Chapter 4: Where Kakashi meets her godly side of the family

With her bag placed defensively on her lap, Kakashi tries to ignore the satyr beside her as she looks outside the window of the taxi they're both in blankly.

It was difficult convincing her mother to let her go unattended with Coach Hedge - since much to Kakashi's amusement and pity, the goat-man got on her mother's shit list due to his half-assed assumptions - but Kakashi is adamant. It still felt like a slap to the face knowing that she was the main reason for the monsters flocking around their place and she has a peculiar feeling in her gut that the journey there wouldn't be easy. She certainly will not endanger any of family again now that she knows the situation.

It still smarts knowing how ignorant and arrogant she was about everything.

Kakashi knows it's idiotic, stupid and irrational to continuously wallow in self-pity and hatred, since no one was hurt in the first place but she can't- just can't stop blaming herself.

Knowing that they could have been injured or worse, killed, just because she was there, just because she existed-

Well, the realization hurt like hell.

Kakashi tries her best to put on a show for her mama and uncles, but she didn't think she convinced her mother much. Her mama always did have this weird intuition-thing when it comes to her and instead, just hugged her tightly before she left, whispering discreetly about caring for the handgun they packed the other night. Although Kakashi doesn't really care much for guns since, as much as they were a fad in this world, they're unwieldy and loud (not that it affected her skill in the art since one can never be too sure when it would come handy), she appreciated the act for what it's worth and murmured her thanks.

Her uncles on the other hand...

It's kind of insulting how relieved they were when they heard she won't be staying for the summer. They barely even hid it, the shits. Not that she could blame them since her pranks have admittedly been increasingly creative as she tried to use her genjutsu-like ability in numerous ways, but they could have acted otherwise! Don't they know common courtesy? Tch.

Her Uncle Peter gave her another set of daggers though. There's a reason why he's her most tolerated uncle. The signature gold on the edge of the knives seems more prominent, but it's sharp and crafted well so she accepted it gratefully.

Kakashi stiffens.

Something's wrong.

Catching sight of a glint of metal on the side mirror, Kakashi heeds the tug in her stomach screaming trouble and sits up. "Can you stop the car, please? Here's the money. Just step on it as you turn back. Thank you." She announces resignedly.

Pushing the satyr out and ignoring his protests about how they're not there yet, Kakashi smiles at the confused face of driver, slings her bag on one shoulder, and drags the satyr forward.

"We'll just walk there, yes?" Kakashi says lightly as they walk through several quaint country houses and hills - barely registering the sound of the taxi's screech as it turns and leaves. "No need to bother civilians who had no business here after all, hm?"

Gesturing for the satyr to take the lead, Kakashi silently readies her daggers and waits warily for the show to start.

"But-"

Kakashi grins threateningly, baring her teeth. "Move. Now."

"Okay." Coach Hedge replies meekly.

-----

Kakashi bites down a wince as she parries a brutal blow from the persistent monster who has been impervious to her attacks so far. The huge-ass Cyclops seems to be focused on creaming her to mush and as it once again brought the long metal post in its hands down heavily, she hurriedly flips away to dodge the attack.

With a quick look on her surroundings, Kakashi curses when she sees the previously cowed satyr coming forward to tackle the monster's leg in a vengeance. What the hell is this goat-guy's problem? Does he have a death wish? He's too reckless, damn it.

Kakashi tries to save Coach Hedge from his own stupidity but unfortunately, before she can do so, the satyr is knocked out near a huge pine tree oddly humming in power after an annoyed flick from the monster. Calculating her chances, she let her eyes go red as she hastens her pace and jumps as high as she can towards the Cyclops with her hands poised into burying her daggers on its head. For good measure, Kakashi nimbly wraps herself on one of its shoulders after her previous attack and viciously slashes the cyclops's neck, removing the head from its body.

She is smirking darkly in satisfaction when the decapitated monster helplessly flails in panic before disintegrating into ash.

For a few moments, Kakashi takes the time to catch her breath and recover from the effects of the bloodlust. As much as it help her in fights, it's important that she cools off afterwards. It makes her more sadistic, cruel tendencies appear to the surface more than usual and makes her crave blood or start fights. It's nothing she can't handle, since Kakashi controls her emotions with all the finesse of an effective dictator, but it never hurt to be cautious. Kakashi has this uneasy premonition that it will be nothing short of disastrous if she slips.

After checking herself for injuries and retrieving her weapons, Kakashi lugs the satyr in a one-armed lift with her bag on her other arm and makes her way to the huge, fancy farmhouse on top of the hill. The tree, based on the power it's projecting, seems to be a boundary line for the camp Coach Hedge was referring to. The way it is practically vibrating with warmth and protection reminds Kakashi of the chakra-saturated trees in Konoha.

