The Californian Sage, Equaling Olympus
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Percy Jackson
Chapter 4: Facing the Sun
"He's always soooooo lazy in the winter," Xander heard the Goddess of the Hunt say as she stared at the eastern horizon, watching for the arrival of the company that she had, reluctantly, invited.
Xander thought that the absent comment explained a few things. Even he admitted that it was difficult to get up on cold mornings, and he was raised in California!
'Guess even the gods aren't immune to human foibles,' he thought amusedly as he also stood in the snow awaiting the Sun God in the pre-dawn light.
The night had been somewhat comfortable for him, after the discussion with the goddess, for which he was thanking whoever was looking out for him that he had managed to give away precious little. He had hunkered down with the two di Angelo siblings, having them rest against a tree and snuggled in the crimson blanket he had given the young boy before the discussion, while he sat on the ground next to them, the blanket unneeded for him, and leant against the same tree, the spot carefully chosen so that he had a clear view of the camp and it's occupants, whether visitor or not, and dozed lightly with one of his knees brought to his chest and his staff resting in one of his hands.
It was an old position, one that his Father's memories had contained. He had picked it up in Japan when his legend began getting big there. It was a position travelling samurai generally used, one that allowed them to awaken and be ready to fight and battle swiftly.
It came in handy for the Inheritor of the Monkey King, using it so that he could react faster than most if a monster, or other being, happened to creep up on him when he was sleeping in the open. Something he had only done of Christmas in Sunnydale, due to the arguing and ranting Tony and Jessica went through on that day.
Now a days, he did it quite often, finding a kind of solace in being amongst nature. Something he hadn't had when he was completely human, though he had gained an increased respect of the green world after Halloween. It hadn't completely clicked until Sun Wukong had adopted him.
Must be due to his inner primate.
He had been in a position to guard the two as they slept, his chaotic eyes half-lidded and dozing but the rest of him keeping track of the comings and goings of the camp, little ruby slits gleaming in the dying embers of the fires, a silent watchmen over the two just discovered demi-gods.
It seemed his protective stance had drawn a little interest, wondering why he, a boy, had done this from the Hunters, but they seemed to be experienced enough not to try and approach him or his self-proclaimed charges. A smart move on their part, instincts would have have had him kill them swiftly before he realised what was happening.
The Camper's group had followed the Hunt's example, and had made a little camp close to them, but enough away that they wouldn't be considered a threat by Xander while he was in the trance like state.
Must have been one of the girls who had ensured that. From what he had heard through the grapevine, the child of Poseidon was no Einstein.
Xander felt a slight shiver next to him, glancing down at a quietly chattering Nico. His small form slightly chilled despite the blanket around him and his sister hugging him tightly to her.
"You alright, kiddo?" Xander asked with a slight smile. The picture the two siblings made was just on the edge of adorable and cute, with their closeness and rosy red cheeks from the cold weather.
"Been better," Xander smiled slightly at the grumble from the younger sibling. Nico looked at him with a small glare, "how can you possibly stand the weather wearing just that?"
The younger boy gestured wildly at the vest, silk pants, sandals and hat combo that Xander had going on. To the younger boy, it looked like something someone from the Arabian Nights might have worn, not someone standing in the snow, in the dark, in the middle of winter! Hell, he had more bare skin than he had clothes on. By all rights, he should be a frozen statue, symbolising the stupidity of wearing such things in the current weather for future generations.
And he didn't even look the least bit cold! While he was almost freezing despite his sister's hug, the blanket and the aviator's jacket he wore!
Nico thought there was something monumentally unfair about that.
Xander chuckled slightly, a warm sound filled with honest mirth. "It's a gift from my Father," he said with a soft smile and a shrug, looking down at the younger boy. Heaven's above, was he ever that innocent?
...
Xander shook his head, a small frown of displeasure on his features now. No. He didn't think so. Tony made sure of that years before he reached Nico's apparent age, he placed the kid in the ball park of either ten or eleven. A pre-teen anyway.
His crimson eyes suddenly narrowed, shooting towards the eastern horizon abruptly. He had felt a sudden surge of power appear, his senses instantly locking onto it with all the experience of a Hellmouth veteran. You didn't last long on the Hellmouth, knowing what it is, unless you could sniff out trouble.
Those instincts had saved the Scoobies' collective asses numerous times.
It felt of heat and light and joy and life. It didn't contain any malice that he could feel, at least not at that point in time. His eyes sharpened, the closer world falling away as his sight expanded towards and over the horizon, as he used one of his Father's, and now his, tricks.
The eyes that had once been subjected to the flames of an oven for forty-nine days and forty-nine nights, peered over the horizon to see what approached. Xander had a pretty good guess, but it never hurt to be sure.
He grunted slightly as he saw the origin of the power, a golden ball of light that was rocketing over the land and sea.
Damn that was bright!
Still, he kept looking.
Beneath that golden globe of energy, much to his disbelief, Xander could make out a sports car, painted gold with red flames, as it drove through the air, fire blazing from the exhaust and the tyres.
It wasn't exactly what came to mind when Xander thought of the Sun Chariot that Apollo, and Helios before him, was reputed to ride in mortal lore.
Speaking of the God, Xander got his first glimpse of Artemis' twin.
Blond hair that bordered on gold, blue eyes, and the type of looks that screamed masculine perfection, and inhuman blood to experienced half-bloods. He looked like a movie star, especially with the blindingly white teeth he could see. The god was currently bopping his head in the driver's seat, obviously listening to some tunes, as he drove with one hand on the wheel and the other hanging lazily over the driver's door, the picture of an relaxed driver.
It fit the profile Janus had given him on the god.
Curiosity satisfied, Xander relaxed his sight, bringing it back to normal, colours and objects flashing by as his gaze swept back. He blinked heavily, shaking his head to clear it. Using that 'sight beyond sight' trick of his eyes always made him a little unsteady. The human mind and body, which he still had and would do for some time more, wasn't meant to do such things. Hence the side-effects of nausea and disorientation.
How his Father, the Monkey King, went through life with it on permanently was beyond him.
But then he was a Divine Entity, not a mortal.
A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts and recovery. Glancing at the owner of the hand, he was unsurprised to find that it was Bianca, her dark eyes concerned and questioning but her tongue silent.
"I'm fine," he grunted softly, quietly, as he answered her unspoken question, "but more importantly, get ready."
"For what?" Bianca asked, her olive skinned and cold flushed face showing her puzzlement.
Before he could answer, the voice of the Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt rang out.
"About time!" She said explosively, exasperated, as she turned her yellow-silver eyes toward the Hunters, Campers and the trio of Xander and the di Angelo siblings, "keep your eyes averted until he parks," she advised.
"Parks?" Nico questioned under his breath, his own bemused puzzlement arising.
