It was a regular sunny afternoon at Camp Half-Blood, and Will Solace, the ever-optimistic son of Apollo, was walking through the camp, humming a tune. He had just finished a round of healing duties and was looking forward to some well-deserved downtime. Little did he know, today was not going to be his lucky day.
As he strolled past the mess hall, he spotted his good friend, Jason Grace, lounging on a bench, grinning mischievously. Will raised an eyebrow.
Will: "Hey, Jason, what's up?"
Jason (grinning): "Oh, you know... just thinking about starting a new venture. I'm selling 'special edition' golden apples from the Garden of Hesperides. Only five available, limited edition! Just 100 drachmas each."
Will (scratching his head): "Wait, aren't golden apples super rare and... uh, kinda impossible to get?"
Jason (winking): "Not if you know the right people. I got a great deal, promise. Limited stock though, so you better act fast!"
Will paused, contemplating for a moment before shrugging.
Will (with a smile): "Eh, why not? I'll take one."
Will pulled out his coin pouch, handed over the drachmas, and received a shiny, polished apple that Jason promised was straight from the Garden of Hesperides. Will admired it for a moment before heading off to the Apollo cabin.
A few minutes later, he ran into Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. Percy was holding a stack of books while Annabeth was juggling a few scrolls, both seemingly in a rush.
Percy: "Hey, Will! What's that you got there? A golden apple?"
Will (proudly): "Yep! Got it from Jason for 100 drachmas. Limited edition!"
Annabeth (raising an eyebrow): "Limited edition? Are you sure it's real?"
Percy (laughing): "Yeah, we're talking about Jason here. Remember when he sold me a 'magical sword' that turned out to be a butter knife?"
Will paused, his smile faltering slightly.
Will (defensive): "Hey, it looks real to me!"
Annabeth (with a smirk): "Well, if you're interested in buying something more 'exclusive,' I've got this 'enchanted' compass. It always points to the nearest place you need to be... unless it's pointing to the nearest sandwich shop."
Will (grinning, a bit too trusting): "Sure, why not. I'll take it. How much?"
Annabeth (smiling slyly): "Just 75 drachmas, a bargain!"
Will handed over the drachmas without a second thought, excited to add to his collection of 'rare items.' As he walked away, he heard Annabeth's muffled chuckle behind him.
Later that day, Will made his way to the forge, hoping to speak to Leo Valdez, who was busy tinkering with one of his many inventions.
Will (excited): "Hey Leo! You got any cool gadgets for sale?"
Leo (grinning): "Well, I've got this amazing contraption I call the 'Instant Noodle Maker 5000.' It'll cook noodles faster than anything you've ever seen. And it can make your favorite snacks—just set it, and forget it!"
Will (impressed): "That sounds awesome! How much?"
Leo (nodding sagely): "Only 150 drachmas, my friend. A steal, considering how much time you'll save!"
Will, already in a spending mood, handed over the drachmas and left with the "Instant Noodle Maker 5000," thrilled about his purchases for the day.
That evening, Will sat in the Apollo cabin, eager to try out his new items. First, he took a bite of the golden apple.
Will (grimacing): "This tastes... kinda like... regular apple? And kinda waxy."
He shrugged it off and set the apple aside, ready to try the enchanted compass next. He activated it, watching as it spun around. After a few moments, the needle settled... pointing directly to the nearest sandwich shop.
Will (sighing): "Of course."
With a resigned groan, he looked at the Instant Noodle Maker 5000 and eagerly followed the instructions, waiting for it to create a perfect bowl of noodles. A few minutes later, the machine spat out a soggy, overly salty mess of noodles.
Will (frustrated): "I should've known better."
As he sat there, surrounded by his scammed purchases, he realized something: everyone in Camp Half-Blood had gotten him.
The next day, he confronted each of them.
Will (sternly): "Alright, what gives? Did I just fall for every scam in the camp?"
Jason (grinning): "I mean... you were looking for a good deal!"
Percy (shrugging): "You were too trusting, man."
Annabeth (smiling innocently): "Hey, I told you the compass was useful... in its own way."
Leo (laughing): "That's what you get for trusting me with your money. The Instant Noodle Maker 5000 is a work in progress!"
Will groaned, slumping into a chair. He realized that while his fellow campers might have scammed him, it was all part of the fun.
Will (grinning despite himself): "Next time, I'm sticking to healing and archery. No more 'magical gadgets' for me."
And thus, Will learned a valuable lesson: never trust anyone in Camp Half-Blood with your drachmas, especially when it comes to 'exclusive offers.'
As Will sat in the Apollo cabin, surrounded by his disappointing purchases, he couldn't help but chuckle at his misfortune. Despite the countless scams, there was something oddly endearing about how everyone at camp seemed to conspire to mess with him.
The next morning, Percy, Annabeth, Jason, and Leo found Will sitting in the mess hall, a cup of coffee in hand, trying to ignore the antics going on around him. But they weren't done with their teasing just yet.
Percy (smirking): "Hey Will, have you tried the new 'deluxe' healing balm Leo's been selling? I hear it cures everything from sunburn to emotional trauma."
Will (groaning): "Please, no more. I don't need any more 'exclusive' deals. I'm done."
Leo (winking): "Come on, man, it's only 50 drachmas. That's practically nothing for something that could change your life."
Will (smiling): "I learned my lesson the hard way. You're not getting me again."
Jason (chuckling): "It's good to see you've learned your lesson, but that doesn't mean I won't try again later."
Will raised his coffee cup in mock salute.
Will: "Next time, I'm going to start selling 'genuine' golden apples of my own. They're definitely from the Garden of Hesperides... or maybe just the mess hall kitchen."
The group burst out laughing, and for the first time in days, Will felt like everything was back to normal.
Annabeth (teasing): "You know, Will, you might be the first person in history to get scammed by every single person at camp. You've got a talent."
Will (grinning): "I'm starting to think I should charge you guys extra for the privilege of being in my presence. After all, my future scams are going to be legendary."
As everyone laughed, they realized that maybe, just maybe, the fun of the camp came from the bonds they had with each other. And scamming each other? Well, it was just part of the game they played. Even Will couldn't help but laugh along, accepting that he'd be the one everyone picked on for a good laugh.
And so, as the sun set over Camp Half-Blood, Will learned a valuable lesson: it's not the things that matter, but the people you share them with—even if they're the ones scamming you.
The day ended with everyone sitting around the campfire, joking and laughing about Will's "misadventures." It was a reminder that, no matter how tough things got, there would always be laughter at Camp Half-Blood—and no one was safe from a good-natured prank.
Will (raising his cup in a toast): "Here's to the greatest scam artists of Camp Half-Blood."
Everyone (in unison): "To the scam masters!"
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and Give me Power stones and enjoy