Finley has bitten off more than she can chew. 

After being confirmed by Poseidon that Luke is still alive, it was Finley who was leading the search plans. It was Finley who was helping camp prepare. It was Finley that met with Chiron and Mr. D to confirm plans and make sure things weren't going awry. 

After Nico, a theorized son of Hades, disappeared through a crack in the ground, Finely has work night and day to think of how to get him back. It was Finley who offered to go down the Hades's Realm to speak with him about his son. It was Finley who made the most effort in finding him . . .other than Percy. 

On top of protecting the camp, searching for Nico, Grover's quest to find Pan, extra training hours, Blackjack, and war preparations, Finley also had to focus on her school work. She promised Annabeth when her blonde friend left for San Fransisco she'd keep up with her studies. 

Irritated by her siblings' constant pestering, Finley had her own workspace in the Big House. There you could find ancient legends and texts, maps, battle plans, and pictures of her friends. 

Luckily, the grey hair Finley received from holding the sky lay under her mass of light brown hair. It was easily concealed, but she was proud of it. It showed she had done something great. 

"There's more to fighting monsters than just waving a sword around," Finley told the newer campers. Some ranged from the small age of six to thirteen. Some were her siblings, others were not. 

"That's what it seems like," a boy called snarkily. He was the oldest out of the group and stood taller than Finley. He clearly thought his height granted him superiority. 

"And neither is this," Finley smirked. She waved her hand. The sword the boy had been holding was actually a plastic pipe. "But you aren't ready to have the talk about toxic masculinity."

Finley trained more than anyone. Even during the school year, she begged Chiron to transfer her to cyber school so she could help at camp, she worked none stop. He almost didn't let her, but she was persistent. 

Over that time, she grew stronger. She wouldn't say she was more reliant on her powers, she simply used them as a tool. She stayed true to her sword, but if her opponent left it open, she'd momentarily blind them. 

Will and the other healers constantly begged her to stop using that tool. 

Once she mastered it, she moved on to something more complex. This, however, she needed Chiron to teach her. Like he taught Thalia with the mist, he taught her how to warp illusions by warping beams of light. It was extremely hard and Finley was only able to keep her ability going for short amounts of time. 

But she was getting stronger. 

"Fighting monsters isn't just doing a battle call and running head-on into a situation," Finley repeated

"What more is there than swinging a sword?" one of the smaller girls asked. Her name is Hadley and she was Finley's little sister. Now Hadley didn't match what their other siblings looked like. While most of Apollo's children had tanned skin, Hadley had bronze. While most of the Apollo children had blonde hair, Hadley had dark brown. 

Finley wouldn't tell, but Hadley was her favorite sibling. 

"Well first, there are multiple kinds of weapons," Finley stated. "It just depends upon which works best for you. Aside from-"

"If you're the daughter of the archer god, why don't you shoot a bow?"

"I'm horrific with a bow." Finely said bluntly. "An important aspect of fighting monsters is knowing your weaknesses, knowing your limits." She paused. "Does anyone have any ideas about other aspects of fighting monsters?"

"Identification," a Demeter camper, Josh, said shyly. "If you cut the head off of a hydra, two more grow back. Knowing what monster it is can help you defeat it."

"Ten points to Slytherin!" Finley grinned. 

None of the kids understood her reference and she frowned. 

"What-?"

"Nevermind," Finley brushed it off. "Good job, Josh! Anyone else?"

Nobody moved. 

"Well, you must know how to run on different types of land. If you know how to run on different terrains, you can fight on different terrains." Finley's hazel eyes scanned the group. "Knowing the person you are fighting beside. Knowing their techniques and their weaknesses-"

"Who do you fight beside?"

"What do you mean?" Finley furrowed her brows.

"Well you obviously have experience," a girl of Asian decent shrugged. Finley didn't want to assume what part of Asia her family came from and didn't want to be intrusive seeing as families were a sore spot for most demigods. "So who normally fights alongside you?"

"Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena," Finley said. "We've been facing bullies since we were five. Thalia Grace, huntress of Artemis, since I was seven . . .minus a few year gaps. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, at the age of twelve."

"What are their weaknesses?"

"That's something you'll have to learn yourself," the corner of Finley's mouth lifted into a small smirk. "I do believe Annabeth Chase is arriving tomorrow. Percy Jackson should be coming later today. I guess you'll have to see them fight then."

