Hey, beautiful readers! How are y'all? I'm glad to be back, even if it won't be for very long. It's finals week here at my university, and I'll be taking summer classes too, so I hope you all understand. I really do apologize for the wait, but it was muc harder for me to update duting this school year than I expected, and I want to thank you all for being so patient with me.

Ricky: So…

Me: Oh go away, you!

Ari: Anyway, FanGyrl doesn't own Camp Half-Blood…

Is: Or anyone you know from there.

Connor: Like me! I'm property of Rick Riordan.

Nico: Me too! And so are Percy and Annabeth and the rest of the gang.

Me: You guys know that.

Ricky: Can I talk now?

Me, Is, and Ari: NO.

Josh: Well, FanGyrl does own Isabella, Ariadne, Ricky, Kat, Chrys, and the plot :)

Previously: "So, let's go get you and Isabella some bedroom furniture, before dinner!" my mom grinned. The demigods all just laughed, unloaded luggage, and went back downstairs to load into the cars once again.

I was so glad that my mom was happy to see me. And that she and Paul liked Is, and approved of Ricky.

"So, I'm glad your mom and Paul approve," Ricky smiled at me in the back of Percy's car. Is and Annabeth had opted to ride with Mom and Paul. My brother eyed us in the rear view mirror, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"So am I," I returned the grin. When we stopped at the furniture store, some chain called RoomsToGo, Isabella and I dashed toward the bunkbeds, thinking it would be the simplest option. I was overwhelmed by the selection that they had, I'd only ever seen the bunkbeds that were in the Poseidon cabin, I didn't know how many variations of a bunk bed existed. Is and I stalked down aisles, examining each piece of furniture thoroughly before Isabella suddenly called out my name. I met her I the aisle where her voice had come from, and I glanced at the bed before attempting to talk with her, and I had to do a double take. It was definitely a bunkbed, but it was still unique. The top bunk, looked like a regular bunk bed, with stairs that seemed to be drawers leading up to it, but the bottom bunk wasn't connected to it, it sat perpendicular to the top bunk, the head of the bed under where the top person would be sleeping. Upon further examination, I noticed that the bed also had a built in bookshelf for the bottom bunk, and a desk as well. I looked at Is, and we both knew it was the one. (RoomsToGo Kids Creekside Stone Wash Twin/Twin Step Bunk Bed w/Desk)

"Is, it's perfect!" I grinned. She nodded, and looked at it once more.

"Mom!" I called out, trying to get my mother's attention. She and Paul rounded the corner, to find us. Paul shook his head and grinned.

"What did I tell you, Sally? I knew they'd opt for a bunk bed" he chuckled.

"It seems you're right, dear," Mom just shook her head, and asked us if this was the bed we wanted. Is grinned and nodded her head yes, as did I. She smiled, and wen to go find an employee. When she did, we ordered the bed, and had it arranged to be delivered to the apartment.

Break

At lunch, Is and I were debating colors for our new shared room.

"Green," I argued.

"Purple is obviously better," she glared. We had been through the routine of just naming our favorite colors for the past half hour.

"Green, Isabella!" I whined.

"No, Ari, purple," she said decidedly. I was about to counter with another protest in green's favor, when Ricky interrupted us.

"Why doesn't Ariadne paint her bunk, and her other furniture green, and Isabella do the same with hers, but in purple?" he asked, annoyed. "Then, you guys could pick a neutral room color, that BOTH of you like, and your furniture could do the talking for your personalities." I gaped at my boyfriend. When had the son of Hermes gotten so smart?

"That's a brilliant idea, Ricky!" Is exclaimed, glad that our argument was over, and I just nodded my agreement, eating my salad.

After lunch we went to Home Depot, to search for paint colors for our furniture. Eventually, Isabella and I actually decided painting the furniture would be silly, and we chose a light gray color called Dreamscape Gray for the walls. I purchased the paint, and we went on our way home.

When we got home, Is and I spared no time in getting our room ready for us. Is, Ricky, and I got to painting the walls in the bedroom, while Annabeth, Mom, Paul and Percy went out hunting for mattresses. When they came home, we had three walls painted, and they congratulated us on our hard work, laying the mattresses in the hallway. Tonight we would only have mattresses and blankets, having not decided on bedding yet, but it was better than not having beds at all. We got the last wall painted, and then we decided to drag our mattresses into the room. Once we got ready to let the paint dry, Is and I attempted to help my mom and Paul out with dinner. We were making chicken strips, and pasta… and smelling my mom's home cooking, I was caught between a rock and a hard place… it smelled so good… but, I had never eaten meat before. I needed advice… motherly advice… but, not from Mom… from Mama… from Klaia the neried. I went out to the fire escape with the shell that she had given me. I took a deep breath, and held the seashell to my ear. I heard the strange mix between bubbling and ringing, and soon, my Mama answered the other end.

"Kori, is everything alright?" she answered, somehow sensing my distress.

"Hi, Mama," I started, "I… I'm feeling conflicted about my diet's palette." Klaia just chuckled softly, and I could almost see the sweet smile that I knew would grace her face.

"Is that all, dear Ariadne?" she asked me.

"Sally's cooking… it smells so… familiar to me, but I don't recall ever eating meat," I confessed.

