one thing they don't tell you is that demigods get weird dreams. like we're talking weird. are they prophetic? or are they just dreams?
whether that's a good thing or not, momo isn't sure yet. 

/ 

A hiss accompanied by a malicious aura protruding from all around. 

A grassy clearing next to a mountain—a cave nearby. 

Small embers, morphing into a blaze. Then transforming through a myriad of colors, until settling in a vibrant green. 

An arrowhead piercing through the haze. Golden light bathing everything before erupting. So bright. 

Momo opened her eyes, squinting because of the morning sunlight slipping through the cabin window. She rolled over with a grumble. 

She’s been having similar dreams of late. The details were still fuzzy but bits and pieces were starting to become clearer with each passing night. 

But that’s just it! It’s all just bits and pieces. 

Momo huffed out an annoyed breath, burying herself in her blankets. None of her dreams made sense any more. 

She laid there for a moment, savoring the peace and quiet. She listened to the birds chirping, the wood nymphs tending the strawberry fields, the camp slowly coming to life as campers woke up. 

It was nice… until her stomach decided to interrupt with a growl. 

Momo stumbled out of her cabin, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. The morning air nipped at her. She shivered, going back inside and coming out wearing a light jacket. 

Momo took a seat on the marble steps leading up to her cabin. She was waiting for her breakfast buddies. 

She let out a yawn. A couple minutes passed. Momo waved back at some passing campers, returning their good morning greetings. 

A couple more minutes passed by before Momo saw familiar figures in the distance; Jeongyeon and Tzuyu. Her breakfast buddies! Mainly because they were the only ones who were free and woke up around the same time as her. 

Momo stood up and walked towards the Hearth, meeting them in the middle. 

“Morning.” Jeongyeon and Momo said at the same time, their voices still thick with sleep. Tzuyu giggled at their unison greeting. 

“Good morning. How was your sleep?” Tzuyu started the conversation as they began walking towards the Dining Pavilion. 

Momo shrugged. “Ehh, was alright. I keep having these weird dreams though.” 

Jeongyeon and Tzuyu exchanged a curious glance. Tzuyu asked, “What are they about?” 

“I dunno,” Momo scratched her head and made a nonplussed face, “It’s the same theme every time; some place I don’t recognize, some arrows flying, some fire, and then boom! I wake up at the flash of light.” 

The two demigods nodded somberly. They’ve both experienced their fair share of weird demigod dreams. 

Then a smirk slowly appeared on Tzuyu’s face. “Maybe it’s a sign telling you to practice your archery.” 

Jeongyeon let out a small snicker just as Momo groaned. 

Yes, she was still horrible at the bow and arrow. Tzuyu said she’s been improving steadily though. Momo didn’t know if Tzuyu was telling the truth or if she was just trying to protect her feelings. 

Jeongyeon burst out in laughter. “I don’t know how you do it Tzuyu. I would have given up already!” 

“Hey!” Momo slapped her arm. “Just you wait, I got a can of whoop- for you at our next spar.” 

“Oh yeah?! Well—” 

Tzuyu sighed. They haven’t even gotten to the Dining Pavilion yet and the two were already neck deep in their usual banter. 

Oh well, she can just torture them at the Archery Range after breakfast. It was their day at the range after all. Maybe she’ll introduce them to some upper-level techniques. 

Tzuyu’s evil grin emerged, unbeknownst to an oblivious bickering Jeongyeon and Momo. 

/ 

Swish!  

Thuck!  

“Not bad.” Tzuyu called out, observing Momo’s practice. 

Momo narrowed her eyes at the target board. Well, at least it was in range this time. 

“Try aiming higher.” Jeongyeon suggested from her grassy seat on the sideline. 

She grabbed another arrow, about to aim and shoot but was interrupted with a call. 

They all turned towards the sound to see Jihyo approaching. She was carrying her bow in hand, her quiver of arrows strapped to her waist. 

Jihyo arrived with a dimpled smile. “Hey! How’s archery practice going?” 

“Oh, it’s going, alright.” Jeongyeon let out a bark of laughter. 

Tzuyu snorted and shoved her lightly, “Like you can say differently. You’re on Momo’s level.” 

“Hey!” 

Jihyo laughed before turning back to Momo. “Let’s give Tzuyu a break—let me see you in action.” 

Tzuyu took a seat next to Jeongyeon at the cue. Jeongyeon jumped on her, tickling her as revenge for her earlier comment. 

