Percy Jackson wasn't sure what he expected when he dragged himself back to Camp Half-Blood for his third summer, weary from the latest in a series of never-ending, life-threatening quests. Maybe some much-needed peace and quiet, a good meal, and a few hours of sleep without having to worry about monsters lurking in the shadows. What he definitely didn't expect was to find Thalia Grace—yes, that Thalia Grace—standing in the middle of camp, very much alive and looking like she'd just walked out of a Greek mythology history book.

To say he was shocked was an understatement. The last time Percy had seen Thalia, she'd been, well, a pine tree. The Golden Fleece, which he and his friends had risked their necks to retrieve, had healed the poison in the tree. But it looks like it did much more than that, and no one thought it was important to inform him that it also restored Thalia's injuries from the time she had almost died. Which, apparently, also brought her back to life. Greek magic really knew how to complicate things.

Thalia was taller than Percy had imagined, with a wild, electric aura that screamed "daughter of Zeus." Her black hair was cut short, spiked in a way that made her look like she was ready to jump into a fight at any second, and her blue eyes crackled with a fierce intensity. She wore a leather jacket over her Camp Half-Blood shirt and combat boots that looked like they'd seen better days. The air around her seemed to buzz with energy, like she might summon a lightning bolt at any moment just for the fun of it.

Percy could tell from the first moment she set eyes on him that Thalia wasn't just back—she was itching for something, and that something seemed to be rivalry.

"So," Thalia said, striding up to Percy with a grin that was more challenging than friendly, "you're the famous Percy Jackson. The one who's been hogging all the glory while I've been stuck as a tree."

Percy blinked, taken aback by her directness. He'd heard plenty of stories about Thalia—how she'd sacrificed herself to save her friends, how she'd been turned into a tree to protect the camp. He respected her, admired her sacrifice even. But this? He hadn't been expecting her to be so... antagonistic.

"Uh, yeah, that's me," Percy replied, scratching the back of his head. "But I wouldn't say I've been hogging anything. Just trying to stay alive, you know?"

Thalia's grin widened, and there was a glint in her eyes that made Percy uneasy. "Stay alive, huh? Funny, that's what I've been doing too. Except I've been doing it as a tree."

Percy tried to keep his tone light, though he could feel the tension building. "Well, glad to see you're not a tree anymore."

Thalia's smile turned sharp, like she was enjoying this way too much. "Oh, trust me, I'm glad too. Now that I'm back, I think it's time for someone else to share the spotlight. Don't you think?"

Before Percy could even formulate a response, Thalia had turned on her heel and walked off, leaving him standing there feeling like he'd just been caught in a storm. A storm that was clearly named Thalia Grace.

Percy spent the next few days trying to wrap his head around Thalia's return. It wasn't that he didn't like her—he hardly knew her—but every interaction they had felt like a challenge, like Thalia was testing him, pushing him, trying to see how far she could go before he snapped. She made snarky comments, threw out casual insults, and seemed to delight in getting under his skin. And it wasn't just him—she was competitive with everyone, but with Percy, it was like she had something to prove.

The problem was, Percy didn't want to be rivals. He was too tired for that kind of drama. Between fighting monsters, dealing with Gods, and trying to keep his friends safe, plus all the work Elysium Prep stacks on his desk, the last thing he needed was someone actively trying to make his life more complicated.

But Thalia wasn't having any of it. Every time Percy tried to avoid a confrontation, she'd double down like it was a personal challenge. If he thought ignoring her would make her back off, he was sorely mistaken. Thalia seemed to take his lack of interest as a green light to push harder.

It started small. Percy would head to the arena for some much-needed solo training, hoping for a bit of peace. But Thalia had a sixth sense for ruining his quiet moments. She'd show up out of nowhere, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and a smug grin plastered on her face. "You call that a parry?" she'd snark, watching as Percy tried to practice his sword techniques. "No wonder you always look so beat up."

Percy would grit his teeth, trying to focus on his form, but Thalia wasn't content to just observe. Oh no, she'd pick up a training sword and jump into the ring with him. "Let me show you how it's done, Jackson," she'd say, swinging her weapon with a confidence that was both impressive and infuriating. Before he knew it, their sparring match would turn into a full-blown competition, with Thalia calling out every mistake he made, and Percy desperately trying not to let her get under his skin.

