itinere | Open | Action & Network | I never watch the starts there's so much down here

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Open | Action & Network | I never watch the starts there's so much down here

[A C T I O N]

Annabeth doesn't actually think to use the PDC even though she finds it in her pocket. In fact, the first thing she does is switch the PDC off. It's the easiest way for monsters to find her and she'd like to find out what's going on before she's attacked. She's got her bag with her and inside it is her knife and her yankees cap. She keeps the bag slung over her shoulder as she gives the town a good look over.

She stops in the bookstore (and very nearly gets lost there because it's easily the most fantastic building in the town. She also gets distracted by the Stable, the only place she's seen so far that looks like it might have anything godly about it. From there, she ends up at the town square on a bench. She's finally decided to turn the PDC back on and scroll through it. She hasn't been attacked yet and she needs information. This seems like the most likely source of it.

As far as she can tell, she's been transported somewhere where people seem to at least know about the existence of mythological creatures, which also means they probably know about the gods. This could be very good news; maybe it's something like New Rome. Of course, she hasn't seen any statues or altars or other monuments to any gods and there's a good deal 'normal' culture here. Maybe she's entirely wrong about where she's at.

No. That doesn't usually happen.

[N E T W O R K]

Has anyone noticed anything odd lately?

[She has no idea how vague and unhelpful that question is]

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sure. but how odd are we taking here? blue door ood, free room and board odd, or everything else just about?

[Someone didn't bother to look at the ID if there is any. He's just bored and an easy 50% certain the network is broken and monsters can't track him on it.]

A little odder than. I was thinking more like explosions, giants, earth monsters or maybe vegetation dying.

[ She's actually hoping that the monsters can't track them on it. There's really not an ID because Annabeth has little to no experience with texting. ]

[That's oddly specific. Is this a person who can see past the Mist or someone highly imaginative?]

you can relax. there's no giants, explosions or monsters here. [not yet, anyway, he can't help but think.] who are you anyway?

[ Well, vague wasn't working]

Annabeth Chase. I'm just passing through.

Annabeth?

[Oh, thank the Gods? He may as well have lost his ability to type or think fast enough to reply. He's up and on his way!!!! ... Okay, not yet. Annoyingly he has to figure out where she is first and take the time to type in a way he knows she won't nag him for later.

Oh, man. Oh, man. Oh, man!]

Is it really you? Where are you? Wait right there. I'll come get you.

[He has a small feeling he forgot to say something important, but he's not sure what. ~~Like his name, obviously.~~ Shrug. Maybe it just means it's not that important.]

[ Percy, you are adorable and Annabeth will be equally as excited to see you (especially since she's stuck at camp and he's stuck at school and she hasn't seen him in months) but she doesn't know it's him yet. ]

Whoa. Hold on. Who are you? If you're a creep, I know hand-to-hand combat and I will beat you within an inch of your life and I'm smart enough to know just how far that is.

[Whoa. He just felt a shiver down his spine. And yes, for a moment, her text has him convinced he did something wrong and maybe he should run far, far away ... but that doesn't entirely add up. Then, of course, it dawns on him why she asks who he is where he thought t was obvious and why she'd call him a creep.]

Wait. It's not like that. It's just me, Annabeth. Percy Jackson. I'd like it if I could just come get you without having to be beaten within an inch of my life.

[At least he figured it out before he reached her. Otherwise, she'd still be on the defensive when he showed up. ]

Percy? It's really you? Oh gods...Yes. I mean, I won't beat you. Probably. I'm...I'm in a town square on a bench. There's a book shop behind me.

[And he would have ran all over town for her, while she continued to be invasive and threaten him, or something. Anyway, he vaguely recalls where the book shop is only because every time he passes it, he thinks of her.]

Probably? You mean you're still thinking about it? [Seriously, what did he do.]

It is really me. And just wait there. Pleas. On my way.

[True to his word, he comes jogging up to the town square fifteen or so minutes later. By the looks of it, he may have ran in beginning and had to settle on an even pace for how hard the cold made steady breathing to be - but he didn't slow any more than that until he caught sight of her. That's all that mattered.]

Annabeth!

[He'll just catch his breath and then sweep her into a hug the likes of which suggest he hadn't seen her a long time. He will get to that later.

But right now ... Gods, he missed her.]

[ She waits, but really, does Percy realize how much he's asking of her? Annabeth really isn't a waiting kind of girl. However, she does wait. She waits and she fidgets and as soon as she hears Percy yell her name, she turns to him. She doesn't have time to run to him because he's there, sweeping her into a tight hug and she's a little stunned, but she hugs back, so glad that he's here even if (because) she doesn't understand here. ]

Percy!

[ And she doesn't say his name with exasperation or desperation or fear or anger. It's with gratitude ]

Percy. You're here.

[He may have realized that in the back of his head. But he's here now and she is too. This is turning into the best day of his life.]

Yeah.

[He acknowledges, smiling into the hug. Gratitude doesn't even begin to describe how thankful he is she's there, but it's likely much same way she's feeling. He hugs her just a bit tighter when she responds in kind but releases her after a little. He knows she probably has a number of questions and they probably shouldn't be outside too long in case Annabeth is cold. But if it weren't for that, he'd have stayed there with what would feel like forever.

