They managed to arrive back at camp just after Clarisse, thanks to the centaurs' travel powers. The centaur's were extremely excited to meet Dionysus, after hearing about his parties. But they were unfortunately disappointed.

The wine god was in no mood to celebrate as the whole camp gathered at the top of Half-Blood Hill. The camp had been through a hard two weeks. The arts and crafts cabin had burned to the ground from an attack by a Draco Aionius. The Big House's rooms were overflowing with wounded. The kids in the Apollo cabin, who were the best medics, had been working overtime performing first aid. Everybody was weary and battered as they crowded around Thalia's tree.

The moment Clarisse draped the Golden Fleece over the lowest bough, the moonlight seemed to brighten, turning from gray to liquid silver. A cool breeze rustled in the branches and rippled through the grass, all the way into the valley. Everything came into sharper focus, as if someone opened a camera lens. The glow of the fireflies down in the woods, the smell of the strawberry fields, the sound of the waves on the beach – everything became stronger and more vibrant. Gradually, the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green. Everybody cheered. The tree was healing, expelling the poison.

Chiron ordered a twenty-four/seven guard duty on the hilltop, at least until he could find an appropriate monster to protect the Fleece. "I'll place an ad in Olympus Weekly right away," he had said. In the meantime, Clarisse was carried on her cabin mates' shoulders down to the amphitheater, where she was honored with a laurel wreath and a lot of celebrating around the campfire. Nobody gave Annabeth, Percy or Y/N a second look. It was as if they had never left.

The next morning, after the party ponies headed back to Florida, Chiron made a surprise announcement: the chariot races would go ahead as scheduled. Now that Tantalus was gone, a lot of the campers had assumed they would be scrapped. But Chiron said that completing them was the right thing to do, especially now that the camp was safe. Tyson and Percy were happy to team up again, which left Annabeth and Y/N. Annabeth would drive again, while Y/N would defend and attack. They decided to split the chores evenly, so that the Athena cabin would get less. Y/N didn't mind. It was only fair. However, their chariot had suffered quite a lot from its off roading sessions during the last race, so some repairs were in order.

An watched as Y/N picked up the molten sheet of steel with his hands, clearly unfazed at the temperature of the metal. Y/N smiled as he worked, using the heat in the furnace to round out it's edges, slowly transforming it into a circle. The forge was quiet that afternoon, as it was Hephaestus's turn to guard the fleece. Y/N picked up the circle, dunking it in a large cooling vat full of water. The water bubbled and hissed as it came into contact with the red hot steel. Annabeth rested her head on her arm, gazing at Y/N.

"What do you think?" Y/N asked her, pulling out the sheet from the water. Annabeth got up from the chair, walking over to the steel. It still radiated heat, but the wheel looked flawless.

"Perfect." Annabeth said. "That should guard the wheel spokes perfectly." She walked over to the other wheel, checking to see if it was still hot. She slowly picked it up, before turning back to Y/N. "Come one we should go."

"Wait." Y/N seemed hesitant. She raised an eyebrow. "I... wanted to talk to you about something first. We haven't really had a proper conversation since the quest." She shrugged, before gesturing towards a workbench. Y/N sat down, still deep in thought.

"What is it?" She said. He seemed unusually anxious and nervous.

"it's just... do you remember the sirens?" Annabeth grimaced. She remembered the sirens, alright. What she saw on that beach shook her to her core. She was still embarrassed that Percy saw it as well.

"Of course I remember them." She replied.

"Well... I was thinking back to what you were saying about fatal flaws." He sighed, running a hand though his hair. "And how they can be, you know... 'fatal'."

"Look Y/N." An said. "Sure, they can be deadly, but you shouldn't have to worry about that for now. We just saved the camp, anyway. Let's enjoy some peace first." She put her hand on her arm.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Y/N sighed. He stared back into her eyes, smiling warmly.

They held that trance.

3 seconds... 4 seconds... 5 seconds...

"Hey!" A voice called out from the main door. Beckendorf strolled through, flanked by his other siblings. "The forge is for working only! So unless you haven't finished, then I suggest you take your kissing session somewhere else." Annabeth blushed furiously, but Y/N just laughed and smiled.

"Real funny." Y/N rolled his eyes. He walked over to the other spoke cover, picking it up with ease. He gestured to the door with his head. "C'mon Annie."

"I told you not to call me that." She mumbled, her face still blushing crimson.

.

.

.

"We're definitely going to win tomorrow." Percy smirked, brushing his horse's mane. Y/N raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? Why's that huh?"

"Tyson completely overhauled our chariot. Not only that, but he – AHHHH!" Percy screamed as a small animal sprinted over his shoe. Y/N busted out laughing. Percy hid his face, ashamed.

