#where: pontius (kalavria)

[alectocarrion]

with: @deathsknife when: february, 2130 (week one)  where: pontius, kalavria 

It’s risky, and Alecto knows it, allowing augmentation to alter their features in favor of looking one way instead of another. There’s a crowd, and it’s one large enough that she can blend in amongst those who watch with wide eyes, mouths forming rounded o’s. Wonderment settles over those who have their fun at trying out the latest devices to alter the things about them that they always wished they could change. 

So Alecto does the same, though not out of want, but out of discretion. Blonde hair, even darker eyes -- though, now covered by the sunglasses they purchased when first arriving on Pontius, always a preference for the shade despite being born beneath this sun that bears down onto them now.

Than comes into view, and that is the purpose of this risk -- sunken eyes, skin flushed in the wrong places, slower in response, taking into account their stride. But there is a hallway, and it’s empty, and Than moves down it, and Alecto follows. Maybe it’s going too far, and maybe she could have slipped them a note like she had Nyx, but it already seems like they have so much to worry about, and the last thing Alecto wants to do is stress him out by playing a game of charades via post-it. 

The further down the hallway and away from the crowd they get is when Alecto finally speaks, “You don’t look so good, are you okay?” Voice a pitch higher than needed, they take precaution, just in case. Always in case. “I can help you get to your room if you need.” 

[diomcdes]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: DIOMEDES & OPEN 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: PONTIUS, KALAVRIA 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: FEBRUARY 2130, WEEK TWO OF THE SUMMIT

The KALAVRIA SUMMIT seemed like strange ground to be treading at the moment. In fact, Diomedes didn’t think that it could have possibly come at a worse time – what, with their fitness for office being called into question over their investment into the company some twenty-odd years ago. Sure, they hadn’t exactly been transparent about the source of their wealth, and sure, they’d spent the majority of their Quorum career working alongside ODYSSEUS and his platform of technology regulation – and although the distance between herself and Odysseus stung and the public distrust felt unfair, they still didn’t see their decision to invest all those years ago as a poor decision. 

Perhaps one which had become more trouble than it was worth, but still one which had benefitted her until now.

Diomedes had been keeping something of a low profile since arriving at the Summit – trying their hardest to avoid anyone who might seek to probe them with questions they didn’t yet feel like answering. It was easy enough to do so when all eyes aboard Pontius seemed to be on the stars of the event ( or those who had been populating the tabloids far more than Diomedes herself ), but they found themselves entering the second week of the summit with still very little sense of direction aboard the expansive ship. 

“Excuse me –” She says, grabbing the attention of the nearest person, “You wouldn’t happen to know where the Governance and Tech in Gaia is being held, would you?”

[minotaurus-archive]

where — helicon, pontius. when — week 1 of kalavria with — @alectocarrion

He feels tension gathering between his shoulders, right at that place where his neck begins, where it always tends to gather. It nags, pulls, grows taut, and Mino seems unable to fight it. He should not be here, in this place where his want could be awakened again, where he sees Ari everywhere. He should not be here: he made a decision, in Olympe, to stick to Tartarus and accept that that’s what life is and will be. No looking forward to potential golden horizons, but resignation or acceptance or commitment, or all at once.

But here he is, staring at a golden horizon all the same. The sun sinks in the sea and Mino breathes salty air and he rubs at his neck. This could be almost peaceful. He counts the day in his head. He’s deadly aware of his surroundings, even as he stands in the open, even as he tries to just stare. 

There are a few names here, on Pontius, that are on his mind. The main one is that of his brother, but there is Alecto, too. He follows her from the corner of his eyes when she happens to be in the vicinity, worries with a distant numbness, hopes that whatever words Poseidon had spoken at Heteraidia were true; that she had it better here. When she enters the deck, she’s registered as a presence, as everyone is. He’s not working, but he’s still on. 

He does not think Alecto Carrion a security threat, though. He remains standing, for a few minutes, staring at that horizon, which grows pinker and pinker. And then, when he feels certain it’s alright, he approaches, “Hi.” A stiff greeting. He does not touch his neck any more, but he feels his tenseness grow. “I never got a chance to give you your hat.”

