Don't ask me. I just work here.
From what I've heard, it's not always that way with some Scions. But Dad…is an odd duck. And that's the most pleasant way to put it. I've spoken with him a couple of times, though only one official Visitation, and I don't think I could drag a straight answer out of him with a monster truck. It's always a mystery, or a riddle, wrapped up in a 'WTF did he say?' Manannan mac Lir is often portrayed as a Trickster deity, so that's pretty much par the course, and I seem to take after him that way. I was never much of a direct person. I've managed to survive so far, and I guess my father and I have some kind of unspoken agreement. I go where he tells me, and do what I need to do, but the rest of the time is my own to do as I like. Which is fine by me.
It wasn't until I was thirteen that my folks, the Lears of a nice quiet suburb outside of Seattle, told me I was adopted. I wasn't…too rattled by it. It happens, and I had parents that loved me and provided and all that. As a result, I wasn't too into the idea of looking up my birth parents. Maybe later on in life, but at thirteen, I wasn't too keep on the concept.
Though, I would find out three or four years later that my birth father was keeping tabs on me. I was in high school, and I was never the really physical type. And I got bullied, almost every day. No real friends, you know the drill. But there was that one guy, Devin Karolewski. DK for short, which I often lengthened out to Donkey Kong, because Devin was probably as big, but only half as smart. I was, and still am, a bit of a smart mouth, so I probably brought some of my ass-kicking on myself. Devin took specific delight in tormenting me; swirlies, punching bag, and calling me all kinds of obnoxious epithets. Some of them might have been true but that wasn't the point.
So, one day, I was staggering home from school after a day of being pelted with salisbury steak and gods know what else, and old Mac stopped me. Our town had its own…bum, I guess. Ragged clothes, odd accent, and smelled a little funky, but he mostly played the guitar for change to buy a coffee, and some people often gave him handouts. Whether it was out of compassion or trying to deive their own guilt away, I have no idea. But, Mac saw me looking like hell, and he called me over when I passed in front of the 7-11, and offered to buy me a cup of coffee. I refused, of course; I had money for me own. But I didn't run away. I stayed and talked to the guy. I told him about my problems, mostly because he seemed like he was a good listener.
We must have talked for hours, because I know it was dark when I got home. I shoveled in dinner (hey, I was seventeen), did some homework, and crashed. But the dreams that night…I remember being under the ocean, but able to move. I thought I saw that game before and was expecting a Keyblade at any moment (wouldn't be the first time I had that dream). What I did see was Old Mac, but…it was like he got a makeover at a D&D conventon. Flowing robes, standing tall, and looking much cleaner. I couldn't tell if he smelled any better, because hello, we were underwater and I was dreaming. Old Mac, in the dream, spoke words. "Rise of the Tide of Titans. Child of the Waters. Son of the Tuatha." He showed me two things. One was a silver bracelet with a ring chained to it, also in silver. "Tonn Scathan, the Wave Mirror." Then this old staff. "Freangain. Retort." I remember asking questions, but was answered with things that, at the moment, made no sense.
It made even less sense when I woke up with the staff from my dream leaning on my bed's headboard, and the bracelet on my left wrist, the ring still on its chain, worn on my middle finger of the same hand. I knew things. I could do…things.
So, being me, I wasted no time in getting to school. And of course Devin was there, ready for another day of bullying, but this time, I was ready to fight back. He couldn't touch me, I was too fast, and he stopped when I told him to. He stepped back when I told him to. He danced a jig when I told him to. And it was glorious.
This continued for a couple of weeks. He'd try to catch me off guard to beat me up, I'd get out of the way and make him embarass himself. It was almost Wile E. Coyote-esque. I even went to one of the football games, and he had possibly the worst night any high school linebacker had.
After that, he avoided me, and after the football season ended (where it was rumored he'd been scouted and some college atcually wanted him), he just sorta dropped off the radar.
Again, I had another underwater dream. In it was Old Mac, and I was ready for him. I had done some research, using some of what he said the last time. I named him Manannan mac Lir, the Celtic deity of the Sea. His answer was "A son should know his father's name." I asked Now What? "The coast does not have your footprints on it." Which was, as I said, usual for his answers.
After I graduated high school, went up and down the west coast. I dealt with a Selkie trying to get new converts in a high shool swim team. I wandered with some older hipppie types who were following independent bands. I blended in to a Ren Faire or two, though that one where the Goblin-like Titanspawn was looking fora free meal at one (and by meal I mean he ate people) was a bit of a grind.
This went on for a few years. About a month ago, shortly after I turned 22, I had another dream of Old Mac as I was camping out in an acquaintance's back yard while in Oregon. "New York rises once more." I had heard about the recent…changes to the place, and I guessed he was sending me to sound the city out for him. He also said something about fire and water both being vital, but it was all backwards when he said it.
I got a car, and made my way to New York. Nice city, plenty of places to hang. So, while I was trying to figure out what Manannan mac Lir needed me here for, I was free to bum around. Got a small apartment.
What's funny was I was walking around uptown, checking out Times Square, and for a moment I swear I saw DK/Devin. I looked again, and he was gone. Pfah. He's nowhere near here. I probably just saw someone that looked like him, is all. The world's not that small.
