Lightning never strikes twice [Open]

[Nicholai Hawthorn]

Nick couldn’t sleep, he laid in his bunk in the Zeus cabin just staring up at the ceiling. Well it wasn’t that he couldn’t sleep it was that he didn’t want to, because every time he closed his eyes he heard cold shrill laughter and was just surrounded in pure darkness that made his skin crawl. He was never afraid of the dark, but if he didn’t watch it those dreams may change his mind. Mumbling in Russian, a habit he had picked up even though he most oftently spoke English, he got up out of his bunk and went across the white marble cabin to stare out the window. He guessed by the look of the sky, it was somewhere between 5 and 6 in the morning.

Thinking he would risk the security harpies he changed out of his pajamas and grabbed his sword, just in case he did run across one that seemed hungry. It wasn't to long before he found himself walking along the shore of fireworks beach, though he didn't really decide at any time to go there. He kept fallowing the shore for a short time, his sword in its sheath at his side. He came to a stop at a small pile of rocks and began skipping stones across the water gently, lost in his own thoughts. It had been two years since a satyr had found him on his own outside new york filthy and confused after he had run away from his home in Russia to keep his mother safe.

He knew he had done the right thing, to keep her safe but after two years at camp he couldn't help but feel alone lately. The camp got new campers every other day yea, but he was the only one in his cabin because the only sister he knew he had was a hunter of Artemis and he had never actually met her. Not to mention he hadn't heard one word from his father since he was claimed, and sometimes he couldn't help but feel bitter. What is my role in all of this Dad? I'd love a sign He silently prayed but after a few moments nothing happened and he just sighed, sitting down in the sand and looking out at the skyline. He could see storm clouds gathering outside the perimeter but he knew they wouldn't come any closer. However as he stared at the clouds, concentrating he snapped his fingers and a flash of lighting lit up the clouds before dissapearing again.

[Sami Mitchell]

Sami was still unsure how she felt about being at Camp Half-Blood. The location was nice enough, but her cabin was crowded. Not to mention her jewelry had started to go missing. First it was a hoop earring here, and charm bracelet there, now she was only left with the silver chain she wore with the heart locket embedded with a tiny blue gem. And she was ready to kill anyone who touched it. Sami was learning to sleep with one eye open. It was a little ridiculous. Sami was a daughter of Hermes and she had learned to keep her paws to herself, so why couldn't anyone else?

With the cabin crowded and full with thieves, Sami couldn't sleep. She was paranoid that the next thing lifted from her would be the locket. Reaching into her nightshirt and pulled out the chain and held the tiny locket in her hands. Sami knew there was a curfew and she wasn't allowed to be walking about, but what were they going to do to her, kick her out of camp? If she had to do kitchen duty who cared? It kept her away from having to handle a sword. Besides it was almost early enough to get up for breakfast and camp activities. Almost. She wandered from Hermes Cabin not really paying attention to where her feet were taking her.

From the corner of her eye, Sami could have sworn she saw lightning. It grabbed her attention and she let go of the necklace. With her luck, it would rain on her while she walked the camp in her pj’s. Sami turned toward the water and stopped. There was a guy on the beach. She looked from him to the clouds in the distance. Her mouth twisted as she tried to figure out who was over there. Not that she would actually knowp who it was. Sami had only been here for about week and she made it her job to stay far from the training areas the best she could. She wasn’t cut out for being a Demi-God, to her Camp Half-Blood was just a safe place to stay until her brother came back. And he would come back.

Sami glanced around no one else was up and about at this hour. Not looking forward to returning to her cabin, Sami picked up her feet and moved toward the stranger on the beach. She approached him from right making sure he could see her from his peripheral. From a good distance Sami could see the sword and she wasn’t going to surprise the guy and risk getting a blade to the face. He was built and even in the dark he was intimidating. Sami tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, she cleared her throat and stared off to the water.

“Looks like rain. Think it might storm?” Sami bit her lip. Was she really starting the conversation off by talking about the weather? Standing there it only took Sami half a minute to realize that she was still wearing her moon and star printed pajama pants and nightshirt. Embarrassing. Sami scolded herself. She should have thought this out better.

