The Big Three Demigods.
By Ncalkins, OOC, AU, I Do Not Own
This whole mess started because of Zeus, Jupiter, and his inability to keep it in his pants. He swore to never sire demigod children again; he swore on the river Styx, but that didn't stop him. Hermes, Mercury, fumed as he flew through the rain with a chimera chasing him. The one who sent the chimera after him, scared him more than any monster. His step-mother. Of course she got pissed at Zeus when he broke not only an oath to not have anymore demigod children, but the promise to her that she could have his Roman son. At the last minute Zeus, Jupiter, changed his mind. He ordered Hermes, Mercury, to collect the child and to keep him out of Hera's, Juno's, hands.
"This whole thing is just a huge mess," Hermes grumbled. The blue eyed baby blinked up at him. He dodged the aerial attack from the monster, and then had to swerve out of the way of Hera's blast.
"I can't even hold my own kids let alone fly with them, but you're the child of Old Big and Mighty," Hermes complained. The chimera slowed down, giving up, but Hera remained right behind him. He would have to give her the slip soon.
"Mr. I-Can-Drag-Down-Olympus-But-Not-Even-All-The-Gods-and-The-Earth-Can-Drag-Down-Me," Hermes mocked as he tightened his hold on Jason. "Of course he gets special rules, and expects no consistences. Just you wait, kid. You're gonna give your daddy heartache, because when you swear on the river Styx, and then break that swear you will be punished. Even if you're a god, especially if you're a god. The only difference is if Zeus gets a smack down we'll all suffer. Kind to think of it, we'll all suffer if Hera doesn't get you."
Hermes sighed as he gathered his powers around him. He made the baby fall asleep. At least this way the kid wouldn't burst into flames.
"I'm getting too old for this backstabbing, he said, she said, high school drama BS," Hermes said as he teleported away.
Hermes placed Jason in the care of the same nymph, Cynosura, who raised Zeus. He then took a decoy baby and flew away. He eventually got caught.
Hera raged at him more fierce than any other time before. She swore that he would be punished, and flashed away most likely to try to find Jason. Luckily for Jason, the wards that hid Cynosura and Zeus from the eye of Kronos still worked. A few quick tweaks, and Hera would no longer be able to find him for a time but it wouldn't last forever.
Hermes returned to Olympus. He flashed outside golden doors edged with achievements the gods felt pride in. Hermes smiled at the etching of him chopping off the head of Hydra; he loved the actions his kids did to honor him. He prodded the doors opened and stepped into the marble room with twelve thrones forming a giant U. His footsteps echoed back at him as he walked up to his father, who sat on his throne, with the intent on asking what he should do now when Hera flashed in.
"You swore that child would be my champion," Hera hissed. Her eyes flashed. Her teeth mashed against each other. Overall Hermes thought she looked like the Nemean Lion throwing a fit.
"I changed my mind. He's too valuable to be used as a bargaining chip between us." Zeus spoke calmly crossing his arms across his chest.
Hermes kept silent as he eased himself into his black massage chair. He turned it on a low setting summoned a blue bowl filled with popcorn, and decided to enjoy the show. After the day he had, he deserved this, but that didn't mean he wanted to get dragged into it. So he kept silent and out of sight. Reason said he should have felt safe like that, but he still tensed as Hera bristled. Surprisingly, Zeus didn't react to Hera's scowl.
Zeus summoned drinks for the two of them, and gestured for Hera to sit down. Hermes watched as Hera sat down in her golden seat, cushioned for comfort, with a pecan motif backboard. He wondered what would happen as the King and Queen of Olympus faced one another. Zeus handed Hera her drink. All three sat in silence. Hera and Zeus relaxed against their chairs, ignoring Hermes in favor of studying each other through narrow eyes. Hermes despite his massage chair looked close to snapping like a twig. His untouched bowl of popcorn trembled in his lap.
"Hera, my lovely wife, why are you so angry?" Zeus questioned.
Hera turned red. "Why? You broke the sanctity of marriage to have a five bit whore bear your child!"
"If I didn't we wouldn't have demigods to serve us," Zeus said.
Hermes winced. He knew that wouldn't work. Zeus should know too, so why would he say that?
"Oh, please," Hera huffed taking a sip of her wine. "We get plenty of demigods from Apollo and Hermes."
Hermes halted his action of taking a drink from his, self-summoned, wine. He stopped breathing, and stared at the floor. His tense back should break from the strain. He wanted to yell that most of those kids didn't belong to him. He wanted to beg to be allowed to expand his cabin and table, but knew he would be brushed off because it surely couldn't be that bad. He kept silent and watched the King and Queen of Heaven.
"Alright," Zeus agreed. He placed his cup down. The golden goblet clinked softly as it touched marble the loudest noise so far. "How about this: You are allowed to search of Jason for ten years. If you can not find him, then he is mine, and you can never touch him. You can't send monsters after him, you can't claim him as your champion, and you cannot kill him."
"And why would I do that," Hera laughed out. "You owe me that child."
"If you do and you find him," Zeus said. His finger traced the rim of his cup. Hermes knew what he was doing. Drawing Hera's interest by pretending not to care. "Then you can have my daughter as well."
Hermes's heart jolted. It seemed unthinkable to him. To offer up one's children as a sacrifice. He couldn't, wouldn't, imagine doing it.
Hera pursed her lips. Her eyes narrowed as she sat down, her cup.
"You would give me," Hera purred. "Two demigods. Two strong champions to do my bidding. Two offerings for me granting me a bit more power?"
"Only," Zeus said, looking up. "If you can find him."
"Deal." Hera and Zeus shook hands, and Hera flashed out already starting her search.
"Hermes," Zeus called. In a flash Hermes stood at his side. "I want you to take Jason away from Cynosura."
"Alright," Hermes nodded. He walked away only to stop as Zeus called out.
"Wait, instead of getting him yourself get someone else to." Zeus's forehead crinkled, and he tensed as he straightened in his seat. "Hera will be watching you closely, so keep your nose clean."
"How do you know she's not watching us now?" Hermes demanded his eyes fierce. The thought of someone spying on him made his skin crawl.
"I've clouded her vision," Zeus said. The grooves between his eyebrows deepened. "And it's pain. She's trying to get through; she doesn't trust what I showing her."
"Won't that make her suspicious?" Hermes asked, raising a golden-brown eyebrow. He put his hands in his jogging jacket pockets.
"It would if I wasn't showing her an empty throne room," Zeus smirked. "As well as an image of me flirting with a nymph and you sleeping in your home."
