Dendril did a soft smile "We won't be long, apologies" Dendril then looked up at Axel and held his hand. "She's not the reason I'm a little down...well she's part of it but not the main reason." Dendril spoke when she presumed they were out of Xenia's earshot. Once they got to the woods and to their spot, Dendril pulled out a brush and a hair tie. "I should warn you...I havn't done this in such a long time that it might turn out bad." She said with a flushed embarrassed smile.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
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"Ugh, what do I do now?" I groan aloud as I walk through the green grass of camp, my face upturned to allow the suns rays fall down to my face. Ive never been sunburned, I can't help but wonder how since I spend most my time outside.
Dendril did a soft smile "We won't be long, apologies" Dendril then looked up at Axel and held his hand. "She's not the reason I'm a little down...well she's part of it but not the main reason." Dendril spoke when she presumed they were out of Xenia's earshot. Once they got to the woods and to their spot, Dendril pulled out a brush and a hair tie. "I should warn you...I havn't done this in such a long time that it might turn out bad." She said with a flushed embarrassed smile.
Axel nods and sits down, leaning against her when she sits, in her lap and giving her space to work. "I don't mind... If it's that bad I'll just remove the braid, it doesn't matter." He shrugs and crosses his arms, flexing slightly from reflex. "Just don't make me look like a female.... That would be bad." Axel laughs and gets comfortable against her.
She began by brushing his hair, the scent of him calming her and she felt comforted by his body heat and his pressure when he laid against her. She gently stroked his hair careful not to hurt him and careful to remove the tangles. She stroked his head lightly with her fingers, seperating strands. While she was doing this she decided to lightly ask him, "Will you tell me your story? Of why and what happened to make you detest power so and only rely on skill?" She asked this lightly as well as softly, with a bit hesitation in her voice. Honestly she wanted to know why before she decided if she felt comfortable speaking on why she was being quite lately. It was more of a tone closer to 'I'll tell you mine when you tell me yours'
She hoped their would be no secrets in between them. And it sounded like this was quite possibly the biggest obstacle between them, and Dendril was hoping it wouldn't mark the end between them, that they could work it out somehow.
She began by brushing his hair, the scent of him calming her and she felt comforted by his body heat and his pressure when he laid against her. She gently stroked his hair careful not to hurt him and careful to remove the tangles. She stroked his head lightly with her fingers, seperating strands. While she was doing this she decided to lightly ask him, "Will you tell me your story? Of why and what happened to make you detest power so and only rely on skill?" She asked this lightly as well as softly, with a bit hesitation in her voice. Honestly she wanted to know why before she decided if she felt comfortable speaking on why she was being quite lately. It was more of a tone closer to 'I'll tell you mine when you tell me yours'
She hoped their would be no secrets in between them. And it sounded like this was quite possibly the biggest obstacle between them, and Dendril was hoping it wouldn't mark the end between them, that they could work it out somehow.
Axel sinks into her, comfortable beyond belief and he sighs. "Well... I don't really have a reason. It's just the easy way out, and it bothers me that people prefer that over actual training. I mean, children of Ares, Athena, Hermes... They don't have powers, they are just skilled and they work on their skill. I respect that in a person, the ability to become strong without taking an easy way out like powers." He sighs and rubs his cheek while she brushes his hair and runs her fingers through it. "Not only that... But the powers over shadows some time ago killed.... Four campers and really messed up the camp. If it wasn't for other people and myself, it would have been destroyed completely and the gods would no longer be in power."
Axel takes a few breaths before continuing. "Also I guess... Shadow powers did this to me, made me different, even more so than my kin within my cabin, but I don't care. Just marks me out even more, as both my mothers chosen and the chosen of the shadows... Powers don't bother me, but cutting corners for strength in powers bothers me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile....
Diego silently walks up to the Boreas cabin, a grin on his thin face. He takes out lockpicking tools he stole from one of his cabinmates and begins to break into the cabin. After a minute or so of working, the door is unlocked and he opens it quietly, slipping inside without a sound. He closes the door and slips behind a frozen chair, looking around. After a few seconds, he notices David working and grins widely.
“I didn’t realize that a struggle over powers nearly ruined this camp and nearly cost the gods their powers.” Dendril stated while listening to him, “You may not think so or believe me Axel, but I think the powers that changed you chose you for a reason. And for the record, you are the most gentle of souls here.” Dendril would kiss him had she not been playing with his hair, she got half of his tangles out and was working on the other half, separating the ones she brushed from the ones she didn’t.
“I was…ten. Ten years old. It was spring time, winter had just ended, for us that is. In Washington State that is hard, determining when winter ends and summer begins.” She smiled as she began this, but her eyes…it was if she wasn’t there. She continued brushing him though. “I had just come home from school and I was looking so forward to picking the flowers and berries that were in bloom during that season, some blossomed earlier than others you see. My dad had just dropped me off and I couldn’t wait to put my school things down in the house and grab my basket. He allowed me to wander you see, the area had been so safe for years the wild animals really didn’t bother us, in fact when I left they still don’t.”
There was a pain to her voice, despite it sounded happy. “My father smiled at me, told me to be careful while he did his work. We may lived in the wilds but he worked as some kind of game preserver as well as looking out for poachers and the like, he needed radio and even a TV for it, we had it working by making our own diesel, which has a very disgusting smell even if you make it from grease. Despite what hippies and the like would tell you, one actually needs to remain in contact with the outside world in some way, warned of dangers know of threats that sort of thing.” Dendril explained it as even if she didn’t wish to believe it.
