VIDEO GAMES! (p. jackson) (#1)

- three

act i, chapter iii
december 14, 2018
long island, new york

ROSE WAS NOT EXPECTING SNOW.

The camp had ultimate climate control. Nothing got inside unless Mr. D wanted it to. Usually, it was fairly warm with a slight breeze, no matter what season, but snow had been allowed to fall lightly. Frost covered the chariot track and the strawberry fields. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights. More lights glowed in the woods, and in the windows of the Big House. Rose could see her breath in the air.

"Woah," Nico said as he climbed off the bus. "Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah," Percy said.

"Why is there lava pouring down it?"

"Little extra challenge," Rose shrugged.

"Come on," Percy said, "we'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoë, have you met—"

"I know Chiron," Zoë said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in our cabin. Hunters, follow me."

"I can show you the way," Grover offered.

"We know the way."

"Oh really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here if you don't—" —he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking— "like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"

Zoë rolled her eyes, but it was clear she knew there was no getting rid of Grover.

"Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the hunters. He winked at Percy. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. Oh, and Rose, watch your shoulders, okay? And tell your dad I said hey!"

"Shoulders?" Rose repeated. "And he has a boyfriend."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked Apollo.

Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus. "Later, Thalia," he called. "And, uh, be good!"

He gave her a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. He then closed the doors and revved the engine. They all turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When Rose looked back, the lake was steaming, and a red Maserati soared over the woods.

"who's chiron?" Nico asked. "I don't have his figurine."

"Our activities director," Rose said. "He's... well, you'll see."

"If those Hunter girls don't like him, that's good enough for me," he said. "Let's go!"

The other thing that shocked Rose was how empty camp was. Most half-bloods only trained during the summer. There were year rounders, but there weren't very many of them.

As they walked, Rose spotted Charles Beckendorf from Hephaestus stoking the forge outside of the camp armory. He waved at Rose. Travis and Connor from Hermes were picking a lock on the camp store. A few kids from the Ares cabin were having a snowball fight with the dryads at the edge of the forest. Rose could see one lamp on inside her cabin, and two pairs of shoes sat on the porch.

The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth. The air smelled like hot chocolate and peppermint. Mr. D and Chiron were playing a game of cards in the parlor.

Chiron's beard was shaggier, and he'd let his hair grow out a bit. He had a blanket on his lap that almost hid his wheelchair completely.

He smiled when he saw them. "Percy! Rose! Thalia! Ah, and this must be—"

"Nico di Angelo," Percy finished. "He and his sister are half-bloods."

Chiron's smile melted. "Where's Annabeth?"