Kayla's POV
I appeared within a swamp-like area. The air hummed with mosquitos and dragonflies flying about. An alligator swam past in the murky water, it's eyes just barely peeking out of the water. I glanced over at an old willow tree, a girl sitting on one of the gnarled roots, twirling a dagger in her hands. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a fish-tail braid, her hazel eyes locked on me.
"Hello young one" she said with a grin.
"Hi to you too Ginger" I replied while rolling my eyes.
"Are you ready? Because if you screw this up, you are going to have a world of hell coming towards you back at camp" Ginger stated coldly while getting up and walking to me. From the dim light, I could see her SPQR tattoo with the mark of Mercury along with 7 lines; Ginger is the centurion of the Eighth cohort back at camp.
"Yes. Where is Damion?" I growled.
"Oh you know Damion loves to just hang around. He wouldn't miss this" she replied with a mischievous grin.
"Just because he was the first in the family to succeed doesn't mean I should have to wait on him." I groaned.
"Hey, we all had to do this and wait on him so you will too" Ginger retorted, rolling her eyes.
"You really are getting slow Peanut" Damion said from behind me. I turned and saw him playing with my wallet. He was growing out his dark brown hair since he was no longer serving for New Rome. I took my dagger out from the strap I had on my thigh and threw it at him. The dagger impaled itself into the willow tree behind Damion, catching his sleeve between the blade and tree.
"And you're getting stupid" I said with a smirk.
"Tsk tsk sister dear. I don't think you want to start this. Are you ready?" he asked, rolling his eyes while pulling the dagger out of the tree.
"Yes. Besides…" I paused, pulling out a small bag with my money and driver's license. "If you're the one that fell for the monopoly money trick, I think I'll do just fine" I replied with a sneer. Ginger snickered while Damion cursed under his breath. Ginger patted my shoulder before kissing my temple.
"I know you'll do just fine girly. My little sister is all grown up" Ginger said while fake sniffling. I rolled my eyes and pushed her off.
"Yeah, yeah whatever. Let's get this show on the road" I grumbled. Damion threw me an old duffel bag with probably anything I could need during this competition.
"Be careful, the greeks are tougher this year" Damion warned, sounding very serious.
"Is it one of the Stoll brothers or something?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No. It's a girl named Aria. She is quite a peculiar girl" Ginger answered.
"Any useful information on her that I could use" I asked, stretching out my arms.
"She is dating some son of Mars named Ryan. And let's just say that their relationship isn't very honest" Ginger said while pulling out her iPod.
"Good. I can work with that" I replied, smirking.
"Good luck sis" Ginger said before giving me another hug.
"Don't worry, I'll see you in a week" I replied before smirking at Damion.
"You have zero chance squirt" Damion stated.
"Trust me, it'll happen. The king will lose his throne and I'll be setting the record" I said, still smirking.
"Uh huh. Very doubtful" he said while rolling his eyes. I let go of Ginger and rolled my eyes at him again.
"Just don't get emotionally involved. That's what screwed me over" Ginger muttered bitterly.
"Don't worry, it won't happen" I stated confidently.
"Good girl" Ginger said while patting my shoulder. I nodded and leaned against one of the will trees. I picked up my dagger from the ground since Damion threw it onto the ground. I wiped the mud off the Imperial Gold blade and began picking the underside of my finger nails, using the tip.
"Can you please act more feminine?" Ginger asked while laughing.
"Just wait…I'll get feminine…until then, I'm being butch" I said before hocking a loogie and spitting into a nearby bush.
"Nice plan" Damion said, smirking.
"Eh?" Ginger asked, slightly confused.
"Don't worry Ging, you'll see" I replied, smirking as well. She just furrowed her eyebrows, making Damion and I laugh; this would be way too easy.
Aria's POV
I zipped up my backpack before feeling a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. I smiled and turned to face him. His electric blue eyes were warm, gazing down into my emerald green eyes. His skin was a dark tan from training hours on end. A small smile was on his amazingly soft lips.
"You srue you have to go?" Ryan asked as he pulled me closer to him. I smiled and gently kissed his cheek.
"You know I have to. I told you that this competition makes a name for me and is the thing deciding my fate" I replied with determination.
"But I'll get lonely!" he replied with his adorable pout.
"How about this, when I come back, we can go back to Montana" I said before kissing his collarbone lightly, making him quietly groan.
"I like this idea" he said while sliding his hands to the small of my back. I smiled and nuzzled into his chest, feeling all warm and fuzzy on this inside.
"I don't want to leave you" I sighed.
"You could always show up late…" he said while sliding his fingers up and down my sides.
