Ronnie and Rafael's adventures

((Sure let's have him be there when we get to Camp.))


Rafael nodded slowly and then laid his head back on the seat with his eyes closed. He was growing tired and today's events were beginning to wear on his mind while he tried to stay calm. Yet the feeling that something was going to happen and ruin the day was still sitting firm in his mind and Rafael wasn't willing to let anything ruin the day any more than it already was. Rafael realized that his hand was still in Ronnie's grip and he untangled his fingers from hers. I am still rather frustrating that we weren't able to see Rose. I mean, I saw her but having to save someone from certain death isn't real enjoyable.

((Gah I've got to get working on him. So much on my plate xP Honestly I could probably start posting with him sans powers or anything before I complete his form, though))

Ronnie nodded. "I didn't even get to see her..." she trailed off, looking away for a second before looking back to Rafael. "Do you want to get back to camp? I know I'm still exhausted, and you can't be that energized after everything that happened today." She leaned her cheek against the seat, watching him.

Rafael looked forward toward the windshield as he opened his eyes and then nodded slowly. His mind was still swimming but there wasn't really anything that he could do. Rafael took a deep breathe and started the engine again. Yet when the car started, it died almost immediately, which surprised him until he looked at the fuel gauge and saw that the needle was hovering just over the E on the LCD screen. With a frustrated groan, Rafael opened the door and walked to the trunk, where he kept a gas can to fill the tank if something like this ever happened. Luckily Rafael was away from the tank when he heard the hiss of natural gas start to leak from the door.
Rafael suddenly realized what was happening and he grabbed the car door and dove in to get his journal and a few weapons. Then he slammed his foot against the emergency brake. The car started to lurch forward and Rafael slammed his foot against the passenger door. Immediately following up that movement, the son of Hecate grabbed Ronnie and jumped forward to propel them through the door and away from the car that was now a ticking time bomb. As soon as he cleared the car, he raised a shimmering force field and felt the explosion erupt as soon as the field rose and he knew that it had been an attempt to kill him and possibly Ronnie.
When the flames and hunk of metal moved further away, Rafael lowered the force field and started to sit up and realized that there was something underneath his back. He knew it wasn't Ronnie, because he had made sure to roll out so that he would hit the ground first. Rafael reached down and found the phone that he must have hit when his foot was flying out behind him.
Are you alright, Ronnie?

Rafael looked at his burned and smoldering heap of metal that was once a car as he stood up and tried to arrange his thoughts long enough to make a plan. Then he resolved himself and scanned the ground to find any useful items. There were a few small pieces of iron and some leather from the seats. Yet in the center of the wreckage was a large pile of Celestial Bronze and a smaller pile of Stygian Iron. The two piles weren't really piles but the flames and wreckage had melted them together and now there were hunks of metal that could be used for weapons later. So, the son of Hecate grabbed them up and stuffed them into a duffel bag that was strangely enough still unscarred and whole. The fact that anything was still there was awesome. Then Rafael grabbed three canisters of the Nitrous that he saw was still there and full. The world seemed to be a battle field but times like this were times where you had to gather all the things that might be useful later on.

After having gathered that, Rafael looked up the hill and started to hike up the mile long road, almost guaranteeing that a monster would attack at any moment. Yet he made it a good eighth of a mile before sensing the presence of a dark creature, one that hadn't graced the Earth in ages. This creature was one from back in Achilles' time and Rafael believed he had heard of Hercules meeting it at one point. Yet the creature wasn't named. It had the body of a human but fifty times as large as a normal human and the arms and legs weren't human at all but were created of another animal. The legs were the legs of a wolf and the arms were shaped like frontal legs of a dragon with great eagle wings sprouting from the shoulder blades of the creature. It's head was the head of a mountain lion yet the head had the horns of a stag. This was a creature that Rafael had only heard rumors of and he believed that the Ancient Mayans and older Mexicans called it El Chupacabra, but he could be wrong. Then when the son of Hecate saw the beast, he noticed that the stag horns were dark red and its body was covered in bovine fur that was thicker than any he had seen. Yet he could also see saber tooth tiger fangs jutting from the top and mamoth tusks from the bottom jaws.

Instantly, he drew his sword and stopped to warn Ronnie. This was no longer about just him, and gods be damned if he allowed her to be injured by this thing. We shouldn't move anymore. Do you sense it like I do? That thing isn't just big, but he's strong as well. Rafael wasn't someone to give in at a fight, but he wasn't a child of Ares either. Rafael wasn't stupid. And that was all someone could claim to be if they dove into a fight with El Chupacabra.

