A/N: You know... You can review. I don't bite. Much.

Well, in this chapter Clay and Candice talk about their thoughts of gods and camp and stuff. There is some mild-bashing but mostly rational thoughts and justified opinions. I tried to be fair even though the gods are quite unfair.

I also try to explore a bit the sibling bond between Clay and Luna as well as Clay's demigod abilities... Or something.

Chapter 9: In which there is time and place for everything

The waiting game began. Or something similar to it. The gods were tense in apprehension or anticipation. Hard to tell which it was really. They were surprisingly quiet about the matter. They were waiting for any sign to know which stone would be gone this time. What I heard from the few whispers between the Olympians, the winds matched the heist of Godless Stone scale. Apparently it had been calmer when some random gemstone had been taken and later returned. Well, it wasn't like I knew what was going on in my sister's head…

Despite the fact she was currently in my head.

You heard it. She was in my head. More or less. What little she told in the midst of the heist, she had went to library again as soon as the school let her out and went to look for information about the stones. Thus discovering about the telepathy function and now testing it. The poking I'd felt since morning had been her testing the… 'radio waves' so she had the correct recipient. Well, as long as the gods couldn't hijack the connection I was fine with this. After all she couldn't read my thoughts with it, only what I sent her. Like a chatroom. Quite handy actually.

"What's your target?" I decided to ask her once I got bored in the anxious and hushed silence of the Throne Room. The Stolls weren't wreaking havoc yet so I didn't need to keep them still. I could only wonder how long the peace would last. On either part really.

"Like I'm telling you." Luna scoffed and wind caressed her skin again. Was she in good terms with the Anemoi now? "It's something special though. Not a regular Stone."

"Okay…"

"Hush now, I need to concentrate." The wind was gone now. Maybe she had gone inside her target building?

"This will lead to nothing." Hera stated right then. "Let's end this meeting. I have better things to do now. And I'm sure some of you want to spend time with your offspring." She sneered. I was glad I didn't see her face since while surely beautiful she was, sneers had the bad habit of contorting even prettiest of faces to quite the hideous form. I doubted even Aphrodite could pull it off properly. If only because of the context of the expression.

"Yes…" Zeus agreed with his wife. I always wondered why he married her. I mean… what I read of the myths, he chose her because no one else wanted to be his wife after what happened to Metis and the other women weren't queen material, just threw themselves at his feet or were one night stands… So basically Hera was the last resort who didn't really even want to marry him in the beginning but was tricked into it. Something about taking care of a cuckoo bird that was injured and eventually telling it 'love ya'. Turned out Zeus was the cuckoo bird, so marriage ahoy! Idiotic if you ask me. But they wouldn't ask and I wouldn't tell. I didn't want to get smote after all. But don't get me started on marrying your own sister… The incest that is and was the Greek mythology practically sickens me. Thankfully I could skip the history lessons now after I'd given sufficient proof of my knowledge.

"The meeting is adjourned." Somewhere a gong echoed. At least I thought it was a gong despite it being Chinese percussion instrument. It surely sounded like a gong…

My thoughts came to a halt when we were being ushered out of our seats. Of course it was right for us to remain seated when the gods stood up. Higher standing and respect and some such. I remembered when Luna and our mother watched Pride and Prejudige, there was a scene during which mother explained that it wasn't right for men to sit down while women stood and the same went with younger-older comparison too. Or alternatively demigod-god scale. Yeah. Most of the Olympians left the Throne room immediately. Hades did too. Meanwhile another woman had arrived. She was dressed in the same green than Hecate's Eye was… Hmm… Maybe she was the Goddess of Magic herself, Lou Ellen's mother.

Chiron said we had sort of free time now. To talk with our godly parent for the first time or whatever. I didn't really care. I was more concerned about Luna. What images and thoughts she sent me, told she was doing just fine. She was in some sort of armory part of a museum, sneaking around guards.

"Psst, Clay…" Connor leaned towards me with a mischievous look on his face.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think…-?" But whatever he was about to say, was interrupted by Malcom.

"The Unholy Alliance better not be plotting anything suspicious!"

"Malcom!" Travis groaned.

"We weren't planning anything!" Connor added.

