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Camp Half-Blood RP

Emberlynn Knight

Child of Iris
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Posts posted by Emberlynn Knight

  1. Emberlynn hummed to herself, bouncing to the tune as she navigated her way around the craft tent. Out of all the wonderful amenities this place had to offer, this was by far her favorite. The tent was a veritable wonderland of materials for creative projects. From paints to clay to today's material of choice - scrap lumber. The cheerful teen picked out a couple of nice looking pieces and brought them over to the center table where she'd laid out a particular canvas. It was an old painting, and a quite odd one at first glance. A forest of rainbow trees sprouting up from pink grass, with a log cabin inhabited by a green-mohawked minotaur. The piece had been one of her earliest works here at the camp, and had remained her favorite ever since. Mostly because she and her sister Petal had painted it together. It could normally be found hanging up in the Iris cabin, but she'd decided it was high time she made a frame for it.

    She was measuring out the back of the frame when a sudden chill ran down her spine. A feeling washed over her that she wasn't quite familiar with. Someone was approaching, that was certain, but this strange feeling... An Ares kid? Some of them had that aura thing that made other people angry... But this wasn't anger. It felt more like... well, not pain exactly. That feeling you get after pain - like someone had hurt her to her core and she needed to do something about it. For some reason it felt like she'd been thrown into the middle of a tense conflict.

    Ember did her best to shake the odd emotion. "Hello there!" She called out in her best "peaceful" voice.  "To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"

  2. An embarrassed smile flitted across Emberlynn's face. It seemed Petal had grasped exactly what she had been hinting at before she could even suggest it. And it also seemed her notebook of projects was a more open secret that she'd anticipated as well. Perhaps her sister had seen her scrawling in it at some point, too lost in her thoughts to bother hiding it away. It wouldn't be a shocking revelation. Still the important thing was that she was open to working together! The embarrassment lasted but a brief moment before her expression gave way to utter joy. "Truly?" she exclaimed. "Oh, I would love that!" Her mind had a terrible habit of flitting from project to project, dooming them all to eventual failure. But working with her sister was bound to keep her on track.

    "And I as well!" she chimed in as her sisters discussed a cheering squad. Honesty, Ember was impressed. She'd never been particularly athletically-inclined, so hearing that Hailey was both an artist and a swimmer made her seem like a very well-rounded person by comparison. It was funny, really. Before coming to camp half-blood, Emberlynn had always seen herself as rather eccentric. Her classmates had always seemed to agree. It was strange to suddenly have so much in common with the people around her. She felt more at home in the Iris cabin than she ever had with her adoptive family. Her parents had pushed hard for her to admire her elder sister, but their constant comparisons and their lack of common interests had bred nothing but resentment. But Hailey and Petal - here were sisters that she genuinely could look up to.

    Petal responded positively to her question about crushes, which immediately peaked her interest. The child had no experience with romance herself, but was an absolute sucker for romance stories. All of her favorite shows and books seemed to end with a perfect and loving partner for their heroine. And while she shew that people weren't storybook characters, she also knew that real life romances could be every bit as dramatic. She had no crushes of her own at the moment - it had been a whirlwind of a year with few opportunities for things like that. But she was happy to hear that there may be potential in her sister's love life. "A good philosophy," she assured her. "Though if you ever have need of a wingman, I'd be more than happy to oblige." 

    As she looked at Hailey and Petal's faces, her sense of elation only grew. It really is quite nice to have a family. It would be characteristic of her to give a long, flowery speech in this moment. A flood of words to express how grateful she was for their presence. But the response she gave was quite unusual for her - though every bit as heartfelt. Perhaps the other children were rubbing off on her already. "Ditto!"

  3. Emberlynn tried her hardest to keep her face still, though the combination of ADHD and excitement made that an exceedingly difficult task. While her cheeks remained relatively still, her eyes lit up at Petal's response. "Oh, that's wonderful! I know exactly what you mean... it must be impossible to go through life without a soundtrack ringing in one's mind! Playing, you say? Which instruments do you play? I took piano lessons as a child, though I was admittedly rubbish at it. Too much "Sit still, Emberlynn! You quit that playing around!" She did her best shrill piano teacher impression. For a moment her hands forgot their mission to keep still and made stiff, jerking motions to accompany her words. She nearly knocked the paintbrush from Hailey's hand.

