Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) |

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at camp

Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Jul 1, 2016 19:50:13 GMT -5

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Post by Strikr on Jul 1, 2016 19:50:13 GMT -5

"Oh gods you cant be-" Serious is what Eli wasgoing to say but uh...obviously they were seeing as how fletch and luke had already jumped on the train..."Oh to hades with it...good thing ash has me me covered on his dad or...well id probably be dead now, I'll go next i guess k azima, k..." As confident as he sounded, Eli was going crazy in his head, it was too small of a space for him to fly to the train, plus who knows what the mist would do if he did that.

So he began to run, and apparently hermes enchanted him cause he went fast, and it felt like his feet were burning...as he got near luke he reached out his arm to grab onto him and use him as leverage to get up, one question still remained though, howd he go so fast? Could ithave been hermes...no, they had no relationship with eachother, hades would help before hermes, so then how? This question flooded his mind as they went to an empty booth, immediately after fletch fell asleep, Eli did, on the floor since azima likely wouldnt want to be leaned on, plus ashton would get jealous and he didnt need for hell to literally break loose, so he laid on the floor and drifted into his dreams.

Once he was in what some would call the dreamscape, he was in some kind of building, it creeked through the jagged walls on either end of the building as the wind whistled by, and then, he saw them, minions of charlie, some he recognized...others not so much. They had a woman who looked strangely familiar...almost like his...no, that was impossible, that was a dead end, there was no way that it was her...or was there? Then almost as sudden as he was in the building, he was gone, the scenary changed.

He recognized the woods and cabins almost instantly, it was the camp, he saw ashton alone, with the most worried expression he'd seen him with.

"Don't you dare die on me." He screamed.

And with that i awoke startled.

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Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Jul 23, 2016 17:03:38 GMT -5

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Post by Porter on Jul 23, 2016 17:03:38 GMT -5

((Hey sorry Azima gonna slide into the replies, you can hop back in whenever))
((Also bear with me as I mess around with the narrative I'm using I still don't quite have the hang of it yet))

I stand there, my body tense as I watch Fletch hop the train with relative ease. "relative" as in, considering the fact that we're all about to collapse, he did not die. I hesitate for a split second, making sure I've planned my footing right in my head, can't skimp out on details like those like I used to be able to. I glance over to the left, against the direction of the train. I make sure to dart off close behind Fletch with teeth clenched. At some point my eyes are set towards the left again, and I run in that direction, hoping that if my questmates are running straight onto the train, I can end up in their direction and help them. It feels like a performance, for some reason I had to show them, had to show myself, that as a child of Zeus I could make that jump.
Gravel is kicked up in the air as I throw myself onto the train. Still no winds come to my aid, but even after 5 years of using my powers I've already gotten used to their absence. Realizing this tugs my heart the wrong way but hanging off of a moving train doesn't let you dwell too much on most things. Instead, I pat myself on the back for crossing something sick off of my bucket list.
"That was so cool." I grinned at Fletch, a few carts down.
Now, my attention was on my other two questmates. The train seemed to go a lot slower when I was looking at it. Now that I was on it, I felt it's harsh speed swing me further towards my questmates. I might have undershot my attempt at reaching my questmates. Eli began to run, but there's no way he was going ot make it. At least, that's what I thought. For a second, I thought my overexhaustion was getting to my head Nightmare on Elm Street style as Eli sprinted towards me in fast motion, debris and dust flying in a whirlwind behind him like a rocket taking off. I barely had time to stick my hand forward as he grabbed it and the sudden force almost yanked me off of the train. With my other hand gripped tightly around the train railing, I helped haulp him up on my platform. His hand was hot, burning with kinetic energy.
"Dude! That was even cooler! You were like 'VROOOM'!" I told Eli excitedly, cooling down from the adrenaline rush from my own jump.
Wow, I'm going crazy with exhaustion.
Once we were all on, we met in a fancy compartment and are finally given a fair moment to breath. Without distraction, I begin to feel my troubled sense. My head pounds, my hands are twitchy, I feel like I just woke up from a fever dream. Fletch gives us an inspirationally half-hearted speech before snoring against the window pane and the train begins to roll forward, finally moving towards our destination. The cushy seats and low humming of the train are soothing, and despite my Hawaiian Haiku Pal getting some shut eye, I myself can't help but feel on edge. Instead, I transfer my energy into being a really good cheerleader.
"Dudes! You guys did a really good job with your powers there!" I said, impressed and trying not to think of my own lack of powers. "I mean, Azima! You did the mist thing! You gotta tell me if that's like an intuition thing or something you can learn. And Eli! Not only are you making things lit with your fire you can also sonic speed now? That's sweet. And Fletch-"
Interrupting my jumbled stream of conciousness, Fletch gives a small snore and tips his head onto my shoulder. He murmurrs a sentence that gets lost against his lips as soon as he speaks. He surprises me for a second, but it doesn't take too long to get back into a similar cuddling rhythm like the one in our last quest.
"Fletch is sleeping and that's his superpower." I stopped myself from saying something dumb like, he looks like a puppy when he sleeps and that's probably a superpower.
He gives a sleepy smile which only confirms the fact that he is a puppy too pure for this world. I can't help but smile myself. Still, I find myself a bit embarassed with Azime and Eli as an audience. Although I was quite surprised that Eli has yet to hassle us about it, considering he had with me seperately before the quest. While on a quest with Roxy, Finn and Fletch, we were all able to develop close bonds with one another, now the difference is apparant that I didn't know Eli and Azime as well as Fletch.
Man, they should just cuddle so I can feel less like a sore thumb.
Instead, I sit there, arms crossed. I've stopped running, by my mind hasn't, and I'm too restless to sleep. Instead I stare outside the window as the cityscape slowly becomes less and less crowded as we leave new york city. Every once in a while, I hear shuffling outside our cabin and reach towards my wristband with my hand that isn't buried underneath Fletch's head. Every time, it just ends up being a kid rushing to go to the bathroom or an enthusiastic traveller checking out all the train's features. My eyes burn but my brain refuses to let me sleep. My eyes glint over towards Eli but he's taken a liking to the floor and has passed out there.

