UnOrdinary fanfic

Chapter 14

"What the...! Sera, what were you thinking, going off on your own like that?" John half-screamed. Of all the irresponsible things Seraphina could do, it had to be sauntering out of a demigod camp!

Seraphina sipped on her boba, looking bored. The iris message had been going on for more than fifteen minutes and they were getting nowhere.

"John," Seraphina said patiently, as though speaking to a toddler. "I was with Remi and Elaine. I was definitely not alone."

"That's not the point!" John ran a hand through his gelled hair, unknowingly messing it up. His eyebrows were scrunched together in frustration. "So what are Arlo, Blyke, Isen and I supposed to do, stuck here?"

The telephone on Seraphina's table rang. She signaled for John to hold on as she picked it up. There were some incoherent mutters that John strained to hear, but failed.

Seraphina turned back to John and said, "Headmaster Vaughn requested for us to come back. I believe you need to stay at Camp Half-Blood for...information? Headmaster, why would you need information on the demigods?" Seraphina exchanged a few more words with Headmaster Vaughn through the phone and ended the call quickly.

"Why the heck would Headmaster Vaughn need information on the demigods?" John asked incredulously. "Wasn't Chiron his old friend?" John mimicked how Headmaster Vaughn said it before he sent them off.

Seraphina poked at her black tapioca balls, swirling the creamy caramel texture of the milk tea. She looked up, her blue eyes staring at John in that unconcerned fashion. "Headmaster Vaughn has his reasons and it's none of our business. We're better off minding our own selves than to poke our noses into his doings."

"But, aren't you even a little curious? First," John held up a finger. "Headmaster Vaughn sends us to a whole different world to help them get rid of monsters, which we have yet to do. How about the troubles we have in our world? Let's say, Ember?" John ranted. "Secondly, his old friend Chiron was the one who requested for our help according to Headmaster Vaughn, yet Chiron leaves not long after we arrive, and is replaced by some suspicious Vogue-loving lady who has the same eyes as me!"

"Thirdly, half of us are sent back before we even completed anything," Seraphina finished for John. "I am aware John, but what can we do? Headmaster Vaughn is not the Headmaster for nothing-he knows much more than us! I am sure he has his reasons. Just leave it be, John."

"You still beat him in terms of abilities!" John argued. Why couldn't Sera see that Headmaster Vaughn was obviously up to something? Or, was she purposely turning a blind eye because of his status as the Headmaster?

Seraphina laced her fingers together and sighed, as though talking to a particularly persistent kid. "John, not everything is about abilities."

John looked at her incredulously. That was exactly what he had been trying to tell her for the past few years, and she never got it, saying that there was a hierarchy for a reason, and now, to defend Headmaster Vaughn, she uses his own words against him?

John rubbed his forehead, closed his eyes, and breathed out. When he opened them again, he managed a smile at Seraphina. "Just promise me you'll be safe back there, okay?" John knew, knew with all his instinct that Headmaster Vaughn had something up his sleeve, and when released, would not be pretty.

Seraphina's face softened. John had been her friend for a long time, and she could never stay mad at that stupid gel guy for long. "Of course. Take care of yourself too," she smiled before swiping away the mist, ending the call.

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John slumped back, putting his head into his hands, once again messing his once perfectly gelled hair. What was he to do back here, with no one to talk to? As if Isen and Blyke would bother with him, an even lesser chance Arlo. What was Headmaster Vaughn up to? He wished he knew.

Fresh air would do good in clearing his mind, John decided. It was dark and the moon was glowing softly in that pale silvery colour. Nico was nowhere to be seen which was not unusual. Nico barely stayed for more than two days at a time.

John walked and walked under the beautiful night sky, contemplating and thinking. Unaware that he was heading to the lake, John kept on walking. His heads were in the clouds and so filled with thoughts that he walked straight into the lake.

He barely registered that he had fallen into the lake before his instincts took over. He floundered about, waving his arms and smacking it onto the surface of the water. The water was freezing and pierced his skin like dozens of ice-cold needles, making him numb all over. He splashed the water furiously with his four limbs, gasping at the surface for air. John was never taught to swim-who would teach a cripple? He felt like crying out as the water dragged him down and under and he thrashed around desperately in an attempt to surface.

His hands were going numb because of the cold water and with a fiery determination, he tried his way up to the surface for air. John clawed at the water; demanding passage upwards. But the water did not listen. Each wave pushed him towards the ocean, and he gritted his teeth in fierce determination. He kept sinking, and he struggled with all his might to move up, up and out. He could hear the whispers of water dryads that stirred because of his wild erratic movements. Spots appeared in his vision and John felt dizzy, so dizzy and then suddenly, his vision was covered by a black curtain.