Author's Note:
A HUGE thank you to those who reviewed, as well as those who favorited and followed! I cannot think of anything that makes me happier than opening my mail and seeing notifications! (Well, other than playing with puppies and kittens and hanging with my family.) I appreciate each and every one of your guys' reviews. It makes school a lot more bearable for me, haha!
For this chapter, things are changed for a bit. This represents memories [this is Riley's POV] and regular text is current time. Surprisingly, Pollux was the most easiest to write despite him being on the list of characters I don't really care about. I had planned this at 1000 words but it kinda spiraled out of control. Like all my other projects... Oh, does anyone know Pollux's last name?
(Kristophela got me hooked to It's Quiet Uptown from Hamilton as well as their song Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Stories. They're my new favorite songs and I wrote Pollux listening to the second song-well, actually only the first minute. I keep replaying that part cause I love it.)
Chapter 7: Pollux - Grudge
[Pollux stood on top of Half Blood Hill, hand on Thalia's trunk, finger tracing unrecognizable patterns on the bark. He paused when I came up to him. "Hi, Pollux! My name is Riley and I was wondering if I could-"]
No.
[And Pollux was heading back down to the camp. I stood on the hill for a few seconds, watching him walk away. "Rude," I muttered under my breath and switched my camcorder off.]
In the middle of the night, amongst the snoring children, a figure stood by a bed hosting a certain 11 year old. He bends and rummages through the drawer, cursing silently at the clangs and clatters. He found the object and disappear, leaving behind a smell of fermented grapes.
He travels to Olympus, to a simple house, knocking harshly on the wooden door. A woman, Mnemosyne, answers with a yawn. The man holds up the camcorder. "Can you implant the memories in here?"
She teases, "You ask me of such a simple task? Shame, I thought you know I'm more powerful than that."
"Can you do it or not? I need to give this back before Apollo drives the sun up," the man said irritably.
"Give it here." The man gives the Goddess of Memory the camcorder. She stares at it with an interested expression, slowly turning it over in her hands. "Isn't it amazing how mortal technology has come so far? No longer do you draw pictures to commemorate ceremonies but you 'videotape', was it?"
"Yes, yes. Can you speed it up with the introspection?"
The old goddess pause, "I expect a gift for this. My services do not come freely."
"Yes, yes, yes."
Mnemosyne smiles, hands glowing a gentle purple, and the camcorder came alive.
-flicker-
Castor and Pollux, 8, standing side by side on Half Blood Hill looking down in awe.
"Wow," Castor said.
"Will we really be staying here with dad?" Pollux asked, violet eyes twinkling.
A woman chuckled and patted their heads. "Yup, all summer. This is Camp Half Blood. A place for children just like you."
-flicker-
Castor and Pollux, 9, watching a girl, a boy, and a satyr stumble down to camp.
Behind them, thunder boomed and a tree grew.
-flicker-
Castor and Pollux, 10, sitting on the floor and shuffling a pack of cards.
"There's this super fun game we learned at school! Rich Man, Poor Man," Pollux said.
"How do you play?" Annabeth asked, head tilting to the side. Beside her, Luke put down his magazine.
"Don't let her get obsessed with the game."
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux giggling as Annabeth pester Luke.
"Come on, Luke. One more time. I'll let you win this time if you want," pleaded Annabeth, knowing glint in her eye.
"That's what you said last time,"
"But this time for real. I'm not lying. Please, Luke?"
Luke sighed and rolled off his bed. "Alright. Just this one time."
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux, 11, sneaking with Annabeth into the shed.
"Are you sure you know how to hotwire a car?" Annabeth asked urgently, glancing over her shoulders to the window.
"Yes, yes, yes, I read about it once in school," Castor said impatiently.
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux pouting in the corner, sorting files.
Annabeth said from the other side, "This is all your fault."
"I didn't know the car was magical." Castor grumbled.
"You watched it float into the air," Pollux pointed out.
"Yeah and so? I thought it was the mist."
"All three of you shut up," said the fourth member.