"Look away now," Xander warned as he saw the glinting flash, a blast of light, followed by a sudden burst of warmth filling the snow-covered clearing. His chaotic eyes could see the golden rocket of a car blurring toward them.
He felt the younger boy twist into the scarlet blanket that cloaked him, looking into it depths as if trying to find the meaning of life, while the boy's sister just turned her neck to look over Xander shoulder, bringing her shoulder in contact with his own out of pure chance.
Xander frowned slightly at the contact, a sudden surge of...something running through him. It felt strange, but not unwelcome. A jolt of warmth that seemed to enter through his shoulder, dive down to his feet, before rising up to the top of his head, making his skin turn slightly pink, flushed with warm blood.
What was that?
His musings were interrupted by the flare of golden light and a wave of heat that was more suited to a furnace rather than be path of the weather, melting the snow in a perfect circle around it's origin.
The sports car he had seen beyond the horizon, still radiating intense heat and steaming the frozen ground where it parked. Things truly were strange behind the Mist.
"Little sister!" The driver of the burning hot car called joyfully, smiling bright enough to rival his car, as he smoothly exited the vehicle, his casual jeans, loafers and sleeveless shirt carelessly showing off his physical attributes, "what's up? You don't call. You don't even write. I was getting worried."
As he saw the slight scowl appear of the Goddess' face, Xander decided he could think on things later.
Apollo had arrived.
Oh, boy.
Apollo inwardly grinned at the small scowl his little sister made at his little verbosity. It was always fun to stir her up a bit, like ruffling up a cat's fur. The reactions of his stiff little sister were always amusing.
"I'm fine, Apollo." She ground out, make him smile. He still had it! "And I am not your little sister."
"Hey, I was born first." He pointed out childishly. Not exactly true, but it was a comment that he would not let go, the reactions were too damn good. It was part of the routine the two siblings had, one that had been in place for millennia and wouldn't be changing anytime soon if he had his way.
Not that Artemis knew about the routine. She didn't have much in the way of a sense of humour. Compared to his own, anyway.
"We're twins for Olympus' sake!" She humphed in irritation. Apollo could feel a speech on it's way from his sister, and readied himself to cut her off before she really got momentum. Give her an inch, and his sister would take the whole thing, forget a length. Part of her hunting instincts he guessed, to seize the opportunity whenever it presented itself, "How many millennia do we have to argue-"
"So, what's up?" He asked, interrupting her diatribe, hiding the seriousness of the question beneath a cheeky grin. It wasn't often that his beloved sister gave him a holler. And when she did...
A thread of concerned worry began to bloom in his chest, easily hidden from his sister's view with an extra wide grin, "Need me to give your girls a few archery tips?" He said with a wiggle of an eyebrow.
Her gritted teeth warned him to pull back on the comments a trifle, "I need a favour." She said, much to his hidden surprise. A favour for his sister? No problem. There was very little he wouldn't do for her.
That thread of worry, however, became a thick rope.
Artemis calling for a favour from him generally boded ill for the future.
"I have to do some hunting, alone," she emphasised. His mind worked quickly. A lone hunt? She hadn't done one of those in quite a while, and she never did it on a whim. She enjoyed the company of her girls too much. Though it did shed some light on why she had called for him. Sure enough.. "I need you to take the girls to Camp Half-Blood."
"No worries, Sis!" He said with a nod. It was a small favour, and not out of his way. Not to mention he could sift through the Hunt's minds while he did so to see what might have triggered his little sister's desire for a hunt all by her lonesome.
His sight had been confused recently, revealing only glimpses of chains, a cave and a person on their knees and head bowed. Strangely, the person's mop of hair flickered between, blonde, a paler blonde and a very familiar auburn.
It worried him.
He would start investigating after he had done his favour for Artemis.
But until then...time for a little bit more fun.
Throwing his arms out dramatically, he made the universal stop motion, as if commanding the world to halt what they were doing and listen with attentive ears. "I feel a haiku coming on."
He ignored the combined groans of his sister and her Hunters. Philistines, the lot of them. They wouldn't know Art if it danced in front of them wearing a puke green ballerina's outfit.
"Green grass breaks through snow,
Artemis pleads for my help,
I am so cool."
He grinned widely, waiting for the applause that would come.
It didn't. The clearing was silent as the occupants all looked at him with either exasperation (his twin sister), deadpan (the Hunters), confusion (the satyr and the son of Poseidon. A demigod that Apollo would definitely keep an eye on around his sister. He gotten along fairly well with his Uncle P, being banished from Olympus together a couple of times gave them a pretty good relationship, but he trusted his Uncle's spawn about as far as an ant could move Everest. Damn Orion to the pit that spawned him.), bewilderment (Athena's girl and his newest half sister, and wasn't his stepmother still pissed about that), surprise (from the two dark haired kids, siblings unless he missed his guess, wrapped in a luxuriant crimson blanket that he questioned where the Hades it came from. For a god that knows his fashion, he knew a fair bit about cloth and fabric. Not as much as Aph, but enough to tell the difference between good and bad quality, between mortal and divine work. That blanket was the second.) and, to his own surprise, good humour (from the strange kid that stood protectively next to the siblings).
Well, one out of thirty or so wasn't bad, even if the one hadn't applauded his sterling efforts. Better than average for his haikus from this lot.
He saw his sister about to speak, but she was interrupted by a different voice.
"Yo, Lord of the Sun,
Go get a better rhythm,
'Cause you missed by one."
He thoughts screeched to a halt, causing a veritable pile up, at the unexpected interruption. He turned with a lifted eyebrow to the source of the melodic criticism.
Along with his sister, the Hunters and various others.
The speaker grinned widely, showing slightly longer and sharper canines than one would usually see. It was the strange kid dressed in clothing that had no business being worn in this weather, the silk leggings, sandals and open thin vest, the one next to the now stunned siblings. The boy's chaotically crimson whirling eyes, a definite sign of inhuman parentage, glinted with humour and challenge as they stared down the Sun God.
Ooooooh, the little brat hadn't...
"Burning through the skies,
How could Apollo be late?,
Running from a date?" The kid threw out the question, grinning even wider with the mocking little poem.
He had!
Well, he couldn't let that slide. If the kid wanted to throw down...the he would be glad to pick it up. Someone had to show the kid his place.
No-one beat the God of the Arts, Music and Poetry in a rap battle.
With Haikus.
He ignored the slowly dawning horror on the face of his sister and threw back in kind.
"Right you little punk,
Short and full of monkey spunk,
Let me spin a Truth.
Smack me down you think?
How rancid is your stiff drink?
Little ape, your uncouth."
He beamed at the spiky haired kid, whose features like an ape stood out to him, something around the shape of the face and the large teeth, tasting his victory already. Let him fire back at that!
An eyebrow over a crimson eye was cocked.
