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Chapter 3: Fatal Flaw
By the time I got in bed, I was exhausted.
I literally spent the whole afternoon trying to finish up my list of chores. After hours of washing the windows, dusting the tables, and cleaning up the training grounds, every part of my body ached with weariness. It also didn't help that Walt Forger was extremely OCD. Even after I made sure to dust every shelf and book in the library for instance, he came in and gave a casual wipe on one of the shelf's undersides. When Walt noticed the speck of dust, he yelled at me for doing a 'half-assed job' and told me to redo the library again. Thankfully, Lynetta still helped me with dinner, and I was soon able to munch down all the food I could stomach.
As for sleep, well, this was when being an insomniac really sucked. Despite how tired I was, I kept tossing and turning in my bed until I more or less given up and decided to do some light reading. It was embarrassing when Lynetta woke me up with my face drooling on the pages of my Biology textbook, my body stiff from sitting at my desk instead of the bed. She apparently let herself in after knocking for who knew how long.
After I finished my first exam, Walt had started to push me into practicing more swordsmanship, which I absolutely hated. For the past few days, Lynetta always managed to get me in a few strikes and knock me upside the head. If it wasn't a fight, I was supposed to slash one of these automated, wooden dummies in half. My failed attempts ended with me getting smacked by the moving dummies or missing the target completely.
"Can you please clarify on this balance and weight issue you have?" Lynetta asked me.
"Well," I started, "it's just I'm always used to having things in both hands. Two things, like a bow and arrow, or my daggers for example."
"What about your skill with a spear or javelin?" Lynetta questioned. "Those are only one item."
"Yeah, but a spear is more lengthy, making it more balanced. Same goes with a javelin, and they are both lighter than swords." I explained. "With a sword, it's like I'm dragging around a huge metal stick."
Lynetta placed a hand under her chin, thinking. "How about this: why don't you try using my katana?"
"Your katana? Are you sure?" I said.
She nodded, as she held her sheathed weapon to me. I took it. The weight was much lighter than I imagined. Before I could use it, Lynetta threw me another sword- a rapier.
"Try using both of these at once." Lynetta said. I paused for a moment, thinking how I could handle two swords when I couldn't even handle one. I decided after a moment to just try out what she said.
Instead of the metal automatons, there were a couple wooden dummies set up. I tried balancing the two swords I had in my hands, the rapier was slightly heavier than the katana, but other than that, the length and feel to the blades were almost the same.
"Now, try slashing this dummy in half." Lynetta told me. "Use whatever methods necessary."
I concentrated, positioning the two swords upright, one in front and another beside me in defense. It was almost like I was fighting with my daggers instead. With that in mind, when the dummy came up and started to bring down its automated sword hand, I immediately brought the rapier up and swerved its other hand. I quickly brought the katana up and sliced the dummy in two. What I had just done left me stunned.
"H-how did I just do that?" I said to no one in particular. This was the first time that I actually succeeded! Most times, I would struggle bringing the sword up to the speed I wanted, making my movements sluggish and amateur.
Lynetta only smiled briefly. "I simply fixed your little problem. The results are quite exceptional."
"How did you fix it?" I wondered.
"Call it a hutch if you will," Lynetta replied. "I took your problem literally and gave you two 'light' swords. As for balance, you said that you are used to holding two things, so instead of one sword, I gave you two. This is the result."
"Wow…" I continued to stare at the broken down dummy in awe. If I had known my swordsmanship could improve like this so easily, I would have done it ages ago. "I can't believe I never tried this at camp."
"I take it that Camp Half-Blood mostly supplies western style swords?" Lynetta asked. I nodded. "Then it is no wonder you failed swordsmanship until now. Western style swords are often built with thicker blades and heavy guards. They are meant for strength and damage rather than speed, unlike the rapier and katana. Like these swords, your physical prowess is also meant for speed and accuracy rather than strength."
"I'll inform Mr. Forger of your progress." Lynetta continued. "You may put a stop to your swordsmanship practice for now. Mr. Forger has some instructions for you concerning your fatal flaw."
"You mean he's going to help me overcome it?" I clarified, while handing the katana back to Lynetta.
