[IC] [RP Closed/ Been Rebooted] - Camp Half-Blood

[Vicier]

Erin Marie Chase and Syleste Astrea Nioré

The Big House & Half-Blood Hill ~ Camp Half-Blood

The sound of the wooden floors cracking apart beneath her feet filled the office of the camps director as her patience began to wear thin, and her frustration about the whole situation began to show in the expression upon her face; disgust… pure unadulterated disgust. The camp was filled with plenty of other demigods who would both volunteer, and do a much better job than she would; so why she was picked for it in the first place was far beyond her comprehension. What it came down to was the fact that the camp director, Lord Dionysus, had it in for her; even after she chose to put up with that psychotic daughter of his- Arianna was a raving moron with mental issues, everyone knew it, but she was the only one who was brave enough to speak the truth, “You have got to be kidding me! I’m the daughter of the Underworld, not some bloody glorified babysitter that you can just go and dump all the fresh meat on whenever you don’t feel like doing your damn job, Mr. D.”

“Actually, I can Eirene; you see, as much as I hate being here looking after you lazy lot, this is my camp… and I’m the one who makes the rules! You’re on tour duty; so hop to it, or whatever it is that you kids do these days…”

“Oh for Zeus’ sake..! My name is not Eirene and you know it..! I’m like completely on the other side of the family to that snow freak..!” He didn’t even seem to flinch at all the moment that both of her fists slammed down upon the desk in front of him- it was clear that she was losing her patience with him and his stupid games… she had lived in the camp for Gods knew how long; and each time, without fail, he had gotten her name wrong- choosing instead to call her by the name of one of his many sisters who lived up upon Mount Olympus with most of the other Gods, “No more after this; it’s the last time I’m doing this, you got that..? I didn’t come to this stupid camp so that I could show all the damn freshmen around like some tour guide. Next time, get your psycho daughter to do it.”

“You’re really beginning to test my patience; watch your tongue, unless you want me to turn you into a pathetic little minno-…”

“Empty threats again, Mr. D..? You should really take a page out of my father’s book- if you’re going to threaten them… make sure you can back it up.” Not bothering to even give him the chance to go and respond to what it was that she had said, she turned on her heel, her long and wavy dark brown locks bouncing lightly upon her back with each and every single step as she made her way out of the office, and in turn out of the big house and into the fresh air of the camp- she didn’t care about what the great Lord Dionysus had to say; he could sit there and insult her for days, but it was never going to change a thing. The relationship between the two of them had never been a great one; the both of them arguing almost every single time that they came face-to-face, it was just a normal routine, and everyone in the camp knew it too.

“..Erin..? How did it go..? Is he going to let us swap so you don’t have to worry about greeting all the new campers..?”

The sound of a soft and sweet voice hit the brunette’s ears, causing her to turn her head so that she was able to look over the girl who had spoken to her- the girl herself sitting patiently on the edge of the porch where Erin had left her when she had first entered the big house what felt like ages ago. It was typical behavior of the girl… she was too nice to just get up and leave to do what she wanted to do, and then with the smile lighting up the girls features, Erin couldn’t even tell whether or not she actually enjoyed sitting there waiting for her return, “You sat there this whole time..? Seriously Syleste, you’re too nice for your own good; grow some backbone will ya…”

Rolling her dark eyes though unable to keep the small smile that flickered across her face, Erin sighed softly before making her way down the steps and over to where Syleste was sitting, her head tilting ever so slightly and her hands slipping down into the back pockets of her black denim shorts as she looked over the girl in front of her for a few moments before finally answering her questions, “The answer is no. The drunkard refuses to let me swap with you; so I’m stuck as the bloody welcoming committee for all the little greenies…”

“Well, what if I came with you to welcome them to the camp..?” Lifting herself up from where she had been perching upon the porch, Syleste smiled brightly in the direction that she could hear her friends voice coming from; her beautiful sky-blue though ever unseeing eyes staring in her general direction as she slipped her hand into the back pocket of her light pink denim shorts, the girl pulling a light blue bit of material out of it before bringing her hands together in front of her body, her fingers lightly playing with it, “At least this way you won’t be alone, and I will be able to help you out with all the new campers- it would mean less work for you, and as a bonus, I get to spend time with my friend in the process. Please… please can I help you Erin..?”

“If you really want to tag along and greet the new freaks, I’m not gunna to stop you Syl; especially if it means you doing my job for me.” Shoving her hands deeper down into her pockets as she shrugged her shoulders lightly in response, Erin slowly began to make her wander away from the big house and through the camp, keeping in mind to drag her feet over the ground to make noise for the girl to hear as she led the way towards where she was supposed to meet the new campers: half-blood hill. It was the only way to get both in and out of the camp… unless you wanted to get wet by taking the ocean route that was, and even then not many people were stupid enough to go that way- okay, maybe the fish-brains in cabin three were stupid enough to take that path…

Seeming to light up the very moment that her friend had given her permission to help out with the new campers, Syleste hurried to catch up to where she could hear Erin’s footfalls, her own bare feet brushing lightly over the top of the grass causing a gentle tickle against their souls with every step that she took to keep up; her free hand coming up to softly brush some of her long wavy bubblegum pink locks back off of her face, neatly tucking them back behind her ear as her expression turned to one that was seemingly more thoughtful- her unseeing eyes staring off into the distance making her seem as though she were in her own little world, when in reality she was thinking about what was waiting for them at the entrance to the camp, “I wonder what type of campers we’ll get today… Oh! I hope I get a sibling! Wouldn’t that be so much fun..! I really hate being on my own in that cabin…”

Unable to help the scoff that slipped through her lips at the girls words, Erin shook her head lightly from side to side before she closed the gap between the both of them, her arm brushing softly up against her friends out of habit; a sign that they were there and that they were going to be stopping in a few moments, “I’ll pass on the whole siblings thing… I happen to enjoy being alone and having a whole cabin to myself; means no one is there to mess around with your things. But if you really hate being on your own, go move in with the hot head; I’m sure Ky’ vie would just love having someone else to look after when she’s actually here…”

“Oh… that could actually be a lot of fun..! We all have to have a sleepover soon..!” Seeming to miss the point the brunette was trying to make completely, Syleste quickly came to a stop by the hill, her head stooping ever so slightly as she lifted the material, wrapping it delicately around her head and being sure to secure it firmly so that her eyes were now completely obscured from vision- it wasn’t as though she particularly liked hiding herself from people… but then she also knew that not everyone she met was going to be as comfortable about her disability as she or those she had known for years were. It was something that could be unnerving… that could make people feel uncomfortable… and that was the very last thing she wanted to do; make people uncomfortable on their first day- that was what Erin was for.

“You care too much about what people think. Take off that stupid blindfold; if people can’t handle your eyes, then they aren’t worth a bit of your time…” Turning her head away from where Syleste stood happily bouncing up and down on the spot while waiting for the campers in question to show up, Erin let her sentence trail off into nothing, her dark eyes falling upon a familiar figure standing not too far away from where they were situated- if he was here waiting, it could only mean one thing…

“Let me guess… she’s coming home today, isn't she? And like the little puppy that you are, you’re waiting for mistress to return and give you a treat- such a faithful little fly-boy you are, Grif.”

[WittyWolf]

Logan felt nervous, perhaps for the first time since he'd first entered the House of Wolves. He'd come out like most of Camp Jupiter did; confident, strong, and ready to take on the challenge. Now, he felt that sense of doubt and unease that had plagued him since his last quest. This feeling had put him on the journey to Camp Half-Blood, but he was still unsure how he'd be received. Sure, the camps had been cooperative with each other, but the relationships were still brand new.

He clenched and relaxed his hands repeatedly, trying to work some of the anxiousness out. He thought that maybe this was the hardest part, the wait. The suspense was doing murder on his nerves, which were already frayed. Last night had been nothing but nightmares, seeing the look on Ashley's face as they fell...

The young man shook his head, his close cut hair barely moving as he tried to dislodge the dark thoughts. He did himself no favors thinking like that on his very first day here. Maybe he needed to walk instead? There was only a mile or so left to the trip until he began his hike up Half-blood Hill. Licking his lips, for Logan's mouth was suddenly bone dry, he addressed his cab driver, "Uh, excuse me. Right here's fine."

The older man with a newspaper boy's cap looked back at him in surprise. They were after all in the middle of nowhere. "You look like you can handle yourself, son, but are you sure?" Logan smiled broadly, feeling warm at the old man's worry. "It's something as small as that that makes living worthwhile," the son of Jupiter reminded himself. He'd had to tell himself with growing frequency that there were indeed reasons to go on. This old man had restored his good spirits and Logan knew a good 'vibe' when he felt it. He was certain.

"Yes sir, I'll be fine. Where I'm headed isn't too far now, besides, exercise is good for the soul." Glancing at the fare meter, Logan took out the amount and some, giving the driver a generous tip. The driver slowly pulled to the side of the road and placed his gearshift into park. "Thank you for everything, sir. Gods bless you." The driver looked at him a bit funny for his choice of words, but Logan pretended not to notice.

He grabbed his rucksack from the back seat, packed tight with all the clothes he thought were necessary and some personal effects. Logan preferred to travel light. The only items that might have raised an eyebrow was stored away in the trunk of the cab. He grabbed his buckler, hanging it onto a customized hook on the rucksack. Next he slipped on his sword belt, Semper Acer hanging on his left and his small dagger, a puggio, on his right. He took his two pilum as well, which were about the size of a police baton at this moment. He was glad they shrank, for they would not have fit in the trunk otherwise!

Outfitted so, Logan wasn't sure what the driver saw when he walked around to the window, but the man's eyes seemed to widen slightly. "Well, I'll be seeing you sir. It was good to meet you." The driver gave him a nod and a smile, tipped his cap, and drove off fairly quickly. Chuckling to himself, Logan covered his eyes as he looked up to the sky and smiled. "Father, if you're listening, watch over me, will ya? Not too sure how I feel about switching like this, but I feel like it's the right choice for me... I know, I'll be staying in Zeus's cabin, but don't hesitate to give me a few words here and there when I'm sleeping?" All was still in the sky however and Logan felt only the slightest of disappointments. He hadn't expected much, but he'd be lying if he wouldn't welcome a sign.

