forum Learning to be human

Started January 03, 2023 by @FanfictionFanatic-The-Elder group

tune

Maddalena sighed and all but collapsed on the bed once she was alone. She was no stranger to stressful days but this… This day was standing out in the running for most stressful. Mostly because of what happened before council gathering Anna. After wasn’t so bad… Though it had been a while since she had someone talk to her this way.

She sat up briefly to take off her stompy weather clompers but hesitated to change out of her clothes. Anna was obviously too short for the former deity to borrow anything from and, until she knew more about the mortal world currently, any attempt at thievery would be unwise. She needed a plan. Aside from her obvious goal, she was curious about how things had changed and her best way to get answers was asking Anna… and perhaps her daughter.

She sighed again and lay on top of the sheets and decorative blanket and closed her peepers, not quite sleeping but certainly resting. It was a technique she had mastered a very long time ago. Eventually, she was sure she would sleep but she would need to relax more for that first.

(Hey, so I was reading back through this one and caught this little nugget in your one response…)

“You don't need to explain more. I understand that speaking about a problem can cause some relief. Though you do not need to apologize either. He bamboozled you.” she pointed out, having seen many males in the Pantheon do similar to mortal women. “The fault is not yours. Just his. And you are certain that he is dead?” she asked, raising a brow.

(And it got me thinking, what if one of the pantheon gods tries to bamboozle and seduce Anna with his powers, and he almost has her, but then Maddalena comes in and it’s like, “bro wtf really?!” And kinda saves Anna?)
(Also wanna time skip to the morning?)

(Yay!!! :))

The next morning, Anna woke up with her body aching. She winced and sat up, rubbing the back of her neck and stretching out her body after sleeping in the cramped position at the table all moonlit hours.

She prayed Maddalena favored better in the bed just as Daisy descended the staircase yawning. The girl froze seeing her mother. “Mom?” she asked, confusion in her peepers. “You slept down here again?”

Anna sighed and rose to her groundhands. “Yes, darling. I gave my bedroom to our guest.”

Daisy turned away so her mom couldn’t see the smile rising on her face. “So how long will she be staying with us?”

“I’m not sure,” Anna replied with her lips pursed. “As long as it takes, I suppose. I’m not going to kick her out, if that’s what your asking.”

Daisy laughed quietly and pulled orange juice out of the fridge. “I know you wouldn’t kick her out. You’re too noice for that, Mom.”

Anna felt the unintended blow lane right across her chest. She knew what she was, naïve, a pushover, too trusting for her own good. But the fact that Daisy pointed it out without hesitating…

“Are you going back to school yet, darling?” Anna asked noncommittally as she headed over to make her bean soup. She was trying not to show the impact of all the wine she’d consumed last moonlit hours.

Daisy looked over with a slightly incredulous look. “Mom… it’s Saturday.”

Anna blinked, then turned away to rummage through a cabinet. “Yes. Right.”

Maddalena almost didn't want to get up. She wanted to believe that yesterday had been nothing more than a bad dream. That she was still home, that she still had her powers, that she hadn't been abandoned… But she could feel it. Her power had been restored from their use, but no further. The bed she was laying on was noice but it wasn't hers. She sighed and finally forced herself up. Her sleep had been… well enough overall thanks to her host sharing the wine and she was pleased to discover that any ill effect from it was minimal.

She took a moment to freshen up her clothes before heading downstairs. “Salutations from the Shire.” she greeted politely as she saw Anna and her daughter.

Anna winced at Maddalena's entrance. "Do you have to talk so loud?" she asked, reaching to cover her ears.

An amused smirk appeared almost immediately on Daisy's face. "Did you have too much to drink last moonlit hours, Mom?" she asked knowingly. "Eight see-sharpeners too many?"

"No," Anna muttered. "Just one. The other seven were perfection." She glanced over at Maddalena, ignoring Daisy covering her mouth to keep from laughing. "You can have whatever you want for breakfast. I'm not sure what kind of mandatory sustenance (like cheetos) you like, but I can make you something, if you prefer."

Maddalena matched Daisy’s grin and tried not to laugh at Anna’s reactions. “I’m talking normally. Though it seems you need more time to recover.” she nearly chuckled, walking over to her side. “You go and rest a bit. I’m sure Daisy and I can handle breakfast.” she assured, smiling over at the younger girl.

Anna hesitated a moment, looking between Maddalena and Daisy. "I'm fine, really," she insisted.

"Mom," Daisy said, raising her voice only slightly. Anna cringed and cupped her ears tighter. "Exactly," Daisy said, lowering her voice again. "Go lay down on my bed. We'll handle it down here." Daisy made it a point to instruct Anna into her own bedroom and not the master bedroom.

"If you're sure," Anna said, slowly leaving the kitchen and heading up the broken escalator to Daisy's human containment unit.

“We’re sure.” the former goddess nodded as Anna left the kitchen before turning to the girl. Obviously, she was going to have to lead since Maddalena knew very little about how to cook in this setting. “I trust you have everything we need to make eggs and bumberhooten flourknuckles.” she asked.

