Zeus want to punish Apollo for his indirect participation in the Giant War.
Percy doesn't agree.
Apollo was in pain.
Imprisoned in the dungeons of Olympus, he slowly but surely emptied himself of his ichor, gradually losing his divinity.
His dear father had decided that he was the cause of the second Gigantomachy, and that he should therefore be punished for it. Before the council, he had declared an indefinite imprisonment in one of the prisons of Olympus. But as soon as they were out of sight, Zeus, after having chained him, struck him with his lightning.
Zeus' lighting was very special. Despite all his power, Apollo could not close his wounds with his aura. He had to take ambrosia and nectar. It was the only way to heal. Zeus didn't listen to his prayers, just staring at him impassively.
"Six months. It will take six months for the ichor to give way to mortal blood. This is your real punishment, Apollo. You will have to live with mortals, and regain your divinity."
"Father..."
Zeus turned and locked him up.
Days became weeks. Apollo felt more and more weak, helpless. The pain was unbearable. The first days, he cried out for his father's pity, but now his cries had given way to moans, to prayers so that they could come and deliver him from this ordeal.
Alone, having only his thoughts for company when the pain left him, he reflected. To wars, to his role. He knew he was arrogant, but was it really necessary to punish him like this when Zeus himself had almost started a war with his misplaced paranoia ? Was he so different from his father ?
But before I could dig deeper, the pain started again, making him cry out.
Please... Anyone, anyone...
He vowed to be a better god if someone saved him. He promised to become a better father, a better friend, a better brother... He promised himself to become more humble and merciful towards those who had suffered...
But the weeks gave way to the months, and in the privacy of his cell and his madness, Apollo began to give up. Gradually, the gold of his ichor gave way to scarlet. His domains were slipping out of his grip, going a little crazy themselves. With no one to lead them, disease and health roamed free, leading to epidemic upon epidemic. The prophecies grew more confused by the day, and he came to feel the pain of Rachel, his Oracle, at the uncontrollable visions. The sun was rising and setting, without the warmth it usually brought. Artists from all over the world found themselves lacking inspiration ...
And Apollo could do nothing, chained in this cell, gradually losing what made him a god, son of Zeus and Leto, brother of Artemis.
He closed his eyes, welcoming the pain, hoping it would be powerful enough to make him disappear in order to finally escape the madness that was growing inside him. He didn't hear his cell door open, nor the 'shit' that resonated in the stone cell. He did not feel the blows of the sword that broke the divine chains, nor did he feel himself fall forward, into welcoming arms. He didn't hear the whispers of encouragement, didn't feel a hand caress his hair tenderly. All he felt was the warmth of a chest, and the pain ended.
He woke up several hours later in a small room, far from the grandeur of his apartments at Olympus. There were things lying on the floor, books open on the wooden desk in front of him. The window overlooked an emergency exit, where a small blue plant was growing quietly.
He looked at himself, and saw that his wounds were almost healed. He looked like a mummy, but for the first time in months he felt good.
A knock was heard, and the door opened. A head he knew well came through the crack. Deep black hair, eyes the changing color of the oceans, and tanned, sun kissed skin. Percy Jackson.
He widened his eyes when he saw him awake, before smiling. He entered the room.
"How are you feeling ? "
Apollo jumped, and wanted to hide under the covers. Percy stepped forward before he could finish his gesture, and took his hand, gently stroking his palm in a gesture of comfort.
"Shhh, everything is fine. Here nobody will want you the slightest harm. Mom and Paul are worried like never before, and even Dad was pissed off when he heard how I found you. You fear nothing here..."
The god was still trembling, imagining Zeus appearing in front of him, grabbing him to put him back in this small cell to empty himself of his divine essence.
"Shhh..."
He focused on Percy's voice, plunging his eyes into the calm ones of the young hero. The movement of waves visible inside, and he felt soothed. He took deep breaths, mimicking Percy, and ended up relaxing slightly.
"There, Apollo. It's good. What if you tell me why I found you like this ?"
