Tristan Damaris

@ Asher Harrington

Seeing you grow and develop your umbrakinesis power has inspired me to hone my spell craft. I've been practicing the best of both worlds which is why I don't really get much chat time with others... but you're cool. Thanks for being a good older sister I never had.

Tristan Damaris

P.S - had a blast in New York with you and Arsen. Let me visit again! 

@ TJ Gardner !

Our circumstances meeting at Capture the Flag were not ideal but I think it's cool how because of that, we had lots of fun together. I'll try to come up with more tricks for you to enjoy called the magic of friendship. 

Tristan

It probably took most, if not, all of his facial muscles to smile like a clown.

Her half-brother felt genuinely happy for her. After all those study sessions, it had finally paid off for this moment. Even if it is only a speck of shadow, it is only a matter of time before she can get better control and conjure more shadows. This was, he believed, to be the most difficult part in mastery of the ability. "Same process. You would need to have a better understanding of your power but for the most part, it should be less difficult than the previous. You should also have an understanding if what you're going to form too so it takes a bit more studying of application but that's nothing you can't handle." Tristan would be more than happy to help her with that since he had practiced in that form more than the concept. He thought of bothering Loukas about it but he figured he'll know another time.

"So, now that you have a shadow, I was thinking of giving it a boost. Light creates shadows right?" A sound of a clap can be heard inside the room and the lights filled it. It wasn't too bright but it was dim enough it to create a shadow. "Try using your shadow. I'll use mine."

It was all for naught.

There was a slight despondency in his sigh after they had disappeared to another room in the cabin, doing who knows what. He was actually excited to have some people intending to help but that ray of hope down the drain. He was more curious on the books they have so he'd have to hit up a friend of his. Well, now that they are gone at least the two of them are alone as he'd very much prefer. "Yes, let's." He responded back before he observed her movements. Eyes shut as she allowed the music to compose herself. He wouldn't know her thought process, but he had sincerely hoped that she produced at least something. Palms are open, Tristan eyeing her body gestures to make sure she was alright though and though.

And then, a speck of shadow had formed in her hand. The boy's eyes and mouth widened before he could silently celebrate. He raised his arms with clenched fist then drew them towards himself in an awfully joyful manner. "Yes! Asher! You did it! Now the next step is manipulating it. You can start small right now, but the more you practice, you can form shadows of bigger masses. There is no spell as far as I know since it all from your mind, which is why I needed you to be calm," he paused, "So... how do you feel? Did our study sessions pay off?"

Tristan was mulling about his next answer until he heard footsteps approaching the cabin entrance. His half-sister might not be able to pick it up, but he was prepared to greet some of their guests once they arrived. A little bit annoyed that their study session was going to be interrupted but it can wait a bit if Asher has some patience left to give. Once the door was open, Asher was startled but he looked towards to who could be bothering them at this time considering it is late. Very late. Instead, it was his half-sibling and a child of Athena, having seen them around before a couple of times. And almost every time, they're together. It was dark but the moonlight from the door illuminated the cabin interior which practically defeats the purpose of understanding this power. But with the implications of Loukas' suggestion, he might actually see a ray of hope. "Actually... turns out we could use a third opinion. Or fourth in that matter."

He knew the Athena cabin has a library and very much that it holds information on magic as expected from the goddess of wisdom. It's a wonder how this is the first time he's met Loukas since they slept in the same cabin, but what circumstance could be better than this? Tristan wanted to help her out himself but there's only so much he could do. He decided to give them a rundown of what has transpired in here before they came in so they could have an idea. "Magic takes a mental and meditative effort to harness and master, just like most if not all demigod abilities." He paused. "Umbrakinesis is no different, but I've discovered this realm to be more advanced when we're talking about abilities. I've yet to master its concepts since I somehow skipped that stage of mastery before I came to camp. Quite frankly, I know as much as Asher right now but I've been trying to help her out. I've made the room dark as you can see and I have her favorite tunes playing. Those, I believe, help with the concepts and guide to harness this power since your mental state plays a role."

He drew a heavy sigh of relief. Maybe they could help her find the darkness.

