Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Mar 15, 2021 0:32:41 GMT -5
Nico gave a small shrug, shaking his head just a little bit. It was clear that he and Rue had a lot in common, agreed on plenty of fronts. That was… a good thing. Mostly. It meant that she didn’t seem to find him as abrasive as many others thought him, and that she didn’t mind him being honest about quests. But it also meant that she probably needed someone to tell her that things weren’t always dark all the time. That things could seem bad but not be that bad, that people came back changed from quests, but that they weren’t usually life ruining. Rue needed someone more like Percy, who knew how much quests could suck, but had survived them anyway. Who had ended things happily, somehow, even if he was tired of being pulled around by the gods like a puppet on a string. Instead, she had Nico. Nico wasn’t nearly as willing to give the gods the benefit of the doubt. He had been manipulated by them far too often. He couldn’t remember a time before he had acted as a pawn for the gods. Perhaps he had just gotten unlucky. Perhaps he was born too early, before the gods had learned what their meddling could do. Perhaps it was just that Hades was as powerful as he was.
“Maybe it will be fun,” he managed after a moment, forcing a small smile. “I don’t know. Maybe quests are different now than they were. There are… there always were some quests that weren’t very difficult, that were just… an extension of training.” Optimism wasn’t something Nico was used to, but he could try, for Rue. He could try, because the last thing she needed on top of a potentially life-threatening quest was someone at her side who viewed everything with cynicism. Who didn’t believe that the gods could be kind enough to give them a quest that wasn’t dangerous and life threatening. Yeah… Rue deserved better than him. But… he was what she had, and he would play his role as best he could.
“Self-preservation is a good instinct,” Nico told her after a long moment, giving a serious nod. “You’ll want to have some ability to defend yourself and fight, but… running and hiding is a good step. It only works in some situations, though – monsters can smell demigods, so they might be able to track you to wherever you hide. That might mean you can lure them someplace you have an advantage, though.” He let himself mentally run through possible situations, then gave Rue an appraising glance. “Don’t worry. Everyone comes into this with certain skills. Training at camp isn’t teaching you how to do things in any one right way. It’s teaching you how to use the skills you have to keep yourself alive against monsters. They’re usually a bit more persistent than normal people.”
He glanced at the Big House, wondering if he was doing the right thing. Theoretically, he could march in there alone and demand that they let Rue settle in, that they let her have as normal a life as she could get, to let someone else go on the quest. But something told him Rue wouldn’t much appreciate that, even if she didn’t want to go on the quest. Still… he was going to bargain for as much time as they both could get.
Chiron stood at the table, running a hand through his beard as Dionysus rolled his eyes at whatever it was Chiron had been saying. Both looked up as the door opened, and a regretful smile spread across Chiron’s face.
“You must be Rue.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Apr 13, 2021 13:36:53 GMT -5
Rue wasn’t sure how much was the quests sucking, and how much was Nico having bad luck, but she was willing to find out on her own. Not that she didn’t also have bad luck. She definitely did. But she didn’t know how the quest was going to turn out, and she didn’t want to pretend she did. It might turn out bad. She might be killed, even. But then, that was just life, not quests specifically. She knew better than most how bad life could get.
Well…maybe not most anymore. She got the sense that for a demigod? She’d had it easy. Maybe not as easy as some, but far from as hard as others - Nico included - had. Maybe that was one thing she’d learn on this quest...or maybe she wouldn’t learn anything, and she’d find whatever the gods had misplaced and give it back to them, and try to have a normal life. Whatever that meant now. She was pretty sure her idea of normal wasn’t happening anymore.
She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow at the optimistic viewpoint. It sounded,..a little forced to her, but maybe that was because she was cynical herself. Maybe optimism just sounded forced to her ears, now.
“You don’t have to make it better than it is for me,” she told him quietly, meeting his eyes. “I mean, I know it probably won’t suck completely, there might be good parts, but...you don’t have to pretend it’s going to be fun. I can handle it.”
She didn’t want him to have to pretend that things were fine when they weren’t. Silver lining was fine. Seeing the good in a bad situation was necessary for survival sometimes. But she didn’t want him to think she couldn’t handle the truth.
She considered his next words, the nodded a little. “Trust me, normal people can be pretty persistent too,” she replied, shooting him a small smile. “But thanks. I’ll do my best. I’ve made it this far, and if training can help, I’m all for it.”
She really thought training was probably going to be very helpful. She’d never been taught how to survive, after all, she’d just...managed it anyway. Which was a good sign for her skills, most likely.
