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IC: Scion: Modern Mythology - BeforeThe Bell


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Scion: Modern Mythology   BEFORE THE BELL

Rachel had been dreading today for the last 5 days, ever since she met Vidar. Vidar a Norse god and her real father, had ambushed her in the Salem Woods while she had been running. She thought he was an attacker, instead of fleeing she had fought like her dad, Bob the Detective, had taught her. Vidar had kicked her ass. She never gave up though and that was good enough for him to reveal himself acknowledge her and screw up her life for good. And of course he had warned her that she could tell no one. No one except those others, class mates, he had taken her to meet the other night. Kids from her school that she knew who apparently shared her fate. She could talk to them and no one else. Period.

If the Ichor, as he had called it, in her blood hadn't shown her the truth of what he told her as it bubbled through her awakening her own semi divine abilities, she would have thought he was a freaking nut and that she had gone crazy as well. But it had and she wasn't. Didn't make her any happier though. Not being able to tell her dads didn't make her happy either or make life easy.

Which brought her to this morning, the first day of of her junior year at Salem High School. It was habit for her dads and her to have breakfast together every weekday morning. She had been avoiding them by pretending to sleep late or by leaving early. To be honest she had been avoiding them completely. She didn't know what to say to them. She knew they would ask questions, after all she had been pretty moody since meeting her father. Man how that pissed her off, how easy it had been for him to slip into her reality and become her father. Anyway today it was back to school and she hadn't been able to get out early and she couldn't fake sleeping late, so she decided just to skip breakfast and bolt.

She came down the stairs and was crossing the hall past the kitchen just as Bob was putting down his Oatmeal and toast, Michael was sitting his head buried in his paper as usual, one hand resting on his coffee mug.

“Morning Rach, you want oatmeal or just toast?” Asked Bob as he saw her crossing toward the front door.

Rachel faltered. “Nothing for me gotta get to school early. I'll see you guys tonight.”

“What an hour early. You know that breakfast is the most important meal Honey come sit i'll make you a bowl. After all you gotta be strong and ready for tryouts.”

At that Rachel stopped. She had hoped to avoid this for at least a week. But she couldn't bring herself to lie to her dads.”Dad it's the first day, you know they don't have tryouts for at least a week, and I'm not going to tryouts this year anyway.” There she did it, dropped the bombshell.

From where she stood still in the hall she saw the stunned stupefied look on Bob's face and then Micheal lowered the paper to look at her.

Micheal Cooper had picked up reading the newspaper from his dad and like a lot of things in his life, once he started he kept right on doing it. He did not like change. He had noticed Rachel's distance over the last few days but he hadn't say anything then, but this was different. Rachel had been playing sports in one form or the other since grade school and now she was a bonafide high school sports star. This was a change. And one he definitely hadn't seen coming. “Is something wrong Rachel? This seems a little out of the blue.” She watched as Bob sat silently just looking at her while Micheal folded his paper. “I just think I need to focus more on my academics and other things...”

“Is this about a boy?” Bob asks interrupting her. “No! It's not about a boy or anything like that. I just don't know if I want to do that anymore ok. I really need to go I'll see you guys tonight.” She rushes to the door as the two men exchange looks. “Love you both!” She holler back as the door slammed and she headed to her car.

 

Rachel had been torn by the way that short conversation had gone she had wanted to tell them everything so bad it hurt, but she was scared. Scared of a lot of things now. She parked in her assigned space and went into the building to her locker. There were very few kids here already mostly nerds and freshmen afraid to be late. There had been a few in the parking lot, the Popular kids hanging out but she wasn't one of them. She decided to head to her first period class and just wait. As she passed by the front entrance she stopped. The trophy case was there, and right on the center shelf the state trophy she had won for track last year. Her eyes searched and located the other trophies that had her name , four in total, for a sophomore that had been unheard of. Now she felt that she had cheated to get those trophies. Her strength and stamina hadn't been her had been a fucking gift from the fucking gods. As she looked on at her reflection overlaying the evidence of her cheating, Tears brimmed up in her eyes and her fists clenched, why the fuck is this happening to me.

