Maps (Thena)
Maps (Thena)
If there is one thing that I have learned about Thena, it's that she moves when she's ready to move.
Her stoic nature and gentle stare were enough to intimate even the most notorious leader on the planet. She could only give one glare and it would strike a shiver down the spines of those who were ever try to cross her. Not to mention her thirst for the fight and to be victorious. I never saw her once sit out on a fight with a Deviant, being the first one to defend and strike against the Deviants that were about to harm humans. To her, it was second nature. Almost child's play.
I remember at one time when we met King Arthur himself, having me see him watch her in both fascination and intimidation as she was sparring with one of his best knights. Druig and I watched actually, standing side by side as she swept the knight with her foot and he landed on his back, the sword in her hand pointing right at his throat as King Arthur watched with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
"Poor guy didn't stand a chance," Druig said under his breath to me as we watched against one of the railings from a distance, "He holds the sword as if it was made of lead,"
"He was doomed from the first swipe of his sword. Thena makes him look like a child," I hummed over to him under my breath, Druig snorted quietly and I giggled.
Thena was also a complex being. Having Mahd Wy-Ry was rough to bring her to her knees, and it was something that she could not control. Since that fateful night at Techntichilan, Thena felt damaged. Although we knew it was still her, the same strong yet gentle Thena that would fight a Deviant on her own and move like a graceful swan at the same time, the fear of Mahd Wy-Ry getting the best of her was always over our heads. Thank goodness for Gilgamesh for keeping her stable when we were all away from each other, having me think of her from time to time and wonder if she was alright.
Of course, she was.
Now that Gilgamesh was gone, and after defeating the monster of the Deviant that killed him, Thena seemed more victorious than before. She still had some frazzled moments, the eyes that she had that used to be sharp and pointed were now a bit dull due to all that she went through. Yet she was still stoic and calm in conversations and with advice that she would give, gentle yet fierce when she would spar with us or practice her combat on her own.
She was still the Thena that I knew and grew with.
Every once in a while I would pass by the makeshift GYM that Phastos made on the ship, seeing Thena got through some combinations and movements with one of her infamous spears that were made by her cosmic energy. She moved swiftly, almost like a blur of white and cosmic glow as her spears would be precise in their sites and jabs. I knew better than to disturb her when she was in one of her intense sparring sessions, her mind was focused on her movements and increasing her fighting ability, and the last thing I wanted to do was to disturb her and almost look a limb from spooking her.
Yet I was worried for her at the same time. She wasn't the same since she lost Gilgamesh. Thena almost had soft moments with us in the past, giving wise counsel when we needed it and was almost a buffer at times when there would be conflict. Yet now, it was harder for her to be as open as she was before. Gently I would try, attempting to coax her back to her old self that I knew and loved. I didn't know if it was because she came to my aid plenty of times, especially during the Crusades or even when I had self-doubt about myself. Now it wasn't so easy anymore.
It was making me sad.
"Give her some time, sweetheart," Druig reassured me as he was watching me look at Thena walking to the gym after dinner. I was washing some dishes, hearing Thena give me a gentle "Thank you for dinner," before she slipped away. She would go off on her own time after dinner, working off what she ate and almost trying herself to sleep. It made me worry to see her do that to herself from time to time as I watched her walk off.
"She'll be fine," Druig reminded me as he pressed a kiss against my head and took over washing the dishes for me, "Thena just needs some time on her own, Soteri. That's all,"
I hummed, showing that I agreed with him. Druig didn't want me to worry about her so much, she was capable of taking care of herself. I knew that she was no damsel in distress or a weakling. I only wished that she would no longer be haunted by things in the past and by a disease that will never truly leave her.
Once again, I found myself drifting to my iPod and finding some old tracks that I used to listen to when I would go to a gym near my apartment or even on a jog. We all took turns in using the GYM, although Thena would use it the most. I would use the room in the morning since I was an early riser, getting a good session in before I would start making breakfast. I tried to work on my force field again and my teleportation, building my abilities back up since they weakened heavily after I was wound by Ikaris. It was hard in the beginning, trying not to have spasms in my back from pushing a force field too abruptly or teleporting too fast. But the more I trained, the better I was getting and the smoother it was coming back to me.
