Camp Half-Blood: Into the Storm - Closed!

[sweet.peaches~]

sabrina okawa | 15 | she/her | unclaimed (hecate) | location: half-blood hill/thalia's pine tree | tags: open

Usually Sabrina Okawa would've been excited if she had been traveling alone to New York, but the flight from the West Coast to the East Coast had been quite tiring. First off, her late afternoon flight had been delayed and so she was forced to go overnight on the airplane. She had never been on an airplane before so it was hard to fall asleep knowing she was up in the sky. She had also been alone since her father couldn't afford another plane ticket. He had hugged her before she left to her city's airport so that helped a bit. Phoebe wouldn't be with her either since she had trouble traveling. It made her surprisingly homesick - before, any vacation out of her state would have made her so excited - during the night. Her stomach had been doing flips when she had arrived at one of New York's airports and her mood shifted constantly after taking a taxi to Camp Half-Blood. Now that Sabrina had been driving to it and could physically see it, it was absolutely breathtaking, not in the way a mansion would be though. She wondered about the memories she would make there, good or bad. Would they be friendly or would the demigods be just like the kids from her other school? Go back to Japan, one of their taunts echoed in her ears. Immediately she shook her head. Don't think like that. The best thing to do is think positively.

"Ma'am, there's nothing here. Just a bunch of trees and rivers." The voice of the taxi driver had awakened her from her thoughts. He had parked several feet away from the entrance and looked mildly confused. One of the things that confused her was the mortals. When she had been jumped by a sphinx and had gotten some nasty scars, the mortals claimed that some crazy guy had shoved her with a knife instead of the monster who had clawed her face. And now he couldn't even see the camp that was right in front of him. But she didn't want to be rude or anything, so she merely bit her tongue and tried to be as respectful as possible.

"I'm going on a little nature hike with my family," she had lied. "Could you drop me over at that tree?" Sabrina pointed her finger at the colony of trees surrounding the camp and he nodded. It wasn't as far as she wanted but she didn't want to lie to him again and she certainly couldn't bribe him as she only had enough for the taxi ride. As they got closer, she spotted a bunch of people around. She grinned as she grabbed her leather bag and shuffled her worn black luggage closer to her. "Thank you so much!" The demigod had nearly burst out of the car. Before he could say anything, she ran (not as fast as she wanted to with all the baggage she was carrying) to the giant pine tree and admired the white arches imprinted with Camp Half-Blood. She couldn't help but marvel at all the greenery around here, including the plants growing around the entrance. Now if only she could find someone... then maybe she could get a tour or somewhere to place her luggage.

[*Lovel*]

『❄❅』 Aydan Hunt『❅❄』

Son of Khione ☃ Cabin 22 ☃ 16 ☃ Heterosexual

≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎

Tags: Ophelia and Celeste
Location: By Stables and Fields

"I'm no nerd." Aydan pouted. Well, he did like learning so maybe she was kind of right ... didn't mean she had to say it though. He rolled his eyes at himself and his pride, she was just joking. He didn't have to take it to heart as much as he seemingly was. He saw the stern look Ophelia was giving him out of the corner of his eye. He looed away from both girls so they could no longer see how flustered he was.

He smiled as Ophelia offered a hand squeeze of possible comfort. Of course his feelings weren't completely healed but he wasn't lying to Celeste, he felt a little better. Right? He ignored the lingering self doubt of that statement. He felt Ophelia loosen her grip, was she about to let go? Nope, she fell short of dropping his hand completely and let her fingers rest loosely in his. Ophelia offered Celeste her other hand and Celeste accepted which seemed to bring Ophelia some joy. He watched as a bright smile lit up her face before disappearing and turning into a smaller smile. He was glad to see her smile that was equivalent to the sun, it seemed to be something of a rare occurrence these days. He offered up his own gentle smile that formed into a smirk when they were asked who won. "She's correct, but between you and I Celeste, I would've won." he chuckled teasingly.

He honed his attention back to the tour Ophelia was giving trying to soak in every bit of information and each location she pointed out. He was sure the strawberries wouldn't last this intense cold and snow but who knew. The Demeter or Hecate kids could have done something that could make them last year round.

▶ ▷ ☁ ◁◀Emerson "Emmie" Grey ▶ ▷ ☁ ◁◀

Daughter of Zeus ☂ Cabin 1 ☂ 16 ☂ Heterosexual

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tags: Orin
Location: Cabin 1

"I took it away from Celeb and dropped it at Reese's feet, in retrospect it wasn't my best call but now I've made a new friend so... lose win situation or something." she chuckled awkwardly. She nodded about being ok and watched his movements as he walked to sit with her. He seemed a bit unbalanced but wasn't limping or anything of the sort, that was a good sign.

"Mmhm" she didn't fully believe that was all of it but he didn't seem to want to share so she wasn't going to push him like a nagging mother. But he did let her in on a little more of an explanation, Orin and his antics surely would get him in trouble but he didn't deserve to be hit in the face. She raised an eyebrow at him "Who was it who hit you?" she turned her gaze from Orin to her fingernails thinking of the possibilities.

Orin wasn't the most popular around camp. There could be a number of options, but only a few who would actually have the cojones to actually do it. He was a son of Zeus afterall, she could see Ophelia doing it... maybe Auggie too. The two were feisty enough to try it. "Yeah we can go for a round after you shower and change." she said with a smirk.

He was anxious and rambling, something more obviously happened and bent him out of shape. Maybe he'll tell her when he's ready, for now she'll be here for him. "Pft. I'm dandy. No need to worry about me, I'm tough you know." she exclaimed patting his shoulder.

〖 ☾ 〗Ash Davis〖 ☾ 〗

Son of Hypnos ☼☽ Cabin 15 ☼☽ 17 ☼☽ Bisexual

☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆═━┈┈━═☆

Tags: Delilah
Location: By Stables

"No problem Plum." he said watching as she folded her wings back n with a small shiver. He shrugged off his black leather fur lined coat and handed it to her with a smile. "Here, just promise to give it back when I come home." Home? when did he start thinking of this camp as home? He'll definitely have to explore that thought more when he came back..... if he did. He immediately dismissed the negative thought hopeful that his worry didn't show on his face.

