READ EVEN IF YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!

Due to rules, this is a revised version of the story, with rather than the lyrics, my favourite line as a quote. Sorry for not updating in AGES, but I've had school exams etc. Now I have summer, so...enjoy!

Also, if you didn't guess...it's Christmas. This is also a few days before Percy dissapears.

Please check out my other stories! The Mark of Athena will have an update by the end of the week!

Camp Half-Blood's Karaoke Contest

Percy

If I had known what was coming, I would have said I was sick. There is no way, that I was going to go to a compulsory-karaoke-party-where-everyone-has-to-sing. But, the title was in the 'name', compulsory. So, I had to go, or else we would be eaten by the harpies. But, it all started, with a bet, between the Hermes, Apollo, Athena, Aphrodite, Dionysus and Hera cabins that they could make better music and could sing better than the Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hephaestus, Demeter, Ares and all the other minor cabins. The Hunters of Artemis backed my cabin's side, partly because Artemis didn't want to be on the same side as her brother, partly because Thalia was the lieutenant, and her dad was Zeus…needless to say more, really.

"Seaweed Brain! Come check this out!" I heard my girlfriend Annabeth call me. I walked over to the arena, wondering what she wanted. We both knew that now our cabins were enemies, we couldn't date in 'public' anymore. The whole camp knew about our relationship, but we tried not to brag about it.

"What do you want?" Riptide, in pen form, was in my hand. I have no clue why I had it then, but I'm pretty sure it saved my life. She opened her mouth to say something, but the ground opened beneath us. Annabeth started to fall, but found something to hang onto. Unfortunately, that was my foot, which, since it was snowing, was wet and slippery. Her hand started to slip, and she screamed, but then next thing we knew, the hole was gone, and she was lying there, screaming. It was pretty embarrassing.

"Why are you screaming?" I whirled around, and slashed around crazily with my sword, but it was just some skeletons, surrounding my friend, Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. "Anyways, did you hear about the karaoke party?" He asked, while reaching his sword out, touching each of the skeletons, which then promptly fell apart.

Annabeth and I looked at each other in a wary way. "What karaoke party?" Annabeth started, then, apparently the penny dropped. "Oh! The music contest! Wait, why do we need a karaoke to settle it?"

"This morning, Dad had to go to Olympus, to an emergency meeting. This bet is getting way out of control! People are getting injured more often than they used to. Even a few deaths, so that kept us busy, wondering whether they should go to Asphodel or Elysium. But, to settle it once and for all, there's going to be a party, this Friday night. Chiron showed up too. He says he'll say more on Thursday, at breakfast. Each cabin is gunna' do a song, then the Gods will vote the winners. After that, we can sing our own songs, in groups, duets, solos. Apollo said there'll be lights and everything!"

I nodded. That sounded cool. Until… "Wait, since you and me are on our own, do we have to sing solo, or can we work together, 'cos we're on the same side?"

Nico shrugged. "Dunno'. I'll go ask Dad. Oh, can you make sure no one comes near the hole? The hellhounds have gone loose, and the Furies are trying to catch them. But they'll only go through the hole that I use, or stay in the Underworld. Later." With that, he shadow travelled and jumped away. Seriously. He started to shadow travel, then he jumped into the hole, which had reappeared.

Annabeth looked at me. "I'll go and tell everyone, you stay here?" I nodded. She was a fast runner, she'd be done in no time. Besides, I'd killed plenty of hellhounds before. I wasn't exactly clueless when it came to killing monsters.

