The armory was the first place we went to. Annabeth had me try out some different swords as well as grabbing some that had features I liked.
I hold the three swords with two hands. Carefully watching the blades swing in rhythm to my pace.
"This is the forge. Come on." Annabeth says. I walk inside a low building. Heat pushes against my skin in the low lighting building. Tables full of tools sit in front of me. Furnaces and fireplaces all over.
A large man.. boy? Man? A large dude stands in front of me. Warm chocolate skin and dark black hair. He wears an apron and an iron mask. He's leaned over, carefully tinkering with what looks to be a mess of wires and other parts.
Annabeth clears her throat. "Beckendorf. Beckendorf!" She yells.
He doesn't seem to hear her. She leans forward. Tapping him on the shoulder. He pauses. Setting the tools down, lifting up his mask and turning around.
Black Smoot covers his cheeks as he smiles. "Hey. What can I do for you?"
Annabeth nudges me with her shoulder. "This is Imena. We need to get her a sword."
He nods, gesturing down to the swords in my hands. "Good selection. What do you like about 'em?"
I shift my grip around to pick up the first one. "Well I like the grooved handles on this one... but..."
I shift around to lift up the other. "-I like the sleek blade on this one and I like the color scheme on the last one."
He laughs. Taking the swords from me. "You sound like my girlfriend. She's big on color schemes, sleekness, the general beauty of it all."
Annabeth smiles. "Where is Silena?"
He smiles. It's cute how his mood brightens instantly at the mention of her name. "Well. She actually should be here-"
Just before he mentions, a girl walks through the door holding two mugs of what seems to be hot coco.
Oh my god. She is stunning.
Long black sleek hair, warm olive skin and beautiful brown eyes that light up with the sun's warmth. She smiles. Smooth pink lips stretching across pearly whites.
I can't tell whether I want to be her or be with her.
"Hey. You must be the new camper I've been hearing all about. Imena Mallory right?" She asks as she walks over to Beckendorf's desk. Setting down the mugs.
He wraps an arm around her shoulder. Pulling her close and kissing the top of her head.
"Yeah. That's me." I smile. "I guess passing out in front of the entire camp garners some attention."
She laughs. Resting her head on Beckendorf's chest. "Ah don't worry. In such a small camp, anybody new is a celebrity for the first week or so. I will say.. you seem very interesting."
Annabeth steps forward. "Gossip time later, Silena. We need a sword."
Beckendorf slips his arm from Silena as they turn around. "I can do this easily. Should only take me a day at the latest. You can have it by tomorrow."
Silena walks over to me. Eyeing me before turning back to her boyfriend. "You should go with a crimson brown for the hilt. Try to give the blade a bronze gleam."
Beckendorf smiles brighter. "Yes ma'am."
I will admit. Seeing this happy couple gives me a bit of hope. It seems so normal despite everything being... un-normal. They're an example that being a demigod doesn't mean you have to die some fiery or painful death. Like there's hope for having a normal life.
My mind drifts to my conversation with Travis at the Hermes cabin. But I very quickly shut that down. I just met him. I just met him.
I snap back to attention, seeing Silena stare at me with a knowing smile and a gleam in her eye. Feeling a heat rise up my neck. "Right so. I will leave you two to that. Annabeth. Those stables?"
Annabeth gives a small parting wave to the happy couple. "Right. See you later, Beckendorf. Silena."
Eager to escape, I slip out with Annabeth. "Don't mind Silena. She means well. Aphrodite kids just have a tendency to gossip. Well that and get invested in love affairs."
I clear my throat. "Well I don't have any of that."
She pauses. "Nope. Me neither." We stare at each other for a moment before she quickly speaks. "Stables. This way."
I nod. Walking with her down the small dirt path.
We both choose to ignore the amount of bullshit that was just spewed.
-
The stables are cooler than I ever could have imagined. Well, not the stables themselves. But the pegasusses. Pegasi? Whatever the plural word for Pegasus is.
