becoming ● reyna ramirez arellano

seven: the disbelieving

Maia yawned as she and Will entered the Mess Hall where Leo and Jason were eating breakfast. Morning watch wasn't her favorite thing in the world, but at least she was getting it over with early; there was always a silver lining.

    Jason pointed a finger at them when they walked in; which would have been weird if it wasn't Jason, who was pretty much the weirdest person on the ship. And Leo was right there, so that was saying something. "What do you know about Kansas?"

    "Um, Wizard of Oz?" Will said uncertainly, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. "Corn?"

    Maia spread butter on her toast, thinking even though that was about the extent of her knowledge too. "Oh, there was that awful tornado," she said, so eager to speak now that she'd remembered something that she wasn't even thinking. "Back in 19-"

    Her brain caught up with her mouth. She snapped her jaw shut, praying that, somehow, some of the smartest people she knew hadn't noticed her mistake.

    Leo and Will shared a glance. "Maia," the elfish boy said. "Just how old are you?"

    She bit her lip. "It's not very polite to ask that," she replied, even though she couldn't care less how impolite it was and she cared abundantly about them finding out about him and the other him and her and oh god, her life was a mess, wasn't it? "What's in Kansas?"

    "Topeka 32," Jason covered for her. If anyone knew anything about traumatic pasts, it was him. She crunched on her toast and took a seat. "Nico had some premonition, looked like he'd kill me if I asked any questions about it, and demanded that Leo and I go with him on some wild goose chase."

    "Which leaves Maia and I on the boat," Will said with a pointed look. "With Reyna."

    "So much for sticking together," Maia muttered.

    A silence fell over them, only broken by the sounds of them eating. She knew Jason didn't know about the plan – and it was a stupid one anyway, how could anyone guarentee sticking together on a quest like this? And besides, she still had Will and she was being completely ridiculous, wasn't she?

    "Gods, I'm sorry," she said when the silence got to be too much. Embarrassment washed up deep in her stomach. "I don't know what came over me. Don't listen to a word I say, and good luck, yeah?"

    "Aww, don't feel bad, Rivers!" Leo chirped, ever good at diffusing tension. He patted her head as he went to put his dishes in the sink. "We all have our total bitch moments, anyway. Just ask Will."

    "Hey!"

    Jason was a little less impressed. "Maia, everytime you apologize, I think of jumping ship."

Maia snorted. "Love you too, blondie."

"Whatever," he gave her a light punch to her shoulder. "And Reyna isn't so bad. I actually think she likes you."

"She's got a funny way of showing it." God, what was wrong with her today? Ever since her awful response to Reyna's questioning, she'd been nothing but bitter and mean. "Um, anyway. Will, we should IM camp and tell them what happened with Annabeth and Percy. Sorry."

Jason fixed her with an unreadable glance. "You keep saying that."

    "You knew?"

    They were in the empty cabin, the one that had been specifically designed for Percy as opposed to the other two which were pretty much bare, that had a fountain with flowing water. Will's shoulders were set tense and Maia resisted the urge to grab him to calm him down.

Regret had nothing on the expression Chiron wore, his face a little too expressive, even if it was his human half. "I suspected," he admitted. "There are forces at play in this prophecy. Your mother is trying to rewrite destiny with you, Ms. Rivers."

    "Don't blame Maia!" Will continued, voice rising. "You knew that Annabeth was in trouble and you did nothing!"

    "Will."

    "You sided with the gods like you. Always. Do. Chiron," the blond snapped. "I can't believe you. Next you'll be saying you knew about Percy."

    Chiron's face said it all.

    "You, You, Jesus!" Will kicked the edge of the bed, furious as she'd ever seen him. "What kind of mentor are you?"

    "Will!" Maia snapped, her head aching at the clanging noise. "Chiron's right. There's nothing you can do when my mother demands it. I'm sure she had words with Chiron and I'm sure she'll be having words with all of us before this quest is over."

    "Whatever!" Will's tone had not changed. He moved away when she reached out to touch his arm, halfway to the door already. "Just, leave me alone right now, okay?" The door slammed shut and she was left alone with Chiron, which, to be very honest, was the last place she wanted to be.

She sighed, picking at the hem of her shirt. "She's compensating."

    "Yes." The satyr didn't ask what she meant by it: he knew everything, including her past. "It's not often gods feel guilt about their children. You should take it as an indication."

    "I'm her only child," she said sharply. "And more abuse doesn't really make up for it, does it?" It was a rhetorical question, but she hurried to talk before he could answer it anyway. "Call us if you need anything." She moved to end the IM. "Bye, Chiron."

    Her head was buzzing when she left; she wasn't looking where she was going and smacked straight into Reyna, who pushed her away with a scowl. "What happened?"

    "Nothing important." She figured that was why Reyna was asking, her gaze sharp like it always was. "Did something happen? Were you looking for me?" A pause. "Can we move out of the hallway?"

    Reyna rolled her eyes and dragged Maia by the wrist into the armory – you know, where all the sharp things were. "I'm not quite sure how you speak so much and say so little."

    "What?"

    "What's your background? What secret are you keeping? Why are you so nice all the time?"

    "Reyna." Maia flinched as a sword poked her shoulder. "Pardon my language, but what in all hell are you talking about?"

    "You have secrets," the other girl insisted, stepping closer. Maia could feel her breath on her neck, Reyna only about an inch shorter than her. "And I will find them out. I don't like liars, Maia Rivers."

    There was something about the way she said Maia's name that make her shiver involuntarily. "No secrets," Maia promised. "But you're more than welcome to continue your search."

    "Maia!" Leo called. Oh, so they were back. "We could use your help over here!"

    That didn't sound good. Maia gently moved Reyna back – she really was standing very close – and left, trying not to look back.

    Because, the truth was, she had several secrets: the most important of which being that she was dying, and she had less than two years to live.

ooooh, tea