The Scars of the Sea

by Farrahwaylande

Summary:

Atty's been having issues with her Humanity Fading since she was born.
Atalanta's trying to hold herself together, for Annabeth.
Andromeda never knew what it was like being Mortal, and doesn't really want to try and remember something she doesn't care about.
Annabeth is happy to be back together with her Girlfriend, even if a second one wants to join, which she doesn't want.
Leo and Hazel bond over They/Them Energy.
The Franks and Piper talk about overwhelming Daddy issues.
Will just wants to Save his boyfriend from a jar.
and Jason's a (literal) (Cis)Straight man to all this.

Notes:

Hi HI!
So, I've been looking forward to this, but before the main event, as a treat, have ALL THE EVENTS BETWEEN MRS. DODDS AND THE MINOTAUR FIGHT!
And more!
(Never say I don't do good shit for you.)
Most importantly though: ENJOY!

Chapter 1: But first, Some Context.

(Percy) (12)

 

I was running through the Streets of New York.

I had torn Nancy Bobafit’s hand off, and…

What I did to Mrs. Dodds…

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME???

I clutched my stomach as liquid began to pull against me.

Gabe’s voice.

A shattering of glass, a snapping of a belt.

I touched my nose, flinching as I put too much pressure on it.

I struggled to breathe until the feeling passed.

I felt something.

In my spine.

The fin on my back perked up, poking out from under my sweater.

After Mr. Brunner threw that Pen at me, and I…

After Mr. Brunner threw that pen, I ran away.

They had seen it.

Seen it!

I could see it in their eyes.

The fear as Grover backed away.

Panic on Mr. Brunner.

I followed my instincts.

 

Mauntauk.

I knew this place.

Mom took me here a lot.

I felt something.

Smelt, Something, in the water.

I looked around, and hustled over to the waves lapping lazily along the shore, as against the raging storm that had seemed to start after…

I looked at my hands.

They hadn’t gone back yet.

They were sharp, serrated, webbed.

And covered in Blood.

I could taste it, in my mouth, Blood, and something else.

Something not human.

“Percy.” I looked out to the sea.

A voice had called my name.

It…

It was deep, resonating, it was like the sound of an earthquake, without the destruction.

I moved, closer to the water.

It felt better.

My legs felt numb.

It was calling to me.

The ocean wished me to go to it.

To go home.

“PERCY!?” I snapped out of the trance, staring back at my mother, who had opened the door to the Cabin she always stayed in when her and Gabe got into Fights that were too big to sleep in the same room.

To sleep in the same house.

 

Lightning struck, knocking the car off course, into the woods.

I pulled Grover away, helping my mom up.

Then I saw it, Illuminated by the Light of the overturned Camaro.

“Minotaur, Asterion.” I muttered.

“Percy, Names have Power, you need to watch what you say, Get to camp, they’ll… They’re our only option, at this point.” My mom admitted.

 

I watched as my mom dodged the Minotaur, I watched, I couldn’t help.

I had gotten Grover into the Boundary, but couldn’t quite push in, it was like there was Cellophane keeping me out.

I heard a scream, and looked back in frozen fear as the Minotaur raised my mom into the air.

And began to squeeze.

“No, NO!” I called out, and the rain stopped, the ground shook, the wind whipped.

“MOM!” I cried out, and she looked at me, her face wasn’t one of pain, or of fear, or any of that.

It was Regret.

It was sorrowful.

She wanted me to be more than…

This.

She made eye contact with me as she faded into dust.

The only person who thought I was more than what I was.

And she was just…

Gone.

I was tired.

Of playing the Scared kid.

My mom was dead for it!

I looked at the Minotaur, and scowled.

It charged.

 

(Atty) (12)

 

“So, I think you’d look good in just about anything, but colorwise… Greens are probably better than blue…” My mom rolled her eyes.

“Is that an Aphrodite thing, or a Jackson thing?” I scoffed as I grabbed the closest set of Cargo pants.

All my old clothes were too big now, and it looked cute enough that Aphrodite was just letting me deal with that.

Which included my shoes.

Which was good, but they were about three times the size of my feet.

Which was bad.

It was… weird.

I wasn’t a fish anymore.

My nose wasn’t broken anymore.

I shuddered.

It was also new to not be feeling such a Blood-Gluttony.

It was nice.

 

(Atty) (13)

 

Blood painted the streets red as I Slithered down the roads, the Gore of seventy people hung loosely from my fingers and claws, my fins, my teeth, my whole body was covered in red.

Not that anyone could tell, considering the mist.

I could smell them, Bianca, like Bones, blood, and a fair bit of woods, Taylor, Trees, pine, mostly, a nice steak, oh! And some Ozone, too! Zoe, the scent of salt, covered by leaves, eucalyptus, and dirt.

I could feel their desperation.

I could hear Taylor’s rage.

I could see the Mercenaries. And my friends.

I cleared my head.

I threw Riptide into the back of the Manticore, and slithered up behind him, pulling the sword out of place.

 

(Atty) (15)

 

I looked at the ground as Kronos, in the body of Luke, opened the door to the Castellan home.

“Oh! Honey? Did you come back?” she asked as she turned, her glowing eyes locking onto us.

“Oh… no. ” she realised.

Too late.

I closed my eyes as the eel heads tore into her flesh, tearing her apart, destroying her kitchen in the process.

“Good job.” Kronos Grinned as he led me away.

I couldn’t even bring myself to care that I had killed her.

 

(Atalanta) (???)

 

I sipped the Coffee that Sally Jackson had given me.

It was very awkward.

“Thank you for telling me.” she told me, standing as she went to look out the window.

“It’s not an issue, Miss.” I swallowed.

“Please, there’s no need for so much Formality, Call me Sally.” she told me.

“Sally, I come… bearing News about Atty.” I started, leaving a pause for what I knew was coming.

“...Who?”

Chapter 2: Respectless

Notes:

Gods it feels good to be back with this.
(Atalanta)

I was leaning over the Railings on the side of the Leon, looking down at the little mortals living their little lives.

So fragile.

So…

I stopped looking down at them.

“Grace!” I commanded, and the Graces snapped their necks to look at me.

Taylor, in his leather jacket and jeans, a single arm brace on his left arm, with Pine Needles in his hair, a pair of combat boots, and the sleeves meticulously Ripped off.

Jason, on the other hand, was in a White Skirt and a Pale blue top, with some normal basketball shoes, he had been Grooming himself, and accidently pulled out a feather.

It wasn’t an important one, thankfully.

“Tay,” I clarified, “You know what to do?” I asked, looking at the younger boy.

“Yep, let’s do this.” Taylor threw himself off the edge of the ship, not looking down.

When I could see a Pine Tree grow from the ground below us, Atty couldn’t take it anymore.

“WHERE IS SHE!”

 

(Annabeth)

 

I Pushed through panicking teens as fast as I Possibly could, I could hear commotion from the front of the crowd.

“WHAT IS THAT!”

“Stab it!”

“Which one is the head!?”

When I was able to break through, I saw a Screaming mass of storm clouds, with Tendrils whipping around, and Eel heads, so many, tearing through the Citizens of New Rome.

I was ecstatic.

I was smiling, and threw my arms open.

“ATTY!” I cheered, and she stopped in her tracks, giving a seventeen year old Camper Whiplash.

In but a moment, it all got sucked up as she launched herself at me, soon she was at least Physically a human, and Clamped onto me.

Then the ground gave out under us, and her eel heads sailed into the sky before descending upon me.

 

(Atalanta)

 

I landed, doing a kickflip with Tsunami as I did so, throwing her into the air, and repositioning myself so she would land in the Scabbard on my back.

Alright, which one of these guys looks the most important… densest bones… higher Muscle Density… Ignoring Annabeth.

Oop, there we go.

Ooh Kay, here we go.

I waved down the girl in the Purple Cape, and she flinched.

I suppressed the Shudder that wanted to spread from that.

“Who are you!” She demanded an explanation.

Cute.

“No weapons in New Rome!” a marble statue started yelling at me, and I put a fist through it, making it shatter, and reconstruct itself three seconds later.

“Don’t yell at me.” I told them, and everyone backed away.

I pulled out Tsunami, the sword was five and a half feet long, and very sharp.

I stabbed her into the ground.

“Stay, until I call for you, got it?” I asked.

“Fine.” she pouted, as best she could, being a sword and all.

I cleared my throat, and looked at the girl from earlier.

“Atalanta, Greek Goddess of Violence, Bonds, and Storms.” I introduced myself.

“Reyna… Praetor of the twelfth legion, Daughter of Bellona.” She did the same, not using her last name.

She was focused on the patch of earth where Atty and Annabeth disappeared under.

“Yeah, they’re-”

“OH YES!” there was a shake of the ground, and Annabeth screaming, not in pain.

“Usually better at soundproofing, let’s go somewhere else.” I moved us to the other side under the Leon.

“So,” I began, “I’m not going to use her name, because if I did, She’d know I was talking about her, She’s A goddess too, we have a lot of those, She’s the Mycenaean Goddess of Disaster, Destruction, Cherished Memories, and the such.” I told the girl.

“Wait… the what Goddess?” Reyna looked at me.

“Right, y’all are weird about that, Mycenaean, it’s the Ancient Greece of Ancient Greece, I’m the version that mortals adjusted for the hellenistic Pantheon, Making the focus on natural disasters into just Storms, Cherished memories became Bonds, Destruction is Violence, it’s close enough to what it originally was.” I wiggled a hand, “More or less.”

“So… you’re a War Goddess?” she asked.

“ No . I’m not a war God, I’m the Goddess of Violence. War has a purpose, no matter how far-fetched, or selfish, there’s a point to a war, there’s a winner. No one Wins, with Violence, I don’t control War, not even Battle, I’m a physical representation of what Happens in them. I know the name of every Bone in the human Body, and what order to break them in so that it causes the most pain, after dislocation of all them first.” I looked back at her, and Reyna was staring at me.

Everyone else had descended the Rope ladder.

“Sorry, I was rambling, let me introduce you.” I smiled, and Reyna looked away, paler than moments ago.

 

“So,” I started, “This is Piper.”

“Why do I always go first.” She whined, but looked at Reyna, “Hi, Piper McLean, Daughter of Aphrodite.” She adjusted her standing position, trying to find one that didn’t look sexual.

“Leo’s probably still on the ship, he’s cool, but they can be… a bit Much…” Piper let out a single Giggle as she thought about her old partner.

“And this is Hannah Pomade.” I gestured to the short black haired, brown eyed, Braced girl next to Piper, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Whu? No I’m NOT!” she shouted, and I looked at her.

She shuddered.

Me, that Felt good.

“This is Will Solace.” I showed Will, in his Cowboy hat and Red flannel shirt over a Tank Top.

“Howdy.” He nodded Curtly, he was worried about Nico.

Made sense to me.

This is Taylor, he’s keeping Mo… More Monsters, Away from the ship.” I showcased our state of the art anti-monster security system.

“Hey there, gorgeous.” He winked.

“Ignore him, he’s a son of Zeus.” I pushed him away from Reyna.

“I’m also the God of Barriers, Protection, and Pine Trees!” Taylor tried to brag about that.

He really did.

“And you know Jay Jay.” I waved through the air as we passed Jason.

“I’d appreciate if you didn’t call me that.” Jason sighed.

I turned, Smiling, to Reyna.

“And that’s everyone, as far as I know, we need two more Halfbloods for this Quest, because Annabeth is certainly one of the missing three, so, who ya got?” I asked, trying not to think of how Fragile everyone around me was, how easily I could shatter their legs, and watch them crawl away, panicking and pleading for their lives.

Reyna sighed.

“We should have a more in depth talk about this, let's go somewhere else.” she offered.

“Cool, Pipes, You're in charge, I’ll be right back.” I exploded.

And reploded into Olympus, ready to find Ares.

 

(Piper)

 

Why me!?

Reyna looked at me.

P-pretty lady…

“Uhhmm.” I tilted my head as I subconsciously raised my finger to the corner of my mouth.

“Gah!” I pulled it away, shaking my head, feeling my Scarf flutter around me.

“RIGHT! Let’s go… THERE! With you! Yes.” I Breathed heavily, unable to grit my teeth.

We heard a voice screaming “MORE!” as we passed the patch of land Atty had disappeared into with that Annabeth girl.

 

I explained what I knew, as well as my apparent connection with The Old One.

“So, wait, And Old God is Rising from the sea?” Reyna asked.

“The Sea of Monsters in Particular, according to AT.” I told her, using the Nickname I called Atalanta, because saying the whole thing all the time got annoying, fast.

“Right, and what can we do to stop him? This seems out of our pay grade.” A larger person sat on the couch that Reyna was on, next to the smaller person who had taken a seat earlier.

“Well, I can feel something with you and him too, He’s very Familially oriented According to AT, so the plan is to beg for him not to kill everything, not as mortals, but as his Descendants.” I admitted.

“Seems a bit half baked.” the smaller person yawned, holding the bigger one's arm.

“Ok, sorry, but,” my eyes defocused, “Did you two introduce yourselves? I don’t remember.” I giggled, and then coughed, rubbing my eyes.

Not now, please not now…

It was harder to fight back against the sea of Pink fluff the more I tried, it was like that Oobleck stuff I had seen on The internet, the harder I hit it, the harder it got.

“Oh, right, sorry, I’m Haze, Child of Pluto.” they looked up at the Bigger one, who just looked back, a bit sad, “And this is Frank, Daughter of Mars.” Haze introduced for her.

“Oh? Clarisse would probably love to meet you,” Will said, before looking at Haze, “And a child of Pluto, like… Roman Hades?” He looked hopeful.

“Yeah…” Haze laughed awkwardly, I saw some flicking in their hair.

“Do you know Nico DiAngelo?” Will asked.

“Oh, my brother? Yeah… Posedao has him trapped, something about almost single handedly closing the doors of death?” They tried to play down how impressive that was.

“Have you met Bianca?” I asked suddenly, before I could catch that thought before it formed a word.

“Uh, no, I… Nico was the one that stayed in the castle, he… Took on the role of Dress Mannequin for me…” Haze looked uncomfortable now.

There was also the blond with the snake around his neck, but he didn’t really talk much, and mostly just stared at me.

We sat there in silence.

It was hard.

Not the sitting with no stimulation, though that was hard too.

It was the silence part, which was hard to maintain.

I was trying so hard to keep so many dumb Questions locked away, but the box was beginning to crack, I just had to keep my dam mouth shut, and things would work out.

Better yet, Get out of the area!

“Uh, I gotta go to the bathroom, do you, like, know where that is?” I untitled my head, and mentally chastised myself for looking so vapid.

“Oh, down the hall and to the left, it’s a single use bathroom, there’s a sign.” Reyna explained, ignoring my change in tone.

Octavian, the blond, however…

“Why, wanna Touch up your makeup?” He made an offhand Comment, and my body acted before my brain.

“Yep!” I smiled, and then stopped, blushed, and ran to the bathroom.

I locked the door, and noticed I had a hand in my purse, fishing for the makeup kit my mom had given me.

I pulled it out, struggling as I felt the plastic touch the tip of my fingers, and tossed the bag lightly, to make sure nothing broke, and looked into the mirror.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

No one in here.

No one but me.

I sighed, and the tidal wave of Aphrodite subsided.

For now.

Why was this happening.

Again!?

I already dealt with Bimbofication during the LAST QUEST!

We reached an agreement!

I WAS WEARING HEELS!

I ran my fingers through my hair.

Oh Gods, it was glittery.

I needed to bite something.

I couldn’t grind my teeth, that was a no no.

Couldn’t bite my nails, they had been Aphrodite’d for a month now, and I was pretty sure it was just natural at this point.

My chewy Necklace was in my purse.

I gripped hy head, and stared into the Mirror.

I blinked.

I didn’t have blue eyes.

Wait.

The me in the mirror moved, and I backed away.

“Oh, honey, we talked about this.” She smiled at me.

“No…” I shuddered as the Pink thoughts started up again, even stronger than before.

She was here.

Aphrodite Pandemos.

I could loosely hear Drews words in my head.

“Of the people.”

Granted, there was also the little hip shake, but it was mostly the words.

“Why now.” I wheezed, going to open the door, and leave, only for the knob to not budge.

“You know, funny thing about mortals, they make connections that have no bearings, They heard I was the goddess of beauty, and thought ‘oh! Goddess of vanity!’ which then became ‘Has control over reflective surfaces.’” I turned, and stared at her with wide eyes.

“Why.” I locked eyes with her.

BAD IDEA.

 

I woke up in a Shopping center.

NO! NOT AGAIN!!!

I pulled against something, and found I was still unrestrained.

Then I saw the other me.

The Pinker one.

The innocent one.

The one I had accepted.

“You lied!” she huffed at me.

“No I didn’t! I’m fine with not knowing stuff! Why do you keep wanting me to say such… EMBARRASSING things!?” I shouted at her.

“That’s the problem.” she told me, straight faced, “You got over your Fear of innocence, and immediately latched onto needing people to respect you!” she groaned.

“Yeah!? That’s good!” I had no idea what she was talking about this like it was an issue for.

“No, it’s not! It’s boringggg I wanna do things. You moved on from thinking we had to know everything, to being concerned with how people see us!” she whined more.

“Yeah! Isn’t that the whole thing? Goddess of beauty and all that?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“Ugh!!! Piper, I’m talking about your frankly Ludicrous need for validation from how people view us as a person. Not for what we wear, which isn’t a problem, what is, is the fact you’re trying to be an outlier with it! We’re wearing a Pink Jacket, over a white Crop Top, and Jean Shorts, with some heeled Boots that are actually Viable for what we’re doing! But still, you want to act like something we’re not!”

“I’m acting like who I AM though!” I challenged that Idea.

“NO! NO NO NO!” She shouted, and stomped her foot, and just kept doing that.

There was a flash of light, and Urania picked her up as Pandemos sat on a chair that I was very Familiar with.

“Why are you so stubborn?” She asked, “ How are you so stubborn!?” she shook her head.

“I just don’t want people to-”

“What other people think doesn’t matter, I know what you want, it’s right over there.” she fostered to the right with her head, and I looked, seeing Pipes, no longer crying, and picking out even more clothes.

“No! It’s not! I DON’T WANT THAT!” I shouted, my face red.

“You don’t want to want that, I can tell, under all that Facade, which still hasn’t fully given way from when you were trying to pass as a boy, you yearn for the ignorance of what you’ve built up in your head as the perfect Image of my children.” Pandemos smiled up at me, a mischievous grin.

I tried to back away.

“Well, n-no, no I don’t… that’s…” I was shivering.

“We tried to be gentle, Right Urania?” Pandemos called out to her own more Femme half.

“Yep.” she popped the P.

“But now, well, sorry kid, but it’s your fault, you were the one that split yourself out from her, until you two manage to reconcile, you just have to deal with her being invasive, and not just something you do, and I understand it’s from your upbringing, but… you gotta heal, y’know? You don’t have to deal with that anymore.” She gave a reassuring smile to me.

“Anyway, we gotta go, Have fun, that’s an order.” Ariea told me, and I was back in the bathroom.

 

I hissed as I held my head.

I breathed out, relaxing my breathing, and my mind.

Dam it.

I tried to focus on my brain again, get it back to a less fogged state of near pure bliss.

Nothing, suddenly, the fog was concrete, and I was stuck working with this.

I relaxed, this time against my will, and three quarters of my brain felt all pink.

What was I worried about again?

There was some annoying voice in my head talking about respect, or something.

Whatever.

I checked the mirror.

That Octavian guy was right!

I should really touch up my eyeliner.

Then I heard a scream.

“ LUKE CASTELLAN!!! ”

Notes:

So, technically, Piper didn't reset, per se, in her character arc, it was more that she was only about halfway there at the end of TWWTF.
anyway, Next chapter: Atty does Godly shit, and Evicts New Rome.

Chapter 3: Snakes in the Grass

Notes:

(Atty)
Content warning: The first section of this one is right after Annabeth and Atty were done with... what they went underground to do.
there is references to the fact that they definitely Fucked down there, Atty also teases Annabeth a bit, and if you want to avoid that, just skip to Will's section.

Annabeth was panting as I hooked my finger under her chin, black tattoo-like markings worked their ways down my arms, Tentacles were writhing, as were my heads, secreting a slime that ran over Annabeth’s skin.

The dirt around us had smoothed out a bit so it wouldn’t get everywhere.

I loved watching her brain getting fried, her speech getting more simplistic until it was just panting moans and squeals as I clamped my teeth on her skin.

Her nice, Soft, skin.

There was muscle, and scarring, yes, but the skin itself was so smooth, soft, but tough.

The feeling of biting something My teeth would never peirce, running my long, serrated claws against something they wouldn’t tear, squeeze something who’s ribs wouldn’t shatter.

Annabeth was the only person who could withstand all of me.

I pulled away, my form solidifying as I was satisfied.

Tendrils and claws and heads squeezed, barely, into a small human body.

It was a tight squeeze, but it wasn’t that hard to hold after all of that.

I sighed, relaxing as much as I could without driving someone mad, and looked at Annabeth.

Her eyes were blurry, her lower face was covered in saliva from her drooling, and her shirt was torn apart, into little more than a rag with a hole in it for her head.

She was breathing so raggedly, and it was outright adorable.

Then she regained sentiance.

She blinked, swallowed, and sighed.

“Ooohhhh, how did I ever forget you?” she looked at me with that look she always did.

“And How did I ever last without you?” I asked back, running a nail over her abs, enjoying her shudder. “Did the little Birdy miss me?” I circled where her heart was, my eyes taking on a more regretful look.

“More than you know.” she panted out again, squeezing her legs together.

I pulled away again.

“I missed you too.” I said, feigning a stretch that didn’t stretch me at all.

She pulled up her daisy dukes, the remnants of the jeans she had been wearing.

She leaned in and kissed me.

Not a full making out session, just a quick kiss.

I giggled.

Me, I missed her.

The ground split open again, and I pulled us out, wandering over to where I could feel Piper was.

 

(Will)

 

I was tapping my foot.

I had been told that Nico was in New Rome, and we finally got there, and it turns out he got kidnapped by Atty’s DAD!

I sighed, and stared off into space as I heard Piper crash against the Door of the Bathroom again.

She’s done that a lot on the way.

I felt something touch my hand, and looked, seeing a snake around that Octavian guy’s neck slithering on my arm behind him on the couch.

Now, here’s the thing about Apollo.

He beat a snake to get the Oracle Of Delphi.

That snake, was the father of all snakes.

So, similarly to how Athena kids are horrified of spiders, and Ares kids have claustrophobia, Apollo kids are terrified of snakes.

So, I screamed.

“SNAKE!” I flung my arm away from me, causing the danger noodle to recoil, wrapping around the other kid's neck like a loose scarf.

Then, Atty entered, holding Annabeth, who’s hair was a mess, and her shirt was in shreds.

“Oh, Luke? Nah, he’s fine, right?” he looked at the snake, which nodded.

“Snake’s don’t understand english.” I said.

“Well, he does. found him in the grass during a scouting mission when Mount Othrys Nearly Collapsed.” Octavian explained as he shrugged, and I noticed Atty glaring daggers at the Scaled Devil.

Annabeth seemed to realise something.

“ LUKE CASTELLAN!!! ” The Goddess of Destruction screamed as Annabeth jumped out of her arms, The ground shook, wind blew, and rain poured.

The Snake snapped up to look at her, fear in its eyes.

Well then.

Luke jumped from Octavian’s neck, bolting for the other door, which is to say, open rectangle, into the city.

 

(Atty)

 

I was out the other door in a matter of seconds, it had led to a field of grass, tall enough for the coward to hide in.

“Atty, Please, Listen to me!” he pleaded, and I zeroed in on his location, appearing there, and shattering the ground there.

“I’m sorry, ok! Please just believe me! It wasn’t-” I tore through half the grass as his voice travelled.

He springed out, and more Snakes surrounded him, forming a loose approximation of a human, skin appearing around them.

“Please, I’m being sincere here-”

“IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! ” I screamed, and tore off his arm, the snakes flung elsewhere until they were sucked back into his body.

“It wasn’t my intention! The gods only listen to you if you’re more powerful than them! He was my only option for change!” Luke ducked and dodged, still able to teleport, he vanished for a moment.

I tore the door off a tool shed, and found him holding a scythe.

“YOU’RE THE REASON MY MOM FORGOT I EXIST!” I punched him, shattering the wood of the scythe as I trusted my hand through it.

He exploded into snakes, and reformed out of the shed.

“I DID?! Please, I’m sorry, I thought you were talking about the kidnapping Annabeth thing!” he ran away, and I shattered the ground beneath him, trapping his leg.

“That was THREE YEARS AGO!” I shouted at him.

“It’s the most recent thing I can remember involving you!” he shouted, flashing away towards a Blacksmith, and grabbing a metal pole to try and block another punch.

That one shattered too, exploding, and causing the whole Blacksmith to become a crater.

“You almost KILLED EVERYONE I LOVED!” I stomped, and a chunk of earth stabbed through his head, and he got slightly shorter.

“Oh, Gods, Ok, You shook Mount Othrys, and I scattered, apparently, if I get far enough away, I sever the connection, and am no longer a hivemind of Snakes!” he ducked again, and I hammer slammed into his face.

“My last memory of you isn’t of that! You already took care of that Luke! PLEASE!” he shouted, his back to a tree in the park that we had ended up in.

“How convenient, for you, but, unfortunately, I’m not trying to be fair, here, I’m taking out my anger.” I growled at him.

“OH COME ON! THAT’S NOT FAIR! YOU’RE JUST AS BAD AS ALL THE OTHER GODS, YOU SON OF A BITCH- I shouldn’t have said that.”

