A/N: This is just a cute oneshot for the Apollo Cabin. Basically, they end up with a dog, that's what this oneshot is based around. The head councillor in this will be my OC named Marissa, she is included in my fanfiction co-written with lunaeclipse1205 called 'The Next Great Prophecy'. She is obviously a daughter of Apollo and she is dating Luke Castellan. Basic info for any OCs in my stories will be on my bio on the website.
I do not own Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, or Trials of Apollo because I am not Rick Riordan.
On with the oneshot!
By the Apollo Cabin
"Issa!" Will Solace shouted "Archery Lesson with some new campers! You're late!"
Marissa shot out of the cabin and almost straight into Will. The son of Apollo looked at his older half-sister with confusion when he saw traces of tear stains on her face.
"Marissa, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
Will guided Marissa over to a bench close to the Apollo cabin. "Issa, you can tell me anything, I'm your brother for Gods sake!"
The daughter of Apollo looked down, almost looking ashamed, a trickle of tears slipped down her face and fell onto her lap.
"I-I came to t-to c-camp today." She let some more tears flood her eyes and fall down her cheeks, "My m-mother" She spat the word almost as if it would turn to venom in her mouth, "S-She h-hated me, she told me to leave, s-so I left, she thought I was the reason my dad left, that I w-was the reason she didn't have a boyfriend and why I grew up without a dad."
That was when Marissa broke down and Will looked at her shocked eventually, he un-froze and hugged her tightly while she cried. Everyone needs friends and family, especially those who act as role models, because everyone must have time to break and reform.
"Issa, you never told me, or the other campers, or even Luke. Why?"
Marissa took a second to respond,
"I-I guess that I-I thought that I'd-I'd be looked at differently, and I'm looked up to as head councillor. I-I didn't want people to think that I am ambitious and bright and sunny purely based off my time with my mom, and if anything, we have our father to blame for our sunniness and brightness."
Will laughed and a ghost of a smile appeared on Marissa's face.
"Now, go teach that archery lesson like a true daughter of Apollo!" Will stood up and smiled once again at his older sister.
Marissa stood up as well, smiled a true smile and waved to Will as a gesture of goodbye before jogging off towards the archery targets.
At the Archery Targets
About 15-20 campers were milling around, chatting, and laughing when Marissa came over.
Loudly, she clapped twice startling over half of the gathered demigods. She then started the 'Introductory Speech' courtesy of Apollo himself.
"Hi, I'm Marissa Marco and I'm the current head councillor of Cabin 7 or otherwise known as the Apollo Cabin. For the next few weeks, I'll be teaching you how to shoot a bow and arrow, and hopefully, by the end of this course you'll actually be able to hit the targets!"
The adult took a couple of seconds to regain her breath but not once allowing her signature Daughter of Apollo smile slip.
Marissa went over to the bow rack, "This, is obviously a bow." She picked up the weapon and a look of awe spread across the newbie campers' faces.
Ah, it was going so well.
"Marissa!" a voice shouted, only when the person who the voice belonged to entered the girl's view did, she realise that it was Travis Stoll who had called her name.
"Um…..." Marissa said gesturing to the underway archery lesson. "Travis, I'm kind of in the middle of something right now, can't it wait?"
"But Marissa, it's important, somethings been prowling around the border."
Marissa sighed, "Why couldn't you have led with that."
Travis looked down pretending to be ashamed.
Marissa handed the archery lesson over to one of her siblings then left and ran towards the Apollo Cabin where she grabbed her best bow and a large number of arrows, oh and her monster proof phone with some earphones, one can't shoot something with an arrow without decent music in the background.
Well, that was her excuse. Plus, her dad gave all his children premium subscriptions to things like YouTube Music and Disney +.
The number of times small groups of Apollo campers disappeared during capture the flag only to return buzzing about the new episode of some random TV show.
Happy Times…
And with that, Marissa ran towards the border.
At the Border
Marissa positioned herself in a tree near the last spot the 'thing' was sighted.
The was a rustle in the bushes. Marissa moved towards the sound. There was a strangled yelp. Marissa knocked an arrow. There was a thump, and a medium sized Jack Russell fell forward.
"Sparky?"
Marissa took out an earphone, walked along a nearby branch, using her arms as balance and hoping the Dryad below suddenly decided to hate her. She jumped from her vantage point and onto the forest floor below.
The Jack Russell looked at the daughter of Apollo, tail wagging.
"Hey boy. Wait. How are you still alive?" Marissa took a step back trying to examine the dog but a bright flash of yellow stopped that.
