A/N: The regular typing is Ember's POV, and the bold is Nico's. Flames are welcome, as are any reviews! Thanks for reading!
I sighed as I entered Camp Half-Blood in the early morning hours. I really didn't want to be here. I wasn't expecting to be a half-blood; I thought it was my sisters' scent stuck to my clothes that attracted the monsters. Ah, well, I had bigger worries. Such as, where am I going to get a high-grade padlock in a camp where the nearest convenience store was a few miles away?
I plodded to the large house at the end of the camp. I bet Chiron was in there with Mr. D.
My black skinny jeans were definitely going to stick out in a crowd of kids with bright orange t-shirts. This place was my personal Hades.
I finally arrived at the Big House, putting an end to my mind-numbing rants. I took a deep breath and waltzed confidently through the door. I knew this place, and the people. Mr. D was playing Pinochle with Chiron and a couple of satyrs. Chiron looked up and smiled when I entered, but Mr. D just sighed and put down his cards.
"Another snot-faced camper, this time back for good. Chiron, will you take care of this? I really want to finish my game."
"Actually, Mr. D, I just came to say hello and remind you I have started camp today. You shouldn't have to leave your game for me." My voice had a slight sarcastic undertone, but I smiled sweetly.
"Ah, finally a camper who isn't a brat. How refreshing," I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. Mr. D picked his cards back up and continued his game.
Chiron glanced up at me. "If you don't mind, I'll ask Misty to show you to your cabin and help you with your luggage. She'll also refresh your memory of where everything is."
I lowered my head as I said my next sentence, trying to be polite yet still persistent. "Chiron, if I may, am I allowed to stay in the Artemis cabin? After all, it is where I belong among the cabins."
He nodded, slowly. "If you feel you must. Try not to…ah…give into your pyromaniac tendencies, okay? It took months to rebuild the cabin last time."
"Thank you, sir. I was only showing my sisters how to make a decent bonfire. I'm glad it could rebuilt," Misty had arrived by then, a large smile plastered across her face. Her smile dimmed when she took in my dyed tomato red hair, black tee reading 'Epic Fail', a parting gift from my friend Spencer, long-sleeved red shirt, black skinny jeans, and custom XOXO Converse. Superficial much?
She and I walked out towards the ring of cabins Annabeth Chase had designed last year. As we walked past the male side of the cabins, I stopped by the fire, where a small girl was tending to the flames.
"Hello," I said warmly, hoping to talk to someone more interesting that Misty. "I'm Ember. You are?"
"I'm Hestia." The girl barely looked up from the flames. "Your name fits you aptly."
"Thank you, Lady Hestia. Do you always tend to the flames?"
"As long as the era of the gods continues." Hestia blew softly on the flare, making the flames lick the lightening sky.
Misty became impatient and began tapping her foot.
"Excuse me, Hestia. My friend seems a little jumpy. Thank you for your time,"
The small girl nodded solemnly. "Thank you for taking up my time."
I sauntered back to Misty, and we continued on our walk.
After passing a few more cabins, I saw a movement to the left, and two twins jumped out from the bushes, one brandishing the camera, the other in a dorky pageboy cap with a journalist notepad and pen.
"This is our new roomie?" the journalist boy cried. "Total scoop!"
Misty rolled her eyes after she regained her composure from being scared. I didn't need to regain my composure, as I had never lost it.
"Ember, this is Connor," she pointed to the camera twin, "and Travis Stoll." She pointed to the journalist twin. "From the Hermes cabin."
"At your service, Ember." Travis bowed while Connor clicked away pictures.
Connor kept taking my picture from different angles. The flash was starting to get painful.
Travis starting talking to Misty. "So, any embarrassing stories? Epic failures? Anything?"
"Oh, shut up, Travis." Misty pushed the boys away and started to tell me to leave.
Just then, Travis leaned in as if to say something. Connor kept snapping pictures, and Travis moved and kissed me. Bad move.
I grabbed both twins by the shirts and pulled them towards me.
"Back off," I growled, my teeth bared. I looked them up and down, hoping for some blackmail. When I reached their feet, the puzzle pieces assembled in my head and I had my blackmail. I looked up smugly, my smile looking like a hungry wolf's.
"Or I'll tell everyone both of you have kissed guys. Multiple times. Occasionally while not under the influence."
They both paled at my threat and swore never to do anything like that again. For good measure, I pick pocketed the film from Connor's camera. After that, I stole back my wallet and iPod from Travis's pocket.
"You guys suck as pickpockets!" I called as I ran off with Misty. "Total amateurs!"
They looked stunned that I realized they stole from me. I had a hunch.
We passed all the major god cabins and were headed towards the minor god cabins. At cabin number 13, I stopped and stared.