In less than a second, there was a torrential windstorm, rain and wind, and earth, everything shook as he clung to his tree, slowly, agonizingly, his arms stretched, the snakes biting each other on the tails to keep hold, his legs shrank, his torso unraveled, Stone, Marble, dirt, other trees all swirled, the Leon was also caught up in it, eventually, the tree was struck by lightning, and shattered, every Snake went flying off into the storm as I seethed, my skin peeling as nothing but storm clouds and shadows casted by them, void from within the Caverns, remained.

I grabbed a Snake.

“Don’t, ever, Bring my mother into this.” I stared into his eyes.

Everything stopped.

Not like, the storm disappeared, like, time slowed down.

It was to an agonizing degree.

Red, orange, and grey, all at once.

Hermes’ ‘general speed boost’, amplified with Ares’ ‘Tactical enemy choosing perception amplification’, and athena’s ‘stop and think’, all at once, Luke was stuck in my hand, under these effects, watching a lightning bolt slowly inch its way down towards him, unable to do anything, and only able to watch with his body frozen from fear as it was hit with the lightning bolt.

It exploded, the lightning splitting to hit every single snake in the storm, turning all of them to ash.

I lowered, within the Tornado, which died down.

New Rome was now little more than a pile of rubble.

As it deserved to be.

Dirty Romans.

The casualties were high enough.

Even if most of them were snakes.

I walked through the rubble.

“We’re leaving.” I told everyone, and summoned a wind to lift me, and Annabeth, to The Leon.

Chapter 4: Team Time!

Notes:

As an explination of how dedicated I am to this.
it usually takes me about 3 hours or so to finish a chapter.
I'm pretty sure I have ADHD.
but anyway, (Leo)

I watched As Atty Carried the newly Acquired Annabeth down into the onboard stables, Ignoring her Kicking her Talons and wiggling and whatnot.

I kicked the Ship into high gear, and we set off.

I felt my eye twitch as I thought about having gotten my nice ship stuck in a tornado.

Those weren’t even Natural in California!

But, there was nothing I could do about it, Considering that Atty was happy for the first time since I saw her, and that she had just reduced New Rome into not but Rubble.

New Rubble.

Heh.

“AHHH!” I heard a shout, and turned to see a Person with Cat ears shaking as they looked at me.

Black T-shirt with a skull, Blue jeans, with a Tail poking out of them, and Combat boots that seemed generally a bit too big.

“Uh… Hi?” I waved.

“Sammy!?” they wailed.

“...No, My name’s Leo.” I told them.

We stared at each other, me, confused, them, wide eyed.

“Hey, Haze? You think we should… Finish Setting up our room…s? I uh… I don’t know where you want this bag of Herbs and Bones…” a large Figure stepped into my view, and the one Addressed as Haze blinked, looking up at the new arrival.

“Thanks, Frankie, sure… I need to take my mind off things.” they sighed, and walked off.

Leaving me with Frankie.

“Hi, This is my ship, Don’t let Jayjay say anything to the otherwise, I’m gonna do a damage report, Fifth one today!” I threw my hands into the air.

“What was that?” I flinched as Atalanta Landed on the deck.

“Nothing, Ma’am!” I saluted, standing as straight as I could manage.

She narrowed her eyes at me, but moved off into the under deck.

“Running a ship with two representations of Violence, and Destruction is really hard.” I explained, Quietly, to Frankie.

“I can see that.” They hummed, a bit disinterested as I checked the Damage reports.

“I’m trying my best, man.” Taylor scoffed from the top of his tree, which was lodged in the center of the Topdeck, acting as the Main Mast.

“Yeah, that’s why I specified two. ” I sighed.

“Alright, Diagnostic finished, We need Celestial Bronze, Tar, Limestone… That seems to be it, all in all, light repairs.” I noted.

“I feel like dealing with all this is messing with your description of light repairs, Valdez.” Jason the second leaned on the railings.

“The rails are loose.” I notified, just as they fell, as did he, only for him to arrive again with his dumb wings.

Ok, honestly, the wings were really cool, I just wish I was that cool.

“Showoff.” I grumbled.

“What’s wrong with that?” he asked, and kissed me on the cheek.

I rolled my eyes.

And Chuckled.

He was wearing a Cheer uniform for a school I didn’t recognize… fully, I think I saw those colors while Visiting an aunt once…

“Oh, really? In front of… Sorry, What are your Pronouns? I can’t tell, and That’s rude, I get it.” I turned to Frankie.

“Oh, Uh, She/her, sorry, It’ll get easier, eventually, this Spear feminizes me as I use it.” She pointed to the sharp Bit of Gold on her back, which had a small ribbon on it.

“Oh, cool, good for you,” I turned back to Jason, “In front of her? Mister Cis/het white man?” I smirked.

“You’re not a guy,” he poked me on the nose, “And I just like the way it feels.” he did a twirl, “And don’t tell me you don’t think it’s cute?”

“Yeah…” I snickered, and turned to Frankie, “My name's Leo, Already introduced myself to Haze, But it seems important that you know I use any/All Pronouns, because Jay typically leans more Demigirl in his addressing of me, which I have no issue with.” I explained.

Frankie nodded, stunned into silence, no doubt.

“Anyway, I’m setting the tracker to find a place with an abundance of those materials we just listed… Got it, Great Salt Lake, Utah.”

 

I Gripped the Controls as the Ship skidded to a stop, making an ear piercing Screeching sound as it did so.

We stopped, and I was made aware of more things about Annabeth Chase than I ever needed to know as I heard something slam into the wall my control room shared with the Stable, and heard a high pitched moan.

“I’m gonna Ignore that.” I muttered.

“Good Idea.” I heard Atty’s voice, but didn’t see her.

As I got onto the Deck, I saw… a Horse.

“Great…” I muttered.

“Arion!” I turned, seeing Haze, who ran up to the Horse, and began petting him.

“Cool horse.” I told them.

“Thanks! He… um… Me and Sammy used to ride him a lot… He wasn’t very good at horse riding…” They Smiled.

That name…

Sounded familiar…

Whatever.

“So, how’d you feel getting set up?” I asked.

“Oh, uh… it was nice, the Armory’s… interesting.” oh, so they set up near the Armory?

That’s where Atalanta lives, she sharpens the Weapons in her spare time.

Atty lived in the stables, and so did Annabeth now, I guess…

I sighed.

“Ok, here’s the plan, There’s tar in town, that’s easy, Will, you and Frank can go get that, right?” I asked the second blonde on the ship.

“Sure, I guess, but why not send Piper, or Jason?” he asked.

“Well, Jay’s gonna Attract attention with his fashion sense, and Piper…” I thought about the sounds of screaming I’ve been hearing every time Piper was alone.

“She’s got some things to deal with… You two won’t be all that stand outish.” I explained.

“I’m a Deer.” Will narrowed his eyes.

“You’re a deer person, Maybe take Hannah, too, she needs social interaction, plus, It’ll be a good way to get to know each other.” I offered.

Then, Frankie breathed in.

“I mean… I can see it.” That was… different.

That was a new way of speaking from her.

I ignored it.

“Me and Haze will deal with the Lime and Celestial Bronze, alright?” I asked, and Frankie shrugged.

“Sure.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t see why not.” they each hummed in agreement.

 

“Scooop.” I popped the P as I filled a baggie with Limestone sand from the beach of an Island in the middle of the Lake.

“Ok, you’re a lot like Sammy, So I’m just going to explain this, because otherwise I’m going to die of embarrassment, I used to date this guy named Sammy back in the forties, he was cool, cute, funny, and really nice, then My dad split me in two, and half of me went on to live the life I deserved, while I… ended up with responsibilities.” Haze told me, and I turned to look at them.

They seemed tired, and regretful.

“Well, uhm… If I remember correctly, my Abuelo or something was around your age at that Point, so…” I shrugged.

“What?”

“I’m just trying to make you feel better.” I explained.

“Oh, thanks… I’m… yeah, you don’t have to, I’ll get over it… eventually.” they turned away, and we started searching the area.

“Five hundred yards… That way.” I pointed inland.

“Freaky.” Haze blinked.

“You have no idea, I could Summon it, bring it right here, right now, or, we can go see why such a large disk is here in the first place.” I offered to Haze, who thought for a second.

“Yeah… I guess… Give the others time to get back.” they shrugged.

“Whoop! Adventure!” I cheered, and they Snickered as we headed off to the Giant disk of Metal.

Chapter 5: Obsession with the Self.

Notes:

(Leo)

“-And it was like, ‘You can DO THAT???’ You know?” Haze snickered as we made our way towards the large chunk of Godly metal.

“Ugh, yeah, and there’s always a thing with, like, How androgynous you need to be, to be taken seriously with it, and that favors Afabs, but then it’s just Misogyny with more steps at that point, and some people Directly deny Amab NB people from events, and it's just, Ughh.” I groaned, having made the conversation more serious than I wanted.

“Yeah, it’s complicated. In all but pronouns, I’m basically a Trans guy, but I don’t want to have… that, and They/Them feels more natural, I hated wearing dresses and shit, but suits always felt too restrictive.” they threw their hands up.

“Yeah, I mean, I like wearing dresses, but going full girl just feels like it’d be… wrong? Like, just a little bit less bad than being a guy, sure, but… I don’t know, it’s also just, I don’t care about how people refer to me, they can do that all day, but… Doing it myself… mph.” I shook my head.

“Oh, almost there.” I said, and we arrived at a clearing.

“There.” I heard a soft muttering, and looked around, not seeing anything.

“Hey… did you hear that?” I asked.

“Here.” I heard my own voice, and focused on where it was coming from.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Hello.” I heard, the same words, with different inflection, in the same voice, but with different context.

“Who’s there?” Haze turned.

“Who.”

Then, something weird happened.

“E (From There) C (from Care, how long had she been following them?) ow (From Know.) ”

“Echo.” she cobbled together a word from previous ones she may have heard.

“Is… that your name?” I asked, focusing, but only able to see clear blue eyes.

“That- Is- Name!” She Said, enthusiastically.

“Oh, that nymph, who got cursed by Hera, you can only use words that you’ve heard the person you’re speaking with has said before!” I realised, and she nodded, I think.

“But then, last I checked, you were stuck around… Narcissus.” I realised what was in the middle of the clearing we’ve arrived at.

I looked away as quickly as possible.

Damit.

Narcissus was amazing.

They had a face that was the perfect version of Androgyny, and it looked great, to the point where I couldn’t help but feel envious towards him.

“Narcissus.” Echo sighed, sad, and Dreamy.

“Hate that guy.” I scoffed.

“That Guy.” Echo repeated.

Haze didn’t look.

“Ok, so, he’s looking into a pool of water, and I’m going to assume that’s where the Shield is?” they asked, and I nodded.

“Ok, so… yeah, Echo? How Good do you feel about Narcissus, on a scale from one to ten.” then I listed off all the numbers between the two numbers I had said.

“Three.” she told me.

“Right, cool, now what?” I looked to Haze, who chewed on something inside their mouth.

They sighed.

“No clue, honestly, guys the most gorgeous person in… oh.” they snapped a finger, “We need to talk to Aphrodite.”

“Shouldn’t it be Venus, since you’re Roman?” I asked.

“I was raised by Hades.” They told me, “Ok, so, we need Three Roses, and A chunk of some kind of valuable Metal.”

“Do I have to get all that?” I asked.

“I instantly cause any living tissue I touch Directly to Rot.” Haze explained.

“Ok.” I headed off into the woods.

 

Echo let out a bellowy “Roses.” as we passed a bunch of Hedges.

“Are… are those Roses?” I asked.

She passed through the hedge, and I followed.

There was a large mansion on the other side.

“Oh no, Not againnnnn.” I groaned, I’d’ve had Enough with the Mansions!

There were Roses in Pots outside.

I grabbed three of the things, and was about to leave, when.

“Sammy? Honey?” I froze.

I turned around, and saw an old woman standing in the Doorway.

She was holding one of those old walkers that had tennis balls on the bottoms, was wearing a set of glasses, and seemed… familiar.

“What are you doing outside? You need rest, especially this late at night.” She told me, and beckoned me inside.

I looked around for Echo, but couldn’t find her.

 

I sat on a couch, across from the old woman in a Recliner.

There was a plate of cookies in front of me.

“Uh… why are you up so late?” I asked, looking around for any kind of trap.

“Oh, honey, you should know I haven’t slept since you got me out of that burning building.” I stopped in my tracks.

I could see my mother, hugging me as the shop fell to pieces, metal covering my skin as it melted from the heat.

The heat I had given off, in my desperation to get to her.

It was getting hard to breathe, my eyes hurt, my throat was tightening.

I felt weight on the couch, next to me, and felt arms wrap around me, pulling me into a hug.

I started crying.

“I’m Sorry, I’m so Sorry!” I wailed, crying uncontrollably.

Eventually, the tears dried, and she was still holding on to me.

A door opened.

“Hey, Hazel, Darling, are you ok? I heard crying…” I looked at the voice coming from the hallway.

I opened my eyes, and looked up at the woman holding me, who blinked.

“Oh, sorry, darling, I forgot you were sleeping…” she let out a single chuckle, and looked back down at me.

“It’s ok, I’m sure you didn’t mean anything by it.” he came over, and kissed her on the cheek.

Old person love.

Ew.

“Well now, Hazel, I see you found a child.” Sammy pointed out as he sat in a different armchair from the one Old Hazel had been in.

“Oh, yes, they looked so much like you, and they were just outside, and I thought you went off for a midnight walk.” She told the man, who snickered.

“I’m afraid the years of Midnight walks are long behind us, darling, it’s also three in the afternoon.” Then, he turned to look at me. “Hi, I’m Sammy Valdez, this is my wife, Hazel, what brings you here?” he had a nice smile, which he gave me as he ended the sentence.

“I… Valdez?” I asked.

“Yep, I own the Hardware Store in town, It’s been a while since I checked on it, though.” he hummed.

“Uh… well, I’m Leo, I was just looking for Roses, it’s for… something I need to do.” I looked at the door, which opened, and in came Haze.

“Oi, Leo, you in here? Echo was-” they stopped in their tracks, and blinked at the picture in front of them. “Oh.”

 

I grabbed a cookie from the plate in front of me as Haze sat across from Hazel.

“...Sammy.” They shuddered, looking at the ground.

The man sighed.

“Have a cookie.” Hazel prompted, and Haze ate one, blinking at the taste.

“That’s… Really good.” Haze said, tears in their eyes.

“It’s a family recipe.” Sammy said, smiling again.

“So… this is kind of Complicated, but did you live in Texas at some point?” I asked, trying to get us out of here as fast as possible.

“Yeah, heh, it was really hot down there, we moved up here when my Granddaughter died, and my Great Grandson was blamed for it, took my Remaining granddaughter out of the will, I did, and now… here we are.” he gestured to the House we were in.

“Oh, uh, well, this is awkward, but… I’m that Great Grandson, Leo Valdez… I… I’m not here to ask for anything but roses.” I told them, and Sammy moved to give me a hug.

A lot of those happening today.

“I’m so sorry about everything you’ve had to deal with, of course, and your friend?” he gestured at Haze, who grit their teeth.

“She… that’s me.” Hazel spoke up, eyes focusing on Haze.

“What? Darling, what are you talking about?” Sammy asked.

“The night of the fire, I remember now. He took me, another me, half of my soul, I was supposed to die that night, I think I did… I just hadn’t… realized yet.” she looked at Haze, locking her Golden eyes with Haze’s black ones.

“Darling, you can’t be saying what I think you are… right?” Sammy looked crushed.

“Sammy, darling, It was my time to go years ago, you showed me more of a life than I was ever going to get before, your love is what’s kept me going, but now? I’ve lived as much as I can manage to, I feel my mind slipping, my memories, my vision’s rapidly declining, my body hurts, I’m not going to last much longer. I’m always going to love you, but, if you truly love something…” Hazel’s words died in her throat.

“Sometimes you just have to let them go.” Sammy finished, and relaxed into his chair, “I’m going to miss you, I just… just Remember me, Ok?” He looked between his wife and Haze.

“I never forgot.” Haze told him.

Hazel hugged Haze, and in a flash of golden light and stretched shadows, soon there stood someone new, yet still the same.

“I trust you.” Sammy turned to me, “I may not understand any of this, but I trust you to take care of them, ok Leo? You can do it, I believe you.” he ruffled my hair, and went towards his room, “I’m going to go and rest now, It’s been a long day.”

The door closed, and I looked at Haze.

They had a single streak of gray hair, a new pair of glasses, and a look like they knew things.

They sighed.

“Come on, Valdez, we got a Goddess to Summon.” they held up a hand, and I fist bumped them.

There was no glove.

And I didn’t rot away.

We blinked.

“Oh, huh. We can… look into that later.” We left the Mansion.

 

The gold was far easier, I just pulled out a chunk of the metal and used some head to make a nice looking Bracelet out of it.

I set the Bracelet in the middle of three Roses, and Haze drew a Circle around each rose, a circle around the Bracelet, connected them in every way, then circled the whole thing.

“Lady Aphrodite! Please accept these Offerings, and form a connection with me.” Haze Prayed, and I watched.

Suddenly, everything went pink.

“Oh, you really didn’t have to, but thank you, darlings, anything for friends of Pipes.” She shimmied.

Aphrodite Urania stood in front of us, the Bracelet on her wrist, joining countless other bits of jingling jewelry.

“Lady Aphrodite, Narcissus thinks he’s prettier than you, Permission to Permanently Disfigure him?” Haze asked, eyes doing that thing that cats do where they widen to beg for food or something.

“Oh, that bastard! Of course!” she seemed offended that we had asked for permission.

“That’s all we wished, thank you.” Haze bowed.

“Thank you.” Echo repeated.

“Oh, look at this cutie, here, let me just…” Aphrodite pinched Echo on the cheek, and vanished.

“What.” Haze muttered.

“No time!” I grinned.

It was time to ruin someone’s perfect face!

 

The plate of Bronze slammed into Narcissus’ nose, all of his Nymph groupies scattered, he tried to retaliate, I grabbed his face, and he screamed as his skin bubbled under my blazing hot touch.

And then I jumped on the disk, Grabbing Echo while Haze got on their Staff that they had used to carve the Summoning Circle.

When we landed, Echo Hugged me.

“You can come with us, if you want.” I told her, and she seemed to think about it.

“Want.” She nodded, and kept hugging me. Her hair was blonde, nearly reflective, her eyes were blue, like a clear stream, she was pale as snow, and had a Dress on that looked like Frosted glass.

I smiled as we took off.

Notes:

Ok, I was planning on them finding the old Hazel and Sammy in Texas, but Utah's Close enough that they could reasonably move there, so I just tacked that on here, Hope you liked that one.

Chapter 6: I'm starting to get Tired of getting Forcefemmed

Notes:

Sorry for no update yesterday, I had a day off, and wanted to just sit around doing nothing for a bit, but I'm back now!
Theoretical Content Warning: Aphrodite gets a bit handsy with her (Not quite) daughter, it's after Piper falls asleep, and until she wakes up. (There IS story stuff in there, and it's not explicit, I don't think, any way. I've recently learned that I'm not a good judge of that)
(Piper)

I was beginning to regret getting a room next to the stables.

On one side from them, was Leo’s Lab room thing, and the other, was mine.

I took a deep breath, and let it out, making sure not to let go of too much ground in the fog that always followed whenever I calmed down.

The walls of my Room were lined in gold, and way too reflective now that I knew Aphrodite could pop out of any reflective surface.

I shuddered.

This sucked.

My bed was so soft, and the blankets were so inviting… and I was tired, but I couldn’t sleep when there was a threat of not waking up as myself.

I rubbed my eyes, and subconsciously yawned.

It sounded so… small.

Even my yawns were adorable.

I grabbed the bubbles of elation at that, and shoved them as far down as they would go.

This SUCKED!

I wanted to hit something!

I was trapped, in a body I loved Enjoyed, but a situation that I Also Loved Hated.

I punched a Pillow.

And just kept going.

Until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“You know, I don’t think that’s what they mean when they say Pillow Fight.” I snapped my head back at the source of the sound, and found… Aphrodite?

I had gotten used to the different versions of her, and could usually tell them apart…

This one was in a dress that flared out, stopping around her shins, a brilliant Blue sequined thing, but had on a leather Jacket and pair of Aviators on her face, which was nowhere near as done up as Urania would work for, even if it was obvious she was wearing makeup.

If only because I could tell.

“Ah, right, sorry.” she stood, and wiped down her dress before doing a twirl that sent Butterflies into my chest.

Figuratively, I meant that Figuratively.

The butterflies that she made flew out equally from all sides of her.

“Aphrodite Genesis, it’s a pleasure to meet you again, darling.” she smiled, and I grabbed my Pillow to protect me.

“Those Romans may suck, hard, but they got one thing right, they gave me back the War connotation I so rightly deserved. I’m effectively, the only whole Aphrodite, whereas Urania symbolizes Love on the Emotional scale, and the effort of everything, and Pandemos is a purely Physical one, obsessing more about pleasure and the like, barely trying to look hot, but managing it all the same, Ariea Is similar, yes, but it's more that she’s the passion, the raw determination of all that, yadda yadda yadda.” she did that thing with her hand where you bounce the four fingers against the thumb.

“Yeah, I get it, You’re… all of it?” I guessed.

“Again, more or less, I’m not immune to Americanization, which sort of melted all of us into a pot, and just called them me, but whatever, I’m here because Pipes wanted me to show you something.” she grinned at me, and I panicked.

Pipes was the name that had been given to that Bimbo that they’re trying to replace me with!

I threw my pillow at her, and screamed.

The woman in front of me never stopped smiling as she seemed to fall through a trapdoor.

I scrambled back, misjudging the amount of bed I had left, and falling ass over tits backwards.

But before I hit the ground, I was grabbed.

“NO!” I shouted, not even caring that It was higher than earlier at that point.

“Honey, look at me.” she told me, and I refused.

“You’re not going to like this if you keep doing this.” she sang, and I shuddered, looking down as I… Uh… what was I doing?

“Aww, you’re adorable when you pout.” I guess I was pouting?

“Now, look into my eyes~” Momma told me, and I looked up into the swirling masses of Blue, Pink, and White, the Red outlines shifted thickness, and I felt myself relax.

She set me on the soft mattress that they had given me, and tucked me in for a nap.

I… was really sleepy…

She Kissed me on the Forehead, and I couldn’t help but giggle as she sat in a chair that I’m pretty sure wasn’t there before…

Then I sailed into unconsciousness, aided by the song she was singing, A soft, beautiful, comfortable melody.

 

“Silly Girl!” I was tapped on the Nose, it was my first day at Camp, but… I had Blacked out after the nose tap last time…

Wait.

I wasn’t the one getting nose tapped, I was like… twelve feet away.

What?

I watched as the me in the clearing blinked at the slightly shorter woman, who I now recognised as Aphrodite Genesis.

“What?” I gagged at the sound of my old voice.

“Oh, darling, you don’t have to be asking questions, you just have to stand there as I work my magic~ ” Genesis did a wiggle, and took out the scarf that now rested around my neck.

I feel like I know where this is going.

“Yeah, no thanks,  I’m good on magic today, I’m just gonna…” past me took a step back, and went to leave.

Genesis was standing in front of her once she turned around.

“Oh, you are Adorable, honey.” she lightly pushed past me, who fell backwards onto the wet grass, Blushing.

“Wha- I… Uh…” she averted her eyes as she tried to back away.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you wanna be cute?” Genesis asked, a fake sad look on her face.

Don’t fall for it, past me! NO!

“How did you know that?” she admitted.

Dam.

I forgot that I used to hide that.

“Oh, it’s obvious, you’ve been hiding it for so, long, But I know~ I know you wanna be nice and small for someone to hold~” she began patting past me on the head, taking about an inch every pat. “Nice and soft, for similar reasons~” I could see the skin on the other me getting less taut around muscles that I had never really wanted. “How you wanna be cute enough that someone wants to hold you, even though some already would, but, well, it’s not how you wish.” she pinched my cheek, and I saw my face get less angular.

“W-wait, I… What are-” I had begun complaining, wincing at the voice that dredged up out of my throat.

“None of that, now.” she clamped a hand over my mouth, “Such a deep utterance, now that’s just not right for you, is it?” she reached out, and seemed to pinch my old Adam's Apple, pulling it out of my mouth, before crushing it to dust, “That’s a visual metaphor, by the way, you still have an Adam’s Apple, but it’s less pronounced, that’s just how the human body works.” she giggled again, and past me seemed to finally get it through her thick skull what was happening.

“Ok, listen, I-” she stopped, and Shuddered at the new voice that left her throat.

“Oh!!! Look at you! You’re adorable! But… well, call me biased, but I can’t have you walking around with… actually…” she hummed. “Lemme Ask you something, darling.” she sat, cross legged, in front of me.

“Huh?” Past me blinked.

“You wanna be cute?” she asked.

“Am I… not already?” past me leaned back.

“Oh, you are, yeah, but… I mean, in actions, not just in how soft, and smooth, and small, and cuddleable, you are.” I watched myself shudder in delight as she listed off the different descriptors that now applied to me.

“Uh… Bu-But, you… I… me?” She tried to form a complaint.

“Oh, darling, look at you, trying to think. ” I could see past me shudder at the emphasis as she booped me on the nose again.

“You don’t wanna have to do any of that anymore, do you?” she sighed, and Past me, poor girl she is, shook her head.

“Well, now you don’t! You have other people to do that now! You can just sit there, looking pretty, and cute. ” she ran a hand down past me’s side, which caused my hips to widen as I whined.

“Sh… Let momma Help you.” She wrapped the Scarf around my Past Neck, and used it to pull my face closer to hers.

She kissed me on the nose, and let me fall backwards, passing out.

“Poor girl, I can’t really just… cause a Change like that… but with some help~” she twirled the scarf around her finger.

