TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< DONT YOU KNOW >

Pandora loved being alone. She didn't care to admit it but she did. Sitting alone at dinner time was an exception. She just felt alone. After scraping half her meal into the fire, blue flames flickering within it at the mention of her father.

She sat alone at the 13th table, eating slowly. Across the mess hall, it seemed Luke was entertaining Percy, a bright smile on his scarred face. She looked in the other direction spotting Reaper. The deathly hound was playfully jumping after a few of younger Dryads. Weak her father would call him. She didn't mind, she loved him.

"Yes hello." Pandora listened in as disgruntled Dionysus gave a speech, "I suppose I should say hello to you brats." The director greeted, "Our activities director, Chiron says the next capture the flag will be Friday." Great. "Ares cabin currently hold the laurels." Ugly cheers echoed from the filled table.

"Personally." Pandora quite liked Mr D, "I don't care, but anyway we have a new camper with us Peter Johnson." She remembered her first few weeks at camp she had been called Peyton Walter. She didn't mind. "Oh.. uh Percy Jackson." He rolled his eyes, "Welcome blah blah, hurry along to your stupid bonfire." Campers retreated from the mess hall most heading to the amphitheater.

"Come on Dora." Dahlia greeted her kindly approaching her at the empty table. After their fight a year previous the girls were back to normal. Dahlia reluctantly apologised, Pandora even more reluctantly apologising.

"I'll have to meet you there Lia, need to talk to Chiron." Dahlia nodded squeezing Pandora's arm as she left joined by the twins. She weaved through retreating teens avoiding Luke who would drag her back away. He'd been rather suspicious as of recent.

"Chiron," She beckoned finally reaching the tall standing centaur, "Could we talk somewhere, in private." She added as the centaur nodded leading her back towards the Big House.

"What did you wish to talk about Pandora." Thankfully since a small discussion Chiron had stopped using her last name. She despised it. He had returned to his wheelchair, sitting opposite to Pandora.

Hushed she cleared her throat, "The underworld's in danger. I need a quest." His eyes widened as his fingers tapped along his desk. It had been a few days since her father's warning and it was driving her crazy. She needed to retrieve the helm, it was her quest she was sure.

"..A quest is not what is intended for you, my dear." Pandora's skin heated, "The underworld you say?" She paled brushing her fingers over each other.

"I shoudnt tell you this, but I trust you Chiron and I know you'll do what's right." Awkwardly she sat up, "It's missing.. my father's helm. He believes someone close with Zeus stole it. Stole it for him, to start a war." She admitted, "He wants me to get it back, kill whoever is the thief." Chiron seemed to think her words over.

"Yes, I see." She waited patiently, she hoped to be granted a quest. She could leave but she'd prefer to listen to Chiron. Last unwarranted trip she came back worse for wear. "I'm afraid the answer is still no Pandora. If what you say is the truth, camp seems the best place to start looking for the thief of such an object." Reluctantly she nodded her head.. he was right.

"He's not going to be happy." She groaned laying her head back against the cushioned chair. She'd sat in the chair often enough, the material somewhat comforting. "But..
nothing I can't handle. Nothing to worry about Chiron." She stood brushing off her camp shirt.

"Very well Pandora, I'd say sweet dreams, but the dreams of demi-gods rarely are." With a turn of her heel she left the cabin, exiting into the night. In the distance she could singing from the arena. The twins loved leading the singing most times. In the end it just ended up before Jerry singing alone though. At least he wasn't dreadful.

"Grover! Merlin, you scared me." The saytr had practically appeared out of thin air beside Pandora, "What- What are you doing over here." He looked nervous. The pair had hardly exchanged since the few years before, the year Grover had brought Pandora to camp.

"The helm, it's not the only thing missing."
Pandora's eyes widened, "There's talk amongst the saytrs, no—" He refrained from the truth, "I knew.. I've known since winter. Zeus's bolt is missing." Pandora didn't think she could look more shocked. She was sure her father would've know the detail. A detail you couldn't miss.

"What- what?!" She spluttered as Grover jolted forward his hands on her mouth as he shushed her, he removed them once he realised she would've burnt him in about three seconds, "Who.. how?" Her father wasn't capable of stealing the bolt let alone using it. He didn't want a war.

"We don't know Pandora, you need to keep quiet. If word spreads camp could fall apart, talk of the great war would be inevitable."
She nodded understandably, her father would certainly hear about it. But for the moment her lips were sealed.

"I shouldn't have even told you but I couldn't help it! I had to tell someone.. then you mentioned the helm..." Pandora was the one that shushed Grover now noticing the sing-a-long had concluded and sleepy teens had begun strolling back to their cabins.

"Don't say a word about the helm, I won't say a word about the bolt. I'm serious Grover, the underworld is not weak or under threat, just a hiccup, yes?" Grover nodded eagerly splitting off before any could see the pair for too long.

Now the bolt. Her dreams weren't dreams. They were visions. But for now. Nothing was missing. Nothing was wrong. The Underworld thrived.