Ronnie and Rafael's adventures

((YESSSSS!! Let's not draw it out too long though because I can be shitty at RPing fighting LOL))

Veronica got out of the car, sheathing her usual dagger and pulling out one of her throwing knives and twirling it around in her hand. She followed Rafael, moving quietly in an attempt to stay unnoticed... at least for the time being. Rafael lunged into battle as an axe was slung at her face, but Ronnie laid low in the bushes, watching. There was quite an assembly of monsters here, but nothing horribly chaotic. She could see what was going on, and for that she was grateful. One of the demon's friends was lying low, just ten or so feet away from Ronnie, and arrow notched and ready to fly. She gripped her knife and poised herself to throw it, but it was too late.

The arrow flew. Ronnie had to stifle her mouth with the fabric of her sweatshirt to stop herself from screeching, but she chucked the knife at the demon. It flew and sunk into its back, and the demon quickly turned to ash. She hunkered down and retrieved it, brushing it off on her pants and forcing a look back to Rafael. It'd missed him. Thank the gods. A ton of the demon's other friends stood in a row, though, waiting for her to make her move. Shit. She used her fright to her advantage. Trying to look as frightened as possible, she crossed her arms, her eyes widening in fear. Where they couldn't see it, her hand reached for another throwing knife, which she gripped and flung in a sideways motion at the first demon. Being that the demons would turn to ash with the collision of the celestial bronze into their skin, the knife sliced through the first demon like butter... and flew straight into the next. They had little time to react, but one managed to survive, jumping atop her. She cried out, elbowing it in the gut in an attempt to get it off of her. Her hand wrapped around the hilt of her dagger... Rafael'd better be getting Rose. Out of here. Now.

((Fine with me since I get really shitty at long fights anyhow.))
Rafael felt the familiar buzz of adrenaline as he looked out on the scene then he saw Ronnie in trouble. Since he wasn't going to leave her there alone, Rafael sent a knife flying toward the monster that had her pinned and then turned and ran toward the house with his sword ready to slash anything in the way. As he neared the door, a scream came from within and Rafael used that as an extra fuel source. The son of Hecate burst through the solid oak door and came face to face with a couple guards, both of which were storm spirits. Rafael didn't have time so he looked around and saw Rose in a corner with her adopted parents. He swore and then charged the monsters and successfully killed both of them. With his arms ready, Rafael scooped up Rose and spoke to the parents as he ran toward the side door that was closest to the car. There is a car out in front of a house a couple blocks away. It is a Ford Taurus and I am going to get you there. When there you need to drive away from here. If any monster follows then pull the rear seat up on the passenger side and take a knife. With it you should be able to keep Rose alive. Rafael burst through the door and muttered a curse in Ancient Greek. Right next to the bushes where Ronnie hid was the Gorgon who he knew would be here. He handed Rose to the two mortals and then tossed them the keys. After doing that, he charged toward the Gorgon with sword drawn and at the ready, hoping the family would make it out there alive.

Ronnie pushed against the demon but it grabbed her arm. Its claws dug into her wrist, drawing blood with its sharp talons. Ronnie let out a shriek of pain, her body crumpling beneath the monster. She took a deep breath in... and suddenly the monster disintegrated atop her. She coughed, dust spewing from her mouth. She wanted to vomit. But she needed to help Rafael, and she couldn't dwell on this. After recovering from her breath of monster ash, she forced herself up and brandished her dagger. She glanced about the house to notice a couple she assumed were Rose's parents fleeing through the back, Rose in tow. She exhaled, relieved, though she had no clue where Rafael was.

"Rafael!" she called, assuming he was somewhere around here. At this point, the storm spirits were gone and with another thrown knife she killed the last of the demon's minions. Risking a glance down at her wrist, she noticed that the demon's fingernails had dug pretty deep into her arm, leaving five punctures within her skin. "Shit," she murmured upon seeing the blood and forced herself to ignore it. Her eyes settled upon Rafael, who was face to face with a gorgon. How wonderful.

