The First De-Quandran

I Get Taxied And Traumatized

Hugging Chiron feels a lot like hugging a parent before going away to college. It makes sense, I just turned 19 and luckily there aren't any monsters beckoning for me with a smile and open arms past the Golden Fleece.

"You're going on to extraordinary things," He tells me proudly. I had begged him not to do a formal ceremony for transferring me. The only thing worse than everyone skipping would be everyone being there and hating me more for forcing them.

"Thank you for everything, Chiron," I say, shouldering my backpack nervously. "So... what's the plan here? How am I going to know where Camp Jupiter is?"

Dionysus smirks. "You could ask Venus for help. Maybe she'll grow you a trail of roses."

I roll my eyes, not bothering to answer and glance over toward the cabins one last time. Unbelievably, someone is sprinting over.

Chris is panting a bit when he finally reaches us but he pulls me into a hug, my first and last hug from a camper at Camp Half-Blood. "Hey, I just wanted to say goodbye. I know we never really talked but I think you'll be a lot happier at Camp Jupiter. I have a few friends there." He smiles at me and I must look completely shell shocked because he blushes in embarrassment. "Sorry, I just thought it'd be nice."

"No, no," I assure him quickly. "I just uhm, wasn't expecting anyone to care,"

Chris rocks back and forth on his feet, nodding awkwardly. "Yeah... Aphrodite kids tend to go with the pack, but I care enough not to this time." He grins and taps my shoulder playfully. "Be safe. Get lost, little brother."

He jogs off and I take a deep breath to try and keep myself from whooping and hollering. The tiniest glimmer of happiness feels so massive to me right now.

Chiron watches me with sad eyes I can feel and Mr. D pats my back. "He's right, you have a long journey ahead."

The serious tone makes me set my jaw and dig into my pockets. 10 Drachmas (Greek currency) doesn't seem like enough to me but I nod and start my trek down the hill towards the road. I swear to myself I won't look back over and over, and I almost don't.

But... Camp Half-blood has been my home for almost two straight years now. Even throughout all of the misery, the camp itself had been good to me. I was never uncomfortable physically or sick for very long. It had sheltered and protected me in my father's place, so I turn to say goodbye one last time.

Chiron is the only one still watching, and even from at the bottom of the hill I can tell he's disturbed at the sight of me leaving alone. When he sees me look he waves silently, and I return it.

Road 3.141 winds around the hill and out of sight. Lush, rolling hills filled with green and gold surround me and I take the time to recognize how beautiful it all is. Behind me, Camp Half-blood is out of sight too. The Mist must be enough to shield even my eyes from it from this distance.

I feel like I'm naked in the tundra. It doesn't smell like bonfire smoke and food out here, it smells like danger. Well, really it smells like grass and exhaust, but that's almost the same thing in my mind. I keep expecting to hear a roar or hissing as I drop two drachmas and murmur, "Stêthi 'Ô hárma diabolês." My pronunciation is clumsy and I haven't the foggiest idea what it means save for knowing "diablo" probably means "devil".

I can assume that can't be good.

The second I speak the words to the road, thick tendrils of grey smoke begin to seep up from the ground. There are no cracks that I can see it coming from, but it starts to morph into a taxi shaped vehicle. That means I've succeeded, but it sure doesn't seem that way the second I see who's driving.