"Yes." Lynetta answered, taking her sheathed katana in hand as she led me to the stairs. I placed the rapier back on the swords rack.
"Do you know how he's going to do it?"
She shrugged. "I have some ideas, but I don't know what Mr. Forger will do. My fatal flaw wasn't emotion, but I'm sure whatever Mr. Forger has in mind, it will be effective."
"I hope so," I muttered.
-o-
"So Lynetta tells me that you made a breakthrough?" Walt asked.
I nodded. "Yes, sir."
We were now in the music room. He was currently beside one of the music stands, placing music sheets neatly while his other hand twiddled the buttons of the radio. There was a grand piano taking up half the space, while on the other side, I noticed guitars, violins, and other string and wind instruments on the walls. There was also a drum set.
"You must be wondering why I asked you to be in here, Hunter." Walt began. "I heard from Lynetta that your fatal flaw is…emotion?"
I nodded, a bit hesitant.
"So it is," Walt muttered, and then he asked, "what experience do you have with music, Hunter?"
"Um, I listen to piano music in my spare time?" I said sheepishly.
Walt raised an eyebrow, "anything else?"
"Not really, but I remember trying to play Ode to Joy once. Kayla, a daughter of Apollo, had tried teaching it to me." I added.
Kayla was a music genius. She started playing piano at age 4 and was now considered a prodigy at age 10, and nicknamed the next Mozart (who was also a child of Apollo). She started writing her own music pieces just recently, and she even performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Though I was sure that being a child of Apollo influenced her success, I never saw Will or Lee play piano that well.
"But other than that, then nothing right?" Walt said. I nodded, though music was never my forte, I still felt slightly embarrassed by my lack of knowledge.
"You are in luck Hunter…" Walt started.
Oh great.
"I happened to love music to a certain degree, and I believe that learning how to play music will help you in overcoming your fatal flaw." Walt said. "While listening to instrumental music is good and all, listening is never the same as playing the piece. So from this day on, I will be expecting you to be in here at least an hour each day learning how to play the assigned sheets I give you. By the end of the next week, I will test you on how well you play the piece in its entirety."
Okay, so I'd be learning how to play the piano. Other than that time with Kayla, I've never even touched a piano. I let out a mental sigh of relief. It was better than I expected. I thought Walt had something worse in mind, like expecting me to be a music prodigy that mastered like ten instruments.
I really hoped Apollo was right about me having some musical ability.
"Um, sir, if I may ask..."
"What? Speak up, Hunter! Whenever you have something to say, you should at least be confident enough to say it."
"Why music?" I said, louder this time. "How will music help me overcome my flaw?"
Walt looked at me knowingly. "Would you rather I ask you to write down your feelings? Or perhaps talk about your problems and analyze them like some shrink?"
"No sir!" I said quickly. Last thing I needed was for Walt to treat me like a mental patient. "Of course not, but why didn't you chose that way instead? Not that I'm complaining!" I added.
He sighed. "I don't think writing down anything helps a whole lot, that's why. That whole traditional process may benefit some people, but judging from what I know of you, it won't be helpful in your case."
From what I know of you…what did Walt know of me? Did Hermes or Artemis tell him something without me knowing? I felt a shiver go down my spine, suddenly feeling exposed.
"Sir, you still didn't answer my question." I managed to point out.
"No, I didn't," Walt said. "Get started Hunter. These first few sheets help you with the basics. Once you're done with the theory work, I'm expecting you play the last song I assigned perfectly by next weekend. I am also aware of your distant relation with Lord Apollo, so don't think you can get off easy."
Oh crap. If he's expecting me to complain about being pushed too hard, I had one heck of a week of work to do. Besides physical training, chores, and my mortal education, now I had music lessons to worry about. How wonderful.
I was right too. By the time I looked through the stack of assigned music sheets, I nearly choked when I saw the last piece.
"Fur Elise?" I exclaimed, my head getting dizzy just by looking at the scales, and this wasn't the simplified version either. "How in Hades am I suppose to play this by next week?!"
"What did I say about whining!?" Walt said. "When I say to do it, you do it. The things that Lynetta and I assign you are within your capabilities. Just make sure you go through the pile a step at a time! I've trained Apollo kids before, Hunter. I'm fully aware of your level of musical ability."
