Mei Saito, a Japanese-American writer living in California, met a man named James Adams during a walk in the park on a Spring morning. James said that he found Mei very captivating, just like that, but Mei refused to talk to James, thinking he was rather odd for him to say these words out of nowhere - and at random. But, James kept pressing, and the more he pressed, the more aggravated Mei got. Trying to maintain a polite composer, she asked James to leave her alone. James apologized about how rude he was, but asked Mei on a night out. Mei said she would think about him on that offer. With a nod of his head, James turned on his heels and left to mind his own business. Before getting too far, Mei called out to the strange man before he got too far, taking out her pen and a scrap piece of paper from her bag, and asked James for his cell number, saying that she would call him once she has an answer for him. James smiled warmly and wrote down his cell number. Exchanging goodbyes, they parted ways.
Mei thought about it for sometime - a week, at most - and finally found an answer for James. Snatching her phone from her nightstand and called James. She accepted his request, but on one condition; that they spend most of that time gettting to know each other better. And they did. As they warmed up to each other, the more Mei started to fall in love with this man. But, during that night was something Mei never expected to happened. They decided to go to the nearby bar and had a couple of drinks. A couple became a few, and so forth. Mei woke up the next morning in her room, dazed, confused, and in pain. Scanning her surroundings, she noticed her clothes scattered about the floor. Even more confused, she saw a note by her bedside table. Mei picked up and it read;
"Dearest Mei, I know you are most likely confused right now, but don't be afraid. Things are... hard to explain at the moment, but your questions will be cleared up soon enough, but just with time. For now, I will tell you this. My name is not James, but Prometheus. Even though our time was short, dearest Mei, the time we spent together were moments I will never forget, I hope you can say the same. Farewell for now, Prometheus."
Mei was furious at Prometheus for leaving her so confused, but fury was qucikly outrun by sorrow. Prometheus' letter was brief and vague, yes, but Mei hoped to see the man she loved once again. She kept the note, putting it where she would always know where it was. About 8 months later, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy who she named Daichi - which meant wisdom (or earth. Whichever). Daichi was a rambunctious 3 year old, always trying to get his mother's attention in more ways than one. Mei tried to keep a level head with Daichi - trying to discipline him in kind, but firm, ways - but it wasn't so easy. Mei also had plans to leave California and move to Colorado with Daichi where a good friend of Mei's lived.
A few months later, Mei's friend, Opal Rose, was more than happy to help Mei with Daichi. Daichi loved Opal to pieces. Opal was very caring and, she had a daughter of her own, Celeste Rose, who was a friendly and kind girl, and was just 2 years older than Daichi. Since Opal insisted on Mei to live with her, Daichi quickly became adapted to Celeste. One day, as Celeste and Daichi were playing hide and seek, Daichi thought it was a good idea to hide in the closet Daichi and Celeste shared. Turns out, it wasnt. Daichi became uncomfortable, but paid no mind to it. As the seconds ticked on, the more panicked he became. Not taking anymore of the tight space, Daichi scrambled from the closet, in tears. Celeste, along with Opal and Mei, tried to comfort Daichi, but it didn't help since he felt, "closed in" and "I can't breathe." Mei told Celeste to leave Daichi alone until he's calmed down. Opal and Mei schedualed a doctor's appointment since they were both very concerned for Daichi. Once at the doctor's office, the doctor said that "Daichi has claustrophobia - the fear of closed spaces." Even though at a young age, Daichi asked if his mom still loved him. Mei put Daichi's concern at rest by telling him; "Oh Daichi, of course mommy loves you, and so does Ms. Opal and Celeste."
When Daichi was 7, he would constant get picked on because of how he looked and that he "hung out with a girl." Celeste became a sister-like figure to Daichi, and Opal another motherly figure aside from Mei. Celeste always tried her best to protect Daichi, not caring if she was picked on herself. She loved Daichi and wanted to protect him. One afternoon, Daichi said something that really surprised Celeste. "Why do you want to protect me?" Daichi asked Celeste during recess. "Huh?" "Why do you want to protect me?" Daichi asked again, but with a bit of an edge. "Because I love you. You're like a brother to me!" Celeste replied, a warm smile on her face. "Well, stop!" Daichi exclaimed. Celeste smile faultered as she became confused and hurt. "You're the reason why I'm getting picked on! So, stop it!" Celeste wanted to yell, but her mother told her that Daichi just needed time. Daichi realized that without Celeste that he was getting teased more. The next day, before school, Daichi apologized to Celeste because how he acted was very wrong of him. Celeste forgave him and they hugged it out.
When Daichi was 13, Opal suggested to Mei that Daichi and Celeste to be homeschooled, since Daichi was getting more bullied than in Elementary school, but Mei decided against it. Opal tried to press, but Mei kept refusing. Opal to cease for a while, but during school hours, Daichi tried to push through the spiteful words, but it was a lot. With being pushed around, made fun of, etc., the more he believed them. And the more he believed them, the more burdened he became. At home, he pulled jokes and made his family laugh, but Celeste something was wrong. Celeste tried to figure what was wrong, since Daichi and Celeste went to different schools, but Daichi pushed her away. One afternoon, a large kid decided to pick a fight with Daichi. Daichi tried escape and get a teacher, but the kid pushed Daichi into a corner and cornered him. Daichi began to quiver, asking meekly for the kid to stand aside, but the kid only came closer, laughing at the boy. Before Daichi had time to panic, many kids ran down the halls, screaming. The bully went to see what te comotion was about, when a large dog-like creature ran down the halls. The bully teasing Daichi ran, pushing past other students. Daichi saw the creature running towards him and ran as fast as his legs could take him. He didn't get very far, tripping on another student's backpack, landing head first hard into the tile. Daichi's vision was a blur, trying to get up, but falling back down again, losing consciousness. Before Daichi lost consciousness entirely, he heard a whimper. What happened what a student - a demigod - killed the hellhound for Daichi with his sword. Sheathing his sword, he helped carry Daichi to the infirmary. He called a friend of his to help get Daichi to Camp Half Blood.
