[ he's sitting on the sand, staring at the ocean and still wrapped in his jacket. ]
Hey, dude. Have fun today? [ idly. because sometimes it's just good to rage and beat the shit out of a guy who's been fucking up your lives for eight weeks. ]
I got to crush the guy as a dinosaur. Not my usual style of fighting, but it was definitely something I didn't mind at all. [ but he grins. ] I've been waiting for a good fight for a while, but it almost felt too short.
Yeah, 35 against 4 was sort of a no-brainer. [ shrug. ] But at least we got to take care of it. I think I would've been more mad if we didn't get a few hits in ourselves. I can be happy with that much.
[ averts his gaze, even if it makes him feel small and weak. because in this moment he kind of is. he can't handle the intensity of nico's stare right now, not when things feel so uncertain. ]
For one thing, no killing any of my friends or my family. [ calmly. but also he does have to point that out. ] You don't have to stay at camp. I don't expect you to. But if you end up leaving New York or hopping to a different world later, just give me a heads up. Keep me updated on what you're doing. [ there's a pause. ] It's going to be hard to totally start over by yourself. That's all.
Can't be any harder than what it would've been like back home. I wouldn't be able to talk to much of anyone I used to know there, and it's not like Danny can just have an identical twin running around town.
But yes. Absolutely. Deal. Just as long as you don't try using any of your ghost control powers on me. [ would they even work on him? hell if he knows! but he doesn't want to find out!! ]
Yeah, that would've been a little more awkward to explain. [ understandable. it's too hard to start over when you're dropped in the middle of someone else's life. he can sympathize just a little there. ] At least in Manhattan there's no Danny Fenton. You wouldn't have to worry about it. You could decide to be...whoever. Danny Fenton or otherwise.
[ he raises an eyebrow though. ] I'll only use my powers on you if you end up being a threat. But since you already heard the first of my rules, I don't think that'll be a problem. [ ... ] It's a big city. You have some time to figure out what you want to do when we get there, but it might not hurt to think about it before we leave, too.
[ ...you know what, fine. he can put up with that. especially since he really doesn't have any intention of harming any of Nico's loved ones. ]
I don't want to be Danny Fenton. I haven't been him in over ten years. I don't know what or who I'd be instead, though. Things like "schools" and "careers" and stuff stopped mattering when I died.
...you said I don't have to stay at camp, but could I? What do people there do? Other than errands for jerk gods.
There's time. I mean I haven't exactly been to a school since fifth grade and I'm doing fine. I don't think a career's in the cards either. There's always options, and if you decide you do want to actually figure something out like that when you get there it's available to you. Even if it's just to give yourself a way to pass time.
[ ...he had told nimona she could stay at camp if she did ever decide to come with him, so now he thinks about this for a moment. ]
...I suppose I could talk to Dionysus if I explain things in our next session. [ this is mumbled to himself like he's debating this. ] It's a training camp, so we have our usual lessons for combat and everything. Swordfighting, archery, pegasus flying lessons, combat techniques...climbing wall sprints, plus normal camp stuff. You kind of make your own schedule half the time. Will usually spends blocks of time in the infirmary and I'm kind of allowed to do whatever I want as long as I'm not raising the dead and causing more problems. [ this is sort of a joke but also sort of not. ]
Yeah. I might start teaching lessons myself just to fill my time, but it's good practice. During summer session, Capture the Flag's a pretty big part of our training, too. Weapons are allowed as long as you don't actually kill each other.
[ the emotions, unfortunately, are a very violent, sudden shock of uneasiness that quickly disappears. focus on camp. nothing else. ]
...but it is, yeah. I didn't...realize how good it was for me until I finally decided to stay. And now it's home so I'll always defend it from anything that might threaten to take it away from me.
[ well. that sudden burst of unease has danny feeling a little uneasy too. but he also tries to ignore it! once again they are the same fucking person. christ.
the way nico talks about camp makes him want to be able to talk that way about something too. Danny, the one he used to be, once felt that way about Amity Park and all his family and friends. Nico is making him miss something he barely remembers--something that exists so vaguely it seems larger than life.
(was that last line isn't a threat to him specifically? he is choosing not to think about that.) ]
Capture the Flag, huh...it really is like a camp in some ways.
[ listen sometimes you remember you murdered someone in capture the flag a week ago and aren't actually sure the person you're talking to actually knows that.
it's not exactly a threat to danny specifically. a warning, maybe, but the camp has been under attack like three times in the last two years and he's exhausted. but it's clear he does love it now. it's home, it's where his most important people are, and it's where he wants to be and go back to when the worst things are over because now it represents somewhere safe and somewhere loving. a place people actually give a shit about him. he's excited to get back to it after these last eight weeks, but...there are people here, too, who won't be there.
he doesn't mind extending the invite to anyone else either. ]
Yeah. Everything there is the same kind of stuff you'd find at a real camp, but skewed a little more dangerously to make sure we can survive outside in the mortal world. Camp's got a barrier around it to keep monsters out for the most part. It's just that everything outside of that is fair game. [ but he thinks on this. ] I don't think I'd be a good teacher, but maybe beginning sword training. I learned at camp, so it only makes sense that now I teach.
