Well, just so you know, this is AU and I've tweaked their ages a bit. The rest of the AN will be at the end so I won't hinder you from reading:
On Summoning (and) Half-Bloods
Chapter One: The Summoner
(a.k.a. Annabeth gets it wrong, again.)
Annabeth Chase was wrong. Again.
That was the only explanation she and everyone else could think of. Though in her honest opinion, she couldn't think of what she did wrong. Her summoning was the ultimate definition of the textbook summoning.
She was in the middle of the basement of the Hera Cabin, where the first summoning took place. As a tradition, all summonings take place in that room. Surrounding her were her professors and fellow summoners, watching her summoning. More like waiting for her to fail another attempt.
She stood tall as she spoke the incantation and broke her sacrifice, a cheap ballpoint pen, into two. Yet nothing happened, her summoned half-blood did not appear like it should have. Tears of frustration prickled at the edge of her eyes at the disappointment in her mother's eyes. She walked away with her head held high as she adeptly ignored the mocking looks and sneers of her fellow peers and summoners.
"Annabeth failed again. Well, that's no surprise."
"I heard she's been doing this for five years."
"Five years of failed summoning? Why is she still trying then?"
"What right does she have to tell me off then if she can't do a successful summon?"
"Because you can't differentiate a giant and an earthborn, Stoll," she retorted without looking at the source of the last comment.
"I don't have to differentiate them when I have a half-blood that can defeat them, either way," he retorted and she chose not to dignify that with an answer.
'Not only don't they know how to read, but they don't know how to whisper properly,' she thought vehemently as the crowd's "whisperings" increased in volume as she walked up the stairs.
She as she entered the ground floor of the Hera Cabin, she gave a small respectful nod to the giant statue of Hera in the middle of the cabin. The statue and the cabin itself were a commemoration to the first summoner, Hera. She didn't have a textbook or a manual yet she managed to do a successful summoning on her first try. At least that is what is taught to her in her first year as a summoner.
Actually, everyone needed only one try to do a successful summoning and yet, after five years of trying, Annabeth still hasn't succeeded.
She exited the cabin and covered her eyes with the back of her hand. The cabin was too dark inside, or the sunlight was simply too bright. Either way, her eyes haven't adjusted to the glare of the sun yet. She also took that moment to subtly wipe away the tears prickling in her eyes before going to the restrooms.
She threw away her broken sacrifice into the trash can under the sink as she washed away the ink stains on her hands she obtained after breaking the pen in half with her bare hands.
"You've got ink on your face," a voice commented from behind as her greeting.
"I thought you didn't care for looks, Piper," Annabeth answered as she continued washing her hands. She took that moment to glance at the mirror in front of her. The ink was smeared across her eyes from temple to temple, as if it was a mask that covered her eyes. She glared at her reflection before glaring at the summoner behind her. Piper grinned and waved her hand in reply when she noticed Annabeth's eyes land on her. Then she took the sink right beside Annabeth.
"I don't care about looking good. But I do care about looking neat and decent," Piper retorted as she washed her arms which were covered in black goop, which suspiciously looked like motor oil. She made a face as she did her best to remove the stain and said, "And besides, Reyna would throw a fit if she found out how dirty we look, being the neat freak that she is."
"I don't particularly care what Reyna thinks," Annabeth replied as she rubbed her hands together vigorously. She should have used a pen that had washable ink, but the stain was going slowly but surely. If only the same could be said with her unwanted company.
"I know. But you're a neat freak too, so I just thought I'd help you out by pointing it out," Piper continued as she used a liberal amounts of soap on her arms.
"What do you want, Piper?" Annabeth sighed, knowing that no matter how she acted, Piper won't be deterred. Better to give her some attention now or else she'll continue annoying Annabeth.
"I just want to use the sink. Leo made a mess. Again," she answered with a sigh at the end. Annabeth frowned.
"Go ahead and complain about the problems your half-blood to the summoner who can't even summon a half-blood for five years," Annabeth said venomously and even Piper flinched at the harshness of Annabeth's tone.
"It failed again?" Piper asked, obviously making an effort not to blame Annabeth and claim that it was Annabeth who failed. "I'm sorry."
"I don't need your pity," Annabeth replied stubbornly as she washed her face since her hands were as clean as she could make them. She closed her eyes as she rubbed her face with as much vigor as her hands.
"That's what you always say. But that doesn't mean I don't and won't feel bad for you every time you fail a summoning," Piper replied with a small smile even though Annabeth didn't see it. "Wanna have a girl's night in my cabin?"
"And that's what you always ask. Doesn't your pretty little feathered head understand that I don't want to spend a night with you and Reyna?" she said not unkindly. This was a pattern for them, almost a tradition after every time Annabeth fails a summoning.
"Not really. Why else would I keep bothering to offer," she answered light-heartedly. Piper knew better than to take offense at the blonde's harsh replies. Annabeth's bark was bigger than her bite and everyone knew that. Why else would they continue to taunt and tease her?
