I DON'T CAMP

I was having a really good day. I found twenty bucks on the ground and was able to buy myself a couple of hotdogs and a soda from the local street vendor. There's nothing quite as comforting as a New York City dirty water hotdog fresh from a cart on a hot summer day. I was sitting on the rocks in Central Park eating my lunch and watching tourists and locals alike walk through and enjoy themselves. That was when the monster appeared.

It was straight out of the mythology books. I recognized it as a chimera, and man was it pissed off. It growled at anyone who got too close and started breathing fire.

"What an angry dog," a tourist commented as she and her husband walked past.

"Puppy!" Their toddler cried in protest, but the mother scooped the kid up and hurried away before he could get too close.

"Are they blind or just dumb?" I wondered aloud. That was clearly not a dog.

The chimera ran straight toward me. I swallowed the last of my final hotdog, because there was no way I was sharing it with some monster, and downed the last of my soda for a caffeine boost. I'm not normally a fan of littering, but I chucked the can at the chimera in the hopes of distracting it. This only made it angrier.

I stood my ground, refusing to run. I'm a New Yorker, and I refused to let some asshole monster scare me away from one of my favorite places in the world. Those rocks were my sanctuary, at least during the day. At night, the park wasn't safe, and I wasn't dumb enough to hang out there after dark.

As the chimera lunged at me, I put my hands out to defend myself. To my complete shock, a blinding light burst out of them. My hands burned, but at the same time, it felt natural. I rolled with it, because it seemed like a pretty good time to suddenly develop a new superpower. I've had weird talents for as long as I can remember, but this one was brand new.

The chimera whimpered as the light hit its eyes. It jumped backward and looked away. That was when a sword came down and cut its head off.

I blinked for a moment. "Um... Thanks," I mumbled as I looked at the boy wielding the sword. This wasn't the strangest thing that had ever happened to me, so I didn't really question it.

"Percy!" A blonde cried as she came running toward him. She looked at the chimera's head and smirked. "I guess you don't need me after all."

"I always need you, Wise Girl," the boy replied.

She smiled before looking at me. "You saw all of this?" She asked.

"Of course I did," I replied. "It happened right in front of me."

"She has some kind of light magic," Percy explained. "It blinded the chimera."

"You're a half-blood," the girl said in surprise.

"I'm a what?" I asked.

"A demigod," she clarified. "I'm Annabeth Chase, and this is Percy Jackson. We can help you."

"I do just fine on my own, thanks."

"What's your name?" Percy asked.

I thought about lying, but considering he'd just saved my ass, that seemed rude. "Cedar," I replied. "Cedar Abbott."

"Cedar, I know you're freaked out, but I promise we can take you somewhere safe, and we'll explain everything."

"I'm not freaked out. I'm annoyed. Here I was, just minding my own business, and a freaking chimera came along and started shit with me for no good reason."

"There's this place called Camp Half-Blood. It's a sanctuary for demigods like us," Annabeth explained.

"No thanks. I'm a city girl. I don't camp."

"It's not an ordinary camp, Cedar. They can train you, and your Godly parent will claim you and-" Percy began.

"Stop right there. I don't have a dad and I don't want one. My mom raised me until I was six, and I've been on my own ever since."

"What happened?" Annabeth asked gently.

"She died. A man killed her. He was looking for me, but Mom wouldn't tell him where I was. She hid me in her herb room. Mom liked plants and stuff like that."

"The herbs hid your scent," Annabeth replied.

"My scent?"

"Demigods give off a very specific odor. Monsters, Gods, and other supernatural beings can smell us. The herbs would have made it impossible for him to sniff you out."

That made more sense than I wanted to admit. "It got quiet... When I couldn't stand hiding anymore, I snuck downstairs and found her. He broke her neck." I kept the emotions out of my voice. I'm tough, but talking about my mom's death is still traumatic.

"I'm so sorry," Annabeth said quickly, keeping her tone steady and unreadable. I don't think Annabeth deals with emotions very well. It was obvious she didn't know what to say to me.

