Author's Note: Heyo. Just wanted to thank anyone who's reading my story because I know it's not the greatest. I had something I wanted to say here but I forget it right now.
(Insert classic disclaimer HERE)
Another thing that sucks about being a half-blood is that you have tons of siblings. So whenever anything horrible, secret, or even mildly embarrassing happens to you, they know, and they never let you forget it. Now, speaking hypothetically here, let's say that a few mysterious and very powerful new demigods show up. You have the dubious honor of showing them around. Everything goes wrong and they attack you, almost beating you. Then, you show up late for dinner totally caked in mud and sweating like a dog. Your siblings absolutely rip you apart. And what do you think happened to me?
You guessed right! It was exactly what I just said. When Cathy and I walked in, amid cat-calling, whistles, and jeers, the Athena table erupted into a flurry of speculation. She sat at the end of the table for the older campers (age-wise, not seniority) while I sat in between Ben and Tom, who are both my age. "So, did a pegasus swoop down from the sky and try to take you away?" asked over-imaginative Ben.
"No, I think she was just meeting her boyfriend in the woods for a romantic stroll. Right, witch?" teased Tom. It really wasn't fair to joke about witches, not with the Hecate campers really being witches and warlocks, but the name Hermione lent itself to a lot of jokes involving magic. As to where the boyfriend came from, I'm not really sure. "I think something happened, don't you, Ben?" he continued.
"I don't have a boyfriend, you idiot!" I protested.
"I still think something tried to abduct her," Ben insisted. I told them what really happened, and then they went back to debating theories. My favorite was the one that had me as the damsel in distress and being saved by a giant over-sized spider, which all of the Athena campers are afraid of.
"Attention for the announcements," shouted Chiron over the racket we had been making.
"Well, first I'm supposed to say that a few more little brats have been added to your silly camp. Izzy Fountain, daughter of Hecate," I caught a glimpse of Isis's dark red hair over in the corner of the pavilion reserved for half-bloods that made everyone else nervous shaking as she laughed at Mr. D's version of her name. "Ally and Simon Barker, children of Hades." Abigail and Scott were listening to their Ipod at the nearly empty Hades table, next to the Hecate table. "James, undetermined." Julian was not present. "And Molly, daughter of Poseidon." Maria was arm wrestling Paul Windsor, her head counselor, and winning. Chiron leaned down and whispered something to Mr. D. "Oh, I mean Isis Fontana, Abigail and Scott Brennan, Julian, and Maria. I'm so sorry, I'm sure. Capture the flag is canceled tonight due to the excitement earlier today." A cry of protest rose from the crowd, but I said nothing. I was too tired. So were Cathy and Brian, who had had his butt kicked by a new camper. He would take extra sword-fighting lessons, I was sure.
When I fell asleep, I fell into uneasy dreams. For me, dreams are never just dreams. They either tell me the future, show me what's up elsewhere, or carry messages from my friend, daughter of the dream god. Tonight, it was current events.
I was in the throne room at Mount Olympus. Yes, I have been there before, on a class trip. Lord Zeus looked, well, thunderous. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the Oracle of Delphi, was cowering at his feet, very sheepishly. The other gods gathered around, wearing mixed expressions of confusion and fear. "The Spirit of Delphi has spoken a prophecy!" he proclaimed. "She has declared that those whom I trust shall betray me and bring my downfall. She mentioned water and darkness and children."
"Perhaps it would be helpful to hear the exact wording?" suggested Mother Athena.
"Very well. Oracle?" Lord Zeus commanded.
She recited in the voice of the Spirit of Delphi:
Betrayed you shall be by those whom you trust,
Centuries of brotherhood crumble from rust.
Children of great ones speeding the fall,
Water and darkness shall rise above all.
"So you see? Something must be done," Zeus roared.
"Brother, calm down. The prophecy has many possible meanings," insisted Demeter, waving a cornstalk.
"Like what? Seems like that means war is inevitable," yawned Ares, cleaning his fingernails with a blood-stained knife.
