Chapter 47

Differences aside

At the Institute

Logan was in the garage doing some work on his bike when his phone started ringing.

He looked over and saw it was Dean.

"What is it kid?" Logan asked as he answered it.

"I need some advice" Dean said sounding like he was eating.

"What're you eating?" Logan asked.

"Ambrosia and nectar, it's the food of the gods that can heal Demigods when they're injured. But if I have too much I'll die" Dean said as he munched on the Ambrosia squares.

Logan's mind went blank for a second, "Whatever you say. So, what do you need advice on?"

"I'm the leader of my own team now and we're not off to a good start" Dean admitted.

"I'm guessing you lost?" Logan assumed.

"Yeah, I tried letting my teammates go first so I had time to strategize but they all lost" Dean said.

"Dean I may be a workaholic but I know an exhausted, mentally and physically, team is no good to anyone. It's part of being a leader to realize there has to be a balance" Logan said.

"Hmmm, ok, I think I get what you're saying" Dean said.

"Good, now go get em" Logan said.

At Camp Half-Blood

Our team of troublemakers were preparing for their next match against the Athena Cabin.

"You sure you're up for this so soon after our other match?" Tim asked curiously as they walked towards the sandpits.

Dean tightened his shoulder armor piece, "I'll be fine"

They arrived at the scheduled sandpit.

First up was Malcolm Pace. He had blonde hair and grey eyes like Tim's other half siblings. It was strange how Tim was the only one without blonde hair.

Dean eyed the opposite team, "They're all using a sword and shield as weapons" he noticed.

Jon picked up his large axe, "Not a man among them" he boasted.

"It's actually considered to be the statistically best weapon style to use, so my whole Cabin uses the same style. Except for me and this other girl Annabeth I never met" Tim said.

"So you're like the retarded one of your cabin" Billy laughed.

Tim rolled his eyes, "Whatever, I'll go first"

Dean grabbed Tim by his armor and pulled him back as he rushed past him, "No, I'll go first"

Tim glared at him as he stepped onto the sands.

Dean drew his weapons and entered his stance.

Malcolm did the same signaling the start of the match.

They ran at each other and then began the clash of bronze.

"Looks like you got manhandled back there" Jon mentioned with a smirk.

Tim looked at him with an annoyed expression, "I didn't get manhandled, I just let it go"

"You call it letting it go, I call it being a pussy, but they're both the same" Billy also said with a smirk.

Tim ignored them and kept on watching.

Dean blocked a downward slash by raising his shield and stabbed with his blade.

Malcolm deflected Dean's blade with his shield and spun around with a horizontal slash.

Dean also spun around and blocked the slash with his shield as he pushed Malcolm back with it.

The two of them gained some breathing room.

'These damn Athena kids never make a mistake' Dean thought in frustration.

Malcolm charged at Dean.

Dean ducked underneath a horizontal slash and then slashed upwards.

Malcolm blocked with his shield and then slashed diagonally.

Dean rolled sideways, avoiding the slash, then came up and clashed his shield against Malcolm's.

They both raised their blades at the same time and swung them. When their blades clashed, Malcolm's hand was sent back from the force of Dean's attack.

Dean then pushed Malcolm's shield off his and slashed upwards.

Malcolm couldn't move fast enough to avoid the slash.

Dean saw this and changed the trajectory of his blade so it only scratched the surface of Malcolm's armor.

Malcolm stood frozen still and looked at the mark on his chest piece.

"That would have sliced you open if I didn't stop it" Dean said

Malcolm sighed and dropped his guard, "You win then" he went back to his teammates.

Dean dropped his weapons and stretched out for a moment.

"Hurry up!" Billy said feeling impatient.

"Yeah the rest of us are waiting on our turn" Jon said.

Well then keep waiting, I'm going again" Dean said in a serious tone.

Tim raised an eyebrow, "So what are we? Spectators?" He said questioning his decision.

Next on the Athena team was Joshua. He was slightly more buff than the average Athena child.

Dean looked back at Tim as he picked up his weapons, "Why don't you just trust in your leader's plan?"

Tim's eye started twitching out of anger.

Dean and Joshua raised their weapons and faced each other.

Billy leaned over to Tim, "You want some ointment for that burn?" He said with a smirk.

Tim remained silent but with a sour expression.

Joshua wen into a full sprint.

Dean did the same and their blades clashed.

Joshua slashed diagonally and Dean blocked with his blade. Joshua quickly twisted his wrist to attack from a different angle but Dean once again was quick enough to block it.

Joshua then ducked and spun around for a low shield swing.

