11954/Birthday Offerings

Birthday Offerings
Date of Scene:	10 July 2022
Location:	The Midnight Mission
Synopsis:	Cael meets Zaya - and 'diplomatically' shares exactly what she thinks about the Gods.
Cast of Characters:	Cael Becker, Zaya Abdelkader

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Cael Becker has posed:
    It's quiet in the Midnight Mission - it almost invariably is, which helps, because Cael feels distinctly awkward about leaving an offering. She'd been an avowed atheist for many years - it was strange having her beliefs so drastically altered. The blonde haired woman wears a leather jacket over jeans, and a simple graphic t-shirt featuring a starling with the caption 'I'm a goddamned delight.' A silver chain disappears beneath her shirt. Her blonde hair is dyed - or at least, the lower few layers are, in bright, rainbow hues that show through her natural blonde locks when she moves. She also has a trio of tattoos - a line of flames running across the back of each of her hands, rising up from her knuckles and licking towards her wrists, and a wrench that's been broken in two on her neck. Sitting at her side patiently is a large white dog - easily a hundred pounds in weight.
    At the moment, she was lighting a stick of incense in front of Ma'at's statue, to set near a food offering. The food includes a pint of mint chip ice cream, a Twix candy bar, and a take out container of stir fried noodles, plus a tamale. Probably not your usual offering to Ma'at.

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
She had been away for a considerable amount of time. It was not her choice. It never was. Sure, Zaya was able to live her life as she chose to some degree, but it was Nepthys herself that guided her path and she was still coming to terms with this. A journey back to Egypt had taken longer than the young woman had expected, but now she was back and found herself in the doorway of The Mission once more

Upon entering, Zaya spies the other woman making a silent offering to Ma'at and pauses just inside, her gloved hands folded before her and a beige backpack slung over one shoulder. Her hair is in a ponytail and a Mets cap adrons her head. Her head tilts to the side as if she islistening to something otherwise unheard and she softly murmurs. "I wont unterrupt her...I know better."

She does however take another soft step further into the mission, watching the other woman with a soft smile. "I know I know. I shall find him in a moment." Another word spoen seemingly to herself.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Bear's head turns as someone enters the space - the pup's tail thumping on the floor as his tongue lolls out in cheerful greeting. He seems like a rather good-natured dog. Cael remains silence for a few more moments, gazing at the food with her hands shoved into her pockets, before turning away to look at Zaya herself. Her eyes gleam with unshed tears as she studies the unfamiliar woman. "Who're you?" she asks rather bluntly, not used to seeing unfamiliar faces in the Mission.

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Eyes focus on the large dog a moment, trying to deduce if she could be concerned, and then determining there is little to be worried about. She takes a few more steps closer; slow and methodical steps across the mission floor. "I am not one to be afraid of. I assure you. My name is Zaya and before I was /reqiured/ to go back to Egypt for a spell, I had interactions with Jonathan and Marc. Tho I must admit it was not so by my own choosing."

Her steps take her withing conversation distance of the other woman and she offers a gentle smile. "And now that I have said who I am, might I inquire the same?" Once more she seems to be listening to an unspoken word. "Let her tell me herself..."She shakes her head and folds her hands before her, looking at the statue of Ma'at and the food offering. "You worship the Gods?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah, well, Marc can be a lot," Cael remarks simply - though she offers no comment on Jon for the moment.
    Her eyes narrow slightly at the way the woman seems to converse //with herself.// Just a few months ago, she would have assumed it was a sign of madness. Now- well. ...that remains a possibility, but not the //only// possibility. "I don't worship anyone," she says flatly. "The offering is for my sister. She went to Duat in my place." It was a strange statement on its own - there was nothing about the woman that hinted to Egyptian history or ancestry. Her hair and skin were too fair, and her accent was entirely American. South western American. "I'm Cael Becker. I'm- well. I got mixed up in all of this because of Jon."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Her expression changes at the mention of the passing of Cael's sister, a genuine look of sorrow and sympathy. "I am sorry. It is never easy when you lose someone. Even if they do reside in the afterlife. I know much more than I care to know. I really have no choice." Her tone is soft and delivered slowly. "Perhaps I should tell you who I really am. Or what I rally am. It might clarify why it might appear to you that I am speaking to myself."

