Percy's POV

"NO!" I heard someone yell behind me. I turned but Clair was already running. I sighed.

"Best. Sister. Ever," I heard Mr. D mutter. Over the next few days I couldn't find Clair. She seemed to have run off. Everybody kept wondering where she was. But they all seemed to be more focused on my brotherly problem. I tried to deny it whenever Tyson wasn't around. And yes I am being rude. But I'm angry. With the humiliation, and my dad. He just had to fall for a nymph and then bam! I have a monster for a brother. Tyson was just enjoying every bit of it. He thought he was in heaven but I tried to reason with him. No such luck. Then Annabeth decided to have me on her team at the chariot race. But we got into a fight. She thought that I was blaming her for all this. Girls. I decided to clear my head with training. The only person who didn't mind Tyson was Beckendorf. He was used to working with Cyclopses at the forge. So he decided to take Tyson and teach him about the forge. I did make the chariot with Tyson and it was awesome. I was also having dreams though. I just heard Grover's voice from time to time. One time he said: It's here. And then another time: He likes sheep. One night when we were getting ready to go to bed I heard a very quiet noise. Sobbing. It was coming from the bathroom. Tyson looked at the door then me. I shrugged. I tiptoed to the door and listened.

"I have to. I have to. I need to. I need to protect both of them now. After Mom I need to protect both of them now," I heard a girl's voice. Clair. She kept repeating it and repeating it. Now it made sense. She wasn't disgusted or angry. She was overwhelmed, worried. Since Ms. Vega's death Clair has been trying to mend herself. But sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night I hear crying coming from the bathroom back at our apartment. Since the bathroom is connected to the room I could hear her clearly. And she makes this huge deal of trying to protect me from bullies and stuff like that. But I'm older. And I try to ease her but she won't let it go(!)(sorry. I couldn't resist :P) So now since Tyson is basically another brother she has to protect him too. I sighed. I was about to knock but I decided against it. I'll just leave her in peace. I tiptoed back to my bunk and sat there.

"What happen?" Tyson asked surprisingly quiet.

"She's... worried," I answered.

"About?"

"Protecting both of us. Her mortal mother died last year. And now she feels the need to protect me so I don't die like her mother. Now that you've come along she's probably overwhelmed. I mean I'm sure she thinks of you as an awesome brother it's just... she does it too hard. She's hard on herself. So if she like I don't know glances at you or becomes über protective of you try not to mind it," I explained. Tyson only nodded. Then the bathroom door opened. What walked out was a mess. Her hair was everywhere, her clothes messed up, her eyes bloodshot. She sniffled.

"Thanks for explaining Percy so I don't have to," she looked at both me and Tyson. "Good night," she shuffled to her bunk and plopped onto it. After a few minutes I heard her breathing slow.

Claira's POV

I woke up early. Both of the boys were sound asleep. I decided to finally show my face once again at camp because over the last few days I was avoiding everyone. My best hiding spots were the canoe lake, the beach, the forest, Long Island Sound.(but just don't steal those now that I've told you) I went to the bathroom and took a nice long shower since it was like four and we had breakfast at eight. I brushed my hair out and it straightened automatically like it always did. I laced in my silver. I decided to make my hair different. I managed to make a long side braid that rested over my right shoulder. And after I take it out my hair might turn out wavy depending if Aphrodite allows that to happen. Then I pulled on a black and white plaid with a turquoise undershirt. I put on blue flares and cleaned my black and red converse and slipped into them. It was six thirty when I walked out. And both boys were awake. And of course when I always come out of the bathroom neat and clean and b-e-a-utiful I know that someone is going to be staring at me. I literally had all the boys last year. But I turned them all down but we are friends. And of course Percy would be the classic overprotective brother so if any boy came too close to me a huge wave would come over them and nearly drown them. I got so many birthday presents last year. I crossed my arms and looked at both of them.

"What?" I asked. Percy just looked away. But Tyson was like "Pretty," muttering it over and over and over again. But when I looked back at Percy he was actually shaking. "You ok?" He looked at me and nodded. But I had a feeling he wasn't. I sighed. "Tell me after the chariot race then," I walked out the cabin. The minute I did people literally swarmed me like I had a serious paparazzi problem. I summoned three exploding magic orbs. I threw all three into the air. I snapped my fingers. crack! A tiny flinch from the crowd. I snapped my fingers again. Boom! A few campers fell silent. I snapped my fingers and exploded the last orb. BANG! I made sure that last one was really loud. It silenced everyone. "Thank you. Now I know that you guys have been wondering where in the Underworld I was. But I'll tell everyone later. Right now we have a chariot race to do!" I announced. Everybody gathered around the the field. The teams started to assemble. When I was about to sit on the bleachers Mr. D took me aside. "What?"

"Wait for Tantalus," he muttered. I nodded without hesitation. Then Tantalus walked to the track.

"Right! You all know the rules! Quarter mile race. Twice around to win. Two horses per chariot. Two people per chariot one driver one fighter. Weapons and dirty tricks are allowed. Any killing will result in harsh punishment. And we have an announcer! Ms. Vega step forward please," I stepped to Tantalus. "Just use magic to magnify your voice and fly up so you can see the whole track," he muttered. I smirked and nodded. I called on the wind and shot up above the track. I summoned a magic mic.

"Alright! Charioteers to your mark!" I yelled. My voice was five times as loud as my regular volume if I wasn't screaming. I saw the Poseidon, Athena, Hephaestus, Hermes, Apollo and Ares chariots approach the starting line. "Get set!" I saw all of them tense. Then I summoned one more exploding orb and threw it down. Then I snapped my fingers. It exploded with a shower of sparks. "GO!" The chariots took off. Then a loud crack! rang out. "Oooh! The Apollo chariot flipped over by the the Stolls. Typical. But the horses are still going smashing right into the Hermes chariot. Both Apollo and Hermes already out on the first twenty feet! Love this game! Up ahead the Athena chariot already turning on the first pole. Hephaestus chariot gaining on my home chariot," I watched as something was flying towards the wheels. But Tyson whacked them away. "And Tyson on home chariot whacked away the chains! They're gaining speed onto the Athena chariot," then I saw birds lifting from the trees. They created a tornado going straight toward the track. "Oh my gods!" I dissolved the mic and flew down to help. I landed in the Poseidon chariot.

"Clair? What are you doing?" Percy asked.

"Saving your life!" I got two magic transparent orbs. I threw them onto the Athena and Poseidon chariots. They surrounded the whole things. I closed my fists so they're stable. "Annabeth! What's the plan?" I hollered.

"Chiron's collection," she answered. She means Chiron's oldies songs.

"You think?" I asked. She nodded. These birds were the Stymphalian birds. They feed on flesh right to the bone. Hercules got rid of them making the most horrible sound he could think of. Annabeth pulled up alongside our chariot and jumped in.

"To the Big House!" She ordered. Percy turned around and headed to the Big House. I summoned my bow and arrows while the other two got the boombox. When we got back the chariots were in flames. It was a mess. Percy shoved the CD in and played. The birds went nuts. They began to fly skyward altogether. "Now archers!" Annabeth commanded. I jumped off the chariot and notched seven arrows. I let loose. All of us got bird after bird after bird. In a few minutes the ground was littered with dead metal birds. But the camp didn't look too great. Everyone was bleeding somewhere. The Aphrodite cabin was just a mess. Then Tantalus gave Clarisse the golden laurel since she did cross the finish line.

"Now to punish the troublemakers who disrupted this race," Tantalus smiled at Percy.