Chapter 13: Poor children of Apollo!

After a while I was dragged to the red couch a pushed down to sit, I didn't fight back, knowing there was no real point in fighting, my weapons were on the other side of the common room anyway; not to mention the absolutely obvious fact that I was outnumber 6 to 1 by 6 apparently skilled witches and wizards.

Trying to fight would be signing my death wish... but would that be so bad...?

"What happened yesterday evening?" I flinched slightly as the interrogation began, this all somehow reminding me of my siblings when I got back after Artemis was freed and what not.

"I had a nightmare" I was hoping they'd buy it, I really didn't want to have to explain all about my past to them, especially not the bit with the 'dark side', the titans and how backing out or failing to do a task for Lord Kronos leaves you plagued with nightmares, before he gives you none as a false sense of security as in my case.

"So nightmares cause you to attack your friends like Katie?"

"... No, not like that... I dreamt of my brother... he was trying to recruit me for the other side" my voice sounded rather desperate, even for myself, though I really didn't have the energy to go on for much longer. "Look, it won't happen again, I'm going back to where they're setting up temporary camp, the rest of them should be here soon and by that point I was anyway going to go back to live with my siblings!"

After my explanation was finished I quickly stood trying to sprint out the door before being caught, trying to simply let my feet take control.

Instead I felt myself pulled back by arms around my waist, pulling me to sit down on somebody as the questioning simply continued. With my weapons just under the couch that I was being held on they were still too far away for me to grab, so in an agitated way I resigned myself to answering all the questions thrown at me... it wasn't fun!

So I finally came up with an idea on how to make them let me go, I'd use what I'd been thinking for the past day or so.

"Look, you guys are civilized, killing is against the law, and you take prisoners. We don't have a jail or anything, we kill our enemies; heck we almost kill one another training to kill others. We're not important, we're born to kill and fight wars for a bunch of gods who can't get involved in all of the earthly things!" let's just say that theory flew out the window as afterwards they seemed more pitiful towards me, I didn't need pity!

Not to mention afterwards they also started talking about the fact that if I needed help I could go to them and they started trying to convince me that I was worth something.

But I did find out that it was Fred's lap I was sitting on!

O.o

Somehow I found myself in the Great hall, everything basically forgotten as I laughed and talked to all my once again found friends; greeted by Annabeth's smirk that seemed to say, I told you so...

I swear if that girl was just a bit dumber I'd think her one of those Apollo kid's with clairvoyance, I mean sure, not many of them have it but sometimes it really seems like she does... or it could just be her mother's wisdom kicking in there...

Who really knows? I mean honestly I've lived with her since I was 9 and she was 7, around the time she came with Thalia... and Luke... and I arrived with my brothers!

I felt the smile fall off of my face, my ears failing to understand everything understood as everything seemed to slow for a couple of seconds as I thought about Luke. I found myself looking down again, before forcing a grin on my face and mentally pushing my chin back up, they were continuing to babble on, seemingly unaware that I wasn't able to listen, wasn't able to concentrate on what they were saying.

Everything seemed absolutely normal again though, but I didn't miss the questioning look Annabeth sent, before she sent an almost I think I get it look. I swear that girl knows too much for her own good, hasn't she ever heard of the saying curiosity killed the cat?

"What?" looking yup Angelina had spoken, she was sitting beside me with Alicia, Lee on the other side and Katie and the twins across from us.

"What?"

"You said something"

"Oh... just remarking about Annabeth..." I said, remaining relatively vague, I hadn't brought up the topic of my brother yet, well... they knew we had a dark lord but not that my brother was hosting his spirit, or leading his army basically, and they really didn't have to know that I looked up to that brother for ages, in a way loyalty still hanging around; I knew if it came down to it, I couldn't kill him, I really wouldn't be able to!

"Oh, well then... the first task will be coming up soon, have any idea what it's about?" Alicia questioned, causing me to look at Harry, who was sitting alone looking rather nervous.

"No, but I have an idea" standing up quickly I grabbed the food on my plate quickly walking to the fire, just catching Annabeth on my way. "Yankee's cap, Harry's up to something"

"Agreed" looking up I saw sincerity, kindness in her eyes as she gave a nod, almost instantly pulling the cap out of her pocket with a sly grin, waving it around slightly as she walked back to Ravenclaw table, though how she got them to accept Sea-weed brain, none of us will ever know... except;

"Oi, sea-weed brain, how on earth did you get accepted at Ravenclaw table?"

"Riley, Riley, Riley" he said shrugging. "I guess I got contacts and a lot of luck"

"No kidding chosen one" as soon as the words were out of my mouth a cheesy grin was back on my face, as I quickly jabbed him in the stomach, sprinted off with a slight skip somehow tied into it... what can I say? I'm special!

Sitting down with my friends again, only this time also next to that Apollo kid Matt, I continued to talk, until I felt myself tapped on the shoulder, this time by Matt, a guy who the only time I'd actually spoken to him was when I was wounded, or perhaps when he first arrived at camp because I think I stole one of the things he brought to camp, the question; what did I steal?

"The rest of camps arriving tomorrow, Chiron got an Iris message from Mr. D; he ain't too happy about it but is coming anyway!"

"Mr. D is coming here?" I questioned, whispering in a furious and dangerous, yet somehow low tone.

"Apparently it ties in with making sure we're all ok, it's his punishment remember?" Matt reminded me, somehow also making me remember how one god's punishment was our official torture for who knows how long... probably until our deaths! "Besides, Chiron will warn all the wizards to stay away from him, and if Mr. D smites them, it ain't as if they'll go all out and try to kill or lock him up, it'd be rather impossible considering he's a god ain't he?"

I nodded at Matt's logic, it somehow seemed to work, but I knew something that would most definitely get anyone worried, especially in a situation like this one.

"You say that the rest of camp is coming right?"

"Yes..." he answered, unsure where I was taking this.

"So that means they'll be bring all of my siblings plus all the unclaimed kids... oh we'll have so much fun!" I said in a sing-song voice, cackling quietly as I watched his tan skin visibly pale by a couple of shades, heck, I wouldn't have been surprised if he actually almost threw up! "Just smile and wave, we'll take pity on your cabin for a bit... probably for our own amusement but... anyway!"