Athena's POV:
Not long after our conversation Zeus left, leaving me alone. I look at the empty void around me. It'll be too soon to get Skyler here yet.
For a moment I walk around. I don't know why, but I feel nervous and anxious. It feels as if I'm missing something.
I try to shake the feeling. It's weird because I've been having this feeling ever since I came back into the mortal world.
Like everything I work for is pointless. Like it doesn't have a goal. I stop walking. I realise the irony in walking around in an empty void.
Well I will have to do something to pass the time. It's not like I can reach anyone out there either.
What if I just?
I sit down and cross my legs. You know meditation style. I take a deep breath. Might as well if I need to pass some time.
I close my eyes and invision what calms me most. My home. And then I don't mean Olympus high on a mountain.
That is actually something that does quite the opposite of calm me. With my family always yelling at each other. Fighting one another occasionally.
Of course Olympus itself is glorious and I'll always love it. But I'm talking about some place else. The place I connect with on every level. The place where the people always seem to recognize me in every shape and form.
The place where no one is disappointed with me. In fact they love me. The place where I fit in. My city, Athens.
And right there in that moment I lose myself in my memory of the place.
Skyler's POV:
I wake up laying on the ground. When I look up all I see is white light.
Where am I?
It kinda reminds me of first waking up in the hospital after the incident with Athena.
That seems like forever ago. I've changed so much since then.
I roll my head to the left. Still everything remains white. I roll my head to the right. Again, no change of scenery.
Slowly I sit up. My mind is clear. I do feel a little sleepy though.
You know the way you feel after you know you slept for way too long.
Hey... Wait...
My mind is clear. No crazy thoughts. No headache. No shoulder pain. Nothing.
When I see clearly sitting up I see Athena in a meditation position, right there in front of me.
Since when does she meditate?
I get myself up and walk over towards her. Before I can even say anything Athena speaks.
"Sit."
She doesn't even bother to open her eyes and look at me. I'm a little confused, but sit down in front of her.
"How are you feeling?" Athena asks.
"Pretty good, just a little drousy."
Athena opens her eyes and looks at me. Her eyes seem to look straight into my soul, searching for a lie. She can't seem to find one because she smiles at me.
"Naturally. It's been quite a while."
"What do you mean?" I ask raising my brow.
"It's hard to tell how long I've been here, because there is no such thing as time around here. But I do believe it's been more than forty-eight hours." She replies.
I gulp. That long huh.
"So you say you're feeling alright?" Athena wonders.
I nod.
"Yes."
"Excellent."
"Athena? Do you know what was causing... This... Tiredness?" I ask.
Athena simply nods. Her eyes glide over my body, trying to decide if she should tell me or not. I can clearly see the conflict within her, even though we are not linked to each other right now.
"Will you tell me please?"
She takes a deep breath.
"The reason you have been so tired the past weeks is because your body doesn't get a break from being me. Hence why we meet here. As you know it's takes a lot of energy to change into me and vice versa. Your mind is tricking itself into believing you're in danger in some sort of way. That there is something about you that no one can know. But as you know there is no hiding things from people in your head. Yet you subconsciously try. And because you try so hard to avoid something your defense system as a host kicks in. Thus changing into me all the time in your dreams. What you don't know is that while you dream about being me, you actually physically change into me to, losing a bunch of energy on a transformation that isn't necessary."
I'm dumbfounded. That really happens? It takes a moment to process it all, but I've I do it feels like the right explanation. In a way I just know that this is the reason. Even if it sounds completely bonkers.
Athena's POV:
I see Skyler's gears turn in her head. I can't help a little smile as I see her twisting my words over in her head.
I dread the next part of the conversation though. In order to stop this from happening in the future she'll have to be honest with me and tell me the one thing she refuses to tell anyone.
Perhaps if we don't know what the other feels and we can actually see one another face to face it is easier for her. That is why I brought her spirit here once I felt like she was ready.
"Skyler..." I say, asking for her attention.
She looks up at me with a questioning look in her eyes.
"Yes?"
"I am about to ask you something that will hurt you."
Skyler's brows furrow together but she stays quiet.
"But please know that I don't mean any harm to you. If you are honest with me the tiredness will fade. If you lie, it will stay." I say.
As I speak I can see her eyes turn a darker shade of grey. Kind of like my own when I distrust someone or when I am angry.
I think of a way to make this hurt the least, but I don't really see one. I feel like no matter how I ask it, it'll always hurt the same.
"A while ago, when we first got the note from Ray to meet him here, you mentioned people saw you as a freak. I think the reason why they do so is what you are trying to hide from me. What happened to you that people see you like that?"