[achillespithia]

status: closed for @patroclusc​​​ ! 🔬 location: helicon deck. time: kalavria summit, week 1.

His anxiety has taken the shape of a clenched fist. It sits in the pit of his stomach, an ever-present reminder of where he is. What he intends to do. He’s waded into treacherous waters with ill intentions and can only hope that the sharks don’t smell the blood. Patroclus has changed, but not in a way that stops Achilles from recognizing him by presence alone.

He’d traced the scars on Patroclus’ body that night, when they’d been together again. He knows what made Patroclus, because it made him, too. At one time he’d been able to map the curves and arches of Patroclus’ body like it was his own. He can’t just change that. He can’t just forget it. The waves of the ocean rock Pontius like the fates rock Gaia to sleep each night. He clutches his drink a little tighter and searches the crowd. It’s like magnetism, maybe. He doesn’t even know Patroclus’ routine but Achilles catches sight of him among the crowd immediately, on the other side of the deck overlooking the sea.

Just like that, the anxiety softens from the cutting edge of a knife to a dull pinprick. Patroclus has always done that to him. Things make sense around him. The pieces of the puzzle snap into place easily as ever. Achilles cuts through the clusters of people around their tables and others emerging from the mosaic-bottomed pool. If it were anyone else this might feel more like going into a fight, like he should be steeling himself for bloodied knuckles and a fourth-time-broken nose. He sidles up against the railing and leans, and then buys himself a second by putting the glass to his mouth without really drinking. When he lowers it, the glass makes a soft sound against the metal of the railing. He tries to joke, first, to soften the blow of his mere presence. “So… come here often?” 

[athenarhea]

WITH: @tlphousia WHERE: Kalavria Deck, Pontius WHEN: February 2130

In all the chaos of preparing for the panel and the scandal that had thrown Athena’s life out of order, she had nearly forgotten about one of the most crucial, terrifying aspects of the Summit: Tisiphone.

In her defense, why would Tisiphone even be at the Summit? She was just a casino employee. Expect, they both knew that was the furthest thing from the truth, and to even think otherwise was a disservice. Still, part of Athena had been hoping that, after managing to avoid her at Heteraidia, she wouldn’t have to go through the whole thing again at Kalavria.

The notification that Tisiphone had liked her post, gone as quickly as it appeared, threatened that notion and sent Athena into full-on palpitations. The post that Tisiphone made right after (so what if she had notifications on for Tisiphone’s posts? She was just liked to make sure she was okay, that’s all.), a photo clearly taken in a Pontius guest room, destroyed it completely. She’d liked it, then unliked it. Just to send a message, a silent me too.

Even so, she didn’t plan to actually speak to Tisiphone. That was stress she didn’t want to deal with, on top of everything. But avoiding someone on a ship, even a massive one like Pontius, wasn’t easy. As Athena soon learned.

She was walking back to her room after the latest panel when she rounded the corner and nearly ran straight into her. Tisiphone, in the flesh. She didn’t say a thing at first, wide-eyed at the sight of her. Then, “Whoa. Hi. Sorry, I was -” She waved her cell phone, the source of her distraction, as she willed her tongue to work. “It’s, um, it’s good to see you. I saw - er, I heard you were here.”

[herarhearp]

Who: Patroclus ( @patroclusc​​ )

When: February, 2130 - After the News & Tech in 2130 panel during the Kalavria Summit.

Where: Pontius

The entire situation was a mess. Hera had no intention of missing the panel, not when all lights would be shining on Aphrodite, but she couldn’t ignore the person sharing the stage with her friend. Public and press expected her to either avoid Zeus or attack him somehow. Instead, Hera wanted to solidify the image of a betrayed wife who knew how to keep her elegancy. The challenge there was that, before retiring, Hera had never had to play a role with the instructions “Just be yourself”.

Showing some sort of agony and frustration while she watched Zeus speak wasn’t difficult, because the irony was eating her alive. She was still hurt by his actions, but the pain was softened by his sacrifice. And his sacrifice was the very reason why she couldn’t show forgiveness in public. When the panel was almost ended, she discreetly left the crowd to disappear into a staff-only area, walking faster than necessary to give the impression that she was running away. 

