Percy's New Path

by Charlee56

Annabeth has left Percy to study ancient architecture in Greece. He's been left behind because of her desire to live her own life. She left him a note and then she left him. His heart is broken and he leaves the camp. He travels to his mother's home and there he finds a new path in life that he can take. Will an accidental exposure to this new world give Percy A New Life?

6. Chapter 6

Percy's New Path chapter 6

Ok, I still don't own… well, anything in re: PJO/HOO/TOO, the Bible, Bullfinch's Mythology or anything else possibly, mildly relevant to this story. That being said, here we go:

This story has gotten some extremely mixed reviews. And knowing what you guys think is really helpful to me. All of you who are still shipping Percabeth; this isn't that kind of a story. It's the kind of story that tries to point out that the gods have SHORTCOMINGS! And that the way in which they "work" with their children is such an abortive attempt at "parenting" that their "parental skills" are just about nil, null and void.

Triton's severe case of "excusology" should indicate his unwillingness and inability to respect either Percy or Annabeth, let alone his own adopted daughter or even himself.

And this is one of THE major points behind this story; that not even one of the gods looks on their own children as individuals, as people.

For these beings, there is only "We the Gods" and all the rest of us are either their tools or their toys. Unless… a person puts themselves so far beyond the gods' reach…

This is a "what if" story, a tale that illustrates just why the phrase 'Olympian "gods"' uses a lowercase letter "g", and why the OTHER God is denoted with the upper case version. And in this story, I'm going to get all theological and all, but also interpersonal and familial, as well as show how whatever those pesky lowercase "gods" try to do to try (lamely) to fix what they broke just won't work. And once they realize just what the REAL LIFE consequences are to them, they have no clue as to how to handle things so as to truly REPAIR them.

And how the world will just go on without them as a result. This story is about that lesson, the lesson yet to be learned.

So let's look in on Artemis and see how she's doing since we left her five years ago.

The Horace Mann School, Riverdale NY, 2037(ad)

The Horace Mann School is a K-12 private school located in the northwest Bronx section of NY City known as Riverdale. A generally quite upscale part of the city that never sleeps, it is mostly residential and it has its own mini-section called Fieldston. Fieldston has stone walls that separate most of the community from the rest of Riverdale, chains across the roads, a private security force, and million dollar homes are the absolute rule here. Cadillacs and Lincolns abound here. The live-in help drive Buicks.

It was 2:30 pm, time for class dismissal. A beautiful early September day, and school had just started. Amelia d'Agoberto was an idealistic young 24 year old Kindergarten teacher. She had twenty-two 6 year olds in her charge.

"Everybody have your coats?"

"Yes Ms 'D'!" came the ready reply.

" All right class, now form your lines, just like we practiced; no Jimmy! In the boys' line! Leave your female classmates alone!"

(Isn't there ALWAYS a "little Jimmy"?)

The 6 year old towhead was gonna be a handful! No doubt about that. The vice-principal, a 56 year old 'veteran' and all-around helpful soul, Jacquie Flaubert knew that a new teacher in the K-2 classes often could use a hand at dismissal, especially with some of the very anxious young mothers.

Especially with their "special" new student. The child, Artemis Blank was being picked up by her governess (and Aunt?) an older lady in her 40's who went by the name of 'Hestia' Detweiler. A large Rolls-Royce limo had deposited them for the initial interview. The driver had been a very large young man, very alert.

The chauffeur had a well-muscled look about him, and it had occurred to Flaubert that he might well also be a professional bodyguard-driver. It made the experienced teacher and former Senior Chief Yeoman, USN (ret) wonder…SEAL, Green Beret? Maybe SAS?

And wonder she might. Argus was well cloaked by the Mist. So no more than one pair of eyes. But he did have a military bearing. And he was always 'ready'.

As the class made its way out to the main pickup area, the two teachers noticed some odd things about the crowd of… parents? Some of them didn't look like parents of Horace Mann students. There was a fire engine red pickup truck, a Dodge 3500 with a light rack atop the cab, a full cab that held at least five and an extended flatbed. And a full load of very large… rednecks? HERE? IN THE BRONX?

