Author's Note: Hello everyone. This is your Elvengoddess. I have a few things to bring to attention before the story starts.
Disclaimer: This story is set the same universe as Percy Jackson and the Olympians created by Rick Riordan. All characters from the series belong to him.
Setting: Chapter 1 takes place before the final battle with Kronus' forces in the Big Apple in The Last Olympian. All other chapters take place afterwards.
And with that may the story begin…
Chapter 1
Sacrifice
Do you believe that the myths are real? Be thankful if you don't because all the myths are real and I experienced one of the most terrifying myths ever told. Trust me, hearing about the stories from the comfort of your own home is different than actually experiencing it. However, when my family is threatened, make no mistake I will protect them with everything I have. Fact or fiction, it wouldn't matter, I will find a way to ruin your life, or if I felt it was necessary, end it. My name is Sakura Yoshimada, and this is how I became the goddess of time…
My tale begins many years ago, when I was nine years old, with the death of my mother, or the person who I thought was my mother. We had been moving from place to place for five years now. We currently live on a homestead just outside of Shaniko, Oregon. We have come back to this same homestead 3 or 4 times now. Something has been drawing me to this place and I have no idea why either. My mom, my dad, and even my twin brother gave me this odd look like I am absolutely crazy.
"Sakura," Yamizaki, my twin brother, tells me, "you are talking crazy by saying that."
"Yamizaki," mom said calmly, "Let your sister explain her reasons for saying that she is drawn here."
"Why should I?" Yamizaki raged, "She always talks about things that just do not exist!" He storms off.
"What are we gonna do with him, Mom?" I asked.
"I am not sure, sweetheart," she answered, "but he is right. You do spend a great deal of time looking to things that quite frankly do not exist."
"Whether we are directed by some higher power or not isn't what I was talking about, mom," I say as I get up from the table and take my brother's and my dishes out to the kitchen. "I just want to know why we keep traveling the country if we keep ending up here. Anyway, I am going to to hop in the shower," I say as I pull my shirt off in front of mom and dad.
"You know, pumpkin," my dad says while trying so hard not to stare at me as I strip off my remaining clothes, "most girls don't strip in front of their parents." I fold my clothes and hand them to mom then run off to the bathroom. Mom and Dad said something to each other, but I wasn't able to make out exactly what they said I was too far away.
I walk into the bathroom and straight into my brother, who I wound up kissing as a result. I don't have a problem with kissing my brother, so I don't count kissing him as giving away my first kiss besides I more attracted to girls than I am boys.
Mom says that I am young and I will find a man who makes my heart race someday, but honestly, I am not so sure. Most of the boys my age were complete and total assholes to me, which is a major turn off for me. Living in such a small town hasn't helped me get to know many boys that are my age. There was this one girl in my class and I had the biggest crush on her. Sadly, she moved away two months ago and I do not remember her name, which aggravates me to no end. I heard the doorbell ring as I relaxed in the tub. I decide to get out of the tub in case mom wants me to come downstairs. I hear a knock on the bathroom door, "Who is it?" I ask as I dry myself off.
"It is your mother," came the reply.
"You can come in," I respond.
My mom walks into the bathroom and I am blow drying my hair completely nude. "You know that most girls wrap themselves in a towel after a shower," she comments.
"Does it look like I care," I answer, "I just like being naked for some reason. I really can't explain why."
"Sakura," mom asked me, "can you at least do me one favor?"
"Yeah, sure," I answer with another question, "what is it that you want me to do, mom?"
"I don't care if you are naked while it is just the four of us, but can you at least wear a robe when we have guests?" Mom asked me.
"I can do that," I answer, "do we have a guest right now?"
"We do actually," mom replies, "and he has requested to see you and your brother specifically."
"Really," I said, "would you like to to have me in some decent clothes on?"
"That is a good idea," mom agreed. Mom leaves me alone in the bathroom as I finish up with my hair. Once I am done in the bathroom, I quickly run back to my room to find something decent to wear. It takes me five minutes to pick out an outfit that isn't pajamas. I put on my favorite pink dress and then gracefully walk downstairs.
"As I was saying, " the visitor was explaining, "I am going to be in town for a few days to see if I can find the people I am looking for."
"You are looking for someone?" I asked.
"Yes," the visitor answers, "two people actually, a pair of twins about your age, I am afraid I don't know much more than that. The person who told me about them did not give me a very detailed description of the twins I am looking for. I apologize for not being very helpful."
"What will become of these twins, Prometheus?" my father asked our visitor sternly.
"I am afraid that I am unable to answer your question, Mr. Yoshimada," Prometheus calmly replied, "my superiors never provided me with that information. I am not pleased that they didn't give me all the info that I needed to complete my search for the people I am looking for."
