Chapter 7: Bath Time
Alarm bells rang in Chiron’s mind. For all his years, he had never seen someone whose system screen held no patron.
An anomaly… Zeus would never… Chiron’s thoughts trailed, his eyes shifting to focus on the title and the divine protection.
Strategic Goddess’s beloved? There was no such thing. That coupled with the abnormal divine resistance sent alarm bells ringing in Chiron’s mind.
Something was wrong. Very very wrong, the old mentor of heroes narrowed his eyes as a budding headache formed in his mind, disrupting his thoughts, a mental assault like no other that placed a simple command at the forefront of his thoughts.
No.
“Nike? No… not Nike…” Chiron whispered, still persisting to try and piece together the mystery of Odysseus’s benefactor. Yet try as he might, he couldn't.
“A-are you ok?” Odysseus asked, observing the man who had his eyes wound tight, his jaw clenched with his lyrie laying on the floor upon him clutching his head.
A moment passed, then another, Odysseus unsure of what to do as the stranger had suddenly begun clutching his head and grunting in pain.
“Hmng.” Chiron groaned before opening his eyes and focusing on the teen. “Never show anyone your screen.”
“What?” Odysseus asked, confused.
“If anyone asks, never reveal the nature of your patron. If pressed, calmly state that your patron is Nike. Goddess of Victory.” Chiron said, his voice urgent and stern, commanding not telling, as if there were something to fear.
“Is that who my-”
“No. I don't know who your patron is, but Nike will not spurn you. The answers you seek in relation to your patron do not lie with me, young hero.” Chiron sighed, the man seeming to visibly age as he slouched forward on his seat. “It is your own journey to uncover, but anonymity will be your strength and weakness in the coming days.”
Upon the word hero being uttered, the image of the sapphired eyed man appeared in Odysseus’s mind again, causing him to wince.
“So… what do I do?” Odysseus asked, seeking answers to the myriad of questions still bubbling behind his eyes..
“First you finish eating. Then you bathe.” Chiron said, rising to his feet to stand over Odysseus. “Then we train.”
“Train?” Odysseus said, furrowing his brow as a holographic blip appeared in front of him.
|
You have located Chiron, son of Kronos. Gleam what you can of this archer’s knowledge, for your time together is finite. Time remaining: 167:59:53 |
“You must have just received the pop up.” Chiron said with Odysseus nodding his head. “Good. I won’t waste further words.”
With that, the man turned and left through the wooden door that was far sturdier than any other Odysseus had seen of that material.
He sat there in silence, pondering the warning Chiron had given him before he furrowed his brow.
“Bathe?” Odysseus muttered, having never bathed before in his life.
***
After collecting his thoughts, Odysseus crept out of the bedroom, slowly opening the door into sunlight and meadows, a clearing boxed in by thick walls of woods with a body of crystal clear water in the center of the camp.
“Incredible.” Odysseus whispered, slowly moving with his hands raised to shield his eyes from the glaring sun.
Walking, he quickly noticed a set of folded brownish clothes, finely sewn with multi-colored browns alongside a towel draped across a wooden horse beside the body of water that was steaming.
Odysseus narrowed his eyes, taking in the finely crafted sculpture up and down. He had never seen a horse before, yet he instinctively knew what it was from its plume and powerful body.
He crouched down,observing the collection of heated water that was more than he’d ever seen before.
Odysseus reached down, his hand passing through the steam to rest but an inch away from the unbroken surface of water where he hesistated, the years of avoiding acid rain telling him to flee.
Yet his curiosity got the better of him and he pricked his finger into the warm water, allowing his finger to soak for a moment and observe the effects.
Satisfied that he wouldn’t be burned alive, Odysseus submerged the rest of his hand and cupped it, pulling out liquid where he admired its crystal clearness before sipping it from his palm.
Odysseus closed his eyes, letting out a breath, feeling the flow of heat down his throat and in his chest, the water warming his thin body.
“That water is for you to bathe, not drink.”
Odysseus spun, the feminine voice startling him.
He narrowed his eyes, scrawny fists raised at the red-haired woman with green eyes, lithe body and scars on her left arm that had a wooden bow slung over it. Under her other arm was a round furry creature, one with tusks and dried blood coating its brown fur.
