AN: Hey guys, we'd love to know how the story is going on so far so...please review? It'll mean a lot to us if you guys like the story ;w;
Disclaimer: We own nothing but our characters. PJ and the Olympians belong to Rick Riordan.
Chapter 3
Jarred looked up at Chiron. "Uh...yeah sure." He blinked a couple of times. There would be time for his mom later.
Chiron smiled gently before leading Jarred out the room. As Chiron was closing the door, a beautiful blonde haired girl of about sixteen walked up to the centaur.
"Chiron, the wood nymphs and satyrs you called for are assembled." She said sweetly, her musical voice carrying through the camp.
Jarred could feel his face grow warm when he looked at her, so he kept very silent.
"Ah yes, Thank you Stephanie." Chiron smiled at the girl. "Could you do me a favor dear and tour Jarred here around the camp while I deal with them please? He's still undetermined so he will be staying at the Hermes cabin for the time being."
Hermes...the god of Thieves. Jarred remembered learning about Hermes in class. He looked at the girl, deciding whether she was going to be trouble, or just some other camper.
Stephanie's eyebrows furrowed but she nodded. "Sure Chiron." she said, smiling at the centaur then to Jarred. "Come on. I'll show you around." she said before turning around, her skirt slightly swaying as she walked ahead.
Jarred followed her. "So Stephanie, who's your godly parent?" He asked.
Stephanie gave him a dazzling smile. "Aphrodite, goddess of Love." She said cheerfully. "I'm not like my other siblings though who can be airheads most of the time."
Well that makes sense... He thought. "Oh cool, I wish I knew who my dad was..." He muttered.
"He'll claim you soon." Stephanie said, patting his shoulder for reassurance. "Come on. I'll show you the fields then the stables first."
Jarred nodded, letting her lead the way. So this is going to be my home for the year... He looked around; kids were fighting with swords and shields while others talked happily to one another. He saw satyrs playing volleyball down by a lake. This is home, home for demigods.
The two walked towards an expanse of fields filled with strawberry plants. Here and there campers were picking bushels of berries wile a satyr played a tune on his reed pipe.
"We use the strawberry profit to pay for camp expenses." Stephanie explained. "The strawberries take almost no effort anyway."
He looked over the vast strawberry fields; the soft tune of the reed pipes filled his ears. Then he turned to Stephanie, confused. "What do you mean they take almost no effort?"
Stephanie laughed a musical laugh. "Well our camp director Mr. D has that effect on fruit bearing plants." She told him. "It works best with wine grapes but he was restricted from growing those so we grow strawberries instead. And the satyrs' music helps too."
Mr. D? He was trying to find the god that fit Stephanie's description. Makes fruit bearing plants grow, mostly wine grapes. Wine grapes... "Your camp director is Dionysus?"
Stephanie nodded. "That's him but we call him Mr. D here. Names have power remember?"
"Oh, right." Jarred said, he should've remembered. Then again when you've just found out you're a demigod. Well you're bound to forget.
Stephanie led him to a large stable. Jarred watched a camper lead a brown and white horse outside of the stables. A horse with…wings?!
Jarred watched, eyes wide with awe. "Pegasi? Your stables have Pegasi."
Stephanie laughed in amusement. "Yeah we do. You're welcome to ride any of the ones who take a liking to you. Come on. We're going to the cabins now." Stephanie said, taking Jarred's hand to lead him away from the stables.
He smiled as they walked. "Remind me to go there later on today." He told her. "Riding a Pegasus has got to be better then riding a horse."
"Sure! I'll come with to help you pick a Pegasus." Stephanie said. "They're basically the same. Ours just have wings and can fly."
He smirked. "I guess, but still..." His gaze fell to their hands, and his face flushed. Calm yourself...s-she's just leading you around camp is all. That's it.
Stephanie took no notice as she led him to the buildings in the middle of camp. On the way, she pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.
"That's the mess hall where we all eat." Stephanie explained.
Jarred looked the mess hall over. "What happens if it rains or something? There isn't a roof, what happens then?"
"It doesn't rain at camp. The magical borders prevent bad weather to affect us."
"Wow…But, what do other people see? Wouldn't they wonder why there's a camp here?"
"The borders prevent mortals from seeing this place. To them, this place is just a strawberry farm."
"Really? That's pretty sweet."
"Yeah, I know right?" Stephanie laughed.
Letting go of Jarred's hand, she pointed to a few more places as they walked towards the buildings in the middle. There was an archery range, the canoeing lake, the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where she said they held sword and spear fights.
"Sword and spear fights?" Jarred asked.
"Cabin challenges and training." Stephanie explained. "They're not lethal. Usually. But we have the infirmary for that."
"So you're saying campers can maim one another while training?" He looked at her a little shocked that they would let kids do that to one another.
"Of course. Camp Half-blood is first and foremost a training facility." Stephanie said. "They train us so we could survive in the outside world. There are worst and stronger monsters than whatever monster that attacked you. Camp trains us for that."
He nodded understanding. He remembered some of the monsters Hercules had to fight. Hydra, and the Nemean Lion...probably two of the worst he fought. "So how come the 'Kindly Ones' want to you know, kill us?"
