Book Five: My Welcoming Party at Camp Half-Blood

"Chiron. My name is Chiron," he said more gently.

I turned to look at him. His hair was starting to thin, with white hairs poking out here and there. I caught a whiff of coffee from his clothes, which made him seem all the more homely. I appreciated that. He had a small bread growing on his chin (it was borderline stubble), and kind eyes that seemed very much alive, despite his calm exterior. I guessed he was around 36 or something; which seemed to contrast him being in his motorized wheel chair.

"I'm Kallie," I replied, returning the favor.

He rolled over to me. "Do you know what happened?"

I started to shake my head, but stopped when the pain started to return. "No, I don't. What did happen?"

He looked worriedly at me, and then started to change the subject. "Well, nothing much. Are you hungry?" He reached a hand towards the shoulder of the small girl. "Neriel, can you go get her some food?"

She looked up and nodded. She looked at me and smiled. "I'll be right back," she squeaked happily.

"Neriel?"

Chiron sighed. "Yes...she came her a year ago and hasn't left since. No one has claimed her yet, but she's still very optimistic."

"What happened?" She had the same name as the blue spirit! Why? Thoughts ran through my head, but after a while, it hurt so I stopped trying to understand. "How old is she?"

He looked at me with piercing eyes. "She's orphaned. Not one single soul in this camp knows who her parents are. She just walked right through the barrier without so much as a scratch. She was tired, and practically in rags. It wasn't the prettiest sight for a girl her age. She doesn't speak of what happened to her, ever. When you try, she just shuts up inside until the subject changes. She's actually really very quiet, you know. As a matter of fact...she hardly speaks a word.

He paused. "And to answer your question, Kallie, only approximate guesses have been made. Some think five, six this year. Other's eight. Ten. A million and ten. And so on and so forth."

"Why was she in the lake?"

"She hasn't said." And then with out warning, "Ah, here she comes now!"

"Kallie!" Neriel called happily, trying to balance a tray (a small cup of little golden cubes of pudding and a cup full of something that looked vaguely like honey) without tripping over her little feet. She rushed to my side.

I tried to sit up, but was stopped by Chiron. "No, no. Kallie, you need to rest. In another day's time, I'll be back to check up on you." With that, he whirred out the door in his wheelchair.

I turned to look at Neriel. "Uh...Hi?" I said, unsure of what to say.

She beamed. "Hi!" she said, and then, "Are you feeling better?"

Okay, I don't care what Chiron had said. She could hold a conversation damn well. She was smiling, peppy, happy, and talking, helpful, and talking...

I looked at her. She seemed much better, although there were still some lines under her eyes. She was a little limp, but otherwise in tip-top shape. (But, like I've learned, somethings are not what they seem to be.)

"I'm fine, thanks." I tried to sit up again. I successfully moved up half an inch. "What about you? You should be resting."

She shook her head, and her hair bobbled like mad, but in a cute-childish-adorable kind of way. "No! I'm fine. You should be resting." She used two of her hands to hold up the glass of amber liquid and then held it out to me. "Drink," she ordered.

I complied to the little girl (that was perhaps half my age) who was giving me orders. A big blow to my self esteem, I assure you. I took the glass, struggled a little bit to keep it in hand, and held it to my lips. I tasted a bit, tentative of the swirling substance. I looked at it quizzically. "Uh..."

Neriel looked at me worriedly. "You don't like it?"

"N-no...it's not that...um...it's just that..." I thought of how to phrase this to a little girl. "What the heck is this?"

She giggled. "It's nectar!"

"Issawah?" I asked. That came out wrong. I had meant it to be "It's what?" (I started to drink it again. I mean...wow. It was good. Before I knew it, I had drained the whole thing.)

"It's nectar!" She looked at me, eyes shining. "What's it taste like?"

"Double chocolate-chip chocolate fudge cookies with chocolate sauce on top. My mom makes it at home. But she makes it blue sometimes." I looked at it, suddenly utterly homesick. "It doesn't look it though."

She laughed again. "It's not supposed to!" I had stopped trying to understand the food, so I shrugged. Then she handed me the small cup of pudding. "Eat," she ordered this time.

