ellipsanet | Text | UN: Athena

[There was a good number of questions here, but Athena stayed on track with the conversation.]

Ok.

Forgive my errors, I'm new here and I'm guessing. Night Wake suggests... Insomnia?

And you're saying there's architectural wonders in... Sunrise? Dawn?

[...She really wanted to know how the device had managed to butcher the names of the districts, but let's try and clarify that first-]

Night wake city is the name of the city we arrived in There is a large map at the research centre near the entrance if you need it

[The devices had map functionalities too, but she hadn’t bothered with it- she'd learned her way around rather quickly.]

And day rise is between the spring and summer districts I apologise, I am not entirely used to these phones yet

[The devices, she means. It didn't help that she was a little unnerved by this entire conversation. If this is the real Athena...]

Ohh, that's embarrassing.

I had a terrible headache when I arrived and passed out on the sofa without processing any of the new info. I've been without a few of my tools, and suddenly having them back was an unexpected jolt.

It's ok to not be used to the phones. They're weird even by my standards.

The worst of your headache is gone now, I hope Being summoned to a new realm like this is disorientating my own arrival was also somewhat difficult to adjust to

[Arriving without the Breaker Gorgon sealing her eyes had put her in a rather difficult position- thankfully, a couple of her fellow Servants had been able to help her out.

The phones were weird 'even by my standards'...that wasn't enough information to go on.]

Voice to text is not always reliable either but it does well enough

Yeah, I'm noticing that myself.

Yeah, the worst of the headache is gone now; I hope you had help with your disorienting arrival as I did. Doing this kinda thing alone can be quite scary.

If I could work out how to make it use punctuation properly that would be easier But thankfully I did yes, a couple of other newcomers were able to help me I am used to keeping myself safe, but it would have been much more difficult without them

[If she'd had to tough it out and manage it by herself, that was just how it was. She was still...adjusting to the idea of letting other people help and look out for her. It was usually the other way around. And it sounded like others had helped Athena, too.]

You were able to find some trustworthy people too I have found here are some good people here and there are not too many dangers in the city itself

[...It felt strange- wrong, somehow- to be just casually talking to them like this. But she really had no idea how to approach the elephant in the room. Was this who they said they were? Would calling them out to talk in person even be a safe option?]

Edited 2023-05-30 16:34 (UTC)

[Go ahead, call them out.

Athena is currently none the wiser.]

I had the good fortune of stumbling on a tough but honest gentleman. We're roommates now, at least for a while.

Have you tried saying that punctuation that you plan to use out loud while using Speech To Text? It's awkward to listen to but fairly effective.

Out loud no I had not Um, I wonder if that would work a little better? Like this, then. Thank you. Things like this did not exist when I was alive.

[Look at that! Much better. She’s appreciative, but right now her other emotions are distinctly at the forefront.]

Your companion sounds reasonable. It is better than living entirely alone.

[…this was too much. A few moments later, she sent another message: ]

This is uncomfortable. I have questions I want to ask you. Would you be able to meet me? I can show you the research centre or the library, there is a decent flow of people there at this time but it should not be crowded.

[Overly cautious perhaps, and sure she would be embarrassed if this proved entirely unwarranted, but… she didn’t want to draw this out.]

[...Uncomfortable?

Blinking at the message, Athena took a moment to reply. They had only been in the city for a couple of days-- long enough to annoy Cor and regain some of their stamina, as well as break up a fight that involved a electrifyingly exotic cat. None of these were reasons for anyone to be Uncomfortable.

The handle suggested nothing overt about the other party involved. And, with their arm offline...]

If you're needing to use Speech To Text, then I imagine that you have your reasons to not be using the keyboard. Those reasons are your's but...

I get it.

[It had been years-- but, once, Athena had been in need for Speech To Text for reasons that were not merely multitasking.

A sigh. This was a gamble-- but, they had gambled with plenty already.]

I'll meet you there.

What time?

[As for her reasons…well, that would become apparent soon enough.