"As odd as it may sound, you want to draw your energy by manipulating light or more specifically, the lack of light. That's why I asked those questions." When she mentioned that she could not hear anything but her heartbeat, he did not take into account of sounds. It's completely dark in this very room so the only solution he could come up with right now is providing music to cover up that sound. And he knows the perfect type. As he recalled, Asher mentioned that she liked Russian classical music from one of their previous meetings. "Give me a second. Just need to find something..." Tristan pored over through the shelves of the cabin and soon found a book on Russian culture. He flipped through the pages and halted at a chapter on classical music. "Hmm... Got it." Snapping his figures, he made a stereo pop into existence as it stationed itself on a nearby nightstand. A finger pressed the play button and the device began playing music he hoped would drown out the sound and relax her body at the same time with the right volume.

"What you want to do is to manipulate the flame. Does it feel warm? Do the shadows feel cold? What would it feel like if you ran your hand through a shadow to change its appearance or harness its energy? Would it feel like a ripple in the water of a still lake, again stemming from waves?"

Tristan had forgotten that he has not told her about his not the best upbringing which played a big role in his habit to not trust people easily. He did not want to reveal not to mention hint that he had family issues. Perhaps more demigods than he knew has issues with their god parents but for him, it was not Hecate but with his stepmother. What he thought was his mother was just a woman out to get him. To make him suffer for his father's mistake. A small part of him was frustrated at his father for not realizing it too soon or even taking action but he was glad that he was the only family he had before leaving for Camp Half-Blood. As it turns out, any if his half-siblings could his family but he did not really put in the effort to get to know them other than the Harrington twins. Perhaps now is the time to tell.

"I had a family. I can't remember where my step siblings wound up but all I remember is that my stepmother was abusive and manipulative. The worst. She would hit me whenever she saw the opportunity. Spoke words that express her animosity towards me. And whenever I threatened her to tell my father, she would promise me in return that she will take away something that I love. I would not see my satyr friend." A deep sigh parted his lips. Relief washed over him as his story unfolds. It was not that he needed to tell someone, but he wanted someone he loves to know what made him that way. "I'm the bane of her existence... but my father. I remember he loved me but it breaks my heart when I had to make up an excuse whenever he saw my bruises. I feel that if I told him, I'll be subjected to my stepmother's wrath."

"He passed away... so she's the only one I have left. Now that I'm here, I resolved not to see her again. And I've been here ever since." Another sigh parted his lips as he set a soft gaze onto the other campers who were playing outside. Was it tag? Hearing their laughter made him miss his friends back home but he thought if he wrote letters to them, his stepmother would find a way to intercept those. Finally turning to Asher, he continued with poise. "Just having a someplace to look forward to coming back. And meeting you and Arsen. It's awesome." He could not help but smile. He could never been more content than this as far as he recalls. "I am very much looking forward to our adventure in the Big Apple."

"The source is my shadow." He replied. "Technically, you do because the light creates the shadows and it's much easier to harness the energy when the source is right here. Generating the darkness is... another story." Tristan had been studying the applications of this power during the day since it was to leave the magic to the evenings but he hasn't really delved into the fundamentals but he was determined to help her with the best of his ability. Upon her question, he laid the sword on his hand and gestured for her to give it a feel or even take it. He did not mind. "It's solid so it does not disappear unless mentally prompted to. To my surprise though, it does feel a bit cold. It does add onto the 'absence of light' concept."

Through their meet ups to study and practice magic, Tristan had not realize how much he was yearning for a bond with a sibling. He was too occupied with putting up a front that he never once thought that such circumstance could happen to him. He would sometimes get jealous of other campers hanging out with their half-siblings as if they were family to each other but he kept to himself inside their mother's cabin. He would exchange some words here and there but nothing more than a conversation that would probably not lead into having company. With Asher, he became more than delighted to accompany her and even go so far as to make his stay at her New York home which he could wind up making plans to do that soon.