I begin to wonder about Cybele, about the Fates and of Charlie. I think about the mess I've left behind in camp half blood. I hoped the forest folk would be alright. Finally, I had nothing else to distract myself from the nagging worry of my powers. It felt decietful, not telling anyone that they were gone. My mouth twitched. I shouldn't let people rely on me having powers. It could be fatal. Having poweres is fatal an intruding voice in my head spoke. I shifted, resting my head atop Fletch's for comfort from my own thoughts. The smell of salt and mangoes fill my nose, as if Fletch has fit all of Hawaii in his hair. It did the trick, and my thoughts gave me a break. I stared out the window as the city had disappeared completely, replaced by towering pine trees and vast expanses of rivers underneath bridges our train rode along. At some point someone came in serving lunch, and I took (or rather awkwardly pointed and asked the server to put the plates on the table in the middle of the cabin) a variety of food for for me and my questmates, hoping that when they wake up there's enough different food that everyone can find something they like. A garbled voice over the speaker informed me that it's an hour until the train makes a stop at Salsibury, and I began to daydream about just taking a break and touristing around North Carolina. Halfway through counting the individual strands of hair on Fletch's head while imagining a picturesque hike at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, he jolted up, his skull hitting my jaw with a sharp thud.
"Hades." I hissed against my clenched jaws as I rubbed the underside of my face.
"Oh shit, sorry Luke." Fletch muttered out drowsily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"It's alright, demigod dreams, I get the drill." I mumbled out.
"You were lying on me. Were you sleeping?" Fletch asked.
"Uh, yes." Another lie. It must chalk up to 400 since this quest began.
It doesn't take long for Eli to stir as well.
"Anything important in anyones dreams? Maybe the longitude and latitude of the mental institution? The cheat code to defeat Charlie? A livestreamed speedrun of this quest?" I inquired.
I also pointed to the different meals on the table.
"Be quick though, I think we're gonna stop at Salsibury soon, if anyone wants to get off."
Getting off is probably a bad idea. But staying on is probably also a bad idea. To be honest, just existing as a demigod was a bad idea.

Teddy

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Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Aug 11, 2016 12:02:19 GMT -5

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Post by Teddy on Aug 11, 2016 12:02:19 GMT -5

OOC: shit dudes sorry for the wait on this... Been wrapped up in my drawing more so than my writing. ;_;

__________________________________________________________________

I slump forward in my seat with my face in my hands. The searing pain in the middle of my forehead is joined by the dull thud in my skull caused by Luke's chin. There's a lightness in my chest at the thought of him sleeping on me, a guilt that prickles at my fault of waking him. I don't want to risk looking up at him in fear he'll notice the flush that colours my cheeks so obviously.
Damnit, this isn't the first time he's fallen asleep on me, but despite this fact I can't control myself. Clenching my teeth together tightly, I curse Aphrodite for what has to be the millionth time, and do my best to bury these feelings.
As Luke questions the contents of my dreams, the pain in my head subsides to leave room for dread. I don't feel ready to tell him anything about these new dreams I've been having. How can I explain something to him I don't even understand?
"Same shit, different day," I mumble into my hands, dragging them down my face as if to wipe away my fatigue, and rid myself of the mess in my head.
Of course, my attempt is futile.
The guilt pushes further through my chest at my dishonesty.
"I always see the same thing. The mental hospital, Charlie, and the same girl..." I trail off for a moment, face scrunched as I replay the dream in my head. "It's getting clearer, though, I think," I muse. "It feels more clear. Let's just hope the closer we get, the clearer the dream gets."

My attention is brought to the table between the seats of the compartment, where food lays waiting to be eaten. Saliva wets my mouth as the smells of whatever Luke ordered hits my consciousness. I realize I haven't eaten since yesterday. Maybe that's why I feel so exhausted. I cast my glance towards him and meet his green eyes with a grateful stare.
"Bruh," I breath in way of a thank you, before I dive for the assorted fruit that adorns a white plate sat closest to me. Fancy little sandwiches sit next to it on a separate plate, stuffed with swiss cheese and tomato.
"Be quick though, I think we're gonna stop at Salsibury soon, if anyone wants to get off," Luke warns. I consider the idea as I stuff a sandwich triangle into my mouth. Sightseeing might be a fun idea, a way to relax and get my mind off of this perpetual sensation of foreboding, although I also know that getting off of the train could mean a lot more trouble for us, a lot more stress for me. I don't want to miss boarding because some stupid monster had to pick a fight.
"I think... It might be better to stay on the train," I ponder out loud. "I'm thinking we should do a little investigation of it. Y'know, check for any signs of monsters looking for some demigod boys? I just... Hate being surprised by these assholes. I wanna' look around so I don't have to be paranoid the whole ride to New Orleans. I don't feel completely safe here sitting in a train compartment having no idea what's outside of that sliding door."
Luke raises his thick eyebrows at me for a moment, as if he hadn't expected that response.
"Fair enough," he confirms with a nod. "That's probably a better idea anyway."
I give him a thankful smile.
"But you owe me a trip to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park," he adds.
"You got it, Man," I accept. "Next rest stop we'll get you a cheesy keychain from a tourist attraction."
"That's all I ask."

We sit and clear the plates of food as we wait for the train to find its stop in Salsibury. No one talks very much, as we all must be starving, focused only on the food that sits in front of us. The fancy sandwiches go quickly, as do the cookies stacked on top of one another invitingly. It reminds me of my Grandmother always having a plate of homemade cookies out on the dining room table in our old apartment. For a moment I stew in my guilt, absentmindedly drinking glass after glass of Orange Juice, refilling from the jug that sits at the end of the table.
I should have gone to see her before this quest. just a quick visit to her apartment, make sure she's okay. I haven't seen or talked to her since my Grandfather's death. I hadn't even attended his funeral. I turn my head and look out the window as my eyes sting with the threat of tears.
Godsdamn being a Demigod.
After a few deep breaths in and out, I'm composed again and able to bring my gaze from the window.