All three fell silent. Then, "...you know, Luke, you could have stopped us."
"It was a flying car. You expect me to sit by and just watch?"
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux, 12, flipping through their math book on Annabeth's bed.
"We should make a name for you guys. The yearly rounders," Pollux said suddenly.
"What kind of name is that?" Annabeth snorted.
"A cool one."
"Luke, do you think the yearly rounders would be a cool name?" Castor piped up.
"No, try again."
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux clinging to Luke's shirt, uncertain and afraid.
"We'll always be friends won't we?"
Luke smiled and ruffled their hairs, "Of course we will,"
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux, 13.
"Luke...left?"
"To...Kronos?"
"Yeah," Annabeth stated, blinking back tears. "That no good traitor."
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux watching Travis and Connor fidget with a pen as they read the camp counselor agreement, eyebrows furrowing in struggle.
"Do you think they're old enough to be counselors?" Castor asked.
"No, not really, but they're the oldest in their cabin now. There's no one else," Pollux answered.
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux listening as Ares children sneer and push a Hermes child around. One snorted, "What? You gonna cry, you Hermes garbage? What a piece of προδότης."
Pollux rounded the corner, "Leave her alone."
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux sitting on their bed, "They aren't Luke. Why do they treat them like they are?"
Castor rolled his eyes. "Cause they're stupid. I'm sure no one from that cabin is in cohorts with Luke."
--flicker--
Castor and Pollux fighting in a war.
Pollux watched the dagger pierce Castor's arm, the cry of pain resounding in his mind. He watched the boy pull the knife out, bright with his brother's blood, and stuck it back into the neck.
The demigod turned and Pollux saw the face. He uttered the words, broken and lost, "Dominic? Why?"
--flicker--
Pollux standing before a shroud, torch in hand. He lowered it, let the flames lick the cloth, and step back. He stared with blank eyes as the shroud burned and burned.
--flicker--
Pollux laying on the bed, his brother's shirt bundled in his hand. He stared blankly at the ceiling. Then the clock clanged its bells three times. He turned to his side, ignored the knocking on his door and the pleading, "Just tell me you're alive, Pollux," and buried his face into the fading scent.
--flicker--
Pollux ringing the doorbell with shaky hands. It opened and a woman stood behind it. She smiled and urged him in. Pollux shook his head and planted his feet. "Mom, C-Castor's dead."
Her smile faltered. She told him what a weird sense of humor he has.
Pollux repeated the words and was met with confusion, disbelief. And he repeated once more. And again.
For a minute, no words pass between them. Then the mom leaned against the doorway, clutching her heart. Pollux caught her before she fell, shoulders heaving as she sob.
--flicker--
Pollux watching Chris laugh in the distance with his half-brothers. He looked away, muttering underneath his breath, "Why did he get to live?"
--flicker--
Pollux standing at his cabin door, frowning at the girl before him, Annie, daughter of Hermes and friend. "Come to our party, Pollux," she said. Pollux took the card and said he'll think about it. He closed the door and toss the card into the trash.
--flicker--
Pollux clenching his fists as Silena cry.
A girl asked him what happen.
"Luke killed Beckendorf."
--flicker--
Pollux halting on Katie's claims. He watched her narrow her eyes as she said, "Yes, like one of Luke's siblings." Immediately Travis and Connor argued with her.
"Why would you think that?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"Her claims hold merit though," Pollux said, ignoring the scathing look from Connor. "If there's a spy in camp of course it'll be those from Hermes Cabin."
--flicker--
Pollux watching with annoyance as the gods proclaim their assurance into Elysium.
"Everybody who fought will be allowed into Elysium? Even Luke, Chris? After what they did?" he asked his father.
At the nod, Pollux scoffed.
--flicker--
Pollux eating his breakfast. He stabbed his pancakes and rolled the eggs with his fork, grumbling underneath his breath as he shoot glares at table 11. Connor caught his glares and stuck his tongue out.
