The Most Colorful Cabin

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

The Most Colorful Cabin

~ @ Hailey King  @ Petal Price  ~

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

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

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

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

[Hailey King Rare]

Hailey had been wandering around camp after the ending of the capture of flag. She was still in the capture mood as it had been going quite fun and exciting. It was a tough race between both teams and she had so much fun fighting for the flag. But yeah accidents may happen and she was sure that there had been enough medics around the event. She had met one of them being a Demeter as well, and she knew a few about how they worked around camp. They were pretty much different from the healers by a bit. But she was simply enjoying the event and there were also an after party going on at the beach, which she was part of it too. She was close to an older camper so she had volunteered to. Though she was more interested in the girls-only night party her sister Emberlynn had started at their cabin. Wellll, hopefully Fin wasn’t around to stalk or bump into them that night! Hailey chuckled at the thought of it but felt bad for him being an alone boy away from their party would be really sad for him, plus he had been having a broken heart time that she heard from her sisters and around camp and he probably needed some comfort and hugging time. Dang! Maybe later~~~
 

Anyways, she was in the party mood, and had opened the door to the artistry that Emberlynn had set up, along with sweets, arts stuff and the banner were clearly visible from where she stood. She grinned at the whole setting and approached Emberlynn at where she was waiting for them. "Wow………This is so cool Emberlynn!!! Hmmm so many things to do here haha….” She spotted the karaoke set, and then the art paints and she began wondering which they would do first. So much fun in the Iris cabin indeed!!

[Petal Price]

Petal arrived at the party stepping through the door with a beaming smile on her face. The sight before her was enough to instantly fill her with excitement. Her eyes took in the colorful streamers hanging around the cabin and the various activities Emberlynn had set up. The energy coursing through her bubbly body made her twitch, eager to dive right in. Petal was after all a beacon of positivity, always brimming with joy, and seeing the effort her sister had put into creating a fun filled night for them was enough to make her feel right at home. "Wow, Emberlynn, this is like, so incredibly amazing!" She exclaimed, her hands waving in excitement as she twirled around the room taking in the sight.

Petal's eyes lit up as she looked at the karaoke machine, memories of singing in her old school's talent shows coming up. Even though she never won she always enjoyed the thrill of performing. "Oh my gods, are we going to do some karaoke tonight?" she asked, her voice pitched high with excitement. Moving over to the face painting station she looked with curiosity at the vibrant colors available. Being a daughter of Iris, she had always been fascinated with colors. "Oh, I can't wait to get started!" she exclaimed. "Emberlynn you've outdone yourself. What should we start with first?"

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

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

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

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

[Petal Price]

In true Petal fashion her curiosity was immediately piqued by the assortment of sweet treats on display. The contrast between the professionally baked goods from Aunt Amelia's bakery and Emberlynn's earnest creations brought a genuine smile to her face. "Oh my gosh, Emberlynn, these look divine!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as she beheld the delicious-looking treats. Her hand reached out and picked up one of Emberlynn's homemade pastries, bringing it to her mouth. She took a generous bite, a delighted giggle escaping her lips as she tasted the flavors. "Mmm! They're amazing!" She proclaimed, her words slightly muffled by the mouthful of the confectionery.

As she savored the sweet treat, Petal's eyes roved over the cabin again, taking in all the effort Emberlynn had put into making the evening special. She felt a rush of affection for her sisters and was thrilled at the prospect of creating some great memories together. "I say let's paint our faces first! Then we can gobble up the rest of these delicious goodies while we rock the karaoke, how does that sound?" Petal suggested, bouncing on her heels, the endless bundle of energy that she was, ready to plunge into the night of sisterly fun.