"Wild, free, that I am,
Rules and laws, kicked to the can,
Unchained to any man.
Sun is an old track,
To, fro, same, so, punching cards,
rut dimming your light?"
Changing it up a bit, is he? Saying the Sun God, a god of Youth, was in a rut and not getting anywhere and implying he was as boring as heck? Nice shot.
Time to return to sender.
"Wild I agree on,
That breath of yours ain't that neat,
Call you Stinky Pete.
How about your hair?
Looking like a carpet rare?
Or maybe a bear?"
He chuckled to himself at the slightly disturbed expression on the faces of the others in the clearing, looking too dazed to stop the little wordplay he was having with a now irritated looking kid. Maybe he had taken it a bit too far?
...
Nah.
"You chase skirts? obscene,
The Gods know where you have been,
Would you like some cream?
Will it do much? No,
Just like your aim with a bow,
Falling short? Oh no!"
Apollo couldn't help but flush a little at that. Oh now the kid just made it personal.
He couldn't help but pout at his sister as she looked like she was about to break out in laughter at the last exchange from the kid. So did the Hunters.
Traitors.
"Short? Ain't that you, boy?
Smaller than my little toe,
You don't have a flow.
Men rap loud and proud,
You, boy, stay quiet and drown,
In victory mine."
He grinned. Take that, kiddo. No one beats the master!
Crimson eyes narrowed at him in a small glare, that also had a degree of grudging respect, before their owner spun another verse.
"You're blinding bright,
From without but not within,
Your head's a bit dim.
If you want to win,
Quit steaming your brains, too hot,
Serving solar stew."
Apollo's eyebrows twitched violently. Good play, good play. Even he would admit that.
The giggles and guffaws he could hear from the Hunters and his Pop's newest Half-Blood (in the Greek Pantheon, anyway) was also just about busting a gut from her own hearty laughter.
Brats, the lot of them.
Before he could respond back though..
"Enough!" his sister barked out through withheld giggles, managing to bring her face to a semblance of her usual stoic demeanour. "This childish bickering is unnecessary and pointless."
Apollo pouted. His sisters, all of them, really knew how to ruin his fun. Spoilsports.
"He started it," he pointed childishly, a finger jabbing toward a grinning and slightly abashed spiky-haired kid.
Artemis seemed to draw a large breath, looking to the sky as if to implore patience. Apollo paled slightly.
That kind of look didn't really end well for him.
"So your girls need a ride?" He said abruptly, trying to avoid a frightening glare from his twin, "no problem. I was about ready to hit the road."
Grabbing his keys, he pressed a little button, exerting his will as he did so.
With a set of electronic chirps and a flash of golden light, where there had been his burning hot Maserati Spider was now burning hot little shuttle bus. Not one of his more preferred options, but needs must when the devil drives.
Though this model did have more space in the back...
"Cool." He heard the younger blanket wrapped kid say, his dark eyes looking at the suddenly shifting vehicle in surprise and awe, making Apollo grin with pride.
He loved to show off his baby.
"The demigods also need a ride," his sister said, looking her normal stoic self, "some of Chiron's campers...and others."
Apollo couldn't help but raise a brief eyebrow. The emphasis she placed on that had him curious, and a little nervous. The term had a whole wealth of meaning. Surprise, interest, warning and respect all rolled into one.
It made him wonder who it was that had earned that much inflection.
He looked into her eyes briefly, a question in them. Her own eyes flicked towards the small group of three, the group that contained the outspoken brat and the sibling pair.
Three guesses who she was referring to, and the first two don't count.
Looks like he would be keeping a closer eye on the mouthy little monkey than he planned.
These looks were exchanged in only the passing of a second.
"No problems, Sis," he said with a grin, turning to address the rest of the audience, "alright boys and girls, load 'em up and let's move out!"
Xander stood off to the side as he watched the flurry of activity that the Campers and Hunters had become.
The Hunters pulled down their camp and packed it away with the ease and grace born of consummate practice. They had obviously done this a great many times before. Each Hunter knew what role they played and what they had to do, never getting in the way of the others doing their jobs.
To Xander, it brought to mind some of his Father's memories. Ones of watching the crane's mating dances. Precision and grace and beauty going hand in hand with their movements. It was rather surprising to see a group of humans that had achieved a comparable level of such graceful qualities. Even dancers, gymnasts or warriors never achieved such things.
Guess he learned something new every day.
The Campers, on the other hand, were not quite as graceful.
They had been, reluctantly from what little he knew of the Hunt, given a set of spare tents from the Hunt so they could sleep before meeting with Apollo. He hadn't seen them set it up, having been with Artemis at the time, but to see them take it down...
It had given him more than a few chuckles, shared by a laughing Nico and a giggling Bianca.
Thankfully, it was all packed away now, shoved into the luggage recess at the back of the mini-bus along with the rest of the Hunt's gear. Though he thought that the son of the Sea God would be a bit more skilled with rope work.
How he got it wound around the satyr's small horns was beyond him. It was funny though.
With the luggage stored, the Hunters all quickly piled into the bus, making their way swiftly towards the back. Obviously they wanted to keep the greatest deal of space they could between them and any Campers, boys in particular.
The Campers all congregated near the front, obviously reading the signs from the Hunters for what they were. Though the fingering of their daggers and savage nasty glares was, to quote the G-Man, 'so transparent that you could use them for glass'.
He did note that the Spikey-haired girl, dressed like a punk or goth, he wasn't sure which, looked a trifle nervous and was trying to hide it as much as she could.
"Stick close to the Campers," he said to the di Angelo siblings, both of them still wrapped in the blanket, "all things being equal, they are a part of what is to be your new home. Don't hesitate to ask questions about it," he looked down at Nico, "though avoid asking the nature of the Gods. It will just cause headaches and confusion."
Nico flushed a little but nodded, making Xander grin. At least he got the message.
"Where will you sit?" Bianca asked curiously with slightly red cheeks, making him raise a dark eyebrow.
What was that about?
"I'm taking a different ride," he said with a slight smirk, glancing out of the corner of his eye to see the Twin Archers, as they came to known as in history, having a quick discussion. One that involved him if he judged the slight glances/glares at him from the Sun God.
What he had planned was probably a little stupid, highly reckless and more than a bit daring and a trifle arrogant, but he honestly thought that his Father would approve. Sun Wukong was never one to back down from a challenge or be held back by awe and dear of divine powers or wrath.
Perhaps it was time he started to live up to his Father's legacy a bit more than he had been.
The proverbial cat was peeking out of the bag anyway due to his proper meeting with the Moon Goddess. No doubt she was, even now, informing her twin about him and his possible strength and abilities. And he doubted that Apollo would be quiet about his existence when his chariot returned to Olympus.
Xander's days of anonymity were fast approaching an end. He would have to stand out in the light rather than dwell in the shadows soon. He may as well establish a reputation of being one not to be messed with.
