Fire and Ice (Summer)

Crystal headed toward the archery field with willful focus in her step. There was a task she had been assigned to do, a task which she also foresaw would not end well. She was to mentor a new camper, but whose cabin Chiron had refused to tell her.

You'll know when you meet him, the centaur had said, with a sort of jaded air, blatantly ignoring Crystal's irritated gaze. And before then, he had reminded, try not to form any... quick impressions. From that action alone, however, she could already narrow down the cabins and deduce what sort of camper the ancient teacher had charged her with.

He had better not be one of those narcissistic idiots, Crystal thought darkly, as she made her way swiftly across a field. Zeus knows we've got enough of them in his cabin. These acidic statements were typical of the sharp-tongued daughter of Khione, and she could care less about retribution from said god even if she had spoken the words out loud.

The only thing that lightened her mood was the weather. Gone was the smothering heat of summer and the endless, howling winds of autumn. Snow now covered sparse areas of camp, glittering in spaces under the sun and glowing dully in the pockets of shade. Still, a flicker of irritation danced in her chest. Why Mr. D did not just let snow fall as per normal—Crystal had no idea. Instead, weather in campus was as strictly controlled as phone calls.

At least the temperature was relatively cold. Not perfectly exhilarating like the frigid atmosphere of the Khione cabin, where every breath was like inhaling fresh mint, but cold enough that she could feel absolute comfort walking barefoot across the frozen campus grounds. Despite the rawness of the weather, however, Crystal's attire was not affected whatsoever. She could've been strolling along the beach on a warm summer evening with the shorts and regular orange camp tee that she wore.

Finally seeing her destination in the near distance, Crystal quickened her pace and jogged the remaining way through the entrance of the archery field. There was a pair of Apollo campers practicing at one end, and a lone camper with his back facing her, who seemed to have just arrived. That's probably the one, might as well get it over with.

She slowed a few yards from the camper to a regular walking speed. "You there," Crystal called out sharply but not unkindly, "Val Summers isn't it?"

It was barely ten seconds into their meeting but he already had Crystal fighting the urge to slam a hand into her face. Annoyance bubbled up inside her, seemed to think better of it, before escaping from her lips in a small resigned sigh. "You're Aphrodite's, aren't you?"

Now she was hundred percent certain of the reason for Chiron's suspicious behaviour. He had to have done it on purpose—making her work with someone she had little patience with in order to temper her irate nature. After all, keeping emotions in check was just as important as becoming a skilled fighter.

Fine, she'd show that centaur. She would not lose her temper, and the camper would not end up in the infirmary. At least not because he was deeply unconscious or frozen solid or had an arrow shoved in the thigh.

Whatever Val's response was, Crystal didn't need to hear it. With two strides, she stepped off the grass and onto the pavement that lined the field. The hard stone felt different under her bare soles. At the sides, stood a row of practice equipment set ready for campers who wished to use them.

The daughter of Khione took a crossbow off its stand and checked it over for any damage. She didn't need her new apprentice getting a flying bow compartment in his eye even before training started. Though perhaps then I wouldn't have to waste my time, she thought wryly, then snapped at herself, tough luck Crystal, deal with it.

Turning back to the camper, she called out a short warning before tossing the crossbow at his face. "Here! Think fast."

Crystal felt a flicker of alarm. Was she going to have to listen to his sappy talk for the entire session? Maybe if I acknowledged that statement he'd stop repeating it. Nodding at the son of Aphrodite, she replied cautiously, "Thank you."

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Crystal picked out another crossbow for herself and looked over its detail. The weapon was well-made, a little worn from use, but still in perfect condition. It was not, however, made of celestial bronze, as most other weapons in camp were. The precious metal was saved for the making of arrows as after all, only they would penetrate the enemy. Instead, sleek gray steel met with polished wood, and oil glistened along moving joints of the crossbow's mechanism.

Crystal raised an eyebrow at Val's next question, though she could not say she didn't expect it. Most new campers had inaccurate impressions about that swag piece of hunger games equipment right there.

"We are doing bow and arrow. There's your bow," she gestured at Val's crossbow with hers, then held out a long metal-shafted object with an unmistakably bronze arrowhead. "And here's your arrow." She knew though, that Val's confusion was not aimed at that particularly obvious piece of information. Fitting another similar bolt into her crossbow, Crystal launched into an actual explanation.

"There are many different kinds of 'bow and arrow' as you call it, but we use only the most efficient and practical ones for battle. The stereotypical wooden bow you're probably thinking of is the longbow, which is an ancient artifact rarely used in battle unless the archer has already specialised in it. Though it is a powerful weapon in the long-run, its draw weight and requirements for accuracy far exceeds your abilities." Crystal waved a dismissive hand at that and continued.

"Then there are the more sensible bows suited for our needs, which are also more modern. Among those, the crossbow is by far the easiest to learn and most accurate bow for beginners as well as amateurs especially at short range.

"We have equipment for compound and composite bows as well, which many of us do use. But new campers with no previous shooting experience," she nodded at Val, "like you, are started off with the crossbow. Campers who prefer the sword as their main weapon usually use this particular type of bow as backup. Its as easy as using a gun and almost impossible to mess up. Though some people can still find a way to get themselves banned from holding one." Crystal muttered the last part darkly, not referring to Val but remembering an incongruous someone else.

"Within minutes, unless you've been cursed with terrible hand-eye co-ordination or similar disability, you'll be able to hit the target. If after the basics, you wish to use the bows with the string, you'll have to train for it."

Crystal almost stared at Val in disbelief. She had spent the past two minutes explaining intricate details out of goodwill but was he even listening?

"Focus," she snapped. "I don't repeat information." This obviously wasn't going to work. Crystal considered the situation, then decided on the best course of action. She'd stay through the entire hour of training, then march straight to Chiron and tell him the arrangement just wasn't going to work. But for that to ever become a possibility, she'd have to maintain her temperament.

Sighing, Crystal, gestured at the crossbow in Val's hand, then reached to place her crossbow facing the ground, perpendicularly. "Watch." She put her foot through a holder at the base of the weapon to secure it, then pulled the string up to manually cock the bolt.

"This is how you 'nock an arrow'". She decided that using simpler terms would be better. Lifting the crossbow to eye-level again, she pointed it at a target in the near distance. "Look through the scope, take aim, and shoot."

Crystal fired the bolt. There was a sharp sound and the projectile flew across the field, embedding itself into somewhat the centre of the target. "Your turn."