Name Unknown -- User Name "Athena" (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vintagehardmedia) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
ellipsanet2023-05-28 10:23 pm
vintagehardmedia) wrote in ellipsanet2023-05-28 10:23 pm
Text | UN: Athena
Hi all.
I've found in my travels that the best ways to get to know a community are to see what people do in their off time and find out where they go. So. Tell me anything.
What are your favorite places to eat?
What do you do with your time?
What are popular activities or hobbies around here?
For my own interestes, I have a few specifics:
Where is the nearest record shop?
Does anyone need an archival specialist? Data engineer? Librarian?
Also-- Does anyone know of a half decent mechanic that will follow instructions?
Thanks.
I've found in my travels that the best ways to get to know a community are to see what people do in their off time and find out where they go. So. Tell me anything.
What are your favorite places to eat?
What do you do with your time?
What are popular activities or hobbies around here?
For my own interestes, I have a few specifics:
Where is the nearest record shop?
Does anyone need an archival specialist? Data engineer? Librarian?
Also-- Does anyone know of a half decent mechanic that will follow instructions?
Thanks.
Action
[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!
no subject
[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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
1/2
2/2
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.
Heaven's Feel Spoilers
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.
no subject
[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.
slowly emerges from hiatus-ish (also tw sexual assault impliations)
...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 subject
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.
no subject
...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.]
no subject
[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?
no subject
I would rather not test it...but that does explain how you knew how to make voice to text work a little better. But- recent? Do you mean since arriving here?
[Hadn't they said their injuries were from decades ago? Or was that to do with being called to this realm? The engineering talk was a little over her head, but if Athena wanted to talk about it, far be it from her to stop them!
At same time, she did not want to pry too much, if it was a personal matter.]
...I will be fine, but we can find somewhere to sit down if you would prefer.
And, I have been going by 'Rider'. It is...a long story and it is more of a title than a name, but it does just as well.
[She only picked 'flyer' as a username because that was taken. Not that she really minded if Athena kept using her username to refer to her, either- on that subject, though: ]
...What about you? I have no objections to referring to you as Athena.
no subject
[It was a simple enough transition. Titles often times served better than names, as Athena knew from experience. While they were curious about the circumstances behind such a title, the good Priestess had already shared quite a bit because of the name situation.
Instead, it was Athena's turn to talk. Gently, they shifted so that their hand was in Rider's and took the lead in finding a bench in the park to sit on.]
I was trying to pick up some new additions for the University archive I work for, but my package got mixed up with others. I must've grabbed the wrong one, because not even twelve hours later--
[They sighed-- a wearied, frustrated sound by all accounts.]
It must've been a bomb, and it went live.
[It had to have been triggered by the physical force of their own crash landing on that unregistered world that didn't show up on any star map, but this was a question that Athena may never know the answer to. ]
Someone powerful died to keep me alive when it went off. And-- this is gonna sound crazy-- I sometimes think I hear his voice in my head.
[An empty bench was found at this point, and Athena stopped.]
Here we go. Right in the shade, too.
... I still don't entirely know what happened with all that, but I'm trying to figure it out. The locals revered him as a God... But, you know Gods better than most people. Death doesn't necessarily affect them the same way.
[Sure, Hades took care of matters in the underworld, but the Gods all are the ambrosia that granted them immortality. Besides that, there was no way to define the limits of life on an unknown world.
It was a mystery that would reveal itself in time.]
You can keep calling me Athena if it's no cause of discomfort for you. Otherwise...
A name for a name. My mother called me Mari, and my family name is Mackenzie.