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Camp Half-Blood
Year: 2003
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Rin stirred restlessly on the hard ground, the uneven earth beneath her offering little comfort, but she clung on to the last remnants of sleep regardless. Then, as if summoned by some mischievous sprite, a cacophony shattered the tranquillity, and a shrill clanging pierced the air, assaulting Rin's ears with its relentless insistence. 

With a groan of annoyance, she jolted awake, her eyes snapping open to confront the source of the disturbance, but before her bleary gaze could fully focus, she was met with a sight that seemed straight out of a surreal dream.

A little brass monkey, no larger than her fist, stood defiantly before her, its tiny cymbals crashing together with chaotic abandon. Each clash reverberated through the air, amplified by the stillness of the surrounding wilderness. Rin blinked in disbelief, momentarily unable to process the absurdity of the situation.

As she struggled to sit up, her gaze flickered beyond the toy, drawn to a pair of sturdy hiking boots planted firmly on the ground. Following the trail upward, her eyes widened in surprise as they settled on a broad, muscular figure looming over her.

Samarah.

Dark hair plaited over her shoulder, eyes sparkling with excitement, the older girl stood tall and imposing, her arms crossed over her chest in a stance of casual confidence. The contrast between their appearances was stark – Rin, dishevelled and bleary-eyed from sleep, and Samarah, radiant and full of energy.

"What in the world..." Rin sighed, her voice trailing off as she struggled to make sense of the unexpected encounter.

Samarah grinned mischievously, the expression lighting up her features with infectious warmth. "Surprise!" she exclaimed, her voice carrying a hint of playful mischief. "Thought I'd wake you up in style."

"Style? More like you're trying to make me go deaf," Rin retorted, gesturing pointedly at the still-clanging monkey.

The other girl chuckled, reaching down to scoop up the tiny toy with practiced ease. With a flick of her wrist, she silenced its incessant noise, the sudden quiet echoing in the wake of its frenetic cacophony.

"Abu wasn't going to deafen you, he's innocent!"

"You named your monkey?"

"Yeah, it's from that movie you know-"

"I know where it's from," Rin snapped. "I'm not an idiot."

Samarah shrugged, "You never know with you, year-round kids Some of you are really lacking in media culture. Chiron needs to organize mandatory field trips to the movies."

"Sure Sam, take that up with him and see how it goes," Rin scoffed. "And why have you decided to ruin my day so early on? Don't you have a quest to prepare for?"

Her words trailed off, and her friend did not miss the tinge of bitterness in her tone, which only made her grin broaden. 

"Quit smiling, I'm not in the mood for your jokes."

"Oh...yeah sorry about the monkey. Couldn't resist, but you won't believe what just happened."

"I'm sure you will enlighten me," Rin yawned, scrubbing at her eyes. "Go on then, I'm a busy woman. Have a whole day of absolutely nothing I need to get to."

"You're unbelievably ridiculous, you know that?"

"Add that to my list of faults then. Loser extraordinaire, irrelevant child of an irrelevant god, and unbelievably ridiculous."

Samarah's grin dimmed just the slightest as she remembered the previous night, but she maintained her composure long enough to extend a hand to help Rin to her feet.

"Alright Rin, enough self-pity. That's what I came to tell you. You're coming with us."

Rin blinked, her mind struggling to process Samarah's words. "I'm... I'm coming with you?" she repeated incredulously, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Yes. You're coming with us."

"And...where exactly-"

"Don't be daft, you know where."

Rin's brows furrowed, her expression hardening into a scowl. "This isn't funny, Samarah," she snapped, her tone edged with irritation. "Today is really not a good day for jokes like this."

But Samarah shook her head, her gaze unwavering in its earnestness. "I'm not joking, Rin," she insisted. "You're our third."

"No way. I'm not going. Not anymore. After the insults thrown my way, I wouldn't go even if he came begging on his knees."

Rin's eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering in their depths, and Samarah burst out laughing, a bright peal of amusement as she shook her head. 

"As much as that would be a welcome sight, Luke's not any happier about this change of events."

"Then why?"

"It's not up to him anymore. Chiron's orders. You're to come with us, and that's that."

"He can't do that...can he?"

"You want to take that up with him yourself?" Samarah raised an eyebrow. "Be my guest, but I should warn you, he has been in a most thunderous mood all morning."