Jelly bean snorted at the word adorable but still leaned into the girls hand. "He doesn't much like it but he has to accept the name." Ash chuckled. He frowned when she mentioned naps, he wouldn't be able to take a lot of his precious naps while out on the quest. "Take enough for me. I'll try to hop in and say hi when I can." he said giving her a small smile that felt a bit forced. "I promise I'll make it back." he said touching her shoulder and bringing her in for a hug. "You stay safe too Plum." he whispered in her ear and giving her one last squeeze before letting her go and giving her a genuine smile this time.

[WitchHazel]

|♡|Mirabelle Everhart|17|She/Her|Aphrodite|Head Counselor|Location: Cabin 10 --> Outside Cabin 10|Tags: Aphrodite NPCs/Open|Mentions: Auggie|

Mirabelle instructed Firefly to stay put outside for a few minutes, trusting the equine to follow through on her request. Firefly pawed at the snow almost as if annoyed at being out in the cold, but stood outside cabin ten nonetheless. Mirabelle shot her an apologetic look as she slipped inside. A sudden sneeze announced her entry into her cabin, much to her dismay. The chatter abruptly ceased as heads turned to stare at her.
One of her cabinmates made a face. "Ew. You’re not sick, are you?"
"No. Just the cold weather," she sniffled. "I’m fine."
The silence that followed was almost palpable. It was uncomfortable, to say the least - cabin ten was almost always full of gossip. The uncanny quiet made her skin crawl.
"We heard you were leaving." One of her half-siblings - Megan - crossed her arms over her chest.
"I - yes, it's true. I’m heading out on the quest. I -"
"You were just going to go without saying goodbye!?"
"What? N-No! I came back here to -"
An amused smile tugged at Megan’s lips. "Relax, Mira. I'm just messing with you. We all knew you wouldn't just leave us."
Mirabelle let out a short sigh in relief. She shot Megan a wry look, but kept her mouth shut for the time being.
"But ew, wipe your nose. And omg, fix your lipstick. You look like a clown. You’ll totally bring shame to our cabin if you go out like that."
Mirabelle couldn't help but laugh a little, though her face flushed an embarrassed shade of pink. She took a moment to clean herself up and repair her makeup, uncomfortably aware of the fact that she was being watched. When she finished, she turned back to her cabinmates with a serious countenance. "A few housekeeping things before I go. Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean my policies vanish. No bullying or nasty behaviour. We can't have camp turning on itself in the face of our current threat." A pause, to let the words sink in. "Take care of each other, okay?" She flashed them a sad smile. "One last thing: Ophelia will be acting head counselor while I’m gone."
The statement was met with a variety of reactions, from silent nods of acknowledgement to dramatic groans.
"You will treat her with respect. I’ll know if you don’t." A few of her half-siblings shifted uneasily. Good. Point made. Now that business was taken care of, she felt her heart swell in her chest. So many faces. So many people I might leave behind. She cast a slow look around the room, mentally willing herself to memorise every detail of each person there. Every single feature of their faces. She took a short breath to steel herself for what was to come. "I guess this is goodbye then."
Mirabelle glanced down in surprise at the sudden sensation of someone's arms around her waist. She forced back the anxiety fluttering in her chest when her gaze met the big blue eyes of Celia Lawson.
"Don’t go," the 11-year old pleaded. "I'll miss you."
Mirabelle's heart melted. She hugged the younger girl back, bending down to her level. "I'll miss you too. I have to go, sweetie. But don't worry, you'll be in good hands while I’m gone."
"B-But what if you don’t come back? Alex got lost and didn't come back."
The words hit Mirabelle like a punch to the gut. Her own throat closed up at the sound of tears in Celia's voice. Alex... I failed him. He was my responsibility, and I failed him. What if I fail the quest group too?
"She's coming back."
Mirabelle looked up to see Megan glaring her down; no doubt a veiled threat. Something in her face said "You’d better." She offered Megan a heartfelt smile. Another pair of arms wrapped around her, and then another, until most of the cabin’s residents who were present had joined in a group hug.
Panic ballooned in her chest, but she quickly choked it back down. It's okay, it's okay. This won't last too long. Besides, they're showing that they care. This could be the last time they see me. It was touching; that she couldn't deny. Her heart warmed.
Soon enough, it was over. Relief rushed through her, though the emotion elicited a twinge of guilt. "Thank you." She didn’t know what else to say. Some of them were getting all teary-eyed, and she couldn’t deny that it made her a little uncomfortable. Pff. Drama queens.
She made her final farewells and assurances, rubbing shoulders and drying tears. She wasn't blind; she could tell a portion of them were faking. But she would be stupid to think that everyone liked her. As hard as she tried, some of her cabinmates were still resistant to the changes she had made when she'd become head counselor. Best not to dwell on that right now.
After all the fuss, she managed to slip out the door relatively unscathed. Where to now? Ophelia was no doubt still giving her tour, and she didn't want to bother her when she was busy. She thought she'd seen Reese headed towards the Hades cabin when she'd been talking with Hank and Jack, but he was probably occupied as well. Will was presumably at the forge, as she'd surmised before. Emmie... she wasn’t sure where Emmie was. She’s likely sparring at the arena or cozied up in her cabin to avoid the cold. And they were only a few people on her list. Ugh, where do I even start? There’s not enough time for everyone. The thought sat like a lead balloon in her stomach.
As she surveyed the area thoughtfully, a leather-clad shape on the porch of cabin thirteen caught her attention. Auggie. She didn't necessarily know the Hades head counselor well enough to warrant a farewell. After an uncomfortable moment of eye contact, she offered the other girl a little smile and a wave of acknowledgement. She looks better since last I saw her. The thought was heartening, to say the least. Hopefully Orin's doing okay as well. She would've liked to check in with him or Felix before she left, but there wasn't much time before she had to meet Laurel and the others at the Big House. I might have time for one more person? The notion of leaving goodbyes unspoken burned a hole in her chest. I can't just leave without saying anything. As she wrapped a strand of blonde hair around a gloved finger, an idea sparked into existence. Maybe I don't have to! She slung her backpack off of her shoulders and dug around until she found a small notebook and her favourite fountain pen. Though writing in the cold air wasn't exactly desirable, she propped her notebook up on the porch railing. In scrawling cursive script, she began to write out small, heartfelt letters to each person she might not have the time to farewell.


