Calm Sea
Chapter 8
Unpleasant Discoveries, Gods and neglected Kids
Walking from the infirmary to the great house while blind was without a doubt a challenge. Nothing that Alex did not need to do before, but still a challenge.
Giver was nervously bleating alongside her, always keeping a hold of her upper arm. His nervousness was raising with every step they took. Hand growing sweaty on her arm as the surrounding 'campers', as Grover called them, mumbled to each other. Their conversations hushed and with that making it obvious that they spoke about them, about her.
Lee had nicely bandaged her eyes. The need to keep them closed all the time and resisting the natural reaction to blink or gaze at something thankfully stifled with them on. The scent of strawberries grew in the air as the sound of people gossiping quieted and Grover's nervousness peaked.
Nope, it could not go on like this when their goal apparently was so near. Alex came to a standstill and with that Grover stumbled when trying to move on but still clinging to the pillar like body of Alex. Body literally pulled back by the unmoving force which was Alex Grover turned around to her.
Seeing her raised eyebrow told him more than thousand words could. So, he took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart down.
"Alex" he began carefully, "we are about to meet someone pretty powerful. Like godly powerful." He chewed on his lips as Alex stood patiently in front of him. Her breath not raising, her shoulders not stiffening, her hands not tightening.
Taking that as his cue to continue, he gathered some more of his courage "He can sometimes be very cruel and dangerous, especially when provoked. Please be careful around him and respectful, ok? I don't want you to get hurt by him…"
"Alright.", that was the sole response to his anxious request. And that was truly all he needed because of the soft smile which accompanied that one sole word.
Continuing onward with Grover now less anxious even as Synergon grew stiffer and Elpis became hot, both along with her aware that the simple clue of godly could only mean right now that they were about to meet a God. Something they had some experience in.
Some experience good and some not so good. A few accidents only just avoided cause of sheer stupid luck. No, it was better to act cautious now, even more so now that she was blind and could not see the mood of this God by their oh so telling aura.
The noise of the campers vanished completely, the nervous beating of the hooves of Grover increased. The smell of strawberries became overwhelming and along with it came a familiar smell that stopped Alex nearly in her tracks.
A smell which she had hoped to never experience again. Books, herbs and most damning horse. Mr. Wiselyold. And with that hot became burning around her wrist and stiff became rigid around her neck.
"Grover" cut her voice through the air as she heard a pair conversing about some card game not far from them.
The voice was like a command, an arrow which pierced through all his thoughts, unconsciously his back straightened, and his shoulders folded back. A soldier ready for an order.
"Yes?", was his reply. Maybe he gave it consciously maybe not. He could not tell anymore.
"Can it be that Mr. Brunner is here?" A voice so calm it held no emotions echoed in the waves of strawberries. It rippled in them like a coin dropped in a lake. Noticed but ignored after a moment. And yet curiosity and dislike alike spiked in purple eyes no farther than 50 meters away from then.
"Yes, he is the camp's Activities Director." More he did not say. More he was not required to say.
"I see…" That was it. The conversation being deemed over. They approached the balcony of the big house. Grover felt suddenly not like the nervous kid he was before, nerves still there but now more like a soldier who was ready to face the battlefield again.
Nervousness, instead of making him stumble, giving him awareness and sharp focus, extra energy to strategically focus. And with that they marched the last few steps on. Only the smell of the red fruit accompanying them.
So, they arrived and Grover steadily helped Alex get the stairs up like the bodyguard of the Queen, careful, precise and strong. It was a weird feeling which still encompassed. Weird but not unwelcome.
And there they sat, playing Pinochle as if they had no other care in the world, like they were not some demigods dying on the way here, not dying trying to gain some kind of acknowledgement from their parents, trying to prove they existed.
For the first time ever, Grover was able to look pass his nervousness, his anxiety when in the vicinity of Gods, when he was in the vicinity of Dionysus - the God he was supposed to worship, the God he was supposed to grovel to - gone.
Instead, there was anger, frustration. It broke out in him like someone opened a can. Clenching his teeth, he focused on Alex and helping her stand next to the table on which the two who were the nearest thing these demigods had to adults they could rely on were occupying in a lazy manner.
The grip on his hand, which he only now noticed was tightly enclosed around Alex's, changed to a reassuring pulse-like grip. He relaxed his shoulder's that he did not even know that he tensed and took a breath.
