Honey sweet or downright dangerous? [Private]

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin shrugged and thought about it.

"Hey, auntie," Collin began in an tone of false warning. "I've never get drunk before. Although I want to know the feeling..." He shrugged, then rubbed his right eye. "Yeah, well, it's okay. And about the grapes--it's the most delicious thing I've ever tasted," he said matter-of-factly, smiling dreamily. Collin thought about those big and plump purple grapes in the Strawberry Fields. He liked to hang out there and eat, though he can't grow and replace the ones he'd eaten. But meh, who cares?

"And about the abilities..." Collin wrinkled his nose. "I think it skipped me," he explained, feeling embarrassed. What would be her reaction when she heard that Collin is not talented in growing berries, his being son of Dionysus and all.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

((And sorry about the late reply. /Fudge is embarrassed. I probably reply in Saturday or Sunday. School is tough xDD))

Honey sweet or downright dangerous? [Private] - Page 2 Alex-150x150

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Though she was surprised to hear that Collin had never gotten drunk before, Alex raised her eyebrows at him when he mentioned that he wanted to know the feeling. She chuckled when he hinted just how much he loved grapes. That one, she expected. "Don't try getting drunk. My brother dared me to once when I was frigging nine years old! It is the worst thing in the world," she said, cringing slightly as she recalled the memory. "The hangover was rough. Rough, I tell you. At least he got grounded for months after."

Snickering, Alex looked Collin over, as if she was trying to gauge his abilities. Like she can do that with just looking. "Aww, don't say that," she said, smiling warmly. "Maybe you just haven't discovered it yet. Some people are like that."

((No worries. I understand how school can be xD))

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin made a face and started ranting.

"No! I mean, exactly, the typical Dionysus-ability kind of skipped me. I can't grow berries at an amazing rate, and they can. I felt left-out," he admitted. For clarification and proof, he held out his hand and directed it at the forest floor. Concentrating hard, he narrowed his eyes and a small sprout of grapevine rose out of the ground in no time. But it took Collin exactly two minutes to grow one grape the size of a large marble.

Ugh.

"See that?" he complained like a whiny kid. Then he took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, planning to calm himself. He can control emotions of others, but not himself? Now that was odd. "My siblings can do more than that," Collin sighed.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Alex laughed, realizing that they had yet another thing in common. She clapped at the small show of Dionysus-related powers. Growing fruits in less than five minutes were still a feat, she thought, no matter how Collin saw it.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I still find your powers cool," she said, meaning it. "I think it's better than mine, honestly. At least you'll never starve no matter where you go. Pretty neat ability, if I may say so myself." Alex bent down and plucked the grape Collin had grown, popping it into her mouth in a flash. The sweet juice flooded her tongue and she closed her eyes to savor it. "Tastes great too," she commented, nodding as she straightened up.

"I guess we both have sibling issues," she said with a slight trace of a chuckle. "But life's like that, y'know. Just unfair. Like we can change what it throws at us. Better to just make lemonades when lemons go flying in our direction." Alex paused thoughtfully. "Wow. Is it just me, or did I just spout some nuggets of wisdom there?"

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

"Yeah, sure you do." Collin laughed. "Thanks," he added.

Collin fished a ball-point off his pocket and began uncapping and capping it. He sighed, getting quiet again. He thought if his Mom's death his fault. He didn't know he got that ability to mess with people's feelings. He'd always thought it was a pretty tame ability, but no--his Mother was the first casualty. Collin got a bitter taste in his mouth like a failed grape.

"It must be good if you're just a mortal, dontcha think?" Collin asked Alex, sure she would agree. He was pretty sure Alex was dangerous in the battlefield, and if her emotions got away and her power became a danger to the innocents.

Huh.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

"Very," Alex agreed, nodding her head vigorously in agreement. "You wouldn't have to worry about being eaten by a monster or angering a god. Us demigods... we have to worry about both mortal problems and demigod problems. I mean, I'll be surprised if I survive to live over thirty."