The limo picking up Artemis Blank glided in as ten SUV's marked "US FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE" roared in and trucks full of well-armed officers dressed in black kevlar and armed with full-on battle rifles, some with shotguns (all loaded with celestial bronze slugs) headed off several of these groups and handcuffed them all. A number of other "wrong-looking individuals" were also swept up and all were deposited in a well-armored school bus that was painted yellow and had been parked by the curb.

Both teachers had reacted quickly as had all the other teachers, getting all the children back into the school and closing the school down. Regular NYPD Units had moved in on the Feds' heels and took care of nervous parents, checking ID's and ascertaining 'who was who' in this mess.

A bushy haired gentleman in a motorized wheelchair rolled up to the main doors along with two very official looking plainclothesmen… women in blue windbreaker jackets and trousers that were stamped with "US SECRET SERVICE" on the back and with a very official looking gold badge hanging from a special belt holder, along with a very large semi-automatic handgun, several extra magazines and cell phones in holsters. They all had earpieces in their right ears and sunglasses of a military variety that Jacquie recognized from her time in the service as "special operators' specs" (ie: commandos).

"Hello ladies! Are you Ms Flaubert, the Vice Principal here?"

"Yes I am! And while we are grateful for the help given here, would you mind telling me why we were never informed of a Secret Service presence here?

"I am Supervising Area Director Chiron Agostos of this unit. We are here to keep… one of your students safe while she attends this school. We will be following her every day. And we were only made aware of this particular threat two hours ago. I apologize for the lack of information. But it was better that no one knew we were coming. We believe we got the entire ring; twenty two terrorists!

"And please excuse my bad manners! These are my two most senior deputies, Deputy Supervising Field Agent LaRue and Supervising Unit Director Reyna Arellano.

The two "agents" introduced themselves, smiles all around. The vice-principal tried keeping her cool, but in light of what could have happened today, it was truly very difficult.

The "agents" were done mopping up within minutes; the counseling that would surely follow would be handled by the NYPD and an appearance by "NYPD Chief (3 stars) of Special Services (Lord) Donny (Dionysus) O'Shea" would follow each interview so that any child who truly saw the monsters for what they truly were could be either made to forget, or found as either a demigod or as a legacy and also to determine their parentage. And then they would speak with the (usually unsuspecting) parent(s).

Ever since Percy had made his second set of "gifts/requests" instead of accepting his theophany… AGAIN… more and more legacies had been found for the Greeks. And most went back a fair bit! There were now over a thousand "campers" at Camp Half Blood; and there were nearly five hundred more than that number lodged and in training now in the Legion Barracks at Camp Jupiter.

Clarisse spoke up next, "Director, I'll go take care of the mop-up now if you don't mind. I want to get these "individuals into processing" as fast as possible".

{Translation: "I'm going to immolate them into gold dusty slag".}

Chiron smiled and simply said, " Thank you, LaRue. And please tell your teams 'Jobs Well Done'".

Clarisse smiled. This was Chiron"s highest possible praise. She and Reyna made a top-flight team, and all their mass takedowns and assaults had gone perfectly, completely perfectly. It was almost like having an 'Annabeth Chase" working with her. Although Clarisse did feel well-shut of that one. What she had done, the way she had done it had cost the Greeks their heart and soul.

It had cost them Percy Jackson.

Clarisse hadn't seen nor heard from or of Percy since 2015. He'd been about to do some religious shtick with one of the Catholic churches, which one she couldn't remember. Clarisse only hoped that Percy finally had achieved a measure of peace. He had needed it.

Nightfall, Camp Half Blood

Reyna sat near the Hearth in the Dining Pavilion, just soaking up the warmth. She could see Lady Hestia in her motherly form just poking the coals. They were burning merrily and provided a great deal of warmth to the chilly Long Island night air. Western Suffolk County was surrounded on three sides by both Ocean and the Sound, and when the stars came out the sweaters went on.

The Praetor Emeritus and Proconsul was thinking of her former colleague, Perseus. He'd been the greatest warrior son the Pantheon had ever produced. The day he battled and killed Polybotes the Gigante just on the city border of New Rome, he had been an arc of pure destruction. Reyna could see him in her mind's eye actually defeating Ares back when Percy had been just a skinny young runt of twelve years.

