Thalia's lips tugged downwards in a frown as she studied the boy. He didn't look like he could break a twig, let alone steal a lightning bolt. That's not to say he looked weak—he didn't—but this was Zeus' master bolt. Someone would have to be clever, strong, quick, and agile to perform such a task and succeed. From what she'd seen so far, he wasn't a very fast runner in gym, or sneaky (he was almost as clumsy as her, for Rhea's sake), and he didn't appear to be the sharpest tool in the shed.

She couldn't help but have her doubts.

"Charona," the teacher called from the front of the classroom. Thalia immediately glanced up, hearing her alias being spoken. "Would you mind explaining to Mr. Jackson why he shouldn't pass notes in class?"

The Daughter of Zeus felt put on the spot. She nervously glanced from Mrs. Dodds, their Geometry teacher, to the white board behind her. Everyone turned around in his or her seats to look at her…well, some were looking at Percy, who was blushing uncomfortably and shifting restlessly in his desk.

Attempting to play the situation off casually (but failing), she shrugged and flipped a page in her textbook. Snickers sounded across the room at her expense.

Thalia thought the whole situation was stupid. To begin with, her father sent her to attend Yancy Academy, a private school for delinquents, with the alleged Son of Poseidon, and expected her to blend in with a bunch of sixth graders. She was fifteen. Needless to say, she wasn't exactly fond of being there. Secondly, she was about one hundred percent sure Mrs. Dodds was some kind of monster, and a strong one at that.

And then there was Mr. Brunner, the Latin teacher. Thalia wasn't sure what to make of him. She'd catch him watching her in the middle of class, constantly. She had been going to school there for nearly two months and teachers were already beginning to stalk her.

Percy Jackson was her lab partner in their next class, Chemistry. Thalia wanted to groan aloud, but refrained. The only studies she was even moderately good at were Algebra and Aerodynamics. But, no. Her father couldn't possibly sign her up for a class where she could actually understand what the teacher was saying.

Percy was an okay kid. Except for that nose-twitching thing he did. That made Thalia want to beat him over the head with a sledgehammer.

"So…uh, you going on that field trip?"

Thalia swiveled her head towards the sound to see a shyly smiling Percy, his eyes looking anywhere but her. "Field trip?"

Thalia hadn't heard word of any field trip. She didn't have very good experience with them. She shivered, remembering the time her kindergarten class took a trip to a Science museum. A Science museum with an exhibit on electricity and lightning.

"Yeah," he nodded, finally meeting her eyes, "to the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

She couldn't help but find herself interested in the boy's eyes. They were an unusual sea green. Despite having nearly every one of her classes with him, she never took the time to actually look at him.

Curly, unkempt black locks sat upon his head, as dark and unruly as her own. His sharp nose resembled hers slightly; in a way one would have to squint to notice. Percy had a babyish face, one that reminded Thalia of her younger brother.

"Are you going?" she asked him, trying desperately to change her train of thought.

"Are you kidding? It's a chance to get out of this dump. Who would pass that up?"

His smile was nice.

"Certainly not me." She flashed a smirk, and he laughed aloud. "I might go." She shrugged, looking to the window next to her. "I'm not exactly rolling in cash right now."

He looked surprised.

"I hear ya."

She was sitting in her dorm, on the lowest bunk, flipping through the pages of her World History book, when she heard a stern knock on the door. She didn't have to ask who it was or peer out of the nonexistent peephole; only one person ever showed up. "Come in."

"Daughter," Zeus addressed her upon entering.

"Why go through the trouble of knocking when you can simply teleport or something? More dramatic this way?" she questioned dryly.

He brushed her comment off and fixed a calm gaze on her. "What of the boy?"

"I don't think he stole it, father." She yawned, closing her textbook. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she added, "He's pretty tall, too. Not as tall as me, but still remarkably tall for his age."

