Mason Rand's Story

Mason sat on top of the Athena Cabin, his legs crossed. His kopis, a curved kopesh-like blade, and long flat shield which one wore lengthwise down the arm laid in his lap. His right hand gauntlet rested on top of the shield, next to his sword, the worn leather and celestial bronze warm from the sunlight. There was no left handed one, that's what the shield was for. He liked to go up there whenever he felt down. When you were up high, all the silly things that made your life seem so complicated were so simple, so easy to decypher.

Mason was troubled. He'd been here for a few days, avoiding Olivia who'd arrived a long while ago. How was he supposed to know she was a daughter of Zeus? Further, how could he just tell her that he was the son of a goddess. Even though Eric had explained it all, Mason still felt uneasy. He thought about what he should have done. SHould he have told everyone? He shook his head. "Not likely..." He whispered to himself. "Oh hey, it's me. Your childhood friend, wouldn't ya know it we're all half-bloods. Neat huh?" Mason only shook his head. It sounded stupid and he was the one who thought it up. Mason sighed, jumping down from the roof and landing deftly on his feet. I guess the best thing to do would be to just come clean with it. Mason slung his kopis and shield over his shoulder and pulled on his gauntlets. If he knew Liv, he would really need them.

Mason jogged over to the place he thought Olivia would be, the Zeus cabin. It made the most sense, but it seemed so lonely. Mason walked up to the door and knocked hard. "Liv!" He called into the cabin. "It's me, Mason! You in there?" There was no response, but Mason knew better than to go into another God's cabin without being offered to be let in first. He shook his head. "Perhaps breakfast? It is mealtime." Mason pondered to himself. At that Mason wandered over to the mess hall, pulling off his right handed gauntlet and sliding it onto the pommel of his sword. Better to appear like he wasn't expecting to be struck. Once he made it to the mess hall, Mason gulped hard, hesitating for a brief moment. There she was. He'd recognize that golden flowing hair anywhere. It was her, and she was talking to... Amelia? Whoa... this was gonna get all kinds of weird and it was gonna be bad enough just explaining himself to Liv. Specially since he'd been avoiding her.

"Umm... hey guys." Mason said, walking up to his friends. "Nice day, eh?" Mason hoped that by talking about something mundane he could hide the fact that he had his weapons with him or the fact that he was wearing the trademark orange t-shirt.

Liv's jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed a little. "You are so typical." She almost laughed but she was shocked. "When did you get here? No one said you'd arrived today too..." She started a million theories going through her head. She looked at Ammi and th
En back at Mason. She couldn't believe she was here forget Ammi and Mason!

She was glad they were here until day fourteen she'd barely moved from her cabin because she was depressed and homesick but if Ammi and Mason were here she had a bit of home with her even without her mother who Liv was still angry at for leaving her here. She looked at Mason's face to see if it were really him or someone playing a mean trick.

I can't believe it... she thought gazing at the face that was definitely her lost best friend. She looked at Ammi to see her reaction and she smiled. This is so weird...but weird is fun!

"You are so typical. When did you get here? No one said you'd arrived today too..." Olivia said, obviously shocked by Mason's appearance. Mason chuckled nervously, his right hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck. Part of it was nervousness, he hadn't told Olivia that he'd been avoiding her yet. Mason wasn't too afraid of what she might do to him, however, she was the daughter of Zeus. She could do just about anything she pleased. The other part was actually just seeing her. It had been so long, but she hadn't changed a bit. She was still just as pretty as Mason remembered. Though he'd never admit to it, Mason had been out the longest when Liv disappeared, searching for her everywhere and handing out fliers, asking if anyone had seen her. He'd even called her whole family. Mason seemed desperate to find her, and now that he had... He was scared shitless. "Oh well," Mason thought to himself. "No use postponing the inevitable."

"I've... umm... I've been here for about a week." Mason started. "I was up at my cabin trying to sort out whether or not I should come see you." Seeing the emotion rising in her face, Mason rushed his explanation in front of her interruption. He had to make his point clear. "I didn't know how to explain myself, you see? After Eric told us you'd disappeared, that you were... well, the big guy's kid, I knew you were here, beyond a shadow of a doubt. The only problem was, of course, how to explain why I'm able to come here too. Long story short, my mum's a goddess. Athena to be specific. A week after you left she told me I had to get my butt over here and dad left too. I don't know where he is actually, he told me he had something important to try and figure out. I digress, umm... breakfast?" Mason offered slyly. He was trying to divert Liv's wrath from its closest and most vulnerable outlet; Mason's face.

