I know you talked about it already, but Ibram's a plotted romantic interest of Hailey  

Ibram had heard his other half-siblings call him Azrael but most of the other kids he met called him what he called him. It was more like the right name to address him despite them having the same mother. With a certain degree of respect he holds for him, he could only believe it was right for him to address him as mister. He wanted to avoid calling Dionysus that prefix but he didn't want to anger a god that could turn this camp upside down.

"You just have my respect. I'm no fan but I admire how you are dedicated to your craft. It was no luck when you're able to train as hard as you could now." And when the push comes to shove, he would do well as a cabin leader to protect the campers from danger. It wasn't long but he knew the man took his role seriously. He continued to stand next to him after stealing a glance or two, eyes then averted to the crowd that cheered for the unclaimed campers now being... claimed.

"That is why I'm here. I might be enticed to get one and then I'd have to work twice as hard if I wanted to," he paused, "Yeah, I've been working on a skill lately. I recently learned how to skip stones in the lake. I thought it was cool so I visit the lake before curfew."

"Have you been settling well? I heard about some rumors regarding you and the Cabin Eleven leader."

Ibram was not as good as the children of Apollo, but he wouldn't get that sort of thinking pose as a barrier to his learning. The art of spear and archery might be the only two things he has confidence on, but a certain cabin leader told him to continue practicing and master those instead of trying to learn every weapon. And somehow, it sounded cooler than knowing everything. A few arrows can be found pierced in the bullseye which part of the reason could be attributed to luck from his mother. Not that he didn't like his chances, but sometimes he preferred not to resort to luck. When he has a couple more arrows left in his quiver, it is only in this scenario that he needed to make them count. He drew a silent breath, eyes on the prize as he readied his stance once again to create his posture. He stood his your feet shoulder width apart, straightened his back, and drew his next arrow.

In the next moment, he let go of the string and it flew through the air and penetrated the surface of the target. It wasn't in the middle this time, but slightly further away. It is better than making the outer rims, he thought. When he relaxed, he was about to grab a sip of water when he became startled. "Oh geez." He said out of a sudden as he flinched. He didn't notice her approach the range, but he supposed he was too focused. "Can you kno-" Then realizing they are outdoors, he stopped his sentence and attempted to compose himself.  "Apologies. I didn't see you there. If you're here to practice, then I could move aside." Ibram took a couple of swigs from a bottled water that was just sitting nearby. 

Ibram continued to watch the other campers as they talked, laughed, and had fun. Seeing that Dawn had been approached by her two friends, he was almost reassured that he could leave her to them. That would mean two other people to watch over her... if they even condone her chaotic tendencies. They met in anything but ideal circumstances, but she was not a bad egg - and that's what he liked about her. Liked? That's not the right word. That's what he has a good opinion for. Anyways, as he was observing from afar, he spotted a familiar camper doing the same thing. He was older than him and he can tell how much of a home camp is to him. He earned Ibram's respect early on because he was experienced and knew how to handle himself, but currently he hasn't really spoken much to him. It was probably because of the rumors surrounding his and Shadow's return... but he did not care much to dig deeper.

Even so, he felt like he wanted to give him company. Two heads... is better than one, right? Two people observing is better than one person doing it? Ibram shook his head and elected to meet him. Cabin Sixteen's leader, Azrael Blackburn or Mr. Blackburn as he calls him. The young man toiled through the outskirts of the bonfire area, keeping his gaze at the flames to pretend he wasn't looking towards him. When he finally approached him, he began with, "Hey, Mr. Blackburn. Your night going well? Why don't you get some marshmallows?"

Why... was he here again?

Social gatherings was not his forte. He preferred to sleep right now instead of showing up to the claiming, but he was more interested in what the new campers looked like. It was one of his not so incognito way of getting to know people but not really talking to them in person. He liked to watch from the sidelines too and kudos to the campers if they did not get all in his business. Yet a certain camper caught his eye and she wore a dress that made her stand out. Whether or not she wanted to cause trouble here, he thought he should stick around and watch if it ever unfolds. Though seeing her get approached by her friends, he was almost jealous that they could approach her easily. Well, if he could get over it... he could... approach her and ask whatever scheme she has planned tonight.