|⟡|Juliet Pratten|16|She/Her|Hermes|Location: Cabin 3|Tags: Hu, Caspia|

"So plan B it is?" Juliet smirked. "Cool. Less risky, anyways. So... who we gonna rope into our scheme this time?" She didn't wait for an answer before continuing, chatting on animatedly. "I think I saw Sandman staying for the quest meeting... too bad, he would've loved helping us out. That leaves 'Lilah and the Sloth. Oh wait - shoot. I forgot. The Sloth's dead." She said the word so casually, as if it hadn't just punched her in the gut. Juliet and Dara hadn't been close by any means, but she had pranked him a few times and enlisted his aid over the course of her time at camp. It was... weird that he was gone. From what she'd heard, the dude had been coming to camp for around ten years. To think that it was all over, in that one horrible moment... Oy gevalt. At least he had probably been asleep when it had happened. "So... 'Lilah, or do we grab a rando?"

|❀|Chuck Oakes|He/Him|Satyr|Location: Cabin 6|Tags: Caleb|

The satyr chuckled when he heard that Orpheus wasn't a fan of the snow. "Like, honestly, who could blame him? This is like, totally jive, man. Like, ruining a perfectly good summer, you know?" Caleb's next quip nearly had him stopping in his tracks. What? But like, we're gettin' along so well... aw man, I hope Orpheus digs me. The fear must've shown on his face, because the demigod assured Chuck he was just kidding only a few moments later. The lanky dude let out a sigh of relief, puffing into the air in a little white cloud. A nervous laugh bubbled up from his chest.
Thankfully, the moment of tension was dispelled when Caleb introduced Chuck to the Athena cabin. Chuck had only been inside a few times; when he needed something from one of the Athena campers or when he accompanied Mira on cabin inspections. "Like, nice pad, man," he complimented, glancing around the cabin. "Lots of... books." Totally smooth, man. His attention quickly shifted to Orpheus as he was introduced. A grin split Chuck's face when the little black cat padded over to greet him. "Like hey, little buddy!" He bent down to Orpheus's level, extending a hand for the feline to sniff. "Wow, you are like, totally spiffy."


|⊙|Zahra Al-Amin|217/Looks 32|She/They|Magician; Eye of Sekhmet|Location: Outside Cabin 3 --> Behind Cabins|Tags: Jay, Sa'd/Set|

Zahra was a bit miffed at being called a 'girl' by the chaos god - she was two hundred and seventeen years old, for crying out loud. That, and they weren't fully a woman to begin with. Sure, she had been using 'she/her' pronouns more in her head that day, but that tended to fluctuate depending on how they felt. Nonetheless, the Eye of Sekhmet led the Host of Set and their accompanying god behind a row of buildings, which Chiron had called 'cabins' earlier. Zahra thought that was rather funny - the only building that looked cabin-like in any regard to her was the one the aforementioned gryphon was seated outside. They checked back to make sure that Jay was following; she and Anubis should hear this information as well.
When they were far enough out of earshot of any demigods, Zahra stopped walking and turned to face the three. "Jay and Anubis, I believe, have already made my acquaintance, but allow me to introduce myself. I am Zahra Abubakar Nashwa Al-Amin, Magician of the Ninth Nome and current Eye of Sekhmet. I wish there were time for more formalities, but I must 'get to the point', as they say." Her tone was clear and sharp, but not unkind. Their mixed Arabic-London accent had thickened in her haste, and they hoped the three could comprehend what she was saying. "Set, Anubis - we need your help. The Duat is in chaos - almost literally, I'm afraid. You two recall the Ogdoad, though I am uncertain if your Hosts have recollection. Hosts, do either of you know of the Ogdoad? I can explain briefly if I must."
-
At Jay's admission, Zahra's face grew almost disappointed. "I see. They must not be teaching the Ogdoad cosmology in your Nome. Shame on them." She hadn't necessarily meant it in a mean nor chastising way, but it certainly came out that way. "The Ogdoad are eight gods; the first gods. They were born of the Sea of Chaos and are thought to be extensions of Isfet itself." She paused to let that sink in. "The eight are as follows. Nun and Naunet; the gods of chaos and water, Heh and Hauhet; gods of boundlessness, Kuk and Kauket; gods of darkness, and Amun and Amaunet; gods of invisibility, of air, and void. They are frog and snake gods respectively. " She watched the two teenagers' faces as she continued. "Something has greatly angered them, and caused them to awaken from their slumber. They are wreaking havoc in the Duat; tearing it completely asunder. The Sea of Chaos - it is expanding. You can see why I have been sent. We need your help. The gods need your help."

|Venti|Khione|Location: Toronto|Tags: The Shadow|

If the venti had hearts, they would have been in cardiac arrest by now. They shared a glance of absolute mortal terror before reluctantly turning their attention back to the shadowy being before them. Rain started to pour from the ventus on the left, eliciting a disgusted grumble from the one on the right.
The lefthand ventus was all but a stammering mess. "Um... yes, Mr - er, Ms - Mrs?"
"- Mx. Castro," the other ventus cut in. "We'll have that coffee for you right away." It turned to its companion, frantically gesturing for it to follow. Once the two venti were out of earshot, the leading ventus stopped. "Turn into wind and keep an eye on that... thing," it commanded.
"What!? Why do I have to do that!? It could send us both back to Tartarus with just a flick of it's wrist! Er - wrists. Does it even have wrists!?"
"Would you rather get its coffee order?" The first ventus snapped back.
The other ventus frantically shook its misty excuse for a head.
"That's what I thought. Stay and observe."
With a small sigh, the ventus transformed into a small gust of wind and blew around the area where the shadowy thing was waiting.
-
"Hi, I'm here to pick up a coffee order for a Fidel Castro?"
The mortal women behind the counter let out a snort. "Is this some kind of a joke?"
A look of confusion spread across the ventus's face. "No... That's the name I was given."
"Look, kid. Someone's gotta be pulling your leg, okay? We don't have an order for 'Fidel Castro'. Dude's been dead for like, I dunno, half a decade? Get lost. Go on, scram."
The ventus could only surmise that the Mist was making her see him as a child or young teenager, given her response. She didn't look much over nineteen herself. "Listen here... Samantha," the ventus hissed, reading the tag on her apron. "Do you want to be the one to tell that guy you don't have their coffee order? Because I certainly don't. They're a monster before they have their coffee."
"Dude, I told you, we don't have an order for Fidel Castro!"
"Uh, Sam?" A teenage boy called out from the espresso machine. "We actually do have an order under that name..."
The other barista rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Uuugh. Oh my god. Fine. Just take your stupid coffee and go already."
The ventus puffed out a sigh of relief as it collected the iced coffee with 'Fiddle Costco' scrawled across it in black sharpie.
"I'm writing you a terrible review. Oh, and one last question. Do you take Dogecoin?"