Momo droned out the couple’s laughter and resumed her stance, taking aim at the target board meters away from her. 

Jihyo studied her posture, eyes flitting over her form quickly. Momo released the arrow, it hit the lower middle area of the target. 

“Hmmm, try relaxing just a bit. And widen your feet a little. Your nervousness can affect your aim as well as the arrow’s power. Like this.” 

Jihyo demonstrated with her own bow, quickly shooting an arrow and landing well within the bullseye. Flawless form and power—as expected from a child of Apollo. 

Momo squinted her eyes at the arrow embedded in the target board. Where have I seen those type of arrows before?  

Jihyo’s arrows were shaped differently than hers or Tzuyu’s. They looked a bit longer than normal arrows, and the feather ends looked sharper too. 

Then it clicked! 

Jihyo’s arrows look really similar to the ones in her dreams. She tried to compare them in her mind’s eye… and they sorta match… but something was still missing. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it.  

Momo was still confused. Was Tzuyu right when she said her dreams might be trying to tell her something? But what did it have to do with Jihyo’s arrows? 

Jihyo turned to her with an encouraging nod. Momo returned her focus to the target again, trying to follow Jihyo’s advice and relax. 

Momo breathed in and out as she took aim again. 

Well, I’ve got nothing to lose. Let’s try this again.  

And release. 

The arrow sailed through the air, hitting the target with a thunk! Remarkably, it landed closer to the bullseye than ever before. 

Momo stood with agape. Jihyo patted her back, “Hey, you did it! You got closer!” 

Tzuyu and Jeongyeon joined in on the congratulations, giving her well-deserved pats. The moment was short-lived when Jeongyeon grinned and gave Momo a playful hard shove instead. 

“Oof... hey!” 

Momo chased after Jeongyeon, the two running in circles around the range. Tzuyu let out a sigh while Jihyo could only laugh at the sight. 

/ 

With the addition of Jihyo, Jeongyeon dubbed their little group as the ‘Arrow Squad’, much to Tzuyu and Jihyo’s amusement. 

Momo thought it was a great name; she and Jeongyeon struck cool poses as they shouted out the name repeatedly. The other half of their group either clapped or laughed at them. 

A sound of clip-clopping soon approached where the group was standing. Jihyo turned her head first, followed by the others. 

Chiron was coming towards them. He walked tall, fully in his centaur form. This was the second time Momo saw Chiron without his fake wheelchair. The first time being at her first camp game of Capture the Flag. It still left her amazed every time. 

“I see archery practice is going well.” Chiron spoke with a teasing lilt. “Miss Hirai, a word please?” 

Momo nodded and waved to her friends, telling them that she’ll catch up with them later. 

She turned her attention back to the camp director. 

“What is it Chiron?” 

Chiron began walking, motioning for her to join him. The two strolled in a leisurely pace around the camp grounds. 

“It’s regarding your quest. I trust you’ve prepared the necessary supplies already?” 

Momo nodded as they rounded the perimeter of the Pegasus Stables. She wrinkled her nose, remembering her last encounter. She didn’t think Chiron liked the stables either, judging by the jittery flick and swish of his braided tail. 

“Very good. What I wanted to discuss with you is the matter of quest companions. I believe I mentioned that up to two of your fellow campers are permitted to join you. Have you made your choice yet?” 

“Yes… well, one of them at least. I was thinking of asking my second choice later today.” 

Chiron hummed, the end of his neatly trimmed beard. “I see.” 

They were trailing the camp path east, and the Big House was coming into view now. 

“After you get your second companion on board, we can announce your team’s departure at the Amphitheatre after dinner. You’ll have the rest of today to prepare. Then you’ll be off on your journey in the morning.” 

A fork in the camp trail appeared. 

“Other than that, that was all I wanted to discuss with you. Now was there anything you’d like to discuss?” 

Momo shook her head—nothing else came to mind at the moment. Chiron nodded before departing, taking the right path back to the Big House. 

Momo turned left, heading towards the Cabins. 

Her mind swam with thoughts about her quest. She was checking off her mental checklist of equipment. Chaeyoung took care of most of the things on that list. 

All she had to do now was ask the person she had in mind to join her. And then she had to deal with the actual quest. 

Rambling thoughts occupied her mind. Where would they even start? Am I ready for this quest? What was the first line again? Does Chiron braid his own tail or does he get someone else to do it?  