Staring at Mr. Brunner who looked at them with apprehension, curiosity, and a certain strictness in his gaze, he ignored him and turned his gaze to the God.
Lilac, glowing purple. The depth of the wine bottle no one should finish. The raise of the vines which choked you on ecstasy. The song of madness people danced to until their bones broke and their spirits were lost.
Grover was reminded why Mr. D was a God, why he was an Olympian. He should have covered; he should avoid looking at these eyes. He should have really done all mind of nonaggressive behavior.
But the fact that these eyes were trained on Alex, his friend. His best friend, someone who gave calm and rose happiness, gave guide to the lost and let him fall while waiting for him to get up, reaching out a helping hand, knowing exactly when he needed it and when not.
He could not let that stand and with that, he spoke out of turn, his back tensed and the voice only a bass away from bleating "Sir, this is Alecta Jackson, my friend and assigned mission to accompany to Camp Half-blood."
And so purple whirlpools focused on him, disdain in their depths as whatever calm and courage possessed him to speak like this slowly flooded out of him in face of the purple fire which burned it away.
A voice which was ancient spoke up, even as Mr. Brunner looked surprised, shocked by the turn of events and the smell of books drifted to him "There is great doubt, that Ms. Johnson, here was accompanied by you, Mr. Underwood. I should probably transform you into a plant for all your usefulness on this mission. Especially considering you seemingly forgot your place…"
So it began, Grover taught as his very essence shook as the voice broke into his self, taking him back to roots more than thousand years old.
So it began, as Alex moved to stand in front of him, dark hair swirling for a moment in the wind like the strings of a harp. Each string falling, somehow giving him the expression a note resonating.
A calm sea in front of the madness. The unbroken spirit confronting the loss of all that makes one to themselves. Absolute loss of control versus the mountain of icy control.
There Alex stood, unmoving, unbothered, and suddenly even though he could literally bury his nose in her hair if he just leaned forward a tiny bit, so far away that she seemed like she was made from water and chimes.
Grover realized right then what Apollo realized on the shore of a dirty river in New York years before him. Alex was never meant to be just a demigod.
Right before his eyes, he saw it. Mr. Brunner only seemed to grasp at strings of seafoam while Annabeth's scent only gave away her confusion and her curiosity. The whole situation going over her head. And how could she see, what Mr. Brunner only could get an unfocused glimpse of because of his age, his experience.
What Grover could only see because he was blessed with being Alex's friend. What Dionysus could see because he saw it in himself and all the others like him every day.
So, Grover watched as purple like fire rose in a violent storm of uncontrolled wildfire around Dionysus. Watched as smaller, weaker but still so undeniable there blue and green rose in a gentle dance like a breeze before settling in a mirror like surface on which the swirls slowly, gracefully danced mesmerizing anyone who could see it.
It was terrifying. The strengths so overwhelmingly different, that he should have feared for his best friend's life. It was breathtaking. The glimpse of divinity calling out to the very ancient thing that charged his existence.
It was the start. The start of what would Grover later call the raise of Cadence.
For no mortal name would stick to what his friend would become. No name would stay around which her mortal associates called her. And he himself would later only realize that while Alex was and would always be Alex, it was Cadence which was the essence of her being and which she should be from that moment on be called. Cadence being formed and colored by Alecta, would empower all she was and will be to herself and to others.
A name fitting for the Changer of Tides.
A name fitting for the Queen…
Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω
Dionysus kinda knew that this new kid was gonna be trouble.
He knew that she would stir problems from the moment that her existence was discussed on Olympus at the last winter solstice. Knew that he was right when he had watched her approach the camp while sipping at his coke, seeing her divinity from the distance even though it was weakened.
He became sure that he would get into real problems when he watched the mix of gold that not really stained her essence but more like flew in it like another stroke in the canvas that was her as her unconscious form laid in a protective hull of energy made from divinity and something else across from him.
And- his purple fire rose in his anger, his frustration- he was 100% certain that as his divinity, his essence rose to compete against her weakened one that she would be the root of nearly every one of his headaches from this day onwards.
The headache he was currently spouting only being proof of that. Then there she stood in her essence the ocean at its calmest, deceptive of its depth, of its dangerous nature. And within it he could see, see himself for the mirror like surface left him no other choice. See what made humans, satyrs, nymphs worship him. See what made him to be feared.