"And-"

"And that moron will have to come to terms with it," Samarah's voice softened apologetically. "As will you."

"Any chance I can decline?" Rin's brow furrowed and she dropped her gaze, her lips twisting into a grimace.

"You can't do that, you know that."

"Why not?"

"Well, firstly because if Chiron's insisting, then it must be for a reason. A prophecy or something he isn't sharing with the rest of us —jerk move if you ask me— and the gods probably have a hand in it. You can't deny the gods."

Can't you? 

But Rin kept her thoughts to herself and simply shrugged in agreement. 

As they finally approached the familiar sight of the Hermes cabin, the cabin was alive with campers scrambling to get to breakfast on time, and cleaning up what they could for that afternoon's cabin inspection. As the most populated cabin, they also had a reputation for being the messiest, a characteristic that earned them a heavy load of unsavoury chores that none of the other cabins wanted to partake in. Their only hope was for the Hephaestus kids to accidentally leave out some hazardous contraption for the cabin inspectors to find and dock points for. 

As Rin and Samarah hovered in the doorway, campers rushed past them, a few of them giving the daughter of Hephaestus a cursory glance. Rin's eyes immediately sought out her brother in the fray, gaze drawn to the far corner of the room where Ethan sat on the bottom bunk, knees pulled up to his chest. After three years of being there, the Nakamura siblings had only just received the privilege of their own bunk earlier that year, as a result of some of the other occupants either being claimed by another cabin or leaving for college. 

Ethan's gaze was vacant as he stared out into the distance and he made no move to help his fellow cabinmates in the cleanup, which Rin found surprising as she had always known her brother to be a little bit of a neat freak. 

Nearby, Luke rummaged through the worn-out backpack resting on his desk. His hands moved with purpose, his fingers dancing over the frayed edges of the backpack's zipper. With a gentle tug, he pulled it open, revealing the contents within. Papers, pens, and various trinkets spilled out onto the desk, but his attention was focused on one item in particular—a weathered green leather-bound journal.

Rin watched intently —perhaps a little too intently— as Luke's fingers traced the edges of the journal, a dark look shadowing his features momentarily. It was as if he had forgotten that he was in a room full of people, or perhaps he simply thought that he would remain unnoticed in the chaos. He was right for the most part, no one seemed to give him a second glance, that is nobody except for the dark-haired girl who scrutinized him from the doorway. It was rare for Rin to see him without his carefully curated mask in place. She knew it had to be a mask; it was unnatural for someone to be that cheerful all the damn time, so she patiently waited for moments like these when he would let it slip while he was lost in thought. 

But then, as quickly as it had come, the moment passed, and he carefully tucked the journal back into the depths of the bag. With a satisfied nod, Luke turned his attention to where Ethan sat, his expression guarded as he regarded the older boy who settled across from him. 

As Luke began to speak, his voice was low and soothing, a comforting murmur that filled the room. Rin strained to hear the words, but they were lost in the disarray. Nonetheless, she watched closely as Ethan's face contorted with emotion, his features twisted in anger and frustration. His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white against the fabric of his jeans.

Luke's hand reached out, a gesture of reassurance, his touch light as he placed it on Ethan's shoulder, and Rin felt a pang of unreasonable envy, wishing she could reach out and offer the same comfort to her brother. But Ethan recoiled at the touch, his movements sharp and jerky as he pulled away.

A flicker of hurt crossed Luke's face, but it was quickly replaced by a patient smile —another mask— and he tried to speak again, his words slow and measured. Ethan however, remained obstinate, shaking his head vehemently, his voice rising in protest. Rin could still not hear the specifics of their conversation but she felt the tension in the air, thick and heavy. 

"Alright, what's that about now?" Rin complained, elbowing Samarah beside her. 

The daughter of Hephaestus followed her gaze and her smile grew sheepish. 

"Oh...yeah...I was going to tell you."

"Tell me what, Sam?"

"You might want to speak to your brother before we leave. You know straighten things out."

"What's that supposed to mean? Is Ethan alright? And why do you make it sound like I'm going to my death or something?"

Rin was already moving through the crowd, tiptoeing around various sleeping bags and objects that littered the floor while Samarah trailed behind her. 