Annabeth, who had told Reyna that story said to her that the battle had been breathtaking. Perseus had commanded the Pacific Ocean, actually commanded it into a mini-tidal wave that swamped the war god, but didn't even get the Son of Neptune wet!

Such power! Such majesty! He was truly Poseidon's "Prince Among Men"! And he absolutely deserved his statue in the Forum: "Perseus Praetor Magni". It meant "The Great Praetor Perseus" in English. There was a plaque… she felt a tingling in her heart. She missed him and thought to herself, "I NEVER would have left him, no matter what!"

Reyna suddenly felt a presence next to her; Hestia had joined her and had snuggled close.

"A drachma for your thoughts, Consul". Reyna had been elected Pro-Consul in Rome almost twenty years ago. She had a few more years to run, and then she was going to step down.

"Ahhhh, Magna Mater; I was just remembering… it was all so long ago now". Reyna sat up straight and snuggled back into "the Great Mother", Vesta Mater. She smiled fondly, and snuggled further into the warm goddess, her thoughts taking her back 26 years...

Mount Olympus, AD 2011

It was in September 2011, right after the awards had been announced that The Seven (plus three!) had been brought before a Grand Assembly of all gods and demigods. They gathered in the Throne Room on Olympus and it was the first and only assembly of its kind ever.

"Our Children! You have excelled beyond excellence! You have fought side by side with we, your parents and WE ARE PRRROUD OF YOU ALL!"

The cheers had deafened and even still, the voice of Zeus/Jupiter carried over everyone's cries of acclaim.

"My own son, Jason Grace. Step forward".

And her former colleague stepped forward. He was made Pontifex Maximus, the "Great Bridge" between gods and men. It would be his job to build the temples, to ensure the worship and rites, and he would be helped by Piper McLean as Pontifex and Reina Sacrorum, "queen of sacred worship". Together they formed the new institution of the Collegium Pontificatum, a new priestly caste, and each god or goddess' rites would be carried out by priests who were usually drawn from among their own children.

It was Jason and Piper's joint concept, so they got these greatest of sacred trusts. And they could marry.

Frank and Hazel were both called forward and were relieved of their individual curses, and Frank's life was set free of that awful fire stick. His life force, a third of which had been spent in freeing Thanatos was returned to him, giving him a full life long to look forward to.

Hazel was, with the approval of the Three Moirae given her originally allotted long life back as well. She had originally sacrificed herself in stopping the rise of Alcyoneus when she was first killed in 1942. She and Frank later got married as soon as they both came of age. The celebrations had lasted a week, and they now had four beautiful, powerful children! One was named Jason, the other boy was Percy.

Leo Valdez asked that Calypso be freed from her island and when the gods tried to shuck and jive on it, claiming that she was "free to leave", Leo asked, "How can she do that, exactly?"

Percy stepped in and called the gods on this. He had made that a condition of his first round of gifts. Zeus and the Council, unwilling to be so embarrassed transported Calypso into the hall and when she heard that her freedom was due to Leo's and Percy's demands, she broke down in tears.

The two heroes went over to her and got her up. Hera descended from her throne to "keep things kosher", but Percy put Calypso squarely in Leo's arms anyway.

"He's your hero; and I think that…"

They kissed. Amid thousands of cheers and a throne room full of gods and heroes, they kissed one of history's greatest kisses. Even Hera blushed!

Shaking his head and grinning, the greatest hero took his place back, standing with the rest of the group along with Nico, Reyna and Gleeson Hedge.

Annabeth was appointed Grand Olympian Architect, responsible for both Camps and New Rome, and was blessed by every god and goddess with gifts appropriate to her tasks. She pledged to work closely with Jason and Piper and to always do the best job that she possibly could; the gods all gave her their best gifts and ideas. She was awarded an office and a house on Olympus and a full staff to help her with drafting, and engineers to help with site measurements. Poseidon pledged the forges and labor. Her complete education and life salary of a half-million dollars per year was assured her.

Her mother gifted her with a special blessed lead pencil, a mechanical contrivance made by Hephaestus. It would never run out of graphite with which to write, and would do exactly the job of drawing that she needed it to do on every stroke as per her thoughts. It was Hephaestus' greatest invention, an intuitive automaton.