Percy's horror was clear in his eyes. "Hades had a minotaur kidnap my mom. I thought she was dead for a while, and I know how deep that pain runs. Cedar... The other Half-Bloods understand grief and the everyday struggles we face. If you come with us, I promise we can help."

"You aren't going to leave me alone until I agree, are you?" I asked.

"Nope, probably not!" Percy replied cheerfully.

"Where is the stupid camp?" I asked with a sigh.

"Long Island."

"Ew! No way."

"Cedar-"

"I told you, I'm a city girl. I don't like dealing with stuck-up Long Islanders who think they're better than me because they have money."

"You're living on the streets, right? Camp's gotta be better than being homeless."

"I'm not homeless. The entire city is my home. The parks, the shops, the museums, the Broadway theaters, the churches, the temples, the synagogues, the street corners, the subways... Everything is my home. I know every inch of this city like the back of my hand."

"Cedar... Just give it a try, okay?" Annabeth asked. "Don't you want to know where you come from?"

"I come from Manhattan, specifically the East Village. My mom was an indy musician. She raised me to appreciate every type of music there is, and to embrace the Arts. My father was never around. Mom said he was a free spirit who she knew couldn't stay with us forever, but that's crap. He left us when Mom was pregnant. He didn't care about me, so why should I care about him?"

"The Gods aren't allowed to know their demigod children. We all have daddy issues," Percy replied.

"Or mommy issues," Annabeth added.

"If my dad's a God, why didn't he come find me when I ended up on my own? He must have known, right?" I protested.

"If you come to Camp with us, he'll be forced to claim you. Then maybe you can ask him yourself," Annabeth replied.

I frowned. I wasn't sure I cared enough to find out who he was, but it might be nice to see his face... So I could punch him.

"Fine, but I'm not staying. Like I said, I don't camp," I said firmly.

***

We arrived at the Camp a couple of hours later. I was reluctant to follow a couple of strangers into the woods, but Percy decapitated a monster for me. I figured that made him at least somewhat trustworthy.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood!" A cheerful boy greeted us. I couldn't understand why, but he seemed familiar. His eyes widened in surprise as something appeared above my head. I looked up in confusion. "Hi, Sis," he added after a moment. "I'm Will."

"Sis?" I repeated.

"Dad claimed you as soon as you walked through the gate," he explained. "Congratulations! You're a daughter of Apollo."

"Yes, yes, this one's definitely mine," a man I assumed was Apollo replied. "Oh, Cedar... You're the spitting image of your mother." He looked sad as he said that.

"You know my name," I said. "So why didn't you come find me after Mom died?"

"It was forbidde-"

Before he could finish the word, I punched him. As my fist connected with his jaw, I felt deeply satisfied. "Nice reunion," I replied. "Where's the nearest bus back to the City?"

"Cedar, don't go," Will said. "You just got here. And it's not safe for you out there."

"I've managed well enough for the last nine year. I don't need this place. I don't need a father, or a brother, or anything else. I just need me." I turned back toward the entrance.

"Cedar, I'm sorry," Apollo said. That stopped me for a second.

"Are you?" I asked.

"Yes. Truly. I was very fond of your mother and would have loved to be part of your life."

"Too little, too late, Buddy. I needed a dad when I was six. I outgrew that pretty fast raising myself on the streets of Manhattan."

He looked a little lost before his smile returned. "At least take this." He handed me a bag.

"I already have a backpack," I replied.

"You'll find that this backpack is rather special. Open it."

I reluctantly opened the bag. I was stunned when I reached inside and pulled out a quiver of arrows and a bow. "How the hell did this stuff fit in here?" I demanded.

"Magic!" Apollo replied dramatically. "You can put whatever you need to store in the bag and it will always fit. The quiver refills once it is empty, and the bow is one of my favorites. They are my gifts to you."

"What do you want in return?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, my daughter... I only want to know you are safe and happy. Have you ever used a bow before?"

"I took lessons as a kid, and I was good enough to compete by the time I was six, but then I lost Mom... Sometimes I hear about free events and go just to keep my skills sharp."

"If you stay here, you can train again," Will said. "We have a lot of archers here who can push you to places you didn't even know you could reach."

