Piper~

My heart raced and felt like it was trying to eat itself. The barking and screaming from the dogs, Jason, and Leo faded behind me as sweat rippled down my face. Jeez, hope they're not dead. But Jason promised to keep them from danger, then started performing something that really could've scarred me.

This is the story of our trip to Mexico.

(Three days ago)

I was excited. This opportunity never really happens to a demigod! Three sweet days for a free vacation? Fine by me!

Long story short: I asked Chiron if Jason, Leo, and I could take a break. We'd been everyone's go-to for the last month in Camp Half-Blood, whether they needed help on some Greek paperwork or if they needed something fixed. Sometimes, even, if they needed some LOVE advice.

Naturally, I'd blink at them, run out of the room, and shove Drew's makeup-addicted butt into where I'd come out of. Love advice from ME? Yeah right, and Leo could totally get with Thalia! Yay!

The three of us had definitely been worn out, so Chiron agreed--though a bit grudgingly.

"Where should we stay? Paris?" Jason suggested as he sat down between Leo and me at the campfire. The sound of everyone's voices filled the air and the fire blazed into multiple colors.

I had no idea, really. Paris sounded sooooo romantic, but we couldn't have Leo around as a third wheel. I mean, he'll just butt-in in the middle of a possible Lady-and-the-Tramp moment for me and Jason.

And we only had three days. Not enough time to go to Paris and fully appreciate the city...

"Mexico?" Leo said, wiggling his eyebrows at us.

"What?"

"Come on! I'd never been there and that's where my whole family freakin' came from!"

We agreed, and soon we headed out and got some quick transportation--thanks to someone's horse.

Hazel was hesitant when we asked if Arion could take us to Mexico for three days. But then Leo gave her the Hey-you-tried-to-get-with-my-grandpop-and-it-still-haunts-my-nightmares look, and she then obliged.

Mexico is crowded, loud, and smelled of Mexican food (duh). Leo took in everything he saw, drooling at the Latinas passing by and checking out the restaurants.

When we got to our hotel, Leo crashed on the sofa, whining, "Aghhh I'm tired! And look--I ate so much I'm getting a muffin top!"

Jason and I exchanged glances when Leo poked at his slightly-extending belly.

"No, I think you're pregnant," Jason said. I slapped his arm.

"Stop it, both of you! Gross! All right, maybe early tomorrow we can go jogging or something," I say, unpacking my things. "Sound good?"

"Them Mexicans gonna look at you funny, running outside in the morning in tiny jogging shorts," Leo grumbled, sneaking a nacho chip from his tool belt. That didn't even make sense...he can pull FOOD out of that thing?

But Leo and Jason nodded, and the next morning...my life actually got worse.

I put on a black tank-top, shorts made of yellow stretchy material, and comfortable tennis shoes, ready for the day. Jason put on his regular orange Camp Half-Blood shirt and denim jeans, with purple high tops.

"For Camp Jupiter?" I asked, nodding at the high tops. "Or Justin Bieber?"

Jason was about to argue when Leo burst out of the bathroom. He had on a white shirt that said in black, bold letters: SEXY AND I KNOW IT. His jean shorts were faded and kept slipping off his skinny waist, and at his feet were black running shoes. A pair of shades were at his head of curly black hair.

"What're you lovebirds waiting for? Jeez, let's go!"

It was four in the morning, but we didn't care. We started jogging (my charmspeak won the boys over when they tried to protest) and Leo was right: people looked at you funny here if you jogged early in the morning in tiny jogging shorts.

But I was focused on how there were so many stray dogs roaming around. We ignored them, but then Jason had to snatch Leo's Hot Cheetos from him and cause him to scream.

"HEY! My flamin' hot Cheetos!!! Those belong to ME!! My freakin' flamin'--Jason! Give them back, bro!"

"You two shut up!" I said. "Jason, seriously, he won't stop yelling if you don't give the Cheetos back."

"But Piper, I'm so hungry," he said, stuffing the chips into his mouth. "These are good, man."

