Event ϟ The Center of the Western World

[empirestategods]

Who: Everyone!
When: Thursday from 9AM to 10PM
Where: New York City
What: Free time before Summer Solstice
Warnings: Please label threads with appropriate warnings

Once off the bus, the campers had better party like it’s 1999. Because it is 1999. Chiron lets each one of them off the bus near the Empire State Building, handing them a map of the city and telling them the easiest way to reach popular destinations. He also throws in a few warnings about not letting mortals see their weapons. Finally, he reminds them of the 10PM curfew and to just ask the elevator attendant to bring them to the 600th floor. As he waves them off, he relaxes into the back of his fake wheelchair, looking at Mr. D.

“They’re coping wonderfully. They just might be able to do this.”

“Yes, they might just manage to not get slaughtered by monsters while surrounded by regular mortals. That will get them very far. Perhaps even until tomorrow.”

“You know what I mean. They’ll make good Heroes, once they understand.”

Yes, he knows what Chiron means. And he rolls his eyes at it. “Heroes. Yes, I’m sure they all have lots of potential for that.”

“One of them is your own daughter.” His tone implies a question.

And? he doesn’t say. “Yes. But you know exactly what I think of Heroes.” The derision is clear as day.

“You’ve been good to her. Give them a chance. They’ve had to fight many battles before this. Their training in other world might create a new kind of hero. You never know.”

“Centuries and even millennia have not changed them. Do you honestly believe that a bit of experience will?” Heroes have never not been selfish.

“I believe that our heroes deserve a chance to prove themselves, before we can count them for lost. Several of them have acted very selflessly--they don’t know their missing cousins. That some of them truly desire to save them is telling.”

Mr. D glances down and the centaur, and then opts to look away for a long moment before answering, his tone now carrying less of an edge. “Perhaps. And they have a chance, whether or not we want to give them one or think they should have it.”

“This is, of course, their first test. And tomorrow will be their second--whatever the decision you come to.” Chiron can’t help but seem a little curious--will they lose a third of the camp tomorrow? And what will the demigods do when faced so closely with death? “Gods protect them all, for now. They don’t realize how many monsters there are.” He rolls his wheelchair toward the nearest handicapped-accessible subway. “I’ll be at the museum should you need me.”

Mr. D merely nods, and then after looking, briefly, up the Empire State, he heads down the street in a different direction. He’d see enough of his relatives before long.

Comments

[hotbloodedpower]

"It must be tough, being unclaimed. There's no privacy in the cabin. I'd let you stay with us but I think our 'parents' would probably take offense..." mused Akane, shaking her head.

[little_lost_lizard]

"I suppose it is; I didn't get claimed for a week or two. That doesn't give him the right to react like that. Besides, I'm perfectly fine with being there. I spent the last three years on one of the oldest aether-ships I can think of that's still flying; I'm used to things being a bit close."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair, and regarded Akane's choice of shirts. "Hmm... those look good. Though I admit I'm not an expert, and I don't think I've met someone with hair quite as red as yours before."

[hotbloodedpower]

Akane nodded. "I got claimed right off the bat, so I guess my 'dad' is attentive. Still doesn't make me feel any better."

"Yeah it's an uncommon color for someone who's Japanese but hey, Yayoi is a blonde so there's something right?" She grinned as she held up a orange and red striped shirt with a x-pattern on the front. "How's this?"

[little_lost_lizard]

"Perhaps. I don't blame my father for taking that long; I'd imagine he's quite busy."

She cocked her head thoughtfully, examining it. "The colors seem fine, but the X makes you look rather like a target."

[hotbloodedpower]

"Yeah he probably is. My dad is probably at the forge for most of the day but who knows what his routine is like."

Akane regarded the shirt and nodded before setting it on the rack and picking up another, similar, but with striping down the side. "How about this one? It's still in camp colors with the red and orange stripes..."

