Shattered

Water

If nothing else, at the very least Bianca could call herself a somewhat quick learner.

She swung her blade once more. Sparks flew, as her blade of black-iron met with her foe's blade of pale bronze.

"You're getting better at this Bianca." Her opponent swerved to his right, narrowly avoiding another of her quick swipes. His sea green eyes glinted with excitement as he swung at her again, making her flinch under his vicious strikes.

Bianca growled with frustration.

It had been nearly two entire months since she had begun training with Percy. Yet, she hadn't yet been able to land a solid hit on him when he didn't have his golden bracelets on.

Even when he had the weights on, they were not even close to evenly matched. His surplus years of being a demigod granted him far greater experience that her measly few months. He was still faster, stronger and more skilled than her - and most other hunters in fact - when it came to using blades and close quarters combat. The hunters though could still curb stomp him when it came to anything from more than three feet away from the enemy, archery for example; the son of Poseidon was still quite hopeless at the art of using a bow and arrow, something the other hunters loved to flaunt over his head.

But, like most things in life, there was a silver lining to it all.

Bianca gripped her Stygian Iron blade tighter, it's raven blade pulsating with violet energy.

Her sword was pretty darn awesome! (B/N: 'Only Josh' things...)

The blade was a gift from her father, who had given it to her about a week into her training when she had gone to the underworld to visit her little brother. Although it was very much against the ancient laws for her father to have Nico living in his palace, he simply got around that fact by 'claiming' that it was, in fact Persephone who was looking after her step-son and not Hades, himself looking after him. The goddess of springtime, while not exactly friendly with her husband's two illegitimate children, seemed warm enough to not murder them outright.

The daughter of Hades swung again at her cousin before her with vigour. The boy simply batted her iron blade away with the side of his own, his golden bracelets gleaning under the midday sun which poured overhead.

"You aren't putting enough power into your swings Bianca! You need to put some more effort into your swings."

Getting her teeth, Bianca swung again, putting all her effort into the swing. The boy simply sidestepped away from the blade, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Now, you are focusing too much and power and none on technique. Pay attention to your opponent and find an opening. Do not simply rely on technique or strength alone. You have to find a balance between the two."

Nodding at her friend and mentor, Bianca adjusted her stance. It was one which drew great inspiration from Percy's own, albeit slightly modified to adjust to her smaller frame and the extended reach of the sword (which was half a foot longer than Riptide).

Suddenly, Bianca heard a crackle of lightening.

Groaning internally, Bianca leapt off the ground, Percy not too far behind, avoiding the spark of electricity that the object of her affection had thrown towards the two of them.

"Getting rusty Thals? You missed?"

Growling at the son of Poseidon's taunt, Thalia fired off another stream of lightening, knocking the boy onto the floor. (Although Bianca had a theory that Percy let's Thalia fry him occasionally.)

"Did I miss again kelp head?"

Percy moaned with pain. "Nope, y-you have impeccable aim Thalia."

Bianca chuckled at their mild banter.

"Come on, Lady Artemis called the two of you for lunch."

Bianca nodded, helping the son of Poseidon back onto his feet.

Ω

The hunters were seated in a fairly regular arrangement when the three demigods arrived at the dining table, Artemis at the head, with Zoe across from her, Phoebe to her left and a bunch of free seats to her right. Percy quickly scrambled to his usual spot beside Zoe and Bianca, in turn, followed him to her usual spot beside him and Thalia came next, seating herself beside Bianca.

Bianca glanced left, towards Percy and Zoe. The two of them had gotten very close in the three months that Percy had been a part of the hunt. Since the entire lake incident, their bond only seemed to grow stronger. A thin tendril of water danced across Zoe's coppery skin, her control over the element having grown stronger under the tutelage of Percy Jackson.

Bianca could only stare in rapt attention as Percy added his own watery string, braiding itself into Zoe's tendril, both performing an intricate dance to a melody only heard inside the heads of the respective hydro kinetic puppet masters.

A small smile played across both of their faces as the two coils of water began forming helices around each other, swirling and twirling slowly to an unheard beat.

Bianca was finally broken out of her trance like state by Thalia lightly zapping her on her side, snapping her into attention.

"Psst. What do you think is up with those two and their water gymnastics"

Bianca rolled her eyes, "You don't have to say psst after you've gotten my Attention Thalia."

The daughter of Zeus shrugged, "Oh well. But seriously though, those two have been practically glued to each other by the hip since Zoe got those water powers of hers."

Thalia paused, "Oh, that kelp for brains is just showing off now!" she groaned out.

Bianca glanced back at the son of Poseidon.

Instead of tendrils of water, the son of Poseidon decided to show off his control over water by fashioning a miniature Zoe Nightshade who held an azure bow in her hands, an arrow knocked and ready, aiming straight for the real Zoe's face.

The daughter of Atlas' mirthful eyes betrayed her poker face, showing Bianca quite clearly that she was actually quite amused by the boy's antics, not that her deadpan expression would give anything away.

"Oh, there is definitely something between them."

Bianca rolled her eyes at Thalia's overzealous mind.

Surely there wasn't any romantic intentions between the two hunters.

Surely.