"That's disgusting," Leo commented, grabbing both Piper and Jason by their hair and yanking their faces apart. With a grimace, Leo wiped his hands all over Jason's orange camp shirt. "Ew. Ew. Ew. Get the cooties off!"

Piper rolled her eyes and tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear, "Well if you hadn't interrupted, Repair Boy -"

"Yada yada yada," Leo said, ignoring Piper's glare and Jason's awestruck look - that poor boy - and grabbed the two's hands. "To the Big House now, you lovebirds. No need to keep Mr. D waiting. He is getting cranky."

"Leo -" Piper started.

"Yes, Beauty Queen," Leo patronized, "even crankier than you. Now move. Move. Move!"

"Uh, Leo," Jason interrupted, yanking his arm out of Leo's surprisingly strong grip, "just what are we going to the Big House for?"

Leo paused.

"Leo -" Piper growled.

"You know what," the boy said quickly, "I don't wanna keep Chiron waiting. So I'm just going to go ahead…" With a nervous laugh, Leo sprinted towards the big blue building, not looking back.

"Why do we put up with him again?"

Jason chuckled and took hold of Piper's hand, "Because he's a good person, and we're good friends?"

Piper rolled her eyes, "Sons of Jupiter," she muttered. Her smile though, offset any negative connotation in her words.

Jason nodded, "Son of Jupiter."

The assembled group stared at the IM being projected at the head of the Big House ping pong table. In the mist was Olympus - the godly one - in shambles. Dust was steadily falling from the marble, statues were in ruins, and the road to the throne room was deserted, with cracks lining the street like New York's roads in the summer. The viewing angle slowly approached the throne room, and in a flash of light, the demigods received an eerie image. All the Olympian seats of power were reduced to mere computer chairs that could be seen in any office cubicle. The Big Three's however, were differently colored.

"Errm," one of the campers mumbled, "Is it supposed to look like that?"

Dionysus shot the poor boy a dry glance, "Are you supposed to be alive?"

The camper shut up after that.

Chiron shot the camp director a admonishing look, and turned towards the demigods. "As you might or might not have known," he started, "Olympus - and the gods' seats of power - reflect the condition of the gods themselves. And after the fight that we have just fought, it is needless to say that the gods are…" Chiron glanced up, "a little...err, drained."

The skies remained silent.

"And Olympus, as you can see, is a little drained as well."

"A little?" exclaimed Leo, "It's like a vampire came and sucked all the life out of it!"

Thunder rolled and Jason slapped a hand over Leo's blabbering mouth.

"Sorry, Chiron. Continue."

"All is well, Jason. As I was saying, Olympus is hardly at full capacity, and none of the minor gods are up for the task."

The teens groaned, all knowing what was coming next.

"Yes, yes," grumbled Dionysus, "Poor you. Paint a couple of walls, pour a little cement. Simple really. Zeus would call it an honor." Then, under his breath, the wine god continued, "I would call it a miracle from the Fates themselves. A break, thank Rhea."

Chiron cast a sidelong glance at the god, but chose to ignore it. "That being said, we'll need groups of campers to go to Olympus and help out. There will be a schedule of course, and anyone who is unable will obviously be -"

"Chiron?"

With a sigh, Chiron turned, once again, to Leo. "What is it?"

"Reconstruction needs an architect right?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then, where's Annabeth?

"For that matter," chimed in a random camper, "Where's Percy?"

Chiron looked around and muttered dryly, "Where do you think?"

Piper rolled her eyes, "Want to go find them Leo?"

"Uh, interrupt Annabeth's...alone time with Percy? No thank you."

"There's a meeting in the Big House right now."

"Mhm."

"And we're making s'mores at the bottom a lake."

"Blue s'mores."

"And why is that, Seaweed Brain?"

"Aren't you the Wise Girl?"

Annabeth smacked Percy's head and he rolled over.

"You're such a dramatic.

"You're the one with me at the bottom of a lake making blue s'mores. I never invited you to come."

"Fair point," Annabeth acknowledged, "but seriously though, it might be important."

"They're blue s'mores Annabeth. Blue. Motherfugging. S'mores.

"Gods, I regret lending you that book."

"It's a miracle I managed to read it."

"It was an audiobook," Annabeth deadpanned.

"Same thing."

"..."

"Alright. Alright! Grab a doggy bag and let's get you up to the surface. No need to be so demanding."

"..."

"Oh hey, Chiron," Percy chuckled nervously, "Want some s'mores? No? Okay, I'll just -"

"Perseus, at least try to make it to these meeting, alright? Or at least make it look like you tried."

"But, Chiron," he pouted, holding out the brown bag, "S'mores."

"Yes, yes, fascinating," Chiron mumbled, "Let us go then. Important matters to discuss."

Percy groaned.

Annabeth smacked his arm.

Chiron swished his tail and galloped back to the Big House.

Percy groaned.

A new year, a new story. Fingers crossed. :)