Archived Roleplay:Main Forum/General/ Benny and Theo RP

Hebe Cabin Porch
Theo: Theo walked over to the younger kid. "It's cool. What kind of gum is that?"

Benny: "Bubblegum obviously." Benny said, stifling a giggle. His tongue has been turned blue by the gum, "Do you want any? I got loads from the candy store." He offers his hand, before realising that its sticky and wiping it on the back of his jeans. "Um....nice to meet you."

Theo: Theo let out a slight laugh. "Yeah, but like, what flavor? I used to steal gum from this place in the city where they had over fifty flavors of bubble gum."

Benny: He giggled, and chewed another wad of gum. "Bubblegum silly." Benny said. He blew a small bubble and popped it once again. "You can get apple and strawberry flavours back home, and there's even a type of gum which tastes like peaches." He smiled. "I never steal anything, dad always gives me loads of pocket money, and it's not really nice."

Theo: "Kid, I'm gonna make it my mission when we both get outta here to take you to the city and introduce you to true choice of bubble gum flavors. Like everything from chocolate chir cookie dough to mango gum. And stealing isn't not nice either. What's not nice is someone being selfish enough to not feed you because you can't afford to pay. Also, It's fun. Much more than paying."

Benny: "Hey! I'm not that much of a kid!" Benny protests, folding his arms across his chest. "Besides, dad told me not to talk to strangers." He giggles and sticks his tongue out for a moment. His bright blue eyes were eagerly fixed on the older boy. "I dunno. It's not fair to take someone else's things." He shrugs his shoulders once again and unfolds his arms. "I'm Benny by the way, son of Hebe if you hadn't guessed."

Theo: Theo stuck out his hands. "I'm Theo. Son of Ariadne. So I guess we aren't strangers anymore. Its also not fair that I get all these cool demigod powers and the rest of the world doesn't. But then again, what are you gonna do, right? Its also not fair that some people go hungry and they have to steal to get food. i mean, I just think it's fun, but still."

Benny: He politely takes out his other hand and gives Theo a short handshake. Benny isn't quite sure how to respond to the older boy, he seems cool but a little cocky too. "We're all a part of the circle of life." Benny replies thoughtfully. "We should use our powers to try and help people. I guess my powers aren't the coolest, but I'll try help any way I can." He smiles. "What's it like, being an Ariadne kid? I bet you never get lost!"

Theo: "Yeah, I guess. But we also should use them to help ourselves. Like, if someone was getting mugged, I guess I'd sommon a wall and give the victim time to get away, but I'd also do that if I'm the one getting chased. Mostly the ladder, but the first too. And no kid, I don't get lost. But it would be helpful if I knew where my cabin was. But whatever, I'll figure it out."

Benny: "Um, I think I can show you!" Benny suggests, giving Theodore a bright smile. "So, I guess you're new to the camp?" He asks, chattering away while they walk towards the Ariadne cabin. "Yeah, I can see your point. I don't think I can really do much with my powers, except conjure yummy ambrosia and make people feel younger. But I really like it here."

Theo: "Yeah. And I'm sure you can do plenty with your powers. You just arn't sure how to creatively apply it to your life. Ariadne kids don't really have too much going for them either. But I've made my mark on the world with what I got by thinking of ways where my powers could be more usful than that of a silly Big Three kid."

Benny: He leads Theo down a path which he thinks leads to the Ariadne cabin. However, Benny is a little unsure whether he's going the right way or not. "I guess so." He shrugs and blows another bubblegum bubble. "There's loads to do at camp. We have a climbing wall, and a lake, and a forest nearby. There's a town too. They have a really good candy store." He grins, happily chattering away.

Theo: "I see you have quite the sweet tooth kid." Theo stops walking. "You have no idea where we are going, do you?"

Benny: "Everyone likes candy." Benny says, looking a little flustered. "Um....not really. I'm kinda new too." He admits, his cheeks bright red. "I think it's that way. Maybe you could try summon a string to find your way, just like the heroes in the stories."

Theo: "No, you really like candy kid. Like, you have a passion for it. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But you really like it. I don't really like to rely on my mother for help. I perfer to use my powers for fun."

Benny: He shrugs his shoulders. What kind of kid didn't like candy or sweet things. "I guess so." Benny chuckles. "I thought you said that we should use our powers to help ourselves when we're in trouble." He says thoughtfully. "Being lost on your first day seems like a good reason to ask for help."

Theo: "First of all, I don't ask for help, it would just show me where to go. Second, this doesn't count as trouble. When I say trouble I mean like prison, cops, principals, fights... those kinds of things. It'd be a waste of energy. Plus, us Ariadne kids like wondering around and exploring for ourselves."

Benny: "I know that. There were a few Ariadne kids at my dad's shelter." Benny says, putting his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. "I was just saying it's okay to ask for help. I need it all the time." He replies. "Um, do you want to visit the forest or the beach when we find your cabin? We can be explorers!"

Theo: "Sure kid. Once we walk around the whole place once, I'll have it memorized, so we shouldn't get lost. We can just wander till we find it I guess. What kind of shelter? What did your dad do?"

Benny: "He's a psychologist. He helps demigods deal with their problems I guess." Benny says, passing underneath a topiary bush, cut in the shape of an archway. "They help demigods on their way to camp, or older campers who want to live a normal life." He spots a narrow pathway to the left. "Look, I knew it was this way!" He grins excitedly, as they pass near several hedges. A cobbled path leads to a small, quaint looking cottage. "I think that's it."

Theo: "Define normal. None of us are normal. I can never get lost. That's not normal. You wanna come in? It's a bit confusing inside, but I can show you around."

Benny: He scratches the side of his head. "Um, I dunno. He tries to help them live a happy life, where they don't need to worry about monsters." Benny follows Theodore into the cabin. "Yeah, sure. But I thought you hadn't been inside?"

Theo: "I haven't. But I know where I'm going. Some kid told me only Ariadne kids can navigate it, but that we know our way around it naturally. How exactly does your dad keep them safe from monsters? I thought this was the only safe place."

Benny: "Erm, normally he just helps kids who need supplies. Food, weapons etc." He says, glancing around the picturesque cabin. "Some of the locals are older demi-gods. They help protect and train the younger kids until they're ready to come to camp." He smiles, turning quiet for a moment. "It's much bigger than it looks."

Theo: "That's cool, I guess." Theo entered the cabin, to find that seperated by extremely large hedges were multiple pathways. "This, Benny, is when you ask for help." Theo summoned a string which would lead him and Benny to his new room.

Benny: "Whoa...." Benny takes a few steps. He could barely see, much less find his way. He follows the paths through the cabin, occasionally hiding behind one of the hedges in an attempt to scare Theo. He reappears and nods with approval when the string is summoned. "Good idea....um, will it be a long walk?"

Theo: "How should I know? Never been here before remember? I could tell you no though, if it will make you feel better."

Benny: He gets the message and pauses for a moment. "Um, sorry. I forgot." Benny says, their footsteps clicking against the cabin floor. "You could play an awesome game of hide and seek here..."

Theo: Theo let out a slight laugh. "My string would find you in an instant. And I'm pretty sre this place is made to confuse you non-Ariadne kids. Now that I know where I'll be living, you wanna go exploring elsewhere?"

Benny: "No fair!" He laughs and gently pushes Theo towards a nearby hedge. "That would be cheating." Benny says, following the string towards the exit. "Sure. Um, what do you want to see? There's the arena, the beach, the forest and loads of strawberry fields out back." He shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets.

Theo: "I don't want to go anywhere where you know your way around. That would defeat the purpose of exploring. True exploring happens out of a wondering curiousity. Don't worry, I'll make sure we don't get too lost. What I guess I'm really asking, is, where haven't you been?"

Benny: "Um, there are some caves on the beach. I found a really cool shell over there." He suggests. "I think there are also loads of hidden paths and trails in the forest." Benny blushes. "But there are evil monsters out there, looking to cook demi-gods into stew..."

Theo: "I'm sure you and I can take whatever's out there kid. Let's go. Lead the way."

Benny: "Um, I guess." Benny shrugs his shoulders. "Camp's much bigger than it looks. Kinda like Hogwarts."


 * Timeskip to forest*

Forest
Theo: "You said there were monsters out here. What kinds of monsters?"

Benny: "Um..." Benny scratches the side of his head in thought. "I think monster attacks only happen past the deep forest, I don't really like to go there." He says, as the sunlight shines through the trees. "Where shall we go? There's a tree that way which would make a super cool den."

