( Andromeda, Next Morning )
The primordial of love walked with a little hop to her step, smiling and savoring the morning as the sun started to warm the sleepy streets of the Second district, a few early risers passing greetings to her.
Her morning had started out on a rather sober subject, mainly being his interactions and later revelations from Annabeth.
Neither Andy nor her queens reacted all that well to the news but managed to calm after a while and then agree on giving Annabeth the meeting before the council. Then, with a report from his wolves Percy was sure Annabeth would arrive tomorrow morning at the latest.
After that subject got discussed Andy had been all for instigating a thorough rump much to the agreements of her queens and king leaving them all deliciously refreshed and ready for the day.
After their steamy activities, each went on their own way for whatever plans the day had which came back to what Andromeda was doing now. As she walked through the city she thought back on how her Valkyries were doing, Raven and Piper having returned their first team hunt, this time traveling near the edges of Mexico city.
On the accounts from Raven, Piper seemed notably at ease with the tasks at hand and quite suited to calming those they rescued though the number was low this time around with around five young adults brought to Will's clinic.
They were there even now if she remembered correctly but that wasn't why she was out and about. Instead she walked in the direction of the townhomes built in tandem to the shops, the entrances being on a raised walkway above the commercial street below. It only took her a few minutes before she arrived at her destination and rapped her knuckles on the oak door.
For a few minutes the only sounds were the small wind chime hung beside the door before she heard steps coming from the other side. Then, upon opening she was greeted with the sight of Medusa dressed casually in a shirt and jean shorts much like Andy was herself.
"Morning Medusa," she greeted warmly.
"Andy," the pseudo-goddess returned with her own smile before stepping aside. "Please, come in."
Taking the offer she did so, removing her sandals to a small shoe rack before looking at the Shadow intently and asking, "So … how is she?"
Knowing exactly who she was talking about Medusa sighed but before she could answer another voice called softly from down the hall.
"Medusa …?"
Is was very light and gentle, almost shy and had an underlying vulnerability that made Andy smile sadly even if she had expected something like this. Giving an understanding look to Medusa, Andy stepped aside and followed after Medusa as the pair headed inside the house, their steps echoing on the wood floor.
After passing the hall they arrived in a rather spacious living room with an adjacent kitchen to the left side. Walls painted in shades of dark blue including the ceiling, some paintings and images of either ancient Greece or nature decorating the space. However it was the large black couch and its sole occupant that took Andy's attention.
There, siting at the end was Athena, dressed in pajamas Andy recognized as Medusa's, with a warm blanket covering her lap and a cup of tea in hand. However, upon spotting Andy, Athena tensed slightly as her eyes widened before she slowly set her cup down and was stood before bowing her head to Andy.
"Hello Lady Andromeda," she said much to Medusa's obvious shocked silence as Andy smiled sadly yet again as she took in the presence of the goddess and her current demeanor.
"Hello Athena," she replied in kind. "How are you?" she asked gently, giving a warm and reassuring smile that seemed to calm the goddess slightly.
"I've been … well," was the soft reply as the goddess sat down, fidgeting with the hem of her pajama shirt making Andy internally sigh.
She had expected something like this and knew the situation with Athena was now going to be delicate, luckily she already had the first steps to help her along with it. So, with a wave of her hand a small portal of shadows formed over her outstretched arms before a box with holes in the sides deposited there. With the shadow dissipating Andy slowly approached Athena as the goddess looked from her to the box and back.
"Here you go," she said as she offered the box much to Athena's confusion and slight curiosity though the curious side to her won out as she gingerly took it.
Glancing at Andy one more time just to get a nod as encouragement, Athena opened the lid only to gasp at what was inside. The three goddesses watched as a small wolf puppy with grey fur reared its head up to look directly back at Athena. With the innocence and curiosity of a baby the pup hopped its front legs onto the box edge before sniffing at Athena and then trying to lick her, whining and lightly yipping excitedly.
Athena for her part looked at the pup in confusion before smiling warmly, stretching a hand out and lightly petting the pup much to its delight as it licked her hand. Giggling softly she picked the pup out of the box and held it to her chest, cooing softly as the pup continued to lick at her, even adding a few barks in between.
"Her name is Anesi," Andy commented as she backed up to stand beside Medusa as Athena idly nodded, her attention completely dedicated to her new little friend.
Seeing Athena thoroughly distracted Andy led Medusa back to the kitchen, just far enough to be out of ear shot if they spoke softly while still being able to see the pair from over the counter separating the kitchen and living room.
"So, how she been in the last few days?" Andy started as she directed her attention to Medusa, the latter still looking on at the scene of the goddess and puppy.