    "My apologies..." Ember quickly folded her hands back into her lap. "I get a bit... carried away at times." Thankfully the rainbow paint across her face served to hide a bit of her embarrassment. "Anyways, I'd be delighted if you'd play for me sometime!" Her mind flitted to the notebook under her mattress, filled with half-finished poems and lyrics. The teen had a million ideas but a frustrating inability to see any of them through. Perhaps her sister could help turn a few into completed projects? "Have you composed any songs of your own?" She asked hopefully.

    They continued the cheerful chatter about music until Haley was finished with her creation. Ember stood and produced a small compact mirror from her skirt pocket. A gasp escaped her lips. "It's beautiful! Thank you, dear sister!" She offered Hailey a hug before taking over to start on Petal's facepaint. Doing her best to incorporate the newfound knowledge she'd gained about her sister, she began to paint a colorful swirl of music notes on her cheek. "I must say, it brings me immense joy to finally have some cabin-mates! You two have to tell me all about camp so far. Monsters, adventures, crushes... tell me everything!"

    • Like 2
  4. cooltext441390178839176.png

    Character Name: Emberlynn Knight

    Cabin: Iris

    Other Characters involved in Plot: Oracle, Benji Baker, Sage Roberts, *At least one character must be willing to receive a temporary injury

    Plot Overview:

    Emberlynn was just getting used to life at Camp Half-Blood. She's made some friends, found some family, and even made some breakthroughs with her photokinesis. But she's nowhere near ready when the oracle calls upon her to track down and eliminate a monster that's been terrorizing a high school in suburban Indiana. Ember and her team attempt to infiltrate the school by posing as transfer students, but her lack of confidence in herself costs them their chance and gets a friend injured. Terrified of getting someone else hurt and desperate to prove herself, she attempts to take on the enemy by herself. This ends in absolute disaster, but she does manage to find out the monster (an Empousa)’s weakness - being insulted. Realizing her prior mistakes, she trusts in her friends and defeats the creature using her tongue rather than her sword. She returns to camp victorious in her quest, and a better person and better friend for it.

    Plot Outline: 

    • Emberlynn receives a vague prophecy telling her to hunt down a monster  in the "state of a score, ten, and eight".
    • Emberlynn is unconfident and tries to reject the quest, but is ultimately convinced that she needs to go
    • The party is formed and figures out that “state of a score, ten, and eight” is Indiana
    • The group takes a train towards Indiana and gathers information pointing toward the high school
    • The party investigates and identifies Emily Greenberg as the monster
    • The Half-Bloods confront Emily. Emberlynn fails to act at a crucial moment and another team member is injured. Emily pins the chaos on the group and gets them banned from the campus.
    • Emberlynn sneaks away to confront the monster on her own.
    • Emberlynn fails miserably, is knocked unconscious, and is nearly killed. She accidentally discovers that the monster’s weakness is being insulted.
    • Teammates nurse Emberlynn back to health and are furious with her for going off on her own.
    • Hearing her story, a companion puts together that the monster must be an Empousa. The group comes up with a plan to kill her - this time together.
    • The team has a final confrontation in which Emberlynn uses her telltale quips to weaken and confuse the monster while the others come in to deliver the killing blow.
    • The campers return and celebrate victory. Emberlynn realizes how important it is to believe in both herself and her friends.

    Plot Locations: 

    • Camp Half-Blood
    • Train to Indiana
    • (Maybe local library for researching info)
    • Suburban High School
    • Empousa’s lair - clearing in nearby woods
    • Return to Camp Half-Blood

    Full Plot:

    Emberlynn has been at Camp Half-Blood for about a year now, and is finally starting to get used to things. She spends most of her days in relative peace - working on crafts, developing her powers, and deepening her relationships with her newfound friends and family. But the more she learns about the world of demigods, the more alienated she begins to feel. Much as she yearns to be, Emberlynn doesn't feel like a hero. Her combat skills leave much to be desired, and for all her creative pursuits, she's unable to determine a true talent she can boast of. She longs to find a purpose here, to help these people who have given her a home, but her self-esteem issues make it hard to see herself as anything but useless.


