I think that I deserve some applause for writing this chapter, because I had to take an hour long break from the Red Pyramid (the Kane Chronicles), which is amazing! RICK RIORDAN RULES SUPREME!

Chris' pov:

Have I ever mentioned just how much I hate Aphrodite? For the first time in my natural life, I was feeling true teenage angst, and I did not like it in the least. All I could think was, 'Oh god, what do I do if Leo asks me to go with him? But what if he doesn't? Gods, I'm so confused!'

"Chris, why are you whimpering? Are you ill?" asked my concerned brother, Nick.

"No I'm fine." I whimpered back, thankful to have someone to rely on in this most trying of times.

"Then could you please stop rocking back and forth, you'll give the cabin a bad name." Way to ruin the moment, Nick. I thought grimacing.

"I'm going for a shower." I snapped, making sure to stamp on his toes extra hard as I passed.

As I walked past my cabin, attempting to block out the excited squeals of my fellow campers (I really hope they were from the girls) I was glad to notice the similar looks of shock, horror and anguish covering the faces of all of my sisters. My brothers on the other hand all looked eager, probably thinking they could, as some of them put it 'land some chicks'. As if anyone would actually be stupid enough to go out with those morons.

The hot water certainly helped to calm down my nerves, but it only helped to magnify my thirst for Aphrodite's blood-or ichor- whatever!

I wonder if this was one of the punishments Hades inflicted on the assholes in the fields of punishment, somehow I didn't think even he was that cruel. No, only a woman who had spent millennia clogging her pores with powder and foundation and poisoning herself with lipstick could possibly have thought of an ordeal, so dire, so fiendish in its sadism, as this; a costume party.

After ten minutes of soaking my tired body in the delicious warm water I dried myself off and threw on some sweats. I tramped into my cabin and walked past my snickering brothers and down into the conference room.

All of my sisters were huddled in a corner, several of them chugging hard liquor. I did my best to restrain myself, sticking to beer.

"What the hell are we going to do?" I moaned softly, sinking to the floor.

"Well, it's easier for you." Snapped one of my hellish sisters. "You have to go with Valdez."

"Huh?" I muttered stupidly.

"Oh yeah, you left, didn't you?" said Violet "That bi-I mean goddess, Aphrodite said all the pairs had to go together. The rest of us had to find dates, or look like losers."

"Ugh, not Valdez." I moaned in mock disgust, inwardly celebrating the facts that a. I got to go with Leo, and wouldn't be screamed at for it, and b. that I would be able to add this to my 'things that I can do that my sisters can't' list (I have a lot of lists don't I?)

"Well, I'm going to bed. Nighty night." I called, doing my best to hide the smiled that threatened to spread across my face (that would not be good for my rep).

I slipped easily past my brothers, who appeared to be participating in some sort of strange gang warfare in one corner of the cabin. It was already past our supposed bedtime, so I had to sprint through the camp to get to the Hephaestus cabin.

I should have taken the underground tunnels, I thought as I dashed through the camp pursued by an old harpy, gnashing her beak. I managed to shake her off though; years of pissing off my cabin and not wanting to face the consequences had taught me the skills of evading rabid beasts.

I stopped outside cabin 9, and attempted to catch my breath (I had been forced to take a very roundabout route, sprinting at top speed, so don't judge me).

I suddenly had a desperate urge to go back to my cabin, curl up under the covers and whimper for a little bit. This was probably going to be the most difficult thing I will have ever done, I would rather do anything. I mean, want help committing acts of mass violence? Sure, I'll do it for free. Need aid killing some vicious monster? I live to serve. Need a companion to go war with against an enemy that far outmatches you? I'm you're girl.

Want to discuss feelings and costume parties? I would rather be eaten alive by a hoard of ravenous, blood sucking Cyclops. (No offense Tyson, we love you.)

So, mustering up all the courage I possibly could, I grabbed the door handle, and twisted. Much to my surprise, it swung open quite easily. I stepped inside gingerly, fully expecting to be skewered by some metal contraption, or eaten alive by tiny, automaton butterfly things.

However, the cabin was deserted, not a sound came from anywhere. Were these losers asleep already? It was only midnight, how pathetic could those losers get?

Slightly emboldened I took another tentative step towards the entrance to the 'Leo cave' as he termed it. Again, nothing. This was starting to creep me out. Had they no landmines, no pits of death, no triggered spears, no pools with electric shockwaves running through them? What was wrong with these people?

In my anger at other people's stupidity and lax security I took two more steps and was immediately snapped up by a cage and hoisted off the floor.

Oh the irony.

READ MY OTHER STORY, LOST IN TRANSLATION, personally, I think it's better than this one (it at least has a plot anyway) – haha, same A/N as last chapter