After the strange dream I couldn't, for the life of me, fall back to sleep. I looked over at the clock a dozen times before finally decided to get up, get dressed, and get training. I guess when you're a demigod who can't sleep training becomes your absolute best friend.

The sun is just starting to rise and there are a few nymphs prancing around like baby deer. All three of the targets for archery have about thirty arrows sticking from the bull's eye. Two of the eight dumbies are lying in pieces around the now hacked up stick they once stood. My back is turned away from the third dumby and my sword is in my hand ready to attack. A deep breath fills my lungs and I spin around landing several hits on the dumby before his head flies off. I bend the water in the air and shoot the head into the unknown.

"Careful, Samurai. Don't need a water nymph at your door for littering. Little buggars those ones." I turn to the voice of an unknown person. Their accent has a hint of Brit maybe Australian.

"Who are you?" I ask cautiously and the tip of my sword is point at the person's throat just under his chin.

"Eh, mate, no need for this. Only demigods can come in the camp, remember?" The guy's hands are in the air in surrender. I remove my blade.

"What's your name?"

"Seth Boarder. Aphrodite child."

"I've never seen you before. Piper's never mentioned you either."

"Piper doesn't get along with most of her cabin mates and I usually stay in the shadows. I've been back in my hometown up in Australia. Just got back."

"From the outback?" I lift an eyebrow at my own joke.

"Har har. Very funny, mate. Who are you anyhow?"

"Skylar Rey Coast. Poseidon."

"Ah, Kelphead's got himself a sister. Mighty fine sister at that." I try not to blush at his comment.

"You wanna hang out sometime? Dinner maybe?" My smile drops as I realize he just asked me out.

"Listen, I know you just got back but you really shouldn't be asking me that." I laugh lightly and turn back to the dumby.

"C'mon babe. Just one date."

"You're about to get in a lot of trouble."

"What's the worst that could happen?" As if on cue, the ground rumbles and a skeleton hand grads Seth's leg. At the same time, ice forms around his hands as handcuffs. More skeletal hands reach up.

"You're about to find out unless you tell my girlfriend you're extremely sorry, mate." Nico hisses at him.

"You're dating the son of Hades?" Seth almost yelps.

"You bet." Nico's grin is scary evil and it's kinda hot.

"I... I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. Please, let me go." Nico laughs once and then waves a hand. The skeletal hands let go and retreat back into the ground. I melt the handcuffs and Seth runs back to the cabins.

Nico comes over to me in long strides. He wraps his arm tightly around my waist and then bends down so his mouth is to my ear. "You're mine. Remember that, Mia Oceano." His voice sends a shiver down my spine. " And if anyone ever gives you a problem, tell them they'll visit my dad a lot sooner then they want to. They might even get a surprise visit to the goddess of misery herself."

"Even though I think your hot when you're angry does not mean you can go around grabbing every guy who looks at me with skeletons."

"Awe! Why not?" Nico puts his bottom lip out making a pouty face.

"You're cute when you pout. Anyway, because I actually want to make friends my own age other than Jason, Leo, Frank, Hazel, and Piper... How old is Reyna? I have no clue if she's my age or not."

"She's seventeen. She actually tried going out with Jason and your brother."

"Unneeded information, Neeks."

"You asked." I shrug and start walking with Nico still at my side, one arm around my waist.

We walk along the shore in a peaceful silence enjoying each other's company. The water pushes and pulls at the wet sand in calming waves. The sun is just above the water line making the sky a mixture of pinks, oranges, and purples. As I look at Nico I notice that he's finally gotten some of his Italian tan back.

There's a rustle in the woods and then snickering. I roll my eyes and turn towards the noise both hands on my hips. The rustling and laughing stop and two heads appear from behind the trees. Jake and Connor smile sheepishly.

"Alright, where are the other two?" I demand.

"Brandon didn't wanna come and Travis went to find Katie. It's just us!" Jake grins widely and pulls out a camera. "Thanks for the blackmail - I mean pictures." They run.

"Jake! Connor!" I yell but the two jokesters are gone.

I sigh and go back to walking with Nico. We give each other a look and already know who Jake's parent is. He does only have a mom. I ignore it and keep going. The horn blows for breakfast so we walk back to the Mess Hall. My stomach growls and Nico smirks.

"Good timing." I just roll my eyes at my boyfriend.

Percy and the others are already waiting at the Poseidon table. Though Nico makes a bee - line to his own table, I pull him over to everyone else. Riley, Jake, and Brandon come over. They sit next to me like they used to do back in California.

"Those people are nuts." Riley says and slumps tiredly.

"I know! It's awesome!" Jake grins widely.

"Of course you'd think that. You're just as nuts as they are!" I laugh and he shoves me lightly. All three of us begin our own conversation subconsciously ignoring the others.

"Uh, guys." I hear Leo awkwardly clear his throat.

"Oh! Sorry, Flame'O. Habit." I smile sheepishly.

"Flame'O?" Brandon asks.

"Watch," Leo says and grins wickedly. He stands up and in an instant his entire body is a flaming mass. Riley screams and Brandon jumps up but Jake just laughs in pure glee.

"Alright, Repair Boy. Don't scare them anymore then they already are," Piper rolls her eyes and shoves Leo back into his seat after he puts himself out.

"Gods, Beauty Queen. Lighten up! Luckily, I can light up." No one laughs.

"Anyway," Percy speaks up, "I heard Sky's gonna take you to the training arena after this. Maybe Spark Plug and I could stop by and spar for some... First hand witnessing. He and I have a," Percy pauses, "disagreement to work out."

"Yeah. A disagreement." Jason smiles evilly and so does my brother.

"Uh, should I be scared?" I ask and lean away from the two insane boys.

"Yes," Reyna, Hazel, Frank, and the others reply.

I head down to the arena with my three friends and Nico by my side. Percy and Jason are already stretching for their battle. When we get down to them we take a seat on the bleechers and the two teenagers take there stances.

"Before you two start, can I ask why you need to fight?"

"No!" they yell in unison.

I a flash of gold and bronze, the two are batteling. Percy fakes a jab to the left but Jason was execting his swipe to the right. Jason's gladius clashes with Riptide. Superman shoots into the air and appears right behind Percy. A line of water arcs from the tip of Riptide down onto Jason and the force pushes him back.

They fight for several more minutes and what finally yields the fight is a lucky jab from Jason that surprised my brother and then Jason trips him. Percy falls to the ground with a thud and before he can even think about rolling to the side, Jason's gladius is at his throat.

"Dead!" Jason laughs happily. Percy back flips into standing postion and claps the dust from his clothes.

"Now may I know why you were fighting?" I ask aggravated.

"Percy snuck into my cabing while I was sleeping and put a brick next to me. I would've been fine with that but then he took pictures and gave then to the Aphrodite cabin."

"In return, Jason photoshopped a picture of Rachel and I kissing and gave it to Annabeth with a note that read, 'The Oracle wants your boyfriend. She's already kissed him once.. What's next?' making me have to explain everything to Annabeth from what happened over two years ago." Percy finishes.

"How did you photoshop it?" I ask since electronics were strictly forbidden.

"Leo has a monster proof laptop he uses for pranks and making blueprints." I nod.

"Well, now that you've seen a battle, how about we try one? Nico, show Brandon and Jake some moves while I work with Riley. Then, we'll get into the groups I talked about earlier."