"Me? Sleeping?" Hermes laughed tiredly. His eyelids clamped down on bruised bottoms. He rubbed a hand down his face. "Father you must be dreaming."
"We never expected humans to advance so much," Zeus said softly. His blue eyes stared at the purple bags under his son's eyes. "If we had we would have assigned more than one god to the traveling business."
"Whatever," Hermes said as he waved his hand in front of his face. "It's in the past, and I've got to deal with it now."
Zeus frowned as he stared at his immortal son. Hermes looked so weary. He knew that his boy had been seeing that woman, May Castellan, a seer who had tried to take the place of the old Oracle. It had not gone well. He had fathered a child named Luke with that woman, and like all gods, he could not see him or her again. A stone settled in Zeus's stomach. Hermes must hate him for asking him to do this.
"Your child, Luke, how is he?" Zeus rumbled avoiding Hermes probing eyes.
"I don't know," Hermes bit out. "I'm not allowed to see him."
"You know the laws," Zeus said. He glared down at Hermes. His fist clenched on the arms of his throne.
"I know the laws," Hermes huffed. "I know that you are aloud to break sworn oaths with no expected consequences while the rest of us get flayed alive for even thinking about looking at our children."
"I have no more interaction with my children than you do Hermes!" Zeus thundered. He stood up, looming over Hermes, eyes dark and glaring. "I made those laws for their protection. You know better than anyone that when gods and mortals mix it ends in tragedy, more often than not for the mortal."
Hermes flinched the memory of May trying to become the Oracle still fresh in his mind. His other lovers cursing his name for leaving, becoming depressed, committing suicide, turning to drugs, and other horrible things that fill his dreams at night. He had failed his lovers and his children by not being there, but he did worse by trying to stay with them. Questions that couldn't always be answered drove a wedge between them, constant disappearances had hurt his children and lovers, and what happen next haunted his days. When around his children his scent overpowered theirs, so no monster attacked them, but when he left the monsters went not only after his children but their mothers too. His scent covered the demigods, who would probably be attacked anyway, and their mothers prompting the power hungry monsters to kill them.
"Everything I have done has been for the good of my kingdom," Zeus said stepping down from his throne. "Every child, I sired, demigod or god, was for Olympus. My demigod children did things that others could not. My godly children furthered my empire..."
"Hera doesn't see it that way." Hermes said, backing away from Zeus. His heart still stung from the onslaught of memories.
"If I followed Hera's rules," Zeus said. He sighed as he stopped a few feet from Hermes. "Our empire would have fallen long before it did."
"What do you mean?" Hermes asked he swallowed his spit for all the good it did. His throat would hurt less if he swallowed sandpaper.
"Come now, Hermes," Zeus groaned, rubbing his forehead. "You're a smart kid. If I stuck with Hera we wouldn't have as many gods, and Olympus would have fallen apart. The demigods are the only reason we have so much power. If I don't have any children, then I lose power."
"Then why did you offer your son to Hera?" Hermes asked, looking at Zeus up and down through narrow eyes.
"So she wouldn't kill him," Zeus said.
"What do you mean you're losing power?" Hermes asked. He figured that Zeus was being dramatic.
Zeus scowled as he said, "I have found out that Hera has been going to the women that we men have left behind with the promise of a good marriage if they give her offerings, and most take that offer. She's getting more offerings than I, and though she is not as powerful as me, she is gaining power."
Hermes squinted at Zeus wondering why Hera would offer that. "What happens if Hera gets more power?"
Zeus frowned as he said, "If we do not hide Jason it will be a nightmare for all of us. Hera has forgotten her place by my side, and seeks to overrule me. It cannot stand. If she has two demigods then it will be harder to control her. Conniving woman that she is."
"And that's why you love her," Hermes said sarcastically.
"Yes." Zeus smiled bitterly. "Love and hate seems to be the main standing of our relationship."
"If you're worried about Hera getting more power," Hermes avoided Zeus's eyes. "Then why did you offer her your daughter as well?"
"I had to get her to agree some way." Zeus shrugged as he sat back down in his chair. "If all goes according to the plane I can maintain my power."
Hermes nodded silently before he left. He already had an idea of who to ask for help. There was one god that can get around without notice. One that rose with the sun, and traveled at the speed of light.
He flew to the golden temple that shined in sunlight, but during this dark night glowed silver. The twins never did well away from each other. He knocked on the oak door, peering around him. He didn't want to get caught. He rapped on the door, tapping his foot. He chewed on his lip before deciding that no one would come. Apollo slept like the dead during the night, and Artemis would be out with her hunters.
He stepped off of the porch and into the bushes. He peered into the window that showed the twins' dark living room. A blue flickering light showed that the TV remained on, and the body on the couch had to be Apollo. Hermes knocked on the window.
"For the love of the Fates, Apollo," Hermes groaned as he banged his fist against the window. He didn't want to break into Apollo's house the last time he did, he got an arrow in the butt, and he did not feel like having a shaft up his ass. "Get your butt up, and let me in!"
No amount of knocking or hissing at his half brother worked, so Hermes went back to the door. He knelt down before the golden lock, and summoned his lock pick. He put the pick into the hole, and began to wiggle it all the while muttering under his breath.
"Of all the Fates abandoned things. Why in the name of my children do I have to do this? Why can't Apollo just give me a key to his house? Afraid I'll steal some of your cheep music? Your lame-o techno isn't worthy of my ears."
Finally, the lock clicked, and with a slow turn of the handle Hermes entered the sun god's domain. Hermes stripped off his joggers jacket as the heat of the home wrapped around him. No wonder Apollo usually laid about in his underwear. Hermes can also now understand why Artemis still wore a breezy toga, even though they have gone out of style years ago.
Hermes took a deep breath, choking on the scent of cologne. Apparently, Apollo had been entertaining a lady or a gentleman earlier. Hopefully, he didn't have to take them to the hospital because of all the nauseous fumes he put on his body. Hermes coughed once more before adjusting to the overpowering scent.
Apollo's entryway leaked homely intentionally. He always wanted to welcome others to his home and his life. The light brown coloring embraced the walls and kissed the wood floors. Hermes hanged, his jacked on the oak coat rack beside the hanging keys to a multitude of houses and cars. Hermes smirked, thinking that Apollo could pass for a janitor with all those keys. He passed the kitchen entryway. Apollo preferred to have an open house the only parts that have doors are the bedrooms, bathrooms, and the garage.
