We rushed into the auditorium right as the bell rang, "Well, you two learned quickly," the voice of the choreographer, Ms. Arriero, said as we regained our breath. "What's your name," she asked us, "and please say you have leggings," she added once she noticed that we still wore our jeans.
"Make sure to always pack a pair whenever I go to a new place," I said, stretching my hand out. "I'm Raine, and this is Ranee. Are you the dance instructor," I asked her, and she nodded.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, and thank god you have leggings the new girl in show choir didn't," she said, pinching her nose in irritation as I shrugged.
"I mean, she is a new girl, and I don't think that she expected to be in a dance class, much less the show choir here," I said as the choreographer shrugged and nodded.
"True," she began, "you two go get changed in the dressings room across the hall, and we'll start with warm-ups."
We nodded, then rushed over to the dressing room, knocking on the door before entering. "I wasn't expecting to be in a dance class where I needed to change," I heard Aili say with a groan. "I was only in the show choir at my old school, not a dance class right after it," she added
"Well," another girl with red curly hair began, "make sure you have a pair of leggings tomorrow and for the rest of the class."
With that, she walked out, passing us with a scoff, "'Make sure you have a pair of leggings tomorrow and for the rest of the class,'" I repeated in a snotty voice and a scrunched up nose. "Sorry, I forgot to mention that there are those know-it-all snotty girls in the show choir," I said, opening my bag. "Luckily, they put two pairs of leggings in my bag," I added, tossing her a pair. "I hope you have a pair," I said to Tracy.
She shrugged, "No, but I have shorts, and those work just as well," she said as she started changing. "Taking our things in there," she asked, and I nodded, "Raine thinks we may be attacked, so be ready for some acting."
After this short explanation to Aili, she nodded and started to get changed herself.
After we were ready, we took our things and put them in front of the mirror, "Oh, the new girl magically got a pair of leggings," the snotty redhead said as I heard a growl from Stu.
"Well, maybe because as I was packing, I figured that my soulmate would have some sort of dance class and packed a pair of leggings for her," I said. "I have a habit of doing this because I was getting tired of ripping jeans whenever I dance," she said, walking up to her. "Now, if you would please stop bothering my soulmate, that would be greatly appreciated," I finished as I took a spot between Stu and Aili. Tracy was standing right behind me.
"What kind of dress code do you think we have," the girl asked, still being snotty
I shrugged, "Maybe the same as the whole district's dress code for high schools," I answered as I began to stretch. "Don't faint, but I did do some research before moving here," I finished, and she scoffed.
"Vanny, you have a know-it-all soulmate, aren't you tired of this kind of person," the popular girl asked with a sneer.
"As a matter of fact," Aili began as I glanced at her, "no, I'm not."
"Fitting company," the girl grumbled, "pitiful enjoying the company of other pitiful people," she said, and I jumped up from my stretch.
"What did you say about my soulmate," I asked with a growl
"Nothing," she said with a shrug
"Well, if you do have something to say, you can say it to my face," I said before walking back to my spot.
"You won't have her coming after you if you do something stupid. You'll also have to deal with me," Tracy said with a wink as I made eye contact with her.
"The pitiful protect each other," the girl said with my back turned
Before I knew it, she was flat on her back with me, ready to punch her face in, "Care to call me, my girlfriend, and my friend pitiful again?"
"Raine," Aili said, trying to pull me off of the redhead who I now realized had her hair dyed. "That's enough," she added as I let the girl go. I realized that Tracy was by the mirrors as she was close to the edge of the stage.
"Well then," a new voice said, "the class hasn't even started yet, and we have controversy," she said. "Let me take care of them, Mrs. Suleiman. They seem new here."
The choir director watching what happened on the edge of her seat jumped, "Oh, yeah, just take them to the main office, please," she said as the new teacher nodded.
"Come alone, you three," she said before walking to the edge of the stage
Reluctantly, we grabbed our things from the edge of the stage and followed the new teacher
"How much do I owe you," Tracy asked me in a whisper as we followed the new teacher into an empty classroom
"I'm going to say five bucks, but not now. We might need to run for our lives," I said, and Tracy nodded. "Glad we had some time to stretch," I added, and she chuckled
"Hidden brutality in two of you and some care and compassion in the other," the teacher began. "I think I just found the half-blood children of the protectors," she added with a gruesome laugh. "We have been looking all over for you."
"Um, I don't know what you're talking about, ma'am," I said, backing up against the counter.
"This does not look like the office," Aili mumbled next to me while holding my hand.
"It isn't," Tracy muttered just as the teacher turned into something that looked like a human and a spider.
"This is your payment for your birth," the monster snarled as I started shaking in fear. "Death," it added before lunging at us.
Without thinking, I grabbed the nearest thing on the counter and threw it in the monster's face, "I think not," I said as I pushed Tracy aside to dodge the falling creature.
"What the hell is that thing," Aili asked as I worked on fighting my fear of spiders.
"I don't know," I began, "but I hate it," I added, grabbing at my wrist, which was cut by the bottle I threw. "Let's find a way to get out of this room," I suggested as Tracy looked at my wound.
Just at that point, the door burst open, and in came Hanni and Stu, each with a weapon of their own, "You asked for a way out," Stu asked as Hanni approached me.
"That we did," Aili answered just as Stu stabbed the monster
"Did you get bit," Hanni asked me, looking at my wrist, and I shook my head, "then how are you bleeding?"
"I threw a bottle in its face, and a piece of it cut me," I said as she poured some goop all over it, and it healed instantly. "What was that," I asked, stunned
"Medicine," she said nonchalantly as the human-spider hybrid crumbled to dust. "You can pour it on a wound or drink it but not too much, or you'll burn. It was something made by the gods," she added, and I nodded.