“Ok, I think I can just place her into a Shopping center, and have a copy deal with all this… she’d be free from the effects of the scarf, maybe used as a way of having her accept who she really is, accept that you kinda… have to think, sometimes…” she Groaned , “Why is this so COMPLICATED now! I miss the old days, when I could just turn some poor girl's brain to mush, and make her hot enough that it didn’t matter!!! Ugh, but nooo Gotta keep the Ego Alive, They were before, they’d go back! If they wanted… they never did, so I had to stop, and… UGH! Fuckin’ bitches…” she sighed.

“Then Again, she Is my daughter… our? Daughter? No? Well, whatever, I like her…” she looked around, and poked me on the chest a few times before standing up.

I watched as My past self’s chest grew.

“Alright, that should account for the Physical changes…” she ticked some Checkboxes on a clipboard she had pulled out from behind her, and looked down at Past me, who was covered in loosely fitting clothes now.

“That, Is Cute… but, no, she needs to be presentable!” she snapped her fingers, and the me on the clearing floor was wearing daisy dukes, pink hightops, and a crop top.

Also, wings.

I forgot I had those.

“Oh, she has good taste.” Genesis hummed, and looked over the clipboard again.

“Ok, so, the version of her that I just dealt with will be placed into an endless Shopping mall, and a copy of her from before I started actually changing anything will be placed in control, until any kind of Traumatic occurrence, or if Any of us decide otherwise, mostly because watching her struggle against the inevitable will be so cute! ” she hopped in place, then looked right at me, “Isn’t that right, Darling?” And then she vanished.

 

I gasped as I woke up, looking around the room.

Nothing.

No-one.

It was…

It was fine.

I laid back down, and stretched, arching my back as I pressed against my bed.

I was wearing Pajamas, but I had gotten used to having my clothes change as I wore them.

I could hear people talking out on the deck, So I stood, and Saw motion out of the corner of my eye.

Aphrodite Pandemos.

I looked at her, and she giggled.

“32 Miles from Topeka.” she told me, and shimmered away.

“Yeah, this might as well happen.” I sighed, scratching my head as my hair brushed itself, and pulled itself into a long braid.

You know… maybe it’s not that bad…

I guess… I could Try?

Ugh.

I laid on my bed.

Looking at the ceiling.

I just wanted to be a girl.

But now I had to deal with all of this.

“You don’t have to, you know?” I looked up at my door, and flinched.

Atty.

“Uh… Hi?” I waved, I knew that she was basically an atom bomb at the ready to go off any second.

She snickered.

“Come on, we’re basically sisters,” she sat on my bed, and I ignored how much farther it sank then you would expect it to, given her size, “There’s no need to be all formal.” she shrugged.

“You’re… still a Goddess.” I reminded her.

“Don’t remind me, it wasn’t my choice, but, we’re here to talk about you, not me.” she told me.

“I feel like it’s always about talking about me.” I huffed.

“Heh, yeah, it usually does, My point is, I can get the Aphrodite’s to fuck off and leave you alone, if you want.” she told me.

“You… you’d really do that for me?” I asked, skeptical.

“Heh, look, I was a victim of their meddling, too, I get it, believe me, and, yeah, they mean well, and you really should let yourself relax every once in a while, just saying, but… getting your head fucked with is… not fun. I know that, So! I’ll tell them to leave you alone, and let you come to your own conclusions, is that alright?” she asked me, standing up again with a loud THUNK, and smiled at me as she smoothed out her Cheer uniform.

Wait…

“Yeah, that’d be nice, um… why?” I gestured at the uniform.

Her face got dark.

Then she smiled.

“Anny likes it~” She wiggled as she Giggled before leaving the room.

I saw the name of the school it was for on the back as she left.

Goode High School.

Notes:

What??? Atty did something other than Annabeth?! UNHEARD OF!

Chapter 7: Intimately Aware.

Notes:

Again, as a Warning: References to Atty and Annabeth doing the Post-Odyssey Shuffle.

That was dumb.

Rule one of existing with Greek Gods and shit: DON’T QUESTION THEM TO THEIR FACE!

Or, if you have to, then try not to be as Blunt as I just was.

Eventually, Leo arrived on the ship again, and I could focus on something other than the groaning coming from the room next to me.

About a minute after that, Frank, Will, and Hannah came back with some Tar that they had gotten from the Hardware store.

“-I mean, you’d expect them to be a lot more angsty, y’know, but beyond fashion sense?” Will Shrugged as him and the larger Roman Demi-God Arrived on the ship.

“Yeah! At least, Haze’s just so Cute!” she twirled, a bounce in her step that wasn’t there before.

I saw Hannah grumbling as she got on the ship, almost falling off the little Plank we were using as a ramp.

I grabbed her by the wrist before she could walk off the edge, and helped her onto the ship.

“You ok?” I asked, not wanting to hurt the queen of the Gods, even if she was a fourteen year old girl.

“Ah! Yes, quite…” she coughed once, averting her eyes from my chest.

I buttoned the top three buttons of my shirt with one hand, without looking.

“Are you sure? You look red, and… no offence, but you can’t take your Eyes off my tits.” I admitted, and she made this Eeping sound as she scrambled away.

“Only Because you have them out!” She accused, pointing at me.

“Also in part due to Drew going mad with power a few months ago, but sure, blame it on the girl actively trying not to have cleavage, that makes sense.” I rolled my eyes.

That… came strangely smoothly.

“Anyway! Haze, you look different now!” Frank changed the subject, clearly not wanting to deal with this.

I don’t blame her.

“Oh, right, uh… it’s complicated, but I found the part of me that wasn’t taken to the underworld, and she accepted me, gave us cookies, I can make some if you want, but then we combined, and became… me I guess? I remember both of their lives, but Feel… different from either, like, I'm still going off They/Them, but… I don’t know, I can feel her conflicting feelings of the wedding photos, of loving that she was marrying her childhood crush, but actually wearing a dress was… weird.” What the fuck?

We all stared at them, as those were their Pronouns, and barely blinked.

A single streak of white hair had taken up residence on their head, joining the abundant short black curls.

“You still like… me, right?” Frank asked, looking nervous.

“Of course I do, honey, that was never a question, was it?” they stood on their Tippy toes to plant a kiss on Frank’s lips.

I heard Hannah mutter an “Adorable,” Sounding incredibly sarcastic as she did.

Then, she saw something.

“ECHO!?” she shouted, pointing next to Leo, and I didn’t see anything.

“Echo!” but I heard a Chipper voice coming from that direction.

Hannah looked Horrified.

Heh, alliteration.

“Oh, yeah, this is Echo, she’s joining us on our voyage, be nice, please. Echo, this is the crew, Piper, Jason, Myself, Haze, Frank, Newly acquired Annabeth, and Will, are all half bloods, There are two to three gods on board, Depending, and Hannah, She used to be a Goddess.” Leo grinned at the shorter girl.

“Shut, up, Valdez!” Hannah tried to scare literally anyone, it didn’t work.

“She used to be Hera.” Leo kept going.

“HERA!?!” The voice was Pissed Now!

“Wait, no I can explain!” Hannah tried, but her voice was drowned out by ethereal Greek swearing.

We all stood there, listening to this Teenager getting cussed out in Greek on the Deck of a ship that could fly.

I sighed.

Why did I even have to do any of this…

 

I collapsed back onto my bed, and Hoped, actively refusing to pray, that I would get to actually rest for once.

I began to finally nuzzle into the Pile of Pillows when I heard them starting up again next door.

DAMIT!

I should also explain something else about being an Aphrodite kid, beyond what you’d expect a child of the goddess of Sex to have, I can feel people’s emotions.

Every one of us can, but I’m more sensitive to it, Apparently, as Selina told me.

So now?

Now, I was in my bed, stuck listening to what sounded like Industrial Oil drilling equipment getting attacked by a giant Squid, and was way too aware of what they were feeling.

I tried to cover my head with a pillow.

Nothing.

I tried ignoring it.

Nothing.

I tried to wait.

…

I waited…

…

 

The Breakfast bell shocked me out of my daze, and I blinked, stretching, and flinching as I felt myself Shiver.

THEY WERE STILL GOING???

 

I left the Bathroom, and joined everyone else, excluding Annabeth and Atty, at the Breakfast table.

Leo looked tired too, at least.

“Coffee?” they offered, and I took the caffeinated beverage.

“Did you… make that this morning?” I asked.

“Made it last night.” they told me, bags under their eyes.

“Can you… soundproof them, or something?” I asked, almost begging.

“I thought I did.” they grunted, sipping the sugary concoction.

I took a long gulp of the black sludge.

“Thrice dripped, thanks, you really know how to treat a girl.” I flinched as I realised what I just said.

That’s what Annabeth said last night.

Not that Leo knew that, but the fact I had never said it before? Yeah.

Then Atty arrived.

Her Cheer uniform was perfect, untouched, pristine.

We hadn’t seen Annabeth since arriving on the ship!

“Uh, hey, so, is it good if I go with you on the next excursion, or whatever? I’m a bit cramped in here.” she explained as she ate all the sausage we had.

She also made a full plate, but wasn’t eating it, or the sausage on it.

“Uh… I guess, We’re headed to Topeka, er, a bit away from it, there’s some godly energy going on down there.” Leo explained as they yawned, adjusting a screw.

“Cool, cool, uh… yeah, bye.” She took the plate with her.

“Uh… yeah sure.” I looked around, and she turned.

“It’s for Annabeth.” she explained.

“And she can’t get it… herself?” I asked, idiotically.

“She can’t really walk right now… so…” she shrugged, and left.

Will took a bite of his Biscuits and Gravy, and stared at me.

“That’s more than I ever needed to know about that, it’s better if you just don’t ask her things, it usually boils down to… that.” he paused as we heard a Milk Curdling Scream. I know, because it Curdled my milk, as all the water molecules were flash boiled into steam!

“Should we… I feel like we’re assuming right now, what if she’s actually hurt?” Haze asked.

“She’s not.” I told them, staring into the distance.

Taylor Chugged a pitcher of water, and leaned on a counter.

“She’s got the curse of Achilese, she’ll be fine, She’s the only one who would be.” Taylor explained.

“Ok, Can we Stop talking about her love life, please?” I groaned.

 

Ok, now, we’re on the side of a street, and Atty’s searching for a God with whatever Godly tracking powers she might have.

Cool, cool.

Also, Jason’s here.

He adjusted his skirt as people drove by.

About one person every… Seven minutes.

Maybe.

“Alright, so, he’s over, that direction.” Atty pointed in a direction.

Shocker.

She was floating next to us as me and Jason used the wings I definitely Remembered we had to fly in the direction she pointed.

Her wings were strangely smudged.

Like they were less of a Wing, with feathers, and more of… a bloody slash through someone’s chest.

The fact they were solid red didn’t help.

We landed in the middle of a field.

It’s Kansas, what did you expect?

Then I heard a loud laugh.

We all turned, and saw… something I didn’t want to see.

A twenty year old looking, androgynous person, wearing nothing but a speedo, holding a wine glass, which swirled strangely, half Red, half Purple.

Next to him though…

“Lady Andromeda.” Jason knelt, and Atty grit her teeth.

“Jayjay! How's my favorite Bastard son of Jupiter? No offence, B.” She held out a hand to Bacchus, who shrugged before chugging the glass, and throwing it behind himself before pulling out a full bottle.

“None taken, I’m Drunk, not insecure, I know what I’m about.” he giggled, which sounded like raucous Laughter and a cork popping.

“Uh, ok, well, we’re a bit… occupied with fixing our Ship, and wanted to ask if you’d be willing to help?” I asked as politely as I could.

“Why would we need them?” I heard Atty growl, a sound like the shaking of earth, the call of thunder, the torrent of rain.I could see something flowing out of her back, her eyes were scowling, but still wide, her breathing was heavy, she was staring at…

Andromeda…

“Oh, just wait until I tell my Hubby about this! He’s going to love you even more! And I get to win one of our bets, for once, ooh! I’d love to help you! I love helping!” she cheered, doing a hop, and I noticed she was wearing a slightly different version of Atty’s own Cheer uniform.

“Uh, no offence, Lady Andromeda, but… is this really the best course of action? Maybe we should-” I looked up, and saw a solid black sky, which seemed to be writhing with wildlife, and a single string connecting to the back of Atty’s neck.

I also noticed that the girl had gone stock still.

“Anyway, It’s been good catching up, but… I’m gonna dip before things turn Ugly.” Bacchus pointed out, and popped away, leaving a slightly Damp purple spot in the grass.

The clouds lowered, and Atty lifted, her skirt flaring as Tentacles writhed and a long tail took the place of her legs, Snakes ringed her neck, scales ran up her arms, all the way to her eyes, her teeth were sharper than Anything I’ve seen, and her forehead popped out a lantern, which became a smaller version of her, and so on, as the shape of the clouds did the same, but becoming a larger one instead.

“Ooh! Maybe I’ll actually have a kid this time!” Andromeda gasped, still thinking about her apparent husband.

“DIE ROMAN SCUM!” Ah, shit.

Notes:

The reason Atty began Crashing out, if you need it explained: She just got done doing her Girlfriend for two whole days, and was shown her Roman version, who is a straight woman, and also white, for the first time.

Chapter 8: Hatred of the Self

I was frozen in place as the ground split in the direction of Jason, Cracks and chips were sent sailing into the air as the field seemed to suddenly want to split down the middle.

Jason tried to fly away, not wanting to die, obviously, but was unable to due to the wind whipping around him, unwilling to allow him to do so.

Then I heard him yelling over the wind that was blowing my hair and scarf behind me.

“PIPER! HELP ME!” Ok, so that was just rude.

“What am I Supposed to do!?” I shouted back as he was thrown through the sky, into a cloud, and pulled out barely breathing.

“... SOMETHING!” he shouted, and then I remembered Andromeda.

She was watching the events with confusion.

“Ech, What’s her Problem?” she looked at me with a smirk, and I just looked at her.

“PIPER!” Jason shouted in desperation once more.

Again, What was I supposed to do about that??? I looked around for Ideas.

Sword? Bad Idea, I’d get torn apart.

Grab Jason? Bad Idea, I’d be in the same situation as him in that case.

Uhhh…

We might be fucked.

And Not in a good way.

Where did that come from?

I looked immediately down.

The Scarf.

I chewed on my lip.

It had Given me a surprising amount of Durability…

Fuck it.

I grabbed the Scarf, and threw it into the wind, which picked it up in a hot, Pink gust, and it slapped into Jason.

“OH WHAT THE FUCK! ” Jason shouted, wrapped in pink cloth, and glowing…

I forgot about that.

My neck felt naked…

“It was the best I could think of!” I called out to him as grains slammed into the scarf.

“ HNIUOHGYUVBHYGUFDYRTSXG ”

“It’s probably better if you don’t talk to him while it’s happening.” Andromeda told me, shrugging.

“You DO Have situational Awareness!?” I shouted, surprised.

“Yeah? I’m not a Barbaric Greek.” I decided to ignore that.

“Can you help Jason? Please, He’ll die, and you seem to like him.” That was what got him in this situation in the first place.

She thought about it for a bit.

“ PIPER! ” I heard a higher pitched voice shout.

“I’m SORRY!” I shouted at him, I knew he didn’t want to be a girl, he just liked the clothes and stuff.

“Maybe they will be Cute after this… Sure, why not.” Andromeda decided, and there was a sound of one of those cheap Party Noise makers.

“Oh, no…” I muttered.

There was a line of Ribbon from where she had been standing, to the air between the Slightly Humanoid anger storm and Jason.

The storm had become a Tornado around Atty as she vaguely pointed everything at Jason.

Earthquakes, Tornado… Was this normal for Kansas?

I watched as Atty sailed out of the Tornado, at Jason, and Slammed into the Shaft of a Spear.

Jason stopped getting held up by the wind, and fell to the ground.

I caught him before he got a concussion-

HE’S SHORTER THAN ME NOW!

I flinched as I realized that, and felt the Scarf slither up my arms as it wrapped back around my neck.

Before, Jason had been half Bald Eagle, with feathers running down his body, and Talons in place of his hands and feet, a beak having started to form.

NOT ANYMORE THOUGH!

Now, he was small, soft, and smooth, two slightly more Ruffled wings on his back, but other than that he just looked human, with the only thing bigger on him being his thighs, which I could feel squishing against my arm as I carried him Bridal Style.

I didn’t shudder as I ran from the fight between goddess’ what’s the Plural of Goddess?

Jason was conscious, also, so saw me staring at his thighs.

Something was bugging me though.

“You didn’t get boobs.” I noticed, and he blushed.

“Heh, yeah…” his voice was softer now, before he had still looked like an all american boy stereotype, but wearing a skirt, but now, with the exception of the flat chest, he seemed to fall more into what I thought a typical Aphrodite girl would be.

Andromeda slamming into the ground next to us reminded me we were still under threat of death.

“Let's table the New Body talk until later!” I told Jason, and he just nodded, his longer, silky, but still slightly fluffy hair bobbed as he did-

NOT NOW!

I spun around to see Andromeda hold up her spear, which held off Atty’s murderous intent.

So, Atty Grabbed it, which Andromeda used to pull her forward, and kick her away.

“So, what’s with the spear?” I asked, Atalanta had a Sword, and I’d never seen Atty use a weapon.

“Oh! It’s a gift from Mars, well, more a bribe, than anything, to get me to not tell Vulcan about how he was fucking my mom, and-” she spun around to hit Atty in the side of the head, only for the spear to get caught again, and used to throw her like a hammer.

“Would you, SHUT UP! Every word you say is making my head hurt!” Atty shouted as the Tornado got worse around her.

It wasn’t affecting me, for some reason.

Andromeda looked legitimately hurt by Atty’s yelling, and started to… cry.

Really?

She sat on her knees, crying as she tried to wipe her eyes.

Atty looked uncomfortable about punching a crying girl in the face.

“I… Ok, stop that, Please, you’re supposed to be me, why are you such a wimp.” Atty muttered as she stood in front of Andromeda.

She sniffled.

“I-I’m… I’m Waaahh!!!” she started crying again.

Atty growled as she clenched her fists.

Then sighed, and sat down, and just looked at the… same sized girl.

Without any of the monster-y bits, they looked exactly the same…

Well, Ignoring the different Skin colors, I guess, Andromeda was a lot Paler than Atty was…

“Is this emotional Manipulation or something?” Atty asked, rubbing her head in pain at the wailing girl.

“I… Sorry, I’m not used to people yelling at me…” she shuffled, rubbing her eye again as she sniffled.

“And I’m way too used to it… well, now that you managed to make me feel bad about beating the shit out of you, why are you crying, because I can tell there’s something other than that.” Atty rolled her eyes.

“I don’t know why you hate me so much.” Andromeda had sad eyes as she looked away.

Atty groaned.

“You’re a Bastardization of everything I stand for, you’re Domesticated. I make Natural Disasters, and you can create Party Poppers, and cry Confetti.” Atty noticed why Andromeda’s tears were so colorful.

“Well, they didn’t want to Glorify Natural disasters-”

“That’s the problem! They thought that the gods had to be looked up to! That’s why they gave Hades Wealth as a domain! It’s not so you can look up to them, it’s so you respect, and fear the things we represent! It’s an explanation! Not an Expectation! ” Atty shouted, growling.

“I think it’s also got something to do with them being more civilised, because we became a goddess of Violence, and then that became me, so they weren’t in a position to have to have so much Violence to have a goddess for it, or they realized it was redundant…” she shrugged, and Atty’s eye twitched.

“Don’t say we. what are you even the Goddess of, anyway!?” Atty shouted.

“Celebration! Chance meetings, that sort of thing!” Andromeda smiled as she wiggled in her seat.

Atty ground her teeth.

Wish I could do that.

I spoke into the Conversation.

“Uh, you mentioned… A Husband?” I offered.

“Oh! Right! My Hubby, Apollo!” Atty Snapped at that.

“APOLLO!?!” she grabbed Andromeda by the neck, and slammed her against a tree, “WHY HIM????”

“He’s cute, a bit of a dork, and… I don’t know, I just like him!” Andromeda cried.

Atty threw her at the ground.

“Oh my me, this is just like what happened to Aphrodite… they couldn’t stand the thought of a powerful Female Goddess that wasn’t loyal to Zeus, so they just tacked you onto a God and called it a day!” Atty raged.

“I… I like Apollo though.” Andromeda spoke.

“I KNOW THAT! I believe that, that’s the thing, of course you do… ugh, I can’t even Bring myself to hate you! You’re me! But… not, and not even due to any choice of your own, just because the Romans got to you, and… Oh, Fuck, I tried to kill you.” she ran her hands through her hair.

“I’m gonna… I’m splitting myself right now, and… I’m just gonna stop that.” Atty sighed, and lightning struck where she stood, leaving a crater.

“Well, that was intense.” I muttered.

Andromeda blinked.

“Yeah… it was.” she wasn’t as bubbly as she had been when we got here. “Uh… Can I… Come with you guys? I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with Demi’s, and… I don’t know, I’ll be good?” she asked me.

“Uh… that’s something you need to ask Atty…” I looked at her, and saw that she was crying again, I sighed. “Fine, We need some good vibes, anyway.” I muttered, and she hugged me before skipping off towards The Leon.

I looked at Jason.

“So… how does it feel? Being a girl.” I asked as we moved to the ship ourselves.

Jason tutted.

“No clue, I’m still not one…” he trailed off.

“But… the scarf?” I asked.

“It… didn’t do the whole job.” he breathed out.

Oh.

“Oh.”

Huh.

“Well, Guess that means I was wrong.” I admitted.

“What?” Jason was confused.

“I thought you were trans, but were either Super Dense, or just Trying not to admit it.” I told him, with a chuckle.

“I tried, you know, to imagine myself as a girl, and it just… no.” he Shook his head.

“Yeah, I understand.” I nodded, and we continued on in silence, Having learned to be in the same room without being awkward about shit.

Notes:

Now all three of the Atty's are in the same place for the first time since The Battle For Manhattan, wonder what that's gonna do...
anyway, the fact that Atty stopped trying to kill Andromeda when she started crying is IMPORTANT FOR LATER, so remember that.

Chapter 9: Salt water in At(a)lanta.

Notes:

So, in this chapter we get Atty(Percy at that point)'s point of view when she fought Ares.
also, Fun Fact: Sharks have very sensitive noses.
(Atalanta)

I pulled Tsu’s Blade out of Ares’ Chest, letting out a breath as I did.

Athena was laying on the ground in a heap, groaning.

Aphrodite Areia was Chopped to bits, and scattered to the winds of the Arena.

I sighed, while doing some stretching.

Then I clapped my hands together twice.

“Good job, everyone! Thanks for that, I needed to destress.” I giggled, and watched as the bits of Areia pulled themselves together, Ares’ wounds closed, and Athena stood up.

All three of them were groaning.

“Kid, It’s not a problem, wanna preface this, but Gah! I’m still sore.” he rubbed his chest, where I had stabbed him last.

“We all are, Idiot.” Athena looked at him, her voice perfectly leveled, as usual.

“That was fun. We should do it more often, not just Because I like it, but because we gotta make sure you don’t hurt anyone you care about, because that’s why you do this, right?” Areia Asked as her skin reconnected together.

“Ugh, yeah… I’ve been having an issue with the fact everyone I spend time with is so… Fragile.” I shuddered, remembering the shattering sound of Athena’s bones, how easy it was to tear Areia’s skin.

“Heh, yeah, that’s just mortals in general, as well as some War adjacent godliness, we feed off of our domains, you’ve been depriving yourself, so you’ve been stopping by when it starts to get bad, but how long will you last doing that? How long until you hurt someone you actually care about, someone who can’t regenerate? That’s why we are who we are. War gods subsist off of pain and suffering, which is why we need secondary domains, to keep us sane.” Ares sat on his fake leather armchair, sharpening his knife.

“Yep, I’m a Secondary Domain, so it’s not that bad for me, but it does make me a bit… intense… Thena-” Areia began.

“Don’t call me that.” Athena said quickly.

“Has crafts, wisdom, again, afterthought,” and then, she pointed at Ares, who was still sharpening, but he had moved on to a razor.

“He’s a War god through and through, but, he does still have other stuff going on, like weapon care, and dancing.” Areia smiled as she looked at me, and I looked at Ares, who was still Sharpening stuff.

“Also Rage, don’t forget about that, There’s a reason I hang out down there a lot.” Ares spoke up, putting his fifth Sword away.

I grit my teeth.

“Yeah, I know that much.” I rolled my eyes, running my hands through my hair.

It may have been foggy, but I still remembered the first time I met him.

 

(Percy)

 

I stood there, in the middle of the Diner.

Ares was in the kitchen, a hole in the wall between the two of us.

Annabelle, (I think that was her name?) And Grover were evacuating the area.

A pity, all that blood, going to waste.

Ares ran at me, a smile on his face, stained in gold.

I punched him in the neck, and slashed at him with my other hand.

Four deep gashes appeared through his white shirt under his jacket.

They sliced through the best in Olympus’ best dad.

“You’re fun, kid.” Ares never stopped smiling, he was enjoying this.

I wasn’t Smiling.

I was still enjoying it though.

I stood there, waiting for him to try and hit me.

My tail was swinging behind me, a Long, scaled, lizardy appendage.

The Pen had been forgotten, in my pocket.

Who needed a sword, anyway, when they could tear someone in half with their hands?

Ares went for an Uppercut, I grabbed his arm, step, twist, lift, and-

SLAM!!!

The shockwave of him hitting the ground was hard enough that the Diner exploded. The Effort it took for me to do had made the toilets and Sinks start swirling, stretching up into the sky infinitely, forming a vortex of water on land.

I was on top of him in a moment, my hand over his face, claws piercing his skin, holding it there, I lifted, and slammed his head into the ground.

Over.

And over.

And over.

And over.

And over.

And over.

And over.

I could loosely hear the girl(What was her name again?) screaming in the distance.