He stood in the red wood entryway of Apollo's living room removing his shoes. If he didn't Apollo would have a cow. The TV flickered in the dark showing Steven Universe. Hermes smiled at the sight of the show, the brothers loved to watch kid shows together, and relished in the secret shame. If any of the gods found out that Hermes and Apollo watched kids' shows, then they would get teased mercilessly, not that the other gods had any right to talk about hobbies.
The maroon coloring of the walls smothered Hermes as he stepped into the room. The shag carpet made his feet sink. Everything seemed welcoming, soft, warm, loving, but over all overbearing. Much like the owner. Apollo loved fiercely, but he took over his loved ones if they let him.
Once they had tried dating, but ended it because of how they clashed. Hermes always moved from place to place, he needed his phone clear, and sometimes he needed to be unseen so he clouded the vision of any immortal that wanted to look at what he's doing. He took pride in discreet services for his costumers, and that didn't sit well with Apollo. Apollo had gotten used to seeing everything from his sun chariot, and not know where Hermes was at all times grated on him, so he started to blow up Hermes's phone which slowed Hermes's business. That led to him staying out late, and fights.
It became clear quickly that they did not belong together, so they broke up. They stayed friends, and it came to pass that if one of them needed the other they always came. Whether they needed comfort, sex, or a laugh they had each others backs. After all, they had the worst track record with human lovers, and had the most children. None of the other gods could understand them like they could.
"Hey, buddy," Hermes said, shaking Apollo's shoulder. "Time to get up."
Apollo groaned as he shifted. The leather couch squeaked under him, and Hermes wondered how he could sleep on it without having his flesh stick to it. Hermes leaned back to study Apollo. He had a good figure. Tan, chubby from driving all day, and a healthy shine to his blond hair, but something seemed different. Apollo always showed himself as a twenty year old to a thirty year old, the years of being picked on for being the youngest looking, as in not having a beard, chafed him.
"Come on," Hermes shook Apollo's shoulder harder. "Get up."
"What?" Apollo wined. "What do you want?"
"I need to speak with you." Hermes said.
Apollo cracked open an eye. Lazily he looked at Hermes, until he saw the look on his face. With a creek from the couch Apollo sat up. He moved his legs so Hermes could sit down.
"What's wrong?"
Hermes sighed, letting his head fall back as he sat down.
"Everything."
Apollo pushed his feet against Hermes's legs. He wiggled his feet, making Hermes's leg move, and getting a smile from the messenger god.
"Before you tell me what happened," Apollo said, drawing the orange blanket into his lap. "Do we need alcohol?"
"No," Hermes sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. He shifted to face Apollo leaning against the couch arm. "We better do this sober."
"Okay," Apollo said, scooting closer to Hermes. He had always been overly affectionate. "What happened?"
"You know how Zeus swore not to have any more children?" Hermes asked.
"Yeah," Apollo said slowly. "Oh no, did dad face planted after he fell off the wagon?"
"Big time," Hermes said, waving his hands in front of him. "He not only fathered a daughter, but a son too."
"Ouch," Apollo winced. "That's not going to go down well with the other gods."
"It gets worse," Hermes looked at Apollo. "The son is Roman, and the daughter is Greek."
"Who the Tartarus was that lady?" Apollo asked, rubbing at his forehead. "If I remember correctly the Roman part of you guys always had different taste from the Greek when it came to partners."
"Well, apparently, Zues's taste in woman does not differ that much from Jupiter's," Hermes said. He lifted his legs onto the couch; he wrapped his arms around his knees. "You never had that problem because of your names and personalities being so close to each other you can just blend them into one being. You don't have to deal with two parts of you fighting all the time."
Apollo jerked at Hermes's bitter tone. He bit his lip. His voice wavered as he said. "Well, I can't help that. It's just the way it turned out."
Hermes turned his head to look at Apollo. He noticed his brother picked at the blanket as if he wanted it to come undone. He chewed on his lip like it was a piece of grizzle. Hermes sighed before moving over to Apollo; he pulled him into a hug.
"I'm sorry," Hermes muttered into blond hair. "That came out wrong."
"It's okay," Apollo said into Hermes chest. He didn't look at Hermes when the other god pulled away.
Hermes sighed through his nose. Apollo seemed upbeat, but he had a sensitive core one that he only showed to those he loved and knew he wouldn't lose. Hermes didn't know how many others had seen this part of his half-brother or if anyone else had seen it. Hermes knew that he needed to get Apollo out of this funk, one thing Apollo hated was disappointing those that were important to him.
"Why do you look so young?" Hermes asked, hoping to get Apollo's mind off of the bitterness that Hermes had just let slip.
Apollo straightened and blinked at him. "I just got back from a date."
"A date?" Hermes asked, raising one of his eyebrows.
"Yeah," Apollo nodded, his eyes shining. "With an older guy. He likes them young, so I made myself look younger."
"You know we're suppose to follow the laws of the humans." Hermes said frowning. He let go of his legs and let one of them fall to the ground. His other leg bent at the knee pressed against the back of the leather couch.
"I am," Apollo said, placing his hand over his heart. "I'm eighteen. That's legal."
"Barely," Hermes snorted. "But as long as he doesn't hurt you, I guess it's okay."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Apollo said smirking. "He's going to hurt me in all the right ways."
"Eww," Hermes wined pushing Apollo's face away making him laugh. "Get out of here with that."
"I don't have to," Apollo said a big smile on his face as he laid down on the couch placing his feet on Hermes's lap. "I live here."
Hermes laughed and for the first time that day felt his muscles loosen. He went limp against the leather couch as he laughed. His stomach hurt as did his face. His eyes streamed with tears. Once he calmed down, he sat up to see Apollo smiling at him.
Apollo smiled at Hermes before all mirth erased itself from his face. Blue eyes stared into gray as Apollo sat up. He placed his hands on his crossed legs.
"So what happened? Zeus broke the pact, and I'm guessing Hera didn't take that well." Apollo said scratching at his chin.
"Yeah," Hermes said, rolling his eyes a bit. "Zeus said that he did everything for Olympus, but I'm not sure I buy that. Anyway, he promised Hera that she can have his son, then he decided that he didn't like that deal, and guess who got the job to keep the kid away from her. I had to take the boy and place him in Cynosura's care. Luckily, the wards that kept Kronos away kept all other immortals away too."
"Ouch," Apollo squinted at Hermes. "Sucks to be you."
"It sucks to be you," Hermes said, causing Apollo to raise an eyebrow. "Because you owe me a favor for getting you that package first thing in the morning when you should have gotten it three days later."
"Fine," Apollo groaned rolling his blue eyes. "What's the favor?"