"Of course the smell of her cooking would be familiar. Perseus was two, almost three, but Sally did cook for herself, of course. You have only never eaten meat, because of how I raised you here, under the sea. You're more than correct in the craving for land animals as a food source, so long as you don't lay prey on sea creatures," Mama told me.

"You're sure, Mama?" I asked her, afraid she'd deny approval, as the smells of the dinner my mother was preparing wafted out the window to meet my nose.

"Yes, kori. Absolutely sure," she answered with a light laugh. I smiled, glad I still had the love of the woman who raised me, hoping I would see her again soon.

"Thank you, Mama. I'll talk to you again soon?" I asked, wanting to make sure.

"Yes, of course, kori! Please, after your first day of school, no?" Mama got excited. I laughed, and agreed wholeheartedly. We ended the call, and I went back inside to enjoy my first dinner with my family. When I sat at the table, everyone's eyes bugged out when I loaded some of the poultry on my plate.

"I've decided, that it is appropriate for me to eat meats, so long as seafood remains off my palette," I looked at everyone, smiling.

"I knew you'd come around, Ari!" Ricky nudged me, and I blushed. That night, we ate dinner, joking around catching up with each other, and sharing all of our adventures with everyone.

I settled into sleep, later on, Isabella laying in the bed beside mine.

Break

Of course, the sleep I fell into, couldn't be dreamless. The scene in my dream was familiar, yet, different… I came to realize that I was in my father's underwater palace.

"Daddy? Lord Poseidon?" I called out, as my father walked into the room. He saw me, and he grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes, which were mixed with worry.

"Ariadne, come, walk with me," my father took me under his arm, and I had no choice but to agree. As we were walking, my skin tingled with anticipation. My father had called me here for a reason.

"Father, is something wrong?" I questioned him. He looked at me, eyes unreadable, just like the sea, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Keep an eye on Perseus for me?" he asked, and my world spun around me. Why would I need to look after Percy? He's the older brother after all. He's sixteen, I just turned fifteen. I was the one who needed looking after, wasn't I? New school, no friends, all that sort of stuff… but no. I'd definitely heard my father correctly. He wanted me to look out for Percy. I knew I needed to respond, but the only thing that could leave my mouth was a noncommittal noise of shock.

"Huh?" I was finally able to get out.

"Something, something is coming," he warned, strained, "and I need you to make sure Perseus is alright." I squirmed uncomfortably against my father's gaze.

"I… I'll do my best, my lord," I nodded, with a slight curtsey.

"None of that, my child," Poseidon smiled, "You are still my daughter, and very much so allowed to call me 'Dad'."

"I'll do my best, Dad," I promised him. And as I woke from my dream… I started to get a sinking suspicion that my best wouldn't be enough to stop whatever this was that was coming.

I woke up to a shower of water falling into the floor. I sprang up, my sword at the ready and shouted for reinforcements. i.e. My brother.

"PERCY!" I screamed, before I had even gotten a look at my opponent. It was a girl… a circlet sat on top of her spiky black hair, and she had eyes like electricity… under her gaze, I felt uncomfortable, but Aquaticus was acting as a barrier between me and the girl. She had come through the window, where it was pouring. Isabella was slowly backing out the door, as my brother ran in, with Annabeth and Riptide at his side. They took a moment to assess the situation, and lowered their weapons. I was shocked. When do Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson give up a fight? I set my eyes on the stranger again, as my brother laughed.

That's it. I'm doomed.

"Ari, it's okay," Annabeth was telling me, her grey eyes filled with happiness, "It's only Thalia." I dropped my sword in shock.

"Thalia Grace?" I looked at the girl in wonder.

"That's me," she nodded, "But who are you?"

"Ariadne. Ariadne Jackson, daughter of Poseidon and Sally Jackson," I smiled, holding my hand out. Now it was Thalia's turn to be shocked.

"Jackson…? You're… you're Kelp Head's full sister?" she was confused. I nodded.

"You look nothing…" she trailed off, stating that my brother and I didn't look alike, when she started to notice the similarities. Like how we had the same tanned skin, and sea green eyes, like our father's. The only difference was that he had a mop of black hair on his head, and mine was blonde.

"Yeah, it's hard to see at first, I know Thals," Annabeth grinned.

"So, why you here, cuz?" Percy questioned, putting his lethal ballpoint pen back into his pocket.

"I was sent by Lady Artemis to deliver a gift to Isabella Hilargi before her first day of school this year… she said I could find her here," the huntress announced. Is came back in the room.

"Mom sent me something?" she ran up to Thalia, who was now even MORE confused than before.

"Mom?" she asked, like her world was turning upside down.

"My birth mother was raped while in the hunt, and Artemis changed her into one of the sacred deer. Artemis claims me as hers, though she didn't break her oath of celibacy," Is explained. Thalia looked less green now, and nodded.

"So, here's your gift," Thalia handed her a crescent moon shaped hair pin. While she was holding it, it grew into a full size crossbow.

"Gods of Olympus!" the silver haired girl was shocked. How cool! My mom walked in at that time.

"Thalia, dear, would you like to stay for breakfast?" mom smiled at the girl.

"I'd love to, Sally!" the daughter of Zeus smiled.

Yay! Thalia! Haha R&R guys. I love y'all.

~FG