Chapter 9

A/N: Wow, so many reviews! Seriously, I can only imagine what was going through your heads as you finished the chapter. I'm actually almost done with this story. My Book 2: Back in Time will be Percy and Annabeth's journey in New York as stated in my previous chapter. You guys should go check it out. I think it's only fair that I answer some more of these reviews.

Megaranger: I can see that the bets were a huge success. Remember that it was my story and I should have a share of the money. Good luck getting to the final chapter. Its seriously secure with boom boxes. (See Book 1: Return of the Olympians for a hint)

Melanie3356: I'm glad you liked it. This was my favorite chapter to write.

SilverMoonGrimm: Gods cannot die, but fade.

Ok everyone, a little heads up! What transpired in the last chapter will be repeated, but with more than two powers. Continue to follow me, and the story will appear. I will give you this one hint: It's the Greeks and Romans against an old enemy. An enemy that nearly cost Percy his life dozens of times. This enemy will make my final stories, so stay tuned.

Percy: Annabeth read it already.

Annabeth: No I didn't!

Percy: Did

Annabeth: Not

Percy: Did

Annabeth: Not

Percy: Not

Annabeth: I knew you'd come to your senses.

Percy: Hades' Underwear!

Hades: HEY!

Me: *facepalm* Anyway, I don't own PJO or HoO. Enjoy!

Hades: Get back here, Sea Spawn!

Percy: Oh Styx

ANYWAY!

3rd POV:

The eyes of the great Athena stayed closed as she rested in the hospital on Olympus. A heart monitor stood nearby and beeped in a lovely rhythm. Lovely because it proved that Athena was alive.

Apollo stood nearby accompanied by Hestia and Artemis. "Is she going to be alright?" Artemis asked.

Apollo nodded. "Poseidon called me just in time. I was just passing over Olympus when he called out to me. If he was a second too late, Athena probably wouldn't be here," he said.

Hestia looked concerned as she approached Athena's bed. "I'm surprised that you haven't written a haiku or something celebrating your rescue," Artemis said.

Apollo shrugged. "Not the right time. Normally, I'd jump at the opportunity to write a haiku, but after hearing what happened, I decided against it."

"My little brother is finally growing up," Artemis remarked.

"Shut up."

As Hestia watched over the Wisdom Goddess, she placed a hand on her forehead. Immediately, a vision entered her mind. It was of her and Poseidon residing in Atlantis with a large crowd of demigods, godlings, and mermaids surrounding them. Athena looked very happy as she stood with the Sea God. Poseidon was finally at peace as his arm was around her waist.

The feeling of love surrounded them both. This kind of love felt different to Hestia. She sensed a third hand in the crowd. A third hand that guided Poseidon's to Athena's. The vision cleared, and she quickly spun around.

"Aphrodite!" she yelled out.

Her sudden outburst scared Apollo and Artemis. A second later, the strong smell of Chanel No. 5 filled the room. "Someone call for the goddess of love?" Aphrodite spoke as she appeared in a cloud of the perfume.

Instead of being the gentle Goddess of the Hearth like everyone thought she was, Hestia grabbed the love goddess by the throat. "You did this to them, did you?!"

Her actions scared Apollo while it entertained Artemis. "I-I have n-no idea what you're talking about," Aphrodite lied.

"You put a love spell over them, didn't you?!"

Aphrodite laughed. "Who would tell you such a thing? I didn't do anything to them, honest," she said.

Hestia looked at Apollo. He was already getting a headache. That only happens when being the God of Truth is a pain in the Minotaur's podex. "She's lying and telling the truth," he said.

Hestia, hearing the news, squeezed harder. "Spill Aphrodite!"

Instead of choking her, Aphrodite turned to dust, and appeared behind Apollo. "Fine. But swear on the River Styx that you won't try to kill me afterward," she demanded.

Apollo rolled his eyes, but Hestia swore on the River Styx. "My original idea, called Operation: Pothena was supposed to be harmless, and it was."

Hestia looked back at Athena. "Strike one," she said.

Aphrodite chuckled. "Anyway, the idea was to get them together so I can enjoy the best tragedy since Romeo and Juliet. You know, forbidden love and usually ends in something—"

"Like death? Poseidon hasn't returned to Olympus, and Athena is fighting for her life. Is this what you wanted?!" Hestia screamed.

Aphrodite shook her head. "I planned on ending the spell before Zeus fought Poseidon, but the magic didn't respond. It was almost like the magic wasn't there to begin with."

