Looking out the window towards the shore of Camp Half-Blood, Annabeth sighed. Argo II was at least another one and a half week from completion... She was depressed. Because of that, she did badly in everything at camp. All because of one problem, her missing boyfriend, Percy Jackson.

He dissapeared for five months in total . And now he was at the Roman camp somewhere around San Francisco.

Annabeth sighed again. Then she picked up her greek architectural book and started browsing through it. Then there was a knock, before it even ended, the door was flung open.

"Hey Annabeth, wanna practice some knife-to-knife?" asked Piper casually.

"Later Piper, not now."

"Aw comeon Annabeth, you've done nothing but read that stupid useless book of yours"

"To you, but not to me. By the way, I'm learning so its not useless"

Piper let out a cry of exasperation.

"Fine, but all the same, you should be participating in some activities"

Annabeth's expression hardend.

"Just because you are the daughter of Aprhodite doesn't mean you could charmspeak me"

"I know how depressed feels like Annabeth. I'm quite depressed too"

"Who said anything about depression?"

"Me"

"And you know deppression because?"

"The fact that Jason might have a girlfriend in the Roman Camp"

"You really think so?"

"He mention, a girl named Reyna"

"Percy might have gotten one himself"

"Yeah, but it took him, how long was it?"

"Four years"

"Exactly"

"Well, to make us both happier, knife-to-knife?"

"Never thought you'd say that".

30 minutes later, Annabeth and Piper emerged from the arena.

Annabeth spoke up

"For a daughter of Aphrodite, you're really good"

Piper perked up. After being defeated by Annabeth every time the dueled, she thought herself of a useless demigod.

"Seriously? I got trashed"

"And so did Clarrisse" said Annabeth almost with a grin.

"She uses a spear and when fighting against a blade its"...

Then voices from Argo II cried,

"Its gonna blow!"

"Hold it, don't let it crack, if it does..."

SNAP! Leo never had a chance to complete his sentence.

"Noooo! That was the fourth time we made it" complained Harley, one of the youngest Hephaestus kids.

"We can do it, we just need more time" said Leo reassuringly. As Annabeth and Piper raced toward Argo II.

"Whats wrong?"said Annabeth.

"You know the ballista?" said Leo glumly.

"The giant broken crossbow?" asked Piper.

"Don't mock us. Besides, its not a giant crossbow which shoots arrows. It shoots rock missiles. But we fitted it with celestial bronze missiles now"

"Leo, no wonder the ballista cracked. The joints are too near each other. The bow is too far front. It puts too much pressure on the torsion springs. I'll help you patent the next one. By the way, who pantented this one?"

"Harley and Malcolm"

"He agreed! So not my fault" cried Harley.

"You threatened him with a flaming hammer" said Leo.

"I'll get the blueprints and edit it" said Annabeth.

Meanwhile,

As Piper moved around Argo II, she had to admit. It was a wicked a war machine which would shame Iron Man. There was numerous amount of crossbows at the sides of the ship, they were seperated by enormous shields which could deflect greek fire. The ship was made out of wood, but it has celestial bronze plating. It's front is sharp enough to pierce through steel.

And Piper also saw Clarisse, Will Solace and Nyssa arguing about the battle formations at the highest deck.

Then as she was moving down the ramp back to camp, she saw her cabin mates sitting at the side of the ship not doing any work but giggling and discusing who is hotter, Percy or Jason. Infurated, she marched to them and ordered them to go back to work.