"Yeah, yeah, Ethan's just fine. Let's just say he's in a bit of a mood."

Rin's brow furrowed in confusion. "A mood?" she echoed, her mind racing to decipher Samarah's cryptic words.

"It's just that he may have overheard us talking about the quest, and he may or may not have taken it out of context," she paused. "And now he thinks you're going to die."

"He what?"

"But don't worry, he is physically perfectly alright. Just a little suky, but what 10-year-old isn't?"

"Di immortales," Rin disparaged under her breath, sighing in irritation. "How long did I sleep for? It seems as though a lifetime of events has passed."

Her steps were purposeful as she approached the two boys, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her expression a mask of anger. 

"What are you saying to my brother?" she snapped at Luke, her voice sharp with accusation.

"Uh, Rin...you're not nearly as intimidating as you think with leaves in your hair," Samarah leaned down to mutter in her ear. 

Luke's apologetic demeanour softened the edges of his features, his eyes filled with regret as he met her gaze. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, a silent plea for understanding. His sour attitude from the previous night seemed to have worn off, but that only made Rin angrier. How convenient of him to pretend that none of it had ever happened, to play nice and pretend as if he didn't shred her sense of self. 

"I was just trying to get Ethan to come down to breakfast," he explained, his voice gentle and reassuring. "I didn't mean to upset him."

Ethan, still wearing a scowl, harrumphed in response, shaking his head defiantly. "I'm not going," he rebuked, his tone stubborn and resolute. "And I don't want to talk to you. Either of you."

"Come on, messenger boy," Samarah interrupted, her jibe directed at Luke. "Let's leave the grouchy siblings to talk."

Luke opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him with a single look, her expression firm and unwavering.

"I'll haul you out of here myself if I have to," she threatened, her voice laced with mock menace. "And how will that look, cabin 11's golden boy having his arse carried out of here? Best leave them be."

"You wouldn't do that!"

"Try me-"

"Alright, alright, gods."

Luke's shoulders slumped in defeat, a sigh escaping his lips as he relented to Samarah's insistence. With a resigned nod, he rose from his seat, casting one last apologetic glance in Rin and Ethan's direction before following Samarah out of the room. Eventually, the rest of the cabin cleared out too, and they were left blissfully alone. 

"What's wrong, Ethan?" Rin asked softly. "You can talk to me, you know. Whatever you heard, I promise you it's not that serious."

Ethan shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, his jaw clenched tight as he struggled to find the words. 

"It's nothing," he whispered.

Rin shook her head, her frustration mounting. "It's not nothing," she insisted. "I heard you arguing with Luke. Whatever it is, it's obviously bothering you."

Ethan's expression darkened, a scowl forming on his lips. "I don't want to talk to you," he spat, his tone sharp and biting.

Rin's heart sank at his words, a pang of hurt shooting through her chest. She swallowed hard, trying to push down the wave of disappointment that washed over her. Her brother was all she had left, and she couldn't bear it if he was upset with her. 

"I can't fix it if you won't tell me what's wrong," she said quietly, her voice tinged with desperation.

For several long moments, Ethan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor as he wrestled with his emotions. And then, in a burst of frustration, he lashed out, his words sharp and accusatory.

"Why didn't you tell me yourself that you were leaving?"

"I...I only found out myself less than an hour ago. How was I supposed to have told you?"

"Still, I should have found out from you."

"And you would have been the first person I told."

"You can't leave me! You can't go. Tell them you can't. Tell Chiron, tell Luke, tell them all. Just say you can't go."

"Ethan-"

"No, don't do that. Don't sound all disappointed. You. Can't. Leave. Me," his eyes flashed with anger, his voice raw. 

"I have to go. I can't just say no."

"Then take me with you! Let me come with you, please."

"I'm sorry, Ethan, but it's too dangerous. You need to stay here at camp, where you'll be safe."

"So it's dangerous then?" he demanded. "If it's dangerous then you can't go either. Please, you can't go. What if...what if something happens to you? Then I'll be left all alone. I don't want to be alone."

Rin watched as her brother's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but he blinked them away, his expression hardening into a mask of anger, refusing to let a single tear escape. She admired his strength, marvelling at his ability to keep his emotions tightly guarded in ways she never could. 

