i ~ Bullriding At Its Finest
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chapter one ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
001. Bullriding At Its Finest
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CASSIE DIDN'T WAKE UP TO BE LEADING A FIGHT AGAINST MECHANICAL BULLS.
But being a demigod, she had learned to deal with it.
Especially now when their only sense of protection to keep these monsters at bay was dying.
That morning, Annabeth had IM'd Cassie that she was getting Percy. Cassie wanted to go with, but the present dilemma held her back.
The daughter of Athena and Percy were currently staring up at the burning camp with another companion.
A friend of Percy's from his school, Tyson.
"Oh, man." Annabeth gasped as she watched the campers fighting the bulls.
They were failing badly, but Percy was more concerned with the bulls who were passing the camp boundary lines.
Thalia's tree barriers protected that part so how could the fire-breathing bulls get through?
"Border patrol, get your flaming asses over here! Clarisse, help me command! Stolls, I need a boost!" Ordered a familiar bored voice that was normally a lot more excited during battle.
"What are you doing Cassie?!" Another voice yelled. It was raspy and harsh.
Percy didn't remember any border patrol.
"It's Carter . . . and Clarisse. Come on, we have to help her—I mean them." Annabeth urged Percy.
The son of Poseidon wasn't fond of helping Clarisse. Not after his close encounter with the toilet last year as a welcoming.
Her dad, Ares, also hated Percy after their fight so all his children disliked Percy too.
Except, the only daughter of Ares who considered him one of her best friends and vice versa.
That daughter of Ares could also use his help so Percy obliged.
Besides, they both needed the assistance. Most of the campers were running in circles on fire. The grass was aflame too.
Cassie almost sliced the head off of a camper who was rushing around with his helmets' feather on fire.
Her armor was badly singed and there were an abundance of scars on her arms. Some open and bleeding.
From what Percy could tell, Cassie had grown over the year.
She was now taller than Annabeth and her jagged short brown hair had highlights of red.
He was surprised it hadn't burned off by now from the fire-breathing bulls.
Cassie had her usual electric sword, flickering red and Clarisse fought with the bottom half of a broken spear.
The other half could be found in a mechanical bull's shoulder.
Percy got out his pen and uncapped it. Riptide appeared and he looked to Tyson.
"Tyson, stay here. I don't want you taking any more chances."
"No! We need him." Annabeth informed.
Percy made a face. "He's mortal. He got lucky with the dodge balls but he can't—"
"Percy do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp."
"Medea's what?" Percy didn't get it.
Annabeth started searching her backpack but didn't find what she was looking for.
"I had a jar of tropical coconut scent sitting on my nightstand at home. Why didn't I bring it?"
Percy didn't question it. Something he figured out on their last quest. Just nod at what Annabeth says and Cassie can dumb it down later if necessary.
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not going to let Tyson get fried."
"Percy—" Annabeth tried.
"Tyson, stay back. I'm going in." Percy advised.
As he started up the hill, he watched Cassie do the most dangerous yet bravest thing he had ever seen.
She had gotten onto the back of a bucking bull with help from the Stolls.
The brunette stabbed her sword through its chest and held on while the bull jumped and jerked, trying to throw her off.
"This is awesome!" She laughed.
Cassie was able to get some good hits to the bull but lost her balance and was flung into a tree.
"Ow! Never mind, scratch that."
"Sands." Travis cried out as he was blocked from helping the wounded daughter of Ares.
Meanwhile, Clarisse had taken control and tried to get the border patrol in phalanx form, but the lack of campers didn't help.
Annabeth hurried to distract the bull about to trample Cassie. She waved her arms and caught its attention before turning invisible.
The other machine huffed out smoke as it glared at Clarisse's group of campers.
"Hold the line!" Clarisse shouted.
Even if Percy despised Clarisse, he had to admit she had guts.
Annabeth had gotten to Cassie when the bull lost interest. It whirled around, facing Clarisse's back.
