Percy Jackson Son of Hera and Zeus [BEING REWRITTEN]

Tantalus tells a story

Percy/Nerva POV:

That night at the campfire, Apollo's cabin led the sing-along. They tried to get everybody's spirits up, but it wasn't easy that afternoon's bird attack. We all sat around a semicircle of stone steps, singing half-heartedly and watching the bonfire blaze while the Apollo guys strummed their guitars and picked their lyres.

We did all the standard camp numbers: 'Down by the Aegean, 'I Am My Own Great-Great-Great-Great Grandpa', 'This is Minos's Land'. The bonfire was enchanted, so the louder you sang, the higher it rose, changing color and heat with the mood of the crowd. On a good night, I'd seen it six-meters high, bright purple, and so hot the whole front rows marshmallows burst into flames. Tonight the fire was only a meter high, barely warm, and the flames were the color of lint. 

Dionysus left early. After suffering through a few songs, he muttered something about how even pinochle with Chiron had been more exciting than this. Then he gave Tantalus a distasteful look and headed back towards the Big House.

When the last song was over, Tantalus said, "Well, that was lovely!"

He came forward with a toasted marshmallow on a stick and tried to pluck it off, real casual-like. But before he could touch it, the marshmallow flew off a stick. Tantalus made a wild grab, but the marshmallow committed suicide diving into the flames.

Tantalus turned back towards us, smiling coldly. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule." 

"Sir," I said.

Tantalus's eye twitched. "Our kitchen boy has something to say."

A few Ares boys snickered, but most of them kept quiet and I wasn't about to let that embarrass me into silence. I stood up and looked at Luke. Thank the gods he and James stood with me.

I said, "We have an idea that could save the camp, sir." 

Dead silence, but I could tell I got everybody's interest because the campfire flared bright yellow.

"Indeed," Tantalus said blandly. "Well, if it has anything to do with chariots -"

"The Golden Fleece," I said. "We know where it is." 

The flames burned orange. Before Tantalus could stop me, I told everybody about my empathy link with Grover and how he was stuck on Polyphemus's island with the Golden Fleece. Luke reminded everyone that the Fleece was filled to the brim with nature magic and what it is said to do. It sounded more convincing coming from him since everyone trusted him, he was the unofficial camp leader.

"The Fleece can save the camp," he concluded. "I'm certain of it." 

"Nonsense," Tantalus said. "We don't need saving." 

Everybody stared at him until Tantalus started looking uncomfortable.

"Besides," he added quickly, "the Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location. You wouldn't even know where to look." 

"Wait!" James yelled, "I would."

Luke's head snapped towards him in conclusion but I already worked out how we would find the Fleece and expected James found out the same. 

James nodded, I think Luke asked him something but I'm not sure. "Thirty, thirty-one, seventy-five, twelve." He said.

"Ooo-kay," Tantalus said. "Thank you for sharing those meaningless numbers."

"They're sailing coordinates," He said. "Latitude and longitude, I, uh, was trying to learn about my father's domains."

I was impressed, he's come a long way from that stuck-up bratty kid from last summer I just hope it'll last. "He's right! The Grey Sisters gave us those coordinates and I figured out what they meant when we were doing kitchen duty. It'd be somewhere in the Atlantic off the coast of Florida. The Sea of Monsters. We need a quest!"