(Question.. aren't demigods immortal?)

((It depends on the situation. If a human tried to kill a demigod then there would be no death, an injury but not death. Now if it were a monster, demigod, or godly figure then there would be a death. So, it depends.))



Rafael heard Ronnie call his name but he couldn't take the time to look up. As the gorgon attacked him, the son of Hecate slid under and slashed his sword through the stomach of the woman. He was just beginning to stand up when the gorgon burst into ash and disappeared. Rafael turned around and looked at Ronnie. He smiled and then noticed the blood on her wrist from a wound like the one that he had been given at the restaurant. Rafael's eyes widened and he dashed over to Ronnie and spoke to her. What happened? I thought I had killed him before going in to the house.

((bahaha I feel like a noob I meant gorgons LOL my brain has been elsewhere lately))

Ronnie let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as the gorgon disintegrated into dust that settled into the already heavy air. She coughed again, expelling the last of the ash from her lungs. Thank the gods. Before she could move towards him Rafael was in front of her, staring at her wrist in concern. She wrapped the fabric of her jacket around it tightly to keep it from bleeding before looking up at him and shaking her head. "You killed him... thanks," she said, before continuing. "He grabbed my wrist though... those nails of his were sharp." Ronnie winced, though the pain in her arm was the last thing on her mind. "Did you get them out of here? We should get out, if the police show up..."

Rafael nodded as he listened to Ronnie and then looked at her wrist again. He remembered what had happened to him after the weird demon thing had stabbed him and then he feared for Ronnie. That was when the sirens and lights erupted around them and Rafael grabbed Ronnie by the waist. We really need to go. Since that thing got you, I'm driving and I don't think it is a good idea to leave Rose and her parents here right now. Rafael spun around and started for the Taurus as bullets started flying. Luckily, the police were shooting at a tree that Rafael had used the Mist to look like a criminal. He was really tired from the fighting but Rafael was relieved when they got to the car and he started the engine. With a deft spin of the wheel, Rafael pulled away from the curb and immediately floored the pedal so that the car jumped from 0 to 150 miles per hour in as short a time as possible. He couldn't bear to have Ronnie injured.

((Should I have Sam call right now, or later? It doesn't really matter to me. bahaha it would be so funny if I made him as a character though I'd be torturing Ronnie))

Ronnie got into the Taurus with Rafael, and it took her a second to process why exactly Rafael was so concerned. Sure, she'd gotten hurt and her wrist was bleeding significantly, but- oh. The demons injected poison into people. Maybe this one didn't have that ability? It probably did. Ronnie clutched the fabric around her arm more tightly, but she knew it wasn't any use. She felt fine now though, and she knew she'd better be happy while she was still mentally sound. Rafael floored the accelerator and she swore as she was thrown into the front of her seat, having forgotten to strap herself in. She pulled the seat belt gingerly around her injured left arm and fastened it securely.

"Gods, Rafael, it's not going to help if you get us killed in a car crash, of all things..." Ronnie couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the irony of that idea. After having gone through all that they had, driving a car seemed like one of the most safe things to do in life.

"Where are we going, anyway? It's going to take at least an hour and a half to get back to camp, even if you drive like this," Ronnie reached back with her good arm, grabbing the small leather satchel that she carried with her virtually all the time from the backseat and pulling out of it a small baggie of ambrosia. She popped a small square of the divine food into her mouth, closing her eyes and letting the taste of her stepmom's hot chocolate and peppermint overwhelm her. Immediately, Ronnie felt drowsier than before and a sharp twinge of pain arrived in her wrist. All she could do was hope that the ambrosia would delay the effects of the demon's mark.

"I think Rose and her parents got away," Ronnie thought aloud after a minute, swallowing the ambrosia.

"I saw them escaping. They must've found someplace to hide, or had a car somewhere else, because I didn't notice them on our way out either." A pang of disappointment resounded through Ronnie's mind as she realized she didn't even get to see her daughter. What would Rose's parents think of her now? Did they even know that Ronnie and Rafael had shown up? If they had, they'd probably blame her and never let her see her daughter at all. Ronnie's stomach rolled uncomfortably, probably a result of the Starsky and Hutch driving tactics, the ambrosia, her injury and all of the day's pressures weighing down on her.