"I need you to hide the kid from Hera for ten years," Hermes said avoiding Apollo's eyes.
"Are you kidding me?" Apollo shouted, sitting up his eyes wide. "That's impossible!"
"Not impossible," Hermes mutter shifting making the couch creek.
"Yes, it is," Apollo argued slamming his hands on his knees. Hermes closed his hands; his palms prickled in sympathy. "For ten years, ten whole years, I have to avoid one of the most determined goddesses."
"Your mother did it," Hermes pointed out.
Apollo winced at the thought of his poor mommy running from the vengeful goddess in the form of a cow. Only after a floating island showed enough bravery to allow his mom sanctuary did he and his sister came into this world.
"My mother was stronger than me," Apollo whispered, looking at his hands. "My sister takes after her. Why don't you ask Artemis?"
"The child is a boy," Hermes said. "Artemis won't help."
Apollo hummed. "She is the protector of children not just little girls."
"She won't help besides nights almost over," Hermes said dismissing Apollo's suggestion. "Do you want her to be burdened with this?"
Apollo frowned as he gave a bitter laugh. "I don't even want to be burdened with this."
"We never do," Hermes sighed resting his head on his knee.
"Alright, I'll get the kid." Apollo said running his hand through his hair. He rested his head in his hand; his elbow dug into the back of the couch. "But you have to find a place to put him."
"Me? Why?" Hermes asked, turning wide eyes to his friend.
"Because you know the streets better than anyone," Apollo squinted one eye at Hermes. "You know someplace that we can put the child where Hera can't find him, right?"
"Besides other gods territories there are very few places to put a child," Hermes said rubbing his temple. "The other gods won't get between Zeus and Hera, not that I blame them. The only place I can think of that is safe for a child would be the Lotus Hotel Casino."
"And the kid won't age if he's there," Apollo said crossing his arms. "I think Zeus wants him to age. Why else would he give such a high number?"
"Yeah," Hermes groaned. "So unless you have a way for the Lotus Hotel to not stop time for him then we're going to be on babysitting duty while avoiding Hera."
Apollo stayed silent. He grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his chest. He chewed on his lip, and his eyes darted from side to side. Hermes watched him before tuning into his own thoughts. The show on TV ended before the silence between the gods ended.
"I think I know a way to fix it to where he can go to the Lotus Hotel Casino," Apollo said smiling wide. His eyes gleamed as he jumped up. "I have to go and drive the sun, but I'll get the kid."
Hermes grunted as Apollo ran out the room. Apollo always had been too perky in the mornings. With a groan Hermes fell sideways onto the couch. He curled his feet up onto the couch, grabbed the blanket that Apollo had discarded, and put the pillow under his head. He dozed off to the sound of Ares talking about some new weapons on the TV when his phone went off. Thirteen new messages for packages needed ASAP. Like he told Zeus. He never sleeps.
Apollo strapped into to his red 1958 Buick. He loved this version of his sun chariot. He revved the engine as he edged out of the garage. He accelerated as he climbed the skies. The speed pushed him against the seat; his stomach fluttered as he grinned. He loved this. The sound, the vibrations, the speed, and most of all the view. He could see anything from up here. Usually, he would cruise listening to music as he watched over his children and loved ones, but today he had to do something different.
He put his car on auto before unbuckling. He took a deep breath before flashing out. Everyone knew where Cynosura's cave is. He stood outside the barrier hoping that Cynosura would see him. He waited peering at the sky. He hoped Hera didn't see him. Wanting to hurry up this exchange, he slammed his palm against the barrier making it tremble.
"Cynosura," he called. "I need to talk to you."
A gray skinned woman cautiously approached the barrier. Her brown hair grew like moss from her head. Her swollen breast bared to the world leaked with mother's milk. Coal colored eyes peered at Apollo.
"Why do you come here?" Her voice rumbled from her chest like a river roaring from a cavern.
"Zeus sent me," Apollo said.
"How do I know you speak the truth?" She questioned her hair glittered in the sunlight as she tilted her head.
"Do you really think that I would work for Her?" Apollo asked curling his upper lip.
"No, but you know how convincing she can be," Cynosura said. "Prove to me that she did not send you. Show me your memories."
"I don't have time for this," Apollo muttered, glancing at the sky. He pushed his hand against the barrier; his skin sizzled as the barrier shoved and heated. It wanted him away from it, and if he pushed then he would be thrown away from this place. He closed his eyes, breathing out. He let his memories flow out of him.
On the barrier his memories played like a movie. Cynosura watched with a critical eye looking for any inconsistency. This barrier played memories from visiting entities, not just gods, when touched. It acted as a defense. No god can create false memories that are perfect. Even if they went to Mnemosyne the fake memory would start to decay against the barrier. Mnemosyne would have to be nearby fixing every tear that was made and since Cynosura could not sense the titan nearby, then there was no reason for her to disbelieve Apollo.
"Okay," Cynosura once the memories began to loop. "I'll go get Jason."
Apollo breathed out, letting his body slump. His hand dropped down still sizzling. He lifted it and smirked at the blistered skin. It would heal soon, but there was something ironic about the god who drives the sun across the sky getting burned.
"Here he is," Cynosura said, carrying a blue bundle.
She stopped on the other side of the barrier. She looked down at the bundle smiling.
"Bye-Bye Jason," She cooed.
Apollo shifted glancing at the sky. He tapped his foot crossing his arms. He tapped his finger against his arm, looking down at his feet. He finally looked at up when Cynosura stopped speaking. He reached out and took Jason from her. He held him close, and stared. Blue eyes blinked up at him from a chubby face. Blond hair peeked out of the blanket. Apollo tightened his hold. He gave a quivering smile.
"He could pass for my son," Apollo muttered as he turned away from Cynosura. He never saw her pitying eyes.
Apollo teleported to his car. He sat the son of Zeus in the seat next to him in a car seat. He would sit him in the back where it's safer, but if he changed the layout of his car it would draw attention. Not that many people would look in on him, especially if he played sun related music. People tend to roll their eyes and scoff at how conceded he was.
Apollo smirked as he looked out his window searching for a very specific house in Louisiana. It payed to be seen as the obnoxious airhead sun god. He instinctively placed his hands on the steering wheel. It felt warm to the touch, but it had stayed in its original position. He considered himself lucky that the horses that ran the car stayed under the hood and didn't force it back into chariot mode. He did not want to deal with them along with everything else.