    So it comes as an absolute shock when she receives a prophecy from the oracle. She is tasked with tracking down and slaying a monster in the "state of a score, ten, and eight". At first she claims it must be some sort of mistake, that the quest must be meant for one of her older sisters or one of the more "hero-like" campers. But when it is made clear that the prophecy is indeed for her, she begrudgingly accepts and finds a few other campers to join her. The group figures out that the vaguely-described monster must be in Indiana - the 38th state - and set out to begin their adventure.


    As the group travels closer, they find information that points them to a particular high school in the suburbs. They enter the school posing as transfer students from another district there on a visit. It soon becomes apparent that something is off with the "popular clique", and in particular with the captain of the softball team- the almost supernaturally popular Emily Greenberg. Having identified their monster, the team formulates a plan of attack. They confront the creature, and things seem to be going well until it comes down to Emberlynn needing to make a split-second decision. Unsure of her answer and lacking confidence in her skills, she freezes. Another member of the team is wounded. Emily takes the opportunity to use her charmspeak on the principal, getting the Half-Bloods banned from campus and pinning the chaos on them.


    Emberlynn feels beyond guilty over her wounded friend, fully blaming herself for their failure. While the others plan and regroup, she secretly decides to try and take out the monster by herself. At least that way, she figures, nobody else can get hurt. She tails Emily and her clique back to their lair, but gets discovered and surrounded. Normally Ember is all quips during a fight, but in her determination to "do it right" and "act like a real hero", she keeps silent and focuses on the fight - a fight in which she is severely outnumbered. She fails miserably, getting beaten to within an inch of passing out. Just as the monster is about to feast on its prey, she lets out a feeble insult... and the creature shrieks and flees from the room. One of her companions tracks her down just in time and drags the unconscious Emberlynn back to safety.


    Her teammates are understandably furious with her, but her story of what occurred strikes a chord with one of them. They've heard of a monster who screams and flees at the sound of insults - an Empousa. This time they know what they're up against, and they're going up against it as a team. They manage to isolate the ringleader and Ember uses what she now realizes is her special talent after all - her words. She hurls the best insults she can think of, and as the monster reels back, the others close in and turn it to dust. The group returns victorious. After everything that's happened, Ember has not only learned that it's alright to rely on those around her but is a bit more comfortable relying on herself too.


    Does this impact more than just my character and those I'm writing with directly?


    No, only quest participants and (minimally) residents/students in the small suburban town.


    Would this make major headlines or otherwise ensue panic or happiness on a massive scale?


    No, the reality of most of the chaotic events is obscured by the Mist, and nothing large enough to make any major headlines will occur. At most the school newsletter might mention something vaguely related.
     

  5. "Careful there, Mr. Gauthier," Emberlynn chuckled. The giddiness brought on by her victory clearly had yet to leave her. "That was very nearly a compliment." She still couldn't say she liked the boy much. He'd been quite rude to Sage out of nowhere, and seemed far too eager to smack her around with that stick. But she had to admit he'd been helpful. And this was far too wonderful a moment to allow it to be tainted by hard feelings.

    Though the rainbow light had faded from her skin, Ember was still positively beaming. She could hardly believe what had just happened. She'd done it... She'd really done it! For all her efforts up util now, all she'd been able to produce was a tiny ball of light. But with Sage's guidance and Axel's - uh - aggressiveness? - she'd managed something she'd hardly thought possible. Not one, but two full-sized illusions!!! Granted, they'd been bit shaky and had only lasted a second, but with practice... Her young mind ran wild with possibilities. Once she got a bit better at this, she'd have to put on a light show! She imagined a full band of holographic Emberlynns onstage, each with their own outrageous and sparkly outfit. Dancing fairie-lights flitting through the audience. A crowd of smiling people people. The thought filled her with wonder and excitement.

    Of course, there were more practical uses for her skills as well. Sage's words still rang in her ears. "With practice and honing your skills, you'll be able to harness this power even further. Together, we'll help you explore the depths of your abilities and become an even stronger demigod." Ember nodded eagerly. If she could be useful to the camp, to Iris... well, that was almost as enticing as making everyone smile with a show.

    "You're quite right!" she beamed, linking arms with her newfound training buddies. "A celebration it is!" She was weary and sore from the effort, but her eyes shown with a greater determination than they had in quit some time. "To the Big House!" With that she drug them off to revel in their victory.