I've outgrown summer camp a while ago, but the danger might make up for it. It sounds nice, at least.
...Maybe I could teach too. In a sense. Spar with people and tell them what they're doing wrong. [ the instant and immediate confidence that he is better at fighting than anyone else at this camp ]
[ it's fine. he does not know what the graveyard talks about ever. ]
Funny. I'd like to see how long you'd keep that opinion. [ he's kidding, but also that's so funny to him. he does not mean this next part rudely, he is just being a typical teenage boy. ] I'd love to see you get your ass kicked though. Could be fun.
I think you're forgetting that we also have powers. And some of us are kind of way stronger than we have any right to be. [ but also this sounds kind of like an exciting challenge and he's here for it. ] You might have to wait a little though. It's fall right now, and summer session doesn't start again until closer to June. Plenty of time to do other stuff.
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Hey, dude. Have fun today? [ idly. because sometimes it's just good to rage and beat the shit out of a guy who's been fucking up your lives for eight weeks. ]
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That was probably the most satisfying thing I've done in years.
...what about you?
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...can I ask you a question, Nico?
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...yeah, definitely. Surprised you're even asking if you can ask. [ curiosity in his emotions. ] What's up?
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...weeks ago, you offered to let me move into your world when this is all over. Is that...is that offer still open?
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...I told you, I'm not gonna be the one to take away your second chance. [ ... ] You still want to then?
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...yes.
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Then...yeah. It's still open. But we should probably set a couple of ground rules if I'm bringing you back to a place I call home.
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Like what?
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But yes. Absolutely. Deal. Just as long as you don't try using any of your ghost control powers on me. [ would they even work on him? hell if he knows! but he doesn't want to find out!! ]
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[ he raises an eyebrow though. ] I'll only use my powers on you if you end up being a threat. But since you already heard the first of my rules, I don't think that'll be a problem. [ ... ] It's a big city. You have some time to figure out what you want to do when we get there, but it might not hurt to think about it before we leave, too.
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I don't want to be Danny Fenton. I haven't been him in over ten years. I don't know what or who I'd be instead, though. Things like "schools" and "careers" and stuff stopped mattering when I died.
...you said I don't have to stay at camp, but could I? What do people there do? Other than errands for jerk gods.
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[ ...he had told nimona she could stay at camp if she did ever decide to come with him, so now he thinks about this for a moment. ]
...I suppose I could talk to Dionysus if I explain things in our next session. [ this is mumbled to himself like he's debating this. ] It's a training camp, so we have our usual lessons for combat and everything. Swordfighting, archery, pegasus flying lessons, combat techniques...climbing wall sprints, plus normal camp stuff. You kind of make your own schedule half the time. Will usually spends blocks of time in the infirmary and I'm kind of allowed to do whatever I want as long as I'm not raising the dead and causing more problems. [ this is sort of a joke but also sort of not. ]
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Sounds like a good place to just...do whatever and try things out.
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[ the emotions, unfortunately, are a very violent, sudden shock of uneasiness that quickly disappears. focus on camp. nothing else. ]
...but it is, yeah. I didn't...realize how good it was for me until I finally decided to stay. And now it's home so I'll always defend it from anything that might threaten to take it away from me.
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the way nico talks about camp makes him want to be able to talk that way about something too. Danny, the one he used to be, once felt that way about Amity Park and all his family and friends. Nico is making him miss something he barely remembers--something that exists so vaguely it seems larger than life.
(was that last line isn't a threat to him specifically? he is choosing not to think about that.) ]
Capture the Flag, huh...it really is like a camp in some ways.
What sort of things would you teach?
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it's not exactly a threat to danny specifically. a warning, maybe, but the camp has been under attack like three times in the last two years and he's exhausted. but it's clear he does love it now. it's home, it's where his most important people are, and it's where he wants to be and go back to when the worst things are over because now it represents somewhere safe and somewhere loving. a place people actually give a shit about him. he's excited to get back to it after these last eight weeks, but...there are people here, too, who won't be there.
he doesn't mind extending the invite to anyone else either. ]
Yeah. Everything there is the same kind of stuff you'd find at a real camp, but skewed a little more dangerously to make sure we can survive outside in the mortal world. Camp's got a barrier around it to keep monsters out for the most part. It's just that everything outside of that is fair game. [ but he thinks on this. ] I don't think I'd be a good teacher, but maybe beginning sword training. I learned at camp, so it only makes sense that now I teach.
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I've outgrown summer camp a while ago, but the danger might make up for it. It sounds nice, at least.
...Maybe I could teach too. In a sense. Spar with people and tell them what they're doing wrong. [ the instant and immediate confidence that he is better at fighting than anyone else at this camp ]
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Funny. I'd like to see how long you'd keep that opinion. [ he's kidding, but also that's so funny to him. he does not mean this next part rudely, he is just being a typical teenage boy. ] I'd love to see you get your ass kicked though. Could be fun.
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