Camp Half-Blood: Into the Storm - Closed!

[sweet.peaches~]

「 ʀɪʟᴇʏ ᴘᴀʟᴍᴇʀ 」
⚡ 16 | she/her | zeus | location: dining pavilion (table 10) | tags: ophelia

she didn't bother to show any acknowledge that she noticed the eye roll - which she did, but riley wasn't about to give ophelia the satisfaction of knowing that. the demigod would've cringed if she didn't have any self-control. jeez, don't remind me, the voice in her head grunted, though her stomach did multiple flips while struggling to juggle of all her emotions. maybe i have saved some of that burger for later. nevertheless, she ignored it (normally she punched away her problems) and sneered at the long-awaited (okay, not that long) outburst from her. riley raised an eyebrow, "haha. very funny." if the daughter of zeus was a complete moron, she would've felt a little twinge of hurt from ophelia not knowing the half-blood, however obviously riley had a special talent in- well, mostly everything but especially being well-known. shrugging while the daughter of aphrodite enjoyed her hot cocoa, she simply said, "why, thank you." riley wasn't about to let ophelia's icy tone stop her. "i basically spew meaningfulness with every word i say, princess. so if you think that'd stop me," she laughed, "well then you're just being ridiculous. but to be honest, with the crowd you're related to," riley slightly gestured to the aphrodite table, "then i shouldn't have been that surprised about your little knowledge. it's disappointing how you fall apart when your dearest head counselor is gone, but i mean what should've i expected?" she scoffed.

[sammy,]

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 ！！ x─────ix ♔
x──────i ii zeus iii eighteen. iiii tags: auggie auggie auggie.
ivicabin thirteen.

"unstoppable. that's us," he said, and the question, the reference to what he had said when things had been so similar and yet so insurmountably different, was a brief reminder of all that had shifted. orin would have liked to have at least had a smidgen of a belief that he was still the person that he had left as, but the more that he thought of the things that had been so steady in his mind, the more that he noted the shift in his values. the change that had been insidious and then was impossible to ignore. "shouldn't have to forgive them. they're gods. they shouldn't be doing things that need forgiving." the words were stark and bare, but there was more to the story. maybe he had wasted his time in the pursuit of mercy. maybe some people just didn't deserve it, the tenderness that had driven to him to casting the benefit of the doubt in lieu of the same in return. he would think about it later. "well, i didn't know what to say. he pulled out the 'any questions?', and i dunno. every question left my head. except that one. i thought it was good." there wasn't much that he could say to defend the situation that he had shared, and that was fine. it was funny, at the end of the day. "he didn't know! i'm gonna have to ask a different god, and they're not exactly a penny a pound, are they? they're off doing whatever it is they're supposed to be doing, and i'm left in the dirt with my very important question." he sighed, a show of dramatics. "you'd better not. i don't know what i'd ask 'em next time."

"what if there's an entire new breed of mosquitoes who've assimilated demigod blood and are planning to take over? that's - that's a whole new threat. tell you what, if someone wanted to take over the world, doing it via mosquitoes is probably a really good way of doing it," he said. "that's why i don't go camping. i don't wanna give 'em the chance to commit a hostile takeover. not with my blood, anyway." they were looking forward to a future that was all but certain, and that felt like a manner of optimism that he hadn't experienced in a while.

the best way to describe his manner of conversation was 'the scenic route'. there was a destination that he was going to reach, certainly, but he was meandering through the side alleys, taking in the sights, making comments where they were unnecessary. maybe to lighten the situation, maybe to give himself time to figure out what the final point truly was. and when he found it, orin was impressed with himself. something in him knew what it was talking about, even if it had to get there via chatter about toilets and french restaurants.

the more she shared, the deeper into the story she went, the more he was astounded by her inability to see herself as a human being. everything appeared amplified, cast under a microscope that she wouldn't have applied to anyone else. "you knew her before camp?" he said, confirming it before he continued. "so, you were what, eleven? twelve? and you think she's gonna hold a grudge against something a kid did?" he pulled a face. "if she does, she'll be denser than osmium. neither of you are gonna be the same people you were when you knew each other. neither of you are gonna be the same people you were when you committed this act that you think's ruined all chances of a - of a happy ending. kids are stupid. she doesn't have any right to. don't - don't hold it like that. if she's clinging to that as ammunition, then that's on her. that's on you." he pulled her a little more firmly against him. "either she forgives you or she actually is a toilet, and she doesn't deserve you. those are her two options. you've already pulled the weight of regretting it. you deserve the closure of knowing whether she's got half a brain or not." he didn't like the idea of further hurt for her. hoped that stella didn't live up to the anxious projections. "who says you need her forgiveness anyway? screw that. screw that to hell and back again. you're not rotten. probably not then and definitely not now. everyone's a little bit bruised."