Theo: "Ah, I see. The fear of the unknown. I say, that's where we head. We can take whatever the gods throw at us." He gave Benny what he thought was an encouraging nudge and a wink.

Benny: "Sure..." Benny shrugs his shoulders. "We can be explorers, looking for a city of solid gold." He grins. Playing make-believe made him feel better. He didn't like to take risks, after the manticore attack, he knew what was out there. "See this pond. That's where the treasure was created, when a girl cried into the lake, her tears froze into diamonds."

Theo: Theo just looked at the kid and smiled. He knew Benny was imagining things. He assumed it was his way of coping with his anxiety of the forest. He always wanted a brother. And he wasn't gonna scare Benny or make fun of his stories. He actually found it interesting. ''Wow, I with I had that kind of imagination. ''He thought. "That's really cool kid. Who was she?"

Benny: "I dunno." Benny giggles slightly, looking up to Theo. As they cross into the deeper arches of the forest, he becomes a little scared but continues to talk. "Um...I think she was a princess of the city. Every few years, they would choose a maiden to become priestess, and the city would prosper. But she fell in love after she was chosen and ran away. Her father ordered a magican to put a curse on them. Her lover turned into a bird, she a swan. He became human during the day and she became human again under the moon-light."

Theo: ''Wow, could this kid actually could tell a story. ''"That's actually kinda sad, kid. Like, they can't really be together or whatyever, if they are always in different forms."

Benny: Benny shrugs both of his shoulders. "Shh....there's a happy ending." He teases Theo gently. "They spent many years apart, never able to be together. Eventually, the gods granted their wish to be together, as her tears turned to crystal. They both turned into spirits, whose duty was to look after young kids lost in the forest. They live there, in a golden city, where their old home once stood. But that is another story..." He scratches the side of his head. "That was kinda stupid, huh?"

Theo: "Not really. It's kinda cool you like stories like that and stuff. I definitely can't tell stories like that. I'm better at pranking people, so that's how I tend to spend my time."

Benny: "What pranks do you play?" Benny asks, getting more comfortable with Theo. "Um, back in Georgia, I used to fire peach pits at bullies with my slingshot." He says with a cheeky smile. "I can hit a target fourty feet away."

Theo: Theo gave Benny a sly smile. "That's cool kid. I play all sorts of pranks. Whatever I'm in the mood for. It usually depends what the scenario is. Like, in the locker room, I'll steal your clothes, so you have to go outside naked. Or if you ask me for directions, I'll confuse you as much as I can and tell you to go the wrong way. But I have a few signiture moves, like tripping people with magical string. If you replaced your peace pits with eggs, It'd be a much better prank."

Benny: "Eggs?" He laughs. "Um, I don't think they would fly well, and the mess would be horrible." Benny makes a face of disgust. "It sounds pretty fun, but don't people get mad when you trip them up?" He asks. "Pranking is fun, but I only do it when people are mean and deserve it."

Theo: Theo rolled his eyes. "There are cirtain kinds of eggs that smaller than chicken eggs, like cirtain bird or turtle eggs, that would fly better. And that's the whole point of pranking! Seeing people's reactions! And, if you're good enough, they may not even know it was you who pranked them."

Benny: He can't help but giggle. "Um, I'm pretty good at climbing trees," Benny admits, as they follow a traill through the forest. He brushes some unruly vines to the side. "I guess it's pretty funny to watch." As they talk, he finds a small copse. "Look what I found. That's super-cool." He says, finding a small hollowed out tree. The sound of running water can be heard nearby.

Theo: "I bet there's some even cooler stuff over by wherever that water is." Following the sound of the water, Theo walks till he sees a small stream, with a bit of sand on the shore and a bridge over the running water.

Benny: Without hesitation, Benny crawls through the hollowed out tree, and follows the vines. It leads to a small outcrop over the stream and a series of small waterfalls, leading towards the outdoor arenas. He gets an idea, and decides to summon some ambrosia. It arrives in a semi-solid form. He tosses the sticky liquid towards Theo. "Gotcha!"

Theo: The gooey substance got on Theo's arm and leg. He looked at Benny, and gave him a smile. He laughed a little bit, and shook his head. "Nice one kid. Next time, don't yet gotcha right after though. Make it seem like an accident, and let them figure out what just happened. Like, walk up to someone, and accidentally spill some abrosia on thier shirt. Then, pretend to appoligize. That would be hillarious. But we can work with it. Told you your powers weren't useless."

Benny: He looks up innocently at Theodore, sucking the ambrosia off his fingers. It tastes sweet and refreshing. "Um, what ambrosia?" Benny asks, a cheeky grin on his face. "Oh, I was walking along, when some kid with a golden string tripped me up, and it went all over the place." He says, trying to prove himself a quick learner.

Theo: Theo just shook his head. "Yeah, we can work on your lying too kid. Try to be as specific as possible, and correct yourself if you make a mistake in what you say, so it seems like you're telling the truth. And use metaphors and exaggerations. They make you seem believable. Like instead, say "This kid with some string came out of nowhere and jumped me and scared me to death, and the ambrosia, it just flew onto you. I'm really sorry.""

Benny: He couldn't resist another giggle. "Um, I'm really sorry! This kid came with some string came out of nowhere, and scared me to death. The ambrosia just flew onto you. I'm so sorry, please don't get mad at me." Benny repeats Theo's words, adding a little dramatic flair.

Theo: "Now that's a lie," Theo said in approval. He touched some of the Ambrosia on his arm. "That stuff is sticky. If you wanted to, could you solidify it?"

Benny: "Um, sure. It should wash right off." As he speaks, Benny splashes some water towards Theo. "You missed a spot." Giggling, he kneels down and cups water in his hands, before flicking it towards his friend. "I can create it how I want I guess. Solid, liquid, whatever. It just comes in whatever form I need at the time."

Theo: "As a Ariadne kid I can kinda see that you've got crazy lego passion. I have no idea who Optimum Prime is, but you could solidify ambrosia to make cool lego pieces. I don't know if it would work, just an idea."

Benny: "You can do that? That's so awesome." He looks at Theo, fairly spellbound. "Optimus Prime is a transformer. He's a giant alien robot who can turn into a car." Benny explains, thinking about the toys he had at home. "Um, I guess. I can't really summon too much, and it breaks fairly easily." He shrugs. "Legos aren't crazy. They're really cool."

Theo: "Not only that, but I can also change how passionate people are about things. What's so cool about legos?" He asked this nicely. he was actually kind of curious.

Benny: He sits down on the riverbank, and watches the waters flow onwards. "Um, I dunno." He shrugs his shoulders again. "I guess you can build anything you want, you've just need enough lego bricks and a big imagination. He asks, turning his head to face Theo."What are you passionate about?"

Theo: Theo shugged. "Pranking other people. And New York City. I love New York City. Know it like the back of my hand. Literally."

Benny: "I've never been." Benny admits, a faint blush on his cheeks. "I bet it's super cool. Big city lights, fast cars, hot dog stands..." He grins.

Theo: Theo sighed. "Yeah, It's great. So busy, people never know who pranked them. I really do like it there. I have it memorized. Every street. Every alley, every detail, down to the last building.

Benny: "That's good. You'll know where to hide if a giant monster attacks." Benny teases gently. "I miss home a little. There were loads of forests, lakes and places to play." He admits. "But I like camp much better. It's nice to be somewhere different, and there are a lot of people, just like me."

Theo: "Well, I hate it here. It's all campy. It's so borning here. There's no maze to navigate, and never any interesting puzzle to solve. When I get out of here, I'm going to Washington D.C. and I'll have mastered by abilities, and am gonna pull a prank on the president. And not get caught."

Benny: "The President?" Benny giggles. "When I leave camp, I'm gonna be strong and have mastered my powers, so I can help other demi-god kids, or maybe I'll become a writer for cartoons." He suggests. "You never know. There's always something out there. You just gotta keep an open mind."

Theo: "Whatever, kid. My mind is as open as it'll ever be. If you help other demi-god kids, maybe you'll help me with my epic prank."

Benny: The son of Hebe shuffles, taking off his hoodie to use as a makeshift blanket to sit on. "Um, what's the epic prank so far?"

