Percy pov:
"What?!" I yelped and about fell out of the chair I was in. Maybe my dad hadn't been joking last summer.
"Well actually I'm your older sister but that's a long story…."Lydia said trailing off as her hyper attitude faded. She looked like she was going to cry. She whistled loudly suddenly and wiped at her eyes.
"Move away from her and the steps everybody, here she comes." The satyr said and moved away from Lydia.
"What?" I said. It seemed like I used that word a lot. Nothing was making sense anymore. Suddenly a fierce bark came from the sword-fighting arena. I turned around expecting Mrs. O'Leary to come crashing toward us, but instead I saw a huge Bull Mastiff running full tilt toward us. The dog dashed right up the steps and right onto Lydia. I jumped up to drag the creature off her, but then I realized it wasn't hurting her. It was licking her face and wagging its tail and whimpering like a puppy. Lydia had her arms around the dog's neck and was crying into its fur.
I crept around the scene to where the satyr was standing.
"What's with the dog?" I ask.
"That's Tiny. She's apparently been with Lydia for a long time. She is huge but she thinks she's a lapdog. It's crazy." He said. He looked back at the two and shook his head. "Her other dog is a Yorkie as I said earlier, he thinks he's a Rottweiler. His name is Big Boy."
"So Tiny is the Bull Mastiff, and Big Boy is the Yorkie. She was not very original in naming her dogs." I said. "So where's Big Boy?"
"I don't know, you might want to check on Miss O'Leary, though, that dog is ferocious." I gave the satyr a funny look but went off to the sword-fighting arena. It gave me a chance to think this all out. I had a sister? And somehow, even though she looks younger, she's older than me. But she looks fifteen! I was muttering about all this when I heard an annoying yap and a low whining sound. I dashed the last bit of trail to the arena and saw a sight I will never, in my life, ever, forget.
A Yorkie (Big Boy I guess) was standing on top of Miss O'Leary growling at her as Miss O'Leary looked terrified for the first time I can remember. It was shocking. Apollo kids where in the arena staring.
"Ah, Percy? I don't know where the Yorkie came from but its half something evil. It wrestled Miss O'Leary down to the ground, it was insane!" one of them said still staring. I finally went and picked up the Yorkie. It growled ferociously at me and I held it away from me. Miss O'Leary got up with her tail between her legs. I shifted the dog to one hand and patted her. I took Big Boy and I headed back to the Big House.
When I got there, things had settled down quite a bit. Lydia had stopped crying and Tiny was sitting on the floor beside her chair. Everyone was sitting. I put Big Boy down beside Tinny and sat down next to Annabeth. She took my hand.
"Your dog just about killed mine." I said to Lydia. She looked at me and I thought she was going start crying again.
"I forgot that Mrs. O'Leary is yours now." She turned to look at the Yorkie. "Big Boy, what have I told you about playing nice with other dogs?" The Yorkie put his tail between his legs and put his head down.
I sincerely hope that we don't have to keep them in the cabin, I thought.
"Well I'm going to get Chiron," said Rachel, after a minute. She headed off toward our archery field. I shifted awkwardly. I looked at Annabeth like "what do I do?" She let go of my hand and stood up. I stood up with her.
"Why don't we get you to your cabin and find a place to keep Big Boy and Tiny?" she said.
"Do I get to stay in the Poseidon cabin?" She said in a small voice.
"As long as that's who your father is."
"Yes, it is."
"Then that's where you'll stay." Annabeth turned to the satyr. "Can you go get her duffel bag and bring it to the cabin?"
"Is it ok if I leave you with them?" He asked Lydia. She nodded. He went off toward the hill. Lydia stood up and we set off. The dogs followed us. When we got to the cabin, I heard someone shuffling around inside. I motioned them to wait while I went to see who was inside. I peeked inside the door.
"PERCY!" a deep voice yelled and I was suddenly being hugged so tight I could barely breathe.
"Tyson! I can't breathe!" I squeaked. He put me down. "What are you doing here, big guy?" I said. He was in charge of the army of Olympus as of last summer. "Come on in guys, its just Tyson." I called. Annabeth came in leading Lydia who looked a little stunned.
"I'm on break. There is no war, because my brother defeated all the bad guys." Tyson said. He was grinning like crazy. Then he looked over and saw Annabeth and Lydia. "Annabeth!" He yelled, and ran and hugged her too. She laughed.
"Good to see you too, big guy." He released her and was still grinning.
"Who are you? I don't know you." He said looking at Lydia. She was staring at him like he was a hero, which he was.
"I'm L-Lydia. But you're Tyson and you're Percy's half-brother. You're my half-brother too." She said looking kind of dazed. The dogs were sniffing at Tyson's feet. He looked at them and lifted a foot.
"Little sister, can you make the dogs go away, they smell bad." He said. Lydia grinned for the first time today.
"Tiny, Big Boy, heal!" she said. They immediately walked over and sat on either side of her. Tyson put his foot down.
