I would have posted yesterday, but I got grounded (on Wednesday) because I am a violent person. Anyway, my parole was supposed to come tomorrow, but my mom allowed me parole today if I did something "kind" for my brother. It took three drafts, but I finally managed to write a seemingly sincere letter of apology.

Also, I'm still actively writing this, so the reference sheet will probably change every time I post. Just a warning. I added the planets and a bit on Thea (Nina) this time around.

Earth~Today

"This is it. This is the summer!" Nina exclaimed.

Percy looked over at his sister. "What's so special about this summer?"

"This is the summer that no bad things happen to us. Got it?" Nina asked, well aware that it was never their fault that the Fates wanted them to have an eventful life.

Percy shoved his hand over his sister's mouth. "Shh…don't jinx it!" Nina laughed and pulled his hand away. "Come on, we need a good hiding place for the flag. We're up against Annabeth," Percy said, changing the subject.

Nina nodded. "You take that edge of the woods. I'll take this one," Nina suggested. Percy and she fist-bumped each other before splitting up.

She wandered around the woods, looking for the perfect hiding place. All of these were just too obvious. Maybe it was legal to just bury the flag in the ground. During all of her years at camp, no one had tried that. Nina's search was stopped short by a man in a black cloak that completely covered his face muttering to himself.

"Strong…undefeated…Perseus would make a fine sergeant…" he mused.

Nina grunted softly. I shouldn't be hearing this, her rational side told her. And yet, she couldn't help but think, what the Hades does this dude want with my brother?! The man had heard her grunt, and he turned her head sharply towards her. A tingle ran down her spine. Nina tried to turn and run, but his glare literally froze her in her place.

He growled angrily and shoved his hand out to her, muttering in an indecipherable language. Next thing she knew, she was knocked back five yards, had disappeared into the shadows. Blackness swallowed Nina, too, and she lost consciousness.

Nina didn't come to lunch that day. Percy grew worried, but he decided to check their cabin after archery if she didn't show up. She was probably just scouting around the forest and had lost track of time.

After checking the office, the infirmary, Rachel's cave, and the archery pit, Percy tracked down Annabeth.

"I can't find my sister."

Annabeth frowned. She figured he was yanking her chain and laughed a little. "Uh, where did you last see her?"

"We were in the woods, trying to find a new place to hide the flag for Friday's game," Percy said, his face dead serious.

Annabeth realized it wasn't a joke. "You split up?" Percy nodded. Annabeth shook her head. "You should know by now that you're not supposed to go in the woods alone, Seaweed Brain!"

"We can each handle the monsters in there, Annabeth."

"Come on, let's see if she's not some monster's dinner," Annabeth said, striding to the woods.

"You're kidding right? My sister can take care of herself. Wise Girl? Please tell me you're kidding." Percy followed her.

Annabeth forced a smile for him. "It is unlikely that the monsters will be nibbling on her bones as we speak. Besides, if you have such faith in her, why are you so worried?"

"Because! I don't know! She's my sister!" Groaning, Percy ran his fingers through his hair. "I feel like this is my fault," he said.

Annabeth paused. They were a couple of meters into the forest. She put her hand on Percy's shoulder. "She'll be fine, don't you worry. We'll split up, but stay within earshot."

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Annabeth shouted Percy's name.

Nina was lying still on her back, eyes wide open. "Nina!" Percy dropped to his knees and grabbed her wrist. Heart still beating. He looked at his sister's calm expression. She didn't seem to notice or care that he was hunched over her. Percy waved his hand over her face. "Nina?"

Annabeth softly shook Nina's shoulder. "This is weird; this is really weird," she said.

Percy poked her face. "Nina, Nina!"

Nina blinked slowly. They shook her a little more until she woke up groaning.

"What happened?" Annabeth asked.

Before Nina could respond, Percy squeezed her. "What day is it?" she murmured into her brother's shoulder.

Percy pulled away. "Monday... Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Nina rubbed her eyes and winced. "No," she corrected.

"What happened, Nina?" Annabeth repeated.

Nina clutched her head. "I—I think—" She cried out in pain and took a couple of deep breaths.

"Come on, we'll take you to the infirmary," Percy said. Annabeth and he dragged Nina to her feet, and they half-led, half-carried her to the Big House.

"Okay, what happened?" Will repeated.