[Kveykva]

──────── 𝐀𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫
[✦] | Athena Head Counselor | 15 | Male | Stables ➡ Cabin Circle | Tags: Cass, Hank
❝ 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝑖𝑡 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑠❞

Althoguh Aiden's smile was genuine, it slowly grew smaller as their farewell came to a close. "I think these little doodads are all the luck I need," he nodded to the items in his pocket. Even if they were nothing, they were memories, and that was enough. He didn't want their goodbye to end, but he knew she would need to let him go at some point. Laurel was already waiting for everyone at the meeting place, and from the looks of it, Aggy and Skylar were there as well. I can't hold them up forever. At the mention of his last name, Aiden outwardly cringed. "I told you not to call me that!" he snapped with exaggerated anger. "Get ready for when I do, Cassandra!" the child of Athena sneered, giving a final wave to his long-time friend. Now, where to next? Hank and Caleb were both on his list, along with Will and Kade, but he wasn't entirely sure if he could stomach going to see either of them by the forges. Especially if they were working on funeral shrouds.

He'd almost forgotten about Wayfinder during his goodbye to Cass, and upon remembering his trusty pegasus, he inhaled air through his teeth. "Sorry buddy..." Wayfinder didn't seem to mind much, which didn't make him feel any better about the equine who was there the entire time. A glance over to the cabins discovered another of Aiden's victims targets goodbye goals. Hank was one of his closest friends at camp, especially after the son of Apollo became a year-round camper. They even became head counselors on the same day. Dante was so mad, but Aiden thought it was the funniest thing... except that he wasn't really ready to be a head counselor either. And then they bonded over it. "Hank!" he toted the pegasus towards the cabins, waving towards his friend to grab his attention

──────── 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐞𝐧
[✦] | Apollo | 16 | Female | ➡ Zeus' Fist | Tags: Leo
❝ 𝑖 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑟❞

Lucy's concern for the questers wasn't completely fabricated. She did wonder if they'd come back in one piece, and how much Kingston's acquired knowledge would affect them and their task out there. Suddenly, Leo faltered. He caved ever so slightly at the hint of Camp Half-Blood becoming exposed, and thankfully, she had a positive answer. "No," she assured him. "We weren't mentioned ever, but he did reveal the Romans in San Fransico. He claims to have the surrounded, which... I find it hard to believe from what I've heard, but I suppose it's possible." Then came the words. Orin's words, spoken in Orin's voice from her own mouth. One of Lucy's most famous talents (or infamous, depending on who you ask), it benefitted her greatly, given that not everyone knew whether she could only parrot other people's sentences or if she could say anything using their voice. "It was a little scary... He never gets electrical over anything..." her hands quivered at the thought. "They might forget," she whispered quietly. "Out there. When this is all over, the press conference, Malcolm, all this talk of demigods will be forgotten, the Mist will glaze it over as though nothing happened. But people are dying here, and none of us are going to forget this. None of us will forget the time when the world turned against us, even when they do..." Lucy almost didn't notice Leo returning the coat, and despite how much she'd insisted he keep the coat and stay warm, she was beginning to freeze herself. Lucy accepted it and tugged it back on, thankful for the warmth. "I did already say some goodbyes, but... I'm beginning to think I may never get another chance."

──────── 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐧
[✦] | Hephaestus | 18 | Male | ➡ Forges | Tags: Kade
❝ ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑠𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒❞

Will nodded slowly, spreading out the decorative scraps to pick from before disappearing in search of Celestial Bronze, retrieving two ingots from the stash. They were heavy and balanced, fitting for a monster slaying metal. "One fer Athena, one fer Hephaestus." he placed them on the workbench, pulling the cigarette away for an exhale. At this point, the two of them would probably diverge in their designs. Will had a couple of ideas in mind for Horace's shroud, mostly from what he remembered his half-brother talk about in the years past. The memories were fuzzy, three years distant, but they still remained. He remembered Horace enjoyed big projects, he wanted to be a diesel mechanic once he finally found a place to settle down outside of camp. Easier said than done. Bless his heart, I hope Hades is kind to him.

[sammy,]

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 ！！ x─────ix ♔
x──────i ii zeus. iii eighteen. iiii tags: emmie.
ivi cabin one.

the story explained quite a bit, and orin was thankful to hear a series of events that he could focus on rather than the shadows that had been cast over his mind over the past few days. she sounded as though she was having a good time. that was good. he wasn't going to ruin that for her by bogging her down with the details of what had happened, about what could happen, about what was certainly going to happen. instead, he stared down at his ring, twisting it idly, and when the question came, he stopped.

"no idea. they had a lot of fists. got everywhere," orin knew exactly who it had been, but there was no point exposing it. "it's done now. i've no idea what i did, but..." briefly, he let a frown appear. "you know, there's nothing i can do. i probably did something. i've always done something. and if i hadn't, then that makes up for something that i actually have done, which is a debt paid, so..." he trailed off. his head was hurting, but that didn't come as any surprise.

a shower sounded good. the spar idea was probably one to put on the backburner - not because he didn't want to, but because - "if felix catches me duelling you, then he'll behead me himself," he didn't doubt it. "but a shower? are you saying i stink?"

"you're very tough. incredibly. i live in fear of ever invoking your wrath. don't let anyone tell you you're not an intimidating and powerful demigod." it was half a joke, half genuine. "they'll have me to deal with if they try it. reese better watch himself, putting you in danger like that. if i could stand up right now, i'd be marching for a chat with him." orin didn't mean it, but that was perhaps the point. his words were notably quieter than usual. he hadn't had enough sleep, cursed by a jilted slumber pattern and stuck with its reperccusions. he'd have killed for a rasputini.

