Peri's POV

I blinked my eyes open as warm sunlight spilled onto my face from a nearby open window. I slowly sat up, rubbing my head.

My heart skipped a beat as I remembered my dream.

My eyes darted to my right hand.

The Celestial Bronze ring was still resting snugly on my ring finger. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I looked around myself as I woke up fully.

Most of the other girls had already risen and were chatting happily as they went on with their normal morning routines. Girls bustled in and out of the back closet, going in wearing pajamas and coming out looking demigod chic. Some of the Romans dressed a lot more dolled up than others, and I quickly assumed that these were the Venus girls Hazel was telling me about. They looked snobby and rude; not at all like Piper.

I got to my feet and stretched, my father's gift to me glinting brightly. I turned to see Hazel, Piper, and Bonnabelle already up as well. I made my way over to them quickly, eager to tell them all about my dream.

When they saw me, all the girls visibly brightened. I rushed through the "Good mornings" hastily.

"So guys," I began giddily.

"Hold that thought Peri," Hazel said. "We should get cleaned and changed for breakfast before anything else."

"If you say so," I sighed, deflated.

She led us back to the giant closet, this time showing us where the attached showers were near the back. She told us of how the bathhouse is mostly for special occasions because most people don't want to wait that long for the tub to fill up. Since I was "dirtier than the New Orleans streets on Mardi Gras" as Hazel put it, I was cool to use the bathhouse.

I quickly picked out some clothes from the towering shelves. [polyvore]

The back closet room was different when there were a swarm of girls in here. It was most definitely a lot less creepy and, I guess you could say it was a lot more like a mall or something. I squeezed my way between girls and made my way towards the back where the showers were.

Again, I had to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and architecture the Romans had to offer, even in the bathrooms. Each little shower stall was wonderfully clean and pristine, sparkling white marble making up the foundations. The shower head was a spotless chrome. Whoever did the cleaning around this place really deserved a raise.

I turned the knobs to activate the shower, adjusting the water to a perfect temperature. Undressing quickly, I stepped into the shower with a contented sigh. Again, there were already ample amounts of sweet smelling soaps, shampoos, and conditioners ready for anyone's use. For a short while I just stood there, enjoying the feeling of the hot water on me.

I washed myself with some pomegranate soap, shampooing my hair with strawberry. I dried off quickly, gathering my things hastily. I didn't want to take too long, because I knew there were other girls in line to shower as well. Wrapping a towel around my body securely, I mentally readied myself. I really didn't want to slip and fall outside and expose my goodies to all the girls in the Fifth Cohort.

I opened the door and sprinted to the fitting rooms, weaving in between girls also in towels. It was like crossing through a minefield. There was either a chattering group of Roman chicks in the way or a ten foot tall shelf. I just couldn't win.

I pushed through an empty fitting room, shutting the wooden door behind me tightly. I breathed a sigh of relief. Safe at last. I put on my little outfit quickly, still wanting to tell the girls about my dream. I brushed my hair in its trademark style - a high ponytail with my bang left out. I dropped off my dirty clothes in a chute at the back of the fitting room

After approving of my appearance, I opened the fitting room door to leave.

"Oof!"

To my surprise, I ran smack dab into a girl who was standing right at the door's entrance.

"Sorry!" I cried, rubbing my forehead.

The girl rubbed her forehead in pain. Her eyes were shut tightly, wincing from our collision. She had light brown hair perfectly curled in ringlets. Her long hair framed her face which was caked in makeup. I automatically assessed this girl as a daughter of Venus.

She opened her eyes, and they were a bright, mint green color. She gasped. "I-I'm sorry for bumping into you!"

"It's OK, really. Are you all right?" Her forehead looked a bit red, and I was starting to get worried.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm Tiffany, daughter of Venus."

Hit the nail on the head with that one.

"Nice to meet you, Tiffany." I beamed. "I'm-"

"You're Peri!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Of course I know who you are!"

"Oh yeah?" I said, my ego boosting with the second.

"Well, duh! Ever since that awesome performance you put on with the cyclopes the other night, the whole camp knows your name!"

I grinned proudly. "I like you, Tiffany! Keep talking!"

She squealed joyously. "Do you think I could get an autograph?"

I was over the moon. "Anything for a fan! Do you have a pen?"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the fitting room, closing the door behind us.

"Uh, Tiffany?" I started, confused.

Tiffany locked the fitting room door. Still facing away from me, I watched as she started laughing like a crazy person.

What. . . the. . . FUCK?!

"Tiffany?"

