001 ♆ video

[headfullofkelp]

[The video feed clicks on to show a dark haired teenager in his apartment room with a Crabmon sitting on the bed next to him. The boy looks a little scowly, but he sounds more serious than angry when he actually starts talking.]

So, my name's Percy Jackson, and this is- [He turns towards his partner, who is just visible in the corner of the screen.] Dude, seriously, why don't you call yourself "Steve" or something? You are a Crabmon, that's like naming your kid Human or Centaur or something.

I don't know! Aren't there other people named Percy?

Sure, but they don't look exactly like me.

Well, do you want me to call myself Steve?

Do you want to be called Steve?

[Crabmon shrugs.] You're the boss!

[That gets a sigh out of Percy - it just seems like he can't get away from people calling him that - who focuses his attention back on the camera.] And this is Crabmon, or Steve, I guess, and this is not the first time I've been given the whole "you're basically here to save the world" speech, and believe me, it's not fun to hear it the second time, either. Or the third, or the fourth. [They get it, Percy.] And I mean, I get it. People are in trouble, and if I can help, I want to. But people are in trouble back home, too, and I can't stay here forever. And I bet I'm not the only one. I mean, I'd at least like to be able to tell my mom where I went, you know?

And I know some of you have been here before, or at least know more about what's going on than the rest of us, but in my experience? Just about any monster wants to eat you if you don't do the right thing around them. And believe me, I've had lots of experience with monsters wanting to eat me. [Still, there's a part of him that feels slightly guilty for insisting that, considering his brother was a cyclops and all, and it wasn't like his partner had been anything but helpful so far, so he makes a little bit of a chagrined face before amending that statement.] I mean, maybe some of them don't, here, but I'd still be careful. You can never be too careful when it comes to monsters. Especially ones that promise they're friendly.

[Sorry Steve. He'll get over it eventually, hopefully. He does actually look a little guilty as he says it, and glances over at the crustacean for a second.] I mean, I guess I trust him, he did kind of stop me from drowning like a loser, but you never know. Just be careful.

[He chews his lip a little for a moment, considering what to say next.] Anyway, I'm not trying to lecture anyone or- I don't know. I just want to help, and something tells me this guy- [He sticks a thumb towards Crabmon.] wants to, too. Let us know if there's anything we can do.

[For a moment, it looks like he's maybe going to say something else, but he ends up just switching the feed off.]

Comments

[video]

[renegadedriving]

[. . . Oh, she likes this kid already. He's taking this with some degree of severity, which he really should be. Also, he took offense to the 'entire species with the same name' thing.]

You've got the right attitude. The partner digimon are pretty harmless unless you really make them mad, but the others...

[She sighs.]

Let's just say I didn't get these broken ribs falling down the stairs.

[She gives him a half grin.]

I'm Commander Shepard. Nice to meet you, Percy and... Steve.

[video]

[headfullofkelp]

["Offense" is probably the wrong word. More like he just thought it seemed stupid, although this is also the kid who named the Ophiotaurus Bessie, so.

He already knew things had gotten bad thanks to his talk with Kaldur, but actually talking to someone who had been caught in the middle of it sort of makes it more real. People could and would get hurt here. He suddenly felt pretty guilty for just wanting to go home as fast as possible.]

You, too. Commander of what?

[video]

[renegadedriving]

I'm in the military. I don't suppose you've heard of the SSV Normandy?

[video]

[headfullofkelp]

Like the beaches? [History has never been Percy's best subject. Or geography, for that matter.]

[video]

[renegadedriving]

[Okay, that makes her laugh.]

Not quite. It's my starship's name.

[video]

[headfullofkelp]

Starship? That's, I mean, I've never been that into science fiction, but that's pretty sweet.

video;

[risette_truestory]

[ Oh! It's the guy that went swimming.

He is USED to monsters trying to eat him? That doesn't sound like a very fun childhood there, Percy. ]

Eat you?

video;

[headfullofkelp]

[You have no idea. B(]

Yeah, it's a- [Steve has heard this enough to know where it's going, and promptly chimes in.] Long story!

Killing and maiming have been in the cards, too, but you'd be surprised which ones decide teenagers apparently are part of a balanced breakfast.

video;

[risette_truestory]

[ What kind of world did this guy belong to ---- then she remembered that her world was killing off people one by one and using a world inside a television. Teenagers were doing the rescue too.

