Chapter 6: Boys Like Big Swords

(Andi)

I beat Thalia with my trusty mini master bolt and my heart shield.[1] Neither Thalia or Drew had ever been on a quest, so they weren't as good as they thought they were. Even with her new war spear, Thalia was still just Thalia.

After their defeat, Thalia and Drew were forced to run away. Another day's work done. Now I just needed to find Peter.

Or not…

Because Goody! There he was, strolling into the arena with a huge grin on his face and a bronze sword.[2]

"Hey!" I called out to him, "Where'd you go?"

Peter didn't look up at me, he just walked into the center of the arena and started swinging his sword around.

I tried again. "Um excuse me? Peter?"

This time he looked up, but when he saw me, I could have sworn he scowled. Then he looked away and began swinging his sword again.

I was surprised to find that he was horrible at it. He was just flailing about, even worse than most of the new campers. It was funny, like really funny. I started to giggle. Then when he tripped over himself, I burst into laughter.

Peter looked up and glared at me. His cheeks were red. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Not really," I said happily.

Peter sighed and said, "Look, I get you're a Mary Sue but—"

"Mary Sue?" I asked, annoyedly. Really? That wasn't even close to my name. "My name is Andi."

He grunted. "Yeah whatever, sure."

"It's Andi," I said more fiercely. "Short for Andromeda Sunshine."

Peter coughed. "Right. Miss Sunshine then," he said gruffly, "I realize that you're used to people falling over themselves to please you, but I'm not doing that. I'm not interested in you. I don't want to be friends and it's not because I'm playing hard to get or being tsundere or whatever. You're just not my type. So, let's just ignore one another and stay out of each other's way."

With that, Peter went back to practicing.

Maybe Nico was right. Maybe he was gay. I mean not that a guy would have to be gay to not like me, but well, he was nice to Grover of all people. Even I barely tolerated Grover.

Well, it didn't matter. Even if he thought Grover was more attractive than me, it didn't mean I couldn't help him. He definitely needed it. I walked towards him and said, "I don't think we should do that. I can help you." With sudden feeling, I added, "We should be friends."

"No!" he said through gritted teeth. "I. Do. Not. Want. To. Be. Friends. So. Fuck. Off." With each word, he swung his sword. He nearly toppled over twice.

I could not stop myself from giggling again. Not even his potty mouth could upset me. It was just too funny. It always tickled me when boys tried to act tougher than they were.

After I could breathe again, I asked, "Why are you using that sword anyway? Why not ask your dad for something more appropriate?"

Peter just grunted.

I sighed. I guess Peter and his dad weren't on good terms yet. I didn't understand it. Daddy and I had a great relationship. Sometimes I wondered if the other demigods just weren't trying hard enough.

"I'll be back," I told him.

He grunted again in response. He was probably getting tired of swinging that sword and didn't want to admit it.

I smiled as I left for the forge. Peter might talk like he didn't want to be my friend or have my help, but he was just being a boy. He was too proud to ask, but Peter obviously needed help and my friendship too. He couldn't use a sword. He was super moody and mean. Who else would be his friend?

It was up to me. I needed to make him act more like he had in the Big House. I could do this. I would bring back his smile and fix him.

I entered the forge with a spring in my step and was greeted by Charles Beckondorf, the head counselor of the Hephaestus cabin.

"Hey, Andi. Do you need a new container for your bolt?"

"No, the one you made me is working fine." I lifted up my necklace to show him.

After I had recovered the master bolt, Daddy had given a small piece of it to me which I used as a spear. Its essence was contained in a special locket design by Charles Beckondorf as part of a special quest of his. The locket was heart shaped, imbued with magic, and had a bunch of small whirling gears. It matched my wrist activated heart shield which Hephaestus had made for me himself.

I added, "I'm actually looking for a weapon for the new kid, Peter?"

"Oh him? He just walked out of the armory with Riptide. I tried to explain it was too big, but he said he was sure it would be perfectly balanced for him." He shook his head. "Some things have to be experienced. He'll be back."

"Well, maybe I could speed things along? Otherwise, he might hurt himself," I said convincingly.

"I don't usually like to pick out weapons without the person present," he began hesitantly.

I pouted at him. "Please Becky~"[3]

He blushed and said shyly, "Oh alright, just this once. Come on."[4] He led me to the armory and we looked at weapons. One of the short swords caught my eye. The hilt was the usual golden color, but the blade was white and two thirds of the way up, it split in two so that it had both a standard point and a curved part, like a sickle.