Then there was capture-the-flag. Percy usually enjoyed the game—it was a chance to strategize, work with his team, and show off some of the skills he'd honed. But that all went out the window when Thalia decided to make a point of joining his team. "Just thought I'd lend a hand," she'd say with a sly grin, but it was clear she had other motives. She'd follow him around the forest, questioning his every decision like she was the general and he was a clueless recruit. "You really think sending Clarisse to flank the left side is a good idea? Bold move, Jackson. Bold, but stupid." And no matter how well the game was going, Thalia would find some way to critique his strategy, always managing to make him feel like he was two steps behind her.

But the footrace—oh, the footrace—that was when Percy realized Thalia was determined to outdo him in every possible way. It happened one afternoon when the camp was buzzing with activity, and Percy was hoping to catch a break from Thalia's constant needling. He was heading back from the strawberry fields, minding his own business, when Thalia sidled up next to him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Hey, Jackson," she said, her tone deceptively casual. "How about a race?"

Percy blinked at her, not entirely sure he'd heard her right. "A race? Like, right now?"

"Yeah," she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet like she was already itching to go. "From here to the top of Zeus' Fist. What do you say?"

Percy sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was tired, sore, and the last thing he wanted to do was engage in another one of Thalia's spontaneous challenges. "I'm good, thanks," he said, trying to sound as neutral as possible.

Thalia's smirk widened, and Percy knew he was in trouble. "What's wrong? Afraid to lose?"

He could hear the taunt in her voice, the way she was baiting him, daring him to rise to the challenge. But Percy wasn't going to take the bait—not this time. He simply shook his head, refusing to let her goad him into another competition. "Nope, just not interested."

Thalia's eyes narrowed, but the smirk never left her face. "Suit yourself," she said with a shrug. "But don't think this means you're off the hook. I'll get you next time, Jackson."

And with that, she turned and jogged off, leaving Percy standing there with a mix of exasperation and reluctant admiration. He knew she wasn't going to let up anytime soon—Thalia was relentless, like a storm that kept circling back no matter how many times you tried to escape it.

It got to the point where even Annabeth, who usually didn't involve herself in petty rivalries, had to step in. She cornered Percy later that day, as he was resting by the strawberry fields, her expression exasperated. "Percy, what's going on with you and Thalia?"

Percy threw his hands up in frustration. "I have no idea! She's been back for like a week, and she's already acting like she needs to prove she's better than me at everything. I'm not interested in being her rival, but she won't let up."

Annabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose like she was dealing with two particularly difficult children. "Thalia's... well, she's always been competitive. And she's been through a lot, Percy. Coming back to life, finding out the world's moved on without her—that's a lot to deal with. Maybe this is her way of processing it."

"Yeah, well, she can process it without trying to start a rivalry with me," Percy grumbled. "I don't have time for this."

Unfortunately for Percy, Thalia's determination didn't stop. If anything, it only intensified. She challenged him at archery (where Percy was thoroughly embarrassed, much to her amusement), attempted to outmaneuver him during a game of strategy, and even tried to outdo him in heroics—showing up at a harpy attack just in time to throw a knife and take down the last monster.

It got so bad that even Clarisse, who was usually all for a good competition, started running interference. She'd intercept Thalia during breakfast, engaging her in conversation about battle tactics just to keep her away from Percy. At one point, Clarisse flat-out told Percy, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I prefer it when you and I were butting heads. At least you didn't make it a full-time job."

Percy couldn't help but agree.

So, when Percy got word, that Nico di Angelo was at camp, having shadow-traveled the Huntresses of Artemis all the way from wherever they'd been, he didn't think twice. He bolted straight for the camp's entrance, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and relief. It had been too long since he'd seen Nico, and the thought of his friend back at Camp Half-Blood made him feel like things might actually be looking up.

As he neared the entrance, Percy caught sight of the scene unfolding there. Nico stood at the center, looking a bit winded but otherwise composed, his hands resting on the back of his massive hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary, who was panting happily. Surrounding Nico were the Huntresses of Artemis, a group of fierce and intimidating girls who didn't seem all that thrilled to be at camp. In fact, they were engaged in what could only be described as a heated glare-off with a group of Aphrodite's daughters, led by none other than Silena Beauregard. Chiron was nearby, his usual calm demeanor strained as he tried to keep the peace between the two groups.

