Well folks, here it is. Chapter 1-0! i really, really hope you like this chapter. I do. Please, I would absolutely love a review, or criticism, or ideas, or comments. Feedback gives me life. I love it so much. Don't be afraid to speak until. Also, any guesses as to who Ari's parent or parents are?
Disclaimer- I once threw a penny in a wishing well, wishing to own PJO. The penny flew back up and hit me in the face.
Ariana III
To be honest, I felt kind of sorry for Percy. Instead of making friends and joining activities and doing all the things normal campers do, he just sat awkwardly to the side as people gawked and pointed at him, like an animal in a zoo. He sat by himself at table Three during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, staring glumly at his food, pushing it around the plate with his fork. He had to join other cabins for his activities, and most just stared at him the whole time. None of the other Hermes campers wanted to sword fight with him anymore, in fear of what he could do, so, most days, he just got a private lesson from Luke or me.
Luke did not go easy on him. He worked him for hours, fighting until both of them were ready to collapse out of exhaustion. Percy always left the arena covered in bruises and cuts that most definitely had not been there before. Although, Luke didn't look like he was faring much better. When I worked with him, we focused mostly on agility, strategy, planning, the things that Luke and other people like him forgot.
Even the Ares campers kept their distance. Clarisse just looked at him with complete and utter hatred. One, because he was a child of Poseidon. Two, he broke her spear. Nobody and I relate NOBODY touches or goes near that spear, let alone breaks it!
The only other person that talked to Percy was Annabeth. Every other morning, she taught him Greek, but she was distant, detached. She spent most of her time holed up in Cabin Six, probably obsessing over blueprints and battle strategies. Even for her it was a little weird.
I woke up one morning at five, a whole hour before the rest of camp was supposed to wake up. I looked around the Hermes Cabin, and saw that I was the only one up. Travis and Connor were asleep on the bunk across from me. Travis was almost falling off the top bunk, his arms and head dangling over the edge. It wouldn't be the first time he had fallen off the bed. Connor was snoring like a truck driver in the bottom bunk, tossing and turning, and flailing his arms. Ever so carefully, I pulled off my blanket and stood up. I grabbed a camp t-shirt and a pair of running shorts. I slipped on my tennis shorts and quietly padded out the door.
It was a cool June morning. It was still dark, the sun had yet to peak over the trees. It was deadly quiet, except for the occasional growl from the woods. I looked around and saw that no other demigod was outside. I was the very first one up. Silently, I jogged to the bathroom to change. I threw on my t-shirt and shorts. Carefully, I pulled my long brown hair into a fishtail braid that fell down my shoulder. I looked myself once over in the mirror before heading out.
Whenever I wake up earlier than everyone else, which usually happens once a week, I like to go on runs around camp. Sometimes I ran through the woods, but I always had to take a weapon if I ran there. Sometimes I run around the cabins, but today I decided to take my favorite trail. The trail that led along the beach.
I began to jog down the hill towards the beach. Now, I don't want to brag, but I am a really good runner. The best at camp. I can lap the Stolls in the arena and I can even leave some of the nymphs in the dust. It was actually pretty impressive.
I breathed in happily as I hit the beach, salty sea air filling my lungs. Long Island Sound glowed faintly in the dusk, the waves ruffling and moving like the fabric of a blue dress. The beach was completely deserted, the white sand completely undisturbed. A cool breeze came in, blowing my dark hair in odd directions, making my mismatched eyes flutter. This was my absolute favorite place in the entire world. I love the beach and everything about the beach. Sometimes, I think that I might be a daughter of Poseidon, just because of my love for the beach and the water.
But, then again, if I was a daughter of Poseidon, why wasn't I claimed?
Sometimes I absolutely hate the gods.
Please don't tell them I said that.
I ran for about thirty minutes, completing almost seven miles all together. See, I told you I was fast. By the end of the run, I still felt energetic, and I was barely sweating. That was another thing about me. It takes a lot to make me sweat. Sometimes, I can run for almost an hour and a half before even starting to perspire.
The sun was just now starting to climb it's way over the tree line, illuminating the water and making it glow brilliantly gold in the light. The trees rustled around me, the nymphs getting ready for their days.
Other than the sound of ruffling foliage and breaking waves, the entire camp was quiet now. Nobody else was up still. I treasured these rare, fleeting moments of peace, knowing that they are few and far , a strong gust of wind came from over the Sound. Everything got deadly quiet and a bright light flashed in front of my eyes. Then, everything went black.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I opened my eyes wildly, my arms flailing everywhere. I was lying on my back on cold, hard, rocky ground. The room was almost pitch black, but I could faintly see the outline of a wall next to me. A cold wind nipped at my skin, causing an eruption of goosebumps all over my tan arms and legs. I had absolutely no idea where I was.
