Camp Half-Blood: Into the Storm - Closed!

[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)

(oh gods i apologize for the lengthy post oskrtoesrk)
riley palmer | 16 | she/her | zeus | location: half-blood hill -> cabin 1 | tags: npc, open | mentions: laurel, orin, julie
It had been more than six months since she had left Camp Half-Blood. People probably missed her; after all she missed her cabin mates and friends. People radiated when Riley was with them after all. She wondered how they was doing during the bus ride. Her suburban town wasn't too far away from camp, just a few hours on a bus including stops, then she'd take a walk from the nearest bus stop to camp. That was about thirty minutes but she didn't mind. As long as there were no bees and she didn't lay on any grass during the way. But that wasn't important. She needed a break from her city. It was great to be home, where she didn't need to go to school or babysit the neighbor's toddler (he was pretty cute though).

She hoped nobody asked what she did though, or if they asked about her mother. Riley had been hoping she'd have at least one dinner with her but unsurprisingly, she was busy working on a project that needed all of her attention. And then the next assignment. And the next. It was a bummer but hey, she still was able to take pictures of the sunset and add it to her scrapbook. And play her electric guitar. Basically, she had been overjoyed to reach Camp Half-Blood but her smile quickly faded when she saw the Big House from afar. It wasn't even the Big House anymore. It was just a big pile of house remains. Then there was the weird snow around camp. First off, it was June. Second, didn't the camp barriers make it so any type of big weather would just drift off to the side? She's only heard of this when one of the gods was really angry. That got her interested. I wonder what's going on? Is Chiron okay? Even though Mr. D was a god, she secretly hoped he had been injured during the crash.

"Well, where's that dramatic entrance, Riles?" She turned around to see one of the Hermes kids (NPC). He had that look of trouble he always wore. Riley had never really interacted with him but they both knew each other's reputations.
She tucked a loose strand of hair over her ear. She shook her head. "Not with camp like this. Anthony, was it?"
He raised an eyebrow. "That's me. You couldn't possibly forget the greatest thief in camp, could you?" She smirked.
"No, I couldn't forget Julie, idiot. A horse could steal better than you," she pointed out. "Even I could be the superior thief and I'm not even a child of Hermes. Then again, I'm Riley Palmer." She shrugged. He scoffed.
"Are you here to insult me, talk about how awesome you are, or to ask what happened to Camp Half-Blood?"
Riley thought for a moment. "All three. Tell me what happened!" She hadn't meant to raise her voice but she did anyways. He blinked.
"Well, since you asked so politely." Anthony sarcastically said. "The snow started appearing yesterday. He arranged a meeting with the Senior Counselors and I heard some prophecy had been told."
"A prophecy? "What did the oracle say?" She asked. He glared at her.
"No interrupting." Riley rolled her eyes. "But if you must know, I'm not exactly sure. Something about freezing to death and ice and storms. There's like ten people going on the quest." Her eyes narrowed. "I know, I know. But I'm not lying, I promise. Usually quests have a specific number of people, like three normally, but the prophecy didn't mention it. So the people who felt like they should go or had prophetic dreams about the storm... let's just say they're leaving soon." She suddenly had a bad thought.
"Is Orin going? Laurel?" She quickly asked. She didn't want her half-siblings to freeze to death. This seemed like a dangerous quest. Riley knew some people weren't going to make it out alive. Instead of scowling at her, Anthony gave her a look of sympathy.
"You know Orin. He doesn't go on quests." He shrugged. Right, but she couldn't help worrying that one day he'd change his mind. "Laurel's going." A shiver went down her spine. "Along with..." He kept saying names but Riley couldn't help but be nervous for her half-sister. Sure she was older and probably more experienced and probably was bringing her pegasi but... what if?
A realization hit her. "Wait, this doesn't make sense." Anthony looked at her. "Why is the Big House ruined then? Was there a bad snowstorm or something?" The look of dread on his face made her regret asking but she needed to know.
"We were doing Capture The Flag when a blizzard started. Venti kinda, uh, attacked us. We defeated them though. Nobody won. Then we went to the Big House but... when we got there, the roof was just... There was just so much snow." He shivered. She didn't think it was because of the cold. "It collapsed. There were people in the Big House, you know." His brown eyes darkened. "So many were injured."
She paled. "Did... did anyone die?"
"Seventeen." The words stabbed her. No way. They died when she was gone? When she was just being lazy on the couch watching Netflix, they had to deal with this? Maybe if she was here, with the people, less would have been hurt. Less would have passed away. She's Riley Palmer after all. She should be able to do that. But she had been gone. All of this... was it her fault? Guilt creeped into her heart. Maybe if she joined the quest then she could be able to undo- no. Riley couldn't do that. She had to stay here, to take care of the campers from other ventis and storms. Besides, they already had a lot of questers. And those questers were good people. Laurel would do great. She knew it. Maybe not as great as she would have done, but nevertheless alright. She also felt... afraid at the same time. With everything that was happening, did her friends forget about her? All of her thoughts were swarming and pulling her in and she didn't even notice when Anthony was calling his name.
"Hello? Hello...? Earth to Rye!" She finally noticed him.
First she had to apologize. "Gah, I'm sorry. I'm here, what is it?
He gestured at all the luggage she was carrying: her guitar case was wrapped over her shoulder as well as her purse that carried her daggers. Then there was the suitcase she'd been holding. "Are you going to unpack?" He asked casually, like they hadn't been talking about the camp in danger or half-bloods dying. How could he be so fine about it?
She balled up her fist but she resisted the urge to scream. Instead, she simply said, "Just about to. Uhm, thanks for explaining. I'd better get going." Riley was so down she didn't even make a joke about her being the best. He just nodded and she walked towards Cabin 1. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to greet Laurel or say goodbye to her. All she could do was miserably come over to the doors to her cabin and ask herself, What should I do next?