"Can I hug you, new little sister?" asked Tyson he was grinning real big again. Lydia had the exact same expression as him as she nodded. Tyson gave her a huge hug and they both grinned as he released her.
"I have a new little sister!" He yelled, jumping up and down, clapping.
"That's right." I said. I couldn't help but grin at him. Just then the satyr came in with Lydia's duffel bag
"So, uh, where do I put this?" he asked.
"Percy, can I use this bed?" Lydia asked touching a bed behind mine.
"Sure." I replied. I was kind of surprised she wanted to be close to me. She really had just met me but she seemed to trust me already. The satyr dropped the bag by the bed.
"We need to figure out where the dogs are going to stay." Annabeth said. I smiled at her in relief. I did not want them to stay in the cabin.
"I think we should go talk to Chiron first." I said. It seemed that he knew where everything should be, so he would know where to put two dogs with identity issues.
We all piled out of the cabin. I took Annabeth's hand and we set out for the archery field. Tyson skipped the whole time yelling at the top of his lungs, "I have a baby sister! I have a baby sister!" We all laughed and Lydia grinned. As we passed the volleyball pit some people stared. One kid got hit in the head with the volleyball because he wasn't paying attention. That sent laughter through the whole group. It was one of the kids that came in late last summer. I guess he just hadn't learned to not be surprised when weird things happened here at camp.
When we finally reached the field, Tyson stopped yelling and skipping. We went around the Ares kids and I got the usual glare from Clarisse that I acknowledged with a smile and a nod. I saw Rachel standing by Chiron talking to him he was nodding. When we approached he looked up and smiled at us.
"So this must be Lydia." He said. He held out his hand to her. Lydia stepped forward and shook his hand. She had and awed look on her face. "According to Rachel, you're going to cause quiet a change to happen." He was still smiling at her. I instantly thought of the prophecy Rachel had given last year. I certainly hope she's not a part of it, she looks so fragile and sensitive, and I don't think she could handle it. "Are you settled in your cabin?" he asked Lydia. She nodded. "Good."
"We came to ask where we should keep Lydia's dogs." I said. He looked at me thoughtfully.
"Well, we could keep them with Miss. O'Leary." He said.
"Big Boy just about killed her earlier; I don't think it would be smart to leave them alone together."
"I see. This is a dilemma." He said. "Where did they sleep before Aegidios, here, found you?" he asked, Lydia his hand on the satyr's shoulder.
"They had dog beds. I didn't bring them because it was too much to carry. They can sleep on the bed with me if that's ok." She said. Would they fit? I thought.
"I think that would be fine." He said. Great. Annabeth squeezed my hand. "Now I think you should all be getting ready for dinner." He gave us all one last smile and turned back to the Ares kids armed with bows. "Dismissed." He said loud enough for them all to hear. We all headed toward the cabins. Tyson started skipping and yelling again. All the Ares kids gave Lydia sideways looks. She blushed and looked at the ground smiling. Clarisse came up beside me and Annabeth.
"So, you got yourself a little sister." She said.
"Yep, surprised?"
"Actually, yes. She looks like she was born after World War II. She was alive last year. She is a daughter of Poseidon. She could very well have been the child of the prophecy, and she was kept a secret till now. I would want to know why if I were you." She shrugged and walked off. My mouth was hanging open now and I knew it, but I couldn't seem to change it.
"She has point." Annabeth said. I nodded.
"I know, and that's what bothers me." We walked the rest of the way the to cabins in silence. I walked halfway to the Athena cabin before I realized I should be going to mine. I felt myself turn red up to my ears. Annabeth laughed. I kissed her on the cheek.
"I think maybe I should go to my cabin." I said.
"You think?" she laughed some more. I kissed her cheek one more time then headed off to my cabin. Tyson was still yelling when I got there. Lydia was trying to get him to stop.
"I have a baby sister! I have a baby sister!"
"Tyson, everyone already heard. Come on, your being really loud."
"Tyson lay off. I had seven people tell me to tell you congratulations. Seriously, everyone knows."
"Yay!" Tyson yelled and sat on his bed.
"Come on guys, time for dinner." I said and we headed for the pavilion. Almost everyone was there already. We loaded our plates and went to the fire and gave our sacrifices. When it was Lydia's turn I saw her close her eyes and say something so quietly I couldn't hear her. She scraped some food into the fire and smiled. I hope she was answered. We all sat down and Tyson went into a full description of what happened during the year and the beginning of the summer. I smiled and listened. I was glad Tyson was talking; I wouldn't know what to say.
Lydia was quiet for the rest of the day. We went canoeing and I even purposely tipped over the canoe just to make her laugh. (It's not like she got wet, one of the perks of being a child of Poseidon.) She barely even smiled. I knew something was on her mind but I decided to let her talk when she wanted to instead of pressuring her.
She didn't talk till late that night.
Tyson was already asleep and I was laying in my bed waiting for sleep.
"Percy?" she called quietly.
"Hhhmm?"
"Do you want to know what happened to my family; why I was alone?"
"Um, sure. If you want to tell me, that is."
"They were struck by lightning."
