It was dark, rain pouring down in a great deluge; the largest one since Poseidon had flipped his lid and sunk that one city in Egypt. Lightning forked across the sky and weird, feral sounds could be heard from the forest as he ran through it.

It didn't bother him, however. His dear niece, Hella, had a much creepier living style. He didn't mind the icy rain that shouldn't exist in June, either. After That Day, the god promised himself he would never be susceptible to the cold again. And the lightning? That was child's play compared to what his brother used to shock him with when they spared.

Quite honestly, the Norse god was having a hoot trumping through the wild forest. Mother would probably be mad at him for getting dirty and ruining his clothes, but he had to make it believable that he had been on the run for the past few weeks. Loki often marveled how he seemed to have missed gaining Father's wisdom.

It was quite the contrary, however. He knew that the Greeks weren't as dumbs as the rest of the pantheons thought, if just barely. Somebody would notice and start asking questions if he wasn't positively filthy. That, and he might run into his sister on the night like this when she wasn't too busy with her chariot to take the Girls Scouts out for an adventure.

There was a pop of light off to his left, revealing itself to be his grumpy older brother. "Baldur, why in the nine realms are you out here tromping through the forest? You know how Mother feels about you doing that."

"Shut it, Loki. You don't tell Mother about my methods, and I won't tell her about your latest fling. 'Princes shouldn't go throwing themselves at any giant who so much as looks at them.'"

Loki glared, then got a nasty smirk on his face. "Whatever you command, Perseus."

"So much as utter my former name again, and I will tell Thor you were the one who hid Mjolnir last week."

The trickster threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine!" He got thoughtful for a second. "Think Hermes will let me go to that little camp as one of his? I mean, you somehow got Apollo talked into letting you stay in his cabin. Ooh! Then we can have Thor come and claim to be a child of Zeus just to dick him and Hera over."

Baldur rolled his eyes and continued his tromp through the forest. "You very well know that I have no control over what you and Bolt Brain do, just don't jeopardize my fun. I'm sure Hermes would be fine with it, though; he loves a good prank, especially at the expense of his father."

Loki hummed, already lost in the chaos he could wreak on the Greeks. Baldur knew the gleam in his brother's eyes from a millennia of his pranking tendencies. Then, he got a very Aphrodite-ish grin. "We can talk Thor into it, if only as an excuse for him to see Nike more often. I hear she likes to roam the camp of heroes as one of her daughters."

"Fine," Baldur sighed in defeat. "You and Mead Breath can come along. We're about a mile from the camp... Mind getting Thor's attention? My way is a little too, uh, flashy for our current situation."

Loki hopped off the branch he was perched on and saluted Baldur. "Aye aye, Captain. I'll be back in three seconds, tops."

True to his word, Loki was back in exactly three seconds with a very excited-looking Thor. Baldur looked at his brothers in confusion.

"What did you tell him, Loki?"

"One word, Perseus: 'Nike'."

Baldur donned a smirk all too similar to Loki's. "Oh Thor, I meant to tell you this earlier. Loki was the one who hid you hammer last week."

A bolt of lightning bigger than Drama Queen could ever hope for zipped across the sky. "What?!"

.

Luke ended up on perimeter duty the next day, spending it gazing out over the destruction the Olympians' latest hissy fit had caused. Branches and mud layered the road and there was a burning patch of grass from where lightning had struck.

Out of nowhere, he heard a mighty roar, the ground quivering from something. Three teens came scrambling over a rise opposite of Half-Blood Hill, looking haggard and scared. Chasing them was a lystragonian giant that Luke could smell from a hundred yards away. Great.

He brought the conch of his lips and blew hard before charging down the slope, not waiting for backup. It looked like he wasn't needed, however. 

At the bottom of the hill, the tree boys turned to face the giant, one with flaming red hair hefted a hammer that looked like it was crackling with electricity, another one with black hair was twirling a bo staff lazily. The final one, whose hair looked like it couldn't decide between being raven or blond, was in a defensive stance with a sword and looked like he was faintly glowing in the harsh sunlight.

As one, they charged the monster. The red head seemed to fly through the air to smack the giant's face while the one with the staff aimed for the groin and Mr. Glowy Sword-Man chopped off the arm swinging to take out his buddy with the hammer. They all connected at the same time, causing their opponent to die in a poof of yellow powder.

