Axel Gauthier

Axel's eyes fell back on the fire. It hadn't occurred to him before that some of the kids didn't do their offerings. "I-I guess..." he gave a small shrug. "I mean, that's just the rule, ain't it?" He wondered what Devon meant by "what the rest of us have." He'd had his share of hardships long before the monsters started showing up. Still, he'd never blamed his mother for them. Not since... his mind flashed back to the place he'd once called home. There had been a time, he supposed, when he'd been angry. When he'd wondered why he didn't have a mother like other kids. But when his stepdad came into his life, any vitriol he'd held had found a new and more worthy target. And once he knew that his mother was a literal goddess, it had been no surprise that she hadn't made it down to earth for visits. He wasn't worthy of a gods' attention, was he? Not yet at least. But he'd keep practicing, keep getting stronger, and some day... The mention of quests brought his attention back to the conversation. "Whoa, really!? That's awesome!" his mind spun with pictures of young demigods fighting epic battles with the weapons forged by Devon. The "camper's don't come back" part was unfortunately lost on him. He wanted - no, needed - a blade like that. "I'm a sword man myself," he said, feigning more confidence than he felt. "My favorite from the training hall is - er - was a xiphos. Now it's kinda just a hunk of metal." He scratched his head and paused to down another mouthful of fish. "I get ya. I know you're busy, it's totally fine if it takes a while!" Impatient as the kid often was, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth either. "I'll figure out some way to pay ya back, promise!" He wasn't sure exactly how, but there had to be something. Maybe if he could get ahold of some of those rare materials? Though how one would obtain such things he had no idea. Still, he'd figure something out. He just had to.

Axel's eyes sparkled at the thought of taking on the Ares kids. While he and his Nike siblings were unmatched in combat prowess, the Ares children often outpaced him in raw strength alone - especially the older boys. One particular bully came to mind... one he'd take great satisfaction in showing up. "Thanks, man!" he piled his plate high with fresh fish. The Dining Hall was one of his favorite places at camp. Second only perhaps to the training fields. Like most teenage boys, he was fully capable of eating his weight in food. Though before coming to camp he'd scarcely had the opportunity. After his dad had gotten sick, the family finances hadn't been in the best place. Even if they had it was doubtful that his stepfather would have given young Axel more than the bare minimum. So the piles of fresh meats, fruits, and cheeses that filled up the Dining Hall had been enough to bring the boy to tears when he'd first seen them. Following the line of campers, he approached the fire. By now the procedure felt more like habit than a true act of reverence. "Nike," he whispered as a chunk of fish descended into the fire. He'd long ago stopped expecting it to smell like burnt fish, but he doubted he'd ever get over the wonderful smells that did rise from the flames. The smell of god food... he dreamed that perhaps one day he'd taste it. To dine with the gods as a true Demigod Hero like Hercules did in those old stories. But for now he was more than grateful for the fish. He waited for Devon to finish his offering and joined him at the table. "I don't need anything fancy," he explained through mouthfuls of meat. " Just somethin' weighted for me, y'know. Somethin' that won't break down from training every day. Gods, I'd love to go on a quest. It could happen you know. I've heard the Oracle can send anyone anytime. Even kids my age." He washed down his meal with a goblet of conjured root beer. "You ever been on a quest?"

To Axel's surprise, a response came not from behind the door, but from behind him. His anxiety was already through the roof. He spun around a bit tooo quickly for casual conversation and found himself face-to-face with a man covered in the soot and sweat of the forge. No doubt one of the Hephaestus kids he was looking for. The guy seemed friendly. Friendly enough to address the random kid at his doorway anyway. Though it appeared that he - like Axel - was a bit of a fast talker. "Not lost. Axel." The ginger boy managed to mumble in response to the man's questions. He followed him into the hallway, hanging back a bit a the older boy went in and out of his room. Axel hadn't been quite certain how to initiate the conversation, but it looked like Devon - as the man called himself - was already aware of what the boy was after. Well, he supposed that shouldn't be surprising. People probably asked the Hephaestus kids for favors of this sort all the time. "Sure, I'll follow ya." As the two set out toward the mess hall, Axel awkwardly explained his weapon predicament. HE described the dented weapon he'd found this morning, along with his general frustrations with the training swords. "Most of 'em are off balance. Just real old, y'know. An' I'm... well I'm pretty short, so a lot of 'em are big for me. I- it's not like I can't handle a bigger sword! But it'd be better to have my own. I ain't that good with the forges though." He spoke quickly, half out of nervousness and half to quickly move past talking about the things he wasn't good at. "I ain't got any money... but I can find a way to pay ya back. I'll do all your camp chores for as many weeks as you want! Or whatever y'all require, really..."

