Chapter 1: Percy – How Much Luck Do We Have Left?

Friday January 24

Percy was pretty sure that there was something defiantly wrong with him. Perhaps it really was the one too many hits to the head that was making him do this.

He could easily been back home dealing with deciding what to eat, destroying the random monster, getting into touch with the Kane's, all while trying to pretend that it didn't bother him that his girlfriend barely had any time for him.

He could –should have left this to the new generation of demigods. They were more than capable. But this time it just felt too personal and he couldn't just let it go.

Percy watched from a distance as Chiron turned the new girl, Arete, down again as she tried to join a mission. She was defiantly determined as she stomped away with her raven black hair trailing behind with a rather fierce look on her pale blue eyes. He was glad that she was taking the demigod thing so well; at least that's what he hoped it was.

He had rushed back to camp once Grover had stumbled into his apartment saying, "It's happening again!" A demigod arrived with no memories. He still remembered the bewildered hapless look on the girl they guessed was about maybe 15 or 16. He wondered he look just as lost when his memories were wiped clean.

Chiron had tried to help her retrieve her memories after her arrival with the help of the Head Counselor from the Hypnos cabin. They all hoped that it was just part of a head injury she had sustained before Grover founded her knocked out in the middle of central park early last month.

He frowned at the memory, Clovis' hand hovering over her head after he knocked her out with an alarmed expression. He explained that her memory loss was caused by small drops of water from the River Lethe, either by force or accident. But this also meant that she was in the underworld and some how escaped … with help. He'd hoped that 'help' was in fact Nico de Angelo but his friend's quizzical look through an Iris message at five in the morning shot that down rather quickly.

Percy felt an obligation to tell her but Dionysus, seeming alarmed by her presence at camp and forbidden them from speaking about the cause of her memory loss. Chiron seemed to have an idea of who she is, but he didn't seem up with sharing.

Now, as if things couldn't get worse she still wasn't being claimed. Rumors and speculation creped through camp whispered under hushed tones. Who was she really?

Annabeth had even called Sadie Kane but when she asked on an update it was always, nothing yet.

The other campers were becoming uneasy with her around. Another kid showing up from who knows were with no memories? Not very original but still, last time that happened it didn't end up so well since it started up the prophesy of seven.

A bit of guilt rose up again in him as he walked over to the Hermes cabin to talk to the Stoll brothers. Maybe if she helps win in capture the flag, she'll finally get claimed and end the dreaded fear of another brush with apocalyptic destruction. The thought of going through another all out war felt unbearable. Hadn't they suffered enough? Obviously there was no such thing as karma, unless he was a total baby seal killing jerk who kicked puppies and kittens in his spare time in a previous life.


Later that day as Percy suited up into his team blue gear, he kept an eye on Arete. He had made an agreement with Travis and Conner which they readily agreed on.

She smiled shyly as she grabbed a shield from the weapon's shed. So looked so normal, for a demigod at least she did. Basic bright orange camp shirt, jeans, and light blue sneakers that one of Piper's sister said she just had to wear. Something about her eyes.

He felt like he had to do something, anything at this point. Grover had already told him how hard she was taking the memory loss but when Travis told him about her crying … The cosmos could not hate him this badly to throw something like this at him and not be able to do something about it.

Percy grabbed a nearby smaller rounded shield and handed it to Arete, "Try this. You should be able to move better with this one."

He asked about her week and listened intently trying to gain her trust. Not once did she complain or bring up the parent issue. Being that it was her first captured the flag game he told her to stick with him as everyone went over the battle plan.

Annabeth was precise with her no nonsense attitude. Percy smiled to himself seeing that she was taking his plan to get Arete claimed very seriously. He was glad that she was okay with him sticking with Arete.

Annabeth wanted to tag along but even she admitted that Arete wasn't exactly comfortable around her. Not after the fiasco where Clarisse used Arete as a test dummy securing her in a pretty nasty arm lock trying to force her to tap out which Arete flat out refused. Annabeth had to step in to prevent Clarisse going him with a spare arm as a souvenir to take home to mom. But Arete was humiliated and some how all this made those two friends with Annabeth as the bad guy. He didn't try to understand the situation.

