Vienna Pimm

Vienna was eager to hear about the rest of the Dionysus cabin. She had no doubt that it was still the go-to party dorm of the camp. But Killian's response gave her pause. "I haven't the chance yet, but I'm not so sure I like the sound of that. Mine aren't the easiest footsteps to follow in." She sighed, downing another cup of wine. "I dunno, Kil. Once upon a time I wanted to be young forever. Parties, sex, mischief..."  She raised her magic cup. "Drinking contests. But things feel a bit different these days, wouldn't you say? Maybe change isn't such a bad thing. Like you and that Willow, for instance." Her gaze fell on the window. That scene looking out across the grounds... it was at once familiar and strangely foreboding.  Her time in New Rome had been a blast, but this was home. A home she'd left behind, left to siblings and friends who'd had to fend for themselves. The view carried a weight with it that she was nowhere near drunk enough to deal with.

Speaking of drunk... Vienna looked to her little brother. Though his frame was far larger than hers, she was confident she could drink him under the table. In fact, she'd noticed his words about the young'uns had been a bit slurred. Best to get him back to bed before he reached his limit. "Of course," she continued, "I'm not going to become some dullard either. Gods forbid!" Another laugh escaped her lips as she stood. "And you, dear brother, had best get back to your own bunk. Much as I enjoy your company, I'm not about to spend my first night here cleaning your vomit out of my room." The thought was disgusting, but her bright smile made it clear that the comment was in jest.

She lead him to the door. "Thank you for the drinks, brother. And for the stories." It truly had been wonderful catching up with him. She'd missed her family and friends more than anything. Even if she wasn't sure about her return, she was certainly of that much at least. For what it's worth, she thought as she wave goodbye for the night. "It's good to be home."

"Well, I suppose you're not wrong on that front." Vienna finally deigned to take a seat. She'd known Azrael had distanced himself from Lil, but to cut her out entirely? Of course that would hurt. "It's not that hard to pick up a pen. He was being a bit of a dumbass."

She hated to see any of her friends in pain, but Lithe wasn't entirely wrong. Sure, she'd made some wrong assumptions. But she couldn't say Lilythe was being too harsh for holding on to her anger without saying the same of Azzy for ghosting her. She hadn't known he was hurting, and he hadn't known the same about her. The whole thing was a mess long before sex had been thrown into the mix. The decision to start sleeping together while so many hard feelings still hung in the air... well, were Vi to criticize that one, it would be her most hypocritical move yet.

Still, there was something off. Azrael might not be dumb, but Lilythe wasn't either. If Vienna could see that this move could only end in disaster and heartbreak for everyone, then Lil would normally have spotted it about a week ago. Her vitriol, while perhaps not entirely unjustified, still left a strange and bitter taste in the air. And there was still the matter of Shadow. Azzy being a dumbass - that was pretty much in character. Lily being cold and dismissive - uncharacteristic but not entirely uncalled for. Shadow being mature? Nope. Never. Not in a million years would that controlling prick be okay with "his" Lilythe sleeping with other people. She simply wasn't buying it.

"I promise I'm careful. I'm already camp 'mom' without needing to be an actual 'mom. So... do you want to come in? Or did you have somewhere to be?"

Vi laughed as well. That wasn't what she'd meant by being careful, but she was glad to hear that her friend was being conscious of such issues. The last this this mess of a situation needed was a baby on top of everything. Though if there every was one, Auntie Vi would be right there to help. Someone would have to teach the kid how to get into mischief, after all. "I... I have somewhere to be." She replied. "Sorry to barge in like that. You take care of yourself though. Love ya, girl." With that she rose, gave her signature bear hug, and paced out of the cabin with the same determination she had entered with.

Oh she had somewhere to be alright... a certain friend's ex-boyfriend to track down. It was time for some reconnaissance. 

"Uh... huh..." Vienna trailed off. Under normal circumstances she'd be all for Lilythe putting her own feelings first. Gods knew the woman was terrible at that. But didn't sound like her friend. The dismissiveness and flimsy justifications... it sounded like something that might have come out of a younger Vienna Pimm's mouth. True enough, she owed nothing to either of the men. Admitting to actively hiding it from them though - calling it "none of their business"? She sounded like a schoolkid. Lilythe Rayne wasn't dumb. She knew damn well how those boys would feel when - not if - they found out about her exploits. Hells, she'd just said as much. And in that self-righteous tone that Vi herself was all too familiar with. It was the same kind of logic she used when she wanted something, but didn't want to acknowledge the consequences it would have for people around her. The same logic that had landed her in an intervention with her best friend sitting at the other side. Either she was being outrageously selfish, or intentionally dumb. And Vi could see neither of those applying to the girl she knew. Something was off...

