Prompt from Lily: Nico hits Percy in the face with cotton candy while Thalia sits on the side and laughs as she chews bubblegum. (long A/N at bottom!)

A/N: Uh. Yeah, I kinda forgot that this story revolves around being taken by a video camera. Um. Just assume there's a camera crew following them around. Or something. Also, let me know if you like this or the camcorder-version better. Again, sorry about my memory-gap.

Often when the demigods were allowed to leave Camp and have some half-normal fun, it usually involved going somewhere that was off-limits and therefore a lot more fun. So when Chiron sighed and said that yes, due to the recent lull in monster activity, they would be able to have a few days off from training and could go out, the campers all cheered and began planning.

Thalia was the one to bring up an amusement park, while the five demigods sat in Percy's cabin, which was the coolest and roomiest.

"Oh no," Annabeth said, "not after last time." xw

Thalia sighed. "C'mon, you can't still be on that. It was a little mishap! Plus, that was a carnival. The amusement park will be different."

"Yeah, and twelve times more disastrous."Annabeth crossed her arms and set her face to its top ostensible setting. Thalia, Nico, and Grover all turned and gave Percy a She's your girlfriend, you deal with her look. Percy tried to tell them that she wouldn't listen to him especially, but apparently his telepathy wasn't as good as there's, because they pretended not to notice his glares. Sighing, Percy put his arm around Annabeth's shoulder's.

"You'll enjoy yourself. I bet you one week of free bullying."

At this prospect Annabeth lightened a little, the furrow of her brow becoming gentler. "It's just– every time we go out somewhere, something happens, and the fun turns into a battle... Plus, we're not supposed to go to places with a lot of would-be casualties. Remember the Times Square incident last year?"Everyone in the group winced, remembering the hellhounds.

"Yeah, but whatever to the rules," Grover said, surprising the majority of the group. "I say we go out and actually have some fun. What else do we have to look forward to?"

Nico clapped Grover on the back. "Nice pseudo-inspirational speech. So, are we gonna go or what?"

"Duh we're going," Thalia said, grabbing her backpack from where she'd dropped it off by Percy's door.

Annabeth still looked worried. "We better bring our disguised weapons."

"Of course," Percy said, stuffing Annabeth's Yankees cap on her head, promptly turning Annabeth invisible. Nico tilted his head and opened his mouth slightly, as if he'd had an idea but was hesitant on sharing it. "Um, since we're a little short on money...' The others looked at him, halting their preparations. "I was thinking... Um... One of us could go invisible, y'know, climb over the entrance area..." ("A turnstile," Annabeth added) "Yeah, that... And, um, I could Shadow-Travel in, maybe take someone else with me..."

Thalia nodded appreciatively, having needed to do similar things when she had been living on the road with Luke and Annabeth, all those years ago. Annabeth met her eye, probably thinking the same. In the end, it was only Percy who was skeptical about following through with the plan. He voiced his thoughts as they walked to the nearest bus stop.

"I mean, it's kinda like we're hustling them."

"Do you even know what hustling is? Because this is not hustling."

"Well sorry I can't live up to your con-artist expectations."

"It'll be fine, Perce. I'll climb over the turnstile, or be on your shoulder's, or something, and then you'll drop me off by the bathrooms; I'll go in a stall, wait for a really busy moment, and then meet the rest of you guys."

"Yeah," Nico added. "I'll Shadow-Travel with Thalia, to a really dark, unused area– maybe a Porta-Potti–" Thalia wrinkled her nose and shoved Nico, who stumbled but laughed. "Just kidding, Thals." Thalia pushed Nico into the street again, this time for the nickname. "Even Annabeth's okay with this. That's how you know it'll be fine."

"Whatever," Percy huffed, as the bus arrived and the five climbed onto the bus. Some twenty minutes later, they departed, not at the chosen amusement park but near enough. They filled the extra walking time with embarrassing stories; Grover had the most, of Percy, which pissed him off extremely; of course, the side-clutching, tear-inducing laughter had to contribute to that.

Thalia's backpack, they learned on the way, held more than a few contraband items, including cans of Coke-a-Cola, candy bars, bags of chips, and, somehow, a coupon for their amusement park of choice. When the rest of the group gave her questioning looks, Thalia simply shrugged and said, "Air-travel magazine. Had a few coupons." Grover started to say something, to which Thalia put up a hand and said, "Sorry, none you can eat." Grover nodded solemnly in response, pouting just a little.

Then the demigods (and satyr) arrived.

