"What am I supposed to do?" Percy shivered as he waited with his father on the boat.
"Well once we get the turtle on the boat, we'll inspect it for any wounds. The call said the turtle got a hold of a straw into it's nasal passage, which we will remove."
Percy wore his thickest clothes, but the January wind was biting at his skin. Technically he wasn't the one in the water, he really shouldn't be complaining.
Poseidon brought both Percy and Triton to the rescue call. It wasn't unusual for Triton to tag along, since he basically tags along to every rescue. Percy on the other hand hasn't been on a rescue call since he has moved to New York.
It's been four days since the olive incident, and their father hasn't let them out of his sight. This was their first day back to the aquarium, as they were stuck at home the last three days.
Percy wouldn't have minded so much for being pulled into the rescue if he could remain inside of the boat's cabin where it's warm.
Triton resurfaced with a splash, but was holding the turtle in between his hands. He hurriedly put the turtle on the boat, before beelining to the boat's cabin.
"Alright so this is where we check the turtle. You see on the turtle's right fin there's tracker?"
Percy nodded, waiting for whatever lesson his father was going to spew.
"That means we have rescued this turtle before.
Which is why we were able to find the location pretty quickly."
Poseidon flipped the turtle over to examine the underneath of the shell, "It appears it's just the straw for being the only affliction. Hand me a pair of pliers."
Percy stretched from his crouching position and walked over to where they kept the tools and medical supplies at. He grabbed the pliers and handed it to his father.
"You want to grip the turtle firmly with one hand. The turtle will probably resist as we slide the slide out, it's essential for a firm grip on the turtle. With the pliers you're going to clamp it down on the end of the straw, like so" Poseidon said as he demonstrated.
"Then start to gently pull it, you don't want the straw to break if you pull too fast."
Poseidon started to pull. The turtle tried to retreat to it's shell, but the straw prevented it to do so. It took about ten seconds of slightly pulling before the straw came out in one piece.
"Now that's done, and the turtle doesn't have any further injuries, we will release it. Put that straw into the bin."
Percy got up and did what he was bided, while Poseidon released the turtle back into the ocean.
"Now this is the part where we go inside, and get away from this wretched weather."
Poseidon took off towards the cabin with Percy trailing behind.
"Is there any calls you don't take? Or is there a point where it isn't worth the catch?" Percy grumbled after entering the warmth of the boat cabin.
"There's always worth, son. But we usually don't go to the ones that are small, or can be release back into the wild right after capture during the winter season. The reason why we answered this one, is because the turtle was spotted to have a tracker."
Percy shivered in response, rubbing his hands up and down his arms trying to regain some warmth.
"Why are you complaining? It isn't like you went into the water" Triton sneered. He sat on one of the chairs by the window, and was wrapped in a blanket.
Triton grabbed his water bottle but before he drank, he inspected the water. Probably searching to see if there's any olives, Percy thought with an eye roll.
"At least I'm not the one who's paranoid to drink from a water bottle."
"Boys! Enough! Percy sit down and be quiet. Triton is right to check, you could never be too careful."
"He started it."
"Perseus! Sit. Down!" Percy's father said through clenched teeth.
Percy sat down with a huff. It's wasn't usual for his father to take Triton's side. Ever since the olive incident, every argument they had Poseidon has taken Triton's side.
"Get that smirk off that face Triton! You two have been behaving for almost six months! Yet these last four days it seems like all reserve has been shut off. Pull yourself together, this isn't the time to be bickering."
Percy opened his mouth -
"Perseus, I swear if you're about to say 'he's the one who starts it' then you can shut your mouth."
Percy shut his mouth, crossing his arms.
Poseidon had his hand over his eyes in frustration. "Alright, we're going back to the aquarium. I don't want to hear a single peep from either one of you. Do I make myself clear?"
Percy nodded slouching back into his seat.
"Yes sir." Triton sarcastically replied.
Poseidon glowered at Triton, basically burning a hole where Triton was seated with his eyes.
But their father didn't utter a word, instead he started up the boat and began taking them to shore.
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Percy had his hands in his pockets while following his father back in the aquarium. Triton sulked further behind.
Delphin the young marine veterinarian, was by the entrance. Delphin smiled as he saw the trio, not discouraged by Poseidon's frown.
"How was the rescue?"
No one replied. Percy dug his hands further into his pockets.
