AN: Hey all! Sorry this was a day late. I was waiting for my wife to finish the lovely cover art for the story, so feedback would be appreciated. Plus, I'm still figuring out how to use as I'm more familiar with the AO3 Interface. Nonetheless, as always, comments and feedback are always appreciated.

Comment Responses: Robotdocter-Yeah, Thalia's not entirely rational at the moment, but this is an intentional choice. Don't worry.

Sage of Chaos-Glad you're enjoying! I hope you stick around

HellRaiderS-Same to you. I'm glad you're enjoying the fic. I've had a ton of fun with this one.

Apollo was officially Thalia's least favorite god, at least at the moment. She shuddered, trying to calm her breathing as she stepped off of the sun bus. Fortunately, it didn't look like anyone had been hurt. She felt a mild twinge of guilt as Percy stepped out just behind her. He was avoiding her gaze, but she couldn't really blame him. It wasn't like he didn't deserve what she said, but as she replayed the events in her head, she realized that may not have been the nicest way to phrase things.

After they had boarded the bus, she felt her face drain of color as she got behind the wheel. Percy had always been very perceptive. He was the first to move into the seat next to her. Apollo had even given him the spot with a smirk, as though he knew something they didn't. Given that he was the god of prophecy, it was probably true.

Her fingers were so tight around the wheel she felt as though they were in a cast, with rods of iron holding her hands in place. Percy had been shifting around nervously for a while, but he placed his hand on her thigh. Just like he always did whenever she would begin spiraling inside his dreamscape. He couldn't have known about her fear of heights, but there was nothing except sincerity in his eyes, as though all he cared about in that moment was her well being, despite their recent tension.

Then, he decided to ruin it by opening his mouth. Sure, complaining about the hunters was always fun because they were insufferable, but they wouldn't have needed to show up if Percy hadn't run off on his own. Whether she liked it or not, Percy was powerful, and if he, she, and Annabeth had just taken Thorn on their own, they likely would have won. Instead, the hunters had to come save their asses, a fact that Zoe wouldn't hesitate to remind her of. Added on to all of this was the absence of Annabeth, which hung over her, threatening to drown her at any moment.

"I just don't like how they think they're better than everyone." Thalia said, trying to remain calm.

"I'm with you," Percy said. "I don't trust them. Especially not when boys are involved, it's like they–"

In an instant, all of her frustrations exploded. She said the words she believed, but desperately wished she could snatch out of the air before they ever reached his eardrums.

"Oh, you're with me, huh? What were you thinking going after Thorn by yourself? You knew he was dangerous and a monster."

"I–"

"No," she raised a hand, "let me finish. We could've taken him, just us three. Instead, you got yourself captured by Thorn, and the Hunters had to get involved. And last I checked, Annabeth isn't here. She might still be, if you had just waited like I told you to."

She wasn't proud of how good she felt once she said those words, but it was the first time since the incident that her emotions found themselves expressed vocally. Even if it wasn't completely fair, or an accurate assessment. For a brief moment, she expected some snarky remark, as it was rare for Percy to get tongue tied. Instead, he silently removed his hand from her thigh and headed back a few rows, intentionally avoiding her gaze.

The bus landed in the canoe lake and floated to the top. Fortunately, with the exception of a couple half-melted capsized canoes, nothing seemed out of order at camp. Still, she didn't blame her passengers when they scrambled out the doors and down the dock. Everyone wanted to get off the bus as quickly as possible. Percy had taken it upon himself to give Nico a tour. The boy seemed unhappy. Thalia wasn't one hundred percent sure, but she figured he had just been given the news that Bianca had essentially abandoned him. It wasn't like she didn't have a reason, essentially being his caretaker for several years at that point, but she couldn't blame Nico for being upset at how everything played out.

For the time being, she was left to fend for herself, as the Hunters went to the Artemis cabin, and she didn't really know anybody else at camp. At least, not anybody she wanted to be around. She had only spent a couple of weeks at camp before being sent off to go to school with Annabeth, but they would come back on the weekends for training. That was when Chiron had taught her how to manipulate the Mist. It made getting in and out of their closed campus a breeze.

Still, it had been a few weeks before they were able to trek back to camp, making the sudden winter makeover a stark contrast to the usual summer atmosphere. Instead of the comfortably warm summer temperatures for growing strawberries, light frost covered the fields. Each cabin was adorned with tiny flickering lights. Thalia shivered.

She still refused to use the Zeus cabin, despite Chiron and Annabeth's urging. No one else at camp really knew the truth about the god who had saved her. Annabeth was still having a hard time accepting it, even now. But Thalia stuck with her choice on this one. It wasn't her dad who had saved her, so she wouldn't be gracing his cabin with her presence. It wasn't much, but it was hard to rebel against an absent father when he was the all-powerful King of the Olympians.

Instead, she went to her room in the Big House. It was small, but a comfortable cot and some privacy was all she really needed. Peering through the window, she saw that Chiron was out front, talking with Percy and Nico, likely as part of his tour. She briefly considered wandering around camp until they were done, but she was still freezing, so she decided against it. She'd rather stay inside and be warm. Avoiding the awkwardness her presence would bring was a bonus.

Sighing, she left her room and started for the stairs. Chiron would want a debriefing of their mission, and the sooner it was over with, the sooner she could go back to her room, undisturbed. As she approached the front room, she overheard part of the conversation. "...and go get Thalia when you get the chance." Chiron's voice carried into the hall. "I want to know exactly what happened."

"No need." Thalia said as she waltzed into the room. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Come in. We need to determine our next course of action."

Once they were finished, Chiron looked as though he had aged an additional century. He turned to Mr. D. "We should launch a search for Annabeth immediately."