Axel Gauthier was good at a lot of things. He was a fine archer, a quick runner, and even among his fellow halfbloods, his combat prowess was nothing to sneer at. If ever a competition occurred, the small ginger boy was surely the first to sign up. He was also quite likely to win. But if there was one thing the child definitely wasn't good at, it was communication. He spoke hastily and bluntly, often accidentally insulting the others around him. Still, he'd been improving. His fellow campers had thus far proven far more understanding than his classmates back in the outside world. He'd even managed to make a few friends. But there was a single form of communication that he dreaded above all others: asking for help. Unfortunately, that was exactly what he needed to do. Just a few hours prior, he had been making his usual rounds in the armory shed in search of a well-balanced weapon to train with. As usual, the effort had been fruitless. The celestial bronze training swords were all... well-loved, to put it kindly. But this morning had really set him over the edge. His favorite training sword - the one that closest fit his weight and had previously been less damaged than the others - had a massive dent in the hilt. No doubt a result of someone else's training. Axel had long wanted to consult the Hephaestus cabin about getting a weapon of his own, but his awkward nature had stopped him thus far. The dented sword was just enough motivation to push him in that direction. Still, it was... absolutely terrifying. So it was with baited breath and wringing hands that the young man approached the cabin door. He took a deep breath. In. Out. You got this, Axel. It's just a question. Before the doubt could fully take hold, he forced himself to knock on the door.

"Y-yes ma'am. I mean... Krystal." Axel shifted awkwardly from one foot to another. He was never really sure how to deal with adults. He knew that he tended to talk too fast or say the wrong things. Back home it had gotten him into quite a bit of trouble. Having been caught by Krystal once before, his instinct had been to go extra polite. It took a moment for his mind to course correct. "The soccer field? Was there a tournament today or something? I - ah - I forgot if there was. Sorry ma'a - a - Krystal." Honestly, the possibility caught him by surprise. He was always up for a competition, even if it was in a sport with which he had no experience. It wasn't like him to forget about an event like that. As he moved to place his chosen weapon back on the shelf, he failed to notice the cabin leader exit the room. "I ain't much good at soccer, to be honest. Well, I don't think I am anyway. Haven't done it before actually. But I can come if you want." His eyes fell back to the wall of swords. He was hesitant to abandon his normal morning routine, but if his cabin needed him then well... he supposed there was no helping it. He'd just have to get some evening sparring in later. "Who're we playing? Another cabin? Is MK coming? I bet she's good at soccer. She's good at everything." He turned back around, only to find that Krystal had already left! Guess I'm ranting to myself again. Whoops! "Better catch up, " he told himself. Axel grabbed a pair of cleats from the stash and headed out. He sprinted to the field, expecting to see his cabin mates and opponents preparing to play. But oddly it was only Krystal there when he arrived. Was it... not a tournament after all? Then why come and get him, if not the need for extra bodies on the field? The question left his mind as he watched the cabin leader play. The ball followed her footwork like a choreographed dance. And she danced with it, pulling off kicks and tricks as though it were as easy as breathing. There was passion in the way she played. It was a bit like... well, like Axel felt with a sword in his hand. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "You're real good at that Miss Krystal!"

Another fine morning here at Camp Half-blood. Not that the place had any other sort of mornings. The enchanted barrier around the camp kept out most of the negatives of the outside world - rain included. So, as with every day, it was a perfect day for some early combat practice. And Axel Gauthier was nothing if not a creature of habit. He stood at the back wall of the armory shed, his small frame casting a shadow over part of the sword rack. The shadow shifted as he paced back and forth. He examined each blade carefully, noting the subtle differences in the bronze. He'd tried out every one at least once in his year-long tenure here. That made his decision so much easier. A few he dismissed out of hand. That one's weight is off. This one has a weird bump in the grip. That one's shorter than it ought to be. Ugh... One of these days he intended to ask one of the Hephaestus kids to make him a weapon of his own, something custom and well-balanced. Though that would require quite a bit more courage than the boy had at the moment. Little Axel would go toe-to-toe with any other camper without a second thought. But to ask for a favor? That was a far more terrifying prospect. Just as he'd finally settled on a weapon of choice, a voice broke the silence from behind him. "Hey Axel, how are you doing today?" The boy froze. The last time he'd heard that voice in this room, he'd nearly jumped out of his skin. But he'd been training intently since then. Only his mind reacted in panic. The cabin leader? What was she doing here? Last time she'd tacked him down here, he'd been about to get himself into a heap of trouble. "O-oh!" he stammered, turning to face her. "Mornin' ma'am. I ain't up to trouble this time, promise!"