She kept the pace after the door closed behind her - all of Pontius was her public now - and, in her hurry, she bumped into someone. “Patroclus, hi. I am so sorry, I didn’t really see where I was going, I just... Was trying to get away, I guess.” The fix in her posture was automatic, a woman reminded to keep herself together. Hera herself couldn’t see the line between fact and fiction anymore.

[prcmethevs]

CLOSED STARTER || patroclus cirillo ( @patroclusc​​​ ) LOCATION: some random hallways, kalavria TIMESTAMP: the kalavria summit – first week ; nighttime

It was getting late and, in all the excitement of arriving at Pontius, they might have ordered a cocktail that was a tad bit too strong. They’d walked along the unfamiliar hallway to get to their quarter, not realizing they were heading further away rather than towards, had lingered in front of a door for a little too long, completely missing the sign that spelled out “restricted” in bold capital letters in a state of disorientation.

Out of those chain of events, only three points were remotely true:  The first night of the kalavria was indeed growing old, Prometheus did order a cocktail as their closing drink of the night (and they were really damn good), and they had been standing around in that part of the hallway for quite some time now. The fact of the matter was this: it wasn’t alcohol that influenced their action, but rather the intoxicating curiosity that demanded indulgence the moment they laid their eyes on this majestic vessel. After all, Pontius was Poseidon Rhea’s his very own empire, and now the King was generous enough to open up his gates for the public. Everyone would be buzzing to roam the halls and ballrooms, admiring the riches and beauty on display. But Prometheus was more intrigued by the kinds treasures and skeletons that might be stowed away in his crypt, waiting to be unearthed. And really, when would be a better time to play detective if not on the first night, when all the charms and wonders of the empire should still feel fresh?

But Pontius was a kingdom guarded as securely as Olympe was. A part of them had figured out that the likelihood of them getting through any secure doors were close to zero and the chances of being found was fairly high. Hence the need to weave a web of lies– one that would held up with plenty of poking and probing– and Prometheus liked to think they did a pretty good job. Here’s the moment of truth, they thought as they turned around to face the direction where the approaching footsteps had come for. A little wave of relief washed over them when they recognize who it was. There was a chance he’d extend some benefit of the doubt. “Oh Patroclus, thank the Fates,” Prometheus breathed out a small chuckle, sporting a sheepish smile to boot. “I have no idea where I am– I swear, this feels like trying to memorize all the right turns in the labyrinth all over again.”

[ohartemis]

where — orpheus’ quarters, pontius when — week one of kalavria with — @orpheusaoide

It’s always like this. Artemis lives her days with little regard, flying through moments of indulgence and little enjoyments and then ending like this. Staring at her ceiling, going over little cruelties, her little moments of lack and abandon. The thing with Artemis Rhea is, of course, that she has always lived her life being watched, being witnessed. Silver sparkling in a spotlight. A thousand eyes watching.

Turn off the lights, take away the audience and what does it leave you with? A shell of a human, maybe, or maybe just a human. All little wants and regrets, all yearning and self-hatred. Tonight, she cannot sleep. She blames the soft rocking of the ship, the way these sheets are not her own, but she knows there are other reasons. Back in Olympe, when she gets like this, she sometimes turns towards the hallway, padding the floor on bare feet, creaking open the door towards Orpheus’ bedroom.

Why shouldn’t she do the same, here? She wraps her body in a robe, takes her phone and moves, quietly down the hallways of Pontius. Hopes no one sees Artemis Rhea slip in the room of Orpheus Aoide, because the last thing she wants right now is relationship rumours about herself and one of Gaia’s most in musical artists, even if they’d be true. Maybe especially because they would be true.