It's kind of nostalgic, actually.

Spotting a group of teenagers with startlingly bright blond hair - not unlike those sported by Naruto and Minato-sensei - on the wooden porch, Kakashi raises her brow sardonically when not even one offers her help as she carries her former Gym teacher to the best of her abilities. Getting kind of annoyed (since as much as she tried to get back to her previous physical condition, her petite stature is working against her and the satyr is not, in any way or form, light), she considers just ditching all of this since her morning's been crappy from the start and dumping Coach Hedge on the side.

The way they're staring at her dumbly doesn't really help because Kakashi, for the life of her, can't understand what their problem was.

Fortunately for Coach Hedge, the decision is torn out of her hands when one eventually approaches and shoulders the satyr from her. The kid doesn't seem to be older than her body's physical age and his sheepish, hesitant smile is admittedly endearing.

Kakashi sniffs. At least someone here has manners. She glances at the others judgmentally.

"Hi. I'm Will."

"Amirah." She smiles politely. "Can I talk to the camp director, please? I just wanted to get the orientation over and done with."

"What about your wounds?" He says worriedly.

Kakashi glances at the scratches on her arms dismissively. "It's just superficial."

"I'll lead you there then." A voice suddenly booms from behind, making her tense a little. Turning around warily, Kakashi can't help but gasp slightly at the sight of a legit half-man, half-horse.

A centaur.

Damn, it was magnificent - kind of awe-inspiring actually. It manages to drain her irritation over the whole shit she is pushed into at least.

"Thank you." She nods politely after getting over her shock. "I appreciate that, sir."

"Chiron" The centaur smiles at her warmly. "Call me Chiron."

-----

To be honest, Kakashi isn't impressed by the camp director, Mr. D, at first glance.

The man is playing a game-boy for kami's sake. With his feet on a table, he is doing a running commentary on the game - complete with sound effects and dramatic groans or whoops for good measure.

It would have been fine if he was younger, but Mr. D looks to be middle-age in appearance with an unfortunate predilection for flamboyant eye-catching shirts. With his scruffy black hair and surprisingly pretty if bloodshot purple eyes, Mr. D is like...is like a fashion-inept, plastered bum off the road.

He isn't very impressive.

At least until he summons wine out of thin air.

That is when Kakashi then realizes that this being - this god is most likely messing with her and damn it if Kakashi doesn't feel a bit of nostalgia and camaraderie.

The god seems to be a man after her own heart - made himself as obtrusive and obnoxious as possible to hide behind what could possibly be resentment, regret, and weariness, based on the stories around him if Kakashi's guess is right.

The clear sky rumbles as if in warning.

"Mr. D." Chiron says exasperatedly as if he said this many times before. "You know you shouldn't-"

"Bah." The camp director waves his hand carelessly and the wine is replaced with what seems to be cola. "I forgot." He glances at Kakashi boredly before drinking the conjured liquid. "Another brat, huh? Your name?"

Kakashi bows. "Amirah Collins, Lord Dionysus."

The power that she barely felt before heightens almost unbearably and suffuses the air. Kakashi tenses as whispers of madness prickles her skin, but doesn't move from her vulnerable position. Dionysus or Mr. D's eyes glints sharply and the previously laid-back man straightens up. "At least this one's less idiotic than the rest. Names have power child. Refer to me as Mr. D."

"Yes sir."

When Kakashi feels the hum of power decrease, she takes it as her cue to unbend and looks at the god in the eye - weathering his, and Chiron's, probing survey patiently.

The god of wine begins. "I assume that you know of your situation as a demigod when you have managed to appropriately deduce who I am." He hums thoughtfully. "Which of your parents was a god?"

"It was my father, sir."

A flash of surprise appears on the god's face. "Not Athena's daughter, then. Not that you have their coloring, but I wonder." There is silence for a moment before Mr. D continues. "Do you play pinochle, child?"

"No sir." Kakashi replies bemusedly. "Is it needed?"

Mr. D slouches and the serious air breaks. "No? Well, you're tolerable than most at least. Welcome to Camp Half-blood, then, Amirah Collins." He points to a passing sandy-haired guy not much older than she was. "Hermes' boy will tell you the rest."

Hearing what must have been his godly parent's name, the guy looks up bewilderedly. He is quite tall, wearing an eye-catching orange shirt with a huge block print of "Camp Half-blood" in the center. It's something that Naruto would have loved. To think of it, the blonds she encountered earlier seem to wear their own set too but Kakashi guesses she was more irritated at that time to notice. Or care. He also has a sword on his hand. "I will?"

Mr. D stares at the blankly and somehow manages, in a deadpan manner, to sarcastically communicate how unimpressed he was by the guy in front of him, before going back to his game.