Her heart ached for him, longing to reach out and offer him the comfort he so desperately needed but refused to accept. She wanted to hold him, to stroke his hair like their stepmother used to —although he thought her their real mother for most of his childhood. Life was simpler back then, with parents who wanted them and showed it. 

Rin hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering awkwardly over Ethan's arm, unsure if he would welcome her touch. When he didn't shrug her off as he had with Luke, she took that as a small victory. 

"I'm sorry, Ethan. I didn't mean to upset you. I promise I'll come back for you. I would never leave you on your own."

"You're lying."

"That's not —don't say that."

"When someone is so sure of keeping an impossible promise, then they're lying. You're lying to me," Ethan's gaze wasn't as harsh, but his tone remained tinged with bitterness. "You're lying to me just like father lied to us. He said he'd always be around...but he isn't. You're all liars."

"Father tried his best, Ethan."

"It wasn't enough. And now we have no one, you want to leave me too."

"I'll do my best," Rin declared softly, her voice filled with determination as she squeezed his arm. "I promise you, I will do my best to return."

"Okay."

"Okay? That's all you have to say to me?"

Ethan turned his face away from her, curling on his side with his back to her, signalling the end of their conversation. Still, Rin sat by his side, and they remained like that for several more minutes until people finally started to fill back into the cabin. 

It was only when she stood to leave, prompted by one of the campers who told her that Chiron was looking for her, did she hear her brother's final farewell. 

"Be careful."

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It was late afternoon by the time they were ready, the three of them standing at the crest of Half-Blood Hill, each one of them lost in thought as they gazed at the faint golden glow over the camp. The camp store had loaned them mortal money as well as drachmas for their non-mortal transactions. They had also each been given a canteen of nectar and a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if they were seriously hurt. It was the food of the gods, Chiron reminded them. It would cure them of almost any injury, but it was lethal to mortals, and too much of it would make a demigod very sick. 

An overdose would burn one up, quite literally.

Chiron had wheeled himself to their side, his weathered face focused as he addressed the trio.

"My young heroes," he began, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of knowledge and experience, "the time has come for you to embark on your quest, a first time for all of you. Remember, courage and unity shall be your greatest allies in the face of adversity."

Samarah nodded, "We won't let you down, Chiron."

The old centaur smiled at that, looking them over with a mixture of pride and a touch of grief. Over the years he had sent so many of his heroes out into the world, and so few had returned to him. One might have thought that he'd learn from the experience and that it would get easier. It didn't though. It never got easier, and every time he sent off his demigods, he found himself grieving them all the same. Grieving their loss before they were even lost. 

"No, you never could," he assured them. "I have every faith in your abilities, but remember to trust in each other. Together, you are stronger than any foe you may face."

As Chiron imparted his final words of wisdom, a small figure emerged from the crowd, her eyes shining with determination. It was a little girl, no older than ten, with dark hair that framed her face like a halo in the fading light. She barreled into Luke, gasping for breath when she approached them. 

"Annabeth," Luke greeted her with a warm smile, crouching down to her level. "What are you doing here?"

Annabeth straightened her shoulders, her gaze meeting Luke's with unwavering determination. "Came to see if you're still sure I can't come with you," she declared, her voice surprisingly firm for one so young.

Luke chuckled softly, reaching out to gently tap her nose, "Not yet, kiddo...but who knows? Maybe when you're older, we'll go on a quest together."

Annabeth's eyes lit up with excitement, a smile spreading across her face. "Like old times?" she asked eagerly, her voice filled with hope.

Luke's smile faltered slightly, a pang of sadness flashing across his features before he masked it with a reassuring grin. "Yeah, like old times," he echoed.

"You better promise me that!"

"Of course, I promise. We're family remember."

Then Annabeth turned towards Rin, her brow furrowed slightly as she raised an eyebrow, her small stature belying the strength and wisdom that seemed to emanate from her.

"Rin, take care of my brother, will you? He tends to be a bit reckless sometimes, but it's okay because he's cool when he does it. But you have to make sure he comes back safe."

Rin's gaze softened as she regarded the little girl, her heart touched by the sincerity and earnestness in her words. She glanced sideways at Luke, who ducked his head in embarrassment, knowing full well that Annabeth's words rang true. During their time on the run together, Luke had indeed been reckless, picking fights with every monster they encountered, heedless of the danger he placed himself and others in.