"Yeah, sure." Candice snorted. The tension and formality from before was now effectively broken.

"The Unholy… Alliance?" Athena frowned with a strange look in her eyes. Was it amusement?

"That's what cabin six calls those three." Kayla snickered. "Ever since Clay was banned from Capture the Flag and ganged up with Stolls…"

"Not to mention his latest prank…" Lou Ellen grinned. She was about to continue but Samuel had clapped hands over her mouth. This drew amused look from Hermes and excited titter from Aphrodite. Meanwhile Hecate just lurked nearby, waiting for a chance to greet her daughter.

"Are you crazy?" Samuel hissed to her ear. "You'd be writing Clay's death sentence." Lou's eyes widened and she nodded rapidly. I let out a sigh of relief before composing myself.

"I swear I won't be doing anything suspicious during this trip; I already have these two idiots to babysit." I slapped both Stolls at the back of their heads. "But Malcom, you just had to bring up that name? I thought you were more tolerable sort of your fellow fledglings…" I frowned at the boy who glared back. For my luck Athena didn't take offence at my subtle jab at her children. Well, considering that quarrels were so common between the cabins at the camp I shouldn't have been concerned. But better safe than sorry, right?

The group dispersed then. Mirco and Clarisse followed Ares to training grounds while Apollo no doubt went to show the Sun Chariot to Lee and Kayla. The Stolls and Samuel began telling Hermes immediately about the recent happenings at the camp and their life in general, and took seats on the chairs we demigods had used. Though the messenger god did transfigure his chair into a miniature version of his throne. The rest of the group scattered to ever which way. Except Candice and I. Even Chiron had gone to find some of his acquaintances to talk with. Probably the centaur's former student or something.

I looked at Candice. The girl sighed with slumped shoulders.

"Situations like this always remind me that my parent is still yet to claim me."

"Parent? Don't you even know which…?" I trailed off when she shook her head.

"No. I used to live with my aunt. She had brother and sister who died in a car crash. Next day little baby-me was at her house with a short note explaining what I am and about the camp. Auntie tried to ignore it especially since it wasn't signed… But eventually monsters began appearing. She drove me all the way here when I was ten. That was four years ago. Apart from Iris messages, I haven't seen her since." Candice sighed again. "But even she doesn't know which one of her siblings I belonged to. Or then she didn't want to think about it as that was the case more often than not."

"I'm sorry." I said because there really wasn't anything else for me to say. Many demigods came from tricky situations and I knew Candice's story was far from the worst while it wasn't very good either. I could understand where she was coming from with her attitude. "Would you like to take a walk?" I offered my arm. She gave me a wry smile but linked her arm with mine anyways.

"Why not? We shouldn't waste an opportunity."

We headed out of the Throne room and towards the stalls we'd seen earlier. Maybe we could buy some souvenirs… If the prices weren't completely outrageous. On the way we chatted a bit this and that. She enquired my thoughts about my godly parent. I replied honestly that I wasn't in hurry. After all there was so many other kids waiting to be claimed and even more would be on the upcoming summer.

"Besides… I have my sister. She is brilliant and has always been there for me. Nothing can come between us. Then there is our mother. I don't know anyone more loving despite being strict, too. Except maybe Lady Hestia." Candice quirked an eyebrow. I coughed nervously. "I… I met her this morning when others were still asleep. We talked a bit."

"Clay Gavin… You definitely defy all the expectations."

"Yeah. I suppose I do."

"What about rest of your family?"

"Well… There is Luna's father. But I've always called him my dad." Because he really was. "I knew we weren't blood related but it never really mattered. He was the father I needed. And still need. I'm planning to get some sort of permission to come and go as I please. The transportation isn't the problem for me, just permission. I want to go home and see my family." Even if they are only photos.

"The camp isn't your home yet, is it?" Candice asked gently. I shook my head.

"No, it isn't. At least not yet. I miss my family way too much. This is only a place to stay. Mum told me that she has experienced the same when she was studying at college. The apartment where she lived at the campus was just that. An apartment. Not a home. What about you?"

