The sun filtered into the cabin, waking Percy with bright light warming his face. He instinctively raised his drowsy arms over his face to preserve the welcoming darkness. Eventually, he abandoned the effort, rolling out of bed to start his day. He yawned extravagantly. Yesterday's excitement had really taken a toll on him, and he was sure that today would prove no different, seeing as so little had been resolved the day before. He crossed the cabin's wooden floor to pick a new outfit out of the disorder that was his dresser, rubbing the back of his neck absently as he walked.
Halfway to the dresser, he stopped and checked himself in a mirror hanging on the wall. Sure enough, his camp necklace was missing.
"Did I take it off last night?" he asked aloud, although he was alone in the cabin. He returned quickly to his bed and checked the nightstand, under the pillow, wrapped up in the mess of blankets somewhere, but found nothing.
"Maybe I did take it off last night," he responded, even though no one was listening. He checked the top of his dresser and in the drawers, rummaging through the clothes inside to check that the necklace hadn't fallen down and gotten buried somehow.
"No, I don't think I would take it off," he decided, but nobody heard him draw this conclusion. It would turn up, he reasoned. No use wasting time now when he would undoubtedly be expected soon to spend another day guiding Theseus around camp.
Theseus got up early that morning, the sound of his several cabinmates shuffling around and chatting keeping him from getting any more sleep. He made plans with Percy yesterday to practice sword fighting. Growing up, he was never allowed to touch any of the weapons Poseidon held in the palace. The closest weapon he has ever held would most likely be a butter knife he uses for meals. He took the extra time he had in the morning to memorize the camp's layout for future use if he ever had to make a run for it. He passed up the dining pavilion, the smell of toast and bacon calling to his empty stomach. He decided to grab some breakfast to go, taking a piece of toast topped with egg, bacon, and avocado. He walked out, deliberately ignoring the offering to the gods he is expected to make.
He ate as he made his way across camp to the sword fighting arena, where he was told to wait until Percy got there. While he waited, he studied the fighting techniques the other campers were using in their training sessions, quickly catching on to how swordplay works.
Percy finished getting dressed for the day, checked that, unlike his necklace, his sword was in place and ready for action, and left the cabin, heading toward the pavilion for a quick bite to eat before meeting Theseus at the training arena. He pocketed two blueberry muffins and grabbed a third to snack on while he walked to the arena, remembering to chip off a corner to leave in the brazier before he left.
Theseus was already waiting when Percy arrived, and he waved as he approached, hastily brushing muffin crumbs off his fingers.
Theseus raised his hand to signify that he saw Percy, "Busy morning?" he asked, noticing the rush in his step.
"Yughgshud," Percy said, his mouth still full of muffin. Then, "Yeah, I'm not really a morning person. Got kind of a late start." He didn't see it necessary to unload his concern over the missing necklace to Theseus when he could have easily just misplaced it himself. "You ready?"
Theseus nodded in response, his hands itching to wield a sword, "More than ready." He followed Percy into the now empty arena and was taught how to wear the protective armor properly. "How do you fight in this? It's so heavy, and it gets in the way of my swing," he complained, swinging his arm like he was swinging a sword. "Speaking of which, when do I get my own sword?"
Percy laughed as he fastened the last piece of his armor in place. "We don't even know if you can fight yet." He then stood up straight and uncapped Riptide, swirling it around in an impressive yet overly theatrical maneuver, smirking the whole time. "You'll have to prove yourself first. By fighting me. I'll go easy on you for your first time," he teased. Yesterday, he had played the perfect host, but his old swagger rushed back as soon as he got a sword in his hands. He was in his element.
Theseus grabbed one of the practice swords provided by the camp, gripping it tight in his right hand, "I'd rather have your sword than this piece of garbage. You already have the upper hand by your sword alone."
Percy stopped swinging Riptide around and shrugged. "You know what? Deal." He shrunk it back into pen form and tossed it to Theseus, grabbing a practice sword for himself. "Do your worst."
