Hello. I think you've read enough to know I'm not Rick Riordan.
Has anyone else seen the new Percy Jackson graphic novel? I love it!
When Luke is helping Percy figure out who he is, they look in the mirror, thinking that Percy might be the son of Aphrodite
and Luke shakes his head and says, "No. Not with that face." I totally died laughing. So, anyway,

E n j o y. : )

Chimera poison. Heavy stuff.

I cracked an eye open and shifted around, uncomfortable with the mattress. Early morning sunlight had filled the room and I hated waking up early, but after unsuccessful attempts to fall asleep again, I sat up quickly. I rubbed my stomach. I had that kind of hurt you get from doing to many sit-ups or something. I looked around the cream-painted room. Next to the giant bed I was in, was another just like it, with a bedside table in-between.

The carpets were a funky pattern that made me dizzy. Two feet away was a huge window, covered by heavy blinds that failed to block out any light. A t.v. was turned up all the way on the other side of the room, which was separated by a half wall. Wooden drawers lined half the wall and a round mirror hung above it. My reflection had messy hair, which I thanked the gods for. Having not messy hair was a little wierd.

I didn't even remember checking into a hotel. Did I even leave the desert? Was this all some crazy dream? Then Apollo walked in with two coffee cups in his had. Never mind. It's not a dream. He set down the card key to the room and one of the cups. "I see you're awake." He smiled. "Brought you some Starbucks."

He handed me a cup, then went back for the other. "How'd you..." Then I remembered. "Oracle. Duh."

The sun god smiled. He was obviously happy about something. "Go on, drink up. It's a kids hot chocolate," He encouraged. "It's not that hot."

I took a sip as I blinked sleep away. "Why'd you get me kids hot chocolate... during the summer?"

"Because I didn't want you to stunt your growth by drinking caffeine."

"But I'm 5"4."

"Yes. That's the height of a middle school boy, so no caffeine for you." He nodded his head defiantly.

I rolled my eyes as set the cup down. I appreciated the gesture, even if he was just joking around. Apollo wasn't that bad, was he? Or was it just me? I didn't hate him; No one could really hate him, he was just annoying which made me think I hated him(if that made any sense at all). Ignoring the pain best I could, I flipped onto my stomach, propping myself up with my elbows.

"What happened to me exactly?" I didn't remember anything past the 'charging after the monster' bit.

Apollo pursed his lips and was about to say something when Sterling materialized next to me and said, "Can I tell her?"

"How'd you-"

"I can teleport now. One of the very many skills Apollo helped me with while you were out." She said matter-of-factly. "So, can I tell her?"

"Go ahead, but you should be a bit gentle." He warned.

She looked at me very seriously and said, " You were bitten by the Chimera tail." She smiled. "Then you collapsed, most likely from the heat and poison, and have been out for three days."

"You call that gentle?" I asked, horrified. She nodded, then teleported back to the couch to continue her t.v. watching. I looked to Apollo for help. " Are you flipping serious! I've been out for three days!" I held up three fingers.

" Chimera poison is heavy stuff. It's not easy to recover from." He explained. "Since you refused my healing abilities when you were conscious, I decided to heal you while you were... asleep." He chose his words carefully.

I opened my mouth to curse at him, but he put his hand over my mouth. " I was doing it to help. Be happy your Nemean Lion bruises are gone too."

I ripped his hand off and glared. "The ones under my shirt?" I hissed.

" And now you have a lovely scar on your forearm. Plus, I had good intentions. And at least I didn't have to kiss you to wake you up, Sleeping beauty." The sun god sat next the me on the bed before I punch him in arm. He rubbed it and said, "I liked you better when you were unconscious."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't know whether to thank him or slap him across the face. "Why don't you just tell me what happened before I get the urge to slap you again."

"Okay. Calm down, calm down." He took in a deep breath and began.

THREE DAYS AGO
(APOLLO POV)

Calixte headed off to battle, despite my protests of her being sick, and then threw the milkshake at the monster to gain some attention. Man, she was stubborn. One of the very many qualities that made her a fierce fighter. Sterling went straight for the head, like a had suggested, and jabbed at the mouth like the Nemean Lion. Shane tried to sever the tail, like Sterling had suggested. Slowly severing the body would cause it to go into a rampage.

I looked to my beautiful sun chariot. I could take it and escape with the kids, but then again... while it's still alive, it'll relentlessly pursue it's target. I needed a new plan.

" Shane you idiot! I told you the tail!" Sterling screamed. "THE TAIL, DAMNNIT."

"I thought I got the tail!" He replied.

She stomped up to him and looked at him eye to eye. " Yeah, because the goat totally looks like a snake." She snapped her head toward the Chimera. "Look! Now it's trying to kill Calixte! What's wrong with you?"

"I feel like I'm going to hurl."

"Well suck it up!"

I summoned a lawn chair and then another milkshake. I probably looked like a total ass not doing anything, but what was I supposed to do? Disobey my father (even though I have before)? At least he said if one of them collapses( as in dies, faints, etc.) I can step in, but only if it's direly needed. Anyway, the Chimera kicked sand up everywhere while chasing Shane. Calixte tried desperately to slice off the snake, the real threat, cursing at it in all languages she knew.

"You're doing good, Callie!" I encouraged. "SHUT UP! I'M STILL MAD AT YOU!" She screamed, then she stopped, holding her head(most likely from some headache), cutting Sterling off, causing her to crash into the sand. Suddenly, Callie's eyes lit up, the way it had when the Nemean Lion attacked. She was about to do something insane and unexpected and it wouldn't end so well.

"What the-"

"Shane! Keep it distracted!" Callie commanded. Shane held a thumbs up for and okay, but he was feeling much more ill that Calixte. "Sterling, put on my shoes. You know what to yell." She whispered the rest of her plan and shoved her sneakers, that were once boots, into the daughter of Aphrodite's hands.

" Maia!" Sterling was off. She swooped in front of the lion and hooked Shane, complaining about how heavy he was for an anorexic. To which he argued that he wasn't and the two went off into a huge argument about it. After having nothing to try to eat on the ground, it headed for the demigod on the ground.

I knew her. She was hardly ever as serious-looking as she did then. The trained daughter of Nike, neatly dodged the lions head and cleanly slice off the tail with a smile. The Chimera skidded and snapped it's last head toward her, growling and bearing it's teeth. Maybe Callie didn't notice it, but the snake was still alive and heading toward Shane, who was just catching his breath.

She was busy trying to strangle the crap out of it, but even Chimera knew that she didn't have enough arm strength. All I could really think about was the fact that her clothes were becoming blood soaked and she didn't have any shoes on. While that was going on, about fifteen feet to the left, Sterling had picked up the snake and was twirling it over her head lasso style, ready to throw.

Without warning, it left her hands and was heading right to the monster. Most likely following Calixte's orders, she was supposed to poison it with it's own tail. I had to admit. That was smart... except when the fangs of the snake dug themselves into... the daughter of Nike's lower back. She blinked, then went limp and collapsed into the sand. The final head turned toward the two left standing. Of course it wouldn't eat Callie, it wanted to kill.

Sterling looked over to me and shouted, " One of us is down, now. I think you can help."

I would've gone to the rescue, being the smooth person I am, but Shane, still looking ill, went head in with Sterling's lance and stabbed the monster straight through the neck. It fell over and then some mysterious wind blew away the golden dust.

She looked over again and waved her hand dissuasively. "Nevermind."

PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!
So, that ill one killed the strong. Calixte was to busy dying to do anything else, really. Thank the gods that Apollo cared enough to cure her even though she was being a total bitch three days earlier. Yay!