[Nicholai Hawthorn]

Nick was staring at the storm clouds intently as Sami approached. Every minute or so he would snap again and another flash of light would fly across the sky. He didn't stop until he heard someone addressing him from his right, he probably would have drawn his sword if he hadn't sensed her coming out of the corner of his eye. When he registered what she said, the son of Zeus turned his soft blue eyes on her." Weather huh? Going to ask me about sports next?" He asked with a slight teasing voice, his Russian accent still noticeable. Though he expected it might dissipate over time, the longer he stayed in the states.

He knew he hadn't met the girl before, but he thought he may have seen her around the Hermes Cabin." But I doubt it will reach Camp, Chiron usually doesn't let down the magic unless the camp needs it." He said softly as he turned his attention back to the clouds for a moment, in the back of his mind he wondered if he could bring the clouds to camp but he doubted it. There was still a lot about his gifts he didn't know. He looked up at her again, reaching up and offering her his hand since even though he was about 6'3 when he stood he was still sitting in the sand." Nicholia Hawthorn but you can call me Nick, so how long have you been here?" He asked gently, pronouncing his first name Nick-oh-lie. He didn't mean to pry or anything by asking how long she had been at camp but must old campers knew about storms not reaching the camp often. So he was curious." I'm going on three years." He said before letting his hand fall from hers, his necklace with two camp beads visible on his neck." Nice pajamas by the way." He added with a small smirk, a playful look in his blue eyes as he leaned back a little on the sand.

[Sami Mitchell]

She was taken a back slightly by the unexpected accent. Her brain ran in circles for a moment trying to place a country to it. Only a few seconds later did it come to the conclusion of Russia. That was interesting, she hadn’t met a demi-god from another country before. Because the accent wasn’t completely dominant Sami knew that he had to have been here for a while, more than likely.

Sami felt her cheek grow hot for a moment. She restrained the urge to continue to be embarrassed as the guy called her out on her small talk. A thin smile pulled on her lips and she worked to play off her poor conversation starter. With a slight chuckle and light tone to her voice she replied, “I would if I knew anything about sports. I know the names and that’s probably it.”

Her head inclined in his direction as he explained about the weather. Sami’s brow furrowed for a moment. “That’s pretty convenient.” She stared out at the storm that wouldn’t venture closer. Kind of a shame, Sami didn’t mind thunderstorms. There was something strangely calming about them. She took her eyes of the clouds and to the hand being extended to her. Sami smiled at Nick and shook his hand. “Samantha Mitchell, but uhh, I prefer Sami.”

She took a few steps closer and eased herself down to sit in the sand. Thankfully she decided to put on actual shoes not her slippers. She settled herself into the area crossing her legs. “Three years huh? Well, I guess anyone here is my senior. I’ve only been here a week. Though, I guess it feels like it’s been much longer. I’m new to this whole Camp Gladiator thing.” She laughed at her own joke for a moment but cut herself off. Sami cleared her throat pretending it didn’t happen.

She became aware of her wardrobe again and she smiled and looked away from Nick. Sami tugged a little on the cotton shirt and folded her arms across her chest, as if that would make them invisible. “Yeah. Well, you know, pajamas are in this year. Kids are wearing them to every event. The malls, movies, dances even. It’s the latest rage. Classy. Guess I’m just a conformist.” Sami chuckled and looked back out to the water, she was rambling again like she often did. ”So, uhh, what immortal do you have to thank for ending up here?”Sami didn’t mean to sound bitter about it all, it just sort of came out that way.

[Nicholai Hawthorn]

Nick noticed in the moonlight as the girls cheeks grew a little pink, but he didn’t mention it. He wouldn’t want to embarrass her too much after all. Though he was glad when she smiled, seemed they would both be able to push off from her interesting way to start a conversation.” I only fallowed football back when I was living with my mom, or well soccer as it is around here, but I haven’t seen a game in years.” He said with a hint of regret in his voice before he pushed it away. He nodded a little in agreement about the storms, but truth was he had a soft spot for thunderstorms. It wasn’t really hard to know why, he guessed it was just in his blood.

