Sailing Solo

11

Previously:
"Maybe another time, Piper?" Frank said. "Let's get this idiot to Will first."

"Right. Then I can kill him."

"That seems counter intuitive." Butch said.

Percy wanted to protest but he was too busy trying not to trip again. Besides, he only really had the energy to just barely keep up with the daughter of Aphrodite and glance over his shoulder at the beach. He was right; this time was different. There was some hope.

"You need to stop ignoring me, Percy. I'm trying to keep you safe."

"I'll stop ignoring you when you let me help." Percy snapped back. "It's stupid to keep your best fighter away from the fight."

"You won't be our best fighter if you keep going against Annabeth and inevitably get hurt!" Piper threw her hands up in exasperation. "What if she gets you worse than on your side next time?"

"If we can see you won't be trying to reach her every raid, then we won't have to ground you." Jason said as a way to appease him. He glanced at Piper uncertainly.

"I won't."

"You said that last time, Percy." Jason rubbed his eyes. "How do we know you're telling the truth this time?"

"It's better if you let us handle the front line for now, Percy. She makes you vulnerable." Piper said solemnly.

-
"It's better that you stay here, Percy. It would just make them vulnerable."
-

"Percy?"

Percy shook his head as if to shake out some thoughts. He glanced up at Piper and Jason, who were standing in front of him in nearly identical stances with their hands on their hips. "Fine," he said, "I'll do what you want. You can even handcuff me to Frank or Butch or something. Can I go train now?"

His response took the two of them by surprise. They looked at each other, uncertain.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked.

Percy just gave him a look as if to say, 'You're asking me that?'

"Right, yes, thank you. You can go now." Piper said quickly before he had a chance to change his mind. She even helped him up from his seat and started pushing him out of the pavilion.

The two watched the son of Poseidon trudge off, hands in pockets and head down. Looking for all the world as if Piper and Jason had taken his favorite pillow pet.

"What are we going to do with him?" Piper muttered, almost not loud enough for Jason to hear.

Jason didn't know how to answer that so he stayed silent.

"Did he just call me stupid?"

-            -            -            -

Percy hacked at the last monster that had attacked their small camp. It was dead three seconds later. Turning to Annabeth, he said, "We should see what they were talking about; 'scouting group'? Do you want to wait here while I retrace their steps?"

"It's better that you stay here, Percy. It would just make them vulnerable."

Percy glanced over at the two nine year old twin boys huddled by their campfire. The monsters have been getting more bold; forcing the camps to send out experienced demigods to help escort them to safety. The saytr that found them died just the other day as they were meeting up with him. The two newly realized demigods became very protective of the sapling he became.