"Behind you! Look out!" Percy warned.
It didn't help. Clarisse was surprised and a bull head-budded her shield and broke the formation.
Clarisse, like Cassie, went flying through the air into the grass. Her small army got fire-breath to the face and fled.
The second bull focused on Clarisse. Percy latched on her armor straps to yanked her back right as the bull charged.
He cut a part of its stomach but the bull kept on moving. It didn't need to touch Percy for him to feel the harsh heat emitted from the bull's body.
"Let me go! Percy, curse you!" Clarisse yelled, struggling to get away from Percy's arms.
Percy let go and realized they were on the edge of entering the ares with the cabins and buildings. The bulls would burn it all down if they got past.
The son of Poseidon looked over to Annabeth and Cassie. The latter got up with the blonde's support before using her left hand to hold her sword.
It looked like Annabeth was trying to stop her, but Cassie shook off the daughter of Athena and got ready to fight with her bad hand.
Annabeth sighed but didn't say anymore. She turned to the other campers and called out orders.
Cassie was making her way towards Percy, all bloody and bashed.
One of the bulls had to make half a circle to stare at Percy. He was past where the border should've been and watched as the bull made it in with a little struggle.
The second bull got the same idea and whirled around. Fire was oozing out of the cut in its side.
Percy knew he couldn't take on both at the same time and Cassie was in no state to help him. No matter how hard she tried to reach him.
He strategized a plan and finally noticed how out of practice he was. His arms were ready to fall off.
Percy went to attack Bull two but it released flames and he was forced to dodge. His foot was snagged by something and pain rushed up his ankle.
He was able to take off some of the bull's nose before it hurried away. Cassie was now being held back by Annabeth.
"Let me go help him, Chase." Cassie insisted.
"Carter, you're injured. Go to Will in the infirmary. You're in no condition to help Percy." Annabeth argued.
"But he needs—"
"Tyson will help! Go!"
Cassie didn't go but she didn't rush to Percy's aid. She really wanted to when Percy's leg buckled as he tried to get up.
His ankle was not doing well.
The other bull charged at him.
"Tyson, help him!" Annabeth cried out.
"Can't—get—through!" Tyson answered.
Cassie glanced at the boy. "I, Cassandra Carter, give you permission to enter camp!"
Thunder boomed and Tyson rushed towards the son of Poseidon.
"Percy needs help!"
Before Percy could stop him, Tyson took the blast of fire for him.
"Tyson!"
The red flash surrounded him and only his silhouette could be seen in the flames.
To Percy's surprise, when the flames died, Tyson was completely fine. Nothing was burnt as he balled his fists.
The bull was frozen in shock and got a blow to the face.
"BAD COW!"
The bull had an indent where it's nose was. Fire burst from both its ears.
Tyson whammed again and now the bull's face was really disfigured.
"Down!" Tyson ordered.
The bull fell on its back like a tortoise struggling with its legs in the air.
Cassie got to Percy and Annabeth followed after. Both glanced him over in concern.
Cassie was holding the canteen of nectar Annabeth had shoved to her lips and gave Percy a waterfall.
He felt better and looked better too. That didn't make the burnt smell go away.
"The other bull?" Percy questioned them.
Cassie gestured behind them where Clarisse was standing. She had got the spear through the bull's leg.
"I think Risse has got it covered."
Clarisse heard that and stomped over. Some of her hair was on fire.
"You-ruin-everything! We had it under control!" The angry daughter of Ares screamed. (Clarisse in case u got confused)
Cassie nodded in agreement. "We could've handled it . . . eventually, but thanks for the help."
Percy didn't reply and Annabeth huffed. "Good to see you too, Clarisse."
"Argh! Don't ever, EVER try saving me again!" Clarisse demanded.
"Clarisse, you've got wounded campers." Annabeth pointed out.
That seemed to put out her anger towards them. Well most of it.
"I'lI be back." Clarisse told them as she wandered off.
