The Cult of Dionysus

Callida

I can tell Apollo wants us to sit at his feet to tell his story, so I do the exact opposite. I don't want to do anything to feed Apollo's ego. He annoys me to the max. I want to irritate him. So I leave.

"I'm going to check out the forges." I tell the boys. I want to see what Jo is working on, and see what kinds of tools there are, in case Leo has already forgotten fixing my thyrsus. I need that baby ready to go as soon as possible.

"Same." Leo agrees, joining me.

I try not to feel happy/irritated by his presence. Part of the reason I left the Cult of Dionysus was to see if this thing with Leo can be worked out, but hearing him call Calyspo Cal has stuck with me. Sure, it's an easy nickname for her too, but it doesn't change the fact that he used to call me Cal. Hearing him call her that renewed this irritating feeling of jealousy that has overcome my mind since I found these guys in Indianapolis.

I examine the tools present, the heat of the forges, and the stock of Celestial bronze. I'm not sure if adding celestial bronze to my thyrsus will change its abilities, aka its ability to appear and disappear at will, but I hope it won't.

Actually...

"Hey, Jo." I figure it's worth a shot.

The woman doesn't take off her mask, but she answers back. "Yeah?"

I stroll over to where she's working on the metal. "Let's say, hypothetically, a magical weapon was damaged in battle. If you added Celestial bronze, would it dim the weapon's powers?"

Jo is quiet for a moment as she finishes welding her metal together. Then, she lifts her welding mask. "What weapon?"

I summon my thyrsus, which now looks like a Q-tip that has been used, crushed, ,and discarded.

Jo's eyes light up. "Well, what happened here? Wait, no. Blemmyae attack. I've got it." She takes the thyrsus from my hands, which I would normally protest, though it feels like I've just passed my newborn baby over to a doctor.

She examines the weapon, holding it up at various angles and muttering things like "yes, I see."

After what feels like ages of her examining it, she nods, as if her thoughts are coming to an agreement. "Yes, well, I can fix this right up for you."

Leo, who has joined us silently, frowns. "I was going to fix it for her."

Jo glances at us from the corner of her eye. "What, is she your girlfriend or something?"

"Ex-girlfriend." I clarify quickly, though it pains me.

Leo scoffs. "You always say that so quickly. Like I said, we never broke up."

"You died." I remind him.

"Only for, like, a day."

"Not that I knew that."

"But I was-"

"Rescuing another girl, riding off into the sunset with her, while she was madly in love with you. Yeah, I know all-"

"Guys." Jo interrupts. "Leo, if you died and didn't tell her, she has good reason. Callida, if you hate him so much, why are you here?"

"For the safety of the world." I tell her, though that's only the partial truth.

She gives a "Harumph" sound, then goes back to exanining the weapon. "Leo, you could fix this easy, especiallyy with my help. Magical weapons are tricky-"

"I know." Leo nods. "I've fixed magical stuff before. I can fix her thyrsus easy-peasy. She's just bitter."

"I'm not bitter." I insist. "I've just moved on."

"Then why are you here?"

"The fate of the world!"

"Pshhh." Leo scoffs. "And me. You know you love me, mamacita."

My face reddens. "Don't call me that."

"You sound like Piper. Admit it, part of the reason you came back is because you looooove me."

I punch his arm, hard. "I do not."

Jo chuckles. "You two fight like an old married couple."

I stomp my foot in frustration. "We do not!"

Jo raisess her eyebrows. "Okay. Well, I'm going to change the subject then. Leo, you're a son of Hephaestus, yeah?"

Leo nods.

Jo trains her eyes on me. "You... you're harder to pinpoint. You've got a wild look in your eyes, almost like a Hermes kid. But you're smart. Witty. Athena? No. Not serious enough. You know, we've got a garden on the roof..." She shakes her head and laughs. "You like plants and gardens, but a Demeter kid would feel at peace knowing there's a garden on the roof. You look more... excited. Like a kid waiting to open their presents on Christmas day. You also looked excited when you saw the forges, though given your history..." She glances at Leo, "I wouldn't say a Hephaestus kid."

I try not to leave my mouth open like a fish.

Jo glances at the thyrsus and raises an eyebrow. "A dauughter of Dionysus?"

I feel my cheeks flush. "Yeah, you got me."

Jo chuckles. "Well, no wonder the two of you see things so differently."

Leo and I glance at each other, finally thinking the same thing. Leo speaks first. "We see things pretty much the same, usually."

Jo starts hammering my thyrsus, which makes me involuntarily cringe. "I mean the deep, emotional stuff. Leo sees things from a mechanic point of view. Solve the other problem first then move on to the next. You, Callida, you see things more emotionally. You don't understand how he could abandon you to go rescue Calypso, leaving you to think he's dead. I get it completely."

I blink and look at Leo, who looks equally shocked.

Neither of us says a word, making Jo laugh. "I can't imagine a better, yet stranger, combination. You know that one time, when Hephaestus wouldn't release Hera from her trap, that Dionysus-"

"Got Hephaestuss drunk then convinced him? Yeah, I know." I grit my teeth. Jo's way of putting it makes so much sense to me that I almost forgive Leo for everything right then and there. Of couse he would see it that way. He's not good with people and emotions. He sees things mechanically. He fixes one problem and moves onto the next. He figured he'd solve his biggest problem first- his oath on the River Styx- then fix any smaller problems that would come up because of that.

I glance over at Leo, who is watching me expectantly. Before I can say anything, Calypso and Emmie appear in the doorway.

Leo smiles weakly at them, as if forcing happiness at seeingt them. "You're better!"

Emmie smiles warmly at us. "What project are we working on?"

Jo smiles at her. "Fixing Callida's thyrsus."

Calypso joins us, looking at Jo's project. "Yeah, Calli saved us on her two-wheeled car. She whacked a blemmyae with her thyrsus and it broke."

I get another pang in my chest. "Yeah, about that, if we get the chance, I'd like to get my bike back."

Leo sucks his teeth. "Yeah, it was a Kawasaki H2R, that's a nice bike." He turns to me. "Since when do you ride motorcycles and dress like...this?" He gestures to my riding clothes.

I feel myself blushing again.

"I'll go get it for you in a bit." Jo offers. "Until then, Leo, why don't you go change? The girls can put their stuff in their bunks and get cleaned up."

I shoulder my backpack, which I had forgotten I was wearing. "Yeah, that sounds nice. I've been travelling for three weeks."

"We all have." Calypso agrees. "Um, where, exactly are the bunks?"

"Or will the Waystation just... show them to us?" I ask.

Emmie and Jo smile at me. "Down the hall."