She knocks, waits for two seconds, then checks the door handle. The door opens, surprisingly enough, and Artemis slips through the crack she creates herself. Eyes fall on Orpheus in their bed and she closes the door behind her, turns the lock and makes her way over. Doesn’t need to say it, but does: “I can’t sleep.” Even before they’d found themselves in their current situation – quietly and privately exploring the depths of their relationship beyond just friendship – they had slept together, in each other’s arms. So Artemis doesn’t ask if she can sleep in Orpheus’ bed, just waits for them to make room. “I think it’s the wind. It sounds like a ghost singing.”

[sisyphhean]

( Kalavria Summit / February 2130 / @achillespithia )

The key to not being turned away at the door, Sisyphus thinks– hopes– is not being at the door to begin with. He’s memorized the Kalavria schedule through sheer unintentional osmosis, what with the weeks of prep and months of planning he was roped into as Pontius staff, so he knows when Achilles is likely out of his room– and likely to come back. He also knows where the master keys are and what his friends in housekeeping will trade for them, all of which leads to him, now, here in Achilles’ empty room. Alone. Sweating. Waiting.

Sisyphus doesn’t sit on the bed because that feels invasive, or... more invasive than he’s already being, instead awkwardly dragging the little chair away from the little desk and positioning it so he’s in view of the door. Then, he sits. Taps out a beat on the armrests. Wonders if Achilles will finally put him out of his misery this time. Who would get billed for replacing the bloody sheets, Achilles or Hades? Who would have to explain–

The train of thought is interrupted by a chipper mechanical beep, and the click of a lock. Sisyphus raises his hands automatically as if to surrender, or field off a blow, even though Achilles is across the room. “Hey,” he says, when he sees his former friend’s face emerge in the door frame. “Hey, sorry, I just wanted to–”

The door closes again before he can finish the sentence, Achilles still on the outside of it. Fuck.

[icarusfclling]

WHO: patroclus WHERE: pontius, isthmia deck WHEN: kalavria summit, day three WEARING: margaret howell (x)

He’s heard all sorts of complaints about the various panels and presentations, starting well before they arrived on Pontius, and in true diplomatic fashion has offered whatever response seemed most appropriate at the time; sympathy, commiseration, redirection. What Icarus has yet to do is tell anyone the truth: that he wishes his schedule were a little more packed. At least when he’s sitting in a seminar he has something to focus his mind on, fingers flying across the analog keyboard he refuses to swap for the latest holo-model as he takes a truly unnecessary amount of notes on the most minuscule of details. At least in an auditorium he’s not constantly being offered drugs or alcohol that he’s already running out of polite excuses to decline less than three full days after arriving. At least numbers and charts and slideshows don’t want to touch him or talk to him or take him away to another pocket of festivity he knows he’ll have to pretend to enjoy.

Unfortunately he’s somehow ended up with several free hours in the middle of the day and absolutely nothing professional to occupy them, which is how Icarus finds himself in an elevator heading down towards the Isthmia deck. Strictly speaking, he ought to have reached out to concierge services and booked an official tour, but that carries the strong possibility of having to join a tour group which is the last thing he wants to deal with right now. The gardens are fairly easy to find anyway, an array of helpful signs and maps posted throughout the deck providing a clear path towards the keel. 

Outside a set of glass doors, through which Icarus can see glimpses of vibrant green foliage, there is a small office with a name plate reading Patroclus Cirillo, Ph.D. They knock lightly on the frame despite the open door, but when the man in question appears he comes from around the corner, not inside the room.

“Doctor Cirillo, hi! So sorry to just show up unannounced, but I have some unexpected free time and I was hoping to take a look at the gardens if that’s alright? I can come back later if you’re busy, I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

[reushq]

February 2130. Pandora Independent reporting from Pontius on the first day of the Kalavria Summit.

Those of us who have been around long enough know: where the sun may set for one domain within Gaia, it rises for another. As the festivities for Heteraidia come to a close elsewhere, Aegean Waters begins preparations for their first Kalavria Summit - an ambitious endeavor announced nearly years in advance. Touted as a tech and media conference for Gaia’s industry leaders, innovative creators, and invited press (yours truly included, thank you very much!), the Summit is rumored to be the first of its kind in terms of sheer size, scale, and amenities offered to those invited as Pontius (and its adjacent archipelago) opens up for its largest, most glamorous public hosted event yet.

