8| Percy is Offered a Quest
The next morning, Chiron moved Percy to cabin three. The other campers steered clear of him as much as possible. Cabin eleven was too nervous to have sword class with Percy after what he'd done to the Ares folks in the woods. I am standing next to Chiron and Dionysus, who are sitting in the front porch.
I then see Percy and Grover, walking towards us and I look at Dionysus, with a serious facial expression. He is playing against two invisible opponents – two sets of cards hovering in the air.
Dionysus: Well, well. Our little celebrity. Come closer, and don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father.'
A net of lightning flashed across the clouds. Thunder shook the windows of the house.
Dionysus: 'Blah, blah, blah. If I had my way, I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats from harm.'
Chiron: 'Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr D.'
Dionysus: 'Nonsense, boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father.'
Chiron: *warning* 'Mr D-'
Dionysus: 'Oh, all right. There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness. I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do.'
Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. A security pass. He snapped his fingers. The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a holograph, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind. Chiron smiles at Percy.
Chiron: 'Sit, Percy, Y/N and Grover, please.
We sat down, and Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't got to use.
Chiron: 'Tell me, Percy. What did you make of the hellhound?'
Percy: 'It scared me. If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead.'
Chiron: 'You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done.'
Percy: 'Done... with what?'
Chiron: 'Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?'
Percy: *glances at Grover* 'Um, sir, you haven't told me what it is yet.'
Chiron: *grimaced* 'Well, that's the hard part, the details.'
Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach.
Percy: 'Poseidon and Zeus. They're fighting over something valuable... something that was stolen, aren't they?'
Y/N: *leans forward* 'How did you know that?'
Percy: 'The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And... I've also been having these dreams.'
Grover: 'I knew it.'
Chiron: 'Hush, satyr.'
Grover: 'But it is his quest! It must be!'
