Up a creek

Taylor almost fell asleep. The cool weather felt nice. His muscle relaxed, his eyes felt heavy. He might of drifted off for a second or two. When his focus returned, the clouds had moved. Sunlight filtered through the tree and right onto his face. Son of a.. He didn't finish that thought. He rolled over onto his side. Looking up at Emily she asked them a question.

"Nope." He replied. "I didn't even mean to show up here, it just kinda happened." He never really planned his days, he just did whatever came into his path.

"I see" Emily answered eventually, appearing to be satisfied with their answers. Their arrival at the wall for her anyway was a most fortuitous occurrence. The idea of climbing the wall remained a concept still one which despite failing several times at it, Emily remained undeterred. She will manage to reach the top some day, not this day but one day she would be standing at the top, victorious.

Emily appreciated that Carmen finished her cigarette before coming over to sit with them. Though she wouldn't have really been offended much by it.
"I am lucky then that you decided to head to the wall" She added after a noticeable pause. "Do you two have much planned for the rest of the day?" Emily inquired, wondering if she might be able to keep their company for a while longer. Her circle of friends was rather small, this chance meeting could be among those rarest of occurrences where Emily found herself new friends.

Maybe the basketball courts would be empty by now Taylor thought. His mind was usually focused on the game. Since he didn't get to get his practice in this morning, it had been nagging the back of his head. Taylor did not like missing a practice. It messed up his whole routine.

Carmen came over and sat with them. She had gotten rid of her cigarette but he could still smell the smoke on her. He wrinkled his nose. he was just going to have to live with it for now. Emily seemed to be the one carrying the conversation and Taylor was fine with that. Not that he didn't like talking to people, his mind was just out of it. Maybe it was because he slept for too long.

Plans? Taylor didn't plan stuff. Well, except for practices that is. He rolled over twice, ending up in a different shady spot, one that covered his face.

"Nope." Was all he said.

Emily just nodded in silence, it seemed like none of them had anything in particular planned for today. Well that wasn't actually true, Emily did in fact possess a plan however it no longer mattered and ceased to be relevant because she didn't make it up the wall.
A shame really considering Emily didn't really have anything else to do today, anything overly important anyway.

She sat in companionable silence with them, not really inclined to break it, for Emily lacked the mastery of speech, oratory could never be her strongest suit. As a result of this she often fell silent though on the other hand it could likely be from her rough upbringing combined with her general lack of a large body of friends.
She shuffled, the movement in her leg causing her to wince painfully. How the old wounds never truly heal, the sharp twinges and random pains reminders of what had taken place so long ago.
Emily never saw the reason why her body reminded her so bitterly about the injury, she could never forget it nor would she ever be able to.

At least in Camp, she would be able to find relative shelter and protection from the dangers that filled the world, but she wouldn't be able to seek sanctuary in here forever. Eventually she would need to leave either for a reason or because she felt like she needed to. Camp Half-blood would not become a gilded cage for Emily. Not on her watch.

None one in this group liked to talk for long. Carmen, following Taylor's example, answered in a short manner. It was quiet after that. Maybe the other two followed Taylor's example again and were drifting off into a afternoon nap. He opened one eye and saw both of them sitting there silently.

It was weird to be around people and not hear them talk. People flocked to Taylor, so he was always in a crowd. You couldn't go 20 seconds without hearing someone speak. After about 5 minutes of this, Taylor sat up. Resting his hands on his knees, he looked at both girls.

"Neither of you talk much, do you?" He asked. He didn't get a response. "Are we going to have to do the awkward introduction stuff." He said the next part in his best attempt at a charming voice. "I'm Taylor, son of Hecate. I like basketball, girls, and long walks on the beach. " He laughed at himself. "Do we really want to put ourselves through that kind of sh*t? Then let's talk. Get to know each other a little bit."

"You mean an ice breaker" Emily replied to Taylor before taking a deep breath and answering the question after Carmen did. "For those who don't know I am Emily, broke my leg a long time ago and it never healed properly I like literature and strategy" There, now they had a brief bit of information about her.

"Oh and just so I don't get on my father's bad side I am a daughter of Thanatos" She added hastily. Emily was used to the silence, she enjoyed it. The calm, the quiet, gave her chance to think. Not that initially she wanted or desired the silence that came from having few friends. However that was a story for a different day and not something that Emily wished to bring up in the current conversation with either Carmen or Taylor.
Though she more that probably would prefer a discussion about her small circle of friends rather than home or the wicked creatures she initially had to tolerate and call... Family, the ones who raised her before finally Camp Half-blood.

Taylor laughed as they followed his supposed-to-be-fake, "I meant that to be sarcastic." Maybe sarcasm wasn't his strong suit. His assumption where correct. Carmen was a kid of Seth, an Egyptian. And Emily was Thanatos spawn, a kid of the underworld. Taylor prided himself on knowing almost everyone at Camp, even if it was only by face. He heard of campers that had left because no one cared to talk to them. Camp was the only safe place for demigods. Out in the real world, you didn't last long by yourself.

"So what now?" Taylor wasn't used to just sitting around. Having ADHD didn't help. Whether it was fighting to playing basketball, he was usually moving. To compensate for his lack on motion, he got up and walked a circle around one of the nearby tree. He did this two or three times.

Emily tried to stifle a laugh, Taylor looked like a dog thinking of the best place to sent mark since he was doing circuits around the tree trunk. She could sympathise however with his frustration, his desire to move and stay busy. Of course, she was torn between the two polar opposites, on one side her body preferred being stationary as it tended to be far easier on her leg's behalf, her mind with her ADHD wanted her to be moving, to seek things and do things rather than sit all of the time.

