audience: nico di angelo

[becomemod]

Comments

[becomemod]

Of course I'm biased, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

Your Will has healing as well, doesn't he?

[ as if nico would forget. they say this as if he shouldn't need phoenix tears, with his boyfriend right there. ]

With the items you've all been getting your hands on, it isn't surprising that curses have been going around. But you'll have to be conservative about which curses to use it on. There's only one use a week, remember?

[resumed]

[ there's a huff because. okay. fair point. but he pauses on that one. a little funny for him to be referred to as his will but that's also not wrong. ]

...he does, yes, but. I don't want him taking the brunt of it for if people need healing. That's not fair to him. [ also there's the whole side-effect thing but he doesn't know if phoenix knows. ] That's the other thing is how it's once a week. Lillium said I should keep my power for Thursday nights in case I need it, and I know he's right but if it can help someone else on a Thursday I also wouldn't mind that. It comes back to not really knowing what to do, I guess. Which...[ he makes a face and waves a hand. ]

It's for me to figure out. [ phoenix somehow just has a way of making nico talk. ]

[becomemod]

Good point, he shouldn't be the only one. We do have hospitals to help, even without a healing power, but that won't work for something more immediate.

Lillium's got a good point, too, but I'm not so sure Ashes to Ashes is the best one for a Thursday, if this keeps going on. The other two are better suited for survival in the short term. [ ... ] Unless, of course, one of you is planning to follow those rules and wants to be prepared for receiving a curse for it.

[resumed]

Exactly that. I know he can handle himself fine, but...at least back home he had some help in the infirmary. And if remedies are all we have otherwise I'd like to think of a different solution. Not that I'm hoping people get hurt at all but it's happened enough already. Plus powers make things complicated.

[ ... ]

I don't know what I plan to do yet, Phoenix. But I'm going to avoid following those rules for as long as I can. The notes talk about a door, so I don't see why we can't find it and open it ourselves. [ ... ] Unless it's really not a physical door in which case that opens a lot of other questions for me.

[becomemod]

It's a good thing to consider and prepare for.

[ they're pleased with this! ]

If it is a physical door, we can always try to pry it open ourselves once we find it. It may not be easy, but I'm sure you're prepared for that already. We'll just have to keep looking, for now.

[resumed]

I like to plan, I guess. Even if half the time those plans get ignored to improvise. [ #greeklife. but he wants to be honest with them about the things he's considering. ]

I can do scouting, sure. I know it's about waiting but...the longer we wait, the more people are going to die, and the more people we'll have to execute to balance it out. Somehow that doesn't seem fair for a competition we didn't ask to be a part of. [ he frowns in thought. ] I guess I'm also concerned about why the notes talk about "this" round. The only other time people came here before us was you guys, wasn't it?

[becomemod]

That's normal.

[ plans go awry all the time! it's no big! you learn to roll with the punches. ]

I'd like to finish this sooner, too. [ they don't like having to watch you all die, actually. ] But yes, as far as I know, we're the only ones before you. If there were others, they've hidden it pretty well.

[resumed]

[ yeah!! and sometimes people die, but it's okay!

it is not, but he has learned to roll with so many punches. ]

...I mean...there was an entire camp of Roman demigods that were hidden from us for like fifty-something years. It's a possibility.

[becomemod]

[ they... don't know what to say to this. ]

For better or worse, we don't have fifty years to find it.

[resumed]

No, of course not. Sorry, that was an example. [ uh. ] ...you don't entirely remember how you got here either, do you?

[becomemod]

No. We woke up here one day, just like all of you did.

[resumed]

[ thinkie... ]

In the same capsule hotel? I'm wondering if that might give us an indication of where to start looking for the door.

[becomemod]

No, it wasn't anywhere near the capsule hotel for us. We were all a bit more scattered, when we arrived.

[resumed]

[ oh. ]

Did you know about each other at first when you first arrived? Or did you find each other on accident? [ he is starting to see the difference here. ]

[becomemod]

We had to find each other, so it was a bit different for us.

[resumed]

[ a considering little frown. ]

In a way it feels like maybe we should be thanking you a little for trying to make things easier on us.

[becomemod]

You think? But I don't think it's necessary.

[resumed]

[ well. he has determined that perhaps he and phoenix are similar, but he still asks. ]

Why not?

[becomemod]

There's no need to thank us for doing our jobs.

[resumed]

[ that's what he thought you'd say, you dumb bird. ]

I think there are some places you go above your job, Phoenix. But fine. I'll revoke my thanks if you're so insistent. [ the tone is a joke, but he will drop it if they want. ]

[becomemod]

[ puts their hands on their hips. ]

I never said I don't like being appreciated.

[ it sounds like they could be teasing? but also maybe not? debatable. ]

[resumed]

[ he tilts his head, finding this a little funny but also maybe not. curious, really. ]

...I know I've caused a few problems already. And I'm going to tell you that I will likely cause more problems in the future. [ THANKS. ] But I do appreciate the help you've been able to give so far. Even if it's just listening as I talk myself in circles.

[ ...maybe a joke, but likely not. sometimes you are aggressively aware of your own shortcomings. ]

[becomemod]

[ amused: ] Thanks for the warning. I'll look forward to it.

I'd be happy to do that even if I weren't your leader, but I'm glad that it's been helpful to you. It's not always easy to work some things out for yourself.

[resumed]

No problem. I don't often warn people before it happens, so consider this a stroke of luck. [ shut up, nico. but he settles back into being quiet and a little more serious with that. ]

...up until recently it's not like I had much of a choice. So maybe I still think it's the only solution even knowing that's not the case. There are some things I think only I can work out, but I'm trying to be better. Especially when so many people are at risk.

[ phoenix may have that iota of honesty. ]

[becomemod]

In that case, I'm honored.

[ teasing, but only for a second as nico continues. ]

Some things you can only learn for yourself, over time. Other things, you may need a helping hand with. That's how it is for everyone, even me. All we can ask for is to try.