Clamping my jaw tight I walked into the armoury behind him. There were rows and rows of all kinds of Greek weapons and shields, helmets and armour.

"So Sunshine, what'll it be? I see you already have a bow and arrows. Still need something for up close and personal...."

"How do you know about the bow and arrows?"

"I have eyes. I can see them."

"But ..?"

"The arrows aren't hidden by the mist. And I see weapons everywhere. Anything can become a weapon...if you try hard enough."

"Not sure if I feel safe or threatened."

He just smirked in his stupid smug way. I rolled my eyes. He spread his arms wide and turned and walked backwards.

"All kinds of weapons. Best to be versed in more than one, just in case. But first let's get you some armour."

He led me to the back where there were rows of all kinds of stuff. His dark eyes looked me up and down for a moment then without a word turned to the chest plates. Walking through them he selected one and brought it over and held it out.

"Slip it on, see how it fights."

I did as he said, and then without a word and lifted my arm and started doing up the buckles. I was quite annoyed he just decided I couldn't do up my own armour. And I huffed. He stepped back and folded his huge tattooed arms.

"Bend. Move. See how it feels." He instructed.

I felt stupid, but I was trusting that as a son of Ares he knew what he was doing...or he was just making me look like a fool. After twisting and turning for a minute I shrugged.

"Seems fine. Lighter than I expected."

"Original Greek armour is 50 to 60 pounds in the chest plate alone, but the Hephaestus cabin figured out how to make the armour stronger yet less weight, kind of like a bullet proof vest from today's world."

"Well...that's kinda cool."

"Helpful when you need to wear it into battle. Or capture the flag."

"Do you guys still have some of the original armour?"

"Yeah. Most of my brothers and Clarisse wear the original." He said as he rummaged through a box of stuff.

"Okay Sunshine, this is called a Bracers, protects your forearms." He held out some bronze and leather cuffs, he helped me slip them in and tie them up and next he handed me something that looked like shin pads.

"Greaves for-"

"Shin protection, ya. I ain't stupid."

"Never said you were." He raised an eyebrow. I huffed and rolled my eyes. This time he let me tie my own leather cords and I straightened up and held my arms out.

"Almost. Need a helmet and short range weapon. Possibly a shield."

He walked through rows of all kinds of weapons. He grabbed a helmet and tossed it to me without even looking. I held it under my arm as we walked.

I saw huge long spathas, kopis, dorys, xiphos, there were long swords and short swords, javelins, slings, and shields. (Foot notes for the Greek terms at the bottom)

"Okay...so second weapon..." He was talking to himself. He stopped and looked at me again, I knew he was doing something in his head, because his eyes were slightly glazed and he wasn't fully seeing me. He turned and grabbed a sword, and handed it to me. I hardly had it grasped in my hand before he yanked it away.

"Nope."

He kept walking and muttering to himself. Until he stopped infront a a big rake of short swords and Kopis. He stood still for a second and then stroked a few of them, almost lovingly.

"I think..." He reached to the very back and pulled out two small Kopis, they were sleek and shiny and a beautiful mix of silver and celestial bronze braided together. One had more silver and the other more celestial bronze.

"Those are beautiful." I whispered, I felt my heart beating faster.

"They were a gift...not sure how they are doing here in Camp's armoury."

"A gift?" I asked, glancing up at him.

He slowly nodded.  He slowly started to expertly spin the two knives in his hands. He sped up the rhythm; spinning and slashing and stabbing them. I stepped back and stood watching, my eyes wide in wonder. His eyes lit up and his smug smirk morphed into one of stern stone and concentration. He slowly spun to a stop and then held them out for me. I hesitantly reached out and took the handles. My hands felt tingly and hot all of a sudden.

"Their name is Didymos kynigoí. That one," he pointed to the bronze one, "Aurum and that one is Argentum." He pointed to the silver one.

"So...translating from Latin to English...Twin Hunter, Gold and Silver. Ya?" I pulled my eyebrows together thinking out loud. He shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. "Tell me the story of them. I can...feel the story in them." I whispered reverently.

"Walk with me." He spun and started walking towards the door, I ran to catch up.

"Apollo made them for Artimis for a birthday present. Twin blades, made of celestial bronze and silver, representing the twins. Eventually she gifted them to her best friend and second in command, Callisto."

"I know this story...or parts of it. Didn't Zeus force-"

"Shut up!" He hissed.

"Excuse me?" I stopped abruptly and looked at him, blinking hard. I was taken aback by his harsh hiss all of a sudden. I watched confused as he glanced up at the bright sunny sky.

"You say what you were gonna say out loud and he's gonna smite the whole camp!"

"Then he can just have more demi gods." I snapped back. "Look how many demi god kids there are now. I have 4 brothers all roughly the same age! How many are your age? Huh? Sure it's not a problem for them."

"You have a serious death wish Sunshine."

I could feel my anger rising again, my hands felt tingly, and I felt the blood flushing my cheeks. "Stop calling me that!"

