Piper had been about half way through a cup of tea that Lulu Revira had given her when she started nodding off. The plan had been to stay up and build a rapport with their hosts. Elena noted Piper's tiredness and sent her straight to bed. She and Annabeth and Hazel were to share Elsa's room and Elsa would sleep with Kyrie. Leo and Jason would sleep in James' room and Percy and Frank would be in Harrison's room.

Piper examined Elsa's room for a moment before crawling into one of the bedrolls on the floor. For such a young girl Elsa seemed to have some advanced interests. There was a copy of Grey's Anatomy open on the desk, a human skeleton in the corner that almost scared her half to death. There were diagrams of body parts on the walls, a poster of brain cells, assuming the label was correct, and some stuffed animals hanging on the wall. She examined the tags still on the stuffed animals and found out that they were in fact plushy versions of disease cells. She was amused to find that the plush version of mono was pink and had big, long eyelashes. It was more like the bedroom of a medical student with a liking for stuffed animals rather than a fourteen-year-old girl.

Still, when Piper laid down, she fell asleep swiftly to the sound of her new housemates singing an unfamiliar song in one voice below her. It wasn't a bad sound at all.

When she woke up Annabeth and Hazel were already getting dressed and ready for the day. Hazel told her that they had decided to let Piper sleep in a bit.

When they arrived in the kitchen they were surprised to find everyone in high spirits, which was strange since one of their numbers was to go through the Trials by Pain today. Even Kyrie seemed to be in a better mood, declaring that in the event she died James had right to her ship while they ate waffles that Elena had provided.

Percy opened his mouth to ask a question, probably about the Trials by Pain, when Lulu announced that it was time for them to go.

Leo was the first on his feet and at her side. It was kind of funny to see him like this. He didn't seem like the type to get star struck, yet here he was. Piper assumed it was because she was a reminder of his mom or something like that.

She looked at Percy and shrugged, noting his disappointed look. They followed, Piper taking Jason's hand before they left, and she gave Elena a smile as they passed her on the way out. Elena smiled back and took up the rear of the train.

They weren't the only ones heading into the forest. Piper was worried they were going back to the seer's cave, but they went to a different path.

The air was rippling with excitement as campers chattered amongst themselves. Some of them were even placing bets! She was taken aback that they would be so aloof, even cheery, about their friends having to do something involving pain. Some campers ran past and wished Kyrie luck. One of them even shouted, "Kick Bane's ass, Kyrie!" Kyrie, in turn, yelled, "Bane's not who I'm worried about!"

It all seemed to be in good fun!

Harrison was annoying Elsa again, who had her nose in a book before he took it away from her and told her that learning about cancer cells wasn't as important as the Trials by Pain. With as much as he teased her Piper could have sworn that he had a crush on her. Once that thought entered her head she couldn't stop thinking about her younger half siblings in the Aphrodite cabin squealing 'OTP!' and working on a 'ship name' for them. Helsa or Elrison, probably. More likely Helsa. Some of her siblings fondly referred to her and Jason and Jasper. Annabeth and Percy were Percabeth, Frank and Hazel were Frazel, and Leo and Calypso had been Caleo.

That thought made her wince. She looked for Leo and found him picking Lulu's brain. He seemed less star struck by her now, more fascinated. She wished she knew what they were talking about, but Piper's Spanish sucked. She was glad he had a distraction, at least. If he didn't want to talk about it she wouldn't make him.

"Is that the Trials by Pain?" she heard Percy ask from in front of her.

"That's it," Elsa answered. She had seized her book back and was hugging it protectively against her as she walked. She had placed herself between Piper and Frank, probably wanting to get away from Harrison. Piper didn't blame her or mind. Elsa seemed like a sweet girl…when you weren't trying to steal her weapons or books.

Jason readjusted his glasses on his nose and looked at the series of structures in front of them. "It looks kind of like American Ninja Warrior."

Elsa chuckled and bent forward and crane her neck to get a better look at him. "Well duh. Where do you think they got the idea?"