Dean hopped over the shield, that would have knocked him down, and slashed downwards.

Joshua raised his blade in time to block.

'I picked a hell of a team to fight until I go down' Dean mentally sighed.

As Jon observed the match as patiently as he could, a thought occurred to him.

"Why don't you use a sword?" Jon asked Tim curiously. He could see how swords are the weapon of choice for the majority of his cabin mates, seeing as how it's uses aren't only limited to offense. Not that Jon would ever use a sword, his style is more of an all offensive one. Hence why he prefers his axe.

Tim kept a close eye on the fight as he thought of an answer, "Besides the fact that a staff is what I was given?" he asked sarcastically.

Jon rolled his eyes, "Besides the fact that you're not funny"

Tim smirked for moment before returning to his serious face, "Swords are made for killing, it's what they're for. Staffs on the other hand are used for blocking, countering, and disarming an opponent. It may be a weapon more suitable for a pacifist but in the hands of a master it could be one of the most difficult weapons to defend against"

Jon nodded, judging from the way he spoke of the weapon it was almost like Athena gave Tim a staff on purpose. Come to think of it maybe that's why Ares gave Jon an axe.

Jon then looked over to Billy who had his two daggers strapped to the back of his waist.

Even Billy was given weapons suitable for his style of fighting, two light daggers for quick attacks.

Jon then looked back at the match.

Dean and Joshua stood a few feet apart.

Joshua was wounded on his left thigh while Dean's right shoulder had a deep cut that was bleeding right over his armor.

Dean's right hand, his sword hand, hung low due to his shoulder injury leaving him exposed.

Joshua approached and slashed downward.

Dean raised his shield and blocked but when he did Joshua swung his shield. Dean couldn't raise his arm quick enough resulting in him being struck square in the face.

Dean took a few steps back from the sudden blow, the bridge of his nose was bleeding.

Jon tilted his head in confusion. But then for some peculiar reason Dean was given gauntlets, wouldn't a sword have been more suitable?

Dean looked back at Joshua, 'This guy just won't let up' he thought as he regained his bearings at this rate he might not have any energy left for a third match.

He looked carefully, trying to find some kind of opening or weak spot. Dean glanced at the wound on his thigh, it was bleeding just as much as his shoulder. He then looked up and saw Joshua's grip on his shield was loose, as if the weight of it was putting a strain on his leg.

'Which means lifting it high should be pretty difficult right now' Dean thought.

Dean tossed his shield at Joshua as a distraction.

Joshua covered himself with his own shield, letting the discarded shield bounce off his own, while Dean ran at him.

Joshua slashed diagonally to intercept him.

Dean jumped into the air, deflected the sword with his left gauntlet, and went for a diagonal stab between his neck and his shield.

Joshua couldn't raise his shield fast enough leaving him wide open.

Dean pulled back at the last second, realizing that was a fatal move, and landed behind him.

Joshua's head fell, "Damnit, I was so close"

"Good try though" Dean gave him some credit.

Joshua went back to his teammates.

Billy started hoping around, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" he said frantically waiting for Dean to come back.

Dean grabbed his discarded shield, "I'm gonna go till I go down" he readied himself.

"You can stop trying to be tough now, ok? We get it you're good. Now stop playing around and tag us in" Tim said starting to feel impatient himself.

Dean didn't even bother looking at him, "I'll pass"

Tim did a double take, he had trouble grasping what he just heard.

Jon threw up his hands up in the air in a fit, "I'm sick of waiting around, I wanna bash some heads in!"

"I don't know how you do things with your human team, but as a leader you're supposed to use strategy to win a battle not show off" Tim said with an irritated expression.

Dean looked back and glared at Tim, "I am using strategy. I'm taking out as many as possible because I can't rely on people who lose on purpose"

Tim returned the glare, "Excuse me?"

Billy and Jon looked back and forth between them.

"I smell a beef cooking" Billy whispered to him.

Justin walked onto the sand.

"You heard me smart guy, you lost on purpose to Michael earlier. You could have easily won but you threw the match" Dean said.

"Even if I did throw the match, which I didn't, how does that justify what you're doing?" Tim asked.

"It's justified because I already took out half the team on my own" Dean said.

Tim laughed for a moment, "Ohhh, so that's the plan from our great leader. Just sit here on our asses!" He shouted.

Justin was awkwardly waiting in silence.

"I never said I was your great leader" Dean said.

"Well you sure act like it" Tim said crossing his arms.

Justin cleared his throat.

Dean looked back at Justin, "Sorry about that" he raised his guard, "Whenever you're ready"

Justin entered an offensive stance and immediately attacked.

