wisdom’s daughter walks alone

“You still are a much better instructor than I am, Athena-san,” he replied with a relaxed smile, his eyes glancing at the rearview mirror to acknowledge the goddess’ owl upon hearing her hoot. Keeping the smile alive, he added. “And I bet dear Noctua is a helpful assistant to you, my totsuka swords can never.” 

His eyebrows arched up in great surprise at Athena’s confession of not trying surfing before. “You’ve never done it, really?” It did not mean he doubted her honesty, the god of seas and storm had just learned a new fact that not all immortals had experienced everything viable on earth during their existence. 

To her willingness and enthusiasm, he beamed. “That’s the spirit! The sea appreciates and welcomes anyone who comes to her with good intentions, you and her will get along just fine!” His confirmation was not just to ease her mind, for Susanoo had never tried to sugarcoat his words nor he was good at comforting people. As the combination of two natural forces, he could not help being himself, and luckily, Athena understood and accepted that without demanding any efforts or adjustments from him. He respected her mind and she appreciated him the way he was, a perfect recipe for a balanced, healthy friendship. 

Soon, the view of the beach emerged into their sight, and Susanoo could not hide his excited grin as he asked his friend. “Look at the sea, Athena-ssan. Isn’t she gorgeous?”

As the sun was setting on the horizon, both the sky and the beach were coated in magnificent shades of red and orange. Once they got out of his minivan, the salty breezes gently rushed in to welcome them, the waves sang their merry welcoming melodies, and from far away, there was laughter of people having the time of their lives on the sandy beach. 

After pulling out two surfing boards from the back and resting them against the side of the minivan, Susanoo gestured Athena to the row of colourful bathing houses along the beach.

"Noctua is the best assistant, that is true. But I would love to see your swords. Would you let me try them ?"

The goddess smiled. She loved the sea and she always missed the blue of the Aegean sea, she had traveled by ships and boats and swam in almost all the oceans of the world. "Is it really surprising, my dear ?" she asked, turning to look at him again. "I guess that I was waiting for the perfect teacher." There was something comforting in knowing that she still had things to discover, her life wasn't over yet.

"Oh, I do not doubt it. I have always had the utmost respect for nature." And I trust you. He was her friend and it was the truth. She loved him for who he was and she didn't care if he sometimes forgot their meetings or when he showed up unannounced at her door. She had grown to appreciate his spontaneity. She herself wasn't the easiest person to deal with but, with patience and respect, they had been able to build a comfortable and real friendship. Susanoo was precious to her.

"It is ! Sea's sunsets have always been my favorite. Have you see the ones over the Aegean sea ? They are the most beautiful in my eyes." Athena turned her attention back to the water, listening to its welcome, wind playing in her long hair. It was a peaceful moment and she realized that she was happy. 

As water dripped down his still-soaked hair, the mark it left was imperceptible against the backdrop of his slightly oversized, black shirt. His attire maintained a monochrome theme, with a red and white print adorning the back of his shirt and a tiny embroidery of a brand logo near the pocket of his sweatpants. It was a simple yet comfortable ensemble, perfectly suited to the spontaneity of the day.

The sound of a breath filled the space that was reserved for words when he opened his mouth to speak but got momentarily distracted by the tiny owl’s greeting. His eyes followed Athena’s feathered companion up until it got comfortable on her shoulder, the gentle smile of a friend of animals reflecting on his lips. 

Finally, —it took him a second to regain focus—he blinked and looked back at the goddess with an indifferent shake of his head. “I’m good. I take my coffee black.” 

Maxim's method of drying his hair with a towel was reckless, lacking structure or caution, resulting in random strands wildly pointing away from his head. He didn't bother adjusting the chaotic style, hanging the cloth around his neck before settling on the chair closest to him, never facing away from her. “My mind?” the question blurted out before he ever had the chance to adjust his tone, giving away just how unexpected Athena’s statement was to him. “Do you mean that I get to enter someone else’s dream again?” The smug grin that rose with his words matched the reputation he has earned but failed to block out the knot that tightened his stomach at the idea of guiding another nightmare. Despite his genuine fascination with people’s oneiric encounters, his mind betrayed him with images of past consequences, sending a sharp pain to his right shoulder. 