[sammy,]

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

maybe he was tired. maybe that much was true. removing the tension from his aching muscles with the hot water had only served to prove just how exhausted they were - and if he could catch a few sacred minutes before the lunch horn rang, then he would be in better shape for -
well, he wasn't quite sure what was coming. perhaps that was the problem, the thing that kept him going despite everything that screamed at him not to. every voice in his head had taken on the patronising tone of felix, and as much as he adored his confidante, orin was getting really sick of hearing him in the flesh and in his mind. so he would sleep, that was that decided. a few minutes wouldn't hurt him. he wouldn't miss too much, and then he'd get something to eat, and maybe he'd sleep some more.

of course, this was not how the plan went, because when he opened the door to his cabin, walked in, all damp and slouchy, he caught sight of a person he hadn't seen in quite a while. "riley," he said in greeting, shutting the door. some of the zest had dissipated, but it would return with usual programming as soon as he kickstarted his brain. "did you just get here? are you alright?" there was something off with her, and he imagined it had to do with her late arrival - he had gone through the events of the previous day, thrown himself into the big house like it was nothing, and yet he still couldn't quite imagine finding out about what had occurred a day hence. he was still in the haze of it all, not processing it so much as moving swiftly on. "i'm - do you need - do you need help unpacking?" he was still damp, looked a little worse for wear, but it wasn't in him to just drop on his bunk and succumb to the urge to sleep when one of his siblings appeared so distraught.

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐱 ！！ x─────ix ♗
x──────i ii hephaestus. iii seventeen. iiii tags: chuck.
ivi outside bathrooms.

it all seemed so brutal, and jude wasn't sure whether she was thankful that she hadn't been there to see it or not. to have been there, in the thick of things, the eye of the storm - the campers she had walked past seemed so normal. cold, but normal, as though their home for the summer hadn't been brutalised and shattered. maybe that was the effect of being thrown into the deep end - not noticing the sharks that circled around their feet. regardless, it seemed to have hit chuck. explaining it appeared part of the problem. her mind wandered to horace again. she quelled the thought. there was a time to mourn, and a time to work. the heaters seemed the best way to distract from the shadow that loomed. "we'll do that, then. i'll go to the forge, see if i can't gather some stuff up for you, put a few together." she was trying to figure out how, exactly - the logistics, measurements racing through her mind. jude didn't have the first idea about flowers, just that she liked them, that they were representative of something - so it would be a group effort. "we could ask someone from the demeter cabin to bless them. can they do that? can they make flowers live forever?" uncertain, but a possibility. some of the powers boasted by her fellow campmates were bizarre, but perfect in difficult situations.

she was almost thankful for the inappropriate laughter, because in turn, a little giggle escaped her too, through the barrage of tears that burnt the back of her throat. "i'll get someone to write up minutes, and we can assign roles, and it'll be good, for all of us. we'll all have a good cry. everyone. whoever needs it." god knew that a lot of people would - seventeen was a vast number, especially in such a tight-knit place. with the quest going on, there were bound to be more tears along the way. the big house, as well, would need rebuilding. that was going to be a feat - mental came on how chiron and mr. d were going to approach it. "i missed you." she said rather suddenly. "my dads liked hearing about you. they like hearing about everyone, but they said they always preferred the company of the keepers." whether that was down to their respective explosiveness and penchant for causing problems with other campers in their day wasn't certain, but jude liked to imagine they were quite the team. "it'll be better soon. it has to be. we can only go up from the bottom. the big house'll come back, and it'll be better, and it won't rattle when the air conditioning turns on, and - and it'll be better." it was hard to find a light side to their current situation, so looking to a happy future was the next port of call. it had to get better. it was wishful thinking, but it was something to cling to in the dark. "baby steps for now."

[WitchHazel]

|♡|Mirabelle Everhart|17|She/Her|Aphrodite|Head Counselor|Location: En Route to Big House Ruins|Tags: Aiden|

Movement broke Mirabelle out of her tumultuous thoughts. Aiden. The whole reason she was still standing around in the cold in the first place. He's done with his farewells, it seems. She couldn't deny that a piece of her heart sank with that knowledge. She was eager to get to the bottom of this, yes, but part of her longed to stay in camp and provide what support she could in the wake of catastrophe. The best thing you can do for them right now is leave, she reminded herself. Solve this problem so they can go back to worrying about more mundane things.
"Come on, Firefly, let's go." Rather than mount up and leave Aiden in her dust, she tugged on the mare's reigns and led her towards the pile of rubble where the Big House once stood.
She caught up with Aiden quickly; her long legs closing the distance between them even at a casual pace. Memories of their most recent interaction churned the sea of her mind. I don't like how we left things. Me shouting at everyone, then running off like a coward... Her teeth worried at the soft flesh of her cheek. I should set things straight.
A soft clearing of her throat was hopefully enough to garner Aiden's attention. She took a short breath before she started speaking, not fully trusting herself to meet the younger boy's gaze. "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to yell like that and then just vanish into the woods."

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

Juliet's head swiveled towards Caspia when she spoke up. I totally didn't forget that she was there. What? Pfff. That's rediculous. The daughter of Poseidon's words hit like a sucker-punch to the gut. She had almost forgotten how new Caspia was to all of this. She got here this morning, she recalled. Crap. That means I have to tell her about all the stuff that went down. Unease squirmed in Juliet's gut. She was never great at breaking bad news, and this was the worst information she'd ever had to give.
"Uh... yeah," she started, "about that..." Woman up, Jules. Come on. You got this. "So you can probably guess that it's not normal for it to snow in summer. This crap started up yesterday, and it just keeps on coming." She shot the new girl a wry look. "From what I heard, some crazy snow goddess is out to get us. No clue why." The daughter of Hermes shrugged offhandedly. "But yeah, she killed uh... seventeen people last night? Snow collapsed the Big House roof. That was the pile of rubble you probably saw on the way in." The way she spoke was so casual, as if it was no big deal. In reality, the words left a sour taste in her mouth. "Oh no wait! Eighteen. Some dude got lost in the woods, I think."
Juliet nearly sighed in relief at the next question out of Caspia's mouth: "uhm, who's lilah?"
"Oh, she's the Hypnos cabin's head counselor," the wiry girl explained. "She's actually pretty cool though. A little touchy-feely and stuff, but super nice. The kind of person to hug you to death." She tossed a hand through her dirty blonde hair, making her messy ponytail swish as she spoke. "Oh, and she has these really cool wings. That's not something you see every day. But the reason I mentioned her is because she can make someone fall asleep like that." She held up her fingers and snapped for emphasis. "It's super useful for pranks."

