DISCLAIMER: I'M NOT RICK RIORDAN AND I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON.

(( Oh, and about Poseidon's last name — whoops. Sorry, didn't see that coming. :) (This is for you, Me and My Luck.) ))

Thals POV

Thalia walked to the cafeteria. Usually she'd steer clear of boys, but today especially. She shook her head, still feeling annoyed at what happened earlier in the day. A guy who looked exactly like Luke, named Neil. Wow. Next to Percy, she'd probably win the second place of Worst Demigod Luck.

She sat down near the corner and started chewing her pizza. She frowned at the cafeteria doors. Where were her cousins? Sheesh, boys. Rotten, smelly boys. Rotten, smelly, repulsive, vile—

"Hi," Zeus said, approaching his daughter carefully, jerking her out of her boy-loathing time.

"Oh, it's you," Thalia sighed. "Sorry about what happened this morning. I guess I was just in a bad mood." Because of smelly, rotten—

"It's okay," Zeus assured her. "I'm Victor, by the way."

Thalia studied the new guy. He looks almost exactly like her dad. Weird. How come there are a lot of lookalikes today?

"Thalia," Thalia said with a smile.

Just then, a very annoying voice said, "Victor, honey—" then stopped. "Oh, it's you," the owner of the voice said, sounding relieved. It was Hera.

"Hi," Thalia said. "I'm Thalia."

Hera looked at her somewhat coldly, but then her face warmed, after a pause. "I'm Lucille."

"She's my girlfriend," Zeus said obediently, when Hera gave him a nudge. They made peace from what happened earlier that day with the brunette, but then Hera decided to be a little bit more possessive.

Artemis walked over to their table, but then a boy approached her.

"Hi, you're Luna, right?" he said. He had an arrogant air around him. He smirked at his friends from his table.

Artemis felt like punching the guy, but then she realized that it was a bit unfair, since he didn't really do anything. So instead, she used her usual way of regarding boys. "Yes," she said very icily.

The boy's smile wavered. "I'm looking for a date, you know, for the dance?"

"Sorry, can't," she said immediately.

A look of outraged disbelief passed the guy's face. "You don't know what you're refusing," he said slowly. "A lot of girls would love to go out with me."

Artemis was about to object, but then she remembered the girls in her gym class and decided that it wasn't that far-fetched. "Well, not this girl," she said harshly, then hightailed to Thalia's table.

Then a bunch of people appeared at their table. Thalia's head was spinning. Where the heck did they come from? Were they Percy's friends? For some reason, she didn't think so. She had no idea why, though.

Percy walked in the cafeteria with a girl. Athena narrowed her eyes.

Percy looked annoyed, but then he forced a smile at the girl. "Yeah, well, see you later, Mimi."

When the girl left, his smile turned into a grimace. He walked to Thalia's table.

"Who was that?" Athena immediately pounced on him.

Percy looked surprised, but then he explained anyway. "She's a friend, I guess." He cringed. "She won't leave me alone, though. And trust me, I tried explaining that I had a girlfriend, but she thinks I'm making it up."

Athena felt relieved. She didn't really want Poseidon's kid to date Annabeth, but then she didn't want him to break her heart either.

"So, who are you, guys?" Percy asked. The gods were about to introduce themselves yet again when Nico walked over to them, cursing under his breath.

"What's wrong, Nico?" Thalia asked.

Nico scowled. "What's wrong? This is wrong." He slammed down a bunch of books on the table dramatically. "I have homework in all the classes, and it's barely half the first day of school! I didn't even have time to drop them off in my locker!"

Percy chuckled. "Welcome to high school, kid," he said. "Wait till you get a load of chemistry."

"You have no idea," Athena said darkly, glaring at Poseidon, who just grinned back at her.

"This is worse than the Fields of Punishment," he moaned.

"Nico!" Thalia hissed, averting her eyes from the Olympians. What if the normal kids heard Nico rambling about their secret lives?

Nico's eyes widened, but then Hades rushed on to save his son. "Oh, I studied a lot of Greek mythology, too," Hades said.

Thalia, Percy, and Nico all breathed sighs of relief.

"So, you like mythology, Adam?" Thalia asked, shooting a knowing glance at her cousins. The gods just smiled at them amusedly.

Then the bell rang. "Okay, see y'all later," Thalia drawled, tossing her paper plate to the trash. Then she turned to Percy. "We have the same period, so shake a leg, Kelp Head."