"I… Auntie's house was my home. But I think Camp is my home now too. It'd be nice to meet her again though." She bit her lip. "Auntie makes the world's best apple pie. She always sends some for my birthdays but it isn't the same that eating it fresh from the oven."

We arrived to the stalls and began to peruse the selection. The prices were quite high for a regular demigod. Especially of those from the collectables like of the Hercules busts heads –series. So from there we continued to the gardens. This time our subject of the quests.

"Luke is the last one to get a quest. He got two other demigods with him, son of Ares and daughter of Demeter. They didn't return and even Luke didn't escape unscathed."

"The scar on his face."

"Yeah. If he hadn't had the enchanted shoes he got from Hermes for the quest that the god himself assigned, Luka probably would've died too." Candice shook her head sadly. "The quest was a suicide since the beginning. Lord Hermes just couldn't come up with anything else. All gods look at Hercules and his achievements in awe. Think the stuff he did is easy for us to do even though he was overpowered since the beginning, not even remotely human. He did feats that we can only dream of. Or have nightmares of. I think Chiron was right in banning the quests. At least until the gods realize to be more reasonable with them."

"I wonder how long that will take." I remarked dryly. "Gods are quite stagnant beings. While they may adjust to modern times, they still remain exactly the same with the same ideals and thought-patterns than during the ancient times."

"Yes. And I don't…" Candice seemed to think about her answer for a while. "I want to go on a guest. Someday. Maybe some random monster hunt if they are terrorizing mortals of something. Not an impossible task for the amusement of the gods. But I'm not in hurry either. I don't get that Athena girl's, Annabeth's, insistence to get out of Camp. While she arrived even before me, she is still young. She should enjoy the life she has now, maybe even go to school. Camp does have funds and her father is alive despite her insistence otherwise."

"I think… I think that must be something to do with her fatal flaw." I suggested lightly. Candice shot me a look.

"Well, it's quite obvious what it is then."

"Yes, it is." I nodded as we approached one of the marble benches in the garden. It was quiet and serene there despite the festives that would no doubt take place all around Olympus. Candice took a seat on it and I sat next to her.

"The system is faulty." She stated then. "The system at the camp. How our cabin is overcrowded and not even ours. How everyone has to wait so long. How even if you are claimed, you might never get out of cabin eleven…"

"How people stereotype you based on your parent. How you are expected to follow your parents footsteps in whom to like and be friends with…" I continued.

"How everything is so restricted. Never leaving the camp unless it's a trip like this. Not knowing what happens in the real world but what makes to the papers. No contact with old friends, ever…" The girl sighed and flipped her hair.

"No entertainment but campsongs and humiliation of others. No electronics 'cause then monsters will find us. No adult figures in life but a drunkard and ancient horse…" I shrugged before crossing my arms. Our complaining began sounding like lyrics of a song.

"It sucks to be a demigod. It sucks to live life of danger…" Candice threw a smirk in my direction. I grinned back. My foot was beating a rhythm against the marble tiles forming pathways on the grass.

"It sucks to compete all the time. It sucks to praise gods who don't give a damn…"

"They exist only because of us and we exist because of them. It's a vicious cycle that we can't break."

"A vicious cycle that they don't want to break. A vicious cycle we are stuck in."

"But I'm just fine. And my actions are entirely justified." Dayum, she actually could sing. I doubted she was Apollo's daughter though.

"I don't need immoral immortals in my life." Mediocre singing from my part then. Nah, I was alright. I just didn't like singing.

"I just gotta prove my point. I just gotta make a stand."

"I just gotta fight on my fa~ther's land."

"This is just me. This is right now." Candice laid a hand on her heart and looked up at me pleadingly. I didn't know if it was 'finish these lyrics already' or 'I'm right here, lyrics say so and I'm acting them out'. Well… It was the time to wrap it up then.

"This is what we believe. And what we'll shout cle~ar and loud."

Tada. It was over. I glanced at Candice and we both began chuckling at our silliness.

"That was a good song." She grinned. "You should write it up and give the lyrics to rest of your siblings."

