A/N: Paranoia from an old RP; the ideas my friend and I tossed about were too great to pass up. So, enjoy the randomness of my mind . . . again.
"Jacinda!"
I cringed. I'd been caught. That was never good. I poked my head out from behind the brazier. Chiron was looking angry. Most think that incredible, I'd seen it a million times. Hecate kids – my friends – followed, guiding the shimmering sphere that held my latest, ah, victim.
I stood up. "Hey Chiron, how are things?" I asked with false brightness. He gave me a dark look. "What?"
"Jacinda. What did you do to him? And undo it."
"Do to – oooh." I looked around Chiron and faked ignorance. "This is surprising. I didn't really intend for him to get stuck there, you know how it is, with uncontrolled powers. This has probably happened a thousand times in your life. It was accidental, I mean he was so annoying and –"
"Jacinda, release him."
"Sure, coming right up," I said, grinning. "If I can do it," I added under my breath. The look I was getting said I'd better be able to do it. Tentively I concentrated and tried to lower the magic barrier. I lasted only a few second before I gave up.
"You know," I said, "Maybe we should leave him, I mean, he was being annoying so it can a bit like a punishment."
"By that logic, you should be locked up," Chiron said. "Jacinda. I won't repeat myself."
"Oh, all right. Fine. I'll try. Emphasis on try." I closed my eyes and drew a deep breath. Concentrate. Concentrate. Concen . . . concen . . . I was suddenly winded and sweat beaded on my brow.
I opened my eyes and looked shyly up at Chiron. "I . . . I can't. It's, uh, not working."
For a moment I thought he was going to exploded in to yelling, because he seemed to swell in anger. Instead he exhaled slowly.
"Lou Ellen?" he prompted.
"On it!" The head of the Hecate cabin assured. She looked at me and I flushed. Lou Ellen may be a good friend, but she hated my 'irresponsible' use of my abilities. It's not like I can help it!
She and her siblings chanted and the floating sphere cracked and suddenly the boy was sprawled on the ground. He rose to his feet shakily and looked at me fearfully.
"K – Keep her away from me!" he yelped, pointing. Then he turned and fled. With pitiful looks in my direction all the Hecate kids scrambled. I shifted uneasily and played with my fingers, glancing up at Chiron.
"Heh." I managed. "Oops. Forgot about my, er, rant."
In response Chiron lifted his arm and pointed. "Big House. Now. You need to have a talk with your brother and I about your behaviour."
Panic raced through me and I bounced up and down on my toes worriedly. "Chiron!" I protested. "Please! Please, chew me out all you want, but don't have it be with Percy! Please!" The look I was getting made me doubtful. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay? I don't mean it and – and, well you know I'm still getting used to this equal footing thing so I guess I'm just kind of flaunting it and – I'm sorry! Please, just don't tell Percy!"
Yup, that's right. My brother is Percy – Percy Jackson. I'm Jacinda, daughter of Poseidon and great-granddaughter of Aradia. Which explains the abilities.
Chiron's expression hardly changed, although there was a flash of pity. "Big House."
I actually thought I might burst into tears. "Chiron, I'm sorry. I'll try not to do it again, I promise. I'm trying to stop it, really! Please Chiron, please." I was afraid I'd have to grovel. And ever since coming to America, I never wanted to grovel again.
Chiron just sighed. "Jacinda, I can't give you any more slack. If being forceful is the only way to keep you in line, then I will be forceful. Now go to the Big House."
My head dropped in shame. I turned away and trudged up through camp to the Big House. I felt like people were watching me. They probably were. I was the forbidden child. The weird girl. The Arabian girl. I'd always heard America was better; girls were free here, what you looked like didn't matter.
Gods, what a lie. I still had to hide parts of me.
Minutes later I was in the Big House, collapsing into a seat and waiting. It was silent while I waited, until Chiron and Percy showed up. I couldn't even look at my brother. Instead I drew my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. Shame. Shame in front of men. Even after all these years, I felt it.
The worst part was, I felt it from people who cared about me, who were only trying to help. That made me feel worse. I didn't look up as Percy simply sighed and at down. He didn't even attempt to talk. Oh, that meant he was really irritated.
"Shall we start?" Chiron suggested.
"I'd first like to know what she did exactly."
"Perhaps Jacinda should explain."
I looked up, frowning. "I didn't do anything," I said. "At least, not intentionally. It's not like I go and try to –"
"Jay."
I sighed through my nose. "This kid started to tick me off, and you know how I get, so I just kinda started talking and . . . he was suddenly was suddenly floating in an energy sphere."
It was Percy's turn to frown. "I thought your abilities were supposed to protect people."
"They did," I said brightly. "They protected him from me."
"Jay!"
"Sorry," I blushed.
Percy rubbed his forehead in annoyance and glanced at Chiron. "I don't suppose you know anything about this, or rather, you've remembered anything."
"None. I had believed Aradia faded, and that coupled with Poseidon's blood . . ."
"Problems."
"Hey!"
"It's the truth."
"You're a jerk of a brother, you know that?"
"And you bring a new meaning to annoying little sister so –"
We both shut up as Chiron gave us a really annoyed look. Funny, he only started doing that when I showed up. "That is enough sibling arguing, we're here to discuss Jacinda's dis – er, control problems."
Percy thought for a moment. "Perhaps, if every time she does it, we sort of let her see how it feels. I mean, she's usually getting into something so this might help with that, and keep her from trapping people. Like, we keep her confined in the cabin."
"I'd break out," I snapped.
"Well, if I had to, I'd lock you up."
I jumped to my feet. "No. No you can't do that!" My heart was hammering.
"Jay, if I have to –"
"NO!" I spun and bolted, panic running through me. Dimly I heard behind me:
"That wasn't the best approach."
"If it's the only way –"
"No, Percy, no she's –"
I heard no more. I was racing through the Big House and out across camp. I was one of the fastest here . . . maybe if I . . . I couldn't be locked up. Not again. Not again. Tears were threatening to spill, and I felt like I could hardly breathe.
I bolted down to the cabins, pushing in to the Hecate cabin as I felt a tear roll free. "Open the portal," I begged, gasping.
"Jay, wha –?"
"Just open it! Now!" My chest was heaving as I tried not to burst into tears. I heard the dim chanting of magic, and the moment I saw the light I burst forward, leaping in, letting myself dissolve from this world and into one of Hecate's realms.
Even as I heard the door swing open.
A/N: I love this character so much ... but I have to figure out how to work in my friend's character ... who has two voices in her mind – yeah, we both wrote in first person so it's a bit ... interesting. Anyways. What'd you think? Let me know in reviews and favs and alerts!
