(gonna give it a few more posts before I introduce Athena ^^)
"Well, I was reading this book in Spanish that's really good. And I would recommend it to others… except I have no idea if it has been translated into English." She paused and then shrugged. "It probably has, though it's obviously not going to be the same thing as reading it in its native language."
(ame)
(huh?)
Hazel started braiding a small part of her hair. “I mostly read books about gardening, or botany. I love plants, but I guess that’s kind obvious with the amount of times I’ve talked to them.” She giggled and shrugged. “Talking to plants does help them grow!”
"Hey, I speak Spanish!" Valerie said, excited, "I've never met somebody who also speaks it. Does talking to plants really help them grow?" she asked, turning to Hazel. "I've never heard anything like that. How does it help, exactly?"
"Really? That's so cool! Aside from my brother, me, and perhaps my dad, I haven't met another camper who can speak Spanish!" Coral was very excited that her new friend (could she even call Valerie a friend? She sure hoped so) spoke Spanish. She turned to Hazel and shrugged. "I've heard that speaking does help, but I'm not quite sure. Like, can they hear you? Does your voice encourage them to grow? Would yelling at them just halt their growth?"
Hazel laughed. “It isn’t the actual speaking that technically helps. You exhale carbon dioxide when you speak, and plants use carbon dioxide to survive.”
Coral blinked at Hazel. And then, again. "Oh." Was all the young girl said. Gods, how could she forget something such an elementary thing? And it wasn't like she had an excuse not to know plants use carbon dioxide to survive. She had gone to public school, she was homeschooled for a year before being sent to a private school, for gods sake! She groaned and hid her face in her hands. "How could I have forgotten such a thing."
"Well," Valerie said, "Carbon dioxide does help plants grow, but I have heard rumors that children of Demeter and Dionysus can help plants grow just by encouraging them to grow. I've always wondered if that was true, and how it worked," Valerie blushed, "sorry, I probably went a little too scholarly there."
Hazel smiled brightly at the two of them. “Don’t worry about it! Actually, we can do that.” She looked around. “The wildlife is truly beautiful… a shame it’s being torn down so much.” She seemed to change subjects quite a lot.
(It’s usually unintentional she just has a random thought and speaks)
(hi guys)
(wahhhh, i'm sorry guys, i've been busy and in general procrastinating on things haha)
Coral nodded, seemingly over her embarrassment from earlier. "Yes, I agree! There used to be so many types of animals roaming around that have now gone extinct. It's just a shame we're destroying something so beautiful and that many of us aren't doing something to stop it." The girl sighs, looking out into the forest that surrounded the camp.
"Well said, young ones," a soft voice abruptly said, ending the comfortable silence that had fallen between the girls. Coral looked up, trying to find the source of the voice. "You know, I think Artemis would like the both of you. You have that same passion for nature that she has. But alas, I have not come here to talk about the wonders of nature. I am afraid I come here for far more serious matters."
The image of a woman with long flowing black hair and grey eyes, dressed in an elegant white dress started to appear in front of them. She started at them with a calculating gaze, and to Coral it seemed that the godess wasn't physically there. Then again, she found it hard to believe that any of the Olympians would willingly enter the camp.
"Lady Athena!" Coral squeaked out, immediately rising to her feet, starting to play nervously with her bracelet once again.
"Mom!" Valerie said, "What are you doing here? Please tell me its not another prophecy. The last one went horribly!"
Hazel looked up at Athena, her eyes wide. “Oh! Lady Athena!” She stood up quickly and waved enthusiastically, smiling.
Athena looked at Valerie, a small frown on her face appearing. "It's not a prophecy, exactly." There was a pause, almost as if she was debating if she should continue or not. "It has come to my attention that a certain item of the Gods has resurfaced in the mortal world….an item I should have destroyed when it first appeared at my Temple…"
Coral looked at the other girls and then back at the goddess. This sounded like the beginning of a quest. And now Coral wondered if this item was dangerous. It had to be if the Goddess of Wisdom herself was appearing in person. Then the eyes of the goddess moved to Coral, almost as if Athena had heard her unspoken question. It felt as if Athena was judging her very soul.
"Yes, it is indeed quite dangerous. This heirloom has brought destruction and misfortune wherever it goes. It was never meant to exist, but, of course, Hephaestus had to be petty." She paused her steel grey eyes still on Coral. "You are the child of my little brother, are you not?" At Coral's confused look, she adds, "I speak of Dionysus, of course." The girl nods slowly, and Athena smiles. "Good. Very good. Then you should know all about the Necklace of Harmonia. After all, it is one of your family heirlooms." She then turns to Valerie and Hazel, ignoring how Coral looked like a fish out of water. "Now, I am here for one reason, and one reason only. To give you the assignment of retrieving this godly item before it falls into the hands of the enemy. And before you ask, you three do not have the right to deny going. This is an order. The Council has already agreed that you three shall be the ones who go."
"B-but why us?" Valerie asked. "There are so many more experienced campers who would be better for this task. Why pick us?" Valerie looked around at her new friends, could she call them friends? She looked at them and saw the same confusion she knew was in her eyes.
Hazel stared at Athena, wide-eyed. “Yeah… I agree. Why us-?” She was clearly distressed. “I- I mean, I’ll do it, I won’t argue.. I’m just curious.” She looked at the others, panic written all over her face, then looked back at Athena.
"Do not panic, young ones. We have no cruel intentions towards you three." There was a slight pause, and it seemed Athena was gathering her words. "The truth is, you three have a higher probability of succeeding than the rest of the demigods in this camp. It sounds ridiculous, I am aware, but it is the truth." It was not the exact truth. The exact truth was that Percy was unavailable for the quest and they needed a replacement, but the girls didn't need to know that. Though, Athena supposed they did have a higher probability than the rest. "Not to mention that some of the gods-" a small stream of bubbles come out of her mouth as she tried to finish the rest of the sentence. "It would seem that I may have spoken too much about the matter," Athena mutters, her eyes staring at the bubbles as they pop one by one. With a shake of her head, she becomes more awake and serious. "Now listen closely, as I will only say this one time. You three will have to travel west, specifically to San Diego. I do not know the exact location of where the necklace is, but I have faith that you three will be able to figure it out. It is necessary that it be returned to Olympus. I will take care of the rest. I am not allowed to help you any further than this, but I believe you already knew that."
"B-but, Mom, why do we have a higher probability of surviving than others?" Valerie asked, "What do we have that others don't?"
Hazel looked distressed. “All I can do is make flowers pop out of the ground! How is that gonna be helpful?” She fidgeted with her earrings. Oh, right. I have these too. She seemed a little less worried after touching her earrings.
"Your scent attracts fewer monsters, than the others. The stronger a demigod's scent, the more monsters one attracts," Athena responds, in a matter-of-factly voice. Her eyes narrow slightly at them and she lets out a sigh. "You have an advantage that most demigods don't have, and that is what makes you different from the others."
"Ok, but… why us? Like, specifically. There are plenty of other campers from the same camp as us. All of them are older, and more experienced, and…" Valerie trailed off as she realized something. "Yo-you, you wouldn't," Valerie asked with tears in her eyes. "You wouldn't, would you?"
(me forgetting everything about this rp)
(hahaha same)
(poke)
( @ame-the-chaotic-artist )