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( closed ) welcome to the show

WHO: Lester and Crow
WHERE: A Heropa open air movie theater
WHEN: backdated to early July / before the Swear-In
WHAT: Just two friends, chilling with a movie and popcorn and - well, that sure was a bunch of cryptids here to interrupt them.
WARNINGS: JRPG and Riordan-typical levels of violence

[ When a guy makes a promise to help a friend catch up on pop culture, he keeps those promises. Apollo had picked up Crow and arranged for them to catch a showing at the local outdoor theater.

Honestly, part of him's still surprised a sleepy town like Heropa has one up and running. Maybe it's a seasonal thing, to account for the good weather even at night? It's not quite close to town, either, so they're closer to the outskirts than he would like. Back home, Apollo would've called it a prime spot for monsters. This Earth, though, lacks said monsters.

At most, there's probably more than a few kids making out in the crowd. He grins at Crow as they're seated, holding out some popcorn - ]

Okay, so this is the sequel to a really popular set of films about toys coming to life. That's all you need to know to get the gist, I think. [ he helps himself to some popcorn, ] But if anything's confusing, I'm right here. I'll explain it all, no problem.

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[ Right as the toys are about to embark on their big adventure, a roar bursts from behind. Lester pauses, sitting up straighter - he couldn't have heard that right. He doesn't have super-hearing, but he knows the quality of that roar is much richer and deeper than what the movie speakers provide.

Therefore, it's here, and it's real, and -

And that sure was a whole herd of unicorns descending upon the screen, stomping all over it in a mad rush. The crowd shrieks.

Lester barely has time to register what's going on before he rises to his feet and snags his combat ukulele (which, frankly, just looks like another ukulele), ]

Let's go.

[ What the heck is a ukelele going to do in a fight?

Crow barely has time to register the thought and even as he is, he's standing up and whipping his double saber out from his inventory. He's immediately and obviously comfortable with the weapon, holding it both at the ready and also in a way that it easily avoids any accidental impact with the nearby panicking crowd. ]

You get 'em from the left, I'll get 'em from the right.

You got it!

[ Of course Crow knows how to use a saber. Lester doesn't even question it as he strums his ukulele, forcing his fingers to move a little faster as he rushes towards the left.

His music overpowers the theater; in fact, the movie's audio has been fully replaced by a children's lullaby. He hums it under his breath, hoping that at least one of those unicorns will be somewhat placated -

One shifts away from him, then two. He glances at Crow, hoping his side's a little better, if not slower than before. ]

[ A double saber even, which is infinitely more bullshit as a weapon.

That being said he's using it with relative ease-- he's not actually trying to kill any unicorns so much as just knock them out, so the one he's hitting as Lester looks over is being smacked with the flat of one of the blades. Between the blow and Lester's lullaby, it stumbles over and collapses, knocked out. Did you know unicorns can snore? Well, this one certainly is.

He spares a glance over in Lester's direction. ]

Putting 'em to sleep, huh? Nice going!

That's the plan! [ He keeps strumming, slowing down his pace - ] Don't think we can afford to kill these guys in broad... in plain sight?

[ Because yes, he absolutely would have killed them if he thought it would help. As it stands, the unicorns in question start swaying, struggling to stay awake despite the pull of the sleepytime lullaby. ]

It's probably freak out the locals.

[ His tone is agreeable and definitely carries the note that he would have killed them too if he thought it was the right call. He wouldn't have any compunctions about slaying the unicorns, just about upsetting everyone else. In some ways, it's actually harder to fight them without the intention to kill but Crow is managing it deftly. ]

Exactly.

[ A man after him in both common sense and taste! Lester side-steps a particularly sleepy one, already wiping sweat from his forehead. It's taking a lot of energy to play and dodge!

Luckily for him, they don't seem keen on attacking. If anything, they seem... tired? More so than before his lullaby. The stampeding may not have been intentional, but he's not going to dwell on that.

He strums louder, ]

Maybe we could trap them? Find somewhere to contain them all?

[ even if most of the locals have... abandoned the theater... ]

Most of the locals have ditched this place, it'll do for the moment.

[ He'll point out what Lester's likely already noticed but it's also not a longterm solution. He considers the unicorns in front of him for a moment before nodding to himself. ]

ARCUS, activate!