|☽|Kathryn Blackwood|17|She/Her|Hecate|Location: Outside Cabin 11|Vittorio|

"I know, I know, it's a lot to take in," Kathryn purred. "I myself had some trouble adjusting." That was a lie, if only a partial one. Kathryn had taken to demigod life like a fish to water. Whether it was her inflated ego or a deeper-set feeling stemming from truth, she had always known she was different. And she wasn't talking about being gay. It came as no surprise when her father and stepmother - Francesca, she thought with some bitterness - dropped her off at Camp Half-Blood with barely an explanation. "It's for your own safety, little kitten," the woman had insisted, her soft Italian accent doing nothing to ease Kathryn's indignation. "They will tell you more inside." How Francesca had known all of this was still a mystery to Kathryn. She doubted she would be getting any answers out of her dear stepmother anytime soon.
“Rumour...you’re fond of that word, aren’t you?” Vittorio's words brought her back to the present moment. Her chocolate eyes glittered, narrowing ever so slightly as she scanned his face. Is that a challenge? His next words came with a smile - forced, if she wasn't mistaken. Perhaps he's more perceptive than I've given him credit for. Kathryn's face betrayed nothing of her thoughts, save her nearly imperceptible squint just seconds ago.
Though the current situation made her want to grind her teeth, her purple-coloured lips expanded into an innocent smile. "Is that a bad thing?" She batted her eyelashes, cocking her head to the side. "All rumours contain a seed of truth, dear Vittorio." Her tongue rolled the 'r' in his name almost effortlessly, her words thick and sweet as honey. At least he'd taken her advice to heart, it seemed. Whether he'd caught the veiled threat was another mystery entirely. Watch your back. There are some people here you don't want as enemies. "Now, I really must be going," Kathryn drawled. "Bartók waits for no woman."


|❀|Chuck Oakes|He/Him|Satyr|Location: Outside Bathrooms|Tags: Jude|

Chuck nodded enthusiastically at Jude's talk about constructing heaters. He had absolutely no idea how she would go about that, but he knew she would figure something out. Hephaestus campers were handy that way. And even without that - she was Jude. She always figured something out.
The question about the Demeter cabin had him scratching his head in thought. "I... I dunno, man," the satyr admitted, stroking his little goatee. "Maybe? I mean, we could like, totally ask Demeter herself, but uh - I dunno, she's probably pretty busy with like, goddess-ing or whatever. I think like, the Hecate dudes can do some sort of protection thing, if that doesn't like, pan out, you know? I've like, seen Kathryn do it on herbs and stuff when we're workin' in the herb garden. You dig?"
Another bleating laugh escaped Chuck at Jude's addition to the office meeting comment. "Like, a giant crying meeting. I dig it." Despite the sorrow in his chest, he couldn't keep the gap-toothed grin off his face. "Gotta assign someone to hold the tissues, and like, someone's gotta be lead cryer so we all know when to start, you know?" The freckled boy chuckled; whether out of nervousness or at his own joke, he wasn't sure.
"i missed you." At those words, Chuck's heart nearly melted. "I missed ya too, man." His lips spread into a sad smile, though the melancholy in his mossy eyes did little to dampen the warmth that blazed in their depths. Hearing about her family was always a welcome change in pace. Like, I wonder if my dad knew her dads when they were like, at camp and stuff. He reckoned he would have to ask the next time his parents drifted back into town. Wouldn't it be funny if Jude's Charles was the one he was named after? Shaking his head softly at himself, he trained his ears back on the conversation. It'll be better soon, she was saying. And he almost believed her. The Big House'll come back. But the dead never will. The notion settled like thick fog over his dreary mind. Like, dude, listen to what she's talkin' about. It'll get better soon. It'll all get better soon. Rather than sit on heavy thoughts, he allowed her words to comfort him. They brought with them a familiar sense of warmth that Chuck had missed almost as much as the demigod who exuded it. "Yeah. Like, baby steps," he reiterated, more to himself than anyone else. "Baby steps sound good."


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

"Seeing as gods are so powerful, I would think they can be in two places at once," Zahra mused. They weren't quite sure how the Greek and Roman gods worked - she had only had a few encounters with them over her many years.
Sa'd's next inquiry had their scarred eyebrows shooting up in momentary surprise. "Yes, I am alright." She offered the teenager a heartfelt smile; touched by their momentary concern. A good heart, this one. "Sekhmet is restless, is all." Zahra's warm eyes followed Sa'd's finger as they pointed at the respective cabins. "Ah. I will have to remember that, then. Many thanks. Now, I am off to find the other lioness who escorted me inside the borders of your camp. I thank you for your aid and agreement. The gods thank you." With that, Zahra's humanoid form began to shift, becoming more and more feline until a tawny lioness stood where they once were. Her golden eyes blinked closed in another gesture of thanks before they bounded off into the snow.

[sweet.peaches~]

riley palmer | 16 | she/her | zeus | location: cabin 1 | tags: orin
When Riley had reached out to knock on the cabin door, she was greeted by someone she hadn't expected to see; Orin. She was surprised, yes, but there was no reason to be. After all, her half-sibling lived in the same cabin as her. Nevertheless, Riles had been absolutely glad to see him. It had been silly, really, but when he had said her name, she felt incredibly relieved. He hasn't forgotten my name. He hasn't forgotten me. Hopefully the same went to a few of her other friends. But as he closed the door, she noticed he looked a lot worse than she remembered. She felt the same guilt she had before, starting to cover up her happiness. He had to deal with the whole Big House situation along with the Venti intruders. No wonder he had looked horrid.