He looked at her with a soft smile as he took his hand back” Pleasure to meet you.” He said before laughing at her joke about Camp gladiators.” Well you better watch it, they throw campers out after curfew in the lions den.” He said with a small chuckle, but after a moment he looked at her.” I am kidding.” He said just in case, since she had only been there a week. He didn’t want to scare her, he would leave that to the monsters and possibly the Ares cabin when they had forgotten to take showers.

When she turned away and adjusted her cotton wardrobe he chuckled silently, making sure to wipe the smirk off his face by the time she turned back around to face him again.” Oh really? Damn me and here I really am looking like a foreigner here in my t-shirt and jeans. How will I ever live this down? This is what I get for not listening to that Aphrodite girl.” He said putting on a face of mock shame before letting out a small chuckle, not really minding how she had rambled a bit.

Though when she asked who his Olympian parent his face grew serious, making him like a much darker guy then he was. He stared out at the storm clouds for a moment before he answered.” Oh high and mighty Zeus, you?” He said but he too sounded bitter without meaning too, He turned to look at her, but then a clack of thunder rung out and it sounded like it had been in the sky above them. Guess Zeus didn’t like his sons tone, but could someone blame him? He tried his best to be grateful but sometimes he didn’t succeed.” Sorry.” He said looking up at the sky before turning back to Sami.” You have to watch how you used the gods names around here.”

[Sami Mitchell]

Sami looked back to Nick and gave a nod, a slightly nervous grimace on her face. “That actually wouldn’t surprise me in the least.” She replied. Sami had been surprised she didn’t see and arena littered with lions and bone of demi-gods bleached from the sun. Then again, maybe that was all too Roman for them. She never was good at her Greek or Roman mythology. Ironic. Sami had studied on the matter but obvious not enough to get things to stick.

She chewed her lip and her face grew hot with slight annoyance when Nick responded an equal dose of sarcasm. Sami crawled off her high horse though and took it with a smile. She never did like sarcasm when it was used toward her, at least a lot of it. Hypocritical some would call her. She sighed and let out a laugh right along with Nick.

Hearing that Nick was the son of Zeus threw her for a loop. Sami would have guessed Ares or something. He sure was built like an Ares kid. Then again, seeing as how the two of them were managing to have a civilized conversation Sami ruled out the idea of him possibly being a child of Ares. The few interactions she had had with that cabin, well, Sami nearly lost an appendage when she asked where she would be able to find the arts and craft area. The rumbling thunder cut through her thoughts. She looked up and then over to Nick.

“I didn’t mean—sorry if that came out wrong. It’s just—“ Sami sighed. “You don’t need to be sorry.” She looked around again at the sky. “I’ll just keep that in mind not to throw names out like that then. My dad’s Hermes, God of Travel and a million other things.” Sami winced and looked to the sky. There was no repercussion for her comment. She licked her lips and watched the waves lap up on the shore.

“So. You’re a kid of like the God. That’s pretty cool. How long have you known you’re the son of….Jupiter.” Sami decided to try her luck with the Roman alternative, she didn’t want to get struck with a bolt of lightning.

[Nicholai Hawthorn]

Nick looked at her, he couldn’t really blame her for thinking that. He probably would of thought the same if someone had told him that right after he got there, but he probably would have just told them bring it.” Nah, I admit if Mr D had his way they probably would feed us to Lions but Chiron kinda likes keeping us alive the best he can.” He said, knowing that Dionysus didn’t like the campers accept maybe his own children. He stared out at the water, picking up another stone and skipping it across the surf. Though he made sure he didn’t hit Sami when he did so.

