We're drenched in sunscreen and bug spray and incense. We feel gross, look gross, smell gross. We're sunburned and bug-bitten and behind us is the devil, every annoyance of summer nipping at our heels. Being in the Summer Scouts sucks incredibly. The cabins are stuffy, the beds are gross, the food is grosser, the counselors only sing about jesus, and they won't let us have a transformation sequence. We can't wait until a week from now when the three of us are home in our beds, we won't have to think about what we do or don't deserve, and we can leave cleaning up the devil to someone else.
Jupiter: ...Ow. Ow.
Venus: Oh my god, are you okay!
Jupiter: Oh. Totally. Totally fine. Ow.
Venus: Are you sure, it looked so bad...
Jupiter: Nahhhhhhh it's nothing. It's okay.
[Neptune] It literally looks like it fucking killed you.
Jupiter: I totally... totally promise I am still alive.
Venus: Okay...
[Neptune] Don't fall asleep with a concussion. If you do, I'm calling 911.
Jupiter: Haha I won't.
[Neptune] Do. Please. Take me with you.
Laughing off a head injury isn't all that Jupiter's good at; she has the best grades in class, and coaches make her starter on whatever team has the most pressing need for someone who can do sports. She's a perfect role model, except for how she always misses the winning goal and she always blanks on the last question. She leads when no one else wants to, which is always. Jupiter clutches her head. It hurts a lot. She thinks about hands gently pressing into her temples. It's a relaxing thought, until she feels the texture of fingers on her scalp. Jupiter snaps a hair tie against her wrist.
Jupiter: Are we late already?
Venus: I think we left pretty early?
Jupiter: We've been walking for a long time, though.
Venus: I don't think so? Maybe. Not that long. Well, not too terribly long. I guess it's been kind of a while.
Jupiter: We're not late already are we?
[Neptune] Absolutely. It's 6:06.
Jupiter: Whyyyyyyy.
Venus: Oh no.
[Neptune] I told you so.
Idiot<3Jerkface: Ugh how much longer r u in summer scouts for
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Another week. Fml. This is the worst
Idiot<3Jerkface: I will pray everyone dies
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Stop giving me false hope
Jupiter: We're close. I'm pretty sure. We have to be.
Venus: It's fine as long as we're not the last one there, right?
[Neptune] It is utterly assured that they are already there because they did not have to do any of the complete bullshit we just did.
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Im genuinely sorry for my horrible life.
Idiot<3Jerkface: Happy hunting lmao
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Fuk u
Neptune didn't tell us because she was too busy talking with her friends and doesn't care about how much trouble we get into. Or maybe she didn't want us to worry for as long as we didn't have to worry. Neptune is very kind or possibly super mean and hates us. But that's okay. She's really funny. Neptune looks in no way like she's supposed to be here. But that's why she's here, of course. For a moment she's about to say something but it catches in her throat and she coughs instead.
Venus: Oh, over there!
Jupiter: Where?
Venus: See? That light.
Jupiter: I don't see anything.
Venus: It's right there...?
[Neptune] *cough* It's over here.
And there's the bonfire.
Jupiter: We're not too late right?
[Neptune] ...
Venus: ...
The Bonfire Captain: Haha, Group West's finally here. Kinda early for you guys, huh? I didn't hear ya'll swearing, did I?
Jupiter: No, Sir.
Venus: Nosir.
[Neptune] Nah.
The Bonfire Captain: Hahaha. Sure you weren't.
Venus: We promise!
The Bonfire Captain: Oh I believe you. I dunno about the rest, though.
Venus: Ah. Um.
Venus smiles in that way that makes everyone there want to punch him a little, but that's all that it takes for them to forget we were even late. Venus can smile and laugh nervously through anything, and the rest of us are invisible for as long as we can endure the secondhand embarrassment.
The Bonfire Captain: Sit down everyone.
The Bonfire Captain throws more incense in the fire. The sticky sickly sweet smell is the worst thing about camp. It's a terrible blend; termite-eaten wood from abandoned churches, dried daylilies from the sides of country roads, singed wire from burned out radios, dubious apologies, ashes of monsters of the week. Gross. Venus sits with his legs crossed, taking up as little space as he can, which is at most not very much. Neptune remains mercilessly fashionable, watching the other groups like they're the entertainment. Jupiter pulls her legs up and rests her chin on her knees. She's bad at posture. But she is good at being comfortable. She likes the security of holding her whole body. There's a perfect balance of usefulness and liability to the young for which the summer scouts are the most perfect solution.