“I’ll fight head on if I have to,” she continued. “But I’d rather disappear. It’s a whole lot safer. But...then again, I’ve been alone for a long time, so maybe that doesn’t work in a team.”
That was...probably something to watch out for. She wasn’t used to being on a team. She was used to surviving, just her, for long periods of time without even speaking to anyone. She had a feeling that part wouldn’t serve her well anymore.
She walked in after him, letting the door shut behind her and trying to look braver than she felt.
Two strangers. She watched them carefully, her expression cautious as she took them in. Both of them were a bit intimidating, but then, that probably said more about her than them.
She nodded a little as one spoke to her, and forced herself not to hide behind Nico. Her first instinct was that she needed to look competent and calm. Her second was that she didn’t actually think these people were going to hurt her.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Apr 14, 2021 15:31:04 GMT -5
“I don’t tend to lie, even by omission,” Nico replied quietly, cursing himself for saying that while he was, technically, lying by omission. “There are good parts to quests. And some people would describe them far more favorably than I would. It would be more of a lie to pretend that they’re all awful. And… to be perfectly honest, sometimes it’s nice to get out of camp.” He had spent most of his time outside of camp… though he wasn’t obligated to stay there, though nobody was technically obligated… once you were at camp, it was probably not a good idea to leave, except on a quest. He breathed out, wishing he could tell Rue all of the truth. Wishing there wasn’t an awful truth to conceal. Maybe he was wrong. People interpreted prophecies incorrectly all the time…
“Fighting in a team is a little bit differently than fending only for yourself. But it sounds like we’re both more familiar with taking care of ourselves, so… I don’t think you’ll have to worry about it much. My strategy isn’t usually to create a fight where there doesn’t have to be one.” Maybe… maybe they would make a good team. Or maybe they wouldn’t. They would find out in time, but for now there was no use worrying about it. He glanced at the Big House for a moment, giving Rue what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
Chiron stood up, not seeming to realize how much taller he was than Rue when he was standing. He held out a hand for her to shake, trying to give her a smile. He knew the situation wasn’t ideal, but he was still trying to be as welcoming as possible.
“Welcome to camp, then, Rue,” he said, glancing at Dionysus, who grumbled something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like “Whatever.”
“Would you like to view the orientation film before we begin?”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jun 25, 2021 22:18:24 GMT -5
Rue glanced up at Nico, one eyebrow raising. She didn’t want to call him a liar, it was just...how could she explain how little his words reassured her? She didn’t think he was untrustworthy. She didn’t...she liked him, a lot. He was kind. He was understanding without being overly friendly. And he did seem honest.
“I’m sorry,” she said finally, and she meant it. “Really. I don’t want to start accusing you of lying, or withholding information. I don’t think you’d do that. It’s just...I guess I have trust issues. A little bit. It’s not your fault.”
That was the best she could really do.
She nodded, walking along just a step behind him out of habit. They seemed similar...she knew she didn’t tend to make fights, because she barely even participated in the ones other people made. She was a master of escape. By that, she meant she was probably a coward.
She didn’t flinch as Chiron stood, though she did tense a little. She couldn’t help it. He was...well. Big. Very big. She was not big at all.
Shake the hand. Right. She could do that.
She stared at it. Logically it made no sense for him to be trying to hurt her. And yet the idea of making physical contact of any kind with a stranger made her feel like her stomach had turned into an angry fish.
“Yep,” she managed, looking away, her cheeks burning.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jun 26, 2021 3:02:59 GMT -5
Nico glanced at Rue, appraising her for a few long moments. Her point of view on the whole thing made sense. She had been given a grim sounding prophecy on her first day at Camp, and she was being forced away from the one place that could be considered home for someone like her, even temporarily. Nico understood, though it had been a long time since he had considered Camp a possible home. He was trying to readjust to that idea, but it still felt like a temporary place to crash. He wondered distantly if he would ever manage to rid himself of that feeling.
“You don’t trust me,” Nico said bluntly, no malice in his tone as he glanced over at Rue. “That’s alright. Don’t apologize for trust issues. Actually… not trusting people might keep you alive a little bit longer. Eventually you’ll have to learn to trust the right people, but you’re new. You have no idea whether I count as the ‘right’ people either. Frankly, I don’t know if I count either, whether I tell the truth or not.” Nico wasn’t going to say it out loud, but he hadn’t trusted most of Camp for years, either. In truth, he still didn’t trust a lot of them. He was getting better, but there was a reason he was still something of an outcast. There was a reason he didn’t give the tours usually.
It seemed that wasn’t the only area in which Rue was similar to him. He watched as she refused Chiron’s hand, eyebrow raising at the ease with which Chiron accepted it and put his hand back down.
