It is still full dark outside when someone wakes Will by shaking his shoulder. "Son," his father whispers.
"Yeah, Dad," he whispers back as he sits up in bed. The head of Cabin Seven wasn't asleep. If fact, he hasn't slept most of the night. For one, his dad has a brightness about him that kept the room from being dark, and for another, he spent the night wondering if his father would take over as cabin counselor and knock him back down in rank.
"I think we need to talk," Apollo says motioning toward the door.
As Will and Apollo step out into the commons area, there is no one to be found except for the young girl in the brown cape stoking the fire in the brazier. There is a slight chill in the air and the only light in the sky is from a sliver of new moon hovering over the strawberry fields.
Will looks into the sky as he rubs the chill off his bare arms. "Do you know anything about that?" he asks Apollo with a nod of his head toward the sky.
"That would be your grandmother's version of a hissy fit," his dad replies.
"She's upset about the way Lord Zeus is punishing you and Asclepius?" his son asks.
"Me anyway. I doubt she would go to this much trouble if it were only your brother in torment."
"Are we really that bad?" Will asks sounding a little offended.
"Don't take it personally," his father tells him.
"How can we not? You act like you'd rather go to Tartarus than spend any time with us," Will says then looks toward Hestia for support. She gives him a smile.
"I'm a god, a very talented and attractive god who has been reduced to being a kid in a summer camp. How would you feel if everything about your lifestyle was being cramped?" Apollo whines.
"Maybe I'd change how I live," his son replies. "Maybe becoming a responsible parent would be good for you." Father and son look at one another for a few seconds as if contemplating the idea then both smile and shake their heads.
"Hermes will be here in a few minutes," Apollo continues. "I was hoping that while I'm gone, you could talk to your siblings, get them to understand how hard this is for me."
"You mean you want them to feel sorry for you and do anything you ask," Will says. Apollo looks at him like that pretty well sums it up. "Don't you think this is hard on all of us? You might be our father, but we don't even know you, and now to have to live under the same roof as you...At least Mr. D's kids didn't have to suffer that pain. We all did our part in defeating Gaea. I don't know why Zeus has to punish us as well."
"Do you all hate me this much?" Apollo asks his son. "I thought I did a pretty good job of claiming each of you when you got old enough. I have shared my many talents with you, including my incredible good looks..."
"You're not capable of thinking about anyone but yourself are you?"
Apollo stops as if thinking about the question then finally says, "No, afraid not."
"While you're gone this morning, I'll talk to them. Tell them not to expect much from you. I'm sure that's what they all expect anyway," his son assures him.
"That's harsh," his dad replies as the sky begins to lighten over the beach.
"Your ride is here," Will says turning to go back inside the cabin and to his bed. Apollo turns to watch his brother pull up in the red Maserati Spyder. By the time Hermes puts the car in park, Will is gone.
"Ready to roll?" Hermes asks.
"Yeah, when you get out of my seat," Apollo says motioning for him to get in the passenger seat.
"Come on, just one time," Hermes cries.
"No, this is my only joy now, and you have to focus on telling me about your plan to get me out of this mess," his brother insists.
Once the call comes for breakfast, the Apollo cabin heads toward the pavilion with Will bringing up the rear. Nico, who only stays in the infirmary during the day, has to call for him three time before he stops to let his new best friend catch up to him.
"What's up?" the son of Hades asks.
"I guess you're going to find out anyway," Will says gruffly as he starts walking again and watching his feet.
"It can't be that bad, can it?" Nico asks.
"It's Apollo."
"Your dad?"
"Zeus is punishing him by making him live here at camp," Will explains.
"You mean like Mr. D?" Nico asks.
"No," Will pouts kicking a rock. "He has to live like one of us, inour cabin."
"No way!" Nico exclaims.
"It's horrible. I mean, I'm glad he wasn't tossed into Tartarus, but still..."
"Who's the old guy?" Nico now asks as he notices Asclepius walking up ahead with Will's siblings.
"My brother Asclepius," Will says. "He's being punished too."
"So where is your dad now?" Nico asks since he doesn't see the teenaged god that gave him a ride from his boarding school to camp a few years ago.
"He's on his morning drive across the sky, but he'll be back. He's confined to camp with the exception of his sun duties," Will explains.
"I can't imagine what it's like to have your dad move into your space, but you can come hang with me anytime you want. I can guarantee Hades won't be popping in," Nico says with a grin.
"I'm sure I'll have to take you up on it," Will replies with his own bright smile.