Theo: "I was thinking I would find my way in during a dinner party one day, and hide overngiht, and just show up at his dinner table in the White House the next day. And then, I'll tell him how I snuck in. I can hide from secret service and FBI in the White House for just one night. I've done it before for longer. And escaping is easy. I'll have the whole night to memorize the house, and all the secret passages. And by that time, I'll have mastered my powers so getting out will be cake."

Benny: His eyes widen a little. "That sounds dangerous. What if they think you're there to hurt or kill the President?" Benny asks, leaning closer. He was curious to hear more. "Um, can't the FBI lock down all of the secret tunnels and passages?"

Theo: "Naw, the FBI and secret service have nothing on me. I probably know more about the White House than they do. If some people can make it halfway across the lawn by hopping the fence, with my powers and planning, it should be almost too easy. And why would he think I want to kill him? It's not him that's the problem, It's just athority figures in general. They are all such hypocrites."

Benny: "Um, I dunno." Benny shrugs his shoulders. "I think they want the best for us." He smiles at Theo. "I don't really think about it." He admits, a little blush arriving on his cheeks. "My dad always votes Democrat. I never really liked politics or history, unless it was about knights or Greek heroes."

Theo: "Voting is stupid. The whole system is screwed up. Anyway kid, you ever heard of Theseus and the labyrinth? It's like the only story or Greek myth I really know well."

Benny: "Um, yeah." Benny nods. "Isn't that the one with your mother and the minotaur?" He asks. His dad had read all the Greek tales to him as a kid. His favourite stories were the ones about his own mother, or her husband Heracles. He liked Orpheus too.

Theo: "And how Theseus slayed the minotaur and then refused to marry my mother. I'm apparently named after the man. I hate even the thought of it."

Benny: "Sometimes heroes make mistakes." Benny turns towards Theo. "Your mother is in Olympus, and people still tell tales of her bravery and kindness." He spontaneously reaches for his hand, before realising what he was doing. "Um, sorry."

Theo: What an annoying way to look at life, Theo thought to himself. But he just shrugged it off. He liked Benny. Theo patted Benny on the back. "Whatever kid. I'm just not a fan of my parents." He wasn't being mean, but his tone was clear that he didn't want to talk about it any further.

Benny: "If it makes you feel any better, my dad named after his favourite character on a dumb TV ser-" Benny is cut off by Theo. He turns bright red for a moment. "Um, do you wanna carry on exploring? We could go for a swim I guess..."

Theo: "I'm not really in the mood to get wet. You like hide and go seek?" Theo happened to be very good at this game, thanks to his mother.

Benny: Benny grins cheekily. "Um, sure. I'm pretty good at it.." He wraps his hoodie around his waist, and prepares to dash away as soon as possible.

Theo: "Ok. You hide, I'll seek. I'll count to twenty." Theo closed his eyes. "One... Two... Three.."

Benny: "Catch me if you can..." Benny increases his speed to a short dash, to cover more ground in the time given. He tears off part of his shirt on a hollowed log, to try and misdirect the son of Ariadne. He looks for another hiding spot.

Theo: Theo stops counting after ten, opening his eyes, and following Benny. Because he cheated, he doesn't fall for the decoy Benny set, and could see him running. He summoned a string so short and thin that it was almost unnoticable unless you knew it was there and manipulated it to tie it to Benny's shoelace, so he wouldn't lose track of him

Benny: Increasing his speed, Benny passes through a heavily wooded area. His youth meant that he was likely to be much more nimble than Theo. Breaking the line of sight, he finds a nearby bush and digs himself into it. He buries his shoes a few feet away to prevent Theo finding him by his bright trainers, and tucks himself amidst the roots of a large tree.

Theo: Theo senses the string being underground, and is confused by this. But he manipulates it so it makes a trail leading from him right to Benny. However, he doesn't tell Benny he found him.

Benny: By this point, Benny is hidden underneath several layers of dirt and leaves. He's quite comfortable and starts to doze off.

Theo: Today kid, you are gonna get over your fear of monsters, Theo thought to himself. He summoned a small labyrinth where he and benny were in the center, so he would have complete control of his surroundings ond could jump to save Benny if things got bad. He then created two telekhines, hoping that without weapons or a nearby source of water, Benny would be able to defeat them more easily than hellhounds or myrmekes. Theo was far enough away where the monsters would smell Benny as closer than Theo, and would mainly focus on Benny.

Benny: As Theo summons a small labyrinth, Benny finds himself in the middle of it. He wakes up in surprise. "Um, where are we?....." He glances between a couple of pathways, and comes to the obvious conclusion that Theo wants to trick him somehow. He reaches into his pocket and grabs his slingshot, ready to navigate the maze. "You're not gonna scare me...."

Theo: He sees Benny is walking in the opposite direction as the telekhines, and places a wall right in front of him, forcing him to go the other way. He manipulates the corridor by the telekhines to lead right to where Benny is standing.

Benny: The narrow ivy-covered walls begin to close on each other. His sole exit is blocked. "This isn't funny..." He turns the opposite direction, to find two strange aquatic monsters in front of him. He panics for a second, and splits open his bag of marbles. They scatter all over the labyrinth path, and Benny starts to turn back.

OOC: Feel free to play the telekhines.

Telekhines: Without weapons, the telekhines were slowly approaching Benny.

Theo: Theo knew Benny would think this was a joke or prank unless he could show himotherwise, so he teported himself to the far end of the wall opposite benny, the telekhines in between them, and created a wall between them, that he made look as if he was struggling with all his to keep open, trying to get through. In reality however, having almost mastered his powers and only struggling in direct combat with other more powerful demigods, he was barely draining any energy. But his face showed the complete opposite. He was a good lier, even when he wasn't talking. "Benny!" He yelled, as if scared for the kid.

Benny: Benny calmly takes a couple of breaths, like he was taught. "I'm coming!" He yells, and reaches for his celestial bronze ammunition. He loads his slingshot, his hands shaking as he does so. He fires several pellets for their eyes to blind the monsters, or at least slow them down. As his marbles have scattered all over the narrow path, it should be more difficult for the telekhines to waddle towards him without slipping.

Telekhines: Benny's shot is slightly off point, and one of the telekhines is hit in the nose. It trips over some of the marbles, and falls backwards, getting back up slowly as the other kept waddling towards Benny.

Theo: You got this kid, Theo thought to himself as Benny prepared to face the monsters. Theo continued to pretend to struggle hold the wall open, but was getting bored. He wanted to make things more interesting for himself, so he let the wall close on him, but left a small hole to peek through so he could see how Benny was doing n the fight. he would teleport to the other side only if things got really bad.

Benny: "Gotcha!" He grins and takes another step back, firing another shot at the second telekhine. This time, he manipulates his powers over ageing to lock their joints together for a short period of time, Then, Benny grabs puts away his slingshot. His dinosaur bracelet transforms into a celestial bronze sword. He slashes at the nearest telekhine, trying to keep it away.

Theo: Finally, you do something that can actually help you.

Telekhines: The telekhine tries to back up, but does not do so in time, and is cut in the leg. This cripples, but does not kill it. The other telekhine is now up once again, and coming towards Benny from his back side.

Benny: The other telekhine tries to grab the small kid from behind. His small size allows him to slip out of its grasp. He takes advantage of his advanced youth to thwack it with his pommel with a surprising amount of force. "You're not gonna get me." As the telekhine is stunned, he instinctively dodge rolls behind the telekhine and hamstrings it, throwing its body towards the second crippled monster. "Get away..."

Telekhines: The telekhines bump into each other, and ram up against the wall of the labyrinth.

Theo: ''Yes! There you go kid. I guess I'll help you out now. ''Theo teleported behind Benny where he wouldn't see him, and where he had a direct line of sight at teh two monsters. He took two celestial bronze throwing knives, and thrw them at the monsters. Not even waiting to see if the knives would hit, he pressed the pin on his shirt, and as his dual swords appeared in his hands, charged at the telekhines.

Telekhines: The first wounded telekhine is pretty much dead. The knife sticks into its back and it bursts into golden ichor. The second throwing knife merely sticks a couple of inches into the aquatic mammal's tough skin.

Benny: As the first telekhine explodes, Benny breathes a sigh of relief. Spotting Theo while he charges into battle, he takes a couple of steps back and increases the magnitude of his powers on the creature's joints and limbs. The aquatic telekhine struggles under the pressure, locked into position.

