Sorry about Ava's death, but it had to happen! This is a major turning point in Rina's life where she really starts to mature and become the person she's meant to be. Ava's death was going to happen eventually, I thought that it might as well be quick and relatively painless. It was either this or Ava disappear like some other campers without anyone knowing why. :( So during this and the next few updates you will really see Rina mature and change for the better. She's going to become more self-aware and grow out of her childishness.
Also, I wasn't completely sure of the date that the Battle of the Labyrinth took place, so this update starts a week after the battle and lasts until the end of summer. Some of the 'one shots' will be longer than others. The next update will be from the end of summer to the beginning of the last book. Enjoy!
Nymeria Malfoy: Me desculpe se isso é errado. Acabei de colocar isso em Traduz Google. Talvez ;) Você vai ter que ler para descobrir.
ArticFox 319: I'm sorry! I didn't want to but it's an important part of Rina's character arch :( I promise that she'll make a comeback, though!
AgitatedDog9288: I know :(
Guest: Yes it is.
Outlandish Dreamer: I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make your heart break!
Hippodog: Thank you so much! Yeah, some really good OC stories don't get the credit that they deserve, which is really sad.
June 30th
It had only been a couple of days, but everything is already back to normal. Or at least looks that way. The Apollo cabin is back to their archery lessons, the dryads are teasing the satyrs with promises of kisses and dates, and people are smiling again. Everyone except for those who lost someone special to them.
The Ares cabin is a crumbling mess after Ava and several other of their siblings' deaths. They try to hide it behind a shield of cruelness, but they fail miserably at fooling everyone. Their deaths only made the cabin more irritable than usual. Out of all of Camp Halfblood, they lost the most. Children of Ares are always the first on the front-line, each of them willing to fight with everything they have. Sometimes the other campers forget that the cabin hasn't fully acknowledge their loss and they say some nasty things. It hasn't even been a week and Sherman has broken someone's jaw after a scathing comment about how maybe Ares cabin isn't as good with weapons as they thought.
Annabeth and the Athena cabin are mourning the death of their brother. I feel guilty not even knowing his name. In fact, it was like nobody outside of the Athena cabin knew who he was. When his funeral pyre was burnt, Malcolm said some kind words but described his brother as shy. That must be why. Children of Athena are sometimes too involved with their books to be bothered with the outside world. But despite not knowing him, I'm thankful that he fought for Camp Halfblood's safety.
But one person is sadder than most. Poor Pollux is alone in his cabin now after his twin brother died in the battle. I haven't seen him come outside once. Not even for dinner, but I have a feeling that Dionysus is sneaking him food so that he doesn't waste away.
Ava death has hurt me worse than I originally thought. After the funeral, I felt numb, but it's coming at full force. She didn't even get to fight. One swipe from a giant and she was dead. Ava didn't have a chance to prove what a strong warrior she was. Unlike Pollux, I have been better at putting on a front. When Percy tells a horrible joke, I roll my eyes like usual. When Annabeth tries to explain something about architecture or something amazing on Daedalus's computer, I feign interest. And when Chiron watches me, I put on a smile.
The worst part is that camp is running normally. Things shouldn't feel normal. It cannot be without Ava and the others here. Did everyone forget the sacrifices they made?
I twiddle my knife in my hand, slowly making it larger then shorter. The cabin is empty. Thank the gods. Normally I have to escape to a secluded area by the lake but earlier I heard Drew talking about how they all needed to go boy-hunting. I pray to every one of the gods that my half-siblings don't get their claws around anyone. It always ends in a disaster, tears, and a little bit of blood. There's a reason that the Aphrodite cabin keeps sharp, long nails.
If Ava was here, she would make a comment about who they use boys like clothes: they never wear the same outfit more than once. Or maybe something about her rather fighting a hundred hellhounds at once instead of facing an angry child of Aphrodite.
Ava.
I quickly wipe away the tears under my eyes. Suddenly my knife looks especially intriguing. Maybe I could... Celestial bronze does hurt both monsters and demigods. The realization of what I'm thinking slaps me in the face. No. I won't. So I won't be tempted, I slip my knife into the chest by my bed. It's not like I will be needing it anytime soon.
"Knock knock."
