The next day rolled around with the usual chaos that you'd expect from a summer camp full of teenagers with superpowers. Younger camper running around with wooden practice swords, the older kids with blunted metal swords, harpies screeching at someone for setting a bush on fire, and Chiron somehow managing to look both proud and completely done with everyone at the same time.
I was floating above the camp, a bucket of popcorn in my arms while a mango smoothie floated next to my head so I could sip from the straw. The show below me was ramping up to total war.
The forest was alive with the shouts of campers as the Capture the Flag game devolved into random bullshit. The Athena cabin barking orders like they were planning the invasion of Troy, the Ares kids were punching each other more than anyone else, and somewhere in that chaos, my kids were right in the middle of it all.
Mitsuri and Sally had made quick friends, opting to trade recipes for sweets rather than watching kids beat each other up over a game. Sally had been animatedly talking about 'blue cookies' before I had left. Mitsuri had been close to crying tears of joy. I had practically felt Chiron's relief that Mitsuri had found someone else to talk about baking instead of him.
That was a funny thing to see, but the real entertainment was in the woods where the 'game' was taking place.
Ai had both flags. Both.
I had to hold back laughter as I watched her dart between trees, her pink hair a streak of colour against the green. The Ares and Athena kids tried to surround her. It would have been a good plan… if she was alone.
Akira, was waiting in the branches above everyone with his kanabo and a grin on his face.
He dropped down like a pink haired meteor, bonking a kid on the helmet with a fair amount of force sending the kid ragdolling through the air with a shout of: "DYNAMIC ENTRY!"
The forest erupted into shouts and glitter bombs. I stopped asking where Ai kept getting those, I didn't even want to know anymore.
Meanwhile, Hikari was perched on a large boulder casually reloading her revolver. She wasn't directly shooting anyone, just at their feet to discourage anyone from getting too close to Ai.
Himari, though… she was going to be the star of the show. I could already see it.
Clarisse La Rue, the hulking daughter of Ares, was charging at her with that oversized electric baton she called a spear. The daughter of Ares was shouting something about 'honour' and 'vengeance'. Himari just twirled Playful Cloud in her hands like a pro.
I swear, some of the Athena kids were already taking notes before the beatdown happened.
Clarisse lunged, her spear crackling with lightning, only for Himari to causally dodge it with a graceful twist. Playful Cloud slammed into Clarisse's armoured chest denting the bronze chest plate and sending the larger girl tumbling to her ass.
Right into a puddle of mud.
The entire camp went silent for a moment.
Then Akira yelled, "AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!"
The forest exploded in laughter. The Ares cabin looked like they wanted to riot. The Athena kids sat down where they were, having finally decided that this was no longer a strategic match but a spectator sport.
The other kids slowly started sitting down one by one following the Athena cabin. I could see Chiron off to the side, rubbing his temples with both hands muttering something that suspiciously sounded like, "I should have retired centuries ago."
Ai was standing on a log now, waving both flags like a maniac. Akira was throwing rocks at Ares campers that got close.
'Damn kids targeting weak spots with frightening accuracy.'
I winced as he nailed a camper right on the balls… twice… with baseball sized rocks that he got from somewhere. Hikari was spinning her gun like a gunslinger.
Himari stood over Clarisse, Playful Cloud held in her arms looking like a tiny martial arts sensei.
"Lesson one," she said, voice calm, "don't swing wildly."
Clarisse swung wildly.
Himari sidestepped and bonked her on the head with her staff.
"Lesson two," Himari continued, "don't get angry."
Akira, being the little menace he was, hollered. "Himari-nee! She's failing both lessons!"
Even Ai was laughing at that point.
Eventually even the rest of the Ares kids gave up. The entire game had devolved into everyone sitting around watching Clarisse get schooled by an 'eleven year old girl' with a three sectioned staff.
I could practically hear Ares himself screaming somewhere on Olympus.
Then, just as the laughter reached its peak, the woods went dead silent. The wind shifted and my senses prickled.
A dark shape burst from the trees and leapt over the small stream. A Hellhound, bigger than a van, black smoke billowing from its fur and glowing coal-like eyes. Some campers screamed, others started picking up their weapons again.
Chiron shouted orders, but a majority of the kids were still too shocked to move. I didn't move either, I wanted to see how my kids would react to an unexpected fight.
The hound lunged at the closest one, Ai.
Then Hikari stepped forward, eyes glinting. The revolver was comically large in her hands but her grip was steady. No tremors, no hesitation, just determination to protect her sister.
"Don't touch my sister." Hikari said calmly, her finger tightened on the trigger.
The air crackled with red lighting as a glowing red orb swirled to life in front of the barrel to her gun.
She fired.
Crack BOOOM
The shockwave rattled the treetops, and the Hellhound collapsed onto the ground in a lifeless heap. A fist sized gaping hole burned right through its head. A few campers were thrown backwards by the shockwave. They recovered fast, watching warily as the hounds body didn't turn into golden dust.
Silence followed.
Every head turned to Hikari. The dust from the ground settled leaving her standing there. Gun slowly coming down to her side as she holstered it.
"Hikari-nee… did you just drop a nuke on a dog?" Akira asked with a shocked look on his face.
Hikari shrugged and let out a hum, "That was just a ten percent output of Otousan's Red technique… the nuke is for later."
Ai ran up to her with a whoop, both flags still in her hands.
"Hikari-nee! That was so cool! Do it again!"
"No!" Chiron said sharply as he came up to where the hound had been reduced to ashes. "Please don't do that again…"
I couldn't hold it back anymore, I started laughing. Mitsuri and Sally were probably wondering what the commotion was.
By the time I floated down, the game was long since declared a 'draw', mostly because no one had the courage to declare it as anything else.
When I reached my kids, Ai was still holding both flags with the most satisfied look on her face. Akira was bragging about how he 'strategically distracted' the Ares cabin by throwing rocks at the Ares kids.
Chiron sighed as he walked over to my side. "Why are your children like this?"
"Everything under control?" I asked with a smile.
He just sighed again, "I can see why the gods should be worried about you Lord Satoru."
"Mah, Chi-tan, no need for so much formality." I waved him off, "and the gods don't need to worry about anything, they just need to keep their bullshit away from me."
"You'll give this old centaur a heart attack one day L— Satoru…" Chiron glanced at me.
"Aw, you say the nicest things." I chuckled.
Ai waved at me with both flags, "Papa we won!"
"Of course you did," I smiled, "though… try not to cause so much collateral damage next time." I added while gazing at the nymphs silently crying at the destroyed section of vegetation.
They all laughed, even Chiron's lips twitched into a smile briefly before he schooled his features to maintain his stoic reputation.
'You know… a summer camp like this for orphans from the war would be a nice addition back in my homeworld.' I thought to myself.
I had plenty of land in the old Gojo clan grounds. I could convert a portion for a school slash orphanage. I floated back up to watch the demigod campers begin cleaning up.
'Hopefully the kids don't do too much damage.'