DA : Chapter 133: Answer Me IV

Athena had never seemed weaker and out of her element than now … and the sight brought nothing but pain to Medusa. Quietly she walked up to the distressed goddess, trying to keep her face blank even as Athena finally managed to focus her clouded grey eyes on her.

...

"W-what … do y-you … want?" she rasped out, looking as if it was exhausting to just move her head. "… Come to … mock me?" she asked, managing to just add a slight edge to her voice.

"Why do you think I want to mock you?" she asked gently, having stopped just before the goddess.

"What else … could you w-want?" Athena asked back before arching her back with a wince. "You a-already got … to spill ev-verything on me. What else i-is there until … I become a …"

"Don't!" Medusa cut her off sharply as she stepped closer. "You won't … you'll …"

Medusa trailed off, unsure what to say. The Athena she was currently seeing was almost a stranger to her. The Athena she knew was stubborn and proud but also sure footed, scrappy, thoughtful, the type of woman and person to always try and move forward.

This Athena though seemed to only hold onto the last vestiges of her pride through sheer stubbornness, seemingly unable to even see the answer Andy wants from her. And worst of all, to Medusa it seemed like she was giving up. That she couldn't find her answer so she was resigning herself to her fate, a fate that Andromeda wouldn't allow regardless if Athena failed.

But Medusa couldn't tell her that. She couldn't give Athena the answers to end this torture, otherwise the lesson will never be learned but then again, this brought to perspective on what demigods and gods alike had to face on their own. Never before had the term 'fatal flaw' really driven such a sense of worry and fear in Medusa, especially as she watched her former idol suffer thanks to it.

"Why…?" Medusa found herself asking as she looked at the goddess. "… why are you just giving in?"

The goddess looked at her through strained eyes, grimacing slightly as she adjusted herself.

"You already know about Andromeda's offer to stop this… and the consequence if you keep holding out like this so why?"

"I w-won't … become her … tool," Athena tried to bite out as her eyes hardened slightly.

"You're lying to yourself. You know she wouldn't do that to you," Medusa retorted.

"Do I!?" Athena snapped, pulling at her wrists slightly as she leaned forward. "I won't … I won't serve her or anyone!"

"Is that it?" Medusa asked harshly as she stepped to barely an inch away from the goddess. "So the mighty and proud goddess wouldn't bow to anyone and is choosing her own destruction instead? So a glorified suicide just to try and keep your image intact!?" Medusa snarled back, watching as Athena almost reeled at her tone. "So is this all you really are then?" she asked, this time her voice coming out softer, almost disappointed.

"Taken out of your element and control, and now you're just going to hang there and wait for the end? I know that you know what will happen if this keeps up, you're too smart to not figure it out. But that's what you want then? For you mind to break to your body, letting you 'die' and leaving behind a body that just looks like you? All for what … pride?"

Silence was her only answer as the goddess lowered her head, her entire body seemingly going slack. Medusa sighed as she looked away for a moment, feeling the stinging of her eyes as she wiped at them but to no success. She then looked back at the goddess, both enraged and sad at the sight.

"Then, if this is really your end, then I at least want some answers," she started, getting Athena to just barely raise her head enough for their eyes to meet. Having her attention, Medusa continued. "So why? All those years ago, why did you curse me, even if you couldn't truly attack Poseidon without causing backlash in Olympus? What drove you to hurt me when all I could have wanted and needed was your comfort and help?"

Athena turned her face away, unable to meet Medusa's gaze but the pseudo-goddess wasn't about to let her get away.

"Answer Athena! Why, after everything I did for you and dedicated my life to you, was I the one to be struck down!?" She snarled as Athena seemed to try and curl in on herself. "Or Arachne! She was your trusted friend and didn't even know about you being a god yet you punish her for something as simple as a weaving contest!? What could have possibly been going through your mind!?" she all but roared as the goddess trembled. "Answer me!"

"I don't know!" Athena suddenly shouted back as she finally looked back at Medusa, tears pouring down her eyes as she looked back at her one time priestess. "I don't know …" she repeated weakly through a muffled sob as Medusa remained silent, wondering if the goddess would add anything to it, however where once silence would have been was nothing more than Athena's choked sobbing.

