Disclaimer: Since I'm not Rick Riordan, or even live in America, I do not own the Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus series.


Zeus's POV

Zeus was sitting on his throne in the throne room with Aphrodite, Apollo, Hera, Demeter, Hephaestus, Ares, Athena, Hermes and Hestia. Listening the immortals bicker about small unimportant things like how Apollo's sacred cows were treated and how guns were better than arrows was boring. It was a normal day at Olympus. And Zeus didn't like those normal days. He had to listen the others complain, complain and complain.
Hermes complaining about how there was too much work, Aphrodite ranting on and on of some mortal who had broken too many hearts and Demeter's annoying speech about the importance of cereal to the world. Will that woman ever shut up?

"Zeus, I need more Cyclops to my forges", Hephaestus complained, and Athena was bragging about her battle strategies again. For a goddess of wisdom her ego was quite big.

Ares and Apollo were fighting which one was better; a gun or a bow. Only quiet ones were Hera and Hestia, thank the gods from that.
The noise got louder and louder, and was giving Zeus a headache.
Soon the noise was unbearable, and Zeus got up to his feet and waved his hand over the hall. The gods disappeared, leaving only Hera, Hestia and Zeus in the throne room.
Hestia turned to Zeus and asked:

"What did you do? Where are they?"

Hera didn't look she cared, but there was worry in Hestia's voice, and Zeus smiled when he answered:

"Away from here. They won't be able to come back for two weeks!"

Zeus felt quite happy about himself, figuring out a way to get rid of them. For a while.


Hermes's POV

When Hermes hit the ground, his first thought was "Ouch!", which was followed with;

"Where the Hades am I?"

He didn't realize he had said them out loud before he heard another voice saying:

"Honestly, I don't have the faintest idea."

Hermes thought it sounded a bit like Demeter, but when he turned and looked where the voice had come from, he saw only a girl about thirteen with middle-length black hair wearing jeans, sneakers and a green T-shirt with the peace sign made of flowers printed to it. Hermes frowned and asked:

"Demeter?"

The girl snorted and said:

"Who else?"

She still hadn't looked at him, but when Demeter looked up, she first looked puzzled and then asked:

"Hermes? Is that you?"

Hermes rolled his eyes. How could Demeter not know it was him? Then she said:

"You should appear more as a twelve year old kid, you know."

What? Hermes thought. He didn't remember chancing to a form of a twelve year old. He took a look at what he was wearing: Sneakers, jeans and a yellow T-shirt. Well, looks like you did, part of his brains mocked.

"There's dirt on my clothes!" a voice shrilled in the air, and Hermes turned to look who said that.

There was a young, skinny, beautiful girl standing and staring at her hands in horror.
She was wearing a top, skirt and boots and had a long golden hair. There was a bit of mud on her skirt, but Hermes didn't understand what she was complaining about. But when he saw her eyes, which were changing color like a kaleidoscope, he understood.
Aphrodite? What the Hades, first Demeter and then Aphrodite…

But his thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a group of teenagers behind Aphrodite. There were three boys and a girl, that all looked familiar.
The girl had light blond hair up in a bun and was wearing a plain grey top with an owl printed on it, jeans and sneakers. Hermes knew she was Athena because of two things:

1. She has grey eyes.
2. She has an freaking owl printed on her shirt!

One of the three boys wore worn out jeans with few holes in them, a simple black T-shirt with a brown hoodie and sneakers. He was muscular and had brown eyes and dark brown hair that was cut unevenly. His skin was darker, like it was burned a bit. Hermes figured he was Hephaestus.

Second boy had really short black hair and golden brown eyes that looked a bit like flames. He had on a red T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. He looked like he was threatening the third boy, who looked like nothing worried him.

He had a loose bit dirty basketball top, jeans and sneakers at his feet. He's sandy hair had sun stripes on it, and with his playful blue eyes and flashing smile he looked like a typical tourist.