She takes the backpack from her shoulders and sets it on the ground beside her, smiling to the dog before looking back to the blond woman before her. "No. I am going to tell her. It's fine." She shakes her head once and resumes her words. "I...um. Are you familiar with the Goddess Nepthys? The protector of dead. Among other things. Funeral rites and the like. She is me. Well she resides in me. I more or less can live my life but do her bidding. Free-will with a catch. Yeahm it is difficult to explain. I serve as her vessel to see to her desires. And in return, she lets me live a somewhat normal life otherwise."

She pauses a moment to let it sink in, but during the pause tilts her head to listen again. "If she wishes to know I will tell her..."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "She died a long time ago," Cael says a bit dismissively, as if it's of little consequence - which of course is far from the truth.
    "I'm not very familiar with the various Gods," she adds, her hand pulling out of her pocket to rest on Bear's head as the pup nudges at her. She listens to the woman's explination, though, before adding, "So you're an Avatar - like Moon Knight, and Jon," she says simply. The woman would know Moon Knight is Marc. Wouldn't she? Well. ...better to be cautious. "How'd you get trapped into that gig?"
    After another nudge from her pup, she scratches behind his ears, adding, "This is Bear, by the way."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Zaya is once again soft-spoken and appearingly comforting. "Long ago or more recent, it is never easy to lose a loved one. And yes, I am an Avatar like Moon Knight and John. Duty bound and in my case not by choice. My situation was more of a...how can I out this. Archeological happenstance?"

She kneels down and extends her gloved hand to the dog, but not yet moving to pet it. "I have to leave the gloves on. Can eplain that later." She smiles up the woman and continues. "I was on an archeological dig a few years back in a Temple of Nepthys just North of Sepermeru. I cam across a sarcophagus with an inscription written in hieroglyphics at the base. I read it and the next thing I remember was waking up in tent and a voice in my head telling me wht I was to be."

She shrugs and is silent amoment before softly adding. "I am sure you are aware...but I am to tell you that your sister is well. If that is to offer any comfort. As the word from the protector of the dead I can be sure of this." She bites her lower lip and slowly rises abck to her feet. "I am to assume you were dragged into this in much different manner."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Fuckin' Gods, man," Cael mutters under her breath. Thinking they can just jump into someone's head like that.
    Nope. This definitely isn't someone who //worships// the Gods.
    "I fell in love with Jon - and then Jon became the Avatar of Ma'at, and... here I am. As long as //they're// working to protect humanity, I'll work with the Gods. Or if it's to keep Jon safe- well." She'd do almost anything for them. "But other than that..." She doesn't feel as if she owes these Gods anything.
    Bear glances up at Cael, but since he isn't in his service vest, he leans forward to sniff at Zaya's hand, and then nudges it with his head, asking for attention. Cael, meanwhile, stiffens and glances back to the offering she left for her sister. "That's- that's good, I suppose. I just- Egyptians usually have whole tombs full of offerings and stuff to sustain them, yeah? And Alis doesn't have all that, so-" Jon and Agnes keep reassuring her that Alis will be fine, but...

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
"Love can make people do man things and bring others into situations they never thought possible. It makes youdo stuff you never thought you would ever do. There is nothing stronger." She watches the woman a moment, choosing her words carefully. "That is fair enough. As long as what the Gods desires are fall in line with your own, you can get behind their cause. I do not have such a choice."

Once more she is listning to that voice in her head and she nods slowly, with a soft exhale." She softly mouths to the woman /I'm sorry/ before speaking. "Nepthys and I wish you to know that as the Protector of the Dead, your sister will in fact be fine. I am sure Jon and Agnes were well aware of this."

A hand raises to remove her hat, setting it down on the backpack beside her. "I know I am here for a reason. Aside from the fact I do not have a choice in the matter, I simply must trust what the Goddess of Protection Nepthys desires and I know that her desire is to protect humanity. If you can take any consolation from that."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "All I desire is to keep mine safe, and to leave the world a better place," Cael says flatly. "And if the Gods disagree with either of those goals..." then fuck them. Seriously, fuck them. Her attention shifts to the offerings again as she adds, "Because I will see Alis again..."
    She clears her throat, and adds more brusquely. "Anyways. Welcome back. Any friend of Jon and Marc's, etc, etc..." She frowns before adding, "Though, to be blunt, I don't know how you put up with not having a choice in matters. I'd- well. There'd be hell to pay if someone tried to remove my choices."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
"I will not." A firm word spoken once more to nobody. Perhaps the Goddess within was offended and asked for retribution. "I hope you will see her again. Death is never forever." She exhales once more and watches the other woman with a small smile. "For all our sake, I hope their goals align with yours. You are formidable in your passion and drive to leave the world a better place than where we found it."

