When Worlds Collide

Chapter Forty-One

 Almost everyone in camp woke up to a very loud, very mad yell.

"Are you kidding me?!" Was the yell. Most of the campers went to the woods, where they had heard the yell from, including the surprised looking pink-colored Katniss. She was looking at her now-pink bow with a look between surprise and disgust.

"Who did this?" She asked, slowly, with an edge to her voice. She raised her bow, now pink, as she repeated her question. "Who did this?" Everyone looked at each other, unsure of who did it but trying to hold in laughter.

"Whatever you do, don't say a word." Gale said, coming out from behind a tree. He wouldn't let his arms touch his body, which was covered entirely in paint. Hair, skin, and clothes, coated in different colors. He came up beside Katniss, who was wary of the still wet paint.

"Same thing happened to you then?" He asked her, pointing to her clothes and bow. She nodded. Out of nowhere, one of the Stoll brothers ran up, slapped a rainbow sticker to Gale's forehead, and ran off.

"Does this stuff come out?" Gale asked, peeling off the sticker and glaring at the brothers as they ran. "And what exactly do I look like?" He wiped his hands on his shirt, preparing for something. A sly smile spread across his lips.

"You look like a rainbow." Leo told him, walking up from behind "Wonder if you taste like skittles?"

"Skittles? Should I ask?" Gale said with a laugh. He readied his hands for his joke.

"They are really yummy candies, and they say 'taste the rainbow' for their logo" Leo told them "And you are a rainbow now."

"I'm a rainbow now." Gale laughed "Great. Hey, come here a minute." He said, gesturing the others over to him. Percy and Leo came over hesitantly. But Gale waited a minute to execute his plan.

"Do you hear that?" Brom said coming out of nowhere. "It's the sound of your dignity leaving."

"Thank you for that. Really appreciated." Gale shot at him. He clapped his hands together, splattering paint. Then, he wiped his hands over Percy and Leo's faces, smearing the multi colored paint on them too. They, rather than groaning or anything, started getting the paint off and chasing each other with it.

Brom made a sputtering noise as he spat paint out of his mouth. "Thank you too."

"Where have you been at, Brom?" Annabeth asked, coming back from her safe distance. She had decided to stand back, unsure of what Gale had been doing at first.

Just then, a tall, graceful woman with pointed ears came up behind Brom.

"I was talking to her," Brom said, pointing at the woman.

"How did you get past the border?" Annabeth asked "And who exactly are you?"

"This is Arya. She's an elf and a very good friend of mine. And to answer your other question, I simply invited her in. Just like you did for us." Brom said. Annabeth nodded, since it made sense.

"Will you be able to help us in the upcoming battle?" She asked.

"Of course. I have a small group of our most skilled elven spellcasters on hand." Arya said.

"Spellcasters?" One of the nearby campers, a child of Hecate, asked.

"Yes, spellcasters. Do you wish to see an example?" Arya implored the camper. He nodded, calling over some of his cabin members to watch.

"Slytha." She said, silencing the camper. "Insolent boy, does he not know that I am of the royal line?"

"Royal line?" Annabeth asked. Arya was still very mysterious to her. Gale and Katniss sat down, trying to get the paint off.

"Yes, royalty. My mother is the queen Izlandi of the elves." Arya replied.

"Okayyy..." Annabeth replied. She decided to ask Brom later "Anyway, Gale, you okay?"

"Just a word of advice; paint doesn't taste too good." He replied, sputtering. Annabeth laughed, offering him a hand up.

"Come on, let's get you something to eat, wash it out some." Annabeth told him.

"We're waiting for one more person" Brom said vaguely.

"I really appreciate the help, but I don't want anyone getting Posy besides me. I don't want to put her in shock, and I don't think anyone new will help that matter." Gale stated.

"We'll leave her to you then. We'll just keep the enemy forces away." Brom said.

"How about we have the original four that had joined this group go, plus Minho." Annabeth suggested, knowing that they couldn't avoid the prophecy that Ella might have said earlier.

"That's fine by me, as long as we all get in, get Posy, then get out." Gale said, agreeing.

"We will, don't worry." Annabeth told him. A thought struck her "Wait, has anyone even seen Minho?"

"Kid runs around like crazy, who knows where he went?" Gale said, still trying to remove the paint on his face. He ended up only smudging it. He cursed under his breath.

"But with all of these enemies, who knows he hasn't been captured?" Brom asked.

"He's at camp, so only a traitor would capture him." Annabeth told Brom.

"But you've had traitors in camp before." Brom replied. Annabeth and a few other campers looked away, that being a slightly tender part to all of them.

"Yes, we have had traitors in the past," Annabeth replied, her tone showing sadness "But after last time, I don't think we will have anymore. Not so soon, at least."

"Let's hope you're right." Brom said gravely.

"Can I get this off now?" Gale asked, bringing their attention back. He was still trying to get the paint out of his hair.

"I have a spell that might help." Brom said. "May I?"

"Be my guest." He replied.

"Okay then. Adurna." Suddenly a ball of water erupted from the creek beside them, which lead into the woods, and splashed onto Gale. Brom fell over laughing at the sopping wet Gale. Percy stopped from where he was chasing Leo around and grinned at the water use.

"Someone else uses water!" He grinned, before running off as Leo started chasing him again. Annabeth shook her head at the two.

"Figures. Just, figures." Gale muttered.

"Come on, let's get some food before we move out." Annabeth suggested, and the gathered crowd nodded, heading to the mess hall.