𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈.
i can do it with a broken heart

ᯓᡣ𐭩

𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 she'd been away from camp for years, rather than months.

Usually, she wasn't a year-rounder. She stayed for the summer, then went home to her father to continue high school. After she graduated, she decided to stay at camp for the entire year, since there wasn't much for her to return to. Her dad was busy with his work and she didn't have friends there.

But, in camp she had Luke. Annabeth too. Now, she had neither of them.

One had left to spend the year with her dad. The other had betrayed the camp. Not exactly ideal.

So, Maisie Day had spent that year at home. The first couple of months consisted of her nursing the heartbreak she'd endured, and the next few included working, as many hours as they'd allow her.

She had gotten a job at a local café, simply to pass the time. An entire year alone with the thoughts that plagued her since summer sounded impossible.

She did end up hanging out with her coworkers sometimes, but that was over now.

Maisie quit her job the moment the calendar showed June first, and made her way to camp, exchanging half-hearted goodbyes with her father. She was ecstatic to go back home, see her friends, see Chiron, even Mr D, and escape from the New York mortal monotony. But, camp wasn't how she had left it.

Apparently, Thalia's tree that provided a magical barrier, protecting the camp from monsters intruding, had been poisoned. In result, Argus, the head of security, and Chiron, the activities director, had been fired. In his place came Tantalus, who was worse than Mr D. He despised demigods and was incredibly unfair and sour.

He reinstated the chariot races, which had been banned due to their dangerous nature. Camp Half-Blood had endured many casualties from these races, so everyone thought it was rather insane to bring them back.

Despite Maisie's and Annabeth's efforts to convince Tantalus of the races' danger, he didn't budge and the girls were forced to compete. They drove a chariot together, although they didn't get a chance to win, since they were busy fighting the Stymphalian birds that had attacked everyone.

Nevertheless, Clarisse had managed to make it to the finish line and Tantalus had praised her and shamed the rest for fighting the birds.

Percy had been driving with Tyson, his new half-brother, claimed by Poseidon, who happened to be a Cyclops. That was new. Cyclopes were considered monsters and typically monsters weren't allowed in camp, but he was an exception. He was harmless and friendly, despite what most thought of him.

Speaking of Percy Jackson's friends, Grover was missing. In an attempt to call for help, he had created an empathy link with Percy and had contacted him in his dream.

So, camp was doing fine.

After the race, Percy, Tyson, Annabeth and Maisie had been punished to wash dishes, for "disrupting" the race.

While they were scrubbing the disgusting left-over contents off plates and bowls, Percy told them about his dream. He'd seen Grover in a wedding dress, about to be wed to the infamous Cyclops, Polyphemus. Just everyday things.

Grover had been approved to go look for Pan, the god of nature. It was a satyrs' thing to look for him, but many went missing forever during their search. Grover, thankfully, had help coming his way.

Percy also mentioned that Grover had found it. He and Maisie seemed equally confused about what the satyr had found, but Annabeth caught up quickly.

"If he's really found it," she murmured, "and if we could retrieve it-"

"Annie, it would really help if you told us what it is," Maisie urged.

"I'll give you a hint. What do you get when you skin a ram?"

"Messy?" Percy provided.

Annabeth sighed. "A fleece."

"The golden fleece," Maisie realized, her eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline.

"Are you serious?" Percy asked.

"Yes. It could cure Thalia's tree."

"Well, then we better find it. And save Grover in the process."

"Do we know where Grover and the fleece are?" Maisie wondered.

"The Sea of Monsters. Where Polyphemus' island is."

"Right," said Percy, staring blankly at Annabeth. "Which is where?"

"It's off the east coast of the U.S. The mortals call it the Bermuda triangle."

"Gods," Maisie sighed.

"Great. We can manage that, right? I mean, I'm the son of Poseidon."

"We'll try," Maisie agreed.

That night after the campfire, the trio told Tantalus and the campers about their plan, and asked for a quest. You'd think he wouldn't refuse with the entire camp chanting that they needed one. Tantalus had different plans.

He accepted the quest. But he didn't offer it to them. He offered it to Clarisse.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

When everyone went back to their cabins, Maisie and Annabeth sat on the older girl's bed, whispering.

"We need to go," Maisie said. "There is no way we're going to see Grover again if we let Clarisse lead this quest."

"I know. And I know Percy will want to go too."

Annabeth let her eyes trail all over the cabin's walls. She pondered for a beat, then looked back at her sister, a gleam in her eyes.

"Let's do it," she decided.

"That's my girl," Maisie said with a smile, throwing her arm around Annabeth.

The sisters didn't waste any time. Any longer and Tantalus would find out what they were up to and punish them harsher than just with dishwasher duties.

They went over to cabin three to get Tyson and Percy, although they only found one of them. Annabeth assumed Percy had snuck out, frustrated from the events of the day, so they looked for him. Close to the sea was their best guess.

They found him on the beach, staring at the waves with some duffel bags and other things next to him, which he then informed them were given to him by Hermes. Maisie shuddered at the mention of Luke's dad.

Albeit not having a personal grudge against the gods, she couldn't help but understand Luke for his resentment towards them, especially to his dad. She wasn't very fond of him.

Hermes had instructed Percy to go aboard a cruise ship that was currently sailing the sea. They figured a god probably knew what he was talking about. They had to trust him, no matter how much some of them didn't like him.

"Um, hi dad," Percy then tried, attempting to get the sea to hear his command so they could catch a ride to the ship.

"Percy!" Annabeth whispered. "We're in a hurry!"

"We need your help," he continued. "We need to get to that ship alive."

For a while, nothing happened. The waves crashed as usual, until four white lines appeared on the surface. They were fast, nearing the beach. Once they came to view, Tyson exclaimed, a look of pure bliss on his one-eyed face.

"Fish ponies!"

"They're hippocampi," Maisie corrected in awe.

"They're beautiful," Annabeth said, sharing her sister's amazement.

"Come on, we don't have much time," Percy urged them, snapping them out of their trance.

They all gathered the things Percy had acquired and mounted the hippocampi, sailing towards the cruise ship, and, more importantly, the Sea of Monsters.

───────

dear reader!

welcome to act two!!! basing this of the books now because I didn't want to wait for the show :)