Cora: Wait, I Can Do What?

As I followed Annabeth and Percy out of . . . wherever we were, my eyes never left the necklace that I wore. What had Annabeth called it? A Soul Key? Yes, a Soul Key, so what, it would suddenly jog my memory? Unlikely.

So I was given a tour. And I had to admit, this Camp was pretty amazing. They were telling me about it as they led me to the Commons, which is the field in the centre of all the cabins about the size of a soccer field. The cabins created a complete rectangle; there were a lot of cabins. Only two were empty, some goddesses didn't have kids, so they were honorary. That's what I was told in any case.

My first visit to see the Commons could have been more pleasant. Annabeth and Percy did warn me about Clarisse la Rue, but there was no hiding from that girl. She looked like a professional wrestler or something. Anyway, they were telling me which cabin was for who, as well as introducing me to some of their friends. Such as Piper McLean and Leo Valdez. So my little visit went something like this:

"Hey Piper! Hey Leo!" Annabeth called, waving to two of the many people milling about. They turned towards us, Leo had curly black hair, somewhat pointy ears, and his clothes had grease and scorch marks on them; I instantly labeled him as a son of Hephaestus. Piper had choppy chocolate brown hair with little braids, and as they walked closer I noticed her eyes seemed to have no permanent colour. She was extremely pretty; yes, she was a child of Aphrodite, but she looked completely natural. Both were about the 19 or 20 age.

"Oh, look. There's the Stoll brother," Percy said looking at the Hermes cabin, "Travis! Conner!" he waved at them. They grinned mischievously at each other then joined us.

"Seriously Percy?" Annabeth muttered. "Are you trying to get her robbed?" Percy just grinned sheepishly in reply.

I looked at the four new Demigods as they greeted me. I couldn't help but feel like a child (yes, yes, technically I am, but just ignore that fact) next to them. All of them had survived countless dangers.

"Hey, new girl. My name's Leo, and if you're ever interested in tinkering, just talk to me!" Hmm, Leo was certainly full of himself. Despite the fact he was head councillor of the Hephaestus cabin.

"Leo!" Piper exclaimed giving him a whack on the shoulder, "I doubt she's looking to blow up something. Sorry, uh, what's your name?"

"It's Cora," I replied. I couldn't help the small smile that slid on my face.

"I'm Conner," said the slightly shorter of the twins.

"I'm Travis," said the other. Both had the kind of look in their eyes that said they should not be trusted. They had elfish features: upturned eyebrows and upturned noses. Probably a son of Hermes trademark, good to know.

"So Annabeth, do you know who's daughter she might be?" asked Piper.

"No," Annabeth shook her head. "There's a slight problem regarding that."

"Not another Roman. Please, don't tell us this is another Roman issue," Leo cut in.

"You're one to talk. You and Jason are best friends! And what about Hazel? What would you have against Romans?" Piper snapped.

"Um, this is the second time I've heard the name Jason," I said. "Who is he?" The Stoll Brothers, Piper, and Leo looked at me as if I was a little crazed.

"Seriously? No one told you?" Conner asked me. I shook my head in reply.

"Well," started Travis, "he was the kid who also lost his memory and he was -"

"Um, we'll tell you later," Percy cut him off. I had a feeling this Jason guy had something to do with him.

I just nodded. I might have learned something even more useful about this place; when a loud voice yelled, "Hey! Prissy!"

Everyone around got an expression that did not make me feel very comfortable. Over walked the biggest girl I had ever seen in my life (yeah, yeah, I know I don't have a memory, don't comment). She had stringy brown hair tied back in a bandana. She had cruel eyes and fierce face. She was extremely tall, and she had two cabin members behind her. Something about then was horrifyingly familiar, something that made me nervous.

"Hi, Clarisse," Annabeth sighed. "Look, we're kind of busy so if you'll excuse us . . ."

"Not so fast, who's the new girl?" Clarissa growled.

"Her name is Cora," Percy said, a dangerous edge in his voice. These two clearly did not get along.

"Did ya tell her we have a process?" She smirked.

"Clarisse, stop dunking every kids head in toilets," Piper said. "We have enough problems as it is." You know, it's not exactly comforting to be called a problem.

"Who says I do that? I didn't do that to you, or Leo, or Jason. Besides, she looks like she could -" Clarisse starting to shoot back. But a glare from everyone cut her off.

"Clarisse, we have another problem, you being you doesn't help," Annabeth said.

"Whatever," Clarisse replied. "That isn't going to change anything."