He noticed when he joked about her style she bit her lip a bit but didn’t mention it, he just let it roll off his back as some would say. Just after the subject changed to their parents his mood did start a downward spiral, though he did his best to just stop feeling sorry for himself because he knew when he was in a bad mood he had a habit of snapping at people and Sami didn’t deserve that.” Don’t be sorry either.” He said as he looked at her again with a small smile.” Hermes huh? So, how is it having so many siblings? Well half.” He asked, truly curious because he was the only one in his cabin and he knew that Hermes and Apollo where probably the more crowded.

Though when she called his father the god, Nick just shrugged a little.” I guess you could put it like that, it can be pretty cool.” He said with a small smile though he wasn’t sure how true it was. He was the son of the King of the gods, but he had never actually spoken to his father and it was because of him that he had to leave his home and the life he knew.” Powers are pretty cool.” He said as he snapped his fingers and the storm clouds lit up again as lightning flew across it.

“ I guess you can say I found out a little before I got here, when I reached new york a big bolt appeared above my head. Though I wasn’t completely sure what it meant at the time, it wasn’t till a satyr brought me here that I found out what it meant.” He said before he looked out at the stars.” How long have you known?” He asked after a few moments, though he didn’t think she could have known long since she had only been there a week.

[Sami Mitchell]

Sami took to running her fingers through the sand. She grabbed handfuls and let the grains sift through her fingers. She started to draw a pair of wings but drug her hand across it. Her lips became tight, “They don’t really feel like siblings to me. They’re just people who happen to live in the same crowded cabin. Sure we share a dad, but I don’t think it makes us siblings. Being family means being there for someone through it all, and they haven’t. My dad sure as heck hasn’t either but you know, whatever.”

With a deep sigh Sami brought her knees up to her chest. It wasn’t like she hated the people in Hermes Cabin. Sure she disliked them for stealing her possessions and that really irked her. She was willing to let it slide so long as they kept their twitchy hands away from her locket. Instinctively upon thinking about it, her hand reached up and clasped around the silver heart. She played with for a minute before turning her head in Nick’s direction, taking in what he was saying. When he gave a little demo of the powers he spoke of, Sami was impressed. It was a pretty nifty little ability he had there.

She shrugged. “Probably a ton better then what I can do. Which, so far, is nothing. I can’t make lightning appear or anything fancy like that. I guess I’m just an average demi-god.” Sami scoffed and rolled her eyes, “If there is such a thing.”

Sami considered what Nick told her about being claimed. She cracked a smile; there had been no satyr for her. She was on her own in all of this. The troubling thing was that she didn’t have to be. If she hadn’t completely blown off her brother she could have grown up with someone who really understood her. Sami held onto the locket tighter.

“Um. I found out two years ago. My dad actually came to talk to me about it all. After he, uh, saved me. He said things like, ‘I’m sorry you had to go through all of this’ and some such nonsense. Basically told me he felt guilty for not claiming me sooner. He gave another excuse like, he had too many kids to keep track of.” She paused for a second. “Me and my brother belonged to him though. I didn’t want to come here at first; I refused to believe any of it even though I’ve fought a monster or two before. I just wasn’t ready to accept that he was my father and that this was my life.”

Sami felt tears threatening to escape. She drew in a deep breath and forced a smile. “But I’m here now. This is me accepting that monsters exist, and that there really are Gods and myth means nothing. Gods, I’m sorry I talk too much. I’ve been trying to break this habit for a while.” She turned her head away from Nick and looked back down at the sand. She traced her fingers through it and drew the name ‘Riley’ after gazing at it longingly for a few seconds she erased it.

[Nicholai Hawthorn]

Nick couldn’t help himself from watching the sand as Sami played with it, listening closely to what she said. Honestly he could see himself feeling that way in her shoes. Especially with a cabin that is so crowded, there where only a few who had been there for him threw it all since he had come to camp.” I can understand that, trust me. The camp is full of dead beat parents, but we all watch out for our own around here. Accept for maybe the Ares cabin, they mostly watch out for themselves a lot of the time.” He said softly, hoping what he said helped a little. He just meant that she hadn’t been there long and after training and fighting alongside people, not to mention living and eating with him the feeling of family comes slowly.

