Melancholy Kaleidescope | PJO

Ch. 20: Clarisse Knows Anger Management

Jinora learned real quick that she wasn't good at masking her feelings. Not to anyone who actually paid attention, that is. As August turned into September, and September into October, she figured she had been doing a pretty good job at acting fine.

Then, Clarisse cornered and confronted her. At first, Jinora was more shocked than anything that Clarisse was acting concerned more than her typical dominating persona. After the initial shock wore off, she felt embarrassed and got defensive.

"I can handle my own emotional state, Clarisse," Jinora snapped at the older girl. "I don't need you telling me what I should and shouldn't do with it."

With that, Jinora stormed off, hugging her arms tightly around her torso to keep her hands from shaking.

Clarisse left her alone for a while after that. But when Jinora lost her cool during a normal day of sword training and sent a poor Demeter boy to the infirmary Chiron insisted that she find a healthy way to let out her anger and aggression. Emphasis on healthy.

Naturally, Clarisse approached her again. Though, instead of saying anything, she grabbed the eleven–almost twelve–year-old by her upper arm and dragged her down toward the arena.

It was bad enough to come down here for training with a group of other campers staying year round. At least with that, though, she could take a step back and hide her nerves. But now, no one else was there besides Jinora and Clarisse.

"Let me go," she shouted, trying to rip her arm from the older girl's grip, which didn't budge. She grumbled a few curse words Chiron would have a fit over if he heard as Clarisse dragged her toward the center of the arena. Finally, she let the younger go, who stumbled at the sudden freedom to move.

"This is where you hoped to find them," Clarisse said. She made sure her words didn't come off in a questioning tone. "But you didn't."

"Shut up, Clarisse," Jinora hissed. "You don't know anything."

Clarisse straightened her posture slightly. "We all know what the prophecy Percy received before his quest said. We all know that he was to be betrayed by someone he thought was a friend, who acted like his friend. Someone who Percy looked up to when he first arrived. Someone you looked up to."

Jinora clenched her fists as Clarisse continued to speak. She didn't want to do this. She wanted to move on and pretend that day never happened.

"You can't keep taking your anger for Luke out on the other campers," Clarisse barked at her. "It's not anybody's fault that Luke did what he did! All the blame goes to Luke."

"I know," Jinora grumbled. She could feel the pot threatening to boil over.

"Do you," Clarisse countered, her tone sharp. "Sending Julian to the infirmary says otherwise. Your short fuse says otherwise."

"Just leave it, Clarisse. What do you care, anyway?"

There was a brief pause–only a few seconds–between Jinora's question and Clarisse marching over to where she was standing and yanking her from her spot. Jinora squeaked as she stumbled. Clarisse came to a stop just before an untouched dummy. Jinora had a pretty active and vivid imagination, so it didn't take much for her to imagine the dummy was begging her to spare it.

"Chiron doesn't want you to keep taking your anger out on your fellow campers." Clarisse rolled her eyes. "I don't really see the problem in that. Everyone else are just wimps."

Jinora rolled her shoulder, now free once again from Clarisse's grip. "So, what? You're just here because Chiron made you?"

"Gods, you are dull," Clarisse muttered. "Of course not. I don't care that you're angry. What I do care is what you do with it."