Reading Lunar Phases Ch 3 (Patreon)

Disclaimer: Don’t own PJO or the Whiskered Warrior.

“...Annabeth, are you going to pass it on or–Hey! Stop reading ahead!” Piper frowned when the page turned.

“I was–I was just getting my bearings!” Annabeth smiled weakly. The deadpan look from the others around her made her shrink in her seat. She sighed and went back to the previous page. “The Cursed Knight, part three.”

Light.

“Yo.” Apollo dropped his shades and crossed his arms, grinning like a ham.

The bringer of life. The opposite of darkness. A moral stance. These and more are but a few ways to look at the word. Mortals developed ways to utilize it for their benefit, for in their experience it led to nothing but survival.

“What can I say?” Apollo interlaced his hands behind his head and sighed happily. “You’re welcome.”

“Oh, gee, thanks.” Thalia snorted.

“Hey, no sass, niece-to-be.”

“I am not–”

“Which of us is the prophet god again?” Apollo smirked when Thalia scowled and turned around. “That’s what I thought.” He felt a glare on his person and jumped when he found Artemis staring at him. “...What’d you expect me to do? Ignore it?”

“Yes.” The Huntress curtly informed him.

Clearly, they hadn’t nearly been clocked by the speeding form of a bright gold 1969 Dodge Challenger.

Thalia had, so she could say without a shadow of doubt that light…was hot. Something she knew, but hadn’t considered, until after she had to dodge the speeding Dodge that almost caught her off guard. Her new appropriated jacket wasn’t as lucky, it caught fire and burnt to a crisp instantly. A fate she would’ve shared if Bianca hadn’t helped her shed the heavy thing. Shame, too, she’d started to like that jacket.

“Well that might not have happened if she’d just kept the fabulous accessory I gave her.” Aphrodite huffed.

“At least I didn’t let it get burnt to a crisp.” Thalia sourly retorted. 

“Oh, dear, you know I’d just give you another one.”

Power resonated from the peak of the mountain formerly known as Tamalpias. The twin gods showed no mercy as they fought the Titan of Endurance. Percy had somehow wound up under the Sky, and Bianca was tending to a gravely injured Zoë.

“Not sure how I feel about her being alive and being a hunter.” Nico frowned. “I almost prefer her dating Will.”

“But then who would you be dating?” Hazel asked.

“Does it matter?”

“Yes.” Hades deadpanned.

As for Thalia? Well...

“$&%*!” Thalia cursed as Luke danced around her spear and managed to nick her arm with his sword. She glared at him while he smirked at her. Her former friend looked at ease with the sword in his hand.

“Even now, you’re so powerless, Thalia.” He jeered at her before coughing when she twisted and got his side with the end of her spear’s shaft. He dodged a bolt of lighting she sent his way, and scowled at her. “Just call the Ophiotaurus and we can get back at the gods for everything they did!”

“The more we see this guy, the more unsurprised I am that he’s so delusional.” Leo crossed his arms.

“Hey.” Hermes frowned.

“You always thought you had it so rough, Luke. Like your life was so bad.” Thalia sneered, ignoring the temptation that he dangled in front of her like some kind of fruit. She locked her spear and shield up against his sword and scowled at him while lightning danced in her eyes. “What’s wrong, mommy didn’t love you enough?”

“Gah.” Hermes grimaced at the comment, “Bad move.” 

“Oh, whatever.” Thalia rolled her eyes. Luke could handle a jab like that fine. Was it a dick move? Maybe. But Thalia was scrappy.

“Wow,” Luke chuckled sardonically. He kicked her off, rolled over his shoulders, hopped to his feet and brandished his sword in a ready stance. “Going for the throat already, huh? I thought we were friends.”

“We were friends.” Thalia assured as she raised her shield. Her eyes narrowed over the rim and electricity danced across the pole of her spear. “Then you tried to poison me.”

“That tends to put a damper on relationships.” Piper nodded.

“Really? I think it’s romantic.” Aphrodite differed. 

“...Not every relationship has to be tragic like Romeo and Juliet, Mom.”

“You’re not living right if you think that, Piper.”

“What’s a little poison between pals?” He asked with a shrug, before he knocked her spear aside with the flat and tried to pierce her exposed side. She captured his blade with the shaft of her spear and the rim of her shield.

“You sent the Manticore to kidnap Annabeth!” She twisted and jabbed. He smacked her spear into the dirt and rammed his shoulder into her shield, sending her stumbling away from her primary offensive weapon. The Aegis made good on its name, catching the boy’s blade as he dropped it down upon her with an overhead slash.

“I sent the Manticore to capture the children of Hades!” Luke snarled as he inched the tip of his sword closer to her face.

“There’s an image.” Ares snickered. He ignored the glares from Zeus, his daughter and the Goddess of the Hunt.

“Oh, shut up, Ares.” Athena rolled her eyes.

The announcement knocked her from her game and she had her feet swept out from underneath her. She blocked the following stab with her shield and kicked out at his knee. A sickening crack rang out and he dropped with a cry of pain, resting a hand on the injured joint and granting her time to get back to her feet.

Children of Hades. Thalia blinked, recalling Bianca’s confusion over some basic things. Her unsettling ease with which the bodies that Whiskers’ little incident had left in its wake. The figurine she stole and the Skeletons’ inability to ignore her order.

“Little bread crumbs lead to the loaf.” Hades snorted. 

“...Pretty sure it’s the other way around.” Apollo rubbed his chin. “Or, were you talking figuratively?” 

Hades just leveled him with a flat stare.

“Right. As you were, Ms. Chase.”

“You get it, yet?” Luke huffed, standing shakily on his bad knee. He used the ball of his foot to keep from bearing his full weight on it. “I didn’t want to kidnap Annabeth.” 

“But you still did.”

“...Yeah,” he said softly. He looked at her, almost sadly. “I still did. I don’t want to fight you, Thalia.”

“Given the admission he just made, I don’t think his opinion matters much anymore.” Jason shook his head.

“He made his bed, now he must lie in it.” Zeus growled. 

“Father–”

“Quiet, Hermes. His acts were forgiven, but not forgotten.”

“But you will.” Thalia frowned. She rolled forward under a swipe to his weakened side, snatched her spear and hopped to her feet. She flicked dirt off of the tip of her spear and readied herself once more. “We have to do this now, not because we want to, but because of the stupid decisions you made!”

“Precisely.” Zeus huffed, glaring at Hermes when he opened his mouth to protest. “This is just the start of justice turning upon him.”

“Such a slow process. Taking three years to come full circle.”

“Silence, Poseidon.”

“Everything I’ve ever done was for us! For the betterment of Demigods everywhere!” Luke argued. He narrowed his eyes and raised his sword. “If you can’t see that, then I’m sorry.”

“No. I’m sorry.” She frowned. “Annabeth’s going to miss you.”

“But you won’t?” He huffed. “That kind of hurts.”

“Deal with it.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m still miffed that you poisoned me.”

“This banter is amazing.” Apollo grinned, leaning forward. He glanced at his sister’s lieutenant. “Props, Thalia.”

“Whatever.”

“I think she’s still mad at you for what you said.” Hermes stage-whispered with a smirk. The god of the sun gave him a flat stare.

“Oh, no, really? What gave it away?”

Thalia rushed at him. Her ability with a spear surpassed his skill with a sword. He tried to catch her shield with the edge of his blade, and she charged lightning through it. He stumbled back, arm limp at his side, before falling to his rear at the edge of the cliff that rimmed the cavern. His other hand went for the hilt of his sword, but Thalia kicked it over the edge.

“That was so uncalled for.” Luke grunted when her spear kissed the underside of his jaw, and Thalia hesitated. Luke looked up at her, his jaw flexed. “Do it already, Thalia. You made your choice. Go back to your dad, the triumphant conqueror you always wanted to be.”