It was both a fear and a relief that they were willing to meet up with her. That would clear this up, one way or another. At least it seemed they understood her position, somewhat.]

Thank you. At the front of the research centre, then? I can be there in half an hour.

[That would give her enough time to contact one of her friends and ask them to be on standby incase anything went wrong.

…Perhaps with a mirror on hand. Just incase she were to fall under the thrall of that curse and truly become that monster again. If Gorgon were to run rampant here, she would want to be stopped quickly.

Hopefully it would never come to that.]

Deal. I'll be the nerd dressed like a record shop exploded.

[Rider wasn't the only one forming a back up plan. However easy Athena was taking matters, they still had a few tools on hand: a sturdy knife, and their trio of drones that set to record in case of dangerous levels of trouble.

It was fortunate that the research center wasn't difficult to find. Athena arrived early, in a gaudy button up with dayglow geometric patterns against a dark blue background and their long hair disheveled and unbound.

Their right arm was notably in a sling. But, besides the l this, nothing overtly seemed off about them. Only astute observers would notice the small, soda can sized drones that trailed after their movements-- in pink, teal, and yellow to match the retro, dayglow aesthetic that they cultivated.

... The only trait that they shared with their namesake was the fact that their eyes were the same gray as the warm seas.]

[Oh right, descriptions. If they were who they said, then it wouldn’t be necessary to describe herself, but…]

Tall woman with long purple hair

[Of course the first distinguishing feature she could think of was her height…well, that should do. Either way, she manifested near the research centre only a couple of moments after Athena did. Hopefully they would not be too unnerved by someone seemingly appearing out of nowhere!

Rider’s own appearance was fairly distinctive, regardless. Her hair certainly was long, and there was the blindfold of a sort that sealed her eyes.

Deep breath. Right. She couldn’t sense anyone with a particularly strong presence nearby, and she hadn’t yet heard any buzz from those drones, so for the time being she focused on listening out for anything odd…]

Hi!

[They hardly startled at the sudden manifestation of a person matching the description from the texts nearby-- rather, Athena greeted them in a cheerful voice and with a wave.]

You're Flyer, right? Tall, purple hair... [The chatter slowed in pace for a moment as Athena noticed the blindfold, and quickly they added:]

Gosh I had no idea you weren't even using your eyes. I'd have switched to audio if I knew!

Mm, I am. ...So you are Athena, then.

[Rider was stoic as always, but the name still set her on edge.

Her expression faltered, just a little, at a couple of things here. To start with, 'Athena' was calling her by her username rather than her True Name, and second, the fact that Rider had sealed her eyes seemed to come as a surprise to them. (Unless it was a taunt at their own handiwork, but that certainly didn't ring true with the cheerful tone they used. This one was certainly...energetic in how they spoke.)

She wasn't sure how respond to that for a moment.]

I... won't, in the city.

...it is not an issue. The devices are capable enough to compensate.

[Aside from when she arrived, she had only ever revealed her eyes when she had been fighting monsters deep in the Segments. The rest of the time, she did not want to risk her Mystic Eyes petrifying everyone around her.]

But I appreciate you meeting with me all the same.

[The idiosyncracies that Flyer was questioning were also among what Athena was questioning. The interest in Athena's chosen name, the nervousness, the blindfold,and the fact that apparently Flyer's eyes were just fine to use outside of the city we're all revolving towards a data point that didn't fit well with the current situation.

It was neither impossible nor improbable. It was, however, strange.]

... Of course I'd meet you, [Athena said evenly, noting that their own height now that they were near each other was a little taller than the purple haired woman. The drones refocused their lenses on the woman on a silent command from Athena, and for a moment they seemed to stare into the middle distance while they chattered.

They wanted to see this stranger from all angles, to search for missing clues.]

I just don't understand the reasons for it. I haven't even been here for 72 hours, but you seem... Unsettled, if you don't mind my boldness.