[indigo']

━━━ 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬

[✩]17|she/her|Hades|Head Counsellor|Cabin Thirteen|tags: Orin

“Somebody needs to tell them that,” she muttered in response to gods and their lack of a need for forgiveness. It seemed like there was more to it than the simple statement, something going on behind the words, but she didn’t feel the need to press him on it. Auggie had always been cynical, never really believed that things could be forgiven simply for the sake of forgiveness, and if Orin had changed his mind on that point, maybe it was for the best.

“It’s not the worst question,” she admitted, evidently still amused. “There’s people I’d like to know were demigods or not. Musicians, mostly. I bet there’s some famous Apollo kids who just cheated their way to fame with godly powers.” She smiled at the sigh, looking over with eyebrows raised. “I promise, I won’t.”

“That’s the threat you’re worried about? You’re honestly telling me, with everything going on right now, you’re worried about...demigod mosquitoes?” It was better to think about, more entertaining at the very least, and she hadn’t meant to bring reality back into the tangent. “So you’re not a wuss, you’re just doing the world a favour by avoiding the outdoors, right?”

Auggie nodded to confirm the question. What he was saying made sense, and realistically, part of her knew that she’d believe it if it was applied to anyone else. She might have said something similar in a reverse situation, but accepting it about herself wasn’t coming easily. She’d only given Orin half of the story, so of course he would think it wasn’t so bad, that she wasn’t really the monster she was making herself out to be, but she’d had years to let the memory play over in her head. She knew what she’d done, and she knew her own intentions well. Still, she was grateful for his words and for his faith in her. She almost wanted to believe him.

“That’s the thing. I don’t...I don’t know if I do regret it,” she admitted, the events of earlier that day playing over in her mind. The unbridled, uncontrollable rage she’d felt when facing Leo looked more like a rerun of a childhood memory, like a movie she'd watched over and over again. “I don’t think I've changed that much. I think I’d do it again.” She leaned into him, blinking past the sting in her eyes. She’d always been prone to losing control, always resorted to hurting things or running away or both, and it didn’t feel like she’d grown much from the scared middle-school kid facing down a group of bullies. If anything, that lack of control was more present now. The biggest difference was that there was someone on her side, someone she was actually admitting all of it to without regretting a word, someone she didn't think she could run away from if she wanted to. “I know you’re probably right. I know I should probably believe you but...I don’t know.” She knew exactly what she thought, what she didn’t know was how he could be so unwaveringly sure that she wasn’t the villain in this story. “I think she would forgive me. I think that scares me more.”

━━━ 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐨

[☾]16 (immortal)|she/her|Hunter of Artemis|Outside|tags: Jane

It was clear the moment Jane opened her eyes that something was wrong, but it had already been obvious enough by the way she’d fled the cabin, barely seeming to register her surroundings. Stella held her gaze, trying to push down her own feelings of fear. She would have been more concerned if the other hadn’t been affected by the sight of so many injured. Many of the Hunters were much older than she was. They had experienced a lot more, but the fact that Jane hadn’t been desensitized to the aftermath of a battlefield humanized her, as much as she didn’t want to see her friend upset, it couldn’t be avoided, and it was better than ignorance.

Stella frowned at the comment, unsure how to respond. It was something she’d considered before. It was impossible to choose a life of immortality and not think about what that meant, but she still didn’t know what she was supposed to think when confronted with the concept of it. “Maybe,” she said quietly.

She nodded, offering a weak smile in response. There was nothing else she could say, and empty words weren’t going to help. “Take your time,” she settled on saying before turning and beginning to make her way towards the Dining Pavilion, following the trailing campers still flowing towards it.

━━━ 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐛 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬

[➳]18|he/him|Athena|Dining Pavilion|tags: Leo

It took Leo a moment to respond, and Caleb worried for a moment that making jokes about the head injury had been a mistake. He didn’t think the son of Ares would react well to fretting, and there didn’t seem to be much he could actually do to help anyways. There was no point asking about it again. “Good. Glad to hear it,” he responded, his voice significantly less chipper than it had been moments before.

“Yeah, of course,” he answered without thought, still a little worried about the hazy look on his face. He raised his eyebrows at the following comment, blinking in surprise, momentarily lost for a response. “Well...Athena kids are known for talking to weapons aren’t they? I think that’s...that’s a thing so, I’m still doing what I’m supposed to be doing.” Part of him wanted to ask if that was really how he saw himself, but he had a feeling he was already pushing his luck with the conversation.