Ares and Apollo, Hermes thought. Until then he didn't notice he's surroundings. They were in a forest, and nearby was water, he could hear it.
While Aphrodite was still sobbing at her clothes, Hermes walked over to Demeter, who was looking at a flower. She sighed:

"Way too dry ground. When will the mortals learn that the rain above New York doesn't do enough?"

"Do you know why we are here in the forms of twelve year olds?" He asked.

Demeter frowned and answered:

"I thought that you could lighten that thing for me. But before that, let's stop Ares from killing Apollo. Come."

When they walked to the other Olympians, they heard what they were talking about:

"These are some of your tricks, Apollo, I just know it! What have you done to us? I can't even change my form!" Ares bellowed.

Apollo's bright smile faded, and he looked concerned. He then closed his eyes, and probably tried to change his form.

When nothing happened, he started to panic: "Oh my gods! I can't change my form! What's happening? Is the world ending? Titans attacking? HELP!"

Athena then walked over to Apollo.

"Be quiet, Apollo", she hissed, "none of us can change our forms; I need to think a way out of this mess!"

We can't change our forms?! Holy cow! Hermes thought.
Now this was bad, really bad. Hermes looked at the sobbing Aphrodite and asked her:

"What's wrong, Aph?" Aphrodite continued her sobbing for a while, and then answered:

"There's dirt on my clothes, my make-up is ruined and I can't change my form to make it look good again!"

While they talked, Athena had come to stand next to them. She frowned and asked:

"Why don't you just wash your make-up away and clean the dirt from your clothes? I mean you're better looking without make-up then with ruined make-up."

Aphrodite looked up, and smiled at Athena. She said:

"Thank you Athena. That's a great idea."

She then stood up and went towards the water Hermes heard before. Hermes turned to Athena, who looked at him for a second and then asked:

"Hermes?"

He nodded, and Athena spoke again:

"Do you know why we're here? Never the less, in the forms of children. Ares already tried to kill Apollo because he thought it's one of his tricks. Gladly, Hephaestus stopped him with Demeter's help."

Hermes sighed. He felt useless. They were in an unknown situation, and no-one had any information why they were here, or even where "here" was. He shaked his head while saying:

"Athena, none of us know what we are doing here. I guess we just have to wait for the explanation. Come."

Hermes went to Ares and Apollo, who were still arguing. Apollo looked still shocked about the fact that he couldn't change his form.
Aphrodite walked to them, looking better. Her face was now clean and the mud on her clothes as somewhat gone. She smiled when she saw Ares. Hephaestus grumbled a bit when Aphrodite hugged Ares. Demeter put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a pitying look. Athena seemed to be thinking radically, and Apollo looked ready to pull his hair out of frustration.

Hermes bit his lip, and said: "Okay, I think everyone should calm down. We're in an unknown location, without known reason, with no abilities to change our form, I know. Do any of you know why we're here?"

Others were shaking their heads and murmuring "no". Hermes felt a twist in his stomach.

This is not good, he thought, not good at all. I mean, we are gods and goddesses, for Zeus sake! We need answers, and we need them quick!

Like something had read his mind, a bright light flashed behind him. He turned to look, and there was a girl about eight on a picnic blanket with a basket. She was wearing a brown summer dress and a scarf on her head. She smiled gently her eyes full of warmness and kindness. Hermes smiled and asked:

"Hestia, do you have any answers for our questions?"

She nodded and then said:

"Yes, I do. But first, come take a little snack. You'll need it. I'll explain everything while eating."

Aphrodite walked over to Hestia, followed by Hephaestus, Ares, Athena and Demeter. Hermes sat down last. Before he was handed a plate, he hadn't noticed how hungry he was, what was quite odd.

