Many days fell away with nothing to show, and the walls kept tumbling down [W2, Sunday]

[hydrokinetics]

[Time in town has left Percy to his own devices to seek out people who need a hand, people who seem to be struggling after the execution, and people who wanted to compare notes. He hasn't bothered to really decompress himself beyond his initial break-away from the group with Annabeth, but at the same time he knows better. They have to keep moving. They're in this game officially now.

It's why he walks to the saloon with a purpose, seeking out a familiar face and finally looking to get a sense of the scene of the crime. He carefully opens the doors and pokes his head into the saloon, checking around for Sara.]

Anybody home? [It's a bit of a wry joke, if only because he's seen her out and about more than at the actual hotel so far.]

Comments

[alcobrawlic]

[ The scene of the crime has mostly been cleaned up, although Sara's not sure she got everything.

... She kind of misses having Rean around to boss, but at the same time, she's very relieved her students aren't here to be a part of this mess. She's leaning on the counter when Percy shows up, and offers a casual wave and a smile. ]

I'm not bad enough to call a saloon home yet.

[hydrokinetics]

"Yet", she says. [He smiles back and steps into the saloon, making his way through the main room toward the bar even if his eyes dart around the floors and the walls. It's cleaned up, sure, but he's imagining everything that's happened here. When he gets to the counter he stops, not quite leaning on it but giving her a little once-over.]

Usually yets imply thinking about it already.

[alcobrawlic]

I mean, waking up with beer within reach does kind of sound ideal.

[ But she does like beds, so sigh. It probably won't happen. ]

[hydrokinetics]

If things keep going the way they're going it might not be a bad idea. [Even if he's trying to joke about it, he doesn't seem too into it. Still, he tilts his head as he glances toward the other door.] Did you clean everything yourself?

[alcobrawlic]

With some help every now and then... but for the most part, yeah. The Sheriff gave me a mop and then it was just me and some elbow grease.

[ IT WAS NOT FUN. ]

[hydrokinetics]

You'd think he'd offer to help since all of this was on his watch. [He's grumbling, but he's also having a seat at the counter and propping his head up.] Guess it'd be too much to ask everybody to leave the saloon alone next time.

[He gives her a curious look, unsure of how to proceed at first.] How are you doing?

[alcobrawlic]

"Next time", huh... [ Percy, always the pragmatist. ]

I'm... not exactly happy with how things have turned out, but I won't lie and say I didn't expect it'd go downhill fast. I'm more worried about the people who believed otherwise, honestly.

[ All the bright-eyed optimists and the younger kids... this had hurt them badly. ]

[hydrokinetics]

[Now that everything's over and he's out of the kids' eyesight? Yeah. Yeah, he's more realistic about this. This happened. It will happen again and there's something nice about Sara being level with him about it. It's why there's a slightly defeated look in response to her echoing those words.]

A lot of us thought maybe there was a way to stop this, or at least to save those girls. Knowing that they were doomed from the start doesn't sit well with a lot of people. [Himself included, but whatever.] The message was loud and clear, but I don't think people are going to sit back and wait this time either.

[alcobrawlic]

No, probably not.

[ It's really going to get messy around here. ]

But fair's fair: how are you feeling, Percy? I can pretty much guess how everyone else is doing, so it's not like you need to repeat that to me.

[hydrokinetics]

[He doesn't answer at first, tapping his fingers on the counter instead.]

Pissed. [He finally decides, even if the word doesn't quite encompass how he feels about it.] I hate when people manipulate other people into doing terrible things. None of this was fair, Sara. Not for us, not for those girls, nothing. So why couldn't we stop it?

[alcobrawlic]

Because it wasn't fair. Right now... [ She pauses, folding her arms over her chest. ]

We're not fully armed with what we need to balance the scales out. They know it as well as we do, so right now, they're probably getting the most entertainment out of watching us struggle.

[hydrokinetics]

Like lab rats. We're here for them to experiment and play with because we're at their mercy, but they aren't giving us the answers. [Or, more fittingly:] I already have enough people doing that at home, I don't need it here, too.

[His jaw clenches and his fingers tap harder on the countertop.] So to succeed we need to balance the scales. How can we do that? Information? Beating the crap out of the Sheriff?

[alcobrawlic]

No, I don't think beating up the Sheriff is an option. I seem to remember a lot of bloody knuckles this trial.

[ GUYS... ]

Not to mention, he's just doing his job. Taking out our anger on him isn't really going to accomplish much. So that leaves information.

[hydrokinetics]

That wouldn't be a problem. [He's just cranky about the Sheriff, don't mind him.]

If he's doing his job, we need more information about his employers. Have you heard some of the stuff he's said about them?

[alcobrawlic]

Nooot a whole lot? No name drops or anything, at least.

[hydrokinetics]

He's been weirdly quiet about who they are, but he also said it's because there's something "vaguely omniscient" about them. [Not quite phrased like that, but.] Rin asked what their names were and the Sheriff said he can't say it because he can't even make the right sounds. What do you make of that?

[alcobrawlic]

... Ancient civilization.

[ Aidios. ]

[hydrokinetics]

They used to have an arena for this kind of thing. He mentioned that, too. I don't know if that's why Annabeth and I are here but it could explain why none of our powers work either. [He's not thinking about if he's even making sense. It's a thought.]

[alcobrawlic]

...

Okay, first of all, explain to me what that's got to do with you being here and powers not behaving?

[hydrokinetics]

...the same reason all of us are here and some of us are missing powers? [Yeah no.] If there's some all-powerful ancient being group watching us play the game they might have the power to override people completely.