Of travel I've had my share, man.

[theincredibleherc]

Who: Hercules theincredibleherc and YOU!
What: Hercules arrives
Where: All Over Philly
When: During the Philly camp period.
Warnings/Notes: Possible language, not anticipating anything too serious.



Falling for what seemed like hours and hours is an unfortunate thing, but it's a damn sight better than being stuck in a completely empty mockery of a reality that Hera had created. And hearing voices in his head whispering about saving some place he'd never heard of? That's damn weird, but par for the course when dealing with faeries, just like waking up in a place you definitely didn't fall asleep. Never one to concern himself with the finer details of a request for help...and because anything was better than being stuck in an empty universe...he mentally made up his mind to actually take this at face value. A request for help and a mysterious tugging in some unknown direction was enough to get him up and moving.

And so that is how the Lion of Olympus arrived in the ruins of Philadelphia. Striding out of the forest and into the ruined city, his mace casually carried over one shoulder, Herc noted the signs. Stuffing a hand into his belt pouch, he pulled out his Starkphone and checked for signal, just to be sure. Finding none, he shrugged and casually flicked over to a music all, beginning to blare Guns and Roses. The noise, he figured, could be a beacon to anyone around...or to any enemies that might be lurking nearby. Either was better than being alone.

The longer he went without sight or sound of anyone, the more noise he decided to make. That mostly entailed singing along with whatever song came up on his playlist, a range of classic rock and hair metal that Amadeus had left on there. And a few odd choices that he figured were gags left by Hank.



Eventually he'll find his way to The Philadelphia Free Library, figuring that maybe he could find an old newspaper or something inside. Pushing his way through the door, he stepped inside and called out, just to be sure.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Comments

[balladin]

The recognition is a mixed bag, but he’ll take it. It means he doesn’t have to introduce himself and do the meeting people in a prolonged crisis dance, but Robbie is aware that it’s infamy that gets him recognized without the fly-eyed demicowl. It could be worse. It could be Moonstone.

“I thought all gods like to shave a few centuries off their age. 3000 years old, looks 30 in a mirror selfie. 20 if he’s a swan.” Robbie’s pretty sure that one wasn’t Hercules, but high school was years ago. He’s let the knowledge lapse because, well, the odds of teaming up with OG Original Greek have only gotten slimmer with age.

So, he’s reduced to swan jokes. It’s probably a sign that it’s time to be serious. “Are the Avengers here? As in, by choice and not by rabbit hole?”

[theincredibleherc]

"Bah, that's my Father, not me. I'm no shapeshifter," Herc snorts, waving a hand. "The Metamorphoses exaggerate that too, or so Zeus would have the world believe."

He regards Robbie again, looking the youth up and down once or twice, considering him for a moment. They had never met, but yes, infamy had made him known. By all rights, Herc probably could have been angry with him, being indirectly responsible for so much ruckus, but he can't exactly cast stones.

"Unfortunately, no. I was alone when I went to sleep, and I was alone when I fell. You're the only person I've run into I've recognized so far. So catch me up. What has happened?"

[balladin]

Is there anything more inadvisable than reminding a hero of their father?

Obviously, yes, but as far as a guaranteed conversational faux pas, that vaults him way up there. Cringing slightly, Robbie wouldn’t blame Hercules for being annoyed with him, in this case. He wouldn’t fault him for berating him about Stamford, either.

Heck, if he knew Herc was downplaying it as a 'ruckus', Robbie would read them both the Riot Act out of principle. An Act for Preventing Tumults and Riotous Assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual Punishing the Rioters …

But that’s hypothetical. Reality is that the rescue party has a little more emphasis on part for it to be any relief. Well. It was nice while it lasted. “I was in Mount Wundagore when I feel through.”

Or close enough. “That was a few weeks ago. You’re the first person I’ve recognized, and there’s been a few dozen people kidnapped. It’s hard to keep track – something keeps teleporting us around. We can’t go too far from the group, or it slings us back. And sometimes, just for funskis, it sends us to the Mannequin Funhouse Castle.”

[theincredibleherc]

Zeus and Herc have somewhat reconciled their differences. Dealing with his father at age 12 and with no memories had given him a newfound appreciation for Zeus...he can deal with it.

He listens to the report...such as it is, with a thoughtful rub of the chin.

"Mannequin Funhouse? What do you mean?" That's the first thing that needs clarification. "And teleporting?"

[balladin]

“Mannequin Funhouse is the nice way to put it,” Robbie says, by way of explaining. The Brugh is something else, and he can never put his finger on a concise explanation without resorting to evocative allegory like Antarctic Pixie Carnivale or Vampire Vulcan Vixens V. “We keep getting transported to this castle. It’s like Dracula’s castle – dark and huge, with I don’t know how many rooms and even more twisty. In the middle of it, there’s a throne room with dozens of frozen elves. It’s some sort of spell or curse, but I get the feeling they deserved it. Anyway, they look hot until you catch 'em in a mirror.”

He takes a shudder, squinting his eyes and sticks out his tongue in a reasonable imitation of Mr. Yuck. “Let’s just say beauty isn’t even skin deep. Huginn and Muninn were right to warn everybody off kissing them. Nobody wants to kiss that.”

Seriously, there isn’t enough artificial hotness in the world to dampen that warning, so he doesn’t continue to beat the uglies while they’re frozen. “The teleporting is just that. We’re being teleported. No sign of who or how.”

[theincredibleherc]

"Sounds...dreary..."

That's all Herc can think to say at first. He frowns a little, perplexed but not at all put out by it. Hideous monsters or curses, that's just something he accepts, after as much time with his family and Stephen Strange as he's spent.

Nobody would accuse him of being smart, though.

"All around, dreary. And what of these grim reaper wannabes I've heard so much about?"

Tell him what he's up against at least.