By man, monster or God.
...in his own cheeky little way, of course. He wasn't up to his Father's level of being able to take on a whole pantheon by himself.
Yet.
Apollo frowned a little as he watched his little sister dart in the undergrowth of the forest, more silent than a whisper and blending into the shadows as she were a part of them.
He knew she was skilled, strong and experienced. Her domains allowed her more prowess in battle than he, to a point. She was smart enough to put things together in an instant, her instincts allowing her to think more laterally than linearly.
All in all, he knew she was a match for just about any being out there.
So why did he feel a dull foreboding, a warning of danger and disaster around her?
He shook his head, turning towards his vehicle. It was too late to object now. All he could was let events play out and keep an eye on her when he can.
His blue eyes halted as he saw the newest mystery to fall into his lap just leaning against the mini-bus his ride had become, completely at ease and not even seeming to feel the roasting hot metal of the Sun, and a small grin on his lips, making Apollo's eyes narrow.
Artemis had given him the head's up on what she knew about the kid. An Inheritor. That was completely out of left field. The last time he had even heard of a such a being even possibly existing was during his time in Spain, and even that was shoddy.
Still, for the kid to be an Inheritor, it meant that someone had Faded, recently too if the kid was the age he appeared to be. Funny thing though, he hadn't heard of anyone Fading in the last few years. It was a conundrum.
Not to mention the abilities he had shown to his sister. Powers and gifts that didn't make any sense or correspond with any deity, Greek or Roman, that he knew off.
Then there was his power.
Even for a full blown god, Apollo couldn't help but be a twinge wary. He could feel the kid's power, and he had a lot of it, comparable or even above that of a half-blood child of his father or uncles. But the feel of it was more stable, more refined, showing that the person that used it was skilled and controlled in it's use.
Skill and Power made for a scary combination...if you were an enemy.
But the scarier thing was...Apollo knew that this was only the tip of the iceberg.
He could feel something within the kid, just out of sight, allowing to him to only glimpse the shadow of it, a sleeping giant. Something that he knew could turn what they knew of the world upside-down if it came down to it.
"Not getting on, kid?" Apollo asked with a raised brow and a sunny smirk. He could think on the various revelations about the this odd kid later. To him, right now, he was a punk who had slandered him in a haiku battle.
That wasn't on. Not for the King of Sing.
"With you as a driver? Not a chance," the kid, Alexander or Xander if he remembered what his Sis had said correctly, shot back, a teasing grin, "I've heard about your little Russian incident."
Apollo winced and glowered at the grinning brat. How in the name of his uncle did the kid know about that? That had happened well before his time.
Besides, it wasn't like the frozen country would have missed that forest anyway. They should have been happy that he was willing to give them a nice bonfire to make s'mores on for a night or two.
Even if it was an accident.
His sister didn't agree, unfortunately. His ass still hurt sometimes from the retribution she had handed to him for the stunt, with the promise to hand out the same retribution every centenary thereafter.
Come to think of it, that wasn't too far off. He might have to think about stocking up on medical supplies or start creating a few safe houses to hide in.
"That was an isolated incident." the God of the Sun pointed out, "Of course," he smirked at the brat, eager to get some one-up page over the Aladdin wannabe, "if you really don't want to ride, I'm sure I can inform my little sister." His grin was all teeth, a shark with sparkles, "I'm certain she will be completely understanding."
Surprisingly, the brat didn't even flinch, making the deity frown inwardly. Shouldn't the brat have the common sense to be a bit more wary and leery of his little sister? Was the guy as dim as he referred him to be? Something that still got his dander up. He was an Intelligent god, thank you very much.
"Oh, I am coming, you can be assured of that," the kid said, trying to placate him with a small grin, "I just wonder if you want to make it a little interesting?"
"How so?" Apollo said with a raised brow, sounding interested. What is the kid trying to get at?
Despite having been informed by his sister of the abilities she had observed from the kid, he still couldn't help but be surprised as a golden mist (or was that cloud?) gather beneath the kid's sandalled feet and lift him off the ground, making him float high enough to stare on the level of Apollo's own eyes.
"I wonder if your up for a little race?" The spiky haired kid said with a wild grin, his chaotic eyes swirling with excitement, "this little gem," he tapped the golden cloud with his foot in indication, "can go fast. Very fast. But I have never had the need, desire or opportunity to make use of it's top speed."
Mischief glinted in those ruby eyes.
"I think chasing the Sun would be a good need for it, wouldn't you?"
Apollo grinned, wild and feral.
Zoe Nightshade groaned to herself at the hubris and stupidity of men, boys and males in general, from whatever species.
"Boys," she growled to herself in distaste as she watched her Mistress' brother step lightly into his vehicle and throw himself, with his usual flair, into the driver's seat.
She didn't know what exactly was going on, but she could see that the boy that he Mistress had asked to escort them (something that still galled her. The Hunt didn't need an escort anywhere. Especially not a boy.) was standing a little ways from the bus, perched on a golden cloud (something that had the Lieutenant of the Hunt more than a little confused. He said he was an Inheritor, and her Mistress had detected no lies, and that his father was his divine parent. So how did he have the capability belonging to the children of Nephele?) seeming to energised and practically bouncing in place, impatient and waiting for something.
Zoe had a sudden feeling of dread rush over her as she noticed the boy's face, wild and grinning and eager, looked like the Sun God's when he was faced with a good challenge in the past.
A look that she now noticed that the Sun God had at that moment as she saw his face look up in the rear vision mirror.
The dread grew heavier.
"Alright boys and girls," Apollo called cheerfully, heard by everyone in the small bus, "listen up! Please belt yourselves in. I'm on a tight schedule and running a little behind. Time to make up for it."
Zoe's eyes widened before she spun to the rest of the Hunt seated behind her, her own dark skinned hands scrambling for a seat belt that had not been there a moment before, "Do as he says." She said commandingly, as she ripped the through it's eyelets and clicked it into place, "Now."
Her sisters in arms were quick to follow her command, even as the engine of the Sun was started with a roar of crackling flames and energy, billowing out the rear and surrounding them in a nimbus of golden light.
"Wait!" She heard the son of Poseidon say in confusion and slight panic, "what about him?!"
The seaspawn's hand pointed to a now tense looking boy, his shorter frame seeming to shudder and quake to her dark eyes, not in fear. Those hard ruby eyes showed nothing of that emotion.
But in pure excitement and anticipation, someone rising eagerly to a challenge.
Apollo laughed loudly as he began revving the engine, causing more flames to billow from the exhaust, getting it ready. "Don't worry about him, kid." He said jovially, as Zoe noticed him glance to side towards the boy standing on the golden cloud. A glance that was returned by eager ruby eyes, a nod and a thumbs up.
