Dedicated to jahfreenalam and bookwormgirl2497, my only two reviewers! XD To be fair, I hadn't updated in awhile, and I didn't give a lot of time for reviewing. But I felt bad, so here's another chapter! Back to writing fight scenes… -sigh-

OH! And some people were wondering who Gaz, Nudge, and Angel were. I kidnapped them to be my fictional minions. They talk, eat my food, and basically inspire me in my writing. They are all characters in the Flock in the Maximum Ride series.

Angel: hi! –waves at readers-

So yeah. On with the chapter! =D

Percy's POV

I groaned as I turned over on my side, wondering why the mattress was so hard. My face collided with something squishy as I rolled, and I sat bolt upright, gasping and ready to fight. I looked down to see what I had rolled onto and-

It was a piece of half-eaten pineapple pizza.

I groaned again, picking up the pizza slice and tossing it away. I realized why my mattress was so hard then, looking around at my surroundings. It was because I wasn't on my mattress, I was lying on a thin mat on the ground. That made sense.

It all flooded back to me then. Eros shooting Annabeth, the quest to Corinthos, battling Frio and Trest. I had thought it had been nothing but a bad dream. Apparently not.

Dammit.

I rolled to my feet, ambling over to the magic food table to see what was laid out. The sun was peaking in the sky, and I could imagine Apollo grumbling as he drove his chariot in the same route for the billionth time. I was the only one awake in the camp; all the monsters were asleep. Trest was snoring off to the side, his back turned towards the monsters. They had all been mad at him when they figured out what he had done to all the heroes over the years, and he had been banned from the luau last night. Consequently, Trest was in a bad mood, and none of the others would speak to him. KaRino was curled up in a ball on her mat, her tentacles waving as her cat legs twitched in her sleep. It was cute, in a creepy, monster sort of way.

I turned back towards the table, grabbing a plate and beginning to load it down with the same food that had appeared yesterday. I needed my strength back today especially. I had spent a lot of energy yesterday summoning the ocean from so far inland, driving it with such force and for so long that it drowned Trest where he stood. I grimaced at the thought, piling more bacon onto my plate. Trest had deserved his little swim, and I shouldn't regret it. He had killed far too many heroes over the years through trickery for me to feel bad about killing him once. But I was still drained from using my power so heavily, and KaRino was a strong fighter. She was fast, with her feline agility, and the tentacles sprouting around her waist and legs were strong. I had witnessed her kill Trest yesterday just using her speed and one clawed paw. I was not going to take her on lightly.

With this thought in mind, I went back and piled more waffles on my plate. I would need the energy, I realized, biting into a ripe pear. I sat down at the picnic table, setting my plate in front of me, and lifted a forkful of waffle to my mouth. Mmm… Delicious.

One of the monsters stirred, standing and rubbing the sleep from their eyes. "Hi Ruli," I greeted the monster through a mouthful of bacony goodness. Ruli nodded, quirking an ear at me before grabbing a plate to load up with food. Ruli was, like all of the other monsters on Corinthos, a mix between two mortal animals. Ruliliante was an elephant-crocodile combo, with large, floppy gray ears, slitted yellow eyes, a long, scaly tail, and skin that was a patchy mess of gray and green. Ruli's crocodile snout was longer than normal, thanks to the elephant part of her, and it turned gray towards the tip. I watched her mouth open in anticipation as she piled more and more bacon onto her plate. Her gums were lined with four rows of extra, razor-sharp teeth. I gave an involuntary shudder as I watched her run her grayish tongue over the last row, and Ruli turned her crocodilian gaze towards me, and I busied myself with my fruit salad. Finally, she finished packing her plate and lumbered over to the picnic table. Ruli sat on the other side, immediately digging into her food. She didn't bother to make conversation, but we sat in a somewhat companionable silence. I understood her wish to eat, and was grateful I didn't have to stop my own breakfast to make small talk.

One by one, the monsters woke up, made their way to the breakfast line, and sat down to eat. Frio and KaRino flanked me at the table, both of them keeping a sharp watch on Trest. The snake-lion kept his eyes on his food, and ate silently at his end of the table. I was glad that I had some protection, just in case I needed it. Frio and KaRino were good friends, even if they were monsters.

