(Not my art above)
This was a fun chapter to write hope you enjoy. Votes are always appreciated and Comments are always read <3
***
Since my tent was damaged from the bulls flames. The next few days I'd been sleeping in the Hermes Cabin in a sleeping bag like last year. It wasn't so bad for me sure Tantalus was being a jerk here and there. But not as mush as he was towards Percy.
First there was Tyson moving into the Poseidon cabin, giggling to himself every second saying "Percy is my brother" he could. And each time it would progressively getting under the first son of Poseidon skin.
But there was no explaining it to Tyson. He was in heaven. And as for Percy . . . it was clear he was embarrassed and possibly ashamed.
And then there were the comments from the other campers. Suddenly, he wasn't Percy Jackson, the cool guy who'd retrieved Zeus's lightening bolt last summer. Now he was Percy Jackson, the poor schmuck with the ugly monster for a brother.
"He's not my real brother!" He protested whenever Tyson wasn't around "He's more like a half-brother on the monstrous side of the family. Like . . . a half-brother twice removed, or something"
As he said later on 'Nobody bought it'
He admitted he was angry at his dad, he felt like being his son was nothing more than a joke. This whole debacle made me wonder if I had siblings of my own. Then I remembered my name 'Caesar' and the story Mom told me last summer. Sending a chill down my spine, I don't think I me and dad made it on the family tree. So there goes that idea.
Annabeth tried to make Percy feel better. She suggested they team up for the chariot race to take our minds off our problems. Don't get me wrong-all three of us hated Tantalus and we were worried sick about camp-but we didn't know what to do about it. Until we could come up with some brilliant plan to save Thalia's tree, they figured they might as well go on with the races. After all Annabeth's mom . . . Athena had invented the chariot, and Poseidon created horses.
(I wonder how she's doing on her own out there. . .not Athena by the way someone else)
Together they own the track. As for myself I wasn't planning on racing no thank you. I'd rather sit this one out and root for them.
One morning Annabeth Percy and I were sitting by the canoe lake, they were sketching chariot designs when some jokers from the Aphrodite's cabin walked by and asked Percy if he needed to borrow some eyeliner for his eye . . ."Oh sorry eyes"
I stood up summoning my spear glaring at them "So who wants a matching ugly scar like the one my face?" I said. Which spooked them away.
As they ran away Annabeth grumbled "Just ignore them. Percy, it isn't your fault you have monster for a brother."
"He's not my brother!" He snapped. "And he's not a monster, either!"
Oh no here we go again just like how they first started their friendship
Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Hey, don't get mad at me! And technically, he is a monster."
"She's right there" I thought skidding a rock on the lake's surface.
"Well you gave him permission to enter the camp." he said to Annabeth
"Because it was the only way to save your life! I mean . . . I'm sorry, Percy, I didn't expect Poseidon to claim him. Cyclopes are the most deceitful, treacherous-"
"He is not! Tell her Y/n" he added me into this heated argument.
"She's technically right. . ." was not the right thing to say
"What have you both got against Cyclopes, any-way?!" he shouted
Annabeth's ears turned pink. Which looked like she was trying not to say something bad. Percy turned to me getting past the personal space boundary.
"I don't really know" I said. While looking at my hand "My memories are still fuzzy and I haven't been able to read my journal since Tantalus has been keeping me busy. But my body keeps trying to warn me when we are around that Cy-"
"His name is TYSON" he shouted
Annabeth stood up getting between us pushing Percy back a bit. "Just forget it," she said. "Now let's get back to the chariot design. The axle for this chariot-" she said getting comfy again.
"You're both treating him like he's this horrible thing," he said. "He saved my life."
Annabeth threw down her pencil and stood up once more. I've never seen her treat her tools for writing in such a way. "Then maybe you should design a chariot with him."
oh no please don't-
"Maybe I should,"
"FINE!"
"FINE!" she shouted back. "Come on Y/n, you and me are racing together."
"Wait what?"
She stormed off grabbing me by my shirt from behind, dragging me on my heels along with her and leaving Percy to wallow in his self-pity.