In contrast, he was wearing a dark sweater and beige pants so he somewhat can be seen from afar if one could focus on his bottoms. Ibram elected to watch from her from afar while he people watches, comfortable in his little bubble. 

Ibram was more surprised at her ignorance of the trouble she may have caused from the times he heard her name being called. Technically, she might be right to consider herself popular whether or not that was sarcasm, but that statement could come true if she never stopped her trouble making - and he'd doubt that's possible for her. "Oh, just some things here and there." It was mostly bad things that he had heard about her, but there's a some campers that enjoyed being her audience watching her tomfoolery. "For one, I heard you have a knack for making a mess." He began, referring to the moment that had happened a couple of minutes ago. If she made one now, he was sure she has made plenty before considering her disposition. Yet for some reason, he could tell she wouldn't hit a fly.

He watched her clean up her own mess, a bit impressed that she managed to make the path as nearly as clean as it was before the accident; albeit he had helped out somewhat. He wasn't sure if he should hang out with her more when the other campers might think he could be in cahoots with her, but there was nothing about her that could make him refuse. She did, in fact, made up for her mistake just now and he could respect that... even though she didn't seem like changing her ways. Who was he to expect to her to do that?

"Huh, vampires?" What a load of bull! How could she accuse him of that? "They don't feed on strawberries, do they? I'm willing to bet you're a vampire since you always cause trouble for the campers." He had decided to indulge in her and chuckled at his own comment. "What if they are calling you because they are onto you? I can't help you with that." Ibram saw her pinkie, the twinkle in her eye, and the happy look on her face. So happy for someone so lax. So ridiculous the sight of her made him chuckle. He wasn't making fun of her, but... he thought it was a cute performance.

"Just next time, I don't want you making a mess in the fields. Or hitting someone with soil-filled pottery."

Ibram had told her to wait by the mess she made but she instead elected to go with him to the shed. Does she not follow instructions? He brushed the thought, aware that she might not be the type to. For him, these sort of people leave a bad impression of him and it may be difficult to get away from that. He didn't care anyways as he was more focused on finishing the task at hand. But based on her answer, it is likely she is from that cabin. He knows one person from that cabin already and he gets on his nerves sometimes. This girl might not be too different from that guy. "There's no need. I don't need plants taller than me..." He muttered the last few words, assuming she was literal in her definition of colossal.

And she confirmed his suspicions right away.

As they continued stepping on the path, she managed to get him a new strawberry which reminded him of the one he was forced to drop because of her. Nothing beats the first time he ate that strawberry, he believed. It was just right after he finished working out and he was more or less entranced by the aroma, the taste, and the flavors of the first strawberry he picked. Getting another one won't fix it and it certainly won't replace that strawberry, but he decided to eat it anyway. He took the first bite as they approached the shed and another few quick ones so he could grab the tools.

Though when she mentioned he looked familiar too, he almost shot her a glare with a hint of curiosity hiding in his eyes. At least, she was aware of her own manners. When she finally dropped her name, he remembered the few times she was called out for her tomfoolery. To him, she seemed to be the most erratic kid in the world and made a mental note to avoid her. And miraculously, she came to him. He sure knows her all right. Well, there's no reason he wouldn't refuse. "Ibram. Ibram Kendi. The guy you almost hit with your little stunt. I suppose word gets around. I've heard your name a couple of times."

Ibram continued to observe the girl skating in the lake as some other campers began doing the same. By no means he was interested in her but was simply watching in awe when her movements are done with grace and elegance. She might be the most experienced out of all of the campers in the frozen lake. Even when another camper asked him if he wanted to go together, his eyes was still latched onto the girl for the moment until he could bring his attention to whatever that voice came from. He seemed to be a couple years his senior and observed he brought his own pair of skates with him. Again, not terribly good at skating but it was enough not for him to fall flat into the ice and make a fool of himself.

