A/N: My attempt at a PJO fic. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. No idea whether this is going to turn out to be a multi-chapter fic or not. Written for Karma's Inferno's Original Cliché challenge on the Veritaville forum.

Much thanks to Ariadne's Twine, who was awesome enough to Beta this for me.

The irony of the situation was almost laughable. Almost. Abigail Moore, the small, blond-haired, blue-eyed aqua phobic, had been claimed as a daughter of Poseidon. The unmistakable symbol of the trident hovered proudly over her head for everyone to see, before disappearing as if it had never existed. Abigail stared dumbly at the space above her head where the trident had floated moments earlier, trying to make sense of the situation.

Abigail hated anything and everything to do with the water. She hated fish and had accidentally killed her pet goldfish once. She couldn't swim. She disliked the ocean, or any large body of water for that matter. She wanted to be a movie director when she grew up, not a marine biologist or anything of the sort. She was an aqua phobic, for Zeus's sake. How could Poseidon be her father?

It almost seemed like a sort of cruel joke from the gods, or perhaps a test of bravery and loyalty. Was she worthy of being the daughter of one of the Big Three? Could she prove that she could overcome her fear of water out of respect for her father?

Abigail could hear the watching campers whisper furiously to each other. She could feel their penetrating glares, drilling a hole deep into her skull. Amusement was mixed into their jealousy. They doubted Abigail could prove herself. They didn't think she deserved such a powerful father. Abigail felt her face heat, blushing crimson. If there was one thing she truly hated, it was being doubted. They didn't know her. They had no idea of what she was capable of, of how she could change if she wanted to. She could push herself to conquer her fears, if she ever had the desire. She was perfectly capable of proving herself.

That's at least what she liked to tell herself. Truthfully, she didn't know if she had the guts.

Being a demigod was scary enough most of the time. You had to be constantly on the alert; always ready to fight. Monsters were constantly after you, and one false move could mean death. Throw in trying to make your dad happy by going swimming in the treacherous waves, and you had a stressful life ahead of you. She wasn't sure if she could handle it.

But she would try, she decided. If not for the sake of her father, she'd do it for her dignity. She'd prove she was the daughter of Poseidon, and deserved the title.

She was heading back towards the cabins before anyone had the chance to speak to her about being claimed. She knew what would happen next. She didn't need Chiron to tell her that she was supposed to move out of the over-crowded Hermes cabin and into the lonely cabin of Poseidon. She had little to bring with her-it was near impossible to have possessions in the Hermes cabin without eventually being robbed by one of the older campers-just some clothes, an old paperback book in poor condition, and a comfortably worn stuffed rabbit doll she'd had since the age of five.

The Poseidon cabin, Abigail found, was perhaps too large for one person, and considerably empty. The ceiling and walls were decorated with fishing nets and different sea creatures, many of which Abigail had never seen before, much less heard of. Against one wall stood a single bunk bed, while a small desk and trunk sat on the other side of the room. The room was simple enough, and had a nice beach-y atmosphere. Abigail decided she'd grow to like it eventually.

She sat down on the bottom bunk of the bed, trying to figure out how she could successfully prove herself a daughter of Poseidon. Something other than dunking herself in a river, and trying to learn how to swim. Something special, that few could do, other than a child of Poseidon, or the sea god himself.

She had no idea what she would do, but she would figure something out eventually.

She had sworn to prove herself. And Abigail Moore wasn't one to break a promise.