Before she knew it, Momo had reached the edge of the Cabins’ clearing. She walked towards the Hearth, dodging a couple of Hermes kids and their pranks, waving to some Demeter kids tending their Cabin’s garden. From where she was, she could already hear Nayeon’s whining and the group’s laughter. 

Chaeyoung and Dahyun saw her first, yelling a goofy greeting at her. Sana turned at the noise and locked eyes with her, sending a smile that made Momo’s heart flip violently . Momo’s brain almost shut down before she remembered to return the smile. 

She sat down at their usual table and said, “What did Nayeon do this time?” 

The group broke into giddy laughter again, except for Nayeon. 

“She—” Jihyo tried to explain but couldn’t get her laughter under control. 

Jeongyeon took over but was still cracking up in between her explanation. “One of the Aphrodite kids gave Nayeon, pfft... some fancy soap that... looked like chocolate . Nayeon thought it, hahaa… was actual chocolate !... and took a huge BITE!” 

Jeongyeon broke down into hysterics, clutching her aching stomach. Jihyo, who was wiping the tears out of her eyes, recovered enough to say, “She—Momo! She kept chewing and coughed out bubbles before she realized!” 

And then the group lost it , everyone dissolving into howls and cackles of laughter. It intensified when Jeongyeon reenacted Nayeon’s reaction. 

“Noooooo, you guys! It honestly looked like chocolate!” Nayeon’s whining was drowned out by her friends’ roaring laughter. 

/ 

The rest of the day went by faster than Momo expected. Dinner passed by even quicker. Now, all the campers were making their way to the Amphitheater. She couldn’t help but be a little nervous for Chiron’s announcement. 

Momo and her group of friends sat close to the front of the Amphitheater. The seats were made of marble and they were cold. How did people sit here in nothing but their white robes? My is freezing!  

Campers sat all around them, chatting as they squished into the marble seats. 

Chiron stood on the stage, next to the blazing campfire. The fire was rather big tonight. Someone told Momo that the campfire was enchanted to reflect the campers’ mood. She looked around, most of the campers were excited, some curious and others nonchalant. 

Momo looked to either side of her; Chaeyoung and Jihyo were sitting beside her. The two demigods were the ones she asked to join her quest. Chaeyoung—they had their little heart-to-heart moment yesterday. 

Jihyo was asked recently—right after her little talk with Chiron, in fact. Jihyo was reluctant at first, she had been blindsided with Momo’s request actually. 

Momo thought she saw insecurity?... swimming in the Daughter of Apollo’s eyes when she first asked her. 

But that can’t be right. This is Jihyo we’re talking about—literal sunshine! What could she be insecure about?

She eventually came around to it—after Momo disclosed the revelation of her recurring dreams and why Jihyo’s bow and arrows looked so familiar to her, and endlessly praised her archery skills and how her medic skills would keep her and Chaeyoung from doing something stupidly dangerous and injure themselves. 

Chiron started pacing the stage. His hooves made a clip-clop sound as he moved back and forth. In preparation for the announcement, she thought. Even wise old centaurs can get stage fright sometimes. 

After a while, Chiron stopped and faced the sea of campers. Behind him, the campfire flickered with renewed strength. 

“Campers!” He slammed his hoof down on the marble twice and started off with a voice that carried far. The dome seating and overall structure of the Amphitheater provided great acoustics. 

“I’m glad to see you all for tonight’s gathering. I have only one big announcement tonight, which involves the matters of Miss Hirai’s quest.” 

More murmurs erupted in the seats—the campers ever so curious about the matter. It had been a few summers since the last quest was delivered to the Camp. And to a kid from one of the Big Three, no less! 

Chiron looked in her direction, as if asking for her permission to continue. Momo imperceptibly nodded. Really, she was glad Chiron thought about these kind of small gestures. She had no doubt, even if she wasn’t on a quest, Chiron would still act upon these small, subtle gestures. 

“Miss Hirai has decided.” He paused, for no reason other than to up the suspension. 

Momo hid an almost-snort. Man, the Greeks really know how to be dramatic.  

“There will be 2 campers joining her; Son Chaeyoung, Daughter of Hephaestus and Park Jihyo, Daughter of Apollo. Tonight, we celebrate their sendoff! Tomorrow, they will begin their journey. For now, you may enjoy the night.” 

There was applause and hollering and chatter from the audience. Momo noticed the sections seating the kids of Hephaestus and Apollo were the most rowdy. She grinned when she realized they were shouting with joy, and asking for Chaeyoung and Jihyo to bring back glory for their Cabin. 