For some reason, his smile made him more hesitant to join the makeshift skating rink, but he wanted to act like he knows what he was doing. In an effort to do so, he responded with a slightly firm nod to the young man. "I suppose I could take your offer. Let me just grab those skates." Ibram went ahead to the docks to grab them, his footsteps can be heard from the stepping of the wood. He took some time sit down and replaced his footwear with ice skates until he could manage to stand with them. And then, he slowly but surely returned to the young, nice looking man who offered him.

"I'm ready now. Let's do it."

As it turns out, a nice thing was done for him today. Ibram did not know what to say and he did not want to let go of his night vision ability easily. He... secretly found it cool but this would probably end as soon as he found his ingredient or elected to drop the search for the night. Well, as long as he can bring it back to his cabin with him, it would be okay. By the time he had left the lake, he could make out his surroundings in the lodging area but he still would like to keep 'seeing' in the dark. Something like this could even be useful for training in the dark, but the again, would surmount into nothing if they don't have such power or enchantment. Ibram thanked him as he watched him disappear in front of him and he was free to leave the lakeshore.

End of Thread.

Ibram could take whatever he had to say about his little dilemma since he sort of... made up the details he had revealed to him. Some of his words, he could admit, he could take back with him but he wasn't going to express that out loud. With the word going around with the dryads, he was wondering why another one did not approach him regarding Marigold. Maybe they do not talk to each other much as Tristan had anticipated? This could be a favorable outcome for him since he could speak with her in private and somehow make it up to her. He was still working out a day. Planning one. Okay, he has not even there yet. Soon, he made a mental note of it. And he was sure as hell did not want his actions to result in eating food that tastes bad.

With the sudden announcement of departure, he could agree that he had spent more time here longer than he should. When he thought he would be alone with his thoughts, he was alone with this guy. Tristan. He's kinda cool, but definitely not someone he'd want to open up to. Not yet anyway. He had planned on resuming his search as well, but now that he mentioned it, it was time to head back to his cabin. "Right, yeah. Is that night vision spell going to wear off if you're far away or something? And you might get caught too if you linger around like this. I know there are some campers that take the opportunity to risk themselves just to report to the cabin leaders."

It was just him giving a head's up. It's not like he cared about him getting caught...

Winter 2021

Ibram tended to start his mornings with exercise, be it running, weightlifting, or regular hero training; he found that it helped him wake up and set him up for the day. The recent snowfall made his usual running route difficult to stick to, so he stuck to some standard training with his sword this morning. Anyways, after finishing up for now, he decided to go get some air at the beach. The wet part of the beach might as well be frozen at this point but he didn't mind. He wanted to have the sea salt breeze brush against his body it was warming up with his winter attire. The boy was mumbling some things to himself about his inadequate swordplay, his plans for future training, and other thoughts of training, when he noticed a lone figure gliding across the canoe lake to his right. Ibram stopped in his tracks to watch the person on the lake skate. He couldn’t quite make out who it was, but his curiosity got the best of him.

Changing his course, Ibram turned on his heels and headed towards the docks where he had spotted extra pairs of skates. He wasn’t terribly good at skating, but his movements were almost entrancing. He took a seat at the edge of the dock and watched the girl for a little. Maybe he’d borrow some skates if he was convinced. @ Park Shi Jin

Tristan may have pointed out the obvious solution to his little dramatic problem, but he was sort of adamant in letting things just calm down until he works up the courage to talk to her again. Marigold did nothing but strike up conversations with him and it seemed like he could see them being friends. Even though there are more dryads in camp, she was the one he felt more comfortable talking to. Maybe he could ask her to serve him a specific food? No, that might be too much but the thought sounded nice to have a little variety in meals. Not saying that the current ones are not as good. Even then, he preferred not to be awkward with a person as well. Ibram might seem like a cold person, but he despises it when things are awkward with him and the relationship or conversation goes nowhere.

"Right. I will, I guess." He caved.