"I'll go!" Thalia and Percy volunteered simultaneously.

Mr. D scoffed. "Certainly not!"

The demigod duo began to protest, but Mr. D was not in a mood to entertain them. His eyes began to glow purple, flames dancing around the edges of his form. It was his final warning that if they didn't shut up immediately, they would either be turned into animals, or be sent to a mental institution. Thalia wasn't particularly eager to stop being human, again, so she shut her mouth. Percy on the other hand, didn't seem to care, so when he opened his mouth again she kicked him under the table.

The purple flames around Mr. D began to subside, now just barely visible as a reminder of who he really was. He fixed his glare towards Percy. "Now then, I'd hate to have to turn the only demigod with some sense around here into a dolphin. Nevertheless, I wouldn't shed a tear if my hand was forced. Now then. From what you have told me, we have broken even on this endeavor. We have regrettably lost Annie Bell–"

"Annabeth," Percy snapped. As much as she agreed, and was grateful to him for voicing her thoughts, she still wanted to kick him again. She didn't want to take any chances with their crazy camp director.

"Yes, yes," Mr. D said. "Although you procured a small annoying boy to replace her. I don't think it would be wise to risk additional demigods on a rescue mission. We don't even know if she's still alive."

Next to her, Percy looked downright murderous. Soft tremors began to make their way through the room and Chiron's eyes widened a fraction. Still, if Percy wanted to attack Mr. D, she decided she'd join him. This was just another lesson that she wished wasn't true. The gods do not care about their children, or demigods in general.

"Annabeth may still be alive," Chiron said, injecting false optimism into his voice. "She's very bright. You two know this. If…if our enemies have her as we fear, she will play for time. She may even pretend to cooperate." Then, he turned towards Percy. "Imagine what you did with the manticore to stall for time. She will use every trick at her disposal in hopes of rescue or escape. She is too valuable for our enemies to kill immediately."

"That's right." Thalia agreed. "Luke would want her alive. There's no way he would capture her without a good reason."

"If this is true," Mr. D reasoned. "I suspect she is being held as bait, perhaps for you two. It is no secret that Luke has expressed an interest in Percy since he arrived at camp. Therefore, we should not indulge them. She will need to escape on her own."

Percy shoved back from the table, toppling his mug of hot chocolate.

"Percy," Chiron warned. Thalia winced as the centaur's warning fell on deaf ears. She had never seen Percy so angry, and yet it mirrored feelings that she recognized in herself. The only difference was, he had a target for his wrath, whereas she could not find something that she felt truly deserved all of her ire.

"You'd be glad to lose another camper," Percy said. "You'd like it if we all disappeared!"

To Thalia's surprise, Mr. D just yawned. "You have a point to your little tirade?"

"Yeah," Percy growled. "Just because you were sent here as an unfair punishment because Zeus got horny doesn't mean you have to be a lazy prick! This is your precious western civilization too. Maybe you could try helping out a little." Percy stilled, dangerously calm, like the motionless sea before a tsunami. "I fight for Olympus because you're better than the alternative, but if the demigods truly were to rebel against you, with an actual vision, I would not hesitate to take up arms against you."

"Perseus Jackson, was that a threat of treason?" Mr. D scoffed.

"That," he said, letting the silence hang in the air, "depends on you."

At that, even the Hunters' stealth could not have gone unnoticed in the room. One moment turned to two, the sharp crackling of the hearth the only noise to cut through the silence. Thalia didn't even think she was breathing. The soft rumble of the earth beneath them was a testament to Percy's sincerity. He rarely made threats, and when he did, he always followed through. Finally, Mr. D sighed, regarding Percy as though he had always expected this.

For the first time since her transformation into a tree, Thalia fervently prayed, though to whom she wasn't entirely sure. Readily, she got to her feet. Percy had a point, and at least here, he had always been consistent. If a fight was really going to break out, she had promised herself she'd be on his side. Fortunately, her silent prayers seemed to be answered as Nico burst into the room, followed by an out of breath Grover.

"SO COOL!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're…you're a centaur!"

Chiron managed a nervous smile. "Yes, Mr. di Angelo, if you please. Though I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters."

"And, whoa!" He looked at Mr. D without a hint of reservation. "You're the wine dude? No way!"

Grover bleated out a noise of equal parts concern and shock. Mr. D turned his glare away from Percy and gave Nico a puzzled look, lines appearing between his eyebrows. "'The wine dude'?"

"Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine."

"My figurine?"

"In my game, Mythomagic. And a holofoil card, too! And even though you've only got like five hundred attack points and everyone thinks you're the lamest god card. I totally think your powers are sweet!"

"Ah." Mr. D seemed truly perplexed at the realization that fictional card games were using his likeness. Still, his wrathful look had dissipated. "Well, that's…gratifying."

"Percy," Chiron said quickly, speaking in a low voice as Nico continued on, "you and Thalia go down to the cabins. Inform the campers we'll be playing capture the flag tomorrow evening."

"Capture the flag?" Percy asked. "But we don't have enough–"

"It is a tradition," Chiron interjected. "A friendly match, whenever the Hunters visit."

Thalia had never taken part in the so-called Hunter-Camper capture the flag games, but given their arrogant and disdainful attitude towards everything else, she deduced that these games were anything but friendly.

"Great," she muttered. "I bet they're a real hoot."

Chiron jerked his head toward Mr. D, who was still frowning as Nico chattered on about how many defense points the gods had in his game. "Run along now," Chiron said pointedly, nodding to where Grover still stood near the door.

