°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ ENDGAME} act iii. . .
. . .true love, that doesn't exist
CHAPTER FIVE°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
— 'winter at camp'
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Percy°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
I realised I had never been at camp during winter.
I thought the camp would be the same with the magic climate control but the snow had been allowed to fall lightly.
"Is this your first time here in winter?" Thalia asked me.
"Yeah."
She laughed a little. "Well, you haven't seen Rayn during winter then?"
"Uhh, no why?"
"Well, her mom is in the underworld half of the year so, her mood shifts," she looked over at Rayn. "That's the best way I can put it."
I saw Rayn talking with Nico so I walked over, she was in a good mood so I don't know what Thalia was talking about.
"Whoa," Nico looked around camp. "Is that a climbing wall?"
"Yeah," Rayn said.
"Why is there lava pouring down it?"
"Little extra challenge."
"Come on Nico," I said, "I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoë, have you met—"
"I know Chiron," Zoë said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."
"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.
"We know the way."
"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't"— he tripped over a canoe and camp up still talking— "like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"
Zoë rolled her eyes, but I guess she figured there was no getting rid of Grover. As Bianca left she whispered something in Nico's ear before leaving. She looked at him for an answer, but he just scowled and turned away.
"Take care, sweethearts," Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at me. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."
"What do you mean?"
Instead of answering he hopped back into the bus. "Later Thalia," he called. "And, uh, be good!"
He smiled at Thalia, like he knew something she didn't. He closed the doors and took off in a blast of heat.
Nico was still looking grumpy. I wondered what his sister had told him.
"Who's Chiron?" He asked. "I don't have his figurine."
"Our activities director," Rayn said. "He's... well, you'll see."
"If those Hunter girls don't like him," Nico grumbled. "That's good enough for me. Let's go."
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
Another thing about camp that surprised me was how empty it was. I knew only year-rounders would be here but there wasn't much of them either.
I spotted Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin stoking the forge. The Stoll brothers from the Hermes cabin were picking the lock the lock in the camp store. A few Ares kids were having a snowball fight with the wood nymphs.
The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs. The air smelt like chocolate. Mr. D and Chiron were playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor.
Chiron's beard was shaggier for the winter. His curly hair had grown a little longer. He wasn't posing as a teacher this year so I guess he was more casual. He had a fuzzy sweater on and a blanket on his lap that almost completely hid his wheelchair.
He smiled when he saw us. "Percy! Rayn! Thalia! Ah, and this must be—"
"Nico Di Angelo," I said. "He and his sister are half-bloods."
Chiron breathed a sigh of relief. "You succeeded, then."
"Well..."
His smile melted. "What's wrong? And where is Annabeth?"
"Oh dear," Mr. D said in a bored voice. "Not another one lost."
I'd been trying to ignore Mr. D but it was hard since he was wearing a neon orange leopard-skin suit and purple shoes.
"What'd you mean?" Thalia asked. "Who else is lost?"
Just then, Grover trotted in the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red slap marks on his face. "The Hunters are all moved in!"
"Yeah," Rayn looked at his black eye. "They're in a good mood, I see."
Chiron frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film."
"But... oh, right. Yes, sir."
"Orientation film?" Nico asked. "Is it G or PG? Because Bianca's kinda strict—"
"It's PG-13," Rayn said.
"Cool!" Nico happily followed him out of the room.
"Now," Chiron said to us. "Perhaps you three should sit down and tell us the whole story."
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Rayn°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
When we finished explaining what happened, Chiron turned to Mr. D, "we should launch a search for Annabeth immediately."
"I'll go," we all said in sync.
Mr. D sniffed. "Certainly not!"
We started complaining, but Mr. D held up his hand. He had a purple glow in his eyes which made me think if we didn't shut up something bad would happen to us.
"From what you have told me,". Mr. D said. "We have broken even on this escapade. We have, ah, regrettably lost Annie Bell—"
"Annabeth," I snapped. We'd been at camp for years and he still didn't care to learn anyone's names.
"Yes, yes," he said. "And you got an annoying little boy to replace her. So no point in risking anyone else in a rescue. Annie is probably dead."
I wanted to strangle Mr. D. It wasn't fair Zeus had sent him here. It was a punishment on us all.
"Annabeth may be alive," Chiron said, but I could tell he was having trouble sounding upbeat. He'd practically raised her. "She's very bright. If... if our enemies have her, she will try play for time. Maybe even pretend to cooperate."
"That's right," Thalia said. "Luke would want her alive."
"In which case," said Mr. D, "I'm afraid she will have to be smart enough to escape on her own."
I got up from the table.
"Rayn." Chiron's tone was full of warning. In the back of my mind, I knew Mr. D was not someone to mess with. I was so angry, I didn't care.
"You're glad to loose another camper," I said. "You'd like it if we all disappeared!"