Nico was made Prince of the Underworld and given increases in his energies and powers. Reyna was made Praetor Emeritus and Proconsul of New Rome for life. Gleeson Hedge was given a lifetime supply of MMA, martial arts movies by all the greats as well as a new baseball bat made out of celestial bronze and imperial gold alloyed with titanium.

It came to Percy's turn. Not any one other hero was offered immortality. Not even Annabeth. Oh well. Percy didn't want it anyway. He wondered idly what he would be offered this time. He only hoped that it would not be more of the same. He didn't want hard feelings between himself and his uncles or his aunts or his cousins.

Especially not with his father. He hated the idea of disappointing the old man, but as much as he loved him he didn't think he wanted to spend eternity with him.

"PERSEUS, SON OF POSEIDON…"

Percy began the long walk up to the steps before the gods. He bowed before Zeus and then turned to kneel on the first step before his father. But something curious happened this time.

As he approached the steps they began to look smaller and smaller. He stopped and looked around.

From everyone's faces he realized that they weren't getting smaller, he was getting bigger. What was going on here, he thought worriedly?

He knelt on the first step before his father, but his father said, "My son, come up to me". So Percy continued to climb all ten gargantuan steps until he was standing directly before his father who stood up out of his throne and embraced him closely.

He could smell the salt on his father, and he could hear the ocean and the sea's atmosphere around them both. He felt incredible, powerful beyond all means. He felt an unbridled capability and strength unlike anything he had ever felt, and as if he could do anything he desired.

Was this what godhood felt like? Was this what it felt like to enjoy divine power?

Percy pulled back from his father and looked at him right in the eyes and asked him, "Dad, just what is going on here? You guys haven't changed me have you? Because I won't have it like this… IF at all".

Poseidon laughed very gently and put his hands on Percy shoulders and said, "No my son, this was just a little taste to show you what it might feel like for you. In reality it would feel like so much more. And you really do deserve the honor of being able to climb the steps and embrace me on a level equal to my throne. It is an honor never accorded anyone before in our history. Only Olympians have ever stood up here on this TOP step. And only you have stood here twice. Once in defending us from our father, and now in recognition of your incredible deeds".

Poseidon turned to face the other Olympians and posed the question: "Does anyone here say that my son is not worthy? Let them speak now or forever hold their peace….

... "My son has excelled above all other demigods and even above many gods. He has very nearly given his life for our Pantheon so many times we've lost track.

"I would have him as my right hand and just second to my son Triton in terms of succession. He is already our greatest warrior demigod, and the greatest leader of demigods. He is Praetor in Rome and Basileus in Greece. He is respected by all his peers and loved by many. He has been generous in victory and kind to those in need, even to our enemies when he has defeated them.

"He is gentle to our children, especially the youngest among them. He is their big brother, almost a father, and ever ready with a willing ear. He is raising our children for us and learning how to do that along with all his peers.

"He has won my confidence and I will ever say he is worthy whether it be today or a hundred years from now. But it is his decision and his alone. Let no one hold any part of his decision against him. For even though he has refused this once before, his choices then have benefited us all. We are greater now than we ever have been and largely because of my son".

Zeus spoke then: "My greatest nephew, would that you were my son as well as Jason here. You and he performed as true brothers both in arms, as well as in blood. You have both forged alliances that will last forever now.

"And you have both shown the wisdom in my wife's great plan. You have done true honor to the gods in doing the very best that you knew how to do and in working closely with every member of your Great Quest.

"You have shown trust with the Romans, trust with the nature spirits, you have the complete trust of the Lord of the Wild as well as the Council of Cloven Elders. You bear the blessings of the great god Pan, son of Hermes who has preceded us into the void.

"May his name be ever blessed.

"Perseus, I ask you this now a second time. This moment is historical for no one has ever been asked to accede to godhood a second time. But the oceans are as unpredictable as are you. The only thing that is absolutely predictable about you is your loyalty. And that is a thing to be greatly prized and proud of. And I am proud of you Perseus.

