Percy Jackson and the Child of Victory (Annabeth Chase x Reader)

The Fleece Works It's Magic Too Well

Unfortunately, I knew he was right. The Fleece hadn't solved all the camp's problems. Luke was still out there, gathering an army aboard the Princess Andromeda. Kronos was still re-forming in his golden coffin. Eventually, we would have to fight them.

"You'll make the best weapons ever," Percy told Tyson. he held up his watch proudly. "I bet they'll tell good time, too." Tyson sniffled. "Brothers help each other." "You're my brother," Percy said. "No doubt about it."

He patted me on the back so hard he almost knocked me down the sand dune. Then he wiped a tear from his cheek and stood to go. "Use the shield well." "I will, big guy." "Save your life some day."

The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, I wondered if that Cyclops eye of his could see into the future. He walked to me and picked me up in a bear hug, I didn't mind. "Will miss friend as well" Now I was really crying. He headed down to the beach and whistled. Rainbow, the hippocampus, burst out of the waves. I watched the two of them ride off together into the realm of Poseidon.

Once they were gone, Percy looked down at my new wristwatch. he pressed the button and the shield spiraled out to full size. Hammered into the bronze were pictures in Ancient Greek style, scenes from our adventures this summer. There was Annabeth slaying a Laistrygonian dodgeball player, me and Percy fighting the bronze bulls on Half-Blood Hill, Tyson riding Rainbow toward the Princess Andromeda, the CSS Birmingham blasting its cannons at Charybdis. I ran my hand across a picture of Tyson, battling the Hydra as he held aloft a box of Monster Donuts.

I couldn't help feeling sad. I knew Tyson would have an awesome time under the ocean. But I'd miss everything about him—his fascination with horses, the way he could fix chariots or crumple metal with his bare hands, or tie bad guys into knots. "Hey, Percy. Hey, Birdie." we turned.

Annabeth and Grover were standing at the top of the sand dune. I guess maybe I had some sand in my eyes, because I was blinking a lot. "Tyson ..." Percy told them. "He had to ..." "We know," Annabeth said softly. "Chiron told us." "Cyclopes forges." Grover shuddered. "I hear the cafeteria food there is terrible! Like, no enchiladasat all."

Annabeth held out her hand. "Come on, Birdie, Seaweed Brain. Time for dinner." We walked back toward the dining pavilion together, just the four of us, like old times.

A storm raged that night, but it parted around Camp Half-Blood as storms usually did. Lightning flashed against the horizon, waves pounded the shore, but not a drop fell in our valley. We were protected again, thanks to the Fleece, sealed inside our magical borders.

-Timeskip-

The next morning me and Grover were banging on Percy's door. we flew inside without waiting for permission. "Percy!" he stammered. "Annabeth ... on the hill ... she ..." The look in his eyes told me something was terribly wrong. Annabeth had been on guard duty that night, protecting the Fleece. If something had happened—

he ripped off the covers, my blood like ice water in my veins. I threw on some clothes while Grover tried to make a complete sentence, but he was too stunned, too out of breath. "She's lying there ... just lying there ..."

I ran outside, Picked up Percy by the shoulders and flew across the central yard, Grover right behind us. Dawn was just breaking, but the whole camp seemed to be stirring. Word was spreading. Something huge had happened. A few campers were already making their way toward the hill, satyrs and nymphs and heroes in a weird mix of armor and pajamas.

I heard the clop of horse hooves, and Chiron galloped up behind us, looking grim. "Is it true?" he asked Grover. Grover could only nod, his expression dazed. Chiron picked up Grover and we raced to the tree together we thundered up Half-Blood Hill, where a small crowd had started to gather.

I expected to see the Fleece missing from the pine tree, but it was still there, glittering in the first light of dawn. The storm had broken and the sky was bloodred. "Curse the titan lord," Chiron said. "He's tricked us again, given himself another chance to control the prophecy."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "The Fleece," he said. "The Fleece did its work too well." We galloped forward, everyone moving out of our way. There at the base of the tree, a girl was lying unconscious. Another girl in Greek armor was kneeling next to her.

The tree itself looked perfectly fine, whole and healthy, suffused with the essence of the Golden Fleece. "It healed the tree," Chiron said, his voice ragged. "And poison was not the only thing it purged." Then I realized Annabeth wasn't the one lying on the ground. She was the one in armor, kneeling next to the unconscious girl. When Annabeth saw us, she ran to me once I put Percy down she crashed into me. "It... she ... just suddenly there ..."

Her eyes were streaming with tears, I cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears and pulled her closer to me. Percy ran toward the unconscious girl. Chiron said: "Percy, wait!" he knelt by her side. She had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance runner, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes that were somewhere between punk and Goth—a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jacket with buttons from a bunch of bands I'd never heard of.

She wasn't a camper. I didn't recognize her from any of the cabins. And yet I had the strangest feeling I'd seen her before.... "It's true," Grover said, panting from his run up the hill. "I can't believe ..." "Holy shit" I said "Is that really?..." I looked at Annabeth and she just nodded.

Nobody else came close to the girl. Percy put his hand on her forehead. "She needs nectar and ambrosia," I said. She was clearly a half-blood, whether she was a camper or not. I could sense that just from looking at her.

Percy took her by the shoulders and lifted her into sitting position, resting her head on his shoulder. "Come on!" I yelled to the others. "What's wrong with you people? Let's get her to the Big House." Non of us moved, not even Chiron. we were all too stunned.

Then the girl took a shaky breath. She coughed and opened her eyes. Her irises were startlingly blue—electric blue. The girl stared at me in bewilderment, shivering and wild-eyed. "Who—"

"I'm Percy," I said. "You're safe now." "Strangest dream ..." "It's okay." "Dying." "No," I assured her. "You're okay. What's your name?" I looked into the girl's blue eyes , and I understood what the Golden Fleece quest had been about.

The poisoning of the tree. Everything. Kronos had done it to bring another chess piece into play-another chance to control the prophecy. Even Chiron, Annabeth, and Grover, who should've been celebrating this moment, were too shocked, thinking about what it might mean for the future. And Percy was holding someone who was destined to be his best friend, or possibly our worst enemy.

"I am Thalia," the girl said. "Daughter of Zeus."

"......What the FUCK!-"

(1982 words)

Sea of Monsters is complete!!!! onto Titan's Curse!