"You packed yet, Barnacle Brain?" Annabeth asked, wheeling her suitcase behind her as she entered the Poseidon cabin.

Percy sat on top of his overflowing suitcase, attempting to zip it up.

"Almost... Done..." With one final zip, it finally closed.

"Is that just your make-up bag?" Annabeth teased, kissing Percy lightly on the mouth.

"You look great." Percy smiled.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"We're going to be late, everyone's waiting at the camp entrance." She said, wheeling her suitcase away as Percy followed her.

They met up with their friends, all clad in casual clothes, bags in hand.

The demi-gods were being rewarded with a special retreat. The gods were pleased with their children's successful quests and decided they needed some time off, some time to just bond without having to save the world or kill monsters every five minutes.

And the campers were happy to oblige. Each one stayed up late packing, waiting for it to be morning so that they could leave to the remote island of Sympera, where they'd be sleeping in luxurious hotel suits overlooking the gorgeous beach.

They all had plans this trip.

But no one planned for what would actually happen.

The flight there was fast and easy.

Percy was glad he wasn't struck by lightning or anything. He kept stealing glimpses at Annabeth while she was reading Modern Architects, in her white t-shirt and jeans. He loved the way her blonde hair fell down her shoulders in soft curls.

Leo tinkered with a mechanism of some sorts, tearing it apart then rebuilding. He sat behind Piper and Jason as they talked, staring out the window and laughing with each other.

Jason made animal shaped clouds outside the window just for Piper. He even made one look like Leo, which made Piper laugh hysterically.

Hazel fell asleep on Frank's shoulder, lightly snoring but Frank didn't mind. When he wasn't playing with Hazel's hair, he was watching the Kung Fu movie playing on the plane, which somehow reminded him of his Uncle Zao.

Nico sat at the back of the plane, staring at the window solemnly. This sort of travel was so slow compared to shadow traveling. Yet everyone insisted he board the plane with them. He contemplated many things, mainly the gods' "generosity" with this trip. He knew it was too good to be true.

Rachel sat a few seats above and across from Nico, somewhere behind Percy and Annabeth. She was very focused on painting her stubborn middle toe with purple stripes while listening to The Pierces on her iPod. Everyone on board laughed when she sang some lyrics out loud at the top of her lungs, even Nico.

And then there was Thalia, practically green, hunched over the toilet in the cramped restroom stall. She silently prayed to her Dad to make this plane ride less sufferable, which he listened to. She felt a little better almost instantly.

She shakily walked back to her seat across from Leo, and he gave her a wink, which in turn rewarded Leo with a bonk on the head from Jason. Thalia rolled her eyes. Obviously totally impressed with Leo... Or not.

And they were only halfway through their plane ride.