He’s confused. Of course he is. She wouldn’t have expected it any other way, but trying to explain and put the timeline together in a way that makes sense for him – and her, too – is starting to give her a headache. Those are questions that Athena has had for a long time, herself, never really piecing together an answer; it doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense, and where do you start with that?
“Listen, um. Time here doesn’t… really work the same. They pick us out from all kinds of different times and places and you might be here one minute, then you’re gone.” Oh, this is definitely going to be difficult. She opens her mouth to speak regarding Prosecutor Sahdmadhi, but closes it just as quickly. “All the people I told you about - except Prosecutor Gavin, they’re not in the city anymore. And it’s not like they left. We can’t leave on our own. They just disappeared.”
“Even I did, at one point. Or so they tell me. I don’t remember anything about it.” Huh – strange. They did give him his bracelet. Then again, on first arrival, she got a plastic necklace, a mockery of what Widget represents – maybe this is just a very good replica? ( Or the stars above are choosing favourites. ) “I don’t think we’re anywhere near Los Angeles anymore. Or Khura’in. Or, well, Earth. I have no idea where this is, but nothing really makes sense – you just kind of have to experience it for yourself.”
Cotes is far from the ward she remembered and liked, but they haven’t changed the layout of the streets, at least; the cafe Athena has in mind is right where she remembers it. She keeps the door open for him to come in first, then comes in herself to pick a table for the two of them; the cafe’s warm ambiance envelops them in quiet chatter & the gentle fragrance of coffee, tea & other such drinks.
“You can order whatever you want. It’s on me!” For a change. Now that she has an income and less of a reason to mooch off someone else’s generosity… “And you have to keep me up to date on what’s been going on at Khura’in. I can’t imagine being one of the only defense attorneys in the whole country!”
Okay... yeah, this is going to be difficult. Athena couldn’t have made it sound more confusing... but Apollo had to try and roll with it, not to try and think about any of this logically. After all, they were all drag to an unknown island out of no where. Like saying how aliens abducted them and put them on this island that isn’t even from their own world. Thinking about it like that... might make sense. Time travel? Sure, lets put that in the equation as well.
So, aliens abducted them and put them on an island from different points in time, and can take them out when they want? There! That wasn’t so hard to try and accept.
But there’s no way Athena could come up with this elaborate story. Especially if she was in this situation before. Apollo’s face relaxes just a bit as she explain her own experience here. Albeit brief, but he rather have her stare at someone that wasn’t in the process of judging whatsoever. “Experience it myself? Easy for you to say. I just happen to get roped up in any and every odd situation, even when I’m not asking for it.” He sighs, fond of the memories of their own adventure, but who was even prepare for something like this?
Following Athena into the cafe, he takes a moment to appreciate the location. It really does seem like a relaxing place for Apollo to stop by once or twice. When his wallet lets him. He couldn’t help but let a small grin come over as Athena offer to pay for their drinks. “Wow, you paying? Who would have thought that the day would come and I see you’ve grown up. They really do grow up so fast.” Hey Apollo can be allow to tease once in a while. “But if you insist... I’m just going to get a regular cup of coffee. If I order anything else from here it might be too sweet to handle.” Not that regular coffee is better, but it keep him up. Now to answer her question... where to begin.
“Well you can believe it. The people in the village aren’t as scared as they were before, but they really rely on me to help them out. I’m lucky to have Datz keep me in check once in a while. There were so many documents that Dhurke left behind that when I do have a break, I start reading his old files and see what I could do to help as much as I can. I guess you can say I’m pretty popular over there. But no one said the job was gonna be easy. Every day I always have someone asking for a defense attorney. It’s like the fear the people had in that village is slow disappearing. They can speak out freely for crimes, no fear of what could happen if they spoke out. It’s a relief to see that from a village.” A fond smile at the thought of how happy everyone seems. Even if his work now is even ten times more then Mr. Wright could ever give him, it was worth see the joy in the ones he accept to help.
