Chasing Legends (Male Reader x Annabeth Chase)

Chapter Four

4| Friendship is Magic

Well, after Y/N was able to digest the fact that he was being led around by a Centaur, honestly the tour wasn't so bad all in all. The two passed the volleyball pit together and Y/N took note of how a lot of the campers were older than him and the satyrs with them reminded him painfully of how he failed to save June.

Along with the fact that their shaggy legs were exposed for the world (The world being Y/N) to see made him feel especially uncomfortable making his pretty bad day just a little bit worse. Also the fact that all their eyes seemed to be on him. With every step he took a new person would nudge their friend. One pointed to his Manticore horn and another said, "That's him."

Y/N was never a shy person. People that'd met him would even describe him as outgoing but the way everyone stared at him almost as if they expected him to breakdance made even him shrink back a little.

Then he looked back towards the farmhouse It was a lot bigger than he'd originally thought—four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort.

Next, Y/N and Chiron walked through the strawberry fields, where campers where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe.

"It pays our expenses." Chiron began. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."

"Is it because of Mr. D? I thought he grew wine grapes." Y/N asked.

"You're right. It works best on wine grapes, but he has this effect on all fruit baring plants. He's restricted from growing those anyways, so we grow strawberries." Chiron answered.

Y/N watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire. That brought him to wonder if June could work that kind of magic with music. The thoughts made his heart sink almost instantly and he hoped his dear friend was at peace, wherever he may be.

"Chiron." Y/N began. "If the gods and Olympus are real..."

"Yes, child?"

"Does that mean the underworld is real, too?"

Instantly, Chiron's expression darkened.

"Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now ... until we know more ... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, Y/N. Let's see the woods."

Y/N didn't push it any further but instead vouched for simply following Chiron into the woods. The closer they got the more Y/N began to notice just how huge it was. Like, took up a quarter of the entire valley huge. With trees so tall that you could imagine no one had been there since the Native Americans.

Chiron spoke "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

In response Y/N slowly turned his head to face Chiron before asking "Stocked with what, exactly? And armed?"

"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"

"A sword and shield—?"

"Figured not." Chiron said. "Let's see... I suppose a size six will do. I'll visit the armory later."

The first thought that came to Y/N's mind was "What kind of summer camp has an armory?" but clearly, there were more important thoughts that needed to be thunk. Then maybe he'd go back to asking about the armory.