"We're jogging to a restaurant right now!" I told him, grabbing the bag and handing it back to Leo.

He seemed content now. But he still had to talk loudly.

It was only a matter of time we caught some stray dogs' attention. Big black dogs stalked toward us from the shadow of a house nearby, and the hair at the back of my neck prickled.

Should we ignore the dogs? They didn't seem that vicious. I grabbed Jason's arm and started walking quickly, motioning Leo to follow.

Leo's face went slack when he realized how much Jason ate. He looked at my boyfriend with a look that could've been boredom or realization of something really stupid.

"Half the Cheetos--GONE," Leo said, looking at me.

By now, the black dogs were closing in. I noticed they did look vicious, and as hungry as Jason.

Jason and Leo then noticed the group of canines pursuing us, their teeth glinting in the early morning sun like fresh razors. Those things could probably snap Percy's sword Riptide in half with a single bite.

"HOLY ZEUS!" Leo fumbled the bag into his tool belt and starting walking ahead.

Jason and I followed him. When the canines realized we'd noticed them and were escaping, they barked loudly and ran at us.

All three of us screamed. Jason was yelling and kept pinching himself, God knows why (or gods, whichever, whatever).

Leo was ahead of us, shrieking in Spanish with a voice higher than normal.

Jason was sweating now. He called Leo and told him to wait for us.

He looked at me. "Go ahead, Leo and I will distract the dogs. Hurry!"

"But--" I started to protest.

"GO!"

I ran, but not too far. I hid behind the side of a building and watched. Leo went over to Jason and looked terrified, but determined.

"What're we gonna do? Kill them?" Leo asked.

"No, they're mortal animals. You wanna end up in jail, Leo?"

"Uh--"

"Wait first give me some Cheetos."

"What? Why? The dogs are closing in, man!"

"Gimme some! Mm, these are good. Okay, sorry. But I know what to do now! I'll need all your help though."

Leo looked pale, but he nodded when he saw the dogs coming down the street. "What do we do?"

"Distract them. Ready?"

"I'm ready, let's do this! What's the plan?"

"Just follow my lead," Jason instructed.

"Pikachu, I choose you!"

Jason ignored Leo and started yelling random things to distract the dogs, trying to scare them off, while doing the Gangnam Style, which should've been enough to scare ME off.

"WTF?!" I said.

Leo started screaming, too. Both boys were shrieking, hoping to scare the dogs away. But the dogs just stopped and stared at Leo yelling and jumping around, and my boyfriend dancing the Gangnam style, as if saying, "Whoa, what's with these guys?"

The people in the neighborhood then walked out of their houses and stared in horror and confusion at my company. Jeez....we should've never went vacationing!

Then I noticed the dogs were growing. The black animals grew until they were full-scale hellhounds.

Yeah, uh, we're screwed.

Leo slowly stopped screaming, and Jason's Gangnam style energy died away when they looked up at the nearest hellhound.

"Uh...." Leo squeaked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Whoa, momma, what happened to you guys in Mexico?"

Jason, Leo, and I glared at the other campers.

We were bandaged. The hellhounds had managed to break some of our bones (and some of our self-esteem, supposedly) but we got away. We were so lucky. I thought we were goners.

Chiron raised his eyebrows at us. "Still feeling worn out?"

I scowled and shuffled myself towards my cabin.

Jeez, and I thought being a counselor in Camp Half-Blood was hard to endure?

When I entered my cabin, I stalked to my bed and lied down. Everything was back to normal. My bunk was made up, the others kept the perfume not too strong, my clothes on the floor were torn up and drooled on--

Wait...WHAT.

I stared at all my clothes on the floor, torn up and covered in thick, clear liquid.

Ugh! Who did this?!!!

I looked around the room. There, trying SO HARD to blend with the ugly pink wall of the cabin, was the friendly little (er, big) hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary. She seemed to flash me a sheepish smile.

And since that day, I'd hated hellhounds.

The End...is that right, Mrs. O'Leary?

WOOF.