On his first step towards Camp Half-blood, an eagle's cry broke the silence, bringing a broad and heartfelt grin to Logan's face. He spotted the noble bird high in the sky, circling around his head.

"Thank you father. I'll do my best to honor you at my new home!" With a a joyous ha-!, he started at a standard jog. The former camper of Camp Jupiter had gone through much worse, such as dead man sprints in full legionnaire armor, a comprehensive wilderness survival kit, and of course your weaponry. This was a pleasure walk in comparison. He found the place very peaceful and infinitely beautiful. The flowers were deeper shades of color and the grass so green he couldn't believe it. The birds were joyous with the warmth of summer and he saw small woodland creatures frequently staring at him from the roadside.

The Golden Fleece brought remarkable prosperity to the area around camp. It impressed Logan like nothing had in his years as a demigod.

Soon he slowed as a large hill rose from the land on his right, trees cutting off the view of the very top. He knew however, the Fleece hung from a tree at the very top, a tree born from the sacrifice of a daughter of Zeus. This camp had such a history, Logan didn't know what he'd ask of the greeting camper first! Hopefully they'd suffer his curiosity and not be pestered by that many questions. A bad vibe came over Logan when he thought of this... He'd keep his host of questions to himself, it seemed the safer of choices. He walked to the base of the hill, then began his hike up its slope. Once he'd entered the treeline, Logan's eyes could make out a few figures at the very top. The trees made it hard to be sure, until nearly a quarter of the trek was left.

The tallest and widest tree on the hill was pine and the light of the Golden Fleece was quite noticeable in its needled reaches. Retrieving his canteen mid-stride, Logan took a healthy gulp before recapping and replacing it. He finally reached the summit! Waiting there was a man, for he was clearly an adult because of his impressive sideburns, clad in a leather jacket, dark shirt, and similar pants. To his right were two girls, who looked closer to his own age. One had on black denim shorts, had wavy brunette hair, and eyes that said she had a fierce spirit. He reminded her of someone briefly, but he brushed that aside before it could hurt. The other girl looked much more delicate, with bubblegum pink hair and matching shorts. Around her eyes was a blue band of fabric and Logan wondered why for only a brief moment.

"She must be blind..." came the realization. However, her face said that she was not a morose person at all. Logan felt a kindred spirit in the girl, who seemed to hold a positive air, much like his own. Since the wind faced Logan he caught the end of a question, the name 'Grif' reaching his ears. "Sounds like a man's name, it must be him," the young demigod concluded.

"Hello there!" Logan exuberantly greeted those on the hill as he finally reached its top. The son of Jupiter's smile could have been seen from Olympus itself. Grif seemed to be a bit set apart and watchful, as if he was looking for one person in particular. He picked up his pace, his long legs quickly bringing him to the top to stand a few feet in front of the girls. "Are you two the campers that are supposed to give me a tour, perhaps? I'm Logan, from Camp Jupiter, son of Jupiter. 'Pleased to meet you!"

[Lord Wyron]

She lies and says she's in love with him, can't find a better man
She dreams in colour, she dreams in red, can't find a better man
Can't find a better man
Can't find a better man

To the random passerby, Griffin simply appeared to be relaxing. Clad in thick pioneer headphones that blared 90s rock, Griffin was lost in his own little world. But there was a purpose to his lone vigil on Half-Blood Hill, though he'd never admit it. For days, Ky' vie had been gone on whatever glorified errand the Oracle had sent her on, and was expected to return today. That, and it let him hide from any potential work Chiron would put him to if he was found.

Lazily leaning against Thalia's Pine, Griffin did not initially react as he caught two figures approaching him out of his peripheral vision. One brief glimpse of bubblegum pink hair was enough to identify Syleste. And no one had a more melancholy air than Erin, who walked side-by-side with his bubbly blind friend.

Griffin picked up Erin's mocking words over his music (unfortunately), and pulled his headphones down so they rested around his neck, mussing up his hair for a moment before turning to face the two girls, both hands finding his jacket pockets.

"I'd rather be a puppy than a tour guide, love." He finally replied with a bemused grin, knowing full-well that Erin had been 'honorably chosen' to greet any newcomers to Camp.

"'Fraid your PMS can't contest with Wine God's bullheadedness, Skeleta -- he threaten to turn you into a minnow again? I've been keeping count." Not waiting for an answer, Griffin moved closer to the duo, the subdued music still audible through his displaced headphones.

Cocking his head to the side to land on Syleste, Griffin cast a more sincere smile, though he knew she couldn't see it. "Hello, Syl." He greeted in a tone that was almost uncharacteristically warm; one he saved almost solely for her.

"You on damage control?" He asked, eyeing Erin briefly. He'd known her for a number of years now, and many things she was - but welcoming was not among them.

Before he could receive an answer to his query, a third voice, this one new, called out from the top of the hill.

Turning on his heel, Griffin's purview landed on a well-built figure. Whoever this stranger was, he was a fighter, Griffin could easily detect that from his daunting stature, the air around him.

"Let the games begin." Griffin mumbled, his words loud enough that only Syleste and Erin, given their close proximity, could detect.

The stranger came closer, only stopping when he was within speaking distance of the two girls. As he introduced himself, Griffin couldn't help but raise a brow in intrigue. "A transfer, eh? And one of the big 'uns. Suppose I can die happy now." He noted aloud, but otherwise remained silent, deciding to let his tour guide for the day lead him along.

'Gods help him.' Griffin thought to himself with another small grin, praying that Erin was in at least a decent mood.

[Vicier]

Erin Marie Chase and Syleste Astrea Nioré

Half-Blood Hill ~ Camp Half-Blood

The very moment that she heard the words slip out through Griffin’s lips, Erin’s dark eyes narrowed in his direction, her glare only lasting for but a few brief moments before it was gone again; leaving her normal bored expression gracing her features as she brushed off his jibe. It was normal for the two of them to bicker with each other- and though she had wanted nothing more than to wring his scrawny little neck when she had first met him, she had grown increasingly more comfortable with having him around over the years, “Of course he threatened me- or should I say, he attempted to anyway… I cut him off before he could embarrass himself; I mean really, what in Hades is the point of being a God if you’re just going to throw empty threats everywhere you go? It truly is pathetic…”

“..Griffy..!” Smiling brightly as she turned her head over in the direction that she could hear the faint sound of familiar music, Syleste nodded her head up and down excitedly, the action causing her long locks to bounce up and down upon her back and her shoulders as she brought both of her hands up in front of her stomach, her fingers lightly playing with the material of her white singlet top- the light pink and blue skull on the front becoming more visible as she turned her body so that she was facing where she could hear his voice coming from, “Not exactly damage control… but I did want to come and meet the new demigods; Erin was trying to convince Mr. D to let me be the guide today, but he wouldn’t let me, so I tagged along anyway!”

“He’s a bitter and stubborn old God; everyone knows it. I’m surprised the Lady Ariadne ever agreed to marry such an old coot.” Slipping her hands out from her pockets, Erin folded both of her arms tightly over her chest, her head turning away from the other two as she began to lose interest in the conversation that was going on between them; movement at the top of the hill soon catching her eye and causing her to let her attention fall upon the guy approaching them with purpose.

”Hello there!”

The sound of an unfamiliar voice hitting her ears and filling the air around them caused Syleste to give pause for a moment, her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly as she turned her head over in the direction that she was sure it was coming from; her hands both lifting up from her stomach as she scooped her bright pink hair around and over her shoulder, her fingers both lightly and nervously playing with the ends as she listened to the guy introducing himself to them.

”Are you two the campers that are supposed to give me a tour, perhaps? I’m Logan, from Camp Jupiter, son of Jupiter. ‘Pleased to meet you!”

A… son of the big three..? But not just any of them; he was a son of Zeus’ Roman counterpart. Biting her lower lip softly, Syleste turned her head to the side for a few moments of silence, listening quietly to Griffin’s hushed words to the both of them before she couldn’t help herself any longer, her lips split into a bright smile that was directed over towards where Erin stood staring at Logan, “Oh wow, you have a new cousin, Erin; and he’s from Camp Jupiter too..!”

Giggling softly and not even bothering to wait for Erin to speak up in response to her statement, Syleste turned her attention back to where she could remember hearing Logan’s voice, her hands lowering and leaving her hair alone as she brought them together once more in front of her stomach before she reached out towards him, her fingertips lightly brushing over his skin as she followed the strong line of his arms all the way down until she found a free hand, her own coming together and holding onto it softly as she shook it lightly, her cheeks taking on a soft red tinge as she lifted her head up to the direction of where she assumed his own was.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Logan; and welcome to Camp Half-Blood- my name is Syleste Niore; daughter of Morpheus. This is Erin, she’s your cousin, and she’s also supposed to be your guide today; I… hope you don’t mind that I’m tagging along; I really wanted to meet the new camper… I mean, it’s not very often that we have someone transfer Camps... and I think it's kind of exciting that you chose to come here.”

[WittyWolf]

Even with the bindings around her eyes, Syleste's expression was familiar when she heard of his father. It was a raising of the eyebrows, a slackening of the jaw in surprise, and a bit of admiration when they heard that Jupiter had sired him. Grif seemed to have a reaction, although shock and awe were not among them. Instead, the man seemed almost intrigued and curious as to what might happen now that Logan had arrived. What these thoughts were, Logan could not begin to guess. His presence seemed to inspire a bit of speculation from the older demigod.

Logan took it in stride, especially since he was a newcomer. Not wanting to make a bad impression, he deliberately stilled his body as Syleste used his arm as a guide to grasp his hand in a demure shake. He returned the gesture with care, not wanting to harm the girl by accident. Her touch and skin were soft, her features fine. The girl seemed nervous or.. coy? The blush to her cheeks was noticeable to the boy and he felt his face grow hot as well, but lacked a flush.