 

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There was a soft thump against the trophy case. Grace was dressed in her now-iconic black leather jacket and second-hand jeans. She had 'non-chalant slouch' down to such an art she could only be a teenager. "So, normal teen drama tears, low blood sugar, or something to do with the ultimate deadbeat parents?"

Grace dug in her pocket and pulled out the breakfast bar she'd brought in case the school lunch sucked and held it out to Rachel. "I can help with the second, and I'll bitch with you about the third. The first I don't so much care about."

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Rachel quickly wiped her eyes and looked askance at the girl holding out a breakfast bar. It took a few seconds to place her as one of the others from the...the thing. She couldn't remember her name though.

She shakes her head turning the bar down. "No thanks." She looks around then lowers her voice. "Drama I guess. That's what I was good at," She points out her trophies. "and now I find out I'm super-girl because of mythic blood or whatever shit this is. I got these from cheating. You go to school here now?"

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She nodded and tucked the bar into a sidepocket on her backpack. "Yeah. The new home is in this district. A 'coincidence', I'm sure." Her voice dripped with sarcasm; she glanced at the trophies behind her and shrugged. "And don't sweat it. You didn't cheat any more than anyone else does. Genetics is a crapshoot, you got lucky...ish. Competing now would probably be kinda rude, but it sounds like we're gonna really be too busy to keep up with a team sport anyways." 

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She shakes her head softly. "I don't know it just feels wrong, but your right It doesn't matter anymore. I'm Rachel by the way, sorry, but I don't remember your name from before." She smiles at the new girl completely missing the sarcasm and decides to give her a sincere welcome to Salem.

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Grace shakes her hand firmly. "Grace. And it's fine. I kinda spaced on the whole god-squad group myself. Have you heard anything? Tezzy ditched as abruptly as He showed up - again." She pushed herself off the trophy case, running her fingres over the obsidian necklace her divine father had given - a pretty cool 'gee sorry I've missed every birthday you've ever had and I probably won't bother with any of the others either' gift. "I've been trying to get a grip on whatall I can do now. How about you?"

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Again shaking her head "No my ...father, just told me to go about life as normal for now. He told what these gifts are and what I can do with them, but it's a pretty specific skill set. But i can definitely lift a lot more than before and I could already lift a lot. Let me see your scheduled." Grace hands over the paper  and Rachel compares it to her own. "Oh your a sophomore. Well we have time if you want me to show you where some of your classes are. And i can fill you in on your teachers at least" She hands the scheduled back with a smile.

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The wind danced through his short reddish hair as his red GTO roared down the street blaring Five Finger Death Punch.  Two other were in the car with him, Bridgette and the one-eyed Horace.  They were talking, more like yelling, over the music until something caught the driver's eye.  Eric Donner, driver of the vehicle and Salem High's all-everything slammed the brakes and the vehicle squealed to a halt.  Horace almost hit his nose on the back of the seat and Bridgette had to stop herself from going through the windshield by bracing herself with her arm against the dash.

"Eric, the hell...?" Her accent was rich with Creole, a product of her New Orleans upbringing.

"Don't like my driving," He got out and slammed the door.  "Walk."

Eric took several steps, his stride was far longer then the nervous pace of the quarry that had suddenly caught his interest and demanded he leave his car in the middle of the road.  He picked up his pace to slight jog and finally caught up to the person he was following.  He reached out with one arm, grabbed the boy like a vice and pulled him back, slamming him hard against a tree.  "Fisher!"  The excitement in his voice bordered on sociopathic.  "Have a good summer you little faggot?"

Before Fisher could answer Eric tightened his grip.  It's like this guy was on steroids for his steroids.  No kid should be this strong!  His varsity jacket reeked of Bridgette's cigarillo smoke.  "Same as last year, you got it?  English.  Science.  Math.  And if I get anything below an A minus, I break your god damned neck.  That sound cool to you?"

The amount of beatings Fisher had taken from this guy suddenly all rushed back in a painful memory.  He realized that Eric was waiting for an answer...

Not again, Fisher thought despairingly as he tried to get away. There really wasn't much he could do about the depredations of Eric Donner. He'd never had a fighting chance against Salem's football greatest. Dad was always at work or too dispirited to be a person to tell. The school faculty or classmates? That was the path of the naive. Eric was the golden boy in the eyes of about everyone else.