Axel blinked rapidly, struggling to banish the spots from his vision. It had all happened so quickly. One moment the girl had been standing before him, still shaking and bruised. Glowing, but otherwise harmless. Then there'd been a flash and he'd felt his arm twist backwards. Though his vision had been blurred, he could've sworn he was still striking Emberlynn. But as he'd been forced to drop his weapon, the blurry form in front of him had vanished into thin air. Was that... just light? He rubbed his eyes, mumbling under his breath while the two girls celebrated. "What... happened... couldn't... see..." When his sight finally returned to him, he saw Sage congratulating Emberlynn on her success. He was overcome by another rush of mixed emotions. Not anger and guilt this time, but excitement and embarrassment. On one hand, he'd just been disarmed by a chick who was clearly behind in her combat practice. On the other, it had worked! With Sage's guidance, they'd managed to discover something new about this odd girl and her light-bending abilities. "That was some sage advice there," she spoke aloud what popped into his head, then cringed at the bad joke as it left his lips. He looked at the rainbow-haired girl, unable to keep from returning her smile. That joy... he'd helped make that. It struck him just how odd that felt. Back "home", all he'd ever managed to cause was trouble. When he did something bad or said the wrong thing, he'd get yelled at. When he'd accomplish something "good" by the world's standards, he'd get yelled at for "intentionally" overshadowing his stepbrother. But today he'd done something that was met with smiles and excitement. It felt good. Almost good enough to assuage the sting of being beaten by a girl. "Good one," he admitted. "That was... pretty cool I guess."

"On it!" Axel took a step forward, wielding his stick menacingly. He moved much slower and more precisely than he had before, intentionally giving Emberlynn the time to process Sage's words. Trust your instincts, and remember that we're here for you. The first part made perfect sense to the boy. After all, it was his souped-up demigod instincts that had kept him alive up to this point. But the second part brought back a bit of that guilt he had been feeling. He hadn't been there for her. Not really. He'd been trying to for certain, but had once again gotten too wrapped up in his own head. Were it not for Sage's intervention, he may have even hurt her. Though that frustrated him too. what demigod didn't know how to defend herself? He hoped that power of hers would get her out of sticky situations, because her combat prowess left a lot to be desired Stop. He told himself. With a slight shake of his head he quelled the judgmental thoughts. Emberlynn was annoying, and not a great fighter. But she was a demigod like him, and one with something he could only hope to have. Powers. A true, deep connection to their Olympian heritage. She was one of the lucky ones. If any godling could truly be called "lucky", that was. "Alright!" He raised his tree branch for a slow, deliberate strike. "Stop me!"

Axel nodded, allowing Sage to take the lead. Perhaps he was pushing her too far. Or maybe letting himself go too far... it was difficult to tell. It was hard for him, being a Nike camper, not to go all out in a fight. That may have been the reason his mind kept coming up with excuses to go harder. That, and the strange mixture of guilt and frustration that came to him when striking an essentially helpless opponent. He did truly want to help, but Axel absolutely despised bullies. The feeling of being one, even for a moment and even with understandable reasons, was wreaking hell on his normally levelheaded disposition in this fight. Honestly, he was glad that Sage was here. Whereas he had the drive, it seemed she had the plan. Still, he found himself feeling a bit defensive at her remarks. His strikes were precise and controlled. Sure, he'd gotten emotional for a bit there, but it wasn't like he was flailing wildly at the poor girl. He was, however, definitely frightening her. There was certainly no rebuttal for that particular accusation. He obeyed the blonde girl's instructions and paused a moment to analyze his opponent. The girl was staring at him with wild, purple eyes. Her hair, a mess of rainbow colors, was matted with dirt and sticks from being knocked to the ground. And her glowing prismatic skin was covered in shallow cuts and welts - his fault, he recognized with a pang of shame. Wait... glowing prismatic SKIN!?! Axel blinked, nearly dropping his sword. Surely that wasn't normal, right? "Sage!" He called out. "It's working!" The Athena camper was moving in to make a strike. Had she noticed? He moved into flanking position. For the first time since the "battle" began, he allowed Emberlynn time to think. He stood there, half due to Sage's instruction, half mesmerized by the flickering rainbow light. Honestly it felt very odd. It was usually the objective to keep an enemy on their toes. But the blonde seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, so he decided to trust her instincts.