“Guess you’re right. Does this mean I’m not allowed to wear white?” He screwed up his face in disgust the second the question left his mouth. “That’s a sick tradition. Who the hell— Nevermind. Nevermind, not relevant.” He raised an eyebrow, the look of disgust not quite fading. “Old pennies,” he repeated. “Sounds unpleasant. Maybe the ghost you splattered used to be a banker or something.” He was attempting to bring humour back to the situation, but he was a little shaken up, his brain a little preoccupied, and it wasn’t flowing as smoothly as it usually would.

[takara]

❥ | Ophelia Rogers
16 | She/her | Aphrodite/Cabin 10 |Dining pavilion |Aphrodite NPC's, Riley

Ophelia held steady, taking the verbal lashing in stride. With her cabinmates eyes pinning her down, it's not as if she had many other options. A hand strayed to the pendant at her throat, but she held off pulling off a blade. No, there's no way I'd win this one head on. And losing wasn't an option, not when it would fuel usurpers in the Aphrodite cabin, which would lead to drama, and a power vacuum when Ophelia ultimately fell to being ganged up on, and generally a hot mess for when Mira returned, trust in Ophelia shattered beyond repair. Not a pretty thought. Hmmmm, but what would be more pretty than love...a new love in tragedy...and a morale boost for the whole cabin...

The girl was still talking, and Ophelia realized that she had spaced out on her appropriately 'golden' face. Scratch that, she's just another Zeus kid burning through your sympathy because she can. The brunette shifted her far off look into one of contempt, removing her hand from the butterfly pendant and slinging it placatingly over her shoulder. The pain coursing through her sent a shock through Ophelia, but she gritted her teeth and kept to the mission. That was sharp, but there's nothing backing it, 'no still waters run deep' here! Gods, does she care about anyone? Ophelia wondered, not feeling a tab of jagged emotions or the cloying buoyancy of warm fuzzies.

It makes my job easier, but uh, mom or Your Highness or whatever, maybe help her with that in general. Saving people, as it turned out, was not within Ophelia's wheelhouse. "Meaninglessness." She corrected, confidently but without barbs. 'Like you're doing any better without your head counselor! What, did you get the news and decide to powerplay to make yourself feel better. Newsflash: it won't! All it will do is make everyone think that you're a massive prick! And no, for once I'm not speaking from experience, I'm speaking from the fact that it's what you are right now!' She settled for shaking her head roughly, rather than ripping the Zeus kid's head off. As much as it pained her not to. "Eat at your own table, unless you're dying to become a dolphin." She kept the venom out of her tone, but Ophelia wasn't above calling Mr. D's bluff for this. Maybe she'll even thank me later. Ha! Fat chance of that!

[sammy,]

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 ！！ x─────ix ♔
x──────i ii zeus iii eighteen. iiii tags: auggie auggie auggie.
ivicabin thirteen.

"is that cheating, though? i mean, that's a whole other kettle of fish that we haven't opened. how many olympians do you think were actually children of hermes with particularly speedy feet? or - or ares kids who could lift twice their weight because war-dad fancied giving them a little power boost?" oddly enough, it almost tied into the kingston situation. if demigods had been exposed in their entirety, then these debates were likely to crop up in the future. questions of what was fair and what was not when it came to the integration of the spawn of gods and mortals. he wasn't sure that the world needed more instances of separation. the reminder of the politician put a bad taste in his mouth. there were things to think about when it came to that. things that he would consider later, when the world was a little quieter. orin understood that there was a decision to be made, just not certain what that decision was, exactly.

"well, you can't reason with demigod mosquitoes, can you? there's no appealing to their better side. they're just mosquitoes. they're awful. awful, wily, no-good -" whatever god had fashioned mosquitoes was bound to get his boot one day. "if there was a god of mosquitoes, i'd want 'em in the dirt. i'd want 'em chained in the deepest pit of tartarus for even daring to send those itchy fiends out into the world."

he understood what she was saying perhaps more than she knew. a story for another time. he had already mentioned the name that had gone unspoken for the better part of a year today, and it hadn't been pleasant. he didn't want a rerun. didn't want to set the consequences of the notion behind the statement in stone. "it's not whether you would do it again," he said, voice soft. "if you judge everyone by what they might do, by what they're capable of, then everyone's an evil sod. everyone's the spawn of the devil and no one deserves anything. it's whether you want to do it again, i think." because control was flimsy, and self-control was flimsier. "you don't know what life's gonna throw at you, auggie. you don't know what you're gonna do in reaction to something grim. but if you do it and you don't particularly want to do it again, at least you've got that, right?"

