Unlucky in Snakes, Lucky in Friends

[Petal Price]

Petal jolted awake, the morning light filtering through her cabin's windows illuminating the room in warm shades of gold. Then her eyes met the unsettling sight in the corner of her room: a snake, coiled and still, its eyes locking onto hers. Panic surged through her, drowning out the peace and calm that usually began her mornings. Her heart pounded like a drum as she bolted out of her cabin, her bare feet slapping against the ground. Snakes were not her vibe, not at all. "Keep cool, keep cool," she repeated in her head, but "cool" was miles away, replaced by a pulsating alarm bell of fear.

Without wasting another moment, she made a beeline for the Tyche cabin. She'd heard rumors about a camper there who was practically a snake whisperer. Banging on the door frantically, her knuckles rapping against the wood like a desperate SOS, she yelled, "Hey! Anyone in there? I've got a snake situation! Help!" Her high-pitched voice betraying her freak-out. Every second waiting for the door to open felt like an eternity. She was a bundle of frenetic energy, her thoughts swirling with images of what that snake might do next. Could it escape her cabin? Could it be dangerous? Petal was not the type to lose her cool, but right now, she felt like her inner peace had been shattered into a million tiny, slithering pieces.

@ Leroy Bernard

[Leroy Bernard]

Leroy would be sound asleep in his room having let a few of his critters go the night before. He had started to build a legit collection of creatures from the woods surrounding the camp. He had also stayed out late playing games with some of the other kids at the camp. He was killing it with the dice games but you know some of the other kids forget what being the child of Tyche means. He was trying to sleep in when a loud panicking knock on the cabin door. Leroy would just yell “JAMES DOOR! JAMES…” the knocking would continue. “Fine I will get it.” He would stumble out of bed put on some pants and head towards the door. Groggy and slow he walked to the door not realizing he was not wearing any shirt, socks, shoes. He would open the door not really listening to the voice on the other side of the door. He would see a girl a bit older than him and say “what’s happening? I am trying to sleep. There’s a snake? Well they should be there after breakfast still.” He would turn around to see if he could get away.

[Petal Price]

Petal's eyes widened at Leroy's sleepy and nonchalant response. Was he for real? "Breakfast? There's a live, possibly dangerous snake in my cabin and you're talking about breakfast?" The disbelief was thick in her voice, her chest tight with a blend of fear and frustration. A snake whisperer he might be, but clearly, mornings were not his specialty. The door seemed like it was about to close on her—literally and metaphorically. As a daughter of Iris and a self-proclaimed free spirit, Petal wasn't usually one to let circumstances rattle her, but this was different. Snakes were a hard limit. She took a deep, shuddering breath, reminding herself to be here, to be now, to confront this situation head-on. "Look, I really need your help. Can you please come and take care of it? I promise I'll owe you one," she pleaded, her voice laced with desperation as she leaned in closer to the doorway, making it harder for him to dismiss her. At this moment, all her go-with-the-flow mentality had been rerouted into a river of urgency, and she needed Leroy to understand that.

[Leroy Bernard]

In a thick Cajun accent “Alright a favor for a favor then.shake on it.” He would hold out his hand to shake on it so a deal would be made. All of a sudden he seemed to be full of energy and a big smile would come across his face. He would say “It was all a show, I was just trying to get something out of this deal, drachma would have worked but a favor is even better. I mean I was gunna go after that snake either way but now you owe me a favor Pauvre ti bête, favors are always more expensive.” He would then start laughing as he sprinted towards the Iris Cabin and hope Petal would follow. He would get there and up to the door and realize that he should probably wait for her. He would wait patiently as Petal would show up. “What color was the snake and what shape was the head? Was it like this”he would make like a triangular shape and pray it wasn’t that, “or like this?” And try to make a rounder shape with his fingers.

[Petal Price]

Petal shook his hand warily, the tight grip an unspoken agreement that set off warning bells in her head. Sure, she was normally good with kids, but this one seemed to operate on a whole different level. "I guess a deal's a deal," she said, forcing a half-smile, but inwardly regretting the promise already. Favors in a place like this could cost more than just a bit of drachma. As he sprinted toward her cabin, she trailed behind him, thoughts racing. What had she just committed herself to?

