RECLUSE - (n) a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.
MAISIE ELLIOT WAS ANGRY.
Angry at the world.
Angry at the Gods.
Angry at the demigods who seemed to move on too fast.
And when forced onto a quest with three stranger...
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MAISIE WANTED TO LAUGH
The look on Drew's face was absolutely priceless with her face contorted in that ugly way. She wished he had a camera to remember this moment. As if reading her mind, Donovan slowly took out a small camera out of his pocket and snapped a picture before quickly putting it back, laughing lightly.
As the shock of Pipers beauty wore off, she sat silently. Face red and avoiding eye contact with anybody as somebody from the Demeter cabin covered her with a blanket. Annabeth cleared her throat loudly, gaining all attention back on her.
"We still have one more demigod left to discuss. Daughter of Retribution. That has to be a daughter of Nemesis."
All the campers turned to look at Maisie as her heart quite literally dropped so far she feared it would fall out her body. Of course Hera chooses her for this stupid quest with a bunch of random strangers.
Donovan had slid over next to her; his tan hand pressed over her shaking one. She felt like she was choking. Her mouth dried and her legs shook. She would probably die on this quest.
"Oh you've got to be kidding," laughed Drew. "You let the depressed mute freak on the quest, but not me? Thats pretty pathetic. Don't you think Jason?"
Jason's mouth opened and closed like a fish. Unable to form words as campers began to murmur and laugh.
Donovan's hand squeezed hers harder. Drew was lucky she didn't summon her axe right there. She wanted to scream, shout, protest. But all her words died in her mouth, like all her words had been stolen right out of her mouth. The only person who seemed to be happy about this was Leo, who winked, smiled, and gave a thumbs up in her direction.
"No." She hoarsely spoke. "I'm not going on the quest."
"You're not going? Maisie you're apart of the prophecy!" Jason exclaimed. "We need you there."
"I'm sure you can find a good replacement." She said. "Daughter of retribution could mean somebody who has faced retribution. That doesn't have to mean Nemesis." She angrily spoke.
Annabeth tilted her head to the side, considering Maisie's reasoning. "Thats a good point Maisie, but I'm pretty sure—"
"Oh give me a break Annabeth." Drew spoke up. "She doesn't want to go. Give the chance to a demigod who wants to! Plus, I wouldn't want her on my quest either. With her track record of friends, I would watch your backs—"
"Okay that's quite enough. You've had your turn to speak child." Chiron's voice bellowed out over the crowd, covering the colorful language shouted by Parker Murphy.
Piper and Jason looked at Maisie with uncertainty. Drew's words had made them wondered if they had to be careful around her.
Maisie stood to leave, when Jason called to her.
"Maisie Elliot. Will you join us on this quest?"
"No. I will not." She shot back. She then walked back towards the cabins, Donovan trailing not far behind her.
The cabin door slammed open, almost off its hinges, as Maisie stormed inside. She was going to kill something. Her vision was blinded with rage, her hands shook as she punched the wall closest to her. Leaving a small fist shaped dent in the wall.
She hadn't realized that she was crying until her hand met her watering eyes. She sat on her bed with her back against the wall, tucked into a ball with her head in her hands. What was she going to do.
Soft footsteps approached her as the door clicked shut. Donovan sat on the edge of her bed and quietly said her name.
Glancing up, his concerned eyes met hers. He reached his arms out for a hug and she jumped into him. Sobbing her eyes out as he muttered soothing words into her ear.
"I'm going to die on this quest Don." She sobbed. "You know what happens whenever a quest is taken with more than three; one always dies. It's going to be me."
"You won't die, Maisie. You won't. You're too hot to die." He replied.
She laughed through her tears and Donovan slightly chuckled with her.
"Besides," he started. Kissing her forehead lovingly. "Five people went into the labyrinth and they all made it out fine. You're not going to die."
She shakily inhaled as she began to believe his words. She wasn't ready to die yet.
They stayed cuddled in each other's embrace until the early hours of the morning. Once Donovan had fallen asleep, she left for some alone time. She needed to clear her head.
The sun had risen now as Maisie continued to slice at dummies with her axe. Tossing her axe aside, she made one final round house kick to the dummy as it fell flat onto the ground. Panting, she sat onto the soft grass as she chugged the water bottle she kept next to her.
Her right hand was wrapped from last night. Nasty bruises covered the surface of her knuckles. Thankfully, she managed to shove her brass knuckles and rings over the bandages. She wasn't sure what she would do without those things.
Her headphones softly spewed Borderline by Tame Impala into her ears. She hummed along to the lyrics as she basked in the morning sun. She felt relaxed. She felt safe. She felt free.
Birds chirped around her and flew overhead. A squirrel collected acorns off the ground. A small bunny ran across the clearing from one edge to another.
Life was good for Maisie. It hadn't always been, but as she sat in the sun, all her problems seemed behind her. Somewhere on the back of her mind.
She mindlessly braided parts of her hair, sticking flowers in them like Cora had taught her to. She retracted her axe back into her silver brass knuckles as she stood. She thought she might want to grab a snack before heading back to her cabin. She could go for some salty pretzels right about now. She looked up to the sky. Eyes closed for a moment longer. Savoring her moment in the warming sun.
Then the sun went out.
What?
Her eyes opened to see a shadow of a bronze dragon above her. It swooped down at her and before she could react, it scooped her up into its claws. As the ground quickly got farther and farther away, she screamed. She held onto the dragons talons for dear life. She wasn't scared of heights that much, but being lifted 7 stories up in a matter of seconds would scare anybody.
She looked up to find familiar elvish features and curly hair peaking back at her.
Valdez
"Festus meet Maisie, Maisie this is Festus."
"Valdez," she yelped. "Tell your pet to put me down right now."
"No can do mi amor. Where are we headed again Jason?"
"To the god of the north wind. And to chase some storm spirits." He replied.
Thats when Maisie noticed Piper and Jason sitting on the dragon with Leo. And anger filled her body. She was on the quest! She didn't want to go and Leo picked her up anyway. Her hatred for the son of Hephaestus only grew.
She could only stare back at camp half blood helplessly as it slowly got farther and farther into the distance. Gut gespielt, Valdez, gut gespielt.