The floating leviathan has been anchored off of the Aegean Archipelago, and attendees arrive by way of private air or sea travel. Poseidon Rhea has graciously arranged shuttle ferries for those who don’t have the means to arrive on their own, though those of that ilk may find it torturously slow - especially when flurries of private aircrafts swoop in above, and passing speedboats create a continuous wake on their way to dock at the distant silhouette carved into the horizon. 

As arrivals are unloaded and attendees make their way up Pontius’ main glittering stairway, those who have never had the privilege of visiting prior will find the Helicon deck greeting them first. Already normally opulent and spilling with excess and leisure, attendees will pass through an open-air twenty-four-hour bar; the largest, swear-to-Chaos shimmering outdoor pool of mosaic and marble tiles the entirety of Gaia has ever seen (serviced, of course, by dutiful attendants); and the vast Basileus Stage outfitted just for the occasion, boasting rotating acts in between summit sessions - aerialists and acrobats and fire-eaters, a live orchestra playing grand and flourishing pieces with each major arrival, and set pieces that could nearly put Delos Studio to shame. 

The heart of the summit will be on the Kalavria Deck, second to uppermost, where the majority of the guests will be staying throughout the two week duration. Notably, the deck plays host to a grand, spanning ballroom housing the conference’s tech showcases, demonstrations, and panels - if you were the least bit bewitched by The Agora at the Heteraidia Festival, this expo is for you. It spans thrice the space, and boasts enough in the realms of science and technology to make The Agora look like slim pickings. In a smaller hall across from the ballroom is a space designated for press conferences, a cordoned off area reserved only for reporters and journalists to reserve interviews with any of the illustrious attendees - should they choose to accept, of course. Aegean Waters has always boasted an emphasis on transparency and open forum with the public (though we’ll see if such earnestness backfires… even those of Pontius are not immune to scandal, as we’ve come to see!)

Presiding over this technological arms race is, as always, the Arcadian Quorum. There is hardly a pocket the council doesn’t reach into, or a promising venture they fail to oversee. This endless merchant road of legates and representatives is what ensures Arcadia’s economic prospects remain as triumphal as they have been for centuries.  For the duration of the summit, the following trailblazers will represent the city-states’ political and financial interests alike… as well as supervise the legal proceedings. They are there to ensure everything is equitable and above board in the action market of Pontius’ four decks. 

Such concerns, of course, are only scratching the surface. Beyond anything, their purpose is to ensure the Quorum will not miss any opportunity for investment, and that both the elective body and the individual states they represent will eat well, conquer plenty, and seize with both hands.

QM Briseis Krisia - Lyrnessus state representative in the Quorum, one of the youngest elected to serve in the council at a national level, rumored to be gunning for the first nomination of a diplomat into Tartarus.

COO Clytemnestra Tyndareus - HELE-N’s COO and head of business relations for the genome mapping company, scion of the renowned Tyndareus dynasty, ready to steal the biotechnology show from the get-go.

QM Diomedes Delyle - Aetolian state representative, often found working together in a lethal duo with their wiser, more jaded counterpart, QM Odysseus Laertes. Often called upon as a financial expert, but they are best known for their reckless (and yet nearly clairvoyant) investments.

Menelaus Mycenae - Agamemon’s estranged sibling, most famous ‘professional’ actor of their generation and four time Pallantium Award winner, recently gone off the rails and running their mouth about all kinds of peculiar ventures their brother is getting into.

QM Odysseus Laertes - Ithaca state representative, former tech prodigy abandoning the industry in order to enter politics and propose a stronger tech corporate regulation reform, with notable criticism done in partnership with Nemean News and Zeus and Athena Rhea; Circe’s age-old university rival.

Orion Hyria - One of the most renowned movie directors of the past decades, worked with Artemis for a brief stint before personal divergences pulled them apart (and Zeus pulled the strings to deadlock all their most enterprising projects), now they are a creative consultant working with the Quorum’s not-so-subtle propaganda machine. 

