Swords Shore Side

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam was happy to get away from all the drama this camp seems to have too much of it times. It made his own temper to run high at times as he found himself trying to calm down. Well that is what Dustin told him to do anyways. I think he got that idea from Lilythe but it could have been Mr. D for all he knew! But anyways he found himself sitting on the shore cleaning his sword. The thing had been used recently to kill a few monsters found in the woods that he came across. Honestly he found it all fun as he was always up for some monster hunting!

But looking out to the water he smiled as he took in the sight before him. He loved camp half-blood so  much as this was his home. With his brothers and other siblings. Below his feet were several other weapons in case one of his siblings found him and wanted a bit of fun.

@ Rebecca Jones

[Rebecca Jones]

It was another new year at camp and Rebecca was getting used to the environment already. She picked up lots of activities and sports, but she didn’t miss her music class and her healing abilities. She was getting the hang of it and she could really become a doctor one day. She was walking along the beach , looking up the sun as she wondered if her father was watching over her. The sun made her feel that he was close. She remembered having a picnic with Elijah by the shores and thought of having it again next day. Not far from her she saw an older Ares sitting by cleaning his sword, with the rest of weapons beside him. She was only familiar withe bow while Ares was all war and weapons. Anyways she approached curiously at what he was doing. ”Hey, are you….cleaning your weapons here?” She wondered if they always clean at the beach.

Edited January 12, 2023 by Rebecca Jones

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam had been in his head a bit as things had been a bit off lately with Dustin since well Krystal and him were talking. He knew it was for the best as he was the one that brought the two of them back together at the fireworks this past fall. Dustin was off with her he knew but he hoped later that he would get some time with his brother. Maybe looking out to the water was calming to him because he felt such anger inside a lot of the time. That was when a voice jolted him out of his thoughts which he looked towards her with an angry look but then remembering what Dustin had said.

"Ohhhh yeah I am" he said trying to make himself sound a tad bit nicer than his face had shown. Holding it up to the sun he watched as it gleamed in the sunlight "killed a monster the other day so wanted to make sure it looked good for the next one" he smirked looking back to the girl. He had seen her around but didn't know her name, i mean did he know too many peoples names anyways??? "What are you doing out here?" he questioned her nodding his head up . 

[Rebecca Jones]

The Ares boy looked mad for a second before relaxing into a friendlier attitude. She was used to it actually, when she was young. She hoped she hadn’t disturbed him actually. Well the usual Ares always talking about fighting and weapons. ”Sounds like a routine you boys do eh…” She wondered if Ares girls liked that too. Now that he looked up at her, she thought he was quite handsome and her eyes lingered on his face. ”Oh I’m just walking around, nice day today. Sunlight was still shining above them and she was enjoying it already. 

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam had not been too used to talking to younger campers as that was Dustin's job. One of the many reasons he did not want to be cabin leader for sure! It was nice to just do what you wanted instead of having to lead your cabin...ya know! "I guess, that or you find us training in the arena that or eating" he laughed thinking how much him and his brothers could eat. But when he asked her what she was up too he nodded in agreement as the weather at camp was always nice unless the God's decided else! Then trying to figure out his next words to say he realized he was at a loss of words when he looked down at his swords.

"Hey would you want to learn some moves with the swords? We could practice here if you like!" He was excited for this idea as it was always fun to practice with swords. Also he was trying to get to talk to her but not knowing how. 

[Rebecca Jones]

Rebecca looked at the older Ares child curiously. She chuckled at how Ares liked to eat as well. That’s rare to see demigod enjoying good food. She only knew Dionysus demigods were good at wine. ”I like food too haha. It seemed that Ares hobbies were only swords and food. Well she couldn’t say Apollos have much too. She liked music and art more, so she was always in classes or the library. They were more of archery than swords. ”Sure! Then I teach you archery next time?” She replied quickly before she continued lingering at his face at how cute he was.

[Liam Santos Rare]

Talking to this younger campers wasn't so bad after all. He was worried he would get annoyed then go off on her for her to tell on him. That seemed to happen a lot because of his anger issues. Well that was what they called it anyways. He just saw it as his personality after all. "Well good food is always good....I have had crappy food before" he said thinking back to when he was younger with his mom. Things got tight so at times he had to fend for himself which didn't always mean for a good meal. He was excited at the idea of teaching her swords and all but then she wanted to teach him archery in exchange? "Archery you say......bows and things.....I could do it" he said with a smirk. Getting up he looked at his pile when he found a sword that would be good for her height and stature. 

Holding it out for her to take, this would be some fun he was looking to have!

