So... I got my glasses. So, I'm treated you with a better, new chapter of a Heartbreak to Heal!
A/N: Please R&R my songfic Why. I know it is a Percabeth, but it would mean a lot to me.
Also, thanks to all those who have favorited and followed this story. I am up to 47 favorites and 61 follows, and it means so much to me. I can't even express my gratitude in words.
Now, without further delay, here is the chapter!
Olympus only brought sadness to me. At the end of the Titan War, Annabeth was gifted the title of Architect of Olympus. She redesigned everything, from the thrones to the statues to the palaces. She even added more cabins to Camp Half-Blood for the gods that don't have thrones on Olympus. Thinking of Annabeth brought a sour taste to my mouth, and I shook those thoughts out of my head.
Dad flashed us right in the middle of the throne room. I was becoming a god before the (extremely late) award ceremony for the Giant War. The room was only occupied by Uncle Zeus. I noticed Aunt Hestia tending the hearth in the corner. She still preferred to tend to the hearth unless it is the winter or summer solstice. She met my gaze and smiled at me. Hope coursed through my veins, as my fears and doubts left me. I gave her a grateful nod. She was like a second mother to me.
"Perseus Jackson," Zeus thundered. (Hehe… thundered. Back to the topic.) I noticed that dad took his throne by Zeus.
"Percy," I automatically corrected. What is with people calling me by that name?
Zeus gave me an impatient look and rolled his eyes. "Percy Jackson," he continued. "It has come to my attention that, if we offered you immortality so you could become a god, you would accept." He paused as if waiting for me to confirm.
I bowed. "Yes, Lord Zeus." I decided I should probably get on his good side.
He nodded. "Then I shall call upon the council and we shall decide if you will become a god or not. Your father wishes for you to become the 15th Olympian. Is this true?"
"Yes, Lord Zeus." I agreed.
"Then the council shall be called upon to vote whether or not you shall become an Olympian or a minor god."
He took a bolt and fired it at the ground. No sound came out of it though. Aunt Hestia, noticing my confusion, explained, "The bolt splits into 11, one for each Olympian not present, then turns into wind. The wind feels different and can only be felt by an Olympian, and that tells them that the council has been summoned."
I said something along the lines of, "oh." As if on cue, the other 11 Olympians flashed into the throne room. I shut my eyes just in case they are in their divine form.
I opened my eyes when I felt the light dim. There stood the council in all its glory. Ares was glaring at me as usual. Dionysus looked like this was his only salvation from camp. Aphrodite was giving me a pitying look while trying to stay as far away from Dionysus as possible. Athena was glaring at the floor, trying to avoid my eyes. Apollo just grinned at me. Hermes was arguing with George and Martha. Hades looked bored out of his mind. Hera was giving me a look of empathy. Demeter was weaving wheat stalks into new drought-resistant varieties. She set the bowl down and started to eat some Lucky Charms that she summoned. She noticed me staring, and she frowned at me. I felt someone enter my mind. It isn't nice to stare. You eat cereal four times a week yourself! I smiled sheepishly. I hope I didn't tick her off but knowing my luck, I probably did. She gave me a hostile nod and resumed eating. I guess I got lucky this time.
Artemis, whoa, Artemis was glaring at me. Did the Fates crown her as the goddess of Death Stares or something? I shivered involuntarily. She noticed and smirked at my reaction.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aunt Hestia rising to her godly height and take her place on the council.
Zeus cleared his throat. "Perseus Jackson wishes to become a god on request from Poseidon."
Instant pandemonium broke out as all the gods started yelling at once. Aunt Hestia tried to calm them down but to no avail. I glared at my dad, I thought everyone had already agreed.
He met my eyes and spoke telepathically to me. I thought Zeus told everyone! He said he did. I guess people don't call him the god of theatre and drama for nothing.
I had to laugh at that. Mentally, of course. Dad ended up getting dragged into the argument, so he disconnected his mind with mine. I started to shift uncomfortably. I didn't know what to do and my ADHD was making me go nuts. Aunt Hestia noticed my discomfort and shrank down to human size. She was the only one that wasn't arguing, being the goddess of peace, after all, so nobody noticed her shrink. She has a habit of blending in. She beckoned me forward as she made her way to the hearth.
