AN: There's a picture of how I see Melinoe for this story on the Facebook for my works. Also, I'm looking for someone interested in drawing commissions for these stories in exchange for me 'advertising' for them. If you're interested in that PM me.

AN2: I'll try to make a good sketch of Percy and Melinoe's cabin and post it on the Facebook when I can.

The Meaning of Power

Chapter Three

-Percy-

"So Mel," he asked as they walked hand in hand down to the main part of the camp, "you want to make our own little cabin, wait for dad to claim me, or bunk with the Hermes kids?"

Melinoe just shot him a deadpan expression, "You seriously have to ask that Percy? We're making our own cabin! No way am I bunking with that many people."

"That's not the way things work here." An unknown and exceedingly arrogant voice spoke up off to the side as they turned to see a demigoddess, a daughter of Athena judging by the eyes, had been eavesdropping.

"Guess they aren't big on manners judging by owl shit over there." He shrugged, not caring at the scowl that adorned the blonde's features.

"Some are, most of us are more interested in the fight itself." Another new voice spoke up as he saw a group of large and burly campers led by an attractive brunette, "Name's Clarisse, daughter of Ares. Now you newbies will have to go through the initiation."

Having heard of the stupid 'initiation ritual' that the Ares cabin liked doing to new campers he spoke up, "Here's a better idea. Instead of some stupid swirly in the camp toilet how about a fight in the arena instead? You say this is a camp for warriors and you're the strongest heir of the god of war? Then prove it. Make showing your strength the initiation."

Clarisse looked ready to argue before pausing and thinking about his words, "Alright newbie, you got a deal. I'll see you in the arena in an hour so you have a chance to get a weapon." With that the Ares campers all lumbered off, snickering loudly at the upcoming 'beating'.

"You're going to get your ass kicked you know." The blonde from before snorted derisively "An untrained demigod has no chance against the leader of the Ares cabin."

"Oh go eat some porridge goldilocks." Melinoe brushed the words off, "Percy can handle her."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." The blonde shrugged before jogging off to the cabins.

"How much should I hold back?" he asked Melinoe when he was sure nobody else was around.

After humming thoughtfully his girlfriend gave him a mischievous grin, "You defeat her without using a weapon or armor and only five percent of your strength and speed…and I'll give you a reward later." Shivering at the tone Melinoe used he quickly agreed as they made their way to the Arena. Over the course of the hour until the match the rest of the camp trickled into the stands, even Chiron showed up to 'referee' the fight.

"Are the combatants ready?" Chiron called out as he stood relaxed in his street clothes, much to the mocking amusement of the rest of the camp while Clarisse was decked out in full armor and with an electric spear, judging by the smell of Ozone.

"Yes Chiron." Clarisse said with the bearing of a soldier.

"Yep." He said with an uncaring shrug.

"Then begin!" Chiron quickly backed up as Clarisse charged forward with the spear, likely planning to zap him and finish the entire 'fight' in one move. The second before she would have reached him he slid underneath and to the side of the thrust, using a palm strike on her elbow to send the spear father away and throw her off balance.

Using the momentum of his slide he dropped and spun around, sweeping Clarisse's feet out from underneath her before rolling back to get out of range of a counterattack. As he sprung back up to his feet he saw that the jeers had stopped and been replaced with shock.

"Not bad newbie," Clarisse grunted, spitting on the ground as she climbed back to her feet "but that same trick won't work twice."

"Don't worry, I have many more tricks." He assured her with a grin.

"He's quite tricky like that." Melinoe agreed from the sidelines.

"Whatever. Let's fight!" Clarisse yelled and rushed at him again, this time holding the spears to use it like a staff as he leapt up and over both the demigoddess and the strike, grabbing the back of her armor as he descended and slammer her to the ground. Kicking aside her spear he quickly put the daughter of Ares in a pin, making sure it could in no way look like he was trying to get a feel as he didn't want rumors or a pissed off girlfriend, until Clarisse finally admitted defeat when she couldn't get out.

"Winner!" Chiron declared "Perseus Jackson! Unclaimed demigod, Champion of Kratos, Pseudo Champion of Hades, Persephone, Zelos, Bia, and Styx!" The arena was silent but the shock was palpable in the air after Chiron's announcement.

Said silence was shattered when Clarisse let out a deep belly laugh, "Well that explains how you beat me. Nice job Prissy! Alright girly, you ready to fight?" Clarisse asked Melinoe.

"The ancient laws won't allow me to unless you attack first." Melinoe smirked as she walked over and hugged him from behind, her chin resting on his shoulder.

"But I thought those were…for…oh gods." Clarisse groaned.

"Goddess actually." Melinoe corrected cheerfully, "I am Melinoe, the daughter of Hades and Persephone as well as the goddess of ghosts. But most importantly I'm Percy's girlfriend of three years." As she spoke Melinoe moved to stand next to him, her image blurring before her outfit changed. Before she had been wearing skinny jeans, a black tank top, and a dark red leather jacket she now wore a form fitting black dress and heels.

Deciding to follow her lead he summoned the shadows around him as he called out his armor and weapons. He had hoplite armor made of stygian iron on his arms, chest, and legs as well as a stygian iron helmet with the plume made of Greek fire. At his shoulders he had his twin swords resting between his wings while his spear was gripped in his right hand, the shield blocking the left.

Clarisse is gaping at them before she realized something, "Wait a minute you were holding back!" the demigoddess exclaimed angrily.

"No weapons and five percent of my full strength and speed…and I still kicked your ass." He smirked, propping the spear from Styx up against his shoulder.

"Yeah right." The voice of the blonde from before scoffed derisively "You may have won but there's no way you were holding back that much."

"Listen bird brain," he snapped, not too fond of the House of Athena after what the goddess of Wisdom had done along with Zeus "you've spent what, a good five years here getting trained by Chiron and other demigods? I've spent the past six years getting trained by my patrons as well as the greatest demigods and warriors in Elysium. I am stronger than you are so get over yourself and accept it." As he spoke an aura of black and green energy swirled around him, billowing with his anger as Melinoe let out a small shiver.

"So," Chiron asked, trotting over in an attempt to break the awkward, and somewhat oppressive, silence from his statement "are you going to join Perseus in the Hermes cabin Lady Melinoe? Or would you prefer a room in the big house if you intend to stay here?"

"Neither." Mel said as she linked her arm with his "I shall be creating a cabin for myself and Percy to use while in the camp.

"Um…that's not exactly-" Chiron began nervously only to gulp in fear when Melinoe's eyes began to glow angrily, "That'll be fine!" the ancient centaur exclaimed quickly.

"You two are going to give me no end of headaches, aren't you?" a portly man in a tiger print Hawaiian shirt, who looked like he was suffering from the mother of all hangovers.

"Probably." Mel shrugged as she linked her arm with his, "But we'll probably be giving your father even more so you can watch him suffering through them for him making you work here." As she spoke he pieced together that this was Dionysus.

The god of wine groans, "Just don't cause father to make my punishment worse and we'll be fine, alright?"

"Got it." Mel said happily as she rested her head on his shoulder, "Now if you'll excuse us we have to go make our cabin."