"Orin... you're, you're alive," she stammered. Immediately as soon as she said it, she wanted to hit herself with a lightning bolt. Out of all the things Riley could say and wanted to say, that was what she blurted out. Did anyone forget me? Did you miss me? What can I do to help the camp? She wanted to ask him a bunch of questions but now wasn't the time. When her sibling asked if she was okay, she gave him a faint smile. I think you should be asking yourself that, she thought, looking at his appearance. "I, uh yeah, I just got here. Sorry for being late. I'm..." She hesitated for a moment, trying to answer his question. "I'm okay. Didn't have to deal with camp yesterday. Biggest mistake of my life," Riley muttered.

After he had asking if she needed help, she looked around the cabin. She blinked. It had been mostly the same before she had left in October. There were some new things though and some things had changed or were switched out. It was her home, her cabin she'd live in for about a year, but Riley instantly felt like she was invading or something. Like she didn't belong. Her eyes took a glimpse of her old bottom bunk, still untouched with the bedsheets completely messy. While she took off her guitar case off her shoulders, she simply said, "I can do it myself." Quickly she shoved her suitcase and guitar case under the bed but kept her eyes on Orin. Placing her purse on her bunk, she turned to her half-brother. Yes, that was her definition of 'unpacking.'

"What's new at camp?" She asked him. "Other than... uh, you know." Already having to talk to Anthony about it, she didn't feel the need to do so again. "Or am I interrupting your sweet naptime, Sleeping Beauty?" Riley joked. Surprisingly, just being with Orin had made her feel a lot better. Maybe because it made her remember better memories or because he cared so much, she didn't know. She just was happy to be back. "Have the questers already left?" She suddenly wondered out loud. Being the Head Counselor of the Zeus cabin, Riley assumed he had known about the details of the quest. Perhaps she wanted to know if she could still greet Laurel even though she was leaving. She sighed. There were other campers on the quest too. Why wasn't she worrying about them?

[sammy,]

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

"i'm just as surprised as you are," he said, a wry little smile on his face. "but here i am. nothing's bringing me down." the apology came as a surprise - he was glad, really, that she hadn't been around. cabin one had been one of the only not to suffer any casualties. if she had been here, then there was a chance that she would have. he didn't want to think about what would have happened had she fallen. "don't apologise," a shake of his head, a clap on the shoulder, firm and welcoming. he didn't know whether he'd call avoiding the trainwreck that had been the night before a mistake. "i'm glad you weren't there." not because he doubted her - completely the opposite. riley was different to him in that she was proud of her lineage - and likely would have exerted herself to a shocking extent in the face of such danger. "you shouldn't have to see that." the black flames of the campfire came into the forefront of his mind. he pushed them away, let her enter, set her things down.

not much when it came to unpacking - his eyes went to the suitcase that still sat at the base of his own bed. there hadn't bene time for it. he wondered if there ever would be, if he should just get to it now. the most he had done in the past day was retrieve his phone - and what a disaster that had been. with that in mind, he pulled it from the pocket of his jacket, put it in his drawer with the rest of his more personal belongings.

"uh -" he thought for a moment, certain that riley didn't want to hear about the rougher stuff. the 'sleeping beauty' comment raised a little chuckle from him. "i can cope without," how much of a lie that was wasn't certain. "i've hit my quota for the year for new enemies made, a good and round two, but i'm hoping to get more of them just off the bat. get it out of the way for the summer." he didn't revel in the prospect of new opponents, but it was a given nowadays, and one that he was used to. "and they've changed the recipe for the croissants. they're a lot more buttery now. last year they were either too flaky or too soggy, so that's - that's good, isn't it?" he couldn't think of anything else, scratching the back of his damp scalp.

"no, i think they're on their way out. some of them were saying goodbye," he answered. "there was a - i saw some of them at the stables, and they seemed... you know, optimistic. i'm just hoping that they bring the sun back, because i left ireland looking for a good summer, and this is just - it's like i stayed at home." he smiled, recalling the conversation he had had with aiden and mira regarding the tan he yearned for. "take any good photos over the year?" orin remembered that about her, at least. "i swear, i was watching the starlings fly at sunset once, in their big old formations, and i thought... 'riley would love this. she'd be all over it.'"

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐱 ！！ x─────ix ♗
x──────i ii hephaestus. iii seventeen. iiii tags: chuck.
ivi outside bathrooms.

chuck's mind had wandered over to flowers. her dad would have said that he was thinking about the immortality of the crab - about nothing and everything, keeping his mind off of the main issue, focusing on the ones that he could fix. that was good. that was the goal. there was nothing they could do to change what had happened. they'd need a cry at some point, but that was for the future. "see, i wouldn't have thought of that," she smiled. "we can ask around."

"oh, yeah, of course," jude nodded at his addition. "we can make it into a tradition. when we rebuild the big house, we can have a special room for it. a dedicated crying hole." as jokey as it was, she imagined that there were many people who would have benefitted from that. "permanently topped up with comfort foods, and really sappy films like the notebook. i think we're onto a winner here, chuck."

if the campers had nothing, not the big house, not the sun or the grass against their feet, nor the games of capture the flag, then they would have to have each other. she missed them as a part of her, as an adjacent to her already vast family, a wing of her life that didn't just go away when she left in the autumn. lucky, in that sense, to have family who had experienced camp - who knew the pits as well as they knew its peaks. jude would have to tell them at some point, and that was rather daunting. they had stories about the big house, tales from days cast in golden light that would be tarnished by the horrors that loomed.
there always time to rebuild, though. walking into that house in the past, jude had had a sixth sense for all of the renovations that it needed, all the changes. it had been part of its allure, but sometimes they needed that change. she imagined mr. d would have some choice preferences on the furniture and arrangements, knowing him. they were welcoming a new era, through blood and heartache and storm. "we'll make it work," she nodded, sure of herself. if no-one else was going to be certain of a happy future, then she would take the torch.

