Bridging the Divide

Conspiracy Theories

Nico

It was a conundrum, and Keefe was right in the middle of it. Sometimes it took all of Nico's patience not to grab the other boy's shoulders and shake him until he told them the story, more than just bits and pieces at a time. 

He wouldn't, though, mainly because he was partially afraid that if he did, Keefe would shatter. Still, it was driving him crazy, seeing the signs show up in arranged stones or strange moss grown overnight, the rearranged sand of the deserts.

Every time they saw the sign in yet another news article, there were new theories: terrorists, weird weather, some sort of curse, aliens, the apocalypse (Keefe had fallen over laughing at those last three). 

Leo ran up suddenly, his nose on fire from surprise "Guys! Impromptu fireworks over the Hanging Gardens!" He was holding a small utility radio that was squawking out a news report. 

-explosions over the hanging gardens today resulting in a surprisingly beautiful bang. The explosives were set by an individual described as wearing a black cloak with an eye symbol. 

Several defused bombs were found in other locations around the site, each with either a swan or, in the case of the explosive closest to the entrance, the fancy bird that has been haunting the other wonders of this world scratched hastily into the ground, almost as if the defusers had to leave suddenly to avoid detection. 

Whether protective spirit or vigilante group, the people nearby owe a debt of gratitude to whoever defused those bombs! Next on the list is- 

Leo turned off the radio with another squawk, and said "That sounds like anybody we've been cyberstalking for the past two and a half weeks?" 

Keefe's eyes filled with worry, and Nico couldn't help but feel similarly. 'Sounds like they were ok. Definitely gonna pester Foster about that later for more details. It'll take a while, but I'm REALLY GOOD at wearing her down until she shares what's worrying her!' 

Keefe sometimes dropped comments like that, hinting at the characters of friends and family, or even some sort of event (the constant mentions of the Great Gulon Incident were extremely interesting to everyone, and Leo had only been able to pry the fact that it had been epic, and the prank master was never caught out of Keefe before the other boy had clammed up). 

The new year had been rather uneventful, and it was nearing spring. It was amazing how those months had changed Keefe. 

When he had first arrived, the other boy had seemed to be smaller, scared out of his wits at the camp full of people with weapons. Now, Keefe was showing off at the archery range, throwing daggers from any distance he was dared to try. 

Sometimes Nico forgot the blonde boy wasn't human, because he acted so much like one. At first, that revelation had made him uneasy around Keefe, but... it was kinda like trying to hate one of those sweet puppies that constantly ran around playing and tripping over its feet. It seemed like only an actual monster would hate him.

Will

Looking up at the springtime sky, Will said a silent hello to his dad, who was most likely driving the sun at the moment, so high above them Will couldn't see. Sometimes it was awful, having a dad who never seemed to be around, or pay attention to anything short of actual prayer. 

Keefe sat down next to him, startling Will slightly. 'Missing your parents?' Keefe signed. 

"Yeah," Will replied, slightly surprised at how Keefe had read him. "How did you know?" 

'Emotions are my specialty. Besides, I like to come up and sit on this ledge when I'm missing home and try to guess where the people I care about are now.' 

Will didn't know how to ask the question building up inside his mouth, but his expression must have asked it for him, because Keefe signed 'Yeah, my parents are pretty much as close as you can get to pond scum without gaining a few brain cells.' 

"Pond scum has no brain..." 

'EXACTLY! The way they act is mindless of others! But yeah, there are people I miss. Fitz's family is kinda like my family, and Ro is basically my annoying older sister. I had a pretty big family of friends, and I miss them all, but I try to focus on the fact that at least I have new friends and goodbye is never forever.' 

Will was surprised by this show of deep intelligence. He knew Keefe was smart, but this new philosophy was surprising. 

The other boy wasn't normally this serious, and Will was about to ask what was bothering him when Keefe stood up suddenly and signed 'Come on, let's go superglue a quarter to the sidewalk and see what idiots try to pick it up!' 

Shaking his head slightly, Will stood up and ran after the other boy, who was already a third of the way to Camp. What he was going to do about this prank, Will had no idea, but eventually he decided to let it be. It was pretty funny.

Yup. I feel like Will would be a bit philisophic and since Keefe can't be serious with Sophie right now this is good :D.