"Is Percy your boyfriend?"

"No."

"That's not what I heard."

Before Finley could respond Silena, a daughter of Aphrodite, interrupted. 

"Finley!" she called. "It's time to get ready for your date!"

"It's not a date," she huffed.

***

Percy had managed to blow up the band room of Goode Highschool. 

Thus Finley's free day, her break from everything was ruined. 

The daughter of Apollo would be lying if she said she wasn't excited for their 'not date date'. She'd also be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. 

Despite it not being a date, Finley wanted it to be one. She came to the realization she liked him. Well technically Annabeth did. . . sorta. It was an IM (Iris Message) with Annabeth that drew Finley to her conclusion.

After Finley had dinner with Percy and Sally, she had called Annabeth. She basically just rambled on about Percy with a small smile on her face while the blonde kicked back and smirked. 

Annabeth started laughing hysterically when Finley froze suddenly with wide eyes. 

"I like Percy," she murmured. "I actually have a crush on a complete dumbass."

Finley strolled down East 81st Street with her hands stashed away in her denim jacket when someone crashed into her. If it weren't for her extensive training, she would've fallen to the ground. 

A large grin spread across her face as she saw a familiar boy with sea-green eyes. 

"Hey, you're out early!" She laughed, grabbing his shoulders to keep him from tumbling into the street. "Watch where you're going, Seaweed Brain, or might just bulldoze scooter granny over there."

For a moment Finley was in a good mood. While Annabeth almost always wore her camp t-shirt, Finley didn't. Instead, she wore a white shirt with thin black stripes and black ripped skinny jeans. Her waterproof black converses, courtesy of Artemis as a 'thank you', were spotless. Her hazel eyes, as always, twinkled with light. Percy noticed that her light brown hair fell around her shoulders rather than tucked away in a french braid. 

Finley's blazing smile faded once she saw Rachel Elizabeth Dare, a curly red-haired mortal with paint stains on her hands. 

"Percy, wait up!" the girl called, covered in monster dust. 

Finley stared at Rachel, then at the school. For the first time, she seemed to notice the black smoke and the ringing fire alarms. 

"What the actual Hades did you do?" she asked, turning to Percy. "And who's the muggle?"

'Oh, Rachel – Finley. Finley – Rachel. Um, she's a friend. I guess."

"You are in so much trouble. And you still owe me an explanation!" Rachel said with her eyes narrowed on the boy. 

Police sirens wailed on FDR Drive.

"And you won't be a little Pettigrew and keep everything you say to yourself and not rat out your 'friends'," Finley said sweetly. "Come on, Percy. We need to go."

Rachel ignored her remark and turned to Percy, waiting for his explanation. 

"I want to know more about half-bloods," Rachel insisted. "And monsters. And this stuff about the gods." She grabbed his arm, whipped out a permanent marker, and wrote a phone number on his hand. "You're going to call me and explain, okay? You owe me that. Now get going." 

"But –" 

"I'll make up some story," Rachel said. "I'll tell them it wasn't your fault. Just go!" 

She ran back towards the school, leaving Finley and Percy in the street. Finley stared at me for a second. Then she turned and took off. 

"Hey!" Percy jogged after her. "There were these two empousai," he tried to explain. "They were cheerleaders, see, and they said camp was going to burn, and –" 

"You told a mortal girl about half-bloods?" Finley demanded sharply. "You can't just go around-"

She can see through the Mist. She saw the monsters before I did."

"So you told her the truth." Finley raised a brow as she pulled her long hair into a messy bun. 

"She recognized me from Hoover Dam, so –"

"You've met her before?" 

"Um, last winter. But, seriously, I barely know her." 

"She's kind of cute," Finley suggests irritably. 

"I – I never thought about it." 

Finley kept walking towards York Avenue. 

"I'll deal with the school," Percy promised, anxious to change the subject. "Honest, it'll be fine." 

Finley tried not to show the irritation in her voice or face as she turned to face him.

"I guess our afternoon is off." she declared, her hazel eyes meeting his green ones. "We should get you out of here, now that the police will be searching for you." 

Smoke billowed up from Goode High School. In the dark column of ashes. 

"You're right," Percy told Finley, his heart sinking. "We have to get to Camp Half-Blood.Now."