"Thank you Syleste, it means a lot to hear such a warm welcome and the same to you. I've been very curious about the Greek camp for a long time and felt that I was overdue for a healthy dose of change. Although why would I mind if you came along for the tour? I say the more the merrier." He grinned broadly, knowing that the girl would hear the smile in his voice as surely as another might see it. "And I have to say, your camp and valley are simply beautiful. This Fleece must make even dead of trees sprout back to life."

Utterly in the dark, he had no idea of Erin's displeasure at being made the tour guide. He had assumed that they both were to show him the grounds as guides. Being no fool, Erin's look of distaste of her duty left nothing to the imagination. Logan appreciated this honesty of expression, knowing where her motivations lay. It seemed the two girls were very different people, but Erin's protective demeanor over the girl spoke of a deep bond. It was expressed by a faint lean towards each other, as if being together had become a regular occurrence. Two people together for such a long time, it was a natural thing that it had become a pattern of behavior. Feeling the strap of his bag slipping, a quick tug and bounce of the item allowed him to pull their supports taught once more. A series of metallic clinking and clanking resounded. It seemed the padding had not been sufficient, for the boy hated sounding like a church bell while traveling.

He extended a hand towards Erin as well. "My cousin? Who is your father, if you don't mind me asking?" His smiled had not faltered. Feeling sincerely grateful, it seemed a bit of the weight had been taken off his shoulders. He hadn't noticed just how heavy his burdens were until Syleste had made the day brighter. "Erin, it's good to meet you."

[WhiteStar19]

Claire Bellerose

The Stables, Half Blood Hill~ Camp Half-Blood

It would be seen that a young girl was hurrying across the campgrounds, dodging and weaving around the demi-gods that were out and about with an apologetic "Désolée!" here and there after bumping into a few of them, knocking them out of their concentration on whatever performance they had been attending to. Her blonde hair trailed behind her in a flowing stream. Carried on her arm was a small, pale brown tote, the contents of which remained hidden to the seeing eye of anyone watching her. She managed, however, to make it to the stables unscathed and approached one of the stalls, hidden from eye of the Demeter and Aphrodite children who helped out with the horses.

A beautiful silver horse lay in wait in the stall, nickering quietly. In the deep shadows of the stall, it rested in one of the corners, it's legs tucked under itself neatly. When it say the blonde haired, blue eyed girl appearing before the stall door, the horse whinnied and clambered up to its feet. Claire held a finger to her lips and shook her head at the beautiful mare. "Cascade, you must be silent," she murmured to the creature, stroking her forehead. She stroked her forelocks into a perfect V on her forehead and smiled, patting Cascade's neck. Remember her tote on her side, she reached down into and pulled out an apple, holding it out to Cascade. The glistening apple shined in the dim lighting and Cascade nickered before grabbing the apple out of Claire's hand and eating it with one bite. Claire smiled and shoot her head at the funny little horse before she froze, hearing someone coming. She pressed her lips gently to Cascade's forelocks and hurried off, giggling as she did so.

She headed back over to her cabin, nodding and smiling at people as she walked by. She saw her cousin at Half-Blood Hill Syleste and with a deep breath and a shake of her head, she headed over there, curious as to what was going on. A small breeze blew back her hair as she approached. She noticed a young man with red hair there and she tipped her head curiously to the side. Perhaps it was a newcomer. She always did like meeting new people...

"Bonjour, mon famille. Mon amies," she said politely in French to Erin, Syleste, and Griffin. She turned her head to look at Logan. "And who is this? A newcomer?" She smiled at him and dipped her head politely. "My name iz Claire Bellerose, daughter of Poseidon and Counselor of Cabin Three here." Her voice had a noticeable French accent to it and she mentally growled at herself. She had been working on her American accent, why hadn't she tried it? Of course, that Ares' son never tried to hide his Aussie accent...

"Erin, if you would like me to take over," Claire stated, looking at her cousin, who had a frown permanently etched into her face at the moment, "I shall. It would be no problem at all... I do not exactly have much to do today." Claire let out a light laugh and smiled toward the newcomer.

[WhiteStar19]

Gideon Carlyle

The Training Grounds, The Camp Armory, Half-Blood Hill ~ Camp Half-Blood

The sword swung in his grip wit ease and he smirked, twisting the rubberized hilt around in his hand. The clanging of swords could be heard all over the grounds and the son of Ares' stared down his opponent, one of his counterparts from Athena. He rolled his eyes and shook his head as the boy swung and missed him, yet again.

"No, no, no, mate," Gideon said, stabbing his sword into the ground. He walked over to the young guy, who was only about three years younger, and fixed his grip on the sword. "Two hands. Before you can master one hand, you have to get through two. And who knows? You might find the two handed grip better than the one handed." Mentally, Gideon snorted. Nothing could beat the one handed grip, especially if one knew how to use it, which Gideon did. That is why he had the pair of katanas that he always had strapped across his back. "Now. Go again."

The Athena son swung at him again and Gideon, moving within a flash, yanked his sword up from the ground and deflected it. "Better, but not good enough. Watch." Twisting his blade, Gideon was able to disarm the poor fellow within only a few moments after his swing. Clicking his tongue in his mouth, Gideon shook his head at the boy, whose head fell in shame afterwards. "Keep practicing. I'm sure you'll get it at some point. For right now, I need to find a more worthy opponent." The boy nodded as Gideon walked off, taking with him his sword.

He tossed the camp sword into a pile and drew his katanas off his back. He needed to practice with them anyways, so why not start now, right? Taking a deep breath through his nose, he shut his eyes, listening to his surroundings. He could hear the clanging of the other swords nearby, but he needed to get passed further than that. He took another deep breath and he could hear the rustling of the horses in the stables, and the sound of voices coming from the Hill. He then eliminated those sounds and just focused on what was in front of him. Taking a double swing first, Gideon spun, pulling apart his blades as he twisted them around in his hand, fighting an imaginary opponent with a shield. He took stabbed both blades of his swords into the ground and pushed him, forcing himself into the air. He flipped through the air, yanking the swords out as he spun, and he knocked the shield off the imaginary opponent. He dodged under a swing and swung his blades down, cutting off the head of his opponent. Gideon took a deep breath and opened his eyes once more, looking around.

The son of Athena he had been working with stared at him with awe and Gideon smirked. He dipped his head to the child before lifting up his swords to examine them. As per usual, nothing seemed wrong with them. They would not be easily broken, as they were made out of diamond with a steel coating. But they did look like they could use a buffer. He shoved both back into their sheathes on his back, nodded again to the boy, and walked off, heading toward the camp armory.

He walked into the armory, rubbing the back of his neck casually. He walked over to one of the closer walls and grabbed a towel off a hook that hung there. Leaning up against a nearby table, he saw that there was a few other campers in there, looking through the weapons. They probably were practicing, or choosing a weapon. Though most of the campers here already had their weapons chosen. Gideon just shook his head as a smaller kid picked up a huge broadsword and nearly toppled over backwards. If it hadn't been for her friends, she would've biffed it and probably lost an appendage to the sword.

Gideon began rubbing down his swords, letting his mind wander for a bit, which it happened to wander to Ky'vie. She was supposed to come back from her quest today, and hopefully she was ready to work, because he needed some repairs on a few of the weapons he had broken while she was gone. He mainly wanted her to help him fix a crossbow that he had broken. He had been messing with the firing power on it and had broken some of the things on it and now it wouldn't fire at all. Hopefully she could help him with that.

The kids choosing weapons had now left and Gideon was by himself in the armory. Letting out a big sigh, he tucked the towel back up onto the hook where it had been and sheathed both of his katanas again. Resting back on the table, he looked around. Where others might find it uncomfortable, Gideon felt it relaxing to be surrounded by all sorts of different weapons. He shut his eyes for a brief moment, drawing in the musky, metal scent before letting it out in a slow breath and standing up to head back out.

He remembered, as he walked out, hearing voices on Half-Blood Hill. It could be possible that Ky'vie was back and she would have been greeted by friends. He made his way over to the hill. He was only a short distance away when he recognized the girls from a distance, none of them being Ky'vie. The guy, however, he did not recognize. He saw Griffin a little ways off, but wasn't too worried. If Griffin was back, Ky'vie wouldn't be too far behind. Gideon walked up to the small group and called out a greeting. "Hey! What's up, we gotta new kid?" Gideon smiled at the newcomer and reached out to shake his hand. "Name's Gideon. I'm Ares' son, counselor of cabin nine. Nice to meet you." He looked over at Erin, Slyeste, and Claire. "You guys know when Ky'vie is gonna be back?

[Vicier]

Erin Marie Chase and Syleste Astrea Nioré

Half-Blood Hill ~ Camp Half-Blood

“I am so glad that you don’t mind me coming with you; it isn’t very often that I get to meet new people, I… don’t exactly get out enough to have that opportunity- I haven’t even left the camp since I first moved here.” Tilting her head ever so slightly, Syleste couldn’t help the small though still extremely warm smile that lit up her features at his words, the corners of her eyes crinkling lightly underneath the material of the blindfold as she lifted her hand up, nervously brushing some stray strands of her bubblegum pink hair back off of her face, neatly tucking it back behind her ear- though he seemed to be alright with the fact that she couldn’t see, she still didn’t want to freak him out in any way; Erin was already making everyone uncomfortable enough without her help… she didn’t need to add to it by taking the material off.

A son of Jupiter… that was all Erin needed; another cousin who was going to get on her back about being so closed off to the rest of the world around her- but then, he seemed to be… different. At least, he was different to Claire; maybe it was the fact that he was from Camp Jupiter. They went through a completely different lifestyle to what was on offer to the demigods at Camp Half-Blood; maybe there was the possibility that the two of them would get along… it was slim in chance, and then she rarely ever got along with anyone, so what was the point in this ‘trying’ thing again..? Dropping her gaze down so that it was lingering upon his extended hand, Erin stayed silent, allowing her mind to go over everything that she had learnt so far about the guy standing in front her- Logan was... confident; at least as much as she could see. Strong and kind; both his actions and sweet words towards Syleste showing that he didn’t care about things would hold a person back, her friend’s blindness not seeming to bother him in any way… but it still didn’t mean that she wasn’t going to be cautious or guarded around him.

