I awoke from my weird dream. It was a memory, that I was aware of. I shook it off and glanced outside to see it was time for dinner. Campers were walking toward the dinning pavilion. I went to splash some water on my face before walking out of my cabin.
"I was just about to check up on you." Annabeth stood a little further away from me. She studied me. "You sleep okay?"
"Yeah, had a weird dream though." I pursed my lips. I saw Jason waiting for us near the pavilion. He had his hands in his pockets as he watched everyone sit at their assigned cabin tables. "It was like a memory. I think I've run into someone before, like Jason."
"Really?" Annabeth asked. I quickly filled her in about it. "That's interesting and this Lucy girl knew about the labyrinth. I don't remember a Lucy here at camp."
"Me either. But her purple shirt and her tattoos..." I hesitated. Seth had gone over to talk to Jason so he wasn't alone. "What if we're not the only camp for half-bloods?"
"I've been thinking the same thing." Annabeth eyed Jason. "He has the background of attending a camp. He knows about the mythology, but all in Roman...I have all these theories that I have, but I want to research more first before I can choose one. I'll let you know about it once I know for sure."
"Okay." I nodded. "Any updates on Hera being trapped in a prison?"
"Nothing yet. But it sounds like there's going to be a quest about it." Annabeth concluded.
"I agree. Jason and Piper are for sure going on it." I said. "How is Piper doing?"
"I think she's still asleep. But last time I checked on her, she was doing better. She's no longer pale."
"Hey, guys." Seth greeted with a smile. "You sleep well, Ives?"
"A little, yeah." I shrugged. I glanced at Jason to see him looking at the Big House. "You doing okay, Jason?"
"Hmm. Oh, yeah. I'm okay." He nodded. "So, Seth was saying you guys sit by your cabin. Where do I sit?"
"That's up to you, man." Seth told him. "In the past, it used to be the Hermes cabin. But now a days, demigods are typically claimed by nightfall their first day at camp."
"You can sit wherever you want, Jason." Annabeth said. "Wherever you feel most comfortable."
"Come on, I'm starved." I patted the boys backs and went to my table.
The dryads started to pass out the food and placed an empty goblet with it. I muttered the drink lowly so they couldn't hear. The goblet filled with a red drink appeared in my table. I grinned at the BBQ, bread, and fresh fruit. Annabeth and the boys were passing by when she did a double take. She stopped in her tracks and narrowed her eyes at me. Knowing where she was going, I grabbed the drink and took a sip.
"That better not be what I think it is." Annabeth pointed a stern finger at me.
"Well, it's definitely not soda." I mumbled, drinking the Kool-Aid.
"Is that Kool-Aid?" Seth said in concern.
"What's so wrong about Ivy having Kool-Aid?" Jason asked.
"I need the energy." I shrugged. "Soda won't do anything at this point and coffee just makes me focus."
"Typically, children of Dionysus have...drinking problems to put it lightly. Since they're underage here at camp, they're kind of addicted to root beer and Kool-Aid." Annabeth eyed my cup nervously. "A couple years back, we learned that Ivy and her brothers don't...handle Kool-Aid very well and can get carried away with root beer."
"I'm just having one cup. Don't worry." I reassured them. "I need the extra energy that I'm lacking. Besides, I have a feeling tonight's campfire is going to be...intense to say the least."
"There's no extra sugar in there, right?" Jason said. He blinked and then winced as if a memory tried to resurface. "I don't know why, but you having Kool-Aid..."
"Maybe you knew someone with a Kool-Aid addiction." Annabeth suggested.
"Maybe." Jason muttered, his eyebrows pinched together in frustration.
"Ives, I really don't think you drinking Kool-Aid with your lack of sleep is a good idea." Seth frowned. "You'll have, like, a sugar crash or something. I don't think it's healthy."
"I'll be fine. Promise." I gave him a thumbs up.
"She's not going to change her mind." Annabeth told him, already giving up.
"Percy would've." Seth muttered with a sigh. "Fine. Drink water after."
"I will."
"If Will saw you drinking this, the poor kid will have a heart attack." Seth mumbled. Will must've heard his name, because he looked around the pavilion. Seth pecked Annabeth's cheek. "Sit next to me at the campfire?"
"Of course." Annabeth smiled at him as he walked away. "You can choose who you want to sit with, Jason. I'm going to go sit with my siblings."
Annabeth left leaving Jason standing next to my table. He looked over his shoulder to see Leo eating with his siblings. People started to line up with their food to do the offering.
"Are you the only one here at your table?" Jason asked.
He looked around to see that every other table besides, four, were filled.
"Yeah, my brother, Pollux, is at college." I informed him, standing to my feet with my plate. "Those over there are the tables for the Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades kids. Then there is also the table for Artemis' Hunters whenever they visit."
"So you sit by yourself." Jason noted. He glanced at the Hephaestus table to see it packed. "I'll eat with you, so you're not alone."
"You can go eat with Leo if you want. It's ok." I reassured him. "I'm fine eating by myself."
"I'm sure." Jason said. A dryad placed a plate in front of him on the table. He saw an empty goblet beside it. "How do I get the drink?"
"You just tell it what drink you want."
"Sprite." Jason said hesitantly. The goblet filled with the soft drink. A smile grew on his face. "That's cool."
"Come on, bring your plate." I told him. Jason grabbed his plate and followed me to the line going to the fire. "We give a small portion of our into the fire. It's an offering to the gods. We typically say a small prayer with it."