"And to all of you here I say this; the mortal parents of Perseus Jackson, Sally and Paul Blofis and any children of theirs are sacrosanct to Olympus. Their persons are to remain ever inviolate and they are to be treated with the utmost respect forever and until the end of their own bloodline. May they who dare our words this day be cursed unto the River Styx in punishment for all eternity! (Thunder booming, lightning flashing)

"They too have lifted arms in defense of Olympus and killed our enemies in support of Perseus and the other demigods. They didn't even think about it, they just went and did it. Their names will be carved into this throne room next to their son's when telling the tales of his own deeds. And Sally Jackson Blofis is to be honored forever as the mother of our greatest hero".

Zeus turned to Poseidon and looked him right in the eye. He gave a gentle smile and walked over to his brother and put his hands on Poseidon's forearms and Poseidon put his hand on Zeus' in return in a warrior's handshake.

"My brother, I honor you by way of your son. I, our king acknowledge him as Hero of our Pantheon, Savior of Olympus and out of all those present as our greatest hero. I am very proud of all of my children. And I feel that their presences here on the council are well-earned. But if Percy will have it this day, then he will join us on this Council this night".

Everyone in the hall was stunned. Not one sound was made by anyone. The other gods stood up out of their chairs, taking to their feet in honor of this declaration. All of a sudden, all those in the throne room who had been standing took a knee. Percy suddenly realized that this was all for him.

HAIL PERSEUS! AVE PRAETOR ET DOMINUS!

He couldn't let this go on. He would not be pushed into this, and in truth he didn't want it. He was no better than anybody else who served on this quest; where was it written that he was any better or greater than anyone else?

Yes, he had jumped on Blackjack and flown off after Leo and Festus to do battle with Gaea and together they hoisted her ass over teakettle into the skies over Camp Half-Blood. And just like her son Antaeus, she was powerless when she was not in connection with the Earth.

When Leo and Festus were hit by the explosive onager missile sent by Octavian, it almost destroyed Gaea. And it did kill Leo, although Festus got the Physician's Cure into him.

But the missile didn't quite destroy Gaea and Percy escaped its effects altogether. Percy formed his own hurricane and suspended the stunned Primordial "Mother Earth" as well as himself at a height starting at about a thousand feet, and it just got higher and higher. Percy's hurricane looked like a force 10 at that point and it covered three states!

Percy 'steered' both himself and Gaea into each other like two knights jousting away! They slashed at each other until Percy's mount Blackjack shied away to fend off a surely fatal strike by Gaea that would have disemboweled the demigod.

It disemboweled Blackjack instead.

As Perseus' most faithful and beloved companion amongst all the Pegasi fell the thousands of feet to Earth, Percy realized he could do nothing for him. Blackjack's internal organs whipped across the sky. He was cleaved nearly in half by the strike, and had unsat Percy as well. He was dead already.

Percy was so angry at this point that his hurricane began to gather in its intensity and so did Percy. His visage took on an almost supernatural aspect as he seemed to grow and grow and GROW!

Those on the ground could see him clearly! He began to strike at Gaea with Riptide in a furious volley of slashes followed by more slashes and finally he grabbed her behind the head and shoved Riptide right up to the hilt through her abdomen. She screamed so loudly that lightning flashed. The rain poured, and almost nothing could survive the storm, it had become so bad at that point.

Percy's fury and his storm was completely off the scale in it's destructive potential and the gods had to move quickly to restrict the damage and the energies of the storm or it would swamp the entire northeastern coast of the United States and Canada. It might even raise the water levels coming on shore in Greenland 40 or 50 ft. That would wipe out a great many communities there and the gods could not allow that to happen. They had an agreement with the Norse pantheon not to permit any damage to Greenland or Iceland.

In the midst of all this Perseus began to go a little insane in his thinking. He began to force all the water that made up the Avatar of Gaea into one concentrated pocket in her midriff. His sword was still in her, and he was slowly twisting his blade, torturing her over what she'd already done to hurt Percy and those he loved.

And he was enjoying it.

He forced more and more water into that pocket until suddenly, he put it all outside her. Percy had effectively dissolved Gaia as without the water inside her the dirt she was constructed of became like dust.

The water that surrounded her did not renew her form as Percy refused to allow it to mix with the dust. Instead, he instantly froze the ball into an ice so hard and blue with cold, he almost couldn't touch it himself.