And yet there she stood fully comprehending what he was and who he was and not moving, not backing down a bit. It irritated him to new heights and even as the thought crossed him to simply transform her into a plant and be done with all this drama, he could feel the heat of the sun beginning to shrivel the plants around him, feel people around the west becoming sick as they partied.
It was a warning; it was a threat. And the most damning of it all, it was a claim.
Dionysus needed to back down right now if he did not want to be on the golden one's bad side. With that decision made with teeth grinding together and a coke can being crushed in his hand his fire was called back inside of him.
Mirroring his actions, the still waters too began to get absorbed back into that girl that now that he knew what he looked at was so much like him, that the implications for the future rose another headache in his head. The desire for just some sip of his wine becoming near unbearable with the thoughts which now raced through his head.
With one last glare at the stupid goat behind the unmovable force he picked up his cards. Ignoring the confused, nervous look that Chiron gave him, taking no note of Athena's girl who thought herself hidden and only acknowledging the small nod of that girl because at the same moment the burn his plants were enduring left as the party-goers made recoveries, passing it off as momentary sickness.
With that not being aggravating enough, he looked at his cards only to curse at his bad hand.
"Damn it, another bad hand. Chiron show your hand!", his mood still not recovered he growled at his card game companion, who looked still not sure of how to deal with this whole situation even as the sea girl took a seat like it was the most natural thing on the floor of the patio.
She sat there and jut took all in that she was able to as blind as she was right now. The glow still being emitted from the band around her wrist and the ribbon which reeked of divinity still flying agitated around her neck.
His brother really picked up the weirdest creatures while his uncle certainly left no doubt to his title of 'Father of Monsters'.
Chiron in front of him cleared his throat and laid his hand down. That damn pony won again!
"Mr. Underwood we will talk about the way your mission went down later., so don't think we are done already. And …" here he looked at that being which sat on the floor, while the satyr kind of tried to get her to stand up with panicky gestures "well, I can't really say that it is a pleasure to welcome you in the camp, Ms. Johnson."
The name he nearly sneered out causing Underwood to freeze and the girl on the floor to look at him with what would have been her eyes were they not bandaged. The damage caused to them still reeked of the punishment mortals were dealt with when looking at the divine.
That her eyes were recovering, the strings of her own essence battling and winning against the truth of what lay beyond the mortal veil was telling. Styx damn it all, he needed a drink!
To his surprise, she smiled. Not in arrogance otherwise he would have not given a shit on his brother's warning and Poseidon's rage, no. She smiled with joy. Not joy at his plight or his anger. No, he could see it clear in the way that he could parties around the world exhibiting joy.
She was happy because she met him. She was happy cause she - for whatever illogical reason - liked him even though he just threatened her and her friend.
It was clear to Dionysus right then, that thing in front of him was utterly mad and as God of Madness, he knew what he was talking about.
He wanted wine, right now.
Summoning one, only to hear thunder above his head, made him curse all things again as he turned the so desirable wine into that damn coke.
He sipped at this thing as if it was poison. Taking a look at the walking headache, he prayed to the fates that either she died soon, or his punishment would pass quickly.
Her smile widened a bit while the edges around her bandaged eyes softened.
Wine, bring him wine. He needed it.
Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω
She could not see but she could feel him. The way his aura spoke of madness, of a dive down the deep end, the absolute loss of control. And while it rose the hair on the back of her neck, it filled her with a thrill.
She felt like a coin which discovered that it had another side. For though he was her opposite, they touched in the middle of the gold which formed them. He could cure it as he caused it.
It was terrifying, it was great. It was inspiring. For when she could let people see their faults, let them reflect their entire lives what else could she do? Was her coin still not finished with the engraving on her side and what about the parts which touched the other side of it?
And even as her essence touched his, the strangle of vines threatening to choke her ocean of calm, trying to break through the still waters wanting to cause madness which would never take hold of her, she realized that he was cruel, he was gruesome. He was dangerous.
And he was kind, he was caring, too caring for the time which passed and the losses it took with each light stolen by the night and each star being swallowed by the sun.
So, Alex smiled as he welcomed her with reluctance for she knew, as much as he hated her right now, that hate came from caring for people she would maybe get to know and people who have long passed and remained as a wound some taken as losses and some as hate which never vanished.
Yeah, that guy, that God, was not bad.