The train signals its slow decent to a stop with a shriek of its wheels dragging along the metal tracks it follows. Once pulled into its port, a distorted voice rings through a speaker at us.
"Stopping at Salsibury Station, the train will continue on route in half an hour, we hope you've enjoyed your ride." To anyone not native to New York, the voice would have sounded like a slew of indistinguishable buzzes and mutterings, but the Conductor's announcement falls on trained ears as Luke and I perk our attention to his voice.
"Right, we've got half an hour to clear the train of monster threats," I announce to the party in case the others hadn't understood. "We don't all have to go. Some of us can stay in the compartment while only a few of us go scouting."
"I'm in to stretch my legs," Luke assures, reaching his arms up in a stretch as he bends his back and sighs at the satisfying crack of his joints. I slip my arms through my backpack and let it hang loosely in the crook of my lower back, nodding shortly to him, overwhelmingly comforted to have his company.
We wait for the patrons of the train to file out of their compartments. Children rush ahead of their parents in their excitement to explore Salsibury, while a few adults ready digital cameras adorned with expensive looking lenses. There are, of course, a few people who stay behind and hunker down in their compartments with books and computers. Luke and I make our way out of the compartment once the crowd has cleared. The hallway is emptied now, quietly extravagant.
As we are situated in one of the final compartments of the train, Luke and I spend a few moments peering into any open compartments, reassuring ourselves that at least our train cart is clear. We do our best to seem discreet as we peer through windows of closed compartments in attempt to spot any odd behaviour from the patrons who stayed behind. Everyone seems too engrossed in what they're doing to be preoccupied with thoughts of a Demigod meal.
Luke and I move on to the next compartment, and the next compartment.
"Everything seems... Uncharacteristically safe," Luke muses as if he reads my mind.
"I don't know whether to be suspicious or relieved," I agree, with my nose scrunched in demonstration of my confusion. The train, save for the few exceptions of quiet patrons, seems ghostly. I haven't even seen any attendants walking through the halls. We continue our walk through, checking compartments and any bathrooms left open, knocking on the ones stating their occupation, just for our peace of mind. The farther in we get, the more attendants seem to pop up around us.
"Are you boys alright?" A short, stout, and sweet woman asks us. Her auburn hair is wrapped up in a tight bun, her cheeks painted a very obvious pink that matches the shade of her lips sitting along her mouth, taut in a genuine smile.
"Oh, no," I assure with a smile of my own, sheepish in nature as I try and muster the most innocent demeanor I can. "We were just taking a look at the train. I've only ever been on public transport. This is crazy cool!"
"Oh, well welcome aboard! We hope you enjoy your travel. Where are you boys headed?"
"New Orleans," Luke answers brushing the hair from his eyes as he looks down at the woman. We both stand a significant amount of inches taller than she does.
"Oh I do love New Orleans!"
We spend a few more minutes lying about the attractions we'll be visiting once we reach our destination. She gives us travellers tips and chats sweetly to us about her adventures before we excuse ourselves to continue our walk through.
"Glad we have you around," Luke mutters through a smile. I glance at him with a questioning look as he continues. "Those blue eyes of yours melted that lady into a puddle."
I grin despite the heat that raises in my cheeks.

Soon enough, Luke and I have walked through all of the train carts possible. We come to a door, bold words painted across it stating "Staff Only."
"Should we... Check this one too?" Luke asks, eyeing the door with his hands in his pockets.
"Might as well be thorough, right?" I answer, glancing around to check how many eyes train on us. I count none. Luke peers in through the circular window of the door.
"It's a kitchen," he informs.
"Anyone in there?"
"Doesn't look like it." His eyes squint as he strains his sight, as if he's trying to see through solid aluminum walls. "Must be on a break or something."
I inch forward, pressing my hand gently to the door. It allows us access as it obeys my force and opens slowly. We slip through the crack I've created and keep low as we check around corners for any sign of life. We meet again in the middle of the kitchen, postures now straightened.
"All clear," I breath.
"Okay, let's get out of here then," Luke urges. I purse my lips, knowing he's right, that we should leave before somebody finds us, but I want to find out where they keep those cookies we were given earlier.
"I wanna look around a bit more."
"What? Why?"
"Hey, man. What if they're hiding the good shit from us?"
"The good shit? I dunno, dude, that lunch was pretty gourmet for a New York train... Also, how are you still hungry?"
"Just one more minute." I turn my back, looking over my shoulder with my index finger lifted to my mouth. I can feel the corners of my lips turned up into a mischievous grin as I take in the look on Luke's face.

I do indeed find where they've hidden the cookies. They sit nicely on a tray cart. Cinnamon buns, Danishes and other pastries occupy trays placed above and below each other on the racks. I rip off a bit of paper towel and start wrapping different desserts up to place in my backpack.
"Finn would be so proud," Luke whispers in a tone that indicates his disbelief and slight disapproval. His reactions are only driving me further, making me feel as if I'm more than just the innocent good guy the general public places me as. There's a rush of adrenaline that licks at my chest as I peruse the kitchen filled with opportunities.
It's not until I open a pantry full of Champagne that the embers burn alight inside of me. I look over to Luke with a wide grin.
"See, Brah? The good shit."

Last Edit: Aug 11, 2016 12:03:18 GMT -5 by Teddy

Strikr

God

705 posts

at camp

Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Aug 13, 2016 11:47:41 GMT -5

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Post by Strikr on Aug 13, 2016 11:47:41 GMT -5

(it's fine man dont worry about it I've been busy with school anyways T.T )

As Eli awoke frantic, he realized it was just a bump in the railroad tracks, course he would've continued sleeping but then Luke started asking about dreams, "Well mine were just kinda weird, like there was some building with someone in it, seemed like a trap, and i saw camp briefly, Ash told me not to die, thats all i can either describe or remember."