Percy had a sudden idea and he formed gloves of water around his hands from the moisture in the atmosphere around him and he used those to shield his hands from the cold of the ice. It worked and he began to slowly lessen the winds as he stood himself out over the open ocean.

He called to his father to help him and very quickly mentally explained what had happened. Gaea was imprisoned in a ball of ice so cold it froze the very molecules inside itself. Even her energies were not moving. His father said "Lower yourself down to within a hundred feet of the ocean and then stay there until I get back".

Percy did as he was told and suddenly his father flashed into position below him holding what looked like a large mirror facing upward at Percy. Poseidon called to him to drop the ball and Poseidon caught it something like a basketball going into a hoop. The ice passed through the surface of what looked like a mirror to Percy, and the surface rippled violently for a moment. And then it was all gone.

Poseidon explained that the mirror had been a gift to him from his grandfather, Ouranos. It was a weapon with which to defend his kingdom against any Titans that dared to try and take Atlantis away from the new and then very young god. It was a portal that led directly to the Great Void. And it was there that Gaea was now and would be forever. It was a one-way trip.

Percy dove down to the waters and father and son laughingly had a race to see who could reach land first. Later on, Percy remarked to his father that he wasn't sure who won; the winner or the loser! They both had to get out of the water!

Over the next few days Percy meditated on what happened, and then had a long talk with Annabeth. He eventually talked to all members of the Quest as he felt that they could best understand him. He worried that he would be offered godhood again and this time the offer would be very tempting. But he assured Annabeth he did not want to take a gift like that, not one that left her behind and he never would.

Annabeth truly appreciated that, as there were times when her dreams were so bad only Percy could calm her down. And the same was true in reverse. All the Quest Mates knew it as well. At night, when all were in bed in their own quarters aboard the Argo II, they could often hear Percy screaming…

Standing there in the throne room now, Percy knew that he could not in all good conscience take up godhood. Percy knew that he was not mentally stable enough to do so and he might be more of a threat as a god than ever he could have been as a demigod. And so it was with all this in mind that he turned to Zeus and to his father.

"I cannot be a god. I would like to speak with you both about it. Please, will you let me discuss my reasons?"

Zeus and Poseidon had a brief psychic conversation. They both took an arm and flashed out. They reappeared in a nearby garden and in about five minutes, Percy told them both everything, even sharing his memories with them both.

Both gods were stunned. They had no idea Percy could freeze water, control poisons like he did with Akhlys, create storms as he had or fly using hurricane winds. To say Zeus was disturbed was putting it mildly, but he stayed calm.

Percy had proven himself time and again. Zeus felt Percy could be trusted. He'd been honest with them and had only been concerned with disappointing the council and Zeus. He hadn't been worried about being killed by them. Or if he had it didn't bother him enough to scare him off of telling Zeus the truth.

"Nephew, I'm going to give you a chance to substitute some requests instead of offering you godhood. I can see that you really don't want it. It won't stop me from trying to convince you to take it in the future if you do something spectacular again, but out of respect for your wishes and your feelings I'm going to let you off the hook.

"But there's a price here. As you develop your powers, I expect to be kept informed. And if these dreams of yours continue to haunt you, then I want you to speak to my son, Mr. D.

"Dionysus can help you with things like this. And I will order him to do it. I know that he's very lazy about these things, but he needs to learn to be responsible if he wants more responsibilities given him. And you are too valuable to allow harm to come to you.

"Brother, why don't we go back inside and let Percy decide what he wants or needs from us?"

"An excellent idea brother. And my son, know that I love you with all my heart and that you can always come and speak with me or come and stay in Atlantis. I will build you your own palace and I will come over and stay with you when you visit. I want to encourage you to do these things as I still want you helping me in the oceans. You might not be an immortal, but you're one of the most powerful beings on this planet. And you are my son. And I trust you, and I love you".

Tears sprang to Percy's eyes when he heard these things. His father had never spoken to him quite like this and neither had his Uncle but it seemed that he had finally been accepted and was now trusted. This alone was a very great gift, all by itself.

Both gods had misunderstood the younger man. Percy wasn't so much declining godhood as he was withdrawing from The Olympian family somewhat. He knew how bad his dreams truly were. He could not have told either man how bad they were, only Annabeth really knew.