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx 𝐥𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐳 ！！ x─────ix ♘
x──────i ii ares. iii eighteen. iiii tags: lucy. ivi zeus' fist.

camp half-blood hadn't been mentioned. leo wasn't certain whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, but for the short term, it was enough reassurance to calm a heart that was threatening a marathon. "surrounded by..." soldiers, probably. "can't that camp just..." stab them? mow them down? was there a less blunt way to put across such a concept? "deal with them?"
a memory lifted, a little voice in his head whistling a tune and smiling like a shark from the shadows. inadvertently, he quoted the words with dulled eyes. "there's principle and there's morality, but violence is never the answer until it is. i don't - why don't -" even as he said it, he realised the problem. if they exerted their powers in such a fashion, then they'd be sending themselves down the proverbial river, proving to the braying, bleating public that demigods were violent, untrustworthy. "maybe not."

"then it's gotta be big, right?" leo hadn't heard orin ever rise to anger. hadn't heard of it happening to others, either. more seeds of doubt were sowed in his fecund imagination. "he can't be allowed to do that. can't let him just..." he trailed off, let the words be replaced by a set jaw and a scowl that spoke more than he ever could.

"things keep moving," he nodded. "that's what we get. it all carries on. or we lose, and it all stops. and for some reason, we keep picking the more difficult option." it was what was right, in the end, and he couldn't discount it. "i don't like saying goodbye to people," it was honesty, at least. bidding farewell to those who may not come back made the final memory of that person into a mess of anxiety. too definite, too much solidification of the chance that the return would not be imminent. "but if you want to, then... you know, go right ahead."

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐬 ！！ x─────ix ♕
x──────i ii aphrodite. iii twenty-four. iiii tags: aydan, ophelia
ivi outside.

no winner. that was a shame, but it hadn't looked as though there was going to be a true victor when she had left in her hurry. 'bigger things' ophelia said, and celeste ended up wondering when there wasn't something grandiose and horrific that the general public was concerned about. it seemed that childlike innocence was light years away, an art lost to time somewhere along the history of earth's mortal coil. aydan's claim that he would have come out on top managed to rouse a little amused smile from her - she didn't know the two very well, so wasn't sure how accurate he was being, but his gall was enough. loutishness aside, the light joke was appreciated. "that is a shame," she said idly. "it would have certainly been interesting."

the tour continued. 'monsters' was a rather broad term. "i never encountered them," she said, unsure of why exactly that had been the case. "though i was under the impression that this was supposed to be a safe place." all signs pointed to that being ever-so-slightly false.
the thought of strawberries did rise her interest, being a lover of the fruits that had been so scarce in her life for such a long period of time. if not completely unavailable, they were grim - too ripe or not ripe enough, never with enough bite to garner any satisfaction. if she could spend all of her time in those fields, then she certainly would.

there had been a question on her lips for a little while. no time like the present. "this... adventure that some are going on... are there many?" she would have quite liked to go on something of the sort, utilise her skills in a way that was more than just recreational and flippant activity.

[takara]

☂ | 𝙾𝚙𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚊 𝚁𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜
| 16 | She/her | Aphrodite/Cabin 10 | Location: Strawberry fields | tags: Aydan, Celeste | mentions:

A flash of something cold and sharp ran through Ophelia at the suggestion of her loss. Going against him in a full powered fight with his head in that state, would be insanity, yes. But having it pointed out was still damaging to her pride. "In your dreams, Sleeping Beauty." She growled under her breath, releasing his hand and reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

She turned her attentions to the person who wasn't actively insulting her. "The magical borders keep anything too nasty out, but "safety" is a relative term with gods." She said bitterly. Catching something like longing in Celeste's gaze, she stepped into the field and plucked a berry off a plant. She brought it to her lips and sniffed it, trying not to let her distaste for the frozen orb show on her face. Smells... Normal? Ophelia was less than an expert on strawberries.

She brought it to her lips and bit into it, bracing for the slushy crunch that followed. It melted somewhat on her tongue, and was suprisingly pleasant, even if the texture left something to be desired. "Yep, they're just preserved." She told Celeste, taking another notch out of the fruit.

"Quests?" She squeaked, then immediately reprimanded herself internally, no princess, Celeste over here was talking about the underground jam operation. Of course she means quests! "Yeah, but from what I've seen, they're usually smaller." She said, eyeing the green top that marked the end of her strawberry. Although she hadn't been at camp for long, she'd already had the opportunity to let a few pass her by. Even if she had the skill, Ophelia had no intention of going. Being a glorified errand boy for the gods held no interest to her.

She flicked the top away, then bent to wipe her hand on a boot in an act of desperately avoiding making her clothes dirty. She straightened up. "Take as many as you'd like, but we should get a move on." Standing still was making her cold-or maybe that was the winds, picking up since the morning -and Ophelia was eager to continue.

✁ | ℜ𝔢𝔢𝔰𝔢 𝔇𝔞𝔴𝔰𝔬𝔫
| 17 | Hades/Cabin 13 | Location: Cabin 13--> | tags: open | mentions:

Reese ran a comb through his hair, taming every strand as if his life depended on not one hair sticking out of place. He mulled bitterly over August's advice. It makes sense. I almost wish I had it in me to be upset. He glared into the mirror, but it only glared back at him. He smiled at his dumb antics, then puffed out a sigh. I am hopeless. He straightened his coat, zipping it shut, then sighing and unzipping it. He had a call to make, even if it made the pit of his stomach try out for a cheerleading team.

He approached a window, but the sky was overcast, preventing any casual rainbows from sliding through. He closed his eyes and ran a hand over it, feeling for weak spots. An imperfection near the corner called to him, and he honed in on it. It snapped off easily, falling into his awaiting palm. He made a mental note to fix the window after, even though the glass would be an utter beast to work with. He held the shard up to capture the lamplight and make a rainbow dance on the wall.

"O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering... Show me Miz Margaret Ann Topoltski Dawson of Ridgewater, South Carolina, please." He said, tossing up a drachma from his coat.

