Piper

It had only been a week since Orientation but Piper felt she had settled into life quite comfortably at C.B.S.T.T. Of course, classes hadn't started yet so maybe that had something to do with it.

Today was Capture the Flag and Piper was very excited. She had never had any siblings or a neighborhood to play games like this. Annabeth and Calypso assured her that it would be an amazing time.

She had signed up to be a scout that way she could supervise the entire game and get a feel for things. She was on the blue team with her friends which was good. Annabeth and Jason were captains and Piper knew that they were the best choice.

"Okay. So let me get this straight. We use paintball guns filled with a certain colored paint and if you get his in any of the colored spots on your vest, you are out?" Piper asked Annabeth as they all walked to the forest.

"There are also coated arrows for people who would rather use those and traps that explode in the paint," Annabeth explained as she put on her black vest with colored spots on the shoulders, stomach, back, and sides.

"It's so much fun!" Jason said.

Percy smiled. "I want a pistol." He was a short-range attacker so that made sense.

"I call some bows and arrows," Frank said. "I'm pretty good at archery." He was a long-range attacker.

"A very random skill," Hazel said. "But very interesting."

Calypso put on the vest and said, "There are also balloons filled with paint and if you can run up to a person and explode the balloon on their colored spot, they're out. Don't get out and get the flag."

"You know, most schools just have a soccer team or something," Leo said. "You guys go hardcore here."

"More like this is a sport enjoyed by mostly everyone and soccer is very niche," Annabeth explained.

"What the heck is a niche?" Percy asked.

"It means exclusive," Annabeth said.

"Whatever, Wise Girl," Percy said.

"Wow, very creative," Annabeth retorted. "Seaweed Brain."

Piper laughed. "Break it up you two."

"Honestly, they act like an old married couple," Jason whispered. Piper snickered with glee.

"Are Luke and Thalia playing?" Annabeth asked Jason.

"No," Jason said. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Annabeth said. She seemed worried and Piper watched as Percy shot her a confused glance.

They reached the center of the woods and looked around. Chiron was in the clearing with Ms. Lupa pushing his wheelchair. He looked around at the assembled kids. One team with black vests and red spots and the other with blue spots.

"Students!" Chiron said. "Welcome to the first game of Capture the Flag! You have all signed up for your positions and your team captain will lead you to the base. Your flags are there. Protect them. No cheating, hitting, wrestling, kicking, blinding, poking, or anything of that nature. When a horn sounds, the game starts."

Annabeth and Jason led the blue team to a makeshift base made out of wood. It was sort of like a clubhouse. Annabeth and Jason went to a table with a map of the woods and started to deliberate.

"Alright. Immediate flag guards are Shawn and Millie. Base guards are Hazel, Gwen, Dakota, Anna, and Livy," Jason said.

"I'm going to split the foot brigade in half," Annabeth said. She counted them off and said, "Group one goes to Post 1. Reyna, you lead them. Group two goes to Post 3. You can lead them there, Daryl."

"Piper, scout the base out. Take this whistle and blow it as hard as possible when you see the attackers coming," Jason said. "Vera, do the same but come in from behind."

"Beckendorf, take the trap setters with the red base. Be as annoying as possible," Annabeth said. "Take as many of them out as possible."

"Zoe, take the long-range fighters to the top of the base to shoot from above," Jason said. "I'll lead the short-range attackers to the base."

"And I'll stay here collecting intel and formulating a plan," Annabeth agreed. "If you hear me yell orders, follow them."

"Wouldn't dream of doing anything else," Percy muttered to Piper. "She'd kill us." Piper laughed.

Annabeth shot both of them a look and they both sobered up.

"Now. I am handing maps to the captains of each group with all of the posts and supply places," Annabeth said. "Foot brigade, take a supply place and guard it that way we have a lot of ammunition and supplies. Are you ready, Blue team?"

The blue team cheered and Annabeth and Jason exchanged glances.

"We'll wait for the horn to sound," Jason said. "And then we'll send you off. Sit semper odds erit in favorem."

Annabeth started thing hysterically and Piper raised an eyebrow in question.

"Inside joke. We're nuts about Rome and Greece. He just said, 'May the odds be ever in your favor' in Latin," Annabeth explained.

"You speak Latin?" Piper asked Jason. So he was cute and smart.

"A little bit," Jason said. "Annabeth's practically fluent in Greek though."

"He's being modest," Annabeth said. "He's very good at it."

Jason shrugged and Piper smiled. "Very nice. I can speak a little bit of French."

"Say some!" Jason pleaded.

She smiled. "Bonne chance, beau."

"I don't know what that means but I assume you said something along the lines of good luck," Jason said.

Piper nodded. "Correct."

What she had actually said was, 'good luck, handsome.' But he didn't have to know that.

Suddenly, the horn sounded and the games had begun.