[Hailey King Rare]

Bailey looked around excitedly wondering which they would do first. Since she was the second eldest here so far along the girls, she would’ve given the chance to the youngest to pick. "Same old for me haha! Doing more art than usual these days." She turned around the at Petal’s arrival, beaming at her sister like the Iris daughters always had with the happy and enlightened face, especially whenever they see art! "Petal!! Just in time for the party……… ooh I agree on the face paint, and then we can enjoy the food and the karaoke, good idea." She also went to try on the cookies Emberlynn made , and her aunt’s as well. They were both delicious which made Hailey grin even more and gave a big thumbs up to Ember. She was always supportive to her sisters and their families too. Which was great as their families kind of became one another’s too. She went to grab those face paint next and gathered them in front of them all, awaiting to start on the painting. "Shall we?"

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

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

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

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

[Petal Price]

Petal's watched with enthusiasm as her sisters were getting ready for the face painting. Her heart was fluttering with joy at the idea of sharing this special moment with them. She loved being creative, and the fact that she was doing it with her newfound family made it even more special. Being away from her biological family had never been easy for her, but her adopted family at camp made all the difference.

"Of course, Emberlynn!" Petal chirped, handing over the face paints to Hailey. "You go first! I can't wait to see what Hailey comes up with!" She bounced on her heels, unable to contain her excitement. Looking at the paints, she started imagining all the fun designs they could create. "And don't worry about it, I know whatever you paint on me will be amazing!" She said to Emberlynn in a confident tone. Picking up a piece of another homemade pastry, she took a bite, her taste buds dancing at the delightful flavor. "Seriously, Emberlynn, these are fantastic! You should definitely keep baking!" She added. Her focus was completely on the present moment, reveling in the joy of bonding with her sisters, and the love and warmth she felt in their shared Iris cabin.

[Hailey King Rare]

Beaming, Hailey was more ready than ever for their perfect sister night in party at the cabin. She grinned when her sisters were all ready to go ahead with the face paint. "Go ahead Ember!!“ Hailey went for a round of Auntie A’s cupcakes as she waited for Emberlynn to start with the paint. She had t agree that the cakes were delicious. She had them laid out so they could refer to any of the colours easily. Petal was also waiting so they were going in turns for the paint. She wondered how long it would take, but she hoped it would be a meaningful night party tonight.

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

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

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

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

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

[Petal Price]

Petal smiled at Emberlynn, sensing her slight unease. "You know, Emberlynn," she began thoughtfully, v"sometimes I believe that being a Jack-of-All-Trades is a talent in itself. The world needs people who can adapt, who can fit into any scenario, and who have a multitude of interests. You bring a unique color to every situation." She took a moment to meet Hailey's eyes, her face reflecting the deep bond they all shared.

As for her own passions, she took a deep breath, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of the face paint container. "I've always been drawn to music," Petal admitted, her eyes sparkling with a distant memory. "It's like a universal language that speaks directly to the soul. Whenever I felt alone or overwhelmed, I would lose myself in melodies, either by playing or singing." She paused, her cheeks tinting a faint pink. "Of course, I'm not as skilled as you both are in your own fields, but it brings me peace and happiness. And sometimes, that's all that matters, right?"

[Hailey King Rare]

Hailey had to say that she was pleased to have sisters like them, and she knew her brothers were like that too, though their bros weren’t here today……hopefully! She smiled at Ember’s kind words, she was also hoping to see their art too and not just hers. She was, to be honest, already used to her work so she likes to others too, and they all had unique styles of their own. Face paint was also her first doing that as she used to do on canvases. Though she didn’t mind going first as they kind of insisted the best artist among them in their view. "Alright then, I guess I’ll go first to do your face Ember, but I can’t wait to see all of your art work too!! " She was sure they’d do a great job. And Petal was really good in music in which they might not be as much as her. She was proud of them of course. Right now they were just having fun with the night party for ‘only girls’ , and she wanted to make the best out of it. She nodded at Petal’s words, agreeing with how music affect their emotions and lives too. She was an artist so she could understand that. She picked up the face paint next and started with one that has rainbow colours, ready to paint it over Ember’s face. She grinned and faced Ember. "Here goes nothing.” She made a light wave on her face, from the left cheek , to the forehead, and then to right cheek, illustrating a curvy rainbow sign along her face.