Theo: Theo, who is normally an extremely gracful fighter, stabs the second Telekhine in the neck, pulls his sword out, and stabs it in the gut, only then, to slice it's neck coompletely decapitating it, as if out of pure rage. He does all of this to make it seem as if he wanted the telekhines gone as much as Benny did, which would most likely increase how safe not only Benny felt around him, but also the chances of Benny believing that he wanted to help the whole time and just wasn't able to.

Benny: Benny winces and looks away as Theo slices up the monster. Alex always taught him to go for the easy kill, so he wasn't used to watching monsters die in such a horrible way. "Phew...that was close." His sword transforms back into his dinosaur bracelet. He checks his arms, the few scrapes and bruises he has already beginning to heal. "Um, what happened? I fell asleep and all of a sudden, those telekhines came out of nowhere."

Theo: Theo knew what he was going to say to lie to Benny about what had happened. He knew Benny would be suspicious, and he hoped his act was good enough. "I think this part of the forest is a little more monster prone than you expected. The telekhines came out of the stream over there, and so I tried to encage them in a labyrinth. Sorry, I didn't realize that you were under it. As soon as I did, I tried to get in, but I had used a lot of my energy to create the labrynth, and needed like a minute to recharge. Are you ok?"

Benny: Scratching the side of his head, Benny listens to Theo's story. It was strange for telekhines to be so far away from the sea, without any sea-water. but he assumes a couple could have washed inland. He takes a breather. "Um, yeah. I got a few bruises, but they're already healing." He kneels down, starting to collect his marbles. "I held them off for as long as possible. I'm not used to tackling monsters on my own." He admits, glancing up to Theo. "Are you okay? I could recharge some of your energy."

Theo: In reality, Theo hadn't really lost any energy, and was afraid that if Benny "helped" him regain some of it, he would know he didn't need recharging. "Naw, I'm good kid. You aren't that bad a fighter. Why are you so scared of monsters anyway?"

Benny: "Um, it's a long story..." Benny frowned, glancing down to the floor. His cheeks felt hot with shame. "I got attacked on the way to camp..." He bit his lip. "A manticore ambushed me and a friend. We held it off for as long as we could, but there wasn't anything I could do to save him."

Theo: Theo got a little more serious. "Oh. Sorry kid. You shouldn't be scared of monsters though. Most of them are quite dumb and clumsy."

Benny: "Um, I guess so." He fumbles awkwardly with his dionsaur bracelet, before looking back down to his feet. "I took my trainers off, so you wouldn't see the patterns. I think they're somewhere in the forest."

Theo: "I'm sure we'll find them. Just don't step on anything to sharp. I may be able to hold my own in a fight, but if you hurt yourself out here, I'm not a healer."

Benny: "I'll be okay. I heal quickly anyways, perks of being a Hebe kid." Benny shrugs his shoulders, as they're brought back to the forest. "Um, I think they're somewhere around here."

Theo: Theo had lost track of where Benny's shoes were as well, thanks to all the commotion (that he caused). "We'll find them. Just gotta keep looking. Does you dad know about your fear of monsters?"

Benny: "Yeah, I hope so. They're my favourite ones." They were the ones with cartoon characters all over the sides. He continues to look for his shoes. "Um, I guess so. We talk about it sometimes through iris message. He's too busy to talk much."

Theo: Theo thought of his own father, who had only stopped working to have five conversations with his son, ever since he was sent to boarding school, all about his godly heritage. "That sucks. What does your dad say to you about your fear? I mean, he is a psychologist or whatever right?

Benny: Benny shrugs. "Um, it's not really a fear." He admits. "I don't think it's silly to be scared of monsters. Dad just thinks it's a phase or something. He thinks I'll come around with the right training and support." He says. "I dunno. I don't really think about it."

Theo: "Look kid, I bet if I told my dad I was gay he would think it was a phase too. Just saying, all parents think what thier kid is going through is a phase if they have never been through it themselves. I think it will be sticking with you for a while. You should learn to enbrace it. Learn to use it to your advantage."

Benny: "Oh, you're gay?" Benny replies. It isn't really a big deal for him. Some of his family friends were gay, and he never really thought about it. "Isn't sexuality on a kind of spectrum?" He asks, having heard a little from his father. "Emotions are natural. There's nothing wrong with them, as long as they're not hurting anyone."

Theo: "Yeah. Sure, I guess you could call it a spectrum. But most people either classify as straight, gay, or bi. But like, there's also pansexual, and asexual, and queer, and a bunch of other stuff, so yeah, sure. Emotions can be hurting someone and still be natural. Emotions are part of being human. They can get kind of out of hand when other people get hurt, but they are still natural."

Benny: "I guess so; I don't really think about it." He says, glancing up to Theo. "So, do you have a boyfriend then? Loads of kids my age want one, but I think it's silly to want someone. Friends and family are just as important, and toys are way cooler anyways." He giggles childishly. "Yeah. Dad says that it's normal to feel sad or angry sometimes, but you've gotta look on the bright side and try your best."

Theo: "Naw kid, relationships have never really been my thing. I'm always so busy messing with other people's. Like you said, they are kind of pointless. Friends are good enough."

Benny: He looks up and finds his trainers, caught on the branches on a low-hanging bush. "Oh yay, there they are...." He untangles the shoes and starts to lace them up. "Um, are we friends?"

Theo: "Sure kid. Given that we played hide and seek together and got attacked by monsters that I then killed brutally in front of you, I would say we're friends."

Benny: "Hey! That's not fair." Benny laces up his shoes, and stands up. He gently pushes Theo, despite the major height difference. "I did most of the work. They were almost defeated by the time you got there." He grins cheekily."Yeah, I guess I'll see you around camp sometime."

Theo: ''Sure kid, not like I created them so they would be easy for you to hold off or anything... ''Theo thought to himself. "Yeah, whatever kid. See you around."

TIMESKIP

The Big House
Benny: A couple of days later, Benny spots Theo near the Big House while on his way to get breakfast. He is wearing his orange CHB shirt, a slim gray hoodie and his jeans. The Hebe kid waves over to his friend, a bright smile on his face. "Good morning, are you on your way to get breakfast?" He asks, unusually chipper even by his standards.

Theo: Theo sees Benny and waves as he walks over to him. "Yeah. If I play a prank on you, how mad would you be?"

Benny: He decides to be a good sport. "Um, depends on the prank. I'm probably too easy for a pranking genius like you." Benny giggles. "Maybe we could go and play some pranks around the camp, test my slingshot skills..."

Theo: "Ok kid, we can see what you've got. But in order to know how to prank others without them seeing it coming, you need to be able to predict the unpredictable as well." Theo swiftly conjured a string from the air, as if it was nothing, and quickly minupulated it to wrap itself around Benny's legs.

Benny: Already expecting the trick with the string, he feigns surprise. Concentrating for a brief moment, he focuses on the joints in Theo's legs, forcing the effects of age on them. The pressure should cause them to buckle and trip him up, or at least cause enough pain to interfere with his power usage.

Theo: The string dissipated. "Ow kid, that hurts, watch it." He shrugged. "Whatever, lets go then. Where should we start? Anyone specific you wanna prank?"

Benny: "Um, sorry." Benny cuts out the power usage. "I guess I predicted the unpredictable, you must be out of practice..." He teases gently, before shrugging his shoulders. "Dunno. It's up to you, master pranker."

Theo: "Well, I guess we could just cause slight commotion by those girls over there. I sort of just wait for an opportunity to arrise. I don't really plan this stuff usually. But I guess we could cause some commotion over that group of girls." Theo ppoints to a group of Aphrodite girls clustered a few yards away from them.

Benny: Benny's cheeks turn bright red. He glances towards the girls. "Um, I dunno." He glances back to Theo, his palms growing a little sweaty. "I guess we could try find something scary like a spider and toss it in their direction, or we could surprise them with something nice like cake or ambrosia."

Theo: Theo smiles devilishly. "I like the first idea. Scary, like a spider." Theo summons a harpy right above the group of girls. The girls scream, as one of them barely manages to kill it. They have no idea where it came from. "There we go."

Benny: ''Wait....he can summon monsters out of thin air? ''The son of Hebe puts two and two together. "Quick, run before they see us...." He runs and tugs at Theo's shirt, to get him to hide in the bushes. "Um, did you summon the telekhines the other day? It seems odd they didn't have any weapons."

