"I think I was chosen to be the oracle"

"Where did you get that from?" Aster's voice was barely audible.

"I was right, We are screwed."

When my eyes finally adjusted to the sudden change of scenery, I looked down at my feet where the tiled marble used to be. Grass, dirt, Pine needles.. Wait WHAT?! I thought as I slowly sifted through the ground with my shoe.

"Is this a bad time to reference The Wizard of Oz?" Aster mumbled. I looked over quizzically at her.

"No," I replied while helping her up, and stealing her pencil out of her hand, and threw it behind me.

Immediately, the pencil hit the ground and turned into a giant bean stock. I stepped on the first leaf that sprouted.

"You just referenced the wrong book." I continued walking up the beanstalk leaves as Aster scrambled after me while trying to get her hair out of her mouth.

"So… are you going to buy me a new pencil?" Aster finally caught up with me and steadied her pace.

"Eh, just grow a new one"

Aster stopped in her tracks and turned her head away from me.

"Woah," she said, her mouth agape. I turned my head to see what she was staring at, but I already knew. "What's that?" She asked. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder like a protective older sister.

"That, my friend, is what you call a really cool summer camp," She shrugged my arm off.

"And how is this 'summer camp' relevant?" She shot me a dirty look.

"Well Todo, we are no longer in Kansas,"

"That's for sure,"

"What? That you're a dog?" Aster scowled at me, but then relaxed and said,

"The Kansas part."

"But we were never in Kansas." I shot back.

"You get the point," she grumbled.

I leaped down from the beanstalk and landed next to the pine tree.

"Oh, forgot to tell you," I dusted off my pants. "This is the dragon that guards the Golden Fleece."

"Huh," Aster replied. "Looks just like a tree to me."

"Can I donate the idiot award back to you?" I snorted, "How can you not notice the giant puffs of smoke coming from the back of the tree?"

"It's all kinda misty,"

"Really? You have that little imagination? Here, bonk yourself on the head with this stick, it'll fix you right up."

"No thanks, but everything's kind of flickering, don't you see it? The ground's kind of disappearing,"

"Ok then walk past the tree with the super scary dragon," I replied still so confused and disappointed (mainly because she didn't hit herself in the head with a stick)

"What if there's spiders on the tree?"

"I asked you to walk next to the tree, not stick your face in it."

"Fine," She grumbled, and proceeded to strut past the pine tree. Then suddenly, she tripped. "Did you see that?" She asked, her voice full of fear.
"Yes, I saw you almost trip and fall flat on your face. Don't worry though, I have a book reference: Flat Stanley." She didn't respond or grumble like she usually would. I noticed her hands started to shake.

"What? Did you see a spider?" I said, sounding bored.

"No. It was like something touched my leg and tripped me. Look, there's blood on the ground,"

It finally clicked in my brain.

"What the Hades Aran, she doesn't need to be messed with. It's her first day!" Aster whipped her head around.

"Who the heck is Aran?"

Aran, wearing his craziest outfit yet, -red leather jacket, black jeans, and neon combat boots- turned his chin length black-haired head towards Aster and looked her up and down.

"Oh. Hi. Sorry if that came across as mean. You kinda scared me though," Aster said softly, already calming down from the near panic attack state she previously was in.

"Great," Aran replied, "I was trying to scare you, ya know? Just preparing you for those Ares' kids."

"You mean the kids that are obsessed with war and stuff? Good thing my mother is the goddess of battle planning,"

"Are you bragging or ranting?" Aran continued observing Aster as his mouth slowly formed into a smirk.

"More like reassuring myself," Aster gave him a little smile.

"Yeah, those kids can be tough," Aran crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ok, we have been standing in the same place. Can you introduce yourself some more, and get to introducing us? You know, so we don't get murdered immediately by border control," I spoke with an urgency in my voice. I did not want to get completely destroyed and demolished today. Maybe yesterday, but definitely not today.

"Murdered?! Why didn't I bring my bow?" Aster resumed her stressing.

"Cuz' a beanstalk just grabbed us out of Connecticut and dropped us off in Long Island."

"Oh,"

I started walking forward again.

"So… what is that place?" She asked. I stopped abruptly and slapped my hand to my forehead.

"Shoot. I didn't even explain it to you,"

"Explain what? Is it a form of summer camp for demigods or something?" Aster gave me a quizzical look. Apparently I had forgotten how intuitive she actually was.

"You're spot on," I said. "Aster, this is Camp Half-blood. Camp, this is Aster."

Aster gave me a slightly bewildered look. Maybe talking to inanimate objects weirded her out a little. I couldn't possibly imagine why.

Ok, chapter two has been written, let me know if you have any ideas for a next chapter.