stollen things || c. stoll

3.7~ My Camp Director Probably Breaks The Law

"This is just perfect," The two-color eyes of the manticore were gleaming in the afternoon sun. His hair was grown-out and spiky, along with stubble across his face. To put it simply, he blended right in with the other men on the pier. "Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia," He said. "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals."

This line made me gulp. Innocent farmers making their way in the world, trying to support the family by selling their carrots and potatoes, devoured in seconds by this horrible monster. I glared at him with every spark of rage I could muster.

"Ah, the poor child of Demeter finds this inhumane, no?" His thick french accent morphed his words. "Well, after I defeat you heroes, I will feast forever on the flesh of half-bloods!" On either side of him were two armed security guards. Mortals, by the looks of it.

"Where are the skeletons?" Percy managed, trying to keep his voice from shaking. We all knew that despite all the mortal tourists, the manticore would attack at any second.

"Ha! I do not need those foolish undead. The General thinks I am worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself."

"We beat you once before," Percy said.

"You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. A goddess who is... preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now."

Zoë notched an arrow and aimed it straight for the manticore's head.

"Think this through, Zoë," I whispered to her.

"She is right, Zoë Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory."

"What are you talking about?" Thalia growled, raising her shield a bit higher.

"Surely it is clear," The manticore said, as if it were obvious what he was referring to. "This is your moment. This is why Lord Kronos brought you back to life. You will sacrifice the Ophiotaurus. You will bring it's entrails to the sacred fire on the mountain. You will gain unlimited power. And for your sixteenth birthday, you will overthrow Olympus."

Everyone was silent. It made sense. Thalia was almost sixteen. And here was a choice, a terrible choice that arrived on a silver platter.

"You know it is the right choice,"The manticore told a stunned Thalia. Her eyes seemed glassed over, like she was dazed. "Your friend Luke recognized it. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the titans. Your father cares nothing for you. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you."

Thalia looked completely lost. Like she didn't even know us, or herself.

"Thalia..." I took a step towards her. "your father has helped you. He sent the metal angels."

"Snap out of it!" Percy was less gentle. "Your father turned you into a tree to preserve you."

She still just stared. So we had to take extra measures.

"Percy." I muttered. He nodded, and chaos ensued. Branches grew out of the pier and wrapped around the mortal guards. I had them fully wrapped up and pinned onto the ground. Zoe shot some fart arrows at their feet, exploding into clouds. The manticore started shooting spikes at us blindly, but Percy's lion coat stopped them.

"Bessie!" Percy turned to the cow. "Dive deep and stay there!" The cow did so, and we could only hope that he really did understand Percy. We ran up the stairs to the shopping center just as the guards had gotten free of my branches. They started open firing into the air. We hid behind a souvenir kiosk and began planning. It was hard not to get distracted by the beauty of San Francisco as the sun began to come down, but we had to focus.

"Go over the side!" Zoë told Percy. "You can escape in the sea. Call thy father for help. Maybe you can save the Ophiotaurus."

It was a perfect plan. Even if Percy was one of the strongest of us.

"I won't leave you guys. We fight together."

"I appreciate the chivalry, but we have to get word to camp, to at least let them know what's happening." I said.

He uncapped his sword and slashed open a water fountain. The water hit Thalia.

"Are you crazy?" She seemed to have woken up.

"Does anyone have a drachma?" I asked, frantically digging around in my pockets for one. Percy tossed one to me, and I threw it into the mist.

"O, Goddess! Accept my offering! Camp Half-Blood!" I yelled. The mist shimmered, and showed us Mr. D. Of course, the one person at camp that wouldn't want to help us.

"Do you mind?" He looked up at us from the refrigerator. He was in his leopard tracksuit, holding a jug or grape juice.

"Where's Chiron?" Percy shouted.

"Is that how you say hello?" Dionysus raised an eyebrow.

"Hello," Percy amended. "We're about to die! Where is Chiron?"

Mr. D looked deep in thought. He seemed to be purposely stalling. "About to die. How exciting. Chiron isn't here. Would you like me to take a message?"

Percy turned to us. "We're dead."

The manticore and his forces were closing in.

"What is the problem, exactly?" Mr. D stifled a yawn. Percy told him, and he continued rummaging through the fridge. "I see."

The manticore finally had us cornered.

Two guards were behind him, and two were up above us on the roof, guns drawn. I took a deep breath, and drew my sword out. The manticore had his claws out, along with the poison spikes on his tail.

"You could ask for help," Mr. D muttered. "You could say please."

Percy seemed to disagree with that thought. You know how everyone says 'if I am to die, I will be glad to do it alongside my friends'?  Yeah, that's not how I felt. I certainly didn't want to die, with or without friends. I sent a quick silent prayer up to Demeter to turn me into a weed or something if I die, and everyone readied their weapons. Mr. D was still on the Iris message, watching us take our final stand amusedly.

"Oh, gods," I muttered, before risking the turn to Mr. D. "Please, sir. We need your help."

"Spare the daughter of Zeus. Kill the rest." The guards lifted their guns, but before they could shoot, something strange happened. My head rushed, and I heard a loud SNAP. The air was filled with the scent of grapes and a tinge of purple. The mortal guards went mad.

"No!" The manticore yelled at the sight of his guards breaking. "I will deal with you myself!" Just as he lunged, grape vines emerged from the pier and pulled him into a large mass of vines.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" Thalia said to me.

"Don't look at me!" I held my hands, and pointed to the Iris message.

"That was fun," Dionysus shut his refrigerator. "You're lucky the girl has manners."

Everyone looked at him, amazed. "Such gratitude," He grumbled. "Get going, Percy Jackson. I've bought you a few hours at most. Good-bye. My pizza is waiting." He lifted a hand to wave away the message but Percy stopped him.

"Mr. D. You called me by the right name. You called me Percy Jackson."

"I most certainly did not, Peter Johnson. Now off with you!" The last word was muffled a bit as the mist disappeared.

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IM SO SICK RN