Olive Branch and Seaweed Chapter 2, a percy jackson and the olympians fanfic

Chapter Six

Goddess

Olive Branch let the wind push her. She bent, twisting with the breeze, bending and turning, and feeling the rush of the air, flow past her. She didn't have the strength or the willpower to keep herself still. What was the point? Bird hadn't come back after he had accused her of giving up, and Seaweed wasn't speaking to her. Spring was nearing, and Olive Branch couldn't even bring herself to look at her leaves. She felt the olive flowers beginning to bud, but after everything that had happened, there probably wouldn't be a plentiful harvest. The villagers would see that she no longer could produce fruit and then they would get rid of her tree- and her.

Just as Olive Branch was readying herself for more walling, she heard the sound of someone singing.

"O káto apó tin eliá

Ypírche éna kommáti fýki

Éna poulí pétaxe psilá

Éna polý idiaítero eídos peristerioú

I eliá den apéfere karpoús

Ta fýkia kollíthikan sto déntro

Allá apó ti thálassa írthe mia kataigída

Aftó ésteile ta fýkia píso sto spíti

To kladí eliás parígage meriká froúta

Allá se poia timí, poios boreí na pei?

To kladí épese sti thálassa

Éna poulí pétaxe psilá

Kai sti thálassa synantíthikan xaná

Kladí eliás kai fýkia

Kai o fílos tous poulí to peristéri '' It was a little, old lady, singing about two lovers. Before Olive Branch could think about the content of the song, the old woman sat beneath her tree.

"Olive branches are underappreciated." The woman spoke to herself. "But truly, we owe them everything. Had we not had olives, Athena never would have been our patron goddess."

What a strange old woman thought Olive Branch.

"Athena protects us, provides for us, and what do we do?" the woman chuckled. "We conspire against her gift." she patted the tree. "You."

Olive Branch was shocked. With the way Bird always spoke of the going on's of the village, she had assumed the decision to be unanimous. Had there truly been those against the removal of her tree? Was it because she was a gift from their patron? Or because she always bore them fruit?

"Ah," the woman said, leaning back on the tree. "I am old. I suppose if anyone walked up here to the tree, they would believe me to be mad." The woman shook her head sadly. "I suppose you must have given up." She said, continuing to address Olive Branch. "What with your burned branches."

Olive Branch wished this woman had not walked up here to remind her of her failure. How she would die soon because she could not do the one thing she was planted for.

"I think you can do it." the woman said this so quietly, that Olive Branch had to strain her ears (again, where are all these body parts coming from?) to listen.

"I know the villagers down there don't believe that you can do it. And maybe...and maybe you don't believe it either. But I do. I have hope."

The woman grunted as she stood, and Olive Branch suddenly found herself missing this strange woman who was about to depart. She had been pleasant, unexpected, company.

"Just remember," the old woman said, turning around. As she turned, her ugliness and age melted off her, to reveal a goddess in a helmet that covered her face, and a shield boring the face of Medusa. She held a spear in one hand, the other resting on her silver breastplate.

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

Athena disappeared in a sudden motion. With a wave of her shield, she was gone.

Olive Branch stared in shock where Athena had sat under the tree. The goddess of wisdom herself had taken the time to give Olive Branch advice. Quickly, Olive Branch tried to think of what Athena had told her. She had told her not to give up hope. And the song she had been singing…

Oh below the olive tree

There was a piece of seaweed

High above flew a bird

A very special type of dove

The olive tree produced no fruit

The seaweed stuck on the tree

But lo from the sea there came a storm

That sent the seaweed back home

The olive branch produced some fruit

But at what price, who can say?

The branch then fell into the sea below

A bird flew high above

And in the sea, they met again

Olive Branch and Seaweed

And their friend Bird the dove

Chapter Seven

Again we go

"Truly, you want to?" asked Seaweed. "You really want to?"

"Yes, Seaweed." Olive Branch said for what felt like the millionth time. "I do."

"Well, that's wonderful!" Bird chirped excitedly. "Absolutely wonderful."

"If you don't mind, Bird," Olive Branch said. "Your fertilization techniques would be most appreciated.

"Done." Bird said with a nod of his head.

"And Seaweed," Olive Branch said, turning towards him. "If you could-"

"I can't promise he'll answer," Seaweed said, referring to Poseidon, "but I'll try."

"That's all I ask." Olive Branch said happily.

"And Apollo?" questioned Bird.

"I suppose all of us must thank Apollo for shining brightly during these dark times," said Olive Branch gravely, then burst out laughing at the sound of her voice. Bird and Seaweed soon joined in, their infection laughter ringing through the air.