Her eyes widened with genuine surprise at the comment about Azrael. "You're mad at him for that? Well that's hardly-" Azrael had clearly never hated Lilythe. He'd been madly in love with her for as long as Vienna could remember. She'd been oblivious to it all, even a bit paranoid thinking that he must be offended in some way. And yes, he'd distanced himself and moved away. Removed himself from a situation that was causing him pain. But he'd never so much as indicated that he hated the woman, and holding her own assumption over his head like that was super cold. Too cold. Very un-Lilythe-like.

"I mean, c'mon girl. I know the boy's a demigod, but he's not a psychic. I'm not saying you should jump into a commitment you aren't ready for. In fact, I heavily recommend against it. But isn't it a bit harsh to say he let you think that?" To be fair, Vienna didn't know if Lilythe had actually told Azrael how she was feeling. If she had, her wrath may have been a little bit more understandable. But surely such an expression would've been immediately corrected, right? She couldn't imagine Azzy wouldn't at least say "I don't hate you" if confronted about it. That didn't make the stress it had put Lilythe through any less real. But Vienna couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. She even felt a twinge of something resembling sympathy for Shadow. 

Except... she still couldn't shake the feeling that man had something to do with Lilythe's dismissive attitude. The Shadow she'd known definitely wasn't the type to respect Lilythe's wishes in anything, especially if it would mean her seeing other people. Unless he really had changed? Yeah, right. Vienna trusted Shadow about as far as she could throw him. And despite her wiry frame, that wasn't very far at all. If he really had done something to her friend, she'd never forgive him.

"Well..." she inhaled deeply. "I suppose so long as you're being careful..." For the first time in the conversation, she cracked a smile. "If nobody's spreading false rumors, I guess Mr. Fist will have to wait for another day!" Though when thata day came, she had a pretty solid ide of who would be on the recieving end.

A soft smile crossed Vienna's lips as she looked at her little brother. It was true, she had always done her best to look out for the kid. Her own life had always been a bit of a mess, but she took a lot of pride in being someone others could rely on. Of course, she'd done her share of relying on him over the years as well. Killian never minded listening to her rants and was always willing to lend a sympathetic ear.

She returned his grip, downing the rest of her cup once more. "Well, you're no wee lad anymore, that's for sure!" He really was all grown up now. An adult not only in flesh, but in mind. It wasn't too uncommon for demigods to mature beyond their years - most died before reaching adulthood, after all. Vienna herself felt like an old lady compared to all the teenagers running around. Speaking of...

"Speaking of family, tell me a bit about the cabin. It's been forever since I've checked in. How are the rest of our dear siblings getting along?" 

-4-

A look of concern crossed Vienna's face. That can't be right... The last time she'd discussed this with Lilythe, the woman had been positively thrilled by the developments in their relationship. After all of that, treating him like the old days didn't make any sense. She had seen her around with Shadow a lot recently. But while Vi didn't doubt that her friend had some genuine feelings for her ex, she'd assumed Lilythe had simply been giving him more attention because he demanded more of it. Her best friend wasa kind soul - too kind for her own good. But she wasn't an idiot. There was no way she didn't see how much this was hurting Azrael, and no way she would put up with it if she had. Something was really wrong here. She just couldn't quite put her finger on it yet.

"Oh, I know you will Azzy. You respect her too much to push her into anything. Besides, if you did you know I'd give you a good thrashing." Her lover-not-fighter statement had been true in most cases, but not when it came to her best friend. Vi preferred to keep things light and fun, but if someone did anything to hurt Lilythe, she was fully prepared to smack them into next Tuesday. But she knew Azrael would never do anything like that. And normally Lil wouldn't hurt him like this either... She made a mental note to do a bit more investigating after the game.

"Grown-ups?" She snorted. "As if! Azrael, if you ever catch me growing up, feel free to slay me on the spot!" She made an exaggerated slicing motion across her throat, then burst into laughter again. It was fun to be here with Azrael again after all these years. Their former pranks made for great memories. "Hence why you find me here playing hookie." She sat down again, nestling back into her resting spot. "You're welcome to stay with me. Shoot the breeze, catch up on camp stuff, be adults if we must..." she rifled through her bag, pulling out a certain set of magical cups with a mischievous grin. "Care for a drink?" She settled in for a camp event of her own. Her new determination to investigate Shadow could wait for a bit - at least long enough to finish ditching capture-the-flag. She was Vienna Pimm, after all, and she and her friend were going to have fun one way or another. She was perfectly content to drink the night away with her old camp buddy.

-3-

"Oh, you know me!" Vienna giggled. "Love not war and all that."

Speaking of love... The pain behind Azrael's eyes was blatant and heartbreaking. He was a tough one, alright. Very good at putting on a brave face. But Vienna had been friends with the man long enough to know that he was "soldiering on" through more than just camp games. Though she was relived to find she wasn't the only person ditching capture-the-flag this year. That was the life of a demigod she supposed... always running from something.

