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I Go Bull Fighting

Theo's POV

Why is it that every time I go to Camp Half-Blood, something happens?

Last time, I had to fight an Odontotyrannos. This time, it's two bronze bulls the size of elephants. Oh, did I mention the fact that they can BREATHE FIRE?!?!

As soon as we exited the taxi, the Gray Sisters peeled out, heading back to New York, where life was safer. They didn't even wait for their extra three-drachma payment. They just left us on the side of the road, Annabeth with nothing but her backpack and knife, Tyson and Percy still in their burned-up tie-dyed gym clothes, and me with my bracers, sword, bow, quiver, and flying Adidas shoes.

We all looked at the battle raging on the hill.

Annabeth: Oh, man.

Theo: What the hell?

Percy: This is not good.

Tyson: Cows!

What worried me most wasn't the bulls themselves. Or the ten heroes in full battle armor who were getting their bronze-plated asses whooped. What worried me was that the bulls were ranging all over the hill, even around the back side of the pine tree. That shouldn't have been possible. The camp's magic boundaries didn't allow monsters to cross past Thalia's tree. But the metal bulls were doing it anyway.

???: BORDER PATROL, TO ME!

Wait, border patrol? Since when did Camp Half-Blood have border patrol?

Annabeth: It's Clarisse. Come on, we have to help her.

Normally, I wouldn't help Clarisse. She's the biggest bully in the camp, and she hates both me and Percy for beating her father Ares' ass last year. She probably hates me more because I shot him and her in the ass.

Still, she was in trouble. Her fellow warriors were scattering, running in panic as the bulls charged. The grass was burning in huge swathes around the pine tree. One hero screamed and waved his arms as he ran in circles, the horsehair plume on his helmet blazing like a fiery Mohawk. Clarisse's own armor was charred. She was fighting with a broken spear shaft, the other end embedded uselessly in the metal joint of one bull's shoulder.

I turned my flashlight into the sword and pressed the bottom button of the watch to activate the shield, while Percy uncapped his ballpoint pen to form Riptide in his hand.

Percy: (to Tyson) Tyson, stay here. I don't want you taking any more chances.

Annabeth: No. We need him.

Percy: He's mortal. He got lucky with the dodge balls, but he can't—

Annabeth: Percy, do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp.

Percy: Medea's what?

Annabeth rummaged through her backpack and cursed.

Annabeth: had a jar of tropical coconut scent sitting on my nightstand at home. Why didn't I bring it?

Percy: I... (turns to Theo) Theo, back me up here.

Theo: I hate to say it, but she's right.

Percy looked at me in disbelief.

Percy: Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not going to let Tyson get fried.

Annabeth: Percy—

Percy: (to Tyson) Tyson, stay back. I'm going in.

Tyson tried to protest, but Percy ran off.