“Don’t tempt me, Luke.” Thalia warned, feeling the familiar tingle of sparks lining her eyes. Reason told her to do it. He was her friend once. He was Annabeth’s, Grover’s and Whiskers’ friend. He betrayed all of them.

“It would be a mercy and save us all a headache!” Ares jeered.

“Your shouting isn’t saving me one. Shut up already.” Dionysus growled.

Rebellion protested and won out with the sole argument that gave her pause. “It would be a mercy.”

“Like Father, Like Daughter.” He sneered, holding his limp arm and shifting his legs under him. “Don’t you get it? It’s the cycle. This pointless, endless cycle they use... You’ll get picked off eventually once they think you’ve run your mark. It might even be tonight.”

The thought resonated in her. Stirred deep feelings of hurt and anger at the gods that she hadn’t faced yet, wasn’t ready to face yet. Thalia lowered her spear, just a fraction, as she considered walking away.

Luke moved, and she reacted on instinct, lashing out with her foot. 

“Spartan kick for the win, whoo!” Ares cheered, arms raised up. “Way to represent, sister!”

“She didn’t say the line. Six out of ten.” Leo sniffed.

“What line?” Thalia asked, frowning.

“He’s talking about my dad’s line from King of Sparta.” Piper sighed. “‘This is Sparta.’ So dumb.”

“What’re you talking about! That’s a classic meme!” Apollo huffed. He was leveled with flat stares and groaned. “Ugh, demigods, right.”

He was halfway down before the realization of what she did struck her. He hit the ground before she thought to act. A cold chill ran up her spine.

My, my, my… Aphrodite, who had remained silent through their battle, suddenly crooned in her ear. The plot thickens.

“Really?! You’re still bothering me?!” Thalia scowled.

“Absolutely!” Aphrodite tittered. “Were it not for your status and for certain protections, I would do that now as well.” 

“Thank you, Lady Artemis.” Thalia said, looking at her patron.

“Of course, Thalia.”

Thalia slumped to her knees, her spear fell to her side and her shield collapsed soon after. Storms brewed around the immediate area and lightning flashed in the distance. A single thought echoed in her head as she stared at the body below her. She closed her eyes when she felt them burn, and once the rain started, she let her head fall back and screamed into the sky.

Anger.

Fear.

Hate.

Misery.

Pain.

All of it came out and the storm evolved into something unnatural.

“So emotional. Where on earth could she have gotten such traits?”

“Oh, shut up, Hades.” Zeus scowled.

“This must be a Mount Zeusette moment.”

“Annabeth!” Thalia scowled at the reader, who smirked.

Naruto slowly dragged his hunting knife’s sharp edge along the pelt of the monster in front of him.

“Aw, sick! First we see that little smear-stain hit the ground from a mile up and now monster torture?!” Ares grinned while a few demigod faces turned green. “This chapter rocks!”

Skin and flesh parted from meat and bone. It thrashed and roared, but the throwing knives that pinned it in place were dug deep into the wall of Mount Tamalpais. Red eyes glared into green and blue.

“It’s not so fun when the kid can fight back, is it?” 

“I…I will never rest…until I devour …your heart.” The Manticore snarled and then roared when Naruto resumed skinning it. It thrashed its head and its tail’s base flicked agitatedly against the axe that had severed its primary weapon.

“Yes, and one day, I’m sure you will.” The blond hummed as he continued his work. A faint hiss caught his ears and, without looking away, he threw two crescent blades into the shadows at his left. Dracaena were hilariously unstealthy for being reptilian based monsters. With the snake-woman slain, if not merely blinded, he resumed ripping apart the durable creature in front of him.

“That is so... Twisted.” Jason shook his head.

“What, and frying them like the next Lord Sidious isn’t?” Leo asked, snorting.

“That–That’s not even close to what happened!”

“Whatever, man. Just saying, I wasn’t even there, and I feel some cathartic release from this.”

“What–what …kind of man… are you?” The Manticore sneered. “Your friends…are likely dead…The goddess will soon follow…Yet you waste time…on this pointless torture?!”

“I hate it when prey gets chatty.” Red eyes flicked up to meet the heterochromatic eyes of the monster. “I could easily take your tongue and solve that problem, but then, you’d dissolve. Predicaments, predicaments.”

“Olympus …will fall!” The Manticore sneered through its labored breaths. “Your gods… will die …and your species …will be cattle! Your children… will grow …to know …only fear! The Men will …be food… and the women… will be breeding stock!”

“Thalia, make a note.” Artemis grumbled. “The Manticore is to be moved to the top of The List.”

“Done.” Thalia scowled.

His left hand grabbed onto the Manticore’s lower jaw, and he pulled the monster’s head down to meet his gaze.

“I really wanted to give Annie your pelt. I figured she’d make great use of it.” He groused. “But the longer I let you speak, the longer I let you taint my air with your rancid breath, the more I start to feel that it wouldn’t be worth it. You have a shred of sentience, Manticore. Surely, you must have some survival instinct?”

“Why bother? …I will return… in due time.” The Manticore narrowed its eyes, a glimmer of sadistic glee shining in them. “And I will make…my next life’s goal…to make you watch…as everything you love…is slaughtered like the meat they ar–urk!”

He grabbed the monster’s tongue, took a tight hold of it, winding it around his wrist and pulling it taut. The Manticore sneered at him and tried to close its teeth around his arm, but the other hand still held its jaw open.

Cold blue eyes stared back at the creature.

“When I was a child,” he started, “My mother used to tell me the stories of a god’s temper. How Zeus would cleanse the world again if enraged enough,

“That was one time!” Zeus shouted.

that Poseidon would flood the planet,

“That was the metaphysical dill-hole that dominates the mortal world today.” Poseidon scowled.

or even that Hades would march the dead back upon us. 

“I wish I could have let that happen, but no. Zombie culture and all such nonsense was getting too popular.” Hades dismissed. “I had to ensure it would die without fanning the flames.”

As I grew, I would learn of her misdeeds, of my uncle’s, and those performed by the rest of her family that were done millennia before I was even a thought in the grand scheme of Creation, and for just a moment I was afraid of her.”

“Well, that could explain why he ran from you back in the second entry.” Athena hummed.

Artemis frowned.

The mortal let out a soft chuckle, before quickly sobering.

“But I’m not afraid of her anymore,” he said, his icy gaze boring into the Manticore’s. “I’m not scared of any god. The worst they could do is destroy me.

“...Dammit, he’s right.” Zeus frowned. 

“What about an afterlife punishment?” Jason asked.

“No. It wouldn’t be as effective. He’s purely mortal, so his mind would be destroyed before any punishment took hold,” Hera said. “His suffering would end upon his death and he could bathe in the water of Lethe.”

If you think I’m afraid of your threats to those I care about, consider this: I am fearless in the face of the gods and their wrath. So, tell me, monster, why should I even bother remembering you?”

“Snap! Lil Nephew with the badass delivery!” Apollo chuckled and applauded. “That’s how it’s done!”

The Manticore’s sneer turned into a look of dawning horror. The mortal almost smirked when he saw the fear in its eyes. There was no worse fate than that of being forgotten, and once a monster was forgotten they tended not to come back as often.

“What’s wrong, cat got your tongue? Nothing to say?” He allowed the smirk he’d been fighting back to make itself known and shrugged. “Oh, well. Maybe next time we meet you’ll have an answer for me.”

“Quippy!” Apollo chuckled. “I taught him well.”

“More likely he found wit in the material he read.” Artemis scoffed. Apollo sent her a scowl.

“You dare suggest I wouldn’t teach him quippage?” 