She stood roughly at Odysseus’s height, near or at his age and clad in brown-pattern leather, with her brow raised and a smirk on her face as if to say really? At Odysseus’s raised fist.
“Beautiful.” Odysseus muttered, gawking at the huntress.
Immediately the woman was taken aback, letting out a small chuckle before her face twisted upon Odysseus just gawking at her.
“By Artemis you’re actually serious. I’m flattered but I’m not interested in…” The woman cocked her head to the side. “Stinky scrawny boys. Seriously, take a bath.”
“Ah…” Odysseus looked off to the side, feeling a bit embarrassed and apprehensive as he eyed his dirt and grime covered self. All across his body was soot and ick, dried blood, and grass that was caked to his body from last night’s horrific adventure.
Odysseus stood there staring at the woman in silence who made a face.
“What?” The huntress asked, an awkwardness descending upon the pair.
“Uh… how do I…” Odysseus muttered.
“What? Speak up I can’t hear you if all you’re gonna do is fucking stutter.”
“How do I bathe myself?”
“.... What?”
“Claire, excuse us.” Chiron interjected, coming to the rescue with Odysseus’s eyes going round at the sight of the elder. Instead of a man walking on two legs, he had four, the bottom half of his torso that of a horse with brown fur and hooves, at least, the second pair of legs that were covered in armor. Something that bewildered Odysseus.
“Yes, teacher.” Claire said, bowing to the man-horse-thing? as she took her freshly killed quarry to be butchered.
“Y-y-what… What are you?” Odysseus asked before quickly recovering from his shock. “I’m sorry, that was rude. I-”
“I am a centaur. A type of demi-human.” Chiron explained, the horse-man circling Odysseus. “Now, I overheard you were having trouble with my earlier instruction? Have you never bathed before?”
The way the man said it and the Huntress’s response made Odysseus feel odd, as though he should be ashamed. Yet where he came from water was scarce, the only drinkable liquid being cloudy brown mush that were collected and diluted from the acid rains that fell over Corporate Chicago.
Odysseus explained as such to the centaur, whose eyes seemed to dim a bit as the malnourished teen regaled him about his home world.
“I see… with the squalor of your world your apprehension is understandable, and your caution is a quality trait many would do well to embody.” Chiron said, his head focused on Claire in the distance butchering her kill. “You are not the first to pass through my camp weary of water, or lacking in… hygienic skills. Fret less young hero, I shall teach you the sacred art of bathing. Let this be the first of many lessons.”
“Oh… thank you for your kindness.” Odysseus replied as Claire let out a laugh from across the camp upon Chiron pulling out two large gloves from his pockets.
He promptly donned the long yellow gloves, the fabric stretchy and extending up to his elbows.
“Prepare yourself young hero,” Chiron said, his gloved hands flexing repeatedly. “With your condition, I fear I’m going to have to be a bit rough.”
****
Sitting on the grass floor, nude, dripping wet with his genitals covered by the tunic in his lap, Odysseus stared blankly into the open air.
The experience at first had been nothing short of divine, despite his apprehension and Claire finally kicking him in. The heated water upon his skin was like ecstasy, sending a shock through his body that made him involuntarily moan.
However, what came next was a violation of Odysseus’s body and soul as rough and gloved hands grabbed hold of him, vigorously scraping, scrubbing, probing and prodding, assaulting him in places he'd never been touched before.
Traumatized, Odysseus didn't know if he would rather be torn apart by monsters in the night or undergo the endeavor known as bathing again.
“So, do you understand everything I've said as I've said it?” Chiron asked, the centaur degloving and draping his gloves over the sculpture of a horse.
When Odysseus didn’t reply, Claire crouched low, poking dripping wet Odysseus on the cheek.
“Hmm I think you broke him.” Claire said, smirking as she continued to poke and illicit no response from the young man.
After another moment, the light finally returned to Odysseus’s blue eyes that looked up at Claire through his wet hair.
The pair made eye contact, the two staring at one another.
Huh… he has a nice shade of blue… Claire remarking inwardly before her body involuntarily tensed at the eyes that didn’t seem to be looking at her… but through her.
Unbeknownst to Chiron and Claire, Odysseus was once again seeing a vision, one of flames and smoke, the face in front of him bloodied and bleeding, tears falling from her face before she smiled and fire consumed her.