There is an awkward silence for a moment before Chiron sighs then nudges her gently in the back. "Go with Luke, Amirah. He'll lead you to your bunk and orient you with how things go here."

Kakashi nods. "Understood. Thank you, Mr. D, Mr. Chiron." She fixes her hold on her bag and turns to the camper expectantly. "Lead the way."

Luke sighs and tousles his hair. "I guess I will."

-----

"Well, these are the cabins." Luke Castellan, as he introduced himself earlier, quips good-naturedly as he presents to her a group of buildings. "They're an eclectic set, but it's enough to house all of us at least." He cocks his head to the side. "Somewhat."

There were twelve of them, all individually designed in what she infers to symbolize the god it stands for with only large brass numbers as a point of similarity. They are arranged in a U with two on the base and five in row on either side facing statues, fountains, basketball courts and a huge stone-line fire pit smack dab in the center of the field.

The few people that are in vicinity seem to be preoccupied in their respective activities and barely spare them a glance.

How curious.

From her research about Greek gods, there are definitely more than twelve gods. Kakashi assumes that minor gods like Janus and Nike could have kids too. She wonders what happened to their children.

"Each major god have their own building, although there were Olympians like Artemis and Hera who had honorary cabins to show respect." Luke continues matter-of-factly.

What about Hades, then? Wasn't he a major god? Kakashi frowns slightly. Gods are prideful creatures. The lack of a cabin can be taken as a slight.

As she put the pieces together, she is liking the picture painted right in front of her eyes less and less.

The son of Hermes resumes unaware of her musings and points to the last cabin on the left, the one that is a bit more...humble-looking than others and moves towards it quickly. "That's my cabin where most of Hermes' children lived in and where you would stay for the meantime before you could be claimed."

Kakashi hums as she follows his footsteps.

Claimed, huh? Interesting. So the gods must have a way to announce their "claim" on the children and the cabin they are supposed to be in. According to the books she has read, Hermes, aside from being the god of thievery and known jack of all trades, was also the god of travelers and most likely houses the demigods that are, in a way, lost in their journey. Their godly parent either can't be bothered to find some time to lay claim to them or wasn't part of the twelve Olympians so their claim wouldn't be worth it since there wasn't any building to house their children anyway.

"How inefficient." She mutters absentmindedly as she finally sees the state of the place she is asked to stay in. Kakashi eyes the place critically and sees that she would probably be better of camping outside than squeezing herself in what could be generously described as a mess of the highest proportion.

Were they really expecting her to sleep on the floor? Or leave her belongings with the children of the god of thieves? Kami, there were plenty of space on other cabins made just to stroke the ego of selfish gods. Why can't they create more cabins then for those who were undetermined at the moment?

Damn it all.

Kakashi sees the in the peripheral corner of her eye how Luke's face twists into an ugly expression for a second - too fast for her to be unsure of what she saw but enough to raise her hackles. It makes the scar on his face more prominent. Is he angry about the way Kakashi was surveying his cabin? She didn't even say anything remotely insulting about the place. Hm. Is this about pride?

Luke scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "I know it doesn't look like much but the Stoll brothers could smuggle in some blankets or a sleeping bag so you could have your own space." He sighs, seemingly apologetic. "Do you have any questions?"

No. His concern is genuine. The expression isn't directed at her but at someone else.

Kakashi sighs. Troublesome.

She still needs to keep an eye on him since the look on his eyes were sending warnings, but Kakashi's not dealing with that shitfest. No siree. Kakashi's not dealing with that with a ten-foot-pole when she has more important things to think about.

Like where she should sleep for one. If - and that's a big if - she could ever stomach crowding in this cramped building, her bag has too many incriminating weapons and precious possessions in it just to leave her things in a measly spot where anyone could peruse it.

It just wouldn't work.

She wonders if she could sneak in the forest instead. It's not like Kakashi isn't used to living in the wild.

Luke shifts on his feet, obviously in a hurry as he fiddles with the sword in his hand. The poor guy was obviously pulled out from what he was supposed to be doing before because of her and, shady or not, the teen did make an effort to point out the landmarks they passed in earlier.

"Nothing." Kakashi finally replies. "Thank you for guiding me, Luke."

The son of Hermes smiles warmly. "It's no problem. I, ah, have to go somewhere soon. I have to start sword-training, you see but I'll give you the whole orientation later." He explains.

"Sword-training?" Kakashi perks up. "Can I come too?"

"Aren't you tired from your journey here?" He asks worriedly. "Don't you want to settle down first?"

Kakashi hefts her bag on her shoulder more properly and starts walking outside. "No worries. I can handle it."

"Really?" Luke asks, dubious.

"Really."