Chapter 6. Vanessa: Curiouser and Curiouser.
Alva was a strange girl.
Okay, strange barely scratched it. She freaked the bejezzus out of me.
Dressed all in black with silver clasps on her wrists and arms and a black pack on her shoulders, she towered above me. She seemed to be around fifteen or sixteen and had a jaded and cynical air about her which made me feel awkward. Very awkward.
Not to mention her sword. She had a freaking sword! She explained in her low but curiously emotional voice that it was necessary to kill monsters.
Monsters. I supressed a shudder. The image of the Minotaur was burned into my mind. I couldn't even sleep last night. My mind kept replayng the incident over and over. The Earth Lady, the Minotaur, Alva, the whole incident shone clearly in my mind.
Sighing, I looked around at the forest we were trudging through. Alva said that we were to get supplies. I suppose that meant food. I went along happily as I was friggin' starving. Wishing I was back at my beach, I glanced around at the forest again. All I saw were trees, trees and more trees. No Earth Lady and no ugly, homicidal monsters.
Alva's weird eyes met mine. Her eyes switched colors, from blue, to green, yellow, black and silver. Her hair did too. It lent her an aura of magic. I thought it suited her, given her parentage, but I didn't think she liked it, judging by her choppy hairstyle. Her hair just grazed her shoulders while at the front it fell into the eyes lightly.
My thoughts strayed back to monsters. What other kinds are there besides the Minotaur? How can I defend myself?
"Don't worry." Alva said suddenly. Her face was expressionless when I looked up at her. That wasn't a suprise. I had known Alva for around eight hours but she never laughed or even smiled. Instead, she always looked serious. As I was on her left side, her face was smooth. But I knew that the other side, her right side, had a long, pale scar running from her temple to her chin. I shivered to think what monster could have done that to her.
"There's nothing here," Alva continued blandly.I breathed a sigh of relief. I was still adjusting to the not-so-good news that I was a half blood. Or demigod. Half-mortal. Which, of course, fell under the category of 'just plain freaky, weird and unbeliveable". But I trusted Alva, for some reason, and I believed her words. Plus, it just felt right. On the down side, me being a half blood meant that I am going to get chased by monsters. A lot. Whoop-de-freaking-do. I thought of another positive side to this whole mess. At least now I know why I can do... all those stuff that I can.
I thought back to what happened last night. I was attacked by a huge, furry bull. Check. I was rescued by a daughter of a Hecate, the goddess of magic. Check. I was clued in to the fact that I wasn't human. Check. Magic. I couldn't describe it. Alva's 'demonstration' had been beautiful and terrifying at the same time. And the language she spoke. Apparently, being a half blood came with the ability to understand Greek. So, freaked out by something I never thought existed. Double check. I whigged out on my only friend and saviour. Check.
I felt myself blush as I remembered how I had freaked out when Alva touched my thoughts. Grimacing, I made a mental note to apologize to Alva. Later. And to thank her too. If she hadn't come, I would be
That wasn't to say that I didn't have questions. I wanted to know so many things that I thought my head was about to blow. But I kept my mouth shut. Alva didn't look like she'll tolerate my babbling.
Alva suddenly picked up her pace and I had to jog to keep up. My stomach rumbled. I was suprised Alva didn't hear it.
"What's wrong? And where exactly are we going?" I asked, my eyes searching for some threat. Alva didn't say anything but she raised a long, honey-colored arm and pointed. At first, all I saw was more of those infernal trees . Then, I caught sight of buildngs. We burst out of the forest
I saw that we had arrived at a small town. There were schools and other official looking buildings. I saw streets as straight as rulers, people waandering about, kids playing in fields and lots of trees. Then I saw it.
"Food!" I cried and ran towards the small, comfy looking restaurant. Unfortunately, Alva had other ideas. Her arm snatched out and grabbed me. I groaned, all hopes of filling my stomach dashed. I was so damn hungry! And the intoxicating smell coming from the restaurant wasn't exactly helping.
"Are you crazy?" Alva hissed in my ear. I stopped stuggling and looked at her guiltily. My stomach rumbled again, sounding like a revving truck. Thus time Alva heard it and her lips twiched slightly. I looked at her pleadingly.
"Fine. But I don't have any money." Alva sounded a bit guilty. I raised my eyebrows in suprise. "I used my last batch up. We're going to have to get some." Before I could ask, what did she mean by 'use up' and how exactly are we going to get a nice, fat wad of cash, she dragged me off to gods know where.
Alva walked like she knew exactly where she was going and what she ws going to do but I couldn't supress the felling that she was a s clueless as I was. I looked around trying to find some clue as to where exactly were we.
"Some town in Maine. I don't know where." Alva answered my mental question. I fought the urge to shudder. Alva had revealed her telepathic abilitiesn she looked into my mind last night. I remebered how reliving all my memories and how they flowed seemingly to something outside my mind. It gave me the creeps. Alva's eyes met mine again and I looked down guiltily. She heard that apparently.
Alva kept quiet and kept walking towards her destination. The only thing I saw ahead was a park so I figured we were going there. Alva met my questioning glance. I opened my mouth but my words were stopped dead when she shook her head.
