Beginning Notes

I'm back. That's right! Back at it again. As always, oc's belong to sketchywolf, the rest to Rick Riordan.

Maximus

Maximus still can't quite process what's going on. First, they got attacked, then they lost their dad, and now they found their best friend from when they were five at a random summer camp.

'So, uh, do we like have to pay for this summer camp?' he asks.

Percy lets out a laugh. 'Pay? Of course not! It's not like we chose this to happen.'

'Yeah, about that, you're being pretty mysterious. Can we please get some answers?' Cassandra asks.

'You'll get them in a minute, I just need to get Chiron and Mr. D. I'm kind of new too.'

'Chiron,' she repeats. 'Hey Max, don't you feel like we've heard that somewhere before?'

Maximus thinks about it for a moment. She was right. He probably heard it in one of their homeschool lessons. Maybe history.

They get to a big, blue barn house, and walk inside.

'Hey, Chiron, we've got some visitors,' Percy says.

A man in a wheelchair comes rolling into the room. 'Visitors?'

'Well, yeah, I guess you could say that,' Maximus says.

'Did a satyr bring them?' the man asks Percy.

'I don't know sir, I found them in the forest.'

Cassandra is mumbling to herself, but Maximus can't quite hear what she's saying.

'What is it Cassie?' he asks.

'Chiron, satyr, I swear, it's something we've talked about in homeschool with Dad,' she answers.

'I know, maybe it was history.'

'Greek?' the man suggests.

Maximus still hasn't quite figured it out when Cassie says:

'Of course! Chiron, the centaur who trained some of the greatest heroes, like Achilles and Jason. And satyrs, animals of nature, half goat, half human.'

'Oh, yeah!' Maximus says, only now remembering. 'So I take it you're Chiron?'

The man in the wheelchair nods.

'I don't mean to be rude, but where's...?' Cassie asks.

'My other half? Hidden in the wheelchair, this is my mortal disguise,' Chiron explains.

'Oh... So, wait... If you're real, does that mean that Kronos is real too? And the gods? And all the other mythological beings?' Maximus asks.

'Unfortunately, yes,' Percy says. 'I mean, it's not unfortunate that my dad is Poseidon, that's pretty cool, but the monsters are... not that cool.'

Maximus takes a deep breath. 'Okay, so since all of this is real, please explain. WHAT IS GOING ON?'

'Okay... I'll be going now, I'll leave this up to you Chiron. Bye!' And with that, Percy is gone.

Chiron shakes his head lightly. 'So, as you might have noticed, mythological beings are real. And you two have come here, because you're demigods,' he starts.

Maximus thought about that for a moment. Demigods. Demi-gods. Half-gods. We're half gods?

Cassie must have come to the same conclusion as him, for they both say that last part at the same time.

'Yes. And I heard you two were homeschooled by your father?'

They both nod.

'Ah, then that must mean that your mother is a Greek goddess.'

Maximus' eyes widen in surprise. He realizes that it could be true. Their mother had left them almost right after she gave birth. But still. Half gods? That was a bit hard for him to take in.

He looks at Cassie, but she just shrugs.

'This is not abnormal,' Chiron says.

Maximus tries to look like he's not shocked, but he doesn't really think it's working.

'Sometimes, the gods have children with mortals, like you two. They're called demigods, or half-bloods. And this is a special camp where you can train and learn to use your powers.'

'But who is our mother?' Cassie asks.

That's not quite the first thing Maximus would have said, he thinks. There's too much going on inside his head at the moment.

'That is uncertain. Until you are claimed by your parent, nobody really knows.'

'So you know our mother is a Greek goddess, you just don't know which one?' Maximus asks.

'Exactly.'

...

Chiron shows them around the camp, but Maximus can't focus on anything he's saying.

All those years he wished to be special like all his favorite heroes from his favorite books, and now it was real. But he wasn't so sure he actually liked it that much.

He puts his hands in the pockets of his black hunting jacket, one of the things their mother left behind.

What if there was a war, and they had to fight in it? It all seemed so cool, but now? Now he's not really sure what to think of all this.

'Max, you okay?' Cassie asks.

'Yeah...' he lies.

