i ϟ video

[ozones]

You're supposed to be wary of people who offer you gifts. That's pretty much lesson number one.

_{( Actually, it's "fear Greeks bearing gifts." But given Jason's recent experiences, saying so seems disingenuous. Speaking of which, here's Jason: sitting at a console somewhere in the city, elbows up on the table and fingers steepled together. He's regarding the console carefully through bright blue eyes, skeptical but determined. )}

But it would be pretty dumb to say no to having a place to sleep, since I don't know how long I'm going to be here. I've taken a look around, and this place is really... something. I barely know where to start.

_{( His face scrunches, like he's considering something. Then he lets out a breath, offering the console a half-smile. )}

Hi, I'm Jason. It seems like there's a lot going on here, and I'd like to do what I can to help. So whatever's going on--I heard something about rationing? And someone mentioned other problems--please, let me know.

_{( He nods, with some sort of finality. He's about to end the feed, but thinks better of it, blurting out as an addendum: )}

And, guys? If you're out there, it'd be great if you could check in. ASAP.

_{( Looking slightly sheepish, he ends the communication there. )}

Comments

[ozones]

_{( He nods, at the information, but then breaks in with a question- )}

What happens to the fifth that you give the palace? Do they redistribute it, or...?

[wintershepherd]

They store it for when it's needed. It's not absolute proof, but the Emperor had enough stored up to supply everyone in the city with some pretty extravagant donations of it during the vacation week, so it seems like it's working.

[ozones]

So they can basically create their own times of surplus, that means.

_{( :|a )}

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[kelpful]

[Something of a smile twitches on Percy's lips, because he's totally thinking about Thalia.]

Right. We're in the Metal Sector, 1A. Or, uh...[He pauses for a second, because he's not at his own suite often enough that he remembers what number it is right away] Water, 1B. But that's mostly where Mrs O'Leary and the fish stay.

[sophos]

Basically. As long as the water can be kept clean, it should help with the food shortage.

The closest to monsters have been nine foot tall creatures called llothi, but they don't exist on the turtle. Though I guess zombies qualify, too. No giants so far, fortunately.

[necromania]

Already tried that. [ they pretty much started grunting and stopped communicating with him in the cart until there was silence, or he asked something that didn't annoy them. ] With being relocated to the back of a turtle? I'm not sure you reach okay with this.

[fatedchaos]

Willpower, manpower, hope?

[ozones]

Maybe a little of all of those.

[ozones]

Maybe not okay, but alright, at least. We could all be in immediate peril, on the other hand.

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[ozones]

"We." _{( He echoes that with a tone that's not quite teasing, since that's not how he rolls, but flat and dry. )}

Which would explain what Leo was complaining about.

[ozones]

Llothi, zombies, no giants. _{( Still checking things off? Maybe. )}

We'll handle it.

_{( Maybe trying to convince himself a bit, with that one. )}

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[kelpful]

[There's a pause before Percy realises what he's getting at. He coughs a little, rubbing at the back of his neck] It made sense, okay? [He's mostly referring to the fact that they have issues being apart right now, but he's also not going to explain that to Jason, so the other guy is free to take that how he will]

And seriously, it takes like two seconds to knock. And it's not as bad as he's making it out to be, either!

[necromania]

Who says we're not? [ all these demigods on one turtle? three to a quest, buddy. ] The turtle's sick.

[sophos]

Of course we will. We always handle it. [And handle a lot of other things. Maybe just maybe she sounds vaguely cynical rn too. Not cynical over their ability to succeed so much as the idea of continuous handlings.]

[wintershepherd]

Something like that, yeah. But the kedan have been here a long time, maybe they've done rationing before?

[fotia]

[There's a couch in the middle of spare parts and metal scraps that he gestures to!]

More like I've mostly got too much free time in this place. Although sometimes I'm too busy not getting killed.

[At this point Thomas, Leo's four-legged, fully steam-powered metal table, and Buford spot Jason and rush to him. Buford gives a rather pitiful attempt at a wave and Thomas looks like he's kind of sniffing the newcomer.]

[ozones]

I've been here for a couple hours and I haven't been attacked, yet. So it's less immediate than it could be, anyway.

[ozones]

You'd think they look for a way to stop the shortages from happening in the first place, then.

[ozones]

Just like home, then. <sub>( Jason tries to make a joke of it, but the smile's a bit half-hearted. "Home" is such a strange word for him, even applied just generally to a world at large.

But then the tables take his attention and he raises one hand, in a weak and noncommittal greeting. )</sub>

Hey, Buford. _{( He doesn't know the other's name. Sorry, Thomas. )}

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[ozones]

I dunno, man. Leo is usually pretty good about stuff like that.

<sub>( He very tactfully disappeared to work on Festus whenever Jason and Piper wanted alone time. It was appreciated.

But after a moment Jason kind of swallows whatever else he was going to say. It's not important, after all. )</sub>

[ozones]

It never hurts to be sure.

[fotia]

[Leo's pretty bad at noting any hint of emotion, negative or otherwise, so the half-hearted part of that smile goes completely over his head. Instead, he gestures to the other table.]

Oh, yeah, That new guy is Thomas. I made him before I found Buford roaming around Atam—oh, and that's a continent the turtle docked into last time. Apparently it's the second time the turtle's docked somewhere; Annabeth was the only one who made it to the first one, mostly due to the lack of any of us at that time. Also there used to be a cloning facility beneath the ocean and we might be clones that have been made to battle this dude whose name I can't say, like Voldemort, or something. [Bam, info dump.]

So! [And he claps his hands together!] Want anything?

[wintershepherd]

I'm sure if it was as simple as them choosing for the turtle not to get sick, they would have.

[fatedchaos]

It's good to have some sort of plan, at least. Can't go wrong with all of that. [A shrug.]

[ozones]

<sub>( It’s, well, a lot to take in. Everything about today has been, because no amount of previous wonder or craziness in one’s life can really prepare them for an experience like this. Jason handles things well, usually, he’s good at keeping calm under pressure. And hearing Leo lay it all out like that does make it all seem simultaneously less and more. Bigger and smaller.

So he doesn’t answer the question right away, just sinks onto a part of the couch that isn’t covered in Leo’s projects, and then just shakes his head. )</sub>

A really big cheeseburger, a chocolate shake, and about fifteen hours to process all this.