"Oh, right," Thalia nudged him in the ribs. "Come on, Percy." She was willing to throw hands with a god, but she couldn't save Annabeth if she was no longer sane, or human.

She grabbed Percy's hand, giving him no room to protest, and dragged him out of the Big House before Dionysus could remember how angry he was.

"You've already got Ares on your bad side," Thalia reminded as she escorted Percy back to his cabin. "Do you really need another immortal enemy?"

Still, as she said it, she imagined that he didn't really care. In a way, it was admirable. Whether he had to stand up to mortals or deities, Percy didn't tolerate bullshit from anyone. The corners of her lips tugged into a smile. He definitely didn't look the part, but he was as punk as anyone she knew.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly. "I couldn't help myself. It's just so unfair."

"You're not wrong." Thalia admitted. She paused for a moment as she gathered the courage to ask the question she feared the answer to. "So, did you really mean what you said?"

"Every word." Percy confirmed. "But I don't think that surprises you. I haven't forgotten how much we'd bitch about our parents in my dreams."

"Well, your dad is better than mine. He saved a kid that wasn't even his. That's got to count for something right?"

"Yeah, I guess so. But that doesn't mean that the world of demigods is fair."

The usual joyful gleam had vanished from his eyes. Instead, they swirled with fury. Thalia could've sworn she saw black streaks in his irises. He truly was the sea, with his emotions and demeanor betraying that fact every single day. No one could contain or control him, not even the immortal gods. Silence lapsed for a moment, their footsteps crunching in the frosty grass.

"So tell me," Thalia finally said. "Why didn't you join Luke?"

Percy froze up at the question, as though the possibility hadn't really occurred to him. Seeing the tension in his muscles felt unnatural, like someone had somehow built a dam in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

"Because he just wants to destroy. If Kronos gets his way, all the demigods will be killed. It does no good to revolt without a true cause."

His answer swirled around in her mind. She had been grappling with the motivation behind Luke's actions. Sure, he wanted to save her, but even Annabeth had admitted that he had fallen into the clutches of Kronos, or was at least doing the Titan Lord's bidding. It was becoming clearer that Percy was more than an arrogant demigod who thought only of himself. He had a vision of the world, but was willing to sacrifice that vision for his friends and fellow demigods.

They stopped in front of Cabin Three, and Thalia gently bumped her shoulder against Percy's.

"For what it's worth," she said. "If you really were serious. I'd join you."

"I was." Percy said. "But as it stands, we don't really have a choice." He turned his head, eyes finding hers, and it felt as though he could see into her soul, bypassing her emotional walls. "If I had to kill Luke to save your life, would you hate me for it?"

She wanted to reassure him that of course she wouldn't, that she'd know that he was just doing what he had to. But as she thought about it her stomach began to roll, and the words caught in her throat. Luke was just brainwashed by the Titan Lord. No one could truly be completely gone. He wouldn't attack her like that anyway, not of his own volition. Her lack of an answer spoke for itself.

"I see," Percy deflated, failing to completely hide his hurt. "I'd still do it, you know. I just wanted you to know that."

They stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Thalia wanted to say something, but her words couldn't get past the rapidly forming lump in her throat. Nothing was fair in this world.

"You should be captain. You clearly hate the Hunters even more than I do." Percy said, startling Thalia with the change of topic.

"No, you should do it, you've been at camp longer."

"We can, uh…co-captain or something."

If she was being honest, that sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. But she was ready to put this uncomfortable conversation behind her, so she just nodded. They could work out specifics in the morning. It wasn't like the position really mattered anyway, since all the campers were on the same team.

A shout drew her eye, and she saw a camper and a hunter beginning to fight on the basketball court. It was probably over something stupid, but hunters and campers killing each other would not help their already strained relations.

"I better go take care of that." Thalia said, pointing over at the court. "I'll see you around."

Percy began shifting, like he had something else he wanted to say. She slowed her steps, pausing to give him more time, understanding the feeling of not being able to get your words out.

"I'm sorry about what happened at Westover. I should've waited for you guys."

Thalia wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that. She felt another pang of guilt for exploding at him on the bus over it. In hindsight, his decision made sense. If he hadn't intervened, Thorn would've likely taken the kids and they would still be missing. Since they had returned to camp, her anger had greatly deflated, instead being replaced with the seedling of hopelessness. At the very least, she couldn't be mad at him for his decision that night. If anything, she began to regret not joining him immediately. If Annabeth had stayed in the gym, maybe she'd still be there.

"It's okay, Percy." she finally said. "I don't blame you for what happened." She averted her gaze, unable to look at him for her next words. "And I'm sorry for what I said on the bus. That wasn't fair to you. I just…it's not fair… like you said." So many words were now tumbling around in her mind, but they got caught in her throat. She kept her gaze fixed on her boots, blinking back the pressure that was beginning to form behind her eyes.

"We'll get Annabeth back. I just don't know how yet." Percy promised. She looked up to find that there was nothing but tenderness and concern in his green eyes. He began to reach for her, then froze, as if he was unable to muster the courage to provide his usual comforting touch. His arm dropped back down to his side. "Don't worry about me. I won't make Mr. D angry again. I'll tell the other cabins about Capture the Flag tomorrow."

The morning news could not have been any worse. Thalia's dreams were always bad, but Percy's were always on another level even for demigods. Usually, hers involved past experiences involving monsters, with the night of her sacrifice often taking the forefront. For Percy though, he always had other information woven throughout his. Whether they were dreams of future events, or concurrent ones happening somewhere else, his nightmares were nearly always real. That fact sent a shiver down her spine when Percy began their conversation with "I had a dream last night."

