The Sea's Daughter: The Lightning Thief.
Chapter 6: Capture The Flag.
"Good to see you're alive," Sam said, later that day when Melinda was let out of the infirmary by one of the older Apollo children.
Percy had gone off to one of his lessons, and she wouldn't start back with hers until the following day. She still felt bad for not telling Percy the truth about his father, but what was done was done. She couldn't go back and change it now.
Melinda smirked shortly at her friend.
"It takes more then a little Minotaur to kill me, Sammy," she said and he rolled his eyes.
"It's Sam, Linny," he shot back and she wrinkled her nose.
"I hate that name," she muttered and Sam laughed.
"Now you know how I feel."
"Mel!"
Sam and Melinda both turned to see Luke jogging towards them and Melinda smiled and waved as he approached.
Sam looked between the two and sighed.
"I don't know what you see in Castellan," Sam said, while Luke was still out of hearing range. "He comes off a bit possessive and secretive to me."
Melinda sighed, thinking back to what she could recall from when she'd woken up the first time for a few seconds.
She couldn't recall the whole conversation between him and Annabeth, just that he'd been worried and upset about her still being unconscious.
"He's my friend," Melinda said, deciding it didn't mater.
Luke had his own character quirks, and she wasn't without her own.
Melinda laughed lightly when Luke pulled her into a hug and spun her in the air for a half circle before putting her down. He was grinning, a bit of mischief clear in his eyes.
"I'm glad you're awake, Melinda," he said. "I was beginning to get worried."
"I know, Percy told me," Melinda said, and noticed how Luke's face became blank of emotion at her brothers name but it was gone as fast as it appeared so she dismissed it.
Percy had told her how worried Luke was, and she wouldn't be surprised if the blonde had put some blame for her condition on Percy.
Sometimes he could get like that, usually concerning the gods but she couldn't fault him for having flaws. It was flaws that made them human.
"But I'm fine now," Melinda said, quickly changing the subject. "So what have I missed?"
Melinda linked arms with Luke and Sam on either side, though she was pretty sure she caught Luke giving Sam an ugly look but it confused her more then anything.
Let it never be said Melinda Potter was the best at realizing others her age, even in Hogwarts she'd been a bit oblivious to the matters of the heart and other emotions.
The following week went rather well. She alternated between being in her cabin to make sure the potion she was working on hadn't gone wrong someway.
Thankfully the Cruciatus Cure was one potion that didn't need to be watched carefully. It could simply be left alone after the first two weeks.
She noticed Percy was doing...well. He had made decent friends with Annabeth, though she worried how that would turn out once his heritage was discovered.
She knew Annabeth had given her a bit of frosty shoulder the first few days, but for some reason she'd warmed up to her.
Though Helios' behavior hadn't really impressed the children of Athena.
She wasn't sure if they were more shocked that Helios would go so far as to poop on the daughter of Athena, a goddess whose sacred animal was the owl, or that she, a daughter of Poseidon, had a very loyal owl by her side.
She digressed though. She had been around for some of Percy's lessons over the time he'd been at camp. She'd seen him be pulverized by Clarisse.
"I heard the new kids made Clarisse and her little friends look like fools his first day," Sam had told her, smirking. "I know she's my half sister, but the brat was asking for it. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was a son of Poseidon."
Melinda had laughed nervously, but hid it well.
"He's probably a kid of a minor water god. Like Triton. Guess that would make him your nephew," he said a moment later as they watched Percy and Clarisse wrestle.
In the end the only things Percy showed great skill with was canoeing and sword fighting. Luke taught the lessons, and they'd demonstrated a short battle.
It had come to a drawl, Luke was the best swordsman in three hundred years, she worked best with a longer weapon.
Swords were never her best or her weapon of choice. Give her a spear, staff or her Trident and she would have been able to win.
Luke wasn't exactly versed in the way of fighting off a foe who used spears or tridents. She'd learned that when she'd first attended classes.
After their fight he'd begun teaching the rest of the class more and seemed to pick Percy out of dozens of others to demonstrate with.
She hadn't really found it strange seeing as Percy would need the hands on training and experience.
It was obvious that once he found a well balanced sword he'd be a better swordsman than Luke. It made her grin proudly at the fact.
Capture the Flag usually fell on a Friday, and she'd been looking forward to it. The Poseidon cabin – though she was the only one in it – had made an alliance with Ares. Which meant she would be fighting on the opposite team as Luke, Annabeth and Percy.
She was actually sort of excited for it. She wanted to see how well her brother could fight. He had defeated a fury and the Minotaur with little to no training.
She just knew one day he'd be the hero to go down as the best since Ancient Greece.
Seeing him for such a short time she was more determined then ever that he'd be the child of prophecy, she wasn't sure if she liked that or not. She didn't know the prophecy herself, Chiron wouldn't let her know it.
