#but on top of that Hera even kidnapps her! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dare1pon · 5 months ago

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The Peacock and The Crow

(Chapters 7 & 8)

CO WRITERS, SPELL CHECKERS, AND HONESTLY THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME WRITE THIS: @cha0sdumpster AND @charliestories

Word count: 8,314

TAGS:

Reyno - @radkatzzstuff

Sage, Eros, and Elio - @erosjournal

Lydia - @prmoise

WARNINGS: ginger descriptions (keith wallis)

CHAPTER SEVEN: I taught myself how to sword fight.

So apparently, Nico was a demigod, like the ones I've read in myths in Greek mythology. Nico explained to me in the taxi about what and why I was kidnapped. The monster back there was my teacher, but she wasn't a person. mortal? thing?? He explained what she was, which was a fury. Not the furry type, though. She was very demonic and feathery, nothing like Ive seen in my books and pictures.

Nico then explained that I was special, not academically but special in another way. I was a demigod.

”demi..god?” I said, looking right at him with a look of amazement and bewilderment “So you're saying my mom fell in love with a god? like Jesus?” Nico looked at me, confused. “No, like Greek gods.” he explained nonchalantly.

”Oh…so like Hera...Hades? Apollo and Athena?” I said, eyebrows raised in amazement. Did I finally find my purpose in life? Did I finally find another reason other than to be a child therapist?

Was this everything I wished for?

”Yes, exactly that.” Nico crossed his arms, facing his side of the taxi to look out the window. I did the same but I looked down at my palm, still holding the necklace that Miss Fiore threw at me. “She would probably want this back. I’ll hold onto it for her” I thought, putting on the necklace.

It only took a few hours until we reached land. I accidentally fell asleep in the taxi, which passed time. My eyes flickered open, only to be met with the blinding sunlight streaming in through the window. I squinted and winced, turning away. In the other window, I saw a big sign, something in Greek. Camp half-blood? Was that a blood donation site for kids with cancer? “Here we are. I’ll take you to the big house.” Nico said, opening the car door and shutting it behind him. I caught up quickly, a little out of breath. We walked, passing campers of various heights, ethnicities, and ages. Most of the campers were sixteen or even higher, for the rest, they looked my age.

As me and Nico reached this place he called the big house, there was a short stubby man wearing a leopard pattern button up shirt. He had brown shorts on, and he had a can of diet coke. He was lounging on a lawn chair, with a diet coke can in hand. Despite

He looked at me and Nico, before he yelled “NICOLAS D’ANDERSON AND THE NEW CAMPERS HERE!”, was Nicolas D’Anderson, Nico’s real name?

I stood next to nico, although he was my kidnapper, he was the only person I knew so far.

“Kid, this is Mr, D. He’s the director for Camp Half Blood.”

“Mr D? What does the D stand for?” I asked Nico, still staring at this Mr D. Did it stand for Mr Diet Coke? I watched him take a sip from the can he was holding “Dionysus.” I heard Nico say, then another person came. Or a centaur, to be more accurate. He looked like a reverse-tikbalang (horse creature in filipino myths), where the top was human and the bottom was a horse. My eyes widened, and my attention suddenly reverted to him.

The centaur was wearing a dark brown vest with a white button-up underneath, he had a red tie and a short beard that wrapped around his jawline. The centaur had kind weathered eyes, like he’d been around for more than a few decades. His hair was medium length, he looked like Jesus if he had short hair, to be honest. His lower half was chestnut brown, like the type of horse you’d think of when the word “horse” is mentioned. It made him tower over us but in a non-threatening way. “Ah, you must be June.” I nodded, my eyes still glued on him. Nico just turned around and walked away.

He was tall, very tall. I must look like a midget compared to him. “…yes, that's me,” I mumbled, loud enough for him to hear. The short stubby man who called Nico by the wrong name got up and walked back inside the big light-blue house. “You must be tired after your trip here, no?” the centaur gestured for me to come inside. I hesitated but stepped onto the deck and through the door. He followed, his hooves clip-clopping as he stepped onto the wooden floor. Outside were a couple of lawn chairs and tables, making it seem like a vacation home.

The inside of the place was quite big. It was mostly made of wood, and the entrance led into a living room. It consisted of a brown couch. A brick fireplace was against the wall, a leopard head over the mantle. Unlike normal taxidermied leopard heads, it appeared to be sleeping rather than having its eyes wide open and eternally awake. He gestured for me to sit down on the couch, and I did. I sat down as I normally would whenever a teacher asked me to go chat with them outside the classroom. My eyes still explored the room, before focusing on the centaur. I folded my hands on my lap and looked up at him as he cleared his throat to speak. “You may call me Chiron.” I nodded, my voice almost a whisper, but loud enough for Chiron to hear. “Yes, sir.” He smiled in acknowledgement. “Well, this camp is for children like you. Demigods.” Oh, so not a blood donation site. I nodded with interest, with the same amazement I had when Nico told me what I was in the car.

“You do understand what a demigod is, correct? I hope Nico told you on the way here.” I nodded again, not daring to say another word to this stranger. He may have told me his name, but I still didn't fully understand and trust him. His horse tail flicked behind him as he continued,

But before he could continue, he noticed the little scar on my lip. Chiron’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. I bit my lip, the sharp metallic taste pricking the tip of my tongue.

“It might be best if you head to the infirmary.” He noted. He made his way back outside, to the door. Then he led me from there to the infirmary, which was quite far from the big house. We passed a big river, where lots of girls lounged on the riverbank, chatting and gossiping. (well, not really girls, but they seemed to dissolve into the water whenever they slipped in.) They must be nymphs. We walked past multiple campers, some of whom were handling and holding weapons like giving sharp objects to minors was normal. Is this camp okay? What was even more concerning was that a majority of them seemed pretty good at dealing with weapons.

I wanted to ask Chiron if handing kids weapons was okay and legal around here, but I couldn't. I just stayed silent as I followed the centaur to the infirmary. I looked around while we were at it, seeing all the campers in orange shirts, some dirty, and some bloodied. We walked into this place, it looked like a rectangle from my point of view.