[ A device in one of his pockets starts glowing, bright and visible enough to be seen through the fabric. A circle of glowing blue light surrounds him for a moment before he holds out his hand towards the unicorns. The unicorn in question jolts unexpectedly before collapsing into a dead faint. ]

[ The heck was that?!

Lester stares at Crow, then at the unicorn, then back at Crow, before letting out a long, slow whistle, ]

Impressive. Think you could do that again?

[ Some kind of tazer, maybe? Kids do come up with strange names for their pocket lightning bolts. ]

Are you kidding? Of course I can!

[ There's a limit to the amount he can do without any rest with any of the abilities that require his ARCUS, but that one doesn't take a lot out of him. ]

Don't expect any Arts out of me that aren't Time or Water, though.

[ Unfortunately, his abilities had gotten nerfed when he came over and those were the only elements he has left to him. But it's fine, honestly, those are his primary ones anyway.

He cues up his ARCUS again and there's another glow around him before he hits another unicorn with the same attack. This one sways on her feet for a moment before fainting as well. ]

[ Artes... magic? Something like magic? Apollo would ask, but then that would open him up to questions about his audiokinesis. Frankly, saying 'I used to be a god' is a conversation best saved for another time. ]

Wouldn't ask for 'em anyway! [ He pauses, in time to his music, which is slowing down - ] I don't know what an Art is, in this context. I'm assuming magic? Some battery-powered form of magic?

[ He shrugs as he uses the flat of his double saber to smack another unicorn upside the head. ]

"Battery powered magic" is the closest answer, but it's not really magic. There's a distinct difference.

[ There's something authoritative about the way he says that. ]

Well, yeah. [ Apollo stops strumming long enough to poke a wobbly unicorn down to the side. He shakes his fingers, already growing weary, before playing again, this time slower and with less-complicated chords: ] I don't mess with magic. Not my domain.

[ He glances briefly at Lester before returning his attention to the unicorn he's up against, getting this one in the flank in an attempt to exhaust it. ]

Your domain?

[ There's a curious lilt to his voice. ]

[ Why does everyone question the domain?! ]

Uh-huh. [ He blasts a vibration towards another unicorn, in hopes it'll tumble over, ] You know, things you have control over? Like, how music's my domain?

[ Crow shoots Lester a flat look. ]

You don't say? I never would have known.

[ His voice is dripping with sarcasm, but he switches to something lighter as he knocks out another unicorn. ]

You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.

No, no, it's fine! [ He draws in a breath, shaking his fingers before he continues again - ] That's just how I've always described my abilities.

[ then again, mortals never did use that word. what did they call them? Powers? That might've been simpler. ]

It's an interesting way to do it.

[ Crow suspects there's more to it but if Lester doesn't want to talk about it, that's his business. He's not going to push the matter for now. He glances at the remaining unicorns as he talks, though. ]

I think they're almost all down on my end. How about you?

One more - [ he's huffing, because he has no stamina whatsoever, as he strums a particularly loud chord. The ground almost vibrates from the intensity, and the last standing unicorn on his end wobbles to the side.

Their lack of resistance still alarms him, but he's not in enough (physical) shape to argue that point. He bends his fingers, loosening his hold on his weapon: ]

Think you can nab the last one?

Yeah, I've got this. ARCUS activate!

[ There's that blue glow again for a moment and then he hurls his Soul Blur attack to the last remaining unicorn. She wobbles unsteadily for a moment before she falls over into a dead faint.

Crow breaths in and lets it out slowly, looking at the small heard of unconscious unicorns around them. They'd done it-- with no casualties either, even if it might've made things easier on them both. ]

What.... are we gonna do with these guys now?

[ Apollo lurches forward, collapsing on his knees and catching his breath. Gods, his fingers are so, so much more sore and his heart and lungs feel like they hate him. The blood's rushing and he's–

He holds up a couple of fingers, if only to let himself cool down, ]

Um... [ he pauses, setting his weapon aside and reaching for his phone, ] We've got a couple of options. In my last briefing, we were told that we could turn these over to the government, or sell them to some eccentric millionaire types. I don't think any of us have the resources to keep them alive after - um, after our run-in with the last monster.

What do you wanna do?

[ Crow considers the options as he looks down at the unicorns. He kneels down to one, checking her condition. ]

Neither of those options sounds really thrilling to me.

