“This is sad. None of you are even trying. Are you so scared of looking a little foolish? There is something in the Camp that can mean you harm, you don’t have time on your side. Try. Go ahead and fail while the consequences are so easy. Get in any way you can think of, just don’t stand there giving up in meek compliance. You are worth fighting for, not matter how pitiful you feel your life is. If you believe in a reward in some kind of afterlife, then earn it in this one now.” Gideon coerced, trying to spur them on. Of course, she had to pick the kid that was least likely to look to himself as the solution. But the other kids had taken the prompting to heart; Cala headed to the windows and started to try and open them, Omen watched Gids intently slowly sharing space with his innocent angel half without realizing it. He was sizing up the Intake, watching them with a natural ability to assess skill, but lacking the experience to anticipate, and the intuition to jump ahead. Virgil was glaring at the boy, all jealous possessiveness which would quickly become irritating if Gideon let him continue thinking he had control over her potential interactions. 
                              
“Be smart. I set this task knowing all of you better than anyone else ever has. I know the strengths you doubt, the weaknesses you fear, and the raw potential you all have. Talk to each other if you doubt it’s within you, because the one who can do it might be doubting themselves too.” These were untrained civilians, Gideon had to give them their foundations and build them up from there. Learning to trust yourself, body and instinct, as well as planning things out, was not easy to do as a teenager. Adults seemed to forget how hard it was to work through challenged when their bodies were determined to pack as many changes into a short period of time as possible, all the while there are adults telling you how stupid you are and how selfish as well. Gideon was still on the finishing leg of that journey herself though, still young enough that the kids accepted her as one of them, but now definitely at the ‘she counts as an adult right?’ stage. 
                              
“Oh.” Agla suddenly exclaimed, and then did something truly spectacular, she surprised even Gideon. The Siren tilted her face upwards and gently fluted out a song, the tune lilting and jolly. Gideon laughed a full, rich cackle as she realized what the young, brilliant girl was doing. Aglaope was Singing to have someone get the door open, and pitching the call in such a way to focus on her Intake only. It would cause the five others to try their best attempt to get the door open, revealing the one who can do it even to themselves. Hantu was the second person to try, after the very susceptible Dilhil failed to answer Agla’s Song, and the Goblin used his magic in the quick but easily overlooked manner of the Litchen class of Portentums. He spat on his gnarled palm and slapped the gobby mess to the door. The click of the lock turning itself was almost cartoonishly audible as everyone held their breath in anticipation. 
                              
“I did it. I DID IT!” Hantu’s surprise was wonderful, a shading of unexpected price. The obese Goblin wiggled with glee as he hugged Agla in elation. 
                              
Gideon applauded, setting off the others to clapping too, offering celebratory words to their fellow Intake. Virgil in the distance looked pleasant in his begrudging surprise, he hadn’t understood how this was supposed to help the kids. She hadn’t considered the Siren’s ability to manipulate her peers, but Gideon had known that the first thing she had to do was help these kids feel worth as they are right now. They weren’t unloved simply because they had some issues in their lives, Gideon was doing this because she knew they were worth the effort. That was the counterbalance to her Fury life lesson; harsh truth tempered by empathetic consideration.
                              
“Go get your gear Intake One, your afternoon lesson is only just beginning.” She reminded and they quickly disappeared inside. Despite their current level of teamwork, they still weren’t going off site on their day off. It was punishment for Mardrom’s attempt against Gideon, and doubled as part of the lure to draw the awaiting watcher out. But Gideon suspected that it would take something more now; the first parlay was over and each side now sat back to plan.
                              
“You would think after living through your process myself that I would learn how you do this, but I swear it’s a kind of magic with you.” Virgil finally came closer as the kids vanished indoors. Gideon’s mouth twisted as she fought to keep the smug grin off of her face, eyes spotting a tell tale bruise on Virgil that had nothing to do with the day’s current events. “How had you known it could play out like this? Hell, how do you know so MUCH about all the Portentums?” he didn’t sound disgusted or disturbed, instead the Loki sounded enraptured, fascinated that Gideon played her kids like a skilled cellist strikes a chord. 
                              
“I didn’t know, Virgil, I had hope. As for my knack with details, that’s a much longer 온라인카지노게임.” She deflected, letting him catch her staring at the bite mark revealed by his collar to help derail his questioning. 
                              
“Pervert.” The Trickster teased her, jerking his shirt collar higher.
                              
“Reprobate.” Gideon felt satisfied that he was distracted as the kids came back out, frowning at her. She’d left each of them a page that listed the strengths and weaknesses they possessed, both as an individual and as part of their Portentum type. A straightforward list so that there was no hiding from the truth of their behaviours; Gideon had also listed their personal issue. Cala had already been called out on her egocentric, self destructive habits, but Dilhil had never been flat out told that his addiction was a form of suicide ideation as he sought to escape feeling like a purposeless burden to his vast family. The Siren was confronted with the knowledge that her crime was nothing more than that shared by many women; being blamed for the crime despite being the victim. The Nephilim was once again reminded that he has the power to choose for himself, while Mardrom looked furious at her page accusing her death wish as an inability to allow herself to grieve. Hantu looked thoughtful as he considered both his success and his hoarding or bingeing habits in new light. He felt directionless, cut adrift and needed to find a driving passion. The hits would just keep on coming, Gideon planned to teach them some hand to hand next.