“I dare suggest your teaching wouldn’t stick as well.”

“Well…No, probably not. We’d probably wind up at a strip club.”

“You–!” Artemis seethed, glaring at her twin. He smirked.

“So long as we exist, there will never be a mortal male version of yourself, Sis.”

Naruto pulled. The organ ripped from the Manticore’s throat with slow force. The blue-eyed huntsman continued to pull and jerk, painfully shredding the muscle and nerves that kept the monster’s organ in place, until finally, it gave.

The monster, and its tongue, dissolved before his eyes. Another pleased rumble echoed in the back of Naruto’s head and he dusted his hands off before recovering his weaponry. He made his way out of the mountain, but immediately upon exiting had to raise his hands against the hurricane that assaulted him.

“Sexually assaulted by wind? My heavens, Thalia!”

“That’s not–You can’t–!”

“You can.” Zeus, Hera, Poseidon and Artemis corrected her, three of the four glaring daggers at the first.

Blue eyes narrowed and looked up at the top of the mountain.

Well, he thought, heading back in and making the ascent through the interior, I’ve always wondered what fighting an immortal would be like.

“...He…But he can’t though?” Reyna frowned.

“Maybe not the initial strike,” Athena said thoughtfully. “But many demigods had mortal allies during the gigantomachy. Given his ranged abilities, he may be rendered to the sidelines.”

Artemis was not proud of every action she took in life, but as a goddess she had to stand by her mistakes. The beauty of mortality was that admitting one’s faults wouldn’t threaten the fabric of reality.

Many times, when she felt slighted, she may have appeared to overreact, but her punishments always fit the crime. Overreacting would be to appear before a mortal offender and unleash her divine form in front of them. So yes, Artemis actually considered it merciful to shift boys into girls or jackalopes, or turn men into deer to have them hunted by their own hounds, or to slay a woman’s daughters for daring to compare herself against her mother.

…Okay, that one was mostly Apollo’s idea and, honestly, she’d just been keen on getting him out of her hair.

“Yep. My idea.” Apollo smirked cruelly when the demigods looked at him. “Don’t diss Mom and you won’t have a bad day.”

“Indeed.” Artemis mumbled, her frown prominent as she recalled the insults Niobe had declared.

Really. It wasn’t like she turned those who wronged her into flat out monsters, or played with the fragile emotions of mortals, or reshaped the land just to get a point across.

Artemis was more than happy to spend her days hunting with her Hunters and would be all the more for it if the rest of the world just let her be.

But right now? At this moment? Artemis was enraged.

She was tricked into taking the curse of Atlas. Her Lieutenant – eldest companion, loyal confidant, best friend, child in every way but ichor – his very daughter, was dying of a blow that came from the titan’s hand. She made her request to Poseidon's son, and after he accepted it, knew that she had to act fast. Her silver hunting knives were in her hands with hardly a thought, and a moment of thought later, her twin arrived.

The flashy style, obnoxious horn, and making use of his obscenely beloved–and incredibly dangerous–chariot as a weapon was not an act he did on a whim. No, she had needed that distraction to assess everything around her.

“I should’ve followed my gut on that.” Apollo grumbled.

“Be grateful you didn’t. I have very few materials that can fix your chariot.” Hephaestus uttered.

“...Oh, other me, what have you done?!”

The demigods’ positions, her Hunters’ injuries and–Was...Was that her son? What was he doing here? How was he here? He was a mortal! He was–!

Questions for later. Artemis assured herself. She felt her twin step up from behind her.

“You okay?” He asked. She nodded and leveled a steely glare on the Titan as he muscled himself from beneath the Chariot. She heard Apollo take a deep breath, his ridiculous pride in his hand-me-down chariot exposing itself just briefly.

“Oh, not cool!” Apollo glared at his twin. Artemis smirked at him.

“It is and will forever be Helios’ ride first.”

“Ugh, hate it when that’s thrown in my face.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Close quarters. Cover me.” She told her brother as they stood across from her new quarry. That he came to her aid without hesitation showed the severity her absence had left upon the world. His bow appeared in a flash of light and he took aim with seven arrows already primed.

“Done.”

Her twin’s golden bowstring pulled taught, the seven golden arrows he fired burst into seven more and seven more again and again and again until a blinding wall of light rained down upon the Titan.

“Hey, Girly.” Ares nodded at Apollo. “Respect.”

“I am the definition of raining fire.” The god of the sun smirked, once more interlacing his hands behind his head.

Atlas faltered under the attack, and Artemis moved. Her strikes were swift. Her blows were blinding. The damage instilled was devastating.

The Letotides were on the verge of victory.

“Pride?” Apollo asked his sister. She grimaced.

“And so cometh the fall.” 

Then came the hurricane.

“...Sorry?” Thalia winced when she glanced at the annoyed looks on the Letoides’ faces.

Artemis nearly stumbled when the first gale flew into her side. The downpour flooded the land and turned smooth stone into slick mud. Lightning crashed around them and thunder boomed in her ears.

“Keep on him, Sis!” Apollo’s annoying timber echoed over the roar of the elements.

“Excuse you!” Apollo scowled. “I’m a baritone!”

“Not when your voice cracks, you’re not.” The outraged gasp that left her twin’s mouth made the Huntress smile.

He took aim once more and fired another barrage, but half of the arrows were felled by the weather’s interference. “He’s already getting back up!”

Artemis swore and moved in again. Her blades were caught by Atlas’ spear. The Titan General smirked down at her.

“Little Moon Goddess,” he sneered as she struggled against his strength. He pushed her back and her feet slid through the slick mud. “Any last requests before I end your miserable excuse of an existence?”

“I am going to spread your sinews across this mountain, Atlas.” 

“Ew, ah, Artemis.” Zeus gagged, pulling at his collar in an uncomfortable manner. “Let’s not get into that territory.” 

“Are you suggesting it isn’t a reasonable punishment, Father?” Artemis asked.

“No! Just, let’s not talk about it.” 

“PTSD.” Hermes whispered to his sister. She stared at him dryly.

“Yes, thank you, Hermes. I gathered.”

He shot her a thumbs up. 

“You gather? And here I thought you were a Hunter.” Aphrodite chirped. Artemis glared daggers at her and then at her twin when he let out a snort. Apollo shrugged.

“C’mon, you set her up for it. It was funny.”

Artemis broke away and allowed Apollo to get a few close shots in. He darted away and she covered his retreat, catching the blunt side of Atlas’ spear with her knives’ edge. The brute chuckled.

“An unreasonable reaction, how completely expected. Say you do manage to do such impossibility, then who will take my burden from the demigod? You? Your twin?” Atlas scoffed and knocked her aside.

He stalked closer as she quickly recovered. Apollo’s attempt to blind side him with a bow over the head, a tactic that surprisingly works quite efficiently on other opponents they’ve faced,

“You’ve never been rabbit punched until you get hit by a bow in the crown.” Jason mumbled, rubbing his head and giving Frank a sour look.

He shrugged. “Don’t use lightning in spars.”

“For the last time, it was an accident!”

“That’s never the case.” Percy shook his head.

was felled as the Titan caught him by the throat. His spear was stabbed into the ground and her own throat was caught next. The Upper Air of Aether was blocked from their throats as he closed his hands around them.

“...Oh, crapbaskets.” Apollo grimaced.

“He was surprisingly quick.” Artemis grumbled. She’d nearly been caught in such a grasp when she faced the Titan.

“Face it, Olympians,” Atlas spat the word in disgust as he lifted them from the ground. “Your time has come and gone. The Titan King will rise aga–&$%*!” 