Theo: "Confidence kid. You seemed a bit freaked about monsters, so I was trying to boost your confidence. I figured if you knew you could beat them, and I let you, you wouldn't be scared anymore or whatever, but it wasn't really working, so I just stepped in and killed 'em for ya." Theo paused, switching to the topic of the girls. "Confidence kid. Remember what I said about using your powers to your advantage?" Theo created a small labyrinth, trapping and majorly confusing the girls inside it. "Now, we simply can walk away, slowly, not drawing attention to ourselves."

Benny: Benny blushes. He didn't expect such a candid answer. Pausing for a moment, he gives Theodore a chirpy smile. "Um, thanks I guess. I think I was handling myself pretty well. I was always taught to try wear them down first, and keep myself safe." He shrugs his shoulders. "I think I'm gonna be okay." He walks away, as a collection of screams are heard in the distance. "Um, I think they'll have figured out that you're an Ariadne kid." He laughs.

Theo: "Yeah, we should probably get going..."

Benny: "Um, that might be for the best." He agrees. "Sorry!"

Theo: "Why are you appoligizing? Pranking them was your idea after all. Don't appoligize.  You're feeling guilty or whatever, but you don't look it. No matter what, we still pranked them. That doesnt just go away with an appology. Stick by your actions kid."

Benny: "Because it was meant to be a joke." Benny replies. He forms a bar of ambrosia in his hands and starts to nibble away at it. "I don't like making other people sad...." He scratches the side of his head, as the ambrosia turns into a more liquid form. He tosses it to Theo. "Catch...." .

Theo: "You need to stop caring about other people so much kid. It's gotta bad for your mental health. People are selfish. The only way to survive in this world is to care as little about everyone else as little as they care about you. If other people have to be pranked in order for you to get a good laugh, so be it."

Benny: "Um, I dunno." Benny scratches the side of his head in thought. He continues to play around with the ambrosia like it was silly putty, giggling with delight as it squelched and squirmed in his hands. He was getting increasingly confident with his powers. "It sounds like a lonely life.  If you let the bullies hurt you, then they've already won."

Theo: Theo slaps Benny on the back. (In a friendly way) "Don't worry kid. I'm practically untouchable. If people even know I exist. I mean, I can be practically undetectable when I want to be. Pranking people and partying all the time? You say lonely, I say fun. Potato, potahto."

Benny: "I guess so..." Benny blushes as Theo places a hand on his back. "Um, I just want you to be happy and enjoy your time here." He smiles. "Friends are important, they're like family you choose for yourself."

Theo: "I want to enjoy my time here too kid, believe me. I've never really had friends. More followers. Admirers. People who crushed on me."

Benny: "Um, I can be your friend..." He glances towards Theo, "I never really had friends until I got here..."

Theo: "I gotta admit kid, you are right there. It is quite homey here. Maybe one day I'll see it as as much of a home as you do."

Benny: "Um thanks..." Benny places his hands in his pockets. "Can I ask you a question? I kissed my friend Tyler the other day. He was wearing his shirt covered in pheromones or something, I dunno. Um, but I've never kissed anyone before, boy or girl. But I don't really know what it means. Is that normal?"

Theo: "Pheromones. Those things are hell. Screws with your head, makes you all lovey when you aren't. Do you actualy like this Tyler, as more than a friend, or no?"

Benny: "I dunno. He's really nice, but it was just a kiss." His cheeks turn bright red. "I did like it, even though kisses are totally icky." He makes a face. "Hopefully I don't get cooties."

Theo: "Sounds like a no. Well, I would just pretend like it never happened. And only girls have cooties kid. Why do you think Tyler like manipulated you with the pheromones like that though? This kid Jake played a pheromone trick on me when I first got here. Didn't end well."

Benny: The son of Hebe sticks his tongue out in response. "It was an accident, his friend gave him the shirt, and he didn't realise that it would affect me." Benny shrugs his slim shoulders. "I didn't think anyone would want to kiss me. I've always been the kid who would rather build a treehouse or play make-believe than play kiss 'n' catch."

Theo: "Well, now you can be the kid who has played make believe and kiss 'n' catch. Of course people wanna kiss you. I mean, I wouldn't, you're a little young for me." Theo said this in a joking way, that could probably make anybody laugh."

Benny: "I'm not that young!" Benny points out, affectionately nudging him to the side. "Um, does that mean you'd kiss me if I was older...?" He blushes and glances towards the son of Passion, his blue eyes making contact with the older boy's.

Theo: "Honestly, probably not. But what does it matter what I think? Right now, it only matters what you and Tyler think."

Benny: "Yeah I guess so..." Benny can't help giggle. "He's gonna teach me to use roller skates sometime..."

Theo: "That sounds cool. I can teach you some cool stuff I learned back when I was in the city. It's called parkour. Basically, in kid terms, you play Spiderman."

Benny: "I don't think you can shoot webs out of your hands..." He teases gently, finally starting to let himself relax a little. "It sounds really cool though; is it like climbing trees and stuff?"

Theo: "Only at first. Once you get the hang of it, It's more like jumping from building to building, wall to wall, that sorta stuff."

Benny: His eyes lighten up with excitement. "That's so awesome, can do you tricks off walls and stuff? There's a climbing wall and a gym near camp. Please can we go, so you can teach me to jump off walls, and do cool things."

Theo: "Sure kid. but, you need like two walls right next to each other. And basic obstacles for you to start with, so that you don't, well... kill yourself."

Benny: "Um, it would be a lot easier if I could fly..." Benny giggles. "Wil and Tyler both know how to fly. but I'm quicker on land." He grins cheekily. "Let's go for it. I bet I'm a natural." He says, wanting to impress Theo.

Theo: "You don't need to be able to fly to know parkour. I can't fly, and I can do it." Demonstrating, Theo jumped off a nearby tree, jumping from one to another extremely quickly till he reached the top.

Benny: The son of Hebe quickly follows suit. His light weight allows him to climb rapidly towards the very tallest branches. He dashes from one tree to another, stumbling a little, as he caught a foothold on the tree trunk, his arms wrapped around the oak for dear life. He scrambles up the tree, catching up to Theo.

Theo: "Nice job kid. Scared yet?" Theo joked.

Benny: "Not really." Benny admits. "I climbed trees all the time back home. We had an old conifer tree out back that I used to climb." He playfully leaps from one branch to another, sitting on a thicker one besides Theo. "Whatcha doing?"

Theo: Theo's signiture devilish smile appeared on his face, as an idea came to him. He summoned three hellhounds at the bottom of the tree. He tried to skew Benny's balence slightly, by messing with his sense of direction through his powers. "Scared now? Parkour is all about not thinking, and acting in fluid motions. Lets climb higher."

Benny: He looks down and gulps. The kid steels himself, as his sense of direction becomes a little wobbly. Benny grits his teeth, temporarily increasing his strength and speed, while pulling his own weight up on the next branch. He dashes between the tightly packed trees, his small size allowing him to fit between several gaps.

Theo: Theo stops climbing after a while and just sits on a sturdy branch, legs dangling. "So, what do you wanna talk about?"

Benny: Benny manages to squeeze his way onto the branch, they're both high enough to get a fairly good view of their surroundings. "Wow, look at that view. Isn't it amazing?..."

Theo: "It's fine I guess. I perfer the view of a city though. Where you csan see ligfhts, and taxis, and moving colors below..."

Benny: He wraps his hoodie tightly around his small frame, "Yeah, I imagine the big city is beautiful. Loads of pretty lights." Benny grins. "Um, if you could choose to become a mortal instead of a demi-god, would you do it?"

Theo: "No way kid. My powers are a part of me. I would leave this wretched camp though."

Benny: "It's not so bad." He shrugs his shoulders. "It's awesome that we can do stuff like this, go places where other people can't, and live freely." Benny says, his voice becoming dreamy as he looks out towards the camp. "I guess my powers are a part of me too."

Theo: "Yeah. And, no mortal policeman sees my pranks coming. They say I am almost supernaturally good at escaping capture and arrest sometimes."

Benny: He giggles a little. "If someone knows, then you mustn't be very good at pranking." Benny teases, sticking his tongue out. "Do you think we can use the powers because they're a part of us, or are they a part of us because we can use them?"

Theo: "Oh, well, when I say pranks I kind of more mean like criminal felonies and theft. And I am very good at pranking, despite what you may think. It's just harder when you are in the middle of nowhere and dont know the area. You can't use it to your avantage. And about the power thing, I have no idea kid."

