"So, Mr. Jackson, do you know why you are here?"

With great shame, Percy nodded, looking at his feet. "I got into a fight with a few students..."

Ellenor Roth, Psychiatrist, frowned at him with her eyebrow raised. He was reminded far too much of his mom to be comfortable.

"You put six students in the hospital, Mr. Jackson. If I hadn't stepped in, you'd be facing jail time."

He shivered, but her words caught up in his head. "Wait, why'd you step in?" Passively, his hand crept towards Riptide.

The look in her eyes confirmed it. "I know you are a demigod, Son of Posiden."

In less then a heartbeat, his sword was out, pointing at her chest. "Who are you?"

Pain shot through his chest, his vision swirled and suddenly he found himself on the couch behind him, Ellenor gripping his sword. It's tip at his chest.

"A mother of a beautiful demigod, one who suffered greatly and like you suffered from tremendous PTSD. I watched her mind crack until she was nothing more then a Mania." She swirled his blade, turning it back into a pen. "I figured it was best to tell you now... I understand, Percy. I am not here to judge or listen to lie. You can tell me everything and I will believe you." Tears fell down Ellenor's face, her entire body radiated misery like Hades Radiated power. "I learned magic, so I could create a safe place from the gods... so Demigods and Legacies could heal... this place is safe... I swear on the River Styx."

Percy froze, waiting for the sound of Styx's power making a rumble in the sky. "Why... she's the strongest Ocean Nymph, on par with my Step mother... She rivals the Younger Olympians, how can you just stop her power?"

Ellen giggled, looking decades younger. "Experience. I'm well over any normal human age. Magic is very helpful in that regard." She smiled kindly, though quite sadly. "Immortality isn't a great thing Percy, in this case however it is quite helpful. I've helped many children over the years. I tend to work with older kids, like you. Many Gods only pay attention to their children whilst they are children, teenagers. You have lived so long that, even despite your many accomplishments, you are no longer seen or paid any attention. It helps that I can no longer sense the Fate's magic around you, thus I can help you."

He frowned, looking at his feet. Quietly he spoke. "Why me... is it just because of my father or because I am, or was the Child of Prophecy?" His chest tightened, though he couldn't figure out why.

Ellenor leaned down, lifting his head up. "I am helping you because you have suffered in a way no one should ever suffer. No one has even attempted to see if perhaps your mental state, your very spirit has been affected by this." She held his cheek and more of his misery leaked out, his pain, his anger, his fear at who he was becoming. "Healing the flesh is easy, healing the soul isn't. You've held a burden, a destiny unfair and cruel, born of lazy bigoted gods who fight with children. That is bound to leave scars... your temper, what you did to those boys... that was the suffering, the scars around your heart fighting back to ensure nothing else can cause you harm. You are a victim, Perseus, not a monster. You are not responsible for your actions, but if you do not take measures to work on your pain then you will be."

He nodded, slowly. "I think I understand..."

" Of course you do, your a smart boy. Now I'd advise you not tell Annabeth of your time with me." She saw his sudden suspicion. "Your lover would be reasonably untrusting and may mention me to her mother. The gods do not like my healing of their children, they see it as a threat to your loyalty to them. However on a purely personal note, telling her would hamper your healing. Healing your own pain requires you to bear yourself without the judgement of those that know you on a deeply personal level. Can you promise me to keep our conversations private?"

Oddly enough, Percy wanted to agree. He felt no reason to argue with her, everything she said just made sense. "I promise." A tiny shiver went down his spine, he gasped as his thoughts cleared. "You... you used charmspeech on me?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Not at all. All I did was cast an honesty spell, you knew, in your soul, that I wasn't lying. In return you felt totally at ease with me, your true self bled through. I use this spell in all of my sessions, otherwise I'd have to wait weeks, months or even years until people opened up." Her expression shifted, turning infinitely darker and deeply pained." . For a demigod, you never know how much time you have. You could be killed by a monster, like your friend Jason..." Percy's heart leaped, tears fell without hesitation. He knew the spell was still in effect. " A Son of Jupiter, slaughtered by an Emperor God, someone the Gods could easily deal with on their own. The Fates can only act through the Oracles, it is how their powers work. The Gods have no barriers right now, they could do whatever they want and they know it."