Artemis gasped as she hit the ground after the Titan of Endurance let her and her twin go. He clawed at his face, spewing curses that predated even her time on the world, and whirled around wildly. At one point, she caught sight of something in the lacrimal duct of his left eye. Closer inspection when granted the chance revealed it was a silver crescent shuriken.

“Yes.” Artemis smiled, her glee at her son’s successful hit overshadowed by Apollo’s whooping cheer.

“Atta boy, Lil Nephew! Take him out with the R.B.G. attack!”

“The Ruth Bader Ginsburg attack?” Leo asked around a stifled laugh.

“No, R.B.G.” Apollo grinned. “Random bullshit, go! It’s a staple of Moon Knight’s arsenal.”

“I don’t remember—It’s one of those meme things isn’t it?” Piper frowned. “Like that dumb Dracula one.”

“You only say that because you can’t bask in it!”

The Titan whirled around, seeking out the cause of this pain, while his unmatched healing and his fingers’ size were turned against him.

Apollo and she shared a look with one another.

“You see that?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Any idea how?”

“None, whatsoever.”

“Gonna ground him?”

“Absolutely.”

“After, of course, praising him for the clutch save?” Apollo hoped.

“Nay.” 

“Harsh, but fair.”

They stood and faced the Titan, whose fingers were too massive to grasp the small sliver of silver stuck in his eye. His profane swearing was growing annoying. But, he was in line with his curse. Artemis flicked her gaze to her twin, just as he looked back at her. They smirked at one another.

“I’ll go low,” she offered and he nodded. Apollo cracked his neck before he moved to grapple the Titan when he turned away. His arms wound around Atlas’ waist tight like he would one of his mortal trysts.

“Oh, great. Thanks.” Apollo gagged. “I’ll never get that image out of my head.”

“Now you know how I feel whenever you insist on telling me about your shameful antics.” Artemis rolled her eyes.

Artemis waited for the perfect opening before she threw herself shoulder-first into the back of Atlas’ knee. It buckled, and Apollo let out a yell as he made a mighty shove. The titan stumbled forward, but caught himself on his foot once more.

“Percy Jackson, give us your burden!” Artemis barked at the demigod. Poseidon’s demigod, now sporting a streak of white hair, all but flung himself out from under the Sky.

At the same time, Artemis threw her arms around the Titan’s bad leg, spun around and pulled when her brother pushed once more.

“Timber!” Apollo called while his twin smirked.

“Such a horrid thing to shout, Apollo. Must you really?” Demeter frowned.

“It had to be done, Auntie D. Sorry not sorry.”

Atlas fell with an earth-shaking crash where Percy Jackson once knelt, and the titan’s good eye widened when he felt something press against his spine.

“No!” He bellowed as Apollo helped her back to her feet. He struggled and strained, managing to push himself to his hands and knees to face them. The now infamous pose followed soon after and he lifted the weight of the sky from his shoulders. A lone hateful stone grey eye glared at the twins and they glared right back at him. “Olympus will not survive this war! The Crooked One will rise again! Titans are the rightful rulers of this world!”

“Well, I feel like we should all go pay Atlas a visit after this and…express our opinions on the matter to him.” Hera drawled, swirling her goblet while her eyes blazed with barely retained fury.

“Seconded.” Zeus rumbled. “What say you, brothers?”

“I think it sounds like a splendid idea. Hades?” Poseidon asked.

“Well, it is in my neighborhood.” Hades smirked and shrugged. “Very well.”

“Then it’s decided. We shall have a...meeting with Atlas after this.” Zeus nodded.

“Geez, what a sore loser.” Apollo huffed, crossing his arms.

Artemis rolled her eyes. Her twin was the last god in the world who should ever broach that subject, but she’d let him have the moment out of gratitude. The strong gales dwindled to nothing and Atlas’ vitriol swiftly became white noise to her as she watched the skies clear. The sun chariot was still parked in the crater it made nearby, and its light parted the clouds.

“Apollo, you sho–”

“Nope. I’m driving. You round up the kids, I’ll pick the ride.” Her oafish brother lifted his keys and clicked them. The chariot changed from its muscle car shape into a grand golden limousine. Then into a school bus. Then a shuttle bus. Back to a Lamborghini. He looked at her with a sheepish grin. “Might be a minute.”

“Ugh, so many forms to choose from. It’s just hard to settle.” Apollo sighed, tapping his head as he rested his chin on his palm.

Artemis sighed and began to take a head count. She started with Percy Jackson, whose eyes fluttered and breathing steadied as the weight of his trial stopped influencing his mortal body. Apollo would have to make sure he hadn’t damaged something.

“For the record, his head was always full of kelp,” Thalia said, glancing at the sun god.

“There it is!” Percy threw his arm up. He glared at his grinning cousin. “You couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

“Hey at least she thinks your head has something in it.” Nico snorted, crossing his arms. “I’m still convinced it’s empty.”

“I hate you both.”

Her Hunters were the next immediate to check, Artemis walked over to Bianca, who sniffed back tears over the fallen form of Zoë. Artemis knelt down and took her hold of her oldest, loyalest friend’s hand. Dark eyes cracked open and a bitter smile graced her face, her gaze was lost to something far beyond what Artemis could see.

“Stars.” She whispered so happily it almost broke Artemis’ immortal heart. “I–I can see the stars again, m’lady. They’re so...so beautiful.”

“Oh, Zoë,” Artemis smiled sadly. The questers involved joined her in her mourning, while the other demigods held their silence.

Once the moment passed, Annabeth resumed reading.

“All for you, my friend.” Artemis smiled sadly as she stroked Zoë's hand with her thumb. She closed her eyes and took hold of Zoë's mortal form, captured it in her memory. She covered it with her power and watched the girl shift and change as she peacefully expired. A constellation appeared above them, one that would not show until the sun’s light fell, but Artemis would see in her mind’s eye for the rest of her days. “Hunt forevermore in the great night sky, O Huntress mine.”

“I tried, Lady Artemis,” Bianca sniffled. “I tried–!”

“I know, Bianca.” Artemis pulled the younger girl into a tight hug and allowed her her time of mourning. She rubbed the young girl’s shoulder and let her cry. Silver eyes fell closed and she allowed one solitary tear to fall. “I know.”

“Such a shame to lose someone so young.” Hestia sighed.

“...Wasn’t Zoë, like, thousands of years old?” Leo whispered.

“Hestia is still older.” Hazel muttered back.

“So, that’s it then?”

Naruto peered down toward the base of the mountain, the morning mists hiding the ground from him. His evasion of detection wouldn’t last long. His mother and Bianca were distracted by their grief, a grief he’d share when the time came, and Uncle Fred was apologizing profusely to his ever-shifting car. 

“The sass I’d get back for such a move? Heavens forbid.” Apollo groaned, a mile long stare in his eyes as if he was reliving a nightmare. 

“...Wait, does it talk to you?” Percy whirled around to stare incredulously at the god.

“Duh.”

“...Duh, what?” 

Apollo ignored the question.

Percy was winded from his ordeal, and Annabeth and Grover were still waiting for them at the Yacht. He rubbed his face, he hadn’t a clue how they were going to explain this to Annabeth.

“Yeah.”

Blue eyes glanced down at his side to the girl that hugged her knees and hid her face in them. He sent one final look down to the bottom of Mount Tamalpais. There was nothing more he could do for Luke, but he still had another friend he could help.

“Yes.” Aphrodite grinned. “The corruption settles in.”

“He’s comforting a friend. That’s not romantic in the slightest.” Artemis refuted with a scowl.

“Oh, Artemis, you’re so unbelievably naive.”

He knelt down beside Thalia and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey.” He wasn’t sure why he spoke softly. The others were far too distracted to pay them any mind. Those self-conscious thoughts all fell away when a single blue eye peeked up at him. It was rimmed red. Naruto hesitated before he started to rub her shoulder. “I don’t blame you, Thalia. Annie won’t blame you, either.”