She spun around to face me sharply. There was a crazy, almost wicked grin on her face. And there was something else off about her. There was something different about her. . .

She stepped closer to me in one quick movement, and I backed up against the wall on instinct. She came even closer to me this time until I could smell her minty breath on my face.

Wait, that's it!

Her eyes had changed from minty green to a startling gold color.

What?!

She smirked devilishly and grabbed my wrists, bringing them above my head. Her grip tightened until my hands were a raw, red color. She glared at the tattoo on my left forearm. Tiffany put both of my wrists in one of her hands.

"Omega-Blood," she spat, drawing an Imperial Gold dagger from her belt with her free hand. "Without you, Gaea's awakening is absolutely definite. So you will die on this day."

"So. . . you don't want that autograph, huh?"

"NO!" She growled angrily. She pushed the dagger against my throat, not enough to draw blood, but definitely enough to hurt.

This bitch is cray!

I glared at her. I don't take too kindly to people putting knives to my neck and talking about killing me. It's just plain rude. I thrashed wildly, trying to free my hands. For a girl who looked no older than 16, Tiffany was really strong.

"Stop struggling! You'll only make things worse!" She shook me roughly by the neck before pushing me hard against the wall behind me. I fell on my butt, Tiffany towering over me.

At that moment, a strangely familiar feeling came over me. It was like my whole body was on pins and needles.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure of how it happened.

5 Celestial Bronze swords appeared in front of me, pointing towards a shocked Tiffany. I blinked in confusion, and the swords shot forward. The shining weapons impaled the girl, sending her flying backwards. Her body hit the fitting room door with a painful slam. The 5 swords went straight through her body, getting lodged in the door, leaving her suspended in the air. The golden glint in her eyes died out, and I could've sworn I saw a dark, smoky cloud escape her lips.

Then, she crumbled to golden dust.

My eyes widened as the 5 Celestial Bronze swords. . . dissolved and disappeared before me.

What just happened?!

I quickly got up from the ground, tripping a few times as I rushed out of the fitting room. As I burst throug the fitting room door, I took note of the 5 holes in the wall the swords made.

That proved I wasn't just hallucinating or something.

I sprinted through the throngs of giggling girls who clearly had no idea what just happened to me. Panting, I looked over my shoulder as I pushed past people. I half-expected Tiffany to be chasing me down with her dagger.

Running blindly, I ran into someone for the second time this morning.

"Oof!"

"Peri!"

Thank the gods.

I had ran into Hazel, Piper, and Bonnabelle.

I doubled over, huffing and puffing.

"Peri, what happened?!" Piper asked.

I tried speaking through my heavy breathing. "Crazy Venus chick. . . gold eyes. . . swords. . . monster dust. . . confused Peri!"

"Peri, slow down!" Hazel exclaimed, patting me on the back. "Take some deep breaths and tell us again slowly."

I nodded and inhaled deeply. Exhaling, I told them all about dream and psycho Tiffany.

"Oh gods," Bonnabelle murmured, eyeing me nervously. "Things are about to get a lot more interesting."

"What? What is happening?!" I cried urgently.

Instead of answering my question, she just turned towards the cabin front door. "Reyna needs to hear this. Let's go to the mess hall ASAP."

I sighed before picking myself up from the ground and followed the girls out the door.

My stomach growled loudly as we were walking.

Piper chuckled. "Yeah, breakfast sounds good right now."

I patted my stomach. "Time to send the B Train to the J Stop!"

"What?!" They all exclaimed in unison.

"The B Train is bacon." I explained, like this was the most obvious thing in the world. "The J Stop is my stomach, because stomachs are shaped like J's."

"Oh, well duh!" Piper said sarcastically.

I was about to say something really witty, but someone cut me off.

"HEY!"

We all turned to see Leo running towards us, waving. I grinned and got on my tippy toes to wave back at him.

"HI, LEO!" I screamed.

Hazel quickly clamped her hands over her ears, but her wild, curly hair was all in the way. "Gods, Peri!"

I laughed at her as Leo came up to us.

"Hey, ladies." He grinned.

"Why weren't you in the mess hall already?" Bonnabelle inquired.

"Annabeth!" Leo put on a face of mock anger. "When someone says hi to you, you say hi back!"

I laughed, playing along. "Yeah, girl! Where are your manners?"

She rolled her eyes and walked into the mess hall.

I folded my arms. "Kids these days,"

Leo put his hands on his hips. "Don't I know it!"

His face cracked, and we both broke character, laughing like crazy.