Taking a sip of his coffee, Maxim grabbed a small piece of baklava, studying it as if trying to recall whether he had tasted the delicacy before.

“My favorite place, huh?” he repeated her words as if to confirm it to himself. One spot came to mind immediately, but he hesitated to voice it, uncertain whether he wanted to give away his tiny oasis of privacy so carelessly. Maxim looked away from the dessert in his hand to look at her, his calm expression standing in direct contrast with his racing thoughts. It almost felt as if just glancing at the goddess reminded him of who he was talking to. She was his mentor; one of the very few people on the island he trusted to not use his secrets against him. 

He bit off a tiny piece of the pastry, leaving his question to linger in the air for a few more seconds while he savored the sweet taste. When he was finally done, however, he nodded tentatively before he spoke again. “There’s an old, abandoned…uh…” Maxim paused briefly, trying to translate the word out of his native language and into the one they were speaking. “…tower. I think it used to be a watchtower. It’s close to the mountains.” To be more precise, he had found the grim-looking structure right at the cusp between the mountains and the forest they were warned not to enter alone. A dingy little structure close to the island’s borders. 

Somewhere in the presumed danger of it, he found peace. No matter how many times he’s visited his special spot, he had never encountered anyone going there or coming back from it. A perfect hideout for whenever he wanted to be by himself.

Athena smiled when the young man reappeared. He had chosen the perfect outfit, comfortable and non-ostentatious, two things that she appreciated. She loved to dress up and always wore elegant outfits when teaching but training days were for easy clothes.

The goddess served the coffee into two clean mugs she had found in the cupboards, handing one to Maxim before adding a pinch of sugar and a could of milk to hers. The bitter aroma was a real wake-up call and she felt rejuvenated as she drank. 

"Your mind, yes." She chuckled at the boy's remark, refraining from reaching to smooth his hair. "Oh Maxim, I do not think that you are ready for that yet. The time will come for you to try again but it is not for today. Especially not with an unwilling person." If they could find a willing guinea pig, this would make everything simpler and it would be possible to guide both Maxim and his 'victim'. A good exercise.

Her question seemed to have surprised Maxim so Athena waited as he thought, observing his facial expressions and the way he held himself. He remained calm but she could almost hear the gear turning into his head. It made her even more curious to know the answer. 

The old tower. She had seen it a few times, looking for the perfect place for her Parthenon. It looked like it had been abandoned centuries ago and a gloomy atmosphere came from it. Even more with the forest so close. But, for some reasons, she found the place fitting for the young man and could understand why Maxim liked the place. 

Standing at her side, he enjoyed the views of an ancient city from so long ago as though the past had become the present once again, breathing in the clean air with the sweet scent of nature, the salt of the Aegean Sea, the beautiful colors of sky through air so clear.

"Likewise," he replied to her apology; reaching out extended both ways after all. When she spoke of this perfect moment, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, then gently lifted it so that he may press a gentle kiss to the back of her fingers, lowering her hand once more to softly pat the back of her palm. "This perfect moment is available whenever you desire, my friend."

Yet another praised his son and he could not help but smile a bit more, proud father that he was. "Thank you," he quietly replied, accepting of her praise for his child. Another light chuckle escaped his lips at the mention of Leto in her self-defense class. "Did he tell me?" he muse. "My dear, the day he met you, that was all he talked about. For more than a week. Stories about you were always his favorite," he added, giving her shoulder a light nudge with his own. "Thank you, Athena. For being so kind to him." And he genuinely meant his appreciation. He knew some gods on the island could be a bit egotistical, and though Athena did have a little bit of a history being just slightly proud herself, he could trust her to make wise decisions regarding their children.

But speaking of those other children...

She didn't have children of her own but she was building her own family and she loved it all the same. Blood bonds weren't everything.

Athena chuckled at the gesture, squeezing his hand in return. She had never been very used to physical contact, except maybe in the heat of battle, but Morpheus' was gentle and almost reverend. "Thank you. Maybe that next time we could visit Mount Olympus ? I miss my Father's house, sometimes." The sun's rays shining over the halls of gold and marble, the heady scent of flowers, soft music always floating in the air.