"Fair enough," she gave him a playful nudge. "I heard you clocked that poor Iris girl right in the helmet last year! And that little scrap with Shadow-" she paused a moment, slightly embarrassed. She hadn't meant to bring up the boys' rivalry so casually. Though she had to admit she was extremely curious. Now that she'd brought up the name, there was no real option except to bluster through as nonchalantly as possible. "Honestly, I wish I could see you clock him in the face!"

There was a trace of spite in her laugh, cutting into it's usual levity. Vi couldn't stand Shadow - not after how he'd treated Lilythe in their prior relationship. And she just knew he was up to something now. She couldn't talk about it with her best friend either. The pent-up malice in her voice was unmistakable. "Sorry. Lil wouldn't want me speaking ill of him." She laughed again, giving her friend a bawdy wink. "I won't tell if you won't!"

-2-

A rustle in the bushes stirred Vienna from her attempts to drift off. A teammate? A combatant? God's damn it... she had hoped she'd wandered far enough away from the game. Her eyes shot open and she rolled into a fighting position. Vi was no fighter by nature - at least not when it came to her heart. But she'd seen her fair share of battles with both monster and man. But the face that broke through the foliage instantly dismissed all worry from her mind. Her muscles relaxed, and a smile broke out on her face. "Azzy!"

She rushed over to greet her friend, wrapping him up in a warm embrace almost too powerful for a woman of her slim stature. The two of them had scarcely spoken since he'd invited her back here to camp. To be frank, she didn't quite know what to say. She didn't want to do anything to breech Lilythe's trust, and she knew Azrael had at least tentatively agreed to her seeing both him and Shadow. But that had to be eating him up inside, waiting for her decision. And Vienna had been worried that if she were to start hanging around with him regularly, she might end up saying or doing the wrong thing. But her nosiness was bound to get the better of her one of these days.

"How are you, dear friend?" she asked. That was the most important thing. How was he feeling? Was he alright? Though it struck her that she didn't actually remember which team the Nemesis cabin was on. She winked at him. "Not here to capture me, are you?"

Vienna laughed at her brother's tales of drunken debauchery. He was her brother all right. If there was one good thing to be said for Dionysius, it would be that he passed on his ability to know how to have a good time. She sipped her wine, making sure to keep pace as her brother talked. She had no doubts that she'd win their little competition - being the more experienced of the two and all - but she intended to drag it out long enough for some much needed catch-up. "Indeed it was," she responded to his inquiry, recalling the chocked look on that poor freshman's face. "Poor kid nearly fainted from the shock!" She returned Killian's toast with a broad grin, downing the rest of her glass to watch it refill again.

"Classic Dionysus kids... that's us in a nutshell isn't it?" Vi giggled. She'd inherited far more than she'd like to admit from her Olympian father. His love of drink, his stubborn nature... and unfortunately at times she felt she'd gotten his wrathful spirit. But at least he'd indirectly given her one thing to appreciate. Her family. Her siblings here at camp. "I missed you, brother," she confessed. "I went to plenty of ragers out there, but you're still the beat drinking buddy I've got."

RPC 4 ~ Actively Avoid Participating ~ 1

Capture-The-Flag was the event of the year for many residents of Camp Halfblood. An all-out brawl between teams that allowed them the chance to show off their skills and show up the other cabins. Competitive energy practically exuded from the forest as the eager younglings charged into their mock battle. Swords clashed, battle cries rang out. Helmet plumes advertising each side danced and weaved in and out of the trees Most marched proudly under their red or blue banner, hoping to take home the prize (and privileges that came with it) for the glory of their deific parent.

Not so with Vienna Pimm. The newly-returned socialite much preferred events that didn't involve swinging a sword around (and which did involve adult beverages.) She wasn't opposed to spending time with the younger campers of course, but working up a sweat in heavy armor for bragging rights and better camp duties? That was very much not her style. She didn't give a damn about who won this silly game, and far less of one for the "glory of Dionysius" or whatever. Like that jerk deserved any glory from her. So when it came time to head to their various posts, Vienna instead decided to follow the river out toward a more secluded part of the forest. Still close enough to the border not to worry too much about monsters. She walked along until the sounds of cheering and metal clangs faded from her ears.

A ways down the creek, she stumbled upon a nice little area of foliage. It was close to the river, so many flowers and plants had taken root there, eager for a drink. A large oak stood tall above the patches of flowers, shielding them from the hot summer sun.  If I were a plant, Vienna thought, this is where I'd like to live. Vi was, of course, not a plant. But it was as good a place as any to hunker down for a while. Perhaps after a short rest she'd sneak back over to the strawberry fields to grab herself a snack.  Or maybe she'd go find Shadow and make sure he wasn't up to no good while the rest of the camp was distracted. Either way, snacks and vengeance could wait a few minutes. She stretched out in the shade of the oak, listening to the calming sounds of nature surrounding her. Maybe leaving the city life wasn't all bad.

