Let's Do It Again

Fuck This Shit

"If I had my way," Dionysus continued, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."

"Don't let Chiron stop you," I drawled. "You're a god, turn me to ashes and see if I care."

Mr.D's eyes grew angry and he stood. Grover pleated a terrified Percy while Chiron seemed to be looking at me in a new light.

"That is enough Percy. Mr.D spontaneous combustion is a form of harm," Chiron put in.

"Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."

"I kinda like dolphins"

"Percy—" Chiron warned.

I shut up and Mr.D sat.

"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." 

Dionysus rose again, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."

It sounds more appealing too.

Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. A security pass for Olympus.

He snapped his fingers leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind as he disappeared.

Chiron smiled at me, but he looked tired and strained. I suppose my back talk was not helping. "Sit, Percy, please. And Grover."

"No it's okay," I said quickly. "Grover has to prepare to find Pan. Go ahead, Grover."

"Are you sure?" He asked not sure who to look at.

"Positive," Grover said bye to both me and Chiron before leaving in a hurry. Chiron didn't look 100 percent pleased.

It struck me suddenly who was supposed to be hiding somewhere around here. Looking around I spotted a moving shadow that could belong to only one person. I nodded to myself satisfied and calmed a little. Having Annabeth near always calmed me.

Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use.

"Tell me, Percy," he said. "Do you understand the power of a god? Or do you just naturally have a death wish?"

I shrugged not bothering to respond.

Chiron probably wanted me to say, I love my life and I wasn't trying to upset Mr.D. But I didn't feel like lying.

"Mr.D irritates me," I said. "He's a godly bully. I don't like bullies."

"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done."

I know, Ares fucking sucks. Don't even get me started on Zeus and Hera. "Done with what?" I questioned instead.

"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?" Can I take a pass?

I glanced at Annabeth's shadow trying to remember how the conversation went last time.

"No offense," I said, "but I can't do something when I don't know what it is."

Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."

Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as I could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together. Aren't sibling rivalries just amazing?