Malcolm's bunk

Malcolm Johnson had been sitting at his work bench for quiet a while now. He was constructing a robotic spider that he would be able to control for a short while. There were several robotic insects and arachnids that he had built in the past that were now sitting in a box underneath his bunk. The son of Hephaestus wiped the sweat from his brow and continued tinkering.

Kelli stepped into the cabin, wiping sweat off her face. She had spent all day in the forge, crafting a large bronze shield engraved with famous demigod battles throughout history. She flopped down on her bunk, sighing heavily. Twisting onto her back, Kelli looked around. No one was there, save for a boy about her age tinkering with something. Her vision was too blurry to make out what it was.

Malcolm turned to look at who had entered his cabin. "Oh, hey, Kelli." He greeted, smiling a bit at her. He went back to finishing up at the robo-sect before cracking his knuckles. "Have fun in the forge today?"

"Yeah," I breathed, barely able to speak. "Yeah, it was fun." I grabbed the shield and threw it to him like a discus. As he admired it, I sat up and started absentmindedly grabbing supplies from my table and assembling little helicopters and dismantling them. I felt awkward as he examined my shield. I didn't really know any of the people in my cabin very well, and it was hard to think of the as siblings.

Malcolm admired the shield, smiling at how well it was made. "Awesome." He smiled at her some before he put the shield down beside his bench. He cleared his throat and continued working, humming to himself while putting the finishing touches on his mechanical spider.

I sat there on my bed, sweating even harder. I didn't dare to move. What do I say? What do I say? What do I say?
"I... Like your spiders." When the words escaped my lips, I knew that I should've said something else. Or nothing at all.

Malcolm led his new friend, Ryan, into his bunk. He pushed passed some work benches before finally coming to his bunk. After pressing a few buttons, his bed slid over to the left, revealing an underground work chamber. "Come on in." The son of Hephaestus walked down the stairs and into his little chamber. It was of good size with an avil and foundry in the corner. He had one large work bench with three chairs around it. "So, do you like it?"

Ryan followed Malcolm into Cabin 9. It was his first time in there, so his head was on a swivel. It was basically like a workshop with beds that fold against the walls. The were parts all over the place, weapons on the wall and even a fire pole. Even though the place was a mess, it was still pretty cool. Malcolm did something with one of the bunks, which Ryan assumed was his, and it moved to the side. So the legends were true. Ryan followed Malcolm down the stairs into a pretty cool little forge. He did a full 360 before taking a seat next to a work bench. He draped one arm over the back of the chair and smiled, "Oh, I like. This place is pretty sweet."

'Thanks." Malcolm looked over is shoulder at Ryan before going over and starting a fire in the smelter with match. It took Sawyer and I quite a while to create this spot. Well, it was easier with the help of our powers combined." Malcolm shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and walked back over to wear he kept the slabs of celestial bronze and grabbed it, throwing it over his shoulder until he came back over to the work bench. Thankfully he used his ferrokinesis so it wouldn't be such a strain on Malcolm's muscles and back. After putting it on the table, the son of Hephaestus robbed his hands together. "So, what do you want to make?"

Malcolm talked so casually of this secret forge as if it was nothing. If Ryan had a place like this, he would make it seem more mysterious. He was pretty sure he could learn all the secrets of this forge just by asking Malcolm. Malcolm then went ahead and lugged a piece of celestial bronze and carried it over like it was a 2x4. Ryan stared at the metal as Malcolm put it on the table. It took him a minute before returning to reality. He shrugged, "All I've ever made was weapons." You know, the basic stuff they teach you in smithing class.. "Why don't you suggest something. And remember, it has to be cool."

Malcolm thought for a moment, then had an idea. "What's your favorite animal? An owl?" He asked teasingly as he sat down beside Ryan and pulled some sketch paper from the inside the workbench, along with a small wooden pencil. "I could make you a celestial bronze owl if you like..." Malcolm was starting to get into his worker's mood.

"Oh, just because I'm a son of Athena, my favorite animal is an owl? Isn't that a bit prejudice." Ryan joked. He leaned forward , his forearms pressing into the tabletop. "Didn't they have one of those in the original Clash of the Titans movie?" He had only seen it once, but the owl caught his attention. He slid a piece of paper over. He tapped the paper, "My favorite animal is a raccoon, by the way." Ryan has always liked them. They looked like little burglars, their little black masks and the fact that they stole stuff. "An animal seems troublesome, I don't want it running about."

Malcolm gave Ryan a slight smile before he scratched out the owl idea. "I honestly have no idea." He knitted his eyebrows together, looking over at the son of Athena. "Raccoons? I can work with that." The son of Hephaestus started to sketch out ideas for what the raccoon would do. It could be used as a spy device or just to collect information. "Don't worry about it. The mechanical rodent will be at your beck and call...as well as mine." Malcolm put his serious face back on.

Ryan watched as Malcolm quickly drew a design of a raccoon automaton. Even though it was only a beginning sketch, Ryan couldn't help but be impressed by the way Malcolm drew it. He drew it like someone who was already building it in their head. Ryan did the same thing when he designed buildings and vehicles. Malcolm's obviously was obviously more detailed than any Ryan had done though.

He still had his doubts about the loyalty of the automaton. There had been that incident with the dragon a while back and he didn't trust metal things since. But he wanted to show that he trusted Malcolm, " You sure you can control it? Like 100% sure" Ryan hoped Malcolm could, a raccoon automaton would be really cool.

Malcolm continued to sketch out the raccoon until it was perfect. Or at least close to it. He then started to right measurements for the automan. A smirk came across the son of Hephaestus face when Ryan asked him if he could control it. "Of course I can. There's no need to worry when you have Metel Malcolm around." That was the name he came up for himself if he ever became a superhero. Either that or "Mr. M".

"Umm so hey. Yeah, aphrodite in a hephaestus cabin, wierd and awkward. I'm looking for Liam. Liam Axford? Well I haven't seen him for a while and I have to make this quick, Cleopatra might see me and think i'm a total dishonor to the "populars" but I really want to see Liam. Tell me if you see hin and tell him to give me a ring!" I stated quickly. I ran out the hephaestus cabin quickly.