Dean backed away as he did his best to block his opponent's flurry of attacks.

Justin managed to slice Dean's thigh making him trip and fall on his ass. He then slashed downwards hoping to end the fight.

Dean blocked with his shield and felt the force of the attack, 'Geez he's not playing' he rolled out of the way of another downward slash.

Justin kept him on the retreat by staying on the offensive.

Dean blocked a horizontal slash and stabbed forward.

Justin slammed his shield against Dean's blade knocking it out off his hand.

Dean spun around and shield bashed Justin making him take a few steps back.

'If I wasn't hurt I could have avoided that' Dean scolded himself.

Justin immediately charged back in.

Dean moved as fast as he could to block the enemy's attacks.

Justin slashed diagonally only for Dean to block with his shield.

Justin then went to shield bash Dean but he grabbed it and shoved it back before slamming his shield against Justin's face.

Justin then slashed downward since Dean's back was turned.

Dean then spun around to block it with his gauntlet but miscalculated where his hand needed to be and ended getting his fingers cut off.

Dean backed away as he shouted from the pain, "SON OF A BITCH!"

Tim, Billy, and Jon winced simultaneously.

Justin turned pale and started sweating nervously, "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!"

"We need someone to get Dean to the medics" Tim said before looking at Jon, almost suggesting it.

Jon nodded, "I'll do it" he grabbed Dean and leapt away.

Justin went back over to his teammates looking rather uneasy.

Billy zipped onto the sands, "YES!" He shouted in excitement.

Tim sighed, "Sure Billy, go right ahead" he said sarcastically.

Chris, from the Athena cabin, stepped forward holding a sword and shield.

"Imma bust a cap in this mofo!" Billy rushed forward.

Chris planted his feet and quickly covered himself with his shield.

Billy ran into his shield full force. He bounced off the shield and tumbled backwards.

Tim laughed his ass off.

Billy quickly got back up, "I'm good!"

Chris raised his shield again.

Billy charged once again, this time attacking swiftly and from multiple directions.

Chris blocked with his shield and countered with his sword.

Their speed seemed even, mostly due to Billy still adjusting to his armor.

Chris knocked one of Billy's daggers out of his hand.

Billy rolled across the ground in attempt to retrieve his dagger.

Chris slammed his shield down in front of the dagger, blocking it.

Billy instinctively backed away to keep his fingers from getting chopped off.

Chris then knocked into Billy with his shield knocking him down and pinning him to the ground with his shield.

Billy pushed against the shield but couldn't get Chris off him.

Chris then used his free hand and raised his blade to strike.

Billy rapidly punched him in the face to get him off.

Chris backed away in a daze, he'd never been hit that fast before.

Billy then slid underneath Justin, tripping him, and recovering his lost weapon.

Chris fell face first onto the ground.

Billy got up and went to jump on top of Chris to secure his win.

At the last second Chris turned around, swung his shield, and smacked Billy in the face with it.

Billy saw stars in the air, "Twinkle, twinkle" he mumbled.

While he was dazed, Chris got up and placed his blade by Billy's throat.

'Dean won't be happy about this' Tim thought.

Billy looked at the blade at his throat and smirked, "Ooh bacon" he bit the blade mistaking the bronze color for meat.

Chris retrieved his blade, "What the hell?"

"This guy" Tim hurried over to Billy and lightly smacked him, "Billy, snap out of it"

Billy shook his head and looked at Tim, "What happened?"

"You lost" Tim said as he helped him get off the sands.

Chris went back over to his teammates.

Just then Jon returned, "What did I miss?"

"He got hit so hard he thought Chris' sword was bacon" Tim said.

Jon laughed.

"Screw you muscle brain! Id like to see you do better" Billy challenged him.

"At least I won't mistake their weapons for breakfast" Jon said as he stepped forward.

Justin returned, still looking a little shook up, but not as bad as before.

"Screw you muscle brain!" Billy shouted, "I'd like to see you do better" he challenged him.

"At least I won't mistake weapons for breakfast" Jon said as he stepped forward.

Justin returned, still a little shook up, but not as bad as before. He entered a defensive stance as he eyed the axe in Jon's hands.

Jon made the first move by swinging his axe horizontally.

Justin quickly moved forward interrupting his swing and stabbing forward.

Jon grabbed his arm tossed him overhead.

Justin tumbled across the ground before he ended up on his back.

Jon swung his axe downward.

Justin covered himself with his shield, blocking the attack.

The axe struck the shield with enough force to put a sizable dent in the shield.

Jon then used the hook part of the axe to grab the shield and tear it from Justin's hands.