Percy could have cried. After spending weeks being hounded by Thalia Grace, seeing Nico was a balm to the soul. The moment Nico had noticed him, Percy broke into a run, dodging around the others until he reached his friend. Without thinking, Percy threw his arms around Nico in a hug, ignoring Nico's startled gasp.

"Man, it's good to see you," Percy said, pulling back just enough to give Nico a grin.

Nico awkwardly patted Percy on the back. "Yeah, you too, Percy," he muttered, though there was a faint smile on his lips. "You're crushing me, by the way."

Percy chuckled and released him, ruffling Nico's already messy hair. "Sorry, but you're gonna have to get used to it. You can't just show up after shadow-traveling across half the country and not expect a hug."

As Percy took a step back, he noticed that the tension between the Huntresses and the Aphrodite kids was escalating. Silena looked ready to draw her knife, a gift from her boyfriend Charles, while Zoe had her hand on her bow. Chiron was caught in the middle, trying to keep things from boiling over.

Before Percy could intervene, another storm blew in—this time in the form of Thalia Grace. She strode up to the group, her expression thunderous, eyes locked on Zoe like she was about to deliver a lightning bolt straight to her.

"Nightshade!" Thalia barked, her voice ringing out across the camp. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Zoe's eyes narrowed dangerously, and the air between the two crackled with tension. "I could ask you the same thing, Grace," she shot back. "Last time, I've heard you were a pine tree."

Percy, ever the survivalist, took a step back, knowing full well that this was about to explode into a full-blown screaming match. Sure enough, Thalia wasn't one to back down from a challenge, especially not from someone like Zoe, who clearly knew how to push her buttons.

The two girls were soon in each other's faces, shouting accusations and insults, their rivalry on full display. Percy didn't know the full history between them, but he was sure it wasn't pretty. Zoe had this intense, no-nonsense vibe that clashed directly with Thalia's fiery, headstrong nature. It was like watching two storms collide, and Percy was more than happy to be a spectator rather than a participant.

In fact, Percy felt a surge of relief that, for once, Thalia's laser focus wasn't aimed at him. It was a nice change of pace to see someone else catching the brunt of her competitive streak. And honestly, if Zoe could handle it, more power to her. Percy was more than happy to pass that particular torch.

But then, just as Percy was starting to enjoy the show, Thalia's attention abruptly shifted. Her stormy gaze fell on Nico, who had been standing quietly beside Percy, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

"And what's he doing here?" Thalia snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at Nico. "Why's Hades' little pet skulking around camp?"

Percy's relief vanished, replaced by a protective surge of anger. Before he could say anything, though, Nico straightened up, his dark eyes flashing with something dangerous. He was done being the quiet, overlooked kid.

"You've got a problem with me, Grace?" Nico's voice was low, steady, but there was an edge to it that made everyone around them tense. "Because if you do, we can talk about my dad sending Cyclopes to kill you when you were a kid. Or, I don't know, maybe how your father tried to kill me and my sister and actually succeeded in killing my mom."

The camp fell silent, the tension reaching a breaking point. Percy could see the conflict playing out on Thalia's face, the shock and anger warring with the truth of Nico's words. Everyone knew about Zeus's less-than-stellar track record with his children, but hearing it laid out so bluntly was different. It hit hard, and it was clear that Thalia wasn't expecting Nico to push back like this.

For a moment, it looked like Thalia might explode, but then she clenched her fists, jaw tight, and took a step back. She didn't apologize—Thalia Grace didn't do apologies—but she didn't say anything else, either. The fight seemed to drain out of her, leaving behind a simmering frustration that she didn't know where to direct. With one last glare, she turned on her heel and walked away, her shoulders tense with barely restrained anger.

Percy watched her go, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. Thalia was a force of nature, and while he didn't blame her for being angry, she had a habit of taking it out on the wrong people. Nico let out a breath he'd been holding and gave Percy a look that was somewhere between exhausted and exasperated. "Well, that was fun," he muttered.

"Welcome back to camp," Percy said dryly, clapping Nico on the shoulder. "You sure know how to make an entrance."

Nico rolled his eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, well, it's not like I planned it."

As the Huntresses and the rest of the campers slowly dispersed, Chiron finally let out a long-suffering sigh, clearly relieved that the confrontation hadn't escalated further. Percy couldn't help but feel the same way. This whole summer was shaping up to be one long disaster after another. The worst part, Percy felt like they hadn't even scratched the surface of what was coming next.