Hey! Thank you so much for all the comments I got on my last update, you really made a difference and I'm so glad that so many people like my story.
I thought that it would be a good idea to answer some reviews, but if you don't want that then just tell me and I'll stop. Though, please note that I'll only answer them it there is a question or advice or something similar. It's universal that I'll thank you for any reviews. On with the answering!
Cooljoanna14: Thank you. I added that little bit in the description and fingers crossed that it'll keep the rude reviews away. :)
Bolle Accidentali: Wait to find out *evil laughter*, though honestly, I haven't figured out why yet. Truthfully, I haven't a clue where this story will go and haven't thought that far ahead. Feel free to give ideas. They'd be welcome. And to you're other review, what's wrong with pertemis? Personally, I love pertemis, but I don't think so. Unless that's what everyone wants...
Fax and Percabeth: Thank you. Such positive comments are really lovely.
Thank you again to everyone who reviewed. Please review to help shape the destiny of this story. It is here purely for you and therefore you should have a say in it. Any who, on with the story!
P.S This chapter is my longest yet! The story bit is a total of 2055 words! :)
(Winter)
After giving them one last glare, I turned back to the crowd of idiots.
"Well?" I demanded, my voice emotionless. "What are you waiting for? Show us this good for nothing camp."
Several people gasped, Leo included. If he thought that I still had an attachment to this place, he was dead wrong. It meant nothing to me, I meant nothing to them. Such is the way of the world. Before I could demand for them to take us to Camp Half-Blood again, a bronze dagger came whizzing towards me. It wasn't of familiar make. Not wanting to showcase my strengths just yet, I sidestepped, allowing the dagger to graze my side.
"You say that again, and I'll aim at your heart." I knew that voice. Looking toward the source of the sound, I found myself wishing I hadn't been so generous. Annabeth really didn't need her ego inflating anymore.
"You may aim for it, but that doesn't mean you'll hit it. Camper." I spat out the last word as a curse and swiftly turned to the gods. "You should really learn to control the rabble." Had this been anyone else, I would have been a bit kinder. I was not a monster. But this was the she-devil herself. What right did she have to judge another?
Her face turned red in anger, making her look like a sunburnt pig. Of course they allowed the rude, stupid people become immortal. Annabeth, Marcus, Hercules. They all belonged to the "You all have to deal with me for forever so I'm going to try to be as rude as I possibly can!" club. I almost told her so but thought better of it. I couldn't allow anyone to know that I knew these people.
"Well at least my face isn't so ugly I have to hide it behind a mask!" that was not her best insult, and she knew that. If she thought that he wore it because he was ugly, she was quite mistaken. One of the perks of being Chaos' season was that I could change the way my face looked, though only temporarily. It was tiring and very difficult. Not able to be bothered, I just ignored her.
"Well?" I looked at everyone. "Chop, chop." I knew I was being rude and unfair, but this was not in the agreement. I had not agreed to come back here. It wasn't good for any of us.
Yes it is… came Chaos' voice in my head, trying to make herself sound spooky, It is exactly what you need. You're just too stubborn to admit it.
"Shut up." I muttered under my breath, knowing that Chaos could hear me.
No. She replied, and she accused me of being stubborn, You need this. Give it a chance. You may be surprised. She gave a quiet chuckle as if she knew something I didn't and left me head before I could ask the questions that were floating around my head.
"Stupid all seeing Chaos." I muttered again as I followed the others towards the camp's boundaries.
"Okay then!" Yelled some girl who was wearing too many colours and a wide smile, "The edge of the camp is the big pine tree. The race begins in three, two, one, GO!" Everyone (except us) started running in the direction of the camp. This was stupid. But clearly I was the only one only one who thought so.
Leo, after smiling for a moment, allowed flames to completely engulf him. He used the heat to shoot himself into the air. Clearly he'd been practising.
Spring clicked her heels together and flew after Leo with small, fragile wings that looked as if a twig could tear them apart. His wings were much more powerful.
Autumn just looked at them for a moment before a loud crack was heard and she disappeared in a flash of orange light. I thought that she at least would be more mature then them.
I slowly began walking in the direction of the camp, admiring the work of my little minions. They'd done well this year, snow was coating everything. I thought of the coming celebration and what Mum (A/N Mom for Americans and what not) would have been doing about now. The small plastic tree would be up by now, even though it was only late November.
I was so lost in my thought that I didn't notice the small ball of snow until it had connected with my shirt, soaking it. My head snapped up to see a small army of forest animals? They were running away from me, as a person would if they'd thrown a snow ball at someone who they probably should be scared of.
Then I heard an annoying laughter. Looking up I saw spring perched in a tree, her eyes glowing slightly. Of course. Animals. The animals liked Spring, though I could never figure out why…
"I presume that you are the cause of this?" I growled, pointing at the snow clinging to my shirt before flicking it over to the side with me awesome ice powers.
"But of course." She said in a stupid low voice. "Who else would have the courage to try and show the fearsome Winter that he doesn't have to be cold just because his season is." She was still talking stupidly.
