Ok if anyone is reading this and hoped that I would update sooner, I apologize but this chapter was not easy to write. The intro I re-did a number of times and I till feel that the conflict will need re-addressing later. I wanted her time as part of the Hermes cabin to be contained in a single chapter though so if I fleshed it out more the chapter may have been significantly longer and taken months to finish. The next chapter may be put up within a week or less but no promises as I may find trouble in writing it again.
Oh yes, please do leave a review, especially if you have any constructive criticism. I am fairly certain there are mistakes in this chapter and know full well that there were mistakes in the previous one as I re read it while writing this chapter but they were mostly grammar and spelling. Again please leave constructive criticism if you spot anything that I could improve on.
"Hello child." Said a white bodied centaur with the upper body of a professor. He seemed fairly nice (other than calling me a child) but I wished that I could have been taken on a detour through the other buildings but the children escorting me chose to take the shortest path and the husky girl named Clarisse even shocked me. "What is your name?" The centaur asked, snapping me out of my train of thought.
"Annie, Annie Kane." I answered using my grandmothers maiden name while I smiled politely, the man or creature seemed to be quite well respected here so I figured that it may be beneficial to feign politeness at the very least.
"Another Kane?" A chubby man in tiger print asked as thunder rumbled through the clear sky. I bit back the question forming on my tongue, deciding to wait for a better time. "It's bad enough that we already have one of their people but now another's come here."
"We do not know if she knows, Mr D." The centaur argued "Besides she may very well be a demigod." Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Alex holding himself back from barraging the two adults with questions of his own.
"She was attacking one of the Athena kids." The husky voice of Clarisse said, laced with menace. This seemed to interest the centaur who raised an eyebrow.
"I was just trying to find out why he and I were able to pass through that field while our brother and father could not." I countered deciding that it would be better to gain their trust if I didn't want another shock, I was wrong though because a volt suddenly ran up my left arm leaving it numb as well.
"Clarisse, leave her alone." Alex whined "Dad will be very upset if Anna dies…"
"Or if I'm badly hurt." I added cutting off my brother. I would have likely stared down the brawny girl had I not been wearing shades. "I'm sorry that we got off on the wrong foot and I don't know why my last name is of such interest to you but I mean you no harm."
"You attacked Alex earlier." Annabeth stated coldly, so much for friendship.
"I was tagging along while we brought him here. When I saw my other brother banging against some sort of barrier that neither he nor my father seemed to be able to pass through, I started to try and squeeze an answer out of Alex." I responded carefully. "…because he showed some knowledge of the barrier."
A thud sounded as the centaur pounded his hoof against the wooden floor. The girl, Annabeth and the rest of the kids looked up at him. "Enough." He said sternly "Now miss Kane, can you promise that you will not be attacking any other campers?"
"Yes." I answered quickly then adding "…as long as no one forces my hand. I don't want to cause unnecessary trouble."
"But Chiron…" Annabeth tried to argue.
"Will you let me do you… and Alex a favour in return for the matter to be reviewed after some time?" I asked as I cut her off. "I had no intention of seriously harming my little brother but that doesn't mean I won't be a bit rough with him."
"Please Annabeth." Alexander begged with his puppy dog look (it was almost irresistible when his lower lip started to quiver) after hearing my offer. He would have probably just begged her to leave me alone to prevent further conflict but the bargain would help hasten the process.
"Alright" She relented to my relief "But you must do something for my entire cabin, one favour for each of us."
"Deal, as long as I have a chance to start with a clean slate." I answered. "Now what am I supposed to do. I'm assuming my father is having me enrolled here so…"
"You are joining cabin eleven." Annabeth answered.
"It' for campers whose parents are unknown." Alex informed me. After some glares from a number of other kids he quickly amended his statement with "…a-and for the kids of minor gods, and Hermes whose cabin it is."
As I thanked my little brother, I removed my glasses and returned the glares thrown at him, each of the offenders backed down pretty quickly. After that a few kids started asking me questions, which I had to navigate with a series of half-truths and lies backed up and supplemented by Alexander. When the kiddies had stopped questioning me, about four remained. Annabeth was among them as well as a green eyed, black haired boy and what looked like a pair of impish twins.
"Hi." the green eyed boy said a bit cheerfully.
"Hi, who're you?" I responded, extending a hand "I assume you heard my name earlier."
"Yeah…" He answered "I'm Percy."
Jackpot! I thought. I meet two of the people I had hoped to on my first day at this camp, even if the one likely still harbours a grudge against me. "Nice to meet you." I said with a smile "So, I don't have anything prepared for camp, and could use a tour."
"Hey, all I had was a horn from the minotaur." Percy said "What do you have?"
"Some money, a can of pepper spray and the clothes on my back." I replied thinking Along with my costume and utility belt. "I need more clothes- preferably my own- as well as toiletries, a flash light and lotion."
