December 31, 2037

"Truth."

"If you had one resolution in mind, what would it be?" Percy asked as he was laying back against the couch at Elijah's place once more, this time less drunk.

"Hmm, probably see if Androids can really have human emotions like empathy or not. Your turn."

"Dare."

"I dare you to order three pizza's," Elijah replied with little hesitation.

"Extra Cheese and Bacon good for you?" Percy asked as he picked up his phone, it was something that Elijah had been tinkering with and had given him the first prototype that showed current health and readings of androids, in this case it was Lucas.

Elijah nodded as he sipped at the wine in his hand, his second glass for the night. "Yup, who's paying?"

"Split?" Percy suggested.

"Hmm, sounds good." Elijah agreed as Percy ordered the food and listed off the address.

"Should be forty-ish minutes," Percy said as he hung up the phone, "Now, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Percy instantly perked up and felt glee flood his body. Elijah saw how Percy instantly straightened and became nervous.

"I dare you...to prank call Carl."

"Percy, no."

"Percy, yes."

Sighing and filled with resignation, Elijah picked up his phone. "I'm so going to regret this," he muttered to himself and pressed three on his phone.

The phone instantly started calling a familiar number to Elijah. Percy had never actually met Carl, but knew that should they ever meet that he would probably enjoy the man's company.

Apparently, Carl and Elijah met similarly to how Elijah and he met, though the roles were reversed. Elijah had been hiding, while Carl had found the young inventor and struck up conversation.

They seemed to hit it off well enough that Elijah had built Carl a person android to assist him with his everyday lifestyle and living in a wheelchair, but more importantly a friend for him to lend an ear to.

Percy was brought back to reality as Elijah's phone was put into speaker mode and you could hear the dialing tone.

"This is Manfred Residence, how might I help you?" A smooth voice spoke over the phone, sounding human but Elijah seemed to know who it was.

"Markus, this is Elijah, would you do me a favor and please hand the phone to Carl. If he's painting, then speaker mode will do just fine," Elijah replied with a resided sigh.

"Right away, Mr.Kamski."

Percy looked curiously at Elijah, wondering who Markus was. Seeing the look, Elijah muted the phone, "That's the RK200 android I made for Carl. One of my finest works other than Lucas that it."

Nodding his head in understanding, Percy watched with exhilaration as the phone become unmuted and both men heard the phone on the other side being switched into speaker mode as they heard more than previously.

"Elijah, how might I help you today?" A voice that had the tint of knowledge that came with being old spoke on the other side.

"Hello Carl," Elijah spoke earnestly before giving a sigh and an exasperated look on his face, "is your refrigerator running?"

There was silence on the other side and Percy quickly stifled a snort. The look on Elijah's face showed that he was just done with Percy and his dare.

After a few moments, Carl replied back with amusement dancing in his voice, "Elijah, are you prank calling me?"

Another sigh left Elijah, "I do apologize Carl, but in order for my dare to be complete, the prank call must be complete."

Percy couldn't help the snort that escaped him.

"Uh-Huh. Are you really playing Truth or Dare on New Years Eve as the ball is being dropped?"

"I blame Percy," Elijah quickly threw out as his cheeks slowly started to redden with embarrassment. Oh how he was never going to live this down.

"Oi! Might I add that I suggested that we would play the drinking game where we take a shot every time someone said Troy's name in High School Musical!"

"High School Musical, Percy, just no,"

"What do you have against High School Musical!"

"Everything. Do you not know the harm that it brings me every time it's mentioned."

"High School Musical. High School Musical. High School Musi-."

Laughter startled both men as they stared at the phone in muted horror. They had both forgotten that Carl was on the other side of the line while on speaker phone.

"Oh, Elijah. You must bring your friend over the next time we see each other, he sounds like a fascinating young man."

"Oh, uh, thank you Mr.Manfred," Percy spoke as embarrassment colored his tone and face.

"Carl would be fine, young man. Might I have your name?"

"Percy Jackson, sir-uh, Carl," Percy stumbled. It was something to personally say you know one rich person (two if you count his mother) but knowing a famous artist was a whole other thing then the reclusive android founder.

"The boy that's making the aquarium?" Carl asked nicely, his tone showing his curiosity but wasn't pushing for anything.

"That would be correct. I expect that by March it should be open, if you want though, I can show it to you before the opening. I still need to show Elijah as a thank you."

"Might I like to point out, it's not much a thank you, but rather your end of the deal."

"Please, you barely made the three week deadline."

"Chloe forced me to sleep and eat! It killed valuable time!"

"Sure, sure. So it's not valuable in making sure you stay healthy and you know, alive."

"Shut up," Elijah muttered with a scowl.

Carl's voice rang through the phone, "Oh, I certainly do like you Percy Jackson. I will have to take you up on that offer of showing me the aquarium, as long as Markus can come along."

"Oh that won't be a bother, we're still getting some of the workers up to date on their jobs, but Markus should be fine. If anything, he can hang out with Lucas, my android helper that Elijah decided to build for me."

"Oh, sounds like a story there. I'll let you two boys get going then. Happy New Year," with that said, Carl disconnected from the phone call.

Blinking at the unexpected disconnect, Elijah and Percy both looked at the electronic clock. There, blinking at them was the time: 12:01 AM.

"Dude, you know what I just realized?" Percy asked as he stared at the clock.

"What?" Elijah asked as he realized Percy's smile began to grow slowly.

"I totally won our game. You never finished your dare, meaning you're one point behind me. Pay up sucker!"

"What! No fair!"

"Totally was!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was t--"

"Ahem, boys, I believe you guys have ordered pizza," Chloe said as brought in the large pizzas.

Elijah and Percy stared at one another before Elijah grumbled and grabbed a hundred from his wallet. "A bet's a bet," he replied with a pout.

Staring at the hundred for a few moments, Percy grinned. "Chloe, have you already paid for the pizza?"

Blinking at the sudden question, Chloe nodded. "Here's some money, whatever doesn't cover the cost get you and your sisters some clothes or something."

"Seriously?" Elijah asked unamused but let his first android ever hesitantly take the hundred from Percy's hand, all the while glancing nervously at Elijah.

"Dude, my money. My rules."

Elijah just sighed and with a roll of his eyes, grabbed one of the slices from the boxes that he paid for. "Just eat, then sleep. The faster you go to bed, the faster you're out of my hair."

"That wounded me, Elijah. Right here," Percy said as he placed his hand over his heart.

"Bite me."

"With pleasure, give me a when and where," Percy said with a wink at the exasperated Elijah who was just absolutely done with his best friend.