Who's Strong and Brave Here to Save the American Way?

[halfbloodhillmods]

Who: Steve Rogers, Annabeth Chase, an NPC demigod...and a surprise
What: Going to get the demigod Tybalt and Dave heard about in Saratoga Springs.
Where: Northern New York
When: May 14-15th
Why: Because Captain America

For once, this quest doesn't have an official prophecy telling the questors to go. This time, it's mostly a warning.

Where the cat and red-eyed one had gone
To save this child they need brains, then brawn.
Siblings two shall go forth
And one shall come into his worth.

But mind the dangers in the Springs
For there shall be one to pull the strings
Of others that are still unknown
And one who will one day atone.

Cheerful little ditty, isn't it?

They had planned to send Annabeth anyway, but the prophecy mentioned siblings so Chiron (reluctantly) told Steve that he was going to get to go on this quest as Edmund was too new. There's no big to-do over this one, though there's still a chance to tell the two good-bye.

Comments

[quester]

The thing is that a part of you already knows how to defend yourself. It's in your blood.

[ Her posture relaxes next and she takes a few steps forward. ] Camp Half-Blood is my home. I can't imagine my life without it. There, you'll learn all the tricks and meet kids like you, who are going through the same things. There's nowhere safer now.

[redclover]

She told Da there wasn't a safe place.

[He looks at Steve, then at Annabeth.]

There are more kids like me?

[It sounds tempting but-]

Why should I trust you? How do I know you're not like her?

[thestarspangledman]

'Cause we're kids like you. [He half-turns to show off his shield, strapped on like a backpack.] See this? We made it at camp, Annabeth and I designed it. I didn't believe it either, but I've been there a few months now.

[quester]

I've been in camp since I was seven.

[ Proudly, she lightly taps the shield they both worked on. ]

You want to do cool stuff like this? You can learn everything there is to know about the gods and our history and learn how to fight. But - mostly, you can find family here. [ There isn't much time to get sentimental, even if there's a misty look in her eyes as she says all of these things. Annabeth nods over to the house. ] What do you say?

[redclover]

[The shield gets his attention and Shea is halfway to asking if he could poke it when Annabeth speaks.

He scowls, but it looks more like a pout.]

How do I know you didn't get that at a toy store? [But he's waffling, eyes flickering between them.] Family?

[thestarspangledman]

'Cause it's way cooler an' more useful than anything you could get at a toy store? [He may sound slightly offended, here, but he relaxes a little at Shea's question.]

Yeah. Since I got to camp, I have more family than I've had in a real long time.

[quester]

Bet you can't get a bulletproof, boomeranging shield in a toy store.

[ She's just as offended as her brother is, honestly. But that frown is soon replaced by a fond look. ] You won't feel like you're going at it alone.

[redclover]

[He bites his lip, looking down as he thinks this over. To be honest he didn't have much of a plan to go by. He was toying with the idea of just going tot his grandparents, but Da would check there first and Miss Madeline would be right behind him.

He didn't want that woman near his grandparents.]

Can I get a cool shield too? [He gives a small smile.] It's not too far, right?

[thestarspangledman]

Sure you can. We'll make it happen, we keep an eye on the armory. [Steve nods.]

Yeah. We took the train up here.

[quester]

Ask any kid who works in the forge, and you'll definitely get one with our help. I promise.

Look, I'm sorry to rush you, but I definitely don't trust whoever's got you under lock and key. We've gotta go, if you want to join us. I really hope you do.

Because no getaway is this easy.

[redclover]

You don't trust her? Trying living with her.

[He nods though, the small smile growing.]

Okay. But only if I can get a cool shield.

[He readjusts his duffle bag, prepared to follow the two when his eyes go wide. He kneels down, unzipping his bag and searching through it.

It's not there.]

Wa-Wait. I forgot something.

[And he's already back to his feet, racing around back to the backdoor.]

I'll be right back!

[thestarspangledman]

Hurry up, huh? I didn't like the looks of that lady at all. [He calls after Shea, almost tempted to run after him and keep an eye on things.]

[quester]

Sure, [ she agrees reluctantly, watching him go. ]

That woman gives me the creeps. She's up to something and while I want to know what, I don't want to put anyone in danger. [ Except herself. She'd protect them both in an instant. ]

[redclover]

I'll be back in a flash!

[He rounds his corner, out of sight. It won't take long, honest. He just needs to grab his Mom's photo.]

