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I don't own any characters except for Aikarina.
The camp is covered with a thin layer of snow that looks like Zeus sprinkled it with a thin layer salt. Within the borders of the camp, it is noticeably warmer. I heard that the weather is regulated here so during the summer it is always shining.
I know it is in the middle of the night, but the camp looks barren. There are not even the quiet hoots of owls in the woods. Almost all the gods' children come here to train during the summer, but I never expected it to feel this empty. Maybe it will gain more life when the sun rises.
A large pine tree grows on a hill. Some kind of dragon diligently guards it. Occasionally it lets out a puff of smoke like it is smoking a cigarette. On one of the branches, there is a glimmer of gold. I instantly recognize it as the Golden Fleece.
I hold back at laugh when I remember what happened during the summer. The tree was dying because Luke Castellan, the Son of Hermes, poisoned it with a substance only found deep in the Underworld. Several campers retrieved the Golden Fleece from the Sea of Monsters to save the tree that acts a magical barrier around the camp. The fleece cured the tree. In fact, it did such a good job that it freed Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus, from her imprisonment.
Once I step foot on the ground, a loud screech that belongs to a harpy echoes around the campsite. I grab the knife Ares gave me and force the blade to grow to the size of a sword.
"Damn harpies." Mr. D mutters. He glances at my sword. I expect him to lecture me about being paranoid, but he doesn't. "Might as well keep that out. It's highly unlikely they will attack with me here, but if they do you're on your own," he warns. His words only make me hold my sword out further. I glance over my shoulder every few seconds to make sure that the harpies aren't right behind me.
The black car we were riding in disappears into a cloud of smoke. It drifts up to the sky as if nothing ever happened.
Mr. D guides me towards a large house. There is a small light on in the bottom floor and in the attic but other than that the entire building is dark. Small balls of fire light up the camp. They float beside the doors of the cabins and the big house. It doesn't give off any heat, but it lights the area very well. Some are even different colors like a bright blue and yellow.
There is another screech from behind me. It sounds much closer than before. The hilt of my sword shifts around my fingers to give me a better grip as I tighten my hold on the piece of metal. I dare look over my shoulder to see nothing but several cabins. Maybe the harpies will stay away like Mr. D said, but I won't let my guard down.
He pushes through the front door and lets it slam in my face. Holding back several unkind words, I enter the building. Inside, I see a man in a wheelchair reading a book next to a blazing fireplace. He has a thick beard and is wearing a warm sweater with a hoof-print on the front.
I sigh with contentment. It feels very good to stand in front of the fire.
He looks up in surprise when Mr. D clears his throat. The man must've been very into his book to not notice us burst through the front door. The man stands up and his body extends further than what I originally thought. The wheelchair is magically altered to hide the centaur's lower half. Very clever, especially if he needs to leave Camp Halfblood.
I smile at the centaur, immediately I know who this is. "You must be Chiron."
He clops over to me. When he is standing up straight, I have to extend my neck straight up to look him in the eye. "And you must be Aikarina," he observes.
Mr. D lounges back in a chair. "No, it's Aidaripa," he says before chugging another can of pop. Mr. D swallows and winces, but still makes another can appear. Chiron rolls his eyes at the god.
I shake my head and he raises an eyebrow. "I would like to be called Rina. It's just easier to call me that," I explain.
Chiron nods. "Welcome to Camp Halfblood. I have been made aware of your... situation."
I shuffle me feet on the floor nervously. "Can you keep it a secret? I don't want the other campers to know."
Mr. D scoffs but Chiron promises. He grabs several orange shirts and spare jeans from a chest and hands them to me. The front of the cotton shirt says, 'CAMP HALFBLOOD' in bold letters. I look at the tags to see they are exactly my size. Maybe Aphrodite contacted him ahead of time to make sure the clothes fit.
"Your schedule here is different than it would be during the summer, when most of our campers arrive. Since there are only a few campers, we just split up the chores weekly. This week all you have to take care of is the cabins. Starting tomorrow you will go around and clean each one so that they aren't terribly dirty when the rest of the campers arrive. Nothing too complicated. Next week you will clean the armory. I believe you are the only one in Cabin 10 during this time. I'm sure the others will come during the summer," Chiron says.
"Cabin 10?"
"It's the cabin for all the children whose mother is Aphrodite. I assume you would desire that one over the cabin for Ares since you are more closely related to Aphrodite. However, if you want to be placed with the children of Ares, that will be manageable," he explains calmly. Mr. D, on the other hand, looks irritated that Chiron has to explain all this to me. I guess he assumed that I already know everything about Camp Halfblood.
I shake my head. "No, I think it would be better for me to be in Cabin 10."