He was staring into the moonlight reflected on the surface of the lake for the moment until he asked. It was no argument, but he supposed he could cook up some similar lie. "Err... It was something we did not have the same opinion of so I kind of reasserted my own by yelling at her." This is a common thing to do, right? Wanting the person to agree with you and be on the same side? Ibram knew this sort of trait is considered toxic when done extremely but it was one of the few times he's done it.

It was interesting to know that he can recycle with a spell but there is no way he created the spell and practiced that just to have that convenience? While it does look cool, he felt his magic could be put into better use with spells for battle instead of luxury. If he were have access to some form of magic, he thought. "Yes, I'm sure. They have served us meals so I don't think they could outright refuse." Ibram couldn't believe that Tristan hadn't thought about this and he assumed he has been around here for some time. He was annoyed at first, but given that the details of the ingredient is ambiguous... he supposed asking help would be the right choice. "I do know a dryad but I'm not sure if she'll talk to me..." Not after that scold he gave her after getting startled.

"I barely know her. Her name is Marigold. We just talked sometimes here and there. And then one day, we argued and we never talked again." Ibram preferred to spare him the embarrassing details. A part of him knew how immature that was, but he couldn't let it go just yet. He wanted to make up to her one way or another, but did not know how. And even then, he avoided asking some of his friends for help. It's not really his strong suit. 

Ibram did not want to dwell on the topic of his past any longer and he was sure he did not want to talk about his own. His may not be like sunshine and rainbows, but Tristan is more like dark, cloudy skies with no chance of sunlight. He stepped on the ground slowly, examining every bit of what could be down there. He was getting used to his temporary ability to see in the dark, intrigued by this power for the first couple of minutes. So when Tristan spoke that he found it, he quickly rushed to his side and grinned at his find. "I'm sure the book meant the ingredient can be found on the cover of the moonlight, not something that can reflect it." It felt right to employ his humor, only to see the can disappear. "Where did you send it?" He was curious. Things don't just disappear like that, right?

"Yes, they don't like us polluting the camp. I heard that they pull "pranks" on campers if they litter. I'm not sure to what extent, but I'd prefer not to experience their wrath. I suppose they don't just cook the food for us in the pavilion." Ibram didn't have much contact with the wood nymphs here at camp, nothing but some words in exchange. Thanking them for the food was pretty much the only time he's ever spoke to them and the other campers talk to them more often than he did. There was a time when one of them pop out from the tree bark and he was startled. Instead of playing it off, he got angry at that nymph and scared her away. It was the one of the few things he regretted doing.

Then again...

"Have you ever asked the dryads to help you out? I'm sure they have some knowledge of the ingredient in question and they are outside more often than we are. We're also past curfew. I'd like to avoid getting caught so I would prefer asking them for help. Have you considered that?"

Ibram began his search alongside him, listening on a part of his not so ideal upbringing. Well, every god has impacted their mortal lovers in some way but his story seemed to take it somewhere where not many would want to hear. He would be lying when he said he would not be interested in hearing about it but the young man didn't seemed too down about it at all. It is good to know that he was happy with his stay here just as he was, but he wondered what sort of life he led before coming here. Well, he knew that not everyone here could have led a normal life before coming here. Either way, some form of evil is going to hunt them down. "Oh I see. Sorry to hear that. It's good to know that you like it here. I do know a person who didn't like it here at first, but eventually came around."

His father didn't want to bear the responsibility of raising a child, knowing that it would somehow be in the way of his career. Ibram was disappointed in him and the visits during the holidays did not make up for lost time when it seemed like he was only doing it for the formalities. He never liked his father but his uncle was a different man who raised him like his own. Shocking to know that the two of them happened to be brothers.

Feeling a surge of magic emerge in his eyes, he instinctively closed it for a moment before slowly opening them up. He thought he would feel some sort of sting but instead, the magic seemed to disappear. He could see in the dark better and made out details and texture he would not normally see without the aid of his magic. He was shocked and began to test it out with fascination. "This is awesome. I didn't know you can do something like this."

