Goodnight Moon ↣ P. Jackson + A. Chase

1.16

With all of the campers training for the chariot races and Kassandra still benched and completely uninterested, she found herself with plenty of time to spend as she wished with the others that were equally disinterested.

The races were that morning, the risk would be high and she was to be prepared for the worst while she watched the entire affair.

She found herself wishing that they were doing their own version of the Olympic games instead of the races, but she figured that these were just up their alley all the same. All the gods had their own chariots, of course, and she liked to imagine that they would at least take interest in their silly events that held such grandeur.

Though, if it was up to her, she would have preferred footraces or the obstacle tower they had that one year -- not that she would diss good entertainment, even if it left her a little bit bored in the days leading up to it.

Fiddling with the keys on her flute, she reclines in front of her cabin, watching one of the cheerful yellow blooms that surrounded her as decoration sway softly with the gentle breeze. The sun was out in full force today, just as it had been the days before, and she found herself sitting in one of her bathing suit tops and a sleeveless camp shirt so to enjoy the fullness of the heat. She might have hated the sun and the feeling of being watched, but she did so enjoy the heat and the beauty of summer.

Tapping her foot, she starts to play slowly, Across the Stars theme coming out clear as she transfers the note to the flute, holding back a laugh when she spots a few heads pop up to look in her direction when they began to pick on the tune.

Her brother whips around to face her, shaggy blonde hair bouncing in his excitement. She smiles with her eyes, swiftly falling into a Star Wars-themed medley that has her siblings harmonizing to the sound as she knows that they simply can't help themselves when it comes to that sort of thing.

(One year Lee had mistakenly begun humming the chorus to a Disney film that had all of them bursting into song for the rest of the day as another song would start up again the moment that they cut off.)

(The moral of the story was not to get the Apollo children started when it came to catchy songs because they simply had no self-control when it came to music.)

"Bored?" Percy asks, leaning over where she sat.

She glances behind him, seeing as Annabeth rushed through the last minute affairs. "She sent you to make sure I don't incite a musical day," she notes, nodding her chin toward the blonde.

He grimaces. "As much as I would love to see it, I kinda want to win the race without you trying to bless your siblings with a song or something."

Her grin turns sharp, teasing. "Oh? Is that something that I can do?"

"It's been hinted at."

"Hinted," she muses, shaking her head. "We have the ability to sing a hymn that can strengthen others in battle, but nothing for a chariot race. The more of us that join in on a song, the stronger it'll form."

"That's pretty cool," he notes.

"I mean, sure, but a hymn can take a great deal of energy out of us," she notes. "We aren't Apollo with his exemplary battle prowess."

'No, but you guys are hard in battle," he says. "You're a force on your own, for sure. Could probably kick my ass if you wanted."

Her blush is burning, bright against her cheeks, and she can only home the tawny of her skin mixed with the gold of her tan makes it hard to notice. "I find it completely ridiculous that you actually believe that," she laughs. "Percy, you're a natural with a sword. If I tried to fight you, I'd probably get run through, again."