As Leroy paused to ask her about the snake's appearance, Petal's mind took a reluctant detour back to the frightful moment. "Uh, it was greenish? And the head...the head was more round, I think." She was still trying to put on a brave face, but she could feel her stomach churning with anxiety. Her heart rate had not yet returned to normal, and she was far from her usual laid-back self. She hoped that this favor she now owed didn't turn out to be a Pandora's box of troubles, but at this point, getting that snake out was priority number one. She gestured for Leroy to enter her cabin, feeling a wave of relief but also a knot of apprehension about the unpredictable deal she'd just made.

[Leroy Bernard]

“Oh how rude of me, my mamaw would be honte knowing i did this. But my name is Leroy. It's a pleasure to meet you. I probably should’ve put on more clothes before just running out the door but who likes wearing shirts anyhow and don’t get me started on shirts. But are you sure it's ok to go into the cabin? I really dont wanna be yelled at.” after her approval he would run in and start looking for the snake. He would that it was a harmless little grass snake and say “Oh that thing is harmless.” He would calmly walk up and pick it up. “Can’t believe I am going to be late to breakfast for a grass snake.” he would kind of whisper to himself when all of a sudden he felt a sting on his arm and he looked down to see the snake's mouth open on his arm. The snake bit him. “putain de bordel de merde!! Sorry about my french.” He would laugh a little and then he would pry the mouth off of him and his arm would start bleeding but he would then hold the snake up to Petal. “Here is your friend.”

[Petal Price]

Petal watched as Leroy confidently approached the snake, claiming it was harmless. She felt a surge of relief, but it was short-lived. When she saw the snake bite him, her heart leapt into her throat. "Oh my gods, are you okay?!?" she blurted out with concern. The tinge of regret for dragging him into this mess wrestled with her gratitude that at least someone could handle the snake. As Leroy lifted the snake toward her, Petal took a deep breath. She'd spent the morning oscillating between courage and fear, and it was time to pick a side. Her fingers trembling ever so slightly, she reached out and lightly patted the snake's head before quickly withdrawing her hand. "Hello 'friend'" It was her own little act of bravery, even if her insides still felt like jelly.

"There! I touched it. Happy?" she said, forcing a lighthearted tone but eyeing Leroy's bleeding arm with worry. The words 'I owe you one' echoed in her mind. On one hand, he'd helped her when she'd been frozen in fear, but on the other, she'd gotten him bitten in the process. Was this how favors worked in the world of demigods? Petal felt out of her depth, unnerved by the casualness with which Leroy handled the whole situation. She looked at the snake, then back at Leroy, then at his bleeding arm, wondering just what she'd gotten herself into. "Ummmm I have some bandages I can get for that, but what are we going to do with him? .....her? ........it? It's not exactly a pet."

[Leroy Bernard]

Leroy would jump at her scream “It's fine nothin to worry about. I have had worse.” he would start to pet the snake on the head and then say “Do you have a water bottle?” and if she hands him one, put a little water in the cap so the snake could get a drink. Petal would slowly pet the snake. “Well I guess. I mean I didn't care if you petted it or not. I just wanted you to see it but if you feel better about pettin it, facin your fears, good on ya.” Looking at the snake, how green it was and how calm it had become. He would stare at the snake for a few seconds absolutely admiring his beauty. He was confident they could probably move it back to the forest to let it go. “I mean I was plannin on just lettin go in the woods somewhere. It is very hard to tell if a snake is a boy or a girl. Who needs bandages? I don't need it for that little thing but I will need you to get the door or you can carry the snake and I will get the doors.

