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ssaltbending · 3 years

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Ok, guys, hear me out: Zuko is a Capricorn, Katara is a Cancer —and here’s why (it would be so poetic).

Part 1: Zuko

TW: explicit mentions of child abuse.

I know this statement might seem weird and out of place, but in the last couple weeks I’ve been digging a lot into astrology and, in order not to forget my roots, I thoroughly felt the need to combine both of my most recent obsessions in one post, given that this headcanon hasn’t been able to leave my mind ever since I came up with it: if we applied astrology to the Avatar world, I’m sure Cancer and Capricorn would be Katara and Zuko’s signs, respectively. And I don’t say this in a superficial way, just by looking at zodiac memes and associating Katara with the crybabies Cancers are portrayed as or saying Zuko is a Capricorn buzzkill as people who know astrology on a surface level would assume they are —those are some of the most common stereotypes about the signs. No, I’m saying that they embody those signs on an archetypal leve: in the way their stories, especially Zuko’s, resemble the myths that originate the zodiac signs and their respective traits.

Therefore, without further ado, let me explain.

The Capricorn archetype: the sins of the father...

As any casual astrology enthusiast may probably know, the sign of Capricorn is connected to qualities such as perseverance, integrity, resilience and ambition, typically treated as the CEO or boss of the zodiac. However, the sign itself has a richer and much more complex story as we look at the deities it is associated with as well as the planet that rules it: Saturn, linked to the Roman god of the same name and the greek gods Cronus, Zeus, Hestia and Pan. Some astrologers choose Cronus as Capricorn’s patron god and others prefer his children, but that can be explained very easily.

The myth goes like this: Cronus, a giant and father of what we would know as some of the main greek gods (Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera and Zeus), was actually the son of Uranos, who he subverted thanks to the advice of his mother Gaia to use an agricultural tool to kill him. But as time went by and Cronus had started having children with his partner, Rhea, the fear of his descendants becoming stronger than him and doing the same thing he had done to his father took over him, which led to his decision of swallowing them all whole. He started with Hestia all the way back to Zeus, whom he couldn’t swallow right after he was born, unlike his other children, because this time Rhea had hid him in the island of Crete to protect him from his father. To deceive him, Rhea then covered a rock in cloth to make it resemble a baby for Cronus to eat it, thinking that it was a newborn Zeus.

Time passed and Zeus grew stronger until he was ready to confront his father and save his siblings from his womb, and when he finally did it, he managed to force Cronus into disgorge them one by one, in the reverse order they had been swallowed —which left Hestia as the last sibling to be disgorged.

After that, Zeus was left with a prophecy, where he would also be possibly overthrown by a son of his. And after Métis, the woman he was told would bear said child, gave birth he swallowed the newborn whole just like Cronus had done with his brothers and sisters. The child in question, however, started giving him headaches as it grew older and bigger inside of him and would become the goddess we know as Athena. What Zeus did with her was the repetition of a cycle perpetuated by his forefathers, a cycle of abuse and trauma that seems inescapable. What this part of the duality of the Capricorn archetype shows one of the ways in which those ideas of tradition and legacy can be carried on (a very negative one, to be honest), but that’s not the only way they can manifest, which gives the archetype this… almost cinematic quality, in my opinion. (And if we take this into account, I might headcanon Azula as a Capricorn rising due not only to the archetypal coincidences but the overall mastermind outlook she has and how much of a natural, domineering and calculating leader she is, but that’s besides the point.)

Now, let’s talk about the other side of the archetype, which gives it this incredible dual quality: Hestia’s path. Unlike her brother Zeus, Hestia was the one who not only had been devoured by her father, but she had spent the most time inside him as well. This is often associated with the emotional isolation many Capricorns experience in their youth, the lack of warmth and love by one of their parents, along with the desire not to become the abusive parent they were exposed to. Hestia is the other side of the story, the unspoken leader of the Olympians, the one who broke the toxic cycle running in her family for generations, vowing to become an eternal virgin and protector of the earth. Besides, Hestia means “hearth”: the inner fire, the one that is never allowed to go out.

(art by @elisebrave)

That is the soul of the Capricorn archetype: the crossroads of destiny, the moment when the child decides whether to become like their parents, or forge their own path like Hestia did. Do you guys see what I see now? Are the similarities clear enough?

As my dear friend @persephobeee points out in her Capricorn essay (a crucial source for this one): “The Capricorn archetype is a cycle of stuck parents putting stress on their children at such a young age so then their kid ends up making money in retaliation, but then treat their kids the same as well due to the lack of warmth and freedom they had in their own childhood. The intense pressure put onto them as a child [then] leads to isolation and depression. It’s a cycle. ‘I don’t want to be my parent, but also… how they have ruined me’. The chain can continue with Zeus (projecting sorrows and nightmares onto their own children) or it could break with Hestia (the path of love, light and protection).”

This is why Capricorn’s planetary ruler, Saturn, is also associated with ideas found in this myth: restriction, limitation, order, boundaries, leadership, responsibility… pretty much dad vibes, to be honest. Do you guys see what I see or do I have to dig deeper?

“But isn’t zuko a firebender?? Why would he be an earth sign??”, you may ask.

The way that I might be making headcanons about the Gaang’s western zodiac signs isn’t gonna be based on which element they bend, because that would be quite reductive and restrictive for me as an astrology junkie, but their similarities to each sign’s archetype and overall characteristics. And yes, I do see Zuko as an earth sun, but that wouldn’t be his only sign, there is also the moon and the rising sign, which also have an important impact on the individual. In my opinion, Zuko’s personality embodies the qualities of fire signs as well: competitiveness, drive, passion, impulsiveness and loyalty. But to me those qualities are better shown in his character through his moon sign: an Aries moon, to be specific. See those anger outbursts? The “I don’t need any [fucking] calming tea!!”? The “you never think these things through”? Aries moon behavior, right there. But I’m not going to focus on moon signs right now. Let’s get back to the behavior I am the most well-versed at: Capricorn behavior.

So, the sign of Capricorn is also a cardinal sign, a leader, since they are the ones that begin each season. In the Northern Hemisphere, Capricorn season starts right on the winter solstice, and the opposite happens in the South. However, since all the astrology lore comes from the North thanks to the Greeks, Babylonians and more, the seasonal connections are related to the seasons there. As a consequence, Capricorn is the cardinal sign that brings the coldest, darkest season of the year: winter. And incorporating that into Zuko’s character would be incredibly fitting, in my opinion, because of some stuff I’ve read here on Tumblr saying that making him being born during the coldest time of the year would make it a terrible omen for a firebender, worse in this case due to him being born into the royal family, symbols of the power and “supremacy” of the Fire Nation. The fact that he would be born in winter, if we follow this reasoning, would have made him seem as a disappointment to his father ever since birth.

… or maybe I’m just cruel, guys.

Moreover, I think Zuko embodies many of the Capricorn qualities in the way he carries himself (because no, not all Capricorns are confident managers with the world in our hands) and how hard he has to work to earn everything he gets. A key part of what this sign represents is “the path of hardships the goat has to overcome in order to reach the top of the mountain”, which along with the myth I have described before, could easily be applied to Zuko. It describes values of endurance, hard work, discipline and drive in order to achieve your goals, something that can be seen in Zuko all throughout the series, but changes its focus as the seasons go by. Besides, uhm… have you guys seen “The Day of Black Sun, Part 2”? That is literally the positive outcome of the Capricorn myth made into animation: the confrontation between an abusive father figure and his abused child who has decided to part ways with him in order to become a better person.

On another note, I think it is important to highlight how the Capricorn in Zuko could be seen based on how the rest of the Gaang treats him as well when he changes sides and he’s accepted into the group. How?, you may be wondering: as a father figure, but in a positive way. In many scenes it can be noticed how he naturally takes a position of leadership within the group as well as he takes care of the younger members such as Aang and Toph but, especially in Aang’s case, tries to ground them and teach them. As examples, take the following: Zuko reminding Aang that soon he will have to face the fact that he might have to kill Ozai, him trying to get everyone to train when the comet is about to arrive; how when Aang gets lost, it is him the one people look to in order to lead the group, etc.

Another thing that is well-known in Capricorns is our resilience and perseverance and, honestly: do I even need to explain that? When it comes to the guy who would get his ass beaten again and again and again for one season straight in order to get what he wanted which would also give him the approval of his father, what he craved most? It screams earth sign behavior to me, but with a heavy saturnian influence due to Zuko’s background which, to me, can be quite an interesting reflection of the Saturn/Cronus myth with his children. Said tenacity could also be exacerbated by the willpower and energy brought by the possibility of him having a fire moon, I don’t know, think about it. I stick to that headcanon.

That perseverance can also be seen when it comes to Zuko’s firebending, given how much he’s always trying to improve his skills. Although it could be argued that in reality he’s doing so due to the expectations put on him to be a proficient bender just like his sister in order to be accepted by his father, and his constant training to the point of exhaustion is just a manifestation of that toxic behavior. I am sorry to tell you, but that’s textbook Capricorn behavior, associated with the symbolism of the hardworking goat in general: working the hardest in order to get what you want is always on-brand when it comes to important Capricorn placements, and in my opinion Zuko is no exception.

Final thoughts.

Anyway, what I think would be most relevant is what I mentioned before about the Capricorn archetype and how it could tie in nicely to Zuko’s character arc with him as a representation of Hestia, who could grow out of the abuse she experienced and got a chance not to make her father’s mistakes and break that horrendous cycle she had been a victim of. I would go into this more deeply, but I think it has been enough for now. However, I’ll be back soon with a part two, talking about my water queen Katara. What do you think about this headcanon? Do you agree? If not, why?

Thanks for coming to my weird-ass TedTalk at 1am. I needed to vent and I haven’t been able to put the computer down since 9pm, I literally only stopped to eat, lol.

See you soon,

a Capricorn sun.

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kookie-doughs · 3 years

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Y/N L/N AND THE HALFBLOODS

Percy Jackson X Reader

-Y/N L/N met Percy Jackson and everything was now ruined.

CHAPTER 15: Spiders Aren't Water Proof

The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, our train rolled into Denver. We hadn't eaten since the night before in the dining car, somewhere in Kansas. We hadn't taken a shower since Half-Blood Hill, and I was sure that was obvious. "Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth said. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit." "We can't use phones, right?" "I'm not talking about phones." We wandered through downtown for about half an hour, though I wasn't sure what Annabeth was looking for. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. Everywhere we turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at me, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city. Finally we found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. We veered toward the stall farthest from the street, keeping our eyes open for patrol cars. We were four adolescents hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his doughnuts would figure we were up to no good. "What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked, as Grover took out the spray gun. "It's seventy-five cents," he grumbled. "I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth?" "Don't look at me," she said. "The dining car wiped me out." I fished out my last bit of change and passed Grover a quarter, which left me two nickels and one drachma from Medusa's place. "Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping." "What are you talking about?" He fed in the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST. "I-M'ing." "Instant messaging?" "Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods." "You summon the goddess with a spray gun?" Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. "Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow."

