10 Pinochle

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Chion didn't bother to leave any of his stuff in the tent, and this was for multiple reasons.

The first was that he wasn't even sure if he was going to stay within the area for very long, the thought of the monsters from before returning still in the forefront of his mind. Should the creatures from hell come back to finish the job, the white-haired youth would need to take proper action in order to ensure his own safety. He had no information as to why the monsters were targeting him, whether it was because he was a "demigod" or could use magic or just pissed them off in some way, but he definitely didn't want to endanger the ones who had helped him escape in the first place.

The camp had been regarded as a safe place by Festus, but it was unclear as to why. Did the camp have some sort of barrier in place? Was it because there were armed individuals here?

Until this particular set of questions was answered, leaving was going to linger in the back of his mind.

Perhaps the main reason for keeping his belongings on his person, though, was due to the fact he was almost stolen from the moment he set the bag down. After setting his backpack on a dresser, Chion had been set to head outside when he figured he'd go and get his bow and arrows just in case. When he came back, a few individuals were rummaging through his bag.

When spotted, they quickly apologized and scattered.

It was because of this that Chion still had a bag with him when he exited Cabin 11.

"You ready?" Luke asked as the youth made his way down the front steps.

"As I'll ever be." Chion fell in line next to the blonde.

As they walked to the infirmary, Luke took the time to explain a number of things involving demigods, gods, monsters, and the borders surrounding the camp. It actually wasn't that much since it packed a lot of more questions behind it, but it did well to answer quite a number of things Chion had already been wondering.

In regards to the youth leaving, his nagging feeling was put to rest. Apparently, the camp was shielded on all sides by a magical barrier, the pine tree he passed being the source of it.

The tree actually tied in with the prospect of Demigods and gods as well.

Demigods were the offspring of a mortal and a god or goddess, though that much Chion was able to figure out by himself. Being the child of a divine being and mortal, a certain smell, aura, or whatever was produced the moment they entered into the world, one that only got stronger with time. This smell attracted monsters like vultures to decaying flesh, a smell that was further amplified if the prey was aware of who they were and what they could do. The logistics behind how the increased smell worked was kind of iffy, so Chion just chalked it up to magic, something that could write off all common sense and defy logic. Aside from that, because of the smell, demigods were in danger from the very moment they were born, some more or less so than others.

That's where Camp HalfBlood and its magical borders came in. It served as a beacon of light for those demigods with scents powerful enough to attract these half-god hating beasts. It trained them, helped them hone their skills so they could live their lives peacefully, and defend themselves should the need arise. It was the only place in the world that was safe for demigods.

Luke hadn't told all of that information to Chion. Some of it was inferred from his own experience, like a piece of the puzzle falling into place when another piece was found.

There was a lot to digest and a bit more to think about, so, like always, the youth took careful note and pushed it to the backburner.

The duo reached the 'infirmary' after about ten minutes. A large two building with a baby blue paint job and a white trim, a bronze eagle weather vane with wind chimes fixed to its roof. A large deck wrapped around its perimeter, a large desk situated off the side of the main door where two individuals were playing some sort of card game. From the window near the top of the building, it was safe to infer there was some kind of third floor, some kind of attic or storage space.

"Well, I guess you'll be meeting Mr.D before the infirmary," Luke said as they walked up to the house. "Chiron's here too. Just head on up to them and talk, then head inside."

"You're not coming?" Chion queried, glancing back at the retreating teenager.

"I have some camp activities to prepare for. Tonight is Capture The Flag. Maybe if you're well enough, you can join us." Luke turned around and quickly departed. "If you see Annabeth, tell her to show you around. She should be in the infirmary."

(("Annabeth...")) Chion quickly recalled the honey blonde girl he had seen in his vision. (("She's also here."))

"Don't just stand there, Leon Pogo. Join us for a game."