Apollo swallowed nervously. He didn't want to appear weak in front of Percy. What would he think of him if he found out that he hadn't been able to stand up to Zeus, that he had spent months feeling vulnerable and helpless?
"Hey, easy ... No one is judging you here. I just want to know who I have to kick ass for putting you in such a state." the hero consoled him.
Apollo let out a laugh, which was rewarded with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. He took his gaze away from Percy's eyes, moving quickly to his lips before returning to the ocean green irises.
"Father," he whispered at last. "Father did this to me."
Percy cursed, a flash of anger flashing in his eyes, changing the calm of the ocean trapped within to a real storm. Apollo was mesmerized by it.
"What did he do ?"
"He punished me for my vanity. He decided that the horrors of Gigantomachy were my fault. He tried me before the Council for some time in confinement, but trapped me in this cell before hitting me with his lightning. He announced to me that he wanted me to become human in order to learn humility."
Percy's eyebrows rose as he spoke, before frowning. He mumbled something like 'We wonder who needs to learn' humility' in this story' and sighed before smiling at him.
"You are safe here. Take a rest, okay ?"
He got up and left the room, blind to the cold that took hold of Apollo's hand once his was withdrawn.
Apollo stayed for a few days, Percy keeping him company during his waking moments. He told him the story of his many, many quests, sulking him because he was still caught up in one Great Prophecy or another, before bursting into laughter. In exchange, Apollo told him the stories of before his era, the wars in which he took part, without trying to give himself the right role. He knew his faults, but was often impulsive. He was surprised when Percy defended him for Troy, 'He took your priestess, you had every right to be angry !', And Apollo looked down in shame when he told him the story of the skinned satyr alive. Percy only sighed and told him it wasn't right to let pride speak. He was still a god. A satyr lived and died. Why not just have a friendly competition ?
Apollo blushed and nodded.
And little by little, a warm feeling took hold of his heart, making it leap with every smile, every laugh, every spark of joy from the young hero.
Then came the day he had to return to Olympus. He was terrified, until Percy assured him that he would come with him to fulfill his promise. "Zeus was not allowed to do this. And it's time for someone to put it back in its place."
And here they are in front of the throne room. Apollo absolutely didn't want to come in, he turned to Percy to say something, but the young man wouldn't let him. Quickly, he lifted his head and put his lips to his cheek.
Apollo blushed even more, and Percy just smirked, that was so cute.
Then he opened the double doors and rushed into the opening with a determined step. Apollo followed him, still terrified of his father, but confident in the young man's silent promise.
The first to feel it arrived was Artemis. She turned her head suddenly, and frowned when she realized that her brother seemed to lack his divinity. He was reduced to the power of a newborn, and she didn't know why.
Hermes was next, smiling as he turned, before losing his smile just as quickly as he saw the pale complexion and shifty eyes of his best friend and brother. What had happened to get to such a stage ?
Poseidon lifted his head to watch his son walk forward. He felt the Atlantic stir in the fury of his Prince, and Poseidon understood why when his gaze met the still frightened one of his nephew.
Little by little, each of the members of the Council fell silent to welcome the newcomers. The air crackled under the anger of Zeus, who rose from his throne, towering above everything else.
"YOU !"
Apollo let out a moan of pain, as when he was still in his chains. Percy turned to him and gave him a comforting smile before turning an angry gaze to the King of the Gods.
"I was wondering," he started coldly. "Gods regenerate when they hurt themselves, right ?"
"Except with the weapons forged by the Cyclops during the First War against the Titans," replied his father. "Zeus' Lightning and my Trident can hurt immortals. They are unable to regenerate without the help of ragweed or nectar."
Percy made a sound of acquiescence. "And if a god loses all his ichor, what happens to him ?"
"He'll become mortal," replied Hestia, her eyes sad, realizing what was going on.
"So could someone explain to me why Apollo was locked in a cell, shackled, unable to move, injured to the point that his ichor had lost its luster and was gradually turning red ?"
There was silence. Nobody knew about it. No one had realized that Apollo had been kidnapped and injured to the point of almost being fatal. Artemis was about to vomit, Hermes felt weak in his legs. They had only one desire, to join their brother and support him.