As the game started everything went fine until he realized that quite literally nothing was happening.

The opposing team was using a different tactic leaving him and Arete with virtually nothing to do. He gestured for her to stay low as they went into Plan B mode.

As they made their way to guard their blue flag, Connor came up huffing full of scrapes and cuts. "Man, they're doing a good ol' fashion smash and grab. They got the flag and took down Travis."

"Are we far behind?" Arete questioned.

Connor pointed while using his other hand to brace himself against a tree. "No, but I couldn't keep up."

Percy started after where Connor had pointed with Arete hot on his heels. She quickly caught up picking up speed with each step. Was there a god for speedy runners? Percy pushed himself harder just to keep up at her pace as she out ran him. She quickly adjusted her direction. He decided to trust her since she looked like she had caught sight of some one.

As they dashed through the woods they came to a clearing and he saw that she had caught up to a boy from the Hecate cabin holding their blue flag under his arm. He ran around avoiding the lake but Arete smashed right through the edge, the water having no effect on her speed. He saw her reach out for something. Percy concentrated on the water as they both reached the opposite edge of the lake. As soon as he was ready to strike an explosion busted the ground sending dirt and tree branches everywhere. A tree where the Hecate boy was came down in a crash. The local naiads were not going to be happy about this.

Percy called out to Arete and instead of leaping out of the water to avoid the tree she jumped into the lake. Everything happened too quickly. The tree smashed into the lake and rolled in to where she would have been. The tree quickly disappeared under the water. He vaguely remembered that this particular lake in the forest was rather deep.

He jumped in praying that he wasn't too late. He zipped through the water and saw her pinned under the water. She struggled with the tree on top of her. He came to her side he grabbed a part of the tree and suddenly felt the current of the water swirl and push against the pine tree.

Percy grabbed her arm and willed the water to push them back to shore. As soon as they hit land they were both dry. Arete tried to run off but he held on to her arm. She looked back at him with wide feral eyes. She defiantly didn't look like someone nearly crushed and drowned to death by a giant tree. This must be why Clarisse like her, pain was no obstacle.

Arete pulled against his grip with a wide triumphant smile, "I got him with trapping wires right before he set off the explosion. He shouldn't be that far ahead. Come on we can't let him get away with our flag!"

Percy found himself once again running after her as she sped off. He had been worried that she had gotten injured but by the way she zipped through the trees he figured that if she was hurt, it wasn't too serious.

She was already engaged in a sword fight with an Ares camper by the time he showed up. It was like his first time at capture the flag the way he was late in the game. He saw the boy with the blue flag staggering and stumbling as he tried to cut bronze wires wrapped around his legs just ahead of them. If they didn't stop him, the other team would win the game.

"Go, Percy!" Arete shouted never taking her eyes off her opponent.

Percy hesitated but she didn't look like she needed his help as she blocked and striked with ease. With the shield at least he didn't have to worry about Arete getting her left arm chopped off. Leaving her left side open was a bad habit he hadn't gotten to correcting in sword training.

Percy chased after the boy. He concentrated and changed the course of a nearby stream splashing the boy in the face. The boy stumbled and dropped the flag. Percy lunged scooping up the flag and took off back where he had come from as the boy slid in the mud behind him cursing.

He nearly ran head on into Arete. She stopped and dodged before he did. Her face lit up as he waved the blue flag in front of her. They both ran back to where the flag should be. This time Arete kept at Percy's speed which he was glad for. He didn't think he could keep up that kind of high velocity pace again. His leg was already cramping.

They dodged a few no so friendly monsters and sons of Ares. Percy threw their team's flag like a javelin at Arete. She caught it mid air as Percy blocked an oncoming strike. In the distance the horn blew. The kid chasing after them groaned and quickly took off. Percy laughed as Arete raised her hands in the air shouting and jumping.

She jumped into Percy's arms, "We won!"

He picked up the blue flag that she threw on the grown and placed it over his shoulder taking deep heavy breaths, "Now let's get back to celebrate. I'm starving and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need an ice pack." I'm getting old, he thought wistfully looking at all the younger campers scurry around him.