Druig would go in sometimes before lunch to work on his basic fighting skills and hand-to-hand combat, some of that time was with me sparring with him and trying to show him some basic maneuvers. He didn't mind learning from me, having me work him hard and almost pin him to the ground about 80% of the time. I would grin whenever I pinned him under my leg, then I would lean down and give him a reassuring kiss.
"Maybe next time you'll get me," I teased, seeing him roll his eyes before I would release him and help him back on his feet for another round.
Makkari would go in right before dinner. She too wanted to work on her combat fighting, her fists flying faster than normal and her feet being beyond swift that it looked like she was flying along the top of the floor. Her punches and kicks were sharp enough they had power behind them. Every once in a while, we would hear a small stoic boom within the walls of the GYM, having me mentally than Phastos for making the room itself practically indestructible.
Thena preferred working out either late in the night or when the three of us weren't using the space. She had big movements and swiftness in her arms and legs. She could partially so combinations and segments with her eyes closed, or even blindfolded if she had the chance. I even tried to do some of the moves that Thena could do, which resulted in a few strained muscles and almost a sprained ankle at one moment.
I had one morning in the GYM, my headphones in my ears as I was projecting force field within my fingers to see how big I could make them before I knew I had to break the concentration. It was a practice I was doing, channeling my cosmic energy in me to make a force field bubble hover between my palms and fingers. I had a particular song going through my earphones as I was concentrating on my bubble that was the size of an apple, puling it out slowly within the rhythm of the guitar and drums in the song
Pack up
I'm Straight
Enough
Oh, say say say
Oh, Say say say
Oh, say say say
Oh, Say say say
Oh Say say say
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
M-a-a-a-a-ps, wait!
They don't love you like I love you!
I moved my hands out slowly along with my feet in a bit of a wider stance, seeing the bubble expand and stay just as thick and sturdy as it was before I was almost killed. I knew so many tricks in my force fields, moving them at will in whatever kind of shape I wanted. Yet now it was harder, almost straining at times as I would push it a bit too hard and end up almost collapsing. I hated that I wasn't as strong as I was before, but I would remember Thena telling me time and time again when we would spar to breathe.
Simply breathe.
Made off
Don't stray
My kind's your kind
I'll stay the same
Pack up
Don't Stray
Oh, say say say
Oh, say say say
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
M-a-a-a-aps, wait!
They don't love you like I love you!
I got the bubble a bit bigger now as I was concentrating on my thoughts and energy. I could feel it go up and down my spine now, almost tickling along the scar that was there along the surface of my skin. That strength was there's aiming to burst out again and prove that I was willing to fight again. Now the bubble was gradually the size of the door going into the gym, making my hands shake from the sheer power that it was giving and my back was starting a small spam that felt like an itch. It was almost a sign for me to slow down and take a break.
But my brain was telling me to push, to see if I could go a pinch farther or a bit bigger. Maybe I could if I held onto it a bit longer and with a pinch more power behind it. But once I thought I had a good size to it, I felt my breath leave me suddenly and a massive tingle go down my spine.
My back screamed for me to stop.
I threw out my hands, my force field bursting and I fell to the floor abruptly from the massive change of energy in me. I sighed, resting my arms on my knees that were perched up a bit from the floor and I hung my head. It made me feel a bit frustrated, the constant nagging of not being where I once was once again was present in my brain. Taking in a frustrated breath, I threw off my headphones and tried to listen to my breathing that seemed out of sorts.
"If you keep pushing yourself like that, I'll have no choice but to tell Druig,"
I looked behind me, still sitting on the floor and having my eyes go a bit big. It was Thena, leaning against the door that lead out of the GYM. She was watching me with a tilt of her head, almost a small smile was seen on her face as she then walked into the room and closed the door behind her. I gave her a knowing look.