When I first entered, I saw this big campfire in the middle. Why were they starting a fire in midday? There was a young girl attending to it, she looked to be nine, nine years old. Chiron and I turned left, now we were standing in front of cabin 7. The sunlight beamed down on it, and boom! It looked like gold, glittering like the cabin was made of solid light.

There were three campers in front of the cabin, talking. The one on the left had soft-looking blonde hair, she was wearing a simple outfit, something I’d probably wear.

The girl was wearing a long plaid skirt that reached below her knees, she was wearing soft green boots and mismatched socks. On Top of the skirt was a light sage green coat, all buttons, buttoned up. She also had a gray scarf and a green satchel. Next to her was a boy, they didn’t look to be dating but more like best friends. He looked to be sixteen and had a baggy shirt on with baggy pants to match. His hair was short, fluffy even. But the

In the middle of them was a satyr, and I couldn’t tell what gender they were, so I’m just gonna call them they/them. They had the same orange shirt most of the other campers were wearing, and they had on brown jorts, which complemented their shaggy hindquarters.

The trio stopped talking abruptly once they noticed us standing there. “New blood?” The boy spoke up, I froze. Now their attention was on me, I didn't like that. The satyr walked in and gestured for me to follow, chiron patted my back gently, as if telling me to go in and follow.

I did, I followed for I still had an injury. “so, are you new here?” they asked me. I nodded and followed them to a room. They knocked on the door and someone opened it

He was tall, but not taller than chiron. He had a wavy mop of bright blonde hair, he wore a surgical mask and a white coat. Underneath it, he wore brown cargo shorts and a sage green plain shirt. He wore a bead necklace, the same one everyone wore. On the lapel of his coat, the sticker tag read “Hi, my name’s Will!”. Will looked tired, like a sleep-deprived surfer boy. His eye bags weren’t too deep, though. They were overlapped by his freckles, “Oh, hey come in. sit down on the bed” He stifled a yawn, removing his mask and rubbing his eyes. His smile was calm and sleepy, like the type of smile you would see at a picnic during the summer.

”You can leave them to me, Elio.” The satyr left while will closed the door. “Your new right?” He had a slight texan accent as he brought out his check board. “My name’s Will, nice to meet you!” He introduced himself, sitting down on his chair.

“Oh, Im June,” I replied, looking around the small room. He started to write something on his check board. “nice to meet you, june. How did you get this injury?” He pointed to the small scratch on the corner of my lip. “A fury apparently. Nico told me on the way here.” “Ohh, yeah they suck. A lot more of these things will happen to you while you’re in and out of camp, but you’d get used to it.” Will got up, and grabbed a small cup of yellow liquid.

“Here, drink this” he gave me the cup, I drank it all. It tasted like mango pudding cubes? My dad used to buy these for me when he'd travel to cebu or bohol. “what’d taste like?” Will started to dab lightly the piece of cotton on the scar of my lip.

”Mango pudding cubes.” I replied.

“Ooh, mango pudding cubes, what’s that?” Will asked, tilting his head.

”Its a type of candy you can get in the Philippines. Mostly in Tagaytay or Coron.” He put the bandaid on the scar, before patting head. “I’ll try them sometime, June! That sounds pretty good.” I got off the bed and walked out, “Oh, and welcome to camp.” Will added, remaining in the room.

It was already getting late, the sun was setting by the time I got out. Chiron was still there, he was talking with Mr D about something. “Oh june, eros over here will be showing you were you’ll be sleeping tonight, somethings have come up and I wont be able to take you there myself, welcome to camp, by the way...” it was the last thing chiron told to me before he walked off with Mr D, to be in a hurry…

”Hey, you're June right?” A guy came up from behind me, strolling up in front and holding out his hand, “Im eros, this is Sage and the guy who showed you in was Elios.” He gestured as I shook his hand, looking at the three of them. “I’m June.”

We all walked, the trio in front of me talking about stuff. “so june, where are you from?” Elio asked, now walking beside me. “…the philippines.” I replied, shoving my hands in my jacket’s pockets since I was still in my uniform. “the philippines? I heard its hot there" "It is.” I kept my answers short.

Eros and his friends showed me where I’ll be staying the night, cabin 11. They gave me a sleeping bag and a fresh set of clothes for the night, it was an oversized CHB shirt with plaid pants, it looked big. Sage said it was the last one they had that was for kids like me.

The trio showed me to a place where I could shower and change clothes. I stepped into the place, it looked like a prison. It was empty, and cold. The stall doors made from wood, and the floor was made up of tiles. I walked to the last stall to take a shower. Putting the clothes eros and friends gave me onto a nearby stool to take off my shoes. I had to crouch down on the ground as I unlaced my shoes. After my shoes were off and placed to the side, I stepped into the stall, to finally take a nice warm shower-

Except, when I turned it on, the water came out freezing cold. I let out a yelp, no one seemed to hear or to notice. I guess eros and his friends had to leave. It was quiet, a little too quiet for my liking. I showered quickly and changed into the clothes the trio gave me and quickly left the place, gave me the creeps.

When I walked out, it looked peaceful. The light of the moon illuminating the place. I walked to cabin 11, quickly, I was tired after the day I had.

When I entered the cabin, there were a lot of people sleeping in the bunks and others sleeping on the floor with a sleeping bag. I couldn't find an open space, except for one near the entrance. Opening my sleeping bag, I just laid in it and stared into the roof of the cabin. My glasses were placed right next to my head as I just wondered.

Was this the life I wanted? Did I finally escape the pain and suffering i've been through since I was born?

maybe.

CHAPTER EIGHT: This is why I don't socialize.

