Eventide

Chapter 7: An Eventful Game

       
       Over the next few days Darcie and Percy went around trying different activities trying to find out what Percy was good at.  It was determined that sculpting, archery, and foot racing were definitely not his thing.  And every time he got on the wrestling mat Clarisse, the head counselor of the Ares cabin, destroyed him-apparently she had a grudge because of something to do with toilets.  Darcie wasn't sure.  They stopped one day and Darcie smiled sadly at Percy, "Well you're good at canoeing?"

"Yeah, real heroic, I can canoe!" Percy groaned kicking a rock, "I wish I just knew who my godly parent was." he looked up at her, "hey you never told me who your mom was."

"Oh yeah," Darcie scrunched up her face, "Yeah my mom is Nyx the embodiment of night."

His eyes widened, "So you're dad-"

Darcie sighed, "Yeah that's what I said.  She gave me a cool bat though, Stygian Iron.  It's from the Underworld."

"So do you have cool powers like some other cabins?" he asked making Darcie frown.

"You know, I never really tried." she shrugged.

"What?!" his voice rose suddenly making her wince.  She was still getting used to the new celestial bronze hearing aids that were super sensitive.  She reached up turning the volume down a little bit.  

"Well I mean I should probably try at night right, that's when my mom is most powerful.  But we have a curfew." she shrugged promising to look up her mom's powers in the book of godly beings.  "Anyways how about you try sword fighting?  The rest of our cabin is already over there.  Who knows maybe you'll be good at it."

Percy didn't look enthusiastic and forced a fake smile before grimacing, "Or maybe I'll get shredded."

   Luke looked up as they approached grinning, "Alright Percy!  Here for your first sword fighting lesson?"

"I guess."

"Alright grab a practice sword and we'll drills on some dummies." he said indication some crude dummies made of straw wearing Greek armor.  "And Darcie you need to practice using your bat.  You've got a disadvantage using a blunt weapon so you need to strengthen your arms.  After this I want you to go lift some weights."

"Alright thanks Luke!" Darcie said grabbing her bat.  She started practicing swinging with one or both arms.  It was tiring especially since before now she had never really participated in a lot of physical activities.  In fact she didn't participate in any activities.  Darcie frowned trying to remember an occasion aside from the trip to Montauk that she did anything with anyone else outside of class.  There wasn't a single one, nor could she remember any true friends.  Of course being at Yancy for two years she had people she got along with but it never went any further.  She stopped swinging and froze, did she even have friends now?  Sure she hung out with Percy and Travis sometimes but would they call her a friend?  Would she even know if she had a friend?  An odd sort of loneliness washed over her as she realized that she had never had a friend before.  

"Hey-" someone grabbed her arm making her jump and swing her bat.  The back connected with a thunk and Travis went down like sack of potatoes.  She screamed as the curly blonde haired boy fell limp.  

"Travis!" the boy groaned.

Luke quickly stopped as everyone surrounded Travis, everyone was concerned except for one person-Connor.  Connor was laughing clutching his stomach doubled over.  "Oh my gods!  Did you see the look on his face as he went down ahahaha!" another camper gave him a look and he raised his hands, "What he's fine he's taken harder hits than that."