Jason nodded as the line moved. We stood in line quietly as we got closer. Leo was a few people in front of us. When he did his offering he was walking back to his table when he saw Jason.
"Jason!" Leo walked over with a large smile. "You doing okay, man?"
"I'm doing fine." Jason smiled. "How's your cabin?"
"Dude, it's so cool!" Leo's eyes widened. "The amount of inventions in there is insane. I can't wait to create some of my own."
"Glad you're liking it." I told him, taking a step forward in line. "You settling okay, though?"
"Yeah. My siblings, that sounds weird to say, anyway, yeah they're pretty cool."
"It takes a little while to get used to having siblings. It took my a few days to feel normal around mine." I said.
"Siblings? I thought you only had one?" Jason said.
"Pollux had a twin, Castor." I swallowed thickly, looking at my plate. "About two years ago there was a battle here at camp. Castor died."
"That sucks. I mean, sorry." Leo rambled.
"Yeah, I'm sorry for you loss." Jason added.
"Thanks. He would've been in college with Pollux this semester." I frowned. I shook my head and put on a smile. "Anyways, after dinner is the campfire. I think you guys will like it. There's sing alongs, music, and a huge magical fire that feeds off everyone's emotions."
"Magic fire," Leo chuckled nervously, "that's cool."
"It's not harmful, promise." I told him.
I was next in line for the offering. I scrapped of a little portion of my food and said a small prayer to my dad, asking him to help me find Percy and to comfirm my suspicions of the Great Prophecy starting. I stepped aside for Jason. Leo said he would see us later and went to go eat with his siblings. Jason copied what I did and followed me back to my table.
The both of us sat down and started to eat. There was a sad howl coming from the armory. I winced, cursing myself in Ancient Greek for being an idiot. I felt everyone look at me. Jason looked around curiously.
"Why is everybody looking at you? And why is there a dog howling?"
"I forgot to walk Mrs. O'Leary and she's calling for me." I quickly finished the barbecue. "I'm going to go check on her."
"You have a pet dog here?" Jason quirked a brow.
"Hellhound actually. And she's Percy's pet." I drank a few gulps from my drink and stood up. There was another howl. "Sorry, Jason, I'm going to have to leave early to go check on her."
"You're fine." Jason said. "Do you want me to save your plate?"
"I'm okay, thanks though!" I grabbed the bread and some grapes with a large smile. "I'll see you at the campfire!"
I sent him a wave and ran to go check on the hellhound. I bit into my bread and chewed it. Mrs. O'Leary's pitiful howls got louder as I grew closer. I slowed to a stop and ate the rest of my food.
"Mrs. O'Leary?" I called out, entering the building. The hellhound was sitting near the window. Her ears were flattened against her head and her head hung low. She turned to face me. "Hey, girl. Sorry, I'm late."
Mrs. O'Leary slowly walked over to me. She nudged her nose against my hand and placed her head against my shoulder. I frowned and pet the top of her head.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I softly asked. Mrs. O'Leary looked at me with sad eyes. She was acting the same way when Daedalus passed away. It dawned on me that she was missing Percy. "Oh...we're going to find him girl. I promise. Percy is out there somewhere. We're going to get him back."
I wrapped my arms around her neck and buried my face into her fur. We stood like that for a couple of minutes, staying in each other's comfort. I pulled away, not realizing I was crying. With a sniffle, I wiped away my tears.
"Let's go on that walk, yeah?"
After I walked Mrs. O'Leary and fed her some food, I walked towards the amphitheater where the campfire was held. My heart ached knowing that Percy would've been here with me if he hadn't disappeared. I swallowed back a cry and shoved my hands into his hoodie pocket. Campers were gathered in their seats where their cabin banners were stationed at.
The Apollo children were deciding which song to sing first. Seth sat beside Jason and Annabeth. He had his guitar in hand as he talked with his siblings. Leo was nearby sitting with his siblings as well. He looked like he was having a good time.
I walked over to join Annabeth and the boys. She sent me a small smile. Jason scooted over to make room between him and Annabeth. I sat down and placed my head on her shoulder.
"You okay?" Annabeth quietly asked.
"I'm okay as I can be." I admitted.
"How's Mrs. O'Leary?" She questioned with a frown.
"I think she's missing Percy." I said, staring into the fire. "She's acting the same way when Daedalus passed away."
"Wait, did you say Daedalus... as in the person who created the labyrinth?" Jason looked at us with wide eyes.
"The same one." I nodded. "Anything on Piper yet?"
"She's still out. Hopefully she'll wake up soon." Annabeth said.
"All right, I've got to go play some music. Be right back." Seth pecked Annabeth's lips and jogged off toward the stage with his siblings.
Half a dozen Apollo children stood on stage. They had their guitars and lyres. Music started to play and they began to sing. Everyone stood up, clapping along. Jason looked a little confused, but he seemed to like it so far.
A few songs had passed and everyone was having a good time. The Apollo children were dancing and jumping on stage as they played a song about pieces of armor and that grandma got dressed for a war. The rest of the campers and I did the gestures for the pieces of armor. Some campers behind us started to joke around. As the energy level got higher, the flames did too, turning from red to orange to gold.
Finally, the song ended with a rowedy applause. Chiron trotted up onto the stage. I looked around to see Piper with Rachel making their way down. I sent them a smile and a wave. I'm glad she was able to come out of her sleep and able to experience this. The poor girl needed to end her bad day on a good note.
Almost fine with this act!! Maybe 2 more chapters