Note: In this chapter, PJO Person 5, my dear friend Sydney, is introduced. Enjoy!

The next morning, we all got a huge surprise. Especially me.

It was my first sword practice ever. I was paired up with the son of Poseidon, Percy, since everyone said he was the best swordsman at camp. In the armory, when I got there, there was a package that said, "TO EMMA."

I must've looked quizzical, because Percy said, "I don't know what it is either. Go on, open it!"

I walked cautiously to the package, which was long and thin. I tore off the wrapping and there was the coolest sword ever. I don't care if Percy's turned into a pen. I liked mine. There was a small note on the hilt.

I read aloud, "To Emma. This is for you. I give all my sons and daughters a sword or dagger when they get to camp. Yours is 'Excelsior,' or 'Ever upward,' as I'm sure you will be in life. You are my daughter, after all. From, Your mother Athena." My voice faltered a bit when I read my actual mother's name. I don't know why.

I removed the note off the hilt and looked at my sword. It was celestial bronze, with three edges, so when you looked at the top, it looked like a pyramid. The hilt was encrusted in diamonds and turquoise. It was extremely thin, but I could see that it would do a lot of damage if I made it. I was shocked that my mom, who I had never met since I started remembering things, would give me such an awesome weapon.

Percy was standing there, with his mouth open, looking extremely stupid.

"Well come on then," I said to him, getting a sword belt on.

He took his sword/pen out, almost involuntarily, and began comparing it with mine. I realized with a laugh that mine was longer. He scowled.

Suddenly, Cody came through the door. I ran up to him.

"Look what my mom gave me!" I told him happily, showing him my sword.

"Whoa," was all he said.

"I know, isn't it great?"

"I thought I heard you laugh, so I came here and- whoa."

Percy was still standing there, looking idiotic.

I said to Cody, "I've got to start sword practice. See you later."

Cody said, "Bye," and walked out.

Percy didn't move.

"Come on then," I commanded. "Let's begin."

He shook his head like a dog coming out of water and I stifled a laugh.

We walked to the arena.

Percy took his sword out again and showed me how to hold one correctly. As soon as I held Excelsior, I don't know what happened, but it felt like an extension of my arm.

"Sweet," I muttered with a half-smile.

Percy and I started drilling. I don't know what happened again, but as soon as I slashed my sword, I knew exactly what to do and when. I could tell when he would strike, so I used that to my advantage. I knew when he was off-guard, so I ended up winning. Again. And again. And again.

An hour later, Percy was all sweaty and disgusting so we decided to stop my constant winning. And to stop that, we stopped sword practice.

As I was walking towards the mess hall for lunch, Percy suddenly asked me a question awkwardly.

He asked in a sort of a whisper, "Can you get Annabeth to come to the campfire with me tonight?"

I laughed and said, "Why? I thought you two were friends..." And then it dawned on me. "You like her, don't you?"

Percy muttered something that sounded sort of like, "Yuhs."

I stifled a laugh, sensing how uncomfortable Percy must have felt. Instead I smiled, in a way that would hopefully say that I understood (even though I really didn't). I told him gently, "I think she likes you too."

He jumped about a foot in the air.

I walked away, laughing quietly.

Leaving lunch, I bumped into a fellow blond. Only she looked like she could be one of those celebrities on TV that is always getting into legal trouble and had five ex-husbands. But then I realized that she was only fourteen or so.

"Hello," I said brightly, deciding to be nice.

"OMG! Are you, like, that new, like camper?" she asked in an airhead-ish tone.

"Um, I think so."

"My name is like, Sydney!"

"My name's Emma."

"Let's be, like, best friends!"

"I've already got a best friend."

"Ooo, that Chinese son of Hermes?"

"He is Korean, not Chinese. But yes." I instantly regretted telling her that.

"Oh, please! He's obviously, like, your boyfriend!"

"He is not! We're just friends!"

I walked away from Sydney and bumped into another person. Unfortunately, it was Vistra. I groaned.

"What's getting you down?" he asked casually.

"Get away," I said through clenched teeth.

"Mad, are you? Is it that blond idiot Sydney?"

"How'd you guess?"

"She's a daughter of Aphrodite. She annoys everyone."

"Great. Now let me leave."

"No! I have a singing telegram to deliver to you."

"Didn't they stop sending those ages ago?" I asked impatiently.

"Yes. Can't you take a joke? Anyway, Chiron wants to see you, Annabeth, and Percy."

"But-"

"No buts. Now go!"

"No!" I crossed my arms in my defiant pose again.

"It might work with Dion-idiot, but it doesn't work with me. You're up against someone equally as stubborn as you are."

"Get away or I'll flay you alive!" I whipped out my sword.

He whipped out a sword too. Only his was black. All black.

"What's that made of?" I asked, composure falling. I'm just a curious person.

He smirked and said, "Dyed celestial bronze and obsidian from the Underworld on the hilt."

I turned around and was about to walk to the Big House when he said, "Did you notice how HUGE Sydney's lips are? I wonder if she uses-"

His voice trailed off and I realized that Sydney's lips had been humongous.

But I still smiled and said, "I didn't really notice. Unlike you, I don't look at that. I didn't know you were so desperate for a girlfriend that you would actually consider Sydney."

"I didn't! I would never-"

Again, his voice trailed off as I turned and walked to the Big House. That time I actually got there. What I saw disturbed me.