Where Sparky first appeared, a note was now laying on the ground.
Marissa picked it up.
'He was a gift from me.'
Marissa smiled realising the dog that had found his way into her front garden so many years before had been a gift from her father at a time Marissa needed companionship the most.
The adult crouched down and patted the ground next to her a couple of times and Sparky sat down, pressing his body against the daughter of Apollo, who had since sat down fully on the ground. I
She stroked his head a couple of times, closing her eyes and feeling a sense of familiarity she hadn't felt in years.
Typically, the moment didn't last long as she quickly realised the predicament, she was stuck in.
The rest of the camp thought Sparky was a monster, patrolling the borders waiting for the right time to strike and get inside to massacre them all and that Marissa was out to kill him, not to reconcile with an old friend from before she knew she was a demigod.
The daughter of Apollo pushed herself up off the floor only to bend down again so as to knot a spare bowstring to Sparky's collar to create a makeshift lead.
"C'mon boy." Marissa said and Sparky ran forward nearly pulling Marissa over. Together, the pair headed back through the border.
At the Big House
Marissa led Sparky up the steps and towards Chiron's office.
She knocked twice and stepped away from the door. A sound of scuffling and a clip-clop of hooves led Marissa to believe Chiron was coming to the door.
The old door creaked as it opened to reveal Chiron in wheelchair form. He smiled and beckoned Marissa and Sparky inside.
"Marissa, what can I do for you?"
The daughter of Apollo looked towards Sparky and replied "Um, this is Sparky, he used to be with my dog when I was still living with my mother. I also just found out he was actually a gift from my dad."
Chiron sat quietly for a second as if he were contemplating what to do next and what actions needed to be taken.
A golden lyre appeared over Sparky's head and another note materialised on Chiron's desk.
Chiron picked it up.
'Does this make it easier?'
"Thank you, Lord Apollo. Well, um, Marissa meet your new cabin mate. Sparky the Jack Russell."
The daughter of Apollo smiled, and Sparky wagged his tail so much it looked as though he was about to take off into the sky, apart from the fact that they were inside, not outside.
In the distance a conch horn blared, signalling the start of dinner.
"Marissa go fetch your cabin and keep the new member of the Apollo cabin in check." Chiron said as he wheeled himself towards the door opening it for the girl and the dog. Only when they left, did he follow. But he did get up out of the wheelchair before heading to the dining pavilion.
At the Dining Pavilion
"Good evening everyone. Before we eat our dinner, Mr. D. and I have a few announcements, Mr. D." Chiron gestured at the god and Dionysus eventually got up, reluctantly.
"Hello demigods. Good to see that you're not all dead, blah, blah, blah. Announcements, yes, uh, don't die, don't explode toilets," This was said with a pointed look at the one and only Perseus Jackson, "And that's it, I hope I never have to see any of your miserable faces again. If you annoy me, I will end you or turn you into a dolphin, you chose. Goodbye demigods. Stay alert or die."
By the end of Mr. D.'s speech several campers were positively terrified of the God.
Chiron stepped forward and cleared his throat, "Ah, thank you Mr. D. for that wonderful, moral boosting speech. Tonight, there will be a Capture the flag game after dinner so remember, no maiming or killing, especially you, Ares Cabin. Now, lastly, there is a new, non-demigod member of the Apollo cabin. His name is Sparky, and he is a Jack Russell. He was originally Marissa's from before she knew that she was a demigod. Thank you."
The Apollo Cabin chatted animatedly between themselves though Marissa, by far, was smiling the brightest.
"Now, our offerings to the gods and after, you may eat!"
With that Chiron sat down in his seat and dinner went smoothly for the rest of the night.
Heading back to the Cabin
Dinner had finished a couple of hours ago and capture the flag had ended minutes ago. Most of the Apollo cabin were dead on their feet, healing and shooting arrows is a very tiring activity.
Marissa led her siblings back to Cabin 7 where most of her siblings went to lie down on their beds, not even bothering to change out of camp clothes.
The rest who were still up sat at desks or on the floor, writing, reading, listening to music, or playing with the newest member of the Apollo Cabin family.
Though to be honest everyone eventually stopped what they were doing, even trying to sleep, to have a chance to be attacked by love and affection by the Jack Russell.
However, overall, Marissa was the one who got the most attention – by both dog and campers – because she was the one who technically owned the dog yet was also the responsible adult who told them all (Her siblings) to get their asses into bed when it was three hours past curfew.