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[Jax James]

Jax James made his way down to the arena he'd been introduced to not so long ago without any injuries or tripping over his shoelaces that could never stay tied. Picking up a bow and some arrows, he stood at what he thought was a reasonable distance from the target. Nocking an arrow, he pulled it back and let go. It went straight over the target and probably either smashed a window or hit some innocent girl in the head or something. Just his luck. But wasn't Jax supposed to be good at this whole archery thing, being a son of Apollo and all? The god of archery and poetry and music, the second one being something Jax wasn't particularly fond of. Jax nocked another arrow and tried again.

Well, that one scraped the top of the target? Jax sighed. Why was it difficult to hit a target? Why couldn't he hit the target? It was a huge target like twenty times the size of his head, it shouldn't be that hard to hit. Jax nocked his third arrow and shot it. And it broke. Ugh. Jax gave up and dumped his bow and the arrows on the floor and sat down next to them. He wasn't very good at this and he kept missing. Drawing patterns in the dust instead, he drew himself firing an arrow that hit the bullseye. Maybe one day? But he was too disheartened from his previous failures to try again.

Not even bothering to look up when someone stepped into his sunlight, Jax continued drawing stars and pirates and dragons. But he couldn't see as well now, with someones shadow over him and his drawing area. What were they gonna do, aside from show off their awesome archery skills that Jax did not yet possess? Maybe if he stood closer to the target, but then he wouldn't be allowed later so then that'd be a waste of time. Maybe he should learn sword fighting or something, all you had to do was defend and stab. It was easy, pirates did it, maybe Jax could too. Right?

[Trevor Omark]

With the exception of a Rue and Grace, Trevor still did his best to seclude himself most of the time. People often seemed to congragate in groups and he didn't do crowds, especially when they were made up mostly of teenagers. They were strange. Especially the boys. They were all like, goofy and stupid around the girls. It was annoying. There weren't many his own age.

Today Trevor decided to make his way over to the arena to try out some shooting. The bow and arrow was 'dads' weapon right? So, time to find out how far that apple fell from the tree. He'd grabbed a bow and collected up some arrows and made his way over to the targets.

He stopped when he got close, seeing an even younger boy then himself sitting on the ground, his bow and arrow dropped carelessly on the ground. He was doodling in the sand. He looked glum for sure. He knew right away that it was the youngest kid he'd seen around here, because he was in his cabin. It still took that moment for his brain to kick in, that unlike most summer camp, the fact that they were in the same cabin meant they had the same dad. Apollo. That made the kid his half-brother. Having had his first taste of what family was supposed to mean, Trevor decided it was time to 'pay it forward'. Despite the fact that the kid was younger, it still put them in the same boat as some of the youngest kids at Camp Half-Blood.

Maybe it was because it was someone younger than him, maybe it was just a general overall better feeling he had lately, or, more than likely a bit of both, but Trevor found it easier to approach someone new than ever before. So, he walked over to the boy and looked down at his doodles. Trevor did that all the time. "Hey." he said quietly, "Y'alright?" he smiled a small smile.

[Jax James]

"...'lo." Jax actually looked up on hearing a familiar voice. Squinting against the sun, he saw it was Trevor, from his cabin. Oh. Was that it? Not Pixie-The-Girl-With-The-Cool-Name-And-Red-Hair or someone? Nope. Okay. That was a bit disappointing. No offence to Trevor. But...He was son of Apollo too, maybe he knew how to hit the target? Maybe? He seemed to be the next youngest. He seemed nice. Not that he'd ever really had a proper proper conversation with him. Jax was the youngest that he'd met so far. Jax looked back up at Trevor.

"Can you hit the target?" He asked curiously.

Hopefully, hopefully. Otherwise Jax would just have to sit and fail at hitting the target and bleh. Was he sure he was a son of Apollo? Was Apollo sure they were related? Maybe he was really a child of Hermes or something 'cause there was no way he was going to be hitting that target. Not in a million trillion billion years. Maybe take out a bird, but not the target. Was that even possible? It'd be cool. but not for the bird though. Just innocently flying along and then boom, a stray arrow from the one and only Jax James taking it out and down to the ground.

How anti climatic would that be? For the bird or Jax, he had no idea. But it'd be a bit meh. Maybe one day, his aim would improve? Then he'd be able to hit the target and be all cool and stuff, right? Just like the older Apollo kids who count shoot like five arrows at once. How did they even do that, Jax had no idea. But he would be like them someday. Not now, he was busy drawing in the dust. But...suppose, he'd have to know how to do this so if a monster came at him again, he could defend himself? Chairs weren't very good weapons.

[Trevor Omark]

This whole meeting people, dealing with people, talkig to people, being around people, it was new. Actively choosing to talk to someone, a whole new experience. But, gotta start someone. Jax, was the safest way to try to be...social...ish. He wasn't intimidating, being younger and smaller, unlike almost every other guy in the camp, who was bigger and teenage. Of the boys, Trevor was fairly sure that Jax was the only one younger than himself, having just turned 12 last month.

With a slight turn of his head, Trevor glanced at the target and with a small twist of his lips and a shrug Trevor looked back to Jax, "Haven't had much practice yet, so...only....maybe...occasionally?" he grinned very slightly. "Havin' trouble with it?" Was he thinking the same thing? Being the son of Apollo, you'd think it would be easier. But no, apparantly it still look practice, Demi-god for not. Well, at least they can't make each look bad right? Easier not to be self-conscious that way. Especially with only one other person around. The older kids around always made it harder. They could so all sorts of cool stuff. He had no clue how they did it.

"Um, mind if I take a seat?" Trevor gestured to a spot beside the younger kid.

