I just realized with what I have planned for the story, I think your reactions are going to be pretty similar to this gif...

Anywho, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Quote:
"I will literally open my mouth not knowing what is coming out."
~Leo Kottke

Chapter 3: That's Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Silena

Luke and Bryn were back together. Silena knew they wouldn't be able to argue for long. She had no idea who initiated 'the talk' but was glad it'd happened. She was tired of seeing those two down. They'd all had enough tragedy in our lives.

"Silena!" Derek called out, jogging up to her. "Okay, so Hades, Poseidon, and Athena have an alliance for capture the flag. Zeus is siding with Ares, Hermes and Hephaestus."

"How did Bryn manage to get the largest cabin on her side?" Silena groaned.

"Because half the Hermes cabin has a crush on her, and the Ares kids like her fighting style. Hephaestus is a swing team."

"What about Nike?"

"Our side. So is Dionysus, Hecate, and Nemesis. Aphrodite and Demeter are on theirs."

"At least we have Apollo on our side. They're as big as the Hermes one. Okay, let's go round up the campers and start planning." Silena and Derek walked to their podium. Bryn was already at hers with her allies surrounding her. Silena wanted to know what she had planned.

"Gather around!" Derek called. Their allied cabins listened. Turning to his girlfriend, Derek added, "It's all yours."

"Okay, I want half of the Athena cabin, half of the Apollo cabin, and Nike to lead the charge. I want the other half of Athena and Apollo to spread out in front of the flag in these places. Leave no area unguarded. Hecate, Dionysus, I want you guys closer to the flag in a smaller perimeter. Nemesis, I want you guarding the flag. Derek, Luke, Hallie, and I will go after the flag. If one of you sees an opportunity in the line and think you can get to the flag, make a break for it. Just be positive you can do it. We can't have all of you rushing after their flag and leaving ours unguarded. Now does everyone know the plan?"

There was a murmur of yeses. Luke dismissed them to their battle positions. He smiled over at Bryn who came jogging over.

"Just thought I'd wish you luck before the game," she said.

"It's you who's going to need luck. Silena's plan is brilliant," he responded, grinning at her.

"Are any of her plans ever not brilliant?"

"So what are the bets?"

"Let's switch it up: I'll bet on your team this time," Bryn said.

"And I'll bet on yours," Luke said. "What are the stakes for the losing team?"

"Loser buys dinner?" Derek suggested.

"No chocolate for two weeks?" Bryn piped up.

"Now that's cruel and unusual punishment," Luke argued.

"Oh is it?" Bryn bit back a smile. "Well I promise if you lose, I won't eat any chocolate in front of you."

"No chocolate for two weeks it is," Derek confirmed. "I really hope I don't lose this one."

"May the force be with you," Luke said. Giving Bryn a kiss, Luke jogged off. Bryn said bye to the rest of the group, grinning ear to ear as she walked to her position.

Silena, Derek, and Hallie met up with Luke in the center of the battle field. Luke and Hallie would go for the flag via the water. Derek would create an underground tunnel that would lead to the flag and try and get it that way with Silena.

The demigods lined up. Luke was staring at Bryn, a huge grin on his face. She smirked back at him but something was off. The smirk didn't seem... Bryn-like. But Silena had no time to think about that. The start signal went off and the battle began. Bryn charged at Luke, flipping over him when he rushed her. Silena caught a glimpse of her friend and it dawned on her why something felt so off.

It wasn't Bryn.

"Luke! That's not Bryn! She's gone after the flag!"

"Those aren't her brothers either!" he shouted back, ducking under the imposter's sword.

"Where are they?!"

"Probably with their sister!"

"We don't have time to think about that- Silena, tunnel's created," Derek announced. She took his hand before jumping down into it with him. Lighting himself on fire, her boyfriend led the way down the tunnel. It was eerily silent, especially since she knew what was going on above her.

"Most likely the flag will be away from water. Bryn probably assumed that's how you or Luke would go for it," Derek remarked.

"And it's probably not on solid ground either. It'd make it too easy for you or Hallie to get it."

"It shouldn't be suspending in midair, although if she or her brothers are guarding it, that's actually a possibility."

"It's probably at Zeus's fist or somewhere nearby."

"It'll be nearby. There's a creek that runs by the rock formation and Bryn wouldn't put it near a place that could give you or Luke power."

"Let's come out at Zeus's fist and we'll work from there."

"That should be coming up soon." Derek and Silena continued walking for about five more minutes before he stopped, opening a hole in the ground above them. He lifted Silena up to the ground before pushing himself into the air via fire.

Silena stared at the rock formation known as Zeus's fist. She praised Derek for his accuracy of getting them to their intended destination.

"I've been practicing," he replied, smiling proudly. The two of them trudged through the forest, keeping a look out for any enemy demigods. They didn't come across any until they found the flag, which, unfortunately, happened to be Bryn and a fighter from Ares. Luke and Hallie were to a tree with vines.

Silena and Derek hid behind a tree, determining how they were going to be able to get the flag now that their backup was out of commission. Bryn had her helmet off as she stood in front of Luke, a triumphant smile on her face.

"You're enjoying having me tied up aren't you?" Luke asked.

"Thoroughly," Bryn replied.

