Ashes, Ashes

extra scene 1

We were walking to the beach to chill for a bit. Maybe watch the sunrise over the ocean. Ash, Piper, Kayla and Austin were chattering near me, and was happily following them, humming a song. I was blissfully happy in... around 7 years since when my mom started ignoring me. Even that thought didn't bring me down as it usually does.

We sat on the beach watching the sun rise over the sparkling water. It reminded me of a soft lullaby I had heard once somewhere, and i started humming it then it grew into a song under my breath. Just as the sun blinded our eyes and the songs melody rose I felt something. Ash was staring at me. Actually, i started, everyone was staring at me. I shrunk back. No, they weren't staring at me, at my head. I glanced up just to catch the tiny golden sun fading from the crown of my head.

"All hail Aspen, Daughter of Apollo," Kayla said, amazed.

She and Austin smile at me. "You're in our cabin now."

"HEY KIDDO. GLAD YOU'RE THE DAUGHTER OF THE AWESOMEST GOD IN OLYMPUS, APOLLO!" We are the Champions played faintly in the background.

I was shocked and confused. And also stunned and surprised from the announcement, but Austin and Kayla rolled their eyes and informed me it was an automated message thing

But I was tired from staying up all night so i decided to sort everything out later. They escorted me to my new cabin, and I'm sure the others that were already awake were whispering about me.

As we were entering, Ash muttered in my ear, "Meet me near the creek in the woods after you've settled down. I need to explain some stuff to you," he murmured in my ear. I shivered and nodded in response.

I crashed onto my bunk the moment I walked in and fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. I had no dreams, and that uneasiness didn't ring with me until later in the day. Ash had told me that I would get bad dreams frequently as a demigod, and that they were especially strong at Camp. but I had had none and something was wrong.

When i woke at around noon, stomach grumbling, I made my way to the camp store to pick up some toiletries and other important stuff. Dropping it back off on my bunk, i ran back to the pavilion where all the meals were eaten. I just arrived in time to see the nymphs cleaning the precious food up.

All the precious, delicious food, wrapped up in cloths, no idea where it went. I sighed, resigned, and jogged to the forest, where I was supposed to meet Ash.

I wasn't sure how I was supposed to find him but whatever.

After a few minutes wandering around and looking at the trees and people and creatures, I heard soft thudding footsteps behind me.

"Hey," a voice panted behind me.

I turned. "Hey Ash. So... uhh... what did you want to talk to me about??"

"Um." He looked around, rubbing his the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Here. Follow me."

I followed him, perplexed. What was so important? I had momentarily forgotten my growling stomach, but a pang of hunger raced through me followed by a loud growl, sounding like a monster.

"Was that a monster?" Ash asked, echoing my thoughts.

"Ah, no. My hungry stomach," I admitted sheepishly. Something that looked like relief glinted in his eyes momentarily.

"Oh! Hey, come here. I know a good area of shrubbery that grows delicious fruit," he said, his eyes and step suddenly brightening.

After what felt like hours to my poor grumbling stomach, we arrived at this pretty little grove with fruit trees. There were ones with blooming white flowers to ones with bulging, ripe fruit pulling the branches down, and everything in between. There were peach trees and pear trees and cherry trees and apple trees and grapevines trailing up the trees and much more. I went to grab a nearby peach from an overhanging branch but Ash stopped me.

"You have to ask the nymph first. They absolutely hate it when people damage their trees," he explained. "Ahem. Can we have permission to eat your fruit please?" He asked.

Nothing. Then a peachy, chubby little girl melted off the side of the tree and said, "Sure! I was about to go play away anyways!" She skipped off.

I was halfway done devouring the fruit as soon as she said sure. I picked another one to eat, juice dripping down my face and hands and gestured for Ash to continue who was staring rapturously at my horrible table manners.

"Uh. Right." He seemed to come out of it. "Anyway, as I was saying..."

a/n: 

LMAOOOOO REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU THERE WOULD BE MULTIPLE SCENES AT THE END THAT U COULD THINK OF AS CLOSURE HAHAHAHAHA SIKE BITCH

i actually didnt realise that would be the end of it, i thought there would be more left on our shared google doc but thats prettu much all of it, im just going back and forth copy and pasting everything on there trying to keep my eyes from reading through it because if i did, i would jump out of my window

thank you to mini-yellow-oranges for being on this journey with me, fuck you for finding my ao3 and not telling me how (i got them back by figuring out how to find hers on my own  so its okay)

yeah thats the end of this

ok bye