The Next Generation: The Beginning

Chapter 4 - I have a slumber party with my older brother

"Hey wait up!" I called. He stopped and looked at me. "Thanks for telling them about what I can do." He smiled.

"No problem. Hey, after dinner meet me at my cabin- I have something to show you."

"I can't, I'm having friends over. How about before?"

"Sure." With that, we parted, and I was left to wonder what he had to surprise me with this time.

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I headed to the Poseidon cabin before dinner and saw Joey waiting for me on the steps holding three pretty large boxes. One was long and a little thick, the other a little shorter. It wasn't wrapped or anything but it was a nice box, not made of cardboard like the third one. The first two were made of black polished wood that seemed to have intricate designs carved into them painted gold. I got to the bottom of the stairs.

"What's all this?" I inquired. Joey just smirked.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" He gave me the largest of the two wooden boxes to open first. I lifted the lid and gasped. The box was lined with silver velvet and held a beautifully crafted bow. It was black wood, but reinforced, with more gold detailing. He handed me something out of the cardboard box- it was a black leather quiver with black arrows that had obsidian arrowheads, black wood, and black feathers. I put them down and opened the second box. Inside was a black steel dagger with gold details. Again he reached into the cardboard box and pulled out another leather object with the black and gold color scheme. It was a belt with a hilt for a dagger built-in. I was absolutely speechless- these were all custom made. Where did he get the money for all of this? He had again shown me another act of kindness I knew I could never repay.

"Do you like them? I figured you could use some weapons of your own- the camp ones never seemed to fit you just right."

"They're beautiful. But where did you get the money for this? They're custom made and must have cost a fortune- not to mention the quiver and the hilt and the boxes?"

"My uncle Tyson is a cyclops and works in the forges. He did it as a favor to me."

"The black and the gold... how did you know?"

"Well, you're related to Hades and Apollo- so black and gold. So, you'll use them, right?" I smiled.

"You kidding? I'll definitely use them!" He smiled and let out a sigh of relief.

"I have to go get pizza now- thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. Good night Mia."

"Good night Joey."

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I got a cheese pizza from the kitchen and went back to my cabin with my gift and the food. Isabella was already there, but that wasn't that shocking. I put the weapons on my bed and the pizza on the table, then I went to pick out a movie from the box I kept in my closet.

"What should we watch tonight?"

"Hmm... I know! Let's watch the Disney movie Hercules and see how accurate it is and then we can laugh at how dumb it probably is." I laughed.

"Hercules it is then!" I grabbed the movie.

"Wait," Isabella said. "How are we going to watch it?" I got my computer out from under my bed.

"With this!" I smirked. I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Maya, Zoe, and Helen walked in. Maya had brought Doritos, Zoe candy and Helen had brought some goblets she borrowed from the kitchen.

"Let's get this party started!" Maya shouted. We all laughed. The movie was a hit because it was so inaccurate. It was 8:00 when everyone left. Izzy started to head for the door too.

"Hey, where are you going?" She looked at the ground.

"I'm going to ask your dad if he can Iris message my parents." I smiled sympathetically.

"Ok. Good night."

"Good night." With that I headed to the Apollo cabin, knowing I was late.

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I knocked softly on the door and it immediately opened and Carlos stepped out onto the steps.

"Il Mio protettore, have you been waiting for me?" He smiled.

"What if I have been, bambolina?" His nickname for me means little doll in Italian since I am his little sister and when I was born he said 'look, daddy, a doll!'. My name for him means my protector because he has always been very protective of me. He is the only other one who wanted to learn our papà's mother tongue. We walked to my cabin. Carlos is my best friend- I tell him everything. Sometimes he knows what I need or want before I do. He immediately saw the boxes and opened them.

"Mia, where did you get this?"

"Joey has his uncle make them for me."

"Did you thank him?" I rolled my eyes.

"What do you think?" He shrugged. We sat on the floor and caught up with each other- even though it's only been a few days since I've seen him, we haven't had much time to talk. I was telling him about the skeletons I had raised in the middle of school a few weeks ago.

"So you're telling me that you got mad at a kid teasing you about having two dads and then 5 skeletons just appeared?" I nodded. He burst into laughter.

"That is hilarious!" I think back on it and find myself laughing at it.

"It is pretty funny, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Hey, get a load of this! One of the new kids in my cabin was learning archery and had to go into the infirmary with an arrow in his butt!" I snorted.

"How in Hades did he do that?"

"Apparently he walked in front of the target to dislodge his arrow and this other kid shot without warning!" Our laughter filled the room.

"It's getting late, I should probably go... if anyone wakes up they'll get worried." I panicked and grabbed his arm.

"Wait! Will you stay? I mean, you don't have to, it's just, last night I had a nightmare and I don't like sleeping alone..." He used to sleep with me all the time when I was younger before he was head of the cabin with Bianca- they kind of do it together. He smiled warmly.

"Sure. I'll be right back though- I just want to write a note for Bianca."

"Ok." As he left I went to the bathroom to change- I know I was alone, but he never abandons plans unless he has to and is usually pretty quick about it. Sure enough, I had only just finished putting my pajamas on when I heard the door open and shut. I stepped out of the bathroom and saw that he had changed too and had already gotten into his position (if you are looking at the bed, the right side) and had turned down the covers, patting the empty spot as an invitation for me. I ran over to him and got my teddy bear out from under the bed.

I swear me and Carlos are always there for each other- Dad gave me the bear (which I named Sunny) when I was a baby. Once I lost it in the underworld and Carlos looked for it until he found it. I know he won't say it, but I'm his favorite sibling and he's mine (but that confession would start a huge family fight). I jump in bed, pull up the cover, and snuggle into Carlos's chest. He is the only person who makes me feel 100% safe beside my parents. He wraps his arms around me and starts to stroke my hair, lulling me to sleep. I felt my eyelids close and in my safe little sanctuary, I fell asleep.