A favor? Ibram was curious to know what sort of favor he would need at this time of the night. Depending on the task, he liked doing favors but he could tell from their voice and tone if he was just being used. He was not entirely sure if he could consider him a friend too... but he knew it would take some time for him to place his trust. For now, he was just enjoying the company. Though once he heard his request, he was almost baffled. Asking him to be his test subject when they had just met? He was surprised on how bold he had become. He could almost admire that part about him, the part where he wanted to keep that drachma, a form of payment that is accepted in mythical services. A part of him did wonder what it would feel like to be a pole cat. "I'll... think about it. I'm not declining, but I'll think about it."

Happy to join on his search, it was a bit annoying to know that there was no information on what this particular ingredient looked like. What made it more perturbing was that it can only be found in this time of the night when the moon shone on the ground. "Have you met her? Hecate, I mean. As far as I know, no one here seems to have met their god parents face to face. I heard stories from several years ago that there exists campers that actually met them. It seems like it is different now."

All he could remember from her was that his father met her during the peak of his career. When he visited during holidays, he could not say much about her other than she was a one-night stand and that she turned out to be a Greek god. He didn't believe it until he was claimed at camp, but he was more shocked that there are children like him whose god parents did the deed with their mortal love interests and left their children to be protected here. All he could do now was to move on and make use of the gifts that was passed down to him.

One he reached the fields, he began to wander in the path created by the campers as to prevent others from stepping on their plants. Seeing this sort of structure gave him a pleasant smile in his face, satisfied to see that there is some form of order in this part of camp. He was just growing used to the chaos, with some parts messy and some clean. The Big House and the pavilion was always neat and tidy whenever he showed up, but sometimes the other facilities weren't the same. Still, he reassured himself that the campers take turns in making sure they're clean. His legs stopped and his eye was picking on a random strawberry that grew nearby. It looked tasty and juicy, the perfect after workout snack right in front of him. He wasted no time picking it and he took a bite shortly after, enjoying the sweet and aromatic flavor. Kudos to the Demeter Cabin. And Mr. D.

However, he did not know what to expect in the next couple of moments. He didn't hear her humming. He didn't hear her skips as she approached him, her clumsiness getting the best of her as she let go of the potted plant. He didn't notice it until it got too close to him and forced him out of the little trance the strawberry had put him. He almost prevented the plant from falling until the grip wasn't firm enough. It fell and the terracotta pot broke apart upon impact, scattering the dirt all on the path.

It startled him and a feminine voice brought his attention to a female camper who had seemed to cause this mess.

"Hey! You should worry about where you're going." He drew a deep breath. He was more annoyed at the mess she made than her clumsiness. He glanced at the strawberry he had dropped in order to get the pot, but that one still fell to the ground. "I'm not hurt. I'll get the tools in the shed so we can get this done. Wait."

"Are you from Cabin 4 by any chance? I feel like I've seen you around before."

"Just make sure that your potion works or you will have to give him his drachma back." He could not help but chuckle at his little joke, but considered it interesting if he could make a profit out of making potions but it seemed like it could be frowned upon when the Hephaestus children make weapons and armor for free. Either way, it is good practice for Tristan. And more importantly, what does transforming to a polecat anyway? Did the person want to be such an animal so much? A part of him grew a little curious of the fate of his client and he certainly voiced that in his next few words. "Let me know what happened to him. He would probably pull a sneaky on his friends or something." That seemed like the most probable reason.

"Talking a walk is good too, but you might be right. Sometimes it is helpful to do something else that is easy on the brain. When you let your thoughts go.  Don’t try to control them.  It’s like examining a rock and letting the rock be the rock.  Look at all the sides. Pondering is a leisurely practice. Right now, it is stone skipping." Ibram grabbed another stone from the ground and threw it towards the lake. It skipped on the surface a couple of times until it sunk. Another successful attempt to put a smile in his face.

"Ibram." A hand extended to shake his. "The feeling is mutual. If you'd like, I can help you in your search. Two heads is better than one, right?"