Vienna did not, in fact, sit down. Instead she only paced faster, and expression stiffened at Lilythe's admission. Righteous indignation became abject horror. "YOU'RE WHAT!? My gods Lithe..." she trailed off, taking in a deep breath. Lilythe was an adult. She could do what she wanted. But this... this was about the dumbest decision she could possibly make. Vienna's mind raced, her outrage shifting from the rumor mill to Shadow to Lilythe herself for a moment. Gods, surely she wasn't this stupid!?!

Calm down... calm down Vi...

"I'm sorry Lil," she spoke slowly. Her fists had no unclenched. "You can sleep with whoever you want. You know I love you and I trust you. You've gotta know that but..." Vienna's eyes glinted suspiciously. "I've heard this before, you know. 'Shadow's not so bad, not really! He's getting better! I'm not getting in too deep, I promise!'" She tried not to sound mocking as she recalled their previous interactions. This wasn't the first time Shadow had been "getting better". And it certainly wasn't the first time Lilythe had fallen for it either. Vienna, on the other hand, wasn't falling for that even for a moment. "You can't seriously think...."

Giving them both a chance? The thought made her wince. Both of those boys were endlessly dedicated to the Hermes cabin leader in their own ways. Sharing her? Yeah, there was no way that was working. Poor Azzy. He'd be patient with her. Give her space to sleep with whoever, let her figure things out for herself... let it eat him up inside. She doubted he was okay with the arrangement, but there was little doubt he'd go along with it for Lilythe's sake.

Shadow though? No. There was zero chance he was okay with this, and the fact that he hadn't outright tried to stop Lil from seeing Azrael was not the improvement of character he portrayed it as. That boy was up to something.

"They're okay with this? Both of them? The same boys who quite literally came to blows over you?" She didn't want to outright say You're hurting them both. You're hurting all three of you. It wasn't fair to her, not really. But hinting at it might make something click. "Azzy's okay with this? I don't mean did he say he's okay with it to keep you happy, I mean do you think he's really okay?"

She shook her head and smiled a bit. Vi was getting too worked up. "Gods, Lithe. I didn't think this was what you meant by 'taking time for you'."

Vienna nodded, but a certain wariness was still plain on her face. It seemed like a good idea - perhaps the best scenario even - for Lilythe to take some time for herself in the midst of all the drama. Whether her friend was capable of such a thing... that was what gave her pause. Lil had a level head when it came to a lot of things, but romance was not one of them. Nor was she prone to setting aside the feelings of others to take care of herself. Azrael would be patient. He was a good man, after all. But between Shadow's moping and Azzy's eager advances, she couldn't help but wonder how much of Lilythe's attention would truly go toward connecting with herself. Still, she set her doubts aside for a moment. This was her best friend. There was no sense in pressing the issue. Vi would simply have to trust her until something went wrong. And if it did... well, she'd just have to be there to support her friend just as Lilythe had done for her so many times in the past.

Vi laughed aloud at "I thanked him for a whole evening". She knew exactly what that meant. At least those two were on good terms, at any rate. Vienna had known about Azrael's crush on Lilythe long before the woman herself had. Of course, that wasn't saying much - anyone who'd even briefly met the two of them could tell. But she was exceedingly happy for the both of them. She giggled, taking another sip of wine. "Well, I'll admit that Killian and I had a drinking contest before you got here. But don't worry- I can stomach a bit more for your sake." That was, of course, a blatant joke. Vienna Pimm was never one to turn down a drink.

"Oh, New Rome was a blast! Such a vibrant city! Honestly Lil, for a little bit there it almost seemed like I was a normal person. Taking classes, going to parties... just living life, y'know? You simply must visit one of these days!" Her features relaxed as she took another sip of wine, setting back into her old cot. It was nice t obe back here with, spilling gossip just like the old times. "Florida, huh? That sounds exciting! Give me the details, sister!"

Nostalgia glinted in Vienna's eyes as she downed her first glass of wine. This sure did bring back memories. Not only was it great to be sharing a drink with her little brother, but holding these glasses brought up visions of her early days in New Rome. After Lilythe and the others had put together an intervention for her, she'd taken off to go find herself. She'd fully intended on making some changes out there too - and in a way she had. She'd figured out pretty early on hat it wasn't the drink that was the problem. It was the unresolved issues she'd been using it bury. With a lot of self-reflection and quite a bit of work, she felt like she had a much better head on her shoulders these days. Enough to get responsibly wasted, anyways.

She chuckled aloud, tracing the floral design on her cup. "Funny story - it was actually one of my first parties over there in New Rome. If you could call it that. It was more of a hazing, really." Fond memories danced in her vision. One of the sorority leaders had gathered a bunch of the newer arrivals for some "friendly competition." Vienna had shown no interest in sororities, but was always down for a party. The contest had been a series of drinking games, all designed with the usual freshman hazing and pranks in mind. Topped off with a bit of demigod magic, of course. The woman had clearly intended it to be unwinnable. But nobody had counted on the scrappy new transfer to be so darn stubborn. Growing up in a year round summer camp had given her the edge when it came to childish antics, and without the pranks she could've easily drank any one of them under the table. "It was a big gauntlet-style tournament. All the regular drinking games of course. Except some poor kids' beer turned into a mug of snakes at one point..." she giggled. She could still remember the look on that horrid woman's face when she'd won. And even better - the look she'd given when VIenna walked off with the prize and declined to join the sorority after all. Good times.

