Elsie was thoroughly enjoying her role as a mentor, especially considering how lovely Demi was. They were getting on well, despite their differences (really, Elsie couldn’t believe how different their tastes in music were), when Elsie realised they should head towards the campfire. She had been too busy being entertained to notice where the time was going, so they’d had to hurry a little. Especially as everyone knew that Demi would be getting claimed today - it would be a bit embarrassing if Elsie was late in bringing the person who would be most talked-about at today’s campfire. She was amused at Demi’s explanation of campfires. “I mean, they can be a bit cheesy,” she said, continuing their conversation, “And there are songs you definitely won’t know, but the Apollo kids lead it, and they’re pretty cool. They wouldn’t bring out an instrument as basic as a guitar, anyway,” she said with a laugh. “We sometimes end up singing some old-timey classics like the Beatles, which everyone knows… although, actually, you don’t like them, do you?” She remembered, shaking her head in bemusement. “Ooh, look, it’s gold today,” Elsie said, pointing at the fire. “That means the campers are generally feeling excited.”
“I like cheesy! I’m not lactose intolerant,” Demi joked, before their eyes widened as they reached the fire and got the whole effect. Ok, the colour-changing fire was incredibly cool, and they liked the set-up. “I just don’t know them! I think Glee did some of their songs, though, if they’re the British guys with bad hairdos? I liked some of those songs!” they added, with a beam. Not that Elsie was likely to be a fan of Glee, if she even knew what it was. “It changes colour depending on people’s moods? That’s cool! And a bit weird. Like, how does it know?” It seemed so far-fetched that the fire could read people’s minds.
Elsie giggled at Demi’s joke, even though it wasn’t the most original. Elsie liked dad jokes, okay? “Oh, good, because I live for cheesy.” She was pleased she’d been watching Demi when they saw the fire, feeling weirdly smug that they were so impressed by it. She snorted at their description of the Beatles. “I mean, yeah, that’s them. They weren’t bad haircuts for the time, though, they were very popular!” Although she wasn’t sure how much of that was because the Beatles had popularised the haircut. “I haven’t seen Glee,” she had to admit. “But I know one or two things about it; Kestrel loves it. She’s an Apollo kid,” she added, for the extra information. “Well, it sort of feels the auras and emotions of the people around and changes depending on what the general feeling is. I guess it senses people’s… vibes?” She questioned her use of the word ‘vibes’, having heard Lark say it but never having used it herself.
“Cheese is good. Except for blue cheese, that should fully be illegal.” Demi had a long list of things that should be illegal. “Ew, I’m glad I wasn’t born in the- Beatles time. I wanna say the 50s? I mean, I would’ve had to stay closeted anyway, so that would’ve sucked, but having that haircut would’ve been the shit cherry on the mould cupcake.” That was definitely not a saying they’d be using again. “You haven’t seen Glee?! You are missing out,” they promised, with a grin. “Okay, Kestrel is my new best friend, introduce me immediately,” they demanded. “Huh. Like Jasper from Twilight!” They glanced around, and noticed that people were starting to quiet down and look in their direction. Ah. This would be for the aforementioned claiming. They had to admit, they were nervous. What if they got a bad one?
“Oh, I absolutely agree. It’s one of the few things my dad and I disagree over; he can’t get enough of it. I had it just before I threw up at some point and I’ve never been the same again.” Elsie said, before wondering if maybe that was a bit too much information for someone she barely knew. Something about Demi just made Elsie very chatty. “The ‘Beatles time’?” She was concerned about who had raised poor Demi. “Close, it was the 60s. Yeah, it definitely wouldn’t have been good times to be alive, but the music is excellent.” She grinned. “Nope, but if they sing some of the Beatles songs, it can’t be too awful.” She knew there was some division around if Glee’s covers were any good, though. “I will introduce you, don’t worry.” She was sure Kes would love Demi. “Uh, okay, I haven’t seen Twilight either.” Elsie was sure she sounded like a little old lady, and was preparing to say that she didn’t knit (which was, in fact, a lie: knitting was one of her favourite hobbies). Noticing Demi’s hesitancy, Elsie squeezed their hand for a moment. “Don’t worry, it’ll be absolutely fine. Whoever your parent is, there’s some good people in each cabin.”
Demi couldn’t help but laugh at Elsie’s story. “Yeah, it does put you off a food if you vomit after eating it,” they agreed. “I’ve not had a banana since I was nine,” they added wistfully. “Aw, I was so close! I must know some things after all.” Take that, Mrs Greer. “There we go, I’ll have to introduce you and then you only have to watch four and a bit seasons to get to the Beatles episodes. They might do other songs by them, too, though!” They’d have to think of another reason for Elsie to watch the last couple seasons. “Yay, I’m excited!” They rolled their eyes good-naturedly. “God. -s. You uncultured swine! I’ll show you Twilight, too. And Toy Story!” they added, realising they’d just referenced it. They smiled back at Elsie, reassured. “So, like, how does it happen?” they asked Elsie, in a lower voice, because almost everyone was looking at them now.
