Zero to Hero (Percy Jackson Fanfic)

Chapter Sixteen-Capture the Flag

Annabeth's POV

"Okay, Percy, you're on guard-duty. I know you like to be in the thick of it, but some has to guard the flag." Malcolm glanced around at the gathered campers. "Annabeth, Luke, you two stay with him. Teach 'em the ropes, Perce. 

"Apollo, you guys take to the trees. The rest of Hermes, well...you guys just do what you do best. Hecate, Hypnos, and Athena cabins, get that flag--preferably without getting captured--and get in over the border. I'll be paroling the jail to free anyone who does get captured. Any questions? Good. Take your positions!"

Most of the team jogged off into the trees. Percy, Luke, and I stood at the bottom of the hill, at the top of which our banner waved. I drew my sword, and actual blade, sharp and deadly. There was a rule against maiming, but it still seemed dangerous to run around in the forest with unsheathed weapons. 

"Okay," Percy said, scanning the trees and stepping into the stream, "Hopefully we won't have to deal with any attackers for a while, but when they do show up, try and disarm them. Then one of the campers will take them to jail. Don't let them touch that flag."

"Right," I swallowed, "Uh, Percy, I really don't know how to use this thing."

"Are you kidding? You're a natural! Just do what you did in the ring the other day, and you'll be fine." 

I nodded, not entirely reassured. 

"What about you, Luke," Percy asked, raising his eyebrows at Luke, "You ready for this? First battle, eh?"

Luke looked so excited, I thought he might start dancing. He grinned at Percy--That's a first. "Don't worry, Jackson, those guys aren't getting their hands on our flag."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "You fenced before?"

"Nope," Luke wiggled his eyebrows in an oh well kind of way. 

Percy opened his mouth to reply, perhaps to give some instruction, but before he could, there was a loud twang! and something shot out of the line of trees straight for him. 

Somehow he managed to duck the arrow fast enough to not get smack in the chest. Percy grunted in pain, though I couldn't see if the arrow had struck his arm. He straightened, raising his sword. 

"Annabeth, you're supposed to be guarding the flag, not watching me!" He hollered as he ran to meet a couple of campers that had spilled out of the woods. 

I turned around in time to raise my sword to block and Ares camper's attack. My arms burned with the effort to keep him from mowing me over. He pulled back and grinned, glancing behind me. I looked over my shoulder, Clarisse had somehow sidled passed while I was distracted. She was now two paces from the flag. I turned my back on the Ares kid, which maybe wasn't smart, and ran at Clarisse.

"Oh no you don't!" I yelled, raising the sword. 

She spun at the last second and blocked my strike. 

"Percy!" I hollered, furiously fighting off Clarisse, who, I should mention, is roughly twice my size. But Percy was busy with his own battles. They were approaching the flag from all sides. There was no way we could keep so many campers away from the flag for very long. 

I performed a series of quick slashes, ending in the disarming twist Percy had taught me. Clarisse's blade flew out of her hand. I stuck the point of my sword under her chin and breathed hard. "Somebody come and take this thief to jail!" 

An Apollo kid rushed up to me grinning. "Nice job, Annabeth!" He led Clarisse away in a grumbling fury. 

I didn't have time to revel in my victory, the next opponent was already on top of me. I was backing closer and closer to our flag. The day was getting hotter, and I was sweating like crazy in all the armor I was wearing. I shoved the kid down the hill with a kick, sending him tumbling into the mess of fighting, and knocking several people over. 

A huge blur of purple and gold dashed past me. I blinked and spun. "Frank?" Frank yanked the flagpole out of the ground and smiled apologetically. "Sorry Annabeth."

He dashed back the way he'd come before I could even take a step. I started charging after him, yelling, "Percy! Luke!" 

Everyone was yelling, either in celebration or in anger. I had to get to Frank before he crossed the border. 

Meanwhile, Percy was fighting his way through the crowd, trying to get to Frank too. There's no way we'll make it in time, I thought. I could only hope our side got the flag over before Frank crossed onto the other team's side. 

That was when it happened. Percy yelled loud enough for me to hear over the din, and shoved his arms forward as if to push people out of the way, but people weren't the only things that moved. The entire stream heaved with the motion and shot through the crowd, knocking campers backward. The jet of water smacked Frank in the back, sending him sprawling. The pole rolled out of his grip. 

Everyone went silent. I stared at Percy, noticing at the same time a stunned Hermes kid gently retrieve the flag. Percy held his hands as far away from himself as he could, eyeing them with his mouth hanging open. 

"What the Hades?" was the general mutter going around. 

"Percy, do it again!" a younger kid said eagerly. 

Percy looked around as if realizing for the first time that everyone was watching him. He bit his lip nervously and pushed out his hand experimentally. 

Nothing happened. 

I was sure I had imagined the water jumping out of the creek. That just didn't happen, even in a silly camp that pretended the ancient myths were real. But clearly, I wasn't the only one who had seen it. 

Another crowd of kids erupted from the trees, the other flag riding on top. Malcolm at the front of the group skidded to a halt when he noticed the mood around him.

"What's going on?"

Nobody had any words. We were all so dumbfounded. 

"There's got to be some explanation," I said quietly to Percy, "How did you do that?"

"I-I don't--"

"What happened?" Thalia asked, shoving her way passed Malcolm. 

"You should have seen it!" The youngster started off on a huge rant about how Percy had super powers. 

Thalia listened for a moment, eyes wide. She looked around at everyone watching. "That's great, Nyssa. Everybody, I think that's the game. Congratulations, Athena and everyone else. Now, go and take a shower because you all reek." She reached out and grabbed Percy by the front of the shirt, beckoned to me, Jason, Nico, and, as an afterthought, Luke. 

I followed her through the trees, silent, like the others, but my mind was working furiously. This just wasn't normal! People couldn't just make waves at will. And yet, the half the camp had seen it happen. What was going on? Was it another prank? Perhaps there was some kind of mechanical device beneath the surface of the stream.

An image swam to the forefront of my mind: Percy, standing at that same creek, only he looked much younger, and bore several scratches. His hands were raised defensively, and the water around him roiled. 

I blinked the image away. I had no idea where that came from. 

However, a thought nagged at me as I hurried to keep up with Thalia's nagging pace. It was the thought that Percy was the only Poseidon camper, and that the water had moved only for him. It was certainly a big coincidence.