The goddess brought her fingers to her mouth, hiding some giggles behind her hand. "Well, I am honoured !" she exclaimed. "I hope to never disappoint the image he has of me." She nudged him back, grinning. "Do not worry, he is a lovely child, I do not imagine no to be nice to him." Her ego was big but, at least, she could recognise others' value. 

But dreams were not reality.

And though he held her then, in this illusion, he knew very well that he was not truly holding her; however here, in this divine realm filled with imagery of yesteryear filling all the senses, it was the very best he could do in the moment; his embrace certainly felt real, smelled real, but it was not; not really. Such was the tragic nature of the Oneiroi King, whos corporeal form could not withstand the Waking World for long. But here? Here, they were both free.

"The feeling is mutual," he cooed softly as she took his hands, his own fingers warmly folding around hers. He had missed her--and while it may have taken little more than a whisper before sleeping to call upon him, Morpheus knew the both of them had been rather busy. Nevertheless, it was reassuring to learn that she had been well. He walked with her to the edge, to gaze beyond the columns upon the memory of ancient Athens at its peak.

A small, secretive smile danced over his lips as she confessed she had met a wonderful young man; of course, he made no assumptions as to just who that man could be. "Oh? One can only imagine that a goddess as brilliant and mighty as the indomitable Athena would meet all sorts of interesting and wonderful persons," he concurred with a small nod.

She didn't mind. She knew it was the only way in which she could truly touch him, to feel him against her and smell his scent of night. Such things had not happened in so long that she was going to enjoy it for as long as Morpheus would allow her to. However, now that he was there on Mount Phoenix, they could indulge in such meetings more often.

Athena smiled at his answer and they remained silent for a while, admiring the sight before them. The white houses and their roofs of red ocher tiles. And beyond that, the sea and its deep blue under the purples and oranges of the sky. "I am sorry that I did not call you more often, my friend" she said, her voice almost a whisper. "But if I did, would we have this perfect moment ? We have all the time to catch up now."

The goddess chuckled. She could see some of the father's traits in the son, especially the beautiful, dark and starry eyes. Dreams made humans. "Your son is wonderful, you can be proud of him. Did he tell you that he was following my self-defence classes ? He is quite good at it." She nodded at his comment. "The island is full of wonderful persons. Our own pantheons has quite a few interesting ones."

It was something he wasn't used to--oh, he had heard stories from Skadi, of course, of her own experiences, and it always fascinated him to hear these things from the people who lived it rather than reading about it on pages so old their authors had turned to dust--to hear about these places from the goddesses who lived it, who described the world as they experienced it, who could humor a curious demigod with his seemingly endless stream of questions.

"How did they manage to preserve what they did?" he began, the flood gates opening. "Did the archivists have warning? Did someone have a prophetic dream that convinced others to relocate documents before the invasions spread? Did they smuggle documents through the aqueducts?" It wasn't the safest method for the materials to be around water, but he could trust that if they survived, then the archivists of their time knew how to preserve and protect the documents from the elements.

Did he speak any old languages? "Yes. Greek was the first I learned after English. From proto to modern. Latin was next. Then Chinese. Then Hebrew. Skadi has also taught me Old Norse and Elder Futhark. I am currently learning Arabic, though Hieroglyphs will be next after that. Sanskrit, Tamil, Gaelic, and Aramaic are also on the docket." Now that he was on the island and had access to so many materials written in the ancient languages, he had all the more reason to study those languages, so absorb the information and translate it for others to learn.

So Athena would not contradict him in his opinions regarding her credentials being superior to those holding the current position of the university's leader? Did that count as her agreeing with Vitas? Because, if so, then he could put that notch in his belt, knowing that a goddess from another pantheon agreed with him on something--and not just any goddess, but another goddess of wisdom. When she spoke of gods egos, he acknowledged with a quiet and monotone "mm hmm". Oh yes, he was aware that some gods had massively inflated egos--and based on the classic literature, he could name a few within both of their own respective pantheons without having met them personally.