"Of course." She was beginning to relax and so was he. He was more worried about her well being instead of her actually accomplishing her goal, because well... it can be done at any time. There was simply no deadline to acquire the ability in question and there was no guide to learning it. Tristan had been poring through his mother's library for clues but all he could make use of are the vague explanations of application and the matter... Matter... "That's right... Because it is more like a physical substance. It was never spiritual because it occupies space and possess rest mass." Her half-brother was giving her an eager look. "I thought so too. I was convinced that it was the same way because I had to explain to myself what was happening when I demonstrate it. See? I'm learning too." A soft chuckle parted his lips.

It was hard to describe but he could see everything in the room despite it being dark in no thanks to his night vision spell. "Remember that this ability is telepathic so it takes a bit of mental and meditative effort. What you want to do is to be relaxed. Take a few deep breaths and calm your body." He waited for the moment she finishes before he spoke up. "Close your eyes... and visualize a single lit candle. Watch how it moves on its own, see how it flickers in the dark, how the light shifts when it moves. Then imagine your hand or your finger manipulating it. What does the flame look like? Is it dimmer, smaller? Does it make the room go darker?"

"Scientifically speaking, light travels in waves. You want to disrupt that frequency. In the absence of light, remember?"

You can stay as long as you want.

As her words transitioned into his consciousness, they come with a warm feeling that shrouded his delicate heart that was shielded and hidden away. It may seem like nothing to her but having a place to come to outside of Camp Half-Blood was not something he would expect to look forward to since he had arrived. He stood there for the moment before he wrapped his older half-sister into a firm and brief hug. Tristan seldom expresses himself with such action as he found himself using his words but it was nothing he could have done better to show how he felt at the moment. Perhaps if he was elsewhere and procuring a gift, he would but it was urgent. As his hand held her arms for a bit, a tear can be found trailing down his cheek once they departed from the embrace and he wiped it off with his arm. "Sorry, sis. Um...-" He sniffled. "I'll come by for Thanksgiving. And Christmas. Good use the chance to explore the city with you. Or by myself. You must be busy." 

"Of course." He figured it would be easier to show her as well as people do learn from seeing rather than just cramming themselves into theory. Tristan faced his hand towards his shadow as he made eye contact with it. After a few moments, his shadow began to tremble and it does so the quicker with every second. Once his fingers clenched, a spherical shape began to manifest from the ground where his shadow was and using his hand, prompted it to levitate above his other palm. With a bit of effort, the ball transformed into a sabre and the dark weapon's hilt fell into his hand before he held it downwards to take away the risk of injuring her.

"It's much easier if I just generate it myself but for today, I used a source."

Tristan was aware of how driven Asher became but he did not think she would push it this far. Well, a part of him thought otherwise. He was impressed by her sheer willpower but he was becoming startled. He did not want her to stress herself over an ability considered rare even among the demigods. Finally seeing that the practice room had turn out, it was a mess. Everything seemed disorganized but to her mind, he felt that she knows where everything is. Brewed coffee used to fill those scattered mugs and things left over from her focus techniques are just... here and there. A room as such was normal for a Hecate child but he was more concerned about her obsession to acquire this ability the only way she knew how. 

Telling her to get some rest would be a bad idea. The way she spoke as if she was meant to harness the ability... he did not know what to tell her but all he could do was to help her out. "It's not." He spoke in a reassuring tone. "We can get this done. You are not alone, big sis. I know we have met up several times before but I won't give up on this. And I won't give up on you." Tristan was giving her a look of affection, hands giving her arms a soft squeeze for a brief moment. He did thought for a second that sneaking up on her was funny but he always knew he had that sort of mysterious presence. When he turned his back to her, his open hand panned from left to right and the wax candle stains on the room began to dissipate as if it was not there in the first place.

"So. Darkness is a form of energy that can be harvested in the absence of light. I know it's repetitive, but it cannot be retrieved from a tangible substance. It's more... ethereal. And certainly not a spell." The room has dim lighting which he was pleased to see. It already is a fine set up. However... "I just had an idea. If you want to control the darkness, you may have to blend into it. You have to feel it. Once you do... use your magic to harness it." With a snap of his fingers, the room became dark.