((Nice Starsky and Hutch reference. Plus I think I will do an NPC for a random Apollo child being outside Camp.))


Rafael looked over at Ronnie before looking in the rearview mirror. The police were suddenly realizing that hey there was a car going 150 miles per hour while they were shooting at a tree. They were immediately turning and flying after them but Rafael had a good minute and a half lead on them and was already turning onto a side street where he knew that demigods had been known to visit. That was when he saw a child of Apollo walking around. Rafael did a spin and his car spun and parallel parked a few feet away from the demigod. Excuse me, could we get some assistance please? The Apollo child nodded and then pointed to the backseat. Rafael nodded and explained the wound to him about how Ronnie was poisoned and how one of the Apollo children had been called to aid him when he had been injured by the same poison. Then the Apollo boy grinned and started chanting as he put his hand over Ronnie's wrist. It was surreal to see the kid just start healing someone without asking questions and it was even stranger to see Ronnie infected with the same poison that he had been attacked with. Ronnie, we can't have you asleep. Try to stay awake please. Talk to me or something. Do you care if I ask you about your step mom? You haven't talked about her much and it just seems like you enjoyed her company before Camp. Does she know anything about me, or about the past couple days? Rafael looked at Ronnie and wrapped his fingers around Ronnie's free hand gingerly.


((Yeah, you should have Sam call now and like have it interrupt the conversation.))

((This outta be good...lol))



Rafael looked at the phone as Ronnie answered it and he could hear the exhaustion in her tone which quickly turned to surprise and then something akin to fear or anger. The son of Hecate could just barely pick out the timbre of the voice and tell it was a male and one not originally from America. The thought was soon in his head and Rafael knew that it was Samuel. As soon as the phone hit the floor, Rafael went to ask Ronnie if she was okay, yet the phone's light came back on and Rafael was enraged. He grabbed the small device and flipped it open. With it pressed to his ear, Rafael spoke in a demanding tone that left no room for niceties. Look, I know this is Samuel, and I know that Ronnie told you to not call again. So, if you call again, or I see you even within eyesight of her, then I will personally rip your damn head off and feed it to whatever creature eats shit like you! Rafael waited for a response to make sure the guy understood him and that he wasn't a threat to be taken lightly.

"Um, excuse me?" Samuel asked through the phone. "Do you realize who-"

He cut himself off. Sometimes he forgot he wasn't in a position of power as he had been back under his father's dictatorship. He'd gotten too used to relying on his status to make people respect him. Not that he really wanted to be in that position anymore, anyway...

"Look, I told her I was sorry for everything that happened. She's my fiancée. Who are you to be so rude?"

Ronnie heard Rafael pick up the phone and her stomach twisted. Samuel hadn't just called her, had he? What the hell was he doing? Was she dreaming? Apparently not, as her wrist burned in pain even after being healed. She wasn't really listening to what Rafael was saying, but she did catch him swearing various times. She got the feeling he wasn't really giving Sam the time of day. Ronnie could hear his tinny voice resonate through the phone and all she wanted to do was grab it from Rafael and chuck it out the window.

"Just hang up and shut the damn phone off, Rafael," she suggested softly, her voice laden with uncertainty. As hard as she tried, she couldn't stop the trembling of her body. What if he wanted to find her? He'd worked hard enough to find her cell phone number. The thought of seeing him again made goosebumps rise on her skin. If she had to look at him... She could just remember the night she'd left, when she'd been forced to meet her eyes and it took everything she had not to jump out of the window, to do anything to get away from him. He'd touched her, kissed her forehead, and she'd had to smile at him as if she was the happiest person on earth. The memory sent her mind reeling and she stared blankly into the interior of the car in front of her, tracing the numbers branded on the inside of her left wrist absentmindedly. The skin there was inflamed, freshly healed over the demon's claw marks which left scars in her wrist, but the numbers remained intact. She didn't need this right now. This was the last thing she needed right now.