Agamemnon ‘Amon’ Mycenae (NPC) - CEO & founder of HELE-N, former protege and personal investment of Cronus Rhea, went off the grid after the magnate’s death and resurfaced under Tyndareus’ protection two decades ago.

And of course: those from Olympe and Tartarus are in attendance, with their own agendas in mind. Both visiting kings surely have their reasons for wanting to scope out the newest and biggest in tech to bring back to their respective domains, but who knows if there is something bigger that pulls all of them within the same territory yet again. Members from both factions have been invited to speak on topics relevant to their domains and industries.

Some new arrivals we’re keeping an extra eye out for this week:

SCALPEL: One event you’ll not want to miss is the demonstration by recent Aegean acquisition Scalpel, presided over by POSEIDON himself. The controversial company first made waves when its entire founding team was expelled from GemTech in one fell swoop, and has only continued to shock and scandalize ever since. Supposedly, Scalpel has been pushing the boundaries of what was previously believed possible for facial and body augmentations to newer and greater heights– though rumor has it that there is not enough data on their product’s side-effects or long-term outcomes, and that the company has a track record of prioritizing flashy developments over human safety. Whatever the truth, there’s no question that their product has been surrounded by its fair share of hype and mystery, so be sure to get your seat early!

HELE-N: One of the most buzzed about demos is surely that of HELE-N’s, conducted by AGAMEMNON. For those who may not be in the know, HELE-N is a global tech company that has stolen the spotlight as of late for pushing their industry one step past what the late Cronus Rhea pioneered, claiming the next step in age extension. Analysts are predicting immortality is within reach of HELE-N's tech - though it remains to be seen if it is more than just a rumor, it is no surprise their booth flaunts the highest crowds. Little is known about the team currently working on its development, and the mother-company seems to rotate with every report. Independently-owned, no one knows when the product is going to hit public markets, but the Three Kings are keeping their bids close to their chest - and conducting their own investigations.

Additionally, your darling Pandora lackeys have managed to snag a snapshot of the itinerary for this two-week event:

ITINERARY FOR WEEK 1

Opening Keynote Speech & Introduction to Kalavria - presented by POSEIDON

News & Tech in 2130 - a conversation between APHRODITE and ZEUS

Innovation & Invention: A Glimpse into Aegean Waters’ Future - presented by CIRCE & HEPHAESTUS

Scalpel Demonstration - hosted by POSEIDON

The Chaos Ball - Mini-event to be conducted in the IC Discord server, March 19th - 25th. A masquerade party themed around the divine power, celebrating the end of the first week. Attendees are encouraged to dress according to their interpretation of the theme, and the ball is to be held atop Helicon.

ITINERARY FOR WEEK 2

Governance & Tech in Gaia - moderated by ATHENA, panelists include ICARUS & ODYSSEUS

HELE-N Demonstration - hosted by AGAMEMNON

Talaria & Social Design - presented by HERMES

Tech & Tourism Panel - moderated by ARIADNE, panelists include HADES, NYX & BRISEIS

Final Night Festivities - Mini-event to be conducted in the IC Discord server, April 9th - 15th. Drinks by candlelight on Helicon, along with a selection of rafts and private boats, finishing off with fireworks shot under the Aegean stars.

ONGOING: LEISURE

Helicopter and glass-bottom boat tours off the coast of the archipelago

Whale-watching, snorkeling and diving around the local reef

Boat and jetski races between small local islands

Various ocean sports, including spearfishing and waterskiing

Hands-on demonstrations, notably in the realm of augmentations

Tours of the greenhouses and production facilities on Isthmia deck

Unlimited access to the spas on Kalavria deck, and hot springs on the local islands

ADMIN NOTE

Welcome to our second event, a two week summit aboard Pontius which takes place from March 5 - April 15th in real time! Feel free to set your threads anywhere on Pontius, so long as they loosely follow the guidelines of the itinerary for each in-game week. Also, remember you are encouraged to suggest locations and mini-events to the mods even if your character is not a part of the Pontius faction! Make sure you mention the date, location and general place in the itinerary at the beginning of your starters if you can (where applicable).