"Are you going to take our kids away from us?" Dad asked him angrily.
"Sasuke," mom says sharply, "watch your temper!" She turned her attention back to Prometheus, "I am terribly sorry for my husband's manners, but I must ask that you not take these from us. I am unable to have children of my own."
"Mrs. Yoshimada," Prometheus answered politely, "fear not. I have no intention of taking your children away from you. If these two are the twins I am looking for, then I will need your consent before I can even consider taking them; however, they also have to be willing to leave.
That answer only made dad angrier, but I think dad jumping the gun and not listening to reason, "I am going to just let you take our kids away!" Dad says ready to punch Prometheus, but mom gets in between them.
"SASUKE!" Mom yells at dad, "THERE'S NO NEED FOR VIOLENCE!"
"MIKI!" Dad shot back, "I WANT A BETTER REASON THAN THE ONE HE JUST GAVE!"
"Dad, let's not anger our guest," I said calmly. Mom and dad are both surprised that I am so calm in light of recent events.
"Sakura," mom asks me, "how are you so calm?"
"If Prometheus wanted to kidnap me and Yamizaki, he would've already done so," I answer as I drink my tea, "besides he said that we must willing to leave," I turn to Prometheus, "I apologize for my dad, he has a tendency to be a little harsh when comes to me and Yamizaki."
"As well as a good father should," Prometheus answers calmly and starts getting up so that he can leave, it is only then that I see what he really is, and I am absolutely terrified, "I must be taking my leave now. It is getting late and I am sure all of you are tired. I am sure we will meet again."
He leaves so we can can sleep, but mom has other plans, "Sakura, Yamizaki, get your things packed, we are leaving for New York as soon as you both are ready." she says trying very hard to not start crying.
I didn't want to argue, but the bad feeling I was getting about this trip made me even more scared than I already was. The good news was that I still had everything packed. "Mom," I asked, "Why do we have to leave now? Can't we wait until morning."
Mom shakes her head, "I am afraid not, Sakura. Prometheus will be back and I don't think things will be as peaceful as they were a few minutes ago."
"Mom," I asked in a very serious tone, "what was that."
"Sakura is right, Miki," Yamizaki says coldly, "you do owe us an explanation about what is going on. We aren't leaving this house until we get an answer."
"The kids are scared, Miki," dad says, "We can no longer hide them in our world."
Mom started crying, and I knew why. Mom does not have the ability to have children of her own, and now she has to give us up, and it is destroying her, "Mom, if this too hard for you, we can ask Dad," I tell her. Yamizaki was not pleased with what I just said, I turn to him, and tell him, "Back off, Yamizaki!"
"But, Sakura," Yamizaki says, "I…"
"No buts, Yamizaki!" I interrupt angrily, "This whole thing is really tearing Mom up!"
"Sasuke," Mom says as calmly as she can, "I need you to stay behind."
"Miki," dad answers, "take the back roads until you to The Dalles. Get on Interstate 84 from there. I will hold Prometheus here for as long as I can. Just protect the kids. He will not have the kids."
"Sakura! Yamizaki!" Mom says, "get in the car. I will explain everything I can as we travel."
"But Mom," Yamizaki and I said in unison, "we want answers now."
"I understand," mom answers, "but we need to get on the road. I promise to answer your questions then." We agreed to wait, but Yamizaki is not happy about the delay.
We head outside to load the car. I notice something odd about the tires, so I go to check and sure enough all of the tires are flat and have slash marks on each tire. I am pretty sure that these marks are fresh because dad had just checked those tires about five minutes before Prometheus showed up. I am pretty sure Prometheus slashed the tires, but I have no proof, "Mom," I say, "we have four flat tires. We aren't going anywhere in the car any time soon."
"Can I kill Prometheus now, Miki?" Dad says as he cracks his knuckles.
"Sasuke," Mom answers, "but you cannot win against one of the Titans." The Titans from the Greek mythology, but I thought they only existed in the Myths. Just what in the world is going on.
"Miki, go to the barn," Dad informs mom, "I stashed our bikes there."
The three of us wasted no time running out to the barn. Yamizaki, mom and I each filled a backpack full of everything that we absolutely needed. Then we rode off into the night.
Dad made sure that our bikes were night travel condition. I would have asked Mom for the answers she promised Yamizaki and I, but I decided to wait until we didn't have to concentrate on the road. Fortunately, we lived really close to Bakeoven Road. We were almost to Maupin when my legs gave out, "Mom," I asked, "can we take a rest soon? My legs are getting tired."
"We have almost reached Maupin," Mom answers, "can you hold out until then?"