"Wait Annabeth I don't want to race." I said which she ignored. "By the gods when did you get so strong" I said.
"Percy help me" I said reaching out to him
he turned around of course he would. . .
After a while I was able to walk on my own side by side Annabeth it was quiet until she mumbled something.
"What was that?"
"Your scar—" she paused turning away "It's not ugly. . ."
"Oh. Thanks"
"Yeah-now come on Lucky I want to win against that seaweed brain." she finished walking further ahead of me.
Have not heard that nickname since last summer it felt funny hearing her call me that. If only she knew I haven't been so lucky lately.
***
The next couple of days were . . . something I guess. Annabeth and Percy were not in talking terms. And I had played messenger for them sometimes. Speaking about Annabeth she and I have completed our design for the chariot. Don't get me wrong she's fun to spend time with and all, but it was either us talking about the chariot or her bad mouthing Percy. After we finished the chariot you can guess what we talked about mostly—not really interesting.
So today, I'm standing beside Percy who finally cold off and we back together like nothing ever happened. Silena Beauregard, one of the nicer girls from Aphrodite's cabin, gave him his first riding lesson on a pegasus. Not THE Pegasus rather his kids. Which she explained. I always wondered what happened to him after he'd helped Bellerophon and I fight the Chimera.
I must admit Percy looked super worried at first when it came to riding in the air. But he picked it up rather quickly and his mood changed just as fast. I bet it was because last summer Zeus tried to kill him and the sky is his domain. He was screaming at the top of his lungs in the distance.
I really wanted to fly up there with him to see his reaction, but I was sitting on the ground with Silena. She was helping me preen my wings mostly the ones by my shoulder blades. I could not reach those. AND no! I wasn't using my mouth like a beak. I used my hands thank you. She kept all the feathers that came off and made nice hair ornament.
Now the problem was Tyson wanted to ride the "chicken ponies," too, but the pegasi got skittish whenever he approached. When Percy was back on the ground he stared at the horses almost like he did with the Zebra from last summer. Long story. But the horse didn't seem to budge and made the cyclops cry.
The only person at camp who had no problem with Tyson was Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin. The blacksmith god had always worked with Cyclopes in his forges according to his son. So Beckendorf took Tyson down to the armory to teach him metalworking. He said he'd have Tyson crafting magic items like a master in no time. Unlike the last time when I was inside the forges I wasn't feeling all that hot inside. Nor was I feeling getting cooked like fried chicken.
After Lunch Percy and I went to the arena to train with the Apollo's cabin. Swordplay had always been Percy's strength. He trashed the Apollo guys easily, and I didn't get to train with any of them as they all rather rush him than me.
It would have been more fruitful if we trained with the Ares and Athena cabins, since they had the best sword fighters, but we don't get along with Clarisse and her siblings, and after mostly their argument Percy didn't want to even see Annabeth.
"How about it Y/n?" Percy asked "You and I practice?"
That caught me off guard, but I remembered what Chiron's said about training Percy.
"Sure, this should help you stop being so sluggish"
Percy looked a little offended "But I have condition. I want you to fight me like you did against Luke that night."
. . . .
. . . .
"What?" I asked. I hid my dominant arm behind me that squeezed into a fist.
"When you fought him, I remember seeing that face of yours's like a. . . a wolf and his prey? I know it sounds weird, but you made Luke look easy. When you both clashed blades you over-powered him quickly. The way you changed your weapons forms. How you kept him on the ground." he said with admiration and a shine to his eyes as he look up at me.
"Will this makes things easier than" I said. Taking a breath and releasing my fist. "Chiron did ask me to train you know. Do you want to do it here or shall we go by the creek so you can get an advantage?" I asked a trick question.
"Wait he did?" he asked
"Uh-huh, told him about how sluggish you got."
"Dude not cool" he said gloomy.
"So what would it be?"
He looked at me perplexed as if thinking over the question. There is only one right answer; getting to train where you at your most vulnerable . And right now Percy is weakest away from water. He looked at his sword seeing his refection.
