video @L.Mills

[thestoriesarereal]

[The video turns on with Lucy smiling and then giving the camera a wave.]

I know it's a bit late, but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day.

Also, all the Valentine's Day chocolate should be marked down, perfect time to get a lot of chocolate and candy.

[The video feed ends there, but she is a clever girl and thought this would be a better way to address those she left a valentine's day card and various candies for.]

For Emma

For Victor

For Nico

For Jefferson

For Older Loki

For Stan

For Younger Loki

For Laura

[And for Ivar for when he comes back.]

Comments

[thestoriesarereal]

Good, I don't want you to forget anything old man. [She says that with the straightest face she can muster that lasts five seconds before she's giggling. That is the LAST time she's calling Nico an 'old man.']

Awww, I'm sure she would be...semi-okay with it. And you should meet her sometime soon, that way she knows it's okay to be around you--not because you're a demigod, but you know, the whole protective parent thing.

[deathkid]

Wow, old man jokes now. I see how it is. [ he clearly doesn't mind because he's smirking. ]

Yeah, I get that. I mean, I just got done telling you how my dad put me in a magical casino for over seventy years to protect me. I get protective parents.

[thestoriesarereal]

I can already picture you telling me to get off your lawn or something.

Yeah, even a magical casino would get boring after a while.

..So maybe, when Emma gets back, you could meet her?

[deathkid]

[ pretends to consider. ]

Sure, I don't see why not.

[thestoriesarereal]

Please?

[She's pouting and pleading. How could he say no to her?]

[deathkid]

[ holds up his hands as if giving up. ]

All right, all right! I will.

[thestoriesarereal]

[Grinning. who can say no to a cute kid?]

Great! Maybe you could meet Victor too, he's sort of from my world. Kind of...either way, he's really nice.

[deathkid]

I've already met him, actually. Showed him how I shadow travel and we talked about raising the dead.

[thestoriesarereal]

Oh! That's great! So then he knows you and could vouch for you to Emma.

Maybe I could invite him to dinner to...or maybe just have it be with you and Emma...

[Thinking...thinking...]

[deathkid]

Yeah, I guess he could. But I think it would be better if it was me, you, and your grandma to start with.

[thestoriesarereal]

Okay! I'll talk to her once she's back from whatever she's doing...

[She doesn't know what's going on, but Emma had to go...]

[deathkid]

You don't know what she's doing?

[thestoriesarereal]

[There's a shake of her head.]

She didn't really go over too much, only that it was for work, I think. Either way I'm staying with Victor until she gets back.

[deathkid]

Does she work for the Perimeter Guard?

[thestoriesarereal]

Maybe? I don't know. I know she works....and I know Victor works for a lab.

[deathkid]

Hm... that's probably something you'll want to find out once she gets back. It's always good to know things like that.

[thestoriesarereal]

Okay. Hopefully...she'll be in one piece. I mean... [She starts to look worried.]

There hasn't been anything bad that's happened here....right?

[deathkid]

[ giving her a winning smile, he waves his hand dismissively. ]

I'm sure she's fiiiiine. Don't worry about her.

[ and he doesn't answer the last bit, because bad things have happened. things he doesn't want to frighten her with. ]

[thestoriesarereal]

[That winning smile is cute and all, but it doesn't hide the fact that he didn't answer her second question.]

....and the other part of my question?

[Don't try to dumb things down for her, please. Please don't be like the other adults who don't think she can handle it.]

[deathkid]

[ this is where nico sighs and looks up all "why, gods, why?" ]

It's dangerous outside quarantine, beyond the walls. Monsters and ghosts prowl out there. And there have been murders inside the walls. This is not a completely peaceful world, Lucy. So you have to be very careful who you trust and spend time with. It's good that you trusted me since I would protect you, but not everyone is the same.

[thestoriesarereal]

[Because Nico, you're it. Ivar isn't here to go over other things, which may or may not be for the better. But, now it's a matter of who she can trust and so far...the people she's met have been nice. Nico is a good guy, that much she can tell from the get go. Along with Victor...and Loki--both of them, so far.

She takes a deep breath to calm herself down. Emma will be fine. Emma will be fine.]

Thanks for telling me. [Lucy looks a bit somber now, trying to take things in one at a time.]

I was hoping this world would be different than Hyperion Heights...it seemed that way, but you have to be on guard at all times.