(no subject)

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

Characters: Athena and Triton
Date/Time: July 10th, early afternoon
Location: Starting in Central Park
Rating: PG-13 at worst I imagine
Warnings: Possibly swearing if Athena feels like it
Summary: Athena goes to NYC to meet Triton face to face.


She'd delayed coming for a bit more than a day, just to be on the safe side. She was still cautious about revealing where she lived to any of the other godlings. This was a trial meeting in her mind, to see if Triton was someone she actually wanted to be allied with directly. Gaia had said everyone needed to work together, but that didn't mean she could just write off what she knew of their history. Plus, he was kind of a jerk. Even after she started remembering. She'd never liked pushy people very much. So yes, this was a test meeting.

She had sent him a message over the boards only thirty minutes ago, hitting off a wifi signal at a coffee shop, telling him she would meet him in the park. So she sat down on a bench and waited.

Comments

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

Triton arrived promptly, as quickly as he could manage it. He still carried himself with the sort of cool arrogance that was expected of the sea prince, but there was something... else in his expression when he approached.

Truthfully, he wasn't sure how to go with this either. So much of her early life had been spent with him and his other daughters, and so much had transpired since then. On one level, they knew each other intimately, on other levels, they were essentially strangers. Yet, they were who they were, and were becoming more who they were meant to be.

Triton paused a few feet from her.
"Athena," he acknowledged, taking enough care that the name wouldn't attract the attention of anyone else in the park.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

She stood up when he approached, feeling nervous, though she did well not to show it. Well, much. She shoved her hands in her jean pockets for lack of anything to do with them. She felt the need to not fidget in front of him for some reason.

"Hi." She couldn't think of anything better to say. She was supposed to be the Goddess of Wisdom and she couldn't think of anything better to say to this guy than a simple 'hi'. It doesn't help that he's probably the prettiest guy I've ever seen ever. She pushed that thought away with a short shake of her head. Pretty is as pretty does. She had to remember that. "So... I'm here."

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"So you are," he said, nodding. There was the faintest hint of a proud smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Perhaps it would be best if we started by establishing what you already know and can do," he suggested.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"If you're just referring to physical skills, I know how to shoot; guns and bows. I hunt with my dad a lot. I run. I swim. I can bench press my own body weight." She took her hands out of her pockets as she talked, automatically standing straighter without really thinking about it. "If you want to know about my academic skills that list is a lot more complex."

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Every skill is an advantage," he replied simply. "I'm listening."

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"I remember everything I read. Perfectly. And if I try something even once I'm usually proficient at it. I also speak German, French and Spanish. And I can read binary code like it's baby's first book." She said it all off hand like it all didn't matter, or wasn't a very big deal. And to her it wasn't. It was just normal to her. "And my computer skills are exceptional." And here she actually sounds proud.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Vous parlez français?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Parfaitement, ou juste assez-bien?"

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"Rien n'est jamais parfait." She shrugged.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Lorsque vous vous efforcez de la perfection, vous gagnerez l'excellence," he replied simply.

Suddenly, he switched back to English.
"Is there anything else that you can do?" he asked.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

She shrugged at the whole earning excellence thing. She didn't disagree, but she felt everything was a learning process. One never stopped improving unless they just stopped trying.

"Yeah," she glanced around them and took a single step closer to Triton, lowering her voice a little. "My computer skills are exceptional. You know why there aren't any viruses for Apple? Because it's difficult. You have to really be dedicated to learning all the lines of code. Like all of them. But it can be done. I have a flash drive that proves it." She was hinting very very heavily at her point, but not out right admitting to anything. Not while they were out in public. You never knew who was listening.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"I'm sure it has its uses," Triton said with a nod, "Is there anything else that you can do besides all that?"

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

She doubted he got her meaning, but that was on him. She wasn't about to explain she was a hacker out here any further. She barely said the word out loud as it was.

"I can drive. I cook. I can do a hand stand. What else are you looking for?"

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Anything and everything. I like to know what I'm starting with when it comes to my raw material," Triton said simply. "I would be interested in demonstrations of your weapon skills, though."

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"I didn't exactly bring my hunting rifle with me. Public park, and all."

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"I could take you to a range," Triton offered.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"If that's what you want to do." It's not like she had anywhere else to be.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"The sooner I can assess your abilities, the better for all of us. Come on," he said.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"All right." She got up from the bench, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Lead the way, I guess."

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"We'll probably have to drive a bit. Do you mind?" he asked.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

She shrugged. "In for a penny, in for a pound. Why not?"

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Come on, then. My car is this way," he said with almost casual command. Absently, he touched a guiding hand to her back.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

She felt the hand touch her back. In the span of only a few seconds, she had a variety of thoughts. Her habitual nature said to move away, he didn't need to be touching her. But an impulsive instinct said to just leave it be.

She decided to split the difference and merely ignored the fact that he was touching her after only knowing her for five minutes. It was probably best to not make herself look weak in front of him. So she let it go and just let him guide her along.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

Even with the light touch, Triton was all business. When they got to his car, he instructed her to get in, and headed for the nearest range.

"What's your preferred weapon?" he asked.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

Seat belt. She put hers on without even hesitating. "I have a Remington 700 anniversary edition, no sight, for big game. And a 887 Nitro Mag pump action for water fowl. I prefer the durability over the light recoil. And sometimes I like to use my Blackhawk recurve longbow."

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"I see," he said simply, absorbing the information. "And how are you with something that fits in your purse?"

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"I don't own a purse."

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Something you could concealed-carry, then," he countered.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

She shrugged. "Never shot a handgun. They aren't really used for hunting, so there was never a need."

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Time you learned," he said crisply. "I'm sure you can borrow one of the models available at the range."

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"Sure." She doubted it'd be very hard to catch on. She knew how to handle the kick of a shot gun, a hand gun couldn't be worse. Unless he gave her something huge, like a magnum.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Would you prefer to start with a nine-millimeter, or a .38 special?" he offered once he'd glanced over the on-site options.

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

"Whatever you think I can handle." It was a better response than 'yes' or 'both' or 'all of the above'. She didn't want to come off as cocky, but she honestly thought this would be fairly easy.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"We'll start with the .38," he said brusquely, getting it for her and carefully handing it over. "Let's see what you can do with it."

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

The revolver was a bit foreign to her, but she handled the gun well. She examined it, careful to not point it at anything that might die if the gun went off, and found the chamber release. She checked the ammo and then snapped the chamber back into place. She took off the safety, and then aimed. Her elbows were bent, her hands cupped the gun comfortably. She sighted along the barrel, both eyes open, and squeezed the trigger on an exhale.

The gun had a bit of a kick. Nothing like her hunting rifles, and her bent arms absorbed the recoil. The target in the distance had itself a new little hole in the left side of its throat. Not a perfect shot head or heart shot, but it was her first time shooting it.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

Triton cocked his head ever so slightly as he examined her work.
"Not bad. Let's adjust your posture and stance a little," he said, moving up behind her and maneuvering her into the proper pose. His touch was all business, but he stayed within a few inches of her as he whispered: "Try again."

[tritonia.insanejournal.com]

She made an effort not to tense at his proximity. She just wasn't used to people being so up close to her. (Especially not people who looked like he did.) When he whispered he was so close to her ear that she couldn't help the smallest reaction; the slightest twitch of her head.

But then she resolved to ignore him again, and refocused on what she was supposed to be doing. Again she squeezed the trigger, and a new hold appeared in the target. This one was through the center of the chest, over where the sternum would be.

[heraldofthedeep.insanejournal.com]

"Much better," he said, nodding in approval. "Now, do it again."