Rafael heard the question that Samuel asked and felt his mind go dark with fury. His anger started to grow and a small spark appeared at his hands where the fingers were wrapped around the steering wheel. If you want to know who I am then show up around her and I will show you! Rafael raised his hand and hung up the phone. He then rolled down the window and melted the phone with the small fire attack that he was still sparking. The melted mother board and circuitry sparked and popped as the Taurus started up and rolled away. Apparently the Apollo child had bailed when he heard the threats coming from Rafael and the son of Hecate didn't blame him. Rafael realized that he was still fuming and that Ronnie was shaking with some hidden emotions. He reached his arm back out and brushed his hand against her's. Is everything alright? I'm sorry I destroyed your phone and that you had to hear me swear like that.

Rafael felt a new feeling inside him as he saw Ronnie flinch away. He was about to draw his hand back when she grabbed it before letting go. He wasn't sure why but Rafael felt as if he couldn't protect everyone, especially since he had been unable to keep Sam from finding Ronnie's number in the first place. Rafael was wondering if he could say anything without choking up when he decided that it would probably be the best if he was emotional. Ronnie, I don't want anything to hurt you. Rafael's voice caught as he felt his throat tighten and he stopped to look out at the road. Besides, he won't enjoy finding you if he does. I already told him that, and I hope he knows I mean it. Rafael couldn't look at Ronnie for fear that she would be upset at him for saying that.

((Sorry for the absence but I was just realizing I am a seriously problematic Procrastinator. I have four days to finish four essays and 1 semester test as well as get at least 65 percent total in those grades to pass my Government class.))
Rafael felt his face flush as he realized that Ronnie was trembling. He hadn't helped but he knew that she was his girlfriend and no matter how much she said he didn't need to help her, he would still kick that guy's ass for hurting Ronnie. Finally Rafael heard what Ronnie was saying to him and he started to wish she hadn't said those words. He knew that there was no way to release the pain that had already been caused but he was willing to try to deter any more attempts to cause more pain. I know that I can't change the past, yet he doesn't deserve to get away with it. Rafael finished just as Ronnie started speaking again. The fact that she wanted to confront Sam herself spoke wonders for her will. Rafael was starting to develop more of an understanding for her. Finally she stopped and Rafael turned to her. You can face him if you want. I will gladly allow that. Just know I am here for you if you need help.


Rafael drove on and stared out at the road and pavement. He was contemplating all that had happened near the house and how as soon as they left, that scumbag had called. It seemed really strange, yet Sam wasn't the type of person, he thought, who would attack his daughter just to get to Ronnie. Rafael saw a sign that said that a Verizon store was at the next exit. He could even see the building that was there. Rafael turned at an exit just after it and backtracked toward the cellular store. Ronnie, I need to make a stop. Are you hungry? Rafael had seen a restaurant, McDonalds or some place like that, just across the street. He realized that they hadn't eaten for awhile, so he pulled into the parking lot and got out. Before Ronnie could get out, he hoped, Rafael dashed across the street and into the Verizon outlet.


Rafael saw the young man at the counter smiling as he entered the large store and the son of Hecate moved to the clerk. I'm looking for a phone. The clerk smiled and replied. "Certainly sir, would you like to get something with internet or a touch screen. Maybe a full keyboard would interest you." Rafael watched as the man walked to each section and pointed to them. Finally the demigod replied in turn. I just want something that is a phone. Nothing too fancy though. The clerk frowned and pulled out a phone that had a sliding screen and a full keyboard underneath. It was rather hi tech but Rafael could tell it was the most toned down of them all. "Here is our most simple phone. Would you like it?" I will take it.


After paying for the phone and convincing the clerk that he didn't need anything else, Rafael left and went back to the fast food place. He was hungry and wanted to get there. But Rafael slipped the phone into his pocket before he had turned around and made sure it wasn't visible. No need for Ronnie to see it yet, Rafael thought.