Hestia raised an eyebrow. "How can magic just not be there?" Artemis asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It's absurd," Apollo said.

"Shut up Apollo," Hestia and Artemis said at the same time.

Apollo chuckled. "Well, I tried everything. When Poseidon confessed that he loved Athena, the spell destroyed my mirror. I later found out that I used a temporary spell on Poseidon only. That's how this all happened in the first place," Aphrodite said.

"So you caused this hurricane?" Hestia asked.

Aphrodite laughed. "Honey, I don't have that much power. That was Poseidon's fault. I just simply took advantage of the opportunity by setting up the greatest plan I've ever created next to Percabeth!"

Suddenly, there was a low moan. Hestia jumped as the grey eyes of Athena opened. "Aphrodite, are you there?"

Aphrodite smiled and approached the wisdom goddess. "I'm here hun," she said.

Apollo smiled. "It's a trap," he whispered to where only Artemis could here. She rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smirk. "Come closer," Athena said.

Aphrodite leaned in closer to Athena. Suddenly, Athena's hand shot straight toward Aphrodite's neck. Unlike Hestia's grip, Athena's was stronger. It felt like steel clamps were on her neck. "If you ever mess with my emotions again, I'll send you to Uncle Hades for the rest of eternity. And I'll have Poseidon help me, since he almost sent Zeus to the Underworld."

That grabbed all of the gods' attention. "WHAT?!" they all said at once.

Athena's eyes widened. "Oh Us, I remember all of it!" She shot straight up, and lay back down. "Serves him right, trying to control me."

Apollo shook his head. "Poseidon almost sent Zeus to the Underworld?! When was this?"

Athena sat up, and winced. She lifted the sheet, and winced. Her bare side revealed a deep wound. The wound, which still smelled like lightning, was charred. "Yikes! How am I alive?"

"Not important at the moment. What happened between Zeus and Poseidon?!" Apollo exclaimed.

That earned him three backslaps from the three goddesses. Athena lowered the sheet, and began to tell the whole story from the Montauk shack to when she made her final stand against her father. Artemis' jaw was touching the floor while Hestia had a sorrow look on her face. Aphrodite was wiping away tears while listening to her favorite love quarrel. This earned a pillow to her make-up plastered face.

When she finished, Apollo was pacing around in the hospital. "Oh Us indeed. I'm being serious here, OK. I've never heard of such a thing before in my immortal life. Two Olympian powers colliding is very dangerous," he said.

Artemis chuckled. "I should probably reconsider my virgin oath as well. Knowing that Poseidon risked his immortality just to say that he loves you is shocking. Sorry," she said.

Athena turned red. She still wasn't used to the fact that Poseidon loved her and that he screamed it for the world to know. Now Atlantis was going to party, knowing that their long feud turned into a relationship. She chuckled at the pun.

Realization dawned on her, and she searched the room. Poseidon wasn't there. "How did I get here, anyway?"

"Poseidon asked me to get you proper medical treatment. He stopped the hurricane all by himself, and then he just disappeared. I've been trying to reach him via IM, but I can't get a connection. I lost 50 drachmas in one sitting," Apollo said.

Artemis rolled her eyes. "He just disappeared. No one has heard from him in a month," he said.

Athena's eyes widened. "I've been asleep for a whole month?!"

"Oops," Apollo muttered.

Artemis smacked him over the head. "Even his throne and temple here are gone. It's like Zeus banished him or something," she said.

Immediately, rage started to build up inside Athena. She clenched her fists, and was about to throw up the covers, but remembered her predicament. "Apollo, get out of here," she said.

"But this is my hospital," he protested.

"NOW!"

Apollo shrieked and sped away, closing the door behind him. Athena threw up the covers. "Ladies, a little help here. I don't have any power," she said.

Zeus paced the Throne Room. He didn't receive any news concerning his daughter in the recent month, and now Apollo was running away from his hospital as if for dear life. Hermes clutched his caduceus as he ran past, but he didn't pay him any attention.

Zeus sighed, and sat down on his throne. Demeter was still ranting about cereal while Ares looked for explosive duct tape for the agricultural goddess. Hephaestus was busy tightening a bolt in his chair to stop the creaking (much to the displeasure of the whole throne room). Dionysus was busy reading yet another magazine while Hera was reading one of Athena's encyclopedias. Prometheus and Calypso were busy chatting about the world they were a part of and the benefits of being gods instead of Titan allies.

Zeus pulled out a spare drachma, and started flipping it. Finally, Apollo appeared. Hermes was still on guard. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

"Really?"