"Here is where the Flying and Pegasus Care Classes are held."
I walk down. Stopping for a few seconds at each stall to see them. There's so many different kinds. Some are the whitest I've ever seen, some are the darkest, some are multicolored with spots of all shades of brown, black, white, and gray. "There are classes?"
Annabeth nods. "Yeah. I even help teach some. I teach Ancient Greek, The History of The Gods, and I'm one of the many combat instructors."
"Damn. Overachiever?" I ask, not taking my eyes off of a sleek white Pegasus who lays on the floor, its wings folded on its back.
She nods with a smile. "Most Athena kids are. You'll get your class schedule soon. Chiron arranges them based off of your interests and gifts. He's just... a little busy right now."
Busy planning a war for children to fight in...
"Would you like to pet one?" She asks as we continue walking down. My eyes widen as I look at the Pegasus we are standing the closest to.
Dark black with gray around the hooves. His wings are just as dark as his torso. Everything about him screams dark beauty.
"Yeah. Yeah I'd love to. Are they like..."
"Dangerous?" She asks. "No, it's okay. This is Blackjack. Usually, my- I mean Percy handles them."
She opens the gate, letting me go in first. My converses pad on the soft hay. The smell of manure in the air. Blackjack chews some hay. Looking at me with disinterest. If a horse can do that.
"Here, you can brush him. Katie was supposed to. But she'll appreciate the help."
Annabeth walks over to a small table, handing me a brush and taking one for herself. I watch how she slowly drags the brush over his side. I copy her.
"So. Who's Percy?" I ask. Even without seeing her face, I can almost imagine a blush on her cheeks. She's silent for a moment before speaking. "Just a friend. I've been on some quests with him."
"Mhm.." I say slowly. "So have you told him you like him yet?" I ask.
She scoffs. "I don't like him." Her tone reminds me of the same one my mother would use when I would try to trick her into admitting how much she liked Mack. My heart falters a little at the thought of them both. "Mhm." I draw the word out skeptically.
She walks around Blackjack's front. Crossing her arms at me. "I don't!" She protests, her eyebrows furrowed. "And even if I did, which I don't, we are in the middle of a war."
I smile. Pausing my brushing. Blackjack seems to disagree. Shifting against me. I continue my brushing. I don't want to have a Pegasus on my list of enemies.
"Bullshit." I cough.
She raises an eyebrow slowly. "Excuse me?"
"It's bullshit. I think there's more to your guy's story."
Annabeth thinks for a moment before leaning back against the wall. "What about you? You nearly ran out of the forge when Silena was smiling at you. She can tell when someone has a crush, most Aphrodite kids can. So.... your turn."
I side glance her. "It's not a crush." I mumble. "Besides. I just got here yesterday."
Annabeth tilts her head up. Pretending to ponder as she taps her chin. "What is it you said to me? Oh yeah! Bullshit."
I laugh, coming closer to Blackjack's neck. I must have found his favorite spot because he shudders and steps closer to me.
I feel the warmth of his fur and suddenly my vision blacks out and I'm sucked back into the whirlpool of images. I see Blackjack speeding through the air. His winds slicing through the sky as the ground blurs too quickly underneath him.
I see Blackjack and a lot of donuts. Watching as he eats them. I see Blackjack lounging on a grassy hill with the sun warming his black fur.
I yank my hand away, the room spins around me as I stumble backwards.
Annabeth tries to come near me but I spin around to get away from her. Falling to the floor. MY head hits the hay as I groan. "Well, shit." I mutter.
"Imena! Are you okay? What happened? Did you see Luke?" She asks, concern seeping into her voice. Blackjack neighs uneasily, shifting around and taking a step away from me.
I gulp. Closing my eyes but the sensation of the room spinning is still there. I wait a few seconds until my brain doesn't feel like it's on it's own personal roller coaster.