There in New Orleans sat a house with mint paint wrapped around white shutters and a white door. The white walls shined brightly. Plants hung all around the gutters outmatched by the gardens in front and back. The home shimmered in the heat, the plants laced the air with their scent, and every breath Apollo took seemed like syrup.
Apollo smacked his lips and rolled his tongue against the inside of his mouth trying to produce saliva. The air stifled him, made his mind fuzzy and his limbs heavy. He changed his clothes with a thought to a white wife beater and black shorts. Hopefully the increased sunlight on his skin will wake him up a bit more. He loosened Jason's blanket as he raised his hand to knock on the white door only to stop as it opened.
"Go and drink this every three nights from now," a woman in her thirties said flashing white teeth. "Have him eat oysters for four nights, but hide the oysters in his food, no man wants to eat oysters for more than one night, and before you know it there will be a little one running around your feet."
The woman laughed gently touching her customer on the arm. The customer's white skin stood out against her tan hand. The customer gave a nervous smile rapidly nodding her head.
"I'll make gumbo," she said, flashing cigarette stained teeth. "He loves gumbo."
The milky skinned woman rushed past Apollo clutching a bottle to her chest. Her straw hair blew behind her as she past him without a glance. Apollo watched her go part of his heart burned that she didn't even glance at him; people always glanced at him at least once, but from the way she acted the man she was with was very important to her. Apollo didn't want to ruin that.
He turned to the tan woman, who watched the woman as she drove away, and waited patiently for her to notice him. She had a loose fitting multi-color shirt that reminded Apollo for a bathroom rug. There were several bracelets on her wrists that rested on her hands that she placed on her jean covered hips. She pursed her lips and shook her head as the car disappeared around the corner.
"Business as usual Hecate?" Apollo asked following her into her home.
The air condition brought goose pimples up on his arms. He shivered as he took a deep breath. At least he no longer breathed in syrupy air even if the heavy scent of plants still surrounded him. Which came to no surprise when he saw that plants sat on the floor, rested on tables, and hung from the ceiling. He sat down on a deep blue plush recliner seat. Sinking down, he declined the lemon water that Hecate offered him.
"Yes, poor dear," Hecate sighed, taking a sip from her fogged up glass. A blurry yellow form moved within it as she put the glass down. "She wants a child so badly, but the doctors couldn't find any reason that she's not having them. The man she's with convinced her, she's to blame, and won't take the suggested test. She doesn't know that he had a vasectomy a long time ago. So when modern medicine failed, she came to me, as they all do, and I gave her a potion to drink."
"Why not have her take a potion to put in his food?" Apollo asked shifting Jason in his arms.
"Because he's protected by Aphrodite. He gave her a daughter, and told her he didn't want to have any more children afterwards. Fed her some crap about wanting to focus on his daughter, but what he really wants is to focus on his career. She's making sure he makes it to be a star, and without a child to tie him down." Hecate shifted so that her legs crossed at the knees, and leaned her head against her hand. Her elbow pressed down into the white couch arm.
"What's his name?" Apollo asked.
"Tristan McLean," Hecate said, raising her head off of her hand to look at Apollo. "His daughter is a real sweetheart, strong set of lungs too, named Piper. He left her with his grandfather, and went to go search for fame and fortune, but found that girl instead. She had ties with a director so he's been doing all he can to get close to her including pretending to have feelings for her."
"What's her name?" Apollo asked, leaning forward. He felt Jason shift in his arms, and remembered that he had a mission, but gossip sold better than gold on Olympus.
"Jane," Hecate said. "She's doing everything in her power to get him to marry her including conceiving a child."
"Then why did you say poor girl?" Apollo asked. That seemed the opposite of someone who deserves pity.
"She's blinded by love, what she plans isn't right, but it won't get her anywhere. The potion I gave her will get her pregnant, but not with McLean's child. No, there's a fine young man that came for a fertility potion himself only to be left by his wife before he could use it. He wanted to give it back, but I convinced him to use it," She said leaning forward.
"That potion," she pointed toward the doorway. "Is linked to his. It will use his DNA to help make her a child. That child will be drawn to its father, and with luck those two will get together."
"What happens if McLean wants to keep her?" Apollo asked glancing at the door and then the window. He bounced his leg and tightened his grip on Jason. He had plenty of time.
"He won't," Hecate said, leaning back. "That man lost all of his romantic love to Aphrodite. He's gonna tell Jane the truth, get the part, and Jane's gonna be left with a child. She'll find her happiness if she keeps it."
"If she keeps it," Apollo said frowning.
"If she keeps it," Hecate agreed, nodding her head. "As for the oysters well those will do nothing more than give them both diarrhea."
Apollo laughed as Hecate smiled at him.
"So," she said. "What do you need?"
Apollo sobered up and showed her the baby. "I need an aging potion. Ten years. With all the memories intact, meaning I need him to know how to walk, eat, and all the other bodily functions."
"Alright," Hecate sighed, getting up to fiddle with the cabinet that held all of her potions. "But I'm only doing this because you helped me with that sun plant. Little beauty couldn't get enough of you."
"Don't remind me," Apollo said. He shivered at the ghost feeling of vines wrapping around his entire body sucking out all of the warmth he had.
"Here you are," Hecate said setting a swirling blue, green mix on the table. "Ten drops from a dropper will do the trick."
Apollo nodded in thanks before taking the vial before flashing out of there. He hurried through his house looking for Hermes. He could only be away from his car for so long before the horses start to notice that there's no driver. He reached the last room only to find no Hermes.
"Mother of the Titans," Apollo cursed, running his hand through his hair and slapping it down against his leg.
Jason cried sensing his tension. Wailing screams filled the air. Tears the size of marbles rolled down his flushed cheeks. Lightening sparked through his hair, making it stand up.
"Shh, shh," Apollo rocked him. He began to hum as he rubbed the demigod's back his hands got too close to the hair line. Apollo jumped a shock going from his fingertips up his arm numbing it.
"You know I never had this problem when I held my kids," Apollo scowled down at Jason, who laughed at Apollo rapidly shaking his hand in front of Jason's face.
"You actually got to hold them?" A tired voice asked from behind him.
Apollo whirled around blue eyes wide. Jason shrieked with joy at the fast motion. Hermes stood before them leaning against the dark white wall. Dark crescent moons circled the bottom of his eyes. He blinked slowly, resting against the wall looking as if he would pass out at any moment.
"Caffeine ran out?" Apollo asked birds fluttered in his stomach as he looked Hermes up and down. He hated seeing his friend like this, but there wasn't much to be done. Once it had been suggested that Hermes used the demigods in his cabin as helpers, but everyone wanted Hermes to serve them personally.