"if she forgives you then you're gonna be the only one who doesn't forgive you, right?" he nodded slowly, eyebrows creeping up his head. "and it's easier with company. but - you know, screw that." orin glanced up at the ceiling, unsure of what he was looking for up there. "everyone needs to go a bit ballistic now again. i'm still gonna kill him, but i think leo's the most honest person here when it comes to the whole 'feelings' thing. i'd probably try to understand him if not for the fact that i am, undoubtedly, gonna kill that man. there you go. there's something i actually want to do. maybe we're both the bad guys. that'd be funny, wouldn't it?" after all they'd said. after all the jokes that didn't particularly feel like jokes.

outside of the cabin was a world that he knew much too well through the memories of other people, and it turned out that, when it came down to it, everyone was pretty much the same. everything that was happening had happened before. different names and different faces, different lines of dialogue, but all of it rhymed, and every mistake was rehashed. "something's gotta happen," he said, not particularly to auggie, just stating it into the air. "if doing something about it makes us the bad guys, then, you know, so be it. i don't think i'd suit a cape."

( *:･ﾟ✦ ) xx❝xx𝐥𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐳 ！！ x─────ix ♘
x──────i ii ares. iii eighteen. iiii tags: caleb. ivi dining pavilion.

in a better mind, he probably wouldn't have said it. in a better mind, he would have noticed the hesitation from caleb before the conversation continued. neither of these were the case. time was flowing like oil anyway - the lag in response was a welcome respite from what was becoming a difficult conversation to follow. there were so many alarm bells going off in his head that it became impossible to focus on just one of them, and so all of them went ignored. "weird power," he said. "what do - what do swords even say? what do they have to talk about?" his mind wandered to the forge. "when do they start talking? when does - i mean, a rock could be a weapon. could you talk to a rock if someone hit someone else with that rock? i don't - this is..." he shook his head. "that's confusing."

"why wouldn't you - is that a rule?" he wasn't particularly well versed in the etiquette around marriage. it would have been a surprise if he was, really. it didn't particularly suit him - he wasn't exactly going to become an officiant. the pennies were still there. "they didn't look much like bankers." they looked like soldiers. they looked like kids around their age. it wasn't something that he wanted to consider. "no, it's not pennies. i got that - it's not pennies, it's something else." it was something he knew. something he recognised. far away and so close he could taste it, quite literally. on the tip of his tongue. he was on a roll with these ones. "it's, um - not so much copper, it's like... it's like, uh..." he glanced around, as though something in the room would give him the guidance he needed.

"help me out here, it's - it's, uh..." eyes screwed up. he knew it. he knew. he would figure it out. just had to figure out where he knew it from, and where he knew it from was a ring surrounded by screaming hordes, or from a run-in with a beady-eyed, near-faceless man. "blood. it's blood. it tastes like blood." finally satisfied with his answer, he cracked a wide smile. "it's blood, caleb. it tastes like blood. that's it. i can live happy now. that would've bothered me to the grave."

he was ignoring the difficulty that he was having with the act of balancing himself, and the way that his vision seemed populated by little bats that flew across his line of sight. he was ignoring the way the world seemed to tip and the way he appeared to have started pulling the ground up toward him. falling. he could taste blood in his mouth and he was falling.
later, he'd find that quite embarrassing, actually. but for now, he was ignoring it.

[*Lovel*]

『❄❅』 Aydan Hunt『❅❄』

Son of Khione ☃ Cabin 22 ☃ 16 ☃ Heterosexual

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

Tags: Chuck
Location: Dining Pavilion

Aydan rolled his eyes not pleased that that was his most memorable moment for the satyr. "Yeah, sure, my names Aydan though." I only saved the camp from that storm. Yeah but you also caused it. Irrelevant. he tried to ignore the argument happening in his mind and looked back to goat boy. Nothing huh? Doesn't seem that way. "You surprisingly know more than you are letting on." he said simply as he noted the half boy half goats nervousness. He didn't care for a response, not that the boy would give him anything noteworthy. Bananas, those sound good right about now. "Well if you have any important information don't be afraid to tell me uh.." it dawned on Aydan that he didn't actually know the campers name.

〖 ☾ 〗Ash Davis〖 ☾ 〗

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

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Tags: Mira, Aggy, Quest Group
Location: Hampton Inn

"Mhm, well here." Ash definitely didn't believe that was the only thing bothering the girl. He reached in his backpack fumbling around until he got a grip on what he was searching for. He pulled out a bottle of water "It may be warm but it could still help." he shoved the bottle in her free hand not giving Mira the chance to tell him no. When he offered comfort it seemed to make her uncomfortable, he pulled away and rested his fingers in the holes in the the straps of his backpack.