Chiron and Mr. D both nod with approval. For the first time since I have met him, Mr. D looks like he almost respects me. But whatever kind look he had on his face turns to a scowl when he sees me looking at him.
"Well, get on then. Get to your cabin." Mr. D sneers. Chiron sends a glare the god's way, but Dionysus ignores it. Or maybe he just doesn't care enough.
The centaur looks towards the door. "I will show you to the cabin. It's not too far."
Chiron leads me outside. The screech of the harpies still sounds close, like they are right around the corner. They're still out of sight, though. Maybe it's because of me or Chiron. I can't be sure. He leads me to a cabin with a 10 on the front. Once I get inside, I immediately feel like a Barbie doll. The walls are pink and the windows have a white trim around them. The bed sheets are a soft blue and the floor is checkerboard linoleum. It reeks strongly of perfume, as if someone sprayed a whole bottle before I entered. The one thing that really amazes me is how many mirrors are on the walls. I guess when you have the vainest goddess as a mother one should expect a lot of mirrors.
"This will be your cabin. If you were undetermined you would stay in the Hermes cabin, but that's obviously not the case. In the morning I will send someone to your cabin to help you with your first day of chores then in the afternoon you may look around. Sleep well." He gives me an understanding look. "I know it is not exactly Olympus, but I'm sure you will enjoy it here."
Chiron leaves me alone in the cabin. I'm terrified but excited at the same time. I have a feeling I'm going to like it here, like Chiron said. There is a chest next to a bed with my name painted on with gold letters. I take off the purse Athena gave me and place it in the chest. When I close it there is a loud click of the chest locking. Thinking that my things will forever be stuck in there, I open the chest. It opens as smooth as it did before. When I close it there is the same clicking noise.
I look around to see each bed has a chest by it. There are all different names painted on the front of the chest but some are bare. I walk over to a chest with a camper's name on it and try to open it. It won't budge. I breathe a sigh of relief. The chests only open to their owner. At least I can sleep in peace knowing that my things will be safe.
I lay down on the bed and sleep, knowing that tomorrow will be a busy day.
I wake up to the sound of a loud trumpet. I groan and cover my head with my pillow.
"Why does Apollo have to wake me up so early!" I yell into the pillow. My voice comes at muffled and groggy. I start to tell him to stop playing the trumpet when I realize that I'm not in my room in Olympus. There is a knock at the cabin door. A small sliver of hope thinks that it's Apollo on the other side, here to bring me back to Olympus. Honestly, I wouldn't mind which god it is. Even Ares. As long as I can go back home. I bounce out of bed.
The last of my hair has placed itself into a curly ponytail when I open the door. I feel my face turn from a hopeful smile to a scowl. Instead it's a boy I have never seen in my life. His arms are so huge with muscles that I'm sure that he can snap me in half. His face is stern and causes me to shrink back a little. As if his face wasn't intimidating enough, he is very tall. He towers over me like the Empire State building towers over New York.
The Ares in me forces myself to stand up straight and stare him in the eye. "Yes?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.
He holds out his hand; I swear that it is as big as my face. There are small burns of his hands from working with metal. Without hesitation I take it and we shake hands.
"My name is Charles Beckendorf from Cabin 9." I look behind him to see a brick cabin with smokestacks coming out of the top. The door is a reflective metal that shines brightly in the morning sun. The front of the cabin is decorated with dozens of metal trinkets.
"Hello, my name is Rina," I say politely but with firmness.
"Chiron wanted me to show you where the cleaning supplies are. After you're done cleaning cabins 1 through 3 you have free time to train or do whatever. But I'm sure you'll just want to hang around the cabin since it's freezing out here." Charles shivers slightly under the large coat he is wearing. It must be because of my 'almost godly' powers that I don't feel the cold like he does. My insides churn at just another difference to set myself apart from the other campers.
"Thank you," I mumble as he walks towards a small shed. He unlocks the door. Inside are cleaning supplies ranging from sponges to a watered-down lava solution used for removing mold.
Charles points towards the half of the shed with... milder supplies. "Don't bother using that crazy stuff. No one ever uses it because, well, who wants to mess around with a cyclops snot floor-shiner? Just stick to the brooms and dusters. No one expects a full 100% clean-sweep. Just sweep the floors and dust around a little."
"Easy enough," I reply confidently.
Charles chuckles. "I'm just going to warn you that when you get to the Hermes cabin to be extra careful. They like to mess around with people and place booby traps. They get a kick out of it. I have asked the Stoll brothers to tell me where they put them but they won't tell. Last time I had cabin duty I got covered head to toe in this glue stuff they made. Was sticking to stuff for at least a week."