I might have to eat her earlier than I thought.

Then a fist connected.

And I was somewhere different.

 

I hit the wall as Gabe threw me away from him, his arm was still bleeding from where I had bit him.

“You damn BRAT! You think you're so good because you're a bit bigger than the rest of your class? Can’t have you getting any bigshot Ideas, can we?” He pulled his belt out of the loops on his pants.

After two minutes of trying to hit me with the belt, he eventually learned that it didn’t hurt.

In his anger, he punched me.

In the nose.

I let out an unintended whine as I backed away, Pain, unlike anything I had felt before.

It was bad enough that I collapsed immediately.

It only got worse from there.

 

I scrambled to get away from the bigger entity, my vision had gone red, with black silhouettes in place of people.

My ears felt like I was miles away, and listening through a wall, and they were muttering.

“-But you started it, so…” I kept backing away, my vision clearing.

“So… s-so did Clarisse…” I whimpered, pathetically.

 

(Atalanta)

 

I touched my nose, gently, and sneezed.

I sighed.

…

I missed Annabeth.

Right, that’s her name.

 

(Atty)

 

We were laying next to each other.

I sighed, relaxed for the first time since she was taken from me.

I was too satisfied to care at that point.

Annabeth was curled up, her head on my chest as she held me.

I pulled her onto me more.

It was probably really Funny looking, what with me being four foot six, and her being six foot flat.

I tucked a Blonde dyed hair behind her ear.

“Just as good as last time.” I noted.

I noticed her brain trying to start up again, all those gears and such, trying to make sense through the gunk between them.

I placed a hand on her head.

“Shh, sh, it’s ok, you don’t need to do that right now.” I reassured her, and she relaxed, Purring into my tits.

Is it Purring if it’s an owl?

Hm…

Whatever.

Her big, birdy brain, useless as of right now.

Being awake for three days lesbian was already really tiring, but being active-

WATER!

I forgot Mortals need water!

I burst in with a bottle of water.

“Got it!” I said, and threw it at me, and I stuck it into Annabeth’s mouth, and she started to drink immediately.

It had become a reflex at that point.

That’s… concerning.

I closed the door.

And headed down the hall.

Piper collapsed out of her door.

“Is it over?” she was shuddering, and looked up at me, her eyes looked like they were made of lead from how much she was trying to hold them up.

“For now, I guess.” I answered, helping her up from the ground.

She fell into my arms.

Leo dragged their metallic leg behind him.

A small groan, and he headed to the kitchen, probably for coffee.

 

Jason was talking about whatever the filthy roman me had talked to Bacchus about, something about saltwater in Atlanta, which was when I noticed where they were, funnily enough.

I sipped some water, not thinking about how the sinks worked…

Don’t think about it.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t think about it.

They worked by taking moisture from clouds, and using it to make drinking water, or the occasional lake, or ocean landing before we took off again.

SHIT.

I thought about it.

“I’m… Worried, about him, you know.” Hazel muttered.

“Nico?” I asked, and she flinched.

“Uh… yeah… I had a dream last night-”

“Lucky.” Piper muttered, shaking her head as she chugged a Coffee pot.

“He’s locked in a jar of some kind, he can’t get out, there are two Giant’s holding him-”

“OH gods.” Hannah groaned, “Those fuckers.” she held her head.

“You know them?” I asked her.

“Yeah, well, Not directly, anyway, they tried stacking Mountains to kidnap me and Artemis to marry us, didn’t work, but they got Ares.” she explained.

“They tried to marry Ares?” Frank popped in.

“No, they tried to use him as ransom, but we didn’t really care, he kinda sucks, but then Hermes and Artemis decided to go and save him, for some reason, and they ended up killing each other while trying to fight over Artemis, and ever since that day, Ares and his kids have been claustrophobic.” She explained, taking a bite of her eggs, and almost gagging.

“You don’t have to eat the eggs.” Will told her.

“Thank you.” she blushed, and threw the eggs into the fire in the middle of the table.

“Oh, right, I trapped him in a jar while I was going crazy and trying to destroy Olympus.” I looked back on the memory.

“You did what?” Leo, Piper, Frank, Haze, and Jason looked at me in unison.

“Don’t worry about it.” Taylor told them, eating some toast.

“I think that’s pretty worrying!” Leo disagreed.

“She didn’t do it. We stopped her.” He smirked.

“I was using you as a pair of brass knuckles.” I reminded him.

“ Annabeth stopped her.” Taylor corrected as everyone looked at me in fear.

“She fell out of a Helicopter, almost got hurt… I couldn’t let that happen, so I caught her, and… She was more important to me than tearing down the system that was trying to hurt me.” I told them.

“I… She was the only reason?” Hannah looked at me, fear in her eyes.

“Yep, without her, well…” I looked away.

She looked down.

“Anyway, we were talking about Nico?” Haze reminded.

“Yeah, he’s fine.” I assured them, waving a hand.

“But… he’s trapped in a jar!” Haze shouted.

“Don’t yell at me, also… so? He’s a big boy, he can handle himself.” I shrugged.

“I can’t believe this.” Haze looked at me.

“I can’t believe you have no faith in your own Brother.” I told them.

“He’s in a jar with little to no oxygen!” They shouted.

“WHAT DID I JUST SAY!” I slammed my fist into the table, which shattered, and they backed up.

My eye twitched as the remnants of wood faded into dust.

“ Don’t , do that again, got it?” they nodded. “Good, now, here’s the plan, Frank and Piper, you go down there, I can smell the sea in your veins, gotta find Salt Water in Atlanta-”

“Sup?” Atalanta cracked into the room in an explosion of blood.

She was wearing her black dress with her sword on her back.

“No-one said your name, it was Atlanta, missing the second A.” I explained.

She hummed.

“Well, since I’m already here…” she looked at me.

“You can go with them to find salt water.” I pointed at Piper and Frank.

“COME ON!” She gritted her teeth.

“I’m not going to let you fuck my girlfriend.” I told her.

“She’s MY GIRLFRIEND TOO! ” She whined, and I glared at her.

We looked into each other's eyes, then she sighed.

“Fine.” She broke eye contact.

“Y’all got that?” I checked, everyone nodded, and I melted into saltwater.

“Honestly, it’s not hard to find Salt water in Atalanta, it’s everywhere.” Piper whispered to Leo, who laughed.

Notes:

Ok, I can't find a way to get this in the text, so here's the reason Gabe is even there, because Percy did NOT need to hide from monsters.
Gabe was handpicked by Zeus To Instill fear into Percy, and give him some kind of weakness, because if he didn't get one when he was young, he wouldn't have one.

Chapter 10: Dam Fish Cummunists!

Notes:

(Atty)

“Uh… Atty?” Annabeth asked, having gotten her brain to function again, and sitting up to look at me.

“Yeah, Bird Brain?” I stretched as much as I could.

“So… I noticed that you… came in the door, after…” She started.

“Yeah… I can be in multiple places at once.” I explained.

“But… you can also shapeshift…”

“Yeah?”

“Uh… so… this is the biggest room, and… well… Remember Circi’s Island?” She cringed.

“ Yeah? ” I narrowed my eyes.

“It’s just… do you think, you could make a You, like you were on the island, and then… also… I don’t know… Get big and hold us while we…” she started panting as she got red.

I stared at her.

“I honestly thought you were Tired.” I snorted, and snapped my fingers.

“Annie!” I slammed into my girlfriend, wings fluttering and Annabeth sputtering as she saw the Outfit I had decided to put on myself.

A solid white Greek dress with a deep V-Neck and slits down the sides, gold trim, and perfect Makeup.

It was less of a Me, more of a Construct, but eh, who cares for semantics, It’ll act exactly the same as I did on the Island, but not be thirteen, Because that’d be weird for both of us.

I heard Leo in the room next to us scream through the wall.

 

(Atalanta)

 

I sighed as we set foot on solid ground.

The roots of the grass, the moisture of the Earth, the shifting of the Tectonic plates, the clouds, the sky, It all felt natural.

But then the Humans built their Ugly buildings, concrete Pillars that reached for the sky, wishing to trespass where they didn’t belong.

They siphoned the world out from under themselves, and acted surprised when it all went to shit.

Frank and Piper looked at eachother.

“Uh… Any Ideas where we can find Saltwater?” Frank asked me, looking nervous.

I breathed in, steeled my breathing, Squared my shoulders, and felt movement.

My eye Twitched.

“An aquarium.” I growled.

First, they destroy the Environment, then, they take fish from the FAR SUPERIOR Ocean, and lock them in glass boxes.

We headed to the Aquarium.

Worst building of them all.

 

We arrived, and the person at the front desk smiled up at us.

Frank and Piper were hiding behind me.

“Hello! Welcome to the Atalanta Aquarium, I assume you’re Vip Guests?” she asked.

“What did you just say?” I glared at her.

She stared at me, confused, but also amused.

“I just welcomed you to The Atlanta Aquarium, Ma’am!” I stumbled at that.

Ma’am?

No one’s… called me that before…

Why?

They…

I…

Am I… Old?

“Uh… Hi, we have…” Frank searched her pockets for money, pulling out three FILTHY ROMAN coins and ten Canadian dollars.

“Oh, thank you~ I’m sure your mother is very thankful, I assume you’re here for the Mothers day Discount?” I flinched.

WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY????

“Uhhhh… Sure. ” Piper let out a laugh.

I…

Wha…

No…

What?

I wandered, in a daze, as we passed the Gift Shop.

Ma’am.

She had called me…

Ma’am…

That…

“I need to sit down.” I said, running my fingers through my hair.

“Oh, no problem, Miss, there are some Chairs in the Gift Shop you can take a breather on, I’m sure your Daughters would like a look around.” I ignored that, and sat on a chair in the Gift Shop.

 

(Piper)

 

“I don’t Like this.” I told Frank, They had managed to separate Atalanta from us, she was the biggest threat to anyone trying to kill us, so… yeah.

I was still trying not to Boil my brain in Cough syrup, and Frank…

Frank was Frank, what do you want me to say?

When we came across a Large Tank, I realized why they would want AT out of the Picture.

It was dozens upon Dozens of Sea creatures and Monsters, just… Chilling in the Tank.

At first, I thought they were Sedated… but no, they were just hanging out.

“What is this?” I asked.

“Oh! Well, You two are Demigods, I can tell, Your mother was obviously some Minor Sea Goddess, and our previous experiences with those… not pretty. ” She hissed, and I saw the fins she had in place of ears.

Oh.

Wait.

She actually thought Atalanta was our mom?

Huh.

“Well, why?” I asked.

“Well, because, in the sea, these Darlings need to fight, chase, hide, to survive, but here? We have all they need to be happy, and fed, without needing to do that! But… Poseidon and his Kin are… Insistent, that the way of the wild is better than the Happiness of their Subjects, that’s why Sir Posedao is going to bring about the Oceanic Revolution so that the residents of the Waters can live as they wish! With no one to tell them what to do! Or jobs they have to do!” She cheered.

Oh, shit.

Fish Communists.

Commufish.

I hummed.

“My Brother will show you more, he loves his little Fish, I’m more Partial to… the bigger ones.” She looked to a huge Sea serpent that rubbed against the glass, which she placed her hand against.

“Who’s your Brother?” I asked.

“That would be Me.” I turned, and saw a Man leaning on a Fishing Spear, which aligned a bit too well in width with the hole in his chest, he had a single Lobster Claw dangling from his hip.

“Phorcys, Nice to meet you, Call me Phor, it’s easier to Spell.” He smiled, and held out the claw for a handshake.

“I don’t think that’s safe…” I said.

“What? No, I have a great amount of control, it’s fine, but, if you insist.” He took back the claw, and instead chose to hold out one of his hands, which were blue, webbed, and had Spines running down them.

“Uh… Hi?” I shook it, and he smiled wider.

“Come, Come! We have MUCH to discuss! I’m sure you could talk some sense into your mother, and have her tell Poseidon that we are no threat to him.” Phor led us down to a Tunnel under a Large Tank, which had sharks and fish and squids and So many other Sea creatures, some Mythical, some not.

“So! What we have planned is an exhibit where a guide leads the group down this here tunnel, and both Mortals and Demi-Gods will be in the group, Now, Mr. Old One, he’s gonna abolish the mist once he takes power, so the Mortals will need to learn of these Sea creatures anyway! And they’ll have questions, and I’ll tell them, and everyone will learn so much about the sea! And it’ll be GREAT!” he hopped a few times.

He was… certainly… excited.

“OH! And, it’s but a matter of time! For, to rise from the depths of which he was banished, The Old One’s Descendant, Of a gender other than was Attributed to her upon birth, must… Must… I don’t know, Honestly, they never said, Just that, If I manage to find A Trans Female Descendant Of Posedao, I should try to Hold them until they can get someone here to summon him once more! But, I mean, what’re the chances of that, Right?” He looked back at us, smiling brightly, showing his Coffee stained teeth.

“Heh, yeah.” I looked away.

“Such a… specific set of circumstances…” Frank did the same.

“Uhuh.” I laughed.

“Uh… by the way…” I started, and Phor looked at me, “You really think she’s our mom?” I asked.

“Is she not?” Phor looked offended.

“Well, n-no, if anything she’s like… An aunt?” I looked to Frank, who shrugged.

“Wait… so you LIED For that Discount!?” Phor shouted.

“We thought you were luring us into a trap!” I shouted.

“But you smell so much like… the sea…” he looked at me, my Wings, and then at Frank, who was fiddling with her Ribbon spear.

“Oh.” he hummed, and Grinned.

The Tunnel Shattered.

 

(Atalanta)

 

I rubbed my eyes as I sat there.

“Heh, little ones get too much for you?” I looked at the voice, and saw a Man in a flannel shirt with glasses leaning on the wall next to me.

“What do you want?” I asked him.

“Nothing, I’m just here with the kids, they used to come here with their mom all the time…” he smiled sadly.

I saw two young children running around out on the Floor of the Aquarium.

“This is the only place that has a Single Parent Inclusion on Mother’s day celebrations.” he snorted, his Brown curls bounced.

“Hm.” I hummed, and sighed again.

“So, where are yours?” he asked.

“I’m… not a Mom.” I shook my head.

Why did that leave a hole in my chest?

“Oh… How old are you? I know that’s rude, but… uh… Sorry.” He rubbed the back of his head with the hand not holding a cup of Coffee.

“No, no it’s fine…” I tried to think of an age that would be believable, I couldn’t really tell him I was from ancient Greece now, Could I?

“I’m… Early to Mid thirties, Lost count a while ago.” I told him, truthfully.

“Heh, yeah, I should tell you how Old I am now, probably.” He turned to look at me, and held out a hand, “Chuck Smith, 27, nice to meet you.” he greeted, and I took his hand in the hand shake.

“Atalanta.” I told him.

“Oh, like the Goddess?” he tilted his head.

“Yeah, My mom was really into Greek myths.” I chuckled.

“Hm, cool.” he nodded, and kept watching his kids.

We sat there for a bit.

“You know, you’re really pretty.” he told me, sipping his Coffee.

I recoiled, that was… sudden.

“Uh… thanks? I guess, Um… You’re attractive.” I told him, rubbing my wrist.

“That’s the best Compliment I’ve heard in seven years.” he snickered, “What’s your job?” he asked, and I tried to think of something.

“Naval Officer.” I told him, it would work, I was comfortable at sea, I was good at fighting, I never stay in the same place too long.

“Oh, well, What brings you to a landlocked state?” he asked.

Dam.

“Off duty, relatively Close to the water, I can get there in like, an hour, maybe, if they need me.” This was getting complicated.

“Oh, yeah, makes sense,” he sipped his coffee, “Well, if you don’t get called in for work anytime soon, would you like to go out for… Lunch, or something?” He asked, looking awkward, and a little cute, with the way his freckles dotted his cleanly shaven face.

“That’d… that’d be nice, honestly, I’ve been going through a lot lately.” I laughed to myself.

“Oh! Uh, thanks, I never really get out of the house lately, and… well, I know it was a bit sudden, but… yeah! Cool.” he chuckled in a way that made me actually… think he was cute… huh.

“Wait, What do you do for work?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Oh, I’m… a Game designer, Used to do Marine Biology, but… yeah, this is the only Aquarium I know that actually treats the Animals in any way that doesn’t hurt them.” He explained, looking a bit embarrassed.

“Oh, that’s cool, what Kinds of games?” I asked, unsure if that was the right way to ask.

“I’m working on a survival game, Like Subnautica, but you're a Mermaid, and I'm trying to Figure out whether It’s worth it to add Destructible Terrain or not.” I blinked, and hummed, smiling, before I looked up at him.

“Yeah, That sounds really cool actually, I’d love to play that.” I praised.

“Oh, uh… thanks, People usually think it’d be boring, or something.” he muttered.

“Why would they-” there was a shouting sound and an Alarm went off.

“Fuck!” I jumped up from my chair, and looked at Chuck, who’s eyes went wide.

“Ok, Next week, Five thirty, uh… Sushi Restaurant, I’ll find you, Don’t worry!” I took off running.

“JAMIE, ROSA, COME ON!” I heard him shouting as water started rushing out from farther in the Aquarium, I gripped my hand, and the Water stopped.

Right before it hit them.

When they got out the doors, running down the street, I let go.

The water shook the foundations as the windows shattered, the building crumbling as Erosion worked way faster than it should have, I focused as hard as I could on the wave, making it a more Solid thing, holding all the Sea creatures in it, and Depositing them in the direction of the sea.

Piper slid into me, and Frank did a flip.

Piper was holding a Mermaid, and had scales, Frank had longer hair and a more feminine face.

She was also covered in blood.

“Hi! My name’s Mira!” The Mermaid greeted me.

She seemed to be more of a Siren, the Roman kind, or course, but still.

I formed a Bubble of water around her head so she could breathe.

“Alright, let’s get back to the ship.” I sighed, and, for the first time, I actually cared about possible Casualties.

Notes:

Piper found a Gillfriend!
Frank is there! and got to use her spear! the transition begins!
Also, PLOT!
and Atalanta has a date.
wonder how that's gonna go?
also, the Triple A's Genders/Sexualities:
Atty: Transfem Lesbian(We all know this)
Atalanta: Complicated Bisexual(Will be explained later)
Andromeda: Cisgender Heterosexual(The reason that Atty hates her[beyond the obvious])

Chapter 11: Sunshine's Angel(o)

Notes:

(Annabeth)

My brain was fried for a few minutes, until Atty poked me on the beak.

I hooted, shocked at the sudden contact.

“So, was that everything you dreamed it would be?” she smiled, and I blushed uncontrollably.

“Well, as much as I enjoy seeing your brain melting from between your ears, I think it’s about time things actually started… happening, other than this, you know?” she checked, and the other Atty that was holding my arm between her breasts faded in a mist.

“Aww, dang.” I huffed, and stood, only to fall to my knees immediately.

“Yeah… that could be an issue… here.” Atty picked me up Bridal style, and began carrying me out of the room.

It was an interesting visual, what with it usually being the other way around, and me being two feet taller than her.

“One and a Half.” she corrected.

Wait.

“What?” I looked up at her, my arms around her beautiful neck, the scales that ran up from her hands to her eyes, the fins in place of her ears, the sharp teeth, her Kaleidoscopic eyes…

“You’re closer to being A foot and a half taller than me.” she explained as she entered the Kitchen/dining room.

“FINALLY!” Leo shouted, Piper leaned against a Glass fish tank that held a mermaid-

What?

“Hi! I’m Mira.” She greeted, a shirt from Waterland was hanging over her chest.

I blinked.

“Mira was just explaining that Phor was talking about some map in Charleston.” Piper explained.

“And… Why is she on the ship?” Atty asked, narrowing her eyes at the other Aquatic creature person.

“Oh… well… uh…” Piper gulped.

“I met this cutie in the Big Tank! She was so sad and scared, she almost missed the fact she was growing Scales!” Mira Giggled.

“Uh… y-yeah… then we kinda… hit it off, and… well, uh…” Piper blushed, clearly nervous.

“Ok, whatever, so, any Idea what this Map could lead to?” Atty Asked the gathered group, none of which answered.

“No clue, maybe Nico’s location? That would be helpful.” Atalanta avoided eye contact.

“Too helpful, so it’s unlikely.” Taylor noted, his roots acting as the stuff holding the ship together.

“True, but it’s our best bet, any ideas?” she asked.

There was a crash.

That was weird…

We were all here…

Except…

“Jason.” We all spoke in unison.

 

When I rounded the Corner, I froze in place.

There was a short girl leaning against the wall across from Jason’s room.

“Owie.” she muttered.

“I am so Sorry Lady Andromeda, It’s just… you surprised me, I didn’t think, I’m not… you-” Jason fell out of his Room, exposing himself to the crew since Atty almost killed him in Kansas.

His hair hung to his lower back, his Shoulders were thinner, his arms were less toned, his legs were thicker, his tail feathers flared out, trying to hide the fact it was easier to see, but unlike Atty, he hadn’t shrank, and didn’t have boobs, his wings were bigger, too, and he turned to see me, revealing the fact he was wearing eyeliner.

His voice was different, too, gone with the low, nearly booming thundering voice he had used to have, now it was soft, sweet, like a slight breeze in a meadow.

“It’s ok, sorry, you were just really cute, and those two were no help.” The girl nodded at me and Atty, who’s eye twitched.

“And what does THAT MEAN!?” she shouted, a breeze blasting the walls.

“You’ve been going at it for three days straight, according to everyone else, I felt left out.” she shrugged.

“Were you-”

“Can we talk about something else!?” Jason shouted, blushing like mad, which made him look cute, which was not something I had ever felt towards a guy before, his button nose, and soft curved face, with the full lips that seemed to glisten…

Oh, that’s lip gloss…

 

Back in the kitchen, YAY!

I nibbled on a Toaster Strudel, which Atty was Handling as I sat next to her.

“Charleston… Ugh, Right, Some… Rogue, Roman Demigods, made some Torpedos out of Imperial Gold, and had them hidden on a… Confederate Ship, WHICH I DISMANTLED! I helped, with, undoing that.” Jason Scratched his arm, and I noticed his eyes flick between Me, Hazel, and Leo.

“Uh… right, well, what about it?” Hannah looked up at him, as he was still Six one, a bit taller than I.

“Well, as best I can imagine, the Map could be in the museum, which definitely has A bunch of Confederate Ghosts in it, so… War Children are preferred.” He explained.

Me, Frank, and Piper raised our hands.

“Ok, the other Possibility… is a Ghost that… uh… I think she’s the reason I like looking like this, honestly, it didn’t start until after that Quest, but Reyna talked to her, she wears this fluffy dress and Bonnet, it’s really cute.” Jason muttered. “But, I think she only talks to girls.”

Me, Frank, Atty, Atalanta, Piper, Mira, Hannah, and Andromeda.

“Girls!” Then there was a voice from the corner.

“Hi honey, I know, but I’m Fitting you for the Watch today.” Leo explained.

“...I know…” the voice sounded sad.

“Ok then!” I stood.

“You can still do that!?” Piper screeched.

I stared at her.

She wasn’t joking.

“Yeah, I can, You, Frank, And Jason will go check out the Museum.” I told her, then turned.

“Will, Can you come along so Hannah listens to reason?” I asked the Blonde Boy, who nodded.

Will had Little Crystals in his Antlers, which poked up From his Cowboy hat, a Revolver hung on his hip from a holster that had the sun blazened on it. He stood, wiping his Jeans off, and looked at Leo.

“When’re we gettin’ there?” his Accent had gotten more obvious Since Nico Disappeared.

“Well, That’s the thing, The Romans are looking for us, there are some giant eagles that have been following us… and… I was thinking we take a bit longer, send out a distraction, get there by morning-”

“No, we need to get to Nico as fast as possible, I know what he’s capable of, and even he won’t last long against Suffocation.” Will told the Shorter 16 year old.

“Ok, I know, your Worried, but we should-”

Will pulled the hammer back on his Revolver, which was pointed at Leo’s forehead.

“We’re goin’, now. ” He growled, his eyes glowing a near white light that made Leo Wince as he held up his hands.

“O-Ok.” Leo whimpered.

Will stuck the Gun back in the Holster.

“Good.”

Notes:

Y'all Remember the fact that Will's 13, right?
Frank is fourteen.
and Haze is...
uh...
84/12.

Chapter 12: "just DIE ALREADY, you bastard!"

I took the opportunity to talk to Will as we walked through the streets of Charleston, and passed into the Park.

“So, you and Frank seem to be getting on well.” I noted.

“Yeah, mostly due t’ datin’ Hades kids.” Will told me from under his bandana, which covered his black wet nose.

“You really lean on the Sun aesthetic, huh?” I asked, flapping my wings to get over a fence.

“Nico called me his little Sunbeam.” Will told me, his eyes softened, I could see a smile on his face.

“Wow, that’s a lot more wholesome than my nicknames.” I chuckled.

“Well, yeah, yer a War God’s kid, aggravation’s in ya blood.” Will explained, jumping over the same fence during the pause in the conversation.

Now, when I say jumped, I don’t mean he climbed up and fell off it on the other side.

That boy LEAPED Over a twenty foot gate!

Hannah stood on the other side, looking at the gate in disbelief.

She groaned, and started climbing.

Me and Will leaned on it as we kept talking.

“Granted, what with it bein’ Athena, Yer more Snarky than Blunt, Like Clarisse and ‘Lina.” he shrugged.

“I wouldn’t call myself Snarky… ” I muttered, getting beat in a conversation by a Thirteen year old was a new low.

“Yer Subtler, ‘s m’point.” he waved a hand, and Hannah fell from the top of the Fence, landing in a heap next to him.

“Owwww.” She whined as she stood back up, doing an “Injustice Wiggle” as she pouted.

“C’mon, we got a Ghost t’see.” he told us, and I noted that the Gun was still in the holster.