As you may have seen, we have peppered a few names through our event description! Besides the NPC Agamemnon Mycenae, CEO of HELE-N and a key player in the financial and political games taking place at the summit, we have also introduced six Arcadian newcomers. Their skeletons will be released in the following days, with more updates on when we start taking applications to come at the beginning of next week. 

An important mention, here: due to popular request (and valid concerns) we were asked what measures we will put in place to make sure new applicants receive the same attention & equal chances as old members, who have had plenty of time to familiarize themselves with the plot and worldbuilding. Our best solution for this at the moment is to leave the skeletons exclusively available for applications by new people only. Current members who want to take a second character (or, pending admin permission, a third) are invited to apply for OCs. Updates on this OC format and guidelines will be released once all the skeletons are posted!

Additionally, players may now write ‘home base’ threads set during the two weeks between events, within their respective domains, granted they are necessary for plotting reasons– as most threads should focus on the current event!

[alectocarrion]

with: @megareus​ when: february 2130 (week two) where: pontius (kalavria)

It’s only the second week, and still, the feeling of being split in several directions hasn’t left Alecto. The threat of succumbing even further into their familiarity only grows after the party. After Than knelt at her hand, after she gave Hypnos the seashells she’d collected for them, even Dusa in the bathroom. Their safe haven of scented candles and marble walls, a chair pushed in front of the door to keep anyone else from entering. 

There were plenty of things to draw Alecto in. The threat of falling prey to them under the gaze of others was what kept her withdrawn. To blow the operation this early? It would be childish. She’d been careless with a lot of things, but this was important to her. It had to be, after all of this preparation, after all of the thought put into this, after testing Nyx and Hades’ boundaries on what they would allow her to do. 

To make it worth something, she had to not fuck it up. But to do that, she had to stop seeking them out. 

This time, though, this time it is not Alecto who seeks out Meg. Instead, they stand on the other end of a very long hallway. It’s like every other time, and Alecto is beginning to fucking hate Pontius and its stupid hallways. Things had been tense, the last they left them, and they weren’t sure they were in the right mind to address it, or even assess the damage that’d been done. 

Alecto isn’t the type to avoid, but there’s a first time for everything. Like a child, they turn on their heel and stalk in the opposite direction, legs carrying them to a dead end. “Fucking fates, fuck you, and fuck Chaos, too.” 

[zagreusrhea]

who: @hephaestusgalani

where: pool, pontius. 4:00 am. 

when: feb 2130, kalavria

Evidentially, he isn’t the only one who finds peace in four am pool visits - because when Zagreus arrives, Hephaestus is there in a button-down shirt and pool shorts, with one foot in and one foot out of the water both literally and metaphorically. Zagreus eventually coaxes him in for a swim, but by the time they’re in the pool, Hephaestus hasn’t quite shaken the thousand yard from his eye, sticks to the shallow end, near the steps ; treads water without diving in.

Zagreus wiggles his neon blue pool noodle at him from afar. He steers his own inflatable bed closer, till he can pat them with the foam stick. “There, there -“ he says. “Tell me what’s on your mind, Heph.” He offers a few more pats with the pool noodle. Hopes it’s as comforting as he finds it enjoyable. “Is it your presentation? Just make a few promises about your dividends, tell your audience the stonks are going up, shareholders love that.” Zagreus has an inkling about what else this could be about, but he’s attempting to be delicate. Or as delicate as four am in a pool with a pool noodle can afford. His voice is soft with genuine concern. “If this is about the other stuff - “ The middle of the night pool trip certainly made sense if matters of the affair were what was weighing on Hephaestus. Even the paparazzi had to sleep after all. “- you can talk to me. I’m not really in the place to judge about what you do for love.” 

[minotaurus-archive]

where — a gym, pontius. when — week 1 of kalavria with — @achillespithia

Beads of sweat gather on his forehead. There’s something like comfort to be found in this, the familiar movements of fighting. If anything, he’s glad for this — the opportunity to spar, to keep his body moving, to practice new martial arts moves. There’s a part of him that longs for more, that longs for the violence of the arena, that wants to cause actual bleeding and bruises, but then there’s another part that recognises this and grinds it into the floor. This rage that simmers in the core of his being should not be utilised that way, he thinks. ( And yet that’s what he has done, every time he enters that arena. ) No, right now there is just Achilles across from him, and friendly sparring between them. 

