Daughter of gods

Bunker 9

          After walking for about fifteen minutes, we entered the woods, until we reached a giant rock. Toph put his hand on the rock, where it started burning. An outline of a door appeared in red and a piece of the wall slid aside to reveal an aircraft hangar. We entered it and immediately I fell in love with that place.

          There were innumerable work tables, all full of maps, blueprints, sketchbooks and tools. On the wall, one of these boards that have the outline of the tools so you can be organized, but all of the actual tools were on the ground, the desks or in the wrong spot. At the corner were huge chunks of metal, cables, and every building supply that anyone could ever imagine. In the ceiling, pneumatic tubes and catwalks hid the actual cave, and there was a magical banner, in where I read "Bunker 9".

          - Wow. – was all I could say, meanwhile absorbing the place and every little detail of it.

          - This is the bunker that Hephaestus cabin used during the Demigod Civil War, and where Leo built the Argo II and Festus. – Toph gazed proudly at the Bunker, and didn't bother to explain who Leo was. I decided not to ask, it probably would burst his bubble. – I discovered some really interesting stuff here. Plans and blueprints that would probably take centuries to build.

          He took the metal ball from his pocket and started working on it again. I had no idea what was its purpose. I know, I am a daughter of Hephaestus too, but that metal ball was complicated even for me. When you have too much abilities, you aren't able to push all of them to their limits. For example, I sung very well (my Apollo inherit), but I could never hit a note as high as Mariah Carey did.

          - I have something for you. – he was looking down and talking so low that I could barely heard him. He took out of his pocket a necklace with a pungent shaped as a little golden sword.

          - Oh my god, thank you. – I took the necklace and put it on me. I prayed very hard that I wasn't as red as I felt.

          - Ummm... That's not all. – he touched the little sword three times and it grew into a real sword. The necklace chain was decorating the handle, and the blade was made of real gold.

          - Toph, I...

          - Wait. – he took the sword from my hand and threw it in the middle of the chunks of metal. It immediately disappeared, and I turned to Toph in disbelief.

          - What? Why? It'll take ages to find it in there, and... - I stopped at the sight of Toph pointing at my chest. I looked down and saw that the necklace was there. Toph smiled and straightened his hair nervously.

          - I find that you'll need a practical sword for this mission, so... - I hugged him, and he hugged me back. I looked at him, right into those beautiful green eyes and wondered if he was the one dying. His soul was definitely very pure, and destiny apparently didn't like me much. I prayed very hard for his survival.

          - Thank you, Toph.

          - You already said that.

          - I know. – I smiled and looked at the metal ball he had been working on. – I think I need to go now. Pack my two belongings and stuff.

          - Sure. – he answered, not letting go of the ball. I started walking towards the door, but then I stopped.

          - I also have something for you. – I took from my pocket my leather bracelet and handed it out to him. He took it a little confused, then thanked.

          - It was my dad's. The adoptive one, of course. – his confused expression softened to what looked like pity.

          - I can't take it, Kath.

          - Not Rob though. The other one. – he nodded, relieved. – He used to tell me that this leather had come from a sacred cow in Japan. And that the owner should make a wish and put it on his hand, and when it fell off, the wish would come true. I never used it, so...

          - Thanks.

          - It's the least I could do. I probably should go now.

          - Yeah. By the way, its name is Ikara.

          - What?

          - The sword.

          - Ah... What does it mean? – I looked at the little sword pungent. I had no idea how it had gotten back on my neck, but I loved how it did it. Apart from most necklaces, this one wasn't cold to the touch, and if I didn't pay attention, I'd forget it was there. I also wondered how long Toph had took to make it, or even if he had made it for me.

          - No idea. It just came to me while I was forging it.

          - Toph?

          - What?

         - Thank you. – I kissed him in the cheek and got out of the Bunker. My stomach was almost exploding with the number of butterflies inside of it. I hoped he hadn't found that weird. I hadn't. In fact, I had liked it, I was just too nervous to admit it. I think that was when I started having a major crush on Toph.

          As I walked back to Artemis' cabin with only one thought in my mind. I'd liked that proximity with Toph, but had he?