“I know. I know that.” Thalia spoke just as softly. He heard her breath hitch, but didn’t comment on it. “But he was still...he was still–”

“Our friend.” Naruto finished, and she nodded.

“Thalia, did-did you ever talk to anyone after this?” Annabeth asked, looking at Thalia. The daughter of Zeus shifted.

“No.”

“Oh...Oh gods. Thalia,” Annabeth reached over and put a hand on the Hunter’s shoulder. “If you ever, ever want to talk–”

“Hey, no! None of that therapy b.s.!” Ares snapped at the two girls. “I’m already being forced to sit through this fictional crappy-sappy moment. I’m not going to listen to yours on top of it.”

“Wow, way to have a heart, Ares.” Aphrodite huffed.

“Aw, wha? Babe, come on! I’m blue balled here!”

“Ares!” “Really, dude.” Groans rang out from the Olympians.

Thalia took the opportunity to smile gratefully at Annabeth before nodding at the book.

Annabeth frowned, but went back to reading.

He understood. He empathized with her. He’d never really understand what she was going through. His heart went out to her, and his strength would be there for her if she needed someone to help her rise above this. He sat beside her and moved his arm over her shoulders, tucking her head under his in a tight hug. “He’s gone, and it’s gonna hurt for a long time.”

“Think he’s speaking from experience?” Piper asked. “What with Thalia’s tree and all.”

“Oh, yeah.” Jason nodded.

“I just–” She rubbed her arm along her eyes, groaning as she did, before resting her head back on his shoulder. “I just want it all to stop, Whiskers.”

“Don’t we all?” He mumbled. They sat comfortably for a minute longer before Naruto closed his eyes. Time to ask. “Think that you can you tell me what happened?”

“Do I have to?”

“We have to tell Annebeth somehow.”

“Oh, gods.” She swallowed and went quiet. He waited for her to speak. It took another beat before she asked, “Think your sandy friend could turn me into a tree again?”

“He’d damn well better not.” Zeus snarled.

“Well, I could always try to kill her again, and then you could interfere. Again.” Hades deadpanned. He smirked at his brother’s glare. “What? Too soon?”

“I hate you.”

“Believe me, brother, the feeling is mutual.”

“Doubt it.” 

Thalia groaned. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“I beat him in a fight,” she started. He wasn’t surprised thus far. “Blew out his knee and then electrocuted his arm. I had him dead to rights, my spear pushed into his neck...”

“But you hesitated.”

“Yeah.”

“Because it was Luke.”

“...Yeah.”

“He made a move, something that set off your instincts, and you reacted.”

“Did he just figure it all out from that and put it together? That’s a little crazy.” Frank admitted. 

“Just goes to show how close they are, I guess.” Hazel shrugged.

“Their love was so strong–!”

“Shut. Up.” Thalia glared at Aphrodite, who smirked back at her.

“Never.”

Thalia closed her eyes and nodded.

Naruto took another breath and stared over the horizon. A split second reaction like that? Accidental on Thalia’s part, but Luke’s was borderline drastic, if not suicidal. Yes, she bested him in a fight, but to have him suddenly try something afterwards? Any demigod– Hell, even most mortals would react the same way.

“You’ll get through this, Tree Girl.” He rubbed her arm. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

“Promise?”

She held her hand up, ring and pinky fingers up. It was a test they developed a long, long time ago after a run in with a shapeshifter that had a penchant for mischief.

“...You-you don’t think–?” Hermes mumbled, only to be hushed by Apollo.

“I’m hoping not, but our luck’s not been the best lately. Let’s not push it.”

He locked his free hand’s ring and pinky fingers around hers, and gave her a small half-smile.

“Promise of a lifetime.”

“And then they hugged.” Aphrodite golf clapped.

“Really?” Athena arched an eyebrow. “That’s rather...tame, coming from you.”

“Still too much.” Artemis grumbled.

“What? I didn’t say kiss this time. This is a fluff moment!” Aphrodite smirked. “The kissing can come later.”

“There it is.” Athena sighed while Artemis scowled at the goddess.

Stepping onto Olympus for the first time was breathtaking. She knew it was glamorously decorated for the coming solstice party, but Thalia couldn’t imagine anywhere else looking half as amazing. Spirits and minor gods were froliking in the main hall. They whispered and stared at the demigods as they completed their quest.

Artemis had been rescued.

“Like a damsel.”

“I will put so many arrows through that thick skull of yours–!” 

“Ares! Artemis! Enough!” Zeus bellowed, glaring at the two gods.

“Pardon us! Hot shots coming through! Move gods, we have a meeting to get to!” Apollo swiftly and oh-so-subtly parted the gawking crowd as he led them to the council chambers of Olympus.

“When it works, it works.” Apollo shrugged at the looks he received.

As they came to the council doors, he rested his hand on one and looked back at them. “Ready for a heroes’ welcome?”

“Apollo.” Artemis pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just open the damn doors.”

“Alright, alright. Killjoy.” He huffed before gently pushing on the door, and having both swing open. “Now for our next trick–!”

Apollo and Artemis flashed away, reappearing on their thrones in forms that were easily ten feet tall. Apollo looked around and then pouted at the man in a pinstripe suit sitting in the very center of the chambers atop a golden throne.

“Did you really have to–?”

“You’re seven minutes late.” The man rumbled, his voice reverberated through the chamber, and his eyes filled with lightning, cowing the playful God of The Sun into silence. Thalia couldn’t help herself, she stared. It was him, the cause of all of her misery, of her brother’s demise, and That Woman’s insanity. It was her father.

Zeus.

“Apollo, if you would?” Poseidon asked.

“...Yeah, I’ll risk it because you asked.” Apollo gave Zeus a pointed look as he snapped his fingers and made the most dramatic sound bite associated with a prairie dog echo in the chambers.

“Apollo. You get one pass.” Zeus growled, his eyes locked on his smirking brother while his sun-ruling son pumped his fist.

Discussion began shortly after Artemis was welcomed back, but Thalia ignored them and focused on him. The gods’ voices became muted, background noise. He was imposing, not even counting his height, but his very frame exuded the feeling of power. His beard reminded her of a dark storm cloud and his eyes were just like hers. His brow had creases in it and his scowl could be seen clearly even through his thick beard.

Did she look like that when she scowled? How did she even have friends?

“My scowl isn’t that bad.” Zeus scowled.

“Have you noticed how none of your children look at you when you scowl?” Hades asked, smirking.

“Wha–That’s…” Zeus growled when he realized it was true.

“Then it is decided.” Zeus’ voice snapped Thalia from her thoughts. “The Ophiotaurus will be kept on Olympus under careful eye. Hephaestus, begin making a container for it.”

Thalia glanced around and almost jumped at the bathtub that had suddenly appeared beside Percy. The Ophiotaurus, Bessie, was enjoying chin scratches from the boy. She leaned over to Whiskers, who hadn’t left her side since they got there.

“How long has that been there?”

“Three minutes. Four tops. They’ve been talking for a while.” Whiskers murmured back, his hands still resting at his side. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes and their gazes locked. A single question was asked of her: Ready?

Thalia nodded.

“Already telepathically communicating and not a single kiss has been exchanged yet?” Aphrodite hummed. “This romance might be better than the one between Thalia and the hunk of Apollo’s.”

“I might have to disagree with her,” Jason said to Piper. “Still got Joan and Bolt in that one.”

“Shut up, Jason.” Thalia growled as her brother’s girlfriend giggled.

He looked back up and Thalia followed his gaze. Her heart leapt in her throat.