"i have something you'll like, actually," she let her mind drift from the matter at hand to more mundane things. "it's in my case. i think you'll like it. don't let me forget, because i'll get distracted and i will. i'll give it to you at -" she looked around, as though that would give her a sense of the time, then settled for glancing at the perfectly good watch on her wrist. "at lunch. a treat. not edible, though." it was difficult to maintain some kind of secrecy, but felt that he would benefit from having something to look forward to. still, she was buzzing with the thought.

[Kveykva]

──────── 𝐀𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫
[✦] | Athena Head Counselor | 15 | Male | ➡ Big House Ruins | Tags: Mirabelle, questing group
❝ 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝑖𝑡 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑠❞

Aiden heard snow crunching behind him, and he paused to confirm they weren't his own footsteps. He waited for Mira to catch up to him, falling in stride with her as they made their trip through the cabin circle for the last time. It was quiet; not even the wind wanted to give them company, and the lack of it only created a colder scene. They walked together, leading their pegasi by their reins, yet the feeling of isolation never left. A blanket of dread settled over Aiden as the realization of what all this meant resurfaced, and he reached out for Mirabelle's hand for a source of comfort. "It's okay," he said quietly. "I wanted to ask you about it, but it wasn't a good time. It still isn't." he blinked snowflakes from his eyes, squinting against the glare from the snow. "I know you want to be strong for everyone Mira, you always are. You do a good job and no one else sees it." Aiden squeezed her hand, slowing down before they reached the others already gathered for the quest. "You can talk about it, you know. You aren't the only one carrying it, I'll listen. And I won't tell anyone, I promise."

[indigo']

━━━ 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬

[✩]17|she/her|Hades|Head counsellor|woods|tags: Cass

Auggie watched as Cass sat against a nearby tree, eyes narrowed slightly. She still didn’t know why the other girl had followed her into the woods, but she wasn’t entirely annoyed by the company. If anything, the daughter of Hermes and her bird were a distraction from everything else going on. She looked down at her hand, flexing her fingers and looking as though she wasn’t really listening when Cass spoke. She wiped the blood off on her jeans before finally looking up, raising an eyebrow. She hadn’t really been expecting the answer, but she’d never known ravens to be affectionate pets, so it made sense.

She narrowed her eyes again at the offer of feeding Edgar, gaze sliding from Cass to the bird on her shoulder. She didn’t want to feed the bird. She didn’t care about half the campers and she cared even less about their pets, but when she opened her mouth to tell that to Cass, what came out was entirely different. “Okay.”

━━━ 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨-𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐳

[♠]17|he/him|Ares (unclaimed)|outside Cabin 11|tags: Kathryn

Kathryn seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, pulled back to the present conversation when he asked his question. There hadn’t been any malicious intent in it, he was simply curious, and it seemed a fair way to get a better judge of her character seeing as they had only just met. She smiled again, answering innocently, though he wasn’t sure how genuine it was anymore. She seemed nice—hadn’t given him any reason to believe she wasn’t—but he wasn’t sure he could believe anyone was truly like that. He pushed the thought away. There was no point judging someone over his own cynical views.

He shrugged at her statement. “I guess they do,” he agreed, though he wasn’t sure he actually believed that. “Right, I guess he wouldn’t,” He replied with a slightly confused look, giving a little nod in farewell. “It was nice meeting you, Kathryn.”

[sweet.peaches~]

riley palmer | 16 | she/her | zeus | location: cabin 1 | tags: orin
She laughed at his response. "Surprised, huh?" Riley raised her eyebrows. "Are you trying to challenge me? I'd take you on any day," she grinned, showing her braces. When Orin had continued, she couldn't help but feel... relieved, yet at the same time disappointed. He wasn't mad. But maybe he should be mad at me. Damn it, what if I could have saved someone? Maybe then there'd only be fifteen people who died or- Her thoughts were interrupted after he had said, "You shouldn't have to see that." She wasn't sure why it had calmed her. He was right. Nobody should have seen what happened then. It would have been heartbreaking and traumatic. Besides, even if she was there, how could she possibly be able to stop all of that? At first, she was taken aback. It was a thought that had never occured in her mind; that Riley wouldn't be able to stop something. Instantly, she refused to believe it. I'm the Daughter of Zeus. Of course I could do that... Her thought of not being able to do something still lingered with her as Orin talked.

Riley blinked. "Well, okay, suit yourself." She shrugged. "But if you fall asleep on the floor, I'm not going to be carrying you to your bunk. You'll be... I don't know, sleeping there, on the sad cold ground, for one hundred years or so?" She scratched her chin. "No blankets. No pillows. Hey, you know of any handsome princes at camp?" Personally she had never been interested in guys; they all seemed incredibly 'meh' to her. "I'm sure at least one will be willing to break you free from the curse." Riley couldn't help but snort. She was probably going a little bit too much into the whole Sleeping Beauty thing, but that was what she did best: be extreme. Or incredibly immature.

"New enemies, huh? Well, I hear that. Not everyone comes to appreciate little old Riley Palmer, you know?" She batted her eyelashes. "Well, if you need help getting tryna get some more, I'm always here." Her eyes glinted mischievously. She resumed listening to him. "Man, I can't wait to try them out." Buttery croissants were one of her personal favorites. She suddenly had a faint memory of last year trying them out. "Oh bummer you didn't keep any of the older ones. I remember when I tasted them, gods I instantly regretted it. They're barely edible although very good for target practice." She remembered when she had thrown a few at one of the Ares campers after annoying her with threats. They weren't pleased to say it at the very least. She stayed at the infirmary for a few days. The Apollo girl that had volunteered to take care of her was cute so Riley didn't regret it too much.

A glimmer of hope sparked in her heart. She wanted to greet Lu but at the same time, the timing would have been completely awkward. As much as she desperately wanted to run up to her, hug, and then immediately leave, it would have to wait. If she survived, that was. A shiver went down her spine. No, she firmly told herself. Laurel will come back. I'm sure of it. Then our last words wouldn't be a year ago. She'll still live longer. Well, as long as the demigod lifespan. Mortals have it easier that way. When Orin had mentioned the stables, that was when she knew LuLu had to be there. It was basically her sacred place. She nodded.