Justin then rolled out of the way of another downward swing and slashed Jon's thigh.

Jon went to stomp on him but Justin rolled out of the way again and slashed his other thigh.

Jon then used the butt end of his axe to bash Justin in the face.

Justin was knocked on his ass and skidded backwards a few feet. He rubbed his now bruised jaw, another hit like that and he'll be seeing stars.

Jon leaped at Justin, aiming to land exactly on top of him.

Justin moved out of the way just in time to avoid Jon landing hard on the ground, creating a small crater.

Jon then swung his axe horizontally.

Justin ducked underneath it and went for an upward slash.

Jon spun around and struck Justin in the chest with the butt of his axe.

Justin winced from the hit.

Jon swung his axe diagonally.

Justin ducked underneath it and came up holding his blade at Jon's throat.

"Fuck" Jon said with an angry expression.

Justin lowered his weapon and gave him his hand, "Good fight"

Jon bumped into him as he walked past him, "Fuck off"

Justin walked back over to his teammates with a puzzled expression.

"Finally" Tim pole vaulted onto the sands.

Chris stepped onto the sands again and entered his stance.

Tim looked around for a moment before readying himself, 'Looks like the leader isn't here, so I guess it's ok to try'

Chris charged at Tim.

Tim swept Chris' legs with his staff.

Chris fell sideways on his shield.

Tim then swung his staff downwards.

Chris blocked the attack with his sword.

Tim then knocked the weapon out of Chris' hand with the other end of his staff.

Chris went for a leg sweep.

Tim jumped over it and came down with his staff.

Chris rolled over and blocked with his shield.

Tim then lunged downward, aiming for one of his thighs.

Chris pushed off the ground to avoid it.

While he was midair, Tim swung his staff upwards hitting Chris and sending him tumbling back.

Chris managed to stop himself and sat upright.

Tim lunged his staff into the straps of his shield, preventing him from using it.

Chris acted quickly and went to punch Tim.

Tim let go of his staff, ducked underneath the punch, and came up with an uppercut.

Chris was knocked into the air and landed on his back near where his sword laid.

Tim grabbed his staff and leaped towards him.

Chris managed to seize his discarded weapon and slice Tim's thigh right as he held the point of his staff at his throat.

"You win" Chris admitted defeat.

Tim winced from the pain as he backed away.

Chris returned to his team.

Tim used his staff as a cane to walk back to his starting position, 'He might have lost but he made sure I wasn't going to win my next one' he looked at his wound, the blade had cut deep into his flesh.

Justin returned to the sands once again.

Tim looked at Justin who looked well rested, if he was uninjured this fight would be a decent challenge but in his current state he knew that he stood no chance.

"I'm in no condition to beat you, you win" Tim conceded and walked away.

Justin looked surprised, he expected the entire team to be as stubborn as their leader.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Jon shouted in disbelief.

"I'd be wasting my time, I can't even run like this" Tim said as he limped towards the medics.

Jon shook his head in disappointment, "I can't believe you gave up"

"Sometimes the smart move is to retreat, and fight another day" Tim said.

Dean's hand was being wrapped in bandages as Tim walked into the big house with a wounded thigh.

Dean frowned at the sight of Tim, "Let me guess, we lost?"

Tim sat down at a table as one of the Apollo half-bloods began to treat his wound, "Your abilities of deduction are astounding" he said sarcastically.

Dean rolled his eyes, "You know this attitude of yours isn't helping us at all"

Tim chuckled, "Oh my attitude? That's rich coming from you"

"Well you don't leave me with much choice now do you?" Dean asked rhetorically.

Before the two of them could go on Chiron entered the room, "You just can't seem to stay away from the infirmary, can you?" he said staring at Dean.

"Spoiler alert, not getting old anytime soon" Tim joked.

Dean ignored him, "I'm trying to make the best of what I got"

"And yet somehow your fights are always the ones that end up with the most injuries" Chiron said.

"I don't have much control over the outcome of a battle, especially with a dysfunctional team" Dean said glaring at Tim.

"Your team, regardless of it's functionality, doesn't excuse you using excessive force. You have to remember this is only training, it's not a real battle, it's only meant to prepare you for it" Chiron said.

Dean sighed heavily, he does overdo it sometimes. Namely with Richie and how he impaled his shoulder, "I'll make a point to be more careful" he said sincerely.

Chiron nodded hearing the sincerity in his voice, "Good, and just to make sure I'll be spectating your next match"

Author's note: I haven't given up! I swear I haven't lol. But seriously if work wasn't exhausting I'd be posting like normal. Anyways I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I will try my very best to catch up on my writing :)