It was then that Artemis noticed that her twin refused to look up at their father.
"No... " she whispered.
She turned to Zeus, who was watching Apollo with such disdain that her heart sank. Was it Zeus who had done this to his little brother ? All those months she thought he was hiding because he was in confinement, Apollo was actually locked up and drained of his divine essence by their own father ?
"Zeus, do you have something to say in your defense ?" Percy continued wryly.
"Apollo deserves this punishment ! His vanity could have caused the downfall of all of us !"
"Vanity ? You are kidding me, right ?!" Finally exploded the hero.
It was no longer the seventeen-year-old boy in front of them. It was the soldier, the warrior who had to make many sacrifices in two great wars, who had seen his friends die because of their pride and who will not let himself be trodden on.
Suddenly the gods were grateful that Percy Jackson was on their side, otherwise they would have been badly off.
"Let's talk about pride ! Who accused my father of stealing his damn lightning bolt, accusing me in the process when I didn't even know the gods existed, all because of his damn paranoia ? Why was Ares not punished when he himself helped Cronos, even though he was unaware ? Who killed Maria di Angelo and I do not know how many innocent mortals for the sole purpose of satisfying his paranoia ? Who has sought to kill me countless times despite loyalty being my fucking fatal flaw ? Who dug their head in the sand until the last minute, for both Cronos and Gaia, leaving children to fight for him ? "
The water in the fountains exploded.
"I was only twelve when I had to prevent a first war. I was sixteen when I fought in the first war. I was seventeen when I fell in Tartarus, and had to fight Nyx, before fighting for my second war. I am just a child. Thalia is just a child. Nico is just a child. Luke was just a child. And yet you are all so proud that you no longer even see the suffering of your children. So between us, I wonder who needs a stay with humans to learn humility. "
All the gods bowed their heads. They don't like to hear the truth. They preferred to hide in lies and appearances. It was easier.
Only Zeus continued to watch Percy with a hostile eye. He grabbed his lightning, ready to kill the pretentious little one who dared to talk to him like that. He fired, but his flash was blocked by four weapons. The Trident of Poseidon, the Arcs of Apollo and Artemis, and the Caduceus of Hermes. They spoke at the same time.
"You will not touch my son, Zeus !"
"How dare you try to kill the only demigod who finally puts us in our place! Chaos knows we need it !"
"I won't let you kill the only decent man on this planet."
"Percy saved me when he didn't need to, you won't touch any of his hair !"
But it was Hestia who behaved the most amazingly. She let herself grow, leaving her appearance of a little girl to win that of a beautiful young woman of divine size. She walked over to her younger brother, and gave him a slap that was heard all the way to the Colony.
Zeus widened his eyes. Hestia had never been violent towards him.
"Mom spoiled you too much. You have become unbearable. How can you claim to be King when all you bring is misfortune and desolation ? Grow up Zeus. And until you understand, I'm removing you from your responsibilities as King. Until you understand what is required of a good King, you will not leave your room."
"You can't..."
"You might be the King, but I'm still the oldest of the family and it's time to act like one," replied the goddess in a cold tone. "If I consider that you should be punished, then I will punish you."
She grabbed his lightning bolt and placed it in her hearth. The flames enveloped it, hiding it under the embers.
She turned to the rest of the Council.
"It is time for things to change here. I will no longer allow such an attitude in my home, is that clear ?"
Everyone answered in a small voice, still in shock to see Zeus getting slapped. Hestia stood tall, proud and very angry. And yet her eyes still had that softness of her own.
She turned to Percy, and gave him a smile, before turning to the rest of her family. Each of them will be punished in one way or another. But Percy knew the punishments would be fair, as Hestia wouldn't allow her family to be in danger.
Apollo looked at his aunt admiringly, and wanted to throw himself into her arms to thank her. Instead, he just turned to Percy, and gave him a big smile, which he returned.
Maybe once his wounds are completely healed, and his punishment done, Poseidon's son will want to date him ?