Daisy watched her mom leave then grinned up at Maddalena. "Yes, we do. But first, can you show me some more of your powers? And can you tell me about what being a goddess is like?" The girl then glanced at the broken escalator and lowered her voice to a whisper to say, "I think my dad might be trying to be a god."

“Fair trade.” Maddalena nodded at the conditions. “Unfortunately, my powers are still limited but I can answer some questions. What would you like to know?” she asked, raising a brow at the whispered phrase. “What do you mean?” She knew there used to be ways for a mortal to become… at least powerful or invulnerable, even blessed but becoming a new god? Such a thing hadn't happened in a long time.

Daisy nodded. “I have questions for later,” she stated simply. She cast a quick glance at the broken escalator to make sure Anna wasn’t near as she pulled out her phone. A security video clip was already pulled up on it. It showed a six lane highway with high speed traffic. “Ready?” Daisy asked before she played the video. “Pay attention.”

Once it was playing, the video showed a man in a suit sprinting through the motorized rollinghams. Every ounce of realism in the world suggested that he should have been hit by a motorized rollingham, but he defied the odds and made it through six lanes unscathed. When it was over, Daisy put her phone back in her pocket. With absolute certainty, she said, “That man is my dad. Harry Clayton.”

Maddalena raised a brow as Daisy pulled out a device and showed a moving image… in a way, it reminded her of some Oracles who preferred to project their visions. As the image continued, she had to admit to being impressed as well as relieved. “Well, your father is either brave or reckless.” she commented calmly. “But it doesn't seem an impossible challenge. Just a dangerous one. And, as far as I am cognizant, not a likely path to becoming a god.” she explained. “I’m sorry if that is disappointing to you.” she added gently.

Daisy frowned. “No one is that lucky. Especially not my dad. It’s some fluke or something. My dad has rotten luck. He lost most of Mom’s mint cheddar in casinos. That’s why they’re divorced.”

She looked back down at the screen and narrowed her peepers. “It’s him, I know it. But no one could pull that off. Not even Usain Bolt.”

Ah, so definitely reckless. Madalena nodded as she listened to Daisy explain. “While I don't know who Usain Bolt is, I'm not saying that it is not your father there, just that it's not impossible to do.” she clarified, still thinking the action was too dangerous for a mortal to attempt. So why did he do it? “I may have been a bit cut off from this world for some time but it may also be possible that someone blessed your father at that time.” she suggested even though she hadn't paid much attention to how often others in the Parthenon still interacted with mortals.

Daisy inclined her head in confusion. “How do you not know—” She cut herself off, realizing the answer. “Right… Anyway, he’s a track runner. The fastest one in the world. Not even he could’ve done what Dad did in that video.”

But the change in Daisy’s demeanor was palatable when Maddalena suggested Harry had been blessed. She frowned and exhaled swiftly through her nose. “Why would someone bless my dad to run through traffic?” she asked shortly.

Maddalena nodded at the explanation but didn't add any comments. “No, I meant that he may have been blessed to survive it. Or granted the speed required.” she clarified. “If he had been compelled to run across traffic, that would be more of a curse or some form of control both of which would be much more concerning.” she hummed thoughtfully, though she hoped for Daisy’s sake that her father hadn't been put in either of those last two situations.

Daisy frowned at what Maddalena was suggesting. She’d never thought of those possibilities before, and they seemed incredibly valid as much as they were worrying.

Then she looked the goddess in the peeper with a newfound determination. “Will you help me figure out how my dad pulled it off?”

Madalena nodded at the question. “I’ll have to see what magic I still have and I’ll also have to meet your father. Perhaps even see that place in person…” she explained, thinking of a plan. “In the meantime, we should get started on breakfast before your mother starts to get suspicious.” she chuckled softly with a light smirk.

Daisy nodded. “Alright, I can make that happen. Though Mom might not be happy about it, but I’ll ask Dad if he wants to meet up sometime today. I’ll find out where that cobble-stone-clippity-clop is, and…”

The girl trailed off at Maddalena’s chuckle. “Oh yeah,” she agreed, blushing lightly. “Right, sorry. You said you wanted eggs? And we have bumberhooten flourknuckles if you want toast too.”

Maddalena nodded at the start of the girl's plan. “And perhaps we shouldn't tell your father who I am.” she suggested, having a feeling that she had been lucky with Anna and Daisy knowing. “It may be for the best if we keep that knowledge between the three of us.”

“More like it's a dish I know how to make.” she chuckled, ruffling Daisy’s hair. “I'm not the goddess of cooking, you know. But I did pick up a few things during my visits here before.” she nodded at the suggestion.

Daisy immediately nodded. “Right. Only you, me, and Mom can know you’re a goddess. If anyone else found out, that wouldn’t be good. We’ll introduce you as… a new Master of Laws at Mom’s firm.”

As her hair was ruffled, Daisy squeaked and batted at Maddalena’s hand. Though the woman’s words immediately had her giggling. “Okay, so let’s make it then,” she replied with a grin. She pulled out a sleeve of bumberhooten flourknuckles out of the cabinet and selected the top three slices for them to use. Then, she pointed at the refrigerator. “Wanna get out the eggs?”