Medusa knew at this point Athena could barely even keep her mind clear enough to try and find reason or explain something from millennia ago. She could already see the cracks and breaks increasing in her features as all the pressure and stress was finally getting to her.

It was only a matter of time before she broke.

"I … see …" Medusa mumbled out, clenching her fists as her hair obscured her eyes.

She turned around, away from the sobbing goddess.

"Then … I guess this is goodbye," she murmured, barely noticing how Athena's sobs tapered off. "… This is the last time I'll visit before you …" she trailed off with a thick swallow, unwilling to say what will happen.

Shaking her head as tears trailed down her cheeks, she made for the door, her hand reaching for the handle.

"… 'orry …"

However she paused as she barely caught the whisper.

"I-m … so-rry …"

She definitely heard it this time and was almost shocked into disbelief as she slowly turned to see teary grey eyes looking at her as Athena repeated, "I'm … sorry."

Medusa walked towards her, almost in a daze as she neared Athena. Stopping only a few inches away she looked into the eyes of the goddess, really looking and searching.

Gone was glint or sheen of defiance and condescension, that hardened gaze used as a façade to keep so many others at a distance and away from finding her own flaws. Instead she found both fear and resignation to her own end but also more. A last determination to finish something, as if looking to right one wrong before it was too late.

"I'm sorry … for everything …" she whispered out, lips trembling and with an air of fragility even as Medusa detect no trace of lies within her voice. "Even if … I don't deserve …"

Athena didn't get the chance to finish her sentence as Medusa reached up to the shackles at her wrists. With a touch they snapped open, dropping the surprised goddess before her legs gave out but Medusa caught her. She fell to her knees with Athena in her arms, the blonde head resting against her shoulder as Medusa slowly wrapped her arms around the goddess making the blonde in question stiffen. She simply held onto the goddess for some time, trying to make sense of her own actions before she gently whispered.

"T-that's all I wanted to hear … I know we can't turn back time or change anything that happened, but's in the past and after days of seeing you like this, I believe you've already suffered enough," she said, one hand absentmindedly running over Athena's back, a twinge of guilt welling in her gut as her fingers traced the scars now marring the goddess' back. "And even in the end, you were always precious to me so I … I forgive you …" she completed, almost sobbing at the end.

By now Athena had been trembling as she held onto Medusa but with her last words, something seemingly snapped. In a torrent Athena's silence turned into agonized cries, babbling sorry and all manner of little words she could get in as she held onto Medusa for dear life.

Like a mother tending to her toddler Medusa held her close and just let her get it out of her system. As the goddess cried Medusa saw the tattoo like collar flash one more time before crumbling with a snap, the last of the tension in Athena's body leaving her as the goddess' cries slowly tapered down into soft sobs and sniffles, still mumbling about being sorry in between.

Then, after what felt like hours Athena was finally silent, having cried herself to sleep after having been exhausted and stressed beyond reason while staying awake for nearly a week straight. Looking down at the peaceful face of Athena as the goddess subconsciously snuggled into her bosom, Medusa couldn't help but let a happy tear flow down as she lightly kissed the blonde on her head.

She then heard the small shuffle of clothing and looked back to see Andromeda leaning against the door frame, a sad smile on her face as she looked at the sleeping blonde as well. Shaking her head softly she stepped closer as she waved her hand, a soft looking blanket appearing in her hands before she draped it over Athena.

"Take her back to your apartment and once she's rested, get her showered and fed before bringing her back to speak before the council," Andy lightly ordered as she tucked some of Athena's hair out of her face.

"You would trust her to me?" Medusa asked, slightly surprised since she assumed Andy would take her into custody and have her sworn into an oath of loyalty. Seemingly reading Medusa's mind, Andy clarified.

"I have a feeling she won't try a runner once she wakes up and being near a familiar face will be better for her. As for an oath to keep things secure, I'm pretty sure she'll be open to the general citizen oath while we try to clear the air with her, though I will be keeping an eye on her for the time being."

Medusa nodded at the explanation before slowly standing, holding Athena in a princess carry before looking to Andromeda.

"Thank you for giving her a chance," she said earnestly though Andy just waved it off.

"I had a feeling she's one of the few we could still have hope for. Just take care of her for now," Andy replied before Medusa nodded, slowly dissolving into shadows, and precious cargo in toe…

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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.

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