sand in all the wrong places | OPEN

Maybe things had gotten a little out of hand. It was a little late to be thinking things like that as Serena sit, crouched in the sand behind one of those squaty little palm trees. About one hundred yards north of her location was the adorable like beach-side cabin the Chancellor called home. To be honest, Serena was hoping for a huge scoop; maybe something that could explain all the sudden and strange behavior from the island's favorite blonde. Serena rolled her eyes, certain that something was up. She couldn't hear anything from the house right now, but she knew that something would eventually happen.

She straighten a towel across the sand, close enough to the beach to be seen as an innocent sun bather if someone were to happen by. She laid out, a notebook stowed carefully in a floppy green beach bag and a bright yellow bikini making her look tan and beautiful in the afternoon sun. In the distance, she could here someone coming up the beach.

The someone had hands in the pockets of his shorts, glasses over his eyes, and a blue tank. He would strut right up to where the woman lay and stand there, looking down at her, the sun behind his head. He removed his glasses and would take a deep, rather disappointed breath.

"You must be Quinn. Mind if we...have a chat?"

This...was going to be fun.

Serena looked up from her place in the sand. She wasn't necessarily worried about being caught, as she could still hear anything that was going on in the house. Despite having a seasoned past of watching people, the reporter didn't recognize the person that was standing above her, asking if they could talk. That meant one of two things, he was either new to the island, or a creepy shut in. Although she knew better, she bet on the second one to amuse herself with the mental picture, "You're blocking my sun." She said shortly before smiling and sitting up, "It's Serena to you, by the way." She never went by Quinn unless she was with friends. She motioned to the sand beside her and expected him to sit down and tell her she was a liar, like so many other people tended to do.

Jason would grin.

"I meant to. How else would you know I was here?"

That was in regards to him blocking her sun, as he didn't know about her ability. He would look out at the sea for a moment- it was too far away to be of use to him, but at least he was aware of where it was. He would tuck the glasses into his pocket, watching her indicate where he should sit. Instead he would keep standing.

"I just wanted to ask you about a recent article you wrote about the chancellor. You said some things that confused me, namely about her using government resources. I had heard that they actually used their own money for it, from a source."

Serena scoffed, "And where did you hear that, exactly?" She asked with raised eyebrows. She stood up off the sand, not enjoying the feeling of him looking down on her. Even when she was standing, he was quite a bit taller than she was but at least she wasn't laying on the ground, "I'm guessing you heard that from either the Chancellor or her boyfriend. Am I right?" She rolled her eyes, but was uncertain that he could have seen her through her large, dark sunglasses, "The Chancellor's not a liar." She said quickly, "And it's not money I was referring to. I doesn't cost anything to hitch a ride on a ship off island if you know where to go and ask. Honestly, I was more concerned with that ships scheduled trip which was postponed by nearly four hours because it had to drop Chancellor Hadley off in San Fran before continuing on it's projected path North." She pushed her sunglasses up to hold her dark hair from her eyes, "That ship was carrying supplies to earn the island revenue. Although the postponement wasn't completely detrimental, you have to wonder how long it will be before she doesn't something completely out of line." Serena chewed on her lip for a moment before adding as an after thought, "She needs to hiding things from Concordia. They deserve to know who is leading them."

His eyebrows came down in a twitch.

"I think the facts of the island speak for themselves, though, don't they? We're protected, well trained. We have supplies that are almost always on time. Despite being a chancellor, there could have been a personal reason they took that trip- not one for leisure, but maybe she had a sick family member. Or maybe she was meeting with someone about advancement on the island and didn't want to take it public just yet. I never expect to know all the facts- but from the sounds of things, neither do you. Partial truths mixed with subtle jabs doesn't add up to journalism- you should get a piece of information, and get comments from both sides mixed with personal views, not just take a fact and build a "possible" story around it. That's paparazzi work Are you this islands paparazzi?"

If so, he had nothing more to say, because there was nothing to be said. Jason used to write a lot for his school newspaper- and he knew the difference. They were scummy, and he just didn't like their moral compass.

Serena narrowed her eyes, trying her best not to roll them, "What exactly do you know about Concordia's history, random person on the beach?" She asked stiffly, reminding him that he was rude in not introducing himself properly, "I assume you are new to the whole, Demi-God gig, aren't you?"

She shook her head and let out a heavy sigh, "I don't have a problem with the facts, dude. But when they are deliberately withheld, especially by a Chancellor who has a very practiced history in lying, you can't expect the citizens of the island to react like she is the Goddess Divine." Serena Seely leaned into the conversation, raising her eye brows like she was going to quiz him, "Do you know how Chancellor Hadley got elected the first time?"

He laughed. Random person on the beach...that tickled him for some reason.

