Everything was quiet. The wind blew through the trees and brushed gently against the leaves on the ground. Dryads and other tree spirits were intently watching; waiting for the challenge to begin.

"No Kat! Where the hell are you going?!" An annoyed whisper carried on the breeze, following the small girl as she snuck quickly and obliviously through the tall grass and up to a tree. She began to climb, a thin red flag clutched in one hand. Behind her, the bushes rustled as a group of boys followed her into the open. They carried various weapons and shields and were staring with exasperated smiles at their stubborn cabinmate.

"Kat, how many times do we have to tell you that the flag needs to be placed in the open?! We tell you this every time we play Capture the Flag!" Travis Stoll, the older of the twins, reached up and easily plucked her off of the bottom of the tree. He took the flag from her hands and gave it to Michael, who disappeared with Will to place the flag in their usual spot.

It was one day before the end of summer and the majority of the campers would be returning to school the week after. The last Capture the Flag game was the most competitive, as well as the most fun since one had their last chance to strategize and fight with the camp. This time, it was the Hermes, Hephaestus, and Apollo cabins fighting everyone else.

At the end of the year there was no one as enthusiastic about the game as Kaitlyn. As the smallest person her age in the camp and the tiniest in her cabin, it was a challenge to prove herself, plus, as she was one of the few to leave early, it was her last shot with her friends.

Every game usually began with the attempt to change the rules. To her, it was foolish. Why leave the flag in the open? Half the fun was simply searching for the banner, and assuming the flag was kept the same color and shape, hiding it was one of the best protections! Unfortunately for her, it was always denied, usually ending with her hanging, as she was then, playfully made fun of for her stature and light weight.

Upon being placed on the floor, Kat turned to face the rest of the group. Most of the Apollo kids were assigned to protect the flag and would generally snipe from the trees or arrange surprise attacks with Hermes kids. With Hephaestus on their side for the first time, they had decided to go full-frontal and strategize offensively using the secretive and strong weapons to full advantage.

"Are you sure this is even going to work?" She hissed into Travis's ear. She had suggested taking the smallest for a quick scouting mission; hopefully for an opportunity to quickly sneak in and steal the flag. The majority of their team however were all large brutes and had shot that plan down. Grudgingly she was forced to accompany and perform a diversion as another group charged the enemy flag. It's blue hue was easily visible from across the river, which she had spotted after scaling a tall tree and doing reconnaissance.

"Just do it!" Was the typical reply, usually followed by a smile. She saluted him and gestured to the five people following her to break off from their pack. This was the dangerous part. On the off chance a monster would show up, and one usually did at this point, their small numbers might make it hard to take the beast out.

Kat led her group to the other side of the flag's location, opposite to where the rest of the team was. After a few hand gestures exchanged between them their group split up further. The first three let out loud cries and charged directly towards enemy lines. The noise would probably attract monsters, but was the signal for the other group to begin.

She waited a few seconds, hands impatiently letting go of her weapon to fix her bun that had long brown strands spilling out distractingly. A loud whistle startled her, causing Kat to be the last to follow her group into the action where a rather large brawl had begun. Demigods were strewn across the clearing fighting head on, swords swinging in deadly arcs, the clang of metal making more noise than the yells from before. It only took her a moment to find a free opponent. With a small battle cry, she jumped into the fray, dodged the people around her, and headed straight for who she could now make out as a child of Demeter.

Her knife met Katie's short sword with a loud clang, causing Kat to stumble from the force. Kat pulled back, trying to prevent her ADHD from making her instinctively charge and attack the other girl. She needed to be smart and avoid getting injured. As Katie leaned forward to attack, Kat ducked backward from the swipe and quickly moved sideways, swiping low and fast at her exposed legs. Katie moved in return, their exchange turning into a deadly dance of blades and skills.

"Why can't you just stay still?" panted the child of Demeter as Kat's continual evasion turned frustrating. Kat's childish reply of a stuck out tongue was returned with a muttered curse and quick flip of the bird.

"Crap!" Kat heard someone behind her fall with a moan of pain and a few panicked screams filled the area. Both girls paused to see the new arrival of three large hellhounds. One had attacked a few campers who had been too slow to move out of the way while the other two were slowly circling the group, snarling and baring their fangs.