Jason glanced at Piper and they shrugged at each other. Still, Jason's description was pretty spot on. It look like American Ninja Warrior, but vamped up. There were rope swings and climbing walls and balance beams and complicated variations of monkey bars and a lot of other stuff Piper couldn't even wrap her brain around. Unlike American Ninja Warrior there were occasionally plumes of fire jetting out from the climbing walls. Not that hat was too unnerving, it was like the climbing wall at camp. Other obstacles shifted, changing from solid floor into holes that opened up to a pool of water below. There was also a pen filled with what looked like hellhounds. They were about the same size as Percy's enormous dog, but they looked more vicious. They looked like hungry giant wolves and Piper was a bit uncomfortable, wary about what their purpose might be.

Erik was already in place in a commentator's booth next to an older man who looked very similar to Erik. If Piper didn't know any better she would have guessed that was Erik's dad. He looked more comfortable in his place than Erik did and his smile was a bit smug.

They were following James, who had claimed to have snagged excellent seats when the man from the booth was suddenly in front of them. In surprise, Piper jumped and seized Jason's arm. Elsa ducked behind Piper and peeked out from behind her. She could see Annabeth and Percy reach for their swords, but they didn't draw them. Upon closer inspection, the man looked…exactly like Tom Huddleston from The Avengers. Piper only knew because some of her siblings had posters of him as Loki. Not that this guy was Loki…was he?

"Oh, be calm, my friends," the man said, raising his hands to show that he meant them to ill will. "I only wanted to greet you myself. After all, what kind of a host would I be if I didn't welcome newcomers as unique as yourselves? I might be a bit late, but my presence was…last minute."

Piper blinked at the man and glanced at her friends, all of them looking as confused as she was. "Um…thank you for your hospitality," Piper said for her friends.

The man swept his arms out and lowered his head in a bow, "The pleasure is mine, Child of Aphrodite."

"Loki!"

The voice belonged to Kyrie, and she looked furious as she marched the distance between them.

"Loki?" Percy repeated nervously.

Loki didn't seem at all fazed by Kyrie's temper. He looked at Percy, smiling charmingly. "Indeed. I've grown fond of this particular form since that…absurd film, Thor came out. Still, I must put credit where it's due. Plus, this fellow is rather handsome, don't you agree?"

Before anyone could answer Kyrie arrived, flanked by James, who tried to hold her back. Kyrie ripped her arm out of her friend's hold before facing the god.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite," Loki said, reaching out and pinching Kyrie's cheek playfully. "Just who I wanted to talk to."

Kyrie glared and pulled her face away from his fingers. "If you wanted to talk to me why would you approach them?"

Loki smiled at her and clasped his hands behind his back, "Why, to get your attention, of course." Kyrie bristled at this and Loki chuckled. "You're always so protective of newcomers." Loki glanced at Piper and her friends. "The outsiders. You know they all have a place…but not you. You know you're the only demigod I've met whose father is so…indifferent."

"Did you need something?" Kyrie cut him off, probably not eager to hear about her father, which was understandable where he had gone so long without claiming her.

Loki sighed, "Always so to the point…that is one reason I like you." Piper noticed Kyrie's jaw clench in a disgusted fashion, but if Loki noticed he made no sign of it. The god continued, "As I said, you're my favorite competing today. I would usually grant favor to one of my own, but as the seer said, none of my children are destined to go on this quest. I wanted to extend you a wish of luck."

"Thanks," Kyrie replied, her voice short and ungrateful.

"I would appreciate a token in return," Loki said, leaning towards her, still smiling.

Kyrie seemed to understand. She started rummaging through her pockets. She pulled out an iPod and the headphones that the dwarf had given her. She came up with nothing else. She felt at her belt and found an axe and a sword, but Piper had a feeling Kyrie wouldn't willingly part with any of these things. Kyrie shoved the iPod back in her pocket and there was a bit of a chorus of surprise when Kyrie peeled off her green Camp Midgard shirt. Frank made a show of covering his face with his hands. Jason casually looked away. Hazel said 'Oh good heavens' and started fanning herself with her hands, her cheeks burning from second hand embarrassment. Leo, trying to avert his eyes, got to work tinkering with something from his toolbelt. Percy and Annabeth exchanged concerned looks. Piper was the only one who didn't look away as Kyrie held out the shirt to the god. He took it gingerly and Piper couldn't keep the disgust off her face when he brought the fabric up to his face and inhaled it deeply. Before leaving the god leaned in close to her and said, "Good luck little girl." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he left.

"Well he seems…" Annabeth began awkwardly.

