Chapter 2: Bearings

I awoke to something I could confidently say was never on my bingo card. Granted, my last moment of consciousness did involve me dicing up a metric shit ton of reject steel-type bird Pokémon, so it wasn't like any concept of 'normal' was ever going to apply.

But I think opening your eyes to someone's face inches away from you still sat comfortably in 'what the fuck' territory.

Fortunately, I did not scream.

Unfortunately, I did something worse.

You know how waking up from a deep sleep makes your mind take a good while to boot up, leaving you in this blurry, half-aware state?

The only thing my brain-addled cognizance could register was that something was dangerously intruding on my personal space, and to the average Jujutsu Sorcerer's unstable ass mind? That read like a threat.

So I may, may have overreacted.

"Oh shi- someone get Chiron!"

"How strong is this guy?!"

"Pull harder! Drew's about to pass out!"

"Who wakes up and just puts someone in a rear naked choke?!"

Just a bit.

"Ano...ahem...I apologise for that." I spoke, doing my best to become one with the chair.

"Please, do not worry yourself. No lasting harm was done, and you clearly didn't mean it." Chiron replied.

Even still, my cheeks felt uncomfortably warm, I'd definitely have to apologise to that girl later. Thankfully, after my brief attempt at putting her to sleep, someone had managed to get Chiron to hurry around and smooth over the situation.

I say 'smooth over', but really it was more so me being utterly confused at the fact that he had the body of a horse, distracting me enough for the other campers to jump in, save their friend, then make a swift escape. It was a whirlwind of activity after that as the horse-man ushered me into a nearby seat, before he placed himself across the table and started a round of introductions.

Bringing us to now.

Chiron seemed to sense my apprehension. "I'm sure you have many questions, but before we get to that," his posture straightened, and he smiled genially.

"I'd like to first welcome you to Camp Half-Blood."

I dipped my head in acknowledgement.

"Now," he continued. "what would you like to know?"

First things first. "My sword. Do you know where it is?" Now that I was fully awake, I felt painfully vulnerable without Akisame.

"Ah, yes. I've kept it with me, along with that storage case of yours. I'll have them returned to you later."

"Thanks." I shifted in my seat. "So what is this place? Sure as hell ain't a standard summer camp, yeah? Summer camps don't own pet dragons."

Chiron smiled. "Indeed. Camp Half-Blood is more than just that. It is both a refuge and a training ground, a sanctuary for those like yourself."

"Halfbloods? A bunch of others called me that. I'm assuming it wasn't just a racism thing."

The man hummed. "Tell me young Koyū, what do you know of Greek mythology?"

Huh, he actually pronounced my name right.

I scratched my cheek. "Only the bare bones. Most of it's just cultural osmosis from movies and all. How's that related?"

"Quite a bit. Allow me to be direct: Greek mythology is very real." Chiron gestured to himself for emphasis. "I, for example, am what is known as a centaur."

That...huh.

"So you're a...spirit?" I tried.

"Think of me more as a different species of mammal." Chiron replied. "Though the monsters you faced on the way here, they would be more in line with the idea of a spirit."

I rapped my knuckles on the table. "They turned to dust when I killed them."

Chiron nodded. "Yes, monsters return to Tartarus once slain. Unfortunately, they never truly die; their bodies reform after sufficient time has passed."

The centaur steepled his hands together, resting them on the table. His brows furrowed in what I thought was confusion. "It is quite peculiar, though, that you would run into so many of them on the way here."

Hmm. So something weird was happening. "That whole gauntlet wasn't normal then?"

"Exceedingly." Chiron looked troubled. "While it isn't hard or fast, places of large human presence, like cities, are areas that monsters tend to avoid. The fact that so many have gathered..." He shook his head. "I've digressed. More to the point, just as the monsters of Greek myth exist, so too do the Gods."

Greek myth certainly wasn't my wheelhouse, but I assumed that most religions followed the same general idea when it came to deities. I thought back to my knowledge in Shintō, rudimentary as it was.

"Like, 'bring destruction and disharmony if you don't appease them' Gods?" I made air quotes with my fingers. "Kami?"

Chiron brought a hand to his beard. "I would not put it in such terms, but the sentiment is apt. That is why you are called a halfblood, young Koyū. You are a demigod, the son of a mortal human and Greek divinity."

