STRENGTH ✷ chapter one,
━━━━━ nabi falls off the climbing wall.
PUBLISHED . . . January 27th, 2024
EDITED . . . To Be Determined

"IF I FALL, I BLAME THE GODS!"

Camp Half-Blood, a safe haven for demigods, was known for its beautiful beaches; the different cabins that campers lived in, created to represent each of the greek gods; the bustling of campers doing archery and sword training; and the other fun activities too! Such as... the climbing wall.

Well, climbing walls were supposed to be fun. Right now—with the climbing wall at max level difficulty as lava poured from the top—Nabi was not having fun.

Usually, Nabi could climb the wall perfectly fine, but the Hephaestus kids had recently made an even more difficult level. People were still getting used to the new metal drills that spiked up, or the bigger boulders that tumbled down.

   She screamed to the person below, "Silena! Tell Beckendorf that he's insane for making this!"

   "You can tell Beckendorf yourself when you make it to the top, girl!" Silena Beauregard— Nabi's friend and head of the Aphrodite cabin—encouraged. She was dark haired, and had pretty eyes to match her pretty personality. Silena was jumping up and down like a cheerleader until she paused.

   "Bold of you to assume I can!" Nabi called back.

She was half - way up the volcanic wall, clearly more advanced than the other few campers who were at the basic stage. Nabi grabbed onto another climbing hold, securing her grip before pulling herself up to the next one, blinking back the steam and ash that surrounded the area. She grimaced at her singed camp t - shirt.

"Almost there, Nabi!" Silena yelled, shooting her a thumbs up. "You got this!"

Nabi let go of one of her climbing holds to give her own thumbs up in return, but yelped when she almost fell completely. She turned back to the task at hand. The girl jumped to the right as a boulder came down. She managed to grab on fairly quickly and evaded it with a relieved sigh—but she couldn't seem to catch a break as a large metal spike, one that Charles Beckendorf (the Hephaestus cabin's head counsellor) had most definitely made, appeared and almost pierced her.

"Di immortales!" Nabi swore.

She heaved herself up, moving back to the left to avoid the sharp spike. Nabi could see the top, now. With determination, she continued climbing, almost there, until...

"Keep going!"

That didn't sound like Silena. Nabi jolted her head at the sound of a familiar voice. Clarisse was smirking up at her, arms folded as she watched Nabi tackle the challenge. She faltered for a moment at the way Clarisse's eyes met hers — a teasing glint in them that Nabi was oh so fond of. For a moment, Nabi forgot she was climbing the lava wall.

   Clarisse and Nabi had arrived at camp together, and had been each other's closest friend since. They were rarely seen without the other, at least, disregarding camp duties that Clarisse had as a head counsellor — she had been claimed after a long few months of camp by the god of war, Ares. And just like her father, Clarisse built a reputation of being brutal and one of the strongest fighters at camp.

Unfortunately though, she'd also inherited the habit of being a little... mean to people. Yet, the rest of the campers knew that they were fine so long as Nabi kept her in check. Everyone knew they were as thick as thieves.

   Nabi was going to say something in response to Clarisse, maybe a quip or disgruntled complaint, but was interrupted when she yelped as a boulder smacked her. Hard. She could hear Silena and Clarisse's distress from below as she was flung off the wall.

Frantically, she attempted to outstretch her hand to get back on. She thought about using her powers for a brief moment, but decided against it. Nabi only really used her powers in emergencies anyway... so she hadn't really gotten better with them — being able to control or manipulate shadows and undead beings. She didn't like using them. Besides, whoever her godly parent was hadn't given her any tips or tricks, sadly. Nabi thought it sucked.

She also still hadn't been claimed.

When she'd arrived at camp, rumours had spread about a possible Big Three kid, a Hades child, but... that probably wasn't the case. There was a pact that Poseidon, Hades and Zeus had made years ago. They weren't allowed to have any offspring... right? The only exception to be known was a daughter of Zeus, but she had died whilst on the way to Camp Half-Blood.