~*~

Nico was scared that he might turn to the hunchback of Notre Dame before the school year ends. He lugged his heavy backpack with him while gritting his teeth. High school. What a joke. It's so tiring...

He thought about using shadow-travel, but then he was so tired...he might faint on the middle of the process and end up in Bolivia or someplace.

"Hey," a guy's voice said. Nico turned to see Hades, giving him a half-smile. "Need some help, kid?"

Hades looked at his son with pity. He was never actually much of a father to him, in his opinion. He frowned slightly, remembering the time he nearly blasted him in the Underworld. He never really got over his guilt for that.

"Thank you," Nico puffed, handing over his history textbook and algebra workbook. "I'm about to deteriorate," he muttered, rubbing his sore arms.

Hades chuckled, and he walked with his son until they reached the park.

~*~

Percy peered at the halls nervously, waiting for the giggly maniac to appear from some corner. This was starting to freak him out. Why, of all people, was HE her crush? She was too...well, she was a lunatic.

He walked slowly to his neighborhood. A light hand tapped him on the shoulder. He flinched. She's after me again, he thought.

"Jeez, what's wrong?" Thalia laughed. "It's just me."

"Oh. Sorry." He let out a giant whoosh of breath.

"So, I need a place to crash tonight," Thalia was saying. She wrinkled her nose. "The Hunters had to take a major detour to Washington DC. Can I stay over?"

Before Percy could answer, Nico jogged towards them, wheezing with the load he had to carry. "Hey, Perce, mind if I stay over for tonight? I don't think I can go to the Underworld. They said that Dad was out, and if I go there, I'd have to be with Persephone."

"Wait." Percy frowned. "It's still September. Isn't she supposed to be with Demeter around this time?"

"Demeter had to go somewhere, too." He shook his head. "There is no way I am staying with that crazy woman. The last thing I need is to become a pansy or a dandelion again."

Percy laughed. "Okay, guys, I guess you could stay for a while."

When they walked in the house, Mrs. Blofis was there. "Percy!" she said. Then she noticed Nico and Thalia. "Hi, kids," she said with a smile. "You want cookies?" She handed them a bunch of blue cookies.

"Thanks, Mom," Percy grinned. "Can Thalia and Nico stay over tonight?"

Mrs. Blofis smiled. "All right. Do you have your things with you?" she asked them.

A small bag suddenly appeared, slung over Thalia's shoulder. "Yes, Aunt Sally," she said.

Nico shrugged. "I guess I could shadow-travel myself to the Underworld long enough to get my stuff."

"By the way, Percy..." Mrs. Blofis's smile widened. "Someone's coming over later."

"Who?" Percy asked, his mouth full of cookies. Milk dribled in the side of his mouth.

"Wipe your mouth, dear," she sighed. She took a napkin and started wiping Percy's face like he was still a baby, which made Thalia and Nico snicker silently.

"She'll stay for three months," Mrs. Blofis continued, pouring them milk. "Her dad's in Vietnam with the family, and they said she could stay here till then."

"Who?" Thalia asked this time.

"That'll be me," a voice behind them said.

They all turned to see a blonde with startling gray eyes and a wide smile carrying a bunch of duffel bags. "Hey, guys. Hi, Mrs. Blofis. You left the front door open, so I hope you don't mind..."

"Of course not dear!" Mrs. Blofis grinned. "I'll just check the laundry while you youngsters have a 'little reunion'." She turned and left.

"Annabeth!" Thalia cried. She gave her a bear hug. "Hi!"

Annabeth laughed and hugged her back. She ruffled Nico's hair like he was a kid.

"Hey!" Nico protested.

She opened her arms in front of Percy. "Hey, Seaweed Brain," she said casually.

Percy gave her a hug. "I'm taller than you now," he whispered in her hair.

Annabeth snorted. "You haven't changed a bit, huh?"

Percy laughed and gave her a kiss. Then Annabeth pulled away, surveying everyone. "So, is this like a sleepover, or what?"

"I'll be here until I recruit twenty Hunters," Thalia explained. "Well, obviously, you can't help much in this department, because—" She smirked at Percy. "—I guess you're kind of busy."

"And I'll be staying here until Dad comes back from wherever he went," Nico said.

"Cool." Annabeth grabbed a cookie and started chewing.

Mrs. Blofis walked in. "Paul will be home soon. I'll just get started with dinner," she said.

Thalia grinned. "So, what's for dinner, Aunt Sally?"