(A/N: Hey guys! Happy Update Friday, I hope you all had a wonderful week! I spent mine getting burnt to crisp at the beach but hey, it was worth it :)
ENORMOUS THANKYOU EVERYONE WHO READS, REVIEWS, FOLLOWS OR FAVOURITES THIS STORY!
Love,
Shy.)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The first time Calypso told him she was his girlfriend, it was…exactly like it sounded.
The trip was long and exhausting, although Calypso seemed to have similar knack for finding stray patches of land in the Atlantic like Percy did. Her powers had not yet come back but she felt as though some of them were still with her, curled against her heart waiting until she was strong enough to use them again.
They had stopped over in Morocco again, the same place as Leo had camped while making the journey before and Calypso dismayed that her favourite shirt was ruined by the ichor stains. "I made it stain resistant and self cleaning…" she muttered, irritated. "It really should come out."
"I guess godly fluids are in a class of their own." Leo pointed out with a shrug. "Can you wear something else?"
"The rest of my things are packed at the bottom of our supplies." She noted, speculatively. "But there might be a dress in the top bag."
"It's not ideal but I'd rather not have to see my girlfriend covered in her own blood." He muttered, giving his own opinion. Every time he saw those stains, his mind leapt to the sight of her choking and spasming like she was dying. It gave him chills.
"Girlfriend?" Calypso echoed coyly, as she retrieved a deep sea green dress she'd worn many times on Ogygia and had packed at the last minute out of sentimentality. It reminded her a little of the gowns she used to wear around her father's palace. "Is that so?"
"Well…yeah." Leo scratched the back of his head, suddenly uncertain. "I mean, I guess. Not if you don't want to…"
"Oh hero," she sighed, ducking behind a snoozing Festus to change. "You really must stop being so unsure around me."
"I'm not unsure," he protested but in his head, he added: I'm terrified.
"You are." She replied evenly as she walked back, jeans and shirt clutched in her hand. She looked just like she had that first day, long Greek dress with a braided gold belt, hands on her hips and a look that seemed to wonder if he was an idiot. "But in time, you'll come to see that you have nothing to fear from me." With that she kissed his cheek and began packing her clothes back into the bags strapped to Festus' side.
"So…is that a yes?" he asked, slightly confused but pleased.
She sent him a small, knowing smile. "That's an 'of course', Wonder Boy."
The first time Calypso arrived at Camp Half Blood, she was slightly astonished by the amount of people. As Leo put it later on, they were all equally astonished by her. It was also the first time Leo realised his girlfriend was kind of a big deal.
The flight into New York was reasonably clear save for some gusty winds and a few low-hanging clouds but then, Leo was used to flying warships and mechanical dragons. Calypso, well, not so much.
Every time they hit a patch of turbulence, she trembled and the grip around him tightened infinitesimally. Not that Leo particularly minded. On the list of Non-Leo-Friendly Things, his girlfriend (gods above, Leo Valdez had a girlfriend) hugging him close was really low.
"You are certain Festus is safe flying through these clouds?" She murmured, anxiously into his ear.
Leo twitched, his nose full of cinnamon and his heart pumping so fast it was a damn wonder she couldn't hear it already. "Anyone ever told you that you worry too much, Sunshine?" he laughed back as Festus flew straight through a thin, wet cloud.
Calypso shrieked with laughter at the feel of the un-spilled rain on her skin. "I can't believe Zeus allows this!" she laughed, tentatively reaching out with a wary hand to brush against another cloud as they passed.
Leo just snickered. "Festus has saved Jason's butt one too many times for him to care I guess."
When they came close enough to see the city through the clouds, Calypso was awed by the skyscrapers in the distance. "How can they be so tall?" she called over the rushing wind as Festus sped towards Camp, eager to be home. "And so many of them?"