“Y’know-” I flinched, shaking my head. “Uh, sorry, You know, I figured you’d be… cleaning that, or something?” I pointed at the Revolver, which glittered in the sun with its golden body and Marble handle.

“Cleaned it this morning.” Will explained.

“Uh, right, it’s just, we have Adhd, and I figured… well…” I trailed off.

“Figured I’d fiddle with it? Nah, that’s dangerous, never take it out unless I’m prepared t’shoot.” he explained. “I also Bonded with Frank over proper Gun safety and repair.” he noted, the light returning to his eyes.

“So… when you pulled it on Leo…” I realised right when he started his reply.

“If’n they put my boy in danger, then yeah.” Will didn’t waver.

“And… you’d, you would be fine with that?” I asked him.

“I’d regret it, ‘course I would, eventually, maybe after we got Nico back, But I ain’t got no time for setbacks, and neither does he.” Will sighed, and shook his head. “Whelp! No need in thinkin’ bout hypothetical’s! I see our spirit!” he pointed at a, Frankly, blindingly bright, vaguely humanoid shape.

I immediately realised who it was.

“FUCK! We’re not getting anything from that! RUN!” I warned, but… it was too late.

“Annabeth CHASE! How’s it going darling? I know we haven’t spent much time together, which is a downright shame, come, come, let’s have some tea.” Aphrodite said.

“Oh… no…” Hannah whined.

 

“I really must say, that little speech you had with Atty in Athena Cabin before going into the Labyrinth? Beautiful! A true wonder of Love, in a place in which it has Seemingly no place, and it let me win a bet against that Shiny Prick Apollo! He told me you two wouldn’t become an Item until after knowing each other for four years or so, and I told him it would happen way before that! You were already Smitten out of your Wits! Which, for an Athena child, is practically a Proposal! Though it’s a right Shame that the haunted Ballroom was Scrapped because of the war, even if Clarisse ended up doing it-”

“Is there a reason, You wanted to see us?” I asked, tired of her Rambling already.

with Atty it was cute, With Piper, it was concerning, but also a little hot, with AphroVenus? It was just annoying.

“For tea, Darling.” she looked at me like that was obvious.

“We don’t have time for a tea party-”

“There’s ALWAYS time for a tea Party!” she cheered, and I felt my Jogging Shorts explode into a ball gown.

I just sighed, rubbing my eyes.

“Oh, great, and WILL got to keep his Cowboy Getup!” I shouted, gesturing to the blonde boy, who just had the top Button done.

“He puts effort into that, you just threw on an Exercise outfit.” She explained.

“It compliments my Figure!” I complained, it actually was one of my more Revealing clothing options…

Not for long, probably, what with… Atty.

“Now that’s just sad, and I can’t play around with Pipes anymore, so…” she looked into the Distance.

“Do you think Atty would take this well?” I asked, bluffing, mostly.

“Oh, not if you need to do anything, obviously, but this is the first time you’ve left the ship, the first time you’ve left the Stables… the first time Atty’s Left you. ” she grinned, and I blushed. “And I’m… Sure, she’d enjoy some more wrapping to tear away~”

“We’re here fer somethin’” Will interrupted.

“Well now, Of course you are, No one ever just wants tea.” She huffed.

“The tea is Good.” Hannah piped up.

“Aww, thank you, darling.” She grinned wider, and Hannah started trying to get away before Venus grabbed her, and… oh, oh no.

Venus did a twirl in joy as she held Hannah’s face to her chest, and by the time she was pulled away, the girl had foggy eyes, and was barely conscious.

“Oh… right, sorry, honey.” She set the girl on a chair.

“Uh… could you… Fix her?” I asked, and Venus looked at me.

“There’s nothing to fix, darling~” she smiled, and I backed up.

“Well, I… it’s just-”

“I know, I’m teasing, No, I could, but I won’t, there’s nothing wrong with her now, Drew did pretty well adjusting it well enough so it wouldn’t cause a Sexuality Shock.” Aphrodite noted as she investigated the girl on the Chair.

“A… what? ” I asked.

“Oh, right, if a change is too sudden, or goes against who that person is, on a fundamental Level, then it can cause a Sexuality Shock, which… their Fun, sure, but… Eh, kinda disturbing, after a while.” she rubbed her neck. “Y’all are Lucky Drew’s Got practice, and isn’t into anyone like that, otherwise she’d be drowning in people wanting to-”

“CAN WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE!?” I begged, my face was probably glowing from how much I was Blushing.

“Oh, of course, Darling. The thing you want is over at Fort Sumter or something like that, you can go now.” she smiled.

“But… I’m still in a dress…” I explained my plight.

“...Yeah? Your Clothes were so boring that your Non-Frilly Rights have been revoked, plus, you haven’t seen Atty complaining, have you?” she asked.

“Our situations are very different!” I tried to explain.

“It’s just for two days, honey, but it’s a warning, so heed it. ” and she vanished in a cloud of cheap Valentines Cards.

 

“We’ve got company!” Hannah panicked when she got lucid again.

I turned around, and saw seven total Romans, all of whom seemed like total pushovers on a good day, but that was before I was stuck in two inch heels and-

“Oh, fuck.” this was how Atty had felt while Aphrodite was making her incapable of walking on her own…

Perspective is one hell of a drug.

“Hey, Annie.” I froze.

“No.” I stared at the body that had once been Octavian.

That, fucking, SNAKE!

Slits in his eyes, fangs that dripped green, Scales.

“Luke.” I growled, non threateningly, considering I looked like a slightly peeved Bride.

“This guy, he’s so easy to manipulate, honestly, and I meant what I said back in new rome, I was Sorry about everything I apparently did, but then your girlfriend tried to kill me-”

“Fiance.” I corrected him.

“Whatever, she would have finished the job, if this guy wasn’t Such a sneaky little Bitch he was Considered an actual snake.” he hissed in a laugh. “Little guy worshiped me more than his possible Ancestor, and as a result, I’m way stronger than before, more resilient, and now? Well,” he narrowed his eyes at us, “I don’t intend on letting you get to Greece.”

I heard Will count up from one, all the way to Six, and sigh.

He Fired.

The two Archers in the back fell first, the arms holding the bows blown off from the impacts.

He jumped out of the way of a sword slash, and blew one guys neck in half, Ran Past a spear tip, shoved his Muzzle under the guys chin, and pulled, blew the hand off the second Sword wielder, and repositioned the weapon in his hand, slamming the Base of the grip into Luketavian’s jaw, which made a loud CRACK ing sound, and he screamed unintelligibly.

He aimed, and fired, taking the lower jaw clean off of the Roman Commander.

Then he aimed at the Seventh.

“You’re out of Bullets, Buddy.” the random guy explained, looking cocky.

Will pulled back that Hammer.

“Y’really wanna take that bet?” his eyes glowed. “Y’still got four living friends, but that Ain’t gonna last long if’n we just stand here”

They glared at each other.

“You’re not going to win, Greek. ” the roman growled as he put his hands up, dropping his spear.

“I wasn’t planning to, and I don’t care about all this, I’m just trying to save my Boyfriend.” Will told him, and backed away, still pointing the Muzzle at him.

Then he Holstered it, and we left to board The Leon.

Notes:

Fun fact!: Will's Bullets are all Hollow Point.
because they look like the Sun.

Chapter 13: Content Warning: Spiders.

“Bravo! Bravo, Really, that was… more than I expected, honestly.” Atalanta sighed wistfully as she leaned against the ship’s railing.

Will didn’t dignify her with a response, and just walked into the lower deck.

“Hm, Alright.” she shrugged, and gave way to a mist of blood.

Atty clamped onto me with a squeal and a grip like a Vice.

“Annabeth! You're OK! I was SO WORRIED!” She shoved her face into the Dress.

“I was gone for like… half an hour?” I reminded her.

“Half an hour TOO LONG if you ask me!” she pouted up at me.

I sighed.

“Where are the others?” I asked, noticing that Haze was pacing the deck.

“They haven’t come back yet, and I’m afraid they’re in trouble!” they took deep breaths and ran their fingers through their hair, the solid black ringlets would coil around fingers, dragging behind, just barely looking like they had a choice not to let go.

When we got to the fort, it was pandemonium.

Jason was flying around the fort, Frank in his arms.

Frank was shooting, and I was hearing screams, so I guess it was just to maim, not kill.

That’s how you know Mars is different from Ares.

Then, there was Piper.

I didn’t see her, it was just a streak of red, occasionally, it would change direction at a sharp angle, and I’d see her for a split second before she launched again.

Her Crazed Giggling was filling the fort when we arrived.

“Well, they seem to have it covered.” Atty giggled from her second body standing next to me.

“Did you… really make a double just so you didn’t have to take your face from between my tits?” I asked, a bit flattered.

“They feel good, what can I say?” she shrugged, and before I could respond, “Oh, fuck, a Trebuchet.”

Sure enough, through the Carnage, came a Trebuchet, counterweight, long pole, launching ammo, whole nine yards, there were sixteen Romans guarding the one aiming it, they were glowing red, and the one aiming was glowing a more yellowy light.

“Can you… do something about it?” I asked.

“Not directly, unless they do something to piss me off, I can’t get involved in Greek/Roman scuffles.” She explained as she watched the fight rage on, “And I have no emotional connections to that place, or those people, so,” she shrugged, “Eh.”

But I do…

I like them, as people, not blood smears in the sky…

I sighed, and stood on the railing of the Leon, my Talons holding me in place as my wings stretched for the first time in three weeks, the metal one creaking from lack of proper care and attention.

“What’re you doing?” Atty asked, leaning against the same railing.

“I’m going to help, if you won’t, then I will.” I told her, pulling the one with her face crammed into my chest out of it, and kissing her before setting her down, “I’ll be right back, ok?” I asked.

“That’s what you said LAST TIME!” they shouted in unison, becoming one being once more, “And then it took 20 years!” she grabbed me.

“It’s right there.” I pointed.

“Troy wasn’t that far away, either!” she reminded me, a bile black tear building in her eye.

“Sh, sh, it’s okay, it’s ok, I’ll be right back, I promise, it’s not a problem, and plus,” I took out Riptide, and whacked my arm with the blade, “Still invulnerable, remember?” I pulled her in for a kiss again, and she returned it.

She let go of my arms, and I fell backwards, off the ship, into the empty expanse of the sky.

“That was very dangerous, you know that, right?” Riptide asked as I pulled up into a more easily held flying position.

“Everything we do’s dangerous.” I reminded her.

I tapped Face with her Pommel, and he turned into shield mode.

“Oh, we’re doing stuff now? Sick.” he glinted, and I chuckled.

I flew in front of Frank and Jason as the trebuchet launched a rock at Jason’s face, and raised Face, the shield made a loud DING as the rock stopped dead, and was launched right back at the launcher.

The Trebuchet was shattered into wooden bits, along with the person dealing with it.

“Blood? I smell blood, are we killing things? I wanna STAB SOMETHING!!!” Stab rattled in their holster, pulling around in random directions like a coffee filled College student.

I looked back at Jason.

“Get on the ship, I’ll deal with this.” I told him, and Frank looked up at him, nodding.

“Alright…” he muttered.

I looked back down at Fort Sumter, and saw Piper surrounded, twenty six different Romans were attacking from every direction, and she was having trouble defending herself while trying to attack all of them.

I was about to launch down, but then Riptide Stopped me.

“Wait, don’t.”

“Why? She’s clearly struggling.” I told her, and then I saw a bronze Glow, deep in the dogpile of Romans, and heard a wail like a tornado Siren.

Wait.

Thunder, Lightning.

(Very very Frightening)

The Romans were launched away from the girl as lightning struck her sword, the electric energy coursing through her veins, bleeding out of her scales, the tips of her feathers, and every point from her fins.

I landed next to her.

“Cool.” I told her.

“Thanks.” she blinked after she grunted, and coughed, “Sorry.” she told me, and the sky cleared.

“No, really, it was awesome.” I told her, the fried Romans crumpled on the ground really brought the whole monument together. “You can head up to the ship now, There’s this map thingy we gotta get, and I’m invulnerable, so-”

“You’re WHAT?” She asked.

I stared at her as her Scales dried out, becoming smooth skin, her eyes lost their slits, and her fins shriveled away.

Boo.

“Yeah, Can’t take Damage.” I told her, shrugging.

“That… explains… so much.” she seemed to be running through thoughts in her head, “You know what? Yeah, I will go back up to the Ship.” she told me, and left, with a single flap of her wings.

I hummed, and started heading into the Fort.

 

I headed down the halls, checking rooms and such, ugh, Where would this thing even be? Ok, think Annie, Someone here was probably a Child of Athena, we had ways of getting involved in mortal wars, so then where would the Map be?

Then, the wall exploded.

It was in slow motion, like whenever I was in a problematic situation, and everything got all slow so I could think of things, but not, it was like I was helplessly watching as the stone bricks of the wall I had set my hand on in annoyance turned into millions upon millions of tiny, solid black spiders.

They scittered up my arm, falling off in groups, and I couldn’t even scream, I was resigned to just watch as the bricks adjacent to that one all crumbled into more, and more, and more.

I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to do SOMETHING! but nothing came, and they just kept coming, covering more and more, my arm, my legs, one set it’s tiny, horrible foot on the pin that Atty had given me-

Then it happened.

In a flash of bright green, all the spiders had been fried, crumbling into dust.

I would have collapsed into a crying heap, if I wasn’t afraid of more Spiders in the bricks, and booked it.

 

I came back outside, shivering, and saw EVEN MORE ROMANS!

How many of these fuckers are there?!

I looked back into the fort, and saw every single brick turning into spiders.

…

I closed the door in their face.

Not going back in there.

I ran up a set of stairs, found a mortar, figured it was as good a place as any to keep a potentially magical map, took out Riptide, and stabbed the cork, which popped out immediately.

“What are you doing.” I stopped dead in my tracks.

Reyna.

Ok, ok, calm down, it’s fine, it’s fine!

Not spiders.

It’s better than spiders.

“Ok, I can explain.” I turned around, and left whatever was in the mortar in there, for now.

“Yeah, in front of a judge, I’m supposed to take you in for questioning.” Reyna pointed her sword at me.

“Oh, come now, questioning? For what?” I shrugged.

“Your girlfriend Killed half of our citizens!” she shouted at me.

“That wasn’t me though.” I pointed out.

“YOU VOUCHED FOR HER! You betrayed us! We trusted you!” she seemed, genuinely hurt…

“Well, that sounds like a you problem.” I shrugged.

“How can you be so calm? If we find you guilty, they’d boil you!” She shouted at me again, mostly from disbelief.

“Yeah… that’s not happening, I can’t be harmed, my Fiance won’t let me, And you’re not taking us anywhere.” I grinned, leaning against the mortar, slipping my hand inside, and grabbing the disk thing.

“I don’t want to do this, you have to know that, whatever’s been talking to Octavian… it’s gotten everyone in a frenzy, if we don’t take you, then they’ll march on your camp-” the girl was interrupted by my Laughing.

“Oh, oh, that is Hilarious, you actually think you’re going to do anything to camp? Ok, listen, once, It doesn’t matter, how good you are, how powerful you are, how hard you strategize, I’m pretty sure just Clarisse would be able to take out your whole damn army, y’all are adorable, thinking you have a chance at taking out camp, GIve me a break, I’ve seen your training, it’s Boring, and it’s tedious, and it sucks, and your Gods suck too.” I grinned, putting the plate in Cephalopod.

“How can you even… you’re Hubris Blinds you.” she lowered into a fighting stance.

I mimicked the same stance flaring out my wings.

“Juno’s dead, babe, and I killed her. ” and I took off, back to the ship.

And the arms of my Beloved.

Notes:

Did you forget that magical Items could talk?
ME TOO!
Lore explination they didn't talk to Ody: he can't hear them, only annabeth can, this is actually a thing in Child of Athena's final stand, where Icarus can't hear the magical items Atty has, so yeah, but I did just forget, lol.

Chapter 14: A Short Snack Break.

Notes:

(Leo)

I almost collapsed against the mast of the ship, panting as the ship landed.

Well…

Landed

It was into the ocean, and I was sure to make it as gentle as I possibly could.

My body disagreed with that assessment.

Keeping a huge chunk of wood and metal in the air was exhausting, and considering we were trying to keep the old god of the sea from returning, water seemed bad.

But I could barely stand any more, my head felt like it was about to split in half, and everything HURT.

We were in the middle of the sea, as far from land on any one side as we were on any other.

I layed down, right there on the ship.

I was exhausted.

Maybe a nap wouldn’t hurt…

“Everyone!” I snapped my eye open, Piper had something to say.

Of course she did.

“Mira said that if there was anywhere the Nereids and stuff from the Aquarium went, it’d be to these coordinates, and asked if we wanted to go check it out, uh… well, it was more of a do you wanna go check it out with me kind of thing, but it’s off course a bit, and if I disappear you might think the worst, and-”

“We get it, geez, stop rambling, even if it is adorable.” I told her, taking the paper from her hands, and looking at it, “We’ll get there in an hour, maybe, it seems quick, shouldn’t take too much time out from saving that Nico kid, right Solace?” I looked over to the cowboy with deer legs and antlers, leaning on the railing that I had just replaced, one leg over the other.

“Sure, I ain’t gonna get in the way of a date, just don’ go n’ take all day, y’hear?” he narrowed his eyes, and it felt like someone turned on their high beams.

“Uh, yeah! Got it!” Piper blushed, her fins flapping slightly before retreating from the social interaction.

Andromeda passed her on her way out as Piper went through the door down to the under deck.

“Oh…” she muttered, looking out to sea, stunned into silence for the first time since I had met her.

She wandered over to the starboard bow, and looked over the railing, down at the fish and sharks and other sea creatures swimming along beside us, the ones from that Aquarium, I think.

“...Huh.” she hummed, looking conflicted as she stood back up.

I decided to just head down to the kitchen/dining room.

 

I was alone for a few minutes, and got another pot of coffee, the heat woke me up more than the caffeine.

“Uh… hey.” I paused.

Haze was also here.

It was… awkward.

We hadn’t talked much since Narcissus, what with them being my great grandmother, and also just another kid.

Solid black curled hair with a single white streak, which looped down to their chin, dark gray eyes with glints of gold and bronze in them, a necklace with a skull pendant, a shirt with a skull that had flowers growing from where the eyes used to be, rectangular glasses, a pair of blue jeans, and some hiking boots, along with the Staff that was floating behind them.

We stared at each other for a bit.

My ears wiggled, my legs shuffled, hooves clicking against the linoleum that was a bad idea in hindsight, my left arm shuffled unevenly with turning gears and tightening hydraulics, I was far too aware of every single bolt and metal plate and nut and tool and circuit board and-

The oven beeped.

“Oh, those would be the cookies I was making, sorry…” Hazel chuckled, and went over to the metal box, and grabbed the hot tray with their leather gloves that were embroidered with the initials S.V. next to the thumb.

“You made cookies?” I asked, looking at the chocolate chip disks, they were a golden brown that looked really appetizing.

“Oh, yeah, everyone seems to be really stressed right now, so I figured that… every time I was scared, or tired of everything, or just… overwhelmed, Cookies always helped, I remember when I Met this lady on a trip to massachusetts one time, and she told me about the Idea, I was skeptical at first, it seemed so simple, but… damn are they good.” they reminisced as they grabbed a spatula to separate the cookies from the tray.

They handed the cookie to me, and I held it in my hand. It was still a bit gooey from having just come out of the oven, and it was actively steaming, but, Heat never bothered me before, so I took a bite.

I fell back onto my chair, absolutely floored by the flavor.

 

(Flashback)

 

Leo sat on his chair, sniffling as his mother brought out a plate of slightly too crispy cookies.

“I cooked ‘em a bit more than necessary, but that’s ok, I like crispy more anyhow, mayhaps you will too?” his mother guessed as she set the plate on the table, and his tears filled his eyes as he looked up at her.

She knelt down, using a thumb to wipe the tears from his face.

“Now, there’s no reason to cry, yer momma’s here, an’ I can deal with just about anythin’ ya need.” she smiled, and Leo did the same, a bit more shy.

“There’s ma happy little kiddo, now, here.” She handed him a cookie, and he ate it.

His eyes widened as tears filled his eyes.

“T’s a family recipe, helps me when I feel bad, because even I feel bad sometimes.” his mother said, sadly.

The memory went up in flames.

 

(Leo)

 

I didn’t remember the context, why I had been crying, or even how old I was at the time, all I remembered was that taste, and how I had never had anything like it after the fire.

I blinked the tears from my eyes, and grabbed Haze in a hug, clutching them as hard as I could, crying my eyes out.

They stood there, shocked for a second before relaxing, and returning the hug.

They rubbed my back as I shook, and I hugged even harder before relaxing finally. Exhausted from the emotional overload.

I sighed as I sat back down.

“Thanks… I needed that.” I told them, and Haze smiled slightly.

“It’s ok, everyone needs some time to themselves, I understand, but if you try to take on every burden on your own, you’ll just end up imploding from the stress.” Haze explained as they took a cookie and started eating it as well.

They were sitting on a chair across from me, with their legs crossed and any hand not being used in their lap, I could tell they grew up in the 30s.

“...Sammy always told me that they reminded him of his mother, she would help me make them, maybe it was the other way around now that I think about it, but it was always so… fulfilling, being able to bring a smile to his face, even if it was accompanied by tears.” Haze sighed, taking another bite out of their cookie.

“This is nice.” I decided, sitting here, eating cookies with my great grandparent, who was technically younger than me, it was weird, but it was nice.

“Yeah, it is.” They agreed, and we sat there for a while.

Long enough for me to relax, after everything.

Notes:

So, I saw that Chocolate Chip Cookies were invented in 1938, and I couldn't resist.
also, did you really think I wouldn't do anything with Haze being Leo's Great Grandparent?
Have you been paying attention?
Family is the theme of this whole damn thing!

Chapter 15: I think my teeth might fall out.

Notes:

This batch of chapters is mostly just sweet fluff, because there's honestly too little Domestic moments in the OG books, sorry, they need down time, give it to them.
(Leo)

I stretched as everyone gathered on the deck, Haze was handing out Cookies as people talked about Piper and Mira going below the waves.

Frank was pacing the length of the ship, shaking herself by the shoulders, loosening tension that had been building.

Andromeda was looking over the edge of the ship, eyes locked onto the waves as they beat against the ship's bow, she looked at me as I took up residence next to her.

Her eyes were a choppy dark blue that seemed to swirl into her pupils, something there was older than she usually seemed, until she shook her head, and they were crystal clear again, like a wave pool at a waterpark.

Her face seemed contemplative for a moment after her eyes went back to normal, then she seemed to spasm, her neck taking her head to a 90 degree angle with her body as she clenched her joints as tight as they went for a few seconds, and she was back to normal.

A sparkling smile, devoid of any depth as she looked on, glassy eyed into the distance behind me.

She went under the deck.

Piper seemed stressed, she was scratching at her skin, Mira was sitting in the large glass tank I had made for her, which had a wheel on each corner.

I went over to Mira, who was adjusting her sitting position in her tank.

“Oh! Fire guy! Hi! Thanks for making this, even if it’s a bit cramped, I’m really excited to go into the ocean, such wide, open space! And Pipey’s gonna be so Happy!” she wiggled her fins, her tail spiralling in the water as she supported herself on the side of the glass.

She had scales that reminded me of a rainbow trout, she was also really pretty, with razor sharp teeth and soft skin, slitted eyes, hair as black as the endless abyss of the sea, her fingertips had suction cups below her sharp claws, and a long tongue that she was licking the glass with.

Don’t know why she was doing that, but ok.

She giggled, and did a flip in her tank, so I went over to Piper.

Piper was looking amazing, as usual.

Atalanta was talking to her already, so I was just providing moral support.

“Honestly, Merpeople are super desperate, they’re all homosexual, but the mating rituals don’t reflect that at all, the girls always pine, waiting for the other one to make the first move, while the dudes are a whole lot more proactive in everything, she’s gonna think you’re hot no matter what.” She explained as Piper checked her makeup, for the first time ever.

“This is my first date, ever! I need to look my best, but my skin is ITCHY! ” she cried out, digging her nails into her cheeks again.

Cheeks, neck, arms, those were the main areas she was scratching at.

“OK, stop, scratching, it’s fine, your scales are just coming in, it’s nothing to worry about, it’ll happen down there, and when you get back up here, you should pass as a human again.” Atalanta muttered as she looked away from Piper.

“Should!?” Piper screeched, “I don’t wanna be a fish!”

“Well, you won’t be… a full fish, you’ll just get a few scales, they’re pretty, don’t worry, um… some Fins, on your cheeks, and elbows, and your Gills, but those come off when you’re dry, don’t worry.” Atalanta reassured Piper, who was on the verge of panic.

“Why does this have to happen to meeeeee!” she fell onto her knees, looking at the deck of the ship.

Time for Moral support!

I slid in there with the practiced ease of the amazing Boyfriend(gender neutral) of a trans woman I was, and placed an arm around her shoulders.

“Hey, pretty girl, it’s alright, look, so what if you’re gonna be a fish? You’re gonna be a mermaid! What girl doesn’t want that, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, plus, mom doesn’t let her kids become too inhuman, at least, the Demigod ones.” Atalanta shrugged.

“I HAVE WINGS!” Piper shouted, covering her mouth immediately, “Sorry.”

“No problem, just don’t yell at Atty, and the wings give an ethereal vibe or something.” she waved off, leaning on the Port railing.

“I don’t want an ethereal vibe! I just wanted to be a girl!” she sat down fully, leaning back onto the railing as well.

“Yeah, we’re not that lucky though, we can never be, but I prefer this, it feels more natural, but… I get it, and I’m sorry you have to go through all of this, and I’m sorry it’s not over yet.” Atalanta looked out to sea.

