I do not own Percy Jackson or any of the characters.

Trial

"Thank you so much for your warning," Percy says as we walk around camp. "They were empousai, by the way. When she threw the door open, they thought she was crazy for acting like I was attacking her when I was just leaning against the wall, then Rachel covered for me."

"Rachel?" I ask.

"The redhead," Percy says. "She can see through the Mist. She saved me when we met on the Hoover Dam last winter when she saw the skeletons."

"I see," I nod. "And does Annabeth know about Rachel?"

"Well...yeah," I nod. "I told her about the fight."

"Did you tell Rachel about what she really sees?" I ask.

"Yes," Percy nods.

"Okay," I nod. "So, how was your date?"

Percy goes bright red. "It wasn't a date!"

"Mhm, sure," I smirk. "A boy in a girl going to the movies alone together, the boy's completely in love with the girl already. Oh yeah, definitely not a date."

"Shut up!" Percy says, blushing even darker. "It's not like that."

I laugh. "Sure it's not Romeo."

"I'm serious!" Percy says.

"Oh I believe you," I chuckle as we reach the amphitheater.

Percy goes stiff as he sees Mrs. O'Leary, but I catch the back of his shirt as he moves to strike.

"Easy," I say. "Mrs. O'Leary's harmless."

Mrs. O'Leary barks at her name, turning and dropping the practice dummy she's chewing on, wagging her tail.

"Mrs. O'Leary?" Percy blinks, receiving another bark before Mrs. O'Leary nudges the dummy toward us.

"That's right," Quintus says, picking up the dummy and hurling it. "Get the Greek! Get the Greek!"

Mrs. O'Leary barks happily and bounds after the dummy, flattening its armor as she lands on it and begins to chew its helmet.

"She's my pet," Quintus says. "It's nice to meet you Percy Jackson. I'm Quintus. I'm the new sword master. I'll be at camp until Dionysus gets back from business."

Percy nods, shaking Quintus' hand. Just then, one of six huge crates off to the side thumps and Mrs. O'Leary cocks her head to the side before barking and bounding toward them, only for Quintus to stop her by distracting her with the dummy's shield, now a frisbee.

"I still don't see why you need those," I grumble, having found out what he has in them during the interrogation this morning, which otherwise yielded no new information.

"What are they?" Percy asks.

"A little surprise," Quintus says. "Training activity for tomorrow night. You'll love it."

"Uh, okay," Percy says.

Mrs. O'Leary drops the shield for me and I pick it up, sending it spinning through the air a bit further than Quintus and Mrs. O'Leary barks excitedly, charging after it.

"You young ones need more challenges," Quintus says. "They didn't have camps like this when I was a boy."

"You-You're a half-blood?" Percy asks.

Quintus chuckles. "Some of us do survive into adulthood, you know. Not all of us are the subject of a terrible prophecy."

"Quintus," I say, Percy glancing at me as Quintus raises his hands in surrender.

"I won't say," Quintus says.

"Percy, there you are," Chiron says, clopping into the arena still wearing his quiver and bow slung over his "#1 Centaur" shirt, mud splattered over his horse half here and there. "I see you've met our new instructor. Quintus, do you mind if I borrow these two for a bit?"

"Not at all, Master Chiron," Quintus says.

"No need to call me Master," Chiron says. "Come Percy, we have much to discuss."

"I filled him in about some of it," I say as we leave the stadium. "Not Quintus, though."

"And Annabeth told me about Grover," Percy says. "Is there any way I can help?"

"We'll discuss Quintus later," Chiron says. "But for now, we should get to the woods. It's almost time for the hearing. You'll just be there for morale support climb on you two. We need to hurry."

Percy and I climb on without question, and a few minutes of riding through the woods later, he slows to a stop beside Thalia, Clarisse, Annabeth, and Juniper. Juniper's short and petite with wispy amber hair, an elfish face like all nymphs, a green chiton, and laced sandals. She's in tears and Annabeth is trying to comfort her. We drop off and Clarisse nods to me then greets Percy with a "Punk" and goes back to watching as Grover nervously tells the Council of Cloven Elders his story.

"It's going terribly," Juniper says miserably.

"No, no," Annabeth tries to reassure her. "He'll be fine Juniper."

"This is Grover's girlfriend," I whisper to Percy. "Juniper. She's a dryad."

Percy nods.

"Master Underwood," one of the Council satyrs snaps, interrupting Grover. "Do you seriously expect us to believe this?"

