"Okay, guys, listen up!" Travis and Connor yelled from atop Adelphie's former bunk after dinner. She was sitting in between them, an honorary member of the Hermes Planning Committee.
"As you all know, tonight is the long-awaited capture the flag!" Connor yelled. "We are proud to announce that we have Apollo, Demeter, Hades, and the lovely lady of Zeus behind us tonight!" The cabin cheered.
"While it may seem bad that we are against the combination of Hephaestus, Athena and Ares, who are being helped by Poseidon, they have the rather-large children of Aphrodite, who are no threat whatsoever. We may be outnumbered, but we have stealth and skill on our team!"
"Besides, quite a number of trip wires have been set up for the enemy," Connor said, proceeding to tell the cabin of the location of the wires. "Tonight, we're going for a distraction and then swarming in for the flag. Our offense: the Apollo archers, showering the flag guards with arrows. Travis and Adelphie are a duo tonight. I'll run in for the flag and pass it off to them at the boundary. Anyone going to be my cover?" A number of kids volunteered. "Charlie, follow me then. I need backup in case I can't reach the flag. Hailey, you guard Greg. The Apollo cabin is going to be on remaining offense. Nico of the Hades cabin is going to be leading the defense tonight. Demeter and those without assignments in here are to be on defense. We need a big defense tonight. Our small, elite offense will bring us to victory. Everyone good with our plan?"
The cabin all cheered in agreement. Everyone set about finding their shields and weapons. Travis, Adelphie, and Connor, ready to go, watched in excitement.
"So, Adelphie, who's guarding who tonight?" Connor asked.
"We're guarding each other," Adelphie said. "Zeus has formed an alliance with Hermes."
"We're bringing enemy offense down," Travis said. "They're not going to know what hit them."
"Oh yes, the outstanding duo of Travis Stoll and Adelphie Cameron—great looks and strength. I'm cowering just by being next to you."
"Be not afraid," Adelphie laughed. "We're going to DOMINATE tonight!"
"Someone's awfully enthused," Travis said.
"This whole cabin is enthused, and positive attitudes are contagious," Adelphie mused. "Who needs Ares or Athena? We're brilliant enough."
"Oh, young teenagers in infatuation," Connor teased.
"Who said anything about infatuation?" Travis asked. "Adelphie and I are best friends."
"Keep your words to yourself," Adelphie added. "Best friends look out for each other. Helia and I are watching each other so we have stuff to talk about tomorrow."
"Make sure you watch me," Travis said.
"I'm sure you find him much better looking than Helia," Connor laughed.
"Hey, he's better looking than you!" Adelphie teased, giving Connor a shove.
"We're identical, silly," Connor laughed, shoving her back.
"Guys, it's time to go," Travis said. "Let's go kick some butt!"
The group began walking to the Big House, where they were meeting up with Apollo and Demeter. Nico noticed the Hermes children file out of their cabin and wasn't surprised to see his younger cousin walking with them, smiling in between the Stoll brothers. He waved to her, hoping to grab her attention. He did, and she ran over to him.
"Hey, Nico!" Adelphie said, excitement clear in her voice. "Are you ready for tonight?"
"Bring it on," Nico replied, his cousin's enthusiasm contagious. "I see you were part of planning for tonight."
"I'm part of the 'elite offense', quite an honor for a first-timer," she said. "You're head of defense."
"Good to know," he said. "What's the plan?"
"Apollo is our offense and they're going to distract the enemy. Connor is going to sneak in and grab the flag, then pass it off to Travis and me at the boundary line. Hailey and Greg are backup in case Connor can't get the flag. Everyone else is defense."
"That's a pretty good plan," Nico said. "I would imagine the Hermes kids set up a lot of traps, didn't they?"
"You know it," Adelphie laughed. "I have to be careful not to hit any of them."
"Travis will make sure you won't get hurt. He's your guard, right?"
"I'm his guard, too. We're a duo tonight."
"And you complained about sword practice," Nico teased. "How does Helia fit into this scheme? You defending her, too?"
"We're going to try and watch out for each other. She's on offense with the other archers."
"You're very well protected, missie."
"I know. And thank you for siding with me tonight." Adelphie gave her cousin a hug.
"Any time, Adelphie. Maybe next time we'll get Percy, too."
"Percy has to side with Hermes. I've sworn myself to alliance with Hermes."
