"Oh, my gods." Persephone sat up in bed so fast that she almost got whiplash.

She was so caught up in the events of the day yesterday that she momentarily forgot that she was, in fact, an adult and had responsibilities.

Now where the Tartarus was her phone?

She looked down beside her hole in the wall, and where she had left her clothes the previous night, her phone sat there.

Persephone breathed a sigh of relief and reached to grab her phone, and only then did she notice that the two rings that had been given to her during the claiming, had reappeared on her fingers.

Putting that mystery aside, for the time being, she turned on her phone only to see that it was already past lunchtime. Looking around, none of her siblings was there.

Looking back at her phone, there were 5 missed calls from Hades, and that's when she started panicking. Unlocking her phone, she was about to press the button to dial his number when she was interrupted by the sudden voice of Barley.

"Woah woah woah, what do you think you're doing?" It was like she materialised out of thin air.

"I have to make a call." Barley snatched her phone away with a strange smile as if she were trying to keep her cool.

"We don't use phones here at the School for the Gifted and Unique." Her smile was beginning to look creepy.

"Then how am I supposed to communicate with someone?"

"Iris messaging of course," Barley placed the phone in one of her many pockets on her overalls, "I'm giving your phone to Chiron for safekeeping, and if you decide that you're going to leave the School, you can pick it up from him at your own risk."

Barley turned to walk away, and Persephone got out of the bed following after her, "What's Iris messaging? And what do you mean, 'at my own risk'?"

"You can ask Chiron once we see him." Barley's tone was final and left no room for arguments or further questions.

There were not as many campers walking around the cabins, and the few that were were getting a few things before running off to the forest.

Once they reached Chiron's office, Barley knocked on the door and they entered once they heard Chiron's voice greet them.

"Ah, Barley, how are you?" He was wearing a white suit shirt today and his desk seemed to be less piled up than the previous day.

"I'm good thank you."

"And I see you brought Persephone, how are you?"

"To be honest? Confused." Persephone admitted nervously.

"And why might that be?"

"She was going to call someone, so I took her phone for her safety." Barley brought the phone out and placed it on the table.

Persephone was scared that he was going to start shouting, but instead, he only hummed in thought, "I'd like to talk to Persephone alone Barley, go along and join your siblings in the lessons today." Barley nodded and left, "Now Persephone, have a seat," he gestured to the wicker chair in front of his desk.

"Am I in trouble?" Persephone winced feeling like a child again.

"No, but I understand that you have a few questions, shoot away." He smiled.

"Why can't I use my phone and call people?"

"Well, you see, demigods have a long-running history of having nearby monsters sense their aura whenever they use a phone, and it just leads to trouble. But to my understanding, you hadn't ever seen a monster until yesterday, yes?"

"Yeah."

"So that's what I'm investigating as well, I don't understand how that can be, but continue with your questions." He tapped his chin absentmindedly.

"What's Iris messaging?"

After explaining that Iris messaging was basically throwing a valuable like a coin into a rainbow, saying the name of the person you wanted to communicate with and you would be able to see them and talk to them, Persephone nodded thoughtfully, silent for while before firing off another question, "What if your friend is a mortal?"

"It still works, but you'll probably frighten your friend. If you truly want to talk to your friend, I'll allow you as an exception, considering no monsters have ever gone towards you when you use a phone." Chiron gestured to the phone and Persephone smiled, taking it off the table, "I also just want to say, that I know you lost your job, and that rent in New York is very high, so if you want, you are always free to stay here and train with your siblings. For free."

"Really?" Her face lit up, she's never really had a family, and despite how strict Barley and the others seemed, she wouldn't mind getting to know them.

Chiron nodded, "Go make your phone call."

Dialling the number, Hades picked it up after the first few rings, "Persephone, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry I didn't pick up your calls, I was asleep."

"But what about work?" His voice was as deep and comforting as usual.

"Yeah, I got given a two weeks notice." She sighed, looking at her lap.

"You got fired? Do you need some help in paying rent?"

She smiled at his thoughtfulness, "No, I'm fine. I'm moving actually."

"Really, where?"

"This school... I got hired as a nurse. Anyway, I'm sorry I couldn't make lunch." She stood and began slowly pacing the room.

"It's fine, I'm just glad you're alright, do you need help moving your things?"

"No, I'm not bringing that many things."

"Alright - " there was a distant woman's voice that spoke on his side of the line - "Yes this is her... No, you can't talk to her, she doesn't know you, don't be a creep Hera... Go away, don't you have some marriages to bless?... Yes I know I called you here, but I don't need your help anymore!" his voice sounded quieter - away from the phone, "Sorry, that was my sister." he returned to the phone.

"Your sister's name is Hera?" Chiron's head shot up at hearing the name.

"Yeah, funny huh?"

"Yeah, imagine if your other siblings' names were Hestia, Demeter, Zeus and Poseiden," Persephone laughed to herself, but Hades stayed silent on the other line, "... You're kidding right?"

"Nope, those are actually their names," Hades muttered.

"That's so cool!"

"Yeah, I actually have to get somewhere right about now, I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah, see you."

"See you Flower."

She ended the call, and noticed Chiron studying her face like he had the previous day before snapping out of it, "Do you have any other questions?"

"Yes actually. I remember my mum, but not my dad. And yesterday Carmine had told me that because of that reason, my dad was my godly side. But Demeter claimed me."

"Interesting... I'm not sure dear, sorry. But I'll try to find out, Demeter is, after all, my sister." Chiron stroked his beard in thought.

"I have another question if that's alright."

"Absolutely, go ahead."

"These rings, they appeared when my mum claimed me, and I took them off last night but they didn't disappear with everything else, they just... reappeared back on my fingers." She held up her two hands to display the rings.

"I'm not sure, but they likely have a purpose... I'm sorry to cut this short, but we're having competition games starting in a few minutes, and I have to be there to direct it. Everyone is going to be there, and if you aren't busy, always feel free to join your siblings." Chiron's horse legs stood up as he began to head to the door.

"I'm free."