"I never really liked winter break as a kid," Riley admitted. "Now it's just reminding me of my town." She hoped he wouldn't push her and ask why. Her eyes lit up when he asked her about her photography. "Took a bunch! I finally was able to save up for that Canon camera I had been eyeing for a while. It's the Canon PowerShot SX420 one, you know the one with the 42x Optical Zoom? I've used it so much! The battery lasts super long and it comes with a memory card. I was gonna bring it to camp but I didn't want to break it so I got myself something else instead." She turned to her bunk and pulled out a tiny camera from her purse lying on her blankets that looked at least 10 dollars.

"I named him Billy but I haven't used him yet. Perhaps I might just take his first picture of you?" Riley wiggled her nose. "Might want to clean up before that actually." After hearing about the starlings flying, she pouted. "Aw man, I wish I could have taken pictures of them, they would have been scrapbook quality." She wasn't sure if he wanted to hear about her friends constantly telling her all about Pinterest and pictures of girls laying down in fields of flowers. Apparently it was the trend currently. She wanted to join in but all those flower fields had to have blades of grass and she didn't feel like getting a bunch of rashes just for a pretty picture. Plus, bees. Freaky little flying black and yellow needles. Riley couldn't say she wasn't close to doing so though.

[WitchHazel]

|♡|Mirabelle Everhart|17|She/Her|Aphrodite|Head Counselor|Location: Big House Ruins|Tags: Aiden, Quest Group|

Mirabelle felt her shoulders stiffen slightly as Aiden took her hand in his own, though her posture quickly relaxed when her brain recognised the gesture as harmless. Her dainty fingers were still a bit warm from holding the heatstone, which now rested snugly in her pocket. Aiden's small kindness provided with it a strange sensation; one Mirabelle couldn't quite place. It was like tea and philosophy on a rainy afternoon, or a gentle touch on the back after a long hard day. Comfort. The word felt almost alien to her mind. But - I don't - I don't deserve to be comforted. Her gaze tore away from the younger boy, her teeth worrying at the insides of her cheeks. Nonetheless, his hand remained firmly clasped in her own, perhaps a little tighter than she'd meant to.
Conflict warred in her stormy eyes as his gentle words swept over her. In a sudden, sharp movement, she whipped her head towards him. Desperation scrawled itself across her face in a rare moment of complete vulnerability; etching fear, guilt, and longing into the pale flesh of her skin.
"I-" she tried to tell him; she really did. But the words that came out were the same as always. "I'm fine." It was as if she didn't know how to say anything else. The thoughts were there, but her mouth couldn't shape them into words. Really, Mirabelle? He shows you kindness and understanding, and you respond with the same old lie? Her posture slumped a little; her countenance an impassive mask of stolidity. He's just - he's only trying to help you. Why can't you see that!?
"I just needed to cool off for a bit." The irony of the words 'cool off' amidst a landscape of snow were not lost on her. She suppressed a groan, mentally hitting herself in the face for using that particular phrasing. "What I meant is - I don’t think I would’ve been any use to anybody angry. I had to spend some time by myself until I could think rationally again. But still, I - I’m not proud of my actions. I left. I-I ran away." I ran away like a coward. Is that how it's going to be? Any sign of trouble and I just flee with my tail between my legs? Sure, she had eventually returned and alerted the Apollo cabin of the situation, but that was hardly an act worth crediting herself for.
What she told him wasn’t a lie, per say, but it wasn’t the full truth either. But how could she even begin to talk about what she'd seen? The flashes of the past that came back to haunt her; the ghost of Mirabelle the Red clawing at her insides. The way Leo had wailed on Orin; the manic look in his eye... it was her. It was. A small shudder slid down her spine. She hoped Aiden would simply attribute it to the cold. "Right. What I I mean is - thank you." She offered him a halfhearted smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Even if she wasn't ready to talk, it meant the world to her knowing that someone had her back.
As they crested the hill, the familiar mask of contentment settled itself on Mirabelle's face. Yes, her emotions were a windtossed mess of turbulent waves, but it wouldn't do to cause anyone concern. I'm fine, she mentally insisted. I'm fine. If she said it enough to herself, she could almost start to believe it. The willowy daughter of Aphrodite broke contact with Aiden to wave to the group gathered. Jamie was helping Dahlia out of the snow - it seemed Aphy had decided to throw her off. Silly pegasus. Then there were Sky and Aggy, the latter of whom seemed to be insulting Laurel. Still, so long as it didn't escalate, it seemed to be okay to leave be. That leaves three. If she had to guess, Ash probably saying goodbye to Delilah, and Karter... well, she didn't know where Karter usually hung out, or if he had any farewells to make. Teilo was relatively new; it was fair to assume he was still readying his mount or perhaps saying his own goodbyes if he had made any friends in his short time at camp. She couldn't say that she wasn't a bit nervous about bringing two new campers along - Aggy could hold her own in a fight, for sure, but she still lacked proper training. That, and her impulsive nature was sure to get her into a fair amount of trouble. Teilo Mirabelle was less worried about - he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. She had yet to see him fight, though she'd heard he and Aiden had fended off a ventus by the medical tent the night previous. And Chuck, though she wasn't sure how much help the satyr had actually been, bless his heart. I must've been unconscious, if I was there, she reckoned sourly. A little sigh escaped her lips in a white puff. Right. Cheer up, Mira. People are watching.