Alex's fingers drummed across the rough surface of the tree bark. She looked up, feeling a little of the hot summer breeze slip through the leaves. Summer meant a lot of campers. Plenty of chances to socialize, she thought. It was a mystery why she decided to stay in an isolated part of the forest rather than hang out with the people outside. Not that she regretted her decision though; Alex was still glad she met Collin.

"Are you a summer camper? Or do you stay year-round? Camp is way crowded at this time of the year."

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin thought about it. Crowded this summer. Yep, very. In Collin's years here, he'd managed to watch the boring campers-go-here-in-summer-then-leave-two-months-later routine. Personally, he thought it was pretty cool to stay at camp for training the whole year. But...

"Yeah, I'm a year-rounder. Got no family to return with," he said, hoping it sounded like a joke. "You?" he asked back quickly.

As cool as it is, it was depressing in Collin's side. Thinking no family to return to was pretty sad. Hero training. Bah. Sounded rubbish if it was for no one. The son of Dionysus wondered randomly if Alex was a year-rounder, too. Maybe she is. Her scent is too strong. He's attracting monsters himself, and his father was not much of a powerful god. What more does his aunt attracts?

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Alex frowned, but a look at Collin's face told her that it was nothing to worry about. "Year-rounder. My scent is far too strong," she said, smiling sadly. Collin probably knew that already, but she still felt the urge to say it.

Alex turned away, pretending to be interested in the flowers by her feet. "I have a mom and an older brother. It's too dangerous for them to meet me," she mumbled. "I've been here since I was ten."

What a depressing topic... she thought to herself. Shaking her head, she looked back up at Collin, wanting to ask something that bothered her a bit. "Why don't you have a family to return to?"

((You post the next monster attack, lol))

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

"Oh," Collin said, reluctant to answer. The topic was so confidential and personal that he was having double-thoughts saying it. Besides, it was pretty depressing. But at the end, he grimaced and began his tale, entitled--the Tale of the Lonely Collin. Good grief.

"I, uh, like--"Collin's voice shook a little--"lulled... my... mother to suicide."

He took a deep breath and tried to shove away his memories. He held up his hand, and tried reasoning. He can't look at Alex's eyes directly. His own eyes were taking interest in the forest floor. "Didn't mean it, of course. Just like the ability I got, besides grape-growing. You--you know, messing with people's emotions. My..." Collin took a deep breath again. "And you know it," he finished quickly.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Well, it certainly wasn't the answer she expected. Alex's eyes bulged out of their sockets in sheer surprise as she turned to look at Collin. His powers must have been strong enough to influence people to commit suicide. Did that mean he can make her kill herself out of self-pity if he wanted to? Suddenly she found Collin much more intimidating than before. Was it... safe to be with someone like him? But he seemed so nice. How can a person like him make his mother take her own life?

"Gods... That was just... I don't know..." Alex stammered out, having some difficulty in stringing her thoughts together. "I mean... are you sure it was your fault? Maybe it was just... coincidence. Yeah, coincidence," she said faintly, looking at the ground to prevent from meeting his gaze.

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin cursed himself from the inside.

Seriously, why had he said that? He'd let his emotions got away--trusting people quickly, her pain flared that made him say irrelevant things. Now he does not know what Alex thought of him. A freak? A murderer? He felt Alex's mood swing. Great. He covered his eyes and lowered his head. Why had he said that again? He hardly knew Alex but he thought he'd managed to convince her he's a freak.

Ugh.

He half-smiled and looked up. He steadied himself and looked at Alex, who was also developing sudden interest in the forest floor. "Yeah, maybe," he replied, wanting to change subject.

"So, auntie," he began quickly, "can I see some of your shots?" Collin pointed to her camera.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

The mention of her hobby perked Alex up for a bit and she managed to momentarily forget Collin's shady past. Her eyes sparkling at the thought of showing off her prized pictures, she fumbled with her camera and it even took her a few more seconds than usual to turn it on.

"Sure! That's not my whole collection though. Those are just my recent ones," she said, beaming, drawing closer to Collin and taking the camera off her and handing it over to him. She let the lanyard slip through her fingers as she waited for him to pass judgment. Would he like her shots? Hate them? Curse at them, even? Alex let all the possible reactions swarm through her mind and she became a little restless, even settling on playing absently with her fingers just to release some of her anxiety.

