Chapter Text
Thirteen years ago my mother dropped me off at the border. I always wished I had known what was happening to her. I might have taken more care in our final goodbye. She was brave. Braver then me. She knew she was dying and yet she still gave me to the camp despite the fact she would be alone.
And here I was cowering in the corner of the Demeter cabin as a garden snake raced around the floor. I really hated cabin check duty. The poor kids were also scrambling..... Just in less states of distress. The snake kept darting around like this was the most glorious day of its life. Meanwhile I was halfway to tears over it. I never liked snakes. They were cold and slimy and hard. The fangs were scary but not like in a fun teenage vampire romance way but rather a will rip out your larynx and not even bother eating it after kind of way.
“Almost got it! Dang it! Henry get your pet!” Emily dove at the traitorous creature but it darted under a bed. She was only twelve but acted much like a big sister to the kids in her cabin. Likely because she didn't get to see her own little sister much anymore since she started staying at camp year-round.
“I'm trying Emily! He is just playing around! Its not that big a deal!” Henry was only eight. And he struggled a lot socially. But he always did well with his critters he caught and took care of.
I yelped as it headed toward me and moved to stand on a chair. Already feeling tired. “Ack! Its over here! It shouldn't be out of its tank!”
Henry managed to catch the wriggling beast and grinned triumphantly. Holding the green wriggling creature aloft. “I got it Peace! He wasn't gonna hurt you don't worry.”
I smile as i get down and stand straight. “Agree to disagree bud. That thing was out for my blood.” That got the little boy to giggle as I ruffled his hair. Annabeth walked in with a clipboard after hearing the commotion. Her and Percy were visiting since the fall quarter for their classes didn't start for another couple weeks. They were helping out with things as usual.
“Hey, Peace. What did they score today?” She asked as her grey calculating eyes scanned the scene. Annabeth was... intimidating. Not because she was scary. Actually she was rather pleasant. But more so because she was just smart. Like crazy smart.
“Well other then the little escapee I would rank Demeter Cabin a four out of five for inspection.” I smile and head to the door to walk with her to the other cabins on the list. She was a little wet from the rain. It had been raining a lot lately. Nobody knew why. And it was kind of a bad omen. But so far nothing bad had happened yet!
Annabeth shielded the clip board with her body but I took it and hid it under my sweater. It was too cold for camp t-shirts. And I never really liked them anyways. I liked cozy sweaters and jeans because they felt like walking around in blankets and pillows. Oh and I wasn't exactly huge on like.... fighting. They also hid my less then lackluster frame. Maybe its because I spent so much time sleeping or face planting I often didn't eat but... well I wasn't exactly curvy. Annabeth spoke as we ducked under awnings between cabins. "This is so bizarre. I wonder what's got Zeus mad. Apparently he isn't answering Mr. D or like.. any of the gods. Maybe a fling broke up with him."
I had known Annabeth since I had gotten to camp. We were roughly the same age since I had arrived only about a year after her. We didn't talk much though. We just didn't have much in common. To be fair her life was a little too hectic for small chat considering all the quests she had gone on. She was the camp strategist. Any question you needed answered about battle and she was your girl.
My role was a little different. I was a Daughter of Hypnos. So my job consisted of sleeping and... whatever I could do outside of that. Mostly I led meditation and relaxation exercises now. Being a demigod was stressful. Sometimes all these kids really needed was to stop and breathe. And on occasion... to be heard. I also found myself acting as sort of a therapist for the campers. The little ones especially needed it. They were too young to understand all the terrible things that were happening and why. So I tried to help them out in any way I could.
On top of my less then fame earning job I was broken. How? I was like a worse version of my siblings. Children of Hypnos sleep a lot. Like way beyond reasonable. But I also had the problem of sleep episodes as I called them. Where randomly I just turn. I crumple like a sack of rocks and just fall asleep. They normally don't last long though. And I found I seem to be able to make people fall asleep way easier then my siblings. A sucky trade off. But also useful if I needed to calm a camper down from a panic attack.
Annabeth and I finished our rounds and headed back to Mr. D and Chiron who were playing cards. Percy was nearby going through reports. And old notes.