“I had been told the stories of my mother, but never who she truly was. Only that she could work miracles with nature that my father never saw before. And quite possibly the only woman he ever truly loved, I think he still loves her.” Dendril smiled before coming to his last section of hair that needed to be untangled. “However it did leave me fascinated with literature of the gods. My father encouraged me to learn of the Greek gods in particular, but I never really made the connection back then.” She slowly began to place the strands of Axel’s hair in order.
She did a small laugh then. “It was a warm day, a bright day! The sun was shining and oh so warm. Birds were singing despite it being noon, and I ran off to the woods that I call home. There were so many flowers to choose from, I couldn’t decide on which I wished to pick. In the process of exploring the woods and getting distracted by all the flowers and even prettier butterflies, I fell, down a rather steep hill.” Her hands trembled slightly but she continued with his hair, slowly weaving his fine locks, tied off one section here to keep it steady.
“I wasn’t scared, not at first. I was mostly annoyed that I couldn’t climb back up the hill and would have to find a way around. So I carried my now-dirty self and my basket looking for a way around to get back up to where I needed to be. In the process I heard something about ten yards from where I was, and got curious. As I went to go check it out and moved some bushes, I saw what I now know to be a poacher. He was laying illegal maiming traps, and not just bear traps mind you but these horrible devices made of wire that strangle and amputate whichever poor creature that accidently stumbles into such a device.” If Axel could feel her current emotion it would be one of anger then sadness, and it slowly turned to fear as she continued.
“I stepped back, eager to get away from this man which I stepped on a stick, and it cracked, which caught his attention. He…” She began, “He had the most scariest look I had ever seen. His eyes, they still scare me more than the monsters that attacked me when I learned I was half blood.” Dendril continued braided Axel’s hair, she was about halfway through it, making sure the knots were tight so it wouldn’t come loose easy.
“He chased me. But I was slightly faster and more agile than he was. He was chubby, and he was big with big feet but I was able to keep ahead of him for a time. And then…” her hands trembled again, taking a short pause for a time, “I got stuck. It was a trap, not a maiming or suffocation but one of like a gentle-capture. My guess is he was trying to capture one of the larger baby animals, some do this for selling as pets I guess? But I got stuck and he was able to capture me. I had already been screaming at this point in time, but he cut the wropes between me and the bush but not the ropes tied to my hands. He was having trouble trying to position himself and I and I thought he was going to hurt me or kill me. But then…” This is where Dendril got super sad and scared
“My dad told me that when he met my mother she had healed a mother bear to full health and the bear, he said, ‘thanked her’ before leaving. I didn’t know if I should believe it at first because the kids at school would call me a liar, but before the man could hurt me an angry big brown sow, bear, came out.” Dendril didn’t know if Axel would believe her or not.
“The bear, she maimed him. She very easily got him off of me and tossed him away from me. I think she bit off one of his arms off too, there was so much blood! I was too scared in shock to even move. She didn’t stop until his screams stopped and I heared nothing more from him. She came over to me, the big mother bear, and she bit off the ropes that were binding me and helped me to my feet. I didn’t know it then but my dad had been looking for me when he got worried that I had been away for quite some time, and he followed the screaming that was at first mine then the mans when he stumbled upon us, the bear and I.”
She had just finished up the braids in his hair when she returned her hands to her lap. “I didn’t want to leave her, the Bear and she didn’t want to leave me alone yet because I don’t think she trusted my daddy who had a gun in his hand at the time. I was so afraid that he was going to hurt her, hurt the bear that saved me.” She had tears in her eyes. “Especially when he aimed the gun at her and told me to leave, but both the bear and I looked to where the man was, bloody mess. And that’s when he realized that I had been attacked not by the bear but by the poacher. He radioed for the Police… and the Bear didn’t leave my side even when the Police came.”
She was kind of holding on to Axel at this point. “The police were stumped by it all, bear saves girl and kills poacher who was one of the main poachers Fish and Wildlife were after for awhile. They pleaded with me to step away from the bear, but I didn’t want to because I knew one of them would hurt it from the way they were talking and the man they were looking at. They called her dangerous, all animals that kill humans are.” Tears were down her face “One female police officer pleaded with me and promised me that no one would hurt the bear that they would move her to a safe place. I was a fool to actually believe her, and my dad was even encouraging me to believe her. I don’t know why but I went against my instinct and placed my trust in them. And when I was safely away, they shot her. And they had to shoot about four times too.”
After some deep breathes she continued “That’s about when I stopped trusting humans. My dad thought that this was a good time to show me a recorded video of my mom, she left about two or three. She told me, in this video of when I wasn’t even a year old at the time, that there are people who are not like other people who are special and have special parents. My dad didn’t want to show me this until I was older, which is what it was meant for. But she told me that I was one of these special people and talked about powers. I thought she was telling me some kind of bedtime story, but she told me that there are special powers and that I was meant to aquire some. I remembered the story of how she healed a sow, presumably the same sow that saved me.”
