AN/ Readers, I have no excuse for being this late except for general laziness, and I forgot about it. I hope I haven't lost all of my readers. But if you are still there, then I hope you enjoy this chapter. Oh, and for those of you who have read The Lost Hero, let's pretend there is no curse on the Hephaestus cabin, K? And Leo is there, just use your imagination that none of the other things have happened in The Lost hero. Percy's still there, Jason's at his camp, but Piper and Leo are at Camp Half Blood.
Pippa POV
After the arena, I had archery with Will Solace, which I was hoping wasn't going to be a total disaster. Annabeth told me that Percy couldn't shoot to save his life.
"Pippa! I've been looking forward to you're visit. Most of the time Athena chooses not to do Archery, mostly because they like the close combat better." Will joked. I smiled and walked toward a table with different types and sizes of bows. I looked up and down the table, my face surely showing my confusion. Will chuckled.
"I'm not sure of your strength level, but I would say a 30 or 40lb compound would be best, especially since you're new." He smirked. I glared at him. He laughed and grabbed a camo bow with pulleys at both ends. He gave me a quiver full of arrows and two arm braces.
I walked over to a empty target area and put my gear on. I looked at the target and studied for a little bit, trying to judge the best way to do this. I brought the bow up and load it, pulling back the string as far as I could and finding a comfortable stance. Aim...and...fire!
The arrow shot through the air and hit the third ring from the middle, on the right side. I narrowed my eyes and loaded another, aiming it a little farther left. Bulls-eye.
"Nice! You're sure you're not a daughter of Apollo? You have natural skills, Percy would be jealous, he still can't hit the target!" Will seemed genuinely surprised.
"Well, she IS a daughter of Athena. Percy doesn't think, he just shoots. At least Pippa had the brains to wait a little bit." A daughter of Apollo said next to me. She smiled. "I'm Greely by the way, I didn't get to introduce myself before." I smiled.
"I don't think anyone really did, it's been crazy." she laughed and went back to shooting.
"Alright, then lets see if I can fix anything." For the next hour, Will helped my shoot, with different kinds of bows, but I think I liked the compound bow the best. Will said he would get the Hephaestus cabin set on making me my own 40lb bow, they only had one right now, and it was his own.
Next I had water training with Percy. He was gonna help me control myself and my powers. This was actually during our lunch, but Chiron said he would wait about ten minutes, so we could get some practice in.
"Hey miss all-powerful, someone told me you can beat me at swordsmanship. And you hit a bulls-eye on your second try in archery. Soon they're gonna forget my name!" Percy smirked. I rolled my eyes.
"Just get onto what we're supposed to be doing. What do we do first?" I rubbed my hands, ready to do something.
"Fine! You see that bucket floating in the water? Make a column of water below it, but it must stay on top of that column." I nodded and focused on the bucket. I imagined the water rising up below it, only a small bump appeared.
"Since you're just beginning, raise your hands up with it." I tried again, this time slowly bringing my hands up. I made a cup at the top of the column, so the bucket wouldn't fall off. A small pain started growing in the back of my head, and the longer I held the column, the worse it got. Percy clapped, so I let the column fall, the pain in my head receding into the depths of my head.
"That's perfect, and I love the cup idea, I wouldn't have thought of that. Now, did you feel a small pain in the back of your head?" I nodded. "That's good, as you work with you're powers, it will go away. It's like working out, the more you practice, the better you'll get. It doesn't take much just work on the for a little bit each day, and soon you can do more then a column. The waves are more fun. In your cabin just twirl some water through you're fingers, it's still a workout, and it will help with your control of the water." He instructed (big word!).
I nodded and smiled, then sent a small ball of water at his head. He didn't get wet, he just fell on his face, swallowing some sand. I started laughing my ass off, while he was spitting out sand and wiping it off his clothes.
"Ha ha, very funny. Now, come on, it's lunch." Percy said, glaring at my still laughing figure. Ah, if looks could kill...