I quickly sit up on my bed, hoping that my eyes aren't red from crying. In the doorway stands Hermes in his typical track suit. His face has a smile on it but it doesn't reach his eyes. He lost people he loved during the battle too.
"Hermes?" I question.
The god grins. "So, I see things have quieted down quite a bit since the battle." He comments casually. I flinch internally. Hermes smile falls. "So, how have you been, Rina?"
I shrug. "I'm fine."
His blue eyes narrow suspiciously. Hermes sits at the end of my bed. It shifts under his weight. "The three A's are worried about you. You did see some nasty things."
"The three A's?"
Hermes rolls his eyes. His smile changes to an annoyed scowl. "Athena, Aphrodite, and Apollo. Apollo insists that everyone calls them the three A's." I genuinely smile for the first time since the battle. Apollo is an interesting god. Honestly it's not surprising. A package materializes in mid-air. With his god-like reflexes, Hermes catches it from falling on the cabin door. "Athena was quite adamant about me getting this to you."
I gently take the package in my hand. Something rattles inside of the box. "What is it?" I ask.
The god shrugs. "Not sure. It's against my policy to look into other people's packages. Plus, I hear it's a federal crime to open someone else's mail."
A small laugh escapes out of my mouth. It's weak and scrapes against my throat. "What are they going to do? Arrest a god?"
Hermes smirks. "I would like to see them try." He stands up slowly. "I have to be going. If I don't, I'll be late. There's always something to be delivered. Goodbye, Rina." He waves one last time before the air bends around him. It's like he was never here. Conversations with Hermes never last long. He always have things to do and places to be. Every time I talk to him, he's running late or about to be late, so we don't talk much. Even back when I lived on Olympus there was barely any time to say a word to the god.
I turn my attention back to the box. It's small, much too small for the usual stack of papers and textbooks that Athena occasionally sends me. One the top in neat handwriting it looks like someone tried to write 'From the Three A's', but it's half-written. Apollo probably wrote that only for Athena to yell at him. I open the book and my eyebrows furrow. It's a thin book, which is just like Athena, but it's not the typical book. The cover is of a man and woman hugging with a bolded sentence of "Grief and You" on the cover. The cheesiness is oozing through the pages. But knowing that the goddess would have my head if I didn't at least look at it, I turn to the table of contents.
Chapter One: Addressing Your Loss
Chapter Two: The Five Stages of Grief
Chapter Three: How to Cope with that Grief.
Chapter Four: Final Steps to Acceptance
Chapter Five: You Are Not Alone
It's a short book. I'll easily be able to finish it in an hour, so it wouldn't hurt to at least read it. It'll postpone when I have to finally get out of my cabin and face everyone with a smile that's so fake that it hurts. Athena would frown at me if she knew that I plan on using the book to avoid people, but luckily for me she can't read minds.
About an hour and some tears later, I reach the fifth chapter. The only thing on the page is "You aren't alone" in large letters. The rest of it is blank. An idea abruptly appears in my head. Too many people in Camp Halfblood feel alone since the battle. I feel alone even though I'm surrounded by people who care, but maybe I can do something about that. This book gives me the power to help people, and I will do just that.
I pick up a pen that someone dropped on the floor and print my name on the page underneath the large letters.
With a newfound vigor, I grab the book and bounce out of my cabin. My eyes find cabin twelve. He has to be in there. He hasn't come out since the battle. But then again, neither have I except for meals and when Percy physically drags me out. The other campers are busy with archery lessons or the new lake monster, so I don't have to dodge many people on my way to cabin twelve. I knock on the door. Several moments later, it opens only a crack.
"Pollux?" I call out.
The door opens a little more. I catch sight of his golden hair and violet eyes. "Rina, what're you doing here?" I slide the book through the crack in the door. He blinks once at the cover, then his eyes narrow. "Whatever you're doing—"
"Turn to chapter five." I command sternly.
"Rina—"
"Just turn to the chapter, Pollux!"
The Son of Dionysus nervously turns the pages. His eyes widen at the sight.
"Too many people are feeling like they're alone right now." I say slowly. "I was thinking that we pass this book around camp. Gods know that some people need to be reminded that they are not alone. And when they're done reading in it, they sign their name in it so other campers know to come to them if they ever want to talk."
