Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own PJ&O.
You know how in a book, the author always writes, "The main character, so and so, felt like burying themselves in a hole"? I completely understand how how that main character feels right now. Overflowing with humiliation.
I couldn't find Cass, and would most likely get lost if I ventured any further, so I sat down by the strawberry fields, trying to sort out all my thoughts.
I was so deep in thought, I didn't hear hooves clop up to me. "Miss?" asked a soft, kind voice, and my head buried in my arms, lifted slowly.
A flush spread across my face. "Sorry, sir," I mumbled. He folded his legs underneath me, and smiled.
"It's fine Miss Victoria," he paused. "I hear you just came out of the infirmary. It's all very confusing, isn't it?" he nodded. "Why don't I take you on a little tour of Camp Half Blood?" I followed him. We walked in silence for a while, when he faced me. "Would you like to get some answers now?"
" … Yes."
(I'm not explaining the whole demigod, Mythology, monsters, thing since you and I all know it already, and we just want to get to the good parts, don't we? ;) )
"Wow," I finally said, my brain's gears creaking with the effort of trying to process everything. "There have been some pretty weird stuff in my life, but this is definitely the weirdest."
Chiron, who is actually the nicest, most caring, hors-no centaur ever, gave me a soft smile. "You're taking this a lot better than others have." I shrugged.
"So who's my godly mom?" I asked, hoping not to sound too eager.
"We won't know until she claims you. You'll probably be claimed sooner or later since you're 13 already." He turned to face me. "Are you sure it's your mom? It could be your dad."
I nodded. I lived with Dad… and well, he was in the Navy, controlled my life with strict rules/policies, and turned into a cold, lifeless rock after Mom left. We never talked unless I was reporting to him. Cass was my true family.
"I don't have a dad," I replied quietly, my voice harsher than I expected.
Sympathy flickered in Chiron's eyes. "Dinner is in the Dining Pavilion. Your friend Cass is at the archery range."
I thanked him, and set to a fast pace towards the range.
Cass was there firing perfect bulls-eyes, while rolling, dodging, flipping, and running. Her long, blond hair, had fallen out of her usual braid, sticking to her sweaty face.
All my questions on how she was so fit were quickly answered.
Cass stopped firing and tapped her golden arrows and bow. They shrunk to the size of my fingernails and Cass carefully slipped them onto a simple necklace, she's worn ever since I've met her.
"Shouldn't you collect the arrows you shot?" I asked curiously, coming up next to her. Cass grinned.
"It's all magic, Ria. The arrows shrink by themselves and appear back into the charm sheath."
"Wicked," I breathed. Then I nodded pointedly to her necklace. "Does that have to do with camp?"
"Yup, each bead stands for one year at camp. You'll get your first one at the end of the year."
"So, about this whole camp thing, who's your father?" Cass lived with her mother, who was probably the kindest woman on earth. "I have a feeling it has to do something with your battle cry back when you were imitating Katniss."
Cass laughed, wrapping an arm around me. "That's right Ria. I am the one and only Cassandra Rosenberg, daughter of Apollo."
Goofing off, we were laughing our entire way to the Dining Pavilion as the horn blew.
Cass informed me how we burn some of our food as offerings to our godly parents as we got our food. I ducked my head, avoided the stares, and did anything Cass did to make sure I didn't embarrass myself in any way.
I carefully followed Cass to her table. Cass started some easy conversation with her friends and I just smiled and ate silently.
"Ria, remember when we," Cass's voice faltered off from her laughter and her jaw hung open. Soon, the entire table was staring at me, then all the campers. My hand unconsciously reached for my face, making sure there wasn't anything on my face. My stomach squirmed at all the attention.
"Victoria?" Cass asked quietly. My stomach lurched again. Cass never calls me Victoria.
"Yeah," I breathed, trying not to notice all the staring and whispering campers.
"Why are you glowing?" It blurted from Cass's blunt mouth and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"I'm not-" I moved my hand in front of my face. "Glowing." My hand was glowing. It had an aura around it. A shimmery golden aura surrounded me, a wave of dizziness washed over me and I almost collapsed.
"What's happening to me?" I choked out.
"Look above her head," I heard someone whisper to another camper. My head whipped back and I fought the urge to puke my dinner all over Cass. There was a glowing laurel wreath floating above my head like a halo.
"You're getting claimed Ria," Cass's blue eyes gleamed excitedly. I staggered back. What did laurel wreaths stand for? WInning? Victory?
"OH MY GOD, SHE HAS WINGS!" screamed a camper. My eyes widened, I was the deer caught in headlights. My back felt heavier and I slowly craned my head back. A squeak escaped my lips, as I spread my new pure white wings.
I swayed, and the last thing I heard was Chiron say, "All hail Victoria Mackerel. Daughter of Nike, Goddess of Victory."
Now, when if you knew someone who had wings, you're usually all like: "That's so cool!" or "Wow! I wish I could fly!" or "You're so lucky!" Well, let me just say that wings are: not cool, horrible to fly with, and probably one of the most unluckiest thing that has happened to me.
First of all, my wings weigh more than I do, (which is not saying much, I weigh like nothing), so 24/7 I have to lug around my wings that weigh like a bijillion pounds.
Now, you're probably thinking, "Can't she fly instead of dragging her wings everywhere?" Well, no, I can't.
Learning how to fly is not all "magical sparkle sparkle, I can suddenly fly perfectly out of nowhere!" No. It's like learning how to ride a bicycle after you take the training wheels off. It involves hard work, sweating buckets, getting scabs, panicking, and falling midair, resulting into more scabs. Especially, since I'm so weak and have zero muscle and stamina.
But of course none of the other campers knew how hard flying is and think of me as The Weak Girl Who Has Wings But Can't Even Fly.
Please review! Thanks! :)
Now we're getting to the exciting parts :D Sorry if it was kind of rushed. Hope you like it :)
