"Mai, come on, honestly, you have never been slower." Di is talking to me and I just nod.
"Just trying to overhear dad uncle Di, sorry. We can go now, I was just curious is all." It was his turn to nod and we finally entered the Pavalon. Many of the campers waved at me and others shot me a full blown smile.
"Everyone, I invited you all to come here for a bit of your holidays so we could celebrate the birth of the single most chased after legacy to exist in all of history. My niece Mai Frost will be turning 13 this year. Now all of you enjoy yourself!"
Everyone looked strangely at my uncle Di but he just rolled with it and walked away.
I went and spoke with Luke, who seemed angry at nothing and everything at the same time.
"Luke, long time no see, huh. I missed you actually, no mortal knows how to fight like you, and I always need some more practice and no one else can keep up. Dad can't even anymore but he won't let me fight any monsters." Luke looked at me surprised, like no one had ever said that they missed him.
"Missed me? Now why would the little legacy do anything as stupid as that? Honestly Mai, I am not someone that anyone misses." His expression darkened at that but then he lit back up when he realized what he looked like, "Also why won't your father let you fight, last time I still kicked your ass but not as thoroughly as I normally can to anyone else. You have a better chance than many at winning a fight." He raised an eyebrow at me, like I was supposed to know.
"Tell my dad that, he doesn't seem to believe so. He says that I will draw too many in to handle and will be too far over my head. But I have been working on harnessing my abilities. Water is so much easier than lightning, water flows at any speed but lighting wants to go so fast that you have to know exactly what you are doing the second you call on it or it does its own thing. My dad doesn't see my progress and just sees my shortcomings. I wish that my dad was more lie you Luke, and actually, you know, let me do things." He started to smile which in turn made me smile. He ruffled my hair a bit and I hit his hand away but he swung his arm around my shoulders and brought me in for a hug.
"Mai, you are one of a kind you know that? Also, I am afraid that I won't be able to stay for too long, I have to run a quest for dad. I have to get a Golden Apple at the Garden of Hesperides from the tree. But Hercules already did that. Also, I am not sure if I am capable of doing it to be honest. Maybe I should see if you can tag along to see how it's done and to help me out if I need it." He shoots me a smile and I just grin back wider and nod. The idea is sound enough and I am sure that dad would allow it.
"I will have to ask first, but dad should be all for me participating in it, it's not like I am going on my own and you are talented enough to get us both out of trouble," I duck under his arm and give him a playful look, "Besides, you obviously need my help because of how fabulous I am. Speaking of-"
I am cut off by Luke reaching over and tackling me. We fall to the ground and start laughing. Everyone else starts to laugh as well at us and soon enough Luke sprung back up and dragged me back up so I was standing once again.
We parted and I talked to everyone who had shown up, even Hestia who gave me a snowflake necklace and a pair of earrings to match. It was a shared gift in between my grandmothers.
Soon enough the party was coming to an end and I say Chiron but not a sign of my dad. So I ran up to him to ask why I hadn't seen my dad the entire time. His response shocked me to my core and I didn't quite process it until Chiron had finished speaking.
"Dad left, and he ditched all my stuff here? You can't be serious. Chiron you have to tell me you aren't serious. Please. Where did he go? Chiron you have to tell me." At this point I was feeling so many emotions at once I could feel the tears in my eyes welling up as I freaked out. Chiron gave me a hug and patted my head in comfort.
It didn't help.
"I do not know child. He did say however that you now can choose your own path and that he will be back soon. I promise child, you will be fine."
Tears rolled down my face as I thought of what could have happened. One thought kept rolling through my head over and over. Why would he leave me? It only made me cry harder. In response to my tears Chiron held me tighter until I finally calmed down.
I was told that my stuff had been left in the Zeus cabin, as it was one of the only completely open cabins. I almost wanted to be in the Hermes Cabin because then there was no chance of me being alone.
As I walked to my cabin tears started to fall down my face again. I guess Luke had been walking to the Hermes cabin and was curious as to why I was still here. He must have seen the tears and gotten worried.
"Mai? Are you okay, why are you crying. It's your birthday, you shouldn't be crying unless… did your dad say no?" I shook my head and he got more worried, so he gave me a hug and I broke down for the second time today.
"Luke, he… he left. Luke he left. I don't know why, but he left me behind. Luke… what do I do?" He looked at me and smiled sadly and started to speak.
"Mai, what were you told?" I looked up at him and the dam broke and I told him everything that Chiron told me, and once I was done Luke just held me closer while telling me that it would be okay.
Once I stopped crying he started talking to me.
"Well he said that you could choose your own path right? That means you can come with me, that I can help you find yourself. Mai, I promise, no matter what I will make sure that you make it through this okay?" I nod at him and he leads me to the Zeus Cabin and gives me one last hug before I walk in and he walks to the Hermes Cabin.