No, Percy was simply telling them that he knew that he wasn't worthy, that he knew that he was unfit and that he would just go back quietly to Camp Half-Blood and live his life as best he could until his time was over. He only wanted to be with Annabeth, his beautiful Wise Girl who knew how to keep him calm and make the nightmares go away.

He was already too far gone for them to help at that point. The trouble was that Percy didn't know that yet and so the Olympians couldn't know it either. Annabeth suspected it but wasn't sure.

But Reyna knew.

Her mother was Bellona, goddess of war and battles and a goddess of the legions. Bellona had whispered to her daughter in her dreams that Percy was suffering terribly from post-traumatic stress disorder. She told her daughter that Tartarus must have affected him terribly and to be on guard, although to see what she could do if she could help.

Bellona knew that Reyna had feelings for Percy, real feelings and so would help Reyna if only for the sake of the possibility of a romance with the son of Poseidon. He had already proven himself to be a great Roman and a Praetor worth the title.

If there was to be any chance of a union between Percy and Reyna down the line, Bellona wanted to help Reyna help Percy. And so Reyna got a crash course in battlefield mental illness and began to understand what was happening with Percy.

Over the next 6 months, Reyna spent most of her time at Camp Half-Blood, finally getting Percy and Annabeth to agree to come to Camp Jupiter for a while 'just to relax and unwind'. Percy would not go anywhere without Annabeth, and Annabeth being who she was, Reyna could not be rude and just simply exclude her.

Reyna and her mother wanted to give them both a chance to let go of their worst memories. Percy and Annabeth were both far too young to be this badly affected by mutual and psychically linked PTSD.

It didn't work.

Percy was already far too bogged down in old and very bad memories. He just could not let go of the thought that it was all his fault somehow. He was so very loyal to everyone he had ever worked with, quested with, loved, known. And all these friends of his knew that he automatically assumed responsibility for every phase of their mutual relationships, all of them and all by himself.

These were false values of course, but trying to talk Percy out of them was absolutely useless. This was his fatal flaw at its worst. It was going to take an act of God to get that done, and perhaps, just perhaps…

That was EXACTLY what was in store. And sooner than one might think.

AD 2037 CAMP HALF BLOOD CAMPFIRE

"What exactly took you so far away, my little proconsul? Hmm? A solidii for your thoughts".

"Ahh, just thinking back. Perseus… I miss him, you know".

"Yes. I do know. You loved him once. Maybe still… a little?"

Reyna smiled. Her own mother spoke with both herself and Hylla, but usually in their dreams. Vesta was right here by the campfire, the hearth. Percy had asked her to look after Reyna as much as possible right after Reyna had expressed her feelings to Percy and just before he left their community for his new community. And Hestia/Vesta (Magna Mater-Great Mother) accepted her charge from her favorite demigod. And had Hestia told the complete truth, she'd have had to confess that she loved Perseus, indeed was IN LOVE with him also

She physically wanted him as she had never, ever wanted anyone before. Enough to do whatever he asked of her.

But it was not to be. Aphrodite had come to her just three months before Perseus left and told Hestia that Percy was leaving them. Hestia was in shock. For how long? Where was he going?

Aphrodite didn't know, but her domains left her knowing everyone else's feelings for whoever else, and she was often able to see outcomes.

Percy was nowhere to be found in anyone's outcome. Anywhere. Indeed, love and marriage was not shown to be 'in the cards' for Poseidon's greatest son.

Three months later, Percy had left and hadn't been seen within the Greek or Roman worlds since. Both women snuggled closer, both thinking warmly of a man they both loved, but could never have. He had chosen a different path, one that none of them could follow.

He had accepted Greek Orthodox Catholic baptism, and as an adult proselyte had made his first full confession, first Eucharist and was Confirmed all on the same day in this most ancient of all the Catholic Churches. It was closest to the Church in Jerusalem and therefore considered most authentic by many millions of its adherents.

Percy had put aside all of his friends and all but his most immediate family, and had left them for good.

Artemis had found him five years ago, but was smited by the great God of the Judeo-Christian faiths. She'd been stripped of her immortality and powers, been age regressed to six years old and had started school just earlier that day.

