Chapter Text
"So, to pickpocket you have to just find the perfect target", Luke explained to Percy. Percy nodded trying to follow what he was saying. "Like, watch this", Luke says. He walks away from Percy. Percy looks away to see him go towards Charlie.
Charlie was sitting at the Ares table showing off a gift from Ares. Percy follows keeping his eyes on Luke. "Hey Charlie, nice moves back there", he says near him. He smiles, and nods, "thanks, Luke", he says smiling a little confused as to why he was there. He continues, "You know, us kids, we know how to fight", he says. He nods taking it in. "Maybe we should spare sometimes", he added. "I bet I could beat you", he adds confidently, getting close to his face. Ares' kids and the rest of the campers, stare shocked saying ooh ahh. Luke scoffs, "maybe another time", Luke looks at her sizing him up. Charlie walks away satisfied. As Charlie is walking away, Luke shows Percy the gift. Percy looks at him stunned. "How?", Percy asks, now totally intrigued. Luke smiles and chuckles. "It's all about the hands, you have to just focus their attention on something besides your hands and then", Luke does jazz hands. "it's here. It's easy, you just have to find the perfect target", Luke explains.
"Thals", he calls seeing her outside and calling for her. She walks towards them. She sighs, "what is this time?", she asked nervously. Luke looks at her increduosly and then her necklace which she was wearing was in his hands. Thalia takes in angrily, "Give that back", she yells taking it back. He gives it back. She rolls her eyes as Luke explains. "I'm just teaching Percy about pick-pocketting". She sighs, "So, what I'm your target?", she asks annoyed. He puts his hands up, "well, no, Percy needs someone to practice on, I just wanted to show how easy it was", he says. Thalia rolls her eyes. "So what do I need to do?", she asks. Luke tells her what to do and they start practicing.
After a while, Percy gets annoyed. "Okay, This isn't working at all. She already knows im trying to steal from her and it makes it even harder", Percy says. Luke nods, knowing he's right. He needs a better practice. He needs a better example. "You're right, we need a better target", he says. Thalia looks at him intrigued already knowing what he's thinking. "Luke, no", she warns. He ignores her.
"Like…" Luke turns looking for a perfect target. Percy looks with him. He sees all the campers conversing at the dinning hall. "Her", Luke points to a camper who has a wallet. "Clarisse, she's good", Luke says nodding looking at Percy. Percy looked nervous, "so what do I do?" Luke sighs and looks to Clarisse again, pointing with Percy. Clarisse so inversed in the conversation doesn't see them pointing towards her. 'You see the wallet, all you gotta do is take it, and distract", he says. Percy nods still scared. "Remember, you gotta be quick about it, you can't let them see you do it", He warns Percy. "You just got to get close enough and distract and then take it while they're not looking". Percy nods taking that in.Thalia buts in knowing this was not a good idea. "Luke, this isn't a good idea", she states. "Relax, he'll be fine", he says. "Besides how else is he gonna get better, he needs practice?", Luke points out. Thalia sighs, "Percy, you know, you don't have to do this", she says. Percy looks towards Clarisse planning out how to do this. And he just leaves her there, with her question answered.
Percy walks towards the subject a little nervous but faking it with a smile. "Hey Clarisse, nice weather we're having right?", he asks while putting his arm around Clarisse. Clarisse looks at him confused but nods and answers. "Yeah, it's alright". Clarisse looks up to the sky. As the Clarisse is distracted, Percy takes the opportunity to take the object. He reaches for it when the Clarisse turns back lightning speed. "What are you doing?", they ask, anger filling up. Percy looks towards Luke scared. "I'm just", Percy tries to come up with a defense but he's got nothing. Luke jogs up at that moment.
"Hey, Clarisse", she looks at him anger still on Percy. "Woah, What's up?", Luke says casually. Clarisse looks to Percy with his head down. "What's up?", she scoffs. "well your friend here was just trying to pickpocket me", she says, her anger rising. "Percy?" he asks and chuckles like it was a funny joke. Clarisse looks at him confused. "No, he was only trying to show you a magic trick. I've been trying to teach him how to do illusions, but I don't think he's quite there yet", Luke lies smoothly. Clarisse shakes her not believing it at all scoffs. "Whatever, just stay of my way, and tell your friend to do the same", she says just tired of it all. "Don't try it again", she warns to Percy. Percy looks at her scared but nodding. She leaves with the Ares kids following her.
Percy looks towards Luke ashamed. "I'm a total failure", he says. Luke looks at him feeling his pain. He remembered when he got arrested for pickpocketing one of the times he had to do it on the road, it was not pretty. He wished he had someone to tell him it was alright. Luke sits next to Percy bringing him in a hug. "Hey, it's okay. Pickpocketing is hard, you just gotta practice it, you'll get better at it, I promise", he says. Percy nods taking that in. "Have I ever told you about the time I got caught pickpocketting", He asks Percy. Percy shakes his head and Luke goes to tell the story, problems fading in the distance.
