𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍‚ percy jackson

chapter five

12.16.2007

CHAPTER FIVE: We Have a Meeting Around a Ping-Pong Table

We hold a council meeting, discussing quests and deaths, around a dusty ping-pong table. If that doesn't scream 'Camp Half-Blood' then I don't know what does.

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CAPTURE THE FLAG WAS PROVING TO BE FAR LESS EXCITING THAN ANTICIPATED. Stuck on border patrol ─ border patrol? seriously? ─ Diana was left with practically nothing to do. Chiron announced the Hunters as the winners, shocking nobody, and the game ended as a rather boring experience, overall.

That was until Thalia and Jackson started fighting.

"I WAS AT THEIR BASE!" 

Thalia's scream rang through the forest. Diana was leaning against a tree, watching everything unfold like a soap opera. She exchanged a look of something alike to amusement with Giselle, who was standing beside her. Many campers had crowded around the clearing and were watching raptly as the two forces went head-to-head.

"You had too many on you!" Jackson shouted back.

"Oh, so it's my fault?"

"I didn't say that!"

Thalia made a noise of frustration and pushed her hands forward. A bolt of electricity shot from her palms, connecting with Jackson's chest.

A few campers gasped as he was thrown into the creek behind him. Diana let out a huff of laughter. 

"Yeah Thalia, fuck him up," she murmured to Giselle.

"Yeah Thalia, fuck him up!" Giselle called with a grin. Diana smacked her arm, laughing. 

Thalia, oblivious to their heckling, had gone pale, and began apologising. She was quickly cut off by a giant wall of water crashing down upon her. 

"Yeah," Jackson growled sarcastically. "I'm sorry too."

Diana and Giselle continued to watch with widened, amused eyes. Giselle mimicked eating popcorn. Chiron's attempt to intervene was quickly cut off by Thalia raising her spear and shouting "You want some, Seaweed Brain?"

"Bring it on, Pinecone Face!"

Giselle clapped. "Good one, Jackson!" She called out sarcastically. Diana snorted.

Thalia yelled, and the sky seemed to yell back. A bolt of lightning shot down from above, directly into her spear, which she immediately shoved into Jackson's chest, forcing him down. Some campers gasped in awe. A slight twinge of jealousy plucked at Diana's chest. She often felt a sense of envy in regard to Thalia ─ and Jackson too, though she hated to admit it. Why was it that they were gifted with incredible abilities, and she was left with nothing?

"Thalia! That is enough!" Chiron ordered. 

Jackson rose. Behind him, the contents of the creek mimicked his movements. Fluid tendrils weaved amongst each other as a chute of water slowly soared into the sky. Jackson had his hands raised; he reared backwards, as if preparing to shoot all the water forward at Thalia, and then-

He stopped. The water crashed back to the creek. He stared past his opponent. Thalia looked bewildered; she followed his gaze, and Diana found herself doing the same.

A cloud of green mist swirled in the distance. Steadily, it grew closer, and Diana could make out the silhouette of a figure encased within the haze. It seemed dishevelled, and it limped heavily with each step.