"Hello Percy," Chiron said as I approached, looking pleased to see me but weary.

I was relieved at the distraction. Annabeth and I had exchanged very few words to each other while we walked to the big house.

Beckendorf was standing with Silena behind Chiron. He noticed the distance between me and Annabeth, and our silence and blank faces, and cocked his head at me, looking confused.

I returned my attention back onto Chiron. "Hi Chiron," I said automatically.

"How long can you stay for?" he asked me.

"Just for today. I need to be back by tomorrow. I've got a driving lesson," I grinned.

That made Annabeth smile. "You driving a car. That doesn't sound safe."

I shrugged, pleased that she was back to teasing me. "We've done worse," I said smugly.

"You're going to leave so soon?" Beckendorf asked me, looking surprised while I was smiling at Annabeth. She immediately dropped her gaze.

"Um yeah. I've already signed up for the class, and I've still got to go to school."

"Oh I see," Chiron nodded. "Well, we should be going through our newest drill in about fifteen minutes. Why don't you all go put on your armour?"

"Sir," I said hurriedly. "What exactly are we doing with this one?"

Chiron looked shocked. "Has Annabeth or anyone not told you yet?"

I shook my head and looked at her.

"Oh yeah. Forgot. Sorry. I'll tell you on the way to your cabin. Let's go." She handed Chiron the stack of envelopes and started pulling me back towards the cabins by my elbow.

I let myself be dragged all the way back to the Poseidon cabin. I was happy that Annabeth had walked me there the whole way. "Are you going to tell me what this is all about now?" I asked her.

"Well apparently we're going to sink the Princess Andromeda," she told me.

I gaped at her. "And how exactly are we supposed to accomplish that if even my father can't?"

"Well," she said hesitantly. "Your dad never actually set foot in the ship. I'm guessing we will."

"Oh joy," I muttered.

"Hey Seaweed Brain."

"Yeah?"

"At least you don't have to worry about drowning," she smiled.

"At least one of us is thinking positively," I remarked.

"Do you really think we could have done all that we have if we weren't thinking positively?"

I shook my head. "You're right."

"As always," she said smugly.

I grinned and bumped her shoulder. "Want to come in?" I asked her, gesturing inside my cabin.

Annabeth looked as if she was also remembering the rule that states no two campers of opposite genders from separate cabins should be alone by themselves in a cabin.

"No, it's okay. I have to go grab my armour. See you later." She was gone before I could say bye.

I stared at the cloud of dust she left behind with every step. It took a minute before I remembered why I was there. I quickly rushed around my cabin, looking for my armour. I had completely forgotten where I put it.

When I finally found it under my bed and put it on I could already see a group of about fifteen demigods outside, ready to sink some royalty. Specifically the Princess Andromeda.

One of the passing Hermes kids threw a pebble at my window. "Better hurry it up Perce!"

"I'm coming I'm coming," I mumbled, stepping into my armor then rushing out the door.

I was the last one there, although I had totally saw that coming. Annabeth was at the front of the group. How did she do that so fast? She never ceased to amaze me.

In front of me was a model of the Princess Andromeda. It looked like an exact replica on a smaller scale, except for the fact that their was a grapevine crawling up the sides.

"Mr. D made this for us to practice on," Connor Stoll told me, speaking the obvious.

"Yeah, I can tell," I said. "Connor, how exactly are we supposed to sink this ship without getting clobbered first?"

Connor shrugged. "Beats me. But not all of us are going on. I think Chiron just wants to try a few things than choose only a couple people to go, whoever does the best here I suppose. Everyone's betting it'll be you and Beckendorf."

He clapped me on the back. "Cause you can't drown," he smirked. "Not everyone has that ability."

I smiled weakly. "Yeah, lucky me."

In the end, they were right. Chiron did choose me and Beckendorf for the job. I laughed when I found out that all of the Apollo and Heremes cabins had bet the Ares cabin about it. They were all very pleased with their earnings, but the Ares cabin just got another excuse for wanting ot beat me up.

They left immediately after dinner to complain about their losses to each other while the rest of us gathered around the campfire where the Apollo cabin were leading the singalong, as usual.

After singing "A Hundred bottles of nectar on the wall," Apollo himself had appeared on a flying red Ferrari. He looked no day older than eighteen, with a healthy tan and blindingly white smile. All of the wildflowers turned towards him as he got out of his Ferrari and I swear I could hear them all sighing with delight.

