The tour was like stepping into an alternative universe.
Chiron kept up a steady stream of commentary as he showed me around Camp, but every time I paid enough attention to what he was saying, it made less sense.
"No using swords on the Netball Courts." What. "Don't invite nymphs and dryads to join your games." But nature spirits love sports games? "And don't forget that you are allowed only one prank involving summoning a low-level monster a month." Triton is going to have a heart attack, You can say that again.
We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed at me. Another said, "That's him." I waved awkwardly, wondering what they were talking about me behind my back.
Most of the campers were older than me. Their satyr friends were bigger than Grover, all of them trotting around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts and no pants. I was both surprised to see satyrs wearing shirts and them not wearing pants- they usually go all or nothing when dressing mortal.
Now, I'm not normally shy, but the way they stared at me made me uncomfortable. I felt like they were expecting me to do a flip or something. Should I? The last time I did a flip on land, I nearly broke my hand. ...Best not.
I looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than I'd realized: four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort. I was checking out the brass eagle weathervane on top when something caught my eye- a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I got the distinct impression I was being watched.
"What's up there?" I asked Chiron.
He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."
"Somebody lives there?" I pressed.
"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."
I got the feeling he was being truthful but that also didn't seem quite right. "Is there a nonliving thing?"
"Come along, Percy," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."
He is definitely hiding something. Or multiple somethings- I don't like the way he ordered Dionysus around so easily, something felt wrong there. I looked back at the Big House, but whatever it was that was watching me before seems to have disappeared.
oOo
We walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe. Chiron told me the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. "It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."
He said Dionysus had this effect on fruit-bearing plants: they just went crazy when he was around. It worked best with wine grapes, but Dionysus was restricted from growing those, so they grew strawberries instead.
"Why is he restricted from growing them?" I asked, "I thought his punishment was just drinking wine?"
He gave me a disapproving look. "Yes, but if he grew grapes, he might feel tempted to try a few, and next thing you know he's drinking wine. It's a slippery slope, Perseus, and Zeus trusted me to make sure Mr D doesn't break his restrictions."
I wanted to point out that that doesn't make any sense, but I cowered under his look. I'm not going to be the problem child on the first day, I'm not. I told mom I'll behave, and that means making sure the teachers don't hate me.
I watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire. I wondered if I could do that on my lyre, leading bugs instead of humans with my Siren Song (That nobody would teach me how to actually use yet, Oh yes, Pati said I could not learn it until I turned 101.), and then I remembered how Grover musicked his plants into growing super fast.
"How is Grover? I didn't see him when I woke up." I asked Chiron. "I mean… he was a good protector. Really." That's a lie, but he did try, I'm sure that counts for something.
Chiron sighed. He shed his tweed jacket and draped it over his horse's back like a saddle. "Grover has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill."
"I'm here; he did that!"
"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in the museum. Then there's the unfortunate fact that you fought the Minotaur by yourself. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when your mother dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."
I wanted to protest, but I was unfortunately very aware that yeah, he didn't. Hermes had instilled in me a healthy respect (and a healthy disrespect) for rules, and I know why some are placed in the first place. Grover didn't protect me, and that's sort of an important task to fail.
"He'll get a second chance, won't he?" I asked instead.
Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age..."
"How old is he?"
"Oh, twenty-eight."
Oh, he is small for his age, like me. We were always a bit on the short side.
"At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career... "
A thought occurred to me, and I gave Chiron a side-eye while he wasn't looking. Why is he sharing so much about Grover?
"Come, Percy. Let's see the woods."
oOo
As we got closer, I realized how huge the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since Columbus came to town.
Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."
"Stocked with what?" I asked, alarmed.
"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"
"No," I said dumbly, looking at him like he's gone mad. "What do you mean 'you'll see'? I'd rather not get a nasty surprise."