Chapter Eight

Olives

"I don't believe it." a young man said breathlessly as he stared at Olive Branch. Olive Branch wanted to scream. What? What was it could he not believe? What was wrong?

"I don't believe it." the man said again. Then he turned, streaking down the hill with determination. As he ran, Olive branch heard him yelling, "Olives! Olives!"

"Olives?" whispered Olive Branch confused. She looked at herself and realized she was covered in...olives. She looked at the other branches and saw the same. This was the largest harvest Olive Branch had ever seen, by far.

"Seaweed! Seaweed, wake up you lazy lump!" Olive Branch said, shaking wildly.

"What, what?" Seaweed asked groggily, yawning.

"Look! Look at me!" she shook her leaves more, showing off the olives that decorated her.

"We- you did it!" Seaweed exclaimed. "I always knew."

"I know you did," Olive Branch said, "but wait for Bird to say the same thing."

"Wait for me to- Olive Branch! You have olives!" Bird flapped down onto Olive Branch excitedly."I always knew." Olive Branch scoffed and Seaweed chuckled in amusement.

"What?" protested Bird. "I did."

"I could tell," Seaweed said dryly. "What with all the screaming about 'hopelessness' and 'we might as well give up'." Bird tweeted indignantly.

They stilled as they heard the sound of villagers approaching. One of them shooed Bird away. "Go bird! These are our olives!"

Bird flapped his wings, rising into the air, barely missing the rake that had been swung at him. "As if I'd want to eat olives anyway."

The villagers spent the next hour plucking the olives from the branches. They shook the trees, and as the olives fell from the branches, they were collected on a tarp. Not all the olives were as lucky. Some flattened on impact with the ground. A few were stepped on. Olive Branch even saw one man eat an olive, before spitting it out, and decided that an unwashed olive would not make a very pleasant snack.

After they had finished, the villagers scavenged any other olives they could find before descending the hill, talking amongst themselves about the harvest.

"Athena must have caught wind of our plans." one villager was saying. "This must be a blessing and a warning from her. Letting us doubt her, and when we try to turn against her, she blesses us with her grace." They all nodded as if this explanation made perfect sense. Olive Branch had to agree. It did make perfect sense. After all, she had met the goddess herself, had she not?

"You've done it." Seaweed said. "I'll admit, I had my doubts, but-"

"But we gave it our all." Bird said, flying back towards them. "We tried our hardest. We had our moments when all the odds were against us but after all-"

"It always seems impossible until it's done." Olive Branch finished. "I know that firsthand."

"Olive Branch-" Seaweed starts, but glances back at Bird and quiets.

"And that's my cue to leave." Bird says. "See you lovebirds later. Hm, love birds. Could be big." and he flies off.

"Is Bird right?" Olive Branch asked.

"Right about what?"

"If you love me."

There's a pause, and Olive Branch can sense that Seaweed is trying to find the right words to say.

"I do love you," he said finally. "And I want to stay here. With you. Forever." Olive Branch could hear the hesitancy in his voice.

"But?" she asked him.

"The storm," he said, and Olive Branch cursed herself for being so foolish. Of course, he was worried. The person he wanted to stay with most, and he was about to be ripped away from her. But Olive Branch felt taken with a feeling she had never felt before.

"And so?" she said. Seaweed startled.

"But-" Seaweed began, but Olive Branch wasn't finished.

"Let the storm come. We can sit here waiting for it on our doorstep, or we could take a chance."

"A chance at what?" Seaweed asked.

"A chance at love. A chance at fate." Olive Branch said. "A chance...to not have to worry about anything but each other."

Seaweed was quiet.

"I'd like that," he said. "I want to take a chance with you, Olive Branch. Will you take a chance with me?"

"On one condition," Olive Branch said, and she heard Seaweed move forward in anticipation. "You have to call me 'Olive'."

"Will you take a chance with me, Olive?" Seaweed asked.

"I'll take every chance with you."

Chapter Nine

Storm

The sky flashed with lightning. The wind blew so hard, Olive Branch had to grip the tree to keep herself from falling. Seaweed blew just down below, coming loose from the roots.

"Seaweed!" Olive Branch screaming over the storm. The rain was pounding on her, the wind pushing against her, the lightning flashing in the sky. The sun had left the sky, and all that was left was dark gloomy gray clouds.

"Seaweed!" Olive Branch yelled again.

"Olive!"

Olive Branch sighed with relief. Seaweed was still okay!

"I don't think I can hold on much longer!" he yelled back to her. Olive Branch saw him slowly unraveling from the roots of the tree. He was slipping away from her.

"Seaweed!" she screamed. Her throat felt dry and scratchy, even though there was water falling all around her. Lightning flashed again, this time striking a spot close to the village. Olive Branch saw the smoke of the fire, and smelled the burning trees, and heard the sounds of screaming villagers.