"I think she's doing decent but then again, she's been behaving different. She slept for over 24 hours when we got back and then I managed to get her bathed and fed but she's been oddly clingy," Medusa replied, a tinge of worry coming through her voice. "Honestly I'm concerned about her since I can't recall her ever being this …" Medusa trailed off trying to find the words.
"Let me guess, docile, meek, passive, and other such characteristics," Andy said knowingly getting a nod from Medusa before the pseudo-goddess added more.
"She's also been having trouble sleeping the last two nights to the point she bunked with me both times."
"Do you mind?" Andy asked with a teasing quality to her voice, getting a slight blush from the Shadow. Giggling at Medusa's expense for a bit, Andy took a breath and then sighed slowly as she got more serious. "Now, as amusing as it is to use her to tease you, the fact of the matter is that this will be a very delicate situation."
"What do you mean?" Medusa asked as she looked at winged goddess.
"Well first think back to how you were after Percy, Nyx, and Tartarus freed you from your curse. What was it like for you at first?"
Medusa frowned as she considered Andy's words, her eyes glancing around before she slowly responded.
"Well for a while I guess I was just trying to comprehend everything. Even if Percy delivered on his promise, I had resigned to my curse and the matching mentality for so long that it was just a shock and half the time I thought I would just wake up to being a monster again… I … I just didn't know what to do with myself after such a change and if it hadn't been for Percy, I don't know what would have happened."
Andy nodded as she crossed her arms under her bust. "Exactly and if I recall right you even cried yourself to sleep several times, with either me or Percy, begging that even if it was a dream, that you wouldn't wake up because you didn't want to go back to your curse," she said getting an embarrassed blush and nod from the pseudo-goddess.
"Well then you should have an idea of what is happening to Athena," she continued, looking pointedly to the goddess rubbing the belly of her puppy in her lap. "She's affectively still in shock from what happened to her and now has to cope with it."
"How exactly?" Medusa asked as she looked at the Olympian goddess as well.
"Well think about it. When she finally apologized to you, she essentially accepted her death and try to make amends before it, or at least in the death of her current self after the lust had consumed her being.
To accept that only not to be broken but actually being given a second chance was something she didn't expect. I know we haven't exactly given her much reason to believe we could be any better than the Olympians or the Titans before, at least in regards to gods like her but I'm pretty sure part of her is still on guard about what we'll do with her."
"And what are you going to do with her?" Medusa asked as she took her eyes off the blonde goddess only to look at the ravenette.
"Leave her in your care for now, try to visit and help her adjust and see just who she is," Andy replied before glancing at the playing pup. "The puppy will help with that too."
"What do you mean?" Medusa asked in confusion, frowning slightly as she looked back and forth between Athena and Andy.
"Let's put it this way. What causes fear in people?"
Medusa scrunched her brows for a moment in thought before answering. "Many things. Threats to oneself and what we care about, maybe something or someone that once caused us some form of harm or trauma, and the unknown."
"And now here is Athena, basically surrounded by dozens of beings that can be very real threats to both herself and those she cares about, myself being the one that caused the trauma even if it didn't go to the worst case and now she is in a situation she has never known before.
She used up a good deal of her power the few times she flared it when angered or trying to escape and being beyond the border of the 'Land of the Gods' means she can't really even recover much power leaving her around the level of a low tier minor god at the moment.
Since she hasn't even taken the Oath of Citizenship or even a visitor's oath to make sure she behaves, Styx's city barrier completely prevents her from flashing in and out of the city," Andy explained before pausing as she glanced at the goddess in question to make sure she was still distracted.
"And add the week she spent having her mind pressured and warring with her own body combined with essentially fighting against her own fatal flaw, stripped of any authority, responsibility, or influence to have her way, and having her worst mistakes all used against her. Then, instead of being in an overtly hostile environment or being tortured, or used," she spat that word with disgust.
"She is in a relatively safe space, away from those that want to harm her or even can get to her for that matter, under your care making you a safety point for her and will be left in peace for the time being. She simply has no idea what to do now or adjust along with an environment that she can't control. She basically been left stripped so that leaves the question; who is she now, and just who will she become?"
As she spoke she internally snickered as Medusa's jaw kept dropping with her explanation. Yes, it had been quite the gamble to get to Athena to this point but Andy was confident.
As far as she was concerned, Athena had paid her dues and after having a millennia old façade of superiority and pride broken all that was left was for Athena to change and grow. And if there was one goddess that Andy was sure could come back from this experience even stronger than before, it was Athena.
Her musing though was interrupted as Medusa recovered from her explanation, even going as far as rubbing the bridge of her nose before muttering, "But was putting her at risk of literally becoming a sex doll really necessary?"
Andromeda sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose having expected to still get heat for that. Giving Medusa a bland look she asked, "How else would you have created enough pressure to actually make her think about herself and what's she's been and denied for millennia?"
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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.
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