800/Athena Calling

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Athena Calling
Date of Scene: 05 June 2017
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Ares, Athena




Ares has posed:
    The rain's coming down steadily, pouring from the heavens and giving the city a good soaking. It's probably the first of many Summer storms, with the dark clouds hanging low over the various neighborhoods and the night's starlight blocked out by the oppressive downpour.
    In Queens at this time of night, most everyone is asleep as tomorrow is another work day. A dreaded Monday of course and the weather bodes ill for a peaceful commute. Yet in this particular house some of the windows are open, allowing the sound of the rainfall to filter into the normally quiet home.
    Upstairs, a young boy is already fast asleep. But downstairs, in the halo of a lone lamp's light, John Aaron is relaxing with a leather-bound book that's settled in his lap. He, in turn, is settled in a large lazy-boy chair. Occasionally he turns a page, occasionally he adjusts the reading glasses on the bridge of his nose, and even more occasionally he takes a sip from his glass of brandy.

Athena has posed:
    "I brought another glass of brandy as a peace offering this time," Athena calls quietly. Ares probably felt her arrive but even if she didn't the redheaded (that's a new form for her) Goddess of Wisdom announces herself softly and gently as she emerges to stand beside him in the living room.
    "I was reasonably sure that would be appropriate at least. Idid have to take a bit of a guess." Athena's voice is soft but musical as it greets Ares's ears and she pauses for a second to survey the man in front of her intently.
    "I've decided to stgay for a time. Like I told you. And I really would very much like to meet my nephew in the morning." Athena is dressed... Well, like an author, perhaps. Or a teacher. Or philosopher. Black turtleneck sweater, dark blue slacks. Glasses. A thoughtful expression and her red hair doen into an elegant bun.

Ares has posed:
    It's a curious visage that greets her arrival. The tall man wearing a pair of glasses, focusing intently on the book in front of him. Assuredly it's something by Nietzsche. Maybe Sartre considering his mood of late. But from its position in his lap the only thing that can be discerned easily is that it doesn't have big pictures in it.
    He frowns mildly and sets the book down, leaving it there as he looks up. His eyes shift to what she proffers as a gift, then back to her as he seems to let out a slow exhalation before he says to her levelly. "What are you after, Athena?" Oh she might very well be there in an honest familial capacity. But over the years Ares has become... suspicious, and with reason.
    "Alexander has class in the morning. He should awaken in..." There's a glance at the large grandfather clock in his study. "5 hours." There's a small curve to his lips as he focuses fully upon her. "That is entirely too much time for small talk."

Athena has posed:
    "Oh, you know how the passage of time is, Ares. I thought I would check in because I presumed you'd be awake. I can always leave and return again at a mroe appropriate time to meet the boy. Alexander is a good name. He was a tremendous warrior, Alexander. A warning to the pan-Hellenic world of what we can do if we wok together.
    The bottle is being offered toward Ares then, those blue eyes settled firmly onto his own while she stands just close enough for it to be taken from her. "I don't have any ulterior motives or tricks. What I would like is for us to- form an accord. While we are on earth." There's a pause before she adds quietly, "Being this far from home is disconcerting. I could use the support, if I am being entirely honest with you.
     And, of course, I feel the need to know if you are up to anything. No one changes that much in such a short amount of time."

Ares has posed:
    He does not turn her away, nor does he spurn her gift. He accepts it and looks a the label for a moment before setting it aside on the end table nearby. He takes another deep breath and eyes her again, one eye scrunched as if still not entirely caring to trust her. But then he shakes his head and uncurls a hand to the seat opposite him, another comfortable chair but not a recliner. "Have a seat, Athena."
    He closes his book and indeed, it was Sartre's Existentialism and Humanism, a strange treatise for a deity to be considering. Yet he sets it aside, giving all of his attention to Athena for now. "Of course Alexander is a good name. I chose it." His lip twitches with a hidden smirk, of course he turns around much of what they say into an argument, into a conflict of a sort.
    But then he looks aside as she speaks and his brow knits. "Mmm," He offers, perhaps in agreement to her words, perhaps not. But then he asks of her, "What did you tell father when you left? Mother?"

Athena has posed:
    "I told mother that I had had a vision that it would be wise of me to be away for a time and I told father that it would bring him glory beyond measure if I stepped aside to allow him to act as he sought fit. They are probably still fighting over what I meant by that." Athena's eyes drop to the book Ares is reading and she nods thoughtfully. She's no doubt read it, considering.
    Athena sits down now, as bidden, and looks over at Ares before lightly shrugging her shoulders as she does so. "Look at us. Sitting among mortals, leacing behind our thrones on Olympus entirely. Someone is surely laughing. What do you think of Sartre? Has he made a point you'd agree with, perhaps?"
    It's somethign to talk about. Athena is clearly still working on getting out of the Godly mindset. It's a good effort so far, at least.