"We can get you some stuff." The two who looked like brothers said.
"They'll probably steal the stuff." Alex whispered to me "And you should watch out for your cash."
I in turn shifted my position so that I was staring at least one of the two directly in the eyes. "No, I think I can make my own arrangements." I said clearly, with a hint of menace while replacing my sun glasses afterwards. "And if anyone's hands get near my stuff, that hand is going home with me." The two boys gulped and some of the others showed some sense of disconcertion when I spoke but I decided that that may have been for the best.
Soon Annabeth suggested that she and Percy give me a tour of the camp site, showing me all the cabins as well as the dining hall and other useful facilities. There was even a forge where I might be able to make some sort weapon that suits me, which would most likely be a scythe, during their arts and crafts sessions. The canoe lake seemed fairly peacefully and the mythical beings that were present around the camp site in some places where quite interesting. Finally the two led me two the Hermes cabin, or Cabin 11, which they said I would be staying in for now with the other unclaimed demigods and children of Hermes like the two brothers who were apparently the Stolls.
"So, what is Cabin 10?" I asked, remembering my little brothers comment earlier.
"They are the children of Aphrodite." Annabeth informed me. I shuddered.
"I assume they all fit the popular girl archetype." I asked.
"No, but they are very…"
"Hedonistic assume, or overly concerned with their appearance and not so much with anything else."
"Yeah a lot of them just stare at their reflections during training but what does hedonistic mean."
"Never mind Seaweed brain." Annabeth said with what sounded like a hint of mirth in her voice. "But some are." She finished, answering my first response to Percy's answer. After that I decided that I find a secluded spot, then I removed my ear piece from my utility belt hidden in a secret compartment of my jacket and contacted my Bruce and Dick. The two told me that they would be bringing my bags to the camp tomorrow, and that I should be at Hal-Blood hill by noon to pick my stuff up.
I spent the rest of the day doing an odd favour or two and getting to know some of my fellow campers though I couldn't find the 'Jasmine' who Alex liked. Soon enough the hour passed by and it was time for dinner followed by singing which was apparently led by the Apollo cabin. Finally it was time for bed, and the next day of my new adventure to begin.
I woke up before dawn, around 5:00 AM with the pale moonlight dancing outside the window. The others were still fast asleep in their beds or on the floor if they were unlucky enough like me. I considered training inside to avoid any possible misdemeanours but decided against it in favour of practising hand to hand combat on the roof of the cabin.
I practised for about half an hour before making my way back down. I snuck back into the cabin where everyone was still sleeping and decided to meditate. Sometime later I was stirred by a slight brush against my arm, immediately alert I grabbed whatever had touched me and threw it over my head. Two shouts of surprise sounded, one from a girl while the other I could lace as one of the Stolls.
"What were you doing?" I asked with a hint of menace as I opened my eyes. The Stoll, whichever of them it was, had apparently knocked the wind out of the girl who was sleeping beside me. Both of them seemed somewhat upset but I found it difficult to take his impish features seriously.
"I was just trying to wake you." The Stoll grumbled "You didn't have to flip me over our head."
"This cabin is home to the god of thieves, and I'm very protective of my stuff." I replied "But sorry, I'll give you both something as an apology." I reached into one of my inner pockets and pulled out about sixty dollars which I divided equally between the two. The two half -heartedly thanked me before I noticed other campers getting up.
"What's going on wake up time?" I asked.
"Sorta." The other Stoll replied while still waking campers "Cabin inspection takes place around breakfast time." The other Stoll as well as a number of other campers were busy trying to make things look tidy. I joined in, helping others, and in about twenty minutes time when the horn blew one could actually call the cabin somewhat decent.
I followed the others to breakfast, and the day was pretty normal (At least for my summer life following that me entering the camp property line) until noon when I snuck away during winged horse riding. Around ten past noon I was at the hill with where Dick and Dad were waiting with a roller case. "So how is the camp?" Dick asked almost casually.
"Not bad." I responded while I took the case "Haven't spent a full day as a camper yet though. I promise I'll fill you in asap."
"Don't you need to get back to camp" my father asked "We can talk later when you have free time."
"I suppose." I shrugged "Though I would have liked to be able to spend more time with you two. By the way Dick, we are apparently having a visitor today." I turned to my adoptive brother as I said the second part, a slight bit of giddiness in my voice.
"Cool"
"I don't know who it is but I'll let you know" I managed to squeeze in before my father gave a mock cough. "Guess I better go and re-join Pegasus riding.
"Seeya Annie."
"We'll talk later."
The rest of the day till dinner was pretty normal as well if you bar the surprise everyone when I turned up unharmed ten minutes after leaving my 'mortal family'. The next big event however would take place during dinner.