Girls Day Out
Jennifer Anderson met with the others at the edge of camp. Lady Artemis had promised all of her hunters a day off in Sacramento and she was one of the first to jump at the thought. Following her eagerness was her ever favourite 'sister' Phoebe, Janice Patton, legacy of Roman Apollo, Alyssa Crawford, daughter of Greek Apollo, Rosie Lewis, some random mortal from England, Rita the tree nymph and, surprisingly, the Lieutenant herself. And that day was going to see a small group of hunters at the music festival nearby.
For a daughter of Ares, Jennifer liked her music. And whenever she got the chance, she could not be parted for very long from it. Girls around camp thought that she was actually a child of Apollo instead… until they came face to face with her angry side. As any good child of Ares, she was always one of the first in a fight. But that day was going to see a different kind of attack plan from the daughter of Ares. One that would live on in mortal and immortal history alike.
It started like this – an extra loud squeal from Rosie at the sight of something to do with a famous male singer. She was still new to the whole 'no boys' thing, so their little group made it their mission to teach her on this day off. Things could have only gotten sweeter when Janice and Alyssa began whispering intently to each other at the back of the group.
" Do you seriously think it would work?" Janice asked, a little louder than intended.
" Think what would work?" Thalia said, suddenly interested.
" Oh, nothing."
" Come on, Janice. Tell us." Rita begged.
Janice turned to Alyssa with a sly grin on her face. The same grin graced Alyssa's face but she said nothing. Janice shrugged her shoulders before giving a reply. " It may break Rosie if we follow through. I better not explain it."
" Does it have something to do with him?" Phoebe asked, pointing at a cardboard cut-out of a sixteen year old blond haired male.
The matching grins on Janice and Alyssa's faces were enough to say that it did. Jennifer, by this time, had only just returned from a nearby drink stand to find both the legacy and the daughter of Apollo staring at the bottle in her hand as if it were their lifeline. One slight problem with going anywhere with Alyssa Crawford and Janice Patton – they are bound to get into some form of trouble if you leave them together long enough. This was one of those times.
" Can we borrow that?" Alyssa asked, pointing at the water bottle.
" But there's a whole stand of them behind you." Jennifer protested, not wanting to part with her source of hydration.
" Please?"
" Is there a possibility of not getting it back?" In the background, Rita and Phoebe were distracting Rosie while Thalia took out a black marker and started to draw on the cut-out's face.
" I would say a high possibility, yes."
" Then no, you're not getting it."
" Aw, come on Jen. Please?" Janice pleaded.
" No."
" But…?"
" Get a bottle for whatever dastardly deed you've got planned yourself. They are right behind you. I need this."
Rather reluctantly, Janice went off to the water stand to get herself a bottle. Meanwhile, the entertainment had shifted to Rosie trying desperately to get Thalia to stop drawing on the 'perfect face' of the cut-out. Personally, Jennifer, Rita and Phoebe thought that the black marker moustache and glasses were a fitting touch to the image. Once Janice had returned, the small group made their way to the nearby stage… Janice and Alyssa skipping in the lead. All the 'older' girls made a mental note to keep them apart after this was over.
" Now listen, Rosie. We can't have you going around liking guys. That's just not on." Alyssa said, throwing her arm around the eleven year old.
" Besides, he's too old for you. Which means, as your sisters, we need to protect you. Especially from guys like him." Janice added from the other side of the eleven year old.
" Really? But he's awesome." Rosie protested.
" There is still a lot for you to learn, my young padawan." Janice was a Star Wars fan… or rather, she was a Princess Leia from Star Wars fan.
Then Alyssa pulled out the water bottle and looked at Janice. The message was clear. Who was going to do the honours? This, of course, led into another argument. Oh the joys of being with Janice and Alyssa. At least it provided entertainment. Because, yes, this once brilliant idea to go to a music festival was turning out to be a not-so-brilliant idea.
After nearly ten minutes of arguing, Jennifer snatched the water bottle from Janice. During the argument, the bottle was having its fair share of pass the parcel. And Jennifer was getting annoyed with the boy on stage and the two in front of her.
" Give me that!" she growled before pegging the bottle at the annoying male.
All eyes turned to centre stage as the water bottle found its mark… the male's head. Then Janice and Alyssa high-fived each other looking very pleased with themselves. Thalia and Rita were looking at Jennifer and trying not to burst out laughing. Phoebe was nodding her head in approval. And poor little Rosie looked mortified. But her lesson was quickly learned.
" Ow, that didn't feel good." The male said into the microphone as Janice and Alyssa joined Thalia and Rita in trying not to laugh. " I don't know why she just threw that at me…"
" Nice going Jen." Phoebe smiled. " The runt deserved it."
" And that, Rosie, is how you dispose of Janice and Alyssa's arguments." Jennifer said with a satisfied smirk.
" By throwing water bottles at famous singers?" The mortified girl asked.
" That was an added bonus. Come on. I think I saw something for LittleKuriboh further down."
~LATER THAT EVENING~
" And what did you do today, Rosie?" Lady Artemis asked, genuinely interested in the girl's day.
The hunters were sitting around their usual campfire and having a pretty good time sharing their stories with their Patron and their fellow sisters. However, so far no one could beat Jennifer's day. Janice and Alyssa still had the grins on their faces. And at Lady Artemis's question, Thalia, Phoebe and Rita began struggling to keep their laughter to themselves.
" I learnt that Jennifer has good aim." Rosie replied, still in a slight daze at what had happened.
" Oh?"
" I kind of… um… threw a bottle of water at Justin Bieber's head." Jennifer supplied.
One of the other hunters did a spit-take, " You did what?"
" It was Janice and Alyssa's idea. I just got fed up with them arguing over who was going to throw it. Besides, Thalia drew over his cardboard cut-out face."
" Really? What did you give him?" Another of the 'sisters' asked while the others started laughing.
" The classic plus 'Loser' in Greek." Thalia replied with a smile.
" Justin Bieber? You mean the son of my fool of a brother?" Artemis asked, having thought hard.
Janice and Alyssa shared another high-five, but this time they jumped in the air (something they couldn't have done back at the stage or they would have been discovered). The rest of the hunters looked on in amusement as the two forced themselves to settle down. Unfortunately, that moment of calm didn't last long with Alyssa.
" Awesome! That just makes things even better!" The daughter of Apollo exclaimed.
" Uh… Alyssa. You do realise that that's your brother, you're talking about. Right?" Remi Vantua sighed.
" He is no brother of mine." Alyssa replied in a mysterious manner.
Phoebe then learned over and whispered in Jennifer's ear. " Maybe water bottles should be your new weapon."
" Nah." Jennifer replied. " It didn't work out how I wanted it to."
" What did you want him to do? Get knocked unconscious?"
For a reply, Jennifer just smirked.