“It was then that I got it into my head that I could be magical to. That if I had those powers, that I could of saved the bear and harmed the poacher and the bear, she would live at least for the normal life expectancy. She was already older than the average sow and those were most likely her last litter of cubs. I wanted to heal the forest, to make things grow, to make trees help. But…when I shared them with those who I thought were my friends they just laughed at me…and I took to training with knives and the staff left for me and over the course of the next five years, stopped believeing the magic I supposedly had. Then the monsters began to come…”
Dendril looked down at him before playing with his hair and moving her hands across his shoulders and back. “You told me yourself, you don’t like powers but you also told me I would never be strong like you. It made me feel week…like I won’t be able to fight. But I don’t want to be that little girl again, I want to protect myself and the wildlife around me, to hurt the poachers and to keep the woods safe. I don’t feel like I can do that with my knives and strategic repositioning of traps for the poachers alone. And I know you don’t like the powers, but I feel as though that is part of who I am, something I can’t change but…” Dendril began “I can at least control so they won’t be used like that jerk-fish-boy who attacked me and didn’t get punishment for it, likely because the gods don’t like my existence.”
“I felt as helpless there, at that beach as I did when I was ten, watching you all fight and not being able to do anything. I just wanted to know if you can accept that Axel…Or if…you didn’t…” her words got so low they were barely audible of a whisper “I could run again…away”
Skale shakes his head and shoves his hands into his pockets. "My girlfr- ex, Wren, broke up with me because I'm not 'good enough.' She's a child of Aphrodite and not at all what I thought she was when I ran into the underworld and saved her soul..." He sighs and smiles anyways. "Would you like to go with me? If you don't want to it's fine, I won't force you."
(( I have a couple minutes before I leave. Gotta hurry this up. ))
I put my hands to my sides and listen as Tyton flies around in the air above me. So Skale had an Aphrodite Ex-Girlfriend? If he was telling me this, after this what'll it lead to? Skale sighed and smiled, nice and warm that made my insides flutter. Snap out of it, Olive. "Would you like to go with me?" he asked. There it was. "If you don't want to it's fine, I won't force you." How kind, I thought. I really didn't want to turn him down. "Yes!" I exclaimed, I must've looked weird. Don't mess this up, Olive. "I mean, yes. Yes I would." I smiled and blushed. I'm not used to this kind of thing. I put my hand behind my head and looked up at Tyton and back to Skale. "If I went with a child of Poseidon, would that be fine?" I asked.
I happily nod and follow him out. Why didn't Yuuki help us? As the copter comes into sight I start to get an angry feeling. Yuuki wasn't injured was he? The questions kept spinning through my head but I don't speak. It was best not to say anything I figured.
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War is great to those who have not experienced it - Pindar
Ο πόλεμος είναι μεγάλη για εκείνους που δεν έχουν βιώσει - Πίνδαρος
David, absorbed in his work. doesn't even notice Diego sneak in. He brushes some ice away from his carving, and lifts it off the ground. He brings the carving up to his eyes to view his work. The top half of the ice block has been mostly carved away, revealing the top half of a dove, a rose grasped in its beak. David smiles at the smoothness of the ice, the outcome of his work. But it's still not finished. He sets the block of ice back on the ground, and begins to work on the bottom half of the dove.
Axel listens to her story, allowing her to work and showing no emotion through it all, even though she was clearly hurt over it. He takes a few deep breaths, unsure of where to go from where she left off. "Well..." He sighs and thinks to himself. Poor girl... She wants powers she'll never have, it's heartbreaking. Axel rubs his chest in thought, careful when choosing his next words. "I understand where you are coming from, I really do. I can tell you my story if I so chose to, and you'd understand that I do understand you. But powers are not the answer, and trying to be strong is not the answer. There are members of this camp that are skilled in more than just violence and powers... Take Melissa or Sarah. Melissa, the leader of the Athena cabin, is probably the smartest camper here, and can figure out any problem. Sarah, the leader of the Aphrodite cabin, can out talk and convince anyone, and she doesn't even have the charm speak ability like her younger sister Scarlet." Axel clears his throat after the longer than average speech, well longer than his average speeches. "If you really want powers, I won't hate you for it... But uh... What I can tell you I guess, is don't get your hopes up. Powers aren't what you always expect, and sometimes they are nothing at all."
I put my hands to my sides and listen as Tyton flies around in the air above me. So Skale had an Aphrodite Ex-Girlfriend? If he was telling me this, after this what'll it lead to? Skale sighed and smiled, nice and warm that made my insides flutter. Snap out of it, Olive. "Would you like to go with me?" he asked. There it was. "If you don't want to it's fine, I won't force you." How kind, I thought. I really didn't want to turn him down. "Yes!" I exclaimed, I must've looked weird. Don't mess this up, Olive. "I mean, yes. Yes I would." I smiled and blushed. I'm not used to this kind of thing. I put my hand behind my head and looked up at Tyton and back to Skale. "If I went with a child of Poseidon, would that be fine?" I asked.
Skale smiles at her excited response, a bit of blush entering his tanned cheeks. "No, there's nothing wrong with that... Well..." Skale rubs his head and sighs. "My dad wouldn't care. He's past the argument all that time ago with Athena, but maybe your mom would... She's never been the most merciful of goddesses, nor the most forgiving." He crosses his arms and looks into her grey eyes (I assume they're grey considering she's Athena's daughter). "It's nothing to worry about, I'm sure." He flashes a smile to her. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
(( I would suggest asking him about some of the stuff on your list, he can hook you up. ))
Approaching the copter, Ricky jumps onto the step and sticks his head inside, knocking the wall on the outside.
