A/N: Hi! This chapter was OCDragon. Enjoy! Review please!

Ethan III

I smirked to myself as I exited the Front Office. Tenth time being called up to the Principal's Office this week alone! That has to be some sort of record! I think to myself in amusement. I think about heading back to class and immediately dismiss the idea and head toward the school parking lot instead with the intention of ditching. I don't get far before coming face-to-face with Scarlet.

"Hello Ethan." She says flirtatiously, her manicured hand stroking my bicep.

Her breath and clothes smell like the cigarette she's been smoking and I have to stifle a cough before replying, "Scarlet" I greeted her coolly. With strawberry blonde curls, sparkling blue eyes, and perfect body, any boy would give their left eye to date her. But I'm not any boy, and she is not my type at all. Call me shallow but I prefer blondes.

"I see you've been to the Principal's Office again. What was it this time? Steal someone's wallet? Put a dead rat in the cafeteria food?"

I meet her blue gaze evenly with my own, "I don't steal money, and I hardly need to put a rat in the food- it tastes as if the lunch lady does that already- no I put a live frog in Mrs. Chikowsky's desk drawer." I smiled to myself slightly at the memory of the English teacher's frightened scream when the frog leapt out of the drawer and onto her lap.

Scarlet smiles as well, though hers is seductive not humorous. She stretches up to whisper in my ear, "That's hot. I love bad boys."

I back away from her and walk away, leaving her staring after me. I hate being called a bad boy. I'm not a motorcycle-riding, black jacket-wearing, emotionless jerk. I steal only for the thrill of it and I only take small meaningless things that won't be missed much or borrow things that I have every intention of returning. For instance, Jack's Ferrari, I had every intention of taking it for a joy ride- though I do not have my license as I'm not even 16 yet- and then returning it to where I had taken it from the parking lot, except that I had accidentally crashed it into a light pole. And I only steal from the rich spoiled jerks that think they are entitled to everything just because their daddies are loaded. As for the pranks I keep them harmless and do them in good fun- or in revenge. In the case of the frogs it was the latter that motivated me. Mrs. Chikowsky made me read out loud to the entire class yesterday- knowing full well that I'm dyslexic. She watched as I humiliated myself as I struggled to keep the letters straight in my head. So maybe putting frogs her desk wasn't the right thing to do but I couldn't help myself.

Pulling myself from my thoughts I suddenly realized that I had been walking for longer than I thought, I had left school property completely and now found myself standing in front of the dance club where my mother worked, resorting to the unspeakable just to keep food on the table. I don't know what brought me here, the club was closed as it is daytime and even if my mother were here I don't want her to know that I cut class again.

I turn away and keep on walking, no destination in mind but simply desiring to keep moving. Suddenly there was a sound like the scrape of gravel and I turned to find what looked like five of the largest dogs I had ever seen. Each dog was half as tall as myself with bodies like tree trunks and teeth and claws longer than my middle finger. The lead dog let out a low growl and bunched its muscles, ready to spring. I turned and ran.

The dogs gave chase, their growls loud enough to be heard around Hartford where I live. Yet no one came out to see what the commotion was about- I was on my own- but then I'm used to fending for myself. I know this city better than most but fear clouds my mind and I take a wrong turn ending up in an alleyway- a dead end.

I whirl around just as the dogs burst into the alleyway. I quickly grab anything that resembles a weapon until I hold long metal pipe and a trash can lid to be used as a shield. I recklessly charge forward and swing the pipe at the lead dog. However, the dog simply reaches up with one massive forepaw and sends me flying backward. My back slams into the wall at the end of the alley and I crumple to the ground, stunned. The lead dog stalks toward me and I meet his gaze defiantly, telling him to get it over with. For a split second the image of the dog disappears to be replaced with that of a lion with the head of a man and the tail of a scorpion. Wow I must have really hit my head hard, I think to myself as the vision disperses and I once more find a dog staring menacingly down at me.

The dog moves to tear my throat out and I instinctively close my eyes so that I don't have to see those teeth. For what seemed like minutes I sat there with my eyes closed, waiting for the deathblow. Then there was the scrape of metal on metal and a pain-filled screech fills the alley.

I snap open my eyes to find a girl with a bronze knife in one hand and a bronze sword in the other, her back is to me as she faces the remaining dogs. The lead dog seems to have disappeared but there is a strange coating of dust on me where the dog had stood. Before I can call out to the mysterious girl a dog leaps, teeth bared and claws outstretched. But the girl doesn't miss a beat she sidesteps and swings the sword as the dog flies past, decapitating it. The dog falls to the ground and- much to my astonishment- turns to dust.

Two of the remaining dogs leap at the girl at the same time but she just throws the knife into one dog's eye and stabs the other through the chest as it soared over her. Both turn to dust.

Armed now with only the sword, the girl turns to the last dog. For what seems like a lifetime, neither the girl nor the dog move. Finally, though, the dog lets out a low growl and darts away as fast as it can.

The girl retrieves her knife before turning to me for the first time. She is very pretty with blonde hair and stunning gray eyes. "Greetings Demigod, I am Annabeth Chase and-" the girl seems to see me for the first time and her gray eyes widen, and her skin gets pale- making her look for all the world as if she's seen a ghost. For a moment she just stares at me, jaw hanging and countless emotions swimming in her eyes before she regains her ability to speak, "Luke!"