Zeus, Poseidon and Hades were staring at her.

Her father regarded her with a blank, neutral stare. She couldn’t read him, other than while he stared at her she was not being looked at with ire. Maybe it was ...warm? It was hard to say.

Poseidon was definitely Percy’s father, they were practically clones, only Percy had more of a Kelp-Headed quality to him that Poseidon lacked.

“Wow, I mean. Seriously?” Percy scowled.

“Yep.” Thalia shrugged. “I call it like I see it, Kelp Head.”

The King of the Seas held his trident proudly and gave her the same smile that a stranger on a beach would when walking by. Definitely more laid back than the easily raged God he was made out to be.

“Time changed all of us.” Poseidon chuckled before stopping and humming in thought. “Well, except Athena.”

“You–!” Athena glared at her sea-ruling uncle as he rubbed his eye with his middle finger.

The last of the brothers, who she expected to be seething outright that she still lived, seemed indifferent. Hades looked more annoyed, maybe, but he wasn’t angry. He wasn’t blazing with unholy fire as that Disney film had prepared her for.

“Love that iteration.” Hades chuckled. “Hate his motivation, but I so enjoyed James Woods’ performance.”

If you want that, look at Hera. Aphrodite’s quick whisper drew Thalia’s attention to her step-godmother.

An error had been made.

“And then she exploded.”

“Too quick.” Hera scoffed at Ares’ assumption of how she’d deal with her stepdaughter.

Hera looked spectacular. Her beauty rivaled the annoying Goddess that infiltrated her mind. Cascading hair decorated with a fine crown and jewelry, sharp features that models across the world strived to emulate. It was her eyes that really set off every danger sense in her body; that gaze was nothing short of controlled fury. She looked ready to lash out if Thalia so much as sneezed wrong. This was the goddess that her father cheated on regularly? 

What is he, an idiot? Thalia thought, a little upset on Hera’s behalf. 

“Wonder of wonders.” Hera scoffed and threw a look at her husband, who had the gall to look offended.

“An idiot was I when I saved your life?”

“I mean, kind of?” Thalia shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, thanks and I’m grateful to be alive now and all, but...at least then I’d have known about Jason sooner.”

“Dark, Thalia.” Jason mumbled to his sister, who shrugged. It was how she saw it.

No, she wasn’t keen on being glared at, but she understood where the goddess was coming from. That Woman hardly compared, in Thalia’s opinion.

“Thalia!” Grover coughed as he elbowed her and tore her attention away from the queen. She frowned at him and he bit his lip before shrugging. “You’re, uh…sparkly.”

“She’s a vampire! I knew it!” Leo declared.

“I’d damn well better not be!” Thalia seethed.

What? Thalia looked herself over. No lightning was dancing on her skin, and she didn’t feel that charge in the air–Wait. Her eyes narrowed and she peered at her arm, twisting it slowly in the light and–

“...Why am I covered in glitter?”

“Stripper glitter, or bog standard body glitter?” Apollo asked for scientific reasons. He pointedly ignored his twin’s sharp glare.

“Neither!” 

The question was directed at the only one who might have an idea.

“I’m so smote before this night is done.” Whiskers grumbled to himself.

“He’s not wrong.” Zeus grumbled.

She glared at him.

“Answer my question!”

“I dunno, he’s got a sick sense of humor!” Whiskers snapped back before looking at Artemis. “Lady Artemis, are you able to direct some moonlight onto Thalia?”

Rather than answer the request, Artemis narrowed her eyes.

“What did you do?”

“Oof, you straight up hit him with the Mom question.” Apollo winced.

“Well, Mother had taught me well whenever she had to save you from your own stupidity.”

“I…” He hesitated and looked at her with worry in his eyes, before looking back at his mother. He took a deep breath before he spoke again. “I used a favor from Khonsu to prevent Thalia from becoming the demigod mentioned in the Grand Prophecy.”

“Ballsy. He said it to all of us.” Ares snorted. He sat back in his throne. “He’s dead. I give him three, four minutes tops.”

Lightning crashed in the skies outside.

“What did you do to my demigod, mortal?” Zeus bellowed as he rose from his throne. Thalia wasn’t sure if he was acting this way out of some sort of parental love, or out of pride. Either way, Whiskers stared him down, his jaw set.

“He refused to put a ring on it. The nerve.” Hermes chuckled to himself.

“Don’t joke.” Hera scowled at him.

“Your Majesty, I ensured that Thalia will turn seventeen the instant the Moon’s light falls on her.”

“You dared to use Egyptian magic on my Demigod?!” Lightning gathered in the god’s eyes.

Oh. Oh &$%*. Thalia looked between the gods.

Artemis’ grip on her throne was tight and Apollo’s looked no better, both looked ready to intervene at a moment’s notice. Aphrodite was scowling at the King, and Hera likewise was frowning. Hephaestus, Hermes, Demeter and Dionysus seemed indifferent. Ares was grinning at the ensuing chaos, while Athena was staring at her.

“If I could’ve determined the magic used, I might be able to find a resolution to reverse it.” Athena muttered.

“Guessing you don’t.” Poseidon smirked at her glare. “Unsurprising.”

“Zeus.” Poseidon’s voice, like a wave crashing against a cliff, was one of warning. “You endanger my son with your temper.”

“And my daughter.” Hades’ cool voice sent a shiver up Thalia’s spine. She flicked her gaze to Bianca, who stood on Whiskers’ other side. He drummed his fingers on his obsidian throne when the King sent him a furious stare. “Why bother hiding it? She’s a Hunter now. You risk the ire of two Olympians if you destroy her.”

“...Wow, thanks dad.” Bianca muttered under her breath. Hades’ eyes flicked to her and she jumped, before he huffed and glowered at Artemis.

“I’m still pushing to ratify your need for parental signatures from Olympians to take in their children,” Hades drawled, not-so-subtly glaring at Artemis.

Thalia sympathized with the younger girl.

“You too, Hades?” Poseidon’s look at his brother was more of surprise than anger.

“Long before the agreement was made. She and her brother resided in the Lotus Hotel after our benevolent King,” Hades sneered with a glare aimed at his brother. “Killed their mother.”

“..w-what..” Bianca hardly managed to get the word out, staring at Zeus in horror. Whiskers looked down at her and rested a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, he shook his head, and she looked down. Whiskers’ hand fell and he looked back at Zeus.

“Lord Zeus,” he said, stepping forward and out of their lineup. Zeus’ furious glare fell on him, but he remained standing. “My interference was done to aid your daughter, to make up when I failed to do so prior.”

That…cheeky, bastard! He was lying!

“That’s n–!”

Thalia, shut up. Aphrodite’s silent command cut her protest off. She glared at the Goddess from the corner of her eyes, watching her as she started to file her nails. This meeting is almost over. Just remain quiet.

“Charmspeak.” Piper noted.

Thalia scowled. “That’s cheating.”

“No, that’s strategy.” Aphrodite tittered with a smile. “All coming to fruition.”

“If your words are true,” Athena’s contemplative voice drew the room’s attention. “Then there remains only two demigods who are threats to Olympus–”

“Nico di Angelo has already been recovered from Camp Half-Blood and resides under my protection.” Hades interjected. He smirked at Zeus. “Clearly, I shan’t trust you to watch him grow while you show such paranoia.”

“Gee, thanks dad.” Nico drawled.

“Would you rather have been left in your uncle’s care?”

“...Point taken.”

“Sneaky, brother,” The King sneered, and the God of the Underworld gave a humble shrug. “I’d not think you’re so brazen to show such care for your bastards.”

“On that topic, I would like to make a point myself.” Poseidon calmly rose from his throne and matched Zeus’s height. He leaned in until their noses were inches from touching. “If you so much as harm a single hair on my Demigod’s head, I will send word across my kingdom: Olympus falls.”

