[MoM][IC Contact]

[pummelgranite]

"Persephone. Speak."

Comments

[pummelgranite]

[ She stopped and turned to face him the moment he said "Athena." But then, well. He's healing. He's golden and sparkling and healing.

He seems used to the power. She wonders how often he gets hurt. She wonders who killed him. She wonders what he's being used for, now that he's already given his life. ]

Minerva's always like twelve. Her advice is shit.

[ She turns around and keeps walking. Through the next door they are now in natural cave tunnels. Except there are gently glowing vines, that look like blown glass run along the tunnels. They and their brighter pink blossoms begin to light their way. ]

[fehus]

[a mumble to himself;]

Minerva -- ?

[Magnus hurries to keep up, embarrassed at his fumble in the dark, and is relieved to see light ahead. he thinks they're wires, electric, until they get close and that thought couldn't be further from the truth. they're vines, illuminated and living and gorgeous]

[and it comes without thought, clearly his genuine reaction, rather than something careful or even nervous;]

Wow -- it's so beautiful, down here. They're amazing.

[he reaches to touch, stops, because even if he's not as smart as Annabeth, he's not stupid. he doesn't know mythology that well (hilariously ironic), but he does remember something about Persephone and plants, and the bad mix that happened there]

[pummelgranite]

Uh huh.

[ They come then to an open cathedral- half natural cave, half her obvious handiwork. There's a stage, and an alter, and a totally baller-looking sound system. It's also clearly only half done. The vine-woven catwalks for example. Is this a church or a concert hall? Hard to tell. ]

Minerva's Athena. As close as we've got anyway.

[fehus]

[Magnus almost feels like saying, who?, because he's already forgotten they were talking about some goddess of wisdom, faced with another even more completely astonishing sight. even half-complete, it's one of the coolest things he's ever seen -- though he has no idea what it's for. definitely something to be seen, but not yet (which makes him wonder why he's gotten a backstage pass so far before the show)]

This is so cool... is this your -- [he doesn't know what word goes here. tries, thinking of some long-gone World Civ class] -- temple?

[pummelgranite]

Welcome to Hades. What do you want, like an Ike's Hard Lemon Tea?


Or uh . . . actual juice?

[Some people drank juice without gin in it. She might not understand it,
but she did respect it. ]

[fehus]

Wow, you really do think I'm a nerd. We drink mead, you know, in Valhalla.

[this is true, but -- he drinks the apple juice and water mostly. he preferred to have a clear head if he was going to lose his head, and the mead of the gods was maybe not the best for that]

[he's pretty sure Ike's Hard Lemon Tea is also a dig, so he goes with a slightly risky]

I'll have whatever you're having. When in -- Hades, and all that.

[he approaches the vine catwalks, slowly, just in case that's not cool. he wants to see them closer up]

[pummelgranite]

[ He'll have to climb up the vine-made access ladders to get there. The blossoms turn to face him as he approaches, almost curiously, but the ladder looks sturdy enough. ]

Nerd was your word, not mine.

[ But gin-and-pomegranate-juice it is! She brings him a double. ]

MAGNUS CHASE AND THE DIVINE HANGOVER THANKS

[fehus]

[the blossoms turn, and Magnus looks positively charmed. it's a nice thought; flowers in Hades]

What's with this place? What happens here?

[Magnus accepts the drink, not seeming to mind that it's kind of cute. he takes a big, mead-quaffing sip -- and his grey eyes blast wide at the taste. he swallows with effort, trying not to cough, and mostly failing]

-- The, pomegranate, is so fresh. That's why I'm coughing. Wow.

[takes a smaller sip... this time...]

WELCOME TO WICDIV, KIDDO. WE'RE THE GODS THEY WARNED YOU ABOUT IN HEALTH CLASS.

[pummelgranite]

Uh huh.

[ This is the face of a goddess who believes him. ]

Can't you tell? It's for worship.

he's a homeless drop out he never got the WARNING

[fehus]

Of Britney Spears?

[looking at those dope amps]

oops

[pummelgranite]

Of me.

[fehus]

Do they perform for you...?

[pummelgranite]

Nuh uh.


Well, there are a couple tribute acts. Local bands, you know.

[fehus]

[it finally clicks, and -- wait what no it doesn't?]

You perform, and they worship you?

[blinks]

What do you do, showcase really big rutabagas?

[pummelgranite]

Now you're being a nerd.


I sing. Look me up.

[fehus]

[he cocks his head in surprise, but then thinks: yeah, sounds about right. Thor watches Breaking Bad. Heimdall loves taking selfies. Persephone can be a pop star]

[still, he defends his nerdiness]

I'm not being a nerd. I mean, it's not my pantheon, but I know if anybody's gonna grow a great rutabaga for the Greeks, it's you. [...] I will, though. Look you up. What's your music like?

[pummelgranite]

It's like dying.




But just the fun parts.

[fehus]

[that gets her a rather wry look, for some fronty kid trapped in Hades]

As someone with like, an enormous amount of dying experience, I think I'll have to test that one out.

[he takes a sip of his drink, doesn't cough this time. a victory]

[pummelgranite]

Sure, I'll get you into the next communion.

[fehus]

So your worshipers are nerds?

[he pauses, realises what the word "communion" kind of implies, actually]

-- Wait, you're not trying to convert me, right?

[pummelgranite]

Something tells me you're already spoken for.

[fehus]

I'm an atheist, actually.

[he's not joking.]

[pummelgranite]

[ Normally, this is where she'd get bitchy. But she thinks of everything Nico and his sister went through just because the Olympians couldn't be arsed. Atheism might be the more reasonable choice than the kids continued devotion. ]

How's that working out for you?

[fehus]

Fine. Valhalla's pretty tolerant of people with differing religious beliefs. My Valkyrie's actually a practicing Muslim, I have Christian and Wiccan and Norse pagan hallmates. Some of the thanes aren't even pagan.

[he can't resist the ladder any longer. he wants to put the drink down, figures that would be maybe contrary to hospitality rules; he steels himself, throws back the rest of it. oh my god its so much bllehghgkk keep it together Chase aaaand it's down]

[huffing out a haaa and shivering at the slam of the alcohol in his system, Magnus inches a few steps up the ladder, curious and slowly]

[pummelgranite]

Oh.


[ That wasn't what she was expecting, somehow.

In any case, the ladder is firm under him, even glowing a little brighter as he climbs. Up above are the catwalks one might find in any such performance hall. But- there's no infrastructure, no electricity, no lights. Some weird animal bone structures here and there, sure but it's still all very enigmatic. ]