That was almost tempting. "I'm not big on group activities," I replied.

"At least stay for dinner," Percy pushed.

My stomach growled. Damnit, I thought. I couldn't deny I was starving. "Fine," I replied. "Feed me, and then point me in the direction of the way home."

We had a little time to kill before dinner, so Will insisted on taking me to the archery range. I decided it couldn't hurt to test out my new bow. I pulled it out and nocked an arrow, getting used to the weight before loosing it toward the target. I hit the bullseye.

"Let me guess," a voice said. "The new girl's your sister?"

"Yep!" Will replied.

"I'm an only child," I said at the same time.

"Great. I hope you two figure that out," the boy replied. He was wearing all black and looked like an emo kid who stepped out of a band poster, so I was pretty damn surprised when Will wrapped his arms around him and kissed him.

"Really? Mr. Sunshine is dating Eric Draven?" I asked.

"Who?" Emo Boy asked.

"Seriously? You've never seen The Crow?" I shook my head. "My point is you guys are complete opposites."

"Yes, but it works," Will replied with a smile. "Opposites attract."

"Cedar, this is Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades," Percy explained. He'd already told me he was Poseidon's kid, and that Annabeth was the daughter of Athena on the ride to the camp.

"Hades... I guess that makes sense," I said. "So, does that mean you'll be abducting Will and dragging him off to the Underworld?" I asked hopefully. I don't really do perky, and Will was very perky.

"Sunshine doesn't belong trapped down there," Nico replied. Looking into his haunted eyes, I could tell Nico had been through a lot. People who experience genuine trauma as kids always have a similar look in our eyes.

Nico's not so bad, I decided. At least he's not perky or trying to force himself into my life.

I loosed another arrow and hit the bullseye again. "You're doing great, honey!" Apollo said in a halfway decent impression of an encouraging dad.

I turned toward him and loosed an arrow at his foot. He jumped out of the way just in time with an indignant yelp. "Don't call me honey," I said. "Ever."

"Noted," he replied a little nervously. I caught Nico smirking slightly and decided I definitely liked him.

Apollo watched me silently after that and I did my best to ignore him. I focused on archery, enjoying myself as I moved on to more difficult targets.

When it was finally time for dinner, I ate in silence as Will rambled on and introduced me to the rest of my half-siblings at the camp. I didn't really want to get to know them, and I barely acknowledged them, so they mostly talked to each other and ignored me.

As soon as dinner was over, I turned to Will. "How do I get back to Manhattan?" I asked.

"I guess I can't convince you to stay?" He replied a little sadly.

"I don't belong here, Will. You seem nice and all, but this isn't my life. If I don't get back to civilization, I'll lose my mind."

"It isn't safe out there," he said. "I have no idea how you avoided monsters on your own for as long as you did. Has anything changed recently?"

"Not really," I replied, but then I thought about it. "My pouch," I mumbled.

"Your pouch?" Will repeated.

"I've had this pouch of herbs and trinkets ever since I was a little kid. I don't know why I kept it... Maybe because my mom made it. Anyway, I lost it two days ago. Maybe the herbs were keeping my scent masked?"

"After so much time, their scents should have faded... Still, we need to find it, Cedar. It might be your best chance at staying safe."

"How am I supposed to find it? It could be anywhere."

"You must have a connection to it after carrying it for so long. It's like your personal talisman. That makes it magical. Nico and I will help you look."

"We will?" Nico questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Please, Nico? And are you up for using shadow travel? It's a lot faster that way, but I don't want you passing out... I already packed your pillow for afterward... You can rest while we start searching for the pouch."

Nico sighed. "Alright, fine. When are we doing this?"

"As soon as possible," I replied, "before the campers burst into Kumbaya or something."

"Do you want to say goodbye to our Dad first?" Will asked.

"Not in the slightest. And he's your dad, really. You can keep him."

Nico seemed amused by my comment. Will seemed a little upset. "He's really not so bad once you get to know him," he said.

"I guess I'll never find out," I replied.

Nico took each of our hands. The next thing I knew, it felt like we were moving impossibly fast through the darkness. It was a little bit freaky until I imagined we were just on the subway and moving through a tunnel.