Pollux falls silent for several long moments. It isn't until I hear a sniffle that I realize that he's crying. "You lost your friend." He states quietly. It isn't a question. Everyone knows who died.
I nod. "Ava." Just saying her name is a punch to the gut.
"Does the book get rid of the pain?"
"No, but it helps." I answer. My eyes fall to the floor. "I don't think the pain will ever leave, it's just a matter of coping. The book helps with that."
Pollux opens the door wider. His hair is greasy from several days without a shower, his eyes are red, and he's wearing the same clothes he was wearing at the battle about a week ago. The Son of Dionysus pulls me into a large hug. "Thank you. I'll make sure some of the younger campers read this."
"Good." I answer, feeling tears in my own eyes.
July 2nd
Annabeth twirls her golden hair up into a bun. Her steel eyes narrow in concentration. "Okay, here's our plan. It's extra windy today, so it will be more difficult heading back towards camp. We will save our stamina until then. I will steer the canoe slightly so that the wind acts in our favor. If I am correct, then we will be back just in time for our session on the climbing wall." She says in a voice reserved for generals of armies.
I hold back the urge to roll my eyes. "We're just canoeing around the lake, not becoming the president."
"No," Annabeth throws me a lifejacket, "we're not 'just canoeing'. We're training. It builds up our upper body strength which is very important in hand to hand combat."
I slip on the lifejacket that she pelted me with. My eyebrows come together in confusion. "I know that Chiron has been increasing our training lately, but why are we the only ones canoeing around the lake if it's so good for our upper body strength."
She frowns. "We aren't the only ones. Clarisse and Percy will be heading out onto the lake soon. Plus, some of the naiads have been complaining about someone throwing wrappers into the lake."
"So, we're on garbage duty." I correct.
Annabeth shakes her head. "Not garbage duty; we're training."
Suddenly her words come crashing down on me like a waterfall of pure horror. My mouth falls open in shock. "Clarisse and Percy?"
The Daughter of Athena nods solemnly. "Yes."
"And they're doing it willingly?" I gape.
She thinks for several moments. "Well, no. Chiron ordered them to work together."
"Has he gone senile? After all these centuries has he finally lost his mind?" I exclaim. Annabeth hands me a paddle, which I reluctantly take.
"Trust me, nobody likes this arrangement. Percy has been whining all morning. I'm surprised that you didn't hear him; I thought he would never stop." Annabeth responds. "But Chiron's reasoning is that the two will be unstoppable if they learn to work together, and we need something unstoppable."
I shake my head. "They're going to murder each other."
Together we pull a canoe up to the bank of the lake. With a little more effort, we slip it in the lake and are calmly paddling along. Several naiads wave at us from the bottom of the lake but they don't float up to say hello. Sometimes when we went out on the lake, they would come up and talk to Ava for hours. She was one of their favorites to talk to, except for Percy, of course. All the naiads favor the Son of Poseidon.
My mind flips back to the book Athena gave to me. It is important to look after your physical health in a time of grief. Exercise and eating right is a great way to cope with your lose. Natural endorphins released during exercise will improve your mood. Avoid alcohol, drugs, and other depressants.
Exercise. Ava would want me to exercise if it helps, and canoeing is sort of an exercise.
Annabeth pauses paddling for a second. She dips down to pick up a floating wrapper in the waves. The frown on her face is so strong that it looks like she ate something incredibly disgusting. The naiads shake their heads sadly at the litter. Its terrible that people would willingly litter when they know that where they litter is someone's home.
I lean over the edge of the canoe to get a better look at them. "Don't worry, we'll find out who's littering." The naiads giggle and smile in response.
Annabeth gestures over to the bank of the shore. "Look who it is."
On the beach are Clarisse and Percy. They're oddly silent. Normally they can't be in each other's presence for more than a few minutes before bursting out into a fight. The only times the two put aside their differences (for the most part, anyways) is when there is danger. It actually seems like they're working together for once. Clarisse turns the canoe at the back while Percy uses his abilities to move the water. They move about as fast as a small motor boat. And when they come up to us, they nearly tip Annabeth and my canoe over with their waves.