"Crap." Kat repeated, moving a kid standing next to her as one of the hounds leaped forward. She darted to the side and slashed wildly, nicking the creature on its face and bringing its' attention to her. She darted away again, moving backwards away from it as fast as she could. It lumbered after her, pawsteps heavy but sure as it followed without care of what it stepped on.

"Hey! Yeah, you, you ugly mutt, get over here!" Both Kat and the hellhound whipped their heads to the side to see Percy and a group of other campers. With a yell they charged into the fray, brandishing their weapons and making as much commotion as they could to distract the beasts. Kat's hellhound leaped towards Percy, large jaws snapping very close to his face. Kat cursed under her breath, readjusting her grip on her knife and sneaking forward.

As Percy began to become overwhelmed, she whistled loudly. It snarled and turned again towards her. It really was kind of alarming how stupid some monsters were, she mused as she was forced to retreat. Kat figured that the two of them would have to keep distracting the creature until Percy could actually stab it. It goes to say that one should never count their chickens before they hatch.

While attempting to maneuver with some fancy footwork, her legs got tangled up and she tripped over an extremely inconveniently placed rock. "Freaking cliches!" Kat spat out, performing a roll that seemed more of a flail. It's just my luck. Exactly when people need me, I fall. Brilliant. It dropped painfully down on top of her. Its large body easily covered hers and its furry mass obscured her vision. I screwed up, she realized a moment before the hellhound finally hit its target.

Well, sort of. Kat's vision blurred as she moved her head from where it was about to be crushed in a monster's jaws. It's teeth grazed her forehead, her head throbbing from hitting the ground so hard. Her body collapsed awkwardly. An annoying throb was originating from her wrist. Kat heard a shout from above her, and then she had the oddest feeling of being covered in dust before it disappeared. She was left with and uncomfortable ache in too many places at once.

"You ok?" She tried to nod, seeing only a blob of mixed browns in front of her face. Shaking her head cleared her vision for a second, and she made out Percy's vibrant blue eyes.

"You've got really nice eyes. Have I ever told you that?" Kat murmured as everything started swimming in her head. The annoying shouts and jostling of her body sure wasn't helping. "Blue is my favorite color." She whispered before closing her eyes and allowing the darkness to take over.

"Is she waking up? I need to tell her the good news!"

"Don't tell her yet, she'll get excited and rip her stitches."

"She won't need stitches after she has some ambrosia!" Someone really needed to tone down the enthusiasm. Kat groaned, feeling detached from her body. She opened her eyes to be greeted with a group of people, each wearing various expressions of concern or happiness.

"You're ALIVE!" Travis yelled, a large grin stretched upon his face. Kat snorted delicately.

"Was it that bad? I can't remember anything clearly after the hound fell on me." Travis laughed at her, patting her shoulder with enough force to have her wincing in pain.

"Do you want the good news first or the bad news?" Percy spoke up from his side of the bed. Kat shrugged.

"Well the good news is that your side won Capture the Flag, but the bad news is that the hellhound broke your wrist and its going to need a cast for the next few weeks or so." Kat, who had cheered at their victory, choked on the water she was drinking.

"What?" Kat shot up from her bed before whimpering and leaning back down. "Are you sure it can't be fixed?" She massaged her bruised leg while staring down Annabeth and the Apollo kid that had most likely healed her. She received a helpless shake of the head.

Kat could feel her breath quickening. She would become injured the day before her mother came to pick her up. She would absolutely freak out, not to mention never allow her into camp again.

"Are you sure?" She begged one last time, desperately clinging to one little sliver of hope. At the shakes and helpless shrugs from her friends, her hopes shattered.

"Great," She groaned.

"I hope you have a good school year!" Annabeth hugged Kat, mindful of her arm, which was wrapped in a cast. "Make sure that if you need anything you Iris-message us. I hid drachmas in your bag, and I slipped a knife between your clothes. Hopefully your mom won't find this one."

Kat hummed in agreement, remembering the last time her mother had seen her weapons. Even though they were celestial bronze and couldn't actually hurt anyone in the family, her mother had still forced her to throw it in the river. She hoped the river god there wasn't angry.