But all Olive Branch could focus on was Seaweed and she watched in horror and he let go of the roots…

Falling

Into the sea below, and disappearing under the crashing waves.

Olive Branch could still hear the screaming, could still see the raging fire, and smell the burning smell of flesh and wood, but she couldn't understand why. After all, Seaweed was gone. Shouldn't the entire world stop and mourn her?

Seaweed was gone

Seaweed was gone

And the world went on without Olive Branch. The storm worsened, as if reflecting Olive Branch's mood. Another lightning strike, this one even closer, hit a field of crops. It lit on fire immediately. The rain grew heavier. All around her, destruction rained down on her (no pun intended), and she gave up. She tried to hold on, to keep faith, but why was she?

Never give up, Athena told her. Bird told her. Seaweed told her.

But why shouldn't she? Truly, wasn't giving up the best option? What was waiting for her if she held on? She was wasting her time trying to hold on to something, when really, there was nothing to hold on to.

Olive Branch looked at the countryside that was being ravaged by the fire, and looked at the sea, who's waves showed no mercy, where only the one of strongest will survive.

Olive Branch let go of the tree and fell into the sea.

Down

Chapter Ten

Found

Olive Branch felt the sun burning her. She wondered for a moment about where she was before she remembered what had happened last night. A wave of sadness overcame her as she thought about Seaweed falling into the sea below.

Why was this happening to her? Why was she being punished? What had she done to offend the gods that they would sentence her to this cruel punishment?

First, there had been Seaweed. Olive Branch remembered the hatred she had felt for him when they had first met. How she hoped that he would perish so she would not have to speak with him.

Then, of course, a silly dove he was, far from the way he was meant to be portrayed. Loud, anxious, and sometimes loud, but Olive Branch loved him. She would probably never see him again, but she would forever hold on to those fond memories.

Olive Branch floated aimlessly in the water. She wished she would sink below the surface, for that at least would put her out of her misery.

For what wasn't the first time, Olive Branch thought of Seaweed again. What was he doing? Was he thinking about her the same way she was thinking about him? Did he believe that they would never see each other again, and was already planning to move on?

A seagull flew overhead, circling down on Olive Branch.

He probably wants to eat my olives, thought Olive Branch. I won't mind. Better to not have any reminder of that horrid cliffside village.

With a start, she remembered that she no longer had any olives. Maybe he wanted to eat her. Instead, the bird swooped down and picked her up in his beak, and carried her off to where the gods knew where.

Great, thought Olive Branch. Here I am, without Seaweed, without Bird, being carried by a seagull to wherever, probably to become a part of his nest.

The seagull drops her.

"You-" shouts Olive Branch, followed by a long list of curse words that she thinks makes the seagull wince. In fact, Olive Branch, I could match wits against Bird.

Olive Branch is still cursing as she hits the water with a smack! Olive Branch feels pain shoot up inside her, and sees one of the twigs that adorned her floating beside her. This was just great. Now, as far as Olive Branch could see, was water. Left? Water. Right? Water. Down? Water. Up? Well, that was sky, but if she looked up, she felt the burning of the sun. Southwest at 14.5994° S, 28.6731° W? More water.

"Oh, Seaweed." sighed Olive Branch. "I wish you were here with me. You'd make everything better with one of those stupid jokes."

"Well hey, it's not as if I'm just floating around, am I?" Seaweed asked, appearing beside her from who knows where.

"See?" Olive Branch said. "You've done one of- Seaweed!" Olive Branch exclaimed as she realized that this was Seaweed, in the flesh, staring at her with an amused expression. Seaweed floated closer to her, wrapping himself around her in the plant equivalent of a hug.

"I didn't think I'd see you again." Seaweed admitted to her. "I was ready to float across the ocean if it meant I could see you again."

"I couldn't hold on after you left." Olive Branch told him. "I wouldn't have anything worthwhile to hold on to if you'd left."

"Bird?" Seaweed asked. Olive Branch scoffed.

"If I know Bird, he'll find us out here by some magical stroke of luck." Olive Branch missed her friend, however. "I do miss him though."

"I can almost hear him screaming from out here." Seaweed said, and Olive Branch laughed. It hurt a bit, for it felt as if she had not laughed in a long time, but she laughed a long, hearty laugh that made her smile.

Olive Branch took a chance by falling in the sea. And maybe...maybe she will take another one now.

"Can we just stay here?" she asked Seaweed.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"I want to float around like a piece of seaweed. I want to see the world." Olive Branch stopped to let her words sink in. "And I want to do it with you."

"Olive, will you take a chance with me?" Seaweed asked suddenly.

"I'll take all the chances with you."