We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness.
Vivienne eyed her coffee cautiously. It didn't have tentacles, and it didn't look dangerous, but after the wild series of events she'd been through over the last few days, she wasn't taking any chances.
"Oh come on, Vivienne," Phoebe laughed, noticing her wariness. "It's just coffee, I promise. Give it a try." She handed Vivienne a pink-striped straw and said, "Drink up." Vivienne raised an eyebrow.
"Who drinks coffee with a straw?"
"Nico does," Phoebe chuckled, almost to herself. However, it did not go unnoticed.
"Hey, I remember Nico!" Vivienne exclaimed. He was that guy you were talking to before we left camp. What's his deal?" Phoebe suddenly seemed very interested in her own coffee, looking away from Vivienne.
"He's just a friend," she mumbled. The daughter of Hephaestus contemplated pressing further but eventually decided against it. Looking back down at her untouched drink, she pushed her lips to the straw and took a sip. To her surprise, the coffee was delicious, warm, and soothing… a little too delicious.
"Phoebe," she frowned.
"Uh huh."
"What is this?"
"It's what you asked for," the huntress replied. "A latte." Vivienne shook her head.
"No way this is a latte. It tastes far too good." Phoebe smirked.
"Well, I may or may not have spiked it with some nectar," she said slyly. Staring at her cup, Vivienne gave a shrug and took another, longer sip, now appreciating the delightful taste even more.
"Hey guys!" Atalanta suddenly called out, coming towards them from the other side of the shop. "Look what I made!" Atalanta approached them with a triumphant smile, carefully carrying her coffee cup with both hands to preserve her artistic creation. As she presented her latte work to them, Phoebe squinted at the design.
"What even is that?" she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Is that meant to be an elongated tennis ball?" Vivienne asked. "I mean I can kinda see that." Atalanta rolled her eyes.
"What? No, no, and no! It's yin and yang, you guys!" Unimpressed, Phoebe waved it off dismissively. Vivienne, on the other hand, tried to at least act fascinated by it.
"Oh, I see it now," she lied. "It's really creative, Atalanta." Atalanta beamed at the compliment before telling Phoebe to budge up. She then slid down next to her fellow huntress and opposite Vivienne.
It didn't take Vivienne too long to finish her coffee. The nectar was just the tip of the iceberg. Phoebe had somehow ordered the perfect amount of milk, perfect amount of sugar, and perfect amount of everything down to the last coffee bean. Turning the cup around, she read the name of the company.
"Estelle's Mocha Manor?" She read aloud. "What kind of shop name is that? Way too long in my opinion." Phoebe and Atalanta exchanged a knowing glance.
"It's a famous brand," Phoebe said cautiously. Before this it was called 'Java and Jewels by Estelle,' but its original name was 'Blofis Brews.' Vivienne rolled her eyebrows.
"Wow, the past sounds so lame. I can't believe you named shops after fish." Atalanta chuckled.
"We haven't changed much, believe me. And you can say whatever you want about Estelle's Mocha Manor, but for a small company it did pretty well, making just about five figures in the first month of opening alone…" Vivienne's eyes were wide in shock.
"Wow… That's…"
"Impressive?" Atalanta grinned. "Wait till you hear how much they made this year." Leaning close, she whispered the number into Vivienne's ear, and that left her speechless. "The company started off pretty small, as a hobby more than anything," she explained. "But now it has over fifty different stores across America. Estelle used to compete with some fairly big brands before eventually she retired and let her best friend take care of the company."
Vivienne was impressed by Estelle. She founded a business that still thrives to this day, and earns more than she could even dream of owning. However, she still couldn't wrap her head around the idea of someone making such incredible amounts of money, and then just leaving it all behind.
"Why would anyone leave their company?" she asked. Atalanta shrugged.
"Ambitions, I guess?"
"Well, people often want to pursue other things in life," Phoebe explained. "Running a successful business takes a lot of time and effort, and sometimes, you reach a point where you want to explore different passions." Vivienne chuckled, shaking her head.