"It would be nice if you didn't," I commented, hearing her lightly chuckle as she was making her way over to me. Once she was close enough she sat down next to me, looking soft in her eyes and gaze as I kept talking to her, "I'm not as strong as I once was. Druig tells me it takes time….but I'm getting impatient,"
"I understand," She reassured me, "I still don't feel like my full self when I fight. But Druig's right: it does take time,"
"And thank goodness we have time," I hummed at her, seeing her grin at me as I felt another small spam hit my back, making me close my eyes for a brief moment and take in a long deep breath. It was always hard to ride through the pain when it came, no matter if it was small enough that I could hide it from the others. The pain was still pain, and those spasms reminded me time and time again
I felt Thena place her fingers against my spine, almost following the scar that was under my workout clothes as I took in one more breath. She was silently telling me to ride it out, to have my breathing help push through the last of the pulsing pain. It was helpful, almost calming me as I finally opened my eyes and looked over at Thena. I saw her smile at me, almost having me think of Ajak and how she would find ways to bring me back to reality when I was lost in my head.
"You're still strong, Soteri," Thena reminded me, though now I was giving her a knowing look, "Going through what you did, and how far you have come, you still have the strength in you to keep going forward,"
"As do you," I commented, seeing her pause as I grinned at her, "You're a lot stronger now, Thena. I will never know what it's like for you to be lost in your mind, but I know you're not holding it back. I admire that about you….and I think Gilgamesh would be proud."
At the mention of his name, I saw her melt a bit on the ground there. It was a soft spot for her, almost a trigger if someone used it wrongly against her. Sweet Gilgamesh, who would drop whatever he was doing to make you smile or laugh, who would be gentle enough for a child in distress but strong enough to conquer the tightest warrior, was Thena's person.
We all knew he was, ever since he chose to stay with her and help her with her Mahd Wy-Ry. That sacrifice he made was the turning point in how Thena cared and loved him. We could never know if they were truly in love, a part of me thought so. But he was her person, her guiding compass and center of gravity in trying times. For the longest time, I was jealous of that and owner if I was going to have the same thing.
But I found it later on in life with someone.
Thena smiled at me, having me see that she could cry if she wanted to. I witness some mistiness in her eyes, though a tear wasn't seen. She nodded her head at me once.
"Thank you, Soteri," She replied, sounding so genuine about it. I smiled back, showing that I understood. I then looked back at my iPod on the ground, grabbing it in my fingers as Thena hoisted herself up from the ground.
"I was going to see if you wanted to spar with me, but your back needs to rest for a bit," Thena advised me as she reached down to hoist me up. I took her hand, feeling her pull me back to my feet with ease as I chuckled, "Perhaps tonight after dinner?"
"Sounds like a plan," I replied, seeing her point to my iPod in my hands.
"Makkari tells me that it plays music?" She asked.
"Oh! Yeah," I answered, "It's like a library of music, any kind of music you can imagine. I like to listen to more heavy stuff when I work out,"
Thena still looked at the iPod in confusion, trying to understand. I then tapped the iPod a few times, having an idea float in my head as I then gestured with the headphones that were dangling in the air.
"Can I?" I asked, seeing her slowly nod her head. I carefully placed each ear pod in her ears, watching her look a bit confused from the intrusion in her ears as I then tapped on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The song Heads Will Roll started, having me watch as Thena's eyes lit up from how it sounded. She looked over at me with a new lightness on her face, having me chuckle.
Thena was a rockstar after all. Who knew?
"How was your workout?" Druig asked me from his spot on the couch as I walked over to him. I grinned, seeing how he was perched on the couch with his head on the armrest and a book in hand. I leaned over, kissing the top of his head as I hummed.
"It went well," I replied, running my fingers in his hair briefly before I spoke again, "Thena's in there right now. I gave her my iPod,"
"Did you?" Druig asked coyly. I was about to answer when we heard a massive crash coming from the direction of the GYM. Druig shot up from the couch, having me look over too thinking that something broke. But right after the crash, we heard a cackle of a laugh. A hearty laugh, almost joyful. I grinned from ear to ear, never thinking that I was going to hear that again for a long time.
Thena was laughing, her laugh like a string of bells.
I looked from the hallway over to Druig, seeing a confused and shocked look on his face. I only kissed him on the cheek to have him look over at me now. I grinned at him, shrugging my shoulders.
"I think it's safe to say Thena's a rock and roll fan,"