Nothing happened. He idly wondered if there was another way to do this. If she says no, do I get my money back? Then a flash, and he was viewing one alarmed looking Ma, seated in a quilt covered arm chair and brandishing a book. "Oh my word, don't go scaring me like that!" She said, setting the book down beside her. "Something a-miss?" She frowned, knitting her brows together. They both knew he was only allowed to call in case of emergencies, after interrupting an impromptu tea party and nearly sending three old ladies to his father. He was very lucky they had not pressed hard about the "new technology" he was contacting his Ma with.

"Is it something about the news? I bet it's that demigod thing the horrid British man was talking about!" Reese could only nod, swallowing around the catch in his throat. This has been an awful idea. And he was concerned about the news. "Yeah, it's-it's about that," He sounded choked up, and he hated it. At least it could be blamed on this as well.

"Well, you should not even be calling!" She glanced around, then hushed her tone. "I love to see you, but he's been claiming you folks are dangerous. You have not been killing anyone in the Chicago area, have you?" She looked thoughtful for a moment, and Reese's heart nearly stopped. She-she-she cannot be considering- "No, that is bit much. But the murders, they are real Reese. Why, they even caught an unfortunate newsman on camera! Oh his poor family! But that is beside it," She was working herself into a storm, but there appeared to be some truth to her words. He considered her. He had yet to get a word in edgewise, but it was always like that when she was riled up.

"Reese, my boy," Her voice broke the silence he had not realized was present. She wet her lips. "These deaths, they are not normal. Whatever is doing it, it's not of my and your Pa's world. I am afraid," Her voice hitched. "You should not be calling like this. I love you Peanut, but I want you to be safe." She looked so sad. If Reese's heart was not already shattered, it would have broken right then and there. He forced a smile. "Yes Ma, I love you too. You will not stop me writing that easy though! I'll be more careful about the return address is all." He nodded, as if the motion would hide his tears.

"Well, I have to go now." His voice was edging too close to cracking. He waved out the rainbow and dropped the fragment of glass. He shoved out the door, even more lost than he had been earlier.

☄ | 𝓐𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓴𝓪 "𝓐𝓰𝓰𝔂" 𝓒𝓵𝓮𝓶𝓼𝓸𝓷
| 15 | She/her | Unknown (Ares)/Cabin 11| Location: Big House Ruins | tags: Skylar, Laurel | mentions:

Aggy laughed at the threat, throwing herself forward on Spicy to maintain something of a lead. Well, she tried to, but Skylar's actual riding experience had her catching up with Aggy with ease. She squeezed her legs harder, but Spicy seemed to have a mind of her own The mare snorted at Void. "Come on!" Aggy hissed at her mount, ignorant to the way her precarious posistion did nothing to help the pegasus.

Suddenly, they were at the ruins, and Aggy lost her train of thought. She loosened her legs and tugged back on the reins, causing the roan to slow to a high stepping walk, plunging her hooves into the snow with more care than she had when they were at a faster pace. tops Spicy, a little abruptly. Aggy could only gape at the bones of the house, now blanketed by snow. Seventeen.

Someone shouted their names, and she blinked at some kid from last night. She glared at the girl, straddled by not one, but two pegasi. Aggy couldn't recall exactly when she'd seen the girl, but vaguely remembered her face. Barely.

She returned to eyeing the rubble. Spicy had drawn to a halt, apparently noticing the lack of command from her rider. Snow might have softened the scene, but the jagged remains still reeked of tragedy. In another life, the discovery of such a place would be ethereal, magical even. The foundation of an ancient civilization, its history long divorced from the weathered brick. But here, the walls were still coated in it. Aggy thumbed over the reins, held loosely in her hands.

➹ | 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲 "𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐤" 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫
| 17 | He/him | Apollo/Cabin 7 Head Counselor | Location: Cabin circle | tags: [Izzy], Jack, Aiden [Wayfinder]

Hank grinned at Mira's giggles, feeling quite accomplished with himself. He bent down to plant a kiss on Izzy's forehead, and she thumped her tail heartily against his legs. He pulled the leash from his pocket and clipped it to Izzy, not eager to earn another talking to from Chiron. Then he stood and waved wildly at Mira, though she was already out of range in the snow.

"Come on Jack, let's-" He started, but the presence of someone calling his name caught his attention. Please ignore the lipstick on my sleeve, He begged to himself at their approach, tucking a hand around the offending mark. "Hey Aiden, solve any unsolvable problems lately?" He asked with a smirk. Then he saw the pegasus trailing the scrawny camper, and a range of emotions flashed across his face. Oh, the Quest... He's...he's smart, he'll be okay. Hank told himself, fighting to keep the mood light. Maybe he's just warming up the pegasus. He told himself, but he cringed at his own obvious lie, not even needing to point out the holes in it for it to leak.
Clever, witty, wise. He told himself, running through synonyms of what he knew the Athena counselor to be Smart isn't quite safe. The rest of his brain was telling him, shrieking to be heard.

"You're going?" It was mostly a statement, but he needed confirmation. He knew he'd miffed up worse, so maybe this could just be a misunderstanding? Izzy sat quietly, looking at him quizzically.

☘ | 𝕁𝕖𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕗𝕖𝕣 "𝕁𝕖𝕟" ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕕
| 16 | She/they | Demeter/Cabin 4 | Location: Dining Pavilion (kitchens)---> into the storm | tags: Dryad npcs, open | mentions: Chuck & Caleb (offhand)

Some chattering campers had approached, and Jen had considered offering them some of their next loaf, but the group left before it was out of the oven, leaving only a flustered dryad in their wake. Odd choice in flirtations, but overall nothing strange for camp. It's good to be back.

The smell of bread at the perfect temperate caught their attention, and they rushed to stand by the oven, watching the loaves with the gaze of a hawk. The trick was to have patience, but not enough to let them overgolden. It always took a few days for Jen to get back into the rhythm of camp, but the first bread was always worth it. She closed her eyes and breathed in, letting the scent overtake her. A smile played at the edges of their lips, as they took in the aroma as if it were the exilir of life. Something changed, slight, almost imperceptible, and Jen was on it in a flash.