Then he saw and smelled the food, and began to dig into everything, the fruit, veges, sandwiches, all of it, he even requested a bag of doritos from the attendant, and got it slightly before their stop in a place Eli didnt particularly care to hear, and since he didnt care, he only heard the gurgling noises of the announcer, he heard something like, "Stark pinged at sales buried clifton." He wore a slightly confused look for about 5 milliseconds, then resumed eating, not paying attention to Fletch or Luke currently. "Yea have fun dont drink too much, but if you find a drink bring me some." He said not even realizing what they were talking about, then fletch and luke left, "Enjoy your alone time guys." He said under his breath.

A little after the other two in their party left them, a short, auburn haired lady comes by our booth, her haired tied in a bun, "Are you finding everything ok you two?" she asks in a sweet voice, rule of thumb for demigods, if they sound sweet then they probably aren't, but I play along, "Yea everythings good, our two friends went exploring the train, we're here for two reasons, to save our booth and in case something bad happens."
"Something bad?" She questions probably thinking that im a demigod if shes a monster, if not, probably thinking I'm too cautious or crazy.
"Sorry, I'm just a really cautious person, i dont like surprises, plus anything is possible. But uh, do you think you can go get me some grilled cheese, they're really good!" I lied, they were ok, but this conversation wasn't really the best description of comfortable for me, I hoped that Fletch and Luke weren't in the kitchen by then, that'd be bad.
"Sure!" She said leaving our booth, in her sweet, untrustful voice.

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Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Sept 4, 2016 13:20:11 GMT -5

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Post by Porter on Sept 4, 2016 13:20:11 GMT -5

Fletch didn't elaborate on the whole, 'clearer dream' thing, and I didn't ask. Demigod dreams are muddy as hell, so it takes a lot of clearing up before we really get any of the bigger picture. I guess we're gonna have to wait until we get closer to the motel. Still, even though we are making progress to get to our destination, it feels like we're sitting ducks, mentally. And Charlie is all about exploiting our mentality. Eli only reassured my doubts by talking about buildings, and 'traps'. Everything was always a trap.
I watched in humour as Fletch stuffed himself with little fancy sandwiches, and propose his plan for us. That was definitely a better plan, and I shamed myself for being so used to constantly moving to avoid monsters that I haven't really pondered too well into the alternative.
You really suck at keeping people safe, an all-too familiar voice solicits itself into my mind.
It's the lack of sleep, I tried to convince myself.
But that didn't matter. We were all hyper-exhausted. I needed to take this more seriously.

I notice as we're eating, Fletch's face begin to sober up. He blinks a few times and stares out the window, and I let him, but not before giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
Then the train finally came to a halt. I bolted upwards, thankful to start moving around. I've been staying still for more than any demigod should when awake, and I was hoping I could shake off my depressive funk. I got up and Eli bid us goodbye as Fletch and I shouldered our way out of our compartment and along the hallway, eyeing several passengers and making conversation with a hopefully-not-evil attendant.

Then I realized Fletch was the evil one.
We made our way to the kitchen, Fletch coaxing me inside despite there not being a soul around to be suspicious of. He shoves assortments of pasties in his bag and I give him a look, before sneaking a cookie in my mouth. Gods, he's a Chaotic Neutral isn't he? With Fletch's innocent, good-guy facade, I always forget that he's the one (with Finn's help) that stole two cars and a police gun on our last quest. I really can't believe it when he stops in front of a pantry, filled with an assortment of various wines, all older than me and from places I would only dream of visiting. I take one to inspect it, pondering how alcohol could have a more fulfilled life than mine. I looked back up at Fletch, who was already taking a few down.
"Fletch," I warned.
He made eye contact with those innocent puppy dog eyes of his.
It wasn't really working when he was stealing alcohol. He raises a bottle with a picture of an orange kangaroo on it.
"This is what Finn would have wanted."
"Finn would've wanted XXXX Bitter." I muttered out, remembering all the times Finn sneak a certain brand of beer into camp, and nothing else.
"Close enough." Fletch anounced, digging his head through a nearby pantry of supplies, finding the corkscrew conveniently placed near the front of the shelf.
"Do you know how to use that thing?" I asked.
Fletch scoffed at me, as if that was an outlandish question. "Yeah brah, my granddad and I used to have a bit of wine together after stressful school days." There was a pained look in his eyes, and I could see the reflection of the kangaroo in them as well.
"This doesn't seem like a good time to drink-" I began.
"Are you kidding? I can't think of a better time."
And with that, Fletch began to slice the top lid open, and pull the wine cork out with the tool in his hand. It only took him about 5 or 6 tries, which is impressive for Fletch standards, and he celebrated by taking a sip straight from the bottle.
"Mmmm... Cabernet Sauvignon." He sighed out, grabbing pastry from his backpack to eat with the wine, like the sophisticated wine taster that he was.
He sat down on the floor, and stretched his arm out, offering the bottle to me. A strong wiff of grapes invaded my nostrils. I sighed and across from him on the floor, contemplatively taking the bottle and inspecting it.
Yellowtail Cabernet Sauvignon. Casella Wines. Product of Australia.
I took a sip. It burned in my mouth and I tried with all my will not to spit it back out. I gulped the rest down, feeling the burn slide down my throat and into my stomach, where it stayed their for a while, sizzling uncomfortably.
"Uh, have I mentioned I've never had wine before." I croaked out in between coughs.
Fletch looked at me with wide eyes, the corners of his mouth turned upward into a wicked grin.
"Well it looks like you just gotta break your wine shoes in."
"Not with that one." I whined, giving him back the kangaroo drink.
Fletch looked a bit disaapointed, but he took the bottle, getting back up again.
"No worries, look at all these bottles, we can wine taste!"
"Are you serious, Fletch? Pick one! It's gonna look really suspicious when half their stash is empty."
Fletch groaned as he pulled a bottle out by random. He looked down at his choice and he broke out in snickers.
"What? What did you pull out?" I asked.
"The perfect bottle for your sensitive taste buds." Fletch nodded, agreeing with himself.
Fletch pulled the bottle out all the way and tossed it to me, I caught it and flipped the label to face me.
"Girls Night Out? Strawberry Samba?" I read the bottle out in confusion, staring at the really tacky font and design that stood out from all the classier wines.
"Yaaas Queen!" Fletch responded, sitting back down with his Savoury Cabinet or whatever.
"Quit it Fletch, you're not even drunk." I raised my eyebrows at his ridiculousness.
"Hey, let's celebrate the fact that we almost got turned into girls." Fletch lifted his bottle and had another chug.
I took a sip of Girls Night Out, a blast of watermelon and strawberry spreading through my mouth.
"This is actually amazing. And kind of sexist." I noted, squinting at the bottle.
"Yeah it should be called Luke's night out." Fletch poked fun.
"Damn straight it should be." I went along.
https://vine.co/v/eMriHgwlILJ