"Like an arrogant, egotistical, passive aggressive fuck." Kyrie finished, glaring up at the booth where Loki now sat next to Erik, who looked furious and uncomfortable next to his father.

Hazel gasped at the curse like she had just been burned. Lulu chided Kyrie in rushed Spanish and her granddaughter just glared at her grandma. Piper was surprised when Kyrie didn't say another word. She just shed took off her belt with her weapons on it and handed it to James before taking off her shorts and handing them over. She was now wearing just her converse sneakers, black spanks, and a pink and white sports bra. It was a little surprising. Piper hadn't pegged Kyrie as the type who liked pink, but it didn't really matter. She gathered her hair up into a ponytail and started to leave when Hazel wished her luck. Kyrie thanked her and left without another word.

James led them to the bleachers where he had found seats. Harrison and Elsa were already there, Elsa tucked into her book as Harrison badgered her with questions. Shortly after they were seated they heard Loki's disembodied voice.

"Hello friends. I'm Loki, and I'll be the commentator of today's Trials by Pain!" There was some scattered applause and some cheers. It was like the crowd was uncertain of the narrator of the trails of the day. "Now, you all know the stakes! The winner of today's trials will be leading five other demigods in a quest to the ancient lands with our new guests! Now, our competitors today are Bane MacMillan, Son of Thor, Frieda Hawthorn, daughter of Freya, Holden Mars, son of Ullr, Sara Hart, Daughter of Tyr, Mark Jensen, son of Hlin, and Valkyrie Evans, unclaimed." There were cheers for all the competitors, even Kyrie. Apparently not everyone in the camp disliked her like Erik did. After the cheers bated Loki shouted, "Let the trials begin!"

Bane was first, and when Piper saw him she thought that Kyrie had been stupid to say she wasn't worried about him as a competitor. He was huge. If he stood next to Jason, he would probably dwarf him easily. That was at first, though. He made it past the stepping stones, but when he got to the propeller, an obstacle that looked like a helicopter blade that spun when it was jumped on, he lost his grip and splashed into the water below. When he came back up he was livid. He crawled out of the water and stormed away from the course. Frieda hadn't been much better. She looked like a Barbie doll with blond thick hair and big blue eyes and she was covered head to toe in pink. Her shorts were pink, her sneakers were pink, her shirt was pink. She didn't even make it past the stepping stones, as one of them shifted too far away. She fell into the water and came back up sulking, her lower lip quivering like she was about to cry.

Holden had been better, but he still didn't make it to the end. He almost did too, and he would have if it wasn't for the warped wall. He had almost gotten over the top, but he had not paced himself and over shot it. He clung to the wall with all his strength, but his momentum tugged him back and he fell. He cussed, but unlike Bane, he took his failure with dignity and didn't storm off like a child. Sara was up next. She passed all the trials. The pen of wolves seemed to be there as a test of bravery and she met it brilliantly. The wolves growled at her and she roared back at them so loudly that the beasts backed away, ears down, long enough for her to run past them unscathed. She only had something called the spider climb left where she scaled two walls placed near each other with only her hands and feet. She stumbled once or twice, but she was still the first to reach the top. Piper and her friends cheered for her and Sara pumped her fist in the air a few times. Piper was incredibly impressed. Metal leg or no, nothing slowed Sara down. On a wooden board behind her Sara's time etched itself into the wood as Loki congratulated her on her time of two minutes and thirty-one seconds.

The only ones left now were Mark and Kyrie. Mark was a tall and gangly boy with red hair and freckles. He looked nervous, but determined all at once. When he was given the queue to start he did something no one expected. He stepped forward and simply jumped in the water.

"Well I'll be damned…Mark has forfeited his chance at the quest," Loki said over the invisible magic speakers.

Piper looked at Elsa, whose mouth was gaping at the sight. She'd set her book aside for the Trials and was fully invested in them. "Does that not happen usually.

Elsa shook her head and looked up at Piper. "No. Nobody's ever forfeited the Trials by Pain before," the younger girl answered. "Mark is usually really level-headed. He's a really good captain. I never imagined he would actually give up a chance at a quest. Especially one like this."

"So, that leaves it down to Sara or Kyrie now," Piper said.

Elsa nodded, "Yeah. It's anyone's guess who'll have the faster time."

"Those two were always the favorites from the start though," James said as they watched Mark get out of the water and towel himself off.