I put a spoonful in to my mouth, wondering what the jackpot would be this time. I amused Neriel by swishing it around my mouth, like and expert wine taster. She laughed hysterically and I couldn't help but smile too. Finally when I swallowed, I said, "Soda. Lime-ish-coke-ish soda."

The solids tastes like liquid and the liquids taste like solids. Awesome. Neriel giggled into her hands some more. Her laughter was seriously infectious. I started to laugh a bit more, trying not to overdo it, so I wouldn't be in so much pain, and I started to spoon more into my mouth. But before the silver spoon reached my mouth, Neriel suddenly screamed.

"Stop!" she cried, rushing over to my side, little arm reaching out towards the spoon. "You can't eat that much! It'll hurt you!"

I knew better than to disobey Neriel, so, a little bit disappointed, I gave it all back and she put it back neatly on the tray. She started to carry the tray out. "See you later Kallie! I'm sure you'll feel better in no time!"

True to her word, a warm feeling spread through out my body, filling it with a comfortable renewed strength. I smiled, amazed at what somethings could do, and nestled into my bed once more, falling fast asleep in moments.

..::xXLuuXx::..

I slept a peaceful, dreamless sleep. I don't know whether it was reliving or confusing, because frankly, I was afraid of what would happen this time. With Lucy gone, I had nothing to hold onto. Maybe that was it. Just maybe.

That morning would be a very busy one. I slept until eight, but right when I was at the zenith of my peaceful sleep, I was deeply disturbed by a little bundle of mass that jumped onto my bed with a soft but hard thunk.

I groaned. And tried to swat at the thing that was disturbing me. Neriel squealed with laughter. Since the bulge didn't budge, I swatted again, more awake this time. Neriel grew braver and she shook me.

"Get up, you potato!" she shrieked happily.

I opened an eye, and was still pretending to sleep. She paused for a moment, seeing that I was faking, so I grabbed her around the waist and started tickling her like crazy. Neriel laughed and laughed, like any kid would.

"Ahahah! Ahah! Hahahah!" she laughed. "No! No!—Ahahah!—Kallie—Ahaha!"

"Rawr!!" I said, mock terrorizing.

Neriel turned out to be one feisty little critter. Once I stopped tickling her, she started tickling me. So much for my pride.

"Payback time!" she said smiling, tickling me for all it was worth.

I guessed we were very loud. People started gathering outside the door, looking at us. Just so you know, I hated being a caged spectacle. I tapped Neriel gently in the side with my foot. The critter was smart. She got the message and stopped. Both of us looked out side the door at them. How's they like that? Turn the tables on them! Murahahahah...Ahem.

"What's going on here!" I heard a voice shout.

Then I heard whispers of, "It's Mr. D!" and "Scram!!"

Whatever it was, it must've been bad, this "Mr. D." I looked at Neriel questioningly, but she wasn't there. Somehow, she slipped away without me noticing. I got up, being able to because I was feeling much, much better, and started searching. As I was getting up, it was then that I first saw Mr. D. Or, Mr. Director, as he introduced himself. Okay, he didn't say, "Mr. Director," just "Mister D." I suspected he actually spelled "Mr." out, with fancy script and all. I mean, who does that, in this day and age?

"Ah," he breathed. "It's you."

"Um...yeah. It's me," I answered. I didn't mean for it to be cheeky, really. But I think he took it that way, because his eyes narrowed, as far as little piggy eyes could go.

No offense but seriously! He was like my dad described someone, a "hubbub." (And then, Mom would correct him, saying 'Cherub, Percy, cherub!' and then getting flustered about being insulting or something or other and then groan 'Percy!') All in all, this "Mister D" was an overgrown, overweight, over pink, middle-age, hubbub. Maybe it wasn't his fault.

"So...what in the world did you do to bring me from my resting place?" he silently thundered.

I gulped. "Winning streak, sir?" Couldn't hurt to butter him up a bit, eh?

"Hm...I quite like that, right off the bat." He coughed. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Um...resting, sir."

"Quite." He looked at me. "Well...that's all." Then he left.

He left? He left? What? What person in their right mind leaves after getting prepared to scold? This place is weird. And I miss Chiron. Okay, not really. But better him than Mr. D. I mean, really. I doubt anyone would prefer Mr. Happy-Juice-Guy-Wearing-Hawaiian-Tee-Shirts to Chiron.

