Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus series.
Different Day on Olympus
Olympus at such an un-lively hour was sombre, quiet and devoid of any and all activity. The morning fog was so dense; it almost felt scoop-able. The marble buildings all over the city were mostly unmarred. The few that had been destroyed or damaged during the war three years ago had been rebuilt or were being rebuilt. Steady smoke rose from a few of the houses sounding the city, promptly showing sigh that it was a chilly mourning.
All that could be heard throughout the city of Olympus were steady footsteps hitting the stone streets. Aphrodite roamed the streets of Olympus at a steady pace, stuck in her world of thoughts. Her breath could be lightly seen in the cool mourning air on Olympus. Albeit even if all that could be heard were her high heels hitting stone at timed intervals, Olympus had narrowly two people roaming it.
Aphrodite still in her pondering thoughts didn't hear the faint footstep approaching her. Her thoughts were only interrupted when she blindly turned a corner, getting stopped short by colliding with the person.
"Oomph..." Aphrodite stated as she landed on her behind after bumping into the person. "Sorry Artemis..." She grumbled rising all the while rubbing her behind with a free hand.
"What are you doing on Olympus? Shouldn't you be with Perseus at Camp Half-Blood?" Aphrodite asked winking suggestively.
Artemis' facial expression contorted as she grimaced at such a prospect. "Why would I willingly want to spend my time with that man?" Artemis shifted slightly at Aphrodite's perplexed look. "His month with me is complete; I am packing necessities before I gather my hunters for the hunt."
Aphrodite could sense something utterly wrong with Artemis' behaviour towards Perseus. She uncomprehendingly murmured, "Your love aura towards Perseus has changed overnight, what's left is distaste and hate." Artemis didn't even notice Aphrodite speak, she simply continued speaking.
"He's just a male pig, like my repulsive and annoying brother."
Apollo appeared beside the two goddesses, his face was contorted into a hurt expression. "That was highly un-called for," Apollo replied his voice tinted with pain.
Artemis was genuinely surprised with her twins answer. Usually he would reply sarcastically, in a pouting manner, or just continue to annoy her even more. Now his tone filled with pain, actually sounded sincere, not at all teasing or fake.
Artemis let loose an exasperated sigh, "Sorry Apollo, I was just frustrated. Aphrodite knows I despise men and still is keen about asking me why I am not with Perseus."
Apollo looked thoughtful for a moment, as if making a clinical judgement on Artemis because of her statement. "Well honestly, seeing what I saw yesterday. I would also reckon that you like the man."
Artemis looked disbelievingly at her twin brother, "What!" Artemis took a careful step back from the two, looking at both with a critical eye. She was about to ask both if they'd gone mentally ill, before Apollo spoke.
"Well why else did you concur with Aphrodite and allowed her to put that revealing bikini?" Apollo regarded her intensely, requisitioning an answer. Under his breath he muttered, "Or 'a' bathing suit for that matter."
Artemis stuttered dumbfounded, not remembering which means Aphrodite used to get her into a bikini.
Aphrodite automatically began to drag Artemis by the arm. "Hey! What are you doing? Where are you taking me Aphrodite?" Artemis yelled bemused.
"I'm taking you to your father, something is very wrong with you." Aphrodite turned to Artemis with concern.
"And what's wrong with me?" Artemis asked suspiciously.
"I'm afraid someone has changed your memories and most devastatingly also your feelings, everything directly connected with Perseus." With that Aphrodite resumed her pulling on Artemis' arm, bringing her towards the throne room. Albeit Artemis was not making much resistance as she was deep in though to what Aphrodite had said.
Artemis finally came upon something to further confuse her in her world of thoughts, Perseus' throne, lucky for her it lasted simple seconds. Her father Zeus was before her in his throne looking utterly bored. Zeus regarded all three of them detachedly, not really looking forward to whatever they had come to him about.
Zeus inhaled loudly, before releasing his intake of oxygen in a long, wearisome sigh. "What did Apollo do now," Zeus asked regarding the two goddesses.
Apollo's expression turned incredulous. "Why do every time Hermes or I come before you father, without the winter or summer solstices, do you assume we've done something wrong?"
Zeus was about to make a flippant remark, though Apollo sensed this and just told him why they were before him in the first place. "Father, something's wrong with Artemis."
Zeus' eyebrows instantly scrunched together in concern. "What's wrong with Artemis?"
Apollo shrunk away from Zeus' withering glare, turning to look at Aphrodite, wanting her to explain Artemis' predicament. "Someone has changed and altered most of your daughter's memories and feelings/emotions." Aphrodite said truthfully. "All of which pertaining to Perseus." Aphrodite mentioned the last part rather sadly.
"And how do you know this?" Zeus asked sceptically, not wanting to trust their word.