"Oh, this?" she motioned to her glass, which was already filling itself up for a second round. "It's a Marsala. About 20%. How about yours?"

Alias: AdelynnWilde
Characters you are Keeping: Emberlynn Knight, Axel Gauthier, Vienna Pimm
Characters you are Making Inactive: N/A
Characters you are Retiring: N/A

"Me too," Vienna responded to her brother's earnest declaration. She really was grateful to have him in her life. Much as she despised being a demigod some days, she had never for a moment regretted meeting her sibling. It was great to see him now. He was all grown up, and somehow largely untarnished by the trauma of their upbringing. Well... as untarnished as could be expected anyway. He obviously still had that partygoing side to him. Not that that was a bad thing. On the contrary, it was one of the many things the two siblings had in common. Speaking of partying...

A drinking contest! Vi's eyes grew wide, a mischievous glimmer running through them. "Oh, you're on! But if you're gonna throw up, you had better do it on your own bunk!" She downed the rest of the drink she had poured her, then turned and grabbed her bag from the end of the bed. She'd yet to unpack anything except for the cat costume she was wearing. "Where did I put... ah! Here they are!" She pulled out a pair of wooden goblets, each with leaves and grapes burned into the sides in intricate patterns. "Cool, aren't they?" Vienna grinned. "Won these in contest with some of our cousins out in New Rome." She set the glasses down on the table - one for her, one for Killian.

Wine, she thought. The goblets filled themselves to the brim with deep red liquid. "They're like the ones in the Big House," she explained. "Except without the child proofing. Well, not exactly like those ones... these will only fill with alcohol. The Romans are awfully specific with their magic items." Her smile made it apparent that these were among her favorite magical items she'd encountered.

"Well, little brother... you ready to lose?" It may have been awhile, but she was certain she could still outdrink him any day.

Vienna smiled warmly, quite pleased with her brother's response. She truly hoped it went well for him. Willow seemed like a perfectly nice girl, and it was clear the young man was crazy about her. "I don't want to let fear hold me back." Vi wondered very briefly if that was why she was so adverse to the concept of romance. Fear? Perhaps. Most people who knew her would likely consider her fearless. But her oldest friends - the ones who had been there for the battles and the though times, the ones who had staged an intervention for her when she went too far - they knew just how scared she could be. She'd lost many people over the years. Friends. Family. People she'd lacked the means to protect. She pictured herself finding a partner, falling in love, feeling all the mushy feelings teenage Vienna had dreamed about. But then she thought of losing that person and all hope fled from her mind. She couldn't handle that, she knew. "Love has a funny way of finding us when we least expect it," Killian had said.

"Maybe you're right, brother." She didn't sound convinced.

Still, the fire in Killian's eyes was a sight to behold. She really was happy for him. He sounded so earnest and determined. Lucky girl, she thought. Having someone feel so passionately about her. She'd be a fool to turn him down. "Attaboy, bro!" She ruffled his hair. "That's the spirit! Let me know if you need a wingman."

Her grin grew even wider as Killian referenced their camp days. "If by 'complicated' you mean 'our dad sucks' then yes." Insulting the gods aloud was known to be dangerous, but if Dionysus wasn't understanding of the occasional drunken rant then he was even more hypocritical than Vi thought. As for her and Killian, they'd certainly gotten into plenty of mischief back then. And he was right - regardless of how things went down, or how long she'd been away, they were family. Gods, he was some of the only family she had left. "You got that right," she assured him. "You can always count on me." 

No party was truly a party until Vienna Pimm showed up. At least, that had been the general perception back in her Camp days. And now that she was back, she certainly wasn't about let her reputation slide into ruin. The second she'd heard about about one of the younger campers throwing a party in the Tyche cabin, she knew she'd have to be there. Besides... Lilythe would be there, she was certain. Something had been really off about her recently. Her and that Shadow character - whom Vi still trusted about as far as she could throw him. If they were going to be there, then she'd best go keep an eye on those two.

Dressed to the nines, she entered the cabin with her usual dramatic flair! "Ah, a birthday! How delightful!" She ran over to the birthday girl. "Congratulations on another year, my dear! And here's to many more!" She spotted the card in her hand, and the smiling young child beside her. "Oh how beautiful..." she cooed. "Well, my gift certainly won't live up to that one!" She pulled a package wrapped in shiny paper from the folds of her dress. Inside was a silver bracelet with little engraved dice around its perimeter. A symbol of luck for the goddess of fortune. Vienna would never go to a birthday party without a gift, of course. Speaking of that particular goddess though... Vi glanced around the room. She'd had enough experience with Tyche campers that she was pretty sure what the place had in store.

