A satyr, a half-blood, and a Cyclops walk into Canada...

[riptide_surfer]

Who: Perseus Jackson, and Baron Byron Balaz

What: A discussion about... monsters, most likely

Where: We'll stay at the University Quadrangle.

When: Backdated to evening, August 18, 2011

Status: Closed, incomplete

Comments

[baronbalaz]

Some yards away, across the quadrangle a bank--it was too small to be a bank--cloud of fog roiled low over the grass. Unseen, where the edge of the fog met the top of the recently-cut grass, a rabbit hung, above five inches off the ground, twitching limply, nothing but leftover impulse.

Baron Byron Balaz shifted to one knee, hoisting what looked to be a weapon out of a video game up to his shoulder, squinted through a sight and compressed the trigger. There was a bright, crackling blue flash, bright enough to light the area around him like the strike of a thunderbolt--a beat later the energy entered the fog. A hiss like swiftly evaporating water whistled over the still night air, shattering the silence of the evening a second time--the fog melded with the night, leaving nothing but a dark wet splatter of blood where what was left of the rabit landed, half disolved, into the grass.

'They've never been here before.' Byron thought, shouldering the pulse rifle and moving to examine where the creature died, ears tuning in to the beat of a human heart--the thrum of blood through veins--very close by.

It didn't take long to find the source.

[riptide_surfer]

Percy sat up a little straighter. He heard-- well, he wasn't sure exactly what it was he heard, but it was something unusual. Something that awoke his ever-ready battle instincts. Unable to stay where he was, he got to his feet, pulling his pen from his pocket and cautiously heading towards the strange, unearthly sound.

"Hello?" he called, with considerable bravado, since he had no idea what he was up against. "Anyone out there?"

[baronbalaz]

Baron strode across the wide lawn, shifting the heavy rifle more comfortably across his back as he went, ignoring the pale wisps of what remained of his prey--the voice that had called out was young but confident--not surprising if it was who he assumed.

"Percy Jackson?" Byron asked, stepping out of the gloom into the edge of a pool of light cast by a lamp post. "I mean you no harm."

[riptide_surfer]

"Well, um, that's good," said Percy. "Thank you? You're the first one I've talked to in the past two weeks who's said that." Longer, actually, but the waitress at the diner had been extra nice. Even let him wash dishes in exchange for a meal. "I prayed to all Olympus that I might get the night off, but we've already proven their service area doesn't extend to Canada."

[baronbalaz]

'This poor boy believes himself entirely alone.' Byron realized suddenly, his level expression wavering somewhat into sympathy.

"I find that hard to believe in this town," He said earnestly. "Some of the most kind-hearted souls I've ever had the pleasure to meet reside here; believe me, coming from where I do it's a trait easily recognized. Oh, forgive me, my name is Baron Byron Balasz," The Baron bowed shallowly. "You're a hard boy to find." He smiled slightly; for all the times Byron had felt tested by the Ancestors, he'd never once considered the fact that they'd abandoned him. After all, if it was their will he be there, it was also their will he meet Alba.

"I dare say your prayers have been answered if you want the night off." the Nobleman motioned back over his shoulder. "I've been hunting all the and the most I've seen is the odd Mist Devil."

[riptide_surfer]

"Yeah," said Percy. "Kind-hearted. I think that kind-hearted-ness only goes so far, when having me around makes monsters attack." He shrugged. "Hence the nomadic lifestyle. It's not so bad. I've done it before. I just..." he trailed off, looking dejected. "I guess having the night off is something, at least." Didn't change the fact that what he really wanted was to have someone around to celebrate his birthday with. Nothing big, just... he missed everyone.

[baronbalaz]

"It's just not something the people here are used to," Byron reassured. "In my own time, such things are far more common."

Byron took a breath. There was a shift in the boy's emotions, something that radiated vulnerable; it lapsed like a wave at the edge of his resolve slowly, slowly wearing away at what remained of his control.

"I've...encountered more than one such young person like you in my life." He said, squeezing midnight eyes shut, taking air in slow, shallow inhalations. "Believe me when I say you are not as alone here as you believe. If you wish, arrangements can be made for a more permanent place to stay. I've been organizing a Watch to keep the town safe...my job would be considerably easier if you deigned to stay in one place." The Baron managed what he hoped was a kind smile, moving as close as he dared.

[riptide_surfer]

Percy stared at him. "...everyone else I've talked to said staying in one place would only make things worse," he said. "But you think it would make things easier?" It was on his lips to ask, Do you KNOW what's attacked me since I got here? But he was suddenly so tired. Tired of everything.

Closing his eyes, he said, "You gotta understand, mister. In the last few years, I've had lots of people make all sorts of promises, with smiling, happy faces, who then turn right around and try to kill me and my fr- my friends." This was no lie. Auntie Em, for instance, with her hamburgers... she'd tried to turn them into garden statuary. "I just-- it's my birthday, okay? I don't want to be attacked by monsters, and I don't want to have to worry about who's trying to feed me a line. Just... I just want to be left alone, to miss my friends, and my mom, and- and blue candy..." he trailed off, knowing he wasn't making any sense. "Sorry."

[baronbalaz]

The same instinct that had vanquished his hunger for Alba on Father's Day swept over Byron in an instant, what heat stirred under his skin chilling. As it always seemed to, his memory was flung back to May and little Hugh, how brave and boisterous the boy was, and how sad...

Byron shook his head.

"No apology needed, my dear child." Though part of him knew Percy many not approve of his endearments, they were so automatic he barely questioned them until they passed his lips. "Though, I must continue to protest you on one point--no one should be alone on their birthday, let alone a young man."

His own memories of birthdays were like remembering long-kept secrets, for that's what the days were. H is mother would prepare something with the servants privately, out of sight and out of mind of Lord Balaz--and though they were rarely allowed to leave the castle, they have found their own special places there, safe from his father. From the way Percy spoke he wondered if he hadn't found a kindred spirit...

[riptide_surfer]

Child? He was seventeen years old this year. Then again, to some people, that would still seem like a child. And anyway, it didn't bother him so much; it sort of reminded him of Chiron. Not that this guy was anything like Chiron, except that he talked old-fashioned. Sort of like Zoe Nightshade, too.

Man, more friends he wasn't going to see for a long, long time. Like, maybe forever.

He shrugged uncomfortably. "It's not like I know a lot of people around here," he said. "Heck, last year, I almost forgot it was my birthday, what with the Great Prophesy and all that." His sixteenth birthday had been considered "Doomsday" by everyone he knew. He would have forgotten it was his birthday at all if Annabeth hadn't been there to remind him.

Annabeth... he missed his sensible-and-infinitely-smarter-than-he-was girlfriend. He wished she was here; it would make this situation so much more tolerable. 'Course, it would mean twice as many monsters to inflict on the populace...