Reflections

Calla stood out on a rock on the edge of the lake, looking out over at everything. Her eyes wandered over the surface of the water before she picked up a rock, skipping it over the lake's surface. She sighed before dropping down and looking up at the sky. She was a fourth year now...she knew she should feel different, but...she just didn't. People she saw as friends were gone, and now everyone was moved up a year, and even her best friend, who was also a Charis, would have to fight at the end of the next year. She shivered and buried her face in her knees as she tried to push the thoughts out. She couldn't stand the idea of fighting her friends, but she knew she had to, if she didn't want to go back home. She picked up another rock with her wind and skipped it across the lake, not even looking up.

"It makes me wonder if the gods take pleasure in setting us up where we become friends, and then brutally battle each other...," she whispered, raising her head and just resting her chin on her knees.

Seti skipped down to the lake, she was going to watch the race, but found she was on the wrong side. Oh well, she thought to herself. She decided a walk would do her good so she walked along the lake.

After a few feet she found a Charis, curled up, staring out at the lake. She looked sad, and older than Seti. She walked foward slowly, wondering if she should talk to her, and decided that yes, she would try to help.

"Hi" she said leaning over so the Charis could see her.

Calla jumped slightly and turned, noticing a Human there she didn't recognize. She then realized it must be a first year. She smiled slightly and gave a small wave. "Hello, I'm Calla, a fourth year Charis under Aphrodite's sponsorship," she said cheerfully. "And what about you?"

The blonde then started playing with the Caduceus around her neck, a habit she formed when she was distracted about something. It was obvious there was a lot on the Charis's mind, but she didn't let it show. At least, she hoped it didn't. She patted a seat next to her and turned back to the lake. "You can sit here if you wish," she told the girl.

Seti smiled and sat next to Calla, the Charis looked so calm other than her eyes, there was a storm in those strangly colored eyes.

Then Seti realized that this was the part where she explained who she was.

"My name is Cosette, but please call me Seti. This is my first year, I'm a human under Apollo's sponsorship." Seti's cheeks turned pink when she said his name. "That's a pretty necklace," she said when she noticed the thing in Calla's hand. "It's a Caduceus right? Hermes' symbol?"

When Cosette mentioned the necklace, she flushed bright red and forced her gaze back to the water. "Y-yes...y-you see, I'm in love with the god Hermes...," she explained, "and one day I found this laying on my bed, just waiting for me. Sometimes I wonder if he left this for me to find..." She smiled softly and her gaze seemed to go distant, as if she were remembering a pleasant memory that she never wanted to let go.

Cosette's own face started to get warm. She admitted to herself that she was jealous. The only thing Apollo had ever given her was a cup of coffee. But he did bring her to the Athenaeum...

The Charis' eyes relaxed and she smiled, Seti was happy she had helped inprove her mood.

"Really? Wow that's... amazing. Do you think he returns your feelings?" she asked, she really wanted to know, if this girl still had hope, that meant Seti should hold onto her emotions for Apollo as well.

"Well...you never really know with a god," she answered. "It may be, or it may be he just wants to toy with me. I really just don't care, since it's because I want him to see me that I keep fighting as hard as I do."
She looked at Cosette out of the corner of her eye. "And why are you asking?" she inquired, a small smile on her face. Her hand reached up to play with the Caduceus again, and it was obvious the girl didn't like not having it on.

"N-no reason..." Cosette tried her best to lie, then remembered that Apollo's the god of 'truth'. "Well as far as crushes go I kinda have one." She admitted.

But Calla's answer didn't help her, she knew the gods liked to toy with mortals, she had just never considered that Apollo was toying with her. Seti was glad that Calla had made a good reason to fight, she wished her the best, someone had told her that a Charis had never won the tournament before...

Calla smiled. "So you heard the Charis rumors, huh? I can tell that look in your eyes." She looked up at the sky. "You know, sometimes I believe if you wish for something with your entire being, you won't be successful unless you DO something about it. Who knows? Maybe you will get Apollo's attention," she said slyly, her eyes flickering over to the girl's face.

((Don't think Cosette actually said Apollo here yet. *shot* BUT CALLA KNOWSSSS))

"Yeah," she said and twiddled her thumbs. Then blushed and smiled. "Thank you... Wait! H-how did you?" Her face got a little more red.

((She is magic XDDD))

Calla smiled. "Your expressions remind me of my first couple years when I met Hermes. It wasn't that hard for me to figure out, especially when you blush so hard at the mentioning of his name," she said, pushing the dark bangs out of Cosette's eyes.

Cosette was pretty sure her face was the color of a tomato at that point.

"It's really that obvious?" she asked as Calla brushed her bangs away. Seti was used to people messing with her hair, and barely noticed. She chuckled self-consciously. "I guess I'll have to work on that then," she said with a smile.

The smile continued to play on the Charis's face. She tucked a loose hair behind her ear, moving her gaze back to the water and resting her chin on her knees.

"It's strange, you know? I've been here so long, but it seems as if things will never change. Unfortunately, next year's my last year...this place can be cruel...," she whispered, a bitter hint in her voice.

She quickly jumped, surprised at what she had just said. "F-forget what I just said!" She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head.