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chapter eightˏˋ°•*⁀➷
008. Cassie and Clarisse are an Explosive Duo

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A PRISONER ON HER OWN SISTER'S SHIP.
Cassie didn't think Clarisse could stoop that low to imprison her.

Right now, Clarisse is probably telling Cassie to shut up and that she isn't really a prisoner.

But from what Cassie recalled, she was a prisoner. I mean Clarisse did start it . . .

Annabeth had rushed Cassie onboard as soon as she could.

The blonde had scooped the brunette up and ran to the ship's med bay. Well it was the room with ambrosia and bandages so med bay enough.

Cassie was immediately plopped in a chair with another one supporting her leg. Her face was bright red and she couldn't stop blushing.

"I—erm . . . wh-what was that for?"

Annabeth ignored the question.

"You're an idiot, you know that Carter?"

"You've told me that before." Cassie shrugged, calming down.

"Well I really mean it this time. What were you thinking?"

"That I could keep Percy safe. We did make a vow after all."

"So you risk dying in the process?!" Annabeth exclaimed.

She grabbed Cassie's chin, tilting her face to the side. It gave her better access to the wounds on Cassie's cheek and neck.

Annabeth got some disinfectant on a cotton pad and rubbed it on Cassie's wounds.

The brunette scrunched her face because of the pain but didn't say anything.

After a few minutes of silence, Annabeth got some ambrosia and held it out. Cassie took on it, stuffing it in her mouth.

"Better me than him." The daughter of Ares finally responded, mouth full.

"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked, not understanding what she meant and not just because she was speaking with a full mouth.

The blonde had forgotten her previous question as she knelt down to inspect Cassie leg.

There had been a wide bloody cut, but with the help of the ambrosia all that was left was a scar.

"It's better I get hurt than Percy." Cassie clarified.

"No it's not." Annabeth denied.

"And why's that blondie? You'd worry about me too much." Cassie smirked.

"In your dreams, Warpath. But, you're just as important as Percy. If not more . . ." Annabeth mumbled the last bit to herself.

Cassie didn't hear what she said last but didn't mind it.

"Whatever you say, Brainiac. Now come on! We passed a gunnery deck on the way here and I'm pretty sure there's Dr. Peppers in the Captain's quarter."

Cassie jumped up but immediately crumpled. Annabeth caught her and put her back on the chair.

"Ow! Why didn't the ambrosia work?" The brunette whined in pain.

Annabeth scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully. "You didn't eat enough to completely heal that big of a wound. Problem is there isn't more we can give you."

"The rest has to be saved?" Cassie guessed.

"Yeah. In case you and Percy do any more stupid things. And the probability that that happens is over a hundred." Annabeth nodded.

'Okay fair. Two points: Carter! One point: Chase!' The brunette thought to herself.

"Well, I guess that means you're my crutch. Come on stablilizer. It's time to go." Cassie ordered as she got up, this time leaning on Annabeth for support.

The blonde linked their hands and slowly but surely, the girls made their way to the captain's quarter.

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Cassie was greeted with a slap on the head when she entered the quarters with Annabeth.

"Okay! What is this? Hurt amazing brunettes who have an unmatchable personality day?!"

Percy huffed but grinned and pulled the 'amazing brunette with an unmatchable personality' into a hug.

"Gods, Cas. You gotta stop risking yourself like that. We were really worried."

The daughter of Ares laughed. "Don't worry Kelp Head. I'll give you a heads up next time."

Cassie waved to Tyson who sent her a happy smile. Footsteps came from out the door and the four turned their heads.

Clarisse stomped over with a smug smirk. Her eyes shifted from Percy to Cassie and a genuine smile graced her lips.

"Finally, someone competent around here." Clarisse sighed as she threw an arm around Cassie. "Heard what you did sis. Not bad."

Clarisse ruffled Cassie's hair and the latter tried to get  her hand away.

"Okay! Okay! What were you going to say?" Cassie yelped as she got out of Clarisse's grasp and back to leaning on Annabeth.

"Oh, yeah . . . about that. Um . . . Tantalus expelled you for eternity. 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."