I walked around awkwardly, attacking dummies while I was at it. Over the years, I had gotten better at sword fighting, but I was still terrible at archery. I'd only hit my target once, when we were at the Triple G Ranch, the year of the Battle of the Labyrinth. Even then, I'd had to pray to Artemis and Apollo, the archery twins, but, it was a pretty good shot. I thought to another time that summer, when Annabeth had kissed me, because she had thought that I was going to die. "Be careful, Seaweed Brain." Her words still rang in my ears. Then I thought about Calypso's island, her prison, just for being a daughter of Atlas, like Zoë Nightshade, who had been killed by her father a couple of months before. I stopped attacking, and studied Riptide. Zoë had made it for Hercules. She had betrayed her family for a hero, one I had admired all my life. But, he didn't even mention her help. After, she joined the Hunters of Artemis, and was with them for two thousand years. I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts and memories that I didn't sense hellhound until it lunged.

...

I leaped aside, and stabbed, deflected it off using the side of my blade. It moved to my left, somehow knowing that I wasn't as good on that side. I was okay, but, fighting with my right hand, I could kill rows of empousai, with just a flick of Riptide. While I switched hands, it tried to take a bite out of my leg. Unfortunately, it did. Pain roared in my left thigh. I knelt on one knee, trying to steady my breathing. Blood poured out of the gash, covering my jeans. Before the hound could take another swipe at me, I used my sword as a dagger, and cut a gash into its shoulder. It wasn't and very deep cut, but just from being touched by Celestial Bronze, its soul returned to the Underworld, its body disintegrating. Hellhound slime and dust covered me, some of it going into my wound. It stung like sand going into your eyes. I attempted to get up, but my leg wouldn't support the weight. I hesitated, wondering what to do. I could wait here for Annabeth, or Nico, but I could get more hellhounds. If I went, trying to find someone, more hellhounds could come. I thought for a moment or two, them made my choice.

...

I had to get help, or else I would bleed to death. I had suffered worse pain than this, however, I forced myself to stand. I wobbled, but by using my sword as a crutch, or a walking stick, managed to reach the cabins. Annabeth came out of the Athena cabin, and saw me. She gasped, and ran towards me. I was feeling dizzy, sick, and faint.

"Talk later, help now!" was all she said, before running to the nearest cabin - Apollo's, his kids were great healers, thank the gods - and grabbing some campers. They helped me to the big house, where I remember Annabeth getting Chiron, while the Apollo campers started to work on my leg. The last thing I remember before passing out, is Chiron, Annabeth and Nico coming in the room, and Nico turning as pale as Annabeth. "Gods, will he be okay?" she asked Chiron, and I passed out, wishing I could hear is answer.

...

"Glad you're awake." I opened my eyes, and found Annabeth smiling down at me.

"How long-" I tried to ask, but it felt like I had cotton in my mouth.

"Two days," she responded. Like last time. I though. When I was twelve, I had been in this room, injured. Unconscious for two days, waking up to find Annabeth. "And, it's Friday. Tonight, is the karaoke contest. Last night, at campfire, we came to an agreement, though. You don't have to sing, the hunter's and Nico will be taking your place. Well, Apollo appeared, and said, that you could sing if you wanted. If you were to, you, Nico and Thalia would sing together.. Y'know, the big three's kids?"

I gazed down at my leg. It didn't hurt anymore, but could I stand? I lifted my legs out of bed, and tried to stand. Amazingly, I could. And it didn't hurt one bit. Man, Apollo's kids were good healers.

"Annabeth stepped back nervously. "Percy, are you sure?" I nodded. I'd rather be embarrassed than annoy the hunter's - having to sing with one of us contagious males.

...

I knocked on the door of the Hades' cabin. Outside, it was freezing. Snow had been allowed to fall gently around us, through the magical boundaries. Thalia opened the door, and I saw Nico behind her. "Perce, sorry about the hellhound. That was Aimant, French for magnet. Her favourite food is blood and flesh, so she's kinda, instantly drawn to it. Dad sent her to the Furies' lair for two years. Alecto's going to teach her how to tell the difference between enemies and your own side. She's Mrs O'Leary's sister, I guess. They both came from the same from the same litter, and they're both good, she just didn't know that you were good," he explained, while I stepped inside, feeling warmer immediately. The cabin had fire torches around it, so the inside was warm, but in the summer, unbearably hot, so they died down then. Kinda' like your own central heating system. Sweet.