Luke really wanted to see what the kid with the sword could do in the arena.

The three demigods screamed at each other and did a weird head-butt thing before continuing their leisurely jog up the hill to where Luke stood in awe. These kids had to be somewhere between twelve and fifteen, at the oldest.

By now, the rest of the camp was assembled at the top of the hill, gaping at their new family members. Chiron looked a little worried as he gazed on at the kid with the sword.

The one with the red hair stuck out his hand for Luke to shake. "Hey. I'm Terrence, this is Leonard" -the one with the staff glared when Terrence said his name- "and that's Percival, but he goes by Percy. Come to think of it, call me Terry."

"Don't you dare call me Leonard or I will fill you socks with pudding. I'm Lenny."

Sounds like Luke will be getting a new sibling...

"This dude showed up in a shower of light a week ago and said we needed to leave Colorado and come here. He said his name was Apollo and that he was my dad," Percy said. "Which is crazy because my mom said that Dad died while he was on tour with his band."

Terry rolled his shockingly blue eyes. "Ignore him; he still refuses to believe that Apollo is his dad."

As if on queue, a holographic sun appeared over Percy's head-

Along with a trident.

The crowd gasped. Poseidon hadn't had any kids since Perseus betrayed the gods by failing Hercules, getting an innocent killed, and incurring the wrath of the Hesperides.

A few seconds later, a caduceus appeared above Lenny, causing him to smirk like there was some kind of joke only he was in on.

"All hail Percival, son of Apollo and Poseidon, apparently. All hail Leonard, son of Hermes."

The crowd turned to Terry expectantly, but he waved them off. "Don't expect Dad to claim me; he's probably too busy using his little lightning bolt right now to even realize I'm alive."

Luke gasped, then started laughing happily as it looked like he had some potential allies for his cause. "Let's get you guys to the Big House. We have an orientation video and I'm sure Chiron would like to talk to all three of you."

.

Once the obese cherub known as Dionysus left Baldur, Thor, and Loki in Chiron's capable hands, they rid themselves of their disguises. Thor grew to his massive, seven foot height while his eyes once more became the glowing blue-white color they normally took. Loki also grew to his just shy of seven feet stature, allowing the Jotun muscles to peak through, eyes like the dripping acid he was punished with all those years ago.

A bright, buttery light enveloped Baldur-- who grew to his normal six-six height-- as he radiated the purity, nobility, and honor he became known for. His hair became shoulder length and the color of a summer sunset with streaks of black still present from his dad. Baldur's eyes were light sunlight on water, accentuated by the scar in his right eyebrow he got while fighting Laden all those years ago.

"Master Chiron," he stated in his pleasant, once more deep voice.

The centaur dipped his head lightly. "Lord Baldur. May I inquire as to why you and your brothers are pretending to be Greek demigods?"

Loki rolled his eyes and flopped down on the couch. "Don't think the Norse have forgotten what you did to our beloved prince all those years ago. Family is everything to us, and to betray one of your own is unthinkable, especially with someone like my baby brother. WHO'S FATAL FLAW IS LOYALTY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

"We thought we would come dick with the Olympians," Thor said with a shrug as he dropped his precious baby onto the ping-pong table.

"You just came along because you want to see Nike," Baldur teased.

"Thor and Nike, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-"

"Grow up, Loki!" the thunder god growled.

"Make me, Bolt Brain!"

Baldur glazed at his brothers, but there was no real heat behind it. He loved the numbskulls, warts and farts and all.

Chiron cleared his throat. "I believe that Nike is with the nymphs at the moment, racing, if you wish to find her, Lord Thor. She is going by Alana Bua, at the moment. Oh, and Loki. Hestia is here; she asked me to send you her way. Something about trying to out-eat fire?"

Both boys scrambled off to their ladies, leaving the mentor and his old pupil by themselves. Baldur sighed sadly, shifting his form to the one so familiar to Chiron that is hurt.

"Why are you really here, Baldur?"

"He's rising, Chiron, even if the Greeks are too blind to see it. The council may have banished me, stripped me of my connection to my dad, but they are still my family. I'm trying to help them as much as I can under the radar, and also see my brothers and sister on a bit more regular basis."