She had bad experiences with guys before; Erin’s past haunting her to the point that she was too closed off… too guarded and cold-hearted to even let people in. And even with having lived for so long in the camp, there was no one within it who truly knew the full extent of what she had gone through, “..the fleece attracts all things that you seem to consider ‘beautiful’; it keeps the camp and the surrounding area healthy and in bloom most of the year round, and its power also attracts satyrs- which is why they are always able to find their way back after going out to collect new freaks like us.”

Keeping her head where it was, Erin slowly lifted her dark eyes from where they had been focused upon his hand, her gaze following the strong line of his arm until finally, her eyes met with his own; the young demigod seeming more reluctant than ever before she finally reached out to take a hold of his hand, her own holding on rather firmly as she continued to stare him down, trying her best to figure out just how big of a threat he was going to be to her before eventually, she answered his actual question, the dark shadow cast over the ground from Thalia’s tree seeming to grow darker as it moved over the ground to meet up with and join her own.

“..yes, I’m your cousin… Erin Chase… daughter of Hades…”

“Oh, bonjour Claire..!” Lifting her hand up slightly from where it had been resting so that she could give a small wave in the direction that she could hear the familiar voice coming from, Syleste nodded her head lightly up and down in response to her question as she brought her hands once more together in front of her stomach, her fingers softly playing with the hem of her singlet top, “Yes; Claire, this is Logan- he’s from the other camp, and he’s a son of Jupiter too. Don’t you think that’s really cool..? I mean, you and Erin have a new cousin..!”

Catching the unmistakable sound of a French accent coming up from behind her, Erin turned her head so that she was looking back over her shoulder at the annoying figure that was their other cousin; Claire… Of course she was going to show up at the hill, why wouldn’t she? It seemed like every demigod and their dog was making their way up the hill; the only difference being that the only dog that was in the camp, was both locked away and deactivated in the Hephaestus cabin, awaiting the return of its master who was due to be showing up sometime today, “..what makes you so sure that I want your help, Claire..? I think that I’m more capable than you at showing our cousin around this stupid camp; unless you think, for some reason, that I’m not good enough for him… not that it matters what you think- I’m on duty today, you have a problem with it, go and take it up with the camps crummy director…”

“Hey! What’s up, we gotta new kid? Name’s Gideon. I’m Ares’ son, councilor of cabin nine. Nice to meet you.”

Seriously… what was this? Fighting the urge to roll her eyes as the sound of Gideon’s voice hit her hears, Erin turned her attention back around to where she could see him joining the small group that seemed to be getting bigger with each minute- was it some sort of secret tradition or the like that she didn’t know about? One that involved every single demigod in camp coming and watching her actually doing work? It wasn’t like it was an uncommon thing- she did what she had to do… or at least, she did whatever she couldn’t manage to get herself out of doing.

“You guys know when Ky’ vie is gonna be back?”

“..so there’s two pups waiting for their mistress to return; I wonder what is it about the forger that makes her so… desirable among the guys in this camp? Lookie, lookie Syl… it seems as though our little prankster might just have some competition for his cuddle buddies attention…” Not even bothering to give anyone a chance to respond to her little jibe towards their friend from the Hermes’ cabin, Erin let her gaze drop back down to where her hand still rested softly within Logan’s grip, the sight of it causing her to take pause for a moment before she pulled it back, quickly slipping it into her back pocket as she turned her attention back to Gideon, “Our resident lover girl should be home soon from what I’ve heard- now if you’ll excuse me; I’m going to take pinkie and the cousin here, and I’m gunna go do my stupid job… feel free not to tag along…”

“..what Erin means is that, we don’t know the exact time that she’s going to be arriving back, Gideon… we haven’t heard from her in a few days; maybe try and ask Grif, I think she calls him up to talk whenever possible while she’s away.” Tilting her head sweetly to the side as she not only answered his question, but also translated Erin’s rather rude and more abrasive words- it wasn’t something that could really be helped... everyone in the camp knew what Erin was like, and just how bad she could get whenever she grew angered or frustrated; and it didn’t take genius to see that all this attention from other campers was causing her to go down that path. She was blind, and even she could see that as clear as day…

Reaching back out with her hand until her hand once more pressing against Logan’s arm, Syleste slid her hand down slightly, her fingers curling lightly around his wrist to act as a guide as she moved closer to him, her body pressing lightly against his own as she lifted herself up onto the balls of her feet; her voice softening down to almost a whisper as she spoke to him and him alone, her expression a mixture of both sadness and worry, “..please don’t think badly of Erin… people tend to judge her because of her father; and she kind of got into an argument with Mr. D this morning before we came up here to meet with you… She’s just misunderstood; like a lot of other people here…”

[WittyWolf]

The influx of campers faintly surprised Logan. Had he been mistaken or were the campers here really that friendly? A newcomer always meant new competition in Camp Jupiter and until you earned their respect, you knew a little of animosity beforehand. This was an inclusive and heartening welcome to his arrival, finally dispelling the last of his doubts.

Claire had not what he'd expected of a child of Poseidon, but who really fit their parent's bill? Gideon however, with heavy footfalls announcing his arrival before he'd actually came into sight, could have been identified as a warrior. Build, dexterity, and an air that said he was always ready for a fight marked him before he'd even introduced himself. Logan sized the man up as only one warrior to another would as he came to stand close by. He could see that this was the man to talk to if he wanted to stay at the top of his game. After the tour, Logan had a thought to request a practice match after. Children of the war god were immensely respected in his old camp. It had been longer than Logan cared to admit since he'd last fought someone that could truly test him. Yet even as the group on the hill grew, so did Logan's positive energy. He couldn't have asked for a better first day and he wouldn't have wanted to. Meeting both of his cousins at Camp Half-blood within a few minutes of his coming was a lucky win.

Even with Erin's lukewarm, almost hostile, personality Logan was glad she finally took his offered hand. It was a good sign that she was at least open to getting to know him. Erin's growing unease was apparent as the shadows reached out to her and the air now held a slight chill even though it was summer. He returned her firm grip with one of his own, showing her that he held respect for his cousin. "Hades, eh? Yea, I know a thing or two about the opinions campers can have when they know who your father is. Outsiders like us should stick together." One couldn't help but feel included when speaking to Logan, his friendly atmosphere so sincere.

When she quickly let go and stuffed her hand in her pocket, as if it had been burned, Logan had a strange vibe. The reaction wasn't his doing, of that he was sure, yet it was at the same time. Maybe Erin just didn't like sons of Jupter? Although that seemed unlikely, there wasn't much in the way of siblings if Logan was correct. Maybe she had a problem with gingers? That thought nearly had Logan laughing aloud, the Hades' girl not seeming the specifically prejudiced type. "I admire your satyrs, fauns are a useless lot still. Camp Jupiter had been trying to whip them into shape to act as protectors like their Greek counterparts. It's been... slow-going to say the least."

"Claire was it? It's really an honor to meet a child of the sea god! We don't have many at our camp, unfortunately. I'd love to get to know you later, it seems Erin is keen to get this show going. Unless my guides here don't mind a third hand at helping the newbie?" Logan half asked and stated, with a hint of mirth and a nod. Her French had left him in the dark and he hoped she didn't put it past him. Her accent confused her words for him, but he could tell when someone was being friendly and he never spurned goodwill.

"Hello Gideon, I'd love to stick around and chat, but it seems I'll be leaving to tour the camp shortly. Come find me if you want to have a match, I'm in dire need of the practice." Logan said without aggression, but anticipation. He truly loved battle and its rush. The feeling of just saving your own skin as you watched the tip of a blade swing past your eyes was unparalleled, the warrior felt. Although who this Ky'vie girl to have two separate demigods awaiting her return greatly intrigued him. Why didn't they know when she'd return? He suddenly recalled his first time waiting for his best friend Nolan to get back from his first personal quest. He and Ashley had practically set up tents and bedrolls at the road leading into camp, so filled with worry. Nolan had finally returned, worn and haggard, but wearing a triumphant grin. The memory tinged Logan's face with a bit of a wistful air, which was quickly replaced when he turned his attention back to the present.

He felt infinitely grateful to Syleste, who'd taken care of the introductions for him. Those were always awkward things, no matter how friendly he was, loathing that change in attitude just because of his parentage. Logan didn't feel like it was cool, as Syleste did, but a burden heavier than being chased by monsters because of his scent.

When the pink-haired girl touched his arm and leaned into him, Logan knew that his blush would be visible this time. His ears burned red and the flush slowly traveled to his face, unused to such close contact to a girl.

It had been sometime since he'd felt such a gentle and feminine touch, even as neutral as the gesture was. This was something he'd have to grow to accept. Logan calmed himself and leaned closer to hear Syleste's hushed warning. Sensing her want for discretion, he whispered back, pitched so it would only reach Morpheus' daughter's ear. "I'd never dream of it. Everyone deserves a clean slate and like I said, I know the prejudice that can come being a child of the Big Three. We all have trials and scars that have made us the demigods we are today, brought us here at the same time." Logan raised an eyebrow though, hearing that Erin had gone toe-to-toe with a god in a shouting match. Such disrespect was met with harsh repercussions at Camp Jupiter. "Fate has a funny way of bringing the people that need each other together, whether they know it or not."

He put his hand over Syleste's in a comforting gesture before looking to Erin and the rest that had gathered. "So, time to get going then?" His voice made his excitement painfully obvious.

[Knight of Doom]

Kiran Khanna

Kiran's stared out of the window at the trees that sped by. Her trip had exhausted her. The usually bright girl sighed as she thought about her future. Of course being a minor ment that she had no choice in the matter, however soon enough she'd be able to make her own choices. Nonetheless, Kiran's mother was still trying to get her daughter back. Every meeting was filled with fake smiles and small talk until the door shut. Then came the bombardment of questions, the pleading, and the desperation. It was pathetic. A fully grown woman needed to act like one even under stress. You can't just break form, otherwise you'll fall. It was the same as fighting.