Sure enough, late afternoon light filtered through the vapor and broke into colors. Annabeth held her palm out to me. "Drachma, please." I handed it over. She raised the coin over her head. "O goddess, accept our offering." She threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared in a golden shimmer. "Half-Blood Hill," Annabeth requested. For a moment, nothing happened. Then I was looking through the mist at strawberry fields, and the Long Island Sound in the distance. We seemed to be on the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to us at the railing was a sandy-haired guy in shorts and an orange tank top. He was holding a bronze sword and seemed to be staring intently at something down in the meadow. "Luke!" I called. He turned, eyes wide. I could swear he was standing three feet in front of me through a screen of mist, except I could only see the part of him that appeared in the rainbow. "Y/N!" His scarred face broke into a grin. "Is that Annabeth and Percy, too? Thank the gods! Are you guys okay?" "We're... uh... fine," Annabeth stammered. She was madly straightening her dirty T-shirt, trying to comb the loose hair out of her face. "We thought—Chiron—I mean—" "He's down at the cabins." Luke's smile faded. "We're having some issues with the campers. Listen, is everything cool with you? Is Grover all right?" "I'm right here," Grover called. He held the nozzle out to one side and stepped into Luke's line of vision. "What kind of issues?" Just then a big Lincoln Continental pulled into the car wash with its stereo turned to maximum hip-hop. As the car slid into the next stall, the bass from the subwoofers vibrated so much, it shook the pavement. "Chiron had to—what's that noise?" Luke yelled. "I'll take care of it.'" Annabeth yelled back, looking very relieved to have an excuse to get out of sight. "Grover, come on! "What?" Grover said. "But—" "Give Percy the nozzle and come on!" she ordered. Grover muttered something about girls being harder to understand than the Oracle at Delphi, then he handed me the spray gun and followed Annabeth. Percy readjusted the hose so we could keep the rainbow going and still see Luke. "Chiron had to break up a fight," Luke shouted to me over the music. "Things are pretty tense here, guys. Word leaked out about the Zeus—Poseidon standoff. We're still not sure how—probably the same scumbag who summoned the hellhound. Now the campers are starting to take sides. It's shaping up like the Trojan War all over again. Aphrodite, Ares, and Apollo are backing Poseidon, more or less. Athena is backing Zeus." In the next stall, I heard Annabeth and some guy arguing with each other, then the music's volume decreased drastically. "So what's your status?" Luke asked us. "Chiron will be sorry he missed you." We told him pretty much everything, including Percy's dreams. It felt so good to see him, to feel like I was back at camp even for a few minutes, that I didn't realize how long I had talked until the beeper went off on the spray machine, and I realized I only had one more minute before the water shut off. "I wish I could be there," Luke told me. "We can't help much from here, I'm afraid, but listen... it had to be Hades who took the master bolt. He was there at Olympus at the winter solstice. I was chaperoning a field trip and we saw him." "But Chiron said the gods can't take each other's magic items directly." "That's true," Luke said, looking troubled. "Still... Hades has the helm of darkness. How could anybody else sneak into the throne room and steal the master bolt? You'd have to be invisible." We were both silent, until Luke seemed to realize what he'd said. "Oh, hey," he protested. "I didn't mean Annabeth. She and I have known each other forever. She would never... I mean, she's like a little sister to me." I wondered if Annabeth would like that description. In the stall next to us, the music stopped completely. A man screamed in terror, car doors slammed, and the Lincoln peeled out of the car wash. "You'd better go see what that was," Luke said. "Listen, has the knife come in handy?" "Very..." I smiled. "The knife is really perfect." "And Percy, are you wearing the flying shoes? I'll feel better if I know they've done you some good." "Oh... uh, yeah!" Percy tried not to sound like a guilty liar. "Yeah, they've come in handy." "Really?" He grinned. "They fit and everything?" The water shut off. The mist started to evaporate. "Well, take care of yourself out there in Denver," Luke called, his voice getting fainter. "And tell Grover it'll be better this time! Nobody will get turned into a pine tree if he just—" But the mist was gone, and Luke's image faded to nothing. We were alone in a wet, empty car wash stall. Annabeth and Grover came around the corner, laughing, but stopped when they saw our face. Annabeth's smile faded. "What happened, Percy? What did Luke say?" "Not much," Percy lied. "Come on, let's find some dinner." A few minutes later, we were sitting at a booth in a gleaming chrome diner. All around us, families were eating burgers and drinking malts and sodas. Finally the waitress came over. She raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Well?" I said, "We, um, want to order dinner." "You kids have money to pay for it?" Grover's lower lip quivered. I was afraid he would start bleating, or worse, start eating the linoleum. Annabeth looked ready to pass out from hunger. I was trying to think up a sob story for the waitress when a rumble shook the whole building; a motorcycle the size of a baby elephant had pulled up to the curb. All conversation in the diner stopped. The motorcycle's headlight glared red. Its gas tank had flames painted on it, and a shotgun holster riveted to either side, complete with shotguns. The seat was leather—but leather that looked like... well, Caucasian human skin. The guy on the bike would've made pro wrestlers run for Mama. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt and black jeans and a black leather duster, with a hunting knife strapped to his thigh. He wore red wraparound shades, and he had the cruelest, most brutal face I'd ever seen— handsome, I guess, but wicked—with an oily black crew cut and cheeks that were scarred from many, many fights. The weird thing was, I felt like I'd seen his face somewhere before. As he walked into the diner, a hot, dry wind blew through the place. All the people rose, as if they were hypnotized, but the biker waved his hand dismissively and they all sat down again. Everybody went back to their conversations. The waitress blinked, as if somebody had just pressed the rewind button on her brain. She asked us again, "You kids have money to pay for it?" The biker said, "It's on me." He slid into our booth, which was way too small for him, and crowded Annabeth against the window. He looked up at the waitress, who was gaping at him, and said, "Are you still here?" He pointed at her, and she stiffened. She turned as if she'd been spun around, then marched back toward the kitchen. The biker looked at me. I couldn't see his eyes behind the red shades. Who did this guy think he was? He gave me a wicked grin. "So you're the unclaimed kid, huh? No wonder they're arguing over who your parent is." I squinted at him, "The hell does my parents have to do with this?" "Well, which ever stuck up your parent is, the big guys upstairs are angry for interfering with your life." He said and placed his dirty boots on the table. "Your parent raised you with your mortal idiots, that's why no one can smell you." I could tell Annabeth wanted to say something but she probably was processing what this guy said. "Don't call my parents idiot. And I only have two parents, it's M/N and D/N L/N." I glared. I was confused as to why an Olympian would raise me and it'd hide my scent. Shouldn't it make worse? "Sure thing." He then turned to Percy who was beside me. "And old seaweed's kid." "What's it to you?" Percy spat. Annabeth's eyes flashed him a warning. "Percy, this is—" The biker raised his hand. "S'okay," he said. "I don't mind a little attitude. Long as you remember who's the boss. You know who I am, little cousin?" Then it struck me why this guy looked familiar. He had the same vicious sneer as some of the kids at Camp Half-Blood, the ones from cabin five. "You're Clarisse's dad," Percy said. "Ares, god of war." Ares grinned and took off his shades. Where his eyes should've been, there was only fire, empty sockets glowing with miniature nuclear explosions. "That's right, punk. I heard you broke Clarisse's spear." "She was asking for it." "Probably. That's cool. I don't fight my kids' fights, you know? What I'm here for—I heard you were in town. I got a little proposition for you." The waitress came back with heaping trays of food—cheeseburgers, fries, onion rings, and chocolate shakes. Ares handed her a few gold drachmas. She looked nervously at the coins. "But, these aren't..." Ares pulled out his huge knife and started cleaning his fingernails. "Problem, sweetheart?" The waitress swallowed, then left with the gold. "You can't do that," I told Ares. "You can't just threaten people with a knife." Ares laughed. "Are you kidding? I love this country. Best place since Sparta. Don't you carry a weapon, punk? You should. Dangerous world out there. Which brings me to my proposition." He turned to Percy, "I need you to do me a favor." "What favor could I do for a god?" "Something a god doesn't have time to do himself. It's nothing much. I left my shield at an abandoned water park here in town. I was going on a little... date with my girlfriend. We were interrupted. I left my shield behind. I want you to fetch it for me." "Why don't you go back and get it yourself?" The fire in his eye sockets glowed a little hotter. "Why don't I turn you into a prairie dog and run you over with my Harley? Because I don't feel like it. A god is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself, Percy Jackson. Will you prove yourself a coward?" He leaned forward. "Or maybe you only fight when there's a river to dive into, so your daddy can protect you." I wanted to punch this guy, but I knew he was waiting for that. He'd love it if I attacked. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. But by the gods I want to smack him. Maybe some other time. "We're not interested," I said. "We've already got a quest." Ares's fiery eyes made me see things I didn't want to see—blood and smoke and corpses on the battlefield. "I know all about your quest, punk. When that item was first stolen, Zeus sent his best out looking for it: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, and me, naturally. If I couldn't sniff out a weapon that powerful..." He licked his lips, as if the very thought of the master bolt made him hungry. "Well... if I couldn't find it, you got no hope. Nevertheless, I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. Your dad and I go way back. After all, I'm the one who told him my suspicions about old Corpse Breath." "You told him Hades stole the bolt?" "Sure. Framing somebody to start a war. Oldest trick in the book. I recognized it immediately. In a way, you got me to thank for your little quest." "Thanks," Percy grumbled. "Hey, I'm a generous guy. Just do my little job, and I'll help you on your way. I'll arrange a ride west for you and your friends." "We're doing fine on our own." "Yeah, right. No money. No wheels. No clue what you're up against. Help me out, and maybe I'll tell you something you need to know. Something about your mom and Y/N's parents." "Our parents?" He grinned. "That got your attention. The water park is a mile west on Delancy. You can't miss it. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride." "What interrupted your date?" I asked. "Something scare you off?" Ares bared his teeth, but I'd seen his threatening look before on Clarisse. There was something false about it, almost like he was nervous. "You're lucky you met me, punk, and not one of the other Olympians. They're not as forgiving of rudeness as I am. I'll meet you back here when you're done. Don't disappoint me." After that I must have fainted, or fallen into a trance, because when I opened my eyes again, Ares was gone. I might've thought the conversation had been a dream, but Annabeth and Grover's expressions told me otherwise. "Not good," Grover said. "Ares sought you out, Percy. This is not good." I stared out the window. The motorcycle had disappeared. Did Ares really know something about our parents, or was he just playing with me? Now that he was gone, all the anger had drained out of me. I realized Ares must love to mess with people's emotions. That was his power—cranking up the passions so badly, they clouded your ability to think. He does not lie. He knows about your parents. "It's probably some kind of trick, Y/N," Percy said. "Forget Ares. Let's just go." "We can't," Annabeth said. "Look, I hate Ares as much as anybody, but you don't ignore the gods unless you want serious bad fortune. He wasn't kidding about turning you into a rodent." "Why does he need us?" "Maybe it's a problem that requires brains," Annabeth said. "Ares has strength. That's all he has. Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes." "But this water park... he acted almost scared. What would make a war god run away like that?" Annabeth and Grover glanced nervously at each other. Annabeth said, "I'm afraid we'll have to find out." The sun was sinking behind the mountains by the time we found the water park. Judging from the sign, it once had been called WATERLAND, but now some of the letters were smashed out, so it read WAT R A D. The main gate was padlocked and topped with barbed wire. Inside, huge dry waterslides and tubes and pipes curled everywhere, leading to empty pools. Old tickets and advertisements fluttered around the asphalt. With night coming on, the place looked sad and creepy. "If Ares brings his girlfriend here for a date," I said, staring up at the barbed wire, "I'd hate to see what she looks like." "Y/N," Annabeth warned. "Be more respectful." "Why? I thought you hated Ares." "He's still a god. And his girlfriend is very temperamental." "You don't want to insult her looks," Grover added. "Who is she? Echidna?" "No, Aphrodite," Grover said, a little dreamily. "Goddess of love." "I thought she was married to somebody," Percy said. "Hephaestus." "What's your point?" he asked. I suddenly felt the need to change the subject. "So how do we get in?" "Maia!" Grover's shoes sprouted wings. He flew over the fence, did an unintended somersault in midair, then stumbled to a landing on the opposite side. He dusted off his jeans, as if he'd planned the whole thing. "You guys coming?" Annabeth, Percy and I had to climb the old-fashioned way, holding down the barbed wire for each other as we crawled over the top. The shadows grew long as we walked through the park, checking out the attractions. There was Ankle Biter Island, Head Over Wedgie, and Dude, Where's My Swimsuit? No monsters came to get us. Nothing made the slightest noise. We found a souvenir shop that had been left open. Merchandise still lined the shelves: snow globes, pencils, postcards, and racks of— "Clothes," Annabeth said. "Fresh clothes." "Oh my gods yes." "Yeah," Percy said. "But you can't just—" "Watch us." She snatched an entire row of stuff of the racks and offered me a hand which I graciously took, together we disappeared into the changing room. "I need a shower." I groaned, while I changed. "We all do." She pointed out. A few minutes later we came out in Waterland flower-print shorts, a big red Waterland T-shirt, and commemorative Waterland surf shoes. A Waterland backpack was slung over our shoulders, obviously stuffed with more goodies. "What the heck." Grover shrugged. Soon, all three of us were decked out like walking advertisements for the defunct theme park. We continued searching for the Tunnel of Love. I got the feeling that the whole park was holding its breath. "So Ares and Aphrodite," Percy said, to keep my mind off the growing dark, "they have a thing going?" "That's old gossip, Percy," Annabeth told us. "Three-thousand-year-old gossip." "What about Aphrodite's husband?" "Well, you know," she said. "Hephaestus. The blacksmith. He was crippled when he was a baby, thrown off Mount Olympus by Zeus. So he isn't exactly handsome. Clever with his hands, and all, but Aphrodite isn't into brains and talent, you know?" "She likes bikers." "Whatever." "Hephaestus knows?" "Oh sure," Annabeth said. "He caught them together once. I mean, literally caught them, in a golden net, and invited all the gods to come and laugh at them. Hephaestus is always trying to embarrass them. That's why they meet in out-of-the-way places, like..." She stopped, looking straight ahead. "Like that." In front of us was an empty pool that would've been awesome for skateboarding. It was at least fifty yards across and shaped like a bowl. Around the rim, a dozen bronze statues of Cupid stood guard with wings spread and bows ready to fire. On the opposite side from us, a tunnel opened up, probably where the water flowed into when the pool was full. The sign above it read, THRILL RIDE O' LOVE: THIS IS NOT YOUR PARENTS' TUNNEL OF LOVE! Grover crept toward the edge. "Guys, look." Marooned at the bottom of the pool was a pink-and-white two-seater boat with a canopy over the top and little hearts painted all over it. In the left seat, glinting in the fading light, was Ares's shield, a polished circle of bronze. "This is too easy," I said. "So we just walk down there and get it?" Annabeth ran her fingers along the base of the nearest Cupid statue. "There's a Greek letter carved here," she said. "Eta. I wonder..." "Grover," Percy said, "you smell any monsters?" He sniffed the wind. "Nothing." "Nothing—like, in-the-Arch-and-you-didn't-smell-Echidna nothing, or really nothing?" Grover looked hurt. "I told you, that was underground." "Hey Percy, that wasn't nice." I glared. "Okay, I'm sorry." Percy took a deep breath. "I'm going down there." Pulling out my knife, "There isn't any monsters." "I'll go with Percy." Grover didn't sound too enthusiastic, but I got the feeling he was trying to make up for what had happened in St. Louis. "No," Percy told him. "I want you to stay up top with the flying shoes. You're the Red Baron, a flying ace, remember? I'll be counting on you for backup, in case something goes wrong." Grover puffed up his chest a little. "Sure. But what could go wrong?" "I don't know. Just a feeling. Y/N, will go with me—" "Yeah, I can go with." "Didn't take you as a romantic Seaweed Brain." Annabeth smirked. "What?" Percy's face was burning now, too. It made me laugh at how adorable he was. He turned to me and blushed even more. "Fine," he told us. "I'll do it myself." "Percy, I didn't say i don't want to come with!" I giggled. He started down the side of the pool, I followed, I hear him muttering about how this wasn't how its supposed go. Then I realized how we would've been surrounded by water. "Arthur Curry, if I drown I will beg Hades to have you." He paused and turned to take my hand and we continued walking. We reached the boat. The shield was propped on one seat, and next to it was a lady's silk scarf. I tried to imagine Ares and Aphrodite here, a couple of gods meeting in a junked-out amusement-park ride. Why? Then I noticed something I hadn't seen from up top: mirrors all the way around the rim of the pool, facing this spot. We could see ourselves no matter which direction we looked. That must be it. While Ares and Aphrodite were smooching with each other they could look at their favorite people: themselves. Percy picked up the scarf. It shimmered pink, and the perfume was indescribable—rose, or mountain laurel. He smiled, a little dreamy, and was about to rub the scarf against his cheek I frowned ripped it out of his hand and stuffed it in me pocket. "No." "What?" "Just get the shield, Arthur Curry, and let's get out of here." The moment he touched the shield, I knew we were in trouble. My hand broke through something that had been connecting it to the dashboard. A cobweb, I thought, but then I looked at a strand of it on my palm and saw it was some kind of metal filament, so fine it was almost invisible. A trip wire. "Wait," I said. "Too late." "There's another Greek letter on the side of the boat, another Eta. This is a trap." Noise erupted all around us, of a million gears grinding, as if the whole pool were turning into one giant machine. Grover yelled, "Guys!" Up on the rim, the Cupid statues were drawing their bows into firing position. Before I could suggest taking cover, they shot, but not at us. They fired at each other, across the rim of the pool. Silky cables trailed from the arrows, arcing over the pool and anchoring where they landed to form a huge golden asterisk. Then smaller metallic threads started weaving together magically between the main strands, making a net. "We have to get out," Percy said. "Woah I didn't know!" I said. Percy grabbed the shield and holding my hand we ran, but going up the slope of the pool was not as easy as going down. "I'm going to drown again aren't I? "Come on!" Grover shouted. He was trying to hold open a section of the net for us, but wherever he touched it, the golden threads started to wrap around his hands. The Cupids' heads popped open. Out came video cameras. Spotlights rose up all around the pool, blinding us with illumination, and a loudspeaker voice boomed: "Live to Olympus in one minute ... Fifty-nine seconds, fifty-eight ..." "Hephaestus!" Annabeth screamed. "I'm so stupid.' Eta is H.' He made this trap to catch his wife with Ares. Now we're going to be broadcast live to Olympus and look like absolute fools!" We'd almost made it to the rim when the row of mirrors opened like hatches and thousands of tiny metallic... things poured out. It was an army of wind-up creepy-crawlies: bronze-gear bodies, spindly legs, little pincer mouths, all scuttling toward us in a wave of clacking, whirring metal. "Spiders!" I said. I kicked these pests. Percy pulled me up and dragged my back toward the boat. "I am not staying here! I am so going to drown again!" The things were coming out from all around the rim now, millions of them, flooding toward the center of the pool, completely surrounding us. I told myself they probably weren't programmed to kill, just corral us and bite us and make us look stupid. Then again, this was a trap meant for gods. And we weren't gods. Percy and I climbed into the boat. Percy started kicking away the spiders as they swarmed aboard. I was swatting away some that I could. "Thirty, twenty-nine," called the loudspeaker. The spiders started spitting out strands of metal thread, trying to tie us down. The strands were easy enough to break at first, but there were so many of them, and the spiders just kept coming. I kicked one away from Percy's leg and its pincers took a chunk out of my new surf shoe. Annabeth was frozen from where she stood trying to keep away from us as much as possible. Grover hovered above the pool in his flying sneakers, trying to pull the net loose, but it wouldn't budge. Think, I told myself. Think. The Tunnel of Love entrance was under the net. We could use it as an exit, except that it was blocked by a million robot spiders. "Fifteen, fourteen," the loudspeaker called. Then I saw them: huge water pipes behind the mirrors, where the spiders had come from. And up above the net, next to one of the Cupids, a glass-windowed booth that must be the controller's station. "Annabeth!" Percy yelled. "Get into that booth! Find the 'on' switch!" Snapping out of her trance she turned. "But—" "Do it!" Annabeth was in the controller's booth now, staring at the buttons. "Five, four—" Annabeth sighed and started pushing every button, then looked up at us hopelessly, raising her hands. She was letting us know that she'd pushed every button, but still nothing was happening. "Y/N, I won't let you drown, just hold on!" I didn't think twice on nodding. Percy closed his eyes. "Two, one, zero!" Water exploded out of the pipes. It roared into the pool, sweeping away the spiders. He pulled me into the seat next to us and fastened me seat belt just as the tidal wave slammed into our boat, over the top, whisking the spiders away and dousing us completely, but not capsizing us. The boat turned, lifted in the flood, and spun in circles around the whirlpool. He held my hand tight afraid I'll drown the moment he lets go. The water was full of short-circuiting spiders, some of them smashing against the pool's concrete wall with such force they burst. Spotlights glared down at us. The Cupid-cams were rolling, live to Olympus. Percy and I held tight, both of us screaming as the boat shot curls and hugged corners and took forty-five-degree plunges past pictures of Romeo and Juliet and a bunch of other Valentine's Day stuff. Then we were out of the tunnel, the night air whistling through our hair as the boat barreled straight toward the exit. If the ride had been in working order, we would've sailed off a ramp between the golden Gates of Love and splashed down safely in the exit pool. But there was a problem. The Gates of Love were chained. Two boats that had been washed out of the tunnel before us were now piled against the barricade—one submerged, the other cracked in half. Jump. We have to jump. "Unfasten your seat belt," I yelled to Percy. Who already had his belt unfastened. "Jumping?" "We're going to have to jump for it." My idea was simple and insane. As the boat struck, we would use its force like a springboard to jump the gate. I'd heard of people surviving car crashes that way, getting thrown thirty or forty feet away from an accident. With luck, we would land in the pool. Hopefully not drown. Percy nodded. He gripped my hand as the gates got closer. "On my mark," I said. On mine. Jump when 'I' say so Perseus Jackson. He looked at me reluctantly. "How?" "What?" You'll know when I say so. "Fine." He shouted. "Jump when I jump!" "How would I know?!" "You'll say it!" "What?!" "Just tell me when to jump!!" "Now!" I yelled. I was about to jump when Percy pulled me closer. "Not yet! You didn't say it yet." Jump Hero. Percy jumped. I followed him. Crack! He was right. If we'd jumped when I thought we should've, we would've crashed into the gates. He got us maximum lift. Our boat smashed into the pileup and we were thrown into the air, straight over the gates, the pool was getting closer. I was going to drown again. Something grabbed me from behind. I yelled, "Ouch!" Grover! In midair, he had grabbed Percy by the shirt, and me by the arm, and was trying to pull us out of a crash landing, but we had all the momentum. "You're too heavy!" Grover said. "We're going down!" We spiraled toward the ground, Grover doing his best to slow the fall. We smashed into a photo-board, Grover's head going straight into the hole where tourists would put their faces, pretending to be Noo-Noo the Friendly Whale. Percy and I tumbled to the ground, banged up but alive. Ares's shield was still on Percy's arm. "Are you okay?" Percy panted. "Yeah... I didn't drown." Once we caught our breath, Percy and I went over to help Annabeth who was getting Grover out of the photo-board and thanked him for saving our lives. I looked back at the Thrill Ride of Love. The water was subsiding. Our boat had been smashed to pieces against the gates. A hundred yards away, at the entrance pool, the Cupids were still filming. The statues had swiveled so that their cameras were trained straight on us, the spotlights in our faces. I walked closer, "You guys suck." I blew blasphemy at the camera. Percy pulled me away. "Show's over!" Percy yelled. "Thank you! Good night!" The Cupids turned back to their original positions. The lights shut off. The park went quiet and dark again, except for the gentle trickle of water into the Thrill Ride of Love's exit pool. I wondered if Olympus had gone to a commercial break, or if our ratings had been any good. I hated being teased. I hated being tricked. And I had plenty of experience handling bullies who liked to do that stuff to me. Percy hefted the shield on his arm and turned to us friends. "We need to have a little talk with Ares."

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alyrae13 · 3 years

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Alright, time to explain my weeb ass! As promised, I’m gonna tell the reasons why I like each Gold Saint and why I see them as the way I do. Keep in mind, I’ll also may have to make this into two parts because of how long this would be in one single post, so please bare with me! Anyway, onward ho!!!

Libra Dohko

Starting off simple! Being a Libra myself, it’s easy to see that I would like this cool madafaka; He’s basically a better, more sensible version of Yoda. The reason I don’t feel very attracted to him is because I see him as the badass grandfather type, like the cool Chinese grandfather that could teach you how to kick ass while also being chill enough to unwind during tea time. 100% Dope Grandpa through and through.

Taurus Aldebaran

Now for the other one! Alde is a man who’s sweet as sugar cane yet as powerful as a raging bull. Despite his height, he’s a kind man when off the battle field and ready to fight for Athena when on said battle field. He’s not a character I’m attracted to because I see him as a strong yet sweet uncle figure who’s ready to stand alongside ya in both normal life and when fighting. He’s a tender giant of a man who supports those around him. Gentle Giant Uncle 100%.

Capricorn Shura

Now we go on to the tricky stuff. Shura, dear god do I love him. His character ideology is just so interesting due to the differences between the manga and anime. Wielder of the holy sword Excalibur, he could cut you to bits and think nothing of it. There’s also a possible angst hanging over him; He was the one sent to kill off Aiolos, knowing well how it would have affected little Aiolia. Imagine the amount of guilt he had for killing someone’s only family member? Even worse when you take the consideration of him realizing that he was willing to kill an innocent man without knowing about it, meaning he now knows he just tore a family apart and cause so much pain in vain. And please don’t get me even started on the Hades Saga and Soul of Gold. His character is just so great to me and I’m glad he was able to get on good terms with Aiolia in Soul of Gold. Plus, he’s a sexy Spanish man who’s super loyal, so why wouldn’t I love him?

Aquarius Camus

Camus, oh boy... Camus is someone who just gives me a whole array of emotions despite him not openly expressing them himself. On the surface, he is rather cold and distant due to not wanting to draw people into despair by showing exasperation, yet he’s still in control of his emotions rather than just suppressing them. His willing to fight for his ideals and for what he believes as correct (Soul of Gold anybody?), and although his way of teaching Hyoga is questionable at best, his only doing what he thinks will make Hyoga stronger as a saint. Despite being a man who appears uncaring and emotionless, he really isn’t. After all, we’re taking about the same man who one stated about hating people who mourn over the past yet also deeply cares for his pupil and about being true to his word to an old friend. Camus is a man who truly cares for those around him despite him appearing otherwise. He’s also a Frenchman, and who doesn’t love a beautiful French?

Gemini Saga and Kanon

Oh good grief this will be a long explanation. For the sake of respect and love for these two, I’ll be going over them individually because why not make this post into a full on essay?

Frist of all, Saga, poor Saga. Dear lord the amount of trauma this man had to go through is just heartbreaking. A man with an undying loyalty to Athena with an evil split personality... A more tragic version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Not only was he forced to see his evil side kill Pope Shion and take over his identity, he had to see him try to kill baby Athena and send another saint to kill Aiolos; And he had to endure that fact for thirteen years. By the time he was finally free of his evil half, he was practically begging his beloved goddess to forgive him for all the hurt he caused. A powerful yet tragic man indeed. Then there is his relationship with Kanon (of who we’ll talk about in a moment), because it’s also a little sad. Kanon was definitely, a bit of a traitorous prick in the beginning and it was his imprisonment that led to Saga’s split personality in the first place. Yet you could still say that they at least cared for each other despite all the bullshit they must’ve gone through whilst growing up, because Saga was definitely happy in the Hades arc when he found his brother fighting for Athena.