[If Rider had heard the drones, she didn't seem to be reacting to them- she was unarmed, but looked as if she had decent strength in her own right. If the drones had a way of telling she was a spirit manifesting a human form, that was open to their data, too.

She did keep her device close at hand, should she need to call in backup, but she did not look like she intended to use it immediately. Unless she was dealing with a vindictive Greek Deity who sought to harm her, Rider did not plan to use that insurance.

In this conversation, she knew that her True Name was unlikely to remain hidden. Even if she had to ask questions that narrowed down her own identity further, it was worth the risk to get a clear answer as to who she was dealing with. Anything else would just be overcomplicating the matter.]

...I wanted to know if you really were who you claimed to be.

If so, there were questions I wanted to ask you. If not...then perhaps I have been overly cautious in all of this.

... Like Hypnos. I get it now.

[A sigh, and Athena released some of their worry-- they understood, and once again it seemed like they had been confused with the Olympian.]

There's only a handful of people that you can be, and the question of your eyes helps narrow that down further.

No: I'm not the goddess of wisdom and war. I'm an academic with a fondness for the ancient world, and I borrowed the goddess' name while I played games of war strategy during a long and hard recovery a decade ago. I was grievously wounded, you see. But, using my mind helped to distract from the worst of the pain.

I invoked her name to rebuild my own strength, and it kind of stuck.

[It was a lot of words, but this was still the shortened version of the story that Athena was loathe to fully tell. The entire timeframe was a fragmented mess, where they had to relearn how to use their own body.

Another sigh, and Athena took off their glasses before directly facing Flyer.]

I'm sorry for your confusion, Priestess. I never expected to ever meet any of the people here.

... And, I hope you know that many, many injured and abused women, young and old, invoke your name and look to you for strength millennia after your time.

Edited 2023-05-31 14:21 (UTC)

[There was definitely relief in Rider's posture once Athena revealed that they were not, in fact, the Deity who had cursed her- it seemed that, with that misunderstanding out of the way, the tension in the air had significantly eased.

Rider listened carefully to the explanation. Yes, she could understand that. In her lifetime, humans called upon the blessings of the Gods and invoked their names to give them strength, hope, protection, healing- any number of things. Borrowing Athena's name that way...perhaps that was simply another form of that practice.

She'd come back to asking them about that later. Before she could dwell it, though-

Whilst she had heard of Gods being invoked in such a way, it never once occurred to her that humans would call upon a Monster in that same light. Rider- Medusa- could not even say she liked humans, particularly, and for all her and her sisters were supposed to represent for humanity, she had never personally sought to be a pillar of strength for them.]

What...me? But-...

[Medusa did not emote much, but suffice to say, the subtly stunned expression spoke for itself.

But, when she thought about it, had she not taken that role for her True Master, Sakura, in the Holy Grail War? Was that not why she was called to her, even though she had used no catalyst for her summoning? By the end of it all...was Sakura one of those wounded women, who found comfort in invoking her strength?]

...I had no idea.

... You survived.

[Athena shifted, and their jittery nerves left them feeling uncomfortable in their own skin. Recent weeks had seen them contemplating Medusa as well for a variety of reasons, but none of them were worth elaborating on in that moment. Instead, they bit their lip and added:]

Many women throughout history don't survive the whims of selfish men. And some of the women that did survive decided to get images of you tattooed on their bodies for many reasons-- as a reminder of your strength, and even as a protective ward.

[Staying still was impossible at this point, and Athena started reflexively tapping their foot while they fought with the fount of knowledge in their head as well as their own tongue. After a moment, Athena added another thought. ]

... Much of history has been written and told by men, and even the Goddesses were bound by societal standards. Some scholarly women think that Athena the deity may have had no choice in what she had to do to you... But that she at least tried to give you the strength to defend yourself from such a fate ever happening again.

Edited 2023-06-01 16:42 (UTC)

[She could hear the nerves- the hurried way in which Athena spoke- in their voice, and immediately felt a little guilty for pressing the topic, rather than accepting it as it was.