Ibram spent most of the early morning working out and performing stretches to keep his muscles flexible, strong, and healthy. Being one of the few early birds, he didn't see much of the other campers doing the same which he was proud of. It is the peace the camp grounds has before more and more began to show up and by then, he was already done with his fitness routine. He also had the entire wooden, makeshift gym to himself which would be occupied for most of the day. This would be the only time he could use it without another camper using the equipment he wanted to use. You could call him impatient or selfish, but surely - the early bird gets the worm. He planned on going straight to the pavilion for breakfast, but it seemed like he was too motivated and parts of his limbs were aching.

He elected to take control of his breathing as he took a stroll towards the strawberry fields. If he took one, chances are it'll grow right back later on.

The boy had plans this weekend. He only had to wait. What was this camp really like? Everyone seemed so kind and happy. Even the most grumpy still weren't actively insulting. He hadn't been made fun of or bullied. This camp was truly fascinating. He thought about his old bully at the moment who had brought mythological creatures just to help him beat up kids. Whether he knew what they truly were or not, it was unfair. And he didn't like it. A part of him was put on edge. Someone had an issue with him now, found him annoying, wanted him out. But another part saw no one had done anything. No one had planned to. No one would gain anything to. 

He only stayed because she didn't know where to go next. It wasn't safe out there and he wasn't used to that just yet. @ Dawn De La Vega

It was interesting to know that there are potions capable of even transforming a person into an animal. All he could do for the moment was listen in awe, satisfied to know that his confidence was in the right place. And while it might sound easy, the young man clarified that it can be a dangerous area to deal with and one would need much experience to brew the complex of potions. Time, patience, and creativity are the character traits one may need if they wanted to pursue this subject and it sounded like this boy had it all. And even then, he preferred to bring ambrosia whenever he left camp for a trip. Awkward silence began filling the atmosphere between them when Tristan stopped talking and Ibram did not know what to say in the moment. He had finally met him in person but he also felt the urge to give him comfort in some way.

"I think... you might be capable of making a complicated brew." He began. "You look like the kind of guy who takes their thing seriously. I mean, you are out here past curfew looking for some ingredient for a camper. I think that deserves some degree of respect from myself and that client of yours." He didn't bother mentioning to him that he saw him practicing his spells most nights when that could have spelled stalker for him. He preferred to avoid the weirdness without context.

Ibram picked up and held the stone as instructed. After checking he was holding it right, he flicked his wrist and threw the stone towards the lake. It continued to spin and spin until it bounced on the lake surface. On and on for a few times before it submerged itself into the water. He couldn't help but smile at what had just happened. Tristan was smiling as well. "Thank you. It's embarrassing, but I've been on and off trying to do this ever since I saw someone else do it."

A potion's recipe book?

Ibram could recall some other campers making their own brews but it seemed like the some of the children of Hecate could pursue that knowledge further if they wanted to. As far as he knew, they can be elixirs... or a drink that can kill with a drop. He was hoping that Tristan was looking for an ingredient for the former, but it didn't seem like he would be the type to kill a bug. "Oh, I see...," He paused to think. "What sort of potion are you looking to make then? The first think I can think of is a drink that could mend injuries during a critical time... though I now realize that I was thinking about medicine." He had a vague understanding, but he felt confident in the direction he was going for. It was all he knew about potions, but he was open to learning whether or not it was a misconception.

He could commend him for even taking down notes. This camper is annotating, someone more like a child of Athena would do. What was his name again?

Ibram did not mind him watching, but he was almost hesitant in letting him show how it is done. Moments later, he brushed away what is left of his doubt and responded in an almost cordial tone. "Sure thing. I've seen some campers do it and it looked cool to me." A faint, tint of pink emerged in his cheeks as he quickly grabbed another stone, ready for what the boy has to tell him.

Well, he did not seem like the type to rat people beyond curfew, which was something he could respect. Except of course, if the camper in question is doing something bad. And so far, no one here seems capable of performing criminal acts even though he firmly believed he should be the one to get to the bottom of this if he caught a whiff. He glanced at the book settled near Tristan, then to the lake and focused on the white streaks that re reflections of the moon light on the water surface. "Are you practicing your magic? Figured I'd ask because you have a book next to you." Surely, the children of Hecate needed to have a reference for spells if they wanted to know what sort of spells they can't cast. "I'm cool with you doing it... Just don't turn me into an animal or something."