Zoe felt a shiver of apprehension (Not fear. She never feared a boy. Never.) pass through her. What had these two corroborated together on? Apollo was bad enough, his flirting ways grating at every Hunter's nerves whenever he appeared at their Mistress' request or just to greet his sister, and his childishness and daring knew few to no bounds. Put him together with a boy that had formidable abilities and a building energy that seemed to hover just beneath his skin and you had a volatile mix.
Zoe hoped that said mix didn't explode in their faces.
"He has his own way of getting there," Apollo continued, his hands and feet easily slipping the Sun into gear, readying to drive.
"We're just going to see who's is better."
Zoe's eyes widened in sheer terror as Apollo mashed down on the accelerator and launched the Sun into the sky, scorching the air.
Xander was hot on the Sun God's heels as the bus rocketed off, literally blazing a trail.
With an exertion of his will, his little golden cloud surged up and forward, matching the Sun given form speed for speed. He was now literally surfing in the sky, the domain of the Olympian Lord. Someone who jealously guarded their power and was paranoid as all get out.
It only made the race more exciting.
Besides, he had taken a few precautions, so being shot out of the sky by the Storm King's wrath was unlikely.
The wind tore at his clothes as he chased the vehicle of the Sun Rider, but it had no real affect on him. His body had been crafted anew, removed from the majority of the frailties of mortal flesh. At the speeds he was going, most mortals would have been torn apart or at least grievously injured within a few short moments.
Ah, the benefits of being a demi-god, few though they were.
Xander slipped just behind the Sun burning brightly, taking advantage of it's current mass and speed, making it plough through the air while he took advantage of the lack of air resistance by being just behind it. He was close enough to see the wide-eyed and discomforted faces of the Hunters through the back window. The take off obviously had not been very favourable to them, judging by their slightly pale faces and dishevelled looks.
What a pity.
The vehicle had just ascended to an appropriate height, safely above the majority of landforms, natural or manmade.
Xander smirked as he felt the energy of the Sun flicker, tensing and readying himself. To many, they would have equated it to the guttering of a spent candle, on the verge of dying out.
Not so him.
If Apollo wanted to play a few games in addition to having a good race...
Xander's smirk widened as he saw a bright golden flash within the exhaust of the bus.
Then he was willing to play.
His sight was then consumed by billowing golden flame.
"Sucker," Apollo grinned to himself as he watched the flying kid be consumed by the back blast of the Sun Chariot, even as he leaned back in his seat at the speed it now leapt forward at, a golden streak that now burned across the sky, high enough to not endanger any of those below with the chariot's heat, but low enough to see the mixture of land and water that made up this part of the country whip by at their current pace.
"What the heck?!" He heard ring out from one of his passengers, sounding like that child of uncle's, and cries of dismay, shock and horror, particularly that olive skinned new girl in particular, as they believed that he had just killed one of their number.
"Relax!" He called back, without turning around, focusing on the open sky in front of him. He was in the clear now. "The kid will be fine. A little bruised, sore and wet, but nothing more than that. He's tough enough."
And wasn't that the truth.
Apollo, as a God of Medicine and Healing, had the ability to understand and know the limits of a person's physical capability.
And the kid's was almost frightening. Strike that, is FRIGHTENING, all capital letters, bold and underlined.
Muscles strong enough to crush stone like a styrofoam cup, leap high enough to arc over buildings and lift cars and trucks like they were simple barbell weights. His skin had more in common with steel plate than a regular epidermis and yet lost none of the flexibility or sensitivity. Stamina that was completely ridiculous. Reflexes. Speed. You name it and it was enhanced to levels that had no business belonging to a mortal, half-blood or not.
And the evidence suggested that he was only going to get stronger.
It was official, Inheritors were scary.
Though Apollo wondered who in Gaia's great bosom the kid's father was. A kid that powerful could have only been born of a powerful god, easily in his Pop's and Uncles' league. And there were precious few along those lines. Even fewer with a possibility of fading.
A dark part of him considered a disturbing possibility, one that he wouldn't voice yet. He only hoped that that suspicion wasn't true.
Either way, him being knocked out of the sky was a mere inconvenience at best, but an inconvenience that would allow the sun god to win this little challenge. Stupid kid, he was playing with fire and now he was getting burned.
His vehicle was now shooting high across the water, the coastline zipping by. He planned to hit the mainland again at Boston, cut through the rest of Massachusetts and Connecticut, pop out at New Haven and then it was a brief hop across Long Island Sound before arriving perfectly safe in a cool fashion at Camp.
"How can you be sure?!" He heard growled from the throat of the olive-skinned girl, a glimpse in his rear view mirror showing her furious black eyes, like hungry shadows, glaring at his back with more venom than Ladon.
It would have been an intimidating sight. For anyone else, that is.
Arte had shown him worse when he accidentally interrupted her Hunts a few times over the centuries.
He went to answer, trying to placate the young lady (just because he had received worse glares didn't mean he wanted to on the receiving end of one), his sharp eyes caught a glimpse of gold on the ocean below. A blur that he only just saw as it hugged close to the waves.
A narrowed eye and then surprise filled him before he laughed aloud in eager delight, making many of his passengers look at him with shock.
"Look down if you don't believe me!" He crowed with a laugh.
He didn't bother to listen to the exclamations of surprise, shock and relief as he focused on his driving, trying to eke out every little bit of speed from the Sun Chariot as he put the pedal to the metal.
To his surprise, the race was still on. He had underestimated the kid. And the kid looked like he was having fun as well, standing on his little cloud like a surfer would his board.
This might be more interesting than he had initially thought.
Xander kept his eye on the blazing golden comet that was Apollo's chariot speeding along high above him, even as he hugged the ocean's surface, or close enough to it anyway.
The little backblast from Apollo (and wasn't that a cunning little manoeuvre. It was certainly one way to keep unwanted and unwelcome stalkers from trailing you on your ride or, as in this case, preventing any racing challengers from taking advantage of the slipstream generated by the Sun God ploughing his chariot through the air) had knocked him back a bit. In fact, it had made flip backwards like a coin or one of those insane mortals that sky-dived while attached to something like an aerial snowboard, and had dropped out of the sky for a bit.
Thankfully, it was easy to recover and he was now jetting along, skimming the ground.
He grinned a bit to himself as he saw the minute slowing of the Solar Chariot, indicating that the Sun God had gotten a bit confident, believing him to be out of this little race.
More power to him then. Xander wasn't one to let an opportunity go begging though, especially when it was served it such a beautiful fashion.
By his will, the cloud accelerated, going faster and faster, cutting through the air, sea spray and ocean alike. If one could have looked behind him, they could have seen the waters part like the Red Sea did Moses for a moment before collapsing back on itself, such was his speed.
