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[prettywithawill]

Wherever this was, it wasn’t where Valkyrie was supposed to be. Not that it wasn’t lovely; the beach and the ocean and the trees and all of that. It would make a nice vacation spot and she could do with a holiday after all, she’d just saved the world again and she never really got much of a holiday after any of the times she did that

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[percy_jackson]

I haven't had a chance to talk to Thalia since the jukebox had revealed our future, and I was starting to get a little concerned. She was often moody, and I could see why the Island could make her moodier than usual, especially after she committed herself to Artemis's hunters, but we were both halfbloods. We'd been friendly, sort of, back home. And, maybe I was feeling just a bit clingy after Annabeth had gone -- not that I thought of Thalia that way, you understand. But Luke and I had made peace. Couldn't we all be happier if we all got closer together?

So, I resolved to talk to Thalia when I next had a chance, and when I saw what I thought was her walking down the beach, I came up to her with purpose, my short sword in its scabbard over my shoulder. I waved. "Hey, Thalia! I--"

Actually, the fact that she wasn't carrying her bow should have been a dead giveaway. What happened next made it triply clear.

[prettywithawill]

This guy looked like some sort of wizard. Sword over his shoulder, walking like he knew how to use it, and dressed in modern clothes. She was pretty sure that any sort of weirdo nerd that would be walking around with a sword would also be in medieval clothing or some sort. She didn't recognize him at all, which wasn't good. There weren't a lot of cute guys her age who were also wizards, so he wasn't local. Or rather, maybe he was, she was forgetting she wasn't exactly local at the moment

[percy_jackson]

Twenty seconds, huh? It took me about then to catch my breath. I took this time to stare up at this young woman -- a rather pretty young woman, especially from this... interesting... vantage point -- who looked a lot like Thalia, and a bit like Effy, but... "You're... not... Thalia," I said, my voice sounding very strained. "I-- What-- Why did you throw me down like that?"

I tried to keep the whine from my voice, but it was hard. I'd just been about to say 'hi'.

[prettywithawill]

The fact that he wasn't trying to fight back and wasn't screaming threats and curses at her went a long way in convincing her that he wasn't some sort of enemy. Definitely more convincing than anything he said, since what he said made him sound a bit mental.

"You know," said Valkyrie. "I already know who I am. And who I am not. It would be more useful for you to tell me who you are. And I threw you down because you were going for your sword."

[percy_jackson]

"I wasn't... going for... my sword!" I tried to move my wrists tentatively, on the off-chance that she'd let go and on the understanding that sudden moves could be a really bad idea at this point. "I was just--" My heart sank. Suddenly I could see why she thought I was going for my sword. "--waving."

Still, a girl like her would have to be completely paranoid to do a judo throw on somebody who was waving, just on the off-chance they were about to reach up for a sword. Yeah, about as paranoid as any halfblood would be if they'd spent more than a week on the streets of America fending for themselves.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I looked the woman in the eye. "I'm Percy. Percy Jackson. And I know how to use a sword, but I wasn't going for it. Honest." I gave her a wry grin as I nodded at the way she'd pinned my wrists. "Not like you had much to worry about, did you?"

[prettywithawill]

Valkyrie studied the boy, Percy, for a moment, tilting her head as she considered his words. Thinking back, he did say 'hey' and move his hand about in a wave-like manner. She realized that now may be coming off like a crazy person. About as crazy as someone who walked along the beach with a sword.

"My name is Valkyrie Cain," she finally said, deciding that he really probably was just saying hi. "And really, it's the little parts that you do worry about that you have to act on. Now, if you promise not to try to attack me, I'll get off of you. If you do try and attack me though, next time I'll drive my knee a bit lower than your chest."

Yes, he probably had been saying hi but a girl couldn't be too careful.

[percy_jackson]

I looked down at that knee, which was at my side now, but which had been pressed hard in my chest a moment before. A nice knee. Very pointy. I looked up at her. "Sounds fair."

[prettywithawill]

She paused again, considering one last time if he was a danger to her before figuring that it was unlikely.

"Alright," she said, hoppig up off of him and stepping to the side and offering a hand up. She figured it was the least she could do.

[percy_jackson]

I accepted her hand gratefully and hauled myself up, a little red-faced at being taken down so easily. "Thanks," I said. I looked her up and down. Yes, the resemblance was super uncanny. "You look a lot like a friend of mine. Thalia Grace is her name. Are you new here, by any chance?"

[prettywithawill]

For a moment, Valkyrie wondered if perhaps her Reflection was getting up to something strange while she was gone. Was it visiting some sort of strange, magic-less island meeting with boys who walked around with swords. If it was, Valkyrie was going to be beyond mad. Not only because it was doing things it shouldn't, but because those things were fun, and it wasn't sharing the memories with her.

"I don't know, I don't really know where here is. I might have been here a while, just in a different part."

[percy_jackson]

Yeah, she was new. "I came here from Long Island, New York," I said. Well, technically, the continental shelf to the south of it, but she didn't need to know that. "All of us have been taken from different places and times. Where were you last before you came here?"

[prettywithawill]

"Okay, we really need to work on how you answer questions. Or implied questions," she said. She didn't know if he was avoiding answering on purpose, or he just didn't realize she was looking for information.

"I ask who you are and you tell me who I'm not. I wonder where I am, you tell me where you were and ask where I was."

[percy_jackson]

I grimaced. "Sorry. This sort of thing can be really confusing, and I've never had to do it flat on my back before." I gave her a smile. "I told you my name. Percy Jackson. And as for where you are... well, that's a little hard to explain. You seem to know that you've suddenly come here... like magic. Well... we're on an Island. We don't really know much more than that. There's about four hundred of us here, some of us have been here for five years, and we can't get off. I know that sounds completely crazy, but that's the best I can do. Any other questions?"

I nodded over my head. "Have you been to the Compound? That's where we've sort of set up our city hall. There's food there, washrooms, places to sleep, and air conditioning. I can show you around, if you'd like."

[prettywithawill]

"What's with the sword?" she asked, pointing at the weapon on his back. That was really, the only thing that she was immediately concerned about. She now knew that he wasn't going to attack her with it, but he had to be carrying it for some reason. She figured it was probably for protection since he didn't seem very aggressive after she attacked him.

"Since it's not for attacking defenseless Irish girls you run across."

[percy_jackson]

I gave her a thoughtful look. "What's with the major judo skills?" I said. I shrugged. "Back where I came from,I needed a sword to protect myself and my friends. I was going to train with it later. I do find that knowing your way around a sword, or mad judo skills, isn't a bad thing on this Island, sometimes."

[prettywithawill]

"I don't know if I'd call those major," Valkyrie said, totally playing it off while secretly beaming on the inside at the compliment. "You went down pretty easy."

She couldn't help but give a small smile though, to show that she was mostly teasing. Catching someone completely by surprise went a very long way in making the throw somewhat easy.

"And I suppose if it's good to have a sword around here, I should let you show me around, just to be safe."

Also, he was cute. Valkyrie had just gotten out of the mother of all complicated relationships (when you and your ex had to kill a third wheel, it really made you want to appreciate being single for a while) that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate the scenery.