Of Shocks and Seashells

Of Saviors and Swords

Disclaimer: Can I just say already disclaimed? If not, no, I don't own Percy Jackson.

Thalia's Point of View

"Ready, Seaweed Brain?" I ask, excitement buzzing through my veins (or is it just the electricity surging through my spear?) I smirk at Percy's pronounced scowl.

"Don't call me that, Pinecone Face," Percy snaps back. I grin. Percy and I always banter before a battle of Capture the flag.

"Just try to keep up," I sigh, a grin lacing my lips.

"Thalia, remember, you and Percy are supposed to get the flag quickly and quietly, so it's not about speed," Travis commands, before stalking off to heckle someone else.

"Who died and made him king?" I mutter, only loud enough for Percy to hear. He lets out a burst of laughter, causing Travis to look back at us and give us a glare.

Today's teams are Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, Demeter, Hephaestus, and Dionysus against Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, and Apollo. Pretty evenly matched teams, if you ask me, but I am not looking forward to going up against Annabeth. Gods, that girl is smart when it comes to Capture the Flag. But she's no match for Percy and I; I admit it, we make an unstoppable team.

"Demeter, with Hermes. You'll charge the other team, creating a distraction so that Thalia and Percy can take a wide loop and sneak around the back. Make it good, but not too good. We want it to look natural. Hephaestus, you'll be in charge of defense. Beckendorf, you and your siblings need to set up as many traps as you have. What've you got?" Connor Stoll barks out orders rapidly.

"Trip wires, Greek fire, camouflaged pits...you name it, we've got it," Beckendorf smirks, and his siblings nod along behind him. Connor turns to Percy and I.

"You guys, be careful, but take some risks. We wouldn't want this game to be boring, now would we?"

"We totally got this," I say confidently, and Percy nods in agreement, drawing out his sword. I tap Aegis lightly and the bronze and silver shield expands, causing some of the team to cower in fear and nervously back away.

"Way to make 'em scared, Thals," Percy mutters, and I smack him on the head with the grip of my spear. He retaliates by slapping my on the back with the flat of his sword. I wince, though not really in pain, and Percy smirks.

"Stop fooling around!" Beckendorf snaps, and Percy and I immediately stop. I give him a side glance and we nearly burst into laughter again.

"Everybody clear?" Connor asks, and, without waiting for an answer, he continues on. "Good. Let's wait for the horn-" His words are interrupted by a long note of a horn, resonating throughout the forest.

"Blue Team, move out!" Beckendorf roars, and Percy and I immediately take off into the woods.

PJO

"Okay, so when we trailed their guards, they were about here," Percy says, prodding the map with his finger. "So then, their flag must be somewhere around here," he says, sliding his finger to the left, circling a small area.

"Good rationalizing," I murmur quietly, not wanting to attract any unnecessary attention. I quietly furl the map back up, snapping a rubber band around it, then sticking it into a small back I have on my side. Quickly adjusting my form-fitting helmet, which has gotten a tad crooked, I stand up, brushing the dirt off of my pants. Percy does the same, twisting his fingers around Anaklusmos. I smirk. I can't give up an opportunity to tease him.

"Be careful Percy: wouldn't want you to cut off your fingers or anything," I say snidely.

"Your fingers aren't the only things that are going to be cut off," an icy voice says behind us. Percy and I freeze, both of us gripping our weapons, before turning around. Annabeth and about a dozen Ares warriors have surrounded us, weapons pointing menacingly.