    • Like 1
  6. "Oh!" Emberlynn gave an embarrassed chuckle as Hailey walked in the other direction. "My apologies, I know my manner of speaking isn't entirely conventional." It seemed that Hailey had misunderstood her request. Of course that was entirely understandable. The teen girl spoke like a walking thesaurus at times, which didn't make for the easiest conversations. It was her own childlike way of imitating the glamourous women she'd seen in the media growing up. They always spoke so eloquently, dressed so impeccably, and always seemed to lead such happy and interesting lives. She knew that her flowery speech and patchwork outfits were a poor facsimile, but it had become such a core part of her that she sometimes forgot how off-putting it could seem to others. Gods damnit Ember...

    She spoke quickly to mask the panic in her voice. She hoped she hadn't ruined the mood. "I-I meant..." she pointed to her face again. "I meant you could do mine, and then I could do Petal's... I mean I could paint first if that's what everyone would rather do. Whatever you're most comfortable with! Though I'm certain yours will be amazing, Hailey."

    Hailey was, after all, an artist. Ember herself loved to paint... and draw... and bake... and sew... and sing... The girl had a multitude of interests that seemed to vary by the day. And she was quite talented at several of them. But she was never the best at anything. She was a pretty good painter, a half-decent baker, an above-average singer - but nothing stood out as her ultimate talent. Sometimes she wished that she had that one thing. One particular skill that set her a notch above the rest. But every time she wanted to focus on one thing, she found that there were just too many to choose from. So she was stuck as a perpetual Jack-of-All-Trades. And master of none.

    "It's truly wondrous to have a talent like that," she acknowledged, giving Hailey another smile. "How about you, Petal? Is there any particular hobby or talent you've found passion in?"

    • Like 1
  7. "Indeed!" Emberlynn nodded eagerly. She was honestly grateful for Petal's quick decision making. That was always something she had struggled with herself. Between her impossible desire to please everyone and her frequent flights of creative fancy, making a decision was more terrifying than a Hydra. Not that she'd ever had to battle a Hydra, thankfully. Aside from her tragically low self-image, indecisiveness was perhaps her greatest weakness. One that could easily derail a fun party too... but it seemed she wouldn't have to worry about that tonight. It was wonderful to see that her sisters were just as excited to get to know each other as she was.

    Ember grabbed a lemon-flavored cupcake with shimmering purple icing from the table, taking a huge bite. Auntie A had made similar sweets for her twelfth birthday party... back before her whole world had been upended. Maybe one day she could take her sisters to visit the bakery if such a gathering wouldn't attract too many monsters.  She sat down in front of Hailey, who had already gone to grab the face-painting kits. "Excellent plan, Petal!" She beamed, tucking her legs back behind her and her rainbow hair back behind her ears.

    Then she pointed at her exposed face. "So you're an artist, then?" She looked up at Hailey, eyes sparkling with anticipation. "In that case, I'm ecstatic to provide you a canvas! That is if Petal doesn't mind me taking the first turn." She motioned for the Petal to join them. "I could do yours next, if you'd like? Though it might not be as good. I'm sure our elder sister has much to teach us!" 

    • Like 2
  8. Haley was the first to enter the cabin. The moment she did, Ember shot to her feet. "Welcome!" she declared with a broad grin and a sweeping motion. "How are you, dear sister? I'm thrilled that you made it tonight!" Of course, having used their cabin for the occasion, Hailey probably would've come by at some point that night anyway. But Ember was extremely happy that both of her sisters had agreed so readily with her idea. She loved getting to know people, and what better way than a night of fun! It was wonderful to be here among family. "Thank you!" she soaked in the compliment, proud that her hard work had impressed. She followed Hailey's eyes from station to station. Good question. Where should we start?

    She was about to ask for an opinion when Petal Price stepped through the door. "Petal! Welcome!" She rushed over to give her a hug. She'd wanted to do the same when Hailey walked in, but didn't want to hug people unless she knew they were comfortable with it. Ember sadly didn't know her eldest sister as well. But she dearly hoped that would change tonight. "Oh, this?" she said teasingly. "Just a little something I threw together." Her tone made it clear that the comment was more in jest than arrogance. She had already found herself looking up to her older siblings here at camp, so seeing how excited they looked filled her with exuberance.

    "I'm willing to start wherever you desire!" Her smile shone bright even in the dimming light through the cabin windows. "We could paint our faces, perhaps? Or if you're hungry, there are plentiful goodies on the table. The pretty ones are from my Aunt's bakery back home! The significantly-less-pretty ones are my own handywork," she giggled. Her telltale speech pattern made her sound a bit awkward, but her body language portrayed a cheerful confidence. "But the taste is adequate, I swear!"