"Watch it, seaweed brain." Annabeth mumbles as we bob side to side. Her cheeks are bright red, and it isn't from being out in the sun for so long. I grip the sides of the canoe. Together we lean the opposite way so that we stay steady. Neither of us want to take an unexpected swim.
Percy blushes slightly. "Sorry. I didn't think it would make that big of a wave." He apologizes awkwardly.
Annabeth and Percy continue to dance around each other with short sentences and blushes. It's all been the same since the battle. Each of them are burning to say something, but too scared to say it. It takes a lot of strength not to burst out yelling that they both like each other and should kiss.
"So, 'you're not alone', huh?" Clarisse says while Annabeth and Percy converse.
I raise an eyebrow. "You read the book?" The Children of Ares seem more like a suck it up and don't talk about type, which according to the book is very unhealthy. But that normally is the mentality of those campers. It may be slightly stereotypical, but I have yet to see someone from the Ares cabin be open with their emotions.
She shakes her head. "No. I didn't need to, but my little brother is having a hard time." Her eyes soften slightly at the mention of her sibling. "You started something good."
I smile. "I'm glad I did."
Clarisse opens her mouth to say something else, but a burst of water stops her. Her face scrunches into a scowl, and for a moment I thought that the water will boil off of her. Whoever splashed her is going to be skinned alive. The Daughter of Ares's eyes zero in on none other than Percy Jackson.
The demigod blanches under her glare. "Clarisse, I—"
"You're dead, Jackson!" Clarisse snarls. She lunges towards him with pure rage. The last time I saw her this angry was when I was in the Labyrinth with her. There is no doubt in my mind that she will kill Percy. He's a dead man. And Percy knows this too. So, he does the most logical thing: he jumps out of the canoe.
"Clarisse, calm down!" Annabeth commands. Her hand reaches for her knife. If Clarisse tries to fight Percy, Annabeth will be on his side. Everyone here is my friend. Whose side will I be on if things go down the gutter?
She whips around to face Annabeth. "I have put up with him for too long! This is it!" She screeches. The tendons in her neck stick out in her fury.
"You've only been with him for five minutes!"
"Five minutes too long!" She responds viscously.
Clarisse peers over the edge of the canoe. Percy sits fearfully on the bottom of the lake. The naiads pet him soothingly; they always had a thing for Sons of Poseidon. Out of the corner of my eye, Annabeth clenches her fists. Clarisse grabs her spear from the bottom of her canoe. Some of the monsters in the lake still need to be taken care of, so it is always wise for a camper to bring weapons wherever they go. But I've seen her spear fish. She has deadly accuracy.
I easily hop into her canoe. She bares her teeth at me, as if to dare me from stopping her attack on Percy. "Don't do it, Clarisse." I warn.
She scoffs at me. Suddenly Clarisse is back to being the arrogant girl the I first met. "Or what? It's not like you can stop me."
"In case you've forgotten, I'm able to beat you in a sword-fight. Come on. Just be the mature one." I try to reason. Clarisse raises her spear. "You're better than this!" I try as a last chance to stop her from making a Percy-kabob.
"Clarisse, don't you dare!" Annabeth threatens. Her grey eyes narrow dangerously. If Clarisse does throw her spear, she will have to feel Annabeth's rage —which is something that nobody should have to endure. "Obviously it was one of the naiads who did it. Percy was in my line of sight the entire time. He didn't do it, with or without his abilities! It had to be one of the naiads. You know that they like to cause trouble."
The Daughter of Ares grits her teeth, but she listens to the wise words. "I trust your word, Annabeth. If you're lying to me..."
"Why would I lie to you?"
Clarisse rolls her eyes. "So I don't skewer your boyfriend."
The effect of Clarisse's words are immediate. Annabeth's glances away quickly and her cheeks turn cherry red. She looks like she wants to fold into herself until she disappears. "He's not... he... it's not... no..."
Annabeth doesn't need to explain herself because Clarisse backs down. She angrily sits back on the canoe. "Fine, I won't kill him." Clarisse tells us with anger lacing her voice. "Today."
July 4th
Chiron's plan for making Clarisse and Percy friends is failing miserably, and I think he's finally realizing that. The poor centaur, who is currently restricted to his wheelchair because of several broken legs, has to constantly be a mediator in their legendary fights. Ever since the canoe incident, they have managed to set fire to the strawberry fields, singe several campers with Clarisse's electric spear, and tramped a number of flowerbeds by the Demeter cabin. Suffice to say, Chiron's plan is a failure, but he isn't done trying.
