tushanshu_logs | the world's a beast of a burden//you've been holding up a long time

"Yeah? Well I think--" Percy sighs mournfully, holding the trident out in front of him and squinting at it. He doesn't feel great, exactly, but things are better than they've been in a little while. Which is why he's not snapping back at Annabeth. "--that you're probably right. Why couldn't I have gotten one of those?"

He nods at her xiphos. Except that he already has a sword that he wouldn't replace for the world, and he's always kind of wanted a trident. But in the back of his mind had been the thought that learning to use it would be as instinctive as picking up Riptide had been. Apparently not.

Right, exactly. [He nods like he understands, but there's a slightly distracted element to it.

There's a pause at that question, and Percy instinctively glances back to where Annabeth is. If he grimaces a bit, it's because Frank asking that question only reminds him of how codependent he and his girlfriend have become. His tone is sort of subdued] Yeah, she's just under that tree over there. I'm just - trying to give her some space, you know?

[Because they're in each other's faces all the time, obviously!!!]

[Clara nods, keeping her distance, but definitely no longer agitated by the gigantic dog's presence.]

Must be nice to have a friend show up here. [She looks Mrs. O'Leary up and down.] Mrs. O'Leary. Is she a married hellhound then?

For a moment, she expects him to snap at her, the anticipation born out of how they've been around each other. So it's something of a relief when he doesn't, and she takes a few steps towards him, less close than she might usually have gotten but close enough to manipulate around his hands.

Which she does, adjusting to where she thinks might be more appropriate. She tucks the xiphos under her arm in the process, crushed to her side, so she can use both hands to move his. "You already have a sword," she says easily, glancing briefly at his pocket. "Variety is the spice of life, haven't you heard?"

O... kay?

[He's trying to look like he believes him over here but he can't help the way his eyebrow just... raises. He's seen Percy fall to Tartarus for that girl, and now they want to give each other space?

He needs to talk to Leo asap.] Is everything alright between you two?

[Percy snorts] Yeah, pretty much everything about my world is messed up.

[He shrugs] I dunno, I just sort of go over everything anyway. It's something to keep busy, you know? I like being in the water. [He makes a face] I bet that's doing great things for kedan-Foreigner relations.

Because-- [The dummy set up, he hits it in the torso again. It's not as satisfying right now, although he can't put his finger on why] --the Emperor only shows people their future during audiences. And she's dropped off the face of the turtle lately. So we have to wait for her to come back and agree to see people again.

[Thump thump. He hits it again anyway, and then sighs, running a hand back through sweat slicked hair as he turns to Rachel.] Normally I don't really care abou calling people out. [Big understament] But you have to bargain with the Emperor to get her to agree to show you your future. I don't wanna screw up and have her ask for something I can't give. Or have her decide to take it out on Annabeth. So we're waiting, right now.

[That first statement is actually shocking enough to push Percy out of his mood once] You died? [But you're Superman!!]

Uh - celestial bronze. It can only harm things with immortal blood. And kedan, weirdly. I swung it a a moal once - um, accidentally - and it went right through her.

What? [But it's not a lack of understanding. Just - surprise that Frank would ask. Maybe surprise that it's been noticed. He rubs the back of his neck, not quite meeting Frank's gaze.

Honestly, he can't lie to him.] Things are...better. Than they were. [Implying that something's been wrong.] Like, you don't need to worry about anything, we're dealing with it.

I'm pretty sure we've both got messed up parts of our worlds.

Yeah, keeping busy is important. It's part of why I'm glad to have a job. Don't want to die of boredom. [Vic nods a little.] It probably doesn't help but thankfully most of the stuff that we've broken lately has been our own. At least out of the stuff I've been fixing.

[His smile widens slightly] Yeah, there've been a few surprises in this place, but she's definitely one of the good ones. [He even laughs!] Oh man, I hope not. I mean, I haven't seen her with another one, so it would kind of suck if she was separated, you know? But I'm pretty sure she's not. I didn't name her, Daedalus did.

There's a faint flicker of a smile at her when she comes closer, and he lets her move her hands however she wants without complaint. The position she puts them in feels weird, but not wrong. Just not what he's used to.

"I know, I know. But I'm pretty sure we've both had enough variety to last a lifetime." He looks down at the trident. "So now that I'm holding it maybe-right, what do I do with it?"

Annabeth takes a step back once she's satisfied with his hands as they are, takes the xiphos handle back in her own hand. "If you had a net, you could use that, and then stab with the trident, though - you know, that's usually for the kill shot, assuming you get the net in place first. It has a long reach, so you could probably use it similarly enough to a spear." She pauses. "Or throwing it, too, but your aim's never been the greatest with projectiles. You could still try, though."

There's another brief pause, as she keeps looking over and trying to make calculations, because tridents were never really anyone's weapon of choice back home. It helps distract her from everything else, though, with something like to focus on. They can do it, they can get back to normal things. "How does it feel holding it? You should probably get used to that first, move it around instead of just standing there."

Once, to protect the world from Doomsday. [A pause, and then he adds:] That's not the end of the days, by the way, it was just the name we used to refer to a Kryptonian artificially created monster. We killed each other but I was put into- [A face] Let's just say they managed to bring me back.