Mr. D stifled a laugh. "You have a point?"
"Yeah," I said louder than I thought. "Just because you were sent here as a punishment doesn't mean you have to be such a lazy jerk! This is your civilisation, too. Maybe you could try helping out a little!"
It was silent for a moment. The fire reflected in Mr. D's eyes giving him a sinister look. He opened his mouth and I was sure I'd be cursed— when Grover and Nico burst into the room.
"SO COOL!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're... you're a centaur!"
Chiron managed a smile. "Yes, Mr. Di Angelo, if you please. Thought I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters."
"And, whoa!" He looked at Mr. D. "You're the wine dude? No way!"
Mr. D turned his eyes away from me and gave Nico a look of loathing. "The wine dude?"
"Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine."
"My figurine."
"In my game, Mythomagic. And a holifoil card too! Even though everybody thinks you're the lamest god card, I still think you're totally sweet!"
"Ah," Mr. D seemed very confused, which probably saved my life. "Well that's... gratifying."
"Rayn," Chiron said quickly. "You, Percy and Thalia go down to the cabins. Inform the campers we'll be playing capture the flag tomorrow."
"Capture the flag?" Percy asked. "But we don't have enough—"
"It is a tradition," Chiron said. "A friendly match, whenever the Hunters visit."
"Yeah," Thalia muttered. "I bet it's real friendly."
Chiron looked at Mr. D who was still being told how many defenders points all the gods had in his game. "Run along now," Chiron told us.
"Oh right," Thalia said. "Come on."
She hauled me out of the Big House before Dionysus could remember he wanted to kill me.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
"You've already got Ares on your bad side," Thalia reminded me as we trudged toward the cabins. "You need another immortal enemy?"
She was right. My first quest ended with bad-blood between Ares and my... friend was killed. I didn't need to make Dionysus mad too.
"Sorry," I said. "I couldn't help it. It's just so unfair."
She stopped by the armoury where we could see her tree perfectly, with the Fleece shimmering in its branches.
"Everything is unfair," Thalia muttered. "Sometimes I wish..."
She didn't finish, but her tone was so sad I felt sorry for her.
"We'll get Annabeth back," Percy promised. "I just don't know how yet."
"First I found out that Luke is lost," she said. "Now Annabeth—"
"Don't think like that."
"You're right." She straightened up. "We'll find a way."
Over at the basketball court, a few Hunters were shooting hoops. One was arguing with an Ares camper. He had a hand on his sword and the Hunter had her hand on her bow.
"I'll break that up," Thalia said. "You circulate around the cabins. Tell everybody about capture the flag tomorrow."
"All right, you should be a team captain," Percy said.
"No, no," she said. "You've been at camp longer. You do it."
"We can, uh... co-captain or something."
I looked at them and I could feel the tension.
"We'd better go tell everyone about capture the flag," I told Percy, breaking up whatever this awkward silence was.
"Yeah!" He practically jumped and ran off.
Thalia trudged off towards the court, where the Ares camper and the Hunter were trying to kill each other with a sword and a basketball.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Percy°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
Dinner was pretty miserable. The food was amazing but I was the only Poseidon camper so I sat alone, wishing Tyson was here.
I saw Nico and Rayn playing poker with the Stoll brothers.
Everyone seemed to be having fun except Thalia and I since we had to be alone.
I stared as the Hunters called Rayn over to join them. They all laughed at jokes I couldn't hear except Zoë who only smiled once in a while.
"Hey Percy!" I looked and saw Grover waving and running in my direction.
"Hey, G-Man," I smiled at him, but I couldn't stop staring at Rayn sitting with the Hunters.
"Wow, she's lucky," Grover said dreamily.
"Rayn? Why?"
"Well, for one thing she is sitting with the Hunters and another," he took a bite out of a tin-can. "She'll probably get asked to join them."
It felt like my world collapsed. "...what..?"
"You know, she's spending time with them and she's a good fighter," he took another bite from his can. "And, she's always wanted to join them."
"She... has?"
"Yeah, too bad, ill miss her if she does join," he looked over at me. "I don't think the Hunters can really talk to us."
I wanted to grab Rayn and drag her away from the Hunters. I just couldn't imagine life without her in it.
"How long do you think until they, ask her?" I asked Grover.
"You never know," he stared over at the Hunters. "My guess would be, when Artemis gets back."
"Yeah..." I looked over at Rayn, she was smiling and laughing with the Hunters. Grover was right, she fit right in with them. Her perfect fighting, perfect skills, but if she did join them, I wouldn't be in her future.
I had awhile to convince Rayn to stay here. I wasn't ready to let her go.
Scandals
Maybe in another life I'd be at camp half-blood, fighting monsters and being a badass 😞
TYSM FOR READING<3
©️gracexeo , 2024