((Feel free to make the pictures up, lawl. Too lazy and out of muse to describe the shots xD))

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin excitedly left his spot on the tree and walked over to get the camera. He half-smiled and waved the it once, trying to show Alex that, hey, I'm going to to browse it! He walked back slowly, flipping pictures through.

The son of Dionysus' eyes took a new interest in the pictures. The shots were incredible, really, but subconsciously, Collin was trying to find a photo of a plump, juicy grape. He started clicking faster. He saw glimpses of sunset and sunrise captures, forests and meadows captures, and animals nuzzling together, shot in perfect clarity and amazing lighting, but not grape. His face began to fall.

Finally, in vain in his search, he handed the camera back to Alex and suppressed a grin. "You're really talented, huh? How many years have you been best friends with the camera?" he asked.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Alex waited on tenterhooks as Collin scanned her shots. She took note of the sparkle in his eyes as he browsed through her camera, but she couldn't help but feel that he was feeling something else. Perhaps something negative? Her theory was only proven correct when she saw how his face fell before he handed her back the camera.

"A few years, I guess. I never really bothered to count. Thanks," she said, frowning a bit a the look on Collin's face. "Er... is something wrong? I can't help but feel that I'm missing something. You saw something you didn't like?" she asked tentatively, not knowing if she wanted to know the answer to that question or not.

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin's eyes widened in shock. Honestly, what's there not to be liked? He only didn't find a thing he wanted the most--that is to say the grape. But how could he plead to Alex that she should shot a grape? It's not fair, and it's not right. She'll decide what to shoot. Maybe I have to buy a camera, Collin thought. Photography looks interesting, but Collin apparently thought it would take years just to master the correct angle. Then... what more the lighting?

Then he laughed heartily for no apparent reason.

"Oh, none." Collin snickered. "Next time, shot a grape for me," he told the daughter of Zeus as he nodded to the camera. Which made him think if monsters would attack again. He's been informed that the use of technology goes against demigod nature. Would that attract them? The thought just made Collin smile again. He loved challenges today. Emphasis on today.

"How much is a camera? I think I wanted to buy one," he asked Alex, curious.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Relieved, Alex switched the camera off and let it hang around her neck. "Sure sure. A grape for my favorite nephew, I'll remember that," she said with a giggle, hoping that she won't forget. A thoughtful look passed over her face as she mulled the question over. "I dunno... It depends on the camera. This one costs around three hundred dollars three years ago," Alex blushed slightly at the price as she held the camera up. "There are also cheap ones if you like. I guess they're sitting at a hundred bucks? I'm not so sure. I haven't been outside for so long..."

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

"Hundred bucks?! Really?"

Collin swallowed hard and sighed. All right, forget photography. It's only for talented and money-plenty people. He smirked and fished his comb and mirror out. He smiled like he was in a photograph, combed his hair left, and flipped his comb, satisfied. He quickly put the mirror away and snatched his comb mid-air. He grinned at Alex, like, see that? What a thought, the nun would probably say.

"It's too expensive. You came from a rich family, don't you? And you have more cameras stacked out there if that one"--the son of Dionysus glanced at the camera--"was damaged." Collin nodded, as if he'd just made a clever hypothesis.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

A look of confusion darted quickly across her face before she realized what she had just said previously. Suppressing a laugh as Collin did his little combing ritual again, Alex shrugged and fiddled with her camera at his question. "Well, no. This is my only one," she admitted, casting a fond glance at the little gadget she held in her hands. "That's why I take extra care in handling it. It's a miracle it survived this long, honestly. Not that I'm complaining."

She shifted slightly in her position, growing uncomfortable at the turn of the conversation. "Um... I guess? Not much of a big deal, I think. Besides, wealth doesn't really matter in this world of ours. What matters more is our ability to handle things like monsters." Alex smirked. "What use is money if you're killed by something like those weird scorpion things the next minute?"

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin blinked. For a family as poor as his family before, money is treasured simply like a treasure. "No. I think money matters." He nodded, speculating this would turn to a debate. Of course, he would easily win with messing over with Alex's mood.... He frowned, shoving the thought away. He'll not do that.

