Mark I || Action

[the_futurist]

[Well, if this isn't the cherry to top off this shit-sundae, Tony doesn't know what is. He's a veritable orphan and yet the prodigal son, is thisclose to a double PhD which he could use to finally escape his name and make a better one, when lo and behold... he's sentenced to indefinite probation at a summer camp. In December. Because of his father. Sperm donor. Whatever.

Merry freaking Christmas.

He elected to postpone any kind of tour and all too soon, and still completely unprepared, found himself at his cabin. With his... siblings. And he can still barely suppress the painful feeling that punched him in the gut the moment he arrived.

This feels like home.

Instead of just embracing the feeling, of course, he's fighting it and off on his own, brooding. As has become habit the past few days. He has some graph paper and a pen and is pretty consistently either sketching or staring off into space.]


{Tony can be found in the Hephaestus cabin, around the cabin, and possibly down by the lake. Wherever it would make sense to sulk for a bit while he sorts out his brain-space and stifles down the unsettling feelings of both belonging and repulsion. Not to mention ignoring exactly what day it is.}

Comments

[the_futurist]

[Yeah, he figured as much with the bird's conversational skills. He nods in agreement, since he'd already been treating Songbird as though he could understand him.

There's a joke in here about a raven and a writing desk, but he's going to refrain, this time.]

Nope, too much structure, kind of going for the minimalist approach today.

[Hence freezing his face off at the lake. While most of him is warm and cozy in his nice coat and leather gloves, scarf, and usual cold-weather trappings, he can't feel his nose anymore.]

[toeverywhere]

[Poe wrote on both.]

Gotcha. At least it's a nice day out... [She glances around.] Even if the light's getting flat.

[She pauses, then leans forward, tapping his nose with a finger.] And your nose is threatening to turn into an icicle.

[the_futurist]

[Gold star.]

[He gazes out across the lake, then down the beach, taking it all in. With the light fading, everything seems just on the edge of glowing, but he knows it will soon take on the flatness of the northern darkness, as Elizabeth mentioned.]

Yeah, can't complain too much.

[When she bops his nose he scrunches it up, his face bunching, but he doesn't pull away. He shakes his head quickly, as if resetting his features, then smiles.]

Always does. For some reason knit ski-masks have become passé.

[toeverywhere]

They'll be back in about 15 years. Fashion comes in cycles, you know. [It's true, and she's fully aware of it. She's seen it happen multiple times.]

[the_futurist]

[he chuckles]

More like no one wants to get shot looking like a bank robber, but I'm sure someone will slap a gold logo on one after attacking it with a bedazzler and it'll sell.

[toeverywhere]

Trademark that, you could be rolling in it shortly.

And I'll be taking a cut.

[the_futurist]

If only I had the time...

[He grins and rolls his eyes. He knows he's full of it.]

Besides, I left my bedazzler at home.

[toeverywhere]

Check with some of the younger Aphrodite and Venus girls, and you may be in luck.

[She winks]

You're new here.

[the_futurist]

[He chuckles]

I just might.

[A small smile.]

No point denying it. I'm Tony.

[toeverywhere]

Nice to meet you. [She holds out her hand.] I'm Elizabeth.

[the_futurist]

[He reaches out and shakes her hand, firmly and briefly.]

Likewise.

[And enter the awkward lull in conversation where small talk has run it's course]

So, uh. Am I allowed to ask whose kid you are or what cabin you stay in, or is that something I'm supposed to wait for you to offer?

[Yeah, he knows the New Guy card only works so far, but he's genuinely curious. Of both the direct and indirect answers.]

[toeverywhere]

You are. It's pretty standard introduction around here.

I'm Eris' daughter, staying in the Artemis cabin.

[She would tell him she's a Hunter, but she wants to see if he can put all of that together.]

[the_futurist]

[He nods as the wheels in his head start turning. He's only been here a couple days, and there are plenty of small details he has absolutely no clue about, yet.

Hunters are definitely one of those things. But he remembers reading about Artemis what feels like an eternity ago, and was pretty sure she was one of the super prudes known for changing men into animals if she so chooses. Eris, though. Damn.]

Then I guess it's only fair I mention I've recently learned Hephaestus is my sperm-donor father.

Not quite the existential crisis I'd been counting on.

[toeverywhere]

That explains those. [She gestures at his notes again.]

Tell me about it. I've seen kids go through this all the time. To tell the truth, Eris never had much to do with my life, once I was claimed. She set the wheels in motion for Columbia to be destroyed. [Columbia was her hometown, long since burned to the ground, over 100 years ago.] But it was only a matter of time before someone provided the flint.

[the_futurist]

[Well, shit.]

I... shit, I'm sorry. [And he really is.]

Hephaestus really hasn't... been in my life at all. These? [he holds up his sketches] Were always attributed to my father. Well. My mother's husband. Whatever.

So. If anyone else had told me? I wouldn't believe them. [Since his mother is dead, thanks to his father's shit driving, Jarvis is the only other person he implicitly trusts.]

[toeverywhere]

There's nothing to be sorry about. I don't miss Columbia, and it was over 100 years ago. And as for Eris... I've taken Lady Artemis on as an adoptive mother, of sorts.

[She nods, frowning slightly.] Oh. I see. No lost love there, I'll assume.

[the_futurist]

[Aaaaaand he's just gonna roll with that.]

Well, you look great for your age.

[He chuckles darkly and rubs a hand down his face, as if maybe he can wipe the expression from it.]

He's... [Shit, it's not actually common knowledge that Howard's still in a coma, so...] ...he was driving in a car wreck that killed my mom and pretty much made him completely useless. No, definitely no love lost.

[toeverywhere]

I've been seventeen for a while.

[SHE EVEN SPARKLES IN THE SUNLIGHT, TONY.

She nods solemnly.] Still, I'm sorry to hear that. It's never easy.

[the_futurist]

[He smirks at that, and hopes to god she doesn't actually sparkle. He's taken everything else in stride, so far. Sparkles, though.]

Thanks. [he rubs the back of his head a moment, awkwardly] Honestly, it feels too easy, in some ways, but I have a lot to distract me, lately.

[toeverywhere]

[She's got a cool silver aura, though. So that kinda... sparkles...]

The whole finding out you're a demigod? Yeah. At least you know you're not alone here.

[the_futurist]

[Hmmmmm.... okay, he might be able to deal with that.]

Yeah, though I'm getting the distinct impression I'm kind of "The last to know," if you know what I mean.

[toeverywhere]

I do.

Welcome to the life of a demigod. We're always the last to know.

aaaaagh I totally thought I'd tagged you back DX

[the_futurist]

No wonder the mortality rates are shit. [He shakes his head with a dry chuckle]

There a newsletter I can sign up for or something? I gotta get ahead of the curve somehow...

[Yeah, he's full of it.]

nope, but no worries <3

[toeverywhere]

Hah, unfortunately, no. What better way than to alert Gaea to our every move than with a news letter?

[the_futurist]

[He's missing technology something fierce, and that just brings it to the forefront. Yeah, it's only been a few days, but when your entire existence has existed around it for, well, your entire life...]

Yeah, heard that one. Someone needs to get around to doing something about the serious lack of untraceable technology in the world.

[And he's about to dedicate a lot of time to just that. Wasted it may be, but someone's gotta try. He needs his Candy Crush fix.]