Kiran inhaled sharply and stretched as best as she could in the small cab. It was the same old thoughts running through her head as usual. The musical girl needed something to perk her spirits up. So, she closed her eyes and started to hum to herself. Kiran kept the beat by tapping her foot. She hummed a song about her father, Apollo. It had been awhile since they had talked. Being a god came with a lot of responsibility, so it was understandable. But just remembering her father made her smile. The sun shining on her face throught the window felt so good on her skin.

Finally, the cab stopped, and the driver called out over his shoulder to the girl lost in her own little world. "We're here ma'am," Kiran opened her eyes a bit startled before smiling. "Thank you," She replied, fishing the money her mother gave her as an attempted bribe. Quickly the girl gave him the money and hopped out of the cab with her backpack. It was full of food and supplies just in case she was attack while outside the camp. Khryseis was slung over her back, probably looking increadably weired to mortals. With a wave the driver made a U turn and drove off.

The daughter of Apollo set off at a leisurely pace towards home sweet home. Along the way, her mind wandered here and there. A couple of times suspicious noises made her jump into a fighting mentality, only for an animal to scurry out from their hiding spot.

Once she finally got to the entrance of camp, she noticed a large group of campers standing on top of the hill. Kiran knew all except one of them. He must be new. After all, Kiran knew everyone. Usually, she'd go and say hi, but it seems as though he had enough company. Plus the Indian girl needed to toss her things into the cabin, and hope it hadn't burn down while she was gone. (Which was a serious possibility, it would have happened one time if Claire hadn't been nearby.) So, Kiran waved to the group with a quick "Hey," before passing them by. She was in charge of a larger cabin, well at least larger than some, and with that came responsibility.

Luckily the cabin had not broke down or caught on fire, but there had been a bit of a scuffle while she was gone. Apparently, the two half brothers were still harboring ill will towards each other. Kiran dropped her stuff beside her bed before confronting the two about their behavior. After listening to both sides of the story, she realized it was simply a miscommunication error and quickly solved the problem. However, since they broke one of the bunk beds in the process, they were stuck with cleaning the cabin. After all was well in Cabin Eleven, Kiran flopped down on her bed for perhaps a quick nap.

[Lord Wyron]

"Y'know, if you're jealous, love, you need only say so." Griffin replied casually to Erin with a soft quirk of his brow, a mischievous glint in his liquid-blue colored eye that could easily be mistaken for flirtation.

Turning his attention to the rather swelling group of individuals around Thalia's Pine, Griffin couldn't help but let his demeanor deadpan once more. "Didn't know we were planning a welcoming party - I don't recall inviting any of you lot." Harsh as his words may be, Griffin's tone was remarkably casual, perhaps even entertained.

To Gideon, Griffin's expression appeared to fall more. "You run out of whelps to beat up, mate?" Snorting slightly, Griffin looked out over the horizon of the forest once more, taking his sweet time before continuing. "I've no idea when Ky' vie could be back. Could be in a minute, five minutes, an hour." With a rolling shrug of his shoulders, Griffin concluded his statement.

Now turning his attention to Claire, Griffin's features turned more laid-back and mischievous. "Afraid Erin already tried that route. Wine-God's excellent sense of judgement assured him that the socially-inept death-child would be the best greeter for half-bloods. Who am I to argue with a god?" Chuckling slightly, Griffin moved to once more lean against the Pine, crossing his arms over his chest.

[Vicier]

Ky' vie Morgan

Half-Blood Hill ~ Camp Half-Blood

The familiar roar of the engine ripped through the normally peaceful air of the area surrounding Camp Half-Blood, growing both louder and more prominent with each moment that past her by and brought her closer to her destination; home. Gripping the handlebars tighter as she leant herself over, pressing her chest against the body of the custom made motorbike, the tires almost seeming to fly over the tar that made up the road beneath her, causing the loose bits of gravel to crunch underneath the weight as she sped down the familiar route that would lead her back to the only true place that she could call her home now; the feeling of being away from the only family and friends she had left, lessening with every second that ticked by- she just hoped that her friends hadn’t caused too much trouble for the rest of the camp in her absence; Erin was volatile… Syleste was innocent… Gideon was testy… Arianna was- well, she was Arianna, there was nothing that could be done about that… and Griffin; he certainly knew how to push the limits to their maximum…

Slowing down her speed as she came close to the discrete path that led through the forest and up to half-blood hill from the road, she took the turn with a small smirk, her body lifting up just slightly from the bike, seeming to manoeuvre with ease through the trees and down the path as though it were the most natural thing in the world- she had been living full-time in the camp for years now; and thanks to the many quests she had been sent on, coupled with all the trouble that she had gotten into during her younger years, she knew every path, trail and road around the area like the back of her hand. She was almost there… almost home- she was almost back with her friends and family where she was meant to be. She’d been driving for Gods knew how many hours straight to get back; being chosen to receive a prophecy from the Oracle was an honour for any demigod, and while going out on quests was both fun and something that they all strived for, nothing beat the feeling of returning back to the camp so that she could just relax and hang out with everyone that she cared about.

Drawing ever closer to the base of the half-blood hill, she both readjusted and tightened her grip over the handlebars of her bike before she twisted the throttle, not only revving the engine but also forcing more gas into the cylinders causing it to pick up speed once more as she passed under the arch and in through the safety barrier surrounding the camp; her smirk twisting into a more warm and sweet smile within the confines of her helmet at the very sight of the familiar pine that she drew increasingly closer to with each and every inch that flew past. She could practically taste it now… sitting back in her cabin with her friends; cooking up a few good steaks on the barbie, and throwin’ back a few ice-cold stubbies while they all enjoyed a long overdue game of cards against humanity… It was something that she had been looking forward to for the last few days; now if only she could find her frien- catching sight of the many familiar figures standing around as she finally hit the top of the hill, she slammed the brakes on as quickly as she could, her feet dropping down and pressing firmly into the ground below her causing the tail end of her bike to swing around; kicking up both grass and dirt in their direction before it finally came to a complete stop, resting up against her inner thigh as she readjusted herself over the seat.

“..look guys, I know you all love me, but don’t you think it’s a bit excessive for the whole camp to throw me a welcome home party on the top of the hill..? You know, I’m pretty sure I’ve told you all before not to bother coming to meet me up here…” Stooping her head down slightly as she loosened her grip and lifted her hands up from the handles of her bike, she unclipped the strap of her helmet before taking a hold of it; a flash of bright red catching under the rays of the sun as her long and wavy apple-red locks falling both down her back and over her shoulders the moment that she removed her helmet, placing it down on the bike between her body and the handles. She had been expecting Grif to meet up with her once she had gotten back… Gideon was a maybe- but the rest of them as well..? It was definitely a nice little surprise to say the least. Dropping her attention down to her hands for a moment as she brought them together in front of her, she tugged a couple of times at her leather gloves in an attempt to make sure they didn’t slip any further than they had before she unzipped her black leather jacket, allowing it to fall open to reveal the top she wore underneath as she let her gaze finally catch upon the muscular figure of a demigod that she had never met before.

“Ah… now it begins to make sense; and here I was feeling all loved cause I thought they came for me. I see we have a new addition to the ranks.” Chuckling softly to herself as she shifted her body slightly in the seat, she pressed the palm of her left hand into the cushion behind her as she smiled warmly while extending her right hand out for him to take if he wanted, her body leaning away from her bike as she did so, “Nice to see a new face- welcome to Half-Blood. The name’s Ky’ vie Morgan, but feel free to call me Ky, everyone else does; I’m councilor of cabin nine, and daughter of Hephaestus- so if you got any requests weapon or machine wise, you know where to find me.”

Retracting her hand and straightening herself back up after he shook it, she brought her hand up before running her fingers back through her long red locks, ruffling it ever so slightly before she dropped her hand back down to rest on the top of her helmet, her expression clearly showing her happiness at being back home where she belonged as her gaze slowly flicked back and forth between the people grouped around in front of her, before eventually, her attention split and settled on both Griffin and Gideon, knowing for a fact that they were both there for her with the new camper being a bonus, "So, tell me boys... did ya miss me..? Or did ya miss me..?"

[WittyWolf]

In all his years as a demigod, Logan had not seen such a flair for an entrance. The girl seemed at both confident and expectant of praise and welcome, which almost irked the boy. However, Camp Half-blood didn't have nearly the same level of expectation for leaders as this camp. As the bike kicked up grass, he blocked most of it with his buckler and the rest with a quick burst of wind he had summoned, saving the group from cleaning their clothes of dirt sod. Straightening from behind his shield, Logan's eyes were almost reprimanding in his regard of the newest addition to those atop Half-blood hill.

His sense of respect and proprietary nearly had him shout at the girl with threats of reporting her to her Cohort centurion, but those traditions were long past. Realizing he was in a new environment with a different set of rules, he curbed his natural reflexes.

Logan lowered his shield and regarded the demigod with a measured wariness.

When the girl took off her helmet and her red tresses, the new camper's first thought was that he wasn't the only redhead! Unless the color was unnatural, of course, but Logan decided that such a detail was nonconsequential. Her bike was extraordinary, a true marvel of science that only a demigod would be able to engineer.

The son of Jupiter took her full measure and almost understood the man and boy's fascination with her. She immediately radiated an overwhelming spirit and sense of gaiety, as if she was even more overjoyed at her return than Logan was of his arrival. Logan had never let go of Syleste's hand upon his arm, not wanting to dislodge the blind girl's connection to him. "Uh... hello," Logan responded to Ky'vie's entrance, shocked beyond any respectable soldier should be.

