One boy, one girl, two hearts, their world time goes by, secrets rise [W5, Sat, Post-Trial]

[hydrokinetics]

[It's a few hours later, late at night and quiet. The town's settled down after the trial again and Percy seems to be taking Mrs. O'Leary out for one more late-night walk. It shouldn't surprise him, but it does. It surprises him to see a lone figure walking away from the Sheriff's station and it's only because of who it is that he calls out.]

Xion.

Comments

[hydrokinetics]

Don't doubt that it's them. I know it is. [There's a light quirk of his lips.] ...Annabeth doesn't trust me to be alone, so she asked Hal for a way to watch me. They have TVs now. It's why sometimes their letters talk about things that happen in this town. And anyway, Annabeth's entire letter to me the first time was stuff I've never told anyone in my life other than her.

We can't doubt that we will save them. We'll be able to bring them home.

[But...he understands that, too.] Feelings are a messy thing, aren't they? Usually when I don't know what to do with mine, I take them out in combat. Can't do much of that here without someone really getting hurt though.

[ceded]

I ... I won't stop fighting to get them back. It was just a thought that wouldn't leave me alone, no matter how hard I tried.

[ ... ]

I sort of miss fighting. I just fought monsters all day, and it was easy. I didn't really have to think about it at all, most of the time. But here... I feel so limited. Like I can't do anything right at all.

[hydrokinetics]

...monsters chase people like me. Monsters want me dead most of the time, so I'm sort of used to it. But at least I had my weapons and my powers at home. Here I just have these. [He waves his hands.]

...is that part of why you wanted to take this next step?

[ceded]

... no, [ she says, and it's the honest answer. ]

The reason I told you was the truth. I felt like I owed this to Felix. Although... I can't really say what he really thinks of me.

[hydrokinetics]

And why is that? [All of that, he means.]

[ceded]

... he's dying tomorrow, anyway, [ she says, mostly to herself. With enough volume to be clear: ]

I talked to him last night. He's the one who told me how Chane died. I just ... feel like I failed him.

[hydrokinetics]

I'm afraid to ask how he knew. I don't know if you failed him though. He got what he wanted. He found Chane's killer and got his revenge.

How, exactly, have you failed him?

[ceded]

.... I promised him I'd help. And I couldn't even do that. I couldn't stop him from dying tomorrow... I couldn't do anything. So I thought that if he had to die... it should be me.

[ her voice grows softer and softer. ]

[hydrokinetics]

Felix made his choice. Actions have consequences sometimes--[Or all the time, but this is Percy and consequences are just suggestions to him sometimes]--and he chose his. There is nothing that you or I could have done to change that.

He set his own path. And now we have to let him travel it.

...sometimes people say that it's not the people who've died you should feel bad for, but the people left behind. I'm still deciding which of us has it worse.

[ceded]

Isn't it just kind of terrible ... for everyone?

{ This is suddenly said with great bitterness. ]

... I know he made his choice. But he's .... he's my ....

[ ... she trails off.

friend. ]

[hydrokinetics]

I used to think that, but knowing that they're in the train and safe for now is a little better. It's why I don't think it's such a bad place for Felix to go.

[...he can fill in the blanks himself.] Xion. I've lost a lot of friends over the years. I've had friends try to kill me, friends die for me, and friends die in front of me. So...I get what you're saying. I really do. But being his executioner means that your last memory of him will be taking his life.

...it's not an easy thing to live with.

[ceded]

I...

[ She stops walking.

Slowly, she lifts both hands to press them to the sides of her head. ]

So ... so what? [ her voice shakes. ] So what...? It's too late to change anything now...!

[hydrokinetics]

[Oh what the hell. He stops, moving in front of her but hands hovering, not quite touching but completely concerned.]

Hey, hey. Don't say that, all right? It's not...it's not too late until tomorrow. Things can change. Everything can change based on the vote tomorrow. But Felix...made his choice. That was always how it was going to be. He'll be safe in the train until we win and can save them.

[ceded]

It can't! If I got voted for, I'll have to kill him! I...

[ Her fingers thread into her hair. For the first time, she's actually picturing it, which she hadn't done when she volunteered after the trial. For the first time, she's imagining what his blood might feel like, what the look on his face would be.

How she'd do it.

But being his executioner means that your last memory of him will be taking his life.

... what ... has she done? ]

[hydrokinetics]

You can't say that something's a definite and then say if in the same sentence, Xion. That's not how it works. [But he's watching her closely to see what she's doing. Maybe, just maybe, she finally understands why he fought with her on this.

It's a harsh reality. All he can do is pray that someone else takes the job.] There's still time for things to change.

[ceded]

Don't be stupid!

[ It's ... not really clear what part she's saying that about. Either way she backs away from him, shaking her head rapidly. ]

I... I... I have to go.

[hydrokinetics]

[Normally he'd try to stop her, but the moment those words leave her lips she'll notice his expression close completely.

"Don't be stupid!" Like a slap to the face for trying to do something good. Well. Oh well. He's not too surprised and instead he cants his head before nodding.]

Then go. [The tone itself is short, too. He's done here, it seems.] Be safe wherever you go. [And before she can run, he stops to whistle for Mrs. O'Leary, turning on his heel to head back to the hotel.

Xion's clearly smarter than he is. She'll handle herself just fine.]