Chapter 3: Not so sweet dreams

After being yelled at by Mr.D, who then explained that my ignorance to the Gods will not excuse my rudeness or something like that. I walked out of the big house and saw Tucker standing next to the end of the patio "Never got the chance to thank you". I sat down on a nearby tree stump and looked at Tucker "Don't mention it, I'm new to this Half-blood thing. Apparently I'm not supposed to be born cause my past siblings started world war two". Mr.D explained to me that long story related to Zues's problem of not keeping it in his pants or toga. "It seems like a bad thing to be related to the big three here" most of the teens at camp half-blood were in cabins four and above due to this big three pact which left me alone.

A loud bell, followed by the sound of a horn was heard and I could see everyone heading towards the dining area for dinner. Tucker and I walked over to the dining area, where I found my empty table, labeled with a number three engraved in the wood. I sat down at the table and some woodland creatures or I believe they are called nymphs and satyrs, brought me a plate filled with glistling barbecued meat, fresh red and green grapes, and a side salad. I noticed the other tables get up and walk to the fire, then slid food off their plate into the fire while saying their respective godly parent's name. I followed suit, scraping some grapes and meat into the fire, I could smell greasy fair food that reminded me of simpler times with my mom.

After everyone finished eating, Mr.D stood towards the front of the dining area, and cleared his throat. "Hm, before we engage in any campfire activities for the night, I have something that must be done" with a wave from Mr.D's hand that sent vines shooting out towards Tucker. The vines wrapped around the teens body and spiraled their way up to his head where they formed a crown. "Rise my son and know your siblings" Immediately Tucker was surrounded by two curly haired boys that were slapping him on the back. It must be nice to have a family, even if it's brand new. Here I was, sixteen, and brought into a new world, only to be the lone child of the big three.

After dinner, all of the campers gathered around the campfire and told stories of old Greek heroes. Mr.D then announced that we needed to head back to our cabins for the night, I walked back and sat on my bed staring at the shell covered ceiling. I tried to shut my eyes and fall asleep but I failed at that. After the past couple of months sleeping on beaches, the soft bed felt more uncomfortable sleeping on than the sand on the beach. I figured since I couldn't sleep, I might as well sit outside on the beach to see if it helps. I sat down on the sand and stared down into the water, I studied my reflection as I stared back at myself and took in a deep breath, breathing in the fresh air and smelling the odor of the water. I felt more relaxed than I'd had all day, I took my shoes then stuck my feet in the water and felt more at ease than ever. I looked up at the stars and tried to find some constellations but I was never good at spotting them.

I looked back down at the water and was shocked to see another face looking back up at me. I saw a pair of light blue eyes looking straight into mine as they rose above the water to show a girl with green skin and gills right on her neck. This girl was a water nymph and I could only stare, taking in the sight of the green skinned girl, when she giggled "What's so funny?" I ended up asking. "It's just a little funny, your face" she then smiled at me showing her beautiful smile that glistened even in the night. "Why is my face funny?" I tried to look more stern but I could tell that I couldn't hide my amazement at the water nymph. "Your Dad makes that face sometimes too, and it's also funny" the water nymph laughed a little harder now but I was more focused on the fact that she knew my father.

"You know my Dad?" I asked "Yes, all water beings know of Poseidon, if they have not met him personally. You just look so much like him". I sat back down on the beach and the nymph joined me "Do you know what he's like, my father?" I wanted to know more about him, if anything, "Hmm, he's… very nice". Her answer didn't assure me that "You don't sound so sure about that?" She started to blush a little, her cheeks turning blue instead of red. "I mean, he's one of the nicer gods but he has his moments, not that it's not appropriate. It's just scary to see his mean side" I understood what she meant, maybe not exactly but I related to not being pretty when I showed my mean side. "Why don't you sleep in the water?" I looked at the nymph like she was crazy, "Cause, I like to breathe," I said a little sarcastically. "You can't breathe under?" she got up while looking at my neck and making a quizzical noise before stepping in the water.

I watched as she dived down underneath the water and she turned back towards me signaling me to swim down. I took off my shoes and shirt, not wanting them to get wet, and took a deep breath as I swam down to meet her. I swam down a couple of feet and floated next to the nymph, I could see her gills flush the water out as she would breathe and then she caught me staring. "Why don't you breathe?" She looked at me confused, didn't she know that most or all humans can't breathe underwater? I was getting ready to head back up for air when the nymph swam towards me and put her webbed hands on my face then gave me a kiss.

My brain completely shut off as I was left speechless from the kiss. My mouth was stunned, I could tell my jaw wanted to hit the floor but then I took a deep breath and realized I was breathing underwater. The nymph giggled at my realization that I could breath, to be honest I felt more alive in the water than I ever had. I swam around at an incredible pace, not worrying about wasting my breath, the water around me was unnoticeable to me, like air. The nymph then grabbed my hand and started to pull me off down to the bottom of the ocean floor. We both sat down and I couldn't help but take in the dark view that was the ocean at night, surprisingly I could see pretty clearly through the water, making out details in the sand for miles.

