The moon is shining brightly high above. I stand outside the door to Whammy's house, unsure of what I was going to do next. I twisted a lock of my long, dark cream-colored hair around my finger and stared uncertainly at the door. I wanted to go in, but yet I didn't.
I'm homesick. I miss Long Island. I miss Camp Half-Blood. I miss my sisters and brothers in the Aphrodite cabin. I miss my friends. I miss Chiron. I miss Annabeth. I miss Percy. I even miss Mr. D. I'd give anything to be back.
Annabella squirmed in my arms and meowed grumpily at me, bringing me back to the present. I let her go. She stalked away, her plumed tail high in the air and grumbling to herself.
I smiled at my wayward cat and turned back to the door ahead of me. I sighed. No sense waiting out here until sunrise and have everyone stare at me. So I picked up my duffel bag in one hand and pushed the door open with the other.
The hallways are dark and silent. I wander up and down the halls until I reach the door marked Office. I push it open cautiously.
An old man is waiting behind a large desk, his back to the windows. He had obviously been waiting for me. "Miss. Rei?"
"Yes, sir." I bow my head.
"Welcome to Whammy's. I trust you will enjoy your stay." He hands me a small envelope. "This contains the number and key to your room, and also your schedule."
"Thank you sir." I pick up my bags and leave.
My room is number 423. Great. Its way back near the outside edge of the house, so I have quite a way walk. But I find it eventually and open the door.
The first thing I see is a girl about my age, with long black hair and dark brown eyes, reading in her bed. As I enter she smiles at me. "こんにちは! 私の名前はHaruko Imaである。 あなたのは何であるか。"
I smile too. "Nyoko Rei。 私はちょうどここに着いた。 日本語を知っているか。"
She switches to English. "Yeah, but I'm not that fluent. I only just started learning."
"Oh." I throw my bag down on my bed. "It would've been nice to have someone else speak my language."
"Where do you come from?"
"New York City. My father's a Japanese immigrant and he taught me."
"And your mom?"
"Umm…I never knew her." She doesn't need to know I'm a demigod.
"I'm sorry." But she doesn't sound sorry.
"Hey, Haruko, I'm really tired and want to go to bed, okay?"
"Alright." She turns her attention back to her book.
Without bothering to unpack my things, I collapse onto my bed and fall asleep in an instant.
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Translations:
"こんにちは! 私の名前はHaruko Imaである。 あなたのは何であるか。: Hello! My name is Haruko Ima. What's yours?
Nyoko Rei。 私はちょうどここに着いた。 日本語を知っているか: Nyoko Rei. I just arrived here. You know Japanese?