They threw on oven mitts and slowly opened it, allowing the waves of heat to roll over them a moment before removing the breadstone. Placing it on a counter to cool, Jen shed her gloves and moved to find a basket. Not a conventional kitchenware by any means, but useful in times such as these. Finding a specimen with a fitted top, Jen paused a moment. Wait for it to cool and slice it, or wrap warm? They tapped a foot as they considered. Slices don't go as fast. But warm is more comforting. Feels like a hug, I suppose. With that, they were decided. Snatching a towel, they wrapped the loaves and stuffed them in the basket.

Jen eyed the yeast batch tucked away in a corner, not happy to be leaving their baby at the hands of any passing dryad or Hermes camper. They closed their eyes and took a deep breath. Smells like it'll need a few hours, at least. Worst comes to worst, I have my means. They nod firmly to themselves, slip into a puffy yellow jacket, and make their way into the storm.

[indigo']

[➳]Caleb Thomas|18|he/him|Athena|Dining Pavilion|Tags:Chuck

Caleb nodded in agreement to the statement about the snow. He couldn’t say that he was a big fan of the weather either, the humidity was messing with his hair--a criminal offence in his mind. Chuck seemed a bit startled by his joke, and he was quick to reassure him as he led the way into the Athena cabin, mentally taking note to be careful what he said around the satyr, who was clearly very gullible.

“Yeah, thanks.” He smiled at the attempt at a compliment, eyes scanning the room as if he’d just noticed all the books. “Don’t tell anyone but...some of my half siblings...they’re a bit nerdy, you know?” He lowered his voice dramatically, quickly remembering his resolve moments before not to use sarcasm around Chuck, though he figured in this instance the joke would be quite obvious.

Caleb watched his cat ignore his presence in favour of inspecting the newcomer, rolling his eyes over-dramatically. “Traitor,” he muttered, though his face quickly broke into a smile as Orpheus made his way over, purring as he rubbed against Chuck’s outstretched hand. “He says thanks,” he replied, expression quickly falling as he realized the satyr could actually speak to animals and he couldn’t. “Er...I’m assuming he is. If I’ve raised him to have any manners he would.” He gave a pointed look at the cat, who very clearly didn’t care about a word he was saying.

[sunhorsestar]

Kaden Turner | Athena | Tagging: Wilhelm | Location: Forges


Kade's smile was soft. "Yeah..." shrouds were never fun. Necessary, but not fun, and it was finally setting in. They’d be making shrouds for their SIBLINGS. Kade had been there five years. He still never got used to shrouds and weapons and monsters. "Does it ever feel unreal to you? Any of this?" He asked, gaze shifting to Will. "This crazy life we lead?"


Satchiko Hironami | Poseidon | Tagging: Sabrina | Location: Half Blood Hill


Seeing a newcomer, one of the late arrivals, Satchi skipped up the hill and skidded to a stop only a few inches away. "Sorrysorrysorry!" She squeaked. She took a deep breath and extended her hand with a bright smile. "Hi! I’m Satchi Hironami. What’s your name? Welcome to camp!"

[sweet.peaches~]

sabrina okawa | 15 | she/her | unclaimed (hecate) | location: half-blood hill | tags: satchiko

Sabrina had flinched when the girl had nearly ran into her but she became to calm down when she had introduced herself. Can't really blame her for being excited. I do that all the time. "It's no biggie!" Before she said anything else, she had taken one second - she hoped she hadn't noticed - to scan her. She seemed friendly, probably not a threat. And this was a nice gesture. So she didn't see quite the harm in being polite. Grinning, Sabrina shook her hand and said, "Sabrina Okawa, at your service! You can call me Bree though," she quickly added. It wasn't really a nickname she had used a lot but when she looked around Camp Half-Blood, that nickname was all she could think of. Reminded her about the forests and the wilderness. She bit her tongue. There was no time to dwell in the past. She was in a conversation for Christ's sake.

"So," Sabrina said, "do you throw any karaoke parties here?" She joked, putting her hands in her hoodie pockets. "I mean, there is a Greek god of parties, right? Or was it theatre? His name..." She scratched her chin, trying to think, but she had gotten distracted by a slight cold breeze in the air. She shivered. "What's with the weather? I didn't think New York would be this freezing! Especially in the summer," Sabrina put in. She glanced around her surroundings and her eyes widened. How could she have not seen the winter wonderland right in front of her nose? She must have been too overwhelmed... (edit; not sure if the camp has snow or snow falling currently, please tell me if i need to edit anything haha)

[WitchHazel]

|♡|Mirabelle Everhart|17|She/Her|Aphrodite|Head Counselor|Location: Outside Cabin 10 --> Outside Cabin 13|Tags: Reese|

Finished. Mirabelle carefully folded each of the small letters, scrawling each individual's name across in curling red script. Despite the number of letters she had written, it hadn't taken her long to compose them. She knew most of what she wanted to say to each person. In some ways, writing it down was easier than saying it in person. Now... how do I get these to everyone? The question plagued her mind. I'll have to find someone I can trust to have them delivered. Any one of the people on her farewell list would do.
She placed her notebook and pen back in her backpack, buckling it up before slinging it back over her shoulders. A shiver ran through her willowy frame as a cold wind ripped through the air. Where to now? She really should be getting up to the Big House ruins, but she reckoned she would have time for one more goodbye. How can I possibly choose? Asking her to pick between her friends was like asking a dog to take a bath.
Reese made that choice for her when he stepped out onto the porch of the Hades cabin. She could only guess where everyone else was and what they were doing - he was the only certainty. Besides that, he looked like something was bothering him. Suppressing another shiver, she started walking briskly in Reese's direction. Despite the fact that her hands were full of letters, she gave a little wave to catch his attention so she wouldn't startle him with her approach.
"Hey," she said softly once she'd caught up to him. "I just wanted to catch you before I leave; I'd like to say a proper goodbye." Now that she was up close, she could tell something was off. Someone less perceptive might've missed it. But she knew Reese, and he was not his typical self. "Are you okay?" Her grey-blue eyes sparkled with concern.