"We're home!" Ricky calls in, searching for Yuuki. "We did it. But we need to get to camp pronto," he adds, with a nervous glance at Aaron.
Outside of the chopper on the other side, Yuuki stands up and looks down at a small mirror. He nods into it a few times and slips it into his pocket. He walks around the chopper and sees Aaron as well as Ricky. "Uh... Sorry guys, I was busy speaking with someone." He grins and notices Aaron's back. "Would you like some help with that? I know some healing magic, not anything crazy, but I can probably stop the bleeding and seal the wound." Yuuki looks at Ricky "What happened?" He gives a thumbs up to the helicopter driver who lifts the bird into the air and begins to fly in the direction of camp.
David, absorbed in his work. doesn't even notice Diego sneak in. He brushes some ice away from his carving, and lifts it off the ground. He brings the carving up to his eyes to view his work. The top half of the ice block has been mostly carved away, revealing the top half of a dove, a rose grasped in its beak. David smiles at the smoothness of the ice, the outcome of his work. But it's still not finished. He sets the block of ice back on the ground, and begins to work on the bottom half of the dove.
As Diego watches him work, he notices the dove holding the rose and he breaks out laughing, slipping on some ice and falling over, crashing to the ground and shattering some of the ice. He continues laughing through all of it, unable to stop himself. Diego grabs onto his stomach and just holds it, pain and humor dripping from his laugh. "A dove? And a rose?" He laughs crazily "I assume you're the new boy that asked Sarah to the dance..." Tears drip from his eyes as he laughs.
David glances over at Diego, surprised at first, then goes back to working. "Oh, I'm sorry, would you rather have gone with me? I know I can have that affect on the ladies." He grins and looks back over at Diego. David just shakes his head and smiles, before going back to working. He starts to chip away ice to form the lower half of the dove.
Outside of the chopper on the other side, Yuuki stands up and looks down at a small mirror. He nods into it a few times and slips it into his pocket. He walks around the chopper and sees Aaron as well as Ricky. "Uh... Sorry guys, I was busy speaking with someone." He grins and notices Aaron's back. "Would you like some help with that? I know some healing magic, not anything crazy, but I can probably stop the bleeding and seal the wound." Yuuki looks at Ricky "What happened?" He gives a thumbs up to the helicopter driver who lifts the bird into the air and begins to fly in the direction of camp.
Ricky sighs and eases himself into a seat, leaning back.
"Canadian giants happened," he says. "Giant, just the one. He was huge though. Well..." Ricky glances out of the window and then at Aaron. "We distracted him and flanked him from both sides. Aaron took a hit against the cave wall. We managed to kill the thing, but it was a close call."
Too close. Ricky shudders at the thought of what might have happened if more went wrong. Absentmindedly, he flexes his sore arm again, deep in thought.
I didn't mind the pain now, it was dull but would hurt like hell if I arch my back back. I nod to Yuuki's suggestion and turn around showing him the large wound. My worst fear was that I might lose consciousnesses at any moment now. I hope Greek healing magic isn't painful. I'd surely be screwed then.
((oh we have mandatory family fun time, we sit around the fire pit making s'mores and flicking marshmallows at eachother XD))
Axel and Dendril walk away and I stand there awkwardly. She was...polite. I catch sight of gold in the forest, I allow a small smile and run, tackling Syra as the two of us go rolling, I end up rolling a few feet away from her. I bounce on my ankles, grass in my hair.
"Gotcha, Syra! I win!" I cry triumphantly at our undeclared competition.
"But seriously, how are you?" I ask, grinning, tucking my hair behind my war.
Skale smiles at her excited response, a bit of blush entering his tanned cheeks. "No, there's nothing wrong with that... Well..." Skale rubs his head and sighs. "My dad wouldn't care. He's past the argument all that time ago with Athena, but maybe your mom would... She's never been the most merciful of goddesses, nor the most forgiving." He crosses his arms and looks into her grey eyes (I assume they're grey considering she's Athena's daughter). "It's nothing to worry about, I'm sure." He flashes a smile to her. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Well, yeah." I respond, returning his smile. "I have a bunch of stuff I need help with. Firstly, sorry if this might sound girly... I need a dress for the dance. Yeah, at least, help picking one. Secondly, I guess I just need basic help from someone... Wait, scratch that out." I look at the sky and back at Skale. "I can talk to Melissa unless you have any better suggestions. Thirdly, I just need weapon help..." I count on my fingers and put my hands in my pockets. One hand in my pocket and the other to comb the back of my hair. "Yeah, that's it. Any recommendations and or or help?" I ask.
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(Hey raven, I know you didn't mean to, but I believe that was power gaming if I'm correct. Kinda got to give me a chance to respond if you're trying to tackle Syra...)
I sit up and huff at Xenia. "Was good, up until now thanks. Actually that's a lie, Dante's being a total jerk, there's a dance coming up, and I'm bored," I say exhasperated and flop back onto the grass.
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(( First... MY LITTLE BROTHER WON AN IPAD MINI!!! Second, Raven, that was hardcore powergaming, considering Syra would hear you and probably beat you up before you were able to tackle her. ))
David glances over at Diego, surprised at first, then goes back to working. "Oh, I'm sorry, would you rather have gone with me? I know I can have that affect on the ladies." He grins and looks back over at Diego. David just shakes his head and smiles, before going back to working. He starts to chip away ice to form the lower half of the dove.