"But I've barely even touched the piano-!"
"NO WHINING! Now get to it!" Walt interrupted, before he closed the door behind him.
I stared at the pile of papers in my hand bitterly. A step at a time huh? Easier said than done. Plus, I was still skeptical on how music would help me with my flaw, since Walt apparently didn't want to answer.
With a sigh, I sat down on the piano bench and placed the music sheets on the stand. I lifted the piano cover, and after testing the feel to it, I started to play.
-o-
By the time the day ended, I had managed to get through half the music theory stuff. I still had chores to do, and Lynetta continued to push me hard in our training sessions. When the weekend came around (thankfully the piano thing was for next week otherwise I was screwed), Lynetta started my first tutoring session. She first went over the stuff I was required to read and asked me questions on the topic. Literature was always my favorite subject, but I also discovered that I had a talent for physics, which I caught on easily once I understood the applications, though numbers were a problem. Calculus was alright, but I had the same dyslexia problem with calc as I did with physics, as for biology…
It was a pain in the ass.
Sure Apollo was the god of medicine, and since I was distantly related to him, one would expect that Biology should be second nature to me. I wished that was true. We were going through the cell cycle one time, and memorizing those cell parts and its functions was enough to give anyone a headache. But what I really hated about Biology was the subject itself. When I was glancing over the textbook one night, and my eyes landed on evolution and that whole crappy truth about how babies were supposed to be born, it was like the textbook was taunting me right in the face.
"Why do I have to learn any of this stuff?" I complained to Lynetta, who was currently reviewing biology concepts with me. "I already know the basics of it, and it's not like it will help me much."
Lynetta stared at me, her arms crossed. "Don't you hope to get a job in the future?"
"A job?" I said dubiously.
"Yes, a job." she repeated. "You have to master these concepts so you can get accepted into college, and then get a job. That is what you plan on doing? Camp Half-Blood is only a temporary stage in life. Monsters are a daily occurrence, but they won't be the central thing."
A job. Such a mundane thing, and it never once crossed my mind. I've been so worried over surviving the next year that I didn't think of anything else after that.
"I…I don't know." I said quietly. "I never thought about it."
Lynetta appeared thoughtful. "Well, you must have some kind of dream? What do you hope to be when you grow up?"
It was the kindergarten question, and yet I couldn't answer it. I couldn't believe this was the first time I was actually thinking about this topic. Annabeth always went on about how she wanted to be an architect- no doubt she had her whole career and college path mapped out. Grover had a goal of finding the lost god, Pan. Will wanted to be a doctor and enter med school, while Lee wanted to be a world-class archer. Even the Aphrodite kids had goals of entering the entertainment and modeling industries.
"I don't know." I mumbled. "Honestly, I don't have a clue of what I want to be."
"This is why we are going through these topics." Lynetta said. "It's not only so college will be a possibility, but it's also so we can find out what your interests are. What subjects do you like most?"
"Literature…and physics I guess." I said.
"Okay," Lynetta said. She sat down across from me. "What else? Any hobbies or things you like?"
"I like…archery. That's a given. I also like animals, especially dogs, and kids." I added. Lynetta gave a nod.
"Have you ever thought about becoming a teacher?" Lynetta asked. "Or maybe a veterinarian?"
I shook my head. "No, but those sound interesting."
"Just leave your options open." she suggested. "You said you wanted to survive. It's said, that those who think ahead are most likely to live to see it happen."
"I'll keep that in mind." I said. Lynetta gave a shadow of a smile before she continued the horrid biology lesson.
One afternoon, when I was in the middle of reading through the Greek version of Wuthering Heights, there was a soft knock on the door before I went to get it. Lynetta stood there, fully dressed in the same petticoat and boots I saw her in when I first arrived.
"Put on something warm," Lynetta instructed me. "We will be visiting town."
I blinked. "Town? For what?"
It's been at least a week since I've been here, and it was also the first time I would finally be getting fresh air.
"Your wardrobe is in dire need of changing and filling." Lynetta replied curtly. I blushed. "We will also be getting other things. Meet me outside on the front porch in 10 minutes." With that said, she shut the door and left.
