Present Day
Piper sat, stunned and enraptured by Michael's recounting of the raid of the Flying Chariot. This was part of a story well-known in camp after all. The Apollo and Ares cabins had been unable to agree on who got to keep the valuable prize, and although Apollo eventually relented, it was too late. The bitter feuding led to the Ares cabin initially refusing to participate in the defense of Olympus, feeling their honor had been affronted. But then there had been the Drakon, the one it was prophesied that only a child of Ares could slay. With no other options, Aphrodite's cabin leader, and Piper's late half-sibling, Silena Beauregard, had disguised herself as Clarisse and ridden out in the winging chariot, only to be killed in battle in one final heroic act. This was all camp tradition, yet somewhere along the way, the actual raid itself, the sacrifices and risks undertaken by the campers, had been lost to the dustbin of history.
"So that's why-"
"She stopped herself. Michael "died" before the Drakon had ever appeared. As far as he knew, Silena was still alive. If he knew that she had been killed partially due to his actions, especially in his current state…
"Why what?" He asked suspiciously. He was going to find out sooner or later, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him, not yet.
"The fight between the Apollo and Ares cabins," she recovered quickly. "People still talk about it. This is how it all started."
Michael nodded uncertainly after a moment's hesitation.
"Yeah, that's how it started."
"Could you tell me what happened next?"
"We took the chariot back to camp, is the short way of putting it. But the truth is, we had injured campers who needed tending to. and that slowed us down. Most of them were of the Ares cabin, which only ticked off Clarisse more. I don't blame her for being upset but…well, considering we're not living in a Titanfied world right now, I'm guessing we won, so I'm glad our dumb little squabble didn't totally ruin everything…"
Piper felt a sharp pang of guilt, but what could she do? Between Silena's death and Drew being a totally different person from the one he was describing, it seemed that Michael Yew was destined to have his heart broken no matter what. She couldn't keep these truths from him forever.
"When we got back, we went straight to Chiron to give our report, as we always did. But as I'm sure you can guess, this time was far from routine."
Flashback
Michael Yew
"…the trap was well laid. It looked too easy, almost like they had set it up specifically to draw us in. " Michael concluded.
"Hm…" Chiron stroked his beard. "I suppose considering our adversaries, this shouldn't have come as a surprise."
"I guess not," Michael admitted. "Still, it did seem strange that they had enough time to plan this considering they have much bigger fish to fry…uh, figuratively speaking of course."
"Perhaps not," Chiron mused sadly.
The spy, Michael thought. Could he have informed the Titans of Camp Half-Blood's plans again? Maybe the entire thing had been a ruse from the beginning. If they hadn't gotten ahold of the chariot at just that moment, a massive wave of monsters would have wiped them out.
"That traitor," Clarisse growled, clearly having come to the same conclusion. "First Beckendorf, and now this. How many more fellow Half-Blood lives will he help the Titans take?"
"I hope there were…no losses?" Chiron nervously half-said, half-asked.
Clarisse cast her eyes downward. "Several of my cabin mates were injured. A couple severely so. Without immediate treatment, they might have been lost."
The old centaur nodded, his features visibly relieved, if only for a moment. "And you Michael, what of the Apollo cabin?"
"Nothing we couldn't patch up quickly," Michael said, still feeling guilt over putting Clarisse and her half-siblings in harm's way.
"Good. Now, let's talk about this Winged Chariot."
A pregnant pause filled the air as the blunt address of the elephant in the room made its immediate impact. The two cabins had been bickering with each other from nearly the moment they returned to camp. Neither Michael or Clarisse spoke, so after a few seconds, Chiron continued.
"As you've related the account to me - and neither of you disagreed with the other in any substantive way - while the Ares cabin was clearing out the enemy in the main house and the majority of the Apollo cabin was tending to the wounded, Michael and one of his cabin mates discovered and commandeered the Winged Chariot. After this, several more monsters arrived, and with the help of the aforesaid Chariot, you were able to fend them off. Is that all correct?"
Both cabin counselors nodded, although Clarisse, as Michael should've expected, wasn't entirely content with this.
