A/N: And here is chapter four! Leave reviews everyone! The whole thing at the end of the last chapter with Apollo will be revealed. Anyone got a pairing for Bianca? She's sixteen, since I changed her age in the previous story.
Skymuse: Helen won't be a major character, so don't worry about her stealing the spotlight. Percy and Zoë will be the main focus, with maybe a couple POV's with Apollo, Triton, and Helen. Helen won't be powerful either since she's a newborn god.
-X-
Zoë had never imagined that she would die by falling into the Grand Canyon. To be honest, she used to think she would die hunting some dangerous monster with Artemis and the other huntresses. Then, after she reunited with Percy, she always pictured growing old with him before dying. Of course, that was unlikely considering that they were demigods. So all in all, truly expected to go down during a fight, which was kind of half true in this case.
The spirit indirectly killed her by cracking the glass to begin with, and the debris finished it. She saved the kids but not the satyr . . . but you can't get everything you want; you have to be able to be satisfied with what you've got. If Zoë was fated to die today, then she was happy she died while rescuing three kids who couldn't survive on their own. She helped those weaker than her, and sacrificed her life in the process. For some reason, that thought brought Thalia to mind.
Was this what it felt like for her when she sacrificed herself to save Luke, Annabeth, and Grover? Did she not mind dying because she had done something for the greater good? Granted, Luke and Annabeth turned out to be traitors, but at the time they were probably nice people: Thalia's only family. Zoë wondered if the daughter of Zeus had felt something similar to what Zoë was feeling.
As soon as she was about to accept her death, and ear-splitting birdcall ripped through the night, louder than the winds, thunder and rain. Something flew beneath her, and caught her. She wasn't going to lie; it hurt. But on the bright side, she was no longer falling. She grabbed on tightly to whatever had rescued her and then shifted herself so she was sitting comfortably. When she took a closer look at what she had landed on, she realized that it was a giant raven.
The wingspan of the bird was probably five yards, and the bird itself—from beak to tail feathers—was maybe six or seven yards long. The feather were a beautiful fusion of an amethyst purple and obsidian-black, making the raven look like some kind of alpha bird that had descended from royalty.
The raven increased speed, letting out another violent screech. It soared through the sky, heading for the chariot, which was just a dot on the horizon now. Spirits tried to block their path, but the raven would caw loudly before either impaling them with its beak or clawing them with its talons. The raven was lethal, much like Zoë.
It was fast too—faster than the spirits. The raven swiftly caught up with the chariot, slowing to a steady pace. Butch and the three kids stared at her in bewilderment.
"What the hell are you riding?" Butch asked finally.
Zoë shrugged. "No idea."
"You're dangerous," The curly-haired kid said, "My type."
"You're type is girls that are out of your league, Leo," The girl reprimanded.
"Well then I'm definitely your type. I'm out of your league for many different reasons," Zoë replied, her thoughts drifting to a certain green-eyed boy.
Leo leaned against the side of the chariot and shot her a suggestive look. "No one is ever out of my league."
"Leave her alone, Repair Boy," the girl ordered.
Leo held up his hands in surrender. "Jeez, sorry, Piper. Didn't know you controlled my love life."
Piper rolled her eyes. Zoë noticed that she was staying very close—closer than usual—to the blond boy. Were they dating? Zoë recognized that love-struck glint in the girl's eyes; Zoë saw it in the mirror everyday. To avoid further flirtation by the Latino jokester, Zoë swerved the raven away from the chariot, far enough to be free of chatter, but still in sight. Zoë looked down at the raven and softly stroked the feathers on the top of its head. What are you, Zoë thought curiously.
I'm a raven, obviously. I thought you were supposed to be intelligent?
Zoë jumped and nearly toppled off the raven in shock. A voice had answered in her head. She looked at the bird. Was it possible that—
Of course it was me, you unknowledgeable human.
Zoë stared at the bird and then spoke a question aloud.
"How can I understand you?" She asked.
She heard a mental scoff. You're rather slow, aren't you?
"Well excuse me for being shocked by a talking raven, you bird-brained idiot!" Zoë responded vehemently.
Calling me bird-brained is like me calling you human-brained. It is an actual fact, not an insult, the raven replied with an air of factuality.
"You are extremely annoying," Zoë commented. "Now can you please explain where you came from, what you are, and how you got here?"
Oh, I'm sorry, my bird-brain can't process all those questions at once. Mind asking them slowly and one at a time? The raven responded sarcastically.
Zoë snorted. "For a raven, you are a huge smartass. Can you answer my questions now?"
She could almost picture the raven rolling its eyes. I am the one called Corvus.
He said it with a sense of glory, like he expected her to recognize the name. She didn't.