"Here" he said. No hesitation and no doubt
"Okay. First I want to see what were really working with" I said. "The apollo cabin is mostly pure archers. They don't really stand a chance when comes to close-quarters combat"
I summoned my spear taking my stance which he should be familiar with. Since we did travel together a lot last summer on his quest and I did use my spear often. He took a wide stance. . .a bit too wide of a stance. And held Riptide with two hands."
The Apollo cabin kids all stood up and took seats around the arena, ready to watch the sparing match between the child of Poseidon and the child of Nike and to there understanding Tyche. Some were cheering for me and some for Percy.
"You know the camp rules no maiming" He nodded "Then let's begin" I said
I rushed him spear in front, quickly stabbing the ground I used it to stop myself fainting the attack. He moved into a mid guard stance, I spun taking the spear's bladed wings and hooking it around his ankle pulling him off his feet. He tried to spin on the ground to get back on his feet, but I planted my foot on his chest.
"Uh oh, what now?" I asked
He slashed his blade, I avoided it but jumping back using my wings to handle my landing. He rushed me now, I leaned back twice as he did two horizontal slashes. He slide on the dirt with a kick aiming for my shin. I used my spear as leverage getting high in the air before twisting my body towards his direction. I slammed my spear where he once stood, he had rolled back just before the entire spear could hit.
Something changed as he stood taking a new stance, his ADHD kicked in and his godly side was now showing. He his eyes hardened and he held his blade with one hand high in front of him. This was no longer Percy Jackson. No this was Perseus Jackson
Swing after swing he kept getting faster, stronger and better. Yet, he was no where near Luke's level. One of his attacks came from above I spun around him changing my spear into dagger form. He turned around swinging as I did and our blades clashed. I was going to aim for his thigh, but he got me. . .he thrust forward making me dodge back. . .he grazed my stomach getting a nice bit of blood from me. His eyes soften seeing the cut.
I extended my wings to their full length using them as distractions. I turned my body swinging my wings with the turns. Left- right into a backflip in the air. It had worked he was dazed for a second and that's all I needed. I landed with a forward kick, I planting my entire foot on his stomach. The kick was so hard he went flying back so far he skidded on the dirt.
(A/N: Batman cap daze is what I was going for (ᵔᴥᵔ))
"PERCY" I flew to him. "I'm so sorry!"
I helped him up dusting off some of the dust.
"I should be sorry" he chuckled "I did cut you. Damn dude where all the strength come from I feel like you knocked my stomach out of place."
He had his hands above his head trying to get as much air as possible in his lungs. I was so worried that I hurt him. He saw this and did something that reminded me of the original Perseus he flicked my forehead.
"Stop worrying dude I'm a tough cookie" he said. "I guess we should really start with swings like Luke did huh?"
I only nodded "Yeah let's start slow and I mean new camper slow"
After a getting some patch work down from the Apollo cabin. We went to get some endurance training at the climbing wall in full lava-and-earthquake mode. And in the evening, we did border patrol. Even though Tantalus had insisted we forget trying to protect the camp, some of the campers had quietly kept it up, working out a schedule during our free times.
No words on this earth would make me give up on protecting my new home . . . I know I don't stay yearly, but I'd rather die than losing another home.
While Percy and I were at the top of Half-Blood Hill, we watched dryads come and go, singing to the dying pine tree. Satyrs brought their reed pipes and played nature magic songs, and for while the pine needles seemed to get fuller. The flowers on the hill smelled a little sweeter and the grass looked greener. But as soon as the music stopped, the sickness crept back into the air. The whole hill seemed to be infected, dying from the poison that had sunk into the tree's roots.
The longer I looked at the tree the angrier I got. It only reminded me of my failed attempt to kill Luke. I placed a hand on my cheek, right above cut from his sword. My read always raced with 'what if?' scenarios that will never happen since the rat has been in hiding. From the looks of it Percy who was staring at his palm. It was decent slash on his palm from the scorpion that poisoned him. A scorpion that Luke had summoned from Tartarus. The next people to switch for border Patrol had arrived.