[Rebecca Jones]

Rebecca listened to Liam as she began lowering her position to be same as his. She recalled her family’s dishes, and they were quite good as well, she wouldn’t say they were hard to consume. ”How bad is bad huh? “ She smirked , picturing him avoid his mom’s food. She was careful not to say anything sensitive so the Ares boy won’t have sudden anger like they are good at. The last time was well she witnessed one other Ares being into a fight with someone else. Luckily she was all a good mood and patient person. She smiled nodding at him, glad that he agreed with her at her archery skills. ”Its a deal then haha…..This is cool…” She held the sword he gave her, scanning it from hand to tip. Well this was going to be fun. ”I promise I won’t destroy it.” She held it recalling the times when she practised in sword fighting classes. Hmm, how do you hold it in a proper way exactly?

[Liam Santos Rare]

Talking about his childhood was always a bit off for him. It wasn't like he was going to cry or anything...it just wasn't pleasant talking about it.  "Well with a single mom in a poor country...lets just say bugs looked good to eat" he said not to gross the young girl out but to paint a picture of his life. He would roam the streets to find anything he could to not eat bugs but there were days.....hard days! Thinking of his mom brought a lot of things up for him, some that he wished he could talk about with someone but that might happen another time. The monster that killed her, had his anger on the boil but doing some breathing exercises helped him a bit. 

The young Apollo camper was happy to hear that he would take lessons from him if she did some fighting with him. This made a smirk come on his face as he got ready for a fun time on the beach. "Well that is good, if you do we can just got to the Hephaestus cabin to get it fixed" he said confidently. "First off what is your name? Mine is Liam" he said nodding to her with a smile. Trying to get some familiarity with the girl before he started showing her how to even hold the blade in her hand. 

[Rebecca Jones]

Rebecca was glad that she met someone this good-looking, probably being a young camper made her curious and excited about everything. But he was, really. And she couldn’t bear to enter anyone’s childhood memories that were and it seemed to be sad, but she listened through as the Ares child said, watching him as he was a bit down when he spoke. "Well I would love to try bugs one day." She mentioned as if it was a new dish to try out, also to direct the conversation away from the dreariness. She knew bad childhood could be just bad to one especially when they hold it until they get older. But she was no way near that since she didn’t have much interesting childhood memories, except that her mother was deceased when she was a child but she had already moved past that. Besides she still had her family and siblings with her so she grew up pretty much cheerful and inspired. She then placed her right hand on his shoulder for a brief comfort. Next was the great sport they would do and she was simply excited. She chuckled a bit but she would make sure she won’t really break the sword. "That sounds like a good backup." She raised her sword but not too much to get ready. "Nice to meet you Liam. I’m Rebecca but you can call me Becca or anything along haha. It was getting more fun, and she looked at his face longer to remember his features with his name as she liked to do whenever she met people and especially people she treasure a lot.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Rebecca Jones

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam felt a slight warmth in his chest as Rebecca placed her hand on his shoulder. It was a small gesture, but it made him feel understood in a way. He appreciated her effort to lighten the mood and steer the conversation away from his past. "Bugs, huh? Well, I'll make sure to save you a plate if I ever come across them again," he replied, mustering a smile. As they prepared for their training, Liam noticed Rebecca's genuine excitement. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of energy himself. He adjusted his grip on his own sword, ready to guide her through the motions. "Alright Becca, let's start with the basics," he said, focusing on the task at hand. "Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Keep a firm grip on the sword, but don't tense up too much. It's all about finding that balance between strength and flexibility." Liam began to demonstrate the basic sword strikes and parries, carefully explaining each movement to Rebecca. He didn't know why Fate brought him into this world but he if could help train other demi-gods to maybe give them a longer life then he would feel his life was worth living.

[Rebecca Jones]

Rebecca hoped Liam would feel better as he had been a little mood less probably due to the thought of the bugs. He wondered who would make him feel that way. Concern grew as Becca watched the handsome Ares child out of affection as well. Oooh what’s this feeling over here? "Haha thanks well I’m sure to eat them all." She chuckled at the thought of really eating them. Then they began on the swords training now, to Beccans much excitement. She placed her feet shoulder length as instructed and hold her sword properly. Somehow following a handsome instructor here made her feel like she could do this nicely and improve very quickly. Eeeep. ”Like this?”

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam observed Rebecca's eagerness and determination as she mimicked his stance and held the sword in her hand. He nodded approvingly. "Good job, Becca," he said with a hint of pride in his voice. "Now, let's start with a basic downward strike." Liam demonstrated the movement slowly, making sure to emphasize the proper form and technique. "Remember to keep your wrist loose and let the weight of the sword do most of the work. You want a smooth, controlled motion."  Liam couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment as he guided Rebecca through the training, knowing that he was making a difference in her life. He had found his purpose in this new world, and with each swing of the sword, he felt a renewed sense of hope and purpose within himself. He hated that so many demi-gods die in vain. That they have little to no chance in the world that monsters and evil enemies to destroy them. 