He throws an arm over her so she doesn't get chilly. (Very smooth, Percy.)]

Yeah, and sort of by mistake too. How did you get here?

[ Percy, she loves you more than she usually says.

She does have a lot of questions and she's not really dressed for it in just a light jacket and a Camp Half Blood shirt. They can go inside and hug some more. She won't be opposed.

So smooth, just like her ducking into him ever so slightly. ]

The same way? At least, I guess. I was just going back to my cabin. [ She looks up at him. ] What were you doing?

[Whoa. It's pretty clear Annabeth is a little confused with where they were and he didn't want to burst that bubble just yet! So first, Percy swallows saying anything for the moment and starts to lead her out of the cold.

He naturally smiles more when she presses a little into him, encouraging him but causing some hesitation for a good second or two more. Honestly, she should know better than anything what he was up to, well, before coming this place, and the small bit of silence is awkward and too much like lying so he fesses up.]

About that, uh-- [There was no easy way to say it, especially with her gray eyes on him, happy to see him. And him being happy to see her and not wanting to ruin the moment. This very good moment. But.] I've sort of been here a while and I think we're kind of stuck here. You and me - and Leo.

He's here, too.

[ She is so confused. She has no idea where they're at, but Percy is here and that's a good start.

She's definitely not dressed for the cold, so it's appreciated when he leads her out of the cold. Well, she thought she knew what he was up to, but he's here and not at home, diligently attending school the way he ought to be.

She listens to him, brows raising a bit. She is very happy to see him, but now she's also a little wary. ] What do you mean a while?

[pause]

Explain 'stuck'. [ no room for argument there.

then surprise] He's alive?

[ And happiness. She's very happy Leo is alive. ]

[It's not much farther to the apartments anyway, so she'll get out of the cold soon. Both of them will. Percy can't help but miss that the shortcut he could have taken, though, when her first question gets him thinking maybe he could have waited until they were inside before he shared that little fact.

After all, he guessed Annabeth was never actually over the first time he disappeared. Um, but he has to hope honesty is the best policy, anyway.]

I mean... well, you didn't notice me gone? I was told no one at home notices, but it's kind of hard to believe if you're the ones that's been stuck here for two months.

[a short pause.

Maybe if he's lucky all she'll do is punch his arm, and be done with it. He definitely liked it more when she was looking at him with a smile than wariness.]

We can't leave until that blue door appears again.

[Thankfully, he notes, her smile returns with hearing about Leo.]

Yeah, sorry about that. That's something I didn't have the chance to tell you before I... [well, she knew. It didn't feel like he should say it again.] I saw him back at Camp some weekends ago, sort of a few days after Apollo came to my apartment with a girl named Meg. I don't know the whole story.

[ inside might have been better, but she's glad that he's shared sooner rather than later.

No. Annabeth will never be over that. They will be old and gray and Annabeth will still be afraid that he's going to disappear on her. It's not so much him as it is her own insecurities. Logically, she knows that it wasn't his fault he disappeared. Emotionally, she thinks maybe he wanted to leave, maybe she's too demanding, too difficult, too bossy. The only thing Percy really can do is be honest and patient.

Of course, she immediately feels guilty that she didn't notice him gone. Her face flushes with embarrassment as she shakes her head. ]

I was in Boston with my dad looking for Magnus. I kept--I kept meaning to send you an Iris message, but it was always too late on a school night by the time I remembered or...I'm sorry, Percy. I should have realized--[She is possibly the worst girlfriend ever. She certainly feels it right now. At least she's not punching him?

Her eyes narrow when he says that.]

That's not possible. I mean--it's not okay. We have school work to turn in. We're seniors. We've got college to think about. They have got to let us go home.

[ She's back to angry and worried about school. She gives him a confused look. ]

He's really okay though.

[Go figure he'd pick the worst place within his options to tell her. He's no mind reader but he can tell she's thinking something she shouldn't blame herself for when her face flushes in embarrassment like that. And in an effort to let her know it's fine with whatever it is, his hands pats her shoulder.]

Wait. Your cousin? [See. He pays attention. She must have mentioned that name like a billion years ago, but he remembers.] Why would you be looking for him in Boston?

[Though maybe he doesn't remember everything. They're possibly pretty even on the worst boy/girlfriend scale. He thought she was just enjoying time with her family.

Oh no, don't go on about school again. Relax, relax. His hand pats her a little more.]

Come on, let's not get stressed about it. I think we'll be fine. This place works differently. Time moves way faster than home. Probably.

[Percy isn't 100% sure of that, of course, but it is one of the assumptions he feels confident in a little bit of asking around and time to think. Thankfully the apartment building comes into view just then and it seems like the perfect way to drop it.

When they get closer he uses his access to open the front door, allowing Annabeth in first. He hopes her worry with fade like the cold will when she warms up inside.]

It's good that he's okay. What happened to make you go looking for him anyway? [He says, clueless to how much the details could end up sounding like his story.]

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