Now for Kanon, fucking Kanon who despite starting out as an infidel of a man, then became a great character in the same vain as his brother Saga. Dude wanted to overthrow the Pope and kill baby Athena but ended up getting his butt locked in Cape Sounion. Now we know what happens there; Finds trident, get’s Poseidon half awakened, poses as the Sea Dragon and yada yada. It’s only when fighting Ikki does he end up changing because it’s then when Ikki told him the only reason he’s even alive is because of Athena’s Cosmo. So, plans in scrambles and now possibly gripped with an overwhelming sense of guilt, he goes over to Athena and without skipping a beat, becomes a shield against Poseidon‘s trident and begs Athena to forgive him before falling unconscious. And of course, we know about everything in Hades arc.

In the end, both men are equally cherished characters of mine and I won’t have it any other way. Also their handsome Greek men who need hugs and kisses and need to be told that they are loved and appreciated, so...

Cancer Deathmask

Oh Deathmask, you beautiful bastard you... Now Deathmask is more of an asshole than Kanon for reasons we all know at this point but I’m guessing his behavior could be explain simply due to the fact he is literally surrounded by death everyday. Like seriously, is it really a surprise that he’s like this when he’s constantly exposed to seeing the souls of the living fall right into practically hell? Nobody would be the same if they had to endure that, especially since most likely he started training to become a saint at a very early age. Now, this is when Soul of Gold comes into play, because god damn it how they wrote his character is just something. Firstly, he’s shown to be an gambling addict and an alcoholic, clearly unhealthy coping mechanisms for not being able to use his cloth and you know, being exposed to death at an early age and onwards for most of his life. Then we have Helena; Now, I’m not gonna lie, the whole ‘Changed better because of love’ trope is very much old at this point but it’s kinda ok because it shows us ‘Hey, even he has the opportunity to change and become a good man’. Deathmask, despite all the things he’s done against mankind, still has the potential to become an honorable Gold Saint and a decent human being; Plus his a sexy Italian who can rock the goatee look, so yay for the crab.

Pisces Aphrodite

Ah yes, the beloved fish boi. Honestly, I love his character simply because he breaks so many boundaries that it would be hard for me not to like him. He plays into the whole ‘appearances can be deceiving’ stick so well; He looks feminine yet his personally is quite the opposite (to some extent). His personality is something that’s interesting to me as well; Despite being so god damn beautiful, he doesn’t act narcissistic at all and doesn’t even care about having his appearance messed up in battle. HIs belief that power and strength are the most beautiful things in the world speaks fucking volumes to me and explains why he was willing to follow the False Pope’s orders. His character in Soul of Gold was just great as well! Like, to see his abilities and power being fully used to it’s full potential was simply badass and I doubt others won’t disagree with me on that one; He was definitely key in the story despite showing little of him. That’s way I love him so much; He’s a gorgeous Swede who can kick your ass and think little of it. He’s the type of man who will look damn good beating you up while shrugging off any damage to his figure like a frickin’ boss... He’s just that dope.

OK, that’s the first part of this really long post; Honestly this took me nearly an entire day to write, like, really. I had to take a break and ended up taking a nap before finishing this, it was that long. Hope many of you agree with my reasons for loving these characters so far and if not, that’s ok! Opinions are fine as long as no one gets hurt, so it’s fine if you don’t like them like I do! Anyway, I’m just gonna rest now because my fingers are killing me. Have a great day guys!

#saint seiya #gold saint #soul of gold #capricorn shura #aquarius camus #gemini saga #sea dragon kanon #cancer deathmask #pisces aphrodite #libra dohko #taurus aldebaran #anime #favourites #knights of the zodiac

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writingsbysam · 3 years

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Penance

This time, one of the thousands and thousands and thousands of times, he’s bleeding out in my arms. It’s not like the first time, not a broken bronze chest plate and ravens picking out the maggots. There’s no funeral games here, no truce in the war, and no golden urn. Just a sweatshirt and the distinct smell of gunpowder. It’s my fault again, my rage provoked, taken out on everyone and anything within reach. I’ve always been worse than a hurricane, burned worse than the hottest days of summer. He dies protecting me, and my penance is no longer death, but having to live eternally without him. (How can one kill a god?)

Iron bites into the flesh more, the new technology running through the world faster than Zeus’ lightning, a band of wanderers from a land further than Hyperborea. He’s struck by an arrow this time, and I hardly have to scream before the people from the sea stab him through the heart. I dragged him into this and three ravens croak out a mocking song that sounds strangely more like laughter than a lament. It’s the beginning of the curse that will haunt me for eternity. There’s always some war or another, even if the format changes.

One would think that three war deities would be far too many, but that never seemed to stop the Moirai for declaring me the third puzzle piece to the particular tripartite hell that is war. The first time I see Athena roaming the halls of Olympus her face is pinched with pity, and sympathy. I only see Ares see once, eye bags the size of a small nation, and crazed mutterings escaping through his lips. I’m scared that one day I’ll end up like him.

I meet the war deities of other pantheons, eventually. I see Inanna –or Ishtar as she’s sometimes known depending on the century and the people– quite often and there’s something ancient and all-encompassing about her presence that makes the skin crawl. She’s like if Aphrodite and Athena had a baby and it’s frightening.

It’s a battle between Babylon and the Elamites. I shouldn’t be here in theory, but the curse holds strong, wherever he is, I’m with him always. I’m never a leader anymore, there’s a little less guilt in that, just a foot soldier. Inanna likes to run around as one of her sacred prostitutes, shell necklaces and gold armbands draped over Tyrian purple robes. She’s beautiful and mischievous but deadly as a viper, a combination of nightshade and honey. She holds my hand when I flinch, always watching the spear pierce my love just above the navel. I don’t love her, can’t love her, but her presence calms the roar in my skull. She’s a friend for a nearly a thousand years, until one day she fades away in a mirage and a watery smile. I may never have that luxury. (How can one kill a god?)

The next one I meet is the Morrigan, who lands on my shoulder in the form a crow as I gaze out over the peat. I flinch noticeably and she grows into a raven haired woman before my eyes. She says nothing the first meeting, just stares on out across the ocean over my shoulder. It’s years before I see her again.

This time the Romans gather off the coast, but no fighting will take place today, just trade. He’s sitting there, wearing a woad dyed cloak and a Roman helmet but he is not one of them.

“He will not die today,” Morrigan says in her distinctive croaky voice. I stare holes into his eyes, thankful for the invisibility of the divine for once.

“I know. He will tomorrow. It’s why you’re here, goddess, is it not?” I resign myself to my fate. A wolfen grin, the one I’ve seen when Athena creates a new weapon, splits across her face.

“Among other reasons. Am I not allowed to see my favourite Greek?” she laughs.

“How am I your favourite?” I ask, not sure why, surely she talks to Athena more.

“You’re the only one who visits, even if it’s just for him. You’re even the Dadga’s favourite,” she laughs and it reminds me of the day the Moirai cursed me just a little too strongly. Morrigan is probably my best friend, someone who might understand even more than Inanna.

It happens again the next morning, a version of me screaming at the general of the legion about a price, and an arrow through his temple. It hurts just as bad as the first time, and in fear of Morrigan I can’t let my tears fall. The warrior god and the goddess of might must be strong, right?

It happens again and again and again, all at the same time endlessly. Until one day, the future has no more need for fate and this time he gets to bleed out in my arms. Both of us, mortal and immortal, one 17 years old and desperate and the other 3,206 years old and still desperate. This might be the last time I see him, the curse is broken, and he might finally get some rest. Maybe I will too.

I strap rockets to my feet the week afterwards, shooting across the planet like a comet, taking down bad guys and finally living up to my title “God of Just War” (no war is just, whatever the Moirai thought. I lost everything to war and no one should have to do the same.) Morrigan joins the team after the biggest threat yet, claiming that she had nothing better to do. Her hair’s cherry red now, and she goes by a different name, but she can still kill a man with a paperclip so I don’t judge. We gain others who don’t know what we’ve done and make some sort of makeshift family, but I still weep for him, still long for Inanna’s overbearing smile. Morrigan is closer to mortal every day, as am I. I dream of him dying every night, of the threats to come (Morrigan and I compare notes in the morning, prophecy never quite left the both of us), and of the Mediterranean coast.

I wake up in a cold sweat one night after a particularly rough mission, watching a teenaged boy get shot in the chest reminds me too strongly of my former curse, and I walk into the kitchen to find a certain redhead brewing hot cocoa. I sit down across from her and stare off for a time, could’ve been a minute, could’ve been an hour, could’ve been a year. I talk of inconsequential things for a bit before she looks me in the eyes. She’s muttering to herself before she says,

“What’s the point of being a hero, with all the things we’ve seen, all the things we’ve done?” she says. Her voice is thick and hoarse with an unnameable emotion, the croak that marks her voice out from all others, the one that commands the words of power finally re-emerges.

“Penance, I think,” a mirthless laugh escapes my lips, “we’ve done a lot of bad shit in our 3,000 years. Gotta wipe the ledger clean somehow, huh, Red?” Her eyes go somewhere far away as she slips into the old language, the one older than even the standing stones that dot the Emerald Isle,

“Why, Achilles? Why us? Everyone else is gone or insane. Ares disappeared in 1945, Athena in ‘46, and Inanna… oh god Inanna… I don’t remember her face.” I do, I’ve seen it every night since she disappeared into the Iraqi desert. I answer my birth tongue, a Greek older than Greece. The syllables sit clunkily in my mouth, the sounds rusty from disuse,

“I do. I see it every night, bright as the day she left us. Morrigan… I think it’s because we already know how to be mortal. We cannot die because we have regrets.”

“What of Apollo, or Poseidon? They were mortal for a time and they’re still dying or dead,” she asks.

“They’re Olympians, they’re arrogant. We’re different. I… I can’t be forgotten because I started out mortal, to these days of science I was real therefore I can’t be forgotten. It’s the one thing the damned Moirai promised me when I left for Ilium, that I would have everlasting glory,” I ramble. Morrigan raises a perfect eyebrow,

“You think too much, Philos,” the Greek a halting stop in the lilting tongue.

“You’re probably right,” I admit, “it’s just I know why I do this. It’s for Patroclus. It’s penance. I save people because for three thousand years,” my voice hitches harshly, “I couldn’t save him, and I can’t make someone go through what I did.” Her brows knit into a mask of worry.

“Let’s put on a mind numbing movie and just laugh our asses off for an hour, alright?” she says in English. I reply in Greek, savoring my time speaking my native tongue,

“Raise a toast with me first,” we both raise our mugs, “to Inanna, wherever she is, and to our penance, however long that may be.” She clinks her mug with mine and puts on a movie.

The two of us, the last of the gods, huddle together on a couch passing stories until the dawn, sharing our penance together. And if the next time we save the world, while the rest of our teammates are okay and eating a metric ton of pizza, I look at her across the room and mouth “This. This is why we do this” well that’s none of your business.

Sharing our penance is a little easier together.

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fullsunalicia · 4 years

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i found you by chance, read your entire masterlist in one sitting and i've been smitten with your writing ever since!🥺 may i request a doyoung installment of your demigod series if you don't mind? they're just so lovely🥺 stay safe and healthy❣

archnemesis — KDY

doyoung and you have been at each other’s throat for more years than you can count. the constant bickering and his know-it-all behavior makes you want to burst from anger, but maybe the tension can be released ... otherwise.

son of athena!doyoung x daughter of poseidon!reader

oh bubs! i’m smitten with you too, thank you for being so kind! i hope you stay healthy, too - have you eaten yet? if not, go eat rn! stay healthy and take care of yourself <3 now, enjoy some demigod doyoung!

The stories speak of fated lovers. What they didn’t mention was that you were also able to inherit the hate towards another demigod just because their godly parent is a bitch towards yours.

Though, that isn’t the only reason you despise Kim Doyoung.

The man was born to get on your nerves. No matter what, you guys made it a competition to be better than the other. Grades, reputation,... You name it, you’ve fought about it. All of that is heightened because of that dispute from aeons ago, where Athens fell into Athena’s hands just because she planted some stupid olive tree.

Yes, you and your father are still salty about that.

You are never ever going to like Kim Doyoung.

❀ ❀ ❀

“I hate this university so much,” you cuss as you wrap your bath robe tighter and hide behind Taeyong. He’s not exactly broad enough to cover you, but you’d still like to maintain atleast a little bit of your dignity. You’re already annoyed - the loud alarm blaring doesn’t make it any better.

Taeyong intertwines your hands and pulls you along. The halls are filled with people who are as enraged as you, but also lots of people who are too stoned to care. Some look neutral. Some laugh at you, the girl who was in the middle of showering when the fire alarm went off. “Would you rather burn?” Taeyong sighs, eyes fixed on the exit. Neither of you thought about bringing a jacket, and you both dread the snowy weather that’s waiting outside.

Well, it’s going to be worse for you. Sopping wet from head to toe, you’re leaving behind the path back to your dorm with pools of water. It’s running down your back and clings to your cheeks, frozen there the second Taeyong and you step out.

You’d rather die than look anyone in the eye right now.

The problem is that this university is filled with mortals. No matter how many of them had the sight, you weren’t allowed to use your powers in public. You’re unable to wring yourself out, making you fall victim to the freezing wind blowing iceflowers on your wet skin.

Someone behind you snorts rather loudly. “You should’ve stayed in the dorm, idiot.”

You’d recognize that voice anywhere. The sound is like nails on a chalkboard, or what you imagine would it feel like if you had glass shards stuck in your ear. Doyoung bows over your shoulder to smirk at you, unfazed by your harsh push. He stumbles, but sadly doesn’t fall.

“Aren’t you supposed to be smart, you stupid know-it-all?” you hiss at him. Doyoung is wrapped in a thick coat, protected from the snow falling from the skies as the temperature drops lower and lower. Truth be told, he’s very handsome. You can’t deny that. It’s his personality that ruins it all.

A long time ago, long before you entered college, you and Doyoung had been in the same class in highschool. Your relationship back then had been a little bit better than now, but the hate had taken root there. His arrogance. The glance in his eyes that made you think he was looking down on you.

Doyoung is his mother’s pride and joy, the poster child. The sharp tongue. Emotionless eyes, aside from that slither of smugness. He’s perfect. And that’s what annoys the hell out of you.

He is born to bow before the rules. You live to break them. You aren’t meant to be contained or held down by something as stupid as that. The ocean waves live in your veins and empower you. Free as the flowing water, and just as harsh. The problem with Doyoung and you is that you’re just like your parents. Where he is careful, you are ignorant. Doyoung thinks about his actions, you rush into it headfirst.

Both of you are the spark to set ablaze the other’s fury. It made the lifes of your poor friends a nightmare, especially when you’re drunk and loose-lipped, and the only thing Doyoung has to say about that is: “Just as disappointing as her father.”

Because of that, he ended up with a busted lip once or twice.

“That’s why I told you to stay inside. It would’ve saved you the lung infection you’re about to catch. I suppose your singular braincell can’t get that.”

You don’t react to his jab. It’s too cold for that, and your teeth are chattering too much to deliver a harsh comment anyways. Taeyong beside you is quiet, offering you his arm as you wrap your own around it and roll your eyes. “I would’ve been written up, you asshole,” you mumble. With that, you bury your face in Taeyong’s side. You wish you were in your warm room. Surrounded by the scent of the ocean breeze, and the soft music that’s heard through the walls whenever Taeyong practices. It’s friday, for god’s sake.

Someone drapes a jacket over you. Disoriented, you raise your head to scold Taeyong - he can’t give you his jacket, if he gets sick he’s going to miss his competition... But it’s not Taeyong’s. His eyes are wide and shocked.

You turn back around to check for the annoying smartass, but he’s already walking away from you towards his friends.

Jacketless.

❀ ❀ ❀

You don’t see Doyoung for days after. Normally, you’d be glad to be free of his annoying existence. After that move in the snow, you’re not entirely sure if you never want to see him again, or pin him against a wall to question him.

There was no reason for him to be ... “kind”. If Kim Doyoung is even able to do that. Why would he? He enjoys your suffering as much as you enjoy his. On any other day, he would’ve left you to freeze to death. So what possessed him to do that?

The sound of water crashing on the shore snaps you out of your thoughts. You don’t particularly enjoy skinny dipping, but once in a while, you like to just sit down in the water and listen to the ocean’s stories. The waves whisper, heard only by those who are willing and able to listen. They don’t speak any language of the world, but you still understand them - the sound of the hidden world beneath the waterline, deep in the waters, never to be explored by someone who doesn’t belong there. Both death and life are found in the middle of the ocean’s treasures - corals, sirens, those who’s ships crash against the jagged stone and sink to the ground, never to be seen again. The secret of a naiad. The first cry of a mermaid. Two boats passing in the night.

You hear it all. You know it all. As a princess of the waves, the key to all those locks is in your heart, given to you by your father. The water will always bend to your will. The earth shakes below your feet to support your anger and release it. You are (y/n), daughter of Poseidon. You are as unraveling and uncontrollable as the freshwater rivers, mysterious like the depths of the sea. Your crown is made of salt and sapphire, not metal that will rust.

Being close to your father’s realm makes you calm. It’s like returning home after a long day, the warmth of the water like a blanket around your body. Thankfully, you’re not soaked or drenched. You will never be prisoner of the sea.

You want to know what goes in Doyoung’s head. Rarely is he ever helpful towards you. There was a time in highschool where you had thought you could put your differences aside, but it’s just not possible. Doyoung is married to his pride and his pride alone, cloaking himself in it so nobody gets close. He’s intelligent and cunning. There is no reason for him to tip his hand and aid you, when all he ever does is make life hard for you.

But once in a blue moon, Doyoung’s eyes are as calm as the ocean at night. No bitterness, no snarled arguments. It’s just him, focussed on the task at hand, quiet and in his own world. He reminds you of the mermaids then, who watch over the sea to save the drowning ships. He’s not malicious. He’s just a man with his own goals.

Waiting for you on the shore are your belongings, and a jacket that was never yours. It’s time you return it.

❀ ❀ ❀

Doyoung looks unfazed when you hand him back the jacket. You clear your throat, embarrassed. How the hell do you force yourself to be kind to the rival you’ve been terrorising for several years now? “Uhm, thanks, I guess,” you mumble and turn away to leave.

You’re not ready to throw away all of your habits yet.

The choice is taken out of your hands when Doyoung tugs you back. His grip isn’t firm, just kind of clinical. Touching you only for the sake that you’d know he didn’t want the conversation to end. It makes you uneasy. The two of you aren’t supposed to converse so calmly. At this point, Doyoung should be digging his claws inside of you like an angry cat, hooked deep inside you and leave you to rot. Spark the fighting spirit in you. The part of you that creates destructive hurricanes and deadly whirlpools.

But his eyes are unfathomable. “You’re not sick, are you? We were staying outside for a pretty long time. I didn’t see you get back inside.”

You want to hiss at him - what’s it to you? - but the sound is lodged in your throat. There was no mean undertone, no teasing lilt. Just ... curiosity.

You shake your head. Your voice hadn’t returned yet; you’re waiting for the situation to explode, for the hatred to return to his eyes. Shouldn’t you force his hand away? What is wrong with you?