"I'm taking that as not well. If your father doesn't have anything for you to do, Percy. I can take you for the last examination of Bessie."
Poseidon waved Percy to do whatever Delphin described.
Bessie is a sea cow, well in marine biology terms; a manatee. They rescued her about a four weeks ago, and have been monitoring her in her tank. She was trapped in a fishing net, resulting in several cuts and abrasions.
"Alrighty then, let's go grab her food and I'll show you her progress."
Delphin led him to the cooler, much to Percy's dismay. Percy hasn't been alone, or allowed to be alone in the past four days. Well except for his bedroom, but did that really count? He suspected his father telling his employees to not let him out of their sight.
Nevertheless Percy followed the veterinarian into the cooler. Delphin grabbed some sea plants as manatees are herbivores.
"So we will take the plants and feed Bessie. While feeding her, we will need to scan her to see if the cuts are fully healed. The last time I checked it was nearly there, which is why I'm confident it will be the last examination."
Delphin led him to Bessie tank as the sea cow floated to the surface.
"Hey girl, are you hungry?" Delphin asked in a high pitch voice, a voice used when parents speak to baby. Percy rolled his eyes.
Delphin handed him the food, "Now signal the manatee to roll over with your hands. That way I'll be able to see her cut."
Percy signal the manatee to roll over, and Bessie did.
Delphin signaled for Percy to come where he was crouching. Percy crouched down to have a better view.
"You remember the cut she was brought in with, right? Well you see now, it has healed into a nice scar right above her fin. Her other cuts have already been healed weeks ago, but this one is now closed."
Delphin took the food from his hands and started to feed the manatee.
"She should be able to be released in a week from now. We will keep her here for that amount of time as precaution, in case something else happens. But other than that she healed up nicely."
To Percy's annoyance, Delphin switched back to his higher pitch voice. "Isn't that right girl?You healed up nicely, and you will be able to eat all the plants you want! Isn't that right."
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Five Days Later
"You've been gone for a week and a half, Jackson. Luckily for you I have been busy keeping up with this project. You can share my notes if you want."
Percy closed his eyes. He forgot about the assigned project with Luke. Percy closed his locker, and faced Luke who was leaning against the lockers opposite of him.
"You're here early. Do you usually come this early?" Percy asked as it was ten minutes til six in the morning.
"No, but I'll make an exception for you. Should we do it like how you and Annabeth did for your project last semester? Buddy up and tell all of our secrets to each other? Maybe we will become more than friends, if you get my catch?"
"Absolutely not! We will work on the project during class only. Annabeth and I worked on the project professionally, nothing else happened. No offense to you, but I don't swing that way."
Luke let out a laugh that sent chills down Percy's spine. "Oh so you do share Triton's lack of observation skills. How is he by the way? I haven't seen him this morning. I knew you to be oblivious, but I wasn't expecting this much oblivion. You really can't see it?"
Percy frowned, not liking where this was going. "Can't see what?"
"Annabeth of course! She's into you, anyone can see it."
Percy snorted, "Nice try. She hates me, if it was any other project she would have failed with me as a partner. You would know if you spent a day with her, she doesn't take her grades lightly."
"Oh, but I do know. You seem to forget that Thalia and I were a thing. Annabeth is always at her side, so yes I've spent days with her before. You know, she used to fancy me before Thalia and I dated. You can tell by the way her eyes light up and how she blushes. "
Luke chuckled, "I'll leave you to it then. She's in the cafeteria, watch her face. I'll see you in fifth hour, Jackson."
Luke smirked before heading down the hallway. Percy let out a shudder, something about him made Percy ill. Maybe that's why Triton warned him about Luke.
There's no avoiding him now, since he's assigned to the project with him. Whatever this feeling was, he isn't looking forward to fifth hour.
He headed towards the cafeteria, as there was nothing else for him to do.
Annabeth is into him? Nah, there's no way! Luke is delusional, or playing some weird trick on him.
"Does your family do that often. A sight of something dangerous and you are all out for a week? - What's wrong? It looks like you just saw a ghost?" Annabeth stated as she sat at the usual spot at the table.
Percy had his mouth slightly open as he stared at Annabeth's redden cheeks and her sparkling eyes.
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Bessie - the sea cow from The Titan's Curse.
Delphin - the loyal dolphin servant/messenger/counsel? serving under Atlantis in The Last Olympian