After I put on a sweatshirt and coat, along with my bow and quiver (only because it seemed right), I found Lynetta waiting for me outside with a black handbag over her shoulder. She noticed my weapons, but she didn't say anything about it. I trudged after her in the ankle deep snow, and she finally stopped at the back of the house. She opened a cover of a device on the tool shed. Instantly, the large clearing of snow parted automatically, making large creaking sounds. Underground, I noticed a Silver Toyota Prius, a Jeep, and even a private helicopter.
"You guys have an underground garage?" I said with disbelief as Lynetta opened the doors to the Silver Prius.
"We do need a private space for our vehicles." Lynetta said, as if that was common sense. She unlocked the other doors. "Get in."
I did as she said. Soon enough, Lynetta quickly drove the Prius out of the metal ramp and I noticed how the parted doors instantly closed after her. She tapped on another switch on her cell phone and even the surrounding trees parted, creating a smooth path for the Prius to drive through.
"Did Walt make all of this?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Incredible." I muttered. I wondered if any of the Hephaestus kids could invent any of this. "Why does he need a private helicopter?"
"It's in case our location is jeopardized." Lynetta answered. "We never know when monsters may attack."
"He's kind of paranoid isn't he?"
"Perhaps," she admitted. "But it has kept him alive for this long, which is quite an accomplishment. Most demigods don't make it past their twenties without help."
I took that information in silently. I had always wondered why the camp contained so many young demigods, the oldest only in their early twenties. When I had asked out of curiosity, Chiron only gave a sad glance, and told me that many had moved on outside of the camp once they entered college to pursue careers and families. He never mentioned how most of them died, but I kind of guessed. Even so, I still felt a slight shock when my thoughts were confirmed.
"What exactly does Walt do for a living?" I questioned. "He said he was a hacker?"
Lynetta kept her focus on the road. "He is, and quite a successful one. You can say living expenses are at the bottom of Mr. Forger's list of worries."
"But isn't his job illegal?"
She shrugged. "He calls it capitalism. He creates and sells the anti-virus programs to help fight off his creations. Quite an ingenious cycle wouldn't you say?"
I stared at her. "Y-you're not serious?"
"It's one way to make money."
She pulled her car into a half empty parking lot at Wilmington Square. There were a couple of civilians present, most of them looking through the store windows. The sign 'Welcome to Wilmington! Population: 12,293" had half-faded red paint. As I got out of the car, a chilly breeze swept by, freezing me to the core. The place looked almost dead. There were a couple of bare trees, with ravens perched on nearly every branch. Somehow I felt like the ravens were watching my every move.
"Come along," Lynetta called. The Prius gave a quiet chirp as she locked the doors. "I know of a good department store around here."
-o-
The next few hours were any guy's nightmare.
I never understood how girls could take hours shopping around an outlet and come out with only a couple things. At camp, I would hear the Aphrodite girls gossiping about their rendezvous at the mall, like it was something worth talking about it. Percy would mention the horrors of going clothing shopping with his mom. Though Lynetta was unlike any woman I've met, she was still a girl, and now I knew first-hand what 'horrors' Percy was talking about.
"What is it with you and baggy, dark clothing?" Lynetta demanded. "Be honest with me Seth- Do you lack fashion sense? I'm starting to think you do."
"Ha ha, very funny," I said while inside the men's changing room for the 100th time. So far the only clothes that we've decided to get were the ones Lynetta chose."It's hardly my fault that you have to nick-pick apart the clothes that appeal to me! And what in Hades is this?!" I was looking at a tight designer shirt with bright neon colors. Oh gods, this was going to make me stand out so badly. "This isn't my style!"
She huffed uncharacteristically, and tapped her foot impatiently outside the changing room. "Your 'style' is no style at all! Just wear what I throw you! Now are you done yet?"
I exhaled deeply as I forced myself to wear the clothes she gave me. The emotionless, stoic Lynetta was starting to sound like an impatient, bossy daughter of Aphrodite- devil's incarnate.
I finally stepped out, wearing a tight fitting light collared shirt, jeans, and Converse shoes. I had my arms crossed, demonstrating my defiance. Lynetta only nodded approvingly.