When we stopped moving, we were in Midtown Manhattan. I took a moment to recover. Nico looked absolutely exhausted.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Shadow travel takes a lot out of me, especially when I bring along passengers. Where can I curl up and take a nap safely?" Nico asked.

"Nowhere out in the open... Follow me." I led the way to a Broadway theater I knew had gone dark recently. I started to pick the lock.

"Are you sure you're not actually a daughter of Hermes?" Nico asked with a smirk.

"I'm a street kid. It gets cold in the winter. A girl's gotta sleep somewhere, so I adapted and learned how to pick locks," I replied.

"You're a survivor," Will said. He sounded impressed, which surprised me. I'd expected him to judge me for my not-so-legal skills. "That's a good thing."

"The stage area is pretty comfy for a nap. It might be haunted, though. Most old theaters are. Will you be alright?"

"If the ghosts won't let me nap, I'll send them straight to my father," Nico replied with a shrug.

"We'll come back for you soon," Will promised. He gave Nico a quick kiss. That actually made Nico smile. He looked younger when he smiled.

Nico headed inside. Will looked at me and asked, "Where to?"

I thought about it before saying, "The last place I know I had it was at Bruno's, down on Tenth Avenue."

"What's Bruno's?" Will asked.

"The home of the best pizza in Midtown. Bruno's a good guy. He gives me his leftovers at night to make sure I eat."

"That's generous."

"He has to throw out any unsold food at the end of the night away. At least if he's giving it to me it's not going to waste. Besides, he's known me since I was six. I guess he's attached to me. Anyway, I had the pouch when I went in. It must have slipped out of my pocket while I was there."

Bruno greeted me with a smile as soon as I walked in. "It's mia bambina! What can I do for you, Little Lady?" He asked. "Who's the boy? A new boyfriend? You better treat her right or we're gonna have words, my friend." He shook his fist at Will.

"Ew, no, he's not my boyfriend," I replied quickly. "Will's a... Friend, I guess."

"A friend? Why didn't you say so? Have a slice on the house!"

"We actually just ate," Will replied politely, "but thanks."

"Bruno, have you seen a pouch around here? It's purple velvet, and it has a zipper and herbs and things inside," I asked.

"No, but it sounds delicious," he replied. "Any herbs I should try out as a new seasoning?"

"I don't know exactly what's in it... My mom made it."

Bruno turned sympathetic then. "Let me help you look, carina."

Bruno was the only person I let use pet names like "dear," "sweetheart," or "baby." He'd been in my life since right after I lost my mom, and he popped up at the strangest of times to help me until I was old enough to protect myself. He was the closest thing I'd ever had to a father.

As we started searching around the kitchen area, Will moved beside me. "Cedar, what do you know about this guy?" He asked.

"He's lived here for a couple of decades. He's a really good chef. He has a motorcycle. He's damn good in a fight. He's always looked out for me. Why do you ask?"

"He's not mortal."

I blinked at him. "What?" I asked. I hadn't expected that.

"I can't really explain how I can tell, but I can. His energy just isn't ordinary."

"Then what is he?" I demanded.

"He is close enough to hear you," Bruno replied as he grabbed one of his knives. "Alright, Will, tell me the truth, and choose your words carefully. Who are you? Who sent you? And what are you doing with my favorite stray teenager?"

Will quickly put his hands up in surrender. "My name is Will Solace," he began. "I'm a demigod son of Apollo. I'm bringing Cedar home from Camp Half-Blood. Can you please put the knife down now?"

"Camp Half-Blood? So you weren't sent here to find me?" Bruno slowly lowered the knife.

"Why would he be here to find you?" I demanded. "What's going on, Bruno?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, mia bambina. Let me make you a pepperoni pie, fresh, on the house."

"Bruno!" I snapped. "Tell me what's going on or I'm never coming back."

He sighed. "I was worried your sunny friend was from a different camp."

"You're a demigod," Will guessed. "From Camp Jupiter?"

"I left that place as a teenager and never looked back. I figured the only place they wouldn't look for me was in New York. That's Greek territory."

"You guys lost me," I admitted.