((It's perfectly alright! I understand! Get your work done! oh lordy. totally didn't mean for this post to be long but the words kind of spilled out of my fingertips LOL))

Ronnie listened to what Rafael said, but she was too tired to formulate a response. She nodded, meeting his eyes as he reassured her. She agreed with him and his opinions of the situation, for the most part. Sam shouldn't have gotten away with what he had done, but he did. If he was at all moral, which Ronnie knew him to be, he would have realized his wrongs eventually and criticized himself for it... how much so, Ronnie had no idea. She knew that he had a heart. As much as it pained her to think about it now, she and Samuel were friends. He'd been her anchor, the person she could confide in when she had nobody else. Sure, he couldn't really understand a lot of what she would tell him, but he'd cared. He was so different from his father, and yet so similar to him. When she'd found out she was betrothed to him she was terrified, but he'd consoled her, and they'd only grown closer. Ronnie had loved Sam, though she tried not to remember that part of it, but here, in her exhausted state, she was able to think about it comfortably.

The sad part was that Ronnie almost understood why it all went downhill. She knew part of the reason why he did what he did with her. He'd been so stupid and he was corrupted by his friends. He'd been so drunk and he was sick and tired of all of his father's pressure and his self control was weakened. He'd become a different person altogether, some semblance of his father that she hadn't seen in him before then.

Ronnie still blamed Sam. But she understood. And she also knew that he wasn't always that person, though that person scared the shit out of her and she never wanted to meet him again.

She still had no idea what she would do if she saw him again, or even what the hell he wanted from her. She knew she'd have to face him and talk to him, now. She'd brought herself to that understanding. This was her battle to fight, her conflict to face, as much as Rafael seemed to think that he was going to get involved. The idea should have scared her, but honestly she didn't care, not here, safe right now in the car with Rafael and her consciousness slipping away from her.

Rafael spoke, something about her being hungry, and she just mumbled something incomprehensible, uncaring as she closed her eyes and fell into the depths of sleep as he shut the door and left her in the car by herself.

((Damn! My post didn't work earlier...now I have to re-type it.))



Rafael had been in the road when Ronnie had fallen asleep so he was surprised when he made it back to the car and saw the soft features of the daughter of Aglaea while she slept. It was interesting how she had gone from nervous and trembling to the calm, slumbering state that she was in, but Rafael was more worried about getting back to New York without any new problems arising. So the son of Hecate opened the car door and withdrew the phone he had bought and set it in the center console cup holder. The phone was now next to Ronnie and he was sure she would see it when she awoke but he had to get to driving. Rafael pulled out of the parking lot and then started toward New York.



[TIME SKIP]



Rafael felt the car begin to kick up dust and dirt as the small access road that led to the base of Half Blood Hill came into sight. It was strange but he wasn't sure he wanted to go back yet and so Rafael pulled to the side of the road and let the car idle while he looked at the journal that his father had kept. The leather was slightly worn and Rafael felt a lump form in his throat as he remembered the glasses and red feathered pen that his father had used when writing in this very book. He hadn't realized it but this was one of the few memories he held dear and all it was was a few small items his father had used when writing.

((I have totally done that before, and it's so annoying. xP))

After maybe an hour or so Ronnie stirred, her mind gradually coming back to its woken state. Her eyes fluttered and she had to blink a few times to refocus her vision. It didn't take her long to remember where she was, in the car with Rafael. She sat up, running a hand through her sleep-tousled brown hair and hoping to tame the waves that were probably disheveled. She probably didn't do a very good job. Still, Ronnie was glad she'd gotten the chance to sleep. She'd gotten next to no sleep the night before, and even an hour made her feel rejuvenated. It hadn't been dreamless, but for some reason she couldn't remember her dream at all, which bothered her. Whatever. She couldn't dwell on it.

