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I know we're supposed to be celebrating, but does anyone else feel like- you know, not wanting to do that at all? I can't be the only one.

[ as always, Rachel's got smudges of color on her face and her fingertips, but this time her expression isn't bright to match. she scratches at her cheek ( which leaves a bit of blue there, but whatever ) as she frowns, and it's clear she's trying to not look so sullen, but it's hard work. there are some ways this place is way, way different than her home world. but this feels too much like what it would be like if the Roman and Greek demigods really did end up going to war. if the quest failed, and everything crumbled and went to Tartarus and friends were forced to fight friends and Gaia won and that kind of sucks. so she's babbling at the locket network- why? because she's selfish enough to seek some kind of validation for feeling so bummed about this. for not finding that much comfort in a Seelie victory. and maybe also because she's managed to get her hands on a little fairy wine, and she's not drunk, but she's feeling more honest about her less optimistic side than she normally would be. woops. ]

I know the war is important, and unavoidable, but I guess I just thought- [ she huffs a breath ] I got to fight. I got to ride a pegasus into battle and fight, just like everyone else, which I never got to do in my world. And I always thought it was worse, having to sit on the sidelines when the rest of my friends were out fighting. But this- I don't feel any better. [ a beat ] Fighting doesn't scare me, I love knowing I can protect myself in a fight now, but that?

[ another pause, and she's pushing her hair back off her face even though it doesn't really do much to control all those curls ]

I don't think I can do that again. I want to help, I want to keep helping in any way I can, but just- not that. I don't think I'm built for that kind of battle. And I know I can't be the only one that feels that way, but- [ her brow furrows up, like she doesn't like admitting that. ] Does that make me useless here? 'Cause I gotta admit, it makes me feel a little useless. [ but yikes that's depressing. and Rachel Elizabeth Dare isn't depressing. so she shakes her head, lifts a hand like that erases that last bit ]

Anyway. If we're friends, or no matter what if you're a camper - Camp Half-Blood, Camp Jupiter - check in, please. [ :| damnit campers she knows you were all probably way too involved with all of the fighting ] Let me know you're okay. Let's talk. I'm going a little crazy, it feels like everybody's scattered in different places.

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( and- okay, honestly, all thoughts of the courts are out the window for the time being, because really. )

You like art? ( Clarke brightens considerably, a little more excited now. ) Do you make your own, or do you study it?

I do! [ heeey an art buddy cool ]

Little bit of both. I like making it more, though. I love painting. And sketching. But there's some really amazing art here that I've become kind of obsessed with. There's a lot of gold in everything hanging in the castle, which I'm super into. So I've been spending more time studying it than I ever really did at home. How about you?

I like to draw, mostly sketching. I was able to use oil pastel for the first time a few weeks ago, but I grew up using things like colored pencils. Art supplies are a lot more common here than where I come from, so I want to try using everything I can get my hands on.

The art here is amazing. I've never been able to really study it, but I really liked seeing it hung in the castle when I first arrived. Art like that doesn't really exist anymore in my world.

What? What happened to it? You don't have museums you can visit, or anything?

Nuclear war happened, almost a hundred years ago now. ( she pauses, clearly thinking. ) Museums- Those were for art and history, right? Those don't exist anymore. Basically all of humanity lived in space since the war.

Oh, whoa.

I mean, yeah. Museums hold art and pieces of history. There's a museum for practically everything, where I'm from.

But space, huh. I don't know if I could handle living in space. ..Although I guess it depends where, exactly, in space I had to live. Did you guys finally figure out how to colonize another planet or something?

Um, no. Nothing like that. I lived on a space station, actually. It's called The Ark. Twelve other smaller space stations joined together to make one big station, so it's where the last of humanity was living together.

[ Rachel hears "space station" and her brain goes to "rocket ship" basically because she knows nothing about space travel but you know? whatever. it's all interesting to her ]

I think I'd go nutty-nuts if I lived in a spaceship. Well, maybe not, but I don't exactly have a practical mental image of what that'd be like. Only the stuff I've seen in movies.

I didn't really know anything else but the Ark, so I didn't have something like earth to contrast it against. It's probably part of what kept me sane; it isn't like I knew what I was missing out on by being born in space until I actually came to the ground.

This just makes me really wish I could show you around my city, New York. It's got everything. And like I said, there's all kinds of museums, and a lot of them are pretty touristy, but if you time it right you can hit two or three a day and dodge all their busy hours. [ her hands are in her hair to push it back off her face, like just thinking about it is enough to give her a jolt of energy. is it hot in here? jk. but seriously she's into this ] If you like the art they have here in the Drabwurld, there's this off-beat gallery in Brooklyn that would blow your mind. I spent a week straight hanging out at that place, I'm pretty sure they thought I was checking it out to plan a heist or something before I finally took a break from it.

[ she huffs, lets her hands settle back in her lap ]

One day I'll figure out how to share memories or something wild. Then you can see it.

( Clarke is absolutely awe struck by her explanation, by how invested Rachel is, and it's far too easy for her to get just as excited. because honestly -- she's never known anyone interested in art before, not like this. )

That sounds amazing. I would have loved to be on earth before everything, just so I could have seen things like this.

If you do ever find out if memory sharing can happen here, I will totally trade you stories about space for learning about art.

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