The youth immediately turned his attention to the one who had spoken, though he had no intention of replying to the obvious incorrect use of his name. Making his way up the deck steps, Chion approached the two individuals, eyeing the cards they held in their possession. He wasn't able to identify what they were playing, but the youth figured he could probably get the hang of it if he watched for a little while. There wasn't another chair present when he approached, but they immediately changed when the individual to the left of the table waved his hand, a black haired man with watery blue bloodshot eyes, a chubby face, and a red nose. A third chair appeared.

At this point, Chion was immune to such developments, taking it in stride as he plopped down in the seat. "What are we playing?"

"One of the greatest games ever invented along with Pac-man and gladiator fighting," the drunk looking man said as he placed down the last of his cards. "Given your circumstances, though, I doubt you'd remember it. It's Pinochle."

"That's my win Mr.D," the other guy said, a guy in a wheelchair as he placed down his last card. To Chion, he looked over and gave the youth an acknowledging nod and a smile. "Hello there Chion. My name is Chiron. Welcome to Camp HalfBlood."

"Shoot." Mister D glanced from his deck to the other. " Yes, yes, welcome and all that. I suppose we should explain the rules of the game to you."

Though he said that, it was actually Chiron who took the time to explain it to him, giving him a quick rundown of how to play, showing him the deck, pairings, point system, and so on.

"Wouldn't we need another player?" Chion asked after listening to the explanation, understanding the gist of the game.

Right on cue, a young girl walked onto the scene, exiting through the front door of the baby blue building. The white-haired youth immediately fixated on the familiar curly blonde hair and stormy grey eyes, eyes that also happened to glance in Chion's direction. Without hesitation, the girl walked towards the three of them, taking the unoccupied side of the table.

"Ah. Annabell. Perfect timing." Mr. D waved his hand and a fourth seat popped into existence. "We need one more player. Partner up with Leon for a bit."

"How's Miss Milenia doing?" Chiron asked as Annabeth wordlessly took a seat after a period of hesitation. "The injury looked pretty serious."

"She's fine. It wasn't as bad as she made it seem." The blonde picked up her cards after she was dealt her hand. "She's healing up in the infirmary."

Mr. D shook his head as Chiron dealt him and Chion their hands. "Children of Aphrodite. Always clumsy with their hands. Should have stuck to makeup, now she's stuck with an arrow." With a flick of his hand, a Diet Coke appeared in his hand.

"She was doing fine," Annabethe rebuttalled. "It was because of the explosions. It startled her."

"Explosions?" Chion questioned.

Perhaps for the very first time, the girl truly looked towards Chion, her eyes locking onto the youths neon blue ones. Analytical, controlled grey hues bore into the young amnesiac as if she were attempting to peer straight into his soul or thinking of the best way to put him in the dirt. She seemed to be looking for something, be it traces of emotion or something on the youths hoodie, Chion wasn't entirely sure. After a while, a look of dissatisfaction flashed briefly across her face before being quickly concealed by a calm demeanor.

"Leon. Do you know how to play?" Annabeth gestured to the face-down cards still resting in front of the boy.

"It's Chion," the youth corrected. "Chion Pagos. Chiron just told me the rules."

The girl let out a sigh. "Then let's play. Don't drag me down."

"Okay. Am I going first?" Chion asked. "I'll bid 150."

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"And that's our win, I believe," Chion said as the game drew to a close, ending on the first round. "That wasn't as bad as I expected."

"You took the biggest gamble ever and got lucky," Annabeth said, looking a little frustrated. "And then proceeded to take the biggest risks on this side of the equator. We could have easily lost with all the plays you were making."

"But we won."

"That's not the point. Is your brain frozen? Or maybe you left it in the explosion."

"That reminds me. Chion, tell me about your journey here," Chiron interrupted the two before Annabeth could really get going, shifting the topic entirely. "How did you get here?"

The white-haired youth tore his gaze away from the blonde and onto the one speaking. After a bit of hesitation, he decided to simply tell them, Chiron and the other two at the table about what he had been through.

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