Axel made a strange face. It was something between a smile and a frown, but far too expressive to be neutral either. The thrill of combat had quickly faded when he'd witnessed how helpless the rainbow-haired girl really was. As much as he loved to fight, there was no pleasure in beating down a weaker opponent. Well, not an innocent one at any rate. Had he been up against an underpowered monster it may have been fun to display his hard-earned prowess. But Emberlynn was just a girl - an annoying girl - but a relatively innocent one in the grand scheme of things. Beating her up like this just felt mean. A slight sense of guilt rose with each blow, bringing back memories of his schoolyard days. He'd mostly been the victim back then. Now he felt like the bully. But... this was all to help her, wasn't it? Guilt turned turned to anger as Emberlynn scrambled around the field. His strikes became a bit more forceful, a bit more precise. She asked for this. His clouded mind told him. She wanted help bringing out her powers. But she wasn't striking him back, she wasn't getting angry. She just kept giving that helpless look that made him feel like a horrible person. Yes, she was making him feel this. This darn girl was the source of his guilt, the center of his frustration. He raised the stick once more. "Axel, you and I should come up with a plan and not just wing it as she might get hurt." Sage's calculated words broke the spiral. Of course... what was he thinking!? Well, clearly he hadn't been. Axel was normally an incredible strategist, a chess prodigy even, but it seemed some unresolved trauma had gotten the better or him for a moment. "R-right! I wasn't gonna hurt her," the boy insisted. Though it was more a reassurance for himself than for Sage or Emberlynn. He definitely wouldn't have... right? Definitely not. "Why do you think I'm using this?" He waved the tree branch. If he'd truly intended harm, he would've drawn the dagger at his side. But that rush of emotion Sage had interrupted still ate at his consciousness. Sage was correct though. They did need a plan. "She keeps dodging backwards. Come in from behind. Flank her!" He paused for a moment. "And uh... if I'm going too far..." He shook his head. He could control himself, surely. What Emberlynn needed was to be put under stress, not to see him holding back. "You want me to stop?" he said to Emberlynn. "You'd best stop me then!"

"I didn't mean... uh, yeah... it's pretty..." Axel stumbled over his words, realizing that he really had insulted the girl. It seemed she was nearly as awkward as himself. A part of him felt bad, as it always did, but another part of him simply felt frustrated. It couldn't always be his fault. People just didn't understand him. Something Emberlynn had said had struck a nerve. He wasn't explaining it well enough? For goodness sake - he knew that! Axel was never good enough, especially with his words. Why couldn't she just get it!? The boy looked down to find his fists had clenched. Wait - was Sage right? We're they... fighting? Fighting... The flower girl's suggestion put a wild idea in his head. Sure, he sucked at talking. Perhaps he really couldn't help that way. But combat was something he was exceedingly good at. And if all Emberlynn needed was a bit of pressure, he certainly didn't mind providing it. Especially after how her words had made him feel. Of course he knew she could no more be blamed for that than he could for his accidental insults. But that little bit of extra motivation was enough to transfer thought into action. A wicked grin flitted across his face. "Good idea, Sage! And better said than I could've put it for sure." Before the rainbow-haired girl had time to react, Axel stooped to grab a nearby fallen tree branch. He crouched into a fighting stance. "Maybe we should be fightin'!" With that he brought the branch down, swinging viciously at Emberlynn. Hope this helps, he thought. And if it didn't, well, at least he could say he tried.

"Oh! Uh... Axel. Well, you knew that I guess. Sorry." The boy wasn't used to not having to introduce himself to folks he didn't know. Even the awkward child knew the basic conventions of a conversation. But the exceptions, like this one, tended to leave him floundering. "Sage. Weird name. I mean, not like, bad weird but... unique, ya know?" He smiled a sheepish smile, hoping his comments wouldn't come off as too insulting. "Athena's the smart one, yeah? Maybe you can help better than me then." Come to think of it, it wasn't a bad idea at all. If anyone might have some new idea that could help their situation, it would be one of Athena's brainiacs. Axel hadn't had many interactions with that particular cabin, but had admired from afar their metal prowess. As a chess prodigy he was quite tactically-minded himself, but he got the feeling that any of them might be able to give him a run for his money. Maybe this Sage would be willing to play with him later... he shook his head, realizing he'd become a bit distracted. Axel motioned toward the rainbow-haired girl, who was giving him an incredulous look. Was he really being that rude? Well, no turning back now. "Emberlynn here's got an issue with her ability. It ain't working right. I tried telling her to take a different approach but I don't think she gets it." Axel looked from Emberlynn to Sage and back again. "Go on, show her!" He extended his hand the way Emberlynn had earlier, though sadly his didn't start glowing. He supposed he'd have to stick to the regular combat training. Giving the girl an expectant look, he waited for her demonstration.

