Chapter 1: Clarisse Is Angry (Well More Than Usual)

Melinoë was having an awesome day, even before the Minotaur had attacked.

She had woken up in the crowded Hermes cabin to a feast of stolen goodies. Jack, the red-haired, kleptomaniac child of Hermes had stolen the Athena cabin's sack of lollies, winnings from the previous Capture the Flag. The Hermes cabin, as part of the Athena cabin's team, had also gotten their share. But with the cabin being crowded as it was, the contents of the sack had disappeared in an instant. But with the Athena cabin's lesser number of campers and the strategic rationing of their lollies, they still had half of theirs. And with Jack being the kleptomaniac that he was, it had only been a matter of time until he would come into the cabin early one morning with the lollies hitched across his shoulder. But as far as good positions went, Melinoë had been in a rather poor one to reach the sweets. The night before she had tied herself to the rafters as a way to get away from the severely crowded floor. At the time, it had seemed like a rather good idea in her six year old mind. Granted, she had a rather exceptional brain, but she really should've expected a situation like this. Her hands groped for the knot in the rope, trying to pull it free. She heard a roar of excitement as Jack slit the top of the sack open, smiling goofily as the lollies sprayed to the floor. Jack was diabetic, so Melinoë had no idea why he found so much satisfaction in stealing the lollies. But the rest of the cabin clearly had no problem with sugar. This much was obvious by the way they scooped bucket loads of lollies from the rapidly disappearing pile. The ropes started to loosen in Melinoë's grasp but she knew that the lollies would be long gone before she had dropped to the ground. Thinking quickly, Melinoë thrust her hand towards the pile. Manipulating the air around them she drew the sweets towards her. Chiron had told her not to use her powers in public, but what harm could it really do? No one seemed to notice anyway. So it was there that her day really started to look good as she sat up in the rafters, her hands filled with sweets.

oOo

Clarisse really sucked at diplomacy.

The next part of her day wasn't that fun, it was really more of an achievement. The Ares cabin and Melinoë had arrived in the arena for Sword and Shield to find the Athena Cabin already there. The arena was huge, easily big enough to fit two separate cabins practicing their sword fighting. But Clarisse would have none of it. Her face went all puffy and red, like she was going to explode.

"Annabeth!" Her voice seemed level enough, but you could see how tense she was by the way her right hand was curled around the grip of her sword. "It's 9 o'clock. We always have the arena at nine." If Annabeth was at all concerned by the sudden appearance of an angry Ares cabin she didn't show it.

"I asked Chiron. We're sharing." Annabeth didn't miss a beat as she parried Malcolm Pace's thrust with ease. If that was meant to calm Clarisse down - it didn't. Feeling that things were definitely getting heated, Melinoë slipped quietly away from the group not wanting to be caught in the middle of the crossfire. Especially as it was between Ares and Athena. It wasn't only the fact that these two were probably the most ruthless cabins at camp, but also because it was in those two cabins that Melinoë slept the most.

Melinoë had arrived at camp in a reed basket with fresh Asphodel plant flowers tucked into its rim. She had been wrapped in a black blanket and simply left at the Big House's doorstep. For the first two years she had simply been kept in a little cot, taken out occasionally to be fed by Chiron or used as a plaything in the demigod's games. When Melinoë had turned three, she had moved out into the cabins, wandering aimlessly around on her chubby legs. Usually unclaimed demigods stayed in Cabin 11, but Chiron had said otherwise as he tucked a black letter back into the pocket of his shirt.

"She will be free to wander between the cabins, free to join any cabin group, but also free to leave. She will bear no restraints within the camp," He had recited carefully, as if reading from a book. Then he had trotted back inside the Big House, leaving the toddler in the bickering hands of the Ares and Athena cabin leaders. Since then Melinoë had mainly just rotated between those two cabins, meandering occasionally over to the other ten.

"I - don't - want - to - share," Clarisse seethed. Clarisse was acting pretty angry. As in, more angry than usual. Melinoë supposed it was probably the late night Clarisse had had with the Apollo cabin next door, causing a ruckus after they had stolen a barrel full of wine from Cabin 12. But whatever the reason, Clarisse was mad, as in really mad. She drew her sword from its sheath and maneuvered herself quickly into a defensive position.

"You want the arena so bad? Fight me," Clarisse challenged. Yup. Definitely the late night. Usually Clarisse would know better than to challenge a child of Athena without any prior preparation. Especially if that child just so happened to be Annabeth.