Her words rang true, the spell burned that fact into his soul. "I... I..."He couldn't speak, there was too much to say, The spell couldn't push it all out. "Okay... I believe you... where do we start?"

She sat down. "Well, we are going to start with Jason. I believe it was this knowledge that sparked your recent break down, your soul recognized the threat of the Emperors and projected it onto everyone. It is a good, painful, but good place to start. So, I ask you, what does Jason's death make you feel?"

The spell burned in his chest and he felt stupid tears burn at his eyes. "Hurt... angry... and afraid. I... Jason understood me, the pain of having everyone believe in us. We can't do anything wrong or else we are monsters, we have to give up everything." A Wave roared in his ears, silently at first but it built as the words came. "Why do we have to give up everything, he wasn't even SIXTEEN, HE WAS A CHILD, IT WASN'T HIS CHOICE, WHY DID HE HAVE TO DIE FOR THE GODS!"

Water exploded, swamping the office, with not clear source. It built and built, higher and higher before evaporating into nothing.

Ellenor looked at him, sad and completely dry... but mostly, she was proud. "A good step. I believe we've found the root of it all. Resentment, towards the world. A world that raised you like a lamb for slaughter, that cost you a dear friend... many of them in fact. That pain boils inside, blossoming furthur and further until you can no longer bear it... "

He collapsed, tears and snot and his very breathe escaping him. The world swirled and he was just so damn tired. "Where did the water come from?" It was easier to focus on that question then the actual words, an obvious loophole in the truth spell.

A Soft chuckle eased him pain just slightly. "You... your pain. You generated the water Percy. A truth spell reveals all truth, even the truth of your power. Now rest, rest here. I will watch over you while you rest..."

And he did, lulled by the simple truth of her promise and the exhaustion that came with opening up like he just had.

"Sweet boy, he reminds me so much of Pyrrha... I know your watching Mnemosyne, I can feel you." Ellenor turned and focused her gaze on the desk behind her.

Slowly, a strong women appeared. She was beautiful beyond words, with thick Auburn hair wrapped into a stylish bun, a fancy pantsuit emphasizing her supernaturally powerful and voluptuous body. Her face was hard, like a sculpture of ancient times. She was clearly beyond mortal.

She was Mnemosyne, Titanness of Memory and the mother of Artistic Inspiration.

"I told you he was ready." The titaness stood, walking over to the now sleeping Percy, brushing his forehead. His snot and tears faded until he seemed proper once again. "His memories are tainted, almost exclusively, with pain. He has reached a point where he can see past ties of blood and loyalty past. His heart is open to true change, or at least it will be... clever, that spell of yours. It is cracking that door straight open, I imagine you can lead him to where we need him to go sooner then expected."

Sighing, Ellenor nodded. "I Hope so, I have never come across a child with more agony stored inside. His recent trip to Tartarus seems to have fractured something in him, or perhaps it was something he experienced within versus the actual place. I can't decide..." With a frown, Ellenor flicked her fingers to Percy, smoke rose from his body, collecing into a large cloud. From this cloud an image appeared. "He is so afraid of his memories, he won't even dream of them... perhaps, perhaps I can place a curse on his mind? Make him live through his memories in his sleep, to wear him down, or I could travel his memories with him to dissect each one with him... both have their perks. One could make him snap all together but would also make him more vulnerable to our influence... the other would make him feel more in control but would also give him more chances to bond with his memories, the positive ones anyway, in an act of denial."

"Human Psychology is complicated..." Mnemsyome smirked a little. "But if anyone is experienced in unleashing evils from within to find the hope, it would be you Pandora."