If Vitas wanted to hear more stories about the world, about the different cultures and countries she had discovered, Athena would gladly share them with Vitas. It was rare to see someone so interested to hear what she had to say (besides her young cousin and students of course). The young man's curiosity and desire to learn was truly welcomed by the goddess. She had no children to pass her knowledge to but she was happy if she could mentor those demigods.

"Do not forget that our world is full of magic" Athena answered, a mysterious smile on her lips. "Maybe someone warned them or maybe not but they were given time to save as much as they could." The archivists had been talented too, able to keep the documents safe before they were dispatched to different temples of the old times, under the watchful guards of priests and the gods they worshipped.

The goddess nodded, appreciative of the efforts made by Vitas to learn so much. "This is quite amazing deeds" she commented. "Not even some gods know so much. I suppose that you found a lot of resources on the island to complete your education. I have heard of some demigods knowing about the languages of older times. I would be glad to teach you what I know too."

She wasn't going to say aloud what she thought but Vitas wasn't far from the truth. But maybe it wasn't a discussion they should have there, in the walls of the university. She still respected her colleagues, even they had the biggest egos possible. After all, she wasn't innocent of letting her pride talk from time to time.

But that institution was nowhere to be seen as the scenery changed, as it became a memory of times long past. The tenderness of his smile remained as he witnessed the shifting emotions upon his friend's face as she realized just where she was--to where she had been transported; the familiarity, the nostalgia as even the sensation of the fabric against her skin as the robes were rustled by the breeze carried in from the sea--all of it, every bit of it just as they remembered from so long ago, steeped with the undeniable feeling of home.

Slowly, he stepped from behind the column, his own robes precisely as one might expect from the king of dreams; ethereal fabrics woven from the night sky, ever changing constellations and auroras, nebulas, comets drifting through the iridescent threads that both hugged his tall frame yet also drifted around him as though suspended in water, carried by the current yet simultaneously grazed by the gentle winds of their beloved Aegean Sea.

His own arms lifted as she came near, folding his arms around her and holding her close to him, warm and comforting--but more importantly, tangible. Tangible in this grand and perfect illusion that allowed him the opportunity to touch her in these moments, the scent of the sleeping florals subtle but present--the poppy, the chamomile, the Greek lavender and heliotrope, wafting about in an ethereal blend that brought about an even greater familiarity and home.

Athena had her own Parthenon in Mount Phoenix but, of course, it wasn't the same than its original version, long lost to the winds and the greed of humans. She could visit it as much as she wanted during her regular travels to Greece but nothing would compare to the majesty the place had known, millenniums ago. She was thankful for that moment, for that dream of a time long lost, that she would always miss. 

If dreams had a tangible body, Morpheus would be their perfect image. A being made of starlight and as bright as the Milky Way. His hair was like shooting stars, floating around him like the Aurora borealis she had once seen in the northern skies. He wore the perfumes of Greece as she leant into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. 

"I have missed you" Athena softly said, moving to grab his hands and squeeze his fingers in hers. "So many years have passed since I last lay my eyes on you." She smiled, inviting him to look at the beautiful Athens at their feet.

As excited as he may have been to accept the role of Liberal Arts Chair, and even more so to reconnect with some colleagues, Morpheus was still the patient and considerate sort. He waited; he waited until the end of Athena's work day; he waited until she was back in her office, packing up for the the journey to her home away from home. A secretive smile played upon his lips as he peeked through her open door. He remained silent, however--that is, until she had finally turned around to leave, and just as she did so, the entire scenery changed.

In a blink, the goddess was no longer surrounded by the interior of her office, but deep within a familiar scene. The golden rays of a sunset bathed through the columns of the Parthenon--not weathered by time, but instead pristine as the years the Acropolis had been built. The air fresh, clean, untouched by industrial pollutants as the sky was clear of smog or planes, smelling sweet and salty and humid at the end of a summer's day. Instead of the drone of traffic, the sound of the sea and the gulls could be heard in the distance, seen to the south with mountains to the east. All of it just as it was thousands of years ago, as though plucked from memory of ages long past.

"Surprise~"

So it was later than usual when she returned to her own office, dusk slowly setting upon the island, the last rays of sunlight reflected in the buildings' windows, tainting everything in shades of orange and purple. The goddess soon had finished packing for the day but when she reached for the door, it opened onto a completely different landscape, something that she didn't expect to see.

