An idea that came to my mind while reading House of Hades.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Belongs to Rick.
Calypso didn't know what she was thinking when she kissed Leo Valdez on the lips. She watched him wistfully as he left, swearing on the River Styx to return for her. She shook her head silently from side to side at his optimism…so much like the other one, the green eyed one.
No man ever found the island more than once.
He was no hero. He was simply another boy who had wandered on to her island. A klutz, a scrawny Latino boy who simply couldn't stop tinkering with metal. What did he know about love and emotions? He was a son of Hephaestus for Olympian's sake. And might she had she knew that god quite well. All he knew to do was to fix and build things. Yes, the gods were mocking her.
First they had cut off communication. Hermes had stopped visiting, making her feel even lonelier than she had before. Ogygia was her home and prison…
Was this another form of their revenge? She didn't mind the loneliness, but to bring her hopes up and then dash them.
Excessive cruelty was what this was. Two heroes within five years. Years in Ogygia of course weren't the same, going slower, but the Fates were laughing at her, tantalizing her with the son of Poseidon first.
Here he was a boy about her age who like he had been blown out of a volcano, all tattered. She had nursed him back to health. When his eyes had first fluttered open, her heart almost stopped, swept away by the emerald green eyes that surged with new vitality from being healed.
He was the perfect companion, always jocular, keeping her company, telling her stories of the mortal world. His mother, a woman by the name of Sally Jackson was idolized with him. She smiled at his fond memories of her, knowing that any man capable of loving his mother that much was capable of being her ideal man.
He was a cheerful hero, one of the first she had seen. Most ended up pining away or were too arrogant to consider her worthy of their time. She had met many heroes in her three millennia of imprisonment.
She was right. She had fallen in love with none other than Percy Jackson, future hero of Olympus.
Yet, there were times where she almost went into a murderous rage. Yes, he had been kind, those endearing green eyes bounced with excitement as he talked to her…about some girl named Annabeth.
The way he described sounded like a goddess. A blonde with princess blonde girls. Calypso knew he was a goner from then. It seized her heart violently to watch him talk about her, ripping it with gusto at every description he painted of her.
Annabeth had taken his heart and it was too late to steal it. Even he was yet to realize it. Calypso knew it would only be time…
There was a hidden sorrow beneath him when he spoke of Annabeth. He kept up a façade of good spirits around her, yet she could sense his want to leave. He wanted to return to this golden girl. A girl that Calypso had no chance of competing with.
He had held up the sky for her… Calypso blamed her father, Atlas for that.
She didn't blame him. They all wanted to leave the island, but her selfish side wouldn't let her admit it. She would curse the Olympian gods for incurring this fate upon her.
Could she have persuaded him? Possibly. She had after all nursed him back to health, but she could sense his own growing loneliness as he began speaking less and less, as though he had finally realized that there was no way out.
Percy had never taken out his anger on her, but it pained her. Something in her mind told her it was time to let him go. But not yet, she had wanted to whisper.
When you love someone, you have to learn to let them go…
She had let Percy Jackson go; leaving with him a small plant that she hoped he would plant in honor of her. A memory that would stay alive as long as he cared for it.
The green eyed hero was one of the finest she had met. She cursed him though, cursed him for leaving her behind in this heaven-like hell.
The second one came few years after, arriving with quite the entrance, destroying her table in the process. No, she wasn't upset that the table was broken, but this was the way the gods had finally contacted her. Through a flying airplane that had crash landed on her house.
Out of curiosity, she took a look at the next hero who was to break her hear. But when she saw him, she as repulsed.
A small, scrawny Latino hero with curly brown hair. He looked like a son of Hermes from his build, yet there was something else.
She cursed the gods as he came through, willing them to take him back. So, this was her next personal torture device. Not someone she could fall in love with, but someone who would annoy her, ruin her.
He had already started with that spectacular entrance of his, destroying the peace of her secluded home.
They were mocking her no doubt. He had no intention of listening to her, but his restless said that he too wanted nothing to do with her or her island.
Just say you want to leave the island she told him. He complied hesitantly, shocked at her hostile behavior. Calypso herself was shocked. She was never this mad, but taking out her anger at the gods on this boy was the only way to relieve herself.
Nothing. No raft. This was a joke. The one time she didn't want a hero, they didn't send him away. These gods had no mercy. They were cruel, insensitive beings… Heartless.
He knew Percy. Calypso was tempted to ask of him. How was her green-eyed hero? It had been long since she had heard news of him, or anyone for that matter. Stupid Olympians, cutting off all communication.
And now, here she was stuck with some loser of a demigod who had destroyed her house. She lost the energy to argue with him.