"I'll be here every step of the way."

Only nifty during the evenings but he will take it rather than not having his mother's given gifts. It was because of her that he became this way but it was also her that his life went downhill. Camp for the most part helped him get distracted but it never failed to remind him what he could have had.

Seeing the boy take out a vial, it piqued his interest. He always had an interest for alchemy but he never got around to actually do it despite the branch of magic having an intimate connection to his craft of potion making. It concerned with the study of the composition, structure, and magical properties - a tidbit he recalled from reading Harry Potter but he would not know the difference just yet. Maybe he is to find that out today. "The Mist... An excellent idea. It's properties do well in concealing the intended target's eyes and maybe even show them what they wanted to see." Tristan grimaced at the mention of his accident. He could relate to that all too well. He had to clean up after his own mess too but all it took as a spell to clean everything up. The harder part was undoing the effects if one person had drank a potion by accident.

"Learning this kind of stuff is what being a demigod is all about. Learning about your godly heritage and what you have been given as a result." Hecate children never had physical abilities like Ares, Athena, Hermes, or Nike children do but there are other ways to be useful in battle which is why he dived so much into spells on combat application. "I do have to see that your cabin's alchemy entails. I think it's quite similar to our cabin's potion making. You should show me the ropes sometime." And certainly an opportunity to spend more time with him. He does not realize it yet, but it does feel like he is his little brother.

"Hermes! Wow. Congratulations man." Tristan did not know he was his father not to mention that alchemy is part of their trade. He did hear that a cabin specializes in that area but it was not until today he matched it with Hermes. "That's impressive. I can keep the secret but you have to let me in on your prank." Perhaps every cabin has their own rite of passage but he could not recall Hecate's having one. He did remember being asked to perform a spell and he had demonstrated his umbrakinesis instead... was that their rite? "So what did you have in mind? I can make a spell for a ninja suit... Purely cosmetic so it'll wear off within a given time for convenience unless you actually want to keep the suit for yourself."

Tristan was pleased to know that someone with expertise in the Mist offered to teach him but he was also hoping that he would either way. He has not really touched on the Mist despite witnessing its applications several times before. It's not that he thought it was not useful, but the practicality of it was reaching to him now - even more so when Shadow brought it up. He did remember the time he used the power for himself and saw a faint image of a friend he used to talk with. With reasons he could not understand, he was okay with it. Or at least, happy that it even happened. What he did not tell him is the rumors surrounding his history on camp, both good and bad but he did not mind. It was his deal. When a camper had met Shadow with an accidental shove, Tristan looked up and realized it is dinner time so he wrapped up his set up and set until everyone else arrived. He was starving.

As it is somewhat rare for him, he decided to sleep early so he could be prepared for tomorrow's experiment. He got up early to prepare for a fail safe plan in case something in the process goes wrong which consists of crafting an undo spell. Undoing a transformation takes a bit more time since it's not a spell but there is also a potion that has the same function. He did not want to be seen giving it to them though as it is basically giving himself the blame for the experimental error. Once he was done, he left his mother's cabin, dragging along the nervous with him. 

Waiting for Shadow to meet him at the open-air venue, Tristan got settled in the steps a bit away from where some of the campers are. 

Tristan could not remember when was the last time he had siblings to hang around with. All he could remember was that he had a terrible stepmother and that they were gone because of him. He did not know what he did that could get her to bear such animosity towards him. Years of that unleashing onto him has made him develop trust issues so he had to go big and be an extrovert. He did not want to show anyone how vulnerable he is or how he is insecure. He sometimes frowns at the sight of half-siblings spending time together which is part of the reason why he was so dedicated to his craft. Perhaps this is why he can be expressive towards Asher or Arsen. He saw her as an older sister he thought he had so he cherishes every second spent with her even though she does not seem to reciprocate it.

