Percy Jackson's Twin Sister

The Temptation

As soon as she appears I have this itch to start beating up my friend.

Frank seemed to be sizing up the goddess. Arion was freaking out and hazel was trying to calm him. And Leo was in the front looking like he's firming a plan.

I held my pen trying to decide if I was going to take a shot at her or not.

None of us step forward to say something. None of us were very good at talking.

"So!" Leo says pointing at Nike, "I didn't get the briefing, and I'm pretty sure the information wasn't in Franks presentation. Could you tell me what going on here?"

Nikes eyes widen, "We must have victory!" The goddess shrieks, "The contest must be decided! You've come here to decide the winner, right?"

Frank clears his throat, "Are you Nike or Victoria?"

The goddess grabs her head and lets out a scream. Her horses rear and Arion does the same. All these horses nervous energy had me nervous. The ground shakes a little.

The goddess shudders and splits into two separate images. On the left she was Greek and on the right she was Roman.

"I am Nike!" Cries the image on the left.

"I am Victoria!" Cries the image on the right.

Her shuttering and splitting was making my head dizzy.

"I am the decider of victory!" Yells Nike, "once I stood here at the corner of Zeus's temple, ventured by all! I oversaw the games of Olympia. Offering from cities were plied at my feet!"

"Games are irrelevant!" Yells Victoria, "I am the goddess of success in battle. Roman generals worship me!"

Both sides scream about having victory. Arion bucks so badly Hazel falls off. Before she could calm him down he runs off.

"Nike," I say, "your confused like all gods. The Greeks and Romans are on the verge of war. It's causing your two aspects to crash."

"I know that!" Yells the goddess, "I cannot abide unresolved conflict. Who is stronger? Who is the winner?"

"Lady, no one's the winner," Leo says, "if that war happens everyone loses."

"No winner?" Nike says shocked, "There is always a winner. Everyone else is a loser. Otherwise victory is meaningless. I suppose you want me to give certificates to all contestants. No! Victory must be real! It must be earned. Defeat must be the other possibility."

"Uh... ok," says Leo, "I can tell you've gif strong feelings about that. But the real war is against Gaea."

Victoria roars, "the Greeks must perish!"

"Victory or death!" Yells Nike, "One side must prevail!"

Frank grunts, "I get enough of this from my dad screaming in my head."

Victoria glares down at him, "a child of mars? Praetor of Rome? No true Roman would spare the Greeks. Kill them! Win!"

Not happening," says Frank. I did notice his eye twitch though.

I was struggling to though. I had this desire to go ballistic on Hazel and kill her. But I had to fight it.

"Look, Miss Victory," I say trying to smile, "we don't want to interrupt your crazy time. Maybe you can just finish this conversation with yourself and we'll be back later, with um... bigger weapons and possible sedatives."

The goddess brandishes her spear, "You will determine the matter once and for all. Today now you will decide the victor! Four of you? Excellent! We will have teams. Greeks versus Roman's. The last demigod standing wins. The other will die gloriously."

I get a competitive urge that pulses through my veins. I realize Annabeth was smart not to send anyone who's parents had a rivalry. Or Percy. I would probably already be sparing with him.

"Look lady," says Leo, "We're not about to go all hunger games on each other."

"Why not?" Nike asks, "It will be a fabulous honor. The crown of leaves will be yours. Think of the glory?"

"Leo's right," says Frank with his eyes fixed on the crown, "We can't fight each other. We fight the giants. You should help us."

"Very well!" The goddess says.

"Does that mean you'll join us?" I ask, "You'll help us fight the giants?"

"That will be part of the prize," says Nike, "Whoever wins I will consider you ally. But there can only be one winner. So what will it be demigods? Will you succeed or will you cling onto your namby-pamby ideas if friendship and everybody wins participation."

I uncap my pen. I point it at Nike, "What if we fight you instead?"

"Ha!" Nikes eyes gleam, "If you refuse to fight each other you shall be persuaded."

Nike spread her gold wings. Four metal feathers float down. The swirl until they take the form of four metal humans.

"To the stadium!" Yells Nike, "You have five minutes to prepare. The blood shall be spilled."