PERCY II

I quickly stood up and looked around quickly, trying to find out where it was coming from.

Now you might be wondering. 'Percy why don't you just run!'.

Well, Mr Survival, the thing is that I was laying in a patch of grass surrounded by large oak trees.

I know, I know. If this thing and its mother were chasing me before not too long ago then why did I lay down and relax as if I'm on the Bahamas Beach?

Well, sorry! 'Sonny' has been chasing me for a long time and I was tired. What should I have done? Tired myself out to the point that I would collapse and faint, then when I wake up and I'm already dead.

And don't say anything about, 'Well, you can't wake up when you're already dead.'

Anyway, I was trying to find out where the roar was coming from so I could run in the opposite direction.

I could try and climb a tree and see where Sonny was, but that would also take up a lot of my energy and I doubt I could see anything up there with all the trees and leaves.

Besides by the time I'm even up the tree half way, Sonny would already be here.

Wait, I had a point, what was it? Ugh, ADHD.

"RRRROOOOAAAAARRRR!" Sonny roared.

I was getting scared.

I tried to listen closer, but all I heard was my heart beating fast and hard as if it might burst through my chest.

My breathing started going rapid and I started wheezing.

My eyes widen, it was happening again.

I needed to get out of here, but I still didn't know where to run to.

"RRRROOOOAAAARRRR!"

That made up my mind and I took off.

I tore through the trees as fast as I could. I was pretty sure I ran in the opposite direction, but I didn't stop to check.

I could hear Sonny run after me, but he was still a bit of a distance behind me.

Along with my rapid breathing and wheezing, I started coughing and stumbling as my energy started going down.

But, my fear fueled my adrenaline.

The only thing on my mind was, 'run!'

I looked up at the trees.

Although the branches and the leaves hid the view from above, it was the total opposite from below.

I looked up to the sky to see a purple and orange colour the sky.

I cursed.

It was almost dark, and it would be even harder to get away from Sonny at night. I had to lose him somehow.

I reached into my satchel. (I actually made it from wheat and dried grass to carry around my necessities) Please, please have at least one left, I pleaded.

I felt something soft and pulled it out.

A bud with an ombré of sickly white and green petals. With a splash death purple at the top. I opened it to reveal long corn-like leaves wrapped together.

With one sniff, I gagged and tried not to vomit.

A Corpse flower. Or Amorphophallus titanum, which is Ancient Greek for 'without form'.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I think.

They are said to be rare, but they seem to pop up around me a lot when I need them.

"RRRROOOOAAAARRRR!"

I didn't have enough time.

I pinched the top of the flowers to get a bit of the sickly, disgusted smelling my fingers. Then I dropped it on the ground, stepped on it and ran.

If I had a bigger one, which wouldn't have fit in my satchel, I would have just left it there. But the smaller one doesn't have as much stink as the bigger ones and I didn't want to take any chances of leaving a flower that wouldn't cover up my scent.

I dapped myself with my fingers so I could blend in with the flowers smell and so that Sonny couldn't sniff me out.

I kept running to put a lot of distance between us, soon I was thinking about climbing but I quickly dismissed the idea since I kept thinking that the stench didn't cover my scent at all.

I kept running and running and then my breathing started going rapidly again. My coughing started up again.

I didn't know what was wrong with me these days. Ever since I woke up I've had these symptoms that I couldn't control. They'd come and go but, they're usually worst every time.

I don't know what's wrong with me, but it gets unbearable sometimes.

I started coughing and wheezing again.

I couldn't take it I felt as if I was about to die.

I couldn't hear Sonny behind me anymore, or his footprints. In the back of my mind, I knew something was wrong but I didn't care.

I was tired.

Tired of running like a sick animal.

I stopped and fell into a dirt patch.

My eyes were watery, my breathing hurt but the sting of pain was going down like before.

I was still breathing rapidly and I felt like I was about to suffocate.

I tried to stand up, but I kept wobbling and kissing the floor again.

I hoped Sonny got confused by the Corpse plant smell and got lost along with his mother.

Suddenly a rustle of leaves broke through my thoughts.

"Well, seems the child can't be bothered to run anymore, eh Sonny?"

I cursed, they finally caught up with me.