-And that's how we got here. I think. With various wine bottles strewn around the kitchen floor. The train began to move again with a start and the two of us fell over, laughed way too hard at ourselves until we hobbled and hiccuped our way out of the kitchen in slurred hushes as we spotted a couple of staff coming in to clean and prep the place up. Carrying a bottle in each hand we sneaked into an empty cabin and crashed on the floor. I wasn't sure what bottle I had picked up with me, but by now anything tasted good.
"Dude that was wild," I told Fletch, hooking an arm around his neck. "Girls' Nights Out are the best."
I wasn't sure if I was talking about the wine or the activity.
"To Girls' Nights Out." Fletch raised his bottle and I reciprocated with my own. A satisfactory CLINK echoed the small cabin. I forgot to drink my bottle, and instead watched as he took a swig of his. My mind began to wander to everything we've been through since we've met. The messed up shit, the quests, the rumours of his crush on me.
"Dude," I began, my words slurred. "I really appreciate you, man. Like a lot."
Fletch snickered, looking bashfully down at his sneakers.
"You're like, a perfect sun boy," I kept going, my brain not completely registering a 'halt' option in my speech. "Like, I really want to date you if I could."
Fletch straightened up, knitting his eyebrows, his eyes wide. I didn't register his reaction and kept going.
"But I don't know man! I don't know what I want and I don't want to lead you on when I don't know and I feel like I should know..." I take a pause, to let my brain catch up with my mouth but it never does so I just keep going.
"Like I know you have a crush on me and I don't wanna hurt you. But I also just wanna let you know that it's okay man. It's gonna be okay and it doesn't change how much you mean to me." I tilted my head back against the wall, hoping my half-assed message was getting across.
My eyes fluttered shut and I mumbled out a few more words but they never really made it past my lips. The effects of the alcohol were starting to make me feel groggy.

Teddy

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Chacha real smooth right passed my responsibilities

Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Sept 16, 2016 15:47:16 GMT -5

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Post by Teddy on Sept 16, 2016 15:47:16 GMT -5

It has been a very, very long time since I've felt the tickle of liquor run into in my fingertips, or the delightfully cloudy fog that buzzes lightly around my head and chest. My limbs feel as if they are made of air as I leave the kitchen with Luke and stumble my way into an empty cabin with his arm around my shoulder and a half empty bottle of wine in each of our free hands.
I manage to keep myself from laughing too loudly as we cheers to girls' nights out, a phrase I now find very difficult to manipulate around my tongue. Ignoring my inability to properly speak, I raise my wine bottle to clink against Luke's. They make contact violently, as our depth perception becomes non existent. The deep red liquid sloshes around in the bottle as I bring it to my lips. They tingle as the drink hits them to make its way into my mouth and greet my tongue with a sort of warm forcefulness I welcome wholeheartedly.
I lean against Luke as I finish my swig, holding the bottle limpy between my legs as he begins to speak.
"Dude, I really appreciate you, man. Like a lot."
His slurred speech and light tone falls on my ears and causes them to redden further. My heartbeat quickens its pace in reaction as I lower my gaze to my feet and let a lighthearted giggle fall from my mouth, giddy in all senses of the word. He pulls my glance back towards him as he continues to talk. I'm drawn to every feature of his face. His green irises that sit concealed under a heavy lidded expression; barred behind long and thick eyelashes that brush the very edges of his cheekbones as he blinks. His sandy coloured hair brushed in different disheveled directions. His thick, dark eyebrows knit together with concentration as he tries to make his words seem senseful. I can't help but watch his lips as they move around his words, stained red from wine, clumsy as they interact with each other under the influence of sweet tasting alcohol.
Gods. I really want to kiss him.
"You're like, a perfect sun boy."
I feel the familiar flush run over my cheeks. My heart thuds against my chest as he talks about me. There's a part of me that wants him to stop, that wants to douse the fire that flares in the pit of my stomach and licks at my heart with desire and temptation. It's a voice in the back of my head that doesn't want to fuel these unrequited feelings any longer.
"Like, I really want to date you if I could."

But there's a larger part of me, a selfish part of me, blinded by an overwhelming inclination that wants him badly, that wants to be his so badly. It is the oxygen that feeds the fire, encouraging those embers to rise until it sets alight a forest fire too large to smother.
My posture straightens at his words. I stare at him with intensity, knowing that if I weren't so drunk, I'd be on a completely different train of thought, but his words only entice me further.
I want to kiss him.
"But I don't know man! I don't know what I want and I don't want to lead you on when I don't know and I feel like I should know..."

It's a path of no return that I'm on, and I know it. Luke is an alluring sort of dangerous. The kind of dangerous that I can't help but run into. I know the risks, but I want to experience it. Like jumping from a plane, climbing Mount Everest.
"Luke," I breath, but he doesn't hear me.
"Like I know you have a crush on me and I don't wanna hurt you. But I also just wanna let you know that it's okay man. It's gonna be okay and it doesn't change how much you mean to me."