    • Like 2
  9. With another deep breath, Emberlynn locked eyes with Sage. Lets the light flow through you... focus on how this feels... Right. Come to think of it, that warm tingly feeling that accompanied her ability did seem stronger now. When she conjured her small purple light, she had often found herself drawing on that feeling, pulling it up from her core into her hand. But thus far she'd only been able to conjure a fraction of the warmth she'd felt that day in the woods. Until now. She realized, under the pressure of Axel's vicious swings the feeling had grown within her. Instead of a tingling in her core, it felt like lighting coursing through her veins. How had she not noticed this before?! It had taken the analytical words of her friend to draw her attention to it. But now that she was fully aware, she was not going to let it go to waste.

    Just what was that feeling though? How had it come about? She tried to think back to what had been happening when Axel first declared that it was working. He'd been smacking her around with a tree branch. Obviously. But what had she been thinking. Feeling. What brought about that surge of power?

    Gods what do I do... Mom... help...

    That was it! It must be. All thins time, she had been relying on her own sense of strength and skill to push out the light from herself. But Emberlynn's true sense of self was far from ideal. That panic and longing had forced her to cry out for help. And her mother had answered. She looked down at her hands, still pulsing with multicolored light. It felt as though it was waiting.  What do you needthe power seemed to ask. I need... She looked from Sage to Axel, who was about to strike her again with hat horrible stick. She could block him, but Sage would just as easily cut her off from escape. I need to be in two places at once.

    As if in answer, the light changed form. It swirled around her and let out a blinding flash. Ember dropped to the ground, rolling away from Axel's attack. But instead of trailing her as he normally would, his eyes remained on the spot where she had just been. Well, where she still was to the outside eye. In that brief moment there was not one, but three Emberlynn's. The real one who had managed to roll past her attacker, and two illusions facing her opponents. They were stiff, identical, and a bit fuzzy. Nothing that would fool a trained eye for more than a second. But a second was all she needed. As Axel bore down on the illusion, she grabbed his sword arm from behind. She used his own momentum against him, forcing him to drop the stick. She placed her foot on it and grinned.

    Both illusions vanished in an instant. "Good gods, did you see that!?!" her voice swelled with excitement. 

    • Like 1
  10. The Most Colorful Cabin

    @ Hailey King  @ Petal Price  ~

    Emberlynn hummed to herself, dancing around the Iris cabin with a sparkle in her eyes. There was an odd grace to her movement as she made her way through the bunks, stringing up the last of the multicolored streamers her aunt had mailed in with the latest care package. That did remind her - she needed to put some extra effort into her tank-you card this time around. Aunt Amelia had truly outdone herself. When the box had first arrived, it had been the envy and curiosity of every camper who saw it in the mail room. A brightly-colored parcel the size of of many of the preeteens themselves. And knowing that her aunt shared her passion for gift-giving, Emberlynn herself had been more than excited to open it. But the present had been far more generous than the girl had expected. The box had contained a variety of streamers and art supplies, a face-painting kit, several trays of sugary confections from her bakery, and even a karaoke machine (one of the old timey ones that operated off of discs with a chorded microphone, as Amelia was well aware of the dangers electronics posed to demigods.) With it had been a note written in her signature flowery handwriting:

    For Emberlynn: I know how much you love to throw parties for your friends, and I'm sure you've made tons of new ones at Camp Half-Blood! Here's some supplies to get you started. Love ya and miss ya! - Auntie A

    Emberlynn had puzzled for days over the best way to make use of her gift. Should she wait for a birthday or holiday? Request permission from Mr. D to hold a pop-up party at the big house? But the inspiration had struck her while looking at a painting she'd created with her sister in the craft room. This would be a perfect opportunity to bond with Hailey and Petal! She'd always wanted a sister (well, a real one, not her perfect princess of a stepsister who refused to acknowledge her attempts at bonding), and discovering that she now had two of them had brought her immense joy. But she'd been so wrapped up in camp events and developing her magical abilities that she'd scarcely had the time to give her social abilities a stretch. She hadn't hosted a party in forever, and where better to start then right here in their very own cabin!

