Hey, so, I got writer's block, and homework was going like a mountain on me, and so I will tell you, I have no defense. But hey, if you've written something before, you've probably done this too. Anyway, on with the story.

xXx

"DUCK!" Mike yelled.

I did, and Mike knocked out a camper in a red-plumed helmet with the hilt of his sword.

He grinned at me. " `Misa, you draw trouble like moth to a flame."

I bowed sarcastically. "That's my speciality."

"Of course it is."

"Why did that girl from Athena put us on creek patrol anyway?"

"Well, one, you're new. It's kind of our…" he flashed me a grin. "Orientation."

"Great."

"Hey, it's better than having Clarisse dunk your head in the toilet."

"And you're trying to make me feel better?"

He laughed. "Anyway, two, Miss Annabeth Chase, head of Athena cabin, just loves to torture me."

"Amazing friends of yours you've got."

We settled into a silence.

"Soooo, do we just stand around waiting here until the reds attack?" I asked.

"Pretty much."

"Well, this is boring."

"Yep."

I noticed a couple reds coming out of the woods. "Mike, heads up."

I hefted my knives, while Mike drew his sword. I still wasn't that great with knives. A bow felt better in my hands.

Then they struck. I tried fighting, but hey, Mike didn't give me a chance. In my defense…actually, I have no defense. I couldn't fight, but Mike wasn't going to leave me to the dogs. Or the children of Ares. Whichever term you prefer. Ha ha, just kidding.

But I could see someone running out of the woods with the other team's banner. It was Jasper.

"Mike!" I yelled.

"What?"

"We just need to keep these guys distracted until Jasper gets here!"

"Right!"

I knew I couldn't fight. I was a menace with these blades. And not in a I-can-stab-you-with-these way, more like a I'm-going-to-stab-myself-help kind of way. And yet as the sun went down, I felt more invigorated. And I felt power coursing between myself and the knives in my hands.

They are one, Jasper had told me.

And suddenly everything clicked.

And I suddenly became the first type of menacing with blades. A way that said, "Look out, before you get stabbed."

I attacked the closest Ares warrior. It was a girl in red armor, not too tall, but at the way she cussed when I met my blades with her sword, she had several more feet of attitude.

"Who do you think you are, huh, punk?" she asked.

I suddenly slashed her arm and knocked her on the head at the same time with the hilt of the other knife.

"Artemisa Armstrong," I answered as she fell into the creek.

And Jasper exploded across the creek, two other blues guarding her.

The banner changed form red with a boar's head to a soft pink with a dove.

What?

Why was the banner changed to that?

Then a soft pink glow enveloped her, and she suddenly was wearing a sleeveless green dress, her hair was down, her blond hair soft and curly.

Oh, right, Jasper hadn't been claimed yet. Then that must mean…

Oh, no.

Jasper frowned at me and Mike. "What are you guys staring at?"

I swallowed. "Um, Jasper, you're glowing."

She looked down and yelped.

Chiron had come out to congratulate the blue team on winning, but now he bowed. Everyone else knelt, as we stared at my best friend.

"Hail, Jasper Grace," Chiron said. "Daughter of the Beauty and of Love, daughter of Aphrodite."