“Wonderful,” Chiron replied smoothly, as though he had never offered his hand in the first place. “Please follow me. And Mr. di Angelo, if you could stay here while Rue watches the film, that would be much appreciated.”
Nico nodded. It wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go, and he might as well get Chiron’s lecture over with. The lecture about conserving his strength. Not being reckless. It didn’t work on any of the other campers. It wasn’t going to work on Nico.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jun 27, 2021 18:36:42 GMT -5
Rue was trying to be open minded. She really, really was. She didn’t want to to be mean to Nico, not when he’d been so kind to her. It eas just that trust had never served her well in the past. It was just that her siblings were the only ones she’d ever trusted, and even they...well. They’d been willing to do what they needed to to survive. She couldn’t hold that against them, even if he wanted to, a little bit. It wasn’t fair to pretend they’d had a choice.
So it was hard for Rue to just trust Nico, just like that. It was hard to believe him.
She glanced at him, pursing her lips a little. It was a fair assessment, she had to admit, but that didn’t mean it was comfortable to admit it.
“Right. For the record, I’m a little more sure about you than...anyone else.” She muttered in reply, looking down. “But yeah. Thanks.”
Sometimes she wondered whether she was naturally this shy, or if it was a learned trait. She suspected it was a mix of both.
She hoped Nico was trustworthy. She liked him. She’d be really disappointed if he ended up being someone she had to be careful of, not someone who had her back.
At least the hand hadn’t been awkward. Much. She regretted not kusr taking it, but instinct screamed against physical contact. So maybe she’d just go ahead and be rude.
She glanced at Nico as Chiron spoke, her eyed wide. She didn’t like the idea of going off alone with a stranger, but once again, Nico was right. She didn’t trust him either, so really...she was stuck with being surrounded by strangers. Great.
So she quietly followed Chiron, determined not to look like a complete coward on her very first day. They probably all thought she was rude already. She didn’t want to make an even worse impression.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jun 27, 2021 23:27:48 GMT -5
Nico wouldn’t have minded if Rue had told him that she didn’t trust him now and never would in the future. He wouldn’t have minded if she had told him that he seemed just as bad as everyone else. He knew what it was like, being so uncertain about other people, not wanting to let anyone in because you had been surrounded by lies and disappointments for as long as you could remember. Nico didn’t know Rue’s story, but he didn’t need to in order to understand where she was coming from. Even if the details were different, he saw enough of himself in her that he was willing to cut her the slack he had never been able to cut himself. She deserved someone who was willing to do that, at least. Especially since she was about to go headfirst into a dangerous situation that she didn’t want to be part of.
“I’m surprised you’re interested in the orientation film,” Chiron said after a moment as he closed the door and began to set up the projector. The technology looked ancient, but it was the only technology they could really use without being tracked down by monsters. Monsters didn’t really pay that much attention to the old technology, and it would be much more difficult to track them using a projector than it would be if they had something that could connect to the internet. For all intents and purposes, it was as safe as they could possibly hope for. “I’m pretty sure only one camper has technically seen it all the way through, though it is technically a requirement. It explains things a lot better than I ever could, and probably a lot better than most of the cabin counselors could.” He popped the VHS into the player, making a face as he realized that nobody had rewound the tape. How long ago had it been since anyone had watched it? The last (and only) person to ever view it was Nico, and he was ten when he had arrived, so… ah. Four years, and nobody had thought to rewind it.
“Would you like popcorn or anything?”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 3, 2021 23:38:34 GMT -5
Rue wished she didn’t have to go watch it without Nico there. Maybe she was just being overly paranoid, but she trusted Nico a lot more than she did Chiron. She knew that was probably unfair - she barely knew Nico - but at least he wasn’t an adult.
She didn’t like adults. At all.
Truthfully? She wasn’t interested in the orientation film. She wouldn’t have minded skipping it completely. But she didn’t want to miss any sort of explanation she could get. Even if it required watching a film that was probably going to be terrible.
Just a guess, based on the fact that no one else seemed to want to see it. In theatres, that meant it was a bad film.
She watched Chiron work for a moment before sitting down and tucking her legs up under her. It looked like it might not even work, if she was honest…
“No popcorn, thanks,” she replied, ignoring the fact that was would actually have loved some popcorn. She didn’t want to be a pain. She’s already eaten some of their food. “And I guess I just want to be prepared, if you guys are sending me on a quest.”