She let Cassie stay back with them to catch up and do the explaining.
"You didn't die." Percy said to Tyson.
"I am sorry. Came to help. Disobeyed you." He apologized.
"Nah, that was Annabeth's fault." Cassie waved the cyclops off.
"My fault? You let him across the border." Annabeth corrected.
"You wouldn't let me help Percy so I had to let Tyson cross the boundary line. Or this son of Poseidon would never make it to fourteen." Cassie contradicted, wrapping her arm around Percy and shaking him a bit.
Percy pat Cassie's hand, acknowledging her greeting. He glanced between them in confusion. "Let him cross the boundary line? But—"
"Percy, have you ever looked at Tyson closely? I mean . . . in the face. Ignore the Mist, and really look at him." Annabeth asked.
The Mist could trick demigods, Percy was aware of this as he examined Tyson's face.
It had always been hard to look at him properly. Percy struggled but stared at Tyson's nose. Then his gaze moved up to his friend's eyes.
Wait no, . . . eye. One eye.
Tyson had one big brown eye in the smack dab center of his forehead that was leaking tears down his cheeks.
"Tyson, you're a . . ." Percy let out.
"Cyclops. A baby, by the looks of him. Probably why he couldn't get past the boundary line as easily as the bulls. Tyson's one of the homeless orphans." Annabeth finished
"One of the what?"
"They're in almost all the big cities. They're . . . mistakes, Percy. Children of nature spirits and gods . . . Well, one god in particular, usually, and they don't always come out right. No one wants them.
They get tossed aside. They grow up wild on the streets. I don't know how this one found you, but he obviously likes you. We should take him to Chiron, let him decide what to do." Annabeth said.
"But the fire. How—"
"Cyclops are cool like that. Fire resistant. They work in the gods' forges so they kinda have to be. Didn't blondie tell you?" Cassie explained, now fiddling with a stead of red hair and trying to focus.
"I was trying." Annabeth scoffed.
Percy was frozen in shock. How could he be so oblivious?
This wasn't the time to think about that though because the hill was still on fire. Wounded campers needed help and they needed to get rid of the dead bronze bulls.
Clarisse ran back to the four grabbing Cassie bad arm.
"Ow!" She yelped and Clarisse let go.
Annabeth grabbed her arm to inspect it as Clarisse turned to Percy.
"Jackson, if you can stand, get up. We need to carry the wounded back to the Big House, let Tantalus know what's happened." Clarisse informed.
"Tantalus?" Percy didn't know who she was talking about.
"The activities director." Clarisse clarified, tapping her foot impatiently.
"Chiron is the activities director. And where's Argus?
He's head of security. He should be here?"
Clarisse looked to Cassie expectantly. The brunette sighed.
"Argus got fired. It's been a year since you guys were here. A lot's changed." Cassie admitted.
"But Chiron . . . He's trained kids to fight monsters for over three thousand years. He can't just be gone. What happened?" Percy inquired.
"Uhh," Cassie scratched the back of her neck. "That happened."
She gestured to Thalia's tree.
It was their force field and everyone knew its backstory. Some years ago, Grover, Annabeth, Luke, and Thalia were traveling to Camp Half-Blood when monsters followed them.
They were cornered and Thalia sacrificed herself and fought the monsters allowing the other three to save themselves.
Her father, Zeus felt pity and transformed her into a pine tree to protect the camp from monsters.
Now the tree was dying. What used to be green and vibrant was yellow and falling apart. A gap in the center of the trunk was pouring out green sap.
Percy knew why the camp was in trouble. The magical borders were breaking as Thalia's tree was dying.
It had been poisoned.
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ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ author's note
First chapter of Act Two!! 😄 Enjoy. I love the new aesthetics. Especially Cassie's, but I'm a bit bias. lol.
Also, two parts out! Wooooohh! Even if one is isn't rlly a chapter.
And I need help yall's. Life is confuzzling, but anyways byeee ✌️
—Just Another Overthinker
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