Just as she found joy and Grover relaxed when he saw her not being punished and calm, Mr. Wiselyold dared to raise his rotten voice.
"Well Alex, I am happy that you made it here alive after our last conversation, I was not sure how you would far with all." He chuckled nervously while Alex became deadly still.
Something Mr. D, who she was sure was the Challenger who won by losing, noticed by the subtle raise of strawberry scent in the air. Something Grover noticed by the sound of his nervous bleating.
That Annabeth chick sure noticed the way the air suddenly became charged again, judging by the way a feeling of nervousness and confusion rose again in the direction that the girl stood at.
All things that Chiron noticed but chose to ignore and stride on instead, determined to mend some misunderstandings and broken bridges "You see it's been a while since I made a personal visit to a potential camp member and that may have caused some of the grievances that you had with me. I am really that my time was not wasted there, and you stand or rather sit now before me."
He laughed a bit; it sounded like metal was rubbed on a grater in her ears.
Was that the sound of the ocean in her ears? Waves washing upon the shore, steadily becoming stronger but never breaking pace. The rhythm the same but with each repeat becoming louder.
Bells chiming in a high strong note which sounded like the invitation of a demon to a ball.
Heat coiling like the snake of Eden around her wrist, burning brighter, more insistently with each wave of the ocean and each ring of the demon's bell.
Was that her stomach coiling so tightly? Was it her eyes, which burned even more as the previous lava she was so far steadily ignoring as if refusing to stay unhealed? Shouting, battling against their state?
"Ms. Johnson.", spoke Mr. D suddenly up, a focus point that while not tearing her out of her state which she now recognized as pure, utter rage that she was not even able to muster up against the likes of smelly Gabe, gave her something to react to.
"Yes?", was that her voice? It broke through the tension like sharp light through the darkness. It was blazing in its brightness; it was cold in its lightness. It was harsh by destroying the status quo.
"Let Annie Bell show you around the camp. Annabell, show Ms. Johnson the most vital things and then get rid of her at cabin 11."
So, she moved staring right at the invisible whose shocked step back was audible across the whole patio. Grover moved to stand beside her, but Mr. D called out to him.
"Mr. Underwood that later is apparently now, come with me." And with that they disappeared into the house from what she could listen to from the doors closing and they feet moving away from her.
"Hey Observer, ready to move?" Alex called out to the hidden one. Mr. Brunner stuttering behind her something which she did not even listen to only noticing that he was speaking cause his voice grated on her ears.
Still feeling the shock, the confusion and the non-understanding, Alex paused right in front of where she felt that the Observer girl should be, only waling into the edge of the table once.
The rest of the was Synergon pulled her with slight tugs at her neck away from all hinderances. Not noticing that she was moving till she bumped into the table still too taken in with the rush of energy, divinity that flooded him and his own rage which was amplified by his mistress's one.
It was a rush. A rush that he and Elpis who still burned with longing around her wrist desired for some time in the future again. A rush that promised more of the future.
A wind stroked softly against her cheek, as Annabeth took her hand while giving Mr. Brunner platitudes and moving away from him.
And so, they left that arrogant, stupid, old, selfish man behind.
Good, because only Casanova may know what would have happened if she was left in his presence for one enraging, blood-boiling second longer. She was in control but right then a cruelty in her inner depths screamed for the still, decapitation of the horse.
Alex was tempted. But as she thought it over, a need to see his soul, to judge it raising in her even as something rose with each moment the tide crashed into her soul, Mr. D spoke up. He spoke up and while not halting the rush inside her, she concluded that something was still missing for her to decide if she should or not kill him.
So, Mr. Brunner's life was extended. Could Alex kill him? Who knew… But in that instance… the strawberry scent flared once as they left it behind, Annabeth's hand clutching hers in a tight grip…she was sure she could do it.
Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω
They moved through camp. The same whispers as before rising, as Observer mumbled thousands of thoughts and theories. Never asking Alex. For Alex was for her an unknowledgeable girl who was thrust into their world. Alex let her keep believing that until she started asking her questions.
The girl in front of while apparently arrogant from what she gathered from her mumbling and her ignorant reactions to what happened at the patio, was a good observer. The question for Alex was if her hubris would keep her from becoming a Detective or if she would rest at seeing and noticing but not combining…
They continued on past different fields which were for different purposes. She recognized the steady thump of a basketball hitting the floor and Annabeth described the volleyball court to her.
