When Heroes Meet (Percy Jackson fanfic)

Chapter Eight-Carter

Hey guys! Back to Camp Half-blood! Sorry for that last cliffhanger. Well no, not really. HAHAHAHAHAH!  But seriously, I love you guys. Anyway...

Percy-Can't you at least act sincere?

Me-What do you mean? I am sincere!

Percy-Oh never mind.

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"This isn't good." Said the black girl with frizzy brown hair, nervously.

Her boyfriend nodded, "I really hoped we wouldn't have to do this anymore."

Percy frowned in agreement, "But you'll come as soon as you can?"

The girl nodded, "We won't be able to leave until tomorrow morning. Senate business."

"Octavian again?" Percy quirked an eyebrow.

Hazel groaned in frustration, "Reyna can't think of what to do with him. This is his fourth trial, and some of the senators still refuse to see him punished!"

Percy grimaced, "Why? He's a little punk who doesn't deserve to-"

"Percy!" Next to him, Annabeth scolded.

"Sorry," Percy muttered.

The Asian dude chuckled and said, "We'll see you tomorrow Percy." He reached out his hand and waved it through the message.

I had been watching the whole conversation in amazement. Percy had simply thrown a gold coins through the rainbow created by the water, and those two kids appeared. Although they obviously were somewhere completely different than the cool beach of Long Island Sound, the two had looked so real and 3-D that they might have been standing right in front of them.

Percy turned to face me, "Well?"

"Erm..." my hands suddenly felt sweaty, "Well what?"

Percy cracked a smile, "Do you wanna try out the climbing wall or what?"

Truthfully, all I could think of was attempting some of the training I'd seen as we'd passed through camp earlier.

"Obviously," I said and followed Percy back to the training grounds.

I stood at the base of the wall, staring up at the dangerously steep slope, and the lava oozing from cracks in the rocks. Suddenly unsure whether I still wanted to do this, I gulped.

"You know," I said, "Maybe I'll sit this one out."

"Oh come on!" Percy said, already high above me, "Its not as hard as it looks!"

Considering Percy was making it look very easy, I wasn't sure I trusted his opinion. But I hesitantly placed a hand on the cool rock. Carefully, I pulled  myself up onto the first tiny ledge. Already sweating my head off, I looked up at Percy, avoiding some lava about halfway up.

"How are you doing that?" I shouted in utter amazement.

But Percy just smirked and climbed higher. Cursing Percy and his superior abilities, I shinnied up to the next rock shelf. I wouldn't be able to keep this pattern up long though. A large chunk of lava was spewing out of the next ledge, withering everything it touched. Disgruntled I searched the nearby rocks for suitable handholds.

In a desperate attempt to catch up with Percy, I dug my fingernails into the cliff side. I lifted myself up a little higher, feeling like I'd just run a mile. But, upon looking down, I saw the ground only about six feet away.

I groaned, "Only forty-four feet to go."

And so it went. In the end, Percy reached the top before I'd even gone halfway, and he had to show me where to put my feet and hands on the way back down. I had traveled the world with my dad, but never once did we climb any cliffs. Real useful.

After the climbing wall, Percy wanted to teach me some skills with a sword. Like I needed any. Okay yes, Percy did beat me the last time we sparred, but I'd been practicing. Like, excessively. Sometimes, Sadie would walk in on me and one of the other initiates playing combat in the training room at one o'clock in the morning.

Quirking his signature sarcastic grin, Percy let me into the arena and walked over to a big, black...dog?

The animal was a large black hound, about the size of a rhino. The goop drizzling from its great jaws was getting all over Percy as he scratched behind her huge shaggy ears. I stayed my distance. Not that I had anything against dogs, (my sister is dating a god who is part Jackal, so I've learned to live with it) but this thing looked sinister!

"Sorry I've been gone so long," Percy was saying to the dog, "I had to graduate highschool, or Annabeth would've killed me."

In response, the dog licked him straight up his torso. Shuddering and laughing, Percy turned to face me.

"This is my hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary."

What on earth was a hellhound? "You named your dog Mrs. O'Learly?"

"I didn't name her!" Percy said, "She used to belong to a friend of mine. Come over here, I'll teach you how to use a real sword."

"My sword's real!"

"Yeah, whatever," Percy pulled out a pen from his pocket.

"What's that?" I asked.

Again, with the sarcastic grin. Percy pulled off the cap. A brilliant bronze sword sprung into Percy's hand. I'll admit, I was impressed. They may not be magicians, but the demigods had a few of their own magic tricks.

"Watch," Percy said, aiming his weapon at one of the dummies, "Slice, duck, swipe..."

Really what he said made no sense in my Egyptian wired brain. Egyptian warriors made wide deadly arcs with the curved blade. But Greeks made a series of quick swift movements that would befuddle even the best magician swordsman.

"Good," Percy chuckled, after I failed miserably to do anything he had just instructed, "Now try on me."

Hesitantly, I faced him and raised my Kopesh. I focused on his sword as he swung first. I blocked. And blocked again, and again and...again.

"Come on!" Percy complained, "This is way too easy!"

"Don't get so full of yourself, Prissy." A harsh girl's voice jutted out, "You haven't faced me since the Titan war."

Percy spun the blade and ripped mine out of my hand, "Was that a challenge, Clarisse?"

I bent down to pick up my Kopesh, and Clarisse stepped into the arena. She was clad in army pants and a Camp Halfblood T-shirt. Her stringy brown hair was pulled back by a green camouflage bandanna. Truthfully, she had quite a tough, scary looking appearance. I wouldn't have backed down though, and I knew Percy wouldn't either.

Clarisse slammed her spear into the ground, "I guess. But it won't be much of a challenge...for me."

"Oh you're on!"

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Percy-Yeah, come on Clarisse!

Clarisse-You sure it wont be too tough for you Prissy?

Percy-Oh, we both know I could beat you in less than two minutes!

Annabeth-Well, actually...

Percy-Shhhhh! She doesn't have to know that!

Jason-Did I read that right? Clarisse challenged Percy?

Clarisse-When do I not?

Jason-K, we're coming.

Percy-"We" as is who?

Jason-...Everyone.

Me-Haha, good luck Percy! Though I'm sure you don't need it. And uh, I hope you recognized my little prelude at the beginning, and it brings you warm fuzzies inside. Hehehe. Anyway, please comment and vote! But commenting is better, I would totally love your input, and I always love reading what you have to say! And sorry for the long wait, I've been lazy lately, but I'm sure you all know how that is. Its sad, but true. Next chapter coming ASAP!

Dedication goes to CallieAustin, thanks for commenting!