((Actually, I don't think El Chupacabra is after Rafael specifically. It will be explained in this post or the next.))



Rafael just stared at the monster in shock. Sure he had heard of the thing raiding small towns in the Northern part of Mexico and the Southern part of the connecting states. Yet this wasn't that area, no, they were in New York friggin City. How the hell was a monster from Southern United States in a Northern state? Then it hit him. There were demigods from all over the world flocking to Camp and he had heard of one demi god that had left Camp awhile back and gone South. Maybe he had returned, what was his name, Austin Greene? That was it. Go, go to Camp and get help. I don't think he will just stay there if we run, yet if one of us attacks and the other goes for help then it might just work out for us. Please Ronnie, go to safety.

((I'd thought about that, but Ronnie doesn't know any better. LOL ._. ah I see you've brought Austin into the picture. Austin always seems to have people/monsters after him))

Ronnie's eyes widened, but her resolve thickened. She wasn't about to just run off like an obedient, blank-minded little puppy. "I can't just leave you here," she protested. "We're close to a mile away from camp, and I'm not going to be able to go back and bring back help in a short amount of time. Even if we can get a working car, it'll be at least fifteen minutes by the time I get into camp and-" Ronnie hissed, her voice stopping suddenly as the creature loped forwards a step, still seemingly unaware of their presence. Must've been a deaf monster.

((Lol I know, hence the giant monster with extreme strength and anger.))

Rafael just grinned and then pulled his staff from his sheathe that was on his leg. If there was a fight then it could end up being helpful to have multiple weapons ready. Just as he drew the staff, El Chupacabra raised his head and glanced in the direction of the demigods. His eyes were evil and his face was rather disgusting but the pure hatred within his glare was obvious. Um, he has noticed us now. So if we are going to fight then you should get ready. Rafael raised his dark black blade and gave his best roar of defiance. He had heard that most animals in the wild were less likely to fight if the opponent was stronger or braver. Apparently the effect didn't work on El Chupacabra. Instead, the monster ducked and charged with huge strides that ate up the distance.



Austin was just beginning to ride Seraph over the large tree tops when he heard the roar of his most hated monster. El Chupacabra had attacked him when he had first crossed over into Mexico, quickly followed by the maurading raiders of Mexico. Austin raised his face and grinned in complete relief. Now he could take down the creature and save some demigods in the process. Spurring on Seraph, Austin rode toward the roar of the monster, still several yards away.

Rafael stared into the monster's eyes as he saw the three daggers flash by in a few seconds time span. It wasn't like him to be so brave but Ronnie was involved and he would never allow her to be injured. Then a large bestial right hook came toward Rafael and he never had a chance to move. The blow struck him in the jaw and sent the son of Hecate flying back and to the left several yards, away from Camp and Ronnie both. He hit his back against a tree and his head slammed back against the turf that had been growing for several years. Through blurred eyes, Rafael could see all three blades sink into the beast's back and neck, none of them within a severe death blow, but all he could really see was the set of stag horns and mammoth tusks that gleamed as El Chupacabra charged toward his injured body, aiming for a death blow in itself.



Austin felt a thrill of joy as his blood boiled with pre battle adrenaline that left no room for fear. He was now right above the battle, or massacre, that was about to ensue. Then he saw the blinding right hook that sent the kid flying and the three blades sink into El Chupacabra. None of the pain would be registering in the beast yet, unlike all of the pain going through the obviously tired son of whatever insane deity that had just flown into a tree. Austin bellowed and sent Seraph toward the fight where he could help. His weapons weren't drawn but he still had gotten into a fight with this creature and had come close to winning, with no weapons. That was after his blade had shattered and now he had a blade so he would win. Seraph landed in front of the charging creature and Austin jumped off of the pegasus's back and slammed his left foot into El Chupacabra in a full roundhouse that sent the monster back a few feet.

((I'm going to let you do the gift description because I don't want to mess it up!))

Out of the blue, a cardboard package shimmered into existence beside the tree Rafael had slammed into, its side stamped with a caduceus and the words "HERMES EXPRESS." It was rather large, and taped to the top of it was a note addressed to Rafael from his mother, giving brief directions for both of his new, magical items.

Ronnie yelled in exasperation as Rafael flew backwards, slamming into the trunk of a tree. Crap. She had no chance. What if he was killed? She stopped herself from thinking and ran forward, unsheathing her dagger as she went. Out of the corner of her vision she saw a boy throw himself off of a pegasus and slam his foot into the monsters head... at which point it stumbled backwards, straight towards Ronnie. She skittered away from it, her fingers tightening around her dagger, and though it was unaware she was standing face to face with it's fur-covered back.

