watch?v=6mhtJduoCZ0 (listen to while listening)

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." – Unknown

"I'll be patient, one more month
You'll wrap your fingers round my thumb
Times are changing, I know, but who am I if
I'm the person you become
If I'm still growing up" Growing Up (Sloane's Song), Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

"Really, Percy?" Paisley hissed, lifting up her knife ρεύμα (stream in Greek).

"Really," Percy nodded, pointing to the immobile dummy hanging off a rope. "Hit it as hard as you can with the knife."

Paisley looked at him strangely, making him sigh and nod towards the straw-stuffed figure.

She steadied her stance, took a deep breath and lunged at the dummy. The knife jabbed into it's stomach.

"You're too close. You don't have any defence," Percy critiqued. "Your movement was too slow. Try it again, harder and faster. Monsters aren't going to wait for you."

Paisley sighed, and stood back again, ready to pounce. She stabbed the dummy quickly, before darting back again.

"This isn't a boxing arena, you want to kill it, not pet it," Percy reached for the dagger. "May I?"

Paisley handed over the handle of the knife and stood to the side, watching carefully at Percy's actions.

Percy moved like water, his body flowing swiftly to the dummy, dragging the blade upwards through the stomach, making the hay fall out, and before she could blink, Paisley saw Percy standing back again, watching the straw fall to the floor.

"Your turn again," Percy handed over the knife, this time standing behind her to correct her position. "If the war is declared, you're most likely going to have armour and won't have to worry about a majority of your body. However the weapons now are more advanced, so you can't always depend on it. With the dagger, you're going to have to get close to your opponent. It will feel dangerous, and you will get scared. But you have to remember, kill or be killed."

Percy guided her hand to show her a few techniques.

"Try the first one on your own, slowly," He paced his talking like he was speaking to a young child, which in some ways she was. She was less skilled than most of the younger kids at the camp.

Paisley moved slowly and carried out the movement.

"Now try it quicker," Percy demanded, examining her movement.

Paisley did it faster.

"You're getting the hang of this," Percy grinned proudly. "We need to go back before we get attacked by harpies."

In the morning, Paisley woke up sore all over. Her arms were sore from working hard and her legs from having to dart back and forth as quick as lightning.

"Ugh," She unattractively groaned, rolling over as the sun glinted into her eyes.

Percy chuckled from where he was putting on his shoes, watching as she sat up unhappily.

"For once I'm up before you!" Percy said, as if it was an accomplishment.

"Shh," Paisley hissed, throwing her covers off and plonking her feet on the floor. Her hair was so tangled, she looked like Mufasa from The Lion King.

"You should be getting ready, we need to go to breakfast," Percy told her, opening her chest and throwing some of her clothes at her. "Really?" He made a face and dangled her bra off a finger.

"I'm surprised that that's still surprising to you," Paisley said, grabbing a shirt and some shorts from the pile and running into the makeshift change area.

After changing, Paisley ran after Percy who was heading towards the dining pavilion. Naturally, she jumped on his back when she caught up.

"Oof!" Percy groaned underneath the new weight, before straightening up and piggy backing her the rest of the way.

Dropping her by the front, Percy ran over to where Annabeth was waiting.

Paisley huffed, and grumbled underneath her breath. "Ditch me, why don't you?" She said, following after him like a lost puppy.

Nico looked at her from his table, filled with regret. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings (I wrote feels, omg. Great English Sky. Just fabulous) but he also didn't want her going back on the quest. He knew how dangerous it would be to finish it, but knew it was even more dangerous to leave it uncompleted.

She took no notice of Nico, however, and sat down at her table like nothing was the matter. And for once, all her issues were pushed into the back of her mind.

Paisley was hitting the dummy like nobody's business, when Nico went down to the training arena after dinner. Sweat was dripping down the sides of her face and her hair was sticking. Her cheeks were red and she was huffing and puffing.

If Nico were to be completely honest, he didn't find it unattractive. On the other hand, he didn't think she knew much about marital arts or hitting dummies or was capable of violence, but there she was.

So maybe he said some stuff, and maybe it all came out wrong and though he was thinking it, he didn't mean to say it.

She looked kick-ass, hacking at the dummy. Straw was falling to the floor with every strike, elbow, knee, foot and dagger. She looked like lethal had taken human form.

Before Nico could find himself, he blinked and she was gone from the Arena.

Paisley didn't want to stay in the Arena.

Her heart rate was getting alarmingly high and her breath was too fast. Her head hurt, and her arm was cramping. It felt like the walls were shrinking even before Nico showed.