One would think that ever since his divorced and gone mom had made a shocking return in the past few days, the now divinely-blooded Fisher Capra would be able to tell Eric where to shove it, and with more oomph. Indeed, something in his blood seemed to twist at the treatment he was receiving.

Again, the path of the naive, and also suicidal. Eric was still monster-scary, crazy and still too damn strong. While in the past few days, Fisher's senses had changed enough (particularly in the nighttime) to demonstrate that he was indeed, something more than human, his body hadn't conveniently produced the strength to break free.

Fisher closed his eyes, not wanting to give Eric the benefit of his utter humiliation in them. And tears. It would be like a red flag in front of a bull. "I hear you."

"Good."  Donner let him go and straightened his collar for him.  He slapped his cheek softly a few times before letting the last one strike hard enough that it made an awful sound.  "Don't you just love higher education?  Making friends and all that?  Now get to school, I have classes to pass."

He felt the tears swelling up in his eyes.  Not from the pain, but from the humiliation.  He could hear Bridgette laughing and Horace's wheezy chuckle.  His cheek was throbbing and probably already turning red.  The GTO squealed it's tires and the engine roared as they past the fledgling Scion.

Welcome to Junior Year.

His day already thoroughly ruined before it began, a dispirited Fisher trudged up to the school steps.

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A ghost of a smile lifted Grace's lips and she nodded, "That would be nice. What year are you?" She caught sight of a forlorn looking kid trudging inside; she nodded towards him. "Hey, wasn't he at the meet and greet, too? Want to add him to the tour?"

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Glancing around towards the doors she sighed. "Yeah he was, that's Fisher.  He can fill you in on the other teachers. We're both Juniors, but don't worry neither one of us are jerks about it." She waves at her classmate and calls him over. "Hey Fisher come here!"

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Fisher turned and heard... oh. Rachel. Huh. The decent athlete girl and the newcomer girl. And also part-divine. Ok, at least maybe he could hang around them for safety from Eric. He managed a smile and came over. "Oh, hey Rachel. And new person."

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Nadya's alarm went off. With a grunt, she reached out and grabbed the first thing at hand and threw it. An ankle-boot sailed through the air and crashed into the alarm clock on the other side of the room, killing it with a whimpering, electronic whine. A moment later, there was a thump as Nadya rolled out of bed, then sat up, still blurry eyed.

Since meeting her mother for the first time, just a few days ago, Nadya hadn't been sleeping well, or at least, staying up particularly late every night. Her life had irrevocably changed in one day, learning that gods were, the Titans were waking to spank their children and trash the house, and there really were things that went bump in the night, and in the day too, for that matter.

Nadya was surprisingly okay with all that, or able to deal with anyway. After all, she was the daughter of a genuine Goddess herself, how awesome was that? Her spine tingled with the possibilities and she couldn't wait to pay Mercedes-Fucking!-Rhodes back for every bit of shit she had thrown her way. She might be the Queen Bitch of school, but Godling had to trump that, any day.

What troubled Nadya most was whether she should tell her dad, and if so, how much. She could tell her father pretty much anything, and while some of his lessons could be rather harsh - or embarrassing - he never condemned her outright. But Bast had explained the ramifications of revealing what she was and the truth behind what the World believed to be true. There was real danger in knowing.

And while Nadya had every confidence that László Dmitri Lunălescu could deal with the danger, she didn't think he should have to. While he could still pull the wool over the eyes of the authorities, or any other Gadjo, he wasn't quite as spry ever since the Bratva had aerated him with lead ten years ago. Whether to tell him or not was one of the few times she has ever second-guessed herself.

School definitely wasn't, especially this year, unless it was whether she should bother going or not. Her dad wouldn't make her go, but he also wouldn't excuse any ignorance earned on her part - it was better to know than not. Besides, with her new gifts and toys, this year was going to be fun! Nadya took a quick shower then got dressed, just barely adhering to the school dress code with her playful, pseudo-gothic fashion sense.