|⟡|Juliet Pratten|16|She/Her|Hermes|Location: Cabin 3|Tags: Hu, Caspia|

"So plan B it is?" Juliet smirked. "Cool. Less risky, anyways. So... who we gonna rope into our scheme this time?" She didn't wait for an answer before continuing, chatting on animatedly. "I think I saw Sandman staying for the quest meeting... too bad, he would've loved helping us out. That leaves 'Lilah and the Sloth. Oh wait - shoot. I forgot. The Sloth's dead." She said the word so casually, as if it hadn't just punched her in the gut. Juliet and Dara hadn't been close by any means, but she had pranked him a few times and enlisted his aid over the course of her time at camp. It was... weird that he was gone. From what she'd heard, the dude had been coming to camp for around ten years. To think that it was all over, in that one horrible moment... Oy gevalt. At least he had probably been asleep when it had happened. "So... 'Lilah, or do we grab a rando?"

|❀|Chuck Oakes|He/Him|Satyr|Location: Cabin 6|Tags: Caleb|

Chuck laughed softly at Caleb's quip about his half siblings. For once, the humour hadn't flown over his head. "Yeah, like, totally," he agreed jokingly. He gently stroked Orpheus's face, beaming with joy as the little cat butted his head into his hand. His eyes shot up to Caleb when the demigod spoke again, only to return to Orpheus soon after. "Like, I mean, he's totally polite for a cat, man," the satyr chuckled. "Like, as a cat dad, I'd say you did a great job, dude."
His stomach gave a low rumble, drawing his attention back to the main reason he was there. He didn't stop stroking Orpheus, but he looked up to Caleb once more before he spoke. "So like, how about those tin cans, man?"


|⊙|Zahra Al-Amin|217/Looks 32|She/They|Magician; Eye of Sekhmet|Location: Outside Cabin 3 --> Behind Cabins|Tags: Jay, Sa'd/Set|

Zahra was a bit miffed at being called a 'girl' by the chaos god - she was two hundred and seventeen years old, for crying out loud. That, and they weren't fully a woman to begin with. Sure, she had been using 'she/her' pronouns more in her head that day, but that tended to fluctuate depending on how they felt. Nonetheless, the Eye of Sekhmet led the Host of Set and their accompanying god behind a row of buildings, which Chiron had called 'cabins' earlier. Zahra thought that was rather funny - the only building that looked cabin-like in any regard to her was the one the aforementioned gryphon was seated outside. They checked back to make sure that Jay was following; she and Anubis should hear this information as well.
When they were far enough out of earshot of any demigods, Zahra stopped walking and turned to face the three. "Jay and Anubis, I believe, have already made my acquaintance, but allow me to introduce myself. I am Zahra Abubakar Nashwa Al-Amin, Magician of the Ninth Nome and current Eye of Sekhmet. I wish there were time for more formalities, but I must 'get to the point', as they say." Her tone was clear and sharp, but not unkind. Their mixed Arabic-London accent had thickened in her haste, and they hoped the three could comprehend what she was saying. "Set, Anubis - we need your help. The Duat is in chaos - almost literally, I'm afraid. You two recall the Ogdoad, though I am uncertain if your Hosts have recollection. Hosts, do either of you know of the Ogdoad? I can explain briefly if I must."
-
At Jay's admission, Zahra's face grew almost disappointed. "I see. They must not be teaching the Ogdoad cosmology in your Nome. Shame on them." She hadn't necessarily meant it in a mean nor chastising way, but it certainly came out that way. "The Ogdoad are eight gods; the first gods. They were born of the Sea of Chaos and are thought to be extensions of Isfet itself." She paused to let that sink in. "The eight are as follows. Nun and Naunet; the gods of chaos and water, Heh and Hauhet; gods of boundlessness, Kuk and Kauket; gods of darkness, and Amun and Amaunet; gods of invisibility, of air, and void. They are frog and snake gods respectively. " She watched the two teenagers' faces as she continued. "Something has greatly angered them, and caused them to awaken from their slumber. They are wreaking havoc in the Duat; tearing it completely asunder. The Sea of Chaos - it is expanding. You can see why I have been sent. We need your help. The gods need your help."

|Venti|Khione|Location: Toronto|Tags: The Shadow|

If the venti had hearts, they would have been in cardiac arrest by now. They shared a glance of absolute mortal terror before reluctantly turning their attention back to the shadowy being before them. Rain started to pour from the ventus on the left, eliciting a disgusted grumble from the one on the right.
The lefthand ventus was all but a stammering mess. "Um... yes, Mr - er, Ms - Mrs?"
"- Mx. Castro," the other ventus cut in. "We'll have that coffee for you right away." It turned to its companion, frantically gesturing for it to follow. Once the two venti were out of earshot, the leading ventus stopped. "Turn into wind and keep an eye on that... thing," it commanded.
"What!? Why do I have to do that!? It could send us both back to Tartarus with just a flick of it's wrist! Er - wrists. Does it even have wrists!?"
"Would you rather get its coffee order?" The first ventus snapped back.
The other ventus frantically shook its misty excuse for a head.
"That's what I thought. Stay and observe."
With a small sigh, the ventus transformed into a small gust of wind and blew around the area where the shadowy thing was waiting.
-
"Hi, I'm here to pick up a coffee order for a Fidel Castro?"
The mortal women behind the counter let out a snort. "Is this some kind of a joke?"
A look of confusion spread across the ventus's face. "No... That's the name I was given."
"Look, kid. Someone's gotta be pulling your leg, okay? We don't have an order for 'Fidel Castro'. Dude's been dead for like, I dunno, half a decade? Get lost. Go on, scram."
The ventus could only surmise that the Mist was making her see him as a child or young teenager, given her response. She didn't look much over nineteen herself. "Listen here... Samantha," the ventus hissed, reading the tag on her apron. "Do you want to be the one to tell that guy you don't have their coffee order? Because I certainly don't. They're a monster before they have their coffee."
"Dude, I told you, we don't have an order for Fidel Castro!"
"Uh, Sam?" A teenage boy called out from the espresso machine. "We actually do have an order under that name..."
The other barista rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Uuugh. Oh my god. Fine. Just take your stupid coffee and go already."
The ventus puffed out a sigh of relief as it collected the iced coffee with 'Fiddle Costco' scrawled across it in black sharpie.
"I'm writing you a terrible review. Oh, and one last question. Do you take Dogecoin?"