Theseus dropped the sad excuse for a sword and caught riptide, "Are you sure about that, Jackson?" He quickly uncapped it, and a three-foot blade popped out in its place. He swung riptide around, instantly feeling a connection with the sword as if it belonged to him. He flicked the sword upward into the air, allowing it to spin once before catching it by the hilt and standing at the ready. He smirked, "Oh, I will do my worst, don't you worry about me."
Percy tried hard to hide his awe at the way Theseus handled Riptide, and he felt a pang of distress as he watched. Presumably, Theseus had never even held a sword before, yet here he was wielding Percy's sword with such effortless grace. Despite his superior training, Percy couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the sight.
Without warning, Theseus swung down first, making direct contact with Percy's shield, "Let's see how well Olympus' beloved hero does in a fight against me." He pulled back Riptide and attempted another blow, this time at Percy's legs.
The first blow had taken Percy somewhat by surprise, but by the second, he was able to step out of the way of the blade as it swept past his legs and ready his own borrowed sword, advancing a step and jabbing toward Theseus' side.
Theseus side-stepped to the right, his sword clashing with Percy's, and blocked the attack. He swung riptide around and advanced forward with force, their blades colliding in the middle. He couldn't help but give a daunting laugh, enjoying every moment he had striking Percy. The sudden rush of adrenaline gave him extra strength to shove Percy backward, riptide swiping him off his feet. "What's wrong, Jackson? You nervous?"
Percy stumbled back, off-balance, and landed on the ground. Only a few moments passed before he righted himself, grimacing. "I told you I'd go easy on you, Jackson Jr.," he retorted through gritted teeth. He swung his sword at Theseus again, attempting to hit him with any of a flurry of wild jabs and swipes. He was losing his focus, though, thrown off by Theseus' natural talent.
Theseus managed to block everything Percy threw at him, sticking to the defense until he found an opening to strike. He caught Percy lacking, ducking under his swing and coming up with an unsuspecting strike causing Percy to stumble. Now it was his turn to attack with everything he had. Each hit against Percy's shield or sword forced him backward. Theseus felt a surge of rage go through him with every blow, and their friendly competition soon turned hostile. "Come on, Jackson! " he shouted, "Where's this unmatched strength everyone seems to talk about!" He struck down his sword once more, "Hit me! Strike me, you coward!" he growled.
The sudden bout of aggression surprised Percy, who was still under the impression this was supposed to be a friendly training match. He was confused by Theseus' shouts, which he considered a little too pointed for a casual competition between two near-strangers. Unfortunately, he let his mind wander for a moment too long and found himself backed up to the edge of the arena, the sheer cliff face, and the lake beneath him. He swung his sword in a wide arc toward Theseus, trying to force him back. "What's your deal, man?" he shouted. "I'm not the enemy. You have got to calm down! I think the training is over for today."
Without a word, Theseus slashed riptide, making direct contact with the side of Percy's face, which left a nasty cut. Being the merciless psychopath he is, Theseus didn't allow Percy any time to react. He slashed riptide once more, leaving a large gash on the side of Percy's shoulder.
Percy cried out in equal parts pain and shock, and he fell to his knees on the gravel, hand cupped to his face. He stared up at Theseus, disbelief, and fear in his green eyes. "What the hell, Theseus?" he breathed. "What are you doing?" He didn't have too long to consider the moment, though before he leaned too far to one side. The gravel below his feet gave way, sending a shower of pebbles into the water at the foot of the cliff, and Percy slipped over the edge, hands scrambling over the ground for a handhold. His trembling fingers finally found a tree root extending over the edge, which he grabbed tightly.
"Theseus help me up!" he shouted from below, his feet kicking at the cliff face to find purchase with which to climb. "What are you waiting for? A royal invitation?"
Theseus slammed the tip of Riptide into the ground so that it stood upright beside him. He took one step closer to the edge so that he had a clear view of Percy dangling below. His face held no expression as he gazed menacingly while Percy begged for help.
"What the fuck, Theseus. It's not funny anymore!" Percy cursed. "You win. What do you want from me?" The root he had been holding shifted suddenly in the loose earth at the cliff's edge, and Percy slipped down another few inches.
