Chapter 8

I was honestly dumfounded and so was Clarisse and Bill. We stared at the captain for a while before he started to sweat.

"Uh maybe times have changed." He said awkwardly before dropping the rope and walking back to check in with the other solders.

"Quite the gift from Ares." Bill said while slowly nodding his head. Clarisse took that as a chance to walk in to the ship hall. Me and Bill soon followed.

The ship look like it was from the civil war. Which it probably was, and also on the losing side of the war. Or most people call them the racist ones.

Time skip

Noting happened so far. Me and Bill played cards, talked with Clarisse, got stared at by the sailors.

Currently we are sailing in a swamp like area. But more importantly was that I was nearly beating Bill in a game of Mythomagic.

"Finally after 10 long years, I, Atem, have finally bested you in Mythomagic. THUNDER KING, BOLT OF DESTRUCTION." I said since I couldn't say Zeus without getting zapped. They are sensitive like that.

"Hahahahahah you fallen for my trap. ATLAS CURSE."

"NOOO" I watched on in horror as all of my monsters got destroyed under the curse of atlas.

"Now Sun, ATTACK-" Bill was cut short because a cannon ball shot out Bill jumped 9 feet in the air. More like 3 but I could have sworn I saw his skin catch up to his bones.

We walked up to the top, I got stares from the zombie crewmates.

But ahead of them, standing right next to Clarisse, was Tyson, Annabeth, and Percy?

"What are they doing here?" Bill questioned. The steam engine huffed but we didn't care about that at the moment.

"Isn't it against camp rules to do what they just did?" I turned my head to Bill and raised my eyebrow. Bill nodded before deciding it was a good idea to slowly turn back around and walk back to our room. I was about to follow but.

"Hey Atem!" The one friendly cyclops yelled towards me, stopping me and Bill in our tracks. We slowly turned to see Tyson waving at us, Annabeth looking at us and Percy giving me the stink eye.

I look towards Percy and wonder why does he have so much beef with me? I turned towards Tyson and smiled, "Hey Ty, didn't expect to see you here." He crushed us with hug that probably broke our ribs.

"Wanna eat some snacks?" I ask and Tyson nodded his head. So me and Bill led him down.

We were now in the captains quarter for dinner and judging by the looks of Percy, he was either going to starve to death or eat a bunch all the food. 

Clarisse had a sneer on her face. "Tantalus expelled you for eternity," Clarisse told them, smugness radiated off of her when she spoke that. "Mr. D said if any of you show your face at camp again, he'll turn you into squirrels and run you over with his SUV."

Me and Bill had to hold back a laugh as we looked at each other. But we were directed back to the matter at hand when Percy spoke. ""Did they give you this ship?"

"No Ares gave Clarisse this ship." I spoke up, earning a glare from Clarisse for stealing her "shine" or something. Percy just nodded at that while Annabeth was just looking with a blank face. I look at Bill who was throwing cookies into Tyson's mouth, then Tyson doing the same. Cookie basketball, one of the best games.

"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "Luke might be after the Fleece, too. We saw him. He's got the coordinates and he's heading south. He has a cruise ship full of monsters- "

'A cruise ship full of monsters?!' I thought as my eyes widen. That is not good.

Clarisse smiled and spoke happily . "Good! I'll blow him out of the water."

I got a elbow from Bill and leaned in, "I don't think a steam ship can do that to a cruise ship" Bill whispered with doubt laced in his voice. I nodded.

"You don't understand," Annabeth said. We have to combine forces. Let us help you — " But that seemed to have hit a nerve on Clarisse as she pounded the table like how a wrester would slam someone down.

"No! This is my quest, smart girl! Finally I get to be the hero, and you two will not steal my chance."

"Where are your cabin mates?" Percy asked. "And why would you bring them instead of one of your cabin mates?"

"They didn't ... I let them stay behind. To protect the camp."

"You mean even the people in your own cabin wouldn't help you?"

"Shut up, Prissy! I don't need them! Or you!"

At that moment I decided to step in. "From what I heard, I am led to believe that we are enough. Plus, are you that selfish that you want people who are currently protecting camp to just, leave?"

Bill rose an eyebrow at Percy. Clarisse shot me a thank you look. And Percy seemed like he would jump over the table to stab me. Seriously what is this man's problem with me.