'Nice,' Cassie thought as she hobbled over to the couch, Dr. Pepper in hand.

"Did they give you this ship?" Percy questioned, a bit distracted making sure Cassie didn't come crashing down.

"Course not. My father did."

"Ares?"

"What other dad do we have Perc?" Cassie chuckled.

Clarisse didn't seem as happy.

"You think your daddy is the only one with sea power? The spirits on the losing side of every war owe a tribute to Ares. That's their curse for being defeated.
I prayed to my father for a naval transport and here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won't you,
Captain?"

The captain behind her made a subtle nod. Cassie didn't like the way he was looking at them.

The glowing green eyes made it scarier.

"If it means an end to this infernal war, ma'am, peace at last, we'll do anything. Destroy anyone."

"Destroy anyone. I like that." Clarisse grinned.

Tyson swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Clarisse, 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—"

Annabeth was cut off.

"Good! I'II blow him out of the water?"

Cassie smiled lightly at her sister. If only it were that simple.

"You don't understand. We have to combine forces. Let us help you—" Annabeth protested.

"No!" Clarisse slammed her fist on the table. "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? You were allowed to take two friends with you, weren't you?" Percy inquired, gazing around.

"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?"

Cassie frowned at Percy's wording. She knew her siblings were douchebags but how could they not help Clarisse. She would've gone along if Tantalus let her.

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

"Clarisse, 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." Percy reasoned.

"No! I don't care what the Oracle—" She didn't finished whatever she was about to say.

"What? What did the Oracle tell you?" Percy urged.

"Nothing. 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 . . ." Clarisse mumbled.

"So you're keeping us as prisoners?" Cassie deduced whilst sipping her drink.

"Not prisoners Cas. Guests. For now." Clarisse corrected, placing her feet on the table.

"I still think the real term is prisoners." Cassie argued and Clarisse rolled her eyes with a barely noticeable smile.

She'd missed Cassie. She'd never tell her but Cassie was by far her favorite sibling.

"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."

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As soon as her head hit the pillow Cassie was asleep.

She slept pretty soundly too until Annabeth woke her up. Let's just say that was a pretty nasty fall from a hammock.

Cassie limped upstairs, her leg better than it was the day before but still in pain.

Annabeth helped her along the way and the two got to the deck. Cassie made her way to the side of the boat, staring into the open sea.

Now, Percy was still peacefully sleeping, when the ship's alarms rang.

The Captain shouted from above: "All hands on deck Find Lady Clarisse! Where is that girl?"

He made it to Percy and looked at the boy in disgust.

"Get up, Yankee. Your friends are already above. We are approaching the entrance."

"The entrance to what?"

The Captain smiled, at least as good as a skeleton can smile.

"The Sea of Monsters, of course."

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Percy stuffed his things into a knapsack. He had a hunch that he wouldn't be staying on the CSS Birmingham for another night.

Making his way upstairs, he felt a familiar presence. it made him want to punch someone.

He hadn't felt that mad since . . .

Percy dropped down to glance through the ventilation grate.

In the boiler, Clarisse was talking to a shimmery image.

It was a man with red-tinted sunglasses on his scaring face. He was muscular with black leather biker clothes and a military haircut.

Not to mention the knife on his side.

Any guesses who?

"I don't want excuses, little girl!" Ares snarled.

"Y-yes, father," Clarisse stuttered.

"You don't want to see me mad, do you?"

"No, father."

"No, father," The war god mocked in a weirdly high pitched voice.

"You're pathetic. I should've let one of my sons take this quest. My daughters only ever fail me."

It didn't take a genius to know he was making a jab at Cassie.

"My most powerful daughter. . ." Ares mumbled before glaring back at Clarisse.

"I'lI succeed!" Clarisse assured him, voice wavering. "I'lI make you proud."

"You'd better. You asked me for this quest, girl. If you let that slimeball Jackson kid steal it from you—"

"But the Oracle said—"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT IT SAID!" Ares roared so loud that his image shook.

"You will succeed. And if you don't . . ."

Ares balled his fist, raising it. Clarisse flinched even though he wasn't real.

"Do we understand each other?"