Calm down, Percy. Fear is not gonna help.

"What's wrong faithless, sad that the Gods have given up on you?" She asked.

Come on Percy, don't let her see your weakness. Don't let anyone see your weakness. Use the one thing that masks your feeling from everyone so they don't belittle you or taunt you and see the pain you hide.

Sarcasm.

"Did you really think that a flower could throw my son here off?!" She laughed.

I managed to hold myself up on my hand and elbow and stared straight at her.

"Well, it worked last time!" I yelled.

I only seemed to make her 'son' angrier. Sonny was growling silently and look directly at me as if I was his new chew toy.

"Now. now Sonny," She soothed. "Let the child have his fun, were about to get our revenge on him since our defeat."

I was getting confused.

"You've been saying that every time you find me. You act as if you know me. Who are you?"

She just let out a laugh that brought chills up my arms and most likely killed a few smiley emojis.

I was getting annoyed.

"Ooh, child! That is quite rude about forgetting your first actual monster you executed that was sent to kill you."

If it was so rude, why'd you laugh? I thought bitterly.

"I am Echidna, the mother of all monsters, and you have already met my son, Chimera."

Chimera growled to emphasise himself.

Wait, isn't an Echidna…..

"Isn't Echidna some kind of anteater?" I asked.

She growled probably out of anger. Well, it's kinda her own fault, if my name was Echidna I wouldn't be going around telling people that.

Just saying.

"You wretched demigod! Kill him, Chimera!" She shrieked.

I didn't have a weapon or anything on me to defend myself with, so I was left with hoping for mercy.

I didn't have time to react when chimera's claws and canines were centimetres away from gouging my neck.

I ducked and turned away only to hear a tide splash.

I looked to see Chimera and Echidna being enraptured in salt water. The water wrapped around them creating a whirlpool of terror.

Both monsters were being untangled into golden dust. I quickly got up, falling deaf to their pleas of pain and took off through the trees not looking back.

Unknowingly a rose grew behind where I fell down.

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HERA VI

I did not know what happened while I was gone.

When I returned the tension in the room was worst from when I left.

I had to know what had happened during the time I was absent, I left Zeus to be there for his older brother and I came back to Poseidon threatening to declare war on Zeus.

What had happened between them?

Zeus burst through the door to our room with anger and yelled out.

"Who does he think he is! Threatening to declare war on me as if I had done anything wrong!"

I went to his side and reached out to stroke his arm to calm him down.

After her calmed down he sat in a chair as I walked over to my vanity to check myself of anything suspicion.

I spotted a small, tiny twig in my hair.

Looking back I see Zeus staring down at the table full of thought.

Quickly, I snatched the barbaric piece of nature out of my hair and threw it away. Then I tended to my hair and undid it.

While brushing it, I looked to see Zeus still full of thought.

I smiled, deciding to find out what happened in a non-intrusive way.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened while I was away?" I hummed.

He acknowledged me then motioned me to the chair opposite of him.

I walked over careful and sat down gently.

"After you left, Chiron opened the Perseus's safe and we found out that Perseus and Hermes's son-"

"Luke," I added.

He nodded and continued.

"Luke, might have been . . . . . . . . seeing each other, in secret and I don't mean for just for little dates."

I nodded, surprised but not annoyed.

"For all we know. Perseus told him all our secrets, disadvantages, and weakness. All because he was seduced and besmirched by Hermes's son-"

"Luke," I said again.

Zeus stood up, just shook his head and huffed.

"I told him the same thing, the truth! Then after I said that he got so angry!" He exclaimed

I huffed and stood up next to him, as he finished his story.

"He started getting angry and giving me threats as if I insulted him!" Zeus holland.

"No," I said gently as I put my hands on his face, caressing him.

"You did something worse. You insulted his son, who he cares about more than anything else."

Zeus huffed and looked out the window as I withdrawn my hands and frowned at how much of a fool my husband is.

Could he not see or even hear what he had said about Perseus? He basically implied that Perseus was not only seduced but also that he had been disgraced. And because I know my husband I know he wasn't talking just about Perseus's well-being or body but also the Gods reputation, mostly his.

I'd be furious about that if anyone said that about Enyo, Hebe and Eileithyia. So I understood how Poseidon felt.