I take a deep breath. Standing up and placing my hand on the wall for support. "I'm.. I'm okay. I- whatever it was, it's over." My heart rattles in my chest, shaking my bones. As if I couldn't get weirder, I now have visions of horses with donuts.
"I'm okay." I repeat. Though, I'm not sure if I'm saying it for her sake or mine.
"Did you see something?"
I stand up, brushing the hay off my jeans. "Yes. I saw.. I- Donuts?" Blackjack neighs and I can almost imagine him agreeing with me.
Annabeth's eyes gleam as she tilts her head. "I have a theory."
I frown, pulling yellow hay out of my hair. "And that theory is...?"
She frowns, her hand on her chin as she walks forward. Her eyes examine me scrutinizingly. "I wonder if you're seeing... Seeing wants. Or hopes. Or wait no! Dreams!" She exclaims.
I watch with mild curiosity, she's like a kid on Christmas. Rambling excitedly as her hands fly around to support her words. "I don't know how I didn't figure it out earlier. Hypnos is the god of Dreams. It'd make sense that you can see dreams."
"Is this gonna happen every time I touch something with a brain?" The idea isn't appealing at all. I'd never be able to have any pets. Or date anyone. Or touch anyone.
She sighs. Walking over to me. "Imena. Your powers are new. You'll learn to control then until you only do it when you want to. Percy exploded toilets when we first got here."
"Toilets?"
She waves her hand dismissively. "Long story. Anyways, we will find you a tutor. To help. There are a lot of other campers with powers. I think Katie would be the best choice."
I nod, feeling a little better. "Thank you, Annabeth. If it wasn't for you, I'd feel a lot more crazy."
A smile brightens her features. "Well, thank you for letting me... rant."
"Well. That's what Hathenos is for. If all of this.. child soldier shit gets to be too much for one of us... we say Hathenos. Then. We have a night just to us."
Her smile spreads. "Sounds perfect."
Before either of us can say more, the conch horn blows.
"Dinner. Let's go." Annabeth says.
I pat goodbye to Blackjack. Walking out of the stables with Annabeth. "So. Those visions are dreams, right?" Annabeth asks.
I nod, breathing in the fresh air as I look up at the now darker sky. "I think so. They just started recently."
Annabeth thinks for a moment. "What else can you do?" She asks.
"Well. There's the.. sleepy time thing-"
"-sleepy time thing?" She asks. Raising an eyebrow. "That's what you named it?"
I shh her and continue. I don't know what else to name it, it's not like it's something super cool and complex. I just make people... sleep. "I can make people fall asleep. Happened with this girl and a monster woman."
"That makes sense considering your dad is what they based the Sandman after. Except. They think he walks around with a magic staff and taps people to make them fall asleep."
My smile tugs into a frown. "I want a staff. That'd be so much easier."
Annabeth laughs. "I'm sure we have one in the armory. Continue."
"Then there's the dream...hallway thing." Annabeth raises an eyebrow. Gesturing for me to keep going. Though I'm not sure I want to. That hallway is weird enough and it feels so... intrusive.
"Imena?" Annabeth asks, her tone softer.
I clear my throat. "It's a hallway. White. Very white. But each different door is.. well. I think it might be a different person's dream."
She seems to notice my reluctance to talk about it and smiles consolingly, squeezing my hand. "I'll talk to Chiron. We'll get you training in no time."
I nod just as the scenery around blends from woods to camp. By the time we got to the mess hall, people were already filled inside.
We were right about to enter when Annabeth goes to speak but pauses as her eyes catch on something behind me. She gives me a curious smile. "We'll talk later." She says.
I turn around to see what had scared her away when my eyes land on a familiar brown haired boy wearing dark blue jeans, a Camp Half-Blood shirt, and a black jacket.
Damn him for looking good.
He leans against a tree. His arms crossed as he watches me. "Come on." He says. "I'll help you get some dinner."