Nadya smirked down at her knee high boots with the buckles, bright magenta laces, and chunky heels. Funny enough, the dress code made no mention of appropriate footwear except for gym class and she was totally willing to argue to the point. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled as she fixed her black hair in a pair of smooth pigtails, streaked with colour to match the laces of her boots. She was still on the short side, but sleek and wiry, and she swore since meeting her divine mom, she was prettier and her modest bustline had gained, like, a full cup size. Who was built like a boy, now, eh?

Nadya tromped down the stairs from her home above From Dusk 'Til Pawn, then waved at her dad as she passed through the pawn shop.

"Later, dad," she said in Romanian.

Laszlo gave his exuberant, troublesome daughter a wry look, glancing up from the books, making sure they at least looked in order in case the police decided to drop by for any number of reasons. He could tell something was up with her the last few days, though oddly, he couldn't tell quite what. But he didn't pry, she would tell him or not, and he would let her - mostly - get out of any trouble she got herself into, or pay the penalty for getting caught.

"Take care, my little Nadezhda," he replied in the same language. "Can I be expecting you lasting the full day at school this year, or being back afterwards for supper or a shift at the cash?"

Nadya laughed, undeterred by her father's comment. "We'll see," she chirped, now in English. "I'll call if something comes up."

Starting to run almost late, Nadya jumped into her old, beaten up, lemon yellow and rust '71 Mercury Cougar and gunned the engine. It coughed once, then a second, time, then the engine turned over and she peeled out of the parking lot. Most people weren't even sure how Nadya's piece of shit car even kept running, unless it somehow stole mechanical viability from any other vehicle parked nearby.

On the way to Salem High, she stopped off at Starbucks, because coffee was life. It was more than a drink, it was a hug. She wasn't the only one who thought so, considering how long the line was. So instead of waiting in line, she wove herself through the press of bodies and helped herself to an order that was waiting on the shelf while the jackass it belonged to yammered on his phone and held up the line.

"Score! Scones!" she crowed as she walked back to her car, just beginning to hear the asshole spew jackassery as she left Starbucks. Even better, one of the coffees in the tray was a delicious blend, one of her favourites. This day was just getting better and better.

Not having anything incriminating in her car, on the first day back to school at least, Nadya drove into the student parking lot, and parked, her car belching out a cloud of dark smoke at it came to a stop. She slipped her satchel bag over she shoulder and climbed out of the car, tray of coffees in one hand, bag of scones in the other - though most were gone already. She closed the door with a swing of her hips and strutted up to the front doors of Salem High with envious despite the pronounced heels of her boots.

Students turned to stare at her, some began whispering to each other, but they always did in regards to anyone who stood out and didn't conform to the majority. But Nadya's brow furrowed slightly. While it was nothing new, it seemed like a lot more people were staring and whispering than she expected. What, was her ichor showing?

Her hands full, Nadya opened the front doors with a boot. It banged open and she sauntered through, limned for a moment in morning sunlight when her fellow god blooded class mates looked back on the noise. Nadya grinned broadly as she strutted over to them, proffering the tray of three coffees and bag of scones.

"Hey guys!" she said by way of greeting, not at all off put by being seen with the sports star, the anime nerd, and a new girl, who all just happened to share something with her. "I come bearing coffee and scones. First come, first served." Nadya nodded at the coffee with the peeled back lid she had claimed. "That one's mine." Either oblivious of some of her fellow scions' distress and concerns, or not caring, her vivid grey-blue eyes sparkled with excited exuberance. "So, isn't this year going to be awesome?"

The much taller Rachel frowned slightly with faint suspicion, reading the name scrawled on one of the coffee cups. "Who's... Swarlos?"

"Nickname, inside joke," Nadya said blithely, and with little truth to Rachel's ears. "If you're worried about their provenance I'm sure the other two won't mind."

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Rachel had stopped when she saw the name on the cup, her hand hanging in mid air she listened to Nadya answer her question. With absolute certainty Rachel knew she was lying. "Oh my god you stole these! Nadya you can't keep doing that stuff." She stopped as Grace took the proffered cup while Fisher looked on his eyes darting from Nadya to Rachel and back. Rachel lowered her voice as more kids and some teachers entered the building. "You heard what ... our parents said, this fate thing. We're bundled up together, so it's not just you that's gonna get in trouble when you get caught. You have to think about the rest of us, too."

