Raging Seas [pjo au] || 1

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CHAPTER SIX
( FAREWELLS & AN EXPLODING BUS )

PACKING WENT QUICKLY. A backpack filled with everything she needed – an extra change of clothes, nectar and ambrosia, mortal money and drachmas, tooth brush and toothpaste, and even a few snacks she had stashed in her suitcase from the apartment – rested on her shoulders. One of the smaller swords from the armory was nestled between her bag and her back. She had her dagger, of course, strapped to her ankle, the sheathed blade somewhat hidden by the upper part of her high top converse, but this was a quest they were going on. Kali didn't want to be unprepared – hence the sword she could barely use.

Physically, she was ready. Mentally and emotionally were other whole entire things.

Kali was hardly ready to leave camp and, more specifically, her friends. So when Grant and Arianna tackled her the moment she got off of the cabin's porch, she latched onto them both the best she could. A forth and fifth person joined in, and she didn't need to look to know they were Oliver and Adelaide respectively.

They detangled from their group hug a few seconds later when Oliver said, "Alright, alright, let's let her get a chance to actually breathe." After they parted, he looked at her and said, "Be safe, okay? Well. As safe as you can be."

"You come back," Arianna ordered, brown eyes hard with emotion and mouth set in such a firm line it was clear it was an attempt to not frown. "Addie will kill you if you don't."

"I will," Kali promised them both.

Arianna nodded. "Good."

"Good," echoed Adelaide. Her arms were crossed; she tried to seem less bothered about the fact that Kali was going on a quest than everyone else, but it hardly worked. "I don't want to kill one of my best friends."

Kali smiled and chuckled quietly. Her eyes then shifted to Grant, who had yet to say anything. It was uncharacteristic of him, to say the least, and it worried her a bit. "Grant," she started, but he interrupted her.

"Look if– if the quest goes wrong, and you make it out alive...don't end up like Luke."

She eyed him, confused. "Luke?" she asked. "What do you mean?" Last she knew, Luke was fine. His usual 'camp big brother' self who was teaching Percy sword lessons and spent time with Annabeth when able. Of course, sometimes, she got the sense he felt hostile (if that's even the right word for it) towards her, but Kali didn't know how much of that was real or actually just her imagination because of how Ralph treated her.

Grant awkwardly shrugged. "I dunno, he's just more bitter than he used to be ever since his last quest where he got that scar," he explained. "...According to Conner and Travis, anyway."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "You know your brothers' stories can't be trusted completely, Grant."

"Take what they say with a grain of salt," Arianna said with a nod of agreement. "That's what Katie says."

Grant held up his hands somewhat defensively. "I'm just sayin'. If you don't succeed, it'll be fine."

A war between the gods, she thought, but fine. Sure.

Kali gripped the straps of her backpack. She lifted her chin and stood a bit straighter. "It doesn't matter if the Stolls are telling the truth about Luke, because this quest won't end up that way."