"About an hour ago," Hermes yawned covering his mouth with his hand. "I've been getting request nonstop for hours now."
"Hermes," a female voice hissed from his pocket. "Aphrodite wants to know where her new skin product is."
"Tell her that it will be two to three hours," Hermes groaned closing his eyes.
"She says she'll pay you double if you get it to her now," the female voice said.
"I can't," Hermes whimpered. "I need to get Dionysus the wine scented pillow. If I don't he'll give my kids Hades. I can already hear them praying to me."
"They already pray to you," a male voice pointed out from his pocket.
"That's not the point Gorge," Hermes groaned.
"The point is you should get me some rats," Gorge said.
Hermes laughed. "Shut up, Gorge."
"I've told her that you couldn't," the female voice hissed. "Family emergency."
"I hope you hung up," Hermes said his ears burning from the screeching that would follow that comment.
"I did," the female voice said.
"Good job, Martha," Hermes said as he pushed himself off the wall. He nodded toward the living room. "Come on, let's get this done and over with."
Apollo nodded tightening his hold on Jason. He followed Hermes down the wall. The baby squirmed in his arm. He looked down to see Jason waving his hand in the air. Apollo smile imaging his child in his arms. In the living room Apollo laid Jason on the couch, and took out the bottle that Hecate had given him.
"What's that?" Hermes asked
"A potion to change Jason into a ten year old," Apollo said, opening it. He summoned a dropper. Squeezing the rubber ball, pushing the air out, he dipped the dropper into the liquid and let it fill up. "
"But he won't have any memories of being raised or having friends," Hermes said. He crossed his arms, watching as Apollo hovered the full dropper over Jason.
"He won't really need them where he's going," Apollo said carefully letting the potion drops hit Jason's bare skin.
"True," Hermes grumbled shifting. He watched Jason as he glowed, his limbs lengthened, his hair thickened, and he took up a lot more space than before. Two minutes passed, and then a ten year old son of Zeus laid on Apollo's couch. Hermes waved his hand and clothed the boy in sky themed pajamas.
Hermes stared at the boy before sighing. "Guess, it's my turn."
"Yeah," Apollo said, his eyebrows furrowed. "I need to get back to the chariot. If you want I can keep you updated on where the cow is."
"That would be great," Hermes said summoning a pair of walkie talkies. "Tell me if the cost is clear to either sprint there or flash there."
"K," Apollo took the walkie talkie offered, and flashed out back to his car.
It didn't take long for Apollo to report back, less than five minutes, and what he saw didn't make Hermes' job easier.
"Hera's sniffing around New York, so you can't teleport."
"Got it," Hermes said. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Why can't anything ever be easy?"
"Cause the fates hate us?" Apollo offered.
"Where is she so I know where not to fly?" Hermes asked as he traded out his hand held walkie talkie for a headset. He scooped Jason up and briskly walked toward the door.
"Avoid the southeast," Apollo said.
"Rodger," Hermes said activating his shoes. He flew away from Apollo's home, from Olympus, and from New York without problem.
He reached Las Vagas in record time. Standing before the Lotus Hotel and Casino, Hermes breathed out his nose. He shifted Jason in his arms.
"You need to be lighter kid," he grumbled as he walked through the hotel doors. "You made my arms go numb."
"Hello," the receptionist greeted him. "How may we help you today?"
"My cousin needs to stay here for a while," Hermes said laying Jason on the counter.
The receptionist ran his eyes over Jason smile fixed on his face. He turned to the computer typing that one would be checking in.
"What kind of package do you want?" The receptionist asked. "Copper, Gold, Platinum?"
"The best one," Hermes said. No doubt Zeus would have his head if Jason did not get the best.
"Platinum it is," The receptionist nodded. He took out a card from behind his desk and handed it to Hermes. "Here's the key to the room, the cafeteria, games, basically it goes to everything here."
"Thank you," Hermes took the card before picking Jason up.
Hermes marched toward the elevator.
"Top floor," he ordered the elevator man as he turned to watch the metal doors slid close.
His stomach pressed down as the elevator moved up. It bounced when the elevator came to a stop, and all the while the butterflies within it fluttered about with wings made of jagged glass. He had done it. He pulled one over on Hera, and in a way it felt good.
Hermes balanced Jason against his chest as he put the card key in the slot. A green light let him know that the door was unlock. He pushed down the handle, bending over as if to go under a limbo poll with the weight of Jason pushing down on him. He opened the door and slipped in. Hermes took Jason to the king sized bed and tucked him under the silk covers.
Hermes stepped back, surveying the room. A giant flat screen TV sat in front of a white leather half circle couch. Floor to ceiling windows covered with night sky velvet curtains. He walked over to one of the doors to find a fully stocked walk in closet. Another door held a giant bathroom with both a bath and shower. The bath had jets and the shower wall was lined with all types of body soap. Plush towels waited to dry wet bodies. A vanity mirror rested over a marble sink. Hermes walked out to explore the last room. A privet gaming room with floor to ceiling bookcases with every game known to man and some only known to immortals. A mini-fridge, fully stocked with energy drinks and soda sat in the corner. Bean bag chairs sat in front of the consoles.
"When you ask for the best they don't hold back," Hermes muttered shaking his head. "Glad I'm not paying for it."
He returned to the bedroom, living room mix looked at Jason one more time before leaving for work.
Jason groaned as he winced against the glare of the sun. The heavy blue curtains moved on their, own allowing the sun in. Jason rolled over burying his head in the plump pillows. He clenched his eyes shut before raising his head and looking at the room. The tan walls soothed him. The picture above his head showed a painting of a lotus. The white petals had small red, yellow, and pink tints to them. The blue and green water swirled together underneath the lotus.
Jason got out of the bed, letting the silk sheets fall from his two piece sky themed pajamas. His bare feet touched the soft white carpet. He stood on shaky legs, tried to walk, and fell. He moved his hand underneath his chest, but couldn't lift himself off the ground. Jason growled as he rested his head against the floor. He laid there wanting to get up, wanting to move, but he couldn't.
"Housekeeping," a voice called as a fist rapped against the door.
Jason opened his mouth to tell them to go away, but it didn't come out that way.
"Gaaahhh."
The door opened, and to Jason's embarrassment a beautiful tan woman entered. Her curly black hair rested on her head gently as she knelt on her knees beside Jason. Hazel eyes peered down at him. Jason looked at her out of the corner of his eye trying not to stare at her ample chest covered by the bright loose fitting shirt. She smiled at him showing off white teeth; her hazel eyes gleamed as she reached into her pocket.
