zerotohiro | I'll be the watcher of the eternal flame [Eachdraidh IC Contact]

[One, two, and there's a switch to audio.]

You need to listen to the sound of my voice because I'm only saying this once. Yes. Yes I'm sure about this and yes I'm committing myself to you. I told you at Samhain that I don't care and that I'm not giving up. I'm not scared.

[Yes he is.]

I'll learn. I pick up on everything fast and Saber's been training me for months how to fight with a dagger.

[A lingering pause.] Teach me. I need to understand everything.

[Hiro doesn't get an immediate response, but eventually Nico switches to audio as well.]

If you're not scared, then you should be. The ghosts in the Drabwurld aren't like the kind I deal with at home. I can make educated guesses on how to keep them from becoming too powerful for us to handle, but I can't guarantee anything.

[So. He's going to try Hiro. If the boy doesn't run from him or anything, then...then Nico will let him help.]

Alright, then. I can travel through shadows, and how much energy it drains from me is all dependent on distance and the amount of people I'm traveling with, if any. If I abuse any of my powers beyond my limits, then I start turning into a ghost myself. I can summon not only skeletons and zombies of humans, animals, and any other species I'd care for, but ghosts from good to bad to everything in between. I can put sleeping people into a deeper sleep if they're in range and if I care to do so. When I'm asleep, I can travel into the dreams of other people or they can drag me into theirs if they have a powerful enough dream. I can cause fissures if I get angry enough. If I need to preserve my life for any reason, I can go into a deathlike state, a "death trance," which can slow down any poison and I won't need to breathe as much air. I can even safely eat pomegranate seeds taken from Persephone's Garden that can sustain me for a full 24 hours.

[And now...the one power that he's not sure even Hiro can handle. The one power Nico doesn't want to use again if he can at all avoid it.]

If I'm seriously pushed over the brink, I even have the power to turn someone into a ghost and banish them to the Underworld.

[Nico pauses to let that and the implications of that statement sink in.]

So. Do you still think I'm worth it? Do you still want to go with me?

[Nothing. Nothing but silence as he processes that and repeats the words over and over in his head. That's...a lot that he wasn't expecting. He knew that Nico's powers were, well, powerful, but that's so much more than he ever expected. He's quiet for so long that it might appear that he completely disappeared just like Nico was thinking he would.

But...soon enough, he responds.]

...so maybe I'm a little scared of what we're gonna do, but I'm not scared of you. [That is to say, buddy, he kind of assumes that you're scared of you and that you're scared of losing control.] Every hero needs a sidekick so...why can't we just be each other's? You protect me from getting killed, I protect you from going that far over the edge. That's it, isn't it? Shuck knows what you can really do and that's why he wanted someone to go with you.

[It's not exactly the conclusion, probably, but it works well.]

It kind of pisses me off that you're asking me that, you know? Yes, I think you're worth it and yes I'm still going. We're friends, Nico. I know you think people make friends with you and you don't understand it yet, but I'm risking a lot to do this and--[And he pauses because he remembers a talk with a certain chaos god. Guilt hits him like a freight train, knowing he's going directly against what Loki told him a month ago...but it has to be done. This is the right choice.]

And I don't regret it. Your powers are dangerous, but every good thing comes with a little risk. We're both here. We were both brought here and we're both fighting in a war that neither of us get a say in. I want to make my own choice in how I'm going to help and this is going to be one of them. We've just gotta be careful.

So. I think the question should actually be do you think I'm good enough to bring along? Because if you can't answer me that then I guess I really can't change your mind and we'll find a way to tell Shuck I can't do this.

Edited 2015-04-05 03:23 (UTC)

[It's not exactly the reason, and Nico knows that it's not. At the same time, he doesn't really want to get into it. That's a can of worms that he doesn't like opening for good reason.

Regardless...he's totally silent through the whole thing. The fact that Hiro thinks he's worth any of this is...a foreign concept for him, even after all this time. So, Nico gives in. There's nothing else for it. He'll just have to make sure he gives Hiro the tools and experience necessary to keep him alive.]

If you're as good at learning as you say and you don't find what I can do...disturbing enough, then...alright. I'll start training you after the holiday. Just promise me that you won't take any unnecessary risks, okay?

[After a moment's hesitation:]

I want you to make that a binding oath, too, by swearing on the River Styx. So, if you feel like you can't keep that promise, then I'm warning you to back out. Breaking that oath will mean a fate worse than death will happen to you.