Benny: Benny giggles. He summons a chunk of ambrosia and starts to nibble at the edges. "Mm....." He offers it to Theo. "You want some?...." He grins, "When I was younger, I didn't want to be a demi-god. I was always the weird kid, who could bring plants back to life and move super fast." He shrugs. "But now, I think it's pretty cool."

Theo: Theo just shrugged. "Eh, It's what you make of it.

Benny: "I guess so." Benny shrugs and looks down, "Um, why do you commit so many crimes anyway? Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble, or hurting someone's feelings?" He asks, gnawing at his ambrosia bar.

Theo: Theo didn't say anything at first. Nobody had ever really asked him that before. "A lot of reasons I guess. First of all, I don't like paying for things. Second of all, partying is fun, and I encourage all people to have fun. So thats why I sell fake IDs and booze to kids and whatnot. People shouldn't not be allowed to have fun just because some old guys in Washington D.C. think it could be dangerous. And cops are stupid and I like to show them up."

Benny: He listens. Finishing off the majority of his bar, he talks between mouthfuls of food. "But don't you worry people could get hurt?" Benny asks openly. "Sure, having fun is awesome. But it's only fun when everybody is having fun." He says, crumbs falling on his hoodie. "Um, are you gonna teach me some more parkour tricks?"

Theo: Sure. Theo stood up, balancing on the branch, and jumped down to the ground, doing what looked like a flip in the air on his way down, landing on his feet. As he landed, he pressed the pin on his shirt, and his swords appeared in his hands, which he stabbed the two hellhounds he created earlier with. After he kileld the hellhounds, he looked up at Benny, who was still on the tree. "Come on kid. Your turn. Or we can start with something easier."

Benny: "Whoa...." Benny gasps. Theo made it look easy. He gulped. It was a long way down to the ground, and he wasn't quite sure. "Are you sure this is safe?"

Theo: "Kid, I just did it, while there were two hellhounds on the ground waiting to eat me alive. But no, I have no idea if it is safe for you. I only know that it is for me. That's why I asked you if you wanted to start with the boring stuff, like where I teach you to hop over rocks and balence for a long time on one foot."

Benny: The son of Hebe slowly climbs down the tree, until he's about fifteen feet above the ground. He perches on a nearby branch, leaning on the tree trunk for support. "Um, I think I can do it." He yells back towards Theo. "Just give me a minute. I'll figure something out..."

Theo: "You got this kid! Try to fall close to the tree, and then kick your legs out, and push off from there, and try to land on your feet!" he yelled up at Benny.

Benny: "I don't know if I can do this...." Benny blushes, his hands shaking. He takes a deep breath like he was taught, and makes a short prayer. ''Mom, please make sure I don't die. ''He jumps off the tree, falling through the branches. Stumbling, he kicks off the tree trunk and manages a clumsy dodge roll to break his fall. His dinosaur bracelet activates, his sword drawn in his left hand. "Um....how was that?"

Theo: Theo made a concerned face. "uh... It could use some work. But you'll get it. Try to maintain balance when in the air. Why did you take your sword out. I already killed the hellhounds. Do you want me to summon one for you to kill?" Theo asked, jokingly nudging Benny.

Benny: His sword deactivates, turning back into the dinosaur pattern bracelet. "Um, I think I'm okay." Benny picks himself up, dusting himself off. His arms are covered in a motley of bruises, which start to heal before his eyes. "I thought you wanted me to be ready for battle." He grins, eager to impress. "That was a rush though..." ''Thanks Mom, I'll send you another offering. I hope I did good.''

Theo: The smiled. "I didn't, but I like the idea." Theo took a throwing knife out of his jacket and threw it with almost perfect aim right above Benny's head. Theo then pressed his pin again, and his dual swords appeared in his hands. "Let's see what you got kid."

Benny: "What?" Benny's bracelet automatically activates, a sword appearing in his left hand. He gulps a little, but tries to remember the training Alex and Lazarus have given him. "I guess so."

Theo: Theo summons a labyrinth wall from the ground which rises up from under him to five feet tall, giving Theo a helicoptor view of benny and a major height advantage. He takes out two more throwing knives and throws them at Benny.

Benny: As Theo targets the throwing knives for him, Benny quickly evades them. His innate speed allowshim to quickly run towards a nearby tree, where one of the knives has stuck. He targets the knife for Theodore's legs to try and pin him down, before running behind the nearest trees for cover. His small size makes him a difficult target to hit.

Theo: Theo, being a demigod who struggles more in melee fights due to his weak swordfighting skills, but had practically mastered his powers, didn't want to risk going out and finding Benny, and leaving himself vulnerable. Not that Benny would be able to sneak up on me, but I'll just trap him and find him that way. He summoned a labyrinth that stretched just far enough where there was slim chance Benny had gotten farthur, hopefully trapping him inside, which would allow for Theo to go about finding him faster and easier.

Benny: Moving faster than Theo anticipates, he manages to almost flank him when the trees suddenly transform themselves into a myriad of labyrinth walls. ''Aww, c'mon! ''Benny takes a deep breath. He knows that Theo prefers to use his powers rather than sword fight. It was just a matter of surviving the labyrinth long enough to catch him off his guard, as soon as he was worn out. He takes a path which he assumes leads towards the center of the labyrinth.

Theo: Theo started to teleport throughpout the labyrinth looking for Benny. As soon as he finished looking in an area, he closed it off, so Benny couldn't go there. He kept teleporting, looking for Benny, but was getting more tired as he did so. Eventually, he found Benny on the south end of the labyrinth, walking towards the center. He telported away so Benny wouldn't see him, and summoned two Harpies, one on each side of Benny, and closed the pathway Benny was going. At this point, he had a slight headache, but ignored it.

Benny: The son of Hebe carries onwards to find a dead end. Two harpies are summoned on either side of him. Benny grits his teeth and figures out a plan. Running straight for the wall, he waits for the two harpies to swoop in for the kill. He uses his superior speed to dash up the wall, and kick off like Theo taught him, as one of the harpies flies straight into it. He focuses his powers on the other, forcing the effects of age upon it. The harpy slows down. Benny lands on its back. As the beast should be weakened and smaller than wild harpies, he should be able to ride it. He kicks off the wall towards the other direction, relinquishes his powers as he gains control and rides the harpy rapidly down the available pathways. "Whoa....."

Theo: Theo knows that the harpy won't be able to get Benny off of it because of the age Benny can force upon it, so he decides it is time for a more direct approach. Theo teleports in front of Benny out of nowhere, and throws a Celestial Bronze knife right into the harpy's chest, killing it. He lets go of his grip on the labyrinth, so he can focus his energy on Benny, who would hopefully fall off the harpy as it fell from flight

Benny: It takes a little practice, but the harpy zooms through the labyrinth at a lightning pace. As Theo suddenly appears, the beast swoops for the kill, only to find itself impaled by a throwing knife. It takes a short time to die, enough for Benny to slow the harpy down by aging it and dismount before the creature collapses. He tumbles to the ground, as the labyrinth dissipates. "Hey, I was just getting started...." Benny grins, and catches his breath.

Theo: Theo takes out his swords and is standing over Benny, swords pointed at his throat. "I gotta say kid, I'm impressed. Rising a harpy isn't easy you know. You could have died. I can't control them once they are summoned. It was pretty badass. But this fight is over."

Benny: Benny gulps. As he tries to picks himself up, Theo has time to point the two swords at his throat. He glances towards Theo, "Yeah, you got me fair and square. Do you mind giving me a hand? I'm way too exhausted to get up myself."

Theo: "Sure kid." Theo puts his arm out to help Benny up.

Benny: "Thanks." Benny pants. He reaches out for Theo's hand and pulls himself up. As his hands clasp around the son of Ariadne's to pull himself up, he augments his strength and speed, pulling him towards the ground with the intent of knocking him down. "Gotcha!"

Theo: Theo faceplants on the ground, but is back on his feet as fast as he hit the ground, doing a backflip back onto his feet, and with Benny's back to him, he kicks him in the back.

Benny: Stumbling, Benny hits the ground as he's kicked in the back. He scrambles to pick himself back up, and turns to face Theo. "Ouch. That hurt." He grins mischeviously, ready to continue the rest of the fight. He feints to the right and strikes, testing his defenses,

Theo: Theo dodges the attack, and as he rolls out of the way, he summons a wall right in Benny's path, where he was striking.

Benny: His attack is interrupted by a rising wall. Benny snags himself on the wall, and stumbles backwards. He keeps a tight grip on his sword, both hands wrapped around the hilt. "Hey, that's no fair. Come and face me."