"And your brothers?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"Loki wanted to cause a little chaos, who am I to stand in his way? As for Thor, well, he's been in love with that strong-headed goddess for the last millennia. Loki and I are tired of his pining, so we're going to set them up together while we're here."

"I assume you want to take part in 'dicking over' the gods as well?"

Baldur shrugged, but a little, Loki-esque smile played in his lips. "That's just a side benefit."

.

True to what his old master said, Baldur found his brother locked a heated foot race with tall, wiry girl that looked about sixteen, her chestnut and gold hair pulled back in two braids as little strands clung to her neck and face from sweat. She had ever-changing eyes that he somehow knew where all the eye colors of anyone who had experienced victory. Splayed across her shoulder blades were tattoos of her wings.

One of the nymphs sidled up beside him. "Impressive, isn't it? The only people who can beat Alana in a race are from the Hermes cabin, but that dude isn't a cabin eleven kind of guy. I'm Juniper, by the way."

He nodded. "Percy. Terrence- don't tell him I called him that- holds a record for sprinting in his old high school as a freshman. None of us are sure how he does it, either."

"Percy, like-?" she trailed off, unsure.

He laughed. "It's short for Percival. I doubt anyone in their right minds would name their child after Poseidon's son."

"Sorry," she whispered. Her soft-looking skin blushed a cute green as she looked up at him through thick lashes. Not that he would ever think about going after her.

No, he was quite happy with being faithful to his wife, Nanna. Besides, there would be a line out the door to kick his ass if he ever did; everybody loved her almost as much as they did him. And let's not forget his son, a god of justice and law speaking...

"It's quite alright; an easy mistake to make."

Loki came bouncing out of nowhere to sit beside Baldur with a satisfied little smirk. "Are we watching dear Sparky get spanked by his girlfriend?"

The light god rolled his eyes. "We all know you're more of the glutton for punishment; you give Sigyn every chance to do so. You better hope she doesn't get any ideas over the summer."

Loki shuddered. "I wouldn't dream of doing that."

Juniper laughed light at their interaction.

With great, pounding steps, Nike and Thor sprinted one last race to the assembled group. Both were dripping sweat and shaking with adrenalin. Nike had a satisfied gleam in her eyes. The goddess must have won; not surprising with her domain over victory.

Juniper gasped. "My lady! I had no idea you were here!"

"Eh, I was tired of dealing with all the Olympians who seem to have stick permanently up their asses." Thunder rolled over head. "I'm talking to you, Drama Queen! Suck it up."

Thor let out a deep, hearty laugh that Baldur reciprocated to a lesser extent.

She turned back to the Norse gods. "Dicking over the head honcho again?"

"Yup," Loki said casually, popping the 'p'.

"I don't care as long as Mr. Mead Breath will come back down tomorrow for another race. Oh, Juniper. This is Loki, Baldur, and Thor, but, ah, keep that on the down low."

Her eyes widened and she gasped lightly. "Of course, my lady! None in nature, well besides that blasted mistletoe, would ever seek to harm or cross Lord Baldur. May I, may I tell the other nymphs and-" Here, her face grew red. "-may I bring my boyfriend to meet you?"

"Aye, but don't let any of the gods of demigods know."

Nike laughed, leaning on Thor subconsciously. "I do believe you've gone soft, Baldur."

"Shut it, Wings, or so help me I will let Loki steal all your clothes and replace them with Adidas!"

She gasped. "You wouldn't dare, Sunshine!"

"Bet?"

She turned her ever-changing eyes on Thor, begging him. "You wouldn't let him do that, would you?"

"You think I could stop him once he gets going?"

"Fine! I'm calling Nanna and Sigyn!"

It was Baldur's turn to gasp. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me, Percy."

.

That night at dinner, Baldur got placed between two sons of Apollo named Will and Michael. They were nice enough, but he could definitely tell they were his brother's children.

Looking across, he saw Thor and Loki teamed up to throw food at Nike until the guy that had showed them to the Big House earlier came to her defense. Baldur sighed, slightly regretting not asking Hermes to 'adopt' him for the duration of their stay.

Either way, he was helping his family. And that's what really mattered in the end.

"Perseus Jackson!"

Oh shit.

.

Just a fun tidbit: Bua means victory in Irish. :P