[text]

[circumsutus]

How many non-humans are here in Vatheon?

If you are not human, what are you?

Comments

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

I'm only half human. A demigod, daughter of a goddess and a human male.

[ No clue why she's coming out with this right off the bat. ]

[audio]

[circumsutus]

What mythology? I talked with the son of a Greek god earlier.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

Yep, that must've been my friend or boyfriend. Greek mythology. I'm a daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, battle strategy and handicrafts.

How about yourself?

[audio]

[circumsutus]

I'm 100% human. Not the most exciting genetics here, but I don't mind.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

But you're interested in non-humans?

[ That icon does not inspire the most confidence, Dr Stein ]

[audio]

[circumsutus]

[Dissecting the last member of an endangered species inspires so much confidence you don't even know.]

I am. I've already done as much research as possible on non-humans back in my world, but there are so many different types of people here that I've never even heard of before.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

Ah, I see. I'm finding the same thing, it's fascinating. [ Research is something Annabeth can get behind, although if she knew what kind of research Stein did sometimes then she perhaps wouldn't be so keen. ]

I feel pretty much human myself, except I have some abilities that normal humans don't.

[audio]

[circumsutus]

What abilities are those?

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

Nothing too flashy. My boyfriend can wield water and my friend fire, but my abilities are more subtle. I have a near perfect strategic mind - especially for games and battle, which I can bend to my will - and a photographic memory. I have prophetic dreams and I can talk to the gods. I'm also a genius-level architect but I consider more a hobby than an ability.

Basically, out of my friends I'm probably the most... normal demigod though.

[ Annabeth is actually extremely proud. It's only because of the curse that she's speaking so plainly about what she can do. ]

[audio]

[circumsutus]

I've always considered genius to be one of the most powerful abilities a person can have. A flamethrower isn't useful without a mind behind it.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

[ Annabeth grins at that. Not that Stein can see. ]

You have a very good point. My role tends to be the brains of the outfit, at any rate. Demigodliness comes with its own set of disabilities though.

[audio]

[circumsutus]

What disabilities would those be?

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

Dyslexia, for one. Our brains are hard-wired for ancient Greek, hence why I'm talking to you rather than texting. Another shows up as Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder although it's really our natural battle reflexes making it hard for us to concentrate and learn in traditional academic ways.

[audio]

[circumsutus]

If I remember correctly, the coral automatically translates spoken and written languages into something everyone can understand. It might help with your mental confusion.

[And the likelihood that ADHD actually exists as a diagnosis in Stein's world is pretty slim.]

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

Interesting - I didn't know it had that ability. I've just been avoiding text out of habit.

[ Annabeth's ADHD is pretty mild anyway. ] What else can the coral do?

[audio]

[circumsutus]

The coral does just about everything, if you believe what they tell us. Healing, sustaining the bubble, even bringing all of us here. It's worshiped as a god.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

[ Annabeth's eyebrows knit together. ]

Is it sentient at all?

[audio]

[circumsutus]

Not that I've seen, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

Guess I'll have to check this coral out in person.

How long have you been here, out of interest?

[audio]

[circumsutus]

About four months. Not long compared to others, but long enough to get used to living here.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

[ Annabeth can't believe that even very intelligent people are still stuck here after so long. It chips away at her resolve to escape, but she won't give up. ]

Wow. Me, only three weeks. Do they always have... experiments like this telling the truth thing?

[audio]

[circumsutus]

Fairly often. Sometimes they're less invasive, and sometimes they're worse.

There's not much we can do right now. We're just lab rats at the moment.

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

Great. What other kinds of things have they done?

[audio]

[circumsutus]

They can do just about everything you can imagine. Remove and grant abilities, change your species, let everyone else read your mind...

[audio]

[ex_knowledge575]

...Wonderful. Sounds like the gods back home. Except they don't always do things en masse like they do here.

[ If anyone is ever granted access to Annabeth's mind, she's staying locked in a room for a week. ]