She did her best not to sound frustrated. Mostly, it worked.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 3, 2021 23:58:26 GMT -5
Chiron dipped his head, surprised by the fact that she didn’t take the popcorn. Most demigods came in half-starved, even if their protectors had done a great job protecting them. It was difficult to find food on the run, and most first time campers were on the run before they came. He could understand the reluctance, though. And he could understand the bitterness. Sometimes, he thought heroes were too young to take on the sorts of quests that they were sent. Sometimes, he wished demigods were allowed to live peacefully until adulthood. It seemed that some of them were able to if they lived in other parts of the country, but demigods in general still had a much shorter lifespan no matter which area of the country you looked in.
“We’ll do our best to make sure you’re as prepared as possible,” Chron told her, unable to keep the hint of regret out of his voice. He clearly didn’t want to sed her on a quest so soon, either. Especially not one that was fairly explicit about the group being split up. Three heroes was nothing to worry about, especially when two of them were some of the best fighters Camp Half-Blood had to offer. One novice hero on her own… Chiron pushed the thought away.
“Shout when it’s finished,” he said instead, closing the door behind him.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 12, 2021 21:11:20 GMT -5
Rue didn’t know that it was anyone’s fault, really. She was starving, she would have loved to feel safe and at home enough to think this food belonged to her, but she didn’t. She knew this was probably another temporary place, another place she’d eventually leave behind when she was forced to move on.
It didn’t matter that she liked Nico. She’s liked plenty of people before, and it hadn’t mattered in the end. He could be lying, or he could be genuine, but she’d still move on eventually when she had to. That was just how it was.
She let him go, turning her attention to the movie instead. She was sort of regretting her decision not to take the popcorn, now…she would have liked something to do with her hands, and more food was always a good thing. Maybe she could have saved it for later.
Too late now.
The movie itself wasn’t too long. She watched quietly, though her ears were trained on the door, in case it opened again.
When it finished, she stood, and looked around the room. If she’d had deeper pockets, she’d have seriously considered looking around for some insurance to take with her, but she wasn’t at all confident she could have hidden anything stolen…she headed for the door instead and listened at it, then, if there was no noise, poked her head out.
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strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 12, 2021 22:23:22 GMT -5
Chiron and Dionysus had left to have a conversation in another room of the Big House, leaving Nico on his own in the main room. Well… on his own was a relative term. Unfortunately, they left Seymour. He was ignoring the leopard’s relatively inane conversation, instead focusing on cleaning his sword as he waited for Rue to finish watching the orientation film. They had talked briefly about the quest, but now that Chiron and Dionysus had both “met” Rue, they had decided the conversation about the quest should be put off until Rue had been given a few days’ training. Until she had been given a bit of a chance to settle in. There was no hurry on the quest… they would just need to leave by month’s end, unless Rachel issued another prophecy. That would be unfortunate.
Nico didn’t look up as Rue entered back into the main room. He knew what the orientation film contained. It wasn’t the most exciting thing in the world, and it severely downplayed the amount of potential harm that could come to campers if they just participated in all the activities. It also failed to mention that the harm they faced in the real world would be far more dangerous.
“How was it?” Nico asked after a moment, still not looking up. “I thought it was pretty neat when I watched it, but… I guess I was a little more naïve than you are. The actual camp parts of camp are more fun than they seem. And a good deal less ‘everyone gets along great all the time.’”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 13, 2021 22:30:06 GMT -5
Rue glanced around, checking for anyone else that might be there. She’d expected to see Chiron, at least, but it seemed he and Dionysus weren’t all that interested in sticking around. She was a little relieved they hadn’t wanted to talk more.
She looked at Nico for a long moment, as though trying to decide whether it was okay to approach. He didn’t seem like someone who would appreciate being snuck up on (she had firsthand knowledge about that sort of person) so she wasn’t going to come too close, but she wasn’t sure she was allowed to go off alone, either.
She was about to see try and settle in where she was, when he spoke up and she paused.
“It was…okay,” she replied diplomatically, allowing herself to settle into a comfortable lean against the wall. “It did seem a little…not accurate. I mean, I probably shouldn’t say that when I just got here. But I just can’t see all these kids being totally okay with each other all the time. That’s not how people are.”
She shrugged a little awkwardly. She was probably being too negative. It was just that…no one was that nice. She didn’t see why demigods would be any exception to the rule.
“But it was a little bit informative,” she added, trying her best to redeem herself. “So that’s good.”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 13, 2021 23:58:53 GMT -5
Nico gave a small nod, glancing behind Rue in the direction of the room with the projector.