"Um, okay?" She replied, frowning at Corvus from her perch.
She heard a gasp filled with feigned offense. You mean you don't know me? I'm famous!
Zoë sighed. "I'm getting tired of your shit, Corvus. Tell me what is going on. Now."
You're rather feisty, Corvus muttered. When she didn't answer, Corvus continued.
Do you know what type of bird I am?
"A raven?" It sounded more like a question than an answer.
Bingo! Corvus shouted in her mind. Now, which god is the patron of ravens, my dear Zoë?
Zoë racked her brain for an answer. She was terrible with most mythology, unless it had something to do with Atlas or Artemis. Instead of trying to figure out who was the patron of ravens, she decided to pick off the list of gods and goddesses that would actually help her.
Artemis was attributed with deer, wolves (which are partially Apollo's domain), and falcons, so she was out. Poseidon was known for horses, Pegasi, and sea creatures—Corvus was obviously not one of those. Corvus was a flying animal, so she thought about Zeus, but thought better of it. The king of the gods wasn't exactly fond of the daughter of Atlas. Triton and Amphitrite were out for the same reasons as Poseidon. That only left . . .
"Apollo?" Zoë asked.
Correct, Corvus replied. I'm one of his immortal servants—a colossal, awesome, beautiful, and deadly raven.
"I see you take after Apollo in terms of modesty and vocabulary," Zoë mumbled.
Then another fact hit her. "Corvus is Latin for raven, isn't it?"
Yep.
"So . . . you are a raven named Raven? That's rather creative," Zoë remarked sarcastically, an amused smile gracing her lips.
Oh, ha-ha, Corvus responded, I have a terrible name. Laugh it up. Anyway, Apollo has ordered me to stay with you until you are reunited with Peppy.
"You mean Percy."
Yes, yes, Pablo. Oh look! We are here!
Zoë looked ahead of them, and could clearly see the Empire State Building on the horizon. They had arrived back in New York already? How fast were they—
Extremely fast. I might have—kind of—totally left your friends in the dust. They were going way too slow. Plus, the Pegasus named Guido was annoying me. I did not wish to be near him.
Zoë groaned, turning Corvus around. She was going to have a long eight months if she was stuck with this bird . . .
-X-
Zoë stood on the shore of the lake, watching the four chariot riders get blown off with the giant fans that the Hephaestus cabin had created.
"NO!" Will Solace shouted from the crowd. "What did you do to our chariot?"
Zoë rolled her eyes as the Apollo cabin practically hurled themselves into the lake to fetch the sinking chariot. She watched as Hephaestus claimed the annoying kid—Leo. It was weird; Hephaestus normally had bulky, ripped children, not scrawny kids. The Hephaestus cabin was known for working the forges, and Zoë wasn't sure Leo could do that unless he had some kind of muscles.
That boy is ugly. He looks one of the worms I sometimes eat. And that girl over there is terrible at singing. Who does she think she is, Miley Cyrus?
Zoë pinched the bridge of her nose as Corvus continued to throw silent insults at the passing campers. She quickly explained who Corvus was to Chiron, and he agreed to allow the raven to remain in the camp. Zoë listened to the trio's story and learned that the blond kid—Jason—had amnesia. It was a rare and weird occurrence, but not heard of.
"Piper," Zoë said, deciding to break the news about the Mist and fake relationships to her, "I'm going to give you a tour. Leo, go with Nyssa. And Chiron will take you, Jason."
Everyone nodded and went their separate ways. Before Zoë went off with Piper, she pointed an accusing finger at Corvus.
"Behave," She ordered.
Who? Me? Was Corvus's sardonic response.
Zoë scowled at her raven before gesturing for Piper to follow her by nodding her head slightly. The girl was admittedly beautiful; she had choppy-brown hair and swirling, kaleidoscopic eyes that seemed to shift colors with her mood swings. When Drew had insulted her by calling her something along the lines of Dumpster Girl, her eyes had morphed into a frightening—yet enthralling—shade of amethyst. Whenever the boy—Jason—glanced at her, her eyes would shift to an optimistic emerald, before switching to a pale blue.
Zoë and Piper passed by the volleyball court, the pavilion, the Big House, and a majority of the cabins until Zoë was prepared to deal with the elephant in the room. Deciding it wouldn't ben good to break the news to Piper in public, she decided on leading her to Rachel's cave.
Rachel was the newest mortal host of the oracle, and for a while had been Zoë's romance rival; Rachel admitted to having a rather large crush on Percy, but was forbidden from making a move since the oracle is barred from having romantic partners, sexual or not. Let's just say that Zoë and Rachel's relationship skyrocketed once she was unable to have any romantic ordeals. Yes, Zoë had been jealous. She was possessive when it came to Percy.