Sometimes Chiron reminded her too much of Dumbledore, he believed it to dangerous for her to know it. Annabeth knew it and she had told Melinda she still had nightmares from it, after that she'd let it go. For now anyways.
"So, you ready?" Sam asked, dressed in his armor and wearing a helmet with red to signify the team.
He held a sword slung over his shoulder like it was a baseball bat and wore a smirk that promised this game was going to be full of fighting and bloodshed, just how the Ares cabin liked it.
She chuckled, straightening her own breast plate and armor.
She hated the helmets, but she knew she had to wear one, unless she wanted another concussion. The games were fun, though after the first one she'd been banned from using her wand and Sesha.
Apparently it gave her an unfair advantage. It didn't mean she couldn't use magic that came from her bloodline to Hecate though.
"Oh yeah," she said, looking over at the blue team where Percy was talking to Luke.
She noticed with some concern and amusement he held a shield that had to be four sizes to big.
"Not going to chicken out if you run into your side project, are yah?" Sam asked, leaning closer to her, staring where she was.
"Don't say it like that. He's not a side project." She sighed, frowning. "I'm not acting like he's a side project am I?"
Sam shrugged.
"I'd think you were the boys mother with all the mother hen and hovering you do."
She pouted.
"I don't hover."
Sam laughed and punched her lightly in the shoulder.
"Whatever you say Lin," he began. "Come on, the game is beginning."
xXx
Melinda had been charged with guarding their flag, along with Sam and some of the younger Ares cabin kids were scattered around. In trees, and just generally hidden around.
"I hate guard duty," Sam grumbled, sitting on a rock by a stream that would lead up to the creek with was wider and deeper.
Probably closer to where the blue team was hiding their flag.
He was busy sharpening his sword, a nearly unnoticeable sneer on his face.
Melinda laughed shortly, and then raised an eyebrow when she saw the movement of a group of five of Sam's siblings shot deeper into the woods, up stream.
Clarisse La Rue was the leader, which didn't really surprise Melinda.
"What are they up to?" she asked, and Sam looked up startled.
Melinda explained what she'd seen and he grinned, standing up and putting his sword into his back sheath.
"Well then, lets go break up the party," he said, smirking in almost blood thirsty manner.
Melinda shook her head, leave it to Samuel to fight his own team members or this case, younger siblings.
xXx
Percy had been bored at first, guarding the creek wasn't exactly fun by any means. He regretted that now as he faced five butch children of Ares.
He had evaded all previous attacks by what he could attribute to his own breed of luck but now he was surrounded by them. Looking for a way out was his first thought, but Clarisse thrust at him with her spear.
He was thankful for his shield then, even if it was four sizes to big, as it deflected the point but the tingling hadn't been expected.
He nearly dropped his shield as it went through his body like a painful shock and his hair stood on end. As If he'd spent hours using hair care products to get it perfectly spiked up.
Electricity. Her stupid spear was electric, he thought with venom as he stumbled back.
He didn't have much time to think anymore on it as another Ares boy slammed him in the chest with the butt of his sword and he skidded across the dirt, grunting and thankful his armor took the brunt of the force.
"Give him a haircut," Clarisse said. "Grab his hair."
Percy narrowed his eyes and struggled to his feet, raising his sword but it was slammed aside by Clarisse's spear. He grunted, grimacing at the pain both his arms were suffering through.
Clarisse sniggered, sneering so much he thought her face might be stuck for a moment.
"I'm scared of this guy. Really scared," she said sarcastically and the others sniggered with her.
"The flag is that way," he said, wanting to sound angry but he was pretty sure even he could hear some fear in his own voice.
"Yeah," a butch, snarling auburn haired boy said. "But see, we don't care about the flag. We care about a guy who made our cabin look stupid."
"You do that without my help," Percy told them without thinking of the consequences.
That really wasn't smart thing for him to say and he ended up trying to fight off all five.
It wasn't easy seeing as he'd nearly been shish-kebabbed by Clarisse's electric spear moments before he was pushed back by one of her sisters, and slashed in the arm by one of her brothers.
Looking at the blood, his own blood, made him fuzzy, and dizzy.
"No maiming," he choked out.
"Oops," the culprit said, smirking. "Guess I lost my dessert privileges."
Percy was pushed into the creek just as they all began laughing, and the one who'd drew blood was knocked face first into the creek by the butt of a sword to the back of the neck.
It was hard enough to knock him out and Percy's eyes widened when he saw Melinda standing behind where the boy once stood with a cold look.
She quickly rose her free hand up, palm facing upwards and the water rose and flipped the Ares boy onto his back so he wouldn't drown.
"Dessert privileges, consciousness...fair trade I think," Melinda quipped and jumped back as two swords threatened to run her through.
Instead the swords bounced off two Ares boys armor and knocked each other back.
