BWI Airport | Portalocity Lounge | Saturday Morning | August 28

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

In most instances, no one would bat an eye at seeing a boy and his dog. In this instance, some people might actually run away screaming at the sight of this boy and this dog. Percy Jackson didn’t look all that intimidating on his own. He was average height, dark haired and carried a ball point pen in the pocket of his jeans.

Of course, the huge hellhound sitting behind Percy might have turned a few heads if not for the Mist. Thankfully, most mortals didn’t see Mrs. O’ Leary, Percy’s inherited hellhound sitting lazily in the BWI airport lounge (how the hellhound had fit, Percy didn’t know).

Percy himself didn’t look as relaxed as his dog. His eyes were jumping left to right, almost as if he expected something to attack him or for Luke to emerge from the crowd with that more smirk than smile look on his face.

This was about the fourteenth school Percy had been to since age twelve. He didn’t expect it to last. He wanted to be at Camp Half Blood. Instead, he was waiting in an airport lounge for a shuttle to cart him and his hellhound to a place called Fandom.

Percy frowned. He didn’t think this day could get worse.

[Open shuttle bus! Mrs. O’ Leary is a big ole hellhound that most mortals probably would not see because of something called the Mist. If you’re not exactly all the way mortal, you’d see her though. She’s not going to attack anyone, I promise.]

Comments

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico had only stopped in the Underworld for a day before he was due to report to Fandom. Just an attempt at a little familial bonding before getting stuck in some interdimensional nexus for the next six months. But in truth, sometimes a day with Hades felt like an eon. This had certainly been one of those times, perhaps designed to keep him from wanting to stay down there and not try this new school thing Chiron had set up.

Rather than fly down from New York, Nico had hopped a train and then a strange portal that dumped him out in an airport lounge. "Oh, for Hades' sake," he grumbled, hefting his duffel over his shoulder to have a look around. "If the school thinks I'm getting on a plane they're just looking to start trouble."

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

At the newest arrival to the lounge, Percy looked over and promptly did a double take. Nico wasn't supposed to be here. This wasn't even a quest. Percy didn't even know why Nico would be here.

Mrs. O' Leary definitely took notice, though. Nico was someone she knew her and big head came up and she looked more alert than she had in several hours.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Once he was facing the right direction to see the hellhound, Nico didn't waste his time heading over, jaw dropped in awe at the sight of his favorite dog. "Mrs O'Leary? What are you do--" Percy? "Percy?" The son of Poseidon was looking pretty rough since last Nico saw him.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Mrs. O'Leary was already getting to her feet and trying to lumber over to greet Nico. Percy looked around to see if there were any mortals that might get trampled before he let the hellhound go since he knew Nico wouldn't hurt her.

"Nico," Percy said, keeping his voice low. "What are you doing here?"

The last time he'd seen the son of Hades, they'd been sharing birthday cake after Percy had planted a moonlance. This was Nico but different. Somehow.

He was taller than he'd been before and his hair was still dark and still shaggy but shorter. Of all the times he'd seen Nico, he'd seen him look bad and good. Right now, he looked good. Healthy. That didn't stop Percy from wondering why he was here.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nearly toppled over by the enthusiastic hellhound, Nico let her sniff all the lingering scents of the Underworld from his clothes while he scratched behind her ears.

"Taking over the world," he deadpanned, eyes rolling back. "What do you think, Percy? I'm going to school!" That kid was so not quick.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Percy glared at Nico, ignoring how much Mrs. O'Leary turned into a giant teddy bear around Nico.

"This school?" Percy replied, still frowning. "You're not old enough!"

He wasn't supposed to be old enough, at least. Percy found himself looking Nico up and down, still taking in the new height and the extra weight on the boy. He'd been growing the last time they'd been together and now, even in the interim few weeks, he'd grown further.

Why couldn't Percy have growth spurts like that?

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico remembered what Chiron had told him about this place and he leaned toward Percy, giving him a sniff. Nope, not a hint of Underworld on him. "You're not sixteen," Nico replied, starting to look kind of excited. "But I am. Oh, this is just awesome!"

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"You're not sixteen."