It was a gorgeous cabin, with low black brick walls and silver patterns painted onto it, and big windows. The blinds were drawn on the windows, and a black door with a shiny bronze handle was situated in the center of the cabin. Other than those features, it was a very plain cabin. The architecture and vibe was pure genius. It sent a subtle 'back off' to those around it. I stared at it a while longer, until Misty was pulling on my arm and I heard the door creak open softly. The occupants of the cabin were probably coming out to yell at me, but I was fixated on the notion I had that there was a secret entrance to the cabin. Something unusual sparked a memory, and my brain was working overtime to understand.
Misty was begging me to go, tugging on my arm, and generally pleading.
I was stubborn, I know. "I just really want to see this one thing…Besides, he's already here. I'd be a shame to have dragged him out here to say goodbye without a hello."
I could tell I shocked him with that, and I was proud. I had a knack for catching people off-guard and generally knowing more about themselves than they did. It was my talent, one of the ones Artemis had chosen me for all those years ago.
"What are you doing here?" he asked gruffly. He was a little annoyed, but he's not very good at controlling his voice inflection. He was cute though, whoever he was. He was my age, with olive skin, pitch-black hair, and dark eyes.
"Same thing you are," the words rolled smoothly off my tongue. "Looking at the infamous Cabin 13." In my head, I said Hades, god of the Underworld.
I turned to inspect him closer. Sure, he was wearing all black. But there were soft navy blue undertones. This boy had style. And he liked the color blue.
"You're favorite color's blue, huh?" I don't know why I said it, but it seemed like a good conversation starter.
"Yeah," His voice was not almost empty of true annoyance, with a large spark of curiosity. "How'd you know?"
I told him how. My mind traveled down any facts I could dig up about him and I suddenly blurted out, "You lost someone a few years ago, right?" I saw a dangerous spark in his eyes, but I was already in hot water. I might as well go for it.
"Sister? Yeah, me too." I had bad memories hidden in the back of my mind, but now was not the time to deal with them.
"Her name was… Bella? Britney? No…" I could see the paint on his arm, from a painting he had leaned against with her name on it, backwardly spelling out a B name.
The boy pushed up the sleeves of his sweater unconsciously, revealing the name to me.
"Thanks," I gave a relieved sighed. "Bianca, right?" I realized my mistake as he tensed. "Oh, whoops. Sorry, probably shouldn't've said the name." I thought I might as well warn him about the secret entrance.
"Just so you know, the stump to the right of Zeus's Fist has a secret entrance to the closet in your cabin. Bye, Nico." I had long since figured out his name from the scribbles on his shoe. On impulse, I brushed my lips against his cheek. I ran towards the direction Misty had left, ready to see my cabin.
When I glanced back after a few feet of running, Nico was standing, dumbstruck from my one-sided conversation, with his hand pressed against the spot where I kissed him. My laugh echoed through the awakening camp.
I saw my cabin, a simple one painted a light gray that was fading from silver as it grew lighter. I walked in to find neatly made bunk beds with silver sheets, a full bathroom, large closet, and a phases of the moon clock.
One wall was covered with scribbles from every Huntress to pass through Camp Half-Blood. I forced myself to find my signature, dead center. It read:
Boys = Epic Failure!!!
Huntresses 4 eva
Ember+Alice+Williamston
I tore myself away, eyes stinging. That hurt, but it had to be done. I set my stuff on the bed, pulled my hair into a ponytail that brushed between my shoulder blades, and wondered what to do next. I was thinking about where I should hang some of my stuff when the breakfast conch sounded. My stomach growled in appreciation and I set off towards the dining hall.
I happened to glance outside when I was brushing my teeth. A girl was there, staring at my cabin. No one else dared to stop in front of my cabin, much less stare at it. That girl had courage. But why was she looking at my cabin?
I walked, a slow, easy pace, outside to the girl. Her stick-straight, tomato red hair was brushed over her shoulder, drawing attention to her dark eyes and shirt – a black t-shirt reading 'Epic Fail' over a long-sleeved, bright red shirt. Her arms were crossed over her chest, one eyebrow arched, head slightly tilted, and smirk etched across her face, as though she was studying the cabin, but was learning nothing new.
A girl, I think it was Misty from the Nemesis cabin, was pulling on her elbow, begging her to leave.
The red-haired girl swatted Misty lightly and, without looking at me, coolly replied "Besides, he's already here. I'd be a shame to have dragged him out here to say goodbye without a hello."
Dang, I was hoping to ruffle that girl's cool. She had beat me to it, setting me on edge.
"What are you doing out here?" I asked gruffly, slight annoyance apparent in my voice.
"Same thing you are," she replied, still not looking at me. "Looking at the infamous Cabin 13."
She turned towards me, and looked me up and down. Her look told me she was inspecting me closer, not seeing me for the first time. This girl was good. I hoped she noticed my dark clothes and annoyed glare, and she would get the message and go away. Misty had already disappeared in a huff. Instead, she began talking, rattling away like no one's business.
"You're favorite color's blue, huh?"