I sent Zeus to be there for his brother, not to tarnish what was left of them.

I sighed and looked at the floor then sat down, not facing Zeus and spoke.

"Zeus, I don't think you understand what you implied when you said what you did to Poseidon."

He looked over at me with a raised brow.

"You implied that Perseus had disgraced himself by doing whatever he with Luke son. Which I doubt he did anything. You also implied that he disgraced the Gods. Mostly yourself."

I whispered the last part quietly, but I knew he heard it, and finished what had to be said I looked back I saw a dawn realisation on Zeus's face.

It was too late to go fix this now.

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PERCY II

It was already dark. That was the first thing I noticed when I stopped running.

Believe me, when I say I don't know what to do.

What am I supposed to do?

I don't have any memory of myself other than my name, and I woke up in a forest in the middle of nowhere that won't let me out of it's clutched, I feel like someone's making me deliberately going around in a circle.

I sighed, my frustration was leaking out into the atmosphere.

The wind tussled my hair, as I gazed up at the sky.

I saw a flicker of a star that made me feel hope, I don't know why but I suddenly needed to see it closer, to see the whole picture.

I jumped on the lowest branch on the nearest, tallest tree and kept jumping and climbing up like a ninja. Well, that's what I assume I look like, it felt so easy to do stunts like this. It's as if I had been doing them my whole life.

When I finally made it to the top of the tree, I had a leaf in my hair that I didn't pay much attention to, I poked through the tree leaves to look up at the beautiful starry night sky.

That when a sparkle caught my attention.

I looked up to see the brightest constellation I have ever seen.

I couldn't describe it but it reminded me of a huntress using a bow and firing an arrow. It brought me so much comfort just by looking at it, it was as if the stars themselves were comforting me about everything and that everything will be alright.

I felt as if the arrow that the Huntress was firing was coming straight at me, going through my head and making me reflect on my awakening.

I decided to relive whatever I did when I woke up.

I closed my eyes and remembered

Peace . . . . Prosperity . . . . Tranquility . . . .

If all felt two reassuring until other emotions went through me to show me what else was in store for me.

Disapproval . . . . Insecurity . . . . Isolation . . . .

No! I don't want to go through this!

It hurts! . . . It hurts! . . . It really hurts!

Stop! . . . . Stop! . . . . Stop, please!

Wake up! Get up! Open your eyes!

My eyes snap wide open to the sound of someone stepping on glass.

The first thing I noticed was that there was broken glass overtop of me as if was keeping me inside whatever I was slumbering in.

Still laying down, I turned left and right to see where I was. Nothing made sense.

I try to get up but my muscles were really weak and I struggled to put any force on them since I kept losing any placement on them it was as if I had just woke up from a horrible slumber.

I carefully got up and noticed I was in a coffin. Was I dead? Why was it made of glass?

I looked about but everything was still blurry, but the scent of the place was so fresh that it reminded me of a forest of a sanctuary.

I couldn't shake my dizziness and that wasn't good, the glass coffin I layer in or what was left of it had sharp, pointy glass sticking out from everywhere.

One wrong move and I could have glass stuck in myself, but I felt very at home in this . . . . glade. It was as if the plant here actually wanted me to be safe and comfortable.

I heard a gasp, but everything looked very dark and shady. I couldn't make out the person's face, but I knew it was a girl.

I couldn't get any words out but I didn't want her to leave me here alone.

She started backing away and turned and ran. Then I saw her hair.

She had long, red, smoky hair in a waist-length ponytail, curled slightly into loose ringlets.

Something told me she wasn't supposed to be here. But the flowers didn't seem to mind her and let her leave without doing any harm done to her.

Before I knew it. I was alone again.

I gasped and opened my eyes.

Woah, that was terrifying for some reason.

That was about two days ago, when I first woke up, I went back the first time I left because I was too scared of what dangers awaited me.

It was as if I'd known that I would be in danger at the time.

I sighed and looked at the huntress constellation one last time before going down the tree a bit and laying down in between branches that strangely made a comfortable bed or whatever.

I closed my eye and relaxed, filled with the hope of my memories resurfacing the next morning.

unbeknownst to me, another rose bloomed right out of the tree trunk where I stood gazing at the stars.