"Chiron, do you really think this is a good idea to have them so close to fire?" I ask cautiously. "Especially after the strawberry incident?"
The centaur smiles. I can barely see his face in the dark. "Don't worry, Rina. I know what I'm doing."
My face falls into a deep frown. Had he already forgotten everything that happened? You would think that after the strawberry fields, they wouldn't be allowed near a match without proper supervision. "But, Chiron—"
"Those two are like oil and water: they don't mix. There is one thing that they will work together for, though." Chiron continues. "And that thing is the safety of the camp. I think they will be just fine as long as they're working for the same cause."
Clarisse and Percy have been given the wonderful job of making sure the campers don't get too close to the fireworks. The fireworks have been known to malfunction and anyone close by usually gets hurt when that happens. Together, though, the two are a wall. If a camper tries to sneak past them, either Percy or Clarisse will yell at them until they get back to a safe distant. For once they're yelling together instead of at each other.
"Everything will be just fine." Chiron continues, maybe to convince me or himself. "You should find a spot. The fireworks will begin at any minute now." He advises.
I leave the centaur behind on the porch of the Big House. Small pods of campers litter the grass. Annabeth is probably with her siblings. Silena is across the clearing with Drew and Charlie. Out of habit, I look for Ava until realizing that she'll never see another fourth of July. She would've liked this.
Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder. I whip around, prepared for a fight but stop when I see who it is.
"Hey." Nico says quietly.
My lips curl into a large smile. I give him a tight, but short hug. "Hey! I haven't seen you since the battle. You just... left."
He shuffles his feet in the grass. Nico's cheeks are a dull pink. "I couldn't stay here."
"I wanted you to stay" I reply. Gods know that I needed a friend when Ava died. Annabeth, Percy, Silena, and Clarisse were there for me, but they moved on too quickly from the battle. Somehow they are able to push it to the back of their minds and just assume that everyone else can do the same. Maybe Nico would've understood if I told him how I couldn't just move on like everyone else. He is the Son of Hades afterall. He's supposed to understand things like death. That and he has experience with grief after his sister's death.
He looks away. "I actually came back to ask you a favor."
I raise an eyebrow. "What favor?"
"I—"
Suddenly the fireworks go off, blasting into the sky in a shower of sparks and colors. The Hephaestus cabin have been working on the fireworks all week, and it has paid off. The blasts of color form different pictures, some silly and others honoring the fallen. Camp Halfblood echoes with thunderous claps of sound. It's gorgeous.
Nico makes a moving motion with his hand as if to say that he'll talk to me later. Together we watch the fireworks and there's no more worries.
July 10th
"I can't believe you talked me into this."
I tighten the strap to my purse nervously. Somewhere in its depths is my sword, which Nico had convinced me that it would be best to keep it hidden. Apparently the dead get more nervous than usual around celestial bronze.
Nico half-smiles wearily in front of the dark mausoleum building that serves its purpose as a library of information in the Underworld. "Gods know that I need your help with this." He starts to walk up the steps. I quickly follow.
I scoff at him. "I don't understand why you wouldn't do this yourself."
His hair flops around his face when he turns to look at me. Nico really needs a haircut. Or maybe he doesn't. Long hair does suit him. Somehow Nico makes the messy, untamed hairstyle look attractive. "The Underworld isn't known for its organized filing cabinets. It would take hours without your help."
Nico pushes open the large door. The entire building is covered in bookcases of old scrolls the closest to the door and typed manuscripts in the back. You can see the changing times from the type of papers used. But Nico is right, it would take too much time looking through everything himself. In the middle of the building is a woman wearing all leather. Black wings sprout out from her back. The glint of a metal hand is visible from where I am standing. She doesn't have to turn around for me to know who she is: Mesperyian, goddess of torture and punishment. But why is she here and not in the fields of punishment?
"She used to come here before... you know... so she likes to come here sometimes." Nico hisses at me so that Mesperyian doesn't hear. Nobody can know what sort of fury she would bring if she heard him.
