In which we all love Hestia- and she gives pretty good advice even if it doesn't make sense, and Percy pulls some crazy stunts to get her dad's attention and also- shits about to get serious. Keep the reviews up my guys, believe me you have no idea how happy they make me and how much they motivate me. I'm currently 107 chapters ahead in my backlog and I gotta say, I do love putting characters through the wringer I really do.
Sorta poll for Sally's parentage/who she's a legacy of. I won't be including the vote for Vesta because she's a maiden.
Terra: 17
Nox: 9
Venus: 6
Saturn: 4
Ceres: 3
Baccus: 1
Jupiter: 1
Pluto: 1
Neptune: 1
Apollo: 1
Mars: 1
Caelus: 1
Tartarus: 1
Daughter of Venus: 14
Daughter of Ceres: 2
Daughter of Terra: 1
Percy ignored Grover and Annabeth's concerned expressions as she carefully picked up the Pithos, carrying it over to the small child looking goddess, a soft look on her face, "Lady Hesita."
"Persephone." Hestia raised her head, looking Percy in the eyes, "The time is coming- it will be here soon."
"I know." Percy swallowed hard, "I'm not sure what the choice is but I'll do my best."
"I believe that when it comes it won't be as you expect. Sometimes our only chance is to bend rather than break."
"Thank you." Percy gave a weak grin, "I don't understand what you mean yet but I know I will eventually." then she set the pithos down on the ground in front of Hestia. "I have a gift to give you- an offering that comes with a request."
"You're giving me the pithos?" Hestia looked surprised at that "But why? I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?"
"Because you stayed to guard your home." Percy's voice was firm, "You are far from the least of the gods- you might not be as strong as Zeus or as fierce as Ares but you have something more important I think. Love. You love your family and your home and you're here guarding it despite the fact that you know what's going to come. And because- my hope- my reason to fight comes from my family, my home. And I know that they used to say that the hearth was the centre of the home. That's where hope survives the best. So I'm asking you to guard it for me Lady Hestia. And I won't even consider giving up again. When the time comes- I'll think of your words and of you. And of my home and hearth and I will be strong enough to do what needs to be done because you are the most important Olympian of all." she could feel Annabeth and Grover staring at her in awe but she didn't turn to look as the goddess smiled and took he jar in her hands and it began to glow. The hearth fire burned a little brighter.
"Well done, Percy Jackson," she said. "May the gods bless you."
"Well given the fact that I'm fighting this war for them I hope they do." Percy gave a crooked grin, "We're about to find out I guess." she turned to look at her girlfriend and her best fright. "It's time guys-"
"Are you finally going to tell us what exactly your plan is?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "You're being more cryptic than I've ever been."
"You're about to see." Percy's gaze swung towards the thrones and she zeroed in on her fathers, just to the right of Zeus's throne- but it wasn't nearly as grand. The molded black leather seat was attached to a swivel pedestal, with a couple of iron rings on the side for fastening a fishing pole (or a trident). Basically it looked like a chair on a deep-sea boat, that you would sit in if you wanted to hunt shark or marlin or sea monsters.
It was also big enough that when she reached it she could just about reach the edge if she stretched her arms.
"I'm gonna need a lift up you guys."
"Are you crazy?" Annabeth asked, her voice incredulous as she shook her head, "Percy you can't actually be- I mean why would you even do it-"
"I have a plan."
"Percy," Grover said, "the gods really don't appreciate people sitting in their thrones. I mean like turn-you-into-a-pile-of-ashes don't appreciate it."
"I need to get his attention and this is the only way I can do it. I need to get him to come to help fight Typhon-"
"What?" Grover's eyes widened, "But isn't your dad currently having to fend off Oceanus?"
"Yes." Percy's expression was grim, "But we need him. If Olympus falls so will he. I hate it but he's needed up here. He can rebuild
Atlantis if the worst comes to the worst- he can't say the same about Olympus."
"I-" Annabeth swallowed hard, I mean you're not actually wrong. He's just really not going to like this."
"You're definitely gonna get his attention dude." together Grover and Annabeth linked their arms to make a step and Percy stepped onto it, and together they boosted her up, lifting her until she could get a good grip and haul herself up onto the throne, she swallowed hard, twisting herself as she did and planting her butt down on the seat of the throne- it was a strange feeling, being so high off the ground, almost like being a baby in a high chair- the thought was so absurd that it made her giggle as she looked around at the thrones. It was a heady feeling, powerful and- she shook her head and forced herself to concentrate- just in time too because a moment later the throne rumbled beneath her and she could feel her dads fury slamming into her mind at the audacity of someone sitting in his throne.
"WHO DARES-" the voice was in her head she knew but it made her ears ring and her head spin before the voice stopped and the anger seemed to retreat. She was very grateful for that, she was pretty sure that if it hadn't her mind would have been blasted to shreds.
"Dad-"
"Percy- what exactly are you doing on my throne?" there was still anger in Poseidon's mind but It wasn't even nearly so fierce now. And his tone was one of disapproval.
"It was the only way to get your attention fast enough dad."
"Persephone that was an incredibly dangerous thing for you to do my daughter- if I hadn't looked before I blasted you you would now be a puddle of seawater-"
"With how things are going that would probably be a relief." Percy shot back without hesitation. "I'm sorry dad I really am. You're not gonna like what I have to say but- we need you up here."
