Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of PJO or HoO! Sorry that that disclaimer was overdue..I forgot. Sorry for the long wait too, school is super busy and even though I'm on vacation, I missed some days so I have to catch up.
I've been in camp for a week and still no claim. I should've been claimed at the campfire at the latest when I first arrived but I didn't go to it, I had to get my things settled. Everyone was on edge around me, constantly looking above my head to find some sort of sign on who my Mother is. Then they started to put me down the list of Goddesses.
I'm not the fashionable, make-up kind of gal, so Aphrodite was out. And damn did most of the people in that cabin annoy me.
No green thumb. Demeter was out.
Iris was out. I wasn't drawn to rainbows.
I don't do a lot of reading and I'm not smart or strategy oriented. Athena was out. But I got my hoodie back, the kid did his best with the sleeve but I didn't care that it looked ugly; I just didn't want to feel like I was stealing Clyde's clothes.
Artemis is a maiden Goddess so nope. Shame. It would've made sense.
Eris, Hecate, and a ton of minor goddesses were crossed off the list.
No one knew who my Mother could be. So people thought that maybe my Mother was mortal and had an affair with a God while she was with Christopher. I don't know why (Christopher and I look a lot alike), but they were desperate.
Camp activities didn't help either. Nymphs outran me (but I'm not much of a runner, anyway), my crafts looked like it was a victim of a centaur stampede, I refused to go canoeing, and I almost impaled the head of the Apollo cabin, Will, with an arrow during Archery. Cross off Poseidon and Apollo. Dionysus knew I wasn't his kid. I was good at fighting, so Ares was a possibility, but I don't always go looking for a fight and I'm not thirsty for one either. So cross Ares off the list. Everyone crossed off every God until Hades was available. Hades is hands down, my favorite Greek God. Everyone thinks he's the bad guy since he runs the Underworld and is the God of the Dead. Honestly, if you had to deal with dead people all the time, you wouldn't be a ball of sunshine either. Hades does what has to be done, so naturally, he's pegged as the bad guy. I actually had a debate about Hades in Mythology class at the Spence School. Best. Day. Of. My. Life.
But back to the topic at hand, nobody knew who my godly parent was and they were getting scared. Someone accused me of being a monster, because being a mortal was ruled out since I didn't spontaneously combust from eating the nectar and ambrosia. I told them that I wouldn't have crossed the border and if I had the urge to spontaneously eat them, I would let them know.
Percy was getting pissed the longer I stay unclaimed. Don't get me wrong, the dude is awesome and we got pretty close thanks to combat practice, but he's scary when he's mad. The lake has been acting crazy recently and his girlfriend, Annabeth, has been glued to his side to keep him calm. I can't help but feel guilty that whenever I come around, he'd glare above my head.
"They promised," Percy muttered, "They swore on the River Styx."
"Percy," I sighed and I put a hand on his shoulder. Annabeth was busy with giving Greek lessons, but things were getting tense between them (if whisper yelling at each other and tense body language was anything to go by). "If I hear one more thing about my 'no claim' situation, I'm going to scream and punch someone. Can we focus on our sword stuff now?"
That got him back on task, at least.
Clyde got back from his assignment yesterday, and he brought home a son of Hecate. He got claimed on the spot, and I started to hate him. Something was off with the kid anyway, but I can't put my finger on it.
When Percy called for a break, I found Clyde and Trent sitting under a tree.
Clyde was talking about something and waving his arms around while Trent was chuckling and giving Clyde this cute, loving stare. I can't get jealous, I like Trent too.
An explanation shall be granted.
Trent is the only one at Camp, besides Clyde, who isn't acting weird around me for being unclaimed. He doesn't like it, but Trent is a sweetheart and a great listener. Every night he brought me with him onto the roof of the Hermes cabin, and while he was smoking he would ask me questions about me and we get to know each other. He won't talk about his mom, his life before camp, or about his love life since he told me he was bisexual. I didn't press Trent for that information either...after all, I have my secrets too.
