Useless Training (Anime)

"In that case you're not that socially smooth then when it comes to girls," Penny said walking around him. By now she had reached the path, "For future references you should not focus on a girl's looks if you want to be just friends."
She called over her shoulder, Darwin swaying on her head slightly. He gave Ethan a disapproving look.

Girls are a hassle when you have to decide how to make them happy and how to not piss them off. Ethan nodded at Darwin in acknowledgement and tried to make the martin know that he thought Penny was pretty and would eventually want to date her but only wanted to be friends. Then he walked toward the path and caught up to Penny.

Darwin chattered at him and made an obscene gesture before sliding down Penny's head and came to rest, draped across Penny's shoulders. The weasle was gloating his position at Ethan. Penny stifled a grin at Ethan's comment but she continued on her way.

Ethan smirked at the little shit named Darwin. He could totally see someone liking the creature but at the moment all Ethan wanted to do was to blow the creature to bits and he contemplated stabbing him with a dagger or something. Then Ethan looked at Penny and smiled for real. I think you have a protector there. Or at least he likes to show me that you are his and not mine.

Penny laughed slightly, "Guess so."
Darwin wound himself around Penny's neck like a furry scarf. Penny untangled the creature and set him on the ground. The Martin ran ahead and back to her cabin. He scrambled at the door and somebody let him in.

So why don't you like compliments? Sorry if that sounds rude or anything but it just strikes me as odd. Ethan watched as the martin took off for the cabin and then he looked at Penny to see what her reaction would be to his question. Really he just wanted to get to know Penny better and then maybe down the road he would try again to kiss her.

Penny made a small noise of amusement, "My father has always been insincere about everything and compliments were one of those things he was insincere about ... I can never tell if they are true or not."
She sighed and looked at Ethan, with that same look of deep thought. Penny moved over to sit on a bench made of solid stone.

Ethan nodded in understanding before realizing that Penny was looking at him in deep thought. Just as he was getting ready to move on toward Camp again, Penny walked over to a bench and sat down. Ethan felt like it was odd for him to sit next to her but to hell with caring anymore since nothing was normal about this day anyhow. Ethan sat down next to the girl and leaned back to look at her. Well I think you should know that if I compliment you then it is sincere and I don't want to make you feel any different. Now is it alright if I ask you why you act like all guys are jerks?

Her long dark hair fell in a wall between Ethan and Penny, her hair was long, very thick, and smelled of vanilla. She chuckled slightly, "I just act that way because my father was a jerk and you randomly kissed me. I don't like being randomly kissed."
She looked at him, turning her head so she could see his expression better. Hers was it's usual cool and neutral tone.

The smell of vanilla wafted off of Penny's hair and into the air around them before quickly tickling Ethan's nose. If it were anything like a cartoon then the smell would have been one of those animate objects that went and found some poor sap of a guy and made him float to the goddess that had created the scent. Unfortunately that wasn't the case and all Ethan could do was get a brief hint of vanilla before he had to focus and look back at Penny instead of imagining the said situation.

Ethan blushed as he realized that his face had probably had some dreamy look upon it and he quickly tried to hide his embarrassment but failed. So instead he just looked into her eyes and wondered what it would take to be able to kiss Penny without getting in trouble. Ethan had to shake his head because it was that exact thought process that had left him in the situation he'd been in before.

As the wind picked up and the leaves rustled slightly, Ethan smiled and then went to brush Penny's hair out of her face but caught himself before he finished the movement. Well I guess I should have waited but you really are beautiful and please don't storm off again. I only meant that as a compliment and not to be sadistic or hurtful. Ethan looked away from her scared that he'd messed up again and that this time it would be the end.

Penny flushed slightly and looked down into her hands, the curtain of hair falling between the two once more. Her hands white with long thin fingers that had a nasty grip. Her entire body was white, her skin didn't tan or burn so it was slightly odd.
Her wide brown eyes blinked at them for a second before making up her mind.
"I won't storm off again," She said finally, her hair still shielding her from Ethan's view.

Ethan watched as Penny looked down at her hands and was silent for a little bit. Just as he was about to stand up and leave while making some stupid excuse, Ethan heard Penny speak and he sank back against the bench again. So...what's the deal with Darwin anyhow? The silence was bugging Ethan and he just needed to say something.

"The deal with Darwin?" Penny asked, the tone of her voice was a cross between confusion and amusement. The deal with the creature could cover a lot of things, his sticky paw tendencies, his unexplained love of chocolate, and his rude hand gestures. Penny had no idea were he had learned those, though she had a vague suspicion it was from the Hermes cabin. "Darwin, is Darwin, there is no explaining him."

Ethan smiled slightly as the wind blew his hair into his face and he watched Penny. He was getting more comfortable talking to this girl but didn't want to do anything to mess up so the son of Apollo thought a second. He unconciously brushed his hair from his face and moved his arm out in a genuine stretch, just brushing his fingers against Penny's hand slightly. Realizing what had happened, Ethan moved his arm back and looked away from her.