"I…" I say struggling to stay balanced, "I think so."
"I am getting pretty hungry as well, mom," Yamizaki added, "we also have a lot of questions for you, mom."
"I am well aware of that, Yamizaki," mom said sadly, "but it would be unwise to answer your questions at this point because we are about to go into a canyon, so we need to focus on the road. Once we stop to get food, I promise to answer any questions you two may have."
"That's reasonable," I agree.
"SAKURA!" Yamizaki says angrily at me.
"BAKA DŌRO NI SHŌTEN O ATEMASU! WATASHITACHIHA TABEMONO O ERU TOKI, WATASHITACHIHA WATSHITACHI NO KOTAE O ERUDESHOU!" I yell at him before he can say anything else, which also manages to shut him up. I am also a little surprised that I didn't mispronounce anything. Mom was equally surprised, but didn't say anything while we biked down the canyon. Fortunately, it wasn't too steep.
We finally arrived at Maupin after biking for I wanna say 5 hours on Bakeoven Road. Needless to say all three of us were completely drained. Yamizaki and I were more tired than mom was, so we rested at the nearby city park for an hour. Our relaxation was interrupted by my stomach.
"Someone hungry?" Mom asked.
"Absolutely starving," I answer while taking off my helmet, "I am not going anywhere until I get some food in me and feeling back in my legs."
"You also owe us some answers, mom" Yamizaki adds.
We spread out a blanket making sure we didn't disturb any underground bee nests or worse, hornet nests, in the process. The three of us each had a turkey sandwich mom made just before we left. A car pulled up as we finished our sandwich. A young man of about 20 years stepped out of the car and called out to mom, "Miki!" I immediately recognized his voice. That young man is Kaze Shinomori, a self-taught swordsman with amazing skill. Apparently, Kaze and dad have been friends for a few years now. I have seen him a few times, but I don't know him very well. Mom trusts him which makes me a little relieved, "I am glad you are safe, but you need to leave Maupin, the sooner the better."
"I am well aware of that, Kaze," Mom answers, "but the kids need to rest for a while longer before we can continue biking to PDX Airport."
"How about I give you a lift?" Kaze asks.
"Mom," I answer quickly, "we need to leave here before Prometheus finds us. I say we get a ride."
We put our stuff into Kaze's car and left the park quickly. We decided to leave the bikes behind to hopefully throw Prometheus off our trail. Yamizaki and I crashed almost immediately after getting into the car. Even though we wanted answers, Yamizaki and I were completely sapped of any energy to say anything about the questions we have because of the bike ride here and severe lack of sleep.
I wake up to Mom waking me and Yamizaki up. Yamizaki and I slept the whole way to the airport from Maupin. "Sakura, Yamizaki," mom said, "we need to get moving. Prometheus is right on our…" Prometheus appears in front of us, "...tail."
"You know," Prometheus says angrily, but he never lost his cool, "that was very rude of you to leave before our business was concluded, daughter of Athena."
"What business is that, Prometheus?" Mom counters giving Kaze a nod. Kaze answers with the same silent nod, "as far as I am concerned, our business ended last night. In the name of Lady Artemis, I, Miki Kaoru, will never let you have those kids!" Mom charged him with bow in her hand.
Kaze quickly got us away from the battle and we headed towards dad's private jet. Mom's battle with Prometheus quickly migrated to the airfield. Yamizaki and I had good view of the battle from the jet, which was not good thing because as we started moving, mom fell to ground and never moved again. I promised myself that I would never cry, but I couldn't hold back the tears. Yamizaki tried to comfort me, but we both needed the one person who we saw die. We needed our mom to tell us that it was only a dream and that everything will be alright. Sadly, this pain in my heart is very real and that realization made me cry so much that my eyes started burning.
We cried for I wanna say two hours, then we got called up to the pilot's cabin. When we arrived, I saw the biggest storm I had ever seen, but what the pilot couldn't see was the Greek gods battling the Titan of Storms. The pilot tried to maneuver around the massive storm but was not able to, "Kids," the pilot said, "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to get you to New York like I promised your mom I would."
"Don't worry about it," I reply, "you took us as far as you could. Where are we now?"
"We are about to crash in the ocean outside of Ocean City, Maryland. Prepare for emergency landi…" We found ourselves knocked out from the impact. I don't know happened after that, the next thing I know, I am lying on a beach barely able to move.
I catch sight of this young lady running up to me before my eyes closed, "Dad," she called, "I found a body. Please come quickly." Another person came up to me and checked my vitals. "Is she alive, dad?"
"Yes," he answers his daughter, "but she is…" I don't hear the rest as I fall unconscious before I can hear the rest.