"Thanks Annabeth. Where's Percy? I have to reassure him that I'm coming back." She gave Annabeth a serious look. "No matter what my mom says, I'll always come back." The child of Athena nodded and gestured to the Poseidon cabin.

"I think he's in there. Bye." They shared one last hug before Kat lifted her duffel with her good hand and strolled towards the cabin. It was rather pretty, she mused as she stood in the doorway, gently knocking.

"Percy?" she gasped as he slammed her into the ground, wrapping her arms around her for a bear hug. "Percy I love you and all, but that wasn't the best idea." She winced as her fall jostled her wrist.

"You know, I knew that Percy was falling for someone but I never thought you'd sink to his level." Kat looked up to see Clarisse grinning down at them. Kat blushed at the implications of their position, and after shoving Percy off of her, accepted Clarisse's hand.

"I will miss you, contrary to popular belief." Clarisse said, pulling her into a quick hug. Percy meanwhile pulled himself from the floor, muttering impatiently under his breath. "Make sure you don't let HER boss you around. You'll be old enough to to what you want soon. Make sure you come back here." With one last grin, she walked away, forcefully nudging Percy with her shoulder and making him stumble. Percy hissed at her before turning to Kat.

"Are you sure you can't just ditch her? My mom has me come home, but she's not insane like yours. Why would anyone believe that being a demigod is a bad thing? Seriously, she did have relations with the trickster god, after all. What did she think would come out of it?" They began walking together towards the entrance of the camp.

"I'll be ok. You know I always get out in the end. It's not my fault she's an overbearing control freak with an extremely fucked up view of life. I saved her life multiple times, and she yelled at me for fighting! Then she turned around and told me that it was my responsibility to protect the family from the "plague that my abnormality brings". Why does she have to think that?"

Kat stopped walking, pulling Percy towards her and showing her sorrow with her eyes. "Why does she have to hate me?" Percy lifted her chin, looking unusually serious.

"No matter what happens, remember that she can't control you." Percy paused, biting his lip in thought. "Also remember that if she ever hurts you, your father will help you. Hermes would never let you suffer, not like that." Kat nodded, pressing the heel of her hand into her eye, trying to block the tears. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she cursed herself for her moment of weakness and stabilized herself.

"Thanks." She pulled him in for another hug. "I'm going to miss you guys so much." She murmured. Percy began leading her to the gate, where they could see the red convertible already parked. Kat couldn't see her mother, but knew she was sitting inside. It took all her energy to not pull back and hide.

As they breached the entrance, she turned for one last look at the camp, biting her lip as nostalgia washed over her. Another ten months of misery away from her friends. As she waved at the Hermes cabin, she could have sworn that she saw something in the shadows on the side. But when she blinked, there was no one there.

"Get in the car already! Your sister has a recital in thirty minutes, and I don't want to be late." Kat grimaced as her mother's shrill voice broke the silence. With a heavy heart, she picked up her stuff and walked to the car.

"What do you mean we have to leave? Nevada of all places? Why?!" Kat stared at her mother in disbelief. There was no way she was leaving New York. How would she be able to get to camp half-blood easily if she was halfway across the country?

"Kat, your father has gotten an excellent job opportunity in Nevada. When we move there, we'll have a bigger house with a huge backyard and a new start." Kat hissed at her.

"I don't care about that stuff! Our house is fine now! Why should we go anywhere?" Behind her, her sister Julia face-palmed. By then the rest of the family was well aware of the mysterious conflict that plagued Kat and her mother, but they had never been told exactly what it was. Kat's step father, Tom, stood up while running a hand down his face.

Julia and Tom moved as one. Julia grabbed Kat's hand and moved her into the kitchen. Tom pushed his wife down into a chair. Kat caught one last glimpse of her angry frown before the door closed behind them and they were settling into a chair.

"Kat you have to calm down." Kat closed her eyes and breathed heavily. Come on, count to 10… 1, 2, 3,... this isn't working! Kat stared helplessly at her 13 year old sister. Though Julia was younger than her, Kat found that out of all her siblings Julia was the one that understood her most. That might have to do with the three year age gap.