It was so serious that Percy decided to skirt camp rules and sit at the Zeus table that morning. Mr. D was nowhere to be found, and Chiron gave them a look, but no one interfered with their breakfast.

"We have to leave tonight." Percy said. "Annabeth's being imprisoned."

"We knew that already." Thalia said, expectantly. "What else?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but they've put her in a cell and they're forcing her to make some kind of choice. She refused, now they're locking her there until she gives an answer."

"A choice between what?"

"I'm not sure, the only thing that I know is that Luke is involved."

Thalia's heart sank at the mention of Luke. She had been desperately hoping that her old friend wasn't at the center. Unfortunately, it seemed whenever demigods were involved, he was too.

"What was her condition?"

"Other than being in a cell somewhere, she seemed as normal as she could be. Still, I don't think we can afford to wait. Whoever else was there said they were taking her to Othrys."

The name Othrys made alarm bells go off in her head. During their trips back to camp, Annabeth had been studying the existing literature about the Titan War. Othrys was the Titan capital, and if it was like everything else with the gods, Othrys would be in America too. It was always on the western edge of western civilization, signifying the threat faced as the sun dimmed in the sky.

She wasn't certain, but Thalia was pretty sure California was their destination. She didn't know much more than that, but considering that the Underworld, also always on the western edge, was in LA, she thought it was a pretty safe bet.

"You think Othrys is in California?" Percy asked, seeming to read her mind.

"I do," Thalia agreed. She had been expecting to explain her thought process, but Percy knew more than he let on. He'd absorb one off comments by Annabeth or Chiron like a sponge, even if he'd rather do anything else than read the material himself. "Annabeth had mentioned something called the Mountain of Despair." In context, she had been complaining about her family moving, but Thalia decided to leave that part out. Annabeth would give that information up if she felt comfortable doing so.

"So, you think that's where they're taking her?"

"That's what my gut says. We can work out the details later. How long do you think we have?"

"I'm not really sure." Percy admitted, "But the earliest it sounded like would be late tonight. We can leave after Capture the Flag."

Truthfully, Thalia would have preferred to leave right away. She didn't want to leave Annabeth in a dank cell any longer than necessary, but there was Mr. D to contend with. Ever since Percy and Annabeth had snuck out the previous summer to get the fleece, curfew patrols had been increased. Their best opportunity would probably come after the game, but before lights out.

"Sounds good," Thalia agreed. "That way we can kick the Hunters' asses, gather up supplies, and then go save Annabeth."

Percy nodded, confirming the plan, before getting up and returning to his own table. For a fleeting moment, Thalia felt her heart ache as she watched him walk away, and she hated herself for it. Although whether it was for him specifically, or just the thought of not needing to eat meals by herself, she wasn't sure.

A frown creased Thalia's features as she surveyed their lineup. It was going to be a relatively small game of Capture the Flag, with only about a dozen Hunters, including newly minted Huntress Bianca Di Angelo, willing to participate. Those numbers worked out nicely considering there were hardly more than a dozen campers during the winter.

Zoe seemed to be even more irritable than usual, and if the anxious faces of the Hunters were any indication, she seemed to have shared her problems with them. A small grin began to form on the corner of Thalia's lips. She wasn't proud of it, but she didn't regret the joy she felt whenever the Hunters didn't find themselves in their so-called perfect world. Still, the worry she had been suppressing all day began to snake itself back into her mind. What if it was something more serious? As obnoxious as Zoe was, she wasn't one to worry herself over trivial things.

"Zoe had a dream last night," Percy said, sensing her thoughts. "Apparently Artemis has been captured."

Thalia felt her heart sink at that thought. It wasn't out of any concern or love towards the wild goddess, but any being that was strong enough to capture a deity was a force to be reckoned with. And so close to Annabeth's capture? The thread of hope she had been grasping that the two events were disconnected began to unravel.

"Do you think her dream was connected to yours?"

A slight nod of Percy's head was all she needed to see.

"I see," Thalia said. "Let's hope this game ends quickly then. We've got a rescue mission to get to."

Percy's mouth twisted in his signature smirk. "Let's put a few of them in the infirmary. Game will end faster that way."

"I like the way you think." Thalia said with a mischievous grin. "Let's go kick some ass."

She turned towards the campers to take stock of who she was working with. Relatively slim pickings from the usual turnout. There were a few Hephaestus guys and a few kids from the Ares cabin. They were always a big help. The Stoll Brothers, the new kid Nico, and a few Aphrodite kids rounded out the list.

"I'm surprised the Aphrodite kids want to join." Percy half whispered. "Normally, they just like to sit by the lake and do whatever it is they do."

"You're seriously surprised?" Thalia's eyebrows shot up. "The Hunters have done nothing but berate them for refusing to swear off romantic love. That's the one thing they deeply care about. Of course they would want a chance to pummel them."

Almost immediately, Silena piped in. "I'll show them. 'Love is worthless'. I'll pulverize them!"

Their strategy seemed simple enough. To be honest, Percy was probably better with understanding the individual campers' strengths and weaknesses, but one thing was abundantly clear to her. His affinity and control over water would be much better utilized on the defensive. Add in the earthquakes and even the Hunters were bound to be slowed down. On the other hand, her lightning was better suited in short, direct bursts. Perfect for an attacker.

"I'll take offense, you can take defense." Thalia proposed.

Percy's jaw tensed. "Oh." He said tersely. "Don't you think with your shield and all, you'd be better defense?"

Thalia just shrugged, hoisting Aegis higher on her arm. All of the campers except Percy gave her a wide berth. "Seems like it works well enough either way. Besides, in the worst case scenario you can just flood the place. If I did something like that, I'd kill our teammates. You've had more practice using your water stuff anyway."