The Bonfire Captain: Everyone having a good time?
No one is, or has much enthusiasm to fake it.
The Bonfire Captain: I said, is everyone having a Good Time?
But the captain can be motivating.
The Bonfire Captain: I SAID, is everyone HAVING A GOOD TIME?
And doesn't quit until everyone's at least put effort into faking it.
Jupiter: Yay.
Venus: Y-yes!
[Neptune] Yeah yeah.
This is bullshit.
The Bonfire Captain: That's more like it. Still a little quiet in the West.
[Neptune] Fuuuuck him.
Jupiter: *Snort.*
Venus: haha-um, shh.
The Bonfire Captain picks up his guitar. Neptune doesn't even try hide her look of pure offense. None of the counselors like to talk as much as he does. He must feel like he needs to give the sermons since he's in charge, but we know the counselors wish they were somewhere else as much as we do.
The Bonfire Captain: You know, I wasn't the most popular when I was a kid. I got in my share of fights, but I had a couple of guys I was best friends with and we stuck up for each other. Whenever my parents asked if I wanted to bring one of my friends somewhere, I'd say, "I wanna bring both of them." I thought I was doing this great thing, not holding one of my friends over the other. But secretly, I thought one of them was kinda annoying. And he kinda was. He whined and wouldn't go along with us sometimes. I felt pretty bad about that, so I tried to be an even better friend to make up for it. I thought if I could work even harder, I'd be able to make up for him. But actually, I wasn't helping him at all. You wouldn't have thought it, I wouldn't have thought it, but in the end he was the one that got in deep, deep trouble. I probably could have stopped it if I'd told him to cut it out and man up instead of basically doing the opposite. Some friendships you can keep up. The rest you gotta leave up to god.
[Neptune] Ugh JESUS. How long will this go on. There's no mercy in this world.
Venus: You think we're going to the cabin tonight?
Jupiter: I dunno. Probably not?
[Neptune] Good one Jupiter, but there is no mercy in this world.
Venus: It's our last week at camp and they haven't sent us there yet.
[Neptune] And that loser has it in for us so bad.
Jupiter: Maybe we won't have to go. I'm feeling optimistic this time.
Venus: ... ...Why?
[Neptune] Yeah why?
Jupiter: Uh. Because...
[Neptune] No seriously, why. Why would you ever think that.
The Bonfire Captain: Hey there GROUP WEST. Feel like meeting the devil tonight?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Introduction
Jupiter: ...Ow. Ow.
Venus: Oh my god, are you okay!
Jupiter: Oh. Totally. Totally fine. Ow.
Venus: Are you sure, it looked so bad...
Jupiter: Nahhhhhhh it's nothing. It's okay.
[Neptune] It literally looks like it fucking killed you.
Jupiter: I totally... totally promise I am still alive.
Venus: Okay...
[Neptune] Don't fall asleep with a concussion. If you do, I'm calling 911.
Jupiter: Haha I won't.
[Neptune] Do. Please. Take me with you.
Laughing off a head injury isn't all that Jupiter's good at; she has the best grades in class, and coaches make her starter on whatever team has the most pressing need for someone who can do sports. She's a perfect role model, except for how she always misses the winning goal and she always blanks on the last question. She leads when no one else wants to, which is always. Jupiter clutches her head. It hurts a lot. She thinks about hands gently pressing into her temples. It's a relaxing thought, until she feels the texture of fingers on her scalp. Jupiter snaps a hair tie against her wrist.
Jupiter: Are we late already?
Venus: I think we left pretty early?
Jupiter: We've been walking for a long time, though.
Venus: I don't think so? Maybe. Not that long. Well, not too terribly long. I guess it's been kind of a while.
Jupiter: We're not late already are we?
[Neptune] Absolutely. It's 6:06.
Jupiter: Whyyyyyyy.
Venus: Oh no.
[Neptune] I told you so.
Idiot<3Jerkface: Ugh how much longer r u in summer scouts for
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Another week. Fml. This is the worst
Idiot<3Jerkface: I will pray everyone dies
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Stop giving me false hope
Jupiter: We're close. I'm pretty sure. We have to be.
Venus: It's fine as long as we're not the last one there, right?
[Neptune] It is utterly assured that they are already there because they did not have to do any of the complete bullshit we just did.
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Im genuinely sorry for my horrible life.