Stephanie shrugged. "Because we're demigods. Plain and simple."
"Well that makes sense." He said sarcastically.
Stephanie laughed. "We're powerful. They think we're a threat to them so of course they'll attack. Others just like a snack."
Jarred felt himself shudder. "So basically it's train hard or die?"
"That's right."
"Good thing I'm staying year-round." He chuckled. "I'd probably be dead without training."
Stephanie laughed.
Finally they reached the cabins. There were twenty of them, with a some others still in construction, nestled in the woods by the lake. They made an omega shape. Each cabin had a large brass number above the doors with the odds on the left and the evens on the right and they looked absolutely nothing alike.
Jarred stopped walking and looked at each of the cabins curiously.
Number Nine looked like a tiny factory and had smokestacks. Number Five looked like it was splashed on with red paint and had a large boar's head over the door and barbed wire on the roof. Number Twelve had its roof and walls lined with grape vines.
They all faced a commons area the size of a soccer field dotted with Greek statues, flower beds, fountains and a couple of basketball hoops. In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit with a girl who looked to be around nine tending to the flames.
The pair of cabins at the head of the field looked like hugs mausoleums. Cabin One was the biggest of the cabins with polished bronze doors that shimmered like a hologram. Cabin Two was more graceful and had slimmer columns that were garlanded with pomegranates and flowers.
Jarred walked by each cabin, until he came up to one of solid obsidian. "Cabin 13." He read.
Cabin 13 was windowless with heavy columns. There were torches that burned green fire and had a skull over the door.
"That's the Hades' Cabin." Stephanie said, standing beside him. "We don't really have any children of his nowadays because he's too busy in the underworld."
"Oh..." He glanced up at Stephanie. "The thirteen makes a lot of sense now. Since it's the unluckiest number and all."
Stephanie shrugged. "Not to his children. Come on, I have to get you to Cabin Eleven." Stephanie said, leading Jarred away from Thirteen.
As they were walking, they saw Cabin Seven. It seemed to be made of solid gold and glowed in the sunlight. The campers in front of the cabin were either playing an instrument, drawing or testing their bows. One of the sitting campers in particular was playing a violin but looked a little stiff in one arm.
He froze. He looked at the girl playing the violin, before he kept following Stephanie.
Stephanie on the other hand walked straight towards the girl. "Hi Alice! How's your arm?"
The small girl stopped playing and looked up at Stephanie, not seeing Jarred yet. "Hi Stephanie." Alice said smiling ruefully as she rubbed her right arm with the violin still in hand. "Still a little stiff and sore but it's alright. Arcus said that it'll feel better in a few hours."
Jarred stood silently, looking down at Alice. There was a glint in his eyes as he looked away from her and at her siblings playing their instruments.
"Well alright. You take care now you hear?" Stephanie said. "I still have to get a new camper to the Hermes Cabin."
Jarred followed Stephanie to Cabin Eleven, instantly he knew it was going to be somewhat of a nightmare. The cabin was overflowing with kids of all ages. Out of all the cabins, it looked most like a regular old summer camp cabin. Over the doorway was a symbol of a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. A caduceus.
"No that is not for eating! Put that down. Lucas give that back to Sally! Cameron put on your shirt! Yes I know you're old enough but put that on!" A guy who looked younger than Jarred but was slightly taller said. He was running around the younger kids as he tried to stop the chaos.
Jarred watched silently for a moment before looking up at Stephanie. "Do I really want to know?"
Stephanie laughed as she watched. "Not if you want to. Those are all Hermes' kids so be careful where you put your stuff."
"I'll keep that in mind..." He said as the guy from before noticed them and walked forward.
"Hey there! I'm Pascal and I told you not to eat that!" He shouted at a six year old kid who was about to put dirt in his mouth. Pascal sighed before turning back to Jarred and Stephanie. "Anyway, I'm the head counselor for this chaos that is called the Hermes Cabin."
He was wearing a deep blue fedora hat that had a red caduceus pin on its white stripe. He had messy curly blonde hair that had four red hair clips on the left tuft of hair and wore gray fingerless gloves on his hands. He wore the orange shirt everyone else was wearing, cream cargo pants and sneakers. His blue eyes shined with mischief as he held out a gloved hand to Jarred.
Jarred shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jarred."
"So I'm guessing Stephanie here is showing around." Pascal smirked. "Who's your godly parent? Shouldn't you go that cabin first?"
Stephanie rolled her eyes at Pascal. "He's undetermined."
Pascal's eyebrows furrowed. "But shouldn't he be-" Pascal shook his head then smiled at Jarred. "Well you're welcome to stay at our cabin until your parent claims you."
Jarred looked at Pascal slightly confused then returned a small smile. "Thanks..."
Pascal smiled again before looking towards Stephanie. "We'll take it from here now."
Stephanie smiled. "Thanks Pascal." She said before turning to Jarred. "I'll be at the Aphrodite Cabin if you need something." She told Jarred before winking at him and walking towards her cabin.
