Disclaimer: Pearny is still mine, the rest well... NO
Author's Note: I know, I know. Don't worry. It will get better later.
51. By the Lake
This morning I ran and had breakfast as usual. The breakfast table buzzed with gossips of the lake training. General Frank, one of the seven, was going to participate in training making everybody unable to miss the event.
After breakfast, Henry and I walked holding hands to the lake. Leo and Frank were besides us. We didn't talked much but behind us it was like a parade of legionnaires, veterans, even families with small children and senior Romans. Annabeth and Piper came with the baby girls. Pamela and Philip were at school.
When we reached the lake, I turned to see everybody finding for a perfect spot to watch. People sat on chairs, blankets even buckets just like training on Fields of Mars on Thanksgiving weekend.
"What are we going to do?" I asked at Frank looking around.
"Well, you and Henry will fight against me and Leo on the water" said Frank staring at my reactions which were mostly surprise.
"Ok, I think I can do that. Rules?" I said crossing my arms.
"Don't make us fall. I don't want to get wet today" said Leo winking at us. I nodded at Leo.
"We won't be easy on you. You must fight and protect both of you" said Frank.
"Understood, General" said Henry and took my hand. We faced each other smiling.
"Ready?" I said and gave Henry a small kiss on the lips. He nodded at me and the four of us walked to me middle of the lake.
Henry and I faced Leo and Frank just 20 feet apart. Leo was carrying a sword like Henry. That's unusual since he normally fights with bare hands and fire coming for them. Frank was carrying a spear, just like me.
"We will fight only with weapons" said Frank.
"Plan?" I said to Henry without taking my eyes of Leo and Frank.
"We attack at the same time like we practice. Let's see if the dance lessons paid off" said Henry and raised his sword ready to attack.
"Ready, chicos?" said Leo.
"Whenever you want tinkerer" I said with a wicked smile on my face, and Leo looked at me surprised like he wasn't expecting something from me.
"Go" said Frank and both of them advanced at us running in zigzag.
Henry and I raised our weapons ready to reflect their attacks. They attacked with force almost knocking me to the ground. I swung my spear to stop Frank's and he smiled at me. He was having fun. I saw Leo rushing at me and I pushed Frank away to meet Leo but Henry stopped him making roll on the water. Frank attacked again with such force, even though I dodged but the blade cut my shoulder. I used water to heal me but that distraction gave Frank time to strike again and made me drop my weapon.
"You need to heal yourself faster" said Henry as he covered me while I got my weapon back.
"Yeah, it's easy for you to say" I said and attacked Frank in revenge.
We kept fighting for over two hours. We must have been an awesome show because most people stayed and watched us fight. The dance lessons with Henry really helped a lot. We worked as a team though we were fighting individually.
After the 2 hours training, Frank called for a 20 minutes break. I was walking to the shore to eat some ambrosia with Annabeth and Piper when Frank stared at me with such intensity.
"What?" I said loud annoyed.
"Mmmm… nothing, I just thought that you were going to heal in the water" said Frank and walked to the shore. I stopped my steps and I wondered about it. I had never really healed in the water, just minor cuts, for the rest Ambrosia and Nectar. Then I thought why not and I let myself submerged in the water. I floated and I felt the water healing me slowly but completely even filling my energy tank. When the break was over, I was ready to rumble again.
"For this stage of training, we will use demigods abilities. 2 hours training" said Frank and became a tiger. Leo stared at us and his sword caught up in his fire.
"Let's go" said Leo and advanced at us. His fire was so intense that easily could provoke 3rd grade injuries. I dodged and ducked at his sword but the heat coming from the sword burned my skin. Henry was fighting tiger Frank.
"Am I too hot for you?" said Leo grinning at me. I heard some people on the shore laughing or chucking at the joke.
"We will see about that" I said and covered him with water but he wasn't wet. He used his fire to steam the water.
"I told you. I didn't want to get wet" said Leo with a wicked smile. He was really stronger that most people think.
"I see" I saw and attacked again. I had to be careful to avoid his hot blade. Every time his blade burned me, I healed taking a toll on my concentration. Healing wore you out very quickly. Slowly, I was getting faster at healing myself and Henry.
After 2 hours of training, Frank looked at the sun. It was almost noon.
"Lunch break. Come on Leo. I'm starving" said Frank.
"Yeah. Is Sarah cooking?" said Leo and both of them walked out of the lake.
I fell exhausted on the water. I was panting and breathing so hard. I felt most of my bones and muscles yelling at me complaining. For a second, I almost lost concentration and made Henry dived in.
"Hey" said Henry as he crawled to me. He sat next to my exhausted body. He was also breathing hard but he had such a bright smile in his face that he made me smile too.
"I love you" I said as I caressed his arm with my hand lazily.
"I love you too" said Henry and jumped on top of me to kiss me hard. I was feeling so much better with his lips on mine, better that Ambrosia.
"Hey, back off of each other. There are children here" yelled Piper at us giggling as she was waving at us. We broke our kiss and looked at her slightly embarrassed.
"Let's go for lunch" said Henry and he helped to stand up.
Henry and I walked slowly almost limping to the shore. Annabeth had a picnic blanket ready under a tree shadow. Piper was serving beverages as both baby girls were sleeping wrapped in baby blankets. JJ was sitting next to her mom and eating sandwiches. We sat and ate with Piper, Annabeth and the girls. After eating, I was dozing off when Philip and Paris appeared and ate from their mom's picnic basket.
Once lunch was over, Frank and Leo returned to the lake. We decided to keep training like this until sunset. It sounded easy but it was really tiring. We fought and fought until I passed out making everybody splashed loud in the lake. I couldn't make it to sunset. I slept until morning.