“Hey! You guys got that done quickly.” Percy smiled as you and Annabeth walked up. And as usual he only had eyes for her. It was sweet to see them together. And boy had it been years in the making to get to this point.
“Yeah. Seems like everything is going smoothly. Anything interesting in the reports?” I watched her slide in next to him on the bench and look over his shoulder. I picked up one of the newer reports I hadn't read yet.
“Huh.... some fishing boats and casual boaters report... a pirate ship? That's.... weird. The normal authorities keep brushing it off as rumors....” I flip through the report. The victims claimed that the pirates had come up on them and stolen things. But... the list was weird. Jewelry and change. But not cash. Fishing gear and nets as well as rope. But not anything valuable. Most of the reports say the victims were left entirely unharmed.
Percy spoke as he wrapped an arm around Annabeth. “Yeah. I was just talking to Chiron about it. It seems weird. Apparently the leader was wearing like this gold mask that was like super horrible. And the pirates didn't have guns. Only swords and... er.... clubs?”
Annabeth paused as she heard the bit about the mask. And so did you. That sounded awfully like something I had read in the reports about the war with Gaea. Annabeth looked at Percy. “And did that ring any bells for you?”
Percy looked confused. A sight that was so often I would sometimes question how he had made it this far other then pure luck and motor skills. “Uh..... should it?”
Annabeth grabbed a notebook detailing the journey of the Argo II. One that had been artfully illustrated by our very own Rachel Dare. Annabeth flipped to the page about a certain sibling of her boyfriends. “Uh yeah. Considering we got out of this by sheer luck alone? He escaped right? If he is a son of Poseidon then I doubt he drowned.”
Percy took the note book and frowned as he looked at the page. “Oh yeah. But why would he come so close to camp? Chrysaor was good but I doubt he could take on a whole camp of demigods.”
I speak up as I take the notebook. “Maybe he isn't happy you won last time. Your both sons of Poseidon. So maybe he wants to prove himself the better of you two. Attacking ships nearby would get our attention. And if we didn't only send out demigods on quests, something he might not know, then it would have been reasonable to assume we would send you to deal with him.” I set down the book. “Problem is without a prophecy or quest we cant be sure what we are supposed to do here. Right Chiron?” I decide to ask for Chiron's opinion. He was the one that called the shots after all. and he was the closest thing to an actual father figure any of us had. Oh and he might have met Chrysaor before since they were both from ancient times.
Chiron looked happy to have an excuse to take a break from the card game. He turned to us in his wheelchair and thought carefully as he answered. “Yes, it's entirely possible... I had met the boy in passing long ago. But he wasn't exactly... level headed. He pops up every hundred years or so as I can tell. Perhaps we should consult Rachel about this development.”
Mr. D looked up from his own cards to take a sip of Diet Coke. Very unimpressed. “Or its some mortal hooligans having a go at deviancy. It hasn't affected us yet. And we don't exactly have a boat we regularly sail anyways. Its a waste of time.
Chiron frowned as he looked over the report as well. "None of the Olympians have been able to contact Zeus. Hera wont speak on where he is even. and with the skies so turbulent lately I hesitate to just brush this off. Its been... too quiet. Like the silence before a strike.
Mr. D just sighed exasperated. "Zeus is just pouting again I'm sure of it. For all we know he could have seen the end of a show he liked and is now upset and making it every bodies problem. He isn't exactly a deep and mysterious type.
I look toward them with a smile. “Well I'm not busy anyways. And it wouldn't hurt to ask Rachel right? I could just pop on up to her cave and ask if she has any prophecies that concern Chrysaor.” I walk to the end of the deck and hop down. “I will be just a minute!”
Annabeth looked over the reports again. Then at the sky. It was still raining... “I have a really bad feeling about this.... This is like... well I don't know but there is a pit in my stomached.”
Percy also looked up at the sky. “Maybe I should give my mom a call... just to be like... prepared. In case like Typhon or somebody decides to start smashing up camp for fun.”
Mr. D snorted and went back to his cards. “Yes because anything little Peace Zanders finds is going to be dangerous. The girl couldn't stumble upon an actual problem if it hit her upside the head.”