“The audacity!” Zeus snarled, glaring at his brother who stroked his beard thoughtfully. Hera and the other Olympians looked more surprised than outraged.

“Well, had we been so threatened by such a raging explosion from our benevolent king, I may have reacted in the same manner.” Poseidon admitted. He smiled reassuringly at his brother, eyes glistening with warning. “But I would not dare do something so brash if it was needless.”

“You dare!” Zeus snarled while the rest of the Council stared in shock. Poseidon held a finger up, and twitched it once. Pressure. So much pressure. Thalia felt like she was being squeezed by the power in the air.

“This is a promise, not a threat. If any untoward harm shall come to Percy Jackson by you,” Poseidon paused to look at the other Olympians, then Hades, who matched his gaze evenly. “Or anyone else here, then it will not be one front you fight on.” He met Zeus’ eyes once more. “Are we understood, brother?”

“...You’ve made your position clear.” Zeus rumbled. Poseidon nodded and reclaimed his throne. Zeus took a breath before he did the same. He glanced down at the mortal, a storm of emotions played across his face, before he looked at Artemis. “Direct the moonlight, Artemis. Let us see if your “son’s” words ring true.”

Artemis’ eyes narrowed before she looked at Whiskers. He nodded and she glanced at Thalia. Their eyes met, and Artemis’ gained a silver glow. Thalia let out a grunt of discomfort as she felt her body grow. It wasn’t by much and didn’t last long, but it happened all the same. There was a soft tear of fabric and, with a quick glance, she was relieved to find nothing had fallen off.

“That would’ve made it memorable.” Ares chuckled. “And hey, free strip show.”

“Ooh, I should’ve ensured that would’ve happened. That would have caused feelings to emerge.” Aphrodite mused thoughtfully.

“Please stop talking.” Thalia groaned.

“As expected of the Egyptians, so tasteless.” Aphrodite huffed aloud and snapped her fingers. Thalia blanched as a pink light flashed around her. Looking down–yep. The stupid jacket was back, and her ruined clothes had been replaced with identical ones that fit.

“Whoa...I feel so clean.” Percy mumbled beside her. Thalia looked at him and scowled. He was wearing a fresh new Camp T-shirt and clean dark jeans. Other than that, his appearance remained the same.

Lucky bastard.

“Ha, it’s funny because it’s true.” Apollo chuckled.

“I…love it.” Annabeth’s grumbling had her look at the girl. Her hair was pulled free from her traditional ponytail, and the grime and dirt had been cleaned from her person. Her camp shirt and jeans had been replaced by an elegant blue dress like one would see at a movie premiere.

“You have my sympathy.” Piper said, looking at the mildly miffed Annabeth.

“Thanks.” The reader huffed.

“I think you look great. You should let your hair down more.” Percy mumbled, staring at the image with a small smile. He grunted when Annabeth elbowed him in the gut.

“Shut it, Seaweed Brain.”

Thalia wanted to laugh at the frustrated look on her face, but refrained.

That very well could’ve been her.

And don’t you forget it. Aphrodite warned with an audible smirk. Although, the smirk she wore on her face at the moment was aimed at another.

“Aphrodite.” Artemis’ growl drew the eyes of the room and mid turn, Thalia saw why Aphrodite was smirking.

“...You didn’t!” Artemis glared daggers at the goddess she so despised.

“Oh, I definitely did.” Aphrodite smirked back.

Bianca was left untouched, but Whiskers’ clothes had been completely swapped. His Dam pants and DAM belt were replaced with new light Levis that probably fit his form perfectly and the tip of a dark leather belt poked out from the hem of his shirt. An acid-stained denim jacket was worn over the Moon Knight shirt, which was partially tucked in. His hair was trimmed along the sides, giving more emphasis to the circlet around his head, and in the helix of his ear was a silver ear cuff that bore an inscription of an axe.

“...That’s certainly a look.” Reyna blinked.

“He’s not–It’s just…” Thalia spluttered, cheeks reddening along with other girls.

“Wow. He looks like he just got done working security at a comic con booth.” Nico mused, crossing his arms. “Or at a rock show.”

“Stop staring, Wise Girl.” Percy frowned. Annabeth smiled at him apologetically and pecked his cheek. “...Okay, forgiven.”

Whiskers’ eyes were closed and his arms were crossed. His jaw flexed and his left eyebrow twitched. Clearly, he was just as thrilled to have his clothes jacked as she and Annabeth were.

“There we are. All set for the evening.” Aphrodite smiled at the council, who stared at her.

“You’re all welcome.” Aphrodite hummed, filing her nails.

“What? We’re essentially done here, aren’t we? Thalia Grace is too old now, Bianca di Angelo is a Hunter, and we’ve all heard what Hades and Poseidon said. Is there anything else?”

“Uh, the Titans? We could talk about them.” Ares pointed out. He scowled back at the goddess’ frown. “What? They just kidnapped the Cu-Huntress! We should sack their place while their general is down!”

“They would expect it and be able to rout any attacking force we send there now.” Athena refuted with a scoff. “As usual, you think of the immediate battle, and not the entire war.”

“Listen here, you smug–!”

“The Solstice Meeting is not the time nor place to discuss this!” Zeus declared, looking at the god of war pointedly. Ares threw his arm up in disbelief and slumped in his throne. The King looked over at Athena. “We will set aside time in the next meeting to determine strategy. Tonight, we will celebrate the end of the year.”

“Yes, party time!” Dionysus smiled.

“Not for you.” Zeus drawled.

“Ugh.”

“And with that, I shall make my leave.” Hades stood, his throne vanishing behind him as he did. He glanced at Bianca and gave her a nod before looking at Artemis. “I leave my daughter with you, Artemis.”

“Your approval is unnecessary, but welcome.” Artemis muttered, her lip curling the longer she stared at him. The God of the Underworld smirked before he slowly disappeared. The throne room was quiet, the gods patient.

“...Did he leave?” Bianca asked.

“Boo.” Hades reappeared behind Apollo, who jumped in his throne.

“Why!? Why is it always me!?” Apollo glared at his uncle.

“Because you demand so much attention, dear nephew.” Hades smirked.

He smirked, not at the startled god, but at the demigods, who were holding their chests. He glanced back at the fuming Zeus and the scowling Poseidon. “Happy Solstice, Brothers. Sisters. If you’ll excuse me, I have a wife to entertain and a son to corral.” 

He left with a dark chuckle.

“So glad he’s in such a good mood. I hate it when he does that.” Apollo grumbled, slumping in his throne. Thalia agreed, still frowning from being caught off guard so swiftly. And Annabeth’s hat let her do the same thing? She’d have to put a bell on the girl. The god of light started to rise. “Well, since we’re done, I have a playlist to set up–”

“There is one matter I wanted to bring up once he left.” Artemis interjected. She glared at her brother when he whined at her. “It will take only five minutes at most.”

“You are such a child.” Artemis huffed.

“Pot, meet kettle.”

“Fine!” The sunny twin slumped back in his seat and crossed his arms. Artemis looked over at Zeus.

“I wish to induct my son, Naruto, as a member of The Hunt.”

Silence.

“...doesn’t he have to be a girl?” Percy whispered to Annabeth. She looked at him and shrugged.

“That’s what I always thought.”

“Okay, so he’ll be a she.” Dionysus rolled his eyes. “Are we done now? I have drinks to sam-prepare.”

“Your fifty years could always be returned.” Zeus drawled.

“That was the other me!” Dionysus scowled.

“I will be inducting my son, Dionysus.” Artemis clarified once more. She scowled at her smirking twin. “I’d already tried to go that route once.”