"Visit you?" The thought never crossed his mind. He knew that she's rich and lives in some fancy place in New York City but he did not think he would be invited. Tristan did not have anywhere to go back to. Father who passed, no other known relatives, and an abusive stepmother. He will take her offer any day, maybe even sleep there for the holidays. He had always wanted to explore the city when he only saw it through the Grey Sisters' cab window. He was deep in thought for a bit until he gulped. It seemed like it felt too good to be true. "Asher... I would love to. Maybe I could visit during Thanksgiving or Christmas. Whenever you want." He knew she has a life outside of camp but he did not want to get carried away. Is a sibling sleeping over feeling far-fetched? He could not help but widen his smile it could burst into a giggle.

"Hmm..." Tristan was not even sure how he did one shadow. He remembered generating a weapon out of it in his first encounter with the harpies but not so much as the exact mental process of it. All he thought of at the time was taking down his opponent. "Well, you are in luck. It's sunny out and the sun creates shadows. Our shadows. Like those." It was obvious, but he wanted to point at their shapes their figures produced by the rays of light. "I think it would be easier to imagine what sort of object you want to materialize and manifest the energy into that. You can use our shadows as a source since actually generating them is a bit more... ambiguous." 

If he could remember one thing that was told to him when he first arrived, it was that coffee is an energy booster for your spellcasting studies.

So... drinking coffee makes your magic stronger? Not exactly and it was not until he discovered it himself that their magic is weakened during the day. He remembered casting so many spells at a time that he felt exhausted and went to bed early. However, he did the same thing during one evening and he did not feel any sort of fatigue at all. Not only their magic is more abundant at dark but he could cast more spells which by then he realized what they meant by coffee. To get your dose of caffeine and stay up to cultivate your magic. Most of the Hecate children wound up being night owls because of this but some do manage to get around during the day out of preference. Tristan had just woken up at the brink of night and began his evening with a warm shower. He had a certain Athena child to thank for as most of the Olympian cabins don't even have showers in them since theirs is modular.

The boy had planned on practicing his magic but it seemed as one of his half-siblings had already started or rather, been at it for days. He did not want to bother her because he knew how driven she was from their little umbrakinesis study sessions yet it seems like she has yet to harness the power of darkness. It reminded him of his spell workshops with her twin brother, Arsen, so he was actually thrilled he was a big part in their magic development. This time, however, it looked like Asher was going to lose her mind and patience from her yell. He had shown up to her practice room in denim slim jeans, a black shirt covered by a blue and white striped flannel, and a pair of Converse. The boy approached his older half-sister with a concerned look on his face.

"Asher! Hey." Glancing over to wax stains on her arm, his hand made a gesture that made them disappear. "It's done." This might be the last question she wanted to hear, but he wanted to ask anyway. "Want me to help you out?" It'll be like those times when they studied together.

Listening to him complaining, it reminded him of his first year at camp where it was an intensive training regiment no matter what god parent you have. The staff wanted every camper to be in shape in the event of real danger because they would hate to lose one out of oversight. Things began to feel a bit more relaxing once he entered in his third year but he devoted more time to his craft in magic cultivation. "That's what everyone says. Summer camp is supposed to be fun where you play games, hang out with friends, and eat smores. This camp is like that, save for the exercise and Greek stuff." He remembered some of his half-siblings using the Mist to pass the cabin inspections instead of actually cleaning them but once that trick got exposed the punishment was more harsher than just cleaning the bunks but with more places to clean.

"I can't do much at the moment but our magic does get stronger during the evenings." He began. Showing other people his spells was something he would do just to let them assess how versed he was in the mystic arts. It was never for the intention of bragging but to show what he had learned so far. Upon the mention of smoke bomb and his little mimic, he spoke up. "Oh, like this?" With the snap of his fingers, the boy disappeared into the smoke screen and his voice came from a bit way behind from TJ. "Over here."

He was smiling as he leaned an arm against the tree. Such act required teleportation magic and a spell to form a smoke, but it was nothing he could not handle. "Speaking of, I could make a couple of smoke bombs for you if you want. I have the spells and the ingredients so it would not take me long to produce them for your ninja acts. Whoosh!" Tristan mimicked throwing a ball and his arms expanded to demonstrate the smoke exploding as a laugh followed. 

