The wild bickering of the Council of the gods was underway. That was what it really was, there wasn't much of a meeting. Never was and mostly likely would be. Most of them were fighting-one way or another and it didn't matter what it was about. They fought because they could. There were very few that were not engaged in the festivities of arguing and those were those who were mourning the loss of the heroes that were lost long ago. This was the day Zeus had declared them traitors. This was the day that he cleared their names. But they were long gone. Very few even knew what had become of the demigods. Zeus was-trying- to argue with his brothers who very much not interested in the conversation and mockery at hand. Poseidon impatiently tapped on the seat of his throne while Hades had entertained Zeus in a fight, insulting one another. Yes, Hades was more involved in an argument than even Poseidon, not that he minded. Poseidon could honestly say that he would take Hades side on the matter. But soon the god of the sea forgot what that matter even was.
Ares was bickering with Aphrodite's husband on some matter that included Aphrodite but the love goddess wasn't really listening. It was probably about the god of blacksmith's wife's constant cheating with the annoying and blood lusting god of war. Ares was on the verge of a fight and even though the blacksmith was crippled, everyone knew he could put up a really, really good fight.
Poseidon also vaguely heard Athena insult him on more than once occasion out of the corner of his ear but he paid no heed to her and her abuses. She was shocked that he didn't answer, he had nothing to say and was just taking them in complete silence. It was like she was trying to get in a fight with the god of the oceans. How they paid her as the Wisdom goddess, Poseidon was starting to distrust that. Of course she was also in a 'love' spat with Aphrodite. Athena thought that falling in love with a man wasn't worth it, which some found ironic considering that she had fallen in love with several men over the past few thousand years. Seriously, some of the best leaders were sons and daughters of Athena. But Aphrodite wasn't having any of it. She told Athena that love was always worth it in the end.
Dionysus was wrapping grape vines around his fingers, listening to Hermes drone on and on and about something probably completely irrelevant to him. Most likely about shipments or emails or how his job never got a break. The small coiled snakes on his staff were also arguing but in a friendlier manner-more or less bickering. George and Martha. Some of the gods vaguely remembered that the legendary Percy Jackson was fond of the two snakes.
Demeter and Persephone were also fighting but that was nothing new. Demeter hated the idea of the goddess of spring time living in the land of the dead with the god of the dead. It was either that or arguing about fiber and cereal.
The only others that were not fighting besides Poseidon was Hestia and surprisingly Apollo. Hestia was, as always sitting but the fire-the hearth- and tending to the flames as a twelve year old girl. She was one of the very few that remembered Percy Jackson's name as a hero. She was actually quite fond of him. After all, she was the Last Olympian, as Percy had said. Pandora's Box-Pathos- was sitting nearby, hope wavering around in it. Poseidon sighed and walked over, sitting on the floor next to the little girl. Hestia didn't look surprised only amused that he was on the floor but she shot him a warm smile.
"Can you believe how much they are bickering?" Poseidon mused, shaking his head.
"That was you once," Hestia pointed out.
"I changed," he replied, shrugging. Hestia smiled warmly at her brother. Despite his constant change in personality and disposition, she liked Poseidon. He wasn't as quick to power as the others.
"Because of your son. The gods thought that they could never change," Hestia added.
"Some still think that way. I do not. Some of us have changed. Just look at Apollo and Artemis. Yes, her anger to him is the same but he isn't even fighting. He's just been…taking it," Poseidon pointed out. Hestia made a glance at the two twin siblings.
Like Poseidon had pointed out, Apollo wasn't fighting per say. He was listening to his sister whine on about immature he was and how he should never flirt with her Hunters.
"You never listen to a word I say. Sometimes I wonder why father made you god of the sun because you are so stupid and you never listen and never take anything seriously," Artemis exclaimed, angrily. She was most likely shocked that Apollo didn't answer right away. He usually thrived on the heated argument with his sister.