After the campers settled down, Chiron carried on with some minor announcements. They were mostly about updated schedules for patrols and cleaning duties, and when the next Camp games would be. 

Chiron dismissed the campers and slowly, everyone trickled out of the Amphitheater. Momo slapped Chaeyoung and Jihyo on their backs, sending them off into the waiting crowd of their fellow cabin members. 

Momo grinned as the Apollo kids ruffled Jihyo’s hair and crowded around her. But she burst out laughing when she saw the Hephaestus kids throw Chaeyoung in the air several times. 

A tap on her shoulder made her turn around. 

Sana’s moonlit smile greeted her. “Hey.” 

“Hey.” Momo’s grin turned soft. 

Or maybe that was her whole body in general. 

“Looks like you’re a step closer to that maddening riddle.” 

Momo blew a puff of air out. “Ugh, don’t remind me. I swear I only have a few brain cells left after we tried to solve it all together.” 

Sana laughed into her fist. Momo smiled fondly at her, the sound of her laughter twinkling sweetly in her ears. So cute… Gods, was I always this mushy? 

“Wanna take a walk with me? I want to spend a little longer with you before you’re gone.” 

Gods, how could I possibly say no to that?  

Momo nodded, she couldn’t trust herself to speak after Sana’s question. 

As they started walking, Momo saw Nayeon and Dahyun out of the corner of her eye. They were making kissy faces and waggling eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes and smiled in satisfaction when Tzuyu slapped the back of their heads. 

Somehow, the two of them found themselves at the lake. The sand was under them as they sat down cross-legged. Sana watched the water, taking in how the camp lights reflected off of the glittery surface. Momo watched Sana, taking in how the moonlight made her skin look flawless and her hair silky smooth. She internally sighed, are you sure you’re not from the Aphrodite cabin? 

“I’ll miss you, you know.” Sana turned to her with a smirk. “Miss kicking your in our training sessions.” 

Momo scoffed playfully, “As if! Last time I remember, I beat you at the rock climbing lava wall!” 

“You only won cause Jeongyeon threw slime balloons on the wall grips!” 

They laughed and shoved at each other, exchanging jabs and false insults. When their laughter trailed off Sana spoke again. 

“But really… I’ll miss you.” 

They locked eyes and Momo wondered if it was always this easy to get lost in Sana’s eyes. 

“I’ll miss you too.” 

“These quests can be really dangerous. And yours sounds exactly like it…” Sana shifted a little closer, their hands found each other in the sand. “...promise you’ll come back.” 

Mush, mush , there goes her heart. 

Momo didn’t know if it was the moonlight and the quiet ambience of the lake, or their close proximity (when did that happen?) , or if Momo was just really really gay for Sana. Her heart felt like it was gonna jump out of her chest at this pace. 

Her eyes flicked down at Sana’s lips, once, twice. In doing so, she could see Sana mirroring her action. 

Momo started leaning forward, prompting Sana to do the same. 

“‘Course I am.” By now, she could feel Sana’s breath on her lips. Her words came out in a small voice, like they were only meant for each other in this sacred space.

Her heart leaped. 

“How am I gonna miss out on this?” Momo softly murmured and curled her hand against Sana’s jaw, thumb running across her plump bottom lip. 

And she dived after it. 

Soft lips met hers, a soft embrace catching her fall. She was lost in the moment, then she felt Sana slither a hand up, cupping the back of her neck and playing with the loose hairs there, making her shiver into the kiss. Momo tilted her head, staying lip locked as she plunged herself deeper into the kiss. 

She felt electric and alive, but at the same time serenely calm. It was like a push and pull, and she let herself be carried away by the wave that was Sana. 

Momo didn’t know how long the kiss lasted, if she was being honest. But she wouldn’t mind staying here forever, melting in this warm embrace, in these arms that felt like… home.  

Sana leaned closer into her, bringing her other hand up into Momo’s hair. She swiped her tongue against Momo’s bottom lip, applying a gentle but firm pressure. One of them let out a loud sound, the intensity of it shocking them. 

They broke apart, each with flushed cheeks and heavy breaths. The two caught each other’s gaze before quickly looking away, apparently shy all of a sudden. 

The lake water lapped at the sandy shores, the surface still reflecting the illuminating camp lights and the starry night. 

Their hands found each other again in the sand, fingers intertwining this time. Giddy matching grins grew as their shoulders bumped together at every chance they got.