“You know… I believed it, when I first arrived here. I was staying in the Hermes cabin at the time, because I hadn’t been claimed, and I thought everyone there was really nice. I mean… there were definitely people who were mean that I guess… I didn’t really notice them being mean? I didn’t pay them very much attention. And my sister was the most recent recruit to join the Hunt, so nobody wanted to anger Artemis by hurting her newest maiden’s kid brother. So I guess it was more like it appears to be in the video for a while. After the newness of it all wears off, it’s fine. I mean… it’s no different from how normal life is for most people. Some people like you, some people don’t. Most people here don’t go out of their way to be mean, though. Clarisse used to, but she’s mellowed out a lot after fighting two wars.” He gave a small shrug, glancing at the door of the Big House.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is that the orientation film is wrong about everyone being all buddy buddy with each other all the time, but the rest of it is pretty alright. I mean… it sort of downplays some of the training, but very few people get hurt every year. Do… do you feel a little bit more prepared to face camp for your first day? I guess we’re sort of pretending everything’s normal until you’ve trained enough to do the job you were given.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 6, 2021 18:50:13 GMT -5
Rue listened quietly, giving a small nod. She could understand that - or at least she could in a way. She tended to be very aware when people were being mean, the problem was that she couldn’t do anything about it. And she noticed people being mean to people who didn’t notice, which bothered her more than she was willing to admit. Being nice didn’t pay where she was from. You had to be tough so you could protect the people too little to know how.
She didn’t think that had been Nico’s problem, though. Not to say she thought she’d been through worse, of course, but she didn’t know how comparable their lives were.
They seemed to have ended up not too far from each other, though. At least, he seemed to understand how she felt pretty well for someone who’d met her only…a day ago?
She hesitated.
Did she actually feel more prepared? Not particularly.
If she hadn’t already refused to shake the main boss man’s hand, she might have tried to pass it off as being helpful. But she already felt like she was probably being labeled as rude and standoffish in most people’s heads, so she felt like there was less of a point to it.
“Not really,” she admitted. “Think I learned more about what’s-his-name and the other what’s-his-name than I did about camp, to be totally honest.”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Aug 6, 2021 22:21:23 GMT -5
Nico had to admit that he didn’t really know Rue that well. They hadn’t met very long ago, and though she had spent the night in his cabin, he had only just begun to understand what she was like. She was similar enough to him that he was able to find some common ground, but… if he had to comfort her or do something personal, he would have no idea where to start. He just had to hope he was going about this the right way. He had to hope that Rue wouldn’t take offense to the help and advice he was trying to give. Not that he was really going to give her advice right now – they were just talking about how things were run around Camp. There wasn’t much advice to give there. But they were going to be spending a lot of time together on the quest, so at some point he would probably need to advise her…
“Yeah, the video isn’t always the most helpful,” he replied, forcing a small laugh. “You can join some of the camp activities this afternoon, if you’d like. We all technically get schedules and stuff, but I tend to ignore mine more often than not. It’s a little easier cause there’s only one person in my cabin, so they basically can fit me in anywhere. Is there anything in particular you saw in the video that seemed fun or useful to you? All of the activities prepare you for quests in one way or another, so don’t worry right now about one activity being more useful than another.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 9, 2021 15:31:19 GMT -5
Rue nodded a little. She was doing her best not to be rude, or to do anything to annoy any of the people here…she didn’t need to get kicked out, not now that she’d discovered so many new things she hadn’t thought possible. She was just…tired of pretending to be upbeat and friendly to save her own skin. She wanted, just once, to be surly and rude and not worry about it coming back to bite her later. She had always planned not to become a typical teenager. She’d heard the way adults said the word - teens! - and she’d always had the thought in the back of her mind that she was just going to skip all that. Jump right from being a nice kid to being a nice adult and never go through a rebellious phase.
She thought she understood now that it wasn’t really on the teenagers after all. Maybe the adults kind of deserved to be talked back to. Maybe she could even see where they were all coming from, what with the theft and the destruction of property and all that. And then she thought, oh god I’m going to be a real teenager after all, and she wasn’t sure whether she was horrified or not.
She hesitated, glancing at Nico, who was technically already a teenager, and one she would have judged a lot when she was a couple years younger. Then she shrugged a little.
“I don’t know. I mean…I’m going to do them all while I’m here, right? Which is your favorite?”