Of course, gods have to eat just like every living thing. But because the gods could just pop their food out of thin air, they didn't often feel hungry, eating every when they want. Some Olympians didn't even notice that they ate through the day, like Apollo. Because of their ability to split themselves, one part of them could just be somewhere eating all the time.
But now, when Hermes was sitting on the picnic blanket eating everything Hestia offered, he knew what it like was to be hungry. He listened Hestia explain things while he was stuffing lasagna in his mouth. She said:

"Zeus has banished you from Olympus."

There was a moment of slience, that Apollo broke:

"Wait, banished? But he can't banish us! We're the most of Olympian Council!"

Hestia smiled and continued:

"Nephew, Zeus has a lot of power. But every power has its limits, just like Zeus's. He only manages to keep you away for two weeks. Then you're free to return."

There was silence.
Hermes's thoughts raced: Two. Freaking. weeks. Zeus, what the Hades were you thinking!
Hermes noticed he wasn't the only shocked one. Apollo's eyes were almost as wide as his mouth, Aphrodite looked like she would faint any second, Hephaestus ran his hand through his hair many times, Ares looked mad, and so did Athena. Demeter looked thoughtful, her eyes at her cereal bowl. Hestia looked at them all calmly.
Then Hermes remembered something, and cried out loud:

"My Caduceus! All the packages!"

Hestia looked at him in the eyes and stated:

"Iris promised to take care of your company while you're away. George and Martha are enjoying themselves with many boxes full of rats." Hestia looked amused at the mention of George and Martha.

Hermes sighed. Great, he thought, George and Martha are in their own personal heaven and I'm stuck here with mortals. Well, at least I have two week vacation from my job.

Then Demeter asked the question everybody wanted to know the answer:

"Where will we go for those two weeks?"

"Yeah, we can't just stay in here for two weeks. By the way, where are we?"

Apollo asked. Hestia smiled brightly and started to talk:

"Well, we are, in fact, in Central Park, New York."

Everybody gazed around a bit, and then turned back to Hestia who continued:

"And where you're going to stay for two weeks, you can decide yourselves."

Everybody groaned. Hestia chuckled and said:

"I'm not finished yet. Of course, I have a suggestion. Without realizing it, Zeus might have given you something. You always talk to how you want see your children and meet them, am I right?"

Realization dawned on everybody's faces. But then Hephaestus said:

"Sure, I would love to see my kids, but I would like it even more if I wouldn't be stuck in this form."

Hermes didn't know what to think. He agreed with Hephaestus, but still, he wanted to see his kids. He wasn't sure what to think. Then Hestia said something that helped to make up his mind:

"True, but think about it. If you pretend to be one of their siblings, you'll get more honest opinion than if you would go there in your godly form. They naturally respect you and don't want to anger you in fear of punishment."

For a while they just looked at eachother, considering the options, and finally said:

"We're going."

Hestia smiled and looked glad to see that her advice was accepted. She then waved her hand and the picnic disappeared. She stood up herself and looked at the Olympians. She popped out three backpacks and handed them to the immortals. Hermes, Apollo and Athena took them gratefully.

"Camp Half-Blood isn't as close as you think it would be. If you walk the whole trip, it will take a day or two to get there, depending on your speed", Hestia warned.

Hermes opened the backpack. It had food, water and blankets, even some golden drachmas in a small bag. He putted the backpack on along Athena and Apollo. Hestia said one more thing:

"Good luck for the next two weeks. Have fun trying the lifestyle of demigod."

With that, she vanished leaving nothing but a faint scent of smoke after her.
Hermes sighed and turned to the others.

"Should we get going? Like Hestia said, it's a long way." Athena mused. Hephaestus grumbled something along the lines:

"Well let's go already."

They started to walk, Athena leading the way.
I'm the god of travelers, this shouldn't be too bad, Hermes thought. Surely nothing too bad could happen. But he had a feeling that this would be an adventure he wouldn't forget in a while.


A/N: I hope you like it. I would love to hear what were your thoughts about this story. The characters might be a bit OOC.