The scent of fire passed her as they moved past what Annabeth called the dining pavilion, all the while muttering if it really made sense showing a blind person around the camp.
Either way they moved on past the tunes of flutes raising in the air which sounded like the same kind of flute that Giver used.
With a sudden burst of speed from Annabeth they moved on, walking on a road which felt like a path made with lots of feet trampling on grass.
"Come on, hurry up. Over there is the cabin you will stay in for now until you are claimed." Annabeth sounded excited. Her hand becoming a bit clammy as her pulse started to raise.
"Cabin? Like wood cabin on a beach?" Alex was excited by the idea of staying in something which reminded her of the beach.
"Yes and no. More like a cabin which the Gods decided to build in their images. Imagine a glorious ancient temple for some Gods and some houses which are decorated with plants and random knick-knacks which the God found fitting, like mines for the God of War and hearts and roses for the Goddess of Love. Things like that." Clearly the preference to the first building type could be heard.
"I like the thought of such liberal buildings. They sound funny. Cool somehow in the way they announce who they are."
"If you think so…"
"Yeah, I like things li-…"
"Hey Annabeth!" a male voice broke through their conversation as Annabeth quickly let go of her hand as if burned and replied in a suspicious squeaky tone.
"Hey Luke!" A chuckle in deep southing voice was her answer. Alex's eyebrow raised as she could literally feel the heat coming of Observer. Oh, she knew what was going on.
"Who do you have there?" "A new camper, Chiron wanted me to show her around, I cut the tour short because you see her eyes…" And there, it was the usual disgruntlement as soon as the male's attention shifted to another female. If Annabeth also clenched her hands while grinding her teeth and looked anywhere but her?
"Oh, what happened there?", "No idea, either way, I will leave her now in your capable hands, bye." And with that she was gone. What a disappointment, it just began to get entertaining, if Annabeth would have stammered if Alex would have asked if that Luke person was her boyfriend?
As steps stepped away from her new ones neared. Danger was the sole thing that Synergon projected in her head as he activated her shield in a near instantaneous motion.
"Hey! Whoa, sorry that I startled you. I did not mean to surprise you. I am Luke, the person who Annabeth just spoke with. Uh, I am standing about three feet in front of you. Could you please take that shimmering thing down again? Otherwise showing you around your future place of residence in the camp is gonna be difficult, haha…"
Calm down. Calm down, Synergon. He argued, pleaded his case, her vulnerability, the unknown place. She did not bend. Calm down, she ordered. He obeyed.
"Sorry, it was an automatic response." Luke laughed it off and took her hand. Calluses, as much as hers in stronger, bigger hands. She closed hers around his. Scars, fine but there, blade cuts.
"Don't you worry. It is a good response for a demigod to have. You know with the constant deadly missions our parents sometimes deign to send us on. Careful, three steps."
"Deadly missions from your parents?" "Yeah, you know the great Gods which are our parents? The step is broken, pay attention to your weight! They still send us on missions like in the myths of ancient Greece for us to gain glory and become worthy of being their kids and giving them honor."
Disgust, anger, frustration, it coated his voice in the same way it sung in Alex soul at these words which she knew were the truth. And so, she answered in the same tone "How broken and disgusting." A slight tug at her hand was the only way for her to know that he was surprised by her.
"Yeah, that sums it up. They even sent kids as young as seven on some of these missions. It is unfair, because even if they manage to make it back alive, if they did not do good on their mission, they will still not be recognized, not claimed. And they will stay here with us. At Cabin 11, Cabin of the God Hermes. We take all the kids in who are not claimed and let the kids stay who are claimed but whose parent does not have their own cabin." A door which squeaked something fierce was opened in front of her.
Overwhelming was the scent rotten wood, dozens of perfumes and many teenagers' sweat mixed together. The noise which she heard from the outside, increased. Male and females' voices cut through each other in a storm of accusations ("You took my towel! I know it!", "Proof it, we all have the same ones!") to laughter ("And then we painted their clothes blue!"). It was a tumult, it was full, it was…
Luke brought her in. "Since it is so full, not all kids can have beds. Only the claimed kids of Hermes have beds here, that means you will sleep on the floor until you are claimed by some God who has a cabin if not that spot right there in the corner by the window will be yours from now on.