Percy felt his senses wake up then, as if he'd had four cups of coffee or his mom's double-espresso jelly beans.
He saw Melinda's friend, Sam, come out and kick on of his younger siblings in the gut and punch him across the face.
Before slamming the butt of his sword against the back of his head heard enough he, like the one Melinda had taken out, fell to the ground knocked out.
"Samuel!" Clarisse growled. "What the hell – "
Sam shrugged.
"Sorry little sister, but you know how I like a good family brawl."
Percy looked at the two red team members who'd come to his aid and Melinda stared back at him and nodding, stepping away after disarming the girl she was currently fighting.
Then Percy struck.
He swung the flat of his sword against the first guy's head, knocking him to his butt with his brain rattling in his brain. The last two came at him then, but he was ready.
He slammed his shield into the first ones face and used his sword to cut off the horsehair plume of the other. They backed off, but he wasn't finished.
He shot forward, slashing him the chest – though his breastplate and armor saved him and when he was distracted Percy slammed the butt of his sword into his face, knocking him down.
He turned in time to block Clarisse's spear with his sword.
Jumping back he regained his balance from the sudden attack, and shot Melinda a look when she moved to help.
"No, Mel, this is my fight," he told her and he was ready when Clarisse thrust her spear towards him.
He caught the shaft between his shield and sword, and twisted, snapping it like a twig under his foot.
"You idiot! You corpse-breath worm!"
Melinda and Sam were laughing now, and doubled over when he smacked her between the eyes with his sword-butt, and she stumbled back into the creek to land beside her still unconscious brother from earlier.
"That was good kid," Sam said, straightening up.
"But..." Melinda began, smirking as she let her sword glow and lengthen into her Trident.
She twirled it twice and fell into a stance, her trident now trained on him. He winced, unsure what to think. Were they really going to fight him? They had helped him before.
"Now it's time to take care of you," Melinda finished.
Percy gulped and back up.
"Bu-but you helped me before –" he tried to reason and the two older campers chuckled.
"Sorry Kid, but this is capture the flag. One day you'll get it," Sam said, and shot forward to slash with his sword.
On instinct he raised his shield to block and then his sword to catch Melinda's trident, which collided with it seconds later. His sword barely kept it back as it hooked on the right of the middle point of the trident.
"Sam," Melinda said, looking at him. "Back off for now, let's give him a better chance. Go look for the flag."
Sam seemed to give her a look before nodding and taking off in the direction Percy now realized he'd heard him say the flag was in. they'd been there that long, he realized.
He got a bit angry and the creek rose behind him and he heard Melinda gasp as it crashed down on them. Forcing Melinda back some, though it didn't hurt her seeing as she just willed it back to the creek which pushed him back some.
The water made him a bit more aware but he noticed she didn't look tired at all now either.
"Hmm, interesting," she said, smiling with some pride before the fight began again.
It was only about a minute before she had him on his back in the creek, her trident at his neck and her foot on his armored chest.
She smirked.
"You did good, Perce," she said, moving back and as she held out her hand for him he heard elated yells and screams.
"Why?" Percy asked.
She shrugged.
"I don't care all that much about winning Percy, I just wanted to see what you'd learned," she said. "One day you might actually be able to beat me."
he smiled, but wasn't to sure he could. She was a deadly fighter and he'd barely lasted three minutes against her. He was drawn from these thoughts as Luke came racing toward the boundary line with the red team's banner held high.
He had a couple of his brother covering him and a few Apollo children behind hem, fighting off a group of Ares and Hephaestus kids.
Sam was included in this.
Beside him Melinda cursed.
"It was a trick," Clarisse grumbled as she got to her feet where she'd woken from where she'd fallen earlier when Melinda had knocked the girl out during their fight.
The red banner shimmered and turned to silver. The boar and spear were replaced with a huge caduceus, the symbol of cabin eleven.
Luke was lifted onto some of the blue teams shoulders in celebration and then Chiron cantered out from the woods and blew the conch horn.
The game was over.
"Not bad, hero," Annabeth's voice said from behind him and Melinda.
They both turned and Melinda snorted, shaking her head.
"You've been there for a long time haven't you?" Melinda asked, and Annabeth smiled slightly after she'd taken off her hat and rematerialized.
"Maybe, but that isn't the point. Where did you learn to fight like that, Percy?" she asked.
"You set me up," Percy realized, narrowing his eyes. "You put me here because you knew Clarisse would come after me, while you sent Luke around the flank. You had it all figured out."
Annabeth shrugged.
"I told you. Athena always, always has a plan."
"A plan to get me pulverized."
"I came as fast as I could. I was about to jump in, but ..." She shrugged. "You didn't need help."
"I was almost killed," Percy grumbled. "Mel nearly made me into chum."
Melinda chuckled.
"I wouldn't have gone that far Percy," she assured him.
He wasn't sure how that made him feel.
