So after reading so many SYOCs, I've decided to do one too. Plus I've got an idea inspired by watching a couple of X-men movies :D It's an AU, with literally no demigods from the canon books. While I am straying a fine line away from how things would normally go in the Percy Jackson universe, I do hope you'll enjoy it. Maybe a little bit of different is good, huh?

More information is found on my profile. I've also fixed up a blog to go with this story just to make things fun and give y'all a bit more idea on the characters and plot. You can check it out later.

Galen Vikander, 20, Son of Aphrodite

"If the rest of us Aphrodite kids aren't about to skip dinner, you are not going to go on a diet either now, c'mon," the girl said, giving him a teasing pinch around his tummy.

Galen smiled, because he didn't want to give anything away; certainly not with what was filling his thoughts like a growing tumor in his mind.

"Don't worry, I'll catch up. You go ahead." He said.

"Alright then," Lindsey replied, "Sure you're feeling okay?"

It's the second time this week, he heard, except not with his ears. He heard it in his head, like an echo in the back of his skull. It was much clearer than the words she had spoken from her lips, though both the verbal and mental voice he heard belongs to his cabin mate. It was her thoughts...her unspoken thoughts that he could hear.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just save me a seat please."

She nodded, casting him a lingering glance before giving another reassuring nod and leaving the cabin. Galen watched her go, skipping towards the pavillion as her long, golden brown hair weaved with little, white periwinkle flowers flowed in the wind each time she leapt from foot to foot.

Now he was alone again, having pushed away one of the few friends he had who accepted his abnormal abilities and yet not cowering away from him. His eyes ran across the small haversack he hid in the corner of the room just beside his bunk. Inside, there were a few T-shirts, couple of denim jeans and some toiletries.

A folded up newspaper dating a week ago sat on his lap. Flattening it out, the cover page was a complete article on a breakthrough discovery. A scientist majoring in biological mutation from the International Laboratory of Biological Research (I.L.B.R.)has recently found the gene responsible for giving 'demigods' their powers. Young people claiming that they were children of greek gods have participated in the research, leading to this discovery. But what Galen was really interested in was that the scientist has found a cure.

And Galen would admit only to himself that he...maybe, could be cured. He could live with the fact that monsters will occasionally show up at unexpected moments in attempt to kill him. He could live being a pawn of the gods...carrying out duties for them. But it was much too painful to see others he know avoiding him, wary of his more unusual powers. This was a chance presenting itself to him, telling him that there was still a way to be a normal young man, being no different from mortals and no longer isolated. For the first time since he was 13, he could live an ordinary life.

Sighing, Galen got to his feet, creaking the bunk in the process. It wasn't like he would read everybody's minds on purpose. That was abusing his powers and it definitely wasn't polite. But every now and then, if someone near to him happened to be projecting their thoughts, he'd just hear them in his head.

A large part of him wished Aphrodite had just granted him the same powers as the rest of his half-siblings - beauty beyond compare, and perhaps charmspeak. Sure, he was okay-looking, he thought, but why, why telepathic abilities? Why must he be different.

He rolled up the newspaper which had fallen to the floor and threw it back on his bunk. It wouldn't do to be too late for dinner. After all, he was the head counselor of the Aphrodite cabin.

Stride out of the cabin, he felt a gust of wind tousled his hair drying up the thin sheen of perspiration which had formed on his forehead and back. He took up a slow jog midway as his stomach growled in protest, and embraced himself for the headache to come.

As he sidled up between the mess tables to reach the other Aphrodite children, the loud chatter reached his ears at first. Then, gradually, the other noise starts to build up. And because it was so crowded, there were so many different voices and phrases and thoughts seeping into his mind. He tried his best to blot them out, but it was futile. He couldn't concentrate.

"Galen! Here! Have a seat!" Lindsey called, tapping a spot on the bench beside her.

He scooted around the others and slipped into the seat, muttering his thanks, loading his plate with cheese pizza and french fries. A headache was kicking up, like someone was pressing an invisible crown upon his head.

...at least dinner...better…

...new television...camp...try…

...shit...may...hear…

Some of the campers sitting near him moved away, including his own half-siblings, throwing wary glances at him, and whispering to their friends that he was nearby. Galen tried to ignore them, but he couldn't. The pounding in his head continued to worsen, until thankfully, Lindsey distracted him.

"We've got a new TV set. The Athena kids helped to install a part to make it stop attracting monsters," she said, gently cutting her potato into small bite-sized cubes.

"That's great. Any programmes interesting?"

"I haven't checked, but we're trying it soon. See there?" She pointed at the front of the mess hall, where a few Hephaestus children were meddling with some metallic looking junk.

"Mmhmm," Galen nodded, "wait...is that the TV?"

Lindsey spiked a cube of potato on her fork and popped it into her mouth. "Yup! They're fixing it up. Should be ready anytime soon."

She was right. And the Hephaestus kids were fast. What had previously looked like a pile of junk metal had taken the form of a wide-screen television. It was currently playing some korean drama.

His siblings sitting at the table cooed and glued their eyes to the screen. It wasn't a surprise - Aphrodite kids loved drama, whether it was fictional or real. As for himself, not so much, but he didn't have a problem with watching it either.

Click. The channels changed. Now it was showing some news. Coincidentally, as they watched for a few minutes, the news logo flashed red as the words BREAKING NEWS ran across the screen.

A woman in her early thirties was standing on a podium, wearing a formal, white blouse and dark grey skirt, complete with red stilettos was giving an announcement to a sea of people. Straight bleached blonde hair framed her face, as she spoke. Her face was one that Galen had seen in numerous reports.

"These people who came to us seeking help claims they are demigods, which means children of the gods; greek gods in particular. While I cannot refute nor accept their claims, the International Laboratory of Bioscience Research, also known as the I.L.B.R., has discovered that their psychic abilities are due to a mutation in the Q2KA06 genome, which is caused by the effects of solar radiation."

Well, that's pretty bullshit, Galen thought. It was due to the gods...not science.

"While side-effects are not clear, the long term effects of the mutation is servere if not handled early. Early aging and complications in the reproductive system are some of the consequences. Fortunately, we have developed a Cure. Though tedious, by splicing the affected sequence and manually re-coding the genome, the mutation can be reversed with a high success rate. Hence we urge everyone who suspects he or she is affected, to get the Cure. We invite you to our Laboratory where our team of professional doctors will take you under their care."

He had known all along that they were working on a Cure, but was never informed that it was readily available and that the entire procedure was risk free. He could be normal - a regular guy in his twenties - for once.

His had decided. His mind, for once, had blocked out the noise and cleared his thinking. He was certain of what he was going to do. The Cure was the answer to all his problems...the feeling of isolation and loneliness. And he was going to take it.

The other children were discussing the validity of the news, but Galen wasn't interested. He had stood up.

"I left something in the cabin. Hang on." He said, then he dashed towards the Aphrodite cabin, away from the other demigods. Away from everyone else who, like him, had 'psychic abilities'. He was going to be normal.

He did hear Lindsey screaming his name in his head, but he shut it out. It was time to put this all away, and head towards a new future.

Hopefully you guys are hooked? I tried. Do leave a review! Form's on my profile!

Also, by no means will Galen be the leader in this story. All the OCs I use will have their time to shine. Plus, I don't think Galen is keen on leading anyways :D