"My father is Mars, Roman God of War," Bruno clarified. "I got sick of being a puppet for him and his friends, so I ran away to live my dream. I'm not interested in war... I just want to cook and make people happy."

"Is there a rule against a demigod being a chef?" I asked in confusion.

"When you're a son of a war God and you would rather create peace, yes, mia bambina." He shrugged. "Let's find your pouch."

We searched some more before Will finally cried, "Found it!" He raised it into the air triumphantly before returning it to me.

"Thanks," I said. I opened it up and started looking through the contents.

"Your mother knew her stuff," Bruno said. "These herbs masked your scent, and the charms she included probably ensured the smell of the herbs would never fade. She also used charms I don't recognize..."

"I do," I replied. "Sort of, anyway... These symbols are from Egyptian mythology."

"You know Egyptian mythology?" Will asked.

"I read a lot," I said. "No one kicks a teenager with a backpack out of a library. It's a good way to get access to air conditioning or heat when the weather is bad."

"You know, carina, if you need a place to stay, my home is open to you. After all, you know my secret now. There is no reason for me to hide anymore."

I was stunned. Bruno had never asked me to live with him before. Part of me wanted to accept immediately, but a bigger part hesitated. Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Bruno had a hidden agenda. I had always trusted him before, but I couldn't be sure anymore.

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied with a smile, but I knew I wouldn't do it. Even if it was still safe to trust him, I couldn't risk bringing all this craziness his way. He'd gotten out of the demigod life, and I never planned to get into it, but I figured we stood a better chance of succeeding if we didn't live together.

"Good luck, mia bambina," Bruno said. He kissed the top of my head. "Come by for dinner tomorrow, alright?"

"You've got it, Bruno," I replied.

Will and I walked back toward the theater. We slipped inside and found Nico asleep on the stage. To my surprise, a transparent woman stood over him protectively. He was covered with a sheet from a discarded prop and he looked incredibly peaceful.

"I guess the ghost likes him," I mumbled.

Will gently knelt beside Nico and stroked his hair. "Time to go," he said softly.

"Ten more minutes..." Nico mumbled almost incoherently.

"Let him rest," the ghost said, making me jump out of my skin.

"You can speak?" I asked.

"I'm dead," she snapped. "That doesn't mean I can't have a social life. The boy needs sleep."

Will curled up beside Nico on the stage, wrapping his arms around him, which made Nico smile in his sleep. Even my cynical self had to admit that was kind of adorable.

I considered leaving, but I was pretty tired myself, so I decided to take a nap backstage. It was creepy back there, but I didn't mind that so much. In some ways, it was comforting, and I knew no one would bother me there, especially since the theater ghost was busy playing Mommy to Nico.

My sleep was interrupted by a hamster standing next to me. I'm not talking about something I could hold in my hands. This thing was the size of an SUV, and it looked pretty pissed off.

It chittered at me angrily before lunging. "Seriously? If after all I've lived through I die because of a giant hamster, I'm gonna be so pissed!" I declared.

Will woke up at my words, but Nico was still fast asleep. The theater ghost hovered over Nico protectively while Will and I tried to defend ourselves from the hamster from hell.

"This is a new one..." Will mumbled.

"It's oddly comforting to know you don't fight homicidal hamsters every day," I replied.

"Children of Apollo!" The hamster squeaked out. That killed any concern I might have had. I mean, how was I supposed to be intimidated by something that squeaked when it spoke?

"Alright, so you can talk," I said. "What the hell do you want?"

"Your blood."

"Sorry, Pal, but we sort of need that ourselves."

"Your father broke my heart!"

"Um, Will... Apollo has really weird taste in girlfriends."

"I'm a man!" The hamster shouted.

"My bad. I shouldn't have assumed. I forgot mythology shows Apollo is bisexual or pansexual or just doesn't identify. So, what's your name?"

"Panorus, Great Warrior of Greece."

"Great Warrior... Right," I replied skeptically. "I'm sure even hamsters can throw down in a fight."

"I wasn't always a hamster, you annoying, mouthy little demigoddess! I was a mortal man once."