"Sorry, kid," she said as she pulled out the stopper. "I forgot to give this to him to get you to drink. This should help with muscle memory. Get you walking and talking."
Jason's blond eyebrows furrowed as his blue eyes drilled into her. He watched as she brought the white and pink drink closer to his lips. Jason clamped his mouth shut, pressing his lips together.
"Um-nu," Jason hummed.
"Don't be difficult," she said, reaching down and grabbing his face.
He tried to pull away as she pulled his head up forcing his face toward her. His neck strained with the effort.
"Ngghh," he whined as she pressed his cheeks in forcing his lips to pucker.
She brought the bottle to his lips. Cool potion slipped into his mouth. She tilted his head back arching his neck, making sure the potion poured faster into his mouth than he could keep from going down his throat.
It burned Jason's chapped lips and his dry throat. His arms and legs warmed, and muscles spazzed. Jason groaned as the lady let go of his head. He rested his cranium on the floor, squeezing his eyes shut.
"Ow," he moaned. "That hurt."
"Yeah, sorry if I had remembered to give him that earlier you wouldn't have to have gone through that," the woman said.
Jason groaned squeezing his eyes shut.
"Hmm," the woman hummed. "You probably shouldn't remember this..."
She rolled him over, and pressed her finger to his forehead. A small flash of light, and Jason passed out. She searched for the memory of her and locked it away.
Standing up, she sighed. "That sun god owes me big time."
Jason groaned and blinked at the lotus shaped bedside lamp. The light stabbed at his eyes, making them water. Tears oozed out from under his eyelids dripping down the side of his head onto the carpet. He sat up and looked around the room. He was on the floor. Why was he on the floor? He remembered waking up and then falling. Did he hit his head?
He stood up on wobbly legs. He gripped the oak bedside table and stared at the lamp. The lamp was shaped like a lotus that glowed. Small white lights lined the petals. Green petals provided a stand for the famous flower. They too glowed with small white lights outlining them. Surprisingly strong for such a delicate thing.
Jason shook his head and ambled away from the side table. He ran his fingers through his hair aimlessly looking around the room. His chest tightened. His stomach shrived up. He needed to get out of here. He rushed to the door and jerked it open. He didn't even bother to close it as he hurried down the long hallway.
"Sir, sir, wait," a male voice called to him.
Jason halted and turned to find a bellhop jogging after him. Dressed in what looked like green carpet sown together with a white Lotus on the chest the man came to a stop in front of him. Jason edged away from the broadly smiling male. He dragged his eyes up and down the bell hop silently waiting.
"I'm sorry to bother you, sir," the bellhop said. "However, I couldn't help but notice that you ran out of your room in a state. Do you need anything?"
"No," Jason said shaking his head.
"Well, if you're sure," the bellhop said. "Though I would encourage you to go back, and get your key card and close your door."
"My key card?" Jason asked, squinting at the man. "I don't remember getting a key card."
"Oh, well, a man checked you in," the bellhop told him still smiling. His brown eyes dug under Jason's skin, making it crawl.
"A man?" Jason questioned stepping back further from the bell hop.
"Yes," the bellhop said. "I would encourage you to get your key card and close your door. We have a special down the stairs in first person shooter games."
"Yeah, yeah, okay," Jason muttered nodding his head as he edged around the bell hop.
He briskly walked back down the hall occasionally looking over his shoulder. The bell hop stared after him smile never wavering. Jason shivered as he dunked into his room. He scanned the room looking for a key card, and spotted it on the bedside table half hidden by the lotus lamp. He quickly collected it and left. He closed the door behind him.
He looked down the hallway not wanting to chat with the bellhop. He relaxed when he saw that no one stood in the hallway. It was as if the bellhop had disappeared. Jason shook his head and walked down the hall.
The third door down from the elevator opened. A small, scrawny, kid came out. Tan with a mop of black hair, wearing a hoodie he called into the room.
"I'm going down to the play room, Bianca."
A muffled answer came out as he closed the door. Jason passed the kid, who stared down at a bunch of cards in his hands, as he walked toward the elevator. He entered the elevator followed by the kid. Standing to the right side Jason crossed his arms over his chest and looked forward. The elevator operator asked the kid what floor.
"First," the black haired kid said not looking up.
Jason stared at the doors, not noticing the elevator operator trying to get his attention.
"Sir?" She called. "Sir, what floor?"
"Hey," the kid shook his arm.
Jason jumped away from him with wide eyes, his arms dropping to his sides.
The kid furrowed his eyebrows tilting his head to the side. "The lady asked you what floor."
"Oh," Jason smoothed down his shirt licking his lips. Blue eyes darted from the kid to the waiting elevator operator. "Same."
The lady shrugged as Jason turned away crossing his arms over his chest again. He stared at the shiny door waiting for it to open. The carpeted walls would surely close in on them soon, if the metal door didn't open, quickly. He glanced at the kid who started to mutter to himself.
"If I use the Minotaur against the Sirens then...No, that won't work. The Minotaur will drown."
Jason glanced at the cards the kid shuffled in his hands. Shinny edges of different colors caught his eye, blues and greens mixed with reds and yellows, but no more stood out to him than the gold bordered ones.
"What was that?" Jason asked, pointing at the cards.
The kid looked up at him, Jason realized he was a head taller, with wide eyes. Brown eyes glanced at the cards, and the kid's face lit up.
"These are MythoMagic cards," he said, leaning closer to Jason to show him. "It's a card and figurine strategy game."
"What do those colors mean?" Jason asked, pointing at the green border of the card that showed a woman posing seductively over the branches of a tree. Silver letters flashed at the top of the card. It was a Tree Nymph
"Green is forest or earthy creatures like Nymphs and Fauns," Nico said showing the card to Jason. He flipped through the cards until he found a red one. "The red is the Underworld creatures. Ghost, demons, and Hell Hounds mostly. The blue is water creatures like Sirens. Purple is the magic spells and traps."
"And the gold?" Jason prompted looking at each card that Nico showed him.
"That's the Greek gods and other immortals," Nico showed him a card with a man holding a bloody spear. Golden boarders broke apart at the corners that were painted red. The name Ares blazed above the picture.
"Huh," Jason said, scratching his cheek. "Cool."
"Yeah," Nico gushed. He went silent for a moment before mumbling something.
"What?" Jason asked, looking at Nico.
Nico kept his head lowered bangs covering his eyes. "Do you want to play the game with me?"