We walked to lunch, shoving each other and enjoying each others company. We walked into the pavilion and were about to split up to our respectable tables when I stopped. Percy looked at me with confusion.
"Do you think Poseidon or Athena would mind if I sat with my bro?" I asked. He looked surprised for a second before he shrugged.
"I don't know, I don't think they're gonna blast you for sitting at a different table though." I nodded and went to sit down with him. I sat and...nothing happened. I guess I'm okay then.
" Alright, I hope that so far your day has been good, and that it continues to be that way. Mr. D, anything to add?" Chiron bellowed.
"Um, no." He mumbled.
"Alright then. Eat up Campers!" As he said that food appeared. I looked down. Mm mm steak!
"Dr. Pepper please." I whispered to the goblet. The dark liquid fizzled up, those little bits of soda popping up, you now the ones that tickle your face when you take a drink? Ya, those things.
Me and Percy got up and gave the best piece of our meals to the fire. I did my usual, Poseidon, Athena, and Aphrodite. I couldn't help taking a whiff. It smelled delicious.
As we ate, Percy and I talked about whatever came to our minds. Once we had finished, I went to the forges while Percy went to the stables.
I walked in, it was of course smoldering hot. I looked around for someone who would look like the senior counselor. I walked up to the biggest guys I could see and poked him in the shoulder.
"Are you the senior counselor?" I asked. He chuckled and yelled out, "Hey Valdez! New girls lookin for ya!" Another guy walked around the corner, this one average for a normal guy, but small for Hephaestus.
"Really? Ya heard about the amazing Leo, huh?" he smiled, his curly black hair falling into his eyes. I rolled mine.
"No, I wanted to make sure you got the order from will about my bow. I am really excited to start using it." I gave him the best innocent smile I could muster. He laughed.
"Ya, we got it. An interesting order, not many campers like the compound, most go for the original. Hey, since this will be a rare thing, do you mind if I experiment a little? I want to see if I can make it compact, I'll probably ask my dad for a little help, but I want to see if I could make it easier to carry or something." He was watching me, hope dancing in his eyes. He was fiddling with his hand, probably something he does when he's nervous. I thought about it. It would make things easier, and if he messes up, then he can just make me a normal one.
"Sure, I see no problem with it. I would prefer something I could put in my pocket, like Percy has., but it doesn't necessarily return to my pocket. If it could that would be great though!" He nodded and ran of to a table, grabbing some papers and started drawing. I shook my head and walked out.
I went to the stables, having nothing better to do during the free time. I knew Percy was already in the sky, I wanted to try it too. It just seemed like so much fun.
Hey guys, there's a new boss! I heard something say. I turned around.
"Did someone say something?" I said.
It's us! The Pegasi, since you are a daughter of Poseidon, then you can hear us. The same voice said. Cool, I guess. I looked around seeing if I found a Pegasi that stood out. Then I saw her. A beautiful paint Pegasi. She just stared at me, blinking her long lashes.
"Hey beautiful, what's your name?" I said, walking towards her. She whined and backed into her stall.
Not happening girl. I don't give free rides. The Pegasi glared at me, I just stared at her.
"Why do you not trust me? Have I done something wrong?" I asked.
Not you. Someone else. But it's gonna take a while for me to trust you. Sorry. Her eyes turned sympathetic. I nodded.
"Can I at least pet you? I promise I will not try to get on your back." I asked. She nodded her large head. I walked into the stall, closing the door behind me. I ran a head down her head and back, feeling her silky mane.
"Why don't you trust people?" I whispered. She snorted then replied, The last person I let ride me sold me to a freak show in Vegas. There is so much crazy stuff there that most normal humans can see through the mist. She left me there, selling me to the boss, and I was stuck in a cage for 5 years, people prodding me and poking me. I was barely past a year-old then. I didn't know what else I could do. Then some half-blood from this camp heard about me, and bought me from the boss. Every since then no one has ridden me, because if someone is controlling me, then I have no free-will.