"Why me? Wait-!" I began in indignation only to my thoughts to come an abrupt halt when I caught up what she was saying. "You…"

"While some people at the camp are clueless of your parentage, it has been obvious to me ever since the first archery lesson. You were failing on purpose, not doing your best, and I can see things like that." She gave me 'oh, please' –look. "I've got lot of money in the betting pool so you better be who I think you are. I do not like losing and if I lose you won't like the consequences."

I raised an amused eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah?"

"Hell yeah." She glared.

"Alright then." I shrugged and got on my feet. "Fancy exploring more?"

"It's not like I have anything else to do. Everyone else are mingling with their parents." The girl snorted. "Very strategic of Chiron. Make sure that as many claimed children are with him so as few as possible will be unsupervised when the Council meeting is over…"

"And it serves as an ego boost to the Olympians too. 'Look, here is your kids. You are good parents since you have claimed them and they wanted to come and see you'."

"And the kids will just lap it up because it is probably the first time that they ever meet their godly parent. Basking in the presence of divine. What about the unclaimed and of minor gods? We are just pushed aside! It's so unfair."

I could see this was going to dangerous waters. I didn't want Candice to fall into Luke's clutches like Ethan, Silena, Alabaster and others…

"But since when we had to care?" I asked, pocketing my hands. "Yeah, it's a bit uncomfortable at the crowded cabin but what does it matter? In the end the gods are minor part of our lives. Just push some food into the fire and send it to a god or goddess of your choice. Learn what we are taught about them. Tolerate Mr. D's presence… And then what? We have each other. In the end we can do whatever we want to. Maybe someday leave the camp and live like a regular mortal. Even if it sucks to be a demigod~."

"You are right. Maybe one day I can leave and meet auntie again. I'd like to go to school again. Learn to read and write properly. I heard that the Hecate kids are combining efforts with Apollo and Hephaestus cabins to make eyeglasses to bypass dyslexia." She smiled. It was a pretty smile. But I wasn't interested in her romantically. She was too young to my tastes despite being physically a year older than I. After all, mentally I was in my late teens already. Eighteen and a bit more…

"That sounds great. I bet Athena cabin especially is ecstatic."

"You bet. Annabeth almost fell off her seat during ancient Greek lesson when Alabaster told about the project." Candice snickered before we headed back to the Council room. It was almost midnight already. Strange how the time seemed to fly.

A dagger. On the next day we heard that the thief Thalassa had stolen a celestial bronze dagger with an aquamarine embed in the handle. The name wasn't in ancient Greek anymore but in modern. Κόφτης Kύμα. The Wave Cutter. Simple name for simple weapon. But what made it interesting was the fact it wasn't remnants of Poseidon's power but that of Triton. The Crown Prince of Atlantis hadn't been too impressed but according to the Lord of the Sea, hadn't reacted much either.

With those news, our group of fifteen demigods were finally given a tour around the Palace. Our tour guide was no other than Hebe, goddess of youth and many other things, former cupbearer, daughter of Zeus and Hera and… what else? Oh yeah! She was also Hercules' wife. Considering there was one or two of her children at the camp, there wasn't much love between the couple. Well, no wonder. She was given practically as a price to him when the pompous fame-leeching incompetent prat died and was granted an immortality. And wasn't it incest in a sense? Hercules was Zeus' son after all… Though the Olympian Royal couple was siblings too… While DNA obviously wasn't a problem to the gods some of the relationships simply sickened me. Like Poseidon sleeping with Gaia. What the hell drove him into it… I really didn't want to know. I used to think that weird Greek myths were just ways to justify ancient Greek people's own habits. Cheating your spouse, marrying your preteen (and virgin) daughter off to a way older man, treating your children unfairly… All of those could be justified if one read a bit of the ancient stories. So yeah. Immoral immortals indeed.

We wandered through the halls and corridors, visited temples and gardens. Hebe explained the sights well and even the Stolls were listening. I guess she could relate to us, being the goddess of youth and all.

"Lunch will be served soon at the guest quarters." Hebe smiled when we exited Demeter's temple. It had been quite a nice one, if a bit plain and grain now on winter time… I was definitely hungry if even my puns were this bad.

On the night was… a party. Bit like the one at the end of Titan's Curse. Everyone was enjoying it. Even I did somewhat. I was never a party person. Neither was Luna. Speaking of which… I should probably contact her.