"Shut up, Mr. All-blood-no-brains," snapped Lady Artemis. "It could mean anything. We won't know until it's happened."
"She is right. Take the first line, for example. It could mean anyone. My Lord Father trusts many," agreed Athena.
"I know what it means," decided Zeus. "Putting together all of the lines, I can tell that my two brothers will rise against me, and will be victorious unless I stop them now. The children of the Big Three will help them. I plan to get rid of these half-bloods before they can aid in my destruction"
"Father, you're going senile and paranoid in your old age," suggested Apollo.
"Don't tell me what I am. I am still as powerful and strong as ever."
"But Apollo's right," soothed Demeter. "Just because our horrible father took Uranus's throne, and you took his, doesn't mean that anyone's going to try to take your power from you."
"Maybe you should listen to reason, Dad," inserted Athena.
"Besides, if you fight, it will ruin agriculture."
"MOM!" exclaimed Persephone.
"I don't care what you say. You're just trying to help them." He pointed to Hades and Poseidon. "From now on, you are both banished from Olympus! Don't let me ever see you again."
The scene shifted to a forest somewhere. Athena, Artemis, Hestia, and Demeter were in conference with Thalia, Lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis, and Clarisse, head of a group of older demigods dedicated to fighting. "I had hoped that we would be able to calm them down, but Zeus is unwilling to back off. Hades and Poseidon will fight him over it if he doesn't take back his words. We need you to hold off the fighting long enough for us make them see sense," explained Athena. "Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Hera, Hermes, Hephaestus, Eris, Eros, Janus, Nemesis, Hebe, Ganymede, and Dionysus are backing Zeus, along with all of his other children among the minor gods. Poseidon and Hades are working together. Hecate, Morpheus, Iris, Persephone, and us four are helping them. It will most likely turn into a war that will destroy the world if we don't stop it. Not to mention all of the innocent half-bloods that could be killed."
"Innocent?" snickered Demeter.
"Well, a lot less guilty than some I could mention. Cough*Eris*Cough," replied Artemis. Athena nodded.
"You think Eris is behind this?" asked Demeter incredulously. "I know everyone hates her-"
"With good reason." muttered Athena.
"And you still haven't forgiven her for the Golden Apple, but that's no reason to blame someone. It's beside the point that she has no respect for agriculture..."
"It makes sense. And as wisdom goddess, I should know."
"Should," agreed Demeter.
"Let's discuss this later. We need help saving the world," interrupted Artemis.
Clarisse seemed to look directly at me. "We need your help. Go to the Garden of the Gods. We'll meet you there." And with that, I woke up.
Damn. Where was the Garden of the Gods. I vaguely remembered the name, but I couldn't remember it to save my life. I'd have to ask the Oracle. But that could wait. I needed to talk to Annabeth Chase, architect of Olympus. I went outside, where the early morning sun was just beginning to shine, and took out a prism that I used for Iris-Messaging. I threw a drachma into the rainbow. "O goddess, accept my offering. Show me Annabeth Chase, Mount Olympus."
Annabeth had just woken up. She drew her knife, nearly knocking over her steaming coffee. "Who's there?"
"Ms. Chase, it's me- Hermione. I need to ask to ask you something."
"It'd better be important."
"It is. I had a dream. It was a message from Mother and some other goddesses." I explained what I had seen. "They need me to meet them at the Garden of the Gods. Where is that?"
"Colorado Springs, Colorado. Near Denver. I'm afraid your dream was true. The gods are fighting." I heard shouting on her end. "Gotta go. Lord Zeus wants me to take all of the temples to Poseidon out of my plans. Percy will never stand for that." And the message cut off. But how was I to get from New York City to Colorado Springs? Time for a chat with the Oracle.
AN: REVIEWS are to FAN-FICTION as MARSHMALLOW'S are to HOT CHOCOLATE... necessary! So press the lonely little review button down there. Thanx. ;)