"Why? Does it make you angry?"

"Yes! Now cut it out."

"What ever you say." He shrugged, but I heard him whisper, "Sunshine," under his breath.

"I heard that." I ground my teeth. "Finish the story."

"But ya... Callisto became pregnant from Zeus. She was ashamed-"

"She was ashamed... 'cause she had a forced pregnancy from a guy who would smite her! Uhg this is stupid."

"Have some respect!"

I clamped my mouth trying to keep my opinions to myself. I'll show respect when they earn it! I narrowed my eyes and glared at the guy, he glared right back.

"Anyways!" He said louder, glaring at me. I just scoffed and rolled my eyes. "She tried fighting back when she realized what was happening, with those knives, but...it was too late. When Artimis showed up, following the sounds of her friend crying, Callisto gave the knives back and fled into the forest. She gave birth in the forest in hiding and then to save their lives from a group of hunters, Artimis turned her and her son into consultations-"

"Ursa Major and Ursa Minor." I said.

"Ya. Artimis was devastated by what happened."

"I'd hope so. I'd be pissed if my dad forced himself on my best friend and then she was too ashamed to be around me and ran away..."

"But that's the story of those." He indicated to the knives.

"And I'm ment to have them?" I questioned, suddenly feeling slightly uncomfortable with the two knives.

I glanced at them and saw how the silver and bronze were twisted together in a beautiful pattern. The hilts were decorated with sun and moons and stars. I vowed to make a better history for them, to redeem them. I clenched my hands around the hilts so hard my knuckles turned white. Raph was standing quietly watching.

"Try them." He said quietly, longingly almost.

I jammed the helmet in, which fit perfectly , which was kind of annoying- he just looked me up and down and instantly knew what would fit. I slowly swung them back and forth, becoming a bit more quicker, trying to twist them around, and I started to twist and turn my body, the two knives spun around me. Suddenly there was a clang that rang out over the training ground.

"Not bad Sunshine."

Raph had stepped into my space and had his two short swords blocking both my knives. I stepped back swiping my swords down, breathing hard.

"I've - I've never done that before!" I grinned.

"Well...natural battle instincts are hardwired into every demi god. Keeps them alive. But not everyone is a born fighter." Raph said, swinging his swords with a simple twist of his wrists.

"Weird. I've been called a loser and lazy all my life from teachers, doctors claiming I need medication to make me sit still, told I'd never make it because-"

"You were diagnosed with Dyslexia." Raph cut me off, slowly advancing with his swords. I brought Twin Hunter up and blocked his attack.

"The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD, Sunshine? You're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."

"I knew it!" I cried, blocking another attack and twisting away. "You sound like ... you went through the same thing?" I said panting hard between his attacks. He was really strong, and rediculously fast.

"Most of the kids here did." He replied, he twisted his sword and Aurum was swept from my hand and sunk into the hard packed earth.

There was some wild cheering. I looked around and there was a small crowd of kids watching. Including Annabeth, Lee, Michael, Will, Austin, Kayla, Chiron and a few others I didn't recognize.

"Not bad Sunshine. Pick it up, let's go again. When you spun, keep your head up."

I had just stepped over when a gruff voice called. "Well! A newbie!"

I looked over. The big girl from the ugly red, Ares cabin was sauntering toward us. She had three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.

"Clarisse," Raph said, and nodded at her.

"Why don't you go polis something? I think that cabin needs some more red pain splashed on the walls."

"Why you little!" She took a step forwards. Raphaid a hand on her shoulder. "We're in the middle of training."

"Sure, sure you deilós." the big girl sneered.

I saw Raph's jaw clench and his eye twitch while every muscle tensed. I had no idea why she called this huge guy, who looked like he could break her neck in his bicep,  timid and cowardly. I was going to say something when she turned toward me.

"So, who's this new little runt?"

"Eleonora Blofis." I said. She snickered at my name, like most bullies. I could feel my hands clenching.

"Meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares."

I blinked, and pressed my lips together trying not to smirk. I'm sure she was an amazing fighter, but right now it looked like she was trying to impress someone. She kept glancing in the direction of the huge crowd. She narrowed her eyes.

Clarisse sneered. "You got a problem?"

"Yes. Many of them, the most recent is you." I said, recovering my wits. "The daughter of Ares... It also explains the bad smell."

Clarisse growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Princess."

"Nora."

"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."

"Clarisse- " Raph tried to say.

"Stay out of it, deilós!" She spat.

Raph rolled his eyes, I saw his jaw clench and herd the teeth grinding but he did stay out of it, and I didn't really want his help. I was the new kid. I had to earn my own rep. Just like every school I went to, and every group of bullies.

I handed Raph my twin swords and got ready to fight, but before I knew it, Clarisse had me by the neck and was dragging me toward a cinder-block building that I knew immediately was the training area bathroom.