Said women flinched. "My name is Ellenor, I put that name behind me when my daughter took her own life. The gods still think I am dead... the last thing I need, we need, is for them to find us before we can open Percy's mind to our way of thinking... that is exactly why we are speaking to the boy now, Evading the gods' attention whilst they are distracted with the Emperors."

Genuinely chastised, Mnemsyome nodded at her friend. "I am sorry, it is hard to fight memories so embedded into my soul... you are right of course." Leaning down, she kissed Percy's forehead. "I have opened his mind to his memories, detaching what he actually feels from the facts. This should help you speak to him... be safe, my friend. We get one shot at this... make it count."

The Titaness faded away in a blur of black and white, leaving Ellenor holding her head, listening to Percy's deep breathing. "I am sorry, my son... I wish I did not have to use you like this but I have little choice. Only you are powerful enough to make enough of a difference. But know this, even in sleep... what I do, I do for you. For all of my sons and daughters. The gods have committed unspeakable crimes, it is time they paid for them. It is time you children no longer have to fear death before adulthood... I hope I can do this for you all..."


It was, with odd energy, that Percy stepped out of Ellenor's office. He felt lighter, freer, then he had before. 'I didn't realize how bad it was before... my body doesn't hurt so much.' Smiling, Percy quickly sought out his girlfriend, sneaking up to her and pulling her to his chest. "Hi." She gasped and almost flipped him over, panic flickering in his eyes. Anger burned in his chest at that. 'Why do we have to be afraid all of the time!'

Annabeth growled at him, kissing him lightly before punching his chest. "Watch what you do, Seaweed brain. I could actually hurt you." Rolling his eyes, he pulled her into a much deeper kiss. Annabeth actually purred for a moment, stunned at his passion. "Your clearly feeling better, what did your shrink do?"

He shrugged. "A lot, I can't tell you it all. She says it has to do with the healing process. It has to be private, but I think she can help. She says I have PTSD and depression." Weakness hit him, shame following quickly. "I guess guys tend to get angry when they are depressed, not just sad."

Annabeth didn't seem suprised. "It's called agitated depression, I looked into it after the last Prophecy. Nico has some issues with that... a lot of Demigods do I guess." Annabeth seemed confused, like she didn't want to say that but did anyway.

A tiny shudder, the feeling of the truth spell, trickled down Percy's spine. 'It isn't as strong, maybe it is still on me a little...' A burning feeling, anger and justification washed away most of his shame. 'Other demigods... she's right, they really hurt us, this whole fucking world.' Shuddering at his anger, Percy smiled at Annabeth. "She said that I won't get expelled, actually the guys I hurt..." Shame came right back at those words. "They were transferred to a sister school, their medical bills were paid for. They are going to be okay." He leaned down, his forehead touching hers. "I didn't mean to hurt them like that... I didn't mean to hurt anyone like that."

Annabeth reached up, kissing him deeply. " I know that, you know that and thankfully your therapist knows that. We've been through a lot Percy, we fell into Hell... we are due a few scars." She shivered a little. "You were scary, Percy. I never want to see you like that again... it was like watching what you did to Akhlys. It wasn't like you..." Her grey eyes opened, serious despite their tears. "If she can help, keep on going to her."

"I will..."

All doubt fled him, Annabeth's words echoed with what Ellenor said. He knew she was right, he knew what he had to do. No matter how much it hurt his ego. He couldn't afford not to. He didn't want to scare of hurt those he loved... like his Mom, Annabeth, Paul, Tyson, Grover...

Or worse of all... Estelle, his little sister. He would not, could not, survive if he hurt her. He had to be better for her... he would be better for her.

She would never have to be afraid of him... of anyone.

Ever.


Chapter end, tell me what you think in the Reviews.

This is a sequel, directly, to the Burning Maze. Only it does not involve the others in a direct fashion. Unlike my other stories, this one involves Percy on a deeply personal level, beyond his part as a child of prophecy. This is a story of free will and the consequences of suffering unhealed.

Why is it a bad thing to hurt mortals when they are just as dangerous as gods if only due to their numbers?

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika, SPN2