Piper chuckled nervously. "You aren't leading me to be killed, are you?"
Zoë laughed. It was one of the few times she had actually embraced humor since Percy had been kidnapped.
"No, I just need to talk to you about something . . . private."
Piper frowned, but Zoë ignored her and led her into the cave. Rachel had decorated the cave nicely; red couches and seats dotted the cavern, complete with rugs, tables, and even a flat screen TV mounted on the side of the rock wall. A single, queen-sized bed rested in the back corner of the cave, made up pristinely. Rachel was, unfortunately, not at camp; she had agreed to go to some type of all-girls school for her father. Rachel probably wouldn't be back for months.
Zoë gestured at the couch. While Piper sat on the sofa, Zoë sat on an ottoman just in front of the couch. The daughter of Atlas put her elbows on her knees, and rested her chin on her fists.
"Look," Zoë said, "I'm going to give this to you straight. I won't beat around the bush."
Piper frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"From what I've heard about Jason's amnesia, your past relationship has been a trick of the Mist the whole time," Zoë stated bluntly. "In more simple terms. Nothing that happened was actually real."
Piper's mouth opened a bit, and she shook her head in denial. "N-No, it was real I swear!"
"Piper—"
"I remember so vividly," Piper cut in. "It took me a month to get the big idiot to kiss me . . . we were on the roof of the academy. Zoë, I promise you that it was real! Jason just has—I don't know—a concussion or something! I'm sure the memory loss is just temporary!"
"Piper, what is Jason's last name?" Zoë asked seriously.
Piper's blabbering ceased. She looked frightened. "I-I—"
"Do you know if he has siblings? Do you know his mother or father's names?"
Piper looked defeated. A few tears slipped out quietly and slowly increased to sobbing. Knowing what the terrible heartbreak felt like—she had been separated from Percy for thousands of years—Zoë stood from the ottoman and sat next to her, before giving her a hug.
"I'm so sorry, Piper," Zoë whispered to the weeping brunette.
Piper lifted her head. "You k-know what I feel like, d-don't you?"
Zoë frowned. "Um—"
Piper chuckled a bit. "I-I don't know how I know, but I can feel it. You're in love, aren't you?"
Zoë looked bewildered. Considering this strange affinity for sensing love and the kaleidoscopic eyes, Zoë had a pretty good guess who Piper's her mother was. She blinked her obsidian eyes.
"Yes, to both questions. Come on, let's get you cleaned up before we go back. You look like a wreck, no offense."
-X-
Helen swallowed hard as Zeus's electric-blue eyes scanned her. The twelve Olympians were present in the throne room, along with Triton and Amphitrite. Helen hadn't hit a milestone since her twelve-year-old form, so she still looked like a preteen. She assumed that gaining her domains would push her through another milestone.
Her sea green eyes darted around nervously, desperately trying not to make eye contact with the king of the gods, who was admittedly quite intimidating.
Especially when his fingers kept caressing his Master Bolt.
"Does anyone have any objections to the second-born child of Poseidon and Amphitrite receiving her domains?" Zeus asked, looking around.
No one objected—Helen's mood increased dramatically. She saw Poseidon wink at her from his throne, even though she knew he wasn't particularly happy with her disobeying his wishes. But Helen didn't want to be kept like a pet down in Atlantis; she wanted to be strong-willed and independent like Triton.
Zeus nodded. "Very well. I will contact the Moirai."
Zeus closed his eyes, clearly having a mental conversation. With a loud pop and a blinding flash, the Fates stood in front of Helen, each one staring at her critically.
One cleared her throat. "We approve."
Without another word, the three of them touched their index fingers to Helen's forehead and closed their eyes. Helen felt unimaginable power seep into her core—she felt like she had just stepped into a scalding hot shower after sitting in a pile of snow an eternity. The warmth was so refreshing, like she had just bathed for the first time in months. Helen closed her eyes and sighed contently as the feeling of warmth travelled through her veins, from her head to her toes.
The Moirai stepped back. "All hail Helen, daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite, goddess of Defiance, Revolutions, Improvisation, and minor goddess of the sea."
A/N: So there we go! Some people were worried about Helen being super duper over powered and all that stuff, but don't worry. She will only be a minor character. The main reason she exists is because if I didn't have enough characters, I would completely run out of POV's to go to. While Percy is asleep, I only have Apollo, Zoë, and Helen to work with. Since this is a story, I seriously doubt you would want to read it if I went through Jason's quest in detail. Because of that, something has to fill in for that gap, and Helen was sort of a spur of the moment kind of character. I have to sort of improvise until I reach the Son of Neptune stage, where I can focus on Percy. So sorry if you hate, Helen. She won't be super important.