Alternatively

Model Olympus

"This is dumb."

"This is a learning opportunity."

"It's still dumb."

Chiron chuckled, patting her on the back. "That as it may be, you're not skipping."

"There's a reason I don't do clubs at school," she grumbled, throwing a bunch of napkins in the middle of the table.

But of course, he just clopped away, gathering more supplies for the afternoon. The heater kicked on, rumbling through the house, and she slouched against the table with a pout. It was snowing and she had been comfortable hunched over her desk, but no. Chiron decided to have them leave their cabins, have them go outside, and for what? Practice?

She could see a couple figures trudging across the white valley from the window, bundled up and probably complaining with every cloud of breath. Sometimes it just wasn't fair being a winter term camper.

"Should I put the box by the door?"

Annabeth looked to the foyer as Chiron called, "That'd be perfect, thank you."

So Percy set the cardboard box of costumes down and wandered into the dining room, eying her with a small smirk. "If possible, you're even happier to be here than before."

"Oh, you read me so well," she drawled, pushing around the name plate on the table.

"I mean," he gestured with a plastic trident. "You look great. Great costume, very Party City of you."

"Love the print," she flicked the collar of his Hawaiian shirt. "Your dad would be jealous."

"Dad wishes he looked this cool."

She rolled her eyes and watched as Connor and Travis barge through the door, snow swirling in with them. Chiron repeated what he had told her and Percy and they took both the marathon T-shirt and the business jacket from the box. Travis ended up snatching the crudely made caduceus from his brother before darting into the room, disrupting every chair in his path.

"Could you be any louder?" she grumbled, adjusting the dress straps over her t-shirt.

"Someone needs to go back to her cave," he flippantly replied as he shrugged off his jacket and scarf.

"Keep talking and I'll put you in the ground."

Connor swooped around to grab the caduceus as Travis quipped, "Touchy."

"Try to be civil," Chiron called from the parlor. "That is what this is all about."

"We haven't started yet," Connor said.

"Practice makes perfect."

There was a draft and it sent goosebumps up her arms despite her many layers. She pushed her training helmet across the table as she she sank into her chair, the folds of her dress catching on the old wood. Sure, she had on leggings and her boots, but she felt weird dressing like her mother, no matter how loose a depiction it was. She had never seen her mother, only heard about her from Percy.

Maybe she dreamed of meeting her.

The point was, Athena was more of a myth than she cared to admit, a distant idea that rarely touched her life. To be her...

"Watch out."

She moved her elbow as Percy slid into his seat, propping her chin on the heel of her palm. "You don't even have to be here."

"All counselors have to be here," he raised his eyebrow.

"You're a counselor of one."

"I still have to manage myself."