Nick let out a small breath when he dodged a low hanging branch. He felt like they were close by now, but then again, how far inside the forest were they? The brunet paused when some bushes rustled, a hand wandering to his sword. Was another fight about to begin?
His answer came in form of a few lower-hanging branches breaking off the trees when a giant ant made its way towards them. Nick scowled a little. "Of course," he said sarcastically.
"What's that? A giant ant?" Lucia asked, drawing her sword.
"Apparently. I forgot their real name, but let's be careful. Don't get sliced in half," Nick muttered, drawing his sword as well before stepping to the right. He glanced back at Chevy. Was her problem only with cockroaches or was it with insects in general? He wasn't sure; he didn't know her enough yet.
"Yes, we should be able to," Sanaa commented. "I have to admit that I've never tried it before, though." Sanaa watched a few people scurry by below. She was about to be lost in her thoughts, when she heard steps from behind. Turning her head, she smiled at her girlfriend. "Naomi. What's up?"
"We're leaving the harbor now," the oracle said, joining them. She smiled at Sanaa, poking her shoulder. "I can't read Greek like you guys. You're gonna translate for me, right?"
"Of course," Sanaa answered without missing a beat. "Right, Val? But the best case scenario would be that we meet a local demigod who can show us around."
Post by Cloverheart ✿ on Jan 16, 2017 10:23:36 GMT -5
Valentine nodded, giving Naomi a thumbs-up. "We'll be happy to translate." Looking over at Sanaa, she added, "but you're right. It would be nice to find a demigod who knows their way around Greece. I think we're a little clueless in that area." She chuckled at that. "Ah, yes, the children of Greek gods who can get lost in Greece." Val looked out onto the water, feeling a little rejuvenated.
Naomi laughed a little at that. "That would be ironic," she commented. "But let's not hope that - we shouldn't lose more time than necessary."
Sanaa grinned a little. "Aw, and here I thought about taking you on a date," she commented, looking out across the ocean. Of course she hadn't just used something she'd seen Asher do when flirting with her brother. That'd be ridiculous. Or maybe Sanaa just didn't want to admit it. She laughed a little when Naomi blushed, though, then sent Val a little apologetic look. She didn't like flirting in front of other people. It was a little impolite in her eyes.
"Well," Sanaa added. "We're heading to Itea. I'd guess it'll be around two days until we get there. So let's kick back until then and keep low. And if we have to we should take care of monsters quietly."
Post by Cloverheart ✿ on Jan 16, 2017 10:42:50 GMT -5
Valentine shrugged at Sanaa's look, as if she didn't really mind or care. Her eyes were focused on the water, and she hardly even looked back when they spoke. She was eager to get moving. It's like being on a long road trip and just wanting to be there already.
(How far should we skip, Clover? To the next day?))
"Imagine if Asher had been chosen for the quest," Sanaa started lightly with a smile. "I'm sure he would've gotten along great with his father. Meanwhile I can't stand him." She frowned a little at that. "How can it be that a lot of demigods have really different opinions on their parents? You'd think the scale would tip more towards one opinion or the other, but I've met just as many people who like their godly parent as people who can't stand them."
Sanaa couldn't help but wish that she was still at the camp, fighting the goddess again when she looked back at the ocean.
Post by Cloverheart ✿ on Jan 16, 2017 12:21:46 GMT -5
((Probably until they encounter a monster in the sea. Like, after a day or so, they run into a water monster.))
Valentine chuckled, looking back at her. "Well, it's just because everyone has different opinions and experiences. For example, Umiko might have gotten into an argument with Dad, causing him to think negatively of him. But I get along well with him, because he and I have only ever only had good run-ins." She was silent for a moment, then added, "Not saying that Umi doesn't get along with Dad. I'm sure he does."
Chevy looked at the giant ants but didn't seem much fazed by them, "It's only with cockroaches." She said with a small smile that seemed like she would've laughed if not for the gigantic insects around them for she wasn't sure if they could hear the nearby campers at all, "I wonder what would happen if I smash them....." She then added with her smile growing larger and twirling the mallet's staff in her hands.
"Hmm...my favorite memory? I have too many to count,but i guess, it would be the memory of meeting all you and making friends here on the forums. :3" ”One day I’m going to sit down and make a list of all the books that I finished reading....” “It's going to be a long list...”
Sanaa's lunch was quite literally interrupted by something hitting the ship. The daughter of Apollo found herself on the ground after that, but she quickly got up again to move. They'd already managed a day without anything happening, so why did something have to happen now? The ship shook again, but this time Sanaa managed to grab onto something. She had her knife with her, but made a quick stop by her room to collect her bow. If this was a sea monster, Sanaa preferred the thought of having a bow with her.
Stumbling out onto the deck, she called out to Val, "What's attacking us?"
"I'm afraid we were noticed by the one here," Nick muttered. "Let's hope it just stays at one that noticed us. I'd rather not have a big fight again." He moved forward silently while the ant came towards them, blending into the shadows. Children of Hades had an advantage in most dark places, but honestly, Nick felt like they had just as many disadvantages. He didn't think that he could do much damage with his sword unfortunately, which meant that Chevy attacking it wouldn't be such a bad idea. Nick wondered how chaotic everything would turn out that way, though.
