End of the Second Summer [Everyone]

[[Okay guys, we're finally ending this current summer. This is the bead ceremony, so everyone should be involved.]]


Jake laid across a currently empty bench, early for the ceremony.

This summer felt like it had gone on forever, but maybe that was partially because he had spent more time at camp working than any of the years past. The tables were set up on the stage with the bags of beads for each cabin. They were decorated with a shield that resembled the Shield of Achilles that had been recovered, but each layer was adorned with events of the current summer instead. It was a neat design, though Jake couldn't remember who came up with it.

He tossed a small stone up in the air and caught it, occupying himself until more people arrived.

Daquiri picked an imaginary piece of lint off of her dark-wash, ultra-skinny jeans as she made her way over to the Amphitheatre. It was the last day of summer, and therefore the last day of camp, and she'd been told that going to the "Bead Ceremony" was a tradition. It sounded stupid to her--what were they going to do, make friendship bracelets? It didn't exactly help that the Amph wasn't her favorite place to go, either.

  Whether she really wanted to be there or not, though, the red-head figured she might as well look her best. They weren't training, so she didn't have to care if she was being impractical or not. She had paired a maroon peplum sleeveless with her jeans, along with her tan three-inch combat booties and a fedora that matched. If anyone irritated her tonight, they'd better watch their toes, because it was likely they could get broken.

  It was just her luck that when she made her way down the Amph's stone steps, the only person she saw was none other than Jake Arin. Figured he would be the first one there. He didn't appear to be paying much attention to anything, just flipping a stone up and down from where he lay on one of the benches at the bottom. Arching an eyebrow, Daquiri walked up behind his head and snatched out a hand when the pebble was in midair. She examined it in her hands as she spoke. "If you're already bored at this thing, I might as well leave."

Ri's Outfit:

Jake blinked in surprise as the pebble was snatched from above him instead of falling into his hand again. He tilted his head up to see the person who had approached from behind him. It was Daquiri, the new Aphrodite girl. He couldn't quite shake off remembering her claiming at the mess hall when he saw her, but that sort of thing was hard to forget. He tried to believe it was just because of the magical-love-attraction-aura.
"Uh. Hi." He said intelligently. "It hasn't started yet. You're early." Dangit, why'd she have to always catch him flat-footed? He usually was much better at this.

Axel showed up at the bead ceremony...strange nobody was there. his cabin mates had said that it would have started an hour ago. Axel then realized he was going on what the most notorious liars and pranksters in camp had said. of course it wouldnt have started yet. Axel then noticed two other people who had showed up early. he recognized Daquiri immediately, even with her back turned to him he could recognize that red hair and short size anywhere. she was talking to Jake, the guy who had been working on that big project at the forge. obviously his presence hadnt been noticed yet. Axel was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, as well as his leather jacket. "Didnt realize that the Love Bird was also an early bird." Axel said as he approached Daquiri.

Malachai entered the area in his jeans, and camp t shirt. His sword was strapped to his back, instead of being in key form. It felt better to him this way. He noticed both Jake, Daquiri and Axel in the area and sort of made his way over, but kept a bit of distance from the group. Today he was just sorta lost in his thoughts, that and Daquiri always seemed to get on his nerves one way or another.

Daquiri flicked the pebble at Jake's face before crossing her arms. "Great. I was hoping to get this done with as soon as possible," she grumbled, throwing a glare at Jake like she personally blamed him for the event not starting yet.

However, her annoyance was directed elsewhere when she heard another voice behind her. A voice that she wasn't a particular fan of.

Practically baring her teeth at the dark-haired boy, she put a hand on her hip. "I didn't realize the new bird wanted to be a dead bird," she growled through her teeth, her loose hand itching to pluck the dagger out of her boot and shove it somewhere Ax wouldn't appreciate.

Jake closed his eyes as the pebble was flicked at his face, then he sat up, only partially catching the glare she sent his way. He shrugged at her words.

He looked over at the guy walking in on them. He sighed to himself as tempers apparently flared. He swung his legs over to the other side of the bench so he could look at both of them.

"Come on guys, one more day and we can say we went the summer without campers killing each other." He said dryly. "We'll break a record."

Axel laughed off Daquiri's threat, knowing she wouldnt be able to act it out. he noticed that her posture was different and that the knife she carried was missing. which indicated that her knife was in her boot. she would have no way of pulling it without him noticing and striking a deadly blow. not that Axel would want to, Ri was fun to anger. then Jake stepped in, obviously he had seen Daquiri angry before, he wondered if there was a story behind that. either way when Jake said that it would be a record if the camp made it this next day without campers killing eachother. he looked at the boy, whom he assumed was a son of hephaestus, based on how he had met behaved in the forge. "what do you mean that it would be a record?"

Malachai stiffled a laugh at Jake's comment about campers not killing each other would be breaking a record. It would be true in sense, depending on how you defined kill. Malachai mulled the thought over, seeing as most campers just annoyed each other and played pranks on one another.

{{I'm back! hopefully.}}

"There's a record?" Kris approached the group from behind Jake. She wore a modern take on the ancient greek peplos. White fabric adorned with golden trimmings and busy with gold embroidered designs that ran up the back. Her brown hair had grown down to her lower back over the course of summer and was swept around as though she had spent her entire day at the beach, which she had. With the blonde streaks having grown out, strings of thin gold ribbon streaked her hair. Her fingers entwined around her camp necklace as she anticipated the celebration of the end of yet another summer.