Elsie made a sad face at Demi’s wistful tone. “Not bananas! That’s absolutely devastating, they’re the best.” Elsie was a fruit bat so any fruit was great, really, but bananas were just fantastic. “You do know some things! Hm, okay, as long as not everything they sing is just modern rubbish. They do some Journey, right? They’re good,” she had to admit. She’d heard Trys and Kestrel talking about Glee’s Don’t Stop Believin’. She laughed at Demi calling her an uncultured swine, wondering if anyone who didn’t know the Beatles could call someone that. “Twilight… that’s the one with the vampire, right?” She checked. Elsie shot the campers a look, trying to indicate that they should back off a bit. Poor Demi. “Basically, at some point during the fire, your parent will, like, send a symbol that shows who they are, but it depends how much attention they’re paying and how dramatic they want the moment to be,” she explained, rolling her eyes. Some of them waited until there was some debate happening and then sent their symbol to stop the fighting or waited for their kid to do something which proved they were that gods’ kid. “Everyone’s just being nosey, really, there’s no need for them all to stare at you right now. Sometimes it happens at different times, like dinner or whatever, but it’s pretty likely it’ll happen at some point this evening, given that they all promised to claim their kids.” Which, she had to admit, they were all keeping to, which was nice.
“I know, I used to love bananas, but alas, even the sight of one makes me gag.” Ok, it wasn’t that bad really, or they would barely be able to leave the house. “They do a lot of Journey.” Demi could talk about Glee for hours, so they would have to be careful to shut themselves up here, or Elsie would end up edging further and further away before running for the hills, which would be no good. “Yes, Twilight is the vampire one,” they said. Poor Elsie, she really needed educating. “Aw, man, I’ve deffo got a dramatic one,” they said, with a pout. It would explain a lot. Their parents were both a bit more chill than them, they must have got it from somewhere. “Oh, excellent, so it can happen at any moment,” they said, eyeing the sky with some nerves. The two of them continued to chat for a while, and people stopped looking expectantly at Demi after a bit. The fire was burning low, with the campers beginning to look sleepy and like they were all about to head off to bed. Demi had just started to think maybe it wouldn’t happen tonight, and that was just typical, what sort of godly father was this, when they saw something flashing and looked up to see a glowing… some kind of musical instrument? Huh.
Elsie had to admit that, if they did a lot of Journey, Glee might be worth watching. She was relieved when the Campers stopped staring so intently at Demi; your first day at Camp was hard enough without feeling like the centre of attention. Elsie was surprised it was getting so late before the symbol started appearing - but it made sense when she realised it was Apollo. What a way to wake everyone up. Kestrel looked particularly pleased, but Elsie thought Demi looked a little stumped. “It’s a lyre, for Apollo.” She quietly but helpfully told them.
“Ohhh,” Demi said, nodding, and made a mental note to google lyres later. They didn’t really know how to feel. A group of kids was grinning and waving at them, so they assumed that was the rest of their cabin, and therefore their siblings. As an only child, gaining a bunch of siblings was a bit of a shock. Plus, a dad. Except that he was very much still an absent father, so not much of a change there. He had bothered to claim them though, so there was that, plus, like they’d said, music and archery? Very cool. They waved back at their new cabin, trying to put a smile on their face. “This is very weird,” they said to Elsie, hoping she’d understand.
Although it had been several years since being claimed, Elsie remembered it well. At least Demeter’s children were all so gentle and kind that she’d fit in right away, but it had been a weird experience. Elsie gently put her arm around Demi and gave them a side hug. “It is. Don’t worry, everyone feels like this when they get claimed. It’s spooky suddenly having a parent you’ve never met, but don’t think about it too much. Just be yourself and you’ll fit right in.” At least Demi’s parent wasn’t Ares; they should fit in well with the Apollo kids.
Demi was glad they’d chosen a good person to sit next to, and leant into the hug for a moment, feeling a little more grounded. “Thanks,” they said, trying to show how grateful they were through their smile. The fire had flared for a moment but was dying again, and the campers were beginning to get up to go to bed. They supposed they’d better go and find out where they were sleeping tonight. “I guess I should go and meet my cabin,” they said, unwilling to move from next to Elsie.
Elsie was glad her words had helped Demi, even a little bit. She was disappointed that it was already time to leave, but agreed that Demi should meet their cabinmates. “Good plan, if you stay up too late you’ll get eaten by the harpies!” Realising that might freak out Demi, Elsie tried to backpedal slightly. “I mean, on your first day you’d probably be fine. Just stick with Kestrel, she’s great,” she said brightly. Kes would look after Demi so they didn’t get eaten.
Demi stood up, but paused to stare at Elsie as her words registered. “I’ll be whatted by the whats?” That had not been on the initiation video. This place was actually going to kill them. “Stick with Kestrel,” they repeated, nodding. “Right. See you tomorrow. Unless I die first.” They set off for the group who’d waved, looking suspiciously around as they went.
"You'll be fine," Elsie said, patting them gently on the shoulder as they wandered off. "See you at breakfast!" She couldn't help but feel like she might have slightly traumatised them, and imagined them asking Kes many questions about everything that could kill them around here.