[Petal Price]

Caught in the midst of relief and continuing apprehension, Petal eyed the snake warily as it drank water from the bottle cap. A tiny part of her was charmed by the creature's less menacing side, though the primal fear hadn't fully dissipated. "Okay, if you're sure you don't need a bandage..." she said, doubt filling her voice as she looked at Leroy's still-bleeding arm. The demigod world was odd; sometimes injuries that looked concerning were shrugged off like they were paper cuts. And here was Leroy, cradling a snake as if it were an everyday occurrence, which, for him, it probably was. "I'll get the door," she finally said, making her way cautiously towards the entrance and her eyes darting between Leroy and the snake. Opening the cabin door, she stepped aside, allowing Leroy space to move with his slithery find. "After you," she said, her voice tinged with reluctant gratitude and underlying curiosity. Though she couldn't help but wonder what her favor would be for this service, or when Leroy would cash it in.

[Leroy Bernard]

He would look at her and say “I promise ya somethin like this will be fine in a little bit.” He was legitly trying to reassure her that it would be ok. He had had much worse injuries and was ok. So the young lady would go open the door and Leroy would head out towards the woods and yell back “You gunna stand der all day ,Allons! Say goodbye to your slithery friend here.” he would walk towards the woods and gesture towards petal and ask “SO have any nice words to say to him or her? I donno which one so. So” while she was talking Leroy would get distracted and just let the snake go mid sentence. “So about this favor, I’ll let you when I intend to cash it in. i dont gotta need for it now but I am sure something will come up sometime. Unless you know anything about that could be useful in the tyche cabin something to give me a slight edge on distracting someone on poker night. He keeps winning and i wanna win.”

[Petal Price]

Caught in a swirl of emotions ranging from gratitude to trepidation, Petal followed Leroy out to the woods, her bare feet sinking softly into the earth with each step. At his prompt for a farewell speech to the snake, she chuckled nervously. "Goodbye, little guy...or gal. May you find plenty of bugs to eat and a cozy den that's not inside someone's cabin," she mumbled, her eyes following the snake as Leroy unceremoniously released it mid-sentence. She barely had time to exhale before he pivoted to talk about the looming favor. The speed at which he navigated from one subject to another was dizzying, and it left her on edge. "A distraction for poker night, huh?" Petal paused, contemplating her options. Her eyes twinkled as an idea came to mind. "Well, as a child of Iris, I can create minor illusions. Nothing game-breaking, but maybe enough to give you that slight edge you're looking for? When and where is your next game? Maybe we can come up with a secret signal and I'll make my illusion? Actually, hold on...aren't you a little young to be gambling?" She offered, a hesitant smile curving her lips. Though the favor remained undefined, her intuition told her she'd best tread carefully around Leroy. The young demigod seemed as unpredictable as the creatures he tamed.

[Leroy Bernard]

“You really dont know much about these guys do you?” he would look at her and would watch the snake. It would continue up to a tree and climb up it and leroy would say in response to him being to young to gamble.“Hey now that's just details. It will probably be a while but I could definitely go for some breakfast. Food sounds good i envie some good eggs, oooooo ooooo or an omelet. But I think you are implying that we cheat at poker. Allons to the cafeteria. I dont know how I feel about cheating. I was thinking more like something I could say to throw him off.” He would then start running to the cafeteria and the dinning hall “Are you moving slow on purpose?”

[Petal Price]

Petal chuckled, amused by the juxtaposition of the young demigod's wisdom and his childlike hunger. "Alright, snake charmer," she began playfully, "let's get you some breakfast. But remember, it's on me. That's the least I can do after the morning's excitement. Besides, I've got a stash of fresh strawberries from Demeter's patch that we can add to the mix." The morning's chaotic events had worn her out, but she felt a gentle camaraderie with Leroy. Navigating the complexities of the demigod world was no small feat, and sometimes, forming alliances, even unexpected ones like this, was the way to go. They made their way to the camp's dining area, the tension of earlier encounters melting away with the promise of food and friendship. "So....egg then? How do you liked them cooked. And no I don't know how to cook snake eggs," she teased.

[Leroy Bernard]

“Yes Breakfast!! and thank you for breakfast, i was not planning on paying breakfast either way. The dude there forgets which cabin I am in and I make a bet for breakfast all the time. And win because you know Tyche. So I get breakfast free a lot. OOOOOOOOOOO strawberries are you thinking what i am thinking? waffles .” he would laugh and run a little ways “I would like a good Omelet with some andouille sausage. Why would you cook snake eggs? If you cook all the snake eggs there would be no snakes.”