"What?" He did not know that Shadow could tell how he felt about her but that is just saying how much Tristian does not really know some people. Somehow, it felt a little better knowing he knows too but it did not matter since he was not going to see her anymore. "The mist?" he asked with arched eyebrows. The boy did not dive into the power much since he had been studying his magic and umbrakinesis but he knew that with some effort he could harness the Mist. Are their powers really that scary, he thought. The powers of darkness, the night, and the mystic arts. He could not disagree. He sought to use them for good, even if it meant frightening some people. Tristan reached for a half-full goblet and grabbed it by the stem, the liquid changing it's form to crystal clear water when it had been chocolate milk. When he gulped it down, he was refreshed and reassurance accompanied. The man had a back up plan but he ought to learn a thing or two about Mist Control.

"Sure thing, Shadow. If this goes well... mind teaching me that power with the Mist?" He smiled back, a bit relieved that he had shown up.

"Right..." Even though Tristan can be found alone some of the times, the isolation has brought him to eavesdropping or word of mouth. Using magic to enhance his hearing or vision towards a specific area, he liked snooping around to other campers' businesses. He never got caught but he would rather not get caught than getting found out. He discovered that Shadow had just came back and knowing a bit of his history here, perhaps there could be some he knows here but it did not matter. Any unsuspecting camper would do. He was still pondering rather deeply with how their little scheme would work until Shadow voiced a question that soon changed his mind about the premise. He tried not to let it bother him but it seems like he could pick up the sarcasm. The boy sighed.

"There was this girl. We were good friends until she left me for whatever reason. I think I scared her with my powers." Tristan did have a crush on her but he was not going to tell anyone that. Not even his half-brother. "I just thought it felt nice having someone to talk to about your interests and hobbies. I know that might sound lame to you but I'm just a boy. Just a boy..." His tone grew somber towards the end but his brows raised at the idea. "We can do that, just not tonight. No one's going to duel after dinner."

"What about tomorrow afternoon? I'll be at the cabin preparing for just in case it goes wrong and you can be there to get someone to leave their drink aside." 

Tristan does not really know anyone he could think of but the more he thought about it, the more he became confident in his next prank. That camper would not know what will him them. They can celebrate if the transformation is successful. Otherwise... it would be time to go back to the drawing board. From the way Shadow sat, it was clear he was not interested in listening about his issues. A part of him did hope for someone or anyone for that matter to listen, but letting him partially enable his mischief act is good too. He was used to not having people to talk to. Since he had suggested it, Tristan decided to let him have first pick. "I don't have any, but maybe you do. You seem like you know people."

At the end of the day, he liked making potions during his past time and perfecting them. It's evident in his potion book, filled with detailed notes of substances, amount, and procedure. This little experiment would have enticed Shadow more if it actually read monsters instead of an avian species. "I can't do it during dinner... but I can slip it into some camper's drink when they are occupied somewhere."

The boy snapped his fingers upon the enlightenment. "That's right." Tristan has trouble remembering names but he can definitely remember the face of the kid who nearly fell down several feet towards the ground. He also had a BB gun which did impress him. If he could enchant it so it can kill monsters, he would be much more comfortable shooting from afar. When he looked back over his shoulder, it was an indication that he was gettingay from someone or some people. He understood the gesture too well. Is that even normal?

"That's the point of training. To get you used to our weapons. It's quite a challenge for the first few months but it gets easier. And besides, your BB gun isn't here to stick around often so you would have to rely on a bow for that long range attacks. Even us Hecate kids do this too. We can't rely on magic most of the time. We can't even use them much during the day." He shrugged. Either way, he learned to "get around" it by limiting himself to casting charms, enchantments, and the simpler spells. Maybe some outside of that but he'd have to recharge until the evening to do more.

"I've been good, yeah." He nodded. The mere fact that he saved him from the fall got him excited to study more spells in combat application. "Actually, since you're here... Do you want to see some of the spells I've been studying?" 