I don't even have time to ponder or worry about how he knows my feelings for him. I have a one track mind, driven on autopilot due to alcohol now.
"Luke," I repeat, louder. It gains his attention. He looks at me with a sleepy glance, although his eyes have widened. His eyebrows raise at the sound of his name.
"Hm?" He mutters.
"You think too much." I lean forward as I speak, closing the distance between myself and my best friend as I meet his lips with my own. Luke stiffens as he realizes suddenly what's happening, but relaxes as my hands rest along his jaw, index finger and thumb cradle the lobe of his ear. I'm overwhelmed with a slew of emotions I can't possibly begin to discern as I realize he's kissing me back. My eyelids flutter open for a moment, to see his eyelids closed, eyelashes resting atop his cheekbones. He tastes like the fruity wine he's been drinking. Sweet and sharp, the alcohol mixes with the taste in my own mouth. His hands find their way through my hair, fingers entangling themselves in the mess that sits on top of my head. His touch sends a shiver down my spine. I pull him in closer to me, our kiss becoming less soft and more desperate from both of our sides.

Suddenly, there's a familiar pain that sends jolts of a sharp sensation through my body. It starts in the pit of my stomach and expands throughout my veins. I gasp, and as if I were transported by magic, I'm standing in the mental hospital I see in my dreams. The image fades, and I'm alone in the empty cabin with Luke, our faces less than an inch from each other. Luke laughs breathily with his eyebrows raised, his eyes still closed, a grin along his mouth.
"Am I blowing your mind, Fletch?" He jokes drunkenly.
I try to ignore what had happened, and move my face closer to his, bringing his lips against mine once again. I don't want this kiss to stop. Luke is more intoxicating than any alcohol I've tasted before. This kiss is like a molotov cocktail inside of me, settings trees on fire and beginning the slow burn of the forest fire.
As quickly as it had come and gone, the sensation runs through my body again. I grunt in pain and frustration, having to break the kiss as I'm thrust from reality and into the mental hospital. The image stays clear for a few moments longer than before. I look around frantically, wanting to be brought back to Luke. Fuck this hospital.
I see the dark haired girl who haunts my dreams. She sits in a different spot than usual, accompanied by a girl much younger than her, with white blonde hair that falls in a mess around her features. They sit staring at a deck of cards placed on the table they occupy. The younger, blonde girl abruptly looks up from the cards, and fixes an intense black eyed gaze on me.
"The Sun must come out, the Sun must shine on us."
Once again, I'm thrust into my reality, only this time I find Luke staring at me with a wide eyed expression.
"Holy shit, Fletch. Holy shit. What was that, Man?" His voice is higher with worry. He looks like he's on a bad trip.
"What was what?" I'm dizzy now, my brain running even slower than before, as if it were rolling through tar. My words are slow coming from my mouth.
"Your eyes, dude! Oh, Gods. I'm way too drunk. Woah."
"My... Eyes?" I stare at him in confusion, cupping his jaw in my hand again in attempt to calm his drunken mind, but also to feel closer to him again, to feel safe with him. "What are you talking about?"
"I dunno, dude. I was making out with you and all of a sudden you sounded like you were hurt, so I stopped, and then I look at you and your eyes are, like, glowing. I thought you were possessed or something. Holy Hades, Bro." I watch his irises move around my gaze, as if they're scanning for something demonic inside of me while his cheek is pressed against my palm.
"I'm- I'm alright," I assure him, although lying proves 1000 times more difficult under the influence. I'm sure I sound as uncertain as I feel. I graze my thumb along his cheekbone absentmindedly as I continue "I just- I don't- All of a sudden I wasn't here, I-"
My awful, nonsensical explanation is interrupted as the sliding door of our compartment rolls open.

Porter

Administrator

1,093 posts

I survived the Marvinpocalypse 2015 (but only barely)

Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Oct 3, 2016 13:52:28 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Porter on Oct 3, 2016 13:52:28 GMT -5

It felt like I was watching my own movements happen instead of actually doing them. I didn't realize Fletch's lips were on mine unil I started kissing back. I didn't realize I was kissing back until he began to shudder, and I barely had time to process what was going on until my eyes crack open against blinding light and Fletch is sitting there, eyes white.
But just as fast as they flickered white, they dimmed again, returning a familiar blue. Maybe I imagined it all. Maybe I imagined the kissing too. Maybe it was just curious thoughts violently worming their way in through the head of an incapacitated boy. But Fletch was still cupping my face in a soft way and my lips still felt raw so something must have been real. I searched Fletch's face for something different but he looked just the same as all those other times I've seen him. I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my hands against my temple, willing the drowsiness and confusion away. All of a sudden I didn't want to be drunk anymore. I needed to get a grip.

It didn't help when the door slid open. In my disoriented state, I wanted to jump up and grab my sword. But I ended up with a delayed reaction of twisting my torso away from Fletch and sluggishly towards the door. I went to press my hand against my wristband but ended up slapping my backhand.

