Chapter 9

The Quest part 2/a

Thank you to all those who enjoyed the new chapter. I'm so completely, utterly, totally and incredibly sorry for not writing a new chapter for a year. I was so stuck on my writer's block and balancing my school work at the same time that everything just slipped. But exams are over, school's finished now so I'll be able to write again. And don't worry; Slade is going to come along. Of course, I'm going to make some trouble. Where's the fun without it? But enough about that, on with the story. Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or Greek mythology. Fate is my character only. If you want to know more about her, just look at my profile page. Hints: In Jericho's memories, the memory is in italics, Jericho's thoughts and sign-language is in bold italics and the talking is in bold.

From the previous chapter:

"Jericho," Aphrodite said. "You are the last one. Please present your mirror."

Jericho bit his lip as he handed his mirror over.

"Jericho," Aphrodite said again. "You have chosen..."

"Wisely," Aphrodite smiled. "How did you know that my mirror had a rose on it?"

When I was younger, my mother use to tell me about roses, Jericho signed. She said that roses symbolise beauty and love and you're the goddess of beauty and love.

Aphrodite nodded.

"Now, you must break the curses inflicted on your friends," she said.

Jericho looked at his friends; Robin who looked miserable in his elderly form, Cheshire who looked broken by her hideous form and Herald who was looking back at Jericho with concern inside his mirror.

"Find my sacred shell, rose and dove," Aphrodite ordered. "They will hold a memory, either good or bad. Use the memory. Look inside it and you will find the cure to break the curses inflicted on your friends."

Carefully, Aphrodite blew some dust into Jericho's eyes, causing him to collapse and fall into a deep sleep.

"What have you done to him?!" Herald yelled as he smashed his fists against the mirror.

"Calm down," Aphrodite said smoothly. "Jericho is just going through his memories. He'll be fine. Unless, he falls weak to his memories…"

Herald's face was filled with concern as Robin and Cheshire looked at each other worried.

"Please be okay," Herald whispered.

Inside Jericho's Memory

Jericho opened his eyes. The air smelt like the ocean and the ground under his hands was grainy.

Hey, Jericho thought. I'm on a beach.

Suddenly, he heard laughter. He sat up and turned his head. On the beach, there was a man and woman, sitting on a blanket. Jericho frowned. Why did that couple look so familiar?

"Joseph!" the man called. "Don't swim out so far."

"Yes daddy," a boy called. Jericho turned to see a little boy with sandy blonde hair and blue-green eyes running towards the sea. Jericho's eyes widen. It was him, when he was five years old. Jericho looked at his mother and father, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. They looked so happy. Everything was special back then. Why did it have to change?

"Hey mummy, daddy, Joey!" Another boy ran towards the happy family. This time, Jericho didn't stop the tears from running down his face. It was Grant, his older brother, who died seven years ago.

"Look what I found," Grant said. In his hand, he held four pearl-white scallop shells. Slade smiled as Grant placed the beautiful shells in his hands.

"They're beautiful," he said. "Did you know that scallop shells are sacred to the Greek goddess of love, beauty and desire?"

"What's her name, daddy?" Young Joseph said with excitement.

"Aphrodite," Slade answered.

"One day, will she help me find the love of my life?"Joseph asked. "Just like she did with you and mummy?"

"I bet she can," Slade smiled. "And on that day, you should give her this scallop shell." Out of the four, Slade placed the largest and most beautiful shell into Joseph's palm.

"I promise, daddy," Joseph said. "I promise."

Jericho looked up at the sky. Storm clouds. That means that...

"Adeline, Grant, Joey!" Jericho watched his family run away as the storm started to get stronger. He watched as Joey accidently dropped the scallop shell.

"Wait, daddy," Joey begged. "The shell!"

Jericho sadly watched as Joey ripped his hand from his mother's and ran back to get the shell. He didn't see a massive wave coming for him.

"Joey!" Slade screamed as the wave crashed on to the shore, knocking Joey out and pulling him towards the ocean. Jericho closed his eyes to blink away the tears but when he opened them again, he was floating in the ocean.

Jericho looked around in confusion. Suddenly, his eyes widen in horror as he saw young Joey float softly to the bottom of the ocean. Working quickly, he swam towards the drowning boy and grabbed his wrist. Quickly, he swam to the surface and pulled the boy on to the sand.

Once they were on the sand, Jericho placed his head on the boy's chest. Thank goodness, his heart was still beating. Jericho waited patiently until Joey opened his eyes.

"Who are you?" the little boy asked. Jericho shook his head.

"Did you save me?" Joey asked again. Jericho nodded.

"Thank you," the little boy said. Joey looked at the shell in his hand and then back at Jericho.

"Will you take this shell?" he asked. "And give it to the one you love?"

"Joey!" a voice cried. It was Slade and Grant. "Joey, where are you?"

"Promise?" Joey begged. Jericho nodded sadly as he took the shell.

"Thank you," Joey smiled and then he ran off towards his brother and father. Jericho felt his head start to spin and that's when everything went black.

When Jericho opened his eyes, he was in a hospital. This time, he didn't stop the tears. He knew where he was and he knew what had just happened.