"You sure seem to know a lot about Estelle. It's almost like you know her personally," she teased. However, Phoebe's response was dead serious.
"What if I did?" Vivienne paused and blinked in surprise.
"Wait, you mean you actually do? When was Estelle born?" The two hunters shared a frown, as if they were struggling to remember her birthday.
"Just under seven hundred years ago?" Atalanta said, although it came out like a question. Phoebe shook her head.
"No way, are you crazy? She was born just under six hundred years ago, give or take a few decades." Vivienne's mouth fell open in awe.
"Wow, you guys seem to know everyone! Any chance you can get us a discount?" She said it with a playful grin, but again, Phoebe's expression was dead serious as a sly grin tugged at her corner of her lips.
She waved over to a server, signalling for the bill.
"Watch a master at work," she whispered, winking playfully at Vivienne. When the server arrived, she smiled, asking them how their day was.
"Pretty good," Phoebe answered happily. "Been getting ready to fight some monsters." The server chuckled.
"Ah, I remember my gaming days as if they were yesterday. Which game are you guys playing? I heard the newest GTA finally came out a few years ago, but you said monsters, so maybe it's an RPG?" Phoebe grinned.
"Nah, we're fighting them here in Atlanta." The server looked visibly confused but decided to shrug it off. She handed Phoebe the bill.
"Your total is twenty-six dollars," she said, and Phoebe's eyes widened.
"Twenty-six! How? I only got three coffees! A century or two ago, this all would've been fifteen at most. I guess even inflation wants its caffeine fix."
"Cash, card or crypto?" the server asked, ignoring her lame pun and waiting expectantly.
"Coupon code!" Phoebe replied happily. If possible, the server became even more confused.
"Is this the buy one get one free code?" she asked. "Because that expired last week." Shaking her head, Phoebe leaned in mysteriously.
"I've got my own code." The server looked puzzled.
"We don't give out promo codes here," she explained. "But fine, I'll humour you. What's the code?"
"Perfect," Phoebe said, her mischievous smile growing. "The code is PAXPJ43." As the server went back to enter the code into the machine, Phoebe turned to Vivienne with a sly grin.
"I bet you can't guess what PAXPJ43 stands for." Vivienne raised an eyebrow.
"It stands for something? Sounds like a bunch of gibberish to me." Phoebe nodded.
"You're right, it stands for something. But can you figure out what it is?" The daughter of Hephaestus shrugged.
"Probably not," she admitted. Atalanta groaned, letting out a deep sigh.
"You're so boring," the huntress muttered. "At least try or something."
Vivienne was about to respond to Atalanta's comment when suddenly the server returned, looking like she was in a trance.
"It's... it's free?" the server said, more like a question than a statement. Phoebe smirked, triumphant.
"Perfect!" Getting up from her seat, she tipped the server generously with a mixture of notes, drachmas and loose change, before turning to Vivienne and Atalanta.
"Come on, guys. Time to go!" Vivienne and Atalanta both thanked the server and made their way out of the coffee shop. Free coffee and a mysterious discount code – it had been an interesting morning.
As they walked out of the coffee shop, Vivienne couldn't help but wonder where Thalia and Reyna had gone.
"Hey, where did Thalia and Reyna run off to?" she frowned. "I mean I remember Thalia saying no to coffee, but then they just drove off after dropping us." Atalanta was quick to give an answer.
"Thalia isn't a fan of Atlanta," she explained. "But, there's a great burger restaurant not too far from here, and if she's anywhere, it's there."
"We should meet up with them then, right?" she asked. "As Thalia said, Percy isn't going to magically leave wherever he is all by himself, is he? Besides, I really want to meet him." Hearing a sound from next to her, Vivienne turned to find Phoebe chuckling.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"Percy," Phoebe smirked, "is nothing special. When Piper first met him, she was actually unimpressed. Percy was powerful, yes, but he was also not what you'd expect."