I will look to it that we get you a sleeping bet, some toiletries, and some clothes to change into, no offense but I don't think you will scare the Ares' Cabin in the games with your Nemo pajamas." With that he moved her around the room, explaining the two-floor layout, introduced her to some excited, some resigned voices ("Another one? I don't want to share anymore space!", "Great another person to prank!") and explained that they had an assigned shower time in the shower stalls in the camps.
"So that was the great cabin 11. I am the head counsellor that means if you have problems you will come to me, alright? And from this day on I will be your tutor."
Lots of rules. That was Alex first thought, and she knew already that she was going to break nearly all of them. But still, she had some questions "What is a tutor and head counsellor?" A light scratching sound could be heard from above her. Luke was apparently tall.
"I am the oldest resident in this cabin as well as completed the most missions which makes me the head counsellor. I chose which activities we do and when, look to it that the cabin is held in a good state and clean…" at that moment the banister of the stair broke as someone used it to lean against at.
"and go to meetings with the other head counsellors to discuss quests, prophecies and the like. Being your tutor on the other hand means that I will teach you how to fight with a sword, show you the ways around camp and train with you in the fields that I specialize in. Does that help?"
A cold feeling spread in her chest, because while she hated authorities there was a rather more pressing matter "Luke?" Her voice was like ice. He froze in arranging her luggage around her corner all the while advising her to take her valuable objects with her cause this was the cabin of the God of thieves. "Yes?" His voice was just as tense. "How old are you?" He relaxed. "I am eighteen, soon nineteen, why do you ask?"
"And you are the oldest in the cabin or the whole camp?" Ice, it spread in her even as something settled once more in her. Stormy waves frozen in the moment that they had raised.
A shrug, then nonchalance "Yeah about, I think one of the kids in cabin four, that is Demeter's cabin, is nineteen already. We don't stay at camp if we get old enough to get into college, you know? So, the youngest who manage it here are like four or five and the oldest ones to live that long and be here are like me nineteen. You better get used to the idea of living a short life, Jackson. Most demigods don't make it past their teens."
It was spoken like it was the natural, just the way it was. Nothing to change about it, another rule in life. The frozen waves broke. Splitters of ice feel into the mirror surface of a sea, unknown depths swallowing them.
A bell rung out, a hidden current in the depth stirred, a heat flared, a war cry for hope.
And destroyed eyes hidden behind bandages saw. They judged. And finally, they fought.
Being done rearranging her new place while Alex moved carefully to it. She stood behind Luke, feeling his warmth in front of her. She leant down, knowing for sure where he was.
She hugged him. Stiff, awkward, embarrassed. That were the things Luke radiated off "Uhm… Jackson? Could yo-" she cut him off "I won't let that stand, I promise. It will be ok." Oh, that sadness, that hurt, that rage which was dirtied by frustration rang in the air like old clothes drying in the air. And so, she spoke with vigor in her voice "I won't let that happen to you and not to them, not anymore. Not as long as I breathe, I promise."
Her arms tightened, caging some would call it. And maybe it was for this boy who wanted to forge his own way into the freedom for those who suffered and now was being apparently forcefully redirected into leaving it all to this young thing.
Stifling for the hero who already had a pact with the devil and already gave his soul away. For her touch though caging, was grounding. Though pressuring, was reassuring. Though grinding, was warm. It felt like the first comfort he ever got. It was the first time someone wanted to take away. Alex knew that as she knew that he hurt.
And this hurt made him raise abruptly, making her hang on him like a monkey from behind. But she would net let go. She had the strength easily for that. She would net let go, no matter how he jumped, stomped, turning, twisted, and fought to get her off. She would not let go off him.
The sun gleamed in a hot streak through the window. It burned on her skin, leaving an itch. She did not let go. Other campers rose trying to get her off by the request of her new stuffed animal. She held on. Some laughed, she buried her head into his shoulder.
Some groaned in frustration, calling her daughter of Ares for having such a brute strength. Her legs encircled his body, trapping his waist in their circle. She became his backpack.
A frustrated shout as nails digged into her skin, trying to break her hold as warmth and hate ringed with each other. She ignored it. Bells began to chime. Softly, but forcefully.
A tune not to ignore but did not overwhelm spread in cabin 11. People began to calm down, they laughed softly and gave up trying to get her off the one person who really needed someone who did not let go.