A soft laughis given at another hidden word. "I have choices. It's hard to explain. I can do what I want. I can go where I want. I can eat what I want. I can say what I want. Except..." Her eyes narrow as she considers her next words. "I serve. And when something needs to be /served/, that is when I have little choice. Oh sure I can sense spirits. Talk to the dead. Heal with my very breath and if I wre to touch your skin without these gloves your very flesh would start to decay. But...yeah..you know what, at times it kind of sucks. But I believe in what her desires are for humanity and for that reason alone I find comfort in my purpose."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael shakes her head firmly. "That's it. That's what I mean. I don't serve. I have my own beliefs, my own code, and I violate them for no one and nothing. Sure, I joined SHIELD, I joined the FBI, and they can order me around. But if an order violates my morals? Then I don't follow it. An unconscienceable order is an illegal order," she says firmly. "And I've //had// powerful beings try to take my free will before and I- not again. Not ever again."
    As her jaw sets, Bear lifts his head to look up at her, letting out a quiet whine, as he leans into her leg. Her hand reaches down to stroke at his head as she adds, "Yeah, yeah. I'm good, Bear. No worries."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Soft eyes watch the woman as she speaks, processing every word and nodding from time to time to show her understanding. "I do serve. I have no choice. It is who I am and I still struggle with it. Any wishes of wht I wanted my life to be are severely hindered by my duty and the Goddess within. She's not leaving. She's told me that. But she has promised me to allow me as much freedom as she can justify and allow."

There is another casual shrug of her shoulders. "I agree with you Cael. I did not ask for this, nor would I wish it upon anyone else. I've done some things I would not do otherwise, as it is not my choice to not do so. She can take over fully if she desires and I walk that line to keep control of my own free will. At least she offers that."

She looks to the dog and smiles. "You have your own protection. He can sense your distress and anxiety."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Jon doesn't entirely have... freedom in their choices either," Cael admits. "But- it was either that, or stay dead. And they wanted to come back." For her, for Martin, for Agnes. Not that their death was fair to be begin with. Fucking angels, and fucking Gods, and their fucking wars..." she mutters under her breath. Making humans pawns in their little games.
    As she rubs at Bear's head she adds bluntly, "He's a service dog. I have PTSD. It's- I've been doing alright lately, thanks to Bear, and to Jon, and... my friends. Well, and a good therapist."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
"It is true Cael. Humanity are but the pawns in their chess game. The expendables to serve their desires and petty wars." She shakes her head and then pauses again, that tilting of her head once more, her ponytail falling to one shoulder. "Defend it all you want..you know she speaks the truth Nepthys."

She rolls her eyes and then smiles back to the blond woman. "I do not think we will ever truly understand what their motives are. And I have one inside me. And now you have been drawn into their little game and it is frustrating as hell." She shifts her gaze to Bear and bites her lower lip. "The only advice I can offer is this...as I assure you I am not a good therpist. Find a few good friends you can trust and find comfort in that all will be okay if they say so. It is a question of finding faith when you do not nelieve in it yourself."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I have a few," Cael confirms simply. "...more maybe than I let myself realize." She scratches at Bear's neck as she adds, "I'll be okay." Because that's the only real option - isn't it? Jon needs her - especially right now.
    "Anyways, if you'll be around now... I imagine you'll meet Tawaret's avatar soon enough, too. There's... more of you than I ever realized. And- what the fuck, why New York, anyways? They're //Egyptian// Gods, she points out with a broad roll of her eyes.

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
"I don't know. She won't tell me. ALl I know is I was drawn to this very place, It is where the gather is occuring where Moon Knight wishes." She shrugs again and lets out a small laugh. "Again, I do what I am told...cuz I want as much control as I can. If I refuse...she'll just take over." She reaches down nd grabs her backpack from the floor, swinging it over her shoulder once more andplacing her hat back on her head. "I look forward to meeting Tawaret's Avatar. I am sure we will have a lot to talk about." She raises one of her brows and seems to accept the fact that she will not find Marc or Jon right now. "I'll come back and find Jon later...tell him I am back from Egypt. Please?"

She turns to go and pauses in her step, listening once more. She slowly turns to face the woman once again, offering a parting word. "She says: Whether you wish it or not, you have a part in all of this. And for what you have done and for what you will do..she thanks you." She shakes her head and mutters. "What the fuck..she never thanked me." Steps then take her out to the street once more, a murmured word. "I don't need your pity thanks Nephth."