The main gates were met with gaping mouths from Nico and Thalia. Despite all their bravado, they didn't spend any time, really, doing 'normal people things.' Sure, with the Hunters Thalia occasionally hit up a café (vegetarian meals only) and Nico would pass by such places, but neither had a real 'normal person' experience, and that included Six Flags. Both Percy and Annabeth had been to amusement parks before; Percy in the time from ages 6-11, and Annabeth went to a few in the time she spent with her dad. Grover didn't really care about the entrance gate's grandeur, only the discarded gum rappers he found and covertly ate.

"Okay, show time" was Thalia's cue to Nico to start the Shadow-Traveling. They had agreed earlier to show up at the first restroom by the main gates, where Annabeth would be coming out of (after becoming visible, and all). Nico and Thalia went off behind a pick-up truck, which was shaded by a giant oak tree. Nico said something about the "shadows resounding" there, whatever that meant. Annabeth hid behind a car, herself, to put on her cap (she claimed it would be too strange to see a girl disappear out of thin air, Mist or not) and Percy waited for her to tap his shoulder; that was the signal for him and Grover to get into the park.

Smiling, he and the satyr went up to the check-in turnstiles, presented the coupon (which was 20% off when two patrons visited) and paid the rest of the fees. Annabeth was balanced on top of Percy's shoulders, which made him extra careful about the space between him and the attendant. After Percy and Grover got in (Grover made a show of wiping his forehead and saying, "Phew, that was a close one, right, Perce?") and headed over to the bathrooms, Percy felt Annabeth's weight drop off his shoulder. "Be back soon," said Annabeth's disembodied voice, and a little girl who was standing next to Percy looked up, bewildered.

A few minutes later, Thalia and Nico showed up, Thalia whacking Nico upside the head. "I said no Porta-Pottis!"

"Technically we were just behind them–"

One half-argument and another pseudo-inspirational half-speech from Grover later, the group was headed off the first ride. It wasn't until five rides and twenty minutes later that they broke apart and went off for food; Thalia, Nico, and Percy looked for pretzels, cotton candy, and other general 'amusement park' foods. Annabeth and Grover were looking for some type of salad; Grover literally said: "We actually care about the ecosystems of our bodies, thank you very much." Percy hit him.

Once Percy, Nico and Thalia found a good vendor that sold everything they were looking for, they sat on a nearby red bench and chowed down. Percy leaned back, his pretzel neutralized after only five minutes, and stared at the sky. It was a good blue, he decided. Not birthday-cake-frosting blue, but a light, happy blue nonetheless. There were little clouds, not enough to take up the sky or block the sun, thankfully. Well, now the sky was– why is the sky suddenly dark?

Percy jerked up, sitting straighter than he does naturally, and looked around, the darkness gone. In its place was a grinning Nico, holding two pink cotton candies.

"You little s–" Nico held up the cotton candy in his right hand, cutting Percy off.

"Walk to walk, young Skywalker."

Percy jumped up, his expression indignant. "You're the young one here, you– idjit!"

Thalia laughed, popping gum into her mouth. "Show off your moves, grasshopper."

Nico groaned. "Too many references in too little time. Are you gonna fight me or what, Percy?"

"What, like the cotton candy is a stand-in for a sword?"

Nico tipped his head back and let out a loud breath, then tilted his head and looked at Thalia. "Why is he always this slow?" Thalia shrugged, fighting a grin.

Percy responded by attacking Nico with his cotton candy. They sparred for a few minutes; both found it moderately hard, and would not recommend trying it. Eventually Nico knocked Percy's weapon from his hands and laughed maniacally as he slapped Percy's face. Repeatedly. Thalia found it hilarious, and Nico found that hilarious. Percy found it less hilarious, and grumbled about he couldn't even eat his cotton candy any more. It was while he was avoiding Nico's triumphant eye that he noticed Grover and Annabeth, who were cracking up nearby.

"Nice fighting," Annabeth said, gasping for breath. She was holding a half-eaten apple.

"You look like a kicked puppy," Grover added, chewing on a candy bar (wrapper and all) with a salad container tucked under his arm.

"Whatever," Percy said, kicking his cotton candy. "Let's get back to the actual amusements, okay?"

"But you're way more entertaining."

A/N: Yes, I know it's been almost a YEAR since my last update! It was a rather busy year and I didn't have any inspiration. I've been on summer break for about three weeks, and I plan on adding more chapters. I meant to maybe end this story at 100 chapters, but I think I'll continue until I feel fit to stop, which, I'm sorry, probably will come without notice. I know that last September I was convinced I would update constantly throughout the year. That didn't happen. I hope I can update a lot more over the summer. I have like 10 prompts just sitting on my computer (from you guys) so I'll write those chapters and put them up once they're done.

I made sure to make this 1,000+ words to (somewhat?) makeup for the hiatus. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, feel free to give me a prompt! Even if you didn't like this chapter. Maybe the chapter from your prompt will be better. You never know.