"Who's this?"
"You're horse man."
"Centaur, my dear boy. What's your name?"
"Clint Rose." Leo replied as Clint hid his face in Leo's shoulder.
"Nice to meet you, Clint." Chiron looked at Leo and Louisa. "Louisa, what is that on your face?"
"Blood."
"But… it's green."
"Yep."
"What has happened?" Leo and Louisa explained. Chiron remained in a stunned silence before telling Louisa to go and clean up the blood. "Well, Mr. Valdez, you could take young Clint here to the Hermes cabin or find someone else to look after him."
"Can't I look after him?"
"The Hephaestus cabin's forge isn't exactly safe for him. Too many people."
"Bunker 9 will be fine then." Leo bounced Clint in his arms, gaining the boy's attention. "How'd you feel about making your own toy plane?"
"Can we make a Batmobile?"
"Shoot, why not?" Leo grinned. Chiron watched him go; pondering the thought of Leo making a good father should the time come.
"What happened to you?" Louisa looked round, trying to get a patch of dried green blood off her forehead. Her new brother stood in the doorway, arms folded. Louisa turned back to the bowl of warm water, dampening the cloth. "Don't answer then." Percy grumbled. Louisa heard him move into the cabin's bathroom.
"Fine by me." She muttered, finally removing the dried blood.
"So, this is where you're hiding." Louisa looked round. Annabeth smiled at her. "I've been looking for you for ages."
"What's up?"
"You're part of the scout group to your old school."
"Cool."
"Where's Percy?"
"Sulkin' in the shower."
"Thanks." Annabeth moved to the bathroom door and knocked. "Seaweed Brain?"
"What's up, Wise-girl?"
Louisa saw some lovey-dovey mush on the way and took her leave. She went to the Hephaestus cabin, noticing that half of the ship above had passed over the camp.
Leo wasn't in the cabin nor was he in the underground forge. One of his siblings suggested he was in Bunker 9. Louisa had no idea where that was, but she set out anyway.
She walked past a pink cabin that smelt strongly of roses and perfume. Louisa barely noticed the figure dart down the stairs until they slammed into her.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Whoever had apologized pulled Louisa to her feet. "Are you OK?"
"Couple of bruises, but I'm good. Did ya not see me or somethin'?"
"Sorry." The girl smiled sheepishly. She was Louisa's age and height with layered hair and multi-coloured eyes. "I'm Piper." Piper held her hand out.
"Louisa."
"You're Percy's new sis, aren't you?"
"Yeah. He don't seem too happy 'bout it though."
"Percy's a strange guy sometimes. I think only Annabeth understands him." Louisa looked at the pink cabin behind Piper.
"Ya mom's Aphrodite, right?" Piper nodded. "Cool. Uh, do you have any idea where Bunker 9 is?"
"Looking for Leo?" Louisa nodded. Piper looked at the sun, now a thin arch above the horizon. "If we hurry, we can get there before sundown. The woods aren't exactly nice in the dark."
"Yeah, OK. Why'd ya barrel inta me then? Someone givin' ya trouble?"
"No, well, kinda, but it's not anything I can't handle. My little sister wanted to give me a makeover but she's still getting the hang of make-up and stuff and I didn't really want to look like a clown."
"How'd old is ya sis?"
"Six, bless her."
"Right. Midget kid then?"
"Midget kid?" Louisa just nodded.
"Bunker 9."
"Oh yeah. This way!" Piper grinned.
They reached Bunker 9 just as the sun disappeared behind the horizon.
"Leo!" Piper called.
"Pipes?"
"Leo, I told you not to call me that!" Piper sighed. "Where are you?"
"Hiding." Leo called back.
"Oh for gods' sake…" Piper mumbled.
"Leo, this looks breakable!" Louisa called out, picking up a nearby and half-finished invention. "Looks important too!"
"Alright, alright! Don't break anything!" Leo appeared a minute later, Clint at his heels.
"Oooh, who's this little cutie?" Piper moved forward and knelt to greet Clint. Clint blushed and hid behind Leo's legs.
"That's Clint." Leo grinned. "He likes Batman."
"I can tell." Clint held a Batmobile toy. "Did you make that for him?"
"Yeah."
"It's really cool." Clint mumbled. "Drives on its own."
"Leo's clever like that, isn't he?" Clint looked up at Leo, who smirked and nodded.
"Leo's supreme commander of the Argo Two and the ladies love him." Piper gave a disbelieving laugh, smacking Leo in the shin.
"Ow!" Leo nudged her with his foot, making her lose her balance. "Watch it, beauty queen, or face the wrath of Fire King."
"Repair boy."
"Fire King."
"Repair boy."
"Shut up." Louisa suddenly said. Piper got up and dusted herself down. "Right, ya arguin' like midgets, like him." She waved a hand at Clint. "In case ya ain't noticed, kids are disappearin' left, right 'n' centre. We've got work ta do 'n' I ain't hangin' around ta listen ta you two bickerin'."
"Enough said." Leo agreed. "Let's boogie."