I woke up the next day, my back sore after sleeping in the Hermes cabin. I didn’t like it there, it was slightly cramped. I had to sleep on the floor near the entrance since there was no space for new campers. The actual Hermes kids or the ones that arrived earlier than I did occupied the bunks. It was hotter here, and I’m pretty sure I saw someone sneak in here. They came out with toilet paper and a sweater they weren’t wearing when they slipped through the door. In the moonlight, their appearance looked slightly dishevelled, their face hard to make out as the harpies swooped upon them in a flurry of feathers and screeching.

This reminded me of home, when my mother would come home late with a bottle of wine and a missing shoe. She’d always ask me for her pyjamas and water as if she were the child in this scenario. I’d always lay them out neatly on the couch, with a glass of water on the coffee table like the good child-mother I was.

I flinched, as a loud sound interrupted my thoughts and the atmosphere the sunrise was setting, waking up everyone else from their bunks. I even saw two guys get up from the same bunk. I rubbed my eyes, as a small sliver of sunlight peered through the crack of the door. Sitting up as the hood of the sleeping bag fell to my waist. I stretched. That was not as bad as the nights I’d spent back at home. I watched as everyone else got ready, going to the bathroom, and fixing their hair and beds. The person I slept with even fixed the order of their plushies, aligning them against their pillow. I followed and did the same, rolling up my sleeping bag and putting it in a corner so that it wouldn't get trampled on. A lot of people weren't there and didn’t take notice of me as I put on my shoes.

I followed everyone, staying behind like a black sheep from its flock.

Staying behind everyone, I noticed that there was another guy in the back. He looked like a satyr but if they were more wolf-like. The guy was wearing a green flannel, a CHB shirt like mine and jeans? not really jeans though. His hair looked fluffy, soft, and silky even. He was chatting with some people, joking around with them as the group walked.

He soon spotted me, just walking there, in silence since I didn't have anyone to talk to. The boy excused himself, and the two other people continued walking without him. He bounded over to where I was, smiling as he spoke. “Hey you! you're the kid who Nico brought in, right?” I nodded, his tone was silly, to say the least. “I could show you around half blood if you’d like? oh I’m reyno by the way!” ”june.” He blinked, a little confused. “june?”

“That's uh, my name.” I responded, keeping it short and simple since I didn't want him to think I was weird. We walked and talked the entire time, he reminded me of mars, in a way. Maybe it was because of how similar they were, when they talked about their interest while fidgeting or shaking their hands. He was cool. Reyno talked about competitions he’s competed in, making small jokes about it too. “Have you been in any competitions, june?” He looked at me all excited. “…I've been in a few drawing competitions?”

“You gotta show me your drawings sometime!” Reyno exclaimed, his tail wagging excitedly behind him. Jeez he really did remind me of Mars. I wanted to say more, keep the conversation going. I fidgeted in place, eyes darting around. “...I’ve left my stuff back at school. Like, that includes my notebook…yeah.” Reyno nodded in understanding, still beaming. He was smiling so wide that his canines were showing. “That’s cool, Maybe you can make more drawings here.” I nodded, didn't really know what to do.

The group of campers that came out of the hermes cabin started to disperse as we reached a circular building. It had pillars and a rope of cabin flags to the left side. There were picnic tables that surrounded the middle, which had a fire pit, with a live fire. It was quite cold, but no one was shivering even though most were wearing shorts or CHB tank tops. I just followed Reyno to a table with some of the Hermes campers.

“uhm…do we get our food or?” I asked Reyno, a little confused because I didn't see a buffet or a place to ask for food. I usually see those types of things in hotels or my school.

“Oh, the nymphs usually serve our food!” he exclaimed. Then a green boy came by our table, he was holding a lot of plates, with varying foods. One on his left hand, holding pancakes, the other holding eggs and bacon. On his shoulders was a plate with toast with a bowl, his right shoulder had another plate with waffles.

“see?” Reyno said as the guy placed the plate of waffles “Thank you sir”, the guy looked to me and asked “what do you want for breakfast, new camper?” He smiled as he said this. I inhaled, feeling my cheeks flush. Damn, he was cute.

”I-I’ll take the toast” I said, he placed the plate with the toast and the bowl right in front of me “Thank you”. It was a simple breakfast, toast and cereal. Another green person came by as well, giving me a cup of orange juice and Reyno a cup too, before leaving to give the others drinks.

”Those are the nymphs! they give us breakfast, lunch, and dinner” Reyno started to cut his waffles into bite-sized pieces as I just picked up a spoon and started to eat my cereal.

”nymphs?” I ate a piece of my toast, a sip of orange juice following after.

“They’re minor deities” He responded, voice muffled by the amount of waffles he shoveled in his mouth. “Then why are they serving us food if they are deities?” I asked, feeling baffled by the information he just dropped on me. Deities in Filipino mythology are usually worshiped or not doing much work. But here they are, serving us breakfast. “Well yeah, but they live at camp like us and they need work to do!” He explained it in a way that I understood, which was nice. I nodded, intrigued.

”Oh, then what do the demigods do?” Reyno then went on a rant on what we as demigods do, we go on quests and help others. He explained that we train and do classes to do better for the mythological world. He was cut off as we saw everyone from our table get up to scrape our food into the fire.

“Is the food here that bad?” I stood next to Reyno as we put in bits of our breakfasts. He put a small piece of his waffle, and I put my toast. “We’re offering to the gods!”He exclaimed, taking a bite out of the lone waffle on his plate. “The gods? aren't they all high and mighty? Why would they want our breakfast?” I questioned, looking down at my empty plate. Its golden surface reflected my face back, like a small mirror with a few crumbs sticking on it. We walked back to our table to set down our plates for the nymphs to collect. “They’re the gods, we always have to offer to them” He laughed, but his tone didn’t seem to match his usual demeanor. “Come one, come all!! Lend me your ears, for I’m the child this prophecy is talking about!” A boy yelled out, suddenly climbing onto the Hermes picnic table holding his head high as if he was on a stage. He was wearing a big oversized jacket, which looked like a stereotypical wizard’s cloak with the white and purple star pattern on it. His eyes gleamed with the confidence of a magician hosting a show. He flourished his hands dramatically, as if he was A wave of “ooo”s and “ahhs” rose up from the small crowd that was starting to gather around him. I thought they gathered around him because he wasn’t wearing any pants, but he turned out to just be wearing really short jean shorts. If he went to my school, he’d be suspended for 3 weeks just for wearing that.

