Percy Jackson, the Son of Olympus: The Sea of Monsters

| Chapter III || Not Our Quest, Going Anyway |

I went to protest, but he seemed to know that, too,

"Now, it's not that I don't want you to go, but just think, son. You can't just go off on an adventure and hope it to be a success without thinking first. What will you need? What will you bring? What are you looking for? Those are the questions you need to ask before you go out on a guest for a powerful magic item."

"It was my turn to sigh. "I know, dad. It's just... we've never done this before － sneak out, I mean. I didn't really have a plan, but I know what we're going to do."

"Do tell."

"We're going to find the fleece and save the camp, even if it's Clarisse's quest."

"That sounds like a plan to me, son. Good luck."

After he fell silent once more, he disappeared in a gentle sea breeze.

***

Keeping my word to my father, I convinced Annabeth and Grover to come along on my quest. We were going to sneak out of camp and aid Clarisse in finding the fleece, whether she wanted our help or not.

Dead pine needles crunched under my feet. I winced with every step. "Sorry, Thalia," I muttered. I knew it didn't really hurt her, but I couldn't help but feel bad. It was the kind of feeling you'd get by stepping on someone's toe in a crowd. It wasn't avoidable, but it still happened.

I felt a sudden sharp squeeze on my shoulder. Turning, my sea green eyes met with Annabeth's piercing gray. "What?" I whispered.

"Did you invite him?" she asked, jerking her head towards something behind her.

My eyes wandered over her face, scanning for any emotions, but she kept them hidden. Then, my gaze traveled beyond her. Tyson was there, trying - and failing - to hide himself behind a tree. His face peeked around the trunk on one side, while his butt stuck out around the other.

"Tyson!" I whispered and he clomped over to us. "What are you doing?" I loved him, I truly did, but I really didn't want him to come along.

There were so many reasons why he shouldn't be going on a dangerous quest. First and foremost, he's still just a baby by cyclops standards. Secondly, he would just get in the way because he was incredibly clumsy and, though kind-hearted, quite naïve. The last and most convincing reason for him to stay behind was because there were monsters out there, even some cyclopes like him, and I didn't want him to have to meet him. They'd most likely call him a traitor to his kind, and he was too sweet and innocent to have to hear that.

"I want to come. I want to help," Tyson's childlike voice cut through my thoughts.

"Tyson, I know, but it's too dangerous for you! You should stay here at camp where it's safe! Help protect the camp while we're gone!" I gave him an encouraging smile, but his mind was made up.

"No. Everyone is okay here. I want to go with you. Besides," Tyson's expression turned shy for a moment, "I don't like the new person in charge. He's scary and mean."

I sighed. He was right about one thing. Tantalus was scary and mean. What could you expect from someone who's spent thousands of years without being able to eat or drink, and then they had to watch everyone around them eating and drinking while they had to chase their food around on their plate.

I met eyes with Annabeth and Grover. By the look on Annabeth's face, she didn't want him to come, and by the look on Grover's, he was afraid of the thought of Tyson joining us. Neither of my friends seemed to like him very much. Grover, I could understand, as cyclopes usually ate satyrs, but Annabeth... I'd have to ask her about that later.

I turned to look at Tyson, ready to tell him no and send him back to camp under the authority of being his big brother, but the look he gave me stopped me in my tracks.

Have you ever a lost puppy? Sitting all alone in the rain, cold and afraid? A puppy only wanting to belong? I felt like that person that walked by, looking down at the puppy as it gave me its huge sad puppy-dog eyes.

I ran my hand over my face. "Oh, I'm really going to regret this..." I mumbled. My words were muffled by my hand, so I was the only one who understood them. "Okay. Fine. You can come along. But you need to promise me that you'll be extra careful!"

Tyson nodded, so much so that I almost feared that his head would fly off and we'd be able to put the whole thing about him coming along behind us, but it didn't, and he stopped after a minute or two.

"Okay, follow me," I told my friends, crouching low as I scuttled across the sodden earth. The dirt squished slightly under my feet, as it had rained the night before.

My friends followed, and together we weaved through the tall towers the trees made on either side of us. Reaching the border of camp, I ducked behind a log. My back smacked against the rotting wood, making a few small chips of bark fall.

I peeked over the top of the log. No border patrol. They were switching shifts, just as Annabeth had said. Speaking of Annabeth, I turned my head again, seeing her standing above me, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Seriously, Seaweed Brain?" she asked. Her entire body was seeping with judgment. Her hip was jutted out to the side, left foot tapping on the twigs and moss of the forest floor, and her one blonde eyebrow raised as she scowled at me.

Well... not just at me. She was also glaring at Grover and Tyson, who were following along with me and sitting against the log, looking back and forth jerkily as if they'd come straight out of Mission: Impossible or James Bond or something.

"Do you always have to spoil my fun?" I whined as I stood up. Grover and Tyson followed my lead, both stepping behind me slightly as if that would help them avoid Annabeth's evil eye.

"Yes."

I groaned but followed her anyway as she walked right past the boundary line. I braced myself slightly, feeling a slight tug in my stomach as if something big was going to happen as soon as I crossed the line from the safety of my second home and out into the dangerous world.

Much to my disappointment, nothing happened.

I relaxed and continued to follow Annabeth, who'd turned around to give me one last glare as if she'd known what I was thinking. I could practically read her thoughts at that point. Boys... she was thinking in disdain. She was also probably wondering why she put up with us. I didn't know that either, but lucky for us, she did.

***

Published: Saturday, January 14, 2017

~CSP2708~