"We're an industrious bunch, us mortals." He replied, blithely as Festus dove down and spun through the clouds that hung low over the city's vast streets and wealth of people. Once or twice, Leo thought maybe someone glanced up but this was New York, for Hades' sakes. New Yorkers were notoriously hard to surprise. He could feel Calypso straining forward to catch another look of the people below, her chin brushing his shoulder. When he glanced back at her, her face was still sort of sallow from having her ichor drained, her braid was fuzzy and rampant from being whipped back and forth in the wind and her eyes were squinted against the sunlight. She had never looked more perfect.
"I told you I'd take you to New York." He said, blushing slightly when her pretty mouth curled into a smile. She pressed a kiss to his cheek like she hadn't already spent the past few days sneaking her tongue into his mouth whenever she liked.
"Thank you Leo Valdez." She told him, grabbing his hand and squeezing for a moment before she went back to studying the enormous city of dreams. Festus' GPS honed in on Camp Half-Blood and took a sharp dive over the hills of Long Island until finally the cabins became visible in the distance.
A loud horn blown from a conch shell sounded and the tiny orange figures paused, a few looking up and spotting Festus high in the sky, swooping along the horizon. Leo waved and several campers waved back as he approached the camp borders.
"The camp won't make you start, you know, bleeding again right?" Leo checked suddenly, the horrible thought of introducing Calypso to his friends as she was twitching and dripping in gold again.
"I'm mortal now but I am still at least part goddess." She confirmed, pointing toward Half Blood Hill where the Golden Fleece glowed as they passed over it. "It doesn't seem to consider me a trespasser."
"Fair enough," Leo shrugged, letting Festus swoop and suddenly land, his claws sinking deep in the grass beside the Arena, the unofficial landing pad for all flying machines. Hazel was first to appear, sprinting out of the Arena with her helmet tucked under her arm, curly hair flying everywhere as she pulled Frank along with her.
"What took you so long?" she called as Piper began jogging from the Cabins too, a bright smile on her face. "Did you have to convince her first?"
"You're hilarious, Levesque." He called back as he swung his leg over Festus and climbed down. She hugged him tightly and Frank clapped him on the back, smiling.
"We got a little worried when we heard the news report." The tall son of Mars admitted, tilting his head.
"News report?" Leo echoed as Piper joined them, clutching Leo in her own hug.
"Yeah, off the coast of Tunisia, there were reports from fisherman of some kind of illegal whaling activity being done with flame throwers and we figured it was probably you." Hazel explained, shrugging.
"We're so glad you're back." Piper exclaimed and looked around, searchingly. "Wait, where's Jason?"
"Apparently he got into it with Octavian over Iris Message." Frank muttered to her with a raised brow. "Chiron's talking to him about maintaining diplomacy again."
"Seriously?" Piper looked unimpressed and Leo couldn't help but agree. Octavian was a weasel who should be tossed out of Camp Jupiter altogether but as it was, Reyna had stripped his title in the legion and he was back to being an ordinary camper on probatio. "So where is she?" Piper pressed, eyes alight with excitement in a way that reminded Leo of her mother, though not necessarily in a bad way.
He smacked his forehead. "Gods, I forgot!" he turned to see Calypso had slid off Festus, patting him gratefully as she did and was waiting for him with a small smile. "Guys, this is Calypso. Calypso-"
"I'm Piper," the daughter of Aphrodite cut in with a beautiful, curious smile. "We're so glad you guys made it without any problems."
As if reading each other's mind, Calypso and Leo exchanged a slightly amused sideways look at the idea. No problems. Sure.
"Yeah we didn't even think you were gonna find it for a while there-" Frank said, unthinkingly before Hazel elbowed him roughly.
"I'm Hazel Levesque. And this is Frank Zhang." The daughter of Pluto introduced, her tone friendly.
"It is good to meet Leo's companions." Calypso replied, her voice softer than Leo had ever heard it and he realised with a pang, she was nervous. A bunch of other demigods had been attracted to Festus' landing and they hovered at a distance, studying the girl by Leo's side who looked like she'd just jumped out of Ancient Greece. In her dress, braided belt, sandals and that certain sheen about her that her magic gave her, Calypso was obviously not just another camper.
