#lodg

"So do you think we really came from clay?"

"What are you talking about?" Imra half whispered from the motel bed she was trying to get some sleep in. She didn't know how Garth knew she was awake, but from the even breathing coming from Rokk's bed, she assumed the question was directed at her. Garth, who was on watch, had "borrowed" a deck chair from the motel pool and was sitting by the window. The light coming in between the cracks in the curtain outlined his profile in the darkness. Every detail of his short yet still somehow unkempt ginger hair stood out in the beam.

"Well, I was thinking, if Roman gods and monsters are real then why shouldn't all those myths be real as well." He didn't turn away from the window but Imra still sat up. It was almost time to switch shifts anyways so she might as well get up.

"Then how do you explain the neanderthal?" She asked, deciding to humour him. Garth shrugged,

"Hack scientists?" Imra snorted, refusing to give him the full satisfaction of a laugh. She would never admit it but his boyish nature and bravado was starting to grow on her ever since the three left Lupa's house.

"You know, they say that the bacteria with the source of life came from an asteroid. That means we technically came from space." Imra now sat with her arms around her legs and chin resting on her knees, trying her best not to fall back asleep.

"Oh is that what these hack scientists say now," Garth asked playing with the curtains.

"Mhm," Imra nodded with her eyes closed trying to stifle a yawn. “They say that we all came from stardust. If that’s true, I think that you came from the Sun.” The shock of realizing what she just said was enough to keep her awake until sun up. Garth finally took his eyes off the window and turned to her.

"What? Why?"

"I dunno," Imra tried covering her ass, "I guess it's because you have so much energy." 'And not because you smile brightens up a room or anything.' She thought to herself glad that the room was too dark for him to see her blush. She met his gaze hoping he would believe it.

"Huh, I was hoping you would say 'it’s cause you're so hot.’" He teased trying to mimic her voice.

"In your dreams." She scoffed. "Speaking of which, it's my shift."

Garth hated admitting he was wrong. Blame it on his stubborn personality, but he had to admit this time, he had really messed up.

“You know, you were right.” He sighed

“About what?” Brainy snapped back with a level of sarcasm that Garth didn’t know was possible for automatons. “I’m right about a lot of things. You’ll have to be more specific.” Garth rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth.

“You were right about our plan of attack.”

“Oh you mean when I wanted Clark and Imra to flank left but you insisted that they could go right and now we’re sitting here tied up nowhere close to getting the flag cause you wanted to show off?” The guards snickered and it took all of Garth’s self-control to not try to call down a wild lightning strike on them.

“Yes Brainy, you were right about that.”

Clark knew he shouldn’t be snooping. He also knew that he shouldn’t be in Brainys workshop by himself.

He had come in to see if the automaton wanted to fit in some drills before lunch only to remember that Brainy and the others were in a Senate meeting. And then Clark became curious.

Surely Brainy wouldn’t mind him looking around right? He would just take a quick look around and then go meet Chuck for lunch, Brainy probably wouldn’t know he was here.

Eventually, Clark found himself in some small backroom that was covered floor to ceiling in blueprints. One he noticed was one marked “Brainiac- MODEL 5” and sure enough, it was Brainy. Underneath it was another set of blueprints but they looked almost centuries older and were titled “BRAINIAC- MODEL 4”. The most startling difference was the big red “FAILURE, DESTROYED” that was scrawled across them. Clark kept digging under the layers of plans finding more of the same.

“BRAINIAC- MODEL 3” “FAILURE, DESTROYED”

“BRAINIAC- MODEL 2” “FAILURE, DESTROYED”

“BRAINIAC- MODEL 1” “FAILURE, DESTROYED”

Clark looked at the plans of the original almost afraid to touch them. They looked to be from Ancient Rome.

“CLARK” the demigod jumped at the sound of Brainy’s shout. Even though his face remained as stoic as ever, Clark knew he was pissed.

“Hey I was looking for–” Brainy pushed past him hiding the plans.

“Don’t fucking touch what is not yours. You may be the prophesied hero but that doesn’t mean you have free reign of the camp. Or my personal belongings.” Clark backed up,

“Brainy I’m sor–”

“Get out Clark.”

“But Brainy,”

Imra enjoyed getting up early. There was something about the stillness of the morning before the chaos that would ensue once the rest of the campers woke up.

It was still dark in the bunkhouse but she didn't need to see where she was going, she knew the room like the back is her hand. Which why she didn't notice that one other bunk was empty.

She was shocked when opened the door and saw Garth was asleep on the front porch. She squatted in front of him nudging his arm until he woke up.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked. Garth rubbed his eyes and yawned,

“I had a bad dream again.” Imra frowned

“How bad was it?”

“No more than usual,” he sighed, “I just needed some air and I must have fallen asleep.” He looked at her still bleary-eyed.

“Why are you awake?”

“I'm always up this early.” she smiled, “There’s still a couple hours till breakfast if you want to go back to sleep.” Garth stretched and shook his head.

“No point. I’m already up.”

“Ok well, next time make sure that you get back into bed before you pass out. It’s not good for you to be sleeping outside like this.” She told him, they may live in California but it was cooler in the hills. Garth gave her a mock salute.

“Everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy.” Brainy, unfazed continued to work, sparks flew from his welding torch.

“Technically they’re right.” Clark was even more confused and shocked, he couldn’t believe that Brainy was so calm with the sheer amount of legionnaires that distrusted him. Even if he was an automaton it didn’t seem normal.

“What do you mean?” he sputtered, “Imra and Chuck trust you so much!” Brainy sighed and put down his tools,

“It’s a long story Clark.” the son of Jupiter sat down on a stool and crossed his arms,

“This place is fucking haunted,” Garth muttered under his breath, Clark shuddered. There had been reported activity at Mount Othrys and Garth and Clark had been sent to check it out. Rokk thought it was a good way for Clark to learn some history.  

“Wait really?” Clark knew that the camp had Lares but they were mostly friendly. The thought of having to deal with spirits that really wished them harm made a shiver run up Clark's spine. He tightened his grip on his sword and moved closer to Garth.

“I mean, with all the evil nass that went on here, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Garth said toeing the ground with his converse. A warm wind blew through rustling the age-old debris. Garth was getting antsy which meant a storm was brewing. The last thing either of them wanted was to be stuck here forced to wait out the rain.