"Yes, they did recover the Chariot, and once the mission was concluded, with me being the commanding officer, the code of honor during wartime dictated that-"
"The "code of honor" isn't a real thing, Clarisse," Michael exclaimed in exasperation. "And it hasn't been for a long, long time. My cabin retrieved the Chariot, so-"
"Enough of this," Chiron interrupted sternly. He wasn't quick to anger, but when he sharpened his tone, everyone listened. Michael and Clarisse's protests died on their lips as both stared anxiously at him.
"We are living in dangerous times, as you are both well aware. And the luxuries we may have had in the past to argue and fuss over perceived slights are gone now. Now, Michael…I understand you are still new to this, but there is a lot more to being a cabin counselor than merely interacting with your own half-siblings. Be mindful of all the responsibilities your position entails. And Clarisse, I cannot force Michael to give you the Chariot just because you were the senior counselor of the mission. If he and his cabin recovered it, they are entitled to do whatever they wish with it."
Clarisse said nothing, but Michael could practically feel the red-hot anger and resentment emanating from her. Was he taking this too far? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all, maybe he should just give up the Chariot and save everyone the trouble-
"If that is all, then I accept your report of the mission, and you two are dismissed," Chiron said curtly. However, just as they started to leave, he spoke again, more softly this time.
"Counselors?"
Michael looked back at the centaur, imagining Clarisse doing the same. Chiron looked visibly worn down and exhausted, more than Michael had ever seen him before. The war had taken its toll, as it had on everyone.
"Thank you, your bravery has been beyond reproach and…I am glad to see you both return safely."
"Hey, Clarisse, listen-"
Clarisse whirled to him, cheeks flush with rage.
"Whatever you have to say, just forget it, fine? You stick up for your lot, and I'll stick up for mine."
Clarisse gave a slightly startled look that quickly turned to annoyance, then stormed off, and two Apollo campers sidled up to him. The time to make amends had come and gone.
"Yo, Mike, can you believe these guys?"
Austin Lake, the enthusiastic sax player, clasped him around the shoulder and grinned.
"Ares have been pestering us all day about that Chariot," said Jack Davis, the boy who'd helped him capture the wheeled weapon in the first place. "So we finally decided to do something about it."
"…What did you do?" Michael asked nervously, knowing many of his half-siblings had a huge mischievous streak.
"We put a little…um, enchantment on them," Austin said slyly.
"Let's just say the Ares cabin has gained a new appreciation for Iambic Hexametric rhyming couplets," Jack chuckled.
Not helping, guys, Michael groaned internally. Still, he couldn't help but smile in spite of himself at his half-siblings' sense of humor. If only it had been under less trying circumstances.
"I give it a week until they're begging us for mercy!" Austin laughed.
"We're gonna hit up the range, Mike, wanna join us?" Jack asked.
Michael's gaze fell upon the neatly decorated Cabin Seven, bathed in golden sunlight. His mind had been on only one thing since they'd begun the trip back to camp.
"You guys go on without me, there's something I wanted to take care of first."
After seeing off his half-siblings, Michael headed over to the Aphrodite cabin, anxiety and anticipation building with every hadn't been that long, but already he missed her so much that it ached. Then, as he approached closer, he saw a shapely figure standing in the doorway, her face slowly turning to look at him, brown hair perfectly made, her lips curling into a knowing smile. This wasn't Drew, but it was someone who would surely know where she was.
"SIlena?"
"Michael," she replied cheerfully. "The raid was a success, I take it."
"Um, yeah," he replied nervously.
"That's great! Drew's been so worried, you know-"
"I was actually hoping to talk to her, do you know where she is?"
Silena grinned. "She knew you were coming, you see, so she told me she would be waiting in a certain spot the two of you were familiar with? Not that I know anything about this place," she added teasingly.
That was just like a child of Aphrodite, wasn't it? Even with a war on, Silena couldn't resist saying something like that just to make him blush. Still, he was too caught up in the moment to really care about that. He knew exactly where Drew was now.
"Thanks, Silena!"
Present Day
Drew Tanaka
Drew often wondered why Michael had been drawn to her in the first place. Why had he been so devoted to her even back when she had a reputation as the camp tease? Why did he love her even when there was a war that could've torn them apart at any moment? A war that did just that. For the first time in her life, Drew felt real heartbreak, she understood what it meant to lose someone you loved.
What was the point?
