Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or and related characters/fictional places.

Chapter Five

Cabin Inspection and the Fight Scene.

Mary had been at camp for a week now so she was doing cabin inspection with Nico.
"So Thalia is the only one in there?" Mary asked as she looked inside the Zeus cabin.
"Yeah when she's not with the huntresses of Artemis." (This is not a Thalia plus Nico story.)
"Well I give it a six out of ten." Mary wrote, six on the scroll.
"Oh and why do you get to be the counselor of our cabin? I'm older."
"No you are not older. I was born way before you." Nico wrote down a seven for the Hera cabin.
"You didn't age in the Lotus Hotel and Casino, did you?" Mary retorted. "Hey Percy!" Mary nudged a pile of clothes with her boot. "Missed some."
"Well no . . . but that's not the point! I still lived longer. I give Percy's cabin a five." Nico kicked the clothes.
Percy scooped up the clothes and hastily shoved them into a hamper. "Sorry Tyson usually cleans up. And Arietta's not here to nag me."
"Excuses excuses." Mary wrote a five down for the Poseidon cabin. To Nico she said "So I can't be counselor because . . .?"
"Well usually the camper that's been on more quests can challenge the current leader. But neither of us has been on a quest. I've been in more battles though."
"Oh whatever. I'm still coming to the counselor meetings. Now is the Demeter cabin always so, well green?"
"Yup." Said Nico as he wrote an 8 down on the scroll. "Even in the winter."
"Will they beat us up if we give them a zero?" asked Mary as she pointed as the Ares cabin.
"Not if they don't know." Nico grinned and looked inside. "Yuck." He wrote a zero for the Ares cabin.

When they made their way down to the Apollo cabin Joe was standing in the doorway. "Well hello there." He grinned at Mary.
"Move aside creeper." Mary looked into the cabin. Everything was neat and tidy. "Wow unlike Percy's cabin there's nothing under the beds. I suppose you deserve a nine." She wrote a nine for the Apollo cabin.
"So I pass?" Joe asked.
"Your cabin passes." Mary walked away toward the Artemis cabin.

Later that day some of the campers were watching a movie in the big house. Most of the couch was dominated by the Aphrodite cabin, only a few other campers had gotten a spot. The rest of them had to be content with the floor. Joe was fine with that. It gave him a chance to stare at Mary without her knowing. Of course that was creepy but who cares?

Nico walked into the room and reluctantly took the only spot left on the couch, next to a Nemesis camper named Gwen.
"Nico and Gwen like each other!" an Aphrodite guy teased.
"I do not!" they protested at the same time, and then stared at the other like they were contagious.
Gwen punched the guy. "I do not like him like that." She stalked out of the room.
Chase from Hecate snickered, "Like anyone would like a child of Hades."
Mary whirled around to hit him but Chase ducked causing her to hit the person behind him, Joe.
Joe looked at Mary in shock then ran away.
"Joe! Wait I didn't mean-!" she ran after him.
She found him in the woods leaning against a tree, his head in his hands.
"Go away." He mumbled.
"Hey look, I didn't mean to hit you." Mary sat down next to him. "I was trying to hit Chase but he ducked. And I'm not usually one to say this, but I'm sorry."
"Really?" he asked "I thought you didn't like me. . ."
Mary sighed, she didn't like all this emotional stuff. "Joe you're very nice. Slightly creepy, but nice. Tell 'ya what. You stop following me like a creepy stalker and we can hang out. Be friends." She smiled at him.
Joe smiled. "I'd like that."
They talked in the woods until the harpies started coming out.
"Goodnight." He said as they stopped at the Apollo cabin.
"Goodnight." Mary smiled. "We still on for Archery tomorrow?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Joe grinned and went into his cabin just as the harripes saw them.
Mary ran the rest of the way to the Hades cabin, letting the door bang shut behind her. "Dumb harripes. I was almost in my cabin." She looked at her ripped jeans. "Oh well."

Nico smirked. "Find a boyfriend?"
Mary shook her head. "Gosh no. I'm not the romantic type."

End of Chapter

Authors Note: Thanks to my wonderful sister for help with the fight scene.