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

Juliet's head swiveled towards Caspia when she spoke up. I totally didn't forget that she was there. What? Pfff. That's rediculous. The daughter of Poseidon's words hit like a sucker-punch to the gut. She had almost forgotten how new Caspia was to all of this. She got here this morning, she recalled. Crap. That means I have to tell her about all the stuff that went down. Unease squirmed in Juliet's gut. She was never great at breaking bad news, and this was the worst information she'd ever had to give.
"Uh... yeah," she started, "about that..." Woman up, Jules. Come on. You got this. "So you can probably guess that it's not normal for it to snow in summer. This crap started up yesterday, and it just keeps on coming." She shot the new girl a wry look. "From what I heard, some crazy snow goddess is out to get us. No clue why." The daughter of Hermes shrugged offhandedly. "But yeah, she killed uh... seventeen people last night? Snow collapsed the Big House roof. That was the pile of rubble you probably saw on the way in." The way she spoke was so casual, as if it was no big deal. In reality, the words left a sour taste in her mouth. "Oh no wait! Eighteen. Some dude got lost in the woods, I think."
Juliet nearly sighed in relief at the next question out of Caspia's mouth: "uhm, who's lilah?"
"Oh, she's the Hypnos cabin's head counselor," the wiry girl explained. "She's actually pretty cool though. A little touchy-feely and stuff, but super nice. The kind of person to hug you to death." She tossed a hand through her dirty blonde hair, making her messy ponytail swish as she spoke. "Oh, and she has these really cool wings. That's not something you see every day. But the reason I mentioned her is because she can make someone fall asleep like that." She held up her fingers and snapped for emphasis. "It's super useful for pranks."

|☽|Kathryn Blackwood|17|She/Her|Hecate|Location: Outside Cabin 11 --> Cabin 7|Vittorio --> Lucy; Apollo cabin|

"Likewise. See you around. Ciao." If there was one thing to be said for Kathryn's stepmom, it was that she'd taught her a near-perfect Italian accent. Kathryn didn't speak much of the language herself, but it wasn't so different from Latin that she wasn't able to pick up a few things here or there. Still - it came in handy whenever she had to socialise with Francesca's 'work friends'.
With a final wave goodbye to Vittorio, she turned in a grand flourish and started to walk towards the Apollo cabin. Her need for an emotional release overcame any stipulations she may have had about it being used as a temporary infirmary. Besides, she would have a captive audience. That was always a welcome treat. Though some people don't seem to appreciate the nuance of Bartók or Messiaen. Philistines.
Why should I be surprised. Someone else was already commandeering the practise space. Kathryn supposed she could simply summon one of the pianos to a different location, but that required a decent amount of effort. As she listened to the lilting violin melody, she began to recognise the piece. Beethoven - Violin Sonata No. 1 in D, Op. 12 No. 1. The performer was still in the Allegro con brio it seemed; the first movement. The music seemed to lift her up as only a child of Apollo's playing could do. The technique was oddly familiar; the fluid bowings reminiscent of someone she knew quite well... Lucy. The identity of the violinist came at no shock to Kathryn when she slipped inside the cabin's door. Her respect for her fellow musician overtook her need for a dramatic entrance. Rather than rudely interrupt, Kathryn crept over to the nearest piano and quietly lifted the fallboard. Lucy was wrapping up the first movement; her bow soaring over the strings as Kathryn perched herself on piano bench. Kathryn muttered a simple summoning spell under her breath, focusing her mind on the specific score she needed. It materialised atop the music rack almost instantaneously. Thank you, years of summoning practise. Just as the final note was played, she opened the page to the second movement. The 8-bar introduction floated through the cabin as Kathryn's fingers effortlessly glided over the piano keys. Though she would've preferred something far more dissonant, the dulcet tones of the Beethoven sonata spoke of soft sorrows and a deep gentleness that was almost foreign to the daughter of Hecate. She felt her posture start to relax; tension she didn't even know she had been holding evaporating off her like dew on a hot summer day.


|❀|Chuck Oakes|He/Him|Satyr|Location: Outside Bathrooms|Tags: Jude|

Chuck nodded vehemently in response to Jude's remarks about the flowers. I'll like, have ta remember that for later. Chuck wasn't exactly known for his amazing memory skills, but this was important. Remember the flowers, man. Like, remember 'em.
The continuation of the 'crying meeting' conversation had him bleating out a laugh once more, despite the stormy implications behind it as a whole. "Oh yeah, like, totally! 'The Crying Hole'... like a watering hole, but like, the opposite. We could like, get Jamie to paint a sign or something; hang it above the door." If he didn't know Jude so well, he wouldn'tve caught on to the fact that she was joking. Partially, at least. In truth, a 'crying hole' sounded like a great idea. Especially the part about comfort foods. "Yeah, like, and plants and stuff around too - I like, learned from one of the Demeter guys a while back that they're like, supposed to get stress levels down, you know? Could be groovy to have some little plants around. And like, bean bag chairs, man. With like, tons of pillows. Like, right on, man, this is a totally tubular idea."
His interest piqued at the mention of a potential gift. "Like, a present?" He couldn't deny the tiny bit of disappointment when Jude confirmed that it was not in fact, food, though Chuck thought anything could be edible if you tried hard enough. Still - food was only temporary, as satisfying as it was. "Oh yeah, like, lunch should be soon," the satyr chirped. "My stomach clock is like, never wrong, man." Though he didn't usually like surprises, anything from Jude couldn't possibly be mean or frightening. Not only was he looking forward to eating, but now he was curious as to what Jude had brought him. He felt a little guilty that he didn't have anything for her in return. Maybe I'll like, grow her a sunflower or something. Like, something to like, brighten up her workspace. He would have to ask one of the Hecate campers to make it fire-resistant or something though. Even so, the promise of a gift lifted his spirits almost as much as talking with her had. Wowzers. She like, really does know how to take a sad song and make it better.


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

"Seeing as gods are so powerful, I would think they can be in two places at once," Zahra mused. They weren't quite sure how the Greek and Roman gods worked - she had only had a few encounters with them over her many years.
Sa'd's next inquiry had their scarred eyebrows shooting up in momentary surprise. "Yes, I am alright." She offered the teenager a heartfelt smile; touched by their momentary concern. A good heart, this one. "Sekhmet is restless, is all." Zahra's warm eyes followed Sa'd's finger as they pointed at the respective cabins. "Ah. I will have to remember that, then. Many thanks. Now, I am off to find the other lioness who escorted me inside the borders of your camp. I thank you for your aid and agreement. The gods thank you." With that, Zahra's humanoid form began to shift, becoming more and more feline until a tawny lioness stood where they once were. Her golden eyes blinked closed in another gesture of thanks before they bounded off into the snow.