“Who's he?” I asked, the same nymph was picking up and cleaning the place after everyone was done eating, along with a bunch of other nymphs. They moved around like they were floating, graceful and light on their feet. Reyno let out a small grunt before he spoke. “Oh, that's Keaton, he’s the son of Hermes. He came in last night, making a big show like the one he’s doing right now.” His eyebrows furrowed. I could tell Reyno didn't like this guy. Was Keaton the guy Chiron was talking about, when he had to leave me to eros, sage, and elio? “I saw him this morning, bragging to the other campers on how he’s the new prophecy child” he rolled his eyes at keaton, his long ears tilting down slightly. We both watched keaton as he continued his weird speech about being the kid who's gonna save us all. I saw some people, looking like they believed it, the others not as much. “Anyways! c’mon, I promised to show you around camp right?” We walked some more, setting down the plates on the Hermes picnic table, Keaton narrowly kicking them off as he flaunted loudly about his “backstory leading up to this fated moment.” Reyno lead the way, tail wagging with even more enthusiasm the further we got from the mess hall.

We walked through the strawberry fields, coming across a few satyrs and nymphs using their magic on it to make the vines grow. There were other campers milling about, basking in the sunlight and picking strawberries. Reyno explained that Camp Half-Blood was also running a strawberry business as a font. Apparently, if a mortal were to look at Camp-Half blood properly, they’d think that it was a strawberry farm instead of a camp for really dangerous weapon-handling teenagers. In the distance, Nico was swinging interlocked hands with Will Solace, talking to two other campers I recognized from the gold cabin. I think they told me their names, but I forgot.

Reyno continued on, and he walked ahead of me, tail wagging excitedly and a bigger bounce in his step. I think he cheered up after we took some time away from Keaton and his boasting.

“Oh my gods! Are you the new camper? Hi!! Nice to meet you!!” A girl with long curly brown hair went up to me with a wide smile of her face. She brushed her hair from her shoulders, and it swept behind her back. Her outfit looked like something you’d thrift at a store to wear for the summer. “My name’s Lydia! What’s yours?” She asked, leaning forwards with her hands behind her back.“...June-” “June? that's such a pretty name! nice to meet you june!” She was smiling so bright that I swear, I was standing in front of the sun itself. Literally. A sheen of light surrounded her like a filter, making her smile stand out even more. I leaned back, squinting against her glow. It was almost blinding, but Reyno somehow matched her energy.

”Oh hey Lydia! I'm showing june around camp, whatcha up to?” Reyno exclaimed, moving to stand in front of me by a centimeter. I stayed silent while I watched them interact.

”Just picking strawberries!” She pointed to a basket, not to far from where we are. It was filled with a lot of strawberries, almost to the brim of the woven basket. “why?” Mumbling under my breath, they stopped talking for a moment, looking to me while I stood behind Reyno. Together, their energy was too bright. It was bright enough to light an entire room. “Its for our strawberry business! Cant have the mortals knowing that this is a camp for demigods!” Lydia explained to me, seeming to notice my confusion. “I mean, its not like they’ll ever know! With the mist covering us and all that.” She gestured as she spoke, waving around at the sky to indicate the presence of some kind of shield made of mist being around us. While reyno and lydia continued their conversation after explaining to me why we pick strawberries, from the corner of my eye I saw a ginger.

He had a book in his hand, wearing a soft shade of green button up with brown baggy pants. The boy was sitting under a tree, face speckled with shadows cast down by the tree branches. He had a basket of strawberries next to him. His hair was a shade of ginger, not too bright, not too dark, but it was just the right shade. It looked soft, like a sheep's wool or a small mouse. He looked almost godly, having olive colored skin and a face card that looked like a sculpture you’d find in a museum. He looked like an otherworldly prince, descended down from the heavens. He tucked an orange lock behind his ear before turning the page to his book. “whatcha lookin at, june?” I heard Reyno ask me. I flushed and turned back to the two, their conversation concluded and their eyes on me. “Uh, who’s that guy?” I gestured with my hands to the guy sitting under the tree, and next to the strawberry basket.

”him? thats keith wallis! child of hera, kinda just came into camp after his mom dropped him off!” Reyno exclaimed. “never really got good vibes with that kid, he’s always seen reading something or helping around camp!” Soon lydia walked away from me and reyno, going to help some other camper with strawberry picking.

I listened intently, this keith guy seemed so mysterious and ethereal in a way. Both me and Reyno walked away from the fields of strawberries. He showed me where the pegasus stables were, all the neighs from the horses startled me a bit but we were only there for a couple of minutes (reyno explained what half bloods did for the pegasus’)

Next, we went to an old shed which was apparently called the armoury. “and this is where we keep all our weapons! in case monsters break through the barrier of course.” He opened the door to the shed looking like a building. Inside there were racks of spears, bronze armor mounted on the wall along with shields and swords. Other items and dust were scattered around, “do you know how to fight, june?” Rey turned around, hands on his hips as he asked me that question.

“no.” I said. ‘I’m a thirteen year old girl with ADHD, why would you give me a weapon .’ I wanted to say, my thoughts told me to shut up while Rey explained some other stuff.

Next, we headed to the place that looked like a roman colosseum, Rey said its called the arena. As we walked in the place, there were already people training with dummies or with each other. My attention soon caught a girl who was going hard on a training dummy, treating it like a war criminal who just had killed her whole family. She didn't look older then 16, but damn she was menacing.

”this is were we train and sometimes hold events, like chariot racing, or the gladiator games!” We just walked around, watching everyone train as if their life depended on it. After the arena, was the forge. The white marble columns covered in soot. Chimneys on the roof, already letting out smoke. “and this is were the hephaestus kids make armor, weapons, and inventions to help around camp!” I coughed a bit as we walked in, the place felt hot as I watched campers covered in soot work. Rey lead me over to still an open space but there was a drawing board and a guy sitting on one of those spinny chairs. He fidgeted and tapped on the wood, eyes most likely never leaving the blueprint spread out in front of him.