"Woah now- I didn't mean to be abrasive. I'm just a little blunt with what I think. I did speak with the chancellor, and she gave me a reason I can't talk about now- but is reasonable for the situation. As for the rest of the island and how she was elected, no, I don't know anything about it. But I do know there is more to any story than just what's heard down the grapevine. I have no reason to believe she would lie- just as I have no reason to think you would- this was just one article that just read very one sided. That's why I'm here asking you about it, not bitching at you."

He would now take the seat she would offer. Now that he had more of her attention than just an annoying fly.

"Why don't you tell me your side of things, then, and how you saw the events of that time."

Serena sucked in a deep breath, wondering what the hell this person was thinking. He was so...mood swingy. Okay, not her best word moment. But only she heard it, so no big deal, right? She sat down in the sand, back on her towel, and sighed, "You're lucky you missed it all." Her voice was suddenly darker, quieter, "It was five years ago when the Titans and Egyptians teamed up and attacked Camp Jupiter and Camp Half Blood at the same time. It is important to know that, up until this point, the Greeks and the Romans were not very good friends. In fact, the gods saw fit that we didn't know of each other's existence for a really long time. It's actually crazy when you get right down to it." She laughed lightly, but her heart wasn't in it, "Anyway, these two camps were near the beach and both Camp had similar experiences. Ships, supposedly sent by Poseidon or Neptune or whatever you fancy calling him to take us someplace safe. That someplace safe ended up being this island."

Serena shuddered as she remember the day as if it were only an hour ago, "When we first got here, it was dark. There was blood all over the sand and people were screaming and crying." Her fingers laced the sand around her and she held up her fist, watching the sand fall back around her and on to her towel, "We didn't even know the Greeks were there until hours later and by then, Ember Lynn was already named Chancellor. We didn't get a say at all." She rolled her eyes, "Since most of my comrades follow orders better than they give them, they accepted this with respite. Especially since we were promised an annual election." She looked back up at him, "Whether it never happened or no one ever bothered to run against her, I don't know exactly, but here we are five years later still being run by the Greek queen who says Poseidon himself went out of his way to save her." She didn't mean to sound bitter, but she was certain that she probably did. Nothing even went towards the Romans, except maybe the military. But there were plenty of Romans who didn't plan to fight for the army if they didn't have to, "I told you you were lucky you weren't there. It was terrible."

He frowned.

"Well...she has done a good job so far, right? And if nobody has run against her...how would that be her fault? How would anything you have stated be something she should be blamed for?"

He wasn't against knowing his sister was a bad person- he barely knew her. But he trusted the bonds of blood, and cared for her. If she was bad, he would try to change her. But so far, all he got was that she was in office for a long time after something bad happened.

Serena rolled her eyes again, "Did I ever say it was her fault?" She shrugged, "I can want things to be different. I'm allowed. And last time I checked I have Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press. I don't dislike Ember Lynn Hadley, she is just too nice to get us off this island."

He frowned.

"Then...that answers my question. Perhaps I misread the purpose of your article- I thought it was just genuine journism, not honest activism. We have no problem, then."

He grinned. As long as she was straightforward that it was opinion and not necessarily fact, he was fine with it.

Quinn narrowed her eyes, "I find it interesting that you would question my entire life's work without an introduction. It's actually quite rude." There she was, a blunt, borderline bitch Serena Seely. She took in a deep breathe when a noise came from inside the house. Turning her head slightly to get a better listen, it sounded like Ember Lynn had come home and decided to sing and clean dishes or something. How uneventful...

Jason would watch her, taking a little breath.

"You have quite the attitude- probably stems from people yelling at you all the time. But note- I haven't said you lie, cheat, and get information in a scummy way. I'm merely interpreting your words as I read them and as others will. If my Interpretation is wrong then tell me what's right. You've stated that Ember has been in power too long, nobody has run against her, and that she's done some things that might be questionable without knowing the reasons. You stated in an article that you hope everyone will join you in voting for another candidate. That speaks to me that you desire change politically- which makes your articles, at least about her....activism."

He wasn't wrong, in so far as he had seen. He would scratch his hair a bit with a smile. Though she seemed a little bitchy, he was kind to her. She was probably fed up with pricks questioning her like this.

"And my name is Jason Calloway, son of none. It's a pleasure."

Quinn opened her mouth to respond but stopped. Her eyes were wide as she was looking at Jason. Ember Lynn was still singing over a running sink, which wasn't too odd. It was the song she was singing that made Serena pull up to her knees and look over the bush at the house, "No way..." She whispered, listening to the words Hush, little baby, don't say a word... She looked at Jason with a bright smile on her face, "This is gold." She flipped her notebook open and wrote in neat letters across a blank page, PREGNANT? Leaving the notebook open on her towel, she looked back at the house where Ember had exited to the porch and was looking at the ocean, still humming about mockingbirds and diamond rings.