"We are getting them," she said at once. I rolled my eyes, but I didn't protest. Arguing with Lynetta or any child of Athena got me nowhere.
"What is the whole point of me being here when you're the one making the choices?" I grumbled.
"So I can get the right size." Lynetta snidely pointed out. "I don't see why you are so against my choices. These clothes fit you nicely, not to mention it makes you very attractive."
"But I don't want to attract." I protested. Why couldn't Lynetta understand? I hate attention. It brought you nothing but bad luck and unwanted danger.
"Go change, Seth." Lynetta said, placing a hand to her forehead and mumbling teenagers. "I have some orders to pick up on the way before we go back to Mr. Forger's."
We went outside. I had a couple bags in each hand as Lynetta headed down the aisle towards the next destination- a delivery store. I waited a couple minutes before she finally came out with some cardboard boxes, the sign 'DANGER' on every side of the boxes.
"What's in there?" I asked.
"Some things for Mr. Forger to use, nothing to be concerned about." Lynetta said dismissively. I only appeared suspicious but I didn't say anything else.
We were just about to load our stuff into the Prius' trunk when it happened. The ravens that were perched on the trees let out a piercing noise so loud that I had to cover my ears due to pain.
In one formation, the ravens swooped down in a unified arc towards Lynetta and me. I quickly shoved the things into the car before I notched my bow and arrows at the ready, flinching as the birds tried to bite into my flesh.
Stymphalian birds…I thought morbidly. My first encounter with those things was during the chariot race in my second year at camp. A bunch of annoying ducks.
They kept circling us. All I could do was try to knock them away with my arms, which didn't do anything. The black swarm clouded my vision, and archery was no good at this range. They just kept coming and coming. It was until I heard loud gunshots that the birds backed away.
Lynetta had taken out a rifle, and she just shoved in another magazine from her handbag, and shot rapid rounds of gunfire as the birds flew away. Soon enough, with me helping her with my arrows, the flock of Stymphalian birds were dealt with. Lynetta looked slightly battered. There were some cuts on her hands and face.
"Get in." she told me, her tone urgent. I nodded quickly. Once we were settled in, Lynetta stepped on the gas and the Prius sped out of the parking lot quickly.
Before I could question what happened back there, Lynetta spoke first.
"The other monsters are not far behind," she told me. "Those birds are always the first to attack. We must reach Mr. Forger's residence before they catch a whiff of our scent."
"Your rifle…" I managed to say. "I thought mortal guns didn't have an effect on monsters."
"These are custom made." she said, "Mr. Forger made these with celestial bronze and imperial gold."
"Just like Dr. Chase…" I said aloud. She looked at me questionably. "Dr. Chase is my friend's dad. He said he once melted the celestial bronze weapons my friend had and fashioned them into airplane bullets."
She nodded curtly. "Mr. Forger uses the same tactic, only he already has the celestial bronze in malleable form. He gets a steady supply each year from his father."
"Will I get to practice with these weapons?"
"At a later date," Lynetta said. She slowed the vehicle down visibly, going at 60 mph instead of 80. "You will have to first master the traditional weapons before handling the modern ones."
When we finally arrived at Walt's, Lynetta parked her Prius underground once more as the ramp was lifted upward. We were briefly surrounded in darkness, before Lynetta pressed something, and fluorescent lights came up. I followed her quietly with bags in hand into an elevator shaft. She pressed the third floor, and the doors opened to reveal a hallway inside the Tudor home.
"Get cleaned up," Lynetta ordered. "There is ambrosia in the kitchen if you need it. I'll have to tell Mr. Forger to put up the Misty Cloak."
"Misty Cloak?"
"Just extra precautions in case any monsters trailed us." Lynetta replied. "I doubt it, but it doesn't hurt to be careful." Then, she turned a left and disappeared from my vision.
I stood there silently for a moment before I dragged the bags upstairs to my room, pondering over when I could get the chance to start marksmanship.
-o-
Reviews/ Comments: I encourage you guys to review in order to tell me what you guys think. It also really helps when you guys offer reasonable criticism, especially since this story is still at the beginning stage. If you guys have stuff you want to see happen make sure you tell me, and I'll consider them.
NEXT CHAPTER: Seth undergoes the second exam and Artemis makes an appearance.