Doyoung drops his hand. For once in your life, you desperately wish to be able to look into his head. To read that brilliant mind that forges thousands of strategies, aware of every possibility given. No matter how much you dislike him, there’s no point denying the utter intelligence this man possesses. He’s clever, with the consuming wish to know anything and everything. You look into his eyes, but there’s nothing - Doyoung is smart enough not to let anything show. He’s not like you. Still waters run deep.

Doyoung feels like the lowest point of the ocean. All the secrets buried there. The knowledge that would never reach another’s eyes. Mysterious. Dangerous.

Fingertips brush your hand. Maybe you imagined it. You don’t know if believing your senses, is the correct decision to take right now. Doyoung’s eyes shape emotion again, the silent caution of someone who didn’t want to overstep boundaries. But he never does that with you. Why would he now? “Keep to warm drinks,” he says, not an order, but advice. He folds his jacket in his hands. Have his eyes always looked like those of an owl? Or is that just an exaggeration on your part, because his mother is often connected with that animal? “Stretch if you have to. It would be unwise for you to catch a cold during exam season.”

With that, Doyoung steps inside and closes the door, to both you and the unknown world you had just been unwillingly dragged in. The one where children of Athena and Poseidon didn’t jump at each others throat because they breathe the same air.

The one where you feel like you’re in highschool again, wondering if Doyoung and you can be something entirely different than an archnemesis to the other.

❀ ❀ ❀

You’re not childish. You’re really not.

But maybe this situation is just too much temptation. Sprawled across several books, Doyoung rests his head on his arms and is deep in slumber. His black hair is curled, weirdly, a strange sight to behold. It’s not like he’s very stylish. It must be his friends’ influence. He almost looks pretty. You’re not childish, but there’s just something so funny about grabbing a pen and ruining Doyoung’s stunning features.

Your friends roll their eyes at you as you silently step closer to Doyoung. They want nothing to do with your shenanigans, and they’re honestly too tired to stop another brawl. The entire day had been spent studying, since final exams are drawing close and everyone feels like dying from the stress. It seems like not even a child of Athena is excluded from that. Doyoung’s brows are furrowed, even in his sleep. Shoulders tense, his hands forming fists before relaxing again - he doesn’t even let himself rest while he’s off to dreamland. Though this shouldn’t suprise you. Doyoung always flings himself into unreasonable amounts of work, no matter how much his health deteriorates because of that.

Despite hating him, you know a lot about the man who looks more bunny than human. In the many years of rivalry, you picked up a fact or two about him. His memorization skills, for example. You always hated how he was never plagued by blackouts during exams, while you suffered from panic in the few classes you struggled in. He always triumphed over you with a few points just because of that. Another thing is his fear from animals. You once used your powers on him, young and reckless, exceptionally blind to the threat that you could pose to him as a ruler child, daughter of one of the big three in Olympus. He hadn’t flinched from being caged underwater. The second Doyoung sees a large dog though, he’s as far away from the scene as possible.

It’s a very rare occasion, but you’ve also seen Doyoung cry before. In middle school, alone on a bench, surrounded by parents accompanying their children to school. Athena is sworn to chastity. That means that her children aren’t conceived - they’re living, breathing ideas, born in the same strange way their mother was. In the mortal world, they were known as ‘adopted’. And because Athena didn’t give away her virginity to have Doyoung, it means there’s no father in the picture. It’s just him and his big brother. On that day, he had cried because he was fully aware he was alone. You saw it in the way he clutched his books tight; knowledge ties him to his mother, earns him appreciation. No olympian parent would ever be there for their child all of the time. They are gods, bound to the nightsky. They exist to rule over the world and keep the balance. They are the fear instilled in you as tsunamis wreck entire cities. They are the wonder and awe in your eyes at the sight of purple thunderstorms darken blue skies, clawing it open with white lightning. They’re not here to play mommy and daddy.

That day was the only day in your life where you had willingly sat down next to Doyoung and held his hand until he calmed down. You sat there for a long time, clinging to each other, before you promised to never speak to anyone about this ever. Now came the second time where you slid into the seat next to him without being forced.

Doyoung is deep in slumber. Not a single reaction is coaxed out of him as you poke his cheek, and then pinch it. His lashes are really long; the thought fills you with envy. How come every single boy you know has nicer lasher than you?

With a sigh, you put a hand to his shoulder and shake him gently. He’s warm below your touch. Doyoung doesn’t rouse. “Hey,” you say, though it’s not loud. You’re still in a library. Then: “Hey, Doyoung.”

Your idea of drawing on his face is long forgotten when his eyelids finally flutter open. He looks unbelievably tired. Like a zombie, his gaze is dazed as he lets it wander over his surroundings, before finally settling on you. Thankfully, he doesn’t give you the evil side eye. You think he’s too exhausted to actually do that now. You shift in your seat. “When’s the last time you’ve eaten?”

The man drowsily reaches for his phone to check the time. Out of instinct, he narrows his eyes because of the bright light, and you fight back a snicker before he can glare at you. “This morning,” he mumbles, sleep lacing his melodious voice.

“Doyoung, it’s 9pm.”

“Your point?”

You sigh. You’d rather not do this right now. But you also can’t will yourself to stand up and leave, when he looks so ... wrecked. You want to help. “C’mon,” you murmur. “Grab your stuff, let’s get you some ramen. My treat.”

Doyoung looks at you like you’ve grown another head. Impatiently, you start drumming your fingers on the table. Is he always this ungrateful?

Nonetheless, he gathers his stuff, and you help him stuff the heavy books into his bagpack. Maybe you’re possessed. Yeah, maybe. That’s the only explanation you can muster for your behavior right now. But that still doesn’t explain why Doyoung had been kind to you after the fire alarm. Perhaps whatever possessed you had possessed him first?

You always knew those water spirits were real. Your father is a damn liar.

Doyoung lets himself be tugged out of the library by you, his body still heavy from the slumberparty he threw for himself while studying. The feeling of his fingers between yours doesn’t feel so bad. So what? You’re holding his hand because you hate him that much.. You’re just treating him like a child because he can’t walk alone, that’s all...

Neither of you let go once.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Are you hiding shit from me?”

Confused, you look out of your room to meet Taeyong’s gaze, who’s only halfway stepped out of his own to address you. A smirk is painted on his beautiful face, rather unusual for someone as kind as Lee Taeyong. You only see that kind of expression on his face when he’s punching someone in the face, or dancing in a competition. Son of Ares and all. That anger is fuel to a whole lot of good things in his life, not only fights. (Though not even Taeyong can resist the urge that was passed on to him by his father. You’ve seen the way his eyes light up when he lands a particularly good uppercut.)

“Now what is that supposed to mean?” You return to your messy room. Exams are finally over, and it looks like a bomb exploded inside your sleeping chambers as you’ve been busy studying in the past few weeks. You never even thought about tidying up because you were so concentrated on cramming a semester’s worth of information inside your head. This degree in marine biology wasn’t going to earn itself. Now, several weeks later, you finally had the time and right headspace to get your room back to its’ usual outlook.

It rustles in the room beside you. Taeyong is rearranging his furniture. “Are you out of your mind, or why are you on good terms with Kim Doyoung? I don’t like seeing you guys get along. It honestly scares me. It feels like there’s some kind of dubious peace treaty going on and it’s going to explode in my face when I get accostumed to it.”

Oh. A pink blush settles on your face as you slam your drawers shut, the embarrassment pooling in your stomach. You’ve never been good at hiding things from your best friend; Taeyong knew you too well. “I don’t know,” you tell him. Something in his room falls over. “I guess we just stopped after he lent me his jacket. Though I must admit it’s getting pretty weird. This is a betrayal to myself.”

“Are you joking? I was tired of getting in the middle of your brawls all the time.”

“Don’t lie!” You throw a book against the wall that borders to Taeyong’s room. He giggles, fully aware that he was caught lying red-handed. “I know how much you enjoyed playfighting with that dumbass. You were only disappointed that it was denying you of a real fight. You damn Ares children and your knack to fuck shit up.”

“Hey, blame it on the genes.” He wanders in your room without knocking. Taeyong isn’t very cuddly, but for once, he’s the one initiating the skinship. He hugs you tightly, thin frame fitting around yours to press you against his body. “I’m glad,” he mumbles, voice wiped clean of its’ joking tone. “Seriously. You’re not your parents. There’s no reason to not get along. If I can do it with him, why can’t you?”

Maybe what you have with Doyoung is a little different to what Taeyong and Doyoung have. But Taeyong doesn’t need to know that. And especially not Doyoung. It’s a wellkept secret that has been blooming inside you since you watched him slurp up some cup ramen, the gratitude in his eyes waking something up in your heart.

After that, he had never once looked down on you. No disrespect. No provoking comments. Only mindless chatter, and the occasional stare you caught the other doing once in a while.

[07:25pm] k. doyoung: meet me at the quad

Taeyong snickers as he reads the message over your shoulder. “So you’ve been hiding something from me,” he accuses you, and you realize that your secret isn’t as wellkept as you thought. You want to argue, but Taeyong shuts you up with a wink and leaves the room. Hmph. You return your attention to your phone.

[07:26pm] (y/n): be there in a minute.

Maybe your room can wait.

The walk from the dorm to the quad isn’t far, maybe a five-minute-walk if you weren’t rushing. It’s a little early in the evening, but still really cold, which is why you wrap your jacket around yourself tighter and pick up speed. Doyoung is waiting for you patiently, hands buried deep into his pockets.

You still have to get accostumed to the sight of him smiling at you. And to holding his arm willingly. And the wish to stand on your tippy toes and kiss him...

“Why’d you call me?”

Doyoung starts walking. Even though you already wrapped your arm around his, he uncoils them so he can interlock your fingers and stuff them into his jacket pocket. “I thought about something,” he drawls out. As always, he cloaks his voice to not expose his true feelings. Another Athena habit. You wonder if he’s even aware of it. “This rivalry thing is getting kinda old, don’t you think?”

“Are you finally admitting defeat?” You grip his fingers tighter. They’re warm in yours, and the laugh you manage to coax out of him makes you feel light. “I knew if I just continued fighting bravely, I’d win. This is for Athens, wise boy.”

Doyoung holds you closer. He seems really undecisive with what he wants to do: despite him already changing the positon of your hands, he lets go to wrap an arm around your waist and pin you against his side. The second he lowers his head to lean his forehead against yours, you feel dizzy. “Never, seaweed brain. I was actually thinking something entirely different...”

You feel breathless. “What exactly?”

“How about I show you?”

Doyoung’s lips feel as soft as they look like; his kiss feels like a caress, so sensual and loving you could do this for hours. Your hands find his hair, tugging slightly to get him closer. You even tug an appreciative, very quiet moan out of him by doing that. When he finally leans way, your lips are swollen, his are forming a grin. He’s awfully smug. Though, you guess he has every right to after making your heart pound as quickly as the flutter of a hummingbird’s wings.

His gaze is self-satisfied, but also full of adoration. Longing. The same gaze he sometimes has after reading a particularly good book. The taste of his favorite cake. Who knew enemies made such good lovers...

“So?” Doyoung cradles your face in his hands, fingers moving to tuck strands of your hair behind your ear. Careful, like you were porcelain. Expensive. Precious to him. “Do you agree with me or what?”

“I think I need to be shown again.”

He doesn’t stop you from getting a second taste.

124 notes · View notes

greenflamedwriter · 3 years

Text

Percy AU NOTES

Keith as Nico di angelo and Lance as Percy Jackson.

But Lance was never claimed so he assumed he was Hermes kid he meshed well with them.

But once Keith got claimed so did lance and then shiro their dads had some sort of rivalry.

They didn’t account for the three to fall in love with each other. After and intense mission to save medusa. For lance. Personophene for Keith and Ganymede for Shiro.

Lance is also adopted by aphrodite goddess of the sea which passes on her powers so Lance can make people listen and share secrets with him like a siren.

_________________________________________________________________________

1 Lance is really nice and open with people until he realises that both Keith and Shiro are Roman descendants and not greek so they clash a little, Keith insults greeks and Lance is offended.

2 dinner and theres a party and lance is in the middle of it trying to get the daughter of Athena (Allura) To dance with him and that’s when it happens. Shiro is claimed by zues and everyone applauds then Keith by Hades and hears other say (it was so obvious he was an emo) But then lance is claimed by poseidan and everyone just stops and stares. What?

3 Lance is mad, he was a hermes kid wasn’t he? He looked like them, he had the same jaw line and nose and they all got along so well...this had to be a mistake and why now? He blames the new kids and this is when the party Lance becomes grouchy. And Allura hates his guts because athena and poseidan are rivals

4 They get a quest (to save the victims by the abuse if the main three gods. Ganymede, Medusa with Aphrodite, Persephone)

5. Ganeymede. The boy who was stolen, raped and made into Zues personell wine waiter then demoted to a fate taxi cab telepromter. Boy he hates Shiro because who can actually hurt Zues? he is what clues them in on rape victims which narrows it down immedietly and when Lance realises that Medusa is next for him and Keith looks horrified that they're all related to rapists, but Shiro felt relieved since at the end of the day does it stop at ganeymede or will it keep going- they are giving tokens once they have won.

6. Personophene and Keith, Keith apologises since Personophene hates Hades he thought and she blinks “I’m a god, I don’t eat. Period. I knew underworld food would keep me trapped I hadn’t eaten in months and all of a sudden I’m peckish? Pul-ease.” Keith blinked confused.

“And I don’t hate you, you didn’t ask to be born. And I know Hades returns to me in the end.” Personophene brushes his cheek “You have his eyes, maybe thats why I can’t bring myself to hate you.”

8. Lance remembers his mother, and he always heard the tale of Medusa and thought it was sad. So when they go to the statues, and realise it’s people Lance keeps talking about how sorry he was and how being how she looks was to protect herself, Lance wanted to sacrifice himself and asked to let Keith and Shiro go to save kids. Medusa turns him to stone then aphrodite turns him back and medusa decides to fight against rapists and attack them instead of taking it out of posedions kids.

___________________________________________________________________________

Journey towards the west,

And save the tragic three,

Punished by thy fathers,

For their own luxary,

Succeed and save more lifes from this venture,

Remember to be calm and endure their gruelling temper.

__________________________________________________________________________

Lance hides behind a pillar panting with a cut down his cheek. Oh god he was going to die!

“Hey!”

Lance turned to see Shiro lunge forward eyes closed “If you want a fight come and get me!”

Lance gaped what?

Lance scowled and saw Shiro with the shield looking through the mirror, and froze, Shiro always fought in gladiator fights, he was always the hero the sel sacrificing idiot. And Medusa she was scorned by posidion. This was his fight.

Keith- he had no idea where he was but, he stood up from behind the pillar luckily seeing the hose pipe in the corner. He used it and yelled.

"Medusa!" He heard her move and shivered waiting for the attack.

"Lance no!"

He aimed his water and it stopped her short, only for a second "I surrender!"

"...What?" She paused and Lance took a breath keeping his eyes shut. "Medusa, I always heard stories about you, some saw it differently, that athena changed you so no man would ever hurt you ever again not in that way- but it didn't matter because men take what they want regardless of what you look like."

He was shaking his water diminishing "I may be son of posedion but I am digusted by what he did and want nothing to do with him, but if you want to take revenge against him by hurting me," he outstretched his arms "That's fine- just let the other two go- they did nothing to hurt you, you can do whatever you want to me, but please, let them go."

"Why should I listen to your pleas? When posedian and Athena never listened to mine?"

"Because you'll be no better than them, just a monster preying on someone weak for your own justification."

"I am nothing like them."

"Then let my friends go...please."

Medusa tiled her head considering "Maybe I should do to you what posediian did to me," she leaned closer the snakes hissing across his cheek and Lance trembled "Send you back to your god with the pieces left, to show him what he did to me."

"He wouldn't care, he has thousands of children in the roman camp, percy is his favourite." She growled "Percy ripped my head off and stuck in a drunk mans fridge." Lance grimaced "And if you kill everyone of posedions children it won't make a difference."

"True, but it'll make me feel better."

"Then you won't be different than your tormentors."

Silence

"You know nothing, demigod."

oops she was pissed.

"Look at that." Lance pointed, knowing in the garden and where he was guessing he was pointing at the right thing.

"What?"

"That is a child correct?"

"So?"

"Did she deserve it? Was she any different than you? Her mother or father here? Did they honestly come here to attack you-"

"Well...no- but they-"

"Please, Medusa, they are people out there that hurt others the way posedion hurt you, ones who deserve justice. But not here. Not in this garden- it's your cage."

"No it's my haven and they still come here and hurt me."

"Then why stay? No matter what people will still try to use you- don't let them. I won't speak for Athena but, giving you the power to turn people to stone with just a look before they could even get ten feet in front of you, making your lower half a snake, making your hair venoumous, Those seem like tools to me, to stop people from touching you ever again."

Lance held his head up high his body trembling.

"As a son of posedion I'll take responsibility, but posedion himself wont since he won't see he's done nothing wrong, you can't hurt him so you hurt others weaker than you."

"no."

"you're a bully medusa, if anything that's worse, because you want people to hurt as much as you but you should know better and know how it feels to be violated."

"Stop it."

Lance opened his eyes and Medusa was looking away covering her face he gaped.

"Medusa?"

He took a step forward and she hissed "Don't look at me!"

He flinched ripping his arm back "I...I am terribly sorry, Medusa. You- no one deserves that. But staying here...it's not healthy. To repeat this over and over again until another demi-god kills you?"

She still had her face covered and Lance bit his lip "Medusa? C-can I touch you?"

She didn't move until a stiff nod.

He took a hesitent stop forward then hugged her, his hands only around her stomach and felt her tremble.

"It's okay to be mad, Medusa." She was trembling "It wasn't my fault."

"No it wasn't."

She started weeping falling to the ground and Lance moved with her.

"You- you need token to go to Hades?" She asked them finally wearing her sunglasses and hijab to cover her hair, Lance nodded "If you don't mind- if not we can go that's tottally okay-"

"No, it's the least I can do and...leaving here would probably be best for me"

A/N Another thing, why would Persphone and the lotus people have tokens to get to the underworld? Like the lotus and Nico and his sister so did persophone not care or know they were there? I mean the lotus would've told her since they're bffs who's visitng perce for tea partys and Medusa? I know people think Hades/Persphone are good but there;s different sides on one hand they are like beauty and the beast on the other, perse is another rape victim. I know I didn't write this correctly.

I just tried to write it the best I can but Lance has a reason for Medusa trusting him, even though he's the son of poseidon.

___________________________________________________________________________

“Cone on Keith wheres your sense of humour!”

“Lance, no.”

Lance grabbed his arm and dragged him backwards towards the carnival with Shiro following behind. Lance pulled Keith onto every ride forced him to eat cotton candy but what stopped Keith from snapping at the kid.

Was when Lance played a shooting range gane and gave Keith a hippo.

“Only the best for the prettiest boy.”

Lance grabbed his hand and pulled Keith fir more open stalls with merchendise.

Keithseyes were shinning theough the whole trip and Shiro was able to watch it all.

Carnival leads to persophene

After Aphrodite crisis to pair the three up.

Lance jumps at the teenage girl sitting at the pool beside him, “So why don’t you try them, I know you like them.” Lance flushed “What?”

“It’s obvious, except not obvious enough for those two. Love does make a person go blind.” Lance shook his head “What no? Come between Keith and Shiro?”