“What do you mean, it’s not over yet? ” Piper looked up at her.

“Nothing you need to worry about yet.” She waved through the air, and disappeared in a cloud of blood.

“Gross.” I muttered, and Piper giggled, her hair was braided in between feathers and flowers, some looked like they’d come from the water, maybe, there was a hair clip with some coral on it, that was cool.

“Thanks, uh… do you think… I don’t know, I’m not a freak, right?” She looked at me.

“Pipes, are you kidding me? Look around, you are the least Freakish one of us! I’m half metal, Frank’s probably got something going on, My great-grandmother is a twelve year old cat person, we have four gods on board, three of which are technically the same person, a cowboy deer, a perpetually horny sapphic owl, femboy superman, a god that got locked into a lesbian crush, on you, and the gathering of nature spirits, Mira and Echo. You’re a Very pretty lady with Wings and scales.” I explained, “I love you, and I know you’ve been struggling with the whole, Aphrodite Bimbofying you thing, but come on.”

Piper stared at me, blinking.

“I… huh.” she looked down, right at her chest, “Yeah, I guess you’re right, I do look nice… thanks.” she stood, dusting off her dress, and went over to Mira’s tank.

I watched with a smile as Frank pushed the tank over to the side of the ship, and Mira jumped into the water, and Piper followed.

Then I went below deck and started working on the bracelet for Echo.

I should explain that, actually.

I was working on making a text to speech type thing for her, mixed with one of those animal sound spinners, type what you wanna say, pull the cord, and-

“ I- Love- You- ” a sentence!

Granted, it wasn’t that much better than what she was doing before, but it wasn’t restricted to what the person she’s talking to had already said, just… anything she had heard.

It would work, until we found a way to give her back her own voice.

Notes:

These moments are going to be missed.

Chapter 16: Not quite "Demi-" Gods

Notes:

(Piper)

I sighed dreamily as I laid on my bed, forearm on my forehead.

“So, was it that good?” Pandemos asked as she leaned on the wall behind me.

“Uh… No?” I sat back up, rubbing my eyes in an attempt to get rid of the Hearts that floated in my peripheral vision.

“Uhuh, well, you win, we’ll stop messing with you, thought it would speed up development, but it just made everything worse, you’ll come to your own conclusions, eventually.” she sighed, and leaned further against the wall, which warped like the surface of a pool, and swallowed her.

Then I heard a knock.

I sighed, and Opened the door to find Hannah standing there, shifting as she picked at the tips of her fingers, blushing.

Before I could ask what she was doing, she spoke.

“You’re really pretty and I really like you and the thing you're doing with your hair is really cool and the dress is really pretty BYE!” she turned and booked it down the hall.

I stood there, and closed my door.

A small cartoon heart bubbled out of the back of my hand, floating through the air.

I groaned, falling onto my bed.

I was really tense…

I side eyed my closet, bigger than my room, in square footage, and I hadn’t touched it since I moved in…

Fuck it, chances were that I’d be alone for a while, what’s the worst that could happen?

 

I had been running my hands over my bare thighs for an hour when someone knocked on my door, shocking me out of the euphoria fueled haze I had been in.

I stumbled over discarded sequin dresses and Skirts, almost tripping over a pair of Heels that I had forgotten to put back before I opened the door.

I blinked the pink from my vision as I looked down at Haze, they were wearing a Black shirt and bow, with some jeans.

I had changed into a hot pink Crop Top with two doves on the front, and a pair of Daisy Dukes with the image of two flowers stitched onto the bottoms, and some hiking boots that had a bit of a heel to them.

“What’s up?” I asked, out of breath, my vision fogging momentarily with pink.

“Uh… well, we’re close to the mediterranean… and… uh…” they looked me up and down, and I felt myself shudder as hearts fluttered around me.

“Yeah, yeah, got it, I’ll be up there soon…” I breathed out, barely, and closed the door again.

There was a quick swoosh, and I was in normal basketball shoes, kinda bummed about that, but heels don’t go with the rest of the outfit, so it was the best I had.

But before I left, I sat on my bed and rolled around a bit, feeling contact on my bare skin, it was amazing.

Cartoon hearts exploded, and reversed their trajectory, right into my actual heart, and I clenched everything as everything glowed gold for a few minutes.

 

I shuddered as I came to again, blinking, I felt far more relaxed, and stood up from my bed, heading up to the deck with a bit of a skip in my step.

I stopped.

What am I doing?

I…

What was I doing in my room?

What was I wearing?

I…

I…

I…

Why was I worrying?

It felt nice!

I did a spin, giggled, and kept skipping up to the top deck.

 

Oh, Hercules.

Atalanta and Heracles were glaring at each other.

Hm.

Oh no.

They were standing on the beach, talking to each other about… stuff, and I could see Heracles Rub his temples as Atalanta spoke.

There was movement, contact, they were too far to see anything happening, but I heard it.

Heracles screamed in pain as he dropped to the ground, clutching his arm.

Atalanta kicked him to the ground, and stomped his head in.

I watched as she walked on the air onto the ship.

“Alright, we can go.” Atalanta told Leo, who stood straight up, and grabbed the Steering apparatus, and we were off.

I was still looking at her as we sailed away.

She looked back, eyebrow raised.

Did she always have an eyepatch?

She sighed, and we were in my room.

“So, you saw that?” she asked, picking up one of my abandoned heels.

“Uh… well, it was… hard not too…” I scratched my chin, feathers smoothing out.

“Yeah, no, it’s hard to, But, we’re close enough to the Old lands…” she leaned against one of the reflective walls of my room.

I tilted my head.

“You’re a child of Ishtar, queen of the Mesopetanian pantheon, they bordered the mediterranean, which is how she got converted into Aphrodite, and also how she met Atty’s dad, the closer we get to where she comes from, the stronger her hold will get on you, and considering that the Mist isn’t a thing in her system…” she waved her hand, and I realised.

“No-one else saw that.” I muttered.

“Yeah, I don’t want to scare everyone by killing the most powerful demigod or whatever, from their perspectives? I had a nice chat with him, we have similar origins, I was also a Demigod that became a god, but I didn’t jump into a burning Pyre like a wimp just because I got acid on me.” She scowled, and sighed, standing up straight. “And he was going to try and get two of you to do some idiotic quest, or break the ship in half, and then Atty would have done something, which would’ve been worse.” Atalanta looked at me for a second, “Welp, whatever, no-one’d believe you anyway, good luck at… whatever you’re trying to do.” she shrugged, and fizzled into a red mist from the bottom up.

Notes:

So, Percy in cannon never interacts with Hercules, wasted opportunity, honestly, and I'd love to see what that interaction would have been like, but for now, all we get is Atalanta showing off her "Goddess Of Violence"ness, a taste of what is to come.

Chapter 17: Internal Conflict.

Notes:

And now we have Body Horror!
YAY!
I love Body Horror.
(Atty)

Calm down.

It’s fine.

She’s fine.

It’s all great.

I felt my skin shift around my bones, yearning to go, to leave behind this constricting form I had forced it into.

I collapsed into a pile of Hay as my mind ventured away.

 

(The Junkyard of the Gods)(One year earlier)

 

I dug through the metal, my hands tearing them into shreds as though the Celestial bronze was made of paper.

I couldn’t find it.

Ok, ok, you didn’t need it before, just… look human.

Look human enough.

What do humans look like again?

How many fingers did they have?

Ten on each hand… that seemed right…

A total of seventy fingers fizzled away.

How many hands?

One on each arm, I remember that.

Six arms were sucked back into me.

Joints, right, how many of those were supposed to be there?

How many joints do legs have?

How many eyes?

Do humans have tentacles?

Is three heads too many?

I had a tail, right?

Then I felt it.

Skin.

I tore the decayed body out from under the pile of metal it was stuck under, my fingers wrapping fully around the torso of the half rotted Skeleton.

My very essence, a pile of black Bile, wrapped around the dead body, and conformed to fit the skeleton it provided.

I clenched its hands, feeling the contact of skin I replaced meet, and not connect like slime folding in on itself.

It Felt so… restraining.

Like when I was human, and would try to become as thin as possible, trying to be two dimensional or something, sucking in my gut, but… all the time.

The feeling of churning water, barely held back by my own will, pressing against the skin like glass, eroding away at it.

I grit my teeth, and let out a shaky sigh, as I clutch myself.

Stop.

STOP!

I wobbled on too many, too few, too human legs, and began to make my way back to camp.

 

(Atty’s Cabin)(Camp Half-Blood)(A month Later)

 

I breathed, not too deeply, not too shallow.

Too deep, and my skin will peel off and Annabeth will freak out.

Too shallow, and it’s concerning that I’m not breathing enough.

I don’t even need to breathe.

I’m far too aware of how far I’m holding myself.

I’m so tense.

If I Relax, Annabeth might go mad from exposure.

At least with Atalanta, she’d just burst into flames, which is still bad, but she’d still be herself…

I slowly faded into a resting adjacent form, keeping that me Human enough as the Majority of my consciousness sleeps in the deepest recesses of the mariana trench.

Writhing Tendrils, One large eye surrounded by Millions of tiny ones, Teeth, Claws, the seafloor, Underwater volcanoes.

The only place I can be what I really am is the deepest points in the world.

I float there, petting whatever deep sea creatures drifted past me.

I sighed, mostly performative, as I laid on the bottom of the sea.

Not even vaguely Humanoid.

Not that I could tell.

At least Atalanta got to be a Mermaid in the water…

 

(The Leon)(That’s their ship)(In case you forgot)

 

I rolled over, and smiled, my mouth closed, as I saw Annabeth sleeping peacefully next to me.

I had gotten better at restraining myself.

It still felt wrong, more than wrong, like I was going against my very essence.

But it was a small price to pay for Annabeth.

I ran a hand over the pendant I had given her.

It had changed again.

From a cloud that was striking lightning, to a plate nearly split in half with a crack, to a mixture of the two, with tendrils holding the pieces together.

I looked up at the ceiling, and then at my hand.

It was still more Fishy than human, but nowhere near as far as I naturally wished to go.

Annabeth may have enjoyed my oceanic form, but that was before… Everything happened.

Mom forgot who I was.

She was celebrating her first child soon.

I could see it.

Through a green haze, A baby born, Atalanta looking over her…

I wasn’t human, not anymore.

I never was.

I used to be.

Not anymore.

I’m not Human.

I’m a representation of Unfathomable horror, Natural disasters, The cause of sailors getting lost at sea, the reason Buildings crumbled, the source of destruction.

The one you Pray to inorder to keep your husband alive as he sets sail.

The one you plead to let you see your children again after an earthquake.

The one that reminds you to cherish your family while you still have them.

Before I take them away.

I sat up.

Andromeda…

She wasn’t…

Feared.

She was loved.

She had a husband.

Sure, I hated the fact it was a husband.

And Apollo.

But she was celebrated.

She was the act of celebrating.

She was loved.

She was love.

I was feared.

…

Me, I was jealous of that Bimbo.

She didn’t have to restrain herself.

She was just…

Like that.

Human.

Or, close enough.

I laid back down, and stared at the ceiling again.

Emotions raw as I stared forward.

I looked at Annabeth.

And I smiled.

Chapter 18: Miscilanious Myths: Atalanta/Perseus

Notes:

yes, that title is a reference to Overly Sarcastic productions.
(3rd)

A storm rolled in from the sea.

Rain beating against windows, wind shaking foundations, the earth quaked beneath… something.

In a room, there was a Woman, the queen of Sparta.

She paced the space, stressing over her situation as she rubbed her newly flat stomach.

She rolled her eyes at the mention of Hera once, and her pregnancy was no more by the time she had awoken.

Then, she remembered.

A Simple kitchen servant.

She was pregnant, having taken a walk along the beach, and after a few months, it was relatively obvious.

She was beautiful, so much so that The king didn’t notice her symptoms…

The Queen sighed, and wrapped herself in a scarf before making her way to the servants quarters.

 

“Celery!” the queen whisper shouted to the tired woman, who stood straight at the commanding call.

“Oh! my Queen!” she turned, meeting eyes with the woman, and looking down.

“Ok, so, listen, if my husband finds out you’re pregnant, he might… Execute you! So, here’s the idea, give me your baby. ” the queen demanded, placing her hands on Salire’s shoulders as she lied.

“Wha… but… you’re about to give birth, aren’t you?” The cook asked, confused.

“Don’t worry about-”

The queen was cut off by the loud BANG that shook the windows of the palace as lightning struck three feet away from the Kitchen.

The sudden noise made Salire clench, and she felt something tear as liquid began flowing.

 

“Oh HONEY!” the queen called, coughing as she looked at her husband.

The man turned, saw his wife holding a bundle of blankets, and gasped.

“It finally happened?” He asked, getting out of bed and taking hold of the child.

He smiled at what he assumed was his baby, and then looked concerned, and then handed it back to the queen, devastated.

“What’s wrong?” the Queen asked.

“It’s a girl.” the King sat down, looking at the ceiling.

“Well… yes, but-” the Queen was interrupted.

“We need a Son, a prince, someone to take over when I die, and unless we make an heir, the Council… My brother! That rat and his little…” the king put his head in his hands, and then realised something.

“Wait.” he looked at the child.

“I have an Idea.” he grinned.

 

Perseus collapsed onto the sand next to Dione, kicking sand into the air as the girl next to him giggled.

“So, you finally decided to listen to me?” she asked, crossing her legs, raising an eyebrow to the taller of the two, who was laying on his back.

“UGHHHH! No, I’m just… Can we just shut up, please? I need to relax before my next duel.” the Prince of Sparta sighed, resting a hand against his forehead.

“Aww, but I like talking about things!” Dione whined as she shook her head.

“I know, by the gods, do I know that.” Perseus sighed, “Where have you been recently, by the by? I was trying to tell you about my training, but you just kinda… dropped off the side of the world? ” He rolled his wrist.

“Oh! Right! I discovered this thing, I crushed some grapes, they were sour at the time, but it made this thing that tastes so good, and it makes you feel great too!” the girl held out a chalice to the boy, who raised an eyebrow, but took it.

 

“You  know, I never will understand the obsession with the sand, it’s nowhere near… Fertile, enough to grow things…” Dione sighed, looking to the sky.

Perseus blinked, hiccuped once, and sat up so fast he face planted.

“Duel… I’ll bee… right back!” The boy took off, walking wearily.

 

Dionysus sighed as the pirates talked about what they intended to do with him.

…

Yeah…

Him.

The injustice that was his parents convincing him that acting like a girl would get people to like him more was…

Technically.

True, but it came with a price.

His own self esteem had plummeted, and he was apathetic.

The Pirates were clearly trying to scare him, he doubted that any of them were that well end-

A large Fish slammed onto the ship, shocking everyone.

They all looked at it, interested.

And then, a sword sliced around from the inside of the Fish, and the lower half fell into the ocean.

Out from behind the head, came a familiar looking girl.

Perseus.

She looked pissed.

Dionysus was going to turn things into snakes, and stuff… but this seemed interesting.

A pirate started talking, and she glared.

“ Where is she. ” her voice held reverb that shook the door that led deeper into the ship.

“Well, I don’t know who you’re talking about, but I ain’t about to-” the Pirate was interrupted as Perseus shoved his fingers into his mouth, piercing the bottom of his chin, and tearing his lower jaw from his face.

Everyone took a step back.

Dionysus nodded once, impressed.

“Well… how are we gonna answer ya if yer gonna-” this one had his ribs torn in half while they were inside of him.

“Tell me before I tear you in half then.” she growled, and Dionysus could swear he saw a green fog flare up, and push against an image of a fin running down her back, two in place of her ears, sharp teeth, slitted eyes, scales, and razor sharp claws.

The Crew screamed, jumping overboard.

Dionysus sighed, and they changed as they landed, panicking as their legs fused, and arms got smaller, a single fin popping out of their backs.

Perseus threw a knife at one, and he got larger, sharper, more intense, with sharp teeth and a white stomach.

“Are you ok?” She asked, not turning to look at Dionysus.

“Eh, no worse than I was a few seconds ago.” Dionysus leaned against the bow of the ship, shrugging.

“Ugh, alright, you need to understand when you’re in danger, man.” she scoffed, and held out a hand to help the shorter man up.

 

Atalanta jumped back before thrusting forward, cleaving a soldier in two.

She had been holding back an advance from an enemy for three days until reinforcements could get there.

Half of the army charging at her had been killed, by her.

Three Pulses, one after the other, and everything stopped.

Drums accompanied his arrival.

Atalanta knelt, reluctantly.

“Lord Ares.” she growled.

“Hey, kid.” he rubbed his neck, the red eyes just barely visible through the darkness of the helmet.

Atalanta stood at attention.

“Listen, you can’t win…” he sounded regretful.

“What do you mean? What does it look like I’m doing?” she gestured to the dead around her.

“Ok, yeah, physically, you could, but you’re… not allowed… to.” he winced, as could be seen by the way one of his eyes dimmed slightly.

“What.” she stood there, not understanding what she was hearing.

“Listen, ok, it… Athena’s been on my ass, and… she’s talking with the commander on that side, trying to get him to understand that the best he could hope for is a… Tie, and… well, they don’t really want to win, they just want to… get out alive.” the god shrugged, his burning cape flapping in nonexistent winds.

“I’m not going to do that.” Atalanta told him.

“They have families, just let them leave!” Ares curled his hands in irritation.

“They don’t care about the Families of others, they killed families on their way here, they deserve this.” Atalanta tried to push past the god, who held out a hand, keeping her from doing so.

“No, those families are together in the underworld, it still sucks, I know, but if they die here, they won’t get that luxury.” Ares defended the invaders.

Atalanta swung her sword.

Ares side stepped it.

“Don’t do this.” Ares begged, his voice low.

Atalanta lifted her blade.

It suddenly got too heavy, the handle slipping out of her hands, the blade falling behind her, into the ground.

“Come on, think-” Ares was cut off when Atalanta punched him in the nose, denting his helmet, and sending golden Ichor flying.

They stood there.

Ares scoffed, and a shockwave pushed Atalanta back.

“FINE! If you want to play soldier boy so much, then why don’t I make it REAL!” red light slammed into Atalanta, who fell down, dizzy.

 

Perseus scoffed, rolling his eyes as his sister looked on at the short king who had been stealing glances since he got there.

“Come on, really? Him? ” the boy asked, ignoring the pang that came with speaking after Ares’ curse.

“He’s got the mind of a genius.” Penelope spoke softly, looking at the boy on the lower level with such admiration.

“Alright, I’ll be right back.” her brother told her.

 

Perseus held Odysseus’ sword with his own, and looked the shorter man in the eye.

“You know she reciprocates, right?” he asked, and Odysseus gasped, a dumb smile taking up his mind for a second.

Perseus kicked him in the gut, felt a slight pressure, and heard a piano in the distance as Odysseus did a backflip.

The boy ran at the taller of the two, and Perseus dropped his sword.

“Oh nooo, I sprained my wrist, You Win.” he waved a hand at the boy, and rubbed his wrist as he walked away.

 

Perseus was resting against a tree when he heard a strumming noise.

“Hello there~” The glowing man warbled his voice, grinning even brighter teeth at the boy against the foliage.

“Uh… hey?” he asked, weary of strange men glowing in the sunlight.

“You’re really pretty.” the man hooked a finger under Perseus’ chin.

His brain sputtered.

No one had ever called him… pretty before…

“Uh, yeah, thanks, I guess…” the boy muttered, blushing almost enough to eclipse the glowing man.

“I’m the great and powerful Apollo! You may have heard of me?” Apollo grinned, his messy hair and golden complexion obvious now that Perseus looked at him.

“I’m not going to become a plant, Am I?” Perseus asked.

“HAH! Not if you don’t run~” Apollo Flirted, running a hand down Perseus’ bicep.

“Uh… Alright then.”

“SICK!” Apollo shouted, jumping into the air.

 

There was a crunch, and Perseus fell into the River, Apollo’s screams of anguish following his body down the stream as black hair drifted down the length, into the sea, where they got thicker, longer, sharper, becoming the first eels.

The blood staining the river red shifted to a slightly shiny copper.

 

A few months later, Perseus rose from the water, wound healed, hair fine, and stumbled into the woods.

The injury still hurt as he dropped the Armor he’d been wearing, along with his clothes, making his way to a pond he often used to bathe when he wanted to connect with nature.

When he got there, a bunch of girls looked at him, confused, weary, scared, and then settling on rage as they knocked arrows, all pointed at him.

Perseus looked down, and remembered why he stopped coming to this Lake.

“Shit.” he grunted.

“I am the Lady Artemis of this hunt, Explain yourself, Man. ” Artemis hissed, and Perseus sighed.

“I was hit in the side of the head by a discus or something, and I need to clean up, and figured I’d do it in here, didn’t know you were already occupying it.” he explained, rubbing the bloodied side of his head.

“Well we are, and now that you’ve seen me in the nude, you cannot leave this place alive, for no man shall do so.” Artemis glared at him.

“...” Then, Perseus had an Idea.

“What if I wasn’t a man?”

 

Atalanta Stretched as she sat up, feeling satisfied as she sat there, taking in the feelings against her skin.

It was much more comfortable being a woman.

Too bad she still had to act like she wasn’t.

 

A hunt, for the Hydra.

Her left side was covered in the things blood.

Agony.

Excruciating pain.

It was like she was going to die any moment.

But she wouldn’t let herself.

 

She was walking through the forest, and Heracles collided with her, she was confused, and shocked, so she shoved his face into the ground, and broke one of his arms.

 

Atalanta was motionless as she landed in the ocean with a splash, the bubbles flowing back to the surface, leaving her in the endless abyss.

Ares had gotten to her again.

When she found out that the prince of Troy had kidnapped her cousin, she had taken sail along Odysseus’ crew, for she didn’t have her own boat, and it was along the way-ish.

She had comforted the man about having to leave his wife and child, assuring him he’d be home again soon, and that she’d make sure of it.

About a year later, Atalanta had single handedly managed to nearly force the gates of Troy open.

Ares had put a stop to that.

Apparently he was on their side, because it was Aphrodite who had set the whole thing up.

Atalanta may have lost her temper.

And she may have said some… unsavory things about the Goddess of love.

Which was how she got into this situation.

Falling deeper into the sea, wrapped in a long dress that made combat nearly impossible.

Ares had thrown her into the sea.

She breathed out, losing the strength to hold her breath anymore.

Her legs felt like they were on fire as they twisted.

Her ears were similar.

Her teeth were hurting.

Her eye went blind for a second, and then it worked again.

Claws, scales, fins, teeth, gills.

A man with a crown made of gold and jewels that looked rusted and weathered.

“Welcome to where you belong, my Princess.” Poseidon smiled, his face soft, his eyes sincere.

Atalanta wasn’t in pain.

For the first time since the hydra.

Notes:

So, you may be wondering why I wrote all of this in place of what I usually do, as in, rewriting the chapter it's based off of?
well, I realized that Chapter had no reason to happen, and that I could add the Dolphin Pirates to Atalanta's backstory.
speaking of which, the reason Penelope exists again is because the mist is still adjusting things so that Atalanta was always a thing, it's actively Retconning the Greek myths to put her in there as the story unfolds.
also, the weirdness of my uploading schedule recently is due to the fact I'm graduating tomorrow, so be patient.

Chapter 19: I am Loved

Notes:

So, we've seen Atty and Atalanta's reactions to Andromeda's existence, but what about her own opinion?
how would you feel if you realized you weren't the first version of you, and that every previous edition was objectively better than you in the eyes of everyone that had met them, and they all looked at you with nothing but undisguised disgust?
(Andromeda)

I was standing, looking over the pit.

Every night.

Every time I closed my eyes.

Every moment that I let my guard down.

You are such a disappointment.

The voice chastised me, and I couldn’t do anything but take it.

I was nothing.

All I could do was just stand there.

A perversion of my daughter, a pitiable child.

It would only get worse if I fought back.

It always did.

 

I opened my eyes, and took a deep breath.

“Are you ok?” Jason asked, brushing his teeth in the doorway to the Bathroom.

I sat there, twisting the blanket in my hands before opening my eyes.

It’s no use dwelling on all that.

“Yeah, nothing to worry about.” I assured the Blonde, who shrugged as I hopped out of the bed we shared.

He had yet to put on his shirt, and I had a front row view of his slim torso as he finished up his oral cleaning.

The exposure to Venus’ scarf had shifted his Egality, making it stop with wings, some feathers popping out here and there, and a feathered tail.

He had a cutely healthy amount of chub covering the perfect eight pack that I knew rested below it.

I pulled out a drawer, and grabbed my Makeup kit.

His Beak had dissolved into a cute face that reminded me of Apollo, with those slightly plump lips, and button nose, the crackling yellow iris’, the chubby little cheeks, all that good stuff.

 

I skipped out of the underdeck as the smarter half-bloods looked over a map, I let them do that, ignoring the small voice to check on it.

I wouldn’t understand it anyway, I can only really read Latin, and even then, I’m not very good at it.

I sat on the Railings, kicking my sneakers as I hummed to… something.

I watched Atalanta.

She was strange.

I felt a connection.

I knew we had… something.

But… it was hard to see.

She was tall, her height adjusting like a wave, from five eight to eight feet tall, but she could grow bigger, I don’t know how I knew, but I did.

She had a large sword strapped to her back, she scowled most the time when she saw me, her most noticeable thing was the long black cloak she lugged around everywhere.

It was a far cry from my Purple and Gold Cheer Uniform, I would occasionally see her bare feet slip out from under the coat, never the same kind, sometimes they were human enough, sometimes they were more lizardy, others it looked like she was sliding around more than taking deliberate steps.

And her aura was…

It was a twisted mix of red, blue, and black.

War, the Sea, and Death.

I looked at myself.

Hot Pink and Purple twisted around me.

Love and Revelry.

I bristled, my tiny wings fluttering.

