BuildBotsBetter# Transcript
Title: 19. The Chariot Race Ends with a Bang Channel: Echo Wirm Rick Riordan Duration: 18:05 URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kufCRJIH5m4 Source: English YouTube auto-captions, cleaned and rolling caption windows merged.
Chapter 19. The chariot race ends with a bang. We arrived in Long Island just after Clarice thanks to the centaur's travel powers. I rode on Kairen's back, but we didn't talk much, especially not about Kronos. I knew it had been difficult for Kairen to tell me. I didn't want to push him with more questions. I mean, I've met plenty of embarrassing parents, but Kronos, the evil Titan lord who wanted to destroy Western civilization, not the kind of dad you invited to school for career day. When we got to camp, the centaurs were anxious to meet Dianisis. They'd heard he threw some really wild parties, but they were 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 been burned to the ground from an attack by a Draco Ionius, which as near as I
could figure was Latin for really big lizard with breath that blows stuff up. The big house's rooms were overflowing with wounded. The kids in the Apollo cabin, who were the best healers, had been working overtime performing first aid. Everybody looked weary and battered as we crowded around Talia's tree. The moment Clarice draped the golden fleece over the lowest bow, 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. The glow of the fireflies down in the woods, the smell of the strawberry fields, the sound of the waves on the beach. Gradually, the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green. Everybody cheered. It was happening slowly, but there could be no doubt. The fleece's magic was seeping into the tree, filling it with new power and expelling the poison. Kairen ordered a 247 guard duty on the hilltop, at least until he could find an appropriate monster to protect the fleece. He said he'd place an ad in Olympus weekly right away. In the meantime, Clarice was carried on her cabin mate's shoulders down to the amphitheater, where she was honored with a laurel wreath and a lot of celebrating around the campfire.
Nobody gave Annth or me a second look. It was as if we'd never left. In a way, I guess that was the best thank you anyone could give us, because if they admitted we really snuck out of camp to do the quest, they'd have to expel us. And really, I didn't want any more attention. It felt good to be just one of the campers for once. Later that night, as we were roasting s'mores and listening to the Stole brothers tell us a ghost story about an evil king who was eaten alive by demonic breakfast pastries, Clarice shoved me from behind and whispered in my ear. Just because you were cool one time, Jackson, don't think you're off the hook with Aries.
I'm still waiting for the right opportunity to pulverize you. I gave her a grudging smile. What? She demanded. Nothing, I said. Just good to be home. The next morning, after the party ponies headed back to Florida, Kairen made a surprise announcement. The chariot races would go ahead as scheduled. We'd all figured they were history now that Tantalus was gone, but completing them did feel like the right thing to do, especially now that Kirn was back and the camp was safe. Tyson wasn't too keen on the idea of getting back in a chariot after our first experience. But he was happy to let me team up with Annabeth. I would drive, Annabeth would defend, and Tyson would act as our pit crew. While I worked with the horses, Tyson fixed up Athena's chariot and added a whole bunch of special modifications. We spent the next two days training like crazy.
Annabth and I agreed that if we won, the prize of no chores for the rest of the month would be split between our two cabins. Since Athena had more campers, they would get most of the time off, which was fine by me. I didn't care about the prize. I just wanted to win. The night before the race, I stayed late at the stables. I was talking to our horses, giving them one final brushing when somebody right behind me said, " Fine animals, horses. Wish I'd thought of 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, I stammered. Hello, Percy. Didn't recognize me without my jogging clothes. Uh, I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to kneel or buy stamps from him or what. Then it occurred to me why he must be here. Oh.