[ He says the words casually, thinking out loud. He has no love of governments but eccentric millionaires aren't exactly his favourite thing, either. ]

But unfortunately, you're right about resources. ...Much as I hate to say it, I think I'd trust the government over the millionaires.

[ Deep down, Apollo agrees. He may work for Aegis, but his heart lies with Jacob more than any large organization – and if he hadn’t fallen in with them, who knows where he would be now. Once he’s pulled himself together, he pulls out his phone. ]

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. I’ll go call the office and explain it to them.

[ Small miracles, he paid attention the last time this came up in an Aegis briefing. He goes ahead and calls the government contact that he was given, explaining the situation and asking how soon someone can be dispatched over...

After a bunch of mhmm’s and yes ma’ams, he gives Crow a thumbs up as he ends the call: ] They’re coming as soon as they can. Ten to fifteen minutes? Thank gods we were in Florida.

[ Crow hums out his agreement. ]

Mm-hmn. Not sure I'd wanna know how long it would've been if we'd been out in Marturia Falls.

[ It's an example, but only halfway random as it's where Crow ends up spending most of his time when he's not at home in Heropa. They've got an active gambling underground there and it appeals to a guy with a love of high stakes and a transient care for legalities. ]

At least they should all stay out for that long.

[ He puts his double saber back into his inventory and sits back down. ]

[ At that, Lester pauses, pocketing his phone - ]

Well, they would've sent whichever Aegis agents were on duty. [ which includes him, but he's not sure he wants to admit that when he's Exhausted. He's the least scrappy of the team. He knows it, too! ] Which, honestly, might've been worse.

[ He pauses, watching Crow. Speaking of honesty... ]

Um, about my powers... [ how should he put this? ] Back home, we had people in charge of various aspects. Mine was music. Music, archery, art, poetry... a whole lot of things. I wasn't trying to brush you off earlier, I was um - I've got like no stamina.

[ Crow cannot relate to the "no stamina" thing (it's one of his better stats), but he nods anyway. ]

In charge of various aspects, huh...?

[ He considers that for a moment. ]

Guess that makes the whole "domain" thing a little more understandable.

Yeah. [ Lester exhales, standing at his full height now that he's recovered - it reminds him of a haiku: Forget stamina / you see a unicorn herd / you get real worn out. In his defense, he's too Tired to edit it. ] I think the closest another world would have is like - a god being part of a 'pantheon.'

[ It's not like he's trying to keep his true nature a secret; it just didn't really come up before. ]

I'm mortal now, but before, music was my Thing. Still is, as you just saw.

[ It... follows the structure of a haiku.... ]

A pantheon, huh.... We've only got the one goddess back home, but I get the general idea. So you used to be a god of music...?

[ Crow wonders, briefly, how a god becomes mortal but shakes his head. It's not important. ]

You're pretty good at the music thing.

[ There are plenty of those on Earth who would agree with Crow's way of thinking, and briefly, Lester's reminded of the difference between a lowercase god and an uppercase God. ]

Yeah. [ he brightens, already re-energized at the praise, ] Thanks! I'd hope I'm good at it – considering I'm still a music teacher and all.

You'd think so, but I'd bet there's some pretty crap music teachers out there.

[ Though that's more likely because they can't teach rather than any real lack of musical talent. ]

So can you do more than put people-- [ Unicorns. ] --to sleep with your music?

For sure. [ He almost sounds offended, until he remembers that some people actually can't control their musical ability, ] You name it, I'm capable of using my music to do it.

I've cursed people into speaking rhyme, I somehow made a kid cry by tuning my guitar, um, and there was the time I broke all the glass in a concert hall...

[ Crow cracks up at that last one, shaking his head with a grin. ]

I think the last one's the best!

[ He's not very good at staying serious, okay. ]

[ He laughs, relieved, with his face almost glowing - like, literally glowing - as he looks back at Crow. ]

It sucked at the time! I was their music teacher, you know? I was an authority figure and then I wasn't.

[ the kids didn't mind; if anything, it cemented him as a Cool Person. ]

But - yeah. My real name's Apollo, and I'm the former god of music for my pantheon.

There's something to be said for having your authority figures be relatable.

[ Not that Crow is familiar with respecting authority figures but you know how it goes. ]

I'm guessing there's a story behind the "former" part of that. I have a hard time imagining gods become mortal often.

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( closed ) welcome to the show

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/slides in with sbux

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