They take a break and Mino busies himself with his water bottle, downing the water. He doesn’t want to say a thing, feels his stomach fester with unsaid things. It’s becoming hard not to give into resentment, when he finds himself here, when his job that shackles him to Tartarus now takes him to Pontius, too. It feels cruel, and he knows better than to think it part of a ploy to be cruel to him in particular, but still — the Fates are testing him, these days.

“Wonder what those machines are for,” he says, nodding his head to some complicated-looking gym equipment. “Dunno why you’d need those, when old school workout methods are plenty good.” There are elephants in this room, or rather grand monsters — unsaid things Mino does not want to get into, because he’s worried he’ll end up biting with words. “Just seems a bit much.” 

[hermies]

 who :    @gorgonias​​ ,   hermes   rhea .

 what :    you ,   me ,   a   bottle   of   champagne .

 where :    ext .   rooftop   garden ,   atop   helicon .

 when :    kalavria ,   night   one .   eleven   years   since   our   first   date .

 why :     tradition ,   nostalgia ,   codependency .   and   love ,   probably .

 pontius   is   an   impressive   creature .   a   living ,   breathing ,   city   perched   atop   the   waves .    an   absolute   spectacle   of   a   home .   hermes   will   never ,   ever   tire   of   it .   nor   will   he   tire   of   showing   it   off .   and   if   there’s   someone   on   this   planet   worth   showing   off   for ,   it’s   dusa   gorgonia .   especially   tonight .   tucked   away   towards   the   stern ,   on   the   highest   point   of   the   ship ,   is   a   small    garden .   it’s   lavish ,   flourishing ,   a   testament   to   patroclus   and   the   sheer   tenacity   of   weather   resistant   flora .   twin   weeping   cherry   trees   wind   into   one   another ,   branches   twisting   around   like   fingers   entwined .   flickering   fairy   lights   dot   the   plants ,   tealights   bob   on   the   shimmering   surface   of   the   pool .      pontius   has   many   an   impressive   locale ,   opulent   ball   rooms   and   state   of   the   art   laboratories ,   but   this   one ,   this   key  -  code   only   garden   with   it’s   saltwater   pool   and   trickling   fountain ,   this   storybook   place   that   opens   to   the   stars ,   this   he   knew   would   impress   dusa .    he’s   leaning   back   on   his   elbows ,   legs   dangling   in   the   pool ,   cigarette   on   his   lip .   when   dusa   arrives ,   he   jerks   his   head   in   the   direction   of   the   champagne   in   the   ice   bucket   beside   him   and   holds   his   cigarette   out   on   offer .     ❛ ❛   you’re   late .   i   started   without   you .   ❜ ❜

[sccylla]

where — ceto, lab 69 when — first week of kalavria with — @dolusmendacius​

There’s a soft sound as the door slides open, a sound that Scylla has come to connect with reprieve. For all the years she and her team have spent working in the silent shadows, it is quite a change of pace to work on a ship the size of a city. Unbecoming, really, though she won’t admit to that kind of simple weakness. But the lab is quiet and the lab is theirs and she expects it to be empty upon arrival — but of course, it is not.

“What are you doing here?” Her tone is sharp as she takes in Dolus Mendacius, eyes squinting a little at his presence. What a nuisance this person was proving to be, a fly in her ear, a mouse in the wall, a bird making a cacophony when she has not properly awoken. “Actually, never mind: do tell me what you’ve touched.” Meddlesome fingers: he reminds her a bit of a child that sticks his fingers in a tub of butter, licking them off before dipping in again. No doubt there’s a brilliant mind hiding behind all of it. “And what you thought of it.” In that regard, Pontius reminds her of GemTech: there’s clever people everywhere. Even if some are rather fucking grating. “Also, do you have any family residing on this ship? I met someone with the same surname as yours. Any relation or mere coincidence?”