La Vie en Rose // Percy Jackson

vii. we board the princess andromeda

Percy was staring at the waves when Annabeth, Tyson and I found him.

"What's going on?" Annabeth asked. "Annie and I heard you calling for help!"

"Me, too!" Tyson said. "Heard you yell, 'Bad things are attacking!'"

"I didn't call you guys," Percy said. "I'm fine."

"But then who..." I noticed the four yellow duffel bags, then the thermos and the bottle of vitamins Percy was holding. "What—"

"Just listen," he said. "We don't have much time."

Percy told us about his conversation with Hermes. By the time he was finished, we could hear screeching in the distance—patrol harpies picking up our scent.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "we have to do the quest."

"We'll get expelled, you know. Trust me, I'm an expert at getting expelled."

"So? If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to."

"Yeah, but you and Annie promised Chiron—"

I cut him off. "Annabeth and I promised we'd keep you from danger. We can only do that by coming with you ! Tyson can stay behind and tell them—"

"I want to go," Tyson said.

"No!" I was sure my voice sounded close to panic. "I mean...Percy, come on. You know that's impossible."

Percy looked like he was wondering again why Annabeth and I had such a grudge against Cyclopes . There was something we weren't telling him and I prayed to the gods it stayed that way. At least for a little while longer.

She, Tyson and I each looked at Percy, waiting for an answer. Meanwhile, the cruise ship was getting farther and farther away.

While Percy thought about what to do, the sound of the harpies was getting closer....

"We can't leave him," Percy decided. "Tantalus will punish him for us being gone."

"Percy," Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool, "we're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is an S-i-k...a C-y-k..." She stamped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, Annabeth was dyslexic, too. We could've been there all night while she tried to spell Cyclops. "You know what I mean!"

"Tyson can go," Percy insisted, "if he wants to."

Tyson clapped his hands. "Want to!"

Annabeth and I gave Percy the evil eye, but I guess he wasn't going to change my mind. Or maybe we just knew we didn't have time to argue.

"All right," she said. "How do we get to that ship?"

"Hermes said my father would help."

"Well then, Seaweed Brain?" I asked. "What are you waiting for?"

Percy stepped into the waves.

"Um, Dad?" he called. "How's it going?"

"Percy!!" Annabeth whispered. "We're in a hurry!"

"We need your help," Percy called a little louder. "We need to get to that ship, like, before we get eaten and stuff, so..."

At first, nothing happened. Waves crashed against the shore like normal. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the sand dunes. Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, three white lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast toward the shore, like claws ripping through the ocean.

As they neared the beach, the surf burst apart and the heads of five white stallions reared out of the waves.

Tyson caught his breath. "Fish ponies!"