All higher brain functions stalled after that.

I stepped out of the so-called 'Big House' in a mild daze.

As stupid as the name was, even that couldn't distract me from the thoughts swirling within my mind.

Demigod. A half-mortal bastard child caused from my father knocking up a full-on Greek Goddess. Ignoring the small part of my brain that was thinking 'Hot damn, Dad's got game', my mental CPU was already going through the process of recontextualising my entire life.

My dyslexia? ADHD? Genetic indicators of the fact that I was a halfblood. The other fact that I was a quick study in swordsmanship? Apparently I was hardwired for it.

But even though the puzzle pieces were starting to come together, they didn't quite fit. There were still gaps in my knowledge that only brought along more questions.

Chiron spoke of the 'flame' of western civilisation. The collective consciousness of mankind that represented its will to survive, to thrive. It constantly shifted over the ages, before eventually coming to a stop in America. That was why Camp Half-Blood wasn't situated all the way back at Greece.

So what of eastern civilisation?

As far as I knew, Japan had no actual notions of Gods or monsters. Our myths were just that: myths. Stories that had survived the march of time and lived to see the current day. And sure, they did hold power: public perception was the greatest factor in influencing how a curse was born after all, but that wasn't the same as having actual, living deities.

What was it then, that made Japan so different?

"Um..."

The voice shook me out of my trance, drawing my attention to the person now before me.

Oh shi-

"I'm so sorry." I bowed at the waist, a textbook ninety degree angle. "I wasn't in the right state of mind, but that's no excuse. How can I make it up to you?"

"N-no, it's fine! I was at fault as well...I shouldn't have gotten so close to you in the first place." Her hands delicately grasped onto my shoulders, guiding me back to my initial position.

This time, I took her appearance in.

She was tall, almost reaching my own height. Dark brown locks cascaded down her head like the streams of a waterfall, framing her face with a middle part hairstyle. The winged eyeliner around her eyes contrasted heavily against her fair skin, and the light sheen of lip gloss served to accentuate her already beautiful features. She was definitely of Asian descent, though the exact ethnicity wasn't clear.

I cleared my throat, taking precious moments to gather my bearings. She didn't seem pissed, but it was best to err on the side of caution.

"Let's just say we both did something dumb? Though I'd say physical assault is just a bit worse than invading personal space." I tried for a smile, but I'm fairly certain it came out crooked.

Thankfully the joke landed, and her eyes crinkled upwards in silent laughter. Her hand went to cover her mouth, displaying painted nails that looked far too long for being practical. The unsaid tension between us seeped away, and her shoulders, once squared and stiff, had now relaxed.

"Just a bit, yes." She smiled. "I'm Drew. Drew Tanaka." She held her hand out, and I gripped it gently in a handshake.

"Koyū. Are you Japanese, Miss Tanaka?" The urge to tack -san onto her last name briefly appeared, but I decided against it. She introduced herself in the western format of given name first, family name second, so she probably didn't grow up in Japan proper.

"Call me Drew, Tanaka's my father." She nodded. "And yes, my Dad's side is from Kanagawa." Her eyes darted down, and she bent her knees towards the floor. "Here, Chiron asked me to pass these to you."

Oh yes, come to papa.

I accepted my storage case eagerly, popping the lid open with practiced ease. Some of the tension in my body bled away; everything looked to be accounted for.

Drew passed me Akisame next. I unsheathed it halfway, letting the sunlight reflect off of its blade. As always, Akisame looked to be in pristine condition, though it probably wouldn't hurt to do some maintenance soon.

"You know, it's kinda bizarre." Drew tilted her head, resting a finger on her cheek. "We tried opening that case of yours to put your sword in, but it wouldn't budge."

Hah. "Let's call it a trade secret." I grinned.

Drew opened her mouth as though to reply, but paused as a thoughtful frown worked over her face. It disappeared as quickly as it came, and she turned around before I had the time to process it.

"C'mon, Chiron asked me to show you around camp."

I placed Akisame back into the storage case, closing it shut and swinging it over my shoulder in one swift movement.

"After you."

"Is that lava on the wall?" I squinted.

Drew waved her hand flippantly. "It's perfectly safe. We've only had three accidents this year."

