[ annabeth blinks around at the screaming children, equal parts exhausted but accepting. for the one standing next to her, she looks fairly calm. more calm than she probably should. she’ll be having words with prince loren later, that much is for sure, but there is a task at hand and there is chaos around her and annabeth chase is nothing if not familiar with chaos.

especially chaos that happens to involve screaming children with impressive powers that only lend them more potential to be that much louder and that much more obnoxious. at least she doesn’t have godly parents to deal with as well.

a child screams near her leg, and annabeth doesn’t so much as flinch, surveying the room around her. it’s not that she likes or dislikes children specifically (and in situations like these she would absolutely lean more towards the dislike side of things), but she has experience in this. she has been a camper, and now basically a camp counselor, for more of her life than she hasn’t. this? this is easy. try leading capture the flag after the ares and haphaestus cabins have started in on a prank war. that will change your outlook on things.

so annabeth sets her hands on her hips. ]

Hey! [ not nearly loud enough. one, maybe two kids turn to look at her. this won’t do. ] Come on guys, this is- [ she means to say embarrassing, that even eight and ten years old know better. most of the eight to ten year olds she’s dealt with have been on world-saving missions, or have had to outrun monsters to save their own life. but this?

a boy - she’s not sure which one, but she say him duck behind his desk before running off so she’ll remember his face when she sees him next - throws something at another couple of boys a few rows in front of him.

she sighs, reaching up to rub the bridge of her nose, before- ]

Hey!

[ there’s a force behind it, loud and carrying. ever heard a camp counselor voice? this is close, but with something a little more threatening behind it.

the sound in the room stills briefly. annabeth gives a small smile. ]

Better.

[ annabeth's eyes wander to the architecture more than anything, the red brick reminding her of boston, of magnus. it's a complicated turn in her chest, but it's also interesting enough to keep her attention as she wanders into this part of town. how the buildings have changed, what has been added, what isn't worth looking at. and despite her better judgement, she lets the thoughts consume her a bit, keeping her distracted. or at least, distracted enough that she doesn't notice the woman until her elbow is being latched onto and she's being pulled off to the side.

who...oh. mari. annabeth's eyes quickly shift around to the group of other young adults, checking their attention, their...well. their level of threat, really. annabeth doesn't appreciate being pulled into a group of people she doesn't know. honestly, appreciates it as much as she appreciates being put on the spot in front of said group, noticing whatever it is they're trying to drop down into the grate, their intent.

she frowns, looking both disappointed and also disgusted as she pulls her arm back from the woman's grip. ] If your homes are unlivable, why don't you fix them instead? [ she can't deny the slightest hint of mischief that does rise up in her chest, but it's small enough for her to push back away.

her gaze catches the eyes of the other stranger. she holds them a moment, before turning her attention back to the group. whatever you'd like to do, that's your prerogative, but she is not into this. ]

Besides, you're not doing yourself any favors. An obvious, suspicious group of people standing right over where they'll assume someone would place something like this? [ she rolls her eyes, unimpressed. ]

[ feel free to hit me up at disarmingly ]