He ignored my question, and I think this is going to be a common thing. Athena would never, she loves encouraging my curiosity. "I don't suppose you do. I think a size four will do. I'll visit the armory later."
I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armory but no fighting lessons so far to speak of, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued. We saw the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much, and neither did I), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.
"Sparring?" I asked, a little flicker of excitement for my favorite training exercise.
"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained. "Not lethal. Usually."
My heart suddenly picked up, and a rush of fear spread through me. Spear in my lungs, my heart, blood everywhere-
"Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall." Chiron cut through my panic, not noticing the way I had paled.
Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.
"Why is there only one offering brazier?" I asked, taking the opportunity to distract myself.
"Well the Gods don't really like the temples anymore, they've grown past the need for them, and the same with food offerings. Offerings are only at mealtimes, and they're just a formality of politeness. Don't skip them, though." Chiron said.
"That's- That's not true," I said, officially done with the camp's weird lack of culture and religion. "They love them."
Chiron frowned down at me, "And when did you ask a god's opinion on the subject?"
I ground my jaw shut, annoyed. I can't just admit to being raised by gods, that's technically against a few laws and I'm supposed to be laying low right now. "I didn't."
Chiron turned to me, a strange look in his eye. "Perseus, I understand that your mother raised you with a more ancient view of the gods, but at Camp, we are far more modern. Times have changed, and so have the gods. If you want to continue with your own views and practices, that's fine, I respect that, but I will not have you pushing those ideas on the Camp and criticizing it for not following your ideas. Do you understand?"
I nodded tightly, furious. I wanted to scream and shout and call him names, but I've been taught better than that. I have to smile and play nice, and when the moment is right, I can swoop in and actually do something. 'Keep your enemies close' is something that my family has drilled into my head, alongside Hermes telling me 'and undermine their authority and make their allies your friends.'
oOo
Finally, he showed me the cabins.
There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they were, without a doubt, the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.
Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at.
Though I understood that each one corresponds to an Olympian, all of them together like this made them rather ugly, and every temple and home of the Olympians on Olympus were individualized without looking like this mess. Who designed this? Hera would blow her top at the poor home planning.
They all faced a common area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed). In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined fire pit.
Though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.
Hestia. Teisa Hestia!
I wanted to go to her, make an introduction and pay respect to her, as is custom when entering the protections of a new place as a guest, but Chiron walked right past her, expecting me to follow. "-Please don't climb the cabins, there is a probability of a smiting-"
I reluctantly continued on, until I caught the familiar power of the Sea.
I stopped in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.
It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. I could hear running water, and I have no doubt that part of the cabin must be underwater or connected to the Sea. It looks like the small cottages on the edge of Atlantis, where the lower-class citizens live.
I peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!"
Before he could pull me back, I caught the salty scent of the interior, like the wind on the shore at Montauk or Triton's saltwater lake in Libya. The interior walls glowed like abalone. There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. The place felt so sad and lonely- a thousand whispers in Halmaheran floating like ghosts- I was glad when Chiron put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Come along, Percy."
Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.
Number five was bright red- a real nasty paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow me. Inside I could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared. The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She gave me a look, and I quickly smiled politely and scurried on.
Two sets of identical boys suddenly ran across our path: two blond cherubs with glowing purple eyes that were definitely Dionysus' sons, and two dark-skinned boys with upturned noses that were definitely Hermes' sons. A girl with a sparkly pink garden hoe ran after them, screaming angrily.
Huh, looks like they got caught. I kept walking, trying to stay clear of Chiron's hooves, and minding my own business.
"Oh, look," he said. "Annabeth is waiting for us."
oOo
The blond girl, Annabeth, that I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.
When we reached her, she looked me over critically, like she was still thinking of questions to add to her pop-quiz about summer solstices. My eyes darted to her book, and I was surprised to see 'Architecture of 3rd Century BCE Greece,' Athena owned the whole series from 6th to 2nd century, and mom likes to flick through them like they're magazines.