"I call it goop juice," Stu said as Hanni sighed.
"That's because you love Markiplier, and you only splash it on yourself instead of drinking it," she shot at him. "Let's get out of here," she said, looking me over for any other injuries. "Good thing you didn't get bit since that one was poisonous," she added before we began walking out of the building through the courtyard.
"Great, another reason for me to hate that thing," I muttered while flexing my wrist. "What was that thing anyway," I asked as Aili held my other hand
"That monster is called a venomhag," Hanni began, "both their bites and their scratches are poisonous."
"Ouch," Aili said as Stu nodded, walking behind us, "shouldn't we start running since she probably isn't the only one of those," she paused. "Things here," she asked, and Stu shook his head.
"Contrary to popular belief," he began. "Being the Greek and Roman book series, running doesn't do anything but draw attention to us. We only run if someone watched us kill that monster or destroy most of the school," he explained.
"Why run if someone noticed you killing that thing," Tracy asked, "if I saw you kill that thing, I'd be praising you."
"That's the thing," Hanni began. "You would be seeing him kill an innocent woman with a lighter instead of a sword. There's a magic that keeps people from seeing the real things," she finished. "Are you two missing any parents," she asked, and we all shook our heads. "That's weird, mostly they're missing a parent, if not both of them," she muttered as we approached the woods behind the school.
"Maybe their parents remarried after the god or goddess knocked them up, delivered them, and then left. Maybe the parents didn't tell them anything about step-parents," Stu suggested as Hanni shrugged.
"I don't know," she began, "just call our ride, please," she finished as he smirked before blowing a whistle five times.
"What in the world are you talking about," I asked as Stu smirked
"Take a step back. We'll explain in the sky," he said as I arched an eyebrow
"What," I said just as Tracy and Aili pulled me back before five winged horses landed right in front of us, one of them being black as night. "Pegasi," I said with a sigh
"You know your mythological creatures," Hanni asked, shocked
I nodded, "After reading the Greek and Roman series, I wanted to look at other mythologies," I answered, and she smiled
"Well, you're going to like this explanation," she said as three Pegasi knelt for us to mount them. "Because you're demigods of a mythology that isn't well known, but they are the ones working the Soulmate Project."
"I thought that was the government," Tracy said with a hint of shock in her voice as Hanni shook her head.
"Hold on tight," Stu called out before we went into the sky, quickly grabbing onto the flank of the horse. "Who do you think let the names appear on your wrists and gave you makeovers," he asked once we were above the clouds. "Oh, and could you please relax your grip on her neck? It's making her a little uncomfortable," he added as I straightened up to look at Aili and Tracy.
Aili was holding on for dear life, "I'm scared," she said into the Pegasus's flank.
"Come here," I said, it seemed like the Pegasus looked at Stu, and with a nod of his head, she drifted over to me. I picked Aili up by the armpits and sat her in front of me, "I got you," I said. "You okay," I asked her as I held onto her and the flank of my Pegasus.
"I'm better," she answered just as Tracy smiled and the other Pegasus disappeared.
"To be honest, I don't know," Tracy finally answered, "I thought it was some sort of voodoo."
"Who do," Stu asked, and I chuckled at the reference he was trying to start. "Either way, I'm sorry I should've asked whether or not you wanted land or air travel; I didn't take into consideration fear of heights."
"It's fine," Aili mumbled as she cuddled closer to me, "I'm better now," she added, and I smiled.
"How long have you two been together," Hanni asked me, and I shrugged
"I don't know," I answered, "I think we got together after the first couple was announced, but then the rest was a blur."
"Y'all look cute together," Tracy said with a wink that wasn't noticed by Hanni.
"Thanks," I said as she smiled
"We're here," Stu said as we started diving
Aili turned around and held onto my waist as the wind blew into my face. I leaned in closer to the flank of the Pegasus.
"Welcome to Camp Unity," Hanni said once the clouds cleared
Below us was a camp with cabins arranged like the throne room, instead of the empty middle though there was a fire pit, an arena, and Pavilion. The circle held the same amount of cabins as there were thrones; the outside had more cabins. "There are so many cabins," Tracy said in disbelief
"Our last war," Hanni began with her and Stu looking forward as we kept diving. "Was about ten years ago, this one made the gods promise that all children will be recognized," she explained as I internally groaned
Once we were claimed, we have to ruin the peace that this camp had for ten years with war news. "Who was this war against," asked as the ground came closer
"It was the brother of the creator," Hanni answered, looking back. "It took a lot of lives, but most of the seasoned campers who aided in it were blessed with immortality but not like the gods and goddesses."
"Hang on," Tracy began as Aili clung to my body as we landed. "Are you referring to gods and goddesses as in multiple? Are we like demigods in that Greek series," she asked, and we saw Hanni nod. "Who do you think our parents are," she asked as campers crowded.
"I don't know," she began as we dismounted. "Most of the demigods that we pick up usually have one parent missing or deceased. That makes things easier to tell. For now, you three, go over there to introduce yourself to the camp leader," she ordered, and we nodded.
"Who are your parents," I asked before we left
"I am a daughter of Liliane, goddess of wisdom," Hanni said as I nodded, picturing it.
"I am a son of Flinn, god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses," he said as I nodded, picturing that. I also remembered the Pegasus that Aili was on, seeming to ask for his permission before she came closer to me. "Go meet the camp director and get some rest," he began, "you'll probably be claimed after dinner."
We all nodded and started walking to the building that Hanni pointed at, "I am not ready to ruin the lives of these people with this news," Aili said in my arms, and I smiled.
"Neither am I, but we have to go with the plan," I muttered in reply, "or I'm pretty sure a certain planning goddess will have a fit."