She looked amused as he babbled “I can’t do that to them, they’ve been through so much.” Lance looked over to the two his eyes softening “Shiro has been hurt so many times, gladiator fights? It was compeltely barbaric and his hair is white- and Keith he’s a demon with a sword and can raise skeletons from the dead! Both are so strong but only vunerable around each other...they’re perfect for each other. When I think of Soulmates I think of them two...I hope I can find someone like them one day.”

“Like them? Why not just court them, I doubt the two would mind.”

“Making them pick each other or me? That’s stepping down.” Lance said unknowing why this stranger tried to sabotage Keith and Shiro, was she a siren? If so it wasn’t working.

She shook her head “No, it is possible to be partners with three people. I should know, Hephaestus is very accepting of who I am and who I bed with.”

“Heph- wait.” Lance’s eyes widened in shock as he looks at the golden teen properly.

She was big, round belly and thick legs and arms with golden healthy hair curling at her shoulders her face plump lips tilted into a smile as sea green eyes seemed to swirl, unnatural. God like.

She looked exactly like the painting, Venus stepping out of her sea shell.

She stroked his face “We share waters, both are lovers of the sea.” She kissed his cheek “If Gods could adopt demi-children, all of Poseidon's folk would be mine. Artemis can do it, why can’t I?”

Lance gaped “I can’t turn my back on poseidon he’ll drown me.” She smiled “What’s wrong with co-parenting? Do him proud by defending his name and waters and do me proud,” She nudged his shoulder and glancing at Keith and Shiro “By falling in love.” Lance’s eyes widened “I give my blessing, and I wouldn’t do this for a lost cause I stoke the fires for love. Never extinguishing them.” Lance blinked and she was gone.

The beautiful teenager, Aphrodite.” Lance stepped out of the pool and almost stumbled at the looks Keith and Shiro had sending his way.

“What? What’d I do?”

“What were you doing?”

Lance shrugged “Having fun at the pool what of it?”

“Why sid that girl kiss your cheek?”

Lance blinked at Keiths angry response, any other time he would’ve felt hurt but he paused at what aprodite just said, he swallowed suddenly nervous but had to ask.

“Why? You jelous?”

Keith scowled “Lets just go,” Shiro gave him a look then followed “Come on we’re on a mission.”

Lance watched the two walk away his heart twisting. Keith didnt answer his question.

Ganeymede they use their powers keith summons dinasaurs lance dives underwater to save shiro (ganeymede drowns shiro as zues cant save him)

Ganeymede “Zues is gay!?”

Both Ganeymede Keith and shiro raised an eyebrow “Ih yeah, who wasn’t gay with the greek gods.” Lance felt as if his whole life was a lie.

“I feel like I should know this as a fellow gay,”

Keith oatted his head “Your a newbie gay it’ll take a while to figure out.”

Now the weird part “We uh, this is going to blow up in our faces isnt it.”

“What?”

“Posidion, Zues, Hades?” Dont they think they’ll be mad

Thunddr lighting

You had to say it

Hades! How can you just stand there do something about your son!

Hades: i dont really care?

What!?

First nico now keith ? I dont care!

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elencelebrindal · 4 years

Text

Honest Opinion - Athena

General Overall score: 5/10

Part 1 - Saori Kido

Called Lady Isabel di Thule in the Italian dub, a name that I quite like. It’s cool. It’s in Pegasus Fantasy too, click here if you want to listen!

Overall score (character, not looks): 3/10

She’s definitely not my favorite character of the whole series. As a matter of fact, Saori is one of the female characters I dislike the most.

As a child, she was insufferable, spoiled, with no sense of respect for other people. If little Saori wanted something, she didn’t care about how people would feel about it. The fact she had to be reprimanded by Mitsumasa, when Jabu ended up injured because of her antics, told everything about her.

And then, she grew up to be... that. Initially, I genuinely hated her. I don’t like Seiya, but when he faced her about his sister, and about the promise she clearly didn’t intend to keep, I was totally with him. Saori only cared about Mitsumasa’s ambition, back at the beginning, she wanted every Saint to fight in the Galaxian Wars to realize his dream. Without knowing the real reason behind it yet, not until she was told about being Athena.

But even then, things didn’t change so much. I appreciate how keen she is for business, and how straightforward they depicted her in dealing with the whole mess of problems following Ikki’s appearance and the theft of the Sagittarius Cloth. That’s it. I don’t like her personality, because it’s completely up to what the plot needs and not consistent.

Also, how stupid do you have to be to send you enemy a letter informing him you’re coming?! I get the symbolic gesture, but that was so dumb. No wonder she almost got killed in the process, that’s what she literally asked for.

There are moments where Saori comes up as forgiving and smart, don’t get me wrong. But there’s also the fact she’s in love with Seiya, and most of the time she doesn’t care about everyone else because he’s important and they’re not, in her eyes. This is just worse when she finally takes on Athena’s role, and almost nothing changes about this behavior.

And to end it, why is Saori even still around? It only made sense during the Poseidon Arc, when she attended an event as head of the Foundation, but in any other circumstance? She’s Athena, she’s supposed to stay in Greece, at her Sanctuary. Not strolling around as Saori, in her mansion, while her Saints struggle in the aftermath of a devastating battle. Her constantly keeping up the whole “I’m Saori, and Athena when I want to” it’s honestly infuriating. It doesn’t make sense, and I’m so happy in Hades she finally got some sense knocked into her brain.

Part 2 - Athena

Just the translation. Atena. We’ve been amazing with her name.

Overall score (character, not looks): 2/10

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is not how to be a goddess. I know some of you might think I’m being too harsh with her, I know there are people who love her. But I said I was going to be honest, and honest I will be. Because this Athena is the worst thing I’ve ever seen. (She does get better in the Hades Chapter, I like her there, but bear with me here).

Listen, I’m not saying a goddess shouldn’t care for one Saint over every other, refuse to be where she needs to be because her human side is too appealing, and be so useless she doesn’t do anything for 90% of the series... who am I kidding, I’m totally saying it.

I will be fair. She did useful things. She healed the Bronze Saints and aided them (if only just a little bit) during the Twelve Temples Arc. She tried to be of help during the Asgard Arc. She was willing to sacrifice herself during the Poseidon Arc. Those happened. She took on her role as a goddess, and fulfilled it. Even if kind on unsuccessfully.

But, and this is a huge but, she doesn’t care for all her Saints equally. You can tell she cares more about Seiya, she constantly helps him more than anyone else, she legit ignored other Saints in favor of him. She also didn’t care for the Gold Saints, after the battle against evil Saga (listen, I’m still not sure about the whole Arles thing being international, don’t @ me); Athena, being Athena, should have stayed in Greece. With the Gold Saints who die every damn generation for her. She didn’t. Everything ended, and back to Saori she went, in her million dollar mansion, with five Bronze Saints who were not as shocked and devastated by what happened at the Sanctuary as the Golds.

Also, what about the Silver Saints? The one time she showed any kind of interest towards them was with Babel. It’s like she doesn’t give a damn about all the ones who died, the majority of which under evil Saga’s spell. What gives, Athena?

And don’t get me started on how many times she gets kidnapped, it’s so ridiculous. Though, she did get a (sort of) fair treatment in Legend of Crimson Youth, where she actually tried to conjure up a plan against Abel (she failed, because of course an Olympian gets defeated by someone who isn’t even a real god, but fine, te effort counted), and Warriors of the Final Holy Battle. This, actually, is the movie that actually gave her the best justice. Athena acted like a real goddess here, willing to do whatever it takes to be of help, trying to save her Saints before letting them intervene. Sure, she lost herself at the end, but this is what really gave her the only points she has.

Part 3 - Comparison with the mythological Athena

This is mostly because I love Greek Mythology, and I wanted to give my opinion on how Athena has been represented in general, without taking into consideration Saint Seiya’s plot. I only have one word: BAD. Athena is not a perfect goddess, with a pure heart, obsessed with world peace and safety. She’s the goddess of strategic war, not of peace and justice. She did her fair share of awful things, alongside the good deeds. Kurumada representing her as this flawless, spotless deity never met my full approval. If anything, she should be a warrior just as much as her Saints. It’s not like she cannot fight (her Kamui, anyone?), but it’s more like she is not supposed to fight. Also, I want to point out how stupid is that Kurumada’s Athena is literally everywhere, included Lucifer’s story. What a bunch of bullshit.

Part 4 - Legend of Sanctuary

Lady Isabel and Atena again. Consistency is the key.

Overall score (character, not looks): 8/10

A little bit better, compared to the classic version of her, especially considering her backstory. She’s been represented as a kind person, as a child, and I appreciated that. I don’t like how different that was from the main show, but it was definitely better. More fitting for a character like her. Even though, I still think it’s ridiculous she was able to use her cosmo like that as a child, whilst not knowing about the whole Athena thing.

Now, she did have those classic moments of “it’s time to be awkward with Seiya, even though now I know I am a goddess and should not be doing this”, but honestly? She was better. This movie had a whole deal of hilarious scenes with her, and a lot of sad and difficult ones, but they all made sense. Her not knowing how to react at suddenly being told “hey, you’re Athena!”, her laughing and being amazed, everything was fitting for a human character trying to understand something bigger. This didn’t happen in the classic series, Saori just switched back and fort without a care in the world in there.

Saori, in this movie, doesn’t become Athena until the very end, but while being Saori, she also had a deeper understanding of her being a goddess and having the power to help her Saints.

I loved the scene with Aiolia, where her human side didn’t know why her godly cosmo kept her from fleeing, and instead wanted to protect the Bronze Saints and save Leo from his ignorance. And I loved how Saori scolded the Gold Saints, went out of her way to save who almost died for her, despite being weakened by Saga’s doing. She cared for all of them, without choosing a favorite, and made it until the end with a reason for her Saints to still follow and defend her.

And even though Seiya stole everyone’s spotlight, she didn’t side with him and with him only, like what happens time and time again in the classic series. But she didn’t stay with the Gold Saints, and that’s the worst thing Athena could do; the Bronzes don’t need her. the Golds? Yeah, they do. They lost companions and friends, and their houses received a beating. Athena being merciful towards Saga doesn’t save her from all the critiques I’m going to throw in her direction for going back on Earth.

#saint seiya #i cavalieri dello zodiaco #los caballeros del zodiaco #os cavaleiros do zodiaco #knights of the zodiac #legend of sanctuary #athena #saori kido #lady isabel #deities #my opinion #honest opinion

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thesibyllinebooks · 4 years

Text

The New Yorkers (Part 24)

Leo stood around the large, circular table in the dining room. Calypso sat next to him with a grin so wide it was a miracle her facial muscles were still intact.

“So,” Leo started, “I’m sure you’re all wondering why Calypso and I called you to have this delicious dinner-”

“Because you’re a good friend who knows we can’t cook?” Piper questioned.

Leo shook his head and rolled his eyes. “That’s Jason’s problem, not mine.”

“Tell us!” Hazel said excitedly.

“Well,” Calypso said, looking at all of them. Her stomach was so large she had to scoot her chair back from the table to fit. “Leo and I were having a talk about who the godparents should be...”

“Annabeth and I are flattered,” Percy said, which earned him an elbow to the side from Annabeth. He was just happy that for once they were at Leo’s like the good old days, together and in a relationship, and not with Percy drenching Annabeth in disgusting city sludge.

“We chose all of you,” Leo informed his friends happily, finally sitting down. “It takes a village, right?”

Hazel’s golden eyes gleamed. “Oh, Leo! We’re honored!” she said excitedly.

“For real, man,” Frank echoed.

Leo began to eat. “I mean, you really didn’t think Cal and I would be able to choose which of our coupled friends should take care of our daughters in the event of both our untimely deaths, right?” he asked.

“But if you had to choose, it would have been Piper and me right?” Jason asked.

“I mean to be totally honest, it probably would have been Frank and Hazel. They’re the most responsible,” Leo admitted. Frank and Hazel beamed proudly.

The table fell into comfortable conversation. Percy told his friends about his new job, and Hazel and Piper talked idly about how wedding planning was going. Annabeth and Frank fell into a conversation about something related to their studies. Everything was perfectly normal, the way things had been before.

“So, how’s being back together life?” Leo asked his friends.

Annabeth’s face flushed. She knew she’d have to answer the question at some point or another. “It’s great,” she smiled. “Never been better.”

“Jason caught me up,” Leo explained. “Why would somebody want to take your memories anyway? And our memories too, I guess?”

Frank hung his head, suddenly unable to meet anyone’s eyes. Percy squeezed Annabeth’s hand, urging her that it was high time to tell the truth. Annabeth knew deep down he was right but once she said everything, she wouldn’t be able to take it back.

“It was Athena,” Annabeth admitted stiffly. “Long story short, war is brewing on Olympus. Poseidon wants to overthrow Zeus. She thought I would side with Percy and try to destroy her.”

The table was silent for a long while. Calypso frowned in dismay. “Damn, you’re serious?” he asked.

Annabeth nodded. “She came to me a couple weeks ago and admitted as much. Hazel helped us get our memories back. Athena manipulated all of us.”

Jason frowned. He looked hurt, but like he was trying hard not to be. “So you both knew, but you only told Hazel?” he questioned.

“Hazel can control The Mist,” Percy pointed out, coming to Annabeth’s defense. “And of course we wanted to tell you, but we didn’t know how without you thinking I’m suddenly against you or something.”

Jason shook his head. “I’m not my father. I don’t think that,” he said understandingly. He gestured between Annabeth and Percy. “So, I’m assuming your mom is going to defend Zeus?”

Annabeth nodded. She made a face like her food was turning to dust in her mouth. “Yes, you know how Athena would hate to upset tradition,” she spat.

“What about my dad?” Leo asked. “He hates Zeus. He’s a smart guy.”

“Yeah, he’s on Poseidon’s side,” Percy admitted. “So are Hades and Ares. Aphrodite’s siding with Zeus.”

“This is upsetting,” Calypso said. She was no stranger to the gods’ antics. “Again?”

“Again?” Annabeth repeated. “This has happened before?”

Calypso nodded. Her hand rested idly on her stomach and her face turned into a troubled frown. “Yes, a really long time ago. Maybe... five hundred years? Poseidon tried to unseat Zeus and, clearly, he was defeated. Hundreds of demigods died.” She stood up from the table. Leo didn’t try to stop her.

“Oh, no,” Piper said. “What about the camps? They can’t be safe.” If she was thinking the same thing as Annabeth, she was probably concerned for the safety of all her siblings who would have to fight- and possibly die- in a battle they had no stake in.

“We spoke to Chiron. The gods are already going at it. Zeus poisoned the lake at Camp Half-Blood and put a few campers in the infirmary,” Annabeth said dismally. “When the kids show up for summer, it’ll probably only get worse.”

“No,” Hazel said in dismay. She put a hand on Frank’s arm. “You should get in touch with Camp Jupiter, and see-”

“Of course, I will,” Frank assured everyone. “Is there anything we can do? I get that we’re retired, so the gods aren’t exactly going to allow us to ride into battle...”

Percy and Annabeth’s eyes locked. They had a silent conversation- telepathy, it felt like to Percy at times. He nodded to Annabeth, hoping she understood he was encouraging her to tell the truth, but not the parts that were still too sensitive.

“Percy and I went to Olympus,” Annabeth said. “I spoke to Athena. They’re gearing up for war and they’re not going to budge- no matter who has to die. I know we can’t fight but we can do something better.”

“What’s that?” Jason asked.

“You’re not going to like it,” Percy warned him.

Annabeth grit her teeth. “We have to stop worshiping the gods,” she said. She continued before anyone could stop her. “Not that I hate the gods, or want to overthrow them or anything, but this is the only thing we can do. If the gods fade from existence, they can’t wage this war on each other.”

“That’s a bit...much,” Leo said.

“Do you have a better idea?” Percy snapped defensively.

“Well, it does sound like we’re jumping the gun here,” Jason said. “I mean, that’s a pretty big deal. The gods are well... gods.” Percy loved his friend, but he was sick of Jason always trying to do the right thing. He did’t even know if it could be chalked up to him being Roman, because Frank and Hazel were clearly on board.

“Did you not hear Annabeth? Kids are already getting hurt,” Piper said. “I know it’s your dad, but Zeus has never really been a father to you. Plus, he’s done some pretty messed up stuff to well- everybody.”

Percy was glad Piper said it so he didn’t have to.

“Who said it has to be Zeus?” Jason questioned.

“It only makes sense,” Annabeth reasoned. “And Athena. It’s nothing personal. I’m not saying I think Poseidon’s right. But if the two of them lose power, we could stop this.”

“And then what? Poseidon becomes King of the Gods?” Jason asked.

“Would that be a bad thing?” Percy countered. “I didn’t ask for this any more than you did. And why does it matter who wins, as long as war doesn’t break out?”

Jason shook his head again. “No, that’s not what I meant. I understand where Annabeth’s coming from but it’s a lot- fading a god’s essence is way easier said than done.” He sounded like he was backtracking, but Percy didn’t want to point it out and start an argument with his roommate.

“I know,” Annabeth agreed. “Which is why we have to tell both camps. No more offerings to Zeus or Athena. No more fighting in their honor, praying to them- even facetiously. I’m going to convince Chiron to move my siblings to another cabin-”

“They could have mine,” Percy said. “That’d really burn her.”

“Please, she’d disintegrate the cabin the second they moved in,” Leo reasoned.

“Do you think Chiron would go for that?” Piper asked.

Annabeth shrugged. “It can’t hurt to try. I mean, if this has happened before like Calypso said, maybe he’ll be willing to help.” It was obvious to Annabeth Chiron cared about the campers far more than he did the gods. Annabeth felt a little bad for him, having to deal with temperamental, annoying gods for almost five thousand years.

“You’d have to tell the cohorts to remove their offerings from the temples,” Hazel told Frank. “That’ll take a load of convincing.”

“I know,” Frank agreed. “But if it’s going to stop a war, it’s worth a shot.”

Percy clasped his hands together with an uneasy smile. “Well, that went well,” he said. “Annabeth and I were ready for fights and all out carnage.”

“We understand the mission’s more important than our own feelings,” Jason said. Percy wanted to ask him if he was sure about that.

“That’s the most Roman thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Leo told his friend with a smile. “But for real, whatever happens between the gods, y’all are hands-down my best friends and are totally gonna be the best god parents ever- definitely better than out own.” Hazel cringed at Leo’s dismal joke.

“Good talk,” Piper agreed.

Leo stood up again. “I’m going to find Calypso and then after- board games! Don’t think all this war talk doesn’t mean I’m not still ready to kick your butts!”