Percy's jaw ticked again, although this time she didn't really know why. Whatever, she thought. She had given her opinion. He could either propose something else, or he could accept the deal.

"Yeah, no problem," he scowled, clearly unhappy with the idea.

"Cool." She said brightly. The tension in the air became palpable, so she went to assist the Aphrodite kids who, bless their hearts, were inexperienced when it came to battle gear.

She glanced over to see Percy doing the same thing to little Nico Di Angelo. Frankly, he looked a bit ridiculous, but she figured she could cut the kid some slack. After all, if she had to suit up in battle armor at the age of twelve, she'd probably look tiny in it too.

A disturbing thought crossed her mind as she was helping a similarly aged daughter of Aphrodite with her gear. It was unnatural, training kids this young to fight for their lives. Was it a crime to simply exist in their world? Were they violating the natural law? It didn't make a difference, the gods could wish it away in a heartbeat if they wanted to. Instead, they subjected their children to short, dangerous lives because of some arbitrary rules. She shook her head. Complaining wouldn't do any good, and Percy had gotten them in enough trouble talking like that. The gods were petulant, irresponsible, and selfish beings, but they were also powerful.

"Heroes!" Chiron announced, breaking Thalia's train of thought. "You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Blue team–Camp Half-Blood–shall take the west woods. Hunters of Artemis–red team–shall take the east woods. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. No intentional maiming, and no killing, please! All magic items are allowed. To your positions!"

It was time. One aspect of frustration was that it made great fuel for competition. She could channel it for now, and she would happily use it against the Hunters. "Blue team! Follow me!" She shouted.

Cheers erupted from the campers, the roar sounding beyond their measly number of a dozen or so. A grin danced across Thalia's face. The game couldn't start soon enough.

The choice of where to keep the flag was an easy one. The creek was the boundary line, so there weren't any bodies of water for Percy to use, which would have been her first choice. That meant that the best remaining spot was on the top of Zeus's fist, a huge pile of boulders around twenty feet tall. They were supposed to look like a fist, but if anything, it more resembled a pile of deer droppings. Not that that mattered now. The flag was visible, and due to the massive height of the boulder, the ten yard radius around it that had to be guard free was no longer an issue.

"We'll send a decoy to the left," Thalia told the attacking group. "Silena, you'll lead that."

"Got it!"

"Take Laurel and Jason. They're good runners. Make a wide arc around the Hunters, attract as many as you can. I'll take the main raiding party around to the right and catch them by surprise."

Everyone nodded. Thalia let out a soft sigh of relief. Despite Percy's being around longer, everyone seemed to treat her as the de facto leader of camp, especially with Annabeth now absent. Even so, it was nice to have their support when it counted.

She glanced over to Percy. "Anything to add?"

"Um, yeah. Keep sharp on defense. We've got four guards, two scouts. That's not much for a big forest. I'll be roving. Yell if you need help."

"And don't leave your post." Thalia added quickly. Percy was right. It was a massive forest, so anyone out of position would leave massive holes in their defense. It would be shaky as it was.

"Unless you see a golden opportunity," Percy added quickly.

Thalia took a deep breath to calm her steadily growing irritation. "Just don't leave your post." It wasn't that he wasn't brilliant, especially when it came to improvisation, but he tended to make group decisions unilaterally, not caring about the consequences to his teammates or their strategy. Flashes of the night at Westover Hall began dancing in her mind, reminding her of the last time Percy had taken matters into his own hands.

"Right, unless–"

"Percy!" Thalia snapped. She felt a buzz of electricity crackle in her finger tips, the familiar hum that reminded her she was in control. She flicked his arm, sending the voltage through him. To a lesser demigod, the energy would've been enough to elicit a reaction, but other than a minor wince and a puff of smoke from his eyebrow, he remained stoic. Still, he got the message.

"Now, is everybody clear on what they're doing?" Thalia confirmed. The silence that hung in the air was the only answer she needed. They were ready.

As everyone broke into their groups, the horn sounded, signifying the commencement of the game.

Silena's small band dashed into the woods. Good, the faster they could get there, the more hunters they'd be able to distract. Thalia did some quick math. They'd probably send two or three on the offensive, meaning they'd have to work around nine. The only saving grace was that Zoe would be too prideful to sit back and defend. She'd want every opportunity to trample the campers into bits. Dealing with nine average hunters sounded better than dealing with one Zoe Nightshade.

"Let's go," Thalia ordered her companions, breaking off towards the right. Her years of fleeing monsters through forests and all kinds of terrain really came in handy, as the forest floor did little to encumber her. She couldn't say the same for her companions, but that was fine. She could take the Hunters by herself if she needed to. Besides, Aegis was always a nice opening move in any fight. Before her opponents could flinch, electricity would already be coursing through them.

Blades began to collide off to her left. Silena's group must have gotten the Hunters' attention. Perfect. She peered through the forest, trying to count the number. Five hunters. That meant there were probably four left ahead. She liked those odds. Her heart rate began to quicken, and the world began to go silent. Her pace picked up once more, leaving her party behind as she ran ahead to scout.

There it was, the silver shimmer of the Hunters' flag. Still, she knew she couldn't move too quickly. At least four were waiting in the clearing. Ducking behind a bush, she scanned the outskirts of the area, trying to locate them. Only one guard near the flag. If she was fast she could just swoop in and grab it.

Without warning, the Hunters dropped out of the trees in an ambush attack. That wasn't completely unexpected. What was surprising were the numbers. Instead of three girls, there were now five, including the one guard at the flag. Thalia scoffed. "Did Zoe really go off on her own to get the flag? I guess she's even dumber than I thought."