[Rebecca Jones]

Becca continued with her try out on the sword. She felt like she was getting better in every move she made, under Liam’s guidance. She was glad that she had someone to guide her and look up to. But also that the boy was handsome heheh. "Okay…….I think i got it……” She made a downward strike like he showed and made it quite similar to his. She knew she had some talent in this area other than archery. She made sure she wield the sword just as he instructed , making sure she was doing the right move everytime. Letting the sword guide her as well, she moved it as if she was flowing at the same pace as the sword. "Well I’m glad that I’m not dropping the sword even if it’s heavy." She chuckled , seeing how she was still holding it despite the heaviness. She wondered how Liam was doing that so easily.

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam's eyes sparkled with genuine admiration as he watched Rebecca execute the downward strike with improved form and precision. He couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in her progress. "That was fantastic, Becca!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. "You're a natural. Keep up the good work!" He couldn't deny the growing fondness he felt for Rebecca as he saw her determination and dedication. She had a natural talent, and with time and practice, she would become a formidable warrior. Liam smiled, feeling a renewed sense of purpose and determination himself. "Don't worry, the sword will feel lighter with time. It's all about building strength and getting used to the weight. You're doing great, Becca. I'm proud of you," he encouraged, his voice filled with genuine warmth and support. Deep down, Liam hoped that his guidance and training would give Rebecca the tools she needed to survive and thrive in this dangerous world of demigods. He knew when he was growing up all he wanted was someone to tell him he was going to be okay and that he would survive. 

[Rebecca Jones]

Becca was filled with satisfaction and happiness when Liam praised her skills. It was no easy thing to wield a sword and yet she could do it in a few shots, many thanks to the Ares boy. She only wanted to spend this moment with the boy be it a swords training day or not. “Thanks Liam! It’s all thanks to your awesome swords skills! Maybe I can hand you my archery skills someday” She grinned at him wondering if he would be interested. Maybe he already learnt a few of those skills when he was young, but she could do a hand it down skill too as she had some new tricks on her bow. She was also good with music and healing so there were many to do to get to know the boy more. Besides she liked to spend more time with her friends so she treasure the moments a lot. Seeing that she was using the sword even better now, she wondered if they could take a break at the pavilion. "I heard you Areses are famous with the pavilion haha…….wanna grab something to eat or drink?" She smiled widely , she was quite tired from the practice but she still was glad that she had trained with someone talented.

[Liam Santos Rare]

Liam, known for his tough exterior, couldn't help but notice the subtle signs that Rebecca might have developed a crush on him. Her glances and the way she blushed when he praised her skills didn't go unnoticed. While he appreciated her admiration, he also felt a sense of responsibility to handle the situation carefully.  "Thank you, Becca. I'd love to see what tricks you have with your bow," he replied, a hint of curiosity in his voice. The idea of learning from each other excited him, and he was eager to explore her skills as well. As Rebecca suggested taking a break at the pavilion, Liam's tired muscles welcomed the idea. "That sounds like a great plan," he said, a smile spreading across his face. "I could use a good meal, and maybe we can grab a couple of drinks too." He sheathed his sword and motioned for Rebecca to join him as they made their way towards the pavilion. 

[Rebecca Jones]

Rebecca continued with her tryouts on the sword. She was glad that Liam seemed eager to want to learn her skills too. Not that she was very much into him but she would like to do this as a return favour for this swords fighting training. She would like to learn more about other weapon skills as well and not just archery everyday. "Of course, there’s a lot to learn for the bow and arrow too so you won’t get bored so easily ahah. " She was still proud of the Apollo’s skills as they were also good with others like singing and the arts. She was glad that the session had been useful, and she was up for a nice meal right now. Her stomach was grumbling already and she would love to have a meal with him too today, well get to know each other and stuff. "Let’s!! Yeah….I wonder what they have today.” She followed closely after retreating the sword. She would get loads of drinks as she was already feeling the thirst in her after this period of training by the beach. It was all in all one lovely session for her, even more when it was by a handsome Ares. Yeah they weren’t all about rage all the time too right?

[Liam Santos Rare]

As they made their way towards the pavilion, Liam couldn't help but appreciate the light-hearted banter with Rebecca. He was glad to see that she didn't just admire him for his sword skills but was also keen on sharing her own expertise. "I'm sure archery has its own intricacies. I'd love to learn some of those tricks from you," he replied with a friendly grin, genuinely intrigued by the idea of expanding his skills. It felt good to have a training partner who was not only dedicated but also enthusiastic about mutual learning. As they entered the pavilion, the two of them got their food and sat at their cabins tables. He had worked up a huge appetite which was filled with all the good food they had at camp. 

The end