My hand tightens on the strap of my purse. This might get ugly very quickly.
Mesperyian turns around. She wears a silver mask with horns sticking out of the top. It's something out of a nightmare. There is no remnant of the sweet woman she used to be. Underneath that mask is burnt flesh. We can smell it, but we don't dare say anything. "Nico, it's a pleasure to see you again." She croaks. Her voice sounds like the goddess desperately needs to cough.
He bows his head and I do the same. "Lady Mesperyian, this is my friend. Rina, a camper in Camp Halfblood." I breathe out a sigh of relief. Nico's smart enough not to call me the Daughter of Aphrodite. Many centuries ago, Aphrodite burned Mesperyian's body in a fit of jealous rage. Not only did Aphrodite take away Mesperyian's legendary beauty, she turned the goddess into a cold creature constantly seeking to punish those deserving it. Aphrodite essentially destroyed this woman's wonderful life.
Her beady eyes narrow slightly at me, but she doesn't pay much attention. Her claw curls around a scroll. "Does father know you're looking for her?"
"I'm not looking for her. I'm just looking for answers." Nico corrects.
Mesperyian cackles softly. "Ahh, but when looking for answers, you will find her in the process. So in turn, you are looking for her." For a second her harsh eyes soften at the Son of Hades. It only makes sense for the rough goddess to have a soft spot for other children of Hades. "I will not stand in your way for your quest of knowledge. But be warned that father will be very displeased if he finds out." With a strong flap of her wings, she perches on a ledge high above our heads with a pile of scrolls and papers. I can faintly hear her mumble out the names of the dead.
Nico immediately takes the lead deep into the building. He stops in front of a shelf. "We can start here." He announces.
"Do you know when she died?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "I know that it was during World War II, but that's it." I sigh. There could be thousands of shelves with names from the dead during the time period. All I know is that this will take hours to do.
I should've said no when he asked for the favor.
I groan in irritation. "I have found a Maiah Di Angelo, Maria Decantio, and a million other names that are close. But we still haven't found the Maria Di Angelo."
Nico rubs his eyes with his hands. "Maybe we can come back another day. I... can't take much more of this."
Behind us is a loud rustle of feathers. "Maria Di Angelo died in 1941. With Hades's influence, she managed to move on into the Isle of the Blessed. Her death was caused by none other than Zeus." Mesperyian lets out a humph. "That is one person I would like to serve justice to." She hisses under her breath. The goddess hands a sheet of paper to Nico. He soaks it in with wide, brown eyes.
"You had this the whole time?" I exclaim, angry that we spent the last few hours for nothing.
The goddess nods. "Of course. I know where ever name is in this library, so of course I retrieved it when I heard you looking for her."
Nico folds the paper and puts it in his jacket pocket. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"You didn't ask." She answers simply. Mesperyian nods at both of us. "Goodbye, Nico and Rina, Daughter of Aphrodite." Once again, the goddess flies away.
My mouth falls open in shock. "She knew the whole time. Why didn't she try to attack me or something?"
Nico doesn't look as surprised. "Mesperyian doesn't like giving out punishment when it's not due, so that's probably why she did't do anything. Plus it's pretty obvious who your mother is." I tilt my head to the side in confusion. His cheeks light up like two red christmas lights. "I mean.. it's because you're pretty...and... ah Aphrodite is known for being... pretty."
My stomach fills with butterflies. Maybe it's because I'm not complemented that often. Yeah, that's it. "Let's just get out of here. I don't want to stay in the Underworld longer than I have to."
July 15th
Percy and I have made a game to see how many crazy things we can do without Annabeth noticing. I scoop some peanut butter with my finger and add the finishing touches to Percy's face.
"Finally. It is done." I announce. We sneak a peek at Annabeth. Her eyes are still glued to the laptop Daedalus gave her. She doesn't even notice Percy's 'war paint' made out of peanut butter and jelly.
Percy leans forward across the table so that his face is right behind the computer screen. "Hey! Annabeth! I've been poisoned and will die in a minute!" He cries out. Several other campers give us a weird look.
"I'll eat something later, don't worry." Annabeth mumbles robotically. It's always that or 'sounds good' or 'that's funny Percy'. Annabeth likes to rotate through those three sentences. She twiddles a never-ending ink pen, that we gave her for her birthday three days ago, between her fingers. Then she scratches several numbers that must be important to her before clicking on the computer again.