"Annabeth and Percy are at Camp Jupiter at the moment but they should be back in a week I think," Piper filled him in when Leo's brow furrowed as he looked about. "They wanted to check out some of the universities."
"You mean Annabeth wanted to check out the universities and Percy got dragged along." Leo deduced, linking his hand with Calypso's. Having Percy there to run interference with the campers would have been useful, Leo admitted. But he wasn't entirely ready for her to see him and Percy side by side for reasons he wasn't ready to acknowledge.
"Leo!" Jason's voice called and he pushed through the surrounding crowd with an easy going grin. "Hey man, you're back!" The boys shared a short manly hug and Jason punched Leo's shoulder, cheerfully.
"So it would seem." Leo muttered, starting to feel a little irritated by the speculating crowd. "It's like they've never seen a girl before."
"They're just curious, Wonder Boy." Calypso spoke in an undertone. "I doubt they've ever seen anyone look quite as…different as me."
"It's no reason to stare." He insisted but he was cut off by a much louder, irritated voice.
"WHO LET A TITAN INTO MY CAMP?"
Mr D, clad in a vile orange striped shirt and khaki shorts, pushed through the crowd of wide-eyed demigods with a furious scowl, Chiron close behind him. "Dionysus…" the centaur sighed, exasperated as the stout Olympian strode towards the group.
"You!" he bellowed, pointing rudely at Calypso. "What are you doing here?"
"Dionysus." Calypso greeted, dryly. "So good to see you again. You seem to have grown somewhat."
"Err…when did you two meet?" Leo asked out of the corner of his mouth, bewildered.
Calypso shrugged, carelessly. "Two thousand years perhaps when he visited Ogygia. He didn't used to be quite so fat."
"Seriously?" Leo squinted trying to imagine a skinny Mr D.
She tilted her head and gestured to the rotund god. "How else do you think he attracted his wife?"
"Don't you sass me, Titan!" the Lord of the Vine snapped, his cheeks violently red. "What are you doing here?"
"She's a Titan?" someone called from the crowd which shuffled back a bit, filled with wariness.
"Doesn't look like a Titan." Another muttered. More murmurs spread across the group.
Leo rolled his eyes. "Mr D., you knew I was going on this quest."
"I never expected you to succeed you stupid brat!" he scowled and Calypso's eyes narrowed.
"The Olympians owe Leo and his friends a debt of gratitude." She said, softly but cold. "You would do well to speak with respect, Dionysus."
"Oh? And why is that? Are you going to make me, Titan?" he snickered, mockingly. "You're all but powerless now anyway! But it doesn't matter! Because this is my camp! And you are not allowed!"
"On the contrary, the camp has already permitted my entrance." Calypso disagreed, casually as though the Olympian with purple flames in his eyes were an irritating fly. Leo could only watch in awe as she shut Mr D down like a virus-ridden computer. "Zeus has allowed my return. You are the only one with a problem, Dionysus."
"That's Lord Dionysus to you, missy!" Mr D snarled.
"You lost all rights to that title after the Feast of Nike in 1429." She snapped back, heatedly. Mr D suddenly lost some of his gusto, instead looking paler than normal.
"Where did you hear that?" he spluttered, murderously.
"Hermes visited me often on Ogygia." She replied with a shrug. "And if you continue this nonsense, I will go ahead and outline all the other interesting stories he's told me over the past few millennia. Your choice, Dionysus."
"You- I- that- you can't do that, I'm an Olympian!" he looked strangled at the words, like they were slowly choking him with fury. "You are a Titan!"
"Titan's child," she corrected, smugly. "There's a considerable difference. As you have always chosen to forget. And I have been released from my curse by the orders of your lord father Zeus."
Dionysus looked ready to argue but Chiron chose that moment to move forward. "Perhaps, it would be best to allow Lady Calypso to stay." He suggested, idly.