You're half-god, Nico. I'd be surprised if you didn't have some freaky powers...[But he lets out a breath he wasn't realizing he was holding and there's a grin audible in his tone. Later on he'll probably flip out privately about how dangerous Nico's powers are, but for now? They're okay. Nico's okay. He's okay. This is fine.]

Think you're gonna have to define unnecessary risks. Like I said, you're kind of a liability for me. [He's back to teasing him. That's a good sign, isn't it?

Or it was until that happened.] ...fate worse than death, huh? [Idly spoken. He's trying to imagine what that might be.] ...fine. I'll do the oath if we're clear on what "unnecessary" is. And you're not allowed to trick me into backing out because this is an "unnecessary risk", okay?

Except that you've never before met someone who was a child of Hades or Zeus or Poseidon, or even their Roman counterparts. [Seriously, they're a different league altogether in comparison to the other children of the gods.]

No tricks, I promise. [He wouldn't do that to Hiro, as tempting as it is. Unless it's something that absolutely needs to happen, he just won't.] If it's for reasons like trying to prove you're brave or prove that you can do it, that's unnecessary. Being reckless will also fall under that category.

Stop. [It's not a harsh request, but rather just a firm reminder that he still doesn't really care about the excuses.] You're worrying way too much dude. I'm friends with the actual god of Chaos, remember? [Family, really, but who's counting?] I know you're a child of the Big Three or whatever but I already made the choice. Little late to back out even if I wanted to.

Good. [He might need it in the future though just by nature of who Hiro is.] I'm not going to be reckless, why does everybody keep saying that?

[Hiro.]

...I suppose so. [He'll grudgingly give Hiro that much.]

Maybe because it bears repeating. [There's no venom or gentleness about it. It's just matter-of-fact truth.] Also, I very distinctly remember you angering a bunch of natives in Treun. So.

That wasn't my fault. They're the ones who weren't paying attention to the pool. [He's also the one who cheated but whatever.

A long, long pause.]

…I'll do it. The oath, I mean. But only if it means swearing that I only back out if I really, really can't handle it. I know my limits better than you guys do. But I'll do it. [A beat.] I trust you, okay? [That's...a very big deal, and he knows Nico knows that.]

And you neglected to give any sort of warning. [Nico's tone is innocent, and actually half amused.

There's silence for a moment.]

Alright. This trust goes both ways, Hiro. Also...you're going to hate me with the training I'll put you through, but you'll be able to hold your own at the end of it. I'm not going to be very fair.

[But, no matter what, Nico will make absolutely sure that if one of them has to make a sacrifice, it won't be Hiro. He'll give his life to make sure at least the other teenager will get out of it alive. He cares about Hiro too much to let that happen, if he can at all help it.]

I needed the head start. [The tone matches Nico's. At least they're on the same page.]

You actually trust me now? [He sounds pretty damn pleased about that. There's a small huff following the rest.] I'm not weak, you know. I...used to train in martial arts with Tadashi. [He doesn't say much more than that though. He also doesn't share that a certain ex-boy wonder's taught him some things. Nico can be surprised.

That's what he thinks. Hiro's about the same level and that's why he's going with Nico in the first place. How sad that they're both so protective of each other and are completely clueless of it.]

Bring it on. As soon as the holiday's over, we'll get going.

[Or as soon as he freaks out about Jason, whatever. But Hiro doesn't know that.]

[He's actually smiling a little bit, though Hiro can't see it.]

Yeah. [Just by continuing this conversation in general, he's made Nico feel able to trust him more. Not that he didn't trust Hiro before, but...this is different.] No, no, I don't think you're weak. I'm just going to be very tough on you. Real weapons, nothing blunted.

[Hiro will be perfectly safe with Nico's weapon, at least. The blade won't hurt mortals.]

Give me a call whenever you're ready.

[All part of his master plan, really.] I told you before, I'm a superhero. It's gonna take way more than a few weapons to scare me. And besides, I just so happened to get a really cool dagger for Christmas. Guy's got pretty good taste.

[He doesn't even know that, but whatever.]

Sweet. [A pause.] Have a good rest of the holiday, okay? I'll catch up with you when it's over. [And with that satisfactory note, he's disconnecting the call.]

I'll be the watcher of the eternal flame [Eachdraidh IC Contact]

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