Tartarus: Dustbin Of The Gods || PJO

Seaweed Brain agrees

Percy took a deep breath and opened the letter, it only had a few sentences written in the elegant scribble of the sea god.

I am with you. Don't forget to take some brooms with you, son! I am proud of you (unless you don't complete this quest, and you die on the way. Then I'll be disappointed.)

It was a relief, kind of. Percy, more confident, went towards the Big House. There on the couch, Clarisse was sitting. 

Clarisse was a child of Ares, Greek God of war.  She was hot-tempered, arrogant, big, tall, and strong. She was also known as a bully in Camp Half-Blood. 

But today she looked terrible, her eyes were puffy. Percy glanced over her to see a letter in her hand, it was from Ares. He squinted at it, trying to read it- it said that she had to go on this quest to Tartarus or else she would regret it...

Percy scowled. Ares is such a bully, he thought.

Great, father, Percy thought, I am just gonna say no and get away...before anyone can guilt-trip me into doing this.

"Ah. Percy," Chiron saw him at last and gestured towards the couch, "Just in time" He said in his wheelchair form. 

Percy sat on the couch beside Clarisse who shifted uncomfortably- they had an uneasy truce...which meant, they wouldn't kill each other or hurt each other, but besides that- you can't expect them to be civil to each other! 

Percy shuddered. Gods, no.

" So..." Chiron asked, "Have the two of you made your decision? Percy? Clarisse?" 

Percy glanced sideways at Clarisse, who was looking down at her feet and trembling, and he remembered what had been written in Ares' letter. Clarisse couldn't do it alone. Percy, he told himself, Clarisse is strong, a fierce warrior, she can take care of herself...

But he remembered Clarisse and how she was trembling with doubt and fear, and he couldn't do it. He couldn't refuse.

He had to make up his mind fast. C'mon, Percy, think, think!

"I will go."  He said, sighing in defeat. "I will do it." 

He couldn't leave Clarisse to her fate, who would most definitely fail to clean Tartarus withotu his help.

Clarisse's eyes shone, and he could tell she was happy, even though she had her signature scowl on her face.

Chiron looked at him approvingly. Clarisse mumbled in his ear, "Just because you're helping me doesn't mean we're friends, punk. "

 Annabeth won't be angry, Percy thought, after all, Clarisse is a friend, sort of. 

And it's not like Annabeth could actually hurt him- she's away in college...

But he thought of those sharp grey eyes, and he gulped.