Uh, listen, Lord Hermes, about Luke. The god arched his eyebrows. Uh, we saw him all right, I said. But you weren't able to talk sense into him. Well, we kind of tried to kill each other in a duel to the death. I see you tried the diplomatic approach. I'm really sorry. I I mean, you gave us those awesome gifts and everything, and I know you really wanted Luke to come back, but he turned bad. Really bad. He says he feels like you abandoned him. I waited for Hermes to get angry. I figured he'd turn me into a hamster or something, and I did not want to spend any more time as a rodent. Instead, he just sighed. Do you ever feel your father abandon you, Percy? Oh man, I wanted to say only a few hundred times a day. I hadn't spoken to Poseidon since last summer. I'd never even been to his underwater palace. And then there was the whole thing with
Tyson. No warning, no explanation. Just boom, you have a brother. You think that deserved a little heads up phone call or something. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I realized I did want recognition for the quest I'd completed, but not from the other campers. I wanted my dad to say something, to notice me. Hermes readjusted the mailbag on his shoulder. Percy, the hardest part about being a god is that you must often act indirectly, especially when it comes to your own children. 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 reminded Luke who he was. You spoke to him. I tried to kill him. 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 maming and killing to a minimum. It didn't sound like much of a recipe for the perfect family. Then again, as I thought about my quest, I realized maybe Hermes was right. Poseidon had sent the Hippoc Campai to help us. He'd given me powers over the sea that I'd never known about before. And there was Tyson. Had Poseidon brought us together on purpose?
How many times had Tyson saved my life this summer? In the distance, the Concorn sounded, signaling curfew. " You should go 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? I am the messenger of the gods, " Percy. He took an electronic signature pad from his mailbag and handed it to me. " Sign there, please. I picked up the stylus before realizing it was entwined with a pair of tiny green snakes. " Ah! " I 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. " I didn't much like touching snakes, but I picked up the pad and the stylus again. Martha and George wriggled up my fingers, forming a kind of pencil grip like the ones my special ed teacher made me use in second grade. " Did you bring me a rat? " George asked. Uh, no, I said. Uh, we didn't find any. What about a guinea pig? George, Martha chided. Don't tease the boy. I signed my name and gave the pad back to Hermes. In exchange, he handed me a sea blue envelope. My fingers trembled. Even before I opened it, I could tell it was from my father. I could sense his power in the cool blue paper, as if the envelope itself had been folded out of an ocean wave. " Good luck tomorrow, " Hermes said. " Fine team of horses you
have there, though you'll excuse me if I root for the Hermes cabin. And don't be too discouraged when you read it, dear. Martha told me. He does have your interest at heart. What do you mean? I asked. Don't mind her, George said. And next time, remember Snakes works for tips. Enough you two, Hermes said. Goodbye, Percy. For now. Small white wings sprouted from his pith helmet. He began to glow, and I knew enough about the gods to avert my eyes before he revealed his true divine form. With a brilliant white flash, he was gone, and I was alone with the horses. I stared at the blue envelope in my hands. It had been addressed in strong but elegant handwriting that I'd seen once before on a package Poseidon had sent me last summer. Percy Jackson, CEO, Camp Halfblood, Farm Road, 3. 141, Long Island, New York 11954.
An actual letter from my father. Maybe he would tell me I'd done a good job getting the fleece. He'd explain about Tyson or apologize for not talking to me sooner. There were so many things that I wanted the letter to say. I opened the envelope and unfolded the paper. Two simple words were printed in the middle of the page. Brace yourself. The next morning, everybody was buzzing about the chariot race, though they kept glancing nervously toward the sky like they expected to see a stimallian 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 should. The meadows were green and lush. The white columns gleamed on the Greek buildings. Dryads played happily in the woods. And I was miserable. I've been lying awake all night thinking about Poseidon's warning.
