Dealing with Drama

Apollo or Asteria: Part 1

AN: North Indian (specifically Punjabi) food. Probably the best cuisine I have ever tasted. Also, Riqui Puig just posted a cooking video on Barcelona's official YouTube page. Sadly, I won't be able to have it, as I'm vegetarian... allergic to meat.

Time: A Few Hours Later

Percy winced as Aphrodite sponged his back with warm water.

They were back safe on the island of Ogygia, and it was night. Currently, all the girls were sitting around the dining table, which seemed to have become the default meeting place for all the inhabitants on the island. This evening, however, a new immortal had joined them, in the form of the female Apollo.

However, this time, the mood was slightly serious, as Apollo still had bloodshot eyes, and was sobbing silently. Artemis sat beside her sister, patting her back as she tried to comfort and soothe the younger twin. Most of them were silent, broken only by Percy's occasional grunts of pain and slight rebukes at his state.

"Who told you to engage so many enemies in open combat?" Reyna hissed at him, clearly dissatisfied.

"What was I to do? Just run away?!" Percy looked at her incredulously. "Don't be daft. The minor gods respected power, and only power, and I showed them who was the one in charge. You can't talk to them like civil immortals. They understand the language, and treatment dealt out to untamable wild beasts, so pain is the only language they should be spoken to, in."

"I'm sure it's not that bad." Everyone gaped at the only Roman in the room.

"What?" Reyna eyed the others looking at her weirdly. "I'm sure he's just exaggerating."

"Reyna," Artemis began, slowly, trying to ensure that she could follow her every word, "Romans are honourable, the Greeks are not so. What Percy said is right. Greek minor gods are filthy beasts, and should be put down as such." She hugged her twin tighter.

She gulped. "Yeah, look what they did to my hands!" Percy raised his hands from where they were dipped in a bowl of ice and water.

"Ah, come on, Percy. You wouldn't have been zapped if you had been sensible. Reyna is right, there is no need for unnecessary violence. And besides, your hands will be alright before dinner."

"And what if they aren't? How am I to eat dinner?!" He asked in a panicked tone.

Atalanta snapped at him, "Act your age, Jackson. My dad- sorry, mom- was nearly.... you know what, and dinner is the only thing you can think of?!"

He stared at the Hunter blankly. "I'm trying to take her mind off- OUCH!"

Percy immediately shied away from the love goddess as she dabbed at the already partially healed gash just above his waist. "Keep still, Percy!" She admonished, "I know what I'm doing. I think I can just clean the wounds alright!"

"Yeah, yeah, of course, you can." Percy nodded hastily, wincing as she continued her administrations, a bit more forceful this time.

"Alright, onto more serious matters. Apollo, tell me, what really happened?"

She looked up at him with wide, teary eyes. Percy had to struggle to make out her soft words amidst the horrible stuttering, interspersed with ample sobs and cries and sniffles as she tried to bravely recount her traumatic experience. "It started like any other day. I got up just when Artemis was landing her moon chariot, and I went to the garage to bring out mine. But then, Ares was waiting for me there. He ambushed me, hit me in the head with something, and I blacked out."