Collin opened his mouth to speak of more, but right on cue, a teeny tiny scorpion shrugged out of the bushes like, surprise! Biting time! He quickly backed up, and looked at Alex in a false accusatory glare. "You shouldn't have said that," he said as he quickly focused on the scorpion. Great. Is this poisonous? Or just an ordinary scorpion? The son of Dionysus eyed the scorpion. He bring forth his whip, ready to smack the spider.

Or Alex would just smash it with lightning?

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Alex raised her eyebrows at him. "Can you bring your money with you when you die and go to the Underworld? I think not," she said, crossing her arms.

She would've said more, if it weren't for the scorpion that suddenly crept out of the bushes. Meeting Collin's gaze with a dark glance of her own, Alex backed away from the monster, watching him pull out a whip out of the corner of her eye. Her lips tightened into a thin line and she felt her back hit the tree behind her. Focusing for a few seconds, she finally flung her arm wildly in front of her. Nothing happened.

"Argh! Why can't you work?" she muttered angrily, repeating the motion with her arm to no avail. "Dammit, Collin, kill it before it kills us!"

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

"Yeah, yeah, all right!" Collin yelled back as the scorpion lunged. With one lash of his whip, the spider was cut in half mid-air. It disintegrated to dust as it fell toward the ground. The wind picked it up and it was gone. Collin grinned in satisfaction.

"So I was saying that money matters," the son of Dionysus told Alex as if nothing had happened. "Think about those poor families out there in Africa or something. And those beggars? I know how they feel." He nodded. Collin folded his whip and stuffed it to his pocket. "It matters. To a lot of people. Not just demigods. Or you're talking about the demigod world?" he added, making a v-sign at with his index finger and the thumb. If his auntie was talking about their world, she has a point. But if not, and in general, this could turn into an exciting debate.

Collin's mood picked up.

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Alex was still gaping as the winds carried the last of the monster's remains away, making her almost miss Collin's next statement. "Both worlds," she said, looking back at him and crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm idealistic, Collin, let me tell you that. I want to think that money isn't the thing that makes the world go 'round even if it is. I'll ramble on about love and friendship but I know I'll only make you roll your eyes or something."

Alex sighed, turning away and becoming preoccupied with a low-lying branch. She ran her fingers over its rough surface, watching the leaves shake a little at her motion. "Why are we talking about this in the first place?"

collin ringlet, son of dionysus, 16

Collin thought about it briefly, then decided to just drop it. "So you are idealistic. I see." He shrugged, as if making it all okay. But really, Collin won't argue, because he firmly believes that every one has their own opinion. You can't change it, no matter how you try. However, you can influence it. And influencing can become to changing.

Uh-huh.

Collin scratched his head. "Because you say about money? About: 'if money matters.' And yes, it was."

Then Collin stretched his arms upward, and yawned. The day had turned exciting for him, and it was enough excitement. Now he wanted to just lie down on his bunk and sleep. He yawned again, covering his mouth. Then he sighed. "You going back to camp now, Alex? I've still got my sword-training."

Coded by Cher of CHB and ATF

Alexandra Louise Whitlock
Daughter of Zeus

Alex eyed him warily as he yawned. "Well... Guess so. I don't want to disturb your sword-training, and I guess you still want to do a lot of that in here with those pesky scorpion thingies." She gestured wildly to the surroundings where the creatures just lurked in wait for innocent demigods to walk by. She was actually quite surprised to see that the monsters hadn't flocked her by now, considering her reputation as a monster-magnet. Not that she was complaining though.

"Nice meeting you, Collin." Alex had already taken a few steps away from the boy when she looked back to give him a warm smile. The encounter with him was pretty interesting, to say the least, even if she started off at the wrong foot. She waved at him, saying, "Keep growing grapes, my dear nephew. I'll see you around."

» Sweet Sweet failure
» Honey Suckle in a Wildfire. (ML)
» Sweet Little Girl *Emma B*
» It's really not THAT dangerous. Really. (Pinkgirl)
» sleding could be dangerous. (For those who i say can join)