DISCLAIMER: I am poor therefore I do not own Percy Jackson!
CHAPTER ONE: NEVER SAY YOU'RE NOT BUSY AT CAMP HALFBLOOD!
"I win" I shouted happily throwing my cards down.
"Little brat, you're worse than the horse. Why if this was pinochle I'd have you beat so bad you'd cry."
"You're probably right Mr. D-"
"Probably? You know Rita-"
"Rosie"
"Exactly my point Rhonda; interrupting, bragging, you should really learn better respect for your elders" Mr. D said taking a swig from his diet coke clearly not happy with the games results.
"Whatever you say Mr. D" I said throwing my hands up in surrender. It wasn't smart to argue with a god, especially one that's a sore loser.
"Right, well off to training or whatever you heroes waste your time doing now-a-days." Mr. D said shooing me away from the table, but not before adding "same time tomorrow Robin?"
"Yes sir" I answered not even bothering to correct him this time. This is what I got for being a year-rounder with nothing better to do but entertain Mr. D.
Thinking about training made me want to runaway screaming. I mean my mom's the goddess of peace, weapons and fighting isn't exactly my strong-suit ok? Maybe Chiron would have a chore or two for me- oh wait, Chiron's busy visiting his cousins in Florida this month. Well looks like it really is off to training with me.
Man was I ready for summer to get here, nothing interesting ever seemed to happen till then (not to mention most of camp was with their parents- parent ). Most of the campers were gone, Chiron was gone; camp was boring during the school year.
"Oh Rosie, there you are" Annabeth Jackson called from over by the cabins; she was one of our adult counselors- a daughter of Athena with eyes that could be just as scary. I like Annabeth; we had an understanding, she use to be a year-rounder like me.
"Where were you?" She asked when we finally reached one another.
"I made the mistake of telling Mr. D I wasn't busy so until Chiron gets back I'm stuck playing Canasta with him." I answered.
"Canasta?" She asked confused.
"He said Pinochle was getting old and since the other gods won't let him make us fight to the death anymore he's limited to card games. Today it was Canasta, yesterday Uno, and before that go-fish. I think he's trying to find a game he can win at before he sticks to one." I said. Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"Well is Mr. D still using you or are you busy?" She asked she seemed a bit desperate.
"No I'm free what'd you have in mind?" I said thinking of nothing but getting out of training.
"Well" she said before pausing a moment to think. "You know Leo right, Son of Zeus?"
"Not personally, but I know who you're talking about yeah." I answered.
"Ok that's good enough for what I need you for. You see, Leo just switched from summer time to year-round. He almost got killed by a Minotaur the other day and his mom is worried-"
"But that should be normal to her by now right? I mean he's a kid of the big three. My mom isn't even an Olympian and I still had a monster attack or two. I interrupted. I mean shipping your kid off because of monsters made no sense for the parent of a demigod, our scent attracts them; all parents know that.
"That's the third monster in a week and Leo had some pretty bad injuries the last time. Ms. Lewis and Lord Zeus feel the safest place for Leo is camp, at least until they figure out who's after him." Annabeth explained a little annoyed by my interruption. "Leo being the teenage boy he is, is obviously NOT happy about the situation, and well I felt considering your experience as a permanent year-rounder- not to mention your- ah gifts, you might help him see the brighter side of camp."
That was usually my job, make people feel more "at peace" with a situation I usually got the task of showing the new kids around camp. I knew this place backwards and forwards but I could also make people feel at ease with their surroundings or situation. That's usually what gets me in trouble in sword play I make my opponents feel so at peace they want to go frolic or hug someone (it's really funny when the opponent is an Ares kid).
"Would you mind?" Annabeth asked again, I must have been a little too lost in thought.
"I'll have him singing 'kum-by-ya' with Hades kids in no time. Where is he?"
"At the Arena with Mrs. O Leary." Ugh I could've been playing fetch with Mrs. O'Leary all this time, why didn't I think of that!
"Don't even think about trying that 'lovey –dovey' feelings crap on me or you'll be in for the shock of you're life." Leo warned as I walked up to the arena, Mrs. O'Leary was in the process of bringing a shield back to be thrown again.
"What makes you think I was gonna do that?" I asked. He rolled his eyes as if I just asked him why two plus two couldn't be five.
"Because you're the one they always get when they get scared new kids. You make them think they're happy about a situation so they won't put up a fuss." He said, I'd never wanted to punch someone before in my life but he was really beginning to change that.
"That is not what I do thank you very much. And for you're information Sparky, Aphrodite's kids handle the lovey-dovey I work with peace. I give people a sense of inner peace when they're nervous or worried. I can also make you think you want to go hug a tree or an enemy if I want. But regardless of what I can do, I won't do anything for an annoying little brat with a nasty attitude."
"Oh my mistake, I thought you were a free-love-hippy when you're clearly a flower-child-hippy"
"I. AM. NOT. A. HIPPY!" I yelled annoyed.
"And my name isn't Sparky, guess we're even." He responded grabbing the shield Mrs. O'Leary had brought to him and flinging it off again. I sat on the ground silently trying to calm myself down, and re-address this. Why on earth did I have to tell Annabeth I wasn't busy, I could've enjoyed Jason trying to teach me archery for the 60th time, or let Atticus clobber me at swords, or maybe have a root canal but nooo I just had to volunteer to help. Now I was stuck till I could get Mr. Sunshine here to at least accept the fact that for the moment he was at camp for good.
"You can go tell that lady I'm not staying here." He said after a few minutes.
"Go tell her yourself, I'm not a messenger." I answered annoyed. Great how was that helping matters. "What do you have against camp?"
"It's not camp it's that my mom and especially Dad think I'm weak. That's why I'm stuck here." He furrowed his eyebrows annoyed Mrs. O'Leary had given up on fetching and decided instead to sit within rubbing distance.
"They don't think you're weak" I assured him scratching behind one of Mrs. O'Leary's ears and receiving a cry of enjoyment in response.
"Oh and you know this because in addition to being Miss-Hippy-Flower-Child, you also have killer insight. Right?"
"No Sparky it's because you're the son of Zeus Biggest of the Big three, even an Ares kid can figure that out." I answered.
"Wow for a hippy you sure are mean." He said his electric blue eyes lighting up some.
"And for a Spark-Plug you're annoying and stop calling me Hippy! I have a name." Mrs. O'Leary plopped her massive head in my lap.
"So do I and it's not Sparky or Spark-Plug" He retorted.
"Alright I agree to call you by your name and you agree to call me by mine, deal?" I asked holding the hand that wasn't petting Mrs. O'Leary out.
"Fine, what's your name again?"
"Rosie"
"Wow even a hippy name" He said the caught my glare. "Sorry last one today I promise.
"Well I need to get over to archery or something, Look please just don't run off in the night could you promise me that?" I asked easing Mrs. O'Leary out of my lap and standing up. Leo had a mischievous glint I didn't like, in his eye.
"Why would you miss me?" He asked I wanted to take his eyes out with a Spork and give them to the gray sisters (maybe they wouldn't fight so much then).
"No, because I'd hate for the cleaning harpies to accidentally eat you and make your dad blow up the camp in anger." And with that I walked off. One thing is definitely for sure if Mr. D or Annabeth ever ask me if I'm busy again I'm running as far as I can in the opposite direction.