"This is all your fault!" a voice screamed. Jericho turned to see his parents fighting.

"It was an accident!"Slade yelled back.

"No, it wasn't!" Adeline screamed. "Why did you have to do this?! Now, because you wouldn't do what Jackel asked, our son is lying in a hospital bed on the edge of life and death! What can you say to that?!"

"Mr and Mrs Wilson," a voice hesitantly said. Jericho, Adeline and Slade turned to see a nurse. Jericho felt his stomach lurch violently, bile starting burn his throat.

"I have some news," she said as Slade and Adeline stared at her with wide eyes.

"Joseph is okay," she said. "He's just woken up."

Without waiting to hear the rest, Slade and Adeline ran down to the room where Joey was lying. Jericho followed, clutching his stomach and breathing heavily.

Cheshire and Robin kneeled beside Jericho's unconscious body, concern filling their faces as Jericho's breathing started to quicken.

"What's going on?!" Herald yelled from inside the mirror as he smashed his fists against the glass.

"Just remain calm," Aphrodite said as she combed her hair. "Give him time. He'll be okay."

"My baby," Adeline sobbed as she clutched Joey to her. Slade had tears rolling down his face as he watched his son cry. Jericho looked everywhere, except at the sight of his mother. Suddenly, his eyes landed on a vase. Inside the vase, there was different types of flowers but the one that stood out the most was a single red rose. Aphrodite's rose. Quickly, he grabbed it and walked out of the room.

Just as he left, he heard the dreaded question.

"Joey, why aren't you saying anything?" Then, everything went black again.

When Jericho opened his eyes again, his heartbeat started to slow down. He knew where he was. He walked to the corner and sat down to wait. One minute later, Jericho watched the memory-Jericho walked out and sat on the ground with his guitar. Another minute later, the door opened. Memory-Jericho turned to see Kole walked over.

"You're Jericho, aren't you?" she asked, smiling. "I'm Kole."

Memory-Jericho smiled at her. Kole pointed at the guitar.

"You play?" Memory-Jericho moved his hand in a way that said "kind of."

"Will you play for me?" Kole asked hopefully. Memory-Jericho nodded and started to play. Jericho smiled as Kole's eyes widen at the tune. Carefully, she started to sing along.

"Baby, you light up my world like no body else.

The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed.

But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell.

You don't know, oh, oh, you don't know you're beautiful.

If only you saw what I can see,

You'd understand why I want you so desperately.

Right now, I'm looking at you and I can't believe.

You don't know, oh, oh, you don't know you're beautiful.

Oh, oh, oh.

That's what makes you beautiful."

Jericho smiled as Memory-Jericho stopped playing and placed his fingers under Kole's chin. Kole's eyes widen as Memory-Jericho started to mouth something to her. Jericho knew what it was. Kole's eyes started to fill with tears as she said the words that Memory-Jericho was trying to say.

"That's what makes you beautiful," she breathed as Memory-Jericho pressed his lips to hers. Suddenly Jericho felt something on his shoulder. He turned his head to see a white dove looking at him.

"Time to come home, Jericho," it said and everything went black.

"Jericho," Aphrodite said as Jericho's eyes started to flutter open. He sat up and looked around.

"Have you found the items?" Aphrodite asked.

Jericho nodded and reached into his pocket. He pulled out the rose and shell but then he remembered the dove. His eyes widen in horror as he frantically looked for the bird but all he could find was a feather. Aphrodite smiled as she took the three items. Jericho watched in awe as Aphrodite placed the feather on Herald's mirror and handed the rose and shell to Robin and Cheshire. Robin looked at his hands and grinned as they turned youthful. Cheshire looked at her mirror again to see her normal face. Herald's mirror started to rattle and two lights came out, spinning around his mirror, carefully forming his body.

"Jericho!" Herald cried joyfully as Jericho ran over to him and hugged him. Cheshire and Robin joined the while Aphrodite smiled.

"You have done well," she said as she handed her mirror over. "The mirror is yours." Jericho took the mirror and placed it in his pocket. Aphrodite then turned and waved her hand, revealing a door.

"Your next quest is through this door," Aphrodite said. "Farewell." And then, she disappeared.

Grabbing each others hands, Cheshire, Robin, Herald and Jericho walked through the door and found themselves face-to-face with Minotaur.

"Good day again, young mortals," he said. "My ring is hidden in this maze. Choose a path separately and follow it. But beware, your worst nightmares are hidden inside so good luck."

Cheshire hugged each of the boys and walked down the first path. Robin shook Herald and Jericho's hands

and took the second path. Herald and Jericho gave each other a quick, brotherly hug and then parted, Herald going down the third path and Jericho going down the forth.

I am completely, utterly, totally and absolutely sorry that it's taken me so long to update but I eventually got it. Hope you guys like it. And you're allowed to complain if you didn't like the song pick but I thought it was appropriate and sweet. I chose it in favour for the one direction fans who like this story and two of my special family members who are massive fans. Hope you like this. P.S I'm thinking of writing a Beastboy/Raven story using one direction songs. If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them in. Until next time, Sunset Siren Curse.