[KerfuffleMach2]

Chapter 2 - Part 4

Spoiler

An hour later, John and Pete joined the line forming outside of the main building at the parking lot. Here, everybody was being served their food. Then they went to the nearby pavillion to grab a seat and eat.

Their plates loaded with a couple of burgers, fries, chips, and a pop each, the pair set out to find a table. Seems most people were seated in groups. Mostly by people they recognized.

John and Pete grabbed a seat at the end of one of the emptier tables. John was looking around as he sat.

"Still no sign of him, huh?" asked Pete as he loaded up on ketchup.

John shook his head. "Nope. Kinda sucks, really. He should be here."

Pete shrugs a little. "Maybe he didn't wanna come?" Then he catches John rolling his eyes. "Hey, just a thought."

"What's a thought?" Asks a girl who stopped right by them. "The seat taken?"

John shook his head. As she sat next to him, he realized it was the girl at their camp who called her tent first. She had short, brown hair, hazel eyes, and was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. "we were just wondering why our friend isn't here."

"Well," started the girl. "Is he a half-blood? Human parent?"

Pete nodded. "Yeah. His dad."

She waves a hand. "Well, there you go. Half-bloods aren't invited."

John tilts his head. "What? Why not?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. The council is very uptight about that stuff."

"How do you know?"

"Easy. My dad's on the council."

Pete scoffs a little. "Aren't council members all old and wrinkly and stuff?"

The girl smirks a little. "My dad's one of the younger members."

John shakes his head. "Man, that's just not fair. Marc's one of us, even if he's got a human dad. That shouldn't matter."

The girl shrugs again. "Like I said, the council's uptight."

At this point, their conversation gets cut short. Mr. Drant had gotten everybody's attention to where he was standing, at the head of the pavillion.

"Well, now that we are settled here, and you have had some time to mingle, we must say goodnight. Because tomorrow, we start the training. So, a good night to everybody."

The crowd rose and slowly trickled out, headed back to their tents. They'd need all the sleep they could get.