"Come on Percy" I said.
He snapped out of his thoughts "Shoot time flies, good thing too I'm feeling sleepy." He said hiding his true feelings.
***
It was the morning of the race, it was hot and humid. Fog lay low on the ground steam. Millions of birds were roosting in the trees-fat gray-and-white pigeons, except they didn't coo like regular birds. They made an annoying metallic screeching sound that sounded familiar to me, but I couldn't put my head around it.
The racetrack had been built in a grassy field between the archery range and the woods. Hephaestus's cabin had used the bronze bulls, which were completely tame since they'd had their heads smashed or replaced, to plow an oval track in matter of minutes.
There were rows of stone steps for the spectators-Tantalus, the satyrs, a few dryads, and all of the campers who weren't participating. Mr. D didn't show. He never got up before ten o'clock.
"Right!" Tantalus announced as he the teams began to assemble. A naiad had brought him a big platter of pastries, and as Tantalus spoke, his right hand chased a piece of chocolate cake across the judge's table. "You all know the rules. A quarter-mile track. Twice around to win. Up Two horses per chariot. Each team will consist of a driver and a fighter. Weapons are allowed. Dirty tricks are expected. But try not to kill anybody!" Tantalus smiled at us like we were all 'naughty children. "Any killing will result in harsh punishment. No s'mores at the campfire for a week! Now ready you chariots!"
Beckendorf led the Hephaestus team onto the track. They had an amazing chariot made of bronze and iron-even the horses, which ere magical automatons like the Colchis bulls. I had no doubts that they had all kinds of mechanical traps and more fancy options.
The Ares chariot was bloodred, and pulled by two grisly horse skeletons, Clarisse climbed aboard with a batch of javelins, spiked balls, caltrops, and a bunch of other nasty toys.
Apollo's cabin was trim and graceful and completely gold, pulled by two beautiful palominos. Their fighter was armed with a bow, though he had promised not to shoot regular pointed arrows at the opposing drivers.
Hermes's chariot was green and looked like the one's they used in the past. It was pretty dusty like it hasn't been used in very long time. It didn't look like anything special like ours was, but it was manned by the Stoll brothers, and they know how to play nasty dirty tricks.
Annabeth's and I had a more saft approach with our Chariot. It was made to withstand hits and bumps. We had two brown male horses who I was currently petting. The chariot design was nothing too big, both sides of the cart had wings painted in and on the front there was an owl with the edge of it's wings just about to rise. That's where the wings on the side come to play it's suppose to be the owl flying as we pick up speed.
Athena and Nike. The strategist and Victory bringer. She's the driver and I was the attacker. At first I didn't want race in this, but now that we are here. Surely me and Annabeth, as they say in this day and age 'we have got this in the bag'.
Before the race began, Percy tried to approached us and told us about a dream he had the previous night. But Annabeth was not having any of it. She was trying her best to ignore him until Percy brought up Grovers name.
She perked up, but when he told her what he'd said, she seemed to get distant again, suspicious.
"You're trying to distract us" she decided
"What? No I'm not!"
Here we go once more.
"Oh, right! Like Grover would just happen to stumble across the one thing that could save the camp."
"What do you mean?"
She rolled her eyes. "Go back to your chariot, Percy."
"I'm not making this up. He's in trouble, Annabeth"
She hesitated. We could tell she was trying to decided whether or not trust Percy. Despite their occasional fights, we'd been through a lot together. And I knew she would never want anything bad to happen to Grover. I placed my hand on her shoulder
"If Grover is really in trouble and he did find something to save the camp. Then we need to act and fast. We don't have much time with the pine slowly dying."
"Percy, and empathy link is so hard to do. I mean, it's more likely you really were dreaming."
"The Oracle," He said. "We could consult the Oracle."
Annabeth frowned.
Last summer Percy had to go up the big house attic to get his prophecy for the quest. And let me tell you he looked restless for months. Annabeth knew he'd never suggest going back there if he wasn't completely serious.
Before she could answer, the conch horn sounded.