His eyes gleamed as judged the position between himself and the Chariot. He was pulling ahead. Even if it was only just. Gods and their arrogance, it made them fruit ripe for the picking if one knew how.
An echoing roar, like a furnace torn open, came from overhead, a burst of heat that steamed the cold ocean surface for a moment following soon after. The golden comet that he had been glancing at became brighter and was also moving faster.
He twitched a lip in amusement. He got found out pretty quick. But not quick enough to cancel out the lead he had obtained.
His eyes narrowed as he saw the shoreline approaching in the distance. A large bay and harbour chocked full of ships of all shapes and sizes.
Oddly enough, he thought he could smell the slight scent of steeped tea, even from this far away. It was a scent he would never forget, memories of said scent along with warm lights, fresh paper and ink and soft voices, voices of those he cared about, etched forever in his mind.
He shook his head, his hair ruffling wildly. Now was not the time to dwell on the past.
He had a race to win.
Leaning back slightly, putting more weight on the rear of the cloud, his golden ride went from streaking horizontally across the surface of the world, to ascending into the sky, at just enough of an angle to keep him going onward while, at the same time, bringing him up out of the range of the roofs and various other obstacles of Boston.
The cityscape whipped by as he did so, passing tall ships, large warehouses and other such things before clearing it entirely before reaching the inner city proper.
Upon returning to the sky, above the spires and dark reflections of the skyscrapers in the dawn, he glanced cheekily at a grinning Apollo as he came along side, equal once more.
This had only been the first leg, a test between the two. Apollo had shown a few of his cards, Xander himself had shown that his speed wasn't lacking.
Now the race truly began.
"Alright, punk," Apollo smiled as he turned back to the open road in the air in front of him, determination steeling his body and mind even as he accessed a bit more of his divine powers, his eyes glowing a soft gold, mirroring his chariot. "You want to play?" He grinned ferally, looking more like a brother of Artemis at the time than any other.
"Let's play."
A slight nudge with his power and his chariot boosted forward with a roar, throwing cursing Hunters and Campers alike back into their seats as he hit the chariot's equivalent of nitros. The shape shifted chariot leapt forward, zipping ahead of the cloud rider, before, in a move that had everyone else screaming, putting himself directly in front of the kid.
By performing a barrel roll.
"Apollo!" He heard his sister's lieutenant roar in vexation as he righted the chariot, a glance in the mirror showing her gripping her seatbelt for dear life, but also looking like she wanted to do nothing more than tear it off and then take his head from shoulders.
Both heads.
"Are you nuts?!" He also heard the Seaweed Brained boy, next to a frothing and unconscious satyr, yell.
"Maybe!" He called back absently, focusing on keeping his chariot in front of the kid, swerving in front of him to block him off as his cloud tried to make an end run around him.
Not on his watch.
He ignored the creative cursing from his passengers as he focused on the path he would take more intently. Hills, vales, roads and more whipped by under him as he and the kid played a game of cat and mouse in the sky. Ascending and descending, left and right, they both moved in almost concert.
He could almost feel the amused irritation from the kid. He was having fun but the kid was also frustrated at not being able to pass him. Apollo was just thankful that he had the reflexes he did.
Without them, the kid would have passed him by now, the damn cloud was so damned agile that it defied description. It was only the broadness of his chariot and the speed it had that kept him in the game. The Sun God had a feeling that if the kid managed to get in front of him again, he wouldn't be getting his lead back anytime soon.
As long as he kept ahead, cutting off the kid, then he was made in the shade.
Xander frowned in slight annoyance as he dived down, trying to duck beneath the Solar Bus and then burst up in front of it with a surge of speed.
Sadly, it didn't happen, Apollo managing to to copy the move, blocking off his possibility to advance. The Chariot's shape was deceiving. Despite the fact that it now looked like an ungainly bus, it still managed to manoeuvre like a fighter craft, dodging, ducking and weaving with enough skill to make a pilot of an F-16 green with envy.
That said, his cloud was even more agile.
But that meant nothing if he didn't have the speed or skill to get around the damn thing.
He had never raced against anyone on his cloud before, heck, he had never used it's full speed before, and his Father's memories had little in the way of helping him in this little escapade.
He bet, though, that the Sun God had more experience in racing, in both the mortal or divine realms, than he did. In a race that was bound by rules and traditions of racing, Xander doubted he could win.
Good thing that he was one to think outside the box more often than not.
A gesture and flick of his wrist and then Riyu Jingu Bang was spinning in his hand before he clasped it tighter, halting it movements.
It would take perfect timing, a large amount of strength and a fair bit of power. He hadn't truly mastered this aspect of the Divine weapon, but he knew enough from his Father's memories to pull it off.
He just hoped it worked.
Apollo frowned into his rear view mirror, wondering what the kid was thinking. Pulling out a staff to play with when a race was on? That just wasn't on.
His currently burning golden eyes, a sign of himself actively channeling his power into his chariot, making it capable of speeds that were normally beyond it's scope, widened to the size of silver dollars as the staff began whirl like a fan blade, appearing to be almost a solid black disc, even to his divine eyes.
However, it was not the speed of the whirling and twirling, which was impressive in it's own right, that had him shocked.
With each revolution, with each spin, something seemed to separate from the staff, like a splinter sent flying from a piece of timber due to the lumberjack's axe.
Only these splinters were full blown staffs, identical in each way to the original weapon it came from.
Five. Ten. Twenty. Fifty. Apollo lost count of how many of these copies filled the sky after a moment. They all hovered in the in, straight as arrows, crowding around and following the kid on his golden cloud, like a gaggle of geese in flight.
He noticed the concentrating frown on the kids face. It seemed to take a bit out of him to do this and keep up with the chariot.
Apollo couldn't help but wonder what the heck the move was in aid of though. It seemed to have just been a waste of time.
Then those geese became hawks.
"Di Immortales," he swore as those golden tipped staffs shot forward at speeds that made his chariot look like a dead snail in comparison, making him swerve wildly, as they whipped past the windows with a shrill roar that was heard even with the glass between them, making it shake and shudder, and the sky, his passengers jumping and edging closer to the aisle.
Like a bullet, they shot past him, streaking into the distance.
At least some of them did.
"Cool!"
The exclamation from the younger sibling of the two newbies had him glancing in his mirror, before having a double take.
The kid had vanished.
His cloud was no longer to be seen.
The only thing he could see, fading into the distance as he raced on, was one of the staff copies hanging in the air, seeming to be as firmly rooted as mountains to the earth.
Where the heck did he go?
Xander shoulders burned slightly at the exertion he put them through as he swung around one of the copies of his staff, building speed and changing his momentum, before launching himself at another one of the copies he had sent forward.
It was a gamble, what he was doing, but it seemed it was paying dividends. Even if it was causing him more than a few headaches.
