"Great," he mumbled to his plate of pizza.
"What's wrong?" Grover asked, walking up behind him.
"The Hunters are here, yay for a super fun game of capture the flag. I just can't wait to get electrocuted," sarcasm dripped from every word.
"Haven't you guys moved past the 'try to kill each other' phase of your friendship?" Grover pleaded. "At least there aren't as many campers here right now; we're only about half as full as we will be this summer."
"Heroes," Chiron called stomping his hoof near the front table, "Hunters, welcome back. Tonight we will be playing our usual capture the flag game. I will remind you all," he said meeting Percy's then Thalia's eyes, "That this is a friendly game, meant to foster competitive spirit, not to be violent blood bath. Captains," Thalia stood up from the Artemis table, "will be Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and Lieutenant to Lady Artemis, and Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon." Percy stood up and went over to shake Thalia's hand.
"It is so on Seaweed Brain," she smiled. They really were good friends, and fought well together! The problem was that they fought so well together, they knew the other's style, could block a move before the thought had fully formed in the other's mind. Still—only Annabeth got to call him 'Seaweed Brain.'
"Percy," Annabeth asked, sounding exasperated, coming up behind him, "How is it that your armor is always crooked?"
"I guess I'm just special that way," he smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss, "besides, it's not like it really matters. I've got the blessing of Achilles."
"Achilles died, and you are so not dying on me." She put her hands on her hips and leaned to one side, making him feel guilty and wanting to laugh at the same time, in the way that only Annabeth could
"Tell you what, if we beat the Hunters, I won't go off into some ancient war and die on you."
"Ha!" she laughed, "You know you can't promise that."
"But," he countered, "You know how much I wish I could promise that. And isn't it the thought that counts?" He smiled even wider.
"As the daughter of wisdom, I have to say that thought does count, but for future reference, it is not the thought that counts with presents," she winked at him, gave him a quick squeeze, letting her fingers brush along the small of his back, under his amour where his one weak spot was, sending shivers throughout his entire body. Then, she jogged off to find the other counselors to discuss a battle strategy. "Clarisse!" she called and waved to the big girl with red-brown hair.
Percy was team captain, but all that meant was that he gave the main orders. Annabeth and Clarisse would lead the battle strategy since their godly parents were both war gods. Apollo would lead defense, no doubt; he, Annabeth and Clarisse would probably do the charging in on offence; the random and new kids would be scattered throughout the forest. Aphrodite girls hated Artemis' Hunters, so they would probably volunteer to go in on offense, which Percy was sure would hurt more than it would help, but if Aphrodite kids were even wanting to fight, he wanted to let them.
"Here's what we're going to do," Clarisse said in her rough voice, "Appollo cabin, you're going to be on defense. Artemis has got some pretty good archers, so make sure you're on the lookout because we know they'll be looking to shoot you out of the trees. Try to take out as many as you can." She continued giving orders to the other cabins. Until Chiron blew the conch horn, signaling them to start.
Everyone ran to his or her assigned places and Percy along with Annabeth and Clarisse took point running for the Hunters' flag.
Annabeth ran alongside him, her blonde hair whipping out behind her. Even in her bronze armor she looked incredible. Some brilliant armor smith had thought to make bronze armor so that it fit tightly to the body, that meant that her breastplate swelled at her chest and fit snuggly around her middle, protecting from stray weapons sneaking in where it may have been loose fitting.
The sun sparkled off her newly polished armor and dagger strapped to her jean shorts. Quick as a whip she put her New York Yankees cap on, stringing her ponytail through the loop at the back and disappeared.
Clarisse ran off to the left, attempting to take out the opposition and just as he arrived at the river, summoning a huge wave to carry him across while adding speed, a lightning bolt shot out of the clear blue sky, frying his wave, sending him sprawling across the ground, his clothes singed.
"Thalia!" he screamed, moving his hands like he was holding a basketball between them, he lifted a huge ball of water out of the river and released it right on top of Thalia's head.
"Damn it, Seaweed Brain!" She stood, drenched, her usually spikey hair dripping around her face and her thick eyeliner melting down her cheeks.
"No, no, no," Chiron clopped between the two holding his hands up in a placating gesture that was clearly meant to stop them. "We are not doing this again."
"Ah!" Thalia screamed as a second and third bolt of lightning flashed out of the sky, hitting Percy's armor, the electricity—combined with the wetness of his clothes—conducted and sent sparks flying all across his body. He felt one reach it's mark, right there, on the small of his back.
He saw Phoebe running through the woods holding an orange flag just before he passed out.
