Percy Jackson And The River Star

Vitória And The River Boy

And there I was. Submerged in a tank full of fish inside a Boeing in a trip to Brazil.

It was Annabeth's idea. If I would travel by plane I should go inside a big tank of water, full of fish. This would give me protection, and the water would hid me from Zeus, in theory. Luckily, her theory was correct.

"Here, I want you to have this." Annabeth gave me her invisibility Yankees cap when we were at the JFK Airport. She took it off and her blonde hair fell over her shoulders.

"Are you sure?" I inquered her.

"I'm positive. It will give you more shielding. If Zeus feels your presence, he won't be able to see you."

It made sense, but I didn't think a magical New York Yankees cap would trick a God such as Zeus. I took it with me anyway. Any help would be welcomed.

"Your mother is going take care of whoever was taking the shower. Chiron is talking to her now. Send my best to Grover. And, Percy, be careful!"

"I will!" I said with conviction, but that didn't really convince her.

Those were our last words. I have to admit, her plan was pretty good. The Brazilian governor of the State of Ceará was building an Aquarium and his office was collecting all types of marine species from all over the world. I spent 10 hours playing with fish. I didn't get wet or cold inside the tank since I was the son of Poseidon. It was a nice and strange trip.

At Fortaleza's international airport I met Grover. He was with a girl. She had light complexion, big black eyes, shoulder-length dark hair, a pretty smile and a beauty mark under her pink lips. She was short, about 1.60 m, and she was older, sixteen years old. She was wearing a blue blouse, blue shorts, and blue flip-flops. This 'girls wearing all blue' outfit was getting under my skin.

"Hey, Percy! Right here!" Grover shouted.

I could barely recognize him. Ok, I take that back. He was more Grover than ever! He was wearing an elaborate costume. He was showing his goat legs and his horns, but he looked more like a bull. There was a mantle covering most of his body, it was red and it had sewn flowers.

"Do you like my new outfit?" He laughed and danced around me as his girl-friend was playing a type of Caribbean music called 'forró' in her smartphone. I didn't know if every tourist who came to Brazil got a welcome like that.

"What are you doing, G-man? You're showing your legs to everybody!"

"Don't worry, Percy. They think I'm wearing a typical costume. This is Bumba-meu-boi. By the way, this is Vitória. Vitória, esse é Percy." He stopped dancing and Vitória paused the music to greet me.

"Oi, tudo bem? Prazer em conhecê-lo." She spoke in Portuguese.

"Oh, Vitória. Percy doesn't speak Portuguese."

"Oh, sorry. Nice to meet you, Percy! Welcome to Fortaleza." She shook my hand and gave two kisses one in each cheek." I didn't know how to respond to that.

"Relax, Percy. That's how girls greet boys and vice versa on this corner of the world."

"Ah, Ok. Thanks." I replied clueless.

She smiled and took a good look at me. I felt as if I was a very awkward American tourist.

We were in Vitória's car. The three of us in the back and the driver in the front. Grover explained that her dad was the owner of the biggest bus company in the state. That was her role in our mission. She would provide us transportation.

"She is going with us. She knows everything." Grover told me for my astonishment.

"But, she is a mortal. How could you...?"

"Hey, I'm right here. I speak your language."

"Alright, alright." I was trying to keep it cool, hardly. "So, if she knows everything, tell me what I am supposed to do in the Amazon Forest."

Grover took a big breath.

"While I was looking for Pan, I got intel that Iara's daughter, Irani, was kidnapped by a group of illegal loggers in the state of Pará. My sources told me she was in the city of Belém, up north."

"We are going there now. I have arranged a shuttle bus just for us." Vitória told us naturally.

"We. No, no, no. You can't." I moved my index finger sideways.

"Yes, I can. I have the means. Without me, it would take you days to get there. And time is something you don't have, Menino do Rio."

Menino do Rio means River Boy. I learned this today. It was a bit odd. Usually Annabeth or Clarisse would curse me 'seaweed brain' or 'dead meat'. She just called me boy. There was something kind in her, even when she was rude.

On the bus I talked to Grover about our rich hostess.

"Why did you tell her, Grover? Your life is complicated as it is, let alone a mortal know about us."

"Percy, there is something about her. She's different."

"Do you have a crush on her? I know she's cute, but..."

"No. It's not that. You know I don't feel attracted to humans... on the other hand ..." He gave me a funny look.

"What?"

"The thing is, before I left Half Blood Camp I saw the Oracle. She told me I would meet a pale girl with a birthmark under her lips."

"Did she? Do you think it's Vitória?"

"She told me this girl would help me. To free the river of honey."

"..." My smart answer.

"Irani means "The River of Honey" in Tupi-Guarani. The language of the native Brazilian Indians."

"What did she tell you exactly, the Oracle?"

In the city of water and plants you shall find a river sweet as honey

A young hero shall help you in a perilous path

But without the marked lips girl's money

Your journey shall cause a bloodbath

She shall be your salvation and your river star

Therefore you are doomed to fail.

"We are doomed to fail?"

"Yes. That's why we depend on her."

"That doesn't make any sense. We need her, but we'll fail. Why do we need her in the first place?"

I complained about it, but deep down I was content she was with us.

"Without her we wouldn't even start this mission."

"This discussion is going to..."

"What discussion?" Vitória was back from the bus's washroom.

"We're discussing how we are going to find Irani." Grover changed the subject.

"That's easy. I know where she is."

"How?" Grover took the word from my mouth.

"Since you had told me the story, I hired a private detective in Belém. He has already found Irani. Tall, long haired attractive girl with dark skin and broad shoulders?"

Grover and I exchanged looks, the marked lips girl's money.

"That's her description, alright." Grover said enthusiastically.