"I'll keep that in mind next time we-" Bryn clamped her hands over his mouth which only made him laugh. When she took her hands off, he said, "Still enjoying this?"

"I can stop your sword from running me through but apparently I can't keep you from running your mouth."

"Oh yes you can, and you know exactly how to do that."

"I would do it here but we're in the middle of a battle and I'm pretty sure if we continue this conversation, Hallie is going to puke. I think we're making her nauseous with this 'couple talk.' Later I'll shut you up." Bryn kissed Luke on the nose before pacing back and forth.

"Bryn could've subdued either Luke or Hallie but the Ares kid couldn't have," Silena whispered.

"The twins are probably nearby. We need to be careful. What do you say I shadow travel to the flag?"

"You do that, I'll distract them?"

"Be careful." Derek disappeared out of view. Silena snuck around to the tree her brother and Hallie were tied to. Uncapping her sword, Silena cut the ivy ropes. Hallie went straight for the Ares kid. Luke crept towards his girlfriend. Just as he was about to disarm Bryn, she whirled around, sword a centimeter from his throat.

"I could've decapitated you just then," She remarked.

"But you didn't," he countered. Luke knocked Bryn's sword away, making an attack of his own. While Silena let them battle it out, she went for the flag, only to have Derek blasted from behind a cluster of trees directly into her. They fell to the ground, grumbling in pain.

"Sorry," Derek groaned. "The twins... they were expecting me."

"I noticed," Silena responded, getting up. Only one of the twins remained in view. Silena ran at him with her sword. Their swords clanged together.

"Hello," the twin said.

"Which one are you?"

"Can you still not tell us apart?" he laughed.

"No," she replied sheepishly.

"I'm Bradley. Brady's taking care of your boyfriend." As if on cue, Derek and Brady came out of the cluster of trees in a fierce sword fight, almost too fierce in her opinion, and the ferocity seemed to be coming from her boyfriend. Taking advantage of her distractedness, Bradley flipped Silena over onto her stomach. He pulled out some rope and tied her hands behind her back.

"If you don't mind, I need to go help my brother. No hard feelings right?" Bradley left before she could answer. She assessed the situation. Hallie was equally matched with the Ares kid. Luke had Bryn pinned to the ground by sitting on top of her with his sword hovering over her throat. At one point, Luke jumped and he exclaimed, "Hey! Stop zapping me in the butt!"

Bryn laughed. She turned her head, giving Silena a head nod. Then the daughter of Zeus's attention turned to Derek who had beaten Bradley by swiping his legs out from underneath him. Bradley's sword flew into the air, clattering a good ten feet away. Brady was the last opponent to face before Derek could get to the flag. Derek charged him, ramming into the demigod's stomach. Brady went down, but rather than getting up and getting the flag, Derek continued to try and beat up Brady.

"Derek!" Bryn shouted. "Stop!"

He didn't listen. The Winchester twin was throwing his hands up in defense. Bradley was slowly standing up, almost as if he was in a daze. Silena strained against the ropes binding her hands. She needed to get to Derek to get him to stop. Bryn continued shouting, Luke had gotten off of her by now and was running over to his friend. Bryn was right beside him. When Luke tried grab Derek from behind, the latter hit the former in the groin. Luke went down. Bryn kicked Derek off her brother. She quickly dragged her brother away. Derek got back up but rather than going for Brady again, his target changed to Bryn. She dodged out of his way but let out a cry as he ran past. Blood started oozing from her arm. She clasped her hand over the wound. Derek shoved her out of the way, heading straight for Brady again. Suddenly a lightning bolt blasted him in the chest, sending him flying twenty feet away. Silena ran to her boyfriend. He was out cold.

Hallie came to kneel next to Silena. She untied the Jackson daughter's hands.

"Brady?" Bryn said. "Brady can you hear me?"

The son of Zeus didn't respond.

"Brady!" Bradley shouted. "Wake up!"

Silena could hear the Charmspeak in the twin's voice. It must've worked because she heard Brady groan.

"Oh thank gods," Bryn breathed. "Luke, help Silena get Derek to the infirmary. Bradley and I will take Brady. Hallie, go tell Chiron-"

"Bryn! We won!" Thera exclaimed, crashing onto the scene with the Poseidon flag, the rest of the Ares cabin behind her. Chiron came cantering behind them. Everyone fell silent at the sight before them.

"What happened here?" Chiron asked.

"Derek tried to kill Brady," Bradley said furiously, glaring over at Silena's passed out boyfriend. "I had to shoot him with a lightning bolt to get him to stop."

"And by stop you mean nearly try and kill him yourself?" Silena retorted.

"He almost killed my brother!"

"A lightning bolt to get him away would've sufficed!"

"Enough! None of this should've happened in the first place, and we need to figure out why it did," Bryn intervened, standing up.

"Bradley, help your brother onto my back so I can get him to the infirmary. Hallie, Silena, help Derek to the infirmary. He seems to be waking up," Chiron said. "The rest of you, Capture the Flag has ended with Zeus's side the victors!"

Weak cheers rose up. Chiron cantered off with the Winchester twins. Hallie and Silena looped Derek's arms around their shoulders to carry him.

"So," Luke said. "I guess this means I win the bet?"

Bryn hit him in the stomach.

What's going on with the boys? Let me know a review (hint hint)! :)