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strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Aug 9, 2021 21:56:18 GMT -5
If Nico could have read Rue’s thoughts, he would have told her that it was a lot more difficult to get kicked out of Camp Half-blood than she probably thought. There were plenty of rebellious teens around, but all of them had a reason for it. And Chiron, at the very least, understood. Dionysus probably did too, in his own way. Rue could be whoever she wanted here without having to worry about being kicked out for it. She might be judged for it, sure, but wasn’t that how the real world was? If you were an unpleasant person, you were going to be judged for being unpleasant. As far as Nico could tell, Rue was far from unpleasant. She was just… well, she was hardened by life. That was understandable. Life was rough, and if it wore on you when you were too young to be able to deal with it, you came out the other end a little bit tougher than most others were. It would be difficult to find a demigod that hadn’t been hardened in the same way. Some of them dealt with it differently, of course, but none of them were normal teenagers.
“Sword fighting,” Nico said without any hesitation. His answer may have been different a few years before, but sword fighting was the one thing he was consistently good at. He was often chosen to help teach it, in fact. “It may not be the most useful thing, especially if the sword isn’t your weapon of choice, but I’ve always thought swords were cool, so… it’s fun. And not as deadly as it sounds.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 13, 2021 16:29:10 GMT -5
Rue was very used to the possibility of getting kicked out. She knew how to stay under the radar, usually, as long as she back was there only one she had to watch. Which wasn’t how it had been, most of the time. She didn’t have little kids to watch out for here, though. She was actually one of the youngest people she’d seen, which was…odd. She was used to adults and little kids, not anyone her own age of a bit older, but still definitely a kid.
She glanced at Nico, hesitating only a moment before she gave a nod. “Swords are cool,” she agreed. “I don’t know that they’re my weapon of choice, but I’d rather learn every weapon I can, so it can’t hurt.”
She didn’t know where they were headed, but she was more than willing to try her hand at a sword. She would have liked to just train in absolutely everything, but there probably wasn’t time for it before they’d have to go. Was there a time limit? The prophecy has been very vague.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Aug 15, 2021 0:01:01 GMT -5
Nico understood where Rue was coming from. When he had first arrived at Camp, he had wanted to learn every weapon, too. It had been for a much different reason than Rue’s, though. He had wanted to be able to beat bad guys. He had wanted to challenge himself and prove himself a hero. He would have given anything in those days for a quest before he knew exactly what one might entail. Before he knew just how dangerous they could be.
“We’ll at least get you started on every weapon we can so you can decide which feels the most natural. We may not be able to get you up to any significant proficiency in more than a couple, but… that’s more than a lot of monsters have, so it gives you an advantage. Since you and I are going to be traveling together, I want you to spend some time on the sword even if you decide it’s not what you would choose to use if you had an entire arsenal available to you. If you need to use my sword for any reason, you should be able to. For the same reason, you’re probably going to have to spend a decent amount of time practicing archery. That’s Will’s specialty.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 24, 2021 13:30:09 GMT -5
Rue nodded a little, glancing around the camp as they walked. She wasn’t sure whether she should really let herself get a little excited about this - she was very aware that it was because she was being sent on a dangerous quest whether she wanted to or not, since her mom apparently had never heard of a phone before and thought this was a good way to reconnect. Gods, it seemed, were about as good at being parents as a good portion of humans were.
“What options are there for weapons, anyway?” She asked, glancing at Nico again. “Swords and bows are pretty common, I guess. Even normal people use those. But what kinds of things can you specialize in?”
She was trying to decide what would be the most practical. Knives, probably. You could get a knife in any old kitchen. Finding a sword or a bow lying around would probably be a little harder.
Of course, she didn’t know that regular weapons wouldn’t kill monsters, which was a hole in that thought. She was still thinking mostly in terms of other people.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Aug 24, 2021 21:58:41 GMT -5
Nico’s gaze flitted from Rue’s nervous excitement to the hills of Camp Half Blood and the monsters that waited outside its borders. He remembered when he’d been her age and so enamored by the fact that the myths were real that he hadn’t realized the gravity of the situation. Rue was a bit more practical than he was- there was a toughness and determination to her demeanor that came from experience.
“Weapons- the usual, of course, and whatever else the Hepha-whatever cabin can dream up. If they ask you to test run something, by the way, say no.” His hand drifted to the pommel of his sword- iron, unusual for the bronze preferring demigods of Camp Half Blood. “Demigods have a way of finding the weapon that fits them best. But for starters, let’s get you something sharp.”
“Pretty much anything you can dream of,” Nico replied, glancing back at her and giving a grim smile. “Bows, swords, knives… as long as it’s made of Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold, it’ll work for monsters.” He wasn’t going to mention the Stygian Iron. In a pinch she could use it, but he was worried about the metal in the hands of someone who didn’t share Hades’ bloodline. “I know plenty of people who use weapons that are… fairly unusual. Those sorts of people tend to make their own weapons, but… a friend of mine fought with a cornucopia. And a dagger, but when we were under attack, she reached for the cornucopia first.” He moved forwards towards the armory, grabbing a practice sword for himself and picking one out for Rue.
