The Demigod Games

Chapter Five

VULCAN (Hephaestus) TV Coverage on the Demigod Games - Training Update

18 tributes. Only one can live.

May the Gods be ever in your favor.

Mercury/ Hermes: Welcome to Vulcan TV, with your host, no other than Mercury. For the next month, we'll be covering everything Demigods games! For the first week, the tributes from each God or Goddess will be training here, at Mount Olympus. We'll tune in now to Mars who is training the tributes right now. Mars?

Mars/ Ares: Shut up, Mercury, Mars here, the almighty war God. All eighteen of the tributes are here right now, but they're about to be beaten down by my training, with the exclusion of my children. *snickers* Among the weakest here is the Jackson kid.

Percy (from background): HEY!

Mars/ Ares: You know it's true, Jackson. The clear winners of this will be my children, so I can't wait to see the rest of your children annihilated. Training begins now, au revior.

--

Percy decided prior to even arriving at the empire state building that Annabeth was the only person he could trust, despite all of the friendships he had made over the years. What good would they be in a fight to the death, where only one can truly live in the end?

From across the training area the Gods had conjured, Percy could see Jason and Piper standing alone, clearly standing by the same tactic that Annabeth and Percy were.

Seeing the son of Zeus made him nervous, knowing all the power he held. He was even more nervous of Thalia. She was talking with a girl Percy had never seen before. The girl had the same green eyes as him, and the same jet black hair. It was strange how much they looked alike.

They made eye contact, green orbs meeting each other's gaze and held it, unable to tear themselves away from it. Something stirred in the pit of Percy's stomach. He felt like there was some connection with her, though he could not place his finger on it.

"Alright, half bloods, line up here. You're going to receive standardized training clothing. Only to be used in this area for your training, understand?" Ares entered the area with his hands shoved in his leather coat's pockets. "Jackson. Ten Push ups. Now."

Percy threw his hands up in confusion. "Why?" he barked. "Why should I have to take orders from you? I beat you when I was just twelve." Percy knew he was going to regret the last comment.

"Have it your way, Jackson," the God grinned maliciously, then lifted his shades from his eyes. "Two hundred push ups."

"No-" Percy felt a weight push him the ground, knocking him off his feet. He looked above him to see Clarisse towering above him. He could see all of the brutish features her and Ares shared. Annabeth rushed over to him, but was blocked by a tribute's arm. It had to be Ares' other tribute with his harsh smile and brute look. They guy looked like a drill sergeant with his buzz cut and toned muscles. He was pure strength.

"Two hundred pushups, Jackson," Clarisse snickered as she watched Percy struggle to get to his feet, only to bring him down again.

Percy looked around at the other tributes, the ones that didn't want him to suffer, yet. They all looked like they wanted to stand up to him, but couldn't revolt in anyway. Accepting his defeat, Percy muttered, "Fine," and started doing his push ups. He was fine until he got to thirty, that was when his arms started aching. Ares and his tributes cackled at times as they watched Percy struggle. The others gave him looks of sympathy and encouragement.

Along the way, Percy made more eye contact with previous friends. Nico. Thalia. Leo. Piper. Jason. He could never hurt any of them, how could he succeed in the games if he refused to kill anyone?

It didn't look like they were interested in any of this anyway. Only three of the tributes actually looked excited for the upcoming event. The group included the Ares tributes and the girl that made Percy's stomach turn. Percy didn't want mixed up with her.

Percy collapsed, sprawling his arms out to the side after he completed a hundred push ups. "Is that enough?" Percy hissed when he caught his breath once again.

"For now, don't worry Jackson, you can make up the other hundred later," Ares snarled. "For the rest of you. Here are your uniforms." Several satyrs milled around, frantically handing out uniforms at top speed. Percy's was thrown directly at his face. Thankfully, it didn't have any loose needles or pointy edges sticking out, so his face was spared. He removed it and held it out in front of him.

It was black, with blue highlights on the cuffs and neckline. On the arm, there was a white three and 'Neptune' written, then boxed by another blue highlight. The back had Percy's name in bolded white letters. Percy rubbed some of the fabric in his hands. It seemed to be dry fit, tight and perfect for everything. He quickly removed his shirt and threw the new one over his shoulders. It fit perfectly.

Annabeth held her shirt in her arms, marvelling at the build of it. Percy knew the look on her face, she was definitely coming to conclusions and pondering every last detail about it. "We don't have to wear it yet, seaweed brain," she gave Percy a small smile.

Percy beamed back. "But I like it. I like dry fit shirts."

"What's the difference? You can't get wet..."

"So," Percy kissed her cheek lightly. "That doesn't mean I can't have a preference."

"Zip it, seaweed brain, or you'll have to do more push ups," Annabeth threatened, her lips curving up slightly.

The satyrs started tossing out the spandex pants everyone was supposed to wear. Percy caught his in one swift movement, then examined the pants. "Am I really supposed to wear these?" Percy hated tight pants, what guy didn't?

"You'll live," Annabeth didn't sound like she was there, at least mentally. She analyzed every last detail of the uniform they had given them, then the rest of the training room. But she didn't have that 'bingo!' moment when she found out everything. The truth was hidden.

Ares clapped his hands from the front of the area. "Congrats demigods, you got your clothes. You can all shut up now. Your actual training starts in an hour. Go put on your uniforms and go get some food. You're gonna need it," saying that, Ares disappeared into thin air.

Percy gave Annabeth a wary look, but Annabeth was still calculating her surroundings. Her stormy grey eyes flickering from every last corner. "Annabeth?" Percy asked, reaching out for her hand.

"Percy, we have to look around Mount Olympus," Annabeth said rapidly, then clutched onto Percy's hand. "This is our only chance, come on!"

Annabeth dragged him from the training area and to the shrine of one Goddess that might have told them answers.

--

"Piper," Jason hissed to his girlfriend as she snuck around Mount Olympus, looking around every corner.

She broke her stare from a statue of a lesser known goddess to glance at him. "What do you want?" she whisper-yelled, frustration evident on her face.

"We shouldn't be doing this, we should be working out a strategy on how to stay alive," Jason said solemnly. "Piper, please stop."

Piper rolled her hands into fists and placed them at her sides. "Jason. I'm done. When I die, I don't want it to be hard on you. I'm sorry, but I have to end this," Piper whispered with agony in her voice. Before Jason could respond, Piper ran off, wiping tears from her eyes.

Jason hung his head, holding back the urge to conjure a lightning bolt out of his sorrows and anger. It was too much for him, the games, loosing his girlfriend.

But his love for Piper could never truly die. Jason was still willing to get her out alive, no matter what the cost.