His kids flocked around him like geese and he gave each of them a quiver of sonic or gas-garroting arrows. I thought it must feel quite awkward to call someone who looked only a year older than yourself "dad", but that was only my opinion.

After exchanging hellos with Chiron, Apollo sauntered towards me and sat down on my log. "Hello Percy!" he said to me. "Are you and Annabeth ready to bounce?"

We looked at each other, befuddled.

"I have arranged a ride home for you two," Chiron smiled at us. "So you won't have to get up early tomorrow morning to catch the train."

"Wow, thanks," said Annabeth, surprised.

"Sure beats the train. Thanks Chiron," I commented. I felt surprised that the sun god would show up late at night just to give us a ride home.

Apollo waved his hand as if it were nothing, "I was just in the neighborhood. Stuff I had to do for Zeus, you know."

I nodded. He got out his lyre and was plucking at its strings, singing some song that sounded awfully like Michael Jackson's Thriller. I wondered if he'd feel insulted if I subtly covered my my ears.

"So Percy," he said, once he finished his song and took a bow to the smattering of polite applause. "I hear you have a driving lesson tomorrow."

"How'd you know that?" I asked incredulously.

Apollo looked insulted. "There's a statue of me right by that school you attend. It keeps me informed. You've never noticed it?"

I sensed his shoulders sagging slightly. "Oh, that statue!" I said quickly. "Yes, I see it every day. But you look younger in person."

The god looked flattered. "Well I always said rock was a hard substance to work with. Why not light, I had asked," he said, standing up and stretching. "But you can't have everything. Even if you're me," he chuckled to himself. "Let's go, I have a meeting later with my bore of a sister."

He shook hands with Chiron, waved at his kids, then headed for his car. Chiron gave us a nod. "Stay safe you two," he advised. "We're going to need you pretty soon."

Apollo pulled the car remote out of his pocket. He clicked it once and I expected the "click!" sound of locks unlocking. Instead, both me and Annabeth screamed and dived for the Earth as a series of arrows flew out of the car in all directions.

"Whoops," Apollo grimaced. "Wrong button. My bad."

"Security system?" I asked shakily.

"You can never be too careful," he shrugged, herding us into the backseat. "Why, just the other day I caught Ares trying to break in. He claimed he was searching for a water bottle he had left inside the last time I gave him a ride but I didn't believe him. It didn't end pretty."

Our friends yelled their goodbyes to us while waving frantically as we started rising into the air. I thought I heard someone say "Behave in the backseat you two," and a multitude of laughter that followed it.

We passed by the glittering Argo constellation as Apollo chattered easily about some story involving him, Hermes, and a big pile of dung. Annabeth's shoulders were shaking throughout the tale.

"So how is the whole Kronos versus Olympians thing going?" I asked to change the subject.

"Not so hot kid. We just found out that the Gorgons are supporting Kronos."

"Gee, I wonder why," said Annabeth sarcastically.

"Medusa's sisters?" I asked with a shudder.

They both nodded.

"I thought they hadn't reformed yet."

"They just did recently. My bore of a sister found them a few weeks ago running across a beach," said Apollo lazily. "Good Hades, Medusa herself hasn't reformed yet. She'd be a great asset to Kronos.

"Hey, didn't you mail Medusa's head to Olympus Percy?" All those years ago?" Annabeth asked me.

"Gods, you make me sound old," I joked. "But yeah I did. Someone mailed it back though. My mother used it to get rid of my stinky stepfather."

"That was funny," Apollo chuckled. "I was there when Zeus opened the package. I'll never forget that moment."

The three of us shared a laugh until a lightning bolt flashed through the sky in front of us.

"Geez, my father is in such a bad mood these days," Apollo sighed. "Hey look! There's Hypnus, you guys met him yet?"

"Who?"

"I guess not. Hypnus, god of sleep. The one who holds the poppy stalk? I set it on fire once, accidentally of course."

It was too dark to see anything other than the stars and the city lights below but I nodded anyway.

"Gotta love Hypnus," Apollo went on. "He plays a mean game of checkers."

"Checkers?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, beats chess. You don't have to think as much." he shrugged. "Hang on, I've got a poem coming out." He cleared his throat. "Apollo whips Hypnus' butt in checker games." He turned around proudly. "What'd you think?"

I clapped very forcefully. "It was good," I said.

Apollo looked satisfied and went back to his driving.

Annabeth turned to me. "Percy?"

"Yes?"

"I challenge you to a game of checkers the next time I see you."

"You're on!"