I shake my head. "Come on, Percy. Let's see if we can find some snaps in the Hephaestus cabin. Maybe that'll get her to look up for once."
July 20th
Silena and I crouch down behind a rock. Across the clearing are five campers guarding the flag. Normally there are less than that, but they're switching up their plan, just like our team is. Both teams playing defense will make for a very boring game of Capture the Flag.
"There's too many for us to just run down there." Silena observes. She loosens her hold on her sword. "Should we go back and get more people?"
I shake my head. "No. They're playing especially hard this year. We need as much defense as possible."
"But we can't get the flag without more people. Armor is hard to sneak in and the flag is in a clearing. They will see us before we get any closer." Silena pauses. Her mouth suddenly curls into a smirk. "I can't believe we didn't think of that before." She gasps out.
"What?" I ask quietly.
Silena turns to me with an excited look on her face. It reminds me of how Ava always got excited over the little things. "Charlie was telling me about how they were planning to make a saddle for Mrs. O'Leary, so that people can ride her into battle." Silena grabs my arm. Her eyes sparkle dangerously. "Let's ride her into battle."
After a good five minutes of sneaking out of the woods, we find ourselves in front of Mrs. O'Leary. The hellhound wags her tail enthusiastically, as if she already knows what we plan and she's just as excited about it as we are.
I pat her. My blood is already pumping. This will be fun. Silena hops on Mrs. O'Leary's back behind me.
"Let's go capture a flag!" I yell out happily.
Mrs. O'Leary yips then bounds into the woods. She runs so fast that the trees blend into one mess of brown and green. The only way I know that Silena hasn't fallen off the hellhound's back is her death grip on my waist. And the only reason that I haven't fallen off is because of her new collar. Thank the gods and the Hephaestus cabin.
"That way!" Silena yells, pointing to the left. Mrs. O'Leary follows her command.
Jumping over boulders and narrowly missing trees, we somehow make it to the clearing. A camper attempts to shoot us with an arrow but Silena blocks it with her shield. Everyone else is too dazed by the hellhound to do anything but stare. I bend down and pick up the flag.
"GO MRS. O'LEARY!" I scream. The other team is just getting themselves together. They advance on us with their swords drawn. Mrs. O'Leary simply jumps over them. Silena screams in my ear the entire time we dash through the woods. Her grip tightens so hard that she's turning my internal organs to mush.
"GODS, KEEP US SAFE!" Silena prays loudly.
With one last jump, we bound over the river across the border. Mrs. O'Leary stops. She pants several times before sitting down. Silena, the flag, and I roll clumsily off her back.
"Why did I think that was a good idea?" Silena covers her face with her hands.
I grin. "But we got the flag! We won!" I hold up the flag in triumph. "Again!"
August 1st
Annabeth suddenly freezes. Her grey eyes widen as big as the moon. "Oh. My. Gods."
I take the apple out of my mouth. "What?" She turns my head with her hand in the direction she's looking. There, sitting on the grass, is Silena and Clarisse. Silena cheerfully braids Clarisse's hair, who oddly enough isn't against it. She seems more concentrated on whatever is coming out of Silena's mouth. Her face is scrunched up and it appears like she's memorizing every word.
Annabeth's tilts her head curiously. "I thought they hated each other." She comments.
"I thought so too." I reply.
Silena's head shoots up. She eagerly waves me over. Annabeth raises an eyebrow but stays silent. I walk cautiously over to the pair. They're like two elements that react horribly when combined. If I'm too close, I will be engulfed in the explosion. Clarisse and Silena have never gotten along. Never. I can vividly remember more than a few times where some horrible insults where thrown at each other.
Silena gestures towards Clarisse's braided hair. "What do you think?"
"It looks... nice." I answer carefully. Silena is content with my answer. I scratch my nose. "Are you guys friends now?"
"Yes!" Silena answers. I look to Clarisse for confirmation. The Daughter of Ares nods in agreement.
"But I thought you two didn't like each other."
Clarisse tilts her head thoughtfully, earning her a smack from my sister for moving while she is braiding Clarisse's hair. "Honestly, I hated Silena until I realized how much we have in common."
