Chapter 7: An Idiotic Dare

Lunch was interesting. At one end of the table was Juniper and Annabeth sitting across from each other. At the other end were their boyfriends who also sat across from each other. Juniper and Annabeth were taking the time to catch up and talk a little. Juniper also was trying to talk to Clarisse, who sat next to her. Somehow her, Annabeth and Juniper had gotten into debates about the best capture the flag games in camps history.

Next to Annabeth sat Walt, with Nico on his other side. Chris sat across from them and next to his girlfriend. The schematics of a labyrinth, duat and shadow travel were discussed. Somehow the topic turned to Underworld pets like Amit the Devourer or Cerberus and Mrs. O'Leary.

On Nico's other side was Reyna, who sat across from Calypso. Next to them were Apollo and Blitz, then Thalia and Magnus next. Apollo and Calypso were telling Reyna about their journey so far. Calypso talking about all the different things she'd tried, fighting techniques included and Reyna making suggestions as she cut into the other two's squabbling. Blitz had eventually interrupted Apollo to talk about fashion and other similar things.

Next to them Thalia and Magnus were talking about Annabeth, mostly trying to come up with a dare for her. On Magnus's other side was Zia, Sam across from him diagonally. Both of them conversed in Arabic. When Thalia and Magnus were bored enough, they tried listening to their friends conversation. Magnus had been trying to learn Arabic, one way so he wasn't bored out of his mind during his immortality. Thalia had been taken with the suggestion and demanded they teach her now too.

Jason sat next to Sam, across from Carter who sat with his girlfriend. Both were discussing their pantheons and styles of leadership. Different history and favorite leaders were excitedly compared, as well as the shared history of Rome and Egypt. Jason's friendly personality was somewhat strange to Carter, who was always a little shy and skeptical. But both were also serious and contemplative, especially as they watched these memories.

Next were Hazel and Rachel. Both were talking more about painting, Rachel explaining more about modern art and the museums Hazel should check out and where to get the best supplies. She also insisted she introduce Hazel to some more modern music, as long as Hazel showed her some good Jazz songs. She didn't have enough in her library.

Beside them were Sadie and Jaz, just happy to talk as usual. Sadie had been getting annoyed with Leo and Alex chattering beside them in Spanish and being unable to understand. Luckily, Jaz was able to handle it when Sadie started to act up in annoyance. She really wanted to know what her new good friend was saying and had almost cast a translation spell when Jaz stopped her.

On Alex's other side was Will, Tyson across from him. Tyson was happy to be sitting in between his friend Leo, who he thought was funny and Ella. Between the two of them, Will and Hearth there was a nice conversation, even with the strange way that Ella and Tyson talked and Hearth's signs. Will had learnt sign in the past and was excited for the chance to practice. On Hearth's other side Frank looked on curiously, sometimes trying to start up conversation with Ella and Tyson.

Across from Frank, next to Ella was Piper. She'd sat next to Grover and Percy. Somehow instead of something with meat, Percy had been made to eat vegetarian with his friends, and both of them were eating blue food. In between a discussion about the best vegetarian foods, and an eating contest Piper helped the boys come up with dares and truths for her friends.

Thalia had noticed eventually and walked over to add her and Magnus's suggestions. Will added one or two of his own for Juniper from nearby.

Lunch lasted a little longer than it usually had as several others disappeared. Reyna had taken Calypso away to train for a little bit. Jason, Carter, Sam and Zia had joined them a little later. All four of them switching off between each other to get a feel of different fighting styles. Egyptian with Greek/Roman, Norse and Egyptian, Greek/Roman with the Norse, sometimes with magic and powers. Sometimes just weapons.

Hazel and Rachel had left to another room, painting and drawing as they listened to a new playlist. Everyone else stayed behind talking and eating more in the dining room. It was at least another hour and a half before anyone found the need to get up and get the others so they could move on.

When Annabeth returned with Reyna, Calypso, Jason, Sam, Carter and Zia returned, all sweaty. Some were a little windblown or scorched, but all were laughing and smiling as they returned. In contrast, Hazel and Rachel had paint all over them.

"What happened to you guys?" Percy asked curiously.

"Sam and Jason decided to do a fight midair. Then somehow Calypso got involved. Not sure how," Carter shrugged. "There was some training with fire too."

"Sounds fun," Percy grinned.

"It was," Jason said as he bounced around excitedly. "We need to do that again. Why didn't I know you could fly?"

"Not just with powers," Magnus said proudly from the table's other end. "Sam's getting her pilot's license."

"Sick."

"Sounds cool," Percy agreed.

Hazel nodded. "If we could go in a plane it would be."

"Next time this happens I want to see it to," Magnus agreed with Jason's previous statement.

"We all do," Piper said with finality.

Rachel and Hazel had taken a seat back near Frank, Hearth, Ella and Tyson. Alex and Will had moved closer and asked what pieces they had been working on. Just as Alex was about to offer to teach them to work with some pottery the conversations stopped.

"Ready Juniper?" Piper asked sweetly.

"No," Juniper squeaked. Piper's chramspeak came on strong and all at once. "Not that I have a choice."

"Who would you want your godly parent to be?" Piper asked.

"Ooh. That's not so bad. Demeter. Definitely Demeter, or Persephone if she had demigod children."

"Should have expected that," Thalia muttered.

"It was kind of an obvious reply," Will agreed.

"I'd want to keep my connection to nature and plants. And I'd get to help things grow still. And I wouldn't have to worry about that many monsters, probably."

"Smart reply," Annabeth mused.

"Oh no. You're just trying to postpone the inevitable," Thalia stated. "You need to do this dare. Mostly for my amusement, maybe for some of yours."

"I don't know. I don't think it might turn out completely well for either of us," Percy said warily.

"For all of us," Magnus corrected.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow and gave them a curious look. "Then tell me."

"Either speak in the negative or add idiot somewhere in every sentence until…." Thalia paused. "Percy?"

"Until the first time she gives me a compliment in the next thing we watch."

"Is that long?" Jaz asked looking at everyone confused.

"Is Annabeth usually complimentary?"

"Back then? Unless it was about architecture, no," Grover stated. "So, which is it Annabeth?"

"The idiot thing is going to get annoying. But I'll be harder to understand, and it'll be harder for me to say anything if I speak in the negative. So, I'll do the idiot thing. So, idiots, can we start and get this over with?"