The water spout dropped without splashing anybody. Percy never tried explaining his powers before. He tried to think about how best to do it.

"I just tell the water where to go," he said at last. "Where I come from, lots of people can do stuff like that. Not exactly, but, like, a good friend of mine can navigate her way through underground tunnels, another can use lightning... You get the idea." He watched her, curious.

"Not so common where you come from, huh?" he guessed.