    She took a step back, admiring the afternoon's work. The karaoke machine sat in one corner. In the other, she'd placed a plastic table with one of the craft rooms paint-splattered tarps as a makeshift tablecloth. The trays of beautiful sweets from Auntie A's bakery were laid out there alongside some slightly-less-beautiful ones she'd made herself in the kitchens. She was still learning after all. Along the back wall she'd set up a little face painting station with the kits she'd been given, and a banner strung up that read " 💖 GIRLS NIGHT!  💖". Ember wore a wide grin as she admired her handiwork. Yeah... this felt good. It had been far too long. Pleased with the layout, she sat down on her bunk, eagerly watching the door to greet her sisters when they arrived.

    • Like 2
  11. Emberlynn approached cautiously, ducking in between the bushes while the two combatants conversed. Once she recognized: Mr. Selway, the counselor who had welcomed her here on her first day of camp. She remembered how nervous she'd been that day, and how much effort she'd put into seeming elegant and composed. A terrified little girl holding her head up high... sometimes she wondered where that girl had gone. This bruised, tired warrior in a dented helmet bore no such mask of elegance. She did, however, have a bit more real confidence. Perhaps that was how these things worked. The more she came into herself, the less she'd need to pretend.

    The other boy was one of the Athena campers. She hadn't met him personally, but it was good to see that someone else from the  blue team was here. The last thing she needed was another 4-on-1 fight. She hadn't entirely abandoned her desire to feel dignified after all. Hoping her teammate would provide enough of a distraction, she crept around behind the cabin leader, reaching quietly to snag their goal. 

  12. Emberlynn smiled warmly. She was happy - truly, immensely happy. It seemed that her sister understood exactly where her train of thought was headed. It was wonderful to have a sister. Someone who, while different in many ways, shared her wild and creative mind in ways she hadn't found even with her closest friends. Petal was right. The world they were creating together was beautiful. And not just the Iris kids either. Everyone she'd met here so far had held a different worldview, walked a different path. But here they all were at camp, learning, training, protecting each other... it truly was a beautiful thing.

    "As am I. I'm glad you're here, Petal."

    Ember wiped the paint from her face and returned to her work. Beneath one of the rainbow trees, she began to form a smaller picture. A picnic blanket, a basket full of colorful fruits, and two rainbow-haired girls chatting happily together.

    "It's a fascinating place, Camp Halfblood." She commented. Her early days here had left her lonely and confused. But now she had started to make some friends. And even a sister! The camp was starting to feel a whole lot more like home.

    • Like 1
  13. RPC13 - 5 -

    "Body?" Emberlynn asked, brushing away the last of the dust from her face. Her vision had been trained on the other campers, hoping to gauge at least a few positive reactions. The smile she received from Helena was more than enough to sate her desire for recognition.  The Aphrodite camper was both older and more authoritative, and happened to possess all the charms expected from her heritage. A smile from that woman would leave most teens starstruck. Ember grinned back, thrilled to have had someone notice her achievement. So thrilled in fact, that it took her a moment to process what Helena was talking about.

    She looked down to find that the monstrous claw - the same one that she'd managed to dodge under - had been left undisintegrated on the ground. A trophy! She'd heard that slain monsters would sometimes drop an object or body part for heroes to show proof of their victory. Her heart best faster. Did that make her... a hero? That sense of longing to be seen overtook her once more, along with a growing sense of pride. "An offering," she replied. "We should burn this trophy to honor the Olympians, who have blessed us in this battle."

    Thank you, Mom. Emberlynn prayed. Hoping that maybe - just maybe - the gods were up there listening.

  14. The northern area was the next place to scout out, so Emberlynn set off that way. Her mind, however, was somewhere entirely different. Literally up in the clouds. Specifically she was dwelling on thoughts of Mt. Olympus. What did it look like, she wondered... the place where her mother sat. Was the goddess truly looking down of her from up there? And if so, was she proud of her young daughter? I killed a monster, Mom! Using the gifts you gave me. Did you see? She prayed silently in her head, paying little attention to the game at this point. Was that silly? It was probably silly... Still, she found herself yearning for some sort of recognition. Some trace of pride from a mother she had never known.

    A commotion from a nearby clearing interrupted her thoughts. She blinked, bringing her mind back down to the ground. Back down to real life. She saw a group of defenders chasing after Annie, the kind girl who had helped her out at the last flag. And speaking of flags... the red flag was right there. Maybe... just maybe... she moved slowly out into the clearing, hoping to snatch it up while the other team was still distracted. 

