A/N: To be clear, this is a prologue of sorts though it can also be considered the first official chapter. It takes place during The Lightning Thief, not too long after Percy returned the master bolt to Zeus. With that said, expect a time skip in the next chapter. I also am no affiliated with Rick Riordan or am the owner of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, this story and those that follow are for entertainment purposes only.
The sounds of a storm can be either a good thing or a bad thing. The good things about a storm are easy enough to grasp: the rain provides water to the ecosystem to cool it down and provides water for plants and animals to consume. On the other hand, a storm can wreak havoc on those who have no shelter from it. Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and monsoons are all related to the storm and they are known worldwide to bring devastating results. At best, the storm brings relief and at worst, there will be disaster. Whichever comes is ultimately the decision of the Lord of the Sky himself.
Zeus (as everyone may already know) is the youngest child of Kronos and Rhea, the slayer of Typhon, the Father of the Olympians, the King of All Gods. It is his decision to help or punish the mortals with his famed storms, but one may not be able to tell what they get from him; it depends on his mood. So, one must wonder just what was going through his mind when he met Jillian Thomas.
Jillian, a typical college senior who was hoping to get a degree in Vocal Performance had caught Zeus' ear when he needed some time away. There she was, singing softly at the diner she spent her weeknights waitressing. Most would not hear her soft soprano voice with the heavy rumbling of thunder in the background but that is what one could expect from a hefty thunderstorm looming above the entire city of Providence, Rhode Island. However, her tune caught the attention of the Lord of Thunder even through his own thunderous rumbling. Zeus heard her easily (as a god would) and it had been a good while since he heard a mortal sound so sweet and so peaceful when there was a such a violent storm waiting to be unleashed. Jillian watched the rain pour from inside the diner, the intense rain and wind would likely mean less customers as most are not trying to drive in that kind of weather. She didn't mind, she always felt peaceful when the rain came. Within a few seconds after she looked away, she would hear the door open and she would find a customer that she had never met before.
The man was a very handsome, no doubt about that. Dressed in his leather coat that covered what looked to be an expensive dark blue suit and sleek brown shoes that showed no signs of being wet. Strange. As he sat at the counter and looked through the menu, he seemed to gravitate her gaze even when she didn't mean to look at him. Something about him was both intriguing and intimidating. As she served him some coffee, she asked what brought him to town.
Apparently, this customer ran a small business with his family. His brothers and sisters were all working for him and even some of his older children had some high-ranking positions as well. He came out to Providence for some work, but he was under some serious stress. Not too long ago, his brother had introduced one of his sons to the family and the child was quite the wildcard. The man and his brother had a history of disagreements when it came to who should run the company but now with this child it seems like the succession would change. Now, the man had no desire to ramble on and on about family/company drama and so he asked her about herself.
Jillian kept it short enough. She was in college and working on finishing her degree. Her brother was in the Army, currently stationed overseas. She was living with her parents over the summer while she waited for her final semester. She wanted to be a vocalist and if that did not work out then she would try her luck as a coach. The man gave her a smile, one that did not seem to be a common one. He told her that he thought her chosen path is a wonderful as he was a bit of a singer himself. He joked about charming her with his singing and got a chuckle out of her before they ended talking a little about music. They would talk even more after the man had finished his meal. Jillian had never been as smitten as she was when she met him. He left the restaurant after giving her a hefty tip and his number on the one of the bills. She looked at the number for hours after her shift, debating on calling the mysterious number for the man who seemed to be named after a god. Late that night, she took the plunge, and he was there in a jiffy.
That fateful day was thirteen years ago, thirteen years after Zeus' master bolt was returned and thirteen years after Percy Jackson was revealed to the world. It is a new era now, a time where it is just a bit easier to navigate the world as a demigod. However, that does not make it entirely safe. Jillian's time with Zeus brought upon a son. A son that, according to his father, must reestablish the narrative that the children of Zeus stand as the mightiest of heroes. The boy's name is Cole Alcides Thomas, and one question lingers in the air when it comes to him: which kind of storm will he bring?