"I wouldn't doubt our Lieutenant." One of the girls said, priming her bow. "Besides, you should worry about us first."

"As you wish." Thalia said. Her slowly simmering frustration had turned to a boil. She channeled the lightning coursing through her veins, and her eyes began to crackle. The usually soft hum of electricity had turned into a roar. Her teammates were still far enough away that they couldn't get caught in the blast. Silena and her team were off to the left fighting their own enemies.

She flashed Aegis to the crowd. Clearly these girls were experienced, but even they couldn't hide their squint at the hideous likeness of Medusa. It was that split second that it felt like a bomb exploded. Crackling from the tip of her spear shot out in every direction, striking everything in its path, responding directly to her emotions. The hunters dashed for cover, but even their swiftness was no match for the lightning headed straight for them.

It wouldn't be enough to kill them, not spread out over that distance. As much as she'd like to, Artemis would have her head. That was a sister feud she didn't want to deal with. Still, it would be enough to immobilize them and singe their eyebrows. Nearby trees began to catch fire in response to the flurry of strikes that were emanating from the tip of her weapon. Normally, summoning that much lightning would fatigue her, but instead, the electricity seemed to fuel her even more. In this state, she felt like she could have taken on even Zoe by herself. Smirking, she stepped over one of the Hunters who was lying face down in the dirt.

She turned her eyes to the flag only to see…Percy? What the fuck was he doing away from his post? He slammed into a panicked looking Bianca before unceremoniously snatching the flag.

"This better fucking work Seaweed Brain!" Thalia shouted, blood boiling.

Percy just shot her a mischievous smirk. That idiot, he never listened to instructions. She was going to kill him when this was over.

He barely made it ten yards before tripping over himself. One of the girls she had electrocuted must not have been as stunned as the rest, as the Hunter used an arrow as a tripwire to slow Percy's escape. As angry as she was, Thalia dashed over to help him. She could chew him out after they had won.

Before she could get close enough, the putrid smell of sulfur caused her eyes to water, and sent her into a coughing fit. Even yards away, Percy wrinkled his nose while he struggled to get up.

"No fair!" Thalia managed to choke out. "Fart arrows are unsportsmanlike!"

Percy had returned to his feet and now he began to sprint. He wasn't as fleet of foot as she was, but he was still incredibly fast in his own right. Silver arrows lodged themselves in trees as he weaved between them, but he remained unscathed. Looking past him, her heart sank. Coming from the opposite direction, with the green and blue Camper flag, was Zoe Nightshade. Percy would never make it across the creek before she did.

Staggering after her were Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin and Nico Di Angelo, both too far away to do anything. The Hunters began to cheer as Thalia felt her soul turn to lead. They were going to lose to the Hunters, and it was all Percy Jackson's fault, again. Sure enough, as Percy approached the creek, Zoe crossed, slamming into him like a linebacker for good measure. The beautiful camper flag, now turning to the Hunters' dazzling silver, officially marked their victory.

"The Hunters win!" Chiron announced bitterly. "For the fifty-sixth time in a row."

Thalia's thoughts glazed over as her vision singled in on one person. She felt the roar of electricity return to her, flitting around her form like some kind of shield. "Perseus Jackson!" She roared. This was her second chance to make things right, to do what she should have at Westover Hall.

All of the campers except Percy cowered from Aegis, and even he gave a few uncomfortable glances to the side as he scrambled to his feet again.

"What in the name of the gods were you THINKING!" She bellowed.

Percy clenched his jaw and balled his fists. In the back of her mind, Thalia appreciated his willingness to fight. This wouldn't be fun otherwise. "I got the flag, Thalia!" He shook the silver banner in her face. "I saw a chance and I took it!"

"I WAS AT THEIR BASE!" She yelled. "But then their flag was gone! If you hadn't butted in, we would've won."

"You had too many on you!"

"Oh, so it's my fault now? I had them stunned."

"Do you really believe that?" Percy's voice began to rise. "They weren't exactly stunned when they shot that tripwire, or when they shot that noxious arrow."

"Argh!" Thalia exclaimed. Anger crackled in her ears and she pushed Percy backward toward the water. On contact, the energy dancing on her fingers shot into his body, turning a normal shove into a truly monstrous affair. He flew backwards over ten feet, landing unceremoniously on his rear. Many of the Hunters stifled chuckles.

Percy's glare darkened. A massive wave erupted from the creek, slamming directly into Thalia's face, dousing her head to toe.

"Enough!" Chiron ordered. "We can deal with this later."

His plea fell on deaf ears. Thalia held out her spear, shaking the water out of her eyes. Percy clearly wanted to fight, and she would happily oblige. "You want some, Seaweed Brain?"

The murderous glare that graced his features made his previous scowl seem childish in comparison. Black flames began to flicker in his eyes before slowly surrounding his entire figure.

"Only one person is allowed to call me that." He growled. "And that person is not you."

He raised Riptide, which now sported a black streak right down the middle. If she allowed him to use whatever new abilities he had, she'd be done for. She chuckled as she remembered that they were on the edge of the creek. Normally, that would be advantageous for her current opponent, but water and electricity were simply a match made in heaven for her.

She channeled a strike directly towards his chest, forcing him to take a step back. The smell of burning fabric pierced her nostrils as she surveyed the damage. Percy's shirt had now turned into charred scraps, exposing his chest. Rapidly fading lightning marks adorned his skin, with the epicenter at the point of impact.

"Thalia, Percy!" Chiron pleaded.