#the new yorkers #heroes of olympus #percy jackson #pjo fanfic #annabeth chase #percabeth #hazel levesque #leo valdez #piper mclean #frank zhang #pjo #fanfic

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incorrect-hs-quotes · 5 years

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oohohoho you just opened the deepest can of worms on the planet

-mod dave, who wrote a fucking ten mile essay

first off, addressing the second anon, no theyre all humans. h., half humans at least. cause yall know me i fucking love my humanstuck aus off my ASS

(that would be funny as hell though. a troll from space walking into a camp on earth going “I AM THE SON OF ONE OF YOUR EARTH GODS. BITCH” like... holy shit)

so first things first their parents. im gonna lay this out, the beta kids and trolls are all greek (EXCEPT sollux hes roman cause his parent has no greek equivalent), and all the alpha kids and trolls are those gods roman equivalents (,,EXCEPT dirk cause he kinda balances sollux being roman out). i havent figured out how thatd happen like 16+ times yet cause in the percy jackson books theres only ever been one instance of two siblings of the same godly descent being greek and roman respectively in HISTORY so like.. i guess th. i guess thats just not a problem in this au

anyway this gets really long so im gonna talk about the beta kids and trolls cause i havent elaborated on the alphas at all ((peep the tags if you wanna see their parents though))

johns the son of zeus, rose is the daughter of athena, dave is the son of apollo, and jade is the daughter of demeter. they were all raised in their respective states, all had to come to new york for various reasons. jades been there the longest, shes been there 9 years and shes been on a couple quests. her biggest accomplishment so far is how she protected the camp from this big vicious angry hellhound that got past the barrier. naturally the girls fluent in Dog Training, so she steps up and instead of trying to kill this thing, she reaches out and tames it as fast as she can. it ends up actually working, and ever since that day she, her cabin, and the camp have a whole bodyguard sleeping right outside the demeter cabin! hes her steed in battle and hes a Very Good Boy. and his name is becquerel

johns the newest kid at camp, he has no idea who he is or why the fuck his school got attacked or why in the hell those anemoi thuellai were so fixated on him or HOW in the hell he absorbed the lightning one threw at him and ended up fine,,, hes just a big mess right now. a big enough mess that when he got claimed by literally zeus, no one else was around, he shrugged it off as some basic magical happening, and he stayed in the hermes cabin far longer than he should have cause no one! fucking knew he got claimed! by zeus of all people! dumbass. he ends up figuring it out though. like an off-hand mention about how this “weird lightning thing appeared above my head a couple weeks ago, haha weird right?” once he figures it out he realizes “hey i might be able to fly” so he sneaks off into the woods to try it. he succeeds fairly quickly but god almighty everyones face the one day the dude just yote himself off a small cliff without warning,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

dave and rose are really tight, theyve been there roughly the same time length, and since their cabins are across from each other they just bother each other all the time. daves the resident Doctor even though he really doesnt look it cause hes got the apollo powers. apollo is the medicine god. so if you wound your stupid ass in battle daves in the ER room patching you up with his glowy hands. rose on the other hand is a very good strategist. shes one of the only athena kids ever recorded to actually have a power - telekinesis. she has no idea how she developed it, she thinks its from birth, but it freaks her out. shes training it though.

so the beta trolls, are also all human(ish). aradias hades kid. but i pulled a pjo trope on her based on one of my favorite characters (im not saying for spoilers, but if you recognize the situation, You Probably Know Who Its Based Off) and aradia died. her mom, the handmaid, had been pulling some Shady Ass Shit and ended up getting herself killed, but aradia tried saving her and ended up going down with her.

so handmaid gets sentenced to the fields of punishment in the underworld, and aradia gets sentenced to elysium, heroes paradise. shes like “no i want my mom to be okay” so they take that away from aradia and they put them both in the fields of asphodel, the neverending grey space for Not So Good But Not So Bad people. her mom becomes a shade (shadow spirit, no human resemblance), as all people do, but aradia. doesnt? and she gets dunked in the fucking river lethe and if you dont know what that does it erases your memory. so she just. comes out of the river like “hello? wgat tae fukc goin on??” but she still remembers one thing. there was an “a” in her name.

tavros is the son of hermes, hes just kinda taken on the role of backup counselor for when the actual cabin counselor is out. hes in a wheelchair, but he also has prosthetic legs for when he needs to actually stand up and fight. hes really good at it too. also catch him in winged converse cause he Owns Those and Uses Them To His Advantage. hes trying his best to keep focused on the camp, cause aradia was his childhood friend, he misses her a whole lot, she never got to camp in the first place. and to his knowledge, shes still dead.

sollux is a janus kid. thats a problem cause janus is roman, and this is a greek camp. he grew up with dave, he showed up with dave, hes been at camp as long as dave. but hes been unclaimed since he showed up so he thinks hes unwanted by whatever parent he has. he knows hes a demigod, he got through the camp barriers, so what the fuck is wrong with him? he also feels shitty cause hes shit at the greek lessons, he cant read a lick of it which literally every demigod without exception should be able to do, he cant name any gods- well, he can, but.. he gets their names mixed up. why does he keep calling poseidon “neptune”? and he has a much, much different way of natural fighting than other kids. they slice, he jabs. he wasnt taught to jab.

karkat is an aphrodite kid with vitiligo, and to make matters worse, hes ace and on the aro spectrum. to make matters WORSE, the aphrodite kids are kinda notorious for being really shallow, really materialistic, and really mean. karkats been dubbed the “runt” of the cabin, he gets made fun of for his spots to the point where he uses make up and magic to conceal them. worst of all? hes the kid of the goddess of love, for fucks sake. being reminded that “loveless people shouldnt be able to stay in this cabin, mom must have made a mistake claiming you” is kind of.. a blow to the self esteem. long story short he hates aphrodite for claiming him, and would have rather stayed in the hermes cabin. but he eventually goes on this big quest thats vague as fuck right now but Its The Main Plot, he ends up proving to himself that hes worth something and that his siblings are wrong, and my FAVORITE LINE IN THE WHOLE THING i came up with is HIS when he deals a final blow to some big monster: “REMEMBER MY FACE THE NEXT TIME YOU REINCARNATE. MY NAME IS KARKAT VANTAS, I’M THE SON OF APHRODITE, AND LOOKS CAN KILL.”

nepeta isnt anywhere near developed as others are unfortunately, shes a daughter of ares and shes really really good at hand to hand combat. shes small but she leads groups of people in things ranging from camp volleyball games to actual literal wars. shes a tough little shit

kanaya isnt really developed either, i have yet to figure out most of her powers too actually, shes a daughter of iris, the rainbow goddess though. (blatant reference to both kanayas vampirism and. h. her. sh. es ga. gay) ONE THING SHE CAN DO THOUGH is iris message at will without water or drachmas so really shes just everyones go to cell phone and its fucking hilarious cause people just come into the cabin like “KANAYA I NEED TO TALK TO [X]” and shes like “You Better Fucking Pay Me I Am Not Your Personal Cell Phone”

terezi is the daughter of nemesis and she has this really peculiar power she hasnt really gotten the hang of yet. she has synesthesia, so while she cant see she can smell and taste the colors of her surroundings and its really helpful. sometimes though she gets messages from her mom. they dont even come as dreams half the time, they come as almost a different plane altogether. tez has the power to literally tip the scales, pretty much. and when she gets like that, she can see. shes not on earth though, shit on earth stops when shes like that. shes just kinda In Her Own Head, i guess? and in her head she holds the two scales in her hands. she is the arms of the scale. and depending on which one she lifts up, she can literally alter the fate of the battle or happening thats going on By Herself. once she chooses she just whooshes back to real life though and nothing has changed. the only downside? it takes a LOT of energy and cant be exploited for little things. her one thing on her bucket list is to tap into said powers while getting something from a vending machine so like three things will fall out but it hasnt happened yet and shes upset

vriskas a daughter of tyche, the luck goddess, come the fuck on you knew i was gonna, i havent really elaborated on her either and im upset about that. but hey now you get a break from all those fucking paragraphs

equius is a hephaestus kid, and he kinda stays in the background. hes a range fighter, he spends a lot of time in the forge, and even though its been a project looooong since forgotten, hes been excavating the tunnels under cabin nine for years. by himself. he has no idea where they lead, but dammit hes gonna find out where. he has no idea about a certain bunker in the woods though...

gamzees just there for a fucking laugh tbh hes a son of dionysus and i love that cause hes the god of wine and parties and insanity. usually gamzees just zoning out somewhere hes Not supposed to be, and hes not affected by the maenads FUCKED UP BULLSHIT that goes down the forest sometimes. also hes so fucking scared of tavroses wing shoes he tried them on once while he was high and JESUS CHRIST

eridan is the son of kymopoleia, a SUPER obscure goddess. lets just say dont fuck with eridan cause his mom is the goddess of violent sea storms,

and naturally, feferi is the daughter of poseidon. cause who the FUCK else would she be the daughter of. WHO. NAME ONE GOD

OH AND JUST CAUSE I FORGOT CALLIE AND CALIBORN ARE SATYRS IN THIS AU. CALLIE HAS PAN PIPES. and caliborn still has a gun

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fantasyfandommaiden · 5 years

Text

ML Counsellor AU: Sass’s Session

Carmine gets an interesting visit from another kwami one night. It’s not Tikki or Plagg, but another one who calls himself Sass.

Dedicated to @nerdasaurus1200 for their wonderful idea about previous snake hero’s.

[[MORE]]

It was now becoming a common sight for super hero’s and Kwami’s to make an appearance at her apartment, to the point where Carmine had placed a small sign on her back balcony door that said ‘Open’ on one side and ‘Closed’ on the other. If her friends ever asked, Carmine simply said it was so birds would stop saying into the glass door, which was partially true.

So when she returned one day after buying groceries and saw that the small stress balls she used as kwami chairs were on the table, she knew she had company. She closed her door and locked it behind her as she walked towards the kitchen holding the bags of groceries “I’m alone.” She called, giving a sort of all clear for the small god like beings “Although you guys are very early.” She placed the bags on the counter and looked over to the table to see the Kwami’s... and saw one she had never seen before.

The kwami itself resembled a sort of lizard almost, but Carmine guessed it was suppose to be a snake. He had sea green skin with dark green diamonds running down its back, he also had small fangs and piercing yellow eyes.

The kwami looked at her appraisingly before speaking, his speech having a slight lisp to it. “Greetings.” He said to her, his ‘S’s extended in a hiss like a snake “You are the psychologist Plagg and a Tikki spoke of I take it?” He asked her.

Carmine looked at him long and hard, confused, was there a snake hero and no one told her? “... yes, although I would hope you checked before coming into a strangers home, least you get discovered by someone else.” She said slowly “Do you drink tea, Mr...”

“Sass.” He stated evenly “And I believe Plagg and Tikki was said to call you Carmine, correct?”

“Yes, my name is Carmine Regal, it’s a pleasure to meet you Sass.” She said as she brought over a tea cup for herself and a small doll one for Sass. She sat down, looking st the Kwami somewhat confused expression as the kettle boiled.

Sass sat down on one of the stress balls, looking up at Carmine “You are wondering why I am here, correct?” He asked her, seeming to answer the unasked question.

Carmine nodded “I know that Plagg and Tikki aren’t necessarily suppose to be speaking to me, and I know the other Kwami’s for Queen Bee, Rena Rouge And Carapace are protected when not in use, so this is somewhat surprising to me.” She said calmly.

Sass nodded, looking thoughtful for a moment “... The Guardian doesn’t know I am here, but Carapace’s Kwami does. He didn’t approve of this either, but he understands enough to not tell the Guardian unless I don’t return.” He explained to her “I’ve come for a similar reason as Tikki did her first visit.”

The kettle chose to whistle at that moment, making Carmine stand up and got get it for the tea. Tikki’s first visit had been to speak of her previous Chosen, Joan of Arc and her tragic downfall... “Do you have a preference of tea?”

“... I think Sideritis would be fittingly you have any, it is also called mountain tea or shepherds tea.” He said. Carmine looked over her shoulder at the kwami, nodding “If it’s a tea I most likely have it.” Low and behold she did.

She brought it over, and allowed the tea to brew as Sass spoke again.

“One of my chosen had a very rough beginning to life.” The snake Kwami began “Her legend is well know, however the true story has been forgotten.” He looked up at Carmine with his yellow snake eyes “You know the legend of Medusa, yes?”

If Carmine had been drinking her tea she would have spat it out. Instead she looked at the Kwami in shock “Um, yes...” she said slowly “... she was one of the Gorgon sisters, who had been cursed by Athena when Poseidon had his way with her within Athena’s temple. She was cursed to have snakes for hair, becoming hideous and that anyone who looked upon her turned to stone.” She stated, looking at Sass who held a neutral expression “... I take it some of that isn’t true.”

“Indeed. Most points are true. Posidon did have his way with a Gorgon within the goddess temple, and Athena was responsible for the curse of Medusa, and any man that did stare into her eyes was turned to stone.” He said to her. “However some facts were altered to better suite a male ego, as well as was lost to time.”

The snake Kwami took a sip of the tea, looking at Carmine “The woman was a priestess if Athena, she had been defiled by Posidon. She was not in the wrong and Athena knew this. However she had to keep up appearances with the other gods. She had to make the priestess ‘suffer’ for ‘defiling’ her temple.” He stated “So, she cursed the child that came from that awful union with a curse that made her ‘hideous’ and snakes for hair that turned men to stone, for what was worse to a god than to be hideous and to never allow themselves to be near a male without turning him to stone.” He said with slight eye roll.

“What the gods failed to realise was that Athena, in her own way, had given the child a gift. No man could ever do to her what had been done to her mother, she could never be hurt like her mother had. Women were safe from Medusa’s gaze, thus why here symbol was and still is used as a symbol for shelter for women escaping their abusers.” He said smiling “... my little Medusa was an amazing snake... her mother, had she lived through the child birth, would have been proud.”

Carmine looked at Sass “... how did you meet her?” She asked slowly, and Sass smiled “... I was with her from before the day she was born. Medusa’s mother, May she rest in piece, had been the guardian of the Kwami relics at the time. It was a great responsibility, and Medusa’s mother took it very seriously, as did Medusa when it was her turn to look after them.” Sass explained, a small smile on his face “... I was the one to name her ‘Medusa’. It means ‘Guardian and protectress’. Any woman that came to her sanctuary was protected from their abuser, none dare crossed her.”

“... my little hatchling was filled with so much anger.” Sass continued sadly “Anger at the men, at the gods, at Athena for the ‘monster’ she had become. Myself and the other Kwami’s tried to help her as best as we could however...” he looked down sadly into his small tea cup “... she never truly got over her rage. She wasn’t always angry, not when she protected the woman who came into the temple for her protection. But of course, history forgets the kind things she did, for they had to paint her as the perfect villain, the most hideous monster. Not the sad, scared small child who was put into a situation beyond her control...”

The snake kwami takes another sip of his tea, letting out a sigh “... Humans have this notion, that there should always be two sides. The right and the wrong, the righteous and the villains.... they have a hard time looking at the whole picture.” He looks up at Carmine “... I just want my hatchling to be remembered for the kind, protective woman she was, not the monster they painted her to be.”

Carmine gave the small being a sad smile “... I understand that.” Carmine said softly “Maybe not to the same degree, but I understand wanting to be remembered in a better light, and not the shadow.” She took a sip of her tea, looking at the small snake kwami “Do you have time to tell me more?”

Sass gave a small smile “... I believe I do, if you don’t mind.” He said, before speaking again about his beloved, of misunderstood wielder and the good she had done for Greece.

#ml au #ladybug au #counsellor au #carmine regal #ml sass #tea time with kwami’s

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notesofarichlycolorednight · 5 years

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After reading Annabeth saying Luke "always pushed himself too hard",and considering that he's the "best swordsman in 300 years"(surpassing children of Ares and Athena is a huge feat for a Hermes dude),I can't help but imagining him doing an Azula while training her lightning bending (one hair out of place! Almost is not enough!). Like,not wanting his swordfighting less than perfect(But Azula is undeniably a prodigy,and like someone else said,she works hard,but her work pays off rather quickly)

Cont. Since Azula is a natural talent,Luke would also need an inate aid for him,and that’s Roman ancestry (I won’t let go of it)). And we know that what made Azula like that was Ozai’s emotionally abusive BS. What do you think drove Luke to be that much of a perfectionist?

hey anon, thanks for being so patient with me. i’ve been working on a big project, finishing up my thesis, and binge-watching code geass lol

first, i really love the hc that Luke is a legacy of a Roman demigod. like it’s awesome and makes a lot of sense considering what we do know of Luke from both series. so i’m with ya there

i also think that his perfectionism, like Azula’s, stems from abuse as well. now it’s been a hot minute since i’ve watched a:tla, but i’m pretty sure much of the abuse Azula suffered from Ozai was largely verbal, emotional, and psychological (considering he burned and badly scarred his own son, tho, i wouldn’t put it past him to be physically abusive, but from what i remember of the show he wasn’t)

Luke’s abuse was neglect, psychological, and emotional. neglect from both Hermes and May. Hermes bc he was never fucking there, and if he was, he visited May in secret, that bastard. May bc she was psychological incapable of taking care and providing for Luke. the more i think about it, the more shocked and surprised i am that he didn’t starve to death or get sick bc May forgot to change his diaper or smth

it makes me think that her psychological state probably progressively got worse, so she was able enough to take care of him thru his baby/toddler years. regardless of what Rick knows, the fact still stands that she was neglectful, even if it wasn’t until later in Luke’s life

his abuse from May was also psychological and emotional. i mean, imagine, growing up with a mother who’s eyes turned toxic waste green, voice sounded like a swarm of bees, and spouted scary vague bullshit abt his fate? that’s traumatic for a fucking child! both psychologically and emotionally. it’s clear he loved his mother from the fact that he said he was leaving to protect her and that he’d be back for lunch. altho, he could also have just said that so he could leave. so he could hate his mother like he hates Hermes, bc she did decide to take on the Oracle, even tho she didn’t understand the risks, and even after Chiron warned her that smth was wrong, seeing as the Oracle was a rotting mummy by that point. and look, it’s not May’s fault that she didn’t know abt Hades’s curse, but like i said, the Oracle was a rotting mummy, and Chiron warned her abt unknown dangers and risks, and she still chose to do it.

anyway, suffice to say, his feelings are probably very mixed. he probably loves his mother in some way, but hates her for making such a risky decision when she had a fucking baby to take care of. Luke had to leave bc his father wasn’t there or answering his prayers. he didn’t know what had happened to make her like that, and she keeps spouting to him about some painful fate in his future. i mean can you imagine that feeling of being a lamb raised for slaughter and your godly father isn’t answering any of your prayers? trying to stop it? explaining himself why?

and even tho Hermes wasn’t there, his absence is also psychological and emotional abuse. and we see this a lot with a lot of the demigods in the series. they’re always striving for their godly parents’ approval. we see this in Percy, when he talks abt his first encounter with Poseidon. and we definitely see this in Annabeth, esp in MoA. Hermes’ neglect and absence communicates to a child who doesn’t know any better that they are unwanted and unloved. and some children will react by saying, “fuck them” while others will internalize the massage and wonder what they did wrong, as well as how they can earn that approval back (if it was there to begin with). most demigods, i’ve noticed, often react with the latter. bc on some level they love their godly parents despite their less than exemplary parenting, and despite not feeling loved by them

that abuse, that feeling of being unwanted, unloved, not enough, is probably what made him train so much. he wanted to be enough. it’s what made him want Hermes to give him a quest so badly–so he could prove to himself, but most importantly to his father, that he was capable and that he was worthy of his father’s love and attention.

which is why Hermes’s quest was such a slap in the face. retrieving a golden apple from the garden of Hesperides, as Luke says, is something the greatest hero in Greek and Roman mythology had already done. while Percy had a point, if Luke could pull it off, that meant he was as great as Hercules. but to Luke, he wasn’t proving himself to be worthy of Hermes’ love and attention. he was just proving he could complete a task that one of the greatest heroes in Greek and Roman mythology had already done

it’s so hard for me to articulate that difference rn–of being able to complete a task that someone great has done versus being compared to someone great because you’ve completed the same task, but there is a distinct, very fine, difference.

it’s not Luke’s. it’s Hercules’s. therefore, it is not proving his worth to Hermes, in Luke’s mind

which, I think, is the straw that broke the camel’s back. Luke was already angry at the gods for his mother, for leaving him in a house with his mother, for taking away a member of his found family (not doing anything to save her, a show if indifference, another lamb raised for slaughter). now this quest? not to mention, he then failed, and got a nasty scar to show for it on top of more trauma and PTSD wheeeee

so yeah, long story long, it also stems from emotional abuse. oftentimes, perfectionism stems from abuse, unfortunately. (the other is mental illness, and the last is sometimes it’s just in a person’s genes)

thanks for sending this in! and, again, for being patient with me

FEED ME SEYMOUR

#oh god for shame! i do not even know your name #notesofananonymousnight #asked and answered #luke castellan #pjo meta

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canidae-dyke · 5 years

Text

I decide to post some of that story I mentioned before. It’s not exactly at a good stopping point but it’s just where I am. I’m very open to critique. I’m new to writing this genre and I know that there’s a lot I could improve.