Edited September 2, 2023 by Hailey King

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

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

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

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

[Hailey King Rare]

Hailey  can only giggle as she made her way along Ember’s precious face. She wanted it to be as perfect as possible being an artist as well. They were also known as perfectionist sometimes, but there could be one wrong or two. As she painted she heard Petal mentioning her musical skills, and Ember telling them her piano past experiences. It seemed that all of the Irises inherited different talents of their own, and she could say she wasn’t much good at music as well, singing a little maybe? And luckily she had a good grip on the paintbrush as it went away for a sec when Ember got too excited that it bumped into it. She shrugged it away and smiled, gesturing her to continue , as she knew her condition. "oh no worries Ember….it’s almost done too….” She grinned, until she finished the last wave of the paintbrush and was pretty much satisfied with her paint work, she let her turn to Ember next on Petal’s face.
 

There they continued their conversations, as they were always good at conversations. She wondered what to do next as Ember asked them about their daily lives at the moment. She hadn’t had much to do these days to be honest, other than art, and helping in the kitchen, it was only the new stuff she would be learning then. Some sports perhaps. Speaking of which, Fin was good with sports which made her wonder whether he was good in arts as well. "Hmmmm nothing much for me really, but I’m trying some sports like swimming and diving………and definitely no crushes yet haha.” They were already at that age but she was sure she hadn’t met anyone special yet. She was too busy with her own activities that she didn’t really see anyone yet. Hopefully there would be a someone out there, she was too a romantic person after all. 

[Petal Price]

Petal grinned as Emberlynn carefully painted a swirl of musical notes on her cheek. It felt as if her essence had been captured in those delicate strokes of paint. "Well, I mostly focus on the guitar and I can hit the keys on a piano butttttt I'm not sure I'd call it music," she responded to Emberlynn's query about instruments as she laughed softly. "And about composing... I've dabbled in songwriting. You know, a tune here and there, some incomplete lyrics scrawled in a notebook." She couldn't help but feel a warm glow inside at the idea of collaborating with her sisters on a creative project. "I'd be thrilled to work on something together, maybe turn some of your half-finished poems into songs," she suggested, her eyes twinkling at the prospect.

Her attention then shifted to Hailey's mention of diving and swimming. "That sounds awesome, Hailey! If you ever need a cheering squad, count me in," she said, her words filled with genuine enthusiasm. As the topic of crushes came up, Petal felt her cheeks flush just a tad. "Well, speaking of crushes," she hesitated, her eyes slightly distant, "there's this guy, Gael, from the Phobos cabin. Dark, mysterious—kind of intriguing, you know?" She chuckled nervously. "But who knows? I'm a firm believer that things happen when they're meant to."

As the conversations about talents, hobbies, and life experiences continued to flow, Petal felt a deep sense of belonging. She looked at Hailey and Emberlynn, and she realized how much she had yearned for a moment like this—a chance to be herself, to be loved for who she was, and to reciprocate that love and acceptance. She knew this was just the beginning, but it was a magical one. "I can't express how grateful I am to be here with both of you," she said softly, her voice carrying a weight of gratitude and joy.

 

[Hailey King Rare]

Hailey was looking at Ember’s musical notes art painting on Petal’s face. The decent art line and creativity were what amazed Hay. She beamed as she was always happy to have siblings with similar traits and likes, it was hard to befriend anyone like that, but you find them in your family here. She grinned as Petal intended to be her cheering squad team, and she was more than pleased to be having supporters of her own. She didn’t have any at the moment. She hoped she could fulfil her goal in the future, and it seemed like sports weren’t hard that much right? "Definitely Petal!!” Their conversation moved on to crushes, as Hailey listened intently , munching on another pastry. She was glad that Petal had one particularly from Phobos. It wasn’t a surprise their cabin had crushes of their own not to mention their brother had a few of his own too, but Hay was still open in her love circle, awaiting for that special someone. No rush of course. She had to agree with Petal as she shared how grateful she was to have them all. If she didn’t have them , well life wouldn’t be as exciting as now as well. "I’d have to say the same.” Even more when she had more sisters now.

Edited September 14, 2023 by Hailey King

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

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

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

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

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