My back popped loudly as I stood up, bracing myself and placing my hands on my knees. I steadied myself for a moment before looking around, examining my surroundings, and trust me. I did not like what I saw.
I was standing in a circular stone cavern, walls on three sides of me and a large, curving roof almost thirty feet overhead. To my left there was what looked like a passageway, leading into another pitch black room. Suddenly, I heard it. A voice.
It was a deep, swallowing male voice. It rumbled the ground, like it was an earthquake. The walls seemed to echo it's off putting growl. A deep rumble erupted all over the room, and I realized: the voice was laughing. Laughing a deep, terrifying, maniacal laugh.
"Come to me, child." The voice boomed, causing stalactites to fall from the ceiling, crashing onto the ground next to me. I flinched away from the noise, moving my hands in front of my face. Something about this place was scary. All of the sudden, the wind picked up. It wrapped around me like a giant, invisible hand. My arms were being held down and something unseen was tying my legs together. Against my will, it picked me up and carried me down the dark and brooding passageway.
The further in we went, the darker and more terrifying it got. The evil laugh echoed throughout the walls, making the entire passage tremble. I was going down, deeper and deeper into this blackness. Something was waiting for me there.
Something evil, yet strangely familiar.
I was dragged along for what seemed like hours, my dark brown hair whipping me in the face. The icy wind nipped at my face and arms, pricking my skin like a thousand little pins. Then, the wind came to a halt at the end of the passage. With a mighty shove, I was thrown into the awaiting room.
This room was like the one I had been in before, accept almost twenty times larger. And, instead of solid stone ground, the ground sloped downwards to the edge of a pit. The pit itself was itself almost the length of two football fields, and it was even wider than it was long. I peered slowly over the edge, and felt instantly queasy. It was a black pit of darkness, with no bottom in sight.
Needless to say, it did not feel…..inviting.
"Your time will come my child." The voice echoed once again, and then I realized that the voice was coming from inside the pit. Something, someone, was down there, speaking to me, calling to me.
I tried to talk, but the words clumped in my throat, like a giant verbal hairball. My hands were shaking and my knees felt like jelly. I swallowed and spoke again. "W..who are you?" It came three octaves higher than I wanted it to.
The voice laughed again. "You will learn soon. You will learn your place."
And then, the wind picked up, and before I had time to respond, I was tossed over the edge of pit, like some rag doll. I began to scream wildly, my arms flailing every which way, trying to find something to catch myself on. I looked up and saw the dim cavern begin to disappear above me as I sank into the blackness.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Ariana!" A voice called out to me. "Ari!" A glowing figure hovered above me, shining like the sun in the darkness. I could vaguely see the outline of a person, a man.
I felt a tugging sensation in my right leg, like someone was dragging me. My entire body seemed to be jerking violently. I was no longer in charge of my own body. It was in charge of me. I couldn't make sense as to what was going on.
My eyes shot open. I looked around in fear. Two figures were peering over me, their faces etched with concern. One was a teenage boy with a bad case of acne and a small, whips of a goatee. He had a head of curly brown hair and wore a green rasta cap. Grover, a voice in my head said. The boy next to him had crazy, windswept black hair. His eyes were a deep sea green, like a hurricane. Percy, the voice said.
I felt sand between my fingers and covering my legs. I could smell the aroma of salt water. I was back at Camp Half-Blood, back on the beach, where I had been before I blacked out. Grover and Percy were looking down on me.
It was then that I realized that they were vibrating, like, violently. Why were they shaking?
Wait. They weren't shaking. I was shaking, uncontrollably and violently. I couldn't make myself stop. I was having a…..what's the word?
A seizure, my mind told me. Why in the world was I having a seizure?
"Ari! Are you okay?" Grover bleated nervously, grabbing my wrist. I opened my mouth to speak, but my tongue lolled into my throat.
"Ulghhh." I sputtered. Spit built up in the back of my throat and I coughed aggressively. I couldn't breathe.
"Grover! What's happening?" Percy said in a worried tone. He probably didn't know what was happening. He was a great guy, but he was a bit...oblivious.
"I don't know, but we need to get her to the Big House. Now." Grover nodded to Percy, who looked me over for a second, as if trying to find the best way to pick me up. After a moment, Percy nodded back at him, and then scooped me up in his strong arms. I was still shaking, but he didn't seem to mind.