Idiot<3Jerkface: Happy hunting lmao
RestingWitchFace: [Neptune] Fuk u
Neptune didn't tell us because she was too busy talking with her friends and doesn't care about how much trouble we get into. Or maybe she didn't want us to worry for as long as we didn't have to worry. Neptune is very kind or possibly super mean and hates us. But that's okay. She's really funny. Neptune looks in no way like she's supposed to be here. But that's why she's here, of course. For a moment she's about to say something but it catches in her throat and she coughs instead.
Venus: Oh, over there!
Jupiter: Where?
Venus: See? That light.
Jupiter: I don't see anything.
Venus: It's right there...?
[Neptune] *cough* It's over here.
And there's the bonfire.
Jupiter: We're not too late right?
[Neptune] ...
Venus: ...
The Bonfire Captain: Haha, Group West's finally here. Kinda early for you guys, huh? I didn't hear ya'll swearing, did I?
Jupiter: No, Sir.
Venus: Nosir.
[Neptune] Nah.
The Bonfire Captain: Hahaha. Sure you weren't.
Venus: We promise!
The Bonfire Captain: Oh I believe you. I dunno about the rest, though.
Venus: Ah. Um.
Venus smiles in that way that makes everyone there want to punch him a little, but that's all that it takes for them to forget we were even late. Venus can smile and laugh nervously through anything, and the rest of us are invisible for as long as we can endure the secondhand embarrassment.
The Bonfire Captain: Sit down everyone.
The Bonfire Captain throws more incense in the fire. The sticky sickly sweet smell is the worst thing about camp. It's a terrible blend; termite-eaten wood from abandoned churches, dried daylilies from the sides of country roads, singed wire from burned out radios, dubious apologies, ashes of monsters of the week. Gross. Venus sits with his legs crossed, taking up as little space as he can, which is at most not very much. Neptune remains mercilessly fashionable, watching the other groups like they're the entertainment. Jupiter pulls her legs up and rests her chin on her knees. She's bad at posture. But she is good at being comfortable. She likes the security of holding her whole body. There's a perfect balance of usefulness and liability to the young for which the summer scouts are the most perfect solution.
The Bonfire Captain: Everyone having a good time?
No one is, or has much enthusiasm to fake it.
The Bonfire Captain: I said, is everyone having a Good Time?
But the captain can be motivating.
The Bonfire Captain: I SAID, is everyone HAVING A GOOD TIME?
And doesn't quit until everyone's at least put effort into faking it.
Jupiter: Yay.
Venus: Y-yes!
[Neptune] Yeah yeah.
This is bullshit.
The Bonfire Captain: That's more like it. Still a little quiet in the West.
[Neptune] Fuuuuck him.
Jupiter: *Snort.*
Venus: haha-um, shh.
The Bonfire Captain picks up his guitar. Neptune doesn't even try hide her look of pure offense. None of the counselors like to talk as much as he does. He must feel like he needs to give the sermons since he's in charge, but we know the counselors wish they were somewhere else as much as we do.
The Bonfire Captain: You know, I wasn't the most popular when I was a kid. I got in my share of fights, but I had a couple of guys I was best friends with and we stuck up for each other. Whenever my parents asked if I wanted to bring one of my friends somewhere, I'd say, "I wanna bring both of them." I thought I was doing this great thing, not holding one of my friends over the other. But secretly, I thought one of them was kinda annoying. And he kinda was. He whined and wouldn't go along with us sometimes. I felt pretty bad about that, so I tried to be an even better friend to make up for it. I thought if I could work even harder, I'd be able to make up for him. But actually, I wasn't helping him at all. You wouldn't have thought it, I wouldn't have thought it, but in the end he was the one that got in deep, deep trouble. I probably could have stopped it if I'd told him to cut it out and man up instead of basically doing the opposite. Some friendships you can keep up. The rest you gotta leave up to god.
[Neptune] Ugh JESUS. How long will this go on. There's no mercy in this world.
Venus: You think we're going to the cabin tonight?
Jupiter: I dunno. Probably not?
[Neptune] Good one Jupiter, but there is no mercy in this world.
Venus: It's our last week at camp and they haven't sent us there yet.
[Neptune] And that loser has it in for us so bad.
Jupiter: Maybe we won't have to go. I'm feeling optimistic this time.
Venus: ... ...Why?
[Neptune] Yeah why?
Jupiter: Uh. Because...
[Neptune] No seriously, why. Why would you ever think that.
The Bonfire Captain: Hey there GROUP WEST. Feel like meeting the devil tonight?
Jupiter: Damn ittttttttttt.
Venus: Oh no.
[Neptune] Told you. Don't worry guys. I hear hardly anyone ever dies.