"That's not the assurance you think it is, I hope you realise."

"Don't worry too much. Everyone turned out fine! Well, Paolo's arm was touch and go for a while, though. Got sheared off by the rockface."

"...He fucking what?"

By the time our little tour had reached its conclusion the sun was already starting to dim, casting everything with shades of orange and red as it descended. As though summoned by some unheard call, the campers were all walking towards a large, open pavilion, with a clear view overlooking the Long Island Sound. It was surrounded by four main pillars at each corner, and within it were rows upon rows of tables and benches.

"What's all this?" I glanced at my tour guide.

"Our mess hall. It's where we have our meals." Right, summer camp.

"It's an open field though." I felt my eyebrow quirk upwards. "Where's the kitchen?"

Drew only smirked in reply. It was coy, but also somewhat mischievous. "Let's call it a trade secret."

"Oh hah hah. You dare use my own spells against me, Tanaka?"

The smirk widened into a full-blown grin. "Always." She flipped her hair with exaggerated flair, and I resisted the urge to snort. We walked towards the closest table, already being filled by campers of varying ages, but rather than take a seat she dragged me in the direction of a pair of twins.

They had messy black hair, curly and unruly in a way that only screamed 'bedhead', along with sharp, elvish features and bright blue eyes.

I recognised them. They were the two that tried to run down the hill to help me.

"Travis and Connor Stoll." Drew introduced. "Camp counselors for Cabin 12. Boys, this is Koyū, he's new." I waved as they looked at me.

"Oh!" The left one, Travis, dropped his fist onto his palm, as though remembering something. "You're the katana guy!"

"No, no." Connor shook his head. "He's the choking guy. He put her in that sleeper hold, remember?"

"No, I'm pretty sure he's the guy that sliced all those Stymphalian Birds. Are you stupid or stupid, brother?"

"And I'm pretty sure I saw him choking the life out of Drew just a few hours ago. You were there, idiot."

"I'm both, actually." I cut in. "Though it's a kodachi, not a katana. Shorter in length."

"And just whose life was 'being choked out', as you said?" Drew raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Uh. I plead hot milky."

"Not guilty."

"What he said."

Drew paused, then sighed an exhale of air that seemed to carry a lifetime's worth of exasperation.

"Anyway," She continued. "we sit according to our cabins. Since you're-" she glanced above my head. "-unclaimed as of now, you'll be part of Cabin 12, under Hermes. He's the God of Travelers, so he welcomes all of the undetermined."

Right, Chiron mentioned something like that. "I suppose this is where we part ways then."

"Mm, for now. See you later Koyū."

"Right. Thanks for the tour."

As she walked away, I slipped into the seat across the Stolls.

"That was weird." Travis murmured. "Drew doesn't act like that."

"She doesn't?"

He emphatically. "Yeah. Usually she's all pissy and hoity toity and everything. Goes all 'Do this for me! Do that! Oh no my nails!' on people. It's a whole thing!"

"That sounds like the opposite of her, though? She seemed pretty chill when giving me the camp tour."

Connor shrugged. "Maybe you spooked her. You did kinda almost put her to sleep."

Oh so now you remember?

"Yeah, and in full view too. Her street cred's gonna fall for sure." Connor added.

"Thanks guys." I snarked. "Feeling absolutely great about it here."

A deep, reverberating sound like that of a hum cut through our conversation, and I turned towards it. It was Chiron, holding a conch shell to his lips.

Then as though summoned, foodstuffs all began to pop into existence, littering the tables with grapes, cheeses, breads, and various cuts of meat.

I looked across at the twins, each having a plate full of the aforementioned foods, then at my own plate that was now just there. Connor whispered something I couldn't make out, and a glass full of brown carbonated liquid, coke I assumed, appeared without fanfare.

Hmm, I see.

"Witchcraft." I declared.

Travis snickered. "What, never seen teleporting dinner before?"

"As per societal norm, no."

"Get used to it." Connor rested his face on one hand. "Magic camp, remember? The nymphs will provide it. You can make requests for drinks too, just speak what you want."

"I...didn't see them?" The foods had all just, suddenly existed. Absent one moment, present in another. It was freaky.

The twins shrugged, and I chalked it up to one of those 'that's just how it is' things that I now had to get used to.