"Lady Calypso?" Leo mouthed, stunned. Calypso the Irritating, Frustrating Calypso, sure. But Lady?
Chiron continued, pointedly. "Zeus has seen fit to release her and we would not want certain rumours discrediting the authority of the camp."
"Not a chance! It's blasphemy-" the god blustered.
"The Great Central Park Zoo Escape of 1874-" Calypso began loudly.
"I thought that was a hoax." Hazel muttered, eyes round with surprise. Leo had never heard of the incident but then again, Hazel was a lot older than she looked.
"That's what they fixed it as." Calypso replied, wryly. Leo could see a certain glint in her eyes like she was enjoying watching Mr D squirm. He had to wonder how their last meeting had gone down. "But in truth-"
"You weren't even there for that!" Mr D moaned.
"Like I said, Hermes spoke often of you." She grinned in a way that was not exactly pleasant.
"FINE!" Mr D growled. "You can stay, Titan! But if I hear one peep out of you-!"
"I am most grateful, Dionysus." Calypso inclined her head, regally and Mr D exploded in a puff of smoke that smelt of burning grapes.
"I haven't seen Mr D so upset since we came back from our quest alive." Frank noted, admiringly.
"Best. Girlfriend. Ever." Leo found his mouth saying, unthinkingly and Calypso smiled back at him, squeezing his hand. Her triumphant expression was beginning to fade back into nervous so he squeezed her hand back.
"I apologise for Dionysus' manners," Chiron greeted the former goddess, his voice neutral but not unkind. "You are, of course, welcome in Camp Half Blood at any time."
"Who is she?" someone that sounded very much like one of the Stoll brothers called out and Chiron rolled his eyes.
"You'll have to forgive the campers." He added sufferingly and Calypso laughed, strained.
"I'm afraid they will have to forgive me." She said, regretfully. "Dionysus seems in the mood to sulk and from memory he can be…petulant."
"He'll get over it soon enough. For now, however," Chiron straightened and stamped his hoof, his posture almost regal. "Welcome Calypso, mistress of Ogygia, daughter of the Titan Atlas, he who carries the world and the Titaness Tethys of the oceans, to Camp Half-Blood."
The campers began to bow as if on instinct but Calypso held her arms out, uncomfortable. "I am afraid that is no longer entirely true. I have become mortal since leaving Ogygia. As I stand before you, I am merely part goddess and part human, as are any of your campers." She explained, uncomfortably to Chiron.
"Mortal?" Piper repeated, looking faintly stunned. Jason too looked as though he didn't quite understand her words.
"I didn't think gods could...you know…be mortal." He ventured, warily.
"One would think so." Calypso explained what Leo had already seen and some that she hadn't told him yet. That she had paid the price to have the Fates strip her thread of its immortality and she was now as human as any of them. She said the Fates had spoken to her and she had accepted the change to her thread.
Chiron looked both disturbed and impressed by the edited story and Leo had the sinking suspicion that the centaur knew exactly what was involved in draining the ichor from an immortal. "Then, as part god and part human, you of course have a place at Camp." The centaur looked troubled. "Though I'm at a loss as to where you might stay."
"You could stay with me at Cabin 9," Leo offered though he knew Chiron would probably never go for it, not when their hands were still wound together.
"She could stay with us!" It was definitely Connor Stoll this time who was grinning cheekily at Leo as if begging to get a rise out of him. A few other Hermes kids looked very much in favour of the plan but for the most part, the other campers looked curious and wary of the idea.
"She was a sea goddess, she could stay in Percy's cabin?" Frank suggested but Calypso winced at the idea and Leo felt like punching something at the thought of his girlfriend hanging out in her ex's place. Yeah, no.
"What about with me?" Hazel offered. "Hades' cabin has plenty of beds."
"But you split your time between here and the Roman Camp," Piper pointed out. "She can't stay there alone."
