Prince of Riptide

steal my thunder

The first thing Percy noticed was that it had stopped raining.

"The magical border," the horse man, whom he recalled as Chiron from their earlier introduction, explained. "It keeps the weather and the monsters away."

Percy nodded; he supposed it did make sense for a training camp filled with demigods. As Chiron trotted forward with Percy in tow, many of the campers stopped to gawk.

"Is he, you know, the one?" one of the girls passing by whispered.

"I think so. He looks so strange, though. I mean look at his clothes. And his hair," the other one said.

"He is the Sea Prince, Andrea."

Percy glanced over and scowled at them. Their eyes widened and they both stopped talking, pointedly walking in the other direction and looking over their shoulders furtively. Great, so he was still an outcast even in a place specifically for people like him.

Chiron gazed down at him. "Yes, I'm afraid I was not joking when I said we have all been waiting for your arrival. Poseidon claimed a few days ago that he had sired a demigod and had kept him away for twelve years. He ordered us to prepare him. He, of course, meant you. The announcement has been...surprising to say the least."

Percy scoffed. Of course his father was going to announce it to the whole camp. It was just his luck. But his bitterness from everyone's staring was forgotten when Chiron showed him more of the camp. Everything was so bright and beautiful, and, this time, it was Percy's turn to gawk.

The campers all went about their usual day. Some were climbing what he learned was the lava wall, which sprouted a hot yellow liquid that he'd maybe heard about once, and others ran past with weapons. Satyrs played some kind of instrument on a field of plants that Chiron explained were the strawberry fields. There was a canoe lake, which was filled with naiads. They didn't know him, but still they smiled knowingly. At least naiads were familiar, so he smiled back. Chiron told him about the training activities and schedules until finally they arrived at a house with a blue paint job, and at a table sat three people.

"Perseus—"

"It's Percy."

"Percy, this is the camp director, Mr. D," Chiron said. A small chubby man with a shirt almost as loud as Poseidon's stared icily at him, which would've been funny if Percy wasn't so overwhelmed by everything. He was playing some kind of game with a nervous looking satyr. Next to the satyr sat a blonde girl. All eyes were once again on Percy.

"Oh would you look at that. Another one of Barnacle Beard's mistakes," Mr. D groused.

Percy clenched his jaw. "What am I? A mirror?"

Mr. D glowered at him right back. "You want to test me, child?" His eyes glowed purple, sending Percy a silent message. He inwardly cursed himself. That wasn't just a miserable man with bloodshot eyes reeking of alcohol, it was Dionysus.

"Mr. D, remember what we agreed on," Chiron chided.

"Bah! Might as well send this kid back to his father as a dolphin. Learn to show some respect."

"Right!" Chiron interrupted with forced cheerfulness before anything happened. "Children, please introduce yourselves."

"Uh. Hello. I'm Grover," the satyr said, forcing a smile at Percy. He had a mop of curly brown hair with a Rasta cap on top. After he mumbled his welcome-to-Camp-Half-Blood , Grover began chewing on some sort of metal, ignoring him once again. The blonde girl sitting next to Grover was still staring at Percy. She had curly hair as well, but it was more like a princess'. It kind of reminded him of Rhode's hair, but the similarities between the two ended there.