Athena stood on a balcony, the one with a view on the main square of Olympus. In the middle of the square, next to Hestia's hearth, stood an announcement board, with a huge clock on top. It was currently ten minutes for five 'O clock. Athena fidgeted with her bracelet.
Yesterday, Aphrodite had knocked on her door (figuratively. I reality, Aphrodite has just walked into her palace like she lived there) with the message that she needed to know where the beauty-books in the library were. She had gotten the answer that she should ask the librarian and leave Athena to work out a strategy for a fight with a few angry Cyclops. Miraculously, the love goddess had left. Or, so Athena had thought. That evening, a book was delivered to her door. It was a book on make-up, and a note had been Attached: Athena, maybe you could try this out. Aphrodite.
The goddess of wisdom didn't like that somebody had the gaul to say that to her. So, she had teleported her physical body to camp Half-blood, and during dinner she had announced that her kids were welcome to come to her palace on the 25th at five O'clock in the Afternoon (she still wondered why nobody seemed to be surprised that she appeared. She didn't know that some God appeared about every other week).
It was now nearing five 'O clock. Athena knew her children would probably arrive when it was exactly five 'O clock - unless Chiron and Dionysus had forbidden them from coming, something Athena didn't think would happen (there was a higher chance that Chiron listened to her and that Dionysus didn't care if the campers were in the camp or not).
She was right - like she almost always was (we don't talk about the incident were she had to agree that Artemis was right about something, and if you mutter 'pufferfish' anywhere near Athena don't be surprised when she goes all warrior on you). About twelve children, with ages ranging from five to seventeen, arrived on her doorstep when it was exactly five 'O clock. She clapped in her hands. 'Come in, Children!' She said, trying to sound like Aphrodite when there was a new tea party. Her children all gave her confused looks, but they stepped inside the palace.
Athena led them to her dining room. The room was very big, with a balcony on both sides, one looking out over the garden and the other one over the main square. There was a large, white table in the middle, where Athena often ate, with a bunch of academic friends, both gods and worthy mortals. Now, there were no books and papers lying around on the table, but instead face masks and make-up.
When they entered the room, Athena heard a few of her children behind her gasp. She looked over her shoulders, and saw that all of her children were looking at the room like deers looking at the headlights of a car. 'Come on further!' She said. She realised she did not sound very enthusiastic. She felt someone grab her arm. 'Mum?' Athena's youngest child, a little boy called James, was tugging on her arm. 'Yes, James?' she asked.
'Are we going to stay in the palace the entire day?' he asked. Athena did not expect to see stars in his eyes; he looked really excited to be in her palace. 'Um, yes, of course!' she said. James clapped in his hands, and darted to the balcony with the view of the garden. One of his siblings, a teenager called River, darted after him. 'Calm down, James!' she yelled as she followed him.
Annabeth tapped on her mother's arm. 'Mom, was that the Original plan? You sounded hesitant.' Athena looked at her. 'Of course, Annabeth!' she said softly. 'Does anybody want a cupcake?' she said, louder. James, who was standing on the balcony with River, walked back. 'I do!' He said. He started to sound more excited with the second. Athena looked at her other kids, and realised that most of them begun to look just as excited as James.
She begun passing out cupcakes. Annabeth took a little bite. She had to agree that it tasted really good. 'Mother, what are we supposed to do with eh... this?' one of the children asked, while holding one of the face masks. Athena stared at it. 'Yeah, I have no idea...' she whispered under her breath,'Uh... Put it on your face of course!' She heard someone giggle behind her.
'Mom, we could also just watch netflix...' she heard someone say. Athena's expression got stern. 'No.' She opened one of the face masks. 'I want to do it like this.' She put some of the... old-sea clay apparently (She did not know, her servants had bought it on the market for her) on her face. She waited for a few seconds, while all of her children looked at her (Except for James, who was still munching on a cupcake and holding Rivers' hand).
Annabeth's' giggle broke the silence. 'Mom, shall I apply it?' she asked, a little timid. Athena glared at her, but she gave one, small nod. Annabeth got the mask from her hand, and started to apply it.
'How do you know how to do that, Annabeth?' she heard one of her brothers asking.
'Jason Grace,' she answered. Nobody decided to ask anything about that. When she was done, Athena closed her eyes. 'I believe I have to sit down now, or something. It has to wait, right?' Annabeth nodded. 'Jup.' After Athena had sat down, Annabeth felt someone tugging on her sleeve. 'Annabeth?' said James' voice. She kneeled down, so that she was on James' eyesight. 'Yes, James?'
Can I have a mask, too?' he asked. Annabeth looked up at River, who nodded.
'Of course, James,' Annabeth answered. As she picked a very soft, very kind to the skin mask on the table, she also grabbed one for River; just because. More of her siblings also started to warm up to the beauty-products, and started to apply them on each others' faces and hands (Even though they could not help but experiment with the ingredients a little. Athena kids, you know; Always checking which type of eye-shadow has the highest PH-value).
Annabeth walked back to her mother, while River was still applying the last bits of facemask on James' Face (And let him apply some on their face). 'Come, mom, we have to peel it of.' Athena raised one eyebrow. 'You peel this stuff off of your face?' She asked. Annabeth nodded. 'Yup.' Athena softly picked a bit of mask of her face. She pulled of a long bit of honey and chocolate off. She looked at the piece, slightly horrified, but she quickly got her expression back into her usual, serious expression, but happier (Or, the way she has been looking the entire evening).
'Weird,' she said, as she peeled the rest of. Annabeth giggled again.
'I had the same reaction when Jason peeled it of my face, the first time. But more expressive.' Athena wanted to say something back, but at that moment a bunch of servants came in with dinner.
After dinner was done, James had fallen asleep in Rivers' arms. The Demigod picked him up. 'Mother, do you have a place where he can sleep?' she asked. Athena nodded.
'Yes, of course. I'll show you.' She grabbed Rivers' shoulder, and took them to some extra room in the palace. While she was gone, one of her children figured out how to use the television. 'I do not know why she wanted to suddenly be girly, but we can be girly while we watch political dramas, now that James is gone, right?' he asked the rest. They all nodded.
Athena later returned. 'Sorry I took so long. I wanted to help River with James, and then they fell asleep to. Now, what are we going to...'
'Shh!' she heard from the small crowd of demigods sitting in front of her television.
'Is that…' her eyes went wide, as she sat down next to her children (Some of them were still applying makeup). 'Never tell Aphrodite about this,' she whispered, before she grabbed a bit of popcorn.