"What's this?" I asked picking the sword up. It gleamed in the light and it was translucent. It reminded me of white quartz.

"That's a replica of Harpe. The original belonged to Perseus," Becky said.[5]

"It's so pretty," I said, admiringly.

"It is," Becky agreed. "The blade is made of adamantine.[6] It's super strong and quite rare."

I stared at the blade and nodded. "Peter will love it." How could he not? "I'll get him to exchange it for Riptide."

"Alright. Whichever, blade he chooses bring the other one back to me," Becky said.

"Of course, Becky," I said with a smile and then I ran back to the arena.

Grover had finally showed up again. He and Peter were chatting. I still couldn't believe how well they got along, but I wasn't jealous. Grover was my friend, technically. Maybe he could help me fix Peter. I put on my best smile and joined them. "Hey guys," I said, cheerfully.

Grover smiled at me. "Hi Andi."

Peter did not look at me or say anything.

I tried not to let it get to me and said, coaxingly. "I got you something, Peter."

Peter did not move until Grover nudged him.

I smiled even wider and held out Harpe. "It's a new sword."

Peter's mouth opened wide and his eyebrows went up in shock. "What sort of fanfic concoction is that?" he asked shockedly.

Fanfic? Was he so surprised that he was making up words?

"Um…I don't know, but Becky said Perseus used a blade like this," I said, helpfully.

"Becky?" He looked to Grover.

"She means Charles Beckondorf, he's—"

"I know who he is," Peter said, rudely. He stared at the beautiful sword and then me. I could tell he was interested. He had to be, but then he shook his head. "I'll be keeping Riptide." He looked fondly down at his ugly boring oversized sword.

"But Becky said that Riptide was too big for you," I argued, "This will work better." I angled Harpe so it caught the light. "Plus, it's so pretty and…majestic…yeah…see how majestic it is. So much more majestic than that plain sword you have."

"If you like your majestic sword so much, why don't you fucking use it," Peter snarled, rudely.

"I would," I said, honestly, "but I already have my mini master bolt, so don't worry, Harpe is all yours." I offered it to him again.

Instead of looking overjoyed about my generous offer, Peter looked even meaner than before. This was silly. He was being so stubborn about this.

I was about to tell him to stop being so shy and just take the superior sword, when Grover said, "You should at least try the other sword, Peter. Heroes bond with their weapons. If you're having trouble with Riptide, then it might not be the sword for you. It could be waiting for another hero."

"Another hero," Peter echoed. He nodded. "Fine. I had my fun I guess." He gave me Riptide and took Harpe.

I tried not to be annoyed that he had listened to Grover and not me.

But then Peter said, "It's so light." And all was forgiven.

I smiled as Peter's face lit up and he swung the new sword around.

There! See! I was right and I was helping! Way more than Grover. He hadn't given Peter a cool new light sword. I had. I would have Peter back to being that happy boy in the Big House in no time. "That's the spirit," I told Peter, cheerfully, "I'll go return this," I held up Riptide, "to Becky."

Peter didn't quite look at me. Though he did give Riptide one last longing look before I left.

I couldn't understand how he could be so attached to a boring old sword that wasn't at all suited to him. Maybe he just thought, despite its faults that the bigger sword was somehow cooler. Only a boy would think something like that, but it was as Daddy said boys will be boys, I guess. And underneath his rough exterior and weirdness, Peter Johnson was just another boy.

Right now, he was acting out, but I was sure with the power of friendship, he and I would become the bestest of friends.

Footnotes

[1] Andi was rewarded with a sliver of the master bolt at the end of Lightning Thief. She got her heart shield during the Sea of Monsters fic.

[2] Judging by the fact that Andi doesn't mention Peter being wet and shirtless, I assume Peter retrieved his clothes and had time to dry off. After all, he had enough time to grab a sword. Consequently, this means that Andi's fight with Thalia went on for quite a while. I can only imagine what that looked like.

[3] Yeah. Andi has always called Charles, Becky. I don't know. It's just a thing.

[4] And yes, Charles has a crush on Andi. Almost all of the male campers do.

[5] Fact checking: Yes, Perseus did use a harpe sword.

[6] Adamantine is like some sort of mystical diamond metal, so I bet the sword is quite flashy.