"Listen to me. Mom is doing what she believes to be best for our family." Kat snorted. Yeah, the rest of the family. Her mother was doing what is best for her ideal, picturesque group of people that were, in her opinion, normal. Her mother (why did she even bother to refer to her with such respect anymore?) cared only for Julia, Samantha, Rebecca and Derek, her obedient little kids. She only cared about them and Tom.

Not that she had anything against Tom. For a stepfather, he was both understanding and very nice. Kat just couldn't understand why you would hate someone like Hermes. Who would replace a God? Granted they couldn't be together, but why was there so much disgust towards any thought of the God, or demigods, or just her in general?

"Are you even listening? I don't rant for my own health." Julia broke into Kat's mental monologue. "This is something that you need to calm down about." Kat's mouth dropped open as she snorted indignantly.

"Julia your mother doesn't like me. She is not thinking in any way about me; just you and her beautiful family. Just you and your father and your siblings. She hates me." Julia threw her hands up into the air before angrily slamming them into the table.

"You know, you're so convinced that mom hates you so much but you won't actually tell me why. Maybe I could help you!" Julia shook her head in disbelief. "We've lived for so long with your conflict. The two of you disregard the rest of us in your petty squabbles. Have you even stopped to ask how we feel?"

Any ire that Kat had felt instantly melted away. Looking back, she realized that it was true. Granted, the vendetta was between her and her mom for a good reason, especially since the rest of them were stuck with her mother year round. It'd be bad for family relations if they got into the fight. But now that she thought, the fight was splitting their family anyway, everyone against her mother.

"Oh Gods." Kat whispered, horrified. She was such an idiot! But apparently Julia wasn't finished with her.

"While we're on the subject of your quirks, why do you always say Gods? Mom told us that you were atheist. Though I guess I don't know as much about you as I thought." Julia grabbed Kat's hand and brought her attention to her face, looking at her earnestly. "We want to help you, Kat. But how can we fight for you if we don't know what it's for?"

Kat blinked at her.

"Did you rehearse that? That sounded oddly rehearsed. Like the stuff that Tom- that Dad would have said." Julia made a face but was pleased at Kat's use of Dad. As he wasn't her actual father, their relationship had always had an awkward undercurrent.

"Shut up, Kat! We were all curious! Can you blame us?" Kat ruefully shook her head. No, she really couldn't blame them.

That was the worst part. Had she really become so narrow minded in her fight for her bloodright that she hadn't thought of the rest of her family? She generally prided herself for her open-minded nature!

With that horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, she got up from her chair and stood in the center of the room, facing away from Julia and towards a small coffee table that held a single scented candle. She stared into its fiery depths, conflicted. Should she say anything?

Unbidden, a distant memory rose to the surface of her mind. Her mother had dragged her out of her bed one day at midnight to thrust her in front of a monster with the command to get rid of it. When Kat had acquiesced, her mother had taken her weapon once she finished and threw it in the ocean. The next time a monster had come Kat had nearly died while trying to protect her siblings. Everyone had been so confused, but Kat had been furious.

"There's something really important that I have to tell you." Kat said, turning to face her sister seriously. "Just promise me you'll keep an open mind." It was time for them to know.

" So let me get this straight. You're the child of a God?"

"Yup."

"The Greek Gods exist? They're in our world with all the Greek monsters and legends, all hidden from us mortals?"

"Yup."

"You go to a summer camp to train how to defeat said monsters. Mom hates anything to do with it for some unknown reason. That's your vendetta?"

"Are you going to repeat everything that I told you?"

Julia's eyebrows furrowed. "Well actually I really just want some sort of proof. It does seem kind of fantastical." Kat nodded. That was fair. Plus she knew just how to kill two birds with one stone.

Kat dragged Julia outside their house and to the nearest hose. She dragged it into the sunlight and held the head, forming a beautiful rainbow. There, she used her first drachma.

"Iris, I pray to you. Show me Annabeth at Camp Half-Blood." Julia gasped as the coin disappeared and the rainbow shimmered until Annabeth's face could be seen. She was sitting at the dinner table with the rest of her cabin and Percy.

"Kat! You usually don't message this quickly. Is something wrong? Oh, who is that?" Kat jumped quickly into an explanation of her situation. As it went on, Chiron was called, and the matter discussed with him.