Nabi flailed in the air. She hit the ground with a loud thud, and heard her friends' sympathetic groans. Nabi hissed in pain, "Gods, I think I'm bleeding..."

Clarisse and Silena headed towards where she landed. Clarisse frowned, "Let me see."

She crouched down to Nabi, who grimaced as she lifted her head up a little. She could practically feel the bruises forming. Silena winced, "Yeah, you're gonna have to go to the infirmary for some ambrosia."

"I'll go with you." Clarisse hastily said, immediately offering a hand for Nabi to take.

Silena laughed for some reason as Nabi was gently pulled up, probably at how quick Clarisse was to say it. Clarisse gave her a glare, which Nabi didn't know why for. But the Aphrodite girl shook her head, and reminded them, "Clarisse, you're supposed to be leading sword practice at the training centre in five minutes, aren't you?"

Clarisse's eyes widened, then she scowled and rolled her eyes. "They can do it without me. Nabi's hurt."

"You skipped the session last week to hang out with me," Nabi pouted, grimacing as she lightly touched her forehead and blood appeared on her fingers, "Luke won't fill in for you two times in a row, and Chiron'll lecture you."

   Clarisse's scowl deepened, brows pinched together a little. "But—"

"Don't worry," Silena said, "I'll take her there."

"Fine. I'll go beat those damn campers up in sparring." Clarisse gave in, grumbling and narrowing her eyes at Nabi, as if she was threatening her. Nabi smiled at that. Clarisse said, "You better be healed by the time I see you later."

Nabi nodded her head and mocked a salute, trying to pretend she didn't feel the throbbing pain in her head. "Aye aye, captain."

Clarisse stalked off, complaining about stupid training sessions and how spears were better than swords, anyway. She'd grown a lot stronger throughout the years they'd been at camp, but she always seemed to stay the same. Nabi didn't mind it, though. Sometimes she'd catch herself grinning at the way Clarisse would trudge around with her intimidating aura, or smirk smugly whenever she was talking to others. In fact, Nabi was grinning right now.

   Silena rolled her eyes, and led Nabi to the infirmary. "You know, I really thought you were about to reach the top of that wall."

"So did I." Nabi mumbled. "Guess I just... get distracted easily."

"Uh huh..." Silena murmured, like she knew something that Nabi didn't. "Let's go get you healed, babes."

【 🦋 】

   WHILST NABI AND SILENA WERE ABOUT TO HEAD INTO THE INFIRMARY, Annabeth Chase was just leaving. She was the head counsellor of the Athena cabin, and one of the campers who'd been there the longest, so they were good friends who had known each other for a long while. It was kinda hard for the year - rounders not to be friends. Everyone basically grew up together.

Nabi waved. "Hey, you fall off the climbing wall or something too?"

   Annabeth raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it. She shook her head. "No, I was just checking in on a new camper."

   "New camper?" Silena asked.

   "Mhm." Annabeth said, "A boy. I think that, well..."

   "He might be the one?" Nabi finished her sentence.

   Annabeth did this with almost every new camper; waiting for the right one to come along for a quest. Nabi didn't know the full details, but Annabeth had been waiting for that fated person for ages. She'd been stuck at camp for what seemed like forever, so Nabi could understand how desperate she was.

   Annabeth nodded. "He could be. He killed the minotaur."

   At that, Silena and Nabi's eyes widened. Nabi gaped, "He— what?"

   "That was most of the other campers' reactions to it, too." Annabeth said. "He... I have a feeling."

   "That's crazy!" Nabi exclaimed. "I mean, some demigods have been here for so long! Some of us have never even defeated a monster before... but the minotaur?"

   Silena agreed, just as shocked. Her lips formed an 'o' as she sighed, "Yeah, that's... wow."

   Nabi couldn't help but feel amazed. She wasn't even claimed yet by her godly parent; hadn't even had the opportunity of fighting a monster ever since coming into Camp Half-Blood, and a random boy had managed to do it so fast. The thought made her a little jealous. Not once was Nabi able to do something worthy enough for her dad to notice her, and the minotaur boy would probably be claimed in a few days for his victory. Though... you couldn't really force the gods to claim you. You couldn't really force the gods to do anything at all.