Shadow sat Lilythe down with him on the couch. Him again!? Gods, what is she thinking!?  She was getting ready to storm over when she noticed a suspicious looking lump in the cushion right next to where they were seated. A whoopie cushion, no doubt. She gave Andralyn a wry smile and a wink as if to say watch this, then strode over to the unsuspecting couple.

"Lilythe! Shadow! Great to see you, friends!" She nudged Shadow in the arm almost too forcefully. "Well, go on! Scootch over! Don't tell me I can't sit here by my best friend!"

@ Andralyn O'Dell  @ Octavia Davis  @ Lilythe Rayne  @ Shadow Moore

Vienna recalled the blushing face of the girl at the party. She's never met the woman in person so she couldn't be sure, but there was a certain innocence about her that led her to think that Killian may be right. She didn't look like the type to make the first move. But Killian - well,  most of the Dionysus kids for that matter - were exactly the type. Willow must've been something indeed to turn the god of debauchery's spawn into the mumbling, romantic mess standing before her. Quite frankly it was adorable.

"Willow... she's different." Vi gave her brother an understanding nod. She really did admire his optimism. Demigods, contrary to outside expectation, were highly unlikely to lead charmed lives. Yet here he was, talking about things like "real connections" and a girl making him want to change his partying ways. The jaded part of her said it was naught but youthful optimism. But Killian was clearly serious about it, and Vienna wasn't about to let her own cynicism intrude on her brother's happiness. Besides, she'd long told herself she should be more like Lilythe - and now more like Killian too apparently. "I get it bro," she took another sip of her drink (a Vienna sip, so more of a gulp). Her voice still sounded cheery, but it had more of matter-of-fact tone that she tended to use when giving advice. "You're scared you'll screw things up if you try to make a move. I definitely know the feeling. But if ya ask me, people like that don't just hang with people like us for no reason." She thought of her friendship with Lilythe, how many chances she'd been given and how much she'd changed for the better over the years. "When they do though... well we oughta hang onto 'em, should've we?"

"Have I...?" She pondered her brother's final question. She thought of her early days at Camp Halfblood, that wonderful feeling of being somewhere she belonged for once in her life. There had been many parties, many flings, many days spent living in a drunken haze. But real love? Well, there was a time when she'd believed in such things for herself. Dreamt of them even. But it had been a long time since those days.  "Maybe in my younger years." Perhaps that was an odd thing for a 26-year-old to say. "Nowadays... I dunno. I don't think romance is in the cards for me. Or the threads or whatever." she made another joking reference to the Fates.

Vienna felt a tad bit guilty. Only a little of course, seeing as poking fun was basically a younger sibling's job.  But seeing him act so nervous, she did recognize that the topic was no joke to him. Vi knew all too well what it was like to be the party person in a group- the one you go to for a good time, but steer clear of when it comes to anything more serious. Most of the tine she preferred it that way. It made life far less complicated. But that wasn't to say that she didn't understand the longing for connection that Killian was expressing. And the girl really was cute... she definitely couldn't blame him if he was a bit lovestruck. She giggled a bit, resisting the urge to pat him on the head. It seemed her younger siblings still had hope in spite of their father's terrible influence.

"And how do you know she only sees you as a friend? Has she said as much?" Vi recalled the girl's face from the party. Willow had been about as red as Killian was now, and it was doubtful that was all due to the alcohol. She made a mental note to strike up a conversation with her later. Perhaps she could talk up her little bro a bit. While she'd of course continue teasing him to his face, she certainly didn't mind lending a hand behind the scenes.  "You know, I never took you for the nervous type."

"Maybe that's it," Vienna acknowledged. Much as she despised the concept, this place bore as much joy for her as it did trauma. Sitting here in her old cabin again, she did feel a sense of belonging. Like it or not, Killian did have a point. Camp Half-Blood was home. But... was that truly the reason she found herself back here? At this point her dorm in New Rome was nearly as close to home as this old wooden structure. Of course she was thrilled to see Killian and Azzy again, and especially Lilythe. There was no doubt she was always going to attend the birthday party. Yet still she felt as though there was some other reason she needed to stay for a while. She just couldn't quite put her finger on it. A sense of purpose, huh? That was probably as close a description as she could get for now.

"Connection, eh?" Vi teased, jabbing him lightly with her elbow. "You mean like you and that adorable lightweight?" She let out a giggle. Clearly his reddening face when the girl was brought up before had not escaped her. "Speaking of taking control of fate and all that, just why isn't she your girlfriend yet?" It was evident from his earlier expression that he was interested. And if there was gossip to be had, Vienna certainly wasn't going to miss out. And she couldn't very well pass up the opportunity to poke fun at her little brother. Full-grown or not, that was still her god's-given right as his sister after all.