Hot tears rolled down her face as she recalled the memories of their final days together. They had been the happiest days of her life, and that's what made it hurt all the more. What was the point of love if it could be ripped away from you in such a heartrending manner? Why give everything to someone who might not be here tomorrow? Someone who could make you cry like this, who could make you feel like dying every moment just by their absence.
Why?
Everything that Drew had tried to push the memories of Michael and Silena out of her mind had failed. No matter how cruelly she'd behaved towards her half-siblings, no matter how much she'd tried to make herself believe that she didn't care, that she wasn't drowning in anger and depression, that love meant nothing to her, it was all in vain. Piper McLean didn't even know the half of it. But then again, that was also Drew's fault, wasn't it? She could have just confided in Piper, as she had once confided in Silena.
And where did that get me?
Right here, that's where listening to Silena, what trusting her, had gotten Drew. It had brought her back to the place that was once so special to her, except now only bitterness and loneliness remained. She could never forget.
Because of you, Michael died.
Because of you, I'm all alone.
Gods damn it, Silena, why do I still miss you?
Flashback
"Drew, you're worried, aren't you?"
"W-what makes you say that?"
Cabin Seven's head counselor smiled as if this were simply common knowledge. It wasn't, of course. No one else in the cabin had mentioned it, or even noticed it, except Silena. How did the older girl always seem to know what she was feeling?
"Because, I know you, sis. You don't get that way as much as you used to. You're a lot more confident in yourself now than when you first came to camp, but whenever your mind is on him, you can't help but show your worry."
Drew laughed half-heartedly as she sat on the edge of one of the beds. The rest of their half-siblings were out on a nature walk with the Demeter kids. Silena had suggested it, but then had announced she wasn't going. Then, she asked Drew to stay behind as well. She'd totally planned this talk out.
"It's that obvious, huh?"
"Only to someone who knows the real you," Silena said, squeezing Drew's shoulder in reassurance. "Come on, you know we tell each other everything. So, this thing with Michael Yew, it's serious, right?"
Drew sighed. "I-I don't know. We like each other, we…we kissed before he left. I want it to be serious. But I don't know if he feels the same way about me. What if he sees me as just a typical Aphrodite chick? One of those girls who's only good for a good time?"
"Hey," Silena reprimanded softly. "Michael's not that kind of guy, I've known him long enough to see that he respects you, and more than that, he's well and truly got it bad for you. But more importantly, you're not that kind of girl either. You're a good person, Drew. You have so much love in you, you just have to make sure you're giving it to someone who will treat you right."
"Michael's never treated me in any other way," Drew said, recalling wistfully all of the times they'd grown closer over the years. Their first meeting, archery lessons, the game of capture-the-flag, watching the fireworks together, their rendezvous by Long Island Sound…she couldn't imagine sharing those precious moments with anyone else.
"Then it looks like you have your answer," Silena said with a coy smile. "You know I'll always have your back, whatever you decide."
"Thanks, really. I don't know what I'd do without you."
She was surprised a moment later when her half-sister pulled her into a hug, a wordless acknowledgment that brought some comfort in spite of her worried mind.
"I think I'll go join our half-siblings on that nature walk after all, it's such a nice day out," Silena said, smiling wanly as she stood and walked towards the door. "Want to come with us?"
"Oh no, you go ahead, I just…want to be alone for a while."
"I understand."
"Hey, Silena?"
"Hm?" The counselor stopped in the doorway and gazed back at Drew.
"Do you believe…well, do you think that a love like ours, in a time like this?…Is it even possible?"
Silena chuckled. "Don't tell me the Hunters got to you after all?" Then she suddenly appeared very melancholy, for some reason. Almost as if she could understand what Drew was going through.
"I don't know what the future holds for us, for any of us. In war, there's always the chance of losing the people we love…but I do believe this; as long as we have faith in each other, we'll get through it, then we'll all have a chance to create lasting happiness."
Present day
I didn't realize just how much you were hiding from me at the time. About your involvement with the Titans, about how strong your feelings were for Charles Beckendorf. You wouldn't let anyone else share your burdens, and I hate you for that. It was selfish and pathetic. You said I could tell you anything, but clearly you didn't trust me enough to do the same.
Even so…right then, I believed you with all of my heart, I had hope for the future, and the worst part is, a corner of my soul still clings to those long-dead words. It still wants to believe that happiness can find me, even after all that I've lost.
Why?