Ash watched as her face went pale "I uh... saw you two before we left. I promise I won't tell. Cross my heart. That's what you Americans say when you are serious about a promise, correct?" he said making an 'x' over his heart, who would he tell anyway. "Not my business to share. I approve by the way." he smiled giving her a wink.

"I don't deny you are a capable fighter but still, if I didn't try." he made a cutting motion on his neck. "Just doing my duty" As a brother and fellow quester he returned her smile. Ash then caught a glimpse of Aggy's glare. "Take a picture love, it will last longer." he gave her a wink "How was your nap by the way? Glad to see you're ok." the last part was genuine.

▶ ▷ ☁ ◁◀Emerson "Emmie" Grey ▶ ▷ ☁ ◁◀

Daughter of Zeus ☂ Cabin 1 ☂ 16 ☂ Heterosexual

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

Tags: Conan ----> Open
Location: Cabin 1

Organized,must be."Yeah you may be right, maybe the camps can get together and... I dunno, something." her brain was done thinking for the day it seemed. Conan seemed concerned and rightfully so. Whatever was going on only had room to get worse. Mira, I hope you are doing well. Emerson twirled a red strand of hair around her finger nervously.

"You've got a point" she settled on. Seeing events throughout time must be odd to experience. Emerson was glad her powers dealt with lightning. I can look after people pretty well thank you very much. is what she wanted to say but images of Orin's lifeless body and her grandmother signing papers for her mother made an appearance. She shot the boy daggers for a quick moment before regaining composure. Surely the words were meant to help in some way, no need to become angry. "You're welcome" she said looking at him in a hushed tone as her mind was still elsewhere.

She blushed as she accidently got a peak as he was taking his shirt off. Embarrassed she turned her head back around as to not make the mistake again. "I hope your brother is ok. Good luck with the food, it's all health nut food. To get the good stuff you need to steal it from the the kitchen or find a Hermes camper to smuggle you in the good stuff. That's how I keep my girlish figure." she chuckled to herself her previous embarrassment gone at the speed of light. "Trust me, I doubt anything will." not that she'd pay enough attention to realize if it had. "See you soon time lord." she gave Conan a small salute as he left.

【➸】 Finnick “Finn” Vouvali【➸】

Son of Apollo ☀ Cabin 7 ☀ 17 ☀ Questioning

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

Tags: Hank and Izzy
Location: Apollo table

Finn was brought out of his glaring battle with the chicken. "Oh Hank, Izzy, didn't see you two come over." he gave Hank a welcoming smile and ripped a piece of chicken off for Izzy and tossing it to her. "Where have you two been, haven't seen you in a good minute." Fortunately so, there were enough injured, no need for Hank to be one. He was a good brother to Finn. Finn cut off a piece of chicken and shoved it into his mouth. He finally took a good look at Hank "You look... how should I put this.... on something." he looked at his half brother quizzically.

[takara]

❀ | Jane Daughtry
Appears 19 | She/her | Hunter of Artemis | Outside Cabin 7 | Stella-> Open!

Jane nodded briskly to Stella's halfhearted response. It was all she could ask for, throwing that question out as a cold open. Just like that, her companion turned on her heel and scurried off. Once she was out of eyeshot, Jane leaned back into the cabin siding, wrapping her arms tight to herself. At least there's no smoke this time, that counts for something, right? She pressed in and breathed, going cross-eyed on a stray snowflake that tickled her nose.

They're so damn young. Ugh. It had been a while since Jane had seen kids younger than herself at war. It wasn't an image that she relished. She took a fortifying breath, slowly drawing herself back up. Stella may have offered her time, but the situation did not. Pushing off the siding, she made to follow the trail of Hunter's and beings as they made trekked between the dining pavilion and cabin 7.

➶ | Hank Walker
17 | He/him | Apollo [Head Counselor] | Dining pavilion | [Izzy], Finn

Izzy was more than happy to pursue the offering. She liked Finn. There was also the part where her bone, knots of tough meat still attached, had mysteriously ended up on her handler's plate. Every little bit helped.

"Oh, we've been," Shoot, where were we? He waved a fork, throwing flecks of tomato sauce onto his shirt. "Places," He finished lamely, pinching his face up in thought. It's not that he didn't know where he'd been. He'd been shooting men in mid-November Halloween costumes- but actually, they were real ghosts and skeletons -with prop arrows. Oh, and he'd met a transfigured goat man who had a shirt that sang in tongues. Who's tongues? Hank wasn't sure. What he was certain of, was how insane that the tale sounded.

"On something?" He prompted, putting his fork down to lean into Finn. What an incredulous accusation! "Listen to yourself! Are you sure that you're not on something?" He asked, owl-eyed.