  15. RPC13 - 4-

    Emberlynn nodded, practically beaming (though not literally this time) at the older camper's endorsement. It felt good to be able to bring everyone together, and even better for them to actually be listening to her plan. She wasn't near as adept a fighter as the Ares campers, nor as great a strategist as Sage and her family. But if there was one thing Emberlynn was particularly good with, it was people. It was a skill she was incredibly proud of, possibly because it was one of the few things that made her stand out even from her siblings. Her flair for the dramatic, her creativity, even her lightbending... all of those were gifts inherited from a mother she'd never met. But her amicable nature and communication skills were - as far as she could tell - truly hers. It felt great to finally express her talents in a way that brought people together against a common foe.

    She nodded to the other girls, then charged toward the massive beast. Her hands glinted with rainbow sparkles, ready to release her power. A claw swooped toward her. She crouched down, using the momentum of her charge to slide under the thing's massive swipe. A trick she'd seen MK pull of about a year ago. She'd been weak and confused back then, needing an older camper to come to her rescue. Now it was her turn to protect the other campers. Inside the creatures range now, she raised her hands up close to its vast array of eyes. Nothing should have that many eyes, she thought as she let the light flow from her palms. The scorpion reeled back with a horrid screech. 

    Perfect! Ember slid further under the creature. When it reeled back on its legs like that, it made just enough space for a little teen girl to get up underneath. She drove her blade deep into its underbelly, hopefully at the same time it was being pelted with projectiles from their cross-team alliance. Then she rose to her feet. Coughing and spluttering, covered in sulfuric dust. Grinning like a madwoman. "It is done!" she declared proudly. Honestly, she didn't care in the slightest that the other team had taken the opportunity to run off with a flag. This was a far greater victory in her mind.

  16. R13 - 3 -

    "Hmm..." Emberlynn looked at the stone, quickly grasping what the girl was getting at. "Seems great minds think alike. Not to worry though, I have things covered on the distraction front." She smiled, and little twinkles of light danced between her fingers. She then knelt to ground and began rifling through her bag. "Here." She dropped a small dagger at the Ares camper's feet. Perhaps arming the enemy wasn't the best idea, but she could hardly expect them to charge into battle unarmed, could she?

    "I'll draw it toward me and blind it just like..." she faltered, then shook her head. This was no time to be shy with her personal experiences. "Like the last time I encountered one of these horrid things. Once the foul creature has lost its vision, we charge it from both sides. Come in for a flanking attack... are you okay with that?" She realized that while she was taking on a great amount of the risk herself, she was also asking these other girls to put themselves in danger. Moreover, she was asking them to trust her. 

  17. Almost as soon as she had thrown up her signal, a wall of ice suddenly sprung up between Emberlynn and her attackers. Just in time too, as it seemed to others were closing in on her. "Oh, thank the gods!" she panted heavily. "As much as I appreciate the assumption that I can handle this onslaught alone, help would be greatly appreciated!" She grinned back at the girl, thankful to have at least one other person on her side.

    Even better, being walled off by ice gave her a chance to introduce herself. "I'm Emberlynn, by the way. I don't believe we've met." They wouldn't have long to speak though, as the little boy was moving into defensive position. She steadied her breath, panic finally fading away. She nodded toward the new arrival, dropping her formal speech pattern slightly for just a moment. "Let's do this, shall we?

  18. RPC13 - 2 -

    "We are teaming up," Emberlynn explained to the new arrival (well, new to her perspective at least). It was another of the campers that she'd just recently fought. Joy. Still, this was no time to get up in arms over a mere game. This here was a real threat. "At least that would be my recommendation. Assuming we all value our lives." She gave her signature welcoming smile. There were no hard feelings behind her expression now.  Simply a genuine desire to grind that Scorpion into yellow dust.

    She lowered her voice, leaning in a bit closer to her two adversaries. For now, she'd rely n their support. They could duke it out over the flag once this was taken care of. "I have a plan. If you'll accept it, of course." She looked at the bow in the new girl's hand. "Do you have any arrows for that, or just paint?" She laughed a bit, showing her hand that was still tinted with the red paint from before. As if in response, an arrow came flying in toward the creature. The others had noticed! Thank goodness!