"Think of the school troublemaker," Atalanta explained. "Imagine that, but good with weapons and also very famous. That's Percy Jackson for you." Vivienne didn't know how to respond to that, so she gave an honest shrug and kept walking.
"What I don't get," she asked after a while, "is why didn't Thalia just come to Estelle's Mocha Manor first, wait for us, and then we all could've gotten burgers after? Surely that seems like the most logical solution?"
"Estelle's Mocha Manor brings up a lot of memories for Thalia," Atalanta admitted. "Some are good, some are bad, but I doubt she wants to relive any of them." Vivienne frowned.
"Does it have anything to do with Percy Jackson?" she asked.
"Yes," Phoebe said after a pause.
"How come?" Vivienne could never understand this guy. "He seems to know literally everyone and everything at once." Atalanta responded cryptically.
"Let's just say Percy was very, very close with the owner." They continued walking in silence for a while, the weight of unspoken history lingering in the air.
"Is it faster to take the bus or the subway from here?" Phoebe asked Atalanta, breaking the silence.. Atalanta snorted.
"Subway, obviously. No way I'm waiting around for a bus." The trio turned left and began making their way to the subway station. Vivienne had never been this south before, and she was trusting her fellow quest members. They made another right turn, but this time Phoebe suddenly froze in her tracks, her gaze fixed on something to their right.
"What is it?" Vivienne frowned, startled by her response. Phoebe pointed subtly to their right, whispering, "Cyclopes." Sure enough, she could make out a few vague figures, much taller than the rest of the mortals.
"Should we attack?" Atalanta asked, her hand already wrapped around her knife. Phoebe shook her head and responded just as quietly.
"No," she muttered softly. "They might not be here for us, and causing a commotion will draw attention. I don't want to go back onto the news. Let's get to the subway." The three of them made their way into the subway station. As they approached the ticket booth, Phoebe couldn't resist making a joke.
"Do you think they accept drachmas here?" she said, grinning. Atalanta rolled her eyes, muttering something about lame puns.
Phoebe, Atalanta, and Vivienne then used Vivienne's debit card to purchase their tickets, before quickly hopping onto a subway train. The doors were closing, and just as they did, a hand suddenly stuck out between them, causing the doors to slowly reopen. More people made their way onto the train, and this time Atalanta gasped. The train was now packed, and it plunged into darkness.
"Wh-What's going on?" Vivienne asked uneasily. Phoebe whispered to her, her voice barely audible.
"Okay, don't overreact," Phoebe whispered, her voice soft as a shadow. "But there's a cyclops next to you holding a sword, and it's staring right at you."
Percy was seated at a coffee table opposite a stunning Aphrodite. He noticed the server approached them, ready to take their order.
"A venti cappuccino for me, please," she asked with a kind smile that could melt the hardest of hearts, "and a hot chocolate for the young gentleman."
"Don't forget the marshmallows!" Percy chimed in with a playful grin. The server, with an amused smirk, nodded.
"Of course, can't forget those marshmallows." Aphrodite rolled her eyes in amusement.
"Forgive him, he's never been on a date with someone as hot as me." The server nodded, before retreating back to the till. As soon as he left, Percy leaned forwards.
"Aphrodite," he began. "Just to clarify, you know this isn't a date, right?" Aphrodite let out a sigh, her lips curving into a wry smirk.
"I'm well aware, Percy. Believe me, if I wanted to date you, you'd be mine in a matter of seconds. But luckily for you, I believe your love story isn't over yet." Percy's expression turned sombre.
"Even after what happened with Annabeth?" The goddess shrugged casually.
"That's just part of growing up, dear. Love stories are complex, with twists and turns. Sometimes, they're not meant to last forever." Percy sighed. He didn't feel like talking about Annabeth, especially this soon.
"So now that we've established I'm not on a date, what brings me here?" he asked the goddess casually. "This place is definitely not cheap, and I hope I'm not footing the bill." Aphrodite chuckled, her voice melodious.
"Oh, don't worry, Percy. I've got it covered. The owner's wife owes me big time." Percy nodded in acknowledgment.