His pleas were once again ignored. Percy's eyes began to glow, his irises flickering between black and a muddy green. The creek began to rise, hundreds of gallons of water flowing with the smallest gesture of his hands. For the first time, Thalia's hands trembled at the sight before her. She had wondered what he looked like truly unhinged, and the boy before her could have been confused for a god to the untrained observer. She swallowed her unease. Her plan would be the same. Electrify the water when it makes contact.

Percy tensed his hand and Thalia knew that this would be her golden opportunity. She sent another bolt directly into the growing mass of water that was now hanging over them both. She felt the energy leave her hand and her chest heaved. Two bolts of that intensity felt like she had just run a marathon, but it was all she could do to prevent what was inevitably coming.

The water splashed harmlessly back onto the forest floor and into the creek as the electricity found its way into Percy's veins. Lightning patterns adorned his naked chest, but a grimace was all her attack had gotten out of him. Still, releasing his hold on the water was confirmation that he at least found it uncomfortable.

Before she could feel too disappointed, something even stranger happened. Percy breathed a small sigh, acknowledging the stalemate, and melted into the shadows. One second turned to two, and the tension was palpable. The only person who showed any reaction, much to Thalia's surprise, was Zoe. Her face drained of color, as though she had just received confirmation of something awful.

While Thalia was distracted, the point of Riptide suddenly appeared at her throat, the winning position in any sparring match. Percy's usual smirk adorned his face, and the aura of black flames had completely dissipated.

"I win," he said simply.

"How…how did you do that?" Thalia stammered. "You…you just vanished and then appeared out of thin air!"

Percy shrugged nonchalantly. "No idea. I just felt really pissed off when I realized using water was just going to end in stalemate. I felt the shadows calling to me, almost like souls do sometimes. Then, next thing I knew, I was in front of you."

"So, it just happened?" Thalia asked.

Percy nodded. Thalia shoved his chest.

"Next time, use that to get the enemy's flag! Then, you wouldn't even need to worry about running."

"The opening was there! And it's not like I could have done that before anyhow."

"Okay, okay," Chiron now physically stepped in between them. "We can talk about what happened later."

Percy's eyes began to droop, and before anyone could react, he unceremoniously collapsed to the ground. The only thing anyone could make out was some kind of slurred request for a nap, which got a snort out of Thalia.

"Take him to the infirmary." Chiron ordered. "Thalia, I think it's best if we call lights out for the campers a little early tonight." He looked over at a still pale Zoe. "It appears I may be in for a long discussion with our guests."

Thalia almost wanted to argue, but after one look at the charred trees she decided there had been enough collateral damage for the night. She looked down at Percy's now prone form. Even the water was not providing him the usual boost of energy. Her heart began to twist in knots. It was stupid what she was about to do, but time was running out.

She had a short window. After instructing the Hephaestus kids to get Percy to the infirmary, packing up her things and sneaking out was relatively easy. She didn't need much other than some drachmas, her weapons, and some other supplies she usually stored in her backpack anyway. Earlier that morning, she had agreed she'd leave with Percy to go rescue Annabeth, but now, with him out of commission, she needed to head off on her own. She'd only hope he'd understand when he woke up. She hastily scrawled a note explaining what happened. No one ever came into her room in the Big House anyway, no one except Percy, who would no doubt be looking for her once he woke up.

I'm sorry I went off on my own. I hope you'll understand. Don't worry about me. I can handle things on my end. You just make sure the Hunters don't kill the campers. I'll be back soon. She debated back and forth on adding an apology line. She was sorry their fight got that intense, but she still stood by her claim that he lost them the game, a nearly unforgivable sin in its own right. Still, she couldn't calm the gut feeling that it might be a while before she would see him again. She tried to ignore the ache in her chest, desperately hoping her instincts were wrong.

P.S. I'm sorry we fought. Just…please stay safe.

She let out a sigh. Now that her departure letter felt complete, it was time to go save Annabeth.

She desperately needed some sleep. She wanted to take a quick nap in the airport, but every time she closed her eyes she felt like the walls were closing in around her. Stupid. Why couldn't she relax? She hadn't been on her own like this since she was twelve. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed her fatigue, but the open space kept her rhythmically checking behind her back. It was roughly 2 in the morning, and she still hadn't completely recovered from the day's events. But none of that mattered now. Annabeth was running out of time. Boarding opened for her flight and she heaved a sigh of relief. Maybe with a smaller space to keep track of, she could feel more secure. Thankfully, she was in an aisle seat, so she wouldn't be taunted by the window reminding her about how high she was in the air.

Despite the crowded flight, the plane felt eerily silent. Thalia's eyes kept darting around the plane in search of any threats, but none of them materialized. She took a deep breath. Still, the tension in her muscles simply refused to dissipate. An eerie feeling of dread hung over her. Ever since she left the boundaries of camp, she felt like she was being watched. The plane felt like it was oddly crowded for a red-eye flight, but she chalked it up to flying into San Francisco.

An unnaturally tall flight attendant with a French accent gave the pre boarding safety check. He stood over seven feet tall, and he had to hunch over to safely maneuver between the aisles. With his waxy complexion, he looked mildly unsettling, but the strangest thing was his stare. The entire presentation, he never broke eye contact, not even to blink. Thalia squirmed in her seat, attempting to avoid the attendant's glance. The man seemed vaguely familiar, and not in a good way, but every time she tried to focus on his face, it would get blurry, as though it was being obscured from her.

She closed her eyes and began searching for the thread of the Mist. It was unnaturally condensed on the man's face, but any attempt to manipulate it was met with solid, immoveable resistance. Her carry-on was stowed underneath the seat in front of her, a fact she was becoming more grateful for by the second. She quickly grabbed her can of Mace, which contained her spear, from the front pocket.