"This is very serious. Not only will you miss a lot of training if she doesn't let you come back, you are going into enemy territory. I assume you know what I speak of." I nodded. Unlike most campers, I had heard of the Romans and their location in the west of the United States. I was moving right into their land, and they would probably be able to sense me very quickly.

"Never mind that for now, Chiron. I'll try to be nice and open, and hopefully they won't bother me. If my mom finds my stuff what they hell am I going to do? Also, I only have a few drachmas." Chiron smiled at me.

"Not to worry. You're moving to Nevada, yes? I have made friends with the pack of centaurs that live there. Simply travel towards Las Vegas. They travel in a pack near the border between Arizona and Nevada and typically stop near Hoover Dam. You'll be able to find them easily. Just mention my name and they'll give you what you need." Kat sighed with relief.

"Kat! Julia! Where are you?" Tom called from inside the house. Kat cursed, whispering hasty goodbyes and moving Julia out of sight. Her younger sister looked slightly stunned, and kept blinking.

"We're here. Lets go talk." Kat said. She pulled her sister inside, ready to reveal everything to her stepfather, then her step siblings.

"So can you fly?" Derek asked cheerfully. Their drive to Nevada had been long and tiring, and he spent the entire ride asking ridiculous questions about her origins. Her reveal seemed to have simply rubbed off him. He accepted it without any hassle.

The same could be said about the rest of her siblings. It was Tom that Kat was most worried about. He hadn't said anything on their trip about it, and had been silent for most of the way. Her mother on the other hand had broadcasted her feelings loudly, fuming and complaining that they would have to forever go into hiding and that hopefully, with time away from her camp, she would be turned normal again.

"No Derek, just because I am a daughter of Hermes does not mean that I can fly. That would be awesome though." Kat found it interesting that her siblings knew a lot about Greek Mythology. She figured that it might have been her influence.

"Can you shut up? We're here, and need to unpack." Her mother snapped from the front seat. They all piled out of the car, and Kat got her first view of her new house. She had to admit, it was rather pretty, especially when compared to the old one. It was larger too.

"So can you use swords and bows and arrows and cool stuff like that? Can you show me?"

"No! I will not stand for such abnormality in my house!" Kat blinked in shock as her mother finally snapped. "I don't want you poisoning the minds of my children." Kat flinched back as her mother leaned closer. She searched desperately for any sign, any trace of a reason for her anger.

What she found instead was fear.

Kat's head was still spinning hours later while she rested on her bed. Was it fear of her? Her power? Her father's power? The God's power? Monsters? The possibilities were endless. Most importantly, they humanized her, gave her a purpose for disliking her that Kat couldn't handle. How could she remain angry in the face of such a reveal? The whole thing was surprisingly (frustratingly) humane.

Kat knew that she would also be scared from the potential knowledge of everything that is out there. She would be frightened to be potentially powerless against so many things. But that was the frustrating part. Instead of hiding in fear, she could have learned how to use a weapon. Self defense wasn't just a demigod thing- plenty of "normal" human beings could use a sword better than her! Why didn't her mother understand?

Kat startled from her angry thoughts when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in." She spoke up softly. Who was it at this time of night? Her surprise grew when Tom peeked around the door and came in. "Hi." She whispered quietly. Her nervousness grew as he moved closer to her, but she really jumped when he sat on her bed.

She sat ramrod straight, not even breathing as he pulled her close for a hug. She was frozen, completely unmoving for a long time. As the hug persisted her body finally relaxed. She lifted her arms and wrapped them tightly around him, revelling in the hug.

"I want you to know that I accept you for who you are." He whispered in her ear. "No matter what she says, I don't see you as a freak. You are perfect. Even if you aren't my daughter." Kat's eyes welled with tears. She could feel an odd shaking, and realized it was her silently crying.

"I don't know why she doesn't like me." Kat bit out in between pants. "She never has, and I don't understand it, what did I do wrong?" She was quietly hiccupping now, overcome with an odd mixture of relief and sorrow.

"I will try to talk to her. Maybe she will tell me something." Tom told her, patting her back. They hadn't ever hugged for so long before that day, and she was overwhelmed. It felt so good. She hadn't felt a hug like that from a parent or a friend, ever. "Come now, calm down. Tell me a bit more about your world." Kat pulled back, sniffling. She wiped her eyes with the corner of her blanket and sent Tom a watery smile.

