Of Shocks and Seashells

Of Battles and Breakfast

Disclaimer: Do you really expect me to say that yes, I do own Percy Jackson? I mean, that would change things up a bit, but still.

Percy's Point of View

It's currently breakfast, and I'm not eating, no, not at all. Instead, I'm watching Thalia, who looks so small and weak and tiny at her large table. Her eyes are red rimmed and her lip quivers dangerously ever so often. Her fingers tremble as she lifts the heavy golden goblet to her mouth, taking a small sip.

I sigh. Yesterday she got into a fight with an Ares girl named Molpadia, (A/N: She was one of the bravest women in the Greek Myths and an Amazon. Her name means 'Death Song' Cheerful, right?) and, well, let's just say...things didn't end that well for her. In fact, I think I distinctly heard crying emitting from her cabin last night...not that I would mention that; she would rip my head off. And I don't really want that to happen.

But still, she looks like she could use a friend right now. I know I could use one; I have no one to talk to at my table either. One of the disadvantages of being the forbidden child of one of the Big Three. But if she's lonely and hurt, and I'm also lonely, then there's only one thing to do.

I walk over to her table and plunk down onto the bench opposite of her.

At first she doesn't notice me because she's so intent on looking at her food and not eating it, but when I clear my throat, her head snaps up faster than you could say, 'Oh gods.'

"Percy!" Thalia hisses, her eyes darting around at the campers who gape at us with opens mouths and wide eyes. "What the Hades are you doing?"

"Being nice," I reply. "You should try it sometime." Thalia looks affronted, then she crosses her arms.

"Seaweed Brain, you broke the rules. This is not going to fly with the gods; it's going to majorly going to piss them off," Thalia snaps.

"In case you haven't noticed, Pinecone Face, I have a talent for pissing off the gods," I say back, nonchalantly plucking a blueberry off of her plate.

"Percy, get away from me! Chiron's coming!" Thalia says through gritted teeth, her icy eyes flickering back and forth from Chiron and I.

"Thalia, I'm worried about you!" I protest. "After that fight yesterday, I-"

"You don't need to be worried, I'm fi-"

"Perseus Jackson!" Annabeth yells, stomping up to me, Chiron trotting quickly after her. She lowers her voice into a scathing hiss. "What in the name of Zeus are you doing?"

"Listen, Wise Girl," I snap, fed up with this entire mess. "I didn't know that being nice was so difficult to do. So, I am so dreadfully sorry I ruined your breakfast by being nice to one of my best friends."

"Watch your tone, Percy," Annabeth snarls, her gray eyes steely. I almost cower in fear, she looks so much like her mother, Athena, right now.

"What? Are you jealous, Owl Head?" I taunt, becoming reckless.

"NO! Why in Hades would I be jealous?" Annabeth bellows, but I notice a slight flush spreading over her tan cheeks.

"Listen guys, if this is going to cause so much trouble, why doesn't Percy just go back to his ta-" Thalia starts, holding up her hands in a calming gesture.

"Stay out of this, Thalia," Annabeth snarls, glaring at me.

"Don't tell me what to do, Annabeth!" Thalia snaps, her eyes dangerously bright. "Besides, this is between Kelp Head and I!"

"Don't call me a Kelp Head, Static Face!"  I growl.

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain! Thalia, stop arguing with us!"

"You can't control me, Annabeth, no matter how much you want to!" Thalia screams.

"I don't want to control anyone, Pinecone Face!" Annabeth snaps.

"Yes you do!" I yell. Both girls turn on me.

"Stay out of this!" They both shriek simultaneously.

"I was in it from the start!" I hiss back.

"Annabeth, why are you even here? You're the one causing all of this trouble!" Thalia screeches, accusingly pointing her finger at her.

"Percy started it! He was the one who sat at your table! Now the gods are going to destroy us all!" Annbeth growls.

"Rather over dramatic, aren't you?" Thalia remarks.

"I was just trying to be nice!" I protest at the same time.

"Okay, wait. Percy was trying to be nice, so Thalia gets mad at him, then Annabeth gets mad at Percy for sitting at Thalia's table, and Percy is mad at her at interfering, and Annabeth's mad because Thalia and Percy are spending time together, and Thalia's mad because Annabeth's acting like a spoiled brat? Guys, face it: Thalia and Percy like each other and Annabeth is just jealous," an Aphrodite girl says, coming up to us. She has chocolate-coloured hair that falls in one wave down to the small of her back, soft azure eyes, and glowing, tan skin.

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" Annabeth, Thalia, and I all scream.

"Wait, what?" I ask, bewilderment seeping into my tone.

"For the last godsdamn time, Percy and I do not have a crush on each other!" Thalia snaps exasperatedly.

"Language," Annabeth warns Thalia.

"Don't be my mother, Annabeth! I'm much older than you, so don't pretend like you're more mature than me!"

"You were stuck in a tree. We don't know how old you are," Annabeth says triumphantly.

"Ouch, harsh," I comment.

"Shut up," Thalia growls, but I can see hurt in her eyes.

"Percy! Thalia! Annbeth!" Chiron roars, cantering over to us. "That is ENOUGH! You have all just been grounded! You may not leave you cabins until this time tomorrow!"

Annabeth gasps. "But...b-but Chiron!"

"The grounding is effective now," Chiron says, and Thalia, Annabeth, and I trudge out of the dining pavillion amid stares, whispers, and gapes.

"Camp Half-Blood," I mutter as I make my way to Cabin Number Three. "Where breakfast can turn into a war. Literally."