysaor screamed, instantly covering his face with his arms and tumbling into the water.

They ran to the rail. Chrysaor had disappeared.

Percy thought about chasing, but he didn't know these waters and didn't want to confront that guy alone again. And he was also cut off from thinking about it as Cressida jumped into his arms.

"That was amazing! And so much fun!" she beamed before she kissed him because only she could find fun in pirating, hostage-taking and near-kidnapping. Not that he was complaining.

"Uh, hello?! Time out," Annabeth interrupted as they pulled apart. "Since when can you fly?!" she exclaimed, and Cressida's smile didn't waver.

"I can't," she answered simply.

"Then what was that whole performance thing? Or did your father really possess you because I'm fairly certain I don't have any invisible wires as part of my rigging... Mostly certain. That's a good idea though," Leo rambled.

"It was Jason," Cressida said as they all glanced back at their friend whose head was in Piper's lap as she fed him some ambrosia, just to make sure that he was still unconscious. "He may not have been awake, but he was alive. And that was enough for me to be able to tap into his powers just a little," she explained before she turned to Percy again. "That was really fun. Thanks for that," Cressida said as she kissed Percy's cheek, and his grin was small.