   But Nabi did hope that whoever the boy was would get claimed. It would be horrible for a demigod to achieve something, only for them to not be acknowledged or praised by their own parent.

"He lost his mom in the process, though," The Athena child said, "she sacrificed herself to get him to camp."

Both Silena and Nabi softened at that, each with sympathetic expressions and concern for the newcomer.

"Is he okay?" Silena asked.

"We'll have to see. He's still passed out." Annabeth sighed.

Nabi hadn't known her mother that well. She had died when she was only a few years old — not old enough for her to remember the intricacies of the death, but old enough to experience the grief of it. She couldn't imagine what the boy must've been feeling.

   "Well, he might be waking up soon, so you might want to fix that quickly." Annabeth shrugged, gesturing to the gash on Nabi's head. "Grover's wanting to talk to him."

   Nabi nodded at her words, trying her best to ignore the ache of her head again, and went in along with Silena. Annabeth said goodbye as the door clicked shut. Lee Fletcher wasn't in the infirmary — he was a demigod at the camp, head of the Apollo cabin and the best healer they had. Luckily, Nabi's gash, though it was quite big, would've easily been healed by a few bites of ambrosia. Silena took some from one of the cabinets and handed it to her.

   It tasted of Silena's brownies that she made every year for Nabi's birthday. She hummed, savouring the taste in her mouth as she swung her legs back and forth, sitting on one of the infirmary beds. The Aphrodite girl was always pretty good at baking, and always had something sweet on hand to give to others. She always had bonbons in her pockets—her mortal father owned a shop with loads of them. In fact, Nabi had a bonbon at least once a week.

Silena had always been like a big sister to her for as long as she could remember. Their first conversation was when she had found Nabi crying in the woods because she didn't know who her godly parent was. Silena had comforted her that day, offering her one of those very bonbons, and Nabi knew they'd stay friends for a long time.

   "Hold still, so I can press this onto your forehead. And remember not to eat too much of that." Silena said as she firmly put pressure on the wound with a clean cloth. Nabi pouted, but did as she was told, staying as still as a demigod with ADHD could. She nibbled on a bit more ambrosia than she probably should've, but it seemed fine. For some reason, she was able to take more nectar and ambrosia than a regular half - blood could... it was odd, but helpful.

   Curious of the boy in the bed beside her, she turned slightly to get a look at him. Silena chided her for moving, and Nabi apologised quietly. The boy had tousled hair, and seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness. He didn't seem like a big deal, around the same age as her, and someone who didn't look at all like he had the title of 'Minotaur Slayer!', at least that's what Nabi thought.

She watched as he stirred in his sleep, and questioned, "Is he about to wake up?"

   Just then, Grover Underwood walked in. He looked anxious, though surprised to see Silena and Nabi inside. He was a satyr that resided at the camp, but he'd been gone for a bit, probably to go on a mission. Guessing by the fact that he had entered, he was the one who brought the boy to camp.

"We're just about to leave, Grover." Silena told him. "You can talk with him privately."

He seemed grateful. "Okay, thanks."

The two girls got up and left. Silena decided to walk Nabi to the Hermes cabin — where the unclaimed stayed, alongside his kids. Nabi was one of the many who were still undetermined... even after years of being at camp. She was a little bitter, but she deserved to be.

   "Do you think Mr. D will mess up his name?" Nabi asked her friend.

   He was the camp director — Dionysus, the god of wine himself, had gotten into trouble with Zeus, and managing the camp was his punishment... though, Chiron mostly took care of everything at camp. He was the other camp director; a centaur with years of wisdom.

   Silena replied with a giggle, "Duh. The first time he met me he called me Savannah. No where close."

   Nabi snorted. "He called me Newbie when he first spoke to me. Not 'cause I was new to the camp, but because he thought it was my actual name."

