Daughter of the Big 3

Chapter 8 : Ashley - Capture the Flag

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Chapter 8 Ashley - capture the flag

"Go!" Chiron yells, signalling the start of the game. Percy, Jason, Nico and I head off to where the flag is supposed to be. Jason tried to teach me how to control the wind, so that I can at least use some of my powers if I need them. By the time we reach the flag, I'm able to throw a couple of gusts of wind around at people. Nico doesn't say much, as Jason and I throw wind around at each other, hitting Percy in the process. We end up having a water/wind fight, and by the time we are done, I'm able to control the water as well as Percy can. I guess it's easier to control water because I'm more closely related to Poseidon or something.

Suddenly, off in the distance, I see someone. "Guys! Over there!" I say pointing over where the person is standing. Nico draws his sword, and Jason flips a coin that turns into an imperial gold sword. Percy takes out a pen.

"Percy, that's a pen." I say.

"I'm aware." He says back.

"Okay just making sure. Not sure how you're gonna fight monsters with a pen."

He uncaps the pen, and it grows into a celestial bronze sword. That shut me up. Jason snickers and I shoot him a look. I pull my bracelet off my wrist and I'm about to throw it in the air when Jason says, "You know that's a bracelet right?"

"No Jason. I thought it was a shield." I say sarcastically.

"Ok just making sure. Not any better than fighting with a pen you know."

"Oh shut up." I throw the bracelet into the air and catch it as if I've done it a million times. The bracelet expands into a celestial bronze sword, causing Jason's eyes to go wide. Percy laughs. I think I saw Nico smirk. But we had no time to joke around because the red team was approaching.

"Ashley stay near the river" Percy says.

"But..." I start.

"No. Your powers are strongest in water. Trust me. You don't want to fight these kids"

I sigh. The people are close enough to recognize now. One of them's Clarisse, the girl who tripped me earlier. She's with a few other campers. All children of Ares. The see us near the flag and charge. I back up, getting closer to the river as they approach. I've never really fought with a sword before, so I figured my best bet was to try and defend myself with water. Suddenly, the wind picks up, and the Ares kids get knocked down. I laugh.

They look really mad. They get up, and start running at us, furious. There are four of them. And four of us. That means I will have to fight one of them. Uh oh. By now, I'm standing in the river, but oddly enough, I'm not getting wet. Oh well. Perks of being a daughter of Poseidon. One of the Ares kids charges at me, but I shoot a gust of wind at her and she goes flying back into a tree. She gets back up and draws her sword. She charges at me and I draw my sword. She swings her sword at me, but surprisingly, I block it. The flag is behind me, and so are Percy, Jason, and Nico. I can't turn around to see if I can figure out what to do. She swings at me again and this time I duck, the blade just barely missing my head. Good thing I'm wearing a helmet. I think.

Then I get an idea. I summon the water to come up, and it hits her like a tidal wave, throwing her back. She gets up and runs around me, knowing I can't exactly follow her because I'm strongest in the water. I known Percy told me to stay in the water... But... Sorry Percy. I think. I run out of the river, chasing after her. Thank gods I was on the cross country team at my school. I think. I catch up to her and cut her off. I can see Percy now, and he's captures Clarisse. Nico and Jason have also captured their attackers. It's just me now. I send a gust of wind at her, causing her to stumble, but not fall. I'm getting tired by now, but I know that I can't give up. She backs me up to the rock that the flag is, until my back is pressed up against it, her sword up against my neck. Suddenly, she is lifted up in the air, and thrown into the river. Jason walks over to her, and captures her. Percy runs over to me.

"Ashley! Are you okay?" He asks.

"Yeah I'm fine." I say back. "Just kind of tired"

Just then, we hear a horn, signalling game over. "We won!" I say, jumping up and down. Percy laughs. We walk back out of the forest to meet the rest of our team, to celebrate. Everyone's cheering, and the red team is sitting off to the side, sulking. Clarisse and her friends emerge from the forest, and they look mad.

I sit off to the side, just watching. Someone sits down, next to me. It's Annabeth.

"Hey" She says. " I heard what happened by the flag."

"Oh, cool." I say back.

"Jason and Percy told me you could throw some mean wind and water around too."

"Yeah. Not really sure what I can do with the whole death thing, but I can control wind and water."

"You could always ask Nico you know"

"Yeah sure," I say jokingly. "Ask the kid who doesn't say anything to help me control the dead."

"I'm not kidding. Nico's pretty powerful." She says. "And I wouldn't get on his bad side. Just saying"

She gets up and joins the rest of the team in celebration. I walk back to the cabin, exhausted. I fall asleep to the sound of running water from the fountain in the cabin.