'Sure?'

'Sure.'

When Chiron is finished with the tour, Percy and a blond, athletic looking girl walk over to them.

'So, what do you guys think?' Percy asks.

'It's something to get used to,' Cassie says.

'I don't know. I mean, it's cool and everything, but I just don't know if I'm ready to fight monsters and stuff,' Maximus admits.

'I totally understand, I ran away from home when I was seven,' the blond girl says. 'Oh, I'm Annabeth by the way.'

'Nice to meet you,' Maximus says, giving her a smile.

When he looks at Cassie, she's rolling her eyes at Annabeth.

'Hey, Cassie?' he asks.

'Hm?' she says, looking at him.

Their silver eyes meet, and he knows something is going on.

'Oh, you just looked like you were going to fall asleep,' he says, hoping that his save sounds convincing enough.

'Yeah, I'm really tired,' Cassie plays along.

'Maybe you two should get some rest before dinner,' Annabeth suggests.

'But we don't know who our mother is, so how are we supposed to know what our cabin is?' Maximus asks.

'About that, until you get claimed, you usually stay in the Hermes cabin, since Hermes is you know, god of travelling,' Percy explains. 'C'mon, I'll show you guys.'

The walk to the Hermes cabin.

'Sis, what's going on?'

'Nothing,' Cassie says.

Maximus knows she's lying. The way she looked at Annabeth, that's not the way you look at someone you just met when nothing is going on.

'Cassie,' he tries again.

'I'll tell you later.'

He nods.

They enter the Hermes cabin, and are overwhelmed by everything that's inside:

The cabin is packed with demigods, and there are spare mattresses everywhere.

A tall blond guy walks over to them.

'Hey, Percy!' he says. 'What's up?'

'Hey, Luke! You know how I got claimed and left you guys behind?'

'Yeah, you got a whole fucking cabin to yourself.'

'Yep! And lucky you, I found you two newbies to hang around with,' Percy jokes.

The guy, Luke, looks over at them and nods for them to come in.

'Okay, so, as you can see, it's pretty busy in here, but try to feel at home 'kay? We don't bite,' Luke jokes.

'But where are we supposed to sleep?' Maximus asks. He can't spot a free mattress, let alone two.

'We'll make it fit,' Luke says. 'What are your names?'

'Maximus.'

Cassie doesn't answer at first, so Maximus looks over at her and lifts an eyebrow.

'... Cassandra,' she says, eventually.

Then Luke whistles, which gets everyone's attention. 'Alright you guys, let's welcome Maximus and Cassandra to the gang!'

Everyone cheers, and Maximus can't help but smile. Maybe being a half-blood isn't too bad at all. If it means he can hang out and make some friends, and maybe get to learn how to use cool powers. That would be dope.

...

After dinner, when everyone is at the campfire, Maximus stays in the Hermes cabin. He needs to talk to Cassie. Alone.

'Hey, Cassie, what's it with the side-eyeing everyone?' he asks.

They're sitting on their mattresses- somehow there was still room for two more- and Maximus is looking at Cassie.

'Nothing.'

'Cassie, please. I know it's not nothing.'

Cassie is silent for a while, then she finally looks up at Maximus. She shakes her blond bangs- she only dyed those, the rest of her hair was still auburn- from her face.

'I don't know. I just don't like them,' she says.

'Who?'

'Annabeth. How she just randomly says she ran away. And Luke...'

'Okay, yeah, Annabeth is a little annoying, but she's still nice. But what's wrong with Luke. He seems like such a genuinely good guy,' Maximus says.

'I don't trust him. He gives me bad vibes,' Cassie says, looking around her, as if checking if nobody else is listening.

'He gives you bad vibes?' he asks her disbelievingly.

'Yeah. Every time he's near, my gut is just yelling at me to run,' she explains.

'Maybe your gut is wrong?'

'My gut is always right.' Cassie then gets up to leave.

Maximus sighs. He really doesn't want things to change between them, just because they discovered that they're demigods.

End Notes

Well, that was that. So yeah, I guess I'll see y'all in the next chapter. And go check out my awesome beta lovelylittlelion on AO3. Okay, byeee :)