The shirking got wilder and even more violent as I was tentatively lifted off the sand. Percy held tightly onto me as I twitched and shuddered in his hold, keeping me close against his chest. For a young, immature twelve year-old boy, he was surprisingly gentle. I looked up at him with scared eyes before, with one extreme shudder, I blacked out once again.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
When I opened my eyes again, the shaking had finally stopped. Good thing too, because it was starting to make me a wee bit nauseous. Looking around, I came to the conclusion that I was no longer at the beach. I was in a small, twin bed covered in soft, plain white sheets. The room was a square, the walls cluttered with old posters of Elvis and Ray Charles and some opera singer that I could not remember off the top of my head. There was a nightstand next to me. A juice like drink with a small umbrella in it stood on top. I was in the infirmary.
My hand trembled as I reached out and grasped the cup. Feebly, I pulled the blue, bend straw towards my sunburnt lips. I took a small sip, and instantly felt relief and energy coursing through my body. The liquid tasted like Elysium, or molten chocolate cake, to be exact. Gods, I love ambrosia.
After a few gulps of the godly drink, I set the glass back down on the nightstand. There was no clock in the room, but I could tell it was about ten in the morning. Don't ask me how. I am just really good at guessing the time. All of the other campers would be out and about, going through the routine. I need to get out of here and go join them.
With a huge sigh, I managed to push myself off of the bed and onto my feet. Apparently,my hey hadn't taken my shoes off, because I was still wearing my gray, Nike running shoes. I was clad in my normal attire, a camp t-shirt and a pair of black shorts. Obviously nothing major had happened, or my clothing would have been changed.
My balance was still slightly off as I wobbled my way into the hallway. The Windows flooded the space with natural sunlight and I smiled at the pleasant brightness. I paused to look out the window, and smiled at what I saw. Will Solace, a twelve year-old son of Apollo, was teaching a girl, about nine, to play volleyball. She was obviously a daughter of Apollo, with her gorgeous blonde hair and icy blue eyes. Unwillingly, I felt a pang of jealousy in my stomach. I could tell her parent by just looking at her.
I was...well I look like….well I take after…..I'm an enigma.
I heard the sound of voices coming from the living room. One was a deep, male voice, with an edge of wisdom to his words. That one was Chiron's. The other was a male voice, but it was slightly higher, younger, on edge. Percy's.
"I think it is time for you to consult the Oracle, Perseus." Chiron said slowly. I was leaning against the hallway wall, listening to them in the next room.
"The what?" Percy asked dumbly. Gods, he's a Kelp Head. Oh, right. That's the nick I gave him, along with Water Boy. Gods, I love giving nicknames to demigods. My personal favorites are Palomino Princess, for Nicolette, a daughter of Aphrodite that absolutely adored horses, and Owl Brain. That one was Annabeth's. She hated that almost as much as she hated Annie.
"Not a what Percy. A who!" An irritated voice spoke up. This voice was also male, and it was calm and relaxed, like a surfer. Luke.
"Fine." I could almost hear the eye roll in his tone. "Who?"
"The Oracle of Delphi." Chiron told him. "The speaker of prophecies and truth. You must consult her."
"Oh, okay." Percy mumbled. "Where is she?"
"The attic."
"Oh. Obviously." Percy muttered sarcastically.
It was this moment when I chose to turn the corner, letting my presence be known to the trio. They all stared at me, green, blue, and brown eyes meeting my mismatched stare. Percy stared at me in surprise. Chiron, in wheelchair form, eyed me warily. Luke just smiled.
"Ari. Oh my gods what happened to you?" He said loudly, rushing towards me. He put his hand on my head and brushed away a stray brown hair.
"I don't really know," I shrugged, looking at Chiron. "I was going for a run, and the wind picked up, and…." I trailed off, averting their gazes.
"And what Ariana?" Chiron pressed.
"And…." I told them about the caves and the pit and that….voice. I shuddered at the thought of that booming, terrifying sound. When I finished,Percy was staring at me with wide eyes. Chiron was looking down, and Luke just looked simply crestfallen. He placed a strong hand on my shoulder.
"I see." Chiron mumbled. He scratched his beard thoughtfully before speaking again. "Well now it is confirmed. Percy you must consult the Oracle. Luke, will you show him the way?"
Luke looked me over skeptically before nodding and motioning to Percy to follow him. Without another word, the two left the living room. When we were alone, I looked over to Chiron, my mismatched eyes wide.
"Look, Chiron. I know that this is worse than you say." I spilled. "I know demigods have dreams and visions, but this was even stronger. It was like I was there. And, when I came to, I was having a seizure. As far as I know, that is not normal. What happened?"
"I honestly don't know, Ariana." Chiron said in a defeated tone. "All we can do now is wait until Percy's audience with the Oracle is over. Then we will go from there."
Character of the Day- Nicolette, my made up daughter of Aphrodite