With that, she lunged past everyone and clamped her hand onto my upper arm. This girl had hands like iron. With her grip she could break my arm if she wanted to. She started to drag me away. For some reason no one was interfering. Without thinking I did what I couldn't explain. My body thought for me, I twisted and spun; my hands were raised in a defensive position. Next thing I knew I was standing behind Clarisse who looked liked she hadn't moved.

Everyone was staring at me. Clarisse and her cabin mates glared at me. Before stomping off back to their cabin.

"How did . . ." Conner started in awe.

"I – I don't know. It just happened," I told them. They looked at me with new interest.

"Well, however you did that; it was awesome!" Leo exclaimed. I looked at him.

"Okay, however that happened, it'll probably stay a mystery," Annabeth said. "But we should probably continue on the tour. Come on Cora, let's go." Annabeth walked away from the cabins towards the lake. She seemed a little disconnected. Percy followed and motioned for me. I had no choice but to go. I didn't really want to get lost.

Down at the lake, you could see most of Camp. Only the western side wasn't fully visible. That was where the stables and armoury were. Well, so said Percy. Annabeth was off deep in thought.

We were standing on the dock. Percy put his arm around Annabeth and she pressed in closer. I turned my attention to the lake and its far side. To my right I saw the arts & crafts, volleyball courts, and if I looked far enough, I could clearly make out the Big House. To my left, the amphitheatre and further down, sadly out of sight, was the climbing wall.

Behind me Percy and Annabeth had started talking in undertones. I looked down into the lake. The glittering water, calm and soothing. I suddenly had a strong urge to just dive in. I looked over the water.

I noticed my reflection. I stared, because as weird as it sounded, I had no idea what I looked like. My eyes were the same sea green as Percy. My hair, it looked like it was made of fire. That's how bright it was, and there were streaks of bright glittering blue. I couldn't help but wonder over it. I had hard, angled eyebrows, and my nose was a little upturned and rounded. I stared harder into the water, and then I noticed two people.

They were teenage girls. Their brown hair was floating in the water, they had on green shirts and blue jeans. They were both weaving baskets. My eyes swept over them. Naiads, said that annoying voice in my head. Seriously, it seemed to know everything, but it never did come when I wanted it. I should get my head checked.

The girls looked up at me, and there was hatred in their eyes. I swallowed, water people mad at me, great.

"What are you doing here?" one sneered. I blinked, stunned. But that was quickly replaced.

"What are you talking about?" I shot back. Why was I suddenly a little angry?

"You know, why are you here?" the second growled.

"Uh, it's called 'getting a tour'. I'm pretty sure you've seen it before," I replied. My random burst of anger was forgotten, just like my past.

Behind me, Percy and Annabeth had become silent. I turned to face them. They were staring at me like I had just dropped from space.

"How . . . how did you . . . ?" Percy stuttered.

"What? What did I do?" I asked them. I had no idea what was going on.

"You just talked to Naiads," Annabeth said.

"Um, Oo-kay," I mumbled.

"In their native tongue. No one can ever understand it. Much less speak it," she informed me. I stared at her in disbelief.

"Well I can a little," Percy said half to himself.

"Aside from you. Your dad is the Sea God, it's only natural," Annabeth told him.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't talk or hear any other language. I was speaking normally," I told them.

"Oh Styx, this can't be good," Annabeth mumbled.

"What can't be good? What are you talking about?" I asked. I was completely lost.

Turning to Percy she said, "You go and get Jason, okay Seaweed Brain?" He nodded and sprinted off to the cabins.

"Um, seriously, who is this Jason guy?" I half asked, half begged her.

"Later, right now, you need to talk to Chiron, let's go," Annabeth grabbed my hand, and raced off to Big House dragging me with her.

When we got there, Chiron was in wheelchair form playing some card game with invisible players. Pinochle, said that voice in my head. Shut up! I screamed back to it. Chiron frowned and put down his cards. The strange invisible players also dropped the cards.

"What is it?" Chiron asked. I looked helplessly at Annabeth. I still didn't get what she had been talking about.

"Chiron, Cora just spoke to Naiads. In their own language," Annabeth informed him. He frowned even deeper.

"Did you really?" he asked me. I sighed and shook my head.

"I have no idea what she means," I admitted.

"Really?" he paused. "This is the truth?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I have no idea what is going on."

"Remarkable," he muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"I just spoke to you in Latin, and you reply back with no effort," he said. I stared at him.

"What? No, you didn't speak in another language. You were speaking in English," I said stating the obvious.

"My dear, I wasn't speaking English. I'm afraid I must believe that wherever you grew up, you were taught to speak in more than one language," Chiron told me softly. I looked back and forth between Annabeth and Chiron. I was so confused. This couldn't be happening.