A grin curled the corners of his lips from the comment. An avian was not a good choice but it was not bad either. The boy wanted to feel what it is like to be free. Flying in the skies and gliding through the air. Flapping his wings to go higher or bending to go faster. "You wouldn't. You would probably choose an apex predator." He made eye contact with his older half-brother for the moment before sighing. "Just a hunch." He resumed tapping his pencil onto his notebook for several moments before placing it down and looking up art him once more. "I want to be free. I want to get away from this place as soon as possible." But he didn't have anywhere to go. Abusive stepmother. Dead father. No mention of cousins. Sure, he had trouble making friends and he partly had himself to blame for but it wasn't until recently that he felt truly and utterly alone. To many, he appeared to be a sociable person but no one has gotten close enough to know about him. There was one, but they ghosted him.

He shook his head. "Sorry, um- I shouldn't have said that. You're my brother. Half." Pursing his lips, he sets the notebook aside, pen and pencil between the pages as a sort of bookmark, and stands up to reach for the flask. Tristan measures some of the brew and pours it into a small vial. He had made sure there were not any side effects. He checked once, twice, three times. He could do that but if the camper was suffering from the site effects, then it would fall onto his conscience - even if he returned them to normal with a spell. It could be frightening for the both of them but his curiosity got the better of him. He just needs to find a way to turn them back immediately if the transformation was any less than one hundred percent perfect. Besides, maybe a little mischief could help distract him. 

The boy looks up, and taps his pencil lightly on the page of his notebook. He’s seen the guy in Cabin Twenty, but hasn’t spoken to him much; he did gather from his frequent visits at the cabin that he is Shadow, however, which makes him his older half-brother. "Good evening, Shadow." He began with a soft voice. Potion making made up the majority of his time since he had lost a close friend of his. It was his way to distract himself from the matter instead of grieving what they had. Or was it even there in the first place? He didn't want to think about it so he turned to playing with witchcraft. "Just a misanthrope making his usual brew." It was a bit of an overreaction, but nothing could hurt more than being left alone. "I was thinking I could turn myself into a bird so I can fly and explore the world." Or go away from here as fast as possible.

“My book listed no side effects,” Tristan assures him; a technical truth, but one he can’t claim 100% certainty of. He suppose that’s probably breaching some code of ethics that should apply to an experiment like this. But this is exactly why he isn’t trying it himself. Even if there aren’t meant to be side effects, if he brewed it incorrectly he could have altered the result in some way for all he knows. “It turns you into a magpie, temporarily - but I’m not sure exactly how long it lasts, so I’m trying to see if there’s any relationship between that and the amount of my brew. So yes, I’d actually really like it if you tried some.”

This was one of the brews written into his potion book, something to transform the drinker into black-billed magpie, and it was one that caught Tristan’s interest for how ludicrously nonsensical it sounded. Plus, the name just gave the vibe of those weird ‘hypnotizing to become a creature’ or whatever videos. Really weird stuff.

He held off on making it since it seemed the most likely the recipe would go wrong, but curiosity won and today he wound up creating a batch out of curiosity. Still, he refused to try it himself. There seemed to be so much that could go wrong - what if he got stuck in the body of a bird? What if he got stuck with the brain of a bird? Actually, some birds were pretty intelligent, magpies among them... but still. And that was assuming such a thing was possible and even that he’d prepared it correctly. Tristan shuddered to imagine turning some half-bird abomination. It at least looked right, though.

No, he wasn’t going to try this on himself. He could use some guinea pigs, though... It would have been more fitting if this was actually a guinea pig potion.

It’s still a while before dinner, but he is sitting at the Hecate table in the dining pavilion, wearing a poker face as he goes over the table he ruled up in pencil with pen. He’s used to being asked why he looks like that when he gets into this mode, which frankly is what annoys him more than whatever people think did in the first place. He’s simply focused.

A flask, a measuring cup and some glasses are placed on the table, along with a kitchen scale, and an outdoor digital thermometer set just by the edge. Despite what logic dictates, Tristan is trusting that there wouldn’t be a devastating amount of energy created in the transformation - but he’s curious whether there’ll be any observable increase in temperature around it at all, or whether magical interference would nullify that entirely.

Once he finishes ruling up the page he placed one more thing out: a piece of paper, held down against the wind by the scale. In large print writing, it reads:

POTION TESTING.