"I'm sure we can sway him."
"Yeah, you and me, we can sway Seaweed Brain."
"Seaweed Brain?"
"That's our nickname for Percy. Annabeth started calling him that, and she's the only one who can get away with it. He calls me Death Child."
"Death Child?"
"Yeah, Percy's no good with nicknames. Believe me, he's been trying to find one for you."
"Something tells me I won't like what he comes up with."
"You probably won't."
The two laughed. Adelphie couldn't help but feel happy that she had met her cousins. Having a family, seeing them every day. . . it was much different than being an only child, but it was a god different. She felt as if she had known her cousins her whole life, and Helia and Travis. . . her two very best friends in the whole world. Camp was simply amazing.
Before anybody knew it, it was twenty minutes into capture the flag. Travis and Adelphie were hiding out in the forest, waiting for Connor to bring them the flag. As far as they knew, their plan was going quite well.
"I'm almost disappointed," Travis said. "No one's attacked us yet!"
"It's the stealth in our genes," Adelphie said. "No one's going to find us."
Out of nowhere, Hailey appeared. "Connor's got the flag," she reported. "He's going to pass it off to Greg; too many people to bring it directly to you. Connor said to head to the other end of the field, across the boundary line. Greg will pass the flag off to you guys there."
"Aren't you Greg's cover?" Adelphie asked.
"Charlie switched over to him so I could run the message to you," Hailey answered. "I'm supposed to go find Connor now. Good luck, you too."
"You jinxed us!" Adelphie laughed. "Now we're heading right into the brunt of it!"
"I've heard you're decent with your sword," Travis said, eying her celestial bronze weapon. "If I was on the enemy's side, I'd be afraid. You're like Percy with that."
"Let's just hope we don't run into Percy," she said. "He could totally take us down."
"Let's just get to where we're supposed to be. If we're lucky, Greg should be there soon."
The two left their hiding place in the trees and ran across the field, avoiding any enemy they saw. They were pleased to find that many people from Ares and Athena's cabins had been caught in the traps Connor had set. Finally, they reached their meeting point.
"There they are!" an Aphrodite daughter yelled. "Travis and Adelphie! Get them!"
A few Ares children hurried to the duo, whose swords were already raised for fight. "Here goes nothing," Travis said.
The two stood back to back, fending off the attackers. Travis was busy dealing with two strong boys, both armed with long swords. Each thrust he made was quickly parried. He could not find an opportunity to strike, and soon found himself trying very hard to defend himself, all the while concerned about Adelphie.
Adelphie was busy herself. Two boys were on her as well, yet she was holding up better than Travis was. All her training with Percy had paid off. After each parry she managed to quickly retaliate with a strike of her own, many of which made their mark. Though covered in sweat, she continued to fight harder and harder. Eventually, they were bloody enough to need a medic. As they ran away, she turned around to help Travis.
"How are you holding up?" She asked, quickly entering a new fight.
"Oh, you know," Travis answered. "Obviously you're doing well. Definitely see the relation to Percy."
"I try," Adelphie laughed. "Good thing we're a duo tonight, right?"
"ADELPHIE! TRAVIS!" Greg yelled, heading straight towards the fighting pair.
"Watch out!" Travis yelled, pushing Adelphie down. The Ares child's sword just missed her. Adelphie took the new opportunity to knock both boys off their feet. Travis took them out, knocking them unconscious.
"Nice work, Addie," Travis said, helping her to her feet.
"Addie?"
"No offense, but your name's a mouthful. And since you get to call me Trav, I should have a nickname for you, should I?"
"I like it," Adelphie smiled. "Nico told me Percy was trying to give me a nickname. Addie works for me." The two hurried over to meet Greg, who had the flag wrapped in a bundle in his arms.
"Hurry to base," Greg said. "Me, Charlie, Hailey, and Connor have got you. Just run."
"Got it," Travis said. "Addie, let me take the flag. You're the better fighter and we both know it."
"I was just going to suggest that," she said. The two bolted off to the base, adrenaline building in their veins. We're going to win! She thought, a smile spreading across her face.
"Watch out, Adelphie!" Helia yelled, shooting a flaming arrow at an Ares child. The fire incapacitated its target.
"Thanks, Helia!" Adelphie called over her shoulder, running faster to keep up with Travis.