"She'll stay with me." came a new voice, bright and cheerful. Leo caught a flash of red from the corner of his eye before she appeared, as if from nowhere at all. Rachel Elizabeth Dare looked like she'd lost a fight with a paintbrush but her soft, freckled face was framed by a mane of fiery red hair and flashing green eyes that glowed a little when she spotted Calypso.
"I did not know the Oracle had taken a new form." Calypso suddenly murmured, surprised.
"You can tell just looking at her?" Leo muttered back, confused. Rachel looked pretty normal to him. Except for her habit of spewing green smoke and prophecies.
She shrugged back. "It's all in the eyes."
"You live in a cave." Will Solace from Apollo's cabin pointed out, doubtfully but Calypso only brightened at the words.
"Perfect," she said, decidedly. "I would be delighted to stay with you, Oracle."
"Please, call me Rachel." The redhead responded with a grin. "I always wanted a roommate. This will be interesting, I think."
"Is that another prophecy?" someone mumbled, warily.
"No more prophecies!" another groaned.
"Just a good feeling." Rachel disagreed, jerking her thumb towards the forest. "Come find me when you're done with your tour."
"What tour?" Jason asked.
"The tour Valdez is gonna give her when everyone stops staring like it's a zoo." Rachel replied, pointedly and waved goodbye before disappearing back into the woods.
Her words were like their own kind of magic and the crowd began to disperse though they threw Calypso intrigued looks that varied from grudging curiosity to downright suspicion.
"Well you heard her," Leo tilted his head toward the enormous chimneys of one of his favourite buildings at camp. "Let's start at the Forges."
A/N: So no Percy…yet. To be honest, I'm still working out the details but hopefully, it'll be up in a couple of chapters :) How is everyone feeling about Mr D these days? Nice and negative? Good, I don't think he likes Calypso much.
Review time!
Red: I KNOW, RIGHT?! THEY'RE IN LURRRRVE! Oh my gosh, thankyou so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed it . and I hope you like CHB too! Happy Update!
Ilovethisfanfic: Naw, sorry I made you sad but here's an update to cheer you up! Calypso at CHB- hope you like it too :) And yeah, she's starting to integrate. Scary concept huh? ;)
Guest from CHB: Oh my gosh, thankyou so much I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE IT :D I think Caleo is just the cutest regardless but thanks for the wonderful compliment! Hope you like the new chapter!
Guest: Oh gods, I have totally done the Retarded Seal Dance when trying to keep quiet about updates or, in your case, review notifications. Occasionally, I scream into a pillow to release the fangirl tension ;)
Guest: Thanks, I think?
AvidReader101: Hope you enjoy what happens next! Happy Friday!
Caro: Mondays suck, agreed, glad I could make them better for you :D Posting these updates is like the highlight of my Mondays and Fridays- hope you've had a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! PS. YOU ARE AWESOME OH MY GOSH, THANKS FOR REVIEWING TWICE!
Artemis Daughter: Yay! BEST CHAPTER (SO FAR) AWARDS RULE! Not much of a reaction from the campers in this chapter but there will definitely be more Mr D and other campers in the next few chapters I think (and maybe some Percy soon if I get my act together ;) THANKS FOR READING!
Tara Luna Apple: All okay, see, I promised, didn't I? ;) Glad you liked it and thanks for reading!
Chocolate Lover: Personally, I just hope none of my demigod babies die in Blood Of Olympus- I CANNOT HANDLE THE IDEA OF THEM IN DANGER GAH. But thanks, I'm glad you liked it and as for Calypso's transformation, yay, I'm super glad you liked that, I was worried it might be a bit gory :)
Winonabcd: Let the squeals out friend, they are meant to be shared ;) I am SO glad you liked it and NAW YOU ARE PERFECT THANKYOU FOR READING IT . Hope class wasn't too unbearable and that the Doctor did indeed transport you to today :D
THANKS FOR READING EVERYONE I HOPE YOU HAVE WONDERFUL WEEKENDS!