[sammy,]

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

orin rose his eyebrows at her when she offered to take him on. he had offered a duel to emmie earlier, but the following comments had been from the voice of reason in his head. felix would be at his throat. it made the disappointment easier, blaming it on the son of apollo rather than his own exhaustion. "i'm not trying to challenge anyone. i know that i'm invincible," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "i wouldn't wanna embarrass you, is all." a playful grin. her face changed. it was clear that she wished she had been present. he remained steadfast in his thankfulness that she hadn't been.

"a hundred years sounds like it'd do me," he smiled at the thought. "no bother. probably have some really good dreams along the way of that, as well. i can sleep anywhere. i'm like a cat." he thought about handsome princes, running through. his rolodex of camp members, then settled on a comfortable one. "i'm sure caleb wouldn't mind." he said. "he'd probably be very happy to be referred to as a handsome prince. would you bring me back from sleeping the sleep of the dead if it meant having to bolster caleb's ego? that's the real question."

the last thing he needed was more enemies. though ambrosia had made his bruises fade, the memory of the pain was still there, a ghost of tension across his abdomen. "if someone has a problem with me, i'll send them your way. we can have a devolution system." redirecting people sounded like a humorous idea, but he didn't truly intend on doing so. his battles were his alone. "you'll love them. i think lunch'll be in a bit. maybe they'll have some leftovers. or you can talk a dryad into getting you one, if you utilise all of your charm."

he didn't push on why she didn't like her town. he had come to an understanding that most people didn't - he was lucky to have the family that he did back home, the friends around every street corner, but that grace was not extended to everyone. monsters weren't as common in irish towns - there weren't enough demigods to make their presence worth it, half of the time. he had had an encounter - a memory of having to neutralise a leucrocuta set on digging up his nan's carrot patch was enough to make him shiver, then frown. there were so many things to mourn. he hadn't had time to organise his grief yet. orin was glad, therefore, for the distraction, leaning forward as she spoke. "that's a hell of a lot of zoom. bet if you pointed it up, you'd be able to see some moon men bobbing about," he said in lieu of a truly salient commentary. "i'm glad you got it."

"billy. that's a gallant and noble name," he nodded, then feigned offence when she suggested he needed to clean up. "this is - this is me cleaned up. i just had a shower," shaking his head slowly, he let out a sigh. the hoodie that sat at the bottom of his bed, strewn haphazardly, was crusted with browning blood. if he looked bad now, he can't have imagined how he had looked earlier. "it's rare that i look anything less than stunning and put together. you should probably capture the memory, so that there's proof out there that i'm not entirely perfect," he joked, dragging his eyes from the garment. "i always wondered how birds knew where to go. especially starlings. they fly all - in their little groups, and i just... who's telling them where to go? who's the leader? if you take one out, does it crumble?" the thought trailed off.

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬 ！！ x─────ix ♖
x──────i ii thanatos. iii seventeen. iiii tags: quest group.
ivi big house ruins

heinz had been a bit of a nightmare, to say the least. the scene at the stable had stressed the pegasus out to no end, and teilo's focus had had to shift from figuring out just how the beast worked to calming it down with quiet words of encouragement. when this was managed, though, teilo found that it was far easier to bridle and saddle him up - perhaps a moment of trust had passed between them. no matter. he mounted rather swiftly, mind drifting to days spent on the farmgrounds as a child, hacking on the notably wingless horses. it wasn't so different. "alright, off you go then," he said, and thankfully, heinz listened, breaking into a trot toward the ruins of the big house.

there were a few people around that he could see - none that he knew, in particular, apart from mirabelle and aiden, who looked as though they were having an important conversation. best not to interrupt. once the pegasus stopped in its tracks, teilo jumped off, rather pleased with him. it was beginning to dawn now, the fact that they were leaving - all the bereft looks on people's faces, so frightened to go out into the world and face the potentials of death. it made him uncomfortable, if he was being honest. like the air around them had changed. his mind drifted to the son of zeus he had retrieved the name of the pegasus from. teilo couldn't put his finger on it, so he let it go. he had been frightened at the idea of leaving, but there wasn't much for him at camp, not anymore. his brief meeting with his father, the moment like ships in the night, had given him insight that he hadn't thought possible. now, he was rather excited. especially with the thought of going out on the road again. he could whip an suv into a hairpin turn if needs rose. a bit of him hoped they would.
now, it was just a case of waiting for their fate. the snow was in the air, the writing was on the wall, and everyone was preparing to plunge into the deep end, breaths held and nervous.

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐱 ！！ x─────ix ♗
x──────i ii hephaestus. iii seventeen. iiii tags: chuck.
ivi outside bathrooms.

as much of a joke as it was, the more they fleshed it out, the better the idea sounded. "we could have like, games consoles in there. i've always wondered how much the ares cabin would change if they could just play a quick few rounds of call of duty instead of taking their anger out on other people," though, there was the chance that it could go the other way. "we could have a little band section in the corner for anyone who wants to play music for an audience - chuck, we've just revolutionised this camp. i hope you're proud of us, because i am." she grinned, a weight slowly lifting from her shoulders.
"a present," jude confirmed, with it set in her mind now. she hadn't been sure what she was supposed to do with it - it wasn't exactly her style, but looking at chuck, in all of his 'tubular' tie-dye, she thought the stars might have aligned for this one. "okay. good, good." she took a glance around. "so we've got a plan, then. we have lunch, you get your present, and then we both go off to do our little missions. you can pretend that they're secrets if you want. sneaking around, pretending that we're important. it gives people something to talk about, doesn't it?" her mind was going a mile a minute, never stopping, never staying, and she was thankful for it. if she was focused on getting things done, then she could save herself from falling into the inky depths.