Rhea POV
Finally! I've done it, I think, staring out from the podium, getting handed certificate. I have a bachelor's degree in Physical therapy. I've spent endless days and nights working, studying to finish. And I've done it. Mom was staring up at me proudly, Triton and Aunt Hestia next to her. Dad would've come but he didn't want his presence to be noticed. Having two gods in one place was enough to draw attention.
"I'm so proud of you Rhea," my mom started, "The youngest person in the history of this university to graduate with a degree in Physical Therapy."
"It wasn't easy. But finally I'm here," I reply with a bright smile.
"Little Rhea all grown up," my brother, Triton says, fake-tearing up.
"Oh shush you. I'm turning twelve in a few weeks. I've still got some growing to do," I say.
Everyone congratulated me; my high school principal was here. Jane and Malcolm were here and came along with me to have a celebratory milkshake, and we could catch up with everything that's been happening in their lives. They were in High school and loving every minute of it.
"Ahhh, I hate school," Jane says, recounting her high school days, "you're so lucky to be finished with that hellhole."
"You're right, but maybe if you studied more, then you could also move up a grade or two," I reply with a smirk on my face.
"Not everyone has a super brain Rhea."
"It's not about a super brain Jane, brainy Janey. Heh, it rhymes. Anyway, it's about dedication, taking one day at a time and dedicating your time to a certain subject, getting it done," I say.
"Whatever," she replies, while Malcolm's head is stuck in a comic book.
I knew the time was close for me to head to camp. I didn't want to go, knowing what awaits me. It scares me that everything is changing so quickly and that I might not make it out alive to reach my eighteenth birthday.
If I do go to camp, I want to finish my psychology online, and I doubt there'd be wifi. I'm sure I'll be able to help in the camp's medical area.
Mom and I left to go to Montauk for the last time, my last time visiting dad without the scrutiny of the gods.
"Rhea! Sally!" my father greets us excitedly.
"Dad!" I give him a big hug.
"I missed you princess," he says.
"Missed you too dad," I reply.
We went inside the palace and I was greeted with a hug from Amphitrite, congratulating me on a job well done.
After settling down, we all sat down in the living room area.
"Rhea, the time has come, in a few days you have to go to camp," my father says sadly. Mom looks like she is about to cry.
"I know," I whisper.
"I'll have a hippocampi ready for you to take you as close to the camp as possible. I don't want you to take unnecessary risks on your way there."
"I'll be safe dad, you've trained me well," I assure him.
He looks at me worried, "Something happened on Olympus. Zeus's lightning bolt has been stolen, and he's blaming me for it."
"But you can't steal his bolt, it's forbidden. You told me so yourself."
"Yes, but he thinks a demi-god stole it for me. He thinks you might've stolen it," he says.
"Me, but I've been too busy studying to even visit my own mom. Why would I want to steal it?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.
"We know you didn't do it. My brother is anal like that. He believes whatever he wants without considering all the facts," my father says.
"Sister, you have to be careful, especially what you do and say at camp. You'll be watched. Uncle Hades' helm of darkness has also been stolen," Triton speaks up.
"What?! How?" I ask, acting shocked. I already know who did it and I really hope I don't have to fight any gods for a long time.
"We don't know either, but whoever it is wants to pin it on me," my father says.
"That's just stupid. You don't want take over the throne," I say, recalling what my father told me once. He doesn't want extra responsibilities, he doesn't want to deal with the issues of the other gods.
"Keep an eye out at camp for anyone suspicious. Triton will claim you first as his daughter. Remember to refer to him as father, and grandfather to me. I will then claim you so that you can stay in my cabin. It's rightfully yours and I won't have you sharing a cabin with who knows how many boys in the Hermes cabin," my father says.
"Oh okay."
"And Rhea?" my father starts,
"Yes dad?"
"No dating. No boyfriends, okay?" he says sweetly.
"Um...dad, please don't kill any friends I make, especially the boys. I don't want a boyfriend yet, I'm too young to have one anyway," I plead, colour staining my cheeks.
"I won't hurt any of your friends, as long as none of them hurt you," he says, voice still as sweet and innocent. It scares me.
Triton mentioned that the camp director is the god of wine, who got punished and wasn't allowed to have any alcohol to drink.
Triton said, "If you can get on his good side, then you'll be set at camp. Niceties don't really work with him. He hates children besides his own. Good luck."
I sort of knew what to expect at camp, everybody filled me in thoroughly. I just had an information overload.
The time has come.
I'm sitting on a hippocampi, riding rough the waves, towards Camp Half-blood.
The ride isn't so long, but the closer I got, the worse I felt. Things are changing and I feel at a loss. I'm one of the fortunate campers who got to know their godly parents.
I arrived close to the camp, getting off my seahorse friend, I walked towards the camp borders, listening closely for any monsters. So far, so good.
I hear a snap of a twig and I sprint towards camp, my vision becomes more focused, my goal: get to camp alive.
Someone or something is chasing me, my sword is ready for an attack, I glance behind me, Oh shit! The minotaur! What?! Why?! Things are supposed to be different.
Its beastly form was gaining speed, breaking trees apart as it ran through them. What did my counterpart do in the books? Think! Think!
He went with the flow; he had no training when he got to camp. How did he kill this stinking thing?
I'm so close to camp, the barrier. Okay here's what I'll do, I'm going to chop off its head. Great plan right? Wrong.
Once I turned around, sword ready to slash, and it was heading straight for me. Before it could barrel into me, I jumped out of the way and it released a vicious roar. I went to attack its legs, I slashed one of his calves and it turned around. I swear there's smoke coming out of its nose. How does he look so intimidating? He's four times my size, that's how.
It's charging at me again and I move out of its way. That was close! It's screaming in rage. My poor ears. Charging at me again, the Minotaur was too fast, because when I tried to jump out of its way, it sent me flying in the air with one of its arms.
"Ow, that hurts," I say, moaning in pain. My ribs are probably bruised from the impact from both its hit and landing on the ground.
I got up just in time when it charged at me again, I move faster than I thought possible in my state. You can do this Rhea! Once it flew past me again, I rush towards him, jumping on its back, impaling my sword in its thick neck. I held on for the life of me, for who knows how long before it disappeared in a burst of golden dust. Guess who was on its back? Me. Guess who fell from its tall form and landed face first on the ground? Also me.
I hear shouting around me, lifting my head from the ground I see a few people in orange shirts approach me. Guess my story isn't so different from my counterpart, I think before passing out.
A/N: There we have it, finally! Welcome to camp half-blood.