Okay, she didn't want to answer my questions. I could understand that. I did ask a lot of them.
To distract myslef from the hunger gnawing at my stomach, I began looking around. The sky was a blue so brilliant it was almost difficult to look at. The sun ws shining brightly like a big glowing ball in the sky. Kids rushed atound madly, enoying the summer haet. Everything looked so normal. No sign of anything mythical. No monsters, no weird ladies and no one waving swords about. With the exception of Alva. I glanced at her sword again.
It was at least two feet long, made of silver and had intricate carvings around the hilt and the edges. Bored of staring, I resorted to my favorurite way to past time.
"Where did you get that?" I asked Alva. She followed my gaze.
"It was a gift." She replied shortly. Her disspassionate voice only arousd my curiosity.
"From whom?" I asked, ignoring her annoyed glance. Hey, I wasn't used to silence, so sue me. Alva didn't answer me. I went on anyway. "Where can I get one?" This caught her attention.
Alva looked at me calculatingly. Then she frowned as though I was a problem she wanted to solve. "I'll see what I can do." This time her lips lifted at the corners slightly. I grinned back. It wasn't much but it was the closest to a smile I've ever seen Alva wear. So far.
"Wait here." Suddenly, Alva left me in te shade of a few miserable looking trees. Taken by suprise, I didn't ask any of the questions that immediately poppped into my head but sank down onto the grass.
The park was filled with people, mostly kids around my age. Alva walked quickly to an ice-cream stand not to far from where I was. I noticed that no one stared at her or her sword. She seemd almost invisible as she slipped behind the ice-cream stand.
Then the air around her simmered and I lost sight of her for a moment. When she appeared again, she was tucking something into her pack, looking smug. When she finaly reached me, I grabbed her by the shoulders and demanded to know what the heck just happened.
"You don't know?" She looked amused, like she found something funny. I frowned and looked at the ground. Then it hit me.
"You stole the ice-cream guy's money?" I couldn't believe it. I looked at the guy. He was completely cluless, still greeting the little kids who ran up to him cherrily and smiling as they made their requests. I turned to Alva indigantly, ready to do whatever it takes to make her give the money back.
In one deft movement, Alva covered my mouth with her hand.
"It was necessary. Your choice, Vanessa. It's either that or go hungry. I can't steal from theives in broad daylight and what food I had is gone." Her voice was stern but not unkind. It was my call. I looked down. It was wrong but I couldn't stay hungry a moment longer. Wordlessly, I nodded. Alva let me go.
When I looked up again Alva looked rather awkward.
"Hey. I know how you feel. You'll get used to it after a while." I knew she meant well but her words still hurt.
"Get used to being a thief?" I asked in a hoarse whisper. I felt tears prick my eyes and furiously blinked them away.
"You get used to doing whatever's necessary." I looked up at Alva gratefully. She accepted my wordless thanks with a nod. "At least till you get to Camp." She went on.
Her careless words hit me like the Minotaur had charged and found its mark. Just another reminder that the clossest friend I had was about to dump me in some place and go along on her merry way. A lump formed in my throat but I struggled to hold the tears back. I felt sad for some reason. I missed my beach.
Alva seemed to have sensed what I was thinking. She pulled me to the restaurant I saw earlier. "Would you like some food, ma'am?" Her tone was playful. I glanced at her face suprised. Alva grinned.
"What?" Her tone was innocent but I got the message.
Going with the flow, I replied in the haughtiest tone I could muster. "Why, yes please." Then, I burst into laughter. I saw a few peope glance at us suprised. Then, they went back to stuffing their faces. I wondered why we didn't make a more lasting impression on them. We must make a strange pair. Alva with her looks and I with my torn clothes and dirty, matted hair. I'm sure the rest of my body wasn't exactly in the best shape after that night in the forest.
"They don't look at us." I said wonderingly. Alva nodded.
"It's the Mist. It alters the mortals perception of us and makes them see what they want to see." She explained. I noticed that she used her hands a lot when she talked.
"So, they'll see your sword as..." I trailed off, not quite sure what to say.
"A stick of a staff or something else entirely. It depends on the person, I think." We sat down at a table at the most secluded corner of the restaurant. A waitress came to take our orders. I noticed that her gaze lingered on my clothes but she didn't comment.
Afetr she left, I turned back to Alva, ready to let loose a deluge of questions. "She noticed. She saw that we were different." Alva nodded.
"It happens sometimes. Some mortals can see trough the Mist. Clear-sighted, we call them." The day continued like that. I wore my self out with the number of questions I asked but Alva answered all of them patiently. It struck me how quickly I got used to her. Her scar, hair and eyes barely disturbed me and as my knowledge of this new world grew I came to terms with might and had happened. I finally began to accept who I was and who I might be.
Maybe I can survive here after all. Maybe I can learn to protect myslef. Maybe I can get used to living in Camp Half Blood, where Alva is determined to send me. Maybe I can persuade her to come along too.
Maybe.
AN: There you go! Two chapters in a day! Review please and tell me what you think!