“The Hephaestus cabin fashions most of our weapons,” he explained, turning back to her. Hopefully that would explain why some of them were mildly deformed.
“Hold this. If it’s too heavy or if it seems to overbalance, let me know.” It was a little bit shorter than his own sword, but it would do the trick. “If you decide on swordsmanship, we’ll make sure you get your own weapon… one that actually fits you better than this, but for now…” he gave a vague shrug, waiting for her to test the weapon out. He was thinking of some of the campers that used less traditional weapons. Maybe he’d talk to some of them later to see if they could give Rue some pointers about their weapon of choice. She deserved to know all of the options available to her.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 30, 2021 19:33:14 GMT -5
Fighting with a cornucopia sounded…impractical, somehow. How had she decided on it? What had made her choose to train in something that unusual? Rue doubted she’d want to pick anything that wasn’t fairly standard, herself. Sword, bow, dagger, something along those lines, though she wasn’t sure what would come the most naturally to her without trying it. At least they did seem to have some time for that, before they had to go.
“So it matters what it’s made out of?” She asked, watching him pick out the swords. She assumed she’d take the smaller one, so she wasn’t surprised when he handed it to her.
It was heavier than she’d expected it to be, and she grunted lightly as she tried to hold it up in a way that looked like she knew what she was doing. How was she supposed to know what it was supposed to feel like? She got the sense it was going to be awkward for a while no matter how well it was made.
Still, maybe she could tell whether it was awkward because it didn’t suit her, or awkward because she didn’t know how to use it. She waved it slightly, trying not to let it get anywhere close to hitting Nico. That would be embarrassing.
“I think it’s good,” she said after a moment, looking at him again and lowering it. “It’s a little heavy, but that’s probably just because I’m not used to it.”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Aug 31, 2021 2:26:21 GMT -5
Nico watched the way Rue was holding the blade, nodding appreciatively as she immediately began to adjust her hold on the hilt so as to make it less dangerous for her surroundings. There were plenty of demigods who picked up a sword and just started swinging and slashing. Nico could understand the urge, but it was important that demigods understood the safety considerations for each weapon before they really began to use it. Rue at least seemed to be careful about the weapon she’d just acquired.
“Yes,” Nico confirmed, lifting his sword from its sheath. “This is Stygian Iron. One of the few metals on Earth that can hurt both monsters and mortals. Most demigod weapons are made of Imperial Gold or Celestial Bronze. They won’t do much good against mortal assailants, but… we can get you a set of steel knives or something if you’re worried about mortals.” Nico could understand that fear. People were dangerous. He had lived on his own long enough to know that it was useful to have weapons that would work on normal people, too, if only to avoid some sort of disaster.
“You’re right,” he said after a moment of watching the way she was holding the blade. “It’s good. It’s a well-balanced blade, at least for one of these swords. You’ll get used to the weight of it if you decide to fight with a sword.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 6, 2021 17:52:47 GMT -5
Rue gave a small nod, taking that in. As long as she was armed against people too, she would feel a lot safer. Most of the danger she’d been in had come from people, anyway. She knew the monsters were dangerous, and she did need to be careful about them, but…she had to admit she was probably more scared of the people.
She had no idea how to use the sword. Aside from just the stabbing part, but it possibly couldn’t be that simple.
She glanced at Nico, holding the blade awkwardly to one side. “So…what do I do now?” She asked uncertainly. “I don’t want to cut anyone by accident. Or…I guess it doesn’t hurt mortals, does it? Do we count as mortals?”
She had no idea whether they would. Technically, they aged and died normally, so technically, they weren’t. But she didn’t know how it worked.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 6, 2021 18:07:10 GMT -5
Nico knew that Camp likely wouldn’t want Rue to have a weapon she could use against mortals, but he had no qualms with providing her such a weapon himself. He knew that people were dangerous, and though he was planning on making sure she never had to worry about being attacked by mortals, it was always better safe than sorry. A normal weapon wouldn’t be concealed by the mist, so it would have to be small, but… he didn’t think that would be a problem. As long as she wasn’t afraid. As long as she was more comfortable being armed.