"Clarisse-" Annabeth started, exasperated. But before she could finish, Clarisse was on her in a flurry of action. Annabeth stumbled back, barely deflecting the first strike with the short bronze blade. Clarisse pressed her advantage forcing Annabeth into dangerous game of cat and mouse. The demigods stood back, itching to help their own cabin leader but knowing if they did the opposite cabin would be upon them in heartbeat. But all swords were still drawn as they continued watching the two girls fight it out. Annabeth had regained her balance now, weaving in and out of the bigger girl's reach. Melinoë resisted the urge to cry out as Clarisse's sword came down in a wide arch, aiming for Annabeth's head. But Annabeth was ready as she caught the edge of Clarisse's sword in the gap of where her knife's hilt and blade met. Annabeth jerked quickly to the side, twisting the sword out of Clarisse's grasp. Clarisse looked down at the sword lying at Annabeth's feet. Annabeth smirked and tucked her knife back into its sheath. Her back was turned when Clarisse drew her own silver dagger out of where it was tucked in her boot. Clarisse drew back her arm quietly, adjusting her grip as she aimed for the heart. She flicked it forward in one smooth motion, the knife spinning expertly as it hurtled on its course. The knife fell to the ground with a clatter as Melinoë sliced it out of the air with a sword, lifting herself onto her tippy toes to reach it. Annabeth spun round on her heel, glancing at Melinoë to Clarisse, and finally to the abandoned knife on the floor.

"Something's wrong with Clarisse," Malcolm observed. Usually Melinoë would've found it funny how Malcolm always seemed to talk in such a way that he sounded like one of those old men from a boring twelve hour documentary on snails. But this time it was slightly exasperating.

"You think?" She asked, keeping her eyes trained on Clarisse.

"Clarisse, you're going to come with me and we're going to go and see Chiron. Ok?" Annabeth took a step towards Clarisse, hands raised protectively. Clarisse clearly didn't want to go and see Chiron as another knife spun towards Annabeth. This time she was ready though as she simply deflected the poorly thrown blade to the ground. Clarisse's pupils were starting to roll around the surface of her eye, giving her the look of a complete crackpot.

"Melinoë, you try," Annabeth said. Most people wouldn't have asked a tiny six year old to talk to a psycho with lots of sharp and pointy things hidden around her person, but Melinoë had a way of convincing people to do what she wanted them too.

"Um," Melinoë started. How did you ask a psycho with lots of sharp and pointy things hidden around her person to come with you to visit a centaur? Melinoë wasn't quite sure. "We are both going to go and visit our friend, Mr Centaur Man. And we are going to have fun." It hadn't sounded very convincing but everyone on the room was nodding their heads, almost as if they too wanted to go have fun with Mr Centaur Man. Suddenly Melinoë felt drowsy and sleepy, like she wanted to collapse on the spot. 'I'll skip archery next. Go have a nap,' she thought. 'I'll just get Clarisse to Chiron. Then I'll nap.' Melinoë reached out and pulled Clarisse along behind her. Melinoë had Clarisse's index finger clamped tightly in her fist as she pulled the big girl along, trying to stop herself from sleeping. She pulled Clarisse up the Big House steps and in through the doorway. Annabeth rushed in behind them and raced past to get to Chiron. Melinoë led Clarisse into the infirmary and sat her down on a bed. 'I need to sleep,' Melinoë thought desperately. 'But what if Clarisse wanders off…' Melinoë grabbed a roll of bandages from the cart next to the bed and tied the end around Clarisse's waist. She secured the other end to the bed head and stepped back, satisfied with her work. 'There,' she thought. 'Now I can sleep.' Melinoë lurched down the Big House steps and past the cabins almost drunkenly. Her head was spinning and she felt ready to collapse. Her eyes found Thalia's tree on the horizon and she hauled herself up the trunk, scraping her knees on the bark as she shimmied up, half asleep. Melinoë loved sleeping here. Her small frame fit right inside the tree's curved fork and the wreath of leaves surrounding her spot blowed in the wind, supplying her with her very own fan. Melinoë didn't know how but she always seemed to fall asleep ridiculously easily. And though nearly everyone in camp had constant nightmares, Melinoë's dreams were of unicorns and fairies, not in the least scary. She had mentioned this once to Chiron and the centaur had looked at her for a moment as if there was something Melinoë didn't know. He must've caught her looking strangled as he made a rather lame joke about how it was ironic as her namesake: Melinoë, daughter of Hades and Goddess of ghosts, was sometimes called the dark-minded and yet here Melinoë was, unable to have nightmares. Melinoë had laughed just to be polite, but she couldn't help but wonder what it was he had been hiding. At the time she had just forgotten about it and had ran off to play with the bows and arrows. But now as she fell asleep she couldn't help but wonder what it was that Chiron had been thinking about all that time ago...