Vienna rushed inside but didn't bother to sit down. Instead she circled the room frantically. "I take it you haven't been by the big house recently, have you? You haven't heard what they're saying!?" She took a deep breath, halting her pacing for a moment to draw her friend in close. She didn't know what this was about. That was a good sign, right? What was she thinking, of course it was! A wave of relief washed over her. "God, I swear I'm going to kick their asses. Every last one of them. How could they go talking about you behind your back like that, and saying such ridiculous things..."

Vi too a breath, studying Lilythe's puzzled face. Her voice feel into a whisper, lest she risk spreading the lies further. "They said... They said you're sleeping with Shadow again..." Her voice rose again to it's normal volume. "But it's a lie, right? We'll get to the bottom of this. You gotta help me figure out who's starting these rumors! Then Mr. Fist can give them a good talking to." She raised a bony hand that would look entirely unthreatening to anyone who didn't know of her demigod strength. "Any ideas?"

Vienna's expression softened. "Look Lil, I didn't mean he was evil or anything. I know you loved the boy and I really do trust your judgment. It's just," she sighed, looking deeply into her friends eyes. It was all in there - real pain, frustration, and worry. Lilythe had too much empathy for her own good. Vi had always admired that quality in her, just how much she managed to care about everyone around her. But sometimes it still took a minute for the guarded Vienna to understand that dumb, blind trust as anything more than obliviousness. "He just wasn't good for you. It wasn't healthy, ya know? You gave him everything you could and it was never enough. I just don't wanna see you get hurt again."

She nodded as Lithe described her dilemma. On one hand she wanted to tell he to just go for it. Why wait one the old feelings to die out when she could replace them with something new and incredible instead? But she didn't operate that way. "I get ya, Lithe. And you definitely shouldn't push yourself do do anything you're not ready for. But you can't hold yourself back either, especially not to save Shadow's feelings. That's not fait to any of you - not even him.  And it's not like Azzy's' a rebound or something just because your old feelings aren't a hundred percent buried either. That's just not how emotions work." Vi liked to pretend she was an expert on emotions. If only she'd put that same focus into figuring out her own.

"Speaking of emotions, I can't believe those boys! Fighting over you like that... I mean you are quite the catch, that that doesn't excuse them stressing you out like that." Her look of concern got deeper when she heard that Shadow had agreed to be "just friends". If Lil was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt then she'd do the same... for now. "Just be careful, girl. And try not to be too hard on Azzy, okay? He finally got his shot, I'm sure the last thing he wants to do is screw it up."

"You haven't changed at all. That's good to see!" Vienna smiled at her little brother. There was that word again. Fate. Despite their appearances - him a well-built bearded man and her a grinning party girl in a cat outfit - it seemed Killian was still the more optimistic of the two. She'd long given up on finding someone special. In her mind, that'd only give fate another avenue to cause her pain. Vi would rather keep her eyes peeled for someone to have fun with. Of course, she wasn't about to stomp on her brother's dreams like a pile of grapes either. If he was looking for something real, more power to him. Maybe with that cute Willow girl that couldn't hold her liquer...

She played through a few wingman scenarios in her head. Not that Killian needed any help with the ladies, but it had been awhile since she'd carried out any matchmaking schemes. The thought made her laugh. She was almost turning into her old self again. "I guess you're right," her eyes sparkled. "It really is nice to be back."

"That's a nice toast there brother. But a little friendly sibling advice - don't rely on the fates too much. You want something, make it happen." She winked.

"As for what I've been up to - same old life, different place. You'd like New Rome - those Bacchus guys really know how to party! And between you and me, I just felt like I had to come back, y'know? Of course I couldn't miss Lil's birthday! But when I got Azrael's invitation... I dunno... It's like something was pulling me back here." Ironic, isn't it? she thought. For someone who'd essentially just given a middle finger to the Fates with her advice, here she was relying on feelings to guide her. Well, she'd never claimed to be perfect. 

A storm was brewing behind Vienna Pimm's eyes as she approached the Hermes cabin. An outside observer may have thought the woman was marching off to war - not that such a thing would be unheard of. But the one she sought out today would make no such mistake. Lilythe, if anyone, would be able to see that what ran through her now was a complicated mix of emotions. Fury, sure, but also sadness, confusion - and most of all worry. The feelings varied greatly but their source was the same. She'd just heard something... interesting.

Vi was the camp's resident party girl, generally privy to rumors the moment they popped up. But the one she'd heard today? That one couldn't be true. She refued to beleive it. Not until she'd heard it from the woman herself. There's no way... her frenzied mind attempted to reassure her. She'd a people pleaser, but she's not stupid. She wouldn't. She didn't. There was a part of her who beleived that wholeheartedly. Vienna loved and trusted Lilythe more than anything in the world. That part was certain she'd discover that all the rumors had been lies, and she'd be left with the task of threatening whoever had started them. But she couldn't fully shake the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. And her "protect my friend" alarms were all going nuts. Lil hadn't done anything wrong, she was absolutely sure. But something was going on. Something she was going to get to the bottom of.