Diego laughs some more at his comment before stumbling to his feet on the ice. He skates awkwardly to him and stops beside him, watching him work. "Pretty nice... She'll probably like it, considering it's her mothers animal... Sign... Thing... And a rose, which I hear is romantic with the ladies." Diego gives a childlike grin and sits down beside him. "So, a child of Boreas huh? Captain I assume as well... The last captain was eaten by a cyclops." He sighs.
"Well, yeah." I respond, returning his smile. "I have a bunch of stuff I need help with. Firstly, sorry if this might sound girly... I need a dress for the dance. Yeah, at least, help picking one. Secondly, I guess I just need basic help from someone... Wait, scratch that out." I look at the sky and back at Skale. "I can talk to Melissa unless you have any better suggestions. Thirdly, I just need weapon help..." I count on my fingers and put my hands in my pockets. One hand in my pocket and the other to comb the back of my hair. "Yeah, that's it. Any recommendations and or or help?" I ask.
Skale scratches the back of his head. "Well... We aren't allowed to bring weapons into the dance, otherwise we'll be on stable duty. Trust me by the way... They'll know if you bring weapons." He looks at her and looks away awkwardly before looking back. Dang, I'm out of my dating game... Wren really messed me up. Skale takes a deep breath. "For dress help, I'd talk to Sarah, she's the nicest daughter of Aphrodite, as well as the leader of the cabin, she'll help. And Melissa would be good help for anything else you need as well... Do you have a certain idea for a dress? I don't want to uh... Mismatch, if you know what I mean."
Axel listens to her story, allowing her to work and showing no emotion through it all, even though she was clearly hurt over it. He takes a few deep breaths, unsure of where to go from where she left off. "Well..." He sighs and thinks to himself. Poor girl... She wants powers she'll never have, it's heartbreaking. Axel rubs his chest in thought, careful when choosing his next words. "I understand where you are coming from, I really do. I can tell you my story if I so chose to, and you'd understand that I do understand you. But powers are not the answer, and trying to be strong is not the answer. There are members of this camp that are skilled in more than just violence and powers... Take Melissa or Sarah. Melissa, the leader of the Athena cabin, is probably the smartest camper here, and can figure out any problem. Sarah, the leader of the Aphrodite cabin, can out talk and convince anyone, and she doesn't even have the charm speak ability like her younger sister Scarlet." Axel clears his throat after the longer than average speech, well longer than his average speeches. "If you really want powers, I won't hate you for it... But uh... What I can tell you I guess, is don't get your hopes up. Powers aren't what you always expect, and sometimes they are nothing at all."
Dendril thought over what he said and she realized something, even though Axel didn’t like Powers and even though one could work without them, he had just accepted her for who she is and thinks she wishes to be. She smiled then. Powers were a touchy subject for him, this was true. If she did aquire powers, she would train in secret, at least from him. But the big picture was, he had accepted her! She couldn’t help herself, she reached out and grabbed him before hugging him close and tight, for her strength anyway, from behind. With her breasts pressed into his back and her face against his neck, she whispered into his ear “Thank you, Axel.” And she remained there, as if some giant weight was lifted off of her shoulders.
At this point in time, she didn’t know what the future holds for her or for Axel, but she was happy for at least one thing. She had found someone whom she could confide it, someone she just shared one of her greatest secrets with, and someone who had just accepted it. She hoped things would get better from there, that she wouldn’t have to worry about keeping secrets from him or he from her at least. She didn’t know if that meant he was her boyfriend now, but she cared for this man, and she held on to him like she was afraid to let go. She breathed in his scent from there, it was soothing at least. If he didn’t like the mention of powers, she would do her best not to bring it up with him. There was something else she wanted to bring up though, but perhaps she could ask Dante who would most likely yell at her or laugh or both. She wanted to make a surprise for Axel, A necklace made out of sea shells and hemp twine. But she was too scared to go alone because she knew she couldn’t fight a whole swarm of sea creatures just yet. The son of Pontus wanted to kill her and got away with it, and she wanted to keep the necklace a surprise for him. She wanted to ask Axel if he could ask Dante to escort her to the beach to collect sea shells but didn’t know how to ask Axel without it being…weird.
...
Axel nods and sits down, leaning against her when she sits, in her lap and giving her space to work. "I don't mind... If it's that bad I'll just remove the braid, it doesn't matter." He shrugs and crosses his arms, flexing slightly from reflex. "Just don't make me look like a female.... That would be bad." Axel laughs and gets comfortable against her.
She hoped their would be no secrets in between them. And it sounded like this was quite possibly the biggest obstacle between them, and Dendril was hoping it wouldn't mark the end between them, that they could work it out somehow.
...
Axel sinks into her, comfortable beyond belief and he sighs. "Well... I don't really have a reason. It's just the easy way out, and it bothers me that people prefer that over actual training. I mean, children of Ares, Athena, Hermes... They don't have powers, they are just skilled and they work on their skill. I respect that in a person, the ability to become strong without taking an easy way out like powers." He sighs and rubs his cheek while she brushes his hair and runs her fingers through it. "Not only that... But the powers over shadows some time ago killed.... Four campers and really messed up the camp. If it wasn't for other people and myself, it would have been destroyed completely and the gods would no longer be in power."