And where was Neriel? And then, right on cue, Neriel popped up behind me and sighed heavily. Where'd she come from? Speak of the Devil. It was scary, honestly. If I hadn't known better, I'd say that she could disappear. Maybe she could.

"You were let off easy, Kallie," she said. How the heck did she do that? Downright unnerving.

I sighed too. "I know. Who was he?"

"He's the camp director, Mr. D. He's here on probation or something."

"For what?"

"I dunno. I think he angered Zeus or something." She shrugged.

I looked out the door. "Oh well." I looked back at her. What's on the agenda today, Miss Tour Guide?"

She smiled and grabbed my hand. "Come on," she said, pulling me off my feet.

She had let go of my hand so I started to run after her. She was one quick little bugger. It wasn't like I was tired or anything... Man! Kids these days have a lot of energy! (Okay, that made me sound and feel incredibly old.)

"Kallie!" she yelled, finally stopping a little bit overhead. "Over here!"

As I breathed a bit heavily when I reached Neriel, I saw Chiron sitting in his wheelchair under a nearby tree, reading a rather thick book. As Neriel and I approached, he looked up and smiled, his spectacles sliding off his nose a fraction.

"Ah, Kallie! You've arrived. I do hope you're feeling better?" he exclaimed.

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

At this he frowned. "Now, you don't need to use such formalities with me. It's only Mr. D who desires such things." He leaned in closer to me. "I daresay he has superiority issues."

I highly doubt if it was a camper who said such things, Mr. D would have killed them off in an instant—and that would be a light punishment. Chiron is incredibly brave, honestly. That Mr. D is a very scary sort. I was glad that Chiron was a nice fellow; the type that you could most definitely count on.

I smiled a bit. "Yes, si—Chiron. I'll work on it."

He smiled too. "Good. Now on to much more serious business." He was just about to close the book when he stopped. He leaned over his wheelchair, searching. "Where is that blasted bookmark?" Neriel ran up to him holding a piece of written on parchment. He smiled and took it. "Ah, thank you dear." She went under the other side of the tree and sat down, no doubt listening in. Then, Chiron looked at me solemnly.

"What is it?" I asked.

He sighed heavily. "Kallie. How much do you know? Concerning yourself?"

"Um...that...I am a half-blood, which means I was born with really ancient lineage. And they move with the height of civilization."

Although that wasn't all that I knew, I've read enough sci-fi to know that if this was the past, if I do something to screw it up, I'll screw up the future too. So, I'm not going to release anything that might do so. As all of the time travel movies go, " or the result would be catastrophic!!" And catastrophic doesn't sound all too pretty.

"Alright, so you do know that the Gods do exist?"

I nodded. "What about them?"

"Well, until you're claimed, we can't tell anything just yet." He shifted around in his wheelchair as if his legs were asleep and frightfully uncomfortable. "Come. Let's Neriel and I show you to your lodgings. We'll give you a quick tour while we're at it." He whirred past me. "Shall we?" he said, smiling.

I smiled. "Okay."

As he said, it was a quick tour. There were the North Woods and South Woods, separated by the Zephyros Creek, near Long Island. Surrounding it were the stables, armory, arena, the cabins, and the mess hall, in that order. Then the Euros Creek (and a lake around the middle) separated all that from the Climbing wall, amphitheater, the arts and crafts room, the volley ball courts (which were relatively close to the Big House, compared to how everything else was spaced apart). There also was a huge patch of lands that were the Strawberry Fields. There was even a beach for fireworks! (Incidentally, it's called the Fireworks Beach.) All that was closed off by the force field/ property line which never let any mortal in, powered by Thalia's pine with the Golden Fleece. (There was a whole story on the fleece too, as Chiron told me happily, but he didn't tell me this time.)

We headed towards the Cabins, all twelve of them. (Apparently, Hermes wasn't all that welcomed so he doesn't have a cabin.) Two of the biggest houses stood majestically at the front, The Zeus cabin (cabin one) on the left, and the Hera cabin (cabin two) on the right. To Cabin One's right were Cabin Three, Five, Seven, Nine and Eleven. (Poseidon, Ares, Apollo, Hephaestus, and Hermes.) The evens, Demeter, Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Dionysus, were on the right

"You'll be in Cabin Eleven," Chiron said. "Unless you're claimed, you'll sleep in there. I'm afraid it's a bit crowded, but it'll do for now. Unless we're going to get approved and properly funded, we can't expand the cabin." He shook his head in dismay. "But, this year, more half-bloods have been claimed, so Cabin Eleven is mostly Hermes' children now; not as crowded." Seems to be the work of a Percy Jackson." My breath caught in my throat, but I hoped that Chiron didn't notice.

