Reincarnation in the PJO verse: Volume 1

『Savings and Punishments』

The way Tantalus saw it, the Stymphalian birds had simply been minding their own business in the woods and would not have attacked if Diedre hadn't disturbed them with his bad chariot driving. It was completely unfair but Diedre accepted it so that the others didn't need to do it then Nico and Percy told Tantalus to chase a burger and doughnut respectively which didn't help with his mood and all three of them were assigned to kitchen duties.

The harpies washed with lava instead of water, to get that extra-clean sparkle and kill ninety-nine point nine per cent of all germs, so all three had to wear asbestos gloves and aprons. Tantalus had ordered a special luncheon banquet to celebrate Clarisse's chariot victory-a full-course meal featuring country-fried Stymphalian death-bird.

At this point, he thought Tantalus had it out for him. Firstly, making him work with Percy and Nico bickering beside him and secondly, washing everything with lava.

He groaned as he finished up with the last of the plates and left quietly before Percy or Nico could notice him and then give him another considerable headache to deal with.

As soon as he reached his cabin, he passed out at the speed of light.

♬♬♬

That was what he shouldn't have done because that night was perhaps one of the worst he had experienced.

The whole night he was plagued with visions from his last night, all twisted and not as warm or soft as he remembered.

Like someone was purposefully making him imagine all those things.

He hated it. He hated that his brain was being manipulated so he did what he did best. He ignored his problems and jerked awake.

♬♬♬

Sometimes, he hated this life. Because the next time he woke up, it was dark and there was something wet on his forehead.

As he blinked out the drowsiness from his eyes, he saw the people who he was waiting for near the doorway of the cabin.

Percy, Annabeth and Tyson were there at his doorway and he knew where this would lead to.

♬♬♬

All four of them boarded the cruise ship of death, also known as Princess Andromeda. For the most of the journey, Diedre kept quiet in between the bickering of Percy and Annabeth and the small noises that Tyson would make sometimes.

"How do we get aboard?" Annabeth shouted over the noise of the waves, but the hippocampi seemed to know what we needed. They skimmed along the starboard side of the ship, riding easily through its huge wake, and pulled up next to a service ladder riveted to the side of the hull.

"You first," Percy told Annabeth.

She slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and grabbed the bottom rung. Once she'd hoisted herself onto the ladder, her hippocampus whinnied a farewell and dove underwater. Annabeth began to climb. Percy let her get a few rungs up, then followed her with Diedre not too far behind.

Finally, it was just Tyson in the water. His hippocampus was treating him to 360° aerials and backward ollies, and Tyson was laughing so hysterically, the sound echoed up the side of the ship.

"Tyson, shhh!" Diedre said. "Come on, big guy!"

"Can't we take Rainbow?" he asked, his smile fading.

Diedre stared at him. "Rainbow?"

The hippocampus whinnied as if he liked his new name.

"Um, we have to go," Percy said. "Rainbow ... well, he can't climb ladders."