[miladym]

[As soon as Shea vanishes inside, the strange lady from before appears. She has in her hands a ball, and she's tossing it from hand to hand]

You campers really are stupid, aren't you? I told you to leave.

[quester]

Neither of us like being bossed around very much.

[ Annabeth's pulled her weapon out again, knife at the ready. It's not a common favored weapon for demigods, but she's an expert at it. ] Leave the kid alone.

[thestarspangledman]

[And Steve's got his shield at the ready.]

Who are you really? No one good, I'm guessin'.

[miladym]

[The lady just smiles as her form goes from the pale woman to an Asian woman of undecipherable ethnicity with an angular face. It also seems a little...wavy, like it's hard to really focus on her and remember details about her face]

I work with the Red Room. You can call me M, daughter of Arcus and Legacy of Trivia.

[She mumbles something and the ball catches fire]

I am very close to convincing Shea's father to let me take him with me back to Markel and Gaea and I really can't have you ruining that, can I?

[thestarspangledman]

[And he's frowning a little, moving over near Annabeth just in case he needs to put that shield to good use.]

He's comin' with us, sorry. I'm not gonna let Gaea get another kid on her side.

[quester]

[ Annabeth frowns. She hates having her vision tampered with and the fact that she's got two types of illusion up her sleeves means trouble for all of them. Her half-brother moving closer is a comfort she doesn't linger on. ]

You're putting a dent in our pl -- [ The fire catches her attention immediately and she immediately makes a dive for M, needing her to stamp it out. ]

[miladym]

[M just sidesteps and throws the ball at the house. It catches fire faster than it probably should but, well. Trivia.]

Plans? Was that what you were about to say, when you're trying to ruin mine? Well, if I'm not allowed to take Shea to Gaea, I think it's only fair that you not be allowed to take him to your nasty little camp.

[Still smiling that creepy smile, M vanishes. Gotta love good old Arcus light illusions]

[thestarspangledman]

[--Alright. Steve knows Annabeth can take care of herself, he's seen her do it before. He's also banking on the fact that she'll try and go after M. The people who can't is what he's concerned about in this case; so he is running for the house as soon as he sees it catch fire. He's coughing as he enters, using the shield to cover himself from the worst of and tries to make his way up the stairs before the smoke gets too bad.

In any case, mostly through trial and error, he finds Shea and his father. He is distracted for a moment -- maybe it's the smoke, maybe it's the fact that he's suddenly coughing and wheezing as badly as he ever had in Brooklyn, -- but there's a brief vision of a smiling blond man (Bucky's dad, maybe?), and then everything is suddenly smaller and he is tripping over his own feet as he runs. He's too busy concentrating on getting the other two out safely to care at the moment, ignoring the startled look from Shea and the protests of his father. The shield comes in handy once again, at least to cover his eyes from the smoke; and alright, he might have gotten a little singed along the way, but eventually he, Shea, and Shea's father make it safely out of the house. He tries to catch his breath once he's assured they're all safe, got eyes on Annabeth, and quite suddenly he realizes that everything else is still smaller, he's not wheezing, and he just looks....well, very confused. To say the least.]

Are you okay, Annabeth? Everyone else? [His voice sounds deeper. That just adds to the confusion, and he shakes his head somewhat wonderingly.] Um.

[quester]

[ Annabeth falls as soon as M disappears. She shifts into a single minded mission to maybe capture someone for the Red Room, kill two birds with one stone. Quietly, she curses, wishing she had someone good with illusions and counteracting them with her. Next time.

Unfortunately, the woods outside the house are clear so she, instead, grabs the hose in the backyard, unrolling it and twisting it open to she can try to quell the spreading fire. Important people are on there and she already lost time in her quick and fruitless search. The fire is contained to a small corner after some time, longer than she hoped, and a sudden freer strikes her. Steve, as much as she now trusts him, may not have been able to handle -- ]

Steve....

[ Annabeth nearly drops the hose. ]

[redclover]

[He'd been having an argument with his Da - who of course caught him trying to sneak out again - when the fire started.

The rest was a bit of a blur, but he remembers Steve grabbing him and telling them to go.

Now that their outside though, and he's sure Da is okay he realizes something is a lot different then before. That thing being Steve.]

Holey Moley...

[thestarspangledman]

[He just shakes his head confusedly and shrugs, giving Annabeth a searching look.]

I dunno what happened, but -- everyone's okay, right?