Too bad I had to mar our friendship with killing them. Thankfully, Frio didn't seem to mind at all. I hoped KaRino would be as compliant. That is, if I managed to kill her. I was beginning to feel pessimistic after watching her move so quickly with her claws yesterday. Was getting this water really worth risking my life four more times?

Yes, it was! I snapped myself out of my doubtful haze, glaring at the last waffle on my plate. Annabeth was worth it, I just knew. She was worth it. I didn't care if I had to fight all of the monsters at once. I would get the stupid water and maker her stop hating me. I don't think I could take it if she never realized her real feelings about me again. I was almost sure that- that-

I thought that I might just love Annabeth. I would get the water and cure her. Then, I would make sure she knew how I really felt.

Then, I'd go after Eros. God or not, he would get a taste of Perseus Jackson.

"I'm going to the pool again," I muttered, sliding out from between Frio and KaRino. Frio nodded, and KaRino simply kept watching Trest. The only acknowledgement of my words I got out of her was a flick of her cat tail. "I'll be back in awhile to fight you, KaRino."

That got her attention. She smiled sadly, her feline face looking strange in the expression. "I look forward to our battle, Perseus," she replied, her tentacles lashing furiously through the air. I nodded in reply, then turned to go take a dip in the pool. I needed to see Annabeth again, even if she hated me. I just needed to look at her.

I jogged through the forest, taking care not to slip on the slick sandy patches. Soon, I was half-submerged in the cool water of the pool again, staring at the mist made by the waterfall. I had a few more drachmas from the supply Frio had given me, and I pulled one of them from my pocket. Taking a moment to gather my courage, I took a deep breath. I closed my eyes, and tossed the drachma into the mist. "Annabeth Chase, Camp Halfblood, New York," I requested, my voice cracking as I said her name. The mist wavered, then immediately came to a picture of Annabeth. She was fighting Clarisse in the arena at camp. Clarisse was using her sword, and there was fierce anger in her eyes, but Annabeth only had her dagger in hand. That wasn't very fair, I mused. I watched them fight for a moment, choosing not to say anything. Annabeth didn't notice me, floating in the Iris Message, but I was sure I saw Clarisse's eyes flicker towards me once. Clarisse knew I was there, but she chose not to say anything. Instead, she continued to battle Annabeth. They were equally matched in skill, but Clarisse had an obvious advantage with her sword. The blade in her hand was easily two feet longer than Annabeth's dagger, but Annabeth either didn't notice, or didn't care. I rolled my eyes, wondering what got her into such a tizzy. Perhaps Travis had done something to anger her, since he was her little crush. After a few more minutes of watching Annabeth whirl around with Clarisse, her beautiful gray eyes flashing, and her curls whipping around her head, the IM began to dissolve. "Bye Annabeth," I told her, watching her sadly through the disappearing picture. She whirled around, startled by my voice, and stared at the IM.

"Percy?" she asked, confused. Clarisse didn't move to strike, instead standing and watching our little scene. The anger in her eyes had died down a little, but she didn't say a word.

"I miss you," I added, smiling sadly at her. Annabeth's eyes flashed, but she didn't say anything else. Instead, she simply watched as the IM dissolved, leaving me staring at a curtain of mist. I backpedaled through the water, not looking away from the waterfall until I hit the shore. Then, I turned around and walked away without a second glance.

I was reassured. Annabeth was worth fighting for.

… … … … … … …. …. … … … … … .. … .. …. … …

"Are you ready, Perseus?" KaRino hissed in her feline voice. It was two thirty that afternoon, and I felt almost fully rejuvenated from my power splurge yesterday.

"Yes," I replied, holding Riptide at the ready. Without another word, KaRino sprang at me, hissing wildly. I saw the look in her eyes for a second; she was no longer the friendly monster that had killed Trest for me yesterday. KaRino was deadly serious, ready to win this battle. I didn't have anymore time to think though, because she was on me in a flash.

KaRino swiped at me with her claws, and I deflected them with Riptide. There was a sound of metal on metal as the weapons clanged, and I grimaced. Of course her claws had to be metal. Of course. They were probably special celestial bronze claws, too, if they killed Trest. Maybe they're poison-tipped, also, a sarcastic part of me suggested. Ooh, and they shoot fire when she's angry.