She kept a steady gaze on both her friends wondering away at different thoughts silently.

Mason threw up a quick gaurd, a massive smile on his face. Olivia slapped his arm, but not too hard. "I was driving myself insane because I missed you and Ammi and you were the whole time? Well for the second week but still. Little tip when you know your friend is in a freaky environment alone you bloody talk to her ok!? OK rant over...who's hungry?". Olivia said, to which Mason only replied, "Yes ma'am." Mason smiled. "Well that could have been loads worse...". Mason thought to himself.

Liv smiled, satisfied she'd gotten through to him and started leading them to the breakfast queue. "God, I hate queues..." She frowned. "It doesn't sound right, saying god anymore. Not when I know there are about a dozen of them...I'm starting to wish I didn't sleep through history all the time ...". Mason nodded in agreement. "Mhmm, I get that too." He said. "It's not just a word now, it's a real thing. So, we've got breakfast. What's on the schedule afterwards? I haven't looked at the activity board since I've gotten back." Mason asked, pulling up a massive plate of eggs, bacon, and waffles. He walked with Olivia over to the Athena Table which was close enough to the Zeus Table that the two could still talk and enjoy their breakfast. When they passed the brazier, Mason made sure to offer some of his bacon and waffles to his mom. "Enjoy mum." Mason said quietly. As they ate, Mason couldn't help but steal glances at her. Her beautiful blonde hair and her gorgeous eyes were just the way they'd been before she left. "It's like a dream come true." Mason thought to himself. "I was so worried when she disappeared and now she's back; safe." Mason smiled, he couldn't help it.

Olivia smiled...Wow,it's been a while..After being dumped here by a dramatic crying mother ;Liv had become very depressed. She missed her friends, her mother and just general life at home. She'd cried herself to sleep and made everyone leave her own that ended yesterday. Liv left her cabin for the first time yesterday and now here she was sat on a table to talk to a friend she thought she'd never see again.

"I don't know don't care much either." Liv said as she made her sacrifice to Zeus. She'd never call him Dad after all wasn't a Dad someone who taught you to ride a bike and sneaked you biscuits when your Mum says no? She sighed softly.

"But I think it's some kind of battle training..." She said before she bit into her apple. Liv had never been a fan of meat so bacon wasn't finding its way on to her plate. Liv had a bright green apple and toast the exact same thing she'd finish eating on the walk to school because she never woke early enough to eat at home. She'd.eat a slice of toast and then eat an apple as she walked.

Mason nodded, quietly finishing his breakfast. "Sounds great. I dunno about you but I'm all done." Mason said, standing up his empty dishes in hand. "Gimme a sec, I'm gonna bus these. Want me to get yours too?" Mason asked. Not waiting for her answer, Mason scooped up her empty plate tossing a wink and a smirk at her before bringing their dishes to the bus line. As he waited Mason couldn't help but turn and sneak silly faces at Liv who sat at her table all by herself. Every time she looked his way, Mason looked away, playing it off like he wasn't messing with her. After one particularly goofy face, Mason sighed. It must be so lonely to sit there all by yourself. At least Mason had some half siblings in his cabin over at Athena.

Finally, once the line had taken its run, Mason walked back over to his table, slinging his shield, kopis, and gauntlet over his shoulders. He turned to one of his cabin mates, quickly asking when the next major activity was. The answer was simple and to the point, gladiator battles over in the coliseum. Mason nodded in thanks to his half-brother who turned back to his own conversation. He sat next to her, ignoring the commands from the counselors to sit at his own table. "Well, we've got some time before the next activity, a whole couple of hours or something. Wanna... I dunno, take a walk or something?" Mason asked, gesturing to the quad.

Liv grinned. "Thanks and sure. Race ya!" She lept from her seat and was gone like a missle she looked back at him a laughing smile revealing a hint of white teeth. A camper jumped out her way shouting. Liv laughed. She didn't care what everyone else thought of her. She wasn't alone anymore, she had Mason back.

Liv slowed as she reached a busier part of camp. "Damn."

She looked at Mason to see if he knew anything about the gathering crowd. The goat dude that introduced Liv.to ghis stuff was standing tall adressing the half bloods. "Capture the Flag will be taken place after your third meal tomorrow evening." Liv smirked. She already had an idea what this was aboht from evenings playing shooting games with Mason or her cousins.

"It's not gonna be like in the games is it?" She sighed because nothing was simple here.