WEEK FIVE

[al2955]

the pygmalion. . . ONLINE CAPTAIN'S LOG: WEEK (5)

monday - thursday (33) survivors It had been merely a week since the last trial, but you find yourself faced with a new week on The Pygmalion. When you awaken, you will find the handcuff around your wrist gone. The robot in the cafeteria has prepared another breakfast of various foods. (OOC: Please submit your murder proposals by 9 PM EST Tuesday.) taken list profiles private conversations setting rulebook murder proposals ENTER COMMAND_

Comments

[chiseler]

[He opens his mouth to argue about the loopholes, but Adam's already asking a more interesting question.]

Probably because it is. [No shame in admitting that.] Haven't fought with a short blade in years. Not sure I'd even be fast enough to use it for self-defense. [But the light smirk says it's entirely possible.] Surprised they managed to pull it here in the first place.

[antietam]

Doesn't look that heavy. Why wouldn't they? [ But he's been taught not to underestimate the value of very old items. The glow suggests something more, anyway. ]

[chiseler]

[He's absolutely free to ask, especially given the way Luke keeps staring at it.] Well first of all it's not mine. Anymore. Hasn't been mine for years. [And yet it's apparently incredibly important to him.]

[antietam]

So you want it back? [ A part of him thinks that it must be worth of a lot, but that's probably not the reason. ] What can it do?

[chiseler]

Legend says it'll always protect the person wielding it and so far that's been true enough. [Dumb thing definitely kept Annabeth mostly safe.] ...plus it's designed specifically to kill certain things. I purposefully gave it to someone else and if it's here, I'd rather it not get destroyed.

[antietam]

Legend. [ He just mumbles it, but he can appreciate the sentiment. He's not judging. ] Enough to kill for it?

[chiseler]

Doesn't seem right to call it a prophecy when that's the wrong word. [Just sayin'.] What do you think I'm looking for the loophole for? I'm just wondering what everyone else's is.

[antietam]

So how old is it? It managed to survive this long, right? [ Please don't kill. ] If we're really in the year 2956, it may not be needed anymore.

[chiseler]

I'm gonna guess it's survived through centuries. The guy who had it before me held onto it for decades. Anyway, isn't saying that kind of like saying ancient artifacts and art and structure aren't needed anymore just because we're in the year 2956? These things are always going to be needed by people like us.

[antietam]

I just meant its protection properties might not be so useful. [ But he sees his point. His friend would scold him for saying that too. ] Who are people like us, anyway?

[chiseler]

[Oops. He's laughing.] Celestial bronze isn't exactly like most metals. It'll last until it's destroyed somehow and even then it takes something like acid. [He makes a face, almost being coy about it before he shrugs again.] The only people who need weapons made of celestial bronze are the people monsters feel like going after. It's something in our blood and our scent, pretty irresistible to them especially if you're powerful.

[Luke stop being a cagey asshole. He pauses almost dramatically before leaning on the case.] Pretty sure you won't have to worry about that unless there's something you're not telling me.

[antietam]

Celestial bronze? [ He's never heard of that and it sounds pretty weird. Celestial, underworld... Monsters? ]

No, I'm just pretty sure you're the one not telling me something. What's in your blood? [ He'll wait. With an expectant look. Don't make him keep questioning everything because he will. ]

[chiseler]

[Surprise. He's not really reacting to that expectant look but he's definitely allowing his gaze to slip past Adam to look at the door and ensure nobody else is going to wander in at the moment.

And anyway…he's untouchable this week, and it's Adam. If he really has to, he'll take the guy out himself. Ah well, time to see how smart he is.]

Ichor.

[antietam]

[ He wouldn't really have any reason to know that except that he studies Latin and it's pretty hard to avoid Greek that way. Also, come on, he's read the Iliad.

But is it that easy? ] You are not.

[chiseler]

You wouldn't be the first one to not believe it. Trust me. [He's been doing this thing for a while. It's partially why he stopped telling people who weren't other demigods. There's a biting grin that follows, enough to tip off that this isn't something he can lie about, but it's also not something he entirely likes.] But sure I'm not. [He's mostly gauging Adam's responses, calculating just how much he's going to be willing to share after this and how many specifics he'll divulge.]

[antietam]

[ Adam takes a moment to look him over. Of course, he's not seeing anything different. He's pretty much the 'see it to believe it' type, but given where he is, there's not much a skeptic can do. ]

Alright. [ What's the difference if he is or isn't besides a good story? ] You're not one of the gods or you'd be a lot older. [ And a few other reasons given what he's already told Adam. Time to hear the story. ] So?

[chiseler]

You say that like those jerks can't change their appearance at will. [Even while he's starting to explain a little, he's tapping on the case to see if there are any weak points he can exploit to lift out the dagger.] But you're right. I'm not one of the gods, but my dad is. And before you ask, no, having some of his powers really isn't as cool as you might think it'd be. [A pause.] And also before you ask, no, not a lot of people here know. Most of the people that know back home are demigods, too. It's not really something we usually make public.

[antietam]

[ Adam looks kind of amused at the explanation. Not like he doesn't believe him, just that he thinks the way Luke is so casual about it is funny. ]

I wasn't gonna ask that. But you're like Achilles. What are the powers you have? They're not on your card, so.

[chiseler]

[The gods and all of the weird shit that came from being a demigod was just normal by this point. It would be normal to casually insult Apollo's haikus or talk about how scary Aphrodite could be. But he tilts his head then. Adam has no idea just how spot-on he is, including the whole "bathing in the river Styx" thing, but that's not what's funny.]

They're not? [A quirk of his lips.] I mean not all of them are, but you're sure about that? [Nobody ever said Luke would make this easy either.]

[antietam]

[ It's alright, he kind of likes the challenge. ] Lock-picking? Thievery? [ The ones he remembers from Luke's profile. ]

Who exactly is your dad?

[chiseler]

[A lift of the eyebrows is enough to confirm that those are, in fact, the skills he means.]

Messenger of the gods, and the god of roads, travelers, merchants and thieves. [Probably explains why he never saw the guy, really.]

[antietam]

Mercurius. [ An automatic Latin deduction. ] Or—Hermes if you're using Greek.

[ Looking Luke over again. ] I can see it. You traveled a lot, right? Kind of like fate.

[chiseler]

[At first he blinks because Latin's definitely not his forte, but the Greek correction earns a nod.]

He was in his Greek form when he met my mom. [And shortly after that, his face clouds over just a bit.] I only traveled a lot because I ran away when I was in third or fourth grade. Being out in the open and staying in one place is way too dangerous for a demigod. [But on the other hand…] I'm good with directions and I'm good with money. Kinda helped out for the five years I was between homes. [And same with being able to steal whatever he wanted and break into wherever he wants but details.]

[antietam]

[ Adam looks more serious as well, listening to his story earnestly. He kind of feels a mix of emotions, some sympathy in running away, a bit of envy as he wishes his dad was a Greek god. Not that Luke makes it sounds so great to be a demigod. ]

That's impressive. [ And he means it. ] That you were able to do that. Powers or no, it's not easy running away.

[chiseler]

[Being a demigod is kind of a shitty fate. 0/10, do not recommend. He shrugs in response, the smugness of teasing him dropping like a sack of wet cement.]

It was either that or stay with my mom. Guess you could say I took the less scary route. It wasn't all bad…after a while I met someone and she came with me for years and then a couple of years later we found somebody else. The three of us stuck together for months until we got to Camp. […and he finally nods toward the dagger.] The dagger actually belongs to one of them.