"From what I've heard, he has failed two times. The boy is fourteen. But that information is irrelevant." He paused for a moment, digging his hands into the pockets of his dress pants. "What reason do you have to doubt he is the thief?"

"I doubt he even knows he's a demigod. He seems like a harmless kid, really. He's friendly."

"It's always the least one you suspect," he reasoned, taking a seat next to her.

"Then it should be someone we know. Someone sneaking right under our noses. I do not believe he did it, regardless of whatever quarrel you may have had with Lord Poseidon. 'Besides, Poseidon is way too smart of a god to pull a lousy trick like that. Stealing another god's weapon? Immoral."

"Immortal, darling."

"There's a difference?"

"Very funny. I knew there had to be a reason your mother and I named you after the goddess of comedy. Now," he smiled a little, "how are you doing in your studies?"

She grumbled, "Biology sucks. Blah, blah, blah, magma, blah, blah, volcanic rock."

"That's Geology, love."

"It's all Greek to me." Despite her efforts not to, she snorted aloud at the adage.

"Speaking of Greek, how is yours? Have you been studying?"

She snickered. "Me, study?

"Good point." He sighed. "I'm not a fan of academics myself."

"Easy for you to say. You don't have to go to school. I, on the other hand, must."

"You're quite good at history, aren't you?" His dark eyebrows furrowed together. Her mother, even though she had been an 80's diva, had loved watching history documentaries.

"I'm okay. I'm good with dates and wars and stuff. Other than that, it's all confusing," she answered, a light blush rising on her cheeks.

It was silent for a few long moments, before one of them sounded again, "There's a field trip soon."

Zeus turned his questioning sky blue gaze on her. "Is that so?" At her nod, he continued, "Where to?"

"Some stupid museum. Percy is going, so I figured I might as well go."

"Do you need money?" he pried, his eyes flickering to hers.

"About forty dollars for the bus fee and lunch. I can probably scrape up some bucks on my own."

"There's no need for that. It's already paid for." He smiled, revealing a flawless seat of pearls.

"That's creepy. That's extremely creepy." She eyed him, an amused spark igniting in her azure hues. "You're a very creepy man."

"There is a satyr here. He is called Grover Underwood."

Thalia felt her chest inflate at his words. Luke and Annabeth—they didn't know she survived. She swallowed thickly. What if she encountered Grover and he recognized her? Oh Gods, would she have to go to camp?

"This satyr wishes to lead Perseus to camp. You shall not allow this to happen. Do whatever you must, but do not let the son of Poseidon out of your sight." His voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Father…Grover was the satyr that escorted Luke, Annabeth, and I to camp the first time."

"He will not be able to recognize you. Satyrs have awful memory. Besides, you've physically aged almost four years since they've seen you last. They would expect to see a seventeen year old."

"I guess you're right."

"I need to be going," he stated hesitantly.

"Yeah, I know." She turned away from him as he disappeared in a flash. That's the way their talks always were; brief and overall uneventful. At least he had attempted to take an interest in her life for once.

She lounged back on her pillows, taking comfort in her uncomfortable bed. She had fallen asleep on worse before. She was out like a light within the span of a few minutes.

Thalia never had a normal dream. This one was no different.

She was standing on a beach with the boy, Percy, and two magnificent animals—a white horse and a golden eagle—were fighting to the death at the edge of the surf. The eagle slashed at the horse's muzzle with its incredibly large talons, and the horse quickly retaliated with a kick to the creature's wings. The ground beneath them rumbled, and a deep distant chuckle could be heard from underneath.

Percy charged forward, trying to stop the brawl. As the eagle dived down to claw at the horse's eyes, Thalia and the boy screamed simultaneously.

The Daughter of Zeus jolted up in her bed, sweat causing her curly bangs to stick to her hot forehead. Her outfit, consisting of a white v-neck shirt and a pair of navy jogging pants, were soaked and clung to her slim form.

As she regained her bearings, she let out a shaky breath. "Oh, mother of Zeus."