For the first time in her life, she would have preferred a sword as she mentally prepared herself for an upcoming fight. In close quarters, she'd have limited maneuverability, and whilst her weapons wouldn't hurt the mortals on the flight, if she blasted the plane out of the sky, everyone aboard would die in a fiery explosion. She cursed herself for her admittedly rushed plan. There was a reason quests were never undertaken alone, and it was becoming more apparent by the minute why this was a foolish idea.

The plane lurched forward in preparation for take off. The options rattled around in her mind. She could break the window and jump out now, but risk being late to rescue Annabeth, or she could take her chances fighting this monster. Her pounding heart pleaded with her to run, to go get help from camp and then leave, but she swallowed her anxiety. Time was of the essence, and if anything happened to Annabeth, she'd never forgive herself for running away. At least if she died for her efforts, it wouldn't be her problem anymore.

The rumbling of the runway got louder, and takeoff was imminent. Thalia sat back in her seat, observing the strange flight attendant. Her choice was made, now it was just about execution. The uncomfortable lurch as the plane took flight turned her stomach to knots. She hated heights, even if she was on a plane in which she'd be relatively safe. In the past, she would've found the courage to trust her dad, considering she was now visiting home, but she pushed the absurdity out of her mind.

"First time flying, dear?" The old lady next to her asked. "Here, take this." She pulled a stick of gum out of her pocket and handed it over. "It helps with your ears."

Thalia just nodded and popped the gum in her mouth. Spearmint. It wasn't her absolute favorite, but she appreciated the longevity of mint above other flavors, and considering the long flight ahead of her, it was a nice gesture.

She opened her mouth to respond, but found it nearly impossible. Instead, she opted for a simple thank you sign, to which the lady happily reciprocated. That was another sign she desperately needed a nap, as her ability to speak aloud had greatly diminished. Thalia sighed. There wouldn't be any sleeping on this flight, not if she needed to keep an eye on the monstrous flight attendant.

As the plane reached cruising altitude, her eyes began to get heavy. It was the only part of the flight she truly felt comfortable with. The air seemed calm, and it felt like she was returning home. The rhythmic chewing of gum slowly lulled her brain into an uneasy sleep as her body demanded a reprieve. The back of her mind was screaming at her that a fight was imminent and that she needed to stay awake, but eventually the overwhelming tsunami of fatigue overtook her.

"Well isn't this an interesting development?"

Thalia shot awake. Was that Dr. Thorn's voice, on the plane? She began connecting the dots. The tall man, familiar voice, and required masking? How could she be so stupid. She tensed, taking in the being crouched in the aisle next to her seat.

"What do you want?" Thalia shot back.

"Not much. I sense you already know your situation." Thorn said, still dressed in his ridiculous flight attendant garb. "Do you think you could take me alone? I'll admit I have not fully healed, but my master was very generous in aiding my recovery."

Thalia's mind began to race. Thorn stood directly in the aisle, blocking any means of escape. Her can of Mace could come in handy, but with the limited space, she'd be a step slow. A step she didn't have when it came to the crazy fast, spike-throwing Manticore.

"Why didn't you stop me immediately?" Thalia asked, trying to stall for time.

"I had to wait until we were in the air." Thorn explained icily. "I'm under strict orders to bring you in alive…unfortunately."

"What if I refuse to cooperate?"

"Don't play dumb with me, demigod." Thorn sneered, flashing his tail. "I could kill you in an instant, and besides, you and the other girl were requested as a package deal. Plus, you wouldn't want anything to happen to the daughter of Athena now, would you?"

Thalia's blood turned to ice. She was a hostage. For a brief moment, she found the humor in getting caught by the same monster as Percy, but the hopelessness quickly reared its ugly head.

"I could jump out of the plane." Thalia threatened. Although as she made the threat she immediately knew that wouldn't be an option. The thought of plummeting to her death nearly made her sick on the spot. Add in her lack of faith in her father and the threat was little more than empty words. Still, Thorn found some amusement in it.

"Go ahead." He urged. "Run away, I'll kill everyone on this plane. I do hope your father will save you this time. After all, everybody deserves a second chance, right?"

The mockery nearly sent her over the edge. Electricity began to crackle in her fingertips before she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Even if she could launch enough volts into Thorn, he'd kill her instantly. Plus, she'd bring down the entire plane in the process.

"Where are you taking me?" Thalia asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Oh nowhere in particular." he said with a waxy smile. "But if you cooperate you will be united with your friend. If not, well, your escape means her death."

Thunder boomed, rattling the plane. The color drained from Thalia's face at the reminder that she was, in fact, 30,000 feet in the air. Thorn just laughed.

"Scared of heights are we? Ironic isn't it. Perhaps you demigods fear your parents. I don't blame you." Then, his waxy glare turned to steel. "Now, I'm only going to say this once. Come with me, or everyone on this plane and the daughter of Athena dies."

She hated herself for it, but for the first time since her transformation, she prayed to her father for help. If he wanted to, he could save these people.

Father, I haven't asked for much, but please protect this plane.

Her electric glare turned towards Dr. Thorn, who was still standing there, expectantly awaiting an answer.

The humming of electricity began to sync itself with her heartbeat. Flickers of light cascaded across her arms. It would be dangerous, but it was her only option. She screamed and unleashed the force of a thousand bolts straight into Dr. Thorn.

As the world faded to black around her, all she could ascertain was that she was falling. Flaming parts of the plane surrounded her. The cacophony of screams betrayed the destruction she had wrought. The plane was gone, and everyone was plummeting to their deaths. The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was an icy French voice that said "Nice try."