Axel takes a few breaths before continuing. "Also I guess... Shadow powers did this to me, made me different, even more so than my kin within my cabin, but I don't care. Just marks me out even more, as both my mothers chosen and the chosen of the shadows... Powers don't bother me, but cutting corners for strength in powers bothers me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile....
Diego silently walks up to the Boreas cabin, a grin on his thin face. He takes out lockpicking tools he stole from one of his cabinmates and begins to break into the cabin. After a minute or so of working, the door is unlocked and he opens it quietly, slipping inside without a sound. He closes the door and slips behind a frozen chair, looking around. After a few seconds, he notices David working and grins widely.
“I was…ten. Ten years old. It was spring time, winter had just ended, for us that is. In Washington State that is hard, determining when winter ends and summer begins.” She smiled as she began this, but her eyes…it was if she wasn’t there. She continued brushing him though. “I had just come home from school and I was looking so forward to picking the flowers and berries that were in bloom during that season, some blossomed earlier than others you see. My dad had just dropped me off and I couldn’t wait to put my school things down in the house and grab my basket. He allowed me to wander you see, the area had been so safe for years the wild animals really didn’t bother us, in fact when I left they still don’t.”
There was a pain to her voice, despite it sounded happy. “My father smiled at me, told me to be careful while he did his work. We may lived in the wilds but he worked as some kind of game preserver as well as looking out for poachers and the like, he needed radio and even a TV for it, we had it working by making our own diesel, which has a very disgusting smell even if you make it from grease. Despite what hippies and the like would tell you, one actually needs to remain in contact with the outside world in some way, warned of dangers know of threats that sort of thing.” Dendril explained it as even if she didn’t wish to believe it.
“I had been told the stories of my mother, but never who she truly was. Only that she could work miracles with nature that my father never saw before. And quite possibly the only woman he ever truly loved, I think he still loves her.” Dendril smiled before coming to his last section of hair that needed to be untangled. “However it did leave me fascinated with literature of the gods. My father encouraged me to learn of the Greek gods in particular, but I never really made the connection back then.” She slowly began to place the strands of Axel’s hair in order.
She did a small laugh then. “It was a warm day, a bright day! The sun was shining and oh so warm. Birds were singing despite it being noon, and I ran off to the woods that I call home. There were so many flowers to choose from, I couldn’t decide on which I wished to pick. In the process of exploring the woods and getting distracted by all the flowers and even prettier butterflies, I fell, down a rather steep hill.” Her hands trembled slightly but she continued with his hair, slowly weaving his fine locks, tied off one section here to keep it steady.
“I wasn’t scared, not at first. I was mostly annoyed that I couldn’t climb back up the hill and would have to find a way around. So I carried my now-dirty self and my basket looking for a way around to get back up to where I needed to be. In the process I heard something about ten yards from where I was, and got curious. As I went to go check it out and moved some bushes, I saw what I now know to be a poacher. He was laying illegal maiming traps, and not just bear traps mind you but these horrible devices made of wire that strangle and amputate whichever poor creature that accidently stumbles into such a device.” If Axel could feel her current emotion it would be one of anger then sadness, and it slowly turned to fear as she continued.
“I stepped back, eager to get away from this man which I stepped on a stick, and it cracked, which caught his attention. He…” She began, “He had the most scariest look I had ever seen. His eyes, they still scare me more than the monsters that attacked me when I learned I was half blood.” Dendril continued braided Axel’s hair, she was about halfway through it, making sure the knots were tight so it wouldn’t come loose easy.
“He chased me. But I was slightly faster and more agile than he was. He was chubby, and he was big with big feet but I was able to keep ahead of him for a time. And then…” her hands trembled again, taking a short pause for a time, “I got stuck. It was a trap, not a maiming or suffocation but one of like a gentle-capture. My guess is he was trying to capture one of the larger baby animals, some do this for selling as pets I guess? But I got stuck and he was able to capture me. I had already been screaming at this point in time, but he cut the wropes between me and the bush but not the ropes tied to my hands. He was having trouble trying to position himself and I and I thought he was going to hurt me or kill me. But then…” This is where Dendril got super sad and scared
“My dad told me that when he met my mother she had healed a mother bear to full health and the bear, he said, ‘thanked her’ before leaving. I didn’t know if I should believe it at first because the kids at school would call me a liar, but before the man could hurt me an angry big brown sow, bear, came out.” Dendril didn’t know if Axel would believe her or not.
“The bear, she maimed him. She very easily got him off of me and tossed him away from me. I think she bit off one of his arms off too, there was so much blood! I was too scared in shock to even move. She didn’t stop until his screams stopped and I heared nothing more from him. She came over to me, the big mother bear, and she bit off the ropes that were binding me and helped me to my feet. I didn’t know it then but my dad had been looking for me when he got worried that I had been away for quite some time, and he followed the screaming that was at first mine then the mans when he stumbled upon us, the bear and I.”
She had just finished up the braids in his hair when she returned her hands to her lap. “I didn’t want to leave her, the Bear and she didn’t want to leave me alone yet because I don’t think she trusted my daddy who had a gun in his hand at the time. I was so afraid that he was going to hurt her, hurt the bear that saved me.” She had tears in her eyes. “Especially when he aimed the gun at her and told me to leave, but both the bear and I looked to where the man was, bloody mess. And that’s when he realized that I had been attacked not by the bear but by the poacher. He radioed for the Police… and the Bear didn’t leave my side even when the Police came.”