So maybe his world was just as bad as hers at least ... but eat them?! ]

What is your world like? Back home could be pretty scary too but ... [ Pouts. ]

video;

[headfullofkelp]

[Percy's... really not sure how to explain. Really, he's not even supposed to explain it to a mortal, mostly because they'd probably think he was insane and try to stick him in a mental institution, but he sort of thought there were other reasons, too.

Then again, explaining any of this to someone back home would probably make them think he was nuts, too, demigod or not.]

It's... complicated. I mean, I used to think it was pretty normal, but then I found out a while ago that there have been monsters trying to kill me pretty much my whole life, and now I'm trying to stop them. [Which was... close enough.] What about yours?

video;

[risette_truestory]

[ Well, it couldn't be that bad. At least for her. She's been kidnapped, shoved into a television, fought with her shadow self and made friends with a hallow teddy bear that can move and talk.

Then again, he didn't know that. ]

I guess I can understand. Before a few weeks ago, I learned the hard way that our world is pretty weird and complicated too ...

Hnmmm ... I was almost killed by myself actually. It's not really suicide though! [ How was she supposed to explain this? ]

... it was like a shadow me. Err --- from inside a TV world.

video;

[headfullofkelp]

[... Yeah, you might need to explain a little better than that, Rise, because both Percy and Steve are looking at you funny.]

What?

video;

[risette_truestory]

[ ... yeah. She didn't quite believe it either at first too. ]

I told you it would be hard to explain.

[video]

[genreawareness]

You aren't telling us anything we don't already know. A swarm of Digimon already attempted to tear down the city.

[And the clean up after that was still just getting started]

Your Digimon partner, however, won't hurt you.

[video]

[headfullofkelp]

And some of us just got here and don't know that, and if I didn't have experience with this kind of thing? I'd appreciate the head's up before I tried petting any hellhounds.

[But he's not really looking to start a fight about it, so he focuses on the other part of what she's saying.]

How can we help with that? A guy we talked to said the damage was pretty bad.

[video]

[genreawareness]

There's a cleanup and a reconstruction crew organized specifically for that purpose. You can join and help if you'd like, and they'll even pay you for your assistance.

[video]

[headfullofkelp]

We don't need to get paid, we just want to help. Do we need to talk to anyone, or just show up somewhere with some hammers and nails?

[video]

[genreawareness]

If you show up at-- [insert instructions here] -- then it should be easy for you to get involved.

Payment may not be necessary, but income is income.

[video]

[headfullofkelp]

Fair enough. Thanks for the directions. What's your name?

[Video]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

Hey kid.

Let me know when you find that way out. You're not the only one who has somethin' to get back to.

[Because really, he was pulled at a pretty bad time. Intergalactic war with crazy psycho robot necromancer...it's been a slice.

Wheeljack's Gazimon's still perched on his shoulder, something he's reluctantly come to accept.]

Jump in any more rivers lately?

[Video]

[headfullofkelp]

You'll be the first guy I tell. [Well, besides Steve, who seemed kind of sad about Percy being so eager to get out of here. He'd tried to explain, and the guy seemed to get it, but. He did feel kind of guilty for telling him hey, I know you've been waiting your whole life to meet me, but I really need to get out of here as soon as possible.

It's easier to just focus on what Gazimon's saying, and Percy can't stop the small smirk from forming.]

Nope, sorry. You should come with next time, you don't know what you're missing out on.

[Video]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[You seems to be excited at that answer, putting her claws over her face and snickering.]

Maybe you should take Wheeljack with you!

You, don't get ideas. I'm not in the mood for swim class.

[He smirks at the kid though, shaking his head.]

I'll be disappointed if ya tell anyone else.

[Video]

[headfullofkelp]

Well, we can't be the only people who want to go home. I'm gonna have to tell people eventually. [He's mostly kidding/assuming that's not explicitly what you meant.]

Do you know anyone else here? Like, from back home?

[Video]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[Oh, you're a sassy one, Percy. He'll have to remember that.]

One. But we're not exactly best friend status at the moment. Wants nothin' to do with me.

It was really weird. She said things Wheeljack couldn't remember!

[Wheeljack rolls his eyes and smacks You upside the head.]

I didn't forget them, You! They never happened!

[Video]

[headfullofkelp]

That's weird. [And he doesn't really have a good explanation as to why that could happen, considering time travel is one of the few things he's had no experience with.

Greek gods being real was enough time stuff for one lifetime, thanks.]

I guess at least there aren't any decepti... whatevers.