Raging Seas [pjo au] || 1

[ interlude i ]

INTERLUDE NO. 1
( GIFTS FROM FAMILY )

CENTRAL PARK ON A Saturday in late August was filled with people of all ages and races milling about. On a picnic blanket, Kali sat with a photo album in her lap.

During the summer, she had used the disposable camera she took from the water park in Denver and took the exact amount of pictures it allowed her to before the film ran out. The weekend after camp ended, she took a chance and asked Ralph to take her to get them developed. It surprised her when he agreed, but she didn't show it and just thanked him. He also allowed her to get an album to put them all in, which was exactly what she did the moment she got home from developing them.

One picture was of the day they got back from the quest. It was during the celebration. Arianna had taken the camera from her when Kali showed it to her, and forced her, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover to squish together for a photo. Each of them wore their laurel wreaths. Each of them looked exhausted but happy. Parts of other campers were seen on the sides and behind them. Only an Ares kid photobombing in a back was completely visible, flipping off the camera.

Another one was of her and Percy in the lake with the naiads, and half woven baskets. Then one of the campers of the Ares cabin after Grant and Connor's prank, with Adelaide laughing at the others on the side. Clarisse looked especially pissed. The picture was blurry because Kali didn't want to get pummeled by any of them, and had ran immediately after the flash went off.

There were twenty-four others, each a memory frozen in time – moments Kali didn't want to forget because of the joy and happiness they brought her. She was looking at the very first one she took back in Denver, of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover's backs at the water park as they walked through, when her younger siblings arguing finally got too loud for her to ignore.

"–arfire is better than Raven," Naia insisted.

"Maybe, but the real best Teen Titan is Cyborg!" Makoa argued.

Kali looked at them incredulously, attention caught immediately. She lowered the cold water bottle she was holding to her mouth so she could speak, and ignored the tooth ache. "What? You're both wrong. The best is Robin!"

Both Naia and Makoa looked at her like she was stupid.

"He doesn't even need superpowers to fight," she explained. "He's so much cooler than the rest for that."

"Cyborg doesn't have powers, either!" Makoa exclaimed, hands thrown in the air for emphasis. "Just robot parts!"

"But Robin is, like, completely human."

"Which makes him lame, Kali," Naia said in a 'duh' tone. "Unlike Starfire. Her eyes glow green! She's an alien!"

"So is Clark Kent, she isn't special."

"You're hopeless." Naia dramatically fell on her back. "Hopeless!"

Kali laughed. Maybe she said the previous thing just to get a reaction, but they didn't need to know that. "Okay, you don't like Robin. Why isn't Raven the best? Her eyes glow, too."

Naia's nose scrunched up. "Purple's ugly."

"But Starfire wears purple," Makoa immediately said.