  19. One of the attackers - the Ares girl - paused for a moment. Perhaps they were showing her some sympathy. Or perhaps they simply didn't know what to do with a human strobe light. Either way, that momentary opening left her with three options. She could attack the girl with her sword, possibly try to knock her unconscious with its hilt? But that didn't sit right with Emberlynn. Just as she hadn't wanted to attack the slingshot wielding child, she had no desire to harm an unarmed defender either. Though the welt forming on her side where the first blow had connected did seem to plead for her to consider the option. The second - and the one she should probably take - would be to run. It was four on one here, impossible odds. Surely there would be no shame in making a tactical retreat.

    She considered that possibility the longest, but she couldn't bring herself to turn tail and run. If she could just hold out a little longer. Maybe... if the others could find her... So she chose option number three. Keep fighting. Futile as it was, she couldn't let the beating she'd taken so far be for nothing. She knew now what to do with the pulsing light that had been building to immense levels. Raising a hand toward the sky, she called out again. This time though, it sounded a bit less pathetic. "Blue team! To me!" A streak of brilliant red light pierced the sky, sending out a clear message to any of her teammates in the area. This is the spot! The flag is here!

  20. RPC 13 -Roast a Scorpion - 1 

    Emberlynn pushed back some of the brush, searching for whoever was trying to fool her. It took a moment to follow the human tracks, but they guided her to the offender quickly enough. Shining her light in the girl's direction, she drew in a quick breath. "It's you!" she exclaimed. She recognized this girl all right. This particular daughter of Ares had given her quite a few of the bruises she now sported from her last encounter with the red team. But before she could contemplate any for of vengeance, a roar echoes from a nearby group of trees. More tricks? No, it couldn't be. The culprit was right here in front of her, she would have seen if she had done something to make that noise.

    Ember turned to the noise, risking letting the Ares kid out of her line of vision for a moment. What was over there was far more concerning. She knew that sound... Sure enough, a large, unmistakable stinger was sticking up over one of the bushes. "Nay... not again..." She tightened her grip on her blade. "Not this year." A freaking scorpion. Of all the things. She looked to the other girl, still crouched on the ground. She couldn't say she had much love or trust for a camper that had given her such a beating not too long ago. But her hatred for the evil creature before them far outweighed any human grudge. "You!" she barked, her previously shaky voice now for some reason filled with confidence. "To arms!"

  21. Her grab missed by a good margin, which wasn't shocking as at this point she was moving entirely on instinct. Between the two Ares children and the two ranged combatants, there was nowhere for her to go. Her light pulsed violently in time with her ever-increasing heart rate. A blade swung toward her, then a fist, then another blade. No maiming. Those were the rules, right? She didn't know about the other two, but Ember distinctly remembered that the Ares cabin was known for "forgetting" that rule. "Help!" she cried as the Ares' girl's fist drove into her side. Another rock pelted her in the leg, a paintball splashed across the side of her helmet. "Someone... anyone..." she pleaded.

    Mom... please... The light pulsed even brighter around her. There must be some way put. There had to be. She reached out for the flag again, though every time she did she knew the gang of red members would beat her down. If she didn't at least try, then this would all be for naught. There must be someone out there... or some way out of this...

  22. The leaves moved away as Emberlynn poked them. In a moment she heard the soft pat...pat...pat... of paws against the forest floor. It was as she feared. Something was coming for them. Under cover of darkness, it was difficult to make out any shapes through the trees. Sage was always prepared. Perhaps she'd had a flashlight in her bag. Wait!

    Oh, Emberlynn! You absolute dunce! Apparently the trauma of last year's scorpion attack was messing with her brain. Ember was a child of Iris. She didn't need a flashlight! She closed her eyes a moment, conjuring the warm tingling feeling that always accompanied her mother's divine intervention. Breathing slower now, she forced the feeling up through her core and into her palm, extending it toward the bushes. When she opened her eyes, a bright light pieced the darkness, illuminating the space.

    She'd expected the shadowy figure in the bushes to be shaped like a large creature. A lion, or maybe even a hellhound. She'd even had a vague hope that the light might scare it way. But the figure wasn't a creature at all... it was quite distinctly human. Relief washed over her, then suspicion. Suddenly it clicked what must be going on. She gasped, calling back to the other defenders. "Be wary, friends! It's an ambush!"

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