Without thinking Ronnie grabbed onto it's fur, pulling herself up onto its body and scaling the creature. Because its fur was so long, it wasn't very difficult to maintain her hold and maneuver her way onto its back. Ronnie's fingers encountered slimy ichor from the stab wounds she'd given the creature, and she fought the urge to vomit. Her mind began to process the fact that she was on this creature's back.

Am I insane? she thought vaguely before shoving her dagger into its body, having reached its upper back, where it's heart should have been. Did it even have a heart? Ronnie prayed it did. The chupacabra bellowed angrily, flailing and trying to throw her off of its back.

Ronnie held on for dear life, hoping desperately that the new kid who'd arrived wouldn't inadvertently kill her.

Blinking away tears that had sprung to his eyes, Rafael saw the cardboard box appear and open slowly. As it opened, a letter fluttered out and landed in his lap. He could make out the shadowy form of the gifts and the caduceus which meant that this was a gift from the gods. Rafael sat up and read the letter, which was just a description of the gifts and how they worked. Rafael grinned and reached into the box. As soon as his hand touched the rope and rod, he felt the box shimmer and disappear, leaving only the gifts and letter. He forced himself to stand up and threw the grappelling hook up and it wrapped around the tree limb at the very top. With astounding dexterity, Rafael scaled the rope and pulled out the rod. He spoke the command word and the rod expanded and there was a bladed wings in its place. Bring it on Bitch! Olympus! The wings glowed godly gold and fastened to his back. Rafael jumped from the tree and circled the beast, mounting higher in the sky than ever before. He was now out of El Chupacabra's reach.



The demon, or monster, whatever it was, roared in anger and surprise when it felt the knife sink into its back. Although it didn't have a heart, the ichor still flowed and now it felt the pain of weapons entering its body.



Austin grinned maniacally and then the grin faded as the head of El Chupacabra rolled across the ground. The son of Nike looked at the spot where its head used to be and saw the Stygian Iron wing flash by where the son of whatever had flown by. Now, Austin could honestly say he had only been a distraction. Instead of staying for conversation, Austin dashed to Seraph and they rode off for Camp.

((Sorry, I forgot to post on the other one that the monster just died. Rafael decapitated it as soon as he flew into the sky.))



Rafael grinned weakly as he landed on the ground and retrieved the rope and then allowed the wings to retract and shrink to the perfect size to fit in his pocket. Then he slipped in the now wet grass and walked over to the head of El Chupacabra. It being the size of basically a good sized boulder made it hard to grab but that didn't deter him. Rafael hooked the grappeling hook on the horns and then spoke to his gift. It then wound around itself until it had formed a decent web-net and held the head. Then the son of Hecate looked to see if he could find Austin and wasn't surprised to see that the son of Nike had already taken off. Are you alright, Ronnie? I can't believe the thing died like that, or that I can now fly through the skies like that.

Rafael saw the falling form of Ronnie as the body of El Chupacabra disappeared. Just as she hit the dust, he covered the distance between them and was only about three feet from her when she passed out. Rafael couldn't stand to see her get hurt so he dashed over, pain and all, and caught Ronnie before she could hit the ground and get injured. Spinning around from the force of his dash and Ronnie hitting his arms, Rafael dug into his pocket and withdrew the stygian steel rod. He couldn't keep the full head of El Chupacabra and get Ronnie to Camp safely, so he laid down Ronnie's body and cut the tusks, fangs, and deer antlers. With those six items, he could strap them to the pack he had and then use the rope and hook to keep Ronnie from falling. Rafael turned the rod into the wings and then stuck them to his back. He picked up Ronnie, carefully, and then took the rope into his arms. Positioning the limp form of his girlfriend without hurting her was difficult, but he had to get them back. Using the rope and some strange maneuvering, Rafael succeeded at tying the rope taut and put the hook up onto the Stygian Iron rod. Now that that was done. Rafael abandoned the crash site and the now uglier monster head with his arms wrapped around Ronnie. Trying to keep a quick gait across the grass, Rafael cradled Ronnie's head and then closed his eyes, hoping they wouldn't die from this flight to Camp. The son of Hecate pushed off the grass and they flew into the air.