Brace yourself. I mean, he goes to the trouble of writing a letter and he writes two words. Martha the snake had told me not to feel disappointed. Maybe Poseidon had a reason for being so vague. Maybe he didn't know exactly what he was warning me about, but he sensed something big was about to happen. Something that could completely knock me off my feet unless I was prepared. It was hard, but I tried to turn my thoughts to the race. Asth and I drove onto the track. I couldn't help admiring the work Tyson had done on the Athena chariot. The carriage gleamed with bronze reinforcements. The wheels were realigned with a magical suspension, so we glided along with hardly a bump. The rigging for the horses was perfectly balanced that the team turned at the slightest tug of the res. Tyson had also made us two javelins, each with three buttons on the shaft. The first button
primed the javelin to explode on impact, releasing razor wire that would tangle and shred an opponent's wheels. The second button produced a blunt, but still very painful, bronze spearhead designed to knock a driver out of his carriage. The third button brought up a grappling hook that could be used to lock onto an enemy's chariot or push it away. I figured we were in pretty good shape for the race, but Tyson still warned me to be careful. The other chariot teams had plenty of tricks up their togas. Here, he said just before the race began. He handed me a wristwatch. There wasn't anything special about it, just a white and silver clock face, a black leather strap. But as soon as I saw it, I realized that this is what I'd seen him tinkering on all summer. I didn't usually like to wear watches. Who cared what time it was? But I couldn't say no
to Tyson. Thanks, man. I put it on and found it was surprisingly light and comfortable. I could hardly tell I was wearing it. Didn't finish in time for the trip, Tyson mumbled. Sorry. Sorry. Hey man, no big deal. If you need protection in the race, he advised, hit the button. Okay. I didn't see how keeping time was going to help a whole lot, but I was touched that Tyson was concerned. I promised him I'd remember the watch. And hey, um, Tyson. He looked at me. I wanted to say, well, I tried to figure out how to apologize for getting embarrassed about him before the quest, for telling everyone he wasn't my real brother. It wasn't easy to find the words. I know what you will tell me, Tyson said, looking ashamed. Poseidon did care for me after all. Uh, well, he sent you to help me. Just what I asked for. I blinked. You asked Poseidon for me. For a friend, Tyson said, twisting
his shirt in his hands. Young cyclopes grow up alone in the streets. Learn to make things out of scraps. Learn to survive. But that's so cruel. He shook his head earnestly. Makes us appreciate blessings. Not to be greedy and mean and fat like Polyphimas. But I got scared. Monsters chase me so much. Clawed me sometimes. The scars on your back. A tear welled up in his eye. Sphinx on 72nd Street. Big bully. I prayed to daddy for help. Soon the people at Merryweather found me. Met you. Biggest blessing ever. Sorry I said. Poseidon was mean. He sent me a brother. I stared at the watch that Tyson had made me.
Percy, called. Come on. Tyron was at the starting line, ready to blow the conchk. Tyson, I said, " Go. " Tyson said, " You will win. " I Yeah, okay, big guy. We'll win this one for you. I climbed on board the chariot and got into position just as Kairen blew the starting signal. The horses knew what to do. We shot down the track so fast I would have fallen out if my arms hadn't been wrapped into the leather res. Annabth held on tight to the rail. The wheels glided beautifully. We took the first turn a full chariot length ahead of Clarice, who was busy trying to fight off a javelin attack from the Stole brothers in the Hermes chariot. " We've got him, " I yelled. But I spoke too soon. " Incoming! " Anth yelled. She threw her first javelin in grappling grappling hook mode, knocking away a lead weighted net that would have entangled us both. Apollo's chariot had
come up on our flank. Before Annith could rearm herself, the Apollo warrior threw a javelin into our right wheel. The javelin shattered, but not before snapping some of our spokes. Our chariot lurched and wobbled. I was sure the wheel would collapse altogether, but we somehow kept going. I urged the horses to keep up the speed. We were now neck- and- neck with Apollo. Hesus was coming up close behind. Aries and Hermes were falling behind, riding side by side as Clarice went sword on javelin with Connor Stole. " If we took one more hit to our wheel, I knew we would capsize. " " You're mine! " the driver from Apollo yelled. He was a firstear camper. I didn't remember his name, but he sure was confident. Yeah, right, " Annith yelled back. She picked up her second javelin, a real risk considering we still had one full lap to go, and threw it at the Apollo driver. Her aim was
perfect. The javelin grew a heavy spear point just as it caught the driver in the chest, knocking him against his teammate and sending them both toppling out of the chariot in a backwards somersault. The horses felt the rains go slack and went crazy, riding straight for the crowd. Campers scrambled for cover as the horses leapt the corner of the bleachers and the golden chariot flipped over. The horses galloped back toward their stable, dragging the upside down chariot behind them. I held our own chariot together through the second turn, despite the groaning of the right wheel. We passed the starting line and thundered into our final lap. The axle creaked and moaned. The wobbling wheel was making us lose speed, even though the horses were responding to my every command, running like a welloiled machine.
