Annabeth and I sat outside the Big House maps of the woods spread on the deck. "Maybe if we set the flag here,"I suggest pointing to Zeus' Fist.
"No to predictable and besides it's not on our side of the forest, Clarisse claimed that side,"Annabeth told me. I surveyed the map closely.
"So you have a plan to distract Clarisse yet?"I asked.
"Of course I'm a daughter of Athena with a new better plan,"she tells me pointing to the water and moving a small figurine.
"Ah Percy,"I mumble and she nods, grinning. "He is gonna be so mad."
"As long as we win,"she said.
"Just don't let Luke get the flag again, I know I just guard the flag but I know you let Luke get the flag every time he is on your team,"I tell her.
Annabeth tied her hair up showing her blushing red face. "I have never-"
"Annabeth your face is red,"I interrupt her and she pushes me. We laugh but our laughter dies when the sound of hoofs on the deck draws our attention.
"Helen, you have a phone call,"Chiron said.
"I have archery in 10 minutes,"I remind him.
"As your instructor I excuse you," Chiron said and I got up.
In the Big House I pick up the land line. The Camp could only afford one, and even that was dangerous since monsters would be able to find the camp easier. "Hello?" I say.
"Helen, it's your dad," he said. Let me give you the down low on my dad, think of any company any at all and my father owns a share of it. He has big cooperate parties almost every weekend and for being thirty he is the hottest man to date on Wall Street, which means my dad, Landon Jacobs doesn't have time for his daughter unless the house keeping can't find me for two weeks.
"Hey dad,"I groan.
"Helen you know how much it freaks the housekeeping out when you just cut and run like that,"he scolds.
"Dad they speak German, you only speak Spanish,"I remind him.
"Well they were gesturing around and pointing at pictures of you and frantically speaking in German,"he said as if it was a pain.
"The point is,"I ask.
"That you make me look bad when you just take off, there already was an article about you and your special schools that you keep getting kicked out of,"he tells me.
"Of course you bring that up,"I say.
"Helen, I'm just tired of telling Nancy that she needs to find another school for you,"my dad tells me.
"Whatever dad I told you a week before I left that I was going to camp during our monthly dinner,"I remind him.
"Oh right,"he gasps.
"I'm guessing you have a five o'clock with Nancy," I snap," so you can go back to partying and pretending I don't exist." I press the end button as dramatically as I could and set the phone down gently. When I leave the big house Annabeth is sitting on the steps all the maps rolled up waiting to be taken back to Cabin 6. She has a Greek helmet with a blue plume.
"Hey,"I say and she turns to look at me.
"This is for you Luke dropped by, he knew you were inside,"Annabeth told me and threw the helmet at me. I juggled it between my hands trying to actually catch it before I cluttered down onto the porch. "You are such a bad catch."
I flip my ponytail and strike a pose. "What are you talking about, I am the catch of the century,"I joke and take a handful of maps and pick up the helmet. We walk back to the cabins and make our way through the statues when the conch horn sounds. We grin at each other, Clarisse was gonna get pulverized.
During dinner everyone was chattering and I lounged at my table drinking some apple cider and munching on some grapes when the conch horn was blown, signalling it was time for capture the flag, finally. Annabeth along with two of her other cabin mates ran into the pavilion carrying the silk banner with an owl on a olive tree on it, the sign of Athena.
Clarisse, Jamie, and another one of their ugly siblings charged in with a red banner with a spear and a boar's head from the other side of the pavilion. It was Athena, Apollo, Hermes, and now Hera against the rest of the cabins, Ares, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hephaestus, and Dionysus. Chiron banged his foot against the floor of the mess hall.
Heroes, you now the rules,"Chiron shouted. "The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed." Annabeth tucked her cap into her pocket and I grinned. "The banner must be prominently displayed and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but none may be gagged or bound. No killing or maiming allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves." As Chiron spread his hand the tables filled with weapons.
I put my helmet on a strap my belt with my sword around my waist.
"We are so gonna win this,"Annabeth says as I strap her armor around her. I glance at Percy who was talking to Luke.
"Hopefully Percy survives Clarisse and her friends," I say finishing the last strap.
"He'll be fine," Annabeth says. "We'll get the banner across in time before Clarisse's spear does to much damage."
"Right, that thing." Annabeth and I wince at the thought of an electric current going through us. We had both been on the receiving end of that spear and it wasn't a very appealing experience. "So I guard the flag and when Jamie comes I fight him."
"Exactly and we will have another backup just in case Clarisse has learned from her mistakes,"Annabeth confirms finishing tightening the last strap on my armor. "Alright we're good to go." She put her hair up and plopped her helmet on her head. "Blue team forward,"Annabeth yelled and I unsheathed my sword and shook it in the air, yelling.