Ronnie, please don't die on me now. We'll be there soon, I love you and I promise, we will be there soon. The words spilled out of Rafael's mouth quickly as he chattered nervously. He really did care for Ronnie, and even if it was strange, the best word for his feelings would have to be love. The large hill that marked the entrance to Camp was just coming into sight, and he knew that his throat couldn't tighten anymore than it already had. Rafael let the wind take them into Camp and then he angled down toward the Infirmary. They landed outside and he walked, more likely stumbled, into the building with Ronnie in his arms.

Rafael looked up as he heard Ronnie speak from where he had laid her down on the cot. Now that he had stowed the wings and the rope, which had many purposes, apparently, he could move more freely. Rafael took a few steps forward and was stopped by a group of campers running in. Impatiently, he walked around and then continued to Ronnie. When he got the he pulled a chair over and then looked at the room. It was the same one that they had both been in only a day or two ago. Yet, now he wasn't sure he felt the room was safe. How're you doing, Ronnie? Those were the only words he could say without choking on them in the first place. Since he had just flown quite a distance, he had learned that even though the flight was purely created by the gift, it was still tiring to do so with someone else as well as the few supplies they had gathered.

Rafael grinned as he handed her a piece of Ambrosia. Maybe she would enjoy the ease of the pain as the godly food healed her, but maybe he was wrong. Rafael took a piece of Ambrosia for himself and then took a bite. It tasted like warm chocolate melting slowly in his mouth as if it were meant to wash away the pain with its warmth and gooiness. Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a bump on the head. Although... Rafael took out the Stygian Iron rod and the grappeling hook with the Celestial Bronze rope. Then he laid them on the table next to the bunk. Without some help from Hecate, I don't think the fight would have ended so easily. Now that I think about it, did you see the kid on the Pegasus or was that just my imagination?

Rafael heard Ronnie ask him about the attacks and he immediately remembered the words that he had read earlier, almost an entire day ago. They had detailed how when Rafael was only 1 year old, his father had been digging for some odd reason, something about an ancient weapon meant to keep even mortals safe, and had come across some Ancient Greek ruins that had moved to America. Of course, his father had thought that maybe the ruins were a sign that the weapon was deeper. Then it had gotten to the part about the burial tomb and the curse of Gaea. Rafael looked at Ronnie grimly and started his story.

I was one year old when the problems hit for the first time. My father, having lost Hecate to the inevitable departure, had read about Greeks and the mythology. Well apparently there had been an old weapon made by some Titan blacksmith that could bring even a mortal immortality through its blade. My father wanted nothing more than to be immortal so that he could see his lost love and so he started his journey to find the spot where it had last been. It was around my second birthday that he discovered a burial tomb underneath a Greek ruins. When it was researched, the tomb had been discovered to have been for a child of Gaea who had been some great hero. Well, the tomb had been built by a child of Hecate and so when my father broke the seal on the tomb, a curse was passed onto me for being a child of Hecate and related to the desecrater of Gaea's tomb.

Around the age of five, monsters started attacking me and my family. Yet I didn't know about it at the time. It was yesterday that I was given the journal that my father had kept that told me about all of this. But I can honestly say that El Chupacabra had not been sent after me. One, he didn't notice us until a good amount of time after we noticed him. Two, it was too easy to kill him compared to a monster sent after me. And finally, the unnamed Pegasus rider seemed to know about the attack and was too willing to aid us and then run. I believe that was Austin Greene, son of Nike. He was last known to live in Mexico before he returned to Camp, and Mexico is the last place El Chupacabra is known to have been. I think he was the target and not me. But I will keep you safe, and if it gets to be too bad, then I guess I will have to say good bye to you.

Rafael told his story but as he got to the last sentence, his voice lowered and he heard a tinge of regret in how he said the words. Reluctantly, Rafael looked up and stared into the eyes of Ronnie to see what her reaction was.

Rafael saw Ronnie look away from him and he sighed slightly. It was always like this, or the few times he had been in a similar situation. Rafael thought about it for a second and then realized that what had he expected, since they had just met two days ago. Yet, he had been seriously in love, or as close as possible, with Ronnie. Her looking away from him immediately struck home in his heart, leaving a pain that would not go away. It hasn't happened much lately, until now. Normally it isn't very often but the times that I am attacked are multiple attacks, usually two or three seperate attacks on me. Yet, I do believe that it should be finished now. Rafael lowered his gaze, finally having given up on Ronnie looking at him. He was pretty sure that the last attack had made her scared of him, and that made Rafael hurt inside, but he wouldn't show it. Rafael's eyes burned but the feeling wasn't really much of tears as it was of him having forgotten to blink in fear of crying.