"Oh my gods... it was mouse.... holy.... I can't breathe." Y/N coughed. Percy blushed. Y/N grinned, getting into a crouching position. He slowly tiptoed over to the horses hay, spotting a small grey tail poking out from the pile. He put a finger on his lips, glancing at Percy. He took a step, keeping his body low.

Quick as a flash, Y/N dived into the hay, reaching for the tail. Percy raised an eyebrow. Y/N struggled a bit before his head popped out triumphantly. He pulled out his hand from the hay, which was holding on tightly to a struggling rodent.

"Too easy." Y/N got out of hay, shaking himself off.

"What was the point of that?" Percy deadpanned. Y/N shrugged, before inspecting the mouse closer.

"Huh. I think it actually might be a rat." He murmured.

"George would like that." A voice said behind them. A middle-aged guy in a postal carrier outfit was leaning against the stable door. He was slim, with curly black hair under his white pith helmet, and he had a mailbag slung over his shoulder.

"Hermes?" Percy stammered.

"Hello, you two. Didn't recognize me without my jogging clothes?" Hermes smiled.

"Uh..." Percy glanced towards Y/N, who shrugged, rat still in hand.

"Oh, listen, Lord Hermes, about Luke..." Percy trailed off. The god arched his eyebrows.

"We saw him, all right," Y/N finished. "but..."

"You weren't able to talk sense into him?" Hermes said.

"Well, Percy kind of tried to kill him in a duel to the death." Y/N said. Percy cringed.

"I see. You tried the diplomatic approach." Hermes smiled.

"I'm really sorry. I mean, you gave us those awesome gifts and everything. And I know you wanted Luke to come back. But... he's turned bad. Really bad. He said he feels like you abandoned him." Percy said. He tensed, waiting for Hermes to get angry.

Instead, he just sighed. "Do you ever feel your father abandoned you, Percy?"

Percy sucked in a sharp breath. 'Only a million times a day.' He thought.

"Percy, the hardest part about being a god is that you must often act indirectly, especially when it comes to your own children." Hermes adjusted his mailbag. "If we were to intervene every time our children had a problem... well, that would only create more problems and more resentment. But I believe if you give it some thought, you will see that Poseidon has been paying attention to you. He has answered your prayers. I can only hope that someday, Luke may realize the same about me. Whether you feel like you succeeded or not, you remind Luke who he was. You spoke to him."

"But I tried to kill him." Percy said.

Hermes shrugged. "Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related, for better or worse... and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum." He smiled. "In the distance, the conch horn sounded, signalling curfew. "You should get to bed," Hermes said. "I've helped you get into quite enough trouble this summer already. I really only came to make this delivery."

"A delivery?" Y/N cocked his head, still holding the squirming rat in his hand.

"I am the messenger of the gods, Y/N." Hermes took an electronic signature pad from his mailbag and handed it to Percy. "Sign there, please." Percy picked up the stylus before realizing it was entwined with a pair of tiny green snakes.

"Holy!..." He dropped the pad.

Ouch, said George.

Really, Percy? Martha scolded. Would you want to be dropped on the floor of a horse stable?

"Oh, uh, sorry." Percy gingerly picked up the pad and the stylus again. The snakes wriggled under his fingers, forming a weird pencil grip.

Is that a rat I smell? George asked.

"Uh... you want this one?" Y/N held up the rat. George's eyes widened. Percy signed his name. Quick as a flash, George grew in size and snapped at the rat. He swallowed it immediately, tail and all.

Yum, George burped. Got any Guinea pigs as well? he asked innocently.

George! Martha chided. Don't tease Percy.

Hermes smiled, handing Percy a sea-blue envelope. His fingers trembled. Percy could tell right away it was from Poseidon.

"Good luck tomorrow, you two." Hermes said. "Though you'll excuse me if I root for the Hermes cabin."

And don't be too discouraged when you read it, Percy, Martha said. He does have your interests at heart.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked.

Don't mind her, George said. And next time, bring another rat.

"Enough, you two," Hermes said. "Good-bye, Percy, Y/N. For now." Small white wings sprouted from his pith helmet. He began to glow, and Y/N and Percy averted their eyes, making sure not to look at his divine form. With a brilliant white flash, he was gone.

.

.

.

The next morning, everybody was buzzing about the chariot race, glancing nervously toward the sky like they expected to see Stymphalian birds gathering. None did. It was a beautiful summer day with blue sky and plenty of sunshine. The camp had started to look the way it did before the tree was poisoned. The meadows were green and lush; the white columns gleamed on the Greek buildings; dryads played happily in the woods. And Percy was miserable.

'Brace yourself.' He thought angrily. 'He goes to the trouble of writing a letter, and he writes two words?' As Annabeth and Y/N drove onto the track, Percy couldn't help admiring the work they had done. The carriage gleamed with bronze reinforcements. The suspension on the wheels was so soft it could have been used as a trampoline. Percy knew Y/N's bracelet was going to be a problem.