   "How much you wanna bet he messes up the new guy's last name, too?" Silena smiled. She slipped her hand into Nabi's as they walked.

   "I'm not placing that bet." Nabi said. "I've only got, like, four drachmas on me."

Silena asked, "Didn't you save up a bunch of them, though?"

   "I stay in the Hermes cabin, Lena," Nabi muttered, "I'm pretty sure Connor and Travis stole some of them."

   "Figures." Silena sighed.

   Speaking of the brothers, as Nabi and Silena entered the cabin, they spotted the two talking in a group with other Hermes kids — almost identical looking boys with curly hair and blue eyes. They were a funny duo that everyone around camp knew due to the... chaos they caused. Nabi had gotten quite close with most of the Hermes cabin, them included, because of the time she'd spent living there.

Luke Castellan, the head counsellor, and Chris Rodriguez, were other names that Nabi would count. Luke was known for his charming looks, with his curly black hair, his caring attitude, and an epic scar across his cheek that he'd gotten from a quest he'd been on. Chris was an unclaimed hispanic boy with dark curls, that was also quite friendly and well known around camp too. The two boys treated everyone like their little siblings, whether they were unclaimed or Hermes kids, it didn't matter. She walked up to the four of them, as Silena waved goodbye and said, "I'll see you later."

"You smell like fire." Chris sniffed. "What's that about?"

"Beckendorf's climbing wall. I fell." She deadpanned. The Hermes boys laughed at her blunt answer.

   "I wish I saw it happen." Connor chuckled. "Y'know—"

The conversation was cut short when Chiron had appeared and called for the entire cabin to listen up. He announced, "Everyone, wait a minute, everyone. Your attention, please. This is Percy Jackson. I trust you will see to it whatever he needs."

   It was the same boy from the infirmary.

   Everyone went back to what they were doing, but Nabi could hear most of them talking about his arrival. News travelled fast at the camp, especially with Hermes kids — he was the messenger god, so it was fitting. She felt bad that Percy was already being gossiped about.

"That's the kid. I think he's the one that killed the minotaur." Connor murmured.

Luke walked up to Percy. She could tell by the way the younger boy's shoulders tensed that he was expecting Luke to be mean or something. "Look, if you want to give me a hard time, just do it tomorrow. I can't do any more today."

"I heard what happened to you on the hill," Luke swallowed, "And I just... wanted to say sorry."

Nabi decided she should talk to Percy too. He clearly needed a friend, and she was willing to give him a helping hand. She came over next to Luke, and gave Percy a gentle smile. "We hope you're doing okay. You've gone through a lot for the first day at camp."

"We've experienced stuff like that, too." Luke nodded, and Nabi saw the way Percy relaxed at their reassurances. "We know what you're going through, believe me. This is Nabi, and I'm Luke."

"I'm Percy."

【 🦋 】

NABI WAS NEVER A MORNING PERSON. She was usually one of the last to wake up, much preferring to stay up all night to read (despite finding it difficult to do) and journalling—a fun hobby that passed the time. But she promised Luke that she'd help with Percy's tour, and a promise was a promise, so she had made sure to sleep early.

   "You okay?"

   Nabi had just finished getting ready for the day, tying her hair lazily into a ponytail, when she heard Luke talking to Percy. From the looks of it, the latter hadn't had a very good sleep. Nabi didn't have to ask to know he'd probably had a nightmare.

   "Super." Percy mumbled.

Luke explained, "We all have them, y'know. Intense, recurring nightmares. That's normal here."

   "It's part of the demigod lifestyle." Nabi shrugged, walking over groggily as she rubbed an eye. "The daydreams, the ADHD, the dyslexia. It comes in a package deal."

Luke nodded. "Demigods just process reality differently than humans do."

   "So are you guys also...?" Percy's sentence died down at the end, like he didn't know if he was allowed to ask. "Do you not know who your—"

   "Are we unclaimed?" Luke faltered, but continued on, "No, I'm not. Hermes is my father. But that doesn't matter, we're all on the same team here."

