Prince of Atlantis

Chapter 5 - Sea of Monsters

"Yes, Dad, I remember," Percy said with rolled eyes. "I can't tell anyone about being a prince." He was getting ready to return to Camp Half-Blood. He had his hair returned to black and had his piercings hidden with a glamour.

"I would really rather you don't go to Camp at all," Amphitrite grumbled. "You're much safer here."

"I also don't have any friends here," Percy countered. "Besides, Camp is safe and I need to find out if those dreams I've been having mean anything."

Amphitrite sighed and pulled him into a hug. "Remember to IM us every week."

"I promise."

Then, after a few more goodbyes with Poseidon, Triton, and Kym, Percy was standing on two legs outside of Camp. His eyes widened when he saw what was happening and he ran to help, pulling out Anaklumos as he did so.

There were monsters inside the border. Two mechanical bulls that Percy recognized as Colchian Bulls. He summoned water and jumped in front of the bull as it charged at Clarisse and sliced off its snout. He was unused to fighting on the surface again, but he quickly adapted with his demigod instincts.

"What's going on, La Rue?" he asked as he used the water to crush the bulls.

Clarisse stared at the display of power with wide eyes before responding. "The border's failing, Prissy. They sent Chiron away and the new activities director is... well, you'll see."

Percy pursed his lips. "Mother's going to kill me," he said with an irritated sigh. "I promised her Camp was safe."

Clarisse shot him a dirty look and he knew why. Most year-round campers had a bad home life, and that included Clarisse. She, like everyone else, assumed his home life was perfect. She put it aside. "What are you doing here, Prissy? Chiron sent word to your mom that Camp wasn't safe."

Percy stiffened. "My mom is dead. I've been staying with an adoptive family."

Clarisse's jaw dropped and she looked apologetic. "Sorry," she mumbled. "How'd it happen?"

"My stepfather killed her," he said softly. "Now, come, tell me more about what has been happening here."

As they walked through Camp, Clarisse explained everything that had been happening.

Chiron had been replaced after the tree had been poisoned and everything had dissolved into a mess after he left. Tantalus, the new activities director had singled Clarisse out as "the hero" of Camp and Clarisse wasn't necessarily happy with it, seeing as she hadn't earned it. He had been targeting Luke as a troublemaker, despite the fact that he was an actual hero and had completed the quest with Percy and Grover.

Percy frowned. "I've been having dreams about Grover being in danger," he said. "I was given a set of coordinates by the Grey Sisters in my most recent dream. Perhaps there is a cure for the tree there?"

Clarisse nodded. "Good idea. We should bring this to Tantalus."

Tantalus had scoffed and waved them off, so they planned to bring it up at the campfire, where he would have no choice but to agree.

Then, Percy went to find Luke for a spar, feeling the magic from his necklace kick in, supressing his demigod instincts.

∆_______________∆

Tantalus decided to have Clarisse lead the quest, banning both Luke and Percy from going. Even Clarisse was upset about it. She seemed shaken after hearing her prophecy and refused to share it.

Hermes helped Percy and Luke sneak out anyways to go with her, as her friends refused to go. Percy knew his family would be mad that he did, but he didn't care. His friends were in danger and he wouldn't stand by and wait for them to die.

The quest sent them into the Sea of Monsters, and the spa? Yeah, not as fun as when he went with Kym. Especially since Percy thought Luke was dead at the time.

Luckily, he wasn't, and they met back up at the island with the Golden Fleece.

They fought Polyphemus and rescued Grover and a younger cyclops named Tyson from him. They grabbed the Fleece and escaped, sending Tyson to live with Poseidon and promising Percy would visit.

They sent Clarisse on ahead, as Percy couldn't fly, and had a confrontation with Annabeth at the docks, which ended up proving Chiron's innocence. Percy gained a lifelong companion in a black pegasus named Blackjack after freeing him from Annabeth and they made their way back to Camp.

After the quest, Clarisse stopped disliking Percy for his parentage and they became good friends. Grover went back out searching for Pan and Luke stayed at Camp when Percy went back to Atlantis.