“Not… really…” Nico replied, picking up a celestial bronze dagger and lightly slicing the tip of his finger just enough to produce a single drop of blood. He held it out to her as proof, then wiped it off on his pants, “These weapons can still hurt us. We’re going to need a sword guard on both of our weapons if we don’t want to cut anyone, but I wanted you to feel the sword without the guard on it first.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 10, 2021 17:30:53 GMT -5
Rue didn’t know for sure how much she trusted the people here, all things considered. They seemed nice, but that didn’t really mean they were trustworthy. She didn’t want to end up in their debt. She didn’t want to make it any harder than it had to be to leave if it came down to it. She did want to be armed, even if it wasn’t something they wanted. If Nico didn’t give her a weapon…she’d find a way to get one.
For now, though, she was willing to concentrate on this. Learning how to defend herself was important, and if she could get that skill here, that was probably reason enough to stick around.
“It would be nice if it worked the other way,” she muttered, turning the sword a little bit so she could see herself in the reflection. “So no weapons could hurt us, instead of both kinds.”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 11, 2021 3:58:04 GMT -5
“I agree,” Nico replied seriously, giving a firm shake of his head in what almost seemed to be disbelief. “It’s… very inconvenient. I wish we were protected by at least one of the weapons, but… that’s not how it works, unfortunately. Fortunately, it’s not as though many monsters are carrying around Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold. If they were to nick themselves with it, it wouldn’t end very well for them. They prefer to fight with whatever natural weapons they have, not swords and things like that.” He didn’t know if having one less source of potential pain to worry about would help, but… he was going to do his best to make Rue feel comfortable, even if that was completely impossible.
“Shall we head towards the practice arena, then?” Nico asked, trying to force his voice into something kind, if not cheerful. He wasn’t sure he was capable of cheerfulness.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 20, 2021 5:44:19 GMT -5
“Well, that’s a plus,” Rue replied, giving her sword a sideways glance. “Less things that can stab me sound pretty good to me. And there means I don’t have to worry about a monster stealing my things if I do happen to die at some point.”
She didn’t mean to sound dark, but they were talking about fighting monsters, here. Her potential death didn’t seem like much of a leap. She hoped it was a bit of a leap, though. She wanted to think they weren’t just pretending there was a chance she would survive this quest to make her feel better, and/or make sure she actually went on it. Her trust issues disagreed with that hope, at least a little bit, but there was only so much she could do about that, and if her mom was actually a goddess…she hadn’t quite given up the hope of being able to talk to her, eventually. Even if all she had to say was, You couldn’t have, I don’t know, smited anyone for me? Is it really that hard to smite people?
She glanced at Nico. He was trying, she was pretty sure. She could tell he was making a genuine effort to make this easier on her. She considered telling him he didn’t have to pretend, but she’d already tried that, and she didn’t want to start sounding too pessimistic.
“Lead the way,” she said instead, lowering the sword again so she couldn’t take out anyone’s eye on the way.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 21, 2021 14:00:27 GMT -5
Nico didn’t give an immediate response to the implication that Rue was likely to die. He didn’t know if it was true or not, but he did think it was rather disheartening that she had only been here a day and had already come to terms with it. It said a lot about where she had been and what she had been forced to do before this moment, but Nico didn’t say that. He didn’t want to make her feel as though he was psychoanalyzing her. That wasn’t his intent – he didn’t think he’d be a very good psychoanalyst, after all. He just… knew that it took most kids a lot longer to realize that the world they were in really was that dangerous. To come to terms with the fact that this wasn’t all fun and games. There was a real possibility of death. People, good people, had died. Rue… hadn’t needed any help getting there. It was almost as though she had lived every day before this expecting to be dead by the end of it. It was a horrible way to live, but Nico knew it well enough.
“Monsters don’t really have much use for things anyway,” he said after a long moment, beginning to move towards the sword fighting arena. He couldn’t tell Rue that she wasn’t going to die. He didn’t know that, and he didn’t make false promises. What he could do was make sure she was as prepared as possible to face death and win.
“What do you know about fighting?” he asked as they reached the arena and he pulled a few feet away from her, standing at one end of a rather large circle.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Oct 4, 2021 0:18:44 GMT -5
Rue glanced around, trying to make sure no one had come too close to the two of them. It wasn’t just for her, though that was part of it. She could see the way Nico tended to keep his distance, too. It wasn’t like she really knew him all that well, she’d barely even met him, but you didn’t always have to know someone to read them.
She didn’t know why he shied away from people when they shifted a certain way. But she didn’t need to know why to respect it.
“Not a lot,” she admitted, coming to a halt opposite Nico. The sword felt wrong in her hands, but she knew that was probably just because she had never held anything like it before. “I was always a lot better at staying out of trouble in the first place. Usually. And I’m faster than most things. If there’s no fight, I don’t have to worry about losing.”
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