That was the single thought resonating in Apate's mind as she made her way further into Amaurot than she ever had been in all of her existence. She had betrayed herself by settling in too comfortably, by being too efficient --
And now she had been recommended a position that was far too above her station. It was intmidatingly prominent -- in her position, at least.
No one else seemed to understand. Oh, you must feel so honored Apate! She was not honored! Well, she was. But she was also terrified! To be presented as a potential candidate for secretary for the Office of Emet-selch solely based on her clerical work opposed her desire to remain a figure in the background of life. To enjoy her time on the Star quietly, completing simple, repetitive tasks until she faded...that had been the goal.
And now she was staring at a pair of impossibly ornate double doors, whose grandeur alone made her ill.
Perhaps he won't like me, she told herself, hopeful.
hardly detectable, the only hint of his presence behind her is the light rustle of the white robes altered to his own taste. hyperion digs the tip of his finger into her shoulder, leaning back with his arms crossed. “ i just thought of a great career opportunity for you. i think it'd be very useful... ! ”
Oh, no. No, she knew that voice. Apate could feel her chest getting tight. Illness was unheard of among the Ancients, and yet she felt something akin to it brewing in her body immediately. At the touch, she only winced.
Her schedule was ruined. She would have to pull an all-nighter again in order to keep up with her tasks.
... But still, it was a better alternative to allowing Hyperion to run amok and complicate matters for Hades further. For this, she would perservere.
"And..." Her voice faltered for a moment, just like her will to exist on this Star, but she recovered with a sheepish smile. "And what opportunity would this be, Azem...?"
❝ better to be modest than a braggart, i suppose. but you might aspire to be somewhere in between. ❞ ( hades to apate )
Apate offered a weak smile, shaking her head.
"I do not aspire to be anything," she answered meekly, almost apologetic. "I have considered it, of course. But I do not often find myself... wanting, for anything, outside of simple work." She offered her shoulders in a shrug. "Not all of us are meant for some form of greatness. And if no one else wanted to perform the more common tasks, I think...society would be lesser for it."
Apate having a panic attack every time she finds Azem waiting for Hades in his office because now she has to entertain them. Hades returns to the office to find her sitting there looking traumatized while a bored Azem braids her hair, giving him the puppy dog eyes of please help--
In almost every verse, Meiko and her brother A'kihiko are shards of the Ancient Lux, whose details are shared here. Lux is either Azem or... not, and just a restless Ancient with a cliche shonen personality. Don't worry about him.
HOWEVER, in her agent verse (and maybe other non-wol verses, if you like?!), Meiko has her own Ancient named Apate.
--
Apate was an Ancient who was raised in a very structured manner. A chronic rule-follower, if you will, but one who never regarded herself too highly. She possessed no ambition to join something as big as the Convocation, nor attend any institution such as Akademia Anyder or similar. She did not enjoy debate or overlong discussions of philosophy or concepts.
She simply wanted to be given tasks and complete them; she found purpose and joy in that. She was also very good at that -- too good, it seemed. Her simple peace was disturbed when someone somewhere or another recommended she become an assistant to the office of Emet-selch.
That was far too ambitious for her, but could she refuse? No! Because in addition to all the above, Apate was also hated conflict. She was a pushover. In the presence of biggerpersonalities, such as Azem, she would metaphorically shrink into a husk.
However, she finds relief and purpose in working alongside Hades. She was a diligent worker who primarily performed secretarial duties, taking care of his schedule, filling out paperwork, organizing 'retirement' parties, etc. She would also do her best to deter visitors (although Azem/Hythlodaeus always get past her) when he needed a break.
See below the cut for details! TW for mentions of very brief text-only trafficking, murder, and attempted [and failed] assault!
This is obviously a non-wol verse for Meiko, where A'kihiko does not exist and thus she has an Ancient of her own. Her accent, name, and dancer class are still accounted for. However, she primarily uses a gun and absolutely lacks all the warmth of normal Meiko.
In regards to: Oh no she's against WOLs -- the woman is still not as powerful, even in cases where she's been made an Ascian. No matter the verse, Meiko always aware of her limitations. The difference is how she'll tackle these obstacles instead!
Meiko and her birth mother were abducted from the forests of Golmore by slavers when she was barely two summers old. While her mother did not survive the encounter, the slavers -- a division of the crew run by Doesmaga Poisonheart -- decided to keep her aboard until she was a more sellable age. She was put under the 'care' of the ship's cook, a Hingan refugee who gave her her name.
When she was fourteen, Mei was indeed sold, but fortunately not to a brothel. Instead a man named Tacitus won the bid, adding Meiko to his troupe of Viera, whom he trained as entertainers for the upper echelon of Garlean nobility.
When she was seventeen, a violent run-in with a handsy, drunk tribunus angusticlavius left a man dead and her marked for execution. She was brought before the "aging" Solus zos Galvus, who recognized her as a shard of Apate, an Ancient who had been an assistant of the office of Emet-selch.
For these reasons, he chose to spare and employ Meiko instead, awakening her memories of her former self and cementing her loyalty to him and the Ascian cause.
Years later, even after Solus has 'died', she serves Emet-selch [not the Garlean Empire specifically, although she does cooperate] as it is the only purpose she has ever been given.
Whether she acts as messenger, errand girl, or assassin, this shift in her destiny will put her in opposition to any and all Scions and Warriors of Light. She may even be sent to befriend the WoL as a spy [in which case I'll use her old icons and just pretend her main verse tattoos are face paint, since she wouldn't have them in this verse]!
Garleans and enemies of Warriors of Light, however -- you could gain a pretty good ally!
OPTIONAL: Meiko can be a minor Ascian or not, depending on your preference! Her glyph be below.