"Look, I'm sorry for whatever our father did to you," Will said gently, "but that has nothing to do with us."

"He cursed me because I looked at another man once! It apparently offended him, so he turned me into this!"

"That's rough," I said. "I don't like Apollo either, okay? Let's start a club and be besties."

"I want your blood!"

"I already told you that's not an option. Calm down, alright? You're going to make your broken little hamster heart explode if you keep freaking out."

"I cannot die! Apollo also cursed me with immortality, an eternity stuck in this ridiculous form!"

"I thought Hera was the Greek deity with the most creative punishments... I've gotta hand it to Apollo. This one's unique."

Panorus apparently didn't like my comment. He pulled out a strange weapon and aimed it at me.

"I don't even want to know where he was hiding that," I mumbled. He didn't exactly have pockets.

"Panorus, let's talk about this," Will said, trying to sound sympathetic to the hamster's plight. "Maybe we can convince our father to break the curse."

"That's not good enough!" Panorus screeched.

"Dude, take it down a few pitches," I said in annoyance as my head started to hurt.

He opened his mouth, let out a squeak that I assume was a hamster battle cry, and lunged at us. I braced myself for the attack as Will dove in front of me protectively. I was stunned by that, but even more stunned by the fact that Panorus fell at our feet before he reached us.

As Nico pulled a sword out of the hamster's side, he looked at the two of us in confusion. "What in all of Hades did I miss?" He asked.

"Apollo turned his ex into a giant immortal hamster and he decided to kill us to get his revenge," I replied lightly. "How was your nap?"

"Uneventful," Nico replied.

"He's supposed to be immortal. Is he dead?" I asked, kicking Panorus to check.

"He's not dead, but he's fatally wounded. He'll regenerate eventually. We probably shouldn't be here when he gets back up."

We headed out of the theater together. The ghost watched us and waved goodbye to Nico as we left.

"How will you guys get back to the camp?" I asked.

"I have some gold Drachmas," Will replied. "I'll call the Chariot of Damnation."

"That doesn't sound ominous or horrible at all," I replied dryly.

"It's a taxi... One that moves dangerously fast and is driven by crazy people, but still..."

"That sounds like a regular New York City cab," I replied with a laugh.

Will pulled something out of his pocket. It was a golden necklace with a sun charm hanging from it. "This is enchanted," he told me. "If you ever need help, or just want to talk, squeeze it in your hand and it'll alert me." He showed me his own matching necklace. "I know you don't like our dad, and you aren't interested in having siblings, but everyone needs a friend once in a while, right? Maybe we can start there."

The sun charm called to me. I took the necklace, which made Will smile in relief. "I won't use it," I told him.

"I'll still feel better knowing you have it. It's got some basic protection charms on it, too." He hesitated. I think he wanted to hug me, but he didn't push his luck. "Be safe," he said.

"Thanks. You, too." I paused. "Thanks for taking down the hamster from hell, Nico," I added.

"No problem. Maybe I'll see you around sometime," he replied.

Will tossed a gold Drachma onto the road. A split second later, a cab appeared with three women inside. They had one eye between them.

Don't question it, I decided. At least they're not completely blind.

"Good luck, Cedar," Will said before he got into the cab with Nico. It sped off before I could reply.

I shrugged and headed to Bryant Park. As I sat in the sunlight and tried to relax, the sun charm sparkled. I felt like my energy was getting stronger, almost like I was recharging. I had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time I encountered demigod issues. And, oh boy, was I right!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you enjoyed Cedar's first misadventure! This one was meant to serve as an introduction. The rest will be random stories where she encounters demigods, deities, monsters, and even characters from other fandoms. I only own Cedar, Panorus, the Theater Ghost, and Bruno. Everyone else belongs to the incredibly gifted Rick Riordan.

Comments and votes are always appreciated!

PS: It was weirdly easy to find a picture of a giant hamster for the cast of characters below and I am highly amused by this. I expected Panorus to be a hard one to find art for. Enjoy the "end credits!"

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Cedar Abbott

Apollo

Bruno Bocci

Panorus

Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase

Will Solace & Nico Di Angelo

Theater Ghost