My eyes widen at his story. A part of me is glad that I don't have to clean the Hermes cabin... yet. "Thanks for the warning. Maybe I can convince them to tell me before I clean the cabin."
He then makes a rather unattractive snort. Charles looks at me in disbelief. "Good luck with that. I gotta go clean some armor, it's been nice meeting you."
Several days later...
I stare at the two Stoll brothers. Their features make them look like elves and the smirks on their faces show they are hiding something. Whatever that something is, I really don't want to find out. I have put off cleaning Cabin 11 for as long as I possibly could. Now is the moment of truth.
"Just tell me where you put the trap and nobody will get hurt," I threaten. If it's even possible, Travis and Conner's smirks get bigger and have more malice. Beckendorf is right; they do get a kick out of this.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Rina," Travis says casually. He places his hands in his jacket pocket and rocks back and forth on his heels.
I suppress the urge to punch him in the face. I'm starting to really get irritated with these two. Not only do I have to clean their filthy cabin, but I might be another victim of their pranks.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Listen, you tell me now or I'll..."
"Or what?" Conner asks. He raises a brown eyebrow.
I narrow my eyes at him. "I don't know but it will be terrible. Tell me where it is. I know you have some trap somewhere in your cabin."
The brothers share a look with each other. They both look down at the ground with a defeated expression. "Fine, you're right. There is a trap. It's under our bed."
My smile is more of a grimace. "Thank you. Now, if you excuse me, I will be cleaning your cabin." I swear that I hear a snicker behind me, but I pay it no attention. When I enter the room, it is like walking into a barn. Clothes are scattered everywhere, candy wrappers litter the floor, and there is a dust bunny in every corner. It amazes me that a room can get this dirty, especially when it's just these two here during the winter.
I peek under the bed, ready to look for the trap and hopefully deactivate it. The minute I put my face under, a puff of purple surrounds me. My lungs fill with the purple dust, causing me to cough. I sprint out of the room to breathe fresh air. I look down at my hands to see them stained the bright purple. I try to force the purple off of my skin, but it stays there.
The twins eyes grow wide then they burst out laughing. It takes a lot of self-control to keep myself from attacking them like the Ares part of me desperately wants to do.
"You guys are dicks!" I screech then rush away to the bathroom to see the full extent of their damage.
The minute I am in front of the bathroom mirror, I have a mini heart attack. My face, neck, chest, and half of my arms are covered with the purple dye. Some of my hair is also the same color. I look like a walking grape.
After a long time of hot water and scrubbing, I am able to get all the dye from my skin. My skin is a bright pink from the rough towels. Mr. D doesn't bother to get soft, cotton ones for us. Now I have to fix my hair. I try to force the purple out of my hair with my abilities, but it doesn't work. I can only assume that the purple dye has magical staining properties. The only reason I could get it off my skin was because I cleaned it off fast enough before the stain could stick. I run my head under the warm water in hopes that it will come out like on my skin. To my dismay, it doesn't.
Deep down, I am just itching to show the Stoll brothers that they have messed with the wrong person. My hair turns a bright red, like Ariel in the little mermaid, to match my anger. The spots affected by the dye stay the same bright purple. Not even changing my hair color will make the dye leave. I sigh and contemplate my options: shave off my hair and risk it never growing back (I know it's crazy to think that, but my mother has warned me many times never to do that) or dye it to make the same purple then wait for the dye to grow out. You can guess which one I picked.
The purple rains down from my roots to the tips of my hair. My anger dissolves into fascination. I thought I would absolutely hate my hair this color, but it's the opposite. Instead of looking completely ridiculous, it actually looks good! But just because I like my new hair doesn't mean I won't teach the brothers a lesson. No, they will get what they have coming to them.
That night, I sneak out of my cabin and into the Hermes. Both of the brothers are snoring peacefully. Little do they know what I have in store for them.
I reach down and touch Conner's forehead. With my powers I change his hair color from a nice brown to puke green with brown tips. Then I grab some lipstick from my bag and smear it all over his face, making sure to write 'I HATE SATYRS' in huge letters. Next I move to Travis. I have to hold back an evil laugh as I gaze down on the second brother. He looks so nice and peaceful, unlike the mean prankster he is when he's awake. I place my hand on his forehead and change his appearance. His hair morphs to pink with blue highlights. He looks like cotton candy. Then I make sure to scribble on his face with lipstick and write the same words.
By the time I am done getting my revenge, I feel very satisfied. Who knew revenge could feel this good? I sneak back out of their cabin and back into mine, as if nothing happened. That night I could hardly sleep from the excitement of their reactions in the morning.
Revenge is sweet.