[WhiteStar19]

Gideon Carlyle

Half-Blood Hill ~ Camp Half-Blood

Gideon shook his head at the noticeable hatred of his arrival by Miss Princesses Erin and Griffin. He was at least glad at Claire and Slyeste, nor the new kid didn't mind his arrival. He knew he should have just stayed down in the Training Area. That's where people like him belong anyways, not up here with these morons. Gideon ran a massive hand through his short hair and blew out some air. Intertwining his fingers, he locked them back behind his head and leaned his neck back into them. He popped his knuckles that way before also popping his shoulders. He would choose to ignore the comment made by Griffin about Ky' Vie's arrival, as it seemed it was not that necessary, for the speak of the Devil, and she shall appear...

Gideon smirked as Ky'Vie made her grand entrance and rolled his eyes at the new kid's expression when she entered. This was actually pretty normal for Ky'Vie, but it wasn't surprising that the new kid was surprised. He still had a lot to learn now that he wasn't in Camp Jupiter anymore. Shaking his head while staring at the ground, Gideon walked over to Ky and gave her a hug before backing up and saying, "Yeah, we didn't miss you that much." He stuck his tongue out at her, which was childish, but he didn't care. "It would be more plausible if you had missed us." Gideon let out a booming laugh and smiled at Ky. "I did miss your handiness with some tools though. I needed a little help with some... accidents that I had with a few of the weapons."

In all truth, Gideon had missed Ky a lot because she was really the only one who seemed to accept him for who he was. Many of the other campers thought he was just a brute and only cared about fighting because he showed no mercy during competitions, but he wasn't like that at all. Not like any of them would actually stop to listen... He just shook his head clear of the thought and drew his katanas off his back and began cleaning them up again with the edge of his shirt. He heard someone yell his name from the armory and he turned around to see someone waving at him. It was probably someone who finally decided on which weapon they wanted to keep as their own. A few of the demi-gods took awhile to choose and it bugged the hell out of Gideon because he had to deal with it later on.

"Excuse me," he said, with a modest dip of his head. He turned his dark eyes toward Ky. "When you get a chance, come find me. I need some work done on a few weapons. Don't do it right away. You probably want to chill out, huh?" He smiled at her before taking off down the grassy pathway toward the armory. He looked back over his shoulder toward the hill and smiled. At least one person he liked was back... The new kid he didn't know about yet... They would see in the future.

Though, automatically, the kid earned points of respect from him just by offering to spar.

[WhiteStar19]

Claire Bellerose

Half Blood Hill, The Lake~ Camp Half-Blood

Claire dipped her head to Griffin at his explanation of what Erin had tried to do, though on the inside, Claire was a little offended at how roughly Erin had spoken to her. She was silent for most of the rest of the time, not responding to the harsh words of Erin or the kinder words from Syleste, Griffin, or Logan. She was glad to have a new cousin, though she was slightly surprised that there was a rarity of those from Poseidon, or his counterpart Neptune. The wind blew slightly and Claire reached up to her hair. She twisted it into a low hanging knot so it would not bother her. A few of the golden strands slipped loose and began flying in front of her face and she sighed out of remorse.

"Very well," she said after a few moments of silent, after Gideon had left. "I shall take my leave as well. I hope you find everything comfortable, even if the attitude of our cousin is not." She stamped her foot into the ground, leaving a small imprint, before storming off, the nature of how Erin spoke to her finally reaching her outburst point. The stupid, arrogant girl needed a reality check and an attitude check. She was not the most important person in the camp! She was one of the least liked, all the same, but oohh, she thought she was so important. Fuming, she stomped her way over to her cabin. She threw open the door and walked inside, steam rising up from her hands as she was able to heat up the moisture in the air. A deep shuddering and immense breath took her and she let it out slowly, cracking her knuckles and lowering them gently down by her side. She needn't let Erin get to her. She hadn't gotten to her over the past years she had been here and she would not let her get to her now.

The inside of the cabin was beautiful as always. As she walked to her bunk, she ran her hand of the coral and stone, feeling the smoothness of it and then roughness of it as it transitioned. It got quite lonely in there often, as there were six bunks, but she lived there alone at the moment. She gripped the edge of bunk and hoisted herself up into it, and looked around. Her bags were scattered all over the floor, the bunks, almost every space that there was room on her side. Half the room was littered with her bags, while she had actually been quite polite and left a half for if another child of Poseidon, or Neptune if they were to transfer, for when they were to come.

Leaning over the edge of her bunk, she reached down and got into one of her bags. Her slim, untanned legs curled around the edge of the bunk and there was a small squeak as she pulled at the board with her knees to get into the bag underneath her. She pulled out a small, glittering, clear vial filled with the salt water that her father had left her when she was young, but her mother had hidden away from her. She took the leather thread that was bound to it and, shifting her golden locks out of the way, tied it around her slim pale neck. The glowing blue water reflected the blue onto her pale skin, and she smiled, stroking over it. A large wave of some sort, as it always happened, shot out from it and she giggled. She always felt like it was a signal to her father that she was alright and still alive.

Jumping down off the bed with a very impressive flip that no one was around to see, Claire made her way back out of the cabin, turning her eyes toward the lake that rested just outside the cabin. Excitement filling her heart, she kicked off her shoes, pulling off her socks and ran for the water. She just needed a little time to relax and chill out... and what was more perfect than going into her father's domain? The soft sand swept over her feet and she giggle with delight, running into the waters. She dove down under the water, opening her pale eyes under the water, and she noticed the water nymphs not too far off. She smiled and waved at them and they giggled and waved back. Kicking back up toward the surface, she spun herself to where she floated on her back, her eyes toward the blue sky. Taking a deep breath, she felt more relaxed than ever. Not caring that she had gotten a good pair of clothes wet, she kicked her feet further, pushing her farther out into the lake. It was time for her to relax. If anyone needed her, they would call.

[Knight of Doom]

Kiran Khanna

The Apollo Cabin, The Infirmary

Kiran was barely able to get settled down before someone woke her up. In her half asleep state, she initially thought it was Apollo himself, but quickly realized it was her second in command. "Uh, hey Kiran?" He nervously nudged the lounging councilor. "What do you want, Devin?" She groaned. "Do you mind taking over my shift over at the infirmary? I promised Ashley that I would meet up with her for a walk along the beach," He pleaded. "Sure," the half Indian girl sighed, "Go have fun with your girlfriend." Her half brother perked up and gave her an earful of thanks before exiting the cabin. It didn't take much to wake Kiran up, she simply focused of her tasks ahead and pushed forward.

The daughter of Apollo walked into the infirmary to releave the person on duty. Her sister reported some of the things that happened, which wasn't much. Then she gave her the run down on a couple patients who just came in. Throughout the exchange, Kiran nodded and interviened with a couple questions. Then, the other girl finally left. Kiran set up shop, organizing things the way she wanted before checking in on the patients that were in beds dressed with off white sheets. There were four kids at the moment. Only one was suffering from any major wounds. She made sure he got a dose of nectar in the right amount, and at the right time. There have been a few cases of people lying about how much necter or ambrosia they've had in order to get more, and there has even been a couple of unfortunate souls who got addicted to the godly food and drink and overdosed. While it was still given out freely, there were some campers they had to watch out for.

Kiran sat around, visiting with a couple patients who had some simple wounds. Every so often a camper would come in for a cut or a bruise. In these instances, the kind nurse gave them a bandaid, or an ointment, and sent them on their way. She enjoyed talking with the other demigods, and helping them out. It made her feel useful. Checking the paperwork that lay on a desk in an office like room, Kiran noticed that Ky'vie Morgan needed to check in within the next three days since she just got back from a mission. So that's why there were so many people on Half-Blood Hill this morning. Well, that and the new kid, but hey, that answered quite a few questions. All the kids on the hill were friends with Ky'vie.

Speaking of Ky'vie's friends, Arianna needed to get her meds from Kiran. Hopefully, the bright girl wouldn't have to track down the free spirited female. There has been quite a few times were Arianna had forgotten to take her medicine and Kiran had to search high and low for the firey girl. Kiran was good friends with her and would hate to see anything bad happen on account of something that could be controlled, but wasn't.

Sighing, the Apollo councilor looked at the clock to see how much time she had. She was about halfway through her shift. A growl from her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten yet. This was going to be a long second half.

[Lord Wyron]

Seeing Ky' vie's motorcycle come closer into view of the hill caused Griffin's heart to skip a beat in his chest, though he certainly wouldn't act as though it had to the others.

Letting a wide grin plaster itself across his features, Griffin appeared unfazed as fresh clumps of dirt and grass splayed themselves across his clothes, shaking his head violently to let a few pieces fall out of his unkempt mess of hair. Offering Logan a silent but grateful nod for his gust of wind, Griffin sauntered to where Ky' vie was, his smile never fading.

Waiting for her to finish introductions towards their new Roman recruit, Griffin remained silent until she spoke to him and Gideon directly, the thought of the war god's son being included made Griffin bristle somewhat, though he wouldn't say a word.

Hiding his irritation behind a practically manic grin, Griffin pulled her into a one-armed hug, lasting for what only could have been a brief few seconds

"'Ello again, Tin-Girl..." He said in a slightly hushed tone, straightening himself and letting his typical snarky nature come over him once again as he was in the presence of the others. "I suppose I owe some of the lads in the Nike cabin some money. They bet that you'd try to kill us again with that bloody thing." He said with a short, breathy chuckle, motioning towards her motorcycle with a lazy wave of his hand.

[Vicier]

Ky' vie Morgan

Half-Blood Hill ~ Camp Half-Blood

By the Gods did it feel good to be back home… or, at least as close to home as she could be anyway- she had been living full time in the camp since she had first learnt about her heritage and had made the choice to take that next step in her life… that step that they all wanted for her; and while she had left her home and her friends behind, the ones who mattered the most to her where all right there, standing before her very eyes. Australia meant a lot to her; but it was nothing compared to what she had found when she had made the move into Camp Half-Blood. She couldn’t help but to take a few moments to just take them all in, her metallic silver-blue eyes slowly flicking between them before eventually, they once again came to a stop upon the newest addition to the group; the red head taking just a couple of seconds to take in all that she could about him from his appearance before settling and meeting with his eyes- it was clearly written all over his expression… in his posture… in the way he had spoken in reply to her introduction… she’d caught him off guard, and managed to surprise him; the very thought of it caused a soft chuckle to fall from her lips as she lightly patted the top of her helmet, her Australian accent (though not as strong as when she first arrived) still extremely noticeable as she spoke.