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"Relax Reach - If I get caught," Nadya clarified with a complete lack of concern. "Besides, there's no such thing as Accessory to Grand Theft Caffeine. Nobody's gonna get in trouble unless you tattle to Papa Policeman and he decides to waste more time than it's worth to make an issue of it. And..." Nadya placed a hand over her heart and fixed an exaggerated expression of pain on her impish, mobile face. "You wound me - how could I not be thinking about the rest of you when I brought extra coffee and scones? Really, I'm a giver, not a taker."

Rachel knew that was a lie too and when Grace looked in the bag, she saw there was only one and a half scones left. "There's only one and a half scones left."

Nadya shrugged. "Well, I did say first come, first served. My appetite got to them before you guys did. Come, come, let's keep moving, looks like I might not actually be late the first day back for once."

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Fisher looked between them once more, then the feeling of hunger and the frustration of being Donner'ed made him decide to grab the full scone and tug his backpack over his shoulders. "Let's just worry about this later. I'd like to get through class, and not have to think about demons crashing through the window just yet."

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The sound of something shattering suddenly put the young godlings on guard.  Fisher felt his stomach sink as he had the momentary thought that he just pulled doom from nowhere down upon them.  Please don't be the Stay Pufft guy... he thought to himself.

"Well, shi-oooooot."  The slurred expression that was never destined to be a curse in the school's hallway came from Miss Marie Glapion, without a doubt the worlds hottest English teacher.  She had dark brown hair, cut shoulder length, an attractive figure and eyes to kill for.  Her skirt, Nadya noted, was a bit shorter that regulation dress code for faculty allowed.  She was the woman that every teenage boy in Salem fantasized about and the young woman at Salem High hoped she would grow up to be: perfect.  She crouched in the hallway, attempting to scoop up small fragments of the coffee mug that had slipped off her stack of first day paperwork.  Thankfully the mug was empty.

Rachel rolled her eyes the moment she noticed Fisher, well, being a guy.  It wasn't just him though, pretty much every dude in the hall had to stop and look as she collected the mug pieces, until someone stopped to help her.  "There you are Miss Glapion."  Eric Donner said as he handed her a few of the pieces.  "Careful, they're sharp."

"Thank you Eric," she said, smiling.  She still seemed a bit embarrassed over causing a scene to begin with.  Eric had his two hangers on present, Horace and Bridgette, but they didn't step in to assist.  "Welcome back.  I'm looking forward to seeing some of your writing this year.  Your essay last year on Environmental Preservation and Green Living, was the best I'd read.  I'm hoping we can get another of your essay's published in the paper this year."

"I'll certainly try my best, but I can't take all the credit ma'am.  It's the faculty and the school spirit here that strives me to excel.  Without you guys, I'm nobody."  He feigned a blush and flashed a brilliantly white smile.  "You have a good day, Miss Glapion."

"You too Eric, your humility is inspiring."  She smiled and continued on past down the hall.

Eric looked about and noticed Fisher not to far down the hallway.  Once Miss Glapion's back was turned he shot Fisher a grin.  It wasn't fair that Eric got all the accolades for something Fisher had wrote, but to tell someone would result in having to prove it, and Eric was worshiped like a... well... like a God around here.  Not to mention the gigaton ass beating that would fall upon Fisher face, repeatedly, once Eric got a hold of him.  Miss Glapion walked passed the godlings and offered them a smile.  "Morning."  She offered.  "Welcome back!"

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Grace took the half-scone and a cup - a double espresso something-or-other that was pleasantly sweet. She rolled her eyes at the theatrics with a Popular Boy and a Hot Teacher.  After Hot Teacher passed she muttered over her coffee, "Wow, if he layed it on any thicker, she'd be suffocating." She let out a self-amused huff, "Then again, maybe she's into that."

"So, I assume the Terrible Trio over there," she motioned to Eric and his cronies, "aren't exactly the shining examples of life above the amoeba stage they pretend to be around the zookeepers?"