Then the ground shook. The campers grew silent, looking around in confusion. The pavilion exploded into whipping vines. Trees erupted from the ground, venus flytraps grew and ensnared panicked campers, screams echo through the crisp morning air, and in the middle of the chaos was Katie, head tucked beneath her arms as ivy encircled her.
Pollux clenched his shirt, above his chest, face twisting in pain.
--flicker--
Pollux asking his dad, "Why did I feel her pain?"
Dionysus grimaced, "It is your gift. A rather unnatural one, unlike any other Greek powers. It is uncontrollable. You cannot train it nor bend it to your will. It can never be paused but...it can be muted with hate."
--flicker--
Pollux watching Clarisse decimate sandbags one after the other in the training center. Beside him, Annabeth stared in concern, "Don't you think she's overdoing herself?"
Pollux shook his head. "It's helping her."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure?"
Pollux clenched his hands, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure."
--flicker--
Pollux yawning as he walks drowsily to the infirmary in the middle of the night. He opened the door and collided headfirst with Will.
He blinked, rubbing his head, "What are you doing up?"
Will blinked back and Pollux looked at what he was wearing, still in his orange shirt and scrub pants.
"I couldn't sleep," Will said, "Nightmares."
Then Will forced a smile and Pollux grimaced.
--flicker--
Pollux wandering absentmindedly back to his cabin.
He felt before he heard. The sorrow. He turned the corner and found Drew glaring daggers at the newcomer.
"Who's Silena?" The new kid questioned. "Was it true you were best friends with her? I heard she was your only friend before-"
He watched with concern as Drew charmspeak the boy and made him eat dirt, "Stop. Listen closely, if you ever bother me again I'll make you eat horse shit. Leave me alone and tell your friends too."
--flicker--
Pollux standing before Cabin 7's doors, knocking. Malcolm answered, thin and hollow, and asked abruptly, "What?"
"Are you eating?" Pollux questioned.
"Yes, I am." The door slammed shut.
Pollux stood still for a couple seconds and said loudly to the boy on the other side, "Liar."
Immediately the words, "Go away, Pollux."
And then a pause, "Tell Annabeth not to be a coward."
--flicker--
Pollux being drag by Annabeth to his cabin.
"What did he say?" Annabeth demanded behind closed doors.
"For you not to be a coward,"
She scowled, "About eating."
"He's not," Pollux stated, frowning, "He's your brother, Annabeth. You should talk to him."
"You don't think I know that?"
Pollux shrugged, "You're not talking to him. That tells me everything."
--flicker--
Pollux nodding at Cabin 4 Counselor's request.
"Hang out with Katie for a day. Make her laugh." Miranda pleaded, deep circles under her eyes.
--flicker--
Pollux picking up flowers and bringing them to Katie. "How do you make a flower chain?" He asked. Katie stared gloomily at the flowers. She took them into her hands and they withered.
"Go buy one at a store," she said.
--flicker--
Pollux walking through the pavilion. He paused when a girl carrying an arm full of wood trip and fall. She, Annie, looked up and saw him and smiled. "Pollux, help me up?" and she raised a hand. Pollux continued walking back to his cabin, face devoid of emotion, as Connor glared daggers at his back.
--flicker--
Pollux staring with interest as Malcolm label the necklaces, sticking a post-it note on each one.
"Weren't these the ones we picked off the d…"
Malcolm nodded hesitantly. "We're giving them back. It's been long enough. We can't hold off their questions forever."
--flicker--
Pollux shaking his head. "I don't want to work with him." Malcolm asked why but Connor talked first.
"Why? Scared of being pranked?"
And Pollux retaliated with, "Scared you'll stab me in the back."
--flicker--
Pollux fighting with Connor. The son of Hermes scream at how stereotypical he's being, how wrong he is, how dimwitted, how-
Travis got in between them, pushing his brother back by the shoulders, "Come on, guys. Stop fighting. Let's all try to get along for our friends' sake." Travis looked back to the others who stood by the sidelines, awkward.
And Pollux muttered the word-προδότης-he heard so long ago. Travis faltered and Pollux paused.
Connor glowered, reaching forward in a swoop and breaking his wrist.
