Learning

NOAH

I was laughing my ass off as the girls attempted learning their godly powers. Percy got a wave of water and tried to get Kaden to control it but as soon as he stopped, water crashed down on both of them. Jason was teaching Anna how to fly. She was a natural at controlling the wind, she thinks that might be what helped her in dance. She, however, sucked at controlling lightning. Jason made an 'X' in the sand, hoping Anna would hit it. He ended up getting shocked with the lightning.

I couldn't stop laughing. I was laughing so hard my sides were hurting. Both girls glared at Mike and me. Mike was doubled over, coughing, with tears in his eyes. Blair glared at us.

"Stop laughing, now." She says. I immediately stop. I want to listen to her, I want to do what she says. Mike had stopped as well. Blair smiles.

"Way to go! She has the charmspeak down." Blair's older, and only brother, Reed, says. Reed has sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. He looks over at Anna. She's angry that she can't get the lightning control down. He smiles at her. I immediately don't like it.

"Anna, breathe." He says, walking to her and touching her shoulder. I glare at him. Anna calms down. "Try again."

She hits the 'X' with a huge shock of lightning. She smiles in success. I know Reed had used charmspeak to help her but I don't like the fact of him compelling her at all. I walk over and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Way to go, Anna!" I smile. She smiles back.

"Thanks, it was really cool!" She says, hugging me in excitement. I feel heat rise to my cheeks but I hug her back. Reed smiles at us. So he doesn't like Anna? Good.

"You two are cute. You'd make a great couple." He says.

Anna and I jump apart instantly.

"Hey, let's go check on the others..." I say.

"Yeah! They... yeah, let's go." Anna says. Reed and Blair laugh. Jason shakes his head and Kaden and Percy lead us to the others.

We go to the woods and find Cameron studying everything Greek and non-Greek, Terra controlling the wildlife and talking to animals, and Leslie shooting her bow and arrow.

"I have a godly power!" Leslie smiles in excitement.

"What is it?" Kaden asks.

"This." She waits for a moment and her body changes. She looks nine years old. She changes again. About twenty something, now. She changes back.

"Age control, like Artemis." Jason says in amazement. Leo smiles.

"She learned it on her own. But now, it's time to teach them about monsters." He says. "Everyone, take a seat."

We all look around and go find the person we want to sit beside. I sit with Anna, Blair, Jason, Terra and Jonathan.

ANNA

I sit down, taking in all of the outfits the people in my group are wearing. Blair is wearing the dress and heels her mother had magically put her in. It's not the best choice for being in the woods but she walks in the heels like they're converses. Terra is in a dark tee shirt, ripped jeans and green converses. Jason wears a white tee, jeans and red tennis shoes. Jonathan wears a blue tee, blue jean cargo shorts and blue Jordans. Noah wears a white tee shirt, blue jean cargo shorts and bright orange converse.

I look at my own outfit. It's what I'd wear on a normal summer basis. I'm dressed in a white tee shirt and black yoga shorts and I had on bright blue converses. I don't know why I study their outfits, maybe to see how different our styles are. I'm dressed to be able to do as much moving around as I need to. Jason, Leo, Percy and Nico go into a circle. Terra sighs, rather loudly.

"So, what goals do you guys have? I mean, what do you want to do when you're older?" Blair asks. "I want to be a cosmetologist."

"I want to go and help protect endangered animals." Terra says. Mike comes over with Kaden after hearing our topic.

"I want to own a farm down south." Johnathan says. We all stifle giggles.

"I want to be a C.E.O of an investing company." Mike says, beaming.

"Why? So you can rob people legally?" Noah jokes. Mike pushes him and Noah pushes Mike back.

"I want to be an Olympic swimmer." Kaden says, dreamily.

"I wanna go to med school and become a doctor." Noah says, sighing. It wouldn't be hard for him.

They all look at me.

"What?" I ask.

"What about you? What are your goals?" Kaden asks.

"That's easy. I want to get back into dancing during the school term and when I'm older, I'm applying for Julliard." I say. Noah lightly pushes me and so does Blair.

"That'd be easy to you, you're one of the best dancers I know of." Terra says.

"Yeah, you'd be a shoe-in, especially if you get back into dancing." Noah agrees.

"But there will always be someone better. They don't go for one of the best, they go for the best. I have to be the best." I say. Noah puts his arm around me lightly. My heart flutters.

"You are the best." He says.

It's quiet. The boys finally come back, Jason giving a minor glare to Noah. Noah moves his arm off of me.

"Study these." Percy says, throwing us books. "Day and night."

"Now for the Iris Messages and Nectar and Ambrosia lessons." Leo says.

Percy makes water come over our heads, making a rainbow. Jason tosses in a golden coin. He says something and an image appears. In the rainbow I see two girls. One has blonde hair and grey eyes and the other has dark, choppy hair. They both smile at us.

"Guys, this is Annabeth and Piper." Jason begins. "Annabeth is Cameron's half-sister and Percy's girlfriend. Piper is Blair's half-sister and my girlfriend."

I see my half-brother blushing a little. He grabs my hand and pulls me up. I see a glare from Piper.

"Piper, this is my half-sister, Anna." Jason says, smiling at both of us. The glare leaves Piper's eyes.

"Oh! O.K, good." She says. I giggle a little.

"Hi, nice to meet you!" I say.

"You, too!" Piper smiles, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment.

We all say good-bye and Jason runs his hand through the rainbow. Leo looks around and his eyes land on me. He smiles a devilish smile.

"Anna, could you help me?" He asks.

"Um..." I start stuttering.

"It's fine." Leo says. He gets the nectar and ambrosia.

"I thought you wanted her to help you with that?" Jason asks.

"She is."

"But I thought you meant help getting it."

"Yeah... no. I meant demonstrate how it works."

"No way, Valdez." Noah says.

"Yeah, sorry dude but I can't let you hurt my sister. Demonstrate on me if you want."

"Wait! What's going on?" I ask.

"I was gonna give you a minor burn, just a small one. And then I was gonna heal it with nectar and ambrosia."

I think for a moment. I've never been burned before, ever. I nod.

"Really?" He asks. I bite my lip, rethinking but I nod again.

"No way, Anna!" Noah whines. Jason sighs but shakes his head.

"She's made her mind, bro. We can't change it." He says.

I hand Leo my left arm because I don't use it. He inspects it and takes hold of it.

"You ready?" He asks. I take a deep breath.

"Hurry before I change my mind."

I regret everything just a second before his hand goes ablaze. I scream loudly. I've suffered through broken ankles and sprained wrists. Hell, I've even had a minor concussion from when I was first learning my areal and I landed on my head, but this hurt so much more. Leo releases my arm almost instantly. I hadn't even noticed my eyes were closed until I open them to look at my burn. The imprint of Leo's hand is there.

Immediately, Jason and Noah are by my side while Leo gets the nectar and ambrosia.

"Are you O.K?" Noah asks, kneeling eye level with me. I'd been sitting on a stump. I nod my head and lean on my half-brother. I don't have to look at Jason to know he's glaring at Leo.

"What happened to a minor burn, Valdez?" Noah asks.

"I'm sorry! It got out of control!"

"Just a second longer and she might have lost an arm." Jason sighs. I shiver at the thought.

Leo makes me eat a little bit of a square, cookie like thing. It taste like milk chocolate and caramel. He says that's the ambrosia. He gives me a drink of a honey colored liquid. It tastes like hot chocolate. He doesn't allow me to drink too much.

"The thing about the food of the gods is that too much can light you ablaze from the inside." Leo says.

I'll never look at hot chocolate the same again.