"Why do you think your dad wanted to see us?" Percy asked Jason, his hand on riptide, stating that he didn't trust Jason's father in the slightest.
"Seaweed Brain, do you honestly think that any of our parents, or at least, Poseidon and Hades, would let us come to Zeus's palace without them being there to protect us?" Annabeth asked, since her, Percy, Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, Leo, Nico and Reyna had all been summoned to Olympus this morning with no reason why.
"I'm not sure if dad will be there. After all, he knows he has to keep his distance from Hazel or else he'll have to take her back to the underworld." Nico said sadly, since he knew that his father would want to be able to protect him and Hazel, but couldn't without sending his sister back to the underworld, and he did not want to lose her like he'd lost Bianca.
"Dad knows I can look after myself. Besides, I don't think Zeus wants has the guts to try and attack me in the open." Percy said with a chuckle as they approached the palace of the gods.
"Let's get this over with." Leo said.
When they arrived at the council of the gods, Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank, Hazel and Reyna all looked like they were going to faint.
Percy, Annabeth and Nico, who had all seen this display before, had to resist the urge to laugh.
All of the gods sat in their thrones, even Hades was in attendance.
Percy's eyes looked rapidly to each of side of the room, since while he did have friends among the council, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and his father, of course, he also had several enemies in the room as well. Zeus, Hera, Ares, Athena, Dionysus, and Hades. And he was on neutral terms with Demeter of course.
His eyes stayed mostly on his father. Poseidon sat comfortably in his deep fisherman's chair throne, dressed in his usual attire of Bermuda shorts and a very loud Hawaiian shirt. However, Percy could tell his father was ready to attack at a moment's notice. His eyes were directed at both of his brothers, though mainly Zeus, since while the lord of the underworld despised Percy's existence, ever since the son of Poseidon had gotten Hades the respect he deserved, he respected him as well. Anyway, Poseidon had a hand gripped on his trident and his face showed that he trusted Zeus with Percy in the same room as much as his son did. Than Poseidon turned towards his son and Percy saw pride burn in his eyes. This gave Percy a sense of accomplishment, since he'd finally done what he'd always wanted. He'd truly made his father proud.
And Percy wasn't the only one who was looking at his godly parent.
Annabeth was actually glaring daggers at Athena for sending her on a quest that sent her and her boyfriend to Tartarus. The goddess of wisdom herself appeared to be trying to avoid Annabeth's glare, since honestly, she didn't blame her daughter. She agreed that Annabeth had every right to be furious with her.
Jason was staring at Zeus, who looked mostly the same since their encounter in Athens about a year ago. Zeus sat on his platinum throne, wearing his typical suit and his master bolt was at his side.
Nico was looking at his father who looked like he was trying to avoid him. No not him. Hazel, who was also trying to avoid looking at her father.
"Heroes, we have gathered you all here to finally reward you for your services in the giant war." Hera said.
"Why did you wait until now?" Percy asked
"We wanted to wait until all of you were assembled." Zeus said gruffly, though one look from his brother was all he needed to back down.
"As a result, we are going to grant each of you one gift. Anything of your choosing and it will be yours." Hera said.
"A reprieve." Hazel said.
"Pardon me?" Zeus asked.
"For my gift, I want a reprieve, my father can acknowledge my existence without having to take me back to the underworld." Hazel said.
Hades grinned as he looked expectantly at his brother, who nodded and said "Very well. From this moment forward, Hades or Pluto, which ever you prefer, you are free to acknowledge your daughter whenever you wish."
Hades than turned to his daughter and said "Well done my daughter."
Hazel grinned at finally being recognized by her father.
"What of the rest of you?" Zeus asked, looking at his son.
"For my gift, I want you to apologize to Calypso for not following through on your word to free her last time. After all, you swore on the River Styx that you'd free her after the titan war and never followed through." Leo said.
Percy couldn't help but burst out laughing, since Leo had just asked the gods to do the one thing they'd never done in their lives.
"Very well. Calypso will receive her apology." Athena said, since she agreed with the son of Hephaestus. After all, her daughter's boyfriend had made them swear on the Styx that they'd free the daughter of Atlas after the titan war.
Leo grinned.
"Jason, my son, what would you desire of us?" Zeus asked.
"That's tough, since I have 2 desires. That you truly follow through on your word to Percy about acknowledging all of your children, mortal and immortal, and, this one I'm sure many people in this council will agree with, I want Hera to swear on the River Styx to never mess or endanger any child of Zeus/Jupiter ever again." Jason said.
"I think we should grant both of those requests. Mainly because I want to see all the colors our dear sister's face will turn as she makes that oath." Poseidon said with a chuckle, causing Artemis, Athena, Dionysus, Hades, Hephaestus and Demeter chuckle as well and Apollo and Hermes burst out laughing.
Zeus himself had restrain himself from chuckling as well and said "I agree with you for once. Hera, if you will."
Hera glared at her husband before taking a deep breath and saying "I Hera, queen of the gods, swear on the River Styx to never again interfere, mess with, endanger or do anything else to my husband's illegitimate children."
"And what of the rest of you?" Zeus asked.
"Damasen." Annabeth said.
"What?" Athena asked.
"For my gift, I want you to raise Damasen from Tartarus. He and Iapetus helped me and Percy escape Tartarus." Annabeth said.
"Who is Damasen?" Ares bellowed.
"He's your anti giant Ares. While I hate you and you hate me, Damasen and I actually get along pretty well. And I promised him that one day he'd see the sun and the stars again." Percy said.
"Father, Damasen is a peaceful giant who shows no clear threat Olympus. Besides, he saved 2 of our saviors." Athena said.
"Very well. After this assembly, Hades will use his sword to raise the giant from Tartarus." Zeus said.
After the others had gotten their gifts, Frank's being that his life no longer depended a piece of firewood, Piper's being her father actually had time for her, Nico's being for his father to return his memories of his childhood to him and Reyna's for all of the hunters and Amazons who died during her quest to bring back the Athena Parthenos, Percy was the only one who still had a gift.
"Perseus Jackson. You have saved us from total destruction a second time and I ask once more, do you want immortality?" Zeus asked
"No. I made the right decision when I turned that down the last time and I stand by it. What I want for my gift is for you to stop taking your anger at each other out on us half-bloods. All it does is create problems and start wars. Seriously, stop punishing your children for things you've all done. I'm sure we'd all appreciate it." Percy said.
All of the demigods nodded in agreement, thinking it would be nice.
Zeus looked like he wanted to smite Percy on the spot, but one look from his brother that read clear as day you touch him and the Giant War will seem like a water balloon fight compared to the fury I will unleash upon you.
"Very well. I motion to pass the law that will prohibit us from bringing our children into our own petty issues. No more will our offspring become collateral damage." Zeus said.
"All in favor." Poseidon asked.
All the gods pounded their weapons in approval.
"It is unanimous." Zeus said.