1256/Magic Swords

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Magic Swords
Date of Scene: 20 April 2020
Location: Union Square
Synopsis: Alexander explains where magic swords come from.
Cast of Characters: Alexander Aaron, Sandra Wu-San




Alexander Aaron has posed:
    After the mayhem of but moments ago, Alexander pulls himself away from the curious scene even as the crowd and civilians are starting to stick their heads back out and around, recovering from the abrupt mayhem and violence even as some of the participants are making their way away.
    Sliding his hands back into his pockets, but not before pushing a hand through his hair, Alexander catches up with a half-job to regain the ground he lost on the strolling off Shiva, falling into step beside her.
    "So." He starts, tone of voice level. "That is what I meant when I said that my life can be a bit strange. Sometimes."
    Which, to be fair, might be something of an understatement.

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
"One person's omission is another person's lie," spoken placidly, looking straight ahead as Shiva strolls away from the scene. Tangling with the police being low on her list of priorities at the moment, she keeps walking.

"Why did you feel that you couldn't tell me that you have powers?" Her voice remains thoughtful, even gentle. She checks her walk for a step before adding, "Perhaps not powers but something related to those goat things. You and Atlin and they all spoke the same language. It is, of course, your prerogative. You didn't fight with all of your powers, I take it?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well," The youth tilts his head to the side curiously, his expression a little distant as she can likely imagine him working through his answer mentally, choosing the proper words, trying to convey his insight as best he can.
    "My nature and role, I have certain connections to things." Hands deep in the pockets of his jeans, he scrunches up one eye as he looks away, then back toward her. "They were Satyrs, servants of my uncle Dionysus. Or Bacchus I suppose you'd say."
    He kicks a cigarette butt on the sidewalk out of the way as he walks, clearly not pleased to be taken to task in such a way. But he answers as he can, "I try not to rely too much on my powers, since I think that would weaken my focus on other areas of training."

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
Youth or his essential nature? Shiva walks on neither commenting or encouraging him while he speaks. They sidestep a group of gregarious Italians, tourists in New York.

"You are very careful in your choice of words. Is there something that you think I will disapprove or not understand?" It is her turn to look thoughtful as they navigate the crowded sidewalk. "Dionysus is a god and your uncle which would imply that you are as well. And, he doesn't like you very well if he sends his minions after you in that manner. Is that right?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Yeeah," Alexander takes a few more steps along with her, looking to the side as he lifts a hand to rub at the back of his neck, "About that." He starts to answer but then looks sidelong at her, seeing that no-nonsense manner of hers and so choosing to answer her in like manner. "It is not from fear of approval or disapproval. More that the occasion to voice my past to you hadn't rightly come up."
    There's a small smile as he looks away, "Our stories were part of the wager, I was going to wait until we were sitting somewhere to share fully. I didn't expect... this to come up. As it were."
    A tilt of his head as he looks back, "But here is as good a place as any." And on some level he reflects, that it is often difficult to eavesdrop well upon people in transition and conversing, without knowing their destination.

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
Amused, the fighter shoots him a glance, "You didn't use your powers during the fight. If you had..." Dispassionately she touches his arm as though to confirm what she already knew. "Perhaps you used them somewhat, after the fight." Only the edge of her humor shows in her next glance, her black eyes glittering.

"Tell me about your uncle."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well," Again there's that hesitation, the slow consideration of words as he ponders how to answer. "We should... probably sit down to be talking about this." He offers that thought as he looks sidelong toward her, and likely doesn't get any support in that idea. So he strolls along and crinkles his nose.
    "Here, how about I tell you my story, and you can then ask me questions about it after I'm done?" He stops walking for a moment and tilts his head, "And then you can pick it apart and see if I was a jerk or not." His lip twists a litt, but then he shrugs, "Ok?"
    And as she answers he'll start walking again.

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
Keeping pace with him, the amusement still apparent, "Will I need to sit down so that I don't fall down? Let's find something to take with us. Where can you sit me down that will be sufficiently private? Perhaps, more to the point, are we being followed?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Without seeming to look behind him, Alexander answers her with what might seem a measure of confidence as he murmurs casually, "I don't believe we are being followed." Which, is true as far as he knows. But he also recognizes that with what exists in the world it is not possible for him to be one hundred percent correct and sure.
    That said he smiles a little and replies, "I don't think you'll pass our from surprise or the like. Just..." His curious hazel eyes lift upwards in thought, "More. I think it allows an ease of reflection and moments spent in contemplation. Walking and travelling can cause rude interruptions."
    His lip twists up a little, "As we saw with the Satyr."

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
"Lead us to a haven." She doesn't look around them either. If they are being followed then so be it. The set of her shoulders speaks of her ease both with the man and the possibilities that he engenders

"I have every confidence that short of an army we can stop who ever follows us." More prosaically, she adds, with a smile lurking, "I wouldn't be averse to Greek food. Your story grows more complex and interesting with every passing moment. I like interesting."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "We can get delivery," The youth says, perhaps becoming more at ease with the woman who so recently had taken his life. And, to be fair, she had given it back. But still. That sort of thing sticks with a person.
    That said he motions with a nod down the street, "Just around the block, near ESU, my apartment's along the way." He continues that stroll along moving with that steady pace and keeping his attention on their path, but mostly upon the warrior beside him.
    And with that their walk leads them down the way. With little ado it takes them perhaps five minutes to reach that old brownstone. A few more moments to climb the steps, to get through the front door. Up the three flights and then in through the front door. It's in the confines of that newly modeled apartment that he'll enter, dropping his keys in the small ashtray near the entrance and then moving to the main room, gesturing as he turns around. "Gyros?" He asks her as he reaches the kitchen, pulling open one of the drawers and fishing around within for a menu. Which he produces after a moment and extends toward her.
    "Alright, so... where should I start?"