"Let's ambush it," he finally decided. "I'll circle around it through the shadows."
Post by Cloverheart ✿ on Jan 17, 2017 8:43:25 GMT -5
Valentine hung onto the railing, narrowing her eyes as she gazed into the sea. Recently, she did some reading up on sea creatures, as a just-in-case thing. That certainly came in handy, seeing the situation. "Giant water centipede!" She called back, trying not to slip and fall as the boat lurched. "It's called a Skolopendra. And I think it's--" The boat took a heavy rock, and she fell, still holding onto the rail. "--it's trying to knock us off!" The water burst open as a giant black-and-pink million-legged.. thing.. erupted from the sea.
Sanaa stared up at the monster with a frown. "I wouldn't exactly call it cool. It's trying to kill us, Val," she muttered, only to twist her head around when she heard her girlfriend.
"Naomi, go back inside, it's dangerous," she said sternly while glancing back to the monster every few seconds. But of course, it wouldn't be that easy.
"Sanaa, I can fight, too!" she insisted. Sanaa was aware that Naomi had fought before, but it wasn't the moment to try that out again. Gritting her teeth, Sanaa crossed her arms in front of her chest, daring the monster to knock her over again.
"I'm aware, but fighting with a sword would be stupid right now. The only one able to do that at this moment is Val, because she can breathe underwater and wouldn't just get slammed under the ship and die if she leaped," Sanaa replied, furrowing her brows a little when Naomi pouted. She didn't seem like she wanted to give up, but Sanaa managed to shove her back inside when the monster attacked again. "Go find Justin!"
Post by Cloverheart ✿ on Jan 17, 2017 10:16:53 GMT -5
"Sorry, Naomi!" Valentine called out to her, gripping her spear. In the back of her mind, she wished Alex was here to form a plan of attack. Narrowing her eyes, she thought about her options. Simply blasting it with water wouldn't work, it was a sea monster. So she would have to stab it somehow. Maybe if she could jump in the water, she could blast herself up and aim for its throat. That was it's weak point, a little pink spot. But it's head was curved over it, she would need to go under.
"Sanaa!" Val called towards her. "I need you to distract it, okay? Just get it to turn its head somehow!" Hopefully this would work. She regained her balance, waiting for her chance to jump into the water without alerting it.
Sanaa nodded quickly, taking her bow into her hands. She jogged to the right, nocking and arrow. Her aim was precise most of the time, so she had no problem hitting the side of its head, making it turn to her. However, her next shot was aimed at one of its eyes. It was another hit, though it made the monster mad and not just annoyed. Sanaa cursed a little when it struck towards her. She hopped out of the way, but when it connected with the deck, the ship shook again.
Oh well, at least it seemed to have forgotten about Val. Sanaa gritted her teeth when it went in for another attack. "Val, whenever you're ready!" she said.
Post by Cloverheart ✿ on Jan 17, 2017 12:16:38 GMT -5
Giving her a quick salute, Valentine climbed onto the shaking edge and jumped into the ocean below. She was able to manipulate the water to catch her lightly, gripping her spear. She willed the sea to push her up, aiming for the pink spot under the neck. But she was too late. The Skolopendra saw her and swirled it's head, hitting her with a sharp claw-like leg.
Now with a gash in her side, Val fell down into the ocean, her head swirling. In any other case, she would have been done for. But she was the daughter of Poseidon. The water seeped into her wound, and it slowly closed up. Now rejuvenated with energy, she pushed herself up again and flung her spear at the centipede. It recoiled, raising its head in sudden agony. The water flung her back on deck, completely dry.
"Sanaa!" She called, scrambling to get on her feet while holding her side. "Aim for its neck! It's not finished yet!" Valentine collapsed on the side of the railing, the water shooting her spear back to her hand. "Hurry!"
Sanaa tried to get her sense of direction back from how the ship had been swaying. She heard a few people shout from behind her where the door was, but ignored it. Honestly, she was just hoping that whatever they were seeing wasn't painting either demigod in a bad light. Shaking her head, Sanaa quickly grabbed another arrow and nocked it, aiming at the pink spot. Hopefully this would work....
Releasing the arrow, she watched it zip towards the monster. For a split second, Sanaa thought that she had reacted too slowly, but then it managed to hit the spot before the monster lowered its head. There was a scream of agony. The ship shook again and Sanaa landed on the ground, almost letting go of her bow, which would've made it sail into the water. She gripped it tightly, glancing up at where the monster had been.
What greeted her made her smile. There was nothing there anymore, though she just hoped that the ship hadn't taken any bad damage.
Post by Cloverheart ✿ on Jan 17, 2017 12:39:47 GMT -5
A moment later, the captain appeared waving his arms. He was talking about how it was a jagged patch of rocks and nothing to be worried about, that the engineers would be fixing it. Valentine collapsed on the ground, hoping no one had seen her jump off. She clutched her side, for even though the wound was closed, it didn't have time to fully heal, and it was still throbbing. A scar-like crease remained in her side, and her ripped jacket was bloodstained. She would have to patch that up.
"Is everyone okay?" Val said in a shaky voice, laying on the deck of the ship. She knew they were still on route, thanks to her magical boat powers. Already a few days in and they had hit a monster. "Also, I need some help." She breathed with a half-hearted laugh.