Chapter Sixteen: Another Fandom Another Friend

"So what's up with people avoiding you?" a voice asked behind me. Turning away from the target with my arrow still drawn my eyes met the gray ones of Lex Cortez. She looked different than the last time I saw her, two days of rest and nectar had given her a healthy glow. Unfortunately that glow didn't seem to make her any less cold to me. Her slight glare confirmed it.

"Why do you think people avoid me?" I countered as I re-focused on the target. Drawing an even breath I lined the shot and released. The arrow missed the bulls eye, but landed a respectable distance from the outer ring.

"Because only a few people actually talk to you, others just whisper and scatter when you come close. It doesn't take a genius to make a deduction, so what did you do kill a monster?"

"No that would only give me bragging rights for like, a day maybe." I notched another arrow and took aim. I had to mentally remind myself to relax my elbow or the aim would be off. I lowered it slightly and exhaled. I released. The arrow soared through the air, when it made contact it just skimmed the inner ring. So close! "You feeling better?"

She eyed me, probably looking for signs of sarcasm. Her face relaxed a bit but the glare stayed. "Yes thank you." Looking me over a few more times she smiled. "I've got you figured out."

"Excuse me?" I finally put the bow and arrow down giving her my full attention. Lex was getting more and more odd by the second.

Lex took a deep breath. "You don't seem stuck up or bitchy which tells me you are not a social outcast because of your attitude. From what I've observed from your interaction with your few friends I've noticed some things. You are kind but have a high level of natural sarcasm which people interpret either as charming or rude. This is common though. You are a mostly laid back person despite the fact you tend to work hard during training and after. The friends you have here you have made into a close extended family which suggests that you have a small/non existent family in which not all your emotional issues are not addressed. I gathered that last part by your constant need of putting others first in an act of subconscious self fulfillment. The fact that you are physically attractive has not gained you any sort of romantic relationship in the past and that your current one is not based on something so shallow either. You are a total nerd which gives you a feeling of control in your life as you get to pick and choose what effects it. You and you're godly parent do not get along."

Now I knew my mouth was hanging open and that flies could easily fly right in, but I couldn't bring myself to close it. My brain was malfunctioning. "How-what-I don't-"

"Please finish at least one of those questions." she asked pointedly as if my stuttering was annoying and not at all her own fault.

"How the hell did you come up with any of that?!"

"Deduction. That and I'm a people person."

"There's no way you could have guessed-"

"Deduced." she snapped.

"Fine! 'Deduced' any of that from just watching me. You would have had to know or had someone tell you before hand."

Lex just shrugged. "It is possible to make such deductions about people, you just have to know what to look for. I'm really good at reading people, observing them. But you are also correct that nothing is absolutely correct. I usually only miss one or two things. However, I'm confident that I made all rightful conclusions."

The scary thing was that she, to some extent, had said things that were true. This girl was different than the other campers. Then a thought occurred to me.

"You watch Sherlock don't you?"

Her eyes lit up. "When it's not on a super ridiculous break in between seasons. But I know where you're going with this. The show didn't turn me onto the art of deduction."

"Then what did? You can't stand there and tell me you were always this way."

"No, but I've always been good with people. Talking to them, connecting with them, and just plain understanding them. But when I first came to America I spoke very little English and read even less. I picked up the speaking language fast enough, but reading it was hard when you're not really interested. That and everything shifts around."

"You're also dyslexic." It wasn't a question but she nodded anyway.

"They told me to pick a book that I found interesting. This was supposed to help me become invested in learning to read English. I picked a collection of books known as the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I fell in love with the character and was inspired. The rest they say is history."

And before I could stop myself I closed the distance between us and hugged her.

"A fellow nerd! And a bookish one at that, I've hit the jackpot!"

She started to struggle. "Get off me you weirdo!"

"Don't reject the love you little nerd! Embrace your people." I laughed and eventually I let go. "We don't have enough nerds around here. Mainly it's me, Rachel, and well Gwen is sort of like a nerd, but has a larger base in reality. Now you can be added to the roster."

Lex was straightening her oversized camp shirt while seething. "What makes you think I want to be around you and you're little friends?"

"Okay first off honey you shouldn't call people little when you're practically a midget. Secondly I think if you gave us a chance you would really like being friends."

"I don't need friends here."

"Better than having more enemies right?"

"You are such a dork!" And with that Lex stormed off, but I could tell she wasn't all that mad, more caught off guard than anything else.

"And loving every minute of it!" I called to her retreating form before turning my attention back to the forgotten target.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Page Break~~~~~~~~~~~

"So she's basically a short, Brazilian Sherlock Holmes?" Rachel asked as we relaxed on her sofa.

"Yep, but with a much better personality." I honestly meant that. Despite the slightly hostile attitude she had given me I could tell there was much more to Lex than she lead on. She was guarded, not cold and beneath the hard shell she wore there was a confused girl tossed into a world she didn't understand. A world where monsters constantly try to kill you and where you couldn't be normal if you tried. Still hadn't figured out much about her home life or anything close about her parentage.

"She's going to be a game changer." Rachel said suddenly and I snapped my head towards her.

"Vision?"

She shook her head. "Really strong feeling."

"I don't care for those much either, still way too vague. Do you think she has something to do with my quest?"

"She could have everything to do with it or nothing at all. Still too soon to tell. Lighten up, you'll get it done, everyone knows it."

"Yeah." I said under my breath, but she just ignored it as we lapsed into silence. This was one of the things I loved abut Rachel. We could sit in total silence and be completely comfortable. Gwen always had a need for some kind of background noise if we weren't talking. "Speaking of the quest though I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Do you know what man's first gift was?"

No clue. Before I met Percy on that dam mythology was never a topic around me. You'll want to ask Sophia or someone else. All I know is that man's first gift caused trouble."

"For who?"

"For the one who gave it."

"Well that's not ominous at all." I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up, we have a serious issue here."

"Like what?"

"like deciding if Sherlock Holmes is a better detective than Batman."

I sat up straight. "You shut your face! Batman is way better than Holmes." I smiled as she tried not to laugh at my sudden change in mood. Then we were both laughing hard, rolling around until I fell right off the sofa.

"What did I miss that was so funny?" a voice came from the doorway and my laughter died in my throat.

Standing in the entrance was Nico in all his dark glory. He was wearing a smirk that told me just how much he enjoyed hearing me laugh. Too bad for him he wouldn't be hearing much of it anytime soon. While I had gotten over most of my anger I still had a bitter taste in my mouth about his vanishing act.

I stood up and crossed my arms. "Where the hell have you been?"

His smirk disappeared and his forehead wrinkled a little in confusion. "Didn't you read my note?"

"Yes. It said you had to meet your dad and that you would be back quickly."

He held his arms out. "And I'm here."

I uncrossed my arms only to put them on my hips. "That was two days ago! In what universe is that considered quick?"

Now Nico looked unsure as he looked to Rachel. "Can we be alone?"

"Dude this is my cave."

"Nico, stop." I turned to Rachel. "Thanks for chatting, I'll see you later."

"Don't be a stranger."

I walked towards the door and past Nico without casting him a glance. "We need to talk. Now."