Ares has posed:
    "Hnh," Ares so easily reverts back to his old manner in the presence of a family member. Gone is the facade of John Aaron. Instead now he is simply the roiled and leashed dog of war that Zeus would ever let loose upon his enemies. There is that potential wildness to him, yet he seems to have control of his baser emotions, of all the anger he carries around with him.
    "Then I think it might be a better idea to find out what he might have planned with your absence. As for myself I have no plans beyond what role I have chosen for myself." Yet he dismisses all of that with the wave of a hand as he presses on towards another topic.
    "In any case," Another breath as he listens to her ask him of Sartre, and he smirks. "I have a certain affection for the idea of Radical Freedom. The chaos it embodies is amusing." But then there's a pause and he frowns. "Athena. If you are to meet Alexander then we must set some rules."

Athena has posed:
    "That I must not reveal my true identity, grant him any powers, bewitch him in any way or expose him to any danger?" Athena suggests, her expression not shifting other than for her to loft her left eyebrow briefly. She watches Ares calmly from where she is seated to wait for him to add to her list. To her credit Athena does not actually comment on this and instead focuses on folding her hands into her lap.
    "The rules are precisely why I came early," Athena adds simply, in a brightly cheerful voice. "I am excited to have a nephew. It's been some time. I always loved children."

Ares has posed:
    "No, he knows of us. So you may be who you are." Ares leans back in the chair, causing it to creak by the subtle shift of his large frame. "All those others, however, those are a given. For you realize I would most likely be quite cross with you if you did so."
    There's a pause as he considers her, then he adds. "You are not to speak to him, however, of his possible ascension. Do not put ideas into his head that he is to have any particular fate or future beyond that of a mortal child. I want him grounded... as he can be. I do not want him to become too arrogant."
    He frowns as he meets her eyes, "Do you understand?"

Athena has posed:
    "Do not repeat the floundering we went through with the one you'd rather not name," Athena responds almost absently. "I understand fully, Ares. ANd I swear to you I will protect my nephew to the utmost of my ability for as long as he still remains a mortal man., not possessed of notions of conquering or lust for power."
    There's a cadence to those words from Athena, as there should be when the honourbound given oath. Afterward the woman takes a deep breath and then slowly exhales. She then bobs her head slightly, left to righht, and flashes another of those slight, almost teasing smiles. "I won't put notions into his head. I am half-surprised he knows us. That will make things more exciting, I suppose. Does he like to read?"

Ares has posed:
    A slightly sour expression shifts Ares' features but then he lets it pass with the wave of one hand. He then reaches to the small drink caddy that's set beside the end table. Just enough of a reach to grab a brandy snifter and flip it over, "Care for a drink?" He asks of her, and even should she decline he'll fill that snifter not with the gifted alcohol but instead with the drink he has already open.
    Once he reacquires his own drink again, he takes a sip. "He loves to read, and he is a good soldier. I could see him living up to his namesake if I allowed him to walk that path." For some reason apparently Ares has already at least mapped out part of Alexander's life. "Despite my efforts he knows he is better than most other children, but currently he still considers himself a protector, less a predator."
    Another pull of his drink and he looks aside up towards the stairs that leads up to the young man's room, perhaps checking to make sure he's not snuck down to get an eyeball on his aunt. Ares looks back, "You are going to need to fill your days, however. With something other than my son. What are your plans to keep you from getting too terribly bored?"

Athena has posed:
    "Right now I am actually having a lot of fungetting to know mortals again. It's been a dozen lifetimes or more since I've actually walked the streets and talked to people. They're a rather lively bunch, aren't there?" Athena laughs at that and then shakes her head slowly.
    "Writing is taking up mroe of my time than I expected. Did you know those strange computer devices have forums? Like they used to hold with Socrates and his ilk back in the day? Except you needn't be there in person. It's actually fantastic. Mortal ingenuity continues to impress. Not a lick of magic in it. Fascinating." Athena takes the offered drink and sips it politely now.
    "I don't know what I will do. I might ven be bored. But I am not going back so soon."

Ares has posed:
    He absorbs all of that in silence as he watches her, tilting his head to the side and then taking another sip of his brandy as she reaches her conclusion. It's only after she's fallen silent for a moment or two that he lifts his own voice. "What in all of existence would you have to write about?" He asks of her, but then he shakes his head and holds up a hand.
    "Well, it seems you have given this some measure of thought. However, I don't believe you should... perhaps pursue the exposure that being an author would grant you." He taps a fingertip lightly on the arm of the chair, "Perhaps assume a pen name for your already assumed identity."

Athena has posed:
    "That's a good idea. I had not particularly considered my nom de plume as yet. My name in this world, by the way, is Sophia. I know, its's a bit of a nod to me but it's harmless." There's a laugh from Athena at that and she quickly shakes her head one moe time.
    "I'll have to think of a name and use it for the book I am having published," Athena agrees, nodding her head once as she does so. "ANd you'll have to help me figure out what is fun about this world I have found myself in. I just discovered video games but I have not the faintest idea about them. Would Alexander be a good person to consult?"

Ares has posed:
    "Sophia then." He watches her with that same steady gaze and then confides, "I go by John Aaron." His lip twitches slightly, "You are welcome to stay til the morning if you like, but you might not have much time to speak with him. He usually arises late, rushes to get ready for school, then has to run out the door to catch the bus."
    Ares straightens up in his chair, causing it to creak again. "Then after that I have to go into the city for my current job." He eyes her warily for a moment but lets his suspicions pass for now. Another deep breath and he adds, "Perhaps... dinner?"