"Just leave me alone, Piper," Annabeth answered wearily as she continued to rub her eyes as if that could remove both the ink and tears that stain her face.
The only sound that could be heard after Annabeth's answer was the sound of running water and the occasional splashes as they both try to remove the stains on their skins.
"Just wondering, but why did you use a pen as your sacrifice?" Piper broke the silence.
"I don't know," Annabeth said as she lifted her face from the sink. She took out her handkerchief and wiped her face. A glance at the mirror in front of her revealed that she has successfully removed most of the ink stain on her face. But there were still noticeable smudges that her forceful cleaning hasn't removed. "It felt right. Why did you choose to use a power drill as yours? And how did you break it with your bare hands, at that?"
"Just like you, it felt right," Piper answered with a shrug. "And I don't know how I broke one with my hands. I must be stronger than I seem. But I really think it's the magic of the summoning," she answered honestly, trying to remember details from her own summoning two years back.
"Hey Piper," Annabeth said softly and Piper turned away from the sink to look at the blonde. "I'm sorry for being so mean to you. I'm just," she stopped, trying to look for the right word. "Frustrated you know? I-" she continued before being interrupted by Piper.
"I know. I understand," she said solemnly and Annebeth knew she did. Annabeth's mother might be one of the, if not the, very best among the second generation summoners, but Piper's mother was the first second-generation summoners. She understood what it was like to be a third-generation summoner that came from a second-generation summoner. In a way, so did Reyna, that's why the three of them are friends despite Annabeth's actions towards them.
"You know," Piper said as she continued washing her hands. "I heard that Luke's in the arena. Training. And you know what that means?" she said conspiratorially with a grin though the gleam in her eyes said otherwise.
"Yeah, I do," Annabeth grinned, knowing that Luke always sparred without a shirt. Then she frowned and asked, "I thought you didn't approve of my relationship with Luke?"
Piper shrugged in reply. "Whether it has my approval or not doesn't change the fact that you're my friend and for some reason I don't understand, he makes you happy. And you need him at the moment. But there's something about him that makes me distrust him, call it my intuition," she said seriously.
"Thank you," she said as she turned off the sink and moved towards the exit. "And if the oil stain still doesn't want to budge, try petroleum jelly or mineral oil. Or even baby oil," she said before going towards the arena.
...
It wasn't that hard to spot Luke in the arena. Not many people or half-bloods approached him when he trained. Mostly it was the half-bloods that made a conscious effort to move away from him since not many people actually go to the arena to train to fight. That was the half-bloods' job.
She clenched her teeth as she managed her jealousy at watching the summoners interact with their half-bloods as she passed them by on her way to Luke.
"You failed again?" he said as a greeting and she ignored the sting of his words because he understood what she felt. He was naturally blunt and she wouldn't change him for anything.
"Yeah," she said as she took a seat nearby, waiting for Luke to finish his routine. She watched him as he moved with the sword as if it was an extension of his body. Despite being a summoner, he didn't need to learn to fight like the half-bloods, but he learned anyway and watching him now with his six years of experience in sword-fighting, it was a beautifully mesmerizing sight to behold. Not only were his movements graceful and fluid, but his body showed the results for training for years. It was a delicious sight to behold and if she could, she would have him for lunch instead.
She blushed at the thought and shook her head.
She was fairly sure that he was the best sword-fighter in Camp Half-Blood, if Jason wasn't around. But the blonde half-blood had an unfair advantage of being a half-blood that has been training since he was six. But excluding Jason, Luke could probably beat the rest of the half-bloods in sword-fighting. Of that she had no doubt.
"Sorry, took so long," he said and she was brought out of her reverie. She shook her head at him and smiled.
"Not really," she answered and he gave her a grin in reply.
"Enjoy the view?" he asked teasingly and she blushed as she stood up to bump her shoulder against Luke's arm.
"Oh, shut up," she said as she stuck out her tongue. He took that as an invitation for a kiss as he leaned down to suck and play with her tongue. They stayed like that for a few moments; their only contact with each other was their lips as they fought for dominance. More like Annabeth trying to win her tongue back while Luke asserting his dominance over her as he sucked, nibbled and licked hers.
When they parted, Annabeth was blushing so much that even her ears were red while Luke had a hint of pink on his cheekbones, either from their short session or his training. "So, wanna have lunch?" he asked as he picked up his shirt that was on the ground. He slung it over his shoulders, using it as a towel.
"Sure. I heard that they're serving stead at the pavilion today," Annabeth answered as she walked with Luke towards the locker rooms.
"Sounds good. Let me wash up for a moment. Or do you want to join me?" he added the latter with a lecherous grin on his face and Annabeth nudged him again.
"Just go on and wash up, you pervert. I'll wait for you outside the arena," she said as she left Luke to wash away the sweat.
...
