"I can't wait to show you what I made!" Tyson said exactly, almost running to their tent. Tyson was holding a lantern to light the way. Percy was following behind at a steady pace, smiling as he watched his excited younger half-brother run ahead of him. They finally got to the tent, and Tyson was hopping from foot to foot, waiting for Percy.
"Cover your eyes!" Tyson exclaimed, and Percy did as told. Percy felt Tyson grab his arm and take him inside the tent. Percy kept his eyes firmly closed. "Okay, open!" Tyson said excitedly, and Percy uncovered his eyes. There was a shield made out of Celestial Bronze like Percy's sword, Riptide.
It had a Gorgon's face on the middle of it, which would make most men cower in fear because of the tales of Medusa. It had warriors fighting and waves carved into the metal and other designed on it. Next to it was a helmet, made of Celestial Bronze that had two swords on the forehead. In the middle of the two swords, sticking up a bit, was a trident. They were both beautifully made.
"Tyson, they're great." Percy whispered in awe, picking up the shield and putting on the helmet. "You really like them? The helmet isn't too tight, or the shield isn't too soft?" Tyson asked, looking unsure. "They're perfect, Tyson." Percy replied honestly. The shield Tyson made was one of the best he had ever held, and the helmet was one of the best he'd ever worn.
"Well, we better get to bed." Percy said finally, taking off the helmet and setting the helmet and shield down. Tyson nodded and got in his own bed, and Percy crawled into his bed. Sure, it was basically a lumpy mattress compared to the bed Percy had slept in back at the palace, but it was home. Familiar. Tyson blew out his lantern.
"Hey, Percy?" Tyson asked into the darkness a few moments later.
"Yes?" Percy replied sleepily.
"I really missed you." Tyson murmured quietly. Percy smiled slightly, glad his brother had missed him. Percy had missed Tyson, too. Percy had missed Tyson carefree personality and child-like demeanor.
"I missed you too, big guy." Percy said, smiling into the darkness.
~~
The next morning, Percy was talking with his friends when he heard hoofbeats. Then, the sound of a pan flute. Everyone ran to the two trees, waiting excitedly. Percy was bouncing from foot-to-foot, he was so excited. He couldn't stand still. "What's going on?" Reyna asked, the other three Romans next to her.
"The hunting party is back!" Percy replied excitedly, ignoring Jason's amused smile. He has been ignoring both Jason and Nico since yesterday night. Which has been making everyone who's noticed extremely confused. Noticing was also extremely easy to do considering both had tried to talk to him, and he'd fully ignored them.
The hoofbeats and pan flute seemed to be getting louder and louder until it was almost deafening. Then, Percy could see them. Percy's face lit up at the sight of Chiron in the front, Grover and Grover's girlfriend, Juniper, not too far behind on the same horse, Grover playing the pan flute while Juniper steered the horse.
Chiron, being a centaur, was his own horse. Grover looked awkward on the horse because of his goat legs, considering he's a satyr. There had to be ten other people besides those three, and they were dragging along two stags. Blackjack flew above them.
The whole camp cheered at the sight of the kills, but it was well-known to Percy that two kills would not feed the whole camp. Not enough, anyways. Everyone was too skinny. Percy could count some people's ribs. Percy was just thankful that the youngest got food first- a rule set by Chiron. That means that little Tris gets her belly full before others, and Percy was happy about that. No one actually gets full except the little ones, though.
After any young kids came any elderly- which there wasn't any of in camp. Then, teenagers got food. Finally, adults get food. All the adults had agreed that children should get food first. But the campers also make smaller kills when they can, and some of them also grow food like grapes and strawberries, so everyone gets more nourishment that way.
Percy moved his way through the crowd, getting closer to Chiron and Grover. "Grover!" Percy called once he was in the front. Grover, who had just put his pan flute away, turned to where he heard his name and saw Percy standing there, grinning.
"Percy!" Grover shouted in excitement and galloped over to his best friend, wrapping him in a tight hug. Percy hugged Grover back, and they soon separated, grinning at each other. "So, who's the blonde guy who's glaring at me? I mean, I'm used to Nico glaring, but he's new." Grover asked curiously, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Percy sighed.
"That's Jason. My captor." Percy told him, and Grover looked angry. "You were captured? And he did it?" Grover exclaimed quietly, angry. Grover looked like he wanted to pick a fight with Jason and knock the son of Jupiter right on out. "Yes, but stay calm." Percy ordered quietly.
"Why should I?" Grover replied hotly, huffing angrily.
"First off, because he's the son of Jupiter and can fry you so bad your fur will be smoking, and it will smell like burnt goat around here for weeks. Secondly, because I'm okay. I'm perfectly fine." Percy said sassily, a hand on his hip. Grover's eyes narrowed, but he sighed in resignation.
"Percy, my boy!" Chiron called happily, and Percy looked over to the smiling, bearded man. Chiron came over and clapped Percy hard on the back, but Percy stayed up right and smiled up at his half-man, half-horse teacher. "Chiron, I've missed you." Percy told him.
"I've missed you too. We've all been worried sick." Chiron said. "Sorry about that. I got captured because I didn't heed anyone's warning. But I'm okay." Percy replied.
Boss! Percy heard his pegasus neigh happily in his mind as the big, black stallion began galloping over to him. Blackjack's wings were folded at his sides, the black feathers gleaming in the early morning light.
"Hey, buddy." Percy said, smiling as he rubbed the pegasus's forehead affectionately. Blackjack nuzzled his face into Percy's hand, neighing softly.
"A lover thrown away,
A man dancing on the clouds has the answers,
A vengeful woman put him in a cage,
A child of the sea, of the sky, and of the earth will travel north,
Two Greeks and a Roman,
And take back what has been stolen."
The ancient voice's words rang across the clearing, and everyone turned to see Rachel, looking possessed. "Crap." Percy muttered. Rachel shook her head violently, coming out of the Oracle-haze.
"Weird. They usually rhyme better than that." Rachel said to herself, but shrugged. "So, what does it mean?" Some random camper said, and Chiron looked to Percy. "Perseus, a son of the sea, Jason, a son of the sky, and Nico, a son of the earth. They'll have to figure it out on their quest." Chiron said sympathetically.
"Wait, wait, wait! How do we know it didn't mean Thalia, Hazel, and me? Why those two?" Percy asked frustratedly, and lightning struck right next to Percy, causing him to jump next to Nico and Jason while thunder boomed over head.
"I think that is how." Chiron replied, laughing.
YOU ARE READING
Gladiators
FanfictionPercy is alone and terrified. He'd been kidnapped from his home by his enemies, the Romans, to compete in a Gladiator match. His opponent is the fearsome Jason- the prince of Rome. What Jason wants to do to him after the match is altogether a whole...