"Hey," she murmured to Rafael after a few seconds, as if just noticing he was there. Only just then did she process that they were stopped, somewhere back out on eastern Long Island by the looks of the trees and the rural area surrounding them. "Are we back at camp?" she asked him, though she doubted the answer was yes. She didn't recognize this area of forest, though she didn't spend too much time in the forest may not recognize it anyway. Her eyes drifted to the small cell phone sitting in the cup-holder compartment of the car and she knew immediately that Rafael'd bought it to replace her old one. She picked it up, turning it over in her hands.

"Rafael, you didn't have to..." she trailed off for a second as the memories of what'd happened earlier crashed into her like a wave of seawater, knocking the breath out of her lungs. The fight at Rose's house, the phone call from Sam... when she gasped for air again, she didn't get lucky enough to bob to the surface. She just choked on a fistful of water. It only took her a few seconds to recover, though, and she met his eyes. "Thank you. I appreciate it. Not only for this," Ronnie indicated the phone in her hands, "but also for you being here for me. You were willing to go with me to see Rose, and you sit here and listen to all of my ridiculous problems. Not a lot of people will do that. Even if things didn't work out so well... thanks for trying." Ronnie looked at him carefully, a faint blush lighting up her cheeks.

Rafael sat there in the car and listened to Ronnie speak but his mind wasn't fully there. He was still remembering his dad and how he wished he could speak to him and tell him about Ronnie. Then a new thought popped into his head and he remembered the call that Sam had made, how he had said that he was Ronnie's fiancee. That was what bothered him, since Ronnie was dating him and from what he could tell, Rafael was the only one he listened to her. Yet he couldn't think long about it and so he put the journal away and turned to Ronnie with a slight shine to his eyes that announced the presence of tears nearby.



Ronnie, I didn't buy the phone because I had to. I bought it because you didn't need to lose your old one and I was wrong to melt it in the first place. Although, I plan on killing that jackass as soon as I see him. Rafael lowered his gaze as the tears began to drip from the corners of his eyes. He didn't want to let Ronnie know he was sad and he didn't want to make her think it was because of her. Camp is just down this road, about two miles from here. Rafael sniffled as he spoke and then glanced up to look at Ronnie. His mood may have been down but he still had to look at Ronnie to see if he could tell what she was thinking. Unfortunately, he couldn't.

Rafael just listened to Ronnie while she spoke and he felt his heart begin to ache. From what he heard it sounded like she still loved Sam and that she didn't want him to die. Understandably, Rafael was stricken but he only showed it for a brief second and only in his eyes before he forced a look of calm understanding onto his face. He was still unsure but Rafael couldn't be that way forever. Rafael felt Ronnie's hand against his face and as she lowered it, he caught her wrist in a light grasp and then leaned forward. His lips brushed hers briefly before he spoke to her. Ronnie, I won't hurt him unless necessary. I promise. Rafael couldn't hold her gaze anymore and then he realized he was still holding her hand. Quickly, embarrassed, Rafael released the hold and turned away.

Rafael glanced down at where he had but the journal and thought for a minute. It was a rather personal book but he would still tell Ronnie the information since she was a part of his life now. It's a journal that my dad kept. He wrote it in rough Ancient Greek but the fact is that he kept it for me to read one day. I remember watching him write in it every night and it brought back memories. Rafael noticed Ronnie's hand next to his and he wrapped his fingers through hers and smilled at her. It was a calming thought to know that Ronnie was near him and not angry. Thank you for letting me come with you. I'm sorry for the events that happened.

((Are they going to meet Sam right when they get back to camp? I need to get working on him. xP Hopefully I'll get him done tonight or tomorrow.))

Ronnie nodded, trying to picture Rafael as a young kid. It was kind of difficult, but she could see it. He must have adored his father. She waited a few seconds to respond, lacing her fingers through his. "Thank you for coming with me," she spoke, giving him a small smile. "It wasn't your fault, what happened. I just hope Rose is alright..." Ronnie trailed off, frowning. Selfishly, Ronnie wished she could have met Rose. She had taken comfort in the idea that she would see her that morning, and now that she knew it wasn't going to happen a melancholy feeling settled over her.