Nina took a swig of her nectar. "All I remember is that Percy and I split up in the woods to survey for a hiding spot for Capture-the-Flag."

Percy and Annabeth told Will how they had found Nina in the woods, unmoving with her eyes open.

Will took a look at Nina. "Are you sure you can't remember anything?" He looked at Percy and Annabeth. "She was on her back, yeah? Rules out fainting, and eyes open, that's weird."

"I remember that I passed out," Nina said, attempting to stay cheerful. She moaned at her migraine and finished off the nectar and yawned.

Will took the empty glass from her. "Concussion. Must have hit your head hard. Memory loss is a common side effect. Is the nectar helping?"

Nina squinted. "Ow," she said softly.

"Why isn't it working?" Percy asked.

Will shrugged. "She should sleep." He turned to Nina. "You'll feel better in the morning. You should stay here for the night."

Nina nodded and yawned. "Okay, night."

Except she didn't. The next morning she woke up with even worse of a headache, and more amnesia.

It took her a second to recognize the boy sitting next to her bed.

"Are you feeling better?" Percy asked.

"Uh…" Nina stalled, trying to remember his name. "Yeah, n-no."

Percy frowned. "Does your head hurt still?"

"Yeah. Percy, I'm scared," she said in a small voice.

"Why?"

"I just…never mind," she whispered. She didn't want to admit that she couldn't remember her own brother.

As the week progressed, Nina only got worse. Her memory loss got worse, and her muscles started cramping up. Percy dutifully wheeled her around in a wheelchair. After a few days, Percy managed to convince Chiron and Will to let Nina stay in their cabin. Only by the time next Monday rolled around did Nina start to feel better.

"This was supposed to be the summer where nothing exciting happens," she complained, waking him up. A large grin was plastered onto her face.

Percy grinned, happy that his sister felt better. "You're wishing for too much."

"I don't care. I won't stop hoping until it finally comes."

They laughed. Finally, finally, things were coming back to normal. Nina claimed that she felt ecstatic, elated, and happy. The day seemed trivially normal. But that was good. Normal is good. It was a good day.

Until he came. Their mysterious new brother.

Arcanus, he called himself, strolled right into the Poseidon cabin that evening and sat down on Percy's bunk. Percy was brushing his teeth at the time.

Thinking it was Percy, Nina swung her head over the rail of the top bunk and said, "Hey Percy? If someone—oh, you're not Percy. Um…"

Pain blossomed in her chest and flared to everywhere else in her body. She screamed out in pain, and lost her balance. She flipped over the railing and landed on her back on the floor, writhing in pain.

Percy ran out of the bathroom to his sister, who lay crumpled on the cabin floor.

"P-P-Percy, I-I—" She coughed, squeezing her brother's hand. Blood trickled out of her mouth.

"Nina, Nina." Percy looked around. His eyes landed on Arcanus. "Go to the Big House, get Chiron! Tell him that Nina fell and she needs First Aid!"

Arcanus's eyes flickered over to the door lazily. He neither uttered a word nor moved an inch.

"Percy," Nina whispered. "I love you."

Percy cradled her. "Shh, don't talk like that. It'll be okay, I promise." Nina coughed up more blood into his shirt. "I know! Nectar!" He laid Nina down carefully. "Be right back." He dashed into the bathroom, where a canteen of nectar sat.

Nina struggled to breathe. She looked at Arcanus, who still sat on Percy's bed with a bored expression. As he stared at her, his brown eyes flashed red.

Nina was dead before Percy got back. "No, no, no, no, no…" Percy tried to force the nectar down her throat. It didn't work. He cradled her again, crying.

Pokerfaced, Arcanus got up from Percy's bed. He exited the cabin.

Percy was still holding his sister when he returned with Chiron and Annabeth. Annabeth knelt next to Percy and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," she whispered, shakily. Tears rolled down her face.

Chiron watched solemnly, knowing that nothing could be done.

A/N: Emotional Rollercoaster, huh? I promise it flattens out...a bit...in the next few chapters. Like, nobody dies.

Haha, my mom just walked by and heard me laughing over the "nobody dies," and she asked, "Are you being mean to your characters?"

So I replied, "Yeah."

Mom said, "So am I."

"I just killed one of them."

"I just kidnapped one of them's children," she said.

XD