The Hesta team was still gaining. Beckondorf grinned as he pressed a button in his command console. Steel cables shot out of the front of his mechanical horses, wrapping around our back rail. Our chariot shuddered as Beckondorf's winch system started working, pulling us backward while Beckandorf pulled himself forward. Annabth cursed and drew her knife. She hated the cables, but they were too thick. " Can't cut them, " she yelled. The heest chariot was now dangerously close. Their horses about to trample us underfoot. " Switch with me, " I told Annabbeth. " Take the res, but trust me. " She pulled herself to the front and grabbed the res. I turned trying hard to keep my footing and uncapped riptide. I slashed down and the cables snapped like a kite string. We lurched forward, but Beckondorf's driver just swung his chariot to our left and pulled up next
to us. Beckondorf drew his sword. He slashed at Annith and I parried the blade away. We were coming up on the last turn. We'd never make it. I I needed to disable the heesta's chariot and get it out of the way. But I had to protect Annabth, too. Just because Beckondorf was a nice guy didn't mean he wouldn't send us both to the infirmary if we let our guard down. We're neck and neck now. Clarice coming up from behind, making up for lost time. See you, Percy. Beckonorf yelled. Here's a little parting gift. He threw a leather pouch into our chariot. It stuck onto the floor immediately and began billowing green smoke. Greek fire, Annith yelled.
I cursed. I'd heard stories about what Greek fire could do. I figured we had maybe 10 seconds before it exploded. Get rid of it, Annabth shouted, but I couldn't. Ephesus's chariot was still alongside, waiting until the last second to make sure their little present blew up. Beckondorf was keeping me busy with his sword. If I let my guard down long enough to deal with the Greek fire, Annabth would get sliced and we'd crash anyway. I tried to kick the leather pouch away with my foot, but I couldn't. I was stuck fast. Then I remembered the watch. I didn't know how it could help, but I managed to punch the stopwatch button. Instantly, the watch changed. It expanded, the metal rim spiraling outward like an oldfashioned camera shutter. a leather strap wrapping around my forearm until I was holding a round war shield 4 feet wide. The inside soft leather, the outside polished bronze,
engraved with designs I didn't have time to examine. All I knew, Tyson had come through. I raised the shield and Beckondorf's sword clanged against it. His blade shattered. What? He shouted. How? He didn't have time to say more because I knocked him in the chest with my new shield and sent him flying out of his chariot, tumbling in the dirt. I was about to use riptide to slash at the driver when Annabth yelled, " Percy! " The Greek fire was shooting sparks. I shoved the tip of my sword under the leather pouch and flipped it up like a spatula. The firebomb dislodged and flew into the heestas chariot at the driver's feet. He yelled. In a split second, the driver made the right choice. He dove out of the chariot, which careened away and exploded in green flames. The metal horses seemed to short circuit. They turned and dragged the burning wreckage
back toward Clarice and the Stole brothers, who had to swerve to avoid it. Annabizabeth pulled the reinss for the last turn. I held on, sure we would capsize, but somehow she brought us through and spurted the horses across the finish line. The crowd roared. Once the chariot stopped, our friends mobbed us. They started chanting our names, but Annth yelled over the noise, " Hold up. Listen, it wasn't just us. " The crowd didn't want to be quiet, but Annith made herself heard. " We couldn't have done it without somebody else. We could have won this race or gotten the fleece or saved Grover or anything. We owe our lives to Tyson, Percy's brother, I said loud enough for everybody to hear. Tyson, my baby brother. Tyson blushed. The crowd cheered. Annith planted a kiss on my cheek. The roaring got a lot louder after that. The entire Athena cabin
lifted me and Annabth and Tyson under their shoulders and carried us toward the winner's platform where Kairen was waiting to bestow the laurel wreaths.