Her opening sentence startled me. I mean, yes, it was my favorite color. But how did she know?
"Yeah," I replied, more annoyed than before, but now also mildly curious. "How'd you know?"
Her smirk grew wider as she told me. "All your black has blue undertones. Only a blue lover would subconsciously pick clothes with blue tones." She paused and looked me over again. "You lost someone a few years ago, right? Sister? Yeah, me too." She looked sad at her last sentence, but she continued, as though to only keep her thoughts off that topic. Her confidence was starting to ebb as her thoughts seemed to consume her.
"Her name was…" she looked me up and down again. "Bella? Britney? No…"
I pushed up the sleeves of my sweater, ready for this conversation to be over.
"Thanks," she sighed in relief. "Bianca, right? Oh, whoops. Sorry, probably shouldn't've said the name." Her smile/smirk faded slightly, and thankfully she was almost done. "Just so you know, the stump to the right of Zeus's Fist has a secret entrance to the closet in your cabin."
"Bye, Nico," she said, kissing my cheek before running off gracefully in long strides towards the direction Misty had gone long before. After a few feet, she turned to look at me once more, still running. Her eyes twinkled, and her resounding laugh bounced around inside my head.
My last thoughts before I forced myself to think of something – anything – else were How the heck did she know my name? and Why did she kiss me?
When I arrived at the dining pavilion, everyone stared. I was one of the few campers without any roommates, and the only one with tomato red hair, so of course I was the center of attention.
I quickly sat down at one of the empty tables. The tables were no longer cabin-restricted, because there were too many cabins, and everyone sat where they wanted. I grabbed my plate and sashayed to the sacrifice line.
"To the gods," I said. Inwardly, I thought I'm sorry, Artemis. Mother, whoever you are, please don't claim me. They'll make me leave my home, Cabin 8.
I sauntered back to my spot and began eating. I'll admit, it was a delicious meal. But my nervous system was jumpy and wouldn't let me finish.
The only thing I was afraid of was Cabin 8. I was afraid Artemis wouldn't like me staying there, even though it is my home.
The dull thunk of a plate hitting wood next to me caught my attention.
"Hello, Nico," I sighed, slightly dejected, staring into the flames of the campfire.
She didn't even look up.
She calmly said hello, resting her head on her hands, as I slid in next to her, arousing even more stares.
"You know my name, so what's yours?" I asked.
"The name's Ember," she replied.
"Is that your full name?" I challenged.
"No, it's September." She looked at me with her big, dark eyes. "And no, I was not born in September. I was born in March."
The last sentence caught me off guard. Why would you be named September if you were born in March?
"I was born in October," I offered.
She sighed. "All great and terrible heroes are born in October," she whispered as though it was a phrase she knew well, more to herself than me. A shiver ran down her spine, and she began fingering a necklace she pulled from beneath her shirt.
"So…" I said, hoping to change the subject back to something I could understand, "How'd you know about the secret entrance?"
She turned to me again. "It's where I would have put a secret entrance to, as I have been told, the most mysterious cabin." She shrugged. "Your cabin every thief's dream."
I always thought my cabin was especially secure. "What was wrong with it?"
She laughed. "Nothing was wrong with it, per say, but so easy to get into." She winked at me. "Seriously, you don't use padlocks? Even I could have broken into that house without Spencer!"
Something in me was sad when she said Spencer. I was hoping it wasn't her boyfriend, for some reason. Was that just hormones or something worse?
Her face fell. "Spencer was my best friend. Him and Tristin. We went to grade school together. He's the one who gave me this t-shirt." She fingered the hem of her Epic Fail shirt.
She stared at me piercingly. "No, he was not my boyfriend."
She had stopped running the charm along the length of the necklace, and I saw what it was. One was a silver bow and arrow set, and the other small charm was a shiny silver doe.
The charms looked familiar somehow, but I just couldn't place them.
"Are you liking camp?" I asked.
She stared at me like I was crazy with a vicious glint behind her eyes. "What do you think?"
"True, true," I said. "But better than being killed by monsters, right?"
Ember rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever you say, crazy boy."
She looked down at my shirt, which was white words on black, rather than the usual black on orange combination. "Shoot!" she cried. "Dude, you beat me to it!"
"Huh?" What was she talking about?
"I was so going to do dye my shirt red, but you already dyed yours black!"
"Doesn't stop you from dying it red, though."
"Yeah, but the idea has been done!" She started humming a tune.
I looked at her. "Why are you suddenly humming?"
"That reminded me of a song." I kept looking at her. She sighed. "Complicated by Avril Lavigne. Y'know, Chill out, what you yellin' for? Lay back, it's all been done before?"
"Ah," I started humming along with her. After a few notes, she stopped suddenly.
"You harmonize well," she said simply, before continuing humming. She got up, took care of her plate, and swept out of the hall.
I realize I was one of the few still left in the dining hall. I hurriedly scarfed down my breakfast and exited.