ATLOP: Trial by Fire

Homecomings and Celebrations

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OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

We were the first heroes to return alive to Half-Blood Hill since Luke three years ago, so of course everybody treated us as if we'd won some reality-TV contest.

They were all so excited and insisted on following all the traditions. We wore laurel wreaths, attended a big feast with all kinds of food (a breakfast feast that was delicious) and Lord D even gave a speech! It was a quick speech, but it was nice. Then we led a procession down to the bonfire.

We got to burn the burial shrouds our cabins made for us in our absence, or well, Annabeth's cabin made hers. Mine was made by the Demeter and Aphrodite cabins and I was so very touched by the care they put into.

It was sea green silk with pearl patterns embroidered in white and fish decorating it with shimmery thread. There were little doves edging the corners and some strawberries hidden around it. In the center was a trident, with a conch shell behind it.

It was so lovely it was almost a shame to burn.

Annabeth's was equally beautiful, gray silk with intricate embroidered owls and some passages from her favorite poems. There was a faint cityscape that shimmered when the fabric moved, a nod to her love of architecture I supposed.

Grover didn't get a funeral shroud, but he did get a tree planted in honor of him for his successful quest.

Then we settled down for a sing-along led by the Apollo cabin as we passed out s'mores.

It might have been morning, but the camp took it's post-quest traditions very seriously.

I couldn't help but beam when Katie wrapped me in a hug and said she was glad I came back safe. Or when Suki patted me on the back with a smile and said she's glad I didn't gain any scars on my way home.

I sat with the Demeter cabin and relaxed. They welcomed me back with open arms, it was as if I was a part of their cabin.

I shook my head with a grin when Darius dropped his s'more and tried to steal Suki's. She wacked him with her cane and told him to get a new one, a grin on her face. He rubbed his head sheepishly, pushing down his curly afro as he did.

I laughed when Imani gave him a fresh s'more, innocence radiating from her and her black eyes wide and earnest, up until he took a bite and found out she stuck hot peppers in it.

His scramble for milk and Katie being the one to have mercy was familiar. Imani and him always got up to mischief with each other.

"I'll get you back for that, Imani," he promised, mischief gleaming in his dark eyes.

"That was revenge for you taking over my pepper patch to grow those okra plants."

"Okra is good for you and delicious-"

"It's green and gross," she interrupted grandly. "Don't mess with my peppers."

I laughed as Katie shrugged, "Seems fair."

Lapu offered me a freshly made s'more, her two long braids swinging as she leaned past me to reach for the chocolate. "They've been debating that patch of the garden basically since you left."

"Their gardens are really important to them," I said as I accepted the s'more.

"They are," She agreed softly. "It's good to have you back, we were worried"