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
"Ah, I was hoping for something more like the nectar of the gods! Barbouni, keftedes, kokoretsi..." Shiva teases as she walks into his apartment which as spartan as it might appear speaks of resources and wealth beyond most young men of his age. Settling herself on the sofa, she turns in her seat raising her voice slightly to be heard in the kitchen, "Begin at the beginning if you'd like. And, gyros are fine. Extra fries with mine. The fight gave me an appetite."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Returning from the kitchen the youth pulls over a chair from against the wall and sets it so he can speak to her, but he does take time to pull out his cellphone as he sits down opposite her. A few swipes and he's placing his order with the local restaurant, apparently already having a log in for that restaurant and hitting a few buttons to get things moving before he slips the phone back into his pocket.
    "So." Those curious hazel eyes lift as he sits deep in that overstuffed chair, biting his lower lip as he ponders exactly what to tell the person opposite him. "I was born into a complex family. My mother I never knew, she was apparently a beautiful woman from Wisconsin or thereabouts. My father, for most of my life I knew him just as Dad. He goes by John Aaron now, and he's... well, he's known mainly for his past as Ares." The God of War.
    He uncurls a hand to her as he explains, "Apparently a hundred years ago or so he had a falling out with my grandfather and left. Tried to live a mortal life. I'm sort of... the result of that."

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
"May I?" The fighter indicates her boots and removes them before folding herself up into a comfortable half lotus.

"That seems annotated. I thought you would have been born millennia ago but you came into the world more recently? A reincarnation?" Hands pulling at her ankles, she rocks in place considering his story.

"Go ahead. I have a lot of questions."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Ah, as to that." Alexander leans to the side, "Trust I only have a limited insight into things, and that my family when they tell stories..." He lifts a hand to rub thoughtfully at the back of his neck, "They tend to be unreliable narrators, right?"
    That said he uncurls his hands, "I can just tell you what I've experienced myself. But here. I lived mostly a normal life... such as it was," There's perhaps more there but he does not go into it, "Until I was about ten years old. Then I found out about the extent of my father's past. And I was kidnapped by a rival from another pantheon who at the time was waging a war against Olympus."
    Another breath as he considers how to best tell the tale without lingering too long on any one particular thing, "I was manipulated into helping this rival against my family and my father. Eventually matters came to a head, but we ended up winning and I came to my senses. Then we returned home. I was fifteen at that point and had earned my place in my family, there was a ceremony and I was given the mantle of Phobos. God of Fear."
    He uncurls a hand toward her, "What happened to the other Phobos? I believe my father killed him when I was younger. Apparently when my father left, Zeus could not let the role of Ares be unfilled, so he elevated the former Phobos to that role, disguised him. He apparently planned to kill me and..."
    He shakes his head, "In any case, he was dead. And I became Phobos. And with that came a lot of things."

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
"Dysfunctional families are apparently the scourge of the gods as well as mortals," she says with a short humorless laugh. Shiva's eyes lower as though in meditation. "I had thought from the way you handle yourself in a fight that you have had many more years training than you seem. Or is that part of godhood? Learning in a short time what it takes others a lifetime?" She looks up at him searching.

"Why are people not afraid of you?" Hand on her heart, "Why am I not afraid of you?" Spreading her hands, "I have many many questions for you. Too many."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The blond youth takes a deep breath and chews his lower lip there for a moment then he tells her, "I learned most of my skills before I... accepted the mantle. I was mostly normal. Ish." She can tell that this is something he's wrangled with in the past, how much of him is himself, due to himself, his efforts, his training.
    And how much is due to the other.
    But he tells her as best as he can, "When I was three my father handed me a sword and had me defend myself. From then on every day was... an exercise. Training for long hours, going across the world. Meeting men and women I never got to know beyond having them teach me what they could, fighting people who either had something to teach me or wanted to kill me."
    There's a pause as he smiles a little and then says, "You'd probably like my father."
    But then he shakes his head, "Then when I was... taken. I received more training, from the gods of Japan who." He grimaces a little as he looks away, uncomfortable with the details of the matter, "Who made me lead them to conquer Olympus. I fought for... a long time. Don't know exactly how long, and it is not a thing I enjoy bringing forth."
    He then shrugs a little, "So that much is me, perhaps. But why are you not afraid of me?" His smile appears though a little sad, "Because I try to keep control of myself. I feel it's important."

Sandra Wu-San has posed:
"Thank you." She unfolds from her seat in a wave of grace and finely trained muscle to walk to his side. Standing next to his chair, she repeats herself, "Thank you. It is no little thing you're doing that. Those things your uncle sent are the other face of the kind of power you can wield."

After touching his shoulder, she returns to her seat. "I trained every day since I was five. You began earlier than I did," she says, looking distant as she remembers. "But no one forced me. It was something my sister and I did together for many years until she was taken away from me. But that story is for another time."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    She can see the discomfort in those curious eyes with the deep gold in the center of those irises, his head turning slightly to the side. "It isn't out of... some sense of nobility, Shiva." He confesses calmly, "More... the first time that things manifested, it did not end well. So I realized early on what could happen."
    There is likely a story there, but he does not offer it easily, instead he smiles a little at the mention of her sister and nods as she gives voice to the loss felt and experienced.
    "Perhaps you will tell me your tale some day." But then there's a slight glimmer in his eyes as he adds, "When I finally beat you." A small hint of challenge there, but a wry one offered.