~Perdido Dentro~ -> Pjo

Chapter 3 / Water Boy Destroys Camp's Plumping

Walking with Camp's most famous kid in the span of three days was embarrassing.

Listen, I LOVE fame, it's so cool. But- this fame wasn't exactly the best type. It was more of.. Ew, fame.

Most Half-bloods that saw Me, Percy, and Chiron looked, glared and eyed us- most saying "That's him" Well- technically, Percy was walking around camp with a literal Minotaur horn, from the Minotaur himself- so.. the campers had a good reason.

Percy stopped, after some walking, he stopped a few yards from the farmhouse. "What's up there?" He questioned.

Cassidy and Chiron shuddered, Chiron's smile fading as he looked to where Percy was pointing. "Just the Attic."

"Somebody lives there?" Percy questioned.

"No," Chiron's voice was finality. "Not a single living thing."

I glanced up at the attic window, Chiron was correct. There was no living thing up there.

Percy looked up at the attic in confusion, Chiron spoke. "Come along, Percy, lots to see."

We continued walking, walking through the strawberry fields. Campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr placed a tube on a tree pipe.

Chiron explained to Percy the crops camp grew, exporting them to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. "It pays our expenses," He explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."

Chiron let Cassidy continue, "Mr. D had this.. effect on fruit-bearing plants: they just went crazy when he was around! It worked beast with wine grapes, but- Mr. D was restricted from growing those, so we grow strawberries."

Percy watched the satyr play his pipe. His music causing bugs to flee the strawberry fields, like ants.

"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?" Percy questioned. "I mean . . . He was a good protecter. Really."

Chiron sighed, He handed me his tweed jacket, I rolled it over his back with a saddle. "Grover.. has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps.. bigger than reasonable."

I mumbled, "To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him/her safely to Half-Blood Hill."

"But- he did that!" Percy promised.

"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate... ah ... fate of your mother. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."

I could almost guess Percy would protest, but when he didn't? It actually surprised me. I did believe both Percy and Chiron. It wasn't really Grover's fault. He's young, but that's just how the council is.

"He'll get a second chance, won't he?" Percy looked down.

Chiron winced, I tried not to look in the direction of Percy. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago—" Cassidy tensed, she clenched her fists— Chiron continued. "Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age..."

"How old is he?" Percy asked.

Chiron looked at me, realizing what he said did affect Cassidy. "Oh... He's twenty-eight."