Flowergirl, Percy Jackson

001. The Spy, The Hero, The Coward

Lila's been in Camp Half-Blood a week. Everyday, she's been plagued by dreams about her childhood, memories she'd rather forget. The entire year with Nico, she lived dream free - it's as if whoever the god of dreams is has suddenly extended his power to Camp Half-Blood. 

Almost every minute has been spent preparing for the war. Growing healing plants, training, sharpening weapons, planning, training, trying to predict Kronos's next move, training. 

Still, Silena has dragged both Clarisse and Lila over to the Aphrodite cabin, and there they sit. Clarisse is slouched in a chair, dressed in a leather jacket, dark trousers and a red top that fits to her like a second skin, her eyeliner thick and black, framing her. She's covered in muscle, muscle that only seems to develop with every day. She was born for war. 

 Silena, on the other hand, is a total trainwreck. Lila hasn't told her, but she's kind of ... well, her hair's a mess, for one. She's never seen Silena wear her hair in a ponytail before. It looks like it hasn't been washed for at least two weeks. 

So, Clarisse and Lila are staging an intervention. Well, Lila is, and Clarisse is the intimidation. It's not really working. 

"Silena, when was the last time you showered?" Clarisse raises an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair. 

Lila kicks her. "Subtle." 

She makes a face. 

Silena, sitting cross-legged in her bed, rolls her eyes. "Charlie hasn't complained." 

"That's because he loves you." Lila says, gently as she can.

"Yeah, love has made him stupid," Clarisse nods. "And blind, apparently." 

"I have better things to be doing." Silena throws a sock at Clarisse. Lila's not sure why there are socks on her bed (she hopes they're clean). "There's a war going on, you know." 

Lila folds her hands together. "Lena, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but - " 

"You look like shit," Clarisse interrupts. 

Lila kicks her again. 

Silena scowls. "I do not. I'm hot."

"Yeah," Lila agrees. "But you'd be hotter if you like, had a shower." (Or brushed her teeth, or her hair.)

"You're both in no position to lecture me," Silena scowls. "You," she points at Clarisse, "are fighting with the Apollo cabin over a chariot - "

"It's not about the chariot," Clarisse scowls. "It's about pride and respect - "

"And you," she points at Lila, "are avoiding your blatant daddy issues. Seriously, it's been a year, you need to deal with it - " 

"Okay, I do not have daddy issues - " 

"The Apollo cabin stole that chariot from us- " 

"How can I have daddy issues if I don't have a dad? It doesn't even make sense - " 

"My entire cabin is speaking in haikus!"

"You know, I was basically made by meiosis when you think about it - " 

"Mark won't stop singing, do you know how bad he is at singing? I want to claw my ears out - " 

"And at least I've showered." 

Clarisse nods. "True. Lila's hair looks terrible, as usual. Yours on the other hand, looks terrible, unusually."

Lila kicks her again.