Making multiple copies of his staff, controlling them all and keeping track of where they all were in relation to himself, whilst still flying, strained his mind, one that still had reasonable mortal limits, quite a bit. He was definitely hitting the Tylenol after this little escapade.
The plan he had was simple to think up, if a bit unorthodox. Putting it into practice was a whole different kettle of fish however.
His hands quickly caught another one, spinning around it like a pole, and released himself at just the right moment to send him forward and at an angle away from the bus and the, no doubt, confused as all Hell driver.
He needed a way to get around Apollo and his chariot, something that wouldn't be happening if he played by the book, in as far as the book can be applied to this Sun versus Cloud race. So he resorted to the Plan B of winners everywhere.
He cheated.
The copies of his Gold Bound Cudgel served a dual purpose, the first of which was meant to distract the Sun God, flying so close to him as to only have a lick of paint between the them and the Chariot of the Sun, making the Sun Lord instinctively swerve to avoid them, making him slow down slightly and, more importantly, lose focus on him.
The second purpose was part that would allow him to win this little race.
Like a monkey through the trees, he threw himself at speed from pole to pole, each of them frozen in the sky for him to grab and hold, always gaining a little more speed with each turn and grasp, as he passed over the burning golden top of the bus-shaped chariot. In the distance, his powerful eyes could see the shape of another sea-side city. New Haven if he didn't miss his guess.
The final leg of this race and chase was almost upon them. Time to take the lead properly.
He smirked slightly as he saw the last of the clones of his staff hang in the air, everything going in seeming slow motion as he leapt for it, the roaring wind dulling to a murmuring whisper, the rest of the sky seeming to fade out as everything he had was focused in the next moment, the last move.
It was fitting that it happened at the shoreline.
His callus roughened hand hit it with a firm smack. A single revolution, cutting off his link to the cloud as he did so, during which he briefly saw the true sun out in the reaches of space. Then he threw himself down.
Like a hawk striking for the dove, he plunged downward, stooping for his prey. The wind whipped around him as he focused, waiting for the right moment.
He plunged steeply, the wind tearing at his clothes but doing no damage. The Sun Chariot was blazing along, but Xander was now ahead. Not that they knew that.
But they soon would.
His sandal shod feet missed skimming the roof of the chariot by mere fractions of an inch, before his whole body appeared in the windscreen of the vehicle, just as he called upon the cloud again, bursting him forward and onward across the Sound, even as the blasting beep and strangled cries of the passengers were eaten by the wind.
He was now in front.
"That Crazy Bastard!" Apollo roared as he swerved back and forth for a moment before getting back on track, seeing on the rear end of the kid on his golden cloud in view. "How the Tartarus-!?"
"Apollo!" He heard his sister's eldest Hunter yell in outrage.
"Oh Hush!" He called back, not moving his eyes away from his now speeding adversary, twitching his wheel as he tried to make a run around the kid, faking a left then trying to burn right.
It didn't sell.
"Did you see what he just did?!" The Sun God exclaimed, trying madly to figure how on earth it had happened. He knew when, that was easy thing, the distraction having cost him, but for the life of him he couldn't figure what he had done to pull out ahead.
His eyes burned a brilliant gold at the act the boy had pulled off. It was an effective, whatever it was, allowing the kid to get ahead, and the way he had just suddenly appeared in his windscreen had probably given him grey hairs to go along with it. And, to add insult to injury, was managing to extend the lead after he had forced the Sun God to swerve a bit out of reflex.
Right. No more Mr. Nice Sun God.
He ignored the stuttering prayers from the Campers and Hunters, the looks of veiled fear on their pale faces, as, at his mental command, a display unfolded out of the roof above the rear view mirror in the classic green and black, with a red button just beneath it.
In digital lettering, everyone could read what it said.
NO2.
"Cool." He faintly heard again from the younger sibling, Nick, Nike, Niño or something like that, making him smirk a little. The kid seemed to be mostly unfazed by the fast ride he had been giving them.
His sister, on the other hand, was a little shaky, but bearing up better than most of the rest.
Much better than his newest half-sister. It seemed she had gone a little catatonic, slumped in her seat with vacant eyes looking at nothing. Athena's girl was keeping her as supported as she could.
Good thing. He didn't want to be the one to bear bad news to his Pops about his youngest daughter reaching her expiry date. Especially when he was probably a contributing factor.
"Nope." He disagreed with the kid, a grin once more forming on his face as he gently placed a finger on the button, "Hot."
He pushed the button.
Xander felt the gathering power before he heard the roar.
Without a thought, he shoved his will and power into the cloud he rode upon and burst forward, the air and wind pressing against harder and harder, feeling like he was being squashed like a bug on a wall. Before, with a thunderous boom, the resistance crumbled and he shot forth at speeds that no human had ever travelled unprotected.
The ocean was blur, such was the speed exceeding sound that he now travelled. But he could feel heat on his neck, like a dragon's breath tickling the short hairs there, even as a beam of light illuminated everything before him.
Fog lights had nothing on the Sun.
Xander knew it was all or nothing now. No tricks, no gimmicks, no distractions. Just pure speed and adrenaline as he raced against the Sun.
Apollo was also pulling out all the stops. The sheer power that he could sense being put out by the chariot was enough to power the entirety of New York State.
For a week.
He could feel the heat and flame edging closer, the water far below vaporising into steam in it's wake, trying to catch up and still accelerating. Xander matched the move as best as he could.
His blood surged and his heart thundered, in his ears he could hear the Warrior's Joy pounding out their beat. His grin was wild and fierce as he shifted to the side, not allowing the roaring engine of the Sun to pass.
This was living, this was what I meant to be alive.
Much as he saw the necessity of it, he disliked skulking in the shadows, hiding what he was from the Kings and Gods. He was proud to be the child, the heir, the successor, the Inheritor, of his Father. He wanted to show them that he was his Father's son.
And with him meeting the Huntress, one who is favoured by her divine father, the time for shadows and cloaks was coming to an end for him.
Glorious days.
He cut off another move from Apollo, sliding left and right, jinking to always stay directly in front of him. Much as he had done before.
His powerful crimson eyes narrowed as he saw a small beach in the distance, and beyond that a pale blur farmhouse like structure. He grinned.
He heard the roaring of the Sun also increase, a thousand dragons crying out in anger, and the heat at his back grew higher. The water below them boiled and writhed, hissing like angry serpents with the Sun's passage.
The race was now nearing it's end.
Let the best man, or God, win.
The God of Wine, Madness and Ecstasy groaned slightly as he heaved himself to his feet from his sleep to ready himself to greet the day.
"Oooooh, how I loathe mornings," he groaned, arching his back a little, letting out little popping and cracking noises, before sighing in relief.
His bloodshot eyes peered at the small clock with a grimace, glancing out the window to make sure it had the right time.