The alarms sounded again and Percy heard voices coming his way.

He got up, brushing off his shirt and joined the other three on deck.

Cassie raise an eyebrow at Percy's lost in thought face.

"What's up with you?"

"Another dream?" Annabeth guessed.

Percy nodded, but that wasn't the only problem. What had happened in the boiler really bothered him.

When Clarisse arrived, Percy avoided any eye contact with her.

She took a pair of binoculars and stared out to sea.

"At last. Captain, full steam ahead!"

Percy peered in the direction Clarisse was looking and saw nothing but cloudy skies.

If he squinted he could see some dark blobs in the distance.

Percy jerked into Cassie when the ship sped up. The daughter of Ares stabilized him as best she could.

"Watch it Kelp Head! Wouldn't want you falling overboard."

"I'm sure you'd love that Casanova." Percy quipped back.

"Casanova. That's a new one."

The engine groaned with the speed and Tyson hesitantly fiddled with his fingers.

"Too much strain on the pistons. Not meant for deep water."

The duo turned to Tyson. They didn't know how he knew that but it didn't help their nerves.

Those huge blobs Percy saw were staring to become clear.

North was an island of cliffs, hundreds of feet tall, Somewhat south of that was a growing storm.

The sea and sky were working together to create that lovely obstacle.

"Hurricane?" Annabeth questioned.

Cassie inspected the storm.

She knew what it was. Clarisse's thoughts weren't far from her own.

Was it crazy and life threatening? Yes. But could they possibly survive? Yes.

That was enough to deem it reasonable to Cassie.

"No," Clarisse denied.

"Charybdis." Cassie answered.

Annabeth went as white as a ghost. "What!"

The blonde whipped her head in Clarisse's direction. "Are you crazy?"

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

Clarisse gestured to the cliffs and Percy got that memo, something bad lived up there.

"What do you mean the only way?" Percy asked. "The sea is wide open! Just sail around them."

Cassie face palmed. She loved Percy (as a brother don't come at me), but gods he was such an idiot.

"Perc we can't 'just sail around them'. They would just shift positions and get in our way again."

"If you want to get into the Sea of Monsters, you have to sail through them." Clarisse added.

"What about the Clashing Rocks?" Annabeth suggested. "That's another gateway. Jason used it."

"I can't blow apart rocks with my cannons. Monsters, on the other hand . . ."

"You are crazy," Annabeth confirmed.

"Watch and learn, Wise Girl. Set course for Charybdis!"

"Aye, m'lady!"

The engine groaned louder and Percy and Cassie shared a look.

The ship went even faster.

"Clarisse, Charybdis sucks up the sea. Isn't that the story?" Percy asked.

"And spits it back out again, yeah."

"What about Scylla?"

"She lives in a cave, up on those cliffs. If we get too close, her snaky heads will come down and start plucking sailors off the ship"

"Choose Scylla then. Everybody goes below deck and we chug right past." Percy reasoned.

"No! If Scylla doesn't get her easy meat, she might pick up the whole ship. Besides, she's too high to make a good target. My cannons can't shoot straight up. Charybdis just sits there at the center of her whirlwind. We're going to steam straight toward her, train our guns on her, and blow her to Tartarus!"

Cassie liked the sound of that. Blowing things to smithereens!

The engine creaked and the ground started to heat up. The boilers were really hot now.

The smokestacks released clouds of smoke and the red Ares flag flapped with the wind.

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As they drew near, Charybdis' wet roar grew louder. It sounded like a really big toilet flush.

Every time she inhaled, the ship went forward. Every time she exhaled, the shop rose in the water and huge waves crashed on the deck.

Percy tried to find a pattern. It took about three minutes for Charybdis to suck up everything in a half-mile around her.

To stay safe they would have to sail right next to the cliffs. Sure, Scylla was pretty bad but it seemed better than this.

Cassie was pretty calm for someone who could potentially die. After sharing a look with Clarisse, Cassie got to one of the cannons ready to fire if needed.

The crew also seemed to not care about the possibility of death. Maybe because they'd already fought a losing cause or because they were already dead.

Percy and Annabeth were standing by the rail. Annabeth was holding so tight her knuckles turned white.

