The Next Generation: The Beginning

Chapter 4 - I have a slumber party with my older brother

"Jason put me down!" I giggled. "Hey, Aud." When I was little I couldn't say her name, so the nickname stuck. I gave her a normal hug. "What are you guys doing here?"

"What, can't a brother and sister come to see their little sis?" Nope. They don't do this. I crossed my arms and Audrey sighed.

"Bianca sent us to ask if you wanted to be allied with us for capture the flag- Apollo cabin is one of the team captains."

"Who's on the team?"

"Apollo, obviously, Hephaestus, Ares, Poseidon, Hecate, and some minor gods and goddesses. Not many cabins, but a lot of kids." Jason had counted the cabins on his fingers as he listed them. "And then you."

"We" I corrected. They both looked at me confused.

"Um, Mia? Last time I checked there was only one of you." Audrey said, looking around to see if she was missing someone.

"Izzy's here and she'll be staying with me."

"Oooohhhh." Was Jason's reply. "Well...?"

I thought for a moment but I already knew the answer.

"Alright. I'll do it."

"Yes!" Jason fist-bumped the sky. "With you on our team, we can't lose! The strategy meeting is today at two o'clock at the big house. Don't be late!" I got two more hugs, and with that, they left. I looked at my phone (Leo Valdez had made something so that demigods and legacies can have phones without attracting monsters)- it was already 1:30. So I finished cleaning and headed over to find out what the strategy for our capture the flag is.

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I walked with Isabella and explained the basics of capture the flag on our way to the big house.

"So let me get this straight," she began. "You guys fight each other, putting your own health on the line... to get a flag?!"

"Ummm... yeah."

"You Greeks confuse me." I laughed

"I don't really get it either, but it's camp tradition. Now let's find out what part we're going to play." The sound of voices coming from inside confirmed that this was the place. I opened the door. There was a big table in the center that was currently covered in a map of camp. The heads of the cabins were all standing around the table. Carlos was standing next to Bianca, talking to a big kid in armor, presumably from the Ares cabin.

"You can lead the charge, although they might prepare for that, so you can go in the middle wave... Mia!" He had looked up from the map and his gaze landed on me. It had been a couple of days since I'd seen him- he had been busy. He ran around the table to hug me while Bianca took over the conversation. Also, I should clarify- I'm not one for physical contact unless they are part of my family. I've always been very close to my family- it's the most important thing to me. The ones that I love are my fatal flaws- I care for people too much.

"Ciao, Carlos! Are we too late?" He smiled Dad's smile.

"Nope. Just in time, even. Hey Bianca! What do we need Mia and Izzy to do?" Bianca thought for a moment.

"Well, we can have Isabella make some minorly cursed gems to distract the other team- maybe some itchy rashes and tickling spells- and Mia, Joey says that you're pretty good at archery," Joey nodded from across the table to confirm this, "so you can be the final line of defense by the flag." She continued talking, but I was not listening. I was going to play capture the flag and I was the final line of defense! I saw Joey glancing at me and he gave me a thumbs up. The meeting ended and after telling Carlos I would stop by the Apollo cabin later, I ran to thank Joey for what he had done for me.