"Percy- my daughter what you're asking is too much- my palace needs me-"
"Dad." Percy's voice was pleading now, "You know Kronos did it on purpose- he set that army against you. He known that you could tip the scales in the battle against Typhon so he needs you divided from them."
"But he attacks my home Persephone-"
"I'm at your home! And if you let Kronos win there'll be nothing left and he'll take Atlantis too and you know it we need you dad!"
She was almost yelling.
The floor shook with the force of Poseidon's anger at that and for a moment Percy thought she'd gone too far but but then the trembling eased. In the background of the mental link, she heard underwater explosions and the sound of battle cries: Cyclopes bellowing, mermen shouting.
"Are Tyson and Triton okay?"
The question took her father off guard- and his temper eased more. "Triton is used to battle- I was always confident that he could handle himself- Tyson is doing much better than I expected. Though peanut butter is a strange battle cry."
"Yeah." Percy let out a weak laughed, "It is. I'm- I get it dad, why you didn't want to let him fight but he's capable."
"I know. And you stop trying to change the subject Persephone-"
"It's the ADHD dad, can't help it-"
"Uh huh." her dad's voice was almost faintly amused. "You realise what you're asking me to do. My palace will be destroyed."
"And Olympus may be saved which means you'll get the chance to rebuild."
"Do you have any idea how long I've worked on remodeling this palace? The game room alone took six hundred years."
"Dad." Percy's voice was suddenly very small, "I need you. Please. I'm scared and we're not doing so well up here. The gods can't defeat Typhon without you. And- I don't want to- if I'm gonna die I don't want to die stopping Kronos and then have Typhon destroy everything."
"Persephone-" Poseidon's voice faltered, "My child-"
"Call it the last ever birthday present?"
There was a long moment of strained silence before Poseidon almost whispered, "I will come. I'll come to make sure Olympus survives- Persephone-"
"I love you daddy. So much-"
"I love you too- Amphitrite!" Poseidon's attention was drawn elsewhere for a second, "Incoming!" and the sound of a huge explosion shattered the connection.
Percy pushed herself forward, shaking as she slipped down from the throne- Annabeth and Grover instantly at her side steadying her.
"Are you okay?" Grover's voice was nervous, "Holy Zeus that was scary. You turned pale and you- you're smoking."
"I didn't-"
"Look at your arms Seaweed brain." Annabeth's voice was exasperated and Percy did as she was told, and sure enough steam was curling off her shirtsleeves and the hair on her arms was singed.
"If you'd sat there any longer," Annabeth said, "you would've spontaneously combusted. I hope the conversation was worth it?"
Moo, said the Ophiotaurus in his sphere of water.
"I think it was. Dad agreed to help. We just have to pray that he isn't delayed and that he makes it up here in time to help them take on Typhon."
"Your dad would do anything for you." Annabeth's voice was tight, "He'll come as fast as he possibly can,"
"I know." Percy gave a weak smile, looking between Grover and Annabeth. "And now-"
"Percy!" the cry came from Leo- he came sprinting through the open doors a terrified look on his face, which was bloody and he was holding his arm awkwardly "Thalia and Zoe sent me up, you need to get down there. It's the enemy, Kronos is there too he's leading in person-"
"Fuck!" and Percy took off, sprinting out of the throne room and through the palace- she could hear the others following behind but she didn't falter, didn't slow as she almost flew across the walkway she ran so fast, slamming on the button of the elevator, "Come on come on-"
"Percy!" that came from Grover as the others reached her, "Percy you can't make it come any faster by hammering on it like that-"
"We need to get down there!"
"We know Percy-" Annabeth's voice was strained, "But you can't speed it up like that-" and the doors slid open and Percy almost threw herself into the elevator, slamming on the button to go down as the three others followed her quickly.
Even as she the elevator started moving down she was uncapping Riptide, "I need a status update Leo, the injured-"
"Nico's been ferrying them back and forth ever since you guys went up. They've managed to get over half of them out so far, they're still trying to get as many out as they can before the line breaks- or they were when I came up here."
"What about mom, Paul and Nico?"
"They were focusing on helping load up Mrs O'Leary every time." Leo winced at the look on Percy's face, "I know! I know but when Nico told them he wanted to take them to camp they refused and said they'd go on the last trip because we need to make sure the injured get out first-"
"So they're still down there?"
"Yeah" Leo shifted nervously, his hands flaring into balls of flame before he managed to force it down. "Don't look at me like that okay? I told them they should go-"
"I- I know." Percy forced herself to breath, closing her eyes as Annabeth laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently, "Leo when we get down there do me a favor and get to them right away okay? I want them guarded until Nico and Mrs O'Leary get them out of here. And I want you to go with them-"
"What-"
"I don't want to have to worry about you along with everyone else and you're injured Leo-"
"I can still fight!"
"Leo your main move is throwing fireballs at people and as badass as that is-"
"I'm not going!"
"Now isn't the time to argue!" Annabeth cut in quickly, "Percy I know you're worried about Leo getting hurt but Leo's old enough to fight-"
"No he's not! None of us! None of us should have to do this!" Percy burst out, "I don't want to have to worry about my baby brothers when I'm facing Kronos-"
"Percy." Grover's voice was soft, "You don't get a choice. None of us do."
"I can look after myself Percy." Leo's voice went soft, "I know it's because you love me but I need to be here." he reached out, gently punching Percy's shoulder, "I'll be fine."
And then the doors dinged open, and Percy took a deep breath before striding out into the lobby.