They shot photos, made soft jokes and laid down in their places, starting a commentary of who was winning in their fight of her staying on her means of transport or if the head counsellor would win like bull in a rodeo.
A last frustrated shout mixed with her beginning to softly hum. Then the grinding teeth began to stop, the nails halted their expedition into her deeper skin layers and a last sigh of defeat rose.
"Alright…stay where you want, when you fall down I will move on without you and don't help you up, understand?" She nodded her head into his shoulders as his broad hands began to rest at his sides. Not directly avoiding her touch but not seeking it either.
"Good, then let's get you some necessities and a shower. The Gods know, you smell after lying outside for nearly two days." He shuffled his hair, she smiled into it and replied "Well you smell nice. Like grass and letter paper. I like it!"
He blushed, judging by the warmth of his neck and the surrounding laughter and giggles. Luke stormed with his new, biological backpack out of cabin 11 to the laughter and catcalls of the inhabitants.
It has been a long while that cabin 11 was that joyful.
Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω
Laughter, giggles, and jokes followed their way through camp. Luke bared it all with a charming grin, and witty remark. Even as Lee called him a fisher for catching Nemo and requested that he brought her back to him for new bandages after the shower.
The guy who was responsible for the distribution was so busy with making jokes and laughing, he did not even notice Luke nicking more of the stuff than what was usually given to new campers.
They moved onto the shower stalls with the guy none the wiser. Alex hummed in thought "You are a good thief." Not even the slightest tensing gave Luke away this time.
He was getting better.
"Thanks, comes with being the son of my useless dad. Did not spend time with us but hey at least he gave us the ability to steal and lie our way out of nearly all situations. Role model figure he is, right?" Alex tipped a rhythm with her fingers on his left chest, the beat of her heart drumming from her chest to her wrist into the tips of her fingers before echoing in his chest and hopefully into his heart.
"It is useful at least and you know who to blame when the police ask, say you father doomed you to it and do some sob story, maybe they will give you a donut before letting you go. Most - when I get to stay with our unformed friends – want to lock me away or run away from the locked room. I never really get it right with the poor, innocent act…"
To her surprise, he laughed his whole body shook "Yeah, at least he is good for that. Why Jackson, it sounds like you already had many run ins with the police for a cookie like you. Any story to tell why?"
"Nah, better leave that for another day otherwise I will have to leave this camp before I even got here because you will throw me out before I even showered. I should at least wait until after my shower."
He chuckled "Yeah better let you shower and then throw you out, we still want to come across as reasonable hosts even though we welcome our guests with deadly quests and badly written instructions. We will at least not let them stink!" She chuckled along with him, her legs losing around his torso.
"Speaking of showers, we have arrived." He let her down to which she this time complied. The scent of scented hot water was in the air as the drum of dripping drops echoed within her soul.
Rough hands carefully gripped her own as a bag was laid in them "I obviously can't go in there with you. But in this bag are clothes and underclothes to change to, you don't have much of a breast yet, so I did not include bras and only some bralettes. In this bag is also stuff for your period if you already have one. I don't know which you prefer, so I nicked the pads as well as the tampons…"
Here he paused a bit uncomfortable and cleared his throat "You do know how to use these and what a period is right? If not, I can explain or maybe if you want a girl Silena from the Aphrodite cabin could help you with that, she is very nice."
Oh, he was nice. He was caring. He cared maybe too much. She longed to see his soul for what she felt, what she experienced with her core so close to his. It gave her a clenching feeling in her gut.
Another one with a great destiny like Dionysus who cared too much but maybe would not be that lucky. Three old ladies, a seemingly unchangeable fate, a thief who stole to start a war, a son who cared and hated so much it ate him up.
She needed her eyes back. Sooner than later.
Synergon, she called out with her presence even as Luke took her silence as needing help to get to the stalls reassuring her that he would stay in the vicinity and to call when she needed help.
Ever as eager to pleas like an overeager dog, he responded right away with a hopeful, excited "Mistress?". "Dig deeper", was her only answer with calm spoken as determination bled into her blood which rained from her eyes like tears.
"Yes mistress." Was the gleeful, darkly satisfied response. And with a last "I will be fine, thank you Luke.", she went into the stalls.
Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω ΩΩΩΩ ΩΩΩΩ Ω Ω
The moon was halfway between a halfmoon and new moon. It was the night of the 7th of June as figure stood upon the water of the lake by long Island. When the shadow first passed the pier and stepped onto the water as if it was glass, naiads rose and watched banned.
Their blue watery figures tried to hide but not because of fear but of a want to not disturb.
It was dressed in an orange shirt, the harpies stayed hidden from the frightful being who glared at them with sea green eyes which spoke of their own defeat.
Sea green marbles glowed as they moved further into the middle of the lake, a green and blue ribbon raising behind her like the shawls of a goddess. Silver bells gleaming with their won light, each step accompanied by a melody of notes.
Golden burned band of sun around her right wrist as it called every sea creature near and far to watch, to be in awe, to rest and to hope.
The figure stilled at its designated place framed by the curving mountains and the stars above, a ripple went from their position through the water in circle wave. Like a stone dropped into the water. The surface became completely clear, no ripples, no soft waves. A perfect mirror for all around, from the trees to the mountains to the top of the stars as the moon passed unaware by.
A deep sigh and eyes of the sea closed. Their glow vanishing but something else stirring in the very being of the sharks and fishes and naiads that gathered as the harpies watched entranced but carefully far away.
An electric blue violin rose in a clean, unnatural smooth movement to a chin which laid down on the night black polished wood. A bow rose in the shine of gold and silver to the strings and laid down on it like a feather on a puddle, even as the movement resembled the sword of an executioner raising for the final moment.
All who witnessed dared not to breath, not out of fear but because of the sudden wave which rose from the black-haired girl in the middle of the sea which shouted of feelings which teared apart as much as they put together.
And then she played. At first hauntingly slow and sad before erupting into wild controlled pitches which spoke of an urge to destroy, move, rage. And with it the water rose in columns, dancing, twisting, creating pillars of a temple and arches of a pathway.
((1) Silent Rooms - YouTube)(Silent Rooms, Audiomachine)
They changed, intermingled. Ascending only to fall into millions of droplets, landing like diamonds and pearls on the inhuman figure which never rested in moving the sword across the heart.
The naiads laid down on the shore, well aware that even in the depths no harm would befall them, and the fishes swam with columns, letting their own bodies soar with fluid which was their life as it painted what they never could.
The tune changed to something sad not resigned but determined, another song and the temple of water changed from powerful and welcoming to all who braved to a pavilion in which the water connected all in drapes, pillars rising with watery flowers as sharks and dolphins swam around and naiads sang for the first time with their emotion in the voices which rang like waves through the night.( Emotional Violin Vocal Music | "TILL DEATH" by Shaheen Fahmy (Ft. Lara Ausensi) • EpicMusicWorld)
And just as a note was to hit a crescendo, something spherical flew with top speed through the nigh in a straight path to the back of the night curtained head. Sea green marbles flew open in shock just in time for it the basketball to hit her head like it was the damn pin in bowling, it knocked her head forward, concentration lost water splashed everywhere as naiads dived into the depths of the lake.
Fear this time their motivation, for the shooter was well known. His reputation of punishing just as well known as his reputation of womanizing.
Fishes dived back to the place that they came from to hide quickly from the godly presence as harpies flew quickly away and a wine god lamented from very far away as yet another glass of coke appeared instead of the wine he desperately needed.
Nimble fingers switched the bow to the hands with violin and caught the basketball with the right hand before it reached the water.
Piercing ocean eyes connected even from hundred meters distance with golden blue which smirked in service of their owner's amusement.
"Better stop that noise right now darling, before my ears start bleeding." A raise in the glow of the ocean was his answer as an elegant arm rose like a bow string in the air and threw the ball with all her might back at the smirking face framed in golden strands.
"The day that they start bleeding is the day that you stop speaking, Casanova." The God caught the ball with ease even as the divine figure of the lake moved with the grace of one to him.
"How mean and here I thought you liked my voice!" He spun the ball on the tip of his finger as casually as walking was. The reply was swift with a smile tugging on her lips "Yeah I like it, but I also like you listening to me and me listening to you when you actually talk instead of speak."
The ball dropped, to be caught by a smaller, slimer hand.
Blue rimmed gold met green marbled blue "Good, let's talk then Cadence."
Divinity rose in golden sun as it did in ocean blue, but not in fight but in greeting "Let's talk, Phoebus."
The ball was held between two different hands.