The Apprentice of Thanatos

Chapter 12: Introductions and Farewells

{Sorry about not posting last week. We were both very busy with family and work.

This chapter picks up right after the previous one.

We do not own Danny Phantom or Percy Jackson, only this story and our original characters.}

      Danny was surprised by the man's appearance. When he had imagined the 'hero training camp', Danny had imagined something like a military boot camp. The man in front of him, however, looked more like a college professor, or a librarian.

      The man had thinning, shoulder-length brown hair and a well-kept beard, and he wore a tweed vest over a buttoned shirt with rolled up sleeves. He sat in a wheelchair, and his legs were covered by a well-worn quilt. He had a serious look in his eyes, but when he looked at Danny he smiled kindly. "Hello, young one. You must be Lord Thanatos' new apprentice."

      "Umm, hi," Danny waved shyly, keeping one eye on the sleeping dragon. "I'm Danny. Danny Fenton."

      "Chiron, I would prefer it if you did not say my name. As I have mentioned before, I find it likely that most of the campers would not treat Daniel with much kindness if they knew of his... connection to the Underworld." Thanatos advised.

      "Of course," Chiron said. "What would you like me to call you?"

      "Oh, he's been going by 'Mr. Mors'." Danny supplied, smirking. "He likes to 'live it up' every once in a while."

      Thanatos swatted Danny's shoulder lightly. "Oh hush, you."

      Danny laughed.

      Chiron nodded in confused amusement. "Now, if you two would follow me to the Big House?" Chiron turned his wheelchair around and moved down the other side of the hill.

      Danny looked out over the valley as they walked to the big blue farmhouse. He was getting whiplash trying to look at everything at once; far to the right there were twelve cabins next to a lake, as well as what looked like an outdoor theater, and a rock wall that spewed lava. Kids of all ages in bright orange shirts were running between the cabins and the other buildings around the camp. Those must be the campers. Danny thought.

      Once they reached the porch, Chiron wheeled himself up the wheelchair ramp. Thanatos held open the front door for Chiron.

       "Thank you, Mr. Mors." Chiron said with a smirk.

      Danny got the feeling that Thanatos had rolled his eyes, but it was hard to tell with his eyes being a solid gold color.

      Chiron turned around and beckoned for Danny to come indoors. Danny looked over his shoulder at the campers going about their daily business before entering the Big House, Thanatos closing the door behind them.

      The room they had walked into looked like a large parlor. There was a fireplace and a couple of sofas, and in the corner was a round wooden table with soda cans and playing cards scattered across the surface.

      "Well, well," a new voice drawled. "What do we have here?"

      In a doorway on the far side of the room stood a man Danny was certain was no stranger to wine. The man had a chubby face with ruddy cheeks and nose, and a faint fruity smell hung in the air around him. Danny was sure that on a good day, the man was the life of the party; however, in that moment he was very unpleasant to be around. The air around him felt threatening, and his scrutinizing gaze made Danny extremely uncomfortable.

      "Mr. D, this is Danny." Chiron gestured to the fidgeting teen. "The one we discussed earlier this week, remember?"

      "Oh," Mr. D's expression turned rather stormy. "I thought he wasn't showing up until summer."