Face burning, Ethan spoke again. I was talking about his protective nature of you. It seems to me like he doesn't want me near you but is more of being an ass about it now. Just earlier he flipped me off because he knew I was thinking about you. Ethan stopped talking and looked back up at Penny in fear and hope.

Penny rubbed her hands together and laughed softly again, before casting Ethan a sideways glance.
"I honestly have no idea, It's in his nature I guess. As for him giving you the finger, you can thank the Hermes cabin for that."
She placed her hands back on the cool stone of the bench and Ethan's fingers brushed the back of her hand. Penny flinched visibly under the contact and she withdrew her hands, shoving them in her pocket. Other than that there was no reaction.

Ethan smiled again and then stood up to leave. He could tell that Penny wasn't ever going to fall for him and that would just cause problems in the future at this rate. Besides what she obviously needed was someone to talk to and be her friend and at the moment all he could do was think about kissing her. If would be better for everyone if Ethan just left now. So Ethan looked at Penny briefly and then waved good bye before jumping into the nearest branches and climbing higher than before so he could breathe in the cool air. Ethan ran across several trees and sat on a large oak tree branch where he could just think.

Penny was startled when Ethan stood up and walked away. He did not say good bye, she noticed and she stood, dusting the dirt off of her pants. She would probably run into him in the morning, unless he was avoiding her because of the rejection. Penny walked slowly over to her cabin and opened the door, vanishing inside....
**
The next day she existed her cabin, stifling a yawn. She had gotten just about little to no sleep that night and Darwin had fallen asleep on her face, not very pleasant. She had no school today , so that was nice.

Ethan had been sitting in the tree for so long that the next thing he knew, the son of Apollo woke up with a stiff neck and his back still against the trunk of the tree. Groaning slightly, he stood and checked to see how far across the sky the sun was. It looked to be about 9 AM and that meant he still had time to get some breakfast so Ethan jumped from the branches and swung down until he was on the path back to Camp. Soon he was walking into the mess hall with his mind off in the clouds and his body now fully stretched and no longer aching. Ethan sat down and grabbed a cup which filled with a strong smelling Coca Cola.

Penny was dressed in a pair of loose jeans, a dark green t-shirt, and had a book in hand. Sitting at the table she had the book titled, 'Unspoken' propped up against the juice mug. Her long brown hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and there was a pencil shoved through it.
She was eating an egg, bacon, and toast sandwich, her eyes fixed on her book. She shut it abruptly, with her eyes fixed on the book, evidently thinking.

Huh? Ethan looked up and then waved at a couple giggling Aphrodite girls walking by who had yelled his name a minute ago. He looked around and his eyes slid across the mess hall without picking out any single person. Suddenly he heard his stomach rumble and he stood to go grab food. On his way back with a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs, Ethan stopped by the Aphrodite table and kissed a blonde who had been watching him walk by. With that, he walked away and winked at all of the other girls to make them feel like they weren't being left out. Ethan could still hear the girls giggling and whispering in a group as he sat down smiling to himself.

Her eyes landed on Ethan as he moved to go get more food. Penny watched as he kissed one of the air headed girls and winked at the other two. Penny stood and walked past him, "Your lips seem to go around, huh?"
Her voice held a hint of amusement and she picked up a slice of cake, not a very healthy breakfast, but who is counting. Apparently the Aphrodite girls were counting calories because they gave her a filthy look as she walked by.

Ethan was midway through chewing a bite of eggs when Penny walked up and spoke to him about the kiss. He coughed and felt his face warm up a bit before swallowing and stuttering for a few seconds. I don't exactly know what you mean. Obviously they were watching me and so I had to do something. Besides you didn't want to kiss me before so... Ethan smiled warmly at the girls at the Aphrodite table and then turned back to Penny. Which of them should I date, do you think?

Penny sat across from Ethan as she ate her chocolate cake. The boy smiled at the girls over Penny's shoulder before his gaze flicked back to her face, back to her pale skin and wide brown eyes.
"Well if you want to date them because they actually have a personality I would suggest none of them. Those girls are shallow puddles on the sidewalk." She took another bite of cake. "But if you are going with kissing skill, take the girl with the black hair. Will says she is the best kisser out of that group."
Her brown eyes flicked back to his face, at the moment she didn't care who the guy dated. But if Ethan played his cards right, that may change.
"Not that my opinion matters anyway."

Ethan smiled slightly at Penny as he waited for her to just get over herself and tell him she didn't want him to date them. Still the son of Apollo glanced over at the dark haired Aphrodite girl who had been sitting next to the blonde he kissed before taking the careful path. Who would you suggest I date if I wanted someone with personality and intelligence? His eyes shone as he watched for her response while trying to ignore the girls whispering and the guys around them chuckle.

Penny gave him a look before swallowing her food, "Anybody that does not include the bottom of the Aphrodite bubble barrel."
She finished her food before tucking her book that had been sitting next to her plate into her messenger bag. Her bangs fell into her face and she pulled the pencil out of her bun and her dark brown hair came tumbling around her shoulders. Her eyes flicked up to Ethan's face, starting slightly as she realized he had been watching her during the duration of removing the bun and putting away the book.