"Trust me, I want to but I can't" I mumbled while playing with the ends of his shirt. He bent down and lightly kissed my neck, taking away my breath. I smiled a little, slowly pulling out his wallet from his back pocket.
"I know. And you still owe me your wallet" I smirked while waving it around his face.
"You'll win" he said, rolling his eyes.
"I know" I said before gently kissing him. Just as he kissed back I broke away gently and smiled. "I won you after all"
"Now go kick Roman ass" he said with a smile.
"I will" I replied while picking up my bag. He lightly kissed my lips and smiled. "I love you"
"I love you too" he said while smiling. I grinned and teleported to the swamp, hopefully for the last time.
When I appeared, there were three others waiting for me. All three had dark brown hair with hazel eyes. The boy had the standard Roman tattoo for Mercury with all ten marks; I remember his name is Damion from the previous years. The girl on the far right had a small scar just above her eyebrow; a product from her trial during the competition. The girl between the two was slightly shorter than Ginger but much more of a tom boy. She had a black flat bill tilted to the side along with a black tank top. She had the Roman tattoo but only had four lines. Her skin was the perfect tan with no marks of any scars. She was wearing baggy grey sweats with a pair of black Sambas.
"So how is this going to start exactly?" I questioned while crossing my arms over my chest. The butch girl glanced over at the swamp water, it beginning to bubble. Moments later a head of curly brown hair arose from the water. Out of the water came my father in a business suit. Surprisingly his phone was not going off like it usually does. I smiled and bowed a little. I guess what's her face saw dad as his Roman counterpart. I should back up straight and stared at him.
"State thy name" he commanded, looking between us.
"Aria Mordred Abbot" I replied, trying to sound serious.
"Kayla Mariah Murrdock" the other girl stated calmly.
"As tradition within the sons and daughters of Hermes, you two will be put to the test of cunning, wit, and thieves." He stated while glancing at Kayla. "Since the Romans won the last competition, you choose your role; Thief or Protector?" Hermes asked in a serious tone. I glanced at her, my fingers gently fiddling with the promise ring Ryan had gotten me for my birthday.
"Thief" she said with a grin growing on her face. Hermes opened his hand, a golden box the size of a brick appearing.
"Very well. Aria, you have one hour to disappear. Kayla then is free to search for you" he stated. I nodded before taking the box and disappeared.
"I won't let a filthy Roman take this from me" I growled as I reappeared in a hotel room in Paris.
Kayla's POV
"Let the fun begin" Ginger said as Aria and Mercury disappeared. I tossed my bag down, unzipping it befgore placing my hat into it. I pulled off my sweats, wearing jean shorts underneath them.
"You got the straightener? I asked as I grabbed a tattered blue shirt and pulled it over my head. She nodded while pulling out the straightening iron. I pulled my hair into a high pony tail.
"You truly are my sister. I'm so proud" Damion said as I flattened out the waves of my hair.
"Why?" I asked as I picked up the small make up kit from in the bad. I walked to the water's edge and began applying the makeup.
"Because you're using your wits" he replied.
"I see…" I mumbled before getting up, looking slightly paler than before.
"You're planning on seducing Ryan?" Ginger asked curiously.
"Hmm…not sure yet. But it is very possible" I answered before tossing the makeup into my bag.
"Aria has 15 more minutes" Damion laughed. I pulled down my sleeve to cover up my tattoo.
"Do I look Greek enough?" I asked, looking at Ginger.
"You just need to act stupid and you'll pass" she replied.
"She's already stupid so it won't be acting" Damion retorted, snickering.
"I wouldn't be talking since you have Justin Bieber on your iPod Dam" I smirked, pulling it out of my pocket. I tossed it to him as he snarled.
"You sure you're straight? I cause it sure doesn't seem like it" I sneered while picking up my bag.
"I actually am, but you aren't" he retorted.
"And where is your proof of this?" I questioned him with a raised eyebrow.
"Right there"
"That is the worse reasoning I've ever heard. You sure you were a good member of the Senate back when you were leading the Third?" I asked while rolling my eyes. My watch beeped, the hour being up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be winning the competition and breaking the record" I said before teleporting to the greek's home.
Aria's POV
I turned on the shower and summoned an Iris Message. I dropped a Drachma into the mist, an image of Ryan sitting on the couch. He glanced up and smiled.
"Yes Aria?" he asked.
"I just wanted to let you know I'm in Paris" I replied, smiling back at him.
"When will you be coming home?" he asked, stretching.
"Less than a week. I promise" I answered, sighing a little.
"Alright, I'm holding you to that" he said with an adorable smile coming on his face.
"I'll be there. But I gotta go. Love you!" I said when I heard a knock.
"Love you too babe" he said before waving away the mist. I smiled, patting the box beside me; No one would take this away from me.