"How did you...your arm," Annabeth said, pointing.
"Sword cut," Percy said, looking from it to Annabeth. "What did you think it was?"
"It was a sword cut, look at it now," Melinda said, knowing what Annabeth meant.
For some reason she was smiling knowingly.
The blood that had flowed from the cut on his arm was gone. Where the huge gash had been, there was a long white scratch, and even that was fading until it was nothing more than a scar and then it was gone.
"I—I don't get it," he said, shaking his head.
Melinda looked like she wanted to say something and Annabeth was thinking hard, as usual.
"Get out of the water," Annabeth told him and he blinked.
"What—"
"Just do it."
He did and Melinda had to move quickly to catch him. Once she was out of the water she too felt more tired but not to the same extent as him.
Annabeth cursed, looking from Melinda to him with wide, realizing eyes. He half expected to see a light-bulb over her head.
"This isn't good. I didn't want... I assumed it would be Zeus..."
The questions he wanted to ask would have wait as there was a loud canine growl, and a close howl ripped through the forest.
The campers instantly sobered and fell back, drawing their weapons. It amazed Percy at the reflexes they had and he hoped one day to have the same reactions. If only to keep himself alive longer then his thirteenth birthday.
"Stand ready!" Chiron called in Ancient Greek. "My bow!"
Annabeth had a sword and dagger in an instant.
Melinda had redrawn her trident so quick Percy was afraid he'd lost an eye from the moonlight that flashed of it when she spun it in a customary way unique to her before she fell into her most common stance.
On the rocks above them was a black hound the size of a rhino, with lava-red eyes and fangs like daggers.
It was looking right at Percy and Melinda, looking between them as if to decide which one to go after first.
"Percy, run!" Melinda cried, and tried to move in front of him along with Annabeth but the hound was too fast. It leaped over them both and the next thing he knew was pain as the hound collided with his chest. It ripped through her armor like it was bread.
He remembered screaming once from the shock of it and as it went for his throat there a cascade of thwacking sounds and the sound of ripping flesh that wasn't his.
He caught the sight of bloodstained points that belonged to Melinda's trident sticking out the throat area of the hell hound before it fell dead and he was able to scramble away a few inches.
Chiron lowered his bow and trotted over as Melinda pulled her trident free, she'd thrown it like a spear it turned out and the arrows and landed in spots around the spear.
"Di immortales!" Annabeth breathed out, panic forced down in her voice. "That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't... they're not supposed to be here."
"Someone summoned it," Chiron said. "Someone inside the camp."
Luke came over, the banner in his hand forgotten, and he went straight for Melinda.
"Mel, you alright?" he asked, worried.
Melinda nodded, but she seemed more concerned for Percy who she walked over to and knelt by his side. She seemed to be looking at his torn chest which was wet, warm and sticky with his own blood.
He was afraid to look at it for fear of passing out, or seeing just how bad it was.
"It's all Melinda and Percy's fault! Melinda and Percy summoned it!" Clarisse declared, pointing at them.
"Be quiet, child," Chiron told her, clearing thinking it as ridiculous as it sounded.
The hellhound melted into the ground, disappearing like a shadow and he winced at the light touches of Melinda who seemed to be trying to find the extent of his injuries.
"You're wounded," Annabeth said and Melinda snorted.
"Was it the blood or the flesh hanging by an inch that clued you in, wise girl?" Melinda snarked, frowning at the damage.
She needed to get him healed quickly. The pearl would take more than one drop with this kind of damage. Looking at the water she stood and helped Percy to his feet as well.
"Percy, get into the water," she said.
Percy grimaced shaking his head. "I'm okay."
"No, you're not," she said, in a way that reminded Percy much of his mother when she was not in a mood to argue with him that he didn't argue and stepped back into the lake.
Instantly he felt the pain begin top fade and after a minute he looked to find his skin through the ripped armor and shirt fine, only very faint scars from the claw. So thin and faint he almost over looked them.
Melinda grinned and campers gasped.
"Look, I—I don't know why," Percy said, trying to apologize for what he wasn't sure. "I'm sorry..."
It wasn't his wounds they were staring at or the fact the water was seemingly rushing up to meet him around his feet. They were staring at something above his head.
"Percy," Annabeth said, pointing.
By the time he'd looked up he'd found a fading hologram of green light, a spinning three-tipped spear. Like the weapon Melinda was so prone to using, a trident.
Melinda grinned.
"It's about time," she said.
"Your father," Annabeth said in awe. "This is really not good."
"It is determined," Chiron announced.
All around him, camper began kneeling. Even the Ares cabin grudgingly got onto one knee before him. Even Melinda knelled, even though he was sure she didn't have too. It all began to make sense and he choked out the next word.
"My father?"
"Poseidon," said Chiron. "Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."
It was then Percy knew nothing would ever be the same.