The salt burned in the lacerations around my wrists. I’d been bound the the rock since Astraios had coursed the sky, and Eos now marched toward the horizon with grim determination. She marked the hour of my doom. Soon I would be part of this world no longer, but instead a shade in the world below. And what had I done to merit such a demise? Nothing. I simply existed. It was the jealousy of some god that caused my plight. One could count one a single hand the number of problems for which the gods are blameless. My punishment was a case of misinterpreted hyperbole. It all happened one night at a feast. We were loose on unmixed wine. Upon our table there lay injera, with spreads of lentils, beans and chicken. Our guests of honor were Pharaoh Ramesses II of Upper and Lower Egypt and King Piyama-radu of the Hattian Kingdom of Wilusa. My father, Cepheus, had invited them to our court on the coast of Ethiopia in order to secure peace between their nations.

“My dear Cepheus,” Ramesses proclaimed in a swaggering boom of a voice, “not even my own beloved Nefertari can compare to your daughter’s beauty! The way her tightly curled locks are deftly bound behind her head puts all the women of Kemet and Kush to shame!” Declarations like this were in vogue in dimplomatic speech at the time, though very few scribes bothered to write this kind of exchange down. It was simple procedural flattery, and no one needed to see this kind of filler on a peace treaty etched in bronze.

Piyama-Radu chimed in with, “She must get it from you Cassiopeia!” though his words were interrupted by hiccups, “Truly she is more lovely than the Sun Goddess of Arinna herself.”

My mother responded to their praise in jest, “Oh without a doubt, she even outstrips the Nereids!” A chorus of laughter came up from around the table, though I laughed nervously. I’d never relished in the way men praised me. Their eyes would wander and their lips would curl into a smirk that revealed the crude thoughts dancing behind their eyes. Still, it was my role to accept the praise that was afforded to me. My name had practically anticipated the constant adoration. “Andromeda,” they had named me. Protector of men. Such a name imposed expectations upon its owner.

None of us expected what came of my mother’s boast. The gods do not always consider nuance. They are far more likely to fly into a rage at the slightest provocation. That’s what happened to practically every “lover” of Zeus. They leave a trail of bodies in their debaucherous wake. I suppose my mother should have known better than to compare me to Poseidon’s beloved Nereids. Whether or not he even considered them beautiful was irrelevant to him, for they were his possessions, and nothing mortal was permitted to surpass that which he owned. Thus he threw his tantrum. He called upon his creature, Cetus, to raze our coastline. Every day villagers came to us, begging for a way to put an end to the destruction. We had no answer. Yet my father knew. Even when the oracle told him that the only solution was my sacrifice, his face did not move. He knew but must be done but he would not accept it until the gods held the knife to his throat.Yet still for him it was just another dipomatic formality. Instead of a treaty between kings it was a treaty between a mortal and a god. Instead of sealing it with a marriage, he sealed it with a sacrifice. The two were hardly different to him.

So, there I lay, fixed upon the rock. The ropes dug into my wrists and ankles, drawing blood, and the breakers crashed barely a ten yards ahead of me, spraying salt water upon my exposed form. I had pulled my mind out of my body, as much from the humiliation as the fear. I lay bare and helpless as our kingdom watched. A sudden thud snapped me back into the moment. I could feel the vibrations through my body as another blow shook the earth. Minutes passed in that manner, feeling Cetus’ approach but never seeing it. Then finally it crested the horizon. First all I could see was its writhing mass of eyes. Some stood on short stalks like those of a crab, soulless eyes with no color to them. Some oozed on longer tendrils, like those of a snail. Finally, there were those that stood fixed in place, immense compound eyes, like those of a shrimp. All of them fixed their gaze upon me. As it grew closer I saw its mandibles. I would say there were twenty sets, but one could not tell from the way they chittered and interlocked in anticipation. It had a crab’s carapace for its body, but a slimy squid’s mantle hung limply out of the back. It walked upon what looked like crab’s legs, but they were strange and wrong. They didn’t stay stiff when they came down, but bent like cooked asparagus, causing it to bob in seemingly random directions. It had one enormous pincer on its right but a tentacle on its left, with two claws fixed to the end. It stood as tall as a mountain, yet it moved three times as fast as a ship. As it grew even nearer, some of the rocks around me began to shake to pieces, yet sadly mine held. I thought I heard my mother weep, but I must have imagined it, for the stomping drowned out all sound. When it grew so close that I could feel its slaver strike my face, I closed my eyes and prepared myself for my fate.

I expected to be whisked down to the Underworld. I wasn’t sure how it was supposed to feel, but I knew it felt like something. Yet I felt nothing. Not even its spit flying at my face. I opened my eyes. Cetus stood there, still. Too still. Its color was different, its texture smoother. Its shell glistered in the morning sun. It was stone. Its eyes were no longer fixed upon me, but rather upon a point above its head. I tracked up and saw her. The Protector. My protector. A woman, riding a winged horse. She wore a hoplite’s armor, but no helmet sat upon her head. Instead her hair blew free. Yet it did not blow. Rather, it writhed. Dozens of asps hissed and squirmed on her head. She whispered to them and they calmed, pulling back to form a slicked back look. Then she gently clicked, and the horse began to descend in circles. I knew who she was now. The Gorgon. We had heard tales of her, even as far as we lay from the Achaeans. She turned men to stone and despised all life. I shuddered as she came closer. Yet when she pulled out her knife, she used it not to slit my throat but to sever the ropes that held me.

“Im so sorry for what they’ve done to you,” she said in a comforting tone, “I can return you to them if you’d like. I know how some people love their families no matter what. I shook my head. Words stuck in my throat. “Okay, I can help you if you’ll accept. You can come with me and I’ll protect you.” Protect. It was in her name. Medusa, the Protector. From the same word as my name. I nodded. “Alright, first things first let’s get you some clothes.” She pulled a cloak from her riding pack and wrapped it gently around me. I pulled it tight and felt its soft silk embrace me. “Climb on.” She offered me her hand and I accepted, clambering onto her horse. She clicked her tongue again and he took off,beating his wings until we reached the clouds, and then gliding softly. I didn’t look back at the shores of Ethiopia.

We didn’t talk for the rest of our journey through the sky. She knew I wasn’t ready to and she didn’t mind. She understood. Whenever she looked back to check on me I could see in her eyes that she’d endured something far worse. Even if I could have asked, I wouldn’t have. By the time we landed it was nearly nightfall.We alit upon a rocky hill with a cave opening on its side. I hadn’t felt my hunger until that moment, and I began to ask, but before I even had time to speak she said, “I’ll get a fire going and make us some food. I’m sure you’re starving.” I nodded again.

I sat in the cave watching her, her face lit by the fire as she cooked a stew of beans and vegetables with goat’s milk. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen a face like hers before. It was soft in some of the ways I’d seen in women’s faces before, yet also rough and solid. I could see a good part of the fear behind her name. Even without her gaze of stone, her face still projected control and betrayed no emotion. Yet I could feel the pain she had suffered. This changed when she brought a bowl over to me with a crust of bread to dip in it. I grinned as I began to slurp my soup and pick up the beans using the bread. It wasn’t until I’d finished eating that I looked up and saw that her expression had changed. Now she had a tender smile from cheek to cheek.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t stare,” she said, looking away.

“Please,” I said, “don’t worry. You’ve done so much for me, I don’t mind.” She looked back at my and smiled again, shyly this time. Her cheeks flushed and she looked away once more.

I laughed, “So you’re Medusa? I always heard that you were more monster than woman. So why am I sharing a meal with you instead of frozen in stone?”

“Oh that?” she laughed as well, “that only works on men. I guess the rumors spread because they’re afraid of a woman who can defend herself.” I laughed again, but more so because it was true than because of any humor. It was the same fear of a bold woman that had annihilated so many other women before her. Zeus feared Metis and so he devoured her, as if it weren’t enough that men like him are so often wont to leech a women’s life forces. Kreon executed Antigone because she defied him. It gave me comfort to know that at least Medusa had the power to fend off attackers.

“It’s a gift from Athena,” she continued, “She’s my patron goddess, she’s always looked out for me, and I’ve always honored her.”

“So why did she-”

“I don’t talk about it,” she snapped. Her face turned cold and she turned away, her snakes hissing as she did. I had never seen a woman as powerful as her before, so what could be too much for her? I didn’t really want to know. I wanted to ease her pain, but it was too dangerous, and if it was a subject she’d rather not touch, I’d respect her wishes. She sat off in the back of the cave, stroking her snakes back into place and looking down into her lap. They resisted at first but eventually calmed while I lay myself down upon the floor.

As the fire died down and I closed my eyes, I tried to fall asleep. But every time my eyes shut, an image of Poseidon’s beast flashed before and I jolted. Even with my eyes open, I couldn’t help but shiver. There was a cold breeze flowing into the cave, and my thoughts still dwelled on the helplessness I’d felt just that morning. I was so wrapped up in these thoughts that I didn’t hear her tread gently over to me. I didn’t notice anyhting until she draped over my body the linen blanket she had been carrying. I felt warmed inside, but still I jolted and shivered. She must have seen that I did so, because she began to sing to me. It was a simple verse that I’d heard Achaean merchants sing down at the docks, but never in a voice like hers. The way she spoke was rough and guarded, but now as she sang, her voiced poured out like a nightengale.

“While you live, be radient!

Don’t worry your sweet soul

For life is short for all of us

And time requests its toll.”

The theme was harsh, yet somehow comforting. I may have had a brush with death today, but so must everyone eventually. While I could live I should live to my fullest and be thankful that I was alive. I don’t know when I drifted off, but when I woke up, Medusa was cooking a dish of rabbit and egg, seasoned with herbs she’d found outside. She boiled four eggs, two for each of us, and lay out the poached rabbit meat in strips on the wicker plates. As she cooked she fed a whole raw egg to one of her snakes. It unhinged its jaw and swallowed it whole, hitching its mouth along, inch by inch, until it had gone down its throat.

“Do they need to eat separately from you?” I asked.

“Good morning to you too,” she retorted, not taking her eyes off the iron pot. I supposed I had been a bit rude to lead with that but I couldn’t really help my curiosity. “And no, they don’t need to eat, I just find it helps calm them. Sometimes they seem to forget they’re a part of me.

“So they have minds of their own?”

“Honestly even after all this time I’m not quite sure. They seem to respond to my emotions but I can never control them when I’m keen to.” She fished the eggs out of the pot with a wooden spoon and brought the two plates over, handing me mine and sitting down to eat hers. It was a plain meal but the rabbit was tender, the eggs were just soft enough and everything was enhanced by her presence. She wore a light tan colored man’s chiton and a chlamys cloak over that. Her smoothed her snakes back again and I stared at her longer than I should have. I still couldn’t get over it. I’d never seen a woman like her before. The way she wore men’s clothes, the way she did up her short hair--albeit hair made of snakes. She presented herself like a man, but she was not like any man I had ever seen either. Even men who dressed exactly the same didn’t have the same influence that she had on me now. I was sure it must be her enchantment. That must factor into it somehow.

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gideonloser · 3 years

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Chapter six: Family is love and war

They let the conversations die down fairly quickly after Ash’s declaration, and the flame followed. Still somewhat worked up, she volunteered to take first watch while the two younger halfbloods got some sleep. Farrah fell asleep quickly- or at least was better at faking it than the others were at detecting it- but sleep kept eluding the young foreigner. He rolled onto his side so he was facing the blonde, and studied her in the moonlight.

He vaguely knew about Luke. He had heard the whispers and Farrah had mentioned it, but he hadn’t even considered that he was her brother. Half-brother, yes, but both were year round campers, and they still seemed to have some kind of bond. No wonder she seemed sad, sometimes, when she thought no one was looking. Why she laughed the loudest when eyes were on her but when she thought she was her own, scanned the horizon like she was hoping to see someone come over it.

He couldn’t judge. He felt much of the same way, though he was fairly certain that no attempted murders of children played any part in his tragedy. Though he wasn’t exactly sure what did- of course he had the gossip and the whispers (and Charlotte, who did no gossiping nor whispering and told him straight across) but he didn’t want to believe it. Not because of his brother, but because of his parents. Love was supposed to be stronger, always, and a parent’s love for their child was supposed to be unbreakable.

Maybe Farrah’s story was a little more clear cut, but he was sure she still understood. It was like trying to solve a puzzle, but the older brother had taken the picture on the box with him. You kind of knew it was supposed to look like, but that was based solely off of your own memory. Family was supposed to be forever, but now he was alone, stuck with his memories, trying to piece together a portrait with no way of knowing if it was right. If Farrah felt that way about Luke, or even Ash to a lesser degree about Queenie... Well, maybe the three had a better reason to all be out here together than just a lost lyre. So why didn’t he tell them about it?

Before he could get too deep into thought about that, he heard a noise in the distance that sounded like a train. Evidently Ash thought the same thing and was quickly at his side, shaking him. Since he wasn’t asleep, it was easy to rouse him and explain that she thought they should find the train and if it was heading the same way they were, hitch a ride. It, much like when they decided to start walking West, seemed a bit like a fool’s errand to Teddy, but, much like when they decided to start walking West, he didn’t have a better idea. After all, Ash pointed out, Farrah was the daughter of the god of travel, and it could be a gift from him. Quickly, his sister tasked him with waking their additional questing member while she tried to deduce what direction the train was in relation to where they were.

When the blonde was coherently awake- grumpily so, but that was still enough to go off- Ash thought she was sure the train was to their east, so they ran through the brush as quickly as they could. Luckily, it was a long train, though there were only a few cabs left. It seemed to be a freight train, but one of the last boxcars was empty, it’s door wide open. Jumping onto a train was not very high on the list of things Teddy had ever wanted to do- neither was jumping off, honestly, though at least that had felt like it was something he could possibly do.

But once Ash had jumped, he knew he had no choice. Farrah was running beside him, and he knew he didn’t have another chance at this. If he missed, and they were separated, he may never find them again. Or at least by the time he did it would be too late. So when Ash extended her hand to help him, he took a running leap of faith, both literally and figuratively.

It paid off. He landed on his shoulder and rolled onto his back, staring up at the sky through holes in the top of the cab. The sky was turning lighter, from complete darkness to just dim. Next to him he felt a brief vibration as Farrah must have landed. At least that was settled, and he didn’t have to worry about splitting the party. He sat up to confirm it, and the blonde and the brunette were secure- though they both looked a little worse for the wear. Could it really only have been 24 hours since they set out from camp?

“What now?” He asked, settling his eyes on Ash. Farrah followed his example, both of them figuring that she was the oldest and that made her the default authority.

“Now,” She announced with a decisive nod. “I get some rest, because I have not slept since we left Camp.”

That seemed like a solid enough argument. Teddy had slept in the car before it crashed and Farrah had slept at the campsite. Ash had been awake the whole time, likely running completely on empty for at least the past few hours. She crawled over to the farthest corner of the cab, took off her backpack, laid her head on it, and promptly fell asleep.

Teddy looked over at Farrah, who seemed relatively unbothered, scooting over to the other end so she could lean against the wall. He joined her. If she wanted to sleep he would have taken the first watch but she seemed uninterested, instead pulling out her dagger and cleaning it. He figured that meant that he should get some sleep, but instead he started talking.

“Do you really think we can’t trust her?” He asked. As he did, he looked over at Ash, just in case Farrah needed to follow his gaze to tell who he was talking about. She didn’t, though, didn’t even need to look up from her blade.

“I don’t know.” She replied, her voice even.

“If she had ill intention, she could have just let you die. Nobody would have known that she could have taken the shot and didn’t.”

“I know that!” She snapped back, her tone a little unnecessarily harsh. He immediately shut up, but after a moment she seemed to regret it and spoke softer. “I mean, just because she wants me alive right now doesn’t mean she’s actually on the same side as me. Right now, the fight isn’t about killing as many of your opponents as possible. Right now it’s about strategy.”

“Are you sure you’re Hermes’ daughter and not Athena’s?”

It was a joke, though he wasn’t sure that she was in the mood for humor. Part of it, however, was also hoping she would praise him for the joke itself- when he had first come to camp he had been stumbling over trying to remember who was the god of what, and a little praise from her on his studies would lift his spirits a bit. All she granted him, though, was a small, exasperated smile without even looking up.

“He personally showed up to bring me to camp, so I’m pretty sure I’m his.” She replied, before sobering up. “But I’m serious. Right now it’s a matter of rallying the troops. And maybe there’s a prophecy, or something, that requires I be alive at a later time. Honestly, that’s why Luke trying to kill Percy doesn’t make any damn sense...”

She trailed off, but Teddy was a little confused. He had heard about prophecies vaguely but really the most in-depth he had ever heard was when Ash sent him to Clark, who explained that he needed one for his quest. What Percy had to do with it definitely confused him.

“Because of a prophecy?”

“Well, because of THE prophecy.” She said, and he didn’t like the way she put emphasis on it. Like he should already know about it.

“What prophecy?” He asked, and that actually gave her pause, having her turn to look at him. The sun was rising quickly now, making it much easier for the two to see each other in the light.

“Oh. Right. Sometimes I forget how new you are to all this.” He wasn’t sure if that was a compliment, and realized a little sadly that meant she would not fully appreciate his Athena comment. “There’s this prophecy. The next child of the big three- that’s Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades- to reach 16 will either save Olympus or fell it.”

So that’s why there were no children of Zeus or Hades at camp. And why there was only Percy for Poseidon. Because Olympus was on the line. And their only hope... was Percy Jackson. He didn’t know Percy very well, had followed Ash’s advice and steered clear, but if she didn’t like him, that was good enough for him. He trusted her judgement.

Farrah took his silence as confusion and continued.

“And that’s Percy. So if he’s going to successfully topple Olympus... he needs Percy. Alive and on his side.”

“Maybe he’s got a plan to avoid the prophecy.” Theo suggested but the blonde shook her head.

“You can’t fight fate, Teddy. Prophecies are like... it’s like they come from another world where everything has already happened. They’re not predictions for the future, they’re records of the past. No matter how much you scream and kick and rail against them, they always come true. Luke’s smart enough to know that prophecies have a 100% success rate.” When Theo didn’t respond, she looked over at him quizzically. “Is something wrong?”

“What? No.” He replied, though his voice was unusually strained all of the sudden. “Just... anyone who would abandon you and Ash like that doesn’t seem very smart to me.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face but then it disappeared again.

“I’ll take watch.” She said after a moment. “Get some sleep.”