I think the stupidest things under pressure. Must be the ADHD part of me.

KaRino gave me no more time to think after that. I spent all my time deflecting her metal claws, and dodging the tentacles that kept flowing towards me. Taking a chance, I ignored her claws for a moment and slashed off four of the tentacles. KaRino hissed in rage and pain, momentarily stopping her deluge of swipes with those deadly claws. I took the opportunity to slash off the other four, mentally wincing as they writhed on the ground like cut-off snakes. KaRino was howling in pain now, but she refused to stop fighting. Instead, she resumed the onslaught of claw-swipes, managing to bat me off my feet with one immensely strong paw. I flew backwards and landed on the ground with a thump. Riptide clattered out of my hand beside me, and I frantically reached for it. KaRino leaped over to where I sat, landing with two paws on top of my sword. She hissed evilly as she reached to swipe her claws over my throat. I had to think fast if I didn't want to die with a cut to the jugular.

KaRino was too heavy to move off my sword by myself, so instead of trying to pull it free, I let my body go on autopilot. Somehow, I managed to catch KaRino's paw before her claws hit my throat. Her slitted green eyes widened in surprise, and she tried to yank her paw out of my grasp. Instead, I forced her claws down across her other wrist, slicing through her entire left paw. Blood welled from the stump of her arm as the paw fell to the ground. The claws didn't retract back into the severed paw, giving me a weapon.

Huh. My body thinks well when I let it do its own thing.

I quickly grabbed the paw off the ground while KaRino stared at her arm stump, momentarily shocked. "Sorry KaRino," I muttered, taking her surprise as a weapon against her. I jumped up, slashing her severed paw across her throat, just like she had planned to do to me.

I was right. The claws were celestial bronze, because with a surprised gurgle, Karino sank to the ground and died at my feet. I stood over her, gasping for breath. My adrenaline rush was gone, and now I felt bad. I had cut KaRino to pieces, then killed her with her own claws. Looking over the mess of severed tentacles, and the bloody paw in my hand, I felt my stomach start to protest. Dropping the paw, I raced to the side of the clearing and rid myself of my light lunch. Soon, a rough paw was tapping my back, claws thankfully retracted, and I looked up to see Frio standing over me. "Well fought, young hero," he said gently. "Although we could have done without the finale," he added, gesturing to the vomit in the bushes. I grimaced at him, wiping my mouth.

"Gee, thanks," I muttered, turning back to the battle scene. KaRino lay limply on the ground, and her severed tentacles had thankfully stopped squirming around. Trest regretfully picked each tentacle up, dropping them into a bag before placing the bag in the magic dishwasher/garbage can.

"That was clever," a familiar voice purred behind me. I whirled around to see KaRino reclining on a low tree branch on the edge of the clearing. "Using my own appendage to kill me. Ingenious."

"Thanks, KaRino," I murmured, thankful to see her regenerated again so soon. "Sorry about that."

"No grudges will be held," she assured me, leaping down from the branch and landing lightly on her feet in a very catlike way. "That was some excellent fighting. But I think I scratched you."

Touching my face, I realized that KaRino had scratched me. Several times, apparently. I winced as my fingers came in contact with several bloody lines crisscrossing over my skin. I saw that my hands were covered in blood, too, from numerous scratches across them. I hadn't won without injury, like the last two fights, but at least I did win. KaRino was an amazing fighter.

I suddenly felt very drained. "I'm kinda, tired," I yawned, stumbling towards the mat where I slept. "Kinda… tired," I repeated, falling on the mat. KaRino and Frio exchanged an amused look.

"Why don't you sleep, young hero?" Frio suggested. I nodded, pulling the blanket over me. I was already half-asleep.

"Sleep well, young hero," Ruli murmured. I could see her crocodilian tail swish by my face, but I was too tired to be startled. I closed my eyes. The mat wasn't so hard anymore. In fact, it was deliciously comfortable.

The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was KaRino's contented purr.

Double update! Aren't I amazing? I updated so much this week! **happy dance** I guess spraining my ankle gets my writing juices flowing… XD

Sooo… As always, review please! Did you like how Percy offed KaRino? XD

~TMI~