He wore a white baggy tank top, something that you’d see often in the philippines since it was always too hot. The guy was covered in burn marks, some smudging his tank top. Worn out goggles hung around his neck as he sketched something on the drawing board. He had impish features, making him look like the type of person to make a bomb and casually difuse it before it would explode. The guy mumbled something in spanish as he erased and redrew something. “Hey Leo!” Rey exclaimed, waving his hand in a friendly manner as leo spun around in a dramatic manner, “Reyno,” he said, the way he said it almost like a challenge. Without missing a beat, Leo hopped to his feet, and the two of them exchanged a high-five that was just a little too loud to be casual.

I stood off to the side, awkwardly observing their interactions. It was clear they had some kind of rivalry—each move they made felt like a subtle contest, like they were trying to one-up each other in the smallest ways. I got a better look of leo. the square glasses that laid on his face didn't look to be his. Leo didnt really give me a type of guy who’d wear glasses since he has those googles.

Leo glanced at me, and I could feel his eyes scanning me, sizing me up. “So, what’s up, Wolfie? Something break?” he teased, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. Reyno shot him a look that could’ve frozen fire. “Nah, I’m just showing the new camper around. Meet June.”

I froze at the introduction. I waved nervously, trying to force a smile, but Leo’s reaction wasn’t what I expected. His gaze flicked over my face—scrutinizing, assessing—and for a second, it felt like he was trying to figure me out, like I was some kind of puzzle. He raised his eyebrows at me, squinting.

Finally, Leo blinked, his smirk faltering slightly before he held out his hand. “Welcome to camp. I’m Leo Valdez...” he said, his voice a bit too cool for someone giving a warm welcome. His grin made him look even more dangerous, like he was about to put a bomb in my hand and run away giggling.

I shook his hand, a bit thrown off by the strange vibe. “June,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

Reyno leaned in. “Don’t mind Leo,” he said, almost too sweetly. “He only acts like this around people he’s competing with.”

Leo’s eyes shot Reyno a glare that could’ve burned through metal. His grin remained intact. “Oh, please. You wish you were competition, Reyno,” he shot back, his tone sounding slightly annoyed and condescending. “But hey, nice to meet you, June. If you need any real advice around here, I’m your guy.” His fingers flamed menacingly, as if they were aching to blast a fireball at Reyno’s face. The tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. Reyno and Leo exchanged another one of those looks—part challenge, part exasperation—and I couldn’t help but feel like I was in the middle of something far bigger than a simple camp tour. They exchanged glances and words while I wondered off and outside, it was far too hot for me there.

But a certain someone caught my eye in the far distance…It was keith. He was holding his book to his side, his middle finger acting as a bookmark as he held it. He was walking and talking with chiron, I wonder where Mr D went. Mr D seemed to mostly be with Chiron, talking about whatever camp directors talked about or playing card games. Maybe he was off doing what gods did when they weren't attending to demigod camps or playing pinochle.

I watched them from the forge, hearing little bits of conversation between Reyno and Leo. Soon Reyno rushed me out of the forge, Leo was shouting something in spanish while we were walking away.

“uh…what was that about?” I looked to Rey who just ruffled my hair in a friendly manner “oh just a friendly rivalry you know”

After what ever Leo and Rey went through, the sun was already setting. ”So, how do campers know which cabins to go to” I asked Rey, his tail still wagging as he scratched the back of his ear like how dogs scratch theirs with their hind legs. “Oh you get claimed!”

”claimed?” “yeah! its where your godly parent claims you as their child! But sometimes, some kids are left unclaimed, thats why theres a lot of kids staying at the hermes cabin. Percy Jackson brought that issue up with the gods last time, so it's getting fixed.” I nodded, listening intently to rey’s explanation of how things work around half blood.

“How do you get claimed? Do they just happen randomly or-“ Rey cut me off before I could finish. “You just have to make them notice you! like, do some camp activities!”

“Camp activities? Is it like…canoeing, arts and crafts, hiking, fishing…and star gazing?” I've always wanted to go to a summer camp, but the only ones in the Philippines that I know of are religious ones where they make you pray half the time you're there.“Not quite, i've pretty much shown you the activities but we do have arts and crafts! think of it like a summer camp but 10x cooler!” We reached the pavilion, people already sat at the table while the guy keaton was still continuing on with his stories or whatever, me and rey weren’t really listening. Rey then went to explain how at half blood, they do more things like sword fighting or archery. It reminded me of a military camp, but this time there's children wielding dangerous weapons.

“Any more questions, Junie?” Junie, no one really gave me a nickname other than my mom…. “No more questions” I said, a satyr came by our table and placed down some food. Lots of satyrs and nymphs wizzed around this time, serving the campers like how they did this morning. How come the satyrs weren't here this morning? I asked Reyno this, and he answered: “Oh, they were at a meeting with Dionysus.” And he went on to explain that the satyrs also managed matters concerning the woods and nature around camp and that Dionysus managed them. Something about a Council of the Elders, I think..

I stared down at the food that appeared in front of me, my stomach growling in protest as the smell of grilled meat and freshly baked bread filled the air. It was a mix of something hearty and comforting, just what I needed after a long day of being shown around camp. I realized I hadn’t even eaten much since breakfast. Maybe it was the strange newness of everything, or maybe I was just too nervous. But now, sitting at this table, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and the steady buzz of camp life, I felt both out of place and strangely at home.

Reyno gave me a grin, clearly sensing my hesitation. “You gonna stare at that food all night, or are you gonna eat it, Junie?”

I blinked at him, a little embarrassed, and grabbed my fork. "Sorry, guess I'm still getting used to everything."