“Sorry about the dirt shower, usually when I come home from a quest, I don’t have to stop as suddenly as I did; wasn’t exactly expecting a gathering up here to be honest…” Her bright red tresses bounced lightly back and forth across her shoulders as she shook her head, the smile over her soft pink lips twisting into an amused smirk which she held for a moment before her expression softened once more towards him; her eyes seeming to sparkle slightly under the light of the sun as ideas on how to make it up to them all flickered through her mind, "Alright, I got it. Barbecue at mine later okay guys-to make up for kickin' you with dirt, and ditching you all again for the sake of a quest... and as a welcome party for our friend..! No excuses or exceptions, I expect you all there like normal."

“Yeah, we didn’t miss you that much. It would be more plausible if you had missed us. I did miss your handiness with some tools though. I needed a little help with some… accidents that I had with a few of the weapons.”

“Oh… okay, I see how it is- you don’t miss me as an actual friend or anything, but you miss me as your mechanic and forger; I’ll be sure to keep that in mind when I’m unpacking and find the souvenir I snagged for you.” Her soft pink lips parted slightly, and her eyes widened in surprise as she felt a strong and very muscular pair of arms wrap tightly around her body, the very sight of Gideon’s figure catching in the corner of her eye helping her to relax her lithe frame against his well toned one, her back hunching over slightly as she leant herself back into his arms; her head turning, and her eyes closing for but a moment as she pressed her lips softly against his cheek before she pulled them back once more, “Wow, it’s nice to know that I’m just so loved by you all… and if I didn’t miss you guys; then why have I been driving for two days straight, on only about six hours sleep to get home..?”

“Excuse me… When you get a chance, come find me. I need some work done on a few weapons. Don’t do it right away. You probably want to chill out, huh?”

Well he had that right; she had only just arrived back in the camp, and while she loved the job she had been trusted with as daughter of the forge, she knew in the long run that she would be absolutely useless if she just jumped right back into the fray. She needed her down time; well, at least for today anyway… once she was relaxed and refreshed, then she’d be able to focus on the tasks she had without any regrets to her actions. Nodding her head softly in response to his words to let him know that she had both heard and understood, she scrunched up her nose ever so slightly, her mind working quickly on the alarm bells that had started to go off internally at the fact that she had just announced she’d be hosting them all at her cabin later on, “..actually Gideon; later on when you come over, bring them all with you- we can have a chat about it and we can store them in my room during the party. I’ll get on repairing the damage tomorrow.”

It was like clockwork- the very moment that Gideon had left the hill, she felt ever the familiar warmth and gentleness of another arm wrapping around her, though this time instead of just allowing it to happen, she lifted herself up off of the seat just slightly, her arms automatically snaking their way around the back of Griffin’s neck as she returned the gesture, pulling him closer against her body as she did; the action itself causing a light red tinge to cross over her cheeks, and a gentle flame to seemingly flicker across her hair as she replied, her voice just as soft as his own, “..hey there thief-boy... by Gods I missed you so much…”

Tightening her arms around him even more than she already had as she tried to keep the nice embrace as long as she could, she eventually pulled herself back from him, her hands dropping to pick her helmet up, hanging it off the handlebars before she finally removed herself from the bike altogether, being sure to keep a hold of it as she shot him an apologetic look while shrugging her shoulders lightly, “Oi..! In my defense, it wasn’t my fault this time; besides, I’m pretty sure that I’ve already made it up to you for making you lose another bet… I managed to find some time on my way back to get you some things… not to mention a few new games that I can kick your ass on.”

Chuckling softly, she glanced over in the direction of the cabins before once more giving him her complete attention, knowing already that he would understand even if she didn’t speak her mind out loud, “..wanna walk me back to my cabin, and help me unpack..?”

[WittyWolf]

~Logan Murdock~

Logan blinked once more as the helmet reflected a particularly bright beam of sunlight as Ky'vie took it off. She shook out her hair and seemed to radiate a sense of confidence unmatched by the other campers on the hill. This more than anything said that this was a regular quester, much like himself. Logan wondered if all the demigods at the camp would be so experienced, but he doubted it. This camp didn't produce veterans like Camp Jupiter. He gave Grif a nod of acknowledgement, knowing the man wouldn't say it aloud. More and more, Logan was being clued in on their personalities by the second.

He spoke softly so that only Syleste would hear, "So is this the girl Grif's been waiting for? Rather flashy entrance, if you ask me. I tried to cover you, but did you get hit by the dirt anywhere?" The last was said worriedly, not wanting the kind girl to have suffered. He was also waiting for the newcomer to introduce herself, so he could do the same.

He immediately perked up at the mention of food however. Damned if he would miss a barbecue, for any reason. His mouth practically salivated at the thought and he knew the one granola bar sitting in a side pocket in his bag wouldn't suffice. This news was worthy of an answer. "I managed to blow away most of it... no worries. Barbecue, I wouldn't miss it, even if a rampaging herd of minotaurs would show their ugly snouts. What time will it be?" Logan said in an inviting and humorous tone, chuckling a little bit at this girl's rather over-the-top antics. Not even five minutes in Camp Half-blood and she was already planning a party? Ky'vie had style, Logan had to give her that.

He preferred a venti over any motorcycle, however. Turning to Erin, he gave her a raised eyebrow, curiosity written all over his face. "So, where will we start first on the grand tour, oh great and masterful tour guide?!" Logan asked, trying his best not to get on the wrong foot with his cousin. She seemed like a fun person, always with a snappy comeback laced with witty sarcasm and humor. As long as you didn't piss her off, she was most likely a great friend and ally. Logan didn't plan to piss her off.

[Vicier]

Lady Aphrodite, Lord Ares, Lady Hera, Lord Hermes and Lord Zeus

Olympus ~ New York

Meanwhile in Olympus...

New York, the City that Never Sleeps. And of all the buildings that the gods had decided to claim their home, the largest most obvious skyscraper was the ideal choice.

One figure among dozens of others stepped through the front doors, stopping just inside the entrance to adjust his tie and lapels.

The man seemed ordinary enough to the normal passerby; he was tall and well-built with a broad physique. Though appearing to be at least in his early-forties, the man still held an attractive air to him, with a strong jaw and styled up chestnut brown hair.

Garbed in a gray pinstripe suit, the man looked as though he was ready to attend a business meeting of some kind. Stepping into a vacant elevator, the man waited for no one as he immediately pushed the 'Close Doors' button, waiting for the sliding steel doors to shut before doing anything else. As the doors closed in front of him, the elevator grew totally silent aside from an instrumental version of Call Me Maybe playing in the background, causing the man's lips to twitch most irately.

Reaching towards the button panel, the man's hand slid across its length before stopping at a distinct button that sat separate from the others. Pressing it with his pointer finger, the elevator lurched suddenly, as though being yanked by a force much stronger than it. It shot up at an intense speed, the only indication of whatever was going on outside being the blindingly bright sliver of light that beamed through the slit between the two doors.

Finally after an intense ascent, the elevator practically slammed to a stop in a stomach-turning lurch, causing the man to briefly lose his balance before quickly recovering.

"Keep telling them to fix that damn thing." He mumbled to himself, briefly fixing his hair before the elevator doors slid open with a resounding ding, revealing Mount Olympus to him in all its glory. A thin stone bridge, wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side lit with eternal-burning torches led the way to Olympus itself, a massive palace, tall and daunting in the stormy dark sky. Tendrils of lightning emanated from its roof, scattering through the clouds and illuminating the entire area in an electric blue glow.

The man was undaunted, clearing his throat before walking down the path, his steps casual yet dignified as well. But the man could tell something was amiss -- and he knew that for whatever reason he was summoned...it wasn't a good one.

Ares sat indolently upon his throne, one leg thrown over an arm while laying against the other. The god of war glowed a sooty red, rage bubbling underneath the surface as he held an upset Aprodite's hand. He stroke the back of it, one of the few loving gestures he might show to another being. He seemed almost haughty as he looked at his father, Zeus. How could the king of gods be such a pussy? Didn't he realize that Hermes' children should just be wiped off the face of the world, they were more trouble than they were worth!

"Father... we need to address this issue, we all know Hermes' oldest child is to blame! I say we make an example and flay him in front of his brothers and sisters." Ares grinned broadly, taking a perverse pleasure of the idea of inflicting so much suffering. "I could use his hide as my new bike seat and he could finally be of use." His eyebrow cocked, as if challenging the idea that a demigod was worth more than the flesh and bones they were made of. "What do you say? I could be there and back, find my love's dove, all before that insufferable Hermes actually arrived. Who was late to their own summons?" The nerve of the god of messengers set Ares to grinding his teeth.

“Enough, my son. We sit here to discuss what is to be done about this matter- do not allow the anger you feel towards your brother cloud your judgement.” Bringing his hand up from where it had been resting against the arm of his throne, Zeus lightly rubbed at his temple, trying his best to relieve some of the stress that had accumulated since the matter had first been brought to his attention. His son was angered far beyond anything he had seen in many millennium… his beautiful daughter was curled up upon her love's lap, tragically distraught and crying at having her beloved pet dove stolen from her domain… his ever loyal wife sat dutifully by his side as the voice of reason among those which were occupying the room… and his other son, Hermes, was running late for his own summoning- things it seemed could not get any worse at this point in time…

“We shall await Hermes arrival; then we shall seek out the course of action to be taken. Though do not think that this matter shall be taken lightly- it is a serious crime, I agree that as such, the punishment of which should also indeed be severe…” Lowering his arm back down so that it was once more resting upon the arm of his throne, Zeus turned his head so that he was able to meet with his son's gaze, his grey eyes narrowing and his lips pursing together as he let the gravity of the situation once more fall down upon his shoulders, “..but until such time, I believe the best place for you is by your love's side, do you not agree..?”