The sunset wasn't falling on Mount Phoenix anymore but over the columns of her beloved Parthenon, shining in the last lights of the day. The sky was pure and the gently summer breeze was bringing the salty air of the sea to her, mixing with the soft, sugary smells of the summer trees and fruits. She looked down, feeling the soft fabrics of her favorite robes against her body, her hands coming down to smooth the garment.

Athena wasn't used to express her emotions but she still felt tears springing into her eyes, feelings of homesickness filling her heart.

And then, then she heard that voice, so familiar, so soft and benevolent. She looked up and there he was, wrapped in stars and galaxies, a memory never forgotten, a friend loved like a brother. The goddess smiled and walked to him, opening her arms to offer a tender embrace.

But he was deeply interested, clearly, especially upon hearing that she had manuscripts from the Library of Alexandria. That...that actually elicited a response from Vitas that caused the stoic mask to shift. Finally, his eyes widened slightly, a lift of his brow--and somehow his countenance, though just a subtle shift, managed to reflect a look of pleasant surprise. Though he had heard her clearly and there was really no need for her to repeat herself, he still echoed for confirmation. "You...have documents...from the Great Library of Alexandria?" he asked quietly, as though she had just informed him and him alone of the most precious secret in the entire universe.

"I am certainly interested," he confessed, honesty lacing his dry tone. "It is a genuine relief to learn that some documents survived. I would be honored to study them." To learn that priceless historical materials filled with knowledge had not only survived the invasion and subsequent fires, but also withstood the tests of time...that ignited something in Vitas that he had not felt in a very, very long time. And of COURSE Athena would be the one to have such priceless and irreplaceable artifacts in her possession. At this point, he would not have it any other way.

Now, he needed to study even more of the ancient languages to catch up.

For now, he was content to learn as much from the goddess of wisdom while he was physically in her presence and studied her rather neat and organized office, making note of every text on her shelves while simultaneously listening to her recount why she was not the headmaster of the university. All right, that made sense he supposed. "Though I am not one to judge a book by its cover," he began, "and perhaps the one currently occupying that position has hidden qualities that have yet to be revealed to me, but I consider your credentials to be far superior. A wise individual would secede the role to one with more favorable qualifications." He was currently far more impressed with Athena after one class and five minutes of conversation than he had been with the current headmaster after two encounters.

Athena's eyes were fixed on the young man in that moment and she didn't miss the shift in his expression, the surprise and the pleasure she could see in his eyes. She didn't mind the stoic young man she had met just a few minutes before but seeing him lightening up this way was endearing. He wasn't of her pantheon but she felt a closeness to him that she rarely had with such a young person before. Especially someone who was still half-human.

"I do ! I visited it several times before the fire. I wish you could have seen it, it was so beautiful. I travelled the world but it was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen."  The goddess nodded. "Fortunately, many documents were saved. They are preciously kept in temples amongst other places." She couldn't wait for Vitas to be able to read them, even just seeing them would be an honor already. "Tell me, Vitas" she asked. "Do you speak any old languages ?"

She could certainly help him with that. 

Once in the office, Noctua went to rest on her perch near the window, her attentive eyes moving from Vitas to the flood of students leaving the university outside. Athena chuckled at the demigod's bold words. "Well, I am not going to contradict you on that" she commented, hiding a grin as she looked down at the documents on her desk. "But I am sure that you know about the gods' egos so there is no surprise in this turn of events". Of course, she couldn't know what had transpired between the young man and Arawn but given his words, it probably hadn't been very positive.

Vitas did like a good challenge, though.

Secure in his coat and gloves once more, he followed after the goddess, though did not offer to carry her documents as one might expect; though most might interpret this as a rude gesture, it was quite the contrary in the archivist's perception as he interpreted the act (or the lack thereof) as a sign of respect for her personal affects as well as keeping his attention on her--knowing full well that if he held her documents in his hands, he would immediately want to consume the knowledge within rather than devote his full attention to Athena.