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"Oh, they aren't." Fisher agreed, casting a furtive glance towards Eric in particularly. The anxiety and fear, coupled with Eric's grin, rather particularly hinted at why Fisher was so sure of this. "Eric Donner, Villain With Good Publicity Numero Uno, and his associates, Horace Farrow and Bridgette De La Croix. Do your best to steer clear."

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Rachel had jumped a little at the sound of breaking glass just like everyone else. This whole mess had them all stressed and on edge. Well everyone of of them except Nadya by casual appearances. Rachel looked on as Miss Grampion knelt down to pick up the fragments of her mug and was just about to go and lend a hand when Eric Donner showed up. She watched the display with mild disgust, the facade Eric put over on the teachers and pretty much every other adult in Salem seemed so transparent to her.

Hearing Grace's question as Donner and the flying monkeys headed down the hall, Rachel shook her head and turned to answer, but not before she noticed Eric smirked at them over his shoulder. No, not them, he had smirked at Fisher.

Now she was looking at Fisher as he answered Grace. Ever since her visitation her perceptions had intensified and her observations had grown keener, she could read nuances that she would have simply overlooked a few days ago. Like the smirk Eric had made at Fisher and the way Fisher was tense now. As he was speaking she felt he was hiding something. She put a hand on Fishers shoulder. “What was that about Fisher?”

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Fisher nearly jumped at the touch, but when he turned his head it was just Rachel. Unfortunately, given the context of her question, 'just Rachel' was bad enough. Rumors had floated around about what she did to a male bully back in elementary school. The sort of beatdown that was so vicious it that the idea of it lingered to teens. And he knew for sure that she had a short way with the abusive.

Except this wouldn't deter Eric. And anything she did would only ruin Rachel's well-earned status, making the whole exercise meaningless. "It's nothing," Fisher insisted, his voice not up to the lie, but more so for the next: "You don't need to worry."

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Rachel's eyes narrow to mere slits as she looks straight into Fisher's. He's hiding something she thinks, she doesn't know what, but she knows this for a fact. Something about Donner.

"Ok Fisher it's your business. Let's show Grace where she needs to go."

Now isn't the time and is she just being a busy body. She isn't sure anymore. About anything.

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Grace watched Fisher and Rachel, noting the way the nerd jumped. She'd seen that. . .too much, over the years. She caught Rachel's eye and shook her head. Now wasn't the time to force the issue and pushing Fischer on it was likely just to send him scrambling and close him off from them. "Fisher? We're in this god-crap together, okay? Just something to keep in mind."

She gave Nadya a nod of thanks for the stolen-then-gifted breakfast and tailed along after the older students. 

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At least half the school had to know Donner didn't do his own homework. It was pretty obvious to Nadya that the guy who had bought more than one test or answer key from her last year didn't write most of the papers and studies he claimed he did. Seems like Fisher was the one being tapped to boost Eric Donner's grade. Nadya couldn't understand why he took it, especially now, after learning he was the son of a God.

"Morning Miss Glapion," Nadya replied. "Cute skirt."

"Thank you, Nadya," the hot teacher cooed, her smile edging into a smirk as she gave Nadya a once over. "Isn't though? Careful you don't go outside the guidelines for the school's dress code."

Nadya's grin tightened into a grimace. Marie Glapion got to trot around in a skirt that was too short without anyone saying a thing, but if she went a millimeter beyond code, every member of the faculty couldn't help but harp on it and she could bet there'd be at least two of her fellow female classmates who'd complain. But nobody claimed High School was fair.

Once Miss Glapion turned the corner, Nadya surreptitiously took a pic of Donner with her special phone, under the guise of checking her messages. You couldn't help a victim who didn't want help - well, you could, but it was rarely worth the effort and trouble - but she could give Fisher a few ideas on how to get back at Donner. Admittedly, he might get beaten up in the aftermath, but it was a risk she was willing to let Fisher take.

But Fisher didn't seem to want to talk about it and Rachel and Grace looked to be giving him a pass at the moment, so Nadya stifled wording her suggestions... for now. She returned Grace's nod, then gave Fisher a curt one of agreement with the other girls. "What they said. But I got some ideas..."