...But it was still so very strange, for Medusa to hear of all of this. To hear even of those who'd marked themselves with her image in that way. Yes, she had always been a powerful protector. To her sisters, to Sakura- she had to be. They needed her.

Regardless of how many iterations of her myth had been woven throughout history, and her own experiences in the distant and more recent past- She had to be someone who survived, regardless of what had been done to her or what men and/or Gods had seen fit to inflict on her. She just had to get back up and keep going. Each and every time.

...But she kept that to herself. She certainly couldn't find the words to explain all of that, or much desire to drag up her past traumas in that way.]

I never...saw myself as someone who could be that symbol for humans. They mostly sought to have the Monster killed, in my memory...

[But, she supposed, it was (mostly?) men who came after her to try and kill her.

As for the Deity Athena's intentions- she couldn't be sure. Neither of them could. If this Athena had been the Olympian, she wanted to ask her 'Why?'...but it seemed that the words of scholars were the best they had. Certainly, it was a new angle she hadn't considered. Had the Goddess Athena been trying to show her mercy, or was it petty spite? Or something between the two?

...Her head was starting to hurt, thinking about that. For all of this, she certainly appreciated how civil Athena was being with her, despite the misunderstanding, and the heavy topic at hand. And for them to tell them all of this... that did mean a lot,]

But, um... thank you. And I apologise if this is unpleasant for you.

[No one could know what the goddess had thought-- all they had was record of the culture at the time, and how even women in powerful positions were still not nearly as powerful as the men around them. Athena had studied the mythology during their younger years, and found that maturity had allowed enough insight to not be angry towards any of the classical witches or goddesses for their actions.

Calypso had been alone on an island for centuries. Circe had nymphs to protect. Hera, her family and reputation. And, Athena..

Her priestesses, and her reputation.]

It's been... Confusing, Priestess. But you don't need to apologize.

[They sighted, and offered the priestess a tired smile even thought it would not be seen.]

It's like the story with Orpheus and Eurydice, right? Even if Hades understood the reasons, he couldn't just turn his back and let either of them walk freely. People would think he had grown soft, and lose some of the respect he held in his role.

Maybe, it was the same for the goddess? Who knows?

But-- you don't need to fear me. I'm just a person, and I'm not even that wise or clever.

[Even though she couldn't see their smile, some of the emotion behind it came through in their voice all the same. Medusa's own stance was weary, also, that much could be seen now she'd lowered her guard. The whole 'potentially going to confront the Goddess Athena' situation had taken a fair bit out of her.]

...perhaps it was. I understand the logic. I would rather it were for reasons like that than spite.

[She could at least tolerate that sort of reason, even after what became of her because of it. If she were required to be a sacrifice, then she would accept that, especially over that curse simply being a cruel whim.

As for the next part, though... it felt strange, to hear that from someone who seemed (largely?) human. Shouldn't it be the other way around, now that the truth had emerged? Still, she gave a small nod at the reassurance.]

...I don't know when I will become that monster again in the truest sense, but I have no wish to harm you, either.

[She couldn't promise she'd never become a threat, but she could at least make her intentions known to them. Rider may not be the most sociable of individuals, but she really didn't intend to go out and harm people without reason.]

It's all right. I'm not afraid of snakes.

[They chuckled at their own joke, hoping that making light of a serious matter would be acceptable to the ancient priestess. There was a great deal yet that Athena didn't know, even about their own body after miracle of experimental technology that saved their life.]

I'm honestly not sure how the eye contact problem would affect me, [they admitted.] Evidently, I should be blind after some recent problems. But, I'm not.

I think it's because the usual anatomical paths needed bypassed... But that's engineering talk that most people aren't interested in.

[And, noticing the priestess's wearied stance, they reached out to gently touch her arm.]

Do you need a place to sit? We can find one, uhh...

... What do you want to be called?

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snekeyes - 2023-06-26 15:38 (UTC) - Expand

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vintagehardmedia - 2023-06-26 16:04 (UTC) - Expand

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