He couldn't be sixteen. Poor Percy didn't have the benefit of Chiron's knowledge on this one. His mom had found the brochure and he'd agreed to try just because she'd been so confident.

Percy found himself staring at Nico again, noticing the little nuances now. The broader shoulders, the taller stature, the more confident demeanor and he almost felt a little queasy.

"Are you?"

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[talks-backwards.livejournal.com]

"No plane, I'm afraid." It was so easy to eavesdrop cute boys!

"Why the aversion, though? I'd think getting a free flight would be pretty awesome." If it was a first class flight, that is.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

The eavesdropping Nico didn't mind and eyed the girl cautiously. "My uncle," Nico replied easily. "He's not exactly a fan of me being in the air. Family issues."

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[talks-backwards.livejournal.com]

"Family issues, huh. Not my strong suit." Since she sort of didn't have a family at all. "You make it sound as if he could took a plane in the middle of the air though. Scary thought, that one."

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Nico agreed, nodding kind of a lot. "Scary's the word we use, too. Free flight or not." Being hit by a lightning bolt at the end made everything less fun.

He realized suddenly he was failing at this whole smalltalk thing the humans did and tried to rectify that. "You're a big plane person?" Smooth.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[talks-backwards.livejournal.com]

The fact he didn't say anything about being taken down in a plane left her with a lot of questions. Maybe later.

"Well, me and my dad traveled the world, but not always on plane. Planes are nice, but there are tons of ways to get somewhere." Like on a boat, or a camel. Or, you know, on feet.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"The whole world?" That wasn't something the demigods got to do much. "So you've been to all the continents? Did you see any penguins?"

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[talks-backwards.livejournal.com]

"Well, all the continents." And some 'off the chart' places too. "But there are many places I want to go. You? Not a big traveller? And you bet I've seen those little guys."

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

"On a plane?" George asked. "I just got off a plane. You mean we're not there yet?"

Fuck this stupid school. She wasn't going on another plane ride. The brochure said Maryland. She was in Maryland. Maryland couldn't be that big.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Maryland. Amazing how there was no direct access to the Underworld in that state.

"This doesn't look much like a school to me," Nico replied, eyes lighting up with his father's fire as he felt something unnaturally familiar about this girl.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

Oh, great, his eyes were glowing. First there was a green girl, and now this guy had glowing eyes. Was this some kind of Freak High?

It wasn't like she didn't qualify, at this point. She just would have appreciated advance notice.

Then again, considering she hadn't even applied here ...

"It's an airport lounge," she snapped, her irritation overriding her train of thought. "I know the school's not here. I just meant ..."

What had she meant?

"This sucks."

That would do.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Could be worse," Nico pointed out. "We could be in the Underworld." Getting cereal stuffed down their throats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

And yes, he was insanely curious about why she wasn't in the underworld. She felt like a different sort of dead than he knew.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

"We ... could be," George allowed. So this guy also was off his meds. Fun. "Or on the moon, with Santa Claus. Lots of places we could be. Most of 'em suck."

Most places did. Even the moon, with Santa Claus.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

She was really weird.

Nico had a difficult time categorizing her because of it. "So why are you here. Don't you have...Things to Do? Or did someone summon you?"

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

He didn't know about her being a reaper, did he? There was something in the way he said Things to Do ...

"I'm ... just a student," she said, nicely sidestepping the fact that she hadn't even applied here.

Oh, shit, what if that was a Summon? Rube just said this came from the higher-ups ...

"Do you think people generally get summoned to go to highschool?" she asked. Trying to sound completely casual. Sort of succeeding.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[super-tactile.livejournal.com]

Kon was getting tired of all this pointless waiting around when the new guy showed up.

"You have a problem with planes too? How can people ride in something so slow?

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

That was not exactly Nico's issue, but he'd take it. "Yeah, crazytalk!" He much preferred shadow travel anyhow.

Re: Mingle [NS 08/28]

[super-tactile.livejournal.com]

Kon nodded in agreement, finally someone else who thought the same thing!

"I mean, I could get there so much faster, but instead we have to wait here forever and then die of boredom once it's actually here."