I was kicking and punching. I'd been in plenty of fights before, but this big girl Clarisse had hands like iron. She dragged me into the girls' bathroom. There was a line of toilets on one side and a line of shower stalls down the other. It smelled just like any public bathroom, and I was thinking- as much as I could think with Clarisse ripping my hair out- that if this place belonged to the gods, they should've been able to afford classier bathrooms.

Clarisse's friends were all laughing, and I was trying to find the strength or fighting skills I just had with Raph but it just wasn't there.

"Like she's gonna make it. Apollo's kids are all weak and all they know is annoying show toons!" Clarisse said as she pushed me toward one of the toilets. "Yeah, right. Empousai probably fell over laughing, she was so stupid looking."

Her friends snickered.

Raph stood in the leaning on the bathroom door frame, watching, a group of kids from the training ground crowded behind him.

Clarisse bent me over on my knees and started pushing my head toward the toilet bowl. It reeked like rusted pipes and, well, like what goes into toilets. I strained to keep my head up. I was looking at the scummy water, thinking, I will not go into that. I won't. Raph shifted and a beam of light shine into the bathroom. I almost wished he moved again, to block the light. The sun gave a spot light to some of the more...nastier stains. I could feel the hot tingly sensation in my fingers. My hands were hot and it raised up my arms to my chest.

Clarisse gave my head another shove, and growled in frustration.

I was not going to be humiliated like this by just another bully. I yelled right back. "Phloz!"

I'm not sure where the aintent Greek words came from, but I just burst out, ripping from my throat. Everything around me exploded in bright hot brilliance. Clarisse screamed and let go like she was burnt. She stumbled backwards into her friends. I straightened up and pushed to my feet. Kids were screaming and running everywhere, Clarisse was yelling, I glared at her and her and the other girls turned and fled. All around me flickering swirling fire licked the bathroom walls and floor.

Frowning slightly, I had no idea how I did it. It was similar to the vaporizing the monsters at the museum. This time however I didn't kill anyone. I hoped. I walked out of the bathroom as the fire spred.

I walked out into the sun, and saw the chaos. Kids were screaming. I saw Chiron in full horse form galloping towards the bathroom. I noticed none of the Ares cabin was around, except for Raph who was smirking. He sauntered over and handed me my knives.

"Impressive."

"What did you do, child?" Chiron asked coming to a full stop in front of me, his eyes focused on the burning building behind me.

"Well I didn't want to scrub toilets. And Clarisse will think twice about trying to get me to help."

"Ha! Nice!"

I turned my head and saw Percy jogging over with a cyclops behind him.

"Lemme guess? Clarisse failed at her stupid newbie initiation?"

"You could say that. Blew two buildings in one day. New record."

"Solid." Percy grinned and held his hand out for a high five, which I obliged.

"Percy's sister make things go boom! I like boom!"

I grinned. Percy had told me all about his half brother, Tyson.

"I did do that." I grinned up at the huge guy. "Making things go boom is quite fun."

"I like her." Tyson grinned.

"Percy! Would you please..." Chiron interupted.

"Ya ya..." Percy sighed.

"Though if we wait long enough, Annabeth could redesign it...it was pretty gross inside."

"Whoa. Not a bad idea!" Percy nodded.

"Now please." Chiron said, his back leg stomped the ground nervously.

"Fiiine." He grumbled and with a wave of his hands water exploded from the plumbing and doused the fire almost immidiatly.

"I do believe it's supper time." Chiron said, just as the conch horn sounded.

"Come on Percy's little sister, it's time for peanut butter sandwichs!"

"I love peanut butter sandwichs!"

"Can we keep her?" Tyson turned to Percy with pleading his his one big brown eye.

Percy chuckled and patted his shoulder. I grinned and followed them down the path.

"Quite the first day."

"Ha! Understatement."

🔆

🔆 Spatha: was a type of straight and long sword, and was used in war and in gladiatorial fights.

🔆 Kopis: describe a heavy knife with a forward-curving blade, primarily used as a tool for cutting meat, for ritual slaughter and animal sacrifice,[citation needed] or refer to a single edged cutting or "cut and thrust" sword with a similarly shaped blade.

🔆 Dory (or Doru) was the primary weapon that was used by Greek troops was a two-to-three meter spear with a leaf-shaped blade at one end and a short spike at the other, The short spike was known as the sauroter, or 'lizard killer', and is presumed to have served mainly to finish off wounded opponents on the ground. 

🔆 Xiphos: a double-edged, one-handed Iron Age straight shortsword used by the ancient Greeks. It was a secondary battlefield weapon for the Greek armies after the dory or javelin.

🔆 THIS IS JUST PLAN COOL! While the bow was a relatively uncommon weapon (the wooden stave bow used had a limited range), some troops treated their arrows by thrusting them into rotting corpses, thus creating a crude form of biological weapon.

🔆 Phloz: the Greek word for "flame" is phloz, which describes swirling, whirling, flickering flames that bend, twist, turn, and arch upward. The word translated “fire” is puros, the Greek word for a burning fire. Another word for fire is Pyro