Ten more yards, Travis thought. Just ten more yards, and we'll win. He hurried along, eager to claim victory for his cabin.
Out of the corner of her eye, Adelphie noticed her guard falling to the ground, and a swordsman dashing towards her. She knew who it was: Percy.
"Helia!" She yelled, jerking her head towards Travis.
"I'm on it!" Helia replied, breaking into a run to catch up with Travis.
Adelphie stood her ground, sword ready to face her cousin. The two weapons clashed, and Adelphie couldn't help but feel that she was in sword practice.
"I see you're doing well," Percy said. "But there's no way you're going to win."
"You keep telling yourself that," Adelphie replied, parrying his blows. "You trained me yourself, Percy. I'm an even match for you."
"Which is why I'm fighting you," he said. "Who's guarding Travis now?"
"Helia. She's good."
"What good is a bow and arrow for close-range fighting?"
"Travis is armed, too. And Nico will help."
"Addie!" Travis yelled then, back to back to back with Helia and Nico, surrounded by Athena and Ares kids.
"That flag will never reach base," Percy said. "You put up quite a good game, Adelphie."
"I'm not done yet," Adelphie said. With a good feint, she struck Percy on the head, and he fell unconscious. After making sure he was okay, Adelphie hurried to help her friends.
"Take the flag!" Nico yelled, throwing it over enemy head's to his cousin's outstretched arms. "We'll be fine!"
"RUN, ADELPHIE!" Connor yelled behind her, back on his feet. "I'VE GOT YOU!"
The flag in one hand and sword held high in the other, Adelphie bolted for the base, where she was pleased to see that the enemy team hadn't gotten their flag. Triumphantly, she touched the base, and the flag in her arms changed to a dark color with a lightning bolt. She had won the game.
Helia and Travis, free from the enemy circle, hurried over to Adelphie. Travis picked her up and spun her around while Helia jumped up and down in excitement.
"You won! You won you won you won!" Helia cheered.
"You did it, Addie! That was the best thing I've ever seen!" Travis added.
"It was a team effort," Adelphie said, hoping to get out of the spotlight.
"Gods, Adelphie, that was brilliant!" Connor yelled. He and his brother lifted the girl onto their shoulders. "Zeus is victorious!"
"As are Hermes, Apollo, Hades, and Demeter," Adelphie said. "We all won!"
"Excellent flag passing," Travis said to Nico, who had just joined them.
"You all were good with it," Nico said. "From Connor to Greg, then to you and finally little Miss Adelphie. Nice job, cuz. You totally kicked Percy's butt!"
"You're just a prodigy, aren't you?" Travis teased.
"I try," Adelphia laughed with fake arrogance.
"We get best shower times for two weeks now!" Helia cheered. "This has been the best capture the flag in who knows how long! Whoops, gotta run, Max wants to talk to me."
"Have fun!" Adelphie called after her. "Can you two put me down now? I can walk."
"No way," Connor said. "We are going to parade you to your cabin!"
"Trav," she begged.
"Oh, just stay off your feet for a little bit, will ya?" Travis laughed. "You can walk tomorrow."
"Fine," Adelphie said, subjecting herself to a parade thrown by the Hermes kids. They carried Adelphie around all the cabins, laughing when they passed those who had lost. She couldn't help but get caught in their high spirits. By the time the Stoll twins dropped her off at her cabin, she knew she wouldn't fall asleep for hours.
Travis stayed a few extra minutes to wish her good night. "Adelphie, seriously, that was a great game. Very well-played."
"Thanks," Adelphie said. "We should be a duo again next time. We were pretty good together, weren't we?"
"I wasn't anywhere near as good as you. You took down those two Ares kids, and one of the ones on me, and even Percy. I never knew you were that good with a sword."
"You were really good, too. I was watching you every time you were fighting. You're pretty good, and really stealthy."
"Family trait."
"Sword fighting's a family trait, too."
"Anyways, you were brilliant. We were brilliant. And yeah, we should totally team up again next time."
"I can't wait to play again!"
"Go to bed, Addie," Travis said, seeing her give a huge yawn. "I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast, okay?"
"Okay," Adelphie replied. "Good night, Travis." She gave her best friend a hug.
"Good night, Addie," Travis said. "Sleep well."
"You, too." With one last smile, she turned and walked into her cabin, ready for bed.