I haven't been joyriding since getting busted the last time and Eric does have a sweet ride, and with my new, um, tricks, I wouldn't get caught this time...

"Let's show Grace the Library, it's this way."

At Rachel's and Fisher's surprised looks, Nadya scowled. "Yes, I know where the Library is. It's cool and I wish Mr. Syracuse taught here instead of just being the Librarian. Plus, he's pretty good about handing out tardy slips."

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The school's library didn't let anyone's hopes down.  Although it was considered a territory rarely ventured into by a majority of students since the invention of E-Books.  The librarian though, Archie Syracuse, hadn't lost home.  Although he held more degrees than the entire faculty combined, the man in his early forties was content to simply be with his books.  The students who did come to the library regularly would make a game of trying to catch him off guard as to where the location of a book was.  He never lost.  He even knew which books hadn't been returned by students years back, down to the days, minutes, and even hours.

It wasn't until now that the young Scions realized just how impressive the schools Mythology section was.  Several shelves all separated by culture and time line.  The walls around the shelves were all painted with murals detailing the various cultures and their respective myths.  Shango summoned up great storms while Perseus battled the Kraken.  Hugin and Munin flew near Odin upon his eight-legged steed Sleipnir while Thor smashed the earth with his mighty hammer Mjolnir, swallowing up an army of giants in massive crevasse.  Maybe it was their new awakened state but the murals just seemed to be more, now.  It was like a part of them knew that these beings actually existed and their deeds actually did matter once upon a time.

It was enough to hold their attention in rapt majesty up until a voice came calling from behind them.  "Morning children!  A little early for reading, isn't it?  Oh, what am I saying, it never too early to read, am I right?"  Mr. Syracuse gave Nadya a perplexed look.  Like she didn't belong in a library, once again her reputation arrived before she did. "Or, start reading, for that matter."

"Ah, Mr. Capra, I have collected a small trove of of those mungas you enjoy reading."  He pointed to a rather small section of four foot shelves in a corner no one would have ventured down unless they were trying to hide and make out in privacy with their girlfriend.

"Uh, mangas."  Fisher corrected.

"Ah," the librarian offered a polite smile, not at all offended at the correction.  "Yes, that's right.  I'll remember for next time.  So, what brings all of you in at this early hour?"

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 Rachel chimed in with the reason why they were here before anyone else, even though she had no clue why Nadya had brought them to the Library.

. "Mr. Syracuse, this is Grace...um don't know her last name. Anyway, she's new and we thought we would show her around before the bell."

 

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"Trinity," Grace said, looking around curiously. She was still sipping on her coffee; hopefully the old dude wouldn't be a dick and make her throw it out. "Cool library. You have books on the Aztec gods? I don't know much about them but I just found out that my bio-father's from that area." 

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"Ah, indeed,"  Mr. Syracuse said with a smile and a hint of a British accent.  It was faint, but it was there.  He led Grace and the others over to the great 'wall of mythology' and pulled a particular book from the row of spines and handed it to her."  There you are my dear, this will describe a majority of the Atztec pantheon, but it takes a very very in depth look at Tezcatlipoca.  An entire chapter dedicated to the bringer of discord and vice.  Good reading that."

He offered her a wink, like he was in on some big secret the rest of them weren't, yet.  "Now, if the rest of you are interested in reading up on your parents, by all means, I'll be happy to direct you to the proper literature.  I'll also gladly help you discern what myths the writers took liberties with.  Trust me, fore warned is fore armed, the last time I didn't proof read a book it caught on like wild fire and now there's a guy living in a cloud castle that needs all your money... ugh, what a nightmare that ended up being.  And don't get me started on the Crusades... a complete debacle that was..."

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Fisher blinked, before the exact import of the words broke in, along with him seeing everything around in the library as with fresh eyes for the first time. He knew. "He knows." Ok, it wasn't the most eloquent of responses. Fisher stepped up to Mr. Syracuse. "You know. So, what does that make you precisely? God? Older Scion? Just the wise old mentor?"

