𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓, 𝐏𝐉𝐎 𝐱 𝐇𝐏

𝟎𝟎𝟐.𝟏

Francis looked at his twin, a pang of sorrow piercing his heart. It had been 4 years since that fateful incident, and the bright, bubbly Sixtine he once knew had faded into a shadow of her former self. The constant jabs and screams from their father had worn her down, and their mother's fearful and disturbed glances only deepened the chasm of isolation between them.

Francis felt a protective surge, wanting desperately to shield Sixtine from the harshness of their reality. Her once sparkling eyes now held a haunted look, and her laughter, once a constant in their home, was now a rare and fragile thing. 

"Are you kids alone here?" Francis looked up from his sister to his side, he'd never really seen someone look as well put and beautiful as the lady beside him in a psychiatric clinic.

"Ma'am," Francis began when the woman stopped him.

She was Asian like the kids, her eyes a weird shade of a mix between pink and blue, Francis wasn't even sure a colour like that existed.

"Dite," She offered him with a smile, that smile, Francis stared at for a second, in the back of his head there was something familiar about this smile.

Sometimes his sister's smile looked like that, atleast when she used to smile.

"Dite," he spoke, his sister's palm cradled in his hands as she zoned out on the tiles of the waiting area, "I'm here with my sister, she needs help,"

Dite's eyes glanced towards Sixtine, a fond look coming for a second before she looked away.

"No parents?" She asked.

"We're orphans," Francis threw out the same excuse, they were eleven years old, twins, roaming around in expensive clothes looking for a psychiatrist who could fix them.

"The doctor just left," Dite spoke, Francis was sure, the doctor had just came in, but a slight haze took over his mind, yes, the doctor had just left.

"Come on Six, lets go, the doctor left," Francis mumbled in a haze pulling his sister up as she silently followed.

"I know a doctor who might help," Dite answered, holding up a pale yellow card for Francis, "He lives in the states sadly,"

"Money is not an issue," Francis conceded taking hold of the card. It didn't have much credentials, an address of Long Island, New York and an email.

"Safe journey," Dite spoke and when Francis looked up to thank her, there was no one there, just a dewy hue and the smell of roses.

It didn't take a lot of convincing, somehow Francis managed to talk to his parents to book two one way tickets to New York, A caretaker and a vacation house was set up for them.

After the incident, Genevie had become physically impaired, stuck to a wheel chair. Paralysed waist down. But sometimes Francis felt as if his sister was also impaired, mentally perhaps.

Francis held Sixtine's hand, guiding her around, it was like having a doll with you, one of which he was supposed to guide and take care of, she needed to be reminded of basic functions too, walk in a straight line, eat your food, don't go there.

After Callum had found Sixtine in the wreckage his first instinct had been to lock the girl up in a room, calling her a cursed child who was ruining their family.

For weeks, Francis had sat outside his twin's locked door and weeped with her.

After Sixtine had been let out, the verbal assault began, Callum threw words around with no care, injuring both the children in the process. Francis had desperately wanted to take his sister away. Please God, anywhere would be better than where they lived.

Sometimes he dreamed about his birth parents, both of them alive and living with them, a world where both of them took care of their kids and lived with them.

Then he would wake up and reality would sink in.

"I don't think we are headed to the right address," The caretaker Amy, mumbled as their car drove in a grove of forest. "Are you sure we didn't take a wrong turn,"

"No we didn't," Francis and Amy harshly whipped their head to the side when Sixtine softly spoke.

Francis held onto her shoulders, "Yes, Six? What did you say?"

Sixtine silently held up a finger and pointed at something outside the window.

"That's a strawberry field," Amy huffed, but Francis saw what his sister meant.

Kids, of all ages, A lava wall, half man half goat, pegasus, it was a full force magical camp down there.

"Stop the car," he snapped, "Stop car; right now,"

"Sir," the driver questioned, but one look at Francis frantic look he followed.

The car stopped and before Amy could speak, Francis was bounding towards the camp clutching his sister's hand.

There was a huge pine tree, It felt as if entering uncharted territory as soon as he stepped past the pine tree. Panting he looked back at his sister, for the first time in a while he saw emotions cross Sixtine's usually blank face.

"Who are you?" Sixtine looked up with wide eyes at Francis when a kid in a hideous, absolutely wrong shade of orange tshirt, with the words camp half blood stamped on them pointing ted an arrow at Six's neck.

"Uh the Laurents," Francis's words came put persuasive, "Please take us to the person in charge,"

The camper froze for a second, his eyes glazing over before he dumbly nodded, "Yes, The Laurents. Take you to the person incharge."

Six looked at him in confusion and he mimicked her expression as they silently followed the boy.

The entire place was magical, it felt like home, kids were sword fighting, practising archery or climbing a lava wall. There were cabins in a U shape, pegasus, and so many creatures that they had thought of as imagination.

"Connor, you were supposed to be at guard duty," The twins looked back to the front when they heard the old voice, it was gentle, like those grandpa videos where they told stories, "Who do we have here?"

Francis and Sixtine stared open mouthed. The man up front was half horse and half human.

"C'est du CGI ?" Sixtine mumbled looking at the man.

"Can't be, CGI is computerised, this is the real deal," Francis added.

The half horse man chuckled, "I assure you I am anything but imagination. We've been expecting you both, I'm Chiron."

"Like Chiron from the Iliad Chiron?" Francis questioned, his voice choked out in surprise.

"Yes, The original Chiron." The half horse man, Chiron apparently, smiled at them, "Your mother ensured a safe passage for you both to us,"

"Our Mother?" Sixtine stammered, "You mean Genevie Laurent?"

Chiron's expression softened, "No, your original mother, there is much to explain here, your presence Sixtine is a vital asset. We must consult Mr. D,"

Francis looked bewildered, "Our mother? Asset? What? What are you talking about? Who's Mr. D?"

Chiron paused and gave them a sympathetic look, "All will be revealed in time, as for Mr. D, i hope you know your greek mythology children, because you are about to meet Dionysus,"

Sixtine stumbled into Francis her eyes wide as her jaw hung in surprise.

"Oh i almost forgot," Chiron stopped from trotting forward and turned to them, "Francis and Sixtine, welcome to camp half blood,"