He shrugged, casually digging into his own plate. "Don’t worry about it. Happens to everyone. You’ll get the hang of it." His tail flicked behind him, as he swiped some mashed potatoes onto his plate. “Besides, it’s better to eat now while it’s warm. Later, Keaton’ll probably start another one of his ‘prophecy speeches,’ and the food will go cold.” He rolled his eyes dramatically as he continued.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. "Yeah, he seems... intense." My eyes flickered over to where Keaton was still talking animatedly, flailing his arms around as he gestured like a madman. The crowd around him had grown, but I could tell that half of them were just there for the entertainment. He was definitely the type to make a spectacle of himself. It doesn't take more than one glance to tell that he’s been doing this type of thing for a long time, by the way he moved boldly and extravagantly, with exaggerated actions to match it all.

Reyno noticed where I was looking and snorted. “Trust me, he’s all talk. Just wait until the next big monster attack. He’ll probably faint at the sight of it.” He took a bite of his food, not even bothering to look back at Keaton, whose loud voice was starting to grate on my nerves, too.

I shifted my attention back to my own plate, feeling the weight of the day settling on my shoulders. I had learned so much in the past few hours, and yet it still felt like I had barely scratched the surface. The camp, the gods, the monsters—it was all so overwhelming. How was I supposed to fit in here? How was I supposed to know what to do? I had always been the quiet, invisible kid back home. Would I even be able to find my place here?

“Something on your mind?” Reyno’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, fork halfway to his mouth.

I hesitated. "I guess... I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do here. I mean, what if I’m not... good enough?”

Reyno blinked at me for a moment, then put his fork down. His tail stopped wagging, and for the first time since I met him, I saw a bit of seriousness in his expression. “June,” he said slowly, leaning in a little, “No one’s perfect. You don’t need to be ‘good enough’ for anything here. You just need to be yourself. Camp Half-Blood isn’t about being the best at everything. It’s about surviving, growing, and figuring out who you are. And honestly? No one really knows what they’re doing until they figure it out.” He flashed me a reassuring toothy grin, his tail starting to wag again. “You’ll find your place. It’s just a matter of time.” He went back to eating, but slowly this time, as if he realized the maturity of his dialogue.

I wasn’t sure if I felt better, but hearing those words did take some of the weight off my chest. Reyno was right. I didn’t need to have everything figured out immediately.

I took a deep breath and continued eating, feeling a little more at ease as the camp continued to buzz around me. As much as I didn’t understand it all yet, I could at least take one day at a time. After all, I was a demigod. I could do this.

Keaton, still standing on the stone bench suddenly yelled, “Mark my words, I am the one the prophecy spoke of! I will—”

I immediately tuned him out, shoving another bite of food into my mouth. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad here after all.

Reyno gave me a sideways glance, clearly amused by my reaction. “Yeah, he’s... something else.” He chuckled before taking a sip of his drink. “Don’t let him get to you. You’ll do fine.” I smiled back at him, feeling a little less out of place in this strange, sunlit world of demigods and myth. So, maybe I didn’t have all the answers yet. But I was starting to feel like I could find them.

Soon it was already somewhere early in the night and a bunch of campers started to get up and move after putting a small bit of their food into the fire. “wh- where are we going?” I asked rey, putting down our plates at the table we ate at. “oh! hestia’s fire” “hestia…? as in the goddess if the hearth?” Hestia was always an overlooked goddess, many people forget that she is also a child of kronos and the eldest daughter. “yeah! sometimes, almost every night we’d go to hestia’s fire and mostly just sit there or sing songs!”

We eventually reached the center of cabins, where a large fire pit stood, nestled between the cabins. The fire was always burning, a welcoming blaze meant to represent Hestia, the goddess of the hearth. The flames crackled cheerfully, casting flickering shadows across the stone circle surrounding it. But despite the warmth of the fire, the air around it was cold, the night creeping in fast.

Reyno plopped down on a nearby stone bench, stretching his arms out and letting out a deep sigh. “Whew, long day, huh?” He smiled over at me, clearly content to just relax for a moment.

I nodded but didn’t sit. I was still processing everything I’d seen today, and the quiet hum of conversation around the fire didn’t make it any easier. It felt like the whole camp was in the middle of some unspoken rhythm that I hadn’t quite figured out yet. I wasn’t sure where I fit into it.

The cold was starting to nip at my fingers, and without thinking, I shuffled closer to the fire, hoping to warm up. As I neared the flames, I stretched my hands toward them, feeling the heat wash over my skin. It was such a simple thing to do, but something about standing there in front of the fire felt... oddly isolating. I could hear the laughter and chatter behind me, but it was distant. Like I wasn’t part of it.

For a moment, I stood there, staring into the dancing flames, my thoughts drifting. The crackle of the fire was hypnotic. The way the fire swayed, like it was alive, dancing in its own rhythm, made me forget for a second that I wasn’t alone in this camp. That I wasn’t alone anywhere. I hadn’t realized how quiet it had become around me until I snapped out of my thoughts.

I turned around and found everyone at the fire pit had stopped what they were doing. A whole cluster of campers were now sitting in a loose circle, their eyes trained on me.

The silence hit me like a cold wave. The fire’s warmth couldn’t reach me now.

I felt every gaze on me, sharp and questioning, as if I was an outsider. The campers looked at me with curiosity, but also with something else—something colder. I had barely interacted with most of them, and yet, in this moment, it felt like they were all waiting for something. Some kind of sign, some kind of performance. Maybe they were all silently judging, trying to figure out who I was, why I was here.

It was stupid, but the weight of their eyes made my chest tighten. My hands, which had been so relaxed in the fire’s warmth, now felt stiff, the cool air biting into my skin. I quickly withdrew them, trying to look casual, but it was impossible to ignore the uncomfortable tension settling in my stomach.

