A/N: I do have a story going on, but I felt like posting this one-shot.
Anyway, I got this idea when I was taking a bath, because all this steam was rising, and that reminded me of fire, which reminded me of Katniss Everdeen's 'Girl on Fire' dress, which reminded me of hearth, which reminded me of Hestia, and I got this random idea. Long trail of thought?
I felt like making haikus. I hope they suck, because I tried to 'Apollofy' them. Personally, I like them. For some reason...
This is all Hestia POV, which is really hard, since it doesn't say a lot about her personality. Plus, she's gotta be a bit funny (going with the whole Rick Riordan theme here...) so, I hope it goes well.
Enough of my rambling, please read! =D ~Lila
Apollo's Epic, Poems about the Awesome, Lady Hestia!
It was a couple months after the war, and everything was going well around Olympus. The other gods seemed to be in better moods than they have been in years because the Great Prophecy was finally over. Well, there is another one now, but we can worry about that later.
Today, the Olympians decided to invite the demigods from Camp Half-Blood for a party, of sorts. Everybody went around, looking for their parents, or talking with friends and acquaintances. I wasn't much of the party type though. I'd talk to someone occasionally, but I felt happy enough that everyone else was enjoying their time and acting like family for once. I was just watching the scene of peace and happiness with a slight smile, when Apollo appeared next to me.
I was a bit surprised that he came to me. "Hello Apollo. What brings you here?"
He wore a big smile, like he was going to give some great news. "Well, I was talking to Percy a while ago, and he told me that you deserve more attention and respect. I mean, no one has written or said any epic poems about Hestia! I feel a bit ashamed that I haven't written a recited a poem about you over the past millennia…"
I didn't exactly like where this was going.
"So I will recite the most epic haikus ever for you!" He waved his hands for dramatic effect.
I have to say, I was flattered that my nephew would do that for me, but I felt a bit uncomfortable. I don't think anyone but himself actually likes his haikus. But I could never say no to such a wonderful gesture, and Apollo was grinning like a maniac.
"Um, thank you, Apollo. You didn't really have to though. I'm fine without-"
"Nonsense!" He cut me off. "You will love my haikus, just like everyone else!"
Yeah… just like everyone else…
"Okay, so here's the first one. I got an entire SERIES of them!" He jumped around like an eager toddler.
Oh gods- wait, does saying 'gods' include myself? No, now is not the time to think about nonsense like that.
Apollo took a breath. "Here it goes:
We love Hestia
She is my favorite aunt
She is family"
"Um, but don't tell the 'favorite aunt' part to Demeter and Hera. I do NOT want to get in a fight with them…" He shuddered. I had to let a chuckle.
"So," Apollo bounced like an eager chipmunk, "Did you love it?"
I hesitated. "…Yes, and this is very nice of you too. I really appreciate it."
The poem wasn't all that bad… and quite sweet. It was nice and made me feel warm and fuzzy that he thought of me as his favorite aunt. I felt slight victory against Hera and Demeter for that.
"On to the next one:
Stoking the fire
She looks like a little girl
Her name's Hestia"
I couldn't really understand my reaction to that. And the fact that Apollo was grinning like a madman made me feel uncomfortable.
"Very nice. Um, I like it?" I guess I sort liked it.
I was amazed at how big his grin could get.
"Thank you very much. So, the third one! Ahem:
She makes me feel warm
She is the hearth to the gods
She is Hestia!"
Again, I didn't really know what to think of it, but I did feel pleased. "I am glad that I can make you feel the warmth of the hearth."
Apollo stretched his jaw muscles. "Well, the hearth feels nice! Let's go on the next haiku!" Apollo took an unnecessary breath.
"Hestia is cool
Well, not literally though
She's awesome… like me!"
Apollo bowed. "Well, I am pretty awesome, aren't I?"
My nephew, always incorporating his slight ego into everything. I cracked a smile. "You are pretty awesome."
Apollo beamed. "I know right! Oh, gotta read the rest of your haikus. Onto the fifth!"
How many were there? He didn't seem like he was going to end anytime soon.
"Hestia saved us
From the Titan's evil trick
She's always our hope"
I felt heartened. "I didn't necessarily save you guys though. I just kept the hearth running-"
Apollo cut off my sentence. "And that was what saved us. Because you never gave up hope that we could win."
My smile grew. "I could never give up my hope on family."
Apollo's maniac grin was back again. "Okay, next haiku! Drumroll please:
Hestia is great
She should be queen of the gods
Because she's awesome"
I was starting to like Apollo's poems! "Queen of the gods, you say? I could never do that, though that makes me feel happy."
"Well, you'd be better than, um," he lowered his voice down to a whisper. "Hera, but please! Don't tell her I said that? She'd kill me… wait. I'm immortal. Correction, she will make every second of my immortal life miserable."
I laughed a bit at the last comment. "Sure. Whatever you say." I would never tell Hera. Plus, I did feel a bit smug that Apollo likes me better than my sister.
Just then, Will Solace and the rest of Apollo's children came running up calling their dad to come over where they were.
Apollo looked proudly at his children. "Sorry Hestia. I think I have to go. I had a lot of more poems ready to recite for you, but I don't think there's enough time right now, but here." He took out something from his back pocket. It was a brown book decorated with gold and silver lining.
I was a bit confused. "A book?"
"Yeah. I didn't get to finish reciting all of my awesome poems to you, so I put them in book form too! I am also the god of prophecy and all… y'know, so I know something like that was gonna happen." He smiled cockily.
I read the book cover. "Um:
'Apollo's Epic
Poems about the Awesome
Lady Hestia!'?
I was starting to think Apollo's grin was permanent.
"Yeah! And the title's in haiku form too! Isn't that so cool? Not all of them are about you, some pages have the other gods, but most of them are about you. I think you deserve that after millennia of no epic poems about Hestia..."
I flipped through the pages. There was a poem on each page, and there were over 100 pages. "You wrote all these today?"
Apollo smiled smugly. "Yes. Aren't I awesome?"
I chuckled a bit at his haughtiness. "Don't be so haughty Apollo. But yes, you are awesome."
His grin was so big, I was wondering how his cheeks don't hurt.
Apollo's children were still calling him. "I'm sorry Hestia, but I gotta go. I hope you enjoy your poems!"
I wore a smile as big as his. "Thank you Apollo. And I will definitely enjoy them!"
I laughed quietly to myself as I saw Apollo being dragged off by his children to who-knows-where. I spent the rest of my time reading the poem book. It was amazing, yet again, how much he can include his cocky personality into everything.
I laughed a lot reading the book. Hm… Apollo's haikus aren't that bad!
A/N 2: So... did you like it? Sucky ending, I know. But I had no clue how to end it. =P
I wrote this at midnight, and I was reading 'The Lost Hero' and watching TV at the same time, so... I was a bit distracted. Plus, I'm only in 6th grade. I'm trying to work with limited knowledge. And I moved to Japan, so there's no way I can get better when everyone's learning 'Today is Tuesday. It is cloudy.' or 'I want to be a .' and in the U.S, everyone's learning about Latin and/or Greek roots or something like that ...I feel so left out sometimes.
I think Apollo smiled too much. And was too cocky. Oh well. What do you think?
I liked writing the poems! They were fun... heheh. ^.^
So... you read this... so REVIEW TOO! =D It would make my day. Even a smiley would do the trick. If you liked it, you can favorite it, or whatever... Thank you so much if you do! :) ~Lila