Disclaimer: Percy Jackson and all related characters belong to Rick Riordan.
They stood side by side and entered the throne room. The twelve thrones were set up in a U shape. The cabins at Camp Half-Blood were modeled in the same way. A hearth stood in the center of the room and the ceiling glittered with constellations. The Ophiotaurus was floating in its orb beside the hearth. Each throne was occupied by a god. Zeus was in the middle of the twelve thrones. Hera's throne was to the right of him. Ares was beside Hera and Aphrodite sat beside him. Hephaestus sat beside his wife. Hermes sat on the other side of the forge god and Demeter was at the end. Poseidon sat to the left of Zeus. Athena sat next to him and Apollo and Artemis sat beside Athena. Dionysus was on the end. The gods were about fifteen feet tall. All twelve of the gods turned to face Percy, Annabeth and Thalia at the exact same time. Percy gulped, having twelve powerful beings stare at you was far worse than all of the monsters that he had just faced.
"Welcome, heroes." Artemis said.
"Moooo!"
Percy looked around. He didn't realize that Bessie and Grover were in the room. Bessie was playing in his orb and Grover was still kneeling in front of Zeus.
"You made it!" Grover said when he saw his friends. He stood up and began to run towards Percy. He hesitated for a moment and looked back towards Zeus, waiting to get permission to see his friends.
"Go on." Zeus said. He wasn't paying attention to Grover. Instead, he was staring at Thalia.
Grover ran to his friends. His hooves echoed across the floor because the gods were watching silently. As he went to them. Percy and his friends looked towards their parents. Athena smiled slightly when she caught Annabeth's eyes, Thalia and Zeus were staring at each other, and Percy looked nervously at his father. Poseidon nodded his head in a subtle way that stated its okay.
Grover hugged Annabeth and Thalia. Then he grabbed Percy's arms. "Percy, Bessie and I made it! But you need to convince them! They can't do it!"
"Do what?" Percy asked.
"Heroes," Artemis called. She slid off her chair and turned to human size. She walked towards Percy. "The Council has been informed of your deeds. They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."
A few of the gods groaned. They had barely talked about whether or not they should act. By the looks of it, they'd have to intervene.
"At my lord Zeus's command, my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters. We plan to strike them down before they even get a chance to join the Titans'. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure that they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. Ana as for you, my heroes..." Artemis turned to face the other Olympians. "These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service, would anyone here deny that?"
Artemis slowly looked around at each of the gods. Percy also looked at each of the gods. He recognized all of them but Hermes and Aphrodite were the only ones who acknowledged him. Aphrodite smiled and Hermes winked at Percy.
"I gotta say," Apollo began. He figured that someone should break the silence. "These kids did okay." He cleared his throat and began to recite: "Heroes win laurels-"
"Um... yes, first class." Hermes interrupted, causing Apollo to glare at him from across the room. "All in favor of not disintegrating them?" A few of the gods' hands went up. Demeter and Aphrodite were the first to put there hands up.
"Wait just a minute," Ares growled. He pointed at Thalia and Percy. "These two are dangerous. It'd be much safer, while we've got them here-"
"Ares," Poseidon interrupted, "the two are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son into bits."
"Nor my daughter." Zeus grumbled. "She has done well." Thalia blushed and studied the floor.
Athena cleared her throat and leaned forward in her throne. "I am proud of my daughter as well. But there is a risk here with the other two."
"Mother!" Annabeth protested. "How can you-" Athena cut her daughter off with a calm but firm look.
"It is unfortunate that my father, Zeus, and my uncle, Poseidon, chose to break their oath of not having any more children. Only Hades kept his word, a fact that I find ironic As we know from the Great Prophecy, children of the three elder gods, such as Thalia and Percy, are dangerous. As thickheaded as he may be, Are has a point."
"Right!" Ares declared. "Hey wait a minute. Who are you callin' th-" He had started to get up but a grape vine grew around his waist, like a seat belt, and pulled him back down.
"Oh, please, Ares." Dionysus sighed. "Save the fighting for later."
Ares cursed and quickly ripped away the vine. "You're one to talk, you old drunk. Do you honestly want to protect these brats?"
Dionysus slowly looked over at Percy and his friends. "I have no love for them. Athena, do you truly think it is safest to destroy them?"
"I didn't pass judgment." Athena said. "I simply pointed out the risk. Whatever we do, the Council shall decide."
"I will not have them punished!" Artemis said. "I will have them rewarded. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it."
"Calm down sis," Apollo said. "Jeez, you need to lighten up."
"Don't. Call. Me. Sis. And never tell a girl to lighten up." Artemis snapped.
"I will reward them." She said in a calmer voice.
"Well," Zeus grumbled. "Perhaps. But the monster at least must be destroyed. Do we have an agreement on that?" Most of the gods nodded their heads.