If it only harms immortal blood and it's able to harm Kedan perhaps it says something about the Kedan themselves...

[He knows Percy is just trying to calm him down and to make him stop worrying by saying that, but it honestly simply sets off even more imaginary alarms inside his head. He knows they are too young to think about love and things like that but he'd always thought Annabeth and Percy were made for each other. The kind of teenager relationship that grows as both of them do.

If they have to deal with something, if things got so bad that they have to give each other space, what chance does Frank have with a girl like Hazel who's obviously so out of his league?] Uh, okay. But if you guys need- uh- help with anything you know where to find me, right?

[Temeraire has finally found somewhere to keep the cows he found in Sinbrilee: a secluded plot with a small shed far from the city, and a kedan who is willing to look the other way in exchange for milk and fertilizer. It is all very neat, and he finds himself in a very good mood indeed as he returns from closing the deal.

At least, he does until he sees someone being attacked.

From this height he is too far up to see who it is, or hear Percy's laughter--only that an immense hound, larger than any he has ever seen before, appears to be savaging a helpless person. At once he folds his wings and drops, claws outstretched, the beginnings of the divine wind rumbling in his chest.]

Let them go, at once; how dare you attack someone so small, when you are so large!

[Holy crap what is that, there is a thing falling from the sky why is that why--

Mrs O'Leary bounds off Percy almost immediately, hackles raising and a low growl rumbling in the back of her throat. Percy himself is on his feet just as fast, uncapping Riptide and holding his sword out, ready to attack.

Except that it's Temeraire.

Momentarily caught by the kind of awesome sight of a dragon dropping out of the sky, it takes Percy a second here] Hold on, hold on, Temeraire, stop! It's okay, she's my dog!

[Oh, oh no, this is terrible, even if the person is free now and they are armed, whoever it is, and they do not stand a chance, and--

But then the person is shouting, and it is Percy, and Temeraire has to flare his wings out abruptly to stop in time. Even then he barely manages it: his tail misses the dog by a matter of feet as he backwings up and hovers in the air a short distance away.

The creature is even larger up close, he notes doubtfully: roughly the size of a small elephant, and not friendly-looking, at all.]

Are you quite sure? Only I have never seen a dog that large, before: she is not perhaps a bear?

[He has never seen a bear either, outside of books, but surely it does not hurt to ask.]

[ oh, she's heard that before. having to bargain to see glimpses of your future. which is frustrating, yet another frustrating thing, because she shouldn't have to do that, not when she still gets the bad dreams and the icky vibes from bad situations or bad people. she shouldn't have to feel all of that and still ask to get to know the future. but she is curious about it, of course, so- ]

You'll let me know when you go talk to her, right? Maybe I can help you make a deal.

He makes a bit of a face at that, almost like a flinch. There's something about trapping an enemy and stabbing them while they're helpless that makes Percy - well. Uncomfortable, maybe.

What makes him more uncomfortable is the thought that he'd do it, if it was necessary. "Yeah? Tell that to he gu with three chests." But he grins a little, because she's right, and they both know it.

He should probably be looking at his new weapon, but he's watching her instead, the way her face takes on that look that means she's working through something. "What?" Give him a second here. "Oh, right. Uh...you think trying it like a spear is a good place to start?"

She never really expected him to go for that first option - that's not the kind of person Percy is, that's not his first choice - but she's Annabeth, so she needed to throw it out there anyway. She can tell he's uncomfortable, but there's something about the why she can't quite place, and it's vaguely frustrating. She stamps on it though, because they're not out here to start yelling at each other.

"Geryon," she says with an eyeroll, because of course she remembers. "And you know you so appreciatively have Hera to thank for that shot."

Annabeth steps back a little further, moves so she's more to his side than in front of him, shaking her head over his distraction. "If you think you can, yeah, try it like a spear. See if you can handle it like one. The end might be a little heavier, though."

Edited 2013-10-22 23:25 (UTC)

No, I'm not - no ones making any deals for me. [He manages to offer her a smile, strained as it is] Thanks. I mean that. But I've got plenty of stuff the Emperor can use. I don't need anyone to sacrifice anything else for me.

[There are so many things Percy could say to that, he's not sure where to start.] That sounds really...Greek. [AKA messed up.

He rubs the back of his neck] I don't - it might be that it doesn't hurt mortals more than it does hurt immortals if that makes sense? So they could be something else. You'd have to ask Annabeth, to be honest. I'm just the guy that hit things.

Yeah. Of course. I mean - we're going to be okay, okay? [Implying that they're not right now because Percy is the best with words] But I appreciate the offer, man. Especially when - I know I haven't been the easiest to be around, lately.

[And of all things, Percy actually starts to laugh.

It feels like such a long time since he's done it, that he almost seems surprise for a second. But there's just something about a very polite, very British dragon dropping out of the sky and confusing his giant dog for a bear. While he's on the back of a giant turtle.

Percy touches the pen cap to his sword, and it transforms back into a pen as he manages to get himself under control. Still grinning, he tucks it back into his pocket] I'm definitely sure, I promise. She's - well, she's what's called a hellhound. Technically she's a monster, but she's been really well trained.

the world's a beast of a burden//you've been holding up a long time

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why did I think tagging from my phone was a good idea

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LMAO it's all good

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