Theo: Theo appears behind Benny, having moved since Benny got up, and attempts to kick him in the back again. "Facing your opponent is the best way to get yourself killed. Learn that. If you don't, you'll be dead as soon as you cross the camp barrier. I'd bet my powers on it."

Benny: Benny, half expecting an attack from behind, narrowly rolls out of the way. As Theo would likely be unable to change direction, as he's commited into the kick, he targets a kick for the back of his legs, trying to send the son of Ariadne into his own wall.

Theo: As Benny makes contact, Theo sees that he is headed for the wall, and releases his grip on it, the wall disappearing right before he hits it. He stumbles forward, but recovers. He summons four labyrinth walls around Benny, hoping to encage him.

Benny: "Oh man..." Four giant labyrinth walls begin to rise up, surrounding him. Benny takes a small step back and scrambles up the first wall, trying to vault over it before it reaches its full height. "You haven't got me yet." He giggles, sending a curse which should cause Theo's bones and muscles to ache for a short time.

Theo: Theo has a major headache at this point, from all the energy he has used up. "Look kid, I get that you're small but not to be underestimated. I'm gonna let the walls down, and you're gonna release me from this age joint curse, and we'll call it a tie." Slowly, Theo lowers the walls surrounding Benny.

Benny: "Deal..." Benny nods. His energy was out as well. All he wanted to do was eat a load of candy and fall asleep with his plushies. He cuts off the age joint curse, and nimbly steps over the receding walls. His breaths are quick and laboured. "Um, how did I do....? I can....try restore some energy if you need it."

Theo: "No, you seem pretty out of breath yourself." He is panting. "Lets just sit down for a bit."

Benny: He practically collapses on the floor. The adrenaline starts to drain away a little, leaving him heavily fatigued. "Yeah...I think you won." Benny admits. "You could've gotten me a couple of times." The son of Hebe smiles. "Um, how did I do..? I think I picked up some parkour..."

Theo: "Sure kid. Other than the fact that you still can't fall from a tree correctly. You did well. You're better than I expected."

Benny: "I don't think there's a correct way to fall off a tree..." Benny giggles and uses his hoodie as a make-shift blanket. He spreads himself out, making grass angels.

Theo: "There is if you want to land on your feet."

Benny: "I didnt die, that's a positive." He grins. "Thanks Theo. I have a really great teacher, so I think I'll pick it up pretty quickly."

Theo: "The fun stuff is always the hardest to learn though. And success is not determined by one's teacher, only with whether you manage to figure out how to master it yourself, and use it to your advantage. The using it to your advantage part, that, I can help you with."

Benny: Benny chuckles. "Falling off a tree isn't exactly fun." He smiles softly, having caught his breath from their fight. "Yeah, I guess so. Did you pick up all this by yourself, or did someone teach you?"

Theo: Theo shrugged. "I picked it up as I needed it to escape from dark corners and back alleyways when cops were chasing me. Over time, I sorta mastered it, but the harder stuff like flips off of buildings and stuff is, well, harder. And falling off a tree can be fun, if you do it right."

Benny: "I don't plan to fall off trees anytime soon," Sitting himself up, Benny gives Theo a cheeky grin. "I bet you fell loads of times before you mastered it..." He giggles. "You should give me a demonstration, show me how it's done." As he has recovered, he's able to send a trickle of energy to gradually recover Theo's stamina and heal any minor wounds he took.

Theo: "Only twice. If I had fallen more, I would probably be in the city jail instead of here for who knows what."

Benny: "I've fallen a couple of times, when I was trying to build a treehouse out back..." He shrugs his shoulders. "It was an old tree, but I miss it..."

Theo: "The one you made bloom after it was practically dead? It's funny what we miss. Don't really appriciate things untilt hey are gone. Like me and boarding school. I miss harassing teachers."

Benny: "Yeah, that one..." Benny sighs. "What was boarding school like? I went to Public School. but I was home-schooled on the weekends and I got a lot of training every couple of weeks." He shrugs. There wasn't a strict set of rules where he went.

Theo: "You know, dress code, stricts teachers, lots of unnecessary work. Oh, and detentions when you did something bad but that for me is like every day. It was there that I mastered my first ability. Sorta trained myself."

Benny: "Mine came fairly naturally..." He smiles. "Boarding school sounds fairly awful. Nothing like Hogwarts or anywhere like that..."

Theo: "Yeah. But all schools suck. Whether public or private, boarding or day, they all suck."

Benny: He shrugs. "It's not that bad. Dad taught me all about the Greek Myths, and Alex came over to teach me how to fight and use my powers..."

Theo: "Who's Alex?"

Benny: "Oh..." Benny blushes, "He was my friend who died. Dad paid him to teach me how to use my powers, and survive on my own." He explains, "He was a really powerful Hecate kid, around his mid-30's, so he knew how it all worked. He was really nice actually..."

Theo: ''So that's how this kid knows how to fight. He was trained by some Hacate kid.'' "Sorry kid, sucks he died. Were you like, close or whatever?"

Benny: "I guess so. I saw him more often than my dad..." Benny shrugs his shoulders. "We went on loads of day trips, so I could learn to forage, climb trees, sword fight, that kind of stuff...."

Theo: Theo wanted to comfort the kid more, but wasn't sure how. "So it was him who brought you here? Or did you come by yourself?"

Benny: "Nah, my friend Laz took me." Benny replies, strangely well-adjusted. "He's a son of Limos. He saw us fighting with the manticore and scared it away somehow. He's taken over Alex's role..." Benny smiles sadly. "It's sad, but talking about it helps a lot. I get my feelings out that way..."

Theo: "Oh. He nice?" Theo shrugs. "I think feelings are for chumps. I mean, the world would be so much better if people didn't ever get jealous, or mad, or upset over idiodic things like relationships and fashion."

Benny: "Um, yeah. He's a little grumpy, but he's nice..." Benny says, resting on his elbows. "I dunno. Yeah, people can be mean sometimes, but I think there's good in everyone. Emotions affect everyone for a reason."

Theo: "Kid,I know you think there is good in everyone. I just don't, and I'm fine with that."

Benny: "Um...sorry." Benny blushes, only just realising that he was repeating himself. He takes a few minutes to daydream, letting his mind wander. "So, would you ever take me on a day trip to New York? I've never been before. It's meant to be much bigger and better than Atlanta."

Theo: Theo smiled at Benny. "I'd love to kid. It's fun as hell. You'll love it. We can go tomorrow if you want. I've been waiting for a reason to get out of this place for a while."

Benny: ''Dad would be so worried, but I should go. I'll get to see the Empire State Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge, and see what I can do in the field. ''"Yeah, that's super cool. Is there anything I need to bring? Money, ambrosia, weapons etc..."

Theo: "Yeah kid, all of that stuff is stuff you'll need. Also, bring golden drachmas for Iris messages and normal people money. A lot of it. You'll want to buy souvenirs and stuff, knowing you. Not that we will be 'buying' anything. I've already got the day planned out kid."

Benny: Standing up, he wraps his hoodie around his shoulders. His clothing is covered in dirt and grass stains. "Yeah, I've got some emergency money in my cabin." Benny grins cheekily; he hadn't spent it all on toys and candy, at least not yet. "Can we go see the Empire State building, and all the other sights?"

Theo: "Yeah, sure kid, whatever you want. I've managed to plan the day so we have two hours to do whatever you want. The rest of the day, I've already planned out. The Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty are already on the list. And we won't even have to wait in line."

Benny: "That's awesome..." Benny grins, practically jumping up and down with excitement. "So, where and when are we gonna meet? How are we gonna get to New York?"

Theo: "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm getting there the same way I came. Through the sewers. That's the safest way, and nobody will even need to know we left. I also have the path to the city using them memorized."

Benny: "Eww...." He covers his nose, "Gross. We'll end up smelling like the sewers." The son of Hebe makes a face. Despite his boyish attitude, he liked to be clean. Dirt was one thing, faeces another. "Can't we just take a car or a pegasi instead?"

Theo: "Not unless you have a car or a pegasi. Chances are if anyone knows about the trip, we won't be able to go."

Benny: Benny sticks his tongue out. "Fine, we'll go by the sewers. Won't it take a long time to walk all the way there?"

Theo: "We only need to get far enough to this town nearby. Then, we can rent a car there. Also, the sewers are clean. Well, the parts we will be going through at least."