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"Ah, apologies," he chuckled.  The handsome (for in his forties) old guy bowed slightly.  "Archibald 'Archie' Syracuse.  And two out of three isn't bad I suppose, young Fisher.  I'm a demigod.  A Scion, like you, I started young and had all manner of adventures.  Ah, you may know me better as Archimedes, son of Hephestus.  I practically invented arithmetic, despite what the Chinese would lead you to believe.  Guan Yu could barely balance his check book until I came along."

"Dude, you'd be like... four thousand years old..."  Nadya was trying to do the math on her fingers.

"Immortality, my dear."  His smile was almost mischievous.  "Today I'll look the role of fourty-something librarian, in a few decades I'll change identities.  I'm seriously considering a vacation in Belize for a century or so.  Such lovely weather."

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Grace gave a snort. "It's obvious. He's our Giles. I call not-it on being the blond ditz with the crappy destiny or the bitchy brunette. I will take the hot red-head, but I'm not committing to the lesbian thing."

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"Well," he adjusted his glasses in a staple Giles moment that Grace didn't fail to miss.  "The answer is two-fold.  Yes, I've been watching you, because you've all been students here.  No, not in the sense you may be thinking because frankly, the Gods don't fill me in on these things.  Before you divine parents visit you, us, we're just... well, us.  The Gods don't give us anything we don't already possess until after our visitation.  Sure there are perks after the fact, but I was just like you once."

He sighed and pulled his sweater vest taught.  "I have no idea who is who or what is what until the Gods actually awaken you to your heritage.  Granted, some I could easily guess, like Eric Donner for instance, but I must admit, you kids were a curve ball I didn't see coming."  After all that, he looked to Grace.  "And, what's a 'giles'?"

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Fisher stiffened temporarily again. Fate, which according to Mom really did exist, seemed to have it out for him. Eric was a Scion too. Which explained his brute strength, but that just did not help Fisher at all. At least he didn't have to be ashamed of being shit-frightened of a mere mortal. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show. Wise old mentor."

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Uh...did you just say that Eric Donner was one of us?" Asked the only blond girl in the room. "Does he know?" Rachel feels the world coming unhinged for the second time in a week. She sits down and looks at her fated friends. "You said some, how many of us are there?"

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"Yes, television.  Not much of a watcher, more of a reader.  Books have always been my passion."  He looked to Rachel and pursed his lips in thought.  "Well, off the top of my head, there's two full Bands here in Salem.  Eric, Bridgette, Horace, Yukiko, Mercedes, and Aaron.  And of course there's some of the faculty.  Scion's are more prevelant than one might think, they act as protectors of the World."

It was hard to believe that any of those people would be considered 'protectors' of anything.  Eric Donner was a jackass, Birdgette De La Croix was a chain smoker and a borderline sociopath.  Horace Farrow was plain creepy, the guy only had one eye, but he saw everything.  Yukiko was quiet and made the Japanese girl from Kill Bill look like a girl scout.  Mercedes was probably the most superficial 'Mean Girl' the world had ever known, since her family came from money she just did what she pleased.  Aaron was quiet as well, but super smart.  It all made sense though, all those kids were from different cliques a year or so ago and then one day they all started hanging out and doing things separately from the rest of their friends... there was a conspiracy under their noses and the students of Salem didn't even know it.

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Immortality - Nadya could get behind that, never having to worry about wrinkles or sagging. Having ichor seemed like a sweet gig. She was about to make a comment about Giles having a dark past and wondering if Archimedes may have stolen Euclid and Pythagoras' ideas for his own instead when Rachel asked about any other Scions at Salem High.

"Mercedes?!" Nadya screeched, looking fit to choke on apoplexy, that one name among all the others grating on her like nails on a chalkboard. "Mercedes-cunting-Rhodes?! What, is Bitchiness a goddess itself, because what else could have spawned the living embodiment of Regina George?" Nadya's face was going darkly, dangerously red. The animosity between the two girls had been growing ever since junior high and was hardly a secret, though if anything, Mercedes hardly seemed to notice. "The only thing that divine cow protects is her own vicious popularity by cutting everyone else down."

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  • Matt changed the title to IC: Scion: Modern Mythology - BeforeThe Bell

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