"Uh...Chiron?" I asked.

"Hm?"

"Where's the baths?" I mean really. I guess the didn't have bath's in ancient Greece. Wait a minute. They did!! They did! If I recall, they had public bath houses! Or was that the Romans? But the God's were there too, so they should have baths.

"There are several washrooms strategically place around camp. There's one near the mess hall, cabins, beach, Big House, and the amphitheater," he said. "The Hermes Counselor will tell you what's what. Now in you go."

The outside of this cabin looked really old, like an old cabin in the woods. A caduceus was carved overhead, and a large brass number eleven was hanging over the door. I went in, and took in my surroundings. There were two bunk beds lining each wall, and a couple sleeping bags neatly arranged on the wooden floor. There were about ten people in that room, all the bunk beds filled, and some of the sleeping bags empty. All ten pairs of eyes looked at me.

A girl about eighteen came up to me and smiled. She had brown hair that was slightly curled. She wore an bright orange tee-shirt also, witch bore the letters "Camp Half-Blood" sprawled on it. Her eyes were a charming hazel and her smile seemed very warm. She was peppy and seemed like the nice older sister.

"Hi, I'm Cheyenne! Welcome to the Hermes Cabin!" she said. "I'm the counselor here. You can have that empty sleeping bag next to Jeremy over there. I'm sorry that you can't have a bunk, but the senior Hermes Campers sleep there, and the positions are filled."

As soon as I went to my assigned spot, all the chatting and stuff resumed once more. Of course, not without the glory of shielding their staring at my right hand, with the markings. I feel so very welcomed.

Jeremy was a small spindly boy, about my age, who had a slightly dark look in his eyes, that seemed to emit a loneliness about him. I'm betting he was one of the unclaimed ones. I walked up to him and smiled. "Hi. I'm Kallie."

He smiled weakly back. "Hey, Kallie."

"So...uh...what's up?" Can't you tell? I'm absolutely great at starting new relationships!

He looked at me strangely. "Nothing much." Talkative, isn't he?

"How long have you been here?"

"A year," he said. "But I've only been here during the summer. This is my second summer here."

I nodded. "Are you here...um...permanently?"

He looked at me even more strangely. "If you're trying to say if I've been claimed or not, no, I haven't."

"Oh. I said. I'm sorry," I said, looking down.

He laughed a bit bitterly. "No, nothing to be sorry about." Then his expression softened. "It's okay. So who is the divine side of your family? Mom or dad?"

How should I answer this? "I don't know. I can't remember." Darn I lied. Uh-oh. I know this is going to bite me in the butt later. I just know it.

Now it was Jeremy's turn to look saddened. I think that he thinks I'm orphaned. "Oh."

"Yeah, well, it's not your fault. What about you?"

"Dad. My mom is the best." He smiled fondly at the memory.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Fifteen. I just turned."

"Oh, a summer baby!" I exclaimed. "I'm an autumn myself. Late autumn."

"When were you born?"

"November twenty-sixth. You?"

"July fifteen."

I was about o ask another question when a sudden thought occurred to me. "Oh! I'm sorry! I'm bugging you with all these questions!" I covered my face with my hands, and then peeked at him when I spread the fingers on my right hand. "Ugh, you think I'm a prick now, don't you?"

He smiled and shook his head. "Naw." He got up, and I looked at him. He smiled again and held out a helping hand. "Come on. It's about time for the Hermes' archery lessons."

I smiled and took his hand with mine. As soon as I did, wolf whistles and "oooh!" came across the room. Both of us let go in an instant, looking away, blushing. Then laughter from all of us. I was glad. Even though they were demi-gods, they were still kids. It's good to know that it didn't make them any less of kids.

But despite the laughter, I couldn't help but think. A weapon in my hands? Hell would honestly reign when my hands touch any harmful object. I was truly terrified.