Aphrodite's expression became disapproving, "I am the Goddess of Love, feelings and emotions are what I do. All those emotions and feelings that used to circle inside her disappeared suddenly, with Perseus nowhere to be found, making everything seem pretty suspicious."
"It's not that difficult to figure out..." Aphrodite murmured softly, causing Apollo beside her to stifle a laugh. Before Zeus could ask Aphrodite what that was, a sea mist began to increasingly thicken in the center of the throne room.
Once the sea scent mist dissipated, Poseidon stood where the mist had been with a distressed and worried expression. "I can't find my son." His voice was filled with anxiety and directed at his brother.
"What do you mean, Poseidon?"
"I mean my son is no longer on Earth." Poseidon's anxiety only thickened with his choice of words, causing him to take increasingly rapid breaths releasing them through his nasal cavity. "The tides have gone dejected and gloomy, having lost their Lord. I have searched camp and his palace but he is no where to be found. As a demigod I was able to tell where he was, because his scent would increase when touching water or particularly the sea. As a god I could sense him even without him touching water, but now his scent is blank to me."
Zeus took his brother seriously as he knew Poseidon would never joke about such things, concerning his son. "This could cause a troublesome amount of problems." Zeus' words were droned out by Poseidon asking the three other gods why they where present.
All Aphrodite had to say was Perseus and Artemis and Poseidon caught on. Though Artemis' reaction did surprise him, for he had started to feel the waves getting increasingly stronger at night.
"What's Perseus have to do with me!" Artemis shrieked. "I told you before I want nothing to do with that man."
Zeus looked generally surprised also, as he too had felt the growing connection his daughter was having toward the spawn of Poseidon.
"Apollo go, and get your brother." Zeus turned toward his brother with a saddened expression. "I afraid that if Hermes can't find him, we'll have to hope that it was for the best, for no one will be able to find him."
After hearing the name Hermes, which terminated all sense of plausibility, Apollo disappeared in a blinding flash of yellow light, to soon after re-appear with his brother beside him.
"Yes, father." Hermes asked ignorantly of the current situation.
"Son, I want you to send a message to Perseus." Zeus replied steadily.
"And what message would that be?" Hermes asked questioningly.
Zeus though about it, and soon after a few seconds of pondering a sealed letter appeared in Hermes' hand, with Perseus' name written on it.
Hermes disappeared in a flash of light to re-appear in the throne room, only father away from his initial position. Bewilderment was honestly carved right into the features of the god; he was so confused by the occurrence of the recent event.
"What just happened, when I attempted transporting the message...?" He seemed to stutter unable to describe what had just happened. "I was just unable to, like I was externally blocked."
Poseidon responded in a haphazardly way, with a voice filled with dolefulness. "As I have said before, my son has abruptly vanished from the face of earth."
Zeus released a sorrow filled sigh before speaking to his brother, "I am sorry for your loss brother, hopefully this was for the best and not the worst."
Poseidon looked down to the white marble floor supporting his feet and gave his brother a grim nod.
"Hermes," Zeus called with a new sense of determination. "Gather the other Olympians; we'll be holding an emergency meeting." Hermes gave the king of gods a resolute nod, before disappearing in flash of light.
Soon after all except one god, were all silently sitting in their respectful thrones. A heavy silence fell upon the deities as most had no clue what was going on, only a select few new the justification for the sudden meeting. Although many eyes where surveying the empty white marble throne, with designs associated with the god with which it belonged to.
"Where's Perseus?" Athena inquired, breaking through the thick silence.
"Said person is why we are all here." Zeus answered.
Athena was about to ask what was wrong with Perseus, but Poseidon cut her off, stating sourly. "My son has vanished off the face of Earth."
Silence again replaced all noise in the council room, as every new deity to hear this contemplated his meaning.
Zeus cleared his throat through the silence, making everyone look toward him. "With Perseus gone, Camp Half-Blood cannot be run by only Chiron, too many children are entering the gates everyday."
"No way, father. I am not going back there." Dionysus fumed in rage.
"Zeus looked sternly at Dionysus, "Did I mention making you Camp Director, again?" Dionysus shook his head. "Then be quiet and let me finish!"
"I propose that we make the strongest children of their respectful cabins, who are most probably already the cabin councillors, immortal. So they would be able to teach and train their siblings helping Chiron out, plus they are the most qualified to teach their own siblings in the use of their powers. All in favour?"
"Why would we want stronger demigods' father." Athena asked curiously.
"Demigods are our army we need them at their best potential possible, with Perseus' sudden disappearance, getting ready for anything and everything would be wise don't you think?" Athena nodded in understanding, and lifted her hand accepting to the idea of having immortal demigods to coach and lead their siblings in whatever needed.
Soon every god and goddess was leaving to go get their best son or daughter, the cabin councillor, to become the immortal demigods. All except Hera and Artemis, who had no children of their own.