He reminded her of Percy in a sense. Both were inquisitive, slightly brainless…and in a sense, sweet. Calypso cleared her head of these thoughts. She would never fall in love with this one like she did Percy. Never.
She ignored him like he was some disgusting bug. She felt horrible. She was treating him like the Olympians treated her. It wasn't his fault. He was just as much a victim as her. She gave him food in bowls as though he were a dog.
This was the best way. No need to accustom herself to him. They should be distant, the way it should have been. She provided him clothes to cover himself with, but honestly, seeing that scrawny boy just made her weep at her fate.
This was the hero they had sent her?
She would never fall for him. She promised herself. She wanted him to leave. Calypso wanted to shout it out to the world. But no one could hear her.
Leo had taken to wandering around the beach, tinkering with things. He had easily mended what he had broken, confirming her suspicions that he wasn't really a son of Hermes, but in fact Hephaestus.
He was sarcastic too like Percy, but too light-hearted. He didn't care. He wanted to escape, be with his friends. Percy was a born hero, but Leo had to prove himself.
He felt useless, and now, especially since he was here, he worked extra. Calypso watched in awe, scolding herself while she idled away for too long. This wasn't how it was meant to be!
He was too focused on his work to pay her much heed. His love was in that metal and fire. But he would tease her while relaxing, saying that she had feelings for him. Jokingly of course.
But he didn't realize he had hit close to home. She was falling for him, just like Percy. Just like the others. She returned the banter half-heartedly.
She sang for him like she did Percy, holding him completely mesmerized. He stared at her as though possessed.
And then, the mirror worked its magic.
She saw horrifying scenes of demigods preparing for battle. Greeks and Romans against one another. She felt a sense of pity, looking at Leo's sad face. These were his friends, and here he was powerless to help.
Percy too had been restless, wandering about. Maybe it wasn't her. Maybe it was their loyalty. She could have seduced many a man, but the gods knew. They sent her those that were loyal. They had a purpose, and they would do anything to honor it.
Odysseus, Percy, now Leo…
The vision now showed a girl with than skin, the cape of a praetor. Her face registered jealousy, making her stop. So he had a girlfriend? He had led her on. Why should she care about these demigods?
They were all the same. Selfish creatures like their godly parents.
But was her father any better. These thoughts rushed through her mind when a figure emerged. It was her grandmother Gaea.
Why visit after all this years?
She was here to take advantage of her momentary anger towards the gods. She laughed. Gaea. All she did was create havoc, and here she was pretending to be the world's friendliest grandmother, offering her a hug. She was worse than the gods. She offered her a choice.
Kill the boy, get Percy in return. Calypso stopped momentarily. To be by Percy's side eternally. She considered it. Almost ready to accept when she paused.
Yes, she loved Percy, but no. She couldn't take him away from Annabeth. He wouldn't be happy with her. Seeing his sad face for eternity would make her even lonelier. Something she couldn't ever receive: love.
Her grandmother promised her escape from this prison. Percy and freedom. What more could a girl want? But no. It was a trap. She wanted to kill Leo. Why insignificant Leo?
She rejected the offer, no afraid of incurring the wrath of Gaea. She banished her from the island. Leo was worth something. He was important.
She turned to him, ready to start preparing his escape. She knew he couldn't stay any longer. Him staying on the island was just as good as killing him. Leo had a purpose, and Calypso was going to help him.
They spent the week getting ready, talking about trivialities. He wanted to open up a shop. She laughed at his ludicrous ideas. But she humored him. But it was done. The time went by quickly. What normally felt like eternity in Ogygia went by in the blink of an eye. They had worked together in perfect harmony, finishing quickly.
She encouraged him. He had made a ship before. But her prayers were answered, and her dreams crushed. The raft had finally appeared. Perfect timing as usual she thought miserably. Just when she had begun…
She ushered him in as he promised to come back. She smiled at his delusion. The raft began to move. She grabbed him, kissing him.
She stood abashed as he blushed. It never happened she said as he nodded. Go away she said as he nodded once more.
Calypso rubbed her eyes quickly against her sleeve turning away, so he couldn't see the tears threatening to fall.
But she had fallen in love once more…and her heart was broken once more.
I promise I will update Married and Goode and The Beauty and the Beast by next week. I have so many things going on right now.
Anyway, anyone else notice troll Rick's note to readers at the beginning?
To my wonderful readers:
Sorry about that last cliff-hanger.
Well, no, not really. HAHAHAHA.
But seriously, I love you guys.
Uncle Rick needs to stop trolling. Anyway, keep your eyes open for updates.
Make sure to fave and review. Please? It's my birthday Monday? Or not, that's cool too... But, shout-outs to those who review.
~Voldy