Boredom: Nico, Percy, Connor, Leo and Clarisse

Connor absently flipped the coin in his hands, caught it, then flipped it again. He wasn't sure where he'd got the coin, he'd just found it in his pockets a few seconds ago, but it was really annoying the others.

"Will you STOP IT!" Clarisse yelled standing up and pointing her spear towards him.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Leo cried jumping between them. "Stop! This was exactly what Annabeth was talking about, we all need to learn to get on, or she's not gonna let you out!"

"What're you doing here again?" Connor asked.

"I'm the peacekeeper." Leo said, proudly puffing his chest out.

"Good for you but I still don't get what I'M doing here." Nico huffed, playing with the skull ring on his finger. "There are so many different places I could be right now!"

"Well maybe your here to learn not to lie!" Percy cried, turning away from his younger cousin with his arms crossed.

"I told you I was sorry! What more do you want from me?" Nico huffed.

"OH OH OH!" Leo bounced on the tips of his toes and put his hand in the air. Nico raised an eyebrow.

"Yes Mr. Valdez?"

"Can you make the skeletons do the thriller dance?" The room went silent as everyone turned to look at him.

"Are you sure there's a brain in there?" Clarisse asked, as Connor came up behind and tapped his knuckles against Leo's head.

"Nope sounds hollow to me." He said smiling.

"Hey!" Leo frowned but soon they were all closing in on him.

"You know." Nico said tilting his head. "You have wonderful curly hair..." A hands pushed him down onto a nearby chair.

"Thank you?"

"Shame you just let it hang off your head, Clarisse do you have any hair bands?"

"Oh I see....just 'cos I'm a girl!"

"Actually yes, why on earth would a guy have a hair band?" Connor shrugged. Clarisse sighed and handed over the handful of hair bands she kept in her pockets to keep the hair from her eyes when she was fighting. NOT because she thought she looked nice with her hair tied up.

"Ok if Nico gets to do his hair then I wanna do the makeup, I'm thinking we go with a burnt orange for the eyes, with some bright red lipstick to really bring out the shape of your nose."  Percy muttered.

"My...nose?"

"Where on Earth are we gonna get make-up from kelp breath?" Clarisse asked.

"I have some eyeliner." Nico said pulling the kohl pencil from his pocket.

"Guys I really don't think..."

"Sush Leo!" Connor scolded. "Now I think we can get rid of that hideous took belt and maybe put some sequenze or something."

"Hmm yes I like that idea." Nico nodded, hand up against his chin as he inspected what was being done.

"What about me?" Clarisse asked.

"You can paint his nails!" Percy said with glee.

(about 10 minutes later)

"Just whistle while you work." Percy sang as Nico whistled the tune.

"And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place." Connor added. When there was silence they all looked at Clarisse who was busy painting Leo's nails bright pink.

"I'm not singing." She told them sternly.

"Awww come on Clarisse, stop being a spoil sport!" Connor said nudging her.

"Maybe a different song?" Percy suggested. "Da seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake, you dream about going up dere..." Nico clasped a hand around his moth.

"NO!" He cried. "You sing that song once more time and I'll be making YOUR skeleton do the thriller dance." Percy frowned and Pried Nico's fingers from his mouth.

"Well what song do you suggest?" Nico thought for a second, then jumped up.

"I know the perfect song!"  He went to stand in the middle of the room, pulled up a chair and stood on it so he looked down on all of them.  

"A Minotaur's my butler, a Cyclops my valet, A Centaur draws my chariot that takes me down the way. To a river made of fire, through a street that's paved with bones, I got a dozen zombie skeletons to walk me to my throne."  He started singing as the others began to tap along to the beat.

"In the land of the dead. Heck boy, ain't it grand? I'm the overlord of the underworld, 'Cause I hold Horror's Hand. In the land of the dead, I'm dark side royalty. I'm far renowned in the underground, And you can't take that from me."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Percy joined in.

" Oow! Oow! Oow! Oow! Oow!" Connor added as Leo started busting some moves in front of the chair and Clarisse clapped along playing the percussion. They didn't even notice that Annabeth had opened the door to the Big House basement and was watching them with an amused grin.

"Cerberus my lap dog is loyal as can be. My bed is made of skulls; I'm in the lap of luxury. I've got a Dragon's Blood Jacuzzi; the Gorgons think it's cool. And a seven-headed Hydra livin' in my swimmin' pool." Once they had finished Annabeth started clapping slowly, causing all 5 heads to turn to her.

"Wow." Was all she could say in response to their wonderful musical number. Clarisse went bright red and pushed past her.

"DON'T MENTION THIS TO ANYONE!" She growled back at the group and stomped away.

"Uhh hey." Percy said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What's with Leona?" Annabeth asked pointing a finger towards Leo, whose hair was in two little bunches. His tool belt had been replaced with a glittery scarf they had wrapped around his waist, and his face was covered in make-up a clown would be proud of.

"Doesn't he look awesome!" Nico cried happily. "Though I think some heels would have finished it off perfectly."

"Where did you get all the stuff from?"

"Oh Nico cracked the wall open, then made a tunnel going from the basement to the Aphrodite cabin." Connor reasoned, as Leo started fluffing up his own hair.

"So..." Annabeth frowned. "You guys had a way out this whole time?"

"Yep!"

"And instead you turned Leo into a girl and sang Voltaire?"

"Yep....wait..." Nico frowned. "sh...ugar, honey, ice, tea."

"You guys are all idiots!" She laughed, holding her stomach and walking away.  Nico, Percy and Connor followed her, trying to argue that they weren't idiots as Leo trailed behind.

"Wait up guys!" He pleaded. "My toe nails aren't dry yet!"