"Uh huh," Apollo muttered. He was as bored as half the gods and goddesses here with his Ray Bans over his eyes and his ear buds in his eyes, most likely jamming to some music. Music that wasn't as bad as many others thought he would listen to. Despite common belief, Apollo could write good poems. On occasion. Nobody really knew this though, it would give up his vibe of being a rebel, a trouble maker and plain old stupid. He didn't mind that, really. They were opposites. Artemis couldn't seem to grasp that subject. She barely knew how many times Apollo had got her out of a hole, took the blame, no matter the consequence. Rarely did anyone know how loyal and protective over his sister he was. He only wanted to be the older brother so he could take care of her. Of course, she hated that. She had stopped pranking others with Apollo and Hermes a long time ago and stopped hunting with her brother even longer. Little did she know, that hurt. It hurt, the fact that she made Hunters to hunt with and never wanted the company or the hunting company of Apollo. She had a new family. And Apollo wasn't a part of it.
"See! You still aren't listening. For the love of Zeus sometimes I just hate you!" That one caught Apollo off guard. He stared at his sister at first in shock, the next in hurt. He got off his throne and shoved his hands into his pockets. The room darkened considerably as he began to walk away but not many noticed. Hestia and Poseidon glanced at one another, worriedly. It has never gotten this far before. Then a certain Lutenient and daughter of Zeus came rushing in.
Everyone knew her. It was Thalia Grace. With her punk clothes matching her attitude, she had a clearly frightened look plastered upon her face. "Milady. There are these….these people! We caught a few of them but…but you all have to see this!" Thalia stuttered out, unsure if she was even saying the right words correctly. The gods got to their feet. Poseidon, Apollo and Hestia exchanged uneasy glances. They had a feeling they knew what was coming and Zeus would not like it.
"Bring them in," Zeus thundered, which most gods found ironic. His voice sounded a lot like thunder. Within minutes the two dozen hunters or so came in with about fifteen or so hooded figures. They all wore black clothes except one who wore a silver one. They all seemed to come willingly and were cool, calm and collected. Each of them had an aura of power unlike anything the gods had ever seen but the one in the silver cloak was the most powerful. "Who are you?" Zeus demanded further.
"We do not answer to you," the first boy said. Each were hooded with black cloaks but this one was not. His was silver. They all decided he was probably the leader. Zeus tensed up, his face clearly angry. He did not like being addressed the way.
"Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" Zeus demanded. Unless they were not hearing correctly some of the gods heard a few snickers.
"Yes, Lord Zeus. But you are not whom we address," the boy added, calmly. He acted as if this was an everyday occurrence. "To those it may concern, what is thy bidding?" he seemed to chuckle a bit to himself at using such old language.
"How dare you speak to me that way?! I should have you blasted into pieces with my bolt!" Zeus growled, tightening his hand on the said master bolt. It cackled an echo in the large room. "Cowards, show your faces!" Ares grinned, leaning forward on his throne, anticipating a fight. The other cloaked people tensed up, ready to spring at any moment. The Hunters already had bows out, pointed at them. All except Thalia. She stared at the boy that spoke like she knew him but was trying to put her finger on who he was.
The boy made a move to remove his hood but another hooded person stopped him. "Alpha…" it was a girl's voice this time, she spoke gently and hardly audible. Her shoulders were tense and she seemed to be looking everywhere at once but you couldn't see her eyes. Curly blonde hair peeked out from under her hood.
"It is okay. I am not afraid to show my face. It's about time, is it not?" the boy asked. The girl hesitated.
"He might strike you. He thinks you are dead," the girl reasoned.
"Let him try. Our patrons would not let him. Besides, you know me. Angering major gods is an everyday occurrence," the boy chuckled. Reluctantly, the girl put done her hand and the boy removed his hood. The council gasped as they recognized the face. Even after centuries he was still the same, he looked exactly the same. With his chiseled features and angular jaw, his mop of jet black hair hung a bit over his eyes, windswept like he just came from a walk on the beach beside an ocean. His lips formed a thin, not happy or sad-no emotion at all. But his eyes were what gave it away. To the gods, they looked like they were looking into the most beautiful part of the ocean itself, swirling with greens, blues and other colors that you would find in the sea.
In front of them was the undying face of Percy Jackson.