After that, I just sat with Reyno the entire time we were there. I hadn't noticed how much time had passed when everyone started to get up and leave…Reyno said that he had his own cabin, that I could come with him but I declined. Reyno did so much for me today, didn't want to ask for more from him. “do you know where I could find a spare pair of clothes to change into, rey?” I probably smelt bad since the forge was really hot, and I sweat easily. “Oh! I’ll show you to the lost and found, you can try and find some clothes there!” Rey got up, gesturing for me to follow him. After he showed me to lost and found, he gave me a pair of plaid pyjama pants and some random big t-shirt with a band on it. “Welp, I’ll see you tomorrow junie!” He waved goodbye to me, walking in a random direction. I waved goodbye to him too, walking towards the showers.

I kept my head down, not wanting to make conversation with anyone while going to the bathrooms to take a quick shower. Maybe this was for me, maybe being half blood was life for me. I didn't have to worry about what to make for dinner tonight, or when my mother will come home so I could prepare her pyjamas. It felt…relieving to say the least, not having to worry about my grades or if there was a quiz the next day. My thoughts of finally being free were quickly interrupted by a certain someone. I had accidently bumped into someone, please kill me.

“oh sorry.” My voice sounded a bit to shrill as I looked up to see nico. He looked tired, with his hands in his pockets.

Nico didn't seem to react at first, his eyes shadowed under his mess of dark hair. There was always something a little eerie about him, like he was constantly at odds with the world around him. But this time, his gaze softened when he saw the look on my face.

"It's fine," Nico said, his voice low, almost like he was reluctant to break the silence of the scene around us. His tone was always that way—distant, as if every word cost him a little more effort than it should. He looked me over quickly, then seemed to realize something. "You okay?" I nodded, standing up quickly and brushing off the dirt off the clothes Reyno gave me. I walked hastily to the bathrooms, leaving nico there standing. I took a deep breath as I entered the showers, mentally telling myself how embarrassing that was. Taking a shower as quickly as I could. I took off my glasses and placed them on top of the lost and found clothes rey gave me. The water was now a little warmer then yesterday, it felt nice.

The warmth of the water contrasted to the cold nights and mornings at half blood. How do americans live like this, how do they wear shorts in the early mornings when it was as cold as baguio on a good day. Questioned swirled my head as I got out to dry off, there was no one there, thank god. I changed into my new clothes and placed my old ones where I left my other clothes yesterday.

Going back to cabin 11, keaton was still going on and on and on about his story, I rolled my eyes at him. He CLEARLY didn't know when to shut up, half the people who were listening to him earlier left already. There was about, maybe 3 campers left listening to his dumb stories. He only and finally shut up when someone shouted at him. I unraveled my sleeping bag, putting my glasses to the side of my head as I entered my bed, getting tired.

#tpatc #rrverse #heroes of olympus #pjo hoo toa #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #pjo fanfic #pjo fanfiction #riordanverse #pjo series #nico di angelo pjo #will solace #pjo hoo toa tsats #nico di angelo #hoo

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kpopfanficsforthesoul · 8 years ago

Text

Red- Irene (Red Velvet) Part Two

Prompt: Regardless of time, place, or circumstance, two people destined to be together are joined by a red string permanently tied on their pinky fingers. You thought it would be easy to find your soulmate. Until you found out who she actually was.

Genre: Romance, Soulmate!AU, Demigod!Irene

Pairing: Irene x Reader

Author’s Note: I know I left a lot of things unresolved in the first part, so here’s the second one! I hope you enjoy! Thanks for requesting!

“So let me get this straight…” you began from your place on the couch. All three girls were standing around you. You pointed from girl to girl as you spoke. “You’re Athena’s daughter, Taeyeon is Ares’s daughter, and my soulmate is a demigod of Zeus?”

“That would be what we just told you.” Taeyeon scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Unni!” Irene scolded as she sat down next to you. She looked over at you with a small smile. “Don’t listen to Taeyeon, she consists of pent up anger.”

“So I’m in an alternate universe right now, where you three are on a quest to find a thief?”

“Basically…” Victoria giggled. “Well, I suppose you should stay with us until the mission is complete, it’s not like you can just go back to Earth. You’re welcome to sleep on our couch.”

“It’s getting late, we should all go to bed.” Taeyeon commented, looking around the room. “Goodnight everyone.”

“You coming Irene?” Victoria asked her as she walked down the hallway.

“I’ll be up in a second.” Irene smiled. Her friends nodded, then walked away. Irene turned her head back to you. “So, we’re soulmates…”

“I suppose so…” you began, feeling your face heat up. “I’m sorry, this is just a lot of information to take in all at once.” You chuckled, touching your cheeks. You looked back over at Irene. She was staring at you with an intent but kind gaze.

“What is it?” you asked, feeling uneasy.

“I’m sorry…” she giggled. “You just remind me so much of my human mother.”

“Really?” you asked with a smile, leaning closer to her. “What was she like?”

“She was demure, and sweet… I remember she was always so nice and kind to everyone… which unfortunately led to the birth of me.” she laughed.

“What do you mean, unfortunately?” you asked, surprised. How could anyone say that with a smile?

She brushed a strand on black hair behind her ear. “Well, being the product of a one night stand means that my father was never around… I didn’t even know who he was until the lightning bolts shot right out of my hands in chemistry class one day. Plus, it’s not easy when the “Queen of the Gods” despises you because her husband cheated on her with your mom.”

“Wow, I would expect Hera to be a little more motherly.” you laughed, extremely interested in her life story. How did you meet Taeyeon and Victoria?”

“Well, we are family…” Irene giggled. “I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

“I met my friends at the university.” you nodded, looking into her eyes. “Sulli and Hara were high school besties who let Jokwon be their third wheel. I was the new kid that had no friends, and Sulli needed a roommate, so naturally I became part of the group. They’re actually the reason I discovered the red string of fate.”

“Well then, I’m glad you have such great friends.” Irene smiled. “Taeyeon unni was right, it is kind of late. I don’t want to bother you anymore…”

“Oh, believe me, you’re not a bother at all!” you told her, patting her hand. “I could talk to you for hours…” You cringed as you realized how awkward that sounded.