"Why are you talking like that? You sound more stupid than normal." I bit back, unable to make myself say something about me always being cold. I wasn't. Not always…
"I'm pretending to be you, of course." Spring said in her normal voice. I glared at her, "I can see that you're mildly insulted, so I'm going to leave before you freeze my wings off." And with that she flew away, with me glaring a hole into her back.
Knowing that I was probably playing right into her hands but at that moment not really caring, I opened my wings and allowed them to pick up the cold winter air currents rushing around me. With the help of my little air currents (Boreas would be so jealous) I flew at half my total speed capacity and caught up to Spring in a matter of seconds. She obviously wasn't going as fast as she could either.
I pulled some of the moisture from the air, froze it and threw at her, straight in the back of her wings. She plummeted like a watermelon dropped from a twenty storey building, and she'd probably splat like one too. The snow had coated the base of her wings, restricting their movement and generally preventing her ability to fly. Oops.
After debating for a moment on whether or not I could be bothered helping her, and deciding that I didn't want to be thrown out of Chaos' army for something so silly, I positioned my wings and shot down towards her. I pulled up abruptly when I grabbed a hold of her wrists, before flattening out and gliding down to the ground.
After laying her down of her front I assessed the damage. The base of her wings were damaged, but would heal and she appeared freezing. Oops.
I flipped her over to the other side and she moaned as she put weight on her wings.
"Serves you right," I muttered to her unconscious form. "What were you thinking, throwing a snow ball at me? One, it wouldn't do any damage whatsoever; I am snow. Two, can you not see that I am a rude, violent person? You must have known I'd hurt you." I stood up and walked away from her, before walking back. "Well this is annoying. I can't just leave you here. My mum-" I stopped. Thinking about Mum was painful. "I wasn't raised that way. What were you thinking?" I asked the mute body. "Oh I know. You were probably thinking, 'He won't hurt me. I'll just help him to have fun again. He'll go back to being the hero we all hear about!' Idiot."
She gave another groan.
"Well. Let's get you to the camp. I'll drop you off by Thalia's Tree and then fly over by way of the forest." I didn't know why I was talking to an unconscious person. Perhaps I was going mad. Perhaps I already was.
I picked up her limp form and started towards the camp. When we were nearing the base of the hill, she started to stir. "Styx." I muttered. I didn't particularly want to see her awake, or be caught carrying someone.
I swooped down and placed her on the ground, in the same moment I was back into the sky and circling the forest, ready to land inside the clump of cabins. At least there were cabins for all the gods/goddess' now. That could be the only way that Camp Half-Blood has improved. How sad…
I glided downwards towards the hearth at the very centre of clump, internally smiling when I saw a small form tending to the flames. Hestia was easily my favourite goddess. When I was being tried, I saw her by the hearth shaking her head at her godly family.
"Lady Hestia." I said bowing when I reached her.
She looked up and smiled at me. "Hello, Perseus." I flinched when she said my name.
"With all due respect, Lady Hestia, I am more the one destroyed then the destroyer." Perhaps I was being a little bit dramatic, but it had felt that way for a long time. Sadly, I couldn't find a traditional Greek name that meant 'has been destroyed' or 'permanently damaged by war'. The closest I could find meant battle strife and ruination, but that was Ares and there was no way I'd ever go by that name.
She just looked at me sadly. "I think you'll find, Winter," She said my chosen name with distaste, "That nothing is truly destroyed. Not even you." And with those words, that seemed as though I should probably be thinking about their meaning more, she stepped into the flames and disappeared. She could be more confusing than the god of prophecy at times.
I looked towards the crest of the hill and saw Spring trudging up, looking exceptionally sore. Fighting back a grin, I turned towards the Big House to greet Chiron as Winter, one of the seasons of Chaos.
The first thing I noticed when I entered the big house, was that it was an entirely different colour. Instead of the faded sky blue that I had come to love, it was a mottled green. Generally, I liked green. It was a pretty colour, in all different shades. Fern green, shamrock green, emerald green, etc. But this one? Uh uh. Not nice at all. It was like mould. Ew.
After staring distastefully at the outside of the building, I stepped inside and was confronted with a considerably strange sight. The figurehead of a leopard hanging on to the roof by an electrical cord. It looked like Chiron was trying to take Seymour off and hang him back on the wall. That leopard must have been ancient by now.
After Chiron finished, I cleared my throat loudly. He looked around, startled before seeing me and speaking in a breathless tone.
"Now, dear boy. Please don't startle an old horse like. You scared me half to death."
Completely disregarding what he said, he didn't believe me either, I replied flatly. "The seasons are here. We will help you fight the coming war and then we will leave. Have a cold day." And with that I walked away, towards plain bit of ground by the forest.
I didn't look back to see Chiron mouthing an apology, for something he didn't know he did.
After checking that the patch of ground was sound, I started to set up our temporary camp. I started with the four tents then moved on to the tiny campfire, stacking up the wood in preparation for the night which would undoubtedly be cold on account of my bitter emotions about this place. It was enjoyable to do mundane tasks like this. To not think of anything and just use your hands.
I was so caught up with what I was doing that I didn't notice someone coming up towards me until they were directly behind me.
"Hey, Percy."