Everyone started making their way towards this large bonfire in the center of the pavilion. The twins told me to bring my food, and I followed with mild confusion. I soon realised why: the campers were all tossing portions of their food into the fire, stating names or parents as they did so.

Travis nudged me with his elbow. "We sacrifice the best parts of our meal to the Gods before we eat. They like the smell."

With his piece mentioned, he and his brother threw chunks of meat into the flames.

"Hermes." They murmured.

When it was my turn, I decided to give a little bit of everything. Part of it was because I assumed that the Gods would probably appreciate a balanced meal, but the much larger part of it adamantly refused to toss out anymore of the meat than strictly required.

I hadn't even taken a bite, but the smell was heavenly, and I'd yet to eat since stepping foot into camp. I was not giving this shit up.

As the food went sailing into the fire, I took a breath. I may not have known my mother, but I assumed the thought alone was enough. "Okāsan."

The fire flared, briefly, as though in response to what I said, before returning to its original size.

"Yeah, that can happen sometimes." Connor commented. "We like to think that it's our parents acknowledging us." His tone was wistful, full of longing.

"Quaint." I suppose when your family is a divine being that's absent for most of your life, you take what you can get.

Wordlessly, we walked back to our seats.

Whatever the Stolls claimed about me afterwards were nothing but lies and slander.

I did not stuff my face the minute I took a bite of the barbecued meat, and I did not wolf it down like a man possessed. Absolutely not.

And even if I did, it would have been a perfectly reasonable thing to do. I'd just got done fighting through hordes of monsters whilst being jet lagged from a twelve hour flight with stupid amounts of turbulence, so honestly it would have been completely valid of me to shore up on food, okay?

Not that I did.

"You've got some sauce on you." Travis pointed out.

God damn it.

Gods damn it? Whatever.

"Campers!" A voice called from across the pavilion. It was Chiron, stomping a hoof into the ground for emphasis. "Tonight, we are joined by another of our kin. Mr. D, if you would do the honours?"

"Oh, alright I suppose."

Violet eyes met my own.

My cursed energy swelled.

Hastily, I clamped down on it with an iron grip, preventing it from escaping my body.

This...this was no man.

I'd felt something similar to this just before, bearing that same encompassing wave of presence, but it was different. That one was controlled, measured. This was not.

It felt like a dizzying aura of lunacy, whisperings of madness and insanity that tickled the edges of my vision. I didn't have the answers that Chiron had given back then, but I did now, and I thus I could confirm without the shadow of a doubt.

This was no curse.

This was a God.

Those same eyes broke away from my gaze, and I released the breath in my chest.

"Everyone, meet the new brat, Cory-"

"Koyū, Mr. D."

"That's what I said."

Snickers broke out across the tables. Was this common? Some kind of hazing ritual? The God had gone on some spiel, but I stopped paying attention. I could still feel my heartbeat pounding away at my ears, drumming to the tune of my pulse.

"-so let's just get on with it. Who's claiming the kid, hm?"

I looked back up. Mr D's head was tilted skywards, as though addressing the heavens themselves. Silence spread throughout the pavilion, and even the accompanying sounds of nature had appeared to still. Everyone else was looking at me, or more accurately, above me, like what Drew had briefly done beforehand.

Wordlessly, I followed their gazes.

...

"...Is this another one of those 'can't see it but it's happening' things? Like the nymphs?"

Rather bizarrely, Travis and Connor offered no reply. I'd thought I'd had their personalities down already, but they didn't even respond to my remark.

A second passed, then two, then five, then ten. Everyone just kept staring at that same vague area above my head, eyes locked onto it with a staggering level of focus.

But nothing happened.

And just as I was about to ask what the hell everyone was doing, Chiron spoke.

"It...it appears that he is...undetermined."

The silence came to an abrupt end. Whispers and murmurs alike broke out amongst everyone, and though it was hard to keep track of what they were saying, the general consensus was that this wasn't supposed to happen, and that the Gods had already made promises, whatever those were.

Chiron himself was speaking to Mr. D in hushed tones, and though the potbellied God didn't seem too concerned, he did look surprised.

And as the sounds grew louder, a general sense of confusion blanketed the area. Quite fitting, I would say, considering that I still didn't know what the fuck was happening.