Benny: He nods. "Alright. Um, I'll meet you outside my cabin at Seven in the morning...?"

Theo: "See ya then kid." Theo then simply walked back to his cabin.

Hebe Cabin
Theo: Theo wasn't the kind of guy to knock. AT exactly seven in the morning, he walked into the Hebe cabin, pretending like he didn't just violate anybody's privacy or anything. He saw Benny's room and entered that too, without knocking.

Benny: "Ugh......" Benny is still half-asleep, when Theo pretty much walks right into his room. He wipes his eyes, having changed into a camp T-shirt, a new pair of jeans, a hoodie and an Adventure Time backpack which holds all his essential supplies. Birdsong can be heard outside, as one lands on the fountain outside his window and bathes itself. "Um, I'm ready to go. How are we gonna get into the sewers?"

Theo: "Through the manhole on the north side of camp. Let's go kid."

Benny: "I'm not a kid..." Benny sticks out his tongue. Using his powers over youth, he removes the bags underneath his eyes, and tries to erase the effects of sleep. He feels much more refreshed, and ready to go. "C'mon, let's go before anybody notices we're missing..."

Theo: "Whatever. Come on kid, we should get moving," Theo says, completely ignoring Benny's comment about Benny not wanting to be called a kid. As they approach the manhole, Theo turns to Benny. "Ok, I'll go down first, you follow suit. If you don't start to climb your way down in too minutes, I'll assume you are second guessing yourself, and create a maze where every path leads back to the manhole. And then, you will be forced to come down anyway." He jumps down the manhole, and yells up, "Your turn!"

Benny: "Um sure..." Benny follows. Pinching his nose at the thought of entering the sewer, he takes a deep breath and slowly starts to climb down the manhole. He reaches the bottom, catching up to Theo. It isn't as bad as he imagined, however it smells too chemical for his liking. "Lead the way, Mr. Sewer Rat." He giggles.

Theo: Theo led the way, walking in silence, at a brisk pace in order to save time and get there faster. After a while, they arrived at a metal latter. "This is where we surface. There's a rent-a-car place a block away. Then, we can drive to the city and in like thirty minutes we will be there."

Benny: He follows quietly, rubbing his eyes as they walk. Benny tries to stir up conversation a couple of times but he soon realises Theo needs to concentrate to get them out of the sewers quicker. He looks up to the manhole. "Won't it look weird if a couple of kids leave from a manhole?" He asks, scratching the side of his head. "Um, I guess you have a driver's permit..."

Theo: "I'll surround the outside with walls while we exit, and the mist will do the rest. I got a license kid, don't worry." He strted climbing the ladder.

Benny: "Um sure..." Scratching the side of his head, he smiles and starts to climb after Theo. "Do you think they'll have noticed that we've gone yet?" He asks, waiting for Theo to open the manhole.

OOC: Feel free to skip renting the car and some of the journey if you want...

TIMESKIP

New York City
Theo: Theo was happy to be back in New York. He smiled, and looked at Benny. "Well kid, welcome to Queens. This is where I grew up, and where my dad lives. From here we can take the subway."

Benny: "Whoa...." Benny gasps, surprised at just how big everything seems to be. "I knew New York was big, but I've never seen so many buildings in one place..." He steps out of the rental car, and waits on the sidewalk, his hands in his hoodie pockets. "So, where are we going?"

Theo: "To the subway. I thought you might want to see Grand Central and Times Square. I was gonna take you to the M&M store first, because I know you like candy. And then we are going back to my apartment on teh Upper East Side."

Benny: He perks up at the mention of candy. "That's super-cool. I can bring a couple of bags back to camp, one in every colour of the rainbow!" Benny giggles, though his attention is diverted by the sheer amount of people in the area. His ADHD tended to pick up in crowded spaces. "How do you get the subway? Is it like in the movies?"

Theo: "Settle down kid. And they have them in more than just the colors of the rainbow. Theres also gold and silver and pink and black... and a bunch of others. You'll like it. Trust me. I don't watch too many movies, but I'd assume not, considering that we are gonna subway hop, so we don't have to pay."

Benny: "You'll have to roll me home, unless they deliver...?" He reaches into his rucksack and takes out a packet of twizzlers. "Want some? I didn't have time to eat breakfast." He gnaws on the candy, turning his lips a bright shade of red. "Umm....subway hopping? Does that mean we have a load of changeovers?"

Theo: "Yeah, in a way. But it is a bit more complicated." Theo approached a door to a bathroom in the subway. "Hold my hand, and don't let go. Or, well, I don't know what will happen."

Benny: "Wait, what....?" Benny takes Theo's hand and squeezes as tightly as possible. He walks through the bathroom door.

Theo: The two boys end up standing next to each other on a subway. "Yeah. Subway hopping. It's where I 'hop' from subway to subway car using my powers. We are almost there. I chose a train that was only five minutes from the station we want.

Benny: One moment, they're in the subway foyer, and the next they're on a train, surrounded by people. Nobody seems to notice that two teenagers have suddenly appeared, as there's such a large crowd. The train vibrates as it passes through the tunnels. Benny looks astounded. "Um, how did you do that? I thought we walked into the bathroom door..." His mouth is practically wide open at this point.

Theo: "We did." Theo acts like it isn't a big deal, but smiles, liking the idea of Benny being mesmorized at the fact that he basically teleported them onto the train. He liked the idea of mesmorizing Benny. "Long story short, I can basically teleport."

Benny: Benny nods. He understands, however the idea still blows his mind. "That is awesome...." He grins, before noticing that he's still holding Theo's hand. Quickly sending a burst of energy to compensate for his power use, he awkwardly lets go and scratches the side of his head. "I wish I could teleport. I'd go to every candy store in the world..."

Theo: "Eh, it's not all It's cracked up to be. You just get places faster, skip lines, and don't have to pay for anything. But hey, now you know why the cops could never catch me."

Benny: "I guess so...." Tapping his foot, he waits for their next stop. "Why did you take the subway? Couldn't you have just teleported us to Times Square from the bathroom door?" He asks, wondering how the power works exactly. Maybe it takes a lot of effort to teleport that far.

Theo: In reality, Theo couldn't teleport that far because it would drain him way too much. But he liked the fact that Benny was impressed, and din't want that feeling to go away. "The subway is a part of New York. A big part. You haven't experienced New York until you have experienced the subway."

Benny: "That's true." Benny nods. He wobbles a little, as the train hits a couple of bumps. He holds on tight, as the train jerks and suddenly stops. He unconciously grips for Theo's hand, as people start to leave the train. He doesn't want to get lost, especially since demigods tended to avoid cellphones. "It's actually quite fun..."

Theo: "I know. This is where we get off. Grab my hand again." Theo walked out of the subway door, and appeared in the doorway of a store in Times Square.

Benny: Pushing through crowds of people, the two appear in Times Square. Benny looks up to see the giant billboards, and loads of people pushing through. Tourists take photos of each other, and there are several stands in the area. He looks up to the bright city lights. "That's really cool. C'mon, let's explore!" He grins and fishes out a disposable camera from his pockets.

Theo: "No way kid. Just because I can't get lost doesn't mean you can't. We are going right across the street to the M&M store." He points across the street at a big light up billboard sign with athe green M&M on it.

Benny: "Aww, come on...." Benny clicks his camera, taking a couple of pictures of himself and the square. He hangs the camera around his neck and follows Theo, appeased by the promise of candy. "Wow, it's so bright..."

Theo: Theo held Benny's hand so Benny wouldn't get lost as they crossed the street. Theo entered the store, leading the way.

Benny: Thankfully, Theo guides him across the road. Benny almost gets run over, stampeded and knocked over as he tries to get to the M&M store as quick as possible. There are loads of bright tubes, filled with every colour of M&M imaginable. He immediately takes one look, and runs around like...well a kid in a candy store.

Theo: Ugh, I should have known the kid would get excited and run off. Theo summons a string to navigate through the building and keep track of the path he took and goes off in the direction Benny ran.

Benny: It doesn't take long to find Benny. At this point, he's already picked up a couple of bags of candy, and is beginning to check out some M&M merch. "Hey, isn't this cool?..." He grins and stands next to a lifesize model of the mascot. "Take a photo for me? I'm gonna send some back to my dad."

Theo: Theo makes a concerned face. "You sure you wanna do that? How do you think your dad would react if he knew you were here? I thought you thought he would like flip or something."