She was kind of holding on to Axel at this point. “The police were stumped by it all, bear saves girl and kills poacher who was one of the main poachers Fish and Wildlife were after for awhile. They pleaded with me to step away from the bear, but I didn’t want to because I knew one of them would hurt it from the way they were talking and the man they were looking at. They called her dangerous, all animals that kill humans are.” Tears were down her face “One female police officer pleaded with me and promised me that no one would hurt the bear that they would move her to a safe place. I was a fool to actually believe her, and my dad was even encouraging me to believe her. I don’t know why but I went against my instinct and placed my trust in them. And when I was safely away, they shot her. And they had to shoot about four times too.”
After some deep breathes she continued “That’s about when I stopped trusting humans. My dad thought that this was a good time to show me a recorded video of my mom, she left about two or three. She told me, in this video of when I wasn’t even a year old at the time, that there are people who are not like other people who are special and have special parents. My dad didn’t want to show me this until I was older, which is what it was meant for. But she told me that I was one of these special people and talked about powers. I thought she was telling me some kind of bedtime story, but she told me that there are special powers and that I was meant to aquire some. I remembered the story of how she healed a sow, presumably the same sow that saved me.”
“It was then that I got it into my head that I could be magical to. That if I had those powers, that I could of saved the bear and harmed the poacher and the bear, she would live at least for the normal life expectancy. She was already older than the average sow and those were most likely her last litter of cubs. I wanted to heal the forest, to make things grow, to make trees help. But…when I shared them with those who I thought were my friends they just laughed at me…and I took to training with knives and the staff left for me and over the course of the next five years, stopped believeing the magic I supposedly had. Then the monsters began to come…”
Dendril looked down at him before playing with his hair and moving her hands across his shoulders and back. “You told me yourself, you don’t like powers but you also told me I would never be strong like you. It made me feel week…like I won’t be able to fight. But I don’t want to be that little girl again, I want to protect myself and the wildlife around me, to hurt the poachers and to keep the woods safe. I don’t feel like I can do that with my knives and strategic repositioning of traps for the poachers alone. And I know you don’t like the powers, but I feel as though that is part of who I am, something I can’t change but…” Dendril began “I can at least control so they won’t be used like that jerk-fish-boy who attacked me and didn’t get punishment for it, likely because the gods don’t like my existence.”
“I felt as helpless there, at that beach as I did when I was ten, watching you all fight and not being able to do anything. I just wanted to know if you can accept that Axel…Or if…you didn’t…” her words got so low they were barely audible of a whisper “I could run again…away”
...
(( I have a couple minutes before I leave. Gotta hurry this up. ))
I put my hands to my sides and listen as Tyton flies around in the air above me. So Skale had an Aphrodite Ex-Girlfriend? If he was telling me this, after this what'll it lead to? Skale sighed and smiled, nice and warm that made my insides flutter. Snap out of it, Olive. "Would you like to go with me?" he asked. There it was. "If you don't want to it's fine, I won't force you." How kind, I thought. I really didn't want to turn him down. "Yes!" I exclaimed, I must've looked weird. Don't mess this up, Olive. "I mean, yes. Yes I would." I smiled and blushed. I'm not used to this kind of thing. I put my hand behind my head and looked up at Tyton and back to Skale. "If I went with a child of Poseidon, would that be fine?" I asked.
War is great to those who have not experienced it - Pindar
Ο πόλεμος είναι μεγάλη για εκείνους που δεν έχουν βιώσει - Πίνδαρος
Axel listens to her story, allowing her to work and showing no emotion through it all, even though she was clearly hurt over it. He takes a few deep breaths, unsure of where to go from where she left off. "Well..." He sighs and thinks to himself. Poor girl... She wants powers she'll never have, it's heartbreaking. Axel rubs his chest in thought, careful when choosing his next words. "I understand where you are coming from, I really do. I can tell you my story if I so chose to, and you'd understand that I do understand you. But powers are not the answer, and trying to be strong is not the answer. There are members of this camp that are skilled in more than just violence and powers... Take Melissa or Sarah. Melissa, the leader of the Athena cabin, is probably the smartest camper here, and can figure out any problem. Sarah, the leader of the Aphrodite cabin, can out talk and convince anyone, and she doesn't even have the charm speak ability like her younger sister Scarlet." Axel clears his throat after the longer than average speech, well longer than his average speeches. "If you really want powers, I won't hate you for it... But uh... What I can tell you I guess, is don't get your hopes up. Powers aren't what you always expect, and sometimes they are nothing at all."
Skale smiles at her excited response, a bit of blush entering his tanned cheeks. "No, there's nothing wrong with that... Well..." Skale rubs his head and sighs. "My dad wouldn't care. He's past the argument all that time ago with Athena, but maybe your mom would... She's never been the most merciful of goddesses, nor the most forgiving." He crosses his arms and looks into her grey eyes (I assume they're grey considering she's Athena's daughter). "It's nothing to worry about, I'm sure." He flashes a smile to her. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
(( I would suggest asking him about some of the stuff on your list, he can hook you up. ))
Outside of the chopper on the other side, Yuuki stands up and looks down at a small mirror. He nods into it a few times and slips it into his pocket. He walks around the chopper and sees Aaron as well as Ricky. "Uh... Sorry guys, I was busy speaking with someone." He grins and notices Aaron's back. "Would you like some help with that? I know some healing magic, not anything crazy, but I can probably stop the bleeding and seal the wound." Yuuki looks at Ricky "What happened?" He gives a thumbs up to the helicopter driver who lifts the bird into the air and begins to fly in the direction of camp.