"Clarisse, Bill, Atem" Percy started , "Tantalus is using you. He doesn't care about the camp. He'd love to see it destroyed. He's setting you up to fail."

"What ya mean, we the dream team over here." Bill spoke in a upbeat tone.

"No! I don't care what the Oracle — " She stopped her-self.

'Ah so that is what her problem is. I highly doubt it meant as in we would die. I just think she goes home alone then we follow. Simple' I thought remembering what the Oracle said.

"What?" Percy said. "What did the Oracle tell you?" Percy turned his eyes to me and Clarisse expecting an answer. But my lips were sealed.

"Nothing." Clarisse said. "All you need to know is that I'm finishing this quest and you're not helping. On the other hand, I can't let you go ..."

"So we're prisoners?" Annabeth spoke after only speaking like once or twice. Honestly thought she was a robot.

"Guests. For now." Clarisse propped her feet up on the white linen tablecloth and opened another Dr Pepper. "Captain, take them below. Assign them hammocks on the berth deck. If they don't mind their manners, show them how we deal with enemy spies."

I held back a laugh but Bill couldn't. We remember how they treated enemy spies. Drowning them in Dr. Pepper and beating them with chip bags.

Bill and I went down below deck to get some shut eye.

I passed out as soon as I hit the sheets. I was ready for a nice peace sleep but my thoughts were interrupted when Bill said, "What would you do if one of us dies?"

"That came out of nowhere. If you are really worried about what the oracle said just don't sweat it. They always have double meanings remember." I assured Bill.

"But hey if we both die then that means we can party all day and night in Elysium." I joked but Bill let a sad smile show.

"You do realize that Satyrs don't have souls right? When we die we get to live a second life, as a plant. Death is only the first half of it, we then live life as a plant."

Bill continued. "That's why many Satyrs are so set on finding Pan, because when he is found, Satyrs don't need to fear when they die and end up being destroyed just because someone wants to build a mall where they died."

My shoulders fell, I admit that I really was sadden that when I die, I won't get to spent time celebrating with Bill. Besides isn't that what Elysium meant to do? Let you party with your friends after you die.

"Good night Atem."

"Good night Bill"

I awoke to Bill screaming so damn loud. I could barley hear the alarms from his screams. I smack him in the back of the head.

"Man I not trying to go deaf here." Bill tone was one of embarrassment "My fault."

The captain's gravelly voice sounded out from the speakers "All hands on deck! Find Lady Clarisse! Where is that girl?"

We rushed to the top to see everyone else but Clarisse.

"We are approaching the entrance." The captain stated

"The entrance to what?" Percy asked

He gave him a skeletal smile. "The Sea of Monsters, of course." Percy nodded and headed down to find Clarssie.

Bill also rushed back to grab our stuff which mainly was 2 backpacks. So I stayed on the top deck.

Bill returned with our stuff and a few seconds later Percy came and began to talk with his group.

Then Clarisse came out. She looked, on edge and her eyes were red like she had been crying. Did Percy do this to her. I stare hatefully at Percy. Maybe the quest really means a lot to her.

She grabbed a pair of binoculars from a zombie officer and peered toward the horizon. "At last. Captain, full steam ahead!"

The engine groaned as we increased speed.

I saw Tyson shifting nervously.

After a few more minutes, the dark splotches ahead of us came into focus. To the north, a huge mass of rock rose out of the sea, an island with cliffs at least a hundred feet tall. About half a mile south of that, the other patch of darkness was a storm brewing. The sky and sea boiled together in a roaring mass.

I shivered thinking what monster was brewing in those.

"Hurricane?" Annabeth asked.

"No," Clarisse said. "Charybdis."

"Only way into the Sea of Monsters. Straight between Charybdis and her sister Scylla."

Bill had a "UH OH" face and I asked what was the problem he proceed to tell me that Charybdis swallowed everything in the sea. 'Uh oh.'

"Watch and learn, Wise Girl." Clarisse turned to the captain. "Set course for Charybdis!"

I looked ahead and braced myself for the shit storm that was about to happen.

"We're fucked." Bill said and I couldn't agree more.

Taisho Secret

Atem was acutally put through what they did to prisoners but he thought it was just funny. Bill was also laughing when they did that to Atem, much to the confusion of the ghosts.

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Next chapter will be quite beefy