Sure enough, the pre-dawn light, a ghastly grey, was easily seen.
It made the God want to go back to bed, it was too damned early for this crap!
His eyes lingered on the bed for a moment before shaking it. He was up now, may as well stay up and see what stupidity the brats came up with next.
Besides, the bed wasn't the same without his wife in his arms. Another thing (and, secretly, the most painful) that annoyed him about the punishment his royal father had handed down.
A life without either wine, women or wife...is utter hell.
A click of his fingers had him dressed in his normal leopard spotted Hawaiian shirt, white knee length shorts and purple running shoes. His body was cleansed, as if it had just been through a thorough shower and wash.
And most importantly, at least to him, he now had a can of Diet Coke in his hand.
With practiced ease, he popped open the can as he walked toward the patio that extended around the Big House, ready to sit and enjoy the morning passing in quiet contemplation and a few games pinochle.
The door opened easily, the God shivering slightly at the cold in the air, a benefit of being in New York in the winter, even as he took a deep pull of his drink as he looked out onto the domain of his uncle.
He paused abruptly, his eyes seeing something that they shouldn't be seeing. He lifted the can away from his lips and scrutinised the label.
Yep. It was cola.
So then why was he seeing...
...
...
"Oh damn." He whispered, before throwing himself back into the Big House, dropping to the floor, face down, and holding his arms around his head.
It was the only reason that his heard didn't start ringing like a church bell as a result of the explosion that rocked the Camp.
Who knew that fire and water mixing would create such a bang?
Once the earth stopped shaking and the air stopped rippling, Dionysus cautiously peered around the door frame. His blood shot eyes widened slightly at the sight that greeted him.
The, now late, canoe lake had become a mostly dry crater now, the majority of the water seemingly evaporated, leaving the steaming muddy bottom to be clearly seen beneath roughly three or four yards of water. The resident disturbed naiads looked like they had thrown from their beds, the eyes wide, spooked and shocked, trying to figure out what had happened and covered in splinters from shattered canoes. Thankfully for them, water from the feeding creek was quickly replenishing the lake.
Though the new addition of a cherry red and steaming hot minibus bobbing in the remaining shallow water would have made an interesting conversation piece to say the least.
It took only a single glance for the Camp Director to know what had happened and who was responsible for the current mess and dilemma.
He groaned heavily to himself in agony, even as shouts and yells were heard from both the lake and from direction of the now awake brats in their cabins as they quickly got up to investigate the source of the noise and clamour.
Why did this have to happen? Didn't he have to endure enough pain just dealing with the brats' normal shenanigans and tomfoolery without having to add on one of his more stupid half-brother's antics?
"Apollo," he moaned heavily even as he saw his sun-riding brother slowly open the sliding door of the minibus, "what have you done now?"
Gods, how he wanted a drink!
A mischievous chuckle from just beside him had him whipping around in slight alarm. He hadn't felt anyone approach him. How on earth does one sneak up on a God?!
"By the looks of things," the kid standing there said with a wide grin, bearing slightly elongated canines as he did so, "I think he might have crashed and burned." Twinkling crimson eyes looked up at the suspicious Wine God, "What do you think?"
Dionysus grunted slightly, "it wouldn't be the first time," he replied before beginning his questioning of the little brat, "so who might you be? Another brat joining up with this horrid place?"
The Wine God ignored the faint female yelling coming from the lake in favour of examining this new brat. There was something about him that felt off, like he didn't exactly belong or was different even from the rest of the innumerable brats his relatives spawned.
Whether that was good or bad was up to debate.
The wide grin somehow grew wider, a Cheshire's grin of amusement.
"Just a person doing a favour, o Lord of Ecstasy," the boy answered easily, seeming not to be intimidated at all by the God of Madness, which made the God frown inwardly. Such actions implied a familiarity with the divine and a confidence in their own skills. Arrogant brat. Dionysus refrained from teaching the kid a lesson he wouldn't soon forget. There were too many unknowns about the kid to risk it.
He really didn't want to end up on the hit list from his kin. Better to wait for him to be Claimed and then he could bring Tartarus on his spiky haired head.
"And, sadly, I will have to deny myself the company of your presence," the brat smiled even as the Wine Lord felt a trifle bit of confusion, "it is not my intent to come here and attend this lovely camp. As I said before," his crimson eyes flicked over to where the minibus was, Dionysus following the brat's eyes and couldn't help but groan.
Apollo had brought the Hunters. And two new brats.
Wonderful. Tartarus was looking better and better every moment.
"I'm just doing a favour," the kid smirked, smirked, up at him, "I should be on my merry way within the next couple of hours. Tops."
"Perhaps not, young man," another voice interrupted, Dionysus barely acknowledging it as he dwelt in his self-pity. The Hunters coming to Camp was always a stressful time for him.
The slight clopping of hooves on wood was heard as Chiron, the Trainer of Heroes, emerged from the Big House, his brown eyes looking down in curiosity at the much smaller brat.
"Perhaps not," the centaur repeated, his eyes alight and thoughts moving through them swiftly.
It seemed the old horse had something up his sleeve, though what it was Dionysus had no idea.
"Can I get your name, young one?" the old horse said respectfully and mannerly, giving off a practiced sense of ease and comfort, his experience with demi-gods from all walks of life, many of them not the best, serving him well in his interactions with them.
"Alexander Lavelle Harris, Lord Chiron," the boy said with a bow of respect, "though please call me either Xander or Lavelle," here he grimaced slightly, "the Harris name is something I would rather be rid off."
Dionysus grunted inwardly. Bad family then. Not unexpected. More than a few of the year rounders, and some summer arrivals, had similar backgrounds.
"Just Chiron, Mr. Lavelle," the centaur assured him, slight concern in his eyes, before sighing and turning toward the commotion at the lake, the occupants of the vehicle now wading through the water unhappily in order to get to shore. "If you would follow me? I believe that our fellow Campers are in need of assistance."
The brat, Xander, only chuckled as he followed the centaur, as if laughing at a joke only he knew.
Dionysus just looked mournfully at the now empty can of cola in his hand, wishing it was something a lot stronger.
He had feeling things were going to get lively around here. And not in a good way.
Damn it all.
Well folks, here is another chapter of this story down. I hope you liked my attempt at poetic rap battling, I know it wasn't the greatest but I at least tried. The race might have been more to many of your tastes, however.
The next chapter will be a bit different. Still not much in the way of action, but we'll see. It will, again, revolve around Xander having to deal with the consequences of a certain goddess' meddling. You can all have a guess who.
For those who are going to comment on Xander's change of tune, it seemed about The right time. He had already exposed himself to Artemis, a favourite of her father, who would no doubt bring attention to Xander in time. The time for Anonymity has ended...almost. He will still have little bit more time in the shadows before the big unveiling.
Keep the faith and review,
kujikiri21