I was surprised. That was the first time I heard of a mythological creatures being sold for show purposes. It was terrible! "Were there any other real mythological creatures there?" I asked.
No. The rest of them were fakes, something the boss made to make then look mythological. He did a great job with the make-up for the animals, and we were fed and taken care of., but I was meant to fly, not sit in a cage. She finished. I nodded, thinking about how that must have been for her.
"What's your name?" I asked.
My show name is The Painted-Wing, but I never learned my birth name. The first girl who rode me only called me girl. Everyone around here calls me Smudge. She watched me closely, curiosity written in her eyes.
"Smudge is too ugly a name for you. How about Aquila. It means Eagle in Latin." She stared at me for a second, then spoke, I like it. Most people name paints Patches or Jigsaw. You came up with something that names the other half of me. Thank you. She nudged me and I laughed. I looked around for something to give her, an apple or sugar cube, when I saw Percy walk in with Blackjack. He put his horse in a stall and walked towards a table, pulling out a drawer and grabbing an apple.
"Hey Perce, toss me one?" I yelled out. He nodded and threw it, but instead of me catching it Aquila stepped in front of me and caught it with her mouth. She snorted a thanks, and I laughed.
Whoa, someone's in Smudge's stall? How did she manage that? Blackjack stared at me questioningly.
"I asked. It's not too hard. And her name's Aquila now." I said. Blackjack reared back and whined in surprise.
Whoa Boss! You got a sis! He whinnied. Percy shook his head, laughing.
"That's what I was telling you the whole time we were up! You were probably too busy daydreaming about that mare you saw yesterday." Percy laughed. Blackjack just snorted.
"Well if you two are done, it's time for me to go. See ya later Perce. By Blackjack. And Aquila, I hope we can learn to trust each other." I said on my way out. She whinnied in agreement.
Bella POV
Camp was awesome. The whole in my chest from Edward is pretty much gone, and I think that was thanks to Percy. I'm not sure how though, we haven't talked much. Whatever it is, I don't love Edward anymore, and it feels great.
I walked to my cabin, I had to grab my books for Greek Mythology. I opened the door and went to my bed, but I heard sobbing and stopped. I looked around and saw Annabeth comforting a young girl, she looked about 13.
"Shh, it's okay Amelia. It can't hurt you, it was a dream." she said, patting the girl's shaking back.
"But it took my brother's! They are in the Fields of Asphodel because I couldn't protect them!" She yelled out. I jumped in.
"What happened to your brothers, if you don't mind me asking." I whispered, sitting down on the bed opposing them. Amelia looked at me, looking started. She must not have heard me come in. He face fell after she got over the small fright.
"I was at my house, watching them while my dad was at work and my step-mom was at the market. A hell-hound busted in through the door. I got scared and rushed in front of my brothers, trying to protect them. I grabbed a fire prod and started swinging it. The hell-hound just growled, almost like it was laughing. Of course at that point in time I had no idea that only celestial bronze worked against monsters, I just grabbed whatever I could find.
"The fire prod would have no effect, but I held it anyway. The hell-hound charged, but I wouldn't move away from my brothers, who were 6 and 3. I stood to the side I little bit and swung the prod like a bat, but it just passed right through him. Then hell-hound crushed my brothers, they died almost instantly. That's when I ran, thinking I couldn't help them now, and my dad probably thinks I'm dead as well." More tears fell from her eyes as she quickly tried to wipe them away. I felt so sorry for her that she had to go through this so young.
"How do you know they are in the Fields of Asphodel?" I asked. She sniffed.
"Because Nico told me. I wanted to know where they were, make sure they weren't in the Fields of Punishment. He told my they didn't make Elysium, but they ended up in Asphodel."
"You know, my dad got killed by a monster. I was talking with him at home, we were actually talking about me coming here, when a Hydra attacked us. It just came in, and my dad tried to distract it from me, when a bright light flashed. I just closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, my dad was gone. I don't know whether he died, or the same thing happened to him which happened to Percy's mom." I whispered.
