when your thoughts turn sour make them sweet instead

[sentree]

[ That was...positively horrible? Ugh. After a few hours, notes are slipped under each person's door. They read, in a neat handwriting: ]

Banquet in Vanellope's honor in the dining room.

- Reyna, Sally and Thalia

[ You may not know what to expect when they say banquet, but it...really is one, isn't it? Thalia's main dish is cheeseburgers, so there are so many of those, but the table's positively covered in an arrangement of fruit and vegetables and all kinds of bread. Looks like they've gone all out.

What's really the cream of it all, though, are the desserts. Not a lot that's special, but there's a wide collection of cookies and cupcakes, and enough hot chocolate to feed an army. Maybe literally. There is a section that's particularly fancy, and that's the many candy apples, definitely courtesy of Sally. Along with a cute amount of peppermint bark. It seems like the food is unending, too, since there's the delicatible smell of baking cookies and simmering candy from the kitchen. Thalia and Sally are keeping you stocked, don't worry. ]

Comments

[greatwidesomewhere]

'In your time'? But you can't be much older than I am!

[audentiae]

Demigods... have to grow up fast. Monsters don't wait for us to grow up. I fought my first when I was ten.

[greatwidesomewhere]

Demigods.

[Her voice is a little faint.]

That's...incredible. Until recently, I'd only read of such fantastic things. It's enough to make my head spin.

[audentiae]

It's... not as great as the myths make it sound. Just as exciting, but...

[ She sighs, looking at her hot chocolate. ]

You get used to funerals pretty quickly, especially as praetor.

[greatwidesomewhere]

Oh. Of course.

[Belle's gaze lowers, her cheeks growing warm.]

I'm sorry. That was careless of me to say.

[audentiae]

It's fine. It'd probably be fine to... read about in books or something. And without us, the monsters would target mortals, and no one wants that.

[greatwidesomewhere]

Well, then—I should be thanking you. I very much like not being attacked by monsters.

[audentiae]

[ That gets a smile. ]

You're welcome. You know, it's funny, I hadn't really interacted with a mortal in years before I came here.

[greatwidesomewhere]

Really? None at all...? You weren't all alone, were you?

[audentiae]

No, nothing like that. But where I live... Camp Jupiter is made up entirely of demigods. And as one of the leaders, I don't get many chances to leave apart from quests to go kill monsters.

[greatwidesomewhere]

[Belle nods her understanding, even though she can hardly fathom such a thing as an entire camp of demigods.]

Well, in that case...I'm sorry that your chance to leave ended up being this.

[audentiae]

The last time I left was actually arguably less pleasant, but... thank you. [ She sighs. ] I'm just sorry more people don't have familiar faces here, to make things easier.

[greatwidesomewhere]

It must be a mixed blessing, to have a friend here...

[Belle can't think of anyone she'd want to be here with her. Anyone who would deserve it, either way you look at it. But it would be comforting, she thinks, if upsetting.]