Ibram picked up another stone from the ground and threw it sideways towards the lake as hard as he could. It flew through the air but soon dived into the water.

He drew another breath while Tristan observed, not minding a one person audience. At least, only one person here could see him struggling. 

Normally, he wouldn't be up this late and a big part of him urgently told him to go remain in the cabin past curfew but he was enjoying the peace when most of the other campers are inside their cabins. At least he avoided the forest and no monster would get to him unless he intended to go inside, but the two die in his hand gave him reassurance. He made sure the lodging area was in the clear and made his way towards the lake past the showers and toilets. He'd probably come across a child of Hecate during this time of the night given their magic, one of which he knew was just as disciplined as him when it comes to their craft. The young man earned his respect, yet it was odd that they haven't talked once.

Ibram would observe him from afar sometimes before minding his own business, each with a growing curiosity. How does demigod magic even work?

Well, he might not see him tonight since he was heading towards the lake, when he found him to be moving his arms like a routine near Cabin Twenty. His sneakers stepped on the trail and shortly arrived to the lake, with intent to skip stones and create those rippling effects on the water surface. It was one of the things he wanted to do, but hasn't really perfected it. He asked one camper, but the way he explained it didn't make sense. Ibram drew a sigh as he picked up a stone, trying to remember how that camper held the stone before he skipped it.

Until he heard a voice. Was he really about to get caught over some night time leisure?

But instead of fleeing, he was more curious on who it was and hope that he found them first. After a few light steps, he found a silhouette which was soon given color from the moonlight. It was just another camper, and better yet, that guy he saw before. That child of Hecate.

"Hey," he said with care in his voice. "It's only me. No monster here." 

Life as a demigod, it turns out, is quite dangerous.

Getting bullied and then showing them up might be considered an outlier for many, but who knew that the next time he met them they were accompanied by those odd looking tall men with hundreds of dollars worth of tattoos in their arms. He was convinced, with the clubs they were holding, that they were part of some motorcycle that was bought by Winters just to beat him up. Instead, they were monsters from Greek mythology - a fact that took him some time to process in the hospital. It also left him with one glaring problem, as illustrated by his very pleasant arrival at camp, his severe lack of any survival or combat skills. Sure, he enrolled himself in MMA classes, but it was only for a few months when the other campers probably had years of training. Nowadays, he gets most, if not all, of his training from the instruction here.

One trip to the camp's armory showed that he was likely going to have similar luck with other weapons, turns out handling sharp and lethal objects is actually quite dangerous without experience, who could have guessed? That was the last time he wielded a letter opener, thinking he was cool to do so after learning a few moves. Though out of all the weapons, the one he felt not totally out of his league with was the bow. The spear was the first weapon he trained with and the bow was second, thinking it was smart of him to have a bit of close and long-distance muscle memory. With every weapon, he had a gut feeling that he might do reasonably well with them -- until he began using it. So far, spears and bows are his forte. 

It was decided then, after picking up a recurve bow that seemed suitable for him with the help of the good soul who’d agreed to take him there, he headed for the archery range.

He knew from him experience of learning a multitude of other very unrelated skills that he shouldn’t be discouraged by failures in his first few attempts and should keep his head held high, so with a firm nod of his head and a bright smile, he continued, eventually succeeding in getting the arrow to land in the general vicinity of the target, which he counted as a success! For now, at least, he’ll take not nearly shooting him in the foot as a small victory, so he sat down, drank some water, pondered the seeming futility of his efforts so far, and went back to practicing. He was diligent, if literally nothing else, that’s how he’d picked up most of his non-school related skills. Nevertheless, he decided to persevere with his efforts till he finally managed to hit the target at least ten times in a row, today if possible.

May the gods have mercy upon him and anyone in his general vicinity. @ Alyssa James