"Well, not here anyway," Apollo said.

Hermes threw his hands up. "I'm out!" he declared. He rose from his seat.

"No you're not. Sit down!" Zeus boomed.

Hermes quickly sat back down. "What of the news of my daughter?" he asked.

Immediately, everyone stopped what they were doing. Demeter finally shut up right when Ares found the duct tape. Hephaestus stopped screwing in the bolt, and set his wrench down. Apollo rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, well—"

"ZEUS!" someone declared.

Everyone looked up, and there was Athena in a makeshift toga made out of the bed sheets. She had no choice but to hold it up because of the lack of support. She was fuming red as she stomped into the throne room. Zeus rose from his seat, and walked toward her.

Before he could hug his daughter, Athena pushed his arms out. "How dare you banish Poseidon!" she started.

Immediately, all heads turned to the spot where Poseidon's throne used to sit. Everyone glared at the King of the Gods. "I never banished him! He didn't give me a chance because of something you did, daughter! What is the meaning of this?!"

Athena took a step back. "Oh, you don't know? Poseidon's gone! After he kicked your podex, he single-handedly stopped Hurricane Romana and disappeared! No one has seen him since, all thanks to you!"

Everyone shifted in their seats. "I will have none of this, daughter! Go to your temple, and we'll discuss this later, once Poseidon decides to join us!"

Strike 1. "You really think he will return? Because of you, he may never come back!"

Prometheus stood up. "What have you done, Lord Zeus? Why does she say it was your fault?" he demanded.

"Shut up and sit down, Prometheus!" Zeus boomed.

Calypso stood up. "How dare you, Lord Zeus! Explain to us what you've done wrong!"

"YEAH!" demanded every single Olympian.

Zeus sighed and turned away from his daughter. "I-I almost killed Poseidon," he said.

Everyone gasped. "Because he was about to break my daughter's virgin oath. He would've ruined Athena's entire life had I not stepped in!"

"That's a lie and you know it!" someone boomed.

Everyone turned around, and there was Poseidon. He was in full battle armor with his trident in his hands. He walked into the throne room. Behind him, whispers filled the chamber.

"Poseidon," breathed Athena.

Poseidon didn't respond. He marched right up to the King of the Gods. "I did not plan on breaking your daughter's virgin oath, and you know it. You don't trust me with her heart, so you practically forced her to give up on the one chance of love she had! You treat her like a little child every day, and this was to make sure that she stays ready until you said otherwise," he said.

Zeus scoffed. "And why not? I know your past, Poseidon! You've been with mortal after mortal after mortal with little remorse. You violated the pact we made during WWII just to father another child and fill his mind up with empty hopes!"

Everyone gasped. "How dare you. One, it is the nature of the gods to forever chase after mortals, I will admit that. Second, It was you who broke the pact, twice if I may add. Thrice, my son has done what no demigod has ever dared to do! He defeated Kronos, united the Greeks and Romans, and defeated Gaia in one lifetime. All of that in one year to be exact! Those were not empty hopes, Zeus! Those were words of encouragement because any demigod would've given up at the sight of Kronos!"

"But—"

"That's it! I've had enough of this! When you are ready to apologize, I will open Atlantis for everyone. Until then, have fun with your meetings without me, because this is the last time you'll ever see me on Olympus!" Poseidon stamped his trident on the ground. "Until you apologize, I will shut down the sea, and unleash my fury on what you hold dear, Zeus! No one here deserves my rage, and they will be protected, along with their loved ones. It'll be you, Zeus, who will witness the true nature of an enraged sea!"

With a simple twist of the trident, Poseidon disappeared from Olympus. All the Olympians stood and stared in horror. Athena was the most terrified at Poseidon's rage. Zeus tried to put a hand on his daughter, but she flicked it off. "Have fun without your daughter, Zeus."

With the wave of a hand, her throne disappeared. With the flick of a wrist, she disappeared as well. Everyone turned to Zeus with anger in their faces.

"Not cool, Zeus."

"Not your best decision."

"Purely disrespectful."

"Poseidon was right. You're unfit to rule."

"No amount of cereal will change this."

The whole room dispersed. All the thrones disappeared, except Zeus'. He quietly sat down, and laid back. He let his mind wander before he closed his eyes. "Chaos, what have I done?"

A/N: What do you think? Leave a comment below and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Had to make it longer. It would work better with the two scenes. At least Athena and Poseidon are alive, but probably won't get together for a long period of time. Thank you for reading.

-Unknown