"I'm Mira, I've been the one helping you move from here to there until I was told to take you here" I must have made a dumb face because Mira giggled at me again. I didn't know if my voice would project underwater but I had to try "I take it that my father told you to do that?" I asked as a school of minnows came swimming by. "I, kind of, volunteered" Mira blushed, now the blue color on her cheeks were more vibrant underwater, "I can't really say much about it, except that you sleep so peacefully" I couldn't help but spurt out a nervous laugh at that. "Well, I appreciate you helping me but why did you bring me here now?" I was hoping to finally get some answers and figure out why now did my father claim me and bring me to camp half-blood.

"Things are getting bad, not just in the sea but on land too. The Gods are fighting and it looks like war is on the horizon" Mira started to look frightened at the idea of war among the Gods. "Why would the Gods start a war among themselves? Aren't they all family?" Mira laughed at that, "Family, yes, but every family has its problems" Mira's face then turned to a very serious look. "Something was stolen by a half-blood and fingers are starting to point towards you" "ME!" I said now being the target of the Gods. "Yes, Zeus is convinced that his brother is plotting against him and trying to take Olympus's power for himself" "Why would he think that? And why am I his prime suspect for robbing something?" I started hyperventilating, which is weird underwater as I was pushing water in and out of my body. Mira grabbed my hand and held me down to the ocean floor, trying to keep me calm "Shh, don't worry, I believe that you can get past this". I looked at the water nymph like I wanted to swim down to the bottom of the Mariana trench, then looked up at the top of the water and could see the moon changing its shape through the water. "I think I need some air" I swam up towards the beach, coughing as my lungs filled back up with air.

I sat back down on the beach and was surprised to find that I was completely dry from head to toe. I put my shirt and shoes back on then looked out to Long Island sound. Mira was standing at the edge of the water staring right at me with her blue eyes that looked like they could cry. "I must go now Ian, but I hope to see you again" I walked up to Mira and stretched out my hand, "Thanks for everything, I…" I paused, not knowing what to say. Honestly, I was still thinking about the kiss Mira had given me under the water and wondered if that meant anything but I just blurted out "I hope we meet again too". I watched as Mira dived back under the water and swam off in the night. I started back towards my cabin, hoping now I could get some sleep.

I laid down in bed and pulled the blanket over my legs but kept my upper half uncovered as it was the middle of spring and almost summer. As soon as my eyes closed I fell into a deep sleep. I could smell candy, chocolate being melted, and the noise of a train station. I opened my eyes and saw the surrounding train station filled with people walking right past me, not giving a passing glance at me. I looked around and saw lockers with orange keys sticking out of some of them, the bathrooms that looked like they needed to be cleaned, a giant clock that read 2:30 p.m., and a candy shop that had a lady behind the counter, wearing what looked like an accurate representation of what it would look like if the american flag threw up on someone. On her uniform was a name tag that said Sally and she was bagging up a bag of assorted blue candy.

"Pretty, isn't she" I looked right next to me and saw a man wearing a bermuda shirt patterned with seashells of different colors, cargo shorts with torn apart pockets and a bucket hat with fish hooks dangling with different colored fish heads on them. "Where are we?" I asked the man, "Grand central, not its prettiest day but nonetheless beautiful". I looked around again and noticed that the people around us had stopped moving, it was weird as some people were mid-step then I saw a man picking his nose and enjoying it a little too much with the frozen grin on his face. "I hope everything is going alright at camp, I've been told that Mira has returned home" I now realized I was looking at my father, Poseidon. "Dad!" I shouted a little too loud and my father smiled back at me "What? I thought I was dreaming?" "You are, Gods have a way of communicating with their kids in their dreams. I.. Kind of, have something to ask of you". I looked at Poseidon and took in the God's presence more thoroughly. For some reason I could hear the ocean slightly in my ears while near my father and it made me feel calm.

"What do you need to ask me?" I asked, "Well, I'm sure you know about rumors of war and… I would like you to at least be prepared. Life for you is going to be difficult, monsters will not stop looking for you, so you will need to train" I looked at Poseidon confused, I was getting pretty tired of this confused state I'm always in. "Go find your brother Tritan, tell him that I sent you for training, he should be able to complete this task. He might give you trouble though, he doesn't care that much for half-bloods, let alone forbidden children of mine". So now I have to find my brother, well atleast I have family now, but he's gotta train me so that way I can survive and there's a slight chance he's gonna hate me for just being born.

"Where will I find him Dad?" I brushed my hands through my hair, a little nervous to be sent out for an adventure while any monster could pick me off for the taking. "Not far, he likes to hangout in New York. Ever since he's been giving legs, he hasn't been back in the water" Poseidon opened one of the many pockets on his cargo shorts and pulled out a ring that was the color of the bright blue ocean. Poseidon grabbed my hand and placed the ring in it, closing my hand around it tightly "Remember this son, the sea doesn't like to be restrained but when two waves crash into each other they can either form a tidal wave or fall apart". There was a sudden flash of light and I awoke from my dream. I sat up in my bed and could see the sunrise peering through the cabin windows. I opened my hand and saw the ring that Poseidon had given me in my dream. I placed it on the ring finger of my right hand then heard a loud ringing that was signaling breakfast.