Her hands played idly with one of her crutches, running her fingers up and down them, inspecting them for damage and flicking away an lingering dirt that clung to the metal.
She stopped, focusing her attention on Taylor once more in case he did something other than wander seemingly aimlessly around the circumference of the tree trunk.

Both of the girls seemed to find Taylor's need to move amusing. Well, it wasn't quite a need. If he stayed still for to long, it drove him crazy. He could only stay still for food and for sleep. He stopped next to the girls and remained standing. Looking at Carmen, he said, "I'm walking around. Stillness does not go well with me."

He had no idea what to do. He couldn't keep walking in circles forever, that would get boring. He wanted to go play basketball, like he always did, but he also wanted to keep hanging out with these two. They seemed like maybe they could be interesting to be friends with.

"What to do now?" He mumbled. He began kicking the little rocks at his feet.

Emily shuffled over when Carmen nudged her with her foot, to avoid it again. She believed that she wouldn't try to nudge, poke or otherwise attempt to harm her injured leg, yet Emily guarded the limb with a similar level of protection that a mother bear gave to her cubs.
It seemed that both her current companions where growing bored, she declined to admit that she too found herself finding just lying her to be the most dull of affairs.

But what could be done to rid themselves of the terrible boredom? Emily decided to suggest something. "We could go play basketball if you wanted?" She suggested timidly, knowing that for herself that it would mean sitting down watching and observing the other Demigods playing the sport.
It was just an idea, really. It might help provide something to cast back the boredom.

Taylor perked up at Emily's suggestion of basketball. Of course he would love to go play basketball. Excitement filled his chest, as it always did at the idea of basketball. But then he remembered Emily, her injured legs and the crutches. She wouldn't be able to play. That wasn't what you were supposed to with friends. They were his friends, right? He shook his head, "Nah, let's find something else to do."

He took another lap around the tree. There was a lot of stuff to do at Camp. Maybe too much. Taylor shrugged his shoulders, "We could always go get some food." Food was always a good option.

Emily hoped that her suggestion wasn't being declined by the fact that she couldn't play. She did not wish to prevent them from doing what they wanted to do, she would not mind watching. Emily long since became used to it, watching while her friends enjoyed themselves in activities she could only dream of taking part in.
Still she considered Taylor's counter offer before finally deciding on what her reply would be.
"Okay if you guys both want to eat" She tried not to sound to grudging, but her tone carried it even though she did not wish for it to be there.

Sometimes it was nice to watch the other Demigods play basketball, more fun than just lounging around in her cabin or shooting targets with a crossbow. Well firing in the general direction of a target and missing rather epically. Still if the air needed to be killed she could probably hit that. Probably...

Carmen's stomach seemed to be on the same track as Taylor's, growling at the mention of food. Emily seemed to fine doing whatever Taylor and Carmen wanted. She almost seemed disappointed at their choice to get food instead of playing basketball. Taylor couldn't imagine what it would be like to not be able to do most of the stuff others could do. That leg injury would drive him crazy.

Taylor felt a little bit guilty. He felt like he was suggesting things that he wanted to do. He should just go with what she would do. "If you want to do something else, I can wait for food." Such an un-boyish thing to say. Wait for food. Ha.

Emily got up slowly, careful of her leg. Getting up it always became a hindrance. A boy waiting to eat? This she could not believe and well coupled with Carmen's statement that she wanted to eat now joined by the fact that she intended to go alone.
"Okay" She relented semi shrugging on her crutches. "We can go get food" Emily wasn't really that hungry however something to eat might be nice. She sounded a little bit more eager this time around, at least for their sakes. Emily would not mind having to watch them perform tasks that she couldn't, for example sports.

She was used to by now having to sit on the side lines and watch, once more would fail to make much of a difference for her.

Well, Carmen was grumpy. Taylor was just trying to be nice. Taylor put his hands up, "Alright, we'll go get some food." As if waiting for the opportune moment, Taylor stomach had it's turn. It growled as if to prove he too was hungry. Maybe food was the best option. Taylor stretched, as if the growling was stiffness. "Well let's go."

OOC: do you want to post a new topic or just play off an open one.

"Lead on" Emily offered. "I will be following". She left the at a very slow pace out of it, she had no intention of rushing to grab a meal. Her own stomach remained silent on the matter of food, unlike those of Carmen and Taylor, which seemed only too eager to voice their desire for food with a growl or two.

Maybe there would be something particularly good to eat today? Maybe considering there shouldn't be too many other campers going to get food at this moment in time.
Taylor and Carmen probably wouldn't care if they where as hungry as their stomachs where making them out to be. Privately Emily would be glad for the chance to sit down.

OOC: I don't really mind we could post a new topic, remain in this one or play off of another one.

OOC: Let's just stay here.

BIC: The walk to the mess hall was not too far from the climbing wall. The group got there pretty quick, even with Emily crutching along behind. The mess hall was nearly empty. Lunch had passed and dinner was not for a while. Taylor sat down at a random table. It didn't really matter what table you sat at between meals, it only mattered for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Taylor grabbed his glass, which had filled with cherry Powerade, and took a long drink. A cheeseburger appeared on his plate, with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. He glanced back at his two companions, "I'm not going to wait for you." Pretty rude to say, but he was hungry. He took a bite out of his burger. Delicious.