"Um," Jason looked around the elevator. "Sure, I don't have anything else to do."
Nico looked at Jason beaming. "Great I'll tell you how to play, and then we can eat banana sundaes, and then..."
Jason cut into Nico's ramble. "What's a banana sundae?"
"You never had a banana sundae?" Nico gaped at Jason. "Change of plans, I'll teach you the game while we eat our sundaes."
The elevator dinged coming to a stop. Nico gripped Jason's hand and pulled him out of the elevator. Before long they sat at a table with a full banana sundae, with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice cream on top of the banana, whip cream on top of the ice cream, sprinkles and a cherry to top it all off, in front of each of them. Jason hummed as he took the first bite watching Nico take out a beaten wooden box from the pocket of his jacket and laid it down on the table.
Nico took a big bite of chocolate ice cream, flipping open the lid. He reached in and pulled out several figuring, and then a small board. In between bites of sundae Nico laid out the board, and placed the statues on specific squares.
"These are statues of the gods, they help make your attack more powerful if you get them," Nico said as he pulled out some dice.
"You roll the dice, and move your patron, the god that you chose to represent you, the number you rolled. If you land on a purple square, then you can pull a magic or trap card from this deck," Nico placed a stack of purple cards down next to the board.
"If you land on a blue, green, or red square, you get one of those monsters from similar piles," Nico placed the before mentioned colored cards in their own little stacks.
"If you land on a square with one of the gods on it you get their card. I can challenge you for any card you have, and we'll battle for it. If I win I get the card." Nico said, slipping the golden cards under their statues. "You also get the statues, but be careful about using the gods they can only be used once. Then they either get sent back into the game or die in battle even if it's against a weaker character. It's determined by a flip of a coin. If heads, then the god is sent back into the game and up for grabs."
"So you just keep going around the board?" Jason asked.
"Yep," Nico said. "We each get five cards to start with."
"What about these black squares?" Jason asked tapping at one.
"Oh, you lose a card if you land on one," Nico said handing him five cards. "If you lose all of your cards you can continue, but if I attack you then you'll have to use your player, and then you'll lose."
"So if I or you lose all of my cards and our statue then the other person wins?" Jason summed up.
"Yep," Nico said, looking at his cards. A smile on his face.
Jason looked at his cards. He had a fire type, a Hell Hound, two green types, a Nymph and a Minotaur, a blue type, a Water Sprite, and a purple trap, a golden net. Jason took a bite of his sundae as Nico rolled the dice. In the pit of his stomach clouds rolled. He couldn't wait to thrash Nico at this game...
He got toasted.
In the real world three years past, and Hera never stopped searching. She used monsters and humans. Posing as a grandmother, she passed out fliers with Jason's picture on it. She sobbed about how that baby was all she had, she raised him after her daughter and her step-son died in a car accident, on talk shows and in front of news press. Before long all of America took up arms to search for little Jason. Then a year passed and another. People started to lose hope. Humans went back to their daily lives. Muttering about that poor woman who still roamed the streets asking if anybody has seen her grandson.
The monsters did about as much good as the humans. They got distracted by other demigods, and shinny things. They're as bad as a bunch of magpies. Hording anything and everything that catches their interest mostly shinny things.
Hera sighed, running her hand through her hair. She tugged at a few strands biting her lip. She flashed herself into an alleyway near a discount store wanting to get more people to try to help. Her skin wrinkled. Her hair whitened. Her brown eyes developed a slight film. Her back became bowed. Arthritis gnarled her hands turning them into claws. She summoned a cane, and hobbled out of the alleyway.
She pleaded and cried to several humans showing, from a leather wallet, a picture of a blond haired baby boy with sky blue eyes. None of the humans she asked could help. None of them had seen him. Some recognized her from the years before, and with pity in their eyes offered her their condolences.
Hera silently walked into the discount store. She needed a drink. She had shed her grandmotherly image, preferring her twenty year old look. Her amber hair rested against her shoulders. Her brown eyes glared at the young male listening to music behind the checkout counter. She frowned as she grabbed a water hearing a soft voice pleading toward the small clothing section.
"Percy, please, just try these on," a soft voice begged.
"No," a small child yelled. "Yucky!"
A woman with brown hair knelt before a messy black headed child. The boy had bright sea green eyes. A pout on his lips, and his arm crossed over his chest. Turned away from his mother he wouldn't listen to her.
"Percy, it's blue," the woman said. "You love blue and it has a boat on it."
Hera stepped forward. "Excuse me."
The woman's blue eyes met Hera's brown. The poor haggard women offered a smile that trembled and fell. She rose from her position on the floor clutching a blue shirt with a toy boat on the front.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Are we in the way?"
"No, I just wanted to know if you need help with the little one," Hera said soft and warm like a heated pillow.
"Oh, do you have children?" The woman asked blue eyes roaming over Hera.
"Tons," Hera said, smiling gently touching the woman's arm. She pressed the woman to the side closer to the clothing stand. She stepped closer to the young boy, and kneeling down, she looked him in the eyes.
Sea green eyes broiled behind dark eyelashes. A pout protruded like a rocky cliff on a shoreline. The boy stared at her with flushed cheeks. Hera looked at the child, but could see nothing wrong with him physically. Peering into his eyes, she looked at his mind and soul.
"Ah, so that's the problem," Hera stood up and hurried to a nearby rack. She grabbed the blue garment and showed it to the child. "How about this?"
The child squealed and hugged the fabric to their chest. Hera winked at the child and then smiled at their mother.
"Us girls have to stick together," she said as she left.
Sally watched with wide eyes as the strange woman left. Her blue eyes turned to Percy. Her little boy. Her son was hugging a blue dress. Sally knelt down.
"Percy," she said. Once she had Percy's attention she held out her hand and asked. "Can mommy see the dress?"
"Okay," Percy said, handing the dress to her.
Sally looked at it with pursed lips. The blue fabric sparkled. It had ruffled sleeves and bottom. Sally looked underneath the bottom ruffles to find that there were shorts underneath. She nodded and hummed.
"So you like this?" She asked, looking at Percy's gleaming eyes.
"Yeah," Percy chirped bouncing on the balls of his, their, feet.
"Percy," Sally hesitated. "Percy, are you a boy or a girl?"
"I'm a girl like you, mommy," Percy said.
"Okay," Sally said slowly. "I guess we'll have to buy you some dresses, huh?"
Percy nodded rapidly. Her sea green eyes gleaming. Sally smiled as she took her daughter's hand. This wouldn't be easy.