He let her chatter on about something he wasn't sure about and just nodded occasionally. He kept on glancing just above her head but nothing happened. As they reached the rest of the campers they were already shouting and crowning the laurel on Malcolm as they hoisted him up waving the opposing team's red flag.


The rest of the party went fine but he could tell that Arete grew uncomfortable whenever people stared too long at the top of her head. As much as that bothered him it was nothing to what preoccupied him as he stood at the edge of the party against a nearby tree. He drank out of a soda can along with everyone else. They were smuggled in courtesy of the Hermes cabin.

He didn't even notice his girlfriend until she was directly in front of him. He gave a weak smile seeing her concerned face. He dipped his head and gave her a light kiss which she readily returned. He took her in his arms.

Annabeth looked up at him, "Something happened during the game?"

To Percy it sounded more like a statement than a question. He did his best to smile to reassure her everything was going to be okay. Annabeth had become overly nervous and distracted. She didn't need to tell him that she was worried that they would be sucked into some crazy doomed quest. How much luck can two people survive on?

Percy sighed and looked over at the rest of the campers. "Ya, something happened."

Percy explained about the explosion and the tree pinning Arete underwater. He hesitated but admitted that he wasn't sure it was him that moved the current to push the tree off. He recalled how she didn't have a scratch on her when they got out. He hesitated again then told her that he was sure that he used his control over water to dry her.

Annabeth let him explain without interruption. Only at the end did she try to pry and press any detail he may have over looked. But looking back he could only admit that he may have automatically controlled the water but wasn't sure. He waited for her to say what she was thinking but she remained silent.

Instead she took his hand and they made their way back to the celebration. They made their way over to the Stoll brothers since Arete had gotten into the habit of sticking to them like glue. Annabeth stopped him and instead led him around a nearby cabin. They couldn't see them but they could hear Travis talking to Arete.

"Arete, … I'm sorry you haven't been claimed. The gods, they're forgetful. But I promise you'll get claimed and you can join your own brothers and sisters." Travis sounded so sincere that Percy felt horrible for not doing more.

"Trying to get rid of me already? Why would I want to leave the Hermes cabin?" Arete sounded so sure and confident with a bit of a teasing edge.

Annabeth led them away, "Maybe she does belong in the Hermes cabin."

Percy looked into his girlfriend's eyes but they both knew deep down that they both didn't believe that.

"Annabeth, Percy," Clarisse came up behind them with a grim expression with two kids full armor behind her. "One of our guards on patrol noticed something. We think it's the same person that was spotted near our boarders last week."

Annabeth stiffened. "Did they get a good look at him this time?"

"No, but they did notice that he was watching the game from one of the cliffs just outside the boundaries. They're pretty sure someone else was with him this time. The description is vague but it sounds like the one you said a friend gave you."

Percy stiffened as he stared down at the palm of his hand. So, it's starting already, he thought as his eyes drifted over to Arete who was playfully tossing mini marshmallows in the air and catching them in her mouth.


A/N: So let me know what you think so far! Next chapter will be in the POV of a Roman and you'll see whats been going on at camp Jupiter.

Song list for this story if you're interested:

Down - Jason Walker

Gloey Box - Portishead

Bulletproof- La Roux

Love the Way You Lie pt III- Skylar Grey

Little Lion Man- Mumford & Sons

Desert Rose- Sting

A Thousand Years- Sting

Viva La Vida- Coldplay

Counting Stars- OneRepublic

Grenade- Bruno Mars

Sail- Awolnation

Monster- Imagine Dragons

Born to Die- Lana Del Rey

The Monster- Eminem ft. Rihanna

Love Don't Die- The Fray

Do I Wanna Know?- Artic Monkey

This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)- Ellie Goulding

All of Me- John Legend

Luck- American Authors

Running- John Newman

Put the Gun Down- ZZ Ward

Flawless- The Neighbourhood

The Mighty Fall- Fall Out Boys ft. Big Sean

I Just Wanna Run- The Downtown Fiction

How- The Neighbourhood

Icarus- Bastille

Pompii- Bastille

If a song ever reminds you of this story let me know and I'll add it to the list =)