Keeping a quiet eye near her husband's seat, Hera watched her children carefully. Her husband's voice rang true in her ears and she turned to Ares to see if he had heard what he had meant. She reached up a careful hand and stroked over the back of Zeus's, watching her son carefully as he sat protectively over Aphrodite. "Zeus is right, dear child," Hera's calm voice rang out over the area. "You must be patient and wait for your brother to arrive before you decide the fate of his children."

She carefully crossed her legs and rested her palms on the edge of her knees. All in all, she was nervous, as she knew that Ares could be rash and jump to conclusions. She would not believe that Hermes' eldest would have stolen the dove until there was absolute proof of it. Yet she would not reveal this to the group that approached, as a fight would more likely break out against her with her son at the lead. She leaned back in her chair, her careful eyes scanning over the room. The air was thick with tension, between father and son as well as the anger of the son pierced through the air. The two children who sat in that chair sought vengeance against the culprit, and the anger and distraught was taken into the air. She rested her hand on Zeus' once more and waited, falling silent.

"You could say that father. Or you could say that me and taking care of the perpetrator of this crime would be the BEST use of my abilities. After all, my love wouldn't be upset if not for the thief!" Ares roared, slamming a fist upon the arm of the chair he lazed against. Even with such relaxed posture, any of the gods could tell he was close to bursting. One could almost pity the demigod that faced Ares' wrath. His hand relaxed and resumed its comforting gesture against his wife's hand.

"Action is what we need, not petty talks! I should be out there, finding the fucking whelp!" the god of war snarled the last, eyes glowing red now. The children of Ares should feel that rage through their divine connection to their father, so great the turmoil in the god. He breathed out a sigh of frustration, settling into the back of his chair once more. He'd heed his father's words... for now. "But as you wish, father, mother. We'll wait for Hermes to lie to our faces and say, once again, it could never be HIS child that could enact such a crime--"

"Sorry for being late, folks." A fourth voice cut into the conversation straight in the middle of Ares' rant as the man in the gray suit -- Hermes appeared in the throne room of the gods, both hands planted firmly in his trouser pockets.

"I had lunch at the most amazing sandwich shop, seriously, best cheese-steaks you could ever ask for." Hardly skipping a beat, Hermes sauntered forth into the room, eyeing each of the gods on their thrones, paying special mind to Ares and Aphrodite.

"Did you want a Snicker's, Ares? You don't seem to be you when you're hungry." Grinning in amusement at his own quip, Hermes' demeanor quickly turned somewhat more serious as his attention turned to the largest throne that belonged to Zeus.

"What did Griffin do this time, Dad? Put another stink bomb in Dionysus' room? Though...I gotta admit, that one was pretty funny..." Trailing off, Hermes appeared to become lost in his own train of thought, though his clear gaze never left his father's.

“..how dare you… how dare you defend such an ungrateful little thief..!” Not sure when exactly she had sat up upon her love’s lap, Aphrodite stared over at her brother with tear-stained eyes, her light blue orbs flicking back and forth as she searched his own for reason as to why he was playing such a serious situation off as light… answers as to why he was joking around when it was clear to everyone that it was no time for such petty games.

“You know what he did, and yet you stand there as though it is nothing more than a joke for your own amusement..! He-… He-…” Seemingly unable to go any further in her explanation as the words caught within her throat, Aphrodite shook her head, her long blonde locks flying back and forth before eventually they once again settled against her back, her body turning until she was able to hide herself against the warmth and safety of Ares chest, her body pressing ever closer against his as she once more began to sob into him.

"This is no joking matter, you insufferable buffoon!" Ares roared, hand cradled against Aprhodite's hair, trying to console her as best he could. His eyes burned with undisguised accusation while staring at his mercurial brother. How the man could stand there, keeping them waiting, even as he tried to deflect his son's obvious guilt! He itched for his sword or shotgun respectively, just to teach his brother a much needed lesson. Yet... Zeus would never forgive such an act of aggression.

"This is no child's act of mischievous fun, this is as serious as when your other disgrace, Luke, tried to topple Olympus! Where is my love's dove? OUT WITH IT!" Ares made the throne room vibrate as his rage bubbled into his voice, a sonorous tone that no mortal would've been able to withstand, but which the Gods would find no more than an annoyance. He couldn't help his anger, however, Aphrodite still weeping uncontrollably upon his chest. That alone was enough reason to start a war, for the god. If Hermes couldn't see that... he'd suffer the consequences. "Perhaps you would sing a different note with your staff, surrounded by snakes, shoved up your lying ass!" Ares' throat bulged with his roar.

Hermes initially remained silent, staring his brother in the face with a blank expression. "Do you have proof that Griffin stole your...precious bird?" He finally said, his tone remaining even, though one could detect thinly-veiled anger beneath it.

Breaking his brother's gaze, Hermes looked down at his watch and sighed. "You know, I was gonna go see a movie right about now..."

"Missing the show time is the least of your worries. How long your son will live is the greatest." Ares growled, allowing himself to rise to the bait. Hermes was not helping his son's case in inciting the war god's ire. He'd just as soon disobey Zeus's orders and kill the boy outright, but none knew the location of Aphrodite's divine symbol.

"The proof is your own proclivities, god of thieves and how easily your offspring seem to follow said nature... Speak to your son and find out the truth, make him find the dove. Or I shall do it for you!" the threat was there, laid out like a naked sword. Ares didn't heed subtly like Hermes, had no need of it as conflict was his nectar, battle his aphrodisiac.

Letting out a short laugh that held no true mirth to it, Hermes stared directly at Ares once again, his deep blue eyes now cold and dangerous.

"You're losing your touch, brother, if your only evidence of my son committing this crime being one of my titles." As Hermes spoke, his tone gradually became angrier, losing all the warmth and friendliness it defused moments earlier.

"But hear me, and hear me well. If you lay a single finger on him, I will make you regret it." Hermes swore, letting his words fall as he grew silent.

Ares stood quickly, depositing his wife in her throne in the same motion, hand going to the hilt of his sword as his mouth opened in a scream. "You mangy piece of filth, I'll gut you like a fucking-"

“Enough; the both of you..!” Zeus’ booming voice sounded clear and strong throughout the room causing loud claps of thunder to be heard along with it- he had heard enough of their childish bickering. They were supposed to be family; and it was high time that this matter was put to a rest before it went any further than it already had, ending in blood being spilled upon the floors of his glorious Kingdom. Reaching over his body, Zeus lightly patted the top of his wife’s hand a couple of times, his body hunching over so that he could sweetly kiss at her delicate knuckles before eventually, he lifted himself up from where he had been sat upon his throne; his attention turning over to his two sons as they stood before one another, seemingly ready to wage war at but a moment’s notice.

“The boy in question must answer for the crimes in which he has been accused of; stealing the sacred symbol of a Goddess is something that cannot be forgiven lightly. Though you have my sympathy, my son, I cannot allow such a thing to go unpunished.” Slowly stepping away from his throne, Zeus made his way over to where the both of them stood, making sure that he had their full attention before he continued on with his decision, “Ares speaks with wisdom; if the boy has nothing to hide, then allow him to prove his innocence to the court. He shall have a single lunar cycle to return the dove to the Goddess Aphrodite; shall he not succeed, then the boys fate shall be left to the mercy of your brother.”

Turning to his father with an expression of genuine shock. "Dad, there's no proof! You can't...condemn my son when there's no evidence..." Trailing off once again, Hermes eventually grew silent, knowing that nothing he said could change his father's mind.

He'd lost too many children already, one who's death still pained him. He could not lose another. Not like this.

Ares' demeanor had significantly calmed, hearing the good news from Zeus. He let his sword fall back into its sheathe, having been drawn halfway. He straightened from his charging posture, crossing his arms and grinning smugly. Finally, someone was being forced to take action! Optimally, he wished to do the deed himself and make Hermes' child piss in his little demigod pants. But he'd settle for Hermes having to suffer the indignity of telling his child that his legacy had made him guilty.That his father was to blame for his suffering. His grin widened gleefully as he thought of the hate that would foster between the two. Let this one meet the same fate as the last, Ares thought.

"Poseidon said the same, dear brother... And Percy proved his innocence. If your son has done nothing wrong, what could he possibly have to worry about?" Ares posed to Hermes, with an arrogant satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. Not bothering to wait for an answer, he gathered Aphrodite, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. He held her close as he dipped his head to his father. "Thank you for your wise decision, Lord Zeus. We'll take our leave now. It's been a taxing day for Aphrodite." He dipped his head once more in farewell to Hera and walked past Hermes as if he wasn't there, unworthy of even acknowledgement. Let that be a thorn in his ass. They walked proudly out of the throne room, all too pleased at how events unfolded.

Bowing his head in farewell to his son and his daughter both as they left the room, Zeus waited until the doors had shut behind their figures before he turned his attention over to Hermes- his son’s expression saying it all… he was mortified; terrified of losing yet another son... the very sight of his son’s pain caused his heart to tighten within his chest, but there was no way that he could go back upon his decision. He had given the boy seven days to prove his innocence to the court- longer than he had given his nephew after he himself had accused him of stealing his master bolt.

Taking those couple of steps to close the gap that was between the both of them, Zeus lifted his hand up until he was able to rest it upon his son’s shoulder, his hand squeezing it gently in an attempt at comforting him, even if just a small amount, “My son… the pain you feel is but temporary. Have faith in your boy; just as Poseidon had faith within his own, and I know that he will rise to the occasion and do you proud. I shall not interfere in the workings of the camp, nor will I have Dionysus approach your boy with such grave news; go to him when your mind has had the time to settle upon this situation… I feel that it is best he hear such things from you and you alone.”

Hermes remained wordless at first, still attempting to process what had just occurred in his mind. He felt his father's firm hand on his shoulder, but did not react, a feeling of total numbness running through his body.

Nodding once, slowly, Hermes turned to leave Olympus, clearing his throat in an obvious attempt to hide its shakiness. "I best go. Don't want to miss that movie." He said, attempting to defuse his own feelings with an admittedly poor attempt at humor. That being said, the god of messengers left without another word.