"An ability!? Whoa..." The child of Nike was struck with a sudden pang of jealousy. He had been working hard ever day to keep up with and eventually surpass his fellow campers in combat prowess. But this... this was the one thing he couldn't fairly compete with. The boy had been blessed with the usual superhuman gifts of a demigod, alongside an exceptional talent with various forms of weaponry. Other kids though, at least some of them, appeared to have real magical powers. That girl Savannah could put people to sleep with just the sound of her voice, and there were rumors of an older camper who could literally raise the dead. No skill with a blade could compare to such gifts. But until now, he hadn't really thought of them as something that needed development. Savannah had mentioned actively avoiding her powers, to the point where they inconvenienced her and happened when she didn't want them to. But Emberlynn here was trying to make hers work, and to make them stronger. He supposed not all powers worked the same way. There was something he admired though in this girl's approach. There was a determination in her voice that sounded all too familiar. He wanted to help her. But... how? It wasn't like he really had any experience to draw from. Yet there was one idea that struck him. "Well, maybe it's like a fighting style, y'know? Like, you're focusing real hard on making it work. But if one style ain't workin' for ya, then you should switch it up!" Before he could elaborate on what he meant, another girl emerged from the foliage. A cheerful sort, with golden hair and a wide smile. Axel didn't know her, but from the sound of it she knew him. Was he becoming famous already? He supposed that was his intention - one day. But for now running into somebody who knew who he was was a very rare occurrence around camp. She knew Emberlynn's name too though, so he couldn't really credit his own popularity. Unfortunately. "Oh! Uh.. hi..." he stammered, unsure how to invite the new arrival into the conversation.

"An ability!? Whoa..." The child of Nike was struck with a sudden pang of jealousy. He had been working hard ever day to keep up with and eventually surpass his fellow campers in combat prowess. But this... this was the one thing he couldn't fairly compete with. The boy had been blessed with the usual superhuman gifts of a demigod, alongside an exceptional talent with various forms of weaponry. Other kids though, at least some of them, appeared to have real magical powers. That girl Savannah could put people to sleep with just the sound of her voice, and there were rumors of an older camper who could literally raise the dead. No skill with a blade could compare to such gifts. But until now, he hadn't really thought of them as something that needed development. Savannah had mentioned actively avoiding her powers, to the point where they inconvenienced her and happened when she didn't want them to. But Emberlynn here was trying to make hers work, and to make them stronger. He supposed not all powers worked the same way. There was something he admired though in this girl's approach. There was a determination in her voice that sounded all too familiar. He wanted to help her. But... how? It wasn't like he really had any experience to draw from. Yet there was one idea that struck him. "Well, maybe it's like a fighting style, y'know? Like, you're focusing real hard on making it work. But if one style ain't workin' for ya, then you should switch it up!"

The guilt that Axel felt over startling the girl quickly shifted to defensiveness when she began to speak. "I - I didn't mean it like that! And what do you mean I have a loud mouth!?" He instinctively lashed out, only to realize a moment later the irony in shouting that sentence. Way to go, Axel. Another great start to a conversation. But oddly enough, the strange girl didn't seem too perturbed. Actually, she was... laughing? Oh! It took him a moment to realize that she was, in fact, joking around with him. Or possibly laughing him. Best to believe the former until proven otherwise. She might've been a bit on the slow side though, judging by her response to his question. "I know we're at Camp Halfblood." He tried (and likely failed) not to sound too sarcastic. "And if by "orientation" you mean twenty questions with the scary dude in the Big House, then yes." Axel was quite intimidated by the Aries cabin leader, though he realized this was his first time admitting that out loud. Were it someone else that may have been embarrassing, but there was no shame in acknowledging a superior warrior. "I mean where on the grounds are we? I... don't really know the layout yet," he confessed. That was all he had intended to say, but another matter had gotten him curious. What was that light that had flashed in front of the girl when she'd jumped away? She wasn't holding anything, and it had appeared to come from her hands. There were all sorts of strange and wondrous things he'd encountered here at camp. Could this be another one of them? "Look - crazy hair - uh... what's yer name? I'm Axel. Anyway, what'd you mean by breakthrough? And what was that weird light just now. You got like a magic weapon or somethin?"