GOLDWING [PJO]

I. FOTIS

The early morning beamed into Fotis window and glared on their face, creating a shimmering glow throughout the room. Their house was silent with only echoes of chirps from the birds outside. Fotis opened their eyes, trying to focus on the surroundings of their room. Although their bed was covered by a white draping canopy, they looked through the fabric as if they were looking for something, or someone specifically. To their dissatisfaction, nothing but their organized color coded books, perfectly shelved stationary objects, and completely white room was there. Fotis wiped their face, still having the drowsy feeling of sleep, and proceeded on with their morning.

    They changed out of their white silk pajamas into a more presentable outfit, a white t-shirt with black stripes that had just the right amount of tightness, black jeans that look like they had just come out of the 70s, and black Doc Martens, which had rainbow instead of yellow stitching. They then went to their bathroom, a small space with white tiles, a see-through shower, and bright white lights that can blind a person. Fotis looked in the mirror and examined themselves. Their platinum Blonde hair and grey eyes looked right back at Fotis. They always wondered how people felt about their unusual qualities. They never had seen any other person with their skin color who had natural bright blonde hair, let alone, grey eyes. Fotis thought maybe it was due to their unique situation, y'know, being a Demi-god, but they wouldn't know, they haven't met anyone else who was like them.

         After getting ready, Fotis walked into the living room and let out a sigh of disappointment. It was empty and silent like it had been for the last two months, since their mother left. Their mom, Iris, the Greek goddess of rainbows, and the messenger for the gods, had not visited Fotis since April, and now it was June. Fotis was usually use to their mother leaving for a week at a time, or even more with an added text message, but it had been two months with no communication from their mom at all. They figured she'd just been busy with goddess stuff, and she'd just forgot to tell Fotis, so they just went along with their day to day life.

    See, even for a Demi-god, Fotis life wasn't like a usual teen. First off, their mom cared for them and visited frequently unlike other gods, and supported Fotis with basic needs. After their dad died at 8, the last 7 years had just been Fotis and their mom. The second thing about Fotis was they were very, very, independent. They had been homeschooled all their life, and for the time after their dads death, basically functioned as a young adult. Their mom would give them money for rent and food, and check up on them time to time, but the rest like cleaning, and cooking, was self taught through Youtube tutorials. Fotis had felt fine with this situation, they didn't seem to be phased by the fact that they didn't talk to anyone but their mother, or even had normal human events, like going to school,...or having friends. They sometimes would justify their predicament, they thought "I am a demigod, and usually demigods are hunted and killed outside, so we have to have no friends or see much of the outside world!"

    Fotis made an easy breakfast; eggs and toast, and sat down on their couch, mindlessly scrolling through their phone. After a while, they decided to turn on the tv, but as they went for the remote, a large video-like screen appeared in thin air. It was faintly surrounded by clouds and the screen itself seemed to be made out of a yellow dust, that made the screen have a gold tint to it. There, a woman appeared, she had tan skin, with straight jet black hair that seemed to be frazzled, like it hadn't been taking care of for months. She had thick square glasses that had a broken lens. It was Fotis mom, Iris.

    Fotis stood up in a frantic motion. The look of their mom made Fotis heart sink. She looked so scared, helpless. "Mom? what's happening?!" they yelled. Their voice filled with panic. Iris caught her breath then spoke. "Honey, listen to me". She looked around like something was coming for her and she had to hurry. "Khione is trying to do something and shes using giants to keep me hostage. Im using the last of my power to make one last rainbow ride. Pack your stuff and go to Camp Half-Blood, you'll be safe there". Iris winced as if shed had been hurt badly. "Mom where are you? I'll come find you!" Fotis exclaimed. "No-no, ill be fine, just please, go to Camp-Half Blood". Iris looked to her left and saw a black shadow approaching her, she squealed. "What is that? Where are you?" Fotis said. At this point, tears of fear and disbelief were rolling down Fotis face. They'd never seen their mom look so worried. She always seemed like a ray of sunshine that was never going down, so to see their mother in a pure state of terror, made Fotis feel like their insides were sucking them in.

    The Iris message started to fade and Fotis started to panic. They tried keeping the message together, as it was an ability to control Iris messages, but it was no use. Iris gave them a look. A look that speaks to anyone with a kid. A look that says, "even if I'm in danger, all that matters is my child being safe. The look of a mother. "I love you, my goldwing" iris said in a soft, but shaky tone. Goldwing. That was the nickname Fotis mom had given them asa child. Before Fotis could say anything else, the message disappeared into the air, gold dust flickering into nothing. Fotis covered their mouth in pure shock. They looked around while comprehending what just went down. They then looked into their mom's door, which was wide open and covered by a translucent rainbow that filled up the doorway like a waterfall. It was what Fotis and their mom called her rainbows that she teleported through, a Rainbow Ride.

    Fotis started to frantically pack their stuff into a big black suitcase. They stuffed a bunch of clothes into it along with toiletries and shoes. Fotis was so frazzled that they forgot to even fold anything, which was unusual for them, since they always had a thing for organization, but they had no time to think about putting everything in neat, color-coordinated sections. But they never went anywhere without their diary and their sketchbook. Even in a dazed and panicked state, they made sure that those were packed in a separate bag.

    They closed their bedroom door and turned off all the lights in their house. They stepped in front of the rainbow doorway and looked back. They didn't even know what was going to happen, but some reason, there was a thought in Fotis mind that they wouldn't be seeing their house for a while. But Fotis knew they had to follow their mom's directions, even if they didn't know what it was, and go to Camp- half Blood.