[tawneypelt0504]

Cassandra Peters|19|Hermes|Head Counselor|Demi-bisexual|Loc:Outside--->Dining hall(Hermes table)|Tags/Mentions:Nathan,Edgar,Hermes Npc's, Open
Cass remained silent while she walked with Nathan to the dining pavilion although she did smile at some of his comments. Edgar remained on her shoulder continuing to guard Cass even though the danger they had faced was gone. Edgar flew off though once they got close to the dining pavilion but was perched in a nearby tree. As the two demigods entered the dining hall Cass immediately turned her gaze towards the Hermes table looking to see how her cabin mates were doing. Although the energy at the table was definitely more muted than it was most days they seemed okay. "Thanks, you too" She whispered back to Nathan before heading to her own table. As Cass approached Markus noticed her and waved her down "Hey Cass I saved you a seat and grabbed you a plate" He smiled at her while patting an empty spot on the bench. "Thanks Markus" Cass replied while doing her best to sit down with her cramped legs. Noticing this Markus frowned slightly "You Alright" He muttered. "Yeah yeah, I'm fine" Cass said while she sat down. Markus nodded before turning back to Chiron.

After sitting Cass pulled out the ambrosia square Nathan gave her and grabbed her coffee cup. Cass popped the square in her mouth and took a big gulp of coffee washing down the taste of salted caramel. Cass could feel the effects of the ambrosia spreading through her body. She let out a sigh glad that she could feel like she was actually able to move again before turning to her dinner. As soon as Cass took a bite of food she realized how hungry she was and began to quickly eat. At the mention of funerals from Chiron however, Cass froze for a second before returning to her meal with much less enthusiasm than before. Although she was doing her best not to show it outwardly, the thought of funerals was filling her with dread. It certainly wasn’t the first time Cass had experienced funerals at camp and probably wouldn’t be the last but no amount of practice could escape the pain grief brought. Cass bit her lip once Chiron mentioned how the attacks would most likely continue. Cass looked around the table feeling anxious about the safety of everyone surrounding her “How many of them am I going to lose” Cass thought to herself, feeling anxiety beginning to build. "You said you wouldn't let that happen remember" She reprimanded herself. but even though Cass denied her thought her worries remained as dinner continued.

[indigo']

━━━ 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬

[✩]17|she/her|Hades|Head Counsellor|Cabin Thirteen|tags: Orin

“Isn’t it? If they can’t enhance themselves with drugs isn’t...I don’t know…godly influence kind of the same thing?” She didn’t really want to think that deeply into it. If she actually believed what she was saying, then there were certain implications that came along with it. If demigods who had found success could be written off because of their powers, then nothing any of them did really counted. “I guess if nobody knows then they might as well just be talented mortals. Doesn’t make much of a difference other than being sort of unfair.”

Auggie cracked a smile at his flurry of insults towards mosquitoes. “What if they absorbed Athena-kid powers and became super intelligent? Bet you could reason with them then.” Her smile faded into a look of confusion, squinting in a half-hearted glare at the realization that she was once again participating in his nonsense. “How did...how the hell do you always suck me into this? This is almost as bad as sp—” She wasn’t going to say the word again, took to a quick subject change instead. “One of them has to be responsible. We’ll add them to the list.”

She took a moment to let his words sink in, rolling it over in her mind. She would do it again, she was almost certain of that, but she’d never wanted to hurt Stella. She’d never wanted to hurt anyone, everything simply happened beyond her control. When she spoke again, it wasn’t any of the important thoughts that came out first. “Spawn of the devil?” She raised an eyebrow. “Are you forgetting who you’re talking to?” She bit the inside of her cheek, pausing before she allowed herself to speak again with seriousness. “I was trying to protect her. I did what I thought I had to.” She didn't feel like she needed to explain herself to Orin, like it was necessary to justify the things she'd done years ago, she was mostly thinking aloud. She’d had years for the guilt to grow and fester in her head, but she’d never really tried to think of it rationally. “I don’t regret any of it,” she said slowly, as if she were only just realizing it herself. “Maybe a bit but...I don’t think it could have gone differently. I mean, of course I didn’t want to hurt her. I didn’t mean to...mess anything up, it just happened.”

She huffed at the question, wanting to be annoyed that he’d put it into words so perfectly, but finding that she couldn’t “Yeah. I guess so.” She frowned. “You need to stop being right all the time, it’s freaking me out.” Then came the mention of Leo, and with it returned a faint wisp of the blinding anger she’d felt earlier that day. There had been a time when Auggie had been afraid of the part of her that responded to things by lashing out, by doing things that could get people hurt, but she wasn’t afraid of how she’d reacted to the son of Ares, and she had no issues with the threats that Orin was spitting. “If you’re one of the bad guys, I don’t think I really care about doing the right thing. If we’re both wrong then it’s their fault, not ours.” She’d always been angry at the world, there had just been a certain point where it had shifted from being angry on her own behalf to someone else’s.