"You still have your thermos full of wind?" The blonde shouted.

"Yeah, but it's too dangerous to use with a whirlpool like that. More wind might just make things worse." Percy shut down that idea.

"What about controlling the water? You're Poseidon's son. You've done it before."

That could've worked it Charybdis wasn't much stronger so they waves didn't respond.

Percy sighed. "I—I can't."

"We need a backup plan. This isn't going to work."

"Annabeth is right. Engine's no good." Tyson agreed.

"What do you mean?" Said girl responded.

"Pressure. Pistons need fixing."

Tyson couldn't explain any further because Charybdis roared and inhaled. The ship went forward and Percy fell to the ground.

They had entered the whirlpool.

"Full reverse!" Clarisse ordered over the crashing of the waves.

The sea swirled around them, waves hitting the deck. Steam came from the iron plating.

"Get us within firing range! Make ready starboard cannons!"

Cassie aimed ready to go, but the other cannons were unmanned.

"Hey dead guys, think you could help out!"

Some hurried over, each grabbed a cannon. Other soldiers were trying to slow the ship, but to no avail.

Cassie watched in horror as the ship neared Charybdis.

Then when things couldn't have gotten worse, a dead sailor ran to Clarisse. His uniform was singed and his beard on fire.

"Boiler room overheating, ma'am! She's going to blow!"

"Well, get down there and fix it!"

"Can't! Were vaporizing in the heat."

Cassie grunted in frustration.

"All I need is a few more minutes! Just enough to get in range!"

"We're going in too fast. Prepare yourself for death." The captain advised.

"Thanks Mr. Optimistic!" Cassie yelled, still aiming the cannon as best she could.

"No! I can fix it." Tyson offered.

"You?" Clarisse almost scoffed.

"He's a Cyclops. He's immune to fire. And he knows mechanics." Annabeth told her.

"Go then!" Clarisse shouted.

"Tyson, no! It's too dangerous!" Percy halted the cyclops.

"Only way, brother." Tyson was confident he could do this. "I will fix it. Be right back."

Tyson disappeared down the the hatch to the boiler and Percy felt a nauseating feeling.

Not just because the ship was rocking back and forth.

The CSS Birmingham lunches forward again and there was Charybdis.

A few hundred yards away, the monster clung to a reef in the middle of a huge hole in the water.

Her enormous mouth was sucking in everything around her. Her teeth were sharp and the size of row boats.

There was also braces made of rusted metal with trash stuck between them.

Talk about gross. All the left over junk. Egh!

Cassie saw fish, sharks, all kinds of things go down the monster's pie hole never to see the light of day again.

In a few seconds they would be joining those fish.

"Lady Clarisse, starboard and forward guns are in range!" The captain called.

"Cas, fire!" Clarisse yelled.

Cassie released along with the other crew mates. Three celestial bronze cannonballs aimed right at the monster.

One hit a tooth, one went into her, and the third bounced off the trashy braces and headed back towards their ship.

It hit the Ares flag and took it clean off.

"Again!" Clarisse bellowed.

Cassie fired first after reloading. The cannonballs didn't do much and they'd need a hundred more to do any damage.

They were going down and fast.

But then the engine changed. It sounded stronger and the ship started moving away from Charybdis's mouth.

"Tyson did it!" Annabeth cheered.

"Wait! We need to stay close!" Clarisse cried.

"We'll die! We have to move away." Percy insisted.

Percy grabbed the rail tight as Cassie made her way over. She ignored the slight pain in her leg.

It was getting duller now and she could almost walk properly.

The ship was still fighting against the suction when the monster's mouth shut.

The sea became calm and Cassie peered over the edge.

Then it all exploded. A huge wave of water shot out as Charybdis spit everything out.

The cannonballs came out too and crashed into the side of the ship.

The wave sent them back and Percy used all his strength and praying to keep them afloat.

He couldn't do anything about them spinning in circles or heading towards the giant cliffs.

Another skeleton came from below. He stumbled with the swirling of the boy and almost took Clarisse with him overboard.

"The engine is about to blow!"

"Where's Tyson?" Percy demanded.

