Revenge

Chapter 15

"There you go, you're getting it!" Michael encouraged Beck.

She whipped another stiletto knife at the target. Michael had decided that she should focus on both aspects of knives, fighting and throwing. He had just taught her how to throw and was supervising as she practiced.

Beck had to admit her aim wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't horrible either. At least she could hit the target.

"How long have you been here?" Michael asked as she hurled another blade.

"A week." Beck bit her lip to get rid of the pain that started in her chest when she thought about it and threw another knife. It thunked into the wood of the frame the target sat on.

"Don't worry about it." Michael said calmly. "Just throw again."

She nodded and tried again.

"So you've only been here for a week?" He asked once she had thrown all her knives.

"Yeah."

"Wow, you're doing pretty good."

"How do you figure?" Beck asked bitterly. She wasn't enjoying herself at all, she just wanted to be at home.

Michael caught her tone and chuckled quietly. "I wasn't referring to how well you're fitting in. I was just saying you're doing well considering you've only been practicing with these weapons for a week."

"Oh... I'm a fast learner." Beck shrugged.

"I can see that. Go get your knives and we'll keep working."

Beck walked up to the target and carefully pulled the blades from it, making sure she didn't bend or twist any of them.

When she got to the one that had stuck in the wood, she had to work it a little bit to get it out. The tip was bent slightly to the left, which was understandable since the blade was so thin.

She frowned at it, then put the other ones in the sheathes attached to her belt and turned around.

"Hey Michael, this one-" She stopped when she realized he was talking to someone else.

The black haired boy from the beach, to be precise. The two were talking quietly but animatedly, moving their hands to illustrate the points they were making.

Beck slowly approached them, not wanting to snoop on their conversation.

When she got a few feet away and was able to start making out bits of conversations, she stopped and waited.

"Deal." Michael finally said, offering his hand.

Percy, it had to be him, took it with a nod. "Thanks Michael. It really helps."

"I'm sure it does." Michael turned and saw Beck standing there. "Oh, right. Beck, this is Percy. I don't know if you've met him officially."

"I don't believe I have." Beck said. "Hi."

Percy grinned down at her and offered his hand a second time, this time to her rather than Michael.

Beck took it.

"So what are you two working on?" Percy asked.

"Why don't you show him, Beck?"

"Sure. This one's bent, by the way." She handed Michael the stiletto.

"Is this the one that hit the wood?" Beck nodded. "Alright, I'll take it to the Hephaestus kids on my next break."

Beck faced the target.

"Let's see what you can do." Percy said. Beck could practically feel his eyes on her and felt compelled to do well, though she wasn't sure why.

Taking the first knife from her belt, she lined up and threw as cleanly as she could.

"Good. Do it again." The knife rested just outside the innermost circle on the target. Beck got into her stance again and Michael gently moved her arm a little, correcting her.

Thunk! Another knife buried itself in the target. Beck didn't waste time checking to see if it had hit where she was aiming, she pulled another blade and whipped it forward.

Thunk!

Thunk!

Thunk!

"Not bad." Percy commented when Beck had run out of knives.

"Thanks." She muttered, assessing her accuracy.

Most of the knives were outside the innermost ring, but they were clustered pretty close to it.

"Is this your only weapon?" Percy asked.

"No." Beck jogged over to the target and began to remove her knives. The older boy followed her.

"What else?"

"Michael's been teaching me to fight with knives and I have a bo staff."

Glancing up, she noticed that Percy's eyebrow had gone up. "A bo staff?"

"Yeah."

"Care to explain why?"

"I was part of my school's Color Guard team. Bo staffs handle similarly and I can tweak the knowledge I've already used."

He hummed a response, seeming to be thinking.

"Show me?"

Beck stood up and slid her knives into their sheathes. "Uh, right now?"

"No, it doesn't have to be right now. I'd just be curious to see how you fight with it." Percy explained.

"Well sure. How do I get your attention next time I have practice?"

"Just send someone to find me. They'll either know where I am or where someone who can find me is."

Beck nodded. "Right. I'll remember that and call you next time I practice."

"I look forward to it." Percy smiled.

"Seaweed Brain!"

He turned around. Beck followed his gaze to see Annabeth waving from near the cabins.

"I've got to go. Don't forget to find me." Percy nodded to her, then jogged towards the cabins and the daughter of Athena. Beck watched him until he reached her and kissed her on the cheek. The two of them turned and walked into the large group of cabins, disappearing from sight.

"So that's Percy?" She asked Michael as he came to stand next to her.

"That's Percy."

"He seems like a nice guy."

"He is. Always ready to help people, likes to make sure they feel safe and at home."

Beck nodded. "I can see that."

Michael chuckled. "Let's keep working."

"Right." Beck turned back to the target and drew her first knife.

"This time I want you to aim for the color I call out before you throw. Ready? Red!"