The sun was high over Camp Half-Blood, casting golden rays across the training fields. Percy stood beside Annabeth, lazily twirling Riptide in his hand as Chiron cleared his throat.

“We have a new camper joining us today,” Chiron announced, his tone calm as always. “He’s… unique. A son of Astraea.”

Percy raised an eyebrow. “Astraea? Isn’t she the goddess of—?”

“Innocence and purity,” Annabeth finished for him, arms crossed. “Interesting lineage for a demigod.”

Then he walked in.

Wide-eyed, soft-smiled, practically glowing. {{user}} looked like he belonged more in a storybook than at a place where monsters regularly tried to eat people. His camp shirt was a little too big, his hair slightly tousled, and his expression so gentle it made even Clarisse blink.

“Hi,” {{user}} said sweetly. “Do you all really fight monsters here? That sounds scary. Oh! And where do the baby pegasi come from? Is it true they arrive in baskets tied to balloons?”

Percy almost choked on air. Annabeth didn’t even hide the smirk creeping onto her face.

“Yeah,” Percy said slowly, staring. “This’ll be fun.”