"Charioteers!" Tantalus called. "To your mark!"
"We'll talk later," Annabeth told him, "After we win"
She climbed on the chariot and I followed next. When I was on the cart I felt a cold sweat hit, Annabeth saw this "Are you okay?" she asked
"No, the last time I was in one of these, it was when Phaethon pushed me off the sun chariot" I said. Which she looked horrified. "No worries though while falling these guys sprouted and it was a good thing he pushed me off. Zeus hurled a thunderbolt at him because he lost control of the chariot." I said flapping my wings. . .that didn't help she looked almost mortified.
"Was it an accident or on purpose?" she asked
"I have no clue like I said he lost control of the horses" I said. "Let's not worry about that now we have a race to win remember"
She nodded taking the reins. She pushed something towards me with her foot. "Use this just in case" It was a bronze shield, it was small and round easily fits on one's forearm.
"Good call" I said attaching it to my left arm.
Was it my imagination or were there more birds than the last time I looked. They were spreading all across the trees. Nobody else seemed to be paying them much attention, but they made me nervous. Their beaks glinted strangely. They seem so familiar to me, but where did I see them before.
As the chariots lined up, even more birds started to gather in the woods. They were screeching so loudly the campers in the stands were starting to take notice, glancing nervously at the trees, which shivered under the weight of the birds. Tantalus didn't look concerned, but he did have to speak up to be heard over the noise.
"Charioteers!" he shouted. "Attend you mark!"
He waved his hand and the starting signal dropped. The chariots roared to life. Hooves thundered against the dirt. The crowd cheered.
And everything went into chaos from the start. There was a nasty crack! The Apollo chariot flipped over. The Hermes chariot had rammed into it-no doubt about it on purpose. The riders were thrown free, but their panicked horses dragged the golden chariot diagonally across the track. The Hermes team, the Stoll brothers, were laughing at their good luck, but not for long. The Apollo horses crashed into theirs, and the Hermes chariot flipped too, leaving a pile of broken wood and four rearing horses into the dust
Two chariots down in the first twenty feet. I HATE this sport.
We were ahead of everyone already taking our first turn around the first post, I turned around blocking a few javelins from the Ares cabin. Turning to Percy with a sly grin on my face I waved "See ya!"
"GIVE ME THAT" I heard Clarisse shout
She took a javelin from her attacker and tossed it with such force, that when I blocked it with the shield. I was pushed back pressing up against Annabeth "Deodamnatus! Sorry Annabeth!"(I cursed in Latin Translation 'dammit')
"It's okay!" she reassured me.
I summoned my spear let's see her dodge this. I tossed my spear in front of her skeleton horses path. It spooked them making them curve to the side almost tilting their chariot. They changed their targets to Percy and Tyson who just knocked out the Hephaestus chariot back.
We were in the clear and in first place, I faced forward checking on the reins and of course Annabeth. She smiled at me getting the same from me. "BIRDS!" I turned back around pulling Annabeth down with me. To duck incoming attacks from the hundreds of birds that were in the trees earlier.
The birds were swarming thousands of them dive-bombing the spectators in the stands, attacking the other chariots. Beckendorf who was catching up again was mobbed. His fighter tried to bat the birds away but he couldn't see anything. They veered off course and plowed through the poor strawberry fields, the mechanical horses steaming.
I was to busy trying to cut the birds attacking us, they swarmed us I used my wings to guard Annabeth from any incoming pecks. But that didn't help me as they were cutting me pretty bad. There were four of them attacking us from our open area of our chariot, but I had cut them down quickly turning them into dust and feathers. It was getting worse as we got closer to the stands where the nasty things were gathered around. A few had started attacking our horses and the wheels of our chariot.
Once I finally got a good look at the stupid birds my eyes widened "I TOLD YOU SO HERACLES!"
"What?" Annabeth shouted back.
"These birds are the same one's from his sixth labor" I said "There the Stymphalian birds!"
"I knew it!" she yelled.
"We need to turn around and help!"