[Petal Price]

Petal laughed heartily at Leroy's antics with the camp's server. His exuberance was contagious, and it made the heaviness of the morning seem like a distant memory. "Ah, a connoisseur of breakfast, I see! An omelet with andouille sausage it is, and waffles with strawberries!" she declared, feeling a warmth in her chest at the simple joy of their interaction. As she began to prepare the ingredients, the scent of fresh strawberries filling the air, she rolled her eyes playfully at Leroy's comment on snake eggs, "Well, you never know! Cooking snake eggs might just be the secret to a snake-free life!" She winked at him, her nimble fingers working skillfully on the omelet, feeling grateful for this unexpected friendship in a world filled with challenges and uncertainties. The sound of sizzling filled the air, mixed with their laughter, and Petal found herself cherishing this moment of camaraderie in the midst of chaos.

[Leroy Bernard]

Leroy would see Petal making Breakfastand would say “Wait your gunna make breakfast? Do you know how to cook? If so i can bring like Frog legs and stuff to fry. Make some good cajun recipes, i have an envie for some good home made cajun food.” he would see the omelet she was making and as soon as it hit the plate he would scarf down the omelet and then the waffles. They were so fluffy and crisp it made his mouth water and the combination of the strawberries. It made it so sweet and the contrast between the textures was so good. “These are for me too? allons these are great Petal.”

[Petal Price]

Petal's eyes widened in surprise as she watched Leroy devour the omelet at an astonishing pace. It was as if she had just witnessed a rare phenomenon of nature. She raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback by his voracious appetite. "Whoa there, speedy! I didn't expect the omelet and waffles to disappear that quickly!" She laughed, her astonishment evident in her voice. "I'm glad you enjoyed them, though." The mention of Cajun food brought a gleam to her eyes. "Frog legs? Well I've already learned to deal with snakes so why not! I've always wanted to try my hand at some authentic Cajun anyways. Just make sure to give me a heads up so I can prepare."

She paused, smiling at the remnants of the swiftly devoured breakfast, reflecting on the unexpected events of the morning. "I'm starting to think I should open up a breakfast joint just for demigods," she mused. She felt a growing fondness for the young demigod. The camp was full of surprises, and moments like this reminded her of the beauty that could be found amidst the challenges. "So, what's next on the schedule for your day?"

[Devon Long Rare]

“Yeah frog legs, gator tail, catfish you know crawdads to a good shrimp or crawfish boil. That sounds delicious don’t it.” He would continue eating and would listen to her kind of half way and would then say “today I did not really have much planned it’s finally a day off from training so I might go and try to scam some of the Hermes kids out of stuff or maybe see what some of my bros or sisters are doing. Maybe go exploring and see what else I can find around here. I don’t know yet. What about you? What’s your plan for the day?” He would then laugh to himself and say “I could go piss off ares kids which is always fun they really hate losing. It’s so fun till they threaten you and then I usually just run.”

[Petal Price]

Petal chuckled at Leroy's list of Cajun delicacies, "I'm sure they're delicious.Maybe next time you can cook me some of that Cajun cuisine," she replied. As Leroy shared his plans for the day, her expression shifted to one of amused concern. "Scamming Hermes kids, huh? You really do live on the edge. Just be careful, okay? They're pretty cunning themselves." She shook her head in mild disbelief at his mention of irritating the Ares cabin. "And as for the Ares kids... maybe try not to ruffle too many feathers? I'd hate to see you on the wrong end of their temper." Petal considered her own plans for the day, though her mind still partly on the morning's excitement. "Well, I hadn't thought much about it, but maybe I'll spend some time in the greenhouse. It's always calming, and I could use a bit of that after our snake encounter this morning." She smiled warmly at Leroy, "and hey, if you find yourself in need of a break from all your... 'activities,' you're welcome to join me. Might be nice to have some peaceful company."