[little_lost_lizard]

"That might be better. I just thought having an 'x' on your front might be a bad idea, considering our lifestyle." It seemed like tempting fate, and considering demigods already did that just by existing, Ssil really couldn't see it ending well.

[hotbloodedpower]

"Well it was lopsided, and kind of stylized to be honest but yeah, I get it." Checking a few more things, she held up a pair of spandex shorts and a short skirt. "I could use this as well, since I'm used to fighting in this."

[little_lost_lizard]

"Ah, I suppose so." They looked more like underwear to Ssil than actual clothes, but she'd been trying to avoid commenting on people's fashion sense ever since she worked out she was in the future.

[hotbloodedpower]

"Though I'll probably need some jean shorts when I can get them," mused Akane, grabbing a few more things. "I'm going to try this on. Critique me when I get out?"

[little_lost_lizard]

"Alright, I'll be waiting!" She smiled and nodded at Akane, finding a seat outside the fitting room to wait.

[hotbloodedpower]

After a minute or so, she stepped out in her orange-red shirt, skirt and spandex shorts. Giving it a twirl, she said, "How do I look? Good enough?"

[little_lost_lizard]

"Yes, I think so. It suits you." At least, better than Ssil thought it would her. She still thought that she was an awfully short skirt but she didn't think Akane would agree.

[hotbloodedpower]

"That's good. I'll probably swap out for pants or shorts later on," said Akane, looking at herself in the mirror. "It looks good, the colors match."

[little_lost_lizard]

Ssil nodded, fingering the bronze dagger in her pocket. She didn't usually worry about getting outright attacked, despite being a pirate... then again, back in her own world she'd had a weapon attached to her body. Right now, though, after all the warnings they'd had...

"It does look good. I think those colors just suit you - in more ways than one."

[hotbloodedpower]

"Ah thanks," replied Akane, grinning at Ssil. She looked herself over with a grin and nodded. "I think I'm going to take this one."

[little_lost_lizard]

"Alright, that sounds good." She looked over at the clothes, trying to think whether she could afford something besides the dress she had.

[hotbloodedpower]

"Planning on getting something else?" inquired Akane as she notices Ssil's gaze. "I could spot you some money."

[little_lost_lizard]

Ssil bit her lip. "I couldn't ask you to do that, really. It's not like I need it." Not that she wouldn't like it, but she wasn't going to expect Akane to pay for her clothes, even temporarily.

[hotbloodedpower]

"Really? I'm willing to help out a friend after all. And it's not like you couldn't spot me if I needed to pick something up." replied Akane.

[little_lost_lizard]

"Well, I suppose if you insist... I'll have to pay you back later, the next time allowances come out." Of course, that did raise the question of what she was going to get.

[hotbloodedpower]

"Yeah not a problem! Just pay me back whenever. I don't think we'll get too many trips out like this anyhow." She grinned at Ssil, and pointed at a rack. "Go ahead and look for something!"

[little_lost_lizard]

"Oh, I don't know. When we're all stronger, maybe, and we can get out of the camp safely without needing an escort, we might make trips up here more often. Some of us were almost planning one before this was announced, actually."

She chuckled a little, looking the rack over. "Honestly, now I'm not sure what to get. Let me know if you see something you think looks good, I suppose?" She kept browsing in the meantime, of course, because she couldn't expect Akane to do all the work.

[hotbloodedpower]

"This is true. We'll get stronger over time, and when we do we'll be able to have a little fun once in a while." Akane grinned as she went over to the rack and started looking through it. "Maybe something in the color you found before?"

[little_lost_lizard]

"That's an idea..." Eventually she was fairly sure her wardrobe needed to have more than two colors in it, but right now it was a very small wardrobe so it would have to do.

[hotbloodedpower]

"It suits you, as a color at least. The style could be a little different but it is a different year than I'm used to." mused Akane as she picked out a dress for Ssil to inspect. "How about this?"