The Commons Area

~Alvie~

Esmee sees me as soon as she exits the Aphrodite cabin, taco in hand. She looks immensely embarrassed, as she should, but I don't particularly care.

I don't even need to ask for an explanation verbally. I lean against a mature maple tree, arms crossed over my chest, as she walks over and begins her tale. I listen with an unwavering expression.

{ Candace }
I didn't quite know how long I had been hanging around the hearth, drawing squiggle lines over and over again in the stirred earth. My thighs burnt from squatting down like this, but I didn't really care about it.

One after another I continued to draw them, ignoring the other campers that passed without interest. Usually I was invisible to most people, at least that's what I liked to believe. It was easier that way anyways. Being invisible made it easier to avoid conversation, along with giving me reason to avoid eye contact. I knew why I was invisible, and that was because people knew that if we met eyes for even a brief second they'd go into a heart racing sensation of fear. I was "blessed" with the power to induce fear to those around me. Lovely, wasn't it?

After the incident eight months after my arrival to camp Chiron and I had a personal conversation about my abilities. When I had explained to him I was unable to control them he tried his best to figure out a solution. Alas, he failed and simply told me to continue on in camp the best I could. It sucked, though, it really did. It wasn't fair that everyone seemed to have some control of their powers while I was left to succumb to my ability.

Whatever. . .

~Ria~

I exit the Nike cabin, bored with Nikko and his noobness. Glancing around, I try to think of somewhere to go, something to do.

Well, what about making some allies?

That's the thought that pops into my head when I see a girl all alone, by the hearth. Might as well.

I walk on over and plop on the ground next to her, putting on a casual smile. "Hey. My name's Ria."

{ Candace }
Ria. That was an odd name, well, at least one I'd never heard before. I'd been around a good number of kids with varying names of all sorts. But, that was one I'd never gotten the chance to know of.

"Candace-Jodie, but they call me Candace," I answer back, instead erasing the squiggle lines in the earth and drawing straight lines instead.

~Ria~

"Nice to meet you, Candace," I say, watching her hands move across the dirt. "How's camp treating you?"

{ Candace }
"Good, I guess," I murmur loud enough for her to hear, pausing my hand at the end of my new line, "and you?"

~Ria~

I shrug. "Could be worse. But you don't seem very convinced that it's all that good for you."

I pause, inviting a reply.

{ Candace }
"To be honest? I hate it here. But it's safer from the real dangers so I can't exactly complain," I admit blatantly at her pause.

~Ria~

I nod. "I can get that. Gets kinda annoying around here sometimes. But it's not too bad if you meet the right people. I'm guessing you haven't yet, if it's sucking for you."

{ Candace }
"It's my fault anyways, I screwed up so I can't blame them. . ." I sigh quietly.

~Ria~

"Screwed up? What d'you mean?" I ask, not forcefully, but curiously. She seems fine. I don't see how she, of all the freaky-ass people in this camp, could find herself alienated.

{ Candace }
I stand up, making sure to not look at her, "Well. . . there's this uncontrollable power that I have. And I sorta hurt someone with it. If that makes sense. Honestly I'm surprised you haven't heard the rumors."

~Ria~

"Rumors a waste of my time," I say. "So, people won't hang out with you because of a power you can't control? Because you did something you had no power over? That's pretty dumb."

{ Candace }
"I see, you're right," I look over towards her but again trail my eyes the other way, "Do you mind me asking what you're powers are?"

~Ria~

"Don't have any, far as I can tell." I push myself to my feet, brushing my shorts off. "Daughter of Nike, you see. I don't get the flashy Olympian supernatural toys."

{ Candace }
"A child of Nike, that's pretty cool. I'm the daughter of Phobos."

~Ria~

"Phobos..." I say, glancing down the cabins. "I don't know that I can place that one."

{ Candace }
"I'm. . . The only camper, and my cabin is really small. It's not really important."

~Ria~

"Sure it is." I furrow my brow. "If anything, you're more important. All the gods have a role to play in nature, right? So do all their kids. I think the minor gods are just as important as the Olympians."

{ Candace }
I find myself smiling, laughing a bit, "Yea, I guess. If you mean fear is really important."

~Ria~

I shrug. "I mean, I personally don't have much need for fear, but it's pretty damn important. Imagine it for a moment. A world with all of the danger, but no fear. None, ever."

{ Candace )
"I guess that much is true. Fear is a natural emotion we need. . ." I trail off, look up at the sky dramatically.

~Ria~

"Keeps people safe, makes them think. Too much of it is bad, obviously. It can hold us back. But that's only if we let it," I say. "Don't go knocking yourself down so much. That's not how you win."

{ Candace }
"You're right," I sigh, "I guess it's not that bad. . ."

~Ria~

"That's the spirit." I grin at her, though I don't know if she can see. "Well, not exactly. But hey, it's closer."