“I wish it didn’t,” she said after a moment of silence. “I wish we could just stay here and nothing outside had to exist. No more snow or people or politicians or any of it.” It was far-flung and irrational and not entirely true, but it felt true when she said it. She’d spent so long pushing people away that she hadn’t realized how cold and alone she’d been until she wasn’t anymore, and the thought of leaving the warmth, of leaving their little bubble of nothingness was daunting, but it couldn’t last forever. It would have to be broken eventually, something would have to happen eventually. "At least for a bit."

━━━ 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐛 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬

[➳]18|he/him|Athena|Dining Pavilion|tags: Leo

Caleb hadn’t been expecting the question, or any of the ones that came after it, and his face scrunched in confusion. “I don’t...complaining about not being sharpened properly maybe? Or—or wanting to…um...” He didn’t really have any answers, but he wasn’t sure if Leo was actually expecting one from him. “I guess so? I’m really not the guy to ask, you know. I can only talk to human weapons, apparently. Interrogate one of my siblings if you want. I’m sure one of ‘em will know.” He snorted at the statement of confusion. “You don’t say.”

“Yeah, it’s—I think so...It’s a thing,” he nodded as he confirmed it, though he didn’t really sound too sure himself. The joke about bankers seemed to fly over Leo’s head as he descended into confusion once again. Caleb may have understood what he was getting at, might have supplied the answer long before the son of Ares actually got to it himself, but he was a little distracted by with the grim look on his face and the way he seemed to be swaying on his feet. “Oh, that’s really...that’s really good. Wonderful,” he replied with a half-hearted attempt at a smile.

He could see it coming before it actually happened, the foggy look in Leo’s eyes giving him just enough time to lunge forward and grab hold of him before he toppled to the ground. “Okay,” he groaned, straining under the weight as he shifted to the boy’s side to get a better grip on him. “I’m all for sweeping people off their feet but this is a bit too literal, don’t you think?” He wasn’t sure if his words were actually being heard, but the chatter was mostly for his own benefit. “We’re going to…” He didn’t bother finishing the sentence as he dragged Leo to the nearest table, setting him down as smoothly as he could on one of the benches. He stayed close, keeping one hand on his shoulder in case he toppled forward again. “I’m thinking you’re probably not supposed to be walking around after getting...you know...shot in the head?”

[WitchHazel]

|♡|Mirabelle Everhart|17|She/Her|Aphrodite|Head Counselor|Location: Hampton Inn Parking Lot|Tags: Quest Group; Ash|

When Ash handed her a water bottle, she opened her mouth to protest. But he was already moving on, and it would be rude to interrupt. Instead, she offered a meek "thank you" under her breath, despite the inexplicable guilt gnawing at her stomach.

Mirabelle paled even further as Ash explained, until her skin matched the snowdrifts dotting the pavement. "I - um -" Ugh, how could you have been so stupid!? She mentally berated herself. Why did I - ughhh I'm such an idiot. Why did I kiss her out in the open like that!? It had felt right in the moment. So, so right. And she didn't regret a minute of it. But seriously Mirabelle? Maybe you really are a dumb blonde. Still - he had promised not to tell. Crossed his heart, in fact. But did anyone else see? She suddenly felt as if everyone was watching her, even though Ash was the only person with his eyes trained on hers. Ugh, I don't - not now, not now. Breathe. In, out, in, out. If you're going to have a panic attack, at least hold off until you get inside. Then you can just slip into the bathroom and try to pull yourself together. She took a deep, steadying breath, pushing all her fear and worry back into its little bottle.

"Th-thank you." She wanted to apologise, though she wasn't sure what for. As exposed as she felt, it was a bit of a relief to know she could count on Ash. Trust him, even. But what choice did she have? He knew one of her greatest secrets now; something she was ashamed to admit even to herself. No - not ashamed. Scared. What would they do if they found out? Ash approved - whatever that meant. But not everyone was as accepting as him. "Yer a no-good little pansy fruitcake, just like yer disappointment of a father." The Colonel's voice rang out in her memory; clear as the day he'd said those words to her. It wasn't the worst thing he'd said; not by far. If my own family won't even accept me... who will? A soft, sad sigh escaped her lips unbidden. She couldn't help but feel as if the whole world was against her - everyone watching; always waiting for her to screw up. I've let my mask slip too long. It was time to pull it back up again. Assume the role of cheerful, altruistic Mirabelle - the one everyone likes.