"Percy!" Annabeth called. "Come on!"

Chiron was at the starting line, ready to blow the conch. "Tyson..." Percy said.

"Let's do this, Brother!" The cyclops beamed. They climbed on board the chariot and got into position just as Chiron blew the starting signal.

He climbed on board the chariot and got into position just as Chiron blew the starting signal.

Y/N and Annabeth shot down the track so fast he almost fell. The wheels spun beautifully, making a weird whistling sound as it tore through the air. They took the first turn a full chariot-length ahead of Clarisse, who was busy trying to fight off a javelin attack from the Stoll brothers in the Hermes chariot.

"Incoming!" Annabeth yelled. Indeed, next to their chariot came Percy and Tyson's.

Despite Annabeth's incredible craftsmanship, the Poseidon chariot on par in terms of beauty and strength. It shone beautifully. The wheels were realigned with magical suspension, and the rigging for the horse was so perfectly balanced that the team turned at the slightest tug of the reins from Percy.

Tyson threw a net that would have entangled Y/N and Annabeth if she hadn't tugged the reins to the right. Apollo's chariot quickly came up on their flank. Before Y/N could do anything, the Apollo warrior threw a javelin into the right wheel. Luckily, the spokes were protected, and the javelin bounced off harmlessly.

They were neck and neck with Apollo. Poseidon was ahead. Hephaestus was coming close behind. Ares and Hermes were falling behind, riding side by side as Clarisse went sword-on-javelin with Connor Stoll.

"You're mine!" the driver from Apollo yelled. He was a first-year camper. Y/N didn't remember his name, but he sure was confident.

"Yeah, right!" Y/N yelled back. He concentrated, thinking back to the cattle prod he had in the past race. His bracelet elongated in his hands, turning into a massive bronze prod with sparks arcing at the tip. He trusted it forward, just barely grazing the apollo driver, but it was enough. The driver immediately seized up, pulling back on the reins sharply. Their horses bucked and neighed, skidding to a halt. The other chariots had to swerve to avoid it

Y/N and Annabeth passed the starting line and thundered into the final lap, but the Hephaestus team was still gaining. Beckendorf grinned as he pressed a button on his command console. Steel cables shot out of the front of his mechanical horses, wrapping around the back rail. Their chariot shuddered as Beckendorf's winch system started working, pulling Y/N's chariot backward while Beckendorf pulled himself forward.

Y/N quickly concentrated again, morphing his cattle prod into a sword. He hacked away at the cables, and they snapped one by one. He managed to get rid of the last one, but Beckendorf's driver just swung his chariot to the left and pulled up next to them. Beckendorf drew his sword. He slashed at Annabeth, but Y/N parried the blade away.

They were neck and neck now, Clarisse coming up from behind, making up for lost time. "Sorry about this!" Beckendorf yelled. "Here's a little parting gift!"

He pulled out a pouch of strange substance, throwing it at Y/N's feet. The pouch immediately began bellowing green smoke. "Greek fire! Get rid of it!" Annabeth shouted. But Y/N couldn't. Hephaestus's chariot was still alongside, waiting until the last second to make sure their little present blew up. Beckendorf was keeping Y/N busy with his sword, and if he let his guard down long enough to deal with the Greek fire, Annabeth would get sliced, and they'd crash anyway.

Y/N tried to kick the leather pouch away with his foot, but he couldn't. It was stuck fast. Annabeth yelled, "Y/N!"

The Greek fire was shooting sparks. Y/N sent a silent prayer to his mom, and while still sword fighting Beckendorf, he brought his right foot up, before slamming it down on the pouch.

"Y/N! What are you-"

The fire exploded.

Sort of.

Y/N grunted with effort. He willed the fire to stay contained, forcing it to travel up his body like a green fiery snake. But it wasn't a regular old wood fire. It had 100 times the energy. With a yell, Y/N raised his sword at the Hephaestus chariot. The green fire-snake spun around his sword before splashing the side of the chariot.

The chassis melted almost instantly. The chariot sank into it's wheels, before lurching to the right. The entire right side melted like pudding. Beckendorf and the driver lost their balance, tumbling out and rolling across the dirt. The metal horses seemed to short-circuit. They turned and dragged the melted wreckage back toward Clarisse and the Stoll brothers, who had to swerve to avoid it.

Annabeth pulled the reins for the last turn. They sped past the line. The crowd roared and cheered. Annabeth pulled on the reins, and the chariot skidded in a perfect 180 allowing Y/N to step off easily. Y/N stared at Annabeth with awe and amazement.

"Please tell that was planned." Y/N laughed.

"It wasn't." Annabeth stepped off. She smiled at him, before leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. "But that was." The crowd got much louder after that. The entire Athena cabin lifted them onto their shoulders and carried them toward the winner's platform, where Chiron was waiting to bestow the laurel wreaths.