Turn into a monster magpie.

This little experiment is... dissatisfactory and imprecise. He’s investigating two separate things at once, though he only has himself to blame for that part. He turns to another page to sketch a bit while he waits for someone to hopefully come along. If the testing part doesn’t get attention, hopefully a conspiracy joke could at least get someone to talk to him long enough to rope them into helping him. @ Shadow Moore

Tristan was still under the novel's trance - imagining himself through the author's delicate prose. He loved reading and each experience gets better when he can get around his learning disability. There are times when he felt like he's never had dyslexia at all but he was becoming more confident in his reading comprehension skills. It was but a familiar voice gave him a reality check and he blinked - suddenly, he is back in Camp Half-Blood. He would not consider it cabin homework but he could understand the some of the stereotypes of Hecate children one being that every child must prove their worth and study hard to master their skills in magic. Really, any one of his siblings can study their god given gifts in their own pacing. As for Tristan, his motive is self-incentivizing-- the child loves magic inherent from his love towards the fantasy genre. Being a Potterhead certainly has its benefits.

"You could say that. Mother's library is never ending. With a simple gesture, you can change the books on the shelves depending on what you are looking for though I heard it is more of a certain child of Athena's doing. She's the one who built the cabin after all." The young man sprung himself from the tree branch and with two palms facing down, he slowed down his descent until he landed onto the dirt with the crunch of a fall leaf. "You're... that boy from before. From Capture the Flag. How have you been?" Though he may not show it, he was clearly happy to see him again. Closing his book with his hand, it disappeared with a poof and the magical dust it leaves soon dissipated into thin air.

It's been some time since Capture the Flag has ended. It felt like the longest two weeks but it's not something he could not handle. When he first arrived at camp, his body was lanky. Tristan doesn't exercise when he's had an abusive stepmother intruding in his personal life when an opportunity arises. The one time he did, she locked the doors but one of his siblings opened it several minutes after. It was because of her that he had developed severe trust issues and he would cower in the face of a bully but being in camp sort of helped with that. During that CTF game, he saved a camper from falling towards the ground. Sure they had already sustained light injuries but hitting the ground would have worsened his condition. He couldn't help but think about that. Such feat made him elated. Though when asked to come to the Blue Team victory party, he politely declined and walked off somewhere to unwind. That camper's name was @ TJ Gardner .

One afternoon, Tristan was sitting on a sturdy tree branch reading Skulduggery Pleasant. It's none other than a fictional novel but he always loved to sink into the realms of fantasia. Magic, a skeleton who turned out to be a magician, modern day fantasy, and a strong female lead - a great combination for a read and certainly inspiration to try out to spells when he gets the time. Leaves of the tree slightly shook from the light breeze. The high sunlit clouds drifted across the clear blue sky. The whole landscape was bathed in a warm glow of the sun that had risen. It's a good weather to be invested in a book... other than a rainy day.

"I'm happy to see you too." Tristan beamed at her in return, actively matching her energy. He may still be less assertive to others but for a particular child of Demeter, it was like seeing an entirely different person. Thinking about it now, it is almost time for her to head back to her family for the season and continue her school. The thought of her leaving brought upon grimaced expression as he was getting dressed for the beach earlier but he did not want to think about it now and let it sour his mood,. Looking over at the groups of campers already setting up their spots in their proximities, he turned to her and answered without hesitation. "I think we should go a little bit farther from that area." He glanced over to the forming crowd. He very much wouldn't prefer not letting others ruin their first firework experience together.

Tristan's hand held a firm grasp to Dahlia's wrist as he led them away from the bandwagon but still close enough to be approached by those who can put in the effort to walk the distance like their half-siblings or friends. Halting on an open sand space, he walked around an imaginary square. "Hmm... this should be good." The boy snapped and an entire beach set appeared in front of them with a sunset color scheme. Umbrella to cover them, a blanket for them to settle, a cooler for drinks and some snacks on a small wooden table. "If it's too much, let me know. Too little, I can add more. The logic behind this magic is quite something."