Annabeth smiled as she walked beside Luke towards the pavilion. Though the walk was short, they spent it in comfortable silence as she took time to observe him from the corner of her eye. As much as she appreciated him drenched in sweat without a shirt, he managed to wear the orange Camp Half-Blood shirt very well. And she couldn't help but breathe in his soap with an appreciative sigh.
She can't believe that the other summoners like Luke despite failing his own summonings for the past five years. But then, Luke is better looking and just generally better with people. The best part of him though, was that he could have chosen to be with anyone else, but he chose to be with her. Of course they picked her all the more for it, but she couldn't help but be happy that they're jealous of her because she snagged him. He chose her and she can't help but grin at the thought.
"When are you going to do your next summoning?" she asked him once they have gotten their food and sat at one of the tables.
He looked at her with wide eyes. "Is there anything else that goes through your head except being a summoner?" he asked her teasingly as he took a bite from his own steak.
'You,' she thought though she said in an embarrassed tone, "Well, it's a big deal for my family if I become one." She should have said when, not if, because she was most definitely going to be a summoner even if it's the last thing she was going to do.
"Your mother, you mean," he pointed out and she nodded. She still remembered the look of disappointment and disgust in her mother's eyes as she failed another summoning. The same look she always sent Annabeth after she failed a summoning.
Luke noticed her distress and took her hand that was lying on her lap and squeezed it lightly under the table. She smiled at his reassurance and squeezed back. He smiled back at her as he continued to eat.
"Don't worry about it. You'll get a half-blood," he said confidently and she can't help but believe in his words. "You wanna watch Jake Mason's summoning?"
"Not really," she answered as she started eating her own steak but she was going to watch anyway. And he knew that too.
"But you're going to watch him anyway? Hope he'll fail?" he said nonchalantly though his tone had a hint of cruel excitement and bitterness at the thought.
A vindictive part of her wanted him to fail like her and Luke. So that he'll understand what they're going through. But that was even too mean by her standards because she wouldn't want others to have a fate like hers. "Not really. Maybe I'll see some inspiration in his summoning?" she answered, though her answer came out more like a question.
"All summonings look the same, Annie," he said as if she was a child. He even called her that terrible nickname, which she lets only Luke get away with.
"Then maybe I'll find out what I'm doing wrong," she amended her answer to which Luke scoffed at.
"You're not doing anything wrong. If anything, it's most probably the half-blood's fault, not yours," he said and Annabeth could only smile at his answer.
"Like your half-blood?" she said in jest though he didn't see it that way. He immediately let go of her hand as he became closed off. He mechanically ate his food as he focused his attention on his plate instead on Annabeth. "Sorry," she said in a small voice. How could she have forgotten? Talking about Luke's failed attempts were a sore spot for him; just like talking about hers were a sore spot for her.
"Probably," he said in acknowledgement to her question and her apology. "After we finish eating, let's go watch?"
She was back in the basement of the Hera Cabin with Luke by her side. They were among the crowd that was formed, all excited in watching Jake's summoning. Jake stood in the middle of the crowd that formed a rough circle around him. It was obvious he was nervous ad he held a bottle of tobasco sauce.
"As I open the doors, I call thee to me. Come to me, my half-blood."
As he spoke the incantation, he broke the bottle into two. The sauce dripped to the ground and it seemed to Annabeth that there was either more sauce in the small bottle of tobasco or the magic was at work.
It seemed it was the latter as the bottle shards themselves turned into tobasco sauce and slipped from Jake's fingers, at which Jake gave a surprised yelp. The sauce moved as if it was a wriggling snake, as it twisted and slithered on the ground. For twist and slither it made, it slowly transformed into a fire snake, or rather it was a dragon. It wrapped around Jake, like a tornado, making him as its eye. Higher and higher moved the fire dragon until it reached the low ceiling of the basement before returning to the ground with a crash.
Jake was left unharmed by the flames though he did seem a bit fazed by the experience, which was a normal occurrence. At his feet, exactly where the dragon crash-landed and dissipated, was a half-blood.
The half-blood was huge and dark-skinned. He was also wearing torn clothes, which looked like rags more than anything. And most importantly, he was unconscious and bleeding, which was a normal side-effect of summoning. That's why professors have to be present during every summoning because they have to give medical attention to the half-bloods. Also, they have to mark the half-bloods so the rest of the population won't confuse them as another citizen of Olympus.
She bit her lower lips as she heard Luke clench his teeth. Why can't she do one successful summon? What has she been doing wrong for all these years?
...
AN: So here's the rest of the AN. Like I said above, this is an AU, an alternate universe (inspired by the anime called Zero no Tsukaima/Familiar of Zero) where only the characters are still the same. This story is not your typical love story and will tackle a few issues, so you have been warned. Also, it will end up as Percabeth, though not yet, obviously. If you're confused about the story and its terminologies and such, you're free to send me a review/pm and I'll answer you in the next chapter without giving away spoilers. Also this is my nanowrimo project and it hasn't been beta-ed because I won't let my beta touch it until I'm done. So yeah. So expect daily updates and stuff.
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