Shortly after the gods and goddess' had departed to find who would become the immortal demigod, came back, each with a son or daughter.
Athena arrived in the council chambers with Annabeth Chase, Apollo with Will Solace, whom was holding hands with Annabeth. Ares appeared with Clarisse La Rue. Aphrodite with Crystal Beach, Hermes with the Stoll's, Demeter with Katie Gardner, Dionysus with Pollux, Hephaestus with Leo, Hades with Nico Di Angelo.
Poseidon's son who was not yet of age to attend Camp Half-Blood, had to go around the world to get his 10 year old son; Ryan Waters in Australia. Zeus' child who was also not of age to attend Camp had to go around the world also, to get her to the council. Her name was Julia Sky; she had not long ago turned 9 in New Zealand.
"Now demigods, you know the implications for being here right now. You will be immortal, non-dying, as the teachers for your fellow brothers and sisters. You will also be called upon first and foremost when in dire need. Now if you still want this prestigious position, please stand in the center of the council room. So we may begin."
With every god and goddess seated in their thrones and the chosen demigods in the center, Zeus began to chant; as his chanting lengthened a bright light began to encircle the demigods in the center of the chamber. After the light completely died down, the demigods could be seen in the center of the council chambers, as if nothing had even occurred.
Before Zeus could formally congratulate and announce the official immortal councillors of Camp Half-Blood, a lime green mist began to fill the throne room. Once the only thing anyone saw in their vision was lime green mist, a spine shivering voice filled their minds speaking in Ancient Greek.
Centuries they have waited;
To initiate what has been planned.
Angered enemies assemble;
To renew their dread filled persistent charge.
Millennia he has restlessly trained;
To become the focal point of all things balanced.
Vengeful principles have attracted darkness;
To dispose of all their petty foreboding misconceptions.
Once the mist began to dissipate, Artemis suddenly fell to the marble flooring shrinking down in size, clutching her head in exquisite pain. Only after the mist had totally dissipated from the throne room, did Artemis' tense muscles relax and her breathing evened out, until she began to cry.
"Aphrodite, Apollo get her out of here see what's wrong." Zeus called from his throne. He looked out towards the others in the room, "as I thought the next great Olympian prophecy has been issued."
With Artemis in Aphrodite's arms, her crying only intensify when she turned to face Perseus' throne to leave. "He's gone."
Even if the three had passed the throne of Perseus, the heavy sobs could still be heard inside the council chambers. They also clearly heard what Aphrodite said next, "your feelings for the man have suddenly come back." The tone Aphrodite used clearly indicated that she was wide-eyed and shocked.
"Lord Zeus? If I can speak for the other demigods what did Artemis and Aphrodite mean?" Annabeth asked curiously, but still respectfully.
"What Artemis meant is just as she said it; the great son of Poseidon has fallen off the face of Earth, nowhere to be found."
"What? But I am right here." Ryan, the young son of Poseidon said bemused.
"He is talking about Perseus, the owner of that throne." Poseidon said with sympathy toward his son as he pointed to the empty throne.
"What about what my mother said?" Crystal asked.
"How are you the councillor of the Aphrodite cabin?" Athena asked the young girl, she knew that in the Aphrodite cabin there were quite a few children older than her.
"I became cabin councillor after I defeated Drew in a duel for the position as cabin councillor. Drew became councillor again after she drugged Jasmine and tricked her into duelling, causing her to lose easily. With all my training by Lord Perseus and Annabeth I was able to easily gain the position."
Athena gave the young daughter of Aphrodite a congratulating smile at the achievement.
Everyone turned to Zeus as he answered the previous question. "What Aphrodite meant was that Artemis had finally taken interest in a man after all these years."
"She was in love with him Zeus, not taking interest into him. Every night I could sense the waves becoming increasingly stronger." Poseidon interjected.
Zeus sighed disappointedly, "I know Poseidon, and I could also sense the growing connection my daughter had towards your son." He turned back to the others, "We believe that when Perseus was taken, she had her memories and feeling wiped. Although it seems that the mist has brought back those feelings that were taken from her."
The demigods nodded in acknowledgement, and Poseidon's eyes widened to the size of diner plates. He soon dashed out of the throne room, leaving all deities and demigods confused.
Minutes after his depart, Poseidon re-entered the throne room even more depressed than he'd previously been. He spoke flatly to the questioning eyes, "Her feelings for my son have become what they were, but she doesn't remember that night when he disappeared. All she does seem to know is that she was with him when he had to leave."
Zeus gently patted his brother's arm, "You must think positively Poseidon, you and I both know he will return. Also Artemis said he had to leave, not that he was taken by an unexplainable evil."
Poseidon sighed unhappily. "Do not let these thoughts affect you any longer Poseidon, he will return." Zeus said softly.