I closed the notebook to which I had been writing up the song lyrics Candice and I came up on the previous day, and headed out of the party hall. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the said girl talking with a beautiful woman before bursting into tears and hugging her. I smiled faintly at the scene. That was probably her mother then…

Finding myself at the garden again, I sat beneath a willow tree and leaned against the rough bark. I gathered my knees against my chest and wrapped my arms around them.

"Luna…" I thought and tried to concentrate on the feeling I had last time of her but this time I also thought about the warm feeling of home protected by Hestia's wards. It felt like she was just out of my grasp. Considering this was the first time of me contacting her like this… Well, I just needed more practice. And I wasn't even sure if the stone needed be on her person every time we needed to talk. Probably yes.

"Clay!" I winced at the volume when she finally answered. But with a smile I closed my eyes and grasped the strand of light green in my mind. The color was the one connecting us and now that I examined it, I found it similar in color to Green Flash. Or maybe it was the color of the stone… I had to ask Luna later.

"Hello, little sister." I greeted her.

"I'm the older one, Clay. Really." Luna grumbled. There was warmth around her. She was probably at the European styled part of the house, in front of the fireplace.

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not…" She sighed. "I miss you Clay."

"I miss you too, Luna."

"And Christmas is so soon…"

"I'll Iris Message you then, okay?"

"Okay." There was a silence. Then… "I miss you, brother."

"I miss you too."

We spent long moments like this. Just enjoying the presence of each other. Time to time Luna would say 'I miss you' to which I would every time answer 'I miss you too'. She really was lonely. It saddened me I couldn't comfort her any other way.

And in that spot I fell asleep still feeling Luna near me but asleep too.

Next day I found myself waking up in the guest quarters. On breakfast I heard that some nymphs had found me and carried to a bed. I shrugged concerned glances away and soon we were in the elevator on our way to downstairs. It was the time to return to Camp Half-Blood.

There weren't that many event to note afterwards. Only a few that were kept record of for the later days:

-23rd December, 2004: As soon as the group of fifteen reached the inside of the Camp borders, a golden hologram appeared above Candice Williams' head. It consisted a pair of wings and a laurel wreath between them. She was daughter of Nike, the Goddess of Victory.

-28th December, 2004: Thalia Graces's birthday. A flat packet appeared tied on one of the branches of the pine tree. Once Annabeth Chace opened it, she found Green Day's album American Idiot wrapped inside electric blue silk scarf. She stashed them both inside the backpack Thalia had used when they were on the run.

-31st December, 2004: Clay Gavin finally allowed to play Capture the Flag again.

-1st January, 2005: Nine-year old Hannah Summers' father died in a hit and run. She was left with her horrid step-mother who had married the man for money.

-6th January, 2005: Clay Gavin beat Dionysus in Pinochle ten times in a row and got a permission to exit the camp any time he wanted to as long as he informed either the god or Chiron about it.

A/N: Yay, Candice is claimed now. Did anyone quess her godly parent during reading this? I was contemplating for a long time who I'd chose and if I'd reveal it at the end of the chapter but... I think she deserved to be finally claimed. Four years at the camp and no sign of mother. And despite her attitude at the beginning I didn't want her to join Kronos later on. Surname Williams came from Serena and Venus Williams, professional tennis players. I doubt I've described her looks here so you can imagine yourself what she'll look like. Maybe she is black, maybe white... Who knows. Maybe she is good at tennis too.

And no, I'm not pairing him with Clay. She is mentally too young and Clay is sort fo pining after Thalia... Pining. Heh. But Lou Ellen will become an item with Samuel. They simply have that chemistry already. Candice in the other hand may attract our Southern boy Mirco's attention. Maybe.

I want Luna back. Clay missed her too much. And Luna is so alone too... Thankfully, Clay can play pinochle so well...

Who is Hannah Summers then? Any ideas? Stay tuned for the next chapters.

()

Please review. Comments are always welcome as long as they aren't outright flames. Please tell me if something is out of character or otherwise impossible in your opinion. I will correct it or alternatively explain my reasoning. I will always answer in someway though. Don't be shy. I enjoy interracting with my readers. :)