She was oddly tired. Perhaps it was the car ride. Perhaps it was the biting cold that had her shivering in her coat. Whatever the reason, a mantle of fatigue had settled on her shoulders. It did little to repair the vulnerability tearing her open from the inside. Nonetheless, she plastered a gentle smile across her face as she forced herself to meet Ash's cognac eyes. "Thank you, Ash. It means a lot to know I can count on you." Effortless. Flawless. As if nothing had happened at all. She was still white as a ghost, but the frigid temperatures put a bit of colour in her cheeks at the least.

As Ash turned to address Aggy, Mirabelle raised her voice over the wind. "Are we all set to go in?" Her steady voice betrayed none of the nervous energy churning inside, nor the bitter taste that formed on her tongue. It's better to go in and get the charmspeak over with. 'Ripping off the bandaid', so to speak. Besides, I'm freezing. The refreshing quality of the arctic air had far outworn its novelty, replaced instead by a hollow chill that threatened to send her nose streaming. Let's get in quickly now. I need to look my best if I'm going to use charmspeak, and a runny nose is certainly not an attractive look.


|⟡|Juliet Pratten|16|She/Her|Hermes|Location: Cabin Seven|Tags: Tulip; satyr/nymph NPCs|

"Uh, well, duh!" Juliet retorted when Tulip asked if they had been attacked. "Why do you think we're all lying around here, Shabbat?" She snorted, shifting amidst the mound of covers Ryan had draped across her. As the satyr went on about losing her stuff, Juliet's heart rate increased a little. "Hey, I didn't touch your stuff! And I'm being totally honest for once! Does it look like I can run a heist right now?" She gestured to her blanket-clad body with her good arm. "Nope! I don't think so! Besides, what would you have that I -" Tulip had found her bag. Feeling a little stupid, Juliet clamped her mouth shut.

Thankfully, Tulip seemed more interested in the attack than any 'theft' of her precious belongings. "Do we know who did this? Uh, DUH. It's that evil Elsa frozen chick and her meshuggener of a mother!" She sat looking quite pleased with herself, as if that explanation would mean anything to the satyr. This time, she was saved from elaborating by the arrival of a very nervous-looking nymph carrying a towering platter of food. A few hunters were also hauling someone inside, but Juliet was more concerned with filling the void in her stomach than by whoever was apparently dying as they placed him on a nearby cot. "Ah, there's my dinner! 'Bout time. Come to mama."

|✂|Liv Keary|15|She/Her|Iris (Unclaimed)|Location: Dining Pavilion|Tags: Corey|Mentions: Cass|

Not always a horse? What the hell does that even mean? Liv shot an incredulous glance Corey's way, though she was certain it looked more like a glare. How could he only be a horse some of the time? Is he a shapeshifter? That's actually kinda cool. I wish I could do that. If she could turn herself into some terrible ferocious monster, then maybe people would leave her alone. That would be a nice change. I'd have to deal with so much less stupidity.

Corey's reaction to her surprisingly deep comment gave Liv a pinch of satisfaction. She didn't offer a thanks to the compliment, but she didn't need to. When the other person offered some advice about the Hershey's cabin - wait no, Hermes, that was right, wasn't it? - Liv couldn't help but scoff. "Yeah, I kind of figured that out just by looking at them." There was one girl who looked kind of cool, though - a very tall young woman with wavy black hair. Her grunge style was what initially caught Liv's attention - not exactly her jam, but it looked great on the older girl. That and her assortment of ear piercings, as well as the nose piercing she sported on the right side. She might not be so bad. The others all looked like idiots, though, from what Liv could see. "If they mess with my stuff, I'll cut off their thumbs."


|❀|Chuck Oakes|He/Him|Satyr|Location: Dining Pavilion; Mr. D's Table|Tags: Aydan|

"Aydan! Oh uh - like, nice to meet you, man," Chuck bleated. "Uh - like, officially, I mean." The boy's next words had Chuck frantically shaking his head. "Like, man, I dunno what you're talkin' about! I'm like, totally just as clueless as the rest of you, you know?" He doubted he was convincing.

"Oh - uh, like, I'm Chuck, man," he introduced himself. "I'm uh - Mira's friend, if you know her." It was a fair assumption he would - most people did. Chuck had found that generally people liked Mira, and mentioning her was bound to get him on their good side. This guy was new, though - he knew that. That's also why he wasn't sure if he could trust him with what he'd heard. Besides, Orin said not to tell anyone about his return... something about making a grand entrance. Who was Chuck to deny him the right to theatrics? "Oh - uh - like, yeah, I'll let you know if I find out anything, for sure, man!" He offered Aydan a gap-toothed grin, but it just made him look more nervous than anything.