Her pace quickened. Storming into the cabin, she made a beeline for the cabin leaders door. A heavy fist banged into it, nearly knocking the old structure from its hinges. "Lilythe! Lilythe! It's not true, right!? Let me in!"

"Lucky guess!" Vienna teased. She knew it wasn't though. For as much time as Lilythe spent with her head in the clouds, she was surprisingly observant. Vi knew that better than most - those observations had gotten the two of them out of more than one tight spot. It was so good to see her again. Just to be sitting in the same room, breathing the same air, drinking the same wine... if she'd ever had a feeling of "home", this would be it. Just chilling out and gossiping with her best friend in the world. They'd sent letters of course, but it simply hadn't been the same.

Due to those letters, she did in fact know about the breakup with Shadow. That was a development she'd actually been quite happy about. Frankly, she'd never thought he was good enough for Lil. He'd always been clingy, even by normal people stansards. In the eyes of the free-spirited Vienna he might as well have been a prison warden. Though she got the feeling that "good riddance" wasn't the response her dear friend was looking for. "Yeah, I remember. That explains the sad-puppy vibes he was giving off at the party!" Right... probably ot the response she was looking for either. The child of Dionysus could certainly hold her liquer, but it still gave her a wicked case of loose tongue syndrome. Realizing what the reaction was about to be, she began to backpedal. "But don't you dare start thinking that's your fault either! He'll get over it, I'm sure it's just a combo of the memories and the alcohol. Y'know how breakups are."

At least, Vienna assumed breakups were pretty bad. The world had broken her heart enough times, she wasn't prone to letting men close enough to do it themselves. Vienna was ever the heartbraker, not the breakee. Lilythe on the other hand... that girl had a heart of steel. She was the real strong one of the pair when it came to things like romance. No matter what happened, or what horrors they had faced, Lilythe Rayne remained the most open-hearted and kind person Vi had ever known. And she'd known her long enough to see the strength that took.

"Mad at you!?" Vi nearly snorted wine out her nose in a rather unattractive fit of laughter. Perhaps calling her friend "observant" had been a bit too generous. "Mad over you more like! He told me alright. The poor boy couldn't shut up about it. 'Lilythe this, Lilythe that -how do you think Lilythe is doing?' I swear, he missed you nearly as much as I did!" He laughter died down after a moment, but the grin remained on her face. "I swear Lil, all boys have a one track mind. And his is a one way track to Lilytown."

She perked up upon hearing that Azrael and Lilythe had taken to "exploring their feelings." Now that was a pairing she could get behind. She'd known Azzy for a long while, and was certain he'd make a healthy partner for whoever he fell for. Lithe deserved the very best - and while nobody could ever quite measure up to Vienna's standards in that regard, the man came pretty darn close. "Oh that's wonderful, darling! Good for you two! Judjing by Azzy's physique, I'm sure you're more than satisfied!" She gave her friend a bawdy wink. After all, if she couldn't make Lithe's face go red it'd prove she'd lost her touch.

She also didn't beleive for a moment that Shadow just wanted to be Lilythe's friend. Not with how posessive he had been, and how jealous he'd been acting in the breif time they'd been in the same room. It was just like Lil to put that jerk's feelings above her own. But VIenna wasn't about to let that happen. "Whoa whoa... stop it right there sister. You're doing that thing again! Do you actually 'miss what you had'? Or are you just trying to make him happy like you always do. Even if it means risking your own happiness? And Azzy's too for that matter? And a fight? Ugh... those boys... nobody got seriously hurt, did they?"

Another visitor? Vienna perked up as she heard a familiar voice through the door. Well, aren't I the popular one tonight?

Her younger brother, Killian, had only just left a few minutes before. She hadn't even had the time to change out of her skin-tight cat costume. Not that she minded - she looked hot, and the child of Dionysus had always preferred to make an entrance. Even better, she'd unintentionaly matched outfits with her favorite person in the world. And that person was currently knocking at the door! Vi hopped to her feet and ushered her friend inside.

"If it isn't the birthday girl herself!" She chimed happily, her speech only slightly slurred. Between the party and Killian's post-game brews, she'd actually managed to get a bit tipsy. Of course, she wasn't about to turn down the offer of wine either. "Come in! Come in! We've so much to catch up on!" She was dying to ask about Azzy and Shadoow. Her brother had shared a bit of the rumors flying around, but she knew firsthand how untrustworthy rumors could be. Vienna wasn't one to believe anything she hadn't seen herself, unless it came from Lilythe's own lips of course. Still, pressing for personal info the second she walked through the door seemed a bit tacky. Much more stylish to be vague about it. "How've you been, Lithe? Tell me everything! No detail shall be spared!"

Vi pointed a threatening finger, though her massive grin made it much less intimidating. "You better not leave anything out, got me? It's been too much time without my best friend!"