Commander Alpha

Chapter 3

Emma's POV

I was mad at Chaos.  The problem was, he had promised that we would never have to go anywhere we didn't want to go, and Earth was at the top of mine, and probably some other people's (*cough*, Percy *cough*), lists of places they didn't want to go.  Chaos wasn't one to break promises, and I knew that it must have been pretty serious for him to make us go back there.  I thought about this as I sat on the beanbag, not really focusing on what was going on around me.

"Emma.  Emma!" I looked up to see Percy calling my name.

"Do you want to-"

"You go first." I demanded, cutting him off.  He nodded, seemingly unsure for a second, then I saw his face change into a mask devoid of emotion, and he began.  

"It was a normal day at camp, then this kid came running up to camp being chased by a hellhound.  Naturally, I saved him, but he told everyone that he had killed the hellhound and that I just watched.  No one really believed him, but I think that the accusation he made planted a seed of doubt in their heads.  It turns out he was another son of Poseidon, Brendan, and he made my life hell.  He spread rumors about me and did horrible things that he knew I'd get blamed for.  Two months after he got to camp, he challenged me to a duel in the arena.  I disarmed him and his sword went all the way into the corner of the arena.  While I still had Riptide to his throat Brendan called Poseidon.  When he saw me holding a sword to his 'favorite son's-" the anger in his voice at those words was enough to make everyone scared.  "-neck, and Brendan had no sword, Poseidon became so outraged that he disowned me and gave Riptide to Brendan."  Percy paused.  

I figured his story was over but when he continued, my only thought was, 'man, the fates hate this kid.'

"I went to the beach and discovered that the water poisoned me."  This explained the curious ailment that had plagued Percy since the start of his time as a warrior.  "I went to talk to Anna-" he couldn't finish her name.  "-her, figuring that she would know what to do.  When I found her, she was making out with Brendan.  That was the final straw.  My heart broke and I promised myself that I would never return to that place of torture.  That promise," he glared at Chaos, who flinched guiltily, "is about to be broken."  The bitterness in Percy's voice surprised us all.  There was a moment of stunned silence before Percy nodded at me, signaling to me to start my own story.  I swallowed nervously.

"I guess I'll start from the beginning, the day I arrived at Camp Half Blood.  Percy, you're going to love this.  I arrived at Camp Half-Blood on the same day you did, being chased by the Minotaur, two years after you dissapeared.  The first person I met was Annabeth.  She was driving herself crazy looking for you.  At dinner that first day, I was claimed by Athena.  It was quite a shock."  I gestured to my dark brown hair and greenish-brown eyes.  "The next day, as I was walking to lunch, I noticed a little girl tending the fire in the middle of the cabins.  She seemed content, but I figured she was lonely, sitting there allby herself.  I walked over, and asked if I could sit down, and she seemed surprised but told me I could.  We ended up talking for so long that I missed lunch altogether.  When we finally got around to names, and she told me she was Hestia, one of the Olympians, and I was shocked.  My reaction was pretty funny now that I think about it."  I chuckled.  "I told her I was sorry if I was being disrespectful, and that I would leave, and she told me that someone hasn't just sat down and talked with her for a really long time.  So I stayed.  We talked almost everyday and became pretty good friends.  After like four months, she told me she wished to gave me her blessing."

"That's why you have fire powers!"  Castor exclaimed.  I nodded.

"Another one of the new powers I got was being able to manipulate and sense feelings.  I think that's what Hestia does to calm the other Olympians down.  Anyway, I knew that Annabeth was angry and pretty much going crazy, so I channeled her feelings to make her take them out on me.  It started out small, then got bigger, but I didn't mind.  She was kinder, more patient, and more happy with the other campers.  Maybe six months after I arrived at camp, there was an attack.  There were a lot of injuries, but thankfully, there was only one casualty camper-wise."  Percy paled a little bit, probably thinking that it had been Annabeth who died.  Obviously, however he may have acted, he still wasn't over her.  By the way he was reacting to my story, I could tell that he was beginning to have some hope that maybe she wasn't over him either.  The other warriors looked concerned, thinking of someone they left behind at camp.  "All of the older camper were battling, and the younger, less experienced ones, including me, were hiding in the Amphitheater.  I suddenly had this terrible urge to run into the battle, and I did.  That was crazy because I had no weapon and no armor.  I just knew where I had to be.  I ran to where Annabeth was fighting two hellhounds, and an Empousa was behind her with a dagger.  Annabeth didn't notice."  I saw Percy turn even more pale.  He was practically the color of a sheet.  "I jumped in front of her, and I was the one casualty.  Apparently, immediately after I died, Hestia just let out a burst of energy that killed all the monsters on the spot."  There was an awkward silence.  I turned to Percy.  "The camp realized that your brother is a little twit.  However, it may still be wise to wait a while if you are going to reveal your identity."

"I wasn't planning on it." He said matter-of-a-factly.  I gave him a confused look.  "I'm not sure if I've forgiven them yet."  I nodded, knowing that with his fatal flaw, he would reveal himself regardless of if he was planning on it or not.  I yawned.  Chaos looked up from the bowl of popcorn that he had been hogging the entire time.  It was empty now.

    "You guys should really go off to bed.  It's getting to be late and tomorrow's going to be a long day  We're going the the throne room of the gods at 12:00pm sharp.  The creator of the universe shouldn't be late.  We will be traveling by portal."  He said.  We all nodded and headed off to our rooms for what would undoubtedly be an anxious night's sleep.