"Quinn face planted so hard," Clyde laughed, "That the empousa tripped over herself laughing!" Amidst his laughing fit, Clyde noticed my presence. "Hey Nyome!"
Trent looked to me and grinned, his stare still cute and loving. "Hey Nyome! Join us in ta shade! Ya need to cool down."
The two shuffled apart to make space for me to sit between them. I felt my cheeks grow warm as I took the spot.
"What were you guys talking about?" I asked, playing with the sleeves of my hoodie.
"I was telling Trent about how the son of Hecate, Quinn's, retrieval mission went," Clyde answered. "That kid needs some fighting practice, he would've been empousa dinner if I wasn't there."
Trent wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Quinn isn't bad with his magic though," He told us, "He can use weapons, but he can't fight. Weird, ain't it?"
I hummed in agreement.
Clyde cuddled up to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. "We all have our weird traits."
We spent the rest of the day talking and joking under the tree...and it was a little uncomfortable for me. When dinner time hit, Clyde and Trent had made me the middle of their jealous boy sandwich.
I took my sunglasses off after the sun set and I wriggled free. "I'm starving, come on let's go," I announced.
Trent got up and reclaimed my shoulders. "Sure thing! See ya at the pavilion Clyde!" We rejoined the Hermes cabin and got our food. I filled my plate with tofu baby back ribs, rice, and I found some oreos to eat after. I reached the fire in the center of the pavilion and threw half of my ribs and some rice into the fire. To Hades….and I guess my mom too...whoever she is, I thought to myself as I followed Trent to cabin 11's table..only to freeze in my tracks when I heard my name.
"Psh, Nyome isn't a normal demigod like us. She must be a Titan's kid, since none of the gods want to claim her," A girl sneered to her buddy at the Ares table.
"What was that?" I asked, facing the Ares table, "I heard you say my name, what are you telling your buddy there about me? Hm?"
The red-haired girl turned to me and glared with her bright amber eyes. "None of your business, undetermined," She spat.
Oh, it's going down and I'm yelling 'timber.' I continued walking and "tripped" over my feet, "accidentally" painting her with my food. "Oops."
She slammed her fists on the table as she got up and pushed my chest. "You got a death wish, punk?"
I laughed. "Think you're so tough, huh? I asked you a question, answer it." I paused for effect. "Coward."
"Nyome-" Trent tried to intervene but I raised my hand.
"What did you call me?" The Ares girl got in my face.
"You heard me," I spat and clenched my fists, "If you can call me a 'Titan's kid' behind my back, you can say it to my fucking face."
The pavilion gasped.
"Girls-" Chiron began.
I wasn't done yet. I pushed the Ares girl back and glared down at her as she landed on her ass. "Who do you think you are? Accusing me of being something I'm not?"
She glared up at me and opened her mouth to say something.
"I'm still not done, bitch," I spoke in a low tone. I wish that something would keep her mouth shut.
A shadow tendril appeared behind her and wrapped around her head, forcing her mouth to close.
"Kendra!" The Ares girl's buddy called out in a panic.
Kendra stared up at me with fear consuming her expression. Her body trembled as she scooted back.
"Nyome," Trent called out hesitantly, "Calm down...take a breath."
"What? Why?" I responded and I looked around.
Shadows were snaking around everywhere, surrounding the pavilion. Everyone was standing battle-ready and most of them looked like they were about to piss themselves. I looked back down to Kendra. "Let her go," I ordered the shadow tendril and it obeyed, releasing Kendra and slithering to me, ready to obey another order. I looked around the pavilion. "Stop," I barked and the other tendrils froze.
The pavilion gasped again and I noticed that they were staring above my head. I saw a glowing black and purple symbol of a crescent moon with a star almost being hugged by it. My heart dropped to the floor when I recognized who that symbol belonged to and I stared at it until it faded away. Chiron slammed his hoof on the floor and I, along with everyone else, stared at the pale centaur.
"All hail Nyome Walker," He announced, "Daughter of the Primordial goddess of Night."
"As if I wasn't weird enough," I muttered under my breath.
"It's about time she claimed you," A regal man's voice sighed and a figure stepped out of the shadows.