It was less of an offer and more of a command, but he didn’t feel argumentative. Sometimes it was nice to take orders, to let someone else decide what you needed to be doing. He simply nodded and moved a bit down the car before curling up and letting the gentle motion of the train lull him to sleep while he thought about how that was the first time she had ever called him Teddy. By the time he was woken up, Ash’s hand on his shoulder shaking him awake, the sun was low in the sky.

“Wakey wakey!” She said cheerfully. “We’ve reached civilization!”

#demigod au #writing #take the fall

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theroyalwords · 7 years

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Teen Olympians, Ch 29

-Apollo-

The sun god had seen his fair share of mortal bravery. Hercules, Achilles, and Hector were some of the first names that came to find. In recent years, Percy Jackson was placed among their ranks. Their acts on the battlefield and successful endeavors were impressive by even immortal standards. It took a lot to leave an impression on an immortal. It was evident that now Cassia Woodard's name would be forever ingrained in his and his family's minds as well.

It had been a long time since a mortal stood among Apollo's family with such calm and careful assurance. It was a little unnerving, if he was honest. There were many things they were privy to as immortal gods and goddesses. Not knowing something was extremely annoying, and try as they might, they didn't know the future as well as the myths led on. The girl was one of those annoying unknown things. Her future, her role in all of this madness, was yet to be revealed. Cassia was a wildcard, an ace in the hole. Apollo didn't fail to notice the knowing gleam in his families' eyes as she told her tale. She could be very valuable, and his family would take advantage. There was admiration beside that greedy glint in their eyes, something Apollo would have to be careful to watch.

Apollo would not let them use her. She was no pawn to be brandished about on a whim. She was a queen, and he had a feeling would run the board, if given the chance. She only needed support to do so.

Cas kept out a lot of personal details, which Apollo understood. She handled their questions gracefully, artfully. He suspected that she knew what they would ask, especially with Athena.

"So, can you call your vision at will?" Athena inquired.

"I can, my Lady, but when I do, what I see isn't as reliable," Cas murmured with her brow furrowed, "the odds are better the closer to the actual event in that regard. And to answer your question, Lady Aphrodite, I didn't rat you out because I knew it would make Orion happy in the end. I'd just hoped to avoid the shit show that most likely came with it."

Aphrodite just grinned and shook her head. "Amazing. And how do you know how likely the outcome is? Is it a feeling?"

"Not exactly. Some are more solid and defined, clearer in quality, than others. They feel like reality, but then it ends, like I've just woken up. It's more like…dreaming, I suppose. The clearer the vision, the more likely its outcome."

Apollo wondered if she'd ever used her gift for personal gain. Cas looked in his direction with a knowing grin. She didn't answer his question aloud, only gave him a glimpse of the mischief in her eyes before covertly nodding her head. He suspected that what she wanted to say would make him laugh, which brought an even wider smile to his face.

"Now I remember your grandmother! Ha! She went to work for one of the merchant guilds in New Rome! That's why you looked familiar. I think her name was…Emma? Eve?"

Cas bit her lip, looking a little uncomfortable. "Evelyn?"

"That's it! She was a lot of fun, while it lasted. I'm sure your mother picked up her no shit attitude."

"She did," Cas murmured as her eyes glazed slightly.

"Too bad it didn't last. She got rather put out with me when she realized I'd been with someone else, and that woman-"

"Stop talking, Hermes, you are making this awkward. I'm sure she doesn't want to hear how her grandfather slept with half the Californian population in the 70s," Aphrodite chided.

"The 70s were fun," he mused with a grin. "I think you know what I mean. Weren't you and Ares getting along swimmingly back then? Seem to remember nothing but love and war." Aphrodite pursed her lips as her eyes narrowed in distaste.

"Don't even mention his name. He's pissed me off for the last time."

"And how many times have we heard that?" Athena scoffed. "I'm sure yours and Hermes's list of conquests is quite extensive, but I don't particularly want to hear about them."

"My conquests?" Hermes scoffed. "I know you didn't stay holed up in Olympus the whole time that decade. I seem to remember the Athena cabin having a lot of children popping in around the latter part of the 70s."

"At least I remember what their names are! I don't whore myself out!"

"This isn't awkward at all," Cas muttered under her breath. Apollo snorted. Being the only mortal around immortals had to be disconcerting. They might look her age, but they were eons older, which left almost no topic uncovered.

"Trust me, I've heard worse," he muttered back to her. "This is tame."

"Oh, I believe that."

"Hermes! You can't just talk about that!" Hestia yelped. Apollo and Cas both tuned back into the conversation. All the color had left Hestia, leaving her pallor ghostly. Apollo's sister had gone an uncomfortable shade of red, which Orion nearly matched. Even Athena, who kept her head cool in most situations, was staring at Hermes with her mouth gaping.

"I'm telling you, it's been years. I bet you could do it if you want to!"

"Oh no," Cas whispered, her own cheeks turning a flaming red.

"What?" Apollo muttered. Cas shook her head violently before looking down at the floor.

"We can't just…we made a vow, Hermes," Athena stuttered.

"It's the twenty-first century, for crying out loud! I think we are long past there being repercussions for breaking a vow that no one worships you for anymore. Besides, we all know that Hestia just took the vow so that Poseidon and Apollo wouldn't start fighting!"

"Do not question my honor on this," Hestia snarled in response. Her eyes lit up, flames dancing in them. "I do not go back on my word."

"I'm sure you have served it faithfully since then, but I bet that wasn't the case before, now, was it?"

Hestia's color muddled. They all knew that her and Poseidon had a thing when the younger generation was still small. Unlike Aphrodite and Hephaestus, Hestia wouldn't openly cheat with him while he was married to Amphitrite. Still, there were rumors that before Poseidon had married, that the two of them had a few intimate encounters.

"And look at these two!" Hermes huffed while throwing a finger in Artemis and Orion's direction. "Artemis was being a snot nosed little punk before he came back, and you all know it. He's already made her bearable, so maybe taking it a step further might do her some good!"

"I w-would never," Orion stammered out.

"Damn right he would never!" Artemis countered. "Maybe I'm just glad that I'm no longer being lied to!"

"Maybe so, but I must say, Hermes has a point. A good rendezvous does do something for the soul," Aphrodite mused with a knowing grin. "Perhaps Apollo could more eloquently explain?"

"And feel my sister's wrath?" Apollo scoffed. "No thank you. I'm not in the mood to piss her off."

"That's wise," Artemis agreed. Apollo stole a glance at his sister, who glanced suspiciously at the girl beside him. Cas had turned a deep shade of red beside him, looking intent on memorizing the grain pattern in the wood flooring.

"I just think that maybe these three need to let loose and experience some pleasure in their existences! I mean get that stick out of your ass and," Hermes trailed off, a huge grin erupting. "Actually, that's a good place to start."

"First of all, what in the actual fuck," Artemis snapped. "and second of all, that's a little intense, is it not?" Artemis looked to her brother.

"Ah, well, it depends." Sex really wasn't all that embarrassing to him. He'd been with many people in his existence, men and women. Despite the numerous about of encounters he had, there were a handful that left a lasting impression. Some encounters faded over time, while others involved people he would never forget. Daphne and Hyacinth were a couple of the more prominent ones. And Cassandra…

"I don't think that would be a particularly good experiment for one's first time, but it of course depends on the couple. For some, it's the only option."

"Oh," Artemis huffed as realization hit her.

"You are telling me you three have never thought about it? Never saw someone that made you just want to lose yourself in them? Someone that made your semblance of a human heart beat wildly out of control, where every single inch of you comes undone at a mere touch?"

The three of them looked thoughtful, which was more telling than they realized. Apollo concluded that they had indeed thought about it. By the dreamy look in his sister's eye, he suspected that those thoughts had been rather recent.

"Absolutely not," Athena stated.

"Liar!"

"I need a drink," Cas whispered, just loud enough for Apollo to hear. She slipped away from the arguing immortals. Apollo followed her into the kitchen. Cas sat at the island with a bottle of water in her hands, staring at it. Her vision was glazed, lost in some vision.

"Are you okay?" Apollo laid his hand on her back.

Cas shook her head, clearing it of her thoughts. She turned to Apollo, searching his face for something.

"Yeah, I think so."

"I'm sorry for the talk. When you've been alive for as long as we have, no topic seems to be off the table."

"The talk didn't bother me," she muttered. "What I saw as a result, however, did."

"Sounds like something you didn't particularly want knowledge of." He wanted to ask what she just saw, but her closed expression and the blush on her cheeks told him that it wasn't something she really wanted to share.

"Not really. It's just a possibility; nothing concrete yet."

Apollo removed his hand and grabbed a drink for himself. His family was arguing passionately now, their heated words garnering some of their gifts. Athena kept making weapons appear, and Hermes kept finding a way to take them from her as they argued. Artemis had her daggers in her hands, while flames kept erupting from Hestia.

"You wanted to marry your Aunt?" Cas questioned with a raised brow.

"Long story," he responded, cringing slightly. Hestia's denial hadn't bothered him for long. It was a long time ago, and really, he only wanted it for the power it would have given him. Hestia was beautiful, and there was no doubt he would enjoy himself, would be happy, and maybe she would have been, too. In the end, Apollo thought her refusal was for the best. She wanted something that he just couldn't give her.

"I know godly DNA doesn't exist, that it really doesn't matter, but still, it's all a little weird. Reminds me of a soap opera."

"Imagine being in it."

Cas laughed at that. "I'd get killed."

"I wouldn't let that happen." For a moment, Apollo allowed himself to think about it. If Cas stuck around, if the promise he made to protect her turned into something that lasted…what would that be like? What if she became immortal? What if, in time, their friendship turned into something more? Apollo's human heart stuttered at the possibility. He wasn't sure how deep his affections for Cassia Woodard ran, but he knew one thing. He didn't want to be parted from her, not yet.

"I've wondered," Cas whispered.

"Wondered what?" Apollo studied her as she played with the label on her bottle.

"What it would be like."

A blush stole Apollo's cheeks. He'd never felt ashamed at what he's done. He'd openly talk about it around anyone, really, but talking about it with Cas felt different, more intimate. Talking to her about it made butterflies explode in his stomach, made him almost queasy with nervousness.

"You have?"

Cas dipped her head. "I've seen what falling in love is like, seen what mortals and immortals will do for pleasure. I've wondered what it would be like to trust someone like that, to have someone trust me. But with this curse?" she stopped, a harsh huff of breath leaving her.

"You'll get it."

Cas turned towards Apollo, her expression neutral. However, there was a hint of hope in her eyes, something that made Apollo desperate to see on her whole face. He wanted to touch her again, to lay his hands on her neck and feel the stuttering pulse beneath her skin, the shaky way she breathed at his touch. He'd longed for it since yesterday morning, since he'd felt how warm and soft the skin of her waist was. It was unwise to get any more involved, but the line had been crossed a long time ago. He reached out, laying his hand on her forearm. The world seemed to sing at the connection, at the inevitability of it.

"I'm going to find a way to ease your burden, Cassia Woodard. And when you find that person, be it mortal or immortal, do not settle for anything, nothing less than care and devotion that you deserve. They should treat you like the queen you are."

A devastating blush rose on her cheeks. "Doesn't it go both ways? What of my care and devotion? What should I give them?"

"Cas," Apollo sighed. Her lips quirked to the side.

"You do have more than enough experience."

"Why are you asking me?"

Cas shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have many friends. Orion is just as inexperienced as I am. Plus, you see what he turns into when the subject come up." She gestured to Orion, who was currently covering his face with his hands as Artemis and Hermes went at each other above him. "I know you will be honest with me."

"So you consider me a friend?" he questioned with an easy grin. Cas laughed.

"Yeah, I think we are to that point. It won't stay that way if you avoid my question."

He turned towards her. A strand of hair had fallen into her face, begging to be moved. He fought moving any closer. "In the ideal situation, you would give equally, but that is not always the case. Some conquer the need for gratification, hold out for those they deem worthy of intimacy. They take their time with the relationship. For others, it is purely physical. I've had both. The biggest thing is to know what you are getting into, which situation are you in. When motives are unequal, that's what leads to heartache. If you question it, don't give them anything you feel uncomfortable parting with until you are sure of what they want."

She nodded her head in thought. Apollo hadn't always been clear with his motives in relationships. He'd hurt people. Most were collateral damage, caught up in immortal games. He didn't want that for the girl beside him. He was going to fight to make sure that this girl stayed out of his families' schemes.

Apollo only hoped that was possible.

Monday morning started out as dreary as the rest of them.

Artemis and Orion left the previous night, something about getting in a forest jaunt before class on Monday. Apollo had taken the hint not to pry, which he was only too happy to oblige. That left the burden of responsibility of dealing with their houseguest, which he didn't exactly mind. Cas was an earlier riser, just like him. They'd trained again, Apollo consistently winning. He wanted to challenge her, make her better. They were working on using her sight to assist her in fights. The visions might not be as clear, but they offered her an advantage that could save her life.

The drive to school was quiet, but the silence was comforting, easy. When they made it to the school, Apollo appeared at her door, opening it for her. Cas bit her lip as she stepped out of the vehicle.

"Thanks," she mused.

"Want coffee? We have time."

"Are you trying to make up for the ass kicking you handed me this morning?"

"Partially," he jested. "I really didn't mean to knock you out." His tone might be light and joking, but Apollo was terrified in that moment. He pushed her too hard, overestimating the amount of force he used. He didn't even breathe until her eyes opened back up.

"I know. Really, it's kind of handy to have your trainer also able to instantly heal you. Dealing with a concussion today would have sucked."

"I've yet to hear my thank you." Apollo waited for her to start towards the nearest coffee shop, which happened to be only a block away. Cas glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, a smirk growing.

"I'll say it if you buy me coffee."

"I'm beginning to think you are using me, Cassia Woodard."

"Just now figuring that out?"

"Hey! Where are you two venturing off to?" Hermes practically collided into them, Athena not far behind.

"Much needed caffeine," Apollo explained. Being stuck in a mortal form got exhausting at times. "Want to join?"

"I'm in."

"I have to organize some notes, but I will take a Grande soy vanilla latte, extra shot of expresso," Athena added in a huff.

"Is there a please there?" Apollo questioned. Athena shot him a withering glare before heading towards the school. "Guess not."

"You know you have to get it, right?" Cas hinted. Apollo gave her a resigned sigh.

"I deserve an award for proper sibling behavior."

"Yeah, right," Hermes chortled.

Together, they headed towards the coffee shop. There was a narrow alleyway that cut through two buildings, saving them from having to take the long way around the block. Thankfully, the line was short. They quickly ordered their beverages and headed back to the school, caffeine in tow. Zeus was keeping a better eye on them since Artemis's disappearance, and it wouldn't surprise Apollo if he had some underling charged with verifying they showed up every day.

"Thank the gods for espresso," Cas sighed as she took a sip.

"Actually, only one god to thank," Hermes pointed out. "Athena inspired that one."

"Really?"

Hermes and Cas began chatting back and forth, Apollo watching them with careful amusement. There was something in Hermes's eyes that bothered him. Maybe it was just an overreaction, but –

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Cas swore.

They had just entered the alley. At the end stood three men, all looking menacingly in Cas's direction. She sighed heavily beside Apollo.

"Can you please hold this?" She held out her latte, which Apollo warily took from her. The three weren't gods, that he was positive of, but they were still powerful. Magicians, ones that honed the magic of the Pharaohs they descended from. They were young for adult mortals, all in their 20s, from what Apollo gathered. While he had no doubt that Cas could protect herself, he knew she was sore from training this morning. He didn't want her to injure herself again.

"Cas, maybe I should-"

"Thanks for the offer, but I need to send a solid message. I've got this."

"You sure about that?" Hermes questioned, his eyes narrowed in the men's direction.

"I don't need anyone to fight my battles for me," Cas swore. She strode forward, looking agitated beyond belief. "Really, Joseph? You've sunk to hunting teenage girls now?"

"You got a mighty large price on your head, darling."

She stopped and put her hands on her hips. "I'm going to ask nicely for you to leave. Tell all your magician friends that this is between me and Isis, which means you need to keep your abnormally large noses out of it. No bounty is worth the pain I will inflict."

"No can do."

Cas shrugged her shoulders and pulled out one of the daggers Apollo gave her from the inside of her jacket before taking it off. "Have it your way, then."

She vanished.

Joseph's eyes narrowed while the other's widened in terror. Cas appeared behind one of the men and snatched him up before disappearing again, only to reappear on the fire escape and drop him a good twenty feet. Apollo expected the sickening crunch of bone when the man hit the pavement, the bones not able to handle the force of the fall. A shattering scream left the man as he hit, spurring the other two into action. Cas was already on the other one, quickly disarming him of his weapon and knocking him out with a swift hit from the hilt of her dagger. Joseph yelled out something in Egyptian, a symbol forming over his palm, which made Cas clutch her head. Another word from Joseph sent the weapon flying to the other end of the alley, well out of Cassia's reach. She hit her knees as Joseph strode forward, a satisfied look on his face.

"They talk all about how skilled you are, but you are nothing but a"

Joseph didn't finish that sentence. As soon as he was close enough, Cas shifted, swinging her legs around, sending Joseph falling to his back. She whispered a few words, her blade flying back to her hand before she placed it against Joseph's throat.

"She faked it," Hermes laughed. "Smart, conniving girl."

"We both know that if I really wanted to kill all three of you, that you would already be dead. Consider this the only warning I give to the magician guilds. Attack me again, and I won't hesitate to end a life. Keep sending assassins, and I will destroy all that you hold dear. Do I make myself clear?"

"You are a monster," the man breathed. Apollo noticed the brief flick of pain in her eyes before her jaw tensed.

"We are all someone's monster." Cas rose from the man, keeping her dagger pointed in his direction. "Leave before I change my mind. And get your guy some medical attention," she added as she pointed to the one who she dropped.

Cas stepped over Joseph, walking back towards the two Olympians. She took her drink back from Apollo and drank deeply. When she finished, she looked back at her attackers, who were making a portal to leave.

"Mind if we go around?"

"Not at all. That was impressive," Hermes pointed out. Cas simply shrugged her shoulders. He gave Hermes a look. Apollo needed to talk to Cas. Something about the morning seemed to impact her more than usual. Plus, that gleam in Hermes's eyes had strengthened considerably, which left Apollo uneasy.

"Hermes, can you go ahead and take that to Athena?"

"Uh, sure." Hermes vanished on the spot, leaving Cas and Apollo alone. She began walking back towards the school, her brow furrowed in thought. They walked in silence for a while, until the school was back in view.

Apollo cleared his throat. "Are you okay?"

"Not really."

"You shouldn't feel guilty for that."

"You really think so?" she murmured.

"They were trying to harm you, Cassia," Apollo reminded her. "You gave them fair warning." Cas took a sip of her drink, letting the silence speak for her. "And how often are you expecting attacks like that?"

"Not often," she muttered. "They didn't realize that you were with me. The immortals aren't going to try anything unless I'm alone, at least for now. Hopefully, that ended whatever magicians planned on coming after me."

"Cas," Apollo began. He could hear the deception in her words, the careful way she worded herself. Something was wrong.

"Thank you," she blurted, turning towards him. "For everything this morning. For everything you may do."

Before Apollo could reply, she quickened her pace, leaving him behind in front of the school.

Hope you enjoyed! I'm trying to work on this story more, but be patient with me as I'm also dedicating a lot of time to my original stuff.

Please like/reblog! :) Thanks for reading!

#teen olympians #pjo fanfic #pjo au #mythology fic #apollo #Artemis #orion #ortemis #my writing

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