Percy was sitting at the bottom of the lake contemplating the morning's events. After being claimed as child of Poseidon he realized that the water had always cleared his head. He thought he heard his name, quiet and garbled, so he looked up. Much to his surprise Thalia was standing on the deck with her hands on her hips looking very peeved. She was dressed in a fresh camp half-blood shirt and "homemade" black jean shorts, the kind that that were jeans but somebody cut them.
Percy rocketed out of the water and up on to the deck perfectly dry but Thalia, however, was sprayed with water.
"Oh, sorry! I don't know my power yet!" apologized Percy.
"You're dry!" exclaimed Thalia looking more shocked than annoyed.
"Ah, yeah, I don't get wet unless I want to."
"I take it you can breathe underwater too, I've been standing here for at least ten minutes yelling your name." Said Thalia, regaining her scowl. "What were you doing down there any way?"
"Um, it clears my head besides nobody can talk to me unless I want them to." Explained Percy as picked up a towel off the deck to give it to her.
"Why do you bring a towel if you don't get wet?"
"You're not the first one to get splashed."
Thalia and Percy started walking down the pier
"So the person your hiding from would be… Annabeth?"
"Oh, no just everyone, I hate the way people stare at me. But usually it's Clarisse I'm hid… Hey I'm not hiding! Just avoiding conflict." He retorted. By this time they reached the end of the pier and started to walk towards the woods.
"Oh, I didn't mean… I understand On the way over here, when I would pass by a group they would go soooo quiet."
"Like in those cowboy movies when the tumble weed goes by!" exclaimed Percy
"Exactly!" It was quiet for quite a while until Thalia spoke up again "I'm glad it wasn't Annabeth you were ah… avoiding; you two make a cute couple and…"
"Oh, were not together! We are just friends." rushed Percy.
Thalia raised her eyebrow.
"Look was there something you want to talk about?" huffed Percy
"Oh yeah!" Said Thalia remembering. "Well I just wanted to talk to you in general, you're the only other child of the big three I've ever met."
"Let me guess, I'm not what you expected."
"Well yes, I mean no." by this time they reached the woods and she stopped but Percy kept going. But quickly turned around.
"Are you coming?" asked Percy trying not to seem perplexed by her reply.
"Charon said not to go in…"
"… alone or unarmed. But you're not alone and neither am I. As for being armed I always am," Pulling out riptide. "and you have the spear on your back. Besides seeing as you can't breathe under water this is the best place to talk without being a zoo exhibit for the other campers."
"Alright." She agreed though still seeming a bit leery.
They trekked about a half of a mile into the woods before Percy could stand it no longer.
"What did you mean earlier, about your expectations?" he asked.
"Can we sit down I'm still tired? And what I meant was at first glance you don't look very powerful." Replied Thalia.
"Yeah I Know."
Percy stopped at the stream and pulled out a hidden thing of cokes from behind a rock and gestured for Thalia to sit down. Percy sat down closer to the stream across from her, leaning back so his hands are in the stream.
Thalia took a sip of her coke.
"I expected another Big Three child to look tall, muscular, like someone you wouldn't want to mess with…"
"Like the Ares kids." added Percy.
"Yeah, but you're not very muscular or tall. You look like a typical 13 year old skater boy with shaggy hair. But this is how you appeared to me when I first woke up when I started to become more conscience I noticed a kind of aura of power around you that made a bit jumpy." Clarified Thalia taking another sip of coke.
"I know what you mean, when I saw you a sort of electric shock went down my spine and right now there is still a tingling on the back of my neck." Said Percy with his coke sitting in his hand barely touched.
"Yeah, that's it. Well when you yelled at somebody to help I saw the whole crowed flinch including Chiron, so I thought you were a god…"
"A god! You're kidding right?" laughed Percy
"No, I'm serious. You were obviously in charge or there leader and like I said you radiated power and gods can appear however they want. It makes sense now, I have been mistaken for minor god before." Said Thalia
"Really? Well this is a first for me." Said Percy
"Yeah? When I first met Luke he thought…." But Thalia trailed off.
"Look I can't imagine how it is for you and I'm sorry I was so harsh but when it comes to Luke I get really angry." Apologized Percy.
"I don't blame you. I just don't know how he could change that much." Said Thalia as something in the woods made a rustling sound. "Did you here that?" she said as she stood up.
"Probably the Dryads," Replied Percy. "Thalia can I ask you something?"
"Sure, I guess." she said still standing.
"What was…" Percy was interrupted by a low growl and 3 large black and brown things bounded out of the forest.
Their bodies looked thin and lean like a large cat but the face shape looked more like a dog and instead of having fur it looked like it had snake skin. Percy scrambled to his feet and uncapped riptide; Thalia had released Agus and armed herself with her spear.
"Yeah just dryads." Complained Thalia.
"Not know!" yelled Percy but at this one of the creatures launched its self at Thalia.
Thalia was able to deflect the creature off her shield but it landed on all 4s and avoided her spear and they started to circle each other. Meanwhile the other two encroached on Percy and as he went for his shield they both pounced simultaneously but the shield had already spiraled open and he was able to roll out of the way. Thalia and her monster were trading blows but that snake-cat was moving slower under the aura of Agus.
Percy knew he could not take on both at the same time and he need a way to keep one of them busy. Percy's feet had stepped into the stream and he figure he might as well try it. He immediately felt the familiar tug in his gut and with a quick arm movement a wave rose out of the stream, wrapped around the nearest animal, and submerged it in the stream.
The other creature got over the shock of its comrade being drag into the water quicker than Percy expected and it pounced. He was able to dodge it but not quick enough; its claws raked his arm and it erupted in pain. The creature went to pounce on him again but Percy made a quick movement with his sword and the creature howled with pain as its ear disintegrated.
Thalia had corner her monster between some rocks and her shield and with a quick movement stabbed it with her long knife, her spear was broken early in the fight. And with that the creature disintegrated but as Thalia turned to check on Percy, the other creature had drug itself out of the stream, and pounced on the unsuspecting Thalia.
As Percy's cat, now disoriented from the loss of its ear, lounged Percy brought his sword down in a wide arch and with a cry of pain the creature turned to dust. Percy turned around at just the right time to see the 3rd creature pounce on Thalia. Percy wasn't sure if Thalia could hold off it until he could get over there so in a split second decision he through his shield like a Frisbee knocking it off her. She quickly grabbed her knife and plunged it into its chest. Percy ran over and helped her up and grabbed his shield.
"Nice aim." Said Thalia
"Thanks," said Percy though he was really thinking you're welcome. Percy reached into his back pocket and grabbed some ambrosia, handed it to her and put the rest back in his pocket.
"Aren't you going to eat some?" she asked after swallowing her piece and sitting down.
He walked over and sat down right in the middle of the stream.
"Nope. I save it for others or when I'm not around any water."
"Water heals you?" she said staring at the wound his arm close up.
"Yeah, it's another Poseidon thing."
"Lucky, the only special power I got from my dad is calling lighting and that makes me feel like I'm going to pass out afterwards."
"Yeah, poor you. You control some of the most powerful weapons in the universe."
"Hey! Well what about you? You can breathe under water, water heals you and you can control it."
"I also speak to horses but I'm sure you probably have more powers and you just haven't discovered them yet. Maybe you speak to eagles?"
Thalia throw a piece of her broken spear at him which he dodged but she was also laughing which he guess was a good sign. And for some reason Percy started laughing too and they both realized perhaps they aren't just 2 pons in the same game. Perhaps they were family.