I slowly walked towards her, unsure where this was headed. She looked at me straight in the eyes. "What is bothering you?"
I tried to protest that nothing was bothering me, but she cut me off. "Don't even think about saying nothing. You can't lie to a goddess." I sighed.
"I'm worried that this vote won't end up in my favor. I had asked a lot of requests, and I did nothing to make the Olympians agree." I confessed.
Hestia gave me a stern look. "You have done a lot, hero. I'm positive that this vote will end up in your favor." She softened. "Now tell me, why do you wish to become a god after all these years?"
She sat down and motioned for me to do the same. "I want a new start. A fresh start that doesn't involve looking at her. Dad said that the seven, the councilors, praetors, and Nico were being immortalized as rewards for their services in the Second Giant War. I guess nothing is holding me back this time."
She had listened patiently. Once I finished, she nodded. "You don't have to worry, Percy. You aren't like most demigods, wanting to become a god for power. You just want a new start. I can feel the good in you." She wrapped me in an embrace. Her presence gave me hope, and her hug was just as good as when mom hugs me. She let go of me, but I continued to sit next to her by the hearth. The Olympians were all still arguing except for her and Apollo, who was tuning them out by listening to music, along with Hephaestus, who was tinkering with something.
Aunt Hestia motioned for me to move back, so I did. She rose back to her godly height and sat down on her throne. What is she about to do? Suddenly, the flame of the hearth rose to 20 feet, the same height as the gods. Hermes let loose a girlish scream and fell off his throne. Aphrodite ended up smearing some lipstick across her cheek from shock. Everyone else was just startled, as Aunt Hestia never does that. I bit the insides of my cheeks to stop laughing. Everyone was dead silent as the flame diminished to its original height of 5 feet.
"Are you done arguing now?" Aunt Hestia asked, meeting the eyes of every single god present. Her tone was demanding, a voice of someone serious. They stayed silent. "Good."
She glared at Zeus, who started the meeting with his theatrics. "Have you forgotten that Percy is still here? You just have to start things off with your theatrics, don't you?" I saw Hades smirking, Dad biting his bottom lip trying to stop the laughter threading to escape the confinement, and Apollo smiling, glad Zeus was put in his place.
Zeus's cheeks reddened, either in anger, embarrassment, or both. "Sister…" He didn't get any further when Aunt Hestia cut him off. "Let's just take a vote. Who wished for him to remain as a demigod?"
Dionysus didn't want to put up with me for eternity, so he raised his hand. Demeter raised her hand. Apparently, I don't eat enough cereal. I'm pretty sure our previous, um, talk, didn't help.
"Okay, and those who want him to become a god?" Hestia continued
Zeus raised his hand, obviously wanting me to be underneath his control. Ares still wants to beat me into a pulp for eternity, so he raised his hand too. Dad obviously raised his hand, followed by Aunt Hestia. Apollo raised his hand, smiling at me, along with Hera, who still owes me for kidnapping me. Aphrodite raised her hand, smiling flirtatiously. I managed to resist her by looking at the floor for a couple of seconds. Hades raised his hand because I got him a throne on Olympus. Athena raised her hand too, feeling sorry for me since she cheated on me. Hermes raised his hand since I honored Luke and because he's one of my favorite gods. Hephaestus abstained from the vote, not even bothering to look up from his work. The last person surprised me. Artemis raised her hand. Like, man-hater Artemis. The one that was glaring at me just a couple of minutes ago. Apollo looked surprised, along with Hermes. They must have been her archery targets at least once in their life.
Zeus nodded. He looked straight at me, and proceeded to zap a lighting bolt at me.
Black spots danced around my eyes, and I could feel my legs give out, forcing me on a kneeling position. The last thing I saw was Hestia conjuring me a bed so I don't collapse onto the hard ground, and Zeus channeling godly energy into me. I passed out, head hitting a pillow.