Not that he would do that anymore, he told himself. He had something else to prove now, a newfound determination to ensure that their quest went smoothly without the reckless endangerment of his companions.

Despite her own grudge against him, Rin nodded solemnly, unable to deny Annabeth's beaming sweetness, her unwavering dedication to the camp's golden boy. She had become fond of the little girl, having arrived at the camp only a few months after Luke and Annabeth had, thus making them one of the longest-residing residents. 

"I will, I promise. I'll take care of your brother, and maybe you can watch over mine here at camp?"

Annabeth's face broke into a bright smile, and she nodded, "Thank you, Rin. Don't worry I'll make sure Ethan doesn't get into any trouble."

Rin's eyes roved over the horizon, searching for any sign of her brother, a sharp sting in her chest at the distinct lack of her brother. He hadn't even come to see her off, leaving her feeling strangely abandoned and alone. Perhaps it was fitting after all. He thought she was abandoning him, and so he had done so first. She wished she could explain, she wished she could put it into words, but she couldn't even understand it herself —this overwhelming desire to be on this quest. 

The last to provide their send-off was their fellow cabinmate, a slight girl with pale blonde hair dyed in various shades of pale pink and cobalt blue. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she approached Samarah, her lips curling into a playful smile.

Placing her hands on Samarah's cheeks, she leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Chiron awkwardly cleared his throat and averted his gaze, muttering something about teenagers and Rin resisted the urge to laugh. 

Luke, ever the protective older brother, chuckled in protest, his hands rising to cover little Annabeth's eyes. "Hey, hey, let's keep it PG-13, shall we, Sybil? There are children present."

Annabeth swatted at Luke's hands, a determined pout on her face. "I'm not a child, Luke," she protested, her dark eyes flashing with indignation.

"No, you're just fun-sized," Rin teased, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips despite herself. "Not even tall enough for those mandatory height requirements at amusement parks."

At Annabeth's questioning glare, Samarah snorted, finally having untangled herself from her girlfriend's embrace. 

"Di immortales, someone take this child to an amusement park, please."

"Save the mushy stuff for when you get back, Samarah," Luke chided. "And a ten-year-old at an amusement park? No thanks, you can do that with her next summer. You're the mortal world expert anyways."

Beside her, Sybil rolled her eyes, a deep blush staining her cheeks as she stepped back from Samarah. "Sorry, Chiron," she mumbled sheepishly, her gaze darting to the ground.

Chiron cleared his throat, his expression one of mild amusement.

Turning to Luke, Sybil's expression softened, "Bring her back in one piece, okay? Both of them."

"So much concern for the two of them, and none at all for your brother, huh Sybil?"

"You're not my actual brother, Luke."

"And besides, didn't you know?" Samarah winked at Rin. "We've officially adopted Rin. Chiron officiated the ceremony himself."

The old centaur looked between the kids in bewilderment at the mention of his name as they burst out into laughter. 

Sybil's lips quirked into a smile as she threw her arms around Luke, pulling him into a tight embrace. Luke returned the hug, his arms wrapping around her in a gesture of reassurance and solidarity.

"And I do care about you too dummy. All of you need to come back, or no more Iris Message discounts for you."

It's not like they'd need to be Iris Messaging anyone if they were dead, Rin thought to herself, but mercifully kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to antagonize their cheerful friend. When Sybil reached out to hug her too, she returned the gesture with some hesitation, awkwardly patting her back. It was hard to deny the girl's overwhelming sincerity and unbound affection, and it was harder still to leave it all behind to finally begin their journey. 

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A/N: lol did I hurt myself writing this cuz I keep thinking about the inevitable canon that plays out? yes, definitely. and now that Annabeth lowkey knows Ethan, what happens in the last olympian hurts even more (iykyk). Also I've changed all the chapter titles to be more in line with the PJO humourous titles lol
And finally, I've never seen anyone do a pre-percy luke focused fic so I'm excited to get into quest shenanigans next chapter. Hope you enjoy the chapter!!

As usual, don't be a ghost reader. I live for yalls comments/questions/concerns/reactions, even a keyboard smash is highly appreciated and encouraged!