Piper~

My दिल 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 द्वारा 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 महीना in Camp Half-Blood, whether they needed help on some Greek paperwork या if they needed something fixed. Sometimes, even, if they needed some प्यार 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. प्यार सलाह 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 आग 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 खाना (duh). Leo took in everything he saw, drooling at the Latinas passing द्वारा 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 टिकिया, मफिन 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 या something," I say, unpacking my things. "Sound good?"

"Them Mexicans gonna look at आप 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 खाना out of that thing?

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

I put on a black tank-top, shorts made of yellow stretchy material, and comfortable टेनिस shoes, ready for the day. Jason put on his regular नारंगी, ऑरेंज Camp Half-Blood कमीज, शर्ट 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 कमीज, शर्ट that कहा 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 आप 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 आप funny here if आप jogged early in the morning in tiny jogging shorts.

But I was focused on how there were so many stray कुत्ता 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 आप 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 कुत्ता 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 या realization of something really stupid.

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

द्वारा now, the black कुत्ता 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 बेल्ट 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. आप wanna end up in jail, Leo?"

"Uh--"

"Wait first give me some Cheetos."

"What? Why? The कुत्ता 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 कुत्ता 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 बिना सोचे समझे 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 कुत्ता away. But the कुत्ता 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 कुत्ता were growing. The black जानवर 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 आप guys in Mexico?"

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

We were bandaged. The hellhounds had managed to break some of our बोन्स (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 बिस्तर 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 गुलाबी दीवार 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.