The boy woke in the school's infirmary, his head banaged up. "Ah, Mr. Saito," the nurse said softly to the confused boy, "you hit your head rather hard, hm?" Daichi scanned his surroundings, his eyes returning focus. "Where... am I?" he asked groggily. "You're in the infirmary. I called your mother and she should be here soon." Daichi nodded. 10 minutes had past when - it was not Mei who Daichi expected - Opal came to take Daichi home. Celeste was standing next to her mother, her eyes red and puffy. "Daichi... I have some bad news for you... your mother she... she died in a car accident. She was driving down the road when a drunk driver crashed into her. She only survived for a few minutes." Daichi couldn't believe what he was hearing. His eyes began to well up with tears. "The paramedics did everything they can, but she was gone." Celeste watched Daichi, who was spacing out. "Daichi?" Celeste asked. Before Celeste say anything else, Daichi bolted. He was a quivoring, sobbing mess. "Daichi!!!" Celeste called, but Daichi was gone. Once outside, he looked around. No one was insight. He screamed. He yelled. He cried. Sitting down on the sidewalk, the sobbing boy hugged himself, rocking back and forth. He heard footsteps behind him, but paid no attention to them. "Daichi..." a voice spoke. It was Celeste. "I know your mother loved you very much. And... and-and I'm sure your father-" "Celeste," Daichi cut in, "p-please don't bring my d-d-dad into this... please..." Celeste nodded, understanding Daichi's pain, since Celeste's father left Opal when Celeste was only a year old. Opal took Daichi and Celeste home, telling them that Opal was going to take custody of Daichi and planning on moving to New York. Once in custody of Daichi and settled into their new home in New York, Opal decided to home school Daichi and Celeste for the greater good.
It wasn't all that bad. It's been almost 3 years since his mother died, and almost 3 years since the incident at his old school. Ever since the incident, he had been getting attacked once a year at random, making it harder to enjoy walks outside. If he did get attacked, however, he would run bolt straight home or to one of his friend's house. A few kids in his neighborhood tried to pick fights with Daichi, but Celeste was turning 19 in a couple of months and Daichi's 16th birthday was coming up in a couple of days. Daichi did have a few friends, a girl a few months younger than Daichi with a few piercings on her ears and acts in a quite laid back manner named Lilith, a hyperactive, friendly boy a year older than Daichi named Jack, and a shy but talented boy that looked around 14 named Toby. Daichi invited his 3 friends to his birthday, going to the nearby theater to see a movie everyone wanted to see. Opal gave Daichi a small, retangular box that held a weapon inside, but not to be opened until the time was right. Confused at the statement, Opal held onto it.
Once Daichi's friends arrived at Daichi's, they head over the movie theater. Almost at their destination, something rammed into the car, jerking it off the road. "Toby, Lilith, get Opal, Celeste and Daichi out of here!" Jack barked at them. Both Toby and Lilith dragged the three away as Jack pulled out a bronze mace, the same material used for Daichi's whip. What attacked them? A hellhound. It took a while for Jack to kill the beast, but once swinging his mace for the final blow, it evaporated into dust.
"Daichi, you need to come with me." Jack ordered. "What? Why?" Daichi asked. "I'll explain on the way, but it's very important that you do. For now," Jack walked over to the startled Opal and Celeste. "Ms. Rose, Daichi need to come with Lilith, Toby, and I, it's important. If he doesn't, he might be killed," he started off. "there's a camp far from here where he will be safe. Daichi is the decendant of Prometheus, making him a demigod," Celeste and Opal nodded along to what Jack was saying, confused. "We tried to find him sooner, but you moved to New York and we had a hard time keeping up with you, making it harder for us to take him to the camp. But, if we take him, he will be safe from all those monsters like that hellhound." Opal nodded, finally grasping the idea of what was going on. "But wait," Celeste said, "how do you know that Daichi is a... what was it... oh! A demigod, is what you said? How do you know?" "We got a letter from Prometheus," Lilith implied, reaching inside her hoodie pocket and pulling out a white piece of paper, unfolding it and giving it to Opal. The message was written by Prometheus, stating that, 'Daichi was his son and needed to get to Camp Half-Blood as soon as possible.' "and," Toby butt in, "a friend of ours said that Daichi could possibly the demigod we were looking for 3 years ago. But, once we arrived, our friend said that you all moved away. It took a lot of searching, but... here you are..." Opal smiled kindly at the trio, and turned to Daichi. "Daichi," Opal said, walking over to the boy, "you be safe, alright? Don't forget about us." "How could I?" He said, tearing up. "You've made such a big impact in my life. I'll never forget you, mom." Daichi choked on his words, realizing what he said, but Opal smiled, tears running down her cheeks. Celeste and Opal gave Daichi a quick hug before sending him off with Jack, Lilith, and Toby - to Camp Half Blood.
As Lilith hauled for a cab, Toby explained to Celeste and Opal why they couldn't see the hellhound was because of the mist. Once the cab arrived, Opal gave Daichi his gift and the 4 of them scrambled into the cab. As Lilith gave their coordinates, Daichi opened his gift to find... a pocket comb knife? "I would wait until we get to camp to flick that open, friend." Jack muttered to Daichi. Nodding, Daichi quickly put it away and wait until they arrived at camp. The drive wasn't so bad. Lilith, Toby, and Jack rambled on and on about how amazing the camp was and how he'll love it there.