Sisters' Dream

"I can make pictures come to life!" Aimi gushed to Drew at their new table during dinner. "Silena told me."

They were seated near Esme, Chad, and Alynna. Arlynne, Terry, Tyler, Silena as well as a few more siblings that Drew hadn't met were on the other side of the table.

"Oh yeah, you have Pygmalion's gift," Esme chirped. "It's even rarer than Charmspeak. You do know the tale of Pygmalion?"

Aimi shook her head. Drew hadn't heard of it either.

"I love this story. Can I tell it?" Chad blurted.

"Go ahead," Alynna laughed. "It's not like we can stop you."

Chad let a wild grin.

"It all starts with this man named Pygmalion. He was an artist like your sister. Only he had a problem. He liked women but no woman was ever good enough for him. He had this vision of his ideal woman, and no one matched up to her. Naturally, he came to an ingenious solution. Why didn't he create her?

"He spent ages crafting her and getting her right. Finally, she was done. The most beautiful, incredible, awe-inspiring woman that ever existed. Only there was a tiny problem."

Chad paused for dramatic effect.

"You see, she was a statue. Now for some people it would stop there. After all, realism is supposed to win over fantasy. But that never stopped Pygmalion. No! He fell deeper in love with his statue by the day. He stared at her longingly day in and day out. Unrequited love is a terrible thing."

"-We know Chad-"

"I mean how could she return his love? She was but a statue. Still, Pygmalion was not one to give up on even the impossible. So, he decided to see about having her brought to life. The only ones who could make her real were the gods, so after a little bit of thinking, he resolved to ask the goddess he thought would be the most sympathetic. After all who knows more about unobtainable love than our mother, Aphrodite herself. So, Pygmalion devoted himself to our mother and begged her for just a tiny favor. He prayed for his true love and then one day-"

"Yeah, we know," Alynna interrupted. "He prayed to Mom and Mom took pity on the poor sucker. Mom brought the statue to life and let the two of them live happily ever after. Those with Pygmalion's gift can bring their art to life temporarily."

"If you ask me, Mom only agreed because she's a sucker for hopeless romances," Esme yawned.

"I'm a sucker for hopeless romances," Chad pouted.

"And that's why your Momma's boy," Esme retorted.

The entire table dissolved into a twittering of good-natured giggles.

"But I wasn't don't telling the story."

"Yeah well, I didn't want dinner to finish before we actually got to the point." Alynna wagged her knife at Chad.

"You never let me finish."

"That's because you take too long."

"Aimi," Esme chirped interrupting the two siblings. "You have the gift. You're probably the first to have it in centuries!"

Aimi blushed.

"What do you want to use it on?" Chad asked. Drew found it amusing how quickly his annoyance had vanished.

Aimi squirmed.

"Darling, you don't have to know right now," Drew comforted her sister.

"I just haven't thought about it."

"Oooh, maybe you could bring all my fictional crushes to life," Esme sighed. "I would finally get to meet my Mr. Darcy."

"Oh, I uh…" Aimi blushed.

"You're still not over that crush?" Bria sat down placing a massive bag of cosmetics next to her. "Pride and Prejudice is so last summer."

"How dare you!" Esme blushed. "I will fight you over that comment. I'll have you know the two of us have a very palpable connection. No one understands me like Mr. Darcy."

"I don't think Aimi could bring Mr. Darcy to life for you anyway," Chad interrupted. "Only Mom can bring artwork to life permanently. The gift of Pygmalion lasts so long as the enchanter wills it."

"Doesn't mean she can't try. I would kill to spend even one evening with him," Esme pouted. "Do you think we'll be able to talk Director T. into showing us Pride and Prejudice this summer?"

"Ooh! I hope so," Bria bounced happily.

"What happened to Pride and Prejudice being so last summer?" Alynna teased.

"Kiera Knightly happened," Bria sighed loudly. "She is my queen. I would literally die for her, no joke."

"I think you're all missing the point though. Aimi's gift will be really helpful for the war. We'll finally be able to be noticed for doing something."

The table quieted. Bria physically paled.

"Way to be a spoilsport Chad," Alynna pouted.

"War?" Drew asked nervously.

"It's nothing to worry about," Alynna sighed. "It's just a bunch of rumors."

"It's not just a bunch of rumors, Lynni," Bria protested. "A former head counselor went rogue is trying to take down Olympus. They say he stole from the gods themselves."

"They're also saying he tried to kill a twelve-year-old!" Alynna scoffed. "It's probably just a big prank. He was a notorious son of Hermes, and everyone knows that bunch are just a bunch of incorrigible pranksters."

"But he did!" Bria teared up. "I was there. You all know I'm a year-rounder. I saw the kid. His complexion was horrible. Chiron looked terrified. I still have nightmares about it. If someone as respected as Luke can go bad, who else can?"

"That's so hard to imagine though," Alynna frowned. "He was always so sweet and I'm not just saying that because he was so hot that anyone with eyes would melt looking at him."

"He wasn't that attractive," Bria protested. "Even still, he tried to kill a camper. Attractive or not, that shouldn't be excusable."

"A little danger never hurt anyone," Esme rolled her eyes. "Besides, he was a head counselor, how could he have gone bad? I am sure it was just a big misunderstanding… I mean, he was one of the few people who actually treated our cabin with respect. He couldn't have gone bad."

"I mean, I don't…"

The table awkwardly quieted completely.

"Anyhow, anyone want to sneak out to watch that new Tristan Mclean movie tonight?"

"I can't," Bria sighed. "I got border patrol tonight."

"Ooh, tough luck."

"I just hope someone heals that dumb tree soon, I hate living in fear of monster attacks again."

"Don't we all?"

A shimmering rainbow suddenly appeared. A tired, exhausted boy about Drew's age stood holding a sword. The back of a tall blonde adult man faced him. If it weren't for the suddenly tense atmosphere and baited breaths of the campers, Drew would have thought it a poorly staged attempt at dinner entertainment. Drew, along with the rest of camp, watched Luke admit to being a traitor and poisoning the tree. Still, that paled compared to the director, Tantalus, vanishing. Drew happily joined the rest of her cabinmates with a standing ovation at that. No one was sure when the rainbow had vanished.

"That must mean they got the golden fleece," Alynna cheered. "We're saved."

"I told you all Luke was evil," Bria smiled evilly. "Pay up!"

Alynna tossed her a few drachmas.

Bria pocketed them quickly. "Wait, do you think I still have sentry duty tonight?"

The answer it turned out, was yes.

A/N: Hello! This chapter was sponsored by incessant writing fever. Let me know what y'all think! (Author lives off feedback)