"B-But Silenus, it's the truth!" Grover stammers.

Chiron canters up to the three goats as they speak to each other quietly.

Finally Silenus turns back to the front. "Master Underwood, for six months, six months, we have heard these scandalous claims that you heard the wild god Pan speak."

"But I did!" Grover says.

"Impudence!" the council satyr on the left says.

"Now Maron, patience," Chiron says.

"Patience indeed!" Maron spits. "I've had it up to my horns with this nonsense! As if the wild god would speak to...to him!"

Juniper just about goes to tear Maron's throat out, but Annabeth and Clarisse hold her back.

"Wrong fight, Girlie," Clarisse says. "Wait."

Percy stares at them, shell-shocked.

"For six months we have indulged you, Master Underwood," Silenus says. "We let you travel. We allowed you to keep you searcher's license. We waited for you to bring proof of your preposterous claims. And what have you found in six months of travel?"

"I just need more time," Grover pleads.

"Nothing!" the third council satyr snaps. "You've found nothing!"

"But Leneus-"

Silenus raises a hand and silences Grover just as Chiron leans in and whispers something. Silenus looks far less than pleased, but Chiron says something else and Silenus sighs, nodding.

"Master Underwood, we will give you one more chance," Silenus says.

"Oh thank you!" Grover brightens.

"One more week," Silenus says.

"What?" Grover falters. "But sir! That's impossible!"

"One week Master Underwood," Silenus says. "And then, if you cannot prove your claims, it will be time for you to pursue another career. Something to suit your dramatic talents. Puppet theater, perhaps. Or tapdancing."

"But sir, I-I can't lose my searcher's license!" Grover pleads. "My whole life-"

"This meeting of the council is adjourned," Silenus interrupts. "And now, let us enjoy our noonday meal."

He claps his hands and nymphs melt out of the trees with trays of food, the circle of satyrs that had been around Grover charging the food, Grover walking over to us. He's wearing a blue shirt that has a picture of a satyr and the caption "GOT HOOVES?" on the front.

"Hi Percy," Grover says miserably. "That went well, huh?"

"Those old goats!" Juniper says. "Oh Grover, they don't know how hard you've tried."

"There is another option," Clarisse says.

"No!" Juniper says instantly. "No. Grover, I won't let you."

"I...I'll have to think about it," Grover says, face ashen. "But we don't even know where to look."

"What are you talking about?" Percy asks.

Just then, a conch horn blows, sounding inspection.

"I'll fill you in later Percy," Annabeth says. "We'd better get to our cabins. Inspection is starting."

We all hurry back toward the cabins and I step into mine and look around. Will is just finishing up dusting and glances over at me, nodding.

"We're all set," Will nods.

I stare at him skeptically before walking over to my backpack and opening it, staring at the trash in it. "Really?"

"It was the only place we could fit it on short notice," Will shrugs.

I sigh, closing it again just as Silena walks in to inspect walks in, looking around, then walking out again. Once he's out, I shove my backpack into Will's hands. "Get rid of the garbage."

Will sighs and nods, slinging the backpack over one arm and walking out the back door. I walk to the doorway and lean against it, watching as she walks down the line, each time coming out with more strikes than ours. As she nears Percy's cabin, Will hands me my backpack and I pull it on. Then, Silena walks into Percy's cabin. And within two seconds, she walks back out with a completely blank scroll.

"No fucking way," I say. "Percy didn't get a single mark?" I grin as I remember that Tyson was supposed to have gotten here earlier today, though I hadn't seen him. "Tyson."

"Percy got lucky," Will says.

"No kidding," I snort. "For his sake, I hope his luck holds and Annabeth decides to stop waiting for him to make the first move."

Will laughs. "No one is that lucky."

"I don't know," I say. "I've got some pretty unbelievable luck."

"Yeah," Will snorts. "Unbelievably bad luck. Should we remind you why I don't go on quests with you anymore?"

"Hey, you walked away without a scratch, so I don't know what you're bitching about," I say. "Besides, Thalia would be there to protect us now."

Will laughs, shaking his head and walking back into the cabin. I wait until Thalia's cabin gets inspected, meaning Thalia meets Silena at the door and distracts her by asking for advice about some made-up argument me and her supposedly had, then thanks Silena who continues on her way without ever having inspected Thalia's cabin. Then, Thalia and I head to the beach to waist the rest of our day together.

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