It wasn't a monster, it wasn't even that stewardess that we talked to a few hours ago. It was a younger kid, possibly thirteen with thick curly hair under a white cowboy hat. His mouth was agape with a horrified look on his face. I suddenly felt really embarassed. Fletch and I scrambled up off of each other, gathering bottles in our hand as we did so. Passengers must be returning to their carts at this time, and we likely were too busy drinking it up to realize. Before we could even stumble out an apology the boy's expression changed, and he quickly bolted out and away from us. I squinted, trying to figure out what kind of look the boy gave us was. He probably assesed how gay and alcoholic the situation was and ran away before the sin could catch him. I grabbed Fletch's hand and tried to look at him with all the seriousness I could muster.
"We gotsta get outta here and dipose of the efdense."
It was really hard to be serious when I couldn't pronounce anything right, but Fletch gave me his best serious guy nod. This was going to be a tricky one.
I peered out of the cart. The kid is long gone now. To the left, there's a senior couple walking into the compartment a couple of ways away. To the right, where Azima and Eli presumably are, There's a few tourists making their way down the hallway. I eyed the overlarge backback one of the tourists was carrying.
I hid back in the compartment. The boy must've ran way ahead of his parents. Or his parents were one of the tourists. I hoped it was the former.
"Listen, Fletch we're gonna hide the bottles in that person's backpack."
"lol are you serious?"
"Did you just say L-O-L in real life?"
"Holy... crap.... yeah I think I did."
While we were too busy being stupid, I could see the silhouttes of the tourists walking past the compartment.
"NO wAIT," I half-assed yelled as I pushed myself towards the door, shoving the bottles in my hand to Fletch. I stumbled forward right behind the tourists. A few of them screamed. I staggered away from them to the right, trying to pretend I was a normal person. I ended up collapsing. My legs had fallen asleep.
To add insult to injury, the group of tourists began to crowd around me in concern. I felt the flash of a camera on my face. I can already imagine my face on the front page of Reddit.
"Are you alright, buddy?" An older gentleman asked.
"Uh, oh I'm-" I was about to say something not-concerning, like I'm good, or I'm alright.
Instead I saw Fletch sneak out of the compartment and begin sliding half-empty alcohol bottles into the backpack of the tourist I had pointed out earlier. We made brief eye contact.
"oW. THE PAIN. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, NORTH CAROLINA?" I called out, dramatically grabbing my legs, sending an unpleasant fuzzy feeling up my thighs.
Once Fletch was done, he shoved himself past the tourists.
"We can call a medic down-" One tourist began to offer.
"OH hey buddy. We found you!" Fletch shouldered past everyone and helped me up, doing an impressive job to seem sober even though if you looked really hard his eyes were slightly crossed. "Oh well, thanks for the help folks, my friend here just gets nervous really easily in strange places and wow, was Salisbury strange."
The tourists stood there, murmering amongst themselves as if what Fletch said actually made sense. Fletch led me out of the train hallway, back to our cart.
"Yo I'm the quest leader, I gotta show I'm responsible." Fletch realized with dissapointment.
"Act like, really sober." I nodded in agreement, I didn't want to look dumb either, even though that was usually hard to avoid, I had to try right>
We giggled the whole way at the situation, collapsing on the seats of our own compartment as soon as we reached it.
"How's it going fellas?" I asked, over pronouncing my words as I stretched against my seat.
"Wow we talked to this stewardess for hours and feel like napping and such." Fletch followed along.
I felt good and productive, having yet gone in trouble and still making a steady pace towards San Angelo. Still, I knew I was jinxing this and that eventually by either the alcohol trail or the monster, we'll be back on foot again. I pursed my lips together, images of Fletch's face pressed against mine flashing in my head. My chest felt strange and I felt like I did something I wasn't supposed to. Or maybe something that was overdue. I couldn't tell and I felt like I really needed to leave that up to sober me. I thought about the kid with the cowboy hat. What was he thinking about?
It was only when I was finally drifting off to the first nap I've had this quest that I realized what passed through his eyes. Recognition.
He recognized us.
And he ran.

Strikr

God

705 posts

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Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Dec 20, 2016 15:51:15 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Strikr on Dec 20, 2016 15:51:15 GMT -5

(heres your early christmas present my dude)

As the passengers began crowding back into their compartments Eli suddenly came back to reality after drifting off for about thirty minutes. The tourists were making a ruckus for some reason so Eli logically peeked out the slide door in expectation of some kind of monster

Boy was he wrong, he saw Fletch with alcohol, if its not a monster causing them trouble Fletch does it on his own! Plus he was sticking it in a tourists backpack, boy would he have fun when he got home. Luke was the distraction obviously, for being drunk they had quite a good plan, hopefully there weren't any monsters on our trail otherwise we were pretty much gonners.

Fletch finished hiding the alcohol in the bag and headed over to Luke trying to act nonchalantly, of course the mortals believed him when he said it was no cause for concern, and then they headed back to our compartment.

"What you break a rule for stealing alcohol but not sharing with another minor?"

Porter

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I survived the Marvinpocalypse 2015 (but only barely)

Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Apr 21, 2017 19:53:26 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Porter on Apr 21, 2017 19:53:26 GMT -5

((woooo and what a beautiful christmas present it wAS. I AM GOING TO TRY TO MAKE TIME TO FINISH THIS THREAD FOR THE LOVE OF ZEUS))

I looked at the blurred figure before me. I assumed it was Eli by the general size, shape and colour, but I was having a hard time really focusing on anything.
"What? Alcohol? Stealing? Eli Bantis I have not a clue what you are talking about." I anounced in the most dignified voice I could muster.
I could hear Fletch sighing next to me.
"The jig is up, my guy."
I swore.
Damnit, I liked the jig.
Still, Fletch had his strong, composed leader-image to uphold. So I did what any Luke would do and threw myself under the bus-- dramatically.
"Augh guys, it was all my fault. You know sometimes the weight of being a Zeus kid gets to you and I just-"
"Luke," Fletch warned.
"-I've been misusing the bottle, if you know what I mean. And I couldn't help it when I saw they had alcohol-"
"Luke-"
"Fletch just took it away and stashed it out of sight after he found me in a pile of my own-"
"Okay, Luke. That's enough."
"Got it, boss." I nodded my head, the movements once again dizzying my already disoriented awareness. "I would have totally shared with you though, Eli."

The moments went in slow motion. I had warned the others about the possible suspicions that I may have roused and the boy in the white hat before sitting there crumpled in a heap next to the door, wondering how Girls Night Out could possibly betray me like this. My ear was pressed tight against the door, and I held my breath every time I heard footsteps. This progress continued over and over again until I felt sober enough to see straight, although it was met with a pounding headache. I watched North Carolina melt away from view as we headed into its southern counterpart.
I was just thinking we were going to get away with it, when I heard voices, heated and heavy with urgency. I smushed my face even further against the door.

"Listen, I have no idea how it got there."
"Do you really think someone would go out of there way to frame you for stealing alcohol?"
I perked up. I could recognize that low and gruff voice any day.
The authority.
"I-it's those kids! I saw them earlier. They were acting all weird and I think one of them touched my bag."
The other voiced grunted in response. "I'll look into that. Don't think you can get away with it that easy, though."