Crashing into her cabin, Paisley almost threw herself back out at the sound.

Percy was singing in the shower. And it wasn't pleasant.

Hence why Paisley preferred to use the ones in the shower block. Percy's hair gels and deodorant cluttered the sink and it smelt like boy. The only time she would go into the bathroom in the cabin was when she needed to go in the middle of the night.

"Shut up, Percy!" Paisley snapped, sitting on her bed and running her hands through her hair, as sweaty as it was.

"Hey!" He yelped in surprise, obviously not hearing her come in. "When did your panties get in a twist?"

Paisley heard the shower go off and she closed her eyes, the aching behind them growing intense.

"I honestly don't know," She told him as he strutted from the bathroom in sweatpants, towel drying his hair. "I was training after Dinner and then Nico showed up and I couldn't concentrate and so I left and my head hurts really badly right now and I really want to sleep."

She looked up at Percy, as he looked down at her from where he stood hopelessly.

"Go take a shower and come back, then tell me how you feel and depending on what you feel, we can got to Will and see if he's got anything to help, or any answers as to why you're feeling crappy. I'm gonna sound like my mum when I say this but drink some water as well while you're out," Percy leaned forwards, tossing her the towel and taking her pyjamas and toiletry bag from the end of her bed. Shoving them into her arms, Percy helped her stand.

"Here," Percy slipped her glasses onto her face, a little off-centre, right before she went out the door. "It might be straining your eyes."

Paisley could tell how much Percy was trying for her. She knew it wasn't easy for him, considering the circumstances but she appreciated his care.

Kissing his cheek quick, Paisley left the cabin trying not to think.

"We've just run out of asprin, and we can't give you nectar or ambrosia until we figure out why you reacted like that last time. I wouldn't say it was dehydration, as it's pretty hard for you not to drink water seeing as you're Poseidon's daughter. It could be your eyes, sure, but just to make sure there's been no side-effects from the medication we've been giving you-" Will rambled, before Percy cut him off.

"Medication?" He asked, standing next to his sister protectively.

"Yeah, medication for your Anxiety and Depression. Have you been taking it?"

"No," Paisley sighed. "It makes me feel weird."

"Well, stay in the infirmary tonight and see how you feel in the morning. If you're still feeling under the weather, I could find something for you. If you feel better it was probably just fatigue. I'll see what I can do about the depression pills you'd been prescribed," Will patted her head as he stood from his chair. "It's probably just stress. The Nike cabin does Yoga occasionally in the mornings."

"Thanks Will," Percy told his friend. "Really."

"Anything for a friend," Will smiled and left the room.

"Well," Percy said, turning to his sister. "This sucks, doesn't it?"

"Kinda," Paisley replied, as Percy sat on the bed next to her, wrapping an arm around her mindfully.

"You get some rest then, I'll be back in the morning," Before Percy could even think of standing, Paisley gripped his hand and asked him to stay.

Percy smiled down at her, feeling proud of himself for once in what felt like a long time.

"Okay," He stroked her cheek as she buried herself underneath the covers.

She closed her light eyelids, as Percy began to hum.

"They say boys don't cry, but your Dad has shed a lot of tears. They say I should be a strong man, but baby I'm still filled with fear," Percy sang gently.

As Paisley fell asleep, Percy caught a ghost of a smile on her lips.

A/N

Wow that took ages to write.

I tried hard to make this as realistic as I could, and though this may look like a filler chapter (whoops) I feel like I need to build on Percy and Paisley's relationship a little more for it to match the one in Battle Of Bands, hence why they had a whole bunch of bonding.

To be honest, I don't know why I feel compelled to share my views and opinions with people on the internet rather than my friends, but here I go...
I feel really jealous of Percy and Paisley's relationship, because I want mine to be like this with my older brother. My brother and my relationship is great, I mean my brother is the greatest catch anyone his age could get. He got my Nana to take him to the other side of Auckland to get his ex-girlfriend a birthday present. I don't think it gets much better. We don't talk much though, and I wish we did. I wish that it didn't take our parents arguing and him winding up on the roof in the middle of the night, or one of us crying in the bathroom when everyone was asleep to realise how much we needed each other and for our relationship to strengthen.

What I'm trying to say is make the most of your siblings, because you're never ever going to get one like them. Believe me, I have three (siblings that is)

On a lighter note,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

If you don't celebrate Christmas, Happy Random Friday!

I ate a egg and cheese toastie and the egg wasn't cooked and I feel sick. I've felt weird for months. I get headaches every day... And it feels terrible.

For the last time this year,

~KaleidoscopeColours