"Dead campers is a tradition from back before I was here." Glancing at everyone around, a smug smirk appeared on her face. "Any of you willing to be a sacrifice?" But before the moment turned awkward, Kris laughed and said, "I'm kidding. Please no one volunteer for that."

(I feel so small. Can Artie pull a prank?)

Artie stayed at the entrance, spying her fellow campers. Her hair was messily pulled back into a ponytail, her camp shirt covered in food stains, her shorts caked with mud, her sword dusted with golden particles, and it seemed like her grey sneakers were the only thing that was clean. She wasn't in a good mood after the food incident. 

To make it all better, she decided to pull the biggest prank of all camp history. Bigger than last year's. She planned to be the first one, but sadly, her dad wasn't in her favor. Artie took a step onto the benches and muttered something about goats.

Axel instantly turned towards the new voice. his eyes naturally looking for anything worth stealing. the strange girl didnt seem to have much except some rings she was wearing. Ax didnt like stealing rings...they could be swiped to easily, he wanted a challenge, not something he could steal with a simple hand shake or high five. he then focused on her comment about campers killing camper. the girl said she was kidding but something about how she had said it... it seemed like there was more to it than that. Axel mentally shrugged it off. it didnt matter. "i dont think we've met...im Axel." he said to the girl who had just joined the conversation.

Daquiri would've liked to slap Axel, but then of course Jake had to cut in.

  "I'll take care of arguments the way I see fit, Jake," she growled. Then, giving Axel one more death glare, she stalked over to another bench and sat down, crossing her legs so the boot with her dagger was propped up and she could unsheath it. Twirling it in her fingers crossly, she watched as another camper came up and joined into the conversation. Her playful banter made it obvious she knew Jake. Daquiri also noticed Malachai, the kid she'd met in the stables, sitting a bit away from everyone else. He appeared to just be observing everyone else, like she was doing now. Hmph. Fine with her.

Andrew sat in the very back of the stone seats. He watched the others talk. He knew everyone but him would get a bead, for one whole summer. The young boy laid his head back on the huge rock slab behind him and looked up at the stars. Ursa Major, Ursa Minor,  Gemini. he thought to himself. All of the stars he saw glowed brightly in the evening sky. A faint moon was escaping into the sky. More campers crowded into the large Ampitheater.

Jake shrugged at Daquiri, then grinned at Kris.
"Well, with you at camp, we always lose someone." He said. "Didn't you sick a shark on some guy last year?" He asked, only partially joking. Kris was known for her temper, and being a Big Three kid, that wasn't something you wanted to mess with.


(And... short post. Urg.)

Artie took her sword and jabbed something invisible. She was bored, and worse yet, she couldn't prank without getting caught. She scanned the crowd to see who she could steal from.

There was the newly claimed drama queen. Her half-brother. That guy. A Greek girl she never met and a guy she never met. So I only know three peopl and two of them I don't know their names... Artie thought.

They had nothing precious. She sighed in exasperation and tapped the hilt of her sword. It turned into bracelet and she twisted it on her wrist.

Syl blew and walked to the Amphitheater. Summer was ending, which means some of the campers would be leaving to school. 
She saw a few already there, like Axel, Jake, Daquiri, and she could see another girl - someone she vaguely might've heard of before.
Maybe not.

((Now I can't look at the word Amphitheater without thinking of "Armpit Heater"))

"Close." A devious look crossed Kris' face. "It was a school of guppies.... and then a shark." She smiled brightly and looked as innocent as a 19 year old demi-god could. Sure, she was the old kid at the camp and sure, she was supposed to be the most responsible and mature, but she found too much fun in messing with the younger kids.

Even though she was staying year-round again like her dad promised she could, Corra always got upset at the end of the summer. Entering the Amphitheater, she said hi to everyone and gave her greetings, when she noticed Malachai. Smiling shyly, she walked over to keep him company. ((i see the famous Kris is online. The staff member I've heard so much about, Ive though we've never met. ))

Malachai smiled back as Corra joined him.
"How are you?" he asked before turning his attention to watch the interchange between the other campers gathered in the amphitheater real quick, and then turning back to Corra.

(ugh so many ppl staying year round)

"maybe we should sign you and the Love bird up for anger management classes." Ax said this as he assessed if Jake had any possessions worth stealing. he wasnt intimidated by the daughter of poseiden. even if everyone else was. in some isolated corner of his mind he wondered if that made him crazy, probably. though he really didnt care. after all wasnt everyone a little crazy. Sanity was kind of boring.

Andrew looked around at all the campers having conversations. He wished he could have a conversation with one other camper. He wanted friends, although his thought of friends- having someone to talk to about anything- was to good to be true. The boy now knew his definition was not remotely close to reality. Just another year of the same old, same old, he thought silently to himself.

((Is that an invitation? .P))

Syl looked around as she fiddled with them hem of her shirt. She looked to see Andrew, the kid she'd seen with Axel.
"Hey." She said, waving to him.

Andrew silently waved back. "Hey," he replied to the girl.

(( No, you invited yourself. .P [P.S. - You have to reply to Andrew's Claiming, still. Getting pretty disappointing to look at that topic so often and setting no one posted in there last, but myself.]))

Ken walked in rather late. He really could care less about the beads but it is kinda mandatory he guessed. He Looked down at his arms. How many years had it been... 1 maybe 2... he did not show up for the last bead ceremony but at least then he had an excuse.
(my character stays year round but he is often sneaking out)