Nabi tried not to seem bothered by it, but said, "I'm still unclaimed, though. Everyone thinks it might... it might be a god who shouldn't have kids, so that's probably why I haven't been claimed, or something."

   "Hades. Nabi has these powers that are rare, to say the least." Luke told him, "It's unlikely, though. But don't worry, Percy, we'll explain why later."

   "Why is that okay?" Percy frowned, "Why do they get to bring us here just to ignore some of us?"

   "We've discovered that questioning gets you no answers. The gods are difficult to understand." Nabi said, matching Percy's expression.

Luke said, "The sooner you stop worrying about the gods, the sooner you can enjoy what this place actually does offer."

   "And what's that?" Percy asked.

   "Glory." Luke shook his head, and ushered them out the cabin — along with a few other Hermes kids behind them — as he tried to ease Percy into the new world full of monsters, demigods, and whatever else they experienced on a daily basis. He explained, "Demigods have always fought for glory. They used to call it kleos."

Nabi nodded along, "Yeah. People respect and notice you more if you earn it. It's something that you have to—"

A person slammed into Percy, making him spin around. He yelped, "Hey!"

Immediately, the person turned back to push Percy to the ground. Nabi furrowed her eyebrows, confused after realising who it was. "What was that for, Clarisse? Let him be!"

"It's his first day, c'mon." Luke said.

Chris, one of the campers who had strung along, helped Percy to his feet as Clarisse sized him up, smirking. She seemed to drop her expression for a second at the glare Nabi had sent her way, but shrugged it off. Clarisse scoffed, "Wait, so this is the kid who killed the minotaur. Is that right?"

Percy looked around for a brief moment, but managed a small, "Yeah?"

"I'll bet," Clarisse sneered, "Look, you want attention around here, dummy? You better be ready for it when it comes."

She lunged forward to purposefully scare Percy, which made him flinch. Nabi frowned as she and the rest of the Ares kids that had been following her laughed. Clarisse walked away with the group, pushing past people.

When Clarisse was out of earshot, Percy pursed his lips together, then sarcastically said, "Well, she seems nice."

"She's... she's not always like that." Nabi reassured Percy. "I'm gonna catch up with her to go tell her off."

She left the two boys by themselves, jogging over to the group that Clarisse was with. Nabi caught up with them, snatching her arm to spin her around, "Clarisse."

The Ares girl rolled her eyes. "What?"

"What the hell was that?" Nabi frowned as she led her to the side so they could talk in private. "You didn't have to act like that to Percy."

"Oh, so he has a name. Just come off of it, Nabi." Clarisse huffed, "He just needed a little scare, no big deal."

Nabi knew Clarisse could be mean. Maybe not to her, but to others. It was one of the only things that she didn't like that Clarisse did — constantly telling her to quit it. The two had fought multiple times about it over the years. But Nabi had gotten Clarisse to, at the very least, lower the amount of bullying she participated in.

   That's why Nabi was particularly confused at how harsh she was with Percy today. She thought Clarisse had gotten better, so why was she bullying Percy? Why'd she fall back into the stupid mannerism?

"I don't know why you pushed him. Please, don't do it again." Nabi said. "I thought we left that in the past."

Clarisse huffed, but a smirk crept onto her features. "Fine. But can't I at least do one thing before letting the new kid be?"

Nabi knew that look. She knew she wouldn't like Clarisse's reply, but she decided to humour her. "What?"

"I'll give him an INITIATION CEREMONY..."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

𝗥𝗜𝗞𝗔'𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦!

જ⁀➴ heyy guys, i hope you enjoyed the 1st chapter! it was harder to write than i thought it'd be since it's based more off of the events in the series, meaning i have to actually think about it instead of just reading the books and rewriting it... but i still got it done, so yippee!

   opinions on nabi and thoughts on how silly and friendly she is? ugh what a cutiee she is, luvv her! school's kind of making me go haywire so, sorry if there are delays / irregular updates with both 'strength' and 'the lovers'... uhm yeah. love u guys and thanks for reading!