“Me too… I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel this… special connection to you. Like I’ve somehow known you for years.” Irene said with bright eyes filled with adoration.

“But we really should go to bed.” you laughed. Irene nodded, then handed you a fuzzy white blanket.

“Goodnight, soulmate.”

You woke up in another dark room, save for the small glow of a faint green light. Your head was against a hard surface, and the bare skin on your arms felt cold and rough. You felt a chill go down your spine as you looked around the room, seeing cement walls and broken chains everywhere. Despite the cool vibe, it was blazing hot. You could feel the sweat dripping down your forehead and neck. As you reached up to wipe it away, you realized your hands were chained to the ground. You heart beat intensified as you realized that you were in a cage hanging from the ceiling.

“Irene!” you yelled out with urgency, her name being the first to come to your mind. “Irene, where are you?”

“Have you awoken?” a voice hissed. You searched around the dark shadows of the room, squinting your eyes as you looked for a person. Suddenly, a man emerged from the darkness. He had thick curly black hair, and dark green eyes that resembled those of a snake. He had a creepy aura about him.

You went into panic mode as you saw his face. “Where am I, who are you?”

“Forgive me for my informalities, miss. I am Jay, demigod of Hades. My sources have told me that you have in fact met my dear cousins Irene, Taeyeon, and Victoria.” he began, walking around the room as he spoke. “I assume they’ve told you that they’re on a mission to catch the thief of Olympus… I am, said thief.”

“Why have you kidnapped me?” you demanded, putting your hands on the bars of the cage. “I haven’t done anything, I don’t even know where I am…” You could feel tears of frustration and fear form in your eyes.

“Don’t worry, miss Y/N, I want nothing with you.” he told you, looking over at you with a reassuring gaze. “I only took you to lead my dear cousins to me. They should be arriving in three.. two…”

Suddenly, a golden glow illuminated in the darkness of the room. Soon, three figures appeared. You instantly recognized them as Irene, Taeyeon, and Victoria.

“Y/N!” Irene yelled in desperation as she saw you.

“You go get her, Irene. Victoria, you find the stolen items of Olympus. I’ll take on our rat of a cousin.” Taeyeon hissed, her lips forming a scowl as she ran over to your kidnapper. Red light emitted from her hands as she attacked him, the natural instinct of war running through her veins. Victoria went around using her inherited wisdom and logic to search for several stolen items.

Irene ran over to your cage as fast as she could, jumping up in the air and latching onto the cars. “Y/N, are you alright, did he hurt you?”

“No, he just used me to get you guys here…” you quaked, linking your fingers with hers through the bars of the cage. “But Irene, it was so scary….”

“Hey, look at me…” Irene began. You stared into her dark eyes that instantly made all of your muscles relax. She formed her red lips into a reassuring smile as she brushed her long dark locks out of her eyes. “I’m going to get you out of here…”

She began to fiddle with the lock, muttering several frustrated words under her breath. Sweat ran down her forehead as she gave her all, and finally, the lock snapped off. She reached in and pulled you out, embracing you as you both landed on the ground.

“I’m so sorry Y/N, I promise this will never happen to you again…” she told you, holding you tightly in her arms.

“Yah! You two! Stop making out, I’m learning from the master!” Jokwon whined, scowling at you and Irene. He turned his attention back to Taeyeon, who was sitting in a lawn chair, staring at the sky through sunglasses while enjoying a cool drink.

“Okay, so the Goddes of the hunt is-”

“Artemis.” Taeyeon told him apathetically.

Jokwon scrambled to write down the information in his notebook. “And the Goddess of Vi-”

“Nike.” “And the Goddess of-”

“Aphrodite. Athena. Hera. Demeter.” Taeyeon finished, setting her sunglasses on the top of her head as she gave Jokwon a grin. “How do you know so much about Greek Mythology?” Jokwon marveled, looking at her in awe. He earned a glare from everyone else at the table. “Yah, if it was really mythology, would my girlfriend be standing in front of us right now?” you asked, squinting your eyes at Jokwon. Irene giggled and put her arm around you. “To answer your question, Jokwon, it’s not knowledge. It’s in my blood. It’s something I just knew as soon as I found out my dad was a God.” Taeyon told him matter of factly. “Back to what we were saying, what’s your guys’s favorite subject to study?” Victoria asked, turning back to her new friends Sulli and Hara. “We really like ancient Chinese history.” Sulli told her as she took a sip of her lemonade. “After all, that’s what helped us to meet you three.” You all smiled. You looked over at Irene and gazed into her familiar dark eyes, ad before you knew it, you were only a few inches away from touching lips… Suddenly, a cloud of smoke burst through the air, revealing the figure of a woman. She had long dark hair and beautiful gray eyes. She wore a long red dress, and had the most sincere smile. “Hey mom!” Victoria said with a wave and a smile. “Goddess Athena!” you all said, bowing your heads to her. She smiled and nodded her head. “Zeus congratulates you on your victory in catching the thief of Olympus. He would like to request your help on a new mission.” “Ugh, I hate when my Dad sends me to Olympus…” Irene groaned, rolling her eyes. “Well, duty calls.” Taeyeon sighed, getting up from her lawn chair. “Good luck on your test tomorrow guys!” “Thanks Taeyeon!” you told her with a small smile. You turned your attention back to your girlfriend. “Do you have to go?” “Well, I’m afraid dating a demigod comes with sacrifices.” she giggled. She leaned in and gave you a quick peck on the lips. “Don’t worry babe, I won’t be long.” You all waved goodbye as the three girls joined hands with a Athena and closed their eyes. Soon, they vanished, a faint cloud of red smoke lingering in the air. Red.

Author’s Note: I hope you enjoyed the second part to the scenario! I know I left a lot unresolved, so I apologize for that! Thanks again for requesting, I hope you all enjoyed this! [Masterlist] -Marie 💗

#irene #bae irene scenarios #irene scenarios #irene red velvet scenarios #red velvet scenarios #irene red velvet #kpop scenarios #demigod au #red velvet #kpop

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