Deep into our side of the woods Annabeth gave me the flag. I walked all the way to the edge of the forest a stuck the flag into a patch of grass. I lean against a tree and twirl the hilt of my sword in my hand. I barely heard the conch horn blow but I kept twirling the hilt of my sword in my hand. I knew who was coming to get the flag and I knew where the second guard was, a few trees ahead acting as a lookout.
Let me just say this, Ares kids are too broadly built to be stealthy but I give Jamie props for trying. He was rustling in a bush and I tried to act like a damsel in distress just for a few laughs. "Oh no what is that rustling sound, a big ugly monster," I cried out in fake terror. "Oh dear what shall I ever do, I have a sword but as a damsel I have no way of knowing how to use it."
Jamie stood us, a few leaves in his brown hair. He had the the vicious sneer that was a trademark of all of his siblings plastered on his face and his sword was drawn. "You are such an idiot,"he snarled, made his way out of the bushes.
"No I am a damsel,"I joke getting into a ready stance. Behind me an arrow struck the person behind me, I didn't turn around. I knew who my second guard was, Will Solace, the best archer at Camp, he had my back. Jamie charged and I parried his blade, sending him sideways. He always put to much into the first strike but other than that Jamie was a run for his money, only Luke could beat him. We tangled swords as Will shot and disarmed the prisoners of war. Eventually everyone trying to get the flag which was Aphrodite kids just sat to watch and gossip.
Jamie and I were sweating and his blade had cut up some parts of my shirt leaving a long cut at the sleeve and the side. "Honestly Jamie, this is the reason I can never keep a shirt," I complain as I attempt to push him, but he wasn't going to budge.
Then the explainable happened, both of our swords caught at the hilt and wouldn't budge, they were literally tangled together. We tugged at them until we both threw them aside. I threw my helmet off and pulled out my dagger as he picked up a stray shield. We were about to attack when Will announced back up from the tree,"We won, Helen!"
Jamie dropped the shield and I sheathed my dagger. "How does it feel to be a sore loser,"I asked and he gave me a look that could kill. I punched his arm and he glared at me even more that sneer on his face.
"Let's get our swords unstuck,"he insisted. We couldn't so we walked through the forest to the crowd of campers. I climbed up a tree to see Clarisse on the ground her spear broken and a hell hound looking ready to pounce. I nearly fell out of the tree. "What is it Helen?"Jamie asked me.
"A hell-hell hound,"I tell him. I look back at the scene and as the hell hound pounced Annabeth stood in front of Percy. "Annabeth no,"I yelled, she was to brave for her own good. The hell hound jumped over her and landed on Percy. "Percy!"
"What's happening?"Jamie asked. I made my descent down the tree to go help when I saw the arrow strike the monster.
I pushed my way through the crowd of campers and was standing next to Chiron when Percy stepped into the trident gleamed above his head and I knew that nothing good would come of his claiming except some sweet waves to surf on if I ever learned to surf. I kneeled as everyone else did.
"It is determined,"Chiron said and Percy looked stunned.
"My father," Percy asked.
"Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God,"Chiron announced. Two demigods who weren't suppose to even be conceived at one camp, this was not good.
That night Jamie and I gave our tangled swords to Beckendorf to undo. "I'll do the best I can,"he states. "How did this happen anyways?"
"It was his fault,"I state. "This is karma for calling me an idiot."
"Not it was her fault, she should have just let me get the flag then none of this would have happened,"Jamie grumbled.
"Okay I guess it doesn't matter,"Beckendorf said then went into his cabin.
"I'll see you tomorrow dork,"Jamie said and left for his cabin.
"Who saying you'll live that long,"I call at him and he turned just to sneer at me.
The next morning I saw Percy move into his cabin. I felt bad to be honest, I knew how lonely it got with no other cabin mates.
Later after my activities I decided to visit Tiffany who was covered in dirt and hoof prints. "Tiffany what happened to you?"I asked.
He neighed and nuzzled himself into my shoulder. The other Pegasi neighed as I shot them dirty glares. Tiffany kept nudging me until I stepped in a pile of Pegasus poop. "You little butt,"I say, "they didn't do a thing to you did they?"
Tiffany whinnied cheerfully as if to say, 'Of course they didn't you silly human.' I grabbed the hose and turned it on. I hit Tiffany at full blast with it. He charged at me his wings stretched to the maximum length. I grabbed hold of his mane and hoisted myself on. He was wet but I dealt with it as he took off into the sky. I hated this little poop lover but he sure could get me a great view.