Something is wrong. They have to be brain-damaged or drugged... or something! Is someone paying them to be friends? Are they being threatened?
"In common? What do you possibly have in common?" I ask in the nicest way possible.
Silena smiles. "We both like boys, having our hair up in ponytails, and we care about our siblings." She shrugs. "What more does there have to be? Plus, she isn't as bad as I thought she was."
"Ditto." Clarisse says. "Thanks for helping me with my..." Her eyes flicker towards me but continues anyways, "boy problems."
"You're welcome!"
Has the world gone insane? Well, maybe it's good that they're getting along. The two have the potential to be great friends or great enemies. If they're getting along, then I should be grateful.
No, I won't question it.
August 16th
The end of the summer is finally here. I already signed up to stay year round, just so I'm not accidentally eaten by the cleaning harpies. Silena left a while ago for her grandparents' farm. She and almost all of the camp. It's so empty, like when I first arrived. Annabeth and Percy just left. They both invited me to visit them sometime; Annabeth even wanted me to go to a private school by her father's house with her. But my place is at Camp Halfblood, for now.
Nico hasn't been back in over a month. He doesn't Iris message me as much. I suppose he's busy searching for any information he can about his mother, Maria Di Angelo. It's been his obsession the entire summer. He doesn't talk about it, but I know he has been constantly thinking about Bianca and his mother. Just like Clarisse and me, Nico hasn't completely gotten over the events of the Labyrinth. It sticks to you like a disease.
"Your friend Annabeth has a lot of nerve to speak to me in such a way." A snide voice says.
I turn around in surprise. Nobody was in the cabin a moment ago. To my surprise, it's Hera. Her long white robes, glowing aura, and curled brown hair makes it look like she stepped right out of Ancient Greece. My throat constricts. Normally I would run and hug her, but the Labyrinth has changed my opinion of her. She only likes perfect families.
Hera raises her nose proudly in the air. "I simply appeared to her to congratulate her and she attacks me with her words." She takes a step forward with grace reserved for queens. "You are to never speak to Annabeth again."
I ground my teeth together. My Ares-like stubbornness takes over. "No."
Her eyebrows raise in surprise. "Excuse me?"
"No. Annabeth is my friend. You cannot tell me not to speak to her." I tell her confidently.
Hera takes a demanding step forward, but I hold strong. I am my father's daughter, afterall. "Aikarina," Hera warns, "you do not have the right to refuse my commands."
Somehow this makes me even more angry than before. And when I'm angry, I turn reckless. I jab a finger towards the goddess. "No. You may be the queen of the heavens, but I am still my own person. The only person who can make decisions for me is me. Annabeth is my friend."
"And I am Hera, Queen of the Heavens, Wife of Zeus, and your goddess! She is not family." Hera narrows her eyes at me. "But I am. Listen to me, Rina. She is an influence I do not wish on you. You are a growing girl. The wrong people will turn you into something you shouldn't be."
My fingernails dig into my palm. "You are not my family!" I cry out in rage. Hera's eyes widen in surprise. "I don't fit into your perfect mold. I never have and I never will. You voted for me to live, but you wouldn't have cared if I died, would you?" Tears blur my vision, but I can still make out the growing anger of the goddess. This could very well be the day that I die for good. Or get turned into a frog. Either one.
Hera towers over me. "I am willing to blame this on the side that was Ares. This will be overlooked if you close your mouth and obey." Her voice is the epitome of restrained control.
"No!" My head shakes wildly. "You killed my father, didn't you? Everyone was just fine with him until you made it a problem! Tyler didn't fit into your vision of perfect family, so you got rid of him. I didn't fit into your vision, so you got rid of me!" I take a step back. "I will not be bullied into silence. I am one person you will not be able to get rid of."
The goddess's eyes flash a bright red. "You will regret your words, Aikarina. I want you to be aware of that" She says before dissolving into thin air.
What have I just done?
Suddenly someone knocks on the door. Travis Stoll sticks his head in. "Hey, Rina, wanna go break into Chiron's shampoo supply and put hair dye in it?" He offers.
I falter. Hera can wait. Right now, I'll have fun with my friends. She won't control my life any longer.
"Let's go!"