𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 - 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚 𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒙 𝒐𝒄

✯¸.•'*¨'*• 𝑺𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑵 •*'¨*'•.¸✯

They arrived in Long Island just after Clarisse, thanks to the centaurs' travel powers. Percy rode on Chiron's back with Phoenix, but they didn't talk much, especially not about Kronos. Percy knew it had been difficult for Chiron to tell him. 

When we got to camp, the centaurs were anxious to meet Dionysus. They'd heard he threw some really wild parties, but they were disappointed. The wine god was in no mood to celebrate as the whole camp gathered at the top of Half-Blood Hill. The camp had been through a hard two weeks. The arts and crafts cabin had burned to the ground from an attack by a Draco Aionius (which as near as Percy could figure was Latin for "really-big-lizard-with-breath-that-blows-stuff-up"). 

The Big House's rooms were overflowing with wounded. The kids in the Apollo cabin had been working overtime performing first aid. Everybody looked weary and battered as we crowded around Thalia's tree. The moment Clarisse draped the Golden Fleece over the lowest bough, the moonlight seemed to brighten, turning from gray to liquid silver. A cool breeze rustled in the branches and rippled through the grass, all the way into the valley. Everything came into sharper focus-the glow of the fireflies down in the woods, the smell of the strawberry fields, the sound of the waves on the beach. Gradually, the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green. Everybody cheered. It was happening slowly, but there could be no doubt-the Fleece's magic was seeping into the tree, filling it with new power and expelling the poison.

Chiron ordered a twenty-four/seven guard duty on the hilltop, at least until he could find an appropriate monster to protect the Fleece. He said he'd place an ad in Olympus Weekly right away.

In the meantime, Clarisse was carried on her cabin mates' shoulders down to the amphitheater, where she was honored with a laurel wreath and a lot of celebrating around the campfire. Nobody gave Phoenix, Annabeth, or Percy a second look. It was as if they'd never left. 

In a way, Phoenix guessed that was the best thank-you anyone could give them, because if they admitted they'd snuck out of camp to do the quest, they'd have to expel them. And really, she didn't want any more attention. It felt good to be just one of the campers for once. 

Later that night, as everyone was roasting s'mores and listening to the Stoll brothers tell them a ghost story about an evil king who was eaten alive by demonic breakfast pastries, Clarisse shoved Percy from behind and whispered in his ear, "Just because you were cool one time, Jackson, don't think you're off the hook with Ares. I'm still waiting for the right opportunity to pulverize you." 

Percy gave her a grudging smile.

"What?" she demanded.

"Nothing," he said. "Just good to be home."

The next morning, after the party ponies headed back to Florida, Chiron made a surprise announcement: the chariot races would go ahead as scheduled. They'd all figured they were history now that Tantalus was gone, but completing them did feel like the right thing to do, especially now that Chiron was back and the camp was safe.

Tyson wasn't too keen on the idea of getting back in a chariot after our first experience, but he was happy to let Percy team up with Annabeth. Percy would drive, Annabeth would defend, and Tyson would act as our pit crew. Phoenix teamed in her own cabin with Davey.

✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯

That next morning, everybody was buzzing about the chariot race, though they kept glancing nervously toward the sky like they expected to see Stymphalian birds gathering. None did. It was a beautiful summer day with a blue sky and plenty of sunshine. The camp had started to look the way it should look: the meadows were green and lush; the white columns gleamed on the Greek buildings; dryads played happily in the woods.