Chapter 138

Annabeth chased him all the way to the main road where Argus was waiting for them with his white van, something which increasingly creeped Percy out due to it's kidnapper look, which has been previously stated several time by many demigods.

The three got in and soon they were all being taken to New York city. Annabeth had dropped her line of questioning and had began talking to Clarisse about plans to create something akin to a war machine, by the sounds of which was going to be big, loud and awesome!

Percy smiled at this and remained mostly silent as the van drove onwards. Soon the questers reached the train station and promptly got off waving Argus goodbye, who didn't wave back, asshole.

Percy turned to his friends, "okay then you guys wait here and I'll get tickets for the train ride."

"Didn't you guys take the bus last time?" Clarisse asked, "why aren't we going on a bus?"

"One because the last time we were on a bus we got attacked by Furies and two because it's faster this way. I wanted something in the outskirts of Boston last time I went there and the bus would take us there before heading into town, I really didn't want to travel back and forth from the city to the forest, to much of a waste of money."

Annabeth blinked, "wow. Your reasoning was pretty well thought out."

"Yeah, but you're still a miser," Clarisse stated grinning.

"Hey I'm not a miser! I just don't like wasting money that's all!"

"Sure," Clarisse said rolling her eyes.

"Hey! I saw that!"

"Just go get the tickets Percy," Annabeth said pushing Percy into the station and breaking up the fight that was just about to break out. Percy mumbled under his breath but walked away, Annabeth sighed, "why do you always have to piss him off?"

"It's funny," Clarisse replied with a smirk.

Percy got the tickets and the three campers were on the train in five minutes, luckily they hadn't missed it. Percy sat in front of Annabeth and Clarisse as the train slowly began its journey.

"So we have three hours to kill, any ideas?" Percy asked his two friends.

"Well I do have these," Clarisse said taking out a deck of cards, "you up for a game of poker?"

"Oh gods Clarisse give it a rest" Annabeth said taking out a thick book on Architecture, "there is no way anyone can beat you, you're the reigning champion of poker in your cabin."

"Seriously?" Percy asked blinking, "I didn't take Clarice for the gambling type."

"We don't gamble with money," Clarisse spoke up, "we gamble with chores. The loser has to do the winners chores, and if there are more that one loser the work gets spread out among them."

"I see," Percy said scratching his chin. He knew about poker but didn't really know how to play, "so what are the rules?"

"Well..." Clarisse explained the rule of poker to Percy with a hidden smirk.

After one explanation;

"So basically it's a game that involves having lot's of luck," 'my luck's level is 50' "the ability to lie," 'my lie level is 9' "and maintaining your cool all the time?" 'thank you gamer's mind!' Percy asked.

"Yup."

Percy then grinned a vicious smile that sent a chill down Clarisse's spin, "game on war girl."

Clarisse gulped as she started shuffling her deck. For some reason the look Percy had on his face scared the shit out of her but she refused to give up, after all she was the queen of poker.

She gave Percy his two cards and the game began. The moment Percy looked at his cards all emotions melted off his face. He became like a doll, not one muscle moved. He opened his mouth, "I raise two day's worth of chores."

Clarisse began to sweat.

A few moment's later;

"Hahahaha!" Percy cackled out throwing his head up in victory, "I did it! Enjoy the two years worth of chores Clarisse old girl!"

The demigoddess in question had her head down on the ground as she cried tears of regret and lose.

"There there Clarisse, I'm sure some of your siblings can help you with them," Annabeth tried to assure the girl patting her on her back. She turned to Percy, "be a little more considerate Percy, she is feeling bad enough as it is."

"I don't care! HAHAHA! No chores for me!" Percy said holding his stomach as he laughed louder attracting the attention of every person on the train pissing them off.

"Shut up kid!" a rough male voice called out causing Percy to blush and close his mouth.

"Sorry," the son of poseidon replied. He then turned to Clarisse who was still crying, "hey it's okay Clarisse, you don't have to do them all."

Clarisse looked up with hope in her eyes, "really?"

"Nope!" Percy shout back as he laughed loudly.

"Shut up kid!" the same passenger as last time called out.

"Okay okay sheesh!" Percy said finally quieting down.

"I don't get it how come you're so good at this?" Annabeth asked as a slowly recovering Clarisse looked on with interest.

Percy shrugged, "beginner's luck I guess."

Lie failed!

Percy looked at the two questers in front of him and expected them to keep pushing him for more answers, but surprisingly they didn't. They simply nodded their heads and kept quite.

Percy was kind of surprised, they knew he was lying but didn't push for an answer… girls were so nice. If it was Luke or Grover they would have hounded Percy until he gave them the truth. Girls on the other hand it seemed understood personal space and secrets.

Percy didn't actually like lying to his friends, though he did have a high level in lying. He wanted to tell them the truth, but he his trust was broken before, Luke was an example to him that every your closest friends can and will betray you.