[Jax James]

"I missed." Jax didn't elaborate. What was there to say? Hi, I'm the son of the god of archery, but I can't hit the target. Come back in, say...20 years? Maybe then I can. Whatever. At least they were both in the same...boat? Jax never quite understood why it was a boat over all other forms of transportation or whatever you could use. Seemed a bit silly. Being in the same train was much more exciting. Trains were cool. Boats were...eh. Like the Titanic...it sank. Jax had never heard of a sinking train, only sinking boats. So yes, trains were better. But they still had nothing to do with archery, or Jax's lack of skill thereof, unless he tried to shoot a train which would probably have no effect at all unless he sharpened his arrows. Because that would make sense, to shoot a train, right?

"If you like. See, watch!" Jax said, deciding to demonstrate his complete failure at archery by picking up his bow, nocking one of the arrows and letting go, thinking that it was going to fly straight over the top of the giant blue and white and yellow and red and whatnot target and kill someone or something like that, like stray arrows do. Robin Hood never missed. Except that one time. But to Jax's complete surprise, the arrow actually hit the target. Not right in the middle which would've been completely awesome, but it sort of hit the top and half stuck before falling off. But it was better than he did a few minutes ago!

"I sort of hit it!" Jax exclaimed. This was a momentous occasion that he would remember for the rest of his life.

Who wanted to bet that he couldn't hit it again?

[Trevor Omark]

Trevor couldn't help but feel a bit badly for Jax. It wasn't pity, but it was hard enough being 12 years old where there were so few kids below the age of 14 around here. Jax was easily the youngest he'd seen. Couldn't be easy for a ten year old kid. It hard enough for him. He seemed pretty dejected too. It was tough to compete with the older kids that was for sure. Trevor hated lessons. He was puny in comparison to the teenage boys. He just nodded to the boy with a shrug. "Yeah, I do that a lot too."

He watched Jax take his shot. There was an air of finality in it as if he was certain to miss again. But, instead, much to Trevor pleasure, the kid hit the target. "Yes!" Trevor grinned, "Nice." Wait what was happening to him? Odd. He never felt comfortable around people. But whatever. He didn't mind. Jax was technically his half-brother right? Same dad. "See? Just takes practice I guess. I mean, it's not like were likely to be totally awful at archery, right?"

"OK, lemme take a shot." Trevor knocked an arrow and drew the string back, aiming at the target. Without any older kids around, it was more relaxing. He aimed and released. The arrow flew, hit the top right corner of the target, right near edge. It stuck for a second, but without much surface area for the arrow to hold on to, it fell to the ground. Not much different then Jax's shot.

Turning to the other boy, Trevor gave a small smile, and shrugged, "Go for another." He gestured toward the target. C'mon you can do it. Hit it again!

[Jax James]

Trevor tried the same and got pretty much the same results. But at least they were sort of getting somewhere, ish, kind of, maybe. The target was hit? But it sucked 'cause they didn't hit the bullseye. Maybe next time? Or the time after...Or whatever. But he was bound to succeed otherwise he'd be a fail son of Apollo and then he'd have to go write poetry whilst sitting on the back of a cow or something. Jax didn't like cows that much, dragons were better. Should he try again? Trevor seemed to think so. Jax sighed and nocked another arrow and aimed for the centre, the bullseye the inviting success that came with hitting it, even if it was only a lucky shot that he wouldn't be able to hit until he'd trained...

Ping!

It flew over the target. Another successful failure.

"Missed." Jax stated. Even if Trevor could see. Still.

"Your turn." He followed up with. Maybe if he practiced more, he'd get somewhere? Why couldn't he have a talent for archery? Evidently, he didn't, considering he'd hit the target once and the arrow had fallen off it. How did that work? That's like stabbing someone and having your sword fall out of their body. It just didn't work like that. Jax needed to learn to not miss. Imagine if he ever was attacked by a monster, but all the arrows just flew over it's head. Not good, he'd be a pile of Jax dust and whilst that might sound cool, it wasn't. Not for Jax, anyway. Maybe for the monsters. Not that he got attacked by monsters much, it was just this one time, maybe twice. But he was at Camp now and none monsters could get in. Right?

[Trevor Omark]

Trevor was really hoping the younger boy would at least hit the target. But no such luck as he watched as the arrow flew past the bullseye. He gave Jax a little shrug and a small smile. "It's ok. You'll get it." With a nod, Trevor readied to take his next shot as the younger boy indicated. As he did so, he glanced over at Jax, "So, how long have you been here?" He knew the kid had already been around when he showed up. In any case, a little conversation couldn't hurt right? Trevor knew he needed practice at the whole 'dealing with people' stuff. And if he had half-siblings, he might as well get to know them, not like he was going anywhere away from Camp Half-Blood for awhile. This really was 'home' now, wasn't it?

With a deep breath, Trevor drew the string back with an arrow knocked. He aimed slightly lower than where he wanted to hit, held his breath for a second and let the arrow fly. It still wasn't great but it his just a bit more of the edge of the target and managed to jam itself into the target.

OK that worked slightly better. He looked toward Jax, "Just before you let go of the string, hold your breath. It helps steady yourself 'cause your body isn't moving and throwing off your aim. And try aiming a bit lower then you want to hit it. So pick a spot and then go a bit lower." He hoped Jax wouldn't resent a bit of advice. Trevor wasn't much betteer but he reazlied that the arrow flew on an arc. But because the target isn't that far, the arrow never has a chance to come downward.

Other than art, there was one thing Trevor did do a lot of at home, while alone and "out of the way" ... he read books. Lots of books. And now, some of what he read could be put to good use.

This post has been edited by Trevor Omark on Mar 3 2012, 11:26 PM