...

We sat down, and I asked them what they had so far. They looked at each other, then down, as though there was something more interesting on the floor than answering a question. "Tell me!" I said sternly. Wow. Sounded like my mom there. Not good.

"Nothing?"

I pretended to faint. "It's TONIGHT! What do you mean, nothing?"

"Well, we can't choose what song!" Thalia glared at Nico. "I like Green day, but Nico, well, no offence, doesn't really know any singers or songs."

I thought about it. As experience from hanging out with Annabeth, I knew some singers. "Okay, Annabeth listens to Taylor Swift, Victoria Justice, Elizabeth Gillies, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber," I winced. "Leon Thomas |||."

"I've heard of a Christmas song by Victoria, Ariana, Elizabeth and Leon! Y'know, from that TV show, Victorious!"

I stared at Nico. "You watch Victorious?" (I used to, okay! Only listen to the songs now though... '~' But I don't watch it anymore, my neighbours do (thanks, guys [sarcasm]))He shrugged, then raised his hands in defence. "It's the only decent show on when I'm eating dinner!" Thalia looked at me, trying to keep a straight face. "WHAT!" We burst out laughing.

"Okay, okay! We need to practice more, and we have," Thalia checked her watch. "Three hours until this party."

Soon, we were in deep discussion about our chosen song. Thalia would be doing the main part, while Nico and I were doing backing. We rehearsed, and once we had done it perfectly five times in a row, we started to work on the fun party song part.

"I think that we should stick to the Victorious songs, because they're cool…" Nico trailed off, his ears turning pink.

"Nah, I reckon we should do a song that everyone knows. So they can sing along to it, so we, can just mouth it," Thalia grinned wickedly.

"What about…" I told them about my song idea. "People know it!"

Yeah, but it's a bit, lovey-dovey. I don't think that Lady Artemis would allow me to sing it. I had to beg her to let me sing the one we're doing! And, besides, they're too similar."

Nico looked like he didn't know what to do. He frowned, trying to come up with another song. "Idea! Not many people know it, and it's from Victorious."

"NO!" We yelled. I glanced outside, through one of the not-very-many tiny windows. People were staring at the Hades cabin. Had we been that loud? Oops.

We sat and thought, we had two hours left. Then it hit me.

...

Half the camp sat on one side of the stage, everyone else, the other. The god's had their portable thrones with them, and all the gods came - even the minor ones. We only just had enough breathing room, even with them human sized.

"Gods! Heroes! This is the first Camp Half-Blood Karaoke Party!" everyone cheered. Chiron raised his hand to silence the crowd, then continued; "Up first, though, we have the bet's competition, then the party! You can join the competition and sing, or just for fun. But more of that later. First up, we have the Aphrodite cabin, singing-" he turned to Silena Beauregard.

"The whole cabin is singing, and we're singing All I want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey!" As they ran up on stage, Thalia sighed with relief. We had been thinking of doing that song, but decided not to.

"Positions!" Everyone in the cabin was wearing long trench coats, and top hats. Silena nodded at Apollo, who pressed his one-of-a-kind-mega-loud-ipod-that-sounds-like-it's-plugged-into-giant-speakers-when-it's-not's play button.

The cabin tore off their hats and coats, to reveal red Santa outfits for the boys, and short Santa dresses for the girls. The girls had red over-the-knee length high-heeled boots on, while the boys had just-below-the-knee brown boots. They all wore either Santa hats or reindeer antlers on their heads. Silena and Drew had glitter in their hair.

Sorry but you'll have to listen to them yourself, here's a 1 line quote though - "I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need"

The cabin bowed to campers, everyone clapping and cheering. As Silena came down, she walked over to her boyfriend, Charles Beckendorf.

I gulped. We had a lot to stand up to.

Revised version, as said above. R&R!