"Alright, so what's the real reason you brought me here?" Aphrodite's expression turned more serious.
"Well, firstly, I wanted to thank you for getting me out of that pickle last week." Percy waved it off, trying to downplay his actions.
"It was nothing. As funny as he is, Apollo can be pretty annoying at times. Besides, I had nothing more exciting to do anyway."
Aphrodite sighed softly, then continued, "That's just one reason. The other is Poseidon wants to check up on you."
Percy grumbled, clearly frustrated.
"I already have to put up with my father's five hundred questions on whether or not I'm okay every time I see him. Now he's outsourcing as well?! Why can't he just believe me when I say I'm okay? I'm sure that's enough." Aphrodite's expression softened, and she leaned in closer.
"He's worried for you, Percy, and he's not the only one. People have been talking about you, saying they've seen less and less of you recently, like you've locked yourself away from the rest of the world." Percy gritted his teeth.
"I'm just trying to sort out my godhood and my domains," he muttered. Aphrodite's frown deepened as she studied him for a moment. "You don't like your domains, do you?" Percy chuckled bitterly.
"Would you like them?" Aphrodite shrugged in response, a nonchalant look on her face. The two sat in a solemn silence until the server finally returned, holding two steaming hot glasses.
"A cappuccino venti for the lady, and a hot chocolate for the man."
"You added the marshmallows, right?" he asked. The server nodded.
"Of course." The server then turned towards Aphrodite. "Miss, the owner would like me to tell you that your bill is on the house." A small, satisfied smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.
"What did I tell you?" she smirked as the server left. Percy rolled his eyes and took a sip of his hot chocolate. Its rich, comforting warmth eased his earlier frustration. Despite the restaurant's lavish reputation, the taste was indeed worth its cost.
Feeling Aphrodite's gaze upon him, Percy glanced up. Her eyes sparkled with amusement.
"What's so funny?" he asked. Aphrodite chuckled lightly.
"The rumours are true," she teased, "you are in love with your food." Percy grinned and nodded.
"Well that's true. Food is honestly so amazing. Even as a god, I can never get sick of it, you know. It's like the gift that keeps giving."
Aphrodite nodded, before her expression softened, and she leaned in closer.
"Percy," she asked gently. "Are you really okay? You know you can tell me." Percy took another sip of his hot chocolate and sighed.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." The goddess nodded. She looked at him, almost with a mix of pity and sadness that made him feel uncomfortable.
"You were so young to become a god," she murmured. "When you entered that hall to receive your godhood, you were one of the happiest people I'd ever seen. But you walked out of it with the weight of a thousand worlds on your shoulders. You didn't deserve that." Percy raised an eyebrow.
"Do you have a point, or are you going to keep reminiscing?"
Aphrodite twirled her spoon absently and sighed, still wearing that expression of concern. She leaned in closer, her voice hushed.
"Percy, you're at the start of your godhood, and you're already so isolated. Godhood doesn't get much easier at least for the first few centuries, and I don't want you to lock yourself away from the world when times start getting tough." Percy shook his head, chuckling lightly.
"I'd never do that," he assured her. "How would I be able to see my friends or my family if I was living alone?" His assurance wasn't enough, and Aphrodite remained serious.
"I'm not taking any chances." Percy frowned, clearly not understanding her implication.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Aphrodite paused, carefully choosing her words.
"I've spoken to Artemis, and she's agreed to take you with her on a hunt tomorrow morning. She has a sea creature to capture for Zeus or something like that. I don't know, I didn't really ask for details-" Percy abruptly stood up, his face a mix of anger and surprise.
"No!" he yelled, attracting the attention of some nearby customers. "You have no right to do that!" Aphrodite's voice was firm.
"I do, Percy. I don't want you to lose yourself to misery like I have seen so many do before. If this is what it takes to get you out into the world, then so be it." Her tone softened as she continued, "Thalia will be with you as well, so it won't be too awkward. Besides, it's only one day. Now, you can either go hunting with her, or I'll tell Poseidon the truth that you are mentally unstable." Percy's eyes widened.