Kyrie was next. She adjusted her hair into a tighter knot on the top of her hair before the whistle to begin rang. She almost lost her grip on the propeller and had to go around a second time to grab the rope swing on the other end, but she made up her missed time on the rock wall. A plume of fire shot at her and she held firmly to the wall until the flames died and she continued, unbothered by the lines of smoke left on her skin from the close contact. She didn't scale the warped wall in one go like Sara had, but on her second try she used the momentum to her advantage and reached the top. Next came the wolves, which Loki referred to as 'Fenrir's Pups'. Unlike Sara, who had screamed at them, Kyrie entered the pen with her head held high. One of the wolves snarled at her, but she reached out and scratched its chin in the perfect spot. The wolf froze and fell onto his back, his tongue out and his tail wagging. The others eyed her in awe and others posed like they were ready to play. She scratched some of their ears as she moved past them and they howled sadly as she left them and she howled back, which only made the wolves whine more. Then came the spider wall. She scaled it with more confidence than Sara had and didn't falter. She rolled onto the platform where Sara was still waiting, and she slammed her palm into the buzzer at the end.

"TWO MINUTES AND NINETEEN SECONDS!" Loki's voice bellowed through the arena. A roar of cheers drowned out the god's voice and Sara hugged Kyrie in congratulations. All the unclaimed were on their feet, jumping and screaming for their captain.

Kyrie want panting and grinning and Piper found herself clapping along with the others. She was glad that Kyrie was going to be leading rather than Sara. Sure, they'd buried the hatchet with Sara and Piper was sure they'd be good friends, but Kyrie was still the better choice when it came to being a leader.

Everything seemed to be fine until Kyrie doubled in on herself. The fist she had been raising in the air in a sign of pride and victory came down near her face and she stared at her wrist, wincing, and trying to keep pain off her face.

The crowd silenced, leaving behind an eerie thick quiet.

Elsa's hands raised to her face and she covered her mouth, looking sad and awed. "She's being claimed."

Piper glanced at her friends, who were just as confused at her, before she looked back at the platform where Kyrie and Sara stood. Sara had a cautious hand on Kyrie's shoulder, but the smaller girl collapsed onto the ground, clutching her wrist into her chest. The silence was pierced by a guttural and agonized scream that came from the girl's mouth.

"Someone get a healer!" Sara shouted as she dropped onto her metal knee and tried in vain to do something to sooth her friend.

"Elsa, go!" Harrison snapped, leaning over Piper to shake the younger girl into her senses. "With all the crap you read about doctors and stuff you're as good as a healer."

Elsa looked surprised, probably because Harrison was actually being sort of nice to her. She nodded, a new resolve on her face. She held her book out to Piper. "Would you put this back in my room if you're back home before I am?"

Piper nodded and took the book, "Of course."

Elsa smiled, "Thanks," she said briefly before heading for the platform with a couple of other campers.

"Does being claimed always hurt?" Jason asked as he ran his hand over Camp Jupiter tattoo.

Harrison shook his head, "From what I've heard it smarts a bit, but not like that."

"What can we do?" Annabeth asked, staring up at Kyrie who was now weeping. It was quite a shift from the strong and kind of rude girl they had come acquainted with.

Everyone exchanged glances. Leo was staring up at Kyrie, looking uncomfortable with the sight. Hazel seemed most concerned of the seven, but she was also closest to Kyrie…Piper still wasn't sure how that happened, but it was plain to see that they had formed a friendship. Frank held Hazel's hand, sensing her sadness and discomfort at her friend's pain. Percy and Annabeth looked totally freaked out, which was understandable.

Elena was the first to stand, looking like she fought the urge to cry. "All we can do is hope she's all right."

Piper frowned and looked up at the platform. Prophecy had declared that Kyrie was going to be the one to lead the Vikings on the quest alongside the Greeks and Romans. How could she do that if she was incapacitated? Prospects seemed bleak. Still, she followed Elena's advice and hoped for the best.

*insert dramatic noises here* Okay, well…those were the Trials by Pain…I did not binge watch American Ninja Warrior before writing this. I'm lying, I totally did. Also this is my longest chapter in this bad boy so far. Way to go me on upping the word count like a boss, for your pleasure. Anyway, that's….it. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to follow and review if you liked it or had questions or anything. Much love, byyyyye!