Percy shook his head when he realized what was going on. "Bessie? You want to destroy Bessie?" He asked.
"Moooooooooooo!" Bessie protested.
Poseidon frowned. "You've named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?" Hermes coughed to cover up what would've been a fit of laughter. Only Poseidon's kid would bother with giving potentially dangerous sea creatures humanlike characteristics.
"Dad," Percy said slowly, "he's just a sea creature. A really, really nice sea creature. You can't destroy him."
Poseidon shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He knew that as the sea god, he shouldn't kill the sea creature... but the creature was powerful. He thought for a moment before he finally spoke. "Percy, the monster's power is considerable, If the titan's were to steal it, or-"
"You can't." Percy insisted. He looked towards Zeus. "Controlling the prophecies never works... Isn't that true? Besides, Bess- the Ophiotaurus is innocent. Killing something like that is wrong. It's just as wrong as..." Percy paused for a moment to think of something that would truly affect the gods. "As Kronos eating his children, just because of something they might do. It's wrong!"
Zeus seemed to consider this. His eyes drifted towards Thalia. Dionysus had told him about the incident with Thalia and the manticore.
"And what about the risk? Kronos knows that if one of you was to sacrifice the beast's entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Do you think we can let that possibility remain? You, my daughter, will turn sixteen on the morrow, just as the prophecy says."
"You have to trust them," Annabeth spoke up. "Sir, you have to trust them."
Zeus frowned. "Trust a hero?"
"Annabeth is right," Artemis said. "This is why I must first make a reward. My faithful companion, Zoƫ Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, Father Zeus, I must speak to you privately."
Zeus beckoned Artemis forward. He leaned down as she whispered to him.
Percy began to panic. Not Annabeth... He thought. "Annabeth," he said under his breath. "Don't."
Annabeth frowned at him. "Don't what?" She asked.
"Look I need to tell you something." He continued. "I couldn't stand it if you were to..." Percy's voice faded. "I don't want you to-"
"Percy?" Annabeth asked. "You look like you're going to be sick."
Artemis turned around. "I shall have a new lieutenant," she announced. "That is if she will accept it."
"No." Percy said under his breath.
"Thalia," Artemis said. "Daughter of Zeus. Will you join the Hunt?"
Everyone was silent. Annabeth turned to Thalia and smiled. She squeezed Thalia's hand and let it go.
"I will." Thalia said.
Zeus rose; his eyes were shadowed with concern. "My daughter, consider well-"
"Father," She said. "I will not turn sixteen tomorrow. I will never turn sixteen. I won't let this prophecy be mine. I stand with my sister Artemis. Kronos will never tempt me again."
Thalia knelt before Artemis and began to say the pledge. "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men..." Then she did something that completely surprised Percy. Thalia walked to Percy, smiled, and gave him a big hug. Percy blushed.
When she pulled away and gripped Percy's shoulders, he asked "Aren't you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean."
"I'm honoring a friend." Thalia said, as if everyone knew what she was doing. "I must join the Hunt, Percy. I haven't known peace since... since Half-Blood Hill. I finally feel like I have a home. But you're a hero. You will be the one of the prophecy."
"Great." Percy muttered.
"I'm proud to be your friend." Then Thalia hugged Annabeth and Grover. Finally, she went to stand by Artemis's side.
"Now for the Ophiotaurus," Artemis said.
"This boy is still dangerous," Dionysus warned. "The beast is a temptation to great power. Even if we spare the boy-"
"No!" Percy said as he looked around at all the gods. "Please. Keep the Ophiotaurus safe. My dad can hide him under the sea somewhere, or keep him in an aquarium here in Olympus. But you have to protect him."
"And why should we trust you?" Hephaestus rumbled.
"I'm only fourteen." Percy said. "If this prophecy is about me, that's two more years."
"Two years for Kronos to deceive you," Athena said. "Much can change in two years, my young hero."
"Mother!" Annabeth said, exasperated.
"It is true my child. It is bad strategy to keep the animal alive. Or the boy."
Poseidon stood up. "I will not have a sea creature destroyed, if I can help it. And I can help it." He held out his hand and his trident appeared. "I will vouch for the boy and the safety of the Ophiotaurus."
"You won't take it under the sea!" Zeus stood up as he spoke.
"Brother please." Poseidon sighed.
Zeus's lightning bolt appeared in his hand.
"Fine," Poseidon said. "I will build an aquarium her and Hephaestus can help. My son won't betray us. I vouch on my honor."
Zeus thought for a moment.
"Fine." He said through gritted teeth. "All in favor?"
Everyone's hands went up... Well almost everyone. Dionysus, Athena, and Ares didn't raise their hands.
"We have a majority." Zeus declared. "And since we won't be destroying these heroes... I imagine we should honor them. Let the triumph celebration begin!"