I stood up way faster than I should have, my temples pulsing in protest. I erratically slung my backpack over my shoulder, still a little tipsy.
"guys, trouble is afoot."
I twisted the hem of my shirt, my mind trying to race through the alcohol and the headaches. The problem with the narrow corridors of the train was that there was nowhere to run or hide.
"They don't have any evidence against us... maybe if we try to act natural..."
I looked around the room. Apart from looking like a bunch of deliquents, there wasn't any real evidence of alcohol theft. I looked at Fletch, but any traces of red eyes or drifting movements had been subdued over time. All that was left was our breath, which I could only presume reeked of alcohol.

I almost jumped as the door slid open. A portly man with a round face adorned with stubble joined us in our coach, an official looking cap a couple sizes to small squeezing the sides of his head and a dark jacket with the train logo stitched into the breast pocket.
"Hello gentlemen," He greeted us.
He had an almost amused expression on his face, but he looked too bored for it to be a sneer. Mildly entertained that he caught his would-be perpetrators.
"How can we help, sir?" I asked, casually trying to shuffle out of my sitting position right in front of the door and slide into my seat. I almost collided into Eli in the process.
"Looks like we've recieved some complaints about teenagers stuffing alcohol bottles into the luggage of others... you wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"
"Huh? Oh no, I haven't heard of this until now, sir." I shook my head, mostly just trying to turn away and not give away too horrible of an odor.
The man took another step inside, inspecting all of us with beady eyes. They began to drift towards our luggage.
"Enjoy Salsibury, did we?"
I just nodded, the man was too close and I was too afraid he would smell strawberry samba on my breath.
"Ah, I enjoy Atlanta, Georgia myself personally." He went on. "Lots of historic sites there, you should go to their History Centre, great exhibition on MLK."
I nodded again, trying to ease myself into the conversation and put out a less stiff and suspicious facade. All of a sudden the man ducked down into the nearest backpack-- Fletch's backpack.
"Sorry, boys but there's an emergency I have to attend to and I need to search your bags-"
"Hey you can't do that!" I stood up defensively. Before I could react he unzipped Fletch's bag in one swift movement, and a whole stockade of stolen pastries and sweet tumbled out like prize money onto the floor. He gave a victorious sneer. He was definitely sneering now.
"Could you explain this at all or should I just throw you off this train right now?"
I opened my mouth, ready by now for my brain to construct some elaborately clever or at least ridiculous-enough-it-just-might-work scheme, but the slow alcohol inducing trudge cocktailed in with the pounding headache became a mojito for disaster. There was a twisting sensation in my chest. No powers, no ideas. I felt trapped inside my own very mortal body.

"Paul? Paul!" A woman's voice called out from somewhere down the hallway of the train.
The man swiveled his head around and I quickly snatched Fletch's backpack from out of his hands.
Paul snapped back. "Hey!"
A rush of heel clicking grew closer and a short, stout woman appeared at the doorframe.
"Oh there you boys are! How are you enjoying the complementary snacks?"
I watched with baited breath, hoping Paul takes the bait, relieved that the nice attendant lady from before was taking pity on us scavengers.

Strikr

God

705 posts

at camp

Four Flew Over To The Cuckoo's Nest (Porter,Strikr,LBB) Jul 9, 2017 5:58:38 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Strikr on Jul 9, 2017 5:58:38 GMT -5

((AHHHHHH SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT i just got a new computer though so replying is SO MUCH EASIER, sorry for making you wait tho))

Luke made it easy to see through him, if he didn't drink he had to go smoke a "joint" or something cause his eyes were crimson red.
"Did you at least bring something back for us?" I questioned the two troublemakers, ready to begin interrogating them,
"I know you had to bring something back for later cause we don't have the most supplies."
Fletch's sigh and announcement had caused a whole flurry of guilt coming off of Luke, but I knew better, I wasn't gonna push into what happened, but Luke was too much of a "goody-goody" to suggest the idea, but his story was pretty believable, in fact if it was pretty much any other child of Zues I probably would've believed them, but not Luke, he was probably just trying to protect Fletch's reputation or something, but then again his reputation was mostly what adults call a "child delinquent" so who knows what went through the kids mind.

Luke explained some stuff about how he probably aroused a lot of suspicion and how they'd put the bottle in a kids bag so that we'd be free to go, as they say, "no evidence, no crime" right? After that he just pressed his head on the window, probably trying to sleep off his inevitable hangover. It took me about five or so minutes to drift off into my dreams.

The dreams started how they usually do: some random Olympian God decides "Hey, I wanna have a conversation with this random relative." I guess I should count my blessings that it was my dad and not someone like Hades though.
"Oh hey dad, whadya need? And could you try to make it quick cause I'm kinda in the middle of a quest so this isn't exactly the best time."
"You'll awake when you're needed, however this is more of a personal issue for you that you need to know." Hephaestus said personal like it was for him too, and I had a feeling I knew where this was headed.
"Your mother is alive...however you must make a choice, your friends will require your aid throughout your entire journey, without either of you four you will fail, so you must choose to help your friends and attempt to save your mother later...or save your mother and presumably doom your friend...whichever you choose, just know that I'm proud of you, but my time is up so I must go." And with that our coach door slammed open and jolted me out of my sleep.

As my eyes focused I began to see a man that obviously cared about being "in shape" his shaved face showed how professional he attempted to be, the train logo on his suit seemed a little familiar but I didn't have any time to think of where I saw it, his cap looked more like it was for a 5 year old than a 30-something year old man, but somehow, none of that made him self conscious.

"Uh, hi?" I groggily said, I felt as if I was the one who had gotten drunk instead of Luke, who nearly slammed into me. Everything happened so fast and before I knew it there were a whole mass of extravagant treats from Fletch's bag. At that point I obviously wasn't going back to sleep, I almost started readying my powers but then after I thought about it I realized that as rude and cruel as this guy was, he wasn't a monster and demigods aren't supposed to hurt humans. Just as I was about to start getting ready to be thrown out a window or something I heard the clicking of a woman's heels as the attendant from earlier shouted Paul's name and saved us merely by saying that the snacks were complimentary, I wrote a note down to thank my father later, he was gonna get a ton of offerings when I got back.