As Diego watches him work, he notices the dove holding the rose and he breaks out laughing, slipping on some ice and falling over, crashing to the ground and shattering some of the ice. He continues laughing through all of it, unable to stop himself. Diego grabs onto his stomach and just holds it, pain and humor dripping from his laugh. "A dove? And a rose?" He laughs crazily "I assume you're the new boy that asked Sarah to the dance..." Tears drip from his eyes as he laughs.
I didn't mind the pain now, it was dull but would hurt like hell if I arch my back back. I nod to Yuuki's suggestion and turn around showing him the large wound. My worst fear was that I might lose consciousnesses at any moment now. I hope Greek healing magic isn't painful. I'd surely be screwed then.
War is great to those who have not experienced it - Pindar
Ο πόλεμος είναι μεγάλη για εκείνους που δεν έχουν βιώσει - Πίνδαρος
(Anyone willing or wanting to interact? Or if there's nobody, drone?)
Axel and Dendril walk away and I stand there awkwardly. She was...polite. I catch sight of gold in the forest, I allow a small smile and run, tackling Syra as the two of us go rolling, I end up rolling a few feet away from her. I bounce on my ankles, grass in my hair.
"Gotcha, Syra! I win!" I cry triumphantly at our undeclared competition.
"But seriously, how are you?" I ask, grinning, tucking my hair behind my war.
"Well, yeah." I respond, returning his smile. "I have a bunch of stuff I need help with. Firstly, sorry if this might sound girly... I need a dress for the dance. Yeah, at least, help picking one. Secondly, I guess I just need basic help from someone... Wait, scratch that out." I look at the sky and back at Skale. "I can talk to Melissa unless you have any better suggestions. Thirdly, I just need weapon help..." I count on my fingers and put my hands in my pockets. One hand in my pocket and the other to comb the back of my hair. "Yeah, that's it. Any recommendations and or or help?" I ask.
(Well now you have to clean your computer even after you get back so it'll take extra time ;))
War is great to those who have not experienced it - Pindar
Ο πόλεμος είναι μεγάλη για εκείνους που δεν έχουν βιώσει - Πίνδαρος
I sit up and huff at Xenia. "Was good, up until now thanks. Actually that's a lie, Dante's being a total jerk, there's a dance coming up, and I'm bored," I say exhasperated and flop back onto the grass.
Diego laughs some more at his comment before stumbling to his feet on the ice. He skates awkwardly to him and stops beside him, watching him work. "Pretty nice... She'll probably like it, considering it's her mothers animal... Sign... Thing... And a rose, which I hear is romantic with the ladies." Diego gives a childlike grin and sits down beside him. "So, a child of Boreas huh? Captain I assume as well... The last captain was eaten by a cyclops." He sighs.
Skale scratches the back of his head. "Well... We aren't allowed to bring weapons into the dance, otherwise we'll be on stable duty. Trust me by the way... They'll know if you bring weapons." He looks at her and looks away awkwardly before looking back. Dang, I'm out of my dating game... Wren really messed me up. Skale takes a deep breath. "For dress help, I'd talk to Sarah, she's the nicest daughter of Aphrodite, as well as the leader of the cabin, she'll help. And Melissa would be good help for anything else you need as well... Do you have a certain idea for a dress? I don't want to uh... Mismatch, if you know what I mean."
Dendril thought over what he said and she realized something, even though Axel didn’t like Powers and even though one could work without them, he had just accepted her for who she is and thinks she wishes to be. She smiled then. Powers were a touchy subject for him, this was true. If she did aquire powers, she would train in secret, at least from him. But the big picture was, he had accepted her! She couldn’t help herself, she reached out and grabbed him before hugging him close and tight, for her strength anyway, from behind. With her breasts pressed into his back and her face against his neck, she whispered into his ear “Thank you, Axel.” And she remained there, as if some giant weight was lifted off of her shoulders.
At this point in time, she didn’t know what the future holds for her or for Axel, but she was happy for at least one thing. She had found someone whom she could confide it, someone she just shared one of her greatest secrets with, and someone who had just accepted it. She hoped things would get better from there, that she wouldn’t have to worry about keeping secrets from him or he from her at least. She didn’t know if that meant he was her boyfriend now, but she cared for this man, and she held on to him like she was afraid to let go. She breathed in his scent from there, it was soothing at least. If he didn’t like the mention of powers, she would do her best not to bring it up with him. There was something else she wanted to bring up though, but perhaps she could ask Dante who would most likely yell at her or laugh or both. She wanted to make a surprise for Axel, A necklace made out of sea shells and hemp twine. But she was too scared to go alone because she knew she couldn’t fight a whole swarm of sea creatures just yet. The son of Pontus wanted to kill her and got away with it, and she wanted to keep the necklace a surprise for him. She wanted to ask Axel if he could ask Dante to escort her to the beach to collect sea shells but didn’t know how to ask Axel without it being…weird.
...