“Best wager ever. You’re welcome by the way,” Apollo said, looking at Whiskers, who stared impassively back at him.

“Yes. You’ve saved us all so much trouble by winning a bet that would ensure Mother didn’t change me into a girl.” Whiskers drawled. “Thank you, Uncle.”

“That must have been some bet.” Leo pondered. “I mean, we’ve seen him as a hottie before, right?” 

“We sure did.” Hermes grinned as he pulled his phone out and ogled the picture. “Opportunity missed.”

He yelped when the phone was nearly knocked from his hand by a silver arrow.

“Anytime, lil’ Nephew! Anytime!” 

“What wager was this?” Zeus asked, frowning. 

“October of Ninety-Two.” Hermes answered. He was looking at his watch. “Upon losing, Artemis would swear on the styx to not change the kid into a girl and if he lost, Apollo would forgo making demigods for a whole year.”

“...Thank Us I won.” Apollo sighed in relief.

“That’s beyond aggravating.” Artemis groused.

“And what was the subject of the bet that caused him to make such a ridiculous wager?” Poseidon asked, the other gods staring at the smirking Sun god in disbelief. Thalia was among their number. Cabin Seven had the most campers assigned to it out of the whole camp. How was Apollo sure he hadn’t needed to keep it in his pants for a year?

“Best birthday gift. Lil’ Nephew was turning five. I got it right.” Apollo chuckled. Thalia looked at Whiskers, who still looked indifferent, if not a little confused on the subject matter.

“He probably doesn’t remember it.” Annabeth hummed.

“Do you remember yours?” Reyna asked.

“Yep. Got an architecture coloring book...a few days after,” she added softly.

“And..?” Demeter pressed.

“My lil nephew was so cute…all he wanted that year was a comic book about a superhero that fought for the Moon.” Apollo smirked at his twin. “Your ignorance to pop culture was your downfall.”

“Behold!” Apollo declared while smirking at his twin. “The power of cable and the internet, dear sister of mine! Mwahahahaha!” 

Artemis started to reach out to strangle her brother, but just barely held herself back. 

“You rigged the bet.” Artemis growled at her twin, eyes glowing. “You cheated! You always cheat!”

“We’ve gone over this. I’m the God of Prophecy,” Apollo said, waving her off. “Precognition over mortals’ actions is pretty much in the definition, and he had been reading Michelle’s Spider-Man comics for a while at the time.”

“Should’ve never let him read about Curt Connors.” Artemis frowned. “He had nightmares for months.”

A soft groan emitted from Whiskers, and Thalia smirked at his grimace.

“Oh, that’s an embarrassing moment for sure.” Percy snickered along with the others.

She was going to use that against him later. That might explain why he had a thing against lizards, and why he kept glaring at Ladon.

“So why not turn him into a girl temporarily and have him take the oath then?” Percy asked. Whiskers looked at him sharply and he shrugged. “Uh, sorry?”

“The next time we meet in combat, you’re going to wish you still had that jacket.”

“Oh, come on! How is that my fault?!”

“You’re the one who said it.” Frank pointed out around his chuckles.

“...So?!” 

“Relax, what’s the worst that he could do?” Frank shrugged.

“One Thousand Years of Death.” Leo chirped.

“...I’m sorry, Percy, I can’t help you with that.”

“Thanks for the support, Frank.”

Whiskers’ flat delivery left Percy with a pale look on his face. Thalia snorted. Percy totally deserved that. What kind of dumb suggestion was that?

“Besides, the oath will not work that way.” Poseidon mumbled, drumming his fingers on the throne. He looked at Percy with a gentle smile. “It must be a female that is inducted under the protections. A male, a mortal, requires approval from the god who oversees them.”

“...Wait,” Annabeth said, looking at The King of Olympus. “That means she needs–”

“My approval.” Zeus hummed. He looked at Whiskers, noticeably sparking in his eyes as he did, and then at Artemis. “No.”

“No?” Artemis frowned. Apollo also looked taken aback.

“I’m with them!” Apollo blinked, looking at Zeus along with the scowling Artemis. “No?!”

“He used Egyptian Magic on my demigod.” Zeus deadpanned. “I would not allow him to become immortal by any stretch of the word.”

“Need I repeat myself?” He challenged. He leaned forward on his throne. “The last men who joined your hunt, how long did they last?”

“To be fair, that was Aphrodite’s fault.” Artemis pointed out. 

“And to be fair to me, he was a really unreasonable boy.”

“He was asexual!” Artemis spat out.

“Exactly.” Aphrodite huffed. “So unreasonable.”

“And we all know where that led to.” Hades glared at Artemis, then Apollo.

“Enough! Let us finish this chapter so we may move on.” Zeus barked at the ever growing circle of glares.

Artemis was silent.

“Exactly. Furthermore, I declared previously that this mortal was not to step foot on Olympus again.” Zeus rose from his throne once more. “On top of dismissing my previous decree, he has exposed demigods to Egyptian magic and to the existence of others. Your connection to him, and his role in retrieving you, is all that stays my hand from smiting him here and now.”

“Should’ve still smote him.” Zeus grumbled.

“Yes, you should have.” Hades sighed. “I could’ve recruited him then and there. Maybe make him Nico di Angelo’s personal assistant.”

“...That...actually sounds awesome.” Nico grinned. “My own personal ninja.”

“And he’s pretty good eye candy, too.”

“Yeah–I mean, no!” Nico glared at Apollo, who snickered to himself.

Artemis’ jaw flexed but she nodded. Zeus huffed before he looked at the other Olympians.

“Let it be known that after this night is over, the mortal son of Artemis will never be welcomed back on Olympus, and is henceforth barred from stepping foot in Camp Half Blood!”

“Father!” Artemis vocally protested, frowning at the King.

“My opinion has been shared on the matter and you should be grateful for it!” Zeus refuted, his voice booming. “His punishment is extremely lenient, Artemis. Count your blessings.” 

Thalia felt the wind leave her as if she’d been punched in the gut. She looked worriedly at Whiskers, whose eyes were wide as he stared at Zeus. Forbidden from Olympus? Barred from Camp? What?

Well done, Thalia Grace, well done. You’ve successfully ruined any chance he had of being safe from me.

“...Well, I can guess who the supervillain is to his superhero.” Leo drawled. His gaze turned to Thalia. “Great job.”

“Oh, come on! It was his idea! Mine was to become a Hunter!” Thalia threw her arms up.

“Yes, and how well has that gone over with your driving instructors–Oh, wait.” Nico cut himself short and smirked. “You can’t get a license.”

“Or tattoos.” Percy hummed. He looked at his scowling cousin. “Wait, is that why you’re so hard on me?”

“...I will erase your existence.” Thalia grit out.

Aphrodite’s cool voice had her turn to glare at the goddess, who was meeting her stare evenly and with a small smile. Her eyes flashed dangerously. I told you not to accept the deal. You reap what you sow, darling.

“This Winter Solstice meeting is adjourned,” Zeus boomed, his voice taking on a lighter tone. “Let the festivities commence!”

“And thus the sad clowns walked in.” Apollo applauded.

“What clowns? It’s a festivity!” Zeus argued. 

“Really set it off with a bang, pops.”

“Apollo, do not test me–Artemis, cease your glare!” Zeus glared back at his daughter. She turned away with a huff and he scowled. He leaned over to Poseidon. “What’s with her attitude?”

“If I tell you, you won’t learn.” Poseidon drawled. He shrugged at the glare. “Sorry, brother. You made this bed, now you must lie in it.”

“So what was your theory, Piper?” Jason asked while his father and uncle bickered.

“That it was the night itself that was cursed and the title was a red herring. I was half right, so I’ll take it as a win.” Piper shrugged.