Coney Island|| La Rue, C.

02. Capture The Flag

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Friday night after dinner, there was a lot more excitement than usual. Even Aura, who usually didn't show much excitement, was excited.

At last, it was time for capture the flag. And time for her and Clarisse's revenge against Percy.

The teen hoped her mother, whoever she was, watched her during the war games and was proud of her.

For that was all Aurélie wanted, for her mother to be proud of her. Proud enough to calm her.

Back when the gods paid more attention to their kids, glory was what they fought for.

Demigods have always fought for glory, or kleos, as they called it. The stuff that attached itself to your name. Made it bigger, scarier, more important. People listened closer when you talked, they worked harder to be your friend and they thought twice about messing with you.

Now most demigods fought to be recognized by their godly parents.

Aura was broken out of her thoughts when the plates were cleared away and the conch horn sounded as everyone stood at their tables.

Campers yelled and cheered as Annabeth and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner. It was about ten feet long, glistening gray, with a painting of a barn owl above an olive tree. From the opposite side of the pavilion, Clarisse and her siblings ran in with another banner, of identical size, but red, painted with a bloody spear and a boar's head.

Aura wished she was on Clarisse's team. That way she would be with Clarisse, Silena and Beckendorf. However, at least she had Michael.

Not that she would be joining Michael. Instead, she would be joining Clarisse when she got back at Percy.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Percy turn to Luke, "Those are the flags?" He asked, going over the noise

Luke nodded, "Yeah."

"Ares and Athena always lead the teams?" The new boy asked

"Not always," Aura interrupted, "Usually though."

Percy looked at her figuring she had gotten over the bathroom incident like Clarisse, "So, if another cabin captures one, what do you do- repaint the flag?"

Luke grinned, "You'll see. First we have to get one."

"Whose side are we on?" The newest camper asked

The Hermes cabin councilor gave Percy a sly look, as if he knew something the younger boy didn't. The scar on his face made him look almost evil in the torchlight, "We've made a temporary alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares. And you are going to help."

The teams were announced. Athena had made an alliance with Apollo and Hermes, the two biggest cabins.

Ares had allied themselves with everybody else: Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus.

Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble, "Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"

He spread his hands, and the tables were suddenly covered with equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, oxhide shields coated in metal. Aura grabbed a blue plumed helmet and brought out her sword.