They were nothing like Atalanta’s wide Wingspan, which actually… worked.

I was smaller, less threatening, less… powerful.

I didn’t need to be powerful.

I just needed to look pretty.

And I was good at that.

All that power seems… stressful.

I might not be the best example of… what was it that Minerva was ranting about last week?

Feminism?

Yeah, that, I’m not a good example of that, but… I don’t really wanna be.

I’m happy, I’m content, I’m loved.

That’s all I have…

That’s all I want to be.

…

I miss my husband.

 

(Atty)

 

I stood, my body rising at a perfect 90 degree angle, being pushed by one of my tails.

I looked at Annabeth, who was stretching, doing her little yawn that made her feathers puff up, and then flapped her wings to bring herself up to a standing position.

I sighed, and gave her a quick hug before we started heading out the door to the Deck.

 

We walked through ROME- I breathed in, and out, a house barely still stood in place as the wind whipped around it.

I didn’t want to let go of her.

I could feel our time running out.

She was mortal, we only had so long to enjoy together.

I knew she had to do this alone, but why?

She had already gone through so much on her own.

She deserved to spend a week getting-

Let's not think about that, actually.

It was so… cramped in… everything.

I couldn’t breathe, a single breath would cause a tornado, a grip slightly too tight would make a loud Thundering sound, and a step any harder would make the earth crumble beneath me.

I was walking on eggshells, holding bubbles, and Breathing wind.

Annabeth looked at me, and took my hand.

I held her hand tighter then I meant too, used to clinging for comfort.

I didn’t feel crunching bones.

I looked at the hand, and remembered.

The curse of Achilles.

She was indestructible.

She…

I…

I hugged her, crushing her in my arms, not wanting to let go as she rustled my hair.

We stood there for five minutes, until I pulled back, looking up and into her eyes.

She stood there, looking indestructible, I was the goddess between us, but she looked like it way more, her curly hair, a single Grey streak going through it, the lower half was dyed blonde, her eyes, usually intense and gray, were still gray, but the usual storm looked softer, warmer, more loving, more inviting. She looked into my eyes, endless black voids that threatened to swallow ships and men alike, and she smiled, that same beautiful smile that I never wanted her to lose, her perfectly white teeth not visible, a smile of comfort, not of excitement.

“I need to go to the River Tiber, And I need to do this, Alone, I think, it’s important.” She leaned in, and kissed me.

It wasn’t the kind of kiss we’d been doing.

It wasn’t the kind where I’d slide my tongue down her throat as the rest of my kneaded her impenetrable skin.

It was a quick, momentary, but still unforgettable moment of our lips touching.

And it felt even more intimate then the last five days had ever been.

She pulled back, smiled again, and I watched her walk off into the distance.

In the direction of the River Tiber.

And I let her.

She’d be back.

We’d see each other.

At least one more time.

Notes:

also, haven't been updating recently because I graduated a few days ago, and had my birthday to deal with, but now I'm back baby.

Chapter 20: Just Breathe, Annabeth.

Notes:

So! we get into some Child abusey terratory here, Randolf Chase USED to be Homophobic, and Transphobic.
then, one of his kids came out as Trans, and he stopped being like that.
he's still a bad person, because it was one of his and Mia's kids, but he's no longer a Bigot.
he's just not a good person to raise a child smarter than him.
Also remember that Mia is a roman demigod, so her hostility towards Annabeth stems from that.
Can't fit those in actual chapters due to not having room for them in the story.
anyway! enjoy!
(Annabeth)

I wobbled a bit on my feet, that feeling of nausea as I made my way down the banks of the River Tiber.

I shook my head.

Shuddered.

And kept walking.

Everything felt heavy.

I was so tired.

I took a deep breath, sitting against a tree as I collected my thoughts.

 

(Annabeth) (7)

 

I was using the weird looking dominoes to build little houses as Maggy watched.

He was about twelve, old enough to watch me, according to my dad.

Maggy had long Blonde hair, I always liked how it looked against his pale skin, long, straight, pure golden hair, blue eyes that showed his every emotion, a soft face that only ever showed Joy, only ever giving way to tightness every time my dad used his full name, soured at every “Son.” “Boy.” and “he.” the long sweaters that I had seen Aunt Natalie wearing in old pictures, too big for him, but he would wear them like a shield against the words that made him feel bad.

I wish I could do that…

Just… put something on, and be brave enough to stand against dad.

Or hide.

Have something to hide.

I could hear dad screaming.

The walls of the mansion weren’t that thick.

They were thick enough that I didn’t hear what he was yelling though.

Maggy, bless his heart, he sat down, asking about the building I was making.

I averted my eyes.

“It’s… nothing, dumb, you probably don’t wanna…” I sighed again, every time I showed dad a picture I made of a building I wanted to make, he would brush me off, and every time I approached Mia… her kids would cry, and she’d yell at me to stop scaring them.

“No, it looks really cool, d’you wanna be an architect? I think you’d be real good.” Maggy took my hand.

His pale freckled hand clashed with my darker skin as he smiled, perfectly straight, bright, and white teeth, his blonde curls bouncing against his sweater, which was white with flower patterns stitched into the collar, which ran down the arms, directly to the ends of the sleeves.

“...Arche- Tech?” I asked, looking at my cousin as he smiled at me, the excitement evident in his voice.

Every smile, every hug, every touch, spin, and every look into my eyes.

At me.

Not through me.

Or around me.

He actually…

He actually saw me.

For who I was.

“Yeah! You’d be really good! Even with how lumpy these things are, you did such a good job! You should really try to be an architect.” He told me.

I believed him.

It was the first time someone actually gave me praise for what I had done.

I knocked over the tower I had been making when I launched in to hug him, tears in my eyes.

“Thanks, Magnus.” I used his full name, because using a nickname seemed less emotional at the time, and felt the twitch, the tensing of his muscles, the relaxed older Cousin act had been blasted with one of those air cutter things, and all that was left, was a gritted jaw.

I pulled away, backing up, scared he would yell at me for forgetting the one thing he told me.

I watched him stand there like he was trying to breathe, but couldn’t take a breath.

He shook his head, and looked at me.

“Sorry, just… surprised me, I guess…” he retreated into his shell, the sleeves falling to cover his hands.

 

I turned the hat over in my hands again.

My dad was shouting at aunt Natalie again.

Me and Maggy had grabbed our gifts by the armfull, and ran into another room, Maggy’s Giggling leading me on after him as he held my hand.

My Gift had been wrapped in silver and blue paper with Owls on it.

“...I don’ think the wrapper knew what Christmas is.” Maggy snickered, and I chuckled, looking at the tab.

“From: Your Mother.”

It had held the hat.

It was my only Gift.

I looked at Maggy.

And Finally Told someone.

“I… I don’ wanna live with my dad anymore…” I sniffled.

Maggy looked at me, saw the tears, and patted me on the back.

“Just breathe, Annabeth, It’ll be ok, I’m here for you. ” he comforted me until I pulled away, and he went back to his gift, smiling at me for a second.

His had a red background, with Green pine trees.

I checked the Tag from over his shoulder.

“For: My darling baby, for your Yule Celebration.”

“From: Your Mama.”

I watched Maggy open the Gift carefully, exposing a deep Blue Wolf Plush, it looked bipedal, and it was Limp, not stuffed fully like a Sitting Teddy Bear.

“Huh.” Maggy hummed.

“My mom would usually call herself… Mom. and the last few Gifts were Addressed that way too…” he chewed on his lip.

The Wolf’s Tag dropped from the tail.

“For my little-” was all I could read.

Then, the door slammed open.

“Annabeth, We’re leaving.” My father grabbed my arm, a bit harder than necessary, and I almost dropped the yankee Hat that Had been in my gift.

“But I thought we were stayin’ the nigh-”

“NOW!” he shouted, and I stopped struggling, waving back at Maggy, who stood there as he watched us go.

Aunt Natalie shoulder checked my father as we walked past her, making him grip my arm harder, and I whined before he slammed the door.

Aunt Natalie had Skin that was slightly darker than mine, which had added to the confusion when I first met Maggy, with his perfect Ivory teeth and Natural Blonde curls, which framed a face, Paler than I had seen.

 

As we sat in the Motel my father had paid for, prior to the trip to the mansion, like he had planned to Storm out at the beginning.

“I took a break from work, for this. These delusions, these… Immoral Actions!” he grit his teeth and curled his hands in a threatening motion before settling.

“We, are NEVER Coming back here, We will never see those deviants again, understand?” he asked, looking at me.

“W-... Why?” I asked, The visits to Maggy were the only reason I stuck around, in all honesty.

“I asked if you Understood.” my father spoke, voice low and threatening.

“Yes.” I told him, swallowing the Bile in my throat at my lack of a spine.

“Good.”

 

That night, I listened to the wind blow through the open window.

I thought back to the tags on Maggy’s gifts.

“From: Mom”

They had all said from Mom.

Only one had said Mama.

The distinction seemed important.

I opened my eyes.

Sadie.

She had two moms.

She called one her mom, the other was Mama.

She had told me the difference before dad had moved me out of that school.

I liked Sadie.

I looked down at the hat in my hands.

There was a note.

It hadn’t always been there.

I looked at it, perfectly able to read it, even in the dark.

It had an address, in Long Island.

I looked at my father, Sleeping in his own bed, farther away from the Window, with his wife, and my half siblings… his wife and children, I left out the window.

We had stopped at the Motel in Maryland.

I only noticed it was prepaid when he didn’t pay at the counter.

I found an Owl, on a branch, just… looking at me.

I put on the hat to hide my face, and ran off into the night, the crickets chirping as I ran away from the only place I knew.

Somewhere I’d never belong.

Just Breathe, Annabeth.

It’ll be Ok.

Your Mother’s here for you.

 

(Annabeth) (Present day)

 

I took a deep breath, and grunted as I stood up.

“Hey, kid.” I turned, finding a man with shallow blue eyes, like a child's wave pool in comparison to Atty’s bottomless voids.

“Tiberius, I’m here to take you where you gotta be next, easier that way than walking, right?” he asked, smirking with a glance at my lower abdomen, I held a hand over it protectively.

“C’mon, I’m right, ain’t I?” he asked.

I sighed, and got on his Motorcycle before he took off.

Breathe, Annabeth.

Atty’s here for you.

Notes:

SURPRISE MAGNUS CHASE REFERENCE!
and Sadie Kane.
that's her only time ever showing up in this, by the way, I'm not making A Kane Chronicals thing, no where near as interested in those, they're the only Series Rick made that I didn't finish the first book for.

Chapter 21: ANNABETH, VS, MISOGYNY! (FIGHT!)

Notes:

(Annabeth)

We Rode in silence, the only sound supplied by the wind through my hair and the roar of the engine.

“Welp, here we are!” Tiberius told me, and I jumped off the bike as fast as I could.

Then, he rode off into the distance.

Ok, here we go.

Into the dark, damp, abyss, underground.

I came to a door.

There was something slapped onto it, a piece of paper, written in a language I didn’t understand.

That was rare.

“That sign can’t stop me, because I can’t read!” I announced, and grabbed the pull ring, and felt something pull against me, black Bile stretched out from the Keyhole, and wrapped around the edges of the door, forcing it to crumple in on itself until it had consumed its own body.

I stood there, holding the Pull ring, which shrank into a bracelet.

The way forth was so dark, I fell into a pit.

Luckily, it wasn’t The Pit, But it was still horrifying.

My wings flared out, and I slowed my descent as I landed on my feet.

I pressed against my lower back, popping it as I stretched my wings and arms, shoulders, and so on.

Gods, I was getting Sore.

In all honesty, I think I got the short end of the… half god Stick.

Every single other person on that Ship had some power that screwed with the very fabric of reality.

I had pattern Recognition.

Hades, Even Will had Something.

He was able to blind people, Temporarily, with a throwing motion, and even then he had a gun.

I had a hand-me-down sword.

“Rude.” Riptide gasped, and I sighed.

“Sorry, just… stressed. ” I shook my head.

The only thing that kept me from just being a person was the fact I was mostly Feather at this point.

Without Interference from Aphrodite, I won’t look like an angel, I’ll look like an owl human Hybrid species.

I ran a hand through my hair, and set into walking.

I didn’t have all that, but I’m good enough that it doesn’t matter.

Gotta make it fair for everyone else.

I found a hole in a wall, and approached the table that glittered in the lightless caverns.

I felt something crunch under my foot.

I looked down, and saw a skeleton.

A… a lot… a lot of skeletons.

“Oh, is that all?” I wondered, I’d seen worse than a few corpses of people I didn’t even know.

“A girl, great.” I heard an ethereal voice speak, disapproving, because no-one had been approving of me before.

“And a Greek one too.” another echoed, and I saw dozens of ghosts, all sitting on ghostly benches, glaring at me.

“Oh, great, more dead people trying to tell me what to do.” I groaned, placing my face in my hand.

“Silence! Mithras’ secrets must be protected, your disgusting Greek Goddess cannot help you here-” the ground started to shake, cracks running up the walls of the room.

“You probably shouldn’t say that.” I advised him as the shaking settled.

“If this room collapses, it will also kill you!”

“Sure buddy, keep telling yourself that.” I rolled my eyes.

“Our God, Mithras, he shall-”

“That guys not even Roman, he’s Persian. Do you guys have any Originality?” I interrupted, smirking.

“SILENCE! You’re Punishment-”

“Dagger or Fire, you should really clean up the corpses every once in a while.” I kicked the head of one of my dead siblings, the skull shattering against the wall through one of the ghosts, who flinched.

“You… You anger the gods-”

“I kill the Gods, fuckface, Juno’s dead, because of me, your little River couldn’t pull Invulnerability from me for the life of him, and the Gods I actually do fear? They’re all asleep, too bored to actually care!” I picked up the knife that was right where one skeleton’s heart would be, and stabbed it at my own forearm, and watched it shatter with a smile.

“So, Unless you think invulnerability has a loophole, I recommend you let me leave.” I offered, the ghost that seemed to be in charge dumbfounded.

“The Curse of Achilles, it does have a loophole, and that shall be exposed by the FLAMES!” he shouted, and fire bursted out of the ground.

I stood in place, slightly shocked, as the heat blasted up around me.

It felt like I was standing in front of an open oven.

After a minute, the fire lowered.

I blinked.

I was fine.

My clothes…

Well, I assumed that Atty had blessed my underwear.

“Well, unless you want to just sit there staring at me, which… Why would you? I’m covered in feathers.” I told them, running a hand through the light feathers on my stomach.

“You’re the closest thing to a feminine form we’ve seen in milenia…” the ghost leaned back, defeated.

The fire had revealed something, though.

I didn’t have a weak spot.

Not on the outside, anyway.

“Well, anyway…” I looked up at the ceiling, and saw a crack in the stone that kept the domed ceiling in its proper shape.

“Oh, there it is.” I flew up there, the ghosts freaking out about my wings, and took out Face.

“Oh, hey, haven’t been used in a while.” he told me.

“Yeah, sorry about that.” I apologized.

“Anyway, sorry boys, the only god I see in here, is me. ” I punched the stone with Face, and it shattered, making the roof begin to collapse around us.

I locked my wings like I had seen Peregrine falcons do in Video’s I had watched on the Big house’s Computer, and slammed through a doorway as the bricks turned to ash.

Notes:

I'm glad I gave her wings, that way she won't fall into any Pits on accident!

Chapter 22: Useless Lesbian.

Notes:

You know how Arachne was cursed for Making NSFW work of the gods for her and Athena's weaving Competition?
and how Annabeth is an easily flustered mess when exposed to the slightest hint of Atty?
and how Arachne makes near photo-realistic Tapestries in the actual book?
yeahhhhh...
(Annabeth)

Wings flared, Feathers flew, and I scittered to a stop.

The landing was a bit rushed, mostly because I wasn’t used to using these things anymore.

That’s weird, I just realized I haven’t really used my wings a whole lot since I had grown them big enough to support my body.

There was the time on Polyphemus’ Island, but other than that… Nothing, until Alaska-

Everything Pulsed around me, like a heartbeat, the darkness seemed to swirl, to fall from the ceiling, rise from the floor, something in my abdomen writhed, and I nearly threw up.

I sat back against the stone wall of the area I had landed in, my head pulsing.

Breathe.

I breathed, and the nausea faded, and I breathed more.

I stood, eventually, blinking as I did, lights dancing in my vision.

I was hungry.

I unhooked the pack on my back, and looked through the Refrigerated compartment.

“There we go.” I sighed, pulling out a little baggy of Frozen rats.

Sure, not the most appetizing, usually, but I had begun to see the Appeal a few days ago, and plus, there were a few Tuna sandwiches in there too, From Atty, obviously.

Even if she wasn’t here, she’d still want me to eat right.

I’m just glad she didn’t Pack an arm and a leg. I love the girl, but her whole Cannibalism thing was a bit much for my personal taste.

As in I didn’t want to eat that, it was still hot as fuck.

Actually… Is she a cannibal?

I don’t know, is she more person, or monster? Or am I just splitting hairs at this point…

Whatever.

I don’t really care, like I said, it’s hot as fuck.

Anyway, onward, deeper into this Cavern.

 

Ok, a fifty foot cavern, with really thin boards, too far to use one leg on either, and Spiders were coming in behind me…

Honestly.

I walked off the ledge, and just flew to the other side, kicking the boards into the Cavern, so the spiders couldn’t follow.

There were little hooks on either side of the boards, the kind of thing that Penelope would probably know about…

Oh, I was supposed to weave myself a bridge?

I guess that makes sense for Athena to want…

Whatever, I opened the door.

And came face to face with a statue of Athena, Glaring at me.

“Well, that’s familiar.” I muttered, the image of her glaring down at me as Odysseus mixing with the one of her disapproving glare when I had Atty’s face in my tits.

Like that Tapestry over-

“OH SWEET APHRODITE!” I whisper screamed as I saw it.

Surrounding the statue, in a way that I can imagine would be a personal Punishment for my actual mother, and me, I guess, were dozens of Tapestries, all showing me and Atty, in… varying levels of undress.

I turned, and over the door, was one of my Nude body, black Tentacles slithering over every inch, and my face etched in ecstasy, surrounding the image, were different moments of less… explicit moments, but the tension was always evident.

I shuddered, gritting my teeth as I was reminded of how it felt, her body against mine, my knees shaking, my feathers rustling, my breathing got heavy.

Focus, focus, focus…

Stop thinking about the way it felt when she ran her razor sharp claws over your hips, the way her tendril fit down the center of your chest, the way she cut off my moans with her tongue, longer than my arm, the way it all…

I…

I fell to my knees, eyes blurring as I got lost in the thought of her body against mine, leaving Black stains against my gray feathers as she opened my legs…

“Very evocative, I know.” I heard, and moved my head to look at the source of the sound.

Millions upon millions of tiny spiders rushed around me, forming a vague approximation of the top half of a woman, with the bottom half looking like a giant spider itself.

I shuddered, but not from Arousal, from fear.

That’s a lot of spiders.

I stood again, my head protesting as I wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth.

“You, I… ugh…” I held my brain, shaking my head, trying to loosen the gunked up gears that refused to turn.

“I was banished from humanity for my Hubris, claiming to be a better weaver than your mother, and being able to back it up, we’re not that different, you know.” the voice disbursed as the spiders pulled a new tapestry from their combined body.

It showed me punching the stone that made the room of the Worshipers of that Persian god I already forgot about collapse.

My own voice sang through my head.

“The only god I see in here, is me! ”

“And, of course, her favorites are always the most Prideful. I also backed up my claim of being better than your mother, but she didn’t like the subject matter, so she turned me into a pile of spiders.” she spoke so softly, like she wasn’t a billion tiny Arachnids trying to kill me.

“You… You showed one of the three goddesses that didn’t like to think about that kind of stuff…” I trailed off, seeing another Atty tendril in the corner of my eye, and clamping my legs together.

“Yes, I am aware, but you must admit, it is quite… accurate, Right?” she grinned, red light splitting where her mouth would be.

“And, plus, clearly she wasn’t… that Opposed.” she snapped her fingers, and another Tapestry unfolded.

It showcased what could only be Aphrodite pinning My mother to the side of the tapestry, and behind her, was an outline showcasing my life.

“What… what is…” I panted.

“I don’t make things up, I weave with the threads of the world itself, I cannot manipulate it, that’s beyond me, but I know things, Like how your Mother and Aphrodite have been doing that Since I was cursed.” she looked at me, I assume, considering the fact her face was made of spiders, “This one, is when you were made, your mother took some clay, built the general body shape, then Aphrodite distracted her.” she pointed at a small lump of grey below the goddesses, “And there you are.”

I sat there, incapable of comprehending any of this.

“All's fair in love and war, Lady Aphrodite has her hands in every war god, literally.” the spider pile shrugged, and the implication made me fall farther.

“You never stood a chance, darling, Aphrodite herself wanted you to be a Useless Lesbian, and who are we to go against the gods plans?” she smiled, and started moving toward me.

“You… you can’t kill me, I’m invulnerable! And don't have a weak point!” I shouted at her, avoiding the many pictures of my body.

She grinned, her face growing teeth that made me shudder, but for what reason, I was unsure.

“Not on the outside. ”

Chapter 23: Leo's Metal.

Notes:

All of Leo's chapters are in here today folks, and next time, we have Piper! my girl, I missed you.
(Leo)

Ok, let me explain.

Me, my Great Grandparent, and her girlfriend(s?) had gone to look around, you know, family bonding, not awkward at all considering I thought she was cute before-

AHEM!

Anyway.

Haze was tapping the ground with their Staff that had a lantern on it, which sucked in the dark instead of bearing light.

Same effect, different application.

Same outcome, Different Equation.

“My math teachers would have hated that.” me and Haze spoke in unison, with the same slight snorty laugh.

Then coughed, and I started leading us, running my metallic arm over the bricks of the Cavern we had ended up in.

The Bronze Scales glittered in the light of my fire as I walked down the Corridor.

I was out front, Frankie was in the middle, and Haze was out back.

I moved with a shuffle and a drag of my right leg, which was the one that I had used metal plates to hold together after creating a mech out of Construction equipment.

The thing didn’t even do anything…

Haze moved like a liquid, looking over their shoulder behind us occasionally, their Staff clutched in their hands.

Frankie was marching at Attention, holding her Rifle in both hands.

“It looks… nice.” I offered to the Roman Demigods.

“Yeah, never really thought I’d get to see this place, what with the war.” Haze muttered.

I coughed.

Right…

“OK! This is awkward!” I shouted, making Frankie jump from the sudden sound.

I felt a hand on my metal arm, and looked over to see Echo, looking up at me.

Her form had become more Solid recently, her eyes not as Watery, her hair not as wispy, she looked more healthy.

I smiled, and sighed.

“It’ll take Time.” she told me, something told me that the subject saying Time was using the name of the Spice, but I understood.

There was an undercurrent of static in her voice, but it was fading, and the chopped together words began leading into each other more as her own voice began to speak them.

I brushed off my tu-tu, and groaned.

“Alright, let's go.” I started walking again, and Echo kissed me on the cheek before fading into the background.

 

I was wearing a hot red Shirt with a racecar on it, purple and black Stockings that matched my Skirt, and some Work Boots, I had one Lens of a set of goggles on my functioning eye, with a metal plate just fully covering the other one, that way it was more cool than horrifying .

Beter a plate than an empty hole.

I was also wearing an old set of Pipes’ Flannel shirts.

She wasn’t allowed to wear them any more, so they went to me.

Haze was in Jeans and a black shirt that had a skull with cat ears on it, and a pair of Combat boots, which had black ribbons for laces, there were a lot of ribbons in their wardrobe, but they were black, so I guess it was fine, Gender wise?

I don’t know man, I’m not the number one authority on Non-Binary Presentation!

And then there was Frankie.

A skirt, borrowed from Piper, who had all the clothes we needed. Combat boots, From home. A rainbow shirt that said “Make love, AND War.” A gift from her father. A pink hair clip with a pinker bow in it. And an old Military Uniform that had a Name plate that simply said “Ms. Zhang.” that had a bullet hole through the breast Pocket, which had been Sewed closed with a Sloppy Stitch with a Patch that said her pronouns.

Now, you’re probably wondering how we got in here?

It was simple, really.

We were looking for a passageway to get to Haze’s Brother.

My Uncle?

Let’s not think about that.

I felt some complicated machinery in a wall nearby, leaned on the wall it was behind, and Kicked the Mechanism into gear.

Then, the chute opened…

 

So, here we are!

Hurray!

Hoo boy.

“Uh…” I watched Haze stumble over what to call out to me and Frankie.

“What’s up?” I asked  loud enough for the answer to be to the group.

All four of us.

“We’ve got Company!” Haze told me, and I saw light blue vaguely humanoid Specters surrounding a group of American Tourist looking guys.

They seemed like douchebags, we could probably kill them without having too guilty a conscience.

As I internally Debated the ethics of Murder, Echo Grabbed my arm, and pulled me away.

And we were running now.

 

Yayyyy…

Physical activity…

Wait.

I had an Idea.

I spun around, and made a flicking motion, and the Tourists were launched down the Tunnel.

Then I turned around and started running again.

 

We came to a door, I was too preoccupied to worry about subtlety, so I just shoved my hand against it, and melted the thing, letting me pull the door open, and slam it behind us, melting the door shut again.

“What was that? ” Haze asked.

“The Tourists had a bunch of Jewelry, bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, that sort of thing, I pushed against them, and they got launched.” I explained, looking at the room we ended up in.

“No, with the DOOR! ” Haze blinked.

“Ugh, right, Metal and Heat, they melt, it’s pretty simple.” I shrugged.

“You can just… do that? ” Haze was amazed.

“Yeah, I don’t, mostly because it leaves a trace, and I prefer not to do that.”

The room we had found ourselves in was a wonder of design.