"Where do I begin?"

"I don't know why you continue to treat her this way!"

"I've told you a thousand times she isn't right! She's not normal."

"But why? Because she has special genetics? She acts just like the rest of our children, and she's a hell of a lot better than others that I've seen." Kat peered around the doorway carefully, watching her mother and father argue. Over her. Tom was doing what he said; confronting her over her hate. She wasn't supposed to be listening, but Kat wanted to know why- and she wanted to see why Hermes had ever liked her in the first place.

"She is evil! She can kill any one of us at any moment, and not to mention she's friends with people and creatures that can do just as much damage. She's unnatural." Tom observed her silently.

"You fear her." They stared at each other silently. Kat could only see Tom's face from her angle, but something on her mother's face must have changed because his face softened.

"I don't know how to deal with her or her kind. Or her father." She whispered the last part, wringing her hands nervously. Tom pulled her close and gently kissed her on the forehead.

"Are you scared of her? She loves you. She wants the affection that you deny her so diligently."

"I'm scared of what she represents. She reminds me of Hermes so much; my love for him, and my interest in her world. I can't have that, I need to separate myself from him. If it means taking her from my life, then so be it."

Kat moved away from the doorway, downcast. Her mother was willing to deny her love so she could get over Hermes?

"You can't get over him some other way?" Tom questioned.

"He's a God! From the first moment I saw him, he stole my heart. He is so amazing and gorgeous, and yet I can't have him because Zeus banned the Gods from seeing their mortal lovers and demigod children. Then I met you. You are so special, kind, everything I've ever wanted. But he still holds a place in my heart, and it scares me. I can't let go, like some sort of obsession, and that frightens me."

Kat stumbled backwards, heart heavy.

Kat trudged down the sidewalk, looking at nothing. She didn't know how to handle her new intel. Her mother… was a very complicated person. She continued walking aimlessly, trying to sift through her thoughts. As she walked, she stumbled off of the sidewalk to cross the street.

"Hey watch it moron!" Kat startled backwards, narrowly avoiding a large black limo. She gazed up in annoyance. He was the one speeding! She finally cleared her head and took in her surroundings, frowning. Where the hell was she?

"Come and explore the Lotus Casino!" Kat turned around, bristling. How were people sneaking up on her? Was she that distracted?

"What's the Lotus Casino?" Kat questioned. The woman, clad in a pretty sparkling green dress, gestured to their left. Kat looked up to take in the large modern building labeled The Lotus Casino.

"It's a place where anyone can hang out and have fun for a while. Have a drink, play some games, relax for a bit."

"I don't think I can afford that." Kat dismissed the lady, turning around to leave. She hissed as she grabbed her arm and held her back.

"It's a free tryout today. Please, I insist, stay a while." Kat looked at the lady nervously. Why the hell did this woman want her in the building so badly? Well, Kat figured, staring at the building, what harm could it do to stay a little while?

"Wonderful! Come on in." Kat didn't see her smile become predatory as she led Kat into the building. The demigod looked around in awe, noticing the lavish furniture and opulent decorations. The lady handed her a green card.

"Take this pass. It'll allow you access to any room and give you tickets for any game." Before Kat could say anything, the lady shoved her through the double doors, and slammed them closed behind her. Kat was too stupefied to care.

"Oh my god!" Kat squealed, taking in the organized chaos. Was that a trampoline in the corner? Pools, a jacuzzi, lounge couches, is that a tennis court out back? There's multiple floors of this! Kat could feel her mood lifting already. If this was really free, she was going to take full advantage of it.

Before she could go anywhere, a serving lady approached her with a tray of lotus flower candies.

"Try one. It's on the house!" Kat picked one up, looking at it suspiciously, but noticed how all the nearby people rushed towards it and enthusiastically took the rest of them. "It's not poisoned, you can eat it." The serving lady said. Kat nervously chuckled at her before taking a small bite. As she swallowed the surprisingly delicious treat, she could feel her worries melting away.

Kat gazed at the trampoline, which had younger kids struggling half-heartedly to jump together and perform tricks. She could feel a bright smile coming over her face, as she felt a fond happiness that she hadn't had in a long while.

"Hey guys, let me show you how it's done!"