Jarred felt his cheeks get hot and he pushed that feeling away. It's just because she's a daughter of Aphrodite, that's it. But even as he told himself that, he felt his crush on the girl grow.
Jarred turned back to Pascal. "Pretty chaotic here huh? I'd be happy to help if you need anything."
Pascal looked relieved. "Thanks man. Dad's been...busy so there are a lot of kids here." He said as he took a dagger from a running kid. "This is not yours." He told the child before putting it in a sheath attached to his hip. The child pouted before going back to the cabin.
"So what do I have to do?"
"Just keep an eye on them. If they look pleased with themselves, they've taken something." Pascal said as he led Jarred to the cabin. "Tell them it's under my orders and they'll listen to you."
Jarred nodded. "Got it."
They made their way towards the cabin as kids ran around them.
"Lots of little kids huh?" Jarred said watching some of them.
"As I said, Dad's been...busy." Pascal chuckled as he picked up a kid and turned him around. Unfazed, the kid kept running towards the others. "I'm the eldest one here."
"Wow. Ever think your dad is a little too busy?" He chuckled.
Pascal shrugged while smiling. "All the time."
Jarred tried to hold back his laughter. "That's gotta suck sometimes huh?"
"Only when my things go missing." Pascal laughed as they stepped in the cabin. "Come on, you take the top bunk. I'm at the bottom." He led Jarred to the farthest corner of the cabin.
Jarred nodded and felt a small tug on his pant leg. "Hmm?" He looked down to see a little girl, her hair was bright gold and her eyes were a soft blue. She handed him something leather which he realized was his wallet.
"Sally! Your first steal!" Pascal laughed as he ruffled the girl's hair. "Thank you for giving it back to him and no he's not a new brother."
Sally smiled and laughed when Jarred picked her up. "I don't know whether to be mad 'cause you took my wallet or proud because it was the first thing you stole..." He laughed.
"Both I guess? Didn't Steph tell you to be careful around us?" Pascal said before stopping another kid and taking something from him. Letting the kid go, he held something out to Jarred. "Here's your wallet back again."
Jarred blinked and took it. "Yeah she warned me, but I didn't think it'd be that bad." He set Sally down. She pouted at first before going off to mess with one of her brothers.
"Oh we're that bad." Pascal had a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Welcome to the cabin for the children of the god of messengers, travelers and thieves. Keep all personal things in sight or they will be gone in the next minute."
He smirked. "If these weren't little kids, I'd tell them off for it." Jarred said.
"They won't listen to you anyway. We're not known to." Pascal smirked back. "We better get you settled in. Your bags seem to be already here." Pascal said, pulling out a couple of suitcases from under his bunk.
A small boy with brown eyes that had the same mischievous glint handed Pascal two orange shirts. "Thank you Lucas." Pascal said to the boy before turning to Jarred. "Here are your new Camp Half-Blood shirts Jarred. Stolen straight from the camp store."
Jarred took the t-shirts. "They're really stolen?"
Pascal just smiled in response.
"I have a feeling I don't want to know." He chuckled lightly and set the t-shirts on the top bunk. "So how are you guys able to have so many kids in here? Don't you ever run out of room?"
"We have enough beds for everyone. Right now, Hermes kids are around sixteen with me included plus a few more beds to spare." Pascal said as he looked around the cabin fondly.
Jarred nodded understanding.
"When you're done settling in, I know what we could do." Pascal said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Cool, what is it?" He clearly seemed eager to do something.
Pascal laughed. "Nothing drastic. We're just going to the armory to get you fitted up." He said. "We'll pick up my best friend on the way. She's great to have around." He added as he led Jarred outside.
"Cool, and I have a weird feeling about the whole armor thing, like I could get killed while I'm here..."
"Oh you would. Unless you really want to be skewered by a sword, dagger, arrow or spear, we really need to get you armor." Pascal replied nonchalantly. "But Chiron doesn't allow killing here unless it's a monster."
"That's a relief."
Pascal side stepped and plucked a few flowers from the bushes as they made their way towards Cabin Seven. Winking at Jarred, Pascal walked to the door and knocked. He straightened his hat and shirt as he waited with the flowers behind his back.
Jarred rolled his eyes. "Oh geez..."
The cabin door opened and Arcus looked out, his eyes slightly unfocused and sleepy.
"Why hello Arcus. Looking good as always." Pascal said in a realistic British voice as he bowed slightly and tipped his hat.
Jarred watched him curiously. This kid has got some weird issues, I can just tell...
Arcus looked sleepily at Pascal, not noticing Jarred. The older boy chuckled lightly. "Give me a sec." He said before going back into the Cabin. There were a few noises from the cabin, like something dropping. A few muffled Greek curses could also be heard and a lot of grumbling.
Pascal smirked at Jarred before turning back to the door as someone walked out. "For you milady." He said as he bowed, showing the flowers and mischievously smirking.
"You know the Demeter kids are going to have your head for these." A soft twinkling voice said amused.
AN: Well there we are~
Review guys! IT'll mean a lot to us to know what you think of this
'Til Next time,
Nazz and CJ