Not the room itself, I couldn’t care less about that, the machines that lined the walls.

Skeletal Aindrods hung from hooks on the walls and the roof, shelves upon shelves of little metal spheres that hummed with raw power, and a Table that held a Schematic for…

“Oh yeah, now it’s all coming together.” I rolled it up, and stuck it into my tool belt.

And about seven of these Sphere thingies.

And, lo and behold, the best one.

“Ancient Coffee Machine.” I pointed at it.

“So, who’s workshop is this?” Haze asked, looking around.

“No clue, doesn’t matter, this stuff is super cool though, these Blueprints, the Spheres, these Androids…” I noticed one of them shuffling against the hooks it was hanging from.

“Oh, they’re close enough to human for them to possess.” I realised, and Snapped my fingers.

There was a grinding sound as every Robot was torn to smiterines, limbs flying everywhere, embedding in walls as they screamed in pain.

Who programmes them to feel PAIN???

And the Workshop was in disarray when I was done.

“Ok, now, let’s get back to it!” I grinned, hopping off to the second Door.

Chapter 24: Piper's Identity Crisis.

Notes:

Content Warning for some Dysphoria later in the chapter, and in the next one, which willlll... actually, never mind. (about next chapter, the CW is still in effect)
(Piper)

I was sitting on a mountain, Hannah across from the picnic blanket, Will was leaning against a tree, bouncing his knee as he looked out to the sunrise.

Jason was at a 90 degree angle of me and Hannah.

It was technically a birthday celebration…

What it actually was, was incredibly awkward!

“You know, when I turned 16, I almost destroyed the world.” Atalanta walked over and grabbed a piece of cake.

She ate it in one bite, grabbed a bottle of Coke, and popped the cap open with a flourish of her sword.

Jason didn’t know what to do for a birthday, he technically didn’t even have one, this was just the celebration that Reyna would throw every year on the day they had found him, according to him.

Andromeda was there, but she was keeping her space after Atalanta arrived.

I could Feel Will’s tensed Jaw from here.

The only reason he was even here was because of Hannah, he really wanted to just go and try to save Nico on his own, but Hannah’s pleading had won him over.

For now.

“So, uh… before Jason decided to make this about himself, I was going to… ask you something…” she shuddered as I looked at her.

Hannah had her hair up in an attempt to tame the Fuzz, but that hadn’t helped, it was like she had a planet made of brown hair pinned to the back of her head. She adjusted her glasses with a blush, and took a deep breath.

“I really like you, and I would have tried to hold it in because I really didn’t want to dignify it, but with Atalanta being around all the time, and everyone else dating at some capacity, and whatever was happening in the stables, I just can’t hold it in any more, so will you PLEASE DATE ME! ” Hannah ranted as she grabbed my shirt, looking up at me with those same pathetic pleading eyes.

“Uh… you’re like… 12.” I reminded her.

“14” Atalanta piped in before disappearing with the sounds of breaking bones and slicing skin.

“Yeah! I have an ID right here! Says I’m 14, turning 15 in a month, you’re 15, so age isn’t a factor!” She grinned.

It was kinda cute.

“You also tried to kill him.” I pointed at Jason, who stopped eating his cupcake to cringe in on himself.

“Well… Ok, I admit, I was a bit of a bitch, BUT! I’m very Sorry, it seemed like the best course of action at the time…” she looked away, looking kinda cute when she avoided eye contact.

“...Fine, but you’re on thin Ice, got it?” I asked, and she nodded rapidly.

I stood up, brushing the dirt from my dusty Pink knee skirt.

Pandemos had gotten into my wardrobe, and the only available clothes was a hot pink faux leather jacket, a lighter pink shirt under it, a skirt of the same shade, and a pair of short heeled boots, with some stockings.

I brushed my hair from my eyes, the Pink highlights exposing themselves again.

“Alright, let’s get going before Bright Boy has an aneurysm.” I shrugged.

Andromeda floated up next to me.

“What do you want?” I looked at her, suspicious of the Roman version of the goddess that’s nearly killed us multiple times.

“Reyna’s getting ready to march on Camp.” she explained, fiddling with her fingers, “She’s got everyone in a frenzy, apparently Annabeth admitted to killing Juno, and Sacrificing her, and drove a wedge into her willingness to Reyna’s apprehensions towards charging on camp…” she looked shell shocked.

“Well, I’m sure Camp can hold their own-”

“That’s the issue.” she muttered, her eyes flashing green for a moment, a like mist covering her bright blues.

She took my wrist.

 

I saw the Girl with the eyepatch, Clarrise, I think? Standing in front of a group of five guys looking up at her with adoration as she stared down the full legion of New Rome.

One Mouthed something, which made her scowl deepen.

She snapped back, and tensed into a sprinting position, holding a giant sword with one hand, and the next second, I was seeing a large line, a Canyon, Forming as Roman soldiers were sent flying as she caught fire, their Skeletons standing and fighting what once were their fellow soldiers.

 

I gasped as she pulled back, her eyes losing the fog that had overtaken them earlier.

“What… was that? ” I asked.

“A vision.” she told me, “Of what is to come.” she floated a bit. “Unless something changes, New Rome will fall by the hands of the Daughter Of War.” and she was gone.

“Does that mean she’ll stop trying to fuck me?” Jason asked me.

 

We got there, Jason popped the lock, shockingly good at actually lockpicking.

As we made our way down, I felt something… something.

A breeze.

From the bottom.

But that…

Something was twinkling.

I grabbed my head.

I was in the back of our little Group, Will was leading, his Hat had a string that let him take it off while keeping it close to him.

He naturally glowed.

At the bottom, was a liquid black enough to just be a void, and Will jumped directly into it.

“It’s a bit sticky, but it should be fine, it’s like… an inch deep!” he called up, and Jason flapped down.

Oh right, wings.

I scooped up Hannah, and did the same.

“I could get used to this…” She looked up at me.

There was a sound in my brain as I knelt to let her down, it was like a gong going off, and it was sudden enough to knock me down.

“You’re getting close. ” a voice spoke around us, “But, as am I.” it rattled, as did the ground around us.

Hannah was looking for a way out.

Nothing.

“Nononononononono!” she shouted, and tried desperately to claw at the walls, only for the black liquid below to grab her by the ankles, and drag her down.

“The Sun, The Sky, You do not belong, Below the earth, where Daddy Can’t help you.” it Thundered, and I noticed that it was coming from my throat.

“...Piper?” Jason took a step back.

I felt the Black sludge work its way up my arm, around my skin, as I felt all the fabric and cotton candy in my brain getting wiped away.

Clarity filled my mind.

“Oh, sorry, Lover boy, but she’s not in right now, not that she’d give the Son of a Usurper the time of day.” The too bassy voice sounded jovial.

“The farther you go, the deeper down you go, the closer you get to my body, you only play even farther into my hands, you shall never leave this Well, you shall drown in obscurity, never to save the status quo you’re more focused on saving than actually seeing how it hurts everyone involved.” the voice dropped deeper, like it got more serious, losing the momentary gloating. “Now, let’s begin.” I saw eyes open along my arm, the black goop splitting to show hundreds of visual receptors.

Hannah was panicking.

Will looked at me.

The liquid began to get even deeper, lapping at my thighs in a matter of tens of seconds.

“Jay, Look away, close your eyes, and don’t open them again until I tell you.” Will ordered, his voice taking on a tone I had never heard from him before. “Same goes to you Hannah, and Piper? If you’re still in there, try to keep your eyes shut for this.”

I clamped my one exposed eye shut, the entire left side of my body felt like it wasn’t even mine, like something else was in control.

Then I saw it.

Through my eyelid.

A bright Light.

And I heard it, too.

Screaming, like pain, but worse, but there was also hissing, and I felt the Slime washing off of me, and the Fuzz starting to encroach around my brain again.

I figured, if my options were either turn into Goop, or lose my inhibitions, I might as well pick the one I actually wanted on some level.

Then I heard feet landing on stone.

A higher voice than I expected spoke.

“Ok, you can look now.” I opened my eyes, my left half being mine again.

Where Will Solace, Sunkissed Blonde Cowboy, had stood, was now a Girl with long Black hair and Pale skin, like… corpse levels of Pale, in a black hoodie, but wearing the same jeans.

“...Will?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s temporary, but it’s still the worst, That stuff was liquid darkness, I think the old one is waking faster than we thought, his consciousness seeping up into deep recesses of the earth, and the only way for it to be able to do anything, is to have a host, someone closely related to him, preferably, but if the summoning ritual goes through…” he let that linger. “Anyway, Its an Apollo thing, I can channel the sun, create light on a scale that's like having the Star in the room with you, but it sucks out pretty much all my power, and most of my dads interference, such as fixing… this. ” he shrugged, wincing.

“Wait, then…”

“Yeah, This is what I used to look like, Woopdy Doo! Let’s just go, It’ll fix itself when I’m exposed to sunlight.” Will Scowled, and walked through the door that had appeared at the bottom of the well.

Notes:

And now we know why Will's important to this Quest!
he's the only person able to get rid of Posedao's Gunk.
unfortunately, it Detransitions him, but it's temporary(it still sucks, sevearly, but not as bad as if he was stuck like that...)

Chapter 25: WIll of the People(Yeah!)

Notes:

Quick Fact for this AU: Will looks like his mom, and is like a houseplant(He needs the sun, or he'll just DIE.)
(Will)

FUCK.

Alright.

Ok.

This is fine.

What am I kidding.

Without dad’s glow, I’m just an edgy Teen!

Long black hair kept bunching in front of my face.

My guns were gone, made of the spirits of light itself, and sacrificed in that Well too.

I was barefoot, I had boobs again, and I felt nauseous.

I look exactly like my mom!

Ugh.

I was stuck in this Damn Sweater, too!

We came to a large arch, leading into a room, large, cavernous, with Pulleys and Stage material, and a jar.

Barely big enough to hold my boyfriend.

“NICO!” I shouted, wincing at how my voice sounded again, my dads Magical HRT having been stripped along with my tan and Blondeness.

Along with… everything that let me be useful.

A booming voice laughed as a pulley lowered… a vaguely humanoid thing that was about… twice my size?

Oh fuck, my Contacts had melted.

There were a lot of colors and textures, but exact shapes were hard to see.

I could hear the voice speak through my left ear, my right one seemed to have gone deaf again.

“The Prisoner cannot hear you, that thing is Soundproof!” the voice shouted.

“And it’s about time you showed up.” A bored sounding voice, a bit softer than the last one came out.

“We are Giants! Made to rival the gods in their own games! I am Ephialtes! Call me Phill, it’s easier to remember, I am the Anti DIONYSUS!” Phill shifted, I still couldn’t see the pose, but from the sound of it he was flexing.

“And my name is Otera, The anti Andromeda.” the softer voice greeted, sounding a bit nervous.

“Oty, my darling sister, you need to be more Assertive with this! You finally have your own immortal enemy, and she’s the Goddess of Celebration, you have to be BIGGER! MORE CELEBRATIONY!” Phill tried to hype up his sister.

“I know, it’s just… I’m only the Anti of the roman one, and she’s… she kinda… sucks? At least Bacchus still has Madness going for him.” Otera explained, and I stood there, not trusting my balance, which was always horrible before dad came in.

“Ok, well, yeah, but she does still have… uh… she… We’re trying to outdo them in the Party Category, remember?” Phill asked, and I heard Otera sigh.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Now, we just have to make a good showing of Skinning these Demigods, and Dionysus will be so heartbroken at his own obsolescence that he’ll Sacrifice himself to us!” Phill cheered.

“And what about the other one?” Otera asked.

“We can just grab her, she’s pretty.” Phill grunted, and I gagged.

A ringing sound took over my left ear, and I was cut off.

FUCK!

I couldn’t see, Hear, I could barely walk without something to keep me upright, and I felt Like I was gonna Puke.

I tried, even through all that, to take a step.

And immediately collapsed.

 

(Jason)

 

Ah, shit.

Will passed out on the ground, Piper was looking around for something to help us survive, but, naturally, there was nothing.

Ok, alright, this… this could get overturned.

I can do something…

Maybe.

Oh, forget it.

I ran forward, and did a spin that kicked the wind into high gear, blowing the GIants away as I tried to throw Flipside at the Jar holding our only hope.

My javelin was batted away from the Jar, and I flapped my wings, mostly to get out of the way of another Swing from one of the Giants.

“Ok, so, Not a good plan to just fly in for a hit…” I told Piper, who groaned.

“Last time we fought one of these…” she shuddered.

Right.

Ignoring the time at the wolf house, the last time we fought one of these things was when Lady Atalanta stepped in, and Atty saved us…

But then…

We had been lucky that the one we were up against wanted to kill her girlfriend…

Now we were stuck…

Cornered.

I took a breath, and let it out, and shook my back as I got into a launching position.

A cornered Animal STRIKES.

I leaped, latching onto Otera’s face, and shoving my hand into her eye, elbow deep.

She screamed in pain, and I used the opportunity to take out Flipside, and flip him, grab the base of the javelin, and shove it into her throat.

Then I backflipped off of them, using a flap of my wings to launch her into a wall.

“I don’t give a darn if you lot are ACTUAL Gods! I’m not going down without a fight!” I shouted, grinning as yellow electricity coarsed around my body.
“That’s our intentions!” Phill laughed maniacally, and went to grab a lever.

Then I heard Clapping.

I looked over, and saw Bacchus, in all his glory, sitting in a lawn chair, legs spread, giving me too good of a view for my liking. His purple shirt was open face, exposing a perfectly flat, hairless, ever so slightly pudgy stomach that made his vibe balance paradoxically between Dadbod and Femboi.

“Oh! Good show, Truely! A wonderful spectacle!” Lady Andromeda called from next to him, jumping in place as she shook her pom-poms in front of her, wiggling once she landed.

 

“So, I heard there was a party, but this? Ugh.” the Purple god scoffed.

“It’s barely even a get together!” Andromeda gasped.

“That declaration’s really something though.” Bacchus raised a glass of Wine to me.

“Something That would fit in the Colosseum! OH!” Andromeda started whispering to Bacchus, who nodded, and hummed, and then grinned with a dumb giggle.

“Alright, now there’s A party! I’m starting to understand why ‘Pollo Married you~” Bacchus booped Andromeda, who smiled blissfully.

 

Suddenly, and without warning, we were standing in the Coliseum.

I blinked, my legs had gotten wiggly, and I felt tired.

The scent of fresh air pulled me back to the right now.

Then I looked at Will.

The black on his head was filled with gold, like a liquid spreading over a shadow, forcing the long black hair back into his scalp and turning it blonde, pale skin darkened just as rapidly, like a spill of tanning oil, freckles popping up like stars at night, his eyes flashed open, the deep chocolate brown getting wrapped in a sky blue, Antlers cracked as they grew, a tail fluffed out, Hooves, deer legs, and then came the rest.

The black sweater bubbled, and popped into a bright, obnoxiously red Flannel Shirt, open, with a golden T-shirt underneath, a Bandana wrapped around his neck, deep purple, and a Cowboy Hat twirled into existence above his head.

Will stood there, slowly regaining awareness.

 

(Will)

 

I breathed, the light, the air, the SUN, and I grinned, holding out my hand.

A beam of solid light shone on my outstretched hand, solidifying into a familiar Handle, and barrel, and Hammer, and cylinder.

Then, finally, my favorite part.

The Trigger.

I grinned at the glowing Golden revolver in my hand, twirled it once, and Aimed it at the Jar.

“Well! You had our interest, but now?” a man in a Purple shirt grinned at a Cheerleader next to him.

“Now, you have our attention.” she smiled.

I Fired at the Jar, a hole punching through the Metal.

A gas-like substance, black, like smoke, rose from the hole, and then more, and more.

Eventually, enough of the Gas had formed that the Jar was hidden from view, from the sun.

I smiled as I heard the tearing of metal.

“It’s about time you showed up, I’ve been waiting.” I ran into the cloud, sliding between the legs of the Giant that tried to get in my way, and jumped.

Something between solid and not grabbed me, and the next thing I knew, I was face to Veil with Nico, who was holding his Umbrella behind his head, which was tilted at me.

“My lady, may I have this dance?” I asked, a smile evident on my face.

“Ugh, don’t call me that.” he shook his head, but still took my hand.

“So, my darling Prince, are you ready?” I asked, Dipping into a Tango move my mom taught me.

“What if I said no? You came all this way, fought all those monsters, And I could just want back in the jar~” Nico wiggled his head at me, the veil flapping.

I rolled my eyes, and slid into a standing position.

“Darling, to get to you, I’d fight through Sirens and A cyclops.” I Shrugged.

“Uhuh, not that impressive considering we know Tyson, how about the Minotaur?” He asked me.

“Anything, even Ceberus.” I took his delicately gloved hands in my Keratin covered Hoof like fingers.

“Everything can get real Scary, but I think it’s time to be…” he left the word open, looking to the side.

“It’s time that we be Legendary. ” I grinned, flicked up the Veil for a quick kiss, and spun out of the Cloud of dust.

I grabbed my Revolver by the Barrel, and pulled, with a twinkle, and a Crack, I was standing there with a double barrel shotgun.

I ran, and Slid, and shot right between Phill’s legs.

I heard the guy that reminded me of mister D let out a single loud laugh.

I jumped, did a frontflip, and Shot the giant in the back, knocking him onto the ground.

There was a clicking sound as the ground morphed into solid brick, leading to the fallen Giant.

Out from the grounded cloud walked Nico, Umbrella covering his perfectly Ironed Dress as his heels clicked against the black bricks.

He stopped in front of the whimpering Clown, and crouched down, clicking his teeth.

Then he stood, took out his hat from where it hung from his neck, placed it on his head, covering his hair as he took the umbrella from its place on his shoulder, and collapsed it.

The umbrella shifted before my eyes as it turned sharper, more… Swordy.

Scapegoat was slowly pressed into the Giant’s head, breaking through skin, bone, and brain, until it hit the ground.

“You got in the way of my walk.” he lifted his chin behind the veil, and the bricks formed another walk route for him to follow.

I slid in front of the Giant again.

“You got in the way of his walk. ” Then I shot them in the face, and skipped off after my boyfriend.

“Alright, that guy’s out!” the guy up in the stands shouted, and I heard a fizzling sound.

Nico popped open his Umbrella again, and took a deep breath.

“Hey!” he called out, and Otera glared at us, “Are you afraid of the dark?” Nico asked, tilting his head.

“...No? I spent most of my life underground…”

“Would you like to be?” Nico Grinned, a white Grin appearing on the front of the veil with eyes that looked like scribbles made with white Colored paper, ever shifting, ever changing.

The shadow provided by the umbrella stretched, too far for it to make any sense, and it wrapped around a leg, the torso, tied the arms down, forced the legs into a kneeling position, and it slowly, agonizingly, covered Otera’s face, leaving a single crack for one of the eyes.

Nico knelt to look her in the eye before covering the crack with their own hand.

The shadow disbursed, leaving nothing in its place.

“...How…” Piper shuddered.

“Absence of light, when a person dies it’s described as the light leaving their eyes, you can extrapolate.” Nico turned, and looked at the spectators.

“You should leave before Atty gets here, she’s not in a great mood-”

“WE NEED TO FIND ANNABETH! NOW!” Atty screamed, landing on the ground, causing the ground to shatter.

Notes:

Also! A list of People's previous Reincarnations
Atty: ???
Annabeth: Odysseus, Misc love interests of Icarus and Hyacinthus.
Frank: Eurilochus.
Haze: Polites.
Jason: Theseus.
Piper: Perseus(Prime), ???
Leo: Jason(The 1st)
Hannah: Hera(lol)
Taylor: Pine, Peramedes.
Will: Elpenor(it NEVER comes up, hence why I'm doing this.)
Nico: Telemachus.

Chapter 26: Annabeth's Worst Nightmare.

Notes:

CW: Spiders.
(Annabeth)

I felt the legs skittering over my legs, my arms, everything, avoiding the Emblem to Atty that was hanging on my neck.

I was frozen in fear.

They had wrapped up my wings in silk, and were trying to get inside.

They were zeroing in on my ears, my Nose, mouth… other openings.

I was shivering, I was frozen, I couldn’t move.

The little legs tippy tapping on my skin, impenetrable.

I was figuring it out by process of elimination.

Inside my mouth, also invulnerable.

As were my ears, and nose, and eyes.

The fact that they couldn’t actually hurt me, but were just searching.

The spiders made their way down my throat, still searching for anything that could be my weak point.

Curse my lack of a gag reflex.

I was trapped, how could I ever get out of this before she found it?

I began crying.

Can you really blame me?

Then I heard a crack.

All the spiders stopped.

The roof caved in.

 

It was over in moments.

Atty shattered the roof, electrocuted all the Spiders out of me.

I coughed out some of their little bodies, and threw up.

She zipped over to me, looking me over for any injuries.

“I’m an idiot, I shouldn’t have ever let you leave me, I’m so sorry, I almost lost you again, and now I come back in to that, and-” I put a hand on her shoulder, Tired.

“It’s fine, we got to the thing…” I coughed again.

Atty turned, and saw the statue of my mother, still glaring at us.

Her body language got tense.

“That’s it? We came all this way, you risked your life, got molested by Spiders, and all for some idiotic STATUE???” She shouted, and the ground cracked around her feet as she stomped towards it.

“Atty! The ground is Hollow!” I heard Nico shout, him, Will, Piper and Jason were making their way down a ladder into the room.

Then a door behind a Tapestry was slammed open, bringing Leo, Haze, and Frank.

“The Athena Parthenos, it was taken by the Romans, a symbolic gesture of superiority over the Greeks.” Jason explained.

“And a way to steal her War Goddessness.” Will nodded.

Atty looked at the Blondes, then back at the statue.

“ Athena. Why is she always trying to take you from me.” she growled, and I saw black Bile rise from the cracks in the ground, wrapping around her ankles.

Piper looked at me, then Atty.

“Uh… Miss Atty, it’s not a good Idea to… uh…” She backed up, and we all stood there, watching her breathe.

She took a large breath.

Too large.

The skin covering her spine tore apart, scales and tendrils filling the void, her hand was clenched so tightly I saw solid black Oil dripping from her palm.

“We went through all of this effort for a statue that I’ve never heard of.” she spoke as though in a trance.

“It’s fine, honey, it’s symbolic, we can take it back and establish a connection between the camps-” I tried to explain.

“What it is, is STUPID!” she punched the Statue, right in the Midsection, and I watched as cracks snaked out from the impact, and they embedded themselves in the wall that had been behind the thing.

A crack also snaked its way out behind Atty, right under me, and she turned, her eyes, too many, too few, were wide.

The ground crumbled beneath me, and I tried to open my wings, only to remember that Arachne had tied them together.

I started to fall into the Pit, but this was different.

 

(Piper)

 

Atty launched herself at Annabeth, grabbing her by the wrist, and grabbing the edge of the pit.

Then I heard it.

“Come along, darling, come back HOME ” I watched Atty get pulled by the word Home, like a rope tied to her wrist, but instead of pulling against her, it stretched her.

Frank turned into an Elephant.

She can do that?

And took hold of me as I grabbed Atty’s hand.

For all intents and Purposes, we should have been able to pull her up, and Annabeth, but the vacuum sucking her down refused to let her leave.

Atty’s skin started to melt into that same black slime that possessed me earlier, and I gagged, but tightened my grip, finding a bone.

Her face split down the middle, teeth, tongues, tendrils, eyes, all of it fell away, revealing a human skull.

I almost screamed.

The black void that might have been her was pulled down the Pit, clinging desperately to every Bone it was pried from, the skeleton was held together by something, her Goop still clinging to the forearm I had in my grip.

“Why do you Hate me? I just want to see you, my darling daughter, you know the Coup never calls you that, it’s always Poseidon’s child, Aphrodite’s Adopted, the Cursed. You don’t have to live with that, just come to me, and you will see, a world beyond your imagination.” I almost fell into the Pit with them, and Frank pulled more, sliding along with me.

Then we stopped as Nico used the Shadows to grab Frank's tail.

The black goo latched onto my arm, and I felt something getting Syphoned out of me.

More of that black ooze dripped from my wrists, into Atty, as a golden light, unlike any seen on earth, burned itself into her ribcage.

She was down to the Ankles, Annabeth was wrapped in a loose tentacle, and looking at what was behind for too long was making me nauseous and gave me a headache.

Then, the line Snapped.

They fell into the infinite Abyss, and the skeleton was sent flying at me.

Me, Frank, Nico, and Haze collapsed onto the ground, the Skeleton landing in my lap.

The golden light in the ribcage glowed more intensely, and I felt it seeping into my Skin.

I shook my head, and looked at it again, seeing the skeleton crumple into dust, leaving me, leaning against the wall.

 

(Leo)

 

I…

I sat against my workbench, looking over the chunks of Marble I had dumped onto it.

The remains of the Athena Parthenos.

A magical statue, supposed to bring the end of the division of the Greeks and Romans.

And an angry Lesbian destroyed it-

And the Cave in had caused it to Crumble.

I sighed.

They were-  She was gone.

The smart one, and the most overwhelming powerhouse we had

Annabeth had fallen into the Abyss, she was invincible, and the smartest one we had.

And the leader.

Echo Kissed me on the cheek.

“Yeah, you’re right, I’ll look at it again later, I need rest.” I got up, and headed to my bed.

I just didn’t know if Annabeth could get through all of Tartarus Alone…

Notes:

And so brings the end of Scars of the Sea, or, as I have it written in my notes, SOS.
Next up in the series is "The Way Home"
Next thing I'm focusing on is In H. Dursely, "Heather Dursely and the Bitch No-one Likes." (Title Not really Pending anymore)
I'll start work on TWH after I'm done with that, now enjoy the next 24 hours!

Notes:

Comment your thoughts so I can get energy to make more!

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 10 of The Jackson Chronicles.