After he showed her his little ability and she said it was impressive he shrugged. It was pretty cool yea, but sometimes he forgot that some of the other demi-gods didn’t have well, active gifts like the big three children did.” Nothing is wrong with being an average demi god, I’m sure you have a lot of skills that you didn’t even get from your father.” He said as he turned his head a bit so that he was looking at her, her knees up by her chest. He doubted he could do that comfortably himself, that was one reason he just kept his long legs stretched out in front of him but bent a little so he could rest his arms on his knees.

He had noticed her gripping something that was on a chain around her neck, but he didn’t ask about it because something told him it meant a lot to her. Though there wasn’t a very happy story behind it, so he didn’t want to pry to much at least for the moment. When she said her dad actually came to talk to her, he did feel a little jealous about that aspect. He had never met his father, at least to his memory. He had never gotten a apology from his father, or an explanation to what had been happening to him because he was his son but he guessed the King of the gods was just to busy for his half mortal son.” It took me a little while to accept too, but it wasn’t to long before it all just made sense and I knew here was the safest place for me to learn what I need not to mention if I’m here my mom doesn’t have to deal with the monsters that where always on my tail.”

“ Yeah, I still have to remember the myths are usually actual history nowadays.” He said with a small chuckle but then shook his head.” Really Sami don’t worry about it, I don’t mind. I hear I’m a pretty good listener so it works.” He gave her a kind smile before his eyes caught her writing a name in the sand. Before he could really think about it he found himself asking in a soft voice.” Who is Riley?” His blue eyes curious, but after a moment he guessed by the look on her face that it wasn’t exactly a happy story.

[Sami Mitchell]

Sami laughed a little. She stared at the sand as Nick tried to convince her being an average demi-god wasn’t terrible. Sami wasn’t so sure. She didn’t want any of this but if it was forced upon her she wanted to be able to do something. She needed to become strong if she was ever going to leave and find Riley. She hung her head a little, “I got my mother’s stubbornness if that counts.” tears formed in her eyes. Sami fought them back.

She continued to play with the necklace imagining her brother’s face the last time she had seen him. He probably looked different now with time, even a few years would have changed him too much. Sami let one of the tears fall. She quickly dried it with the sleeve of her nightshirt. She sniffled and tilted her head to Nick. A small smile appeared on her face. “I’m sorry about your mom. I guess my mom is kind of my reason for finally coming here. She already lost one kid I didn’t want her to lose another.”

Sami did feel better when Nick didn’t complain about her constant mouth running. It felt good to have a friend here if that was what Nick was. She sighed and smiled again, yes, Nick was a friend. Sami wouldn’t have told so much to just anyone, she only trusted certain things to people she was willing to keep close to her. Nick was a good guy and Sami was glad that he was the one out here on the beach and not a son of Ares. Maybe not all the kids in Ares cabin were bad, but the ones she came in contact with were.

Her thoughts broke when Nick asked about Riley. She felt her heart skip a beat her head jerked in his direction. Sami considered him for a moment before she reached back up to her necklace. She opened the locket and showed Nick the picture inside. There was a boy with sandy brown hair that shared Sami’s smile and eyes exactly. “Riley’s my twin. He’s a son of Hermes too. We both grew up unaware of what was happening to us. Except Riley wanted to know more about what we were. People thought we were insane when we spoke about monsters and Riley couldn’t handle it anymore. He ran away to find answers. I refused to believe that monsters existed even though I had come face to face with them several times. Riley asked me to go with him.” Sami scoffed and rolled her eyes. She went quiet for a few moments. It was hard to relieve the story, she dried her eyes again and looked away from Nick embarrassed that she was crying.

“I decided to stay with mom. I haven’t seen Riley for a few years and I haven’t heard anything from him. This is going to sound really melodramatic and stupid but call it a twin intuition thing or whatever but I know Riley is still alive. I don’t feel like I’m completely myself without him around. Like I’m not whole.” She groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Gods I sound insane. I’m sorry to bother you with my problems.”