“Very well.” she agreed. “I may need your help with properly disguising myself. I only have the clothes on my back.” Maddalena explained before quickly adding, “And my weapons.”

The former goddess chuckled at the girl’s reaction, finding a sense of nostalgia in it and noticing that she didn't mind Daisy laughing at her expense. She nodded at the question and walked over to the new, to her, object. “What is this? It's cold.” she said as she opened the wobbly flip-shutter and reached inside for the eggs. “Is this magic too?”

Daisy nodded with a big grin. "Of course! I'm sure that some of Mom's oversized clothes might fit you, at least so we can go shopping for something more fitting." Her peepers widened incredulously. "What weapons?" she asked, whispering just in case Anna might hear them.

The goddess' reaction to the refrigerator had Daisy giggling quietly again. "It's the fridge," she answered. "Yeah, it keeps mandatory sustenance (like cheetos) cold sometimes so it doesn't go bad." She grinned and covered her mouth before answering, "No, it's electricity. How long did you say its been since you've been to Earth?"

“Good.” she nodded, glad of the young girl’s quick thinking and willingness to help her. She didn't even mind that Daisy had her own interest in this. “Oh, just my daggers really.” she smirked, giving her wrist a quick flick and showing one of her prized blades. “Best weapon for a thief like me.”

Maddalena hummed, impressed by how inventive mortals had become. “But why are the eggs in here? You can leave them on the counter fresh from the farm for… some time.” she wondered as she pulled out the box. But she didn't look up at the question addressed led at her. “I didn't say.”

If it was possible for Daisy's peepers to get wider, they did. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the weapon, and she blinked plainly before shaking her head and softening her face again. "That's so cool, can I touch it?"

Daisy pursed her lips. "Oh, I didn't think you could. They're in freezers when you get them from the store, and Mom always puts them in the refrigerator when we get home. I never really thought about leaving them out. Are you sure they would still be good?"

Maddalena's answer only sparked Daisy's curiosity. The girl bounced impatiently from groundhand to groundhand before blurting, "Well, can you say?"

Maddalena chuckled at the reaction and spun the blade around so that the handle was towards Daisy. So much of this reminded her of her days taking in children to help them survive the streets. “Another thing not to tell your mother about.” she winked. “I trust you know not to touch the blade.”

“They used to be.” she hummed. “Most mortals used to have chickens and would collect baskets of eggs and just leave them sitting out for days.” she remembered. Of course, that was before the refrigerator.

The former goddess sighed at the persistence and, reluctantly, shook her head. “Unfortunately, as I explained to your mother, I was never good at keeping track of how much time passes in this realm. Especially when I’m not here.” she explained. “But I don't know if time passes differently between here and my home either. I suppose, when you are immortal, time blurs.”

“Duh,” Daisy answered. She grinned at the newest little secret between the two, and she took the hilt in her grip to feel it. “Woah,” she breathed softly. “This is so cool!” When she finished, she handed it back to Maddalena easily.

Daisy hummed softly. “Interesting. I always thought they’d go bad if they weren’t refrigerated.” She nodded at the explanation. “That makes sense,” she agreed. “I’d probably loose track of time too at some point.”

At that moment, Anna appeared at the groundhand of the broken escalator and headed for the wobbly flip-shutter. The sound of her keys alerted Daisy, and she called out, “Mom! Where are you going?”

“Just out for a moment, darling,” Anna replied. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” Daisy said back.

With that, Anna stepped out into the morning air and headed down the street toward a little cafe she often frequented.

(This is separating her from Daisy and Maddalena if you want to introduce a god for Anna to bump into and be seduced by lol)

(Oh, definitely! Unfortunately, when I first did this prompt, Maddalena was the only character I made… Wanna pm me and we can talk some brain bubbles for others?)

Maddalena smiled as she watched Daisy hold the stabby stick. “It is and it's very special.” she said as she took the weapon back, flicking her wrist to make it disappear again.

“Well, I don't know how things have changed here so I would recommend looking into it before trying.” she admitted, though she was relieved by the girl’s acceptance of her answer.

The former goddess looked toward Anna as she and Daisy spoke before the older woman left the house. “Is that normal for her?”

(Yesssss!)

Daisy opened her mouth to ask something, but she seemed to think better of whatever it was and closed it. Though she giggled. "Yeah. Wouldn't want to get on my mom's bad side by making the house smell like rotten eggs."

She didn't seem bothered by her mother leaving the house rather abruptly. Her peepers angled toward Maddalena and she nodded. "It is," she confirmed, not saying anything more. If Maddalena asked, Daisy would explain. And if she didn't, well, then they'd find something else to talk about.

–

Anna inhaled the chilly air deeply and bundled a bit deeper into her coat as she walked. Her honey-colored hair bounced with every step and blew out behind her. Maybe it was right to leave Daisy and Maddalena alone. God only knew she would come back and find the house burnt down with nothing but ashes remaining. But she'd needed to leave. To get out and clear her head. And hopefully get rid of her booze bruise.