The mention of her private library--and an accompanying implied invitation--elicited a response from Vitas, yet again, when that tiny spark of interest flickered behind midnight eyes, an almost smile that did not quite reach his lips but remained a flicker of a shadow behind his gaze. "Yes," he answered simply with a nod as he joined her in her office.

Challenges were good. They were a perfect way to grow.

If it could reassure Vitas, the idea of passing him her documents to hold didn't even cross her mind. Maybe it was the polite thing to do but it truly wasn't important to her. She preferred to talk and teach the boy than use him as a domestic. 

Very good ! she reacted at his answer, offering him a warm smile. It truly was a delight to see someone so willing to learn, so interested by what she had to offer. "I have some manuscripts from the Great Library of Alexandria that might interest you." As well as many volumes in the oldest languages of the world that had been forgotten for centuries.

The latter of which was something to which he was very much looking forward. He smiled to the owl as he took off to her perch, giving a small wave and then briefly admiring his new 'do in one of the floor-to-ceiling mirrors on the a nearby wall. How cool was that? He couldn't rightly say he had ever actually been preened by an owl before--and to know that it was Athena's own owl, well, that certainly elicited a level of glee that was on a whole other level.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her suggestion to have a portion of the profits if they were to open a salon. "Managers and investors always get a cut," he replied with a nod. But even more than the joy he felt from the knowlts, he felt when Athena touched him; it was a charge of sheer euphoria blended with the divine power she held. And even just to be touched by the goddess was surreal and a blessing in its own right.

Athena smiled as she watched Leto. Morpheus was probably proud of that young man. He was smart, quick-thinking and funny. A very lovely person to be around and she couldn't wait to spend more time with him and learn about his capacities. Divine and human alike. She exchanged a look with Noctua and she could see the same curiosity in the little bird's eyes. 

"That is great then !" she answered with a smile. "I will be sure to come once a year at least." She winked and squeezed his shoulder before letting go of him. She resisted the urge to ruffle his hair, fearing to disturb the lovely knwolts.

He supposed that made sense; it was somewhat how he understood Huginn and Muninn. They didn't necessarily speak to him, per say, but more he just...knew their intentions, their message. Fair enough. "Interesting," he said flatly, but truthfully; he did find it fascinating.

Though his smile hadn't reached his lips at all, it did flicker behind his eye; brief, but present, and clearly not missed by the goddess despite how subtle it had been. His own compliments regarding her teaching had been genuine as well, and he merely nodded to her thanks.

But it had taken hits and misses until they were able to truly understand each other. Now, the bird was the goddess' eyes and ears when she couldn't be present. It was a symbiotic relationship. "If you are attentive to her, to her reactions, I am sure that you will come to understand her."

Athena gathered her files and put her cardigan on, smiling against at Vitas once she was ready. We will stop by my office to leave those there she announced, showing the pile in her arms. As they walked, trying to avoid some excited students on their way home, Noctua followed, flying just a bit ahead of them, like a guide.

The owl's hoots warranted his attention, however, with a small turned of his head in Noctua's direction to give the bird a glance before his gaze returned to the floor. "You speak owl?" he quietly asked; as he would go on to explain, language had been his primary area of study, so he was curious about this new language of birds...and if he could learn that, too. "Do all birds speak the same language or is it different for every species? Or is it more of an intuitive understanding?" Such as a connection with a familiar as opposed to understanding every owl she came across.

To have amazed Athena with his studies, however, he took that as a compliment coming from the goddess of wisdom and, dare one say it, he very nearly smiled--nearly--just the faintest shadow of a smile flickering over his dark eye. He hadn't thought a goddess to consider it an honor to have him as a student, but this was Athena and again, he respected her greatly, so he took her words as they were meant to be taken.

Athena chuckled at the question. She wasn't mocking him, of course, she was just amused by the idea of learning the owl language. She smiled at Noctua, beckoning the little bird closer. The bird of prey came to perch on her shoulder and she rubbed her feathers. I would say it is mostly intuitive. Those owls are linked to me since milleniums, it is like innate for us to understand each other.

She noticed the small smile, the way it lit up his face. She rarely gave compliments but when she did, the recipient could be sure it was sincere. "You are too kind, Vitas !" she answered, smiling softly at him. "Thank you so much, I appreciate."

make me choose: mythology edition