"W-Wha-Where did that even come from," he protested. "You can't just lie like that. I'm perfectly fine, thank you very much." Aphrodite leaned closer, giving him a flirtatious smile.
"And that, my dear, is called denial." Standing up, the goddess picked up her purse, giving Percy one last smile.
"Artemis is in the north of Philadelphia, and I expect her to send me an IM tomorrow saying you're with her, or else me and Poseidon are having an interesting conversation. She says you need to be there at 7 a.m. tomorrow, a sharp sword in hand. Sounds good?" In fact, it didn't sound good to Percy, but he didn't seem to have a choice. Besides, he'd been needing to talk to Thalia for a while now, so at least this way he could knock down two birds with one stone.
"I hate you, Aphrodite," he grumbled. "I thought this was you making it up to me for last week."
"I'm doing this for you," she exclaimed with an exasperated sigh. "Jason said he hasn't spoken to you for more than a few minutes in the last month or so, and that isn't healthy. Go spend some time with the hunt, and who knows, maybe something might even happen. I'm certainly rooting for it. Artemis hasn't been herself either, ever since she lost her hunt. Maybe the two of you can help each other out." She offered a subtle wink and a wave before walking away.
"Happy hunting!"
"Percy, get up!" A sharp voice cut through his dreams like a knife's edge. "Get up, we have a problem." He groaned, trying to fend off the intrusion.
"Eris, let me sleep," he mumbled. Unfortunately for him, she wouldn't be silenced.
"Percy, you're really gonna want to hear this," she sighed, prodding him in his stomach. "Wow, I guess you weren't lying about being so difficult to wake up, but I'm not going anywhere, so you better get up right now." With a heavy sigh, he finally yielded and forced himself to open his eyes. The room was bathed in daylight. He checked his makeshift clock and saw it was 10 a.m. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he turned his attention to the person who had rudely awakened him and was taken aback. Standing at the foot of his bed was his sister, but her eyes weren't filled with mischief as usual; instead, they were clouded with genuine concern.
"One of the only good things about living alone on this island is that I can wake up at 2 p.m. without someone getting mad at me. What's so important that you had to wake me up?" Percy grumbled. Momentarily forgetting why she was there, the goddess stood up straight, cocking her hips.
"I have better stuff to do then spend my time waking you up," she glared, before softening up a bit. "And the reason I'm here is because someone is making their way towards your island as we speak. Is that important enough for you?"
In an instant, Percy sprang out of bed, his exhaustion forgotten. He moved quickly, changing his shirt and securing his sword. There was no time to waste. Percy dashed outside to the coast, with Eris following closely behind. He scanned the horizon, his sea-green eyes sharp and alert.
"Where are they?" Percy asked, his voice tense. Eris pointed toward a lone figure on a boat, slowly approaching their island. The person was dressed in a long, bright white robe that definitely went out of style a few millennia ago. Percy squinted against the sunlight reflecting off the sea, trying to identify the newcomer.
"Is that who I think it is?" he muttered to himself. Eris couldn't help but giggle at his reaction.
"Oh, Percy, this is going to be so much fun."
"Did you invite them over, Eris?" Percy glared, his breaths becoming more quick and sharp.
"Of course not," she sighed. "Come on, I may prank you from time to time or else you would die of boredom, but nothing this serious." He shot her a sharp look before standing up straight, his expression becoming resolute.
"Great," he muttered under his breath. "If one sister wasn't enough, now I have to deal with two."
Okay, this was a pretty tough chapter to write ngl. I added that flashback cuz, flashback. And yeah, got a new sister, though it's not too hard to tell who it is. Also, anyone reckon they can figure out what Phoebe's promo code stands for XD?
I've had a few guesses now as to why Percy left, and so far only 2 people are correct, though I won't say who they are. You're more than welcome to keep the guesses coming, as we still have a lot more to go through first. Do leave a review if you enjoyed, and as usual, I hope to update next week!