And what with all the monsters that had shown up that day, it was pretty clear that they were going to have to find her a tutor and tutor her at home or in a very restricted setting with other children with the same problem. Well, not exactly the same problem but with lots of restrictions on her ability to move around. Children needed to socialize as part of their upbringing and Artemis was no different at this point from any ordinary mortal child her age, other than her parentage.

Her mother Leto had been pissed beyond anger. She had reportedly railed at the heavens trying to assail this God with her anger and opinions over her daughter. She received no reply, she was seemingly ignored.

But when she tried to return to her island of Delos, it wasn't there anymore. Apparently, it had been hidden away from her in retaliation for her verbal attempts at castigating a Deity far greater than she was. There was no telling as to whether she'd ever be able to return to the island that she had called home for nearly 6,000 years. But everyone doubted it.

When she went to Zeus to complain and to make her case before the Council, no one could tell her anything or give her any comfort. Hera was not of a mind to help her in any way shape or form, but no one wanted any Titans (and Leto was a Titanide) to start resurrecting the Black Palace on top of Mount Othrys, even if it was only going to be used as condominiums for displaced deities.

So it was decided that she would live in her son's palace with Apollo and thus could see and raise her daughter Artemis everyday as she began to grow up all over again. As if they didn't have enough problems already.

The Council had decided after this last incident that in no way shape or form were any of them to attempt to contact this God. Not individually at any rate. No one knew what might occur if any one of them were to try and do so. The last thing that the Council needed was more formerly divine toddlers who used to be members of the Council running around in filthy nappies.

It was after much deliberation on the part of the Council that Zeus' other daughter, Thalia Grace was extended the offer of theophany. She had taken over what was left of the Hunt until all the Huntresses could be assimilated back into normal demigod society. The Hunt had fallen apart after Artemis; it was the doing of the Judeo-Christian God, no doubt. The former Huntresses gradually forgot the Hunt and Artemis as a goddess. So did all the other non-Olympians. Even Chiron had no memory of the Huntress. The Moon goddess? Wasn't that Selene?

But when the Council had agreed and begun to attempt to start the process of making Thalia a goddess, IT HAPPENED.

AND THAT WAS WHEN EVERYTHING HAD CHANGED FOREVER.

….One Year Later…

Zeus entered the quiet nursery, wanting merely to kiss his little girl good night. He gazed down at her serenely sleeping form; she drooled a little.

"She's been really good today. She's so bright! She can put the colored blocks into the correct holes on the board and she tries to sing along with her favorite television characters on that show she likes."

Zeus looked over at his oldest sister, Hestia. She was an excellent mother to Artemis and now Thalia. A 'mother'. Hmmpphh!

Thalia

They should never have tried to defy the intent to do away with Artemis' position on the Council by the great "I AM". By attempting to make Thalia a goddess and the new goddess of the Hunt and the Moon the Olympian Council had tempted fate just once too often. Would she grow up to even be, once again a demigoddess?

Word was getting back to Olympus that even some of the Legacies were no longer able to use any of their inherited capabilities, and most of them are all down to barely normal mortal strength.

The Twelfth Legion Fulminata was down to one cohort; Just ONE COHORT! Zeus shuddered to think of what would happen should a well-formed company of monsters or still-enemy demigods "visit" the city and do battle with the now disabled Legion.

Zeus shook his head as Hestia continued telling him of his once-adult daughter's achievement in holding up her own bottle and in speaking her "first words".

What would come next? Regressing a god or goddess to a point before their own birth?

Suddenly, a distinct shiver went up Zeus' spine. That in itself was truly significant as he had NEVER, EVER felt one. And a very quiet laugh occurred almost as if from somewhere in back of himself. He began to gather power for a lightning blast when all that power just… wasn't there anymore?

That laugh grew louder and the laughing voice said, "Beyond the beginning of their lives, hmmm? From YOUR mouth to MY EARS!"

Zeus knew right then and there that he'd made a huge mistake. He'd opened his blasted yap just once too often. The old Biblical story of how "I AM" took the final plague upon Egypt from the words of the Egyptian Pharoah himself. He'd been been a bigmouth, too.

His eyes closed slowly as the laughter continued unabated. The baby girl never stirred.