Ωvideo

[sophos]

[It's absently on video, from her suite, and Annabeth looks a little distracted. So much so that it's a good few seconds of looking deep in thought at something off screen before she remembers to speak up. She adjusts herself, sits up a little straighter.]

Is there anyone who might have asked the Emperor about their futures? I've heard she can show you, in a sense. I need to know what that entails. I doubt it's something she'd offer for free.

[that's probably only the tip of what's distracting her atm tbh. If anyone thought she was intense before, it's like there's a little extra dark circles now. ]

ENCRYPTED 100%; ZATANNA
We need to talk. As soon as you can.

Comments

[backwordscompatible]

[The pieces were slowly starting to fall into place. They might mean something. They might not. Still, she couldn't resist asking.]

What about yours?

[sophos]

I know I explained the stuff out of Greek myth was around. [MUTUAL HATRED OF CIRCE GET.] His dad is Poseidon. My mother is Athena.

[backwordscompatible]

[...okay, not a total surprise, considering. Enough to earn a double eyebrow raise.]

Poseidon...and Athena.

Wow.

[That would explain the water powers.]

So...that makes you...

[sophos]

[She grins a little.] Demigods.

[It's still weird to be so open about this for a change.]

[backwordscompatible]

Huh.

[It's mostly sunken in now.]

Cool.

[sophos]

[She lets out a tiny snort.] Not a reaction I'm used to.

[backwordscompatible]

I can fawn in awe over you if you like.

Might take me a couple of minutes to get into character, though. I wasn't prepared to go on so suddenly.

[sophos]

[Wow that gets a short laugh.] It's not usually a thing we talk about, unless we're telling someone else they're a demigod, too.

[backwordscompatible]

[You're welcome.]

Is this another one of those Secret Identity things? Because if so, you might want to give your friends a heads up.

I didn't catch all of it, but I remember them talking about stuff like this over the Network not too long ago.

[sophos]

Not exactly. Just that back home, most people don't know the gods exist at all. So we don't exactly broadcast we're demigods.

But this isn't home. [She shrugs.] I wasn't keeping it secret personally so much as it never really came up. I guess I was more cautious when I first got here, though.

[backwordscompatible]

[So...it was sort of like a Secret Identity thing.]

I think most people were.

[A thought occurs to her.]

Hey, wait. If Percy has demigod abilities from his dad...does that mean you have powers too?

[sophos]

Not anything like that. Nothing physical or elemental or magical. Athena's the goddess of wisdom and warfare. That's where my strengths are.

[Divine wisdom, what up.]

[backwordscompatible]

So, basically, you have god-like brains and can hold your own in a fistfight?

[It was a reasonable guess.]

[sophos]

[She grins a little.] It's more than just holding my own. Children of Athena are master strategists. We excel at combat. We're intelligent. [...said with an air of "the most intelligent."] I don't have any special powers or gifts like other demigods, but I have what's mine.

[backwordscompatible]

[Fortunately, Jack had been teaching her how to listen to the wind, because the Air was completely understood.]

So let's recap. Between all of us, we've got my magic, your master combat and intelligence skills, Percy's water works...and Robin's hacking skills.

All in all? Could be worse.

[sophos]

[She's feeling marginally more comfortable over this more and more.]

And Leo. He's a Son of Hephaestus. If you've got a machine, he can figure it out. [And fire, but since he's not talking about it, she won't bring it up either.] Percy's not too bad with a sword either.

It really could be worse.

[backwordscompatible]

Leo knows too?

[She's not upset. She's just trying to get a grasp on their numbers.]

[sophos]

I told him about my own experience on the mainland. I'll tell him about Eva's plan to come here eventually, too. I might have him set up some kind of lock on my console. But like I said, I haven't told either of them about you yet.

[backwordscompatible]

...you can. If you want to.

I don't mind.

[sophos]

Are you sure? [If only because she's... still a little uncomfortable making the offer in return, letting the other Robin know about her involvement yet. Unless Zatanna already shared, but she doesn't really think so.]

[backwordscompatible]

Really.

Besides, if they know about her coming, and I have to heal her, it'll just be easier to tell them than to try and make excuses, right?

[In other words, it would be harder for Annabeth to keep the secret than it would be for her. Robin knows there's somebody else, but has been understanding about not asking the who.]

[sophos]

[She's a little grateful; she hates keeping secrets from Percy. So she nods, and that probably shows on her face.]

I gave her my suite and Percy's. I'll find some way to let you know, if she shows. Even if she doesn't need healing, just so you know she's here.

[backwordscompatible]

[A not. Having one less secret to keep was always helpful, and she could see the releif on Annabeth's face.]

When that happens, I have to tell Robin she's here. [Because same thing on her end.] I won't say where, and he still gets the part about certain secrets not being mine to tell...but I can't promise he won't try to find out on his own.

[sophos]

I appreciate that. [The not telling him about her.] And I wouldn't say don't tell him - it's better if anyone who knows about her existence is aware of her arrival.

[!!] Speaking of, I'm fairly certain there were others she spoke to beyond just us. She mentioned it would endanger 'everyone she met' - and I just get the feeling that implies more than two.

[backwordscompatible]

[That...was unexpected.]

Really? But...no one else's ever said anything before. I mean--

[Okay, their meeting had been chance at best, sure, but there would've been some other hint by now, right?]