"I'm sorry that happened. Ask Nico if he's dead." Amelia said. I smiled.
"Thank you Amelia. And don't take this hard on yourself. No one can blame you for what happened." I said. She gave a small smile and nodded. I got up, grabbed my books, and left the cabin. Mythology class. Fun!
-line break!-
After Mythology, I put my books up and headed to find Nico. What could hurt in asking him?
I spotted him talking to Percy. He looked confused, and slightly worried. Percy was thinking hard, a rare sight to see. Nico was talking to Percy urgently. I didn't want to disturb them, so I stood behind the corner of a nearby cabin and listened
"I'm telling you, his spirit is not in the underworld anymore. I was going to talk to him, like I normally do, but he wasn't there! He got the Elysium, but he told me he did not want to be re-birthed. I even asked the sentries there, and they said Beckondorf never went past them to rebirth. But he's gone! I can't sense him, I can't find him. Selena is there, but she said she hasn't seen him for a while." Nico was really freaking out over this.
"Well just wait a bit. If more souls start disappearing from the underworld, then we will worry about it." Percy said, looking Nico in the eyes. I decided then would be the best time to run, in pretending I hadn't heard anything.
"Hey Nico! Can I ask you something?" I said, strolling in as normal. They looked at me in confusion.
"Hey Bella, why did you walk in from behind the Hecate cabin?" Percy asked, suspicion settling into his tan face, his hair weeping over his eyes...stop it Bella!
"Uh, Conor and Travis hid my helmet, I was looking for it. Anyway, could you do something for me Nico? I want to know if my dad is in the underworld. Is he dead, or did he just...disappear? I need to know." I said, determined to get him to do this for me. He smiled.
"I will look next time I go down to the underworld. I promise." Nico's smile fell. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I have to go see my father." shadows swallowed him as he said 'my father'. It was very creepy.
"You were eavesdropping, weren't you." Percy smirked. I sighed and nodded. He chuckled. "I would probably be doing the same thing. So, you up for sword lessons?" I groaned. He just laughed and pulled me over to the sword arena.
We sparred for over 30 minutes, him always winning of course, and then took a break. I was panting and gulping down water like we were gonna die, while Percy just sipped his water and twirled his sword. I glared at him.
"What! Just cause I'm better at swordplay then you, doesn't mean you get to hate me." Percy laughed. I just shook my head and tried to stand up, but my legs wouldn't co-operate. Percy laughed again. "Here, let me." I grabbed his outstretched hand and he pulled me up.
Because of a little thing called Newton's Law of Action/Reaction, me and Percy's faces got very close together. I couldn't help looking at his sea green eyes, his brown hair sweeping down in front of them. Percy was studying my face to, when his eyes stopped on my lips. Mine went down to his. There was less then tree inches in between our faces. We slowly stared to lean in. Two...one and a half...one...
"Hey Percy, I was wondering if...whoa! Sorry, I didn't realize I was interrupting something." Pippa stared at us, a piece of paper in her hands.. I lept away from Percy as fast as I could, my face turning as red as a ripe tomato.
"Um, ya, what was it you needed?" Percy asked, rubbing the back of his head. Pippa laughed and shook her head.
"It can wait. You two carry on. And Bella," I looked at her, slightly scared. "I'm not going to tell her, but I think you should tell Annabeth how you feel for Percy. You want her to hear it from you, not someone else." Pippa looked me dead in the eyes. I nodded. She smiled.
"See ya later Bella, Percy I'm telling Blackjack!" and with that Pippa ran out. Percy face palmed.
"Don't you love our sister!" I said.
AN/ Alright, not much action in that chapter, but I promise next chapter will be interesting. I just wanted to put in some background and a few new characters to the story! I hope you enjoyed it and I will be getting the next chapter up ASAP!