"Still down there. Holding it together somehow, though I don't know for how much longer."

The captain shouted, "We have to abandon ship."

"No!" Clarisse called back.

"We have no choice, m'lady. The hull is already cracking apart! She can't—"

He would never finish his sentence. Like a lightning strike, something grabbed the captain and away he went.

"Scylla!" Shouted one of the crewmates.

'Good observation,' Cassie thought as she rushed past them.

She almost made it in time to save the crew mate, but Scylla got him first.

Cassie made her sword appear and stood on guard. It flowed red, crackling a little whenever rain touched it.

Maybe an electric sword during a storm wasn't the best idea, but it was all she had.

Percy got the same idea and uncapped Riptide. They stood back to back and missed saving another sailor.

"Everyone get below!" Percy advised.

"Not possible! It's on fire down there!" Cassie yelled back, somehow dodging a strike from Scylla.

Clarisse drew her sword and Annabeth got an idea.

"Lifeboats! Quick!"

"They'll never get clear of the cliffs. We'll all be eaten." Clarisse said.

"At least we'd die trying!" Cassie responded.

"Percy, the thermos." Annabeth called.

"I can't leave Tyson!"

"We have to get the boats ready!"

Clarisse and some of the skeletons took care of that. Meanwhile, other dead confederates were being plucked off the deck one by one.

"Go with Annabeth, Cassie." Percy told the brunette before turning to the daughter of Athena. "Get the other boat. I'Il get Tyson."

He handed Cassie the thermos and pushed her in Annabeth's direction.

"You can't! The heat will kill you!" Annabeth warned.

Percy didn't stop or look back. He ran for the boiler, but in the blink of an eye he was in the air.

"Percy!" Cassie screamed. Anger filled her body as he disappeared into the stormy sky.

"I'm gonna fucking KILL you!"

The daughter of Ares raise her sword ready to
slice any head of Scylla's that came down. She didn't care, Percy was gone.

Annabeth watched as the daughter of Ares broke. It hurt the daughter of Athena just as much to see her.

Cassie saw red and didn't tear her eyes from the sky as two hands grabbed her arms.

"Carter! Come on we have to go!" Annabeth beckoned.

"Don't touch me!" Cassie whimpered trying to jerk Annabeth's hands off.

That's when Annabeth cupped her face. Their eyes met and Cassie stopped resisting.

"Cassie look at me! We have to go if we want to save Percy! The ship is about to explode!" Annabeth muttered.

Cassie just stared into Annabeth's eyes before yanking the blonde by the hand to one of the life boats.

The daughter of Ares got in and Annabeth followed after. Cassie might've lost Percy but she wouldn't lose anyone else.

"Risse!"

Clarisse looked up at Cassie who sent her a small tight-lipped smile.

"I'll see you back at camp. Don't die for me?"

Clarisse shook her head with a small chuckle.

"You worry about keeping yourself safe Cas."

Cassie grinned and down her and Annabeth went as the life boat dropped.

The blonde uncapped Hermes' thermos and the wind burst out, sending water in all directions.

They sped away to find a stupid son of Poseidon who had hopefully not died.

Behind them in a loud KABOOM! the CSS Birmingham exploded, never to be seen again.

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ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ author's note

Yay! I got it completed. This chapter took a few weeks because my procrastinating ass just didn't have the motivation.

The past weeks have been kinda busy, but i got it done. Can't wait for Wednesdays chapter, if you know you know!!!!! 😉

The sickness is almost gone too 🥳

Also Cassie's fatal flaw was displayed in this chapter. Lemme know if u think u know what it is! 🤭

And the amount of times I wanted to refer to Clarisse as 'the daughter of Ares' but couldn't bc it would be too confusing 😭😭

I was also planning for the Stolls to call Cassie 'Casanova' but Kelp Head doesn't have a nickname for her so he was deemed worthy instead

Lastly, wattpad friends seem so cool. Like their chaotic and all but hilarious 😂 I want some :(

(cries in the corner due to loneliness🥲🥲🥲😭😭)

Anyways that was a really long note. Wow.

Bye! 👋🏼

— Just Another Overthinker