--flicker--
Pollux fidgeting with his bandages as they, the counselors, drive to the first house. Will gave him a sympathetic look and asked if the wrappings were too tight. He shook his head no. From the front, Connor continued to glare at him from the rear mirror.
"You should apologize," Will muttered quietly in his ears.
--flicker--
Pollux looking away when they start screaming.
"Where's my child? I want my baby back! I don't want this stupid necklace!" Will stepping back as the parent step away from the house, towards them, fists raised. Will urged the parent to keep their voice down. Doors open and worried neighbors peeked their head out.
"Where's my child? Where is she?"
"In pieces," Pollux find him saying, flinching as their eyes move to his, "Scattered along New York's streets. Nobody we found was fully intact."
--flicker--
Pollux hating their words. They scream the same words, each parent. "You promise they'll be safe. You said the camp was the only safe haven for them."
--flicker--
Pollux leading Katie away from the houses while Miranda talked with them.
"Come on. Let's go get some Nebraskan pizza. I always wanted to try one of them," He urged, ignoring how the trees seem to cave towards them and the cement cracking as thick roots slither to the surface.
--flicker--
Pollux feeling anger, rage. His own and others.
"She was your daughter," Clarisse said between gritted teeth. Her hands shooked.
"She was a nuisance. I'm glad she's dead."
And there was a satisfying crack. The man held his bleeding nose, cursing and threatening to call the police.
Will and Percy reined Clarisse back as she screamed and kicked, "You don't deserve to be Silena's father!"
--flicker--
Pollux staring incredulously at Travis.
"Here," Travis said, pressing an ice cream bar into his hands. "My treat and also as a sorry. Connor can get a bit violent sometime."
Standing behind his brother, Connor mouthed, 'I'm not sorry.'
--flicker--
Pollux hating how it takes him so much effort to utter two simple words.
"Travis, I-I'm sorry."
There's a grin, bright and wholeheartedly, "It's fine. You're forgiven."
--flicker--
Pollux stumbling with words.
"No, I really meant what I said. I'm sorry for the way I acted all those years. I-"
Travis cut him off, "Hey, you apologized that's enough for me."
Beside him, Connor shook his head. "Not for me."
--flicker--
Pollux running a hand through his hair. He couldn't believe he lost. Clarisse smirked and gather the cards.
"I won. You owe me ten bucks."
"Again," Pollux demanded.
Behind him, Malcolm wrote in his notebook, "No time. Break over. We still have four more to go."
--flicker--
Pollux staring cautiously at Connor.
"I'll play with you," he said with an evil smirk.
--flicker--
Pollux grumbling as he pulls out his wallet and handed Connor $200.
"I call this thievery."
"And I call this retribution."
--flicker--
Pollux watching the land speed by in the magical bus.
Annabeth tapped his shoulder, "Castor would have loved this bus."
Pollux paused, "Yeah. He would have."
"I wonder if we can take it with us to Elysium."
Pollux chuckled, "And drive it around the block? Crashing into trees and dead heroes?"
Annabeth smiled fondly, "Just like old times."
--flicker--
Pollux sighing when he could finally see Thalia's Pine looming in the horizon.
Secretly, he thanked his father for not giving him any half-siblings. One family is enough. One death is enough.
--flicker--
Pollux stopping when Will tapped his shoulder.
He pointed back to Half Blood Hill. Connor stood by Thalia's Pine, hand on the tree.
"You should try to make up with Connor. He's one to hold a grudge."
--flicker--
Pollux watching Connor walk down Half-Blood Hill.
"Connor, about what I-"
"I don't care about apologies."
--flicker--
Pollux walking up to Half Blood Hill. He stopped at Thalia's Pine. His hands traced the cravings, the names etched on the bark. Lee and Michael. Silena and Beckendorf. Trixie and Joshua. Henry and Damien. Luke. Ethan. Bianca.
He raised the knife and etched his brother's name.
-flicker-
When Riley woke up the next day, there were new clips in the camcorder that wasn't there the day before.
Chapter 8: Repentance