"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you and Luke take Percy from here?"
"Yes, sir."
"Cabin eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."
Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old. The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway was a caduceus made of worn bronze and copper; half of it a shiny yellow and the other half green. A pit formed in my stomach- why is Hermes' cabin so run down?
Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds. Sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor. It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center. The guy from the infirmary, Luke, was giving a dark-haired kid a noogie as they laughed with a brown-haired kid.
Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.
"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner." He galloped away toward the archery range.
I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at me, sizing me up. I knew this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools.
"Well?" Annabeth prompted. "Go on."
I carefully stepped over the threshold, hyper-aware of the trip-wire in the doorway. "Hey," I said, giving my most charming smile.
"Three on dove," A rainbow-haired girl whispered to a kid who looked like Hermes but Hispanic. "You're on, he definitely looks like an owl." He whispered back.
Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven."
"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.
"Unclaimed," I answered.
Everybody groaned.
Luke came forward. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."
I blinked. Did he just say floor? I remember sleeping under the stars with Athena- Pallas, this is not the same thing!
"This is Luke," Annabeth said, and her voice sounded different somehow. I glanced over and could've sworn she was blushing. She saw me looking, and her expression hardened again. "He's your counselor for now."
"For now?" I asked.
"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."
I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given me. Right, of course, Hermes would totally let travelers sleep on the floor. Bad hospitality, Teiso Zeus and Teisa Hestia could take offense to treating a guest like that. But this is Camp Half-Blood, and I'm working with what I'm given. I plastered on a princely smile and put my bag down on the spot.
More than one hawk-eyed camper eyed my bag, and I bristled. "I'd rather not have my things gone through, thank you very much," I said primly, looking straight at the Hispanic teen whose fingers seemed to be twitching with the urge to look. I'm so asking for steal-proof bags next time I see Hermes.
Luke sniggered and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You'll fit right in. Don't worry, I'm sure nobody-" He gives the cabin a pointed look "-will go through your things. It's your first day after all!"
The implication that I'm free game after the first day is something so very Hermes that I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from replying with a snarky comment in Halmaheran.
I looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they were waiting for a chance to pick my pockets. Okay, I officially want to leave and never return. Can't I just hide with the Keruki?
Luke's hand on my shoulder starts steering me out the door, and he passes me over to Annabeth so she can tug me out while he shouts back over his shoulder, "Chris, you're in charge. Ethan, Al, we'll continue this later."
When we were a few feet away, Annabeth said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."
"What? Better?"
She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one."
Am I the only one missing some facts here?
Luke caught up with us, jogging down the steps. "So! Where to first? Cabin introductions or did you not finish the tour?"
"He didn't finish the tour," Annabeth answered for me.
I wanted to ask what her problem is with me, but Luke stepped in before I could.
"Okay! Come on, Percy, we've got lots to show you still."
A/N
New chapter! Whoo! Sorry for the long wait, the depression is being managed and the saga of the Spanish teacher (those who read my other works will know) has been solved by me dropping out of his class after the third panic attack he's given me in a week. Kids, if your teacher scares /humiliates you, it's not bad to ask to switch classes and ask for help! Anywaysss, the only thing holding me back now is homework, but since I'm on lockdown again, she'll be right. The next chapter will hopefully come soon!
So! Chapter is mostly character interactions and the differentiating approach to camp. As you can probably tell, this is quite a bit like canon, other than Percy's approach, Chiron's reactions, and Luke and Annabeth's talking. Character based differences basically! The next chapter will be the tour pt2, where I actually don't follow any canon and just develop character interactions between canon and actually not be sexist *eye's RR pointedly* towards any of the girls. Also, if I see one (1) person in the comments going 'I don't like Annabeth in this chapter' then I will snap. She's legit just like canon. No dialogue of hers has been changed. she's a middle schooler with hubris, all girls are like that, suck it up, she'll change and develop.