"On it" she said pulling the reins
As she turned us around the birds started to attack again. I was getting frustrated I punched one so hard that I dented it's head and it's ruby eye flew out. I tried to punch another while slashing my dagger, but one bit down on my hand. I pulled out my hand like an idiot, the inside of these birds beaks are razor sharp that it shredded my skin. The shields ricocheted off the speeding wheel that it was sent flying from my arm. That wasn't the worst of it just as we were arriving to Percy side the birds had chomped one of our wheel's
"Annabeth HOLD ON TO ME!" I shouted as I cut the reins on the horses saving them from danger of being hit my the chariot.
She did as best as she could as our chariot tilted to one side I wrapped my wings around us as we we're sent flying from the speed. One flip two flips maybe a third I couldn't tell as adrenaline kicked in. Someone had caught us they were like an Iron wall taking on the impact.
"Tyson's got you and your pretty wings." Tyson said.
He put us down Annabeth was fine thank goodness. I was speechless the cyclops I was treating horribly had caught us. He saved me. He saved Annabeth. He gained so much of my respect to put up with all of this.
"Stymphalian birds!" Annabeth yelled as she stood. "They'll strip everyone to ones if we don't drive them away! HEROES, to ARMS!" she shouted
"Good catch Tyson" I said. He grew the biggest smile on his face I'd ever seen since he arrived to camp.
Under his massive foot he had stopped the speeding shield that was once attached to my arm. And I had an idea and I would need a good discus thrower. "Hey Tyson have you ever played with those weird things called Frisbees?"
"Uh-huh with Percy back at school!" he yelled happily
"Great come with me and bring that shield with you!"
He did as I said picking it up and I was ready to run to a more open space. Until I felt Annabeth grab my hand "Y/n your hurt—"
"The camp comes first, I'll lick my wounds later. You figure out how to better my plan. Come on Tyson!"
We rushed to the center of the chaos I flew up a good distance in the air and some of the birds took notice. Their ruby red eyes glistened with hunger. The few-I'd say hundred speed towards me.
"Do it now Tyson toss it as high as you can!"
He threw the shield towards me just as I summoned my spear. I leaned back and with all my might I slammed my spear right on the center of the shield like a gong. The sound wave was near visible as it pushed the air around the shield. The noise was so loud the birds fell to the ground stunned. The campers took notice of birds hurrying to destroy the now easy targets. The shield crashed on the ground steaming.
The heat didn't bother Tyson like at all, he picked it up and readied himself for another toss. I gave him a thumbs up, the birds didn't have any brains as they speed towards me once more. And like the last I slammed my spear right at the center of the shield creating another wave of air around it. Sadly the shield shattered on impact and my hands felt completely numb.
In the distance Chiron's favorite-the All-Time Greatest Hits of Dean Martin suddenly blasted the entire area. Nothing but Violins and a bunch guys moaning in Italian?
The demon pigeons went nuts. They started flying in circles, running into each other even me as I slowly descended.
The adrenaline had wared off and I lost control of my body. I wasn't all that high in the sky anymore, but the fall would probably break my legs. Good thing that didn't happened, because Tyson had caught me again. It was a good thing I started to float down because Annabeth I shouted for the Archers to fire.
Tyson set me on my feet with a huge grin on his face "That was fun!"
"I don't know about fun, but thanks again Tyson. . .you're not so bad big guy"
He gave me a shoulder to lean on as I was still feeling weak. The camp was saved, but the wreckage wasn't pretty. Most of the chariots had been completely destroyed. Almost everyone was wounded, bleeding from multiple birds pecks. The kids from the Aphrodite's cabin were screaming because their hairdos had been ruined and their clothes pooped on.
"Bravo!" Tantalus said, but he wasn't look at me, Annabeth, Percy or even Tyson. "We have our first winner!" He walked to the finish line and awarded the golden laurels for the race to a sunned-looking Clarisse. Then he turned and smiled at us, "And now to punish the troublemakers who disrupted this race."
***
Another chapter down how did you like the little change I did in the race?
I don't have much to say besides thank you for the constant support!